A Visit with the Khan

The Khan broke into laughter. "Oh, bearer of news, it was the most marvelous evening. You would never have predicted it. My aunt, the cynical observer of palace intrigue, was completely taken by our dancer. By the end of the evening, they were embracing naked in the bath, and she was relinquishing her trysts with me. And to finish the wonder of it, Midyar took me and rode me and loved me!"

"Great Khan, you are living a charmed existence since discovering this woman. Tell me, where did she come from?"

"I have been able to discover nothing. The trainer of concubines says she was in the latest batch of women brought in from around the countryside and the village dance halls. She herself says she has no memory before two days ago. What do you make of it?"

"I have heard of occasions where a person loses their memory, but it is usually because of a great tragedy in life, or a terrific wound in battle."

"Yes, I too have observed that. Perhaps one of the women who is close to you can inquire discreetly among the women Midyar came with, to see if there is a recollection of her abduction or circumstances."

"It shall be done. Is there other business for us this quiet morning?"

"Let us review the plans for the training of our woman in disguise. She has many skills already as a dancer that will assist her disguise as a man. But we must go out of our way to preserve her double identity. You have had success in providing for her as a stableboy in your quarters?"

"My most trusted housekeeper, who would gladly throw down her life for us, has agreed to closely supervise arrangements until the daily training and living is routine. She will ensure that neither male nor female intrudes. I will make it clear that he is training to be my personal groom and needs no association with stablemates."

"Since she is to be our confidant in delicate matters, show her the passages that connect your quarters with mine. Make sure she understands that a breach of their secrecy would be grave. Unfortunately, she cannot be seen here as a male, nor in your place as a female. Are we demanding too much?"

"Great Khan, you and I have seen men break under pressure. To a good eye, the signs are clear. I think, with both of us watching carefully, the training program can be stopped if she cannot bear the stress."

"Well said. I will send her to you in an hour after a talk about the Indian situation."

The Khan drank his thick coffee and broke off pieces of a hard bagel. After some minutes, Midyar cautiously approached him. "Sir, I am sorry to run off. I was overcome with sorrow for the soldiers."

"Come here and sit with me, little one."

She crawled into his lap. They sat for a while, with his feeding her bits of bread and sips of coffee.

"From today, you have a new name in your new disguise. You shall be known as Abdul. I am confident you will be able to be Midyar the dancer and Abdul the courier at the same time. Practice with yourself."

She pulled his arm hard around her and shook. "This is a terrible responsibility you give me, sir. I will practice and I will find two sides of me to occupy my time."

"Good, you will go to the Vizier's quarters in an hour. I shall show you this end of the secret way, which you must never let another see you use."

"There is one other thing we must talk about. You worried this morning about my cruelty to the Indian bowmen. Tell me, if I did nothing, what would happen?"

"Great Khan, I know nothing of warfare, but if they hang in the trees and use their bows, our border soldiers will die, would they not?"

"Yes. And if we went out in force to punish the Indians, then what would happen?"

"Many, many soldiers would die."

"Yes. So, by making an example of a few bowmen, what am I accomplishing?"

"A few will die so that many will be saved."

"Yes, but it is sad and cruel, nevertheless. You are right to cry, but as you learn the ways of the Khannate, you will see that cruelty often prevents greater cruelty. I do not relish this part of my throne, but it is necessary."

She wiped her eyes and stood on the bed next to him, his head at her hands, which ran through and through his locks. His hand caressed her muscled thighs and cheeks. A finger grazed between her legs. She bent down and kissed him. "Will there be times when you need loving in the day? Will you chase your woman into strange places and take her?"

"Strumpet! I should ravish you now! You are wet and my finger carries your fragrance to my nose."

"Dearest Khan, may I call you that? Last night, for the first time, I learned what a woman gives to her man and what she gets. It is so loving that I can hardly stand it. Please do not send me away. I could not bear it." She clutched him and he lowered her to his lap. They rocked back and forth.

"I will not send you away, ever. And I will find and chase you when I can. Now, go to the Vizier and learn to be a boy!"

