Voyage of the Tunisian Rose

"What were you supposed to do?" He asked her as fixed his pants.

"Please, please, master, I will be whipped."

"You're already going to be whipped for failing. Do you want to be whipped by me first? Now tell me, slave, what were you supposed to do?"

"I.. you would sleep with the coffee. Then I would look for papers in your trunk. And then..."

"Yes?"

"Then I would undress and be with you in the bed. Please, master, that is all!"

Hamilton paused for a moment then he reached down. He pulled her to her feet and untied her. "There are no papers of significance. A letter for the Bey, several descriptions of Tunis from others in the Royal Navy, a Guide to the Turk recommended by the Admiralty, and two novels. Nothing else. I wouldn't be stupid enough to arrive on this shore and put myself into the power of the Bey with secret documents."

"Yes. Yes, master."

"Go. Tell them whatever you wish. If I see you again you will be whipped."

"Yes, thank you, thank you, master."

Lamesa scurried out of the room.

##

Hamilton was dressed before dawn. He went out and knocked on Wray's door to find his friend only then stirring. Twenty minutes later both were both walking slowly around the colonnade around the courtyard. A few of the female Janissaries were standing together.

"I had a bit of hellion yesterday, Edward," Wray said apologetically. "I fear I spliced the mainbrace with far too much zeal."

"I've seen you drop your rum, my friend, but you faced an unequal foe this time. The coffee was spiked," Hamilton said, keeping his expression neutral and his voice conversational. "We were expecting them to go through our baggage and that was their method."

"A pretty soft method it was," Wray muttered. "I apologize, Edward. I will endeavor to be on guard the next time."

"No worries. I suspect there will not be another attempt in this fashion. I sent my serving slave out with a wallop."

"I must commend your devotion to duty, Edward," Wray laughed. "I fear my desires weathered strict diplomatic protocols."

Hamilton looked at Wray and then laughed. "Oh, I took my liberties before I sent her away."

"Aye, I noted my little darling had lash marks. She mentioned an Earl's Room."

"A Pearl Room." Hamilton nodded as a pair of elaborately dressed courtiers passed through the courtyard. "We can speculate on that place later. I think we should stay out of the rooms and give them opportunity to go through our baggage in more conventional manners."

Wray nodded.

Nasira arrived with two other female Janissaries. She wore the same wide Turkish garb, but without a layer of silk across her face. "You are to speak with the Wazir us-Shura."

Nasira lead them outside and across the parade grounds towards the palace, the largest building inside the fort. Entering through a wide arched doorway they passed down a hall with marble floors and detailed mosaic tiles. Janissaries, these all male, and each holding a large battle axe, stood at attention every few yards. The two officers waited patiently, their cocked hats tucked under their arms, before the inner door creaked open and they stepped inside with Nasira.

The throne room was what they had expected, with a high dais on one end, a throng of civilians lined along the right and a two dozen soldiers standing ready at various points. They had not expected to see a ship inside the great chamber. The ship, or rather the upper structure of a brig sloop, had been built inside the vast chamber. Shrouds and braces and stays stretched out from both masts, the entire suite of standing and running rigging was in place, the sails neatly furled along the yard arms. Hamilton and Wray both stared at the half ship, until Nasira shifted her sword noisily and they turned to face the throne.

"Well, I like the rake of her masts and she's sailing trim, but the walls might deaden her way," Wray whispered sarcastically.

Hamilton shook his head almost imperceptibly. Both men followed Nasira until they were before the dais. The officers bowed.

Nasira spoke in Turkish. The thin man on the throne was less elaborately dressed than the others and the only person in the room who was remotely casual. He leaned on one arm and motioned with the other. He looked exceedingly bored.

"You may speak now," Nasira said.

"I am Lieutenant Edward Hamilton and this is Lieutenant James Wray, proud member of His Britannic Majesty's service. We bring greeting from our government and King to your country," Hamilton tried to speak loudly and clearly. "We are pleased, humbled and most honored to be of whatever small assistance we can be to your naval forces."

Nasira translated. She listened to the response and repeated it in English. "The Grand Vizier says, I am the representative of his most pious Lord of Tunis and the surrounding waterways and lands, under the domain of the great Sultan and that you are to assist the Wazir al-Bahr, the Vizier of the Sea, with his..." Nasira hesitated. "Shit."

"Shit?" Hamilton said with surprise. He quickly recovered. "Please tell the esteemed Grand Vizier of the pious Lord of Tunis that we are proud to... proud to be... of... assistance."

