A Knight to Remember

Surprised to meet him there

In the coming days Kara thought a lot about what her friend had told her. But unfortunately, she didn't see Derek. But so much was going on. Could that be the reason?

Everywhere and in so many ways preparations were being made for the coming of the Saracens. Toulouse was not a huge town like Rome, and if in a hurry she could walk across to the other side in ten minutes. Still, that was a lot of wall to protect. Wherever she went she heard the loud sounds of the stone masons reinforcing the walls that were originally built by the Romans many hundreds of years before.

Even in her own household her father was gathering all the grain he could so that if the supply was cut off they would still be able to bake their bread. On this particular day, her work finished, she thought she would stop by to see Pietro. She had not seen him the last two times she had gone to buy fish. She was a bit curious of that for his friendly face could almost always be seen behind the tables of fish as he weighed and bagged them for customers. She went there later in the afternoon than usual, not to buy but really only to see him. He was her age and both their fathers ran their respective businesses doors from each other on the same street. Sometimes, when the wind blew from the east she could smell the fish.

As she approached the store, she wondered if maybe she was coming too late. She knew fish, like bread, was sold mostly in the morning and early afternoon. She came to the door and found it was still open. However, there was no one to be seen. She stood there, not sure what to do and then going near the entrance to the rear door she called out, "Pietro. Pietro, are you here?"

Not immediately, but soon the door was opened and Pietro stood there with a towel wiping off his hands and forearms.

"Hi, Kara. Nice to see you."

"Yeah. Haven't seen you in awhile. All OK?"

"Not surprising. We've been busy." Opening the door for her he added, "Come in, I'll show you."

Kara went through the door he held open for her and her nose was accosted by the overwhelming smell of fish. Gutted fish lay on tables, in buckets and more were to be seen in baskets.

"My! I have never seen so many fish in one place!"

"Yes, my father, me and my brother and cousin have been taking as many as we can to get ready in case our supply is cut off. See all these gutted fish on the table? We're getting ready to salt them down so they won't spoil. Not nearly as good as fresh fish but far better than having none to eat."

Kara looked at the rows of gutted fish lined up on several tables. She could see the industriousness of Pietro's family.

A youth approached the tables. "Kara, this is my kid brother, Marlon. Don't know if you've ever met. Marlon, this is Kara from the bakery."

Marlon nodded in her direction. Kara had seen him before but had never before been introduced. To Kara he appeared to be two or three years younger than Pietro, and at least on this occasion didn't evidence the ready smile of his older brother. Turning to Pietro she said, "You have really been busy."

Kara was ready to go, especially because the smell of fish was beginning to overpower her. "I should be getting back," she told him, which was not exactly true but she had had enough of fish.

Pietro promptly went to the door and opened it for her. Kara noted he had a big smile on his face. After passing through she asked him, "What's the big smile about, Pietro?"

"You. Not too many can stay for long in a fish processing place. I kind of thought it might be getting to you."

"You are so right," she answered him.

"Another time, another place," he said, again with a smile.

Kara glanced at him. Was he suggesting a date? She didn't know. They parted and she walked out of the shop. Only after she had walked ahead many paces did she look back. She really had no interest in Pietro except as a friend. Nevertheless, her late stepmother's words, "Pietro would be good for the likes of you," crept unbidden into her mind. But her stepmother was as wrong about that as she was of many things. Still, Pietro was far from an ogre. In fact, he was probably a gentleman and he had a nice trait of looking on the brighter side of things. He would end up with a good woman. But certainly not her.

Returning to the bakery, now closed to customers for the day, she went inside. The wide area where they made the bread and pastries was empty. She didn't want to go upstairs to where the family resided just yet. Instead, she walked through the ground floor of the large house and went out the back door. There she stood for a moment to gaze at the garden, the cherry and plum trees, and at the wall further back. The wall that was built to hold back invaders. She could see people there, though in the distance she couldn't make out who they were. Were they making more repairs to ensure the wall was strong enough?

She walked closer and then went toward the stairs that led to the rampart. Kara had once seen it as a child but the structure held no interest for her then. Now, however, it did for she knew the Saracens could attack at any point and it would be the worst thing possible to see enemy soldiers pouring over the wall into her backyard. Curious to know who was working there this afternoon she ascended the steps up to the rampart. As she neared the top she saw knights who seemed busily engaged in doing something to the wall. From where she stood she looked out to the river below and toward the surrounding countryside. Suddenly, she realized that Derek was among the knights.

"Derek," she said above the noise of the tools they were using to carve the wall.

He turned around and seeing her came to her side. "Kara. I'm so glad to see you."

Kara would have liked to ask him why he didn't stop to see her but instead she answered, "I'm glad to see you too, Derek."

He stepped closer so that he was at her side. "We've been so busy of late, Kara. See," he said, pointing to the holes the knights were making in the walls, "we're making openings in the walls where we can shoot arrows at the enemy." Then he came up close to her and added in a hushed voice, "Our scouts have been tracking them, Kara. We think they will be upon us in a matter of days. We have to be ready for them. Were it not for their taking the time to transport their siege equipment they might already be here."

Kara shook her head in amazement. "That soon! But Derek, you do think we will be able to beat them in open battle or at least withstand a siege, don't you?"

This time it was Derek who shook his head. "No, Kara, they are far too large a force for us to meet them on any battle ground. We wouldn't have a chance against them. But these walls are well built. Our chances are much better within the city."

Hearing talk of the size of the army suddenly made Kara realize how perilous their situation actually was. She leaned against Derek. "Derek, I'm afraid."

He moved to face her directly, and holding her looked into her eyes and gently bent down to kiss her lips. Then he said, "Kara, we are all afraid. Even we knights, if we admit it to ourselves, are afraid. We put our trust in God and in all the training we have been through to prepare us for a time like this."

Kara stood looking up at him for he was almost a head taller. She saw the determination in his eyes and saw something else there. She said to him, "Then I will try to be brave too."

She saw his eyes light up and a quick smile play across his face. Then with gentle sincerity he told her, "Kara, if I have anything to do with it you will be safe." With those words he left her, bending down to pick up his pointed hammer. With one more glance at her he again went to work on the wall. Kara looked back at him before descending the steps and returning to her house. With knights like Derek defending the wall she didn't feel quite as much fear of the advancing enemy.