After a few more minutes of waiting, she glanced up again.After a few more minutes of waiting, she glanced up again. He was definitely staring at her. With this, Ivy's predicament went from bad to worse. On top of all the other degradations and misfortunes which had befallen her, she was now the object of some barbarian's attention. As an English lady, she would rather die than become his play thing. As the would be rescuers prepared to leave, one of them rode over to the party of women and reined his camel. Addressing them, he said, in English, ``Captive English citizens, when we get to our base you shall be held and ransom arrangements shall be made for all of you whose loved ones can afford to pay. All others will be made slaves of the Raj Shomire also know as the Pirate of the Sands." With this remark he gestured towards the band's leader, still a top his white stallion. This was none other than the Pirate of the Sands, whom Ivy had heard stories of even back in England. The man continued, ``So long as you behave like good English ladies, but with the respect of an Arab woman, no one shall be harmed." He directed this last comment towards Ivy. Staring at the ground, she could feel the other woman's eyes turn to her. What did she care? At least she had spoken up like a good citizen of the realm. |