Hi guys, how are you?

5k words. Hope you'll like it.

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Next chapter starts with Yusuf's wedding. Which means dramaaaahhh!!

Haya.

Her hair was being done as the Prince entered the room, knocking at the door to make sure that everyone was decent. He hadn't been able to talk to his wife ever since the dinner last night. Since there was alot to prepare for, Amir had to go and have a meeting with his team, along with a conference call from Maraaish. She had taken her leave, telling him that she was tired and needed to rest instead.

He hadn't questioned it, understanding as he bid her a goodnight. When he came back into their suite, Haya was already fast asleep.

She was still fast asleep when he woke up from fajr and then later on, for breakfast. He had woken her up but before they could even have a proper conversation, Haya was already taking a bath.

They ate breakfast along with the team from Maraaish, with a very quiet Haya on the table. He dismissed it as a morning mood but when she hadn't even talked to him after being alone and excused that she needed to get dressed, he knew that something was up.

Now, she had skipped lunch because she didn't want to look bloated in her dress and once again, made an excuse to not eat with her husband.

So after another side meeting with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and visit to the Embassy of Maraaish in Russia, Amir had returned..only to find his wife getting ready for the annual conference and another dinner.

He craned his neck to the side, feeling a little tired but nonetheless, he entered the room and greeted everyone with a salam.

Haya's assistant from Buredaan, Ayesha and her hair dresser were present in the room. Her makeup artist had already done the job and was now enjoying a cup of coffee in the adjacent room.

Both the women greeted the Prince as well, smiling as he came towards his wife and she gave him a fake smile, the one that didn't reach her eyes.

Amir frowned, missing the teasing smirk and the foul language in an instant.

"You've been awfully quiet. Is everything okay?" He enquired, observing how the woman straightened his wife's hair and Ayesha stood at the other corner.

"I don't know, Amir. You tell me." Haya murmured, her voice was low enough but Amir made sense of it and he was sure that the woman styling her hair also heard her.

He didn't know what had happened but something must have, especially since Haya took any opportunity to argue instead of remaining quiet.

"Haya, what happened?" Amir asked, leaning against the dressing table and then looking up at both the other women.

"Will you please excuse us?"

Once they left and closed the door to the adjacent room, entering it with hushed whispers, Amir kneeled down and put his hand on his wife's lap.

"Haya, I don't like you upset. Tell me, baby." He tenderly said, watching as she let out a sigh and looked at him.

"I'm not a show piece. I can't keep quiet and sit and smile by your side. That's now who I am."

Haya said back, telling him that his actions yesterday weren't appreciated by her.

Amir stood up, not even realising that this was the reason for her being upset this way.

"So this is about yesterday." He stated, with a soft groan as he found her nod and look ahead, not looking at him because she was mad at him.

"Haya, you know alot of people and you get along with them. I'm glad that you socialise but yesterday, I was extremely nervous."

He stood up leaned against the dressing table again, shaking his head as he tried to tell her how he was feeling yesterday.

Haya had never really heard him admit that he was nervous about something. It was weird.

"I've always accompanied father to the G20 but I've never attended an event like that and represented Maraaish fully. I wanted to do my best."

Everyone knew that Amir was slowly taking more responsibility for Maraaish and leading the country because his father's health wasn't the best. It had been two years since the Prince had started to take more charge than a usual Crown Prince would.

Haya didn't think that these matters phased him much, but clearly they did.

"I simply kept on getting distracted because you would get up to chat with someone."

He explained, watching as her face softened and she listened to him with her complete attention.

"It wasn't that I needed you to be my trophy wife, I simply needed you there to support me because I was nervous."

"You're my life partner, Haya. I wanted to have you close." He murmured, kissing the hand that was placed on her lap as he pulled it up and then held it near his lips.

"And why didn't you tell me this before? You acted rude instead." Haya questioned, standing up for him.

"I'm sorry if I did." He apologized and she shook her head at him, not believing that there was any use for an apology because it wasn't that big of a deal anymore.

As she was standing up, his eyes fell over the dress that she was wearing. It was a knee length rose gold dress, with a golden lace around her waist.

It was a little tight fitted but he knew his wife would throw a fit if he even dared to mention that.

"Haya, it was a groundbreaking thing for me to have you accompany me. I don't remember a single time where my mother accompanied my father in such official capacity."

