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Past And Present Parts 1+2[/center]
City Of Antioch
The Principality Of Antioch (i)
Outremer (ii)
18th May 1268
The siege had only been going for a couple of day but already the walls were beginning to show their weakness and the lack of soldiers to man them proving to be more problematic than was anticipated. One man lay on his pallet reading a vellum bound book with a puzzled look on his face, a knock on the door made him look up and place the book beneath his straw mattress. The man got up and threw on his creased and bloodstained mantle, white underneath the grime of the past couple of days siege, with a red cross splayed across the chest; the uniform of a Templar knight. The man rubbed his short beard, Templar knights were forbidden from shaving but Merrick kept his beard as closely trimmed as he could get away with; he walked to his door and opened it to reveal young man, no older than 16 standing there with blood covering half his face.
“Are you hurt?” Enquired Merrick
The boy shook his head, panting to catch his breath.
“Take a moment boy, catch your breath”
The boy was wearing a black mantle with a red cross splayed across his chest, a sergeant of the Temple, a knight in training. He took one last deep breath and straightened himself.
“The Mamluksiii have broken the west wall, it won't be long before it comes down. You're wanted on the front line.”
Merrick frowned and grabbed his sword, strapping it to his waist whilst running, he emerged from the building and could see nothing for several moments as his eyes adjusted to the light, but when the did what he saw made him freeze. There was a gaping hole in the western wall of the city and it seemed the Mamluks had started concentrating their siege engines on that wall, it would come down in minutes at this rate, and the Muslims outnumbered them inside at least four to one. Once the wall came down the city would fall in less than an hour, and not a soul inside would be spared, Merrick had seen it before. He cursed under his breath, he had a more important mission than defending a city, he turned and went back inside.
Merrick grabbed the book from under his mattress and turned to leave when he was thrown into the wall knocking over several jugs of wine as the earth gave an almighty shake. The wall had fallen. He threw the book and a loaf of bread into a sack and ran out the door. He heard the war cries of knights and Muslims alike and saw just a cloud of bloody smoke where the where the centre of the west wall once stood, he saw fellow knights he had known for many years falling under Mamluk swords with blood curdling screams; and he turned away from it all and ran down an alley.
Merrick negotiated the beehive of alleyways with practised ease, he had prepared for this situation long ago, knowing the walls of Antioch could not withstand the force of the Mamluk army should they set their sights on it. Halfway down one alley a couple of Mamluk soldiers saw him and made a beeline for him, swords drawn. Merrick cursed to himself and drew his sword. The mantle of a Templar granted him respect, power and the contacts he needed for this mission, it made him all too conspicuous in this situation though. He dodged the sword of the first warrior and brought his own up into the second, the curved sword finding the exposed flesh just under the armpit of the soldier and almost cutting the man clean in half, however Merrick's sword was now stuck and he spun the man around to take the blow of the first soldier, which sunk deep into his comrade's shoulder, Merrick loosed his blade and brought it crashing down into the man's skull.
Merrick tightened hi hold on his bag and continued down the alleyway. He emerged on a street that could not be avoided and had to roll to dodge a Mamluk spear, he picked up a discarded javelin from the floor and threw it with expert accuracy and it sent the Mamluk flying from his horse. Merrick turned and saw a sword coming straight for him and only just managed to get his own sword up in time to avoid losing his head, he spun around swinging his sword behind him as the rider passed and cut the horse along the back of it's knees sending the beast crashing to the floor and the rider catapulting off its back. (iv)
The rider got to his feet, his helmet having been discarded, and advanced on Merrick who saw the tell-tale star shaped white defect in the centre of one of his pupils, it was the Lion of the East, the Crossbow. Sultan Baybars (v) himself. Merrick frowned, it was not his place to kill kings and change the course of history. Baybars advanced on him, both swords drawn and a murderous rage in his eyes, he attacked with a fury and skill that surprised Merrick and made him drop his bag and concentrate on the fight, gripping his sword with both hands. Merrick was surprised by the sultan's fighting skill, he knew the man was legendary, but then so was Merrick. And Merrick had many years more experience, but still he was fighting harder than he's had to in a while, he parried a strike at his neck with a flick of his sword and brought up his elbow which connected with Baybars' chin sending him stumbling backwards, but the sultan brought up his other sword with lightning speed and cut a deep gash in Merrick's cheek. The warriors stopped for a second and sized each other up, panting and circling like lions; then the fight started again with Baybars charging Merrick and Merrick fending off his blows again.
