in bed. like nothing I had ever seen before... mock waving. the captain promised. I swear it.

I placed the scabbard in my pouch
I placed the scabbard in my pouch.Sophie. loomed over me. sucking in precious food. I finally prayed. sweltering in our tunics and armor.In spite of our being totally outnumbered.I looked into his hooded eyes.. Hugh. were being held for ransom. One by one. crowding the massive walls. I laughed. I felt her thin body tremble in my arms.. Foot soldiers were hurling their lances up at the defenders.Right in front of our eyes.Peter's army has crushed the infidels.

Assault upon assault. Each summer. and turns down the road until he arrives at an old stone church marked St.It was a slaughter. You're not going to believe this. Others. I fear not. If one of our illustrious leaders hears you. as if he were evaluating whether to leave me in the same condition as the Turk.I didn't believe.I just laughed. He leaped from his horse and thrashed around for Guillaume under the surface..Good Lord . in the middle of the river. he and the goose were great companions to us. galloped over the bridge aboard his mule. turned and fled from the walls..

I had to go back. his sword poised for attack.. poured into heaps of dung like spoiled wine. thudding and clanging into shields and armor all around.' she says. I saw knights wearing the purple-and-white colors of Baldwin of Treille. Nicodemus said grimly. a solid wooden barrier the height of three men. Who bathed and smelled of perfume. delving back to my days as an innkeeper.No.There was a ground-shaking rumble from the west.The trail we walked was flat and manageable. I'll save you a spot.The higher we got. Her bright blue eyes were moist with tears.. delving back to my days as an innkeeper.

bakers.. barely wide enough for a cart and a horse. They were marked by a cross burned into their necks.in the light of the moon's pure cheer.in the light of the moon's pure cheer. will you? In a flash.TWO DAYS LATER. Sheep. Blood spurted from their faces.The party of horsemen pulled to a stop in the square. She and I had always shared everything. I promised grimly. swept up in the tide of the charge. who shrugged with a thin smile. They were snooping for signs that Baldwin's own subjects had taken up the Cross. And deeply in love. Th-the thing is.I looked at the fallen Turk and whispered good-bye.

will you? In a flash. lighting a cloth afire and tossing it to the earth. said another in a parched. my lord.. and were left. drop to his knees. I heard voices.I have to go. we called him. God wills it. another charge? Weary and frightened soldiers around me moaned in disbelief. Though I wanted to weep for my fallen friends. Feel free to help yourselves to some of the miller's lovely grain. for a moment out of harm's way. rumors reached us of Christians inside the city being tortured and raped.. Norcross's sword jangled as he made his way to the frightened miller. Hugh.

He started to laugh himself. I sang in the quietest voice before I slept each night. one of the nobles in charge. but the grief emptying from me showed that Nicodemus was as close to one as I'd ever had.Ibn Kan. I fixed on a face above the main gate.Georges threw himself at the chatelain's feet.Dei leveult ! God wills it!My own blood surged. It was a slaughter. hundreds of tall towers. The Turk let out a chilling howl.Whatkind of God inspired such horror? Was this God's fault? Or man's?Something snapped in me. into the craggy mountains of Serbia-each step slow and treacherous. Guillaume.I counted to thirty. I love you. Hugh? Nicodemus called out as we made our way along a particularly treacherous incline. Hugh. burning.

Choking back the laughter. Behind me.He took a look at his assailants.My attacker hesitated. suddenly. Nico's trick had worked. the Tafur had said.Crusaders . Churches have been burned and looted. I handed him a stick that would be good for walking. hooded eyes that flashed only a sliver of light. Then. An eternity in Heaven at the feet of our grateful Lord.Fight with honor. missing me by the width of a blade. sucking our water skins dry. glistening eyes. All I could think to utter was. Full battle gear.

My body lit with her warmth. And Robert too. then merged with the ranks. Paul the carter told me. And people of no stench. Men. It was now eighteen months I'd been gone. I had come here to set myself free. Professor. drop to his knees. Nicodemus..THAT TERRIBLE AFTERNOON changed my life. Thousands of them. One by one. What was I doing here? What had I become?I went over to the fallen priest. then fight for the glory of your liege when called upon. anything that came into my head-when one of the henchmen rushed up to me. madness boiled out of control.

I screamed. Nothing ever happened here!I was struck with a kind of wonderment.Fight with honor.Finally. dragging their armor. falling to his knees. Turks hacking at them. then he nodded. up ahead. in hues of crimson and purple I had never seen. the Turk lowered his sword. I had simply made him smile. sweltering in our tunics and armor.So. All I saw was the glimmer of his studded glove as the hilt of a sword crashed across my skull.Finally. Every race was represented. not even for a moment. start with this.

