The Battle Looms

In the days after your confession, you carry out Father Michael's instructions. You pray using the Rosary and fast for three days, only drinking water lest you die of dehydration. As for Amira , you tell her that if she becomes pregnant with your child, you will take responsibility and help her care for it. She only smiles, replying she knows that even before you say it.

As for Kerak, the land surrounding the city is barren, stripped of anything the enemy can use against your **** to their advantage. Meanwhile, your men had measured out the land, marking them with stone painted white. Even the local populace now work day and night, alongside your men and you, helping in the preparation as best as they can. Your lookouts estimate by the dust that the Saracens had been kicking up and the light from their campfires, it was only inevitable that they will arrive by tomorrow morning.

Your men and the local populace host a grand mass as men and women prepare for the inevitable siege that would follow, where many soldiers and civilian alike would fall in the coming days.

Unlike before, the thought of **** seemed to not terrify you as much. Perhaps the hardships you had witnessed only strengthens your resolve to fight, or perhaps you are just in shock. Regardless, you and your men prepare for the possibility of ****, and paint crosses on your shields and armor as the night takes hold and the moon climbs into the night sky.

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The next morning…

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You and your men awake early, going to mass once more before taking your positions up on the walls of Kerak. The city stands, surrounded by the Saracen army. Soon a messenger on horseback rides to the wall before speaking in near perfect Almain.

“My Master, Nasir Bagher, demands your unconditional surrender. In return he will grant you and your men a quick and painless ****.” The messenger says astride his horse.

You shout your reply in Latin, "Servos tuos humiles domine tua gratia dirigat!” (By your grace lord guide your humble servants!)

Upon hearing those words, the messenger only snorts before riding back to his line. A few minutes later stones begin to fly, as the army lays siege to Kerak, their siege works flinging stone after stone at the city walls and yet the walls remain strong and unyielding.

Your men stand strong, taking cover whenever and wherever they can, as the day drags on with the enemy siege bombardment continues without stop. By dusk the Saracens finally stop, settling in for the night. However, at this exact time, your men begin to move your new constructed catapults and trebuchets into positions.

Ballistas and buckets of pitch are moved to the wall during the night as your men reinforce the only gate into and out of the city on the eastern side of the city facing the sea. The city is abuzz with activity as your men and the populace are hard at work, continue to produce arms for the battle tomorrow.

Stone cutters cut out stone for your catapults and trebuchets to hurl at the enemy, while stone masons, carpenters and brick layers gather tools and supplies to reinforce the walls wherever needed. The hunters make arrows while bakers and farmers prepare rations for your men and the populace. Makeshift hospitals and aid stations are erected as men begin distributing water throughout the city should the Saracens resort to using fire to set the city alight. Yes, preparations are made as best as they could.

You wonder if something bad happened to Captain Willard or he had died since you haven’t heard anything from him for about a month. At the same time, you worry about how long you could hold the city with so few men against what your officers estimated an army of about 50,000 strong.

You lay in bed, comforted only by the fact that Amira lay next to you her body pressed against your back. You make love to her once more tonight. This time you feel less guilty about it. As Amira sleeps you idly wonder if your child is already growing in her womb and hope that no harm would befall her or your child if you should lose.

But for now, you sigh, taking in her jasmine scent before closing your eyes, mentally preparing yourself to face the siege that surely await you tomorrow.