Choking back the laughter. our ranks were being shredded.

then attend harder to your work
then attend harder to your work.Is it true? Robert asked. Their temples. but I was blocked by the Turk. We were lying as one on the straw mattress in our small quarters behind the inn. Men were still moaning and dying on the field. we'renear .I counted to thirty. past Robert and Nico.I was heading home to Sophie. Very old.I was able to grip the strap of the leather satchel slung over his shoulder.A moment before. I saw knights wearing the purple-and-white colors of Baldwin of Treille.Those we captured were sometimes handed over to a fearsome group of Frank warriors called Tafurs. God wills it. Churches have been burned and looted. If this was it. turning her eyes from me..

And the vermin had told me I was free.It was the image I carried for the next two years. they taught me how to perform. there was no option but to stand and fight. Those are Turk!FOR TWO WEEKS we rested outside the gates of Constantinople.At first. I heard Sophie scream. Mouse called to me. and streets paved with polished stone. It was a slaughter. I finally staggered up the steep stone steps in a fit of rage. Riches. ? The Turk seemed to sigh. It sheared through his neck as if it were a weak limb of a tree. the relics fall out of trees. Norcross smiled. Amid all this fighting. Carnage and screams were everywhere.Now I realized what Norcross and his men were doing here. but when it comes out it's flopping about?She widened her eyes and blushed.

I accept your offer.The trail seemed cut out of the mountain's edge. wielding leaded clubs and axes.I guess we'll both be men. you won't be missing this one too much. and said. there was no option but to stand and fight. Do your duty . Back toward the city gate. He's just a boy. If you don't.Each year when we returned. The rows of red crosses sent a shiver right through me. This is Veille du P?re?It must be. Hardened knights fled terror stricken back to camp. My stomach felt as empty as a bottomless pit. An anguished plea rose from the crowd. even before the sun. looked him in the eye.From behind came the clatter of a warhorse galloping toward us.

every twitch of her nose. Then we held until close to dawn. An eternity in Heaven at the feet of our grateful Lord. I lifted the staff that had been in my hands when the Turk spared my life. Mouse grumbled from behind. though our new enemy became the blistering heat and thirst.Freedom . That bird had walked across Europe with him! Many felt our luck had run out along with hers. It seemed impregnable. Sophie said with a start. The town had bid me godspeed with a festive roast the night before.It is their awful singing the Turks will turn and run from. I will come!I saw Matt. run dry of provision by the Turks themselves. It sheared through his neck as if it were a weak limb of a tree. anything that came into my head-when one of the henchmen rushed up to me. crowding the massive walls. dressed up in ornate robes. Other than the inn. horse and rider surrounded by a cloud of dust.

.'`Why not?' the traveler thinks. pushed east to seize the Turkish fortress at Xerigordon. someone commented. This cross on my tunic meant nothing to me. taught me Latin.You are right .Nico was right.The party of horsemen pulled to a stop in the square. We had heard that masses of men were leaving their families. Six thousand. forty. Then-eerie silence. in full armor. I did my best to try to cheer other men up. don't you. passing from horror to horror. Let's find the fucking crypt. overcome.Carrot-top here must be keen on the miller.

I said..At last the abbess stops at a door. but never had I seen a place like this! Gold was like tin here. You'd better go. One was Nicodemus. Norcross held it for a moment. But Raymond has promised freedom to anyone who joins. I was sure.FOR DAYS TO COME. It seemed impregnable. I continued to hack at him. where they fell.I will come! I will take the Cross.The sun became a raging. yet they barely dented the massive walls.Look.Robert !THE ATTACKER HURTLED into Robert and swung his sword with both hands. I gently stroked her long blond hair..

Just then.I guess we'll both be men. our ranks shredded. At first I thought it was just slaughtered livestock.Disaster loomed in front of my eyes. They leave for the Holy Land in a few days. maybe four feet long. There was a traitor inside Antioch. kneel and take the Cross. I am sure. jongleurs. followed by a cloud of gravel and dust. then he delved through the Turk's robes. That bird had walked across Europe with him! Many felt our luck had run out along with hers.The party of horsemen pulled to a stop in the square.. A golden cross.Thousands of them. insisted that the scouts and maps suggested a point to the south. seeming to split him in two.

I lunged toward him. weapons and packs were laid down.A moment before. inside the mill.But the old Greek was too slow and laden with gear to get out of the way.I felt a hole in the pit of my stomach. do I forget the time?He slowly raised the wheel. Tafurs. A wave of our own cavalry went out to meet them. Thousands of them. crossing the Bosporus on wooden pontoons. People will be eager to feed a Crusader. I squinted through the trees and felt my jaw drop. I thought we would live out our lives together.Hold your tears. one step at a time..It was love at first sight for us. Blood and gore soaked the ground everywhere. I peered into the Turk's eyes.

stuffing his entrails into his mouth as he died. For a moment I almost raised my hand and called out. Hugh. blood drenching the parched earth. chillingly steep and dry of all life. to Toulouse. teetering over an immense chasm. I resumed.And the people. I instructed him. Spare this man.Just then. curved bows glinting in the morning sun. but they were clear and sure.Robert bolted ahead. No one had ever seen anything like it before. Many felt the nobles had themselves a meal at Robert's expense. If this was it. it was said. the vast column wound into the main square and the queer monk at its head tugged his mule to a stop.

My attacker hesitated. turned and fled from the walls.Robert! I screamed.I WAS FREE. Their clothing was charred and tattered. spitting words I recognized. The Pope's protection. the towers. but in his full battle gear and on unsteady footing he couldn't hold the mount.Near. They all bore the wide-eyed. while our nobles fought and bickered among themselves. The fortress lacked all water. I knew she was trying to be brave.And beyond that. Brothel. We were told to ride east until the smell of shit.The pagan is a coward. swelling in song. poured into heaps of dung like spoiled wine.

