Hello all. Thank you for the reviews, favs, and alerts! It's a huge motivator to know that people are interested. Here is chapter 2. If all goes well this weekend, I will post chapter 3 before I go back to work on Monday.

As always, I don't own either Prince of Persia or the song Señor. They belong to Disney and Bob Dylan.

Please let me know what you think! Have a great weekend.

Señor, señor, do you know where she's hidin'
How long are we gonna be ridin'
How long must I keep my eyes glued to the door
Will there be any comfort there, señor

The first rays of light were just starting to brighten the sky when Tamina and Zhila left their shelter beneath the shallow rocks of the foothills of the Hindu Kush. Barely able to see the ground before them, they picked their way around the rocks and dips in the path up into the mountains. Biting back a quiet growl, Tamina nudged her horse around a particularly large rut.

By now the Persians were aware that she was gone; they had probably realized she was gone not long after she and Zhila had left. And she had little doubt that Prince Dastan would follow her. She could all but feel him behind her, moving as fast as possible to catch up. Even without hearing him tell of their previous adventure, the way he looked at her made it obvious that he considered her something to protect. And that was almost as disconcerting as his knowledge of the dagger.

With a shake of her head Tamina tried to pull her thoughts away from the arrogant and aggravating Persian prince. If he was behind her, they had little time to spare. Tamina suspected they were roughly two hours ahead of the Persians at best, and still three hours from the temple. Having left too late in the day to make the full ride to the temple in one day without risking injury, they had been forced to stop for the night. Forgoing a fire to hide their position as long as possible, Tamina had watched the night for signs of the following Persian prince. She should have known better than to think he'd give away his position so easily. He wasn't the Lion of Persia because he'd thundered up to her gate.

Closing her eyes in frustration, Tamina forced a deep breath, pulling the worn and rough scarf more tightly around her head and face. In one form or another Prince Dastan had managed to worm his way into nearly her every thought since he had entered her court. Even before Prince Tus had given his unusual introduction and suggested they marry, Dastan had caught her eye.

Sitting on her thrown, face as impassive as any ruler could wish for, she'd been well aware of the looks from the men before her. Surprise, lust, even envy were evident in the eyes of the Persian soldiers arrayed before her, except for the blue eyed man standing between the two obvious princes. Dastan had looked at her with a mixture of peace and affection. As if simply seeing her sitting there was enough to make him utterly content. He'd seemed rather startled, but just as clearly pleased, when Prince Tus had presented their marriage.

She might have laughed privately as he stumbled over his proposal had he not presented her with the dagger, his words making it sound like it was nothing important, and his eyes saying something else entirely. Every conversation they had had since that moment had played out roughly the same way. Interrogation disguised as curiosity on her part and affectionate flirting on his.

He'd made no move to further threaten the dagger. In fact he'd thrown himself into the repairs of her city, his name coming up every time she'd inquired as how to things were going. In three days he'd started to earn the grudging respect of her soldiers, working alongside common men as thought it was an everyday occurrence. More than once tales of him scampering up walls, buildings, and any available grappling surface had raised her eyebrows. As had their conversations during even meals.

He had made a point of seeking her out at meals, a gesture she honestly appreciated since he didn't spend the time spouting his own praises and expecting hers in return. Truthfully he could be rather charming and amusing, though she had no intention of telling him that to his face. He didn't need any encouragement.

But the shadow of the dagger had always been in her mind. Just how much did he know, and what he intended to do with that knowledge. She was a Guardian first, and no matter how genuine Dastan might seem, she couldn't afford to forget her duty. Protecting the dagger was her purpose. Finding a suitable husband who would provide her with the next generation of Guardians was secondary. And that husband wasn't supposed to be aware of what she guarded. He would obviously know she was priestess to the High Temple of Alamut, but he needn't know the details.

It was a system that had served the Guardians well for centuries. The male heirs would continue their father's line, the daughters would continue hers, leading to a subtle but useful separation between husband and wife and their male and female children.

