He quickly dried himself with a length of toweling, and then followed her. She was already lying upon her belly. A warm breeze, scented with damask roses and lilies, blew through the silk gauze draperies that hung between the marble pillars through which he viewed a walled garden. There was the song of a nightingale coming from that garden. Straddling her, he used her delightful and provocative bottom as a seat. Uncorking the crystal vial, he watched as the pale green cream coated its sides, finally pouring itself out into his palm. He set the container aside on the ebony table. Then rubbing his two hands together to distribute the fragrant cream, he began to massage her with slow strokes of his big hands.

"Ummm, that is quite satisfactory," she murmured as those hands swept up the long line of her back and over her shoulders.

"Just satisfactory?" he mocked her. Then he continued to massage her until all the cream in his hands had been worked into her pale skin. Now he reversed his position, and poured more cream into his hand. Distributing the lotion between his hands a second time, he began to massage her round buttocks with an expertise that frankly surprised her. His supple fingers dug into her flesh.

"Ohhh, yes!" Zuleika said. She could feel her desires beginning to rouse themselves. "You have obviously done this before, my lord?"

He smiled, but said nothing, instead going on to massage each of her long legs in its turn with the spicy liquid. Now he turned about once more, pushing her wet hair from her graceful neck and pressing little kisses upon the damp skin. He poured more cream, and rubbed each of her arms, her hands and long fingers.

"Amir?"

"Yes, my princess?" he answered in dulcet tones.

"I think you can cease now," she said. Her voice was almost a squeak, and she could not prevent herself from wriggling about though she tried. When she had started this she had not anticipated how exciting it would be. She was quivering with her desire.

"You want me to cease now, my princess?" he replied in innocent tones. His hands slipped beneath her to seize her perfect round breasts. Then he pinched the nipples hard, enjoying her gasp of surprise as he did so. Now he stretched his length to cover her body with his own. Tenderly he nipped at the nape of her neck. "You are a wicked little tease, Zuleika," he told her.

"If you think to discourage me with your anger, you have but succeeded in arousing me." He nipped softly at her neck again.

Zuleika shuddered as tiny flames of desire began to lick at her. This wasn't turning out the way she had planned it. "Amir!"

For all her schooling in the erotic arts, she had no real experience other than that he and Sabola had given her. The lovely vessel that was her body was filling to overflowing with lust for him. He had heard the plea in her voice although he suspected that she had not meant it as one. He rolled off her, and then reaching out, turned her over onto her back. Her exquisitely perfect breasts rose and fell with her emotion. He gazed down at her, smiling at her closed eyes. Then his dark head bent to capture a pert nipple. He caressed it with his tongue, encircling it over and over and over again until she was moaning softly with her open longing. He moved to her other breast now while a hand fondled the breast he had just left.

Zuleika was astounded to find how sensitive her breasts were. She would not yield easily to him, however. Reaching out, she tangled her slim fingers into his thick black hair, and yanked him from her breast. "You must kiss me!" she demanded of him, and her now open violet eyes met his gaze.

He laughed softly. "With pleasure, little princess," he said, and his lips took fierce possession of hers. Their tongues fought a battle to fill each other's mouths. Hers battled his with skill and newfound cunning. She could not be subdued, and she brought quick hot fire into his loins.

She sank her teeth into his shoulder, laughing when he swore softly. She moved provocatively, whispering wickedly in his ear, "Now, my lord, Amir! Now!"

"No!" he said. She was the princess of Dariyabar, and key to her kingdom, but by the gods, he was the khan of khans, and he would rule her in their bed.

She thrust her pelvis up at him.

"No!" he repeated, and turning her over swiftly, he gave her several spanks on her buttocks before rolling her back to face him. "Passion should be savored, Zuleika, and not hurried." He shifted his body in order to put his head between her milky thighs. His fingers pushed the tender pinkish flesh apart, and his mouth fastened on the delicate bud of her womanhood. Then he began to suckle upon it.

Zuleika gasped with surprise, but she was not displeased by his actions. He was unleashing delights within her body that sent her gasping for air. The waves of heat came quickly in explosions of rapture that caused her to consider she might be dying. "Amir! Oh, Amir! It is too sweet. Too sweet!"

