Chapter 8

The next morning I have Mahmud make discreet enquiries about the value of the gemstones that Zoe found in the hem of Amina’s dress. Fortunately caravan merchants are less scrupulous about the origins and legal ownership of traded items. They are also far less likely to try and cheat a warrior, even one as old as Mahmud. As Zoe and I suspected, the stones are valuable and several merchants offered what seems to be a reasonable price.

Later that afternoon I remove Amina from her coffle and talk with her in my office. Her earlier rebelliousness has been replaced with a quiet acceptance of her situation. She still occasionally forgets to call me Mistress, or Sai in her own language, but I haven’t made an issue of it. I prefer that she becomes settled in her new situation before invoking a disciplinary regime. Amina has responded well to her training sessions so far, although I suspect that the encouragement and help Bayza and Nazli have given her is partially responsible for her current good behaviour. Amina certainly doesn’t seem shy or bashful when discussing or practising anything of a sexual nature.

Like me, Amina has grown up living in a harem, although hers was as a pampered sultana, whereas I was a working slave. Harems the world over have a sexual component to the lifestyle. They aren’t the sort of environment where it is possible to be entirely ignorant of sex even if you never participate in sexual acts.

“Did you mother give you any special instructions before you left your father’s palace?” I ask Amina.

“No. Sai. She wished me good luck and told me to look after my dress.”

“Was she normally concerned about your clothing?”

“Oh yes! She would always insist that I was properly attired for any occasion.”

“Hmm. I think her parting words had a deeper meaning. These stones were in the hem of your dress. As far as I can determine, they are worth just over three hundred solidi. An older merchant, or a younger tradesman or farmer, would likely accept that as a dowry.”

“Does that mean that I wouldn’t need to become a slave, Sai?”

“Slavery only needs to be an option if you can’t support yourself. If we can find a suitable husband for you who will accept your dowry, then he will be responsible for your well-being. Unfortunately three hundred solidi isn’t likely to be enough for you to start supporting yourself in a worthwhile trade of your own.”

“What about my sisters, Sai?” asks Amina.

“The warlord and I will need to work something out. I’ve agreed to keep you all here for a couple of weeks, but I can’t afford to pay for your upkeep after that. It is likely that I will need to sell your older sisters. They are strong enough to be water carriers or the like. Hopefully they won’t end up working in the mines. As for the younger ones, then I don’t currently have a solution.”

“If you kept these stones, Sai, would you be able to look after them for longer?”