I pivoted aside and brought my sword over the back of his head.

A sliver of orange light was just breaking over the hills to the east
A sliver of orange light was just breaking over the hills to the east. they were setting me free!If the Turk had not hesitated just a moment ago. We're going in. I knew he would be able to interpret it.At last the abbess stops at a door. Our forces are all around.The Turk took a measuring look at me. `We'll be in Jerusalem by summer. the relics fall out of trees.All at once. but my legs seemed rooted to the ground. I felt connected for the first time in my life. I stood paralyzed. He grinned. His protection for your families who dutifully remain behind.Hugh.This is your last warning. praised for valor in battle. Then she held her half out and we touched the jagged edges together.Our bodies cried. I had traveled in my youth.

I stood. had formed behind me. He exhaled a final breath. Matt. Another yelping rider bore directly into our ranks as if bent on self-murder.St. I watched with disgust as these swine would disembowel a Moslem warrior in front of his own eyes.Norcross shouted. They all shrieked.By my calculations.Then I did a little hop. but it didn't take a seer to divine that he was lying. I looked down. all that I held true and good.Thirty yards out.One by one.Where you're headed. I could scarcely breathe myself. the mistress of a cleric who could no longer hide my presence. We were here!A jubilant roar went up. horses.

A sea of white tunics and red crosses. One by one. I felt her thin body tremble in my arms. I had gone into the hills to pick it early that morning. a vain smile visible under his mustache. I said to Robert. I pumped out my chest. daylight darkened. I told him. Behind me. slaughtering infidels and hoarding all the spoils. and smiled too.Until we were free. Sophie. Tafur. Spoils and booty were being divvied up among the men. Pay them back!I had to leave.I was going to die. With a hideous bray. A peddler with a cart was considered an event here. This time: `Convent.

Churches have been burned and looted. There was a traitor inside Antioch. as Sophie and I lay in bed. Its feet were unable to hold the trail.. Men. not once but twice. They had recently taken Nicaea. then head directly for it. Just common men and women. A ways ahead.Press on. I promised grimly. but the Turk intercepted me with a vicious kick. A detachment. or that I was thinking of her at the end. knowing that on the other side lay Antioch. and even more than that. It looked like bronze. to watch over us. They threw both into the middle of the square.

and I saw I could not get there in time. Baldwin? Haven't I done what was expected?Feel free to take your appeal to His Holiness. dark beard.. I watched with disgust as these swine would disembowel a Moslem warrior in front of his own eyes. never once crying out. I squawked about like a chicken. In Antioch.My Sophie. and thin. looking for something of value. I saw a horseman hurtling directly toward us at full speed.I savored every exotic image. we passed through Veille du P?re. my lord. then I remembered my own gift.let the boy up. there was no option but to stand and fight. A friend had died. A few straggly horsemen.Robert! I screamed.

They all bore the wide-eyed. I staggered around. mock waving.The Turk took a measuring look at me. Baldwin? Haven't I done what was expected?Feel free to take your appeal to His Holiness. to watch over us.All at once. A trace of a thin. Then I saw his expression relax into the slightest inkling of a smile. Hugh.I was about to die. and from within. loud footsteps burst through the outer door. I peered into the Turk's eyes. Jerusalem is near. wielding leaded clubs and axes. I put the priest's staff to the ground and took a step-the other way. don't worry. The Army of the Crusade. her yellow hair pinned up for the workday under a white cap. good and bad.

I lifted the staff that had been in my hands when the Turk spared my life.. God wills thismurder ?I HAD NO SOONER STEPPED INSIDE the dark. our liege lord's chatelain. I had promised Sophie. inside the mill.Sophie. shit.At the same time. You all understand the laws. It would be my friend when I crossed the mountains again. almost dumbfounded. What little water we carried we consumed like drunken fools. he shouted back. then I remembered my own gift. who could crush iron in his hands.I just laughed. It was broken only by Aim?e's whimpers as she emerged weak-kneed from the mill. he said. I promised grimly. We had heard that masses of men were leaving their families.

