The Noble Mercenary

by Patrick John Donahoe

  Jared looked to the two women, who nodded their approval.

  “Yes.”

  “That is well. Our first order of business is to restore the farm, so ruthlessly stolen from Gwendolyne. Do you all approve?”

  “Aye,” roared the crowd.

  Jacques tapped Ian on the arm, “We have completed our task here. Let’s get out of the way and leave management of the village affairs to Dylan, Jared and the Friar.”

  Ian nodded agreement and the two of them strode through the crowd, who bowed obeisance to them as they passed, and said, “Thank you . . . bless you,” as the crowd parted a path for them to leave. They rode back to Dylan’s and Ian’s cottage.

  Ian said, “Dylan will not have time to visit with us anymore with his new responsibilities,” as they packed their belongings for the long journey back to Jerusalem.

  It was not until late in the evening when Dylan returned home. “Thank you for abandoning me with such a heavy responsibility,” he said, sounding exhausted.

  “You’re welcome, Father,” Ian replied. “You had plenty of help from those who should be helping you. We had to get out of your way so they would know you were their new leader.”

  “Sit and eat.” Jacques said, “I made a special treat from the rough ingredients in your pantry.”

  Dylan took his seat at the table.

  Jacques set a plate of food in front of Dylan and one each for himself and Ian. “Go ahead, eat up.”

  Dylan scooped up a spoonful of aromatic carrots cooked in butter and garlic smothered in tender lamb bits sautéed in an unfamiliar sauce. Dylan’s mouth watered as he spooned in a large bite. He chewed slowly, swallowed, and said, “Delicious, I couldn’t have made it better myself. You have to unpack and stay here forever.”

  Ian dug into his food with vigor. “Jacques could make a delicious meal out of a sow’s ear when he takes the trouble. We must be on our way in the morning, Father.”

  “So soon? We have so much to do. After we’ve settled their tax and property grievances, I want to have a village meeting to discuss how we can improve conditions in the community, and discuss what services the villagers need done with the tax money we do collect.”

  “Correction, Father, you have so much to do. And we have so much to do back in Jerusalem. We’ve been gone too long, and been negligent of our duties. We will return again in a few years, but I have one last suggestion for the new Killarney Chieftain.”

  Dylan stopped eating and gave Ian his full attention. “I’m all ears.”

  “You should go to Killorglin and tell the people their Chieftain is dead.”

  “They may try to kill me.”

  “I doubt it. They may thank you and celebrate you as their hero, if Ahern was as much of a tyrant there as he was here. Take Jared and the Friar and anyone else you deem appropriate with you. Tell them Brian Ahearn and his son, Kane, were killed over disputes in their tax collection methods. We think they will welcome the news, but in keeping with having good relations with them, you are duty bound to let them know.”

  “I have several more days of hearing grievances, then I’ll go. By the way, I proposed marriage to Gwendolyne and she has accepted.”

  Ian clapped Dylan on the back so hard, he almost choked on his food. “Congratulations, I knew you had it in you. You old dog.”

  “And Jared proposed to his lady, Moira, and she accepted. The Friar will perform the nuptials next month when the clamor has died down and we can live in peace again.”

  Ian stood and walked around the roughhewn table to his stepfather. Dylan stood and Ian hugged him as he had done many years ago when he left on his pilgrimage. “I’m so happy for you and your village.”

  “Our village,” Dylan replied, “also, I have not forgotten your mother, and never will.”

  “I wouldn’t expect you to pine for my mother forever. You’re a good man and deserve to enjoy your life. I wish you the best always.”

  Six

  Jacques and ian returned to Jerusalem by way of an Italian merchant ship to Catania with several stops in between, and then on to Acre onboard a French ship, but not Pierre’s.

  They were too excited to see Serena and Desiree, after their three plus months’ journey to France and Ireland, to try to connect with Pierre and delay their return. Ian had been pining away for Serena and Jacques had been pining away for Desiree. Both of them couldn’t wait to see the girls again.

