Refusal

Mariam was dressed exceptionally heavy in anticipation of her would be groom and father in law. She knew nothing about them asides from the fact that the man she was to marry was Omar bin Khalid, the only son of the Sheikh, his father Khalid bin Aaban. Omar, as she was told by Parvina who had gathered information from the rumors circulating, had lived most of his life abroad, getting his Masters degree, bachelor's degree and Ph.D, but the rumors that went round boasted more of his fine looks and physique than of his intelligence. 

She scoffed, such people were bound to be proud and arrogant. She knew that because he would not be the first of his kind to come for her hand in marriage, each one was prouder than the last man before him and absolutely none of them had impressed the King. Absolutely none of them had impressed her.

Being the only Saudi princess to His Highness King Jaan, it was of utmost importance that the man impressed the King and not just by the amount of wealth and affulence he controlled. Many had failed in such feat, bragging mostly of how much they owned and how many women they controlled. Mariam had felt disgusted at that, none of the men had the brains to impress, but if the rumors of Omar being as intelligent as he was handsome was true, she saw him excelling in that aspect. Then she would have to marry him. She cringed inwardly at the thought.

Despite the beautiful ornaments and make up she had on, she still had to put on the purple abaaya when coming into the presence of the men and she wondered what was the essence of the extra work, she felt they were just over doing it. Afterall, Omar and his father were not the one to be impressed, the King was. Her father was just as proud of her as she was proud of herself, her beauty came in second to her wits.

She eyed the purple abaaya which hung by the dressing mirror, the cloth would cover her head and the most part of her face, leaving only her eyes open. Saadiya had told her that she had charming eyes, one that would drown any man into a sea of lustful desires. She smirked at the thought of drowning this so called Omar in the largest sea of lustful desires with a single seductive glance, oh it would swell her pride. Thinking so, applied more kajal to the bottom of her eye lid.

"He's here Mariam! He's here!" Parvina ran into her room, too excited to slow down. Mariam and Saadiya turned to her direction, watching her race non stop all the way to the window.

"Who is here?" Saadiya asked, seemingly uninterested at first. 

Parvina leaped over the dresses which laid scattered on the floor due to Mariam's multiple selection and lack of choice and made for the window to look at the tall handsome man who had just stepped out of the sleek black Mercedes with an older man who stepped out from the other side. 

"Come see Saadiya! It's the grrom, it's Omar!" Parvina called and made room by the window so Saadiya could join her. Saadiya ran excitedly to the window to take a look at the man set to marry her friend and whose looks had sparked off a train of rumors.

"I see three cars in the compound but they both stepped out from just one." Saadiya pointed out.

"Why did they choose to both ride in one though?" Parvina asked no one in particular still looking out the window.

"Where is he? Omar, where is he?" Saadiya asked.

"There. Lean out more, the handsome one wearing the dark suit. Isn't he sparkling Saadiya?"

Saadiya leaned out more to get a better look at Omar and immediately she squealed and started praising Omar's facial looks and body features.

"Mariam! What a lucky child you are!"

Mariam turned her full attention to Saadiya, eyes wide open. "What? What is it? What?!"

"The man! The Sheikh's son, Omar!"

"Omar?" Mariam scoffed and turned back to the mirror. "What about him?"

Saadiya continued.

"The rumors are not entirely false but they did no justice in perfectly describing him. The man is handsome! No, not that. The Man is a beauty to behold, oh Mariam he would give you a run for your money!" She giggled. "Or a run for your beauty."

To Saadiya, describing Omar as being beautiful was an understatement. Her wild description made Mariam want to stand up and rush to the window to see the person who had both her friends fixed to the spot but she held herself and her brows knitted into a frown.

"Maybe they have gifts in the other cars, what do you think Saadiya?" Parvina chipped in.

"It has to be, he is the Sheikh's son after all, the only son and Mariam is a princess. Who would come visiting her empty handed? And this isn't just any random visit. This is a wedding preparation."

"Ohh gifts! Imagine what would be in it!" Parvina grabbed Saadiya's hand.

"Lots of jewelries of course! With dresses and makeup maybe. Something for the King too but more jewelries!"

"Before the wedding, you would be sure to receive a room full of gifts!" Parvina squealed, her focus still on Omar who was just entering the palace with his father after being received by a messenger who would usher them into the King's presence.

"You should prepare Mariam." Saadiya said, stepping away from the window.

"Prepare? Why? I'm already prepared." Mariam said pointing to her face. "What is the use anyway, they still won't behold this untainted beauty." She replied sarcastically grabbing her cheek with both hands and rolling her eyes.

"Again with the attitude. Mariam be positive and calm this time, please." Saadiya bent to pick up the dresses and threw them on the bed. The servants would arrange and put them in their rightful positions later. 

"Oh, and after this wedding you would be every woman's envy. Just look, you should have seen how handsome he is!" Parvina held on to Mariam's hand, jumping up and down.

"I would be every woman's envy?!" Mariam rolled her eyes and yanked her hand free. "He would be the envy of every man! He is the one getting married to me, the princess Mariam of Saudi Arabia."

"Yes, you spoilt little princess. Yes you are, now wear the abaaya and wear it properly!" Saadiya joined.

"I will not marry him!"

"Do you think you have a say in such matters princess?" Saadiya asked.

"If you won't marry him, I will!" Parvina twirled to which Saadiya shot her a sharp glance.

"And I would gladly give him to you Parvina. I don't want to get married! Especially not to him!"

"And why not?" Saadiya returned to her seat beside Mariam.

"Well..." Mariam searched for the right words. "He is.... proud and arrogant and..."

"And how do you know all these things about him? You just jump into conclusions Mariam."

"He is not the first of his kind, they all are!"

"Stop it!" Saadiya scolded. They were all of the same age but sometimes she felt she was older, especially when the two girl behaved like spoilt children.

"I will never love him I promise you!" Mariam half yelled. "I will never!"

"Ohh Mariam." Saadiya cooed and Drew her seat closer beside her, patting her back and rubbing her head in her attempt to calm her down.

"Saadiya, I don't want to..." Mariam grumbled, tears pooling up in her eyes.

"Shhhh, don't cry now or you will ruin the make up, it took hours to perfect." She winked, tilting Mariam's head backwards a bit so the tears wouldn't roll down.

Mariam frowned and crossed her hands. "You are only worried about the make up?!"

Saadiya laughed. "Ok Mariam, let us do this. You will go down stairs when you are called for and meet him, get to see him and actually know what he is like. Then you can make your judgement about him. How is that?"

Mariam reasoned what Saadiya said and thought it wasn't a bad idea but...

"I will meet with him and tell him what I feel about this marriage."

"You will tell him of your lack of interest?"

"Indeed I will." She had made up her mind and had to get this over with.

"What if..." Saadiya started.

"I support you fully Mariam!" Parvina interrupted.

"Shut it Parvina. You just want him for yourself." Saadiya cautioned.

She giggled. "I won't deny that fact." Mariam laughed and tapped her lightly on the head.

"Silly."

"Listen." Saadiya turned to Mariam. "What if you fall for him?"

"Fall for him? I would never! I do not love him, I would not." She looked away, her frown deepened.

Saadiya smiled and took a hold of Mariam's hand. "You will Mariam, I can promise you that."