I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 13

The Lion and the Bull Grazing (3)

* * *

“It’s almost prayer time. I should start preparing.”

Kalanishi said as he got off his camel.

As he waved his hand, his companions and servants took out prayer mats from the camels’ backs.

It was a familiar routine for them all.

Kalanishi looked back at the path they had traveled.

“Has it already been five days…”

Having left Damascus, they were heading south towards Mecca and Medina.

The purpose of their journey was simple.

To transport silk and pilgrims to the holy cities, and to buy local specialties to resell in Damascus.

As Kalanishi spread out his mat, someone approached him.

Al Ahdal.

His fellow merchant and close friend.

“I drank date wine late last night, and my stomach is churning. I think I’ll wait a bit…”

“Stop talking nonsense and prepare for prayer.”

Kalanishi frowned.

“How many more times are you going to complain during the rest of the journey? I don’t think there’s a lazier believer than you.”

“I serve Allah [God in Islam] with my heart. That should be enough. Do I really have to bend my old back to pray?”

“Where did you hear such blasphemy…”

“Didn’t the famous poet of Ma’arra say this? That there are only two kinds of people in the world.”

Ahdal burst into laughter.

He raised his index and middle fingers.

“One has a brain but no religion, and the other has religion but no brain.”

“The famous poet of Ma’arra, huh.”

Kalanishi scoffed.

“Have you forgotten what happened to Ma’arra when the Frankish [Western European] bastards invaded? Innocent children were skewered and boiled alive in pots.”

Kalanishi said.

“Brain and religion must coexist to survive. Especially when dealing with the Franks.”

“Alright, alright. I can’t even joke around you. Honestly.”

“If you have the energy to complain, then hurry up and prepare to pray…”

Just then, a shout rang out.

A scream close to a gasp.

“Franks! Frankish cavalry is coming!”

“What?!”

Kalanishi rushed forward.

Others also stood up one by one, looking in the direction the man pointed.

Chainmail.

Mantles and coats with ornate patterns.

It was Frankish cavalry.

About ten of them stood on a hill, looking down at them.

Silence fell, and then Ahdal spoke.

“They’re probably scouts from a nearby fortress. A few coins should do the trick. We have a pass, don’t we?”

“No, those aren’t Frankish soldiers from around here. Don’t you recognize that emblem?”

Kalanishi pointed to the flag.

“It’s the flag used in Al-Quds [Jerusalem].”

“Al-Quds? You mean Jerusalem? Then that means a Frankish royal is here…”

Silence flowed.

The Frankish cavalry looked down at them from above.

“Kalanishi! They’re clearly trying to attack us! We need to turn around and…”

“It’s already too late. Even if we run now, we won’t gain any distance.”

Kalanishi waved his hand at the words of a young merchant.

He deliberately shouted loudly.

“I have a pass issued by Reynald of Kerak, so everyone, don’t worry!”

“But how many times has Reynald broken that promise?”

Ahdal approached and whispered.

His face hardened.

“If Reynald himself is here to attack us…”

“Then we must hope that Allah has mercy on us.”

Kalanishi replied in a small voice.

At that moment, other Frankish cavalry appeared on the next hill.

About thirty in number.

They were facing the first group of cavalry.

“We’re completely surrounded.”

“Wait, something’s strange.”

Kalanishi muttered.

The two Frankish cavalry units approached each other, raising their voices and even shouting.

“Are they fighting over us?”

“Maybe. If they’re trying to get even more loot…”

After a few shouts, the cavalry unit that arrived later turned their horses around and disappeared.

Soon after, a Frankish knight broke away from the ranks and approached.

Black cloak.

It was attire Kalanishi had seen before.

The Knights.

The most ferocious warriors among the Franks.

Kalanishi swallowed hard without realizing it.

The knight stopped in front of them and asked.

“Who is the leader here?”

It was Arabic.

Kalanishi tried to hide his surprise and stepped forward.

“I am.”

“I am Garnier of the Knights Hospitaller [a Catholic military order]. May I ask your name?”

“I am Tahir al-Kalanishi from Damascus. We are taking pilgrims to the holy city of Mecca.”

He took out a paper from his cloak.

“I have a pass allowing us to pass through here, so…”

“I’m sorry, but I must detain you and all your belongings for a while. I don’t mean any harm, so please cooperate.”

The knight said in a calm voice.

It was closer to a morning greeting than a threat.

“Look here, sir. You can take all the camels and goods.”

Kalanishi said, pointing to the group behind him.

“But please release us and these pilgrims. If you take the goods as ransom…”

“I think you’re mistaken.”

The knight smiled.

He waved his hand and added.

“If you accompany us only to Ayla [modern-day Aqaba], you can go wherever you want from there. You don’t have to worry, as we will return your belongings as well.”

“…?”

This time, it was Kalanishi’s turn to tilt his head.

“You’ll release us after we go to Ayla? Then what’s the point…”

Kalanishi and Ahdal looked at each other.

This situation was new to both of them.

Ahdal’s brow furrowed as he whispered.

“Isn’t this a trick to take our goods without any effort?”

“If they wanted to, they could take everything we have right now. And we don’t have a choice right now. We have no choice but to entrust our fate to Allah.”

Kalanishi turned to the knight.

“Alright, we will follow you then. Only under the condition that the safety of our caravan is guaranteed.”

“A wise choice. I will guide you to our commander. If you have any questions, you can ask him directly.”

“Commander?”

“Baldwin. Prince Baldwin of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.”

The knight said with a smile.

As he waved his hand, other Frankish knights approached.

