Hey guys! So I'm glad you all liked the last update, keep the updates coming! On kind of a sad note for me, but good for you guys, I have finished the story. I'm currently in the editing phases of the final chapters…if it makes you feel better, there are five more chapters after this one, and an epilogue. Anyways, let me know what you think of the latest installment, and I'll try to update again as soon as I can.
Happy Reading!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original characters from the movie and/or video game.
Chapter 10:
Dastan looked around the temple. It was brightly lit and the smoke from burning incense made the air look thick. Large, golden pillars supported the dome like ceiling over his head. There were windows along every wall allowing sunlight to completely fill the room no matter what time of the day it was. The altar in the center of the room was in a half circle shape. On either side of it, pedestals with incense bowls stood and the visitors could see steady streams of smoke billowing from them. There were a few chairs off to the side of the altar with a table next to one of them as well.
Guardians knelt on their knees on both sides of the short path that led to the altar. Every one of them faced the altar and made no acknowledgement of Dastan's presence. At the base of the altar, three young women knelt with their heads bowed, arms outstretched with palms up. Dastan assumed that the young woman in the middle was Tamina.
He and his brothers waited silently at the back of the room. They stood there for a long moment, observing and giving each other looks of confusion before the woman at the center of the altar lifted her head. The other guardians began to move as well. All of them, except the other two women with Tamina, left without a word.
Tamina stood and turned toward the three visitors.
"Welcome to the High Temple," she said. "I am sure Dastan has informed you as to the reasons I wished to speak with you."
"Vaguely, Your Highness," Tus said from behind Dastan's right shoulder. "We only know that it has something to do with the story he told us yesterday and the Dagger of Time."
Tamina nodded to Siriah. The servant bowed in return and left the room with the other woman right behind her.
"Siriah and Nadira are priestesses of the dagger as well, my most trusted advisors," she explained as the princes watched them leave. "They have the abilities to perform rituals and blessings in the place of the High Priestess."
"Where are they going?" Garsiv asked suspiciously.
"To prepare for another ritual later," she answered. "I wish to speak to you all alone. Please."
The princes walked forward to the altar where Tamina was standing. When they reached her, they stopped at the step and waited for her to continue.
"Dastan, do you know of the consequences the Gods have promised if the power of the dagger is abused?" Tamina asked him as she turned away from them and walked over to one of the pedestals.
"Yes," he replied.
"Do your brothers know?" she said glancing back to him. He shook his head.
"Very well, we shall start there." She picked up a bowl and walked back over to sit in the chairs that had been pushed off to the side.
Dastan and his brothers followed and sat uncomfortably across from the young princess.
"After the young girl had offered her life to the Gods in return for the lives of the rest of the world, the Gods gave the dagger to her as a gift. The sands of the sandstorm that they had unleashed were buried under the city she lived in and she was made Guardian of the Sands of Time. For generations, the guardianship has been passed down from mother to daughter and the secrets kept hidden from the rest of the world. That is, until a few weeks ago when you breached the city walls."
Tus and Garsiv looked at Dastan who looked back at them and shrugged his shoulders.
"I already apologized to her," he whispered.
"What is so dangerous about the dagger that warrants such secrecy?" Tus asked. "Dastan told us that the hilt can only hold enough sand to turn back one minute."
"That is true," Tamina confirmed. "But the threat the dagger poses is the destruction of all mankind. The blade of the dagger is the only thing that can penetrate the sandglass. If the blade of the dagger pierces the sandglass that contains the Sands of Time, it will fracture the sandglass and unleash the sands in a massive sandstorm; a sandstorm that will sweep the earth and kill everyone."
Tus leaned back in his chair with a deep breath while Garsiv ran a hand over his mouth.
"It makes sense now why you would work so diligently to keep the dagger's secret," commented Tus as he looked back up at the princess. "And why Nizam would be so willing to employ Hassansins to do his bidding."
"There is one thing that is still bothering me," Garsiv interrupted. "If keeping the secret of the dagger is so imperative, why call us in here to share the secret with us?"
