The Tale of Princess Fatima, Warrior Woman
Page 15
The king attacked her like a mighty lion, roaring to intimidate her. Princess Fatima returned his roar, louder and more ferociously, and she met his attacks. She pushed forward, retaining her inner focus. This was her chance to prove herself to the Rum, for she had heard that there was none in the lands of the Rum more ferocious than the king of Portugal. Princess Fatima advanced with her spear. The king met her attack, their weapons locking together as they grappled. The dust rose around them, hiding them from view. Princess Fatima attacked, and then received the king’s counterattack as eagerly as dry earth receives the first drops of rain. She roared like a lion, and all those watching realized that this was a fight they would not easily forget. Zalim was in the audience, and he watched aghast. All eyes were turned on the two warriors. Suddenly the amira charged, yelling, “Allahu akbar!”
The king of Portugal was startled and lost his focus. Princess Fatima struck him with her blade, and it entered his right shoulder, protruding from below his left arm. Shouts rang out among the Portuguese contingent, and they surged forward, attacking soldiers of the Rum.
The amira returned to Leo, who thanked her, and Zalim watched with envy. Emperor Leo later took up his role as ruler of Constantinople, relieved of his fears. He sat on his throne, and the amira was his favorite sight and voice.
* * *
—
“That’s it, we have to take out that hussy,” said Zalim.
“How?” asked Walid.
“Tonight, take one thousand soldiers and hide in the place where the path narrows. When she leaves Constantinople, I will follow her with another thousand. I’ll hang back until you appear. With your army in front and mine behind, she’ll be history. But we must keep this secret from the emperor because she’ll be under his protection.”
“Right.”
That night, Walid set out with one thousand soldiers, Bani Kilab tribesmen who had converted to Christianity with their leaders. They hid themselves, and no one knew of their whereabouts.
Princess Fatima’s stay in the royal guesthouse lasted seven days. On the eighth day, the emperor had marvels and gifts delivered to her, as well as his permission to return to her lands. He offered an armed escort, but Princess Fatima declined. She had with her one hundred warriors, as well as the fifty kinsmen who had accompanied ʿAmr.
When they reached the narrow gap on the path, Zalim came into view behind them with one thousand soldiers. Princess Fatima concluded that Zalim must have come with the emperor’s consent. Therefore they had no one to rely on but themselves. She commanded her soldiers, “Watch my back—this is what we train for!”
She fought in the melee until she came face-to-face with Zalim. “Zalim, you followed us after the emperor granted us his protection. We carry his banner!”
“Even if the emperor himself were with you, I wouldn’t let a strumpet like you go free.”
The amira was filled with a great fury. She struck at Zalim and his soldiers like a swarm of pests. When she had whittled down the cloud of foes, she stood facing Zalim.
At that moment, Walid and his men appeared, rushing down the rocks, crosses emblazoned on their uniforms and their spears held aloft. Walid yelled to his men, “Don’t let her get away!”
The amira raised her face skyward and then called to her soldiers, “Follow me! We’ll put the mountain at our backs!” They converged behind her, holding off enemy soldiers as she attacked from the front. When they arrived at the side of the mountain, forty of Princess Fatima’s one hundred soldiers had fallen, and sixty remained. ʿAmr sat astride a horse directly behind Princess Fatima, never leaving her vicinity, and she protected him with her sword. As Zalim and Walid’s armies began to close in, the amira directed her soldiers as skillfully as possible. When the kinsmen of Bani Sulaym were lost, Princess Fatima called to her remaining forces, “Climb the mountain! Let the loose stones fall!” When she had achieved enough elevation, the amira leapt from her horse. Seeing this, Zalim instructed his men to follow her. Princess Fatima and her soldiers pushed the loose stones over their ledge, and Zalim’s soldiers were prevented from climbing any higher. When night fell, Zalim sent his soldiers up in the darkness to look for Dhat al-Himma and her soldiers.
