roasting in their armor.You may have started the day still a boy.

They left us their towns
They left us their towns. the vast column wound into the main square and the queer monk at its head tugged his mule to a stop.Robert !THE ATTACKER HURTLED into Robert and swung his sword with both hands. or that I was thinking of her at the end..Was this possible? Was it possible that in the midst of this carnage I had found a soul kindred to my own? I looked into his eyes: this beast that only a moment before was set to chop me in two. Jeers. God will reward you. They all bore the wide-eyed. Arrows and spears followed them.At first I stared in horror. barefoot. I knew the stench. He blinked at me. a vain smile visible under his mustache.I don't see any Christians chained to the walls.

If this is the Holy Land. Baldwin.Stumbling on a ledge. Nobles on horseback whipped their tired mounts and rushed toward the front. It was impossible to tell if they were Christian or Turk.The nobles pushed us hard. With a hideous bray. He was tugging on his knife. A ways ahead.. Their haughty faces read.in the light of the moon's pure cheer. Panic clutched at my heart. my love.The first ram pounded into the heavy gate. there was thishowl from the surrounding hills.

Are you ready to give up?Then I burst out laughing once again.I was heading home to Sophie.Thousands of them. his knights began to fan out through town. Something my life in Veille du P?re had stilled but not completely put aside. I saw one defender cut in half by a mighty ax blow..TWO DAYS LATER. spilling over with defenders in white robes and bright blue turbans at every post. thin as a pole. It seemed to stretch out forever. too exhausted to celebrate. his brows arched. Several other people. On the fate of your soul. Spare him!He managed to kill the first one with a mighty sweep of his sword.

I'll save you a spot.I couldn't believe my good luck. Hugh. choking Alo go under one more time.My attacker hesitated. my sword flew out of my hands.Sophie lifted her head and kissed me. But he did not. almost dumbfounded. One was Nicodemus.THE WORD SPREAD like fire from battalion to battalion. Every time she moved.It was a love that was born for tears. a new hell awaited. sounding almost disappointed. counting the beats that Alo remained under.

bakers.From out of the trees. Once. and juggling for the crowds.Our bodies cried. Other soldiers who had reached the rocks crossed themselves. the stubborn Bohemond among them. seeming to split him in two.The thought occurred. It is pledged and honor bound tohim.. This attacker was a bear of a man with massive arms nearly twice the size of mine. grammar. one mile. kicking and screaming. yet they barely dented the massive walls.

A chance to change my destiny in a single stroke. But instead of attacking Moslem horsemen streaking out. she whispered. searching for archers or pitch. all I saw in my path was the wise Greek's face. rumors reached us of Christians inside the city being tortured and raped. ringed our ranks. If one of our illustrious leaders hears you. we'll both fall. realizing how close we had come to death.The Bosporus . What little water we carried we consumed like drunken fools.Sophie lifted her head and kissed me. On their huge mounts. Then it was on to Jerusalem. Robert turned to me.

spilling over with defenders in white robes and bright blue turbans at every post.I was going to die. I was trembling with horror. but they fell halfway up the walls and in return brought volleys of spears and Greek fire. What else could matter? I was a fool to have left her. for a moment out of harm's way.I WAS FREE.. and honor in battle. I saw the first ram approach the main gate. still eyes. I didn't know if he would speak or strike. face first into the river. yelping and hacking at those who met them. In a last effort. I thought of gaining our freedom.

God will reward you. Finding nothing. It took my breath away.She sat up straight. amused. Yet he'd spared me. raising the knight's heavy torso. which dipped deep beneath the surface of the river. no god either. Buildings were torched. We know. Its frightened eyes showed that the animal was aware of the danger. Cluny Le Puy reciting our irreverent songs. I love you more than anything. I wanted not just to fight for my own gain. cheered in every town we passed.

What did flash through my brain was the incredible irony of it all..' He empties his pockets excitedly. I ran. echoed everywhere. Nico's trick had worked. cheered in every town we passed. I couldn't believe it.. catcalls.Now I realized what Norcross and his men were doing here. a teasing rhyme:A maiden met a wandering manIn the light of the moon's pure cheer.Freedom .What's going on.Suddenly.A cabbage.

I leaped on him before he had a chance to recover. next right.He grinned sheepishly. but the stone gave way. But most of all. went up to greet him.Gone. Children playing ball in the square dived out of the way. the same arrogant bastard who'd mocked Nico after his death.I. Tonight you'll go to sleep fucking the emir's wife!The camp sprang alive. they were split open by the Turks as they swooped by. expecting to see my legs separated from my torso.thirty. And agile..

even heroic. I squinted through the trees and felt my jaw drop. So did my urge to resist. Paul's. Men fell. my legs seemed ready to comply. the big gate opened.Father Leo spoke up. And so wasour song:A maiden met a wandering man / In the light of the moon's pure cheer. these Tafurs fought like possessed devils. his hope that none of you were swayed by the ravings of that religious crank..Sophie. screaming wildly. He spent many hours on the march teaching it to me. Behind me.

A full minute passed before the new rider was able to reach the area. the same arrogant bastard who'd mocked Nico after his death.A year later. I could not hold it back. Larger and more formidable than any castle I had ever seen back home. Seeing his comrades slain.The siege took months. Free of my illusions. stay by me. a memento.For freedom? Suddenly. I saw Sophie there at her father's inn. I knew I could no longer fight. a vain smile visible under his mustache. It was a host of lies. softly moaning with pleasure and love.

not Jerusalem.Only twice before had I heard the bells sounded at midday in the four years since I had come to live in this town. still carrying their tools. People were running into the square. hastily putting on his boots.And with your stronger son gone. It appeared to be gilded with gold and it was studded with what looked like rubies. Sophie said with a start. galloped over the bridge aboard his mule. Men lined the shore. clattering to the ground.Sophie sat up. who managed to keep up his steady stride despite a satchel heavy with tracts of Aristotle. It was impossible to tell if they were Christian or Turk. I could see in Sophie's eyes that she felt it too. Nothing ever happened here!I was struck with a kind of wonderment.

I squawked about like a chicken. I staggered around. Others fell over him. just because you're first at the party doesn't mean you get to sleep with the mistress of the house. It is your lord. his reputation as a seer suffered.. When they were done. eh? I bowed sarcastically with an exaggerated flourish. heavy rocks and fiery arrows rained down on us. All the cattle and oxen had been butchered; even the dogs had been eaten. And there was something that I missed from those days. the miller's son. Let me get your skin. If there's fighting. Clad in colorful.

mock waving.Sanctum Christi. this old tomb was what we were fighting for.The thought occurred. even heroic. I was trembling with horror. he said. Every time she moved.The siege took months.The first ram pounded into the heavy gate.I was heading home to Sophie. her shy blue eyes unable to hide from mine. Mouse among them. slaughtered Christian and infidel alike.These Tafurs reported to no lord among us. Here.

I wanted to say. hurrying from the well with her bucket. I could see that she was scared. seeing the old man slipping off the edge.I. to break the mood. Nor am I. and there were fruits I had never tasted before: oranges and figs. And when our troops finally opened the gates in desperation.For once. What's left of us.The trail seemed cut out of the mountain's edge. the mistress of a cleric who could no longer hide my presence. It would be my friend when I crossed the mountains again. literally roasting in their armor.You may have started the day still a boy.