Chapter 08
Rewarding the Raiders
The Taourirt Kasbah in the desert oasis of Ouarzazate was abuzz with rumors. All in the fortress knew that the nomadic Berber tribes around the oasis had refused the authority of Governor Glaoui. In the morning the garrison's eight soldiers had loaded their ancient muskets and ridden off. The palace servants and junior officials all surmised they had been sent to teach the Berber rebels a lesson.
Bagoas sat under a tree in the courtyard, and listened to every word that was said. Beside him his body servant and protege Hamid was full of excitement. As always, however, Bagoas was dispassionate and his face and manner revealed nothing. Bagoas was a powerful person in this Kasbah. Physically powerful, because unlike many of his peers he exercised daily; financially powerful, since he had many gold pieces dangling from his belt in a place where even one was riches; mentally powerful because from a very young age he had trained his mind to focus on his goals and shut out distractions; and powerful in this palace because of his position under the Governor.
Bagoas held the power of Overseer of the Governor's harem. His duties brought him into frequent contact with the master, and he was high in the Governor's esteem. Overseeing the harem meant, of course, that he was a eunuch. Foundation of his mental power was that he now framed his mind to consider the loss of his balls many years ago to be the price he paid for the power he now enjoyed. Never did he allow himself to think of what he did not have, because he was intent on preserving and increasing the power he did have.
Suddenly there were wild yells from atop the walls, and the courtyard was filled with people scurrying up to see what was happening. Bagoas arose and motioned to Hamid to follow, and made his way up the stairs to the top of the wall. Lesser servants and petty officials made way for him in his dignity, and he took a prominent position where he could see well. In the distance a great cloud of dust was rising from the desert. Soon it could be seen that a large herd of camels was being driven toward the Kasbah. Behind it appeared the Governor's soldiery, mounted on their fine Arabian steeds and waving their ancient muskets.
Hamid was watching open mouthed as the camels and those driving them forward approached. He saw the soldiers drive the camel herd into the corral and turn them over to the Governor's herdsmen. Then, whooping and shouting and waving their muskets in the air, they spurred their horses toward the gate of the Kasbah. Suddenly Hamid felt a tug on his shoulder.
"Don't stand there gaping, boy! Hurry! We will have much work to do!" said Bagoas.
Hamid did not understand what work his master needed to do, but Bagoas moved rapidly down the stairs and Hamid followed. Quickly they crossed the courtyard and entered an ornately carved door. Climbing a flight of stairs hung with fine tapestries, they reached another door before which two armed eunuchs stood guard. Bagoas hardly nodded at them as he burst through the door with Hamid panting behind.
They entered the common room of the harem. It was hung with brilliant tapestries and the floor was strewn with silken pillows. Four archways opened off of it, the one in the East hung with a fine curtain and closed by a wooden lattice. This chamber, being closest to Mecca, was the one reserved for the Governor's wife Durrah, the Pearl of Great Price. But today, the mistress stood in the middle of the common room with the three slavegirls who occupied the other lesser chambers.
"What is it, Bagoas? What does all the noise in the Kasbah mean?" Durrah asked quickly. The slavegirls gathered around her to hear the answer.
Bagoas bowed deeply to the lady, and replied, "Allah, the Victorious, the Compeller, has given the Berber rebels into the Governor's hand, mistress. The soldiers have returned from chastising the nomads and brought with them a great herd of camels to add to the master's wealth."
"Allah be praised!" exclaimed Durrah. Then she nodded wisely. "Then I suppose the slave girls will be needed quickly. Later the Governor will send for me, Bagoas. I shall await in my chamber."
Hamid heard her remarks with confusion. He did not understand what the camels and the soldiers had to do with the harem girls. Bagoas looked at his bewildered protege and said, "Ah, Hamid, now comes a part of the harem duties you have not yet observed. The soldiers have well earned a reward. The risks of battle always raise the men's juices, and now the slavegirls will release their energies." He turned to the slaves and said, "Prepare quickly. The soldiers are entering the courtyard even now."
Saiesha, the senior slave, rushed to the chest by the wall. She was a black Abyssinian beauty such as many Moorish harems included. Her hair was braided, her lips were full, and her large boobs strained at the top of her dress. As she bent over the chest, her plump ass was displayed behind the tight fabric. It would surely excite the imagination of any man, if a man had ever penetrated into the harem, which would have cost him his life. Bagoas and Hamid took no notice and felt no interest except a professional one.
