Swords of Arabia: Betrayal (49 page)

Zahirah
nodded.
She
had
no
illusions
as
to
what
her
sons’
fate
would
be
if
the
forces
got
into
the
town.
There’d
be
one
too
many
emirs
from
that
moment
on,
and
Talal’s
life
would
be
snuffed
out
to
remedy
that
situation.
Nor
would
his
brother,
Faoud’s
second
son,
or
his
half-brother,
her
son
by
Mohammed,
survive
more
than
minutes
more.
She
had
emergency
plans
in
place
for
the
three
of
them,
should
such
a
threat
as
this
that
now
threatened
them,
arise;
as,
indeed,
she
had
for
many
other
possible
scenarios.
She
would
wait,
but
not
for
long,
before
she
implemented
the
boys’
escape.
She
knew
when
she
did
she
would
have
a
fight
on
her
hands
to
get
Talal
to
leave
without
her,
his
sisters
or
his
grandmother,
but
leave
he
would.
If
things
got
to
the
stage
that
flight
was
necessary
he
had
to
if
he
were
to
survive
–
and
one
day
take
whatever
vengeance
was
necessary.

She
said
nothing
of
this
as
they
waited
grimly.
They
knew
the
invaders
wouldn’t
remain
quiet
for
long.
Once
it
was
clear
that
Badr
wasn’t
going
to
appear,
they
would
realise
he
had
been
defeated.
Then
there’d
be
no
reason
to
delay
any
attack.
The
defenders
realised
that
they
couldn’t
even
buy
time
by
sending
out
an
emissary
purporting
to
be
from
Badr,
so
all
they
could
do
was
wait
until
the
attacker’s
patience
ran
out.

As
he
gazed
out
at
the
army
surrounding
them,
Nasir
recalled
his
friend
Kerim’s
final
words
just
before
the
Turkish
embassy
left
Narash.
“Be
very
sure,
my
friend,
that
if
you
do
decide
to
join
with
Britain,
our
forces
will
attack
you.
No,
that
isn’t
a
threat.
Nor
is
it
information.
If
I
did
know
of
any
such
plan
I
couldn’t
tell
you.
I
just
know
how
our
imperial
mind
works!
So,
be
careful,
my
friend
–
and
be
prepared.”

So Kerim, you were right, my friend
,
he
thought,
but despite your warning we weren’t prepared, not prepared at all.

As
though
reading
his
thoughts,
a
small
group
of
five
or
six
horsemen
broke
away
from
the
main
body
and,
with
a
flag
of
truce,
rode
forward.
Nasir
recognised
the
man
at
their
head
–
one
of
the
more
powerful
of
the
al
Rashid
family,
but
not
the
young
emir
himself.
That
is
curious,
he
mused
briefly.
He
was
less
surprised
that
the
two
renegades
stayed
back
with
the
main
force,
no
doubt
realising,
he
thought,
that
no
flag
of
truce
would
entirely
guarantee
their
safety.
He
stepped
forward
to
show
himself
clearly
on
the
ramparts,
well
aware
of
the
risk
of
doing
so;
after
all,
he
thought
sardonically,
they’d
lose
several
lives
to
my
one.
None
of
this
showed
in
his
face,
however,
as
he
looked
down
on
the
riders
now
reined
in
to
a
stop
immediately
below
him.
Making
sure
there
were
no
sight-lines,
he
brought
Talal
to
his
side.
As
ever,
he
was
careful
to
ensure
the
boy
was
as
involved
and
present
on
as
many
occasions
as
possible.
He
agreed
entirely
with
his
mother
and
grandmother
that
to
keep
him
a
sheltered
boy
until
the
very
day
he
assumed
the
powers
of
his
position
would
bode
ill
for
both
him
and
for
Narash.

“Greetings,
Lord
Talal,
Lord
Nasir,”
said
the
leading
horseman
courteously.

Returning
the
greeting,
Nasir
went
on,
with
a
touch
of
sardonic
humour.
“Pleased
as
we
are
to
welcome
our
friends
from
the
Rashid,
we
are
surprised
that
there
are... So
many
of
you.
As
indeed,
we
are
at
the
amount
of
weapons
you
–
our
friends
–
are
carrying!”

“Really?
We
are
surprised
our
invitation
wasn’t
made
known
to
you
–
for
we
assure
you
we
were
invited.”
replied
the
elderly
sheik,
smiling
coldly.

“My
brother
Badr
invited
you,
I
believe,”
Nasir
replied,
now
equally
coldly.

“Indeed,
he
did,”
replied
the
Rashid
elder
after
a
short
pause.
“I
assume,
by
his
absence
that
he
is… unable... to
greet
us
personally?”

“You
assume
correctly,”
Nasir
responded
flatly.
“This
side
of
hell,
at
least,”
he
added
calmly.