Saladin's camp, the holy land, 1190

Saffiya didn't feel the hatred she expected to after hearing that the man whoose life she had savedwas her brother's killer. The thing was she hadn't thought of Edward of Bonley as a man, she had thought of him as a cruel monster but he was just a man like the thousands of others fighting this war, he killed her brother, but how many brothers had Djaq killed?, how many fathers, sons, brothers, cousins, how many? It was the first time the reality of war hit her and the first time she realised the english weren't as evil as Saladin made them out to be.

"Are you alright Saffiya?" Edward asked bringing her out of her trance like state.
"I'm fine," Saffiya lied again before looking around for her sister,"Where's Sakina? She was dressing your wounds when I left."
"The little girl?"
Saffiya nodded.
"I think I frightened her, she was watching me when I woke up, I said hello to her and she ran away.I didn't mean to scare her."
"She'll be alright" Saffiya assured him. Then she heard footsteps.
"Quiet" she whispered to Edward, "I'm not supposed to talk to you."
"Why?" Edward said puzzled.
"Your a man who's not related to me, It's not proper, shush or i'll be in trouble"
Edward promptly fell silent.

"Saffiya" it was Raquib.
Saffiya didn't answer.
"Your allowed to talk to me Saffiya, your going to be my wife"
"What do you want me to say?"
"Well you could smile and tell me your happy."
"And if i'm not? What if I don't want to belong to any man. I will only give myself to a man if I wish to." She shouted at him.

Raquib grabbed Saffiya's wrist and slapped his hard across the face.
"Oh come on leave the girl alone" Edward told Raquib, but Raquib didn't understand, he didn't speak english.
"What did he say?" he demanded.
"He said to let me go."
"Really, and what business is it of him?" Raquib said turning on Edward.

Saffiya knew what Raquib was going to do, she wasn't sure if she should stop him. Raquib was a killer and that was wrong, but the englishman had murdered her bother surely he deserved to die. And yet, Saffiya could save him if she wished.

In the end Saffiya did nothing, Saffiya would go on to lead a good life on the side of justice, refusing to save Sir Edward of Bonley's life for a second time would become the only thing she was truly ever ashamed of. Raquib killed Edward easily, the englishman had no weapon and was still badly injured, not that he'd have won even if he was fine and had a sword, the englishman was smaller and weaker than Raquib who had been training since he was three years old.

Edward of Bonley, her brother's killer was dead. She had thought she would be happy at the death of her brothers killer she wasn't, nor was she sad. Just ashamed.

"Now Saffiya you will obey me won't you?" Raquib asked he was sure she would say yes, but Saffiya didn't say yes. She spat in his face and Raquid slapped her across the face.
"I will never obey you" Saffiya hissed angrily.

It was then Saffiya's father entered, he saw Bonley's body on the floor and asked Raquib "what's going on?"
"The englishman tried to attack Saffiya, I saved her" Raquib lied.
"He is a murderer and a foll and I will never marry him" Safiya told her ather, pushing past him and escaping from the tent before anyone could stop her, Saffiya ran back to her secret hiding place.

She had had enough, she refused to marry Raquib, Saffiya knew even if her father broke his promise to Raquib she would have to marry someday, she would do no such thing.

Tomorrow some of Saladin's soldiers would sweep the camp and neighbouring villages searching for reqruits. Among them would be a previously unknown boy called Djaq.