by Griff Hosker
After we had left the money lender Robert said, “I confess I cannot see what we would gain from knowing where they sell their gold and jewels.”
“It is not them that I am after. It is those who trade. I need someone who can pass amongst them. I would have those who trade followed. I need a local scout. We will keep our eyes and ears open.”
We had plenty of time and so we wandered down to the temple to see if there were any men to hire. We had a jug of wine and looked but none seemed right. We were far from home. We could not risk hiring men whom we did not trust completely. I contemplated visiting the palace but I feared that the king would find more tasks for us to do. Instead we wandered the streets. Sometimes your feet are guided not by your mind but by fate. We turned a corner and spied Roderigo de Santiago. He was with three other knights and two sergeants. I saw a new scar on his face. Had he been involved in the attack?
“The Englishman! You are still alive!”
“As are you. I put my resilience down to a clear conscience. That cannot be true of you.”
He laughed, “I like you! You are like the young cockerel in the farmyard. You strut and you pose but when the time is right you will be crushed. You do not challenge the Lord of Ramelah. He is more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”
“I have grown up around powerful men. Often the power is an illusion.” I shrugged, “Just so long as your lord keeps away from me and my men then he is safe.”
He coloured. I had provoked him, “He will be safe! You are one knight with a handful of brigands at your beck and call. If it suited my lord then he would crush you.”
“I think that, if he could, he would and he hasn’t so who is the cockerel now?”
He leaned in to me, “Beware my young friend. There will be a sea change soon. I would choose your friends more carefully!”
I nodded, “I thank you for the advice but you should know that I always choose my friends carefully” I smiled, “And that is why neither you nor your lord will ever be counted amongst them!”
My words had got to the Spaniard and he stormed off followed by the knights and sergeant.
“What do you think he meant about sea change, lord?”
“I think the Lord of Ramelah has a little treason running through his veins. It does not change what we do. We keep the road safe. This is neither Normandy nor England. I am here to do penance and, it seems to me, that I am doing so.”
Robert smiled, “The Lady Rebekah is beautiful is she not, lord?”
For some reason his words irritated me, “What on earth made you say that? Of course, she is beautiful. What has that to do with my penance?”
I could see that I had confused him, “Nothing lord save that saving her went a long way to atoning. I meant no harm, lord.”
I realised that I had over reacted, “Of course not. Forgive me. The Lord Roderigo got to me.” It was not true of course. Robert’s words had. She was beautiful but I had come here to atone for the loss of my wife and family. It was not to get another! We walked in silence through Jerusalem’s streets. I barely knew the woman and yet I could not get yer eyes from my thoughts. Her scarf was still tucked close to my tunic.
We met up with the others and headed back to Aqua Bella. It was only as we were leaving the city that I wondered if Roderigo and his knights might try to wreak revenge. I dismissed the thought. We were too close to Aqua Bella and many others were leaving the city at the same time as us. It was a sobering thought, however, from now on we needed to travel the roads in greater numbers. We had been threatened and only a fool would ignore such a threat.
Part Two
Damascus
Chapter 10
A messenger came from Simon. I had the name of the money man the bandits dealt with and the place he frequented. I could now make firmer plans. For the next four weeks, we patrolled and we secured the safe arrival of ten caravans. One of them was that of David Ben Samuel. We met him south of Ginaton.
“It is good to see you again, lord. My daughter and my son have spoken often about you. Rebekah promised to cook for you. I think that she is offended that you have yet to take her up on the offer.”
“I meant no offence but this is the caravan season. We have been busy. We have had to drive off bandits and Turks. They still try to disrupt your trade.”
“They do.”
“Tell me, have you any men who are good at tracking?”
“Good at tracking?”
“I need men with local knowledge. I will say no more for the work I have is dangerous but if you have someone who is willing to work for a Gentile, I have a plan to end the threat of the bandits for good.”
“I will ask the other merchants. They may know of someone.”
“How is Saul?”
“Recovered.”
“If he is to be a warrior he needs mail and a helmet.”
“He is a merchant. We trade.”
“And when my men are gone? What then? You need to defend yourselves. Your men have courage and ability. The bandits are no real threat to men who are armed and prepared to fight them.”
“It is the cost. Mail, helmets and swords are expensive.”
“And how expensive is a man’s life?”
He did not say much as we parted and I guessed that I had given him much to ponder upon.
We were now approaching the height of summer. The Crusaders who had journeyed from France, Germany and Austria were approaching Antioch and soon could start to exert pressure on the Turks. I hoped for an attack on Ascalon for that would allow me to go home. Yet I knew that Edessa would be the first target. And so I was surprised when a messenger arrived summoning me to Jerusalem for the Crusaders were still far away. Once again there were many knights who thronged the court. There was no room for either Tom or Robert at the court and they waited with the horses.
There was no special treatment for me. I was one of the seventy or so knights who waited for the king to speak. I did not see the Master of the Hospitallers this time nor, for that matter, any of the Templars. It appeared to be a gathering of secular knights. The Lord of Ramelah and his knights formed a large block. There were knights who stood with them showing their allegiance. It was a large number of knights who appeared to support de Waller. I remembered Roderigo’s words. They suddenly became more ominous.
