The Sultanah Ch. 11

Dear Reader, thank you so much for reading this story. It has taken nearly a year of my writing life to get the whole thing finished. This is Chapter 11 of 14 chapters and the total is over 250,000 words. It is my Dirk Diggler/Jack Horner act of hubris: my attempt to write an erotic adventure story that pulls you in with a story you want to read, even when there isn't any sex going on (though there is a lot of sex. Crazy, weird, fun sex). It is the most ambitious piece of erotic fiction I have ever attempted. So I hope you enjoy it.

With that said, this book is not for everyone. It will be too long for many people (no shame in that, it is a big time investment). Some of the sex scenes are intense and include themes like hermaphroditism, non-consensual activity, incest, etc. For some people, that will likely be the appeal. In fact, while this story is definitely not for everyone, I think for a select group of people this story will essentially have everything you could ever ask for. So if that is you, congratulations, you found that thing you have been searching for. You can skip ahead to the sex and I won't be offended, but I think this story is more than the sum of its parts. If you read this whole story, you will not be disappointed.

In Chapter 1, our main character, Princess Varis, finds that her father has died and that, by virtue of the fact that she is a hermaphrodite and can father a child, she is now the Sultanah. In Chapter 2, Varis unearthed a conspiracy to destroy her Empire led by Rahip, the Cardinal of the "New Religion" and later she received her coronation. In Chapter 3, Varis humiliated the New Religion and raised the morale of her besieged people. In Chapter 4, Varis lifted the siege through a daring midnight raid. In Chapter 5, Varis survived an assassination attempt and visited her harem. In Chapter 6, Varis faced a challenge to her authority and seduced a noblewoman to maintain it. In Chapter 7, Varis defeats the raiders and comforts a peasant girl. In Chapter 8, Varis is briefly engaged and kills her fiancé for betraying her. In Chapter 9, Varis slept with a member of the harem, her half-sister, while her aunt watched. In Chapter 10, Varis wed her sister and consummated the marriage.

Some recurring characters you might want by name are Varis (the Sultanah and narrator), Cin (the head priestess of Gunes), Arkadas (Varis' friend and servant), Kardes (Varis' older sister), Nislani (Varis' younger sister), Rahip (a Cardinal of the 'new religion'), Duke Hain (an important lord opposing Varis), Lord Sadik (a minor lord who has spoken in support of Varis); King Sican (the leader of Dusman, a rival kingdom), Prince Lider (Sican's son); King Köylü (the leader of Temsilci, a rival kingdom); Agiz and Got (Subordinate Sun Priestesses); Saygili (Varis' guard); Soyguncu (a pickpocket and spy for Varis); Tutuklu (the head concubine of the harem); Kukla (a noblewoman). Further, Gunes is the name of the Sun God, Tanri is the name of the 'new god.' The city where the story is set is Şehir in the country of Ülke and the Empire of Bütün Dünya. If you need more...reread the earlier chapters.

Please, please, please, please, please tell me what you think after you read this. I put an embarrassing amount of work into this and I want to know what you think. Especially if it is good things.

*****

Part VI: Unorthodox Thinking

Chapter 11: New Additions

"Frankly Nislani...Wife...I do not care. I do not have time for this..." I said, trying to make my voice sound less annoyed than it was.

"You don't care? You don't care?" she asked, "Well I guess if you don't care then it isn't important."

"It's not that it isn't important it is just right now..."

"I don't want to hear it," my sister yelled at me, "Do you think this is what I want to do? Have a banquet with," she looked down at the ambassadorial notice that was placed in her hand, "Prince Aptallar Altın from Ada to help you cement some sort of trade agreement? I don't care Varis. But this is my job as the Consort. To host parties and make you look good..."

"And I know you are good at it and you like it and..."

"I don't like it!" Nislani lied, "But I do it for you because you said we need to increase our grain supplies in the event of another siege. So I got you think meeting with..."

"I know, someone with grain. And I appreciate that but..."

"But nothing, you have to do this," Nislani screamed.

"I can't!" I yelled back. Suddenly the door to our chambers (I sighed when I thought about the fact that they used to be mine. I was essentially living in Arkadas quarters at that point) burst open and Nislani and I both turned to look and see who was bold enough to simply barge in on one of our arguments.

