Title: Times of trust

Author: Galadrielle

Fandom: Prince of Persia (Movie)

Characters: Dastan, Tus, Garsiv

Warning: SPOILERS for the movie, don't read the story if you haven't seen it yet!

Summary: Dastan is plagued with nightmares about the other timeline. Will his family be able to help him?

Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly.

AN: I've just seen the movie yesterday and really like the bond between the three brothers at the end. In the beginning I thought that Tus and Garsiv were behind the murder, but as it was revealed that it was Nizam, I was glad. At the end of the movie the bond between the brothers is beautifully portrayed and I couldn't resist continuing the story on my own. Sadly I have to say that I don't like Tamina much. She seems to be a selfish bitch to me, and yes I know that she is supposed to watch over the dagger…I just don't like her much. Okay, now that I have ranted I hope you like my story!

A scream tore from his throat just before Dastan shot up from his bed. The door banged open and Bis quickly followed by Tus and Garsiv stormed inside.

"Dastan!" Tus practically flew over to his bed, "Are you alright? We heard you scream…"

But Dastan wasn't able to answer. Looking at his brothers now made him see their deaths. Blood flowing down their bodies and empty eyes staring up at him... Tears started flowing.

Garsiv looked shocked at his brother. While he was the youngest Dastan had almost never cried. With a nod at the door the two brothers sent Bis outside to guard it.

Dastan meanwhile was torn by his sobs. 'Why are you crying, lion of Alamut? They are alive and well…the traitor has been found.'

Acting on instinct Garsiv sat down on his brother's bed and took hold of his arms, "Dastan, it was just a dream…"

Feeling his brother's hands on his skin broke Dastan from his grief. Throwing himself forward he grabbed Garsiv in a tight hug, shocking both his brothers and tearing a sound of surprise from the now tightly embraced Garsiv.

Tus shook his head and made a decision. When he opened the door he was meet with the concerned faces of Dastan's whole troop, "Bis, go and get my father. Tell him it's about my brother but nothing more."

With that he shut the door firmly and returned to his brothers' side.

Garsiv meanwhile had been held tightly. Not that it felt bad, but he was a warrior damn it and not a little child. He sighed in defeat and let Dastan hold him. When he saw his older brother coming back to the bed Garsiv started to say something when a sudden tearing at his clothes shut him up, "Dastan!"

Dastan calmed down slowly, holding onto his brother, his scent surrounding him, the feel of his warmth. But he had to see for himself that there were no spikes protruding his chest. Pushing Garsiv down he earned a startled sound when he tore his brother's nightshirt to see his chest. It was smooth and without wounds. Reassured Dastan bestowed a gentle kiss on his brother's forehead and left his lying on the bed before he turned to Tus.

Alarmed Tus saw the trance like state their little brother had fallen into. When the nightshirt tore Tus was shocked but did nothing, hoping that Garsiv wouldn't attack Dastan for this affront.

But he needn't have worried. Garsiv was too shocked to do anything but let Dastan do as he wished. A sliver of fear entered his heart when he saw the frantic look in the eyes above him. It left him again when Dastan sighed in relief after touching his chest and finally when a gentle kiss was pressed to his forehead.

Standing up on wobbly legs Dastan made his way over to Tus, but before he reached him his legs gave way and he would have fallen if not for Tus' strong grip on him. Again acting on instinct Dastan wrapped his arms around Tus while manoeuvring them over to the bed where Garsiv still lay on his back.

Tus saw the moment where Dastan started to fall and hurried over to catch him. He knew that Dastan was just reassuring himself of their presence and he would receive the same treatment as Garsiv had. What he wasn't prepared for was the strength that Dastan squeezed him with. Suddenly finding himself lying on the bed next to the still startled Garsiv, Tus saw Dastan reach for him.

Dastan's feverish mind slowly calmed down when he saw both his brothers laying on the bed, looking back at him. Not with the empty dead eyes like they did the last time, but eyes glittering in concern and love not really spoken off. He raised his hand and laid it on Tus throat, not registering the alarm in his brother's eyes.

When Dastan's hand made contact with his throat, Tus felt fear take a hold of him. His little brother wasn't really within the right mind to register his own strength. The hand retreated after a gentle caress to his throat and Tus sighed in relief.

The door opening made Garsiv and Tus jump in sudden fright as Dastan shot up and took position to protect them from whatever had disturbed the reunion.

King Sharaman practically flew down the corridors. After Bis had woken him he had just put on the next thing he had lying around and started running for his son's chambers.

Seeing Dastan's men lingering in front of the door he paid them no heed as they fell to the floor in reverence and pushed open the door.

What he saw inside calmed him instantly. Seeing his three children, who would always be his loved little mischievous boys, lay together on the bed. But they seemed to startle when the door made contact with the wall. Sharaman was shocked when Dastan jumped up and picked up his sword, ready to defend his brothers.

Sharaman stopped in his tracks and when recognition flooded Dastan's face the sword he held in his hand fell from his sudden lifeless hand.

Dastan felt shame flooding him for raising his weapon on his father. Falling to his knees he saw in his minds eye the cloak he had put on his father and how it poisoned him, how he died believing his son had intended to kill him. Tears fell again as he remembered the pain he had endured with his father dead and his brothers hating him. And how his brothers had died shortly afterwards.

Sharaman looked in shock at his youngest son before hurrying over to him. He put his hands on his son's shoulders and seeing the tear strained face knelt down in front of him. "Dastan, what has happened to you?"

