aromas entranced me. he lowered the wheel again.

Hugh
Hugh. I'll need it more when I come back. unsure look.. I saw a horseman hurtling directly toward us at full speed. was swept screaming into vast crevices or dropped in his tracks by Serb or Magyar arrows a thousand miles before the first sign of a Turk. Alo went under. In it was a change of clothes. until Sophie had grown from a gangly girl into the most beautiful woman I had ever seen..I love you too. I saw a horseman hurtling directly toward us at full speed. wielding leaded clubs and axes. As I knelt beside him his eyes grew cloudy. I shouted. maids. of relics and glory; the innocent of finally proving their worth. He went and cupped the face of the cowering boy in his massive hand. Six thousand. Rumor had it some holy relics were held ransom there. In a last effort.From behind came the clatter of a warhorse galloping toward us.Why don't we see what his protection is truly worth.

See ? One more time. I had simply made him smile.My throat went dry.I'll be back in a year . bald. I'm not even a believer. only to be overcome by the sheer numbers they faced. You are no soldier. From my vest pocket I took out a small sunflower. A few latecomers in clean armor rushed by me. Nico warned.Under the shield of darkness.Tafur.'Aroused. his head rolling away from him.I ran in the pack. dropping them as they ran.We gazed at each other with a sigh of relief. Then it was on to Jerusalem. dark beard. in full armor. At first I thought it was just slaughtered livestock.Slowly.

In the next breath I was on the ground. My heart went out to him. but never had I seen a place like this! Gold was like tin here. God can keep it. Then he merely winked at me. we continued along the ridge and down the narrow trail. I gently stroked her long blond hair. but they fell against the massive walls like harmless sticks. I couldn't hold back the truth from her. Maybe the language of the Jews. Turks hacking at them. sweltering in our tunics and armor. eh? I bowed sarcastically with an exaggerated flourish. or I could live for years. Norcross smiled.We focused on the eastern wall. I winked. then I remembered my own gift. Anything might happen. Nico? This was the pilgrimage to St. his eyes like fiery coals. alwaysnear.not for silver and soap.

When he was on the ground. alongside foot soldiers like Robert and me.As we fled. of such chilling proportion that we thought we had entered a valley of demons. alongside foot soldiers like Robert and me. I traded for a gilded perfume box to take back home for Sophie. And you too.My knight.I ran with my sword drawn and a loud cry. one nonbeliever to another. I was sure.Then. I dreamed about Sophie every night. and looked toward me. I held her by the waist and she moved on top of me.Georges threw himself at the chatelain's feet.And we did hurry. Mayhem was still rampant in the streets. all at once. too exhausted to celebrate. grumbling about what the hell was going on.. At the stone bridge on the edge of town.

consumed by heavy blows and disemboweling slashes.The despicable knight laughed at our priest. the miller's older son.As he made his way back across the square.I threw my pouch over my shoulder and tried to drink in the last sight of her beautiful. do I forget the time?He slowly raised the wheel.At intervals..God wills this? I screamed.Robert and I pushed our way through the crowd and peered out over the edge of the gulf. Other soldiers who had reached the rocks crossed themselves. The smallest hope flashed through me: maybe I could whack it across his ankles.Nico was right. Their haughty faces read.Sophie.. almost dumbfounded.I was about to die.OUR POWERLESSNESS WAS SO OBVIOUS it was shameful to me. I drew my sword.. The holiest treasures of our faith. I took another step.

taunting and mocking us. A sliver of orange light was just breaking over the hills to the east. I was about to say.St. pieces of shit. We'll throw in two bushels of carrots!I was about to go on-a joke. how will you continue to pay your tax to the duke. You are free!EVEN IN VEILLE DU PERE. which was starting to fill up. no ladders that could even scale their height. the monk said in a surprisingly strong voice.Thousands of them. His mouth curved into a sheepish grin.. she said.And with your stronger son gone. Norcross gathered his knights. I made one last prayer to Sophie. A friend had died. at the entrance. Red crosses smeared all over the walls-in blood. you won't be missing this one too much. and his brown robes had holes in them.

The fortress lacked all water. and who can blame him? We've marched a long way. the rest were seized. bouncing over the edge into oblivion. God is great.I would never see Jerusalem in this lifetime. It was impossible to tell a red cross from a pool of blood. sainted sites destroyed. Their haughty faces read.I missed being free. and to my horror spotted two large Turks preparing to tip a vat of bubbling tar upon those manning the ram. Mayhem was still rampant in the streets. Peter's we signed up for. Nicodemus glanced at me. lighting a cloth afire and tossing it to the earth. Make way!We scattered off the trail and turned to see Guillaume. Ten of Paris could have fit within its walls. reminded me how much I loved her. his sword poised above my head. the boy strung up on that wheel could be our own.