Well, that was true.

Even her mother had said so. Amir had taken her to an event which was extremely significant, like he truly believed in what she wanted to do and he wanted her to have all of it. He could have used a national event or a state visit to a neighbouring country but he didn't. He used a platform that was global and had the world's eyes all over it. Haya appreciated him for that, mainly because she hadn't even asked for it herself.

"Yesterday was simply about Maraaish and what I could do as it's future King. It wasn't a place to create a change." Amir explained but she already knew that.

Yesterday was not at all about that, but last night..she felt like the old Haya again. The one who would mostly accompany her father or brothers to such events or even attend in their place. It felt good, it felt like she still had it. She had been so deep rooted in her work for Maraaish that she hadn't been able to attend anything of the sort in the past six months of her marriage.

"I was not even thinking about that. I've always attended such events in the way that I acted yesterday." She replied, her husband nodded.

"I know, and you were incredible at it."

And she was.

Amir knew that Haya was used to all of it, so he didn't seem too phased by the way she carried herself. She was the daughter of King Najaf. She had all the grace in the world, especially when she wanted to have it and didn't seem like she had to curse to get through the day.

The thing with Haya was, she didn't want to fake her personality but she could fake her personality and still look real.

"I just needed you more."

A smile left her lips as she heard him say that and he shrugged, coming towards her. His hands wrapped around her waist, his face on the crook of her neck and her hair being disturbed at the same time. Haya didn't really protest, she liked him close.

"Look at you, you look so beautiful, Masha'Allah."

He whispered, placing a kiss on the side of her cheek as she looked at him through the mirror and smiled again.

"I have lipstick on, I can't kiss you." She murmured when she turned around and he came near enough to place a kiss on her lips.

"That's alright." He mumbled, chuckling.

Haya put her hand on his chest, seeing the exhaustion on his face and knowing that he needed to conceal his dark circles more than anything.

If she even mentioned concealing his circles with some corrector or concealer, she knew he would act like she had asked him to curse or something.

"Amir, you were perfect yesterday and you'll do good today. You don't have to be nervous." She said, earning a hum.

He was nervous yesterday but not anymore. He knew he would do just fine.

"You're Crown Prince Amir, fuck the nervousness." Haya cursed, causing him to shake his head.

"Astaghfirullah, Haya."

She laughed out loud, not remembering the last time she had cursed in front of him and earned this reaction.

Oh no wait, it was two days ago. He had then proceeded to give her a lecture that she really needed to stop using the word and atleast replace it with some other word, like Khalifah did.

"Okay, how about this." Haya tried something else, knowing that he needed to show his fucking dimples.

"You'll do perfectly well, Amir. I'll make dua for you."

Her smiled, his damn dimples appearing on his face and she felt like all was right in the world.

"Thank you."

"So, you know how I wore your national dress the previous month and everyone started to talk about it,"

Najma nodded, drinking her green tea as Haya started to talk. She had worn a beautiful pink colored traditional dress at the national day, along with a headscarf with her own little changes.

Instead of covering her entire head, she had mainly used it as an accessory and let her hair in the front. Still, it was a very nice gesture which got appreciated by the entire family. Amir, who had been the one to suggest the idea seemed quite happy himself. Haya had genuinely put in an effort for their national day and he was happy that she had.

"At the national day?" Najma asked, earning a nod from her sister in law.

She hadn't heard from Haya in three weeks. She hadn't texted, hadn't even called. Haya only called one person from their family and it was Amir's mother. She made a phone call once a week because she knew Amir appreciated it.

Honestly, Najma had expected a very different relationship with her sister in law. The entire family had always been close to Amir, it didn't matter that they were step siblings. They have always lived together.

It was already quite upsetting when their older brother had to move to another house after marriage. They all missed him terribly.

Nonetheless, they had expected a very close relationship with their sister in law. While Haya wasn't obnoxious or an evil person to be with, she was also not the one who would sit and talk for hours or spend quality time together. She only visited when Amir visited and she only called her mother in law. After Suhoor's departure, this was the first time Najma was actually seeing Haya.

"Yes,"

"Yeah, what about it?" Najma asked.

"Buredaan's national day is coming up in two weeks. Every year, I do something different. Last year, I accompanied my brothers to the military academy and we spent time with the soldiers."

