Nahla had met Tus when she head butt him, walking through the hallway. She was busy admiring the scenery laid out in front of her. After apologizing to him, she explained who she was and why she was here. Tus was intrigued by her blue eyes and decided to offer himself to show her around the palace.

Halfway through, Tus was informed by one of the soldiers there was a meeting to attend and thus left Nahla by herself. Nahla continued to explore the groudns of the palace until the sun set, leaving the sky in a hue of dark blue and light blue.

Nahla stood outside in the balcony that was connected to her room and admired how the stars twinkled. She then felt a yawn scratched at the back of her throat and decided now was the time to come inside and rest. When she appeared in the her room, she was surprised to see the floor bathtub was already filled up with hot water. Different rose petals were thrown in, creating an exotic aroma. Once of the servant stripped Nahla of her outfit, careful not to hit the shoulder wound and left.

Nahla felt the cool air from outside hit her and wasting no time, she stepped inside the enticing bathtub. Her feet felt warm when she stepped inside and soon, she was chest high. She relaxed against the edge and let the water worked her aching muscles. It's been months since she hadn't bathe and she knew she smelled like crushed beetle.

She opened her eyes, checking to see if the bag that contained the necklace was on the gold tray. When it was, Nahla scooped up water using her hand and rinsed her arms. She then took a clean rag to scrub any dirt and grime. She then unpinned her hair, letting the light brown hair get partially wet. She took a deep breath and let her body sink until her head disappeared beneath the rose petals.

The water splashed as Nahla threw her head back, taking a deep breathe as she surfaced. She smiled brightly as she swam on her back, not caring her bare breasts were showing.

"Nahla, I've come to give your clothes-" Nahla screeched loudly and grabbed the nearest object- an orange- and tossed it at Dastan, hitting him square on the cheek. His head threw back and he clutched his cheek with a look of shock on his face. The orange dropped and rolled near his feet.

"Nahla!" Dastan shouted. "That really hurt!"

"You could have knocked!" Nahla said, sinking down to the water level to cover what's left of her dignity. Her cheek was red hot and the water was not helping at all.

"Well, I'm sorry. That was my mistake. I brought clothes." Dastan said waving the bundle of clothes in his hands.

"Put them on the bed, and don't look." Nahla said. Dastan placed his hand over his eyes and maneuvered his way around, hitting his foot against the edge of the bed. Nahla couldn't help but grin stupidly at his clumsiness.

Dastan placed the clothes on the bed and uncovered his eyes.

"Get out!" She hissed.

Dastan gave her a look, winking after and she screeched, attempting to throw another fruit.

"Alright, alright, I'm leaving!" Nahla glared at him as Dastan turned around and broke into a grin. She hasn't changed much since they were kids. When he left, closign the door, Nahla relaxed and decided to take a small snap to forget the incident that juts occurred. The wind blew a gentle breeze and a hand covered in black cloth hooked it's fingers over the edge of the window in Nahla's room.

The intruder hoisted himself up and silently dropped in the room. Dressed in black and a mask covering up to his nose, he was sent on a mission to retrieve the necklace of Zina and return. He spotted the woman, possibly asleep, and looked elsewhere for the necklace. He went to the bed and took the pillow, seeing nothing underneath, he threw it back down.

He looked at the golden tray and walked over to it, his back turned on the woman as he untied the strings of the brown leather bag. His hands slipped inside and touched a cold metal and pulled it out, smiling underneath his mask he held the diamond of Zina. He heard a swift sound coming from behind him and he felt the impact of his shoulder being cracked and he fling the necklace into the water.

He turned around, seeing the woman, in a disheveled hair and thin bath towel covering her body. But it was her blue eyes that caught him staring.

"You picked the wrong day to come." She said and aimed for his mask. He caught her hand, twisting it back, bringing her back to his chest.

"You picked the wrong day to possess such trinket." He replied, letting her go as he dived into the water. Nahla searched for her small dagger but when he came up to surface, she did a high flying kick that her mother had taught her to his face, causing him to fall back, making splashes everywhere.

