Part 7: Retirement - Never

It never seemed to the advisors to be a good time to hand over power completely to their chosen successors.

Of course in military matters the replacement of General Mustapha happened automatically as Colonel Bahjat ibn Sultan was promoted to General and now Field Marshal Mustapha automatically retired.

Perhaps the most successful civilian change had been that of Ghada Baroud replacing Hajji Kofi Natsheh, but that had been forced upon them by an instant decision of the Emir.

The least successful was that of Mahmoud Ibn Sultan taking over from Hajji Darwish Dosmukhamedov, who still at ninety years old kept most of the economic power in his hands and often over-ruled his nominal deputy.

Somewhere between the two was Amjad ibn Sa’id who acted as number two for many undistinguished years to the ageing Kamal Qumsiyeh. Of course the Head of Protocol had little to do in the normal run of things unless, and until, there were major changes in the Golden Palace.

Chapter 61: The Perils Of Exercise

Few of the Emirs of Kobekistan ever died in their beds. Most were assassinated, often on behalf of one or other of their sons, who would then ascend to the throne. His Magnificence, the Emir Mahmoud Abdullah was the subject of several attempts by Crown Prince Mustapha to overthrow him during the fourteen years following the Tirfil war, though the young Prince never attempted patricide as a route to the throne.

Thus it was that His Magnificence, the Emir Mahmoud Abdullah was one of the fortunate few Emirs to die in his bed. He was rarely alone when he was in his bed, and so it transpired that he was not alone when his unexpected demise occurred, having just retired for the night.

At the relatively young age of sixty-five, when most men blessed with high quality medical care and good living conditions could look forward to twenty-five or more years of active life, the Emir was busily thrusting his penis deep into the freshly striped arse of a young concubine when he felt a split second of agony, as though someone had crushed his chest in a vice.

His corpse fell heavily on to the woman and his sphincters relaxed, filling her bowels with his urine and covering the lower part of the bed with faeces.

Realising that something was very wrong an attendant eunuch called the Chief Eunuch who, in turn, called the Emir’s doctor. After a cursory examination of his patient in situ, the doctor ordered the body to be lifted off the woman. The Chief Eunuch sent her off to the harem to be cleaned up and calmed down, and supervised the cleaning of the body and had it laid out on the royal bed. Then, and only then, he called the Crown Prince Mustapha to the royal bedroom.

“What does the old fool want now, and at this hour?” asked the Crown Prince when he arrived outside his father’s room.

The Chief Eunuch made a deep obeisance and said, from the floor, “Your Magnificence, may you live for ever and have many sons, may wish to see his father.”

The Prince was not stupid, and realised from the form of address that his father had died.

“Who killed him?” he asked.

“Your Magnificence, may you live for ever and have many sons, the doctor says he had a massive heart attack and died instantly,” replied the Chief Eunuch.

The Prince went into see his father’s corpse. Then he cross-questioned the doctor for some minutes until he was satisfied that the man truly believed that the late Emir’s death was not by poison.

Turning to the Chief Eunuch he asked, “Who else knows about this?”

“Master, truly I do not know.”

Sensing that this was avoiding giving an answer to the question, the Prince snarled, “Tell me, now, or in my rooms.”

The threat of torture was well understood by the Chief Eunuch, so he decided to be honest, for once, “Master, I was not present when he died, but a junior eunuch was in attendance, also one of the harem. I imagine half Kobekistan knows by now that you are Your Magnificence, the Emir Mustapha, may you live for ever and have many sons.”

The new Emir thought for a moment and then said, “Have my father’s body brought to the Throne Room in an hour, to lie in state. Then prepare this room for me. I shall sleep here tonight. Have the same concubine prepared for me. I am minded to try any woman whose charms are splendid enough to excite a man to death. The rest of the harem can be dealt with later; do nothing with them until tomorrow.”

The Chief Eunuch was much relieved to know that he was not to be summarily dismissed, or even executed, as could easily happen to the bringer of bad news to Mustapha. Empathy not being one of the Chief Eunuch’s strong points, it did not occur to him that his father’s death might be regarded as good news by the recipient.