Basically, Haya had arrived to the Palace straight from work. Amir had told her he would be at the Palace anyway, since he needed to have a meeting with his father. It had been more than an hour but he was still nowhere to be found.

Her mother in law or mother in laws as she always had to remind herself, both of them had greeted Haya, sat with her for a few minutes before excusing themselves. Amir's mother had to go make a phone call and Adil's mother had to see whether the Prince had woken up or not. Like he was still a child or something.

This left Najma and Tahira, who happened to be Akbar's wife. Tahira didn't really talk much, she mostly remained quiet and even when she did speak, it was mostly the talk about her husband and her two children, with the third one already in her belly.

"There was a dinner and then everyone made a speech. I made a donation for the women soldiers." Haya further said, seeing how both of them stated at her and listened.

"Yusuf's wedding is in a month. I wanted to visit Buredaan a week before that but I don't want to skip out on the national day either."

She really wanted to be there on the national day. Even when she was studying in London, she would especially fly out to be a part of the national day festivities.

"I don't think there would be a problem if you visit Buredaan before that. You can always ask my brother."

Ask?

"Amir won't have a problem with it but I have to get two campaigns going and I need to hold that seminar this month. I can't put it off any longer."

She was a little confused and she clearly could not share anything with Aaliyah for now because she had been acting extremely strange.

Haya was simply tired of asking her what was wrong and why she wasn't calling or texting frequently anymore.

"I'm just confused about what to do. I think I've got more on my plate that I expected to have, honestly."

She said with a soft grin, drinking her tea as Najma hummed at her.

"You'll come up with something, Haya. Don't fret over it."

She said, her words not really helping Haya but atleast she had been able to talk about it.

"As-salam alaykum, everyone."

She looked up when she found her husband walking towards them, a grin on his face as his sister stood up and he kissed her head as she embraced him.

"Walaikum assalam, brother. How are you?"

"I'm well, Najma. How are you doing? Why haven't I heard from you in a week?"

He asked, saying a salam to his brother's wife and enquiring about her health as he sat down right next to his sister and gave a smile to his wife, turning back to listen to Najma.

"I didn't want to disturb you. I know you were busy." Najma replied, shrugging at him.

"I was but I am never too busy for you all. Suhoor messages me almost every day."

Suhoor had even sent Haya a text, enquiring about her health and complimenting the clothes she had worn at the event. Haya had replied politely but hadn't initiated any conversation, she was still quite unsure of what was going on between Suhoor and her brother.

"She says she'll visit in three weeks. I told her it's only been a month since she left but she says she misses us all."

Suhoor was studying in Paris. If Haya was in her place, she wouldn't want to visit home for atleast the first few months.

"I am quite sure I have a visit in three weeks and Haya will be in Buredaan by then. There's a wedding to attend."

Amir replied, shaking his head as he realised that he would probably miss out on his sister's visit.

"Did you meet mother? She was asking for you."

Haya often thought how they even differentiated between the two mothers. They called both of them with the same name. Didn't it get complicated?

"Yes, she's the one who told me that you were in the garden." Amir replied, looking at the entrance as a worker came in and informed them of the dinner being ready.

Haya, Najma and Tahira stood up. Najma and Tahira walked alongside each other, asking Haya and Amir to come for dinner. Haya, who was walking by her husband's side in silence stopped when Amir held her arm and asked her to stay for a moment.

"Haya, wait." She stilled, turning to look at him.

"Hmm?" She hummed, her stomach was empty and she really needed to eat.

She had been trying to maintain a healthy diet again, as the past few weeks had been filled with recklessness.

She waited for her husband to say something but he only stared.

"Let me look at you." He murmured, finding her face glow even in the dark.

Her lips looked full, tinted a perfect pink. Her cheeks were rosy and her face had a slight shimmer to it, her hair was sprawled all over her back.

His wife was absolutely beautiful, there was no lie to that.

"Won't even give me a hug in front of your sister and now you're giving me your 'I want to make love to you' gaze."

Amir only grinned at her, thankful that she hadn't used the term fuck for her ownself.

"How was your day?" He enquired instead, since they hadn't been able to talk at all.

