Manfred's face fairly glowed. He picked up one of the jewels from his table, a large precious topaz of a warm golden color. He took Daoud's hand, laid the rare stone on his palm, and closed his fingers over it.
"This is yours. Use it to recruit and supply a troop of your own in my service. They should count themselves blessed by God to have a Mameluke to train and lead them."
"It is I who am blessed," Daoud said.
He looked at the stone in his hand. It was a shade lighter than the color of Sophia's eyes.
He bowed again to Manfred. At last he could fight as he preferred to, leading troops in open battle. As a Mameluke.
Smiling to himself, he stroked his chin.
And at last I can let my beard grow.
A letter from Emir Daoud ibn Abdallah to El Malik Baibars al-Bunduqdari, from Lucera, 19th day of Rabia, A.H. 663:
Next to the Byzantine Empire this kingdom of southern Italy and Sicily is the most civilized of Christian nations. That is to say, a Muslim might almost be comfortable here. In fact, many are.