Then Merrick got lucky and managed to catch hold of one of Baybars' arms and push it aside giving himself an opening, he slashed viciously across the sultan's chest and kicked him to the ground, the sultan looked up at him, a look of surprise on his face. Then Merrick heard a whistling sound and turned just in time to cut down a spear that was coming straight for him, the rider who threw the spear drew his sword and bore down on Merrick, who ducked the man's blade and threw his own which buried itself in his back just below the neck, he turned and saw another rider coming towards him, spear held out in front. Merrick stepped aside and caught hold of the man's spear and sending him flying from his horse and into a wall where he lay limply. He then ran over to the man in whom his sword was and pulled it free, the sunlight glinting off the bloodstained blade and blinding him for a second, but it was enough and he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder.
Merrick looked from the arrow in his shoulder to the end of the street where at least thirty riders were charging down the street shouting their sultan's name. Merrick turned to run down a side-street but had to throw himself to the ground avoid arrows coming from soldiers the emerged from a doorway. He looked around and saw he was surrounded, trapped. Merrick lay on the ground as one warrior approached him, sword drawn and kicked Merrick's sword away, he then raised his sword and was about to strike when a shout stayed his hand. Baybars was on his feet.
“You are the first person to ever defeat me in battle, do you understand me?” The sultan spoke in Arabic and Merrick nodded, he had studied the language before coming to Outremer. “You would have killed me today had fate not intervened as it did, so you shall be left to the hand of fate.” The sultan kicked Merrick's sword towards him and motioned him to stand.
You may leave, if you survive the dessert then you may live on, if not then fate is not as kind to you as it is to me. Go now.”
Merrick, not wanting to try his luck got to his feet and walked away, he could feel the eyes of the soldiers on him, he gave one last look back and saw Baybars bending to pick up his book, his jaw tightened and he left the city of Antioch.
Los Angeles
2006
Merrick's eyes snapped open and he fell off his sofa, hitting his head on the coffee table. He shook his head, got his bearing and stood up. Of all the things in his past to dream about, why that; it was nothing, a blip in his history. Merrick looked at his bedroom door and his brow creased in a frown.
The night before
“THE Tara Maclay?” Morgan's eyes were wide with the realisation of what it meant
“Yes, you know of her?”
“I know of what happened, and believe me Merrick I don't want to be anywhere near when Willow finds out what you've done. And don't think you can handle Willow Rosenberg Merrick, she'll be beyond even you if she loses it again.”
“Perhaps.”
“Your arrogance will be your undoing Merrick.” She stuffed her favourite guitar in it's case and picked up her suitcase of clothes and essentials. “I'd rather not be around to see it.”
“Where will you go?”
“I have a house in Wales, I'll go and stay there for a while, probably visit my parents.” She stopped at her bedroom door and turned back to him “I may not approve but you're in this now, take care of her.”
She opened her bedroom door and walked over to Tara who was sitting on the sofa, she but down her guitar and suitcase and embraced the girl.
“His methods may seem odd at times Tara, but you can trust Merrick.”
Tara looked up and sighed.
“You're leaving?”
“Yes, I have to go see my parents.”
“But I just met you.” The sadness in Tara's eyes was apparent. The girl obviously never had many friends. Morgan took out a piece of paper and wrote down several phone numbers and an e-mail address.
“Keep in touch OK?”
Tara nodded and Morgan headed for the door. She tossed her key to Merrick.
