The Steel Seraglio (29 page)

There are twenty towns and villages within a journey of a few weeks or even days from here. And some of us have families in these places, who might receive us with joy. We can spend the winter with roofs over our heads, as we should.

That’s my counsel, and the wisest course.

FARHAT: May I speak now?

GURSOON: Yes, Farhat.

FARHAT: Imtisar is right about one thing: we’re not yet prepared for a journey to Yrtsus. We need firewood, more blankets, and a score of other things. Getting them will be harder, now that we dare not return to Agorath—but there are other markets. Issi and Zeinab can pick up most of what we need in a week or two. We could be ready to set off very quickly. And we have so much to gain by staying together! We’ve built a community, these three years. That’s too valuable to throw away.

I know there’s a danger we’ll be found. But I don’t want to give up all we’ve created just because we’re threatened now. So I say we hold out for a few more weeks, and then for the time it takes to get to Yrtsus, or even beyond it, to safety. Maybe there we can find a way to live more comfortably—I’d like that too. But the important thing is . . . when we work together, we rule ourselves. We can make beautiful things, we can teach all our children. We’ll lose all that if we split up. We’ll just go back to being somebody’s wife, somebody’s servant, when we’ve been free.

GURSOON: Zuleika. You also wanted to speak.

ZULEIKA: Both of those plans involve running away. I think we should retake Bessa, and live there.

[There is a silence.]

BETHI: Is that it?

ZULEIKA: You all heard, yesterday, what Rem said. I’ve nothing to add to that.

GURSOON: If that’s all you wish to say, we’ll move on. But the other two have given their own arguments, and told us how their plans might be achieved.

ZULEIKA: Very well.

What Farhat said just now is right, we ought to stay together. And what Rem said before her was right as well. We’ve built a city here, a good one, and we should fight to keep it. But it would be a better city in Bessa. And Bessa is ours, it’s our home. Mine too, since I chose to stay there. When Rem said all this I knew it was true, but I thought then it could not be achieved. Hakkim has a standing army, and weapons; we have none. So at first I wouldn’t consider the idea, believing it was a dream and nothing more.

But then I started to think about how we might actually do it, retake Bessa. And it is possible. It will require most of you to fight. We will have to buy swords, and train with them: turn ourselves into an army. We cannot match their numbers or their experience, but we have some advantages. We know the city well, and we will have allies within it if we can reach them. Hakkim has weaknesses we can exploit. If you are willing to learn what I teach, we can succeed.

That’s all I have to say. Rem has the sight, and she believes we should take Bessa back. And I think we can do it.

GURSOON: Well. You’ve heard three choices. Does anyone wish to add to them? Or to ask a question?

JAMAL: We should attack Bessa! Kill Hakkim and avenge my father!

ZUFIR: Yeah!

SORAYA: You boys just want to fight. Have some sense!

[Many people speak together.]

GURSOON: Be quiet, all of you!

If you want to talk, raise your hand. I’ll point to the one who is to speak next.

[There is a silence.]

You, Halima.

HALIMA: Auntie, I don’t think I can give my vote for any of these plans. I want with all my heart to go back to Bessa, and see my mother and my little brother again. I can’t bear the thought of going far away, or parting from all my sisters and aunties here. But I can’t fight! I know I’m a coward, but I don’t think I could ever kill anyone. Is there no other way?

BETHI: Don’t cry, girl! Halima speaks for me too. For most of us, I’d guess. If she’s a coward, so are we all. But I don’t want to run off to the edge of the world, either. Or to split up our company and leave my friends. None of us does. So what’s to be done?

MAYSOON: None of the choices is good, but I think Yrtsus is the least bad of the three. It gives us our best chance of safety. And I think we need to stay together. If we separate, we lose each other’s support, and we lose the chance to carry out the trades we’ve learned. And what do we have then?

NAJLA: But Farhat says we’d have to prepare for weeks before we could start that journey. We could all be murdered in our beds before we even set off!

FARHAT: If the vote is for Yrtsus, Zeinab and Issi can go at once for supplies.

ZEINAB: We could leave at dawn tomorrow. I think we can get all we need at Beyt Kirim, and be back in less than a month.

FARHAT: And if Hakkim is looking for us, it’s surely safer to stay here for that month than go travelling in groups to all the cities around Bessa.