Two knights preceded a very martial looking King Baldwin. He had grown in the time I had been in the Holy Land. He was now dressed for war. His mail was burnished and it shone. He had a good sword strapped to his belt. He looked as though he was ready to ride at the head of an army. Of course, that was an illusion. He was just going to tell us that we would be going to war. That much was obvious. This was ritual; this was a show. It told us that he was the King of Jerusalem and he was a warrior. The Queen, I noticed, kept to the background. Was this the start of the handover of power?
All eyes turned to him and he began to speak. “My lords I welcome you to this conclave. I bring great tidings. King Louis of France and King Conrad of Germany have brought many men to aid us in our struggle against the Seljuq Turk.”
There was a great cheer from the assembled knights.
“I come here today to ask you all to prepare to join me when we march north to meet with the others who will attack Damascus.”
If his first announcement brought cheers this one was greeted by silence. Men looked at each other. An attempt to retake Edessa was understandable. An attack on Ascalon, the last part of the principality held by the Turks was also a good idea but Damascus was not. A siege was never a good idea and Damascus was a hard city to take. I said nothing. I had but nineteen men. I knew that there were over six hundred and forty knights at the King’s disposal and over five thousand sergeants. In addition, there were thousands of peasants who could be called up to the levy. They were men like Jean and Francis. I was a small fish in this pond. I kept my counsel. Others, however, did not.
“Who has decided this, your majesty?”
The ‘your maj
esty’ was almost an afterthought from the silky mouth of Guillaume de Waller.
“I have! I am king!”
“Your majesty you are young and have not, as far as I know, taken part in a major campaign against the Turk. I have and Damascus is not an easy city to take.”
He was not shouted down. I felt guilty. I should have defended the king and yet, although I did not like it, I agreed with de Waller. I suspect my motives were different to his. I did not see the point of bleeding on the walls of Damascus. After what Roderigo had said I thought that this was the start of de Waller’s attempt to take the throne. The numbers of men who stood with him now seemed sinister.
“Lords I need your support in this.”
It was the wrong word to use. He should have used the word command instead of need.
“Then perhaps you should have consulted with those of us who have experience in such matters.”
The lack of respect was obvious and some of the knights who were not allied to de Waller now began grumbling.
The Queen spoke. “My son is doing so now, Lord de Waller. The attack is not imminent. Our allies have far to travel but we must be ready to fight when they get here. Remember your obligations. Each of you holds lands for the King. You owe him service. Are there any of you who wish to give up their lands and titles? Perhaps you are ready to return home with the riches you have accrued here?”
Although spoken by a woman there was a real threat in her words. For the first time I saw Guillaume de Waller look less confident. He bobbed his head; he was accepting the obligation. “I for one am happy to give the king the fealty we owe. I would like, however, a council of elder knights to advise him. Is that too much to ask?”
“It is a reasonable request and I will give thought to the men who will make up the council.” The Queen’s words had given him confidence and King Baldwin sounded authoritative once more. “We will meet again in four weeks’ time and I will have my council ready for the approval of this august body of knights. Until then carry on with your preparations. The siege will not be swift. We may well be in the field for the whole winter.”
As men began to leave the Queen caught my eye and gave a subtle flick of her wrist summoning me to her side. I did not rush to join her. I allowed the majority of knights to leave and then followed her into her niche behind the curtain. The King was not there.
“Like de Waller you do not like the idea of a siege, do you?”
“No, your majesty. I am a horseman and I prefer to ride to war. I have climbed siege towers and watched warriors die. I would have thought we could have taken Edessa more easily.”
“Perhaps, except that Edessa lies beyond Damascus. If my son leaves that city to threaten our lines of communication it invites disaster.”
I had not thought of that.
She smiled, “You are without guile, William of Aqua Bella. My son and I like you. You have done all that we have asked of you. Know this. When we go to war you and your men will be the scouts who ride ahead of the main army. You have shown yourself very resourceful. You will answer only to my son. Even if there is a council to offer guidance you will take orders from my son. You are the warriors who will protect him. There will be danger from within as well as from without.”
“That is a great responsibility.”
“And with it will come great reward. For now, carry on with your duties but when you return in four weeks’ time be ready to ride. You will leave a minimum of men to guard your home. Your best men must be with you.”
I found Robert and Tom waiting for me. “Well, lord?”
“It seems we have four weeks before we go to war or at least until we are summoned here again. I think we will visit with David Ben Samuel. I have less time than I thought.”
Nestled as it was in a sheltered valley, David Ben Samuel’s home felt even more welcoming than Aqua Bella which was tucked into a cliff. We were now recognized by our devices and welcomed as friends. I knew that when our horses were taken away they would be watered, fed and groomed. They would be kept in shade and they would be safe.
None of Saul’s sons were to be seen and it was the merchant himself who greeted us. “Your sons are not at home?”
