Disclaimer: This story belongs to me, there is no direct reference to X:WP, but the tall dark-haired woman with piercing blue eyes reminds me furiously of someone... and the lean-muscled younger blond too... somehow... *wink* Names are fictious and any resemblance with someone existing or having existed is purely fortuitous.

Warnings: This story deals with kidnapping, slavery and all that relates to it, violence, rape and verbal abuse. Although nothing graphic, all over the above are implied. Be warned. Subtext, main text and all... And if consensual sex (although not graphic) between two women in love bothers you, then move along, this story isn't for ya! :o)

Author's note: This is a short story that just popped up one morning. I had to write it before it escaped me, so it'll remain short and not necessarily accurate, geographically or politically. I apologize, but it is, after all, a work of FICTION. ;o)

Text in green is meant to be spoken in Arabic, but since I don't, I've "translated" in English... :o)

Constructive comments are welcome: pattypat@iname.com
 
 

Malek was born eight years ago but I am 28 eight years old. Malek is a man, a leader in one part of the world where women have little if not nothing to say, yet my body is definitely female despite the beard I've worked hard to grow thick. Malek is happy and superficial, but I am desperate and my thoughts run deep. Malek is a fraud.

There was a time where Malek never existed. I was then known as Sofia. I was born American from Italian immigrants in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. The first years of my life where happy. My parents loved me, I was good at school, my siblings and I played together even though we had our little fights sometimes, but mostly I had my best friend along most of my childhood.

Mia has always been a part of me, since she moved in our neighborhood when I was five years old. We did everything together. We were inseparable. She held my heart and I often called her "Mia more", as mi amor, my love in spanish. We never had a chance to explore the depth of our feelings for each other, but our friendship was strong. For thirteen years, we spent almost all of our times together. Those were happy times.

"C'mon Fia," the blonde begged, her green eyes shining mischeviously, "let's go to the fair today."
"Aww, you know I don't like being in the crowd on a hot day like this..."
"Pleeeeaaaaasssse Sofia?.."
"You're too damn cute for me to resist you, my sweet," I sighed. "Call your folks to let them know while I go find mum."
"Thank you," she said, jumping in my arms for a big hug before running toward the phone.

Shaking my head, I went to the garden to warn my mother that Mia and I were going to the Annual Fair. There was no attraction left to try by the end of the afternoon; Mia had pulled me in each and every one of them. We had some ice cream and lots and lots of laughs during the day. On our way back, we stopped by the lake to watch the sunset. She sat between my legs on the beach and leaned on me, her head on my shoulder. I put my arms around her and I wished that we could stay like that all our lives.

"Sofia?"
"Yes Mia more."
"Will I still see you when you go live on the University campus?"
"Of course you will. There's nothing that can stop us to be together, even if only a few hours on the weekends."
"I will miss you," she sighed.
"So will I, my love. So will I..."

This was the last sunset we enjoyed together. A few weeks later, I moved to the Campus and almost at the same time, my heart disappeared. I got a call from my mother one evening and the sun in my life was gone. On October 5th, 1993, Mia never came back from school. The authorities and many volunteers searched for days without founding a trace of her or her kidnapper. I left school to participate to the searches, looking in all our favorite hiding places and everywhere else. For two weeks, I barely ate and slept, driving and walking around the area where she was last seen. Without finding any clue.

My parents convinced me to get back to my studies and let the police do their job, promising to call me as soon as they would know something new. I went back, but my heart wasn't in it. It was a good thing that I never needed to study much to get good grades or I will have flunk that year easily. Some investigators seemed convinced that Mia had been kidnapped by some organized group who sold teen girls for slavery in Orient, more particularily in Saudi Arabia. There had no proof that it was what had happened to my friend, but they had a strong suspicion. Others just said she had been abducted, raped and buried somewhere in the woods. In both cases, it would be a miracle to find her again. As the months passed, the searches slowed and finally stopped completely.

I wasn't ready to give up. I would never be ready for that. I befriended one of the investigators that had a lead toward the slave connection. His name was Enrico and also had some italian roots. I dated him long enough to get the informations I needed and I left him when he became more insistant about having sex together. I guess I should be ashamed to have used him for my own purposes, but finding Mia was more important than anything else.

