Prince Aamir Zayan was second in line to the throne of the Sultan of Saud.

As he sat, moping on the designer bed of his luxurious suite, he wondered whether he was doing the right thing by leaving his father who had suddenly taken ill.

He had been excited to take the journey, but now, signs of worry plagued his troubled heart regarding his father's illness, and his decision to go to a university away from the Saudi state, only made the situation worse.

Spread across the desk were brochures of several universities, which his mother had sent him, prompting him to fill out numerous applications to each of them, in the hope that even one would accept him. Several such responses had arrived, much to the elation of the prince. But the prince had chosen the university close to his mother's own heart, Stanford.

It had been Helena's hope that, even after the messy divorce between her and the boys' father, Crown Prince Abdullah, her sons could take that step outside of a closed world and into another, full of adventure and most importantly, freedom.

But now, as the day had come to take that final step onto a plane that would take him to California, and into his mother's world, he found himself dreading the thought of leaving his ailing father and anguished brother alone to face the council and their constant demands.

The royal guard knocked on the door gently, shaking Aamir from his reverie. "Your Highness, the car is here to take you to the airport".

Aamir slowly opened the door, and allowed the man to take his luggage downstairs to the awaiting limousine.

He took one last lookaround the room which he had known as his personal sanctuary, a place he calledhome for the past eighteen years, and closed the door silently. 

"Aamir, wait!" the older prince called out to his brother, as he was about to enter the black limousine with tinted, bullet-proof windows and an equally impervious chassis.

"Here, give this to mama. It's just a small gift. Tell her that I miss her..." Prince Tarek slipped the small box into Aamir's hand.

"Tarek, please come with me. She misses you, too, you know?" The young prince sighed, clapping a firm hand on his brother's broad back.

"I know, Aamir. But my royal duties forbid me to leave, especially with father being ill. Perhaps, after I become Sultan, I will be able to make the journey. Enjoy your time in California, my brother!" Tarek quickly embraced his brother, before leaving the young man feeling very much alone.

Aamir nodded, knowing that it would be at least a few years before their paths would cross again. However, if his father's illness took a turn for the worse, the young prince would have an excuse to return to his homeland.

The ominous vehicle exited the stately home, followed by a cavalcade of black limousines bearing heavily armed guards, ensuring the prince's safety. Half of the entourage would be travelling together with the prince, to be deployed and serve as the prince's personal bodyguards during the prince's tenure as a university student in California.

The vehicles stopped within a private hangar not too far away from the runway. The royal air carrier was housed within its' confines, prepared for take-off. The prince and his entourage took their seats in the bulk of the craft, which bore all the luxuries a royal prince could enjoy – a sumptuous spread of food and fine wines; a comfortable bed to rest in during the journey; a widescreen television; uninterrupted internet service and a bevy of young ladies at his beck and call.

But Aamir was not interested in any of it, all except to happily sit on the couch and read a book while listening to the latest pop hits. He had even given the command to his guards to enjoy the food and drink freely and not disturb him during the entire trip, except on notification of their approach to LAX.

Aamir absentmindedly fingered a small photograph which he had kept as a bookmark, in-between the pages of the latest novel of forbidden love between male lovers. He had longed to experience the promise of such love, if only it was not forbidden in Islamic tradition.

The photograph was a gentle reminder of his brief but beloved time spent with his mother before her hasty departure out of the Arab Emirates, back to her home in Carmel. He looked deeply into the tiny picture, seeing the happiness spread across his mother's face, as she hoisted him on her hip, trying to get the young Aamir to smile towards the camera. He remembered that day fondly. But sadly, it was to be the last time he would see her.

The divorce had nearly left Helena with nothing before she decided that enough was enough, and left her two children in the supposedly capable hands of their nanny.

A despicable woman, named 'Sheila', ran the entire household much to Helena's dismay.

Helena had overheard a private conversation regarding this woman and discovered that this Sheila had been having an affair with the Crown Prince Abdullah.

