Vast Fields Of Light

Chapter 11

   The next thing Tamina was aware of was her lungs burning as she burst out of the larger cavern's entrance onto the open mountainside. She stopped in surprise when she saw that the glaring sunlight of earlier had been replaced by heavy, rolling clouds and crashing rain. In front of her, a sheltered area had been constructed with three walls and a roof made of thick cloth. Under the covering, the Healer Priestess of Alamut stood beside a table on which Dastan lay, terrifyingly still and pale.

The Healer was bent over in concentration as she deftly pushed a needle and thread through the flesh above his hip. Tamina's jaw dropped as she felt the bleeding pain of his wound in her own heart, and before she knew it she was by his side, standing opposite the Healer. Her lungs continued to heave as she took Dastan's limp hand in her own and looked at his closed eyes and pale face. Then she placed her palm on his breastbone, swallowing heavily as she shut her eyes. His chest faintly rose and fell.

After several moments she opened her eyes and glanced across to the Healer, Farah. The older woman was deep in concentration and did not look up, so Tamina looked around and noticed Bis and Garsiv both standing nearby. Terrified concern was evident on their haunted faces, though she also saw profound relief in Garsiv's eyes that she had emerged alive.

Farah soon finished her stitching and a servant helped clean and dress the wound before disappearing. The Healer met Tamina's eyes seriously.

"Take heart, Princess. The wound wasn't as deep as it first appeared."

Tamina's tight ribcage could not soften in even the tiniest relief. "But he must have lost so much blood..."

Farah's eyelids creased as she nodded and paused. "I am still hopeful."

The Princess sighed and said nothing further, merely sinking down onto a stool which had been placed next to her. A servant came and draped a cloak around her wet shoulders, and she wrapped its heavy folds around herself to hide her shaking torso from her subjects. She lowered her head, and prayed.

She was not sure how much time passed; the rain eased, servants came and went, the sun reappeared and disappeared behind grey clouds, and she suddenly became aware she had been dozing as the Healer spoke to her in a low voice.

"Princess... Princess."

She jerked her head up and saw that Dastan's eyes were blinking open, his head moving fractionally from one side to the other as he slowly awoke, and her heart jumped into her throat when she saw the trace of colour that was returning to his cheeks.

"Dastan..." she whispered, taking his hand and leaning in close.

He turned his head to look at her and his eyes focused, and her breath hitched when she saw the corner of his lips move upwards. Then she sat back as Farah examined him and administered some medicine before withdrawing. Garsiv came and stood at his brother's side.

"How do you feel?" she asked softly, stroking Dastan's forehead and temple.

"Ughh." He grunted and let his head rest back on the table for a moment, closing his eyes and then opening them again to look at Tamina. "Is it done? -The dagger..."

Tamina and Garsiv both exhaled heavily, and Tamina glanced down before squeezing Dastan's hand and looking back up at him.

"Yes. It's done."

Dastan exhaled in relief and there was a silence before he added, "Those men..."

Garsiv spoke up. "My soldiers are keeping the rest of the villagers captive, including the chief. No doubt Nizam or the Hassansins told them of the dagger. They will have to be questioned."

Tamina did not take her eyes off her husband, but her jaw tightened as she considered Garsiv's words.

"I suppose I will do that later," she muttered. "Although I don't know how on earth I will manage to speak to them calmly after what happened. I cannot believe they could be so foolish and disloyal..." She paused, refocusing on Dastan as he grunted thoughtfully, and she smiled. "Anyway... it doesn't matter now."

"Hmm..." Dastan hummed. He glanced up at his brother. "Garsiv."

"Yes?"

Dastan looked back at Tamina. "Let Garsiv interrogate them. It should be done as soon as possible..."

She opened her mouth to refuse and then hesitated, looking from her husband to her brother-in-law. Garsiv watched her silently, awaiting her answer; something settled inside her and she nodded once.

"Yes. Ah... thank you."

Garsiv nodded slowly in a half-bow. "It's my honour to help, Princess." He turned to Dastan, stepped forward and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "But don't expect me to make a habit of taking orders from you, little brother," he said with a smirk that Dastan slowly mirrored, before he turned and walked away briskly.

Dastan's smile edged towards a chuckle, but it disappeared as he took a sharp breath in through gritted teeth and lifted a hand to the bandage on his side. Tamina's eyes immediately widened and she looked over to where Farah stood tidying up her medical supplies.

"Priestess!" she called out brusquely. "Can't you give him something stronger?"

"No, no..." Dastan protested, waving a hand vaguely. She looked back at him, tension clenching her body tightly as the day's events began to catch up with her.

"Oh! Yes, I see," she snapped, her voice somehow becoming more sharp and more tender at the same time. "Of course the Lion of Persia doesn't need medicine. Far better to risk passing out from the pain - and then I will have the pleasure of waiting once more to see if you will ever wake up."

Dastan rested his head back on the table. "Tamina..." he groaned.

Farah approached and he allowed her to administer a small cup of thick dark liquid that made him grimace as he swallowed it. Then the Healer withdrew, and Dastan looked back at his wife, squeezing her hand gently; Tamina could feel some of his strength returning as he did so.

"Tamina... I'm alive. I'll be fine."

She exhaled with a shudder, closing her eyes and dropping her head for a moment as she lifted his hand and pressed her lips to it, pouring her heart into the gesture. Eventually she raised her head and pinned her intent gaze to his soft blue eyes.

"You'd better be," she told him with feeling. "Because if you're not - I'll kill you."