Equal of the Sun A Novel - By Anita Amirrezvani Page 0,128
recognize all you have done.”
There was a long silence; Pari wasn’t pleased and neither was I. Shamkhal’s deep voice boomed from the back of the other side of the lattice.
“You are the grand vizier. Why can’t you bend them to your will?”
Mirza Salman rolled forward on the balls of his feet as if to make himself taller.
“You don’t know how hard I tried.”
“But you haven’t been successful.”
“That is a strange thing for you to say.”
“What is your meaning?”
“My meaning is that no one has been more loyal to the princess than myself.”
“You should have done more.”
“If any man believes he can do better, he is welcome to try.”
Shamkhal was in no position to force the qizilbash to do anything. His bluster was an attempt to win Pari’s love.
“Why are you trying so hard to convince her that Mohammad Khodabandeh is a good choice?” Shamkhal asked. “Is it because his wife’s a Tajik, like you?”
Mirza Salman looked offended, but his words were calm. “My concern is for the safety of the realm. We need to decide on the succession quickly to prevent invasions and to avoid another spate of lawlessness.”
“I agree,” said Pari.
“By the way,” Mirza Salman added, “I also argued that we shouldn’t waste any further efforts trying to determine if Isma‘il Shah, may his soul be at peace, was poisoned.”
“Why not?” Pari asked in a sharp tone.
“I argued that he is in God’s hands, and it is our job to think of the future.”
“They should be grateful that Isma‘il’s death has shielded the surviving princes from his sword—not to mention themselves,” the princess said.
Mirza Salman’s forehead creased a hundred times. “True. One of the men admitted that he had been ordered by the Shah only a few days ago to execute Mohammad Khodabandeh and his boys.”
Pari drew in her breath so sharply we could hear it on our side of the lattice. “All of them?”
“Yes. He delayed as much as he could because he was so loath to carry out his task. By the grace of God, he didn’t have to do so.”
“How narrowly we have escaped a terrible fate! My dynasty would have crumbled.”
“I reminded them of that.”
So Pari had changed the course of history once again. For that matter, so had I. Was this what my stars had meant? Who, then, was destined to be the greatest Safavi leader? Could it be Mohammad Khodabandeh?
“Why didn’t Isma‘il’s nobles bother to do anything about the injustice he imposed on those around him?”
“They had sworn their loyalty to him.”
“I see,” she said. “So I am correct that the amirs did nothing.”
Her condemnation hung in the air for a moment before she continued. “Everyone acknowledges that a royal princess has saved the realm and deserves a reward. I want you to convince them to make me regent instead of what they suggested.”
“I can’t. Not a single man spoke in favor of the idea after I proposed it. This was the best concession I could get after arguing with them for a long time.”
I believed him. He had every reason to make a deal for her that would make him her most trusted ally.
“Please consider, esteemed princess, that you will be performing that very role when you are Mohammad Khodabandeh’s chief advisor.”
“Unless, for some reason, he doesn’t wish it.”
“As you have pointed out, he is known to be malleable.”
“Which amirs spoke in favor of the idea that I should advise him?”
“All of the leaders agreed it is a good idea. They believe that you are fair and make good decisions.”
“So they will support me as his advisor?”
“They will.”
There was a pause while Pari discussed with her uncle something that I couldn’t hear.
“In that case, you may tell the men these exact words: I accept their decision that I shall become chief advisor to Mohammad Khodabandeh, but only if every one of them agrees to stand behind me in that role. Will you get their word man by man? And tell them there is no longer any prohibition against meeting with me. If they fail to appear at a meeting after the third-day mourning ceremony for the late Shah, we don’t have an agreement.”
“Chashm. Thank you, princess, for ensuring that this transition will be more orderly than the last one. May I convey the news to the elders?”
“You may.”
Mirza Salman took his leave, and when he was gone, I rejoined Pari and Shamkhal. Pari looked angry.
“What did he mean about you?” she demanded of her uncle.