"It was good, I made some progress on the campaign. Nadia invited a few signifant women over for tea. I had a good chat." She replied, asking him the same question.

"How was yours?"

"I spent it with the minister of economic affairs and then had a meeting with my father about the economic affairs. What do you think?"

She knew he disliked the economic and the numbers part of his work the most.

"How mentally fucked are you?"

He was tired enough to not say anything about her cursing again. Instead, he talked about his call with her brother.

"Prince Yusuf called me today." He stated, making her sit on the nearby chair as he did the same.

"He did? He doesn't have time to text me back but he's out here calling you?"

"He told me that the Queen is planning to visit Buredaan and invite the family in a proper way. I told him there wasn't any need for such formalities as we're family now but he insisted."

Haya wanted to roll her eyes. Her mother kept on saying that she didn't want to be completely away from the tradition. It was direspectful to only make a phone call and expect the King of Maraaish to show up.

"Yes, there's no point in trying to convince her. She says it's our family tradition." Haya replied, continuing when her husband hummed.

"I told her she'll have to stay with me if she comes but she'll literally stay for lunch and go back on the same day. There's no convincing my mother."

"I'll make sure my schedule is clear for Friday and the family has already been informed."

Haya nodded, remembering that she was making up a plan to visit Buredaan. It would be so much better to go back with her, instead of traveling alone.

"I think I should go back with my mother then." She stated, finding the Prince's confused gaze on her.

"What?"

"Buredaan's national day is coming in two weeks. My mother's arriving by the end of this week. I can go back with her."

"But you're already going by end of the month. For the wedding." He reminded her, Haya nodded.

"I know, I'll just stay in my country for a while then."

"What about work?"

"The only important thing this month is the seminar. I'll arrange for it to happen in two three days. I can handle other things from there too."

She looked like she had already made up her mind. Amir just wasn't convinced enough.

"So you'll stay in Buredaan for what? A month then?"

"Three weeks if we're being precise." Haya pointed out.

"Almost four." He mentioned, she observed the frown on his face.

"Why are you acting like that's a problem?"

"Because we've only been married six months and you've gone to Buredaan four times. "

It wasn't the fact that her visiting Buredaan bothered him. It was just the idea of being away from her for weeks. He was always so busy, the next month seemed like a less busy time for him but Haya had already planned to fly away.

"You're keeping a count? I have not visited my home enough." Haya stood up and crossed her arms, looking at him.

"Haya, you can go for the national day and come back the next day. Keep the previous plan." Amir suggested, calm as he stood up as well.

"Amir, you're acting like a controlling husband."

She stated, frowning as another servant appeared near the entrance and looked at both of them, greeting with a salam before she looked at the Crown Prince.

"Everyone's present at the dinner table, Prince. They're waiting for you."

Amir nodded, both of them watching her leave.

"We'll talk once we go home." He murmured, gesturing her to walk.

"No, we're talking now. I'll go back home with my mother and come back to Maraaish after the wedding." Haya decided, shrugging.

Amir clenched his jaw.

"We'll talk later, Haya." He dismissed her words, walking forward.

"This is quite the change. Not very formal either."

Haya mentioned the moment she walked inside, finding the outdoor area absolutely beautiful for dinner.

She sat next to Amir, greeting everyone again as she looked at the informal setting.

Usually, the dinner took place in the dining hall, with heaps of servants and everyone present. However, it was quite different. There were only two or three people serving the food and the women in the family were extremely relaxed.

"It's usually like that when the entire family isn't present. Father won't be home for another day and Akbar is accompanying him along with Waleed."

Amir stated, frowning when he didn't find his youngest brother on the table. He knew that Adil was home.

"Where's Adil?" He enquired, his mother not even getting a chance to reply as Adil entered at the same time.

"Adil is here." He announced, finding the family already sat on the table.

"Salam, everyone." He greeted, sitting down in front of Haya. She gave him a smile, which he gladly returned.

He was the only member of the family which Haya could relate to.

"How are you, Haya?"

"I'm fine. You?"

"I'm good as well. Have you heard from Aaliyah lately? She's been quiet."

Haya shook her head and let out a sigh. Since Aaliyah had put him in the friend zone and he hadn't seemed so bothered about it either, she knew they still used to talk.

Still, she didn't understand how everyone was noticing Aaliyah's strange behavior but her best friend knew nothing of the reason.

