Under Desert Skies
A/N:
Chapter 3
Wearily opening her eyes, the same sight of the past week had greeted her; the dank darkness, the slow constant drip of liquid from somewhere into a puddle that gleamed a few feet away and the quiet rustlings here and there of rats.
"Day four." she mumbled as she picked up the sharp edged stone and made another scratch alongside the other three on the wall.
Sighing she sat back down in her relatively clean area, hands dangling from the manacles as she thought. 'I have been disowned by my father and condemned to a public beheading for a crime I did not commit.' She banged her head against the stone wall gently as her mind wandered. 'Damn whore.' She gave her chains a futile yank before chuckling to herself.
"This reminds me of the time Mother had to chain me to my bed to get me to stay put." she murmured with a nostalgic smile. "I never was one for confinement. . .and look at me now; so close to escaping and yet so very very far." she looked down to see the bulge of her pack beneath her now grungy cloak; all her lock picking tools were in there, just beyond her grasp. 'My only chance to escape is to knock out the guards when they come to take me away and run from there. It is better to die with a fight than meekly.'
The faint jingle of keys made her look up to see the guards through the small barred window. Once the sound of the lock opening came, the door swung open to show Fatima walking in with a bundle in her hands.
"How are you Princess?" she asked quietly with a smile.
"Fine." she shrugged making her chains rattle a bit. "Barring a bit of hunger of course; it is not as if I am going anywhere in the near future. Not anywhere except to my freedom."
Fatima gave a small smile. "As I thought you would have reached that particular course of action I have made arrangements with Ali. I have brought you some things that you will need."
Yasmine looked her over more carefully. "You do seem to have put on a bit more weight; surely you cannot have eaten that much for the time I have been down here."
"Hush now and eat. You still have you pack with you? Good." she moved seeing Yasmine nod her head. "I shall release you from these chains. Then you shall eat and leave."
Yasmine remained silent as Fatima made short work of the restraints. Once the iron sprang free she rubbed her chafed wrists before taking the package Fatima brought for her. "What is it that you have brought me Fatima?" she asked sating herself on the ground.
"Some bread and fresh cheese; I did not want them to find something of great significance missing." Fatima paused for a minute, moving around before taking a large bundle out from underneath the folds of her robe. "Here is all of your things Princess; I felt that you would have need of them."
Yasmine paused in mid-chew to swallow hastily and take the bundle from her. "I now see how you lose weight so fast. You should stop carrying around such things all the time Fatima."
"Don't joke so; the only reason why I am in here with you now is because the guards outside have compassion for you. They remember that you were a gentle child and believe you incapable of the act that you are to die for."
"Then I am sorry for what I shall have to do to them." Yasmine finished off her food quickly before she rose. "All my weapons are in here?"
"All of them Princess; I know how much you are attached to them." she paused, removing her old cloak to replace it with the one Fatima had brought, clasping it with the ornate brooch of Ailysha's. "I am ready to go now Fatima. Call the guard in here somehow and leave the rest to me."
Fatima nodded her head and walked back to the door slowly. Yasmine looked around to see a small ledge by a column close to the door. Running up to it, she vaulted herself up and melted back into the shadows, watching.
"Please, the Princess says that her stomach hurts terribly. You have to come and see for yourselves." Fatima's voice echoed around her hiding spot, making her peer down to see Fatima at the door and talking even more.
"It's probably last minute nerves. . .the poor Princess." the sound of the door opening came now. "She just needs some water and-"
Yasmine waited until they both had walked into the room and jumped down on the, knocking them to the floor.
"Ouch!" the one man sat up rubbing his head. "What in Allah's name was that?"
"Yeesh, felt like someone dropped a bucketful of rocks on my head." the other man looked back just in time to see Yasmine's fist coming towards his face.
"Run Fatima!" Yasmine said, seeing that the men weren't going to be easily knocked out. She reeled back to deliver a punch.
"Little Princess, you do have an audacity that I never thought I would see again." the man chuckled catching her fist in his hand. "Fatima, you did an admirable job raising her."
Fatima looked between the two men with a wary puzzled expression. "You. . .aren't going to throw her back in there?"
"No!" the man who rubbed his head stood up. "We could never do that to our own kin."
"Kin?" Yasmine looked around completely puzzled. "What are you talking about?"
"I am Ahmed. Ailysha's brother and your uncle." he gave her a small bow.
"And I am Jafar. Ailysha's other brother and your other uncle." the other man rose. "We were going to take you away from here then Fatima showed up; we thought it best to wait until she was gone. One does not know who to trust in the palace anymore."
