Chapter 3: Trouble

Soon after the Prince became Khan of Tirfil, the raids into Kobekistani territory increased dramatically. Whole villages were razed, their men killed and their women and children taken to Tirfil as slaves. Diplomatic notes were exchanged to no effect. Finally the Emir wrote personally to Khan Habib demanding that the incursions stop forthwith and threatening punitive action if they did not. Ghada Baroud, the Emir's diplomatic advisor was loth to show the Emir the reply, but his Master insisted and was appalled to read:

To my brother, His Magnificence, the Emir Mahmoud Abdullah,

Greetings.

I was devastated to learn that within Kobekistan there are dissident elements who are bent on fomenting trouble for my brother. Naturally none of my subjects would dare to act thus.

Should my brother need any help from my armed forces, he has but to ask and I will despatch a force to take over all peacekeeping duties in the affected area.

Your brother in Allah,

Khan Habib the Most Magnificent.

Seeing this insolent reply from Khan Habib made the Emir certain that his neighbour not only knew about the raids, but was actively encouraging them. The offer to help was clearly a thinly veiled threat to annexe a part of Kobekistan into the Khanate of Tirfil. Ghada Baroud agreed that this was the clear implication of the reply.

"We will wait for a couple of weeks and see if the raids stop. He may see sense and this may just be a face-saving reply," said the Emir.

When the raids did not stop, the Emir's anger knew no bounds. He called his Military Advisor to join the Foreign Advisor in a conference about the problem.

"I have decided to act. I will lead a punitive expedition to Tirfil and it will bring and end to Habib's reign and that will cure the incursions. Nobody will then trouble Kobekistan for some time," he said, "Plan this in detail and then bring the plans to me for approval."