Damascus (occupied by the Kingdom of Jerusalem)
December 1129
King Baldwin II walked into the make-shift interrogation chamber. An Arab was hanging from the ceiling, his arms twisted too far the wrong way behind his back. The questioner and a Templar knight were already in the room, one working on the man while the other asked questions in Arabic.
The questioner turned to Baldwin, “Sire, we’ve been able to get some information, but I’m afraid he’s being a hard to break,” The questioner turned back to the man, and walked over to the chamber’s fireplace, where some iron rods were heating in the flame.
“Who did he say he marched for?” Baldwin asked the interpreter, a Templar knight.
“He says, ah, I’m not sure of the name, sire, the lord of Aleppo and Mosul, he calls him Zengi-“
“I know who he is. How many are they?”
The interpreter spoke to the hanging man. The man shook his head weakly and the Templar nodded to the questioner, who was ready with one of the iron rods. The hanging man screamed.
“Sire, he’ll not last much longer,” The questioner said.
“Then its good we captured more than one, isn’t it?” Neither man answered, “I want to know how many there are. Do whatever you have to, but remember we only have four more,” With that Baldwin turned and left the room, the questioner and Templar turning back to their work.
Count Fulk, the former Count of Anjou and now consort to the Crown Princess Melisende was waiting for him outside the room, “How many?”
“They haven’t found out yet. They are Aleppo men though, as we thought, led by their new lord. We need scouts to find out how many,” He paused, thinking, “We cannot risk being trapped in the city and besieged, though.”
The count nodded his reluctant ascent, “We’ll leave the whole Kingdom open if we make a stand here. We should march out and meet the Turks, defeat them and keep the city.”
“Perhaps-“
“This must be decided at a council, Sire,” Fulk continued, “The others must be with us and not flee back to their own lordships. We can keep this city and the kingdom.”
“A council then,” Baldwin said.
*
Zengi, the Atabeg of Aleppo and Mosul, surveyed the field of battle. Dead horses and men littered the ground. More of theirs' then mine. Two of his men approached on horse back, a bloody bag in each one’s hand.
“We’ve found the Franks’ King and Prince,” one said, “They didn’t survive the battle,” He gave his bag to one of Zengi bodyguards.
December 1129
King Baldwin II walked into the make-shift interrogation chamber. An Arab was hanging from the ceiling, his arms twisted too far the wrong way behind his back. The questioner and a Templar knight were already in the room, one working on the man while the other asked questions in Arabic.
The questioner turned to Baldwin, “Sire, we’ve been able to get some information, but I’m afraid he’s being a hard to break,” The questioner turned back to the man, and walked over to the chamber’s fireplace, where some iron rods were heating in the flame.
“Who did he say he marched for?” Baldwin asked the interpreter, a Templar knight.
“He says, ah, I’m not sure of the name, sire, the lord of Aleppo and Mosul, he calls him Zengi-“
“I know who he is. How many are they?”
The interpreter spoke to the hanging man. The man shook his head weakly and the Templar nodded to the questioner, who was ready with one of the iron rods. The hanging man screamed.
“Sire, he’ll not last much longer,” The questioner said.
“Then its good we captured more than one, isn’t it?” Neither man answered, “I want to know how many there are. Do whatever you have to, but remember we only have four more,” With that Baldwin turned and left the room, the questioner and Templar turning back to their work.
Count Fulk, the former Count of Anjou and now consort to the Crown Princess Melisende was waiting for him outside the room, “How many?”
“They haven’t found out yet. They are Aleppo men though, as we thought, led by their new lord. We need scouts to find out how many,” He paused, thinking, “We cannot risk being trapped in the city and besieged, though.”
The count nodded his reluctant ascent, “We’ll leave the whole Kingdom open if we make a stand here. We should march out and meet the Turks, defeat them and keep the city.”
“Perhaps-“
“This must be decided at a council, Sire,” Fulk continued, “The others must be with us and not flee back to their own lordships. We can keep this city and the kingdom.”
“A council then,” Baldwin said.
*
Zengi, the Atabeg of Aleppo and Mosul, surveyed the field of battle. Dead horses and men littered the ground. More of theirs' then mine. Two of his men approached on horse back, a bloody bag in each one’s hand.
“We’ve found the Franks’ King and Prince,” one said, “They didn’t survive the battle,” He gave his bag to one of Zengi bodyguards.
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