"Where are you?" Nahla said as she searched. "Damn!" She choked when his arm wrapped around her neck, cutting her air supply off.

"Such a pretty face for a woman, but a nasty attitude." She stopped flinching when she saw her dagger in his hands as he aimed it towards her face.

"Nahla!" Dastan shouted as he kicked the door opened. Tamina attacked the intruder with a sword but the intruder was faster. He shoved Nahla to Dastan, catching her and grabbed Tamina as she screamed and fought against him.

"The necklace!" Nahla shouted. The intruder ran for the window, holding the necklace in his hands. He gave them a smug grin behind the mask; he'd won. Dastan ran to the window but it was too late, he was gone with Tamina, blending into the night.

Nahla sank to the floor, breathing heavily. She was trying her best not to cry.

"I failed," whispered Nahla. Dastan, sat down beside Nahla and hugged her.

"And he got Tamina." Nahla said, placing her head at the crook of his neck.

"Knowing her, she'll be fine. Trust me, I should know." Dastan said. Nahla was lost. She doesn't know where to follow that intruder nor where the necklace is. She spotted something shiny in the moonlight near the window and stood up, and looked.

It was a crest, with a letter 'Z' on it. There were snakes around the Z also, twining around it, making it look sinister.

"What is it?" Dastan asked, appearing beside her.

"I know this crest. I recognize it anywhere." Nahla said. "It's Zorela's,"

"Who?" Asked Dastan.

"She use to come and raid the village I stayed. Her kingdom is in Babylon. She knew the necklace was hidden in my village because she wanted youth again. If we find her, we find the necklace and Tamina."

"Are you saying we're going on a quest?" Dastan asked.

"Yes," Was all she said. It was quiet until Dastan spoke up.

"How come you didn't see this coming?"

"What?" Nahla asked, looking at him.

"When you were little, you use to see the future…now…you couldn't even save yourself." Dastan said, looking at her. He would always remember her waking up in the middle of the night, telling him of her nightmares and how they wouldn't go away.

"I can only see the future of others…not myself. Even if I wanted to, it's blurry. As if my own head doesn't want me to look into my future." Nahla shook her head. "It's confusing."

Dastan looked at his friend's profile and notice for the first time how different she looked. She wasn't the chestless, freckled little girl that he once played with. She had grown, developed full chest and the freckles were replaced by slightly tan smooth skin. He used to tease her about her long legs, nicknamed her Stilts but now she had grown into those legs, giving her appearance tall and lean.

Dastan shook his head. He didn't know where he was going with this but he had stopped thinking and got back to business.

"Has your power gotten…weaker?" Nahla shook her head, her damp hair swishing back and forth.

"I wish it were so I wouldn't have to wake up in the middle of the night every day dreaming of someone's dying or the birth of a death child." Nahla said softly. She wanted these visions to stop. She couldn't bare handling the pain and suffering she had seen everyday. The images still haunted her. Taunting her.

She had tried to warn some of her villagers but they ignored and turned their backs.

"It wasn't your fault," Dastan said. "It happens and you couldn't stop it."

"I did." Nahla said. "I would try and shut it out. Dastan, it's horrible." She said turning to look at him. "I couldn't stand there and do nothing but watch death happened before my eyes."

Seeing his friend's sadness and remorse, he held her in his arms. She leaned on his chest, staying quiet. Strange how she fit perfectly into his arms.

"Starting tomorrow, we'll pack the essentials and leave for Babylon." Dastan said, stroking her damp hair. "We'll need two horses. Water. Food. Weapons and a friend I had encountered a long time ago." Dastan said with a secret smile.

"And who would that be?" Nahla asked.

"He race ostriches."

It was early morning the next day. The sun had peaked it's first rays, signaling the start of the day. Nahla had woken up by an old vision she had wanted to forgot. Yawning, she stretched lazily across the bed and laid there for a few minutes to let her brain process that it was morning.