UMAYMA: Like chickens running from the hawk! No: we should take the fight to him. Attack Bessa and regain it. We’ve shown we can do it.

MAYSOON: I come from Ashurai. When I was young, we had three new rulers in five years, and the city burned each time. If you’d seen that, you wouldn’t be so ready to call for war.

UMAYMA: But Bessa is ours, not Hakkim’s. Isn’t it worth a fight to get our home back?

ZEINAB: I don’t know. Before, when we fought, we had no choice. This is different.

UMAYMA: Before, I fought for my life and my son’s life. I’ll fight again for our freedom. Zeinab, what else can we do? If we run, if we go anywhere but Bessa, we’ll be in hiding every day we live. And even if Hakkim never comes after us, what can most of us hope for but slavery in some man’s household? We’ve built better than that!

[There is a silence.]

ZEINAB: Then I have a question for Zuleika.

We know we can fight: some of us at least. And yes, I’ll fight again to get Bessa back, to give my daughter a life there. But you said you’d make us into an army. We’ve seen what an army does. Hakkim Mehdad’s soldiers killed old men without weapons. They burned houses with people inside. They killed women and children, without thinking, because their leader told them to. I think that’s what soldiers do, they follow orders blindly, and I won’t do that. I don’t think any of us will.

[Many voices speak in agreement.]

So that’s my question, Zuleika. If the others feel like me, if we are your army, do you still believe we can take back Bessa?

[There is a silence.]

ZULEIKA: Yes.

It will be harder, and more dangerous. But you’re right, Zeinab. I can’t ask any of you to be what you’re not. A good general works with the materials he has. There are ways in which we can turn your limitations into strengths.

[Many voices speak in protest.]

MAYSOON: Sparing the innocent! That’s not a limitation!

ZULEIKA: But then I have a question for you in return. If we’re to avoid wholesale killing, we’ll have to use other means. Subterfuge, and spies. It will take time, and it will increase the risk for all of us. Are you prepared for that?

RIHAN: To risk our own lives, yes. Not our children’s.

JAMAL: Why can’t the children fight? It was my father they murdered. And it’s our city. Anyone who stands in our way deserves to get killed. Why are you having all this argument?

GURSOON: Jamal, if you speak again without raising your hand, I’ll send you out of the meeting.

IMTISAR: The boy’s no more foolish than anyone else here. Are you telling us in all seriousness that we must pretend to be soldiers?

ZULEIKA: Become soldiers.

DALAL: Not you, Auntie. You won’t have to fight.

IMTISAR: But you want to make your sisters into murderers!

DALAL: No.

UMAYMA: Yes. We’ll have to kill people. And some of us may die. But we’re all at risk right now: there’s no safe course here.

ZEINAB: That’s true. And if we can make a safe place for ourselves at the end, it would be worth it. Zuleika, I’ll take your training. But I won’t kill old men or children.

[There is a silence.]

GURSOON: Does anyone else wish to speak?

ISSI: Pardon me, lady, but my men and I need to know. Do we have a vote in this?

GURSOON: Certainly. Bessa was your home too. You have the same voice as us.

ISSI: In that case, I must tell you that we all want to go back there, but we’re not too keen on killing either. We don’t want to be called on to cut the throats of men we’ve worked side-by-side with in better days. But we’ll help you any way short of that. And if you decide to go to one of those other places, we’ll help you on your way as best we can. We’ll lend you the beasts, and we’ll go as far as Yrtsus with you if we must. But when you’re safely arrived, those of us with family in Bessa, we have to go back there. As long as that’s understood.

MAHMUD: The ones without family, we might stay, though, if we’re wanted.

[Several of the camel-men speak together. Gursoon holds up a hand to still them.]

GURSOON: You are all free agents. And thank you, all of you, for your honesty now and for your past help to us, when we would have died without it.

Now, if everyone has said all they need . . .

ANWAR DAS: One moment, lady, I beg you.

I know we have no vote in this momentous debate, but our chief has something he needs to tell you before you decide. Go on, Yusuf.

YUSUF RAZIM: It’s just that, well, we’ve got used to having you ladies around the place, and we all agreed . . .

TARIQ: Says who?

