The Wolf and the Snake (English version)

Chapter 1

Egypt, Damietta, 1249

The city of Damietta is the gateway to the Nile. Whoever controls it becomes master of the river and glittering plains extending beyond its banks. The Nile opens to our army a road to Cairo, where the persecutors of Jerusalem are sitting.

For this dangerous crossing, I boarded the same ship as Queen Marguerite and Countess Beatrix. She finally decided to follow her husband. If Olivier kept his promise, Bernard of Congast would be on the first ships facing Mohammedans.

Unfortunately, Reyn and Aurel are also part of the vanguard. King Louis wants the youngest and most valiant fighters, noticed during hard training, to test their skills against the enemy.

Since this war is supposed to honor the Lord, I prayed with all my heart for Reyn and Aurel to stay alive and also for Bernard of Congast to die in this battle. I don't know if the Good Lord listens to pleas, or if he only breathes on them, chasing them away, to mysterious places where all our miseries are stored.

King Louis fears the secret of our imminent attack on Egypt may have been given to Sultan by Emperor Frederick's spies. The one Pope likes to nickname "the Antichrist", and who displays his sympathy towards Mohammedans.

Indeed, a whole enemy fleet is waiting for us at the entrance of the Nile, and on the opposite bank, there are many Mohammedan soldiers. Quickly, the lookout signals four Saracen ships coming towards us. Under Oliver's command, our war machines sink three of them. The fourth nevertheless managed to escape towards the river. They were undoubtedly ships on reconnaissance to evaluate the number of Frankish vessels.

Night has fallen. Orders were given to light torches on all ships. Ours is specially protected, with Queen Margaret on board. Fear of attacks in the dark turns all stomachs, those of Christians and probably Muslims.

In the morning, the battle starts.

It rages on sea and land.

Knights in the vanguard have launched a violent assault. Under a rain of arrows, some of them dived into the water with their armor. I think I saw one of them drown.

Egyptian cavalry attacked our men as soon as they landed. A terrible hand-to-hand fight begins. I torment my eyes but see neither the golden lions nor the azure stag.

I hate to think Reyn could be seriously wounded or worse in this bloody, horrific melee. Luckily, our crossbowmen are wreaking havoc on enemy lines with their often fatal fire.

Our knights advance with their spears and swords. I'm relieved to see the main army join the vanguard to give it a hand. Queen Margaret makes the cross sign when her husband jumps in waves to fight beside his soldiers.

Motionless on ships, women try to spot their men's coats of arms.

But we're too far away.

All captains were given imperative orders to keep our vessels aft and reach Cyprus as soon as possible if things turned out badly for King Louis.

Helplessly, we hear war cries. Then what sounds like long complaints of dying people and dying horses. Sometimes, the din of timpani and horns ends abruptly. As if musicians had just fallen, face down. Alas, the wind carries back sounds as well as persistent smells of blood and flesh.

I still beg the Lord and all the saints in heaven for Reyn to come out of this fight unscathed.

And even if he cuts everything on his way to pieces.

The battle began at daybreak.

It's not finished when the sun goes down over the horizon. But on the sea, the enemy fleet dispersed, frightened by our war machines' efficiency.

Messengers finally announce to captains that Mohammedans fled before our knights. Howls of joy resound on all ships under a darkened sky.

The gateway of the Nile is conquered.

We're victorious.

As soon as we approach the coast, rowboats take the sea towards the beach. With my heart beating, I rushed into one of them.

Once on the beach, I immediately go in search of Reyn.

I barely see poor corpses piled up on wet sand.

In my hurry, I run into the crossbowmen's master. "My goodness, Ada! You should have stayed with Queen Margaret and others ladies. It's not safe to hang around the battlefield."

Suddenly, I freeze.

Congast is standing next to Oliver, apparently without a scratch. Angry and disgusted, I look away from this horrible person.

"My husband! I don't know where he is," I ask Oliver, worried.

He nods sympathetically and points to something. "The vanguard wasn't under my command, but I saw your husband and his cousin. They crossed the bridge of boats over there, following some fleeing Mohammedans, straight to the city."

He doesn't have time to say anything else because I'm like the wind in the direction of the famous bridge.

I'm flying to you, my love, even if my wings are only in my head.

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