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Authors: Anthony Litton
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admiration. Firyal, however, glancing across at the younger woman, saw something she’d not expected, a shadow, swiftly disguised, of something else; something else entirely.
Badr indicated he now wished to speak. The gathering let him and heard him out with the courtesy his rank and reputation entitled him to. But it wasn’t enough. Nasir’s words had hit a chord, several chords, and, as he’d intended, a prime one was equality of influence under Talal’s rule; something that each faction in the room knew would not be theirs should a rival grouping triumph. Badr recognised something of this, so was content to speak briefly, setting out a marker should a new ruler become necessary.
Then he ended his short speech with his own master-stroke. He advised the gathering to confirm Talal as their new Emir.
Chapter Nine
A sheikh almost as old as Abdullah, and in ill-health, was heard to mutter loudly that one more shock would finish him off. He had a sympathetic audience. Lovers of the dramatic and theatrical though they were, many men felt they’d had more than enough to last a lifetime. To get them one after another in one meeting was, all were beginning to feel, somewhat excessive.
Caught off guard by Badr’s sudden proposal, Zahirah and Firyal exchanged alarmed, almost frightened, glances. Their rival’s swift reading of the assembly’s intentions, and his even swifter response, ensured that whilst his proposal bowed to the inevitable, the making of it put him in the strongest position for what came next.
And what came next, came quickly.
Even before Talal could be confirmed Omar, a long-time ally of Badr’s, and almost as fast a thinker, spoke quickly. “A truly wise and magnificent gesture, which I’m sure we will all concur with. Talal will doubtless become as great a leader and warrior as his father was, in time,” he added, after the briefest of pauses. “During the time before that day comes, however, he will need the guidance and support of the best amongst us and who would be better or stronger than Badr? I would therefore suggest that our brother becomes the boy’s regent.”
Ay ! Zahirah and Firyal had anticipated that the suggestion would arise if, or when, Badr saw that he couldn’t yet have the supreme prize by direct means, but not that it would be proposed so swiftly. They’d also been caught unawares by his masterly strategy of proposing the boy’s elevation himself. He was, they knew, now unstoppable. And Talal’s life would count for nothing. He would, they were chillingly aware, be dead within three months. Badr, already the regent, would then be unassailable and would step easily and unchallenged into the dead boy’s shoes, however bloody his hands were. So stunned were they by the rapid and dangerous turn of events, that they, at first, didn’t hear what the next speaker was saying. When they did hear, they couldn’t believe what their ears were telling them.
“An excellent suggestion, Brother, and one we should all accept and be grateful for. To have the experience and prowess of such an uncle to draw on in the difficult days we know we face can only be a relief to Talal, indeed, to us all.”
They, along with the rest of the gathering, listened in stunned astonishment as Nasir spoke and supported his half-brother’s elevation. All knew the consequences to the young boy seated next to him, the boy he’d sworn only minutes before to loyally support, consequences that he, they were chillingly aware, was also fully aware of.
Nasir paused, again gauging the effect his words were having, then continued. “But the burden is great and, in these warlike times no man’s life is secure. What would happen should something happen to Badr, before Talal becomes of age? We’ve seen how we have nearly torn ourselves apart this time. Next time would only be worse. We must avoid the risk at all costs. I suggest therefore the burden of the regency be shared. And,” he continued,
Badr indicated he now wished to speak. The gathering let him and heard him out with the courtesy his rank and reputation entitled him to. But it wasn’t enough. Nasir’s words had hit a chord, several chords, and, as he’d intended, a prime one was equality of influence under Talal’s rule; something that each faction in the room knew would not be theirs should a rival grouping triumph. Badr recognised something of this, so was content to speak briefly, setting out a marker should a new ruler become necessary.
Then he ended his short speech with his own master-stroke. He advised the gathering to confirm Talal as their new Emir.
Chapter Nine
A sheikh almost as old as Abdullah, and in ill-health, was heard to mutter loudly that one more shock would finish him off. He had a sympathetic audience. Lovers of the dramatic and theatrical though they were, many men felt they’d had more than enough to last a lifetime. To get them one after another in one meeting was, all were beginning to feel, somewhat excessive.
Caught off guard by Badr’s sudden proposal, Zahirah and Firyal exchanged alarmed, almost frightened, glances. Their rival’s swift reading of the assembly’s intentions, and his even swifter response, ensured that whilst his proposal bowed to the inevitable, the making of it put him in the strongest position for what came next.
And what came next, came quickly.
Even before Talal could be confirmed Omar, a long-time ally of Badr’s, and almost as fast a thinker, spoke quickly. “A truly wise and magnificent gesture, which I’m sure we will all concur with. Talal will doubtless become as great a leader and warrior as his father was, in time,” he added, after the briefest of pauses. “During the time before that day comes, however, he will need the guidance and support of the best amongst us and who would be better or stronger than Badr? I would therefore suggest that our brother becomes the boy’s regent.”
Ay ! Zahirah and Firyal had anticipated that the suggestion would arise if, or when, Badr saw that he couldn’t yet have the supreme prize by direct means, but not that it would be proposed so swiftly. They’d also been caught unawares by his masterly strategy of proposing the boy’s elevation himself. He was, they knew, now unstoppable. And Talal’s life would count for nothing. He would, they were chillingly aware, be dead within three months. Badr, already the regent, would then be unassailable and would step easily and unchallenged into the dead boy’s shoes, however bloody his hands were. So stunned were they by the rapid and dangerous turn of events, that they, at first, didn’t hear what the next speaker was saying. When they did hear, they couldn’t believe what their ears were telling them.
“An excellent suggestion, Brother, and one we should all accept and be grateful for. To have the experience and prowess of such an uncle to draw on in the difficult days we know we face can only be a relief to Talal, indeed, to us all.”
They, along with the rest of the gathering, listened in stunned astonishment as Nasir spoke and supported his half-brother’s elevation. All knew the consequences to the young boy seated next to him, the boy he’d sworn only minutes before to loyally support, consequences that he, they were chillingly aware, was also fully aware of.
Nasir paused, again gauging the effect his words were having, then continued. “But the burden is great and, in these warlike times no man’s life is secure. What would happen should something happen to Badr, before Talal becomes of age? We’ve seen how we have nearly torn ourselves apart this time. Next time would only be worse. We must avoid the risk at all costs. I suggest therefore the burden of the regency be shared. And,” he continued,
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