Chapter 22: A Gift

It was at the end of the study into Golden Palace economics that the Emir called Derek in to see him in his private quarters. When he was escorted in to the room by the Chief Eunuch, he saw that there was a woman in an abaya standing to one side. This intrigued him, since he and no idea who she might be.

"Ah, Derek," said the Emir, "I called you in here so that we need not stand on ceremony, but could talk as two friends."

This sounded ominous to Derek. He wondered if it were a prelude to his being expelled from the country for some careless offence, but could think of nothing he had done, or omitted, which might have given offence.

"Don't look so worried. I believe you plan to return to England next Tuesday? I have cancelled your scheduled flight and arranged that one of my own aircraft is at your disposal, one of the few you left me," said the Emir, smiling, "It will be easier for you to fly as a VIP and the London Embassy car will collect you from Heathrow and take you home. I have given celebratory gifts to many of my advisors during this, my Silver Jubilee year, but I haven't had an appropriate opportunity to speak to you. In fact your absence from any of the major events was noted and commented on, and I think you were very wise. Nobody would have said a word, but it would not have been felt suitable for you to take any major part in the festivities. In recognition of your work for me over the past months, I have a present for you."

He waved to the woman, who came forward, and was stripped of her abaya by one of the eunuchs. Under it she was naked, but she stood unafraid, with her eyes downcast. As Derek looked at her he saw that she was slim, especially so by Kobekistani standards, with dark hair which, unusually for that country, was cut in a page boy bob.

Seeing her fair complexion, he thought inconsequentially, 'I bet she suffers terribly from sunburn.'

Her body was equally pale with firm, but none too ample breasts tipped with palest pink nipples which proclaimed a considerable proportion of European heritage. Inevitably her mons had been shaved, making her flat belly, and prominent clitoris all the more apparent.

"She is the daughter of an English slave here, and her father was a visitor from England, though I will not say, and she does not know, whom. She holds a British passport. She is that unusual phenomenon in this country, a twenty-one year old virgin. She is named Shulah, and I give her to you. Her mother's dearest wish was that her daughter could be returned to England, and I believe her name was chosen by her mother to be acceptable in both countries," remarked the Emir, "The journey to England with you will be very difficult, as she has never stepped outside this building in her life. I remember one of my own women being frightened almost out of her mind when the aircraft engines started and she thought it was a very long continuous earthquake; then she saw the buildings through the aircraft windows start to move and that was worse. However Shulah does speak decent English. It is up to you how you try to fit her in to English society."

Throughout this speech the girl remained still and unmoving. The eunuch covered her again with the abaya, and the whole party moved out to the throne room. There, all present drew in a quick breath as the Emir stepped forward and held out his hand. Nobody ever touched the Emir, except in bed, and they watched in confusion as Derek shook the proffered hand with no sign of fear.

"Good luck, Derek."

"Thank you, sir."

"I hope our paths will cross again."

"I would be very pleased if that were to happen," replied Derek, who was well aware of the great honour being granted to him by the prolonged public hand-shake.

Shulah's behaviour as Derek walked from the throne room to the main entrance with her was exemplary. Passing through the portal to the outside was clearly a nasty surprise for her and she turned wildly about her, peering through the totally inadequate eye holes of her abaya at a world she did not know. Derek bundled her into the car and pressed the button which blanked the windows.

"Calm down," he said, "We shall be home soon."

The car's movement clearly worried her, but five minutes later they were at the house the Emir had provided for Derek. He ordered the chauffeur to drive into the garage and close the doors, so that when they alighted it would not be outside the building. Once they were in the Master's quarters and the harem, the accommodation was not so different from what she was used to, though there were fewer women and smaller rooms than in the Golden Palace.

Before dinner, which he ate alone as was his habit, Derek indicated to his Chief Eunuch that he would be welcoming Shulah into his bed that night. She was to be prepared in the way he usually preferred, by bathing, perfuming lightly, no make-up, oiled front and rear, and delivered to him completely naked, no jewellery, no clothing, not even slippers. When he went into his bedroom she was there, kneeling on the floor, forehead pressed firmly to the carpet in the formal obeisance position.

"Up," he said, "The Emir tells me you speak English fluently?"

"Yes, Master."

"Why?"

"As the Master pleases," was the nearest she dare come to saying she did not understand the question.

"Why were you taught English if you have lived all your life in the harem of the Emir of Kobekistan?" Derek persisted.

"Master, my mother was English, and she wished it. Then the Emir also wished it when he found me. He said I was English and would one day go to England."

"And do you want to go to England?" he asked, thinking of the enormity of such a journey for one who had spent the first twenty years of her life within the walls of the harem.

"As the Master pleases."

"And what do you expect to happen now, this evening?" asked Derek.

"As the Master pleases," she replied again.

"That is true; all will be as I please. I did not ask what you wanted this evening; I asked what you expected."