The End of Chivalry (Rp Thread)

[Henselt 9]

 

Kingdom of Aragon

 

 

Queen Petronilla sat on her throne. The crown on her head would proudly stand resolute upon her brown locks for the last time, and as she stood, her hands went for the adornment, where her son, grown and a man if ever there was, stood awaiting his inheritance. The ceremony was finished, and by the end, a new King named; Alfonso II of the House of Barcelona. The first monarch of his house.

 

However, the heir, Ramon - who had been renamed to Alfonso in favour of his Aragonese lineage - is too young to rule. Petronilla's husband and Alfonso's father, Ramon, the Duke of Barcelona, ascends to Lord-Regent.

 

The future of Aragon is rife with uncertainty. However, to seal their future and protection, as well as their attendance in any future crusades, the Duke of Barcelona extends an offer of betrothal between Prince Alfonso and Princess Sancha to Castille, the King's infant daughter.

 

And with that, the Old Duke had yet a conqueror's mind. He would be the first to take the initiative against the Moors, and would prepare for another crusade against the Mardasanids. Sending word to the Lords of the land, the levies would be raised and ordered to gather at Barcelona, the Kingdom's new Capital. (DM Attention)

 

Deus Vult!

 

Actions;

• Declare war on the Mardasanids.
• Send betrothal offer to Castille. Prince Alfonso to Princess Sancha.
• Abdication of Queen Petronilla. Duke of Barcelona becomes Lord-Regent, and the Prince Alfonso Heir-Apparent.

[_Stigwig 1510]

Kingdom of England

King Henry II, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes and rightful Duke of Tolouse was angry. His offer to that snivelling French King had been generous - he promised alliance and protection in exchange for a simple marriage and the return of Toulouse! Not only that but they had seen fit to disseminate lies about his troops positions, the barons demanded peace and his French subjects were starving in the fields. 

The energetic monarch waves his hands - signalling the arrival of an aide equipped with quill and ink.

"Send a letter to our friend-- no, our beloved brother, the King Malcom of Scotland. We promise greetings and wish good tidings, I ask as to the latest harvest in Scotland. We desire greater relations, hmm.. Promise him the hand of sister Constance! Our kingdoms will be joined through matrimony and good relations. Write also of our desire to see his family dominate the Irish provinces, they are of little concern to us.. Oh - and grain shipments. We ask for all their spare grain to feed hungry peasant, this crisis will not go unanswered."

The missive was dispatched and sent by rider to the northern kingdom, that scribe's place swiftly taken by another - this time the missive designed for Jerusalem.

"Dearest uncle, Baldwin, we hope that your reign in Jerusalem is untroubled and you go without fear of a Saracen menace. Know that always you can rely upon the support of I, your most beloved of nephews, and those of the people I govern. Were it not for the machinations and political scheming of the French people who spread lies regarding to my reign and soldiers. This petty ploy prevents me from securing our house's rightful holdings and in turn halts me from aiding you in securing your borders! Know that once England and the Angevin holdings are secure I shall partake in another Crusade, greater than any before."

Another message, this time to the states of Genoa, Venice, Norway, Aragon, Castille and Byzantium.

"Know ye - good kings of Christ and those whom desire only to purge the moslem from our midst and secure for all time the holdings of Christendom. I am halted from taking my levies, numerous in nature and pious at heart, to secure holy lands: be they Andalusia, Egypt, Rum or Carthage, by the machinations and work of that unholy and GOD-HATING French King Louis. Many of you may hold ties with him - and I urge that we do not bring a fight to him but rather that you encourage him to halt his lies that weaken the rule of territories lawfully assigned to my father or wife that he resists my annexation of. This fear of his to obey the law and the course that God has chosen prevents us from taking up the Cross and giving battle to the moor or berber that threatens our Church.

Deus Vult."

The King then rises, messages sent, and calls together his noble barons and court to attend unto him. The plethora of colours present is indicative of the largest curia regis known to Europe - a hall full of men from court astrologer or physician to Dukes or Marquises whom dominate border fortresses. A respectful hush descends over the crowded room as Henry rises, clearing hist throat and widening his arms.

