Rachael and the Warlord

Part 2: Mistress of Wadi Halaf

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Chapter 6: A new day

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My mother joins me shortly after midnight. We haven't had the chance to talk since my return, and now isn't the best time or place to do so. However we manage to share a brief mother-daughter reunion.

"You had best go and get some sleep," says my mother. "Tomorrow is going to be another hectic day."

I don't argue with my mother's sound advice. I'm still tired from my long journey, and being thrown into managing Wadi Halaf at short notice has drained the last of my stamina. I could claim one of the remaining bedrooms reserved for paying visitors who can afford the luxury, but I prefer to sleep in the familiar surroundings of Wadi Halaf's harem. Once in the harem, I collect a mattress roll and blanket, and lay out my bed in the same area where I regularly slept when I lived here. Only three other women are already in bed, presumably the ones who will be up before dawn to start preparing breakfast. I fall asleep almost immediately.

When I wake shortly after dawn, I see that Amina, Sharina and Zahra are asleep in the same area as me. Mia and Jacinta are already up, and preparing for the day ahead. I would love to have a long soak in the pool, but I know I can't afford the time. I settle for a short dip in the pool and quickly complete my ablutions before joining Mia and Jacinta for breakfast.

"What time did you get to bed?" I ask Mia.

"About two in the morning," replies Mia. "I waited until the three you brought with you from the Halls of Valhalla had finished satisfying the last of the visitors. Two of the caravan masters hired Dania and Phoebe for the night."

"How did Amina, Sharina and Zahra go on with the men?"

"Amina did well. She's a natural. Sharina and Zahra were enthusiastic, but there are a few areas where they need to improve their technique. If we are going to have busy nights like last night, then you might want to consider keeping them. There's a limit to how many men Dania and Phoebe can fuck in one night."

"And what's the latest news about our father?" I ask Jacinta.

"My potions are only delaying the inevitable," sighs Jacinta. "His wounds are too severe, and fever is setting in. He's slipping away fast. I doubt father will last more than a few days. A week at most."

"I'll look in on him once Aren and I have seen to the needs of the caravans," I say to Jacinta, who will undoubtedly be spending most of the day in the foul smelling bedroom.

The news Aren tells me about the blocked roads isn't promising. The landslip to the south should be cleared by tomorrow afternoon providing the weather stays fine. Unfortunately the rain returned with a vengeance overnight, so that estimate may be optimistic. Rumours have it that some foolhardy travellers are contemplating taking the narrow road through bandit country as an alternative route to the south. Seasoned caravan masters will dismiss that option immediately, so I'm not expecting any of the southbound caravans to depart today.

Crossing the raging river to reach the eastbound road is still risky. The broken bridge will takes months to repair. The aldermen have organised a ferry service, but until the river level drops it is unsuitable for laden animals and wagons. The alternative route requires travelling south for the best part of a day, so it cannot be reached until the landslip is cleared. Even then it requires taking a narrow winding route across hilly country to reach the eastbound road. It's an unattractive alternative to the ferry.

Since it seems likely Wadi Halaf will have several caravans staying for a few more days, I send two guards to collect whichever slaves Zoe can let me borrow from the Halls of Valhalla. They return a hour later with seven young slave women in tow. Amina is able to brief me on their individual skills and reliability.

Language is the biggest obstacle for the newly arrived slaves. The Halls of Valhalla specialises in purchasing and training newly enslaved women from distant lands. Few slaves arriving at the Halls speak our local language, so teaching them to speak Balochi is part of the Halls' training programme. These slaves have only recently started their language lessons, so they only understand a few words. Fortunately Amina, Phoebe and I are able to speak a wide range of languages, so it isn't an insurmountable problem. I decide to split the new arrivals into two groups with Amina and Phoebe in charge of a group.

"Phoebe, have your group clean the floors of the main corridors and meeting rooms," I say. "Amina, your group can service the guest rooms upstairs. Then you can take them to help in the kitchen."

