The next morning, the two armies meet. Gerard's soldiers were outnumbered 3 to 1, still, they did not feared.

The two armies clashed. The Fatimid cavalry soon attacked, trying to outflank the enemy; and they did it. It was a carnage, and Gerard's army got the upper hand.

But, when the victory was at hand, dissaster struck. The Zenatian brough reinforcements: camels, who soon scared Gerards heavy cavalry, leaving his foot soldiers alone against the armoured christians. Now everyone fough for their lives.

A lost arrow struck Gerard and soon he fell uncouncious. Arn saw him, so he rushed in to save him. He sounded the retreat. Even the Fatimid army took heavy loses, they retreated in order, like true veteran they was.


The second day Gerard awakened; he was in his tent, probably away from the battle ground. He yelled for a commander. Arn showed himself and told him everything.

-Sadrazam we lost the battle and many brave soldiers lost their lives there. An arrow hit you aswell, I took you from the battlefield and sounded the retreat...

-I see the bandages, and all the men that died today... its all because of me!

-No, it was our fault, we should have fought untill the last man gave his breath.

-Nonsense, my tactic was not good, but I wont do that mistake again... send a message to our beloved Sultan, he must know about this.

-Pardon me, but I've already done this when a letter from the Sultan himself arrived, we have another mission, and we must hurry.

-First of all, let us pray for our brothers who died today. Are the other commanders alive aswell Arn?

-Yes, all of them, but we should move now if we want to arrive at the new location! Here, everything is writed here.

-You have done well Arn. And thank you for saving my life, I will remember this. Now, lets pray.

*The battle may be lost, but not the war*

Gerard was still sick. The arrow that struck him was poisoned, as his doctor said. While he was sleeping, he had several vision; his father came in his dreams and asked for forgiveness, but also he asked him to send some letters to his old friends, and enemies alike.


Gerard will do this when he will be able, or after the war will end. Now, all he need to do is to rest and fight.

Days passed since the last battle against the templars took place and Gerard recovered from his sickness.

He was sitting in his war tent writing poems and thinking. Then, suddenly he asked from his brother Waldemar.

Waldemar showed himself soon after the guards told him that Gerard wanted to see him.

-Yes brother what do you need? , Waldemar asked.

-You are the only one that I can trust in this matter brother... you must do some... errands for me.

-Errands? Safira must have taken your minds brother! *Waldemar started to laught after he finished his sentence*

-Excuse me Waldemar?How do you know about Safira? Tell me!

-In case you have not seen I was you shadow, brother, even on the battlefield. And I also know that you stopped visiting her a few days ago; also, I cannot explain why you would cheat your beautiful wife, who is of noble birth, with a servant?

-In case you have not seen, my shadow, me and my beautiful wife have not sleep togheter yet. She told me that she wants to be a virgin warrior; so, as I am a man and I have my needs I picked up Safira, who is pretty too...

-I see... but you still have not answered me yet why you dont visit her anymore...

-Do you remember my first love?

-You mean the girl when we was in Ireland with our father? We were only childs Gerard, only childs. And it have been a long time ago, she may be even married to another one, or maybe even dead....What was her name?

-Siofra Allyn Braon... And she is not married, nor dead*a little smile appeared on his cold face*

-B-but she is... she is .. and before finish what he wanted to say, Waldemar felled on the nearest chair. You cant be serious Gerard!

-I know Waldemar, I know she is the daughter of lady FallenAngel Mc Harvest, the Banríon of Ireland. I can imagine how she is, tall, beautiful and inteligented: the perfect woman. *after a moment of silence, Gerard started to talk again*. I will write a letter to lady Fallen and one to the Sultan of Qurtuba, as I have some things to settle. Meanwhile, find a trusty messenger that will deliver the letter to Abi Amir al Mansur, the sultan of Qurtuba. You will deliver the letter to lady Fallen.

-As you wish,brother.

-And one more thing. You will leave tonight, disguisedly in a christian pilgrim. You will take a ship to Spain, then you will take one to Ireland. Give the message only to lady Fallen, and only tell her your real name ONLY after she will read it. As you may know, some of the Irish people still wants the head of a Saint Omer, and you are one. You will come here before the sunset. See you then brother.

After Waldemar left, Gerard started to write the letters. The letter to the Sultan of Qurtuba was easy, but the one for lady Fallen was very hard. After hours working his mind on how and what to write, Gerard realised that the sunset was close, and Waldemar will come very soon, but in vain as there where no letters for him.

