Outremer I

by D. N. Carter

  Fig 17 & 18:

  Yang line.

  Yin line.

  “In the I Ching, these lines are combined into eight trigrams of three lines each, which are then combined into the sixty-four possible hexagrams. Here are the eight I Ching trigrams:

  The eight trigrams.

  “The trigrams of the I Ching represent eight basic forces of nature. By themselves they are at rest, but combined with another basic force, in a hexagram, they cause change according to the characteristics of their combined forces.”

  “I do not understand how some little lines can tell us anything?” Gabirol remarked.

  “Much in the same manner as the ancient Hebrew black and white stones their priests used, and still use, along with black and white sticks. Identical to those found beneath the Al Aqsa mosque by the original nine knights who founded the Templars,” the old man answered.

  “So are you saying that the I Ching thing…is part of Taoism, or sprung from it?” Peter asked.

  “Not quite. Taoism uses I Ching…but it is in fact much older than we know Taoism to be, and it’s still not even referred to in the major Taoist classic, Tao Te Ching. True, Taoism makes use of yin and yang in its cosmology, regarding them as primary powers in the very birth of the universe and onwards. But so did just about every other Chinese philosophy of the time and long before it. No, the I Ching is an entity that had been around for a very long time when Taoism was put into words. Actually, the traditional philosophical Taoists would probably object to the I Ching idea of a predictable destiny, at least by principles different in essence from that of Tao, the Way, itself. They preferred a surprising future, to which the only safe direction would be remaining on the Way, no matter what,” the old man explained as Peter and Simon both looked at each other, puzzled.

  “But I know from learned men I work with, who simply sneer at any hint of divination and claim that there is no way to predict the future. That may be hasty, since so many things about our universe are quite predictable, even the mightiest of them all, the movements of the heavenly bodies,” Gabirol remarked as he studied the I Ching lines.

  “All I can tell you then is that when I personally started experimenting with different techniques of divination, I was quite young, and just as doubtful. I tried the I Ching, the Tarot deck, astrology and tried self hypnosis, and so on. What I experienced struck hard on my doubts. I found the future not only foreseeable, be it in a symbolic way sometimes difficult to interpret, but still very easily accessible. The future opened its bosom readily, like a lover. I agree that most divination techniques involve chance and pure randomness. That’s true for the I Ching as well, where you flip coins or throw sticks to get your hexagram. And chance is the greatest enigma of them all. In a world and universe bound by laws of nature, chance can’t exist. It’s nothing but the limit of our knowledge of how the world works. If we have the formulas, we should be able to calculate the future. This is what Niccolas did and what Rick relied upon all too heavily. Paradoxically, methods of chance, such as the I Ching, seem to penetrate areas of the future that our formulas don’t, as if the essential law of the cosmos is founded on chance. One day, if what I have learnt is true, there will come a day in the distant future when we shall all move towards such an understanding of the universe. Anyway, among the divination techniques, I found the I Ching to be one of the most rewarding. I guess it’s because the I Ching speaks with words, like our whole species prefers to do. That makes its predictions accessible and surprisingly obvious to us. If you’ve tried the I Ching, I’m sure you agree. Tenno certainly believed in what it could show him. But I must stress that although the future is so easily accessible by the I Ching and many other divination methods, there’s one occasion in which they all fail: they will not tell us what we should do to fulfil our personal quests or to find our own answers to that tremendously elusive question about the meaning of life. They refuse to. That, we have to find out for ourselves, each and every one of us. And why not? That’s what makes life such a fascinating journey.” The old man smiled as he explained this and looked at the faces staring back at him.[16]

  “Why do you tell us these things about the I Ching for what relevance does it have to the story of the sword?” the farrier asked as he put down a tankard of mead.

  “’Tis very relevant,” the old man answered.

  “Let me guess…you will explain later…make a note, Gabi,” Simon joked.

  “And there I was just beginning to warm to you,” Sarah said and glared at him.

  “Yes, Simon, indeed I shall. But so as not to lose your attention, I shall continue this tale,” the old man said smiling as the wealthy tailor took the last piece of cheese without asking anyone else if they wished for a piece.

  On board the Angevin Tarida boat off the southern coast of Italy

  The coastline shimmered in the heat haze just a few miles away as the boat gently made its way south. A breeze flapped the main sails constantly as the Genoese sailors constantly adjusted their pitch to catch the maximum amount of wind available. Paul made his way along the top deck looking for Tenno. He had checked upon Adrastos, who was not happy at being strapped into a large canvas sling harness even though it was for his own safety. It had been a very tight squeeze loading the caravan on board but luckily the boat had been specially designed as a transport and, with some adjustments, they had got it on board. Paul was fascinated by the design. He knew it had evolved from earlier Roman transport ships that were in turn improved by their Arab counterparts. Alisha was pleased to see Paul get so excited about the boat knowing his love of ships.

