As it's already pretty late around here and I am very tired, I didn't take the time to check for any spelling mistakes – sorry if there are some. Story will be picking up on the action a little noe - hope you like it. :-)

Keyla had returned back to the merchant's house feeling truly happy for the first time ever since she had heard about Dastan's impending wedding. At first she had been angry because nobody had even thought of her to let her know, than she had been angry with him after she believed to have found out it was a wedding out of political necessity and then... then she had seen her error and had realized Dastan was truly in love with the Alamutian princess and this marriage was what he - what the both - wanted.

She had never slept as good as she had done this night and she found herself waking up with a smile on her face the next morning. It was still very early, she could tell. The sun had just come up and it was still very quiet inside the merchant's mansion. She got up, splashed some water on her face and dressed herself up again. With the invite to the wedding it might have been a good idea to just ask Dastan to get her another place to stay but what had been told to her by the merchant last night had not left her mind and still troubled her.

She had neither told Dastan nor Tamina about it because she didn't have any proof but only a few words from a disgruntled citizen of Alamut. Maybe there was nothing to it. But if there was, Keyla wanted to stay here and keep an eye on the merchant. If he planned any kind of scheme against Dastan and the princess she would be able to warn them. Therefor it was necessary for her to keep her masquerade intact for a little while longer...

She carefully opened the door that went out to the hallway and gave a view of the yard downstairs. She was surprised to find a fully set table right in the middle of the courtyard. Maybe she was wrong to believe that the rich merchants started their day late. It seemed her host was up already... and he had the unnerving skill to appear out of nowhere. She winced when she heard his voice calling for her and watched him reappear from the shadows of one of the buildings downstairs.

"Keyzam! My young traveler it is good to see you up. We haven't seen much of you since we granted you hospitality. Come downstairs. Have breakfast with me."

"Of course, master. I would be honored."

"Wonderful."

Keyla would have liked to avoid the merchant but maybe having this meal with him would give her a chance to find out more about that scheme she believed he was planning and that he had implied something about last night. If she really wanted a chance to bring some proof to Dastan and Tamina and prevent a potentially hostile situation from them, she had to stay here, listen and watch out. Therefor she put a fake smile on her face and nodded her approval, hoping to sound grateful.

She went downstairs and sat down at the set table opposite of the merchant. The same young girl that had shown her to her room three days ago was now filling their glasses with water. Keyla picked a couple pieces of fruits from a plate and watched the merchant with a glance from time to time. They ate in silence for a while and Keyla couldn't - for the life of her - come up with anything to say that would sound like small talk and would not make the merchant suspicious. She couldn't just go about and ask him about his plans...

But she never needed to. By the time the young female servant had returned with two linen towels and a bowl full of warm, scented water for them to wash their hands in, Keyla had lost all hope there would actually be any kind of conversation. The merchant surprised her though by grabbing her wrist and stopping her from getting up, leaning in closer to her just as soon as the young servant had disappeared. He was whispering to her now, a conspitorial look in his eyes.

"Well master Keyzam. I do admit I did not only invite your for breakfast out of hospitality. I have a task for you."

"What kind of a task?"

"Remember that we talked about the princess wedding and my... take on things last night?"

"Yes."

A sudden nervousness that made her feel almost nauseous grabbed a hold of Keyla. She had not even been able to ask him about this, had no longer believed there would be any conversation about it and now - out of the blue - the merchant was inviting her in on his plans. At least that was what she believed he was up to right now. She leaned in closer, desperately waiting for him to continue, hoping she would finally get some kind of useful information that she could bring to Dastan and the princess to help protect them from whatever it was the merchant and his allies were planning.

"I want you to deliver a message to a friend of mine, somebody who feels the same way I do about the wedding. The same way you do... "

"I'd gladly be willing to."

"Good. You can leave after breakfast. Take this letter and make sure it reaches it's destination. You will have to go to the house of merchant Malik. Make sure only he reads the letter and bring me back an answer from him. Will you do that."

The merchant had pulled a rolled up piece of parchment from his robe that had been sealed with wax. Keyla tried to keep herself under control but her fingers were still shaking slightly when she grabbed the piece of paper from the merchants hands. She swallowed hard. This later might be containing a message that was dangerous for the royalty of this city, a treachery planned, a scheme unfolding... She quickly placed it inside her own robe, trying to conceal her feelings of fear and worry. Her voice was surprisingly steady for the way she felt right now.

"Yes, master."

"Good. Now eat up."

