"What choice do I have, Baba Hassan?" Caynan Reis asked his friend and advisor. "The other states will jump at the opportunity to be free from Istanbul and its tribute. If Hussein Aga returns to me, I must pledge my aid. If I do not, I will be counted their enemy, and they will seek to assassinate me. The Sublime Porte will be only too happy to use me as their scapegoat. El Sinut being small, they can afford to punish us, while the other states are large, and could prove troublesome. I am caught between two fires.

"On the other hand, if I expose the janissaries' plot I have a better chance of remaining alive. I will ask that the sultan remove the janissaries from El Sinut once we are independent. I will form my own guard to protect me. El Sinut will belong to me, and to my sons and my sons' sons. It is worth the risk. Tell me if there is another way, Baba Hassan, that I can keep us all safe."

"There is no other way, my lord. It will be as Allah wills it," the eunuch replied fatalistically.

Caynan Reis nodded wearily. "Now, my old friend, how do we approach the valideh in Istanbul? You will have a way, I am certain."

"We will use two paths, my lord. Our chances will be better at reaching the sultan's mother in time if we do. I have several pigeons, a gift to me from the Agha Kislar of the royal household. Most men in my position hold these birds. We will release three to make their way back to the capital with our message. I shall also send by ship the gift of two young boys to the sultan. They will be accompanied by my most trusted aide, Ali-Ali. He will carry a personal message to the Agha Kislar from me."

"What if he attempts to read your message?" the dey asked.

"The message will be in a code known only to the Agha Kislar, and those to whom he entrusts his messenger birds. It is a good system."

"Why are you sending young boys instead of beautiful girls?" the dey wondered.

"The valideh has encouraged her son in his youth to enjoy the company of boys over girls. That way, no beautiful young creature will arise to challenge the valideh's control over the sultan by either her erotic wiles or by giving the sultan a son of his own. In time, of course, that will change, but our way into favor is through pretty young boys right now, and not pretty young girls."

"How will we know that the sultan has received our warning, Baba Hassan? And will he receive it in time?" Caynan Reis asked.

"We will not know until Ali-Ali returns, my lord. I regret that is the fact of it, but remember, it will take many weeks for Hussein Aga to complete his mission and return to El Sinut. Then he has a voyage to Istanbul. The pigeons I release in two days' time know only to fly to their home in the Yeni Serai. That is how they are trained. They do not forget their way. That is why the Agha Kislar will return the birds to me when Ali-Ali rejoins us, and we will outflank the traitorous janissaries."

"I understand, but why are you waiting two days to send the birds on their way, Baba Hassan? Should they not be sent at first light tomorrow?"

"Because, my lord, Hussein Aga is undoubtedly aware of the Agha Kislar's pigeons. What if he saw one on the wing as he left the palace or the harbor? These pigeons are quite unique. They are white with black-and-white markings and very pink feet, not your ordinary garden-variety bird that one sees upon the roofs of the town, or cadging tidbits in the marketplace. They are recognizable to the knowledgeable, so we will wait until this agent of the janissaries has restarted his journey and is away from El Sinut. We must be extremely cautious in this matter."

"Agreed," the dey said, and then he arose. "Only Azura can know of our plan, Baba Hassan."

"Your wife must know as well," the chief eunuch advised. "She is a clever girl, and will be of use to you if she is aware of all that is going on in this situation."

"But what of the child? Will she not endanger the child?"

"Not knowing is more dangerous, my lord. She is a passionate lady with a great imagination. If she worries, and frets from a position of ignorance, she is more apt to harm her baby. The true knowledge of what is happening will give her courage and strength. After all, my lord, you seek El Sinut for your son, but the child is her son as well. You must not forget that. Women grow irritated, and justly so, when a man behaves as if his son is his alone, and only his doing. Particularly after a wife has carried her child within her own body for almost a year's time."

"How can you have such wisdom, Baba Hassan?" the dey inquired. "There have never been any children in this palace. At least not in my time, or our lord Sharif's time."

