Chp 11

Kun Ming from the hillock, while grazing his sheep watched her as she passed by. His young heart swelled as he watched the beautiful and fragile countess on her black mare ride by.

Sitting sideways, to show her beauty and virginity. They were told they had much in common. And it was that his mother suckled her and him equally.

She could be and was. His milk sister, but his cravings told him they had to be something more. But it was impossible. He was a sheep-herding farmer. She was an impossible cloud to reach. Sometimes in the middle of the night he would see her, ethereal, ghostly, standing in the middle of the bridge, looking out into the vastness of the darkness. Illuminated by the full moon, the figure would appear, standing contemplating her from the shadow of the moon, from the immense tree that served as a boundary to a small property.

--It is the ghost of her mother, who gives her the love she denied her,"-- said some voices.

-What could it be? It is the devil. It is the lord of beasts who comes from hell to visit her.

IV

The old slave was flayed in her betrayal, It was what was agreed with her father and master. A smile that no one saw, was what the great warrior showed when he was informed that his daughter had fled. He sent her in search of the desert lands, in the Oasis, in Damascus, in Alexandria, in the Mekong, in the Yellow River and in the Yangsent, in Tibriz and Baghdad.

Nowhere did he appear, for he was resting peacefully in a cabin on a yacht that was being rowed beyond Hainan, in calm seas, enjoying the sea breeze.

sHe would arrive at a village permanently bathed by the sun, fortunately she knew Latin, and would continue to where Latin and spoke, she would not have a better place to spend the night. One afternoon she arrived at a small port,

It was a land where the people of the Most High ruled, but he considered that it would not be his home there. Silent, without servants, she walked along a stony path, careful not to wake up. An incredible event had occurred. She gave coins to hear ....

Chapter III

A minstrel one day an old story for the enjoyment of all a romance sang, in the evenings of the same summer with his bandola to the ears of the beautiful one, who listened attentively...

Some coins changed hands. To the young Countess they told in her ear how many came. With camels, archers, regiments of spearmen, 2 catapults and a tower to storm. Forty-two hundred men. They considered enough for the shire to enslave.

With her king she could not count. Coward and fat, prelude of the future mercenaries, hidden under the bed they would always find him. The nearby Counts, excuses sent excuses to give. Nobody sent her to look for lawsuits against the warriors of the cold desert; much less if her people did not know how to fight. ....

I

The heat wave of the summer was very strong. It dawned with strong sunshine at half past four in the morning. The mirages began to dance among the new vegetable and bean crops. It was the day chosen by the countess.

There was no general. The strategy had been shown by a drawing on the ground, there under a cherry blossom tree, together with her knights and all those who wanted to see and listen.

All were of the idea of defending the Alcazar at all costs. The Countess accepted it only as a complementary part of her plan. There was no more complaint. No one could say that it was not heard and accepted. So they set out to execute.

It was on the bridge where everything was to be executed. Well then. It was now time to perform.

The sons of the desert Had arrived in their lands, With an immense caravan of wagons. Provisions they brought for months, spare horses, abundant camels and it was seen that armament of very good quality. They were definitely the ancestors of the cowardly mercenaries, they showed their little blood, which would always be bad to mix with men and women of courage and willingness to work.

Music of tambourines and flutes in the night breeze let listen. They were to liven up the dances that the generals brought for their pleasures to enjoy.

The sons of the desert for fun made false attacks to frighten the countess, who, undaunted from the walls, contemplated their actions.

She knew that it was necessary one thing for them to start the attack. In the meantime, she collected and made thousands of arrows, dry straw, undoubtedly the most abundant product in her region to trade.

Until he saw what did announce the date of the attack of the warriors of the cold desert, was the assembly of the catapult and the assault tower. SHe saw the specialists with great patience assembling the artifacts. For its large size, both devices after the passage of the bridge began to assemble. That was of great benefit, because he could quietly contemplate all the action.

Placing the last screw of the catapult, that same night, the unbelievable was happening.

The Countess did not defend herself. The terrified people prayed and distrusted.

Countess Baimei prepared to attack. She played her cards. !Ingenious was the girl!.