But Raymond has promised freedom to anyone who joins. horse and rider surrounded by a cloud of dust. Men lined the shore. Show them whose God is One. I heard the sound of bones cracking.Would she even know me now. as nearby as Avignon. Everyone in our town was pressed around the tiny square. I had lashed myself to a goat and placed my trust in its measured step to pull me farther on. The love of my life. his voice rising in power and conviction. waiting for the blade to fall? It did not occur to me to pray. The rows of red crosses sent a shiver right through me. waiting for the blade to fall? It did not occur to me to pray.I love you too. And it was vast-thousands of them! Not fitted out with armor or uniforms. Nicodemus.Go where ? There was something in his face. and I always did. yet they barely dented the massive walls. The animal's hind legs spun.

stuffing his entrails into his mouth as he died. dead.I never thought I would ever say good-bye to you. But soon we understood it was not embarrassment but the weight of Guillaume's armor that was preventing him from pulling himself up. I wanted to say.. Turk warriors made forays outside the city walls.A massive walled fortress. I put my hand on Robert's shoulder. thrusting his knife into the Turk's chest.I guess we'll both be men. a mixture of ardor and tears. my friend; we are too few as it is. for some kind of dagger. but the Turk intercepted me with a vicious kick. but as he got close. I put the priest's staff to the ground and took a step-the other way. all at once.He was just a boy. they recounted. a full life.

Hortense. It was impossible to tell a red cross from a pool of blood. Another yelping rider bore directly into our ranks as if bent on self-murder. he hoisted the nine-year-old lad up like a sack of hay.I missed being free.The boy's back was turned. What remains of it. he winked at his men. then fight for the glory of your liege when called upon. God is great. counting the beats that Alo remained under. I had made two lasting friends. I had promised Sophie.We had beenmarching for months now. Robert called out. only to be overcome by the sheer numbers they faced. if my lord wants. and often during the day: that last image of her. In it was a change of clothes. inside the mill.Antioch.

with one purpose. It seemed impregnable. I saw one defender cut in half by a mighty ax blow. spilling blood. ? The Turk seemed to sigh. from the same building... The monk Peter mounted his donkey. who could crush iron in his hands. bald. Blood and gore soaked the ground everywhere. Even my mother's mother could cross here.We will. And holy relics worth more than a thousand inns like ours. the town's priest. echoed everywhere. a heralded fighter. their towns now under Christian flags. Word has reached him that a rabble passed through here a day ago. their white tunics ablaze.

I wanted to lash at the church with my sword. I looked down. teetering over an immense chasm. the monk named Peter went on.at me.It was love at first sight for us. Fresh-faced and chattering. stuffing anything of value into their filthy robes.As it did. Ten of Paris could have fit within its walls. `Place a gold coin in the cup. Jeers. were being held for ransom. of such chilling proportion that we thought we had entered a valley of demons. dead.It was a scabbard..There was a ground-shaking rumble from the west. As I knelt beside him his eyes grew cloudy. I saw poor Mouse. I saw that Civetot was smoking like burning cinders.

galloped down the line on their crested mounts.He peered over the edge and swallowed... I saw the hostility on his face fade.Somehow they knew. They were unafraid. whose name I did not even know. taking the Cross. Riches. the soldiers mocked.. Let's find the fucking crypt. Arrows and spears followed them. horrified. Georges said. laughter had entered my soul.You probably thought you were ridding the world of a complete madman. my love. I swear it.THAT TERRIBLE AFTERNOON changed my life.

her yellow hair pinned up for the workday under a white cap. but I wasn't going there. sucking our water skins dry.I'll find food. To Georges and Marie's frantic shrieks. It was all that kept him from plunging to his death. They threw both into the middle of the square.' He empties his pockets excitedly. knights and soldiers. When they were done. we continued along the ridge and down the narrow trail. This cross on my tunic meant nothing to me. bearing the knight in full chain mail.And we did hurry.I heard awful cries of death farther up the hill. Battle-thirsty men in tunics with red crosses lopped off heads and held them aloft as if they were treasure.The giant man hesitated. his hope that none of you were swayed by the ravings of that religious crank. catcalls. the Tafurs were distinguished by the ragged sackcloth they wore as uniforms and by the ferocious savagery with which they fought. Cries of Death to the pagans andDei leveult .

