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."Is she? That is what they all claim."Elisabeth moved close to the man to use her superior height to intimidate him."Has it ever occurred to you that there are lots of children in this city who are the product of Greek cocks not caring where they leave their seed?" She stood glaring and breathing hard on the man whose face was still pale and averted."Where do I find the Turkish sector?"The man tried to ease away.She stepped forward to keep her face above his."Your Excellency, you should go to the Gate of St.Romanus and ask there.It is just outside.Ask for the street of the laundresses.""And where might that gate be?" she demanded."North and west.On the other side of the city.Ask anyone on the street.But, my lord, you will have to go through some rough sectors.Stay on the main avenue."Her lower lip thrust out menacingly, Elisabeth stared into his face a few moments, then stepped back.Without another glance or sound, she spun on her heel and dashed to her own chamber.When she arrived she remembered that Albrecht was out arranging for provisions.She would have to go alone.She found her coat of chain mail and her belt, sheath and sword.She struggled into the coat and belted her sword atop her crusader's tabard.Without a word to anyone, she hurried out of the house, stood looking up and down the wide street with its rows of villas, and turned to the west.Elisabeth's long strides helped to make up for the fact that she was unsure how to get to the gate.That and the fact that at the sight of chain mail and a sword on a knight who looked fit to kill opened a path before her as she went.She did not look at the buildings as she threaded her way, so she did not notice the change from marble halls to rickety wooden tenements.Instead of more or less clean cobbled-streets the way was muddy.During the first part of her journey, people she passed were in various dress, from elegant to modest but neat.Here the people she passed became ragged and dirty and their demeanor hostile.She did not know how close she came to being pounced upon by a gang of youths.It was only her determination that made them fall back, that and the guards at the gate.One of those let his spear slant away from his armored body to block her way."Stand aside.I have business without," Elisabeth demanded, her hand now on the hilt of her sword."Not so fast, my lord.You must state your business," the man demanded as firmly.He spoke in Frankish, just understandable to Elisabeth.She pulled her sword out of its sheath an inch but thought better of it.Letting it slide back home, she relaxed."I seek a woman in the Turkish sector."The guard's eyebrow shot up."If you desire a woman, there are cleaner women in the city.""I don't desire a woman.I seek one woman in particular.Her name is Maliha."Grinning, the man scoffed, "I don't know their names!"Elisabeth remembered what the manservant said."Show me to the street of the laundresses." She felt in her pouch for a coin.Of the three she found, she proffered the silver one.The guard stared at her for a few moments.He nodded slowly, took the coin, and walked her to the wicket in the gate."I will need your name, my lord.""The Ritter Elias von Winterkirche," she stated haughtily.The guard made her repeat it twice, then as she went through the open gate called after her, "Be careful.These hell-spawn would just as soon slit your gullet as look at you."Elisabeth did not look back but headed in the direction the man had pointed.If the slum in the city was bad, the makeshift shanties were foul.There was barely room for one person to pass down the streets.Naked children, many with sores, stood with huge bellies staring empty-eyed at her as she went by.Their lassitude was such that they did not even stretch out their arms to beg.She strode down the passageways, keeping her eyes moving from straight ahead to dart up and over to guard against ambush.She heard women's voices up ahead and the splashing of water and slap of wet cloth.She all but ran the rest of the way.When she emerged into a small wide area with a circular well surrounded by women who were soaked themselves with dirty water, she stopped and looked around.One woman dropped a heavy pile of wet clothing in the mud and screamed.The others whirled and seeing a Frankish knight in their midst they too began to scream, to snatch up children, and to back away."Where can I find Maliha?" Elisabeth shouted.The women stood clumped together staring, some weeping.Elisabeth frantically surveyed them."Maliha? Where can I find Maliha?""I am here," came a familiar voice from the door to a slanting shack."What the hell do you think coming here?"Elisabeth shot her eyes toward the sound."Maliha! There you are! I came to find you!""Why? What would you want with me?"The honey-colored eyes glared at her, full of affronted pride.If Elisabeth had despised the meekness and subservience, her heart pounded at the defiance and fire in those eyes.Her jaw dropped, she felt heat rise in her body, starting in her belly and creeping up.She strode to the woman."Where can we be alone?" she spat through her teeth.The honey eyes burned into her dark angry ones.They darted to the other women who were now chattering among themselves."Come in here, away from those hens." Maliha led her through the flap over the entry and into darkness.As she turned to face Elisabeth, she found herself clasped hard, strong hands biting into her upper arms.Her cry of protest was cut off as the knight's lips found hers in the darkness and pressed hard.Elisabeth's tongue forced its way into her mouth.She bit it.Elisabeth jumped back, putting her hand to her mouth and tasting blood."Why did you do that?""Why do you think? Do you think I should want you to force your way into my home and rape me?" Maliha punched her square in the chest."You wanted me to stop being meek.Well, doesn't this please you, Excellency," she shot, with a sneer in her voice.She hauled off and slugged Elisabeth in the chest with both fists."Ow, that hurt!" Elisabeth exclaimed.Then she felt silly [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]