by Griff Hosker
“The trouble is, Robert that is in the hearts of men. If all had the same honour and integrity as the Master or Theobald then it would have been both holy and noble. Thierry of Flanders and Conrad of Germany came here for glory, land and treasure.”
“Yet we will go back richer.”
“Perhaps that is our reward for having the right motives. At least I like to think it is.”
Suddenly a mass of warriors began swarming from the scrubland at the side of the road. It was an ambush. I saw some of the sergeants fall to spears and axes before they even knew we were under attack.
“Garth, arrows! The rest of you, with me. Our war is not over!”
My helmet was hanging from my cantle. After pulling up my coif I drew my sword and spurred Remus I shouted to the levy, “Take shelter!” Theobald and King Baldwin had organised men to defend the horses. Even the King had his sword out. I saw that the ones who attacked us were Franks but I could see no device on their shields. They were plain white. That was not unusual. Many went to war against Damascus with white shields. They wore the brown cloak worn by many. They could have been any band of knights and sergeants.
We struck the ones at the rear of the line. Tom was ahead of me and I saw a sergeant smash his axe into the chest of Tom’s horse. A good rider he rolled from the saddle but he hit the ground hard. As he lay there stunned the sergeant raised his axe to finish him. I leaned out and took the sergeant’s head in one blow. I was angry and I urged Remus on. Theobald and the king were struggling to hold their own against what seemed like a sea of enemies. Then arrows began to fall and those who were trying to get to Theobald and Baldwin fell. My archers were doing what they did best, killing my foes. I took a spear to my shield and kicked the spearman in the face with my boot. I brought my sword down into the back of a sergeant who was about to take the head of a fallen knight of Jerusalem.
My wedge of horsemen had now driven a gap between the two halves of the enemy force. I saw that it was not as great a number as I had thought. Suddenly a knight turned to run at me with a spear. I say knight for I recognised him. It was Guy de Waller. He had two sergeants flanking him and they were coming for me. I spurred Remus and pulled up on the reins. He soared into the air. As I rose I brought my sword down and cracked open the skull of one of the sergeants. Remus hooves clipped de Waller’s head but my horse landed badly. His fore hooves struck a dead body and he stumbled. I kicked my feet from the stirrups and rolled over his head. I let go of my shield but I held on to the sword. The wind was knocked from me as I landed. I looked up and saw the remaining sergeant triumphantly raise his sword to take my head. I blindly swung my sword at knee height and it hacked into the knee and tendons of the sergeant. He fell and I struggled to my feet. Using two hands I plunged the sword into his chest.
I heard Henry son of Will shout, “Lord, watch out!” Something struck my head and all went black. I saw no more.
Part Three
Ascalon
Chapter 15
I dreamed for a long time. I smelled Rebekah but I could not see her. My family’s faces flashed before me. I smelled herbs. They made everything go black and when the blackness went I saw my dead mother. I tried to reach her but she shook her head and I fell. I smelled Rebekah and then it was gone. I saw Crusader and Turk in deadly combat. A snake etched knife plunged towards me and I was carried aloft by a mighty bird and then I fell. I fell for, what seemed like forever but I did not reach the ground. I heard a voice. It was Tom.
“John go and fetch my lady. He moved. It was just his finger but I saw it twitch. It is a sign.”
“Should I ride for the doctor?”
I tried to speak but it came out as a croak. “He speaks! Go!”
I tried to open my eyes but they would not. Was I blind? The last thing I remembered was Henry’s shout and then blackness. Had I lost my sight?
Tom’s familiar voice was reassuring, “Drink, lord, it will help. The lady told me.” He cupped my head in his hand and the goblet was placed against my lips. It was water and it was cool. I drank.
“See, he moves!” It was John’s voice.
Then I smelled something from my dream. It was Rebekah. I tried to open my eyes and a pain raced down the side of my face. Her voice, when she spoke, was soft and gentle. “Let me clean your eyes, lord.”
I heard the sound of water and then something cool was pressed against my eyes. I felt her hand upon my rough cheek. I found myself smiling. I was not dead. This was not a dream. I felt her fingers dabbing at my eyes.
“Now try, lord.”
I opened my eyes. A blinding light made me shut them again. Tom’s voice barked out, “John, you fool! Move the light away!”
“Sorry master.”
I opened them again and this time I was able to see. Rebekah’s face looked down on me and behind her I saw John and Tom. They were grinning. Tom came over and patted my hand, “We will go and tell the men, lord. They have been worried.”
John nodded, “It is good to see your eyes open, lord.”
They left. Rebekah gently cupped my head, and poured water into my mouth. “Swallow. The doctor predicted this.” I tried to speak but she put her finger on my lips. “One thing at a time. You can see and you can hear. We will wait a few moments to see if you can speak too.”
I smiled. I was just overjoyed to be viewing Rebekah and I was alive.
“You have good men. Someone has watched over you since you were brought here.” She dabbed my mouth with a cloth. She smiled and it was as though the sun had risen in my room. I was bathed in sunshine. “I am pleased that you live.”
“How long?”
