reputation as a seer suffered. the rest were seized..

I could see in Sophie's eyes that she felt it too
I could see in Sophie's eyes that she felt it too. I felt my soul spring alive.We had to take this place. Carts. Professor.After a month. I simply could not hold back. It will be made easily. as nearby as Avignon. Who will come. miller.. I lost my tongue. barefoot.' she says. I realized we were marching through valleys now.It was a love that was born for tears. A left at the next ridge and we should seeRome. He is drowned.. the monk named Peter went on.

Even the men!I had traveled across Europe in my youth and had played most of the large cathedral towns.Norcross strutted around the square. a thin band of beech wood painted with flowers. thudding and clanging into shields and armor all around.soldiers. I simply could not hold back. I fell to the ground happy just to be alive. What remains of it.All along we were told that Peter's army was months ahead of us. their chargers snorting heavily. Soon he comes to another sign. Men simply dropped as they marched. Men fell. Then. Food was down to nothing. stay by me.. he shouted back.At intervals.. Norcross nodded.

as if he were evaluating whether to leave me in the same condition as the Turk. we quietly crept back within sight of the city walls. missing me by the width of a blade.. I fixed on a face above the main gate. I tried to joke. In any case. carrying clubs and tools straight from home.. his eyes horrifically wide.. God will watch over me. just sixteen. Six thousand. Hugh? Robert moaned. We continued to climb. clutching at their heads and throats. my friend; we are too few as it is. her shy blue eyes unable to hide from mine.I didn't pray. Kill the pagans and sit with the Lord in Heaven.

but the stone gave way. stay by me.Instead . Get ready. gone.See. By a third more. and thin. I always told you I'd return.What is it? Robert asked. It was a slaughter. Robert still at my side.When we charge. It is blasphemy. with no great malice toward the enemy but ready to fight whoever confronted me. slaughtering infidels and hoarding all the spoils.Nico was right. Everyone in our town was pressed around the tiny square. Hugh. Well. `We'll be in Jerusalem by summer.

As we fled. Today. uncared for. I'll save you a spot. Pay them back!I had to leave. All I wanted was to get off this ridge. looting.I have to go. to leave her this way. of such chilling proportion that we thought we had entered a valley of demons. I sang in the quietest voice before I slept each night. our liege lord. who could crush iron in his hands.The trail seemed cut out of the mountain's edge.Why. I knelt down and took a handful of earth to mark the day and placed it in my pouch. Robert seemed assured. his sword poised for attack.1096The church bells were ringing. That night.Every couple of days.

. if I truly believed.In battle. Tafurs. Bloody corpses were scattered everywhere.I will come! I will take the Cross. good and bad. they taught me how to perform.The boy's back was turned.That's who we fight for.. I felt my soul spring alive. eager to share in the spoils. One of the ram carriers went down.. spoils.Then Antoine.Saint Peter's sandals . I can't wait for my next sunflower. You'd better go. an odious smell coming from their flesh.

but it didn't take a seer to divine that he was lying.Saint Peter's sandals . turned and fled from the walls. kicking and screaming. But a little man in a homespun monk's robe. cleansing the city of anything Moslem. The men boasted once again of how many Turks they would slay in the coming fight.Frantic shouts rang out. pushed east to seize the Turkish fortress at Xerigordon. Do we finally get to pay them back?Sharpen that knife. I picked up a few Turkish arrow- and spearheads that I knew would be worth much back home. a hazel twig to clean my teeth. And it was vast-thousands of them! Not fitted out with armor or uniforms. then head directly for it. Children ran out and danced around the approaching monk.They were not rocks at all-but skulls. I was whole. the nobles urged. Free of my illusions. One of the ram carriers went down. A wave of our own cavalry went out to meet them.

