"Scribe, this note has to go without any delay to all christian monarchs of our church!"

QUOTE:

My dear daughters and sons,
the evil notice reached my today that the Holy City of Jerusalem has been attacked and raided by the infidel Fatimids and Persians. The church expects your immediate reaction to correct this evil and to bring back Jerusalem to our rightful pilgrims. I expect you to report the forces you are willing to give to report to Abel Syrarco, who is in charge of military affairs. He should coordinate the reclaim and find a strategy that will prevent the fear in our hearts of loosing the Holy City again.

Urban III, Vicarius Iesu Christi

QUOTE:
To his Eminence , Urban III ,

Your grace, Castille would be honored to take part in a crusade to take back the Holy City from the Muslim invaders . Unfortunately the lands of our brother nation Aragon are under attack and from the threats that I have been receiving from the enemy so will our lands . Bear in mind your Eminence that the ones that raid our lands , burn our villages , rape our women and defile our churches are catholics as well . Thus at the moment , your grace , I am quite confused ... Who exactly is our enemy ? The Muslims that have taken Jerusalem ? Or the power-hungry catholic nation who burns our homeland ?

As head of our church I pray that you may have some control over us , your followers , and if so I pray that you may be able to convince them that we are not the enemy .


May this letter find you in good health .

Etienne de Congost,
Ruler of Castille.

Since the messenger passed through territory temporarily held by England, the contents of the message also became known to the English knights.

What horrors the Castilian King described. Bella wondered, just how many Catholic nations the unfortunate king of Castile had offended and given cause to attack his lands? Or whether perhaps Castile's most Catholic allies might be lacking in discipline in foreign lands and might be the perpetrators of these atrocities? A host of armies seemed to be gathered in that region, from Aragorn, the Papal States, Croatia, France, England and possibly other's as well, that had not yet been reported to England.

Bella at once sent a messenger to Étienne de Congost:

QUOTE:

To Étienne de Congost King of Castile,

rest assured, dear Sire, your virtue and that of your knights and the peasants is entirely safe from the knight's of England. You need have no fear of attack from rapine Amazons from England's side. As might be expected from an army lead by a Lady, as is the Queen of England, strict discipline is at all times maintained, no one is forcing unwanted attentions on anyone.

Should England come across knights of some other nation in this region, committing acts of rape such as described, you have my personal assurance, that I and my fellow English knights, will at once put a stop to such crimes.

Indeed, I have always maintained, that those who needs must result to force, must sorely be lacking in charm and skills of seduction. I don't know how matters stand in Castile, or with those Catholic armies standing in the region, that are allied to you; but English knights have not yet faced any problems in that regard.

As for the reports of defiled churches, rest easy; should England come across any foreign knights defiling the Houses of God, the perpetrators will be dealt with at once. England naturally shows all due piety toward our Lord Almighty. Indeed, just as soon as England has managed to collect the monies owed to us, we can turn our attentions to such tasks neglected from lack of money, such as the building of new cathedrals in England. I myself plan to build one in my barony of North Haven in the near future.

Your Majesty, you may take comfort in the sure knowledge, that you can count upon the full support of myself and the other English knights in protecting the innocent, as is our Christian and knightly duty.

With best regards
Bella, Baroness of North Haven

That poor man, beset by so many foes that he had lost track of just how many nations he was at war with - or afflicted with such allies as were worse than any enemy, Bella could not judge which might apply. Clearly England was doing the peasants of Aragorn a great favour, in taking them under England's protection - even if only temporarily - where they might be safe from the atrocities that seemed rampant in Spain.

Etienne was having a nasty cut from his left arm tended when he received word that the message he sent to the pope was intercepted by the English . How the bloody hell did they got him ? I clearly sent him east from Barcelona to Rome on a boat . How did he passed through English lands ? No matter ... Scribe hand me a quill and some ink .

QUOTE:

Lady Bella, Baroness of North Haven,

First let me commend your nation on having intercepted my messenger . I have no idea how you did it but clearly I have a lot to learn from you . Second of all , you assure me that none of your knights have done any of the actions related by me ... What of the Aragonesse farming fields and animal farms in Guyenne, Gasconny Foix and Navarra ? Were they not destroyed and pillaged by your armies ?

You also speak of money for cathedrals ? My lady the money you take from Spanish lands today is covered with the blood of our people . If you believe that with that kind of silver you can erect a holy building you are mistaking .

Although the intention of this reply was not so we can fight more . You are aware that as we , the catholics , are fighting each other for past grudges the Muslims are burning the holy land ? For every silver you drain from Iberia Christians are dieing in Jerusalem and their blood will be on our hands , my lady . We the protectors of the Church ... we are too busy fighting each other to lend a hand to those who desperately need our help .

I hope this message reaches you in time and before I forget ... thank you . If our armies are to clash again I shall not look for you on the battlefield .

Etienne de Congost,
Ruler of Castille.

QUOTE:

To Étienne de Congost King of Castile,

Dear Sire, I was assured, that by order of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth de Lorraine of England, James, Duke of Kent, Chancellor of England had sent England's terms of peace? Indeed, as far as I am informed, it is but England's goal to collect those monies owed to us and the apology long overdue from Castile and Aragorn for your attack upon England.

So please do make the necessary efforts to recompense England for the losses we suffered at the hands of Castile and Aragorn in 1027 / 1028 and peace might once more be restored and the knights of our nations be freed for other tasks, that are awaiting us.

If there was some point of unclarity in the peace treaty Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth de Lorraine of England offered to you, please send your further enquiries to her Majesty.

With best regards

Bella, Baroness of North Haven

QUOTE:
P.S. I promised that your virtue and chastity would remain unassaulted and unplundered by any English knight. The silver horded by your knights, which is due to England, is another matter entirely - unless you finally get around to freely make those payments that are owed to England.

Bella, Baroness of North Haven