Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original characters from the movie and/or video game.

Chapter 8:

The next few days were the longest that Tamina could remember having to endure. Dastan had still not awoken from his injury, though his fever had broken and color had returned to his face. The healers were at a loss for the reasons he was not awaking but were certain he was not in any danger. Tamina, Tus and Garsiv took turns staying with Dastan when their royal duties called them away from his room and asked for their immediate attention.

When Tamina was not meeting with the High Council she was in her room, sitting with Dastan and praying that he would wake. She had not even been to the High Temple to replace the dagger. It was hidden inside one of her pillows and, as only other guardians handled her bedding, she knew the dagger was safe.

The High Council was proving to be more difficult than Tamina had first thought. They had accepted her marriage to a Persian prince, but were afraid that her relationship to the Persians was too conflicted to allow her make an intelligent decision. She, of course, found this preposterous and was having a hard time finding a diplomatic solution.

After the first meeting, Tamina was so upset at the outcome, she had actually snapped at Siriah when she had asked her if she wanted to eat in her room. Tamina wasn't sure how much strain she could take before she broke completely. No amount of guardianship training could have prepared her for so much stress over a man she had barely become friends with two weeks ago.

She was on her way back to her room after the latest High Council meeting in which they had finally decided to support the Persians in their campaign against Kosh. She was relieved but worried as to what exactly that would entail. Deciding not to think on it for the rest of the night, she walked through her doors to Garsiv and Tus sitting with Dastan. The two young princes were sitting at the foot of her bed laughing to each other. As they noticed her approach, they both rose and bowed to her.

"Good evening, Princess," Tus said. "Garsiv and I were just sharing some rather embarrassing Dastan stories." Tamina smiled tiredly at the two princes before taking a seat on the bed next to Dastan.

"The High Council has agreed to allow you to command Alamutian troops," she said wearily.

"That is welcome news."

A long silence fell over the three of them and Tamina struggled to keep the exhaustion off her face as the Persian princes watched her. The door opened again and one of the Persian aides walked in. Garsiv stood from the bed and talked with the man silently for a minute, before turning back to Tus.

"The Alamutian generals are waiting to meet with you Tus," he explained. "They are waiting in your quarters already." Tus nodded to him and rose from his seat.

"I am sorry we cannot stay to keep you company," he apologized.

"I understand." Tamina replied. Tus smiled and bowed before leaving the room.

Tamina let out a slow breath. It was barely after dark but she was tired enough to sleep until the next morning.

She sent her personal servants away for the night, and dressed in a long sleeping dress. Before walking out onto the balcony, she cast a long glance at Dastan who was breathing evenly on the bed. The healers no longer remained in the room through the night. All of his symptoms seemed to have been cured—except of course for the unconsciousness—and, as a result, the healers declared him to be out of immediate harm's way. They only administered a tonic to him once a day that they hoped would bring him around soon.

The sky was a dark blue color, not quite black, when Tamina stepped outside. The stars were not out yet, but the cool breeze of the night was already sweeping through the palace. She looked out over the city noticing how peaceful it seemed despite the damage to the Northern wall. Before the kidnapping, the Persians had already been making plans to help rebuild the wall. However, it looked as if all plans had been postponed as there had been no progress that Tamina could notice.

She had fallen into a routine of going out to the balcony before going to bed; it relaxed her so she could actually sleep. She walked over to the railing and leaned over it. Below her, her favorite gardens opened up and disappeared beneath the canopy of the trees within it. It had been so long since she had taken a walk through them, she wondered if any of the bushes were in bloom with flowers. A large yawn escaped her lips.

She walked back into her room and relaxed into the bed next to Dastan. Tamina turned on her side to face him and pulled his limp arm to her, holding it as sleep overcame her.

There was a faint tickling feeling on her cheek. Tamina wasn't sure what was causing the feeling as her pillows were not quite that calloused, but it was soothing. She snuggled closer to Dastan's arm as she indulged herself in the feeling. That was when she felt it; his hand closing around her forearm.

Tamina's eyes shot open and looked down to make sure she wasn't imagining the feeling. She wasn't. She lifted her head to look at Dastan only to find his blue eyes staring back at her. She reached up to touch his cheek.

"You better not hold on to my arm so tightly," he whispered in a cracked voice. "People might start to think that you actually like me."

"We are married, I think that's a rumor I can tolerate," she replied. He smiled back at her before trying to sit up.

"Did I die? My body has never felt so heavy and sore," Dastan hissed as he moved.

"Gods, Dastan please don't say such things," Tamina breathed as she dropped her hand to his chest and buried her face in her pillow. "Not when you came so close to actually dying."

