boy.The boy's back was turned.. We're going in.boy.The boy's back was turned.. We're going in.

Georges was my friend
Georges was my friend.And there was Robert with his goose. A chance to change my destiny in a single stroke. an arrow piercing his throat so completely his hands gripped it on both sides. one step at a time.She nodded.. Roman ruins and temples. or where. turned and fled from the walls. I saw a horseman hurtling directly toward us at full speed. And so wasour song:A maiden met a wandering man / In the light of the moon's pure cheer. Its feet were unable to hold the trail. inside the mill.As we entered the town there were corpses everywhere. To listen.Every couple of days. I felt sure I would soon die too. As they readied.Only twice before had I heard the bells sounded at midday in the four years since I had come to live in this town. helmets gleaming in the sun. lashed Alo to the staves of the mill's large wheel. Hugh? Her eyes locked on mine.

I saw the hostility on his face fade.She moved with me in perfect rhythm. we constructed enormous siege engines. they recounted.And beyond that. Hugh? Her eyes locked on mine. an enclave of stone dwellings on the edge of a dense wood. I did not know where I would go. I stayed. my companion. It sheared through his neck as if it were a weak limb of a tree. There was no way to defeat this horrible monster.As he made his way back across the square.. he said. galloped over the bridge aboard his mule. I turned to Robert with a sigh of relief. Soldiers stormed into the church. marching through Veille du P?re!Butwhat an army! More of a rabble. Jerusalem!TELL US A STORY. Sophie. Do they think we can see at night what we cannot even shoot during the day?No. pagan towns now consecrated in the name of God.

A chance to change my destiny in a single stroke. and then a shout.He took a look at his assailants. You smell it. there is a third sign.Your lord asked me to impress upon you. they ripped a bronze bracelet from her wrist and bludgeoned her lifeless. If it's riches. but by its end you'll be a man.THERE WERE FOOLS among us who believed that Antioch would fall in a day. a soldier exclaimed. I motioned with my eyes for them to stay clear of Norcross and his thugs. only a fool.That's who we fight for. quickening peals-echoing through town in the middle of the day.I finally caught sight of Sophie. Hundreds of fortified towers guarded each segment of an outer wall that appeared ten feet thick. but in his full battle gear and on unsteady footing he couldn't hold the mount. not their swords. every ridge ripe with ambush. We said good-bye to Constantinople. and juggling for the crowds. House of Prostitution.

His body was asunder. I stood paralyzed. then slowly raised the wheel. Tafurs. I was about to say. God did protect us after all. all I saw in my path was the wise Greek's face. The fortress lacked all water.A dark-skinned Saracen whirred by. ? I repeated. On their huge mounts. I grabbed my shield and ran after the boy. Tafurs. I knelt down and took a handful of earth to mark the day and placed it in my pouch. I love you. stepping into the center of the square. lifeless. bald.I swear. swept up in the tide of the charge.The old man looked up at me and shook his head.From out of the trees. Now.

To tell her I loved her. If this was it.. but I stayed behind. Or another Alo. We had no siege engines to break such walls. Men who had traveled so far.1096The church bells were ringing.Death after meaningless death. an arrow piercing his throat so completely his hands gripped it on both sides.I didn't believe. don't you. Bloody corpses were scattered everywhere. an odious smell coming from their flesh. ? The Turk seemed to sigh. the farther away I felt from anything I knew. sorry voice. They had recently taken Nicaea. I was trembling with horror. word reached us that the fortress had fallen. In her clutched fist.But just as the man's spear was inches from my throat. Yet as he spoke.

a village in southern France . many from the ranks called out loudly. in my lord's name. A bearded knight helped him slide off.The troops along the riverbank burst into laughter. the Spaniard Mouse remarked. I felt connected for the first time in my life.. Tafurs.Thirty yards out. Nerves?The boy shook his head. You could die.I grabbed Robert by the tunic and dragged him farther away. freedom. Our division captain ordered us to follow. Then he merely winked at me. but I wasn't going there. No great loss. I will work that much harder. Who knows? I smiled.For those who come. He lunged. `We'll be in Jerusalem by summer.

Then he merely winked at me. And. I rolled my eyes.Nico . unprotected-chopped to bits in their tents.Somehow they knew. a prize like this could buy us food for a winter. our commander. seeming to split him in two.The Turk took a measuring look at me. the monk said in a surprisingly strong voice. Ten of Paris could have fit within its walls. curved swords. Then-eerie silence.Shouts of acclamation rose throughout the square. I recognized the knight in charge as Norcross. March. And my regiment. For what end?Why did you spare me? I looked into the Turk's dull. were spared just so we could bear the tale. right? taunted Mouse. humor. Red crosses smeared all over the walls-in blood.

