Sands of Time
by ErtheChilde


'Your arrogance is nearly as great as your ignorance.'


TWO

Tamina was uneasy.

As Princess of Alamut, and the primary Guardian of the Dagger of Time, her fate should not be so dependent on the will and whims of others. And yet it was exactly this position she found herself in as she sat in counsel with the dignitaries from Persia and her own advisors.

King Sharman had the look about him as a man who preferred to smile and, given some of the stories Dastan had told him about the man who had plucked him from the streets to raise as his own, she wished he were. As it was, he was currently sitting across the room from her, surrounded by his advisors, and smiling seemed to be the furthest thing from his mind.

Understandable, considering the upheaval that his family had gone through, but much of that was due to his own poor judgement.

In her own view as a ruler, there had been no true reason for him to banish his two heirs from his sight – and that was even ignoring the fact that his decision had directly affected her own future.

It was true, she had only accepted the proposed arrangement of marrying Dastan because he had returned the Dagger of Time to her. However, in the weeks since then she had come to know the adopted prince much better. There was an inexplicable connection to him – possibly an echo of the timeline he had told her about in secret – and a sense that while he was man of strength and fortune, he had no desire for power. Any union between them would not automatically take the power she had inherited from her aging grandfather and pass it to some faceless Persian overlord.

When news that Sharaman had dissolved the engagement as a decision made by his unwise eldest son, Tamina had been angry – yet not for all the same reasons as her family. The cousins and uncles that made up her advisors had seen it as an insult, and a sign that perhaps the Persians weren't truly ready for peace. The Median rulers of Persia that had preceded Sharaman had been known for their ignorance of the culture and traditions of those they conquered, was this king to turn to their way of thinking in his old age?

And then beyond all the politics of their two peoples, there was the matter of the unrest among the Guardians. What she had confided in Dastan was true, and spoken to the best of her abilities.

She truly didn't know what was happening amongst her own, and her uncles and cousins seemed to not wish her any distress. Shahnaz, her cousins and oldest friend, seemed intent on ensuring that she remain focussed on the matter of relations with the Persian.

'You're probably the most intelligent living creature in that room,' he had told her wryly when the first meetings began days before. 'If you can't manage to bring peace between our two peoples, the cause was never meant to be. No doubt you will have the king eating out of your hand before the week is done.'

She wished she was as confident as her cousin.

Across from her, Sharaman gestured for silence among his murmuring advisors, and Tamina did the same. She gave him a nod, indicating he should speak first, even though by dint of this council taking place in her city, it should have been her right.

It was always best to see what one's opponent had planned before unveiling one's own intentions.

The Persian king didn't waste time on flattery or words of welcome.

'I had spoken earlier to my son about the possibility of him accepting the title of my heir,' he began. 'Naturally, he had some misgivings. And through his words, and the words of my advisors, I see that perhaps I was too focussed the ills of my own heart than the larger picture. If you would forgive this old man's folly, Your Highness.'

'Your state of mind is understandable, Your Majesty,' Tamina told him grandiosely. 'A betrayal from so close within your ranks is a hurt that will not be easily remedied. My people and I grieve with you, and remind you that there is no ill-will from the people of Alamut for the misunderstanding caused by your late brother.'

So long as you take your army and leave my city in peace, she didn't add.

'And I thank you for that understanding,' Sharaman bowed his head in acknowledgement. 'On that note, there are matters to discuss. A marriage was proposed following the unfortunate attack that injured and killed so many of both our people, and I think perhaps that solution would be more beneficial than initially thought.'

Tamina's heart rose.

'But my son, so hurried in making amends for his folly, offered too low a prize for the harm he caused,' Sharaman went gravely. 'It is true that peace between the kingdoms of Persia is needed, but they should be from a line that has already proven itself strong and wise. And so I believe the strongest solution for both our kingdoms, if you are as amenable to peace as I am, is for you to marry not a prince, but a king – '

Her understanding ground to a halt as he said that, and she felt as though she had been turned to stone.

' – and beget a new line of sons, whose resoluteness will rival even the hardiness of the seed of Kosh,' the king went on. 'With the might of conquerors from my blood, and the protection of the gods from yours, our children will one day rule this combined land of ours not only prudently, but piously –'

Tamina felt her mouth part in surprise, all of her carefully constructed responses for anything the Persian king might say breaking like sandglass before they could reach her mouth. Behind her, her advisors began whispering madly amongst each other, and she wished they wouldn't because it was hard enough to concentrate on Sharaman's words instead of what her family thought of this new arrangement.

