comes to entering the Norman camp. Where will I find you when I need you?”
Hakeem gestured back toward the cypress trees. “An abandoned village.”
Thank you my friend, take care of yourself!”
***
Riding inside the Norman camp, Tancred discovered that Nicholas had come upon his Norman cousin.
“Leif!” Tancred’s spirits rose. His cousin was alive. He’d all but given up hope. It was unfortunate that he had to give him news of Norris’s death.
Upon entering his cousin’s tent, Tancred was surprised to find Adele, the niece of Bishop Adehemar. “This is my wife,” Leif announced, and his eyes glimmered like pale blue stone in his handsome sun-bronzed face. His long golden hair was drawn back with a leather thong.
“You work fast,” Tancred said taunting him, and turned with a smile as Adele rushed to greet him with joy. She was representative of most of the women who had joined the expedition to free Jerusalem from the infidel.
“Your cousin Erich died as a brave knight for our Lord,” she said. “Then I met your other cousin Leif, and I knew my future was blessed of God to join his. He too, is a great warrior. We will both fight for our Lord to take Jerusalem!”
Tancred wisely kept his thoughts to himself.
After she brought them what refreshments she had in her meager store, Leif explained how he had searched for Tancred and Norris after the attack at the summer house.
“Philip’s guards surrounded the house and I escaped. After a few days I ventured into the Greek city hoping I could learn something more, and gain the help of warrior friends. When we returned, the summer house was deserted. I searched the area and found your medical satchel in the bushes; I have it with me. Then I learned about the guard which Bardas had paid to let you to hide there. I confronted him, and when he showed fear, I made him talk truth. He betrayed you—when I threatened to run him through, he begged for his life in exchange for the emerald. It is in the satchel with your medical supplies.” He reached for the skin of wine. “Then we had no choice except to ride to join Prince Bohemond.”
Tancred was satisfied. He’d never doubted his cousin’s loyalty. He had worried more about Leif being dead or taken prisoner than whether he had tried to help him escape. Leif was a warrior of honor, and Tancred knew he had gone the full measure.
“Walter of Sicily has not been seen in camp,” Nicholas told Tancred. “Bishop Adehemar states clearly that Bohemond has not heard from Walter since departing Constantinople.”
“None of our clan is here,” Leif assured Tancred. “I sought for them as soon as I arrived.”
“Strange,” Nicholas commented, frowning. He looked at Tancred. “I am not comfortable with their silence. What if Basel or even Mosul made contact with Walter, hoping to trap you to stand trial, they may be at the Castle of Hohms expecting you to come there.”
Tancred considered.
Leif scowled. “But why would our uncle Walter think so? Is not the Byzantine Lady Helena inside Antioch?”
Nicholas stroked his black mustache, and his lively dark eyes reflected his deep misgivings. “Yes…perhaps…did Hakeem have any word of Helena or Adrianna’s whereabouts?” he looked at Tancred.
Tancred explained the difficulty Hakeem had undergone at Aleppo.
“Then we do not know for certain,” Nicholas said, leaning back on his elbow as he chomped on a hunk of bread and cheese. “Adehemar is also uncertain. When he first arrived at the Castle of Hohms, Rolf was not there, but out on patrol. The guards left in charge knew nothing to pass on.”
Neither did Tancred like the uncertain news. Helena might be anywhere—the castle, Antioch, or even Aleppo.”
“My instincts tell me she is in Antioch,” Tancred said.
“Little reason trust your instincts,” Nicholas said.
“Nevertheless, I must get inside the city.”
“And I
Hakeem gestured back toward the cypress trees. “An abandoned village.”
Thank you my friend, take care of yourself!”
***
Riding inside the Norman camp, Tancred discovered that Nicholas had come upon his Norman cousin.
“Leif!” Tancred’s spirits rose. His cousin was alive. He’d all but given up hope. It was unfortunate that he had to give him news of Norris’s death.
Upon entering his cousin’s tent, Tancred was surprised to find Adele, the niece of Bishop Adehemar. “This is my wife,” Leif announced, and his eyes glimmered like pale blue stone in his handsome sun-bronzed face. His long golden hair was drawn back with a leather thong.
“You work fast,” Tancred said taunting him, and turned with a smile as Adele rushed to greet him with joy. She was representative of most of the women who had joined the expedition to free Jerusalem from the infidel.
“Your cousin Erich died as a brave knight for our Lord,” she said. “Then I met your other cousin Leif, and I knew my future was blessed of God to join his. He too, is a great warrior. We will both fight for our Lord to take Jerusalem!”
Tancred wisely kept his thoughts to himself.
After she brought them what refreshments she had in her meager store, Leif explained how he had searched for Tancred and Norris after the attack at the summer house.
“Philip’s guards surrounded the house and I escaped. After a few days I ventured into the Greek city hoping I could learn something more, and gain the help of warrior friends. When we returned, the summer house was deserted. I searched the area and found your medical satchel in the bushes; I have it with me. Then I learned about the guard which Bardas had paid to let you to hide there. I confronted him, and when he showed fear, I made him talk truth. He betrayed you—when I threatened to run him through, he begged for his life in exchange for the emerald. It is in the satchel with your medical supplies.” He reached for the skin of wine. “Then we had no choice except to ride to join Prince Bohemond.”
Tancred was satisfied. He’d never doubted his cousin’s loyalty. He had worried more about Leif being dead or taken prisoner than whether he had tried to help him escape. Leif was a warrior of honor, and Tancred knew he had gone the full measure.
“Walter of Sicily has not been seen in camp,” Nicholas told Tancred. “Bishop Adehemar states clearly that Bohemond has not heard from Walter since departing Constantinople.”
“None of our clan is here,” Leif assured Tancred. “I sought for them as soon as I arrived.”
“Strange,” Nicholas commented, frowning. He looked at Tancred. “I am not comfortable with their silence. What if Basel or even Mosul made contact with Walter, hoping to trap you to stand trial, they may be at the Castle of Hohms expecting you to come there.”
Tancred considered.
Leif scowled. “But why would our uncle Walter think so? Is not the Byzantine Lady Helena inside Antioch?”
Nicholas stroked his black mustache, and his lively dark eyes reflected his deep misgivings. “Yes…perhaps…did Hakeem have any word of Helena or Adrianna’s whereabouts?” he looked at Tancred.
Tancred explained the difficulty Hakeem had undergone at Aleppo.
“Then we do not know for certain,” Nicholas said, leaning back on his elbow as he chomped on a hunk of bread and cheese. “Adehemar is also uncertain. When he first arrived at the Castle of Hohms, Rolf was not there, but out on patrol. The guards left in charge knew nothing to pass on.”
Neither did Tancred like the uncertain news. Helena might be anywhere—the castle, Antioch, or even Aleppo.”
“My instincts tell me she is in Antioch,” Tancred said.
“Little reason trust your instincts,” Nicholas said.
“Nevertheless, I must get inside the city.”
“And I
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