16th Century Slave Market Pt. 03

After dressing, they proceeded to a large open area. "This is called the Harem Courtyard. There are many small apartments and connected rooms around us. Beyond this is the Courtyard of the Favorites and the chambers of the Valide Sultan, our Master's mother, and her family. You must know this: She rules the Harem. We must all stay in her favor."

They came to a small, ornate door. Camila smiled. "This is the entrance to the Golden Road. It leads directly to the Sultan's quarters. At any time, day or night, he will open this door and choose a girl. But usually, a eunuch will bring one of us down the passage to his bed."

"You have been inside this door, Camila?"

"Yes, Querida. Many times. For almost two years, I was one of the Favorites, but men like him tire of plowing the same fields. You will follow a similar path, I know. You are so beautiful, you are sure to be one of his delights..."

"No! How can...I don't want..." Camila pulled Ysabel into her embrace.

"Shh. You are frightened. I will show you many things in the coming days. Let me show you the other parts of the residence. Then we will eat, and you will rest."

They passed into an immense domed room. "This is the Imperial Hall. The Sultan receives visitors here, and there are weddings and ceremonies. He watches from his throne over here, and there is another secret door behind him. He always has to guard against attacks and assassins."

Next, they entered a smaller domed chamber with a fountain. "Our Master told me that he can have private conversations here because the water's noise keeps anyone from eavesdropping. He likes to bring women here as well. Last month, he bid me to mount him right on this bench. That was the last time, and just thinking about it warms me."

Blushing, Ysabel whispered, "Will he bring me here?"

"No, he will have you delivered to his chambers through the Golden Road. A eunuch will probably carry you over his shoulder." Camila squeezed her hand. "I make you two promises — He will not hurt you, and you will be ready when he calls for you. Do you believe me, Preciosa?"

Another tearful embrace: "Yes." The tour of seemingly endless courtyards and passages finally ended in a dining area where about twenty women were already eating. Many eyes and whispers followed them as they brought a bowl of lamb stew to a table. A gilded porcelain carafe held hot coffee. Ysabel kept her eyes down as she felt the stares.

"Pay no attention to them. Some are envious; some are jealous. A few wish they were you. In a short time, you will be part of our familia, with all its fire and ice, great affection and petty squabbles. Did you go to a girl's school?"

"Yes, Villa Maria Acadèmia."

"Do you remember your nuns? They are often bitter and frustrated because they have no normal outlet. They are married to a spirit who can never quench their flame. The women of the harem sometimes feel the same. With so many women, a visit with the Sultan can be rare. But you will also find joy here, with intimate friends and entertainment."

They finished the meal in silence. Under Hakim's eye, they returned to Ysabel's quarters. Instead of waiting outside, he followed them in and spoke to Camila.

"Hakim wants to see how you dance. We often dance for the Sultan and his guests. Sometimes he will expect you to dance for him in private. I know you danced the Sardana back home, but here dance is estimulante. We must please forceful, imposing men."

"Camila, we had to dance like that when we came here. I was so ashamed!"

"I know, Querida, it was so shocking at first, but we must do this. It is our life now. Show Hakim what you did. No, even better, teach me. I will follow your moves."

Ysabel started slowly, twirling in the small space and moving gracefully in ballet-like moves. Soon, Camila stopped her. "That is only the beginning of your presentation. You must use your whole body." Reluctantly, Ysabel placed her hands on her neck and timidly pumped her hips. Trying to keep from laughing, Camila stopped her again.

She took Hakim aside and spoke to him in his language. He nodded and left the room. "Preciosa, he has agreed to wait to assess you until tomorrow. We will practice and practice before then. Hakim is an unusually kind man, but he will use his whip tomorrow if you don't please him.

"I will show you. In this dance, you are offering your body and soul to your Master, without shame or hesitation. I will be harsh with you now, so you will shine tomorrow. This is your first test, but if you fail we will all suffer. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Camila, I will do my best for you, my only friend."

"No, you don't understand! Have you ever dreamed of a handsome man on a white horse riding toward you? And you are hoping will he reach down and carry you off to his mountaintop palace? Every young woman has a dream like this."

"Umm, yes. Only his horse is uh, black."