Hamilton stammered as the Wazir us-Shura had stood up and walked behind the throne, followed, in military precision, by the civilians courtiers and soldiers. The door into the throne room opened and even the soldiers stationed out in the hall joined the exodus. In a few minutes the room was empty except for the two English officers and the female Janissary.

"That went faster than I expected," Wray said, as he walked over for a better look at the deck and masts.

"We should wait a moment, James," Hamilton cautioned. He looked at Nasira. "Did I give some inappropriate response?"

"No," Nasira said. "The Wazir us-Shura is one of the most important men around the Pasha-Bey. He is not an ally of Massih Bey."

"I gathered as much. So now do we just wait for the Constance to return?"

A side door opened and eight women came in. All wore short jackets and half trousers made in an ornate and feminine imitation of an English midshipmen's uniform. They did not wear shirts and the jackets barely covered their breasts.

A moment later the main door opened a fraction and Pieter Van Schoonhoven rushed inside, breathing hard. "I am late, my apologies, I was waiting for... for..." He pointed at the eight women.

"These are the slaves who work the palanquin," Nasira said.

"And why are they here?" Hamilton asked skeptically. "I trust we are not to teach these women to sail a ship?"

"Exactly that, Lieutenant!" Van Schoonhoven said, finally catching his breath. "Massih Bey, the Vizier of the Sea, et cetera and et cetera here in fair Tunis, yes? He commands that these slaves be taught the arts of proper English sailors!"

"And do we sail this fine sloop about the room and out the door?" Wray asked with a laugh.

"This is to merely to teach them how to work the sails, Lieutenant, and then you will demonstrate for his eminence their skills in an actual ship that has been built to these exact lines."

"And will that fine vessel have a hull?"

"My dear, Lieutenant Wray, yes, yes of course. A fine ship to sail el-Bahirah!"

"The Lake of Tunis," Nasira translated. The city was built on an isthmus between two salt lakes. The far shore of one lake was pierced by an ancient canal that lead to the Mediterranean.

"This is a fool's errand!" Hamilton yelled. "I could sail a sloop like this with a handful of experienced seamen, but, with this flummery it is an impossible and pointless task!"

"Lieutenant Hamilton," Van Schoonhoven said very seriously. "As I am sure you are very much aware, yes, the port of Tunis is on what is, by any normal definition a large lake. Simply sail these beauties around a few times while the Bey watches, hmm, and has his cock yanked by some delightful morsel. Flummery it is, indeed, unless his esteemed elderly brother the Pasha-Bey dies and he sits on the throne. It would take very little for Massih Bey's attention to be lured to the French cause." Van Schoonhoven smiled broadly at the women and then added, "Is this a fool's errand? Yes, of course! And we must keep that fool on the side of English."

Hamilton looked at Wray and sighed. "I'll need a larger crew."

"That can be arranged, yes, now, let me tell you who you have gentleman! These are all highly trained slaves, gentleman, yes? They have long grown accustomed to their station in life and will obey your commands. All of your commands, yes? Do you see gentleman? The use of the lash is at your discretion of course." Van Schoonhoven walked to one end of the line where it was apparent the first two were twins. "This is Almas, the Diamond, and her sister, Akouta, which means the Emerald. This pair of lovely, bed warming playthings were taken from the fishing village on the shores of Sicily."

Hamilton and Wray stood and watched very carefully. As did Nasira.

"This is Rana, the Beautiful Sight," Van Schoonhoven said, now standing next to a blonde slave. "She was on a Danish merchant ship, yes, until fate lead her to this life of service. Poor girl and yet, oh yes, I assure you she is one for the sheets."

"When were they all taken by the Turks?" Wray asked.

"I have been a slave for five years, master," Rana said in English with a light accent and a quiet voice.

"The story is about the same for all of these lovelies. Here is Jameela the Graceful Beauty. From Crete, I believe. Yes? Yes, indeed. And this Spanish beauty is Bayna with the Tender Body. Oh, and this dark skinned body is Nashwa, the Intoxicating Perfume. She was purchased in Egypt and delivered directly to the Bey's bed." Van Schoonhoven reached around and cupped Nashwa's breasts, before moving on. "Here is Hayfa, the Slender Beauty, also a Spaniard. And last, Samira, also known as the Fuckable, yes, that she is, oh yes! This slave was taken from an English ship."

