04;
Jerusalem
No sooner had we left the gates I already felt the threat of dark Jerusalem. Being October the sun hung heavy early in the afternoon, and in the space of time it had taken me to descend the Mount of Olives to the Eastern gate, it had quickly fallen. A dull glow was the only light visible within the bulk of the city, hundreds of oil lamps that shone within the houses littered the streets with stolen light. In the distance I heard a howl of a large dog, a wolf maybe. Looking at the masonry and buildings that enveloped us on all sides, I thought of home.
Suddenly the escort in front of me stopped and dismounted. Sword drawn he stalked the area in front of us and disappeared behind a nearby wall for a second.
"What is it Tahir?" Adelbrecht asked? His sword also drawn in anticipation as he dismounted. The guard that had been behind me paced forwards to search with Tahir.
"I cannot tell Sir, I thought I saw a man in the dark" Tahir continued to scrutinize the darkness, studying the shadows for the slightest glimpse of movement. I turned around and also searched the dark, was it him? I preyed it was, rather than thieves, the last people I wanted to see whilst down a strange alleyway at night. Silently I tried to move Aini backwards as unnoticeably as I could, I turned only to see the assassin straight ahead of me, stood as if he had been waiting for me to do so. I was taken aback by his swift arrival. "Wha-" I started, only to be silenced by his gesture, he put his finger up to his mouth and pointed to the four escorts ahead still peering further along the road. What the hell is he playing at I cursed silently. He moved closer and beckoned me off Aini. Grasping my arm tightly, he turned me about pulling me into his chest, winding me a little, before whispering in my ear.
"Move forwards, play along." I didn't understand, but I trusted his judgement too much, I just had to hold my tongue until he commanded me further. A part of me didn't want to comply, his assumption that I would irritated me. It had been like this before. It, apparently, was his trick. He grasped the reins from Aini's neck and set them in my hands. Adelbrecht, Tahir and the other two guards were still searching ahead of themselves, spread out at different levels. I felt my heart race in fear of being caught, I knew there must have been some considerable threat either from them or another along the way, surely, or they wouldn‘t have sent him. "They are not from the King, just wait for a sign and then ride hard as far east along the wall of the city as you can, you will soon reach your destination." I found it impossible to take in the order he gave me as my brain tried to process the first sentence. Not from the King? He pulled me even closer still, my chest thumping from our contact, before he swiftly pulled away and covered himself within the shadows.
My heart was pacing ever quicker, but I had to remain unnoticed, and uninformed. They have to stop their search for the man in the dark at some point. Surely I was just with him? Gripping the reins tighter and tighter I waited, every second an eternity, the suspense causing my breathing to become unsteady and deep. Adelbrecht suddenly turned and I could not help but look petrified as he came towards me. Templars. I repeated in my head. They must be Templars…
"Miss?" his face was awash with puzzlement. "Are you feeling well?"- I daren't respond. Adelbrecht must be bluffing, but what about the 3 other guards, they couldn't be Templars could they? They are of Muslim birth, unquestionably. I half expected Adelbrecht to change, become something sinister, violent. I wanted him to, to Show the truth in his character and wash the doubt from my mind. But he carried on. "Miss? Whatever is the matter." He looked at me dubiously. "Did you see something",
"No, I…it's just" I stumbled on my words, "I'm just a bit wary, that is all" I smiled as best I could without causing suspicion, "I have a terrible fear of.." - I pushed my luck and tested Adelbrecht's reaction - "uh a fear of Templars." He didn't stir at all, yet a sudden rush of anxiety poised itself on his face, it was the kind that gets quickly driven away by a preferred face of steely cold ignorance. I moved backwards slowly as if to prepare myself for the dash to the Palace, but before I could the sign appeared.
An eagle swept from the top of a building in the distance, its caws heard piercing the silent air as it glided beak first straight for Tahir. It seemed to peck at his face violently whilst Tahir - arms flailing, tried with all his might to slash the eagle with his dagger. It was dark and the eagle keen of sight gracefully soared on an up thrust back up into the Persian-blue night sky. I watched in terror as Tahir clutched - his hands coated in blood, at the empty space in which his eye would have been, screaming. The eagle had snatched it clean from its socket, and after encircling his victim and surveying its handiwork, released the eye only for it to slap onto the face of one of Adelbrecht's remaining two men, who was looking up in shock at the time. His face was covered in blood, the smell invading his mouth and nose, leaving a metallic taste. He began to gag, and on suppressing the need to rid his stomach in the gutter, was sufficiently flattened by a man dressed in white. The Assassin. He was crouched on the guard's back, which I guessed had been broken in the flight path down from the rooftop. The glint of a heavily decorated Katar shone in the moonlight from the victim's neck, as it whipped back into his gauntlet, bloodstained.
The Assassin then focussed his attentions on the second of Adelbrecht's men. The supposed guard had his long sword gripped tightly at the hilt, and swung it in a fierce hacking motion at the Assassin. He however was promptly stunned by a quick kick in the stomach that floored him, followed shortly by his own sword driven through his stomach pinning him to the dusty ground. He was shown no mercy and the sword twisted slowly. An eruption of blood found its way up through the newly made hole whilst a loud crack proceeded.