She danced across the room and returned in a deliberate collision that left her in his arms, gasping.

He kissed her neck and pressed two panels that folded to reveal a passage. "Follow it and knock quietly at the end around the corner. He will admit you. It may take a minute before he clears the room."

That very day, the Khan was summoned to a meeting of his generals at the Indian frontier, and was away for the rest of the week. He had deliberately left the Vizier behind to ensure that nothing went awry with Abdul's training. Daily, he received a short note that confirmed things were well, Although after three days, there was a personal note at the bottom which said, "She misses you greatly."

He thought to himself that he missed her greatly as well, and was short with his senior commander, who asked for orders that were too timid. "You have all fought with me, and fought well. These miserable Indians are miscreants of the first order, but we must keep in mind the real threats to the Empire in the northwest frontier, where the tribesmen know what serious fighting is. Drill your troops mercilessly in view of their scouts. When the time is right, in several days, slip away at night and march to the frontier, where you are free to engage the tribes who will not submit. Keep me informed.

As his entourage rode back to the capital, his spirits improved. His army was as well trained as ever, and the maneuvers in front of the Indian scouts would demonstrate that. Not to mention the three bodies still swaying in front of his fort. He would call in the Ambassador for a dressing down about observing neutral zones.

But he pushed thoughts of war to the back of his mind as he envisioned his new lover in his arms. His emotions overtook him in a way he did not think had ever happened before. He chastised himself for allowing a mere woman to bring down the Great Khan, and then laughed long and loud, startling his guards.

"Onward," he shouted, kneeing his mount into a trot that shortened the distance to home.

It was customary for the Khan to hold an audience upon his return from the field, which offered an opportunity for the court to celebrate victory, or other important events. The Vizier rode out and counseled with the Khan. "Great One, I assume we do not wish to make much of your visit to the front? Especially with your last secret orders to the generals?"

"Yes, the less said, the better. The Indians know full well my anger over violation of the neutral zone. You and I shall talk to the Ambassador in a day or two emphasizing the grave risks his superiors are incurring."

"Old Friend, I have interesting news. No only is Abdul riding one of the stallions like the wind, but Midyar has been practicing with the musicians and the acrobat troupe. She demonstrated for me in your chamber this morning, and it is quite remarkable. Perhaps, we should call a feast of whatever holy day it is, and have an entertainment?"

"What an excellent idea! She will be ready?"

"We talked about her crumbling under stress. I am happy to report that the more new things we give her, the more spectacular the results. You will be impressed."

"On the morrow, you can arrange to go out with your new groom, and join the Khan for a picnic?"

The Vizier chuckled. "Great One, I have already ordered it. She will probably outrun even you."

The audience room was packed. The Khan gazed over several hundred faces and mused to himself that free food and wine always drew a crowd.

His sister was on her throne, a quite smaller version of his own, which had always annoyed her. He wondered when her annoyance would push her too far and generate exile. He watched her frowning at the happy faces in the crowd and wondered which of the remote corners of the Empire would suit her best.

The Vizier was acting as master of ceremonies and ascended to stand near the Khan. He gestured for quiet, "The Great Khan has returned from the border with encouraging news of our brethren from India. Relations have never been better. In cerebration of these good tidings, we have food and drink and entertainment for you this evening. Please relax and enjoy yourselves."

A brass choir announced the arrival of the acrobats, who leapt among the audience, twisting and leaping. The musicians accompanied them with lively tunes. In a few minutes, some of the acrobats gathered in an open space before the crowd and beneath the Khan. From one side, to accompanying soft music, strode Midyar in a new costume of gold threaded silk, sewn into pantaloons and a cover for her breasts. She reached two acrobats and stepped up gracefully into a handstand, from which she was propelled high into the air, twisting and somersaulting and landing in the arms of other acrobats. A gasp went up from the crowd at this effortless display of strength and balance. For nearly ten minutes, Midyar and the acrobats built pyramids from which she tumbled and rose again, and again. It was breathtaking. The music slowed and the acrobats retired, but Midyar continued into a series of ancient moves of the Indian dances, captivating everyone and revealing her total body control in the contorted positions of the dance. Finally, she bowed to the Khan and to the audience, and left the area with a series of forward somersaults with great amplitude and a crescendo from the musicians.

