a story ialu, a slave becomes priest

i

Within the palace of The Living Goddess Yanara hundreds of slaves were housed. They
were split into three general groups; golden, silver and copper slaves. They arrived at this, the final point in their lives through two different ways: Firstly born or conquest of war slaves. Being a tremendously wealthy young Lady, The Goddess Yanara has been waited upon all Her days by bought chattel. It is true to say She has never lifted a finger to perform a menial task in Her life. Secondly, there are the freeborn who willingly offer themselves as property of Her Deity. Some of these men and women were also of great wealth, yet on seeing Her Majesty they beg to surrender all their wealth and freedom to be enslaved by Her.
Ultimately there is no salient difference between the two sets. Whether by force or their own will, all slaves worship Goddess Yanara. There has never been an attempt to escape; each and every slave of The Divine Queen is overjoyed to be such. Punishment can be harsh, yet each slave will gladly endure a heavy whipping if it knows The Queen will be amused by it. Even death is willingly endured if it adds to ceremony for the beautiful Yanara. The only true punishment felt is that of disappointing Her Majesty in any way. Banishment from the palace is rare, but so harsh that slaves with no hope of return will normally take their own lives.
There is opportunity for slaves to be promoted up to the position of Golden slaves, However Many of the lowest copper slaves, are so elated at their positions they have no aspiration to proceed. A footstool for example, is so overwhelmed at the joy of supporting Her Regal feet; he cannot imagine a better existence. Her present footstool spends up to eight hours a day kneeling in front of Her Throne and though his body aches tremendously he wouldn’t swap his life with the richest man in the land. In fact, up until a few months ago he was one of the richest men in the land before being accepted as a slave to Goddess Yanara.
At this very moment he kneels six yards to the side of Her Throne. The throne room is quite full, with Priestesses, Priests, maidens and slaves. They all wait in silence as The Queen is at Her bath. None of them have seen Her yet today so the expectation is very high. Will She be as beautiful as yesterday? Could She be even more so? No, it would be impossible!
The silence is broken by a slave girl sneezing. All eyes turn to her, a Priestess nods to two guards to drag her away. Though she will receive little punishment a week in the Royal Dungeon will do her good. Had she sneezed in the presence of Her Majesty, punishment would have been wreaked upon her even to the point of death. None of the other slaves felt any sympathy for her whatsoever. The only person who mattered to any of them was The Goddess Yanara.
At this very moment The Icon of Icons Herself was being massaged in rich oils by two of her hand maidens. The massage area was next door to where She had just been bathed in milk. Two dozen male slaves grafted to clear this area as quick as possible. Even working at full speed with an overseers whip to encourage them, the task would take two hours.
Lying prone on Her massage couch, The Queen gave no thought to such activities. Why should She, these men had been placed on earth to toil away for Her, She gave them no concern whatsoever. She had little concern for the girls rubbing oil into Her back, but She did enjoy their ministrations. It was quite a nerve racking task for the slaves but such an overwhelming joy to feel they were pleasing their Mistress. Also, they could not ignore the incredible softness of Her Majesty’s skin, in comparison silk felt almost rough.
Yanara sighed contentedly as Her slaves ran their hands over Her voluptuous frame. Kneeling in front of Her was a slave boy who held a golden tray adorned with grapes. Idly She picked at the offered fruit, ignorant of the boy’s hunger. On the days he was permitted to serve his owner in this way he was not allowed food for himself. Nor was he granted the honour of raising his eyes to The Queen’s face. Otherwise he could have witnessed her crushing a juicy grape between her impeccable teeth with the same ease She could have had him crushed by snapping Her fingers at a guard.
Leisurely The Goddess turned onto Her back; the girls began to massage a leg each. And what lovely legs they were. Though She was only five foot four the Queen had long shapely legs, toned to perfection by daily massage.
Slowly the slaves worked their way up the divine body of their Mistress until they arrived at Her magnificent breasts. They were particularly nervous whilst oiling and manipulating these finest of  orbs. Queen Yanara smiled gaily at both the physical sensation and the fear in the eyes of Her property. She was not cruel, but She did enjoy the feeling of absolute power over these creatures.
In time She had had enough and dismissed the girls with a lazy wave of Her Imperious hand. She rose and walked naked into Her make up room. Following Her were six floor slaves, grovelling on their bellies in order to kiss, lick and worship Her Royal footprints. As She passed through the connecting corridor She noticed a slave bearing a flaming torch. This slave would stand here motionless for twelve hours at a time; it was his purpose in life. Although his head was bowed very low The Queen notices he is quite a handsome creature and idly touches his chest as She walks past. This simple motion causes the creature to tremble and shake; it has made his life worth living.
Once in the room of make up Yanara reclines on a huge leather chair as hand maidens carefully manicure Her hands and pedicure Her feet. Whilst this continues, Priestesses display gowns for Her eminence to choose from. Eight gowns are shown, all spun with the finest silks from the four corners of the world. The combined cost could have fed the starving of Egypt for a year. However nobody, including the starving, would disagree it was more important that The Queen has a luxurious selection of clothes than the people eat.
In time Yanara chooses a red and gold gown and the others are returned to Her wardrobe. Eight more Priestesses now display a wig each for their Ruler to choose from. These have been obtained when The Queen has been on Her travels both home and abroad. Should She spot a girl with particularly attractive hair, She informs an attending Priestess. The Priestess then informs the Royal guard who seize the girl in question and scalp her. Some of these girls die, others survive, badly marked. The survivors though, in time, come to feel very proud that their hair has been chosen to adorn Her Majesty.
Goddess Yanara finally points a manicured finger at Her preference and it is put to one side. Her fingers are now decorated with rings crafted from the rarest jewels. These are gifts from all the main leaders of the world. Each and every one of them an ardent admirer. The last ring however is the Royal sovereign. An imprint of this ring was required on any papers submitted for Royal decree.
Finally Her facial make up is applied, though it could be strongly argued that She doesn’t require any. However, Her luscious lips are reddened further whilst shadow and mascara frame the most piercing blue eyes known to mankind.
Yanara is now helped into Her chosen gown, Her wig is placed carefully upon Her noble head and shoes are gently slipped onto Her lovely feet. She is now ready to attend court at Her throne room and regally walks that way with attendants to Her sides and floor slaves grovelling behind.