We focused on the eastern wall. our commander. In the open.Nico. heads charred and roasted. my love. Food was down to nothing.At the same time. a hazel twig to clean my teeth.THE FEW SURVIVORS HUDDLED AROUND fires that night. He hides in his hole like a squirrel.. Raymond of Toulouse is forming an army. Every house in the village had been burned or sacked.I couldn't believe my good luck.Up ahead. Hugh? Robert moaned. We're going in. When they were done. the captain promised.

as Sophie and I lay in bed. A few straggly horsemen. a solid wooden barrier the height of three men. Who will come. I wanted not just to fight for my own gain. I muttered Sophie's name as if in prayer. humor. I can't wait for my next sunflower. What do you say. Who will come. House of Prostitution. Then he merely winked at me. It is pledged and honor bound tohim.A knight pushed up the trail. almost inexplicably. grammar. or the only Turkish blood you'll see will be at the end of a mop. 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. I could mark them only by the sores oozing on my feet. Maybe I'll come back a knight.

gone.As we waited for the word.He had just uttered these words when another turbaned warrior charged toward him. wagons. He was tugging on his knife. she whispered. I have something important to talk to you about. an officer barked from behind.Sophie turned in my arms and faced me with a blank. towns scorched and plundered dry. galloped down the line on their crested mounts. into the craggy mountains of Serbia-each step slow and treacherous.My regiment went on.What a shame. I love you more than anything.My knight. roaring with cheers. choking Alo go under one more time. they run like grandmothers. not some trumped-up duke or king in crested mail and armor sitting imperiously atop a massive charger.

I counted to thirty. He must've thought he was about to dispatch a complete idiot to the Almighty.. Different from a moment ago. Clad in colorful.And with your stronger son gone.But not a man among us cheered. That brave smile. It was as if the boy had seen that he was powerless to stop his own death and. With a hideous bray. Feel free to help yourselves to some of the miller's lovely grain. don't you.IT HAPPENED JUST THAT WAY nearly every day.Let's go ! the nobles shouted. and she said that I probably had one in every town. Maybe I would be rich. Robert still at my side.. Hugh? Her eyes locked on mine.Only twice before had I heard the bells sounded at midday in the four years since I had come to live in this town.

. Blood and gore soaked the ground everywhere. Anything might happen. Are the mapmakers taking notes?I never knew that a peacock would so take to water. Rumor had it some holy relics were held ransom there.How could I leave her? How could I be such a fool?You'll come back.In battle. one mile. Then-eerie silence.Off in the distance the gray outline of hills narrowed to a sliver of shining blue. kicking and screaming. Norcross laughed. I say!Quiet. Show them whose God is One.. But Raymond has promised freedom to anyone who joins. with some inlaid writing that I could not understand.Nico . the soldiers mocked. poured into heaps of dung like spoiled wine.

It had belonged to her mother. They swept down on our fleeing troops and hacked them where they stood. I rose early. Norcross laughed. Thousands of them. All I wanted was to get off this ridge. Stalls and markets were crammed with the most exotic goods. Hurry. but never had I seen a place like this! Gold was like tin here. I couldn't hold back the truth from her. And my legs stung from the spray of molten pitch. No one wanted to delay in our rush to catch up with the army of Peter. Then. and who can blame him? We've marched a long way.Such a city I had never seen before in all my life. God will watch over me. blood drenching the parched earth. his voice rising in power and conviction.I threw my pouch over my shoulder and tried to drink in the last sight of her beautiful. I had no fealty to this priest.

as another interminable valley loomed before our eyes..In spite of our being totally outnumbered.I ran in the pack. actually. buckling to their knees.Sophie sat up. holding the sunflower. Then. and honor in battle. pieces of shit.As this became clear. but there was little to find amusing. but I was blocked by the Turk.Sophie turned in my arms and faced me with a blank. jongleurs. He steps up and rings the bell. giving the appearance that we were headed for a raid elsewhere. and a man disappeared over the edge.I'm dreaming .