Adelbrecht unsure on whether to risk death, or see through his mission, decided to take his chances with the girl, rather than an assassin of the Hashshashin Sect, and swiftly advanced on me. I was too slow, and Adelbrecht pulled my neck with a forcefully clamped arm locking my body into submission. He pulled me back and I faltered, stumbling on my feet as it left the stirrup. Hastily I looked back for the Assassin, but he was gone. I used my free hands to claw and grasp at his clutch; I dug my heels into the ground, the rock and sharp dusty gravel ripping my loosely sandaled feet, and leaving a bloodied track.
The night was quiet now; the only sound my pained whimpers as I tried to tell Adelbrecht to let me go, but his hold was crushing my windpipe and I couldn't breathe. He reached the middle of where the three guards now lay silently. The Assassins were no where to be seen. I was violently pulled up by my long, fair hair that had fallen out of my scarf whilst I struggled, he turned and raised the blade of his surprisingly sharp sword to my throat. It was cold and I hitched back in shock, nicking my skin lightly, only to feel a small trickle of blood run down my neck. He threatened ever closer with it, and pushed it into my neck harder. Tears began to swell in my eyes. I closed them praying as hard as I could. There was nothing else I could do.
It seemed like an age that I was pressed between the erratic rise and fall of my captor's chest, and an incredibly sharp blade. Where was he? My thoughts were soon vanquished by the bloodthirsty caw of the eagle. Adelbrecht looked up to find it circling his head. In fear of losing a favoured part of his anatomy, worse still a limb, he quickly removed his sword, whilst keeping a tight hold onto my now numb head of hair, and kicked the small of my back. My nose was the first part of me to meet with the floor, blood spraying instantly, as my knees buckled under the sharp pain travelling from my torn feet. Sobbing I thought of my impending death. He raised his sword ready to strike. I heard the metallic wave of crisp light that edged its way along the pointed edge. Surely the he hasn’t gone, left me to die? I winced, wetness now running freely but silently down my scorched face, as I expected the blade to fall between my shoulders. I heard the sword - grasped tightly, enter and rip through tense skin, and emerge the other side strong.
Looking around, I was amazed to find my head was intact, connected to the rest of me. The body of Adelbrecht fell to the floor beside me - impailed on his own sword, and I couldn't help but cry with relief, I tried to move but I couldn't feel a thing. My vision was blurred with tears and shock; all of my body wished me dead, and I slumped further, suppressing a loud cry in my throat.
He kneeled beside me and checked my wounds. I was safe.
No sooner had we left the gates I already felt the threat of dark Jerusalem. Being October the sun hung heavy early in the afternoon, and in the space of time it had taken me to descend the Mount of Olives to the Eastern gate, it had quickly fallen. A dull glow was the only light visible within the bulk of the city, hundreds of oil lamps that shone within the houses littered the streets with stolen light. In the distance I heard a howl of a large dog, a wolf maybe. Looking at the masonry and buildings that enveloped us on all sides, I thought of home.
Suddenly the escort in front of me stopped and dismounted. Sword drawn he stalked the area in front of us and disappeared behind a nearby wall for a second.
"What is it Tahir?" Adelbrecht asked? His sword also drawn in anticipation as he dismounted. The guard that had been behind me paced forwards to search with Tahir.
"I cannot tell Sir, I thought I saw a man in the dark" Tahir continued to scrutinize the darkness, studying the shadows for the slightest glimpse of movement. I turned around and also searched the dark, was it him? I preyed it was, rather than thieves, the last people I wanted to see whilst down a strange alleyway at night. Silently I tried to move Aini backwards as unnoticeably as I could, I turned only to see the assassin straight ahead of me, stood as if he had been waiting for me to do so. I was taken aback by his swift arrival. "Wha-" I started, only to be silenced by his gesture, he put his finger up to his mouth and pointed to the four escorts ahead still peering further along the road. What the hell is he playing at I cursed silently. He moved closer and beckoned me off Aini. Grasping my arm tightly, he turned me about pulling me into his chest, winding me a little, before whispering in my ear.
"Move forwards, play along." I didn't understand, but I trusted his judgement too much, I just had to hold my tongue until he commanded me further. A part of me didn't want to comply, his assumption that I would irritated me. It had been like this before. It, apparently, was his trick. He grasped the reins from Aini's neck and set them in my hands. Adelbrecht, Tahir and the other two guards were still searching ahead of themselves, spread out at different levels. I felt my heart race in fear of being caught, I knew there must have been some considerable threat either from them or another along the way, surely, or they wouldn‘t have sent him. "They are not from the King, just wait for a sign and then ride hard as far east along the wall of the city as you can, you will soon reach your destination." I found it impossible to take in the order he gave me as my brain tried to process the first sentence. Not from the King? He pulled me even closer still, my chest thumping from our contact, before he swiftly pulled away and covered himself within the shadows.