With all the knowledge I got on the arabian world, I created Malek. The military conflicts in the Middle East helped me creating him, pretending he was from a town destroyed by the war and therefore all his birth certificate and education diplomas were non-existent anymore. I guess I was lucky, the trick worked out and Malek became a Saudian businessman. My gift for business helped me creating and managing a wealthy petroleum corporation that allowed me to deal with the great names of that country and others, as well as having a solid bank account to back up my frequent travel all over the Middle East. I learned the language and spoke arabic like a native in just a few months of lessons.

Physically, with my 5 foot 10, my shapes were too feminine under the djellaba. I had already cut my black hair short but it wasn't enough. My face was too soft to be taken seriously in macho-land, even as Malek. So I started to shave twice a day. As you may know, even as a woman, once you start doing so, hair will grow stiff and after a while, you'll get a beard thick enough to be believable. My blue eyes remained a source of question but after all, even the great Lawrence of Arabia had blue eyes, so I could easily dodge that one. It was another matter when I was offered a pretty slave for the night by some sheikh I was in business with. I couldn't refuse without risking to offend them or to dishonor the girl offered. I suppose, again, I was lucky to always had comprehensive women who where rather relieved to have a night of sleep than rough sex with a stranger, as it was often their lot. No one never told that I wasn't having sex with them and no one had known that Malek wasn't a man. I have lived under his name since then, eight years ago.

There are very little harem that I haven't visited, but even those I saw, I cannot be sure I have seen all the wives and slaves. In fact, just last week, someone mentioned something about the Sheikh Taimur Al-Fulani, a close business acquaintance of mine, that was worth an impromptu visit. I called him under some futile business offer and, as I expected, he suggested that I spent some time in his palace to be able to discuss quietly about it. I thought I knew all about the women living under his roof, but someone lead me to believe that I might be wrong. The rumor was that some crazy slave was held in chain as she was too dangerous to be left wandering on the premises. Taimur was keeping her alive to entertain some of his guests on rare occasion. So rare in fact, that I had never seen or heard about her.

"Malek my friend," Taimur greeted me, "welcome in my humble home."
"Thank you Taimur, it is always an honor to be your guest," I replied with the custom curtsey of politeness.
"Tea and opium are awaiting in the main room," he smiled, "and so are the girls," he added with a nudge.
"You know how to put your guests at ease, my friend."
"Well Malek, you work too hard. By now, you should have your own harem already. What are you waiting for?"
"As you said, I have been busy but I am thinking about settling down and start a family. My fortune will need an heir at some point, although not in the near future."

We sat, almost lied down, amongst the fluffy pillow and started smoking the opium. It was a tradition coming from further East but Taimur wouldn't think of having guests and not offering them the pipe. It always made me light headed, but never enough to forget who I was and what my purposes were. Through the casual conversation we were having, I mentioned the hidden slave rumor I had heard. Taimur laughed at that.

"Ah, it finally reached some broader horizons," he said with humor. "Yes Malek, I do have such a slave, but she's too dangerous to be offered for a night to a friend like you."
"What is wrong with her, if I may ask?"
"Who knows, really. Something in her head snapped and she became an animal. She bites, she screams and she has to stay in chains at all times."
"How sad," I sympathized. "How long has she been with you?"
"Oh for a couple of years, I guess. I got her from Qaboos bin Faisal when he got tired of her."
"I know him. Strange he never mentioned her to me.. and neither did you, my friend."
"We all have a few skeletons in our closets, Malek. And I never thought you'd be interested in some wild animal."
"You'd be surprised in what I can be interested in," I smiled. "And you never know what wild creature those blue eyes can conquer."
"Ah ah ah," he laughed, "certainly all the women of my harem were conquered."
"That's because you put them in my bed, not because of my eyes, but they are all very charming."
"And charmed. Any preference for tonight, Malek?"
"A challenge maybe.. Could I meet that crazy slave? Does she have a name?"
"We call her 'kus' (cunt) or 'sharmuta' (bitch)," he laughed, "but since it takes four men to tie her down before one can fuck her, we tend to leave her alone so maybe we should find another nickname for her."

I pretended to laugh at his poor joke but my heart was constricted in pain for that poor soul, whoever she might be.

"I tell you what, Malek," Taimur continued, "if you can tame her, she's yours not only for the night but to start your harem, too."
"You're too kind, my friend," I smiled.
"Well, she takes my resources and I get nothing in return, but if you can succeed where I failed, then she'll be yours."
"I like a good challenge, Taimur."
"If you do not succeed, who would you like to spend the night with?"
"If I loose, I will accept my defeat by remaining alone tonight. But I will not be defeated."
"Ah, the arrogance of the youth," Taimur laughed. "Very well, you'll see her tonight after dinner."

