Captured For The Sultan’s Pleasure

Hassan heard footsteps behind him and his fighting instinct kicked in. Judging by the heaviness of the steps, Hassan knew that it wasn’t just a person who was after him. They had to be about four people behind him. It couldn’t be his subordinates, they would have called out to him. He wondered who was bold enough to try to apprehend him despite his position in the sultanate. He turned to a corner and hid.

When the footsteps sounded closer, Hassan peeped from his hiding place to see who it was and was utterly surprised to see that it was the Sultan. Hassan pondered on why the Sultan was after him, acting stealth about his movement. He doesn’t remember doing something to offend the Sultan, so he was disturbed. Hassan saw the Sultan looking around for him, then walked away when he couldn’t find him. When the Sultan and his entourage were gone, Hassan came out of his hiding place. Perhaps the Sultan needed his attention since the general wasn’t around and Hasan was next in line. He was probably worried over nothing, but he had learned to fear the Sultan after that day at the dock.

Jamal walked away from the corner he had seen the second in command disappear to. If the man wasn’t feeling guilty about something, why would he run away from him? Does the man think that he could escape him just because he hid himself? He knew just how to fish such a man out, Jamal thought, redirecting his footsteps towards the army building. When he got there, he had his entourage point out which one was the second in command’s quarter. Jamal went into the house, inspected it, and found different torture weapons ranging from long whips to ropes lying on a table. Jamal smiled as he sat down on a chair facing the door and waited patiently for the man to return.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

Hassan arrived at his quarter feeling famished. All the way back to his house, he felt childish for hiding from the Sultan when he hadn’t done anything wrong. He had concluded in his mind to visit the Sultan once he was done with his meal to see if the Sultan needed anything from him. He opened the door to his house and came face to face with the Sultan who was sitting on a chair. Fear gripped Hassan and he bowed immediately. The Sultan laughed in such an icy way that it chilled Hassan from his brain down to the bones at his feet. Something was definitely wrong, Hassan thought even though he couldn’t place what it was.

“Seize him.” The Sultan said to the guards who were standing at each side of the door.

The guards took hold of him before he could say anything or ask any questions and began to tie him with the ropes he kept in his room. One of the guards took hold of his arm and brought him forward to the Sultan. Hassan watched in fear as the Sultan rose and bent over to look straight into his eyes before he sat down back. The Sultan pointed to a guard and spoke.

“You. Whip him and do not stop until I tell you to,” Jamal commanded.

“But, Sultan…” The guard began, then promptly shut his mouth when the Sultan narrowed his eye on him. The guard picked up the whip, looked at Hassan apologetically, and began to whip him. Hassan did his best not to whimper or even let a sound out knowing that all the guards present were his subordinates. He kept counting the lashes he received instead. By the time the tenth lashes landed on his body, the Sultan raised his hand to halt the punishment.

“What’s between you and Lady Roksolana?” Jamal asked the second in command.

Hassan looked up suddenly. This was because of Lady Roksolana? The Sultan was angry because of a lady? The Sultan was jealous of his relationship with Lady Roksolana? This was the first time Hassan saw the Sultan worried and angry because of a woman. The Sultan had never minded about the women in his harem before. Even if he saw men having sex with any of his concubines, he would just look away. But now, he’s reacting differently because of a woman? He should have guessed that the woman mattered to the Sultan eight months ago when he had spared their lives because of her. The Sultan had even moved her from being a maid overnight to be his concubine. Instincts should have warned him not to go anywhere near Lady Roksolana.

“I said, what is your relationship with Lady Roksolana?” Jamal asked furiously.

“We are merely an acquaintance, Sultan,” Hassan answered the Sultan.

“Then, why were you with her twice?” Jamal asked again.

Hassan nearly laughed at the way the Sultan was acting. He wondered if the man knew just how deeply into Lady Roksolana he was. He thought about lying to the Sultan about his reasons for visiting Lady Roksolana but decided against it, knowing that the Sultan was liable to stab him to death in his furious state. Hassan explained to the Sultan about how he had visited Lady Roksolana the first time to thank her for her previous help in saving his life. He also explained that he had been passing through when he saw the lady crying and had thought to cheer her up just for a while. When he was done, he saw the Sultan sigh, and his rigid body softened. Feeling like exacting revenge, he asked the Sultan an uncomfortable question.

“But why do you care, Sultan? I thought you never worried about such things,” Hassan asked.

The Sultan frowned his face at Hassan before speaking.

“Just make sure I don’t see you near her again,” Jamal said. His tone laced with a heavy warning, then he walked out of the house.

Hassan watched as the Sultan walked away and the guards followed after him, leaving him still bonded with the ropes on. He just had to wait for one of his soldiers to come in, which he doesn’t mind. He had gotten off lightly compared to what he had thought would be his fate. The Sultan had changed in some ways and Hassan had a woman to thank for making their Sultan have emotions again. Hassan looked down at the rope that bounded him and sighed. He had such long hours of a wait ahead of him, Hassan thought as he sat on the floor.