"What? That is an outrage!" Wray yelled. "Release her at once!"

"No, James." Hamilton cautioned. "We are not here for that. Our orders are clear, we are to assist the Pasha-Bey of Tunis. We are not to look for opportunities to free prisoners."

"But she's English!"

"And your Admiralty is wise, yes," the Dutchman pressed his body against Samira's, reaching around sliding his hand down her body and over her mound. "Though, perhaps, after a successful conclusion of your endeavor the very honorable Massih Bey could grant, hmm, special requests?"

Wray was not happy, but he nodded.

"I am to assist you in maintaining order among these slaves," Nasira added.

"Indeed and that will be a easy task. So, if you will excuse me, gentleman," Van Schoonhoven said, his cock clearly hard. "I will be taking a fast visit to the, yes, to the Pearl Room, before attending to my duties."

And with that the Dutchman gone.

"Do these women understand English?" Hamilton asked Nasira.

The slaves all nodded and said, "Yes, master."

"This has planned for some time," Nasira said.

"I will freely confess they are the finest lot of fresh middies I've seen," Wray said.

"And we should treat them like that. Difficult as that might be." Hamilton took off his cocked hat and set it down before addressing the slaves.

Wray smiled.

"All right," Hamilton yelled out. "The first thing you will do is to climb up to the masthead. I will do it myself, it is not difficult."

The slaves nodded and muttered, "Yes, master."

Hamilton stepped over to the deck and went to the mainmast shrouds. He quickly climbed the ratlines until he was just below the masthead, the flat platform just above the main yards where the main mast was joined to the main top masts. From there he used the futtock shrouds, the web of ropes which went around the outside of the masthead, to reach the platform itself. Like all midshipmen did at first, the women looked in horror as Hamilton was nearly horizontal for a moment, while fifty feet above the deck, before he climbed over and stepped up on the masthead.

"Now, you can use the lubber's hole to reach the top," Hamilton shouted. He pointed to an opening in the platform by the main mast. "At first, that is, but later you will use the futtock shrouds like good sailors." He pointed up. "When we are done with this you will climb to the topmast and even higher to the t'gallant mast. And you will use the footropes and go out along the yards, all of them, and we will show you how to handle sail."

Hamilton paused, looking down at the floor, and, although he had only done it once before, he reached out for a backstay and stepped off the platform moving hand over hand down the line to the deck. He pressed his hands against his pants and then put them behind his back. They hurt like hell.

"Mr. Wray, have them go up to the masthead in pairs."

Wray pointed to the twins. They looked at each other then ran over and climbed up to the top with ease, both even went out along the futtock shrouds.

"Very good," Hamilton yelled. He ordered them down when he saw them looking higher.

The blonde Rana and Jameela were next. Jameela went over slowly, looking back at Rana who simply shook her head. Jameela hesitated but climbed to the shrouds and then to the top through the lubbers hole.

"Get moving, middie!" Wray shouted to Rana.

"No... no...." she shook her head and fell to her knees.

Hamilton glanced at Wray and nodded almost imperceptibly. Rana was left on her knees and Bayna and Nashwa were ordered up next. They walked slowly to the shrouds and climbed equally slowly, Bayna used the futtock shrouds and almost panicked but she made it and stood proudly on the masthead. The Spanish Hayfa and the English Samira were last. Hayfa looked frightened which made Samira stop for a moment, but at last Samira climbed and when she reached the top Hayfa followed.

Hamilton looked at the women as they stood again in a line before him. All of them breathing hard.

"Miss Nasira," he said to the Janissary. "What means do we have for punishment?"

"There are many ways to punish slaves in the Pearl Room."

"Yes. But what about here, something along the lines of a cat?"

Nasira nodded. She walked across the room and took hold of Rana by the wrist, dragging her towards one of the columns that ran around the outside of the chamber. There was an iron ring painted to blend in almost perfectly with the tiling. Nasira pulled it out a few degrees. Rana clearly understood what was happening. She did not try to resist. She took off the jacket and shoes and breeches, leaving herself naked and exposed, then reached up and put her hands on the ring, pushing her ass back and spreading her legs apart.

Nasira took off her hat, letting her red hair fall free. She took a leather flogger from a small wooden chest and looked at Hamilton. "How many?"

"Five lashes for disobedience."

