For someone who always had shared a small bed with her younger sister, to spend the night alone in such a huge and comfortable bed was more than a dream come true. Despite that, I woke up earlier than everyone that next morning, determined to escape the house. I put on one of the dresses in the closet, a thick coat and went silently downstairs. I had no problems going out because the front door was unlocked. However, as I went outside I saw a strong and ominous looking man, wearing a suit and tie. He started following me as I pretended to take an unpretentious walk around the garden.

I knew it! The man who bought us had no intention of letting us off the grounds at all; that’s why it was so isolated. The man who followed me was a bodyguard hired to make sure we were kept here. What the hell!

Just to test my theory I went to the main drive leading to the road the limo had driven over to bring us here and walked faster. He reached me and got in my way, stopping me.

“You’re not to leave here. Can you understand that?” He said while motioning toward the mansion. He had no idea I could understand him. “Go back home. Go back.”

It would have been unwise to confront him. Maybe the master would punish us for disobeying him. I didn’t know what kind of man he was, but he certainly was not a good person if he was going to keep six women hostage. To think of what he could do to us made me panicky.

I went back to the house feeling defeated, but determined to try again some other time. Maybe at night, when the guard was sleeping.

The master didn’t come to meet us that day. An incessant drizzle started and the weather became even colder, so we didn’t go outside the house, but stayed inside all day chatting.

The other women were happy for being here because of the comfort, the abundant food, the electronics they didn’t even know how to operate, and the respectful manner in which they were treated by the housekeepers. They said that in the king’s castle, the girls were all huddled together. There were more than twenty girls in the same room, where they served many men at the same time.

I noticed again, how little people knew about these women. They weren’t whores like society used to say, they were just women who didn’t have other options. Two of them were daughters of odalisques who stayed in rich men’s harems. Another two, daughters of Moroccan women who fell for foreign man. One of the girls lived on the streets and she didn’t know where she came from. As they said, these are the stories of women they recruited to do this job. They taught them how to be submissive, docile, and satisfy all of men’s desires.

I was horrified when they told me what they had to do with the king and his friends. Sometimes they had sex with more than one man at a time, and sometimes they had sex with each other while the men were watching. They had to agree to everything during sex. The worst part is that they said they liked it, maybe because they didn’t consider it sexual abuse at all, but it was. They didn’t have any other choice and told me that I needed to learn all the ways to please our new master.

I’d never subject myself to that just to please a man. I’d rather risk my life running away.

At night, when they went to sleep, I decided to make one more attempt to escape. This time I went out of the window in my room to avoid the bodyguard. Even though I wore a thick coat, it was so cold outside that my skin hurt.

I climbed down from the window silently and tried to step on the parapet from the window on the second floor and, with difficulty, I managed to get to the ground. Everything was backlit near the house, but as I studied the dark path to the road, I regretted not bringing a flashlight. That wasn’t enough to stop me. In the dark, part of the way to the road, I sneaked into the woods. I hadn’t gone fifteen feet before I heard a rude and rough voice behind me and the other bodyguard appeared before me.

“Come back, miss. You can’t leave here.” he said, motioning at the same time, just as the other had the time before.

I wanted to run away, but it’d be a waste of time because he’d certainly reach me easily before I could get very far. He was much bigger and surely trained for this kind of situation.

Once more I felt discouraged and went back to my room after entering through the front door. I began to despair. I wished my uncle were here to tell me what to do. I’d call him, but we didn’t have phones in the house.

The next day passed calmly and without incident. The master still hadn’t come to meet us, but he did show up on the third day.

That was the first sunny day we’d had since we arrived and we were enjoying the weather, lolling near the pool in the middle of the afternoon. We suddenly heard the sounds of a helicopter’s rotors and Samir came running to inform us of the master’s arrival, ordering us to go to our rooms and put on our niqab and performing clothes below a tunic. We had to hurry to cross the main hall before the master entered and saw us all in a disheveled state.

I’d certainly not wear an odalisque clothes and show my body to that pervert. I chose a lilac dress, which would have belonged to the girl who switched places with me. She was thinner than I, and her clothes fit a little too tight, although I could wear them. I didn’t brush my hair or put on the high heels. I was dressing my tunic when Samir came inside the room.

