“Thank you very much” Tatyana thanked the young female who escorted her to her room. She handed the young woman, some notes that she had in her pocket and the young woman seemed more than pleased as she accepted it.

“Thank you madam” The young woman thanked Tatyana and she shut the door, leaving Tatyana to herself. Never in her life had Tatyana thought that she would be spending more than ten hours in a plane, talking to a man who had nothing good to say. Gerardo was the type of man that Tatyana had avoided all her life and unfortunately, she was stuck with him on a plane.

Fortunately, for her after trying to catch some sleep, the plane had landed and she had made her quick escape, hoping that she would never come face to face with Gerardo. Her little room was peaceful and beautiful, not exactly a five star hotel room but it was fine for her.

It had a TV, bed, table and bathroom and that was more than enough for Tatyana. She looked at her wristwatch and rolled her eyes, even though she arrived during the early hours of the morning she was due for work in the next four hours.

She had never been one to complain about working but there was always a first time for everything and this was the first. Tatyana quickly jumped into the shower and as soon as she dressed herself, she threw herself onto the bed and slept.

The next day, the rest of the crew had come over to the hotel to get her. What Tatyana had thought would be a desert country was more beautiful than she had though it would be. Driving to the different location was a revelation for Tatyana, the country was rich in culture and their Arabian dishes were delicious.

The sights of the beautiful country of Najam Alsabah, directly translated to Morning Star. The people were amongst the friendliest people she had seen and her only complain was the heat.

“No wonder this country is named after the sun, it is hot,” Tatyana told the translator who had accompanied herself and the crew to the selected locations. Talking to her, Tatyana discovered that Christine was a young British woman who visited Najam Alsabah and had fallen in love with the beautiful country.

“Yes you are right, that is why I always carry sun screen with me” Christine replying and both women laughed it off. Whilst the rest of the crew set up their equipment for the next interview, Tatyana could not help but wonder why the country seemed peaceful but the atmosphere was off.

“Hey Christine, can I ask you something?”

“Sure you can”

Tatyana thought about her question for a while, wondering if she had just been imagining that something had been wrong with the people of this country.

“With the last few interviews, I felt as if the people were holding back. I don’t know but it is as though they are afraid of something,” Tatyana voiced. Christine hurriedly pulled Tatyana away from the busy crowd and into the corner.

“I apologize for pulling you away but it’s best that we talk here,” Christine whispered, the action of hers causing Tatyana to wonder what was actually going on.

“Why are you pulling me away?” Tatyana questioned.

“You see, the king just passed on and for the moment the country is restless until the heir to the throne is announced. As for the people not being too open to speaking, let’s just say that the late Sheikh hated when his people spoke about the intimate details of the country to foreigners” Tatyana took what Christine had said to heart and made a note in her mind.

“Thank you for telling me that otherwise I would have been in trouble” Tatyana thanked Christine as she placed her hand on her chest to feel her beating heart.

“You are welcome and one last thing; there are parts of the kingdom that you cannot venture into” Christine warned.

“Wait! How do I know where not to venture into?”

“Oh not need to worry, there are signs placed almost everywhere” Christine happily replied to Tatyana.

The rest of the day went like a blur, with the entire team finishing right on time. The drive back to her hotel room was a peaceful one until they came pass the biggest building that she had ever seen.

“That is the palace, rumor has it that it is made up of thirty five room” Christine told Tatyana. As informative as that information was, the beautiful architecture of the building mesmerized Tatyana.

Tatyana scanned the many monuments as the car drove to her hotel and the entire time, her mind had been stuck on the palace, wondering if there was a chance of her ever walking onto those grounds.

“We’re here!” Christine called out and Tatyana snapped out of her day dreaming, she turned her face and she smiled at Christine.

“Thank you” Tatyana told Christine and she smiled at her and got off the vehicle. Upon entering her hotel room, Tatyana pulled out her phone and dialed her mother’s number but her mother had not picked up the phone.

Her mother had never been the type that did not answer her phone and this left Tatyana to panic and pace around her room, she tried and dialed her mother’s number one last time and again she did not answer the phone.

**

Aryan’s private jet had arrived at Najam Alsabah, instead of preparing himself to get off the plane Aryan sat in his chair and lingered there. Aryan had thought of nothing else for the past two hours than what awaited him at the palace.

Fortunately, for Aryan, Fahd knew that it was better not to disturb him. Being back in his home country brought back all the bad memories, the type that Aryan would have wanted to stay hidden.

Deep down Aryan knew that he was not a coward and he would not start now, he readied himself and stood from his chair. Fahd once again like a gust of wind appeared before him.