The smile widened, “You can speak! No more then. I do not wish to over tax you. It is ten days since you were brought to you home here at Aqua Bella and nine days since the Queen’s physician, Michael of Constantinople, cut open your head.”
“Cut open my skull? Why am I not dead?”
“It was no magic, lord. It was skill. I was here with him and I helped him. We had to shave your head for the doctor had to cut a flap of skin to bleed your skull. I though him mad until the black blob of blood emerged. He sewed you up and said that you were in God’s hands.”
I smiled, “But whose God?”
“I think, lord, that we have different beliefs but there is but one God. All prayed for you. Those captives whom you rescued wept and prayed that you might live. I think God answered all of our prayers.”
“When can I rise? I would like to thank my people for their prayers.”
She put a hand upon my chest. “Lord you will stay here at least seven days. We have kept feeding you water and the doctor’s draught only. You have no strength. We will feed you food and then you shall walk.” I moved my right hand. I just wanted to see if I could. She looked down as I raised it. “The doctor said that if you regained consciousness you should heal.”
I put my right hand on her left and gently squeezed her fingers, “You say my men have watched me every minute and that means that you have too. Why did you stay?”
She gave me a strange look, “You think I should have abandoned you? You did not abandon me when I needed you. I was repaying your kindness to me.”
I put my hand up to stroke her cheek. She closed her eyes and smiled, “We both know that is not true.” I slid my hand around to the back of her neck and pulled her face towards mine. She did not resist and when our lips met we kissed. I have kissed women before but I have never experienced what I did that morning, I wondered, for some time after, if it was the doctor’s draught. It was not.
Suddenly she jerked her head back and I saw that she was upset. “You are healed. I must go!” She fled the room.
What had I done? I had offended her and I berated myself. I had been too forward and now I had lost her forever. I closed my eyes and felt the corners moisten. I had had happiness in my hand and I had squeezed too hard and it was destroyed. I heard voices. Opening my eyes, I saw Robert, Tom and Francis.
“It is t
rue, lord. You live! God be praised.”
Francis nodded, “The Lady Rebekah left strict instructions about your food, lord. I will go and get it organized! It is good to see you awake!” He left.
“The lady?”
Robert sat on the chair next to the bed, “She slept here since she arrived. The only time she left was to fetch food.”
I tried to shake my head and it hurt, “No, I mean where is she now?”
“She said her work was done and she went back to her father’s.”
“Alone?”
“Of course not, lord. Has that blow made you forget that I know my duty? Garth and his men have escorted her. It was he who brought her here before the king sent his doctor. She helped the doctor. She cares for you, lord.”
“Then why has she left?”
He smiled, “I know not, lord. Horses and men, I understand. Women?” He pointed at my head, “They are like the magic that the doctor did with your brains.”
“What happened to the rest of our men? The ambush?”
“You were struck from behind by a war hammer. Had you not had such a good helmet the doctor thinks you would be dead. The helmet is ruined. We will need to get you a better one. When you slew young de Waller, the heart went from them and they fled. We lost few. The king knows he owes his life to you. I have sent word that you have recovered.”
“And de Waller, the lord of Ramelah?”
“Is lord of Ramelah no longer. He fled with the rest of his men. None know where. The castle of Ramelah is now a Templar castle.”
“Templar? I thought he would have given it to the Hospitallers, if anyone.”
“Politics, lord. The Templars wield more power than the Master of the Hospitallers. This way the pilgrims will be protected and the road from Jaffa to Jerusalem kept open. He would attack Ascalon one day and recover it. It is politics for he has the Templars to help him.”
“Then our work is done here. We need no longer watch the road.”
“It looks that way, lord.”
“And Remus? Is he hurt?”
“He took a knock on his legs but he is resting too. He is recovered already.” Just then Francis’ wife Alice appeared with two slaves and some food. “We will heed the Lady Rebekah’s words. I would not risk her wrath.” He patted the back of my hand. “It is good you live, lord. The mood of the men will lighten. We feared we had lost our lord.”
Over the next five days I began to regain my strength. I had to force my nurses to allow me to stand and make water. They had wanted me to be as an old man and use a chamber. I was determined to recover in less than seven days. I had the servants shave me so that my beard did not look unruly and I made them fetch water so that I could bathe. Robert and Tom insisted upon helping me for they did not want me to slip and injure my head once more. Alice’s food, which had been organized by Rebekah, worked and I began to feel stronger. After five days, I had my clothes brought and I stood and was dressed. I had walked for a short while for the last three days but I still had Garth close by when I descended to my hall.
My men had gathered as well as both Francis and Absalom’s families. They cheered and clapped. Alice kissed my hands and said, “Lord, when time allows and you feel up to it then the workers on the estate wish to see you. They prayed for you.”
“I know the lady Rebekah told me.”
Alice nodded, “I think lord that she is a Christian at heart. I cannot believe that she is a Jew.”
Alice was like most of the Christians who lived in the Holy Land. They thought to convert all they met. I did not mind any having different beliefs to me. The exception were the Muslims for they wished to change the world by their swords. My recovery began that day. I went to speak with the workers. Stepping out into the hot sun of late summer was a shock and almost made me have a relapse but my father and mother had bred strength in my bones and I fought it.
