Golden Face

Chapter 11

His body was taken in a procession to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where his father was also buried. William took the torch and approached the wooden plane on which lay his young lord, only twenty-four years of age. It was the custom for the kings of Jerusalem to burn their bodies. He prayed for his king and touched the flame to the wood, burning it. All the knights drew their swords and the most important people in his life bowed, watching his body being cremated.

News of King Baldwin IV's death traveled quickly, reaching the Sultan of Egypt "Ready the army. Jerusalem will be ours"

"Jerusalem will fall. They will come to take it," said the Sibyl, sitting in the church with Rebecca, where they prayed for her brother's soul "It is like chess. The king has fallen."

Indeed, without Baldwin at their side, Jerusalem did not have such strong leaders. Raymond was unable to stop the civil war and division, as more and more disputes arose over the throne and property.

Agnes returned to Jerusalem, doing what she always knew how to do best: Pretend how much she cares and loves Baldwin, when in reality she never wanted this sick child.

Rebecca could hear her talking about the fall of the city, but her attention turned to her own left hand, pulling up the black sleeve of her mourning dress. He noticed the first signs of leprosy on her skin.

She pulled down her sleeve when she saw Agni approaching her inside the temple. She stood up and lowered her head.

"You must be my son's mistress"

"With all due respect, my lady, I preferred the word maid, no mistress."

"Anyway, now that Baldwin is dead we don't need your services. You can stay to serve the Sibyl, but you can also go back home. You're not a slave, you didn't come from the slave markets like the rest. You aren't a child of a lesser god, like the Muslims. You can pack up and leave"

"Thank you very much, Your Highness," he bowed again

"I'm sure my son would do the same" she looked at Sibyl and took her hand "My daughter, I will not leave your side until you are vindicated for your throne"

"To be vindicated? My throne?" said the Sibyl and drew her hand "Baldwin has been on the throne so long because he deserved it. This is not France or Greece, mother. I cannot sit on the throne because I was his sister. The people of Jerusalem will never accept the term queen, but wife of the king"

"That's why Guy seeks to take back his rights to the throne"

"The fact that you're supporting your son-in-law and not your son" Rebecca whispered and luckily Agni didn't hear her

"Everything I do, I do for you, my dear Sibyl" he caressed her cheek

"Pardon me" Rebecca said and bowed before leaving. He didn't want to be there. She didn't want to see and hear what they were going to do, looting her king's property.

She entered his room. She felt an obligation to look at it and tidy it up one last time. She didn't want to leave like that, like a hunted person. As she arranged his books, a folded paper fell to the floor. What impressed her more was that her name was written in calligraphic letters. She took it in her hands and opened it. The letters showed that the hand that wrote them trembled, creating in some places words that were more like smudges. Words from the hands of Baldwin.

"If you found this letter, it means that I am no longer among the living. I wanted to write it before my hands started not writing what is in my mind. I did not want to pass away leaving you in a hostile environment.

You are not a slave, Rebecca. You have served me for the last eight years of your life of your own free will. You may leave the palace, I have already asked William to allow you to return to Bethlehem. You are free.

Your faith in me was something I didn't deserve. My golden mask had become my face and leprosy my skin. If there were none of that, I wouldn't care about social classes. I would have made you queen of Jerusalem.

When I die, don't cry for me. All I ask is that you don't forget me"

Drops began to fall on the letter. Rebecca rubbed her eyes, clearing them of her tears. She clutched the paper in her hands and rested her forehead on it, crying.

She was loyal to him. She loved him as her king, as a monarch who would serve him alone, even after his death. He moved the letter closer to the lit candle on his table, letting the top burn until all the paper was burned.

After gathering her things, she left the palace. She covered her eyes because of the sun, looking at the blue sky. William was waiting for her and smiled at her.

"Did you finally make up your mind?" He asked her and she nodded and lowered it "He was right about you. It wasn't a coincidence that he went out of his way to make sure you were safe after he died. It shows the love in your eyes" he put his hand to his jaw her and lifted her head "Your eyes are red. There weren't many who truly mourned for him. Even they, when they learned the truth about his illness, changed the way they treated him" he removed his hand and placed it on middle of "You know, he once said that no one will love a living corpse like he does. You showed him your love. Love isn't always carnal. Your devotion was a kind of love too" he reached his hand towards her part. Let's go. We don't have all day and the sun will soon set."

Just before they left, Rebecca looked around the palace once more.

Baldwin IV, also known as the leper king, was the best monarch of Jerusalem. The king who always fought on the front line, undefeated on the battlefield but lost the battle against his disease. He did not fear death, not when the enemy was outnumbered, not when he knew it was near, on his deathbed. Diplomat, general, leader and monarch, who, due to the disease of leprosy, could never be recognized and included among the best leaders, such as Alexander the Great and King Richard.

THE END