Chapter 16: A New Khan

"Put the ex-Khan on the whipping bench," ordered the Emir.

When this had been done, he was offered a whip but waved it away with the comment, "I would not use that on this worm. It would be a defiling of the whip."

Swiftly, he drove his prick into the unprepared arse before him, causing an immense amount of pain to the hapless vanquished wretch. Immediately, he withdrew and used the man's kameez to wipe himself thoroughly.

"Good," he ordered, "Take this worm away. Take the women back to the harem. As a reward, the soldiers in the guard detail may each take one of the other harem concubines back to Kobekistan with him, but I have said that these four women will not be abused further."

Turning to the Vizier after the captives had left, the Emir said, "I have no quarrel with the people of Tirfil and I don't want to annex the country. My army will withdraw in good order behind our boundaries, taking some rewards with them, naturally. After that you will have to sort your country out without any help from us. If there are any further problems with your people making raids across the border we will return and cleanse this land of all people, but if you keep to your boundaries we will not interfere again. Is that clear?"

The Vizier could not believe his ears, "You want me to be in charge here, Your Magnificence?"

"Yes. I make you the new Khan by my decree, and the country of Tirfil is yours to rule. Whether you can keep the job is a matter between you and the people of Tirfil, but if the country is to be put on its feet again it needs an experienced administrator in charge. We will leave over the next two days. As I promised them, the four women are now yours."

The Vizier, now Khan, fell to the floor in grateful obeisance saying, "Magnificence, may you live for ever and have many sons, never will my people trouble Your Magnificence again. It was against my advice that this trouble was started."

The Emir swept out of the room, accompanied by his personal bodyguard, thinking that the Vizier was far too quickly converted from an enemy to a lifelong friend ever to be trusted.

Out of the Palace, the Emir ordered, "When we have withdrawn, close the border and double the guards. Nobody at all is to be allowed into Kobekistan across that border, whatever passport they may hold. Even Kobekistani citizens must return to us via Abu Dhabi. I don't trust that new Khan any further than I could throw him."