"You're in talks with Haya's cousin?" His mother questioned, clearly remembering Aaliyah well.

"Adil, you know where to draw the line. Yes?" This time, the words came from Amir.

Haya looked at him with a soft frown. What exactly was the line?

"Yes, brother. Do not worry. Aaliyah is just a friend." Adil said, an annoyed sigh escaping his mouth.

"Most of these girls are your friends and then we get to hear horrible things about you." Najma, his sister commented.

"It never gets aired." He replied.

Haya knew the feeling all too well. When their father wasn't present on the dinner table, her mother and brothers would go on and on about the men she would get spotted with.

"Because we control our media. Read the international news from now on and you'll see what they get to say about you."

Amir stated, his brother merely shrugged.

"I do read it but mother doesn't."

"Your birth mother might not read it but this one does."

Haya remembered the first time she had talked to her mother in law. She had instantly mentioned the internet and television research she had done to find out more about Haya.

"You said you went to America on business and you were spotted with an actress."

"I liked her movies!" Adil exclaimed, done with the criticism already.

"And this is exactly why you should not discuss the women you talk to on the dinner table." Haya spoke up, a grin escaping her face as she saw the expression on his face.

"We need to get him married before he can get any more involved with these women. Learn from your brother."

His birth mother said, gazing at her son as she gestured towards Amir.

"I am," Adil said, as a matter of fact. The entire table looked at him in slight confusion, which he erased when he spoke again.

"Did I not tell you I talk to his wife's cousin?"

Haya couldn't help but laugh out loud this time. She wouldn't mind Adil marrying Aaliyah. God knows it would be the best thing for her but she had left the entire thing to Aaliyah now. She would only play matchmaker if Aaliyah would seem interested too.

"Adil, stop joking. You've reached enough age. It is time for marriage now." Amir's mother stated, earning an agreeing hum from his own mother.

"And your brother might have married someone from Buredaan but your bride will have Maraaishi blood. I'll make sure of it."

Haya found the comment quite offensive. She pointedly looked at the woman and raised an eye.

"Why? Are women with Buredaani blood not good enough for you?" She asked, her tone serious.

Amit stared at his wife, hoping that she wouldn't cross a limit.

"Haya." He murmured, but Haya didn't turn towards her husband.

"I never said that, daughter. All I mean is that I would like it if Adil married someone from here." The woman explained, but Haya didn't sound relaxed even now.

"It's a big deal around here, Haya. If you weren't the Princess of Buredaan, our family wouldn't have been so inviting. Anyone from outside Maraaish is an outsider and while they're treated with respect, they're never considered family."

Adil explained something that Haya didn't really know.

"That's rather old school." She said, still not feeling as relaxed as she was before.

"Maraaish is quite old school. Nadia would have been in your place if my brother hadn't fallen in love with you."

Adil joked, going back to eating his food.

Hold up.

What?

Nadia?

Haya looked at Amir, who was chewing his food and not looking at her anymore.

"Adil, don't change the conversation around. Should I start finding a bride for you?"

"No, thank you. I'll find one when I need one."

Haya couldn't help but not join in on the marriage conversation and go back to the words he had muttered earlier.

"Nadia? As in the Nadia that works for me?" Haya asked, watching as Adil looked at Amir first and then back at Haya.

He slowly let out a nod, as if realisation had suddenly dawned on him that Haya probably didn't know.

Before he could say anything, Haya heard her mother in law start to talk.

"Her father is our father's good friend. They come from a very respectable family and she was my choice for Amir."

She told Haya, who nodded and turned back to look at Amir.

"You never told me." She stated, with a confused expression on her face.

"Nothing was formal or confirmed. There wasn't anything to tell."

Seriously?

Haya was working with the woman, had befriended her and only now, she was getting to know that Nadia could have married Amir. The same Nadia that Haya got along with the most in Maraaish? The fuck?

"Did Nadia know?" Haya enquired but before Amir could reply..her mother in law was talking again.

"It's in the past, Haya. Anyway, I asked them to make baklawa and custard tarts for dessert. Should we eat now or later?"

She was clearly trying to change the topic. Haya shook her head and gave a fake smile this time.

"I'm trying to quit dessert." It might have sounded like an excuse but she was actually telling the truth.

