Chapter 20: Re-Training Rubina

After ten weeks of unremitting attempts, the Chief Eunuch knew he was unlikely ever to train the recalcitrant but beautiful new slave, Rubina, to accept that her lot in life was to loll around in the harem almost naked until she was taken to a man's bed. Even more was he convinced that she would never consent to being a bedroom plaything for just any man to whom her Master chose to lend her. Just shaving her required five eunuchs to strap her down and even at that she was cut by the razor several times.

"Master," he said to the Emir, "It is time to replace your Chief Eunuch."

"Why would I want to do that?"

"Master. There is a slave in the harem who has defeated me. I cannot train her for the duties of a hostess, or a concubine."

"Which one?"

"Master, she is the Italian woman whom the Bedouin sent as a present."

The Emir considered for a moment and the Chief Eunuch nearly had a heart attack as he thought it was possible that the young and inexperienced Emir would take his resignation at face value, rather than as the formal but essentially meaningless protestation that was intended.

"Might she make a good quarry for the hunt?" enquired his Master.

"Master, the hunt itself would be a perfect place for her," replied the Chief Eunuch wryly, remembering the fights over utterly trivial things such as wearing the harem uniform of a thigh length silk dressing-gown which buttoned only at the throat, "But I fear the 'kill' would not be acceptable to most of the huntsmen."

"Really spirited is she?"

"Master, she half killed one of my eunuchs who tried to put a dildo in her. What she would do to one of the older huntsmen if he tried to use her, I dread to think."

"Hmm. Some of the huntsmen would like that. There are often complaints that the quarry is willing to be caught because it means a thorough shafting, and so does not hide well enough and then does not fight back on the divan."

"This one would fight enough for any man, Master," the Chief Eunuch assured him, "and she will not be in the least pleased to be caught."

"Right, send her to the Master of Quarry, Ramzy El-Najjar; he can train her and we'll get some use out of her yet. Oh, and how soon do you want to be replaced?"

The Chief Eunuch was appalled and it showed; tears brimmed in the creature's eyes.

"Will after I die be soon enough?" the Emir asked, making it clear that it had been a joke.