Gradually Malek and Khalidah began to see the sense of his argument, and finally, after numerous questions, she asked, “How do you know these slaves, these rowers, won’t cut our throats and take the ship off, once we free them, Suleiman?”
Talon thought about his answer. “Because I will give them my word that I shall help them get to the kingdom of Jerusalem, and I will make them swear by their God that they will work with us until that time. My Lady, we have to give them something to hope for, or they will surely be useless when we need them.”
Everyone was silent for a long moment as they digested this.
Khaldun glanced at Talon then turned his look upon Malek, who was still somewhat skeptical.
“My Lady, Suleiman by all accounts has never led us false, although he knows how to lie like an Armenian merchant. Look at the story he told us about Alexandria!” Everyone laughed at this, and even Talon had to smile ruefully, while Khalidah put a hand over her mouth. The children began to giggle, and the tension was broken. Out of the corner of his eye, Talon observed Khaldun’s beard jumping up and down as the old man shook with laughter, and he knew his proposition was going to be accepted.
“How then does my Aba feel about all of this?” Khalidah enquired of Khaldun.
“I support the idea, and for this reason,” Khaldun said, composing himself. “Suleiman has told us a good tale in the past but he has never willingly allowed harm to any of us. He has not stated such, but it is clear to me we have little choice but to find men in any place we can. We have only twenty who can fight, other than your warriors sitting here. While we might find men where we are going in Aswan, it is not very likely. The rowers number some forty men, of whom a few are too sick to do much, but the rest will at least double our numbers. If we can find time to get their health back, these men who have pulled oars for months will be able to fight. If it is Allah’s will, then we should use what resources we have at our disposal, my Lady.”
“The man we talked to yesterday is a fighter for certain,” Max pointed out.
“Then we must decide when and where we do this thing,” Malek said firmly, with an enquiring look at Khalidah, who nodded her assent.
“Suleiman, you talk to that man and tell him to promise before his God that he will work for us until we are sure we are safe in Aswan, or elsewhere, we will free him and his companions. Before Allah, I, in turn, will promise that; but we will have to make sure that no one in Cairo ever hears of it, or they will construe it as treason!”
It was a sobering thought.
They sailed all day enduring the blazing sun and watching the fast flowing water change color as they proceeded up stream. At one point Malek came to the front of the ship to join Talon and Max, who were staring down at the dark brown color of the river.
“It’s rising, the Nile is rising. We shall have to be careful because it brings with it much that is dangerous to a ship such as ours.”
“What do you mean, Malek?” Max asked.
“The water brings with it trees and huge islands of reeds that can engulf a ship, such as that over there.”
He pointed to a long green strip of reeds, about two hundred yards long, off their port bow moving with the flow of the water.
“That is a papyrus island and has to be avoided because if we are caught in its fronds we will not be able to pull the boat free and it could drag us for miles, possibly driving us onto the bank. Men would have to get onto the rushes to cut us free. It can be dangerous, as there are crocodiles,” he said, and gave a sardonic laugh at their fearful expressions.
“This means that we have to anchor at night, or we will not see these hazards before it is too late,” Talon remarked.
“You are right,” Malek said. “We can anchor near the banks and wait till dawn.”
“I suggest we find a bank full of those loathsome creatures and point it out to our friends of the crew. If they want to leave, then it is their choice, but only God will protect them after that,” Max said with a laugh.
Malek looked at Max. “By Allah, but I think you are a cruel man, Max!” he said, but his cold grin belied his statement.
The ship dropped anchor that evening and soon it was tugging gently at its tether ropes while the people on the boat ate a sparse evening meal of dates and dried bread. Talon wondered when they would eat another meal similar to those he so enjoyed back at Fayoum.
They forced the crewmen to unlock the prisoners one by one. Henry was the first to be brought up, still tethered, where he was confronted, not by Talon, who stood back, but by Malek.
“Tell him, Suleiman, that I am unhappy with this arrangement, but that my word is my life, and I shall promise him his freedom in your charge if he will serve my Lady until it is time for you to leave us.” Malek pointed to a sandy bank of the river where the long shapes of the river crocodiles lay and added, “If there is any attempt by any of your men to harm us, or betray us, we shall give you to those creatures.”
Henry understood the message without Talon having to explain much. He drew himself up and faced Malek proudly. “I am a noble in my country, and although I hate all of your people, I shall give my word before my God, that I will not attempt to escape; and indeed, I shall serve you and that man, until it is time,” he said with a chin movement towards Talon.
Malek nodded, and Henry was free. He gave a little bow and then looked bemused.
Malek then ordered his men to arrest the members of the crew and hold them, including the steersmen. The frightened men, having seen the gesturing towards the fearsome crocodiles, cried out in terror, thinking that might be their fate. They protested vehemently that they would work for Malek faithfully.
“You shall, you shall, all in Allah’s good time,” he promised them.