Shaking his head, he said, “They have gone to Jaffa. We have some ships coming there.”
“Not Tripoli?”
“There are so many Crusader ships using the port that it is hard to get a berth and the roads south are clogged with lords and their retinue.” He smiled, “Not all come as lightly burdened as you, lord. Did you want to see my sons?”
“No David. It was you I needed. Did you managed to find the man I sought?”
Before he could answer Rebekah appeared, “My lord. Have you come to taste my food?”
“I came to speak with your father.” I saw her face fall and cursed myself for my words. I was used to speaking bluntly with soldiers. “However, as we are here and we have no plans then that would be most welcome.”
Her face lit up. “Good. I shall tell my mother.”
“That was kindly done, lord. She is still not the daughter she was. Before de Waller she was happy, intelligent and full of curiosity. Now she is withdrawn and, seemingly, frightened of her own shadow. She flinches when men pass close by her. Even me. She does not eat. There is more flesh on a corpse than on my daughter. At night, we hear her crying. It is not every night, as it once was, but we hear her tears.”
I had not seen her before but I had thought her thin, almost emaciated. “It will take time although, in truth, I do not think any man can understand what she is going through.”
“You are right, lord. We must trust to God but I am certain that your presence can only help. Now, to the matter in hand. Come inside where it is cooler.”
We entered the cool hall and took off our cloaks. We stamped our feet and shook our clothes to remove dust. We had learned the custom quickly. We even did it in Aqua Bella. A servant would sweep the hall regularly. It kept the rest of the house cleaner. The shaded courtyard with the bubbling water refreshed the moment we entered. Lemons scented the air.
The servant poured us the cooled wine and left us.”
“I have a man. I would have brought him to see you but, with my sons away I did not wish to leave my family alone. You understand?”
“Of course. Who is he and where is he?”
“I will begin with his story. His name is Masood. He and his family lived north of here in the Beqaa valley. Turks came and raided his farm. His father was slain and he and his family made into slaves. On the way east he managed to escape in the wild lands north of Galilee. He learned to fend for himself. He became a solitary man. We found him some years ago not far from Ginaton. He had hurt his leg. We tended him and brought him here. He watches my flocks in the high pastures. He prefers that to the company of men. As for where he is,” he pointed north. “Somewhere up there. Now what do you need of him?”
“The bandits and the Turks who prey on caravans have to sell their goods somewhere. I believe it is in the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem. I have been given the name of a man who deals with the bandits and sells for them in Jerusalem. I need someone to watch him. When the bandits come to sell to him he can follow them to their lair. When we know where the nest lies then we will destroy them once and for all. At the moment, we are trying to swat flies when they come. So long as they have somewhere to hide, we will never rid ourselves of them. Destroy their home and the threat is gone.”
“I will ask him but you must appreciate, my lord, that you cannot order a man to do that. He chooses to take the risk or he does not.”
“I know.”
“Then I will ask him and, if he agrees I will send him to you.”
We spoke of the caravans and I was told that all the merchants were now reaping the reward of our labours. “That may change, I am afraid. We go to war soon. The king wishes to use my men. It will be in your quiet time but even so…”
“When there is war that is the time the bandits come from their
holes.”
“And that is why I wish to destroy them before I go to war.”
“And if Masood cannot do as you ask?”
“Then we will do it the hard way. We will go into the hills and seek them. I have men who are good scouts.”
“But it would be easier if you knew you were looking in the right place.” I nodded. “You have not given yourself an easy task and I admire the fact that it is not for you that you do this but for others.”
“Penance, I wish to atone.”
“And yet you have not visited a priest since you arrived here.”
“How do you know that?”
“There is no priest at Aqua Bella and you have had no time during your visits to Jerusalem.”
“I speak with God each night. I say my prayers and beg for forgiveness.”
A servant came, “Lord, Lady Rebekah says to tell you that the meal is almost ready.”
David Ben Samuel waved a hand and slaves appeared with water and towels. We were now used to this custom. We had copied it at Aqua Bella. Robert and Tom were summoned and they joined us.
We were taken into a large room. At home, in Normandy, we would have called it a hall. Here, however, it was light for three were openings to allow light and air through. Fine muslin stopped flies. It was pleasant. The smell of lamb cooked with herbs and spices drifted from the kitchen. It was an aromatic and enticing smell. We were honoured. Ruth, Mary and Rebekah came in and sat at the table.
David pointed to a seat between his daughter, Rebekah and himself. “Lord, sit here.” I saw that there was a space between Rebekah and Mary and one between David Ben Samuel and Ruth. When we were seated, our host said, “It is our custom to thank God for our food before we eat. It will not offend you?”
“We do the same and we shall join you.”
He smiled, “Always a gentleman. In my house, we have the custom of holding hands and making a circle.” He gave me his hand and Rebekah held up hers. Her skin was so soft it felt like silk. I was afraid to hold it in case I crushed or damaged it. I did not hear David Ben Samuel’s words. I was concentrating on not hurting the young woman to my right.