All the Sweet Tomorrows (51 page)

Together Skye and Talitha began walking through the busy and noisy bazaars, starting first with the Quaisarya, the magnificent silk market. It was an incredible place, and Skye was at a loss as to where to look next. The stalls were filled to overflowing with a profusion of marvelous silks in a rainbow of jewel-bright colors. There were plain colors such as scarlet and emerald, topaz and sapphire and amethyst; and prints, deep purple with gold dots, crimson with silver, black and cream; and gauzes shot through with silver and gold; and silks in all colors sewn with freshwater pearls and jewel chips. It took a while for her to overcome the shock of so much beauty before she could intelligently choose and make her purchases. Finally she picked a rose-colored silk gauze shot through with silver, and a lovely blue-green that matched her eyes. These she would have the harem seamstresses sew into garments for her.

Leaving the Quaisarya, they moved on down a narrow street, visiting the various shops inhabited by gold- and silversmiths. As they stood admiring bracelets in one of these, a handsome young
man entered. He was as slender as a willow, of medium height with fair skin, dark, curly hair, and meltingly soft brown eyes.

“My lord Hamal,” the shopkeeper said, hurrying forward. “I have the earrings that you ordered ready for you.”

“Good day, Hamal,” Talitha said.

Skye’s heart was hammering wildly. There could hardly be two Hamals of Talitha’s acquaintance, and therefore this had to be Kedar’s younger brother. She wanted to scream that she was Niall’s wife, to ask if her husband were alive, but she dared not.

“My lady Talitha, what do you here? I did not realize that my brother was in the habit of allowing his women to visit the bazaars, or has his harem finally revolted and strangled him?”

Talitha laughed. “You grow more wicked each day, Hamal! Tell me that you are not truly happy with the princess.”

Hamal grinned boyishly. “I am happy, Talitha, although I doubt that when Kedar sold me to her he meant it to be so. Who is this shy creature hiding behind you?”

“This is Muna, your brother’s new favorite, and rumored to become his wife soon. We would not be here but that she pleases him so he allows her to visit the bazaars.”

Hamal’s eyes flicked casually over Skye. “So Kedar finally thinks to take himself a wife. I cannot imagine my brother caught by that most tender of passions, yet if you say it then I must believe it. What is your secret, lady Muna? How did you capture my brother’s cold heart?”

“Pay no heed to Talitha, my lord,” Skye said softly, “she but teases you with harem gossip. I am naught but my lord Kedar’s humble slave. Nothing more.”

“Where do you come from, my lady? Your speech is that of my friend, Ashur, who is a favorite of my princess.”

“There are no men named Ashur in my land, my lord.”

Hamal smiled pleasantly. “Ashur is the name that my princess has given him. It means strong and warlike one. The name he bore in his own land was Niall Burke.”

“Then we are indeed from the same land, my lord Hamal. The name I bore in our homeland was Skye.”

“Excuse me, my lord,” the goldsmith interrupted, “but are the earrings satisfactory?”

“As always, Yusef,” Hamal said graciously as he examined them. “Your work borders on genius. The earrings are perfect, and Princess Turkhan will love them.” Reaching into his robes, he drew out his purse and paid for his purchase. Then he turned
back to the two women. “We will meet again soon, my ladies,” he said, and bowing, he went from the shop.

It was all Skye could do not to run after him and beg for news of Niall. Obviously he was still alive, from what Hamal had said. At least she had that, and Hamal’s promise that he would see her soon.

“He is quite different from our lord Kedar,” Skye remarked to Talitha.

“Yes,” Talitha said. “It is strange to think that they come from the same mother, and yet they do. If Kedar is fierce and strong, then Hamal is gentle and tender. Still, they are brothers.”

“Is lord Hamal married to a princess?” Skye asked innocently.

Talitha laughed. “No. Kedar sold his brother to the princess when the boy was fifteen. It is an odd situation, Muna. The princess is the daughter of the Sultan in Istanbul, and as men keep a harem of women, she keeps one of men.”

Skye pretended to be shocked. “Why, Talitha, that is as outrageous to me as my Queen is to you!” she said.

Talitha laughed again. “I suppose it is all in the eye of the beholder,” she said good-naturedly. “Do you see anything that you like here?”