I was impatient. I went through what must have been the longest meal I've ever been at. Finally, Taimur lead me toward a small room on the second floor. The room had a window with iron bars and there was only one bed for furniture. A sink and a toilet were poorly hidden behind a curtain in the opposite corner. On the bed, a woman wearing a white hijab was sitting on the bed, iron shackles on her ankles and wrists, her head lowered. She didn't even move when we entered the room.

"Where did Qaboos got her from?" I asked, almost whispering.
"Some slave market in Al Zilfi, as I understand. He was attracted to her blond hair, but she turned nuts after three or four years. She spoke only english and he doesn't, so he kept her for the show when he had guests, then he got tired and sold her to me."
"She was like this when you bought her? Why did you bother then?"
"I guess I needed some attraction for my parties.. Sure wasn't a good investment I made. I'll have guards tying her for you, Malek," Taimur said.
"No!"
"No? I thought you wanted to tame her.."
"I do, but where is the challenge is she's immobilized? I would even prefer that you freed her totally."
"I cannot do that, Malek. She's dangerous."
"She doesn't look that way," I objected.
"Because she's shackled. But free only one limb and she'll hit you."

As we argued, she had raised her head and was looking at me curiously. Under the clothes, I could barely see her eyes in the shade, but it was enough for my heart to skip a few beats. She had green eyes, like my Mia.

"Alright Taimur, I am just a guest after all and I understand that my safety worries you," I pretended giving in. "Maybe if I can approach her in front of you, maybe then you could at least give me the key for her manacles?"
"Hmm.. I still think she's dangerous and she might be playing tricks on you.. but.. you're tall and strong, you probably can defend yourself against a whore."
"You can keep the room locked, so you will be sure she won't escape if she kills me," I teased.
"Let's first see if she'll let you get near," Taimur laughed.

The woman had again her eyes locked to the ground in front of her, oblivious to our presence. My heart was beating a marathon in my chest, my hope rising even if I tried to keep it down. I took a few steps silently and stopped in front of her, not quite within her reach. I kneeled and searched her eyes under the hijab. My breath caught in my lungs as our eyes met. My fear and my hope joined as I recognized her.

"Mia?" I gasped. "Is that you?" I whispered, stretching a hand toward her.
"Kul khara! (eat shit)" she spat.

Her eyes, her voice.. I felt like crying, I had found her, at last. Now to reach her, I needed time and tenderness.

"Mia, it's me, Sofia," I murmured so only she could hear what I was saying.
"Fia.. bad dream, bad dream," she repeated, trying to escape her bonds to get away from me.
"No dream, Mia. I'm here.. Look at me, mi amor.."
"Kul khara, kus umak!"

Behind me, Taimur laughed.

"I told you you wouldn't get her," he teased.
"I'm not giving up," I said calmly, still looking at the girl. "I never gave up and I never will.." I added only for her.
"C'mon Malek, you can have any woman in this palace, why waste your time on her?"
"No offense Taimur, but I never lacked women in my life. Now a good challenge, I can't pass that easily. Please, give me the keys to her manacles and lock us in. By tomorrow morning, she'll be tamed or my name isn't Malek," I defied him.
"Good luck then," he said after a few seconds of hesitation. "Do you need anything?"
"Yes please, have someone bring my travel kit and some tea."
"It'll be there in a few minutes. Please don't untie her until they come."
"You really are scared of a girl, Taimur?" I teased him.
"I've heard stories of some sultans who became eunuch after meeting her.. I'd hate that to happen to me.. or to you!"
"Do not trouble yourself, nothing of sort will happen to me," I laughed inwardly.

He gave me the keys and left us alone, locked in the small room that was her prison. Once alone with her, I regained my kneeling position in front of her. Taimur was right, she was wild and dangerous, but she was only defending herself against whatever horrors she had to go through over the last ten years of her life.

"Mia? do you remember me? Sofia.."
"Fia, Fia, Fia.." she chanted.
"Yes.. Your Fia.. you remember?.."

I tried to approach closer, almost sitting on the bed as she continued her senseless chant. She surprised me when she tried to jump at me, the chain restraining her hands just a few inches from my face, as she yelled curses in Arabic.

