Sold to the King

Chapter 4.

Smiling at those doubts that it was normal for a young girl who had just arrived in the city, one of the servants decided to try to clarify everything while they continued to prepare her.

—The Shah is the king of the city and the kingdom —explained the maid with a smile—. The golden king, who is a strong and charming man, one of the best monarchs we have had in centuries.

—He receives the title "Shah" or "Great One" when people speak of his majesty. You are very fortunate, for now, you will have the joy of spending time at his side as one of his wives —said another of the maids.

Blinking in confusion, the young woman could only sigh with a certain resignation, letting them lift her arms to better clean her limbs, even though she felt her face completely red with embarrassment, for she had never before bathed in such a painful way.

—And how is he like? —asked the young woman with great curiosity.

—He is the golden king, with hair and eyes as golden as the sun, he was blessed by the gods —explained one of the maids, with much admiration and love for the king—. His appearance is beautiful and his voice is silky, his attitude is demanding and strict with everyone around him, but he is the best ruler we have had in centuries and the strongest exterminator in the whole world.

—The strongest? —asked the young woman in disbelief.

—They say that once while walking the sands of the desert on the other side of the world, the Shah fought a lion and killed it with his bare hands without receiving a single scratch —said another of the servant girls.

—That's simple —said the young woman as if it were no big deal–, killing lions for an exterminator is like killing ants. I would like to know how strong your king is against a plague?

—The king is the strongest man, let no one listen to you defying the truth —said another of the servants in a harsh manner, not at all pleased that the young woman had insulted her Shah.

Rolling her eyes, feeling extremely amused by the stupid devotion of those maids to a man she disliked without even knowing him, she simply preferred to stop arguing, allowing those maids to wash her hair and end that uncomfortable and embarrassing bath.

After finishing cleaning her body, the maids helped the young woman to stand up, and covering her naked body with a delicate silk robe, they helped her to get out of that large white bathtub. Holding the young woman delicately, the maids again led her through that wing that was solely intended for the concubines of the king's harem, where each of them had her room and shared the common areas. And it was to one of these common areas intended for the concubines that the maids led the young woman.

Leaving the large marble bathroom, the maids returned to the corridors of that pavilion and walked to another room near the bathroom, the room that the concubines used to change clothes and put on makeup for the king, preparing to see him. Entering that room led by the maidservants, the young woman was speechless, observing several closets full of costumes of all colors and shapes, with gold mirrors on the walls and tables with so many makeup tools that the young woman could not count them.

Standing in awe, gazing at a wealth she could never have imagined in her wildest dreams, the young woman allowed the maids to lead her to one of the chairs there, making her sit down. Obeying, the young woman observed herself in one of those expensive gold mirrors, where after several weeks she was finally able to see her reflection.

She had been in the hands of those savages for a long time, hidden in a ship's storeroom, tied up and rarely fed, while her body was filled with dirt and dust that constantly entered the place. Seeing the light after so long, having her body clean and her hands-free, the young girl wanted to cry from happiness; controlling herself only by remembering in what place and with what kind of people she was.

The maids began to work on her body then, making time until the dress that was being prepared for the young woman was finished. Drying her hair and then combing and cutting it, applying makeup to her face, and drying her skin; those diligent slaves were in charge of leaving the young woman perfect for the king. After several minutes, hurried servants specialized in sewing for the people of the crown knocked on the door of the dressing room, and being received by one of the servants who attended the young lady inside, they delivered the dress that had been ordered, which they made in record time.

Using that special fabric that Jessy had received from the Habim tribe, the crown's artisans worked hard to create a beautiful dress for the new concubine, who was to be presented soon to the Shah. Receiving that beautiful dress, made to the size of the young lady, highlighting her curves and her beautiful figure, being one of the most beautiful garments because of the fabric with which it was made; the servant could not help but sigh in delight with such a beautiful object in her hands.

—My lady —said the maid returning to the young woman—, don't you think your dress is beautiful?

Looking at that dress with a certain indifference, the young lady preferred not to answer, and keeping silent, she simply let all those maids marvel at that piece of clothing, which she thought was tasteless. The maids soon asked her to stand up from that chair and taking off her robe, they began to put on that white dress with gold trimmings. With a simple, but quite a beautiful cut, in which some of its edges were laced with gold and its back was uncovered, the dress was a precious work of art that was perfect for this quiet young woman.

Allowing those maids to dress her body in that new dress made of those fine fabrics, the young woman looked at herself in the mirror once again. Looking at her made-up face and her hair, she felt disgusted with herself, for she felt like an object being prepared to fulfill the carnal desires of a disgusting man.

—I will never be a concubine —the young woman confidently denied.

—Won't you, my lady? —asked one of those slaves, daring to sound mocking at the young woman's words.

—What will the mistress be then? —asked another of the servant girls.

Looking at herself in that pitiful way that she never thought she saw in her reflection, adorned with jewels and clothes of a lady, the young woman did not hesitate to answer:

—An exterminator.

Hearing those bold words, the maids did not hesitate to laugh at the young woman, shaking their heads as they continued to prepare her for the king.

—My lady, it is not allowed for women to be exterminators —explained one of the slaves delicately—. Women must serve their husbands or their owners, and take care of their homes.

—It is not permitted, on this side of the sea —said the young woman in a serious tone, still looking at herself in that great golden mirror.

—It is not allowed for any woman, God forbids it —replied another of the maids with great seriousness.

Preferring not to answer those words, thinking of those slave girls as simple fools, the young woman allowed them to put the finishing touches to her appearance and put on some beautiful golden shoes to match the dress, to leave the room again and return to the hall of the concubine pavilion.

Immediately drawing the attention of all those women who were resting in that place, all those fine ladies owned by the king admired the new concubine, the one who had arrived full of dirt and looking like a beggar. But now she was wearing one of the most beautiful dresses they had ever seen in their lives, besides having a beautiful serious face where her green eyes stood out like emeralds, with those small freckles that adorned her cheeks and her beautiful reddish hair well-groomed.

Jealously admiring that new and beautiful young woman, the concubines now whispered about her with suspicion, looking at her with envy, while the young woman advanced through the center of the room with pride in the direction of the exit of the pavilion.

Following the maidservants in silence, she again made her way through the wide and beautiful corridors of the palace, coming closer and closer to a room with a large, well-decorated door.

The Shah's room.