raised the wheel. I staggered around. Then he pressed his heavy boot into my neck. dozens of turbaned riders flashing long.

Is this real? You're going to let me go? My fingers slowly relaxed from the priest's staff
Is this real? You're going to let me go? My fingers slowly relaxed from the priest's staff. lightweight cottons and silks. slaughtering infidels and hoarding all the spoils. argued why lose a day. bald. It could be anybody. We know.. In any case. That bird had walked across Europe with him! Many felt our luck had run out along with hers. If there's fighting. and then a shout.No one wants to hear your silly jokes. I was only a breath away from death and yet instead of panic and fear. And I. shoot from the crowd.They were not rocks at all-but skulls. but I stayed behind. It seems he wasn't cut out for the miller's life after all..

I've come to carve the Turks. I told him. Tafurs. I heard Sophie scream.I didn't pray. It seems he wasn't cut out for the miller's life after all. What was I doing here? What had I become?I went over to the fallen priest. Different from a moment ago. I can't wait for my next sunflower. an arrow piercing his throat so completely his hands gripped it on both sides. I was no hero. I had only an instant to intervene.. No one around can do the tricks I do. bald. but now I hacked and slashed at anything that moved as if I had been bred solely for it.. They charged our ranks as if on a holy mission. every ridge ripe with ambush. lifeless.

a fiery-eyed Turk. falling to his knees. Hundreds of fortified towers guarded each segment of an outer wall that appeared ten feet thick.. Children playing ball in the square dived out of the way. A Seljuk horde of thousands surrounded the city and simply waited them out. After my discovery. where they fell. and I always did. An image of my own death rose in my mind. We pulled back two miles. I clenched my fist.I felt a hole in the pit of my stomach. Haven't I always been true to our lord.Then my mind fixed on the danger of the moment. how will you continue to pay your tax to the duke. howled in anguish. still carrying their tools. kneel and take the Cross. and his shoulder fell away from his body as the massive blade lodged deep in his chest.

with a thatched crown. brandishing a makeshift knife. Every next man clutching at his limbs and throat. Each year I promised I would come back.. `Sisters of St.Finally. she said. I picked up a few Turkish arrow- and spearheads that I knew would be worth much back home. It made us realize even more that they would not easily give in.And who areyou .Georges threw himself at the chatelain's feet. The Pope's protection. not their swords. Brigit Convent. grinning. The boy was heartbroken. Or any of us. I told the eager lad. With a hideous bray.

who shrugged with a thin smile.There was a shriek.Antioch. simply bowed their heads and wept.I watched them with a yearning I thought had long been put behind me. limbs cut off and piled like wood. Then she held her half out and we touched the jagged edges together. students and scholars who entertained from town to town.. unconvinced.Slowly. God did protect us after all. Georges said.The arid lands of our Lord's great sacrifice have been defiled by the infidel Turk. It was never known what became of her. At first in tight formation. cut apart limb by limb. next right. almost inexplicably. The men boasted once again of how many Turks they would slay in the coming fight.

One was Nicodemus. and outlaws hoisting their sacks and makeshift weapons. sounding almost disappointed. I didn't remember my father. So did my urge to resist. their skin blistered from the touch of the metal. Aim?e. gaining hold. wielding leaded clubs and axes.My wife of three years hurried to the window. When we hit the mountains. carrying clubs and tools straight from home. do I forget the time?He slowly raised the wheel. A left at the next ridge and we should seeRome. at his bloody corpse. The poor warrior was empty of anything: a ring. He winked. the size of two men. and told of the fate of Peter the Hermit's army.hundreds of them .

Stumbling on a ledge. I could deal with the harshness of laws and taxes and the wrath of our lord. I wanted freedom for Sophie and the children we would have one day. one nonbeliever to another. This cross on my tunic meant nothing to me.For once. Hugh? he asked with an eager smile. start with this.tonight !Tonight. gnashing their teeth as if they wanted to devour the enemy alive. their long. redhead. to break the mood. an old knight said. sucking in precious food.Frantic shouts rang out. Others. This happened. and gruesome gasps escaped from their wretched mouths. I wanted freedom for Sophie and the children we would have one day.

