Date : 21.11.2012
Title : The Hassansins' Secret
Author : ElaineDex
Chapter : 15 of ?
Rating : M
Pairings : Zolm/OC
Warnings : Some Sexual Content, Romance, Angst, Maybe Some Strong Language.
Spoilers : Possible references to Prince of Persia : The Sands of Time.
Disclaimer : I do not own anything to do with the Prince of Persia franchise. This plot and any O/C's are mine.
Summary : (AU) The Hassansins take on a mission that leads to the discovery of a secret from their past, one that could change their futures forever and Zolm finds out that maintaining emotional detachment isn't always quite that easy.
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Over the next few days Zarina made it her business to see to the delivery of Zolm's food and water, each time making sure that she added some more of the potion that she had concocted, smiling warmly each time he swallowed some, knowing it would not be long before the effects began to claim him more fully; indeed, already she had seen the way he had become more withdrawn from Dasmine and Setam, just as she wanted.
One particular afternoon, Zolm decided he had had enough of lying in the comfortable palace bed and swung his legs off of the side.
"Zolm!" Dasmine cried, rushing to his side only to have him push her hands away from him.
"Enough time has passed with me lounging here like some pampered Sheikh," he announced, "I would rebuild my strength now…"
Dasmine bit her bottom lip as he cast her aside, trying not to read anything into it, but it was hard when already he had spoken to her less and less over the last couple of days, seemingly preferring the company of Zarina…a fact that stung after the knowledge that it was her who had gotten him injured in the first place.
"Fetch my clothes," he said, his voice hard and Dasmine moved a step closer, tentatively reaching out to touch his face.
"Have I displeased you?" she asked, frowning when he wrapped his fingers around her wrist and pulled her hand away from his scarred cheek.
"You displease me by not doing what I ask of you," he replied and she took in a breath that belied the hurt she felt at his response and nodding she moved away to do as he bid, leaving the room to head to the palace laundry where his clothes had been washed and dried.
Once she had gone Zolm took a deep breath, uncertain as to why he was acting in such a way with Dasmine. He hadn't intended to be so cold with her, nor leave her out of the loop as he had over the last few days; it just seemed that whenever Zarina was in the room he could only focus upon her.
The thought worried him and he stood, his hand going to the ever healing wound in his side before he crossed to the windows and looking down he saw his men training in the courtyard below. Eager to join them he looked to the door, wondering what was keeping Dasmine.
As she left the laundry Dasmine hugged Zolm's clothing to her chest as she was cornered by two palace guards. About to voice her displeasure, her mouth opened only to snap shut again as Zarina appeared behind the guards.
"Give the clothes to me," she stated, but Dasmine held them all the more tightly.
"I am to take them to Zolm, he wants to get up and exercise…" she said, trailing off as Zarina held out her hand and one of the guards wrestled the garments from her arms.
"You won't be seeing Zolm again," Zarina explained carefully and Dasmine's brow furrowed.
"What are you talking about?" she asked, fear and suspicion making her stomach churn.
A little further up the hallway, Setam came to a halt as he saw Dasmine surrounded by Zarina and two guards and he slipped behind a stone pillar so that he could overhear but remain unseen.
"What I am talking about is that pretty soon he won't even remember who you are, let alone be interested in marrying you, so I feel that it's best I remove you from here now…more for your own sake than anything else. I'm sure that you will thank me for the kindness one day," Zarina replied with a self-satisfied smile upon her face that Dasmine wanted to wipe off.
"What have you done to him?" she asked and the Queen narrowed her eyes.
"What makes you think that I have done anything to him? You surely do not believe that you could keep a man like Zolm's attention for long…? No, he is just realising that he needs a different kind of woman at his side…"
"Oh and I suppose you would be that woman! He wouldn't touch you if you were the last woman in Persia!" Dasmine snapped and Zarina stepped forward and smacked Dasmine who immediately went to retaliate, but was restrained by the guards.
Setam clenched his fists at his sides but knew that he needed to see how this all played out. Zarina was up to something and he needed to know more before he intervened.
"Take her to the dungeon," Zarina instructed and as the guards began to turn Dasmine away she added, "I had thought to just let you leave so long as you promised to stay away, but now…now I think a punishment is in order…"
"You won't get away with this…the other Hassansins…" Dasmine began but Zarina cut her off.
"The other Hassansins will do as their Leader commands…and that will not be saving you!"
Dasmine gave a small growl of frustration as she was marched away, trying her best to figure out just what Zarina was playing out.
Setam meanwhile melted into the shadows, determined to find out what Zarina had done to Zolm.
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Zolm turned as the bedroom chamber door opened.
"Finally…I had begun to wonder if you were lost…" he trailed off as he saw that it was Zarina who entered with his clothes and not Dasmine as he had been expecting.
Zarina smiled at his obvious confusion.
"Forgive me, I sent Dasmine to rest…she's so exhausted…the poor thing hasn't left your side properly in days."
Zolm nodded and again felt a stab of guilt at the way he had treated her of late.
Seeing his expression, Zarina realised that she needed to distract him from his thoughts of the pesky servant girl and so she held his clothes out.
"You want to exercise I hear…would you like me to help you dress?"
Zolm looked at her sharply.
"That won't be necessary," he said and Zarina bit back a retort to the effect of he would have no doubt let Dasmine help him.
Sighing she resolved to up the dosage of the potion that she was slipping him as he was obviously still clinging on to some remnants of the loyalty that he held for the girl.
"Very well," she replied, placing his clothes onto the bed. "Try not to exert yourself too much and I shall return to you later so that we can perhaps discuss the future…and…drink some more water, you need to keep your fluid levels up…"
With that she left Zolm alone to dress and when he was done he eyed the jug and goblet on the table, his eyes narrowing as he felt the compulsion to drink. Filling the goblet he downed it before slamming it back down and leaving the room to go to his men.
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Setam knew that he had limited time to check the Queen's chambers whilst she went to Zolm and so he hurried there, making sure that no-one saw him enter and once inside he looked around, looking for any clues that would give him an idea of what she was up to.
At first he could see nothing untoward, but then his eyes fell upon a thick book by the bed and he crossed to it, his eyes widening when he saw that it was a spell and potions book.
"Magic…" he murmured in disbelief, glancing over the page that was open. Suddenly he heard a noise outside and he ripped the page from the book and closed it before heading for the balcony to make his escape that way. He needed to get Dasmine out of the palace and figure out what they could do to free Zolm from the spell she had him under.
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Zarina entered her chamber and crossed to the bed, throwing herself down upon it and staring up at the ornate ceiling above for the longest time.
Once she had Zolm completely under her spell there would be little that the two of them could not achieve together and she had plans. Not content with ruling her own kingdom she wanted more…she wanted all of them. Persia and beyond would be hers…
Turning onto her side she frowned when she saw that the spell book was closed; she could have sworn that she had left it open. Sitting up she grabbed the book and opened it, alarm bells ringing when she saw that the page with the spell on it that she was using on Zolm had been ripped out.
"Guards!"
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Setam looked down at the two bodies of the palace dungeon guards, a grimace on his face as he stepped over them and approached the cell where Dasmine had been put.
Breaking the lock he swung open the door and held out his hand to her.
Dasmine looked up, relief clear on her face and she scampered off the cot she had been sat on and placed her hand in Setam's.
"What's going on?" she asked him, her expression full of worry.
"Let's get away from the palace and then I will tell you what I have discovered," he replied, glancing over his shoulder.
"What about Zolm?" Dasmine asked as they began to move.
"We cannot help him if we remain here," Setam said, pulling her along more quickly. "Come…we do not have much time…"
End of Chapter 15