There will be huge ball gowns, enchanting combinations of color — pale blue served with pistachio, and equestrienne habits for riding sidesaddle.

When she stood at the bottom, the two tall priestesses put on her a black robe and hood and mantle, and turned her around again to face the steps, the dark stain, the throne.

In Jeddah, a more liberal port city, seamstresses design abayas with bright colours and women smoke water-pipes out of doors.