Chapter 2

Hassan: (Mad) What do you mean she has run away?

Mira: Oh my dear baby boy. Don't worry she will come back.

Hassan grabs his mother's arm and pulls her aside.

Hassan: What if she doesn't, mom?

Mira: Amira has never been in a real-world, she can't survive. She will come back. If she doesn't, then you will find her and bring her back. Then you will be the hero of the town, my future prince.

Hassan: (Smiles) I like it. A hero and a prince.

Mira: (Smiles) And of course the king of Hubaib.

Pure evils. Evils living with the pure hearts of the town, and no one noticed. Years and years acting just to be a prince. If only Jaber knew the real face of his wife and son. If only he knew.

Amira was tired of running. Middle of a jungle, alone in the dark. She stopped running. She was standing and looking around. Her wedding dress was not clean anymore. Suddenly, she heard some noises in the bushes. She became terrified. Suddenly a mysterious hand covers her mouth and pulls her down into the bushes.

Palace.

Osama mad in his room with Basheera.

Osama: How? How could she do this to me? To his own father? How?

Basheera says nothing. Although in her mind she says

Basheera: You didn't care she is your daughter and wanted to marry your nephew by force.

Osama yells Nadia's name.

Nadia: (Enters) Yes sir?

Osama: Apologize to the guests and tell them the wedding is over. Aske them to leave. Then tell the guards to go and search for Amira piece by piece of the town.

Hassan enters.

Hassan: Uncle, I will go with them. I will find your daughter.

Osama: Thank you, son.

Hassan goes to the guards.

Hassan: (Shouts) Everybody, let's go and search for the princess.

Jungle.

Amira terrified. She slowly turns her face. She sees a young man's face.

Young man: Shhh.

Amira: (Whispers) What do you want from me?

Young man: Don't worry. I am not a bad man. I am trying to help you.

Amira: Why did you cover my mouth and grabbed me?

Young man: To protect you. Here are full of dangerous creatures. Follow me.

Amira knew she needed help. She has never been in the real world. So she had to trust and follow the young man.

They went and went and reached a small wooden house, middle of the jungle.

Young man: Phew! That was close. You were nearly the bears' dinner.

Amira: Bears?!

Young man: Yeah. You know you have come to the jungle right?

Amira nods.

Young man: Ok, my name is Ben, I am living here for three years now. And who are you?

Amira: My name is Amira.

Ben: Wait. Are you Amira Hakimi daughter of the king and queen of the town of Hubaib?

Amira: Yes.

Ben: does this mean that I am talking to the princess now?

Amira: Don't call me that.

Ben: What?

Amira: I hate everything about being a princess. I am not a born princess.

Ben: Why?

Amira: living in a palace is hell. At least for me. forced to stay at palace 24\7. Forced marriages.

Ben: Oh, that explains your dress. Wait! Have you escaped from your wedding?

Amira: Kind of.

Ben: Oh, my God I am in danger.

Amira: Why?

Ben: Well you have escaped, and I helped you.

Amira: Oh I get it. Fine, I will leave then.

Ben: No, you got me wrong. This is exciting.

Amira: (Shock) exciting?!

Ben: Yeah. I love playing with the guards. Heh.

Amira: (Smiles) You are wired.

Ben: (Smiles) I know. Ok, I assume you are tired. Here you sleep on the bed.

Amira: What about you?

Ben: I will sleep next to the door.

They lay down. Ben turns off the lights.

Ben: Can I say something?

Amira: Yeah.

Ben: Smile looks beautiful on you.

Amira smiles and says nothing. They both closed their eyes and entered their dreamlands.

Hassan and the guards searching for Amira. Hassan was so mad.

Hassan: I will find you Amira. You can't push me away from being a prince.

Sunrise.

The guards were still searching for Amira.

Wooden house.

Amira and Ben still sleeping. A voice woke Amira up. The voice was familiar yet scary. Form near. Hassan's voice yelling her name. She wakes up afraid and she screams

Amira: NO!

Ben wakes up worried.

Ben: Amira? Are you ok?

Amira says nothing and rubs her eyes.

Amira: I should go back.

Ben: What?

Amira: What was I thinking? Escaping? I must go back to the palace.

Ben: But, I thought you hated living in the palace.

Amira: Yeah, I do. But I can't. I won't survive alone.

Ben: Who says you are alone? I am here. I will help you.

Amira: That's nice of you.

Ben: No, I mean it. I will help you. I won't let anyone hurt you, or force you to do something, that you don't want to.

