Haifa couldn't stop her legs from shaking as she and her parents made their way to the Palace. Originally, they had planned on riding Tuffaha there, but when they opened the front door to leave, in front of their house stood a horse-pulled carriage built from the finest wood she had ever seen. Alluring decorations of gold painted the sides, each window concealing the inside with a thin paper-like material. On the side waved the emblem of the royal family, a sign to mark their property. An ivory horse stood positioned in front, its body clamped to the carriage and sat on it, was a man wearing the royal uniform.

The carriage had brought the attention of the neighbours, who had stepped out of the houses to see what all the fuss was about. Haifa wished to cover her face, especially when the whispering began.

When the rider noticed their presence, he climbed down from the mare and opened the door to the carriage, gesturing for them to enter. Haifa's surprised eyes met her father's, who chuckled at her reaction.

"Ladies first," he said, imitating the uniformed man.

Haifa took slow steps towards the carriage, her parents following behind. Using the step attached to the exterior, she climbed in and sat on the plush red cushions. Her mother sat beside her, placing a comforting hand on her shaking fingers, whilst her father sat opposite them, his back towards the front. The inside was more spacious than it looked and held enough space for the three of them to sit opposite each other without their knees touching. Each seat had been lined with red velvet, and the curtains had been drawn, which she was thankful for. She couldn't imagine the things her neighbours were saying about her as they watched her and her parents mount the carriage.  Once they had settled in their seats, the rider shut the door.

Yumna pulled up the paper curtains on her side and spotted Diya waving goodbye from the door.

"Good luck!" She bellowed as the carriage began to move forward.

Haifa gave her a shaky wave until Diya was out of view. She sat back, her fingers brushing over the velvet seats, hoping the touch would calm her rapidly beating heart. This was really happening. She was really going to the Palace!

The horse started trotting, pulling the carriage faster along the dusty roads of Balqaas City. Haifa felt slightly nauseous, this being her first time moving in a confined space and she pulled up the paper cover to reveal the outside, a cool breeze gliding past her face. Outside, the streets whizzed by as they made their way to the centre of the city where the Palace stood.

"Haifa," her mother's voice came and she turned to face her.

"Yes?"

"You will be fine, Azeezati,"

Haifa felt a wave of emotion hit her but she blinked back the tears. Instead, she leaned against her mother's shoulder and smiled at her father, each hand clasping her parents, their touch comforting her thrumming heartbeat.

After some time, the carriage slowed down. Haifa peered out and noticed the towering golden gates that blocked their path. They had arrived at the royal gates.

She let out an anxious breath.

As they passed through the gates, a path of stone navigated them uphill.  Haifa noticed the lush greenery lining the path, made of all sorts of shrubbery. The path became wider and wider until it opened up, revealing a vast expanse of land overlooked by the Palace. Positioned in the middle, was a gigantic marble fountain mirroring the same structure in the city square.

But Haifa hadn't noticed it because behind the fountain stood the entrance of the Palace, its roof and walls made of a sand coloured brick, a labyrinth of swirls carved into each one. As she stepped out of the carriage, her butterflies had been replaced by astonishment. What had her in awe was the cream stone that held up the arch of the entrance, sixteen in total each bearing different colours and swirls of grey.

She couldn't contain her amazement as her eyes landed on detail after detail. Her father, however, stepped forward like normal, greeting the two men who had been waiting for their arrival. Her mother's arm wrapped in hers, they followed suit, patterned tiles lining their path. The two men, presumably servants, lead them inside through various outdoor archways until they entered inside, smooth stone meeting layers of silk carpets, each stacked atop the other along the expanse of the room. Crisp white drapes hung from huge window frames and above them, twin chandeliers dangled from the ceiling.

Haifa had never seen so much beauty and elegance in her life. 

"General Abdul Hameed,"

Haifa and her parents turned to the voice, and before them stood the King of Balqaas himself, with the Queen by his side. The aura they carried with them as they strolled towards Haifa and her parents was clear to anyone that they held prestige.

"Your Highness," her father smiled, and to her surprise, the King embraced her father as if they were brothers. So her father hadn't been bluffing when he told her and Diya that he was good friends with the King.

