Chapter 22: Kobekistan

Seven hours later the plane landed at the airport. Before they were allowed to leave the plane the stewardess handed Gwenllian and her daughter an abaya each before putting on hers.

“Do we have to?” asked Gwenllian.

“Yes, mam, we do. Now don’t argue,” answered her daughter. As the door of the aircraft opened the first thing that Gwenllian felt was the heat of the sun and its brightness. She also noted the very dry air as they walked out on to the steps that led to the very affluent looking car at the bottom.

“Talk about red carpet treatment,” Nicola’s mother muttered when she saw a carpet had indeed been laid out that led to the car. “I thought there would be someone here to meet us,” said Gwenllian.

“Shush, mam. I’m sure Sharifa has her reasons.” Privately though, Nicola was a little disappointed that her friend had no met them. Nicola and her mother descended the steps and a tall muscular man bowed as he opened the car door.

“Highnesses,” he said as he did so. When they got in there was another woman waiting in an abaya.

“I bet you thought I wasn’t going to meet you,” came a familiar voice from behind the abaya.

“Sharifa!” cried Nicola and hugged her friend tightly. Gwenllian was taken a little aback at her daughter’s reaction but said nothing.

“Welcome to Kobekistan Mrs. Price,”

“Thank you, your...”

“Sharifa, please,” interrupted Sharifa, “We only have a short drive and we’ll be out of these things. So sit back and enjoy the ride.”

While Nicola and her friend chatted Gwenllian looked out of the window and observed life in Kobek city. There was the hustle and bustle she was used to in Cardiff. People shopping and going about their business. The one thing that Gwenllian took note of was the fact that every female was covered from head to toe. ‘What sort of a backward country is this that even Royalty has to cover up,’ she thought. Another thing she wondered was just what her daughter had got them both into.

Arriving at the Golden Palace a few minutes later the man in the front passenger seat got and opened the door, bowing respectfully as Sharifa, Nicola and her mother got out. Several tall men came forward and took their luggage inside and they followed them into the Palace. Although she had only caught a glimpse of the Palace before being ushered inside, Gwenllian almost got dizzy at the sheer height of the building.

Inside was just as overwhelming. The enormously high ceiling combined with the spaciousness simply took her breath away. Nicola and her mother were led to an apartment and the men deposited their luggage on the floor before leaving after giving a respectful bow. Their suite contained a large living room and the bedroom had two large beds.

“Oh wow! This is fantastic,” declared Gwenllian as she sat on the bed and bounced. Sharifa smiled.

“I’m sure you are tired and would like to freshen up,” she said and clapped her hands twice. The door that led to the bathroom opened and two scantily dressed girls came out and pressed their heads to the floor in front of Sharifa. Nicola guessed at once what was going to happen. She wondered if her mother had done so.

~Bath, ~ instructed Sharifa. The two girls remained silent but got up and led the two women into the bathroom. Remembering her experience back in Oxford, Gwenllian simply submitted as the girls proceeded to undress her and her daughter before getting into the bath and letting them do everything.

“This is the life, eh mam?” said her daughter. Gwenllian simply groaned as the young woman rubbed her gently with the sponge that gave off a wonderfully soothing fragrance.

“Wonderful,” she muttered. Nicola was amazed at how her mother had adapted so quickly. After their bath and massage Gwenllian dressed in a floral summer dress but decided to rest on the bed while Nicola left to seek out Sharifa.

“Mam?” Gwenllian woke with a start. “What time is it?” she asked her daughter.

“You’ve been asleep for an hour and a half. Sharifa is outside with someone she’d like you to meet,”

“The Emir?” Gwenllian got up and brushed her hair before going into the living room where Nicola, Sharifa and a woman in her late sixties were waiting.

“Mam, this is Princess Zubeydeh, mother of the Emir,”

“How do you do, your Highness?” said Nicola’s mother as she curtseyed.

Zubeydeh laughed. “Call me Zub. Everyone else does,” she said.

“I’m Gwennie,” answered Nicola’s mother as she extended her hand.

Zubeydeh turned to the younger women. “I’m sure you girls have some catching up to do.” Then she turned to Gwenllian. “Perhaps you would like to join me for some light refreshment in my quarters?”

“I’d be very honoured,” replied Gwenllian. The two girls had left the suite and Zubeydeh led Gwenllian on the tour of the harem. What really caught her eye was the fact that the women were dressed in nothing but one button gowns similar to the one Nicola had given to her as a present. The gowns hid nothing as she could freely see the women’s breasts and the fact that they were shaved in their very private area. She felt a little annoyed at Nicola for not being honest with her.