Nasira swung the flogger hard on the slave's ass. Rana stifled a scream and fell forward, but quickly pulled herself back into position. She held back a scream on the second stroke, but on the third she wailed and had to struggle back into position. Nasira reached out and stroked the tender ass and glanced over at Hamilton.

"Carry on."

The fourth and fifth lash caused the blonde slave to cry out and sob. Her knees were shaking as she pushed herself back into position after the last lash.

Hamilton reached out, almost before he knew it, and felt Rana's warm ass, now with long lines of welts from the heavy leather tails of the flogger. Then he pulled his hand back.

"Very good, return to the line slave." he pointed to Hayfa. "Now, you. over here.'

"Yes, master," Hayfa said, her eyes wide with fear as she stripped and took hold of the ring.

"Two for hesitating."

Nasira struck the slave's ass twice, in rapid succession. Hayfa screamed out and buckled to her knees, but regained her pose.

"Back in line."

Nasira pushed the iron ring back into the wall and put flogger away. Hamilton walked to the line of slaves. He was surprised to see that Rana and Hayfa both remained naked, and realized he had not explicitly told them to get dressed. Wray meanwhile, glanced down over the slave's bodies, then looked away for a moment, before staring at them more.

"We should treat them like ordinary middies?" Wray asked Hamilton with a sly smile.

"Indeed. And... well...I, uh, I think that is all for now, Mr. Wray."

"I think that is a very good idea, Mr. Hamilton."

Nasira looked surprised for a moment but quickly resumed her usual neutral expression. Wray told the naked slaves to pick up their clothes and then dismissed them all.

"Wait!" Wray shouted as they shuffled towards the side door. He pointed to Samira, the English slave. "You! Come here. The rest can go."

"Yes, master," Samira said. She returned to the middle of the room and waited.

"I'd like to find out about... about her circumstances," Wray said to Hamilton. "As in the, uh, the circumstances of her being on a ship --"

"It's alright, James. Take her."

Wray nodded and lead Samira out.

"This is going to be a somewhat distracting business," Hamilton said to Nasira.

The female Janissary smiled.

"I've never seen you do that before," Hamilton said to her.

"I am not sure what you mean." Nasira lied. "Would you like to see the Pearl Room, Mr. Hamilton."

"The Pearl Room? Well, yes, I think right now...that would be most delightful, Miss Nasira."

Nasira lead Hamilton to one side of the large chamber, behind the arched colonnade. The opening that lead below was not covered, but the tiles along the stairs were distorted to give the appearance of a seamless floor. The illusion worked until one was within a few yards. There were narrow steps that lead down to a low ceilinged chamber liberally covered with gold and tiles arranged in elegant geometric patterns.

They moved to the center of the room where there were four small cages, each with a frightened slave. Lamesa cowered in the second cage as Hamilton approached.

"I thought this one was a serving slave," he asked Nasira.

"She is," Nasira said. "But each of the household slaves must spend some times in the cages of the Pearl Room. None escape this duty. In the cages they may simply wait, or they me be selected and used by one of those granted the privileges of the Pearl Room."

"And you are you granted the privilege?"

Nasira nodded.

"This one was spying," Hamilton said, indicating Lamesa. "I'm sure it was under orders of your Pasha-Bey, but, still, I would enjoy using her."

Nasira opened the cage door and pulled Lamesa out. The slave instantly fell to her knees before them. "Not the Pasha-Bey, Mr. Hamilton, this one is the property of Massih Bey. Your baggage was searched on orders of Zahir Fariq bin Mutasir while you were on your detour to the slave markets."

"Who?"

"He is Chavus, I am not sure of the English word. He is one sent directly from Istanbul and while in Tunis he is the Grand Vizier of Pasha-Bey." Nasira brushed her red hair from her face and smiled. "Your English wax seals are not difficult to cut loose with a hot knife."

"Indeed?" Hamilton laughed. "Well, I take it this is not the actual Pearl Room?"

Nasira shook her head. She pulled Lamesa to her feet and pulled her towards one wall. With a push a section opened into a room with walls inlaid with millions of pearls. Hamilton stepped next to Lamesa and pressed his hand to her ass as he looked around.

The room itself was not very large. Rings of various sizes hung from the ceiling and walls, with smaller rings arranged in two rows along the floor. There were wooden poles hanging from chains and other posts held horizontally between double posts. Lengths of chain and silken cord were lined up neatly on a table while a brazier burned in one corner next to a series of brands. Around the walls were pegs with whips and floggers and canes of all sizes and descriptions.