Odalisque (18 page)

He realised the Spur was glaring at him and waiting for an answer. Oh how he longed to make that man suffer!

And you will if you say yes,
the familiar voice whispered, obviously eavesdropping on his thoughts.
I will help you to do just that…but not yet. Give him what he seeks. I promise you will have the last laugh.

I must capitulate?
Tariq answered, aghast.
What good is that to me?

Wait and see.
And then the voice of Maliz laughed deeply in his mind.

‘I’m waiting, Tariq,’ Lazar reminded, tiring of the long time the Vizier was taking to consider his request.

The Spur’s voice jolted him from his thoughts. He was torn. Follow his own instincts or follow Maliz’s? The demon seemed to know something. If he took Maliz’s advice it would be a signal that he was ready to take the next step. Was he ready to give Maliz what he wanted?

Lazar made a sound of impatience.

‘All right, Spur!’ Tariq replied, angered. ‘I shall organise it. Wait outside if you please.’

‘I don’t have time to—’

Perhaps it was Maliz’s laugh that gave him spine. ‘Do as I say. Sit outside and wait until I can contact the Valide Zara and get permission. That is the best I can do.’ He was even able to hold the Spur’s steely gaze without flinching or backing down.

Lazar sighed. ‘Thank you. You might as well call the Grand Master Eunuch into the meeting. It concerns him too,’ and he turned away.

Tariq stood before Herezah in one of the palace salons, quietly fuming that Salmeo, who had been summoned by the Vizier’s staff, had somehow sidled his huge bulk to stand beside the Valide Zara, thus giving the impression that they were both in authority and Tariq a mere servant delivering a message. When he bowed to the Valide, it felt to him as though he was also bowing to the eunuch. This was not lost on Salmeo, of course, who wore a soft smirk along with the brightly coloured voluminous silks today.

‘Well, the Grand Master Eunuch is here now. Vizier, what is it that you had to say to us?’ Herezah asked from behind her veil, her tone conveying her annoyance at being interrupted.

‘I do apologise, Valide Zara, at disrupting your day.’

‘Tariq,’ she began again testily, ‘why
am
I being disturbed?’

No opportunity to string this conversation out and make himself feel important. ‘The Spur is
here, Valide. He insists on being permitted an audience with you. I requested that the Chief Master Eunuch be present only because the Spur asked.’ He allowed a brief smile to touch his own lips, glad that he had made it clear he did not consider Salmeo important enough to be called into meetings as a matter of course.

He was irritated to see a glance pass between the hateful eunuch and the Valide. They knew something. They knew why Lazar was here!

Of course they do,
Maliz breathed into his mind.

‘And what does the Spur want, Vizier? Have you established that much?’ Salmeo asked, all sweetness.

Tariq felt his gut twist. The eunuch was doing this deliberately to alienate him. How could the Valide allow the black slave to usurp her authority by speaking for her?

He ignored Salmeo and directed his answer to Herezah. ‘He asked me to be present too, Valide. This obviously concerns all of us.’

‘Not really, Vizier, but we might as well hear him out. Send him in.’

Normally Tariq would have bowed and turned to do her bidding but he had taken the precaution of bringing his secretary with him. He looked to the man who lurked at the very end of the chamber and gave him a signal, intensely pleased that he was not required to bow again.

Why don’t you ask them?
Maliz suggested.
It’s about a girl. The one presented by the Spur who
caused such a fuss. She went missing through last night after Salmeo had left her. It’s his fault.

Tariq felt a sharp spike of pleasure course through him. Maliz had his advantages. ‘Valide, may I ask if this has anything to do with the girl, Ana? I hear she went missing last night; slipped the Elim and mocked the Grand Master Eunuch…’ He watched the rope of a scar twitch on Salmeo’s face and his eyes become hooded with suppressed outrage.

Ah, the fat one didn’t like that,
Maliz cackled.
Hurt him more. Go on!

‘If the Grand Master Eunuch needs assistance in policing these children, I’m more than happy to organise a higher level of guard around the harem, Valide,’ he offered, all innocence.

Maliz laughed.
Good.

Salmeo didn’t wait for the Valide to answer. His voice came sharp, each word a dagger. ‘That will not be necessary, Vizier. It was a momentary lapse. It will never occur again.’

Tariq raised an eyebrow. ‘If a mere child can slip through your net—’

‘Zarab strike you—’

‘Stop!’ Herezah admonished. ‘Perhaps it is a good idea to intensify the Elim guard around the harem. These girls are far too assured.’