"In my youth," the eunuch said, "I served upon the young ikbal of a former sultan in the harem of the Yeni Serai itself, my lord. Such a large place, and there were many children, including the daughter of my young mistress. Of course, that was the girl's downfall, and her salvation, having a daughter. But the sultan was no longer interested in her once she was with child, and if the truth be known, she was a pretty but stupid creature. The female infant she birthed was just one of many little girls born to the sultan. My mistress became a troublemaker. She was finally sent with her child to the Eski Serai, the old palace. I was reassigned to accompany the lady Azura to El Sinut, as a gift from the sultan, to his most loyal dey, Sharif. That is how I can tell you about breeding women and their infants," the chief eunuch finished with a deep chuckle. "I have learned much in my fifty years, my lord."

"I must bow to your wisdom," the dey said with a small smile.

Baba Hassan chuckled again. "I am at your service always, my lord dey."


***

In the morning, Caynan Reis met with Hussein Aga before the agent of the janissaries departed the palace for his ship. "Was your evening a pleasant one, Hussein Aga?" the dey asked his guest pleasantly, noting the older man looked as if he had not slept a great deal.

"Never have I known such a night!" was the enthusiastic reply. "The dey of Algiers will surely not be able to equal your hospitality, nor the dey of Tunis. I shall look forward with much anticipation to my return visit. Both Sarai and Nila are houriis without parallel!" He bowed low to the dey.

"I am glad we have been able to offer you a pleasant diversion in your travels," was the smooth reply, and the dey bowed slightly. "May Allah guide you, and give you a safe journey. I shall await your return to El Sinut. Farewell, Hussein Aga."

Dismissed, the janissary exited the room.

"And did you enjoy your companion last night, Aruj Agha?" the dey asked, turning to his friend.

"I did. As always, she is a pleasure to bed, Caynan, but why were you so generous to Hussein Aga? From what he has told me, your two women almost killed him with pleasure. Were you attempting to slay him?"

"Only with kindness so he would not take offense that I did not pledge allegiance to the janissaries' plot against the sultan," was the answer. "How can I unless the others do so first?"

"But you will pledge us fealty if the larger states do?" Aruj Agha probed his friend.

"You know I will do what is best for El Sinut," the dey said sincerely. "Have I not always? And have I not always respected and supported the corps?"

"You have indeed," Aruj Agha said, placated. "That is what I told Hussein Aga in the baths yesterday when he expressed doubts of your loyalty."

The dey clapped his friend upon the back. "We are like two draft animals, harnessed together, my friend," he said. "Between us we have kept El Sinut prosperous and safe. I am a good administrator, but I could not have ruled without your cooperation. May it always be so."

"As Allah wills it," Aruj Agha agreed.

"How go the repairs on your vessel?" the dey inquired.

"Well. We should be able to set sail in another month, and Osman is working very hard to prepare his round ship for service. I believe we shall go out together the first time. I mean to allow him to captain the Sultan Murat, but, of course, my troop of janissaries will be aboard."

"It is customary for janissaries to be aboard our ships," the dey said calmly. "I think you wise to take a seasoned captain, and restore him to his rank. My wife will be pleased you do honor to her cousin."

And India was indeed delighted with the news. "Perhaps when we send the janissaries packing," she said, "my cousin will help you form your new guard, my lord. There are many good men from Europe who might welcome such an opportunity."

"You must be more discreet, my precious," he advised. "Nothing has been graven in stone yet, and we must not tip our hand." He sighed. "I regret that I dare not trust Aruj Agha in this matter, but Baba Hassan is right. My friend's loyalty is to the corps of janissaries."

"Perhaps when the time comes, he will see the wisdom in your actions," India attempted to sooth her husband. The dey truly enjoyed this one male friend with whom he hunted in the hills and, until India had come, played chess. It would be lonely for Caynan when Aruj Agha was sent back to Istanbul, but certainly her cousin, Tom Southwood… Osman, might take his place. She wished she might see Tom, but now it was no longer possible. At least not until he was admitted to the dey's inner circle as a trusted captain, as well as the relation of the dey's first wife.


***

Thomas Southwood had heard that the dey had made India his wife. He was relieved she had gotten some common sense, and was protected. He had no doubt that, given the chance, she would want to return to England, and he intended that, when he went, she would go, too. He had promised it to her those many months ago, and how could he justify leaving her behind to the family? Enough of their female relations had been in the same situation as India, and they had returned home. There was no great tra-rah over it. India's fat dowry would erase any number of sins in the eyes of a titled husband. Particularly one in the highlands who would have never heard of El Sinut. He had no doubt both India's grandmother and her mother knew of ways of making what was broken quite whole again. India's husband would have no doubt as to his bride's virginity.