Fatima placed herself between Yasmine and the two men. "You can easily claim that. How do I know that you are not making this up?!"
Jafar laughed. "We came here with Ailysha when she married Akbar and then left. She called us back when Yasmine here was born and asked us to stay as her bodyguards. If you recall Princess, we have been around whether you noticed it or not all throughout your life."
Yasmine paused thinking; that was the truth. They had been around for as long as she could remember back; she just never thought anything of it. "Why did you not say anything before?"
"Ailysha figured you'd try to get us to take you out into the desert before you were ready. And she was right if I remember correctly." Ahmed chuckled. "Trying to go off on your own was not the most brilliant idea was it?"
"I remember Ailysha speaking of you two troublemakers. And now that you have a nice family surprise and reunion I suggest you get Yasmine out of here!" Fatima said in a less than pleased voice.
"How did you tolerate this woman little Princess? Does she nag that much all the time?" Jafar whispered at her, earning himself a smack from Fatima.
"But she is right." Yasmine said. "I have no choice but to trust you two and hope for the best. Come let us all leave now."
"We only have an hour before the next guard change comes." Ahmed said peering out of the door. "Come on, hurry out."
Yasmine shook her head to clear it and followed him and Jafar out, walking down the hall. She hadn't made it a few steps before the sound of a door thudding shut reached her. Stopping she looked back to see Fatima still in the cell.
"Fatima, what are you doing?" she tried to pull the door open to find that it wouldn't budge. "You are coming with us so open the door right now." she tugged again on the handle.
"I would only slow you down Princess. Ali is waiting for you by the eastern gate into the city. Go and leave now while you have time."
"I am not leaving you! Open this door and come out now, I command you too!" Yasmine said, fighting back the tears of anger and sorrow.
"I did swear to Allah to obey you but I can't do that anymore, may Allah forgive me." Fatima said with a bowed head.
"Fatima, please do not do this. Do not do this to me. Please. . .just open the door and come with us."
"Jafar. . .Ahmed. . .I entrust her into your care now. Make sure that she arrives there safely." Fatima said before walking away from the door.
"Fatima, open the door. Open the door!" Yasmine tugged frantically on the handle.
"Come little Princess." Jafar said removing her hand from the door. "Fatima is doing what she can to help us; do not let her efforts be in vain."
Yasmine pushed him away and continued tugging on the door, refusing to give up. Jafar and Ahmed gave a sigh, taking her by the arms and dragging her away.
"No! Stop! We cannot leave here there to die!" Yasmine said to them.
Finally frustrated, Ahmed pulled her up and looked at her. "Your concern for Fatima is admirable. But she has made her choice. Would she have changed her mind?"
"No, she would not have." Yasmine managed, the tears starting to slide down against her will.
Ahmed wiped the tear away. "Then do not make this any harder on her and yourself. Stand up tall and walk out of here to your freedom she sacrificed herself for."
Yasmine nodded her head and held back the rest of her tears. "Let us go then. I want to be out of here soon."
Jafar patted her shoulder comfortingly before they continued to steal out of the palace. They made it as far as the gardens before Yasmine paused and raced towards the end of the avenue. Breathless she stood before the old tree, eyes closed as her hand splayed against it. 'Always stand here. Always stand for the ones who cared for me and have and will sacrifice for me.' A sensation of warmth rushed out of her and into that weathered trunk causing her to open her eyes. The last of a faint red glow dissipated away, making her back down the avenue slowly. She turned around to see Ahmed and Jafar.
"Did you just-" she began.
"Let us go to the eastern gate. We need all the time we can get little Princess." Jafar said.
They rushed through the gardens to the gate seeing Ali there with four mounts saddled and waiting. 'He knew?' Yasmine looked at him curiously as she got on Rabi.
"Here is your quiver and bow." Ali said handing it to her. "And yes, I knew of them. We organized your training exercises."
She shook her head. "Is there anything else that the three of you are keeping from me?"
"Just one other thing, but that has to wait Yasmine." Ahmed said with a smile. "Now pull the cowl of your cloak up and let Ali do the talking when we get to the gate."
Pulling the cowl over to shield her face completely, she followed them as the guards at the gate came closer. She listened to the brief conversation with little interest, feeling the anxiety lift slightly as they walked out of the palace. The soft clip-clop of hooves was the only noise on the street, softening into a dull thud as they reached the city outskirts. Yasmine reined Rabi around looking at the serene city before she started to head back. Ali darted in front of her, looking at her.