Tariq bowed to her authority, feeling he had won the battle of words today. Salmeo uttered nothing but his body language said more than enough.

Oh he’s going to make you pay for that,
Maliz observed, full of glee.

He can try,
Tariq replied, feeling surprisingly charged with confidence from the barbed discussion.

That’s the spirit, Vizier, and with my help and presence, you will prevail over the fat eunuch. Think about it. I shall expect your answer by this evening.
Then he was gone.

Herezah had moved to sit on a simple bench although she looked as though she had set herself on a throne such was her regal bearing. ‘Where have you planned that the flogging will take place, Salmeo?’

‘We agreed to keep it private. I thought it best to conduct Ana’s punishment in the Courtyard of Sorrows.’

‘Very good.’

Tariq asked for no explanation. He could work this out for himself.

The Spur was shown in. ‘Valide,’ he said and bowed briefly. ‘Thank you for seeing me.’

‘You are head of Percheron’s guard and her security, Spur, why should I refuse you?’ she replied, then added: ‘Ever.’

He ignored her couched invitation. ‘I am here today about Ana, the girl I brought to Percheron.’

‘The girl you sold to the harem,’ Salmeo qualified.

Lazar ignored him. ‘Valide, as you know, I returned her to the harem after her escape last
night. Frankly, I’m as horrified as anyone else but I’d like to know what terrified her so much.’ He glared at Salmeo.

‘Lazar,’ Herezah began softly, naming him to ensure she gave the impression they were friends. ‘Ana may be remarkable in looks and spirit but she cannot be treated any differently to the other odalisques, not until she can claim status as favourite or wife.’ Then in a more condescending manner, but still laced with gentle concern: ‘You do understand don’t you, Spur?’

Lazar felt his limbs stiffen with aggression at being so belittled but he made himself appear at ease. ‘Of course, Valide. I would not suggest otherwise. It’s just that…’

‘You see,’ she interrupted, ‘the Test of Virtue is never a pleasant event for any girl, but we must all face it during our lives. It was simply Ana’s turn last night.’

‘I am aware of this, Valide. I came here today not to argue that case but to find out what your plan is for Ana.’

‘My plan?’ she repeated, a hint of derision creeping into her voice.

He humbled himself. He had to. ‘Yes, Valide. You see, I never took any gold in exchange for Ana so I feel I do still have a small claim as her charge.’

‘Do you indeed?’ Herezah was angry now. ‘Is this right?’ she asked Salmeo.

‘Valide, I have no such knowledge. I can check this, of course, but the Spur turning down the
gold offered is hardly the harem reneging. It is his choice, surely?’

‘That’s right,’ Lazar chimed in. ‘I am not making any claim on Ana, I am simply making an inquiry as to your position on her lack of foresight last night. Her immaturity, the newness of her surrounds, the strangeness of Percheron—and let’s not forget the cutting of the slave would have heightened her emotion, made her unstable. She is, after all, still young.’

‘I was far younger than Ana when I had to face the test, Spur, and I did not flee.’

‘Perhaps it did not occur to you, Valide. Perhaps the werewithal to do such a thing was not available to you. Presumably the Grand Master Eunuch failed in his supervision of this child. I am assuming she was left alone with access to her disguise?’ He watched the huge eunuch bristle. ‘Perhaps it is the Master of the Eunuchs who deserves the reprimand here, Valide, not the girl.’

Herezah did not so much as blink. ‘You could be right, Spur. And I will consider such a measure, but Ana must bear the consequences of her own actions. As you say, she is young, but of an age when we can all be responsible—you might consider that my own son rules Percheron at fifteen. I was already a wife at this same age—a mother in fact. It may be a tender age but it is not an immature one, Spur. Ana made a very unwise decision and one, I’m sure, given her
intelligence, she understood would have repercussions.’

As Herezah staked out her position Lazar already knew he had lost this argument. He could not talk Ana free of punishment. It was obvious they intended to press ahead and that meeting with him was purely for diplomatic reasons. He took a steadying breath, knowing what he was about to put in place would cost him dearly. He felt a buzzing near his leg as Herezah finished her speech. He reached into the pocket of his loose robe and felt the warmth of Iridor. It gave him courage. ‘May I ask what her punishment is to be?’

‘I suppose it is of no consequence to tell you.’ Herezah looked towards Salmeo to do the honours—it was a small crumb of revenge for him after the battering he had just taken beneath the cutting words of the Spur.

