Chapter 37: The Song of Saffiya

October 5, 1192

Saffiya slowly limped towards the Great Hall where the feast was about to begin. Robin, in his guard uniform, was accompanying her. Anyone observing them would assume that Robin was her guard.

As she began descending the stairs to the main level of the castle, an unexpected sharp pain in her injured knee caused her to stop, gasp, and grab the stone wall.

"Saffiya?" Robin, forgetting the difficulties that she faced on stairways, had moved ahead of her. He quickly rejoined her at the top of the stairs.

"Do you need help?" he gently asked.

Saffiya closed her eyes in resignation and reluctantly nodded.

"Be at ease, Saffiya," came her brother's kind voice. "It is my pleasure to help." He carefully picked her up and carried her to the bottom of the stairs.

As he set her upon her feet once more, she looked down the corridor at the imposing double doors that led to the Great Hall. There were many guards at the door. Some were wearing the colors of Prince John, some wore the blue and white of Vaisey, and a few wore the yellow and black of Gisborne.

She realized that when they arrived at the doors there would be no privacy, no moment when she could speak to him. Looking up into his kind, handsome face, Saffiya smiled.

"Thank you." She hesitated. "Robin, I do not know what will happen tonight, but I wanted you to know how thankful I am that you are my brother."

Saffiya had meant to please him with her words, and she was alarmed to see a pained look upon his face.

He glanced down the hall before his gaze returned to her. She saw sadness and regret fill his eyes.

"Saffiya, I have failed you as a brother. I should be begging your forgiveness! I do not deserve your thanks."

"Failed me? I do not understand. You have always taken such good care of me."

He shook his head. "Saffiya, I am sorry that I never tried to warn you about men who might take advantage of you. I thought I would always be there to protect you, but I failed to warn you, and I failed to protect you. I have also placed you in danger – my reckless actions have placed everyone whom I love in danger."

"No!" she replied urgently. "I do not blame you for what happened with Guy. As for the danger, well, I am proud of the good things that you do for the people who are suffering under the rule of men like the sheriff and the prince. I am honored to be your sister."

She placed a tentative hand on his arm. "Robin, there is something I have never told you. I promised Raffiya that I would not tell you this, however, the promise was made when you were still a stranger to us, and we did not know how you would react to the truth."

Saffiya could see apprehension in Robin's blue eyes so she quickly continued, "You saved my life. I was also sentenced to death for dishonoring my family by helping Raffiya to secretly meet with you. Raffiya feared that you would refuse to take me permanently into your home, but she believed that you might agree to allow me to visit her for a short time. She wasn't sure what she would do when you tried to send me home." Saffiya laughed quietly. "She had half-a-plan."

Robin chuckled as well, and his eyes softened as he remembered his gentle and compassionate first wife.

Saffiya sighed, and her eyes drifted away from Robin to stare at a distant point behind him. "That seems so long ago now. A lifetime ago. We soon learned what a kind and honorable man you are, and then we felt guilty about deceiving you into allowing me into your home."

Her eyes swung back to Robin, and she grabbed his hand with both of hers and squeezed it firmly as her dark eyes earnestly bore into his. "You have saved me in so many ways: you saved me from death by stoning, you rescued me from the devastation that surrounded us in Acre by bringing me to this beautiful land of endless green forests, and I have found great comfort and hope in the Christian faith. So, yes, I am thankful that you are my brother. I thank God every day that He sent you to Al-Kahf all those years ago. I love you, my dear brother."

Tears welled in Robin's eyes, and his voice broke slightly as he responded. "And I love you as well, my dear sister. I am glad that you told me this. I have sometimes wondered why your family was so willing to allow you to leave with Raffiya, but I should have realized the truth. I knew that once you had been baptized, your family would not accept you back, so I always expected that you would remain with us until you married, but you have never been a burden to me. I feel blessed to have you as my sister."