"Okey.." I backed away a little, slightly desoriented.. "Let's start by the beginning.." I sat on the bed, just out of her reach but close enough to show her that I meant business. "Look at me, Mia.. C'mon please, look at me.. see my eyes, Mia.. they tell the truth: I will no hurt you.."

A knock at the door made her jump and me with her consequently. I sighed and walked toward the door to let the guards know that everything was safe and that they could open the door to give me the items I had requested. They put the tea and cups on a wooden chair and left my bag near the door. With a curt bow, they went out and locked the door again. This time, it was only she and I for the whole night.

I took off my jellaba, leaving my pants and undershirt on, grabbed a piece of memory in my bag and went back close to her. I squatted in front of her, not daring going straight back on the side of the bed. I followed her empty look and went to sit at that exact spot on the ground. I looked at her silently for a moment. I could barely see her eyes under the hijab but I knew she was avoiding me.

"Mia.. look at me, please.. I have missed those green eyes on me, you have no idea.. I've missed you so much, Mia.."

She wasn't acknowledging it, but she was listening to me. So I decided to tell her about our childhood, hoping to trigger some memory locked deep inside her for safe keeping, in a place that no one could reach and steal it. I was holding a small teddy bear I had won for her at the fair, that last Summer we had spent happily. I told her how she had wanted it and how I did all I could to get it, even if at the end, it costed me more to win it than to go to the store and buy it. But Mia wanted it and I would have given her the moon if she had asked me. I told her about our quiet time watching sunsets, making plans for our future together, our dreams and hopes.

I talked for nearly an hour. I could feel her fight to remain in control and not giving in the emotions that I was creating within her. She was lost between hope, reality and delusion and she didn't know what to believe anymore. She had hoped for help for so long that now that I was there, she couldn't believe it was true. I got up and went to retrieve the now cold tea and drank a cup before approaching the chair and the teapot closer to the bed.

"Mia.. are you thirsty?.. do you want some tea?.. I'll give you some if you let me near you."

She slowly raised her head and looked from the tea to me and back to the tea, hesitating, then a small nod gave her acceptance to my offer. I filled a cup and went beside her, pulling her hijab away from her face and holding the cup so she could drink. As she did, I saw her face tear striken and it broke my heart all over again. She was very thin, too, but she was still the most beautiful creature I've ever lay my eyes upon.

"More?" I asked when I realized that she didn't dare ask for it. She nodded and I gave her two more cups before she shook her head to refuse another one.

"Can you keep the hijab away from your face, mi amor? you're so pretty and I've missed you so much.. It's a shame to hide such a beauty as you.. Will you keep it off for me, please?"  She seemed to think about it, then gave a nod, eyes averted again.  "Thank you, Mia."

I wanted nothing more than take her in my arms and unlock those awful chains that were restricting her, but I still wasn't certain I had reached my Mia and if I was desperate but I wasn't suicidal. I sat back on the ground where I was before.

"I wish I could take all your pain away, Mia.. but I can't. I can only support you and help you through the tunnel that will lead you toward your real life. Your life is back in Michigan with me and your parents. I haven't talked to anyone there since I moved in this country and created my new identity. But they know I haven't given up, that I was still looking for you. Sofia might have changed identity, but her heart still belong to you and always will."

"Fia.." Barely a whisper. But coming from the silent woman, it felt like a scream and my heart rate trippled in that second.

"Yes Mia.. I'm here.. Sofia is here.. You will be safe now, I promise.."

She looked at me, shyly, and repeated my name softly, trying to convince herself that this short hair bearded man was her childhood best friend. It was taking time, but I was reaching her. I felt like jumping up and down but I simply remained seated in front of her, tenderly smiling at her. She didn't return the smile and looked away again. I resumed the tale of Mia and Sofia's childhood, things that only she and I knew, some mischief we got ourselves into and which got us in trouble with our folks.

Much later I stopped again to share another cup of tea with her. It was making me sick to see her chained up on the edge of her bed like an animal. I knelt near her and put my hand on hers. She flinched but didn't otherwise react negatively to it.

"Mia.. look at me.. You know who I am, don't you?" I whispered.
"Fia," she answered hesitantly on the same hushered tone.
"Yes, I'm your Sofia and I will no hurt you. Will you hurt me?"
"Won't hurt Fia," she said in arabic.
"Alright then," I decided, "I will remove those irons if you promise me to not hurt me."
"No hurt Fia," she repeated in broken english, looking away from me.

