The Charmingly Clever Cousin (6 page)

F
ATIMA PULLED AWAY FROM THE TABLE AND
stood up. “We should go see your father at once!” she exclaimed.

Ahmed set down his fork.
“We?”

“Of course,” said Fatima. “My flying carpet will get us there much faster than a horse. And you'll need me to fly it.”

Ahmed opened his mouth as if to object, then closed it. “You're right,” he said. “But
what about your friends? You can't just leave them here alone.”

“Of course she can,” said Tansy. “Besides, Selime and Hassim will be here.”

Lysandra nodded in agreement. “We'll be fine.”

“I'd like to go with Prince Ahmed and Fatima,” Elena said softly. “In case I can help.”

“Good idea,” said Fatima, but she wondered how useful Elena's magical lotion would be if King Murad was seriously ill.

When Ahmed finished eating, he sent word to town to rehire all the servants Yusuf had dismissed. Then he sent two men to fetch Yusuf from the tower. As he was being put into a carriage, Yusuf tried to twist away from the guards. “I hate you!” he yelled over his shoulder at Ahmed. “Why did you have to tell my mother?”

Ahmed chose not to reply. The guards
shoved Yusuf into the carriage and climbed in after him. They would accompany Yusuf to his mother's home to make sure that he didn't escape.

Meanwhile, Fatima and Elena prepared for the journey to King Murad's palace. While they were deciding what to take, Nar appeared in the doorway. She twisted the tip of her pigtail. “I just wanted to say thank you,” she said shyly. “I'm so happy to have my job back.”

“You're welcome,” said Fatima. “I guess you know about Yusuf by now.”

Nar nodded. “All the servants are glad he's gone.” She reached behind her and picked up a large bag. “This is for you,” she said. “For your journey.” After handing the bag to Fatima, Nar curtsied and left.

“What's in it?” Elena asked.

Fatima opened the bag and they peered
inside. It was filled with all sorts of good food—meats and cheeses, bread and butter, oranges and grapes, and Fatima's favorite, honeyed stuffed dates.

After they'd said good-bye to the others, Fatima, Elena, and Ahmed flew off to see King Murad. Fatima guided her carpet skillfully, skimming over trees and mountains, valleys and lakes. They reached King Murad's palace by nightfall.

Fatima brought the carpet to a gentle halt outside the palace. The intricately carved doors were immediately flung open, and a servant showed the visitors down a grand, candlelit hallway to the king's chamber.

King Murad lay in the dim room, sighing and groaning. Fatima and Elena lingered just outside the door, but Ahmed stepped up beside his father's bed. “It's Ahmed, Father. I've come to see you.”

“Ahmed!” gasped King Murad. “You're here at last!”

Ahmed kneeled next to him and clasped one of his father's hands. “I would have been here sooner, but…well, we can talk about that later, after you're feeling better.”

“Oh, my poor boy,” King Murad moaned. “I'm afraid this time it is the end.”

“Now Father,” Prince Ahmed scolded lightly, “you mustn't talk like that.”

“But just look at me!” said the king, pushing himself up against the pillows.

Ahmed reached for a candle flickering on the bedside table, next to a silver bowl of nuts. He held it over the king. Fatima heard Ahmed draw in his breath. “You look just like Yusuf did after…” His voice trailed off.

“Yusuf? What about Yusuf? Is he ill too?” asked the king.

“Never mind about Yusuf,” said Ahmed.
“You haven't been stung by bees, have you? How long have you had these horrible red bumps?”

“Bees?” The king shook his head weakly. “No. It's a rash, and I've had it for more than a week.” He groaned. “It's hot and itchy and getting worse. The doctors think it's the plague. They're afraid of catching it, so they examine me from a distance.”

Fatima drew back a little, but Elena stepped into the room. “Excuse me, Your Majesty,” she said, “but may I have a look?”

“Who's this?” The king sounded startled.

Fatima came forward. “I'm Selime's sister, Fatima. And this is my friend, Princess Elena.” They both curtsied. “Elena is skilled at healing. Maybe she can help.”