The Khan and the audience clapped and cheered, bringing her from the side for another deep bow. Her eyes met those of the Khan in the utmost deference to the ruler. The Khan noticed his sister's frown has shifted to clear hostility. He hoped, for her sake, that not too many important members of the court noticed.

A suitable interval later, the Khan was soaking off the aches of the trail in his hot spa when a body eased into the water next to him. She climbed into his arms for a searing kiss. "I missed you so."

"Did you have my permission to consort with the acrobats? To learn those dangerous moves in the air? And who have you seen to copy the ancient dances of the Hindu's?"

His fingers explored her body, delving everywhere, massaging the tight muscles. She nuzzled into him, trying to get her skin in total contact with him. His cock was immensely hard and wanting her.

"Dearest Khan, I knew that your subjects would like the court dancer to have new things to show them. Were you not pleased? Was I distant enough in the audience room?"

"If we had not planned it, little one, I would have thought your glance cold enough to freeze water!"

She giggled loudly and licked his ear. "Oh sir, my love for you grows every day. I worried so much that some warrior's lance would find you!"

He sat her across his knees and said, "Abdul, I hear you have been riding my favorite stallion without permission? Is there no end to your transgressions?"

"Great one, it is such a thrill to be training in the Vizier's stable. The horses are so kind to me! I shovel their fine manure, and brush them, and feed them carrots, and talk to them like the true friends they are. I am sure you will punish me, but the mare lets me ride her bareback. I hold on to her mane and we go like the wind. Perhaps one day you will grant me a great favor and let me ride her without my clothes. The mare and I, as nature made us!"

"There is a story about a naked lady and her horse that I will tell you one day, but I wish to know about the stallion. No one has ever ridden him except me. He is so valuable, I do not take him on trips except to do battle."

"It was really an accident. One of your grooms brought him to the farrier in the Vizier's stable to have a shoe inspected. He was limping a bit, so while we waited for the farrier, I talked softly to him and asked to lift his hoof. There was a terrible thorn in the tender flesh of the side of his hoof, but I was able to snatch it out as fast as I could. Then I talked to him and found a carrot for him, and brushed out his mane which the other groom had done poorly. He stomped his feet softly and whinnied at me. I was very tense, because he was sniffing and I was sure he knew I was a mare. I was worried the next thing that would happen was his giant cock extending out and everyone suspecting me. So I looked him in the eye and said he needed to go for a walk to cool down. I couldn't believe it, but he snuffled and invited me to jump up. Without asking, I led him out of the stall, took a great leap and landed on his back. He gave a snort and dashed off down the trail with all of the grooms shouting at me to come back."

She whispered in his ear, "I was very bad, you can punish me now."

He crushed her to his chest. "Great gods above, she dances for me, she loves me, and now she has seduced my very own stallion. This is too much!"

They laughed and giggled as he dried them and walked to the bed. He propped himself up on pillows and landed her on his hard belly, in front of the cock that looked like it belonged to a stallion.

He said, "So how did you guide that Imperial stallion you were riding"

She giggled again. "I felt like the smallest gnat. He hardly knew I was there, but we got to the first grove of trees and he slowed to a walk. I had a long nice talk with him, and we went to the creek for a drink. He even got on his front knees so I could dismount. He sniffed at me some more and made that noise stallions make around their mares. I said to him that it was not fair to treat me that way, even if it was true that I was a mare and smelled like one. He rolled his wonderful eyes at me, and I told him it was our special secret. Then I got back on him, and he raced back to the stable so fast I could hardly see. But when he reared up and stopped, I did a back flip and landed on my feet. The other grooms were struck dumb."

The Khan laughed and laughed and hugged her close. "What are the Vizier and I going to do about a horse for you? The newest groom always gets the saddest, lame horse in the stable. But if you have already won the heart of the Khan's stallion, what are we to do?

