xymnovel Chapter 21 Jerusalem
Chapter 21 Jerusalem
Jerusalem finally revealed its outline on the ridge ahead. This most fortified city in the world, besides Constantinople, sat alone on a high point in the Judean Hills, surrounded by deep valleys on the east, southeast, and west sides, connected by a magnificent city wall with a circumference of 2.5 miles, a height of 60 feet, and a thickness of 10 feet.
Unlike Alexandria, which lies prostrate on the seashore, or Cairo, which perches on the riverbank, this city sits atop a mountain, its golden stone walls and towers gleaming with a honey-and-fire luster under the blazing sun, like a colossal crown forged by God himself. Countless church spires and minarets, like swords pointing to heaven, collectively guard the imposing dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre—the soul of the city.
Lyon and his party came from Jaffa, so they naturally entered through the Jaffa Gate, the fortress at the foot of the Tower of David, the closest fortress on the western wall of Jerusalem. Inside the gate was a spectacle unlike anything they had seen in Alexandria or Cairo. The air was no longer filled with spices and sweat, but with the scent of burning beeswax, ancient incense, cooled holy oil, and the dust kicked up from the stones worn smooth by the footsteps of countless pilgrims over the millennia.
The streets were teeming with people not only vendors and locals, but also a surging tide of pilgrims.
They were dressed in various styles, from all over the world, their faces not showing the haste of travel or the shrewdness of merchants, but rather a mixture of piety, exhaustion, and ecstasy. They touched the city walls, knelt and kissed the earth, weeping or singing, forming a slow-moving torrent driven by faith. Their prayers, a blend of Latin, Greek, Arabic, and Hebrew, drowned out the clamor of the marketplace, intertwining with the church bells and the calls of the minarets, creating a chaotic yet solemn harmony, like the whispered gospel of Jesus spreading across the land during his crucifixion, ever-flowing.
The Tower of David was not just a defensive fortress in Jerusalem; it was actually a vast royal castle complex, serving as both the royal palace of the King of Jerusalem and the nerve center of the kingdom's secular power.
At the edge of the shadow cast by the Tower of David, a knight stood waiting. He wore a brown and white robe with his family crest, and his figure was as tall as a tower, almost blending into the stone wall behind him. Beneath the robe, the metallic luster of his chainmail gleamed coldly in the sunlight.
As the procession drew near, his face became clearer—a face sculpted by the holy sun and sandstorms. He wore no helmet; his jawline was strong, his nose high, and his thin lips pressed together, outlining a composed curve. His slightly wavy, dark brown hair was gently ruffled by the wind. Most striking were his eyes, the color of the Mediterranean sky, now gazing at the visitors with sincere and fervent eyes.
Without the knight needing to introduce himself, Lyon guessed his identity—Baron Balian of Ibelin.
As expected, the knight nodded slightly, bowed respectfully to Earl Raymond, and said, "Good day, Your Excellency. The King is already in the council chamber." His gaze swept over Jacob and Lyon behind the Earl, a hint of doubt in his eyes: "And who are this... and this child?"
Raymond suddenly realized and quickly introduced, "This is Father Jacob, a priest in Jerusalem who later went to the court of the Roman emperor, and also..." He lowered his voice, "...is also your brother-in-law."
"Maria's brother?" Balian looked Jacob up and down with surprise. "Then I must tell Maria right away that her beloved brother is safe and sound!"
"All right?" Jacob scratched his messy hair. "Was my sister worried about me? How did she know I was in trouble?"
Balian recalled, "About a month ago, it was said that a ship carrying a Roman prince to Patras was sunk by pirates. Maria was convinced that you were on that ship and was worried about it all day long."
Lyon gently tugged at Jacob's sleeve. Jacob understood and asked, "The child next to me is the son of an old friend. He was on the same boat as the prince. We were lucky to survive. What about the prince? How is he?"
"Oh, I don't know if it's lucky or unlucky, but the old emperor passed away on September 24th, and a few days ago a new emperor ascended the throne. What's his name... Alexius? He must be the prince you were talking about, right?"
Lyon breathed a sigh of relief—thankfully, Alexius had escaped unharmed and had successfully ascended to the throne.
"Constantinople is about to be in turmoil for a while. The young new emperor may not be able to control those nobles. In the future... we may never get the same military assistance as when Manuel was alive." Raymond sighed, recalling the days of Manuel's reign, then smiled. "Barian, take Jacob to see the Queen Mother. I know the way to the council chamber well."
Then, he put his hands on Balian and Jacob's shoulders and said with a smile, "You two should catch up. I know the way, so I won't trouble you."
Balian didn't stand on ceremony, clearly very familiar with the Earl, and bowed again, saying, "Please take care." He then naturally put his arm around this brother-in-law he had never met before, and despite Yage's slight struggle, walked towards the Empress Dowager's palace.
Before the Empress Dowager's palace, at the end of a deep stone corridor stood a heavy oak door. Balian raised his hand and knocked on the door knocker. After a moment, the door slowly opened, revealing a graceful woman in a dark long dress standing in the warm light. The instant she saw Jacob, her eyes reddened, and her voice trembled with restraint: "Jacob? Thank God you're safe..."
Before she finished speaking, her gaze passed over Accord's shoulder and suddenly fixed on Lyon.
The air seemed to freeze.
The silk handkerchief in her hand fluttered to the ground, making a clear sound in the deathly silence. The next second, completely disregarding her composure, she staggered out the door and, to Balian's astonishment and Jacob's bewildered expression, knelt down, tightly embracing the unsuspecting Leon, burying her face in the child's soft hair, her whole body trembling slightly.
All of this happened in the span of a few heartbeats.
Before everyone could react, clear footsteps echoed from the distance in the corridor.
As if startled awake, the woman abruptly released her embrace and quickly stood up. She raised her hand to tidy her slightly disheveled hair and clothes, trying to regain her usual composure, but her still reddened eyes could not bear to leave Lyon's face.
Balian frowned slightly, his hand already on his sword hilt, and stepped forward to block the crowd. Around the corner, Princess Sibylla's figure slowly ascended the steps.
The princess's gaze swept lightly over the slightly disheveled group behind Balian, finally settling on Balian himself. Her voice was calm yet undeniably authoritative:
"The King has ordered that the Queen Mother, the priest, and..." She paused, her suspicious gaze lingering briefly on Leon, "...to proceed to the council chamber immediately."