"I'm sorry," he said touching the back of her head. "Tamina, are you all right?"

She felt relieved to hear him call her name. She laughed into the pillow before lifting her head to look him in the eye.

"You've just woken up from a deep coma after being poisoned by an unknown toxin and you're asking me if I'm all right?"

"Yes," he answered simply and honestly.

"I'm more concerned about you at the moment and your brothers will want to know you are awake," she said changing the subject and getting up from the bed. "I will send for the healers as well."

Dastan let her busy herself around the room without interrupting. He could see the strain his illness had put on her and decided it was best not to interfere with her natural coping tendencies.

She called for the servants to give them their instructions. Some of the servants left immediately, others remained behind to help Tamina change. Dastan noticed that she handed a specific pillow to one of the servants. She ignored his pointed look when she caught his eye, and vanished behind her changing screen. When she reappeared, she looked every bit the princess she was.

The white dress and robes she wore draped her body elegantly. The fabric of the dress clung to her body, while the robes flowed out behind her with every step she took. A hood covered most of her hair but the dark locks that Dastan could see were intertwined with crystals. Her eyes were lined with a perfectly straight streak of kohl making them look darker and brighter. Dastan's breath hitched in his throat and his heart swelled as he looked at her.

"Your brothers should be here any second," Tamina said as she walked to the foot of the bed on her way to the door. "I'm sure they will have lots of news for you about their plans to stop Kosh. When they get here, I will leave for the High Temple."

"You're going to the High Temple now? The sun has barely been up for an hour," Dastan exclaimed disbelievingly.

"Yes, I have been slightly negligent in my responsibilities since we returned. It is time that I attend them."

Before Dastan could respond, Tus and Garsiv came through the doors and strode over to the bed. Tus smiled at his youngest brother, while Garsiv merely smirked. Dastan knew that smirk better than any of Garsiv's other expressions; it meant Dastan was going to endure his brother's smart remarks. Tamina turned to face them as they walked up and Dastan shifted, as much as his body would let him, uncomfortably.

"Glad to see you're feeling better," Tus said as he leaned over to pat Dastan's shoulder lightly.

Dastan smiled a closed lipped smile and nodded his head awkwardly. He looked at Garsiv who stood a few feet behind Tus.

"Yes," Garsiv agreed. "I'm glad your princess was able to rescue you in time." Tus chuckled to himself and Garsiv cracked a smile at his own joke.

"I will not argue that, brother," Dastan said and returned the smile with a wider one. "I landed in bed with a beautiful woman; this may very well be the best rescue I've ever had."

Tamina tried to hide the blush that crept to her cheeks by turning away from the group. She listened as they bantered back and forth for a few moments without really paying attention to their jibes. She was afraid if she paid any more attention than she was, she may not be able to hide her embarrassment for long. When the heat in her face had passed, she turned back to them.

Tus and Garsiv were sitting in chairs next to Dastan's side of the bed and making themselves quite comfortable, from what Tamina could see. It looked as if they intended to stay for a long while.

"I hope you will not mind Princess, if Garsiv and I intrude on your breakfast with Dastan. We have a lot to discuss, not with just him but with you as well."

"I'm afraid that will have to wait and my generals will have to suffice for the moment. I am just on my way to the High Temple."

"Then we shall return later," Tus rose from his seat and bowed slightly. Tamina inclined her head toward him, and cast a last glance at Dastan before walking out of the room.

Dastan watched Tamina disappear and wished that she would stay; at least Garsiv would have to be a little more civilized with him if she were present. Garsiv had that all too comfortable smirk on his face that meant he was saving a particularly good jibe for Dastan as soon as they were alone.

Two healers passed Tamina and her guardians in the hallway with a short bow before moving quickly to Dastan. The youngest prince let out an annoyed sigh as he knew what was coming; a bunch of meaningless questions and tests that wouldn't provide them with anymore insight into his illness. Then he remembered his brothers sitting there and a smirk of his own appeared on his lips.

If he could stall and keep the healers around longer than they were needed, he might be able to fend Garsiv's comments off long enough for Tamina to return from prayers.

"Hello Your Highness, my name is Sharim, I am the Royal Healer of Alamut." The man with a small balding head bowed and continued his speech. Dastan drowned him out with his thoughts as he carefully planned how he would keep the healer's attention. When the man stopped talking, Dastan looked up at him with a welcoming smile.

"Have you been attending me this whole time?" Dastan asked. The man nodded. "Thank you. I must say, you do exceptional work. Living is among one of my top priorities and those of you that ensure my survival, I consider friends."

"Thank you very much Your Highness," the man said with an obvious blush. "If I may, I would like to examine your wound and make sure everything else is all right."