Then, he started to write everything he was thinking. Luckily, he wrote both letters when Waldemar came into his tent with a short man.

-Is this man capable of the task he will have to do brother? asked Gerard when he saw the short man.

-Milord, I may be short, but I'm fast as a thunder. I also know how to fight with the sabre, so if someone will try to rob me, I will make sure it will be the last he will do.

-Thats the spirit... whats your name?

-Isma'il, milord.

-Very well Isma'il. Let me have a look on the letter, then I will give it to you.

QUOTE:

To Abi Amir al Mansur,
Sultan of Qurtuba

Mighty Sultan, I, Gerard de Saint Omer, son of Godfrey de Saint Omer, I write this letter as a friend.
A few years ago, my father was the Sultan of Qurtuba. After he lost the war against Ireland, he left Qurtuba alone and took the vengeance path.
I am sure most of the cordovian people hate him and thinks of him as a traitor. Everyone who thinks this is wrong. I know the truth. He told me everything when before he died.
I know he was not the best man, but he had honour.

I will gladly tell you his story, and then you will be able to judge him and his actions. You will see he does not deserve all the hatred.

If you want to know his story, write me back.
Gerard de Saint Omer,


P.S.As I've heard, you are a truly swordmaster so I would like to give you, as a gift, one of the best sabers I have at my disposal. You will see it is a masterpiece.

-It is ready Isma'il. And take this sabre. Its a gift for the Sultan. Also, I will give you 20 men to protect you. Now, please leave, I must talk with my brother.

-Thank you and farewell milord.


After Isma'il left, Waldemar asked gerard about his letter.

-I wrote it brother, but it is not finished. You will leave tommorow, at dawn. I'm sorry... you should go and rest. You will have a long journey ahead of you.

-Thank you. I was really tired.

And again, after Waldemar left the tent, Gerard started to think again.

The next morning, Waldemar came into his tent, as asked. Gerard gave him the letter and asked his brother to be carefull.

Three weeks passed since Waldemar left, and now Gerard began to worry. *What if I did wrong sending a Saint Omer, my brother to Ireland?* he said for himself. The he started to think at the letter. He knew every word that was writted there.

The letter was this:

QUOTE:

To lady FallenAngel Mc Harvest,
The beloved Banríon of Ireland

First of all I would like to introduce myself. You may not remember me, but you surely remember my father, Godfrey de Saint Omer. I was in Ireland with him when I was a child. Please do not throw the letter away because it was writted by a Saint-Omer.

Secondly, but more important, I would like to apologize on behalf of my father, who is dead, and on my behalf because I left that beautiful country.As you may not know, he came in Ireland seeking revenge, but he failed, so he left.
Now, even most of the irish people forgotten him, there are some that still hate him and wants his head on a plate, or maybe the head of his children.

Please accept my sincerely aplogies, as they came from my heart.

And last but not least, when I was in Ireland, I liked your daughter, Siofra Allyn Braon, from the day I've seen her. Never talked with her, since I was to shy at that time.
1 year ago I dreamed her and my love for her grow and I cant hide it anymore.
I would like to marry your daughter, lady Fallen. I have no fear and I feel no pain except the one that is caused by love.
I would be an honour for me only if you will give me an answer.


When my family left, Ireland was almost christianized. I hope that changed because a christian cannot marry a muslim.

Your most humble servant,
Gerard de Saint Omer

P.S. Please protect the messenger, as he is my brother.

The Sultan finished reading this letter, sent by an stranger. „This name... Godfrey de Saint Omer... bad tales I´ve heard about this man. But this stories are part of our history. So it would be a good chance to know more about our past and maybe, we will see, that some of this stories are false. And his son seems to be some other kind of man than his father was. We will answer him.

QUOTE:

Dear Gerard de Saint Omer,

I never met your father. I only heard stories about him. He doesn´t enjoys a favorable reputation. Maybe you can change this. If he was a man of honour, he should be remembered as such one and not as an traitor. So I would be pleased to hear what you have to say.

Allah is great

Abi Amir al Mansur,
Sultan of Qurtuba

P.S. Thanks for this magnificent weapon. It is truly a masterpiece. Let me send you this rich ornamented armour as reply.

