One theme is the desire for freedom. Malika's desire for freedom began at an early age. When she was sent to live at the home of King Hassan II to be a playmate and sister to the king's daughter, Malika's life was in turmoil. She knew that she should be grateful for the opportunities provided, but she wanted only the freedom to live her life. When she returned home as a teenager, she sought the freedoms typical of any teenager. She slipped out of the house at night and spent evenings in nightclubs, dancing and spending time with other young people out for fun. Later, Malika went away to school, living under an assumed named in the hope that she could live an unobtrusive life, but that dream came crashing down when a plot to kidnap her was discovered.