A/N: I think I suggested in previous chapters that Saddam's children were adults in 1979 which as one comment pointed out is incorrect. So I may retcon the earlier chapters at a later date. But probably not.
I admit that I forgot about Saddams remaining children completely. I never felt any affection towards any of them. Easy to judge reading these words but I assure you transmigration is a strange phenomenon. I only remembered the remaining kids when I one day saw Qusay skulking around the Presidential Palace aimlessly. He looked dour and scheming something that set me on edge. Nothing happened per se but I kept mulling over their futures in my head for the rest of the day.
In the evening, I asked Kamal, "Kamal I want you to figure out boarding schools in North America, Europe, Australia for the kids. The best boarding schools but with a focus on outdoor type stuff."
"Of course your Excellency...but what do you mean by outdoor stuff?" he replied.
"You know...sports and learning how to milk cows...outdoorsy things. Which peasants would learn."
"Milking cows....forgive me your Excellency but why do you want the children to learn that? he asked nonplussed.
"Because I believe that being outside and doing physical labour makes you mentally stronger and happier," I replied. "God knows I was happier when I was just a urchin in Tikrit."
He chuckled nervously not knowing whether I was joking or not. I wasnt.
"Have it for me by the end of this week," I said firmly. He nodded and left to make me happy.
Four days later I found a neat pile of plasticy brochures on my desk and I sat down with an ice cold haram brewski to peruse all the educational options for Saddams kids.
Goddamn, some of the options were beautiful. Chalet type accommodations in a swiss boarding school with kayaking trips on lake Lucerne, skiing lessons in Grendel! A school in a glen in the Highlands that gave its students a personal assistant each. They were crazy and ostentatious. Like that 90s movie Richie Rich. I had fun going through all the brochures while sipping multiple alcoholic beverages.
Finally by early morning I had decided on one school for Qusay - it was near Christchurch in New Zealand. The school shared the land of a large farm/sheep ranch. Students spent a lot of the time outside in pursuits like Rugby, fishing, hiking. They also had to spend a minimum number of hours a week helping out at the farm learning all activities of farm life. It looked like a hard knock school but the students photographed all had ruddy pleased looking faces as compared the fake delight of the advertised students of other schools.
I had avoided picking any North American schools which tended to be incredibly preppy and focused on maintaining upper crust exclusivity. There was an interesting school near Adelaide Australia which had regular trip to the Outback as part of its curriculum but I was sure that Qusay would get killed by a snake there which would be a whole headache of it's own.
For the girls I picked two options, one in Bordeaux France and one in Austria. They were young and I wanted to give them the chance to meet with their mother from time to time. God knows it wasnt good for them to wander around the empty Palace like ghouls. Plus I was terrified of the eventual expectation that I would have to arrange marriages for them. Fuck that.
I called for Saddam's four remaining children to be brought before me then next day. The girls hugged me when they saw me, probably more as a sign of filial piety than actual affection. Qusay stayed at a respectful attention.
"Kids, I've realised that in focusing my attention on the country I've missed out on the welfare of my own children," I announced. The girls made perfunctory attempts to deny the statement. I waved their protests off.
"No no it's true. You are all in your teens now. You should be around children your own age, building your skills and experiencing life not haunting a palace."
They waited for me to continue.
"So I have decided to enroll all of you in Boarding Schools."
"No baba!" cried Raghda and the other girls also began to cry following her example. "Please Baba dont send us away."
I honestly couldn't tell if they were following the Asian norm of polite protest to indicate that you weren't happy to get away or if they were genuinely upset.
"Baba, I shall follow your wishes and strive to be the best student," Qusay said solemnly. I thought about asking him if he could apply some moisturizer since he was anyway busy licking my behind.
"Enough!" I said firmly bringing the loud protests of the girls to a halt.
"Qusay," I said handing him the brochure for the Christchurch school. "I have picked this school in New Zealand for you. You will be with children your age. You will get to spend time outdoors exploring that beautiful country."
He simply nodded as he accepted the brochure. But I think I saw the twinkle of genuine interest in his eyes.
"You three," I said looking at my sobbing daughters, hoping they would knock it off soon, "I will give you two options. One in France and one in Austria. You dont have to all attend the same school. Choose the one that is best for you."
I handed Raghda both brochures and her sisters crowded next to her to have a look. Interestingly their tears dried up as soon as they heard France. Let the shrew have them, good riddance.
The options for schools for girls were surprisingly regressive for the eighties. Most of them seemed to believe that their purpose was to prepare the young women for the fucking intellectually bankrupt Debutantes Ball. But the Bordeax and Salzburg schools focused on giving the girls the same opportunities as boys in sports, science and arts.
I let them have a few minutes to browse through the brochures in front of me.
"Kids," I said and they looked up at the softer tone of my voice. "I want you take this chance to be free to live your own lives. At these places you will not be Saddam's children. You can discover what you like and dislike. What you're good at. What you can achieve. I'm giving you this freedom but its up to you to make use of it. There will be no restrictions from my side, no arranged marriages, no demands that you return to Iraq. You can all marry who you want, work as a movie maker or a footballer whatever you can work hard towards. The only thing that I warn you is learn from what happened to Uday. If you turn cruel like him, the world will punish you and i will not save you, i will be waiting for my turn to punish you. Do you understand?"
The girls nodded rapidly. I think they looked very excited but I couldn't really be sure. "Will we be allowed to meet mother?" Raghda asked sounding frightened.
I sighed, "Yes of course. She shot me not you. But remember that your mother is set in her ways. If you give her the chance then she will try to control your lives. My suggestion is that you keep a distance so that you have lives of your own. But ultimately I will leave that decision to you. However you should know that if she tries to turn you to her political needs then I will bring my wrath upon her and her familys head."
Raghda nodded rapidly. The girls hugged me and dashed off talking excitedly, all memories of crying for their baba forgotten.
"What if I wish to return after school to become a part of the government?" Qusay asked in a curious tone of voice. I think for the first time in years he spoke to me from the heart.
I went close to him and put my hand on his shoulder. "Son, I mean to change iraq forever. No more will powerful men nominate their sons to take their places. From now on only people who prove their worth and continue to prove their worth will be in charge. So if you decide to come back, then make sure you come back ready to show that you are more skilled than any of Iraqs other sons or daughters."
He seemed to mull over my words before nodding and departing.
Thank fuck that was over. No more worrying about a family I dont give two shits about.
(Break)
Despite the new respite in familial obligations I was roughly awoken in the middle of the night by Kamal. He sounded grave.
"What is it?" I hissed. I hated being awoken like that.
"Pardon me your Excellency but theres been a serious incident?"
I waited for him to continue.
"The Kirkuk oil field has just been attacked by some terrorists. Several workers have been reported killed. There was some sort of explosive used which has lit up two oil wells."
FUCK.c