I put my hand on Robert's shoulder.I don't get it. they were split open by the Turks as they swooped by. pagan towns now consecrated in the name of God.Infidels unlucky enough not to be killed on the field of battle were handed to them like scraps to a dog. There. Children playing ball in the square dived out of the way. Another knight galloped into the water and waded out to the spot. You could die. two miles. I bolted into Robert... logic. the mistress of a cleric who could no longer hide my presence. whose I did not know. This time: `Convent. Matt. And I. I bade farewell to my sweet Sophie. It was not me.Our catapults flung giant missiles of fiery rock.March.

There is the one about the convent and the whorehouse.A knight pushed up the trail. expecting to see my legs separated from my torso. Do they think we can see at night what we cannot even shoot during the day?No.The Turk took a measuring look at me.Robert! I screamed. Professor. What was I doing here? What had I become?I went over to the fallen priest. !The sword caught Robert just below the throat. Norcross laughed. but they were clear and sure. It was as if the boy had seen that he was powerless to stop his own death and. and then a shout. which fell all the way down her back. Then the devils moved on to us. Finding nothing.Nicodemus started to answer. Each town we got to was scorched and empty. The rest of us surged ahead.I am finally free.Robert! I screamed.But the old Greek was too slow and laden with gear to get out of the way..

You may have started the day still a boy. I would have to charge. I staggered around. I heard the loudest chorus of voices. One of the ram carriers went down.All along we were told that Peter's army was months ahead of us. keeping up with his shuffling stride. I promised grimly.You're leaving. ran to get their possessions. It could be anybody.Nicodemus grasped for the rope. Ahead of us was a wide gulf in the mountains. His face was still lit with that innocent grin. gaining hold. Get ready. horsemen at their tails.I am not! You mustn't think that. who instructs him. Oh. but my legs seemed rooted to the ground.A moment later. I squawked about like a chicken.

tearing at their sizzling faces and eyes. Her tinkling little-girl laugh. the sun blocked by a hail of arrows.Sanctum Christi. Hugh. the feeble and sick. I heard Sophie scream. I begged.Such a city I had never seen before in all my life. thank God. At any second he would strike the final blow. I came bearing a sunflower. He grinned. Sophie. slaughtering infidels and hoarding all the spoils. kneel and take the Cross. slaughtering infidels and hoarding all the spoils. I say!Quiet. Robert among them. his brows arched. who farmed a plot by the river. I could not hold it back.The boy's back was turned.

She nodded. Young and old. Mouse grumbled from behind. Yet he'd spared me. with one purpose. unsure look. Now. And I had protected him. I drew my sword. And to God.No. Men who had traveled so far. You must let go.Then Norcross's face split into an amused smile.Too late. I'll need it more when I come back. Show them whose God is One. was a million miles away.At last we stood in the land of the dreaded Turk!The first fortresses we encountered were empty and abandoned. every twitch of her nose. with red crosses either painted or sewn onto plain tunics. pulling along the animal behind it to which it was tied. and their daughter.

For whatever the reason. I said. his blade caught the glint of a torch.It was the image I carried for the next two years. I handed him a stick that would be good for walking. children. The signal was spread. it's summer. But every time a soldier moaned. which Nicodemus had taught me. falling to his knees. the trail ahead was lined with large white rocks.Then. Feel free to help yourselves to some of the miller's lovely grain. I lifted the staff that had been in my hands when the Turk spared my life. as Sophie and I lay in bed.. Fresh-faced and chattering. he shrugged to his comrades. Professor? and the old Greek muttered only.And there was Robert with his goose. with no great malice toward the enemy but ready to fight whoever confronted me. his knights began to fan out through town.

she said. no god either.. more horsemen stormed out from the gates. but as we got closer. I spun to see a third attacker..I'm strong.I will never forget that deafeningwhoosh. The other infidel turned. I saw one defender cut in half by a mighty ax blow. do I forget the time?He slowly raised the wheel.I'll be back in a year . I saw it myself.Suddenly I heard shouting from up ahead. He has to accept. I always did. It took my breath away. he lowered the wheel again. I tried to joke. I'll need it more when I come back..Just then.

I defended Robert. she said. We were at a run. Show them whose God is One.. I stayed.If this is the Holy Land. His mouth curved into a sheepish grin.. In her clutched fist. House of Prostitution. Its feet were unable to hold the trail. Take this with you. This is Veille du P?re?It must be. Infidels.. Arrows and spears followed them. I winked. not Jerusalem.Those we captured were sometimes handed over to a fearsome group of Frank warriors called Tafurs.. Clad in colorful..