But Dastan knew. And he knew not just about the dagger, but the Sands. He knew every secret there was to know. He'd lived through more than any living Guardian. The first to defeat Alamut's walls in a thousand years, and in spite of watching his whole family murdered before him, he'd not abused the dagger's power, very nearly losing his life to save both it and the world from his uncle. Clearly the gods had some sort of plan for him.

With sun clear in the sky, Tamina urged her horse into an easy canter, forcing herself to not make the poor horse to gallop the last hour to the temple. There was still no sight of the Persians behind them. Perhaps they had managed more of a lead than she'd thought. That left her feeling slightly disappointed. After hearing his tale, she'd believed him to be a tougher opponent.

Stopping to water their horses briefly, Tamina and Zhila had just climbed the top of the hill above the stream when three horses, running at full speed, crested the top of the opposite hill, streaking their way down to thewater below.

Cursing, Tamina dug her heels into the horse's side, sending him flying down the hill side. With a yelp, Zhila managed the same, her eyes wide, riding desperately to keep up with the princess. Leaning forward in her saddle, balancing her weight to help the horse run, Tamina risked a glance over her shoulder. Her horses were in good condition, but she had little doubt of their ability to handle the finest of Persia's war horses.

Sweat beading down her face, hands aching from holding the reigns, and her heart thundering in time with her horse's hooves, Tamina willed her horse faster, racing up the last hill behind the temple. By the top of the final hill, she could hear Dastan behind her, calling encouragement to his horse, pushing the stallion to his limits.

Dust in her mouth, and legs trembling from the effort of holding herself in the saddle, Tamina pulled up on the reigns, wincing for her poor horse as she's flew off, her hands fumbling with the satchel holding the dagger, Tamina stumbled up the path to the temple entrance.

"Tamina! " Dastan grabbed her by the shoulders, spinning her around, just as she made it to the entrance.

Furious, Tamina ripped her shoulders from his grasp. "It is my duty to protect this dagger, Prince Dastan. I will see it safe, from your uncle, from you, from anyone who would use it for their own ends. Too many people know of it now. And you said one of your uncle's men was Guardian. I have to destroy it. I won't let them bring another Armageddon. Not while I can stop it." Even panting her voice lashed out. She shifted her weight on her feet, trying to find a way around him.

Once more pulling her away from the temple entrance, Dastan's eyes blazed with temper as he leaned toward her. "I would be happy to see that cursed thing destroyed. I would gladly do it myself. But not at the cost of your life. My brothers and I are no threat to your dagger, Princess. And I will do all in my power to stop whatever is left of my uncle's treachery from getting anywhere near it. But I will not let you die again."

"It is my choice! And an honor! As the Guardian of the dagger it is my sacred duty, and I will gladly see it through! Or have you forgotten that, Dastan? I died for it once, and I will do so again with just as much honor and just as much serenity." Eyes narrowed, she threw her words at him, putting her body behind her threat until she was inches from him face.

"You died scared, crying and calling my name!" The words tore out of his mouth before he could stop them. "You wanted to live!" Seeing her eyes widen in stunned surprise, her anger immediately transforming into disbelief, he made himself back away. Putting some space between them, he said told her again in a hoarse voice. "You wanted to live."

"You lie." The words were half whispered, her eyes watching his face intently. A shiver went down her spine as his eyes lost focus, obviously seeing her death in his mind. There was a bleakness in his gaze as he focused back on the present, the same look on his face as she'd seen when he spoke of watching his brothers die. Her death had hurt him deeply. Much more deeply than she'd originally thought.

If he had come to care for her that much in the short time they'd been on the run together, Tamina wondered if she too must have come to care for him. She found it nearly impossible to believe she could have cared enough about anyone, much less a Persian Prince, to regret sacrificing her life for the dagger, but the ache in his eyes said that she might have. In the short time she'd come to know him, she'd found Dastan to be many things. But he was neither a skilled liar nor artful manipulator. In truth he had the most expressive face she'd ever seen on a noble.

How could she have let that happen?

Trying to find a suitable answer to his painful silence, Tamina's gaze flickered around the temple entrance, looking for any available avenue of reply. Her floundering response was cut off by Bis.

