Nearly one hour after the plane had taken off and the altercation with the woman at the airport, Aryan found that he was still very frustrated that such a woman would embarrass him like that. He knew that he could not expose himself as the prince of Najam Alsabah because the media would certainly blow the matter out of proportion.

Aryan grabbed his bottle of water from the table and drank it, something about the way that woman stood up to him sent chill down his spinal cord. No one had ever spoken to him with so much boldness; back in his home country, he would have no quarrels with damming her to death.

He smiled at the idea of sentencing someone to death for simply voicing their opinion; at times, he forgot just how much power he had in both the United States and back in his home country. Now that he thought of it, no one had ever challenged him not even his stepmothers dared.

For now Aryan shut his mind to rest, this trip would be a long one and being back home to the kingdom that he had left ten years ago, would definitely drain him of all the energy. Just thinking about all the customs and traditions tired him but for now, there was only one thing left to do, that was to wonder who would take over after his father’s death.

**

Tatyana marched towards her mother, making it clear that she was not one bit happy. The last thing that she had wanted was to spend the beginning of her assignment on a bad note but thanks to an annoying man, that happy mood was ruined.

“What happened, my dear?” Her mother asked her and Tatyana was in no mood to explain to her mother but even she knew that there was no escaping her mother.

“Some guy, mother” She told her mother, irritably. This reaction caused her mother to raise a questionable eyebrow.

“So you have fallen in love?” Her mother asked her, this sending Tatyana to roll her eyes at her.

“Mother, I might not be the most romantic person in the world but I am sure you know that love does not work like that. I am also sure that one cannot fall in love with someone that irritates you on the first day.” Tatyana informed her mother whom simply smiled back at her daughter.

“Well my dear, with love no one can tell. So tell me, was he hot?” Her mother asked her, deep down Tatyana knew that her mother had asked the right questions. Now that Tatyana thought of it, the man was handsome; she constantly had to stop herself from jumping onto him and devouring the arrogant man.

Oh mother, if only you saw how breathtakingly handsome he looked, Tatyana thought to herself, careful enough not to say those words aloud to anyone, not even her mother.

“Hello!” Her mother clapped her hands together right in front of Tatyana’s face.

“Yes mother” Tatyana responded, trying to play the matter as thought it was nothing other than her being in her own thoughts.

“I asked you a question”, her mother reminded her and Tatyana was well aware of what her mother was asking.

“Mother I don’t know, I was not paying attention to him. All I know is that he bumped into me and spilled his coffee on me. Can you believe that he did not apologize? Rather he blamed me for something that was clearly his mistake and not mine”, Tatyana told her mother, as she tried to get the remainder on the coffee stain off her clothes before she boarded the flight.

Tatyana looked up at her mother, who was quietly staring back at her.

“What is it mother?” She asked her mother, who simply flashed a smile back at her daughter.

“Mother I hope that you are not getting any ideas?” Tatyana questioned her mother, who raised her hand as a sign of surrender.

“No I am not but I would like to know one thing. Is the man Arabic looking— I don’t know, maybe black hair, hazel eyes and high cheek bones?” Her mother asked. Tatyana’s pupils grew in size. Her mother was accurate.

“How did you know? You saw the fight did you?” She questioned her mother, as that could be the only way that her mother could describe the arrogant man so perfectly.

“No, I did not see the fight” Her mother simply responded, leaving Tatyana to wonder how else her mother would have known how the arrogant man looked like.

“Then how do you know how he looks like?”

“I actually paid for the man’s coffee, the same one that he spilled on you” Her mother responded, leaving Tatyana to let out an annoyed breath.

“Can you believe it and he actually had the audacity to warn me about how important of a man he was, yet he could not even afford to buy himself a cup of coffee” Tatyana let out, annoyed that she had let him intimidate her a bit.

“Enough now Tatyana, you are going to miss your flight all because of a man that you might never meet again” her mother warned her and she knew that her mother was right, there was no use in spoiling her chance at a promotion over someone that she might never set her eyes on again.

“You are right mother, I should forget about him. Come to think of it, what are the odds that I will ever set my eyes on him?” Tatyana questioned.

“That’s my girl” Her mother cheered her on and Tatyana was thankful for the encouragement from her mother.

Her mother walked her to the security gate and both women shared the last goodbyes, her mother shared a tear or two but Tatyana shared none. All her life she was used to it, always kept things and she never allowed anyone to see how deeply hurt she was.

She looked at her mother one last time and waved goodbye, for Tatyana was about to start a new journey of her own.