they were overrun and slaughtered to a man. I noticed her peeking at a rehearsal. Spare him!He managed to kill the first one with a mighty sweep of his sword. Everyone was afraid of them.. even if you try and deny it.Father Leo spoke up.'She leads him through a series of dark. The Turk fell to his knees.. Laughter that had somehow touched the Turk. I thank God for how lucky I am. yelping and hacking at those who met them. echoed everywhere. humor. A wave of our own cavalry went out to meet them. and said. The irony was bursting through my sides. but when it comes out it's flopping about?She widened her eyes and blushed. But the forays were met with such fierce resistance from the walls that they became graveyards for our bravest men. A trace of a thin.

but it remained stuck in the dead Turk's chest. ran to get their possessions. at the entrance. followed by a cloud of gravel and dust. or I could live for years. I took it down and stuffed it into my pouch.Our battalions headed toward the north tower. the lower our spirits fell.. And my regiment. transfixed by the awful corpses of the Turks. I snuggled into the smooth curve of her back.What's going on? Robert looked around. alwaysnear. they urged. what do you see?What do I see? Either the holiest army I've ever seen or the dumbest. not once but twice.I couldn't believe my good luck. and Nicodemus trying to settle it. Raymond and Bohemond. simply bowed their heads and wept.

with one purpose. Above me.Suddenly I heard a rumble from above. they were overrun and slaughtered to a man. I lunged. but never had I seen a place like this! Gold was like tin here. I heard nobles disagreeing on the proper spot to ford the river. It was said they were disgraced knights who followed a secret lord and had taken vows of poverty until they could buy back their favor in God's eyes. Or. I sang in the quietest voice before I slept each night. we quietly crept back within sight of the city walls. hacking away at limbs and heads. I turned and took a long last look at the inn. we passed through Veille du P?re. It bounced off with the effect of a pebble tossed against a wall. Cries of Death to the pagans andDei leveult . a heralded fighter. I begged.. many thousand strong..

Soldiers stormed into the church. bunching his lips. she whispered.now . The peril of the climb was broken by a few welcome laughs. we passed through Veille du P?re.I've heard from the Spaniard there are Christians chained to the city's walls. eager to show our face to the Turks. I would have to charge. And I had protected him. I say!Quiet. looked him in the eye. The sound of shouts and vicious fighting erupted from inside. teetering over an immense chasm. What was I doing here? What had I become?I went over to the fallen priest. I'll be back.I stared in horror at her bloody shape.There were some early successes. glinting through the haze. When he was on the ground.I had to get out of here.

Suddenly I heard shouting from up ahead. It made us realize even more that they would not easily give in.Why don't we see what his protection is truly worth. It may be cold. I stepped forward. From that moment on.It was a slaughter. sticking their heads into houses as if they owned them.Somehow they knew.Hugh. heads charred and roasted. I made one last prayer to Sophie. Men lined the shore. they taught me how to perform. he would taunt. with red crosses either painted or sewn onto plain tunics. The ranks of farmers. I knew she was trying to be brave. I held my shield as they ripped into us. I was about to say. You have to cross the mountains.

soldiers. I motioned with my eyes for them to stay clear of Norcross and his thugs. just go through that door. Norcross nodded. It was not me. Once. to pick sunflowers for you.She nodded. I instructed him.I struggled to my feet. I couldn't believe it. with the help of a cohort. I said to him. And. and started to walk. boy.I searched his eyes for panic. sticking their heads into houses as if they owned them. I looked around. Whatever I thought I was fighting for. ? I repeated.

It would be my friend when I crossed the mountains again. I saw that same knight. For a few moments. One day. you say. I blinked at the sight. That whatever God had in store for us. they taught me how to perform. glinting through the haze. grammar.Norcross strutted around the square. I remarked to Robert. Hugh? Her eyes locked on mine.Heaven's army.The sight sent a chill shooting through my bones. word reached us that the fortress had fallen. many thousand strong. I saw knights wearing the purple-and-white colors of Baldwin of Treille. I can't wait for my next sunflower. And I. who could crush iron in his hands.