Tamina's eyes shifted quickly to Dastan before she answered.
"Dastan already told you about it and, as Guardian of the dagger, I need for you to understand the seriousness of the information that you possess. And Dastan trusts that you will be able to control yourselves and not take advantage of his relation to you in order to obtain it," Tamina said.
"You have my word Princess as both a fellow nobleman and a brother-in-law, that we will do what we can to protect you and the dagger," Tus promised her.
Tamina smiled at him and looked to Garsiv who nodded his head in agreement.
"Thank you. Would you please kneel and hold out your hands?" Garsiv and Tus did as she said.
"Will you accept a blessing of wisdom and strength?" she asked them. Tus and Garsiv both nodded.
Tamina dipped her finger into the basin of oil she had carried over with her. She drew stars on their palms and foreheads with the oil before taking one of each of their hands. She quietly muttered the prayers under her breath, just loud enough for Tus and Garsiv to make out what she was saying.
Dastan sat quietly in his chair waiting for her to finish the ritual. He watched her and was amazed by how strongly and ardently she performed her duties. She truly believed that her life's calling was to protect her city and the rest of the world from the wrath of the Gods. He felt that passion seeping into himself the more time he spent with her.
When she opened her eyes, she blinked a few times to refocus her sight then made eye contact with Dastan. He smiled at her and she smiled back briefly before pulling her hands out of Tus and Garsiv's much larger ones.
"Thank you, Your Highness," Tus whispered in a cracked voice. She nodded to him and rose to her feet. The two elder Persian princes did the same.
"You are very welcome," she started. Siriah and Nadira returned silently through the door to the temple and caught Tamina's eye. "My concerns have been laid to rest for the time being."
"Is there anything else we can do for you?" Tus asked.
"No, thank you. If you have no other questions for me, I believe I have claimed enough of your time."
Tus and Garsiv bowed and turned to leave. Once the door was shut behind them, Tamina faced Dastan. He stared back at her questioningly but did not say a word.
"Do you really trust them or are you just keeping an eye on them?" he finally asked from his seat.
"I trust them, for now," Tamina replied honestly. "Their pledges to help me protect the dagger seemed sincere, and as I said, you trust them."
Dastan closed his mouth as he realized what she was telling him. She was putting her trust in him and his judgment, not in his brothers.
"Siriah, Nadira," Tamina called to the women. They walked toward her carrying different looking oil bowls.
"Dastan, I would like to make you Chancellor of the Dagger of Time," Tamina said to him as her ladies in waiting approached.
Dastan's good mood disappeared instantly. He couldn't believe his ears.
"What?" he questioned.
"It is a great honor, though it has never before been given to a Prince of Alamut. Becoming Chancellor will allow you to receive the full blessings of the Gods and make you a member of my inner council," she explained.
"But I will have to protect that dagger above all else, correct?"
Tamina nodded.
"I cannot do that," he said plainly.
"But you already did," Tamina argued confused. "You helped me to protect it in that time you described to me."
"I did help you, but not because I wanted to protect the dagger. I helped you because I wanted to protect you."
"And what about after I died? You still fought off Nizam and saved the dagger," she said hotly.
"Only to ensure that your death was not in vain," he answered.
"Your destiny is to help me protect the dagger," she insisted.
"My destiny is what I choose it to be. It's not something that is meant to be waited for; we are supposed to pursue it. It's a reflection of our choices, not our chances."
It was Tamina's turn to be speechless. She looked at Siriah and Nadira who had stopped preparing the oil for Dastan's initiation into the Guardianship. They could sense they were soon to be intruding on a very personal conversation between their princess and prince.
Siriah looked at Tamina and took Nadira with her out into the corridor. Only after they left, did Tamina turn to address Dastan.
"Please, will you accept the position? Your experience with the dagger makes you an invaluable asset to me as the High Priestess," she pleaded quietly.
Dastan gritted his teeth as he rose from his seat.