' – do not let this aged countenance turn your heart against me,' he implored. 'I know that for one as young and beautiful as you, I must seem as ancient as the desert from whence this city was carved. But I am still young at heart, and I still have enough life in me to father strong sons.'

The idea distressed her.

She wanted peace for Alamut and a guarantee that some foreign ruler wouldn't jeopardize the Sandglass, but on a selfish and personal level she had no love for the Persian king. She was wary of his age, and not just due to superficial reasons.

From a practical standpoint, if they married and she bore his children, she did not see him living long enough to see them weaned. And once he was dead, she and her children might end up at the center of a struggle for the control of the Persian throne. Though Dastan had told her his brother Tus was reasonable, she had seen for herself the impulsive and battle readiness of his brother Garsiv. She could foresee that he would be one who might kill her and any of her children in order to secure his brother's, and thus his, place in the succession.

And of course, after all the practical concerns, there was the very blatant reality that she had been coming to terms with in the past weeks: that she had come to care for Prince Dastan, and had actually been hoping that a marriage between them would be forthcoming.

Realizing that an answer was expected, Tamina schooled herself into some facsimile of calm and replied, 'The solution you would suggest is one of gravity and worth some consideration, Your Majesty. But I have many duties, and I cannot make such a decision until I have conferred with Alamut's king, who was too ill to join this conclave, as well as with my advisors.'

'By all means,' Sharaman said, gesturing to her people. He made no move to leave the room with his entourage, and Tamina realized he intended for this matter to be closed today.

She offered him an insubstantial smiled, and turned her attention to her councillors.

'This solution is ill-advised,' one of her older uncle said quietly. 'A marriage to one of the Persian royals was one thing when the bridegroom was barely a prince, but the king himself? He will demand control over this city and all her secrets.'

'This is true,' Tamina said, relieved that someone else saw that. 'As Guardian of the Dagger – anointed by the gods – I cannot cede my power to as power-hungry a ruler as this king.'

'This was always a consideration,' Shahnaz argued in a low voice. 'We know nothing of this Dastan, save for what you have told us of his character. He might be just as intent on power as the man who raised him. It is inevitable that at some point the title of Guardian will pass from you.'

'Perhaps, but that title is meant to go to any daughter I have,' Tamina argued. 'There are no others that are part of the direct line who are able to properly guard the dagger.'

Shahnaz shook his head. 'My eldest, Rapasha, is but an infant, but I can guard the dagger in her stead until she reaches the age.'

'It is my duty to protect the dagger!'

'And what better way can you do that than to ensure the mightiest empire in the world has an interest in its protection?' Shahnaz persuaded.

Tamina could see that the rest of her uncles and cousins were nodding their heads, obviously finding the idea of the marriage transfer acceptable. While she was ruler as decreed by her grandfather, she knew she had no choice but to go along with the guidance of her advisors. Across the room, Sharaman and his ilk seemed expectant.

She felt ill, and – beyond that – more and more certain that something was not quite right about how events were proceeding. She couldn't let on, though.

Either she agreed to this new arrangement, sealing her fate, or she could disagree and risk war – and her own demise by whatever malcontent faction was circulating through her own people.

She held up a hand to silence her still whispering counsellors, and addressed the king.

'If I were to accept this proposal that Your Majesty has offered, what guarantee to I have of my safety and the safety of any of my children?' she asked. 'Mightier kings than those of Persia have had their wives and children slaughtered by those who would ensure their own power.'

Sharaman gave her an appreciative look, obviously having not expected her to address this so candidly.

'My son Dastan is judicious, and should the gods see fit to take me soon, he will be both a wise regent for any of our children and a fierce protector, for his interests are for the good of Persia and not his own,' the king told her. 'You and your children's lives will be safe in his hands.'

Tamina was silent another long moment, trying to think of any other way than to accept this. Bending neck to invaders, even as a temporary solution, did not sit well with her, but it seemed there wasn't much else she could do without any support.

'Very well, Majesty,' she said quietly. 'I agree to you your proposal.'

He looked pleased and moved forward, taking her hennaed hand and kissing the back of it.