 “For Allah’s sake. Where are your performing clothes?” He asked in distress, looking more effeminate than usual.

“I won’t wear something so indecent.” I was rude and short with my words.

“Do you want to ruin us all?”

“No, but I won’t let them use me. I won’t do anything if that pervert chooses me.”

Samir sit by the bed, disconsolate. “I knew I shouldn’t have agreed to this madness. The master will be disappointed and send us back. The king will torture us, and Sara will be killed for lying.”

He was pale and I started to worry.

“Stay calm. Maybe he won’t choose me. Maybe he won’t even look at me. If he does, I’ll get away without upsetting you. Trust me. I won’t let anything bad happen.”

He thought for a moment before speaking. “Our only chance will be if he doesn’t pick you.” He got up and came near me. “Did you bathe today?”

“Of course I did.”

“Don’t do that from now on. Men hate smelly women. With this poor dress and without make up, I believe he’ll choose one of the other girls. They are beautiful. Now, let’s go. It’s time. At least put on the high heels and some perfume.

“I can’t walk on high heels.”

“You’ll learn. Let’s go now.”

I did as he said, putting on the incredibly high heels and the niqab.

I was sweating, cold, nervous, and terrified, but at the same time I put all my effort into walking on the high heels. Samir put us in line to enter the room where the master waited for us. I was at the end of the line, and as I walked inside the room, I tripped in my heels and fell on the tapestry, making Samir even more anxious. Although I felt the pain when I hit the floor, falling was a good thing. The chances for the Master choosing other girl for his perversions were better now.

I got up with Samir’s help and looked at the man standing behind the couch, where the man who picked us on the airport was sitting. From the resemblance, I could tell he was our buyer and I didn’t understand why a man like him would buy a harem, because he was the most perfect creature I ever saw. He could have any women he wanted. He was tall, about five-foot-nine. He had dark, short hair and big brown eyes. He wore a custom-made suit, which fit him perfectly. He seemed to have well-formed muscles and a solid body, with broad shoulders and small hips. His face could have been carved by angels, with a very manly chin covered by a well-trimmed beard. His nose was beautiful and he had a penetrating look.

He was the older brother, but not too much older, perhaps thirty.

I asked myself again why such a handsome, charming and rich man would need a harem. Maybe he was the worst kind of pervert.

He didn’t pay attention while Samir presented us, one at a time. He was distant, focused on messages he was receiving on his cell phone. His brother, on the other hand, could barely contain his excitement, examining each one of us carefully from his seat on the couch.

I panicked when I needed to take off my niqab. What if he’d like me? What if he’d choose me for one of his orgies? What if he’d make me have sex with his brother and him at the same time, or with one of the girls? What if he’d be violent? I could barely stop shaking. I would run away if I had somewhere to go, but all the bodyguards were at the door, and wearing these high-heeled sandals, I wouldn’t get far.

When I took off the veil that covered my face, his eyes filled with desire as he saw my face and my panic intensified. Why did he look at me like that? I didn’t wear makeup or pose seductively like the other girls. Why the hell didn’t he look at them?

Acceding to his brother’s request, the master told Samir to ask us to take off the tunics and I could relax a little, because the other girls were half-naked and they would certainly get the attention. According to a book I had read, western men were particularly excited by a woman’s nudity. Surely, they would forget me.

However, that didn’t happen. Even after we dropped our tunics, the master still stared at me. I couldn’t understand why, and I feared my panic was starting to show.

Jeffrey, was interested in taking one of the girls to the room. He touched each one of them, and to my total despair, he stopped in front of me. I almost had a mini heart attack.

“Samir, do something.” I begged, paralyzed with fear. I knew they couldn’t understand what we said.

“Don’t make a scene, girl. You knew this could happen. You joined us because you wanted to.”

The man grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me to the stairs.

“Samir, for the love of Allah!” I pleaded, desperately.

“He won’t harm you. You heard him, and he just wants a blowjob. Just put his dick in your mouth and suck it. This won’t hurt you.”

Samir’s words only made my horror more intense. I’d rather die than do what he asked.

Although he didn’t understand me, it was clear to the man that I didn’t want him, but he still pulled me by the wrist. My mind screamed ‘Pervert!’ We were near the stairs and I knew he would get me to the room and do whatever he wanted if I didn’t think of some way out. I put my hand on my forehead, and, overwhelmed by fear, I faked a fainting spell. I prayed it was a convincing act.

