The second chapter of this story.
Disclaimer: With this story it is not my intention to offent anyone. I have respect for both Christians and Muslims and only have problems with extremists and those who want to force their religion on me.
I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoy writing it.
Let me know what you think in a review, please.
2. Upon the Road
Once Kalare had said farewell to her sisters, the five travellers took to the road. Emir lead the group, followed by Kalare and Ilarya, Kalare's guard and Emir's servant.
"By what road shall we travel?" Kalare asked. She remembered her father telling her about his experience when he first travelled to Jerusalem. He had travelled by Messina, though ever since he had vowed to never travel by ship again. He had preferred to take the longer route over land, than the swifter route over water.
"You're father requested we travel by land, though it is not his request that makes us take that route. There are few sailors who are willing to take women let alone Saracens upon their ship," Emir answered her. "We will go by Italy and Greece before we reach the Byzantine Empire, after which we will reach Salahudin's lands."
Unwilling to shout at Emir while he rode a head of her, Kalare spurred her horse to ride next to his.
"How long will this road take us?" Kalare asked him.
"Two months," Emir answered without looking at her. He was sure she had never travelled so far from her home.
Kalare did not reply to this. She had never questioned her father before, but spending two months on the road with two strangers, one guard and one lady was not only unheard of, it would be seen as a scandal. Kalare slowed her horse to a standstill and thoughtfully stared at the sky above. The others halted as well.
"Is there a problem milady?" Ilarya asked softly.
Kalare did not reply.
Emir rode back to Kalare's side and spoke, "The road is long, we must not halt."
"That is the problem, the road is too long," Kalare said determent.
"There is no other road," Emir replied.
"Yes there is. We must travel by Messina."
"Your father…" Emir started.
"My father fears for my safety and would thereby send us over land. However, I fear for his health and I say we travel by sea."
"No captain will take us aboard," Emir tried to reason with her. But her mother's strong will resided just as strong in Kalare.
"They will beg us to board their ships," Kalare held vast. Emir looked at her questionably. "You did not think I left my home without means, did you?"
"You brought gold?"
"Gold and a name. The Templar Knights and the Pope may not have approved of my father's actions or my mother's choice, but there are many in Messina who were granted save passage because of my father. They owe my family."
"You are certain?" Emir questioned.
Kalare nodded. "How long to Messina?"
"Two weeks."
"And how many by sea?"
"Another two."
Though a month was still long, this had cut their time in half. It was hard to find proper places to rest and so, as Kalare wished to travel more quickly and spend less time looking for resting places, they were at times forced to set up camp, sleeping upon the road. Kalare found it uncomfortable at best, however she kept silent on the subject. Unlike Ilarya, who took every opportunity she could to complain about their sleeping arrangements.
When they were only two days from Messina Emir's guard lashed out at Ilarya. Throughout their journey they had come to ride in a set order. Emir and Kalare upfront, as he told her stories of his homeland and she told him of her life, being raised by the defender of Jerusalem. They were followed by Kalare's guard, who watched closely for his mistress' safety as well as her honour. He in turn was followed by Ilarya and Emir's servant behind her. As he was closest to her and was unable to guide his horse passed hers, Emir's servant was forced to listen to all her complaints and insults. It happened when they were again setting up camp upon the road. Though she pretended to mumble mostly to herself, everyone clearly heard Ilarya's complaints.
"Another night with no sleep, and only because we must travel with these savages, these devil worshippers. My lady is too trusting, so naive, she will get us all killed," Ilarya mumbled. Everyone ignored her until she raised her voice just a little too loud while again cursing the Saracens. Though Kalare had her back towards Ilarya, she saw the quick strides Emir's servant took towards the girl. She assumed he would give the girl a piercing stare like he had done on other occasions. However, instead she heard Ilarya shriek. Kalare spun around and found Ilarya lying on the forest floor, one hand clamped over her cheek. Though she cared little for the girl, Kalare pulled her sword from its sheath and stepped towards the servant.
"Touch her again and I will cut off your hands," she spoke calmly, though her voice was far more threatening than anyone had ever heard her speak before. "And you," she said as she turned to Ilarya, who remained on the floor, "hold your tongue or I will let him cut it out."
Ilarya was clearly shocked at her mistress' words and the threat of losing her tongue was sufficient for her to stop speaking completely, only speaking again when she was spoken to.
As Emir had expected, it was not as easy to find a ship and captain willing to carry them across the Mediterranean as Kalare had hoped it to be. At first sight most captains were unwilling to even speak to a woman and refused to acknowledge the Saracen at her side. At last Kalare found herself forced to send her guard ahead of herself, announcing her name and family to the captain and asking for admission to board for a meeting.