With the arrival of a sixth caravan at Wadi Halaf around noon, there are nearly fifty men who will be attending the entertainment this evening. Although I'm reluctant to include any of the additional slaves from the Halls of Valhalla in the entertainment, I have no other option. Providing too few slaves to entertain the men risks fights breaking out over those who are available for sex. Amina's assessment of the slaves abilities means I can add two extra dancers to the routine. Alicja and Irmina join Mia, Amina, Sharina, Zahra, Dania and Phoebe in a late afternoon practise. Their coordination is far from satisfactory, but scantily clad women gracefully enticing sex-starved men with their bodies will usually outweigh the need for any skilful style.

We will need to use the large room in the upper basement for the entertainment. Normally one of the meeting rooms on the second floor is used, but there are simply too many guests tonight. When I study the basement room, I realise that it has a better ambiance for the entertainment. The single entrance makes it easier for the guards to make sure none of the dancers are illicitly removed from the room. However, the room will need alterations if it is going to be a suitable venue when there are a smaller number of guests.

The lighting in the area designated for the dancing is supplemented with additional candles, providing the audience with a clearer view of the dancers, contrasting with the subdued lighting elsewhere in the room. Although it makes it harder for the guards to keep an eye out for any unauthorised sexual activity, both the slave women and the guests prefer the improved privacy provided.

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Chapter 7: Entertainment

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I leave Mia in charge of the entertainment. I periodically watch from the back of the room while I'm doing my nightly rounds of the main building. So far the men are in good spirits, and hopefully they will be patient later when they are in the mood for sex. Six of the seven slaves who arrived this morning from the Halls are still virgins, and keeping them that way means watching them closely. I could keep them confined to the harem, but I don't have sufficient servants and slaves to afford the luxury of being able to manage without them. As it is, the five slave women serving refreshments are rushed off their feet. We don't serve alcoholic drinks during the evening, but a few men will undoubtedly sneak their own concoction into the gathering. The risk of drunken behaviour is low, but I have the guards keep a careful watch for any signs of drunkenness.

"Keep watch over Alicja... the blond one with waist length hair dancing between Phoebe and Amina," I say to Levan, who is standing guard at the doorway. "She's still a virgin, and I want her to stay that way."

"A virgin in all three holes, or just her cunt?" asks Levan, admiring the pretty slave I've identified.

"If she is willing to have a man's cock down her throat, or up her arse, then that's okay. But her cunt is strictly out of bounds. She's inexperienced, so pull her aside if it looks as though she is out of her depth. And remember that you're on duty, so no sampling the wares."

Levan has a reputation as a ladies man, and Alicja is clearly on his list of pending conquests. He's fucked nearly every adult slave woman at Wadi Halaf over the years; me included before I was set free. He's a more considerate sex partner than many men. Levan at least ensures the target of his desire achieves an orgasm of her own as he deflowers her. I strongly suspect that Levan will find an excuse to pull Alicja aside at some point. While I've expressly forbidden him from having sex with her, that doesn't mean he won't be seducing her and running his hands over her body given the chance.

The dancing slowly gives way to the usual orgy of sex. Few men will want to pay for the privilege of fucking one of the dancers in a private room. On the contrary, having others watch your manliness devouring a poor wench is a popular feature of these orgies. If you can't tolerate participating in sex in this fashion, then you have no business attending one of Wadi Halaf's entertainment evenings. There are brothels and all sorts of dens of iniquity operating in neighbouring streets if your sexual preferences lie in a different direction.

As usual, Dania and Phoebe are the first of the dancers to be lured away from the troupe on the makeshift stage. They are far more proficient than the other slaves at attracting the interests of men. Neither of them has any qualms about servicing men in all of their three holes at the same time. As the daughters of the former warlord, you might be mistaken for thinking of them as fine ladies who have been forced into a life of debauchery. That's a false impression. Even before their enslavement, they were every bit as perverted as their late father when it comes to rough sex. Their enslavement has simply allowed them to surrender to their perversions without the restrictions of the moral codes of behaviour governing those who are free. It's something I often miss from my time as a slave.