Keyla hadn't been able to eat anything any more and just a couple of minutes later she had risen from the table. The merchant had given her last instructions as to how to get to his friends house and now Keyla was on her way, the parchment securely hidden inside her robe and her thoughts racing a million miles a minute. She would have wished she would have been able to read the letter but she had no knowledge whatsoever of the Alamutian tongue and even if the letter had been written in Farsi she still would have been in trouble. She had learned to read a long while ago but there never had been much use for it in her life and by now she was only able to read a couple of basic words... She wouldn't have been able to read that letter if her life depended on it. Now however she feared it was even worse. Dastan's and Tamina's life could depend on it...

Keyla debated just taking the letter to the palace but she could not tell what was inside it and maybe she would be framing a couple of merchants for something truly innocent. Maybe they were planning something harmless or maybe she had misinterpreted and they planned nothing at all. Just because they didn't like the fact that their princess was marrying a prince of Persia didn't meant they were planning to harm them in any way. She could only make sure by following through with her task and somehow getting more information...

She reached the merchant Malik's home and was allowed in and brought to what looked like a private room immediately upon telling one of his servants who had sent her. Malik appeared in the room not even a minute later and just reached out a hand not saying anything to her. Keyla handed him the letter with trembling fingers and watched with growing discomfort as the merchant read the letter. She had almost screamed in protest and needed to stop herself from reaching for the parchment when the merchant neared the nearest candle illuminating the room and held the piece of parchment to it. It caught fire immediately, burning to ash in front of her eyes. The merchant looked at her with a stern expression.

"Tell him my men are on the way."

He didn't say anything else and left the room, leaving her standing there, speechless and unable to move for a moment. It took a few seconds that seemed to go on forever before her brain started working at her and screamed at her to run. No matter what the merchant's words had been about, it couldn't be anything good and she needed to hurry. She needed to get back to her host, tell him what Malik had said and needed to somehow pressure him to tell her what was going on. Even if it meant revealing who she truly was or what she truly was after, even if it meant threatening or even hurting the man - she had to know!

Keyla ran through the streets of Alamut not caring that she left a lot of disgruntled citizens behind her in which she had run into. She had no time for politeness or careful behavior. She needed to get back and she needed answers. When she reached the alley that let to the merchant's house she slowed her pace and walked on slower, catching her breath. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and was composed again when she entered the merchant's house for the second time that day, being led inside by a servant. She didn't even need to ask for the master of the house. He was already waiting for her anxiously, pulling her aside as soon as she entered the yard.

"What did he say?"

"I was supposed to tell you his men are on the way."

"Good."

This was the crucial moment. If she didn't get him to talk to her now, it would most definitely be too late. Whatever those men the merchant Malik had sent on their way were up to, if she didn't find out now, their task would be done before she could warn anyone about it. She gathered all her courage, forcing her nervousness down and looked the merchant right in the eyes with a demanding look on her face. There was urgency and authority in her voice, hopefully enough to get him to tell her what she had to know.

"What is all this about? If you use me as your messenger, I have a right to know what is going on, what I'm used for."

"Well... You remember what we talked about last night..."

"Yes. The wedding and my... disgust about it."

The merchant hesitated for another moment that seemed like an eternity to Keyla and then a small, hard, self-satisfied grin appeared on his face that let a cold shiver run down her spine. He leaned in closer to her, whispering his next words into her ear and Keyla's breath caught in her throat when she heard the pure hatred that lay in his words and that clearly told her these people were not just planning some sort of prank but they were truly going to do something that would harm either Dastan or Tamina or the both of them...

"Let's just say as of tonight there will be no need to be disgusted about it because there will be no wedding. There will never be a Persian reign in Alamut and that is what we made sure of."

"Good... That is good..."

Keyla would have wished to attack the merchant right there and then instead of feigning her agreement to what he was saying but she needed to do it. If she wanted a chance to get out of here unharmed, she needed for the merchant to believe that she was agreeing and actually enjoying his little plan. She put on a fake smile all the while keeping herself from wrapping her hands around the merchant's neck and feverishly searched for the right words to say to get out of here and not have him get suspicious at the same time.

"Will you still need me for another task today? I... I wanted to get to the market, I need a couple of supplies."

"No, your task is done, young traveler. Feel free to leave. But you should be back by nightfall. A celebration is in order and you are invited to be a part of it. After all you played a crucial role in our plans..."

"Thank you... I will..."

Keyla bowed to the merchant a little and turned to leave his house again She was tensed up like never before and half expected an arrow or a knife to fly her way and plunge into her back, stopping her from leaving but nothing of that sort happened. She forced herself to take slow, casual steps and left the house without anyone taking any more notice of her. She walked on like that until she rounded the corner of the alley outside and was out of sight of anyone who worked or lived at the merchant's house. Than she broke into a run. She needed to get to the palace and warn Dastan and Tamina before it was too late...

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