There was a tone in her voice that alerted him that he might be driving her too far. She was not really that experienced in passion. He stopped, and pulling himself up again, covered her body with his own. "Zuleika, my love! My own true heart!" He murmured the soft words of low passion into her little ear even as he plunged deeply into her burning flesh. He thrust hard, slowly, slowly until she was almost weeping in his embrace. "Tell me you love me," he murmured to her. "Tell me!"

Her arms went about him, holding him tightly. Her breasts flattened against his smooth chest. She pretended that she had not heard him, and he was wise enough not to press her further.

Then together they found a perfect rhythm. Their passions drove them higher and higher until together they finally found a nirvana far above that of the gods. They clung to each other in that perfect little world of exquisite rapture. And then, since paradise is not permitted humankind, they descended in a rush that left them both half-conscious and breathless. When they came to themselves once again, Zuleika found herself wrapped in Amir's arms, her cheek against his chest. Beneath the flesh she could hear the strong beat of his great heart.

"I do love you, princess of Dariyabar," he told her.

"But you do not understand me," Zuleika said. "You love my body, and the pleasure that we can give each other, but do you respect me as an intellect, Amir? Can you listen to my judgment, and weigh it carefully before making a decision? I do not know if I can be satisfied just to be a trophy for you."

"What would you be, then?" he asked quietly.

"If you are to rule Dariyabar successfully, Amir, then we must be equal partners. I need no public acclaim, but what do you really know of my country but that you wanted it because it provided Khanistan with a window to the sea, and beyond? You have no great cities in your land, Amir. Your people live a different life than mine live. You cannot make decisions for Dariyabar based simply on your own experience. You need mine as well."

"We are herdsmen and warriors, it is true," he agreed, "but does not common sense apply equally on the steppes as well as in the city, Zuleika?"

"If you are dealing with cattle, perhaps," she said with a smile, "but you cannot treat the merchants of Dariyabar as you would your cattle, Amir. I will gladly teach you the language of diplomacy that you will need to be a good sultan. My father rarely made a decision that he did not consider in private first. I have learned much from him."

"Yet he favored his sons over his daughter," the khan said shrewdly.

"Yes," she admitted, "he did, but it did not keep him from despairing over Cyrus, Asad and Jahi. Like you, they were warriors. My father has in the past year come to rely upon me, and upon Abd al Hakim, Bahira's father. You must do the same, Amir."

"I had thought to make Sabola my vizier," he said.

She shook her head at him. "Nay, keep Bahira's father as your vizier. You need Sabola to lead the armies. You will not be content to sit here in Dariyabar. You will go forth, this time across the sea, to find and conquer new lands. You need Sabola by your side. Besides, he has no real administrative experience in the government of any country."

He nodded. "You are indeed clever, my wife," he told her.

"And I will come to love you, Amir," she said softly.

He smiled down into her violet eyes. "I think you probably will," he replied.

"So arrogant," she laughed up at him.

"So haughty," he chuckled down at her.

"You spanked me before," she said, remembering.

"I did," he answered her with a grin. "You were being most recalcitrant, and I must be master in our bed, princess of Dariyabar."

Suddenly she was astride his chest, and laughing at the look of surprise upon his face. "And I shall be mistress!" she told him.

His look grew serious, and then he said, "Yes, Zuleika, my princess of Dariyabar, you shall, for I can love no other."

"It is a grave vow you make, my lord," she answered him.

"I know," he responded. "Trust me always, Zuleika, and I swear that I shall never fail you. Believe in me, my darling, and I will trust in your judgment though it be difficult for me to accept the council of a woman. I shall, nonetheless, for I adore you!"

Her look was equally sober. "Do not say these things to me, Amir, if you cannot keep your promises. I will forgive much in you, but never will I forgive betrayal. As I will be loyal to you, so must you be loyal to me."

He drew her down into his embrace. "Then we are agreed, my darling princess of Dariyabar. I shall love you always, and be ever faithful." His lips brushed hers softly. "What vow will you make me?"