Elizabeth's Roman Awakening Ch. 08

Elizabeth chose her next words carefully. "I told you, honey. Michael and I have entered into a long-term contract to live amongst Joseph's people and to help them negotiate with western companies. Michael and I have already agreed to this and it would mean quite a lot of prestige and future recognition for Michael. Joseph's brother Teejan is the headman - what we would call a 'king' in western terms and he wants to meet me as soon as possible. That's all really; otherwise I would be onboard with you soaking up the ambience of the Aegean Sea."

Of course it wasn't all true. It was at least partially true, but it was far from everything, and it was the story she and Joseph had agreed to. His theory was that as her sister got to know him and his people, and as he helped her understand his people's way of life, she would be more able to accept the choices Michael and Elizabeth had made.

They returned to the table and found a family style antipasto waiting for them. Karen was already stuffing her face and prompting the wine steward for a refill. Diane noticed that the one called Harun was now receiving some private instructions from Joseph. Another, somewhat older black man with a rather severe military bearing had taken up position where Harun had been standing. Diane noticed a distinct bulge under his left jacket lapel, and thought suddenly that it definitely looked like a gun. She frowned but made no comment. Harun left the restaurant in haste while Joseph smiled and turned his attention back to his bevy of lovely women, encouraging them to eat hearty.

The wine and the light conversation made the mood at the table ebullient and joyful. Had they known why Harun had hastened away, their attitude might have been different, but they were blissfully unaware of the tense state of undeclared war between Joseph's tribe and the insurgents dedicated to tracking his movements and preventing his return to Africa.

In the hour plus consumed by the meal, Harun had driven Lotar's rented Fiat 500 back to the harbour and, having enlisted the aid of four local mafiosi, dispatched two Africans who had been inconspicuously watching the Malreine from atop a containment facility on an adjacent wharf. They had thought themselves practically invisible but Harun had noticed them over the course of seveal days. He had been observing them intently every night for a week now, and one night he had even crept within 20 meters of their perch and taken several low light pictures. Acting on Joseph's instructions, he and the band slit their throats, with hardly any struggle. Their money was split amongst the mafiosi, but Harun had kept their 'burner' mobile phones and the few papers they carried for further inspection.

The crew bagged their bodies in rough canvas sacks and weighted them down with old auto parts. Harun and the crew carried them to a small skiff. Harun told his band to go far enough into the bay to give the predatory fish of the night a hearty meal. Waving cheerfully to them he motored back to the restaurant and was there just in time to greet the party emerging from their meal.

Harun drove a meandering path back to the yacht, followed by Lotar and Bolitho. No one appeared to be following them and Harun was satisfied by his efforts of the afternoon. By the time they arrived at the Malreine, the sun was sinking quickly and the heat of the day gave way to a delicious chill. Elizabeth helped her sister and daughter settle into separate cabins at the level of the main deck, and went back outside to bid farewell to Joseph. He held her as if never wanting to let her go, and they looked out from the stern over the water as lovers often do, wondering about what the future might hold.

In her cabin, Karen had changed into very short shorts and a lime green and white striped boat neck top. When she emerged onto the deck, she was confounded to see Prince Joseph, his arm around her mother's waist. This confused her deeply; she had never imagined her parents as sexual beings, and seeing her mother in the embrace of someone other than her father caused her to breathe in so sharply that she started a coughing spell. She retreated back down the stairs quickly lest anyone hear her and pushed open the door to her cabin, slamming it behind her.

27.

Interlude 1: Karen and Diane Aboard the Malreine

On the third day into the trip, the weather cleared and the sea and sky created a dazzling mosaic in countless shades of blue. Joseph's personal entourage were all warriors from his homeland, as signified by the tribal sigels inscribed into their chests. The lone exception was Joseph's young cousin Bolitho, who had not yet distinguished himself in combat and thus did not merit the tribal scar. The crew, except for Harun, who kept vigil on a platform above the bridge, were casually attired either wearing only shorts and tank style tops or no tops at all. Both Diane and Karen discretely scoped them out and Diane - who had started drinking just after breakfast - had indiscreetly commented, half to Karen and half to herself, that if any of them were available in a white model, she might be sorely tempted. Karen stared at Bolitho a few seconds too long and reflected to herself that she didn't see anything at all wrong with the black model, especially after Joseph's exhortation to consider black men as superior.

