THE TENT
"It is finished," said Lord Balian. "We shall honor all terms placed on this document.
"As shall we," confirmed Saladin. "Send your knights to meet my Saracens tomorrow and all will happen as stated. You and your general (Saladin nodded towards Thibault) need not appear before us on the field of battle, nor will I or my generals appear. It is agreed. We leave now." Uncharacteristically, Saladin offered his arm to Lord Balian. "There is much in you that would make you one among the finest of Saracens."
Lord Balian blinked and nearly smiled. "And you, Saladin, could be a great Christian leader."
Saladin paused to study the blank expression on Lord Balian's face. Then he broke into a wide smile and began to laugh. "Fate would be greatly disturbed I suspect were either of these things to occur." Saladin exited the tent still laughing at the inherent impossibilities.
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"Thibault! I will not hear of it!" exclaimed Balian. "You are not serving this city as a knight, despite your title. You are its military leader. It is absolutely necessary for you to accept this fact and do your duty. I repeat, you will not engage the Saracens personally tomorrow morning. That is an order!"
Night had fallen and Thibault for the second time that day tried to plead his case and was denied. Despite the words he spoke, "Yes, Lord Balian. As you command," Thibault was thinking other things.
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Well before sunrise, five knights rose to greet the doomfilled day and to converge at the gate or mounting posts depending upon their duty. Later that morning their loved ones and others of the city would gather to observe their sacrifice, that is, the sacrifice of the three who would face the might of the Saracens in the field before the West Gate.
Lord Balian waited at the gate for his knights to be elevated and placed on their horses by the lift. Four knights made their way individually to the mounting post where their horses and final pieces of armor waited. One of the four, much in advance of the others, found a dark niche in the pathway and waited, a hidden figure. As a knight walked by, a club was elevated and for the unsuspecting knight the morning exploded into a sudden brief vision of jagged light and whirling spheres. He fell to the ground unconscious and was dragged into the corner, gagged and bound.
Three knights were to comprise the Knights of Jerusalem and three knights appeared one by one. First, Sir Geoffrey Horkwood was fitted with his final pieces of armor. He placed his helmet on his head and was lifted onto his warhorse. Next, Sir Jaufre De Corbieres arrived and he too finished his dressing and was lifted into his saddle with its protectively high front and back. Finally, the last of the knights appeared partially armored and helmeted in the colors of Danyel De Bellievre. He remained silent throughout, helmet on, directing with his hands the application of his breast and backplates to finish his armor; and then Danyel also was elevated into his saddle.
All three men carried lances, axes and swords. All three made their way to the West Gate to receive the final commands they expected to hear in this life. Above the Gate stood Lord Balian, his Lady and the others, including Alesta, Jayhawk and Arnaud.
Jaufre noticed that Jayhawk and Arnaud stood closely by Alesta. He could almost see her trembling and Arnaud's comforting arm place around her. Then Jaufre looked around from within the confines of his cast metal helmet for a familiar face that seemed to be missing. "Where is Thibault?"
Danyel, sitting on his horse between Horkwood and Jaufre shrugged his shoulders, making metal plates grind on metal plates, but he said nothing. Jaufre's attention was drawn away from his former mentor and to Balian when the Lord of Jerusalem spoke to them. "Brave Knights of Jerusalem. It is your duty and my command that you should attack the Saracens so that the people of Jerusalem shall be free. Go! And may God be with you!"
The West Gates swung open, but there was no cheering. Instead there were sounds of crying and barely constrained grief. The three knights passed under the West Gate's portal and entered the field before Jerusalem where arrayed in all of their splendor stood one hundred fully armed mounted Saracens and one additional among them who would be their leader. Another Saracen spoke to this leader.
"We are agreed, then, cousin. You will do what I ask?"
"With all my heart, Saladin. Forgive this blood relative who should have trusted you," said Sudijar Hemmon, leader of the Saracen host.
"Forgiven," replied Saladin. The Saracen leader turned to his mounted soldiers. "OBEY SUDIJAR AS IF IT WERE MYSELF AT YOUR HEAD! OBEY HIM WITHOUT FAIL NO MATTER WHAT HE ORDERS! ALLAH BE PRAISED!
One hundred and one voices responded. "ALLAH BE PRAISED!" Their eyes then turned and focussed on nothing else but the three Christian knights. The Saracens waited for the command to charge.
"SARACENS! DO NOT HARM THE INFIDELS. BY SALADIN'S COMMAND, DO NOT HARM THE INFIDELS! READY TO CHARGE!"
