by D. N. Carter
Tenno raised a single eyebrow just as Arri waved his hands playfully at Paul. Tenno sniffed the air.
“’Tis time I gave him back for he has soiled mightily,” Tenno said with a forced grimace and lifted Arri towards Alisha and Paul.
Paul quickly kissed Alisha and took Arri from Tenno.
“I shall deal with this whilst you settle yourself,” Paul remarked recoiling as he smelt Arri and then laughed trying to lighten the mood. “Theo, please once I have done so, would you be so kind as to read out the letter?”
Paul stood alone with Adrastos in his stable area as the early evening light faded from light blue to darkness. Adrastos snorted and shook his head as Paul patted the side of his face.
“Well, my friend, it would appear that you knew something was amiss this day. I should have taken you instead of walking. I promise that from now on I shall try and spend more time with you…and your little friend Arri,” Paul spoke aloud and stroked Adrastos.
Paul clasped the single rope that tethered Adrastos to the rear wall and unleashed it from his bridle and took the whole mouth piece off. He did not need that on any more Paul thought as Adrastos shook his head as if he understood him. Paul’s mind wandered back to seeing Turansha again and instantly all the feelings he had experienced flooded his senses again. In his mind he could clearly see Turansha and what his men almost did to him and Arri. He shuddered. He pushed the thought from his mind refusing to let Turansha invade his very mind any more that day. He looked up and saw the belt stars of Orion just beginning to shine on the horizon above the outer wall. Theodoric had read out Philip’s letter as they had sat down for dinner. Theodoric had laughed as he read out that Philip intended to kick him several hundred times for every day he had been absent but was truly glad he was still alive. Philip asked Paul to inform Theodoric that the items hidden in La Rochelle had now been safely removed elsewhere. He would know where. Soon Philip would visit them and he hoped the house was fitting enough and how he longed to see his own grandson at long last. Theodoric laughed when Philip mentioned he had dined with Barbarossa and snipped his beard. It was obviously some private joke between them, Paul thought. Philip’s letter had finished by advising Paul to always trust his heart, just do right, that doing right may not always be expedient, certainly not always profitable, but by doing right, his soul would feel satisfied. Killing Turansha would have been right, he told himself and sighed, Adrastos pushing his head beside his as if in sympathy. With Marseille having strong trading links with Egypt it would not be long before his father would be able to visit, especially now a truce had been agreed and appeared to be holding.
Port of La Rochelle, France, Melissae Inn, spring 1191
“Who was Barbarossa?” Simon asked, scratching his head then sticking his finger in his ear and making a noise as he twisted it in and out fast.
“Did his vessel work? That is what I want to know,” the Genoese sailor asked as Sarah looked at Simon with mild disgust.
“Barbarossa. Now there is a character. He was perhaps one man for whom the Arthurian myths and Grail Romances deeply influenced his every thought and move. He is charismatic, German, mid sixties, tall and a model of chivalric ideals of the cult of King Arthur and he was once a good friend of both Philip and Theodoric…but most of you must surely know of him as Frederick the First, the Holy Roman Emperor…and he is a real worry for Saladin that is for sure for he has managed to raise an army of some hundred thousand men, twenty thousand knights amongst them. He marches for the Holy Land even now as we sit here this day,” the old man explained and laughed to himself.
“Yes we have heard of him under that title,” the Templar said as his brother nodded in agreement.
“You look as though you knew this Barbarossa,” Gabirol remarked.
“Yes, yes I did and very well. Also, if it had not been for him, neither Philip nor Firgany would have lived to sire children, but that is another story…and I must finish this tale this day,” the old man answered and sat himself up straight. “Perhaps we should have a meal and then I shall conclude before I must leave this eve… yes?”
Stephan stood up and nodded silently as Simon shook his head enthusiastically.
“Paul’s boat…did it work?” the Genoese sailor asked again.
“Oh yes, it worked and worked well. But it would be over another year before it would see water. And a lot more would happen before then,” the old man said as Stephan disappeared into the cooking hall.