More men were released, and those who came from the western countries who knew Henry were more than prepared to work with him. They were stunned by this sudden turn of events in favor of their lives, and many dropped to their knees and thanked God for their release.
They were told that they might still have to row, but that they would not be prisoners. They were set to work cleaning up the lower decks as quickly as possible to make it a better place, for they could not all stay on the top deck. They set to with a will.
The remaining men, of whom there were about fifteen, were brought before Panhsj and Malek to be examined. Five were rejected immediately by Malek, as he knew a criminal when he saw one. These were sent back down below amid screams of abuse and hate. The other ten were turned over to Panhsj, who took them to the bow and spent an hour talking to them.
From his vantage point on the after deck Talon had the feeling these men would work for Panhsj when the time came. After making sure that things were going well, Malek ordered the former crew to be sent below. They protested loudly and plaintively as they were set down and chained to the seats of their former prisoners. There was laud jeering from the now freed prisoners as they watched it happen, but Talon impatiently raised his hand for silence.
“You are freed to work for us, but you do not have your freedom as yet,” he chided them in French. He pointed to Malek. “This man, called Malek, is the chief here, and if he decides that you have to go back down there, I cannot do anything about it, so keep your mouths shut. This man is called Max,” he said, pointing to Max, who was standing nearby. “You will obey him at all times, do you understand?”
The ragged group of scarecrows became hushed. But they understood, and nodded in silence, although their exuberance was not stilled for long. Several offered their services as sailors, and Henry agreed to be their spokesman.
Malek’s fighting men observed the whole thing with stoic wariness. He had explained the situation to them, but they gave the released prisoners a wide berth all the same, fingering their weapons and remaining watchful.
The journey to Aswan lasted another three days, and when finally they sighted the Island of the Elephant everyone was relieved that they were about to get off the overcrowded sh
ip. The Norsemen who had volunteered to steer the ship called to Malek for directions and he pointed to the small harbor off the western bank. The other sailors, under the skillful direction of Henry, now hauled the sails round and the ship glided towards its berth.
My enemy shames me, although the shame
Will surface soon in him by surprise.
His mind is blinded and he can’t see
Beyond the view from his own eyes.
— Vidal Beneventiste
Chapter 27
Sultan’s Command
Three months later Talon and Max rode their horses at a comfortable pace across the dry, rock strewn desert towards the group of buildings clustered on a mound near to the great river. They reined in at the gate and waited for the guards to open it. A large hawk sat on Talon’s right wrist, gripping the thick leather glove in its sharp claws. Most of its speckled white head was hidden by a leather hood and there were still blood stains on its chest feathers and claws from its recent victims.
The two had taken a ride late that afternoon, as much to talk in private as to hunt. They had hunted well and their bounty would be handed off to the cooks. The bird of prey belonged to the Emir, Khalidah’s uncle. He had suggested that Talon take his birds out, once he recognized that Talon had a way with the hawks. He explained that he was too old to go out very often, and the birds did not get enough exercise. In truth, the old man preferred to spend long hours with Khaldun in his extensive library, where the two of them would recollect the old times and study the new arts of algebra and optics that had come from Persia. They had fallen into this pattern of life from the moment their ship had landed at Aswan and they had asked for asylum; an easily formed habit it was for two men of intellect.
Talon accepted the task of taking the birds to stretch their wings with gratitude, and now he and Max made it a routine to go off into the desert to hunt and talk about the time they might finally leave. Today had been no different. They had ridden for some miles to where a stand of trees grew around a small wadi and here they dismounted and squatted in the shade to examine their options for the hundredth time. Talon was impatient to leave, but Max pointed out they had unfinished business to complete.
“You know well there are other people who mean the Lady Khalidah and Kazim harm, Talon. Until we know who they are, it would be foolhardy and disloyal to leave just yet. All we would be doing is putting them at risk, and this time, Al Muntaqim, whoever he is, could be waiting.”
“You are right as ever, Max, but we have been here in Aswan for months now. That makes it more than a year since we left Albi, and still we cannot go to the Kingdom of Jerusalem. I feel trapped.”
“Ha, Talon, be patient, that time will come,” Max said in a comforting tone.
There had been trickles of news from the north, most of it brought by the merchants and drovers passing through who stopped at the modest souk in Aswan and enquired about the situation further south. They needed information, and as often as not, it was dangerous for them to continue. These men were on their way to the savannahs and jungles far to the south, where the great elephants with two long teeth grazed. They made the dangerous journey to barter not only for the gold that was mined by the black men but also the tusks that the black men harvested at great peril from the huge beasts. The merchants who lived to return would bring back to Cairo or Alexandria rich bounty to sell to the eager craftsmen to convert into great works of art for the rich.
Malek had his spies listening in the souk, but he went himself with Panhsj and Talon from time to time to hear the merchants relate the latest skirmish with the Frans, or with some other Arab city like Aleppo. It was common knowledge that the hungry Sultan Salah Ed Din furthered his gains in the north. One consistent rumor they brought with them was the bewildering disappearance of the entire family of Emir Abbas.