She's going on a quest today with Dastan. The servants came in and prepared her a bath and breakfast.

"I'd like to wear something comforting…and light." She told one of them. When they had left, she stripped her clothes and took a light bath. When they returned, she had a towel wrapped around her body.

She looked at the clothing they had held up. It was a full, cream colored dress with pants to go along with it. The dress was halter top with a v-neck and a gold corset and the hem ended above her knees, giving the pants to show up. The hem was also in layers. There was also a black cape to go along.

Nahla made her hair into a up half do, tying it with a simple black string. A thick gold bangle was clipped on her upper left arm which Nahla had added as a personal touch. There was a bag sling across her chest also with a dagger inside.

"Mistress, please have some breakfast before leaving." Nahla turned bright red when the servants thought of her as a mistress of Dastan.

"Uh, no, thanks. I've got money." Nahla spoke, slipping on tan boots that had a little heel.

"Would you like more money?" Nahla thanked the, but shook her head. She brought enough to persuade her way through any one that interfere. When she left the room and met Dastan at the market, she spotted him talking to a pudgy man. He had long wavy hair that was under a small turban. His eyes were lined with dark kohl and he seem to be holding onto an ostrich.

When Nahla came closer, she only caught a few words.

"I won't be with you on this one, Dastan!"

"But you are clever, Sheik Amar!"

Nahla cleared her throat, announcing her presence and the two men broke off. Dastan smiled at her whilst the other man stroke the ostrich head which she found very odd.

"Nahla, this is Sheik Amar, a friend of mine who helped me on my journey with Tamina. This is Nahla, a childhood friend of mine." Dastan introduced. Nahla inclined her head as a bow and Sheik Amar took her hand, kissing the top of it.

"Pleasure to meet one of Dastan's friend."

"Dastan, we haven't got much time." Nahla said, looking at the sun. it must be at least 9 now.

"Please, Sheik Amar…I'll pay you in 100 gold coins." Dastan said but he didn't look interested.

"Sheik Amar," Nahla said making him look at her.

"Has Dastan told you why we're going on this quest?" When he shook his head, she continued, "We're going to get back the necklace of Zina." She whispered the last part. It may be less people in the morning but there were curious ears.

Sheik Amar's face lit up but he didn't seem interested.

"And if we retrieve this necklace, it will grant you youth again." When she saw him stopped and pondered, she kept going.

"And not only will it give you youth, it will give you eternal glory." She had lied about the last part but it was worth a shot. Sheik Amar paused for a second and turned to look at Dastan and Nahla.

"I'll get us four of my finest men." Sheik Amar said with a grin. When he left, Dastan looked at Nahla in amazement,

"How did you do it?"

"Do what?" She asked, innocently.

"Convince Sheik Amar. Even I couldn't convince him to take a bath."

"You're not a woman." She simply point out. Dastan shook his head and lead her to where the two horses were waiting. While Dastan was packing the supply on his horse and putting on the saddle, Nahla was whispering to her horse, patting it's neck. She fed the horse with an apple she had snuck out from the palace.

The horse gladly took it, munching and crunching it.

"Good boy." Nahla said and placed the saddle on him and took the reins.

"What are you doing?" Dastan asked, checking the saddle for secureness.

"Calming the horse down," Replied Nahla. "Horses are high spirited. They need to be talked calmly and sweetly to." Dastan was getting amazed more and more by his friend. He would have never known that. It seems there's a lot more to Nahla after these years.

Dastan rode out, spotting Sheik Amar with four gruff men on horses. Nahla rode behind him, biting her lip. She only pet horses and fed them, but never rode them. Her butt and thigh was hurting but the feeling was exhilarating. Now she knew why her father loved riding horses.

After introducing herself to the four men, they had set out when the first market in the city opened. That's when Nahla's stomach growled. She used her left hand to push down her stomach to make it stop.

"Hungry, my lady?" Dastan said, appearing next to her.

