Chapter 45: Return To Kobekistan

It was two years after Nicola returned to Wales that she was recalled to Kobekistan with Prince Ghasaan, as the Ambassador said, “By the direct command of His Magnificence the Emir Mahmoud Abdullah, may he live for ever.” The ‘phone call came at half past two on a Friday afternoon and the Ambassador added, “The aircraft will land at Heathrow by four and will be serviced and ready to leave by six o’clock. The Rolls will have to leave Cowbridge in the next half hour to allow for collecting Prince Ghasaan from school.”

“Did my Master request his presence also?” she asked.

“Most certainly not,” responded the Ambassador angrily, “His Magnificence the Emir Mahmoud Abdullah, may he live for ever, does not request; he commands,” and the ‘phone was put down.

Firmly put in her place, the Princess Aludra phoned the school to warn them, only to discover that they already knew of the trip. Moreover they had been told that the boy would be in school as usual on the Monday.

One of the eunuchs then came down the stairs with a small case which he explained held all the necessary clothes for the week-end. On checking, she discovered only two of the harem gowns had been packed for her, both trimmed with gold and which she had never seen before. Two shalwar and kameez sets had been provided for her son. She shrugged, and thought, ‘When in Rome, I suppose.’

Just before six that evening the Jumbo jet took off for the seven hour flight to Kobekistan which meant that they would arrive at about three in the morning local time. The Princess had hoped to sleep for a while on the flight but the fourteen year old Prince was so excited to be going to see his father that it was obvious that he would not be able to sleep.

The Emir was actually waiting for them at the airport in Kobek and Princess Aludra was, for a moment, excited and honoured to be met thus. She was rudely apprised of her error when the Emir and the Prince got into one car and she was told to go in the other one. At the Triple Palace she was swiftly moved through the harem entrance and into the harem, where everyone was asleep, as might be expected at that hour.

Over breakfast a few hours later she chatted with some of the other concubines, but quickly realised that few of then had any concept of her life back in Wales. Naturally Zub and the Emir’s English wife, Alima, could understand, but Zub was now in her eighties and had aged terribly in the two years Aludra had been away. Alima deliberately snubbed her, which she thought might have been because she had been allowed to go and live in her homeland, which Alima had wished to do herself when her mother Ayda, also married to the Emir, died some years previously.

Several of the other members of the harem had gold trimmed gowns, and when asked a eunuch explained that they were the mothers of the Emir’s acknowledged sons.