Assassins of Kantara

by James Boschert

  “Mount up! Get on the horse!” Dar’an ordered him in Arabic.

  Henry understood from the gestures that he was to mount up. He did so very clumsily, almost falling off the other side before clutching at the pommel of the saddle and holding himself upright.

  Jannat and Rav’an could not help but giggle behind their veils, while Dar’an, who could not conceive of anyone not being able to ride, looked astounded. The horse didn’t seem to like its inept load either; but Henry, who had ridden a very long time ago, began to collect his wits and regained control enough to sit quietly while the donkeys were brought forward for the women.

  Dar’an and Rostam assisted the women onto the saddles, where they perched on panniers loaded with their goods. Talon had told Rav’an to use light colors for their dresses and veils to make them look more like Frankish women. They were not to wear any jewelry because they were not supposed to be rich. They looked like any other merchant family of limited means coming to the city on indeterminate business.

  Ahmed came forward and, holding both hands together as though in prayer, bowed obsequiously to Rav’an and said, “God protect you, Lady. Please send my best wishes to Master Talon. Without him we would all be beggars. God protect.” Tears began to flow down his grizzled face and beard, but he dashed them away and tried to smile.

  Rav’an was touched. “God go with you, my friend, and with all of you. It is a long and dangerous journey for you as well.” With that she urged her donkey forward and waved to Henry to take the lead, followed by Dar’an. They left with the calls of farewell from their friends ringing in their ears.

  Henry somehow managed to get his horse into the lead, and the small caravan set out along the dusty road towards the great walls of Acre. As they approached the gates Rav’an felt a sense of dread. This was utterly new for her. These were Talon’s people, but from what she could recall they had never been kind to him. It was still something of a mystery to her why he had wanted to come back here at all. He had pointed out that this was where much of his wealth lay, and that from here they could find refuge until he could decide upon a proper home for them. It would not be Acre, he had told her, but had volunteered little else. Now it seemed that all this had changed, but for what she could not tell. The uncertainty weighed on her.

  All too soon they were in front of the massive gates, which were half open. She could see the street beyond the entrance; it was almost deserted at this hour, and the air shimmered in the sweltering heat. The guards didn’t seem to be very interested in their approach until Henry rode into the gateway and stopped squarely in front of the guards.

  To Talon, hidden behind a stall, it was clear that Henry was not a good horseman, but the guards didn’t seem to notice. Henry clumsily drew out a parchment from his belt and flourished it at the soldiers and then waved his arm behind him.

  “I am the escort for these people. They are wards of the Order. I am charged with the protection of this lady, and have been ordered to escort her into this city, then to the Citadel to be placed under the protection of the Order of Templars.” Henry spoke loudly for the benefit of the guards and his hidden audience. Talon had rehearsed Henry carefully as to what he should say. Now he, along with Reza, held his breath while the guards pondered the statement among themselves.

  Finally the leader nodded and waved Henry onward. Henry didn’t move. Instead he gestured behind him and shouted to the caravan to come along. Slowly the first donkey walked up to the gate, led by Dar’an, followed by another of Talon’s men leading the ones ridden by Rav’an. Rostam also led a donkey laden with baggage, while Jannat was perched on the last animal to arrive. It was only when she had passed through the gates that Henry began to follow. Talon and Reza both started when one of the guards said something in an undertone to another and began to walk towards Rostam and his donkey.

  “What have we here?” he asked in a loud voice as he came up to the boy. “Are you with the lady?” the man asked with a sarcastic tone, jerking his thumb at Rav’an. Rostam could not understand anything of what was said, so he simply shook his head and smiled.

  The man was about to reach for one of the panniers when Henry noticed what was going on. “Hey, you there!” he bellowed in his maritime voice. “Who gave you permission to look into Templar property?” he turned on the senior guard. “If any of you touches the property of this lady you will answer to the Castilian at the Citadel!” he roared, reaching for his sword.

