Title:
Si Vos Orior Sternum: If You Rise Again

Written By:
LegolasLover2003 aka Ashley

Category:
Fanfiction – Movie – Kingdom of Heaven

Rating:
PG-13 / T for Teen

Genre:
Action/Adventure/Drama

Disclaimer:
I would like to note that I do not take credit for anything that is connected to the film, "Kingdom of Heaven". I have simply researched the subject (insanely) for a previous report of mine and for my website as well. There are a few phrases within this story that come directly from the "Kingdom of Heaven" Director's Cut Dvd (which came out 05/23/2006). I do not claim those as my own either. You can find more "Kingdom of Heaven" Director's Cut Dvd quotes over at my website under the Balian Quotes section. All quotes were painstakingly transcribed by myself via typing, my ear, and the Dvd subtitles (except for the Deleted/Altered Scenes which had no Subtitles).

Notes:
The name of Balian and Sibylla's son is Godfrey, in honor of Balian's father.
The phrase, "If You Rise Again" refers to what Balian said to Guy de Lusignan towards the end of the "Kingdom of Heaven" Director's Cut Dvd.
The place which Balian and Sibylla call home is an actual city in France which was called Baeterrae.
There is a story image for this fanfiction and you can find the link for it in my fanfiction dot net profile (near the bottom). The image was made by me. I used a true picture of Baeterrae, put in some clouds, changed the color to a darker tint, and cropped and added the images of Balian and Guy, as well as placed the text onto the image itself.
Lastly, the title of the story, the first of the title (Si Vos Orior Sternum) is latin for the following phrase of the title (If You Rise Again).

Si Vos Orior Sternum: If You Rise Again

Prologue

Exhaustion.

That was what Balian felt as he splashed cool water upon his face. In the heat of the day, the man wanted nothing more than to finally get some well deserved rest. The ten day siege of Jerusalem had worn on his nerves. Now, his adrenaline spent,he simply wanted to sleep.

"The perfect knight."

Balian stiffed as he felt the pommel of his own sword push against the right side of his neck, just above the collar bone.

"Is that what you think you are, is it?"

A quick jerk from the knight's left hand brought his sword to his side. He thrust the end into the dirt, using it as leverage to help himself stand, his muscles screaming out in protest. A slap of his opponent's sword against his own blade nearly caused the man to stumble. Turning his gaze to the side however, Balian came face to face with a man he had thought defeated... if not physically but in pride.

Guy de Lusignan.

Balian tried to ignore the man, for he had no desire to fight. Guy however, had other plans, slapping his own sword against Balian's until the blacksmith turned Baron knew that a fight was imminent.

Standing to one side of his opponent, Balian raised his sword to be level with Guy's chest. "We are all of us what we do." he spoke calmly.

Without warning, Guy struck. Their blades crossed, feet stepping fast in a furious dance of death. Guy slammed his fist into the blacksmith's face, forcing Balian into a corner. He regained his composure, continuing the fight once more.

Again and again their blades rang in the dry desert air. Knights and soldiers stood around, watching this fight between the king who had doomed them all, and the knight who had remedied that king's mistakes.

Blood poured forth from a deep cut to Balian's left arm, forcing the knight backward. The sword of Ibelin came up high above his head, the Guard of the Hawk was ready for Guy's next move.

That next move came and, as the their battle moved out onto a street drapped in drying dyed cloth, the fight came to a quick end.

Balian's sword slashed the King of Jerusalem hard, blood flying into the cloths and the ground, saturating Guy's white robes. Weapon held high, Balian looked down upon the man before him.

"Do it." Guy spoke, pain evident in his hate filledgaze and voice.

He held his stomach, the agony of his wounds beginning to overcome him as blood spilled forth upon his hands.

Balian could barely control his rage... his pure unbridled anger at everything which Guy had done. He had destroyed countless lives all in the name of war... a war which he aided in the making. The blacksmith's arms shook, his sword unsteady as his emotions fought against one another within him.

Slowly however, the sword of Ibelin came down, it's tip fixed upon Guy's face.

"When you rise again," Balian spoke, as calmly as possible. "IF you rise... Rise a knight."

Turning, the man walked away from Guy de Lusignan, his own hatred beaten in the face of his greatest enemy. Balian sheathed the Sword of Ibelin once again, holding the weapon and the belt in his right hand as he moved through the allies of Jerusalem.

He needed to return to the marketplace, to help coordinate the evacuation of the people of the city.

A scream of anger turned Balian's head, just in time for the bitting sting of a sword to pierce his chest.

Confusion and disbelief clouded the blacksmith's brown eyes as his gaze focused on the wielder of that deadly blade.

"You should have killed me when you had the chance, blacksmith." Guy de Lusignan growled, his own pain from the knight's inflicted wounds evident in his every syllable.

The Baron of Ibelin fell to his knees, his enemy... his murderer's laugh ringing harshly in his ears.

Darkness overtook Balian... and heheard and sawno more.

Darkness gave way to a pale sunrise.

The sound of laughter faded until the cry of newly wakened seagulls filled the air.

Balian of Ibelin woke suddenly, his mind working quickly to force himself to realize...

It had all been a dream.

Pushing himself up on his elbows, the man glanced to his right. Sleeping peacefully beside him was his wife, Sibylla. The man smiled, reaching out one hand to move a few stray strands of dark hair from his love's face.

'It was nothing more than a dream...' he told himself firmly, removing the sheet of their bed from about himselfand standing.

Balian stretched his arms above his head, the slight chill of the early summer morning permeated the room. It was not cold enough for a robe however so, in naught but tunic pants, the man walked out onto the balcony.

Below him sprawled the wide open ocean, as far as the eye could see. A gentle breeze kicked up, blowing Balian's dark brown hair away from his face and bringing with it the salty smell of the sea.

Balian and Sibylla had made Baeterrae, France their home. The blacksmith had opened his own shop, selling everything from armour and weapons to iron building supplies and horse shoes. He even crafted fine works of silver when such a thing was requested... but Balian no longer built the engines of war for which he was famous for.

That part of his life he had left behind him... after their son, Godfrey, had been born.

Named for his grandfather, the boy had the man's striking blue eyes.

Now, the boy was four years old, and lives of peace and quite had been awarded them all.

Balien was tired of war, tired of battles. He had seen his share of blood years ago...

He no longer wanted any part of the, still ongoing, Crusades.

"Does something trouble you, my love?"

Balian turned to see Sibylla glide toward him, her robe blowing in the light wind.

The man smiled slightly, "Just a dream... A dream of long ago."

Sibylla frowned, lacing her arms about her husband's right forearm and leaning her head against his shoulder. "It was only a dream." she spoke in a whisper.

Something about her voice made the blacksmith wonder if his wife had been awakened by her own nightmare.

"At least our son sleeps in peace." Balian replied, his smile growing.

As if on cue, the cry of a child pierced the morning air.

Sibylla frowned, waving a finger at her husband. "See what you did." she joked, turning and walking back into the house to tend to the crying Godfrey.

The blacksmith's smile remained however as he leaned against the balcony railing, his eyes searching the still dark ocean.

"It was only a dream..."

To Be Continued...