and you won’t look any different from us. We don’t spend our time picking flowers or chasing butterflies.”
“I’d like to ask you something,” ibn Tahir resumed. “A while ago down below I saw them whipping a man who was tied to a pillar. I’d like to know what he did to deserve that punishment.”
“He committed a grievous crime, my friend. He’d been assigned to accompany a caravan traveling to Turkestan. The drivers weren’t Ismailis and drank wine on the journey. They offered him some and he accepted it, even though Sayyiduna has strictly forbidden it.”
“Sayyiduna forbids it?” ibn Tahir asked in amazement. “That injunction holds for all believers and comes straight from the Prophet!”
“You wouldn’t understand yet. Sayyiduna can forbid or permit whatever he wants. We Ismailis are bound to obey only him.”
Ibn Tahir was incredulous, and he began to feel vaguely anxious. He probed further.
“Earlier you said that my predecessor got sent to the infantry. What did he do wrong?”
“He talked about women, and very indecently.”
“Is that forbidden?”
“Absolutely. We’re an elite corps, and when we’re inducted we’ll serve only Sayyiduna.”
“What are we being inducted into?”
“I already told you—the fedayeen. Once we finish school and pass all the tests, that’s the level we’ll be at.”
“What are fedayeen?”
“A feday is an Ismaili who’s ready to sacrifice himself without hesitation atthe order of the supreme commander. If he dies in the process, he becomes a martyr. If he completes the assignment and lives, he’s promoted to dai and even higher.”
“All of this is completely new to me. Do you think the test will be very hard?”
“No question about it. Otherwise why would we be preparing for it from dawn to dusk every day? Six have already failed under the load. One of them dropped dead on the spot. The other five asked to be demoted to the infantry.”
“Why didn’t they just leave Alamut instead of letting themselves be humiliated like that?”
“Listen, Alamut is not to be trifled with, my friend. Once you’re in the castle you don’t just walk back out alive as you please. There are too many secrets around here.”
The novices came storming into the room. On the way they had washed in the washroom and gotten themselves ready for evening prayers. A giant almost a head taller than ibn Tahir collapsed on the bed next to his.
“I’m Yusuf of Damagan. I’m not a bad person, but I don’t advise anyone to provoke or make fun of me, or you’ll get to know my other side.”
He stretched his powerful limbs as if to underscore what he’d said.
Ibn Tahir smiled.
“I’ve heard you’re the biggest and strongest in the group.”
The giant sat up instantly.
“Who told you that?”
“Suleiman.”
Disappointed, Yusuf stretched back out on his bed.
The youths were ribbing each other. Obeida walked over to ibn Tahir and opened his Moorish lips.
“How do you like it here so far, ibn Tahir? Of course, it’s hard to say when you’ve just arrived. But once you’ve been in the castle for four months like me, everything you’ve brought with you from outside will evaporate.”
“Did you hear what that black ass said?” Suleiman sneered. “He’s hardly dipped his beak in Alamut’s honey and he’s already giving lessons to others.”
“Maybe I should give you some, you stupid blockhead,” Obeida responded, enraged.
“Easy, brothers,” Yusuf growled from his bed. “Don’t set a bad example for the new guy.”
A broad-shouldered, bowlegged youth with an earnest face approached ibn Tahir.
“I’m Jafar of Rai,” he introduced himself. “I’ve been in the castle for a year, and if you need any help with lessons, just let me know.”
Ibn Tahir thanked him. One after the other the novices approached him to introduce themselves. Afan, Abdur Ahman, Omar, Abdallah, ibn Vakas, Halfa, Sohail, Ozaid, Mahmud, Arslan … Finally the
“I’d like to ask you something,” ibn Tahir resumed. “A while ago down below I saw them whipping a man who was tied to a pillar. I’d like to know what he did to deserve that punishment.”
“He committed a grievous crime, my friend. He’d been assigned to accompany a caravan traveling to Turkestan. The drivers weren’t Ismailis and drank wine on the journey. They offered him some and he accepted it, even though Sayyiduna has strictly forbidden it.”
“Sayyiduna forbids it?” ibn Tahir asked in amazement. “That injunction holds for all believers and comes straight from the Prophet!”
“You wouldn’t understand yet. Sayyiduna can forbid or permit whatever he wants. We Ismailis are bound to obey only him.”
Ibn Tahir was incredulous, and he began to feel vaguely anxious. He probed further.
“Earlier you said that my predecessor got sent to the infantry. What did he do wrong?”
“He talked about women, and very indecently.”
“Is that forbidden?”
“Absolutely. We’re an elite corps, and when we’re inducted we’ll serve only Sayyiduna.”
“What are we being inducted into?”
“I already told you—the fedayeen. Once we finish school and pass all the tests, that’s the level we’ll be at.”
“What are fedayeen?”
“A feday is an Ismaili who’s ready to sacrifice himself without hesitation atthe order of the supreme commander. If he dies in the process, he becomes a martyr. If he completes the assignment and lives, he’s promoted to dai and even higher.”
“All of this is completely new to me. Do you think the test will be very hard?”
“No question about it. Otherwise why would we be preparing for it from dawn to dusk every day? Six have already failed under the load. One of them dropped dead on the spot. The other five asked to be demoted to the infantry.”
“Why didn’t they just leave Alamut instead of letting themselves be humiliated like that?”
“Listen, Alamut is not to be trifled with, my friend. Once you’re in the castle you don’t just walk back out alive as you please. There are too many secrets around here.”
The novices came storming into the room. On the way they had washed in the washroom and gotten themselves ready for evening prayers. A giant almost a head taller than ibn Tahir collapsed on the bed next to his.
“I’m Yusuf of Damagan. I’m not a bad person, but I don’t advise anyone to provoke or make fun of me, or you’ll get to know my other side.”
He stretched his powerful limbs as if to underscore what he’d said.
Ibn Tahir smiled.
“I’ve heard you’re the biggest and strongest in the group.”
The giant sat up instantly.
“Who told you that?”
“Suleiman.”
Disappointed, Yusuf stretched back out on his bed.
The youths were ribbing each other. Obeida walked over to ibn Tahir and opened his Moorish lips.
“How do you like it here so far, ibn Tahir? Of course, it’s hard to say when you’ve just arrived. But once you’ve been in the castle for four months like me, everything you’ve brought with you from outside will evaporate.”
“Did you hear what that black ass said?” Suleiman sneered. “He’s hardly dipped his beak in Alamut’s honey and he’s already giving lessons to others.”
“Maybe I should give you some, you stupid blockhead,” Obeida responded, enraged.
“Easy, brothers,” Yusuf growled from his bed. “Don’t set a bad example for the new guy.”
A broad-shouldered, bowlegged youth with an earnest face approached ibn Tahir.
“I’m Jafar of Rai,” he introduced himself. “I’ve been in the castle for a year, and if you need any help with lessons, just let me know.”
Ibn Tahir thanked him. One after the other the novices approached him to introduce themselves. Afan, Abdur Ahman, Omar, Abdallah, ibn Vakas, Halfa, Sohail, Ozaid, Mahmud, Arslan … Finally the
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