The Harem

Title: The Harem, chapter two

Author: Lady Snowblossom

Notes: See part one

Rating: See part one

Disclaimer: guess what.

Status: you got it.


To Abu, the three boys looked as wide-eyed as startled does, their nude bodies tense as drawn bowstrings, one wrong word and they would bolt. Despite the clamor going on around them, Abu spoke softly and soothingly,

“Well, my sons. Welcome to the Keep of El Tamir-home of Ryo, the Flame! Come with me and I’ll see that you get a bath and some clothes.”

“And some food, please master.” The soft voice asked wistfully.

The blue-haired boy was the one who had spoken, hunger was written on his face and that of the little auburn-haired boy. The blonde remained seemingly aloof. When Abu’s eyes locked with his, the blue boy cringed and quickly averted his eyes, his hands coming up slightly as though he wanted to ward off a blow. His two companions stepped subtly closer to him. They relaxed when Abu made no move to strike.

“And some food,” Abu added, “Tell me, my sons, what are your names?”

Blue hair spoke again, “Sage is on my left, and Cy is on my right. I am Rowan, master.”

Abu nodded, “they are good names. Now, follow me.”

He turned and began walking across the courtyard toward the Keep. Fatalistically, the three boys slowly followed him. They paused at the arched doorway that would swallow them and send them into a life none of them wanted, but knowing they had no choice, they entered in the wake of the Aga Kislar.

Abu led them out of the blazing sun into a cool hallway. The contrast of sharp brightness to the soft shadows of the hallway made them blink. The floor of the hallway was made of flagstones, and was cool under their bare feet. The walls were of white painted plaster.

The Aga Kislar was a medium tall man with black skin. His eyes were a warm brown and shone with good humor. His hair, under his ever-present turban was black and kinky. His teeth were straight and dazzling white. Abu had been captured as a child and castrated. He hadn’t known it at the time, but he was one of the lucky ones, he had survived. Lord Din, Ryo’s father had bought him as a gift for his wife, the Lady Sophie, Ryo’s mother. He had played with Ryo, when Ryo was a child. When Ryo was given this assignment, he had accompanied him into what amounted to exile.

He had been trained in the duties of an Aga Kislar by the old Aga of Lord Din. Hammed was a wise old man, it was he, who told Abu when he first started training for the post.

“Always remember, be fair to your charges and loyal to your master. But,” the old man had pointed a bony finger at him, “if your master does not deserve your loyalty. Then protect your charges the best you can, and pray for a change of masters.”

He had taken the lesson to heart. But, he had no complaints about the way that Ryo treated him, or the harem.

Abu turned into a small room with white walls and flagstone flooring. The room contained a large vat with some steps leading up one of its sides. Along one white wall was a leather bound trunk. Two black slaves stood at the foot of the steps, their heavy muscles rippled as they bowed to the Aga Kislar.

At a signal from Abu, one of the slaves went to the trunk, opened it and removed several large pieces of cloth. Abu turned and pointed at the first boy in line, the clean-featured blonde.

“Go to the steps and climb them.”

Wordlessly, the blonde with disdain in every step he took; did as he was commanded. The second slave climbed the steps behind him and when he reached the rim of the vat and hesitated, the slave shoved him in.

With a loud splash, Sage landed in the fluid in the vat, it was gray, foul smelling, freezing cold and tasted like water from a latrine, he surfaced spitting out a mouth full of the viscous fluid. A hand grabbed him by the back of the head and shoved his head back under the stuff and held him there for a bare handful of seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Then he was released. He erupted from the surface, spitting and sputtering, he floundered to the side of the vat and reaching up began to pull himself out. Behind him, he heard a splash and a curse-Rowan was in the stuff now.

Lightly, Sage landed on a floor outside of the vat. The slave, who had opened the trunk, handed him a large square of cloth, and he began to rub some warmth back into his skin. As he rubbed feverishly at his hair, Rowan, teeth chattering, joined him. Seconds later, Cy also joined them.

Abu watched as the boys rubbed desperately at their skin, trying to wipe away all traces of the fluid. The blonde glared through the bangs that plastered against his face and hissed,

“What was that stuff!”

Abu answered quietly, “Flea dip. We don’t need fleas in the harem. All newcomers get dipped to kill the little pests. Now, come with me and I will take you to my private bath. After you bathe, I will send for your oda master and he will see that you are fed.”

Eagerly wrapping the cloth around their slender middles, the boys trailed him, the promise of food hurrying their steps. Abu exited from the room and turned left down the hall. The next room he led the boys into contained a large bathing pool, surrounded by tiles of black and white marble; the wall were painted with murals of trees, birds, grass and flowers.

Abu clapped his hands and several slaves appeared, as if by magic. As Abu sough a seat on a bench along one wall, Sage, Rowan and Cy were whisked into the bath. Abu watched for a time, he had never functioned as a man, but he could appreciate the beauty of the young men in front of him. Idly, he continued to stare at the boys sporting in the water, when an interesting possibility occurred to him.