"Welcome my dears, Yumna it is so good to see you again," Queen Humayra greeted, hugging her mother, then turning to her.

"You must be Haifa,"

Out of courtesy, Haifa nodded, feeling conscious of the clothes she wore. Haifa had bought the finest dress she could find, a sky blue outfit dotted with pearls, but it couldn't compare to the Queen's maroon abaya bedazzled with real sort.

"Thank you for inviting us," her mother smiled.

"Thank you for bringing your beautiful daughter, she has grown so much mashallah,"

At the Queen's complement, Haifa couldn't help but blush. This was the first time someone outside of her family had complimented her appearance. A spark of curiosity sparked, and Haifa replayed her memories, trying to remember the last time she had been in the Palace. She was sure she hadn't met the Queen that night.

As the King and Queen lead them deeper into the Palace, Haifa became lost in the vast expanse of corridors and hallways, each all looking so familiar. She quickly glanced around, but there was no sign of the Prince anywhere. They then entered, what looked to be a dining room, overlooking a pool of glistening water, and sat around a table made of the same luxurious wood of the carriage.

"The Prince will join us soon, but first, we have prepared some refreshments for you,"

At the King's words, the doors opened and maids streamed in, their arms balancing trays of fruit, biscuits and glasses filled with an orange and burgundy liquid.

"Orange," She stated, then handed Haifa the dark glass. "And pomegranate juice, we heard they are your favourite,"

Halifa's cheeks burned a the Queen gave her a reassuring smile, urging her to take a sip.

The tanginess of the juice tickled her senses, instantly calming her nerves and she fought herself from gulping it down in one go. Pomegranates were the jewels of the desert, and because of their rarity, it was only ever juiced on special occasions.

Haifa remained quiet as her parents conversed with the King and Queen, their voices not revealing a hint of fear. She wondered how her parents felt so comfortable speaking to the most powerful figures in the country.

The large doors opened again, and a veiled woman wearing similar exuberant garments stepped in, her beautiful features gracing a smile. As she walked over to them, their eyes met and her eyes widened.

"It's you!" Thaina gasped, clasping a hand over her mouth, but it was too late. The words had already escaped her lips before she could stop herself.

Haifa looked confused.

"Is something the matter Azeezati?" The queen asked.

Thaina shook her head smiling from ear to ear as she walked to their side. She couldn't believe her eyes, the hazel-eyed girl was here in the Palace!

"This is Princess Thaina, the Crown Prince's wife," King Ilyaas introduced and Haifa and her mother stood up to greet her.

"Abbas is waiting in the next room," the Princess smiled. "Shall we go?"

Haifa glanced at her parents, who ushered her to follow the princess. As she stood up from her chair, her heart began to beat furiously and she clasped her hands together to stop them from shaking. Before the doors closed behind them, Haifa glimpsed back at her parents.

Her mother gave a reassuring nod.

"My wish came true," The Princess muttered as they took steady steps down the hallway.

"Sorry?"

"By Allah's will, we meet again," Thaina replied, knocking her knuckles on another set of grand doors.

At her words, Haifa looked up at the Princess, confusion basking her features. Haifa's mind raced back to the day at the market, remembering the veiled woman, whose chocolate eyes matched the Princesses.

The Princess smiled back and just when recognition hit her, the doors opened, revealing a man dressed in white sitting with his head hung low beside a wooden table amongst the plush silk and velvet carpeting. On either side of the room, two large windows towered to the ceiling, one of them swinging open to allow a cool breeze to dance through the room. Sheer drapes swayed as the wind whisked through them.

Thaina smiled as the girl's eyes widen in realisation and she stepped into the tea room to greet Abbas, before turning to Haifa. "Take a seat,"

She followed her in, slipping off her sandals just like the princess had, before stepping onto the carpeted floor. Plush fabric tickled her toes as she made her way to where the man sat.

It didn't take Haifa long to recognise who it was, especially when half of his face had a rigged line running down his cheek covered in purple blotches. Haifa sat down, gulping down the lump in her throat.