Realising that the entertainment is running out of dancers, Mia instructs Alicja to leave the room and to go and help those in the kitchen. Alicja looks disappointed, but I concur with Mia's decision. Alicja is still a virgin and I want her to still be one in the morning. Besides, she needs further training before she can be safely let loose on a room full of sex-hungry men. While some of the men here tonight are strangers to Wadi Halaf, there are plenty of others who understand our house rules. They help ensure the newcomers don't overstep any boundaries, and that way everyone gets to have a good time. Levan volunteers to escort Alicja to the kitchen, a journey that I suspect will take much longer than is normally required.

Ever since it was a fortress, the gates to Wadi Halaf have been locked between dusk and dawn. Since those seeking entertainment might not want to spend the whole night in the city, my grandfather introduced the tradition of having in-house entertainment in the evenings. The house rules evolved over the years. Only the dancers are available for sex, although groping a serving girl is tolerated providing it doesn't unduly interfere with her work. Men are allowed to shove their cocks, but nothing else, in any of a dancer's holes. Restraining the dancer with ropes or chains is only allowed if the man pays for a private one-on-one session. And finally, any injury caused to a dancer than inhibits her work in the morning incurs an extra charge. The rules are straightforward and they work remarkably well.

Caravan masters are responsible for the behaviour of their men. Since the masters are the ones who will foot the bill for any extra charges, the masters usually ensure that their men behave. Once I'm satisfied that nobody seems intent on starting a fight, I leave the entertainment and head for my father's room. He was unconscious when I looked in on him earlier, and Jacinta warned me that he isn't going to survive much longer.

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Chapter 8: Departures

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The following morning we receive news that the road to the south will reopen later today. That starts a flurry of activity as the three southbound caravans prepare to depart. The masters of the three eastbound caravans are less certain about what to do. The river level is dropping, but it will be at least tomorrow before the water flow is slow enough to ferry heavy loads across. The alternative is to travel south and then east, but that could add two days to the journey. It is the likelihood of the sudden heavy traffic on the south road turning it into a quagmire that encourages the east bound caravans to stay at Wadi Halaf another day.

Caravan masters who stop at Wadi Halaf are never asked to pay for their stay in advance. The tariff for services provided at Wadi Halaf is well established, but that doesn't stop the quibbling over the amount owed when it comes time to depart. Caravan masters know from experience not to argue with my father, but they obviously consider Aren and me to be open to negotiation. I ultimately hold the upper hand, since the gates of Wadi Halaf will remain closed until Aren confirms that payment has been made and that a caravan may leave. The law entitles a caravanserai to confiscate goods and animals to cover the amount due should the caravan master fail to pay.

Arnolf, the master of the caravan with the elephant, demands that we reduce the cost for the animal's keep to the same as that for a camel. Aren refuses. There's an argument, and I'm summoned to settle the dispute.

"Pay the amount due, Arnolf," I growl. "Or Wadi Halaf will be dining on elephant steaks for the next week. You know we don't negotiate over the tariff. If you don't like our service and prices, then go elsewhere in future."

I'm only taking a slight risk that Arnolf will do so. There are two other caravenserai in the city, but neither of them offers the extensive service Wadi Halaf can provide. Certainly we are the only caravanserai to offer nightly entertainment and sex as part of the package.

"Arnolf is just being grumpy because he missed out on having Dania or Phoebe service his hungry cock last night," laughs Arnolf's quartermaster.

"Is that your problem, Arnolf?" I ask. "You didn't get to sodomise a woman of your choice?"

"Hmm... Sharina and Mia were good, but Dania or Phoebe would have been my preference," admits Arnolf. "It's a shame you no longer work the nights here. From what I remember, that arse of yours can drive a man wild with lust."

"Well Dania and Phoebe are asleep at the moment, but we can't have you leaving here dissatisfied. Have your quartermaster pay Aren the amount due while you and I solve your problem."

Arnolf and I leave Aren and the quartermaster to settle matters. The side room I choose is not ideal, but Arnolf isn't the only one hungry for sex. There are times when I yearn for the carefree abandon of a slave when it comes to sex. From what I remember of Arnolf's sexual preferences, he's a devotee of the back passage... male or female. That probably explains why Sharina and Mia weren't his ideal partners. Neither of them likes being sodomised, but being slaves, they have no say in the matter.