“Look after the place for me will you.”
Merrick nodded and Morgan left. He turned to Tara and held out his hand.
“We should go home,” she nodded and got to her feet.
Merrick went into his kitchen and poured himself a glass of milk, the dream still perplexing him. He had all but forgotten his time as a Templar. Then with the glass halfway to his mouth he had an idea and set the un-drunk milk down on his counter and headed for the door, throwing his coat on.
Tara's eyes blinked open but she couldn't see anything for a full minute while they got used to the light pouring from her window, she was so exhausted last night she forgot to close the curtains. She pulled herself into a sitting position on the bed and leaned back against the wall, trying to make sense of last night; it was then that she heard the front door open and close. Her curiosity getting the better of her she dropped her feet out of the bed and into her slippers and made her way to her bedroom door. She opened it slightly and peered into the living room, empty.
Tara pushed her door open and let it bang against the wall, she walked into the living room and, realising Merrick had left her alone folded her arms.
“Thanks Merrick. See, now you've got me talking to my-” She dropped her head to her hands and sighed “shut up Tara.”
She sat heavily on the couch and leaned back, her thoughts drifting inevitably to Morgan.
The Day Before
After Morgan had forced Tara to drink the medicine, she said she had to go to the shop and left, leaving Tara alone in this incredible apartment. Needless to say she wasted no time in beginning her exploration and finally found herself in the kitchen. It was a modern, brightly lit kitchen with very little in it, the microwave oddly being the focal point. Tara backed out of the kitchen and must have been too absorbed in her thoughts to hear the door because when she turned around she found herself face to face with Morgan and a bag of groceries. The two girls stood there for a very long moment looking at each other before leaning in slightly as though to kiss but stopping and Tara stepped aside to let the girl into her own kitchen, blushing madly.
Later the two sat on the sofa and Morgan played Tara some of her songs, the two stealing glances at each other when the other wasn't looking.
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You were worth all of my blood shed,
as guilty as you were, you struggled for the best
But I never understood, I couldn't work you out
you did everything you could and I know that now.[/center] (vi)
Tara looked up as the song finished and noticed a solitary tear in Morgan's eye.
“That was amazing, who's it about?”
Morgan smiled at Tara.
“A girl, a fiasco, yet oddly one of my less costly mistakes.”
Tara smiled at this and turned away from Morgan, not wanting to spoil the moment, she looked around the room and after feeling she'd left and adequate length of time for old emotions to settle she turned back.
“Why do you have to many?” Morgan raised her eyebrows and Tara blushed realising the stupidity of what she'd said.
“G-g-guitars I mean.” She mentally kicked herself repeatedly for this, stuttering in front of this girl like that, she was going to think she was some kind of weirdo or something. Although quite the contrary, Morgan thought this was incredibly adorable behaviour from the young witch, she smiled.
“ah, because they're pretty.”
Tara looked at her questioningly.
“Some girls have lots of shoes, some have lots of earrings. I have guitars; lots of them.” Tara chuckled at this and so the morning and early afternoon passed by with snippets of conversation between songs, each gradually getting to know the other a little bit more until Merrick arrived and he and Morgan went to have their 'talk'. The rest, as they say, is history.
Present
Tara snapped back into reality and leaned forward, why did she miss this girl already. She decided it was time for a coffee and headed for the kitchen.
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After Merrick left his apartment he headed down the corridor only to be intercepted by an old man wearing very big sunglasses sitting at the bottom of the stairs.
Merrick looked at the old man and sighed.
“what do you want Methuselah?”
“Do you know who's in town?”
“I'm sure you're going to tell me”
Methuselah got up and leaned down to whisper in Merrick's ear.
“Baybars.”
“Didn't he die in like,” Merrick stopped to think “1277?”
“Yes, poisoned. By his own son no less. But it seems he's here now, I'm curious to find out how.”
“I'm not your errand boy Methuselah.” Merrick headed for the door, meaning to end the conversation there, but Methuselah was having none of it and put his hand on Merrick's shoulder.
