turned back to Zimat. ‘Your brother has invited me to breakfast. I hope my presence will not be too burdensome.’
‘Brother! You should have consulted me!’ Zimat complained. Faridah rolled her eyes. It was obvious that Zimat was not truly angry. ‘I have nothing prepared that is fit for a guest.’
‘I purchased melons.’ Yusuf nodded to the fruits Ubadah carried.
‘I will see what can be done. Come, Faridah.’ Zimat took the fruits, and the two women headed for the kitchen. Ubadah followed.
Yusuf led Shawar inside. They sat amidst cushions and Yusuf poured tea. Shawar sipped at it before clearing his throat. ‘When do you think Nur ad-Din will respond to my request for aid?’
Yusuf shrugged. ‘I have presented your case to him many times. He gives no answer.’
Shawar sighed. ‘As much as I enjoy your hospitality, friend, I long to return to Egypt. It is a paradise. The fields are green. The air is warm.’ He winked. ‘The women are beautiful. You would like it. Faridah is a beauty, but she grows old. You could use another woman.’
Yusuf thought of Asimat and frowned.
‘I did not mean to offend, Yusuf,’ Shawar hurried to assure him. ‘But I can see that you are unhappy here. You need a fresh start . Help me to retake Egypt, and I will offer you a place at my court. I could use a man of your vision and experience.’
‘I would gladly follow you to Egypt, friend, but the choice is not mine to make. I serve at Nur ad-Din’s pleasure. I will go if he commands me.’
‘Surely he will!’ Shawar declared and launched into a speech that Yusuf had heard many times. ‘I will make Nur ad-Din the overlord of Egypt and give him a third of the kingdom’s revenue, if only he helps me retake Cairo. He must act. Every day he waits, the traitor Dhirgam grows stronger, and his allies the Franks with him. I ask only—’
He fell silent as Zimat entered, followed by two servants carrying trays loaded with dishes of sliced melon, steaming flatbread, olives, dates, soft cheeses, broad beans in garlic, boiled eggs and apricot jam. Zimat sat while the servants placed the dishes on the ground before Yusuf and Shawar.
‘Such a feast!’ Shawar exclaimed. ‘You have outdone yourself, Zimat.’
‘It is nothing.’
‘You are too modest. Such a meal would put to shame the chefs of the Egyptian caliph himself.’
Zimat blushed and busied herself pouring more tea. Yusuf could see that his sister was pleased. Perhaps if Yusuf went to Egypt, she could come with him and marry Shawar. She would like that.
‘Tell my sister what you told me about the pyramids,’ Yusuf suggested to Shawar.
‘They are a marvel!’ Shawar described the incredible structures while they breakfasted. Yusuf was sure he was exaggerating, but Zimat listened wide-eyed.
They were finishing breakfast when one of Nur ad-Din’s mamluks arrived. ‘You are wanted at the palace, Emir,’ he told Saladin. ‘Asimat has given birth to a son.’
‘A son?’ Yusuf murmured. His son. He suddenly felt dizzy and placed a hand on the floor to steady himself.
‘Are you well, friend?’ Shawar asked.
‘Of course.’ Yusuf forced a smile. ‘The kingdom has an heir, Allah be praised.’
‘Perhaps now that Allah has blessed him, Nur ad-Din will listen to my request.’
‘I will ask him.’
‘
Shukran
,’ Shawar said and bowed, a hand over his heart. ‘You are a true friend, Saladin.’
Yusuf entered the antechamber to Nur ad-Din’s apartments to find that his uncle Shirkuh and the eunuch Gumushtagin had arrived before him. Shirkuh was handing his sword and dagger over to the guards who protected the king. Gumushtagin saw Yusuf first.
‘As-salaamu ‘alaykum, Saladin,’ he said. Yusuf nodded curtly.