'Then it is settled,' he said, looking pleased. 'We will celebrate this union in Avrat in fifteen days time.'

'I am sure your advisors and my own wish to discuss the exact details of this proposed union,' she said quietly, 'But I believe my own guidance will be found in prayer. Excuse me, I must pray.'

'By all means, go to your contemplations,' he said, dismissing her.

It left a sour taste in her mouth, leaving her fate to the machinations of others, but she could tell her family wanted her out of the way while they negotiated. Best not put up a fight or whatever untrustworthy members of her train existed would suspect she wasn't as ignorant as they liked.

She couldn't afford poisoned wine right now, when all of existence and time might be at risk.

Without paying much attention to her surroundings, she headed to the High Temple where the Dagger had been locked away after Dastan returned it. She needed to think.

It wasn't long in her journey that she discovered she was being followed, however before she could think of leading them on a false trail, the person fell into step with her.

'Just act as if I'm one of your escorts,' Dastan's familiar voice whispered.

She shot him an annoyed glance – and was surprised to see that he was dressed as one of the Alamutian attendants from the council chamber. Had he been there the entire time?

'I'm surprised your father didn't notice you in there,' she told him conversationally.

'Father rarely looks the servants in the eye,' Dastan replied easily. 'Something that seems true for you and your family as well.'

She shot him an annoyed look, and once they reached the chamber turned to glare at him.

'If you were there, you know what's just been decided, don't you?'

'You were rather quick to accept that proposal,' he answered, and she thought she could hear anger in his voice despite his calmness.

'Jealous?' she prompted.

'You could have stalled,' he retorted. 'The right of succession belongs to Tus. Any new union between my father and another in an effort to interrupt that succession could plunge both of our peoples into war!'

'I was stalling for time!' she hissed, feeling a little embarrassed at having misinterpreted his anger. He only cared for the status of his brother, not her, it seemed. 'The important matter here isn't some paltry marriage, and since you spurned my request for help when I came to you, I had little choice!'

Dastan shifted uncomfortably. 'It…might be possible I was hasty.'

That brought her up short. 'What do you mean?'

'You might be right about something going on – and I think it's safe to say what it is,' he answered. 'Your people are trying to get you out of the way, or at least reduce the power you wield.'

She blinked, having not expected that. 'And what would that gain anyone?'

'I was paying attention in that meeting, princess, and Shahnaz was awful quick to volunteer his services as regent. And the rest of your relatives, even those who initially questioned the decision, were quick to follow his lead.'

'Shahnaz is one of my most trusted advisors,' she pointed out. 'He has guided my grandfather and myself well for years. Besides, he couldn't do anything even if he were regent. Custom dictates that only a female of the bloodline is permitted to hold or even touch the Dagger unless they are removing it to safety. The same goes for the Sandglass.'

'And I'm telling you, I think your suspicions about someone trying to gain access to both those things is right – it's just coming from your own people.'

Tamina shook her head. 'That's not possible…'

But the words were doubtful even to her ears.

Their gazes met and held for several long moments, and Tamina's heart thudded in realization that his suspicions made more sense than she liked.

'Tell me, Dastan,' she began hoarsely. 'Where does your loyalty lie, then, if you are coming to me now and telling me all of this.'

He looked like he was struggling with something internally, before taking a step forward.

'I sacrificed you once to protect my family and Persia…possibly all of existence,' he told her earnestly. 'I don't need to tell you how completely wrong it went, so…this time I choose you. If that means taking you from Alamut and going on the run…well, it wouldn't be the first time.'

Tamina felt her cheeks flush at his words, and had to bite her tongue from accepting his offer.

As much as she wanted to, she didn't share the same memories as Dastan had, and she still had a duty to Alamut.

'I have to protect the interests of my people,' she told him sadly, 'And marriage seems to be the best way to do that. But if what you say is true…the Dagger must be protected, even from my own.'

Before he could answer, the turned and hurried to the pedestal where the object was kept. Removing it, she hurried back to him and pressed it into his hands.

'Will you take it?' she begged. 'I can't chance its existence becoming known to your father once we marry. I know you Persians – you consider your wives' property yours upon union. 'If I know it's safe, I can concentrate on figuring out what is happening with the other Guardians.'