The last weeks were the most saddest of his entire life. Isma'il returned one month ago with a beautiful. ornated armour and with a response from the Sultan Abi Amir al Mansur, while his Waldemar, his brother, did not returned at all. And to make the things worse the Byzantines were pillaging the Fatimid shires while many of his friends were in templar prisons.

Gerard started to think at his brother. He was surely he was a prisoner or worse, dead. But, suddenly, Waldemar appead in his tent, pallid as a deadman.
Firstly, gerard was thinking it was a spirit, but when he saw his eyes, he knew it was Waldemar in flesh and bones. It was a miracle.

But, suddenly as he came in, Waldemar fainted.

The journey in the south was one of the strangest that Fallen has made. The whole set up was to kill some murderers of Pagans, later it went to a chase of a Swedish/Danish female warrior and last but not least a letter from a member of the Saint Omer Clan, carried by another member of this hated clan.

Banrion FallenAngel Mc Harvest, I am here to deliver a letter from my brother Gerard the Saint Omer, Vizier of the Fatimids. The first mistake he made was to call his clan name on board of an Irish ship. The moment that his first word left his tongue, the archers held him under shot and the rowers grabbed their swords eager to kill a traitor of the crown. The only thing left was a signal to strike from the Banrion.

So if your brother send you Waldemar, what happened to your father Godfrey? He is dead, Your Highness. The traitor is dead?!? Finally some good news were heard. The destroyer of the Great Kingdom of Erin is dead and now she understand why this laddie almost did it in his pants. We are sailing south, hoist the sails. And for you dear boy, give me that letter and someone will bring you to a room where you can fresh yourself up. A great relief felt from this young boy's face and after handing over the letter, he eager followed the maid who guided him to his room.

After reading the letter Fallen sat in her naval throne and thought for a while before she made her decision. Send a copy of this letter to home with all the seals of my family and thrones. This is meant only for the Banphrionsa. We wait at their Castle for her answer after al it is her life.

After a few days sitting uncosncious, Waldemar finally woke up. He asked the maid that was taking care of him where his brother left.

The maid told him that Gerard left a few hours ago with the army. Hearing this, Waldemar saddled a horse and left the camp where he was held. After a few hours he finally find Gerard and his army, which was more like a raiding party.

Seeing his brother, Gerard moved his horse towards him.

-Hail my brother! yelled Gerard. I'm glad to see your still alive, come, please, tell me about your journey!

-Still selfish, dont you? said Waldemar, then started to laught.Oh, and a cup of wine wont would be good. I'm thirsty!

After that, Gerard gave orders to raise the tents. A few minutes later the two brothers started to talk again.

.....

-Last time i've seen you Waldemar, you was half dead. What happened?

-When I had the talk with the Irish Queen, her men almost killed me. I've forgot what you told me and said that I'm a Saint Omer, in front of her men.

-That was a stupid thing Waldemar, its seems it almost costed your life. But, please, tell me more!

After two hours of talking, Gerard remembered something.

-Damn it... I almost forgot that i hate to write a letter to the Sultan of Qurtuba. Isma'il, please, come!

And as a shadow, the little man appered in Gerard's tent.

-Isma'il, please wait here. I will write a letter to Abi Amir al Mansur. You will deliver it.

QUOTE:
To Abi Amir al Mansur,
Sultan of Qurtuba.

I'm sorry for the late reply, but we are at war and i was busy lately.
After all this will be over, I will come personally in Qurtuba to tell you my father's story.

Oh, and the armour is a gem. I know it is not designed for battle, but I wore it and it saved my life.

Thank you for everything,

Gerard de Saint Omer,

-Here, take it Isma'il, and hurry. And brother, do you have any idea where the mother of my love could be?

-I dont know, but I think she will contact you, as she knows where you are.

It has been almost a few months since Gerard left the sunny land of his home for the snowy land of Sweden.He did not knew why he left.. maybe it was because he heard that his love was there, or maybe because he wanted to buy an axe, made by those famous viking blacksmiths; one think is sure: he didn't left the Land of Snow with an empty hand.

Also, his trip was a beautiful one. He visited Italy, Saxony, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and he even entered Rome, disguised as a pilgrim.

Still, the road had some dangers too but, with the help of his brother he overcome them. The axe that he bough from Sweden saved his life, only a few days after he paid for it.

But, the journey was not over.. now he will have to return.



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