A/N: Sorry you guys but writer's block is a pain! Hopefully my imagination starts to get more creative with this story. Please review!

"Words in Bold" = another language

Italics = flashbacks

Italics/Bold = letters, dreams

Trapped in Time

Chapter 13

Estrella brought Elligero to a sudden stop, feeling a change in the wind. Trying to think back in the movie and not the startling dream, Estrella felt a familiar presence surround her. She frowned, trying her hardest to understand all the changes that were going on around her.

"Mom," she whispered for the help.

Baldwin was standing close to Tiberias, a hand to his shoulder as his head was turned to the older man. "We must meet him before he reaches Kerak. I will lead the army."

"My lord, if you travel, you'll die." Tiberias tells him simply but with fear behind his words.

"Send word to Balian and Estrella to protect the villagers." Baldwin then turns to the courtyard where many crusading men awaited to hear what the king had to say. "Assemble the army."

The group cheers as Guy bows his head with respect before looking towards another man that seemed to gloat at the mention of riding out.

Estrella gasped back into reality, looking around her. It was then that she noted the rider barely conscious on his bloody horse. Cursing at herself, Estrella sharply turned Elligero to her left and rode quickly. If she wasn't so involved with the thought of Sibylla staying with them for over a month she may have remembered Guy and Reynald slaughtering those innocent people on the road!

As she came near the man, the woman turned Elligero to ride alongside him and took the reins from his loose grip. Giving a prayer for the man to live and stay conscious on the horse, Estrella urged Elligero faster, the mare following suit. Thanks to the urgency that the horses have felt, Estrella was able to return to the main house, yelling orders to bring a healer and call Balian.

At the courtyard, Estrella let the reins go to the mare to let her stop as she continued forward until stopping before Balian and a leaving princess. Estrella scowled, knowing again that if she wasn't so worried about Sibylla being there for so long that she could have prevented this small battle that would never take place, but would give the king a few more days to live if his strength was not weaken.

"The king is marching to Kerak," Estrella told him breathlessly, swiftly, and quickly, dismounting. "I have only seen it just now; my mind was too much in turmoil to have seen it earlier."

At her pointed gaze at the princess, Balian nodded, understanding what she had meant. Sibylla, however, frowned with confusion. Has Estrella seen her brother marching to Kerak or did she mean something else? If so, what was it that she had meant?

"Prepare to ride out and combat!" Balian ordered.

Latif rushed over to Estrella, "Do you wish for me to prepare another horse?"

Estrella smiled, shaking her head. "Nay, Elligero would be fine, but make sure that he drinks lots of water before we leave."

Latif bows his head, taking Elligero further into the stables. Estrella nodded to the family, Lukman already rushing after Balian. She pointed to Taifa to follow her as well, the family right at her heels. As they entered her room, Estrella was quick to shed the outer tunic and reach the trunk at the end of her bed.

"I have seen that look, Taifa, and the answer is no." Estrella tells him, quickly undressing without a care of the man in the room.

Taifa turned his back, but felt both hurt and anger inside him. "My lady, I am able to fight! I can help; there is only a small portion within Lord Balian's army!"

Once the chainmail was on, Estrella put on (with the help of Anisa) the outer shirt and tunic. "I know you can, but I have seen that this battle will not last too long." she walked over to the seething man and placed a hand on his shoulder, moving around to stand in front of him. "There is going to be another battle that we will need you."

Seeing she was not lying, Taifa sighed, nodding. Nodding in return, Estrella walked out just as Balian did, the both of them nearly running towards the stables. Once they were mounted and the other men were ready, the group (including Sibylla and her guards) rode fast and hard to Kerak, knowing that time was of essence. By midday the group reached just outside the outer city, watching many villagers yelling and running towards the fortress for safety.

"Saracen cavalry; they're coming to close Reynald in. These people are not safe outside the walls. Saladin will certainly come behind him."

Balian nods to Sibylla. "Go into the fortress now."

The Princess stares at him before urging her horse towards the city, her guards following her close behind. Estrella and Balian rode towards the middle to meet the cavalry, mentally getting ready to fight for what was to come. They stood their ground waiting and watching, the last of the villagers now coming into a safe distance from the battle that was surely to come. Suddenly a rider comes in front of them, looking desperate to find someone and get away from the Muslims advancing.

"My lord Balian! My lord Balian!" he yells out, pacing his horse before the group, stopping only when Balian, Estrella, and Peter moves forward. "My lord Reynald prays you bring your force into Kerak."

"Thank you but no. If we do these people will die. We'll hold the Saracen cavalry until the king arrives."

The man bows slightly, awed at the man before him. "So be it." he shouts, urging his horse back to the fortress.

"We cannot attack that and live." Peter tells him fearfully.

"Are you with me?" Balian asks.

He bows his head, knowing full well that he can trust this man. Balian unsheathes his sword and holds it against him as his men prepare themselves to what was to come. Balian then kisses his sword with a small prayer for the lives of his men and Estrella. He held up his sword than marches forward to meet the Saracens. The group is soon galloping towards each other, everyone giving out a battle cry.