'Tamina –'

'I know you understand how to use the Dagger,' she went on, reaching into her shirt and extracting the extra vial of sand there. 'Take this, just in case. And if I am unable to figure out the truth of things by the time of my intended nuptials, you must hide the Dagger. Bring it somewhere untraceable, far from the Sandglass, and keep it forever separated.'

His face was inscrutable as he took the Dagger and the sand, and as he turned to leave he seemed to be biting his tongue.

As he reached the doorway, however, he suddenly turned back around and strode back to her.

'Dast –'

Her words were cut off as he swept her up in one arm and crushed his lips to her. She felt, rather than heard, the surprised squeak she emitted before he pulled away again.

'I might not get the chance later, if you're married,' he told her with a grim smile, and then disappeared.

Tamina swallowed, slowly bringing her fingers to her still tingling lips. Even during their brief engagement he had never made any advances toward her, remaining polite and gentlemanly.

For just a second she wished he had been less so.

The irreverent nature of her thoughts were interrupted with the sudden arrival of Shahnaz.

'Was that the Persian prince?' he demanded in lieu of a greeting.

'Cousin, what are you – ?'

'Why was he in here?'

'He was just coming to say goodbye to me,' Tamina said, a bit taken aback by her cousin's fury. 'He is headed to Avrat to bring them news of the wedding, that preparations can be made.'

This was a lie, but she wasn't about to tell Shahnaz that.

'You know better than to be alone with him with no escort,' her cousin lectured. 'Especially now that you've accepted King Sharaman's proposal it's even less acceptable. Really, you ought to –' His diatribe suddenly cut short, he let out a sound like his throat had suddenly closed up. 'Where is the Dagger?'

Tamina forced herself to whirl around in surprise, affecting confusion and surprise.

She knew if she admitted that she had given the Dagger to an outsider of her own free will, her life would be forfeit. The sanctity of the Guardians was ironclad, and for the keeper of the Dagger to give it up warranted the worst of death penalties.

'That can't be!' she gasped, faking shock and outrage. 'It was just here, I ensured its presence here myself!'

'Are you sure?'

'I think it would be rather obvious if I had it on my person,' she snapped. 'It's not possible, it has to be here –'

'Prince Dastan!' Shahnaz hissed in realization. 'He must have taken it.'

'He wouldn't – he was the one who returned it to us in the first place –!'

'You have been distracted by your feelings for him,' her cousin told her bluntly. 'Stay here, I will alert the guard. We will find him, princess. And I hope when we do, you have reclaimed enough of your senses to deal with him as any thief of the Dagger would be dealt with.'

And he strode away.

Tamina clenched a fist, praying that Dastan had moved quickly. She hadn't expected her plan to start unravelling so fast, but one thing was for sure: she had very little time to fix whatever was happening within the Guardians.

· P ·

The psychic paper wasn't working.

The two guards by the gate to the palace were staring at the Doctor, clearly unimpressed with his request that he and Rose be allowed to pass. He had heard rumours of the mental prowess of some of the ancient human peoples – had even heard that the Alamutians were known for the wisdom and purported spiritual powers, but he hadn't expected to come up against rudimentary psychic training so early in Earth's history.

'Ah, well, looks like you've passed my little test, to see if you're worthy,' the Doctor chatted amicably, putting away the billfold and trying to come up with another story to get them in the palace. 'I'd heard how smart you Alamutians were – said so, didn't I, Rose? – and you've proved it. Saw through my illusion very well.'

'I grew up on the streets of Avrat, stranger, I know a con when I see one,' the guard retorted coolly. 'And you must be foreign, if you can't tell an Alamutian from a Persian.'

'Ah, that explains it,' the Doctor said, more to Rose than the guards. 'Common sense types. The paper almost never works on them.'

Rose frowned. 'If you're Persian, why are you guarding the Alamutian palace?'

'Guarding the king, I expect,' the Doctor answered for the guards. 'Extra security detail for while he's here, isn't that right gentlemen? Which works out fantastic, cos we've urgent business with the King. And possibly the ruler of Alamut. In that order.'

'That's nice for you, but you're not getting past here,' the taller guard replied. 'Only people on official business are allowed inside while the sovereigns discuss peace. And that doesn't include a second-rate foreign magus and his little bit on the side.'

'Oi!' Rose snapped.