On the previous day, they had an additional long discussion that ranged from Mediterranean points of interest to his peoples' way of life. At Karen's urging, Joseph expanded on some of the themes about African men, telling her that she should take this time away from her parents' watchful gaze to sample some of the men onboard. He mentioned, perhaps a bit too forcefully, that Harun in particular was known to the women of his tribe to be the best lover, able to cum multiple times and give a woman many orgasms without losing his erection. At this, Karen blushed deeply from her cheekbones to her sternum and buried her head in her hands to suppress nervous, almost girlish laughter.

As they sat in a secluded area of the stern, shaded by a canvas awning, Joseph looked at her and rolled his eyes in dismay. This one would definitely be a cow in his tribe, taken by many men for their pleasure. She was dressed in low rise worn denim shorts that barely covered her skinny butt, and a loose camisole with a shelf bra that Joseph thought was unnecessary for support. At home girls with as little development as her would remain topless and enjoy the warmth of the sun on their bodies. He shrugged and continued to chat affably with her, hoping that he would loosen her up during the cruise.

He planted another little seed, saying, "Surely you know the old wives exhortation, 'once you go black, you never go back?' There is truth in old wives' tales and this one is certainly not an exception. Tell me Karen, How many times can your boyfriends back home make you climax. Are they like Harun?"

With that, she clenched her jaw and looked out over the water. She cleared her throat, and offered, "Well, to be honest, I... Um, I have never gone that far with a boy."

This last part she rushed out so that it was barely intelligible, but Joseph had been listening intently. "Truly?" he replied.

She took a deep breath and then expelled air from her chest in a rush. She raised her palms and nodded. "Yup, I have felt a boy's... you know... penis and let him kiss my boobs - and before you say anything, yes I know they're barely boobs; everyone tells me that, so just don't fucking say it, ok?" She dragged out the word 'everyone' dramatically and waved her hands in a way that made Joseph smile inwardly.

"Well, I am sure that once you're coupling with a strong lover - someone like Harun, that will change," not adding that the change would likely come about by her being bred by someone like Harun, or perhaps Harun himself. He continually promoted the idea of Harun as a lover to the impressionable young woman in the belief that, in marketing, persistence is everything.

He had planted the seed more than once, and once they were a few more days out, he would instruct the chef to begin adding a potion given him by Mama Leon, the tribe's shaman. It would make Karen's libido skyrocket and, without knowing why, she would begin acting on impulse as if possessing no self-control.

Karen reflected on the prince's statement as Joseph turned the conversation to lighter topics - the calm of the sea, a planned course change, the coolness of the day. It was all Karen could do to keep her mind on the conversation. She had caught sight of Harun, patrolling the quarterdeck abutting the bridge deck above them binoculars in hand, and involuntarily, her eyes traveled over his body. He was so old she thought, in his 40's or fifties. Why in the world would women seek him out as Prince Joseph had claimed? Still, there was something about his bearing; about the way his chest and his biceps filled his khaki shirt. She looked at him as if for the first time, and without knowing why, her eyes traveled down from his beltline, down his shorts. She saw, or imagined she saw, a tubular shape running down from his crotch for many inches. It was both long and thick. Was this the reason women wanted him? She dismissed the thought and looked in vain for something else to capture her interest.

Joseph poured her a glass of white wine, which she gulped down in a most unladylike fashion. She had begun to enjoy these fruits of adulthood, and with no one there to keep tabs on her, had a tendency to go a bit overboard. During a change in the conversation, she ran her hand along Joseph's thigh without knowing it, and, not really caring, didn't bother to pull it back.

Amidships, Diane had begun to relax in a way she had not been able to do at home for years. Today, she had even decided to wear a bikini. To hell with all the black men on board she thought. Let 'em get an eyeful. Her failed marriage with Hurley and the disappointment of their sons seemed to fade away in the calm and serenity of the Mediterranean Sea. Lotar seemed to be dedicated to her, but not in the way that a servant might. Instead, he kept assuring her in a French-English patois that he would take care of her. He brought her a rum drink and hors d'oeuvres as a midday repast, and set them down beside the chaise where she was on her stomach, sunning.

