The First Crusade

A Foreign Encounter

June 7th, 1099 - 

          "What's wrong, boy?" Godfrey asked, traveling on their way to Jerusalem. "Don't go weak on me now."

          "Of course not, uncle." Abel replied grimly.

          The group, wearing armor and holding weapons, finally arrived at Jerusalem, but found it heavily defended.

          "What do you suggest we do, Godfrey?" asked Baldwin, the younger brother of Godfrey. "We can't possibly get through these defenses."

          "We need height if we're going to break through the defense," said Eustace, the elder brother of Godfrey. "May I suggest towers?"

          "Good idea, brother," Godfrey turned the the army and gave orders. "Everyone start gathering supplies and stand on guard." He turned to Abel. "Boy, go with the others and start gathering supplies. My brothers and I will devise a design for the towers."

          "Yes, uncle." Able said, running to the group ahead of him. Before he caught up, however, Abel snuck off to somewhere he can hide. A quiet place behind a wall opened itself up to Abel and he sat down deciding to rest.

          "Hello," an unknown voice spoke, causing Abel to jump up in fear.

          Abel drew up his weapon and looked around, trying to find the person behind the voice.

          "I'm not going to attack," the voice said, with a person emerging from the corner. "Put your weapon down."

          The stranger put up his hands to show he had no weapon, and walked closer to Abel. Abel, still afraid kept his guard up until the stanger took Abel's weapon in his own hands and put it on the ground.

          "Don't be afraid, I just want to rest," the stranger looked at Abel. "From what I can see, you do too."

          "Who are you?" asked Able, still a bit weary.

          "I'm Rayan," replied Rayan, now sitting down against the wall. After a moment of silence Rayan said, "You can sit down too, you know."

          Giving into Rayan's request, Abel saw that there might not be any harm after all.

          "I'm Abel."

          "So you finally decided to put your guard down," Rayan smiled. "I'm Muslim. You're Christian, aren't you?"

          Abel stiffened, and replied with a nod.

          "I'm surprised you didn't kill me as soon as you saw me," Rayan laughed dryly.

          "I could say the same thing to you," Abel pondered. "Why are you being so friendly when we're supposed to be enemies?"

          "Because this whole thing is so stupid!" Rayan exclaimed, Abel flinching at the sudden outburst. "I just don't understand why everyone is so hostile about Jerusalem, you know? We'll you might not understand since you're Christian but-"

          "No, no I totally understand," Abel agreed. "I didn't think this crusade would be so deadly and so horrible when I agreed to fight. But the things I saw while traveling here, I felt nauseous."

          "What was your journey like, coming here?" Rayan asked.

         "We left France in Mid-August andtraveled to and captured Nicaea, then Dorylaeum where we defeated a hugeTurkish army. We spent such a long time in Antioch. They eventually surrenderedto us but there were so many murders," Abel, on the verge of crying, continued describing the journey toJerusalem. "There was so much blood..it made me sick."

          "That sounds..terrible," Rayan tried comforting Abel. "We're all human, why do we have to be divided this badly anyway?"

          "You're right," Abel agreed. "What's so different about our religions that we need to fight each other?"

          "We both believe in the same God, and our religion stems from the same place," Rayan listed. "It just doesn't make any sense."

          "We're also more similar than I first thought," Abel smiled. "If worse comes to worse, I promise I won't raise my weapon on you."

          "Thank you, Abel," Rayan smiled back. "I promise the same."

          The sun began to set, which alerted Abel it was time to go back to his group.

          "Oh no," Abel stood up. "I should go back. I'm glad I met you Rayan."

          "I'm glad I met you too, Able," Rayan stood to say goodbye. "Honestly, I hope we don't see each other again because, you know, we're in a war right now."

          "Very well. Farewell, friend."

          "Farewell."

          Both boys parted with a hug and walked away without looking back.