WOW! More than 100 reviews! You guys are great! As always - sorry for and spelling and grammar mistakes in that chapter. It's time for Keyla and Dastan to meet again :-D. Hope you like it.

*Nasaf - 12 years ago* Keyla had found her way back to Dastan's chamber pretty much blindly, allowing her thoughts to wander off. The memory that had come to her mind was one of many and all of them evolved around the same problem - they had always disagreed about loyalty towards the king. Keyla felt like Dastan had given up a part of himself and his freedom for the life offered to him and was now indebted to the king. She on the other hand had spared her freedom but would never have the luxuries Dastan called his own now... In her eyes, her life was the better one but in all those years ever since Dastan had taken his place among the royal family they had never come to an understanding and they probably never would.

But Kelya knew when she was wrong and she had been very, very wrong last night. She had judged this union between Dastan and the princess of Alamut under false pretenses and she had been biased by her own believes. She had done him wrong and she would now right those wrongs, even if it was hard for her to admit that she had been the one making a mistake. She was a proud, stubborn woman but she was good at heart - good enough to admit when she had been wrong and hurtful.

She reached the doors to Dastan's chamber and took a deep breath. He probably wouldn't make this easy for her and he had every right not to. She had hurt his feelings and had abandoned their life long friendship just like that. It wasn't something one got over from one day to the next. He would probably still be very angry with her... But he would listen and he would accept her apology, Keyla was sure of that. He loved her too much - as a friend and someone as close to a sister as it would ever get - to just send her away... At least that was what she hoped for.

She was surprised to find light still falling from the room out onto the corridor at this late hour of the night. She had expected Dastan to be asleep already. It would have made things way easier if she would have woken him from his sleep. He would have been less alert and hopefully less eager to tease and fight with her because she was sure that was what she was in for. Dastan knew her well enough to know how much she hated to admit a mistake... But maybe this was the punishment she deserved for hurting her friend the way she had done last night. She took another deep breath and entered the chamber.

"Keyla!"

She was detected as soon as she entered and winced but relaxed realizing the voice belonged not to Dastan but to somebody equally familiar to her and Bis actually sounded happy to see her. She bit her lip. She hadn't even thought about going to see him or letting him know what had happened between her and Dastan... She really had been a bad friend these last couple of days. She opened up her arms and allowed her friend to hug her as he now stepped closer. She was pulled into a tight hug and returned the smile she was given.

"Bis! I had no idea you would be here..."

"We were just going over the plans for the king's arrival tomorrow night... I... I thought you..."

"I needed to talk to Dastan again. Could you... leave us alone for a moment?"

She stopped Bis before he could refer to the events of last night. Obviously Dastan had told Bis about it... Keyla shot him a quick glance and found herself surprised to see Dastan speechless. She had expected him to react to her renewed presence in some way... Actually she had expected anger from him or at least sarcasm, but he seemed completely overtaken by her return. She couldn't blame him though. After her rather dramatic exit last night, how could he have come to expect she would ever return. Luckily Bis seemed to realize there was need for the two of them to speak in private and he agreed to Keyla's proposal without protest.

"Sure. It's good to see you here. I missed you."

"I missed you, too."

Bis gave her one more look and another hug before he turned to leave. Would she have turned to look at her friend again, she would have seen the meaningful, questioning look he gave Dastan. She did see Dastan's reaction though who was shrugging his shoulders. Keyla hid back a sigh. Dastan was completely aghast by the fact that Keyla had returned to the palace and she could tell he was worried what she had to tell him this time.

"Keyla? I thought you had left..."

"No. I... couldn't. I... I came back to apologize..."

"Apologize?"

He wasn't mocking as Keyla had expected, he was truly surprised to see her here again. Keyla cast her eyes down. She had hurt him with what she had said and it seemed he didn't want to believe that she was now here to actually apologize for what she had said to him. It seemed he believed it was all just a trick and the one major flaw that Keyla always had battled with came to the surface right now. She was getting impatient with him, wanting him to understand what she was saying instead of worrying and doubting. She took a step closer to him, urgency and slight anger in her voice.

"Yes, you idiot, I came back to apologize for what I said to you last night. I think I... might have been wrong about some of the things I said... or all of the things I said. I never gave you a chance to explain and I jumped to conclusions about you and the princess... But I was wrong..."

"How so?"