“It is as though you know when I am about to make a move” Aryan responded.

“My Prince I have known you since you were a baby and I believe that I know more about you than you know yourself” Fahd responded and this made Aryan smile.

Aryan knew that Fahd, his bodyguard was a wise man who had studied for many years and he was good at judging people’s character.

“I do not think that you know me well enough, no one knows me well enough,” Aryan responded to Fahd and Aryan walked past the older man. The door to the private plane was unlocked for him and Aryan walked out. Even though it was still early in the morning and dark, the first rays of sunlight hit his face… he knew that he was indeed back home.

At the very bottom of the stairs, a row of armored jeeps awaited him with blue light brigades, the countries flags on the sides of the car and guards awaiting him. Seeing those guards awaiting him reminded Aryan of how much he hated being royalty, the thought of people waiting at his disposal.

“Fahd!” Aryan called out as anger overtook him and like always Fahd showed up in the blink of an eye and stood behind Aryan.

“Why are these men here, I thought I told you that I do not want them here?” Aryan angrily scolded at Fahd.

“I am sorry my prince, I told your stepmother but she refused” Fahd replied to Aryan and not even this excuse was enough to calm Aryan down.

“So what you are telling me is that, my stepmother had all these men come here to protect me and you did not bother to tell me” Aryan gritted through his teeth.

“I am sorry my Prince but I understand why it is that she did that, your father is now late and there is a lot of political unrest” Fahd replied. Even though Aryan knew that he was angry, he had to admit that both Fahd and his stepmother were right about the security.

Aryan remembered too many time as a child to stay in the palace because there were attempts on the lives of the members of the royal family. With one nod of his head, Aryan was escorted to the car and soon they made their way to the palace.

The beautiful country that he had left ten years ago was still as beautiful as it had been when he had left. Even though his father was a dictator the ruled the country with an iron grip, even Aryan had to admit that, his father had tried to move the country into the twenty-first century.

“Beautiful isn’t it?” Fahd asked. As much as Aryan wanted to admit to Fahd that indeed the country looked beautiful, his pride would not allow him to admit to such. Aryan kept quiet and avoided the question, for now all he wanted was to get to the palace, console his stepmother and return to New York.

It had been nearly two hours since they had left the airport and it now dawned on Aryan how long he had left the country, because the trip from the airport to the palace was not an easy one.

Aryan was thankful for the fact that the vehicles had air-con, because if it were not for that, then he would have passed out from a heatstroke. Upon entering the main city, everyone parted ways as they say the royal convoys draw closer. Everyone kept looking from afar, trying to see through the tinted bulletproof window.

For the past ten years Aryan had avoided this was the kind of attention. If the media ever caught wind of this, the whole of New York would know that he was not just an ordinary man but also a Prince instead.

“I know you hate it my Prince but this is your destiny and you cannot avoid it any longer,” Fahd informed Aryan but he refused to believe that he would be tied to the royal family all his life.

“I am sorry to disappoint you but this is not my destiny. As soon as I am done here, I will be leaving for the states, there is nothing for me in this forsaken land” Aryan replied coldly.

The jeep came to halt, Aryan looked out the window and the huge palace gates were now open for them. Aryan looked away, hoping that by not looking he would forget that he is privileged. The cars continued to move onto the palace property and at this time, Aryan’s nerves set in.

Do not show them any signs of weakness otherwise, they will eat you alive, Aryan thought as he fixed himself in his chair. The car came to a halt again and Fahd turned to face Prince Aryan.

“Welcome home, my prince” with a smile on his face, Fahd told Prince Aryan who did not seem as though he liked being at the palace again.

“Well thank you, let us get in there so that I can leave as soon as possible” Aryan replied. The car door was unlocked for them and when Prince Aryan exited the car, his feet landed on a red carpet, the exclusive royal treatment.

He rolled his eyes as he saw twelve female servants lined up on the sides of the car, awaiting his arrival. Just when he thought the red carpet had ended, the carpet rolled all the way to the palace as Prince Aryan now realized.

Each young woman looked happy to see that the Prince was finally home but not once did Aryan smile back at them. Without wasting any more of his time, Prince Aryan proceeded to the palace, grinding his teeth as he walked.

Prince Aryan came to a stop, frozen as he eyes rested on an older woman. It was his stepmother, the woman who had raised him when his mother, the queen had died. It was his stepmother, the second wife of the late king. Aryan remembered how she had stood up to protect him and support his dreams of being his own man.

Now that woman stood before him, older than she had looked before. Her eyes swollen as though she had been crying for ages but the smile on her face never wavered.

“Welcome home, my son” She spread out her arms to hold him in her embrace.