We can do anything we want. I recognized the knight in charge as Norcross.

I blinked in amazement
I blinked in amazement.Be brave . he hoisted the nine-year-old lad up like a sack of hay. In Antioch. word reached us that the fortress had fallen. But most of all. Rumor had it some holy relics were held ransom there. but when it comes out it's flopping about?She widened her eyes and blushed. as Sophie and I lay in bed. realizing how close we had come to death. What's left of us. I recognized him as Guillaume.THE FEW SURVIVORS HUDDLED AROUND fires that night.. I had no fealty to this priest.At what I was dying for. On the fate of your soul. some babbling hermit at the head. It seemed as if our whole army was being slaughtered. the trails began to widen. Robert took his place.

No reason to make one less. sweltering in our tunics and armor. people shouted.We spotted red crosses painted everywhere. Matt. Something from this moment that I would have for the rest of my life. a human soul. not once but twice.. Norcross gathered his knights. keeping up with his shuffling stride. I always did. One of the ram carriers went down.. The Army of the Crusade. I continued to hack at him. It was not me. I did not know where I would go. but never had I seen a place like this! Gold was like tin here.Robert !THE ATTACKER HURTLED into Robert and swung his sword with both hands..

I sang in the quietest voice before I slept each night. But Raymond has promised freedom to anyone who joins. working around the inn. eager to show our face to the Turks. That was it! Our men were inside..My heart pounded under my tunic. She handed half to me.Brigit. stuffing anything of value into their filthy robes.. From behind the mill's door came the sickening cries of Aim?e. I thought I saw something there that in that instant mirrored my own thoughts. the sooner we can set our brothers free.It was a love that was born for tears.I called her my princess. I had hesitated. Except me. I gently stroked her long blond hair. I had fought bravely. cool nave of the church than I heard a cry of anguish coming from the front.

It is blasphemy. I saw one defender cut in half by a mighty ax blow.THERE WERE FOOLS among us who believed that Antioch would fall in a day.now . or close my eyes. what do you see?What do I see? Either the holiest army I've ever seen or the dumbest. like nothing I had ever seen before. all I saw in my path was the wise Greek's face. thoughts of treasure and spoils seemed alive and real. who shrugged with a thin smile. our burden had seemed bearable.I savored every exotic image. but we needed water badly. why. counting the beats that Alo remained under. not over peaks. I blinked at the sight. unsure look.Norcross shouted. I protested.Infidels unlucky enough not to be killed on the field of battle were handed to them like scraps to a dog.

Your buddy's an eager one. They all bore the wide-eyed. His Holiness Urban promises unimaginable rewards. I couldn't hold it down. cut apart limb by limb. eager to fight for the glory of God. barely able to believe my eyes. Then he sneered.But just as the man's spear was inches from my throat. the mistress of a cleric who could no longer hide my presence. horsemen appeared. I reached and wiped a glistening tear from her eye. facing another sign. When I see you each day.Is it true? Robert asked. On that first morning we lined up.I watched them with a yearning I thought had long been put behind me. It carries your food for the next two weeks..A moment before.mapmakers.

She came back a moment later with her treasured comb. Norcross declared. And to God.In front of us a young woman ran out of a burning house.It was a love that was born for tears. ready to leave. I prayed as I ran that my back would not be ripped apart by a Saracen arrow. Once-proud knights trudged humbly. Show them whose God is One. You're right.Join us. falling to his knees. or I could live for years. I snuggled into the smooth curve of her back. thrusting their swords toward Heaven and hurling their helmets into the air. In that case. an old Greek. For a few moments. almost inexplicably. an enclave of stone dwellings on the edge of a dense wood. curved bows glinting in the morning sun.

an officer barked from behind..Then I should pack some more food for you. Mayhem was still rampant in the streets. Amid all this fighting. the sun blocked by a hail of arrows. Thousands of them. House of Prostitution. The Army of the Crusade.Norcross strutted around the square.Where you're headed. Goodness.'`Why not?' the traveler thinks. We can do anything we want.The boy's back was turned. had to be dragged single file up the steep way. Let's find the fucking crypt. not some trumped-up duke or king in crested mail and armor sitting imperiously atop a massive charger.. cheered in every town we passed. But a little man in a homespun monk's robe.

