Templar Blood: The Battle of Hattin (The Brotherhood Book 3) by K.M. Ashman & Kevin Ashman

Author:K.M. Ashman & Kevin Ashman [Ashman, K.M. & Ashman, Kevin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-08-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

Al Fulah Castle

April - AD 1187

Jakelin De Mailly marched from the commandery in Al Fulah castle to join his men in the bailey. In total, he had seventy knights at his disposal including fifty Templars and twenty Hospitallers. In addition, he had a hundred foot soldiers and another hundred Turcopole lancers. It wasn’t a massive force but the best he could assemble at such short notice. He climbed up on a wall so he could be seen by everyone who had mustered to answer the call from Gerard of Ridefort.

‘Fellow Christians,’ he said loudly, ‘trusted allies. As you know, yesterday we received a call to arms from our fellow countrymen. Saladin has mobilised his army and even as we speak, has sent advance forces to clear the way to Jerusalem. If we allow them passage, then his main army will follow, and the Holy-city itself will be at risk. I have no idea what lies before us, so look to your swords and harden your hearts. The future of the Holy-land is in our hands.’

He climbed down from the wall and mounted his horse before turning to face the gate towers.

‘Open the gates,’ he shouted, and as the giant timber gates swung inward, he kicked his horse and led the garrison out towards Nazareth.

Several leagues away a similar scene was happening in the castle of Qaqan where another hundred or so Templar and Hospitaller knights had mustered to answer the call to arms from Gerard of Ridefort. The threat from Saladin had been recognised, and the forces of Jerusalem were responding.

----

In the east, Raymond of Tripoli and his wife stood atop one of the outer gate towers in the city of Tiberias. All along the defensive walls, hundreds of men at arms stood shoulder to shoulder, each bedecked in their full armour and carrying their weapons. In the distance, a massive column of Ayyubid cavalry rode westward, bypassing Tiberias and heading towards Jerusalem. For the best part of an hour, the mounted army passed until eventually, they were nothing more than a dust cloud on the horizon.

‘What now, my lord,’ asked one of the sergeants at his side, ‘shall I stand the men down?’

‘No,’ said Raymond, ‘double the guard and send out patrols to keep an eye on them.

‘Yes, my lord,’ said the sergeant and turned away to his duties.

‘Are you sure you have done the right thing?’ asked Raymond’s wife at his side.

‘Absolutely,’ said Raymond, though deep in his heart, there stirred the faintest flickering of doubt.

----

The following day, Jakelin De Mailly led his column of men towards the Cresson springs. On the way they had encountered another column of knights from Nazareth, members of the royal guard stationed there under the command of Reginald of Sidon and by the time the sun had started its downward journey, they saw the Christian encampment sprawled across the slopes of a hill above the springs that gave the place its name.

‘It looks like we are in time,’ said Jakelin, ‘God be praised.

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