Chapter I: The Sands of Times
Chapter I: The Sands of Times
I wandered the sands of the desert for more days than I could remember in 1204 A.D. the year of our lord. It was blistering hot under my chain mail armor and in my long white tunic it felt like over one-hundred thirty degrees. I couldn’t remember the last time I had any water to drink. About in the distance there was a small party of Knights Templars heading in my direction, their red cross clearly visible on the points of their lances. There were, at a glance, perhaps nine members in the party heading south to Jerusalem which was under siege by the Arab forces of Sultan Al Adil I of Egypt. Behind them the winds of times were gathering. It is here that our story begins, June 22, 1204 in the year of lord in the hills and deserts of Syria in the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem…
Peter de Arqah, the head lieutenant of the Knights Templar was riding at a fast pace on his horse nervously looking at the nearby hills and caves for a hidden force. The un-easy officer of the small caravan was extremely nervous being out in the hills of Syria with only nine knights and one young seven year-old squire boy Robert de Lyon where he knew the Arabs could have easily by now have overrun. Out in the distance he was relaxed when he saw one of his knights returning from his patrol for a nearby water source out in the distance.
Peter de Arqah slowed his horse and the caravan of small Templar Knights followed suit. Peter began, “Dear Charles, I’m glad that you’ve managed to make it back in such a harsh place. Any luck at finding water or shade?”
Charles held out his hand to try and grab the forearm of his lieutenant. Peter noticed blood seeping from the mouth of his knight, the warm, dark red wine like blood drizzled down his neck and tunic then onto the desert floor itself as he fell from his horse dead. Peter quickly grew weary as he panned the hills once again for any signs of Arab soldiers.
“They know we’re here and nearby,” he said to nobody in particular.
Eric de Nyuld rode forth, the young sergeant knight spoke his mind to his superior, “Peter, there’s a foul stench in the air. I suggest that we keep moving but not on the old faded road. We have a better chance in the country-side than on the road.”
“You’re right Eric,” responded Peter as he looked up to the bright blue and blistering skies above to see several vultures circling overhead, he then proceeded to wipe of the sweat from his face.
“What about him?” questioned Eric as he pointed to the body of his fallen brother.
“The vultures will get him for we cannot take the risk of taking him with us.”
“Then it’s settled,” answered Eric as he turned about to ride in the center of the caravan where his young squire Robert de Lyon was situated.
“Let’s move!” ordered Peter as he began to stir his horse of the road and up the hills.
“What will happen to him?” asked Robert to Eric as he glanced down at the body of the now deceased Charles.
“God has decided it was time to serve in a better place,” responded Eric to his squire.
Robert, with his long golden hair and blue eyes looked down at the fallen knight as the vultures began to land adjacent to his body and slowly move in. Robert grew sick and felt a sense of pity and piety at the knight that the others were leaving behind. The Templar Knights were now entering an even more dangerous place of Syria, the sands of times.
The hostile Syrian Desert.
In the hills out in the distance, an Arab soldier emerged from his cave with a bow in his hand and could see the small Gregorian flags that the Crusaders were carrying at the very top of their lances. He moved out to gain a better sight and turned back to the cave and spoke in his native Arab tongue, “We have infidels out in the distance.” And in a simple moment a small party of elite Arab soldiers slowly infiltrated the ranks of long and dying grass from their caves and began to stalk their prey.
Peter de Arqah became calmer as he could see the sun setting in the distance as well as a small lake and a lone palm tree off in the distance. Once again Eric de Nyuld rode forth to his commander.
“I don’t like the idea of being at the only source of water during the night. This is probably the home to Muslims that killed Charles.”
“You are most likely right Eric, we halt here only to gather supplies and continue to those mountains off in the distance and set camp for the night.”
Nearby in the brush an Arab soldier moved up, moving the grass and weed with his hand very delicately and peered out at the soldiers like a snake, being only several feet away from the talking Crusaders. The Arabic man then, just as he approached, slowly maneuvered his way back so he wouldn’t be exposed by the other knights that were searching the area.
Robert pulled over one of the knights, “I think there’s something in the grass Isaac. I saw the grass move and there’s no wind.”
Isaac laughed, “My dear boy, you’ll make a fine knight one day. Always has his eyes open for dangers, but I assure you young lad there are no Arabs here or I’d have found them by now.”
“I’m telling you Peter, the Arabs are like ghosts; you have no idea where they are or when they’re going to strike at you.”
“You’re not the only one who is nervous about being out here alone.
*****
~ Modern Day, New York City.
“How has you’re day been Professor Henry?”
“Why just splendid Carl,” answered Professor Jonathon Henry to his student. The remarkable history professor at the University of Long Island has long been interested in the Crusades as his students will say, his entire room is decorated with Crusading gear and pictures as well as the Ark of the Covenant.
“Well class,” he began, “you all know you had an assignment due today. Where do you believe the Ark of the Covenant is located? Now, regardless of religion or gender I hope you all completed it, please pass the papers forward and we’ll be getting into the Siege of Jerusalem in 1204 by the Arabs.” Professor Henry walked by to collect the previous assignment as he kept on talking.
“Professor, if I may I have an important question about the Ark?”
“Why of course Paul, what is it?”
“If it went missing all those years back, wouldn’t it be possible to say the Ark never existed?”
“Well, that’s like saying the Crusades never happened now. Rumor has it that during the siege that you’ll learning about today and tomorrow, several Knights Hospitallers left the city with many treasures of the medieval world that were centered in Jerusalem and took them to Acre. Now here’s the interesting part, they never made it so it’s all out there as the Bible says, it’s just a matter of finding it…"
