By Rose de Sharon

Disclaimer: My name isn't Sir Ridley Scott and I own nothing except a '98 computer, so it'd be a waste of time to sue me.

AU. : What if Balian has been able to rescue Saladin's sister from Renaud de Châtillon?

Author's notes:

- I have absolutely no idea what was the name of Saladin's sister, so I called her Yasmina. It may not be historically correct, but it's a beautiful flower!

- "Mika'il" is the Arabic pronunciation of the name of the archangel Michael.

- English isn't my native language and I don't have a beta-reader, all mistakes are mine.

- Some details come from the "Kingdom of heaven" movie book, edited by Newmarket Press.

Chapter 1 : The attack

(Princess Yasmina's POW)

My camp is under attack by Christian knights and right behind me I can hear the cries of my servants and slaves as the Templars kill them one after another. The pleas for help or mercy all fell on deaf ears: I recognized De Châtillon, or Prince Arnat al-Kerak as we Muslims call him, by his red mane of hair and beard, and his reputation of ruthlessness has spread terror across Syria. Salah al-Din, my brother, has sworn to behead De Châtillon after our caravans has been attacked by his men; but how could he have imagined Châtillon would dare attacking the oasis I've chosen to rest after a long travel?

I sit alone in a barley field, praying Allah to welcome all the victims in his Heaven. It is heartbreaking to hear the death cries of people I have known all my life. Châtillon's men don't even grant them a quick death: they rape the women before cutting their throats, behead the servants, slaughter the children regardless of their innocence, while all this time enjoying the horror they have created. I can smell smoke so I know our attackers are also burning the tents and the crops. The animals have fled in terror from the massacre, but a slow death awaits them in the desert. My heart is twisting in my chest as I hear a man pleading for mercy. A swishing sound from a sword and the pleas suddenly stop: a man has just been beheaded and I feel tears of rage and sorrow escaping from my eyes. Allah, deliver us from those demons!

How could this happen? How could men do such atrocities? Are there no good left in men's heart? Are we sentenced to destroy each other until not a human being remains in this world?

One after another, the voices of my people had quieted down forever. There is now just the sound of the tents burning and the yelps of camels fleeing. I sense the presence of someone approaching behind me. I gather some barley in my hands as a reminder of this world's beauty just before I rise on my feet, ready to face death with all my dignity. I give thanks to Allah to have allowed me finish my prayers before meeting my doom. My name is Princess Yasmina, sister of Salah al-Din Yusuf Ibn Ayyub and I will enter the gates of Heaven with my head held up high!

I turn over and, sure enough, it is De Châtillon who stands behind me. His red beard and hair are splattered with my people's blood. He looks just like a demon from Hell, yet I am not afraid of him. He's nothing but a handful of dust compared to Allah.

"I am Saladin's sister" I tell him.

He answers with a short, non-understandable guttural word and then rips the veil off my face. For some absurd reason I remember my brother joking, calling me a Queen Cleopatra look-alike during one of our family's dinners. I look at my enemy straight in the eyes as he raises his hand…