In 1099, a mysterious child of noble origin was taken in by Jews who had fled the Crusaders' arrival in front of Jerusalem.
Years later, Ada, the descendant of this child, travels through Palestine with her father. He's a merchant and knows medicin...
Thanks to a bridge of boats hastily built on the water, infantry joined the rest of the army. In front of Al Mansoura, everybody is getting ready to fight a terrible battle. Fakhr ad-Dîn, the Mohammedans' supreme leader, was reportedly killed by the late Count of Artois. There's a lot of talk about a new leader, a certain Baibars. He's a Mameluke nicknamed "the Turkish lion."
I confess I would like to throw dangerous curses on this man if I had the power.
More and more sick and wounded, too weak to fight, come to our ship. Some told me that the Muslim army now covers the whole plain around Al Mansoura.
Alas, the Franks don't have the advantage of numbers. So I dread a horrible massacre, despite the courage of our knights. I fearfully imagine Reyn going into battle and Aurel too, my heart brother.
It's the first Friday of Lent that enemies attack the Christian camp. Fortunately, Baibars and his soldiers couldn't overcome Frankish solid defenses. But our army suffered heavy losses, and many of our young knights fell with their beautiful steeds.
I pray that Reyn and Aurel are unharmed.
I try to remain strong, not to sink into despair. I don't want to imagine Reyn and his cousin among all corpses disfigured by wounds.
Ships from Damietta are still not here, so famine is a severe threat to our army. Besides, I fear diseases because of deprivations and bad quality of Nile waters, where many corpses, Christians and Muslims alike, have ended up.
Some sailors are requisitioned to go ashore and help dig more pits to bury the dead. I tearfully ask them to bring me the news.
Alas, they gave me a long look of pity as they thought I was already a widow.
On their return, they say Mohammedans have again thrown Medea's fire on our army.
Many knights were hit, horses breaking ranks in panic, and enemy cavalry violently charged ours.
The battle corps commanded by Charles of Anjou was attacked first.
It's the one where Reyn and Aurel are.
They were forced to fight walking because their mounts were lost. They were in great danger of being overwhelmed by numbers, but fortunately, the king and his knights came to their rescue. And it was a brutal clash.
A sailor tells me with a kind smile that my husband and his cousin are only slightly injured, as are our sovereign and Count of Anjou. Then, with Azalia, we dance happily for a few moments, despite the chaos around us.
My fears about epidemics are proving true. Alas, many soldiers are seriously ill. Their gums and noses are bleeding. Also, their skin is turning black.
Moreover, they suffer from leg ulcers and stomach pains combined with dysentery. Pliny the Elder wrote that a similar disease would have wiped out Germanicus's army. He attributed this tragedy to bad water quality.
Sailors are terrified by what they call a plague, reputed to decimate entire crews in a few weeks. They want to disembark all the sick to leave this place of desolation. So Guillaume of Olivari and his officers must use all powers, including death threats, to avoid a mutiny.
Our unfortunate ships are thus about to face a whole enemy fleet on the Nile, which will try to ram us under cover of darkness. Our vessels carrying fresh supplies from Damietta never reached their destination. Probably Egyptians, masters of the river, sent them from the bottom.
There's no question of taking Cairo anymore.
With a heavy heart, King Louis and his advisors decide the retreat. By land for what remains of our army and by the Great River at any cost, because the sick and wounded can't be abandoned.
Then we regroup our boats. Our vessels carry all human burdens at the back because we can't abandon them to the cruelty of Baibars's soldiers. In the front, Oliver of Termes and his crossbowmen will engage in combat with Egyptians. The promise made to Reyn has become dangerous.
It's no longer possible for me to embark on ships having to fight.
I'm busy bandaging a poor man's ulcers when Oliver comes on deck. Right away, he starts a lively conversation with Guillaume of Olivari, our captain. I leave my patient for a moment to get some news.
"My lord, have you seen my husband?"
"Precisely, Ada!" he answers with a worried look. "Your husband and Count of Anjou have instructed me about you."
Count of Anjou?
Of course, I'm his physician.
So it's expected he cares about me.
"You were supposed to come on my board, but it's hardly imaginable now," Oliver admits. "I'm here to make sure your captain has understood that your security is a priority."
Considering his exasperated look, Guillaume of Olivari doesn't seem to want any other recommendation. So, finally, the crossbowmen's master leaves our ship, swearing he will safely bring all our boats back to Damietta.
But neither he nor I had any idea of the fate awaiting us on the Great River.
Forced to survive, deprived of glorious conquests, Christians fled with rage in their hearts. However, Baibars didn't plan to let his enemies go back to Damietta to heal their wounds and tell their distant adventures to ladies and small children one day.
The Turkish lion knew our army's courage deal nothing with victory or defeat.
He also knew the only way to beat the Franks was to destroy them.
***
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Germanicus was a Roman general and a member of the Julio-Claudian imperial family.