"No," he said stubbornly.
"Ugh, why are you being so difficult?" Tamina shouted. "All I want is for you to help me with this."
"I will not fulfill the duty of protecting that damn knife above all else. There are more important things for me to fight for," he explained.
"Such as the expansion of the Persian empire? Gods, Dastan you are the most frustrating person I have ever met!"
"Thank you, it's one of my better qualities," he smiled back sarcastically. Tamina clenched her fists at her side and spun away from him.
"Accept the position!" she demanded as she whirled around.
Dastan simply crossed his arms across his chest and stared back at her defiantly. Tamina turned away from him again and glared up at the ceiling. She took a few breaths to calm herself down before she spoke.
"This is your final response then? You will not even consider accepting?" she said.
"Not as long as you expect me to protect that dagger before you," he responded firmly.
Tamina was silent. A part of her was so angry with him for refusing her, but another part was overjoyed that he was so determined to protect her. She did not hear him as he walked closer to her; only when he reached out to take her hand and turn her around did she realize he was so close.
"I told you Tamina. There are more important things worth fighting for, and your life is more important to me than any dagger."
She stared at him silently contemplating her next words carefully. She was unsure of how to balance both her sacred duties and her feelings for Dastan. On one hand, she was called to protect the dagger at all costs. On the other, she was beginning to believe that her destiny rested within the man who stood before her.
She summoned up all of her courage and looked him in the eye.
"I don't think the Gods could have chosen a more stubborn man for me to fall in love with. Honestly, they charge me with the burdens of the dagger and then prohibit me from being able to perform my duties by bringing you to the city," she ranted.
Tamina walked passed a stunned Dastan as she continued her tirade. Dastan only heard her speaking, but not the words that were coming out of her mouth. He thought he had been hearing things, but the feeling of elation that was growing in his chest reassured him that he had heard her correctly.
"Tamina," he tried as he turned to face her. She was still talking to herself lost in her own thoughts.
"Tamina!" he shouted to get her attention. Startled, she stopped talking and looked up at him.
To Dastan, she looked like a young woman. The façade of the Princess and High Priestess of Alamut was gone; he was seeing her true feelings.
"I love you, Dastan," she said simply. The tone of her voice was soft and shy as if she were confessing a secret, forbidden desire.
She slowly sat on the chair that had been previously occupied by Tus. Tamina looked down at her hands as the silence continued. If she had been looking at Dastan, she might have seen the smile growing wider across his face.
"I've never been more confused in my life," she continued. "My duties as priestess were never difficult for me. Now I can hardly get through a simple prayer without my mind wandering. I find myself thinking, if it came down to it, would I be able to repay the debt offered to the Gods so long ago? Before I met you the answer was clear to me; now I am not so sure."
Before she could continue, Dastan strode over to her and knelt in front of her. He took her hands in his and looked straight into her eyes.
"You love me?" he asked with a grin on his face.
She nodded her head slowly as a small smile spread across her own face. Dastan threw his arms around her and pulled her to him. She wrapped her arms around him hesitantly in response, but soon was holding on just as tightly as he was.
Tamina sat on the floor of the temple leaning against one of the pillars and Dastan's shoulder. She had been trying to convince him to accept the position she had offered earlier, but that conversation hadn't lasted long. He kept refusing and wasn't warming to the idea. She decided to let the subject die and return to it at a more opportune time.
"Do you think about the other time very much?" Tamina asked him. "Besides in your dreams."
"I try not to," he answered honestly. "I fear that if I think too much on the possibilities of what could have happened, I will forget that all those events were stopped."
"It must be difficult to see those who died walking around in front of you knowing how things could have been."
"Yes, but it is also a great relief," Dastan smiled. "It allows me to fulfill a promise I made to you in that other time."
"What promise was that?"
"I promised you that we would be together."
He cupped her cheek with his hand and softly rubbed his thumb over her skin. They looked at each other for a few seconds before they leaned in, pressing their lips together.