"Loyal subjects, men of England and France, Wales and Cornwall, York and Lancaster. Those whom trace their descent from Norman, Saxon, Dane or Gascon. We are here, bedecked in finery and clothed in robes from the east, whilst our peasants starve in their fields! We revel in fine wines and foods while the French harass and murder innocents! We wait, growing fat and lazy, while they raise their levies and train to butcher our families - burn our homes! Does this sound like the actions of men whom claim descent from William the Conqueror, Alfred the Great, Edward the Confessor and more to you? For it does not to me.. This crisis in Aquitaine, of men starving and children weeping must be brought to an end. I have written to the Scottish asking for grain, and each of you barons with grain to spare must make it available to the Crown. In exchange for these grants I cede my claim over Nantes, that territory of the Bretagne, to one of your number - William FitzEmpress! I name him Count of Nantes and grant him the tithes and territories accordant with such. From his territories and those of the Crown in England, from Normandy and Kent, Anglia and Lancaster I raise their levies. These will gather in Rouen."

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MOD NEEDED:

- Grain crisis resolution.
- Levies raised from: London and Middlesex, Normandy, Kent, Anglia, Lancaster and Nantes.

[dirtryhary 26]

Holy Roman Empire

Word comes back from the Pope. He accepts the Emperor's offer to come to Rome and offer himself. As for the old rights that need restoring, they would need to speak of it further. The Pope sends a secret missive, dictating things that would please him. Perhaps please him enough to restore old rights, and add some on top of them. 

Denmark sends word back that they would accept a military alliance. However they wish for a few terms to be made clear. Besides trade, Denmark demands the HRE cuts ties with all other Scandinavian states. They wish for Sweden and Norway primarily to be alienated. Alongside that, Denmark wishes for the castle of Hamburg. Lower Loraine accepts the alliance offer as well. Pisa denies the offer, asking instead for a trade partnership. Intending to compete with Venice, Pisa wants an ally that will prove itself before they go further in strengthening ties. 

England

The peasants begin to be fed, Henry showing it's genius and cunning as always. His generosity or appearance of it heartened many a noble and peasant. As for the levies, England's richer provinces are called upon. Mustering troops would take some time, especially to gather them all together. But all in all, a full fifteen thousand men can be expected.

 

Kingdom 'O Leinster

King Diarmait sat in his hall in Dublin, content and very drunk. Around him were his family and closest chiefs, all celebrating. The cause was indeed one worth taking note, the coming of a French ambassador. One of the first foreigners from a royal court to be accepted, it was a splendid occasion. If some chiefs laughed behind the frenchman's back, that was all well and good. The ambassador looked like a popinjay compared to the chiefs garb. Even the king wore traditional Irish garb, cut off trousers bearing their legs and a loose tunic. The Ambassador however was bedecked like a normal man of any European court.

Some days later, Diarmait brought the Ambassador in for a formal talk.

"Now, frenchman, I'd like to introduce you to how things work in Ireland. You notice Connacht getting antsy, eh? - Well it's actually all well and good that they have, really, it is. I expected this, and they shall play into my hand. So what would you do?"

"Muster an army, and smash them of course, monsieur."

"Well in due time maybe, but we Irish are more clever, or at least in Leinster. The king of Munster as it happens owns the land that is now being infringed upon. I have just sent him a contract dictating a partnership of common cause. In short, I will support Munster. But first I must make my money from Dublin, gather my men, and sell some cattle. So we will not rush off at the first sound of a fight, we shall prepare. That is all, return to your daily business."

As the ambassador goes to leave, the king calls him one more time

"Oh and Frenchman, I'm robbing you"

"Mon-"

Before the Ambassador could even finish, several Irishmen surround him in a circle of spears. More men pilfer the Ambassador's room, taking the large amounts of gold the French king had given him for the journey. Outraged the Ambassador stops talking as Diarmait holds his hand up.

"We shall still be friends, but I need your money for mercenaries. Tell your king this, I may of robbed you, but I will pay him back in something far more precious.....land"

-

All across Leinster, free men are called upon to fight for their king. Diarmait proclaims to Connacht that he will not start a war, but will merely help Munster reclaim what is theirs. Dublin itself also is tasked to raise a contingent of European mercenaries. With money from the city, cattle, and one ruffled French Ambassador, a few hundred mercenaries were hoped to be recruited. Only time would tell how many troops will answer the call or be bought however.

 

Mod Needed for; Troop count on raises freemen, and amount of mercenaries bought/If Munster agrees to common cause against Connacht.