  The senior guard shrugged insolently, but seeing that Henry meant what he said he told the man to step back. The guards were surly, but obeyed their sergeant reluctantly; muttering to themselves, they stood back. Henry reached into his purse, threw some coins in a grand manner towards the guards, and waved dismissively to them before following the string of animals and their passengers as they ambled slowly along the main street of Acre.

  Talon turned and grinned at Reza. “Phew, that was close. Henry is quite the actor when he wants to be. Let’s show them where they have to go.”

  Just as he spoke, another rider galloped up to the gates. Talon clutched at Reza’s arm. “Now we do have trouble! That is the messenger who was sent out by Jonathan to Tiberius. How can he have made it back so quickly?”

  William the Norman walked his lathered and exhausted horse through the gates and stopped under the archway. He leaned down and spoke some words to the senior guard. Talon only just heard a couple of words. “... shut... gates. Watch for... Talon.” Then he sat up and began to walk his exhausted looking horse into the city. The rider left the guards taking excitedly among themselves and looking very much more alert.

  “We have to stop him! He cannot reach the house,” Talon hissed to Reza.

  “I shall deal with him,” said Reza, and with a hard look at his intended victim he raced off down an alley to head off the messenger. He vanished into the now busy streets, while Talon hastened after Henry and his charges. While he was confident that Reza could head off William, the man’s arrival had taken him by surprise. He must have had news of Talon’s whereabouts to hasten so fast and return to Acre.

  He caught up with the little caravan after few hundred paces and strode alongside the horseman. “I was very impressed, Henry,” he said. Henry started; he hadn’t noticed Talon come alongside. “I was quite worried they would want to inspect the cargo,” he responded. “They were perfectly within their rights, I suspect. I have to tell you though, Talon, I prefer the sea to all this stuff and nonsense.”

  “The Orders have their privileges, which is exactly why you are dressed as a knight. You did very well, Henry, but now you have to get off the horse and change. If any of the real knights sees you we will have even more trouble.”

  Henry dismounted and began to fumble with his tunic. Talon helped him shed the surcoat with the cross emblazoned on it and shrug into a less conspicuous coat as they walked. Henry took off his helmet and hung it off the pommel. “Nice horse,” he stated. “But I’ll be happy to walk from now on. Not too far to go. My God, but I was sweating my balls off in that hauberk!”

  Talon grinned and then strode forward to greet Rav’an and Jannat. Rostam looked back, saw him and waved, but stayed ahead when Talon signaled him to do so.

  “Hello, my Love,” Talon said, looking up at Rav’an who seemed tense and pale, even under her veil. “Are you all right?”

  “I am so very glad to see you, my husband. I shall be very much better when this ordeal is over,” she retorted, but smiled down at him nonetheless.

  It was not long before they arrived at the main entrance of the property. Yosef, who had been watching for them, flung the doors open and helped to lead the donkeys inside the cramped courtyard, then shut the door before prying eyes took note of the sudden activity.

  Within a few minutes the house presented its former blank face to the street. Talon had ensured that it possessed a small courtyard with three stables, none in very good condition, but it didn’t matter as they did not intend to stay long. The two women and thei
r servants were helped down, followed by embraces all round, then they were led into the relative cool of the house. Talon, after first showing them the untidy living space and the kitchens, led them up the crude wooden stairs to a bedroom which he had prepared for them.

  “You will have to excuse the rude condition of the house, my Ladies. We have not had much time to prepare. The previous occupant was a mere knight, but it is adequate.”

  Rav’an made directly for one of the two beds and sat down with a sigh. “I have looked forward to a real bed for a long time, and this last adventure has tired me,” she told him. “You have things to do, my husband, but when you are done I want to know all about this situation.”

  Talon leaned down and gave her a long kiss. “I shall tell you all in good time, my Love.” He turned to Jannat. “How are you, Jannat?”