Noticing that her fair skin was reddening, Lotar squeezed some sunblock from the tube and began to apply it to her shoulders and neck. Abruptly, she pushed up on her elbows and said loudly, "What the... what the hell do you think you're doing? Get your hands off of me you... you... "

She didn't finish the sentence, but her words had made her emotions clear enough. Lotar ignored her and pushed down on her back until she flattened onto the chaise again. "Lotar take care of you. You belong for Lotar."

She ignored his words, and he discreetly retreated into the shade of a banquette covered by a temporarily rigged canvas awning. He regarded Diane impassively from the shadows.

He closed his eyes and thought back to the day of their leaving Ostia. Joseph had gathered him and Harun and told them both that they were to give "special attention" to the women and he would take is as a special favor if the women were both to yield their "charms" to the men by the time they arrived in Lagos. Lotar said in their native tongue, "I want that big woman. The child has all the appeal of a Pika Chakula bean. I will take the chubby one many, many times. Trust me, boss." Harun only grunted, clenching his jaw and rolling a toothpick over his tongue. Joseph looked at him sternly, and repeated his exhortation. "I mean this Harun. I want the young one to give everything to you, to be completely committed to you, understand? I don't want that one to ever see the land of her birth again. Do whatever it takes to make that happen. Understand?"

Harun replied tonelessly, "Of course, my prince."

Joseph reached into his cargo pants pocket and produced a large vial of orange liquid. "We will help her desire to become insatiable with this. It's a gift, a little potion from Mama Leon. And Lotar, if you wish we will give it to the aunt as well."

Lotar grinned a toothy grin and replied, "Lotar needs no help with that one boss. She is ripe for taking already. I sense it from her smell."

The three of them laughed heartily, even Harun. Joseph slapped the table and said, "Even so, this will help things along."

Lotar opened his eyes and gazed at Diane's full butt. She was still on her belly and her butt stood out prominently. Already, he could envision her bent over like a Bunaji cow, ready to take him.

Diane opened her eyes slightly and looked at him. The very idea of the dark skinned black man putting his hands on her made her flesh crawl. A gentle breeze brought his strong scent to her. Damn, he stinks, she thought! The very idea of him touching me? it's repulsive. Oh well, she thought, I put him in his place.

On the third day, they abruptly changed course and passed through the narrow strait between Corsica and the Isola Maddelena and once into the open sea, the captain increased speed to 18 knots. The Malreine, at 500 feet in length was a huge vessel, one of the largest of her class. She had specially modified twin hulls beneath and could do up to 20 knots in a short stretch. The course change had been planned by Harun and Joseph, and Harun intently watched their retreating wake, looking for any sign of pursuit. On the bridge, the crew scanned the advanced radar supplied by the British, for any unusual traffic.

When they passed through the Straits of Gibraltar, both Karen and Diane indulged in a flurry of selfies and then were disappointed to discover they had no mobile service. Lotar explained patiently, "Too far, too far away from everything now."

28.

Their first port of call was Rabat. They dropped anchor squarely in the middle of the Jeteé de Salé rather than at the docks. If they needed a quick exit, it was better to be in open water. A water taxi took them into the port. Diane had told Captain van Leeuwen, one of the two white males onboard that she was interested in finding something special for Elizabeth in the bazaar. He had recommended the Kasbah of the Udayas as the most genuine and atmospheric of Rabat's many open street malls. He also suggested in no uncertain terms she take Harun or Lotar with her. "A white woman alone in Rabat... Well, you can imagine."

As Joseph wanted to show Karen the beautiful gardens in the Paseo en Rabat, they parted on the docks with Lotar and Diane going in one direction and Joseph, Karen and the other three going in the other.

When they arrived in the Kasbah, Lotar surprised Diane with his passable command of French. He negotiated the price of a handcrafted lace mantilla from 20 Dirham down to 5. It brought a smile to Diane's face, but still she kept her distance from Lotar.

