Tree of Pearls, Queen of Egypt Page 7

  person is agreeable to Shwaykar?”

  “I would that it were so. And if she deigns to regard me with satisfaction, it is only because my Queen, Tree of Pearls, has seen fi t to smile upon me.”

  “I do not deny that it was I who fi rst brought you two together. Shwaykar

  has long heard tell of the daring exploits of the valiant Rukn al-Din, and I have ever been the fi rst to recount them to her. It pleases me well that she particularly admires those brave princes who valiantly take up arms in defense of this state.

  Th

  is is why I asked you, when you fi rst arrived, whether you had guessed at the

  reason for my summons. You answered well—did he not, Shwaykar? And now,

  tell me: do you know why I wish to speak to you? You are informed of the Frank-

  ish attacks on Damietta and its environs?”

  “My Lady, allow me to speak. You wish me to rid you of the Frankish menace

  in our lands to the North. It is a simple matter, I assure you.”

  “Prince ‘Izz al-Din will charge you with your commission tomorrow. Know

  that Shwaykar is well pleased with your undertaking, and that she is ever partial to men of courage and valor. Th

  ere is one more thing. It has come to my atten-

  tion that Shwaykar—” she laughed merrily as she glanced at her—“that Shwaykar

  would wish to ascertain Rukn al-Din’s opinion of her.”

   | t r e e of pe a r l s , qu e e n of e g y p t

  Rukn al-Din’s face glowed with feeling at these words. “Can Rukn al-Din

  have an opinion other than that of his Queen?”

  “Nevertheless, I suppose she would not like to receive your love as an act of

  submission to the royal will,” Tree of Pearls smiled.

  “Th

  e Queen’s will has but unlocked the doors that kept us apart. My love for

  Shwaykar submits to no other will but her own. I will be satisfi ed if her heart be only half as full as my own.” He gazed directly at her as he spoke these words, and her shy eyes said to him what her lips dared not.

  Once sure of the couple, Tree of Pearls sought to terminate the interview.

  “Neither of you, I believe, requires further proof of the other’s aff ection. And now, Rukn al-Din, be the man I know you to be. Your success in this venture will assure your promotion to great offi

  ce. Go, in God’s grace, but before you depart,

  take Shwaykar’s hand in your own. I give you my permission.”

  Rukn al-Din rose and did as the Queen bade, taking Shwaykar’s delicate

  hand in his for the fi rst time, and in this clasp there was a trembling vow. Bowing deeply before Tree of Pearls, Rukn al-Din turned to withdraw, and to Shwaykar,

  it was as though he had plucked her beating heart from her breast and taken it

  with him.

  Tree of Pearls was the fi rst to speak into the ensuing silence. “You see, my

  child? He loves you, and be sure that your love for him will fl ame even brighter when he has returned victorious from the fi elds of war. He shall fi ght and triumph in your name! I congratulate you, my dear, on your fi ne champion.” She

  regarded her blushing handmaiden with kindly bemusement. “And now I am

  afraid you must leave me, for pressing matters of state require my attention.”

  No sooner had Shwaykar taken leave of her mistress than the Chamberlain

  came to announce that Prince ‘Izz al-Din Aybak sought permission for an inter-

  view with her. “Tell him to await me in the Great Hall,” she replied.

  ‘Izz al-Din had come to congratulate his mistress in private on her triumph.

  As was his wont, he looked forward to a warm reception full of eff usive expres-

  sions of praise and gratitude, for was he not the sole architect of her ascension to the throne of Egypt? He had gone fi rst to the Great Hall, hoping to fi nd her there alone, but being informed that she was closeted in her private chambers he made his way there directly. To his great surprise, as he approached the hall that led to the Queen’s apartments he saw Rukn al-Din emerging with the dazed air

  of a pining lover. Rukn al-Din greeted him innocently enough, for truth be told,

  t h e e ngage m e n t | 

  he had nothing to hide, but creeping suspicion nonetheless whispered in ‘Izz al-

  Din’s ear and the claws of jealousy dug at his heart. He returned Rukn al-Din’s

  greeting curtly and resolved to discover the reason for his unseemly presence in the Queen’s apartments as soon as he should enter them.

