The King and the War Dancer

Dancing for the king

The music video is Duele El Corazon by Enrique Iglesias. It was my inspiration for this chapter.

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King Enrik sat in his throne room judging the mutinous noblemen kneeling before him.

"Death by hanging at dawn tomorrow," he declared in a monotonous voice.

The hall was immediately filled with pleads for mercy as the guards dragged the sentenced men out.

"Next!" shouted the announcer.

A messenger stepped up before the king. He opened a scroll and read, "Your Imperial Majesty, on behalf of the noble Uduak family, it is my greatest honor to present to you one of the rarest treasures of the desert. A sacred gem held in the highest reverence by even the most prestigious clans in the land of sands and storms. It is the sincerest desires of the Uduak family that Your Majesty accepts their humble token of goodwill toward the Silk Road Treaty."

The king pulled his lips into a thin line, his handsome features drawing into a disgruntled scowl for a second before he covered it up with a stoic expression. With a tired sigh, he stated, "I accept this token of goodwill".

Four men quickly came forward carrying a rolled up carpet between them. They placed it front of the throne then stepped back. Two of the men pulled out traditional horns from under their multi-colored robes while the other two brought out a tambourine and a small drum.

The king nodded and the messenger loosed the knots holding the bundle. Working the knots quickly, the messenger unfurled the carpet for the king to see.

As the carpet rolled out, a silence pregnant with anticipation fell on the hall. All the court attendants and noblemen in attendance leaned forward curiously to see what the carpet—considered the rarest treasure in the dangerous deserts—looked like.

The blue carpet spread out its handwoven threads for all to see. But it was plain. Not a single pattern on it. But this only made the people more curious, they craned their necks and leaned forward expecting to see something, anything, extraordinary.

Gasps echoed through the prodigious hall as Ntami rolled out of the carpet. She stood up nimbly, unfazed by the stares and the nobility agog with whispers. Ntami bowed lowly to the king before facing the musicians who started playing on cue.

As the mersmerizing music filled the hall, Ntami slowly began to twirl her hands above her head. She leaned backward till her head nearly touched the back of her calves. She rose again, slowly lowering her hands so that they lightly caressed her body as they moved down, lingering on her breasts for a few seconds longer before moving lower to rest on her hips.

As the music picked up pace, she arched her spine and jerked her shoulders and chest to the rhythmic beats. Ntami closed her eyes and let the music serenade her overactive nerves. The murmurs that reached her ears let her know the crowd had been teased enough, they were curious to know more. She had their undivided attention.

Ntami opened her eyes slowly. She pushed her hips back then placed one foot in front of the other and raised her hands above her head again. Then proceeded to tilt her waist slowly from side to side to the music.

As the drum beats sped up, her body became more languid and pliant to the music. She surrendered herself to the enthralls of the music. She jerked her hips sharply from  side to side, up and down, round and round. Her belly twisted, curled and deepened like the waves of the sea to her hips.

Ntami espied her audience from her half-closed black-lined eyes. She lowered herself to the ground. Then in a sudden movement, she slid across the ground with the fluidity of an eel. Her body rolled across the floor, crossing the length of the room till she was a few feet from the throne. Slowly, Ntami let the shocked gasps fill her senses with exhilaration as she lifted herself off the floor.