Chapter 2: The First Day Of The Rest Of His Life

At the airport there was some delay after the aircraft stopped before a Rolls-Royce arrived at the bottom of the steps. This delay caused very worried looks among the officials, but one of them said eventually that it was only because the chauffeur was avoiding any mistakes.

The Emir's palace was visible from some considerable distance away as the Rolls-Royce sped towards it from the airport. It looked the sort of building a child might have made, if given a truly tremendous number of Lego bricks which were all yellow. It had six floors and there were perhaps a hundred windows at each level. The architectural style reminded David of drawings he had seen of some of Albert Speer's proposals. It was flanked by two smaller versions of the same style, but one green and the other red.

Close up, they looked even more massive and David realised that the yellow was caused by some form of glittering gold paint covering the exterior; he later learned that it was tiny facets of the stonework which had been given a coating of gold leaf. The red and green buildings had been treated with rubies and emeralds in the same way.

Inside it was airy, light, spacious and cool. David vaguely remembered the high ceilings and the ornately painted walls, but the details which he had lived with until he was four years old and then not seen for twenty years were very vague. Every servant they passed was kneeling with his forehead pressed down on the floor in obeisance at the arrival of the new Emir. David turned to pass a comment on this to his mother but she was not there.

"Where is my mother?" he asked.

"She will be taken to the harem, never fear, Master," said Kamal Qumsiyeh who had accompanied them in a separate car from the airport.

"I want her with me, here, now," David said firmly, deciding that if he was the absolute ruler he could at least have his mother with him if he wished.

"Master," said Kamal Qumsiyeh with a note of real fear in his voice.

It was a matter of moments before Amelia appeared, completely hidden from head to foot by her abaya. Just as she did so, they entered what seemed to be some sort of main reception room, which appeared to be carpeted entirely by crouching people as everyone pressed their foreheads on the floor. At the far end of the room was a dais with a small but unmistakable throne on it. David went to the dais, mounted it and sat down.

"Well?" he asked Kamal Qumsiyeh, "What do I do now?"

"If you would indicate to the major-domo, then all will be permitted to rise," advised the old man.

David looked in the direction he indicated and saw a small man dressed all in black carrying a large mace, so large that it seemed he would not be able to lift it properly. It was only later that David learned that this was so, to prevent the major-domo from attacking the Emir with his ceremonial mace. Since this was the only other man still standing, David nodded to him and he banged the end of his mace on the floor, whereupon everyone stood up.

"We will eat now and discuss business later," David ordered the general throng of people, "Bring a chair for my mother."

"You wish the Princess Zubeydeh to sit on the dais beside you?" asked Kamal Qumsiyeh with the surprise showing in his tone of voice.

Sensing that that would be a mistake, David said, "No, no, of course not, but nearby."

Within a few moments a table had appeared and David sat down to eat a sumptuous meal consisting of a series of dishes most of which he had never tasted before. Some he recognised, but others were so new to him that he could not even guess at the ingredients.

His mother had declined his invitation to join him, evidently because of protocol, but she supervised the handling of the dishes as they arrived. There seemed to be a quaint custom that the waiter (as David thought of them) who brought each dish was given a small portion of it to eat before it was given to David. After the fourth or fifth time this happened he realised that this was his mother's way of protecting him from being poisoned. Fortunately, none of the plate-bearers showed any ill effects.

After the meal was over, David resumed the throne, with his mother sitting next to the dais, and the major-domo rapped on the floor again. In answer to David's query, Kamal Qumsiyeh explained that under the late Emir it had been his task to run the palace and its protocol. There were about a hundred and forty staff working in the palace itself plus twenty-three eunuchs plus about sixty women in the harem, which was administered by the Chief Eunuch.

"The Emir also owns the Ruby Palace by inheritance from the late Crown Prince via the late Emir, and of course the Emerald Palace in your own right," he continued, "Naturally, you are the only whole man allowed to enter the harem, except by your explicit invitation, Master. The Ruby Palace harem has a further thirty women and the associated eunuchs. These people," he waved towards the throng in the room, "are all asking for audience with you, but all wish only to congratulate the new Emir; it would be a gross breach of protocol to present any petition at this time. If my Master wishes I can announce a general audience and then they will go away."

"Do I need to make a speech?" asked David.

"Oh, no, Master. If you stand now and let them applaud you, then wave them away, that will be quite sufficient."

David stood and was met by tumultuous applause; as it showed no sign of dying down he thought wickedly of just letting it go on to see how soon any of them would be too tired to continue. After a minute or so, when some seemed to be flagging in their efforts he waved his hand and silence fell. He nodded again to the major-domo who again rapped on the floor and the crowd filed out quietly.

David turned to Kamal Qumsiyeh and said, "I want to change things a little in the harem here. My mother will occupy the Head Wife's suite while she is here. After she leaves, it will remain empty until I order otherwise."

"Yes, Master. Does my Master wish the harem here, or in the Ruby Palace to be cleared, as the late Emir ordered?"