Chapter 7: University Life

Sharifa’s arrival in Oxford was quite an event.

The Kobekistani embassy in London had found a “humble lodging” for her; their interpretation of the Emir’s instructions took into account the entourage who accompanied her. There were six bodyguards, for a Princess needs to be protected, and four female attendants, for a Princess cannot be expected to cook or to bathe herself. What they did was buy a three storey block of flats, six units, each with its own entrance. Then they had two of the flats converted to one, six-roomed apartment on the middle floor, and the two flats below it were allocated to the bodyguards. The two above it were assigned to the kitchen and bath girls, and so the Princess Sharifa and her entourage were to be the only occupants. The University were not happy to lose accommodation which normally held a dozen or more students, but the Embassy was uninterested in the University’s problems, and money had been no object.

Sharifa, on the other hand, found the whole building small and her own accommodation felt cramped. Of course there was always at least one eunuch in attendance and having only two bathrooms, four bedrooms, a dining room, and a sitting room seemed very limiting after the spacious harem in the Golden Palace.

The whole building had been furnished in luxury beyond the dreams, or even home environment, of the vast majority of her fellow students, but again she felt it was very drab and depressing. She was determined to improve her environment whenever she could, but with her Kobekistani upbringing she did not actually know how to buy anything, or do anything other than give orders; even then she really did not know what to demand her entourage to acquire to improve her surroundings.

Sharifa arrived at the first lecture on her schedule and her entrance caused all heads to turn. She, herself, was not so impressive as to cause this but the presence of four bodyguards, clearly escorting her, was totally unexpected. They were led by Bahir, an impressively tall and broad man who had a stern expression on his face. Behind him were three other men only slightly less menacing.

Professor Jones stepped forward to greet his most important student, according to the Master of the college, and the four men immediately closed in protectively round her. Bahir said, “Yes?” The Professor felt that anybody would have to be very circumspect rather than get on the wrong side of this man but he was determined not to have his lectures disrupted.

“Are you registered as students here? I was not made aware of four extra students in this lecture?” Then turning to the legitimate students he said, “Please take your seats, including you, Sharifa.”

There was a general movement to the serried ranks of seats, but everyone’s attention was on the confrontation. Professor Jones turned his back on the menacing quartet and said, “Sharifa, please remove your friends. They are not permitted to enter this room, though they may wait in the corridor outside. They may wish to know that there are two doors to this lecture hall,” and he moved slowly down to the lecturer’s desk at the front.