I remove my clothes, which in my experience is the quickest way to interest a man in sex. Of course, when I was a slave, my attire was minimal in any case. Arnolf quickly follows my example. I let Arnolf take the lead. He's not one for kissing or fondling my tits, but he nevertheless gives us both time to prepare for his next move. When he is ready, he spins me around and has me bend over a couch with my arse in the air. Fortunately my extended period of celibacy makes me wet with desire in no time. His cock is soon hard and he starts teasing my cunt until my juices have oiled his cock. I use my flowing juices to prepare my sphincter for Arnolf's assault. As I anticipated, it is my arse that he wishes to penetrate. Although it has been a while since I last accommodated a man's shaft in my arse, my sphincter is still distended enough to accept Arnolf's cock without undue pain. I reach underneath me to tease my clit while Arnolf pumps away with vigour.

Arnolf isn't the most considerate sexual partner, and he joins the long list of men who regard achieving an orgasm during sex as the man's sole prerogative. He shoots is cum into my arse with a satisfied sigh. I'm left in a state of arousal that playing with my clit hasn't pushed into an orgasm of my own. My years of training while I was a slave help me ignore my own desires and I turn to suck Arnolf's cock clean. Once he's satisfied with my efforts, he pulls up his trousers and leaves me to get dressed in private. I delay returning to the others so that I can frig myself into a much needed orgasm of my own.

Arnolf's caravan departs an hour or so later, with Arnolf in a much happier mood. The other two southbound caravans left while Arnolf and I were having sex. If Arnolf finds that his caravan is struggling along a muddy road churned up by the preceding caravans, then he has only himself to blame.

Finally free of my immediate duties, I go to look in on my father. Jacinta intercepts me before I reach his room. The look on her face tells me what I already suspected from her sudden appearance. Her words confirm the inevitable. My father has died. I send word to Aren to prepare for a funeral.

"Your father was a well loved man," says Alderman Samvel. "His death is a tragic loss to us all."

Murder would be a more accurate word. The failure of the city guard to locate the man who made an unprovoked attack on my father only underscores the incompetence of the ragtag band of failed mercenaries who make up the city guard. Unlike the soldiers of the main garrison, the city guard are hired by the aldermen to keep the peace inside the city. Since the aldermen never pay much, the city guard is usually made up of drunks and old men who aren't capable of performing a better paid job.

Fortunately my uncle Hayk, as the senior surviving male relative of my father, is dealing with the numerous people who have come to pay their respects at the funeral. My father lingered long enough after my return to Wadi Halaf to give both of us the opportunity to say what needed to be said. While I was never truly close to my father, I'm relieved that I talked with him before he died. Now I must deal with the vultures like Samvel, coming to pay their fake respects, while sizing up the competition for the inevitable power struggle that my father's death will trigger. I haven't forgotten that Samvel is the man who offered me as a hostage to the Grey Monks. A cowardly and treacherous act designed to humiliate my father and me. However, exacting my revenge on Samvel must wait for another time. Fortunately my tenure as the mistress of Wadi Halaf is secure. The scroll appointing me as custodian of the caravanserai has been properly registered and the necessary temple fees paid. Even the greedy and self-serving aldermen of the city can't overturn my father's wishes regarding Wadi Halaf.

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Chapter 9: New warlord

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While my tenure at Wadi Halaf is secure from the machinations of meddling aldermen, the role of city warlord is another matter entirely. The warlord is responsible for dealing with any external threats to the city, and the position carries some political power. During his tenure as warlord, my father cemented our traditional alliances with neighbouring cities, and he often prevented the aldermen from making rash self-serving decisions. However, the aldermen are responsible for appointing a new warlord. Their belief that the position is no longer necessary could easily be put into effect by simply not selecting a new warlord. But that would put responsibility for the defence of the city onto the aldermens' shoulders. It's unlikely such a move would be popular with the city's elite, and military matters are certainly beyond any of the current aldermen's capabilities. A powerful warlord isn't someone the aldermen would welcome. But a weak warlord, who is nothing more than their puppet, could be far more dangerous.