I gently pulled her chin toward me until her eyes met mine, searching for reassurance in each other's. Here goes nothing, I thought as I got the key out of my pant's pocket. Her wrists were locked in manacles that were chained to some iron belt locked around her stomach. Her ankles were bound the same way as her arm, with a chain too short to allow her to fully stand up, had she wanted to. I freed her wrists, wincing as I saw the wounds the long term confinement had done to her skin, then I unlocked her legs. I looked at her, asking permission to reach around her to remove the iron belt, but Mia looked at me curiously, uncertain of what I wanted.

"May I unlock this one, too?" I asked softly. Her face registered the surprised at being asked something and not being forced to endure it, then she nodded her agreement. I opened the last lock and throw the whole apparatus to the other side of the room where it landed noisily. Mia flinched at it, but never tried to move. She almost seemed lost now that she was freed.

"Mia? Are you alright?" I inquired. She looked at her wrists, then at me and nodded slowly, not fully certain that she was. "Did they ever got them off?" She shook her head negatively and my anger raised some more, but I forced it down for the moment. "How long since you were able to fully stand up?"
"Long.. very long.."
"Do you want to do it now, with me?" Another shy nod. "Alright, here, you can hold on to me if you need help.. Just go gently for the first time.."

She got up and tentatively took a step forward before trying to stretch her painful body. As she did, I heard bones and vertebraes clicking and cracking back in place and she let out a low moan of pain mixed with relief. Then slowly, she walked a little in the small room, holding on my forearm to keep her balance. The way she was moving showed me that she had endure torments that were far more debilitating than my imagination could even conceive. We went around the room a couple of times and she went back toward the bed where I helped her sit down again.

"You alright, Mia?"  A nod.  "Okay.. Is there anything you want that I could get you right now?"

She looked at me, afraid and yet curious.

"It's ok, you can ask me. If I can, I'll get it to you. What could bring a smile back on your face, mi amor?.. Go on, tell me.."
"F..Food?"
"Food? sure.. I'll get them to bring us food," I said, getting up and going to the door where I knew where some guards on the outside. I banged on it and yelled for them to bring me food and more tea. I heard them acknowledging my order and I went back toward the scared woman.  "It'll take a few minutes and it'll be here. Did you eat at all today?"  She shook her head negatively.  "You're not being fed regularly, are you?" Another negative shake. "Well, from now on, you will, my love."

A short while later, a yell and the keys in the locks warned us of the arrival of the food and drink I had ordered. I asked Mia to stay put and went to get it. The guards saw her untied and they hurried to deliver and then lock the door again. "Cowards," I mumbled as I brought the tray to the bed.

"Here, it's all for you. Go ahead and enjoy.. don't get sick, though," I added with a smile as I sat in front of her on the bed.

She looked at me, unsure, then her hunger took over and she dug in the food with eagerness. She kept watching me, carefully trying to judge if I was a friend or a foe, still a little unsure that I was who I pretended to be.

"You can ask me whatever you want, don't be afraid," I encouraged her. "I'll answer any of your question, mi amor."
"..who.. who are you?" she timidly asked between two bites.
"I'm Sofia, don't you recognize me?" I said, hurt choking my voice.

She shook her head hastily and thought for a second before asking again.

"I see my friend in you.. but.. the beard.. you.. you're a man.. friend of the sheikh.."
"Ah.. I understand what you mean," I smiled, relief flowing through my heart. "To look for you, I couldn't be a woman, so I pretended being a man to enter those palaces and search for you. They know me as Malek."
"Malek.."
"Yes, but look beyond the beard and jellaba, and you will find Sofia waiting for you."

She frowned and looked down, idly playing with a grape.

"Mia? Do you believe me?"
"I..I want to believe," she whispered.
"..but?.."
"My.. mind plays tricks sometimes.." she admitted tearfully.
"Oh Mia, this is no delusion. I am real and I will get you out of here. I promise."
"Wil.." she started before stopping herself and averting her eyes again.
"What is it, Mia? You can ask me anything.. anything at all.."
"Would.. you hug me like you used to?"

I swear I heard pieces of my heart falling and breaking at her request.

