Swords of Arabia: Betrayal (30 page)

Then,
topping
a
rise
only
two
miles
outside
the
safety
of
the
city’s
walls,
he
did
turn
to
look
back,
and
realised
that
they
had
almost
certainly
lost
their
homewards
race.
The
sky
was
filled
with
a
towering,
screaming
wall
of
ferociously
blown
sand,
a
wall
that
was
considerably
less
than
two
miles
behind
them, and
gaining
fast.

Nasir
swept
down
the
rise
and,
in
one
desperate
final
effort,
all
the
riders
plunged
down
the
slope
after
him.
Even
as
they
did
so,
they
were
hit
by
the
fringes
of
the
approaching
storm.
They
knew
that
within
seconds
their
camels
would
lose
all
ability
to
see
where
they
were
going
as
their
eyes
filled
with
stinging,
blinding
particles
thrown
at
their
faces
with
the
full
fury
of
the
raging
beast
threatening
to
devour
them
all.

As
they
galloped
towards
the
town
they
saw,
through
the
rapidly
darkening
sky,
the
town
gates,
closed
in
the
face
of
the
approaching
storm,
suddenly
being
thrown
open
as
guards
saw
them
and
their
predicament.
So
dark
had
the
skies
now
become
they
could
scarcely
see
their
hands
in
front
of
their
faces
as
they
were
enveloped
by
the
dark,
swirling,
roaring
fury.
Nasir
grimly
kept
up
his
speed
and
prayed
he’d
judged
his
approach
correctly
and
was
in
line
with
the
gates,
the
sight
of
which
was
rapidly
disappearing
in
the
swirling,
howling
sandstorm,
swirling
about
them.
If
not,
he
and
all
those
trustingly
following
behind
him,
would
smash
into
the
unforgiving,
rock-hard
walls
either
side
of
them.
Despite
having
covered
their
mouths,
sand
rapidly
started
to
clog
their
throats,
dangerously
impeding
their
breathing.
The
storm
shrieked
around
them
with
increasing
ferocity,
it’s
sound
now
as
if
the
all
the
djinns
of
hell
had
been
let
loose.
The
last
few
hundred
yards
were
the
hardest
because
of
this,
but
then,
out
of
the
swirling
maelstrom,
which
was
gathering
speed
with
every
foot
it
travelled,
he
dimly
saw
them
–
and
then,
they
were
through.
The
sound
of
the
gates
crashing
shut
behind
them,
sheltering
them
from
the
still
growing
force
outside,
was
one
of
the
most
beautiful
many
of
them
had
ever
heard.

Chapter
Twelve

“A
close
call,
Kerim!
Did
the
rest
of
your
day
go
well?”
the
general
asked,
raising
his
cold,
tired
eyes
from
the
despatches
he
was
reading
as
the
younger
man,
still
dust-covered
from
their
race,
entered
the
suite
of
rooms
the
delegation
had
been
given
at
the
palace.
The
older
man
had
to
raise
his
voice
to
carry
over
the
howling
winds
striking
and
buffeting
the
hurriedly
closed
shutters.

“Indeed,
it
did,
sir,”
responded
Kerim
coolly.
“I
won
a
race
in
the
face
of
the
fiercest
competition,
on
the
most
wonderful
horses
and
my
falcon
caught
most
of
the
quarry!”

“And
your
own
quarry?”
the
general
asked
quietly,
his
black
eyes
piercingly
clear
and
dominating
his
dark,
heavily
moustached
face.

Only
by
the
slightest
hesitation
did
Kerim
display
his
anger
at
the
older
man’s
choice
of
words.
“If
sir,
you
mean
did
I
raise
the
matter
of
a
future
alliance
with
the
Lord
Nasir,
my
friend,”
he
added
with
only
the
slightest
emphasis
on
the
last
two
words,
though
not
one
missed
by
his
superior.
“I
did.
As
you
ordered,
sir,”
he
ended
with
only
the
slightest
of
distaste
seeping
through.

“I
hope
it
was
in
terms
somewhat
more
enthusiastic
than
those
you
are
showing
now!”
snapped
the
officer,
his
harsh
voice
cutting
and
his
heavy
shoulders
bunching
in
anger.

“You
needn’t
worry,
sir,
I
did
my
duty,
though,
to
be
honest,
I
doubt
it
will
do
us
much
good.”

“You
pointed
out
the
advantages
of
their
continuing
with
our
historic
alliance,
I
hope?”

“I
did,
though
to
be
frank
I
feel
the
phrase
‘continuing
alliance’
ceased
to
have
any
meaning
to
Narash
once
we
fled
al
Hofuf; without
any
warning
to,
or
regard
for,
our
allies
left
behind!”
flashed
Kerim.

“And
you
pointed
out
the
possible
dangers
should
they
not
willingly
continue
with
that
which
has
never
been
formally
revoked?”
continued
the
general,
almost
as
though
his
young
subordinate
hadn’t
spoken.

“If
you
mean,
did
I
threaten
them
with
an
attack
on
either
the
town
or
the
inland
oases,
by
ourselves
or
the
Rashid,
you
need
have
no
fear,
sir,
I
would
have
done
my
duty,
had
it
been
necessary.
But
Nasir
was
ahead
of
me
and
acknowledged
they
were
aware
of
the
risk,
though
to
be
fair
they
were,
post-al
Hofuf,
more
worried
about
the
Rashid
than
ourselves!”

“Captain
Celik,”
said
the
older
man
after
some
seconds
quietly
observing
the
young
officer.
“I
would
warn
you
that
I
find
your
tone
and,
indeed,
your
words
somewhat
less
respectful
than
those
I
would
expect
from
a
military
officer
on
a
military
mission – and
being
uttered
to
his
superior
officer!”
He
then
went
on
ominously.
“Here,
you
are
under
my
command.
Pray
don’t
address
me
as
though
you
are
at
your
cousin’s
court!”

Kerim
had
been
on
the
verge
of
offering
a
polite
apology. After
all,
he
regarded
the
man
well
enough
and
had
no
wish
to
offend
him,
but
the
general’s
words
wiped
any
such
idea
from
his
mind,
replacing
them
instead
with
a
white-hot
fury.

“That
sir,
is
insulting!
I
have
never,
ever,
used
my
relationship
to
the
Sultan
to
help
my
military
career,
nor
have
I
allowed
it
to
make
me
forget
the
respect
due
to
my
superior
officers.”
He
paused,
struggling
to
control
his
temper
and
then
went
on,
more
calmly,
though
only
slightly
so,
such
was
both
his
outrage
at
his
superior’s
comments
and
his
discomfort
in
being
put
in
the
position
of
appearing
to
threaten
his
friends.
“I
give
you
my
opinion
on
this
matter
because
I
know
the
Narashi.
I’m
one
of
the
few
who
do,
despite
our
much-vaunted
alliance
with
them!”
He
took
a
calming
breath
before
continuing.
“If,
if
my
behaviour
seemed
less
than
respectful,
if
you
feel
either
my
manner
or
words
have
been
less
than
should
be
expected
from
a
junior
officer,
I
apologise
but,
frankly
sir,
I
don’t
feel
they
have
been!”

The
older
man
looked
calmly
back
at
the
angry
young
officer.
“Do
I
believe
you
guilty
of
mis-using
your
family
connections?”
He
shook
his
head.
“No,
you
never
do,
and
it
was
remiss
of
me
to
say
so.
Unlike
others
of
your
blood,
you
are
scrupulous
in
avoiding
trading
on
it.
But
I
am
concerned
that
your
heart
does
not
seem
to
be
in
persuading
our
Narashi
friends
to
join
us
against
the
British.”