The king sighed. “I fear I'm beyond anyone's help.” Then, managing a feeble smile, he added, “But where are my manners? You
must be hungry after such a long journey.” He motioned to the silver bowl on his bedside table. “Won't you have some nuts? They're about the only thing I've eaten since I became ill. In fact, I'm feeling a little hungry now myself. Maybe I'll have a few
too.” He reached for the bowl, but Elena stopped him.

“I think those nuts may be the problem,” she said.

“What?” cried Ahmed. “You don't think they're poisoned, do you?”

Could he be thinking the same thing she was? Fatima wondered. What if Yusuf…?

But Elena shook her head. “No, nothing like that. But sometimes certain foods, such as nuts, can cause a rash. If I'm right, Your Majesty, you'll get better once you stop eating them. But for now,” she said, uncapping her little blue bottle, “this lotion should help.”

W
HEN
F
ATIMA AND
E
LENA CAME DOWNSTAIRS
for breakfast the next morning, King Murad was sitting with Ahmed, enjoying a huge meal of scrambled eggs, fruit, and pastries. King Murad beamed when he saw them. “The rash is gone!” he said. “I feel wonderful. Like I could go on living for another fifty years!”

“And I hope you shall, Father,” said Ahmed.

Fatima and Elena looked at each other and smiled.

Later that morning Ahmed filled in his father on Yusuf's doings. The king shook his head sadly. “Disgraceful! His mother will be utterly enraged. Sending Yusuf to her is a just punishment indeed. And I'm so glad you're okay.”

Shortly afterward Ahmed and the princesses left for home. As Fatima's carpet sailed over lakes and valleys, mountains and trees, Prince Ahmed praised Elena. “It was clever of you to figure out what was causing my father's rash when none of those doctors could.” He rolled his eyes. “The plague, indeed!”

Jealousy surged through Fatima. She was proud of her friend too, but why couldn't Ahmed ever say anything nice about
her
?

It was evening when they finally arrived back at the palace. Ahmed went in search of Selime and Hassim, while Fatima and Elena
ran off to find their friends.

“I can't believe how much has happened since we've been here!” Tansy said later as she polished her flute in Fatima's room.

Fatima stopped brushing Elena's hair. She'd been trying to take some of the frizziness out of it, but it only sprang back, frizzier than ever. “I'm afraid it wasn't exactly the adventure I'd hoped for.”

Tansy looked up from her flute. “I thought the whole thing was rather exciting.”

“Me too.” Lysandra set down the book she'd been looking at. “Especially now that the dangerous parts are over.”

“I like your family,” said Elena. “And King Murad is nice, too.”

Fatima raised an eyebrow. “And Yusuf?”

Lysandra shrugged. “Every family has at least one bad apple. At least Yusuf could tell good stories and perform great tricks.”

Fatima nodded. She supposed everyone had good and bad in them, only sometimes the balance tipped more in one direction than the other. “Want to go to the bazaar before it closes?” she asked the others.

“Yes!” they all shouted together.

While her friends got ready to leave, Fatima went to tell Ahmed and Selime where
they were going. As she approached their room, she could hear Ahmed speaking. “I was wrong about Fatima,” she heard him say.

“What do you mean?” Selime asked. Fatima held her breath and hid behind the door, wondering if Ahmed was going to say something awful about her.

“Remember how I told you I thought she
was too young and irresponsible to care for Hassim?”

Fatima's cheeks warmed. It was something
she'd
never forget!

“Well,” said Prince Ahmed, “I take it all back.”

Fatima almost fell over. He did?

“If it hadn't been for her and her friends,” Ahmed continued, “I'd still be down at the bottom of a well. And Hassim…well…I'd prefer not to think about that. Have you seen the way she handles that carpet, by the way? She's amazing!”

“Have you told
her
that?” Selime asked.

Ahmed paused. “Not in so many words, I guess. It's hard for me to say these things sometimes. You know that, right?”

“Yes, dear. I do,” said Selime. “But I love you anyway.”

Smiling, Fatima entered their room. “I
came to tell you that my friends and I are going to the bazaar,” she said.

“Okay,” said Selime. “Have a good time.”

“Be back before dark,” Ahmed said gruffly.

“We will,” said Fatima. Then, surprising both Ahmed and herself, she gave him a great big hug.