My heart was pacing ever quicker, but I had to remain unnoticed, and uninformed. They have to stop their search for the man in the dark at some point. Surely I was just with him? Gripping the reins tighter and tighter I waited, every second an eternity, the suspense causing my breathing to become unsteady and deep. Adelbrecht suddenly turned and I could not help but look petrified as he came towards me. Templars. I repeated in my head. They must be Templars…
"Miss?" his face was awash with puzzlement. "Are you feeling well?"- I daren't respond. Adelbrecht must be bluffing, but what about the 3 other guards, they couldn't be Templars could they? They are of Muslim birth, unquestionably. I half expected Adelbrecht to change, become something sinister, violent. I wanted him to, to Show the truth in his character and wash the doubt from my mind. But he carried on. "Miss? Whatever is the matter." He looked at me dubiously. "Did you see something",
"No, I…it's just" I stumbled on my words, "I'm just a bit wary, that is all" I smiled as best I could without causing suspicion, "I have a terrible fear of.." - I pushed my luck and tested Adelbrecht's reaction - "uh a fear of Templars." He didn't stir at all, yet a sudden rush of anxiety poised itself on his face, it was the kind that gets quickly driven away by a preferred face of steely cold ignorance. I moved backwards slowly as if to prepare myself for the dash to the Palace, but before I could the sign appeared.
An eagle swept from the top of a building in the distance, its caws heard piercing the silent air as it glided beak first straight for Tahir. It seemed to peck at his face violently whilst Tahir - arms flailing, tried with all his might to slash the eagle with his dagger. It was dark and the eagle keen of sight gracefully soared on an up thrust back up into the Persian-blue night sky. I watched in terror as Tahir clutched - his hands coated in blood, at the empty space in which his eye would have been, screaming. The eagle had snatched it clean from its socket, and after encircling his victim and surveying its handiwork, released the eye only for it to slap onto the face of one of Adelbrecht's remaining two men, who was looking up in shock at the time. His face was covered in blood, the smell invading his mouth and nose, leaving a metallic taste. He began to gag, and on suppressing the need to rid his stomach in the gutter, was sufficiently flattened by a man dressed in white. The Assassin. He was crouched on the guard's back, which I guessed had been broken in the flight path down from the rooftop. The glint of a heavily decorated Katar shone in the moonlight from the victim's neck, as it whipped back into his gauntlet, bloodstained.
The Assassin then focussed his attentions on the second of Adelbrecht's men. The supposed guard had his long sword gripped tightly at the hilt, and swung it in a fierce hacking motion at the Assassin. He however was promptly stunned by a quick kick in the stomach that floored him, followed shortly by his own sword driven through his stomach pinning him to the dusty ground. He was shown no mercy and the sword twisted slowly. An eruption of blood found its way up through the newly made hole whilst a loud crack proceeded.
Adelbrecht unsure on whether to risk death, or see through his mission, decided to take his chances with the girl, rather than an assassin of the Hashshashin Sect, and swiftly advanced on me. I was too slow, and Adelbrecht pulled my neck with a forcefully clamped arm locking my body into submission. He pulled me back and I faltered, stumbling on my feet as it left the stirrup. Hastily I looked back for the Assassin, but he was gone. I used my free hands to claw and grasp at his clutch; I dug my heels into the ground, the rock and sharp dusty gravel ripping my loosely sandaled feet, and leaving a bloodied track.
The night was quiet now; the only sound my pained whimpers as I tried to tell Adelbrecht to let me go, but his hold was crushing my windpipe and I couldn't breathe. He reached the middle of where the three guards now lay silently. The Assassins were no where to be seen. I was violently pulled up by my long, fair hair that had fallen out of my scarf whilst I struggled, he turned and raised the blade of his surprisingly sharp sword to my throat. It was cold and I hitched back in shock, nicking my skin lightly, only to feel a small trickle of blood run down my neck. He threatened ever closer with it, and pushed it into my neck harder. Tears began to swell in my eyes. I closed them praying as hard as I could. There was nothing else I could do.
It seemed like an age that I was pressed between the erratic rise and fall of my captor's chest, and an incredibly sharp blade. Where was he? My thoughts were soon vanquished by the bloodthirsty caw of the eagle. Adelbrecht looked up to find it circling his head. In fear of losing a favoured part of his anatomy, worse still a limb, he quickly removed his sword, whilst keeping a tight hold onto my now numb head of hair, and kicked the small of my back. My nose was the first part of me to meet with the floor, blood spraying instantly, as my knees buckled under the sharp pain travelling from my torn feet. Sobbing I thought of my impending death. He raised his sword ready to strike. I heard the metallic wave of crisp light that edged its way along the pointed edge. Surely the he hasn’t gone, left me to die? I winced, wetness now running freely but silently down my scorched face, as I expected the blade to fall between my shoulders. I heard the sword - grasped tightly, enter and rip through tense skin, and emerge the other side strong.
Looking around, I was amazed to find my head was intact, connected to the rest of me. The body of Adelbrecht fell to the floor beside me - impailed on his own sword, and I couldn't help but cry with relief, I tried to move but I couldn't feel a thing. My vision was blurred with tears and shock; all of my body wished me dead, and I slumped further, suppressing a loud cry in my throat.
He kneeled beside me and checked my wounds. I was safe.