Baldwin looked down upon the cup that was sitting before him. It was not his usual silver cup, but one that was finer and delicate. It was plain, without jewels, but the detailing was nothing that he had ever seen. A work of a true Master Blacksmith.
"Who is the maker of this cup?" he asked his servant when he came to take away his dinner tray.
"A pilgrim from France my Lord" answered the servant. "He said he was an armorer, farrier, silversmith, and had created war machines before. His skills were tested my Lord and they held up to his word. These cups were his example of working in silver. They were so fine of make that it was decided that they would be given to you as a gift."
"I wish to see this Master Blacksmith, have him brought to me."
"As you wish my Lord" answered the servant, quickly leaving the room. Baldwin took the moment to go to his private chambers to retrieve an item before settling down at his desk. There were a few reports from his Barons. One from his dear friend Godfrey caught his eye.
The man had retreated to his estate after returning back from France, his mission unsuccessful. Godfrey had told neither Tiberias nor himself the whole story. Just that his son had refused his offer. Baldwin had seen the great sadness in the man though, the disappointment.
Baldwin pulled out a fresh piece of paper to ask his friend to return to Court. Guy was set to return any day now with the Knights he brought back with him from France. He would need both of his closest friends and allies for that.
He was in the middle of writing it when a knock sounded on his door. Baldwin did not look up from his work as he called for the person to enter. The sound of light footsteps reached his ears, that stopped a respectful distance away. Baldwin continued to pen a few more lines, a little test to see what his new guest would do.
If it had been Guy before him, he would have restfully shifted from foot to foot. Renee would have tried to get the King's attention by clearing his throat. But this man stood patiently, not making a sound as he waited for the King to address him. Just like Godfrey and Tiberias would do in this situation.
Baldwin carefully finished the sentence he was writing before looking up to greet his guest.
"Ah our new Master Blacksmith" Baldwin said calmly as he studied the man before him.
The man who appeared before him was a strong young man, proud, and carried himself like a nobleman. But not with arrogance like many in his court, but like those of the old guard, proud yet humble. Baldwin was struck how much this young man in fact reminded him of his friend Godfrey. They even had the same shade of blue eyes.
The man bowed his head low to Baldwin, "You sent for me my Lord?" he asked in a soft voice, casting his eyes down. He did not stare at the King like so many others who had come before him.
"Yes I did" said Baldwin, he picked up the cup and held it out to the man. "I have been told this is a piece of your work."
The man stepped forward and took the cup gently out of Baldwin's hand and briefly glanced at it. "Yes my Lord" The man tipped the glass and showed the King a small tree engraved on the bottom. "This is my mark."
"What is your name Master Blacksmith?" asked Baldwin as he accepted the cup back from the man.
"Balian My Lord" said Balian raising his eyes slightly to look at the King.
Baldwin nodded, "I have known many a fine Balian's in my day, and I feel I am in the presence of another. Now I have asked you here Balian to ask for your opinion on this." Baldwin motioned to the object set on a pillow next to him.
Balian stepped forward to inspect the object, but once seeing what it was looked at Baldwin to get permission. Baldwin gave the man a small nod. With the permission given, Balian reached down and picked up the silver mask, almost identical to the one the King was wearing.
Baldwin gave Balian a few minutes to study the mask before speaking again. "If you were to forge me a mask Balian, what improvements could you make?"
"The silver can be made thinner, less heavy. I would run a small seam here" said Balian pointing to the lips and nose. "A seam so thin that it is invisible to any eye yet would make getting fresh air easier my Lord."
Baldwin was intrigued, "How long would it take you to produce such a feat?" he asked.
The young man looked up, his blue eyes studying the King. "It would take at least a day my Lord, I am unused to working in this shape and it may take a few attempts to bring you such a mask as I described."
Baldwin was surprised, it wasn't often that a man admitted he would make mistakes. "Go, I will expect you tomorrow with your finished product."
Balian bowed respectfully to Baldwin before taking his leave.
Balian went straight to his forge, surprised to see pieces of silver waiting for him. Balian smiled faintly at them. Who knew when he decided to go to the Holy Land he would be working for a King? He didn't acknowledge the voice that whispered that if he found his Father he would be serving the King as a Knight.
Instead Balian threw himself into his work, getting the silver melted and just getting familiar with the shape he was working with. It would be one of the most important pieces that he ever produced.
Balian had thought himself lucky to receive a job at the palace as a blacksmith. He never expected for his work to be noticed by the King himself. He had been shocked when the servant had arrived at his forge and said the King had requested to see him. Balian only had time to wash the sweat and grime off his face before being led to the King's chambers. Balian had been told that the King was a leper and only appeared in a mask. Yet seeing it had still been a slight shock. But once he got over it, Balian found it easy to focus on what the King wanted from him. And here he was sweat pouring out of him as he hammered the silver into the desired shape.