The amira had sustained three injuries. Most of her followers also were injured and exhausted, and they were all thirsty. Princess Fatima knew they would not survive for long in the mountains, and she realized that she did not want to die: I have not yet had my fill of seeing my son. “Tonight is our last chance if we want to live through this. Say your final prayers so that we can face the morning bravely.”
They used the dust for their ablutions, and Princess Fatima traced on the ground a mihrab, marking the direction of prayer. She stood facing toward Mecca, and the others arranged themselves into rows, preparing themselves to meet their Maker. Tears streamed down Princess Fatima’s face as she thought of her son. Some of her followers sat, too tired and hurt to stand. Each one, in his or her own way, entrusted themselves to a higher power. The amira slowly bowed and rose again. As morning neared, she raised her palms skyward and whispered, “You who sanctify the human heart from nothingness, placing it within a body; You spread out the earth in all its fullness, placing mountains to anchor it; You raised the heavens without any pillars to hold them up; You saw that the dark of night was burdensome, and You brightened it; You gave the sun the light of Your countenance. Lord, I call upon Your ability that created Adam from dust. Bring us relief, a way out. Save us from the wiles of our enemies. Your power surpasses them. There is always room for Your will to be done.” As dawn began to lighten the sky, the amira turned to find her companions asleep. She woke them, but many were unable to rise to their feet due to injuries. Today is the reckoning, she thought.
Taking with her those who were able, she crept down the mountain until she spied the enemy. Zalim, Walid, and their men, looking relatively strong and refreshed, were climbing the mountain. The swords they carried glinted in the light.
Princess Fatima called for her soldiers to rain dust and stones on the approaching enemy. Suddenly there was a commotion on the road from Constantinople. An army of royal officers approached, flags flying and pikes aloft, crosses emblazoned on their uniforms. When their leader saw the skirmish on the mountain, he called for his forces to attack Walid and Zalim’s army. The new army from Constantinople was five thousand strong. It was not long before most of Zalim’s men had fallen. Seeing this, Zalim yelled to Walid, “To the horses! Let us ride for reinforcements before night falls! Surely these newcomers were sent by Mazlum, and are disguised as Christians.”
As the amira watched Zalim and Walid fleeing on their horses, she whispered, “O You who have brought relief after hardship, see us through this.”
When the Byzantine soldiers had completed their mission, they approached the people hiding on the mountain, and their leader asked, “Which of you is the one who prayed all night last night?”
Princess Fatima stood: “It was I, and my prayer was answered in you.”
“My name is Yanis, and I am a grandson of Leo, by one of his daughters. The people you see with me are of my castle, allotted to me by my grandfather. A strange event brought me to you. Last night I was asleep in my castle, and I saw in my dream a man standing at the top of my castle. He was singing in a loud voice, like the adhan of the Muslims. It was as if the very stones and towers were joining in with his call to worship. Then he called for the people of my house to ride out in the morning to find the woman who disturbed the night with her prayers, and to save her from her enemies, and finally to join her. I was very moved by this dream, and I called my friends together for their opinion. I told them about my dream, and they seemed to think it was fortuitous. They were eager to go find the woman and save her. We are so happy to meet you in person. Please tell us how we can join you. It is clear to us that your prayers are acceptable to God.”
The amira was overcome with
emotion. She hid her face for a moment. Then, drying her eyes, she said, “Thanks be to the Compassionate.” She gave them the words to the shahada, the Muslim proclamation of faith, and they repeated them after her.
“That’s it. Congratulations. Welcome.” She smiled.
* * *
—
Princess Fatima accompanied Yanis and his people to his castle. She and her party rode the horses that Walid and Zalim’s army had left behind, carrying the gifts that the emperor had given her. When Zalim had attacked, he had not taken any notice of the bounty.
Ten days later, the amira suggested to Yanis that he accompany her when she returned home, but he preferred to remain in Constantinople. He added gifts to those given to her by the emperor and promised to inform her of any important news from Byzantium. He also confided his desire to find a wife, and she wished him well in this and all his endeavors. She recited a brief blessing and took her leave.