“Yes,” Skye said, and she bought a beautiful gold aigret holder with three perfect white feathers, the gold studded in small sapphires. “For my lord Kedar to thank him for this day,” she said sweetly.

They moved on to the street of the cobblers and spent a good deal of time trying on slippers of various styles, finally settling on several pairs each. When the voice of the muzzin sounded from the topmost pinnacle of the Qarawiyin Mosque they knew it was midday and, like everyone else in Fez, they fell to their knees facing east for the prayer period. Upon rising, both Skye and Talitha admitted to hunger, and Min’da purchased small hot lamb kebobs from a street vendor for them. They ate the kebobs greedily, licking the last bit of tasty grease from their fingers while Min’da bought water from another vendor for them to drink; and sweet dough balls deep fried and then dipped in honey and chopped almonds for a treat.

For another hour or so they wandered happily through the open markets, and Skye was fascinated by everything she saw. Beneath gaily striped awnings sat the street merchants, their merchandise spread out before them for all to see. Farmers from the
surrounding countryside came with their produce, the various fruits and vegetables piled high. Others had cages and pens of live animals and poultry for sale. There were rug merchants, copper and brass smiths with trays and bowls and lamps, leather goods from the tanners, and cloth merchants with their silks, cottons, velvets, wools, and gauzes blowing in the afternoon breeze. There were horse traders and slave merchants. Skye watched frightened and sad as a fair-skinned girl with long blond hair was sold to a fat man with the tiny eyes of a boar who pinched and prodded her mercilessly before finally making his purchase. Tears rolling down her face, the girl was led away.

“Let us go back,” Skye said quietly, her joy in this short day of freedom totally spoiled.

“It is the way here,” Talitha said. “Let that scene remind you how fortunate you are. We are among the privileged slaves. That poor girl was just bought by a local brothelkeeper.”

“How can you know that?” Skye was saddened even further for the blond girl.

“I do not for sure, of course, but I recognize the breed from my younger days.”

“I can bear no more,” Skye said, and turning, she climbed back into the litter.

“So that is your weakness,” Talitha remarked as she joined her and pulled the curtains shut. “Do not let the others in the harem see that you are so softhearted, Muna. They will use it against you. Nothing would please them more than to destroy you.”

“You do not want to destroy me, Talitha.”

“I do not seek to catch the lord Kedar’s attention. I have had enough of that in my youth. I am content to rule his harem for him, and enjoy my daughters.”

As they returned to Kedar’s home high above the old city, Skye took the opportunity to find out where the princess lived. Turkhan, it seemed, was no different from all the other wealthy people in Fez, having a large pink palace in the newer part of the city, but some distance from Kedar. They arrived back safely, and Min’da escorted them to the enclosure of the harem, which was surprisingly quiet and empty but for serving women and the children.

“Ha!” Talitha said with wisdom born of long experience. “I will wager he is in the mares’ meadow, Muna. Quickly, let us go to your room, and we shall see.”

Puzzled, Skye followed Talitha to her chamber, where they
found Zada peering eagerly through the latticework. “What is it? What are you watching?” Skye demanded of her servant.

Zada turned, her brown eyes large. “In the meadow below,” she said low. “The master and his women.”

“You could have gone,” Talitha said, amused. “It is not forbidden for pretty servants to join in the sport held in the mares’ meadow, Zada.”

“I would not go unless I had my mistress’s permission, lady Talitha.”

“What a loyal child she is,” Talitha remarked, further amused. “Come, Muna, and see what games our lord Kedar plays today.”

They moved to the lattice-covered windows and looked down. Skye caught her breath in shock. Below her, the mares’ meadow, a well-clipped green lawn dotted with trees, was filled with the women of Kedar’s harem. All were naked and posed upon all fours. Their hair had been bound up, and to each woman’s head was attached a curved polished brass headpiece from which flowed a horse’s mane. A narrow gilt belt encircled each woman just below the belly, and at the base of their spines thrust forth a polished brass holder from which sprang a matching and stiffly arched horse’s tail. Kedar was garbed in the same outlandish equipment, but as the women stood still as if mares browsing, he in his role of stallion moved among them, mounting them from the rear and thrusting into them. The women giggled as, finishing with one, he snorted and whinnied triumphantly as would a great stud stallion. He then moved on to another of his “mares,” his erection still plainly eager.