 

 

 

Edited September 22, 2015 by dirtryhary

[WuHanXianShi14 0]

Kingdom of Connacht

 

Tuirrdelsach sat upon his throne overlooking Galway as the gulls screeched over the bustling port town. He drummed his aging fingers against the stone as a gentry reported the state of the settlers he'd sent south. A procession of chieftains and warriors stood at his side, stoic and level headed as the great bear of a man they served.

"I'd not expect the arse sitting on the Munster 'throne' to be pleased with this development. But his opinion nary matters. A paper king, weak and with weak subjects. Only united can the Gaelic people stand against the Saxons who'd bring us to heel." Au Conchubair muttered.

"Whispers from the east bring rumours that Leinster aims to push us back as well, my liege." A gruff Chieftain stated.

"Jittery as always, them eastern lot." The king gave an earthy chuckle, tapping his index finger on his throne. "But that bastard Diarmat would sell us all to the English if it gave him control over this island and I'll have none of it." He rose to his feet and looked about the room.

"Raise the levies, its time we prepare to defend our god given duty to unite the Gaelic people against foreign aggression." He pointed a gnarled finger towards a golden haired chieftain in the back of the throne room. "O'Flaherty will send his second born to Alba, and perhaps we shall find common cause as fellow Gaels."

[Raising levies will require mod approval]

Conchubair's appointed ambassador travelled to the Scottish court, baring a letter with the following contents:

"My Hardy King of Alba,

I write to you not as a man of the eire to a Scotsman, but as Gaelic brother to brother. Though distant, the peoples of our kingdoms are kin, and old blood of the celts flows through our veins.

Thus I write to you in a bid for friendship and brotherhood, and to share with you my dream.

I see two Gaelic kingdoms, strong in their unity. Alba on one isle, and Ireland in the other. Together we could hold back the tide of any foreigner, be they Saxon, Dane, or Norman. Our children would ne'er have to fear for their freedom, and in strength comes peace, with peace comes prosperity.

However, the path towards this dream shall not be easy. There are those on my isle who would deny us strength in unity. Louts in Munster who drive away my people and the King in Leinster, a man who would sell out all Celts to the English for silks and gold. They stand in the way, and they must be made to bend the knee.

Bring me the strength of the legendary warriors of the highlands to conquer my foes, and you shall have the rightful king of the Eire indebted to you. A foothold of land granted to you in Ulidia in the north, and the power of a united Gaelic peoples at yours and mine's command."

God be with you,

Tuirrdelsach Au Conchubair, Rightful High King of Ireland

 

 

[AndrewTech 3334]

The Kingdom of France

All across Eastern France, the Crown Levies of King Louis the VII and the levies of the counties of Champagne, Burgundy, Bourges, Blois, Flanders, and those of the Dutchy of Toulouse, and whatever other French levies are readily available, now begin to rally into two parts: L'Armee de Sud, consisting of the Toulousian levies which rally near the city of Albi, and L'Armee du Nord in the rest of France, which rallies near the city of Paris, for the inevitable war that lies beyond the horizon. Having a head start at the rallying process, it is likely that the French levies would have more time to train than their English counterparts. ((Levy Numbers Please))

From an unnamed source, the crown of France has been provided with a large sum of money, which is used to buy weapons and armor for the French levies, as well as hire a number of mercenaries to fight alongside French soldiers and knights. ((Mod Please for Reasonable Merc Numbers))

Castile is called upon to honor their alliance with France and assist them in the coming war! 

Messengers deliver a letter addressed to the Iberian Kingdoms,. It reads:

"To the most noble Christian Kings and Lords of Iberia,

A great threat looms just beyond your borders to the North! The English King Henry and his harlot prepare to make war with the forces of the Crown of France. I come to ask you today, 'What do you think would happen if France were to fall'?

I shall tell you what would happen.

If France were to fall, England would almost certainly begin to target it's weaker neighbors. Including yourselves, and the Holy Roman states. And that is almost certainly the goal of the English in fighting this war. Do not be fooled by Henry's claims! This war is about English supremacy on the mainland, and the dangers it creates for us!

I urge you to aid France in this war, for in doing so, you aid yourselves. You already have a great threat to the south; would you rather have a second one in the North? For that is what a weakened France will bring about."

------------

Meanwhile, in the court of the Holy Roman Emperor, the French ambassador finalizes an agreement with the Emperor Frederick. The agreement entails an alliance between the Holy Roman Emperor and Duke of Swabia, and the French Crown. A betrothal is also to be made as soon as possible between the two families, as soon as the Emperor produces children of his own. 