When I looked in the polished metal which acted as a mirror I saw, through the stubble on my head the scar where the doctor had gone into my head. I called Tom for the reflection was not clear, “Tom, what do you see when you see the scar?”
“I am sorry, lord, I do not understand the question.”
“What is its shape?”
“It’s shape I… oh now I see.” He crossed himself, “Lord, it is a gryphon!”
“That is what I thought. Then it seems I was destined for this device. Today we will ride.”
“Are you certain lord, the Lady Rebekah…?”
“Is not here and I am master. I say we shall ride. However, if it makes you feel better we shall ride and visit with the Lady Rebekah so that she may see I am recovered.”
He grinned, “Aye lord. Remus will be eager to ride!”
Robert insisted upon a full escort. All of my men had recovered and with the Templars ensconced in Ramelah, Aqua Bella was secure. We had spoken often and Robert, like me was concerned about de Waller. A snake is less dangerous when you can see it. When it is hidden then it is more of a threat. As we headed to the home of David Ben Samuel I wondered about the Templars. They had managed to escape the disaster at Damascus with few losses. They had been amongst the first to leave once the exodus was under way. I could understand the King of Jerusalem wanting the castle at Ramelah in strong hands but was it a hostage to fortune? As we had discovered with de Waller, in the hands of the wrong man it could become a threat to all. The only saving grace was that the Templars were committed to helping pilgrims. Despite the fact that the king thought the road safe, we would continue to escort the caravans of those who did not enjoy the protection of the Templars.
“Do we have any word of where de Waller may have fled and were there any prisoners to question.?”
“The King’s priest was on hand and Theobald used him to question Guy de Waller. He was dying and he needed absolution for his sins. He confessed to being ordered to kill the king. He had disgraced the family by failing to kill you, lord. He was given absolution and he died before we could discover where his uncle might have fled.”
“It is unlikely that he would have known but I can see how de Waller might wriggle out of this. He would deny ordering his nephew to kill the king.” This was the final proof as to the identity of the man who had hired three assassins. From what the Master had told me, their services were not cheap. He had warned me that I might became a target for one. I had spoiled their record of invincibility. Two assassins dead by my hand did not do their reputation any good at all. I wondered if he had gone back to Normandy or Anjou. I dismissed the idea instantly. There would be knights returning to those lands from the Holy Land and people would know what he had done. There might be some who would welcome him but most would shun him. Regicide was frowned upon, especially by the Pope. He would hide and I would watch for the day he resurfaced.
As we neared David Ben Samuel’s estate, Robert added, “The Count of Provence is in Tripoli. It is said he has put a price on your head lord,” he smiled, “and the rest of your brigands. His words not mine. It seems he is desperate to have Alf returned to him.”
“Perhaps not. He may just resent the fact that a lesser noble took Alf from him. He seemed an arrogant man. I will lose no sleep over it. The walls of Aqua Bella are secure.”
“They are and the chapel was heavily used while you were ill. The Lord answered our prayers and you were healed. The doctor terrified me. Had not Lord Theobald assured us of his skill we would have halted his work. The Lady Rebekah was steadfast. I confess that when he opened the broken piece of skull in your head I thought he was trying to kill you.”
“And he stitched back the skin?”
“Aye lord. He said that the bone would knit of its own accord but he recommended you drink goat’s milk and eat cheese. It will speed the process.” Robert turned to look at me. “He advised no campaigning for some time. You are not to wear a helmet for six months at least.”
“I need a new one anyway. I do not think this peace will last but I am grateful for it gives me the chance to rec
over fully. I wish to live.”
We entered the gates of the now familiar estate. Servants came to take our horses. The men knew that there would be a welcome for them. They had friends amongst the guards. Robert, Tom and I took off our cloaks and put them over our horses. Before we entered the hall, we beat the sand from our clothes. Servants waited with water for us to wash. It was almost a ritual. It was as though we were entering a different world.
David Ben Samuel came to greet me. I saw him looking at my shaven head. “Rebekah told me of this doctor. You are a lucky man lord and I am sorry that I brought this upon you.”
“You, David?”
“De Waller is my enemy and now he is yours.”
“No, my friend. He was an enemy of my family too but this was an attempt to kill the king. He is not finished but he has no power any longer. However, until I have put him in the ground we had better watch closely.”
“Of course. Come let us go into the courtyard.”
“Before we do I would speak with you alone.”
“Of course.”
I looked pointedly at Tom and Robert. Tom looked confused until Robert pushed him in the back. “Come, squire and I will explain a few things to you!”
David Ben Samuel said, “This sounds ominous, lord. Come to my study. It is where I go to be alone and to recite passages from the Torah. It helps to give me peace.” We entered the small chamber which had but two seats. “Sit and speak.”
I hesitated. This was not as easy as I had expected. I almost stood and fled. Then I realised that I had been given a chance at a second life. I had seen death and God had granted me an extension. I would not waste it. I just came out with it. “I would marry your daughter, Rebekah.”
He smiled, “This is the custom in your land, lord, to ask the father?”
“It is. Is it not so here?”
