When Maleeka woke up the next day, she found the house empty. Every furniture, utensils and household objects they owned were all out of sight. She knew the conditioning had everything to do with whatever happened to their household objects. She hissed angrily and went in search of her parents who seemed to have vanished too. Three maids bowed down quickly sensing her presence. Maleeka ignored them and went to her parent's room. Her father was seated on a bench. Their bed was nowhere in sight.

"You're awake!" her mother squeaked immediately when she saw Maleeka. She had noticed Maleeka's angry face.

"What is going on? It's not like I accepted the conditioning. Doesn't my opinion matter?" she questioned her father. He shook his head slowly.

"All our property has been given out to charity. We'll be occupying a house in the council's quarters. Sarki has also asked for you to make a wish. Well, anything other than not marrying his son. He promises to grant you that wish" her father said standing up. Reality dawned on Maleeka. There was no way out. The earlier she starts believing it, the better for her. A tear slid down her cheeks. She wiped it away angrily and went back to her room just to find maids and guards ransacking the room, moving things and throwing stuff around. She swallowed a lump that was threatening to choke her.

"Your Grace, here's a new set of clothes for you to wear. You'll be leaving for the new house if you please" she said bowing. Maleeka could only nod.

"Where's my phone?" she asked the maid who had given her the clothes, seeing the others were busy packing up things here and there.

"A new phone has been arranged. Your contacts have been transferred to it. But I'm afraid none of the old pictures or songs could be transferred. You'll have to create new memories and re-download whatever you want" the maid said, leaving the room. She signaled Maleeka to follow her, which she did. Maleeka almost screamed when the maid led her to her parent's room which was vacant, and started undressing her.

"No no no, get out. I can dress myself young lady" Maleeka chanted tapping her feet impatiently.

"Your Grace, I'm just following protocol. I'm not allowed to let you do anything." the maid complained, standing her ground. She wasn’t taking no for an answer. In fact, she wasn’t moving.

"Could you at least let me dress myself for the last time?" After much deliberation, the maid left her to it. Just as Maleeka hooked her bra, the maid barged in with a new phone.

"I'm starting to think you can't wait to see my nudity!" Maleeka yelled frustratingly, tying a wrapper round her quickly. She snatched the phone away from the maid and placed it on her ear. Then she shooed the maid away.

"I've called you for like forever your highness"

"Ugh! Please don't. I'm not having a good day today. I'll be so happy if you don't add to my issues Azeema!" Maleeka snapped. She could recognize any voice, even if it were in her sleep. Azeema laughed a little. She was also having a hard time believing everything that has been happening, Azeema believed it served her brother right but on the other hand she pouted her poor friend who would have to put up with him.

"How are you holding up?" Azeema asked. If someone should walk in on that conversation they would think she was offering her condolences to someone.

"I am really stressed out. Could you believe we are moving to the council quarters?" Maleeka asked. She needed someone to share her grief with.

"Yeah, I know Ice cream in my room by 4pm. You've got to let everything out. Keeping it in will only make it worse. I'm inviting Azeem. Right now we are all you need" Maleeka thanked Azeema and ended the call. She muted her phone. Until she gets all this out of her system, she wouldn't be able to talk to anyone. Not even her friend Hanan.

...........

Yarima held the phone dejectedly. He had twenty eight missed calls from Hajarah. This is just 12pm. He knew she'd be worried sick about him. She would definitely be crying by now. His phone vibrated signifying a message.

“Haidar, hope you are fine. I'm worried sick about you. Did I do anything wrong?  I am sorry if I did. Just let me know you're fine” This was the sixteenth message he had received from her. He hasn't been able to summon the courage to tell her what was going on. She would be devastated. His phone rang for the umpteenth time. He still couldn't pick up. Just then he heard a squeaky annoying sound. Turning around, he saw a lanky maid scrubbing the floor. When and how she had come into his chambers remained a surprise to him.

"How the hell did you get in?" he asked coldly, making the maid shudder in fear. She started trembling.

"I.... I.... I... I... h... h.. have a key'' she stated with utmost difficulty. Another dirty rule he will change when he becomes king. Why on earth would a maid be given a key? It's too risky!

"Leave my presence" he stated. She did not need to hear it twice as she bolted to the main entrance, almost colliding with Azeema who had come to see how her brother was fairing.

"If you keep scaring them like that, you will lose all your personal maids" Azeema said leaning in the door frame.

"What do you want?" he asked gruffly. Ignoring him, she came and sat opposite him. His eyes looked red, all veins popping out. His hair looked terrible; he has been running his hands through it.

"Have you informed Hajarah?" she asked, making him shift uncomfortably.

His behavior confirmed he hadn't.

"You should do it. She doesn't need to read the headlines to find out. You owe her that much" Azeema said, looking intently at her brother.

"It's harder than you think," he said, dropping his phone beside him. "I don't know how I’ll start telling her I've been asked to marry someone else when.....

"There's no turning back! Maleeka would have to give up everything. Giving up your girlfriend isn't much now is it?" Azeema said unknowingly, enraging her brother who stood up abruptly fuming. It's like a mere mention of her name annoys the crap out of him.

