Bloodhound - The Leper King and a Desert Rose

1. City of Jerusalem

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THE sun was setting as the city of Jerusalem came into the sight of two hooded figures. With all its glory, golden roofs and white stone glowing in the last warm rays of the burning sun, turning the sky into colorful shades of blue, red and purple. A true eye opener, a desert gem laying beneath the hills.

Merchants in colorful clothes, knights wearing a bright red cross, a sign of their christian believe, were flooding through one of the many huge gates of the capital of the Holy Land. Peasants on the side of the road, just covered in old linen, most of them barefoot and on their knees, were pleading and bagging passengers to give them a few coins. The skin gray, bodies thin, more of a shadow than a living person.

Yes, Jerusalem was a city full of contrast. Seeing the rich merchants and prideful knights with their expensive clothes next to people starving to death, owning just the dirty clothes hanging from their bodies. A city where worlds collided in many ways, where everyone was welcome despite different heritage, skincolor, status and religion. Jerusalem and the Holy Land were like a story filled with all different kind of aspects making it sound more like a distant dream, than an actual place under the sky.

The two hooded figures were still on the hill above the city and people were passing them to get into the city before the dawn.

"Lets find a place to leave the horses." One of the hooded figures with a deep voice said while stroking the neck of his dark-furred horse. A nod of the person on the horse next to him followed. They led their horses down the hill to one of the many stables outside of the city walls. As they arrived both of them got off their horses and walked towards the stable, holding the reins of their horses in their hands. The smell of hay, horse sweat and droppings getting stronger the closer the two figures got.

A dark bearded man walked towards the two hooded people. The skin of his face red from the days spent in the burning sun of this land. On his neckline a visible difference between the red and his usual pale skin. A frankish man. "Ay, I am very sorry my friends, but the stable is full today. You have to try somewhere else." The stable master said eyeing the two people in front of him. They were not quite frankish looking, wearing clothes similar to people from Damascus. Clothed completely in white linen, fit for travels in the desert and a big hood dragged into their faces to cover their features. Their shoes had seen better days, having scratches all over the leather, which seemed to be of good quality at least.

The face of the frankish man turned even more sceptic when his eyes met with the sheer amount of weapons both of the people in front of him were wearing. Both of them were not only caring a sword, but he could also see the handle of another weapon behind their shoulders. Probably in a holster fixed on their leather straps hanging on their bodys. If this weren't enough, their leather belts were each holding a few more daggers.

"You will take care of our horses, frank." The hooded man in the front said with a demanding tone, grabing into one of the pockets, attached to his belt. A heavy looking bag came into the view of the bearded stable master. He lifted his arm, holding his hands out to retrieve the pouch. The man threw the heavy looking bag into the arms of the stable master who caught it. With a greedy face the bearded man opened the pouch, revealing a good amount of shiny coins.

"Well, then-" his face turned into a big smile, making the wrinkles on his red face even more visible. "-give me your horses, I will make room for them." The frankish man put away the pouch into one of his many pockets and whipped away a few strands of fading hair from his face. Out of another pocket the middleaged man grabbed two marks made of iron with a sigil and initials. "Your payment will be enough for a week, if you want your horses to be taken care of for a longer period, you will have to pay again. Show me this marks when you return and I will know." The man said seemingly happy about the amount of money he made this evening.