  Jannat waved an airy hand at him as she took off her veil and stretched. “I will survive, but there was a moment back there... ”

  Talon laughed and said, “Yes, Reza and I were watching. Henry did well. That was a very good idea about the horse! It made all the difference.”

  Rav’an gave him a tired smile. “These Frankish warriors always ride horses. It seemed best to provide one, but no rider that one! He looked as though he would fall off at any minute!”

  They laughed together, which helped to relieve the tension.

  “Where is Reza?” Jannat asked sounding disappointed. “I thought he would be here to greet us at least.”

  “Er, he... er, had some business to attend to, Jannat. I am sure he will be back very soon,” Talon told her. “Now I should have one of the boys bring you some cool water to drink.” He got up and went downstairs to find the two captains at the table eying the newcomers warily.

  First Talon greeted his men and told them of the situation and that they had to keep a very low profile for as long as they were in the house. There were the donkeys to be taken care of, and then the baggage to be placed ready for the next stage of the journey. Then he introduced Henry whom they now knew by sight, and Guy.

  “These two men,” he informed his men, “are captains of two ships which we are going to take from the harbor tomorrow night. I will need you to apply the skills that Reza has taught you to assist with this,” he told them. The six men grinned with anticipation. This was becoming an adventure.

  Just at that moment, Reza slipped noiselessly into the room. Talon looked him over then asked, “How did it go?”

  “There I was on this busy street when a horse shied and started bucking, then it just fell over.” He picked up a grape and munched on it ruminatively. “It tossed its rider onto the street where he broke his neck! Just like that! It was chaos for a while. People running about all over the place, but this fellow was as dead as the stones he landed on. Quite the tragedy.” Reza said, looked pious. “May God have mercy on his soul.”

  Talon gave a tiny snort of amusement but nodded solemnly. “Did he have any papers on him?”

  “None that I could find,” Reza replied. “I also checked his saddle bags.”

  “You had better go upstairs to greet your wife,” he told Reza. “She has been asking for you.”

  “What was that all about?” Henry asked him.

  “The messenger, Will, came back early. Right behind your little caravan, in fact.”

  Henry looked alarmed. “Saint Mary! Did he see us?”

  “Nothing to worry about. Reza dealt with it.”

  “You mean... ?” Henry glanced at Guy, who was looking shocked.

  “Reza told me that there was an accident. That’s all I know,” Talon replied.

  “May God have mercy on his soul,” both men intoned, then they crossed themselves. “But... it couldn’t have happened to a nicer man.” Guy grinned at Henry.

  When Talon went over to the other people in the room, Guy turned to Henry. “Talon has always impressed me as dangerous, but his friend over there scares the piss out of me,” he said, looking apprehensively at Reza, who was just walking up the stairs.

  “I agree, but our chief is taking us out of this shit hole and giving us a chance... again. I don’t really care what his friend does for a living. I want to captain a damned ship again, and if anyone can make that happen it will be Talon,” Henry remarked.

  Guy nodded. “Hail Mary to that. I’m with him no matter what.”

  Talon called over to Rostam, who was sitting talking with the men from Oman, and took him upstairs. There he met with Reza and Rav’an and explained the situation. They listened quietly until he had finished, and a long silence followed.

  “So what you are saying is that your protector is dead and the church has confiscated everything you used to own?” Jannat asked him, as though to confirm she had really heard the incredible news. “So we came all this way for nothing? God protect us, but what will we do now?” She shot a look of appeal with tears in her eyes at Reza, who shook his head.

  “Talon has a plan, Jannat. That is why be brought you inside the city and didn’t leave you out there. If there was no plan we would be traveling back south to Elat by now.”

  “Then tell us of this plan of yours, Talon,” Rav’an said. Her tone was skeptical but at the same time she attempted a wan smile. “You have been in tighter places than this I know, my Fox, but I am worried I have to confess.”

