** NOTE **

This is a very very rough first chapter. Partly it is because I want people to review and critique it, and partly because if I try to edit it any more without input I will walk away. =w=;

I want to get y'all's opinion on it to see if I should continue.

It is well known that in this place, the more powerful and well-off a man is, the more women he can sustain. One such man had spent his younger years learning the tricks of the merchant trade. He was well versed in haggling, and his swordplay. His clients, those of great power both in the eyes of the public and in the darker part of society, revered him for his ability to find and fetch highly valued items while remaining discreet. Authorities always had one eye on him, yet it never hindered his business. The man's name was Fathi Annan. His harem consisted of eight beautiful women that he had gained over the years. Some were payment, others he had bought himself.

At the age of fifty-four, he passed away, leaving behind no heirs due to reasons unknown. The riches that he supposedly had vanished before Fathi's brothers could attain it. All that was left of the merchant was his harem. Each one was sold for a fair amount of money for their experience and beauty, yet lack of youth.

However, one of the harem women had caught Fathi's nephew's eye. His name was Sadiq Annan, and the woman he wanted was a foreign woman with short, pale hair, and round blue eyes. She was the most exotic out of all of the women in his uncle's harem. Her nickname was Waheeda. He had never learned her real name, as he could never pronounce it. He asked his father to keep her for himself, but as soon as she came into their possession, he learned that she was going to be sold off for a small fortune.

"Do not give me that look, Sadiq. With this amount, you could get two or three beautiful women." His father always scoffed at the "Exotic" women that came around, or appeared on the market. They were always expensive, and strange looking.

"But she is not just beautiful," He protested as his father got ready for his meeting with one of the shop owners he had often sold to. "She is kind, and gentle. She does not have an overpowering bone in her body!"

"A good women to make someone's wife." His father responded. "That makes her perfect to sell."

"Except she is not a virgin," Sadiq tried to argue.

His father shrugged. "As I told the buyer, but he wanted her." There was a twitch on his father's lips. A sneer that he caught bouncing off the warped mirror. "Even if he has not seen her."

Sadiq felt an anger flush his face. "Who is this buyer?" He demanded.

"It does not matter. He has money." His father took up his dagger and short sword, tucking it in his sash. "Tomorrow is the exchange. I expect you far, far away when it takes place." And with that, his father had left him at home.

Sadiq huffed as he grabbed his own practice sword and went to go practice to blow off some steam.

The bales of straw were no match for his technique! He shouted as he batted at them with his sword.

"Did you and your father have a row?" A voice called.

Sadiq looked up to meet dark eyes. The rest of the body was obscured by a robe that wrapped around the small body.

"Not at all, Mother," He said, focusing back on the straw bales. He heard his mother laugh a bit.

"You always came here, even with the smallest of fights. I'm surprised how long it has been since you two have gone up against one another." She trotted forward to him, and rested a hand on his shoulder. Sadiq turned towards her. "My son, you are strong and handsome, and so much like your father. Which means you are hardheaded as well." She sighed.

Sadiq didn't want to hear his mother compare him to his father. "Is there a point to this?"

His mother shook her head. "No. Tell me what this time was about."

Sadiq hesitated.

"Is it about that girl, Waheeda?" She asked. When Sadiq didn't answer, she smiled. "I think she likes you too, my handsome boy. How about I bring her out to talk to you?"

He scoffed. "She will be gone by tomorrow. What is the point?"

"Don't think like that. I and the others will speak to her. Come back home. I need an escort." His mother's eyes showed laugh lines at the corner. Sadiq obeyed and took his mother home. He'd come back again later… Though he did want to see Waheeda before she was sold off to the unknown buyer…

It was the time for his buyer to arrive… Half an hour ago. He grumbled to himself. Waiting around this long was not what he had planned! He was due to go meet one of his best clients with a special shipment! Any longer, and he would have to run out of the house and keep the exotic. He was putting on his gear as there was a knock at the entrance. "Yes, yes, who is it?" He called, heading for the door and opening it… His eyes met chest, and he had to crank up his neck to look upwards.

