Here's the next chapter for you guys. Still nearing the end :-P. Thanks for all your feedback. Sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes. Hope you like it :-)

*4 years ago - Nasaf*

Keyla had slept in this morning. She usually didn't do that because being late at the market meant a greater number of guards patrolling and a higher risk of being caught when she went to... obtain her breakfast. In her case that mostly meant stealing something - a little fruit, a loaf of bread - if she hadn't come across money in some way. Today however she knew there was no need for her to go to the market and fight through yet another day. Today her breakfast - and every other meal of the day for that matter - would be provided for her. For once she would not have to cheat and lie and still and fight. For once she would just be enjoying. It was only a day though. Tomorrow everything would be back to normal.

The sun was already high up in the sky when she woke. It had to be ten in the morning at least. She knew she wouldn't have to wait for long now. Soon they would be here - the only two people she fully trusted in her life... Her friends. They would come to visit her and spent the day with her. It wasn't like it was exactly something special because they spent their days together whenever they had a chance but still - today it was her day.

Keyla got up and went through her usual morning routine of making her bed, cleaning herself up and getting dressed. When she was done she climbed up the ladder that lead to the roof of the ruin she called her home and just sat there in the morning light. She had closed her eyes enjoying the rays of sunlight and had almost yelped in surprise when two strong hands were placed on her shoulders. She had never even heard anyone approach.

She looked up half amused, half angry and found both dastan and Bis standing behind her, grinning down at her. Keyla groaned and hid back a curse she had been about to throw at them. She got up from where she had been sitting any actually yelped this time when Dastan pulled her into a tight hug. A warm feeling settled in the pit of her stomach when she heard the affection and joy sounding from his voice.

"Happy birthday."

"Thank you..."

Keyla actually allowed herself to relax and enjoy the hug. She didn't usually do this. With the life she had chosen to live it was best to always have one's guard up and not trust anyone. But she knew that with Dastan and Bis it was different. She could trust them with her life. The worst they ever would do was tease her and today they wouldn't even do that. After all it was her birthday. When Dastan let go of her, Bis took the advantage to hug her as well, grinning brightly when he announced what Keyla had already known and still had not expected.

"We brought presents for you."

"You shouldn't have gotten me anything."

"You say that every year."

They were both reacting in unison and with yet another grin and Keyla rolled her eyes at the two of them. One would have assumed she had actually gotten used to it after all those years but they managed to drive her up the wall every damn year when they kept bringing her presents even though she clearly stated she didn't want any. She was happy for their company and the food they brought but of course they never listened. This year was no exception.

"And I MEAN it every year."

"We're men, Keyla. You should know that we never listen to a woman's advice and we hardly ever learn from out mistakes."

Keyla had to bite her tongue to not come up with a remark that would have been sarcastic or maybe even insulting. But there was no need for that. Dastan gladly took that responsibility from her, grinning at both Bis and her.

"Which is the reason why Garsiv still leads his cavalry into battle head on every time even though he knows it makes for higher losses among his men and it's the reason why Tus still tries to find a common ground with the last woman he agreed to marry instead of realizing that she is a bitter, loveless hag and will never develop anything close to a feeling for anyone or anything. And it's the reason why poor Bis here will never learn to not drink and gamble at the same time even though he knows he always makes a fool of himself when he does."

Bis stared at Dastan for a long moment and Keyla almost chocked as she tried to hide back a chuckle. It was obvious this little piece of information had not been one for Keyla to know about. She could clearly see the embarrassment on Bis's face and she thought he was actually being kind of cute looking like that. Of course he did not want to let Dastan get away with what he had just said about him but before he had a chance for a response, Dastan had interrupted him already, a playfully warning glance in his eyes.

"And it's the reason Dastan..."

"Stop right there. You wouldn't want to insult a prince of Persia, would you?"

"But you just did!"

"They're my brothers. I have a right to mock."

