Persian Nights – Chapter 1

Tamina sat on the edge of the bed, nervous and apprehensive. She did not know why she felt this way, especially after everything Dastan had told her. Together they had written back time and prevented a tyrant from seizing control of the Empire. And now, with their wedding tomorrow, she found herself anxious.

The handmaidens were all smiles and told her that all brides felt this way. But why did she? Dastan had told her everything… everything. She could hardly believe it. But how else could he know the things he did? How could he know how to excite her so?

She stood up and stepped over to the mirror, looking at herself. Her skimpy nightgown showed off her womanly form, and the thought of a man seeing her like this made her blush. When the Persians had come into the sacred shine room, Tus had said that rumors had flowed throughout the lands of her beauty and everyone seemed to agree that those rumors were true. Now looking at herself, she wondered what it was men saw? Her breasts were not as large as other woman's, and she felt more a child than a woman.

But around Dastan, her Prince of Persia, she felt a woman. How did men judge beauty? She wondered. To her, Dastan… oh, Dastan was gorgeous. She could not have hoped for a better man than Dastan. And the things he'd whisper into her ear when he took her on walks around Alamut, it was enough to make her knees quake with anticipation for their wedding night.

Finding herself smiling at her own reflection, she blushed and stepped back. There was a rapt at the door. Before she could turn around to inquire, the door opened and Dastan came waltzing in with the look of inebriation on his face. She knitted her eyebrows together and frowned. He must have been out partying with Bis and Garsiv.

Dastan's drunk eyes openly started at her chest and he wore a boyish smile.

"See something you like, Prince?" she asked, playfully.

"Oh I most certainly do, yes," came his slurred liquor filled voice.

Tamina frowned. He was drunk. She did not know if she wanted to deal with him when he was drunk. The romance of the moment faded away and she gave him a fierce glare.

"So the Lion of Persia comes to deflower his bride before their wedding night, as he?" she snapped.

Dastan closed the distance between them in a heartbeat and his strong arms were around her. His hands latched onto her bottom and pulled her close. She squinted and pulled back when she smelled the alcohol on his breath. This was not the sweet lovable Dastan who took her on moonlight walks.

"Oh, Tamina…," he muttered softly, in a slurred voice, squeezing her bottom and leaning forward to kiss her.

Without thinking, she slapped him. Dastan shook his head, stunned and stepped back. A small smirked formed on his face as he rubbed his hurt cheek.

She huffed and turned her back on him, not wanting to face him in such a state, though she had to admit, she did like how his hands had touched her. But at the moment, she did not want him to know.

"So," she huffed, indignantly. "Is this how the noble princes of Persia treat their soon-to-be wives? They come to their bedchambers a drunkard mess before the night they are to wed and take her by force!"

Tamina heard a low chuckle escape from Dastan lips. "Oh Princess, you are too much," he said, amusement lacing his voice. "If I were any less noble I'd ravage you right now!"

She bit her lip. "Then why don't you! Just get it over with. I know that is all you really want!"

"Is that what you think, Princess?" Dastan sounded hurt. She closed her eyes and felt tears. What was the matter with her? His voice changed and took on a kinder tone. "Do not worry, my princess, I will see you on the morrow."

Tamina fiddled with her hands, unsure of herself, she turned to stop him, but when she turned around he was gone and the door was shut. She wanted to shout for him to come back. She wanted to say yes, that she did want him to ravage her now. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she returned to her bed, despondently.

"He came here to make love to me, and what did I do…," she murmured to herself as she climbed into bed. "I accused him of only seeking lust."

She closed her eyes and cried herself to sleep.