Saracens looked at Sudijar in disbelief. Sudijar felt compelled to repeat his command. "IT IS SALADIN'S COMMAND! WE SHALL BE VICTORIOUS THIS DAY! JERUSALEM SHALL FALL! DO NOT HARM THE KNIGHTS BEFORE YOU! CHARGE!"
One hundred and one horses felt the snap of reins and their masters' heels in their flanks and leaped to the gallop.
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"No, stop them!" cried out a voice from within the city but very near. Alesta drew in a breath of shock. The voice sounded like Danyel's. She turned and ran to the other side of the battlement. It was Danyel!
"Stop them! I should be with them!" cried out Danyel.
Lord Balian was quickly at her side. "What's going on? Who is shouting?" Recognition was immediate. "Danyel? But you're supposed to be..." Balian looked around quickly. "THIBAULT! YOU DISOBEDIANT CRETIN!" He ran back to the outside facing battlement only to see the Saracens galloping full speed at the knights and the knights in turn galloping at the Saracens, the knights' lances down and aimed.
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Saracens flowed over the plain directly at the Three Knights of Jerusalem. "CHARGE!" bellowed Sir Geoffrey Horkwood, impatient for the command to come from the ever silent "Danyel". The three knights charged.
Ever closer came the Saracens, closer yet again to the sharpened lances carried by the knights. Almost upon them now, the Saracens spread apart opening gaps in their line before the onrushing knights; and then the unexpected happened.
As if orchestrated for an entertainment, the line of charging Saracens simply melted to either side of the galloping knights and left the Christians no targets to strike. Fearing the Saracens would circle around them, the knights reined in their horses and turned them to face towards the West Gate. Meanwhile, the Saracens continued to ride, now at a slower gait, directly towards the West Gate, their weapons sheathed nonthreateningly. The Christian knights looked at each other in confusion. To see better, all of them holstered their lances and removed their helmets. Slowly they guided their horses towards the now passively milling Saracens.
Finally, one among the Saracens emerged to speak to those standing on the wall. "I am Sudijar Hemmon. I have been and once again am the messenger of His Excellency, Saladin, the Right Hand of Allah. Is Lord Balian present?"
"I am!" called down Balian from the wall.
"His Excellency does not wish the blood of your brave knights, so very few now in number, to flow on this field for naught. The agreement was to battle on this morning. Battle occurred, however brief and inconsequential. He has chosen to yield in respect for the courage of the infidel knights. There is no need for these brave men to die. This term of the Treaty has been met. Deliver the city in five days. ALLAH BE PRAISED!"
Sudijar shouted a command in the Saracen tongue and the mounted soldiers wheeled their horses and raced back to their encampment, riding wide of the befuddled knights who were guiding their horses back to the city. However, before wheeling his own horse, he glanced up at the parapets to see the tall minstrel's green eyes looking down at him. As if he expected the minstrel to understand unspoken words, he said silently, "You were right, so very right." As if the minstrel heard these words, he nodded his head. Sudijar saw this and then turned his horse in the direction of the encampment.
"Open the gates!" cried out Balian. The West Gate was unbarred and opened and the knights slowly entered the city feeling conflicting emotions of joy that they still lived and embarrassment over how it came to be.
Alesta cried tears of joy while buried in her husband's arms. Then, as a dismounted Jaufre approached, she launched herself into his arms saying, "My brother!" over and over again. Thibault thought this the appropriate moment to return some of Danyel's armor. He handed Danyel his helmet and gauntlets and prepared to remove some of the rest. Danyel put the armor pieces on the ground waiting for Thibault to look up from what he was doing.
Thibault finished loosening the strap to his breastplate, straightened himself up just in time to see the world explode in his face as Danyel's fist found his right cheek. CLUMP! CLANG! Thibault found himself sitting on the ground and looking up at Danyel.
"DANYEL!" Thibault heard Alesta's voice cry out "Stop that!"
"He deserves it, Alesta!"
"Never mind, stop it anyway."
Thibault rubbed his cheekbone. "He's right, Alesta. I do deserve it." Thibault sat in the dirt knowing full well his armor was still too heavy to make it easy for him to rise. He saw Danyel shake his head disapprovingly, and then step forward. Another blow?
Danyel's extended hand ended Thibault's suspicions and took away the weight that held him down. Thibault was on his feet again. Just then he heard another voice, one he thought he would never hear again. "Thibault!" cried the voice, and Athena's arms were suddenly around him, and all was well once again.
[This message has been edited by Civis Romanus (edited 07-24-2003 @ 04:47 PM).]