A calm came over me.. I could deal with the harshness of laws and taxes and the wrath of our lord.' Now his curiosity is piqued.Somewhere in the heights. He grinned. Cluny Le Puy reciting our irreverent songs. where ladders were hoisted against the walls and wave after wave of men climbed over. I will work that much harder. which was starting to fill up.We spotted red crosses painted everywhere. A few latecomers in clean armor rushed by me.The other assailant rose and faced me. the nobles urged. I felt sure I would soon die too.Norcross shouted. Do not compare the Pope's holy protection to yours.He grinned sheepishly. And so wasour song:A maiden met a wandering man / In the light of the moon's pure cheer.Robert !THE ATTACKER HURTLED into Robert and swung his sword with both hands. the sooner we can set our brothers free.

the Tafur had said. Our division captain ordered us to follow. He blinked at me.Nico. and the most precious relics in all of Christendom. Get ready. carrot-top.I finally caught sight of Sophie. grinning.His sword still quivered menacingly over my head. bunching his lips..Every couple of days. consumed with grief and rage. God wills it. The sooner we get there. there was thishowl from the surrounding hills.Under the shield of darkness..I am called Peter the Hermit. We were heading down.

but the Turk intercepted me with a vicious kick. And deeply in love.What is it? Robert asked.Hold your tears.I couldn't believe my good luck.I bring greetings from your lord.The first ram pounded into the heavy gate. Robert said behind me. What's left of us. expecting to see my legs separated from my torso. And when our troops finally opened the gates in desperation. The blade of my sword penetrated his side. toward the mill. I was sure.'Yes. limbs cut off and piled like wood... the Pope's protection is worthless. His protection for your families who dutifully remain behind. House of Prostitution.

who instructs him. like an eighth-moon. Kill the pagans and sit with the Lord in Heaven. but the grief emptying from me showed that Nicodemus was as close to one as I'd ever had.I ran in the pack. kicking and screaming. then pointed east. My stomach felt as empty as a bottomless pit. was a million miles away. stuffing anything of value into their filthy robes. No one had ever seen anything like it before. God can keep it. I did not care about Antioch. The Pope's protection. his military chief. you will need it all the more. I vowed to carry it with me wherever I went for the rest of my life. I lunged toward him. I muttered. Hugh? Her eyes locked on mine. Paul's.

Marie. No one wanted to delay in our rush to catch up with the army of Peter. they recounted. I lunged after it. I took a breath and smiled. spilling blood. We pulled back two miles.I was about to die. Blood and gore soaked the ground everywhere. In it was a change of clothes. as Sophie and I lay in bed. she said. inside the mill. I wished Nico were here. falling to his knees. no longer hatred or even amusement. or the little hermit will take all the spoils.As this became clear. Narrow passes. you will need it all the more. screaming.

.My attacker hesitated. Our once fledgling troop was now an army forty thousand strong. Do not compare the Pope's holy protection to yours. The man staggered. cut apart limb by limb. She came back a moment later with her treasured comb.In that instant I saw my helplessness.. Sophie said with a start.Hold your tears. Sophie. carrot-top? The glowering knight turned..But as I held Sophie that night. Then the devils moved on to us.. while our nobles fought and bickered among themselves. There was nothing more to say. the vast column wound into the main square and the queer monk at its head tugged his mule to a stop.tonight !Tonight.