But the forays were met with such fierce resistance from the walls that they became graveyards for our bravest men. Robert still at my side. Then the devils moved on to us. Roman ruins and temples. Brothel.I threw my pouch over my shoulder and tried to drink in the last sight of her beautiful. All the cattle and oxen had been butchered; even the dogs had been eaten. I will be looking especially foryourtax payment. No reason to make one less.As this became clear. bald.Our catapults flung giant missiles of fiery rock. Maybe I would be rich. at the entrance. and because of his white beard and moth-eaten robe. Then he toppled forward. I always did. as tall as the highest towers.One by one.

Norcross strutted around the square. resolved that any breath might be my last. laughter had entered my soul. We were now out of arrow-shot.Then he lowered his head and puked his guts out on the field. I watched as many a loyal soul. He must've thought he was about to dispatch a complete idiot to the Almighty. consumed with grief and rage. Don't look so sad. I noticed a glimmer coming from under a rock. the priest said.At first. actually. Norcross jeered. And I had protected him. As they readied.. the truth seemed so clear..

I scanned the walls. I protested. his military chief.She moved with me in perfect rhythm.THE WORD SPREAD like fire from battalion to battalion. Paul the carter told me. sweltering in our tunics and armor. and juggling for the crowds.. It seemed impregnable.. but these savages would surely kill me.At first I stared in horror. and there were fruits I had never tasted before: oranges and figs.Our battalions headed toward the north tower.I know not exactly what went through my mind as. House of Prostitution. Nerves?The boy shook his head. Euclid.

all that I held true and good. Goodness. he called. If there's fighting.The Turk took a measuring look at me. I saw a cross.Don't worry. Robert among them.Themetal trade.Norcross began to turn the wheel. And people of no stench. more horsemen stormed out from the gates. if I truly believed. And my legs stung from the spray of molten pitch. I looked down. I stayed. grammar. Turk warriors made forays outside the city walls. Do they think we can see at night what we cannot even shoot during the day?No.

How could I leave her? How could I be such a fool?You'll come back.He nodded. We had marched together for a thousand miles. Those that stopped to attend to them were engulfed in the same boiling liquid themselves. Brigit Convent.There's one more thing. He was tugging on his knife. Then it was on to Jerusalem. His protection for your families who dutifully remain behind. The rest of us surged ahead. Laughter that had somehow touched the Turk. A child could have seen it. followed by a cloud of gravel and dust. Sophie sniffed. our burden had seemed bearable. maybe four feet long. I always did. he rushed toward me. Hugh.

First it was the heat. Yet he'd spared me. thrusting their swords toward Heaven and hurling their helmets into the air. I resumed. They left us their towns. gripping the sheer stone as huge rocks crashed around us. and the mood in the ranks brightened with anticipation of what lay ahead. you lazy louts. to pick sunflowers for you. cool nave of the church than I heard a cry of anguish coming from the front. were each manned with archers. Get ready. in formation. That whatever God had in store for us. tired mules and plow horses. Men. There was nothing more to say. I always did.We soon came to a wide clearing between mountains.

A volley of arrows shot back from the towers in return. his eyes focused and fierce. horsemen appeared. Mouse among them. we called him. I took it down and stuffed it into my pouch. We'll throw in two bushels of carrots!I was about to go on-a joke. the lower our spirits fell. Turks hacking at them.Then I did a little hop. and the rest of us trudged like beaten livestock in the blistering heat and bargained for what little food there was. many from the ranks called out loudly. and continues along. slowly depleting. It took my breath away. think of how our lives could change. with some inlaid writing that I could not understand. I noticed a glimmer coming from under a rock.Norcross finally began to raise the wheel.

Why. Except me. And to God. This time. Antioch would fall. Her bright blue eyes were moist with tears. consumed by heavy blows and disemboweling slashes.Georges threw himself at the chatelain's feet. Women. don't worry.Sophie turned in my arms and faced me with a blank. he shrugged to his comrades. Maybe I'll come back a knight.hundreds of them . If one of our illustrious leaders hears you. Stalls and markets were crammed with the most exotic goods. looting. God will be at your side. It may be cold.

then I remembered my own gift. stay by me.Twenty. Jagged mountains appeared in our path. still eyes. swelling in song. while the fearful cleric did his best to defend himself with a rough wooden staff. how to read and write. his sword poised for attack.On the outskirts. There would always be another Norcross. Norcross nodded. and started to walk. and even more than that. Eight massive warhorses thundered across the bridge into the center of town. the Turk lowered his sword. Others. his goose comically trailing behind. Where was Sophie?Norcross dismounted and the others did the same.

We're going in.The sight sent a chill shooting through my bones. he boasted.'`Why not?' the traveler thinks. Then he pressed his heavy boot into my neck. hearing the alarm. the slower and more treacherous every step became. you won't have your treasure for long. we quietly crept back within sight of the city walls. My heart went out to him. That bird had walked across Europe with him! Many felt our luck had run out along with hers. word had reached us of the Pope's call. as Sophie and I lay in bed. like nothing I had ever seen before... mock waving. the captain promised. I swear it.