  He gave her a sober look and pulled Rostam closer with an arm over his shoulders. “Indeed we have been cheated, my Love. However, I do not intend to leave it at that. A very close friend of mine, his name is Max, is in prison here. I cannot abandon him. I will not leave this city without him.”

  “In prison, Papa?” Rostam twisted his neck to look up at Talon. “Where?”

  “In the great citadel which you will see before long. It is the stronghold of the Order of Templars in this city,” Talon told him.

  “So you intend to walk up and take him away? Just like that?” Reza gasped. “Talon, I know you better than anyone, but how in God’s name do you intend to do this? The Templars have a reputation for ferocity in battle and great discipline. Even I know about them!”

  Talon nodded agreement. “And it is precisely what I shall use against them, Brother. Remember what the Sensei used to say while we were being beaten up by him and Qian? Use your opponent’s weight against him; get him off balance and you will win.”

  Rostam shook his head in puzzlement. “I don’t understand, Papa,” he said.

  Rav’an laughed, “Of course! Just as when we came into the city! You intend to do it again, Talon, only this time we will be leaving! Am I not right?” she challenged him.

  Talon grinned. “Indeed and we shall do just that, my Love. Insha’Allah.”

  They all relaxed at that, and Rostam declared himself hungry. Talon sent him down to fetch some of the food from the kitchen, where Salem was already installed, and continued to talk with the women.

  He gave them a rough outline about what would occur that very night.

  “There will be a diversion at some time, and then we will take the ships,” he told the two women. “I am concerned about only one thing, my Love. You’re condition is... well, delicate. Will you be up to this?”

  “Don’t worry about me, Talon. Jannat and I will be fine. Just make sure that the plan works,” she responded.

  He smiled, “Then I suggest that you eat supper and get some rest.” He glanced out of the opening that passed for a window. “It’s getting dark and we have much to do. You should both stay up here until it is time to leave; there are many men downstairs and more to come.”

  Later in the evening, Talon spent some time introducing people to one another. It was not very easy, because neither Henry nor Guy could speak the language of the majority. Talon became acutely aware that this could present a singular hazard to his plans unless he was meticulous about who had to do what and they all knew their respective tasks.

  “Now we must go into the details of how we will take the ships.”

  With Talon translating for Re
za and Yosef’s benefit, they spent the rest of the afternoon planning. The table was used for a map with the outline of the harbor drawn with a burnt stick, and stones to represent buildings and sticks to represent the ships. Talon again impressed on everyone the need for timing.

  Martin arrived at the house Brother Jonathan called home to find no trace of Simon in the street, and when he gained entry he noticed the servants were looking tense. As he passed one of the senior servants, the man pointed to the main room, where Martin could hear voices, and muttered, “Things happening in there, Brother Martin. Something bad has happened.”

  Martin knocked gently on the half-open door and let himself in. Once again the room was brightly lit with candles. He spied Jonathan at the far end of the room, but sitting at the table were two other men.

  “Ah, there you are, Martin. Late again, I see.”

  Martin began to offer and explanation, but Jonathan waved him dismissively to a seat. As he sat down, Jonathan indicated the two men seated on either side of him.

  “We have Sir Rufus from the Order of Templars here tonight, and Pierre d’ Aix, who is the Constable of the city of Acre. I asked them come to see me because I have grave news.”

  Martin looked up.

  “Remember the man, Will, I sent to Tiberius? Well, Pierre here tells me that he is dead.”

  Martin looked shocked. “How is it possible?” he gasped.

  “His horse fell and threw him, breaking his neck in the process.” Jonathan crossed himself piously. “May God save his soul and forgive his sins.”

  Martin crossed himself too. “May God forgive him his sins,” he said, but he was still dazed. “Where... where did this happen?” he croaked.

  The man whom Jonathan had introduced as the Constable spoke. “Just inside the city, that is why I am here. I was informed and came here once I had heard their report from the city guards, who regarded it as an accident. They think the horse shied at something, and perhaps because he was tired he fell. Hard street to fall upon; it broke his neck.”