Lord Ryo had had the same two favorites for the last three years, and they were becoming arrogant in their good fortune. While Ryo had taken others (including his two wives) to his bed, Kento and Yuli stayed at the top of the pack. But, maybe one, or even all three of these new ones, especially after they have been properly trained, could supplant them in Ryo’s bed.

Abu smiled with pleasure at the thought. He motioned to a waiting attendant and whispering some instructions to him, sat back. Casually, the slave left. When he returned some minutes later, he went to the Aga and whispered something to him. Abu nodded and the slave faded into the background.

A tall white male strode into the room. He was wearing a blue and silver robe with blue slippers, a silver turban resting upon his head. He paused, just inside the doorway and his eyes swept the room, resting momentarily on the three boys being attended to.

A lovely blonde was having his skin bleached with lemons. Two other boys were lying face down on benches being massaged with oils distilled from wildflowers to soften their skin.

Abu motioned for the newcomer to join him on his bench.

“Greetings, Selim.”

“Greetings, Abu.”

Selim was from England. He had been captured, castrated and sold to a eunuch form the Keep for a few dinars. His thick blonde hair framed a square face with a strong chin. He was clean-shaven. His sky-blue eyes twinkled with his enjoyment of life.

“Tell me, what do you think of those three.” Abu waved at the three boys, the blonde was now having individual strands of his hair rubbed with silk to increase the luster. His two companions were talking softly.

Selim’s eyes narrowed as he asset them more seriously this time.

“Hmm, they’ll do. Are they why you wanted me to come here?”

Selim cocked an eyebrow at his old friend, he and Abu had been friends for many years, it was Abu who got him the position of oda master, and he was loyal to him.

“Yes. I want you to take them into your oda, and train them. I want you to be firm, but patient with them. Punish them, when they do wrong, don’t spoil them.” Abu paused, as he shifted on the bench, then he continued, “There might be great things in store from them.”

Selim nodded. He really didn’t have a choice, but there were advantages in being in charge of possible favorites, and if Abu wanted them in Ryo’s bed, then that was exactly where the three would go. “What are their names?”

“Sage, Cy and Rowan.”

The two men watched Rowan and Cy sit up, their massages done. Two slaves came forward and helped them into white robes and red slippers. Then they were led to a bench to sit and wait fore toe ton thn them. Rowan’s stomach growled loudly, and he flushed. The only food any of them had had was a handful of crusts give to them that morning, and he was starving. Cy’s stomach rumbled in echoing chorus.

Both of the older men heard the loud complaint from one of the boy’s bellies, and an answering one from one of the other’s. Abu leaned toward Selim and whispered, “I think it would be best if you took them with you to your oda, and just quietly introduce them into the harem that way. The less tongues wag about them, the less likely the favorites are to notice them.”

“Yes,” Selim replied, “the rest of my boys are in the baths, so the oda is empty right now.” His eyes followed Sage, dressed like the others, as he glided past on his way to join Rowan and Cy. The blonde’s grace spoke highly of his potential. “I can see why you don’t want Kento and Yuli to notice those three.”

Abu nodded, he had known his old friend would understand the need for caution. They had to proceed slowly, one wrong move and his plot to remove Kento and Yuli would be over before it started. Leaning back against the wall, he called, “Boys, come here and meet your oda master.”

Obediently, the boys rose from the bench and approached the two men, their slippers whispered over the tiles. Bowing, they stopped a few steps from the men. Selim rose and stood slightly to the side, so Abu would have an unobstructed view.

“My sons, this is Selim,” Abu indicated the man with the wave of a hand, “he will be your teacher, friend, and confidant. You will be living in his oda.”

Smiling, Selim extended his hand in a friendly gesture,

“Well, boys. Welcome to the Seraglio! The Aga tells me, your names are Sage, Rowan and Cy, which is which?”

Sage tossed his head, an almost insolent gesture.

“I am Sage, my companions are Rowan, he’s the one with blue hair, and Cy is the other boy’s name.”

Selim was amused. The slave was spirited, like an unbroken stallion, Ryo would like that. But, as he eyed the tall boy, he didn’t let his amusement show.

“Sage,” he rebuked, “your manners are atrocious! You should have said, “I am Sage, my companions are Rowan, he’s the one with blue hair, and Cy is the other boy’s name, my lord!”

Sage flushed at the rebuke, then paled.

“However, we have plenty of time to improve them. We will go to the oda, where you will be assigned a bed, the task you will be expected to perform daily, and we will see to your lessons. You have much to learn and it all must be done according to the daily routine.” Selim said sternly, facing the three youngsters, he would now be responsible for.

He was interrupted by another loud rumble and poor Rowan turned redder than his slippers.

Selim laughed. “All right, let’s go to the kitchens and get you something to eat.”

He turned, bowed to Abu and pivoted on his heel, striding off towards the archway. Sage, Rowan and Cy
hurriedly bowed to Abu and scurried after the tall man. After they disappeared from view, Abu mused to himself, “I think it will go well, and soon we will have new favorites in the harem.”