Read Online East of Ashes by Gideon Nieuwoudt - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Gideon Nieuwoudt
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and get a few hours' of sleep," Joash suggested.
Leala walked over to Sarah and gave her a long hug. "Thank you," she said and then pulled back to look her cousin in the eyes. "Next time we'll stay for longer," she promised. Sarah was fighting back tears and simply nodded and hugged Leala again.
Joash walked Leala to her room and then proceeded to make a bed for himself in the corridor just outside her door.
"What's this?" Leala asked with a smile.
"I'm not leaving you alone tonight. Don't argue," Joash smiled.
Having finished preparing his makeshift bed, he walked over to Leala and took her in his arms. They stood that way for a long time, slowly rocking from side to side as they enjoyed the closeness of each other.
Finally, Joash pulled back, kissed her once more and said: "OK, time for bed."
As she climbed in bed, Leala found it difficult to drift off. She lay on her side, still feeling the warmth of Joash's arms around her.
She couldn't believe the transformation that he seemed to have undergone. She always knew what was inside him but had felt frustration that he seemed to only show a more insecure side to her.
But now, as she recalled the events of the past couple of hours, she realised that his insecurity was based upon his feelings for her and whether she had felt the same - not unlike the insecurity she had felt too. With that cleared up, his true colours had begun to shine forth - and the fight had simply made it explode to the forefront.
For that - and for bringing them together seemingly so effortlessly - she silently thanked the Lord as she finally drifted off to sleep.
-------
Gaal had tried to wait up for his bodyguard to return from Marseilles, but the adrenaline rush of the attack had left him drained, his eyelids heady with sleep. After fighting it for as long as he could, he decided to l ie down on his bed and just rest his eyes for a moment.
Minutes later he was sound asleep.
What light was left in the candle next to his bed, burned for a while until it too dimmed and finally flickered out, leaving the light of the moon spilling through the window to cast its long shadows on the wall.
The door swung open on silent hinges, revealing a figure in the frame. It stood still for a minute, listening for any sign that its arrival had been registered. When no alarm was raised, he crept in and quietly closed the door behind him.
He looked around, getting his bearings, and then tiptoed to where Gaal was sleeping. He stopped next to the bed and looked down at his prey.
From behind his cloak, he removed a richly-ornamented dagger. Its blade glinted menacingly in the moonlight as he held it aloft, poised to strike.
Gaal woke with a start when a hand clamped over his mouth. Eyes bulging in confusion, he barely had time to recognise a blade suspended in the air above him before it plunged downwards.
Pain exploded through his chest - again and again - until darkness enveloped him.
CHAPTER 6
--- Marseilles, October 1097 ---
--- Lamech ---
Captain De Lagery paced up and down on the deck of his ship, frustration written all over his face as he checked and rechecked the work of his sailors who were scurrying around to get everything ready.
He glanced at the water level against the harbour wall. We need to get going right away or we'll miss the tide , he thought. They had tarried for too long in Marseilles already, but he couldn't very well refuse the extra material the Crusaders wanted to bring aboard. Thankfully they had enough space for it, or things might have become sticky.
He watched the Crusader recruits who had all pitched in to help his men get the ship ready. Two men were walking up the gangplank, carrying bags of wheat on their shoulders.
Movement caught the corner of his eye and he spun around to face a sailor who was tying down equipment.
"No!" he shouted,
Leala walked over to Sarah and gave her a long hug. "Thank you," she said and then pulled back to look her cousin in the eyes. "Next time we'll stay for longer," she promised. Sarah was fighting back tears and simply nodded and hugged Leala again.
Joash walked Leala to her room and then proceeded to make a bed for himself in the corridor just outside her door.
"What's this?" Leala asked with a smile.
"I'm not leaving you alone tonight. Don't argue," Joash smiled.
Having finished preparing his makeshift bed, he walked over to Leala and took her in his arms. They stood that way for a long time, slowly rocking from side to side as they enjoyed the closeness of each other.
Finally, Joash pulled back, kissed her once more and said: "OK, time for bed."
As she climbed in bed, Leala found it difficult to drift off. She lay on her side, still feeling the warmth of Joash's arms around her.
She couldn't believe the transformation that he seemed to have undergone. She always knew what was inside him but had felt frustration that he seemed to only show a more insecure side to her.
But now, as she recalled the events of the past couple of hours, she realised that his insecurity was based upon his feelings for her and whether she had felt the same - not unlike the insecurity she had felt too. With that cleared up, his true colours had begun to shine forth - and the fight had simply made it explode to the forefront.
For that - and for bringing them together seemingly so effortlessly - she silently thanked the Lord as she finally drifted off to sleep.
-------
Gaal had tried to wait up for his bodyguard to return from Marseilles, but the adrenaline rush of the attack had left him drained, his eyelids heady with sleep. After fighting it for as long as he could, he decided to l ie down on his bed and just rest his eyes for a moment.
Minutes later he was sound asleep.
What light was left in the candle next to his bed, burned for a while until it too dimmed and finally flickered out, leaving the light of the moon spilling through the window to cast its long shadows on the wall.
The door swung open on silent hinges, revealing a figure in the frame. It stood still for a minute, listening for any sign that its arrival had been registered. When no alarm was raised, he crept in and quietly closed the door behind him.
He looked around, getting his bearings, and then tiptoed to where Gaal was sleeping. He stopped next to the bed and looked down at his prey.
From behind his cloak, he removed a richly-ornamented dagger. Its blade glinted menacingly in the moonlight as he held it aloft, poised to strike.
Gaal woke with a start when a hand clamped over his mouth. Eyes bulging in confusion, he barely had time to recognise a blade suspended in the air above him before it plunged downwards.
Pain exploded through his chest - again and again - until darkness enveloped him.
CHAPTER 6
--- Marseilles, October 1097 ---
--- Lamech ---
Captain De Lagery paced up and down on the deck of his ship, frustration written all over his face as he checked and rechecked the work of his sailors who were scurrying around to get everything ready.
He glanced at the water level against the harbour wall. We need to get going right away or we'll miss the tide , he thought. They had tarried for too long in Marseilles already, but he couldn't very well refuse the extra material the Crusaders wanted to bring aboard. Thankfully they had enough space for it, or things might have become sticky.
He watched the Crusader recruits who had all pitched in to help his men get the ship ready. Two men were walking up the gangplank, carrying bags of wheat on their shoulders.
Movement caught the corner of his eye and he spun around to face a sailor who was tying down equipment.
"No!" he shouted,
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