AN- This chapter transitional and gives background on Fitz's father's current state of affairs. Remember Fitz, after finding the false bottom in Mousef's chest, sent word and the spy scrolls to his father and the other tribal leaders on Doyle's hit list. At this point in the story the messengers have not arrived yet.

Desert Princess

Chapter 31

Desperate Wives

Sultan Grant

The six wives of Sultan Grant gather for evening meal, as is their imposed daily custom, in the garden off the kitchen. They send the kadim away when they want privacy and today they want complete privacy. They are under no illusion the Sultan feels no true affection for them, to him they are six shoddy replacements for the one irreplaceable original; Elise. He's never said so to them in word but definitely by deed, in avoiding their presence every chance he gets, he tells them they are a mistake. Six awful mistakes he prefers not to be reminded of.

The Sultan eats alone in his spartan desert white bedroom. It was once an opulent chamber filled with all the comforts wealth can bestow and the specials touches only a wife can add. Gone are all the physical reminders of his past life with his Sultani. Now it is simply a room for copious imbibing and soused rumination. Yes, drunken solitude has proven partially effective in numbing his senses, but it has also given him perspective. Six times he's tried and failed to replace the wife he came to love. His arranged marriage to Elise, at the time was strictly a strategic move, a mutually beneficial arrangement, but as the days, months and years passed, her kind, gentle and giving ways penetrated his hard heart, softening it with love's heartbeat. The memories taunt him, screaming in his mind unabated. Why did he send her away? Why did he fail to comfort her? Why didn't he allow himself to acknowledge he loved her more than he ever expressed? Why did try to replace his beloved Elise with women of lesser character? Why did he listen to his pagan wife's urgings over his sons' pleas? The answer is always the same, because he was a fool. Now he sits in isolation pondering the cost of his arrogance, his pride, his monumental stupidity. He sits alone with his memories, stewing in his regrets and tries to forget the unforgettable.

"Our husband is a fool. He sided with the wrong compatriots during the last war and we cannot allow him to do so in the next one," first wife, Yasmine, says angrily addressing Sultan Grant's other wives. Sultan Doyle is almost ready to move against the independent territories again. His army of conscripted men and conquered leaders should be fully trained and equipped within the year. Our fathers are counting on us to make sure our husband supplies Sultan Doyle with enough horses to wage a successful war."

Sarah speaks next. "Fitzgerald is not an ally to Doyle. He will not willingly sale horses to the Sultan. Doyle killed his first wife's family and our husband defeated Doyle's jaish at Sumer in the last war. Our husband will do nothing to aid Doyle."

"Fitzgerald is an unwise and unstable man who has let grief impair his judgment. He drowns his sorrow over the loss of his son and precious Elise in wine every day. The Sultan cannot be trusted to protect our children or us. Remember he has made covenant with our fathers as part of our marriage agreements. Our fathers are in covenant with Doyle, therefore Fitzgerald is in covenant with Doyle. Fitz, his son, understood this tether and that is partially why he parted ways with his father. Our husband cannot join forces with the independents in the upcoming war it would breach covenant. In the end, when all the dust settles Sultan Grant will be a conquered leader, Doyle will be the region's Caliph and the Sultan will need the Caliph's his favor like everyone else for his continued survival." Naomi, the third wife warns.

"Protect our children? You mean protect your child. Who else among us has had a child to suckle save you?"

"Yes, a sickly son our husband can muster no natural affection for."

"Enough Naomi! Speak no more lies. I know the truth, you will get no sympathy from me", Moriah barks.

Naomi gives Moriah a venomous glare. Moriah returns the same, truth giving her gaze added intensity. Naomi has enjoyed a more favorable status because she alone has bore a son for the Sultan.

"What…what do you mean Moriah?" Rawdah the four wife asks.

"Yes, what lies? Naomi, are you hiding something from us?" Yasmine blusters.

"I have no idea what lies this bitter woman speaks of. Her jealous is evident and it corrupts her speech. Give no merit to her rantings. She bemoans being the unloved second wife."

"Jealous? Rantings? I am not jealous of you, you lying whore!" Naomi reaches across the table and slaps Moriah. The other wives pull Naomi back and Sarah, the fifth wife, sees to Moriah.

Moriah stands, slams her fists down on the table and points her finger at Naomi. "I heard it all. I heard everything your father told you to do."

Naomi gasps, covering her mouth with her trembling hand and shaking her head in fear.