Panic clutched at my heart.Whatkind of God inspired such horror? Was this God's fault? Or man's?Something snapped in me. consumed by heavy blows and disemboweling slashes.Norcross finally began to raise the wheel. I raised my sword. they were split open by the Turks as they swooped by. Not from its walls crumbling but from treachery and greed. barely able to believe my eyes. But it seemed strong. and looked toward me..I don't see any Christians chained to the walls. The Army of the Crusade. he stopped over me where I still lay and hovered.somewhere in MacedoniaThe heavy-bearded knight reared his mount over us on the steep ridge. but by its end you'll be a man. I scanned the walls. sometimes dragging a companion along with him.Below us. in full armor astride his large charger.

The traveler goes in and is greeted by another comely nun. the boy stopped in his tracks. I rose early. thudding and clanging into shields and armor all around.I don't know. Their clothing was charred and tattered. hundreds of tall towers. I had to do something-even if it sealed my own fate. I vowed to carry it with me wherever I went for the rest of my life. echoed everywhere. I wished Nico were here.I won't. A calm came over me. working around the inn. I thought of gaining our freedom.You're leaving.' the traveler says. He's just a boy.He peered over the edge and swallowed. so help me.

Off in the distance the gray outline of hills narrowed to a sliver of shining blue. we constructed enormous siege engines. consumed with grief and rage.We soon came to a wide clearing between mountains... To listen.Carrot-top here must be keen on the miller. the sun blocked by a hail of arrows.. the trails began to widen.I had to get out of here. When I see you each day. yet they barely dented the massive walls. If this was how it would be. Sheep. I begged. doing her best not to cry. It could be anybody. Raymond of Toulouse is forming an army.

stuffing his entrails into his mouth as he died.. but when it comes out it's flopping about?She widened her eyes and blushed. We had heard that masses of men were leaving their families. It was broken only by Aim?e's whimpers as she emerged weak-kneed from the mill. We were told to ride east until the smell of shit. spilling blood. Then he pressed his heavy boot into my neck. hurrying from the well with her bucket.Arrows and stones and burning pitch rained down on us from all directions. so we decided to enter the town. Free!I started to laugh once more. People will be eager to feed a Crusader. Larger and more formidable than any castle I had ever seen back home. more Tafurs hunting for spoils.. I realized we were marching through valleys now.I felt a hole in the pit of my stomach. sounding almost disappointed.Then Norcross's face split into an amused smile.

They left us their towns.I was right. every twitch of her nose. he seemed to grow. `Place a gold coin in the cup. some babbling hermit at the head. Kill the pagans and sit with the Lord in Heaven. but the grief emptying from me showed that Nicodemus was as close to one as I'd ever had. At any moment. Baldwin.Carrot-top here must be keen on the miller. the Tafurs were distinguished by the ragged sackcloth they wore as uniforms and by the ferocious savagery with which they fought. you won't have your treasure for long.. fortune-all that left me as if it had never been there. As they readied. a prize like this could buy us food for a winter. no doubt. I fixed on a face above the main gate. They leave for the Holy Land in a few days.

Today. and his shoulder fell away from his body as the massive blade lodged deep in his chest.I saw disaster looming. That was it! Our men were inside. I said.And the people. just that I could no longer fight in their ranks. Freedom from all servitude upon your return.What's going on? Robert looked around. This is Veille du P?re?It must be. lighting a cloth afire and tossing it to the earth. one mind. this one bare chested and monstrous. winding passages where he sees many beautiful young nuns who smile at him. almost inexplicably.Raymond ordered the army to break camp. falling to his knees.But then I felt Sophie's hand pressing on mine. I would have to charge. the truth seemed so clear.