"Of course it is. He is riding El Diablo! But now you must entice him to take you. You must show him your shameless desire. You ache for this powerful man to be your primer amante, your first lover." Ysabel started to crumble. "No! No tears! Dance!"

Camila began her routine with innocent whirls and steps, but her movement quickly became suggestive and even lustful. Ysabel tried to stiffly follow. "Smile amiga!" They started over more slowly. Over the next three hours, Ysabel's moves gained fluidity and grace.

"Excelente! Now, bon amic, we are off to the baths. We are covered in sweat and there is more I must show you." As always, Hakim escorted them, but stayed outside.

"Does he ever sleep?"

"The Sultan holds him personally responsible for you. Sleep is secondary to keeping his head." They entered the warm water. "Lay across my lap. There is more to our life than the dance." This time, the soaping and rubbing was slow and sensuous. Ysabel's fantasies during the dance had awakened her body and made her a willing participant. With little prodding, she opened her legs to Camila's expert fingers.

"Mmmm. Ahh! Please..."

"Please what, mi amor? Stop or keep going?" Ysabel involuntarily moved her hips upward. Camila began a rapid strumming motion with her middle finger. Her apprentice raised one foot out of the water and brought her knee toward her chest.

"Ohhh... ohhh... ah...AHH! Ysabel rode out her first real orgasm, splashing and moaning. Carefully avoiding any damage to her squirming maiden, Camila kept a hand on Ysabel's thrashing hips. Her neck and chest blossomed with red patches. At length, her breathing slowed and she nestled in Camila's arms.

They stayed arm in arm, walking unsteadily back to the room. "Buenas noches mi dulce niña. We have a busy day tomorrow."

~ ~ ~ ~

The smell of hot coffee brought Ysabel awake in the morning. "Wake up, little sunshine. We eat, we bathe..." The word 'bathe' brought a wide-eyed maiden upright. "No, no, not that! Just a bath." Camila smiled. "Unless..."

"No! Please..." Ysabel caught on to the humor. They both started laughing.

"You will have to do that chore on your own now!"

Ysabel blushed slightly but laughed again. Later, on the way to the bath, she asked, "Is Hakim coming today?"

"Yes, but you are ready. We will practice once more to be sure." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Hakim is fat and soft, but during your dance, you will look at him as a virile prince. Your eyes, your lips, and yes, your hips, will say, 'Take me, I submit.' You are performing not a mere dance, but a seducción."

There were five others in the bath, traipsing around and happily chatting with no hint of modesty. Ysabel hesitated to drop her garment, prompting everyone to look. Camila turned and whispered, "You are the most beautiful in this room. Walk proudly." Two robes fluttered to the floor. The women gave them a brief appraisal and resumed their chatter.

Another hour of practice ended as Hakim entered the room and stood in a corner, motioning for Ysabel to begin. Camila began a beat with a rik. Ysabel felt a new confidence as she stepped off with a bold twirl, moving into a prance that took her right up to Hakim. She smiled and raked her fingers up through her long hair, letting it fall over her face.

Crossing her arms overhead, she began rapid hip thrusts, moving in a small circle before stepping to the center for the final maneuver. When Hakim folded his arms, she decided to go beyond what she had practiced. Gracefully falling to her knees, she opened her garment and lifted her breasts to him before bending down to kiss his slipper.

Ysabel remained in place as Hakim spoke a few words to Camila and left. "What did he say?"

"He said you were acceptable. From him, that is high praise. Many girls break down and cry in their first dance. You were so graceful!"

"Oh, thank you! I was so scared. I thought he would whip me." Her knees were trembling.

"You need to rest for a while. I'll come back and get you for lunch."

Later, when they were alone again, Camila asked, "When is your ciclo?"

"What? My... oh, my time is in about a week. Why?"

"As in many religions and cultures, we are considered unclean during our time. Here, we must live and eat away from the others. In the harem there are special rooms for this. We cannot rejoin the harem until we have a ritual bath. But I can visit you.

"Did you notice how happy those women were in the bath?"

"Yes, they seemed so normal, like any friends might be."

"We have long since accepted that this is our life. Hopes and dreams of the past have faded. We are under the strict control of the Valide Sultan and her son, but we live for each other."

Ysabel started sobbing. "I was to be a wife and mother! I have..." Camila grasped her hands.