Amira: But, Hassan and the guards are all over this place, I'm sure he is looking for me. If he sees me with you he won't let you go alive.

Ben: I don't care.

Amira fade smiles.

Ben: Let's go.

Amira: Where to?

Ben: Out of here.

Amira: I have to change my look. It's easy to spot me with this dress.

Ben: wait here. I will buy you a dress from the market.

Amira: But

Ben rushes out.

Ben: I will be back soon.

Amira smiles.

Ben runs to the market. He got the first dress he saw and run back to the jungle. While he was running he collapses to Hassan.

Hassan: Watch it.

Ben: I'm sorry.

Ben kept running.

Feisal, the leader of the guards comes to Hassan.

Feisal: Sir, still no path from Princess Amira.

Ben stopped. He turned.

Hassan: Listen Feisal, never come to me and say you have nothing, come to me if you find either a path, clue or her. Understand?

Feisal: Yes, sir.

Ben began running.

Amira was waiting for Ben. She was sitting on the bed and looking at the door. She was worried.

Ben rushes back in.

Amira: Ben. You scared me.

Ben: Shhhh.

Amira: (Worried) What? What?

Ben: (Closes the door. walks closer to Amira.) The guards are here.

Amira: What? Oh, no. Hassan.

Ben: Don't worry. Here, change your dress.

Ben hands the dress. Amira takes the dress and just stares at Ben.

Ben: Oh, sorry.

He turns. Amira changes her clothes.

Amira: Ok.

Ben: Ok, follow my lead.

Amira nods.

They sneak out of the wooden house. They were tiptoeing. Amira's foot got hurt.

Amira: Ouch!

Ben: What?

Amira: My foot collapsed to a rock. It's bleeding. It hurts. Ouch! I can't I should go back.

Ben: Could you stop saying that? Ok, let's see. He rips one of his sleeves and closed the stitch. Ok, you're good. But be careful, because I only have one more sleeve.

They began tiptoeing.

Suddenly Amira began panicking.

Amira: Oh, no.

Ben: What now?

Amira: That's Hassan.

They were only a few steps away from him.

Ben: Ok, plan B.

They turned to the right.

Guard: Sir, I found her.

One of the guards saw them. They all came to them. including Hassan.

Amira began panicking even more.

Hassan: Well. Well. Well. Our beloved princess is trying to run away. not on my watch.

Ben: Cool.

Hassan: What?

Ben: I didn't know you had a watch on your wrist that human being can walk on it.

Hassan: (Confused) Huh?

Ben: You just said it. Not on my watch. You know. I mean I have a watch as well, but (He signals Amira to run while everyone is distracted.) My watch is so small. Only insects can walk on it.

Amira walks back slowly and runs. No one noticed.

Ben: You know what I'm saying.

Hassan: That's an idiom. It doesn't mean that my watch is that big that a person can walk on it.

Ben: If it's not, why did you say it then?

Hassan: It's an idiom ugh! (He turns) Listen Amira. Where is she?!

They turned to Ben. But he was gone as well.

Hassan: Ahhhhh! Find both of them.

The guards spread and went to look for Amira and Ben.

Amira was running. But again she had no clue where to go. So, she stopped. Ben joins her.

Ben: Why did you stop?

Amira: Ben?! How did you?

Ben: I told you guards are my toys.

Amira: I don't know where to go.

Ben: Ok, then follow me.

Amira follows Ben.

Ben: Who is this Hassan guy anyway?

Amira: My cousin. He was the groom last night. He just wants to be a prince. He fooled everyone and pretended that he is that perfect boy.

Ben: Oh.

Amira: Where are we going?

Ben: my friend's house. He is safe don't worry.

Amira: Are we out of Hubaib yet?

Ben: Yeah, like for 24 hours now.

Amira: What?!

Ben: The jungle you were in is 20 meters out of Hubaib. Wow, you really haven't been out of the palace have you?

Amira: No.

Ben: Ok, then, let's have a look at the world first. We are now in Gallo. 100 meters after Hubaib. They have no royal family; they just have a leader. My friend lives here, but let's check out the town first.

Amira: (Smiles) Ok.

They went to the museum. To the park, market, everywhere. Amira was so happy. She was living her dream. She was excited. It was her perfect life. Just like how she imagined for years.

Night.

They went to Ben's close friend, Fred. They got two separate rooms.

Ben: I am room next door, anything you need, just come to me.

Amira: Thank you.

Another day ended. This time it was different. Good different. Amira smiles and closes her eyes.

Ben's room.

Ben had a great day as well. He smiles and closes his eyes.