YUSUF RAZIM: We
all
agreed that we’ll help out too, if you want it. And we’re not so picky about cutting throats, either. And if you manage to go back to your own city, maybe you and us could still, what’s the word?

ANWAR DAS: Remain allies, lady. It would sadden us beyond measure to break our newfound friendship—especially now, when every path before you seems fraught with danger. As the most excellent Issi has just said, who but a worm, a man without feeling, would abandon you in such circumstances?

YUSUF RAZIM: That’s right. And then, once we’ve won, maybe this city of yours would have a space for a few good men, if you know what I mean? Get off, Das!

GURSOON: Our thanks to you too, Yusuf Razim, and to your lieutenant. Be assured that once we have made our decision we will be grateful for any help you are able to give us. And now, does anyone have any other suggestions to make?

Then we have three choices before us. We must decide on one, and agree to carry it out. We can separate and go in small groups to the nearer towns, starting at once. Or we can stay together, and travel to Yrtsus in a month’s time. Or we can resolve to fight, to retake Bessa for ourselves.

But before we vote, there’s something I must add. If a majority of us vote for Imtisar’s plan, we can put it into action at once. If not, we will need to take measures to keep ourselves safe here for at least the next month, in case Hakkim Mehdad comes looking for us. We will have to keep watch, and arrange a means to escape or to hide ourselves: those arrangements must be made at the same time as our wider plans.

And one more thing. If the vote is for Zuleika’s course, everyone who has chosen it will begin training with her tomorrow. Please be clear: if you vote for us to reclaim Bessa, you are volunteering for the army that will attempt it.

And now I hope we are ready.

[The vote took place like this:

Farhat, Imtisar and Zuleika stood each to one side of the great rock, and the women, children and men were directed to stand with the one whose plan they supported. Anwar Das, who had no vote, offered to marshal the count, which he did by asking those who voted to arrange themselves in rows ten abreast. Some refused to choose at all, but most went to one or other of the three advocates. A solid square formed next to Zuleika; smaller blocks by the other two women. When Zuleika’s count topped two hundred and fifty, it was evident that the choice was made: for Bessa, and for war.]

GURSOON: The vote is clear: we stay together, and use all our power to reclaim Bessa for ourselves. Imtisar, Farhat, will you abide by this decision?

FARHAT: Yes, but with many misgivings. I don’t wish for anyone to be killed in my name.

IMTISAR: I cannot consent. But I’m an old woman—you’ll decide this without me.

GURSOON: I’m sorry, then, Imtisar. You can at least stay away from the fighting yourself.

I’ll ask Zuleika to speak to you now, since she is the one who can best lead us in this undertaking. When she’s spoken, I’ll declare the meeting over. Anyone who has a question or complaint can bring it to me afterwards.

ZULEIKA: Everyone who is prepared to fight will begin training tomorrow. I’ll also need several groups of volunteers to go to Bessa. This will be the most dangerous of our tasks. They will be required to disguise themselves, and to lie well.

As Gursoon has said, the next priority is our safety while we train and formulate our plan. We must post guards at the pass and further down in the hills, to watch for riders from the direction of Bessa. And we must prepare some of the deep caves, so that everyone here can hide for several days if the need arises.

IMTISAR: I have something to say. This whole scheme is crazy, and I will take no part in it.

ZULEIKA: I’ve just said that you don’t have to. Only volunteers will go . . .

IMTISAR: Nor do I mean to spend my days in a cave, waiting to hear that my idiot sisters have got themselves killed in Bessa. Gursoon, I have sixty women here who wish only to leave this place and seek a new life in another city. Zuleika has just said she has no need for us. Let us go! We’ll split into caravans of ten or twelve to avoid notice; maybe two or three groups can travel separately to Perdondaris and the rest to Heqa’a or Diwani. Issi can lend us the camels and men for the journeys, and bring them back afterwards.

ZULEIKA: No.

GURSOON: Zuleika, there’s been no discussion.

ZULEIKA: No. Don’t underestimate our enemy, Gursoon. If Hakkim hears that some of us have been seen, he will try to hunt us down. Do you think he’d miss a caravan of ten women, on the road to Perdondaris? Still less half a dozen caravans, all on the roads at the same time? One group at least would be captured. If that happens, he will discover our plan and we will fail.