Disclaimer: Prince of Persia does not belong to me.

Interlude One: Nizam

Once, in the royal city of Nasaf, there lived two brothers. They were princes higher than any of their royal siblings. The two were called Sharaman and Nizam and they were the closest of friends as well as brothers.

Sharaman was first in line for their father's throne, but, in his eyes, he and his brother Nizam were equals in all things.

It came to pass that the brothers grew to the age at which they were allowed to go hunting on their own, if they remained close by the city. Rejoicing at their new freedom, the brothers swiftly set about going on an expedition.

When the two were a suitable distance from Nasaf, they took their spears and began to hunt. Nizam spotted a fine deer some time later and the princes began to stalk it. They were unaware, however, of the dangers that lurked in the wild, even so close to the city. A great lion crouched in hiding in the tall browned grasses behind Sharaman. The lion pounced and for a moment, Sharaman felt certain that he would perish at the paws of the beast. Then that moment ended and Nizam's spear soared through the air and slew the wretched beast.

"O my brother!" exclaimed Sharaman, "Surely this day has increased our brotherhood tenfold!" And with that, the brothers took the body of the lion back to the royal city as proof of their brotherhood.

Years passed. The brothers grew from boys to men. And although it seemed as if Sharaman always received the greater share of all good things, they remained as close as ever. Then the old king died and Sharaman rose to the throne. Still the brothers' bond was not shaken.

There came to court, a few prosperous years later, a beautiful princess from a neighboring land. She was graceful as a swan and as soft as a whisper. Her skin was made of the very sun's gold and her hair the color of coal. Nizam saw her and thought to himself I would have this woman as my own. And so Nizam fell in love. Sharaman saw her and thought to himself My heart would belong to this woman if she would allow it. And so Sharaman fell in love. The two began to woo her affections. As women are wont to do, she saw past their words and actions and divined their innermost thoughts. She dismissed Nizam; she would not be possessed. She turned her gaze to Sharaman alone and soon the two were wed.

Not even a year passed before the king's first child, a boy-child, was born. The king and his wife named the child Tus and the kingdom rejoiced. Nizam looked at his nephew and saw what could have been his. A spark of jealousy darted through his soul.

Before the young prince could speak, word reached Nizam's ears. A second child was to be born to his love and his brother. Jealousy burned hot in his breast. Still, he contented to watch his love live on in peace.

All was well for a time. The queen's face grew more beautiful as her belly swelled with her second child. Sharaman felt a glow of happiness in his heart and Persia prospered. When the time was near for the child to be born, the queen took to her bed and rested. Sharaman worried, for she had not needed bed rest before Tus' birth.

The queen gave birth to a second son for Sharaman. The whole of Persia rejoiced again. But grief followed close on joy's heels, for the queen had died to bring her son, named Garsiv, into the world.

Sharaman's anguish roared through the land and all fell to the ground in fear of it. He sat, night after night, in his chambers, demanding wine to dull his pain. The task had fallen to Nizam, to ensure his brother remained well enough to rule. So he filled his brother's wineglass.

As the years burned by, Sharaman's grief faded. He raised his sons to be fine men and adopted a third beloved son and raised him as well. Nizam was pushed to the fringes of the court, filling his brother's wineglass. Anger and hate stained Nizam's soul black, though his face betrayed naught of it. Dark thoughts troubled Nizam.

His love would not have died, she might even have been his, had Sharaman not existed. He should have allowed the lion to kill Sharaman in the days of his youth.

Then he heard the tale of the Sandstorm of the gods.