Mordecai arose from his bunk, careful to avoid waking his wife. It was the third time he had awoken that evening, only managing to sleep for minutes at a time. His family's devotion to their faith antagonized the Islamic rulers of Jerusalem, and therefore, while Christian knights could wander at will, they were forced to meet in secret during the night. So far, the only disadvantage to this arrangement had been the strange looks from next door about their apparent negligence of their working life.
But now, things were different. The Crusader Army had arrived at the gate of Jerusalem, and it was essential that they gain every Christian they could find. Mordecai and the other Christians and Messianic Jews in the city had made plans to escape, and the time was ripe. As soon as the Frank army broke through the walls, they could join their fellows and assist in ridding the Holy City of the oppression of the Saracens.
Mordecai crept to the door and opened it slowly, trying to avoid causing the hinges to creak. A gust of cool air met him, bringing with it a host of smells - leather, fish, alcohol. He shut the door softly behind him and stared out along the street. It was illuminated by the light of the silvery moon, bathing everything in a soft, white embrace.
Suddenly, Mordecai noticed something at the door to the nearby Mosque. 3 silhouettes, one dragon, a man and a young woman. The dragon appeared not to have noticed the humans' presence, but it was the girl that concerned the Christian the most. She seemed to be singing to the man, enchanting him with strange words.
Clutching his staff tightly, Mordecai charged up the hill towards them. "Young lady!" He cried. "Stop this sorcery at once!".