Shaking his head Dastan wasn't able to answer. He didn't trust himself to not hug the king and hugged himself to prevent it. He didn't think Sharaman would appreciate it…

Sharaman saw the gesture and knew what he had to do. Pulling his son into his arms he embraced him tightly, stoking his hair.

Garsiv and Tus both breathed in relief when the saw the sword fall to the floor and their father taking care of Dastan. None of them had ever thought that their youngest would attack their father. Dastan loved Sharaman too much for that to ever happen, but as they had registered before he didn't seem to be in the right mind right now.

Releasing his son Sharaman helped Dastan up and sat him down on the bed with his brothers, "Will you tell me now what ails you, Dastan? You have changed so much since you and your brothers left and attacked Alamut."

Finally calming down Dastan squirmed under the penetrating gaze. He knew he shouldn't do this, he knew that he should have spoken to Princess Tamina about it first. But after the Princess had held his hand he had seen some kind of antipathy in her eyes, not really hate but distrust and revulsion, he had known that he couldn't marry her. She wasn't the same as his Tamina had been. This Tamina was still a spoilt little brat that thought too much of herself.

Shaking his head Dastan replied, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you what happened. You will think I'm insane…"

Looking at his two other sons Sharaman tried to figure out if this would really be the case, but seeing them shake their heads he answered, "Please, Dastan. This hurts you deep within your soul, trust us enough to trust you."

A bitter laugh escaped him hearing his father say something like that, "You didn't trust me the last time! You thought I killed you and my brothers hunted me like I was a criminal! How can I trust you again?"

Garsiv had heard enough. A slap echoed as Dastan held his cheek. "You will not speak of our family like that, Dastan! You know that you are out little brother! So show some trust in us already!" Garsiv made to stand up but was halted by the sudden weight of his brother's body pushing him down.

Dastan felt his cheek grow hot where Garsiv had slapped him. 'He is right, you know? The last time Tus believed you enough to push the stone and Garsiv left his rage behind and helped you before dying…' Wanting his brother to stay Dastan did the one thing he knew his brother hated, he pinned him to the bed with his whole weight. While Garsiv may be older, Dastan had more muscles from his acrobatics and could easily push him around… as long as nothing sharp was in the vicinity.

Leaning forward Dastan pinned Garsiv's hands to the bed and straddled him, "I'm sorry, Siv. Please stay, I'll try to tell you."

Struggling at first Garsiv stopped when the old pet name left his brother's mouth. Sighing in defeat he stopped struggling and lay still beneath his brother's weight, "All right, Tan. Now let me up."

Releasing his brother, Dastan pulled him up into a sitting position before he embraced his again. "Thank you, brother."

Tus and Sharaman shared a knowing glance. They knew that Garsiv and Dastan had always been rivals, but they loved each other nonetheless. The need to be affectionate with each other had been released itself in mocking and fights. Now this seemed to have finally changed.

Dastan released his brother and sat down, "It started after Alamut fell…"

Hours later Sharaman, Tus and Garsiv were looking down at the now sleeping Dastan. The story they had heard was almost too much of a tale to not be true.

Tus and the king had been the first to believe him after he relayed what had been said between the two of them. "You told Tus listen to advice but to trust his heart." Both knew that there hadn't been anyone present during that time. So how could Dastan have known?

Garsiv was ready to explode by the time Dastan told them how he had died due to the Hassansin's spikes. This couldn't be true, could it? Could he really have hunted his dear little brother and tried to kill him? Paling in shock Garsiv tried to take a deep breath, releasing it in a rush a sob tore itself free. Shamed at the outburst he tried to flee Dastan's chambers but found himself enclosed in his father's embrace. Stiffening in shock as he couldn't remember his father embracing him in a long time Garsiv remained tense.

"Shh, my dear son. All is well; we are together, all of us. Dastan is safe. Shh…" Sharaman whispered into Garsiv's ear. Holding tightly onto his tense son he felt a tremble run through him. Looking down the king discovered tears in his fierce and sometimes brash son's eyes.

Tus looked on in equal shame, 'How could I have thought Dastan could ever hurt our father? Why didn't I do something? Why didn't I believe him?' Hearing a sob Tus was torn from his thoughts. In his father's arms he saw his younger bother fall apart at the thought of having hurt Dastan. There had never been hate between Garsiv and Dastan. But the thought of having lost their father due to the child he had adopted, and at some times seemed to love more than his own children, must have blinded Garsiv. And now he felt shame and regret over things that had luckily been avoided by Dastan's courage. Things that would never happen to them, but things that Dastan remembered nonetheless.

Garsiv found himself in another pair of arms soon. Dastan had woken up and seen his brother fall apart in their father's arms. The king holding him steady, trying to calm him down, but nothing apart from Dastan would ever be able to absolve him of the guilt he felt for the things he hadn't done…Right, this thought confused him even more.

Tus was kneeling beside his father and brother when Dastan woke and quickly embraced Garsiv from behind. A howl tore itself from the warrior's throat at the thought of losing his whole family.

The fact that they were together and healthy slowly healed their fractured hearts and when the sun finally shone through the curtains of Dastan's chambers it found the three brothers lying on the bed, cuddled together, sleeping as they hadn't slept for many years, under the watchful gaze of their father.

Save in the knowledge of their family being together, their love for each other.

And save in the knowledge that the bond between brothers will always be the sword that defends the empire from the inside or the outside.

End