7. Valley of Slaves

Tamina:

What are you doing?

Dastan:

Garsiv can't be far behind us.

She is the most famous horse in the Empire, this would skew its tracks.

Tamina:

Tracks where, where are you going?

Dastan:

To Avrat, where my father will be buried.

Tamina:

You're wanted for the King's murder, you're going to march into his funeral alongside thousands of Persian soldiers.

Dastan:

I hope Nizam will be there, he's the only one I can trust.

He'll see I was set up by Tus, step aside, Princess.

Tamina:

Every road to Avrat will be covered with Persian troops.

Dastan:

Well I'm not taking roads, I'm going through the Valley of the Slaves.

Tamina:

No one goes near that wasteland, it's filled with murderers and cutthroats.

Dastan:

Yes, so they say.

Tamina:

Your whole plan is suicide.

Dastan:

My brother murdered my father, and left his blood on my hands.

If I die trying to set that right, then so be it.

Tamina:

So, you're going to leave me here, in the middle of nowhere?!

Noble Dastan, abandoning a helpless woman in the wilderness.

What does your precious honor have to say about that?

Dastan:

Oh, give me the strength not to kill her.

Garsiv:

Mounts up, we can't be far behind him.

Tamina:

Without the right sand, it's just another knife. Not even very sharp.

Dastan:

This sand, is there more of it?

Tamina:

Of course not.

Dastan:

How can I get some?

Tamina:

Try standing on your head and holding your breath.

Did you see what you're looking for, Prince?

Dastan:

Start walking.

Tamina:

So, if you can't prove to your uncle how the Dagger works, why on the world would he believe you?

Dastan:

It's not your problem, princess.

Tamina:

You know, you really walk like one. Head held high, chest out, long stomping strides.

The walk of a self-satisfied Persian prince.

No doubt it comes from being told since birth, the world is yours, and actually believing it.

Dastan:

I wasn't born in a palace like you!

I was born in the slums of Nasaf, where I lived if I fought and I clawed for it.

Tamina:

And how did you become a prince?

Dastan:

The king, marches the market one day, and he... I don't know, he... He found me.

He took me in, he gave me a family, he gave me a home.

What you're looking at is, the walk of a man, who just lost everything.

Dastan:

Welcome to the Valley of Slaves, Your Highness.

Tamina:

I'm desperate for a drop of water.

Dastan:

Well, there's more than we have since you emptied our canteen hours ago.

Tamina:

I wasn't born in this desert like you Persians, all shrivelled and angry.

My constitution is much more... delicate.

Dastan:

I think you mean spoiled.

Tamina:

The wells of Alamut are fame for their clean, cold water.

Dastan:

Perhaps less time admiring your wells, and more time guarding your walls, and you wouldn't be here.

Ah, a miracle, I've silenced the princess!

Tamina? Tamina? Can you hear me?

Tamina:

Yes, Dastan, I can hear you.