Bess

Selim stood in his kitchen with his two wives, each one holding her dress up high as he cupped a hand on the bare skin of her belly.

Faraway held her gown bunched up under her breasts. Her slim belly was warm under Selim's hand. He rubbed his hand around in a circle, and she purred with pleasure.

Bess held up her red-and-orange dress. Her deep brown belly stuck out a bit as usual, but it felt firmer today. Suddenly he felt a kick under his hand.

"A ha!" Selim said. "YOU shall attend young Nils, and his virgin spunk will consecrate the child to be a sailor!"

Bess retorted, "Or if she is a girl, she shall be a captain, like your Emily Flint!"

Selim smiled. "I can believe it of her," he said. "And both of you, oil your bottom-holes. After so long aboard, they look like beautiful treasure-caves to us sailors."

"Maybe YOU should attend young Nils," Bess threatened playfully. "Oh, very well," she said. "As Faraway said, he does have a nice prick, wherever it's going."

"Ah yes, remind me at dinner," Faraway said vaguely.

Selim slid his hand further down. "And you, my ivory tower, my minaret of womanhood," he said to the tall beauty. "I will scale your heights and storm your every gate tonight, as is your delight." He probed with his fingers to find her already wet. He chuckled. "I would have you now, but t'would make us bad hosts."

Faraway smiled. "You could send Bess to take her time dressing him," she said. "I would imagine that all that long golden hair would take some time to dry." She raised one foot onto a low step-stool, opening herself further to Selim's fingers. "Would that not make us good hosts?"

"Nils will be hungry, and we should not wait dinner," Selim said. He withdrew his damp fingers and patted her thigh. "I will make ready the great bed for dining." He lit a lamp from the stove and left Bess and Faraway preparing the meal while he went back to the house-master's suite.

The great bed stood in the center of the room, screened by curtains of fine mesh round about. It was spacious for three and comfortable for four, even when eating dinner. In truth it was too big even for three, and Selim usually used one of the smaller beds in the side alcoves. Best of all, when the weather was warm, he liked to sleep on the roof, often in a hammock. The great bed lay empty unless he entertained guests or those special nights when he lay with all three of his wives, Faraway, Bess, and Rania. Where was Rania, he wondered.

He tied back the mesh curtains and stripped the brocades and fine sheets from the bed, covering it with soft-beaten old carpets and towels and strewing it with today's fresh flowers. Left, right, and behind the head of the bed, he brought up a table. He arranged cushions and bolsters so all could sit or sprawl at their ease. Around the sides of the room, he arranged oil lamps, filling and trimming them to give a bright, clear glow when night came. He lit a brazier in the corner under a vent, as a source of fire for the lamps and for any food that would be at its best kept warm. Next to the brazier was a samovar for tea. He filled it and lit it, stirring in tea leaves mixed with mint and sage.

At last he returned to the kitchen to find Faraway and Bess putting the final touches on the food, scattering spices and crushed nuts, drizzling honey, and arranging the platters.

"The food is beautiful," Selim said. "Now, let us be sure we are ready. Raise your dresses and turn around." As before, they lifted their hems up until they were bare from toes to nipples. He eyed tall ivory Faraway and solid brown Bess carefully. "Turn slowly..." He moved from one to the other, looking from the distance of a breath, feeling the warmth of their bare flesh on his face.

"Like what you see?" Bess said.

Faraway smirked.

"Ah, one last thing, my ladies." he said.