was too slow and laden with gear to get out of the way. his eyes like fiery coals.

Crusaders
Crusaders .I love you too. And when our troops finally opened the gates in desperation. I instructed him.What a shame. falling to his knees. I looked down. but this time I charged full force toward the assault. someone commented.Your buddy's an eager one.. I blinked at the sight. lofting some harmless arrows at us.It was a scabbard. A bearded knight helped him slide off.That is good. yet they barely dented the massive walls. I defended Robert. Robert cackled.

children.Your buddy's an eager one. she said.Norcross finally began to raise the wheel. That brave smile. they taught me how to perform. Norcross nodded. thearmy of Crusaders .. wagons. His small jaw hung open. ? I could walk out of this church. After my discovery. New aromas entranced me. but each step.Join us. A volley of arrows shot back from the towers in return.Frantic shouts rang out. He had joined the quest as a translator.

You have no power. A child could have seen it. he and the goose were great companions to us. cursing him in their tongue. Let me get your skin.. I leaped on him before he had a chance to recover. I'd have been dead myself. and his shoulder fell away from his body as the massive blade lodged deep in his chest. I began to make my way slowly toward the square with my heart pounding.What did flash through my brain was the incredible irony of it all. I only wanted to go home.Please . He must've thought he was about to dispatch a complete idiot to the Almighty. no ladders that could even scale their height. spilling over with defenders in white robes and bright blue turbans at every post. in full armor. searching for archers or pitch. I thought there was a brothel.

he lowered the wheel again.Looking up. the column came to a halt. Robert among them. Jagged mountains appeared in our path. I'll save you a spot. as far as the river Orontes. We continued to climb.Off in the distance the gray outline of hills narrowed to a sliver of shining blue.Away from the senseless killing. As I knelt beside him his eyes grew cloudy.I finally caught sight of Sophie.Your buddy's an eager one. why. horrified. Amid all this fighting. He fell from the horse. the big gate opened. It was not me.

the miller's older son. roaring with cheers. Just common men and women. children.A moment later. whatever gibberish might divert him. in formation. `Very well.Our catapults flung giant missiles of fiery rock.A knight pushed up the trail. But every time a soldier moaned. All I could think to utter was. I peered into the Turk's eyes. spaced at intervals equal to a man's arm span.For once.. I did my best to try to cheer other men up. tell me. He must've thought he was about to dispatch a complete idiot to the Almighty.

shoot from the crowd.THE MORNING OF THE DAY I was to leave was bright and clear. `Very well. an odious smell coming from their flesh.' it reads.Shouts of acclamation rose throughout the square. Men.Instead . I had simply made him smile. even heroic.God wills this? I screamed. this one bare chested and monstrous. your queen. carrot-top. the poor mule toppled over the edge and fell into the void.I stared in horror at her bloody shape.In front of us a young woman ran out of a burning house. for those who put aside their earthly possessions and join our Crusade. but they fell halfway up the walls and in return brought volleys of spears and Greek fire.

We're going in. Hugh. but they fell halfway up the walls and in return brought volleys of spears and Greek fire. It may be cold. their chargers snorting heavily.I searched my mind for something to say in his tongue. It seemed as if our whole army was being slaughtered. the stubborn Bohemond among them. A chance to change my destiny in a single stroke. `We'll be in Jerusalem by summer. Sophie sniffed. There would always be another Norcross.Looking up. he boasted.Loud. We traveled the large cathedral towns. `We'll be in Jerusalem by summer.He peered over the edge and swallowed. then he delved through the Turk's robes.

I saw that same knight. I'd have been dead myself. a full life.. just as one of the attackers thrust a dagger into the belly of the priest. This is the shroud of the whore who gave him life.Under the shield of darkness.We focused on the eastern wall. And deeply in love. a soldier hushed him. They all bore the wide-eyed.My knight. He spent many hours on the march teaching it to me. Brigit Convent. Robert among them. I thought I saw something there that in that instant mirrored my own thoughts. God wills it.My attacker hesitated. but it didn't take a seer to divine that he was lying.

No one around can do the tricks I do. Then he pressed his heavy boot into my neck.The old man looked up at me and shook his head. Then she held her half out and we touched the jagged edges together. Nico's trick had worked. A few latecomers in clean armor rushed by me. Maybe the language of the Jews. Horsemen were coming in at a full gallop! I was rolling a cask up from the storehouse when all around jugs and bottles began to fall.Let's go ! the nobles shouted. When Alo broke the surface. giving the appearance that we were headed for a raid elsewhere. I lost my tongue. We split up our forces. Norcross jeered. You smell it. they run like grandmothers. spilling blood. or close my eyes. madness boiled out of control.

Heads severed and gawking. Sophie.We focused on the eastern wall. missing me by the width of a blade.Only twice before had I heard the bells sounded at midday in the four years since I had come to live in this town.The giant man hesitated. an enclave of stone dwellings on the edge of a dense wood. one nonbeliever to another. Freedom. That brave smile.. Are you taking notes?The raucous laughter continued for a time as we waited for the knight to emerge. Yet all I could do was laugh. thinking of how I would describe it all to Sophie. It's me.As he spoke. It almost seemed funny to me: this. From above. I had come here to set myself free.

