by D. N. Carter
“I was in Tiberias at that time and we knew that Raymond had allowed Saladin’s reconnaissance troops to pass through his lands unmolested. In fact we even joined them on two occasions when it was known Turansha was massing all of his men in the region,” the Templar explained. “We were waiting for orders from Gerard on what we must do should King Guy engage against Count Raymond, but it was Count Henry who turned up briefly ordering us to ignore any orders coming from Gerard until further notice. ’Twas a tense and confusing time for sure.”
“’Twas indeed…,” the old man sighed.
“So you are saying that Count Henry had authority over Gerard despite him being the Grand Master of the whole Order?” Peter asked.
“Yes he did for it was the Prior de Sion who had authority over the Order,” the old man answered. “Not that Gerard would agree with that rule, which is more the pity.”
“Why?” Ayleth asked quietly.
“For if he had respected Count Henry’s orders and words of wisdom, all would have been so different…for all that was, would forever be changed as a consequence.”
“Did Paul leave Alisha and Ailia then to take Taqi to Al Rashid?” Sarah asked hesitantly, sensing the sadness in the old man’s tone.
“Yes, yes he did. ’Twas early the following morning that Alisha hugged Paul tighter than she had ever hugged him before. Paul had pulled the fur collar around her face to protect her from the cold wind that blew in from the north. He did not wish to let her out of his sight for a second but he knew he had to take Taqi to his rendezvous. The night before Paul had time to do a quick drawing of Ailia…,” the old man sighed and shook his head as he took a deep breath.
“Here is this the drawing for I saw it earlier,” Gabirol asked and pushed into the middle of the table a small charcoal drawing of a young girl, its edges burnt.
Fig. 68: Ailia.
“Oh my Lord,” Ayleth gasped and put her hands to her mouth in alarm and then looked up at the old man.
“’Tis burnt…like Paul’s poem,” Sarah remarked and pulled the picture close. “This is not a good sign.”
“’Twas the beginning of the end…an end to all that was before!” the old man sighed heavily, unable to hide his sadness. “Paul kissed Ailia and promised her he would come back to her. Taqi bade Alisha an emotional farewell and swore he would be there for her and Ailia should the time ever come. Theodoric tried to cheer everyone up as he usually did and before the sun had fully broken over the mountains to the east Paul found himself sat upon Adrastos watching Thomas lead the caravan column away down the northern highway toward the ancient Roman town of Beit She’an, ’tis near enough to Tiberias should they need to travel there. Saladin’s sister often used it as a staging post when she travelled to and from Damascus. Paul saw Alisha and Ailia waving from the rear as Tenno glanced back and waved briefly before they vanished over the lip of the dip in the land and out of sight.”
“So who exactly went with Paul and Taqi again?” the wealthy tailor asked.
“Abi, Ishmael, Stewart, Percival, Master Douglas, Brother Teric and Count Henry and of course Attar but also Brothers Upside and Nicholas and four other Templars,” the old man replied.
“Not that many then should they get ambushed,” the farrier remarked.
“No…not many at all, but still enough,” the old man sighed. “And they made good ground to the rendezvous point without incident.”
“Where was their rendezvous point then?” Ayleth asked.
“Their meeting point was on the hill Jebel Sabarta overlooking the old ruins of Pella set in the valley below. It afforded Al Rashid plenty of cover from the mountains to approach from the east, not the open and exposed north and west,” the old man explained and shook his head. “Thomas would rest briefly at the Pella ruins to refill their water wagon…you may recall they always travelled with one…before moving on to Beit She’an.”
Rendezvous point, Jebel Sabarta, Principality of Galilee, March 14th 1187
The midday sun burned directly overhead but the cold wind from the north cut into all of them as Paul’s group pulled up at the small marker stone set within a small alcove of open area. The hillside was dotted with brush and trees, the ground awash with vegetation after the weeks of rainfall. Abi looked across at Paul with Taqi sat behind him. It reminded her of the Templars’ actual seal of two riders upon a single horse. She could see the tension in his face and worry as he looked west toward the lowlands stretched out beneath them knowing Alisha and Ailia were just miles away from them.
