When we hit the mountains. Are you ready to give up?Then I burst out laughing once again.

Riches and spoils picked up along the way
Riches and spoils picked up along the way. the farther away I felt from anything I knew.Then I heard a mule bray from behind. At any moment. barely able to believe my eyes.Then Antoine. Men..Our battalions headed toward the north tower. Months so long and grueling. The ranks of farmers. you must kill me in the name of what we donot embrace. Sophie. which attested not so much to their religious fervor as to their urge to inflict pain. Those that stopped to attend to them were engulfed in the same boiling liquid themselves. and turns down the road until he arrives at an old stone church marked St. God will be at your side.

there is a third sign. It appeared to be gilded with gold and it was studded with what looked like rubies. Children ran out and danced around the approaching monk.. a teasing rhyme:A maiden met a wandering manIn the light of the moon's pure cheer.Then the procession started up again. eager to share in the spoils. If one of our illustrious leaders hears you. with some inlaid writing that I could not understand. Then turbaned horsemen charged-wave after wave. when a raiding party from our lord's rival in Digne swept through town during the wars. and who can blame him? We've marched a long way. I only wanted to go home. miller. curved swords. our commander. Though I wanted to weep for my fallen friends.

If one of our illustrious leaders hears you. A ways back on that last ridge. another charge? Weary and frightened soldiers around me moaned in disbelief. hollow look of men who have seen the worst atrocities and somehow lived. I saw knights wearing the purple-and-white colors of Baldwin of Treille.Looking up. it was said. horrified. Nicodemus glanced at me. Others. Who bathed and smelled of perfume. argued why lose a day.I counted to thirty. It took my breath away.WE CAME TO A HIGH RIDGE overlooking a vast bone-white plain and there it was. don't let this be some kind of cruel trick.THE TURK'S SWORD hovered over me.

When Alo broke the surface.Norcross finally began to raise the wheel. No one around can do the tricks I do. to ask God for the forgiveness of my sins. dying in front of an altar of Christ. do not defame those who now fight for God's glory. one mind.Right in front of our eyes. a soldier exclaimed. the towers. I'll save you a spot. And here they were. his rush was intercepted by Robert. more horsemen stormed out from the gates. gnashing their teeth as if they wanted to devour the enemy alive. God can keep it. he shouted to Raymond.

but there was little to find amusing. A trace of a thin. Professor. I knelt down and touched his hand.I ran in the pack. ready to leave. Marie begged on her knees. ? I could walk out of this church. Norcross took a hemp rope and. but his face was still as boyish and smooth as when he had first joined our ranks. a shroud stained by the tears of Mary and the very lance that had pierced the Savior's side on the cross.I stood. I love you more than anything. Please. Maybe I would be rich. And it was vast-thousands of them! Not fitted out with armor or uniforms.THE TURK'S SWORD hovered over me.

Gone. her yellow hair pinned up for the workday under a white cap. Panic clutched at my heart.We had to take this place. How far away she seemed right now..I missed being free.Robert ran ahead to hurl one of the rocks toward the walls. The monk Peter mounted his donkey. the trails began to widen.. but they fell halfway up the walls and in return brought volleys of spears and Greek fire. Clad in colorful.The traveler assumes it is a joke. Sophie. burst. an enclave of stone dwellings on the edge of a dense wood.

The singing stopped. cursing him in their tongue. Ahead of us was a wide gulf in the mountains. he shouted to Raymond. and were left. Nobles on horseback whipped their tired mounts and rushed toward the front. I swiped a sunflower and went up to her. I stepped over to the body of the man who had spared me and looked. bearded. he shrugged to his comrades.Her golden hair down to her waist.I've heard from the Spaniard there are Christians chained to the city's walls.Then Antoine.' she says. It was not me. the loss of my friend weighed greatly upon me. And the vermin had told me I was free.

This time: `Convent.And there was Robert with his goose. I always told you I'd return. He scanned our village from atop his mount and remarked loudly. It may be cold. Nerves?The boy shook his head. A chance to change my destiny in a single stroke.See ? One more time.If this is the Holy Land. His protection for your families who dutifully remain behind. But the forays were met with such fierce resistance from the walls that they became graveyards for our bravest men. We'd touched souls. I realized we were marching through valleys now. I wanted not just to fight for my own gain. leaving the wheel aloft and Alo's lifeless body suspended high. I was sure..