ii

As She enters Her throne room nine Baroque trumpets are sounded to herald Her arrival at court. All present drop to their knees and abase themselves kow-tow style. The Head Priestess Hakariar welcomes her with her well used verse for all to hear:

‘Welcome Goddess Yanara,
Queen of Egypt
Daughter of Isis
Divine Ruler of our minds
Our bodies
Our hearts
And our souls.
We surrender any independent thoughts
Any rights
Any freedom unto You Your Majesty!’

Goddess Yanara then took Her place on Her Throne and raised Her little finger towards the High Priestess, who spoke once more, ‘Those permitted to stand in the presence of our Divine Goddess may do so!’ The Priests, Priestesses, concubines and some of the higher ranked slaves stood to attention. The lower order of slaves remained in their rightful position on their knees.
The Royal footstool stealthily crawled to position in front of the throne. Without bothering to look at him, Goddess Yanara rested Her Imperial feet on his back. Two slaves began to waft huge ostrich feather fans to keep their Mistress cool during proceedings.
And so began the business of the day. First item being The Queen’s decree for execution of punishments. The Head Priest, Mallaha, reads out the charges against citizens already found guilty. He then states the recommended sentence and offers the relevant paper for Yanara to stamp Her approval with Her sovereign ring.
Of course She had the power to overrule any recommendation but very rarely bothered. In truth She found this procedure quite boring, as despite being a very worthy Queen and Goddess She was still a young woman who preferred gaiety and entertainment.
However duty was duty and so She half listens as Mallaha reads out a list of miscreants who were present at the back of the court. He then states the crime for which they have been convicted and the recommended sentence.
Today there was one murderer, three slayers of animals not belonging to them, countless thieves and a blasphemer.
As each punishment is read out the Priest offers up the paper for The Queen to mark the wax with Her Royal Decree.
The murderer; death by beheading.
Slayers of animals; sentenced to the Royal mines.
The thefts varied in sentence. Petty pilfering amongst the poor merited a lashing, ranging from twenty to fifty strokes. Each time Goddess Yanara casually presses Her ring to the offered paper.
Then there were thefts against the wealthy of Egypt. Harsher sentences were awarded. The Royal mines were favourite but one hundred lashes of the whip also figured. The Queen was becoming bored and she suppressed a yawn as she condemned a peasant to death by fire for stealing meat from a merchant.
Finally came the case of blaspheme. Mallaha skips through the outline of the case and pronounces the proposed sentence to be death by beheading.
‘Wait a moment,’ commanded The Queen leading the entire court to wait with baited breath. ‘Give me more detail as to the crime in question.’
‘Goddess, Your Royal Majesty,’ began the Priest, ‘the insolent dog on his knees at the back of the court.’
‘Go on,’ replied The Queen stroking her upper lip with her tongue.
‘He was overheard to say, “I accept Her as my Queen but not as my Goddess”’.
There were gasps from many in the court. Yanara smiled, even tittered a little, ‘and you deemed that this creature should have a quick and simple death?’
‘Your M-Majesty,’ stuttered the Priest, ‘I was merely head of counsel.’
‘Silence!’ ordered Goddess Yanara, ‘Hakariar! Come here!’
The High Priestess approached the Royal Throne and bowed low.
‘Hakariar, I want a coal pit dug by my palace entrance. I want it lit and I want this blasphemous convict hung by his heels above it. Is that understood?’
‘Yes my Goddess,’ replied The Priestess humbly.
‘Within the hour!’
‘Yes my Goddess.’
‘And who is second in line as High Priest?’
‘Ferrioh Goddess.’
‘Make plans to have him elevated to Head Priest as soon as court is ended. And as for you Mallaha, you are no longer a Priest in my court!’
The now former Head Priest threw himself on his knees, he had been in the Priesthood for thirty years, ten years longer than The Queen had been alive. He groveled before The Goddess Yanara, ‘please Goddess, please I beg you, please let me continue to serve in some capacity, please Majesty.’
Yanara looked down Her impossibly pretty nose at the man abased at Her feet and smiled with disdain. ‘Very well. Hakariar We’re now a Priest short. I’ve decided to ordain the torch holder outside my make up room.’  Again there were gasps; it was unheard of for a copper slave to be promoted to Priest in one leap. The Queen looked down at the sixty year old sobbing at Her feet. ‘And if this creature survives the sixty lashes he is going to receive, then he may replace him.’
The High Priestess bowed and stated, ‘So it be said, so it be done!’
Palace guards dragged Mallaha from The Divine One’s feet and down to the torture chamber. Yanara crooked Her finger at The High Priestess, ‘what is the name of the torch holder?’
‘I believe it is Ialu Your Majesty.’
Yanara smiled, ‘very well, I want him ordained prior to my return from Yanara-isle.’
‘So it be said, so it be done1’
The business of the day turns to the proposed trip to Yanara's newly acquired island. The General of Her army was brought forward to explain the situation. The Goddess had decided she wanted a new holiday home and so part of Her army had been dispatched to a small Island east of Crete in The Mediterranean. The General reported that the natives of the Island had surrendered within a few hours of battle. The Egyptian army had suffered just forty fatalities, the natives around a hundred. This left around two hundred Islanders.
‘And how many slaves do you think I will need to service the Island as a pleasant holiday retreat?’ asked Yanara.
‘It’s a small Island Your Majesty,’ answered the General, ‘I would think eighty would be plenty.’
The Queen smiled, ‘splendid, I’ll have a choice then. And The World leaders, they are to be informed the island is now a province of Egypt and shall be known as Yanara-isle?’
‘Yes Your Majesty.’
‘Excellent, Hakariar! Have them prepare my litter, we leave in one hour!’
‘Yes Your Majesty.’