Balian worked all night on the mask. He wanted it to be as perfect as it could and as he described it for the King.
It took two attempts before he got the silver as thin as he wanted and in the right shape and the small seams he promised. He spent the rest of the night and morning polishing the piece, making sure that there were no sharp edges on the outside or the inside. As one last touch he engraved the moustache and beard that was present on the other mask.
Balian took the time this time around to have a full bath and a fresh set of cloths on before he made his way back to the King's chamber, the new mask wrapped in a piece of clean cloth. Balian had a moments doubt that the King would be busy, but dismissed them. Thinking he could just leave the masks on the King's desk and go to his small room for some sleep.
Though these thoughts were dashed after the voice that called out after his knock.
"Enter"
The King was behind the same desk that Balian had seen him yesterday. Balian waited once again for the King to acknowledge him.
Baldwin was surprised when he looked up from his work that it was Balian standing in front of him with a package in his hand. He hadn't expected to see Balian until later that day, yet here he stood looking a little pale, and had bags under his eyes.
Balian did not say anything as he stepped forward and placed his package in front of the King and stepped back.
Baldwin pushed the cloth aside to reveal the mask that Balian had made for him. Just looking at it Baldwin was pleased. The silver had been polished to perfection and had no flaws that other masks sometimes had in the silver.
Baldwin ran his cloth wrapped hands over the top and back of the mask, pleased when not once did they catch on a sharp edge. And when he took it in his hands, he could tell immediately that it was lighter than his previous masks.
He bade Balian to wait as he went at once into his private dressing chambers. Once there he carefully unwrapped the ties that kept his mask in place. It was a simple process to switch it out with the new one.
Baldwin could tell immediately the differences between the two. It was like he was not even wearing a mask, as light as it was upon his face. The slits Balian had put in allowed him to have fresh air; he could smell the smell of incense in the air instead of his own decaying flesh.
Baldwin took a moment to just sit and breath. Breathing the fresh air was a privilege he only received at the end of the day or meal times when he took the mask off. Otherwise he was trapped, forced to smell the scent of his own flesh rotting. Well with what sense of smell he had left. Only the strongest of scents could he smell, and only the most heavily seasoned food.
Baldwin finally shook himself out of the state, realizing he had left Balian in the other room for some time. Balian had moved to stand in front of the chess seat and was inspecting the pieces. The man immediately set them down when he realized the King had come out.
"Please sit" said Baldwin motioning to the seat across from his chess set. Baldwin then did something that was rare for a King, he went over to his wine decanter and poured a glass which he gave to Balian.
"Why did you come to the Holy Land Balian?" asked the King curiously taking the seat across from the other man. He was interested why a man with obvious skills would come to the Holy Land.
Baldwin saw a deep look of pain cross over the man's face. "I came to erase the sins of my wife. She took her life after the death of our child" Balian said softly, playing with the stem of the cup of wine.
"I am sorry for your loss" intoned Baldwin.
"Thank-you my Lord"
"The Holy Land is a new world. A Kingdom built of consciousness" said the King wisely, "Or that is what I like to believe. The Holy Land can be a new start for you Balian. A man can become anything out here."
The man smiled as if he knew something the King didn't. "I'm just a Blacksmith."
"Well Master Blacksmith, do not be surprised when I order more work from you" said Baldwin with a slight chuckle. "Now I suggest you get some sleep Balian."
"Of course my Lord" smiled Balian giving a slight bow before leaving the King's Chambers.
Balian did as he was ordered, heading straight to his bed. He would have never believed when he left France that he would have an audience with a King, let alone being told that the King would request his work. A sense of satisfaction filled him, an emotion that he hadn't felt since his beloved wife's death. He went to sleep feeling that his choice to come to the Holy Land was the right one.
A Week Later
Baldwin was once again in his rooms, but this time he was waiting for his friends to join him. It would be the first time since Godfrey arrived back from France that the man had come back from his estate. He was pleased when the knock came that signaled their arrival. Tiberias was the first to enter followed closely by Godfrey.
"My friend it is good to see you" said Baldwin greeting Godfrey. "How does Ibelin fair?"
"If fairs well my Lord," answered Godfrey with a small smile. But the smile did not reach his eyes. Tiberias shared a look with the King. The proud man in front of him refused to say anything about his mission to France, yet he was not the same man he once was. He seemed to carry a great sense of grief that nothing would be able to lift.
