RECAP OF THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS
This is the story of Sara, a Dutch woman, who is captured by the Barbary pirates on her way to the Dutch East Indies. She is given as a present to the Bey, the ruler of Tunis. His first wife appoints Sara as the nanny of the royal children as the eunuchs deem her too old to be send to their master's bed.
However when they Bey discovers her in his palace garden singing with his children he starts to listen to her stories of the history of her homeland. He realises that her decision to teach his kids foreign languages will help them gain more power. He orders Sara to be brought to his bed as his new concubine.
When he notices the next morning how she reacts to his cat and remembers that that same loving smile was directed to his children he longs to have her smile like that to him as well. He decides to woe her by ordering her to come and wash him in his bath every morning while teaching him all her knowledge. Combining like this ways to learn about new strategies and ways to get her defences down.
In the two following months both seem to really connect. He allows her to share his breakfast and she is getting comfortable being naked in the bath with him. They share stories about their families and teach each other history and languages.
But when he orders her to buy him a slave to act as her assistant raising his family she oversteps the boundaries of her position and buys a family instead. The court gossips about that Christian slave who opposed her lord and master and the Bey is forced to show his authority over her. While the chief eunuch threatens to punish her and prepares to whip her in public, the Bey forces her to have anal sex while the eunuch watches.
However as soon as he has her impaled and crying, he orders the eunuch out and tells Sara to keep wailing without hurting her any further. Afterwards he carries her to his bedroom and attends her discomfort telling her the situation forced him to enforce his authority as her lord and master because otherwise it would have inspired people to disobey his rule.
Sara is completely at a loss. Is the Bey her friend or her foe?
WARNING
This chapter is without sexcenes. I could have continued writing so there would be new ones included in this chapter but work is busy and I think you will like to be able to continue with the story.
----------------------
In the morning Sara dreamed of waking up in a warm and comfortable spot. A feeling of safety and happiness coursed through her. But then she woke up completely and realised she was in bed, the covers tucked up to her cheek and a warm and male body enveloping her. An arm was wrapped around her and a face pressed against the hair at the back of her head. She was in the bed of the Bey!
Suddenly she remembered what had happened the day before. In a flash of panic she tried to rise but he had her firmly pressed against him. The movement caused her to notice a slight burn in her backside and the stiffness of some of her muscles.
The next moment she was pinned down under the man. Hold in a tight embrace. She braced for being taken again when he just kissed her firmly and rose. Laying down she looked up at the man who until yesterday she had become to regard as a friend.
"Let me have a look at your little star my sweet. Turn around."
She lifted her behind up for inspection. A finger rubbed ointment in.
"I am going to send you my hakim. He will treat you and advice you. I am leaving to Kerouan. You can stay here till he comes. Come and lay back down so I can cover you again."
"What is a hakim?" she whispered.
"Not what but who. He is my trusted personal physician. I will order the eunuchs that in this case he is allowed to examine you. Now rest and heal."
"But he will see. He will notice you have not slept with me." Sadness engulfed her and tears ran down her face.
"What of it?"
"They will laugh. They will say I am the only woman in your harem you bedded only once and am completely unaffected by even when I am naked in your company. Leila, your favourite, mocks me all the time. Hyacinth will too. I do not understand what I do wrong. My husband never touched me and with you it is the same apart from when you use it to punish me."
The face of the Bey seemed to turn crimson with anger. Sara realised she might have overstepped her boundaries again and that realisation made her cry even more. Why the hell was she making a fuss over this? Had she not been glad he had not taken her to his bed again? When had this become something she missed?
"Bloody hell woman! Are you now crying because I am not forcing myself on you? Your husband was a sodomite. I am not! The only reason I am not touching you is because I rather had you giving me what I could take freely. Good grief what man can understand women! They cry when you carry them to your bed but they also cry when you leave them in peace. What do you want then? Me to thrust myself in you so a floozy like Leila will not mock you for my regard for you? What is Leila but a nasty whore? Why do you think she gets the herbs so she will not conceive? What is it you want me to do? What? You have me by my balls!"
He stamped out of the room. Sara still sitting up in the middle of the cushions, silks and blankets.
She whispered to the door, to the scent of him still lingering around her: "I want you to love me." And then started to cry again bewildered by her own realisation.
She did not know what to do now. She thought it best to just stay put and do nothing in fear of doing exactly the wrong thing.
After like 20 minutes an elderly gentleman was issued in the room by Desert Rose the eunuch.
"Lady Sara, my name is Sidi Mansour. I am the personal physician of the Bey. It is a great honour for me that the Bey gave me permission to examine his lady. He told me what happened. Please let me have a look. Can you sit on your hands and knees?"
The old man examined her and told her nothing was damaged that would not be healed in a day or two with the help of the ointment her lord and master had already applied. He told her to lay down on her back and his old hands examined the rest of her. Ensuring her she was in perfect health but unfortunately not with child yet. Well that she knew already.
He ensured her she was fit to travel to the palace on the seashore although the ride might be a bit uncomfortable in the covered chair on the camel now her anus was still a bit sore.
She could understand why he was the Bey's personal doctor. The man oozed calmness, kindness and wisdom. He smiled slowly and said: "Do not cry sweet lady. All will be well. You will give our lord many healthy children. If you need my help just send for me." Then he left the room.
