William of Stockton, the son of the Warlord, is heading to the Holy Land to do penance. He is leaving a world that he knows and entering a new one. The world he discovers is one filled with intrigue and false knights. Counts and Barons battle for thrones. All are not what they seem. William must return to his roots and become, as his father once was an English knight. He discovers unexpected allies and treacherous friends. He battles Seljuq Turks, Assassins, Egyptians and rogue knights. Through his journey, he discovers that most valuable of treasures: himself.
This novel is a bridge between the Warlord and his son. It covers the years 1146-1153 and the time of the Second Crusade. It covers the sieges of Damascus and Ascalon. I have set it up so that he can return at a future date and be reunited with his father. The Warlord is not getting any younger. It was a fascinating book to research and has turned out to be my longest book to date.
Excerpt
The road east led to Baalbek. This was a mighty fortress held by the Turks. It was less than thirty miles from our caravan route. In addition, there were many high places from which bandits and rogue Franks could attack. We had already met some and were now warier. Accordingly, I had us ride closer together. Here, where there was little rain, my archers could keep their bows strung and they carried them across their cantles. The attack the night before had made us all more alert. Even so we were still surprised by attackers who appeared from nowhere.
A rider appeared from nowhere. He sat atop his horse two hundred paces from us on a rock which overlooked the road. He was a Seljuq horse archer. He had a horn bow. His armour was lamellar. His horse’s tail was knotted and he carried a javelin. On his head, he wore no helmet but his long hair was held in a circlet of metal. He wore earrings and his horse furniture was ornate. This was the first Seljuq Turk I had seen and I wondered what it meant.
He shouted something in his own language. David turned to me, “He said if we hand over our horses and goods then we will all live.”
I said, “Speak loudly so that my men can hear and understand.” He nodded. “Garth, ready an arrow but do not aim it yet.”
“Aye lord.”
“Can you see others?”
“I can hear their horses. They are hidden behind him in the rocks.”
I glanced to the right. There were no rocks there, just scrub and I could not see anyone. They were to our left. Robert led the men on the right. “Be ready to follow my lead, Robert and Tom.”
The merchant was nervous, “What do I tell him? He waits.”
“Tell him we wish no trouble but we will not give up our horses.”
The Jew shouted something. Even as the Turk started to lift his bow Garth’s arrow had hit him in the chest. At two hundred paces the Turk had thought himself safe. He was not.
“Ride! Robert and Tom, with me.”
I held my spear over hand and I kicked Remus in the flanks. I hung my shield from my shoulder. My left side was safe from arrows. Remus scrambled up the slope. I saw more horse archers appear. Walther and William’s arrows, sent over my head, struck two while Ralph and Garth hit another two. It bought time for us to close with them. The three of us knew the skill of our archers and we trusted them to miss us. The horse archers had miscalculated. They were used to crossbows and the poorer bows other Franks used. My men were from England. Only the Welsh came close to their skill and power. I rode Remus at the archer who pulled back his horn bow. I did not hesitate. I hurled the spear from ten feet. It impaled him and I drew my sword.
There had been twenty archers for I saw fourteen or so before me. Robert and Tom were as reckless as I was and they had both found flesh. When Garth and Ralph followed us and sent their arrows after them the horse archers turned and fled. Ralph was eager to get after them. I yelled, “Halt!” but it was too late. Three of them turned in their saddles and sent arrows towards Ralph. He was lucky although his horse was not. Two arrows hit it and Ralph was spilled from the saddle. Garth’s last arrow managed to hit one of the Turkish horses in the rump but it did not stop.