'Oi!' the Doctor seconded. 'Second-rate?'

Rose shot him a dirty look. 'Really?'

'I'll have you know I'm known all across the known world,' the Doctor bristled. 'And Rose isn't my…she's my apprentice.'

They were giving him knowing looks he didn't like.

'Alright, stranger, if you're so powerful, why don't you show us some magic that actually works?' the taller of the guards smirked.

'I would, but I don't want to burn your eyes out with the magnificence of it.'

'Why don't you just use your, er, magic wand?' Rose muttered in a quiet aside. 'I mean, they're standing in front of a door…'

'The wand doesn't work on wood,' he replied, 'And any of the other settings that currently work wouldn't be all that impressive.'

'The blinky-light thing would be enough.'

'S'not a "blinky-light", Rose, it's a –'

'Nice as it is to have entertainment while I'm on duty, you two need to leave before I stop finding all this funny,' the shorter guard interrupted. 'Go on, stranger, take your apprentice and put her to her best use.'

At that point, the Doctor might well have just let Rose unleash her understandable and no doubt impressive rage upon the hapless sentries, had it not been for a sudden commotion from inside the walls of the palace – crashing and yelling.

'To arms!'

'Catch him!'

'Thief!'

The guards by the gate tensed, their attention shifting between what was happening inside and the Doctor and Rose in front of them.

Thinking quickly, the Doctor drummed up his most commanding voice and ordered, 'Swords up, lads, and follow me!'

And just as the soldiers in Albion hospital had done during the Slitheen invasion, the men who had just been stonewalling them followed him with no more than a confused look and a shrug.

They hurried through the entrance into the palace courtyard, the guards looking around in search of whatever was going on.

Rose came to a stop beside him, and panted,' How'd you do that?'

'Some people really do exist just to follow orders,' he replied, trying to listen for any more indication of where the trouble was coming from. 'Sometimes all you need is to sound like you're in charge and people fall in line.'

The tiny, eensy bit of telepathic command that he'd used this time might've had something to do with that bit, but he wasn't telling her that.

The courtyard was standard fair for the time period – wide, open space with a grand fountain in the middle and bordered by lushly cultivated trees within the walled confines. Smooth sandstone walkways lined the ground, the same colour as the outer façade of the palace. Like the surrounding palisade, the outer boundary of the palace was two storeys high; far behind it, each layer of the palace seemed to add a storey until the shape resembled nothing more than a fancy wedding cake.

The lower levels of this part of the palace was a corridor shadowed with arches. A wide, slanting staircase led to the second level, which was more of an open corridor, hemmed in with a balcony and the occasional column for support or decoration. At the top of it all, an almost pagoda style roof, where –

A figure in the distance appeared to be fleeing across the roof, pursued by a cluster of guards. Where the first figure was moving nimbly across the tricky tiles, his pursuer didn't seem to be able to pull off the same feat. One of the closest ones stepped just wrong and tumbled off the other side of the roof and out of sight.

'Oh my God!' Rose gasped.

From the other end of the roof, where the man was obviously attempting to reach, more guards appeared, blocking his escape.

He barely paused, before sliding down the side of the roof leading into the courtyard. Unlike the poor guard who had been chasing him, though, he obviously intended to do this, because he grasped hold of the edge with a strong grip and swung himself into the open corridor.

There was no time for him to bask in the victory of that particular feat, however, because instantly more guards were spilling out of the rooms beyond the balcony, yelling at him and demanding he surrender.

Somehow I don't think that's about to happen, the Doctor thought.

The fleeing man pulled out a sword, just managed to catch the blow from the foremost guard before it sliced into his shoulder. He successfully blocked a few more swings, stepping back with each new one, and then suddenly kicked his leg out and tripped his attack up. The other guards behind him tried to surge forward, and instead tripped over their fallen comrade.

'He's a bit John McClane, isn't he?' Rose asked admiringly as the man trying to escape took off again, made it to the stairs and ran down the solid railing. The momentum moved him forward too quickly, and as he left the railing, he tucked and rolled mid-air before landing on his feet.

'Oh, now, that was just showing off,' the Doctor complained.

As he started to head for the main entrance, even more guards began to swarm him. The two that had been with the Doctor and Rose made a break for it, going after the fugitive, and the Doctor reached out protectively for Rose. He knew she wasn't a stranger to violence, but this time period sometimes lent itself to somewhat gruesome –

'What the hell?' he bit out as the two sentries, instead of going after the man trying to escape, threw themselves at his pursuers and began to fight them off.