It was a tall man, with a dark colored robe around him to block the sunlight. His skin was paler than the sand, hair fairer than straw, and his violet eyes shone even in the shadows. His features were very broad and big, with a smile on his face. His clothes, however, were the garments commonly worn around the city.

"Mister Annan," The tall man spoke the Arab's name with a mild accent, as if he had spoken it for many, many years. "I am the one who arranged to take the one known as Waheeda off your hands."

Startled, Annan gulped. "Ah yes. We shall do this quickly." He tried to regain his composure. "Come on in, Mister…?"

"Rafiq." He replied. The man had to duck to get inside. "Does she have the blindfold?" He asked.

"As requested, she has been informed that she is not to take it off when not in the women only part of your home." Annan replied.

"Good. Let me see her now." The tall man had taken a seat without being asked, and Annan frowned a bit.

"Waheeda! Come out here!" He called. Waheeda was brought out from a room, led by one of the other women in the harem, and was brought over to Annan. The tall man's eyes shone. Annan wasn't blind to this. "Now, do you have your end of the bargin?"

Rafiq nodded, and pulled out a satchel. "Here." He held it out. "You should find it the right amount."

It took a while for the merchant to count out the gold. Rafiq's eyes stayed on Waheeda as the merchant took his time, checked the coins, and ultimately nodded. "Mr. Rafiq, she is now yours." He said.

Rafiq stood up, and pulled off the cloak from his back. He wrapped it around Waheeda. "It was a pleasure," He said simply, and crooked a smile before leading Waheeda out the door.

Annan was glad that his idiot of a son's distraction was gone. Maybe he'd give up on her now and get a regular girl from himself to start off.

Waheeda was pulled out from the back room. She heard the exchange happening. She was going to a new home that she couldn't see. She was made nervous by the thought, and the blindfold made her even more nervous. She had to be covered otherwise anyway when she went out in public! Though when she heard his voice… His accent sounded like hers. She blinked behind the blindfold. He sounded a bit like her!

And next thing she knew, there was a wrap around her, and a large hand on her back, leading out of the house and into the dry hot air.

"What is your name?" The deep voice suddenly asked in her native tongue. Russian. Though it sounded rusty.

"It is Waheeda—"

"I mean your real name." He cut off.

She had to think for a moment, about what she was called before Fathi's harem. "It is Yekaterina." She told him. It had been so long that she so much as uttered it. It felt foreign to her tongue. She then smiled. "What about yours?" She asked, smiling.

He didn't answer, as Waheeda tripped over her robes. The tall man quickly swooped down and caught her. He was so strong! And… Big. She could tell by where his voice was coming from, but she didn't expect—

"Are you okay, Yekaernia?" He asked, using her old name.

She gulped an nodded. "Ye-yes, I'm fine!" She said, cheerfully. She half stumbled back onto her feet. "But what is your—"

"Rafiq."

She giggled a bit. "I mean, your real name."

"You will call me Rafiq. You do not need to know any other name."

Waheeda was going to protest, but then Rafiq went on: "Hmm… I think Katyusha is a good nickname." He said, sounding like he was giving it some thought.

She felt her heart leap. "R-really?" She asked.

"Hmm… We are here." Rafiq gently guided Katyusha into the home. She was careful to mind her step. He then took off the robe. "Welcome to new home. Now, time to introduce self to others." He guided her, and she heard the doors open. His hand held hers to guide her in, and she lost it as soon as she entered the threshold.

Katyusha's hands blindly sought Rafiq's, but the door had quickly closed.

"Oh, you're finally here."

It was a woman's voice. Smooth, pleasant, with a seductive purr in the tone. And she had an accent she couldn't place.

Katyusha felt her stomach flutter. "Ah! He-hello!" She called, arms outstretched to try and find her way.

A hand took her forearm gently, steadying her. "You can take the blindfold off while you are in this room," Another voice. This one was another accent. Hers was friendly, and homey.

"R-really?" Katyusha asked.

"Yes," The second woman said, and in a few moments the blindfold was off of her face.

Her face suddenly felt itchy, but with a bit of rubbing she felt better. That's when she looked to see the other women in the room. Katyusha was surprised to see all three of them. Not that she didn't believe there were women, she could tell, but they were all fair skinned with light colored hair. The woman closest to her was in her mid-twenties, green eyed, with light brown hair. Her pale body was wrapped in white and dark green, with a simple flower behind her right ear. The woman was smiling at her. "Welcome to the harem," She said easily.