“And that evil Turansha?” Ayleth asked.
“Turansha…he left shortly afterwards with Conrad and the Naval Templars. But the knowledge he had gained of Paul’s ship building method in sections went with him…straight to Reynald!”
“What problem does that cause?” Peter asked, looking puzzled.
“Because it would have profound and dire consequences on later actions by Reynald and his sworn plans to attack and destroy Mecca,” the old man explained and shook his head.
“So that Husam was a bit of a fool displaying all of Paul’s ideas?” Gabirol commented.
“No, he was no fool and he knew exactly what he was doing.”
“You mean he used Paul?” Ayleth asked, shocked.
“In a fashion. But do not misunderstand me, Husam admired and liked Paul a lot as well as Count Raymond and Balian. But he also knew that no lasting truce would ever hold whilst people like Reynald remained.”
“So Turansha kept his word at least not to hurt Paul?” Sarah asked.
“Oh yes, he kept that promise for sure,” the old man sighed.
“But your tone gives away that he still did something?” Gabirol remarked, looking at the old man intently.
“That I shall come to…but for now know that for the next few months Paul lived on constant edge and could not relax. His sword never left his side and Alisha likewise never went anywhere without her dagger, and that is the way things remained until they had two visitors within the space of just two days,” the old man explained and then took a long slow mouthful of rose water. “And whom I shall tell you all about after we have eaten.”
Chapter 52
Living Legends
Cairo, Egypt, January 1181
Arri sat upright in the saddle upon Adrastos as Paul held the reins and guided him in a circle about the rear courtyard. Arri held the pommel of the saddle tightly with both hands laughing, Clip clop half hanging through his fingers. Alisha looked on half holding her breath, concern written all across her face as Ishmael walked on the other side ready to catch Arri if he fell. The sky was unusually cloudy and threatened rain, but Paul had promised Arri a proper ride on Adrastos as one of his Christmas wishes. Tenno had sat him upon Adrastos before but not totally unsupported. Nervously Alisha continued watching and started to bite her thumb nail as several mounted knights and Mamluk guards appeared near the main rear gates, Husam leading them into the courtyard. He had just raised his right arm to halt the troop when a loud report, like an explosion, rang out loudly from inside Theodoric’s quarters. Adrastos froze despite the frightening noise as Paul quickly reached up to grab hold of Arri, Alisha running to his side. Some of Husam’s men struggled to regain control of their horses as they bucked, fearful and startled. Ishmael vanished as he ran into a cloud of smoke and dust bellowing out of the main entrance way into the corridor leading to Theodoric’s room. Alarmed and convinced of an assault by Turansha’s men, Paul drew his sword and held Alisha behind him shielded by Adrastos. Arri was still laughing and waving Clip clop.
After a few moments, Thomas and several of his men staggered through the smoke coughing and wiping their eyes guided by Ishmael. Sister Lucy came running out in alarm from the main cooking hall closely followed by Nyla.
“Where is he?” Sister Lucy asked panicked.
“In his room,” Paul replied and looked towards Theodoric’s window, its shutters blown off and white smoke bellowing out.
Thomas and his men immediately rushed to grab fire buckets with sand in, as Luke star
ted to fill up several spare ones with water from the main horses’ drinking trough. Before Paul could turn to face Sister Lucy, she was off and running straight into the smoke. Paul went to move when Ishmael pulled him back firmly.
“No…you stay. Protect Alisha and Arri. I shall get them,” he said and quickly hurried after Sister Lucy into the smoke as Husam ran over followed by several of his guards.
“What has happened here?” he asked concerned, his hand covering his sword ready to draw.
“I have no idea,” Paul answered just as Ishmael immediately came back into view through the smoke supporting Tenno with his right arm around him and Theodoric being half carried beneath his left arm, Sister Lucy half pushing all three of them. Directly behind them walked Attar holding a cloth to his face and wafting the smoke away from his face.
Paul was aware of several men on horseback draw near into the courtyard as Thomas and his men threw water and sand through Theodoric’s window and down the corridor entrance.