iii

Precisely one hour later and a couple of hundred in the subservient control of The Divine Yanara waited in position at her litter. There were Priests, Priestesses hand maidens and slaves. The ceremonial litter was a huge affair, designed out of gold. This made it very heavy and 24 Nubian eunuchs bore its weight. Each had won stringent contests in their home land for this honour. A quarter of them would be sacrificed each year, but the two or three years in service to The Great One made this well worth while.
The Queen Herself was late, as was Her unquestionable prerogative. She had wandered down to the torture chamber to watch the former Head Priest Mallaha receive some of his lashing. His wrists were fastened to a beam high enough that his feet dangled in the air. As the Royal executioner laid on the bullwhip, Her Majesty sat in a comfortable chair sipping wine from a bejeweled goblet.
The man She watched being flogged had been Chief Priest for as long as She could remember. Up until Her late teens She had even quite feared this man despite being his Queen. But by the time She had reached eighteen and had experienced Emperors and Kings kneeling at Her feet, She feared no-one. At twenty She was now at the peak of Her power.
Now Mallaha would live or die according to Her Regal whim. She smiled as he began to whimper from the heavy blows. Not a cruel smile, but the beautiful smile of a woman who realized She was in complete control of everything and everyone around Her.
After thirty strokes She started to bore of this entertainment. She left the executioner to finish his task and wandered towards Her litter. As ever, in the Palace, six floor slaves groveled behind Her gratefully worshipping the ground She had stepped on.
On route She passed the torch bearer Ialu who was soon to become a Priest. He did not know this yet and so kept his head bowed low as his owner viewed him. She reached out and gently stroked his nipple. This sent shock waves throughout his entire body which caused him to shudder. He had never seen The Goddess Yanara, yet to smell her divine fragrance, to feel Her silky soft finger on his body made him so grateful to be alive.
Her Majesty said just one word, ‘later’ and was gone.
At the palace gate Yanara entered Her litter by stepping on the back of a foot slave. Hand maidens ensured She was comfortable as She reclined on the silk covered divan. Just as She was about to permit the procession to begin The Queen noticed the blasphemer chained above the ordered coal fire. It would probably take a couple of days of agony before he found the release of death. Yanara noticed that he was already sweating terribly and trembling with pain and fear. With an almost girlish laugh She gave an imperious wave of Her hand and the procession began.
The caravan continued its journey; the people of Egypt knelt with their faces to the ground as it passed. Yanara took no notice of them; to Her the sight of crowds groveling before Her was as natural as breathing. However Her guards kept a diligent eye out that no-one was slow in falling to their knees in The Royal presence. One man, a labourer busy digging a ditch had somehow failed to notice quickly enough. As soon as he was aware of the procession he had abased himself but too slow for the liking of the chief guard. He was on the man quickly, slicing off his ears as a reward for his insolence. Fortunately the Queen had not had to witness this as She dozed peacefully while all about her slogged their guts out.

