# V explained — Khaled > Chapter companion for Khaled by F. Marion Crawford. ## What happens Khaled learns of the Sultan's sudden death, returns to Riad, and is proclaimed king. He confronts Zehowah about her lack of love, while Almasta gains the Sultan's favor by demanding the head of the Sultan of Shammar. ## Themes in this chapter ### Love and Marriage Khaled's love for Zehowah is unreciprocated; he seeks to kindle her affection but she dismisses love as a mere fancy, highlighting the tension between his devotion and her indifference. ### Power and Legitimacy Khaled's succession to the throne is legitimized by the Sultan's will and his marriage to Zehowah, but he must also win the people's acceptance through a speech and feast. ### Deception and Rumor The sudden death of the Sultan is attributed to natural causes by the Jewish physician, but the circumstances—a feast with Almasta and captive women—hint at possible foul play. ## Character check-ins ### Khaled Khaled is woken with news of the Sultan's death, rides to Dereyiyah, oversees the burial, and is proclaimed king. He later confronts Zehowah about her coldness and his unrequited love. ### Zehowah Zehowah mourns her father's death, then later dismisses Khaled's expressions of love as mere fancy, questioning the nature of his feelings. ### Almasta Almasta is presented to the Sultan, who is captivated by her beauty. She demands the head of the Sultan of Shammar as a gift, which the Sultan grants, winning her favor. ### Sultan of Nejed The Sultan dies suddenly after a feast, reportedly from an access of humours. His will names Khaled as his successor. ### Abdullah ibn Mohammed el Herir The Sultan of Shammar is mentioned as the captive whose head Almasta demands; his head is ordered to be struck off. ## Key lines > Arise, my lord! A messenger has come from the army with evil news, and stands waiting in the court. Get up, my lord! A messenger has arrived from the army with bad news and is waiting in the courtyard. _A woman wakes Khaled with urgent news of the Sultan's death._ > Our lord the Sultan is dead! Our master the Sultan has died! _The woman announces the Sultan's death, causing Zehowah to mourn loudly._ > Her face is like a pearl and her hair is a setting of red gold. Truly she is like the sunrise on a fair morning when there are red clouds in the east. Her face is like a pearl and her hair is like a frame of red gold. She is truly like the sunrise on a beautiful morning with red clouds in the east. _The Sultan praises Almasta's beauty when he first sees her._ > His head. The head of the Sultan of Shammar? His head. The head of the Sultan of Shammar? _Almasta demands the head of the captive Sultan of Shammar as a gift from the Sultan._ > Do you think that love is nothing but a whim of the fancy? Do you believe that love is just a passing fancy? _Khaled bitterly questions Zehowah's dismissal of his love as mere imagination._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/khaled_se/chapters/v - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/khaled_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/khaled_se/chapters