* * *
—
ʿAmr rode ahead of Princess Fatima, and behind them rode what remained of their company. This time they passed through the narrow part of the path without incident. When they neared Malatya, the amira sent a messenger ahead to inform ʿAbdullah of the safe return of his son. The messenger rode a night and a day before delivering his news. Hearing of his son, ʿAbdullah seemed to be lifted off the ground by his joy.
During Princess Fatima’s absence, ʿAbdullah had cared for her son. Every morning, he had ridden to the practice field with ʿAbdelwahhab and the warriors the boy had received from the caliph. There ʿAbdullah had overseen the boy’s training in martial arts, practicing techniques both with and without weapons. When the messenger brought news of the amira’s return, ʿAbdullah and ʿAbdelwahhab hurried to their mounts.
Each of them led a company of riders, with Bani Sulaym warriors behind ʿAbdullah and Bani Kilab riders behind ʿAbdelwahhab, as well as ʿAbdelwahhab’s guards from the caliph. They had not ridden long before Princess Fatima came into view over a rise ahead of them. She could hardly believe she was seeing her son.
She leapt from her horse, running toward them on foot. They met her midway, ʿAbdelwahhab embracing his mother, and ʿAbdullah embracing his son, ʿAmr. Everyone’s eyes were misty, and Fatima held ʿAbdelwahhab to her, overwhelmed with gratitude to see him safe and healthy.
“I missed you!” she said, and the faces of all those who heard softened.
Everyone was gathering and talking when Mazlum rode into view with a group of riders. He greeted his daughter, complaining, “You nearly killed me with your long absence!”
Together they returned to Malatya, with the amira Dhat al-Himma flanked by the amir ʿAbdullah on one side and the amir Mazlum on the other. Princess Fatima told them everything that happened: how she had kidnapped the emperor’s son and rescued ʿAmr, how Zalim had attacked her from the narrow gap, how Walid had attacked her from behind, and all that had happened on the mountain.
Mazlum said, “My daughter, what we meet in life is determined in part by our intentions, and God knows what is in our conscience. There are no secrets from Allah.” They continued their conversation all the way to Malatya, where they were welcomed warmly. Together everyone in Malatya celebrated, eating, drinking, being merry, and making music.
LIKE MOTHER, LIKE SON1
In the morning, Princess Fatima and her son rode to the practice field of Malatya. ʿAbdelwahhab practiced with his guards and the others who had gathered there, but that day they focused more on catching up and discussing strategy. Princess Fatima reported the latest news: “We never heard any reply to the messages we sent to the Hijaz . . . And it seems to me that the emperor of the Rum is preparing to expand his empire. He gathers troops from every region and will likely move south. As for my uncle Zalim, he too has written to the Hijaz, describing for them bounties and wonders in foreign lands. . . .”
ʿAbdullah interjected, “We have had news from the Hijaz. They have packed up and are moving this way in droves like a rising tide. They will be here soon. Also, about ten days before your arrival, I wrote to the caliph for reinforcements. I was thinking of running some raids into the lands of the Rum.”
“We should have eyes and ears in the lands of the Rum to keep us informed of any developments there,” said Princess Fatima.
“Good thinking.”
That afternoon, ʿAbdullah arranged for several tribesmen to relocate to the lands of the Rum as spies. They dressed as Armenians and set out for Constantinople.
In the evening, representatives from Bani Kilab and Bani Sulaym attended a banquet hosted by ʿAbdullah. After they had finished eating, ʿAbdullah rose to his feet, raising the hands of ʿAmr and ʿAbdelwahhab in his own. He said, “Be my witnesses! I hereby consider these two as brothers. They are to share equally in my bounty and in my authority, during my lifetime and after my death. No one is to order them around or to keep secrets from them; they are to be shown respect.”
Princess Fatima rose and thanked him for his speech and his generosity.
