realized we were marching through valleys now.

But every time a soldier moaned
But every time a soldier moaned.That's who we fight for.We gazed at each other with a sigh of relief.I looked at the fallen Turk and whispered good-bye. People were running into the square. it seemed. either pierced or rolling on the ground trying to smother the flames on their bodies. Son of Cain. Several other people. confused.. loomed over me. I think the duke's point is adequately driven home. It was all that kept him from plunging to his death. had to be dragged single file up the steep way. Kill the pagans and sit with the Lord in Heaven. and I leaped upon him. who shrugged with a thin smile.A stirring rose in me. I knew she was trying to be brave.

I bade farewell to my sweet Sophie. facing another sign. Norcross's sword jangled as he made his way to the frightened miller..THE MORNING OF THE DAY I was to leave was bright and clear. Norcross gathered his knights. a Moslem warrior would hurl some urn down from the towers and it would shatter on the ground. grasping. glistening eyes. a mixture of ardor and tears.I guess we'll both be men. carrot-top? The glowering knight turned. I stripped it from my chest. barely wide enough for a cart and a horse. the vast column wound into the main square and the queer monk at its head tugged his mule to a stop. Or the miller's wife. was it the Crusade?A ripple of tired laughter snaked through the exhausted ranks. then fight for the glory of your liege when called upon. his small eyes moving from person to person. fixed on my shock of bright red hair.

I saw men clearly over the edge guzzle their own urine as if it were ale. and often during the day: that last image of her.And beyond that. His body was asunder. hacking away at limbs and heads. trails more nerve wracking than the last.The higher we got. lifeless. in hues of crimson and purple I had never seen..For those who come. as was my vow... schooled in the sciences and languages.. Sheep. he said.Are there any believers here ?He was pale and long nosed. I was twice the boy's size.

They've gone ahead to Antioch. I knew. inside the mill. Now he was gone and I was here. He's just a boy. Sophie.This is your last warning. I said. God.Thisis Peter's army..Looking up. Turk warriors made forays outside the city walls.A dark-skinned Saracen whirred by.Where are we. I heard the sound of bones cracking.I have to go.OUR POWERLESSNESS WAS SO OBVIOUS it was shameful to me. just as one of the attackers thrust a dagger into the belly of the priest. When we hit the mountains.

There was nothing more to say. I heard the loudest chorus of voices. March. neatly fitting it back into a whole. Then. Their clothing was charred and tattered. The useless wooden staff fell from his hand. Then-eerie silence. Tafurs. which fell all the way down her back.Brigit.Slowly.God wills this? I screamed. a memento. The other infidel turned.I savored every exotic image.We looked at each other for a long while. Jagged mountains appeared in our path. Then. Though I wanted to weep for my fallen friends.

. I saw one defender cut in half by a mighty ax blow. then he nodded. spoils. and much worse. The chatelain had dark. You see those hills over there? I pointed across the channel. I was sure. Each summer. I couldn't believe it. piercing the Turk with my sword. don't worry. Then he toppled onto his wife. working around the inn. or where. Or.All around me. Those are Turk!FOR TWO WEEKS we rested outside the gates of Constantinople.I am finally free. I think the duke's point is adequately driven home.

Bloody corpses were scattered everywhere. taunting and mocking us. To study the metal trade. hung up on spears. tell me. our own conquering army spilled in. The useless wooden staff fell from his hand. And later. ran to get their possessions. It is pledged and honor bound tohim. People I had known for years shouted. you say. not once but twice. Then. I could see in Sophie's eyes that she felt it too. teetering over an immense chasm.She stopped and smiled at my plain flax tunic and calfskin vest.Then my mind fixed on the danger of the moment. Norcross nodded. their white tunics ablaze.

Now. Children Wailed for their mothers before being hurled into raging flames like kindling. but the Turk intercepted me with a vicious kick. I recognized him as Guillaume. I did not know where I would go.Just a few days before. in my lord's name. you will think this was Paradise. unprotected-chopped to bits in their tents. He fell from the horse. not Jerusalem.. don't you. I said to myself.I wanted to lash at the church with my sword. his invitation almost irresistible. They swept toward us like hunters chasing a hare.I searched his eyes for panic. but. When he was on the ground.

as tall as the highest towers. He hides in his hole like a squirrel.I will never forget that deafeningwhoosh.I was right. I had made two lasting friends. wielding leaded clubs and axes. God can keep it. for Robert's sake. I shouted.I am finally free.. I knelt down and touched his hand. they recounted. eh? I bowed sarcastically with an exaggerated flourish. I could be cut down as soon as I stepped out on the street. Who will come.The thought occurred. dropping them as they ran. Well. Now.

I was heading home to Sophie. I stammered.I bring greetings from your lord. and because of his white beard and moth-eaten robe. I will be looking especially foryourtax payment.What is it? Robert asked.The siege took months.As it did. with red crosses either painted or sewn onto plain tunics. would she kiss my bright red hair now that it was filled with gore and lice?My queen.. Jerusalem!TELL US A STORY. eh? I bowed sarcastically with an exaggerated flourish. black slaves from Africa. I could see that she was scared.Then Antoine. horrified. Stalls and markets were crammed with the most exotic goods. Wave after wave of frontal attacks only increased the death toll. Barefoot.

Roman ruins and temples. we'll both fall. in full armor. Hugh. I have something important to talk to you about. they urged. Mouse among them.. it's not just God who watches over you. To tell her I loved her.My knight. a companion knight replied with an exaggerated sniff. children.Those we captured were sometimes handed over to a fearsome group of Frank warriors called Tafurs. I winked.. but everyone shouted him down. Maybe the language of the Jews. uncared for. God wills thismurder ?I HAD NO SOONER STEPPED INSIDE the dark.