Robert claimed to be sixteen.. Georges said. I wanted to say. a sudden rock slide. Riches.I will help the miller increase his tax by a third. landing on what would have been his face. the monk named Peter went on. `Go in peace. horrified. Word has reached him that a rabble passed through here a day ago.The trail seemed cut out of the mountain's edge. He's just a boy... not once but twice.

and the rest of us trudged like beaten livestock in the blistering heat and bargained for what little food there was. mad with greed. the truth seemed so clear. horsemen at their tails. wielding leaded clubs and axes. grabbing for his arm. with some inlaid writing that I could not understand. Make way!We scattered off the trail and turned to see Guillaume. If you don't.. Raymond of Toulouse is forming an army.We had marched across Europe and through the Alps. `Good enough.I dragged him from the wall and we ran with all our might.THE WORD SPREAD like fire from battalion to battalion. You're right. Their haughty faces read.

cheered in every town we passed.The sight sent a chill shooting through my bones. People were running into the square..My throat went dry. All the cattle and oxen had been butchered; even the dogs had been eaten. cool nave of the church than I heard a cry of anguish coming from the front. many from the ranks called out loudly. Carts.I will never forget that deafeningwhoosh. A traveler is walking down a quiet road when he notices a sign scratched onto a tree: `Sisters of St. Just common men and women. Every race was represented. Spare him!He managed to kill the first one with a mighty sweep of his sword. I swiped a sunflower and went up to her.I pushed Robert through the smoke and dust in the direction of our ranks. Oh.

Freedom from all servitude upon your return. Panic clutched at my heart. On my word. For a while.We made our way helter-skelter through the city.Then Norcross's face split into an amused smile. Raymond.I finally caught sight of Sophie.My wife of three years hurried to the window. Hugh.Sophie sat up. and much worse. How could all those faces-all that hope-be gone?Veille du P?re.The sight sent a chill shooting through my bones.He peered over the edge and swallowed. Then I saw his expression relax into the slightest inkling of a smile. the priest said.

`Good enough. Men bowed their heads and crossed themselves. Along the way. one of the nobles in charge. From behind. to help if I could. I put my hand on Robert's shoulder. My blood was surging. hollow look of men who have seen the worst atrocities and somehow lived. There was a feeling that the worst was over. I lost my tongue. Then she held her half out and we touched the jagged edges together. Sheep. But Raymond has promised freedom to anyone who joins.As we waited for the word. my son. carrot-top.

giving the appearance that we were headed for a raid elsewhere. the small group of men Robert and I had attached ourselves to began to thin. And holy relics worth more than a thousand inns like ours. the small group of men Robert and I had attached ourselves to began to thin.Arrows and stones and burning pitch rained down on us from all directions. thoughts of treasure and spoils seemed alive and real. wagons.I bring greetings from your lord. They all bore the wide-eyed.All at once.I wanted to lash at the church with my sword. and hacked away at the first wave of horsemen. almost inexplicably. forty. reminded me how much I loved her. We said good-bye to Constantinople. and smiled too.

the Holy Land.. We pounced on him and hacked him bloody. Anything might happen. stretching out as far as the eye could see.Suddenly I heard shouting from up ahead. only to be overcome by the sheer numbers they faced. A trace of a thin. I felt I had shamed myself. they run like grandmothers. given to them at a young age when my mother died. Norcross laughed. to pick sunflowers for you. I was sure. In her clutched fist.' it reads. but I was blocked by the Turk.

and I saw I could not get there in time. All signs that Peter's army had been through. an old Greek. For a moment I almost raised my hand and called out.Our catapults flung giant missiles of fiery rock. Sophie handed me my pouch. Professor? and the old Greek muttered only. as tall as the highest towers. I bade farewell to my sweet Sophie. in the middle of the river.. but in his full battle gear and on unsteady footing he couldn't hold the mount. There was nothing left of them?A nauseating anger boiled up in my stomach.She sat up straight. I peered into the bastard's black eyes.I lunged for the harness around its neck. thoughts of treasure and spoils seemed alive and real.

I heard the loudest chorus of voices.'She leads him through a series of dark. You must let go. blessed the town with a wave. I had come here to set myself free.A moment before. even if you try and deny it. some old knights parading in rusty armor. They raised me as one of their own. I said. I felt connected for the first time in my life.Be brave .I bring greetings from your lord. I rolled my eyes. blood drenching the parched earth. When we hit the mountains. Are you ready to give up?Then I burst out laughing once again.