He had no idea what the young new Emir would do with his late father’s harem. Traditionally they would all have been strangled, but the late Emir had not followed that tradition and so, perhaps, his son would not do so either.

The new Emir went straight to the Throne Room which was rapidly filling as the news reached the various notables. Beckoning to Kamal Qumsiyeh, the ninety-one year old nominal Head of Protocol, the new Emir rapidly learned what the appropriate ritual was. Seating himself on the throne, he nodded to the Major Domo, who banged his mace on the floor.

All those present made deep obeisance to their new ruler.

“Shut the doors,” thundered His Magnificence, the Emir Mustapha, may he live for ever, as latecomers tried to enter, and the guards hastened to do his bidding.

Then he stood and nodded to the Major Domo, who pounded the floor again. As one the assembled worthies rose and applauded the new Emir. After allowing the applause to continue for some time he held up a hand for silence.

“The body of my late father will lie here in the Throne Room for one day for all who wish to do so to pay their last respects. His funeral rites will be performed soon after the sun sets.”

Again he nodded and again the Major Domo signalled to the assembly and they all filed quietly out.

Chapter 62: Time For Thought

The new Emir went back to the Ruby Palace to sit quietly for a while to gather his thoughts about the changes to be made to the Triple Palace, and particularly to consider the position of his half-sister, the Princess Elaheh.

After much thought he decided to give her two choices, she could remain in the Golden Palace as a member of his harem, and try to bear him a son, or she could die trying. In either case, he would enjoy the use of her body that night, if he had to whip her to death first. All the nonsense of her being a man in the Emerald Palace would end, but he did not bother to promulgate that, assuming it had expired with his father’s demise.

Making his way to the Emir’s suite in the Golden Palace, he was surprised and pleased to note that the room was perfectly prepared for his use, and the concubine he had ordered was waiting for him.

“What were you doing when my father died?” he asked.

“Master, I was obeying his commands,” said the girl, very frightened.

“Exactly what was he doing?” the new Emir asked.

“Master, he was using my arse,” the girl whispered.

“Thank you. I shall continue where he left off. Get into whatever position you were in and prepare yourself.”

The concubine was horrified at this order, but wisely obeyed, kneeling on the bed with her arse high and her hands holding her arse open for the new Emir to sodomise her. The new Emir lost no time in thrusting into her and soon reached a climax, gushing a copious offering of semen into her bowels. Then he stood and waved to the eunuch to take her away.

“Send in the Chief Eunuch,” he ordered.

That worthy was waiting outside the door of the suite in anticipation of such a request and came fussily into the room.

“Master?” he asked.

“I will keep that one. I will also have the Princess Elaheh in the Golden Palace harem; move her immediately. The other members of the so called harem in the Emerald Palace are to be sold, males, females and eunuchs. The female members of the Golden Palace harem are to be sold if they have been here more than one year, except for my father’s wife, Alima and her children; they can return to England with a pension tomorrow. The twenty youngest women in the harem from the Ruby Palace will be moved in here tonight, and the rest can be sold. Use the Ruby harem as quarters for all the women to be sold until it has been arranged. Did you get all that?”

“As the Master pleases,” said the Chief Eunuch.

“Bring me a concubine who has not been used by my father in the last couple of months, and a young one at that, for tonight,” added the new Emir, “And let it be known that I want some virgins as presents on my accession.”

Chapter 63: Elaheh’s Downfall

Princess Elaheh was not at all pleased to be given peremptory orders via the Chief Eunuch in the middle of the night to move into the Golden Palace. She was still less pleased to hear that she could not bring any of her harem with her. She had a nasty feeling that her half-brother had some very unpleasant plans for her, and she wondered what measures she could take to protect herself and her entourage. Bleakly she remembered that a woman here had few rights, and she seriously doubted that her father’s long-standing edict that she was to be treated in all respects as a man would still be in force.

The next morning she was taken to the Emir’s bedroom and told to wait there. She waited all morning and half the afternoon before the Emir finally appeared. She fell to the floor in a deep obeisance, inwardly quaking at the prospect of learning her fate.

“Well, Elaheh, what are we to do with you?” he asked, and wisely she did not reply, or rise.

“Up.”