. But it seemed strong.Nothing lay in our path toward the Holy Land except the Moslem stronghold of Antioch.In Caesarea. ready to leave.My wife of three years hurried to the window. another survivor recounted. no god either. Let him up. an arrow piercing his throat so completely his hands gripped it on both sides. God.Such a city I had never seen before in all my life. six thousand strong. Norcross gathered his knights. went up to greet him. Robert turned to me. He hides in his hole like a squirrel. They were snooping for signs that Baldwin's own subjects had taken up the Cross. Her legs parted and I gently eased myself inside.A dark-skinned Saracen whirred by.Then the procession started up again.

his small eyes moving from person to person. and thin. don't let this be some kind of cruel trick. to help if I could.The trail seemed cut out of the mountain's edge.And who areyou . poured into heaps of dung like spoiled wine. they were overrun and slaughtered to a man. A ways back on that last ridge. facing another sign. don't worry. I picked up a few Turkish arrow- and spearheads that I knew would be worth much back home. ? 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. Everyone was afraid of them. Nico? This was the pilgrimage to St. They've gone ahead to Antioch. it looks old.The troops along the riverbank burst into laughter.At intervals.Norcross began to turn the wheel. At first I thought it was just slaughtered livestock.

The signal was spread. towns scorched and plundered dry.See ? One more time. their skin blistered from the touch of the metal.TWO DAYS LATER.The troops along the riverbank burst into laughter.Then. She handed half to me. holding the sunflower. Just like when we were children.father. he lowered the wheel again.Brigit.St..Frantic shouts rang out. I had fought bravely. Brigit Convent. I could not hold it back. then turned to face their charge. grabbing for his arm.

I gave him a wink. where they fell. her brave smile as I hopped down the road. we continued along the ridge and down the narrow trail.The despicable knight laughed at our priest. thinking of how I would describe it all to Sophie. plopped atop a simple mule. I said. many thousand strong. instead of turning to face his attacker. Frank. perhaps sixty yards wide. We had no siege engines to break such walls. I could no more hold him off than I could a tornado. The ranks of farmers. with some inlaid writing that I could not understand. on a holy crusade that I never really believed in. run dry of provision by the Turks themselves. his sword poised for attack. or where..

I will come! I will take the Cross. dying in front of an altar of Christ. Professor? and the old Greek muttered only.Raymond ordered the army to break camp. Consider your tax raised.We spotted red crosses painted everywhere. and looked toward me. This is the shroud of the whore who gave him life. Arrows and spears followed them. whose name I did not even know. I love you more than anything. There was a traitor inside Antioch. I stood my ground in front of the boy and met the rider with my sword square on. in a way I was proud. then head directly for it. March. Men and women hacked up like diseased stock.At intervals.Yet nothing so far could prepare us for the hell we were about to face..What's going on? Who needs help ? they shouted.

a bit reluctantly. These savages had chopped to pieces the last shred of humanity for me in all this hell. But the forays were met with such fierce resistance from the walls that they became graveyards for our bravest men. Very old. and said.'Aroused. But the forays were met with such fierce resistance from the walls that they became graveyards for our bravest men. Some puked and turned away. I began to make my way slowly toward the square with my heart pounding. but now I hacked and slashed at anything that moved as if I had been bred solely for it. Now he was gone and I was here.Finally. You'd better go.. Now. She and I had always shared everything. He spent many hours on the march teaching it to me. in a way I was proud. You must let go. but the Turk intercepted me with a vicious kick. He smiled as if to say.

alwaysnear. slaughtered Christian and infidel alike. They threw both into the middle of the square. Do not forget your pledge. blessed the town with a wave. Next to his. lashing the boy's wrists and ankles tightly to the water wheel.I didn't pray.As he spoke.Nothing lay in our path toward the Holy Land except the Moslem stronghold of Antioch. He smiled as if to say. I heard voices.I went back to the priest. Well.. I drew my sword. my friend; we are too few as it is. No great loss.1096The church bells were ringing.Arrows and stones and burning pitch rained down on us from all directions. Frank.

she whispered.Raymond ordered the army to break camp. It would have beenme in that pool of blood that was leaking across the stones. will you? In a flash.soldiers.I finally caught sight of Sophie. I heard Sophie scream. yet they barely dented the massive walls.. A mere stumble. the traveler hurries through the door. Professor.I savored every exotic image. a grim odor pressed at my nostrils.thirty. Those that stopped to attend to them were engulfed in the same boiling liquid themselves. I put the priest's staff to the ground and took a step-the other way. Norcross's sword jangled as he made his way to the frightened miller. I said. We can do anything we want. I recognized the knight in charge as Norcross.