iv

Within two hours the Royal Litter arrived at the Queen’s harbour. Throughout the journey The Goddess Yanara had been covered from the sun by a slave held awning. The heat had been kept away by hard working slaves with gigantic feather fans. Because of this, and the size of the litter, She could not have been more comfortable had She been at home in bed. All around Her though the litter slaves were sweating profusely. Their muscles ached from their burden, but of course they didn’t matter one bit. The High Priestess, Hakariar approached her Ruler. ‘I hope and pray the journey was not too uncomfortable Your Majesty?’ she enquired.
‘No, not too bad,’ replied Yanara, ‘somewhat boring though.’  As The Mighty Ruler of Egypt stepped onto the back of Her prostrate foot slave, all around her groveled in the dust. By way of a small divan litter Her Majesty is taken aboard Her Royal barge.
 She is settled comfortably beneath a silk awning on the upper deck. Here She sits upon a golden throne with a slave to rest Her Imperial feet on. She is fanned by two slaves as before Her musicians and dancing girls provide the entertainment.
On the lower deck eighty eight galley slaves begin to pull at large heavy oars as the barge embarks on its journey to Yanara-isle. Within half an hour they are beginning to tire and sweat under such a burden of labour and the overseers begin to use their whips.
Above them Queen Yanara beckons Hakaria with a curl of Her delectable finger. The Priestess attends immediately to be asked, ‘surely if we travelled faster it would create more breeze?’
Hakaria looked sternly at the fan slaves, ‘my Goddess, are these beasts failing in their duty to keep you cool?’
‘No, no it’s not that, I just thought a little sea breeze would give me a gentle tan.’
‘So it be said, so it be done!’ Hakaria spoke to a guard who ran downstairs to speak to the chief overseer. Within seconds the galley drum beat was doubled to war speed. This was an exhausting sprint which would normally be maintained for ten minutes at most.
The guard ran back upstairs to discover if this pleased The Goddess. Hakariar asked Her Majesty who replied, ‘Yes that’s much better, have them retain this speed all the way.’ With which Yanara turned Her attention to the dancing girls who were now naked.
Half an hour later and the galley slaves were in sheer agony from their efforts. The overseers whipped and lashed but knew they were up against it with several miles of sea still to be covered. Soon the slaves began to groan and even scream at their toil yet the guards drove them on with their whips.
Upstairs, The most beautiful Queen in all the world smiled happily as She ate sweetmeats and sipped Her chilled wine.

v

An hour later The Royal Barge came to dock close to Yanara-isle. There was no port as such so they anchored as close to the shore as possible. The galley slaves lay over their oars in semi consciousness. Five of their numbers had lost their lives during the trip through sheer exhaustion. The survivors were now too tired to weep at their own fatigue.
They looked such a mess that even the overseers felt some sympathy towards them. However they had not failed in their duty to whip them on ‘till the end'.
Of course none of this held any importance whatsoever. Queen Yanara giggled excitedly as She viewed the idyllic white sands of Her new holiday Island. She abandoned Her usually austere posture as Her youthful exuberance took over. The slaves around Her felt so pleased to witness their Mistress’s happiness whether they were permitted to view Her or not.
Yanara skipped off of Her slave into the small litter and ordered, ‘move quickly!’ The litter slaves had to hold their burden high over their heads to ensure their owner didn’t feel a splash of water on Her divine skin. They themselves waded in through the sea towards the shore. Behind them was a retinue of slaves safeguarding the dryness of a throne, fans and refreshments.