"Two riders on horses just topped the hill on the other side of the valley. Riding hard on dark horses. They won't have seen us yet. If they are your Hassansins, Prince Dastan, we could move the horses, conceal ourselves. See what they are after."

The sadness in Dastan's eyes faded; the stubbornness did not. She couldn't muscle him out of the way, and he was poised to stop any attempt she made at running inside. Straightening up to her full height, Tamina glared. "This isn't over."

"I wouldn't expect any less."

Sliding the pouch holding the dagger further beneath her clock, Tamina moved quickly to get her horse out of sight. She was surprised to see Garsiv release Zhila; he'd been holding her back while she argued with Dastan. Tamina hoped her own glare rivaled the one Zhila had turned on the older Persian prince.

With the horses hidden and the tracks she and Dastan had made sprinting for the temple entrance scrubbed out, they settled behind rocks. Sprawled on her stomach between Zhila and Dastan, Tamina peered between a gap in the rocks, watching intently as the two horsemen arrived.

The men moved efficiently and quietly into the temple. One they were out of sight, Tamina adjusted her position on the ground, angling the dagger pouch toward her side and out of her back, closer to Zhlia and away from Dastan.

"Where are the villagers?" Dastans voice was barely audible even with his lips nearly touching her ear.

Tamina pulled back as she turned to look at him, looking him in the eye. Distracted by his proximity it took her a moment to respond. "Ceremony. Today is a holy day for the temple Guardians. They won't be back until sundown."

His eyes flickered to her lips as she spoke before returning to her eyes, a gesture Tamina involuntarily returned before they focused back on the two men leaving the temple sanctuary.

Straining to hear what the two men said Tamina dug her fingers into the gravel at the base of rock, willing her nervous energy into the ground to stay calm. Dastan's hand covered hers before she could dislodge the rocks and reveal their presence. His hand was worm and surprisingly gentle against hers.

The man closest to them spoke, drawing her attention away from Dastan's hand on hers. The sun illuminated the sacred star that graced him palm. "The dagger is still in Alamut. The princess would have sent it here at the start of the attack if possible. I will continue on the Alamut and locate it or intercept any envoy to bring in here. Ride to Nasaf and inform the others. I will send word as soon as I have obtained the dagger." Without so much as a nod of acknowledgement the two men rode off, kicking up dust as they rode in opposite directions.

Dastan released her hand, coming to his feet. "They still want the dagger. But without Nizam, why?" It came out as a whisper, asked more to himself than anyone else.

"It must be destroyed, Dastan. If they still seek its power, I must stop them. You saw how close the world came to destruction before. I can stop it now, before it comes that close again." Her voice calm and her most serene expression on her face, Tamina faced him, holding cloth covered dagger in her hands. "It is what I am meant to do. It's my destiny."

"So is leading your people, Princess. Have you thought of what will happen to the people of Alamut when you die? They will declare war on Persia for your death. If they attack, Persian soldiers will have no choice but to retaliate. That isn't a threat; that is fact. We will be blamed for your death. You are so willing to sacrifice your life, Tamina, but what about theirs?" Dastan challenged quietly.

"How dare you question my loyalty to my people, Prince. Persian nobility with its overwhelming concern for its people. Obviously your empire building wars are for the good of your people. It was clearly for the good of your people that you attacked my city." Her voice dripped sarcasm, and in spite of the cutting reply, she could see a light burn in Dastan's eyes. Their subject might be deadly serious, but he was more than willing to fight her.

"Our attack was a mistake. One that we are doing all we can to set right. But if you die, after sneaking out of the city, we will be held responsible. Your city will attack. People will die. Even if our army is restrained. Your death could easily lead to several wars. Alamut is a sacred city. Persia's allies will also see your death as our doing. You might see us as illiterate hordes roaming the desert, but Persian soldiers keep these lands from madness."