The Emir looked her up and down, dressed as she was in the short silk gown of his father’s harem which buttoned only at the neck.

“Strip,” his tone was not harsh; he sounded almost bored.

The Princess slipped the button and dropped the gown, standing before him naked, feet apart, eyes down in the approved stance of a slave being inspected by a prospective buyer. The Emir walked slowly round behind her.

“Bend,” again the bored tone.

Hiss ... CRACK!

The riding crop landed on her buttocks in an unexpected cut which made her stagger slightly, though she managed not to cry out.

“That is so that you are aware of your position. Now hold still.”

The Emir’s hand stroked one full buttock and slid down the crack and a finger was insinuated into her cunt.

“Hmm. Wet, I see,” said the Emir, “You want me to use you, I suppose? Suddenly I am not the hated brother, but the beloved Master am I?”

Elaheh said nothing.

Hiss ... CRACK!

The second cut was harder, but she was ready for it.

“Answer when I ask a question.”

“As the Master wishes,” she replied after some thought.

“Well, they tell me that you have had more pricks than I have had hot dinners, and they say you have taken very good care not to bear a child. Both of those will change; you will be fucked only by me, and rarely at that, and then lick me clean. But you will most definitely not take any measures to avoid bearing me a child, or several if I like the first one. What do you say to that, my proud sister?” the voice was gloating now.

Elaheh decided there and then to make a stand, “Never will I bear you a child. Never will I come willingly to your bed. Never will I suck your cock without biting it,” she said, knowing it would only anger him, and half hoping he would have her killed.

“No, my dear,” he said, “No, you won’t escape like that. I will whip you until you obey. Tonight I will take you whatever happens, and tomorrow, or the next day, or the next you will beg me to fuck you.”

“Never,” she spat, and stood up.

“Shackle her to the bench,” he said to the Chief Eunuch and she was quickly pinioned face down with her arms and legs firmly fastened.

Her arse stuck up in the air with both orifices available to him, and her breasts hung either side of the central bar. Moving behind her, the Emir prised her arse cheeks apart and dug into her narrower passage with three fingers.

“Not oiled?” he asked in surprise, “Do the eunuchs of the Golden Palace not oil women brought to the Emir’s bedchamber?”

A frightened eunuch hastily oiled Elaheh’s arse and then stammered, “M-master.”

The Emir ignored him and pushed four fingers painfully into her brown rosebud.

“Not often used, this entrance,” he commented, “Might be nice and hot, but not tonight.”

He pushed himself firmly into her vagina which, to her horror, was already wet in anticipation from his handling of her, despite her resolve not to cooperate with him. Thrusting hard and steadily, he punctuated his rhythm with slaps to the sides of the hanging breasts. When he felt some involuntary movements of her body back on to his lunging prick he laughed, “Like it, don’t you? Well here’s your first baby, if you are lucky.”

With that he pumped frantically for a few seconds and then exploded into her womb.

“Take her away and give her twelve lashes,” he said to the eunuch, “and three for whoever didn’t oil her arse. She can stay on the whipping bench for tonight and have twelve more in the morning. Then put her in a breeding frame and bring her to me after breakfast. Tonight I’ll have one of the new virgins, I think.”

Princess Elaheh was wheeled back to the harem where the Chief Eunuch obeyed the orders the Emir had given. After six strokes of the dog whip she was sobbing uncontrollably and on the eighth she screamed. She barely remembered the next two, and passed out before the last two. The night on the whipping bench meant that she slept only fitfully and at first light she was again dragged into the anteroom.

Whish ... THWACK!

The first stroke of the decreed morning punishment cut across at an angle to the previous night’s weals and Elaheh screamed aloud, uncaring now about dignity or fortitude. The Chief Eunuch nodded approvingly; the new Emir knew what he wanted and how to get it.

Whish ... THWACK!

Whish ... THWACK!

He laid on the second and third without pausing and Elaheh began to lose her grip on consciousness.

Whish ... THWACK!

There was no visible reaction to the fourth stroke and a eunuch came bustling over with sal volatile and a bucket of water, but the Chief Eunuch waved him away. If she remained unconscious for the remainder of the punishment she would feel it all the more later.

Whish ... THWACK!

