Swords of Arabia: Betrayal (12 page)

They
had
absolutely
no
wish
at
all
to
get
caught
between
one
or
more
of
the
rival
claimants.
It
would
be
too
unsafe
for
any
merchant
to
willingly
place
himself
in
the
position
of
even
appearing
to
be
supportive
of
one
of
the
eventual
losers.
Almost
equally
perilous,
of
course,
was
not
seeming
enthusiastic
enough,
early
enough,
for
the
eventual
winner.

The
forces
gathering
behind
Talal
knew
that
Badr
would
be
crucial
to
influencing
the
majlis
.
Besides
being
a
senior
brother,
his
reputation
on
both
the
battlefield
and
in
the
emirate’s
councils
meant
that
he
would
be
closely
listened
to –
and
followed
by
many.
He
had
also
been
one
of
the
closest
to
Fouad
in
both
age
and
outlook,
which,
when
his
brother
was
alive,
gave
them
both
great
strength.
Whether
any
loyalty
would
remain
when
he
himself
had
a
chance
of
becoming
emir
and
leader
of
the
emirate
remained
to
be
seen.
Certainly,
they’d
been
wise
to
block
his
attempt
to
lead
the
deliberations.

Fortunately,
enough
other
senior
members
had
confirmed
Nasir’s
nomination
of
Abdullah,
which
meant
that
the
great-uncle
of
Fouad
and
the
most
senior
surviving
sheikh
of
the
family
by
a
good
few
years,
would
indeed
preside
over
the
gathering.
It
was,
however,
only
by
the
younger
man’s
strongest
persuasion
that
the
elderly
Sheikh
agree
to
do
it.
However, his
age, combined with
his
only
surviving
son’s incompetence,
meant
that
he
would
make
no
attempt
to
stay
at
its
head
permanently – facts that
made
him
an ideal choice.
Of
course,
his
path
away
from
potential
power
was
very
much
smoothed
by
Firyal
and
Zahirah’s
gold,
by
this
time
lavishly,
though
secretly,
bestowed
on
him.
That
the
very
temporary
nature
of
his
accession
suited
other
groupings
besides
the
pro-Talal
camp
also
helped
ensure
his
swift
endorsement,
of
course.

Nasir
reflected
that
he
had
learnt
well
from
the
inner
group
around
Fouad,
over
the
two
years
or
so
that
he’d
been
involved
in
the
inner
council.
Once
he
would
have
assumed
that
each
family
member
would
choose
with
the
good
of
Narash
uppermost
in
their
minds.
Though
still
far
from
cynical,
he
now
automatically
discounted
that
such
personal
disinterestedness
would
play
much
of
a
part
in
anyone’s
calculations,
whatever
platitudes
would
be
mouthed.
He
just
wished
he
was
older.
He
knew
that,
though
his
reputation
as
both
a
warrior
and
a
politician
was
strong
and
still
growing,
his
youth
would
preclude
his
saying
too
much
in
the
family
council,
certainly
not
before
all,
or
most,
of
those
older
and
more
senior
than
he
had
had
their
say.
And
by
then
it
could
be
too
late.
The
separate
thoughts
of
those
present,
as
in
any
gathering
of
men
would at some point
settle
into
the
collective
will
and,
should
that
happen
before
Nasir
had
a
chance
to
speak,
the
opportunity
to
speak
for
Talal
would
be
lost.

Everything
had
been
done
that
they
could
do
in
the
short
time
available
to
them.
Gold
had
been
dispersed
to
those
with
influence
but
little
chance
of
becoming
ruler
themselves;
a
little
remark,
gently
phrased,
pointing
out
to
those
with
something
to
hide the
best
path
for
them
to
take
to
ensure
that
that
which
was
best
kept
hidden,
stayed
hidden;
the
offer
to
those
for
whom
power
was
the
goal
that
power
could
be
given
after
the
right
result
occurred;
those
with
arrogance
had
their
egos
stroked
with
fine
words
and,
where
relevant,
their
wives
bedecked
with
the
finest
of
silver
jewellery.
But
even
with
all
that,
there
remained a core
of
serious,
very
serious,
rivals
to
Talal’s
elevation.
Had
she
had
more
time,
they
would
not
have
worried
Zahirah
unduly;
after
all,
life
was,
at
best,
uncertain;
no
more
so
than
in
the
harsh
deserts
of
Arabia.
Much
could
happen
to
unexpectedly
end
a
life
once
so
full
of
promise,
or,
indeed,
one
so
full
of
threat.
In
the
little
more
than
seventy
two
hours
before
the
assembly,
however,
too
much
too
soon
could
undo
any
benefit
their
sudden
absence
could
give.