Wonderful, words fail me to describe it, it's so fantastic, yet actually quite frightening at first… with a sudden crack the rain stopped, the birds fell silent… then it happened. Like the whole world was painted on a veil of silk and somebody just walked through it, as if all that eyes behold was merely a reflection in a pool of water, and a stone had been thrown at the very centre of it. The world… dented. The palace, the jungle, the very sky… it all blinked and flickered as beheld through a candles flame or hot desert air. But that was only just the beginning. Had she been standing rooted to the spot a mere moment ago, gaping open mouthed at the Persian soldier disappearing in the bushes below her balcony, the dagger now even seized control over her body, and while everything around her blurred, it felt as if she stood beside herself and watched how her mouth closed, her back stiffened and her body made a few gentle steps backwards… through time.
It happened… I mean… it will happen.
The young Persian reappeared before her, still hugging the palm bole, though now he weirdly swung himself back forward over the balustrade. Then it was over, the reversion had stopped, the washed out colours suddenly returned to normal and the agonizing din transformed back to the usual rustling of leaves and bird chirps. Casually, as if absolutely nothing had happened, he stood right before her again, looking her over with those sad dark eyes, and prepared to take his leave.
"…it was just that, a story."
He was about to set a boot onto the handrail, again, when her sudden outcry and the clattering noise of the dagger hitting the stone floor held him back…
"Princess…?" he glanced over his shoulder.
Had she kept a respectable distance and mustered him with suspicious curiosity, now her back was to the wall and her face an expression of utter shock, but her gaze wasn't transfixed on the stranger any more, but rather on the aquablue crystal blade resting peacefully at her feet, doing nothing apart from glistering mysteriously.
"By the gods, how did you do that?" she flustered in bewilderment.
"Do what?" he asked, turning his head in confusion, even looking down at himself if he had suddenly grown wings or changed colour.
His initial puzzlement was soon replaced by a gleam of understanding as he noticed her staring at the dagger of time, then gave way to the broadest of grins possible.
"Liar! You said it was just a story…" she whispered hoarsely.
"Yes, I did."
"And then I asked your name…"
"No." He shook his head, smiling mildly "I guess you did not… yet." After carefully picking up the blade he made a cautious step forward and took her slender hand in his own, then handed her the dagger for a third and last time, "I am sorry for that. I am…"
"…now going to talk to my father", she sternly interrupted him, slowly finishing his sentence while grabbing his wrist firmly with her free hand. For a moment they silently stared at each other.
"So you finally believe me?"
"I am not sure what to believe…prince you say? Though I don't want to be the one explaining the death of the grand-vizier in my chambers and the theft of the dagger of time to him…you will be doing that. "
"I fear that he will not listen to me", he stammered, clearly dreading the thought of retelling a far fetched story of magical sand-monsters and timeloops to the Maharajahs face, or even worse, being accused of murder and thrown into those dreadful dungeons without a chance of explanation.
"Oh, he will. I promise you. That is, if you told the truth and there's indeed a vast foreign army lying ready less than a day from our gates."
"Please…" she added, pointing the dagger at his chin when he softly tried to pull away, "I insist… GUARDS!!!"