"I would love to if you let me," I gasped giving her a way back if she chose to, but she just nodded. I moved the food away and settled on the bed, my back against the wall, opening my arms to her. She was a little hesitant, but she finally moved closer and sat between my legs, her back leaning against my chest and I closed my arms tenderly around her. I closed my eyes to digest all the sensations running through me.

"Oh god Mia, it feels so good to hold you again.. I've been hoping for this for so long.."
"Me too..."

We stayed like this, silently, for a long time, just enjoying the comfort of being together again. It was getting late in the night and I could feel her fighting to stay awake.

"You should lie down and sleep, mi amor," I murmured and I felt her tense. "What is it?"
"You be here when morning?" she worried.
"Of course, Mia. I will not leave you," I promised her. "Just lie down and rest, I will not go anywhere while you sleep."
"No.. chains?"
"Gosh no! Why would I do that for?!"
"Always chained.. to bed.. at night," she explained, her head lowered.
"You will not be chained anymore and no one will harm you ever again, I swear. I will never let you in harm's way ever again. Rest now, tomorrow we'll leave this place."
"Thank you," she simply said as she lied down beside me.
"You're welcome. I'm only sorry I couldn't find you earlier. Here," I added grabing the little teddy bear, "we both will watch over you. Sleep tight now..."

She took the bear in her hands and hugged it as she lied on her back and closed her eyes, the shadow of a smile on her lips. I sat there, watching her, wishing that I could take away all the pain she had suffered over the last ten years.

So many thoughts were going through my mind at the time, I was unable to sleep. I looked at her, wondering how long it would take for us to be able to be happy as we were so many years ago. Maybe forever, but I was willing to be with her each step of the way if she'd let me. Deep into the night, I decided to help her to see Sofia behind Malek, so I went to the small sink with my toilet kit and started shaving my beard off. The next thing I knew was that all hell had broken loose and I wasn't controlling the situation anymore.

She screamed, her nightmare taking her to God knows what horror either past or fictious. I had almost finished shaving but her cry surprised me and I cut my left cheek pretty good. Cursing, I grabbed a towel and ran toward the bed, but not before the guards who were already trying to chain her back while beating her to silence. I jumped in the middle of the hysteria to protect my beloved friend.

"Stop!" I yelled while punching two of the four guys. "Get away from her, she hasn't done anything."
"She attacked you," one guard said, pushing to reach behind me as I tried to protect her with my body.
"No she did not! Now STOP and get out!"

Taimur arrived at the door and ordered his men to stop, which they did. The room became quiet except for Mia's sobs.

"What's going on?" Taimur asked roughly.
"The bitch attacked him, Master," one guard told him. "I saw her."
"Malek?"
"No she did not. He's lying. Please, tell them to get out. I'm fine, I just cut myself while shaving. She just had a nightmare and she surprised me. It's always dangerous to be surprised when you have a blade on your skin. Please, everything is fine. She will no harm me."
"You left her unchained, Malek, that's dangerously stupid," Taimur reproached me as he nodded to his men to take some distance.
"Again Taimur, she will not harm me. See yourself," I added, sitting on the bed and taking her in my arms. Immediately, she turned around and sobbed on my chest. "You said if I tamed her, she was mine. Look, she's a kitten in my hands."
"Suit yourself," he shrugged, "she's yours if you want her. But at least in my home, I want her chained so nothing happens to my guests. Once out of my land, you can do all the foolishness you want."
"Taimur my friend, I appreciate your concern, but it isn't necessary. I will be fine."
"Are you arguing with me over a slave, Malek?"
"Not if you don't," I countered, "but if you insist on having her chained, then I want to be chained with her. I made a promise that I intend to keep."
"A promise to a slave," Taimur snorted. "What happened to you Malek? did you become as crazy as she is?"
"Don't forget who's enterprise gives you most of your revenue, Taimur," I warned knowing that would hit a sore spot.
"Out!" he ordered his men. "Malek, you will have breakfast then you will leave. You are not welcome in this house anymore."
"Fine, I'll remember your hospitality in our contract's renewal."

With great anger, Taimur left and slammed the door behind him. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm my heartbeats.

