nge when Kassar would be preoccupied. And
Daoud himself must be alert at all times. Kassar might not be satisfied
with killing only Nicetas. In spite of these warnings to himself,
Daoud's mind remained numb. He was, he told himself, like a mall ball,
hit one way by grief, the other way by rage, unable to take control of
his destiny.

That thought of mall gave him the beginning of a plan.

He let three months go by from the day he found Nicetas. His plan was
very simple. It left much to luck, and it might fail utterly--Kassar
might anticipate what he was going to do and turn the moment against
him, killing him and claiming he was defending himself. Kassar's friends
might thwart Daoud.

He would have only this one chance. If he failed, he would be dead or
crippled. Or worst of all, cast out of the Mamelukes to spend the rest
of his life as a ghulman, a menial slave. But if he succeeded, Nicetas
would be avenged before Baibars and Sultan Qutuz and all Daoud's and
Nicetas's khushdashiya.

Whatever punishment might befall him then, he thought he could bear it
for Nicetas's sake.

_The Warrior of God is a man who would give his life for his friends._

On the day Daoud decided to act, the Bhari Mamelukes, the slaves of the
River, rode out to play mall. Emir Baibars al-Bunduqdari led them across
the bridge from Raudha Island to the Nasiri race course, their training
and playing ground, within sight of the great pyramids built by the
ancient idol-worshipers of Egypt. The people of El Kahira watched with
shining eyes as their guardians assembled on the field. Baibars's
tablkhana, his personal mounted band, playing trumpets and kettledrums,
cymbals and hautboys, rode before them. Sultan al-Mudhaffar Qutuz came
down from the citadel of El Kahira to watch the games as the guest of
his Mamelukes.

The troops of julbans, Mamelukes in training, brought up the rear of the
parade on their little ponies, with their naqeebs riding before them,
the oldest boys in the lead and the first- and second-year boys on foot
at the end. They wore plain brown shirts and white cotton trousers and
caps. No special marks of rank were allowed these young slaves until
they became full-fledged Mamelukes.

Daoud's troop, the boys in their fifth year of training, rode
immediately behind the Mamelukes. Each boy carried a mallet, which was
as much part of his equipment as his bow, his rumh, his dabbus, and his
saif. The mallets were made of cedar and