A tear escaped and rolled down her cheek, and Saffiya looked away towards the impressive doors of the Great Hall. "Oh, Robin! I am fearful that I will not be able to do this – to entertain this Prince of England. I am afraid that I will disappoint you and endanger everyone."

A surprised look passed over his face, and Robin replied, "I truly meant what I said earlier: you can do this. You are the only one with doubts."

"Your belief in me is misplaced. I have never stood before such a gathering of strangers and told a story. Why are you so certain that I can do this? Only a few months ago, I could not bear to look at or even speak to one stranger. Now I must face an entire room!" A sense of misery and doom settled on her. The situation was hopeless. She was startled to hear Robin chuckling.

"Saffiya! So much has happened in the months since our arrival here. You are not the same girl who set foot upon English soil at Portsmouth. You have survived imprisonment and this terrible injury to your leg. You have endured betrayal and heartbreak. You have bravely confronted each of these ordeals, and you have triumphed. You are smart, courageous, and strong."

Saffiya's eyes widened in surprise at his words.

Robin continued, "Just a few days ago, when I arrived at the castle with every intention of taking you away, you questioned my plan to hide you at Locksley with Ellie. Then you told me that you wanted to stay here at the castle. The girl who stepped off that boat six months ago would have never criticized one of my plans – not even a half-a-plan. That girl would have never told me what she wanted to do. She would have meekly acquiesced and followed me. She would have never argued with me." Another warm smile spread across Robin's face. "I am very proud of you."

Saffiya realized the truth of his words. She was not the same girl. Everything was different; she was different. In a few months, she would be a mother. She could do this. She would go in there and tell her favorite story to the English prince and his people.

Robin must have recognized the resolve on her face. He nodded his approval and smiled. "My lady, they await you in the Great Hall," he announced with great formality.

Saffiya smiled back. "I can do this," she said, as much to herself as to Robin.

She started moving towards the large doors at the end of the corridor as she smoothed the folds of her Saracen style gown. Its long flowing robes hid much of her figure, including her slightly rounded belly. She had covered her long black hair with a veil, and only her face and hands could be seen.

If Prince John wanted to see a Saracen woman, then Saffiya would make sure that he saw how modestly the women of her people dressed.

Two of the guards pulled open the large doors, and Saffiya entered the Great Hall with Robin behind her. Her step faltered slightly as she saw just how many people were there. In front of her was a table raised above the others. In the center was a young man with reddish blond hair. On his left was Marian, with Guy next to her. To the man's right was the sheriff, and then Isabella.

The room hushed as she limped towards the prince.

Robin left her and went to stand behind Marian. Swallowing, Saffiya looked upon the brother of King Richard. Although he was apparently a much shorter man, he clearly resembled the king.

She bowed.

"Oh! We are quite pleased to see our first Saracen woman! Although we cannot see much of her . . . Why is she dressed like that? Why is she limping?" exclaimed Prince John.

Saffiya nervously looked at Robin. She did not know whether she was supposed to answer the prince's questions. Her heart began beating frantically in her chest, her stomach fluttered, and her head swam with dizziness. For a moment, she feared that she would swoon and fall onto the floor in a humiliating heap.

"Sire," Marian addressed the prince. "This is how Saracen women dress. It is clothing that she brought with her from the Holy Land."

Prince John looked at Marian, who was smiling warmly at him. Saffiya marveled at her performance, and she realized that the sound of Marian's confident voice had helped steady her nerves.

The prince asked, "Lady Marian, how do you know about such things?"

"Sire, I have spoken to Princess Saffiya on several occasions."

"Princess Saffiya? Vaisey, what is this? You did not tell us that she is Saracen royalty!"

The sheriff narrowed his eyes at Marian, "I believe Lady Marian is confused. This is the Lady Saffiya, whose sister was married to Robin, Earl of Huntingdon, a rabid supporter of your brother."