  They went together to the H’ospital’s female dormitory, and asked Desiree to go with them to gather up Serena at the swordsmith shop. Jacques assisted Desiree onto his horse and led the horse to the swordsmith shop, where Ian invited Serena to join them. She happily agreed and took the afternoon off. Ian helped Serena up onto Tonnerre Noir and led the way to the Mount of Olives.

  “We’ve missed you ladies so much since we’ve been gone,” Ian said.

  “We’ve missed you, too,” Desiree said.

  Ian laid a blanket on the ground overlooking Jerusalem and set some of the leftover food and wine they had from their journey onto the blanket.

  Ian blessed the food, then they all ate their fill while Ian and Jacques recounted some of the highlights of their journey, but neither Ian nor Jacques mentioned the sons they had in Ireland and France, respectively.

  At a pause in the conversation, Ian blurted out, “I’m going to build a farm outside the city walls.”

  The other three stared at Ian, startled by his pronouncement. Jacques held up a crust of bread and said, “I will build one next to you.” He took a bite of the bread and around his mouthful, continued, “We should be thinking about the future, families, and so forth.”

  Desiree and Serena, now completely baffled by Ian’s and Jacques’ sudden interest in becoming farmers and settling down, looked at each other with puzzled expressions.

  Serena, usually the first to comment, said, “You two have never shown much interest in anything besides being knights. Why the change?”

  “I don’t know,” Ian answered, “maybe we can do it all, be knights, and farmers . . . and family men.”

  “You are the most capable men I have ever met, perhaps you can,” Desiree said.

  The rest of the picnic was spent discussing the areas around Jerusalem where starting a farm could work. Each of them pointed excitedly at the Kidron Valley and surrounding area and made suggestions. Ian and Jacques discussed back and forth how they would build their houses. The girls contributed their ideas about what crops they might grow and what animals they might raise. The girls became more excited about the prospect as they participated in the conversation.

  They continued a lively discussion all the way back to Jerusalem. That night they each dropped off to sleep and dreamed their own version of the ideal future for the four of them as only the young can dream.

  Jacques and Ian obtained adjacent plots of land outside the city walls where they could build houses, plant gardens and still be close enough to the city to perform their assigned duties as required, and to seek protection should enemies attack.

  They helped each other build their homes, and especially enjoyed those rare occasions when all four of them could work side by side in the construction process. The two girls only helped with the construction when both of them could participate, and both Ian and Jacques were present.

  Outsiders, not accustomed to the more liberal ways of Jerusalem at the time, could take offense at an unmarried Jewish girl, or Muslim girl, in the company of a single male without a chaperone. Other knights and sergeants had married local girls, but they lived in city quarters and kept low profiles to avoid inciting any race, or religious, reprisals among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Their wives converted to Christianity, at least for appearances.

  Ian and Jacques, with their high profile positions of responsibility and authority did not flaunt their associations with Desiree and Serena, but were completely open about them. They had the respect of the locals because of their fair and honest dealings with everyone regardless of rac
e, or religion. The girls were also highly respected for Serena’s skill as a swordsmith, and Desiree’s kindness, and professionalism, as a nurse in the H’ospital.

  Ian and Jacques hauled rocks side by side for the walls of the houses and the walls around their property. They didn’t build a wall between their two plots, and extended one common garden across both plots. Ian and Jacques looked forward to their times off from their head guard responsibilities, and whenever one, or both, was off duty, the effort continued.

  Jacques engineered hot showers for both houses. Each shower was rigged with two towers. Atop one tower he placed a tub to hold heated water, and atop the other tower he placed a tub to hold cold water. The two tubs were connected by wooden tubes with stopcocks to a third tub. The third tub had a tube protruding from it with a stopcock. By adjusting the flow from the hot and cold water tubs, the third tub could provide a comfortable temperature shower. Jacques had Ian test his invention, and Ian gave it two thumbs up.

  Serena and Desiree anticipated the day when Ian and Jacques would ask for their hands in marriage. In the meantime, they enjoyed helping with the dreaming, planning, and building, and closeness they felt.

