Tariq Ali - A Sultan in Palermo

Mayya could do no more than thank them with genuine warmth. They saluted her and departed.

‘It’s a strange time,’ she now said to Balkis. ‘I have never known any like it in all my time at the palace. For days the eunuchs have whispered to each other, weeping copious tears and ignoring our calls. Philip inspired a loyalty which is astonishing.’

Balkis nodded but did not reply.

‘The Amir of Siracusa will give us an account of what has happened. When do both of you leave?’

‘My husband will want to return as soon as possible. Ibn Muhammad and I were lucky. The winds favoured us. But it can take two days to return and they’re already burning monasteries in Noto.’

‘Balkis, my dearest friend and sister, you seem agitated. Tell me what distracts you and speak the truth. Is it the tragedy of Philip that has upset you so much?’

‘Please stop, Mayya. I can’t bear it. You know perfectly well what ails me. I am sure I have his child inside me.’

‘That should make you happy. It’s what you wanted.’

‘I know, but I don’t know. I never thought this could upset me so much.’

‘Ah, I understand. During the night, love’s hand draped you in a garment of embraces, but cruel dawn ripped it wide open again. It happens to all of us. Listen to me now, Balkis. You must stop behaving like a lovelorn girl of sixteen. You’re a married woman. Within a few hours your husband will return and demand you leave with him. What will you do? Think, child.’

‘I will go with him,’ replied Balkis meekly, ‘but my heart will remain here.’

‘I’ll look after it, I promise you. It would be a terrible humiliation for your husband if you did not return. If you are pregnant, what if he became angry and accused you of adultery? You have to think of everything in these times.’

‘Mayya, I will go with him, don’t worry. What I don’t understand is how you, who could share the Sultan’s favours with fifty others, not counting his wife, are reluctant to share Muhammad with me?’

‘I think in all my time in the palace, Rujari came to my bed twice. Do you hear? Twice! He knew I loved his friend and he averted his eyes and let the eunuchs bring Muhammad to see me whenever he was in Palermo. If I had to share Muhammad I would rather it was you than anyone else. But I prefer to keep him for myself. You barely know him. How can you love him without fully understanding him or what he writes?’

‘Did you know all that when you first lay in his arms?’

‘You have a husband, who is kind to you and…’

‘If you like him so much, why don’t we exchange husbands? You go to Siracusa and I’ll stay here.’

‘You are a foolish woman.’

They fell silent just as Elinore walked into the room.

‘What have you two been arguing about?’

Silence.

‘Let me guess. My father.’

The sisters looked up in astonishment.

‘It wasn’t that difficult. My aunt was in a strange mood last night and so were you, Ummi. And the maids were giggling and whispering about how many times they would have to wash the sheets in the guest chamber. Are you bleeding, aunt?’

Balkis repressed a smile and shook her head.

‘I thought not. So I realised that something of which I was not aware was going on between you two and him. Has everything been resolved? Clearly not. Are both of you pregnant?’

‘Elinore, this is unacceptable.’

‘I overheard the pair of you laughing and plotting when we were in Siracusa. I didn’t hear everything, but enough to understand what was going on. I hoped my aunt would succeed and I would have a cousin-brother or a cousin-sister. Could one of you explain what went wrong with your plan?’

‘She fell in love with your father and would prefer to stay here with us.’

‘It’s an interesting idea but, my lovely aunt, what about my kind uncle? He would feel terribly hurt. He’s such a sweet man.’

Balkis left the room in tears.

‘Elinore,’ said her mother in the sternest voice she could muster, ‘it’s not for you to tell your aunt what she can or cannot do. It will be her choice.’

‘You don’t want to share Abi with her, or do you? Nothing that you sisters do could surprise me. Are you pregnant, Ummi?’

‘I think so, I’m not sure yet.’

‘I wonder which of you will be first?’

Their conversation was interrupted by the return of the men. Idrisi entered the room with the Amir, who was offered a bath and refreshments, but declined.

He wanted to speak with his wife. Ibn Fityan escorted him to the guest chamber.

‘What is going on, Muhammad?’ asked Mayya. ‘And you should know that our daughter is aware of everything. She eavesdropped on me and Balkis in Siracusa…’

‘Overheard Ummi and Aunt Balkis in Siracusa,’ Elinore cut in.

Moments later, the Amir and a strangely exultant Balkis joined them. The Amir hugged his niece and asked about life outside the palace. She replied it was still too early to judge.

Then he turned to Mayya. ‘I am so grateful to my dear friend, Ibn Muhammad, for agreeing that Balkis should stay here for a few months. I will be travelling to various villages and towns in our region and she would be lonely in the palace on her own. She said she would accompany me on my journeys, but the situation is dangerous. Some monasteries have already been set on fire. With your permission, I will leave now. If Ibn Fityan would accompany me, I might reach my ship sooner. May Allah protect you all.’

The three women did not look at each other. Elinore, finding it difficult to contain her mirth, excused herself and left the room. Mayya and Balkis smiled vacantly.

Idrisi walked out with the Amir and bade him farewell. ‘Do not worry about Balkis. She will be well looked after.’

‘In these uncertain times,’ replied her husband, ‘it’s the only thing of which I am sure.’

The Trusted One frees a village and gives battle to the Lombard barbarians. The sweet scent of victory. Life and fate.

AT FIVE O’ CLOCK in the morning the messenger sent by the Trusted One returned to the rough encampment. Autumn was nearing its end and the recent rains had veiled the countryside around Noto in green. The streams that wound their way from the small hills to the flat ground where the villages had been built were swollen once again. A slight chill in the air and the restless mules were an indication that thunder and more rain were on the way.

The messenger went to the rough shelter under which the Trusted One rested. ‘Master, I delivered your message to our people. The men were frightened, but they will help as you requested. They say there are almost three hundred well-armed Lombard barbarians. Most of them live in the castle on the estate of Bishop John. They say these men steal our crops and harass our women each day because they have nothing else to do.’

‘Did you tell them that the children and women should leave the village before sunrise and find shelter elsewhere today?’

The messenger nodded.

‘They will. They were fearful that hostages might be taken and spoke of a village a day’s ride from here where some years ago the children had been taken and killed, and their heads put on pikes and left to rot. It was a fearful story.’

‘You have done well. Go and eat something. In a few hours we will surprise the barbarians.’

The news of Philip’s death had reached the Trusted One over two weeks ago. He had decided against immediate reprisals for the simple reason that he assumed the enemy might be prepared. This turned out to be true. When the Bishop returned from the trial and burning he had alerted his mercenaries and they were prepared, but when they saw that there was no reaction, not even after the Bishop had announced Philip’s death as a warning to all those who attempted to deceive the Church and God, they had relaxed their guard once again.