Limited Tenure (Repost)

6.16. - Duration of a bond

An odalisque is the possession of her owner from the date of her purchase for an agreed period up to a maximum of six years or until such time as she is sold or her owner grants her freedom from her bond to him.

The question of tenure is a controversial one in Code d’ Odalisque. The Code places a limit on how long a woman can be an odalisque - we receive emails from women who strongly disagree with this rule. Their argument is that they are born slaves and will always be slaves and so how can there be a time limit on their active service? Here are a few points to consider:

*The Code limits odalisque slavery to six years. This, in fact, is traditional and historical. Indeed, it is even Biblical! The idea of limited-tenure slavery was a feature of Near Eastern slave traditions and this has continued into the modern rewriting of those traditions that is Code d’ Odalisque. The classical duration of slavehood is “a sabbath of years”. Slaves were freed on the seventh year.

*An odalisque is a specialised type of slave. Common slaves are called “memlooks” in Code d’ Ode. A woman can be a memlook for her whole life without restriction. But she can only spend a part of that time elevated into the special role of odalisque. After serving as an odalisque she can always return to being a memlook. Memlooks can be used for sexual service just like an odalisque but they do not have the rights and privileges of odalisques, among other differences.

*Odalisque slavery is intense. It is physically and psychologically demanding to be a dedicated cockslave. Code d’ Ode uses techniques of psychological training such as psychological “simplification” that are deep and profound. It is not advisable for a woman to be subjected to the intense demands of cockslavery for too long in her life. Odalisque slavery is similar to prostitution in this respect - to work as a prostitute for a few years is one thing, but in the long term it will take its toll on a woman. No one wants to create sad old burnt-out odalisques.

*Beauty fades. It is best if a woman spends time as an odalisque while young, horny and nubile. But these things don’t last forever. An odalisque is an exquisite treasure. Such beauty is, by the nature of things, fleeting.

*Odalisque slavery is about one thing and one thing only - sex. This is great but there are - finally - other things in life. We do need to keep matters in perspective. The sexual adventure an odalisque brings a man is after all an *ornament* to a rich life. Let us not mistake the ornament for the substance of the thing itself. Life is rich and diverse and complex. Sex is its greatest pleasure, but not its only pleasure by any means. In any case, most modern women want many things from life. Sexual adventure is only one of them.

*People change. We all go through phases. We all take detours and wrong turns and back streets in life. A young woman will enter odalisque slavery with conviction and zeal, but six years later she has grown and matured into a different person and now looks forward to wider interests. Her biology has kicked in too and she has begun to start thinking about having children before she gets too old. This is the reality. Code d’ Odalisque takes account of the realities.

* When we say that a woman is born to be an odalisque - she is an odalisque by nature - this does not mean she should be one her whole life. Yes, she is born to be a cockslave, it is her nature, and it may be her whole purpose in life, but she can fulfil that purpose in a single period of her life. After that she returns to being either freewoman or memlook. She would never have felt fulfilled if she had not been an odalisque. It was something she had to do. She was born for it. But she can satisfy her innate need to serve by being a cockslave for several years only - she doesn’t need to spend her whole life as one. Some people feel driven to climb to the peak of a mountain. They climb the mountain and feel fulfilled. They don’t have to live up there!

*Keeping an odalisque is a heavy expense for a man. Few men could afford to keep an odalisque indefinitely. It is best, therefore, if the arrangement is finite.

*Finite tenure adds to the intensity of play. If a Slavekeeper knows that his use of his cockslave is only until a certain date, he will be inclined to put her to constant and extensive use while he has the chance. This is a good thing. Code d’ Ode promotes intense sexual exploration.