Intoxicating Desires | T. Al Ghul ✔

[35]

Dusan had decided to go to the base at Nanda Parbat as it had been long since he had last visited. He had heard that his nephew Damian would be sent to the fort shortly so he wanted to be there and see how the boy was faring.

He also hadn't been able to keep in touch with Talia as she had stopped sending letters to him after finding out that he probably suspected her of teaming up with Deathstroke. So he had to resolve that issue too and make sure that everything was running smoothly.

On his way to Nanda Parbat, he had to take a brief stop in the village close by as there was some hindrance with his horse's hooves. As making the animal proceed further would make the situation worse, Dusan decided to go to the village's farrier and get the horseshoe checked. 

Night had fallen by the time he reached and the farrier's shop was closed. Dusan asked the people if they could tell him where the farrier lived as he had traveled far and needed his help urgently.

While he was asking the village folk about the farrier, a familiar face caught his eye.

Saahir Shah, the man he met in the forest years ago when he had taken Assam back to the hut along with Talia. The man he suspected to be the lost Prince of Persia although he did not have any proof backing that claim yet.

He was surprised when Saahir came up to him after the other people had left and not told him anything about the farrier. His brown eyes swept over the horse that was limping and he spoke up, "do you have a place to stay?"

"No," Dusan replied, "but I am told the farrier wouldn't come before morning and it would be cruelty to drag this horse further."

He nodded and then offered, "you can come stay with us. I can look after your horse too."

Dusan had not been expecting the hospitality from him because the last time they had met, Saahir had been evidently hostile toward the Al Ghul siblings.

He took the reins of his horse and led the way so Dusan followed, wondering again what had made the man lenient toward him. They reached the cottage and Saahir knocked, the door was opened shortly by Assam.

The boy was about to exclaim in joy to see Saahir but then paused, surprised to see the man beside him.

"Assam, who's at the door?" Habiba called from inside shaking him from his shock.

"It's Akkhi and a guest," he told her, opening the door wider for them and facing Dusan, he added, "I am so happy to see you again, Sir."

Dusan smiled, seeing that it was indeed the boy he had once helped out after Talia had accidentally hit him with her arrow, "you remember me then?"

"Of course, how could I not?" He beamed but before he could start gushing about the prince as fair as moonlight, Saahir patted his back and told him to go in and make arrangements for the guest.

Dusan looked around the small but well-kept cottage, still thinking about why Saahir had offered him to stay with them. In the meanwhile, Assam had brought pillows, a blanket, and a woolen spread that could be used in place of a mattress. 

Saahir had left him there to go out and tend to his horse so Dusan put his luggage down, intending to go out as well.

"May I know your name?" Assam asked as he set the mattress and blanket.

"Dusan," he replied, "and you must be Assam."

"Yes," he nodded, "I hope you are comfortable here. Akkhi told me our place is not befitting you but I hope everything is to your liking the best we can manage."

Dusan gently patted the boy's head, "that's alright. I feel very grateful that you are offering me a place to stay."

Habiba too had peeked in through the thin curtains, intrigued to see who the guest was. She realized immediately that it was the fair lord with hair as pale as moonlight, the one Assam had told her and Amma about years ago.

The fair lord stepped out shortly after and Assam came into Amma's room where Habiba had been stealing glances from. 

"Is it him?" She asked, "the prince you told us about?"

"Yes."

"But you said Akkhi didn't want him to come here."

"I think Akkhi changed his mind because he brought him here himself," Assam replied, "his horse isn't doing well so Akkhi is looking after it. He will be spending the night here and leave in the morning."

On the other hand, Saahir had removed the horseshoe and was gently tending to the swollen hooves of the horse. Dusan had stepped out as well and sat beside him, watching him work with concentration.

"You're coming from very far, I assume," Saahir spoke up, judging by the state of the horseshoes.

"Yes. I think I should have stopped for rest more often. It wore Basil out."

A very slight smile flickered on the man's otherwise stoic features, "that's your horse's name?"

"Yes."

He nodded, cleaning up the hooves gently, "I have done all I could here. Basil will need rest but in the morning you should take it to the farrier. His name is Muaz and you will find his shop open in the central market square."

"Thank you."

Saahir paused as if not expecting the expression of gratitude. But then he remarked, "I'm just repaying the favor."

"What favor?"

"You brought Assam back home safely that day, I am just repaying the debt I have to you."

Dusan watched Saahir's features closely but couldn't read what was going through his head. He was neither hostile nor very friendly but it was clear that the man did not harbor any ill intentions.

Assam brought their dinner out by the bonfire shortly after and silence prevailed among the elder two while the boy chirped on with everything he had to tell Saahir about that day. Dusan was listening as well but his mind was far off, wandering in the past and present.

After Assam had gone to sleep as well and Saahir had still not stood up, Dusan spoke up, "you are the prince of Persia, aren't you?"

His eyes locked with his, judging whether there was any malice behind those words but found none. Much to Dusan's surprise, he did not refuse that implication and replied with a question instead. "What does it matter now?"

That confirmed his assumption that he was indeed the prince who hadn't been found by the League. But that was all in the past and Dusan had no intention to go back and act upon that rivalry. His priority right then was to ascertain that Veruna wasn't being used for any of Saahir's schemes. "Does Veruna know?"

He paused at that question, not expecting Dusan to mention her. But then perhaps Veruna was just as close to him as she was to his sister. 

"She knows," he replied, "she also knows that I am not staying here to go into battle again. I hope that answers all your questions."

With that stiff remark, he had stood up to leave so Dusan did the same. Right then, they were facing each other in entirely different conditions as compared to the past.

Both Dusan and Saahir had once been heading armies to battle, they had faced each other and fought each other on the battlefield.

Yet fate had flipped the chessboard and right then, they were standing in front of each other as a host and his guest. Not as enemies but neither as friends.

"I will leave by the first ray of dawn," Dusan assured him, "I don't want to be a burden on you for much longer. Thank you once again for being so hospitable."

Saahir nodded, "you are welcome to stay here until your horse recovers. But after that, please stay away from my family. I can't risk losing them to the League as well."

Dusan knew exactly what he meant by those words. He had guessed that he was the only one other than Veruna who knew his identity as the enemy prince. But he was asking him to keep that secret in return for his stay.

So he nodded his head in affirmation as he replied, "I will keep that in mind."

***