All the Sweet Tomorrows

'Have you seen them?'

Turkhan laughed. 'How well you know me, Hamal. Yes, I watched them through the peephole in their quarters. Both are quite lovely. Tonight if you are very good, my darlings, we shall watch the unsuspecting Kedar as he makes love to his women. I am told that he is considered a highly skilled lover. Perhaps you will both learn something from him that will please me,' she teased them.

Niall felt a chill sweep over him. 'You have a secret peephole in the guest quarters?' he asked.

Turkhan laughed. 'Of course I do. My grandmother Khurrem said that such things were invaluable when you wish to know more about a guest than they wish to reveal.'

Suddenly the princess's eunuch majordomo announced, 'The lord Kedar, my Princess.'

Turkhan looked lazily up from beneath her thick black lashes as Kedar and his women entered the room. 'You are welcome to my house, Kedar ibn Omar,' she said. 'Pray be seated so the meal may begin.'

'I am honored by your invitation, Highness. I hope that I may be of assistance to you.' Kedar seated himself, and impatiently waved Skye and Talitha to their seats, one on either side of him.

With a swift look Skye saw Niall on one side of the princess. Her heart leapt almost painfully within her chest, for he did not look well. Quickly she lowered her eyes lest anyone see her anger at the proprietary way in which Turkhan openly caressed Niall.

'You would not be here in my house, Kedar, were I not sure that you could be of assistance to me,' Turkhan said sharply. 'Your brother has assured me that your knowledge of trading routes to the coast exceeds that of anyone else in Fez. Hamal has always been trustworthy.'

Kedar felt a surge of impotent anger sweep over him at her bold words. That a mere woman could speak to him in such a tone infuriated him. Ottoman princess or no, if he had her in his power for even a single night he would have her tamed and begging for mercy. Instead, he was forced to give a pleasant reply, but both Hamal and Turkhan had seen the quick anger that had flashed for a moment in his eyes. 'I am pleased that my young brother is such a source of joy to you, Highness. I raised him myself.'

Turkhan smiled sweetly, but there was a triumphant look in her eyes that Kedar did not miss, and he ground his teeth in frustration. Seeing that her master was incensed, Talitha leaned forward, took the cup that had been placed before him, and held it to his lips. 'Drink, my lord,' she said, and then in a lower tone: 'You cannot offend the princess, my lord. Calm yourself, I beg of you.'

Kedar turned to look at Talitha, and he nodded his agreement. He took the cup and drank a long draught of the icy and tart lemon water. 'You are wise, Talitha,' he said, 'with a wisdom that matches your beauty.' His hazel eyes scanned her, and the anger drained away. She was most beautiful this evening, and her costume extremely flattering, and pleasing to his eye. She was garbed all in sheer pale-gold silk. Her pantaloons were edged at the ankles in tiny sparkling topaz which matched the topaz sewn to her cloth-of-gold hip sash and her satin bolero. She wore a long-sleeved blouse with a soft open neckline that matched her see-through pantaloons. A headdress of gold chains and twinkling topaz formed a fitted cap over her short-cropped curb. She was everything that a woman should be, and Kedar was delighted with her, for he felt she brought honor upon him.

A leg of baby lamb was brought out and offered to them. Next followed saffron rice, artichokes in olive oil and tarragon vinegar, haunch of young gazelle in raisin sauce, pigeon pie, capon with lemon, and new peas with small onions. A platter of sizzling kebobs made of kid, green peppers, and small onions was passed; and blue and white Fezware bowls of yogurt and purple and green olives were set upon each table.

'You will forgive the simplicity of the meal,' Turkhan said.

'A well-cooked meal is never simple,' Kedar replied, 'and your cook prepares well.' He opened his mouth to take the piece of lamb that Muna was feeding him. He was feeling expansive now and with the constant attentions of his women, at less of a disadvantage. He beamed benevolently at Muna. Her garb-or lack of it-was as pleasing to him as was the elegance of Talitha. Muna wore diaphanous blush-pink pantaloons with pearl ankle bands. Her hip sash was of pink and silver stripes, and above the waist she was nude. Her small, perfect breasts, their nipples stained with carmine, thrust forward proudly. Her waist-length hair was loose, held only with a narrow silver band at her forehead. For a moment Kedar's eyes lingered on Muna's breasts, and he thought of the pleasure she had given him over these last few months, of the pleasure she would give him this night.

