The Sheiks Punishment.
Chapter 1 Locked away
It was a stupid mistake made by her husband that had got her in the position she was in now.
They had travelled to one of the Arab countries where a sheik dominated the area.
Ray had been warned, as had Rose, that should the ruler come through the streets or the bazaar, no one took photos and they should stand with their heads bowed, not looking at him or his entourage.
When the cries came that the sheik was coming, everyone moved back to make way for his horse and the horse and carriages with some of his wives, or could it be concubines sat in it.
Soldiers moved in front of the crowds and as they came around the corner, everyone stood with eyes to the floor waiting for him to pass by.
Rose stood next to Ray as the sheik, ridding a white horse, came almost up to where they stood.
It was then that she heard the click of a camera next to her, and realised her stupid husband had his camera in his hands and was taking photos.
As she lifted her head to look at him, two men grabbed Ray and pulled him out from the people around them.
"Ray, you idiot," Rose shouted as she looked up at him being pulled away.
The sheik then pointed to her, as she looked at him and called out to the sheik, "He made a mistake, I am sorry if my husband has offended you."
Two soldiers pushed into the people near her and took hold of her arms, and she was pulled out into the open.
The sheik spoke to one of the men riding on a horse near him, who got off of the horse and said, my master said, "Do not think that the punishment for looking at me will be light or that you thought to speak to me, when I had not given you permission to do so."
He turned in his saddle, uttered a few words, and she was pulled away to go to the rear of the parade, where her husband was now standing behind the last carriage. His hands were tied together around the wrists and a rope coming from between his wrists was tied to one of the loops on the rear of the carriage.
Rose soon had her hands tied like his, but they used silklike material unlike on Ray's then she also had a rope linking her to the other side of the carriage.
Once this was done, everything started on its way with the
two of them bringing up the rear, and the man who had translated the sheiks words, riding his horse behind them.
It wasn't a fast movement but they both had to trot in order to keep up.
Rose glanced to the side and saw people still stood with heads bowed, not even noticing that two extra bodies had been added to the parade.
As they left the bazaar and came into the open, the heat hit them. They trailed behind the carriage and after a very short while, her dress was wet with perspiration as she struggled to walk in the sand behind the vehicles. Eventually, the convoy started to move up a slope and now quite exhausted, Rose glanced up to see how high this slope was. It appeared to be more than a slope, for above her, the sheik was sitting on his horse looking down on them as they struggled on the upward journey. The road had zigzagged up the side to what looked like a castle.
Finally, the vehicles passed under an arch and they were in blessed shade.
Rose fell to the floor as the carriages stopped, her arms ached and she was angry that for something as trivial as looking at some bloke on a horse, she had been manhandled and dragged to heaven knows where. She had been tied up like a criminal and was dirty and sweaty. Some holiday this is.
Guards came and untied her wrists and with one on each side of her holding her arms, she was led away from her husband, as he was also being untied.
Rose was pushed in through a door, and as she passed into the room, the two men pulled the door shut and she heard it being locked.
Looking around, the room was tiled up to the roof and in front of her was a door that was just opening.
Women came into the room and came up to her.
An older woman, clearly in charge, said something to the group around her and they took her hands and led her through the door they had come from.
This proved to be a large room with lots of scatter cushions on the floor, where other young women lounged on them, watching her arrival.
The older woman said something to one girl, who stood and came over to Rose.
She was wearing a short semi see-through blouse and Rose could see no bra was underneath the blouse. She had baggy trousers on that had elasticated ankles to them.
"My name is Mina; I speak your language, so I have been chosen to refresh you ready for our master to look upon you. You will be taken to the bathing room and washed, then once clean, will be given traditional clothes to wear. Once you are dressed, you will be taken to the sheik to hear his judgement. You will be shown how to move in his presence and how to sit. You will only answer any questions he asked and will not question him. You must always answer with master as you reply."
"Oh, come on. I am a British citizen, and I am not going to cow-tow to some jumped up bloke who thinks he is a god. Tell someone to get in touch with the British Consulate and get me and my husband out of here."
"It is better you obey his wishes. A woman's place in this kingdom counts for very little, and both you and your man broke our masters' laws. Now let me organise a bath for you to get you cleaned up."
"Well, I could do with a shower after the treatment I had, the bloody man should be shot."
"Hush. Others may hear your words and tell our master, and you would then incur his wrath."
Rose was led through another door, down a corridor and into a room that felt hot and slightly steamy.
"Please disrobe, and then I will take you into the bathing room."
As she looked around, Mina started to undress.
She unbuttoned the blouse she had on and as she slid it from her arms, her bare top was exposed to her eyes.
"Why don't you wear a bra under your blouse?"
"Such items of attire are not allowed." she said as she loosened her baggy trousers and dropped them. She was now totally nude.
"No panties either. I suppose this is the rules of your master the sheik, is it?"
"It is. All women are here to please his eye. When he asks for us to bring his food or his wine, then it must be a pleasing experience for him and for us."
"He's going to get a shock then when I have freshened up. I will be wearing my own clothes and not going around half naked just to please his randy eye. Who the hell does he think he is?"