Desert Heat

CHAPTER EIGHT: YOU

Two days later,

Prince Aziz sat in the back of the car seat, his mind still going back to the gruesome information that his stepmother had told him. For the past two days, the council elders had brought beautiful women to the palace for him to choose from, and although they were beautiful, none of them moved his heart.

Now he had only today to pick a wife because tomorrow was his coronation and he had to have his wife beside him; otherwise, he would let down his late mother.

"My prince, you seem as though you are deep in your thoughts; would you mind sharing with me what it is that is bothering you?" Fahd asked Prince Aziz, who turned his attention to Fahd, and concern clouded his face.

"I only have today to find a wife; why would I not be concerned?" he asked Fahd, his personal guard, who simply smiled.

"My Prince, I still do not understand why you have said no to all those beautiful young women that were more than willing to be your wives," Fahd asked the prince, who simply waved Fahd.

"That is the problem, Fahd; those women were willing, and I might even go as far as to say that they were desperate to marry me. Think about it; this has nothing to do with me; they want the title."

"I understand what it is that you are saying, my prince, but we have bigger issues to deal with." Fahd reminded the prince, and his mood changed from good to bad. He had been dreading this day since his mother had informed him about it.

As part of his royal duties, he had to visit one of the kingdom's biggest prisons and release some of the prisoners who had served their time. The thought of visiting a prison has never crossed his mind because he has always been a law-abiding citizen.

"Relax, my prince; by releasing prisoners who have served their time, you would be showing your people how much of a good prince you are." Fahd informed him, but none of his words could soften the prince. 

The car drove all the way to the prison building and then came to a halt. Prince Aziz shut his eyes, inwardly, hoping that this nightmare would end.

After only being in the prison for thirty minutes, Prince Aziz wanted to leave. The conditions of the prison were awful, and this was all due to his late father's negligence. The prison consisted of two sectors, one for men and the other for women who had been involved in feeble matters and other hideous crimes.

The walk through the male side of the prison revealed his late father's negligence, and deep down, Prince Aziz vowed to make a difference. Due to the lack of funding, most of the prisoners were underfed, and the prison cells were far from hygienic. Prince Aziz turned to face the prison warden, a man whose facial expression was hard as though carved out of stone.

"My coronation is tomorrow, and when I become king, I will make sure that you have all you need. I want you to write a list of everything you need here, and I promise I will make sure that it will be handled," Prince Aziz told the warden, who finally cracked a smile.

"Thank you, my prince," the warden said, thanking the prince, and they continued walking through the prison grounds until they reached the women's side of the prison.

The prince, even though armed with Fahd, his personal bodyguard, three more added guards, and the warden, still had to be careful. The warden retrieved a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the cell, leading to the female prison block.

"My prince, I suggest that you are careful; some of these females are likely to do more harm than the men." The warden warned the prince, who took the warning seriously as they walked further into the prison.