Chapter Twenty Two: Allies and Enemies

Fantah was restless, pacing nervously back and forth in her room. It had been two weeks since her return, and Hayah had placed extra guards at her apartment to ensure her safety. She wasn't allowed to leave the apartment; he feared she might disappear again.

"Salamu Alaikum," she heard him say as he entered her room.

"Alaikum Salam, my stranger," she knelt to greet him.

He walked over to her and lifted her to her feet. They sat next to each other on the bed. "How are you feeling today?"

"Like a caged animal," she sulked.

"That means you are much better now," he laughed.

"I am sorry. I am not used to staying in a room all day, not to talk of for two weeks!"

"Well, you just have to get used to it. At least until you are alright. Also, you are not a little girl anymore, so you have to start living your new status and age."

"I am sorry, my stranger."

"It is alright. I am only doing this because of my love for you. And I am sorry for what she did to you. I will make sure she pays for it."

"Thank you, my stranger. But I have been thinking... I know what she did to me was wrong, but I have also been hurting her."

"Oh," he said in surprise. "How so?"

"She is a woman like me, with feelings too. She is the first wife, the lady of the house, and yet, you spend more time with me and even pay more attention to me. That is bound to make any woman jealous."

"Would you rather I spend all my time with her?"

"I am just suggesting, my stranger, that you pay a little more attention to her, so she won't feel so bad. She is, after all, the mother of your sons. And if my stranger will be kind enough not to punish her, I will be eternally grateful."

Hayah looked at her with a mixture of admiration and pity. He couldn't understand how a girl so young could be so well ahead of her age. "Alright, I will think about it," he said.

"Perhaps you can start by spending the night in her apartment tonight."

"Are you chasing me away?"

"No, my stranger, I will never dream of doing that," she said, smiling. He burst out laughing and playfully tweaked her nose.

Nevertheless, Hayah continued to shun his wife for what she did to Fantah while also keeping Fantah under close surveillance for her own safety. She was never allowed to leave her room under any circumstances. Everything she needed was provided for her with a guard always placed in front of her apartment and another at the back. He could never forgive Talatu for what she did. "Poor Fantah," he thought, so innocent and trusting. She never suspected Talatu's evil intentions, and it almost killed her. He thought about how very close to dying Fantah was when he caught her hand. If he had gotten there a second later, she would have been dead by now.

"How dare you, Talatu!" he thundered. He was angry at the Waziri too. He needs to find a way to deal with him permanently, even though he was the new Lamdo's right-hand man. There must be a way, and he was going to find it.

But at that moment, he had a bigger problem to take care of. He began to suspect that the new Lamido of Yola, Lamido Zubbairu, did not like him. The whole time he was in Fombina, he had been paying homage to Hammoa and Iya from the other royal families of Yola, hoping that one of them would be the next king. But as fate would have it, Zubbairu from a rival royal family was appointed instead, much like what happened in Maroua. Furthermore, his spies had informed him that the Lamdo of Maroua and the Waziri had been visiting the new monarch and having discussions about him, which was a matter of interest. He also knew that Lamido Zubbairu had been in contact with the Sultan of Sokoto, who also considered him a threat. Time was running out on him, and it was time to do something to secure his position. Previous attempts to ally himself with the Muharib, the king of Sudan, had come up short, as the Muharib's influence and authority were both limited and did not extend to Sokoto nor Yola. He needed a new powerful ally with both military power and resources to actualize his ambitions.

Presently, the Lamdo of Maroua had been able to limit his access to military equipment and soldiers. While he had many followers, they were not soldiers and would be useless in the battlefield. He needed able-bodied and trained men who would be loyal to him. A storm was coming, and he needed to prepare himself.

To make matters even worse, he heard that his cousin Umaru, the Sultan of Sokoto, had formed an alliance with the white infidels. He had heard of their superior weaponry and how no one had been able to defeat them in their quest to take over lands from Africans. It was as if they came out of nowhere and started conquering kingdom after kingdom, slowly from the East, then North. And now they had their claws firmly embedded into the seat of the Caliphate. He suspected that his cousin, the reigning Sultan, might want to leverage their support to come after him. It was time to act, and fast.

Earlier, he had heard incredible tales of a ruthless Sudanese rebel known as Rabbeh, who had been conquering sizable portions of lands for himself. The man was fearless and loved to fight dirty. Such a man interested him. If only he could form an alliance with him to fight his cousin and regain the throne!

He confided in Fantah about his intentions and left in disguise to Rabbeh's camp. The camp itself was at Baghirmi in the outskirts of the Kanem-Borno Empire. But the man's whereabouts were shrouded in secrecy. What was in plain view, though, was his grand agenda to usurp the Mai's throne, the pre-eminent king of the Kanuri of the Kanem-Borno Empire, second only to the Sokoto Caliphate in power and prominence.

On his secret orders, Hayah's spies had made contact with one of Rabbeh's most trusted commanders, who arranged a meeting. At the meeting, he planned to solicit the rebel's assistance and, in return, offer him military secrets he had acquired over the years, as well as resources if he succeeded in becoming the Sultan of Sokoto according to plan.

"Are you sure about this, my stranger?" Fantah asked him when he told her about his intentions.

"Yes, my love. Rabbeh has the resources I need to help me in my quest. I need him."

"But he is a rebel. He is not known to be fair in his endeavors and may not be a man of his word."

