NEW ALLY

Friday, 30 October 1192 AD

-Ludd

The sound of horses trotting on a narrow stone path could be heard with the loud voices of knights conversing. In their wake was a small plume of dust left by the horses as they marched on. The path was too small for more than two horses to ride abreast. They had been forced to line up. It was a long line of about fifteen horses moving in one direction.

At the head of this line was Captain Esau George, the leader of this team of thirty crusader knights contracted by Father Absalom. They had ridden past the town of Ludd. It was high noon with the sun beating down on them. They felt like butter exposed to the sun. Within their armour, they were sweating profusely.

He saw some of the men taking off their helmets and armour to get some much-needed relief from the heat inside.

"You, I did not give anyone the order to remove his armour! Put them back on now!" He roared.