Irate over his using her noble calling as a weapon against her sacred duty, Tamina charged toward him, glaring at him with inches between their eyes. "That is why you wish me to live? Your precious empire? Do not blame me, Prince, if Persia's idiocy brings its own destruction. Alamut is protected by the gods! And I will not see their gift fall into your hands again!" Focused on her own rage and trying to ignore the hurt stemming from his reasons for wanting her alive, Tamina was surprised when Zhila pulled her back. Stumbling, she felt Zhila grab her waist to keep her upright, putting distance between her and a seething Dastan.

Dastan stepped toward her, undoing the distance her maid had put between them, but when he spoke his voice was quiet, his eyes softening. "I lost you once. If the people of Alamut give you a reason for not sacrificing yourself, then so be it. But I'm not ready to lose the only good thing that came out of that nightmare a second time. "

Standing close enough to see every shade of blue in his eyes, Tamina searched his gaze. How could she have come to mean so much to him in so short a time? Two weeks of sprinting across his father's empire hardly seemed enough time to warrant the way he looked at her. And she certainly wasn't supposed to feel a quiet thrill when he did.

"Dastan, my duty to the dagger is sacred, a gift and a commandment from the gods. That calling is my reason for being. I cannot deny my mission for anything, or any one." She placed her palm against his chest softly. "I will not fail the gods in my task, Dastan." Standing so close to him, his chest warm beneath her hand, wasn't sure who leaned toward the other, just that the small distance between them was disappearing.

"Tamina," he whispered her name, his eyes focused only on hers.

The tremor that rippled through the earth knocked them both off balance. A thunder clap from inside the temple almost muffled a short lived but agonizing scream. Eyes wide and her hands scrambling for the pouch at her waist the held the dagger, Tamina felt dread settle on her. Pulling the delicate cloth away from the knife inside, Tamina pulled out the dagger Zhila always wore around her waist.

Sharing a stunned glance with Dastan, they both raced into the temple. Against the far wall, Zhila's broken body lay at the base of the wall it had slammed into, the dagger on the ground by her outstretched hand. The sacred rock that would accept the return of the dagger was obscured by swirling sands that left the floor beneath them untouched.

Standing in dismayed silence Tamina tried to grasp the situation. "She tried to put the dagger back." The words tumbled out of her mouth. "She's not the Guardian. But she's a Guardian. The dagger wasn't accepted, but she shouldn't have died. Not as a Guardian."

Dastan looked uneasily between Tamina and the swirling sands, backing cautiously toward Zhila. He picked up the dagger and slid it into his waistband, uncertain of what Tamina would do and what the sands meant.

"I don't think your gods are ready to take the dagger back." It was Bis who finally broke the silence. "If that sand means anything." He looked at the others with a shrug.

Tamina could not believe it. Surely the gods would take back the dagger. It was in danger. By the rules they had laid down for the first Guardian, it was to be protected at all costs. But as Tamina stepped closer to the sacred stone, the sands swirled faster, spitting up dust and pushing her away. "I don't understand. My mission is to protect the dagger, even that means destroying it. That is my destiny."

"You died for the dagger once. Perhaps that was enough." Garsiv answered, looking as though he wanted to be anywhere but in that cave.

Tamina looked back towards the spinning sands. "But I don't remember it," her voice was a harsh whisper.

"I do." Dastan stepped between her and sands. "You made the choice you were meant to make last time. Scared and wanting to live, you chose the option that protected the dagger. That destiny was fulfilled. Now you get to choose your own destiny, in this time."

Looking at Dastan, trying to hide how badly her hands shook at the prospect of having her whole life's purpose redefined, she asked, "Then what do we do?"

Dastan held out a hand, his eyes telling her understood just how much it hurt to have her whole basis of understanding ripped out from underneath her. "We ride to Nasaf. Your Guardians and my father's army will protect Alamut. We find out what the Hassansins have hidden at the capitol. We never travelled to Nasaf in the other time. We can undo any plans my uncle left in place there."

"And the dagger?"

"It stays with us." He gave her his most charming grin. "As long as you don't hit me over the head with a bone and steal it this time."

In spite of everything, Tamina felt an answering smile tug at her lips. "Travelling with three Persian soldiers? I shall do my best," she said and placed her hand in his.

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