A Sultan in Palermo (22 page)

‘So what happened afterwards?’

‘Has Balkis not told you?’

‘Elinore did not give us a moment to ourselves, though I noticed a strange smile on my sister’s face.’

He told her the rest. With a resigned expression on her face, Mayya asked, ‘She really wants to live here, with us?’

‘She had no idea any more than you and me that this would happen so soon. We were discussing the situation after Rujari’s death and the inevitable changes in the palace.’

‘But she would be happy to leave the Amir and live as your second wife?’

‘Third.’

Mayya began to laugh. ‘You lived on your own for twenty years. Now you want both of us?’

‘I do.’

‘Let it be her choice, not yours. Her husband is a kind and considerate man and she is more attached to him than you realise. If you have succeeded in impregnating her, I do not think the Amir will ask any questions. He will be delighted and thank Allah and there will be rejoicings in Siracusa. Why deny him that small pleasure?’

‘I agree, it must be her choice. And she must think carefully.’

‘You can discuss it with her tonight after you have finished pleasuring each other.’

‘Mayya, I wanted to spend this night with you.’

‘Yes, yes. I know, but since you can’t, why remain alone when the high priestess awaits? I should leave you now. Elinore will be anxious.’

‘And should I tell Balkis I have told you everything or do you wish to inform her yourself?’

‘Of everything we have discussed today, that is the least important. It is a matter of no significance to me. Decide for yourself.’

‘You are angry, my nightingale, but why did you help Balkis to set the trap in the first place? I know she insisted that only my seed was good enough for her, but you could have refused.’

‘Complicity is better than deception. She was quite capable of doing all this without my help. And if she had succeeded, would either of you have told me?’

‘I hope I would have told you.’

‘Enjoy your night and sleep well.’

With these words Mayya left his room and returned to her daughter in the adjoining chamber. He remained seated, thinking of the turn his life had taken, how this latest phase had started and how it might end. But he did not stay alone for long. Tiptoeing out of his room, he made his way to the guest chamber.

They met just inside Balkis’s door, each so choked with passion that words eluded them. He lifted her off the ground and placed her gently on the large canopied bed where they undressed. Then he whispered,
‘Ishqan khumari, qum, atla.
Tonight, all five obligations in one. Are you ready?’ She replied by putting her legs around his neck so that his beard covered her clean-shaven and scented mound. Whenever either of them wanted to talk, the other would take preventive action. Hours later he noticed the sky and realised that dawn was not far away.

Balkis, also awake, confessed her anxiety. ‘I thought it would be difficult for you today, even after Elinore claimed her mother for the night.’

‘I was undecided. I wanted to be with you because I know the Amir will take you away very soon. Yet I did not wish to hurt Mayya either. Elinore’s request, I thought, was a useful one.’

She laughed. ‘For whom? Every time I’m with you I can’t bear the thought of going back to Siracusa. I know my husband is kind and considerate and all the other words Mayya uses to describe him. It’s true I’m not unhappy, but neither am I satisfied.’

‘I had noticed.’

She slapped his behind.

‘Mayya told me tonight that if you became pregnant it would make your husband so happy that he would ask no questions.’

‘Did she add that if it was a boy he would inherit large estates in Siracusa? That is what Aziz wants. What do you want, Muhammad?’

‘Habibi,
I want you.’

They made love for the fourth time that night. Then she repeated her question. ‘I don’t want loneliness in my life. Mayya and Elinore coming to live with me has solved that. But I will not be happy without you. Will you, could you be happy here?’

‘Muhammad, have you ever thought how you would feel if I asked to live with you and another man at the same time?’

‘Unthinkable. Why should I think about it? It is
haram,
not permitted by al-Quran.’

‘Nor is adultery which you’ve committed four times already tonight and will again if you can manage to rise for the fifth time before the sun does. And al-Quran states that men who fornicate with each other should be immediately killed. Has that stopped anyone? And those who mask themselves in piety are often the worst offenders. So answer my question.’

‘Balkis, Balkis. How can you ask that? The answer is no. I would not be able to tolerate you living with two men in the same house.’

‘But you tolerate my husband.’

‘He’s only half a man.’

‘That is unworthy of you.’

‘I apologise.’

He hid his face between her legs. The taste of her juices revived him and he managed to rise just before the sun, thus completing the five obligatory fornications of the jihad suggested by Abu Nuwas. She held him tight and the sun rose and they fell asleep in each other’s arms till a discreet knock on the door startled them both. A maidservant announced: ‘Breakfast is waiting on the terrace, Lady Balkis.’

None of them left the house that morning. Idrisi half-regretted that he had not attended the trial. At least he could have said farewell in public to his friend. He paced up and down the terrace and the rooms, looking on the streets to see if a crowd was assembling. Ibn Fityan left for a few hours and returned to inform them that the justiciaries had ordered the fires to be lit even before the trial had begun.

Idrisi could stay indoors no longer. He announced that he was going to the mosque to offer prayers for Philip. Ibn Fityan and four retainers asked to go with him. Two of them were armed.

The women watched from the balcony in silence as the men walked down the winding path to the main road. Elinore, sensing that her mother and aunt wished to be left alone, went to unpack the belongings that had just been delivered by men belonging to the palace administration. Mayya had insisted that the men stay for a meal, but they had declined. The oldest amongst them, a gaunt man of sixty, with tears in his eyes had replied, ‘I thank you for your offer, Lady Mayya, but our hearts are heavy today and we do not feel like eating. It’s a sad day for us. Amir Philip looked after us and protected our interests. If they can burn him, how long do you think we’ll survive?’

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.’

A
T 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.