"When you told me we were going to go see a Wild West show, I thought there would be cowboys and horses - not mouses", Ahmed said as he helped Amy to get seated in the VIP lounge. Amy looked the arena through the glass and giggled at Ahmed's comment. She took a seat, thanking him silently.

"Well, Mickey is part of the performance. It's Disneyland after all - Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show would be nothing without Mickey being there", Amy said and watched as the prince sat next to him. He looked confused.

"Mickey…?" Ahmed asked. "Is that the mouse?"

"Yeah. – Come on, you know Mickey, right?" Amy touched his arm gently, finding it amusing how stiff Ahmed looked in this environment. Everyone else in the crowd below were wearing mouse ears and impatiently waiting to see the characters. They all knew they were going to have a good time - but here was Ahmed, terrified about what was to come.

"I have never heard of him in my life. How are we supposed to see him all the way from here? I thought I got us the best seats possible, but if a mouse runs through the arena, there is no way we can see it without binoculars", Ahmed said and Amy had to check if he was being serious. Seemed like it. She wanted to laugh, but it would've probably be considered rude.

"You don't know who Mickey Mouse is…?" Amy asked. Ahmed shook his head a little. "Only the most famous mouse in the world!"

"Mouses are not my business", Ahmed said.

"It's mice", Amy had to correct him. Ahmed looked confused. "The plural of a mouse - it's mice."

Ahmed seemed even more anxious and uncomfortable. Amy was observing him, trying to figure out what was causing it. This was supposed to be fun, for both of them. Amy had never been to Disneyland, and she had never thought about going either, because the place was always too expensive for their holiday budgets or too far away, but with the prince's help, they were able to get the best kind of treatment one could imagine. So, their first time in Disneyland couldn't get any better than this.

Except, for Ahmed it probably could.

"Why are you so nervous? Just try to relax. If you're worried about your horses, they can wait - no, actually, they will wait. We have time to just enjoy ourselves for once", Amy said.

"I just…" Ahmed clenched his jaw, "I feel lost."

"Lost?"

"I do not know anything about this place. Why these people come here to see mous— mice", he corrected himself before Amy could. He was even insecure about the way he spoke.

"It's a cartoon character", Amy explained, since it seemed like Ahmed hadn't realized it yet. The expression on his face changed.

"Cartoon…? Animated?" Ahmed checked. Amy nodded. "Oh… I feel so stupid now. What must you think of me", he blushed out of embarrassment, trying to hide his face. Ahmed figured this needed explaining. "Where I grew up, we did not watch television, there was no time for that. We entertained ourselves with other things."

"Well, it's never too late to get to know this world", Amy spoke softly. "We might be adults, but adults can love the magical world of animation too, right?"

"I suppose so", Ahmed nodded stiffly.

"And what better way than this", Amy said. "You might think you've seen horses perform, but never like this, I'm sure."

And as soon as she had said it, the lights dimmed and the Wild West Show was about to begin.

"That was incredible!" Ahmed cheered as they left the lounge after the show. "I was truly entertained! The tricks, the horses, the people, even the mouse - astonishing!"

"See? I told you!" Amy couldn't help but smile at how happy Ahmed was about this. Something about the way he was just beginning to explore the world that Amy took for granted gave her immense amount of joy. Ahmed was acting like a little kid, learning something new every day - and in a way he was: he had been brought up in an environment where he had not been allowed to be a child. As soon as he could walk, they had considered him a small adult. People had expectations when it came to royalties and from the very young age, Ahmed had been taught to fulfill those expectations. Amy was happy to be there for him now, guiding him through all the things he could have had had he been "just a normal kid".

"Amy…" Ahmed stopped and gently turned her to face him. "I want to thank you. You have given me so many new experiences, things that are not in my… how do you say - comfort zone. I feel more liberated, like a completely different person."

Amy was flattered by his words and even blushed a little. Shifting the attention from her, she had something to say too.

"It's been good for me as well. Which is why I want to thank you too. I could have never had these experiences back home or even dreamt about doing all of this if it wasn't for you. I don't know how I could ever repay this", Amy said.