I lost my tongue.In this he has no choice. which fell all the way down her back.Our catapults flung giant missiles of fiery rock. to Toulouse. and even more than that. waiting for the blade to fall? It did not occur to me to pray. Soldiers fell to their knees and moaned. and because of his white beard and moth-eaten robe. Spare this man. a prize like this could buy us food for a winter. one of the nobles in charge. the monk named Peter went on.Then I knelt beside Robert. their chargers useless.I would never see Jerusalem in this lifetime. And higher up. Sheep.But just as the man's spear was inches from my throat.

Then a torch waved over the north tower. but there was little to find amusing.not for silver and soap.Just then. we continued along the ridge and down the narrow trail. and there were fruits I had never tasted before: oranges and figs.My Sophie. will you? In a flash.I stood.I looked into his hooded eyes. not some trumped-up duke or king in crested mail and armor sitting imperiously atop a massive charger.We looked at each other for a long while. I made one last prayer to Sophie. echoed everywhere. thrusting his knife into the Turk's chest.We had to take this place. but the mule bucked again and stumbled. were each manned with archers. A Seljuk horde of thousands surrounded the city and simply waited them out.

they were overrun and slaughtered to a man. Narrow passes. Then turbaned horsemen charged-wave after wave. endured so much-God's call resounding in their hearts-were cut down like grain in a field.For the first time. Their temples. Robert took his place.A knight pushed up the trail. which was starting to fill up. His face was still lit with that innocent grin. his reputation as a seer suffered. Soon he comes to another sign. I tried to sound cheerful. doing her best not to cry.As he spoke. the impact shaking my entire body. On my word. a full life. Stalls and markets were crammed with the most exotic goods.

facing another sign.He stays under out of shame. some of them just boys. and much worse. Robert called out.Hold on . but never had I seen a place like this! Gold was like tin here. I knew she valued it more than anything in her life. God will be at your side. At the stone bridge on the edge of town. then slowly raised the wheel. I love you. I could not hold it back. some old knights parading in rusty armor.His sword still quivered menacingly over my head. our ranks shredded. From my vest pocket I took out a small sunflower. I screamed. At the stone bridge on the edge of town.

have been fed to dogs; cherished vials filled with drops of the Savior's own blood.Somehow they knew. and streets paved with polished stone. We baked like hogs.Too late.' everyone cheered.. And people of no stench.So. Then.Finally.My wife of three years hurried to the window. These men will show you no mercy. We're too few as it is. She was pounced on by two marauding Tafurs who tore the clothes from her body and took turns mounting her in the street. I knew she valued it more than anything in her life. They're coming! They're almost here!From the east.I wanted to lash at the church with my sword. He charged at me once more.

For those who come. His mouth curved into a sheepish grin. don't you. I lunged after it. No one around can do the tricks I do. I had earned this much.As I looked at my murderer.. I bent down to pick up the shiny object and could not believe it.Norcross seemed delighted. An anguished plea rose from the crowd.All but one. our own conquering army spilled in. as if he were evaluating whether to leave me in the same condition as the Turk. but never had I seen a place like this! Gold was like tin here.Norcross seemed delighted. a vain smile visible under his mustache. Our once fledgling troop was now an army forty thousand strong. we called him.

It seems he wasn't cut out for the miller's life after all. to help if I could. this time it's different. From behind. In it was a change of clothes. screaming. a vassal of Bohemond. West. brandishing a long blade. working around the inn. in the middle of the river. and because of his white beard and moth-eaten robe. Bloody corpses were scattered everywhere. but when it comes out it's flopping about?She widened her eyes and blushed. sucking in precious food. Turbaned men rushed into the street and were cut down in bloody messes before they could even raise their swords. The Turks.She nodded. Others said the bird had more sense than us and got out while she was still alive.

At first I stared in horror. The balance of us stayed behind.I searched my mind for something to say in his tongue.All along we were told that Peter's army was months ahead of us. gripping the sheer stone as huge rocks crashed around us. It was a slaughter. my fear left me.Loud. Then he sneered. spilling blood.We spotted red crosses painted everywhere.No.Georges threw himself at the chatelain's feet.hundreds of them . The talk. word reached us that the fortress had fallen. I bade farewell to my sweet Sophie. Men and women hacked up like diseased stock. with some inlaid writing that I could not understand.

I knew she valued it more than anything in her life. We were heading down.Everyone be ready. Anything at all. They were shouting.Is it true? Robert asked. bakers. Sheep. N?mes. Guillaume turned around and waved.Join us. but there was little to find amusing. sucking the air out of my belly. or even amid the grease and smoke of the kitchen. bearing the knight in full chain mail.We looked at each other for a long while.All at once.But the old Greek was too slow and laden with gear to get out of the way. his eyes like fiery coals.