“Where is Percy?” Nyla asked, frantic.
Tenno stopped in his tracks and looked across at Theodoric. All of their faces were filthy and covered in blackened powder and dust. Theodoric shrugged and shook his head. Nyla buckled at the knees and gasped, putting her hand to her face in alarm.
“I am fine…just fine!” Percival called out from the opposite side of the courtyard as he approached rubbing his head and trying to shake the sensation of his ringing ears away. Nyla ran to him and jumped into his arms hugging him tightly. In pain but smiling, his hair singed and sticking up on end, he put his arms around her. He then pointed to the ground where he had landed, then at the smashed window blinds and shook his head again, puzzled. He had been blown directly through the windows yet remarkably with only minor scratches.
“What happened?” Sister Lucy demanded to know as she turned Theodoric to look at her.
“’Twas my fault…,” Tenno interrupted as he started to brush himself down.
“No…no…no. ’Twas mine alone,” Attar said, waving his finger as Husam looked on utterly bemused.
“Was it Turansha’s men with grenades?” Paul asked, his sword still drawn.
Tenno and Attar looked at each other briefly, then at the state of Theodoric, his face all blackened and his hair still smoking.
“No, they used too much mixture and Percy there went and lit it too soon. Hence his little flight,” Theodoric explained as Sister Lucy closed her eyes, held his arm tightly and rested her forehead against him relieved. “It bloody works well though,” he then laughed.
“What does?” Paul asked.
“’Tis a mixture we make in my lands…and in China for displays. Attar here knows of the formula, being an Alchemist also…so we tried to make some to fire them in celebration when Percival and Nyla marry,” Tenno explained.
“Do that again and there won’t be any wedding!” Alisha interrupted and moved closer to Sister Lucy seeing how shocked she still looked. “And who is going to clean the water and sand mess up?”
“There won’t be any me,” Percival stated still rubbing his head as a small trickle of blood seeped from his left ear. “I think I have burst my ear.”
Theodoric laughed out loud as Percival and Nyla stepped closer. Thomas appeared at the main corridor entrance and gave a thumbs up all was under control. Percival and Attar started to laugh at the sight of each other as one of the mounted horsemen rode nearer and stopped, totally silhouetted by the sun behind him.
“By the Lord, the dead do indeed live,” Philip spoke as he leaned forwards to look at Theodoric.
Theodoric stopped laughing instantly, gulped and blinked his eyes several times. He stood perfectly still speechless despite desperately trying to say something, his mouth opening but no words coming out. For several long seconds he squinted as he tried to focus upon the mounted person before him. He knew the voice well. His eyes filled with tears as he gulped again and fought to control his emotions, clenching his fists. Sister Lucy smiled softly at him and stepped back a short distance as she watched Philip dismount. As he slowly approached, he removed his riding gloves. He was wearing the full length mantle of a Naval Templar, which surprised Paul more than the fact he was actually in Cairo.
“Father,” Paul heard himself say quietly as Philip stopped just in front of Theodoric.
Philip and Theodoric stood in silence looking at each other; Theodoric struggling to breathe it looked, his face reddening. He outstretched his hands but then dropped them to his sides and looked down shaking his head. He was utterly lost for words. It had been nearly two decades since they had last seen each other.
“My dearest friend…’tis indeed great to see you again…and alive no less,” Philip finally said, his voice clearly emotional as his face creased into a forced smile, his lips clearly quivering as he too struggled to contain his emotions.
Theodoric shrugged and tried to force a smile. Sister Lucy looked at Philip and smiled at him. Gently she took hold of Theodoric’s arm and ushered him toward Philip. Alisha bit her bottom lip as she saw the emotion in their eyes. Philip being the taller of them stepped closer opening his arms. Theodoric closed his eyes and tried to cover his face as he continued to look down. Philip placed his arms around him just as Theodoric began to sob resting his forehead against Philip’s shoulder. Paul put his arm around Alisha as she held Arri who was looking intently at Philip and Theodoric. Philip closed his eyes briefly as Theodoric sniffed and tried to compose himself. Thomas and his men, as well as Husam and his men, all looked on. The admiration, respect and love between Philip and Theodoric was almost tangible. Arri suddenly let out a little yelp and what sounded like ‘Clip clop’ as he held him out toward them. Philip opened his eyes again and looked directly at Arri then Alisha. Theodoric wiped his eyes, coughed and stood back a pace.