Thaina took a seat to their right where a book lay on the table, wishing to be the furthest away from the breeze. She flipped through the pages until she landed on her bookmark, a peacock feather, and began reading.

Unlike the previous one, Haifa noticed that the room felt a lot colder and not because of the opened window. A thick silence hung between them. The Prince had not looked up at her once the entire time.

Abbas was not in the mood for another ridiculous marriage session especially when he knew he would only be declined again. He didn't even bother bandaging his wound up today. Why go through the nuisance of concealing his scar if everyone knew about it already? A sinister thought crossed his mind and he scoffed. If he was going to be rejected again, he would show the girl his real self. He couldn't wait to see her frightened eyes shake when she saw him.

However, no gasp came as the silence drifted on.

Haifa cleared her throat, giving her greetings. "My name is Haifa Binti Abdul Hameed,"

Abbas' brows furrowed, his gaze fixed on the cup of tea on the table. Her name-she couldn't be. She was the daughter of his mentor?! His parents had failed to mention that earlier!

Despite his shock, he kept his gaze down.

As the silence dragged on, Haifa began to feel her body burning, despite the cool breeze entering the room. Her fingers searched for her sheathed blade and then stopped for she had forgotten it wasn't with her. As much as she wished to, her parents would not allow her to bring a weapon into the Palace.

"So you are the daughter of the General?" came a gruff, bored voice.

Haifa nodded, though she didn't expect the Prince to notice with his head down.

"Tell me about yourself,"

"Um-well I am the oldest b-between me and my younger sister," she stuttered, trying to keep her cool.

The Prince just nodded, taking note of how gentle her voice sounded in his ears.

Haifa stole quick glances, until her eyes fell on his injury, her eyes lingering for longer.  She took in every rough bump of skin that lined the gash and every bruise and inflammation that emanated from under his skin, wondering how much it had caused him to suffer. The sight of it didn't scare her as much as she thought, remembering the harsh words of that girl in the market. To her, it appeared to be just like any other wound.

Outside, clouds began to cover the sun's smile, turning the breeze colder.

"What do you like to do?" Abbas mumbled disinterested, the questions rolling off his tongue easily. He had his previous meetings to thank him for it.

"I enjoy s-sewing and embroidery,"

"That is nice." he sighed deadpan. "Have you made clothes before?"

Haifa pursed her lips. Had she really travelled all this way to receive such disinterest?

"Yes I have, though, I am no expert. My mother still seemed impressed with the dress I made her on her birthday,"

Haifa smiled, recalling the memory.

"Well, you don't have to worry about sewing if you stay at the Palace. We have plenty of garment-makers to do the job for you."

Her smiled dropped, and she looked at him, analysing his icy features. Had the Prince always been this much of a jer- no she had calm down.

"What other things do you like? Food, colour, hobbies?"

As much as she didn't want to answer, Haifa did, ignoring his borderline-rude attitude.

"I don't really like a particular colour but I prefer light over dark. As for food...pomegranates?" she rambled, her voice void of nervousness. Haifa didn't care if the Prince wasn't interested, she had come all the way here from the dusty streets on the outskirts of the city and would make use of her time here.

"I enjoy taking walks and admiring the view of the city from the hills, but on rainy days I prefer to stay inside and read or cook with my mother,"

Thaina smiled behind the pages of her book. The girl's voice was smoother than before, and despite her cousin's attitude, she seemed to be tolerating his sour attitude well.

Abbas was quiet. As he listened to her talk, he felt a genuineness in her words, and for a second he gazed into the reflection of her on his glass cup. Her features were fuzzy but he could see the sky blue material she wore.

When the silence returned, he wished for her to speak more, suddenly feeling hot in his face at his thoughts.

Haifa grew conscious of the Prince's dazed look. Was he displeased that she had thoughtlessly spoken her mind?

"I apologise." she muttered.

"For what?"

"I was out of line."

"For what?" He repeated.

"I spoke too much,"

"You only replied honestly," Abbas answered, letting out an amused breath. "Lucky for you, we share many similarities."

Haifa could imagine her sister's scoffing face. As she was about to speak, the sound of droplets hitting the ground caught her attention and her eyes gazed out of the gaping window. Small speckles of water littered the tiles slowly at first until larger drops began to pound on the tiled floor.

