Chris and Jack were enjoying a gap year. They had both left home and were waiting to go to university and did what all spirited youngsters do - decided to work their way around the world picking up jobs on the way to keep them just about solvent.
Currently they were in one of the Gulf states and were employed as waiters in one of the plush hotels in the desert kingdom.
It was evening and they were both serving at table. Suddenly there was a flurry of activity. A hugely rich and powerful sheikh had arrived with his entourage!
Chris and Jack were quickly bundled out of the way. It was explained to them that because they did not know the etiquette required to come face to face with his eminence the sheikh and they should make themselves scarce!
They were about to go back to their room when one of the senior members of the hotel staff waylaid them.
He was quite flustered and told them in broken English that they were required to meet the one of the sheikh's party. This was unheard of! Why should the sheikh be the slightest bit interested in two English teenagers?
Nervously they were taken to a room and waited. Eventually a huge bearded Arab entered the room.
Are you boys ready to be taken to the Sheikh's palace he said.
Chris and Jack immediately thought, why not. It would be an experience and perhaps they might be offered some temporary work.
The upshot was that they hurriedly collected their few belongings and after telling the night manager at the hotel they were leaving, were taken in a plush Mercedes off-roader. The journey lasted at least four hours and the car finally arrived at the gates of what can only be described as a magnificent if remote palace somewhere in the middle of the desert.
Chris and Jack were shown to separate rooms with an adjoining door. They were even given silk pyjamas with the Sheikh's family logo embroidered on them and were soon fast asleep.
In the morning they were brought breakfast in their rooms and realised that they were locked in. After a while they were ushered into another room still self consciously wearing their silk pyjamas. They asked for a robe each at least but were told that this was not possible. They were due to be "inspected." Both Chris and Jack were now worried. What was going on?
They overheard a heated argument going on outside. Eventually the door opened and a women entered. "I can see that a mistake has been made," she said. "His eminence the Sheikh is going to be furious."
"Why, what have we done?" asked Jack. "We were just invited to the palace, that's all."
The woman waved her hand dismissively. "It is not your fault she said, but now that you are here we are not sure what to do with you. Let me ask you, are you gay?"
The boys were aghast. "Of course we are not," they both exclaimed.
"That is most unfortunate. Most unfortunate. Go back to your rooms and wait until we decide what to do with you."
Christopher and Jack were now very worried. After a while they were given their clothes and told that they were to be medically inspected. Would they please follow the bearded man who they had seen at the hotel?
They entered what was clearly a doctor's surgery and the door closed behind them.
An attractive woman in a white coat and stethoscope around her neck greeted them. "I am told that a mistake has been made and that you have been brought here in error?"
"Yes," said Christopher, "and we would like to be returned to the hotel immediately please."
The doctor became quite stern. "That is impossible," she said. "His eminence the Sheikh has been informed of your presence and he will not allow you to return. Tell me, are you gay?"
Once more the boys denied it with vigour. "That's the second time we have been asked that. How ridiculous. Of course we are not."
"Oh dear," said the doctor. "Oh dear." Let me explain. You have obviously been abducted in error."
Chris butted in. "What do you mean "abducted?" They were both now extremely worried.
They were asked if they would be missed and naively replied that both their parents were divorced and they were unlikely to be missed, perhaps for years. They had not realised the significance of the question. They could be held here indefinitely without being missed from the outside world!
"But," said Jack hurriedly, "we have friends on Facebook and they will be concerned." They had not realised that their smart phones had been taken from their rooms while they had been asleep,
The doctor also seemed interested in their physiques. They were both good looking boys but neither of them was more than 5'7" tall and certainly not particularly muscular. It was obvious that they would be ideal for what the sheikh had planned for them.
"You see," explained the doctor, "his Eminence the Sheikh has a harem of boys. He was expecting two more boys who had been specially selected for him and somehow you have been brought here in their place. It is most unfortunate!"
"He will be most displeased if you are taken to his bed only to find that you do not share his sexual appetites. The present sheikh inherited his sexual preferences from his father who was a tyrant. If you had been brought to his bed and you displeased him he would simply have had you castrated and given or sold to another sheikh as a eunuch. Fortunately we live in more enlightened times!
However, since you are here I have been ordered by the sheikh to conduct an experiment with you. When I studied medicine I wrote a thesis on gender manipulation. Now please do not be alarmed. Any experiments I carry out on you should be reversible if at some later date you require or desire it.
Now go back to your rooms and let me warn you once again, if the Sheikh becomes aware that two "pretty boys," as he would call you have attempted to escape I cannot be responsible for your fate."
Chris and Jack were white as sheets and returned to their rooms to discuss what they could do. No way were they going to be captured by the sheikh, they both agreed. They discussed escape but that was clearly very dangerous. Anyway said Jack we could be hundreds of miles into the desert and we would never survive out there.
The door of one of the rooms suddenly opened and in walked a haughty but beautiful young woman who was clearly about to go riding. She had on a silk blouse, Jodhpurs and riding boots. She said nothing but put her riding crop under Christopher's chin and lifted his face towards the light.
"You are quite beautiful," was all she said and left the room as suddenly as she had entered it. Christopher was thoroughly humiliated by such treatment, but they were both beginning to realise just how powerless they were.
Next they opened the door to a young lady in a western style silk dress. "My name is Lesha she said.
The sheikh has a harem of boys, but he also has a small harem of girls. The girls are there simply for the sake of convention and he ignores them. His sexual preferences are for boys only and he despises boys who do not share his own appetites. There are plenty of boys out there just longing to be included in his personal male harem."
"I am responsible for the sheikh's harem of young girls and I have also been put in charge of your welfare. You may be visited by any of the girls of the harem. They have been informed that you are here and what is about to happen to you and they are very curious."