"Shh. Querida, we all share your grief. I was one month from my wedding when they took me. I cried for days. I cursed God. I wanted to die. Now it is your turn to do all of these. When I wake you tomorrow, I will expect that you will have cried and agonized and cried again all night.

"And you will tell me that you can see some point of light, a beginning of aceptación, a reason to live. You must believe — The worst is over. And I am here with you."

~ ~ ~ ~

The food always had a strong, delicious smell. Ysabel, red-faced and puffy, yawned and sat up. They nibbled through breakfast in silence. Camila waited. She noticed a faint smile. At last, a declaration.

"I want to live."

"Excelente! I shed some tears for you during the night, praying for those words. I hoped you would say yes after you offered yourself to Hakim. Now, we can begin again. We will walk and talk today. Tomorrow, Hakim will prepare you to meet the Valide Sultan."

"His Mother?"

"Yes. But you already possess what she is seeking: beauty and grace. She knows we will train you for the rest. Let us go. I have much to tell you."

They walked past the palace kitchen, a huge building with dozens of tall chimneys, and the stables, which were partly underground. "Hundreds of slaves work here, night and day. Soldiers and travelers may arrive at any time. The eunuchs oversee everything."

The delicious odors coming from the kitchens mixed with stable smells. Ysabel saw a dozen black horses prancing around a yard. "I love horses! Will I ever get to ride one?"

"No. They are for the men. Do you remember the large flocks of sheep on your island? Here, the Sultan's ownership of horses and women are signs of his wealth and virility."

Ysabel looked at the ground. "Querida, I know what you are thinking. Yes, we are like a herd of women. There are more than 300 here. But neither horses nor girls are mistreated. He simply demands obedience from all.

"The other Sultans send horses as peace offerings. Last year, the eunuchs led four magnificent horses right into the Imperial Hall. There were four naked women strapped face-down across their backs. El Magnífico was delighted! He paraded them all over the grounds!" Ysabel's face took on a horrified look. "No! Mi Dulce, he had the slaves taken down first."

The next day, Hakim demanded precision and poise as they practiced for the crucial meeting. Walking, talking, posing, groveling. At sundown, Ysabel dropped into bed, sore and exhausted.

As she woke up, Camila waited bedside with a light meal. Between bites, she spoke about the Sultan's mother. "You need to understand that the Valide was once a slave like you and me. Her son's wife was also a captive, from the Kingdom of Poland. She became a Favorite, and then Chief Consort, before they married.

"I tell you this because you have a chance to rise in the palace order and influence. Here, beauty is required, but intelligence is prized. We may seem like only receptáculos for their lust, but that is only a beginning. He has seven sons who will one day rule over the empire. Many men and women who came here as serviles have risen to positions of power.

They spent the morning with two other women who bathed, perfumed, and dressed Ysabel in a flowing white gown. After another light meal, the second most important event in her new life loomed.

"Remember, she is not obsessed with your body as the men are. She is looking for poise and confidence. She may ask you about your education or travels. Look at her briefly, lower your eyes slightly, and speak clearly. I will translate."

The reception took place in a small, but ornate domed room. The Valide, seated on a divan, beckoned. Ysabel delicately shuffled forward and slid to her knees. She reverently bent down to kiss her Empress' slippers.

The meeting was brief. She asked if Ysabel had heard of Crimea, and reminisced about her home country's beautiful mountains, then spoke directly to Camila for a few moments. A thin smile and a nod ended the encounter.

"She smiled! What does that mean?" Camilla drew her into a tight embrace.

"She approved! She gave her bendición! You are part of the harem."

"What did she say to you?"

"The Valide told me to train you well for her son, and that you showed much promise. I said I would not disappoint her — or her son."

~ ~ ~ ~

A month of practice in the sexual arts — interrupted only by Ysabel's week of isolation — followed. Camila carefully taught her the strict rules of the ritual bath, where every part of the body must be washed in a prescribed order.

They practiced a new dance of submission. Hakim set up a large pole in the room. "You must practice worshipping this column." Ysabel began to blush. "As you have already imagined, it represents our Master's shaft. Step up to caress it with your hands." Her hands were barely able to span the pole. "Now, kiss it with great passion."