Dastan still wasn't mocking her and by now Keyla was truly surprised about his reactions. He had never been that patient and forgiving with her before. It almost seemed like something about him had changed... Keyla pushed the thought aside, telling herself she should be grateful that Dastan was willing to listen to her without any further discussion. She was lucky she got a chance for an apology after all. Had he been angry with her and as hurt as she believed, he could have done something as punishment to her. Like calling the guards... or sending her away. But he did not. She hurried to go on explaining, not wanting to press her luck too far.

"I saw you on the market today... I saw the way you looked at her and I know this is not just some union out of political necessity. You really do love her..."

"Yes, I do..."

"And she's a really nice woman."

Dastan frowned at Keyla. He had not expected that kind of comment from her but then again he had never expected her to return either. She had surprised him - and in the most positive of ways - for coming back here and apologizing to him for what she had done wrong. It wasn't something she did often, admitting her mistakes. In fact he could only remember a handful of other times when she had done it. He wondered how she knew about Tamina though. She had never met her... But Dastan was quickly taught otherwise.

"How would you know?"

"I came back to visit her and I brought her a wedding gift."

"You went to visit Tamina? Why?"

"Because I wanted to make sure..."

"What?"

Dastan couldn't keep the feeling of anger from winning him over any more. He wasn't even sure what it was he was so angry about. After all he knew he could trust Keyla with his life. She never would have done anything to hurt Tamina. But the fact that his friend had so easily managed to enter the palace and had gotten to the princess's chamber without anyone noticing, struck him to the very core. If Keyla could do it, there were other, more sinister forces who could do the same thing and he wouldn't even notice... He had vowed to protect Tamina with his life, to never let her slip from him again. Right now he had to realize it wasn't so easy... But none of that was Keyla's fault and her next words made him feel bad for reacting so harshly towards her. She only had meant him well...

"That she was good enough for you..."

"Keyla..."

"She is, Dastan. I have no doubt whatsoever. She is perfect - friendly, helpful, a bit stubborn and not to mention very, very beautiful. You're lucky."

"I know I am."

He was grinning now - not only because he indeed knew how lucky he was for having a woman like Tamina be his first wive - but because he knew he also had Keyla back in his life. She had not only come to apologize, she had also come here to tell him that leaving him, leaving their friendship behind had been a mistake. A mistake she wanted to rectify. She had no idea how glad he was that she had done so. Ever since she had left last night he had felt like a part of him had been lost forever and it had overshadowed everything... Now it was back.. He reacted out of instinct and took a couple of steps closer to Keyla, pulling her into a hug. They stood in silence for a few moments and it was Keyla who let go first, smiling at him with slight embarrassment visible on her face. She wasn't usually one for overly emotional gestures.

"Well... Anyway, I came to tell you I am sorry for what I said. I was wrong about you and her and I wish you all the happiness in the world for your marriage. That was all I came here for."

"Thank you, Keyla. It means a lot to know you're not angry with me for this marriage. And it means a lot to know you will still be a part of my life..."

She was nodding her agreement vehemently, letting him know there was no way she would not be a part of his life from now until forever. She felt entirely stupid for saying what she had said to him last night now and she was glad he had let her back into his life this easily. She had expected more of a fight from his side but she was happy he hadn't made her work harder. It was difficult enough for her already. But he was happy now, she was as well and their relationship had returned back to a normal state. It was time for her to go...

"I think I should be leaving now..."

"Keyla, wait!"

She had only taken a couple of steps and hadn't even reached the door to his chamber yet, when Dastan stopped her. She turned around again, looking into her friend's face who seemed nervous and almost a little shy. She frowned at him and had to hide back a smile hearing the pleading tone in Dastan's voice as he took one more step into her direction, making a half inviting half helpless gesture towards her.

"Come to the wedding. Please... Be my guest, enjoy the feast, be happy for me and with me. I want you there. Please?"

"It's a royal wedding, Dastan... I don't think I belong..."

"It is MY wedding, Keyla. Of course you belong there!"

There was more force in his voice than he had wanted but he needed her to understand and he would not start yet another argument with her about the fact that she had no place among the royalty he had been adopted to as a child. For once he just wanted her to do as he asked and agree to a proposal such as this even though it meant spending an afternoon and evening among the royal family of Persia. She had denied herself a place among them years ago and she had always stood her ground on that decision but this was a special occasion and for once, Keyla decided, she was able to let her convictions slip. She smiled and nodded at Dastan.

"Alright. I will come."

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