Chapter 2

1408 in the Sinai

Things seem to be going well. I had two companions who were a pleasure, in more ways than you could guess. I had made a few friends and it was nice to help those folks out. This was no hard at all, what was the big deal anyhow?

I tried another time and place. The girls were by my side and off we went. When the light faded, we were on top of a hill, a hill of sand, overlooking water, grasses and palm trees. Below were armoured knights, they were hacking, raping and torturing helpless women and children. As two more were slain the knights rode off, they wore a white tunic with a red cross on their person. We went down the hill to try to check for survivors. Most were cruelly slain, young girls and women slit open, children with bashed in heads or cut into pieces.

To one side there came a soft whisper, help, oh please help, my mistress! The two slave girls ran to the sound, I followed. Soon. They came upon a girls lying on top of a women who seemed about 30, she did not move. The girl and the women were both covered in blood, the girl bearing cuts and bruises and bleeding down her legs. Please, take my mistress east, there is a camp there and medical, please hurry, my mistress is dying. I bent down and gently picked up the women, her gown was ripped away and blood was flowing from many places of her torn body. Please, just carry her, don't worry about me; help her. The girls each took one of her arms lifted her up and began to follow me east.

We had gone but a short distance when a large group of black robed riders came up around us. "Please," I said, "these people need help, can you get them to a doctor?"

A young man jumped off his horse and took the women from my arms, he lowered his head, kissed her forehead, hugged her close as tears flowed from his eyes. He spoke, "no doctor may save her now, she has left this world." The wounded girl threw herself at the man's feet saying, "Master, they came to the oasis, they were killing and raping everyone, even the children and young girls. I tried to drag my mistress away but I could not go any farther, these people then came and we tried to reach the camp, Oh Master, Why have they done this?"

"They have started a holy war, no a war of my vengeance, for I shall not rest until either all who did this are dead or I am defeated." The man looked at me, then my 2 naked girls and said, "I thank you for your help! This women is, no was, my sister and before I forget my manners, I should like you and your slaves to be me guests. My men will take you and Shiddar to my camp, doctors there will provide whatever you shall want, they will also take care of Shiddar, she has served my sister faithfully and must be rewarded."

He motioned, horses were brought to us, the men helped all 3 girls mount. As we were leaving, the man said, "I need to say good bye to my sister, this evening, please join me in my tent, I am Salladin ask anyone where I can be found." We rode east; ahead was a vast army, tents, horses, camels as far as the eyes could see. We were lead to a large tent, the girls carefully lifted down and food, water and what medical attention needed was provided. We were all shown into another tent, the 3 girls shown to a partition to the left me to another on the right. I fell asleep after horrific dreams of the carnage I had witnessed earlier. My life before had seen death and destruction, but never the wanton killing of innocents, I had heard of such in Africa, Cambodia, Viet Nam even in Japan and many parts of Asia, but never saw it. Later that evening three young girls awakened me, bathed me, rubbed my body with sweet smelling oil and spices and dressed me in clean clothes. They then led me to another tent, as I entered the three girls, clean but still naked stood to the side, the man I had met earlier entered and motioned to me to sit. After he did, I also sat, Shiddar knelt at the side of Salladin, my girls knelt by me. Bread, salt, oil and water were brought to me, I took some and drank water. Salladin spoke, "You are my guest, and were my sister still be here, it would be a happy day. All that I have is yours, let us speak of things, you may ask anything of me tonight, the next day I must seek my revenge and may die."

We spoke of many things, at one point; I told him that the rape and killing I had seen was beyond anything a man should do; that those who had done it were lower than the foulest pig. I also told him how Shiddar had thought only of her Mistress and was found covering her body, seeking aid only for her. Salladin motioned to the girl, then removed her collar saying, "I see the love and trust my sister had placed in you was well founded. Things of this world, gold, land power position are yours, I give you back your life and freedom also." She lowered her head, weeping, "Master, all this girl would like is for my Mistress to be here with me. This girl would ask that I be allowed to join my Mistress in death."