"Shhh.. it's okay now, Mia," I whispered as I caressed her hair tenderly. "I'm sorry I wasn't quick enough to avoid this."
"I.. I'm sorry I created trouble," she sniffed. "He's angry at you because of me."
"I don't care, Mia. I was using him and the others until I could find you. I don't need him anymore now that I got you."
"You're bleeding," she realized as she looked up.
"Yeah, I cut myself while shaving. You scared the shit out of me, mi amore. Want to tell me what happened?"
"I.. I dreamed that I was waking up.. and you weren't there.. then you came back.. to do like the others did.."
"Oh Mia.. never ever will I do anything remotely similar to what they've done to you, never.."
"..so I screamed.. and then they were all on me yelling.. and you too.." she sobbed.
"I wasn't yelling at you, my love. I was yelling at them."
"I know.. I understood.. I was scared they'd hurt you.."

I hugged her tighter and she returned it.

"Get some more rest, we will leave when the sun is up."
"Sleep with me?" she barely dared asking.
"Alright, let me just finish shaving and cleaning this cut, then I'll join you in bed. Okay?"
"Thank you Fia."
"You're welcome, mi amore.. Remember tomorrow to call me Malek when we're with the others."
"I'll remember," she promised.

**********

The next morning, after getting dressed, I left Mia in alone her room promising to come back as soon as I finished talking business with Taimur. Since he was giving me one of his slave, I needed some signed contract to avoid complications later down the road. All I wanted was a paper and be on my way with Mia, but with Taimur, and in his palace, I had to wait until he was willing to talk business.. which was after his breakfast. When I finally got the contract, I went back to take Mia away but unfortunately, a terrible surprise was waiting for me.

There were no guard at her door and that already put an uncomfortable feeling under my skin. But when I opened the door and find the four of them, raping and beating Mia who had been tied down on the bed and gagged, my blood ran cold. I ran in the room, grabbed the first sabre I could put my hand on and beheaded its owner. I never hesitated more than a second to do the same with all of them, the smell of blood filling the room as silence raised. I was shaking in anger but now that the opponents were dead, I had to try to bottle it and be gentle with my sobbing friend. I cut her bounds before throwing the sabre away and I gently took her in my arms, whispering vain words of reassurance. Her clothes were ripped and I draped a sheet around her, never letting go of my precious bundle. She was so skinny, I realized now that I could see her body.. and so many scars..

After a long time, the sobs started to recede a little and I asked her if she could tell me what happened.

"They said you left," she sniffed, "that I would continue to be their toy until I died.. then.. well, you saw.."
"Yeah.. I'm so sorry Mia.. If I had known those bastards were abusing you, I wouldn't have left you alone with them. Why didn't you tell me?"
"That's.. what they all do with me," she cried. "I'm for soldiers and servants.. not good enough for higher class.."
"Shhh.. You're too good for any of them, mi amor. I got the paper I needed, we can leave now. My limo is waiting for us outside."
"You.. you killed them.." she realized.
"I would've loved to have time to torture them first, but I was in a rush," I answered angrily. "Here, take what's left of your clothes off and wear my jellaba, it'll be more practical than the sheet."
"But you.."
"I'll be indecent in pants and shirt, yeah well.. we just go from my limo, to my plane, to another limo and my palace, so no need to worry. Here, let me help you," I added seeing her difficulty to move. "You're hurt," I stated.
"Nothing I haven't gone through before," she sighed with resignation.
"I swear you'll never go through any of that ever," I whispered.

Once she was dressed, I carried her in my arms and we reached the limo. I didn't acknowledge Taimur's presence, nor did I answer his sarcastic comments. If I had, I would've killed him like I did the others upstairs. We settled in the back of the limousine and I ordered my chauffeur to rush away toward Malek's palace. There was a doctor there, waiting for our arrival to take care of Mia's physical wounds.

**********

EPILOGUE

Malek died aboard his plane on the way to Pakistan. He didn't have any heir and there was much speculation about who would inherit his fortune and business. Everybody was shocked when his will was opened and read, leaving everything to a certain woman named Sofia Marchetti living in Maryland. She never came to Saudi Arabia but Malek's business is still flourishing. Apparently, the American had some good delegates to carry on the local activities and she knew about international business enough to make good transactions, so nobody lost their jobs after Malek's tragic death. No one regretted him, maybe a few slaves will keep a good memory of him, but no one cried upon his grave.

My name is Sofia and I'm happy again. After a long and patient road toward recovery, Mia is living her life again, although the marks from her ordeal will never disappear from her mind nor her body. We live together and we both try to forget those years, making new happy memories to hold on. Malek's dead.. long live Sofia.

THE END