Skye's eyes again stole across the room to feast for a brief moment upon Niall. She knew that he must be feeling foolish in his Eastern dress, and she wished she could tell him how magnificent he appeared with his tanned chest. He looked thinner, and she wondered if he was getting enough to eat, then chided herself for a fool. If only he would look at her instead of paying such outrageous attention to the red-haired princess. Skye thought if her husband touched Turkhan with another intimate touch, or gave her one more secret smile, that she was going to throw herself across the room and strangle the smug bitch! Kedar's voice snapped her back to her role.

'The princess sets a satisfactory table, but I should far rather feast upon your flesh, my jewel.' His voice was husky with desire.

She raised her sapphire eyes to him, and smiled a slow and seductive smile. 'Would you shame me before that woman, my lord?' she murmured low. 'I am for your pleasure only, and not the eyes of prying voyeurs, my lord.' Her red mouth pouted adorably, and Kedar wanted her desperately. Her pure female fragrance wafted up at him, and he grew dizzy thinking of what it felt like to be deep inside of her.

Niall Burke stared for a second at his wife, and ground his teeth silently as Kedar fondled her with a familiar hand. In his mind he had accepted what Skye had done in order to reach him, but accepting the fact was far different from watching the reality. Hamal's brother was an attractive man, and obviously a potent one. He openly handled Skye with the pleasure of a man who is fond of his favorite possession; and she seemed to enjoy it. She smiled seductively at him, and murmured in a low musical voice words that could not be distinguished. Niall wanted to leap the distance between himself and Kedar so he might stick a knife into the bastard's gullet.

'You are deep in thought, Ashur,' Turkhan's voice brought him back.

'I dream of tonight, if I dare, my princess.' He touched her face with the back of his hand, smoothing it over her soft skin.

“Tonight,' she whispered conspiratorially, 'we shall spy upon our guest, the three of us, and then we shall all play together, my glorious one. I shall exceed your dreams, Ashur, my beloved.'

Boldly Niall leaned forward and kissed her upturned mouth quickly. 'Your pardon, my Princess, but I could not resist.'

Turkhan laughed shakily, and tapped his cheek with a long sharp nail in mock chastisement. Then she turned to Kedar. 'Which of these women is the one Hamal tells me your uncle in Algiers gave you?' she asked him.

'You may present yourself to the princess,' Kedar said to Skye.

She arose gracefully, walked across the floor, and fell to her knees in total obedience. 'Highness, I am Muna,' she said, her head bowed to the floor, her body bent.

'Stand up so I may see you, girl! You are reputed to be most fair, but how can I tell when you are in that position?'

Skye stood up, and posed tall and proud before Princess Turkhan. Her chin was high, her silken hair flowing about her like a dark cape. Her beautiful eyes, however, were lowered lest she offend her hostess.

Turkhan let her glance slide critically over the woman who stood before her. That she was extravagantly beautiful was irritatingly obvious. Her well-shaped limbs were quite visible through the gossamer of her pantaloons, and Turkhan could see that she was finely made. 'Where did your uncle obtain such a prize?' she demanded of Kedar.

'She was a captive in Algiers, Highness,' he answered. 'It was by chance he saw her, and knew that she would please me, which she well does.'

'You have trained her that quickly?'

'She is of noble birth in her own land, and really quite intelligent,' Kedar replied. They spoke about Skye as if she were not even in the room, or worse, were an inanimate object; and as they blithely continued to discuss her fine points, Skye let her eyes stray to Niall once more.

Her heart struggled within her as he stared directly back at her, his silvery eyes bright with his longing. She felt tears pricking behind her eyes, and she fought furiously to keep them from showing. Niall! She cried his name silently.

Dear God, he thought, how can she be so very beautiful despite everything? Oh, sweetheart, I want you so much! If only they might make good their