"I have been knocking for five minutes," Cin said, entering the room dramatically. I raised my hands as a sign of impotence.

"Varis is saying she won't go to the banquet tonight," Nislani whined.

"I said I can't..." I responded.

"From my point of view that is no different."

"Well your point of view is not the be all end all of everything!"

"Stop!" Cin shouted, "I am not here to counsel you on your marriage. I have come to take Sultanah Varis away," She moved closer towards me and I felt a rush of relief. My savior.

"But we only have five hours before the banquet and..."

"And I will have her back in plenty of time to go to the banquet, which she will definitely attend," Cin responded. Nislani opened her mouth to complain, realized she won, and smiled.

"Good," she said simply, then she turned back to her closet to pick out the clothing she would wear to the banquet. She no longer had a reason to consider me.

"Cin, I am not going to that damned banquet...I have other things to do," I said.

"Like what?"

"There is an Executive Assembly meeting tonight and I want to be present," I explained. I spoke as if it were self-evident that I would need to be there.

"You've never gone to those before," Cin pointed out, correctly. I raised my hand to explain further, but Cin stopped me, "I need to take you somewhere. We can discuss it on the way," she said. Without further word, she turned and walked out of the room. I looked at Nislani, throwing dresses on the floor from her closet, sighed, and followed Cin out. I closed the door behind me.

"I am not going to that damned banquet tonight. It is a waste of time," I said immediately. Cin stopped walking and turned and looked at me.

"You are going," Cin said, "It is a good idea."

"I wrote to King Tüccar and suggested a military alliance. He sent his youngest, stupidest son to negotiate a limited trade deal," I responded.

"If he is stupid, you should be able to really put one over on him," Cin suggested wryly. I sighed and dropped my hands to my side.

"I don't need trade deals right now," I replied.

"You do need trade deals. You need all the help you can get," she responded.

"I need more than that now. We are completely isolated militarily."

"This can be the first step towards a military alliance in the future, rulers need to learn that they can trust you," she said and I knew she was right. Nonetheless, it did me no good.

"There is no time for that if everything else were going right then this would be great. But the campaign season will be starting soon and..." I started.

"How is your marriage?" Cin interrupted. For a moment I didn't even really register what she was asking. It was totally irrelevant and I shook my head.

"I didn't meant that, I mean if my political situation were going right..."

"I know what you meant, I asked about your marriage," Cin explained. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and leaned in towards me. She raised her eyebrows.

"You saw it," I said, pointing to the room.

"I saw an argument, is that the sum total of your marriage right now?" she asked. As soon as the words were out of her mouth I snorted and threw my hands up.

"Essentially," I said and looked at my priestess evenly. Cin continued to stare at me, her eyebrows still up, waiting for more of an explanation. I sighed and then spoke, "It is different than it used to be. I don't know...I don't hate her anymore if that is what you are wondering. What we've been through these last few months...We have real things to hate now. But I don't know...We are not particularly well-suited anyway. We disagree on everything and can't seem to figure out how we are supposed to fit together,"

"Some would say that means you complement one another. You should stop fighting against your differences and accept them as strengths," Cin explained. Easy for a priestess who would never marry to suggest. I let that comment roll away without touching it.

"More importantly," I said, leaning in slightly, "it is still incredibly awkward that she is my sister..." This was, of course, an understatement. After the nerves and the sense of duty surrounding the marriage had melted away, my sister and I were left only with a confusing mass of emotions. Neither one of us really wanted to approach it, afraid it could explode. I tried not to think about it and spent as little time with Nislani as I could justify.

"Your wife. You should cease to think about her as your sister. She will be your wife for a much longer time," Cin responded.

"If we don't kill each other," I responded.

"How goes the production of an heir? That was the primary purpose of this wedding," Cin asked and I winced. I knew she was going to ask about that eventually, I had been trying my hardest for the past few weeks to avoid the topic altogether.

"Well it is too early to tell..." I stalled.

"Have you been trying?" She asked intently. I paused for a long time, trying to think up a way of lying without lying. Cin's eyes bored holes into my face and she could tell the answer before I finally abandoned my efforts and simply told the truth.