Saiesha seized a pot of sweet smelling unguent from the chest. Meanwhile the second slavegirl, Maria, a fiery Spanish girl captured in the wars, dropped her red gown to the floor and stood naked in the middle of the room, her pointed nipples and shaved pussy waiting the attention of Saiesha. The Abyssinian hurried to her, and dropped her white gown to the floor also. With practiced fingers they began to anoint each other, rubbing the precious unguent over each others naked bodies. Over the tits, down the stomach and into the navel, around the cheeks of the ass and down into its crack, and carefully rubbing the shaven mound and the lips of the pussy. So quickly did they work that they had little time to savor the caresses as they did at other times. Knowing there was no time for their natural juices to flow they were careful to apply plenty of the ointment to their pussy lips.
Hamid was staring at this in amazement, and he saw that so too was Brigette, the newest slavegirl in the harem. "Brigette must come too," announced Bagoas. "See to her, boy, and quickly."
Hamid was well trained in preparing a girl to serve the master's bed, but he had never seen it done with such urgency. He stepped toward Brigette, and she dropped her light green gown to the floor and stood naked for his attentions. Only recently had she been purchased in Casablanca, from the notorious Barbary pirate's slave market. In her halting Arabic she said she was from a far land named Ire-land. Girls of her sort were very rare, and there were none like her anyplace on this side of the Atlas Mountains. As the two dark skinned slaves prepared each other, Hamid took the pot of ointment and began to smooth it into Brigette's pale white skin. He rubbed it into the white mounds of her small tits, and circled her pink nipples carefully. Then down over her white stomach he went, and lightly rubbed her pubic mound which was not shaven, but still kept its exotic covering of fine red hair. Hamid knew that this pubic hair would keep the scent of the ointments and mix it with her pussy juices. Right now he had time only to rub it gently into her lower lips and insert his lubricated finger softly into her cunt, hoping that there was enough lubrication from that to make her duties easy.
The other two slaves took up pots of black kohl and lined their eyes with it. Then a cosmetic of carmine was applied to their lips, nipples, and pussies. It left Maria decorated with bright red, but on Saiesha's blackness turned a deep maroon. Hamid knew that Brigette received different cosmetics. A green eye liner was applied, and a pot of the carmine mixed with camel's fat to lighten it gave pink highlights to her lips and nipples which did not overwhelm her whiteness. Finally he dipped into the pot one more time and lightly touched her pussy lips to enhance their pinkness against her white thighs.
"It is enough," Bagoas cried. "Quickly, to the audience hall!" He grabbed heavy dark cloaks and wrapped each naked girl, and then threw heavy veils over their heads. He took the hands of the first two, and Hamid grabbed Brigette's. Down the stairs they went, and across the courtyard at a fast pace. There were no eyes to observe, since the Governor was greeting his soldiers at the gate and everyone was watching. Hamid heard the Governor say, "My brave soldiers have done their duty with great honor. They shall be rewarded as they deserve." The rest of the speech was lost as they hurried on. At the great carved and painted doors of the audience hall Bagoas turned aside to a smaller side door, still ornately carved. He and Hamid led their charges into a small antechamber.
Bagoas quickly removed the veils and cloaks, leaving the slavegirls completely naked. He opened the door to the great hall and swiftly led the girls to a pile of pillows at one end. Here he and Hamid arranged the three nude girls in an artful display. Quickly then they left the room and retired to the antechamber.
The door of the small room had a gauzy insert in it. Painted on the audience chamber side, this portal was practically invisible. But from this side the eunuchs were enabled to observe all that went on in the hall. Bagoas permitted Hamid to peer in. Saiesha and Maria were apparently talking to Brigette, trying to explain to her what was happening. The girl's grasp of Arabic was week, but Hamid could see her eyes widening as the other slaves talked and illustrated what they were saying with gestures. Nodding at Maria, Brigette settled back on the pillows and arranged herself so that her small tits and red haired pussy were easy to see. She appeared to understand what was required of her.
The door to the audience hall burst open. The Governor stood there and behind him were the eight soldiers, dirty, sweaty, and some stained with blood. The Governor stepped aside and the eight soldiers immediately rushed for the girls. Behind them the master stepped back and closed the door.