'What just happened?' Rose cried over the din, but the Doctor didn't have time to ruminate on the sudden shift in allegiances. Because what happened an instant later was much more confusing.

As the young man made a beeline for where the Doctor and Rose stood near the domed entrance, one of the guards on the balcony readied a bow and took aim. Before the words of warning burst from the Doctor's mouth, the arrow went flying and buried itself in the young man's back, steps away from them.

Rose let out a light oh! of surprise and dismay, as thought she had been the one to be hit by the arrow.

The man's eyes went wide in shock as he stumbled and fell forward, reaching blindly for something the Doctor couldn't see. His pursuers were closing in, and he thought that that was the end of it –

Until time itself suddenly skittered and shifted.

Everything froze for a moment, stagnant, and then the Doctor felt the unmistakable sensation of a timeline cutting off abruptly – almost like someone was taking a pair of sheers to his Achilles tendon, only instead of a muscle being cut it was his sense of time. Pain exploded in his head, and he felt a minor, possible timeline suddenly rearing up, taking the place of the one that had just died so suddenly.

The pain hadn't subsided as the world started moving again, only it didn't pick up where it had left off. As expected, he found himself watching the same scene he had witnessed a minute ago.

As the young man made a beeline for where the Doctor and Rose stood near the domed entrance, one of the guards on the balcony readied a bow and took aim. The Doctor didn't have the will to warn the man this time, but it needn't have mattered if he did. The arrow went flying, it's target the man's back, but just then the fugitive ducked and rolled out of its path.

The path which was headed very obviously for Rose.

His arm snapped out and he pulled Rose to him, out of the arrow's way. He felt the displacement of the air as it rushed past him. As soon as he heard it hit the wall, he shoved Rose out of the way of any other arrows and looked back at the pandemonium of the courtyard. 'Did you see that?'

'You saving me from that arrow?' she gasped. 'Yeah, a bit more than saw. Let's not do that again.'

The Doctor shook his head in denial – he should have known, he was the only one aware of time resetting itself. Rose didn't have the senses to pick up on that.

Another group of guards had materialized – and really, did they come out of some kind of machine? There were so many of them! – and engaged the man in a confusing bit of swordplay.

There was something going on – more than a simple change to the timelines, and the Doctor knew that that young man had something to do with it. He wasn't sure how, but he was sure nonetheless.

Which meant he had to decide whether to help the guards catch him and hand him over to whoever wanted him stopped, or help him escape and ask the hard questions later.

It wasn't difficult to decide to go with the running man.

If he wanted to question him, he could only do that if the bloke didn't have his head cut off. The Doctor knew only too well the types of punishment they meted out in this time period, and he was very much in favour of a resolution that didn't end with any limbs cut off.

'Move, we've got to help our friend there,' he ordered Rose, springing into action.

'Since when's he our friend?' she shot back, but despite her confusion she followed him.

'See that chain over there, the one holding the gate up?' he barked, yanking the sonic from his pocket and keying in the proper settings.

'Yeah?'

He shoved the device into her hands. 'When I say, aim this at it and activate it. Then leg it as fast as you can out of here.'

'But –'

'Be right behind you,' he cut her off and pushed her toward the door, before heading for the scuffle.

A fallen guard's sword flew out of his hand, and the Doctor leaned down the catch it before it hit the ground. He also grabbed the rather voluminous length of the man's robes and looped it out in front of him, catching someone's wrist as he did so. Ducking under another's sword, he caught the blade with his own, then looped the material around an errant foot.

After several moments of complicated swooping and out of arms and legs and swords, at least six of the guards were tangled tightly in confusing mess. The two Persian sentries from before were keeping the rest of the guards at bay, and so as the fugitive recovered himself, the Doctor said, 'Hello, I'm the Doctor – specialist in trouble and great escapes. Who are you then?'

Rather than respond, however, the young man turned tail and ran for the entrance way.

'Well, that's rude,' the Doctor remarked, taking off after him. The fugitive was just clearing Rose, when the Doctor shouted, 'Rose, now!'