  Ian and Jacques arranged for Father James Quentin, one of the Roman Catholic priests who served in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, to perform the marriages. They would be married in the Church in a double ceremony. Although Serena and Desiree were Jewish and Muslim, respectively, a Catholic marriage would make them more acceptable to the citizens, that is, the Christian citizens, of Jerusalem. If they were to be married to Christian Frankish knights and live outside the city, their safety would be of paramount importance.

  After eight months of hard work, their homes were ready. On a May day in 1101 AD, they were ready to propose. Once they were married, Ian and Jacques wanted to take their new brides home to France and Ireland and show them off. They would try to organize all four of their busy schedules and save the finances for the long journey. They could carry another load of spices for profit, and contact Rosemarie, or Captain LeBeau, for cabins and cargo space to France. Ian and Jacques had returned from that journey only nine months before.

  Rosemarie sent a letter indicating she and Captain LeBeau and Louis had purchased a ship and the Captain would take their new ship on its maiden voyage to Rome, but wanted to make sure Louis was fully trained before sailing all the way to Acre. If Ian and Jacques couldn’t make their trip to France and Ireland work, they would opt to take a few days at the seashore for their honeymoons. Whatever they did, they decided, the four would travel together as two married couples.

  Jacques awoke early after a restless night’s sleep. His mind raced with anticipation of the upcoming day’s events. This is the day I ask Desiree to marry me. I never thought of myself as the marrying kind. What if she says ‘no’? Jacques washed his face in his washbasin, combed his hair with his carved wooden comb and considered his looks in his polished metal shield. How could she turn down this fine figure of a man? I’m going to ask and accept the answer. I only hope we all remain close friends. I wouldn’t do anything to damage our friendships. I think she secretly loves Ian, but I know Ian secretly loves Serena, and he is going to ask her to marry him today. Since both of us are daunted by the prospect of asking the girls to marry, we’re going to do it together.

  He walked to the open area in the corner of the stables, and stood under the prototype of his latest invention. He had mounted a large barrel on an eight-foot-tall wooden tower, and had fastened a wooden stop cock with a tube protruding from it into a hole at the base of the barrel. He hadn’t bothered to construct the stable’s shower with a tank for hot water. He readied his bar of lye soap and stood beneath the tube and turned the stop cock. Cold water flowed from the top of his head to his feet. He turned off the water flow and lathered up immediately shivering with the sudden chill, then turned the stop cock again and rinsed off the soapy water.

  He was very proud of his invention. He had built cold and hot water showers for his and Ian’s dream homes. He intended to render and share drawings of the construction of the one he built for his house with King Baldwin. Ian, the only other person to try his invention, called it a stroke of genius. Perhaps it was, but today it was only a means to prepare for his proposal to Desiree. If Desiree accepted his proposal today, he planned to attach a privy to the outside of the house so that the stink stays out, but the warmth stays in, so he and Desiree wouldn’t have to race across a field to an outdoor toilet in the night.

  Jacques ran back to his room and pulled on a fresh pair of pants and tunic. His and Ian’s current laundress, although not young and pretty, did their laundry the best of any of the previous laundresses. Of course, Ian had picked this one, and used her skills rather than her looks as his criterion. Jacques wanted to make his best impression on Desiree today at their foursome picnic. After all, a young man doesn’t propose marriage every day, and if Desiree turned him down, he may never propose to another woman again. He shaved with the razor that Serena had sharpened two days before, then splashed the last of his expensive French cologne on his face and neck. It stung and sharpened his mind.

  Ian knocked on his door, his usual tap . . . tap, tap . . . tap.

  Jacques called out, “Enter, Ian.”

  Without formal greeting, Ian asked, “Do you mind if I use your bathing invention?” Ian stood in the doorway holding a bundle of fresh clothes.

  “Well, good morning to you, too! Of course you can, but beware the barrel is only one third full of cold water. I’ll have a stable boy refill it today.”

  Before Jacques could finish, Ian had laid his bundle on Jacques’ bunk and was off to the shower butt naked.

  When Ian returned, Jacques had finished combing his hair and straightening his clothes, and was nervously primping in front of his shield. Ian dressed in his best clothes, used Jacques’ comb to untangle the tangles in his hair, and asked, “How do I look?”

