I have based the dates on the idea Djaq is nineteen when the show stars in 1193 so Djaq would have ben born in 1174. So in 1267 when she's telling this story she would be 93. And during this chapter which is set in 1186 she would be 12.

The holy land, Saladin's camp. 1186

Twelve year old Saffiya ran after her older brother Djaq.
"I want to go with you" Saffiya argued.
"No, Saffiya you can't come your a girl you can't fight." Djaq argued angrily.
"I can do anything as well as a boy can why should I not fight just because i'm a girl?"
"Saffiya, please promise me you'll do what father says."
"But Djaq..."
"Promise me" Djaq said grabbing Saffiya's shoulders.
"I promise" Saffiya said reluctantly. She loved her brother she would do what he asked but that didn't mean she had to like it.

Saffiya felt her father's hand on her shoulders.
"Saffiya, you don't really want to fight you have not seen war trust me, this is a phase you'll grow out of it when you realise the truth of war" Saffiya's father, Saladin's personal physician, said grabbing her arm.

Saffiya did not want to wear dresses and cover her face, she did not want to marry and have children, she wanted to fight in Saladin's army like her brother. She didn't want anyone to own her. If she ever gave herself to a man it would be because she wanted to not because it was convenient for the men around her.

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Saffiya pretended she had listened to her fathers words but she continued practising fighting in secret, she watched soldiers training and copied their moves later herself. Saffiya was practising swordplay with a broom in her room when she heard her mother's screams.

"No no no no" Saffiya ran from her room in her family's tent to the medical tent where the screaming was coming from. There was a bed surrounded by several soldiers, Saffiya's mother, father and Sakina, Saffiya's little sister. Pushing through the soldiers Saffiya could see the bloody mess on the bed. Then she realised horrified, the mess was Djaq.

Saffiya looked at he rfather who shook his head sadly. Djaq was dead.

Saffiya barely registered her mother's arms around her and Sakina all she could think was, Djaq's dead.

Djaq's dead

Djaq's dead

Djaq's dead

Barely listening to the soldiers chatter she heard the name Edward of Bonley. The man who had killed her brother.

Saffiya pushed her mother away and ran form the tent. She ran straight out of camp to her special hiding place, in a nearby cave, were she practised fighting in secret.

She would practice and practice fighting and one day she would avenge Djaq.