"Yes, welcome," The first voice called. It had moved closer. Katusha looked away from the brunette to catch sight of a woman in her early thirties. The first thing that Katyusha noticed was that she was beautiful! She had curly hair pulled up into a loose bun, shining blue eyes, a sharp yet gentle face, and she was well proportioned. She wore blue and white with accents of gold. She was much less modest than the first woman. "Ah, such a cute face," She purred as she came close to Katyusha. "It seems he got lucky this time, doesn't it, Elizabeta?" The blond looked towards the brunette.

The brunette sighed, looking as if she was about to respond when there was a third voice. This one was harsh, high, and angry. "I CAN HEAR YOU YOU BLOODY FROG!"

The blond ticked, a sad, disappointed look on her face as she turned away from the brunette and Katyusha. "Now is that anyway a young lady should speak?"

Katyusha peered around the blond to see another blond. She couldn't see much about her expect that she was hiding, and that she had pig tails. She ducked out of sight.

"I will have to speak to her later," The first blond said with a sigh.

Katyusha smiled at them, deciding to go ahead and introduce herself. "It is nice to meet all of you." She said, whole heartedly. "I am Waheeda."

The two women near her looked at each other. The blond nodded to the brunette. She went first. "My name is Elizabeta."

Katyusha blinked. "Elizabeta?" She asked, and saw the brunette turn towards her. What an odd sounding name. "Is that Arabic?"

The brunette smiled and shook her head. "No. That is my name from my homeland."

The blond close by turned back around. "And I am Francis. It is a pleasure to meet you," She said elegantly. She dipped a bit, and cocked her head to the side, giving Katusha a smile. "And the little lady who is hiding is Alice." She waved a hand in the general area the third woman was hiding. "We all use our names that we were born with here."

Katyusha tilted her head to the side. "Why?"

Francis hummed, stroking her chin. "Well, sir Rafiq calls us by them! And I like Francis much more than that hog scrabble of a name they gave me. Pardon my English." She mused. That brought an angry shout from Alice. She then started to throw some more insults at the English which led to a miniature shouting match.

Elizabetas attention was on Katyusha. "What is your name?" She asked again.

Katyusha breathed in, then out. She smiled. "It is Yekaterina. My old nickname is Katyusha."

Elizabeta gladly welcomed her, and called her by that name.

Elizabeta showed her around the harem section of the house, showing her the beds, the bath, and explaining to her the rules of the blindfolds. "None of us are allowed to take off our blindfolds out of this section of the house. If you are to take them off, you will receive a beating." She frowned at the last part. Katyusha watched her, and was about to ask, but when she continued she didn't interrupt. "Other than that, you are not to go out without a man present for your safety. It is pretty relaxed, except for the blindfolds." She hummed happily.

Katyusha tilted her head. "Is there a reason why he makes you wear them?"

Elizabeta opened her mouth, but the voice came from Francis: "Oh, Sir Rafiq is a very, very shy boy." She practically purred, with a glint in her eyes.

Katyusha took a moment. "Really?" She smiled. "Well, it is okay if he is. I don't need to see him to know if I like him or not."

Both Francis and Elizabeta stared at Katyusha, but she didn't notice. She hummed as she thought about getting to know her new master. He was already nice enough to take her in, and the ladies here were so nice. Though she probably won't be able to see Sadiq with rules like these. Quite literally. He was so worried for her safety in this new house. If only she could send him some sort of message.

"Ah, it is time for supper," Elizabeta pointed out.

"Mmm… Come along, Katyusha, and I will show you the way around the other part." She leaned in closer to whisper, "With just feeling around~"

Katyusha smiled, not getting what Francis was referring to, and nodded. "Okay."

Katyusha had a blindfold tied around her eyes, and after waiting for Francis and Elizabeta, she was led out into the part of the house she might not ever see.

In case you were confused:

Ukraine=Waheeda=Yekaterina=Katyusha

Russia = Rafiq

Turkey = Sadiq Annan