privilege to wrest the lands of our Saviour from the evil infidel. With Almighty God as our protector, this we will do.â
âThe Arabs will oppose you,â the emperor stated, watching the man before him. âHow do you plan to win Jerusalem?â
âIf necessary,â the hermit replied, âwe will fight.â
âIt will most certainly become necessaryâof that we can assure you,â Alexius said, feeling his anger stir within. âThe Arabs are fearless in battle, and their resolve is legendary. Where are your weapons? Where are your supplies? Have you any siege engines? Have you the tools to make bridges, dig wells, scale walls?â
âWhat we need,â answered the cleric placidly, âthe Good Lord provides.â
âAnd has the Good Lord provided any soldiers for your army?â
âHe has, Lord Emperor,â answered Peter, shaking back his cloak once more. There was more than a touch of self-righteous defiance in his stance and tone.
âHow many?â
âWe have eight knights with us. They are led by the most devout Walter Sansavoir of Poissy.â
âEight,â repeated Alexius. âDid you hear that, Nicetas? Theyhave eight mounted soldiers.â Turning once more to the priest, he asked, âDo you know how many warriors Sultan Arslan commands?â
Peter, uncertain, hesitated.
âToo late you show a little wisdom, my friend,â the emperor said. âVery well, I will tell you, shall I? The sultan has forty thousand in his private bodyguard alone. Forty thousand mounted warriors against your eight.â
âWe are sixty thousand strong,â Peter proclaimed proudly. âWe are Godâs own army.â
â We command Godâs own army, priest!â cried Alexius, unable to control his anger any longer. â You are a rabble!â
The emperorâs shout echoed in the hall like the crack of thunder. He leapt from his chair and stood towering over the unfortunate priest. âWhat is more, you are a wayward and undisciplined rabble. We have heard how you have plundered your way through Dalmatia and Moesia, looting towns and settlements to provide yourselves with food and supplies.â He turned his head to the Captain of the Excubitori. âWe are not at war with Dalmatia and Moesia, are we, Nicetas?â he inquired with mock innocence.
âNo, basileus,â the commander replied, âthe people there are citizens of the empire.â
âYou see!â cried Alexius. âYou have attacked dutiful citizens whose only fault lay in the fact that they happened to live in the path of your thieving mob.â
âThey were Jews,â Peter pointed out smugly. âWe have vowed before the Throne of Christ to rid the world of all Godâs enemies.â
âYour vow was ill-spoken, priest. You have neither right nor authority to swear such a thing. You are above yourself, and we will not suffer these transgressions lightly,â Alexius declared,glaring hard at the ignorant cleric. After a moment, he appeared to soften. âNevertheless, despite your flagrant and lamentable trespasses, we will make a bargain with you. In exchange for peace while within imperial borders, we will give you food and water while you are here in Constantinople; further, we will arrange safe conduct for you back the way you came.â
âWith all respect, Emperor and Lord,â the hermit replied, âthat I cannot do, for we are sworn to liberate Jerusalem at all costs.â
âThen you must be prepared to pay that cost with your lives,â Alexius declared. âFor truly, you will not escape with less.â He paused, drumming his fingers on the arms of his throne. âIs there nothing we can say to persuade you to turn back?â
The rustic priest made no reply.
âVery well,â conceded Alexius, âwe will see you safely across the Bosphorus, at least. And may God have mercy
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