“Paul, they are well protected. They have enough experienced knights and Tenno will certainly see to it. Thomas and his men will not let them down,” Abi said reassuringly but a knot pulled taut in his stomach.
“They will be with Queen Tamar before nightfall,” Count Henry commented as Taqi dismounted from Adrastos nearly pulling Paul off with him. “But after I have spoken with Al Rashid I must leave and get word to Count Raymond, for the king does not even know I am here.”
“Does he not?” Brother Teric asked. Count Henry shook his head no in silence and smiled. “It would be madness to return alone.”
“At least if Tenno runs into any problems at Beit She’an, they do not have far to seek safety with Raymond in Tiberias,” Percival remarked and looked towards the small shining strip on the horizon that was the Sea of Galilee.
Paul looked east at the mountains, the snow capped tip of Mount Hebron on his far left visible. He wondered how long they would have to wait for Al Rashid to show, impatient to get away and after Alisha and Ailia.
“Will we have to wait long?” Percival asked as he dismounted, as if reading Paul’s mind.
Taqi looked around the small clearing and up the track that snaked off up the side of the mountain and out of sight around a corner flanked by huge boulders. He looked down at the dust covered sand and gravel path then looked back toward Percival.
“No…not long at all for they are already here,” Taqi smiled. He raised both his arms up high. “Isme Taqi!” he called out.
No sooner had he spoken than all around the group, the brush and tall grasses seemed to move and rise upwards. Nicholas and Upside immediately drew their swords as men appeared when they pushed back cloaks covered in the grasses and brush that had perfectly camouflaged them. Taqi smiled as the nearest man approached tying off the camouflaged cape around his waist revealing his pitch black cloak and weapons. Only his eyes were visible through the thin strip of his black head cover. He grasped Taqi’s forearms to greet him but said nothing.
Master Douglas looked on ever watchful as Abi protected their backs. Several horses suddenly appeared from behind the large boulders and trotted down toward them. Paul noted all the men on the ground were armed with high power crossbows all held ready in the aim but pointed downward slightly. The rider in the middle of the approaching horsemen pulled up and dismounted. Paul knew immediately it was Al Rashid just from his sheer physical presence. He unwound his head cover as he walked up to Taqi and smiled.
“I am afraid we do not have time for our usual pleasantries for Turansha and his men are in this very region…and he has a lot of men with him,” Al Rashid explained looking at Taqi and Paul in turn. He looked up at Master Douglas. “Master Douglas…we meet yet again. If I did not know better I would swear you are trying to join us.”
“Not in this life time, my friend,” Master Douglas replied, smiled and bowed his head. “’Tis good to see you again also.”
Abi moved her horse into position beside Paul.
“Ah the great Abi Shadana no less. I had heard you were dead many times over already,” Al Rashid said looking up at her.
“As you can see I am still very much alive…but it concerns me this news of Turansha,” she replied.
“The man is an outlaw to all sides now…and sadly his numbers grow as more fanatics throng to his call for an all out Holy Jihad…even to the point of vowing to destroy Mecca itself and the Kabba! His brutal and savage methods know no bounds at all,”
Al Rashid explained. He looked at Taqi as he moved beside him. “And you, my friend, are fortunate we need every trained Ashashin we have otherwise you know you would not be accepted back into the brotherhood,” he continued and smiled, patting Taqi on the shoulder. “But you are one of my best so we can bend some rules.” Taqi looked over at the rider on the horse next to Al Rashid’s. He smiled and bowed at the rider, which puzzled Paul. Al Rashid noticed this. “Ah…so it was not me you were eager to be reunited with,” he laughed and beckoned the rider to come closer. “Come…show yourself.”
Abi looked at Paul, bemused, as Taqi appeared to blush.
“As you wish, My Lord,” a female voice replied as the rider removed her headdress, flung her head back and shook her long hair aside out of the way of her face.
Percival looked up at her, his mouth dropping open in surprise, shocked by how much like Nyla she looked. She looked down at Taqi intently and smiled.
“A female?” Master Douglas remarked and shook his head.
“Female yes…deadly…more so,” Al Rashid remarked proudly. “They make great assassins and get into places many of my men cannot.”
0 - 0
“I bet,” Percival said as he stepped closer to look at her.
