The Kadin - Bertrice Small [131]
“Not until we are safely in the Tile Court He is a bright little boy and will understand.” She dipped her hand into the cool water. “Has Zuleika sent word yet about the two princes?”
“There has been no word in over a day, my lady.”
“Have the eunuchs not inquired at the gate?”
“They are afraid of the plague.”
Cyra frowned. “We must inquire. It is not like Zuleika to worry us. The crisis must have come, and she could not send word.”
Moving quickly to the Tile Court, Cyra called out “Zuleikal It is Cyra. How are the princes?”
Silence greeted her inquiry. She called again. “Zuleika! Are you all right? Please answer me!” Silence. “Marian, go to the main gate and call the eunuchs to come in here. Tell them the bas-kadin commands it and will flay the skin off their backs if they do not obey!”
The eunuchs came fearfully but quickly.
“Break the door down,” commanded Cyra.
“My lady bas-kadin, the plague germs will escape!”
Cyra’s green eyes narrowed angrily. “Open that door or I shall personally slit your fat belly and burn your innards before your very eyes!”
It took but a minute to break the door down, and when it was opened, a sickingly sweet stench poured out Placing a perfumed handkerchief to her nose, Cyra stepped across the threshold, flagging the others back with her free hand.
Within the chambers the lamps burned low, their oil almost gone. She moved from the small outer room into the main room behind it As long as she lived, Cyra would never forget the sight that greeted her. Hassan and Nureddin lay dead on their couches. Zuleika was on the floor, her lovely body contorted cruelly, her face darkened with blood. One arm was flung back over her head, revealing a swollen, unbroken plague boil. Cyra knew that unless the boil broke or was lanced, the victim died. Bending down, she held her mirror to the woman’s nostrils. Zuleika was dead.
The bas-kadin rose slowly. Suddenly she felt very old. I can’t spend three days here with Karim, she thought She moved to the outer court and heard her own voice saying, The princes and Zuleika Kadin are dead. See that coffins are brought for their bodies. Burn everything within, and see that the entire Tile Court is scrubbed with disinfectant I do not want the plague to spread any further.”
“But who is to do it my lady?” quavered the eunuch.
“Do we not have slaves?” she shouted at him “Fetch them this instant! And you, you fat cowardly son of a female pig, will personally oversee them! See that you do this job in a better fashion than you guarded Zuleika Kadin and the imperial princes. Do not tell me she did not call for help when she realized she was herself stricken. May Allah help you when the sultan learns of this!”
The eunuch gaped in amazement at her. Never had he seen or heard the sultan’s bas-kadin lose her temper. Mercifully for them both, Marian led her mistress away.
The next thing Cyra remembered was Marian stripping off her clothes and saying to Ruth, “Burn them all.” Then she was in her bath, and Marian, having shooed the bath attendants out was scrubbing her with some evil-smelling stuff and boiling water. She protested weakly. “Good! You’re still alive,” said her slave tartly.
“I can’t take Karim there,” she whispered.
“You can, you will and you must Unless you wish to see him end on an executioner’s bowstring,” hissed Marian. “It is his only chance. Now be silent, lest the walls hear our foolish chatter.”
A final splash of hot water, and she meekly followed Marian into the cool room. Stretching out on a marble slab, she allowed the woman to massage her numb body with oil of wild flowers. Then she fell into the blessed relief of sleep. Marian tiptoed out, speaking to the waiting bath attendants. “The bas-kadin has had a terrible shock. Zuleika Kadin and the two princes are dead It was she who found them. Wake her in two hours and see that she has her coffee.”
The little woman pattered