  He was not to have his wish, however, for the Chamberlain emerged to

  inform him that the Queen would meet him in the Great Hall. Th

  is reception

  only infl amed ‘Izz al-Din’s jealousy the more, and he felt the slight deeply. He nevertheless struggled to master his doubts, and quickly assuming the mantle of

  his self-possession, he returned to the Great Hall to wait for her. He was obliged to wait longer than usual, for Tree of Pearls had lingered over her toilette and once again dressed in her rich robes of state. She fi nally made her entrance, followed by a pair of eunuchs who solemnly bore the magnifi cent train of her royal gown in their outstretched hands. ‘Izz al-Din rose to greet her. She returned

  his greeting and urged him to be seated; then she dismissed her attendants and

  turned a radiant smile upon him.

  Th

  is charming reception drove the gloom from ‘Izz al-Din’s heart and he put

  aside his misgivings. “I have come to congratulate the Queen on her ascension

  and to express my hope that she will ever be the mainstay of our government.”

  She smiled graciously, and replied, “I shall not forget your service to me, ‘Izz al-Din, and I will most certainly have further need of your aid in untangling the many knots that bind the aff airs of this state.”

  “I wait upon your will, my Lady,” he bowed.

  “You are aware that we are surrounded by envious eyes and dangerous ene-

  mies, most especially the Franks, who do not cease to plague us.”

  “Fear not on this count, Tree of Pearls. Th

  ey shall be dealt with by my own

  hand.”

  “May God reward you,” she replied. “I have nonetheless seen fi t to charge

  Rukn al-Din with this task, for I have oft en heard you praise his valor. It so happens that I saw him today, and having mentioned this matter of the Franks I

  perceived that he was most anxious to meet them in battle. I would have your

  approval of this mission, however.”

  ‘Izz al-Din’s apprehensions returned at this mention of Rukn al-Din. Why

  had she received him in her private chamber instead of the Great Hall? And how

  had this unusual meeting come to pass, if not by prior arrangement between

  the pair? But he suppressed these persistent questions and merely replied, “Rukn

   | t r e e of pe a r l s , qu e e n of e g y p t

  al-Din is worthy of your esteem, and you have acted wisely in trusting him with

  the Damietta campaign.”

  Tree of Pearls reached into the folds of her gown and drew out a paper scroll.

  “Read, then, what I have caused to be written here.”

  He took the scroll from her and unrolled it. It was a royal letter of commission.

  From the Queen of Muslims, Guardian of Life and Faith, She of the Noble Veil, Mother of the Departed Khalil, Consort of Al-Salih—May God have mercy on

  his soul—to the brave commander, Prince Rukn al-Din Baybars al-Bunduqari.

  In view of our utmost confi dence in your valor and fortitude and in light of the proofs of these that you have shown by fearlessly repulsing the Franks from our lands, and in view of the continuing encroachments of the accursed foreigners in t
he area of Damietta, and having taken due counsel from the General of our Armies and First Minister, Prince ‘Izz al-Din Aybak, we hereby charge you and your men with the defense of said city and the destruction of our enemies. God’s peace and blessings upon you.

  Mother of Khalil

  It pleased ‘Izz al-Din that Tree of Pearls had expressly invoked his counsel

  in her commission to Prince Baybars. He rolled up the scroll and ordered it to

  be delivered to Rukn al-Din directly, then he turned the conversation to other

  pressing matters of state. Tree of Pearls noted the restrained manner in which he addressed her. She guessed at his lurking suspicions—for lovers are ever suspicious—and wishing to soothe them away, she exerted herself in order to fl atter

  him. She succeeded in this, for ‘Izz al-Din was indeed appeased by her artful

  words of praise and the many marks of aff ection she showered upon him, but the

  truce did not last long, for no sooner had he left her than his misgivings returned to haunt him.