"Why are you all making it seem as if I am not a victim here also? I've heard something similar from Azeem and now you? You all should complain to your father, not me. As far as I am concerned, I honestly do not want to go through with this rubbish!" he yelled angrily. Azeema must have seen him throw fits or she just wasn't scared of her brother's tantrums because she simply stared blankly at him, waiting for him to calm down.

"This is exactly why we pity Maleeka. When things don't go your way, you have a peculiar way of showing it. You yell, scream, curse, threaten.... It's not supposed to be that way. That's why we are sympathetic towards Maleeka, she'll have to put up with you" Azeem replied earning a deathly glare from her brother. She maintained the blank stare.

"You should be sympathetic towards me. I'm the one who would have to put up with a low life as a wife. I'm the one who would have to put up with her annoying, innocent, irritating charade! I'm your brother Azeema" he said, poking his chest with his index finger.

"You should start acting as one then" she said, leaving him. Yarima sadly sat on the floor. It's like he is the last option to his family. They never try to understand him. He was always to blame for whatever rubbish another person makes him do. It's not news that their father preferred Azeem to him. His mother preferred Azeema to him. The twins always got each other. He is the black sheep of the family. The only person who's been here for him is his grandmother. He couldn't help being angry at them. They made him like this. They made him who he has become. Deep down he's so lonely and he'd do anything to be included in his family circle. A circle he had made himself believe he's been excluded from.

Sarki had ordered an empty house be opened for the Saif family. It's a two bedroom flat, with a guest room. A laundry room and three toilets and bathrooms located in different parts of the house. There's also the living room which had a dining room situated beside it attached to the kitchen. Maleeka's jaw almost dropped. She had never thought she'd ever get to live in such luxury. She had believed she'd die in a higher middle class. That's if she ever found love from there. A maid escorted her to her room, beautifully painted purple and white. Maleeka dismissed the maid and decided to sleep off. Sleeping didn't come easy but it eventually did.

......

Her ringtone blared waking her up from her slumber. She groggily searched for her phone.

"Hello?" she said, yawning.

"Don't tell me you're still sleeping. It's 4:30 pm fah! When will you come? I've prepared the popcorn and the ice-cream will not stay frozen forever" Azeema yelled, making Maleeka jump up. She quickly ended the call. She had slept through Zuhr and Asr prayers. She quickly bathed since her room had an adjoined toilet and bathroom. She performed ablution, quickly moved into her walk in closet. She picked up a brown Abaya and rolled a khimar. She prayed. Her parents weren't around. Since she was angry with them, she didn't bother informing them she was going out. She had locked herself in as far as they were concerned.

"Is your Grace going out?" a bold voice said, startling her as she locked the front door.

She nodded seeing he was wearing a palace uniform.                        "I'm your driver! If you could please tell me the location, I'd be delighted to take you there" he said. Maleeka stared at him. His face had no sign of being delightful. In fact, it had no sign of willingness to work. He looked rather blank. Maleeka smiled a little before informing him, she wanted to go to the palace. On getting to the palace, Maleeka easily slid in and quietly walked to Azeema's room. She tried as much as possible to avoid being sported. Unnecessary attention was the last thing she wanted.

"It took you long enough!" Azeema accused eyeing Maleeka warily. Maleeka ignored her and plopped down her sofa. "Azeem is already on his way" Azeema squealed, placing a very big bowl of popcorn on the center table.

"I forgot my phone in the car. Let me go get it" Maleeka stated jumping up. She needed to get her phone quickly. She would use the opportunity to call Hanan. So she'd let them know she is fine.

......

"Hello! Haidar is that you? I've been worried sick about you. Are you alright? Hope you're fine? You got me scared" Hajarah squealed happily immediately after she saw Yarima's call. He had left his room; he was walking about the courtyard. Staying in his room felt as if he was being choked. He needed the fresh air to ease his talk with Hajarah. He sighed softly.

"Yes, I've been fine. I've got a lot going on. I'm sorry I didn't pick your call. I was busy" he partially lied. He had been emotionally busy crying out loud. When your life changes dimension within the blink of an eye you'd definitely be emotionally cramped.

"How are you?" he asked slowly. She giggled like a schoolgirl. "Of course I'm fine. Now that I know you're fine. I was so worried about you." Yarima swallowed a lump that formed in his throat. He has no idea how he would approach the idea. But he had to somehow. She needed to know from him.

"I'm getting married Hajarah" he blurted, making her stop her happy laughs. Making his heart skip a bit at how quiet she was and how Maleeka stood still watching him say these damned series of words.

"Wh.... What?" Hajarah asked exasperatedly. She was trying to regulate her sentence. Hoping she didn't hear wrong. Hoping she did not hear him correctly.

"I am getting married Hajarah" he said the sentences loud and clear as he glared at Maleeka.

"But Haidar, what happened? What about our plans?" she mumbled.

"I honestly don't know Hajarah. Everything just came up. It's stressful. Can I call you back?" he ended the call without waiting for her reply. For some stupid reason Maleeka hadn't left his presence. It was like she was glued to the spot, staring at him like some witch wanting to use him for ritual.

"Why are you here? Why do I have to see you everywhere I go? Are you a witch? If you are, you're really starting to irritate me!" he stated moving dangerously closer to Maleeka. He could easily snap her neck so she'd stop breathing. Then he'd see how she'll keep hanging about his weakest moments!