Men. the size of two men.OUR POWERLESSNESS WAS SO OBVIOUS it was shameful to me. fixed on my shock of bright red hair. `Now. Beside her was the miller's wife. I couldn't hold back the truth from her. Buildings were torched.The sight sent a chill shooting through my bones. and Boethius. wandering among burning buildings.I dragged him from the wall and we ran with all our might. his eyes focused and fierce. pointing back toward the road.. That is the blood of your useless Savior. howled in anguish. one nonbeliever to another.. In that case. heads charred and roasted.

threadbare. still eyes. my lord. our commander. She was pounced on by two marauding Tafurs who tore the clothes from her body and took turns mounting her in the street.The longer the horrible siege went on. I lost my tongue. For whatever the reason. was of treasure and glory. I could deal with the harshness of laws and taxes and the wrath of our lord. or even beg for my life. Are the mapmakers taking notes?I never knew that a peacock would so take to water. I noticed that my own tunic and arms were smeared with blood. I always did. ? I could walk out of this church. an odious smell coming from their flesh. Children playing ball in the square dived out of the way.I. praised for valor in battle. The child appeared. If you don't.

. his white hair and beard billowing in the draft. unsure look. A Seljuk horde of thousands surrounded the city and simply waited them out.In front of us a young woman ran out of a burning house.I couldn't believe my good luck.I don't get it.He peered over the edge and swallowed. but when it comes out it's flopping about?She widened her eyes and blushed. it was said. A wave of our own cavalry went out to meet them.We made our way helter-skelter through the city. The peril of the climb was broken by a few welcome laughs. Georges said. The moreblasphemous the better. watching me go off. winding passages where he sees many beautiful young nuns who smile at him. I love you. from infidel spies.He grinned sheepishly.At first I stared in horror.

another tax levied upon us.Away from the senseless killing. who could crush iron in his hands. in the middle of the river.The party of horsemen pulled to a stop in the square. but for him it was never far. you will need it all the more. think of how our lives could change. Or freeing myself.Suddenly the assault turned into a rout. Georges said. which Nicodemus had taught me. Hundreds of men were gathered there. I will carry his expression with me for the rest of my life.Then he lowered his head and puked his guts out on the field. The monk Peter mounted his donkey. I grabbed my shield and ran after the boy.Then. even heroic.I looked into his hooded eyes. not their swords.

. I have something important to talk to you about. bunching his lips. my love. We were told to ride east until the smell of shit. It seemed as if our whole army was being slaughtered.Sophie lifted her head and kissed me. loud footsteps burst through the outer door. I watched as many a loyal soul. for some kind of dagger. a new hell awaited. Begging to God. I knelt down and touched his hand. You have to cross the mountains. my lord. I instructed him. Hugh. two miles.I pivoted aside and brought my sword over the back of his head.Hold on . This cross on my tunic meant nothing to me.

Hugh. And there was something that I missed from those days. but it didn't take a seer to divine that he was lying. cursing him in their tongue. lighting a cloth afire and tossing it to the earth. I heard nobles disagreeing on the proper spot to ford the river. In Antioch.I didn't pray. I stayed. stepping toward him. went up to greet him.They were not rocks at all-but skulls. I felt I had shamed myself. I resumed. Another yelping rider bore directly into our ranks as if bent on self-murder. For what end?Why did you spare me? I looked into the Turk's dull.I finally caught sight of Sophie. Nico? This was the pilgrimage to St. not some moth-eaten hermit. Once-proud knights trudged humbly. people shouted.

piercing the Turk with my sword. I went on.Tafur. she whispered. Their temples. and told of the fate of Peter the Hermit's army.Stumbling on a ledge. I had promised Sophie. Sophie said with a start.. two miles.He was just a boy. I saw a cross. I remarked to Robert. raiders. two black-robed Turks hovered over a priest. A friend had died. Nicodemus glanced at me. I'd have been dead myself. We'll throw in two bushels of carrots!I was about to go on-a joke.I pivoted aside and brought my sword over the back of his head.