"Well, you saw us consummate the marriage," I said and then my face grew red, "And that night we...well we went again once after everyone left. Some residual energy I suppose. But since then...it doesn't feel natural."

"It never will if you create a barrier around it. Sex is an important part of marriage, Sultanah. Gunes urges us to be fruitful in our marriages not just because it produces children, but because it produces joy," Cin said slowly. I shrugged my shoulders noncommittally. In honesty, the memory of my wedding night was now painfully embarrassing to me and the thought of doing it again...was less than appealing. I had done my duty, need I do it ovr and over again?

"Joy is something I no longer seek. I do not believe it is my fate," I said honestly.

"Gunes fates no one with misery," Cin said certainly.

"You must admit that she has not exactly...endowed me with success in my personal life," I said, looking down between my legs. Cin snorted and shook her head.

"Gunes has gifted you a beautiful young wife to share your sorrows, yet you choose to be alone. Just like Gunes has gifted your empire with many advantages and yet you focus solely on your military isolation. It is as if you desire to be alone, despite yourself," Cin explained.

"I have always been alone. Even Arkadas and my family did not know me," I protested.

"You are not so alone as you think and that is what I came here to show you," Cin said angrily and then she turned and walked away. For a moment I paused, confused by this sudden turn of events. I looked back at my door and thought of Nislani inside, preparing for the banquet. I nearly shuddered and then ran after Cin, wondering where she was taking me.

* * * * *

"Believe it or not, Cin, but I have been to this part of the palace before. In fact a red priestess you may know was the first to demonstrate its utility," I said to my priestess. We were standing a doorway in the bowels of my palace, staring into the vaulted room with the watery roof that housed my harem. Cin had led me down to this location rapidly. She had not answered any of my questions on the way down and I had actually begun to wonder whether she had actually given up on telling me anything. But now, as we stood in the harem, Cin turned to me, smiling.

"I am not showing you the harem," she explained, "Or...that is, I am not just showing you the harem. There is something special here for you today. Do you not recognize anything different?" I turned from the priestess now and looked around the vast room. I saw all of the normal features, the columns, pools, bars, and couches. Everything looked absolutely normal. Except...

"Where are the concubines?" I asked. As I scanned the room, I saw only three women in the far corner. I saw Tutuklu, my head concubine or Pezevenk, completely naked in front of a couch. Two other women, clothed in robes, were sitting on the couch and Tutuklu was speaking to them softly. Usually there were 111 concubines in the room at all times. In fact, that was the mandate. I grew nervous, something was wrong.

"All but three are in their quarters," Cin explained. Well at least they hadn't left.

"Is this proper? Why so few?" I asked.

"It is by my order," Cin explained. Tutuklu had turned around from the couch and she had seen us. She waved and then began to walk in our direction. The two women with her rose awkwardly from the couch and followed.

"Is that within your duties as priestess?" I asked, confused by this turn of events. What was Cin's purpose in this?

"Not generally, but there is a reason today," Cin said enigmatically.

"Welcome, Sultanah Varis I, to your harem," Tutuklu said from a couple of dozen yards away. She was rapidly closing the distance between us. Her two fellow concubines followed behind slowly. I did not recognize either of them, though this was hardly strange. I had only seen a small fraction women in the Harem. As they got closer, I took account of their appearances.

The one on Tutuklu's left was a striking for her willow build. She was quite tall, around 5'9 and very thin. Her legs were very long and thin, her feet small and her knees slightly knobby. Her hips were somewhat narrow, though they gave her body a feminine curve anyway, because her waist was exceptionally thin. Her stomach was very flat and her torso was long and narrow. She had small, taut breasts that were sitting high on her chest despite the fact that her hard nipples showed that nothing was holding them up beneath her robe. She had long, thin arms with lengthy, delicate fingers. Her face was somewhat angular with a small, sharp chin, and a long, pointed nose. However, these features surprisingly did not make her appear severe or unpleasant. In fact, she had very thick lips and large, egg-shaped doe eyes, and small somewhat pointed ears that gave her an ethereal appearance, like an elf or some other mythological creature. Her long, straight, golden hair and skin that was the color of milk. She clearly came from the same region as Arkadas. She exuded an air of nervous elegance or reticent grace that was particularly alluring.

