Back home

Omar stared out the window of the black Mercedes as it made its way through the streets of Jeddah, heading to the Sheikh's mansion. Frustration was evident on his face and anger was boiling in him towards his father who happened to be riding in the same car and chose to remain silent throughout the journey. Omar did the same, not uttering a single word, his mind went to Megan who rode in the car behind theirs along side Taheem. 

The fact that she was in the same car with Taheem made him uneasy and he wondered what was going on in there. What conversation were they having if at all they were having any. He was sure they weren't, Taheem wasn't one to indulge freely in conversations, most especially if it happened to be with a stranger, much less someone he was to hate.

Omar had agreed to marry Mariam in exchange for Megan's safety and now he wasn't sure he should blindly trust his father, the man was unpredictable and had so many secrets surrounding him. Although the tinted windows made it a bit hard to see out the car, most especially with the sun gone from the sky, Omar still glanced back every now and then to ensure that the car was still behind and following them.

The car he rode in with his father was the first to pull up into the compound and stopped for them to get down. Omar, whose mind had been on Megan all through the journey, opened the door by his side to get down, he needed to make sure she hadn't been tortured on the way here.

"Omar," his father called as soon as he had one foot on the ground. Omar paused but didn't turn to him. "We will go visit the king and the princess tomorrow so you should go now and rest. You should get your mind prepared."

"I am not doing this for your sake."

"For who so ever sake you are doing this is not any concern of mine, as long as you will go through with it and without falter."

"Yes." Omar smirked. "All you want is for me to just go through with it, isn't it?"

"It is not so difficult Omar, you just need to calm down and see things the way that I do."

"I may be your son but we are different and I can not see things the way that you do. We do not look from the same perspective."

"You would have to look from mine."

"You really don't care, do you Sheikh Khalid?"

Khalid looked at his son closely. "I care for the choices you make. Your choices affect not just you. Your choices..."

"My choices..!" Omar raised his voice, interrupting him. "That is it exactly, they are my choices! So I should be the one to decide what is good for me and what is not!"

Sheikh Khalid sighed, it would be pointless for him to continue engaging Omar like this. "You should rest. Tomorrow we will go see the King and princess, get your mind prepared. That is all."

Omar shut his eyes tight and fisted his palm, sitting still to calm down. He heard the door to other side of the car click open and felt the weight lift off the car before the door clicked shut again and he released a deep sigh to calm himself. Yes, he needed to get his mind prepared and that rest was much needed.

The car Megan was in continued to drive past, heading towards the back of the mansion. Omar stood up from the car, watching it as it disappeared around the corner and in anger and frustration, he kicked the car's tyre before storming into the house, making his way upstairs to his room.

The door held when Omar slammed it shut but the force caused the chandelier to vibrate. He paced the large room, raking one hand through his hair as scattered thoughts flew through his mind. In eight days he was set to get married to his father's choice so he had less than eight days to come up with a counter plan. 

He had to get Megan out of this mess and then he would sort himself, but then here wasn't like the desert that was open and less secured, the mansion was crawling with guards, men on every post. He yelled, upturning the center table and shattering the glass, he had no clue as to where Megan was being kept and he knew he had to find out soon. A guard ran in after hearing the noise caused by the shattered glass, afraid that something must have happened to his master's son. It made Omar furious.

"What is it?"

"I heard the shattering glass and ran in here to check on you. Are you alright?" He kept his head lowered.

"Fine. Get out."

"But my..."

"Get out! Now!" Okay boiled.

The guard hesitated a bit before turning and walked out, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Groaning, Omar threw himself on the bed, still in his clothes and shoes. He resigned to sleep this night, to gather strength and plan for both his and Megan's escape but when his body touched the soft rich foam, sleep left him. He wondered if Megan was also on a soft rich bed or on a cold dungeon floor, he sprung up and rushed out of the room, he had to find his father and know about the welfare of Megan.

His father's room was down the hall, left of his room and it didn't take long for him to reach the doors. He didn't bother knocking but pushed the door in. Khaild glanced at him once and continued on the phone.

"...ahh yes, it has been planed as per your wishes, down to the very last detail. The girl would be twenty and at the marriageable age......"

"His Highness King Jaan's wishes for her to get married at that age...."

"Yes, he is also going to go through with it....."

"Hahaha, he's my son after all. Or what do you think....?"

"We will speak more about this tomorrow...."

"Peace be with you too."

The Sheikh flipped the phone down on the bed and turned to face his son who had just rudely barged in. He smiled and walked over to the portrait of Aabish, his late wife and Omar's mother, who looked splendid in the colourful cloth which adorned her as befitting the fifth daughter of the Rais.

"It's all coming together..." He whispered.

"Father."

"Not even a knock?"

"I am sorry, I couldn't wait."

"What is it that you want?"

"I have agreed to marry the woman you chose, 🤴 Mariam on the condition of Megan's safety..."

Khalid turned to him now. "...And I assure you that she is safe." 

"Then you wouldn't mind me confirming that, or would you?"

"Confirming?" Khalid focused on his son and tilted his head. "You have lost the trust you had in your father? I never thought I'd see the day." 

"I just want to confirm and see her, that is all I ask."

He turned away from him and sat at the edge of the over sized bed.

"What do you want to confirm?"

"I want to know that she is being properly taken care of and not that she is safely kept away in a dungeon." Omar was firm. He would have to confirm it himself. 

Khalid sighed. "You brought this upon yourself Omar  Why would you bring her in the first place? Have I given you so much freedom that you can do as you please?"

"I have the freedom to choose with whom I want to be with, freedom to choose whom I love."

"You are to marry the princess Mariam. She will..."

"But I don't love her!"

"Love," he scoffed. "You might not need to eventually."

"I cannot see myself getting married to someone with whom I have no feelings for. You have to understand. How would we live together?"

"And I cannot see you get tangled up in a worthless affair."

"It is not worthless and it is not an affair!"

"You dare raise your voice?!"

Omar breathed out, hewas tired of the back to back banter. He had come here for one thing only. "Where are you keeping Megan?"

Khalid studied his son, the man was too grown so for now he would allow it, for today he would let them, he needed Omar in a good mood for tomorrow's visit. It was important. 

"She is in the last room on this floor, I forbid you to do anything more than to confirm. You may leave."

Immediately, hope riled in his heart and he turned, out of the room to find her.

"Keep this in mind Omar." Khalid spoke, stopping Omar at the door. "You will get married to the princess Mariam."