[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/l15MM1Q.jpg[/img][/center]
  [color=salmon][i]Is a roaring flame reduced to a surviving ember still the same fire?
  The ember starting a new blaze of the same burning soul?
  Does wisdom acknowledge shifts of time or origins of history before the other?[/i][/color]

  They still called themselves Romans.  The Goddess felt that calling this state after an Empire blessed by Pantheons was an insult, and those outside felt the same.

  Others called it the Greek Empire, but that name had already passed with Iskandar.  Some referred to the state by the prize gem of Constantinople, to the exclusion of it's jagged edges.  Some called it the Orthodox Empire, but Rus had many Orthodox as well.

  The Turks had been encroaching on the empire for years, gradually pressuring the border.  Today was intended to fix that, and perhaps reverse it.  The Ecimunal Patriarch under the Emperor called upon the Papacy for some 300 knights to defend the borders of combined Christandom.

  Forty Thousand arrived, answering the call of their mutual God.  The red haired woman saw the Baslius shower gifts on some, resulting in many a Catholic swearing some degree of fealty in return for this support.  Others looked away, unwilling to accept bribes but who lacked the heart to scold those who would journey with them to the holiest of cities.

  Tancred de Hautville was one of those who refused, but he did so loudly.  He said they had a lack of faith, and critised the lack of Christ's fire in their hearts.  For many this was a source of discomfort.

  But the Goddess liked the brave.  When the dancing started that night, the Phoenix accepted his offered hand.  The musicians increased speed until all others were forced off the floor.

  Ten further times they moved their fingers faster, trying to blow out the flames of this match.

  But these two passionate fires stayed on until the player's fingers bled, feet moving with divine grace.  When they were forced to leave the floor, they visited each other until the next day.

  Forgoing a Basileus weak enough to call rivals for aid and embracing the hands of one who's soul burned as brightly as her own, Iravis set off the next day on a Crusade against those who still defiled her homeland.

[hider=Historical Terminology]
I am using [i]Deus Lo Volt[/i] as the primary source regarding people's character.  Incase it wasn't obvious, this is about the first crusade.  This isn't class, so for those of you who haven't taken AP World history this is for you.

[b]Greek/Orthodox/Constantinople:[/b] The Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire, located in modern day Turnkey and Greece.

[b]Turks:[/b] This time period is pre-Ottoman, so in this case I am referring to Seljuk Turks.  By this time they had dominated Mesopotamia and parts of Persia (modern day Iran)

[b]Basileus:[/b] Another title for Emperor, used mostly by the Byzantine Empire

[b]Orthodox:[/b] After the collapse of the Pentarchy, Catholics and Orthodox were born out of the remains.  While the official schism occurred later, the two churches had been unofficially separated for centuries by this point.  Two critical points are that the priests can marry and have beards.
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