Moriah turns to face the other wives. "Remember when her father supposedly to came to visit on his way to visit his son in Lagash. His visit was not a last-minute happenstance. He came because she sent word to him."

"Moriah please. Don't do this. No good can come from revealing this. I beg you, have mercy," Naomi pleads in desperation.

"Mercy, mercy! When have you showed mercy to us? You've paraded that misborn in front us every day, lording your favored status over us as if you are sultani of this tribe."

"Misborn," the other wives bellow.

Moriah continues. "She sent word to her father that our husband's manhood is a limp stock, with no seeds to bear fruit. The young man accompanying her father…"

"The one they both said was her cousin? Mu…Muti…right?" Sarah says anxiously.

"Yes, Muti is his name. He is indeed her cousin and the father of her son. Naomi laid with her cousin to conceive a child. She and her father conspired to give her misborn the Grant name and an inheritance. Her father told to enter Fitzgerald's tent after he passed out from wine and lay beside him until morning. He told her to do this for three straight nights to make our husband think he summoned her while in a stupor because he favored her. She brought a cup with Muti's seed in it every night and spread it on the sheets beneath her to make our husband think he had made love to her. She didn't stay in her father's tent during his visit because she missed him, she stayed because they had to make sure Muti's seed took root."

The five wives all stood opposite Naomi at the table. They held hands to stop themselves from pummeling her.

"Waqif, waqif,"(Stop, stop), Naomi shouts. "You don't understand. Doyle controls my family. Everything my family has is due to or comes from Doyle. He saved my family during the war, we are in his debt, we owe him very our lives. I had to do it. I have to protect my family!"

"What are we to you then", Sagheer the Sultan's youngest wife asks? Are we not family?"

"Of course you are, you're twisting my words."

"No, you need guaranteed sway with our husband", Yasmine says.

"You plan to hand the child over to Doyle for ransom," Sarah speculates aloud?

Moriah angrily grouses, "No, she wants to make sure she is taken care of no matter the outcome from the war. If the independents win and something happens to the Sultan, she has an heir, if Doyle wins, she'll be rewarded for her loyalty. Our families will be left to flounder on the sand with Doyle's other defeated foes. She knows his firstborn son will not take us on as wives."

"You're wrong! You are all wrong, Naomi cries. I would never…"

"Liar, Moriah yells. You've been lying to us all along! Your words are worthless."

"Yes, our families will suffer humiliation and reproach for having no influence with our husband. We'll be branded collaborators at worst, useless at best. We and our kinsmen will live menial lives while she and her family enjoy the spoils of deception."

Naomi, takes a moment to gather her thoughts, then goes on the defensive. "Do not play innocent or deny your own ignoble handiwork to me. You've all done dishonorable things trying to curry favor with our husband." She points to Yasmine.

"Yasmine, you tricked him into taking away the Sultani's annual support. She was his first wife, faithful in word and deed. Evil men abused her, men our husband gave drink to, caroused with and gave refuge. They sullied her and you convinced him to cast her aside without support because you were jealous; jealous she still held a prominent place in his heart. She's probably dead and if she is, it is your fault. You know he will never crown you his sultani, you always simply be first wife."

"Moriah and Rawdah, you both tried to drive a wedge between the Sultan and his son. You told him Fitz spent more time searching for his mother than tending to the herds and salt mines. You knew full well Fitz never neglected his responsibilities and every year he always brought in more gold the year before. It is no wonder the Sultan forbids you to speak his son's name and confined to your rooms for a year's time for lying."

Sarah raises her hand cutting Naomi off. "Is this your justification, your vindication? Do you think our ignoble deeds in anyway surpass your evil? You've lain with a man who is not your husband. You are trying to pass off that man's son as your husband's child. Nothing we've done compares to your treachery."

"Is it any wonder the gods afflict us? Sagheer whispers mournfully. Cursed I tell you! We are cursed by the gods! Our husband is a tortured soul and his torment weakens his seed. In his mind his namesake is his only heir, Sultani Elise his only true wife. We are ruined, we cannot return home, our fathers will not take us back without our dowry and no man will have us now for we have lain with another man."

"What is your point Sagheer? Maybe Naomi's way will save us all."

AN – What in the tarnation is Sagheer suggesting? Are they going to hire Muti as their sperm donor?

I was writing the update for The Progeny when this popped into my head. I wanted Fitz's father to feel remorse for being an arrogant ass but I also wanted him to get more than he bargained for with six wives.

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Have a great week and as always be blessed.