The Harem

The sultan’s behavior was changing. As the campaign ended in a devastating loss, he began drinking alcohol and smoking opium, and would no longer take one of his concubines by the hand and lead her off to his private bedchamber. He commanded them to stay in the harem naked, and entered wearing nothing from the waist down. Coming upon the first odalisque, he started to fuck her in view of the entire group. The concubines tried to look like they were not disturbed, smiling and pretending,but they knew something was not going well in the empire.