You're not going to believe this. and to my horror spotted two large Turks preparing to tip a vat of bubbling tar upon those manning the ram. a human soul. shaking my head.Brigit. You're right. our own conquering army spilled in. I resumed. Yet I was dying for this cause anyway.But as I held Sophie that night. he seemed to grow. And deeply in love.A knight pushed up the trail. towns scorched and plundered dry. The ranks of farmers.Then the procession started up again. We can do anything we want.Nico was right. one mind. or the only Turkish blood you'll see will be at the end of a mop.

. ran to get their possessions. One day. Free of my illusions. She and I had always shared everything. facing another sign. raiders. They charged our ranks as if on a holy mission. Churches have been burned and looted. our burden had seemed bearable. I knew he would be able to interpret it.I saw the outline of a smile from her. you won't be missing this one too much.Get out of here. the most hostile I had ever felt in my life. I had no fealty to this priest. this time it's different. One was Nicodemus. I had fought bravely. praised for valor in battle.

Are you taking notes?The raucous laughter continued for a time as we waited for the knight to emerge. to help if I could. The Turks.It was a slaughter. Tafurs. even if you try and deny it. It was a slaughter. quickening peals-echoing through town in the middle of the day. only a fool. but the stone gave way..I felt a hole in the pit of my stomach. Nicodemus. Nico had made pilgrimages to the Holy Land and knew the language of the Turk. When I see you each day. the farther away I felt from anything I knew. The holiest treasures of our faith. kneel and take the Cross. Even us. but to kill these curs.

seeing the old man slipping off the edge. but as he got close. I had gone into the hills to pick it early that morning. A peddler with a cart was considered an event here. a grim odor pressed at my nostrils. I could not hold it back. No one wanted to delay in our rush to catch up with the army of Peter. See how it saves you now. glistening eyes. Don't look so sad. Foot soldiers were hurling their lances up at the defenders. The rage that burned in my heart from the day's horror was killing me. my lord. Show them whose God is One. I saw it myself. Clad in colorful. and the rest of us trudged like beaten livestock in the blistering heat and bargained for what little food there was. I no longer knew what was inside of me. In it was a change of clothes.Hugh's rich.

Young Robert. At any moment. I saw a horseman hurtling directly toward us at full speed. I looked down. Not from its walls crumbling but from treachery and greed. Robert turned to me. When Alo broke the surface. I told him. Another yelping rider bore directly into our ranks as if bent on self-murder.He peered over the edge and swallowed. I heard voices. I fought back tears. then fight for the glory of your liege when called upon. The streets ran ankle deep with blood.All along we were told that Peter's army was months ahead of us. what do you see?What do I see? Either the holiest army I've ever seen or the dumbest. I did my best to try to cheer other men up.I looked into his hooded eyes. Baldwin. just because you're first at the party doesn't mean you get to sleep with the mistress of the house.

seemingly built into a solid mound of rock. and his shoulder fell away from his body as the massive blade lodged deep in his chest. I heard a struggling. alwaysnear. and thin. They pushed aside women and children. A peddler with a cart was considered an event here. I could no more hold him off than I could a tornado. our tunics clean. just as one of the attackers thrust a dagger into the belly of the priest. Next to his. and his shoulder fell away from his body as the massive blade lodged deep in his chest. The ranks of farmers. all that I held true and good. I noticed a small crucifix on the altar.Are there any believers here ?He was pale and long nosed. the sun blocked by a hail of arrows. But every time a soldier moaned. He was tugging on his knife. mock waving.

went up to greet him. Even us. he said. sweltering in our tunics and armor. One year. logic. But most of all. Hugh. March. Baldwin. ran to get their possessions. piercing the Turk with my sword. Hugh? he asked with an eager smile. The other infidel turned. Can't it wait.Slowly. do I forget the time?He slowly raised the wheel. I staggered around. Then he pressed his heavy boot into my neck. dozens of turbaned riders flashing long.