  7 – 11

  When the ship had pulled up its main loading ramps at the bow of the boat and begun to pull backwards off the beach, its oarsmen rowing frantically to do so, Paul, Tenno and Rick had all seen what looked like Gerard and a full convoy of Templars approaching along the coast road from Marseilles. They could not be sure it was Gerard but it was definitely a Templar squadron as the standard Beausant was clearly visible as it flapped high. Rick had commented on how come Stewart had been made the Gonfanier to carry it, puzzled. Paul had not even really pondered that fact too much, but now he thought on it more after Rick’s suspicions. He was more concerned for Tenno, who had been decidedly quiet, quieter than his usual normal self at any rate, ever since he had read his I Ching bones. He knew something was playing upon his mind and it concerned him, especially as he could not shake out of his mind all the previous comments by Sister Lucy and Niccolas and his father regarding what the parchments had revealed about him and Alisha and apparently foretold. Paul’s stomach knotted as he thought all manner of bad things. Had Tenno seen that Alisha or the baby…or both…would die in childbirth? Was his father okay? Paul found Tenno standing alone at the very bow of the ship holding the railings just staring forwards. Despite the cool breeze, it was very warm yet Tenno still wore his entire black outfit and armour. As Paul walked nearer to him, he could see Tenno was deep in thought, his eyes not even blinking as the swell splashed up each time the bow cut through a wave. Paul slowly moved to stand beside him and held onto the thick wooden rail. Both stood in silence with just the sound of the sea splashing by on the wooden vessel’s hull beneath them.

  “You must forgive my silence, young Paul, these past two days,” Tenno finally said.

  “Nothing to forgive. I am just concerned for you. I would understand if you do not come with us to Alexandria and I shall certainly not hold you to do so. I do know you have your own family to return to,” Paul replied.

  “You are a kind soul, young Paul. ’Tis not a matter of whether I wish to come or not with you…it is a case of I must,” Tenno stated and looked down at Paul.

  “There is no must about it. I do not hold you to any promise you made to my father, especially as much has changed since then,” Paul said still looking forwards.

  “You do not understand. I must come with you for it is my destiny,” Tenno continued to explain.

  “My father keeps tell
ing me that we are all masters of our own destiny… so surely you can decide and choose to return home to your family?” Paul asked and looked up at him.

  “Your father is very wise…but in my case…and my choice…I must come with you,” Tenno stated, his eyes unusually narrowed.

  “Why…what about your family?”

  Tenno turned to look forwards again and said nothing, just stared ahead for many minutes. Paul felt awkward and could sense Tenno was hurting but he did not know what to say. Paul tapped the main wooden rail with his hand, shook his head and began to turn away, when Tenno suddenly grabbed his arm tightly and looked at him intently.

  “I have been away far too long…and my family…they have already mourned for my death…and have moved on,” he stated, his faced pained as he said it.

  “How can you know that?” Paul asked hesitantly.

  “’Tis so…that is all you need to know. I must now mourn the loss of my former life and adjust to a new one that is coming.”

  “But you cannot possibly know that.”

  “Young Paul…you have much to learn about life. I know this to be true. My family believe me long since dead…and have moved on. They are fine and all well. For that I can take some small measure of comfort. But I now know I can never return. And I pray never you learn this lesson that Death is not the greatest loss in life, the greatest loss is what dies inside whilst still alive,” Tenno stated, released his grip of Paul’s arm and held onto the main wooden rail again looking forwards. “Now go…you have a family to look after.”

  “Tenno!”

  “Go!” Tenno shot back. Paul hesitated and reluctantly backed away and started to walk down the small stairwell. “And Paul…know this too…I shall get you to Alexandria…all of you,” Tenno commented but still stared forwards as he said it.

  Paul stopped and looked back at him for a moment. He could almost sense the anguish and pain exuding from him. There was nothing he could say that would help and he simply shook his head, sad for him. They were all heading on a new adventure and life. Paul felt selfishly relieved and glad that Tenno would be coming with them all the way. Whether he knew it or not, he was now part of their family.

  Port of La Rochelle, France, Melissae Inn, spring 1191

  “But what if Tenno’s interpretation had been wrong?” Sarah asked, annoyed.

  “Tenno had learnt a long time ago to trust his own instincts let alone any other forms of divination. In his heart he was realistic enough to know that his wife and family would have of course moved on after so many years of being missing at sea…as far as they knew,” the old man explained.

  “I am saddened now,” Sarah huffed and Stephan placed his hand upon her back and rubbed it.

  “Do not be for he still had much to partake of in life,” the old man remarked. Ayleth looked at the old man, clearly puzzled. “What is it, child?”

  “I have missed much of this tale…and I am extremely grateful that I am allowed to join you here this day…and Sarah did manage to explain the main points I missed before…but, why was it necessary for Alisha and Paul to move to Alexandria? And why were we at war again with the Muslims? It always frustrates me that these things are not properly explained to us here in Europe,” she asked, her face going bright red as she spoke.