* * *

“Everything Lord Garnier told you is true.”

I stretched, looking at the two Muslim merchants.

My whole body ached from riding a horse for days.

At first, only my butt hurt, but now my shoulders and back hurt too.

Bult is too energetic, that’s the problem.

“You only need to follow us to Ayla. We will return all your goods, horses, and camels there. We can even promise you in writing if you wish.”

“Then…”

The middle-aged merchant cautiously opened his mouth.

His skin was completely brown, probably from working in the sun for a long time.

“Are you saying that Your Highness will escort us to Ayla?”

“You were, after all, ‘detained’ by us. It’s best to make that clear.”

I said.

It’s true that we’re escorting them, but I can’t exactly say that.

Should I charge them a token fee?

“One dinar [a gold coin]. You must pay one dinar each as ransom to be released in Ayla.”

“Per person?”

“Let’s say so.”

The two merchants looked even more dumbfounded.

I barely managed to hold back my laughter.

‘Yeah, this is the normal reaction, right?’

I said it was an attack, but I promised to guarantee the safety of their goods and party.

It’s like a kidnapper feeding the hostages well and sending them back before 10 PM.

“I don’t understand at all.”

“You don’t need to understand. Just know for sure that you were ‘plundered’ by me today.”

“I understand. We will keep that in mind.”

The merchants nodded, looking bewildered.

“Good, other caravans are waiting nearby, so join them and depart. My men will guide you.”

At that moment, Eig entered the tent.

He had a familiar expression.

The expression he makes when he has urgent news to deliver.

“Your Highness, I think you should come out yourself.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Lord Reynald is coming. With a lot of knights, too.”

“He’s later than I expected.”

I smiled as I stood up.

I thought he would come much sooner.

I didn’t expect him to be this slow to react.

Was he trying to figure out the situation?

As I went out of the tent, Eig stayed close to me.

“Isn’t Your Highness worried?”

“About what?”

“Reynald is the lord of this place, after all. Even if Your Highness is royalty…”

“I don’t have the right to ‘intercept’ these surrounding caravans like this?”

Of course, you could say that.

But I have my own plans.

“There he comes!”

A soldier shouted.

I turned my head and saw a dust storm scattering.

Faint shadows visible beyond the hazy dust.

So this is what it looks like when knights charge.

‘Medieval tanks.’

I could immediately recognize Reynald at the front.

A large build with a jagged beard.

He got off his horse and strode towards me.

Several other knights accompanied him.

Stopping in front of me, he bowed slightly.

“This humble one greets Prince Baldwin of the Jerusalem Palace.”

Reynald of Châtillon.

A face I’ve seen in illustrations hundreds of times.

You can tell his personality just by looking at his appearance.

Also known as the ‘Mad Dog of the Crusades.’

A man who spent most of his life in pillaging, arson, massacre, and prison.

The story of him tying a bishop to a stake when he didn’t provide military funds was well known.

“If I had known that Your Highness was coming here, I would have come to meet you sooner.”

Reynald said with a growl.

“I thought you were busy rebuilding the port in Ayla.”

“I came here because of that issue, Lord Reynald.”

I said in a calm tone.

“I believe you know that I was attacked at sea on my way to Ayla. My investigation revealed that their base is in this vicinity.”

“Then…”

Reynald raised his head and looked at me.

I met his gaze head-on.

“Did Your Highness come all the way here to wipe out the sea bandits? Then why the caravans…”

“Is there a problem with taking the infidels’ money and using it for the Holy War?”

I smiled again.

He won’t have anything to say if I use his own logic.

“I heard there was a small dispute between your knights and my knights today. You should pay more attention to the education of your subordinates.”

I added.

“Unless you were trying to take my spoils.”

“But this is my territory, Your Highness.”

Reynald’s face turned red and purple.

The expression of a beast furious at having its prey stolen.

‘Yeah, you have to come out like this.’

Over the past few days, I had been leading the knights and escorting all the Muslim caravans and pilgrims in the Karak area to Ayla.

I had intercepted them before Reynald’s men could attack them.

Not escorting, but ‘attacking’.

And there’s also the justification of securing the vicinity of Ayla, so he has even less to say.

And I had one more card to play.

“I heard that you have a close relationship with the sea tribes, Lord Reynald.”

Lord Reynald had a close relationship with the Bedouin tribes [nomadic Arab people].

A kind of symbiotic relationship where the Bedouins would inform Reynald of the location of other Muslim caravans, and Reynald would attack them and share the spoils.

Based on this relationship, I could make this claim.

‘Reynald incited the sea tribes to attack Baldwin, a member of the royal family!’

Reynald wouldn’t do such a thing unless he was crazy….

But that doesn’t mean such rumors wouldn’t spread.

“Is that true, Lord Reynald?”

“I don’t know what Your Highness is trying to say.”

Reynald growled.

“No one hates the Saracens [Muslims] more than I do. I was planning to exterminate all the sea bandits in the vicinity.”

“That’s a relief then. Because my goal is the same.”

I said with a smile.

‘I’m the higher-up now.’

Not only am I a member of the royal family, but I’m also the ‘Royal Delegate’ who was ordered by the King to rebuild Ayla.

No matter how much of a lord he is, he can’t ignore that authority.

Reynald slowly opened his mouth.

“But there’s no need for Your Highness to be here. I, a loyal servant of His Majesty the King…”

“You don’t have to worry. I brought all the necessary supplies and troops. I will help you from the side, Lord Reynald.”

I turned my head and added.

“Of course, if you’re okay with that, Lord Reynald.”