As soon as the agreement is signed, France calls Swabia and whatever allies that wish to assist them to war to aid their fight against the English.

-----------

As the ambassador returns from Leinster, he vehemently complains about the barbarity of the Irish inhabitants of the land to the French King!

However, Louis and his court simply burst into laugher at hearing of his experiences, much to Jean Pierre's displeasure. After dying down, Louis promises not to send him to Leinster again, and congratulates him on a job well done. The Irish tribal King's message had been taken well by the Crown, and Louis is well pleased.

[Jonificus 2763]

Norégveldi - The Kingdom of Norway

Nidaros, Norway.

Håkon scratches his chin as he reads over his letters and kingdom reports, the news of the fishery investment's success pleases him but he cares little for the logistics, the local lords may tend to that he tells his stewards.
Due to the norse king's mediocre latin reading abilities he skims over King Henry's letters, yet he finds the contents which he understand to be most intriguing.. He waves his scribe over to the desk to write a response for him.

The fairhaired giant of a man clears his throat, circling back and forth as he speaks his reply.

"To the King Henry of England,

As you may or may not know, my ancestors Sigurd Jorsalfare took faith very seriously, he and five thousand men sailed down to the holy land to reclaim sacred grounds from the infidel desert folk. Hearing about this god-hating king of France, a true disgrace to the Lord Above All and to my ancestors. 
I shall personally sail to France with three hundred and fifty ships, and Europe shall be reminded of the terrors that us Norsemen are capable of. Wait for us in Rouen and my forces will carve a path out for you, leading straight to Louis' castle.

Signed,
King Håkon Sigurdsson of Norégveldi."

He orders his scribe to decree a leidang all across the realm. The Lords of the Isles (as in the norwegian territories in britain) are told to rally their ships and men at the Orkneys, the Jarl of the Faroes receives the same letter and is told to make haste. The Jarls of Iceland are ordered to reave around the English channel.
Meanwhile, the Norwegian lords are to gather in Stavanger with their fleets and armies, Håkon is expecting to meet his promise to the English King and hopes that his vassals bring him more than enough troops. To appease the lords who so generously lent their ships to the fishermen for free, the King says that his vassals may keep whatever loot they can carry from the war. ((MOD NEEDED FOR THEIR REACTIONS AND LEVY NUMBERS))

 

Reykjavík, Iceland.

Ask "The Mad" and his newly recruited band of about 32 courageous companions can be seen on the docks, loading food and other necessities for the journey. Loud, rousing and spontaneous singing puts forth the possibility that the whole crew may or may not be drunk. It's not before one of the crewmen start to piss on the pile of clothes that it becomes clear that they truly are drunk off their arse. Ask hiccups and focuses on keeping his slobbering speech understandable as he spends the last of his sober judgement "L-Lads. We-We *burps* We're sailing on the next morrow.." The captain returns to his duties and drinking promptly after the announcement.

Unfortunately, due to the day of drunken acts, the map has been tampered with and the course has been unintentionally changed to Greenland which is something none of the men on board realize as they were foolish enough to scare off the only man in the crew capable of reading and writing. Who knows how the jolly journey to Canada ends?

Oslo, Norway

An increase in merchants in the capital of Viken has caused the Jarl to order the establishment of a trading guild and sends out offers of trade agreements to SCOTTISH, SWEDISH & GERMAN ports. The taxes of the town are also raised to afford the cost of building a stonewall. ((MOD NEEDED for Swedish response and tax revenue + reception))

[Publius 4098]

The Kingdom of Castile

Castile had the world calling upon it, and it was time for her to begin making moves.

France, the nation who partook in the most active and friendly correspondence with the kingdom, had fallen under attack. The foreign minister is dispatched to Paris to explain the situation, and apologize. England would find diplomats in the midst of their courts, showing some interest in talks in regards to France.

What situation? Nothing less than the declaration of Alfonso the VIII as king of Asturias - a claim they would back by force. Forces began to start getting raised in droves, the army quickly mobilizing to seize Navarre first. This claim would see Leon largely reabsorbed into Castile, Navarre completely so, as well as an eastern portion of the kingdom of Aragon.

Dispatches are sent in return to the Almohads, the gift of small toy knights and cataracts are well received by the boy king, with much thanks coming from Regent de Lara. Quiet talks are continued, clearly demonstrating much in the way of mutual understanding and interests.

