Thereupon he bade his niece and brother's daughter，Kuzia Fakan，return at once and forthright to the troops of Syria and Irak and acquaint them with the plight that had betided and how it was come to light that King Rumzan was uncle to Sultan Kanmakan.She set out，putting away from her sorrows and troubles and，coming to King Zibl Khan，[112] saluted him and told him all that had passed of the good accord，and how King Rumzan had proved to be her uncle and uncle of Kanmakan.And when she went in to him she found him tearful eyed，in fear for the captive Emirs and Princes； but when he heard what had passed，from first to last，the Moslem's sadness was abated and they joyed with the more gladness.Then King Zibl Khan and all his officers and his retinue took horse and followed Princess Kuzia Fakan till they reached the pavilion of King Rumzan； and when entering they found him sitting with his nephew，Sultan Kanmakan.Now he had taken counsel with the Wazir Dandan concerning King Zibl Khan and had agreed to commit to his charge the city of Damascus of Sham and leave him King over it as he before had been while they themselves entered Irak.Accordingly，they confirmed him in the vice royalty of Damascus of Syria，and bade him set out at once for his government； so he fared forth with his troops and they rode with him a part of the way to bid him farewell.Then they returned to their own places whereupon，the two armies foregathered and gave orders for the march upon Irak； but the Kings said one to other，'Our hearts will never be at rest nor our wrath cease to rage till we have taken our wreak of the old woman Shawahi，surnamed Zat alDawahi，and wiped away our shame and blot upon our honour.'Thereupon King Rumzan and his nephew set out，surrounded by their Nobles and Grandees； and indeed Kanmakan rejoiced in his uncle，King Rumzan，and called down blessings on nurse Marjanah who had made them known to each other.They fared on and ceased not faring till they drew near their home Baghdad，and when the Chief Chamberlain，Sasan，heard of their approach，he came out to meet them and kissed the hand of King Rumzan who bestowed on him a dress of honour.Then the King of Roum sat down on the throne and seated by his side his nephew Sultan Kanmakan，who said to him，'O my uncle，this Kingdom befitteth none but thee.'Replied Rumzan，'Allah be my refuge and the Lord forbid that I should supplant thee in thy Kingdom！'Upon this the Wazir Dandan counselled them to share the throne between the two，ruling each one day in turn； and with this they were well satisfied.And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the One Hundred and Fortyfourth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the two Kings agreed each to rule one day in turn： then made they feasts and offered sacrifices of clean beasts and held high festival；
and they abode thus awhile，whilst Sultan Kanmakan spent his nights with his cousin Kuzia Fakan.And after that period，as the two Kings sat rejoicing in their condition and in the happy ending of their troubles，behold，they saw a cloud of dust arise and tower till it walled the world from their eyes.And out of it came a merchant shrieking and crying aloud for succour and saying，'O Kings of the Age！ how cometh it that I woned safely in the land of the Infidels and I am plundered in your realm，though it be the biding place of justice[113] and peace？'Then King Rumzan went up to him and questioned him of his case and he replied，'I am a merchant and，like other merchants，I have been long absent from my native land，travelling in far countries for some twenty years； and I have a patent of exemption from the city of Damascus which the Viceroy，King Sharrkan （who hath found mercy） wrote me，for the cause that I had made him gift of a slavegirl.Now as I was drawing near my home，having with me an hundred loads of rarities of Hind，when I brought them near Baghdad，which be the seat of your sovereignty and the place of your peace and your justice，out there came upon me wild Arabs and Kurds[114] in band gathered together from every land； and they slew my many and they robbed my money and this is what they have done me.'Then the trader wept in presence of King Rumzan，saying that he was an old man and infirm； and he bemoaned himself till the King felt for him and had compassion on him； and likewise did King Kanmakan and they swore that they would sally forth upon the thieves.So they set out amid an hundred horse，each reckoned worth thou sands of men，and the merchant went before them to guide them in the right way； and they ceased not faring on all that day and the livelong night till dawnbreak，when they came to a valley abounding in rills and shady with trees.Here they found the foray dispersed about the valley，having divided that merchant's bales among them； but there was yet some of the goods left.So the hundred horsemen fell upon them and surrounded them on all sides，and King Rumzan shouted his war cry，and thus also did his nephew Kanmakan，and ere long they made prize of them all，to the number of near three hundred horsemen，banded together of the refuse of rascality.[115]