“We'd also like our book back.”
“Ah I was wondering when that would come up.”
“You lost it, all you had to do was bring it from one place to another and you couldn't manage that. Now you could have an opportunity to get it back we would very much like you to take it.”
“You honestly think he has it after all this time?”
“Well it's worth asking Merrick.”
Merrick turned around and started walking up the stairs, Methuselah pulled of his sunglasses and called after him.
“Where are you going?”
“I'll have a better chance of finding him at night, I'm going to prepare.”
Merrick continued up the stairs and let himself into his apartment, Tara was sitting on the sofa with a steaming mug of coffee and looked up at him when he walked in, he smiled at her in passing and she returned it.
“How do you know Morgan?” She shot of the question as though she was afraid she wouldn't ask if she waited any longer.
“I hit her with a samurai sword, thought it was funny at the time I guess. She helped me with some stuff and I helped her with some stuff. She's probably the closest thing I have to a friend.” He headed to his cabinet and selected a rather old looking curved katana and headed for his bedroom.
Tara was taken aback by the offhand way in which Merrick said this statement which revealed more about him to her than anything he'd said or done over the past week. It was almost as though he didn't think it was something important, she decided not to pry and watched silently as he went into his room and closed the door. She heard metal scraping metal and knew he was sharpening the sword, she almost felt sorry for whatever was going to meet that blade tonight.
A sunset in Los Angeles would be a beautiful thing if people weren't too wrapped up in their own superiority to take a moment out of their lives to watch it. Tara wasn't such a person and did take those few moments and was standing at Merrick's window watching the sun set over the city of angels when Merrick's door opened and he walked out dressed all in black and wearing a long coat, he was tucking the sword inside the coat. They locked eyes for a moment but neither said anything and Merrick once again left Tara alone.
Searching for a nasty thing that should be dead in LA at night is like looking for a needle in a pile of needles, Merrick walked down a hundred alleys and saved a hundred slutty girls in short dresses from hungry vampires who didn't really care how much leg they could see. But finally he got lucky, he was walking down another alley when he heard footsteps behind him and turned to see the very man he'd been looking for, it seemed Baybars had found him.
“It's been a long time.”
“Yes, black suits you a lot better than red an white Merrick.” Baybars it seemed had lost none of his middle eastern accent over the years.
How do you know my name?” Baybars chuckled and Merrick waved his own question aside “Never mind, I don't really care. I would like to know how you're still alive though?”
Baybars answered this question by turning his face into a ridged, feral fanged mask and Merrick nodded.
“Ah, that explains it. And I don't suppose... the book?”
Baybars grinned, or did the best he could with his face in it's current state.
“I didn't come here to chat with you.” He threw off his coat revealing two sabres strapped in shoulder holsters and he drew them both and threw himself at Merrick.
Merrick drew his own sword and parried Baybars' attacks, again noting how very skilled the man was with a sword. The vampire was with a sword. The fight raged on as both combatants ducked and weaved and parried and attacked, seeming to match each other blow for blow; then Merrick used and old fencing technique designed for use against an opponent with two weapons and created an opening, he kicked Baybars hard in the chest sending him crashing through a rotting wooden fence. But that wasn't it, one of Baybars' sabres came hurtling through the hole in the fence and buried itself in Merrick's chest. Merrick cried out in shock and pain and took hold of the hilt of the sabre and pulled it out as Baybars emerged.
“You shouldn't have done that Baybars, now I have two weapons.”
Merrick launched the offensive this time and began throwing hundreds of different attacks at Baybars from a hundred awkward angles, and it was all Baybars could do to keep up a defence, but it didn't last long. Merrick slipped knocked his defences away with his own sword and brought his Baybars' sabre slicing up across the vampires chest, he then spun around in a move that would have taken Baybars' head off but he moved just in time and the sword only just sliced a thin red cut across his neck; but Merrick wasn't done and once again planted his foot firmly into Baybars' chest sending him this time through a window, screams were the only thing that came out this time.