With Ilarya by her side and her guard behind her Kalare stood before one of the few captains who had indicated he was willing to speak to her. Emir and his servant had remained behind in the city.
"Captain," Kalare greeted as she entered his chambers. He sat behind a large desk and gestured for her to sit before him.
"How is it that I can help the daughter of the man who saved my entire family from certain death?" the captain asked.
"I'm afraid it is an urgent and fearful mission that I am to complete. I must travel to the holy land, for my father has fallen victim to mercenaries upon the road and has asked for me to come to his side," Kalare explained. "As you can understand it is my intend to travel there as swiftly as possible, which causes me to be here in search of a vessel and captain willing to carry me and my party across the seas."
"There must be more to this story as I have heard that you have had some trouble finding such a vessel and such a captain," the captain observed.
"Indeed there is, captain. However it is a delicate matter which must be kept for trusted ears only."
"Your tale is quite captivating and I promise you that your words are safe between these walls, I shall not repeat a single one of your words without your permission."
"I thank you for your promise for it is one I must keep you to. The mercenaries that attacked my father and his men where Templar Knights. If not for a young Saracen and his men, my father would have surely died at the Templar's hands."
"I believe we have touched upon the subject which has kept many a captain from carrying you and your party across the seas," the captain remarked.
"Indeed sir, as you can imagine there are many here who agree with the Templar Knights. And as it stands, my father's men were in no state to inform me of what occurred upon the road as they, too, were injured severely. His rescuers carried my father and his men to their masters' home. And with his limited options my father asked for this lord's son to inform me of all that occurred."
"Do I understand you correctly when I interpret your words to mean that you are travelling with a Saracen?" the captain questioned.
"Two, sir," Kalare confirmed.
"And you wish to have them accompany you on your voyage across the seas?"
"Indeed, sir."
"This is a difficult matter indeed."
"I understand, sir, and we are willing to pay you royally if you would agree to take all of us across the seas."
"Royally you say?"
"Quite sir," Kalare responded, though the captain looked at her questionably. "As you can imagine, captain, I am unaccustomed to speak of such things. However, I believe that the gold I have brought with me should be an ample amount to pay for crossing of the seas."
"Yes, I understand your position of course. However, my men may be less complacent. I must wonder how much it is that you are offering for this voyage," the captain asked, clearly fearful of Kalare's seeming lack of knowledge.
"As I said before I am unaccustomed to such a topic and as I do not carry it upon my person I cannot tell you the amount," Kalare explained calmly. In truth she knew exactly how much gold she had brought with her and was well aware of the amount a captain could ask for such an endeavour. "Why do you not tell me your price and I will send you word whether or not I have brought enough for the voyage?"
"You do not carry your gold upon your person?" the captain asked shocked, completely ignoring Kalare's offer.
"No, though I cannot think of a safer place than were it resides now."
"And that is?"
"Somewhere no man from this continent will ever think to look for it," Kalare answered quickly. "Your price, captain?"
Her quick dismissal of his inquiries were enough to draw the captain back to the topic at hand and no more than ten minutes later they disembarked the ship with the captains' word that if they were to agree to his price, he would indeed carry them all across the seas.
According to the captain, they were extremely lucky with the weather conditions on their voyage to the holy land, which they reached with little trouble once they had boarded the ship. Everyone on board kept mostly to themselves and Kalare's party was ignored at most times as the other passengers could barely contain their disgust for having both women and Saracen's aboard.
Before they set foot in Ashqelon both Kalare and Ilarya covered their hair, it was a tradition Kalare knew her father would want respected. As they remounted their horses, their formation changed from what it was back on the European continent. Emir's servant rode ahead, followed by Emir and Kalare, and Ilarya and Kalare's guard.
"How much further from here?" Kalare asked. They had been on the road for a little over a month, as it had taken a few days to find a ship in Messina.
"From here it is only a day's ride to my father's land," Emir answered. It was obvious he was glad to be once again on familiar land. Both he and his servant now paced their horses to go faster than they had on the road to Messina. As they rode on Kalare wondered if this was what so many men had died for, for all she had seen of the Holy Land so far consisted of Ashqelon and sand.
After several hours a building grew upon the horizon, and Kalare watched in amazement as it grew larger than any home she had seen before. Though the building was not as high as some she had seen before, the sheer expanse of it amazed her. As they drew closer Kalare slowed her horse while she took in the architecture and the symbols, some of which she recognised as her mother had brought some Persian items into their household. She had once told Kalare, they had reminded her of her own time in the Holy Land.
"There is no need to fear what lies there," Emir called her out of her memory.
"It is not that," Kalare replied. "I was just observing it as you observed my home from upon the hill."
"I was not aware you had seen us."
"I saw you long before you saw the house, as I am sure our arrival shall be no surprise here," Kalare said before she once again spurred her horse forwards.
