Hans opened his mouth to answer and then realized,
The boy poured out the story to the priest.
The priest laughed and, though the laugh was strained, it was still an amazing thing from a man dying on the cross. "Didn't you find it a little odd that they claim 'no compulsion in religion' and then compelled you and your friends?"
"I—" Hans changed the subject. "How did you end up here, Father?"
The priest laughed, then went into a fit of violent coughing. "I was sold out by another priest."
When he saw Hans' eyes go wide at that, the priest explained, "Many of the clergy
"What of your mother and father, Hans?" the priest asked, changing the subject. "Are they still Catholic?"
"Yes, Father."
"Does the Koran teach to honor them?"
"Yes, Father, in Sura 17, 23 and 24."
"As does the Christian Bible?"
"The words are different but, I think, the intent is the same."
"Do you honor them by casting off their faith? Don't answer, Hans. It's just something for you to think about."
The priest stood upon the spikes passing through his heels and moaned with the effort and the pain. After breathing heavily several times, and coughing forth great quantities of phlegm, he let his body down again.
"Not too much longer now, I think," the priest said. "And that's the truth. Tell me Hans, what does the Koran say about lying to unbelievers?"
"That it's permissible, when necessary, Father."
"Then let me leave you with this thought, Hans: Turnabout is fair play. Oh, and one other thought. If you ever have the chance: Look up 'Skanderbeg.' Go now, before they punish you. I will pray for you, my son."
Castle Noisvastei, Province of Baya, 10 Rajab, 1533 AH
(9 June, 2109)
The word "houri" meant, among other things, "having lovely eyes." It did not necessarily mean, nor was it related to, the English word
"whore" or its Teutonic antecedents. Notwithstanding, the girls at the castle were all called "houris" by the staff and the management, even though they were just whores.
After Latif had turned Petra over to a member of the staff, the first day had been taken up with inoculations and other medical treatment. The houris had value, it was explained to her and a dozen other new girls, most of them of about her age, and so it was worth while taking better care of them than it was with the usual filthy
Fortunately, Petra had had little opportunity to experience candy in her life and so she was spared more than the most cursory dental treatment. Some girls were not so lucky.
Each of the new girls was then assigned to an experienced, older houri for training. There was something about the idea of a line of a bakers' dozen kneeling twelve-year-olds, practicing fellatio in cadence, under the supervision of a washed-up whore, that offended even Latif's atrophied sensibilities.
Petra's teacher was called Zheng Ling and Petra thought she had the most beautiful, exotic eyes she'd ever seen, almond shaped but very large.
"I've never seen anyone like you," Petra said, in wonder, as Ling showed her around the castle.
"I'm an import," Ling said. "Bred in a brothel in Shanghai and sold here when I was four."
"
"I was a maid for five years before they ever put me to 'work,'" Ling said. "Even that pederast, Latif, has some scruples. He was my first.
"What did he pay for you, by the way?" Ling asked.
"About three hundred dinar," Petra answered.
"That's a
"Train me,
"There are many things to learn," Ling answered. "To clothe yourself, to wear make up to make yourself beautiful, to use your mind and your body to please men—"
"My body was already used to please men," Petra said, her face wrinkling and her eyes lowering. She shivered with the vile memory.
Ling chewed at her lower lip. The way this new girl had said it she assumed her first experience with men had been a bitter one. Should she ask about it?
Petra just shook her head, rapidly. She definitely did
