Decisions Made(A prince of persia story)

Chapter 1

Tamina looked out from the council room at her city. Smoke was still rising from the ruins of the Eastern Gates and she could hear the cry of women as the dead are discovered. She squeezed her eyes shut trying in vain to remove herself from feeling. She needed to be a rational leader now.

In two days and without warning her city attacked, her people killed, the Dagger of Time had been lost and as swiftly, her attackers asked for forgiveness and her hand in marriage with the Dagger returned. It was his eyes she could not forget, the way he looked at her. Logic told her that he just met him and that longing in his eyes cannot be.

"Princess," the eldest councilman brought her back, "the Persians await your answer for the proposal."

"What message did the eagle bring about Koshkhan?" she turned.

"He has got to know of Alamut's alignment with Persia. The Persian invasion also showed the world that she can be invaded, my Princess."

"We have Persia on our side now," she reassured more herself than the councilman as she sat down at the head of the table.

"We have Persia being apologetic at the moment your Highness. They will leave and be preoccupied with their empire. Alamut is too strategic, too precious and too tempting for Koshkhan to not have. They do not fear God Princess and will not be as restrained as our invaders now. Friendship and promise of engagement will not bind Persia to us."

"But marriage will," she said with her eyes cast down, "faster the better."

Silence filled the room. "Marriage," she thought out loud "to a Prince who is not born but made noble."

The old councilman moved closer to Tamina. "Your highness, Prince Dastan is as much a son to King Sharaman as much as Prince Tus and Garsiv. With the other two princes you would be one more in their hordes of wives. For Prince Dastan, you would be his first wife. This is a wise decision your highness."

Tamina knew what she had to do even though she sat there thinking. It was an easy decision, a decision already made when Prince Tus offered. Marriage. It crept up on her as the invasion itself.

"Where is the Lion of Persia and his brothers?"

"Prince Tus and Garsiv are at the Persian camp my Princess. Prince Dastan however," he hesitated.

"Prince Dastan what?" she asked annoyed.

"Prince Dastan and his men are helping with the clearing of the city your highness. He has not left or slept since." As soon as the words left the lips of the Councilman, Tamina's lips parted in surprise. Humility in a warrior was unknown and she did not want to look impressed.

Tamina exhaled. "Send word to Prince Dastan that the proposal has been accepted and terms of marriage will be discussed tomorrow. And do make it sound more gracious than my words." With that she left. Marriage was also the talk in the Persian camp.

"Here he comes, the Lion of Persia and the Queen of Alamut," Garsiv joked as Dastan walked into the royal tent.

"Queen of Alamut?" Dastan asked puzzled.

"Well you saw her! There is no submissive bone in her body. Only way this marriage will work is if you become the woman in it!" he pated Dastan on his back as Tus joined in the laughter.

"Marriage? Wha..She accepted? Princess Tamina?" His eyes lit up and corners of his mouth curled into a smile.

"Oh look at this one, in love are you Dastan? You got to breach the wall of her city and now you get to breach her wall!"

"Hey a little respect Garsiv, she is my wife to be and a princess," Dastan protested.

"Ah young love! Let us see you on your third wedding," Garsiv continued.

Tus knew that this was the time to take the reins. "Settle down you both," he said, "we will be discussing the terms of marriage tomorrow. Father has sent word to continue with the marriage preparations. He still cannot fathom what has happened. But he is happy Dastan of the marriage to the Princess of Alamut."

Dastan looked at the high tower from the camp knowing that she will be sleeping. The camp was quiet and the moonlight lit up his way. He could not wait the few hours to see her, the fear that she may not be real, that this is all a dream was too much to bear. Every time he closed his eyes, he sees her falling, her cry piercing his heart. However, soon she will be his wife and he will be there to protect her no matter what.

Tamina could see the Persian camp from her balcony. The moonlight coloured the desert in a silver hue and it was so distinct from the Alamutian amber glow. That what Persians are anyway, she thought, all shrivel and angry most of the time. But the prince...she is brought up to know the ways of the gods. She knows fate and destiny. So she cannot deny the feeling the prince is placed in her life by the hand of god itself. Tomorrow marriage would be fixed, within a week, she would be his wife. The man she knows nothing of will be the one who would know her intimately. It frightened her but this is her duty, she will do this for her people. They must be protected and this is what will. She could not sleep that night and neither did Dastan. She was terrified and he longed to see her face again.