  “If I were Serena, I wouldn’t be able to turn you down. Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Jacques asked.

  “Yes. I’m twenty-one years old, gainfully employed, wealthy enough to be able to afford a small home outside the city walls, and would like to start a family.”

  “I fit all those criterion, except wanting to start a family. I want to have a wife, especially if it’s Desiree, but I don’t know about children. . . Maybe you should propose to Serena first and I can propose to Desiree another day.”

  Ian looked Jacques in the eyes. “Are you afraid? The big strong Decimator, afraid?’

  Jacques replied with a shrug of the shoulders.

  “Serena may say ‘no’ if she thinks Desiree feels left out. We have to do this together, today, while I have my nerve. Besides, it’s a beautiful day, perfect for our proposal picnic. So wish me luck.”

  “We need to wish each other luck, my brother.”

  Desiree woke excited in anticipation of the day’s events. Ian and Jacques had both been asking her and Serena questions about the benefits of marriage. Each hinted their desire to remain closer to Jerusalem in the future and reduce their patrols to protect the steady stream of Crusaders and pilgrims. I hope Ian is going to propose marriage to me today. I want to continue my work in the hospital, with Ian, but having him to go home to at night, is even more appealing, Desiree thought.

  Serena woke from a short, troubled night’s sleep. She had tossed and turned all night long. What do I say if Ian proposes to me instead of Desiree? He and Jacques and Desiree are my dearest friends, but it’s Jacques I want for a husband, not Ian.

  Serena bathed luxuriously in a hot soapy tub with water heated in buckets on her father’s forge. She washed all the grit and grime out of her long tresses and brushed her hair with a hundred strokes. She put on her best dress and shoes and applied some light makeup. She looked at herself in a polished metal reflector and noted the distinct improvement in her appearance from her normal swordsmith’s dirty face, hands and clothes. She thought, I hope Jacques as
ks me to marry him. I’m ready to have children and make a home. I will still help my father with his work, at least until he finds someone to take my place full time. He’s never bothered to take on full time help, because he has always had me to rely on.

  Ian and Jacques picked up Desiree at the H’ospital’s female dormitory, and Serena at the apartment behind the swordsmith’s shop, as had become their custom, and walked together without conversation.

  As they exited the Golden Gate, they received little notice from the regular vendors and beggars that gathered there on a daily basis. The foursome had become an everyday part of Jerusalem’s culture. Many of Jerusalem’s inhabitants knew of the female Jewish swordsmith, the female Muslim nurse in the H’ospital, the head Frankish guard of the Holy Sepulcher, and the head Frankish guard of the Palace both individually, and as a group spending time together. Although racial hatred still ran high as an undercurrent in the city, the four had by good example, tempered some of the hostility. Many knew of the kindnesses the four had shown to those in need. Ian and Jacques had treated all citizens of the city whether Jew, Muslim or Christian with respect and served the city’s inhabitants well.

  The four made their way to their favorite picnic spot in the Garden of Gethsemane under a large thousand-year-old olive tree, the tree Achmed had indicated as having been growing there at the time of Christ. All four were too excited, anticipating the morning’s events, to make idle conversation. Desiree brought the men’s favorite dish of curried lamb on rice. Serena brought homemade bread, baked on a grill over her swordsmith’ fire pit, and a plate of fried vegetables. Ian and Jacques collaborated and brought a fruit plate of figs, almonds, walnuts, apples and sabra fruit, and a jug of fine wine they purchased in the marketplace, plus Jacques brought some already brewed exotic tea for Desiree, which he planned to reheat when they ate.

  Ian laid a clean blanket on the ground and they each placed their food parcels on the blanket and portioned out the food. Ian offered a blessing on the food, and they began to eat, enjoying each bite and complementing each other on their contributions to the meal. Jacques started a small fire and warmed Desiree’s tea while he, Ian and Serena enjoyed the grape wine. There was a palpable tension amongst the four of them with each wondering how the afternoon would turn out.