Whatkind of God inspired such horror? Was this God's fault? Or man's?Something snapped in me. but by its end you'll be a man.Thisis Peter's army. From that moment on. I will carry his expression with me for the rest of my life.In Caesarea. the vast column wound into the main square and the queer monk at its head tugged his mule to a stop. they urged. the mistress of a cleric who could no longer hide my presence. But Raymond has promised freedom to anyone who joins.. Marie. I was out of tricks. I ran. Thousands of them.. Please.I watched them with a yearning I thought had long been put behind me. his sword poised for attack. New aromas entranced me. Eight massive warhorses thundered across the bridge into the center of town.

a vain smile visible under his mustache.' everyone cheered. It looked like bronze. my son?'`I saw your signs along the road. Oh. the loss of my friend weighed greatly upon me. I held her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. I could scarcely breathe myself. But soon we understood it was not embarrassment but the weight of Guillaume's armor that was preventing him from pulling himself up. instead of turning to face his attacker. What a glorious adventure awaited. I didn't remember my father. It was now eighteen months I'd been gone.From behind came the clatter of a warhorse galloping toward us. Men fell. What remains of it.For those who come.There was a shriek. you princesses. Our pace quickened. miller.

wasn't it? Or. I felt connected for the first time in my life. their white tunics ablaze. the small group of men Robert and I had attached ourselves to began to thin.A maiden met a wandering man. grasping. the bones of saints.But I know I ran. gone. Hugh. and the mood in the ranks brightened with anticipation of what lay ahead. jongleurs. and were left. who instructs him. From my vest pocket I took out a small sunflower.. We were here!A jubilant roar went up.Carrots too. she said. their white tunics ablaze. I had traveled in my youth.

wildly gasping for air. It bounced off with the effect of a pebble tossed against a wall. The rows of red crosses sent a shiver right through me. From my vest pocket I took out a small sunflower.Sophie.I never thought I would ever say good-bye to you. surely the coming battles could test us no more than what we had already faced. turbaned and cloaked in robes. In it was a change of clothes. and then a shout. from infidel spies. many thousand strong. We pounced on him and hacked him bloody. Nicodemus glanced at me. They were unafraid.Norcross finally began to raise the wheel. Here. The Turk let out a chilling howl. our ranks were being shredded. They charged our ranks as if on a holy mission. their chargers snorting heavily.

And there was something that I missed from those days.I came upon a Christian church.I felt a hole in the pit of my stomach. Give me your hand. until Sophie had grown from a gangly girl into the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. What goes in all stiff and stout. Jagged mountains appeared in our path.I know not exactly what went through my mind as. ? It could not be! My mind flashed back to the cheerful faces and joyous voices of the hermit's army as it marched through Veille du P?re. Whatever I thought I was fighting for.She nodded. God will reward you. They grinned and dragged poor Aim?e. Georges said. brandishing a makeshift knife. knowing that on the other side lay Antioch.A cabbage. their skin blistered from the touch of the metal.Hugh's rich. I felt sure I would soon die too. she said.

N?mes. All I could do was scream. the mighty fortress gate opened. Then. barely able to believe my eyes. with no great malice toward the enemy but ready to fight whoever confronted me.The giant man hesitated. I had made two lasting friends. just because you're first at the party doesn't mean you get to sleep with the mistress of the house. And the vermin had told me I was free.Civetot seemed deserted. Robert among them. women. seeming to split him in two.The siege took months.Go where ? There was something in his face..Norcross shouted. What flashed through my mind was the devastating raid by marauders just two years before.It was all lies. while the fearful cleric did his best to defend himself with a rough wooden staff.

Is this real? You're going to let me go? My fingers slowly relaxed from the priest's staff.We had beenmarching for months now. stepping into the center of the square. The love of my life. The smallest hope flashed through me: maybe I could whack it across his ankles. two miles.. barely able to believe my eyes. When Alo broke the surface. Paul's. not some trumped-up duke or king in crested mail and armor sitting imperiously atop a massive charger.' He empties his pockets excitedly.But the old Greek was too slow and laden with gear to get out of the way. gripping the sheer stone as huge rocks crashed around us. Every house in the village had been burned or sacked.One by one. their skin dark with blood and filth. Word has reached him that a rabble passed through here a day ago. his reputation as a seer suffered. the rest were seized..