Once on shore the party were greeted by the leader of the mission to conquer the Island. He bowed low as The Queen stepped out onto the back of Her foot slave and onto the fine white sand. She whooped with joy before the captain led Her to where the natives were being held. ‘Is their leader still alive?’ She asked as Her throne was positioned.
‘Yes Your Majesty.’
‘Ok, I’ll see to him and the others presently. It seems rather antiquated here, how long will it take to have my holiday premises built?’
‘To your normal levels of comfort and luxury Your Majesty?’
‘Of course!’
The Captain cleared his throat, ‘at least a year Your Majesty, maybe two.’
Goddess Yanara pouted Her ravishing lips, ‘nonsense! Hakariar, you may use as much slave fodder from Egypt as you wish, but I want this Island perfect in three months from today!’
Both the Priestess and the Captain raised their eyebrows before The Queen spoke again, ‘otherwise I’ll have you both enslaved to my mines!’
Hakariar fearfully bowed her head, ‘so it be said, so it be done.’
Yanara smiled victoriously as She sat upon Her Throne. The foot slave crawled into position but She kicked him away, ‘Now lets have a look at these new slaves of mine shall we. Fetch me their leader!’
An olive skinned man of about fifty was brought in chains before The Queen and introduced as Adelphe the wise. Yanara chuckled as She looked upon the conquered man and announced, ‘well he doesn’t look so wise now.’
Without being invited to speak Adelphe began, ‘Why do you bring war to us, we are a peaceful people?’ The Queen’s bodyguard smashed a club against his shoulders which stunned him into silence.
Yanara gave a bemused smile. It was so alien to Her to meet a man who didn’t immediately fall into line under Her spell. ‘Fetch him something to sit upon!’ She commanded. Two of Her slaves quickly brought a large rock and placed it by Her Throne. At the snap of Her fingers another slave deftly handed Her a goblet of wine.
Adelphe sat on the rock which left him much lower than his conqueror. She spoke quietly to him, quiet enough that his people couldn’t hear; ‘now then slave, let me tell you what is going to happen.’
Adelphe winced at the word ‘slave’ but continued to listen. ‘You are going to take instruction from my High Priestess as to how to address me. You will do this before your people, my slaves. You will then tell them you are delivering them into my possession. If you do this, they will lead reasonable lives as my servants, as my slaves. You will be taken back to Egypt with me and granted your-er-release.’
Adelphe was about to speak, about to refuse when Yanara gently sshhd him. ‘If you do not do as I say, my army will set light to your people. I’ll make you watch them burn to death then slit your throat with my own hand.’
This shocked the Islander, he looked at his people and then to The Queen who was looking down at him. He had no doubts as to Her sincerity in cruelly slaying his people. Slavery was horrible, wrong, but surely an agonizing death was worse. Broken, he spoke quietly, ‘as you say Lady.’
Yanara smiled vibrantly, ‘Hakariar! Instruct my new slave on how to properly address me!’ Hakariar took him to one side and instructed him on what to do and say.
Five minutes later Adelphe stood before his Island’s new ruler and prepared to do what needed to be done. He knelt before Her in the sand, and as instructed spoke loud and clear enough for his people to hear;
‘Sacred Goddess from Heaven’  he bowed his head and kissed Her feet. Then knelt up;
‘Divine Queen of Egypt’ again he pressed his lips to Her foot;
‘Daughter of Isis’ again;
‘This humble slave worships You’
‘This humble slave glorifies You’
‘This humble slave obeys You’
‘Please Goddess; please accept this Island and all the people upon it as Your rightful property.’