Yasmine shook her head, seeing the tirade that was about to come. "I cannot let her go to her death with everyone mocking and jeering at her Ali. She should not be alone when her hour comes. . .she should-"
Ali nodded. "Jafar, take my horse; we shall be back afterwards." dismounting, he swung up onto Rabi's back, making the horse snort irritably with the new passenger. "Don't know how you can ride this horse sometimes Princess; she can be so wild."
"And that's why I like her." Yasmine replied easily before spurring Rabi into a run and thundered back towards the city.
The press of the marketplace was larger than usual today, jostling around Yasmine and Ali. Shielding her with his body, he led her through the crowd and up a decrepit flight. He didn't say anything as he helped her over the rotting wood beams and pits in the steps. After navigating their way through, they reached the roof. It was littered with old furniture and more wood beams. Ali motioned her to the far edge, screened by a piece of wood with cloth still attached to it. Seating herself by his side, they didn't speak once more, simply waiting for the moment to come.
After what seemed like forever, the crowd roared with the palpable sound of bloodlust. Yasmine rose and stood by the curtain edge, a set stoic expression on her face; she could cry later when this was all over with. The cart came through the thick throngs, carving a path of its own, and the cage in the middle being shoved around. Yasmine's fist clenched tightly involuntarily seeing Fatima in it, struggling to maintain her balance. The slurs and taunts flew thick and fast as the cart approached the executioner's block. 'I should have broken down the accursed door.' A motion beside her spoke of Ali finally rising to see what was going to happen.
The cart came to a stop, Fatima being shoved out roughly. A hush fell over the crowd as the charges and punishment was read aloud, informing the city of Fatima's 'wicked and devious' ways. Yasmine watched as Fatima faced the crowd serenely, her eyes looking down on the faces of anger and ignorance before they shifted up scanning the sky.
Fatima stiffened visibly when her eyes met Yasmine's across the distance. 'You shouldn't have come Princess.'
With a sad smile, Yasmine brought her hand to her heart and bowed her head. 'How could I not?' Looking back up, she could see the tears glittering in Fatima's eyes as she shook her head. 'You have always been there for me and I shall not abandon you when you need me most.'
'Thank you Princess.' Fatima bowed her head and didn't look back up until she was led to the block and her neck rested against it. 'May Allah go with you.'
Yasmine nodded her head slightly. 'And also with you.'
The silence turned eerie as Fatima looked and bent down at the wood before her face, the axe coming down to touch her neck once. Yasmine steeled herself when the axe touched Fatima's neck for the second time and raised up for the third and final time, the sun winking off of the sharp edge of the axe. It was all over in a few seconds, the final thud in the wood, drowned out by the roar of the crowd. Yasmine turned away when the executioner held up the bloody prize, making the noise of the crowd increase.
"Princess?" Ali asked in a hesitant voice.
Yasmine didn't reply at all, continuing down the steps.
With a heavy sigh, Ali followed her down. "May Allah help them; they murdered two angels today."
Furor: Well. . .I hope none of you got to attached to Fatima there. She was nice and all but. . .it just worked out that way.
Heero: Heh. . .at least you didn't steal my phrase again.
Furor: Omae wo korosu?
Heero: Hn. Maybe I should sic Relena on you.
Jasmine: *pops into room* Oh God, not that dumb blonde. I have nothing against blonds though; she just really pisses me off. You know she reads your mail Heero?
Heero: Nani?!
Furor: Yeah. . .Heero meet Jasmine. Jasmine, Heero.
Heero: Hn. Relena reads my mail?
Jasmine: Yup yup. I think she is stalking you if you ask me. I mean she needs a life besides following you around.
Heero: You wouldn't follow me around?
Furor and Jasmine: O.o
Jasmine: Hell no! I have a life unlike her. Yeesh, I say she needs some therapy or whatnot. It's not healthy, that obsession she has with you.
Heero: Finally a sane woman. Relena does have issues.
Furor: Ha! Have you seen Dorothy? Maybe living in a place that demands power as the absolute messed her up as a kid, I don't know. And those eyebrows of hers. . .dear God. . .you could stab someone with those things!
Jasmine: You know!! And then- *stops hearing noises from a closet* Wait a minute *goes and opens it*
*Rest of the Gundam guys come crashing out*
Furor: What the fuck? What are you guys doing in my closet?!
Duo: You've been neglecting us ya know! *looks indignant*
Wufei: *smacks Duo upside the head* Shut up baka. Don't make her start writing that other stuff again. She scarred Quatre. He won't take anything with lemons.
Trowa: What are you talk about?
Jasmine: Bashing Dorothy and Relena. Wanna join with?
*rest of the guys look at each other before sitting down and joining the discussion*