The blows to the unmoving body continued until all twelve had been administered.

Half an hour before she was due in the Prince’s bedroom, Elaheh started to come round of her own accord. The Chief Eunuch, who was watching carefully, timed it perfectly, applying sal volatile before she was fully conscious to stimulate her into total wakefulness. Then he bathed her bruised and battered rear end with a disinfectant solution which turned the whole area of her buttocks and shoulders into one stinging fire of pain for her.

Freeing her hands and ankles, he hauled her upright and every muscle which had been stretched in the awkward posture she had held for some nine hours screamed at her for relief. Then she was hastily pushed into a breeding frame, which contorted her body in a different, and again painful way. She was strapped into position and more muscles complained. Quickly they wheeled her into the Emir’s bedroom, where he was being sucked by the previous night’s virgin, now thoroughly deflowered in every available entrance and, though none of them yet knew it, pregnant with the only son the new Emir was to sire as Emir.

Turning to the breeding frame, His Magnificence, the Emir Mustapha patted Elaheh playfully on the rear and smiled as she winced at his touch.

“Well warmed up, I see,” he commented, “Well, no time like the present.”

He thrust firmly into her presented cunt and the added pressure on her back again increased her pain. Once more she was horrified to realise that her clitoris, if nothing else, was welcoming the friction of his belly. As he pumped into her vagina, he fingered her nipples, increasing her involuntary arousal. His climax came too early for her to reach her own, and the Chief Eunuch hastily plugged her with a short dildo.

“Leave her in the frame all day,” said the Emir, “I’ll fill her again about five this evening and then you can give her a dozen across her tits. By tomorrow morning she may be more willing to cooperate.”

As Elaheh was wheeled out of the room again, she saw her half-brother, the Emir, stroking the head of the little ex-virgin who was licking his prick eagerly, while talking, in Kobekistani of which she knew few words with a local man whom she did not recognise but who, she later was to learn, was the economics advisor Mahmoud Ibn Sultan.

Chapter 64: Death Of An Emir

In the next two days Elaheh was filled vaginally five times by the Emir and whipped twice. She was also offered to Mahmoud Ibn Sultan who took her arse when invited to do so by the Emir. Then she was told that the Emir expected her to be more co-operative in future, and that the whippings would stop if she was. She thought long and hard about this and decided that desperate measures were called for.

On the fourth day after her father’s death, Princess Elaheh wandered into the kitchen and picked up a long sharp kitchen knife. None of the kitchen slaves dared to question this and she slipped the knife up her sleeve. Returning to the harem she sat beside the pool near the entrance and waited. For four hours she sat there and then, as she had hoped and expected, the Emir Mustapha came bustling into the harem and caught sight of her.

“Are you ready to come willingly to my bed and bear me a son?” he asked, “Or must you be punished more before you obey?”

Elaheh moved to a position just in front of him and made a deep obeisance.

“Up,” he said, and she rose swiftly, lurching towards him.

The knife slid easily up under his ribs as she rose and blood flooded out. She twisted it round as she withdrew it and then plunged it into his neck as he stood swaying with a look of utter surprise on his face. She let go of the handle as blood sprayed everywhere from the severed carotid artery, and he fell to the floor, his limbs twitching in his death agony, his life’s blood pumping out on to the harem floor

After the blood had stopped pumping for a minute or so she knelt and closed his eyes. Slipping her bloodstained silk gown off and dropping it beside the body, she slid into the pool and washed the blood from her body and hair. Rising from the pool she took up a towel and dried herself.

Throughout this process the watching concubines and eunuchs had not moved, they just stared at her trying to decide what to do. Their thoughts ran, ‘Surely she was not acting on her own initiative?’ ‘She must be part of a palace plot by one of the Emir’s brothers?’ and ‘Will she be under the protection of the new Emir?’ Guessing the answers correctly could be a life or death decision for any of them.

Seeing the doubt on their faces she quoted, “Treason never prospers; for if it do, then none dare call it treason.”

Moving into her own room she donned her trouser suit and a white blouse. When she came out the body was gone and a eunuch was washing the floor. Taking a deep breath, Princess Elaheh walked calmly to the door of the harem. There the Chief Eunuch stood waiting.