“We…we have much to catch up,” he blurted out still very visibly emotional. Even Tenno looked touched.
Slowly Philip walked toward Paul, Alisha and Arri as he kept waving Clip clop. Placing his hands together across his waist, he looked at Arri smiling broadly at him. Alisha had tears in her eyes seeing the emotion etched across Philip’s face. He had grown a tight beard and looked taller. His face was deeply tanned and he looked well.
“So this is Arri…my grandson,” he said, his eyes filled with emotion and only just managing to keep his tears from falling. He took a deep breath and looked at Paul.
“’Tis indeed, Father. Pray tell why you did not let us know you were coming?” Paul asked as Arri reached out towards Philip.
Alisha passed Arri to Philip and as he took him, Arri looked directly into his eyes for a minute. Philip smiled, which made Arri smile. Without prompting, Arri put his little arms up around his neck and leant his head upon Philip’s chest and just rested in that position.
“We have learnt much about you these past two years. We have a lot of questions,” Alisha said softly and touched his arm gently, leaned up and kissed him on the side of his face.
“I bet you do…and I of Theo no less,” Philip answered and smiled as he looked across at Theodoric.
“You knew a lot of powerful people, we have discovered,” Alisha stated.
“A few, as does Theo…”
“A few! Next you will be telling us you are on first name terms with Saladin himself. But ’tis truly great to see you, Father,” Paul said, pleased to see his father despite his looking so different.
“He is,” a voice said aloud from amongst the ranks of Husam’s Mamluk guards.
Paul looked over as the guards parted and a well dressed man wearing a gold and green surcoat with chain mail beneath appeared holding a burnished ornate helmet under his left arm. Philip winked at Paul and gestured with his head towards the man as he stepped ever closer. Attar recognised the man immediately, his eyes widening. He bowed his head as he walked past him. Paul’s eyes met the man’s eyes. He was confident looking, had a tight beard, was well kept and looked kind. Husam smiled broadly as if about to burst in
to laughter.
“Assalamu Allakham. And I do indeed know your father. We go back a long way. To a time when I was not so well mannered or behaved,” the man said politely and bowed.
“Wa Allakham Assalam,” Paul replied, looking perplexed. “And you are?”
Alisha prodded Paul in the side hard making him flinch, which made the man laugh. Philip faced the man and pointed with his right hand, palm up towards him whilst holding Arri with his left arm.
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“My son…this is Salah al Din Yusif ibn Ayyub, but better known to you simply as Saladin,” Philip explained, smiling.
Instantly Paul recalled his conversation back in Alexandria when Saladin’s secretary Isfahani had given him a sealed letter and when Theodoric had advised him ‘make it your priority to keep Reynald appeased and befriend Saladin…if the opportunity arises. It will help safeguard your futures, believe me.’
“And you must be Paul and Alisha of whom I have heard so much,” Saladin said politely and part bowed his head at Alisha, Paul standing with his mouth open. “All I know speak highly of you both. I understand you can draw images of people that look real. And you design amazing ships too I am told,” he continued to say as Husam nodded his head in agreement. “And you…Alisha,” he said and paused as he looked at her intently. “My belated condolences for the loss of Firgany. A true tragedy.”
Alisha blushed and took a deep intake of air, the realisation that the great Saladin himself was stood before her, in her own courtyard was a little overwhelming. She smiled but did not know what to say and just nodded her head. Saladin looked at Philip and they both smiled. Their eyes turned to Theodoric, who raised his right hand slightly to acknowledge Saladin.
“I do not know what I am supposed to say and do…with you here…in my courtyard,” Paul said awkwardly, unsure of protocol.