As ordered, she aimed the sonic at the winch holding the chain, which suddenly broke, and stumbled into a run out of the postern. The heavy gate trundled down to the ground as she hurried through it.

The Doctor only just managed to clear it as it thudded to the floor behind him.

'Thought we couldn't use the sonic,' Rose puffed as they hurried down through the streets after their new friend.

'It's not a toy, it's only for emergencies – sweet-talking dim-witted, questionably loyal watchmen wasn't an emergency!'

'You're so making that up!'

'Less talking, more running!'

There was quite a bit of shouting happening behind him, probably guards trying to haul the gate back up, and from the swishing noise in the background, he supposed that more arrows were being shot after them.

With the still nameless possible temporal meddler keeping ahead of them by several yards, they managed to get out of the palace environs and slip through the crowded, twisting streets of Alamut. Whoever he was appeared much more comfortable in these settings and also seemed rather adept at seemingly disappearing into the shadows.

If the Doctor hadn't been a lot more observant than most humans, he would have completely lost track of him. As it was, he was just barely able to keep up with the fugitive and make sure Rose was following him at the same time.

Side street after side street flew past, as well as market stalls and caravans that the Doctor occasionally had to leap over or dodge to one side of. From Rose's inarticulate cursing behind him, he figured she was only just managed to do the same.

The alleys began to narrow, heading into what the Doctor judged to be the dodgier part of town based on the increase in stench and general lack of cleanliness. As he turned yet another corner, he found himself facing the point of the sword, held by the young man.

'Why are you following me?' he demanded.

'Oh, that's nice, no "thanks for saving my life"?' the Doctor quipped.

'Definitely rude,' Rose added.

'Thank you,' he said, glancing past the Doctor to make sure no guards had followed him and Rose as he put his weapon away. 'Now go away. I do not wish to harm you, but I will if you slow me down any more.'

Satisfied they had escaped the scrutiny of any authorities, he headed off through another series of side streets and alleys.

'To hell with that!' the Doctor snapped, following him. 'I want to know what you did back there and how you did it.'

'No idea what you're talking about,' the man retorted, refusing to look back at them as they came out into a more open area of the backstreets.

'You were shot in the back, you reset time, and now you're fine again!'

The man's eyes widened incrementally at that, and then narrowed in suspicion.

'I didn't see anything like that,' Rose remarked.

'Time Lord – I notice these things,' the Doctor snapped, eyes not leaving the stranger's face as he demanded, 'Are you the one who's been playing with time then?'

The weapon was out again, this time kissing the side of the Doctor's throat. Rose made a move, but the Doctor reached back and held her at arm's length, not wanting that blade anywhere near her. 'Who are you? Not one of the Guardians, or you wouldn't have helped me out of there. But you know more than you should.'

'Sums me up, yeah,' the Doctor agreed, not flinching at the blade at his neck though Rose's grip on his arm tightened. 'And you do too, it seems. Well, let me tell you now, unless you put back whatever you changed, the world's gonna end – and not pleasantly.'

'I don't know how you know what's going on, but I'm not changing anything back. Not to the way it was. This life is far from anything I would have chosen for myself, but it is still a better one than what would have happened without my intervention,' he told them resolutely. 'You speak of the world ending? If I had not done as I did, it would be the universe and all of existence that ended.'

He and the Doctor exchanged looks, and the Doctor could immediately tell that the young man was speaking the truth. After all, only someone who had faced the possibility of the universe collapsing could have quite that look in their eyes.

The young man seemed to see something in the Doctor as well, because he nodded once and drew away from him, pushing roughly past him.

'I have to get out of the city,' he said. 'You need to leave me to it.'

'I can't.'

The young man sighed. 'Thought you'd say that.'

Before the Doctor could react, the stranger had yanked Rose close to him, thick arm around her throat in chokehold.

'You just made a big mistake,' the Doctor told him, brandishing the sonic. He couldn't exactly do anything with it, but the stranger wasn't to know that.

'Not letting me go my own way was yours,' his opponent said. 'I'm sorry, but I learned this lesson the hard way. If I don't escape from this city, the consequences are bigger than one life.'

The Doctor glared at the stranger, silently holding in check the furious wrath that simmered within him, first at the thought that this ape would dare lecture him on life-or-death consequences, and that he was doing it while holding Rose hostage.

'Yeah, trust me mate, you've no idea.'

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