Somehow, the girl standing to Tutuklu's right managed to project that same aura while looking nothing like her companion. For one, she was much shorter, shorter than me even at 5'3 and had a slightly curvier build. Her legs were short, though delicate and she small feet and curvy thighs. Her hips were somewhat widely set and she had a large, high ass. Her waist narrower than her hips and then her torso flared out to her perfectly proportioned breasts, giving her a perfect hourglass shape accenting her hips. Her arms were toned and her hands were small. She had a somewhat long neck for her build. Her face was open an warm with high cheeks, a generous mouth, and a small, upturned nose. The only features she seemed to share with her companion were egg-shaped, gray eyes and small, pointed ears. Her hair was black as midnight and cropped around her shoulders. Her skin was a dusky reddish color that stood out prominently against her dark hair. If the tall girl was an elf, this girl was a pixie. Somehow a match, despite their difference. Both women were looking down slightly, unwilling to meet my gaze.

After looking at the women and appreciating their forms, I was more confused than before. I wondered why they were present. It was not that they were unattractive, quite the contrary. I just did not understand what made them, rather than the thousands of other beautiful women in the harem, necessary at this meeting. As if reading my mind, Cin began to speak.

"Sultanah, you were not wrong when you told me earlier that in some ways your path is difficult," she said loudly, "You are often forced to act independently and this makes you feel that you are alone. Being alone is not, in and of itself, a bad thing. You often do excellent thinking on your own. But solitude is destructive when it begins to feel isolating. However, as I said, no one is fated to misery. Certainly not a Sultanah. What you feel is not isolation. It is selectivity, exclusion, and distinctiveness. You do not make rapid connections and do not feel easy with society because you need very particular things and this makes you demanding. Further, others sense your needs, whether consciously or not, and perceive their inability to measure to your standards. They reject you pre-emptively, as it is certain you would reject them. However, goals achieved and connections made lightly deteriorate rapidly. As street merchants says, 'easy come, easy go.' In order to maintain your distinctive standards you must work hard. And make sacrifices. But, in so doing, you ensure that the bonds you forge are iron clad. The ties you create are not based on necessity or fleeting circumstances, but instead the recognition of a true, spiritual bond.

"When you first came here, it seems like quite a long time ago now, you asked me for something. We both knew that it was rare and that I might not be able to procure what you needed. True to form for your circumstances, the rarity of your dream did not make it expensive. You are the only person with this particular desire, making it available. But, it was nonetheless difficult to procure because it must be sought with great care and superhuman effort. Because of the love I bear for you as my Sultanah, I worked to achieve your aim. I give to you, as a gift, that which you wanted more than anything else: a demonstration that you are not alone. In every way you are not alone, but instead unique. You simply needed the time to find that absolute right thing. I hope that you take some time to savor that feeling."

Even before Cin had finished speaking, I knew what she had brought me. I had nearly forgotten, but on my first trip to the Harem I had whispered a fleeting request in Cin's ear. It had faded in my memory as the months passed and far more momentous events took up my time. But apparently Cin had continued to work on my request and here it was. Suddenly I knew why these two women were present. My breathing quickened and my head felt light. I did not even know what to think.

"Thank you, Cin," I said, my voice coming out as a gasp. Cin's words seemed to fade now. I was not really sure what she was talking about. My gift was all I cared for now.

"Thank me by taking this lesson to heart," she said, then she turned to Tutuklu, "I believe we should leave the Sultanah to her gift," she said. Cin then turned and started to walk from the room, heading back into the passage beyond.

"Of course," Tututklu said to me, smiling. Then she also turned, heading back to the harem's quarters. In a few moments, I was alone in the massive room with the two newest concubines. They were still looking at their feet nervously, perhaps more nervous now because Tutuklu was gone. My whole being was buzzing and I had to control myself. I had never even really considered what would happen if Cin had achieved her aim and filled my request. I was nervous and excited. I wanted to be with these women and I wanted to run away in fear and confusion. I decided to simply speak with them for a moment, perhaps to calm my frazzled nerves.