Marian shrugged. "Well, her grandfather was a ruler who signed a treaty with King Richard, so I assumed that she should be addressed accordingly."

Prince John again focused on Saffiya. "Is this true?"

Saffiya's opened her mouth to answer, but no sound came out. For a moment, she feared that she had forgotten every English word she had ever learned.

"She does speak English does she not?" the prince asked Marian.

Marian leaned towards him and loudly whispered, "She is waiting for you to give her permission to speak. She is very well mannered." Marian then looked at Saffiya, her eyes full of encouragement.

Nodding, Prince John seemed pleased. "We are giving you permission to address us."

Saffiya bowed again and took a deep breath. She would be forever thankful for Marian's bold, fearless nature, for in it she found the inspiration and strength to speak to Prince John and look him in the eye. "Sire, Lady Marian speaks the truth. My grandfather signed a treaty with your brother and Count de Champagne. I am grateful to King Richard for allowing me to travel to your beautiful land."

Prince John seemed a bit chagrined at the mention of his brother, but he was also intrigued by this mysterious woman. "Why are you dressed like that? Why are you limping?"

"Sire, this is how the noblewomen of my land dress. I . . . I have a deformed leg, and that is why I limp." She risked a glance at the sheriff and was distressed to see suspicion on his face.

The prince seemed disappointed. "So, you will not be able to entertain us? We were hoping to see something exotic . . . perhaps a dance like Salomé performed for King Herod!" **

"Sire, I cannot dance. However, my people are known as excellent storytellers. Would you like to hear a story about a prince of my land?"

"Yes! We would be most pleased to hear such a tale. Is it a true story?"

"Sire, legend says that this is, indeed, a true story. However, it is an old story, from the time before the coming of the Prophet Mohammed."

"Wonderful! We shall hear it. Proceed."

Saffiya realized that starting to speak was the real challenge. Once she started, it became easier to continue. She felt strong and courageous, and she was determined to tell a story that no one here would soon forget.

Saffiya glanced at Guy as she began to tell her story:

"There was once a prince, who was beloved by his people. He was called . . . Prince Djaq."

"Jack?" interrupted the prince. "Perhaps his name should be 'John'."

"Sire, his name was Djaq."

"Oh, very well, you may continue," Prince John huffed in annoyance.

"When Prince Djaq was still a young man, innocent in the ways of the world, he fell in love with a beautiful woman. Although some of his advisors cautioned Prince Djaq against this woman, he was smitten. The prince took her as his bride.

"When Prince Djaq became sultan, which means king, the people rejoiced for he was greatly loved by his people. At the same time, the true nature of his wife was revealed. She had used him cruelly to get what she really wanted – power, wealth, and position. She had no love for Sultan Djaq. He also discovered that she was unfaithful to him, and Sultan Djaq put her to death."

Prince John nodded his agreement. "Quite right. You say the people loved him?"

"Yes, the people loved him at first, but then he changed."

Prince John frowned.

"This woman, his queen, had ripped out his heart!" Saffiya glared briefly at Guy, who looked rather contrite. She turned back to the prince and continued, "Sultan Djaq decreed that he would wed a new queen each day. That way, never again would a woman betray him or break his heart."

"Wait," asked Prince John, "We do not understand . . . how could he get married every day? How many queens did he have?"

"Sire, the sultan had only one queen at a time. He would marry, take his pleasure, and then execute his wife. A single night for each bride. Each morning, the queen would be executed, the name of Sultan Djaq on her dying breath."

Everyone in the hall audibly gasped in horror.

Prince John paled and blinked several times. "You . . . you mean he killed them all?"

"Yes, he had their hearts cut out. As I said, his first love had ripped out his heart, and so, he no longer had one.

"With the deaths of their sisters and daughters, the people began to turn against Sultan Djaq."

The entire hall had become very still and quiet.