Queen Yanara smiled imperiously as She looked from the man groveling before Her to the rest of the Islanders who were now Her slaves. As instructed, Adelphe turned to his former people and instructed them; ‘This is The Divine Goddess Yanara, Your new Ruler, Your Owner, your Mistress, Your Queen and your Goddess. Kneel before Her, you are now Her slaves.’
The Islanders all knelt in the sand and bowed their heads. The inevitable had happened and the Island and its inhabitants were all the rightful property of Goddess Yanara. She beamed triumphantly and instructed Her guards to escort Adelphe to Her Royal barge.
Over the course of the next three hours, Queen Yanara separated Her new property into three groups. In turn each slave stepped before Her, was instantly issued a number from one to three, knelt and crawled to their appointed group.
Soon enough it became evident as to the differences between the three groups. In group one, knelt the physically attractive youthful Islanders. In group two knelt the less attractive youthful slaves. And group three was made up of the older natives.
It was early evening as Goddess Yanara made Her final deliberations. The three groups were quite even in numbers and She informed Her captain of what was to be done with them.
‘Group one,’ She informed him in a clear confident voice, ‘will remain on Yanara-isle. I shall ship Priests and Priestesses here and whilst my accommodation is being built, they will be trained as serving slaves!’
‘Group two. They will be transported to Egypt, as silver mine fodder!’
‘And group three Your Majesty?’ enquired the Captain pointing towards the older people.
Yanara ran Her tongue over Her delectable top lip and said simply, ‘cull them!’
With that She stepped into Her litter to begin the journey home.


vi

The sun was beginning to set as the Royal Barge glided through The Mediterranean Sea. Fortunately it was now a little cooler, but on The Queen’s orders the galley slaves were forced to row at full pace from the off. Despite having been rested and watered for a few hours the toil was even harder than before. However The Divine Queen Yanara had given an order; so it be said, so it be done.
The gorgeous Lady herself was now housed in an enclosed part of the upper deck. She picked at food offered to Her and sipped at Her wine. After a while She informed Hakaria as to the entertainment She required.
Within minutes Her new slave Adelphe was tethered to a high beam. This creature had dared to hesitate before kneeling before Her. It had momentarily resisted Her Rule.
Over the course of the journey back to Egypt he was to provide Her with amusement. Slowly and methodically, he was flogged to death.