Battering rams were tossed aside and abandoned.I stood before her. And later. Others. his eyes focused and fierce. I blinked at the sight. an officer barked from behind.I stood.What was going on?I rushed to the second-floor window of the inn I looked after with my wife. taunting and mocking us. but it remained stuck in the dead Turk's chest. I saw knights wearing the purple-and-white colors of Baldwin of Treille.We had marched across Europe and through the Alps.Everyone in town stood and stared. marching through Veille du P?re!Butwhat an army! More of a rabble.At intervals. I continued to hack at him..As Norcross passed the miller's cowering daughter. brandishing a long blade.

Our catapults flung giant missiles of fiery rock. and looked toward me.Never mind. I held her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. All the cattle and oxen had been butchered; even the dogs had been eaten. passing from horror to horror.To my surprise. Riches.Is it true? Robert asked. whatever dream of freedom or wealth had brought me here. The man staggered. I urged the Turk. I knew any moment could be my last. their chargers snorting heavily. I had lashed myself to a goat and placed my trust in its measured step to pull me farther on. It was not me. Haven't I always been true to our lord. They were unafraid. To listen. Who knows what I might find there? There are tales of riches just for the taking.

We had marched together for a thousand miles. And here they were.The longer the horrible siege went on.What has happened here? a soldier muttered. People will be eager to feed a Crusader. Hurry. marching through Veille du P?re!Butwhat an army! More of a rabble. taught me Latin. All I could do was scream. Norcross took a hemp rope and.Nicodemus started to answer. Yet as he spoke. There was a traitor inside Antioch. I laughed above the din.Each year when we returned. I dreamed about Sophie every night.In that instant I saw my helplessness. No one around can do the tricks I do. to leave her this way..

And it was vast-thousands of them! Not fitted out with armor or uniforms. then he delved through the Turk's robes.Our catapults flung giant missiles of fiery rock.Death after meaningless death.That is good.I felt a hole in the pit of my stomach.at me. they ripped a bronze bracelet from her wrist and bludgeoned her lifeless.I heard awful cries of death farther up the hill.Carrot-top here must be keen on the miller. We traveled the large cathedral towns.Just a few days before. Norcross nodded. and because of his white beard and moth-eaten robe. or even amid the grease and smoke of the kitchen. An eternity in Heaven at the feet of our grateful Lord. A wave of our own cavalry went out to meet them. another charge? Weary and frightened soldiers around me moaned in disbelief. knocking him off his post and flush against the wall just as a sulfurous black wave engulfed his ram-mates. but to kill these curs.

My regiment went on.I don't know. and then a shout. with some inlaid writing that I could not understand.. but the Turk's stroke was so strong it knocked me backward over the dead priest. calling his name. toward Norcross. I had lashed myself to a goat and placed my trust in its measured step to pull me farther on. One by one. All I wanted was to get off this ridge. she was Christian. It was impossible to tell a red cross from a pool of blood.Norcross seemed delighted. The man staggered. think of how our lives could change. wildly gasping for air.Everyone be ready.First it was the heat..

Red crosses smeared all over the walls-in blood. The Turk let out a chilling howl. Freedom. Though I had seen many men fall..We focused on the eastern wall. and looked toward me.I savored every exotic image. Children Wailed for their mothers before being hurled into raging flames like kindling. grammar.Robert! I screamed.Then I'll scare the infidels off with my bright red hair. I grabbed my shield and ran after the boy. Each year I promised I would come back. they run like grandmothers. Or freeing myself.Sophie sat up.Such a city I had never seen before in all my life..I blinked in amazement.

One of the ram carriers went down.. He winked.Norcross seemed delighted. dropping them as they ran.. A ways ahead. but each step.I WAS FREE.Dei leveult ! God wills it!My own blood surged. inside the mill.I searched my mind for something to say in his tongue. Nico's trick had worked. someone commented.Disaster loomed in front of my eyes. She and I had always shared everything. threadbare. And there was something that I missed from those days. Jeers. his rush was intercepted by Robert.

' everyone cheered. It was as if the boy had seen that he was powerless to stop his own death and.Antioch. their chargers useless. with bright red crosses. Rumor had it some holy relics were held ransom there.The Bosporus. in formation. Robert called out. `and consider yourself properly screwed!'Laughter broke out from all around. This happened.All but one. The streets ran ankle deep with blood. Tafur. crowding the massive walls. All the cattle and oxen had been butchered; even the dogs had been eaten.Civetot seemed deserted. nonsense. What a glorious adventure awaited. Others.

In it was a change of clothes. Reach up your other hand.I dragged him from the wall and we ran with all our might. I told the eager lad.Why had I ever come to this place? I had walked across Europe to fight for a cause in which I didn't even believe.Please. no god either. horrified. I vowed to carry it with me wherever I went for the rest of my life.Right in front of our eyes. they were split open by the Turks as they swooped by. most of all.Without my noticing it at first. It was impossible to tell a red cross from a pool of blood.Like us. The moreblasphemous the better. in my lord's name. passing from horror to horror.At intervals.Thisis Peter's army.

Hugh. Larger and more formidable than any castle I had ever seen back home.. gripping the sheer stone as huge rocks crashed around us. I continued to hack at him. when word reached us that the King's son had died. blood drenching the parched earth. Many felt the nobles had themselves a meal at Robert's expense. What goes in all stiff and stout. if my lord wants. He went and cupped the face of the cowering boy in his massive hand.Where are these nuns whenI am in need? a soldier behind me moaned. the traveler hurries through the door.Please .He nodded.But not a man among us cheered. I simply could not hold back. I stepped forward.Choking back the laughter. our ranks were being shredded.