Friends, this series is going to be an epic set of tales that would make you rediscover the tales from Arabian Nights, just the way they should have been.
All characters are eighteen plus, all readers must be too.
Enjoy
-----
Sheherazade
Hundreds of years back, well to be precise around fifteen hundred years ago, in the vast Persian empire ruled an exalted king called Shahryar. He was fondly called Sultan.
His vast kingdom spanned as far out as Tibet and Hindoostan in the East, Sham and Anatolia in the West, Hejaz and Najd in the South, and Samarkand in the North. While some of his ancestors ruled the kingdom from Persia, he chose his seat of power in Menefer, Kemet. The place is now known as Memphis. In the north, he appointed his younger brother, Shah Zaman as the king of Samarkand.
In every respect, Shahryar was an alpha male. Six feet three inches tall, muscular physique, solid hard chest and abs, calloused hands from having led many battles from the front. His enemies were terrified of the fearless Persian leader.
Then he fell in love. On one of his expeditions to Hindoostan, he stopped en route in Khorasan, Afghania for a night's rest. They would have moved on with the campaign a day later. The royal Khorasan family hosted a banquet in his honor. It is here that he saw Morsal, daughter of the royal Khorasan family. Their domain was under the aegis of the Sultan. It was like a match made in heaven.
Sultan married her immediately. Instead of heading on to Hindoostan, he spent many weeks in Khorasan, spending endless days making love to his lovely wife.
He became besotted with the beautiful girl that was Morsal, the flower of Khorasan. Morsal was indeed very beautiful and attractive. Every man who saw her was envious of Sultan. Upon her marriage to the Sultan, she attained the title, Sultana.
Sultan had an old mate and a trusted bodyguard named Gulbaz. He would shadow Sultan everywhere and vowed to do anything to protect Sultan from traitors, spies, and renegades.
The celebration of Sultan's marriage had lasted over a month. Sultan all but forgot about his campaign. His army, which at first rejoiced the break and the celebrations of their honorable leader's marriage, after a while, became desolate and miserable.
Realizing the predicament, one of Sultan's generals, who was also his confidante, shared with him the army's restlessness. Agreeing with his general, Sultan immediately ordered a march forward and led the army from Khorasan. To protect his dearest Sultana, he left behind his trusted bodyguard, Gulbaz, in Khorasan.
They had merely traveled a hundred miles when they were forced to camp. Rain and bad weather prevented the march forward for the second day as well. On the second evening, he was informed by his general that the weather might remain inclement for another day or two.
Sultan was already craving for his dearest Sultana, and this news was like a godsend to him. He thought, if the weather is to be like this, it would be best if I could ride back to my wife, my beloved, and spend another night with her before we march forward.
Hoping that she too would be in a melancholy, having separated from her husband, to surprise her, he rode back in haste. Being an excellent rider, Sultan reached Khorasan within a couple of hours.
Just as he was about to enter Sultana's chambers, he heard Sultana's cries. Her moans of passion, her cries of climax, and her wails of orgasm.
Astounded in disbelief, he barged into Sultana's bed chambers and saw his trusted Gulbaz thrusting in and out of Sultana's pussy. Gulbaz pumped in and out of Sultana in a fierce tempo, quite in contrast to Sultan, who made passionate, tender love to his wife. To Sultan, the entire scene was an epitome of vulgarity and decadence.
Consumed with rage and angered beyond senses, Sultan thrust his sword into Gulbaz's spine that very instance. His sword pierced through Gulbaz's chest and entered Sultana between her breasts.
The betrayal was so cruel and severe for Sultan, that after he had murdered his wife and his bodyguard, he sat and cried for hours, unable to fathom the motive of Sultana's betrayal. She was his queen, his consort. She could have ruled the world with him, and she chose a servant.
Instead of marching on to Hindoostan, Sultan returned with his army back to his capital, Menefer. The failed campaign was his only combat failure, ever, and it was one he did not even fight.
Back in his palace, he spent his time mostly alone. He had a harem full of women. His wise Vizier, who like everyone, knew of Sultana's betrayal and the Sultan's anguish. The Vizier ensured Sultan was sent women from the harem regularly to entertain him.
