The First Crusade Chapter One.

The Assembly

         Charles and I were living in Regensburg. My name was Lewan and I’m Sir Charles’ squire. We were eating dinner and talked about any news that we heard today. I looked up from my porridge and asked Charles, “Have you heard of anything about the Muslims lately?”
         Charles’ set down his ale, “No, I heard nothing about those rats. Why do you ask?”
         I sat up on the dirty floor, “Well, I heard at the market today that they just closed Jerusalem to all Christians and won’t let them back in, no matter what happens.”
         Charles jumped off the floor full of rage, “What! Why I would go there myself and kill of those little pigs! What do they think they are doing? I mean, do they realize that they might have started a war because it is sacred to us too!”
         I nodded my blond head in understanding, “I know that Charles but we must wait.”
         Charles turned to me, his black hawk-like eye burning with rage, “WHAT?! Wait! Darn it Lewan, I want to do something now!”
         I closed my blue hawk-like eyes to think. Then I remembered something. I cleared my throat to get Charles attention and advised him, “ Well, we could go down town tomorrow. I heard that there is going to be a meeting there by mid-day. The Pope is going to be there and will tell us if there will be a war or not.”
         Charles smiled wide and replied, “That’s a good idea Lewan. Lets go there and see if they declare war, a holy war of course.”
         I looked at Charles’ big smooth face and answered, “Of course, Charles.”
         We went to our straw beds on the floor. I really tried to get comfortable but I couldn’t. I looked at Charles wondering what is going to happen tomorrow. In the middle of wondering, I fell asleep.
         After I fell asleep I started having horrible dreams. The first one was that we were at Tripoli and that Charles was hacked to death by a two-handed axe. Next I saw Charles getting trampled be cavalry right after he saved me from them. The last one was that he was shot and killed by arrows at Jerusalem when the battle started.
         The next morning Charles woke me up and asked me seriously, “Are you ok? You’re usually up way before me.”
         I sat up and shook my head vigorously so I could clear my head and murmured, “What? Oh. Nothing is wrong, I just had some horrible dreams.”
         Charles helped me up and talked anxiously, “Lets hurry, I heard that the Pope is going to start announcing to us what has happened at Jerusalem.”
         After I got up I wiped some bugs out of my blond hair and grunted, “We better start making better beds or else I’m going to start screaming my head off from all of these bugs.”
         Charles laughed happily, “You know what? I might start doing that too!”
         As I walked to the big chamber pot I saw Charles rub his brown hair. I wiped some sweat from my own average, chubby face. I rubbed my big bushy eyebrows because I felt a few ants in them. I turned to Charles and asked, “Should we just have bread and cheese?”
         He waved his chubby hand, “As you can see, I’m chubby enough already.”
         “So do you want bread and cheese?”
         "Sure. I want to hurry."
         "Ok!"
         We ate bread and cheese for breakfast. After that we started walking to the center of Regensburg. As we walked there I saw blacksmiths, whitesmiths, shop keepers, warriors, and much more people walking to the center of Regensburg.
         When we got there there was a lot of people waiting to hear what the Pope was going to say. Everyone recognized Charles and I as one of the Pope's favorite people so they let us go to the front. After a while waiting the Pope came and sat down on an old wooden chair that was taken outside earlier this morning for him to sit on.
         The Pope scratched his white beard as he stood up. He had a kind smile and sparkling blue eyes as he waited. He looked at Charles and I and waved. I smiled and waved back to him. Right then the crowd had quieted down and so that Pope spoke, "I welcome you all to Regensburg. I am sad to say this to you but you must know the truth. The Muslims has closed Jerusalem to all Christians."
         I looked around as everyone gasped and started talking all at once. While everyone was talking I noticed that the Pope turned to one of his guards, said something, then pointed to us. The guard nodded and walked away.
         The Pope turned back to the crowd and I focused on what he had to say while he announced, "I will also tell you that we must start a war against the Muslims!"
         Everyone roared their approval and I had to cover up my ears because it was so loud. Charles and I both drew our swords later and also roared our approval. While we were roaring our approval the guard came up and asked, "Are you two Charles and um.... how do you say it... Lewan? Yes, Lewan that’s it!"
         Charles turn and answered, "Yes, we are. What do you want from us?"
         "The Pope would like you two to meet him tonight in his chambers," the full armored knight answered.
         I turned away and I heard Charles say, "Tell his Holiness that I will be glad to meet him tonight."
         "Yes, Sir Knight."
         The knight marched away back to the Pope. Charles nudged I looked at him, "What is it?"
         "Would you obliged to come with meet see the Pope?"
         I bowed to Charles, "Of course Charles, I would be happy to come with you."
         "That's settled then."
         I looked at the Pope since he started talking again. I hear, "Starting today I will start putting together an army of our best soldiers and knights. When they march there should be about 30,000 soldiers and 4,000 knights. Soon, Jerusalem will be ours!"
         Everyone roared louder than before. I had to cover my ears because it was so load. The Pope spoke again once everyone quieted down, "The is all I have to say for now. Goodbye."
         Charles and I started heading home with everyone else. As we were walking home Charles asked, “What do you think the Pope wants from us?”
         I sighed, “I don’t know. Maybe something about the war.  Like having us join or something.
         Charles grunts, “I guess.”
         When we got home I started the fire while Charles went to get some more wood from the back of the house. While he was gone I started cutting some meat to have some porridge. After Charles put some new wood in the fire. We reheated the old porridge and added some more meat. Then we ate the porridge for dinner.
         After we finished the porridge I heard Charles say, “Aw, that was very good.”
         I turned and saw Charles laying down on his back staring up at the ceiling. I also laid down, “Yes, for a little bit of food that porridge was both good and filling. I’m going to see if it’s starting to get dark.”
         Charles sits up, “Ok. I’ll go get something nice to wear.”
         I stood back up and looked out of the wooden door to see if it was getting dark. It was start to get dark so I stuck my head back in, closed the door, and shouted to be back of the house, “Its starting to get dark so I guess we better start leaving so we can see the Pope.”
         I hear Charles yell in the back, “Ok! I thought it would be good if we wore our armor.”
         I nodded my head and replied, “It would be good in case we get attacked by someone on our way there as well.”
         Charles nodded, “Exactly.”
         Charles hold up the front of the armor, “Help me into this, will you?”
         I bowed really low and answered, “Of course, my lord.”
         Charles sighed, “Didn’t I tell you not to call me that? In fact, I told you to talk to me as a friend. Not like a squire and besides, we’ve been together for a long time so that sort of formality should be behind us.”
         I hesitated, then spoke, “ Well, yes you did tell me that but the Pope might expect me to do this in front of him.”
         He scowled, “Well, do that to the Pope, not to me and if he asks I’ll tell him about how I feel.”
         I put on my chainmail and nodded my head, making my whole forest of hair bounce up and down, “Ok.”
         After I helped Charles get in his armor I strapped my broadsword to my side. We left the house while talking about the war and what might happen in the future.