I could feel my face burn, and hear the strained pitch it always took on when making proclaimations in the name of one of the shah's vicious pranks. "And so, Erik, his most generous, the shah-in-shah, bestows upon you the gift of a wife."
Erik's fingers dug into the armchair. Before him, the veils under which the young concubine hid did not stir.
"May she bring you much in the way of pleasure, and bear you many children."
The black fury in Erik's eyes would have brought death to anyone who dared look in them, but Erik was only looking at the concubine. The concubine was looking at the floor.
He saw the khanum's hand in all this.
"How...generous of the shah." Erik's magnificent voice, unlike mine, was smooth and civil, even in his obvious rage, and, I sensed uncomfortably, his arousal. I marvelled at his uncommon effort to hold in his temper. "Sit up, mademoiselle," he commanded. "Let me see you."
I saw the concubine's shoulders stiffen just a little under her robes. I hoped Erik had not seen it, even as I knew inevitably that he had. She sat up and drew back her veils to reveal her face.
She had the fine, sharp features, full lips, and dark skin of the greatest Persian beauties. Pale blue eyes looked up into Erik's wolfish ones, and a few stray curls of blue-black hair escaped her veil, to which she paid no heed.
Erik appeared unmoved, but I knew he was affected by the girl's beauty. There was nothing Erik loved more than beautiful things.
"What is your name, mademoiselle?"
"Behrokh," came the soft reply. I winced. "Behrokh" meant "beautiful face", a fact that could hardly be a coincidence. "Of course it is," said Erik. "Well mademoiselle, you allowed me to see beneath your veils, now you shall see beneath mine. Come here, take off my mask."
The concubine lowered her head and did not move. The room was silent. No one dared to laugh in Erik's presence, though I knew the eunucks would scamper back to the harem bursting with cruel mirth. This, Erik knew for certain, as did the shah, and the khanum. "Mademoiselle," said Erik, his voice soft, "they give you to me as a wife, but I promise I will not ask so much. Just come to me willingly for one night, and in the morning I shall give you all the wealth you need to live in comfort the rest of your life."
The concubine remained as a statue. "Of course," Erik's voice darkened, "if you do not come to me willingly, I will simply take you by force." The concubine's shoulders tightened again, but I knew, at least with Erik, that she was in no danger. For all he was a monster, Erik would never violate a woman. "Mademoiselle?"
The concubine said something so softly, that Erik, I, and all the guards leaned in to hear.
"What was that, mademoiselle?"
The concubine looked up at Erik. "Make them leave, first."
In the silence that followed, I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. I had never before seen Erik surprised. A peripheral glance at the eunuchs exchanging terrified looks, however, tempered the urge quickly. The thought of the khanum's fury was sobering.
"I will do as you ask," said the concubine, her voice gathering strength, "but make them leave first." Erik would not tear his eyes from the girl, but his voice was hard and not for her. "Leave us." I ushered the guards out of his chambers as quickly as possible, and then followed, closing the door behind me. My last sight before the door shut completely was of the masked monster and the beautiful concubine in the pale dress and veils, regarding each other with wariness, and suspicion.