It was a long trip from Ireland to Sweden, but finally the Banphrionsa of Ireland and Sweden Siofra Allyn Braon of Erin finally arrived at the Swedish port. Together with her youngest brother, her sister and brothers stayed in Erin to fight for the Emerald Crown whoever weared it, she began to be reunited with her mother. According to the local peasant it was a journey of a couple of days before they reached the capitol of Sweden. But before she left the port-village, she saw a familair face and a strange one, brown as an oak tree. A face she saw for the last at school many years ago back at the time of the Seighinn Dynasty. A face with a bounty on his head in Erin, together with his whole family.

Gerard she whispered. She noticed that he was holding a viking axe. Are you following me across the whole world Gerard? A while ago when her mother went on a quest for the gods to bring justice to some Christian scumbags, but as always, things changed, and she went to the Fatimids Empire. It seemed that the Vizier of the Fatimids was an old friend of her. And it seemed that he had and has feelings for her. The letter she received from him, adressed to her mother, was a request for her hand. But as always her mother thought that it should be her decision, and she didn't and still don't know what she must do. The druids, witches and other scholars said the same thing ; follow your heart, but her mind says different.

Shall I choose for an important and wealthy husband but also bound to a religion which is unkind to women or not. To avoid any embarrising situation, she slipped to the crowd with her little brother to continue her journey....

...1 year back

The battle for Jerusalem was about to begin. Gerard was in the center of the city, gathering his battalion of vikings.

-Olaf, you and your men will hold the western gate, even with your lives if you must. The walls are weakened there and we can't allow the christians take advantage of this, so you must not fail! Do you understand?

Suddenly, a messenger appeared from nowhere, yelling Gerards name with all its power.
-Milord, you have an important message. The messenger left the city already. He said the message was from a lady Siofra.

-Give it to me, now! but before he could take it, a boulder, launched by a christian trebuchet,landed on a nearby roof. The battle is about to start, it can wait... if I wont die. Leave it in my chest, then after the battle look for me if you want a reward. We should win the battle too and survive.


...to be continued

...in the present
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After the battle, Gerard forgot about the letter. The messanger left the letter in Gerards chest, but he was killed when he tried to look for his master.

Only after a year, after Gerard was knocked out in a melee, he remembered that a letter from Siofra was sitting in his chest.

He the took it and read it a few times, trying to understand how the hell he forgot about a letter from his love.

After a while Gerard started to write a reply.

QUOTE:
Dear Siofra,

I'm sorry for my late replies, but other things stoped me from sending you a mere letter; first the war, then the turney, and now, as a coup de grâce from fate,my mentor, our esteemed Sultan Alar I passed away.

As now Alar I is no more, I'm afraid the christians will try to take advantage of this and they will wage war upon us, sooner or later, which means I cannot come and see you in Ireland. Instead, I'm asking you to come here and visit our beautiful land, while you can. I'm sure you wont regret, your mother didnt.

With love,
Gerard

QUOTE:
Dear Gerard,

It will be my last letter for a long time. It is time for me to avenge my mother's death, for which I still blame on the Caitliceach*. I don't know if I survive the war, but if I will, I strongly consider to visit the desert you call home.

I heard about the death of Alar I. My mother spoke greatly about him as king of France, in both friendship as in enemies, and Sultan of the Fatimids.

I am there in your dreams and in your heart.

With love,
Siofra