"Don't worry about that. I have everything planned. I am going to make him an offer he can't refuse, and I only need him for a short time," he reassured her.

She still wasn't convinced. "Alright, but what happens when your absence is noticed? Won't that get you in trouble?"

"I have made arrangements for that. Before we got together, it was widely known that I take time off for hunting, and I disappear for weeks at a time. I have told Arabu to quietly spread the word that I am on one of such trips. No one will suspect anything. In the meantime, I have taken measures to ensure your safety. I will station several guards to protect you night and day, and Arabu will oversee them and check on you in case you need anything else. Under no circumstance should you leave your apartment, do you understand me?"

"Yes, my stranger." But she still wasn't happy. "God be with you."

…………………………………..

Hayah left the next day at the break of dawn, accompanied by his trusted lieutenant, Adamu, and two guards. They rode for five days, traversing the sparse savannah grassland of Adamawa, enduring the harsh desert heat until they reached Rabbeh's military camp at Baghirmi. The camp was situated close to an oasis in the middle of the desert, somewhere inside Kanem-Borno, along the Chadian border. As they arrived, they noticed some of Rabbeh's men, recognizable by their dusty brown pantaloons and jumpers, along with black turbans wrapped over their heads and faces to protect against the harsh desert climate and to maintain their fearsome appearance.

"These men are not soldiers," Hayah thought. They were criminals, engaging in theft and terrorizing innocent travelers along the lucrative Trans-Saharan trading routes. Desperation drove him to consider working with such unsavory characters.

At the camp's entrance, they were stopped and searched, but Hayah quickly presented his royal seal, expediting their passage through security checks. They walked through a forested area, witnessing beautiful trees and a large lake. The lush surroundings contrasted with the violent activities of the camp's inhabitants. Hayah couldn't help but feel sympathy for some captives he spotted, knowing that he would try to help them once he had the opportunity.

Eventually, they reached a clearing in the center of the camp, where several tents were arranged in a circular formation around a central fire. Women were cooking, and Hayah couldn't help but feel that these hooligans had despoiled the natural beauty of the place.

The guards led him to one of the ordinary-looking tents, but the interior was surprisingly lavish and well-decorated. The tent's opulence convinced Hayah that this must be Rabbeh's tent. Luxurious Persian rugs adorned the floor, accompanied by cushions and fluffy pillows. The bed, draped in beautiful sheets and surrounded by curtains, offered privacy and comfort. Fragrances filled the air, and artifacts and flowers decorated the tent.

A study table with books and a chair completed the ensemble, creating an atmosphere of luxury and class.

He sat down to wait with his trusted lieutenant, Adamu, and one of the soldiers. A few moments later, Rabbeh walked in. He was dressed in similar clothes to his men and had a large sword dangling from its sheath by his right side. When he entered, he removed his turban, and Hayah was surprised by his handsome features – tall and slender, probably due to a poor diet or constant exertions in the desert. The man was light-skinned and had soft, black, curly hair of the Shua Arabs. When he smiled, his perfect set of teeth was a delight to behold. And then, he embraced Hayah.

"Salaamu Alaikum, your highness. My people informed me of your arrival. Welcome. I hope your journey was safe," he said while guiding him to one of the cushions and sitting on another one beside him.

"Thank you, my brother. But you can call me by my name," Hayah replied.

They exchanged more pleasantries, and shortly, refreshments and food were served. Hayah wanted to get down to business immediately, but Rabbeh insisted he needed to rest first, and then they would talk in the morning. Not wanting to offend him by refusing his hospitality, Hayah obliged.

He was given a private tent, almost as impressive as Rabbeh's, but he insisted on his men being there with him. He did not trust Rabbeh and his band of rebels. He opted for safety in numbers as a wise choice. His soldiers took turns, staying up to watch over each other, just in case. But nothing happened.

In the morning, they were all invited to Rabbeh's tent, where they had a feast of breakfast. They also got to meet Rabbeh's son, Abdou. A splitting image of his father, he looked like he was in his late teens, but Rabbeh told Hayah that the boy was twenty-one and already a commander in his army. Hayah was both impressed and surprised. At first glance, Rabbeh himself seemed too young to have a son like that, but after a closer look, he realized that it was his exceptionally good looks and his slender body that made him appear so young. He was, in fact, a few years older than Hayah.

After breakfast, Hayah's men went back to their tent while he stayed behind to have a one-to-one discussion with Rabbeh. Abdou also excused himself to give them some privacy.

"Why should I help you?" Rabbeh asked after Hayah had told him of his plans and made him an offer to train his people. "You have nothing of value that I want."

"I have good military knowledge and an ironclad ambition, just like you. I am sure we can help each other."

Rabbeh smiled. "My soldiers are well-trained, highly motivated, and have proven themselves in battles so far. I don't see where you are going with this."

"Yes, your soldiers are good. But for you to embark on your next expedition of conquering the Kanem-Borno Empire, you need more than just fearless soldiers. You need cunning, tactics, and strategies, all of which I am good at and ready to impart that knowledge on your men. In return, I will want you to help me in my own quest."

Rabbeh thought for a while. "Your expertise is legendary. I could use an ally like you. But I want more than just your expertise. There is one more thing you will have to do for me if you want my help."

"I will do anything," Hayah said.

"Alright then. This looks like the start of a beautiful friendship," Rabbeh went ahead and told him what he wanted from him.

[End of Chapter Twenty-Two]