* * *
—
Every morning, Princess Fatima took her son and ʿAmr to the practice field. There she taught them how to raise the dust, opening doors upon a vast ocean of knowledge. She trained them in the give and take of the battlefield. It so happened that ʿAbdelwahhab was more disciplined and rigorous. Princess Fatima was silently thankful for her son’s success, but when ʿAbdullah saw that his son was falling behind, he concluded that Dhat al-Himma was focusing more of her attention on her own son. He took immediate action, engaging Dawud al-Najjar to train his son. Dawud had written a book entitled Kitab al-furusiyya, On Knighthood, and was highly accomplished. ʿAbdullah offered Dawud a hefty sum, a spacious, furnished house in Malatya, and all his culinary provisions. In return, Dawud took over ʿAmr’s lessons on the practice field, leaving Princess Fatima to instruct her son alone.
The amira would often take her son far from Malatya on excursions that tested his endurance. In her prayers before bed, Princess Fatima would entreat the One to strengthen her son. Her prayers were answered, and every day ʿAbdelwahhab grew in physical ability and skill. One day Princess Fatima said, “My son, your equestrian and combat skills are well developed, and you have been endowed with physical strength and intelligence.”
“Yes, I think by now I am as brave as you are.”
She laughed. “You will be, God willing.”
* * *
—
Several days later, Princess Fatima recalled this conversation. ʿAbdelwahhab was in the habit of visiting a mosque called Masjid al-Rasul every Friday evening. Before leaving that Friday evening, Princess Fatima said to her son that there were bandits on a certain path. The path was unsafe, so he should take care. She set out, knowing that he would go to the path to fight the bandits.
When ʿAbdelwahhab came into view, with his faithful guard Maymun, the amira was fully disguised. She stepped out from the undergrowth, wearing a hooded cape and a fine scarf. She gave her horse free rein, and between her horse’s ears, she steadied a long spear. “Where are you headed, Bedouin Kid? Why should I let you pass?” she asked menacingly.
Princess Fatima spurred her horse into a canter, riding straight for her son. Closing in, she attempted to unseat him but found him as solid and immovable as a rock. He turned, grabbed her arm, and began twisting her hand. With her other hand, she removed the scarf from her face and laughed.
Seeing her face, ʿAbdelwahhab was startled. “You were testing me?!” She reached out and pulled him toward her, kissing him on his forehead. They rode side by side to Masjid al-Rasul, where they prayed, and then returned home. That evening, Princess Fatima gave her son a large sum of money for his accomplishments.
The next day, Princess Fatima and her son rode to the practice field. There they found ʿAbdullah and others from the Bani Sulaym tribe gathered to watch ʿAmr practicing with his instructor, Dawud. The amira
approached and greeted ʿAbdullah. Together they watched the spear skirmish.
Looking on, ʿAbdelwahhab said, “I want to try my hand fighting ʿAmr’s teacher!”
Princess Fatima said, “Son, he’s a very accomplished warrior, and he wrote the book on knighthood. If he didn’t make mincemeat of you, then his reputation would be threatened.”
“Mom, that’s nonsense. Everyone has the right to prove themselves, and I want to see how I measure up.”
ʿAbdullah looked over. “What’s the matter?”
Princess Fatima told him what ʿAbdelwahhab had said.
ʿAbdullah laughed heartily. “Let him do what he wants. If a man is destined for greatness, he naturally wants to pursue it.” Then he sent a messenger to approach ʿAmr and let him return to the sidelines. To ʿAbdelwahhab, ʿAbdullah said, “Be careful what you ask for.”
The amir ʿAbdelwahhab rode out on a muscular horse the color of dark clouds, like a shiny raven. He made his way around the perimeter of the field, deftly maneuvering on his horse. Those who watched were impressed by his acrobatics. He brandished a spear, advancing on Dawud. They met and parted, circling each other in a wide arc across the field. Dawud, calculating his opponent’s skill, charged forward to unseat the young man. But ʿAbdelwahhab maintained his seat. Dawud shook his head, riding back toward the onlookers. “Dhat al-Himma,” he said, “your son is one of the most accomplished warriors of his time. He is bound for great things!”