After a tragic accident that sent her back 843 years in time to the year 1179, in the Middle Ages, during the reign of Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, Kate Mitchell, a wealthy business tycoon in the pharmaceutical industry, a gifted ex-military, a pharmaco...
At the royal court, my stepfather met with the king, his majesty, to plan the next attack on Saladin's army.
"The Byzantine Empire, my king, will assist us in defeating Saladin's armies."
"Yes, your cousin Count Philip, my king, will arrive in the east in September, and he has promised financial assistance in our campaign."
A tall, well-built man dressed in a white robe with gold embroidery and gloves, with a silver mask covering half of his face over the white linen.
"I hope everything goes as planned," said King Baldwin IV during his rounds of general council.
"This is a perfect time to invade Saladin's armies and conquer Egypt."
After the meeting ended, Raynald of Chatillon spoke to the king in private.
"My king, your loyal knight, wishes an audience," He bowed down to the king.
"Please speak," King Baldwin IV said calmly.
"It is regarding the marriage candidate of my stepdaughter, Lady Philippa."
"Did she fully recover? I heard she had dysentery after returning from the convent."
"Yes, your grace, she has recovered from her illness, and it was a miracle."
"So, how can I assist Raynald?"
"We received 15 contenders for her hand in marriage, and Stephanie, my wife, is unable to select between them; Andronikos, the young Byzantine General, is one of the better candidates."
"I see, I don't see a bad match from the Byzantine General," noted the wise king. If we marry her to Andronikos, the Byzantine Empire will bolster our allies."
"Your grace, I also thought to myself. "Well, she has already achieved her age of maturity and even obtained the authorization of her marriage prospect to choose her suitable husband in an archery tournament at the Knighthood Banquet, your grace," Raynald replied anxiously.
"Did she? " chuckled King Baldwin IV.
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"Yes, Your Grace, she desired it, but you can forget about it because she is just a lass who is still deluded, as you know that dysentery affects her thinking, and I want her already married to the Byzantine empire to reinforce our allies against the Muslims."
During the conversation with Raynald, William of Tyre, one of the king's closest counsellors, stood entirely beside the monarch because he couldn't stomach the notion of his departed friend's younger daughter being sold off to another empire to feed his avarice.
"May I intervene? "Your grace," he said.
"Proceed," said King Baldwin.
"The match between Lady Philippa and the Byzantine commander is wonderful, but your majesty, I've heard rumours that the general is licentious."
