The prince was still in the garden, lying under the shade of the giant cypress trees with Jumara wrapped around him protectively.

At the same time, he stared out into the garden with its many rose, lavender and jasmine bushes, elegant trees, the aviary which had a dozen or so birds, a large swimming pool behind amber gates, and the magnificent jasmine-shaped fountain with natural jasmine floating in the water.

Nadir was a very handsome and tall young man of seventeen with a muscular build, wavy shoulder-length hair and brown eyes. According to the law, his eighteenth birthday was less than a week away, and he was dreading it as he had to be married by that time.

He wore regal clothes befitting a crown prince- a light plum silk shirt with puffy three-quarter sleeves, a long dark purple vest with gold trimmings, a purple silk belt, plum-coloured silk trousers, brown clogs, and a purple silk belt and had two gold bracelets on his wrists.

On his head, he had a simple gold crown with a teal jewel to symbolize his rank.

With his intelligent, polite and compassionate though reserved and quiet personality, along with his handsomeness (not that he focused much on his appearance), he was the kind of boy that any princess would love to marry.

That is if they weren't so spoiled, bratty, self-absorbed, over-dressed, obsessed with power and wealth, vain and talked about themselves all the time.

And it was what Nadir disliked significantly combined with the seemingly endless task of choosing one for his wife and queen consort.

All for the sake of an outdated law that he felt was unfair and ridiculous. If he wanted to marry, he wanted it to be for love. If anything, he would rather have his hands chopped off than marry someone he despised.

Being outside in the garden was a welcome solace for Nadir after all the debacle that had happened earlier.

He had a rather unpleasant lunch with the latest princess.

She wished to court him and didn't help her cause as she talked endlessly about herself, never letting him into the conversation and constantly complained about the food.

Of course, being the reserved and serious prince he was, Nadir kept his inner thoughts of disgust and annoyance to himself and let Adil and the tigers express what he was thinking.

But he had to admit that he found Adil's pranks rather amusing, especially the chilli powder, which stopped Princess Samirah's endless prattle and allowed him to escape.

However, he had a feeling that Adil wouldn't get away with it now.

He had heard his mother and brother arguing in the corridors and felt sympathetic towards Adil, as Nadir knew he hated seeing his older brother unhappy and wanted to help him.

He had way too much time on his hands since his governess never watched him properly and was acting out for attention, something he had lacked for a long time.

Nadir did have a good relationship with Adil. Still, he was often too busy with his duties to spend time with him, which only added to the younger boy's boredom and frustration of being ignored, which was the root of his mischief-making, and it was something that Nadir regretted deeply.

Jumara had felt her dear owner's feelings of frustration about having to court princesses as she nuzzled against him, and he gently stroked her, making her purr in content.

'I know, Jumara, I don't like it any more than you do,' Nadir said as the tigress kept purring.

She was a beautiful Bengal tigress and very protective of both Salma and Nadir, ever since her mate (Nadir's father's pet) and Salma's father had died only a couple of years ago.

But with the cub becoming more independent lately, she was free to spend more time with Nadir.

He appreciated it as he felt she was the only one he could confide in with his problems, and Jumara also did not hesitate in taking a few swipes at the princesses.

Neither prince nor tigress enjoyed courting them, and it had been going on for some time, and Nadir was getting tired of it.

If only he had freedom, something he badly wanted, to be free from his life as the crown prince and not be weighed down by his duties and responsibilities.

But he knew that would never happen as he had never made a single decision by himself or even left the palace walls, which were higher than himself and cut him and Adil off from the city as if his mother didn't want them to see life outside the borders.

But he hoped that the opportunity would somehow present itself in a way that he never could imagine.

The warm afternoon sun shone through the branches of the tree, which made him sleepy as he yawned while being oblivious to his mother shouting and calling out to him,

'Nadir, Nadir! Where have you got to?' as she then made her way out to the garden,

Nadir gave a small yawn and snuggled up close to Jumara and dozed off as she too yawned, a little too loud for Nadir's liking as it caught the attention of Saira, who finally found her eldest son snoozing under the cypress trees.

'There he is,' the sultana said as she briskly walked over.

Nadir had barely fallen asleep for two seconds when Jumara nudged him awake, and he then looked up to find his mother looking down at him with a very annoyed look on her face.

'I thought that I would find you here,' Saira said, 'even when she yawns, Jumara can't help but make a huge racket around here!'