She knelt behind his rampant cock, fisting it and giving him a hard lusty gaze, "Great lover of dancers, enough of grooms and their problems, it is time for you to treat your dancer like your stallion treats a mare."

She sucked on the purple head and covered it with her saliva. Standing and holding herself open she dropped ever so slowly down, down, down. Her dark eyes captured his, and her muscular sheath clenched on him as hard as she could. He groaned and reached for her, but she dodged and stayed erect, moving up and down, squeezing him. "You are a devil. A shameless devil using your charms on me. His days of abstinence clutched his vitals and a massive spurt of juice nearly drove her from his cock. She wailed, "Oh, you are so hard and filling me with yourself. Oh..." She shook as she came with him, collapsing on his chest.

In the morning, the odor of stale sex was all about them. He walked to the bath with her and submerged in the heat.

After some time, the Vizier appeared and asked if he too could join them. The Khan nodded and the Vizier disrobed, revealing a hard body and impressive male organ of his own. Noticing her gaze, the Khan laughed and said, "Yes, Midyar, the bearer of news has many women friends who appreciate him. She blushed and buried herself in his chest. It was becoming a familiar move and he liked it very much.

"She told me the story of my stallion last night. Do the grooms say he tolerated, actually liked her up on him?"

"It appears so, Great One, she is very kind and she removed the thorn in his foot, so he had reason to be kind."

"She tells me he sniffed her and knows she is not a male."

The Vizier laughed, but said, "Perhaps we need to adjust our plans."

The Khan joined the laughter, and said, "Yes. Immediately. Do you suppose the other grooms are impressed enough with Abdul's riding for you to promote him to be a courier immediately?"

Midyar was arranged across the Khan's lap, facing outward, with the stiff cock sticking up between her legs like the pommel of a saddle. She stroked it very slowly and very delicately beneath the steaming water. She looked at the Vizier curiously, waiting for his answer.

He in turn looked at this wondrous woman who had not only won the Khan's heart, but that of his stallion. She was where she wanted to be, close to her man and close to his sex. Her dark eyes were confident and smiling.

"This woman of yours, Great One, enjoys a challenge. She has still much to learn about riding, but it would be a shame not to move to her training as a courier. She also needs instruction in the martial arts and in bowmanship. Perhaps some knife throwing as well."

Her grasp was suddenly tight around him and he flexed upward in response. He labored a sentence, "How are you and I going to survive, treating her as a man one moment and a woman the next?"

He set her on the edge of the pool and said, "Pretend you are a boy for now." Watching the disappointed look on her face, he laughed and said, "I know, you are not here for male sex!"

She exploded at him, "Sir! That is a terrible insult! Take it back!"

He reached and brought her back to him. "You are right, I apologize. I will never do that again. Please forgive me."

She stood in the water, deliberately thrusting out her breasts and wiggling her hips. With a dark look at the Khan, she waded to the Vizier and gave him a long, hot wet kiss. Turning so her body was presented to them both, she asked the Vizier, "Bearer of news, is there any confusion about whether I am a man or a woman?"

The two men were struck dumb with embarrassment and totally submerged in the water for a moment, rising out choking with laughter. He held out his arms, but she stayed in the middle of the pool, turning her body this way and that. She said, "As you make plans for my future, please be in mind of my body."

The Vizier said, "If the horses know her, then it is only a matter of time before the stables know it and the gossip will get to court directly after that. So being known as a groom in my service is not going to work. Since we wish for her to be a secret and silent courier for our most important missions, perhaps the new plan is for her to be just that, our secret courier. In other words, she comes and goes, mostly in the evenings, always dressed as a man and all in black with a mask. You and I make it clear to the stables that this particular courier is to be given every courtesy, including respect for keeping his identity unknown even to the court. We can stress the importance of the courier missions to the safety of the Empire."

Sensing the importance of this conversation, Midyar abandoned her brazenness and quietly made her way back to the Khan, sitting between his knees. His fingers gently worked in her hair.

"So we will need trusted instructors who work with her away from the palace?"

"Yes. I am thinking perhaps you and she can visit some of the country lodges reserved for your use."