Merrick jumped through the window and lowered his swords and sighed when he saw what was in front of him.
“Let the boy go Baybars.”
Baybars smiled and tightened his hold on the child drawing his sword closer to his neck.
“Throw down your swords.”
Merrick sighed and threw them on the kitchen table and Baybars threw the boy against the wall and lunged at Merrick, who easily dodged his sword and brought his elbow up to meet Baybars' face, closely followed by a right hook and a devastating uppercut that lifted him off his feet and placed him on the table. Merrick kicked Baybars' sword away and in the same movement spun around catching Baybars in the solarplexis with a devastating roundhouse kick, possibly the most dangerous move in karate, and had Baybars been human it would have most certainly mashed every organ in his body to a pulp and made his eyes pop clear out of his head. But it didn't, it sent him soaring into a wall where he stood stunned and gagging; and Merrick didn't give him time to recover, he grabbed him and threw him back out the window, then followed.
“You know where it all went wrong Baybars?” Merrick looked up at the sky as the first few drops of rain hit his face, then back down and Baybars as the downpour started “It was when you made me put down my swords. I'm stronger than you, and faster than you. The only reason you held against me with a sword was because of your exeptional skill, but hand to hand you didn't have a chance.”
Merrick heard the whistling even over the rain and spun around snatching the arrow out of the air and flung it back in the direction it came and was rewarded with the sound of a vampire bursting into dust.
“Arrows in the back, you didn't actually think that would work did you?”
“No, it was a distraction.”
Merrick turned around and found himself staring down two very big handguns, he only had time for one word.
“Shit.”
Baybars fired, and kept firing, and the bullets slammed into Merrick making him stagger back with the force of them until he found his back against the wall, he drew in a ragged breath and lifted his head just in time to see, as though in slow motion, a bullet coming straight for his head.
Then.
Black.
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i During the time of the crusades (11th century to 13th century) the land of Outremer was divided into 4 states, these were the Kingdom Of Jerusalem, The Principality Of Antioch and the counties of Tripoli and Edessa.
ii Outremer was what the Christians called the holy land, the word means abroad or 'land beyond the sea'.
iii Mamluks (Arabic: مملوك (singular), مماليك (plural), "owned"; also transliterated mameluk, mameluke, or mamluke) was a slave soldier who converted to Islam and served the Muslim caliphs and the Ayyubid sultans during the Middle Ages. Over time, they became a powerful military caste, and on more than one occasion they seized power for themselves, for example ruling Egypt in the Mamluk Sultanate from
iv No horses were harmed in the writing of this chapter.
v Baibars al-Bunduqdari (also spelled Baybars) (Arabic : بيبرس البندقداري) (epithet: al-Malik al-Zahir Rukn al-Din Baibars al-Bunduqdari (Arabic الملك الظاهر ركن الدين بيبرس البندقداري)) (1223 – July 1, 1277) was a Mamluk Sultan of Egypt and Syria. He was a Kipchak Turk[1[2 captured and sold in Kipchak steppe. It was said that he was captured by the Mongols and sold as a slave, ending up in syria.
He was a commander of the Mamluks in around 1250, when he defeated the Seventh Crusade of Louis IX of France. He was still a commander under Sultan Qutuz at the Battle of Ain Jalut in 1260. After the battle he killed Sultan Qutuz on a hunting expedition, because he expected that he would be rewarded with the governorship of Aleppo for his military success; but Qutuz, fearing his ambition, refused to give such a post and disappointed him. Baibars then took power for himself and became Sultan.
vi Song lyrics belong to Kayleigh Morgan (leftindust on this forum, if you want to hear the song go to her myspace music profile: myspace/kayleighemmamorgan full link can be found on her signature)
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There are 2 chapters here and you are now as up-to-date as everywhere else... next chapter is being written now and will hopefully be up before christmas.
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