"Certainly, take all the time you need," Dastan smiled wider. He glanced over at Garsiv who was looking slightly peeved.

The healers worked diligently, testing every limb and joint for mobility and pain tolerance. Dastan moved his limbs slowly at first, not knowing what to expect. Then, as the pain seemed to be the result of stiffness and not the poison, he moved even slower to prolong the stay of the healers. His plan was working too.

Garsiv was becoming annoyed as he recognized how Dastan was manipulating the situation to avoid the incessant teasing he knew was coming his way. Dastan, all too pleased with himself, smiled cheekily at Garsiv every time the healer looked away.

His plan however was one that Tamina would have definitely considered half brained. Not thinking through that prolonging the presence of the healers would also mean they would have more questions for him, Dastan realized his mistake too late.

The questions they were asking him were the usual 'how does this feel?' 'can you move this?' Things that Dastan didn't think were worth answering; they weren't going to change anything. After about half an hour of probing and questioning, Dastan was beginning to get annoyed as well. Sharim finally stood up and wiped his forehead when his patient let out a low grunt.

"I think you will be fine in a few days, Your Highness," he declared. "You need to build your strength back up before you can return to your normal duties. This does not mean however, that you will be on bed rest for the entire recovery," he emphasized as Dastan opened his mouth to protest. "You may walk about the palace, but make them short to start. We can adjust their length depending on how well you allow your body to recover."

"That means no roof jumping, wall climbing or mischief making," Tus added from his seat behind the healer.

"I know that will be difficult for you Dastan, but I do not want to have to carry your limp body back here," Garsiv said.

"I'm not that weak, Garsiv," Dastan scowled. "I'm not going to pass out; you can carry me back kicking and screaming."

"I'll knock you out myself before that ever happens," the middle brother replied. Tus just watched and laughed at his brothers, not even trying to stop their bickering. He knew better than to try and stop them. The healers, not knowing what to do in the situation, interrupted before the room became anymore uncomfortable for them.

"If there is nothing else, we shall excuse ourselves. If you experience any pain, send one of the servants for me," Sharim said. Dastan nodded to him, the man bowed in return and both he and his apprentice gathered their instruments and left. As the apprentice turned, Dastan thought he looked familiar; he couldn't quite place him, but he knew him from somewhere.

He pushed the recognition to the back of his mind wanting to come back to it later as his brothers were trying to get his attention again.

"On a more serious topic, Dastan, we need to discuss what you and Tamina found out from Kosh. She has told us everything that she could remember, but we need to make sure we know everything. Can you tell us what you remember?"

Dastan began listing out everything that he could remember to his brothers. They nodded as they acknowledged everything that they had been told by Tamina.

"Did she tell you about the Hassansins?" Dastan finally asked. Both Garsiv and Tus turned their heads to look at him.

"No," Tus said gravely. "Hassansins? Are you sure?"

"She told you about the dagger, did she not?" Dastan asked in response.

"She told us that Kosh had a weapon he thought could destroy us, that was all," Garsiv explained.

Dastan shut his mouth. If Tamina had not told them about the dagger, they would not understand how he knew the Hassansins were involved.

He was sure that his brothers would never use the dagger for their own personal gain, but Tamina could not be as certain; she had only known them for a few days after all. She had told Dastan that he was not even supposed to know the truth behind the dagger and he was her husband.

Dastan took a deep breath and launched into an explanation about the dagger. He pieced together the story for his brothers and revealed how he knew their uncle, Nizam, had been plotting to kill their father. As he described the Hassansins role in the plot, Tus and Garsiv looked at each other worriedly; they had not been expecting such a skilled set of fighters to be helping Kosh. As Dastan finished his story, Tus shifted uncomfortably forward.

"If the story you are telling me is true, and Kosh does have Hassansins training his men, we are going to need a very strong strategy. Father disbanded them not because they were not skilled at what they do, but because they are ruthless and difficult to control. If Nizam told them about the dagger, they may be looking for a way to it through Kosh's war."

"I know," Dastan said. "I don't think Tamina knows just how skilled they are. If she did, she would have mentioned it to you."

"Then as her husband and Prince of Alamut, you must inform her of just how deadly these men can be. Garsiv and I will meet with the Alamutian generals and start making plans to increase training," Tus said. Garsiv nodded at Tus and both men rose from their seats.

"Sorry to leave you, little brother," Garsiv started. "But we've got to go save your kingdom as you seem incapable of doing that yourself."

"Garsiv, how did you breach the walls of the impenetrable city?" Dastan asked in response. Garsiv's smile turned to a scowl and he stormed off toward the door. Tus' booming laughter faded into the corridor as his brothers left the room.