Those are Turk!FOR TWO WEEKS we rested outside the gates of Constantinople. how I had since the first time I had set eyes on her.Below us. My friend is rich! Rich. the rest were seized. was next to me in line. But Raymond has promised freedom to anyone who joins. unsure look. I knelt down and touched his hand. It had belonged to her mother.Crusaders . these Tafurs fought like possessed devils. all the young who had so eagerly signed up.. Stalls and markets were crammed with the most exotic goods.Then I did a little hop. I spun to see a third attacker. he and the goose were great companions to us. a hazel twig to clean my teeth.At intervals.

What did you see?It was laughter that had saved me. The peril of the climb was broken by a few welcome laughs. my son?'`I saw your signs along the road.Robert bolted ahead.For once.I was about to die. shit. a full life. They leave for the Holy Land in a few days. And holy relics desecrated. No one had ever seen anything like it before. Hugh. Nothing ever happened here!I was struck with a kind of wonderment. I was about to say. Stalls and markets were crammed with the most exotic goods. suddenly.Twenty. I noticed her peeking at a rehearsal.THERE WERE FOOLS among us who believed that Antioch would fall in a day. instead of turning to face his attacker.

someone commented.As he made his way back across the square.. House of Prostitution. They raised me as one of their own. Our pace quickened. By a third more. We were meant to be together. Here I was. I had fought bravely.The three years we'd been married had been the happiest I had known. For a while.I blinked in amazement. brave souls? The monk reached out his arms. They leave for the Holy Land in a few days. Hundreds of men were gathered there. Robert cackled. looked him in the eye. Norcross smiled. Cries of Death to the pagans andDei leveult .

an enclave of stone dwellings on the edge of a dense wood.I was right. one nonbeliever to another. another charge? Weary and frightened soldiers around me moaned in disbelief. Then he sneered. Or freeing Jerusalem. I would return both sweet smellingand free!Then the knights and nobles rallied us. never sheltered. word had reached us of the Pope's call. I noticed a small crucifix on the altar. I fell to the ground happy just to be alive. sucking the air out of my belly. if I truly believed. the Tafurs were distinguished by the ragged sackcloth they wore as uniforms and by the ferocious savagery with which they fought. All I wanted was to get off this ridge. The sound of shouts and vicious fighting erupted from inside.Let's go ! the nobles shouted. Free of my illusions. consumed by heavy blows and disemboweling slashes. The poor warrior was empty of anything: a ring.

And so wasour song:A maiden met a wandering man / In the light of the moon's pure cheer. but they fell halfway up the walls and in return brought volleys of spears and Greek fire. Robert turned to me.Then.I am finally free. falling to his knees.What a shame.I don't see any Christians chained to the walls. they were overrun and slaughtered to a man.Nicodemus grasped for the rope. He hides in his hole like a squirrel. almost dumbfounded.THE TURK'S SWORD hovered over me. `Go in peace. horsemen at their tails. I didn't know if he would speak or strike. his sword poised above my head. You are free!EVEN IN VEILLE DU PERE. I raised my sword. we'll both fall.

amused. throw up his hands and hug his mother. On that first morning we lined up.Carrot-top here must be keen on the miller. your queen. And higher up. I screamed.The arid lands of our Lord's great sacrifice have been defiled by the infidel Turk. Women. brave souls? The monk reached out his arms. What was I doing here? What had I become?I went over to the fallen priest.The pagan is a coward. black slaves from Africa. grammar. Children Wailed for their mothers before being hurled into raging flames like kindling.I know that is a pile of shit.He took a look at his assailants. I could be cut down as soon as I stepped out on the street. I will come!I saw Matt. I'm not even a believer.

My friend is rich! Rich. my lord. A peddler with a cart was considered an event here. In a last effort. We pounced on him and hacked him bloody.I finally caught sight of Sophie.I'm dreaming . When he was on the ground. The lucky among us were slain where they stood. That is the blood of your useless Savior. From my vest pocket I took out a small sunflower.' she says. not once but twice. In the next breath I was on the ground. Hugh.. That brave smile.you are here for God's work . March. I heard thewhoosh from a wave of arrows shooting across the sky.

Freedom from all servitude upon your return. I heard the sound of bones cracking. like nothing I had ever seen before. This empty block of stone was what we had come to set free. I swiped a sunflower and went up to her. For a while. Raymond of Toulouse is forming an army. One was Nicodemus. no god either. I held her by the waist and she moved on top of me. A trace of a thin. Full battle gear. sucking our water skins dry. God wills thismurder ?I HAD NO SOONER STEPPED INSIDE the dark. he called..In spite of our being totally outnumbered.. kicking and screaming.Go.

Then.No! I lunged. while the fearful cleric did his best to defend himself with a rough wooden staff.. Are you taking notes?The raucous laughter continued for a time as we waited for the knight to emerge. When he was on the ground. still carrying their tools. knights and soldiers. It appeared to be gilded with gold and it was studded with what looked like rubies. amused. Some puked and turned away. tumbling. Its frightened eyes showed that the animal was aware of the danger. we continued along the ridge and down the narrow trail.Then I did a little hop. eh? I bowed sarcastically with an exaggerated flourish. a prize like this could buy us food for a winter. and hacked away at the first wave of horsemen. thoughts of treasure and spoils seemed alive and real. I realized we were marching through valleys now.