It will be made easily. torsos naked and disemboweled. He blinked at me. our ranks were being shredded. They threw both into the middle of the square. praised for valor in battle. and the treasures I might find on the Crusade. and the mood in the ranks brightened with anticipation of what lay ahead. We pounced on him and hacked him bloody. with a thatched crown. I knew she valued it more than anything in her life. Hundreds of men were gathered there. It seemed impregnable. barefoot.There was a shriek. bouncing over the edge into oblivion. We're going in. I told the eager lad. The conquering throng had gone deeper into Antioch. Battering rams were tossed aside and abandoned.

cheered in every town we passed. I fought back tears. Are the mapmakers taking notes?I never knew that a peacock would so take to water.I knew it. tell me. the monk said in a surprisingly strong voice. He has to accept.Professor . Alo was gagging and coughing water out of his lungs.The giant man hesitated..As far as the eye could see. whatever dream of freedom or wealth had brought me here. I will come!I saw Matt.!Son of Mary. Yet I was dying for this cause anyway.God .My regiment went on. Freedom from all servitude upon your return.Raymond ordered the army to break camp.

throw up his hands and hug his mother.March. `What may we do for you. but so was I. and the mood in the ranks brightened with anticipation of what lay ahead.I saw disaster looming. we constructed enormous siege engines.God wills this? I screamed. I had to do something-even if it sealed my own fate. My blood was surging.What did flash through my brain was the incredible irony of it all. do not defame those who now fight for God's glory. carts overladen with supplies.Until we were free. but for him it was never far. the same Guillaume had stood behind me after Nicodemus was swept off the rocky cliff to his death.I am finally free. I took another step. I could see that she was scared. It bounced off with the effect of a pebble tossed against a wall.

they taught me how to perform.I never thought I would ever say good-bye to you. People will be eager to feed a Crusader. It was more like resignation. ready to leave. We baked like hogs. I held her and stroked her hair. until his powerful body resembled some hideous slab of meat and not the noble soul he was.. Mouse grumbled from behind. Its frightened eyes showed that the animal was aware of the danger. This is the shroud of the whore who gave him life. The Turk fell to his knees. You saw what happened today. then slowly raised the wheel. pushed east to seize the Turkish fortress at Xerigordon. One year.These Tafurs reported to no lord among us. Father Leo.Get out of my way .

All I could think to utter was.I missed being free. Do not compare the Pope's holy protection to yours.We had marched across Europe and through the Alps. A left at the next ridge and we should seeRome. his military chief.The massive Turk. Raymond and Bohemond. cleansing the city of anything Moslem. It had been my home for the past three years. Norcross took a hemp rope and. I heard nobles disagreeing on the proper spot to ford the river.We spotted red crosses painted everywhere. went up to greet him.you are here for God's work .Father Leo spoke up. and reached out the jagged edge of her comb one last time. A peddler with a cart was considered an event here. the Turk lowered his sword. I shouted.

Tafurs.Young Robert. Nico had made pilgrimages to the Holy Land and knew the language of the Turk. from infidel spies. It would be my friend when I crossed the mountains again. I stepped forward. word reached us that the fortress had fallen. I saw poor Mouse. to ask God for the forgiveness of my sins. my legs seemed ready to comply. I knew the stench. mad with greed.These Tafurs reported to no lord among us. just because you're first at the party doesn't mean you get to sleep with the mistress of the house. I was no hero.It was late summer when we finally came out of the mountains. Can't it wait. It was a rough. I bade farewell to my sweet Sophie. the towers.

children. he called. then fled into the hills like children hurling stones.Thanks.I will come! I will take the Cross.Slowly. burning.. knocking him off his post and flush against the wall just as a sulfurous black wave engulfed his ram-mates.Robert bolted ahead.Without my noticing it at first. and the most precious relics in all of Christendom. he would taunt. Now. nonsense. dozens of turbaned riders flashing long.The nobles pushed us hard. the small group of men Robert and I had attached ourselves to began to thin. I lunged toward him. The Turks fled like rabbits.

They left us their towns. And holy relics worth more than a thousand inns like ours. Except me. with the help of a cohort. One year. It had belonged to her mother. Who will come.A maiden met a wandering man. ready to leave. it's summer. I bolted into Robert. sucking the air out of my belly. He scanned our village from atop his mount and remarked loudly. I'll need it more when I come back. was next to me in line. I rolled my eyes. surely the coming battles could test us no more than what we had already faced. Behind me. I'd been brought up by goliards.Where are these nuns whenI am in need? a soldier behind me moaned.

I know the same sobering thought pounded through each of our minds.A stirring rose in me.I ran in the pack.If this is the Holy Land. the Pope's protection is worthless.Then I knelt beside Robert. His small jaw hung open. Then she held her half out and we touched the jagged edges together. Spare this man. their towns now under Christian flags. Nobles on horseback whipped their tired mounts and rushed toward the front. an officer barked from behind. She and I had always shared everything. screaming wildly. Narrow passes. Mayhem was still rampant in the streets. they urged. Behind me. New aromas entranced me. he lowered the wheel again.