‘What am I going to do with you, Yusuf?’ said his father later
that day. ‘Your teacher tells me that you’re clever and quick to
learn, but that you’re never at school. I know that you’re always
with the horses, but you’re not a child any more. You must learn
to be a man and a soldier. I’m going to send you to my brother
Shirkuh. You know that now he’s an important general
working for Zengi’s son, Nuradin, up in Aleppo.’
‘Can I take Aneed with me?’
‘No! Since we came to Damascus you’ve only played. Now you
must work. Get ready. We leave in an hour.’