"I didn't want to eat because I didn't want you to keep waiting on me."

"Say no more. We are stopping at Parsa to rest which will take us about three days to get there."

"Then how long shall we get to Babylon?" Nahla asked, pulling her hood from her cape down more to shield her face from the harsh sunlight.

"Five, six days, give or take." Dastan shrugged.

As they reached further and further into Parsa, noting but sand and dessert laid out before them. Nahla felt dizzy and light headed. She had asked Dastan if he had brought food. He gave her a small bread which Nahla ate, filling her stomach temporarily.

It was quiet, no one had spoke. Only a breeze would come once and a while. However the group felt the blistering heat from the sun. Dastan had took his top off, leaving his chest and torso bare. Nahla was the only with the cape on.

She didn't want to get red, she remembered her lessons. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead and rolled down, she wiped it. She squinted against the horizon, more sand. Her horse was panting and she stopped, making the men complain.

Giving them a death glare, they stopped and watched as Nahla slid off the horse and she took her canteen, cupping her hand to pour the water to let the horse drink. She did two more times and when he was ready, she got back on and stared at Dastan's back. She watched how his shoulder blade would move and up and how the sun would make his sweat glisten.

Nahla didn't know how far they traveled but nighttime had reached fast. The dessert may be hot during the day but it dropped low temperatures at night. They had set up camp and Nahla went to feed water for her horse, using all of it in the canteen, much to Dastan's dislike.

She then stole a couple of apples from Dastan's bag and fed them to her horse along with Dastan's horse. Satisfied, she went back to her own separate tent, taking her cape off to use as a blanket. She gasp when a vision suddenly came. She sat there frozen, and watched the scene laid out in front of her.

It was one of the men from the group. He had found a canteen not too far and had water in it. As she watched he took a sip, he choked and dropped dead to the ground. When she can move, she ran out screaming at the men holding the canteen to his lips.

"No! Stop!" Nahla shouted, slapping the canteen as it dropped, spilling the liquid. They both watch as the liquid made a hole in the sand, sizzling.

"How did you?" He started.

"Never drink or eat anything you see in the dessert. It may be poisoned." Nahla didn't want to tell him about her vision because she would considered to be a freak or crazy. With that, she walked back to her tent seeing Dastan outside.

"What was that?" He asked, coming in.

"I had a vision that he would die if he had drink the canteen." Nahla replied. Dastan turned away when Nahla had took her pants off to use as a bed cover sheet for the ground. Turning around, he notice she looked fatigue.

"Get some rest," He told her. "You'll need it tomorrow. We're almost there, Nahla."

"Do you miss her?" Nahla asked, sitting down with her legs cross. She was grateful how the hem was layers so her legs could move freely.

Dastan looked at her, but she didn't look into his eyes.

"Yes," He replied much to Nahla's satisfaction. "She's my wife."

"Did you miss me?" Nahla asked, looking straight at him.

"Yes," He replied again. "I was missing my friend. And I'm sorry, if I had left you." Nahla shook her head at the thought.

"I told you, it wasn't my time to go just yet. However, I did miss you." She bit her bottom lip. "But we've both grown up. We didn't know what was happening."

"Yes," Dastan agreed. "Even if we did know, we couldn't stop it."

"It's getting late, Dastan. You should get some rest also," Nahla said, rubbing her bare knee caps. Nodding, Dastan stepped out, giving her one last smile which Nahla returned before going to his own tent. Nahla sighed and laid down, trying to get some shut eye.

Random Note: Well new story after I finally finished Foreign Affairs :D I'm so happy. I've been playing this story idea for a while and now that it's on ff, I'm proud to share it with all of you readers 3 someone had asked me how do i come up with these inspiration and you wanna know how?

I act it out. yep, not gonna lie. I act it out to actually see how the chapter, characters, what they are doing to see it more clearly. some of you guys should try. it may sound and look weird but it actually helps you develop your story. pretend to be your main character. act and think what he/she will do and baby, you just got yourself an inspiration story