‘To Cairo!’ the men replied and drank.
The servants entered with food. One brought Yusuf a basket of steaming flatbread and a dip of mashed broad beans. Another brought a green soup with pieces of fried garlic floating in it. Yusuf poked at it with his spoon.
‘It is an Egyptian speciality, made from diced jute,’ Al-Khlata told him.
Shawar nodded. ‘My cook came with me from Cairo. Thanks to him, I can dine as if I am in the caliph’s palace, even while in the desert.’ Shawar tore off a piece of flatbread, dipped it in the soup and ate, a signal for the others to begin.
Yusuf murmured, ‘In the name of Allah,’ and tried some of the bread. It was thicker and coarser than he was used to. The dip was creamy and rich, the soup light but savoury.
Shawar washed down the bread and soup with a swallow of water. ‘Al-Khlata tells me that Beersheba was once a great city.’
The comptroller nodded. ‘There was a great church here, huge buildings. It was once part of the Roman Empire.’
‘And the Kingdom of the Jews before that,’ Yusuf noted. All eyes turned to him. ‘Their first king, Saul, built a great fort here.’
‘How do you know this?’ Shawar asked.
‘It is written in the Franks’ holy book.’ John had given Yusuf a copy of the Bible years ago, and Yusuf had studied it carefully. ‘It says that Abraham visited here. He made a pact with the people of the area, swearing an oath to share the wells. That is why the town is called Beersheba: “oath of the well”.’
Al-Khlata snorted. ‘I do not believe anything written in the books of the Franks. Superstitious nonsense!’
‘Perhaps,’ Yusuf said, ‘but if we wish to defeat our enemies, we must know them.’
‘Indeed,’ Shawar agreed. ‘And since we are discussing our enemies, it is time I tell you something of what awaits us in Egypt. Cairo is a nest of vipers. In my lifetime, no vizier has ruled there for more than a dozen years before being betrayed. I thought I could be the one to finally bring stability to the kingdom, but I was wrong. I was too trusting. I thought Dhirgam was my friend. As young men, we served together as scribes in the Caliph’s court. We rose through the ranks together, and when I became vizier I made him my chamberlain. I did not know that the snake was in the pay of the Franks. While I was in Bilbeis inspecting the citadel, Dhirgam seized control of Cairo. His first act was to make peace with Jerusalem. His second was to send an army to kill me. I fled east to the court of your lord, Nur ad-Din. The rest you know.’ Shawar shook his head, as if to dispel the painful memories. ‘But enough of such sad talk! Let us enjoy ourselves.’ He clapped his hands. ‘Bring the girls!’
Al-Khlata took this as a sign to depart. A moment later, four serving girls entered, only now they had shed their thin caftans and wore only veils and skirts of diaphanous silk, through which Yusuf could see their toned legs and firm buttocks. They were Egyptian, brown-skinned with wide eyes lined with kohl. A man with a drum came in after the girls. He went to the corner, while the girls moved to the centre of the circle and stood absolutely still, their heads down. As the man began to beat the drum, the girls came to life, swaying their hips to the beat. The drum beat faster and they started to circle, spinning so that their skirts flared up. Yusuf sat back as they flashed past, a kaleidoscope of nubile flesh: long thin arms, finely shaped legs, tight buttocks and dark breasts with darker areoles.
The girls stopped circling. One stood just before Yusuf. She sank to her knees and arched backwards so the back of her head touched the floor. She began to rhythmically raise her hips, thrusting up with the beat of the drum. She sat straight once more, leaned forward and reached out, caressing Yusuf’s cheek. She moved on to his lap and kissed him, her mouth open. Her hand moved down to caress his rock-hard zib. He ran his hands down her sides and grasped her firm buttocks. She giggled, pushed him away and stood. She took his hand and led him towards one of the screened-off rooms.
Yusuf glanced back before entering. Shirkuh was occupied with two girls. Shawar had sent the fourth girl away and sat alone. He met Yusuf’s gaze and winked. ‘Enjoy yourself!’
The girl was tugging on Yusuf’s arm. ‘Come,’ she said and led him into the room.
When Yusuf awoke the next morning, he and the servant girl were still naked and tangled together. She was sleeping, her head on his chest and a half-smile on her face. For a moment, she reminded him of Asimat. The thought made Yusuf feel sick. He dressed quickly and stepped outside. The morning air was cool after the closeness of the tent. He breathed deeply and headed for the latrine. On the way he passed Al-Khlata, leading a horse. Where was he off to so early in the day, Yusuf wondered.
Yusuf reached the ditch and had begun to urinate when Shawar stepped up beside him. ‘A long night?’ he asked as he too began to piss. Yusuf felt himself redden. ‘There is nothing to be ashamed of, friend. I am glad you enjoyed yourself. When we reach Cairo, you will have a dozen more women like her.’
‘I do not wish for-’
‘Think nothing of it. What is mine is yours.’ Shawar finished and clapped Yusuf on the back. ‘Now come. Cairo awaits!’
MARCH 1164: CAIRO
‘Medinat al-Qahira!’ Shawar exclaimed and gestured to the horizon. ‘The greatest city in all the world!’
Yusuf squinted but could make out only a distant smudge. Nearer, feluccas and dhows glided along the Nile under triangular sails, and beyond them loomed the massive pyramids of Giza. Shawar’s description had not done them justice. They dwarfed anything that Yusuf had ever seen, even the massive Roman temple in his childhood home of Baalbek.
Shirkuh pointed to a grove of palms situated along the river. ‘Yusuf, have a hundred men begin building rams and siege towers.’
‘That will not be necessary,’ Shawar assured him. ‘The people will open the gates to us. They are loyal to me. That is why they fled before us outside Bilbeis.’ The day before, they had confronted an army twice their size, but the Egyptians had run almost before the battle began.
‘Let us hope you are right, or we will regret letting so many escape,’ Shirkuh grumbled.
‘I could hardly let you butcher them,’ Shawar replied. ‘They are my people. Soon enough they will fight for me.’
Shirkuh grunted sceptically.
As they rode closer, the city rapidly took shape. The tall walls were studded with towers. The buildings were flat-roofed and built of the same white limestone as the walls. Beyond Cairo rose a dozen tall shapes that Yusuf initially took for minarets. Soon, he saw that they were actually massive, rectangular buildings, many storeys high.
‘That is Fustat, just south of the city,’ Shawar said, answering Yusuf’s unasked question. ‘It was founded centuries before Cairo. It is still the commercial heart of the city, famed for its pottery and crystal. It is there that the wealth of Egypt is created.’
They rode on, and soon Yusuf could see soldiers atop the walls, their armour glinting in the late afternoon sun. Shawar led the army towards an arched gate framed by two squat round towers of pale stone. Warriors with bows in hand were crowded atop the gate. Shawar seemed not to notice them.
‘Perhaps we should halt beyond bow range,’ Yusuf suggested.
‘There is no need,’ Shawar replied. He pointed to the gate where the soldiers were disappearing.
‘Where are they going?’ Shirkuh asked.
‘The rats are abandoning the ship. I know the people of Cairo. They served Dhirgam well enough when he was strong, but now that an army is at their walls, they will turn on him. Come! The day’s ride has spurred my appetite. We shall dine in the Caliph’s palace.’
Shawar urged his horse to a canter, leaving Yusuf and Shirkuh behind. They exchanged a glance and then Shirkuh shrugged. ‘Let us hope he knows what he is doing.’ He raised his voice. ‘Guards! Ride with me. The rest of the army will make camp beside the Nile.’ He spurred after Shawar.