Saffiya continued, "But that is not the end of the story. In one of the sultan's villages, there was a beautiful young woman, who was very smart and beloved by her family. Although most of the sultan's subjects now hated him for his cruelty, this young woman felt compassion for him. She understood that he was broken-hearted. When her dear sister was chosen as the next bride for the sultan – a death sentence – this young woman came forward and offered to go in her sister's place."

Prince John shook his head. "We question whether she was as smart as you say. What was her name?"

"Her name was Scheherazade. She became the sultan's wife. As she went to him that night, her heart broke to see how miserable and sad he was. She offered to tell him a story.

"After listening to so many women weep in terror and beg for their lives, Sultan Djaq was pleased to have a woman face him bravely without fear. He was captivated by her beauty and curious to hear her story.

"Scheherazade told him a tale of mystery and intrigue – a tale about a secret talisman of great power. Just as she reached the part of the story where the hero was about to reveal the truth of the talisman, the sun rose, and it was dawn. It was the time of her execution. She stood to leave the sultan and prepare for her death.

"The sultan became distressed. If Scheherazade was executed, he would never learn the ending of the fascinating story she had begun. So, to the astonishment of everyone in the kingdom, he delayed her execution for one more day. The second night, she continued the story, but she was unable to finish it.

"The sultan was spellbound by her stories. Night after night, she continued weaving her tales. Finally, after one thousand and one nights, she had won the heart of Sultan Djaq. He decreed that she would remain his queen. She had healed his heart and given him hope for the future. The people rejoiced that no longer would their sisters and daughters face death at the hands of the sultan. Sultan Djaq and Scheherazade lived long and prosperous lives."

Saffiya bowed as she finished the story.

The prince began to enthusiastically applaud. "Bravo! We are pleased with your story! Very entertaining! Come join us at our table!" He signaled to the servants to begin the feast.

The prince then spoke to Vaisey, "We wish for the Princess Saffiya to sit here, next to us." He impatiently gestured for the sheriff to move and make room for her.

Saffiya felt perverse pleasure at the horror-stricken look on the sheriff's face as he, and everyone sitting on that side of the prince's table, stood and shifted to another seat.

As Saffiya took her seat at the right hand of the prince, Marian heard Guy groan in frustration. She looked at him curiously. Marian was both pleased and amazed by Guy's strong feelings for Saffiya. It was so surprising! But then, the last six months had been full of startling revelations when it came to the tall knight.

When Marian had first met Guy after his arrival in Nottinghamshire, she considered him to be emotionally detached and indifferent to the feelings of others, but the arrival of Ellie and Saffiya had changed everything. Instead of a heartless puppet of the sheriff, Marian had discovered facets of Guy's personality that were completely unexpected.

Whether he was laughing and playing games with a little girl, teaching peasants how to fight like soldiers, assisting Robin with his outlaw raids while wearing a wolf mask, or arranging to move her sick father from the dungeons, Guy was constantly surprising her.

But then he had betrayed Robin while seducing and abandoning Saffiya. On the surface, it fit her original opinion of him as cold-hearted and cruel. However, she was beginning to understand that there was more to his relationship with Saffiya than taking advantage of an innocent girl in pursuit of carnal pleasure.

He must truly care about Saffiya because Guy had been desperate to keep her away from the prince. His threat to assassinate Prince John had been tantamount to an offer to commit suicide to protect her. Guy had been willing to risk the wrath of the sheriff and the prince by sending her back to the forest – he might have been stripped of his new title for failing to bring her to the feast.

Marian remembered Guy's unexpected embrace of Saffiya, and the desperate look in his eyes at the thought of the prince molesting her. There was no question in Marian's mind: Guy was in love with Saffiya!

As they were dressing for the feast, Saffiya admitted that Guy had confessed that he loved her. Marian had been momentarily speechless, as she could not imagine Guy uttering tender words of love, but the thought that Guy loved Saffiya pleased Marian.