Venice is sought for talks, and an open dialogue with all nations is encouraged. It is clear what the kingdom's main priority is though; the consolidation of northern Iberia under one, Christian king.

(need mod for troop numbers and the reaction of good ol' Navarre and Leon. I also need a response from Aragon)

 

 

[dirtryhary 26]

All Nation's Levies have been effectively raised! (Besides Norway and Castile who just started, and those who did not start at all)

France

Twelve thousand levies, three thousand mercenaries

Most of France's troops have the time to train, and can now hold a formation somewhat better. This counts nothing for hard earned experience however. As for armoring the entire army, it became a momentous task. Scores of blacksmiths would be needed, but work begins..

Almohads 

Twelve thousand levies

Connacht

Nine hundred levies

Leinster

One thousand levies, five hundred european mercenaries

Norway

The expedition sets off with little fan fare, the common folk shunning the rambunctious crew. Time would tell how the start of the voyage works out. The Inner provinces begin to starve, as the fish is usually stolen by small time lords and sold back to the peasants. The Inner Provinces are experiencing a large starvation issue now. 

Castile

The Spanish could not simply raise their troops and conquer willy nilly. They did however announce their intents to their enemies. Leon and Navarre quickly make a pact of common cause, and raise their levies. Portugal does the same, but they keep their intentions unclear. Iberia is turning into an armed camp....

 

"Diarmat, Connacht claims we will sell us all to the English, and you're a vain and greedy villain."

The hall fell silent as the messenger rushed in and delivered his message. It did not remain silent for long however, as the assorted chiefs burst into laughter.

"I don't see and bleeding English here, do I?!" Diarmat exclaimed whilst wiping a tear from his eye.

The hall spent the next minute or two mock searching for English. They were very adept, searching behind chairs, looking into their cups of wine, and checking the stables to see if a stray English was under a pile of manure. Sadly they could not satisfy Connacht's outrageous claim. The hall's mirth died down as Diarmat cleared his throat.

"I hope he realizes he's the one invading a kingdom. And I can guarantee even now he's trying to find a foreigner's skirts to hide behind. It makes no matter though, our men have been gathered. One thousand good lads, ready to fight to defend their brothers from Munster. And mercenaries have just arrived in Dublin. One hundred hedge knights, three hundred flemish pike, and a hundred welsh long bowman. Munster has also sent word back, we will join together under common cause!"

The hall erupts yet again into roars of approval and joy. They Leinster chiefs believed in their king, they knew he would do the best for them. A night of celebration is declared before they move out. Dublin rings with noise, as the feast ensues.

--

The next day, Diarmat heads out with his army in tow. They would gather with the king of Munster and his eight hundred men, and from there head north. The joint army would force the Connacht army into an open battle, where strategies would be determined at that time.

Connacht is offered once chance to surrender, after that there will be no mercy.

 

 

 

 

[hellfiazz 879]

Frederick I "Barbarossa" Hohenstaufen, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Germany, Italy, and Burgundy, and Duke of Swabia

[imghttp://i.imgur.com/LzUV9Wm.jpg

The news from France weighed heavy on Frederick's mind. It seemed he had entered into the agreement right before his help would be asked for. No matter, he had agreed to assist King Louis in front of God and Man, and so he would oblige. He sends for his feudal vassals to start raising the levy, and starts raising his own. ((MODAROOOO))

Pisa's counter-offer of a trade partnership is less than what Frederick wanted, but he had known it was unlikely that they would accept straight away, and so it is accepted.

Frederick accepts Denmark's terms of embargo upon Sweden and Norway, but the demand for Hamburg is met with a counter-offer. In exchange for the castle, Denmark would be requested to join in the war against England. They are pressured with the information that the war would involve two of their main rivals, England and Norway, and that both seek to expand their influence on the continent. A victory in this war would drastically reduce the prestige and power of both, and with several strong nations already involved against England, this was a very good chance for them to attain a victory over them. ((MOD PLEASE))

An Imperial Decree that would state that the North German states on the coast were to also embargo the Swedes and Norwegians. In return for the marginal loss of potential trade partners, which wouldn't be great as neither Sweden or Norway aren't particularly rich in resources or money, they are given access to trade with the entire Empire, as well as the Emperor's own trading allies, both of which included the lands of northern Italy which were bastions of mercantile affairs. ((MOD PLEASE))