"And I'll just have some gahwa. I'm full." Amir mentioned, but Haya just wanted to go back now.

Her mood wasn't as bright as before.

"If you're not up for dessert, we should head home. I'm a little tired." She told her husband, who reluctantly gave a nod.

"Alright."

"I don't like it when you're moody in bed." Haya was reading a book, the lamp was on and she was quiet but itching to talk.

She couldn't be mad at Amir the way she wanted to be mad because he hadn't done anything wrong while she had a list of guys she had shagged before marrying him.

Not to mention, the lie she had told him when it came to Hunain. What could she say?

She put the book on the table and turned to look at him, finding his gaze already on her.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were engaged to Nadia before me?"

"I wasn't engaged, Haya." Amir dismissed.

"But your mother said-"

"It was a wish of her to see both of us together and my father was fine with it so I agreed with the choice but he also told me I was free to find someone on my own,"

He explained, seeing his wife's focused gaze on him.

"Which I did." He gestured towards her.

"My mother mentioned that she wanted me to marry Nadia and she might have hinted at it a few times during family gatherings but nothing was confirmed or even talked about properly."

Haya nodded, understanding what he meant but she also felt a tiny bit of jealousy within her. It was just the fact that Nadia was an extremely beautiful woman, with brains. She would have made a good wife to Amir and she couldn't help but compare herself with the woman.

She had Maraaishi blood, that was a trump card. No?

"Okay." Haya was thinking on her own and Amir took it the wrong way.

"I really don't understand why you have to act irrational like this, especially when you're still in touch with Prince Hunain."

Haya rolled her eyes.

Amir took her hand in his.

She wanted to tell him that she wasn't being irrational, she wasn't mad at him about it because there was no reason to be mad but before she could, the Crown Prince had started to speak up.

"I've only ever fallen in love with you, I have only ever touched you and yet you are being moody about something that doesn't even matter."

He said, his own mood faltering.

Haya shook her head at him and gazed in his direction.

"It's just that when I think of Nadia, I feel like she would have been the perfect choice for you." She said, letting the thought out loud.

The Prince frowned in confusion, clearly not understanding why she would say that.

"What?"

He asked, confused.

"Don't you think? she is extremely modest but she is also highly educated and she knows how to get work done. She is ambitious but she can also carry herself really well according to your traditions. At the same time, she is family oriented."

She elaborated.

Haya wasn't questioning her ownself, she wasn't being insecure but knowing who Amir was and understanding how tough everything had been for him, she often wondered if a woman from Maraaish would have made it easier.

"And she has Maraaishi blood, which I've just heard matters alot in your family." She added, a little bit bitter now.

Amir let out a soft chuckle, sensing jealousy in her gaze. He knew she would never admit it.

"All I can hear your voice is a little bit of jealousy and a plead for reassurance." Amir murmured, she smacked his chest and rolled her eyes again.

"You are right. Nadia would have made a good wife to me and I would have cherished and respected her,"

He agreed.

Haya waited for him to finish.

"But I have been seeing her since she was only ten years old and there hasn't been a single day where I have looked at her in a different manner."

He explained, smiling as he found her gaze completely on him.

"And you? I looked at you one time and I couldn't even look away. How can you even think that anyone could have made a perfect life partner for me?"

There could be a thousand arguments, a thousand difference of opinions, a thousand things that felt like everything was getting too montonous but such words from him, they always made her feel like she had selected the best person she could. She had made the right choice.

She had married a Prince who was golden in his status and in his heart.

"Especially when my heart beats only for you." Amir added, kissing her hand in affection.

Haya smiled, feeling his beard tickle her hand.

"Good job, Prince Amir. You just scored alot of sex for the night." She joked, merely because she felt too tired to explain that she was fucking lucky.

"And if you show me your dimples, I'll even do all the work." She further added, when he was simply staring at her.

Amir grinned and shook his head.

"That's a man's job, baby. I'm not letting you do all the work." He replied, watching his woman give a playful frown.

"A man's job? Isn't that a little chauvinistic of you?"

"Haya, no."

He let out a huge groan and Haya laughed as he pressed himself against her, not ready to hear her lecture on equality.

And Haya, she could deal with a little bit of inequality when it came to this aspect of her life.

_

Thoughts?