When Helena brought accusations against the woman, it suddenly became clear to her as to where the loyalties of the Crown Prince family lay, since they had all sided against her – labelling her as 'the foreign she-devil' who had seduced her way into Abdullah's bed, blessing the Crown Prince with two handsome sons, who would both become the talk of high society for having an American former beauty queen and actress for a mother.

It tore her heart apart to leave them but she was given not much of a choice. It was either to stay and endure a joyless marriage under false pretenses with Abdullah, or push through with the divorce proceedings and expose him for the fraud that he was, which she did, much to the shock of the entire ministry.

She had walked away, with her head held high, but at the heavy loss of both her boys. Despite the sad outcome of the proceedings, Helena was determined to at least secure her sons' visitations rights to see her in California. Abdullah at least agreed to that, much to her relief.

Aamir was trying to contain the excitement, dwelling deep within him as the small craft soon began its' descent towards the runway at LAX. No sooner had they landed and passed customs in a cordoned-off area in a special section reserved for foreign diplomats and dignitaries, privately visiting the region, Aamir was whisked away in another vehicle to his mother's home in Carmel.

Helena stood with her sister outside on the front porch, ready to greet her son with open arms. The rest of the family had hidden away from sight, in the living room, ready to surprise Aamir with a small party they had planned for his arrival. But the guards spoiled the surprise, having had to search every single person before allowing the prince to enter.

Helena was livid. "What on earth are these men doing here? Couldn't they just leave you at the airport? We would have come to pick you up! I hate this. I hate him! Don't tell me that they have to be by your side every single day?"

"Mother, please don't mind them. They're here as a matter of protocol. They'll be staying at a small inn across town. You won't even know that they're around, I promise. Please..." Aamir sighed, exasperated at his mother's outburst. "Now, where's that hug you promised me?" Aamir extended his arms out towards her.

"I'm so sorry, my son!" Helena pulled him towards her. "Look at you! My, how handsome and tall you are! My beautiful boy, how I've missed you!" She gushed tearfully.

"I missed you too!" Aamir held onto her tightly, not wanting to let go.

Back on the Crown Prince's estate, Tarek was patiently awaiting news of his brother's safe landing in California. His faithful advisor, Faisal quietly knocked on Tarek's door, bowing low upon entering.

"The Prince has touched down safely and has reportedly been brought to your mother's home in Carmel,Your Highness" Faisal reported. 

"Excellent, Faisal. You may leave me, thank you" Tarek stood, poised at the window, having offered up a prayer of thanks.

"So, he's with his mother? Why don't you go to her, too, Tarek?" Sheila, the nanny sauntered in without bothering to knock.

"How dare you enter my quarters without permission! What business is it of yours where my brother is? Besides, shouldn't you be beside my father's bed, making sure he is well fed and cared for during his illness?" Tarek spat out the venomous words in disgust at the sight of her.

"I have every right, Tarek. I cared for you and your brother, when your mother walked out of your lives. It was I who nursed you when you were sick with fever, and made sure you and your brother went to school safely each day! Did she do that? NO! The vile she-devil chose to abandon you both! Do not speak to me disrespectfully, Tarek or I will..." She came around his desk to accost him, wagging her finger.

"Or you will what...? You never cared for either of us, Sheila! What a web of lies! My father may have fallen for such deceit but neither I nor my brother EVER WILL!!!" Tarek loomed up in front of her, cutting her off. He grasped her elbow in a vice-like grip, steering her towards the huge double doors which were now open.

"Unhand me, Tarek!" She screeched, struggling in his hold.

"You are not my mother! You will never take the place of my mother! Now leave before I ask the guards to escort you out!" He shoved her through the open doorway, and slammed the doors in her face.

Tarek strode back towards his desk, scattering the papers upon it in a blind rage. The young prince, alone at last, fell to his knees in anger and despair.

"I pray, Allah, that I may endure the days until my father's departure into the spirit world, before I take his place. I beg you, to give me the strength, that I may finally cast out the devil incarnate who stole my father's love and ripped my mother's heart out with her lies and deceit once and for all!"