The Princes of Lombardy and Lower Lorraine, both allies to the Emperor, are also requested to join the war against England. Lower Lorraine is pressured with the fact that the only state lying between them and the clearly expansionist England is France, and that if the French were defeated then the English would no doubt seek to expand into the western lands of the Empire. ((MOD PLEASE))

The Pope's envoy to Frederick is gracefully accepted into Frederick's court and upon request for a private audience with the Emperor, is granted it. The two talk for a good couple of hours, and both emerge looking somewhat pleased with themselves. A message is sent to the Pope saying he will arrive shortly and that he will be arriving at Rome shortly, and giving his assent to try and succeed in all three of his requests.

Envoys are sent to England and France, asking both to try and reconcile their differences at a summit. The summit would be held in Rome and be chaired by God's Regent, Pope Alexander III, ensuring a truly neutral mediator. They are given advice that a peaceful outcome to such a conflict would be far more preferable than spending the lives of their young men and the gold from their coffers.

[Sneaky 189]

The Kingdom of Portugal

    King Henry I had been very displeased with all this news of war and violence others were attempting to call him into. Thus diplomats are dispatched to the following nations, England, France.

"I, King Henry I of Portugal, must formally decline the offer to join a war that has no possible benefit to me. Transportation of troops would be nearly impossible, it would be suicide to send levies into this war. My lords could not possible find an effective route to establish supply trains effectively starving my men. I could in no way do that with out having a guilty concision about the men I just put to slaughter like a lamb going to a butcher. If you shall find another way for my levies to fight and not be slaughtered by lack of supplies, and poor transportation routes then I will gladly listen to you're idea."

As the messenger is sent off immediately a new one sprints into the court spewing out a wealth of news, "MY LORD THIS IS URGENT NEWS!" Henry looked at the man, adjusted himself in his throne and nodded his head to the man to continue. "Your majesty, I have just received word about Leon and Narvarra forming an alliance, I have also gotten reports of them raising their levies. It seems the mean to prepare for war!" the messenger would step back from his position to catch his breath.

Henry scratched his chin in a seemingly annoyed manner, he rises from his seat and speaks out to his court, "War and death is the only thing people understand now. It truly saddens me how this once beautiful, and seemingly peaceful place will soon turn into a country covered in blood and bodies. As King of this beautiful place, I will do every possible thing I feel is best for this country, my homeland, /our/ homeland. I will bend to no man who threatens this land. I call on you to raise your levies and defend this homeland with me." he looks around the room and sits down. ((I guess Hary already raised my levies for me but, I need numbers!!!))

 

[Pureimp10 5691]

 

Kingdom of Jerusalem

 

Baldwin sat idly in his throne, grasping a piece of paper in his hands. It was a letter from his Constable, Lord Humphrey, with news about his mission in Byzantium. He had safely arrived in the court of Emperor Manuel, yet had not had a chance to speak with the Emperor about Baldwin’s intentions. It was this moment that the throne room doors would open, and Baldwin’s Marshal, Lord William would enter. Bowing deeply before the King, he would clear his throat, and begin to speak.

 

“Your Majesty, the people of Harim, despite my work and effort, fail to see your benevolence and kindness. They wish to see actions of such, proof that you mean your word.” At this, a frown would form on Baldwin’s face, clearly frustrated by this news. He’d ponder his Marshal’s words carefully, before speaking up. “Lower the taxes in that province, and send donations of grain and seed. Send workers as well if the people need assistance with planting or working their fields.” ((Mod needed))

 

Baldwin would sit in silence for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “Oh! Hold a tournament in Acre. Send messengers to all knights and lords within the realm, inviting them. Make sure the common people know as well. It shall happen in a week.” With a bow, the Marshal would briskly turn on his heel, and exit the throne room.

 

Turning to his scribe, he’d motion for the young man to pick up his pen, and begin to write. “Write a letter to my nephew, King Henry II of England.”

 

Dearest nephew, peace to you and to your family. If I could, I would, at this very moment, send hordes of Knights Templar and Hospitaller to aid you in your conflict against the French. But, as you’ve mentioned, the Saracen horde lies at my doorstep, and I cannot allow the men of Jerusalem to aid in foreign affairs. You have my prayers and, should you need it, my guidance.

 

The missive would quickly be sent, hopefully arriving in England soon.

 

[WuHanXianShi14 0]

Moved to the Archive. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.