The Seige

Anisah

My father told me to stay away from the walls. But apart from that, very little changed for the first few months of the seige.

Life continued as normal. For the wealthy citizens that is. The Syriac Christians on the other hand where no longer trusted. I had no problem with them before but it was their brothers who were now threatening to lay waste to my beautiful city.

Then it was only natural that Syriac Christians were spat at on the street and booed at when visited their churches, some even beaten and abused.

A small part of my heart felt for them. But i felt more for my beloved city.

~

There was knock on the door and father asked me answer it, for the servants who usually answered were now employed in the defence of the walls.

It was Yağısıyan the governor and commander of the defence. He was dressed in fine clothes but carried an iron helmet and had a longsword buckled to his waist. His face was handsome but weatherbeaten. A dashing elder.

Yağısıyans stepped inside and explained Sultan in Mosul was sending a massive relief ****. He then told me not to worry as the Latins and Franks were too few in number to mantain a full seige. But that it was also a waste of life to take his men out into the field to fight, so best to wait for the army from Mosul.

My heart then swelled as Yağısıyan dropped to one knee and took my hand, asking for my hand in mrriage, stating once the crusaders were defeated he wanted to marry me.

I accepted. He was my hero and I wanted to bare his many children.

The Christian had to go.

That night climbed the wall, peered over... And my heart sank.