  Rukn al-Din meanwhile hastened to put the Queen’s commission into exe-

  cution as soon as he received it. His greatest hopes had thereby been fi red and he dreamed that this enterprise would be the means by which he should attain

  high offi

  ce, and—why not?—the very highest offi

  ce, even, for he was a mightily

  ambitious and determined young man and the realm was in sorry disarray. It

  had of course occurred to him that a royal throne which would so easily receive

  a woman could just as well be his for the taking. But he was also aware of the

  insurmountable obstacles that blocked his path to the Sultanate whilst ‘Izz al-

  Din’s infl uence reigned supreme in the army and in Tree of Pearls’s heart. Th

  ough

  t h e e ngage m e n t | 

  the great favor that the Queen had shown to him that very day encouraged his

  new-born aspirations, he breathed not a word of them to a living soul for fear of the many treacherous tongues that surrounded him at court. Like other young

  men, he was content to delight in his blossoming love-aff air for the moment, and his vanity was well satisfi ed with the rich alliance promised him by the Queen.

  An Important Visitor

  after taking his leave of tree of pearls, ‘Izz al-Din returned to his

  quarters in the Citadel. Th

  e chamber he now entered looked out over the grand

  vista of Cairo. He oft en came here when he had need of solitude in which to

  think, and he accordingly gave himself up to refl ections on the events of the

  day and his mistress’s strange comportment. From his seat by the window,

  he contemplated the royal city and the land spread out behind it, from Fustat

  to the Nile. When his gaze fell upon the Garden Island, his mind wandered

  back to the time when Al-Salih had strolled through its gardens and arbors

  with his favorite young consort at his side. He now carefully reviewed the his-

  tory of his own relations with Tree of Pearls and could fi nd there no reason for the nagging doubts that beset him. He was disposed to take comfort in this

  accounting.

  While he was thus lost in thought, a servant entered to announce the pres-

  ence of a lady who urgently requested a private interview with him.

  “Who is this lady?” ‘Izz al-Din inquired.

  “I know not, your Excellency, for her face is closely veiled,” the boy replied.

  Wondering who his mysterious visitor might be, ‘Izz al-Din proceeded to the

  chamber where he was wont to receive his numerous petitioners. Th

  e woman was

  waiting for him there, wrapped from head to toe in a thick cloak of exceedingly

  rich fabric. From this he surmised that she had not come to seek charity, as he had at fi rst supposed. She rose as he greeted her, but he motioned for her to resume her place and took a seat by her side. “Permit me to inquire your name, my Lady, and the nature of the errand which brings you here,” he began.

  Without a word, she drew the veil from her face. It was Sallafa.

  ‘Izz al-Din had always been much taken with Sallafa’s beauty, and had, more-

  over, on more than one occasion exchanged fl irtatious pleasantries with her—a

  

  a n i m p orta n t v isi t or | 

  lighthearted battle of wits from which she inevitably emerged unscathed, thanks, no doubt, to her close connection to Al-Salih. ‘Izz al-Din had always held her in high esteem as a result, and was consequently rather taken aback by this precipitous visit. He now hastened to apologize for having received her in these rooms, but she assured him that she took no off ence.

  “I have not come to you today as a guest,” she gravely declared, “but have

  indeed come as a petitioner regarding a matter which it is in your power—and

  yours alone—to resolve.”

  “And what might this matter be, my Lady?” he earnestly inquired.

  “I have learnt today that your friend, Tree of Pearls, has been crowned Queen

  of Muslims. I, as you well know, am Custodian of the Good King’s Harem. Th

  e

  King has now passed away, his palaces have been looted, his furnishings moved

  to this Citadel, and the succession has been bestowed upon one of his concubines.

