“But your own father made his brother Al-addin, his vizir.”
“And I deposed a half brother who was my elder, for there were those who would have put Ibrahim before me and ruled through him.”
“You would condone your own son’s murder?” She was horrified.
“Yes!” he answered her fiercely. “You are a Christian, Thamar, and were raised in a world where mounting a crusade against the ‘infidel’ Turk was daily talk. Your Christian brothers would love nothing better than to cause dissension between two heirs to my kingdom. Therefore, when I die, it is probable that Yakub will follow me shortly. There can be only one sultan. Let us have no more talk of this, or of brides for Yakub.”
“Why then was your half brother, Halil, spared when you became sultan? Was not Theadora’s son by your father a danger to you also? Or perhaps,” she suggested unpleasantly, “he is really your son and not Orkhan’s child.”
He wanted to hit her, but he would not spoil the party. Instead he fixed her with a look of intense dislike. “My half brother is a cripple. Certainly you know that deformity of any kind is not permitted an Ottoman sultan. And never again abuse Adora by foul innuendo, Thamar, else I will tear your tongue from your head. Her life with my father was an unhappy one.”
“Something like my life with you,” she taunted.
“Your own bitterness is what makes your unhappiness. You became my second wife knowing full well that Theadora claimed all my heart.”
“Did I have any choice?”
“No,” he admitted. “You were bound to obey your father.”
“And you might have refused my father’s offer, but you lusted after me!”
“You could have been happy, Thamar. Adora welcomed you as a sister and tried to smooth your way. You brushed her kindness aside and behaved like a spoiled child.”
“And at the height of your passion on our wedding night you whispered
“I did?” He was shocked by the hatred in her eyes as well as the knowledge she had just imparted. She turned and stalked slowly from the room.
Only Theadora had witnessed the exchange. She had not, of course, heard the words spoken between them, but she had seen Thamar’s hatred. She now sent Murad a puzzled look. But he merely smiled and joined her. She soon forgot the strange scene.
Thamar, however, did not forget. The bitterness that had been growing hidden in her over the years now took a turn toward revenge. Returning to her apartments, she dismissed her women and flung herself on her bed, weeping. Suddenly she knew she was not alone. Sitting up, she saw a eunuch standing quietly in the corner.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded furiously.
“I thought I might be of service, my lady. It breaks my heart to hear you weep so.”
“Why should you care?” she muttered.
In answer he crossed the room and knelt before her. “Because I dare to love you, my lady,” he murmured.
Shocked, Thamar looked closely at the kneeling eunuch. He was unbelievably beautiful with liquid brown eyes fringed in thick dark lashes, and curly black hair. He was tall and, unlike most eunuchs, muscular and firm.
“I have not seen you before,” she said.
“Yet I was assigned to your service over a year ago,” he answered. “I have seen the look of sadness grow on you, my lady, and I have longed to erase it.”
Thamar was beginning to feel better. This outrageous young eunuch was talking to her as if he truly cared. “What is your name?” she asked at last.
“Demetrios, my lovely lady.”
She hid a smile, trying to sound bored. “Once I was lovely, Demetrios, but no longer.”
“A bit of exercise, a special rinse to return the gold to your hair…and of course, someone to love you.”
“The first two are easily done,” she said, “but the third is impossible.”
“I,” he lowered his voice, “could love you, my dearest lady.” He let his meltingly beautiful brown eyes sweep over her. Thamar felt a flush run from her toes to her head.
“You are a eunuch,” she whispered. Then, fearfully, “Aren’t you?”
“My sweet, innocent lady,” he murmured, taking her hand in his and caressing it. “There are two ways to geld a male. With little boys, all is removed-but with older boys and young men as myself only the sac containing the seeds of life are taken. The mortality rate is less that way.” He stood and dropped his pantaloons. The rod of his manhood hung flaccid. “Caress me, my lady,” he begged. Fascinated, Thamar complied.
Within moments he was as hard and as big as any normal man. Gently he pushed her back amid the pillows of her couch. “Please, sweet mistress, give your Demetrios permission to make you happy again.”
If they were caught, she thought for a brief moment, if- “Oh, yes,” she breathed eagerly. And she tore away her robe in eagerness. He caught at her hands. “Slowly, my lady. Let me.” And he carefully removed the silken underdrawers and chemises. Gazing at her longingly, he thought what a fine figure of a woman she was. A bit flabby in places now, but he would soon take care of that. Ali Yahya had been correct about her. She was eager for a lover.
Kneeling beside her couch, he took her little foot in his hands, tenderly kissing each toe, then the sole, the heel, the ankle. His lips slid up one leg and then over and down the other. Still kneeling, his mouth moved across her navel and up to her breasts. Gently he bit at her nipples, then teased them with his hot tongue. She was panting quickly, her eyes closed, a look of bliss on her face. He moved to enter her bed, and she gasped, “The door! Bolt the door!”
Returning, he mounted quickly and drove into her. She spent too quickly, sobbing with eagerness, and cursed in frustration.
“No, no, sweet lady,” Demetrios reassured her. “I am like a bull and will pleasure you long and slowly.”
It was a promise not lightly made, and it was the beginning of the most incredible night of Thamar’s life. The eunuch serviced his mistress again and again until she was so exhausted that she could not raise her head from the pillows. At this point Demetrios deemed it wise to stop, though Thamar protested.
“You will come to me tomorrow night?”
“As my princess wishes,” he replied, smiling down at her.
“Yes! God, yes!”
“Then I must obey.”
“You must become my chief eunuch,” she said.
“You have a chief eunuch.”
“Dispose of him somehow,” she murmured, and instantly fell asleep.
Demetrios slipped from the room and went immediately to Ali Yahya’s quarters. As he grew older, Ali Yahya had discovered he needed less and less sleep. Consequently, except for about three hours in the deepest part of the night, he was always awake.
“You have finally succeeded?” he asked as Demetrios entered, a look of triumph on his face.
“I have succeeded completely, master. I caught her in a weak moment. She returned from the wedding in very low spirits. She was so busy dismissing her women she did not even see me. When she thought herself alone, she wept. Making my presence known, I comforted her.”
“Fully?”
“Fully, master. I am now her lover. She has already begged me to return tomorrow. She wishes me to be her chief eunuch and has told me to dispose of Paulus.”
“Indeed,” said Ali Yahya dryly. “You must be well worth the outrageous price I paid for you. I will see that Paulus is sent to Prince Halil’s house in Nicea. You have done very well, Demetrios. Now, you must gain Princess Thamar’s complete confidence, and you must keep it. From now on your contact with me must always be a secret and made only when absolutely necessary. You know what you must do. I now give you control of Princess Thamar’s household. You will answer to no one but me.”
“I hear and obey, master,” said the young eunuch, bowing.
Ali Yahya nodded slowly, then spoke again. “Remember where your true loyalties lie, Demetrios. If you become ambitious and attempt to betray me, your death will be a very long and extremely unpleasant one. Serve me well, and you will be a rich and a free man some day.”