Keyla enjoyed the show thoroughly watching as her two closest friends bickered like an old, married couple. She just stood there, watching, feeling that warm fuzzy feeling in her stomach that told her how much those two and their seemingly always sunny and carefree demeanor meant to her.

"Great. See what I have to put up with all day long? Spoiled brat!"

"Peasant!"

Keyla raised both hands in defeat, willing them to stop. She was sure they would engage in some sort of fight if she let this go on for too long and even though it would all be meant in fun she did not need for either one of them to fall down from the roof of her ruined house - especially not on her birthday.

"Stop it! You're acting like children! Now shut up and give me my presents."

"See, I told you she would stop protesting and take the present instead if only we bickered long and loudly enough."

"Idiots, both of you."

She didn't mean her words in a harsh way but sometimes those two just managed to get on her nerves far too easily. She did the only sensible thing she could and snatched the wrapped up present Bis had pulled from under his robes away from him before he had a chance for any words of protest. Her present was wrapped in a piece of light blue silk that she discarded without giving it a second look. Any other woman probably would have thought of the piece of cloth as beautiful but Keyla had no eyes for such things. She had grown up in a rough environment where beauty meant little to nothing. The present she unwrapped though left her speechless for a moment.

"I know it's kind of..."

Bis was trying to step in, misinterpreting her silence for rejection. It was not. Keyla shook her head, staring at he present she held in hands. It was a leather belt, a little too broad for a woman but it was not meant to be worn because it looked pretty but to be used in the way it had been designed. It was a weapon's belt, easily holding at least two swords and two daggers which meant Keyla finally had a chance not to have to store the weapons she always left the house with whenever she went out halfway down her pants. She interrupted Bis before he could say anything negative about her present, looking from on friend to another, gratefulness in her eyes.

"It's beautiful!"

"See! I told you she would like it!"

"But it's so... practical. You're a girl, you should get something nice and shiny."

Keyla looked at Bis with a frown. Sometimes it was just too easy to tell that he was in love with her. She had never let that affect her though. She couldn't. She liked him but as nothing more than a friend and she did not ever want to destroy that by trying to love him or telling him off. Pretending she didn't know had always been the best option in her eyes... Sometimes however it was tricky - as in situation such as this one where she tried hard to find a response that did not hurt his feelings. She grinned softly.

"I'm a girl living in the slums of the royal city. Something nice and shiny would be completely useless and would probably get me killed. This however is a great gift, a useful gift."

"I told him... At least now you have a proper chance to store your dagger and sword away."

"Did you pick?"

"I picked, Bis bickered."

Keyla had to chuckle seeing the way Bis looked at Dastan now like he was about ready to throw his friend off the roof. It was the second time within minutes Dastan had managed to embarrass his friend. Obviously he was in a good mood today. Keyla liked that. She grinned at Bis who quickly relaxed and then shared a look with both her friends. She didn't have much practice with saying thanks but for this, she gladly did.

"Good to know you're able to share responsibility. Thanks you so much. I really like it."

"You're welcome."

They settled down on the rooftop after Keyla had gone back to her room for a couple of moments to store away her gift. Today was not a day she would need a weapon's belt. For her the relaxing part of the day started now that they unpacked and enjoyed the food her two friends had snatched away from the palace. She especially loved the pastries they bought every year and the fact that they seemed to get bigger each year told her the palace's cook knew it was her birthday today.

They spent the entire day outside on the rooftop, eating, drinking, talking, joking and laughing. It was the one day in a year Keyla felt completely happy and at ease with her life and she made the most of this day, enjoying it at best she could. They stayed up late until the sky was dark and only lit by the stars. Keyla would have wished for this day to go on forever, just as she had wished upon every birthday in the past and probably would wish upon every birthday in the future and as always, Dastan asked her the same question he always did when her special day was coming to an end. Her heartfelt answer was just the same as all the previous years.

"Did you have a good birthday?"

"Yes, I did. It was... perfect. Thank you, both of you. You are truly the best friends a girl can have..."