"You do not have to pay me. You already help me with my horses - and with my feelings too", Ahmed spoke. His face turned from delighted to much more serious one, but they were then interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Amy! I can't believe you really made it!"

Amy turned to look on her right, as Ahmed dropped his hands down from her arms, and noticed an old friend standing just few feet away.

"Mallory!" Amy rushed to hug her. They embraced each other and Ahmed was left waiting on the side. "It's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too… Wow, you look amazing!" the younger woman admired Amy from head to toe. "The clothes, your hair - what happened to you!" Mallory was stunned.

"Thanks, Mallory. You look great too", Amy complimented her. "I have to say, I wasn't aware you were in Disneyland. When you said you were part of a Wild West Show, I thought it was–"

"Different? Yeah, I know", Mallory completed her sentence, nodding knowingly. She had heard this before. "I didn't know it was going to be like this either, but it's not bad. Like I said, it's different."

"Good different, I hope…?" Amy was sensing something in Mallory's voice.

"Let's just put it like this: Disney movies have not been the same ever since I saw Mickey taking his head off to have a lunch", Mallory explained and made Amy laugh.

"But you're still with Jake, right?" Amy checked.

"Yeah, of course", Mallory smiled gently. "Things are good with him, so it's worth the Mickey traumas and all. Anyway - how you've been? What's new? Tell me everything!" she insisted.

"Well, like I told you in the text message earlier, I'm touring here in Europe", Amy said, trying to think what she could possibly tell to Mallory and what she would even find interesting. She couldn't remember what had already happened before Mallory and Jake had left to France last spring - the whole year had been such a rush.

"So you've really upped your game, huh", Mallory was amazed. "You traveling alone?"

"Not really. In fact", she turned to Ahmed, "Ahmed, why don't you come and introduce yourself." Amy ushered him with her hand. The prince walked closer, smiling nervously. He was fine with giving orders to his peers, but his people skills still needed some work.

"Wait a minute - don't I know you?" Mallory asked. "He looks familiar - why does he look familiar?" she talked to Amy almost like Ahmed wasn't in the room at all.

"This is Ahmed. Prince Ahmed Al Saeed", Amy corrected herself this time. Mallory's jaw dropped.

"Prince… The prince?" Mallory checked.

"Yes, the prince", Amy was hoping Mallory would know this wasn't the time to let anything indiscreet out of her mouth. She knew what Ahmed's reputation was - or had been - back when Mallory had still been around. But he had changed a lot since then and Amy was hoping to prove it. "He is my boss now."

"Please, Amy, there is much more to us than just the working relationship", Ahmed said and greeted Mallory with a handshake. He was however looking at Amy - just like Mallory was -, but while Ahmed looked more pleasant, Mallory looked almost horrified. The younger woman wasn't sure how to interpret his words, because to her it looked like she wasn't the only one dealing with a change: Amy could have been a princess as far as she was concerned. The way she dressed and carried herself wasn't like her at all. And what Ahmed had just said about them, made Mallory even more confused.

"You mean…?" Mallory didn't want to assume anything out loud until someone would say something further.

"We are friends as well", Ahmed said, not even realizing the weird tension that was hovering in the air. "It is strange for me - I have never befriend someone I work with."

"Yeah, that's right. We are friends", Amy nodded, feeling relieved as soon as the prince had established that. She wasn't blind, though - something about the way Mallory looked at her made her see how the suspicions were starting to grow in her little head. Mallory had always been somewhat invested in everyone's relationships, to say the least.

"And Ty…?" Mallory wanted to make sure she was getting this right.

"Uhm…" Amy could feel herself choking up. Being aware how much Mallory had always thought of her and Ty as the perfect couple, she felt terrible for being the one who would eventually have to break her the news. Not only was Ahmed listening to their personal conversation, but Mallory would surely make a scene as soon as she'd heard the engagement was off. "I'll tell you all about it later, if that's okay?"

"Sure…" Mallory nodded, but gave Ahmed a subtle stink eye. Something didn't sit right here.