This rumor was the subject of the discussion again today.
“If the news is correct, and the sultan is still looking for my Lady, then perhaps we could leave for Jerusalem and my Lady should go to him for safety,” Max ventured.
“But Max, that brings us back full circle. We still do not know who it is that is trying to kill Kazim. It is about the Fayoum, I am sure. Malek told me it is one of the richest regions in all of Egypt, and whoever possesses it is one of the wealthiest and thus most powerful men in the country. Although you might never have suspected it, Lord Abbas was very, very rich, even though he was not one for showing off his wealth,” Talon said. “I wish we could take the fight to them instead of being prisoners here!” he exclaimed.
Max grinned at Talon’s glum expression. “It is not like you to be so down-hearted, Talon.”
“You are right Max, we are sitting here waiting for something to happen, but we do not know what; and worse, we do not know when.”
They rode into the Emir’s palace compound just as the sun was setting across the western desert. As they walked the horses through the gates, they noticed a small detachment of men waiting on horses by the stables, and Talon sensed that the situation was about to change.
“Perhaps we are about to find out the when,” he whispered to Max as they dismounted. The stable boy came to take their horses.
At that moment, Panhsj came striding towards them. “Greetings, my friends. Where have you been? Everyone is looking for you. We have to go before the Emir at once. My Lady wishes that all be present.”
Max and Talon hurried after him, and they were greeted by an impatient Malek, who had been pacing outside the main hall. He nodded tersely and led the way into the house and down the cool corridor to the main audience chamber. There they bowed deeply and waited for the old emir to notice them and to indicate that they should be seated.
As this had occurred many times since their arrival, Talon did not feel any particular excitement, but he did notice that there was a stranger in the room. The man looked as though he had come from the governor’s palace. His clothes were too fine for him to be one of the impoverished Emir’s retainers.
Talon smiled at the children and Khaldun, who were seated off to the right of the emir. Talon’s eyes roved over the usual servants and guards, then came to rest on the figure of Khalidah, who was seated to the left of the old man, and he found she was watching him. He bowed from the waist in acknowledgement, but by now the emir was talking.
“I have a letter from no less a person than the Sultan Salah Ed Din himself,” he began in his reedy voice. “He offers me blessing and peace, but he also asks if I might know the whereabouts of the Lady Khalidah.” He paused, almost for effect.
If he was expecting a reaction he was not disappointed. It was clear that the Lady Khalidah knew the contents, but only she did. The rest of the audience was now shifting in surprise at the news.
“My lord, how could he have known my Lady was here…?” Malek began.
“Allah knows. But it was only a matter of time, Malek,” the old man said.
“However, this now places me in a difficult position. I cannot deny what is evident to others than ourselves. As it was, before, unless I was asked, I did not have to offer the information, but now…” His old eyes glanced at the man standing off to the left near the window.
“We must leave at once and find another place,” Khalidah spoke up, and her voice carried clearly across the room.
“There is more to this letter, my Lady Khalidah, that I did not mention to you before,” the old man said, almost reluctantly.
“My lord?” she asked, turning her head to stare at him.
“It also asks that, should you be a guest of mine, I am to provide an escort that will take you directly back to Cairo to be presented before him.”
There was an astonished silence, and then Panhsj was on his feet. His sword almost drawn, he moved towards the man by the window menacingly.
Talon came to his feet, as did Max and Malek, but the emir said sharply, “Sit down, all of you. This man is merely the messenger, and he comes from the governor’s palace here in Aswan, not
from Cairo. The letter was sent to his care, but it is addressed to me.”
They subsided, leaving the messenger looking apprehensive. The men before him were indeed menacing.
“You must understand that if the sultan has written a letter like this, then he has some idea that the lady Khalidah is here, or could be here. Now that I have a letter in my hand, I have no recourse but to provide an escort and must ensure that she arrives in safety before the sultan,” the old man said firmly.
“So this is it,” Malek said almost to himself. “We are commanded to take the lady Khalidah back to where her life, and that of her son, will be in danger once more, but now at the command of the sultan himself!”
The debate about how they would manage a safe return went on till the sun was well set.
* * * * *
They sailed soon after dawn, three days later. The horses, as usual, were reluctant to travel in the ship, so the soldiers and crewmen had to coax them aboard. It took longer than anticipated to guide them along the wooden pier and down into the waist of the ship, where they were tied to a long rail that ran down the middle between the masts.
The main party, consisting of lady Khalidah, the children, and the womenfolk, were escorted onto the ship and hurried into the cabin at the back of the ship. Talon was at the side of the ship when Khalidah came aboard, but other than a warm glance at him she said nothing. She did take his proffered hand for support, giving it a small squeeze as she came across the side. She led the children below into the cabin, closely followed by the women servants. The ever-protective Malek posted guards at the doorway.
Assassination in Al Qahira Page 38