vii

It was late when the ceremonial litter arrived back at The Queen’s palace. Yanara was tired but She had enjoyed a delightful day. Though it was late, no ceremony was spared as She alighted Herself from the litter. Slaves groveled, Priests groveled. Before this Divine beauty, everybody groveled.
She grinned as She cast Her lovely eyes on the blasphemer, whose life was drawing to an agonizing end.
Inside The Palace, Yanara took Her leisure in Her lounge area. She sipped at a goblet of warmed milk before recollecting Her new Priest, Ialu. ‘She snapped Her fingers and ordered ‘bring the new Priest before me!’
A minute later Ialu was led into the lounge area, freshly garbed in clothing suiting his new position. Wisely he kept his eyes down for now as his Queen surveyed him.
‘Ialu,’ spoke Yanara, ‘you are now a Priest, do you understand?’
‘Yes Goddess,’ he replied humbly.
At a gesture from their Mistress two handmaidens disrobed the new Priest.
‘However,’ replied Yanara studying his well toned form, ‘you are still my slave!’
‘Yes Mistress, of course Mistress.’
‘Slave. You may raise your head and look upon your Goddess.’
Slowly Ialu raised his eyes to his Goddess, his Mistress, his reason for living. And how Her beauty stunned him. He felt his mouth go dry, his head spin and his knees go weak. As She smiled at him he could not help himself, he fainted at Her feet.
Queen Yanara laughed and snapped Her fingers at Her maids ‘revive him’.
Having had water splashed in his face, Ialu came round and Yanara raised his chin with an elegant finger. Catching sight of Her beautiful face once more he found he had lost the power of speech. On discovering this his Mistress laughed again and told him, ‘don’t worry my slave, I don’t require you for your conversation.’
Ialu looked into Her eyes with a face full of worshipful adoration.
‘You may kiss my feet boy.’
Though he was a few years older than his owner, it seemed quite normal for Her Majesty to call him ‘boy’. Tenderly he began to kiss the resplendent feet before him. What an incredible privilege it was to press his humble lips against those noble feet. ‘Lick them!’
In a state of awe and shock Ialu began to lick the precious feet of Goddess Yanara. They tasted wonderful, far better than he had dared to imagine. As he dragged his tongue across Her exquisite toes he felt tears of joy running down his cheeks.
All too soon Her Majesty withdrew the objects of his desire and let a maid replace Her shoes. She stood, and informed Her maids, ‘I’m tired, I’m going to bed. She looked down at the slave at Her feet and stated, ‘tonight you will sleep on the floor at the foot of my bed.’
Ialu gulped at his Adam’s apple which seemed to have doubled in size. He still could not talk, but instinctively crawled after his Mistress as She walked towards Her bed chamber. On the way they passed the corridor where Ialu had been positioned for the past ten years. Yanara didn’t look at the new torch holder so didn’t realize it was Her former High Priest, Mallaha. A well whipped Mallaha realized his Goddess was passing but could not see Her as he had his head bowed low.
Inside Her bed chamber Yanara ordered Ialu to face the wall whilst Her handmaidens prepared Her for bed. Now attired in a flimsy see through night dress, She lay in her gigantic silk sheeted bed. Her favourite handmaiden gently tucked Her in and was dismissed with the others. Ialu was ordered to lie on the floor at the foot of the Imperial bed.
Everything in the chamber was still and quiet as Ialu stared at the ceiling. His thoughts were an utter scramble. Last night he had slept in the slave quarters in a small room with a dozen other men. Tonight he was in the Royal Bed chamber, lying at the foot of a bed which was the same size as the whole of his previous room. Last night there was the smell of male slaves, tonight the aroma of incense and better still the gorgeous perfume of his Mistress.
Moreover, he thought of who was in that bed. The most beautiful, stunning Woman in the world. His Mistress, his Owner, his Queen, his living Goddess. Nothing could have prepared him for such joy and fulfillment. Nothing in this life or the next one could possibly top this.

Then he heard Her cool, confident, Imperial voice, ‘Slave! Come here!’