Chapter I part ii
Deciding Factor
The Sun was low in the western sky as the clouds parted and the wind picked up once more. The red glare of the bright star still shown out across the land as high above a faint dark began to grow as the light melted into the vast blue. The last rays of the sun rested on Barcelona, the capitol of the kingdom of Aragon and the place where the king placed his throne. The hills and trees outside the high stone walls stood proudly and birds could be heard far off singing their last songs of the day, the wind died away once more, and all went silent.
The sun soon disappeared and the sky became dark, the wind hushed and the birds silenced into sleep. But then there came a shrill cry on the horizon, the cry was followed by hoof beats. The guards looked south to see a lone figure ridding toward the castle upon a black horse bearing the banner of Aragon. The horse grew closer and the hoof beats louder and soon the rider climbed the nearby hills and had passed the small settlements and approached the castle gates. The horse he rode slowed to a stop and let out a great snort. The guards on the tower shouted down In the name of the King, who goes there? There was no answer, the rider seemed to shift in his saddle but made no other movement. The guards shouted out again and repeated their question, finally the rider gave an answer, he looked up and shouted out Open the Gate his demand was ignored and the guards again repeated their question.
Open the gate he said with anger growing in his voice, So says Alfonso, Prince of this land. The guards jumped and ran to open the gate, the metal bars that had blocked the pass now lifted with a number of clicks and crashes. When the gate had risen the Rider, who was apparently Prince Alfonso, rode through into the city. His pace quickened and he hurried in through the main road, up a stairway and around a side street then through another gate. He passed under the second gate and leapt from his horse and dashed up to the castle doors, the guards there moved from his path and he slipped by them like a shadow. Once inside he moved down a side passage and down a number of stairs. As he went further down the light grew greater, by the torches he passed and by a great light that was at the bottom.
As Alfonso emerged out of the stairs he found himself in a large chamber, ahead of him he could see a Throne sitting high and upon it sat Sancho II. Around his brothers he could see his two other kin bickering about some issue at hand, what it was he could not tell for their shouts echoed passed him but he could not understand them. The King was Sancho II, and by his said were his brothers Enrique, who was the youngest, and Garc who was slightly older. All of these four men were brothers and all were fine commanders, but three had not learned of the death of their kin. The prince began to walk toward them and his footsteps were soon heard, the shouting that had once filled the hall was soon driven away and all went quiet. The King rose and said Hail my brother What news from the south?
Alfonso stopped. His head dropped low and he looked upon the stone under his feet. His hand felt the hilt of his sword and the kindling of torches filled his ears. Finally he spoke and lifting his head he shouted Ferdinand...is Dead. those before him could not believe what they had just heard.
Dead? shouted Enrique, the younger of those present. How can he be dead? He had dealt with Almohads before
Garc, the most headstrong of the four, shouted Then the Caliph shall pay dearly for this, this blood shall be painted our castle walls However Alfonso walked to where he was at the edge of the steps that led up to the throne and said to them The Almohads had nothing to do with it. his voice was low but they still heard him.
Then who? asked the king, he came off the throne and hurried down the steps. Who killed him, how did it end? Alfonso looked away and his eyes fixed on the fire of a torch not to far from him as he said The Mamlukes...
The chamber then was filled with shouts of anger and sorrow. The Egyptians had declared to be the allies of Aragon so long as they fought with the Caliph, the two nations had signed a treaty stating that neither side would ever raise arms against the other; it was a pact on their honour.
The traitors Garc shouted. We cannot stand for this
No we most certainly cannot replied Sancho, but his voice was not filled with hatred as Enrique's and Garc's were as their shouts fell silent. But now is not the time to go off on a fool hearty Crusade.
Now is the perfect time cried Enrique, The Pope has called for a Crusade to reclaim the Holy Land, i say we use this excuse to take the fight to their homelands
“Are you mad?” The king shouted to his brother. “Yes Ferdinand’s death is a tragedy but it does not call for our soldiers to go off trekking through the desert in search of a prize that is all but unattainable You remember the first Crusade?”
Sancho’s voice echoed out of the hall and the men went silent. None answered for they knew that the first Crusade declared by the English a few years before had ended In disaster. To that crusade Aragon had committed a number of it’s finest men, and none returned alive. Some one thousand men had journeyed from their homes in Europe under the promise of a new land to call their own, but all they found was the icy chill of death.
“Do as you will.” Alfonso said breaking the silence that had settled. “But I will not stand by and let the Egyptians do as they will. I am going…” with that he turned and began walking away.
“If you go, you are banished from my realm. I will not accept you back should this fail.” The king could not hide his grief for he knew his brother would not change his mind, and Alfonso did not stop, he walked out on his king and brother, and following him were both Enrique and Garc. Together they put enough funds forth and declared a crusade with the aid of the pope. The men of the Templar order flocked to their banner and many more warriors went to them with the promise of finding a paradise in Jerusalem. Thus with three thousand men; Asturians from North Iberia, Galatian bowmen, Templar Knights, and a number of noblemen from lesser parts of Aragon they set out. But they were warned as they passed the gates of Barcelona, that no more could they call themselves Aragonese, from that day forward they would have no place in the Kingdom of Aragon. And upon hearing that Alfonso and his brothers laughed and said “So be it, We shall be our own nation” and with that thought fresh in their minds they marched south, the second Crusade had begun.
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