“In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.” the knight said as he walked past the corpses of his dead comrades in arms.
He’d been born into a nobel family and when the Pope called for the faithful to free Jerusalem, he being the youngest son had been destined by his house to represent the family, at 16. He’d decided to dedicate his life to capture and protection of the Holy City.
Jerusalem had fallen in 1069 … his stomach turned remembering his part in the massacre of the infidels, men, women and children who’d taken sanctuary in Temple of Solomon … 10,000 people some said. Secretly, he asked himself, if this was what it meant to be a true Christian?
Those who fought at the Tower of David were spared, oddly enough, these had been warriors who’d resisted for days against the Franks. We slaughter the sheep but free the wolves! He thought sadly. Then entered the chapel to pray.
Written for Bastet’s Friday Flash Fiction
This is pure fiction based on real history.
Bastet and Sekhmet's Library 
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A great write! I felt the angst of the knight as he contemplated what he had participated in. And, I love the ending — going into pray to cleanse of blood, or to sanctify the killing?
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I left the ending to contemplate on, basically not knowing myself where the knight was going! I kind of like leaving people wonder anyway .. glad you liked the story Phylor!
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I like stories with that sort of ending because it really isn’t an ending — it’s a beginning as well.
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Thanks Phylor … I too like endings that are beginnings … glad you caught that!
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The ending was the best part to me because, as Phylor pointed out, there’s some ambiguity there. But I think there’s a typo: I think “nobel” is supposed to be “noble”.
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Thanks for the typo alert … I’d written nobal I think and my editor put in nobel … but I think you’re right it is noble … ah for a phonetic language … glad you liked the ending. Tell the truth, I didn’t know where I was leading my knight, but that seemed a good place to go. 🙂
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Great story, Geogia! I like this human side of the knight you let us believe (if we want to of course).
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Thanks … glad you enjoyed it. I think we would be better off if we stopped thinking of everything as just black and white. 🙂
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