Hey, y'all. So, first of all, a big thank you to those who have reviewed. I hope this chapter will live up to your expectations:) Without further ado, Chapter Two!
Disclaimer: I own nothing to that had anything to do with the Prince of Persia franchise.
Claimer: I own Alanika, her family, Princess Omara, and anything you do not recognize. If you copy, steal, etc. my story, I will not hesistate to report you.
Alanika POV
"Tamina! Tamina, where are you?" I yelled running down the corridor. The troublesome girl had escaped unnoticed from our room yet again. Alright, it wasn't technically our room but really her four grand chambers, not counting the two for bathing, and my small connecting two rooms. Tamina insisted that we share a room the moment I saved her from the bandits that had invaded the palace.
One extremely hot desert summer, the courtious Princess Omara had invited a group of travelling acrobats into the palace in an attempt to cheer the sluggish morale of the servants, noblemen and priestesses, as well as Tamina and I. I was twelve and Tamina was eleven. The acrobats performed in the grand throne room and all were invited. Tamina and I spent all day in the presence of the acrobats and, my being from the streets, I even performed a little as well.
"Nika, I had no idea you could do that!" exclaimed Tamina after I had triple flipped off the table only to flip up to walk on my hands. She had nicknamed me 'Nika' soon after I had come to live in the palace, claiming my full name was a mouthful. I did not care, though, because I would call her 'Mina' in retaliation. I smiled at the girl I had come to call sister and best friend. I continued to smile as I took my place beside her to watch the end of the performance.
After her bath, it was our little nightly tradition for Tamina and I to go and say goodnight to the Princess. Omara's favorite past-time was for Tamina to sing while I would dance. Omara had decided that I needed to be more refined and so she had me sit with Tamina in her lessons. Dancing was Tamina's least favorite but it would seem I had a talent for it. I gained many compliments from the dance master as well as Omara herself. As we finished, Omara's happy laugh was cut short by something that would change our lives, Tamina's most of all. The hilt of a small dagger protruded from the woman's stomach. She doubled over in pain as Tamina began to scream. She clung to me and I believed, for a small moment, that I would not gain blood flow to that arm for several days. However, that did little to quell my uneasiness. I knew what was going on. I had my suspicions from the start about the looks those acrobats had shared in between flips and tricks. My suspicions were right, after all. As guards surrounded the wounded Princess, Tamina's hand was suddenly ripped from mine.
"Nika!" she screamed, "Nika help me!" I jerked around trying to find my friend in the midst of the sudden chaos. I saw her, thrown over the shoulder of a bandit, screaming and beating him on the back. I raced after, barely pausing to grab the sword of a fallen soldier. I pounded down the corridor and out into the night, following the faint sound of the bandits' laughter.
After running for several minutes, I found them. Tamina, tied at the hands and feet and gagged, caught my eye as I peered from around a barrel. I put my finger to my lips and now that I look back, that was a tad unnecessary, however, she nodded, then looking at the ground so as not to gain me any attention. I peered around the barrel once again and what I saw greatly surprised me and at the same time made me smirk. Only two of the bandits had survived to escape. Both were men, lithe and small, but from what I had seen, strong as a pair of oxen.
I waited until the bigger of the two had turned his back and slipped in behind Tamina, where they could not see me. They congratulated each other on their victory in stealing the young Princess and killing the existing one. So, it had been the smaller, bearded one who had thrown the knife. He would have to die. I used the small knife I always kept in my boot to cut Tamina's bonds. The sword was strapped to my waist, the belt wrapped twice around. I nodded to Tamina and pointed to the barrel I had hidden behind previously. She nodded in return and darted behind it. The bandits were so busy with their drinking and congratulating that they didn't see me coming until the bigger one was falling to the ground, a good sized portion of his neck and head missing. The smaller one soon righted himself and, upon seeing me, laughed heartily.