  Do not blame me for speaking thus—concubine or no, she is the paramour of ‘Izz

  al-Din Aybak, who has single-handedly raised her to her present state. You have

  done so because she is your mistress. Th

  is is your right, and I pray that God may

  bless her reign. But I have come to beg you to release me from my offi

  ce, as there

  is no reason why I should now remain in it. Th

  e royal harem has lost all reason

  for its existence, now that a woman sits on the throne of Egypt, a woman who

  herself once belonged to this harem. Release me! Or is it impossible for you to do so without fi rst consulting your sovereign?”

  In his present state of mind, these words hit their intended mark. Th

  ey

  pierced him to the heart. A number of disturbing emotions now struggled for

  possession of him, fi rst and foremost amongst them a feeling of self-loathing

  that he—the great ‘Izz al-Din Aybak—had eff ectively submitted to the will of a

  woman, while a mere female and slave refused to bend to this same will. At the

  same time, his besieged pride rekindled the embers of his dormant desire for this formidable woman, and it sparked and fl ared in his jealous heart once again. He nonetheless felt compelled to speak in his own defense. “You know that Tree of

  Pearls was off ered the throne only because she is mother of the Sultan’s son,” he grimly explained.

  “I know it,” replied Sallafa haughtily. “May God bless our brave princes! You

  only invested her with crown and scepter because she is mother of the Sultan’s

  son—wonder of wonders! And where is this child, I ask you? Dead! If your pur-

  pose were truly to preserve the lineage of the Ayyubid Sultans, would it not have

   | t r e e of pe a r l s , qu e e n of e g y p t

  been proper to elect one of their line to the throne, if only a child, and appoint the General of the Armies, ‘Izz al-Din Aybak, as his Regent? Or is ‘Izz al-Din powerless in this regard? I am a woman, and know well women’s wiles. Th

  ey honor not

  the bonds of friendship. I do not accuse Tree of Pearls of treachery,” she added as she remarked ‘Izz al-Din’s darkening look, “but frailty is nevertheless central to our nature, as has been documented by our books of religion.” She fell silent for a moment. �
�In any case, this reign cannot be confi rmed without imperial decree

  of the Abbasid Commander of the Faithful.”

  ‘Izz al-Din leaned forward anxiously. “Do you then believe that he will reject

  our choice?”

  “I am certain of it!” she cried.

  He drew back and sighed. “You are mistaken, Sallafa. Tree of Pearls is as

  clever as she is prudent. She has been chosen by the Turcoman commanders of

  the armies of Egypt. Th

  e Caliph shall not oppose them.”

  “I assure you that not only the Caliph, but the people of Baghdad themselves

  shall rise up as one in anger against this unholy act. You shall see for yourself,

  ‘Izz al-Din. But this is not why I have come to you. I beg you once more to release me—but by your own hand and none other’s.”

  “And where shall you go if I grant your request?”

  “I shall wander these lands aimlessly.” She choked on her words, and tears

  began to stream down her cheeks. She slowly wiped them away and called forth

  a false blush of mortifi cation.

  ‘Izz al-Din was moved by the sight. “As you have nowhere else to go, you

  must stay here amongst your friends,” he pressed her.

  “Where shall I stay?” she demanded. “Our palaces and harems are a thing of

  the past, and if I remain, I shall be a prisoner of the Queen’s favor. I could never bear such a condition—unlike yourselves, brave princes and great men that you

  are! I am only a puny woman, aft er all.”

  He perceived the mockery in her words and could not help but feel their

  bitter truth, yet he was amazed at her daring in speaking so to him. “Enough of

  these insinuations and reproaches, Sallafa! It is too late to turn back the hands of time. I, of all men, know your true worth, and would not wish you to fall from

  your high rank. You must stay here with me.”

  “Stay with you?” she brusquely replied. “How deluded you are to even pro-

  pose such a thing! And what if Tree of Pearls were to learn of it?”

  a n i m p orta n t v isi t or | 

  He was secretly forced to acknowledge the truth of her words, but his pride

  rose to the occasion. “And what if she should learn of it? She is not my master, or I hers.”