‘It is the decision of the harem, which will always mete punishment to its own, that the Odalisque Ana will be flogged—thirty lashes.’

Lazar blanched. ‘Valide! She is a child, she cannot withstand such a thing,’ he beseeched and watched how his plea sent a shiver of delight through the veiled woman.

‘And if she flags during her punishment,’ Salmeo continued firmly, ‘she will be permitted a day’s recovery before she completes the remaining lashes.’

It made little difference to Lazar, who didn’t even spare the eunuch a glance as he spoke. His
own gaze was locked on Herezah’s. The dark eyes sparkled with triumph. She knew she had him right where she wanted him.

‘In that case, Valide,’ Lazar said, bowing low, ‘I must invoke the Right of Protectorship.’

The words hung in the air amid a shocked silence. Such a thing had not been claimed in living memory but they all knew full well what it meant. It was enmeshed in the tapestry of the harem’s existence. Odalisques had no powerful protector, which is why they schemed and made alliances. It was the only way to stay out of trouble. ‘I’m sorry, do you know what that involves?’ Lazar asked as condescendingly as he could.

‘We know,’ Tariq observed. ‘You will take the punishment on behalf of the girl.’

‘That’s right. Valide, the law says—’

‘I know what the law states, Spur,’ she shot back. ‘But you forget, you need the sanction of the Zar first.’

‘He has it,’ Boaz announced, entering the room somewhat theatrically. Lazar felt his insides loosen with relief as he dropped a bow to the presence of their ruler, as did everyone else in the chamber.

‘Mother, frankly I cannot condone the lashing of one so young. I find it, well…distasteful, to say the least.’

‘Mighty One,’ Salmeo began, bowing again for good measure, ‘the harem has a right to punish its own without the Zar’s…interference.’

‘I understand that, Grand Master Eunuch.’ Boaz’s tone was measured. ‘But the Spur here has the right to make the claim. The girl was his find. This is also the law of the harem, is it not?’

‘It is, Zar,’ Salmeo grudgingly admitted.

‘And I for one would rather a man is flogged, than a young woman. I’m sure Lazar can handle thirty lashes of the Sparrow’s Tongue,’ Boaz said.

Herezah smirked coldly behind her veil. ‘Except, son, the method of flogging is purely the choice of the harem and this is something in which even your status cannot interfere.’ Herezah’s tone was so icy the atmosphere in the chamber became brittle.

‘What do you mean?’ Boaz queried, faltering for the first time.

‘She means that the Elim will choose what to whip me with,’ Lazar said, a bitter smile turning up the corners of his mouth. He had eyes only for Herezah and she him, both duelling, both determined to hurt each other.

‘Is this right?’ Boaz demanded, looking at the Vizier.

The Vizier nodded. ‘Yes. The Elim alone make the choice of weapon.’

Boaz looked beaten. Lazar could not have the boy crushed like this, not when he was just beginning to flex his authority.

‘Your High One,’ he said, bowing, ‘I accept. Thank you for giving me your sanction to claim the Right of Protectorship.’

‘Zarab be merciful upon you,’ Boaz replied, knowing he could do no more. ‘Where is this Ana? I would speak with her.’

‘She is not yet ready, son,’ Herezah said.

‘Ready enough to take your punishments, Mother,’ he said firmly, knowing she would despise being spoken to with such disdain in front of these men, particularly Lazar. ‘She’s therefore more than ready enough to meet her Zar. Have her prepared, Salmeo.’ Salmeo looked towards Herezah. ‘Is there a problem, Grand Master Eunuch, in taking an order from your Zar? Do you need sanction from the Valide as well?’

‘No, High One,’ the huge man replied, admonished, ‘I shall see to it immediately. What about the Spur?’

‘I’m not going anywhere.’ Lazar’s voice was caustic. ‘Just tell me where you want me to be.’

‘The Courtyard of Sorrows,’ Herezah said, wresting back some authority as Boaz stalked away. ‘Ana must be present. She will understand what she has perpetrated this day. ‘ She nodded to Salmeo. ‘See to it.’

The Elim had been given strict instructions. Ana was to be bathed and dressed in a particular white robe, which could be slipped off her shoulders to reveal her back for the flogging, but new orders arrived as the slaves were hurriedly tying up her hair. She could not hear what was being said but she could tell that
the eunuch in charge of proceedings was filled with consternation. He stepped into the small bathing chamber after the Elim had left and whispered to the senior slave. Then he too departed, leaving her alone with the two women preparing her.