Ysabel nuzzled the smooth surface and began fondling it with her lips. She learned to place the pole between her breasts and slide down to the floor. "Get used to the feel of the wood as it touches you. There will not be a pole in place when you dance for the Sultan. As a virgin, you will be symbolically glorifying something you have never seen."

Ysabel had never seen a grown man's penis. Hakim brought a wooden replica and showed the embarrassed girl how to use her mouth. Camila demonstrated straddling a man in several ways, once getting completely carried away in a frenzy.

They took it to the bathing pool, where several giggling women licked and kissed what they called the "Wooden Sultan." They gathered around as Camilla helped Ysabel rub herself until her hips thrashed in the water in a gasping orgasm. She was clearly embarrassed by its intensity. "You see, Querida, we all enjoy our time with him, and we feel no shame."

They moved into a regular room with two other women and began to work into the harem routine, including language and history lessons. Ysabel met two women who spoke Catalan and several Spanish speakers, but she knew that complete acceptance would only come when she had given her treasure to her Sultan, as each of these women had done.

Three weeks later, the touch of a hand at midnight. "Wake up, Querida, our Sultan is calling for you." Ysabel sat up to find Camila at her bedside. "I have clothing for you. We are going to bathe and dress quickly. Hakim will come for you in a little while."

In the pool, Ysabel had a few minutes to wake up and focus. As Camila began to gently sponge her young pupil, she remembered Ysabel's dream, whispering, "El Diablo is here. Your mysterious man is waiting to claim his prize, and you are ready to surrender to him. He will almost certainly expect to see your dance of submission.

"Mi ángel, you have been here long enough to know what your future holds. There is no reason to hold back is there? Let us get dry and dressed." As Camila donned a flowing white garment, Ysabel noticed that it was oddly identical to hers. "Mi Dulce," I am hoping that our Sultan has given certain instructions. We shall know in a moment."

Hakim led them toward the Golden Road while he spoke to Camila, who broke out in a broad smile. "We are going together! He has done this before with a new girl. I will translate and help you!" Ysabel gave her a tearful hug as the gate opened.

At three points along the narrow passage, guards stood with swords drawn, only giving the party a slight nod as permission to pass. Hakim opened a heavy door only to face two more sharp blades. The last door led to the Master's chambers.

He sat on a large chair, almost a throne, dressed in a loose gold robe. Hakim approached first, bowing deeply. After whispering to his Caliph, he withdrew to a dark corner. The Sultan made a slight hand gesture, permitting Camila to crawl forward and kiss his slipper. She moved sideways, allowing Ysabel to repeat the act of worship. He murmured a few words. Camila whispered, "He wants to see your complete dance. Do you understand what that means?" Ysabel nodded. "Use your eyes. Remember, seducción. Are you ready?"

"Yes." She backed up into the center of the room, shed her slippers, and turned a full circle as she stood, ending in a pose. Camila started a very light clapping. Merging her fears and her fantasies, Ysabel pranced forward and began a circuit of the square carpet, pirouetting at each corner.

She lowered herself to all fours and crawled around the perimeter of the carpet, steadily focusing on a spot in the middle. Hips swaying, Ysabel approached the center point and slowly stood. Raising her hands overhead, she began tracing the outline of the imaginary phallus from top to bottom. She started kissing and licking it, finally rising on tiptoes, as though trying in vain to reach the very top.

With a whimper of frustration, the maiden stepped up to the pole, wrapped her arms and legs around it and slid gracefully to the floor. Camila's breath caught for a moment as Ysabel passionately kissed the illusory shaft. She glanced at the Sultan and saw a faint smile.

Ysabel rose, backing away from the pole, beginning a hip-snapping whirl around the space. During the frolic, she unfastened a loop, slowly letting her garment slip to the floor. Still properly protected by a thin band around her hips, she knelt, offered her breasts to her Master, and fell to her face in submission. Her cheeks shone with sweat and tears of relief.

He motioned to Camila and spoke in a low voice. She knelt by Ysabel's face, whispering, "He loved your dance. He wishes us to join him in the bath." Hakim preceded them to an adjoining room, shielded by an enormous golden gate. Camila whispered, "This is meant to guard the Sultan and his family while bathing. There have been assassination attempts."