'Peace! Sala'am!' cried Abu, rushing forward. He beseeched and cajoled, and by degrees calmed the outraged jailer. 'He says you must not go among them,' Abu informed Cait, 'or you will certainly be hurt.'
'Tell the jailer I thank him for his vigilance and concern,' Cait replied, stepping back to show she understood. To the knight, she said, 'Here is my bargain: I require the aid and protection of several men-at-arms for a pilgrimage I intend to make. In exchange for your vow of fealty, I will pay your ransom. Serve me well, and once I have reached my destination and achieved my purpose, you will be paid for your services and released to go your way.'
Lord Rognvald regarded her with the same indifferent expression with which he had greeted her.
'What say you?' she asked. 'Do you wish to discuss the matter with your men?'
When he still did not reply, she demanded, 'Well? What is your answer?'
'I am thinking.'
The other prisoners began shouting just then, imploring to be recognized, giving Cait to understand that if these Norwegians were reluctant, many another would happily take their place. Putting out her hand to the clamouring captives, Cait said, 'You see? There are plenty of others ready and willing to volunteer.'
'This is what I am thinking,' replied the knight, stroking his beard with a grimy hand.
It was at that moment that Cait knew she had made the right choice. 'Lord Rognvald, I chose you because while I know nothing about fighting men, I do know something about Norsemen. And I know that if a Norseman accepts my bargain I can trust him to keep it, and I will sleep secure in my bed at night.'
'That is true,' replied the knight. 'How do you know so much about Norsemen?'
'My great-grandfather was born in Norway, and my grandfather came from Orkney) ar-he served King Magnus on the Great Pilgrimage.'
Lord Rognvald's men stood looking on, their faces pinched with desperate hope.
'Come, let us agree,' said Caitriona. 'I think you will find service in my employ far less onerous than your present occupation.'
A ghost of a smile touched his dry lips. 'My lady, I accept.'
Cait turned at once to the katib. 'These four men,' she said. 'How much is the ransom?'
Abu translated her words, and the wazir's secretary cast his eyes over the standing men. He made a mental calculation, and announced the price.
'Ten thousand dirhams,' Abu said, relaying the katib's words. 'Each.'
'Very well,' said Cait. 'Tell him I agree.'
'With all respect, sharifah, that I will not do,' Abu replied. 'It is impious to accept the first price-it shows disrespect for the bounty Allah has given you. Also it is an insult to the intelligence and an affront to the spirit of commerce.'
'I see. Then tell him it is too much,' said Cait. 'I will give five thousand.'
Abu and the katib held a short, spirited discussion, whereupon Abu turned to Cait and announced, 'Katib says you are not to offend his master the prince with such a ridiculous offer. These are Christian knights, not camels. Ten thousand is the price for which noble fighting men are redeemed. He will not accept less than eight thousand dirhams.'
'While I intend no disrespect to Prince Mujir ed-Din,' Cait replied smoothly, 'I must point out that one of these men is injured, and all of them suffer from lice, starvation, dysenteria, and God knows what else. I doubt whether his highness the prince would buy camels in a similar condition. Six thousand, tell him.'
'Seven thousand and five hundred dirhams for each man,' countered the katib when Abu had translated her words.
'I think it is still too much,' Abu confided in a low voice. 'These men have been here a long time. Stay at six.'
'Six thousand and not one dirham more,' said Cait through her dutiful translator. Looking around the prison, she added, 'I do not see anyone offering a better price. Therefore,' she smiled, 'I advise you to accept mine.'
'Twenty-five thousand for all four,' countered the katib serenely.
'Very well,' said Cait. 'Twenty-five thousand for these four,' she held up a finger, 'and freedom for one more of my choosing.' She paused, and added with a smile, 'Twenty-five thousand silver dirhams, katib, or nothing. I leave the choice to you. Personally, I think twenty-five thousand dirhams would be very useful in helping repair the earthquake damage to his majesty the prince's reception hall.'
When her words were relayed to him, the katib rolled his eyes. 'Yu'allah!' he sighed. 'Very well, which is it to be?'
Addressing Rognvald, she said, 'Is there any man here with a young family waiting for him at home?'
The knight thought for a moment. 'There are two that I know of,' he said, and pointed out two knights, who eagerly rose and stood expectantly.
'Do either of you have a daughter?' Cait asked in Latin.
'I do,' replied one of the men.
'How old is she?'
'Six years this summer,' answered the man.
'When did you last see her?'
'Three years ago.'
'I will buy your release on one condition,' she said. 'You must abandon any claim to wealth or rank in the Holy Land and return home to your family without delay.'
'God smite me if I do not fly from this hellhole the moment I am released,1 replied the knight, unable to keep the quaver of excitement from his voice.
'Swear it,' she insisted.
'Upon my soul and every hope of eternal salvation, I hereby abandon any and all claims to wealth and rank in the Holy Land, and vow to return home by the swiftest means possible.'
'Very well,' replied Cait. 'If you like, you may accompany us to the coast where you will find passage aboard a ship to take you home.'
'You kindness shames and overwhelms me,' replied he knight. 'I thank you, my lady. I am your devoted servant.'
'Your safe return to your family is sufficient.'
Turning to the katib, Cait indicated the man and said, 'That one is to be included with the others. They are to be allowed to wash and given clean clothes. Understood?'
The katib bent his head in acknowledgement and the bargain was sealed. Turning on her heel, she walked quickly from the chamber, steeling herself against the piteous clamour of the captives as they cried out to be released. She did not stop until she was outside the prison and drinking in the fragrant air of the prince's courtyard once more.
'Please tell Prince Mujir ed-Din that I thank him for indulging my request so admirably. And I will thank Wazir Muqharik to command the captives to be readied for their release by midday when I return with the money.'
'It shall be done,' replied the katib when Abu had delivered her words.
The party then left the palace and returned to the inn where Caitriona had taken rooms. Leaving Abu and Otti to keep watch in the courtyard outside, she and Haemur brought out the chest containing the items carefully selected for the purpose from among the treasures Duncan had assembled to pay for their pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Alethea watched as her sister withdrew a gold bowl rimmed with alternating rubies and sapphires, and a ceremonial dagger with pearl-studded handle and crystal blade.
'Now what are you doing?' Thea asked, yawning with boredom.
'I am selling a few things to pay for knights,' Cait explained, passing the objects to the ship's pilot, who placed them in a cloth bag which he knotted and tied.
'Are you going into the city?' asked Alethea. 'I want to go. I hate staying here alone. If you are going, I am going, too.'
'No,' replied Caitriona crisply. 'We are staying here.'
'I cannot see why we need knights anyway,' grumped Alethea.
'I told you, it is not safe for us to travel alone,' replied Cait. 'We need the protection of a bodyguard.' With that, she and Haemur returned to the courtyard, where Cait instructed Abu Sharma to accompany Haemur to the principal marketplace in the city and negotiate the best terms possible for the sale of the precious objects. 'We