"That is good my friend," answered Baldwin. "Though I am glad you are here. My brother-in-law is scheduled to return any day now from his mission in France with Knights that are no doubtable loyal to him. The Knight Templars are growing restless and Reynald along with them. I fear that our hard won peace will soon be tested."
"Godfrey and I will try our best your Majesty to make sure that the peace is upheld" intoned Tiberias seriously. Godfrey nodded seriously beside him.
Baldwin smiled behind his mask, with friends such as these two men he could feel better knowing that they will protect his nephew when he took the throne. Baldwin knew that it would be sooner rather than later in the future. Baldwin motioned to his personal servant to pour some wine.
"Come my friends let us drink and dispel these dire thoughts for the moment. Tiberias what have your knights been up to these past few weeks?" asked Baldwin. Tiberias usually had an interesting tale of what his knights got up to during these peaceful days.
Tiberias opened his mouth to tell of what his younger knights had got up to with a Noble man's daughter when Godfrey made a strange sound beside him.
Godfrey was looking strangely at the cup of wine that the servant had passed out. "Where did your Majesty get a cup such as this?" he asked.
"My new Master Blacksmith, his work caught my eye as well. He is the one who has redone all of my masks and I am quite happy with his results" said Baldwin smiling behind his mask.
But this news did not seem to ease Godfrey's mind, in fact he grew more still. "And his name my Lord?"
Baldwin casted a look at Tiberias, who seemed as confused as his Majesty on the sudden fascination.
"He calls himself Balian, a recent arrival from Fran-" began Baldwin.
But at the sound of the name, Godfrey had set the glass down and exited the King's chambers very swiftly. Shocking the two men that had remained sitting.
Baldwin was the first to recover from the surprise of Godfrey walking away without so much as an explanation. "Tiberias I think it would be best if you follow him."
Tiberias nodded at his King before exiting. Though Godfrey wasn't in sight anymore, it wasn't hard for Tiberias to know where to head. It took a few minutes to get across the palace where the royal forges were held. It was here he found his friend standing outside the smallest of forges just staring at the figure working hard within.
Godfrey felt he was once again in the smithy in France as he stood in the doorway watching his son work. He barely noticed when Tiberias came to stand behind him. Godfrey had thought he had lost his chance when he left the young man in France. Yet here he was in the Holy Land. Perhaps he still had a chance.
He waited until there was a pause in the hammering before he spoke. "Balian."
His son stiffened at the spoken word before slowly putting the hammer down and turning. "My Lord" he said simply.
How those simply words cut into Godfrey. But he forged ahead. "I see that you were able to follow my directions."
Balian's mouth twitched faintly. "I did, but I found them somewhat lacking."
"Indeed, I gave you directions to Jerusalem, but I failed to give you directions to my house, your house."
Godfrey didn't miss Tiberias stiffening besides him, but he kept all of his attention on the young man in front of him who looked ready to refuse him all over again. Godfrey damned his pride, and took a few steps closer to his son and offered his hand. "Please come, I meant what I said in France. You will be a part of my household and inherit everything when I die." He could feel Tiberias shocked from behind him, now having all the pieces. Again Godfrey kept all his attention of Balian. "Please my son" he said softly.
Those eyes so much like his own studied him, as if measuring him. Godfrey expected him to refuse him once again but he was surprised when a warm calloused hand reached out and firmly took his own. Godfrey allowed a small smile to grace his features, one that was slowly return on his son's face.
Godfrey turned to Tiberias. "Tiberias let me introduce you to my son, Balian. Balian this is my good friend and shield brother Tiberias"
Tiberias gave a rare true smile at the young man, "It is an honor to meet the son of Godfrey."
"You will give the King my apologize?" asked Godfrey to Tiberias. Who nodded his acceptance.
"Come my son" said Godfrey leading Balian away.
Tiberias watched as his lifelong friend led his long lost son out of the palace and to his own estate in Jerusalem. Tiberias was sure that the next time the young man he would be a Knight of the realm.
Tiberias made his way back to the King's chamber a smile sitting snug on his face. It made many of the servants he encountered stop and do a double take. It was a rare sight to see the Knight smiling. It certainly surprised Baldwin when Tiberias entered the chambers with it still on his face.
"What happened Tiberias?" asked Baldwin.
"Your Blacksmith was none other than the son Godfrey went to France to retrieve" explained Tiberias to the King. "I am afraid my Lord that you will have to find yourself a new Master Blacksmith."
Baldwin was a bit put out by that news, but it was overshadowed that his friend had found the heir that he went to France to find. And a part of him was happy to know Balian would have a strong figure to lean on as he recovered from his grief.
The next time Baldwin saw Balian, he was sure that it would be as a Knight pledging his service to the King. It seemed what he said to Balian was true, a man could become anything in the Kingdom of Heaven.