Marian knew, without asking, that Saffiya also loved Guy, and to some extent, Saffiya had forgiven him. Saffiya had presented several good reasons why she should stay in the castle, such as protecting Allan, but Marian recognized that Saffiya wanted to remain with Guy.

Guy loved Saffiya, and Saffiya loved Guy. It should be a beautiful and tender ending to a story about two very different people, mused Marian.

She frowned. Instead, Guy had walked away from Saffiya. Because she was a Saracen. Marian knew that Guy was not as clever as Robin, or even herself, but he was not stupid either. Why was he behaving so stupidly?

Marian stepped back from her easy condemnation of Guy and took a closer look at herself. She remembered her initial feelings of shock and horror at the idea that Robin had married . . . joined his body with . . . conceived a child with . . . a Saracen. Before Robin's return, she had never given much thought to Saracens beyond the tales of their cruelty and wickedness against the Christians in the Holy Land. She had not really even considered them to be people.

Marian had never met a Saracen before being introduced to Saffiya and Ellie. For her, knowing Saffiya and Ellie, learning more about Saracens, and hearing reports from Robin of less than honorable actions by some of the Crusaders, had changed everything.

It is very easy to recite platitudes about how each person has both goodness and wickedness within them, and very difficult to confront the reality of the evil in your own nature while you are acknowledging the good in a people you had once considered wholly evil. Her reluctance to accept Saffiya and Ellie because they were Saracen had been wrong.

There was nothing inherently evil about Saffiya and Ellie just because their skin was dark. On the contrary, Saffiya was smart, gentle, and kind. Ellie was bright, imaginative, and loving. They were not strange at all.

Guy had spent a lot of time with Saffiya. Ellie as well. Could he not see that they were just as human as any English person?

Marian decided that Guy deserved to be miserable for rejecting Saffiya and behaving so stupidly, and he was clearly miserable. He could not stop himself from tilting forward in his seat to watch Saffiya as she sat next to the prince.

Guy leaned towards Marian. "Marian, you seem distracted. Are you attending to the prince's conversation? Can you hear what the prince is saying? What is the prince saying to Saffiya? Is he asking her to come to him? Can you hear . . .?"

Marian rolled her eyes and raised her hand in a gesture to silence him. She then turned her attention to Saffiya and Prince John.

". . . We were very pleased by your story. Perhaps you could come to our suite of rooms . . ."

Marian frowned. This was just what they had feared.

Saffiya softly answered the prince. "Sire, I am honored that you enjoyed the story, but I believe it would be improper for me to join you in your rooms. "

"We insist! We are insulted that you would accuse us of improper behavior. Could you take that cloth off your head? We would like to see your hair."

As Saffiya shakily reached up to remove her veil, Marian quickly turned to Guy, who was closely watching the prince and straining to hear what was being said. She put her hand on his arm and leaned towards him.

"Guy, he is insisting that she come to his rooms. I will need to put the potion in his drink. The next time that the serving girl fills his goblet, we need a distraction of some sort so that I can add the potion. It is good that he is turned towards Saffiya, but someone else might see me unless everyone is looking away from the prince."

Guy waved Allan over. After a few words, Allan nodded and moved closer to Robin. He spoke briefly to Robin and then walked away.

Marian looked back at Robin, who was standing behind her. Despite her earlier brave words, her heart was beating wildly in her chest, and she felt light-headed. She fumbled for the small bottle that she had hidden in a pouch tied to her belt. To her horror, it slipped from her hands and dropped to the floor between her and Guy. She frantically leaned over and began to feel for it.

Just then, Robin knelt between her and Guy and retrieved the precious bottle of sleeping potion. He placed it in her hands and whispered softly, "Breathe, my love, breathe. I know you can do this, and I am right here with you."

His soothing words had an immediate effect on her. She took several deep breaths. She was ready.