"It's raining," she whispered to herself, her eyes becoming entranced by the scene outside.

Abbas couldn't stop himself as his gaze lifted to his right, watching the rain fall outside for a second before he turned to the woman sitting opposite him

His heart stopped beating as if time had frozen itself.

As she watched the rainfall, her golden-green eyes dazzled with pure wonder. She had slightly tanned skin and thick, neat brows with eyelids that shimmered slightly as they moved. A rosy colour graced her cheeks and her lips, now curved up into an innocent smile, had been dabbed with a hint of rouge. Her head was wrapped neatly in a blue hijab, matching her outfit.

Unlike the others, she wore a simple outfit, no sign of gold chains around her neck or wrists, except for the single locket shaped like a heart that peeked through her shawl.

There was no other way to describe her. She was breathtakingly beautiful, different from the materialistic beauty of the other girls, who adorned themselves in layers of gold and diamonds.

In the few seconds he took in her appearance, Abbas had forgotten who he was and the scar he bore, for his mind was consumed by her and her only. Sat before him was a woman he wished would be his.

The comforting sound of raindrops sung a lullaby across the room, and even the Princess put her book down to admire the view outside.

For a millisecond, Haifa's glowing hazel eyes connected with his burnt umber stare before she dropped her gaze embarrassingly.

The Prince did the same, heat gracing his cheeks.

His cheek - the scar.

She had looked at him without gasping or screaming in fear. She had looked at him like he was a normal man.

But-how?

Why was she not scared of his appearance? Why did she not cower in fear just like the others had?

"Look at me." Abbas said, the words escaping his lips before he could stop them.

Haifa, without a second thought, followed his command.

Abbas furrowed in confusion. Why was she not-

"Take a good look at me." he repeated, burning his ice-cold glare into her confused eyes.

"Is something the matter, your Highness?" she asked, a hint of surprise mixed with a newfound fear.

"Why are you here?"

The Prince's voice was intimidating but Haifa couldn't prevent her confusion.

Why had his mood flipped all of a sudden? Was it because she had looked at him? But it didn't make sense, why would he be angry if he was demanding the same now?

"You rehearsed those answers, didn't you," He hissed, the claim sounding board even in his own ears.

Haifa's eyes widened. Her lips parted in disagreement but because of how stunned she was, her tongue would not move.

"I-" She started but the words wouldn't come.

"You did your research before coming. You knew exactly what to say and what answers would please me."

Fear turned to rage and the courage to speak sparked within her. "What are you-"

"Who was it that told you about the things I like? Was it your friends who came before you," Abbas bellowed, pausing for a second. "Or was it your father?"

"No!" Haifa exhaled. "I didn't do any of those things!"

The Prince scoffed. "Don't lie, of course, you did. You're so desperate to please me thinking it would land you a position as my wife all in the name of wealth and power."

Haifa flinched back at the accusations, tearing her gaze away from him. Her heart was thumping with anger and confusion and hurt.

Thaina leapt up from her seat and strode over to them, positioning herself beside the two. "Enough, what you're saying is absolutely ridiculous!"

"Stay out of this." He gritted, but the Princess did not move a single step, instead directing him a ferocious glare.

Even if she was his older brother's wife, she was still a year younger than him.

Haifa clenched her fists so tight, she felt her nails dig into her palms. Tears stung her eyes and she began trembling as she tried to hold them back.

"Do you know what you are getting yourself into by marrying me? You will become a princess and have to live the rest of your life with a despicable looking man like me. Do you want to put yourself through that?" The Prince continued, without so much as a thought for his words.

"Abbas, that's enough!" Thaina pleaded.

"No, I need to know her reason. Don't you find it odd that she doesn't look so repulsed by my face?"

Haifa gulped down the lump in her throat, inhaling and exhaling before she spoke.

"Your Highness, I don't know where you got the information from but I assure you that I'm not that desperate for your materialistic ideals,"

Abbas kept his glare on her, hoping that instilling her with fear would make her truthful.

"Nor did I seek the help you