I laid still on the ground, with my eyes closed, but I could hear the girls and Samir calling. They really believed I had passed out. I waited to see what would happen and heard two of the girls begin fawning over the master’s brother. That got his attention and they went upstairs.

‘Great,’ I thought, ‘they managed to take him away to the room.’ I knew I still wasn’t safe. His brother remained in this room, and he could do whatever he wanted with me.

I stayed still, faking unconsciousness while Samir held one of my hands and the girls held the other, trying to revive me. I heard heavy footsteps. It was the master and his strong arms scooped me up and carried me across the room.

Cradled in the arms of the harem’s owner, I could feel the expensive silk of his tailored suit brushing my face. He was hot and very masculine. He smelled naturally delicious and his expensive cologne was intoxicating, but at the same time, I felt something disturbing emanating from him, something unknown. My body complained when he laid me on the couch and stood back.

“Tell her to open her eyes. I know she’s faking.” He said gruffly. I froze from head to feet.

“You heard the man, Inaya. Open your eyes.” Samir growled.

I thought about continuing the charade to avoid having that man drag me to a room like his brother had tried to. However, I could feel his burning gaze examining me. I knew he sat on the armchair beside me, too close. I could hear his breath and I knew he would prod me to move soon and I would lose my advantage. I slowly opened my eyes, like someone recovering consciousness. I saw his brown eyes very close to me, and their intensity made me shudder.

Samir stood behind him and three of the girls were crowded behind the couch in which I lay. Even though they tried to get distract him, he didn’t take his eyes off me. I saw two of the girls weren’t there and deduced they were the ones in the room with his younger brother.

For Allah! So early in the day!

“What happened?” I asked, trying to maintain the act and pretending to move with difficulty.

“Enough, Inaya. The man knows you are faking.” Samir was angry.

“Ask her why she didn’t want to go upstairs with my brother. Why she pretended to faint?” the master ordered Samir in English. He believed I couldn’t understand him.

“Be careful, young lady,” he advised me. “He doesn’t speak Arabic, but he’s no fool.”

I looked into the master’s eyes while replying, even though he couldn’t understand me.

“Tell him I’m not a piece of meat to be used by perverts like his brother and him. If he’s not satisfied with that, tell him he should look for women in some whorehouse in his city.

“Are you crazy?” Samir was visibly angry. “Never say such a thing again.”

Although the man before me didn’t understand a word that was said, by the way Samir looked at me, he understood I was being reprimanded.

“What did she say?” He asked.

Samir eased his tone as he explained, “She said her pressure was low, but nothing to worry about. She’s feeling better now.”

“In that case we need to call a doctor.”

I was pale. I could imagine that if a real doctor examined me, he would know I had never been intimate with a man. That would spell real trouble for us all, because if the king or the minister found out about the deception, Sara would be executed and we would be sent back to be tortured, not to mention I would still be forced to marry the King’s minister.

“I don’t need a doctor. I just need to go upstairs and rest. Tell him that.” I was very agitated, and my blood ran cold.

Samir repeated what I said. However, the master didn’t look convinced. He eyed me with distrust and something I couldn’t identify. Finally, the three girls came to my rescue and approached him, moving her bodies lustfully, telling Samir to ask if he didn’t want to go upstairs for a relaxing massage.

Samir asked and, strangely, it seemed to upset him. He cast a sobering look at Samir, telling the eunuch to ask the girls to step back, because he wasn’t interested.

“Ask him if I can go, Samir.” I begged.

I didn’t like the way he looked at me. I just wanted to leave as soon as possible.

Samir asked the question and I could see the master’s gaze grow even more intense at me. It looked like he was trying to see into my soul, to decipher me, and at the same time it felt like he was undressing me with his gaze. It made me uneasy. He stared for a long time and finally agreed with a nod.

I didn’t need anything else. I took off the sandals and left them in the room, and ran upstairs. I felt safe when I reached my room, but his intense gaze remained very clear and disturbing in my mind.

Only after another hour, when I could hear the rotors of the helicopter taking them away, I wondered if the master went to a room with one of the girls. I was strangely interested in knowing.