"So. This is all the great city of Alamut can send to rescue their beloved Princess? A young girl. And a street rat at that." he laughed again. It seems that even with my lessons, my past still shone through. What unnerved me, though, was his seeming uncaring attitude towards his comrade who lay in the dirt, his blood staining my sword, clothes, and face. The memory of Omara, doubled over that knife, released a fresh torment of pain and agony in my mind. A red haze filled my vision and I let out a war cry that would rival ones of the fiercest soldier. The bandit seemed taken aback at my sudden attack but countered my blows never the less. I had lost one mother already and I would rather die then let my new one die, unavenged. I slashed at his legs, using my height as an advantage. His sword glanced off my shoulder and I hissed in pain. He laughed at me again as we fought, but that only fueled my anger. I saw, in the corner of my eye, a stack of boxes piled against the wall. I stabbed him in the leg and ducked under his arm. He spun around and the last thing he would see would be me, leaping from the top of the wall, before his head, separated from his body, landed in the dust that had become mixed with the blood of his companion.
I suddenly remembered that I was not alone and race to the barrel. Tamina, who had hidden her eyes, let out a cry of fear when she saw me.
"Hush, Mina, hush. Its just me, Nika. Your friend. Everything will be okay now." I tried a smile but I'm sure it looked more like a grimace. Tamina looked at me and then buried her head in my blood-covered chest. Her sobs racked us both. Eventually I was able to get her standing and we began the slow process of making our way back to the palace. Halfway there, we met a patrol sent to look for Tamina. They took one look at my blood splattered attire and refused to let me come back with them. Tamina, however, refused to release her hold on me. They had no choice but to put us both on a horse and take us back to the palace.
Upon arrival, Tamina was bundled away to see her mother, who now lay dying. One of the priestesses identified me and tried to have me taken away to be cleaned. I, however, would not hear of it. I told the priestess to take me to Princess Omara, immediately. She looked at me strangely, but she knew of the Princess's love for me, and mine for her. Omara had often said I was like a second daughter to her. So, blood streaks and all, I was taken to see her. And what I saw broke my heart. Omara lay on her bed, gasping for breath, with a pleading Tamina beside her.
"Mama? Mama! You can't leave me! Please, don't leave me." Tears ran in rivers down Tamina's face.
"I must ...s..see the one who ...saved m...my daughter." The words were barely audible. I ran forward and clutched at Omara's free hand.
"Nika saved me, Mama. She killed the men who took me." cried Tamina. Omara looked at my appearance and knew it was the truth. Then she asked a question that would shock all in the room.
"W..why?" gasped the wounded Princess.
"Tamina is my best friend, Your Highness. I could not let the men get away. Only two survived and among them was the one who wounded you." I swallowed my tears long enough to make this reply.
"And you...you killed them both?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Their bodies lay just outside the palace walls."
"Good...good. You... you must promise me s...something."
"Anything."
"You... you will become... Tamina's...guardian and..." she gasped in pain, " and protector. You must. You are...are the only one who will...lay your life down so youn...young for my daughter. You must protect... Tamina until she joins me... in the heavens. Remember your promise, Alanika." She then turned to her daughter. "Hush... hush, my chi..child. You... you must not..." She stopped to gasp in pain, "Must not weep for me. I love... love you, Tamina, but you mu... must look to the Gods now. Alanika will...will be guided by them to make su...sure you are kept safe." Tamina was crying almost too hard to speak now.
"Mama, Mama you can't leave me! Please, please don't leave me. I will, *sniff* will be good and stay inside and never run around again, just please don't leave me."
"Oh, my...my child. I would never leave you." She smiled weakly at Tamina, taking her daughter's hand in her's and placing it on her chest. "I will always be with you. Al...always." These were the last word spoken by Princess Omara as her hand fell back to her side. For the first time in my life, I let myself cry openly. I bundled Tamina to me and our wailing rung throughout the palace.
I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the horrid memory, Tamina's screams and begging still ringing in my head. It had been over a year since that had happened and Tamina was just starting to get along normally. On the days that followed Omara's murder, I had been exempt from Tamina's lesson to attend lessons of my own. However, mine did not consist of politics and singing, but more along the lines of knife-throwing and swordplay. Swordplay happened to be what I am best at, seeing as it is similar to dancing. However, my favorite was being taught how to move in the shadows and small spaces with no sound. I loved this because not only was it useful for sneaking extra food for Tamina and I, it also helped in playing pranks on the stuck up head Priest. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of trying to find Tamina for him. I continued calling out, searching for my friend. The stubborn girl was very hard to find when she did not want to be found. However, the Priest insisted that I find her for some important ceremony that was to be held tonight. Then it hit me. I knew where to find her.
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