A serving girl approached the prince and offered to refill his goblet. He was still engaging Saffiya in conversation and gestured for the girl to pour the ale. She filled the goblet and walked away.

Now Marian looked for Allan. What would he do? She didn't have to wait long as she saw him walk towards another serving girl, who was carrying a large tray filled with empty dishes that had been cleared from the tables. Allan purposefully walked into her and knocked the tray from her hands. The resultant clatter and uproar was a perfect distraction.

Marian quickly emptied the bottle of sleeping potion into the prince's goblet.

She looked back at Guy who had been closely watching her. Guy nodded his approval, and Marian breathed a sigh of relief. Success! Now, all they had to do was wait for the prince to drink his ale and grow sleepy.

Neither Guy nor Marian noticed that Isabella had been leaning forward in her chair, trying to gain the prince's attention and distract him from Saffiya. Isabella had not been able to see exactly what Marian had done, but it had appeared that Marian and Guy were up to some sort of scheme. Isabella hesitated. If she accused Marian of tampering with the prince's drink, and she was wrong, she would look foolish in front of the sheriff and the prince. She decided to keep a close watch on her dimwitted brother and Lady Marian.

Saffiya was frightened by the increasingly bold advances of the prince. He had insisted that she remove her head covering. She now had to fend off his hands as they alternated stroking her hair, sliding down her arm, and squeezing her leg.

As soon as she saw Marian put the sleeping potion into the prince's drink, she grabbed her own goblet and held it in front of her.

"Sire, may I propose a toast?"

The prince reluctantly paused his groping and reached for his goblet. "Of course, Princess Saffiya."

She leaned close to the prince and tried to speak in a seductive and alluring voice, "To the future King of England, may the storytellers of future generations sing of your greatness!" She nervously brought her goblet to her lips.

Prince John was delighted. "That is a most excellent toast!" he cried. He drained his goblet and slammed it back onto the table.

Saffiya glanced at Robin. They needed to get the prince to his rooms as soon as possible. It might be alarming to the nobles and his guard if he passed out at the table. She looked again at the prince, who was leering at her with undisguised lust.

"Sire, I will come to your rooms, but please, I beg of you, go first by yourself, and I will follow you."

His eyes were already beginning to glaze over. The prince stood and swayed slightly. One of his guards stepped forward and steadied him.

"We will retire to our rooms now. Excellent . . . feast . . ." The prince was now slurring his words.

To Saffiya's relief, Vaisey jumped to his feet and addressed the royal guard. "What are you waiting for? Do you want the prince to pass out onto the floor? Take him to his rooms, NOW!"

The guards immediately took hold of Prince John and escorted him out of the hall. They had scarcely exited before the prince blacked out and had to be carried the rest of the way.

** Author's Note: Prince John is referring to the story in Mark 6:21-29. It is Herod's birthday, and he asks his step-daughter, Salomé, to dance, promising her, "Whatever you ask, I will give you, up to half my kingdom." Her evil mother, Herodias, instructs Salomé to ask for the head of John the Baptist. After his public oath to give the girl whatever she wanted, Herod reluctantly had John the Baptist beheaded and presented the head to the girl. This dance has also been referred to as the "Dance of the Seven Veils."

Second author's note: I made a small change in Chapter 35 (The Arrival of Prince John). During the feast, as Isabella is talking to Prince John, and Robin is listening, Robin now has a reaction to Isabella referring to him as the Wolf Bandit's "lackey". It is a small alteration (one new paragraph and a change to another paragraph), but I wanted to mention it.

Next: Isabella's Triumph

Marian will reveal the secret of the tapestry in Vaisey's "war room", which was briefly mentioned in Chapter 13 (Devastating Assaults).

The prince announces a competition between Vaisey and Gisborne. However, it is Isabella who triumphs by making a startling discovery that will change everything. We are moving towards the dramatic final confrontation between Sheriff Vaisey and Robin Hood.

This story has 47 chapters, including the epilogue.