‘Young eagle!’ Shirkuh cried. He embraced Yusuf and kissed him three times, the appropriate greeting between male relatives. ‘Have you heard the news? An heir to the kingdom! Perhaps this will finally dispel the dark cloud our lord
‘Brother! You should have consulted me!’ Zimat complained. Faridah rolled her eyes. It was obvious that Zimat was not truly angry. ‘I have nothing prepared that is fit for a guest.’
‘I purchased melons.’ Yusuf nodded to the fruits Ubadah carried.
‘I will see what can be done. Come, Faridah.’ Zimat took the fruits, and the two women headed for the kitchen. Ubadah followed.
Yusuf led Shawar inside. They sat amidst cushions and Yusuf poured tea. Shawar sipped at it before clearing his throat. ‘When do you think Nur ad-Din will respond to my request for aid?’
Yusuf shrugged. ‘I have presented your case to him many times. He gives no answer.’
Shawar sighed. ‘As much as I enjoy your hospitality, friend, I long to return to Egypt. It is a paradise. The fields are green. The air is warm.’ He winked. ‘The women are beautiful. You would like it. Faridah is a beauty, but she grows old. You could use another woman.’
Yusuf thought of Asimat and frowned.
‘I did not mean to offend, Yusuf,’ Shawar hurried to assure him. ‘But I can see that you are unhappy here. You need a fresh start . Help me to retake Egypt, and I will offer you a place at my court. I could use a man of your vision and experience.’
‘I would gladly follow you to Egypt, friend, but the choice is not mine to make. I serve at Nur ad-Din’s pleasure. I will go if he commands me.’
‘Surely he will!’ Shawar declared and launched into a speech that Yusuf had heard many times. ‘I will make Nur ad-Din the overlord of Egypt and give him a third of the kingdom’s revenue, if only he helps me retake Cairo. He must act. Every day he waits, the traitor Dhirgam grows stronger, and his allies the Franks with him. I ask only—’
He fell silent as Zimat entered, followed by two servants carrying trays loaded with dishes of sliced melon, steaming flatbread, olives, dates, soft cheeses, broad beans in garlic, boiled eggs and apricot jam. Zimat sat while the servants placed the dishes on the ground before Yusuf and Shawar.
‘Such a feast!’ Shawar exclaimed. ‘You have outdone yourself, Zimat.’
‘It is nothing.’
‘You are too modest. Such a meal would put to shame the chefs of the Egyptian caliph himself.’
Zimat blushed and busied herself pouring more tea. Yusuf could see that his sister was pleased. Perhaps if Yusuf went to Egypt, she could come with him and marry Shawar. She would like that.
‘Tell my sister what you told me about the pyramids,’ Yusuf suggested to Shawar.
‘They are a marvel!’ Shawar described the incredible structures while they breakfasted. Yusuf was sure he was exaggerating, but Zimat listened wide-eyed.
They were finishing breakfast when one of Nur ad-Din’s mamluks arrived. ‘You are wanted at the palace, Emir,’ he told Saladin. ‘Asimat has given birth to a son.’
‘A son?’ Yusuf murmured. His son. He suddenly felt dizzy and placed a hand on the floor to steady himself.
‘Are you well, friend?’ Shawar asked.
‘Of course.’ Yusuf forced a smile. ‘The kingdom has an heir, Allah be praised.’
‘Perhaps now that Allah has blessed him, Nur ad-Din will listen to my request.’
‘I will ask him.’
‘
Shukran
,’ Shawar said and bowed, a hand over his heart. ‘You are a true friend, Saladin.’
Yusuf entered the antechamber to Nur ad-Din’s apartments to find that his uncle Shirkuh and the eunuch Gumushtagin had arrived before him. Shirkuh was handing his sword and dagger over to the guards who protected the king. Gumushtagin saw Yusuf first.
‘As-salaamu ‘alaykum, Saladin,’ he said. Yusuf nodded curtly.
‘Young eagle!’ Shirkuh cried. He embraced Yusuf and kissed him three times, the appropriate greeting between male relatives. ‘Have you heard the news? An heir to the kingdom! Perhaps this will finally dispel the dark cloud our lord