Skye turned away, embarrassed by the tableau below her.

Talitha laughed softly. “You do not like his games, Muna? The eunuchs bet among themselves as to which woman will cause him to spill his seed.”

Before Skye might reply Dagan entered her room, saying, “I was given orders by my lord Kedar that you and the lady Talitha were to join him in the mares’ meadow if you returned in time. I have brought your things.” He placed two sets of manes and tails on a table.

“Go and fetch a third for Zada,” Talitha commanded, and with a grin Dagan left the room.

“I can’t,” Skye protested.

“If you refuse him it will be the bastinado, and afterward he will think up some particularly bestial delight to shame you with before the other women, Muna. Do not think because he considers
making you his wife that he will be one bit more lenient with you. Kedar will not be disobeyed, and you know it.”

“He will use me before them all,” Skye said low, and she began to tremble.

“Yes,” Talitha said, refusing to coddle her. “He will take you before them all, and if you cry and shake you will give the other women a weapon that they will delight in using against you. Like all men skilled in the sensual, Kedar enjoys occasional perversions. Show distaste for his little game in the mares’ meadow, and those few women he owns who keep his interest only by their skill at perversion will think up delights that will have you screaming in your dreams for months to come.”

Skye drew a deep breath in, and said, “I will go, and I will somehow manage not to show my revulsion at the situation.”

“Good,” Talitha encouraged her. “Remember you have what all those bitches wish they had. He cares for you. I even believe that if Kedar were capable of love, he would love you. Make him proud, and show them that you are his true mate!”

His true mate
. The words reminded her of Osman, that he had once believed that Niall was her true mate. Was Niall forced to submit to such degradation as Princess Turkhan’s favorite as she was forced to here in Kedar’s harem? Skye pushed the troubled thoughts from her mind. She had at last met Hamal, and she was confident that he would shortly contact her and arrange their—her and Niall’s—escape from Fez. In the meantime she must concentrate on getting through the rest of the afternoon. Quickly she removed her clothing.

Skye stood silent and still as Zada did up her hair and Talitha’s and helped them with the headpieces. She watched the other woman as she affixed the belt with the horse’s tail, and then copied her by putting on her own. The mane and tail were a silky ebony black, and shone quite effectively against her gardenia-white skin.

Mischievously Talitha tossed her golden mane, which complemented her own golden beauty. “Any eunuch who bets against you will lose his dinars,” she remarked, “yet I wonder if Kedar can contain his lust until he is in you.”

“Hush!” Skye scolded her. Suddenly seeing the humorous side of the situation, she began to giggle.

Talitha chuckled back at her. “I know just what you are thinking, Muna. You are aware that men can be fools, are you not?”

“Yes,” came the reply, “now be silent lest I disgrace myself
with a fit of laughter down there, which I can assure you will be far worse than if I trembled and wept.”

Dagan returned with a headpiece and tail for Zada, who had torn off her clothing in her eagerness. They waited the few minutes it took the slave girl to prepare, and then followed Dagan downstairs and outside to the mares’ meadow.

“Go into the center of the meadow, and I will tell the master that you have come,” Dagan whispered.

The three women picked their way through the others, and reaching the center of the green lawn, they knelt down on all fours. Talitha had a rather bored look upon her face. She had done this Allah only knew how many times before, and it all seemed rather silly to her. Kedar visited her couch often enough to keep her from being totally frustrated, for she had been his first woman and he still found her rather attractive and exciting. She had never fawned over him like the others, and he found her elusiveness intriguing.

Zada, on the other hand, was trembling with excitement at the thought that the master might honor her. She was not a virgin but it had been some time since she had had a man, although Dagan liked to fondle her, and push his supple fingers into her until she whimpered with pleasure. It wasn’t the same, however, as having a real man’s weapon shoved up inside you, Zada thought, and prayed that she would be fortunate.

Skye simply knelt, resigned to the fact that Kedar meant to have her else they would not have been called to the meadow. At least the grass felt cool beneath her hands and knees.