*Zara*
I am walking through one of the long palads hallways. It is quiet and rather cool in here at this time of day and I enjoy being alone. Every step I take is weighed down by the emptiness that is my life.

"Zara ? Zara where are you ?" I hear a loud whisper and soft running footsteps quickly coming closer. I immediately know it is Sada, my only friend her, a servant girl a little younger than me.

I stop and wait for her to catch up with me. "Morning Sada, why are you in such a hurry ?"

"Haven't you heard ? There is a real movie crew coming here, they are going to use the grounds and the palace for a real Hollywood movie. The prince has invited the stars to stay here in the palace. laila told me, she has been getting the rooms ready. Isn't it just exiting ?" She is clapping her hands, bouncing on the spot.

I sigh, honestly I don't get this fuss. "Should it be ? They are just men aren't they ? I never noticed anything exciting about men. We have more than enough of those here already".

"But these are different from the men here. They are american and they are actors". Sada is sounding very convinced. "They are tall, handsome and educated".

I shake my head. "Why would that make them any different ? They are men and they surely do as they wish and threat women like nothing, just like every other man".

"Come on Zara, don't be such a bore. I am sure it will be exciting". Sada sounds to be disappointed by my lack of enthusiasm.

I start walking again. "Well, at least it's something new, a change. That is a rather rare thing around here. But I will probably be kept away from it all, they are men after all".

"Oh.. yeah, I hadn't thought about that. Imad is always so scared another man could look at you wrongly". Sada say, reaching out to squeeze my arm. "I better get back to work".

Despite everything, I can't help being a bit curious. It is not often we get westerners in the palace and I am rarely going anywhere. So I make my way back to my room and ask my old nanny Nara. "Have you heard we will have guests from America soon ?"

The little old lady seems to always know everything happening in and around the palace. She has been my nanny since I was born, and when I was married off to prince Imad Al Din Abadi, he had allowed me to bring her with me as my personal servant and caretaker.

"Well all I know is that they are from Hollywood and 3 of them is going to stay here in the palace, the director and two male stars. The rest will stay in a tent and caravan city by the oasis". She tells me with a near toothless smile.

Even though I already know the answer, I still just have to ask. "And what about the female stars ? Don't they have any of those in the movie ?"

"Oh probably, but not in your husbands eyes. To him women don't count on the same level as men. He would never see a woman as a star". She is nudging me over to sit on a chair and start brushing my long black hair.

I wish that I had been born some other place in the world, where things were not like here. Somewhere where my feelings and opinions mattered. Somewhere where I would not have been married to a fifty year old man at the age of 19 against my will.

I have been married for four years now, and by comparison I guess I could have had a worse man. He is a prince and he is rich beyond belief. I am only his second wife and so far he has never been physically abusive with me.

But he has started getting rather disappointed with me for not having given him a son.. or even a daughter for that matter.

*Zac*
"Do you think he has like a real harem, with fifty beautiful women in skimpy clothes laying around on pillows ?" Joel ask, leading his bag in the jeep.

We have just arrived in Saudi Arabia, and the heat is choking. We have about three hours by jeep before we'll get to the palace were we are staying.

I look at him shaking my head but grinning. i don't think anyone has harems anymore. And didn't people like get castrated for even looking at them or something ?"

The movie we are here to short takes place in the desert of a made up country, one of the writers is a nephew of the prince and he had gotten us permission to short the movie here for authenticity.

Me and Joel and the director Scott is going to live in the palace itself. I had wanted to declining the invitation, when I was told that the female star of the movie was not invited. But I was told that I couldn't, apparently it would be a great insult towards our host.

"Shit this is horrid". I dry of my forehead, sweat already beading there. "I thought I was used to heat from LA, but this is crazy. I really hope the jeeps has air condition".

I jump into the back seat of one of the jeeps. Me and Joel is going in one of the jeeps and Scott is going in the other one with the prince's cousin. The rest of the fast and crew is going in two big busses.

I look out the window at the barren beautiful pasning by. So far everything seems very exotic and I have to admit that I am a bit excited to be in such a different country.