Hope – Chapter 2 – Within the Walls of Acre Citadel

Her name is Miriam.

She was eleven years old and was beginning to bloom into womanhood. Her small breasts had grown larger and her body had grown taller. Her face was lovely, but she kept it hidden behind a veil as her adopted father had instructed.

Her family had been killed by Templars, a sect of the Crusaders who were after power and glory or so she had been told.

Now she was like a prisoner in her adopted father's home. He would not let her go out after dark. He would not let her look out the windows. It felt like prison.

This day she was walking about the garden when a strange woman caught her eye. She walked to her and cocked her head. "Who are you?"

The woman froze and turned back. "Maria." She said with an accent that was nothing like what the girl had heard before.

"I'm Miriam."

"What are you doing here?"

"The only part of the citadel I am not followed."

"You are the lord's daughter?"

"Of sorts. He took me in when my parents were murdered. The Templars are bad men. Thankfully my father rescued me."

Maria looked at the girl. Did she not know all the men here were Templars? How had the lord kept that secret from her…unless he had made sure she never left the citadel and controlled who she spoke to and when.

What a horrible life.

What made this girl of interest that he would keep her like a treasure?

Maria looked at her. "Would you like to be free?"

The girl looked up. Though she wore a veil that covered much of her face, Maria could see the hope in her eyes. "You mean it? I can go outside the walls?"

"I can take you to see my husband and we can travel there together."

"I am not supposed to leave."

"Since when is following your heart a bad thing?"

"You did once too." Miriam remarked.

"Yes."

The girl took a breath and nodded. "We must hurry. Father will come up for tea within the hour."

Maria nodded. She loaded the cart she had and then nodded to the girl to get into one of the wine barrels.

The girl made a face. "You can't be serious."

"I will let you out as soon as we are clear of the guards."

Miriam looked upwards and then climbed in. She was small enough she could do it, but it was still a tight squeeze. Sighing she relaxed and she felt the wagon move.

"Old mother, where are you off to?" A guard asked.

"I am going to the harbor." Maria said in a ragged voice.

"With what?"

"Wine from my husband. I just delivered casks to your lord."

"I see."

"Good day then."

"Good day." The guard said.

They made it to the harbor. Miriam felt the cask she was in moved to a boat. The soft rocking was comforting. She almost went to sleep. It was nearly three hours later when Maria pulled off the top. "Come out now." She said.

"Thank you." The girl said rising and looking about. It was a small merchant ship. "Where are we going?" She asked looking back at the lights from torches dotting the sky behind them at Acre.

"Masyaf, Syria."

The girl blinked, but she was excited.

The boat ride took three days and then it took another four on horseback before the came to the mountains of Syria. Masyaf could be seen towering over the valleys below. She felt suddenly small and she looked to Maria who smiled.

So began the adventure of a lifetime for Miriam Bashir.