'Nice going, Jumara,' Nadir mumbled under his breath as the tigress gave an apologetic grunt.

He then got up from the ground, fake yawned, stretched and straightened out his clothes before facing his mother, who was frowning at him so much that the wrinkles creased on her forehead.

'So this is where you went after leaving your lunch with Princess Samirah,' Saira said,

'And from what I have heard, it was quite the spectacle with you insulting her and your brother playing those dangerous pranks on her since he got away from Jawahir, who is an atrocious governess but my most trusted advisor!

Not to mention both Jumara and Salma ripped her dress to shreds and scratched her! I'm amazed that she wasn't seriously injured!

The poor girl was humiliated beyond belief, and quite frankly, why did your father let you and Adil have tigers only you two can control?'

'Mother, you love Jumara and Salma, and you know it,' Nadir said in his calm tone, although his anger was building up inside him,

'Jumara's mate was Father's tiger after all, and Salma was just playing with the princess, even though she rubbed her the wrong way, didn't she, Jumara?' as he petted her and she purred happily.

'I did not insult the princess, although she deserved to be. She only talked about herself and didn't let me get into the conversation at all.

She never asked me about myself and never stopped talking about she would be a great queen.

She also used inappropriate words when she sat on the scorpions on her chair. But yes, I did find her to be over-dressed, self-absorbed and spoiled, although I was wise not to say anything.

I took my leave of absence when she ate the chilli powder soup, and I'm not sorry she left; she was no different from all the others,' Nadir said, chuckling slightly.

I did find Adil's pranks amusing, but please go easy on him, Mother.

He's only a child, and he's bored and feeling ignored. He wants to help me, and he also wants attention you haven't been giving him lately.'

'Yes, but he's being getting away with it for too long, and he needs a proper punishment!' Saira said as the mother, son, and tiger walked across the garden to the jasmine fountain,

'You two may find it funny, but Adil could have seriously hurt the princess, and you also played a part by rejecting her.

You can't keep on doing this, dear; you can't reject every princess that comes to visit.

You should've chosen your wife months ago! We have a law to fulfil, and the law clearly states that the eldest child of the monarch….'

'Must be married to a royal before their eighteenth birthday,' Nadir said in a somewhat mocking tone.

'I married your father when I was your age, and I had no problems with it. I wasn't picky, and neither was he,' Saira replied,

'But might I remind you that you haven't got much time left, dear, and there may not be any princesses left for you to marry!

Not if you, Adil and the tigers have anything to do with it!'

'Mother, you know I hate being forced into this!' Nadir said, raising his voice,

'The law is ridiculous, wrong and outdated, and I shouldn't have to marry someone I despise to appease a piece of parchment!

I want it to be for love if I marry, but why can't I do that?'

By now, Nadir was sitting on the edge of the fountain, dipping his hand into the cool water and twirling the jasmine flowers that floated by, and Saira sighed and looked into her son's eyes which clouded over with anger and sadness.

'Nadir, darling,' as she sat down beside him and gently stroked his hand, which he initially pulled away but relented and let his mother continue as she spoke softly,

'You have to understand that it's not just the law we have to consider. It's just that I'm not getting any younger, and I want to know that the city will be in excellent and capable hands when I'm gone.

You'll be sultan one day, and don't you think that having a wise, compassionate and caring queen consort will serve you well?

Someone to have by your side, helping you when things become overwhelming, someone who loves Alzawaya and her people just as much as you do?'

'Mother, I am not a snivelling princess who needs someone to hold my hand!' Nadir said rather curtly.

'I could be sultan by myself if only I had learnt to be independent and self-sufficient. You have to realise that I've never made my own decisions and done anything for myself.

I've never even been outside the palace walls! You can't rule a city from the throne room, you know, you need to be out and about, see what is going on behind closed doors.

I've never had any real friends….'

Upon hearing that, Jumara grunted as if to say, 'What about me?'

'Except for you, Jumara and Adil, of course, but he's my brother, and I hardly spend enough time with him as it is.

I should be out there exploring the city, meeting the people and hearing their concerns instead of being a gilded bird trapped in a royal cage.'

Nadir looked at the aviary as he said it and saw the little white birds chirping happily.

'But, Nadir, you're the crown prince,' said Saira,

'This is what you were born to do, and you have to follow the law; otherwise, you'll forfeit the throne, and the city will fall to ruins since Adil is not eligible to rule.'

