May 1219 A.D. – Mosul – Back Home

Yenovk wondered to himself if he was getting too old for the fight. The sight of his home had never seemed so comforting and welcome. Still, warfare did at least have some rewards. His servants had brought in the pile of goods he’d brought back with him from Egypt.

Meticulously, Yenovk began to sort through the various items. He put aside several pieces of armour, and three swords that he would sell locally. Then he spotted the leather pouch he’d taken off the dying Templar at Damietta. Whatever it contained was clearly important to the man. It was well made and Yenovk was hoping for some valuable contents. So he was disappointed when it revealed nothing more than some parchments.

The script on the document was in a language with which Yenovk was unfamiliar. But the letters at the start of each section were beautifully illustrated. Even though he could not understand the contents, Yenovk could see that considerable time and effort had gone into its manufacture. So hoping that some value could be obtained from the pouch’s contents after all, he put it to one side and continued to sort through the pile.

By the time he had finished he had divided the spoils into two heaps. The first he would keep. It was mainly practical items, such as the swords and items of military clothing. He would have no problem selling these at the local bazaar, where there was always a ready market for equipment of war. The second, mainly pots, vases and trinkets of jewellery, he would give to his friend Badr al-Din Lu’lu’, to be presented as a tribute to the new young Atabeg. The Templar’s pouch was in the second pile.

Badr was a great patron of the arts. The Atabeg’s court had many well-trained scholars who were capable of reading Latin. They received the pouch and the papers from Damietta with great interest. It was rare that the troops from the ranks of the Believers took documents from the enemy, rather than military equipment, or other valuables. The clerics of the court quickly ascertained that the documents described a hoard of treasure, which the accursed Templars had secured and safely stored. But the riches were being kept at the far ends of the Frankish lands, well beyond the reach of any of the Believers.

The head scribe determined that the documents should be kept within their original pouch and stored within the library at Mosul. He added a covering note in Arabic. It described the contents and a suggestion. That anyone amongst the Faithful, who was to head a mission against the Franks from England, should consider taking the pouch with them. Perhaps it could be used to their advantage.