"Forward!" Balian cries, the knights forming two lines behind him and Estrella. "Divide!" he then cries once they were close enough.

The Muslims quickly encircled the small group of knights, Estrella's heart pounding with fear for the first time. This time she felt that she might actually die or even get hurt badly enough that she won't be able to protect Balian anymore. At one point she had fell off Elligero, who was able to get out of the battle safely (by a miracle), and become separated from Balian. Next thing she knew someone had hit the back of her head, making her unconscious.

D5D5D5D5D5

Balian moaned at the bright light shinning his eyes and slowly opened them to see what was going on. He looked up startled when he saw his reflection to what he knew was a sword.

"Your quality will be known among your enemies...before ever you meet them, my friend."

"You were not that man's servant." He stated the obvious, pushing up in his hands.

Nasir grinned, chuckling softly. "No. He was my servant. But I thought you would have already known, since the woman, Estrella, had already knew."

Balian glowers at the news, groaning as he slowly sits up on his knees. "What becomes of us?"

"As you deserve. You reap what you sow. You have heard of this, no?" Balian watches him, wondering what he was going to do. "Get up."

Balian, with the help of his sword, does so. He turns as two of Nasir's men drag an unconscious Estrella over to them, dropping her on to her back. Estrella moaned in pain, brining up a hand to her brow. Her entire body was sore and in pain, and wondered where she was or what had happened. Blinking, she squinted at the sun above her before a face appeared, blocking the brightness that was causing her head to pound even more.

"How are you feeling?" Balian asked.

Estrella moaned, closing her eyes once more. "Like I was hit with a hilt of a sword; what the hell happened?"

Balian grinned, helping the woman to sit up. "Well, you did get hit in the head with the hilt of a sword. And the battle has come to a stop."

Balian nodded before them, as Estrella questioned, "Battle?"

It was then that she remembered that they had gone into battle. Quickly looking around she saw that most of their men were captured, but many still lied dead on the sandy floor. Looking to her right, Estrella glowered at the familiar Arabic man, who was smiling teasingly at her.

"Damn it Nasir, you couldn't just trip me?" she accused the man.

Nasir grinned, kneeling before the woman. "And what would be the fun in that?"

Growling, Estrella tackled the man, only to be flipped over and held down tightly. "Not fair!"

Nasir only laughed before quickly standing and holding his hand out to her. "Nothing in life is fair."

"You're an idiot," she grumbled, letting the man pull her to her feet.

"An idiot who knows which buttons to push," he tells her with a grin.

He walks past them, hearing a familiar horn from the distance. He sees a large army advancing towards them, Nasir sighing just the slightest as he turned back to look at the two strong fighters

"You may go into Kerak, but you will die there." he nods behind him, "My master is here."

Balian looks at the large army, Estrella merely staring at it before grinning at Nasir, who was frowning behind them then looked at her with surprise. She pointed her thumb behind her, knowing that he had seen what she knew what was coming. A rider for Nasir comes over to him, stopping behind him as Nasir looked back in panic at the rider.

"Tell my lord Saladin that Jerusalem has come." he looks back at the young king and his army riding towards them.

Balian looked behind him, almost smiling in triumphant as he looked back to Nasir. They watched as the two king's ride towards each other with their escorts. They then tell their men to stay put as they move towards each other to have a private conversation. Estrella suddenly whistles softly, Elligero quickly riding towards his mistress, who mounts him in one swift movement. She waits as they converse before riding towards the two proud men, staying back enough not to disrespect them.

The two men continue to speak, obvious of the woman. Finally King Baldwin calls her forward, Estrella quickly dismounting and bowing to the two men. Saladin nods softly, wondering who the woman was but also approving her respect not only for her king, but for him as well.

"Rise, lady Estrella," the woman does so, hating the title but not saying a word. "This journey was the death of me, was it not?"

Estrella frowns sadly at the man who could have done so much if he didn't have leaper in this time era. "I'm sorry, my Lord, you will not live long past to what is to come. But, perhaps, that is a good thing for what is to come is a large blow to not only the crusade's pride, but that of King Richard the Lion Heart."

Baldwin begins to breathe harder. "Is there a cure?"

Estrella smiles sadly. "Yes my Lord, but I do not know how it is done. I was still a girl barely done with my studies and going to learn more when a tragic accident accord. But it does make me understand how fortunate I–we–truly were."

Baldwin groans, looking to Saladin whom he knew had many questions about this woman. "I will send you my physicians." he tells them instead.

Baldwin, grateful, brings his hand to his forehead as he bows his head. "Salaam alaikum."

"Alaikum salaam."

Estrella and Saladin do the same, Estrella bowing at the waist instead of just her head. Saladin stares at her for a few more seconds before turning his horse and riding away. Baldwin turns to Kerak, his men and the army riding behind him. Estrella watches both kings riding away before turning her horse and returning back to the group, who looked at her as though she was crazy.

"Until next time, Nasir," Estrella bows her head.

Nasir agrees with a smile before him and his group mounts on their horses and ride away, knowing that there will always be another battle going on. Estrella smiles to Balian and the group, waiting for them to get up and gather their weapons so they can go to Kerak and watch the show that was to start soon.