Sultan's brother, Shah Zaman in Samarkand, coincidentally had had a similar experience. Shah Zaman's wife also had betrayed him and had eloped with one of his ministers. Shah Zaman tracked them down and beheaded them both.
Hearing of his brother's condition of depression, Shah Zaman traveled to Menefer to meet with his brother.
The meeting was only partially helpful. Shah Zaman was able to get Sultan's spirit somewhat up, but it was mostly on account of reminding Sultan of his royal duties.
They shared their fate in failed marriages, and in one outburst while talking with his brother, Shah Zaman said, "O, brother. The sum and substance of all problems is a woman. If it were upon me, I would kill them all. Women entrance and seduce you. Then they use you. And whenever they feel their purpose is served, they betray you. I hate them all."
Sultan was equally upset and furious. Inadvertently, his brother had given him a way to redeem himself. He thought, 'I am Sultan. I can do whatever I want. My brother is right, Women are the problem, and all of them must be extinguished.'
An executive order was issued. "All women must be hanged, instantly. Hung until they are dead."
The order sent shivers down the spine of the court staff. Noone knew what should be done.
With some presence of mind, the court staff went scrambling for the intelligent Vizier to save the day.
He bravely reached out to Sultan and said, "O my great Sultan. I congratulate you on your decision, and the order shall be fulfilled post-haste, starting this very instant."
Sultan was pleased to hear this and nodded to the Vizier to go and start.
In a soft tone, just so no one hears him say it, Vizier said, "May I say something that needs the Sultan's attention?"
Sultan nodded again.
"O, my great Sultan, the women are the bearer of children. Without any more children, very soon we would have no progeny. There could be a possibility that we may very shortly, have no men to battle for this great kingdom that your ancestors have fought hard to build, and you have persevered to expand."
Sultan understood what Vizier was saying, but an 'order was an order' and Sultan was not known to take back his words. He seemed frustrated.
Before Sultan could say anything intractable, Vizier offered, "My lord Sultan, may I offer a solution?"
Sultan nodded, frowning.
"Allow me to convey the order that the Sultan has asked only the unmarried women to be hung. The married ones can continue to give us children for the future." Vizier proferred a solution that he hoped Sultan would agree with.
Sultan nodded again. He found the solution reasonable.
The order was written, and the Vizier personally took it in his hand and said, "My lord the great Sultan, your order is in my hands, and I shall personally see to it that it starts to be effected from daybreak tomorrow."
He bowed and left.
The Vizier spent another night, thinking and encouraging himself, for another meeting with the Sultan.
The message was sent to the Sultan, early the very next morning, that the Vizier seeks an emergency meeting.
"What now?" the Sultan asked.
"O, my great Sultan. I apprehend another small problem, and before passing the orders to the men of the court for executing the order, I felt it would be best I consult with you once."
Sultan nodded, satisfied that if his wise Vizier wants validation of some kind, it surely must be reasonable.
"O great Sultan, I fear if all the virgins in the kingdom are killed then the young men would start to emigrate from your kingdom because they won't have anyone to marry. The exodus would hurt the kingdom more than it would help gain."
Sultan could not help but agree.
Before Sultan could dig his heels into the ground on his order, the wise Vizier offered, "I have not yet handed over the orders to the court staff for execution. May I suggest something if my lord permits."
Sultan nodded.
With some feigned apprehension, Vizier said, "It is my solemn duty to also see to it that the subjects of this great kingdom must never question their Sultan's orders. Not just vocally in public but even in their minds and their conscience. There should be no doubts or concerns about the great Sultan's orders. That is what makes them your true followers."
Sultan heard him patiently.
"O great sultan, even while the entire citizenry is your property, but someone's wife, daughter, or son is also their own personal property as well."
Sultan wasn't pleased, but he was listening quietly.
"My suggestion o great Sultan is all the maidens in your kingdom who are of marriable age be sent to you one by one as your wife. What you do with your wife would not affect anyone, my lord."
His suggestion, albeit reluctantly, was agreed upon. Sultan just wanted blood. The Vizier had successfully manipulated reducing the tragedy to one woman a day.
The executive order was privately destroyed. Sultan marrying daily needed no proclamation.
