"What are you thinking about?" Sitara noticed the small smile playing at the end of Leila's lips and she snapped her fingers. "Are you fantasizing about the kind of man you would want?"
"I think every girl did that as a child, and even though we are not children, we are still doing it," Yazmin said with a slight sigh. "Every one of us had once imagined what we prefer the ideal partner to look like."
"Leila, do you want a big strong man?" Nasrin asked Layla paused for a while and then she nodded. "A big strong man who was mightier than other men."
Nasrin's voice then became a slow wistful whisper.
"I used to think about Shahkhur like this," and the rest of the women gasped loudly in shock and surprise their gaze darting towards Nasrin's in panic.
"But Shakur is a beast," Minoo argued. "You shouldn't think about a legend in that way."
"Even though he is a beast, he isn't just any beast," Nasrin added. "He is the king of beasts and that makes him even more majestic, what do you think would happen if I'm able to captivate the heart of such an evil creature?" Nasrin hugged herself swaying from side to side in the water.
"He will never let any man touch me, he will gouge out the eyes of those who look at me scornfully and pull out the tongues of those who insult me." There was a shameless hue on her cheeks, Leila just watched in awe. "Imagine I can tame such a powerful beast, all men would fear me."
"She has a point," Sitara yelled… "I also imagine him as a strong big man as fierce as a bear, as cruel a tiger and as soft as cotton for me and me alone."
"I need somebody like that someone who knows how to take care of a woman's desire."
Leila was silent for a while as she watched her sisters reveal their dirty thoughts and guilty pleasures, they would never believe it if she were to tell them that they were right… Shahkhur is indeed a man.
A big strong man just like they are fantasizing right now.
But that didn't matter, even if he was quite an attractive man, she hoped to never meet him again, her wandering hands found the amulet that she had worn on her neck.
Trusting in its power to ward off evil from her, because she would need the divine powers tonight since she was going to be returning home later than expected.
"No!" Nasrin suddenly yelled as she scrambled out of the bath, and picked one of the cloth to cover her bare wet body. "It's so late, you need to be on your way now, Leila."
"That's true." Leila agreed as she rolled down her sleeves. She was ready to go home when the door to the bathhouse suddenly burst open and some men flooded in.
The ladies who were taking their baths were already getting dressed and some were about to just the bath.
All of them yelled and screamed, running further into the bathhouse, grabbing all they could to hide their naked bodies away from the lustful gaze of the men that just invaded their privacy.
Nasrin grabbed a large cloth and wrapped themselves in it.
"This part of the Glory house is off limits to the customers," Nasrin said as the rest of the women stood away from the door.
The men who had barged in seemed to be drunk, their gaze lustful.
"Madam Baran had charged us twice the normal amount of money only to offer us amateurs, the stupid girl given to me didn't even know how to use her lips." He complained furiously, slurring out the words. "So I thought to myself, why not come look for the skilled ones."
"That is between you and Madam Baran, we have no part in it." Nasrin continued. "Today is the only day in each month we get to spend alone without attending to costumers and you are interrupting our bath. This is disrespectful!"
The man fell silent for a while, and before any one could react, he slapped Nasrin across the face, causing her to fall, a small gasp echoed, and some of the bolder women stepped forward to assist their own the others stood back in fear.
"How dare a mere courtesan like you, tell me what respect is!" He yelled at her. "Do you know who I am, and what my position is in this kingdom?"
"Don't argue with him, sister." Minoo whispered to her. "This is Shapour, the governor's son, he killed a courtesan two months ago because she was screaming too much in his ears."
Even that didn't make Nasrin fear, she instead became angry.
"We don't care about your position." Nasrin bit down on her injured lips. "You have no right to treat us like this especially when we became courtesans because the shah forced us to, even dogs have right, so I ask of you to show some respect and leave."
Leila stood there unsure of what to do, she wanted to defend her sister, but knowing that she would be arrested as well, if there was a brawl she stood back.
The man's eyes landed on Leila, and he paused for a while, trying to recognize the lad, he walked away from Nasrin, he grabbed Leila by her hair, a small gasp escaped her slightly parted lips and her green eyes rested on his rough face.
He had never seen this one in here before, even though he was a very good customer and had been patronizing the house for years.
Is she new? He thought to himself.
"You," he muttered. "What is your name?"
The hall became silent as all eyes fell on Leila, no one said a word, because if they did, they would also be accomplices to a crime.
Leila froze unsure of what to do or say, she had taken off the veil she wore before she came to the bathhouse.
She simply didn't reply.
"I asked you a question, what is your name?" He growled even louder and Leila shut her eyes, Nasrin got up in an instant and rushed towards them.
"She is mute." She lied. "She had never spoken a word since she was born."
A small smirk played on his lips as he heard the words. "That's better, I like the less noisy ones, I want this one," He pushed Leila to the ground. "Dress her up and send her to my room."