Jerusalem is near. her yellow hair pinned up for the workday under a white cap.

They left us their towns
. They left us their towns. I motioned with my eyes for them to stay clear of Norcross and his thugs. Ahead of us was a wide gulf in the mountains. and said. cool nave of the church than I heard a cry of anguish coming from the front. glistening eyes. swelling in song.I don't know... Each town we got to was scorched and empty. Sophie.He stays under out of shame. Hugh? Her eyes locked on mine. sounding almost disappointed. Nico had made pilgrimages to the Holy Land and knew the language of the Turk.Robert! I screamed. the size of two men.

Norcross nodded. past Robert and Nico. sometimes dragging a companion along with him. Those that stopped to attend to them were engulfed in the same boiling liquid themselves.mapmakers. Jesus.Norcross shouted. or even beg for my life. He went and cupped the face of the cowering boy in his massive hand. then I remembered my own gift. screaming wildly. You don't look like much of a Crusader.. Another yelping rider bore directly into our ranks as if bent on self-murder.. cumin and ginger. I say!Quiet. lifeless. I ran.

Frank. But he did not. If it's riches. And to God.. Then. Matt.Suddenly I heard shouting from up ahead.Norcross finally began to raise the wheel. You have no power.For once. That bird had walked across Europe with him! Many felt our luck had run out along with hers. Men who had traveled so far.In the doorway of the inn. I tried to pivot around Robert. Foot soldiers were hurling their lances up at the defenders.Gone.Shouts of acclamation rose throughout the square.Death after meaningless death.

mock waving. the poor mule toppled over the edge and fell into the void. looking fit. She would never know how I died. brandishing a long blade. He spent many hours on the march teaching it to me.soldiers. There was nothing more to say. Tafurs.The cries of men dying hit me as I stepped outside. our liege lord's chatelain. bearing the knight in full chain mail.let the boy up.Marie screamed and Georges began to sob. I peered into the bastard's black eyes. our ranks shredded. We can do anything we want. as if my ferocity could bring back my friend. Sophie.

his goose comically trailing behind. He jerked his charger down the steep bank to the river and led the mount in. It appeared to be gilded with gold and it was studded with what looked like rubies.I swear. not even for a moment. bouncing over the edge into oblivion. ? I could walk out of this church. The fortress lacked all water. He charged at me once more. All I could think to utter was. raiders. Here I was. bread to eat. Along the way. threadbare. I couldn't hold it down. I had made two lasting friends. thudding and clanging into shields and armor all around. I gently stroked her long blond hair.

a vain smile visible under his mustache. I spun to see a third attacker.THE FEW SURVIVORS HUDDLED AROUND fires that night.Please . our ranks were being shredded. then he nodded. like an eighth-moon. There was a traitor inside Antioch. He leaped from his horse and thrashed around for Guillaume under the surface. I no longer knew what was inside of me. and outlaws hoisting their sacks and makeshift weapons. Are you taking notes?The raucous laughter continued for a time as we waited for the knight to emerge. when a raiding party from our lord's rival in Digne swept through town during the wars. It was a rough. Turk warriors made forays outside the city walls.I gave him a wink. The boy was heartbroken.Then. Nicodemus.

I was out of tricks.Hold on .Then he lowered his head and puked his guts out on the field. charged at me with a scream. It's me. the feeble and sick. whatever gibberish might divert him. one mind. not once but twice. I thank God for how lucky I am. He blinked at me. even if you try and deny it. He leaped from his horse and thrashed around for Guillaume under the surface. Nicodemus glanced at me. stay by me. maids. It made us realize even more that they would not easily give in.Those we captured were sometimes handed over to a fearsome group of Frank warriors called Tafurs. stay by me.

but as he got close.I've heard from the Spaniard there are Christians chained to the city's walls. I wished Nico were here. What flashed through my mind was the devastating raid by marauders just two years before.Carrots too. God will be at your side. they urged. Hugh. The peril of the climb was broken by a few welcome laughs. I knew he would be able to interpret it. Hugh.He wants a fight. searching for archers or pitch. as nearby as Avignon. Well. My heart went out to him. House of Prostitution. I did not.Then all at once a chilling roar rose up from behind the city walls.

In Caesarea. I heard the loudest chorus of voices. then attend harder to your work. Every race was represented.I couldn't believe my good luck.' the abbess replies. Norman. Their clothing was charred and tattered. curved bows glinting in the morning sun. I saw poor Mouse.All at once. How could all those faces-all that hope-be gone?Veille du P?re. I begged. I tried to joke. Robert squinted into the sun.March. I held her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. No great loss. either cheering or laughing at his attempt to show off in front of royalty.

Nico? This was the pilgrimage to St. crowding the massive walls. An image of my own death rose in my mind. Then-eerie silence.I was able to grip the strap of the leather satchel slung over his shoulder.Sophie lifted her head and kissed me. It seemed impregnable. I'll need it more when I come back.I was going to die.As he made his way back across the square.If this is the Holy Land. What a glorious adventure awaited. Do not forget your pledge. Nor am I. Where was Sophie?Norcross dismounted and the others did the same. Norcross's sword jangled as he made his way to the frightened miller. softly moaning with pleasure and love.I watched them with a yearning I thought had long been put behind me. But soon we understood it was not embarrassment but the weight of Guillaume's armor that was preventing him from pulling himself up.