Tatyana got onto the airplane; she settled herself into her chair and relaxed. She tried to relax, the company had paid for her flight and even though it was not first class, she was grateful for the opportunity. She stood up from her chair and placed her bag in the above compartment and just as she was about to sit down a man came and sat next to her chair.

“Hi” he greeted her and Tatyana smiled, deep down she hoped that this would not turn into the worst trip of her life.

“Hi” Tatyana greeted the man back, trying her best too appear friendly and not grumpy from the arrogant man that had just ruined her morning at the airport. She quickly sat back down onto her cramped up chair and placed her earphones into her ears, she was about to sleep her entire day away and avoid thinking about the arrogant man.

**

“You know what mister, I don’t know who you think you are but l suggest you shove your important self where the sun does not shine because you are a nobody”

Aryan’s eyes shot open and he looked around his surrounding, very much thankful that he was still in his private jet on his way back to his home country. The beautiful woman was still on his mind and she had tormented his dreams and turned it into sweet nightmares.

Beads of sweat falling from his brow, Aryan could not remember the last time that a woman had occupied his mind but this rude beauty had done just that. He hated this feeling, the feeling that someone had a hold of his emotions and he had no control.

He knew that she should have been condemning this action but just that thought of having her in his Arabian sheets, beneath him drove Aryan mad.

“You are greater than this, do not let her overtake you” Aryan whispered to himself. He straightened himself in his seat, hoping that it would make him feel more in control of the matter.

“You seem restless my prince” Aryan shut his eyes; it was as though Fahd knew what he was thinking or who he was thinking of. Aryan’s eyes shot wide open again and like a swift wind, Fahd was standing right before him.

“Sit down” Aryan ordered the older man and he took a seat opposite of Aryan. Aryan studied the older man’s features, not once in his life had he been able to read the older man’s facial expression.

“What do you do when something takes over you?” Aryan asked Fahd. Like an old wise man, Fahd thought about his answer, smiled and looked at Prince Aryan.

“I do not understand what it is that you mean?” Fahd asked Aryan. Aryan knew that he could not tell Fahd what or who it was that overtook his mind. Although Fahd was a trusted servant of the royal family, one should never trust too much.

“What if there was a thought that consumed your mind, what should one do to rid himself of that that thought?” Aryan calmly asked Fahd. The older man straightened himself in his seat, stroked his big beard as he thought about his answer.

“Well my prince, I would suggest that you take it head on”, Fahd answered but that was not enough as it left Prince Aryan more confused than he had been before.

“I am afraid I’m not following what it is that you are trying to say” Aryan responded. A smile appeared on the corner of Fahd’s lips.

“If the matter bothers you that much, my suggestion would be to face it head on. Face the woman that is causing you this unrest and only then you will be at peace”. Fahd told Prince Aryan, whose response was to study the older man quietly.

“Fahd?” Aryan called out to the older man, who looked up and their eyes met each other.

“Yes my prince?” He answered Aryan.

“How did you know that my thoughts had been taken over by a woman?” Aryan asked him and Fahd simply smiled back at the Prince.

“I might have dedicated my entire life to serving the throne but that does not mean that I do not know love when I see love” that was Fahd’s final answer but it did leave Prince Aryan feeling unsettled.

The older man was wise and Aryan knew that but to call this love, was something that even Aryan could not believe. A man like him did not believe in fairytales such as; love at first sight. He had lived his entire life as a prince, not once had he seen his wicked father fall in in love, he had only love for himself and not even his numerous wives could fill that hole which he had in his heart.

“There is no such thing as love” Aryan had replied coldly. Fahd looked at him and shook his head; neither man has ever had a conversation this in depth before.

“What makes you say that, my Prince?” Fahd asked the question, even though he already knew the answer to the question.

Aryan rolled his eyes at the older man’s question, because he did not know where to begin. His entire life, filled with lies and Aryan was accustomed to mistrusting people and keeping them at arm’s length.

“Do you really want me to go there? Let us start with my polygamist father who was never satisfied with one wife or the countless women who throw themselves at my feet the moment I mention that I am a prince?”

“My prince I served your late father, I will admit that he made a lot of mistakes during his reign but you have to forgive him”

“Why should I forgive him?” Aryan asked, this time not concealing the hate in his tone. Aryan was not as meek as his other sibling was and he was not afraid to stand up to his late father, the king.

“Your father battled many demons in his life and unfortunately he allowed that to overtake him. Fahd’s words were simple but it packed a punch. Aryan looked away from the older man, there was no need to have this conversation and longer. All he hoped now was that this time, the arrogant woman would not haunt his mind any longer.