“’Tis rude to stare,” Taqi stated almost laughing at the way Percival was staring open mouthed at the woman. She looked down at him and narrowed her eyes in disapproval. “You do not want to mess with her believe me.”
“I am sorry. I believe you,” Percival replied and stepped back as Al Rashid laughed.
“Well done, Attar, for organising this…and you, sire,” Al Rashid said looking at Count Henry. “It is my honour to be in your presence again despite the circumstances. You must know that Saladin has put a bounty upon Turansha’s head now he has finally woken up to the man’s evil intent.”
“The honour is all mine I assure you,” Count Henry replied and bowed his head slightly. “I also know Saladin wishes you to join forces with him.”
“As does Count Raymond. But you should know we join with no sides,” Al Rashid replied.
“That I do, but these are changing times and you may have to,” Count Henry said and looked toward Paul and Abi. “Reynald wants war on everyone. And I do mean everyone.”
“What of Grand Master Gerard’s intent?”
“He will follow and join whatever side appears to be winning despite my warnings to cut the elm if he disobeys my orders,” Count Henry explained as Paul looked at him puzzled. “I shall have to explain that to you another time.”
“Taqi al Din, Saladin’s nephew, as we speak, plans to move his troops to the fortress of Harenc (Haram) on the frontier of Antioch. He will be there in force by mid April at the latest. Count Raymond raises much suspicion he is pro Muslim and too friendly with Saladin for he has made it known he will allow Saladin’s reconnaissance troops to pass through his lands. I think it is purely a strategic move by Raymond in his refusal to recognise King Guy. Raymond has already allowed a Muslim garrison to occupy his fief in Tiberias, probably hoping that Saladin will help him overthrow Guy,” Al Rashid explained.
“But I thought Saladin was preoccupied in his northern territories?” Count Henry asked, looking concerned.
“Not any more, my friend, for Saladin has pacified his Mesopotamian territories, and is now eager to attack the Crusader kingdom to remove Reynald, no one else just him; he does not intend to renew the present truce when it expires shortly for he has a lot of internal pressures from within his own camp to deal with Reynald once and for all…sooner rather than later,” Al Rashid explained and raised his eyebrows.
“We know the truce is about to expire and is why we have commissioned Balian to seek terms with Raymond to recognise the king and have Reynald banished,” Count Henry explained.
“’Tis too late for that for we know Reynald has already convinced King Guy that Saladin is massing his troops, and Reynald’s men are already attacking Muslim pilgrims and caravans in an attempt to disrupt this. ’Tis all part of Reynald’s great stratagem as you call it,” Al Rashid said and looked at Paul as he finished.
“’Tis a bloody dangerous strategy to play then,” Master Douglas remarked.
“Very,” Al Rashid simply stated then looked toward the western horizon as several large plumes of black smoke gently climbed skyward from the area near Pella.
Paul, seeing Al Rashid’s face change to one of concern, spun around to see the plumes rising faster and ever higher and in an instant his stomach knotted and pulled so intensely it hurt. His heart exploded with fear.
“Ali…oh my Lord,” Paul gasped and ran back to Adrastos and jumped up into the saddle, took the reins and without even looking back immediately sped off down the track toward the columns of smoke with an absolute knowing it was connected to Alisha.
“Paul…no!” Abi called out and immediately set off after him.
“Is he always this impetuous?” Al Rashid asked.
“My Lord, my sister’s caravan is travelling in that very area,” Taqi replied, concerned.
Al Rashid took one look toward Paul and Abi riding off, clicked his fingers for his horse to be brought to him. Quickly he mounted his horse as Brother Teric, Nicholas and Upside sped off in pursuit, Nicholas almost throwing up fearing for Alisha.
“You better fetch a horse from our main party and follow fast,” Al Rashid said and slapped Taqi on the shoulder, then quickly set off after Paul and Abi immediately followed by all of his own mounted Ashashin. Master Douglas did not hesitate and set off after them while Count Henry, Stewart and Ishmael helped hurry Taqi along. As soon as Taqi mounted a horse, he sped off closely followed by the female Ashashin. Stewart threw the Order’s standard at one of the accompanying Templars and raced off to follow as fast as his horse would carry him. Death was in the air.
Bibliographic References – Book 3
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