'Well, maybe I don't want to be the crown prince anymore!' Nadir shouted, angrily splashing the water in the fountain, some of which soaked Jumara as she shook it off,

'Why should I be if I have to act like a wind-up doll like the ones in your collection?'

'Oh Allah, why did you give me two defiant and disobedient sons?' Saira wailed as she hastily made her way inside, practically close to tears.

From his bedroom window, Adil had seen and heard the whole thing and looked sadly at his brother, wishing that he would come and talk to him as he was grounded in his room for an entire week, and it was not fun at all.

Of course, he had Salma for the company, but at this moment, she decided to go to her mother, and Adil saw her run over to Jumara and snuggle against her while the mother tiger licked her cub clean.

'I wish Mama would do that,' he said, 'but no-one pays attention to me. I wish that Nadir didn't have to find a princess to marry, then we all wouldn't be so miserable.'

Adil sighed as he jumped onto his bed and did some doodling on a piece of parchment. It was the only thing that was keeping him amused as Saira had confiscated all his games.

Nadir felt somewhat guilty about his outburst back in the garden, but he knew that he couldn't bottle it up any longer.

He left Jumara to clean Salma, and the cub was making it difficult by trying to wiggle out of her arms and walked over to the aviary.

He opened the door and stroked the head of a little white bird as it came up to him before it, and the others flew out into the late afternoon sky away from the palace.

Nadir looked wistfully at them and wished that he could do the same.

With the sun starting to get lower, he went back inside and walked down the corridor when he saw that the door to Adil's room was open and his brother was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling and bored out of his mind.

'Hey, Adil,' he said, which made the younger boy sit up and smile, 'Mind if I come in for a while?'

'Of course not!' Adil said, and Nadir came to sit beside him. The brothers sat in silence for a while, unsure what to say.

There was so much that they wanted to talk about, mainly what had happened today, but neither could get the words out.

'So,' Nadir said after a while, 'how are you doing? I hope Mother wasn't too hard on you after what you did today.'

'Well, I'm stuck in my room for a week, and I'm bored stupid since Mama took all my games! It's been a while since you've talked to me, but enough about my woes, how are you?

'I know, and I'm sorry, Adil,' said Nadir, 'I really should make more time with you. After all, you are my brother, and Jumara can't solve all my problems.

And I'm sorry that you got grounded; Mother had a good reason to do so, although you were trying to help me.

I hate courting princesses and having to marry for the sake of the law.'

'Me too,' Adil said, 'I wish that you didn't have to go through all this, it's making us all miserable, and I hate being with Jawahir all the time.

It's good she doesn't care about what I do, so I make my fun by plucking Tala's feathers, feeding her crackers, and doodling on Jawahir's documents.

I think that she has a secret lab hidden somewhere, but I haven't found it yet, and when I ask her, she denies it and tells me to stop asking questions and leave her alone. I don't know why Mama trusts her so much.'

'It's because Mother doesn't always know what she's doing and relies too much on Jawahir, although she's more trouble than she's worth. When I'm sultan, I'll get rid of her.' Nadir said.

'Only if you get married first!' Adil said, laughing.

'Don't remind me, please!' Nadir said, also laughing.

The brothers then spent a good hour talking and laughing about all the pranks Adil had played on the princesses, from using itching powder, treacle, putting insects in salads and using some of their mother's scary-looking dolls to frighten them.

'I'm glad we got to talk, Nadir; I've missed that,' Adil said after a while.

'Me too, Adil, we should do it more often,' replied Nadir as they went back to their comfortable silence while they watched the sunset the best they could as the high walls blocked their view.

'I wonder what it's like behind the walls,' said Adil, 'but we're not allowed to leave the palace. Imagine being able to wander the streets freely, not worrying about anything, see how the other half live instead of being cooped up all the time.'

At this point, Nadir, after some long consideration, decided for himself, which was the first time he had done that.

'I'm going to leave,' Nadir said, which made Adil gasp.

'Nadir, are you nuts?' he said, 'you're considering escaping and going out into the city?'

'I have to,' replied Nadir, 'I can't stay here if I have to have my life lived out for me. I'm going to slip out later tonight and have the freedom that I have wanted for so long.'

'But you'll get in trouble!' protested Adil.

'Not if I don't get caught,' said Nadir.