  “Ayleth, I appreciate that much is not explained here in Europe, especially to women. Which is sad as perhaps if they were better educated like the women in Outremer, the fruitless and wasteful wars we wage against each other would not happen,” the old man explained.

  “I desire so much to learn of these issues. That is why I have come to La Rochelle.”

  “If the others are in agreement, and just for your benefit, I shall be more than happy to give you a quick background to why we find ourselves in constant conflict with Islam,” the old man said looking at everyone around the table.

  “Go for it for I think I need an update myself,” the wealthy tailor interjected loudly.

  “Yes…you missed half of it yesterday, snoring away against the barrel,” Simon joked.

  “If the others do not mind, that would be most instructive,” Ayleth replied.

  “Well, as we appear to have gained some time, I see no reason why not. Never hurts to be reminded,” the Templar remarked and squeezed Miriam’s hand as she smiled at Ayleth.

  “I feel like an intruder,” she stated quietly.

  “Not at all. Knowledge should be freely given to all who wish to hear and learn…so I shall be as brief as I am able to recount the background history that has led to where we all find ourselves in our time,” the old man said as he made himself comfortable on his chair. “So let me explain for the benefit of Ayleth and as a friendly reminder to the rest of you.” He paused and looked at the wealthy tailor. “The First Crusade was an armed pilgrimage in response to a plea from the Byzantine Emperor to free former Christian territories from Muslim rule. The First Crusade did succeed in re-establishing Christian rule over the Holy Land, but the Western knights and noblemen who fought their way to Jerusalem soon felt that they had been betrayed by the Byzantine Greeks by the time they finally got there. So instead of returning the territory they had captured from the Saracens to Byzantine control, the Crusaders established a series of independent states with Christian rulers from Antioch to Palestine: the Principality of Edessa, the Principality of Antioch, the County of Tripoli and, most important of all, the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Crusaders who founded and ruled these states were a tiny elite from Western Europe, dependent on the local population composed predominantly of Orthodox Christians, with smaller populations of Jews, Muslims and new settlers from all across the West. In short, the inhabitants were not a homogenous population, but rather a motley collection of peoples who spoke a variety of languages from Greek, Armenian, Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic, Amharic, French, Italian, Spanish, German and English and lacked common traditions. Thus, although Latin churches were built and the various Latin religious orders soon established a presence, neither the Orthodox Churches nor the synagogues nor mosques were destroyed and the inhabitants of the Crusader kingdoms were free to follow their religious conscience. Furthermore, and very importantly, the states were at the crossroads of trade between East and West, and the ports of Christian Palestine were the key points for transporting and shipping the riches brought by caravan from China, Persia, Egypt and Arabia to the entire Western world. This made them prosperous and cosmopolitan. Christian Palestine, known in the West as ‘Outremer’, meaning ‘beyond the sea’, rapidly became a melting pot for culture and a breeding ground for art and science. Pilgrims and later Crusaders often felt, and some still do, alienated by this openness to other cultures, particularly the tolerance of Muslims and Jews. Yet it was this very openness and an appreciation of the complexities of the world around them that enabled the Crusader kingdoms to establish themselves and endure up until the present. This was a remarkable achievement that demonstrates the diplomatic as well as military competence of many who serve and live there. If the Crusader kingdoms had simply been bastions of bigotry, as is oft portrayed by those who do not understand the place, they simply would not have survived nor survive still. Instead, they thrived by adapting to their environment, building upon their own strengths and exploiting the weakness of their enemies. They erected magnificent castles that have enabled the small Latin elite to effectively control their territories, while consciously cultivating support from the Italian city-states, whose superior ships ensure them virtual control of the Mediterranean. The inhabitants of the Crusader kingdoms are not ignorant brutes, but savvy, educated and highly civilised men and women, who earned the respect of their enemies. But of course, as is the case on both sides, there were and are those who abuse their positions of power,” the old man explained, mainly looking at Ayleth as he spoke.[17]

  “Why couldn’t you just say that last eve as I understood that?” Simon remarked.

  “Perhaps today you have opened your mind more…that is all,” the old man answered.r />
  “I must confess I understand that easier than yesterday,” the Hospitaller remarked.

  “Thank you,” Ayleth smiled.

  “Good…I am pleased and so I shall continue this tale as they near ‘Outremer’,” the old man said and rubbed his hands together.

  Chapter 18

  Crimson Thread

  On board the Angevin Tarida boat off Scilla, Calabria, southern Italy, 1179

  It was dark inside the open hold but Alisha still looked very pale and felt sick as she held on to Paul’s arm as he supported her, Sister Lucy holding her other arm as the boat slowed to a stop as its flat bottom hull slipped noisily onto the sandbank of the beach, several horses neighing loudly behind them. Rigging and wood all creaked together and several sailors busied themselves preparing to unbolt the two large doors at the bow. Tenno, Taqi and Rick were holding on to large ropes either side of the doors assisting. Alisha looked down and gulped as she felt sick rising, but quickly managed to stop herself from being ill.