Destiny

A Prince of Persia Fanfiction

004 Thank You

"Prince?" I repeated, not understanding and yet comprehending at the same time. Dastan looked at me with a mixture of shame and hurt. He drew me closer and said in a soft, pleading voice.

"I was going to tell you..."

I shook my head, utterly astounded and then the reality of who he really was collapsed on top of me. One of the Princes stood next to me, someone born of royal blood and here I was, a stupid commoner not knowing my place. I tore my hand from his and crashed onto the floor in a bow.

"No, Lillei! Please stand up," Dastan said and reached for me. I moved away, refusing to look at him. His tattered breath reached my ears as I cowered at his feet.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. I did not know," I replied and heard a rustling of robes.

"Alim! Get these men out of here! Clear the passages!" Dastan's voice came out harsh and demanding, fitting of his rank. The anger in his tone was unmistakable. He had not intended for anyone to notice his little adventure. The soldiers retrieved their weapons and filed out in an orderly fashion. Dastan's hands came into my field of vision as he brought me to my feet. I stared adamantly at his broad chest, afraid to gaze upon someone whose life was valued so high above mine. With one solitary finger, Dastan lifted my chin up so that I was forced to peer into his beautiful eyes. The expression on his face was soft and gentle, exactly the opposite of the anger that had spewed from his mouth moments ago.

"Will you not give me a chance to explain?" he asked.

"Explain what?" I responded, hurt in my voice. "That you lied to me? That you pretended to be who you were not?"

"I...I..." Dastan faltered and briefly closed his eyes. I waited patiently for his answer, trying to read his thoughts through the expressions on his handsome face. He reopened his cerulean eyes and studied my face with a forced calm.

"All the things that I have told you about me living as a homeless boy were true. I did grow up on the streets, surrounded by poverty; living day to day with only the clothes on my back and the instinct of survival in my gut. One day in the marketplace, I saved my best friend from being hanged for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his own hungry stomach. Soldiers captured me, but the King had witnessed what had happened and he...took me in."

Dastan shook his head as if still not believing it himself.

"I do not know why he did it. But he gave me a home, a family; everything that I have never had."

I gawked at his striking face with awe, incredulity evident in my voice as I spoke.

"For once the rumors are true. You are the youngest Prince."

"Yes...yes I am."

I released a gush of air from my mouth and smiled wonderingly. The shock of him being royalty was finally easing. I began to breathe normally, but I became uncomfortable in his presence when it did not bother me so much before.

"Come," Dastan gestured and led me toward the stairs. "I will take you home. There are secret passages throughout the palace. We will not be seen."

The cool night air caressed my skin, soothing and washing the heat of the day away. A slight breeze danced around my hair, pulling the strands so they floated in midair. The small alcove that marked the entrance to my stone dwelling greeted me with a lonely silence as I approached with soft footsteps. This evening had been quite interesting and although I secretly did not want it to end, the sun must rise to greet another morning.

I stopped by the low stone wall and peered at Dastan's shadowed figure in the dimness. True to his word, he had escorted me through the winding secret passageways contained within the palace and through the sleeping city.

"I hope you do not think less of me for not pouring my heart out with the truth," Dastan murmured in a deep quiet voice. I searched his attractive face for any trace of the gentleness that had so captivated me and found that it still glowed brightly despite the half light from the brilliant moon.

"I think, Dastan, that that was exactly what you did. Perhaps, not in so many words, but in the way you talked, you seemed...conflicted...lost."

He stared at me through the dark, his two eyes smoldering with understanding. Taking a step closer so that he leaned toward my face, Dastan spoke in hushed tones that sent icy shards through my body.

"Conflicted, yes. Lost? No longer."

He was so near that I could see the moisture on his lips. My eyes could not turn away and the more I resisted, the more I wanted to taste those lips. My beating chest thundered in my ears, drowning me in a cacophony of pounding sound. We stayed that way for what seemed like forever, frozen within an inch of each other, strayed into a trance that encased us with its' intense grasp. The complete look of compassionate affection in Dastan's dashing face intrigued my heart.

We both instantly snapped from our dreamy reverie and drew away from each other. He cleared his throat and ran his fingers through his long hair. I looked quickly away and abruptly realized I was oddly dissatisfied.

"Uh...thank you," I stammered, my nerves on fire, my face hot with unexpected heat. "It was a lovely adventure." I was not sure what was the proper etiquette to say farewell to a prince, so I proceeded to bend down and bow, but Dastan stopped me halfway and smiled.

"You don't have to do that," he said with warmth. "With you, I am not the Prince. I am only me."

I nodded and grinned shyly. Taking an involuntary step toward the closed door, I bid him goodbye and entered my small dark home. Dastan was still gazing at me as I shut the door behind me.

©yourlipbalm 2010. All rights reserved. Distribution of any kind is prohibited without the written consent of yourlipbalm.