. No. To Georges and Marie's frantic shrieks. Sophie said with a start.Suddenly. the priest said. was of treasure and glory.For those who come. Begging to God. It was as if the boy had seen that he was powerless to stop his own death and. students and scholars who entertained from town to town.It was the image I carried for the next two years. his eyes horrifically wide. I knelt down and took a handful of earth to mark the day and placed it in my pouch. They were snooping for signs that Baldwin's own subjects had taken up the Cross. lashing the boy's wrists and ankles tightly to the water wheel. side by side. never sheltered. I yelled. raising the knight's heavy torso. If it's a fight you want. Everyone was afraid of them. All around us.

I will work that much harder. and from within. a buttress of gray rock thirty feet tall. taunting and mocking us. from burying the dead. I say!Quiet. and to most of us. Word has reached him that a rabble passed through here a day ago. When I see you each day.There was a ground-shaking rumble from the west. the soldiers mocked. with some inlaid writing that I could not understand. Do not compare the Pope's holy protection to yours. come quick.Please . I waited for the death blow. my companion. but as he got close. thinking of how I would describe it all to Sophie. never once crying out. I could see in Sophie's eyes that she felt it too. I heard thewhoosh from a wave of arrows shooting across the sky..

gripping the sheer stone as huge rocks crashed around us.Why had I ever come to this place? I had walked across Europe to fight for a cause in which I didn't even believe. Word has reached him that a rabble passed through here a day ago.I pivoted aside and brought my sword over the back of his head. I noticed a small crucifix on the altar. with bright red crosses. I'll be back. In a last effort. your labor now depleted by a third?Georges's eyes darted about. It made us realize even more that they would not easily give in..The longer Antioch survived. hurrying from the well with her bucket. she said. Our forces are all around. toward the mill. In a last effort.A silence ensued.I felt a hole in the pit of my stomach.And with your stronger son gone. This madness just wouldn't stop!On the steps of the altar. not some moth-eaten hermit. He had joined the quest as a translator.

That brave smile. from burying the dead. Different from a moment ago. I sang in the quietest voice before I slept each night. though our new enemy became the blistering heat and thirst. I prayed as I ran that my back would not be ripped apart by a Saracen arrow. Or freeing myself. Once-proud knights trudged humbly. You better tell him. to help if I could. and an abbess answers. Guillaume.I wanted to lash at the church with my sword. A child could have seen it.' everyone cheered. And deeply in love. threadbare..I would never see Jerusalem in this lifetime. Norcross laughed..Themetal trade. landing on what would have been his face.

A moment before. Eight massive warhorses thundered across the bridge into the center of town. He scanned our village from atop his mount and remarked loudly.Near. It seemed impregnable. Food was down to nothing. for some kind of dagger. Panic clutched at my heart.As Norcross passed the miller's cowering daughter. I bent down to pick up the shiny object and could not believe it. but there was little to find amusing.To my surprise. face first into the river. his white hair and beard billowing in the draft. . Each rock was painted with a bright red cross. I put my hand on Robert's shoulder. Paul's.. throw up his hands and hug his mother. Yet as he spoke. For a few moments. He hides in his hole like a squirrel.

Men and women hacked up like diseased stock. I reached and wiped a glistening tear from her eye. No reason to make one less. it's the worst equipped. I squawked about like a chicken. His body was asunder. All I could do was scream. dying in front of an altar of Christ. stretching out as far as the eye could see. her brave smile as I hopped down the road.The troops along the riverbank burst into laughter. `Good enough. daylight darkened. Don't look so sad. I dreamed about Sophie every night. They threw both into the middle of the square. echoed everywhere. for some kind of dagger. Months so long and grueling. I noticed a small crucifix on the altar. for Robert's sake.let the boy up.As Norcross passed the miller's cowering daughter.

Sophie lifted her head and kissed me.. and honor in battle. How far away she seemed right now. Our weapons came together in a mighty clang. God did protect us after all. and I saw I could not get there in time. I had only an instant to intervene. I realized we were marching through valleys now.You are right . mad with greed.In that instant I saw my helplessness. our ranks were being shredded. Tonight you'll go to sleep fucking the emir's wife!The camp sprang alive. I was out of tricks. and his brown robes had holes in them. just as one of the attackers thrust a dagger into the belly of the priest. I was about to say. It will be made easily.These Tafurs reported to no lord among us. Raymond and Bohemond. the miller's son. it caused a terrible reaction.

how will you continue to pay your tax to the duke. sucking in precious food. All I could think to utter was. thrusting his knife into the Turk's chest.It was love at first sight for us..I'll find food. someone said.. a fiery-eyed Turk. looking for something of value. Then.. And I had protected him. It carries your food for the next two weeks. It appeared to be gilded with gold and it was studded with what looked like rubies. no doubt. It was said they were disgraced knights who followed a secret lord and had taken vows of poverty until they could buy back their favor in God's eyes.My regiment went on. boy.The boy's back was turned.. We're going in.