Balian of Ibelin
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4IyfB64f8
I arrived back in Jerusalem after the events at Kerak. The King was dying after the trip to Kerak and punishing Reynald de Chatillion. The Hospitaller told me that the King wished to see me. I went to the King's quarters. The King and Tiberias were both in the room. "So, my friend, the time has come to conclude my affairs. If I leave the army with Guy, he will take power through my sister and make war on the Muslims. We have decided that you shall take command of the army of Jerusalem."
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEdTcnstJr
"Whatever you ask. I shall serve." I told him.
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBg564mnAd
"No, hear it all before you answer." The King advised me.
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbc33sF2H7e
"Would you marry my sister Sibylla were she free of Guy de Lusignan?"
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZNUcZ1AiQ
"And Guy?" I asked.
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mNUEFxPXU
"Their marriage would be annulled on the grounds that he was not open to children at the time of the wedding. He would be banished, along with Reynald and any Templars who would not swear allegiance to you." Tiberias answered.
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24sjj24KUK
I was surprised. I was so new to all of this. Only a month ago, I had been a peasant, a blacksmith, and a son conceived outside of wedlock. A nobody. Then, my father knighted me and made me Baron of Ibelin. Now, the King was offering me the hand of the woman I had come to love and with it, the throne of Jerusalem. I didn't have a single drop of royal blood flowing through my veins. Through my father, I had noble blood in my veins. I had no right, no claim to the throne, but here was the King, laying the crown at my feet. He was naming me as his heir, even though I didn't have the tiniest bit of royal blood in my veins and didn't know the first thing about ruling a kingdom. I loved Sibylla and the fact that I would spend my life with her meant more to me than being heir to the throne and even King. But we would also save the people from a fanatical man who wanted nothing more than to use the power he would inherit for his glory and wage war on the Saracens.
"That could work! My answer is yes." I told them.
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgT1YfoOnKS
The King addressed the Knight Hospitaller at the door. "Hospitaller, bring my sister here at once."
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbU5x4785Is
The knight bowed and left the room to go find my love. A couple minutes later, she entered the room with the Hospitaller behind her.
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbJsGsm6Hj
"You wished to see me, brother?" She asked.
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwfLxOyiQN
"Yes," The King answered. "We all know about what your husband would do once he inherits the throne after I am gone, which is not long now. We are all afraid of what he would do. So we are going to banish him, Reynald, and their Templar knights."
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8H4H7bDRD6
Sibylla brightened at this. I knew how much she hated Guy and that he mistreated her. I knew, like everyone else in the room did, that he was only interested in the political power he got from being married to her. That he would have gotten upon the King's death and if I had refused the King's offer.
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhcIy5ZSnx
The King continued. "And your marriage to Guy will be annulled."
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtsgMLygP6
"Well, he did tell me just before we got married that he wasn't open to having children." Sibylla revealed.
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWMo1sUQCZ
"I know," The King replied. "He told me that, too. And I just told Tiberias about that before either of you came into the room. But with Guy gone, that leaves no one to rule when I'm gone. Fortunately, someone has agreed to rule, if you will have him."
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3Gu1zM1ry
"Balian?" She asked.
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkTf8boaug
I nodded. "Yes, but I'll ask for your hand after we get your marriage to Guy annulled and he has been banished from this kingdom."
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyxkUwWGa3
"It's settled, then." Tiberias concluded. "I'll go and get the Patriarch. Sibylla, you bring Guy."
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCsL87k5bc
"No, I don't like that." I protested.
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0LzBA9ZAN
"Balian, I can stand being with him one last time. Then, I will be yours forever."
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0N4VYGpbE5
"Maybe you don't need to ask for her hand anymore, Balian." The King said with a chuckle. "I heard her with my own ears."
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSB3rIvVE8
"As did I," Tiberias added with a small smile. "Congratulations."
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4jzFsigtd
"Thank you."
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTQYg1mIrL
With that, the Princess of Jerusalem went to fetch her power-hungry and bloodthirsty husband while Tiberias went to get the Patriarch.
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvEC2TLXQyE
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS40CmOnREJ
and then Add to home screen.