Chapter 34: Zubeydeh's Return

The harem was all coming and going and whispers and giggles. The normally tranquil, even languid boredom was changed. Everyone knew why within minutes; the Princess Zubeydeh was coming back! Someone had heard the Chief Eunuch giving orders for her reception at the doors of the Golden Palace. That in itself was strange; usually the escorting eunuchs brought new women straight into the harem anteroom, but it seemed that the Princess Zubeydeh was expected to arrive alone and possibly even walking from the airport!

Eventually the telephone rang in the Chief Eunuch's office and he could be heard saying, "Hold her there until my men arrive. Remember she is the mother of the Emir, may he live for ever; it would be most unwise to amuse yourselves with her."

Soon after that she was brought into the anteroom of the harem in purdah. The women crowded round the tiny peepholes which allowed them to look into the anteroom from the harem itself. Usually this was forbidden, and the holes were used by the junior eunuchs to get the timing of parades of women right, or the bringing in of food. This day nobody moved a muscle as the first woman sidled up to one of the apertures and soon there were two or three women vying for each one.

Zubeydeh was brought in to the room in an abaya and told to wait there. Then the Emir came in from the main Palace and spoke to her as she knelt in the obeisance position. The watchers could not hear what was said, but soon she stood up and removed the abaya to reveal that she was wearing Western clothes. These she quickly discarded and stood before the Emir naked. The watchers wondered whether he would take her there and then, but she knelt before him and said something which was again frustratingly inaudible. Then the Emir turned and left, and the eunuchs brought the Princess into the harem proper. Quickly she was bathed and shaved, and dressed in the bolero jacket and split trousers that they all wore. Then she came out into the main harem and sat down.

It was crucial to the social standing of everyone, and to the interactions between these bored women who had nothing to do all day but intrigue one against another, to know where she stood in the pecking order. If Zubeydeh moved in at the top, everyone went down one rung and it would be most demeaning for those at the top, and particularly for Maryam. If she did not, that would confirm Maryam's position as the Emir's favourite and there was a sizeable faction who thought she would be even more big-headed than she was already.

Ayat, one of the more daring concubines approached and asked, "Princess, we welcome your return. Will you be using the Head Wife's suite again?"

Almost before she had finished the question she was grabbed by a eunuch and thrown down on to a whipping bench. She knew better than to move, or to ask what her error was. Perhaps the Princess's status was now so high that a mere concubine was not even allowed to address her. Then she noticed that Zubeydeh had been thrown onto the next bench along. The Chief Eunuch arrived post haste, and addressed them both.

"You both know what the punishment is for claiming or using an honorific to which a woman in this harem is not entitled. Six strokes each. These will be laid on alternately since you are both equally guilty. Zubeydeh is Zubeydeh and the honorific 'Princess' is strictly reserved only for those the Emir decrees. We have, as yet, no Princess in this harem. Highness Maryam is the only member of the household to have a title bestowed by the Emir, may he live for ever."

Hiss — THWACK!

The first blow fell on Ayat's thighs, midway between the knee and the under curve of her arse. He was using the long thin birch cane which would not only sting, but would bruise so that the pain would stay for days. The dark olive skin immediately turned almost black, a colour it would retain for some time.

"This disobedience will not help you to be noticed by the Emir, mah he live for ever," advised the Chief Eunuch, "Neither of you will be fit to be seen by him for days, let alone used."

Neither woman dared to try to protested her innocence, although Zubeydeh had had no chance to correct Ayat, and Ayat had had no way of knowing that Zubeydeh's status had fallen so dramatically.

Hiss — THWACK!

This blow fell in exactly the same place, but on Zubeydeh's white English thighs. The Chief Eunuch pondered on the different reaction of white and Arab skin. Zubeydeh's thighs were turning red and then darkening to purple. He ignored her scream of pain, being well aware that she had never been caned properly in her life. He was also well aware of the danger he was running. The Emir had ordered him to be as harsh as might be necessary to show Zubeydeh that she was back in the harem on sufferance, almost as a refugee from England. At the same time she was the Emir's mother. Furthermore, the Emir had used her as a concubine, mouth, cunt and arse, just before she had returned to England with the little stupid English girl who could have been the Princess and First Wife if she had only had the sense to accept the offer. Mother, concubine, and refugee. Caning her was for the refugee; he only hoped that the Emir still though of her as a refugee on the morrow.

Hiss — THWACK!

'Higher on Ayat's thighs, almost in the crack where her lovely moons rose from the plains. Exactly where I aimed, ' was the satisfied thought of the Chief Eunuch, who had a poetic turn of mind.

Hiss — THWACK!

There were screams of agony and much thrashing about from Zubeydeh as a second line appeared on the white thighs. The Chief Eunuch was a merciful man, so he ordered her to be shackled in position. If she moved too far he would be bound to restart the punishment.

Hiss — THWACK!

A low moan broke from the lips of the Arab woman as the third stroke laid a dark band across the lower reaches of her arse cheeks. The blow had been skilfully curved in a little to maximise the impact. There was no trace of the cane skidding off at an angle. The Chief Eunuch was pleased he retained his skill with this particular instrument, despite his lack of practice.