At another stall, he negotiated the seller down by two thirds. Daine thought he was proving to be useful as a shopping companion, certainly more attentive to her and enjoying shopping, her favorite activity, seemingly as much as she did. Still, she didn't want him closer to her than three feet - people might think they were together after all. They continued to shop nonstop for the next hour. Lotar stopped to treat her to a drink served in a melon half and she spied a handbag seller around a busy corner. When Lotar turned away, Diane darted out of sight.

A swarthy man had been shadowing their movements for the last half hour, and now he took his chance. In a twinkle, he ripped her purse from her shoulder and pushed her to the rough pavement. She screamed and stabbed the air with her finger, pointing excitedly down the narrow street.

Lotar sauntered over to her and looking down the crowded street spied the cutpurse. Calmly he withdrew a bolo-like weapon from his pants pocket. Holding the device by its center knot, he swung it around his head several times. With a snap he let it fly toward his target. In what seemed like a second, it wound around the bandit's head and the stones at the weapon's ends struck home, felling him instantly. Lotar loped off and retrieved Diane's purse and his weapon.

In a moment he was back, lifting Diane from the pavement and brushing her off. Suddenly she didn't mind his hands on her in the least. For the rest of the afternoon, she looped her arm in his and was never out of physical contact with him. Suddenly his natural smell was not at all objectionable, and his coal black skin and the feel of his rock hard body were a reassurance in this place where she was the foreigner. She squeezed his strong bicep every few minutes as if to reassure herself. They said nothing to each other and yet meanings were shared. She suddenly turned to him and said, "Thank you for retrieving my purse," then added, "Lotar," as if acknowledging for the first time he had an actual name. Lotar did not look at her but said simply, "Lotar is warrior. Take him down like animal. No worries for you now."

She smiled at his broken English, which now seemed innocent and charming rather than ignorant. Unconsciously, she remembered a similar incident from years before, when her purse was snatched outside an Indianapolis restaurant. Hurley simply stood there, dumbfounded and shrugged saying, "What's the point. He's gone girl. Ain't no catching him. Let it go." As they walked to the eastern end of the Kasbah, she stood a little taller, and looped her arm through his. When an errant fly hovered near his grizzled face, she brushed it away and tenderly wiped perspiration from his skin. A casual onlooker could have mistaken them for a couple, although an unusual one. At the last stall they visited, Lotar picked out a scarf for her and the seller gave them a "husband and wife" gift - an aphrodisiac concocted from powdered rhino horn. Lotar translated and they both laughed. "I don't think so," she said aloud, but privately, she thought, "Maybe we'll just have to see now, won't we?"

She wondered how the seller could have mistaken them for a couple, but then realized their body language was proclaiming it - the way she was holding onto him looked very much like a wife clinging affectionately to her husband. She rejected the image of them together "that way" almost immediately - but not completely. Lately, she was finding herself unaccountably horny at the most inconvenient times. Today with Lotar was one of those times. Annoyed, she immediately released his arm and began walking discreetly apart from him.

In the city center, Karen took pictures nonstop, thinking that she would be able to post them eventually. As the day grew late, both parties assembled on the quay and a launch ferried them lazily back to the Malreine. For the dinner, chef announced that he would begin serving dishes in the Nigerian style, complete with native spices. The women ate heartily and retired after drinks. The stars were brilliant point of light against an inky sky.

Karen awoke around midnight, needing to pee. In the narrow passageway, she encountered both Harun and Bolitho who were making rounds. She brushed past Harun, and as her chest touched him her nipples began to tingle unaccountably. She had a hard time peeing, and emerged only after clearing her mind, which was strangely cloudy. Too much wine, she thought to herself. Walking back she steadied herself, palm on the walls, and bracing against the forward and back sway of the boat. Harun was at the end of the passageway near her cabin. As the Malreine heaved, she stumbled into him and he caught her by her slender upper arms. As her body hit his, it felt like slamming into a brick wall. She looked up at him sleepily, and laughed a tittering little chuckle. "Sorry, I tripped... Heh-heh" She looked down shyly, as Harun reached to adjust the spaghetti strap of her skimpy camisole top, then opened her door and watched her as she climbed into the narrow bed.