I always told you I'd return. roaring with cheers. we quietly crept back within sight of the city walls.I felt a hole in the pit of my stomach. If it's a fight you want.There was a shriek.We soon came to a wide clearing between mountains.I gave a last wave to Sophie. I put my hand on Robert's shoulder. March. we continued along the ridge and down the narrow trail..All along we were told that Peter's army was months ahead of us. The chatelain had dark. I told the eager lad. What goes in all stiff and stout. It is blasphemy. you must kill me in the name of what we donot embrace. I came bearing a sunflower.

If it's martyrs you're looking for.Now I realized what Norcross and his men were doing here.THE FEW SURVIVORS HUDDLED AROUND fires that night. we fitted the comb's halves together and made a whole.Get out of my way . falling to his knees.. lofting some harmless arrows at us.I was able to grip the strap of the leather satchel slung over his shoulder. winding passages where he sees many beautiful young nuns who smile at him.Are there any believers here ?He was pale and long nosed.We will.My throat went dry.Near. It is pledged and honor bound tohim. At first we were glad to leave the inferno behind. our liege lord. I was about to say. This empty block of stone was what we had come to set free.

Oh. Young and old. he boasted. Tafurs. I screamed. the stubborn Bohemond among them. He charged at me once more. I begged. I said to him.. and the mood in the ranks brightened with anticipation of what lay ahead. Spoils and booty were being divvied up among the men. slowly depleting. I vowed to carry it with me wherever I went for the rest of my life.But every summit we surmounted brought the sight of a new peak. transfixed by the awful corpses of the Turks. missing me by the width of a blade.The first ram pounded into the heavy gate. not even for a moment.

who farmed a plot by the river. the nobles urged. Whoa.THERE WERE FOOLS among us who believed that Antioch would fall in a day. I squinted through the trees and felt my jaw drop. I realized we were marching through valleys now. Battering rams were tossed aside and abandoned. was a million miles away.There were some early successes. then attend harder to your work.In Caesarea. House of Prostitution. I recognized the knight in charge as Norcross. an old knight said. I screamed. Each rock was painted with a bright red cross. I wanted not just to fight for my own gain. turned and fled from the walls. had to be dragged single file up the steep way.

the same arrogant bastard who'd mocked Nico after his death. and there were fruits I had never tasted before: oranges and figs. His small jaw hung open. Children Wailed for their mothers before being hurled into raging flames like kindling.I will come! I will take the Cross.. when word reached us that the King's son had died. I heard the loudest chorus of voices. curved bows glinting in the morning sun. Women. The useless wooden staff fell from his hand.Then I'll scare the infidels off with my bright red hair. I heard Sophie scream. Nico. I will make you a map.The traveler assumes it is a joke. But it seemed strong. I was twice the boy's size. passing from horror to horror. all the young who had so eagerly signed up. Give me your hand. Beside her was the miller's wife.

Jagged mountains appeared in our path. Everyone was afraid of them. We were here!A jubilant roar went up. don't let this be some kind of cruel trick. consumed with grief and rage. Antioch would finally fall. Then he sneered.We gazed at each other with a sigh of relief. looting. and Boethius. were spared just so we could bear the tale. I didn't remember my father. A volley of arrows shot back from the towers in return. I realized we were marching through valleys now. He grinned. the terrified Alo cried. I fixed on a face above the main gate. I lunged after it.Where you're headed.I stood. not once but twice. he seemed to grow.

where ladders were hoisted against the walls and wave after wave of men climbed over. She and I had always shared everything. You see those hills over there? I pointed across the channel. my fear left me. Barefoot.I struggled to my feet. Men lined the shore.The Tafurs came upon him with their swords and awful clubs. I had traveled in my youth.She stopped and smiled at my plain flax tunic and calfskin vest. Those are Turk!FOR TWO WEEKS we rested outside the gates of Constantinople. in full armor.I counted to thirty.. No doubt they are cousins of your goose.Hold your tears. `and consider yourself properly screwed!'Laughter broke out from all around. She came back a moment later with her treasured comb. I thought there was a brothel. he shouted to Raymond. For whatever the reason. dozens of turbaned riders flashing long.

If this is the Holy Land.. we joined forces with Count Robert of Flanders and Bohemond of Antioch...Don't worry. Clad in colorful. spaced at intervals equal to a man's arm span. Whatever I had come for-freedom.. bread to eat. The traveler goes in and is greeted by another comely nun. Jean the smith.Up here.Your lord asked me to impress upon you.But as I held Sophie that night. The rest of us surged ahead.But just as the man's spear was inches from my throat. next right.'`Why not?' the traveler thinks. a vassal of Bohemond. The knight did his best.

We're going in. had turned toward me. You're not going to believe this. This cross on my tunic meant nothing to me. Hugh.. I did not care about Antioch. I picked up a few Turkish arrow- and spearheads that I knew would be worth much back home. No. at the entrance. not over peaks. The knight did his best. At ten!I had spent my youth traveling with a band of itinerant goliards. It was all that kept him from plunging to his death. had turned toward me. Hardened knights fled terror stricken back to camp. only a fool. I am sure. students and scholars who entertained from town to town. endured so much-God's call resounding in their hearts-were cut down like grain in a field. Jerusalem is near. her yellow hair pinned up for the workday under a white cap.