Other knights began to arrive in Amiens. By the end of the second week of waiting, several hundred knights had gathered, including their leader, Robert Kurthose, the Duke of Normandy.

“My brothers,” Robert gritted through clenched teeth as he addressed the gathered knights, lords, counts, dukes, and princes. “All they do is humiliate me. The English throne belongs to me as his eldest son, not to my younger brother, William, and certainly not to Henry.”

Guillaume listened as usual, without commentary. He had learned early in their strange friendship that Robert didn’t want an opinion, or even solutions. He just needed to vent. When enough ranting had appeared to wear out Robert’s rage, Guillaume remarked, “The Abbot wishes to dine with us tonight. Believe me, Sire, it is rare that this greedy man spends any coin to feed others, let alone nobility.”

Though Robert was a truly pious man, he detested the avarice he saw in too many of the Church leaders. “Damned priests,” Robert cursed beneath his breath. “A pox on all the greedy bastards.”

“Careful,” cautioned Guillaume. “You do realise that we are heading out on a Crusade for the Holy Father to win back Jerusalem and the Holy Land.”

“Of course, I know that,” Robert spat in frustration. “It is truly a holy task. How many of these Church prelates, who only seek to fill their coffers and build cathedrals, will be joining us in this Holy Crusade? The answer is none.”

These conversations with the Prince always found a way to turn to the issue of finances. Money was needed to mount a crusade, and money was in very short supply for the Duke of Normandy.

“But there will also be treasure to be won as well,” noted Georges de Reims. “Perhaps we’ll win enough treasure to finance your quest to win back your father’s esteem, and the right to the English throne.”

~

The next morning turned out to be a beautiful, sunny day. The Bishop of Amiens blessed the Crusaders before they began the long ride to Jerusalem. Robert was a leader who believed in the cause of Pope Urban II as he knelt before the Bishop and received the host representing the Holy Body of Christ. Despite his constant complaints that often gave a contrary impression, Robert was truly a pious Christian. The number of clerics who had joined his army, inspired by his authentic piety, was substantial.

Guillaume found the ritual of Mass easy to bear, as he had lived most of his life as a nominal Christian. He wasn’t willing to forgo the old gods and goddesses as they had given him a son. With the mass behind them, Robert now rode at the head of his army with his closest, powerful allies forming the front rank.

Now that the army was in motion, en route to Paris, Guillaume rode further behind, this front rank of nobles and clergy. Guillaume was satisfied with a secondary if not tertiary role, a role he shared with his three comrades, Geoffroi d’Abbéville, Hugues de Bailleul, and Roland de Fontaines. Hugues de Bailleul had joined Geoffroi, Roland, and Guillaume in Amiens a few days before the group left Amiens.

They headed south towards Clermont. The stops were frequent as the large number of men, mounted and on foot, along with an equally large body of non-combatants who were necessary for the provisioning of the army, could only cover so much distance on any given day.

On the ninth day, the army reached Paris, which necessitated a full two days of councils with Church officials. The bulk of Robert’s army continued marching while the meetings were held. Guillaume was assigned to lead the army with a few other minor nobles. Robert had planned on rejoining the army in three days time.

It took another week, once the Prince had rejoined his army for them to make it to Vézelay. Robert decided to make a one-day stop in Vézelay as it was a Sunday and the foot soldiers needed a day of rest. And, as usual, Guillaume was left with the resting army while Robert and higher nobles spent the day with the clergy and Vézelay nobles.

Once they broke camp, it took another week of hard marching for the foot-soldiers for the army to reach Clermont, which was to be the official starting point of the Crusade.

~

Guillaume had found two new friends to swell his small circle to five. Anselème de Bazoches, and Raymond de Clamecy were a natural fit as they were similar in age to Geoffroi, Roland, and Guillaume. Most of the knights joining into the Crusade were younger, those out to prove themselves as warriors and to make a name for themselves. The five older nobles often rode together.

Once on the road again, it wasn’t long before they reached a new church at Villenave-d’Ornon where they stopped for breakfast and a few prayers to ensure a safe journey.

“Listen up, my friends,” Guillaume spoke as they sat in the shade. “Before going to Rome, I intend on making the pilgrimage to Santiago to seek the Lord’s guidance and protection. I invite you to join me in this holy pilgrimage. Then, I propose riding to Barcelona where we would then board a ship to take us to Rome.”

“I have been led to understand that a group of knights could possibly be joining us in Santiago before we head to Barcelona.” Guillaume did not offer more information to his companions who readily agreed to Guillaume’s plans.

Five easy days of riding took them to the village of Saint Jean Pied-de-Port where they stopped for a day’s rest before riding on to Pamplona. Once in Pamplona, a knight approached Guillaume.

“Sir Guillaume de Longpré?” asked the young knight who wore the crusader’s cross.

“Yes,” replied Guillaume curious as to how the young knight who could not have been older than twenty-five, had any idea of who he was. “How can I help you?”

“My father has told me stories about you. He fought with you at Hastings thirty years ago. Let me introduce myself. I am Godefroi de Saint-Omer, the same name as my father.”

“Of course, I remember your father, Sir Godefroi. His home estate is in Flanders if I remember rightly,” Guillaume added with a smile. “How is your father?”

“He is well but sad that he is unable to become part of this Holy Crusade. He cannot ride any longer due to an injury. So, I stand here in his place. He told me that you would be passing through Pamplona and he wanted me to speak with you, in private as it is a personal message.”

“But of course. Geoffroi, Roland, Denis, and Jean-Guy, please excuse me while I talk with my old friend’s son. I will meet you here in an hour.” Guillaume knew that Godefroi had come to meet him here in Pamplona. It was one of the things that Lugh had explained.

Godefroi spoke to Guillaume, explaining a plan that had been set in place by a secret council of French lords who had Celtic roots. Guillaume could hardly credit the breadth and depth of the plan to create a powerful brotherhood that would come to dominate not only France, but almost the whole of the Holy Roman Empire.

Guillaume’s role was to return to Pamplona at the end of the crusade and buy a few strategic sites which would become essential to the brotherhood in the years to come. His role would be masked, as Guillaume and a small company of the brotherhood would serve as protectors of pilgrims between Pamplona and Logroño. The costs for this would be borne by the brotherhood.

Godefroi also let Guillaume know that the men who would do this with him, would meet him in both Ponferrada and Santiago. Guillaume was to be the respected senior knight for the venture. The Longpré family was to be instrumental in safeguarding the brotherhood for as long as the brotherhood existed. He was not to be included in the lists of the brotherhood. He was to remain in the shadows, in the background, away from public scrutiny.

~

It came to pass as Godefroi had told him. The men who had been gathered in Ponferrada and Santiago journeyed with Guillaume and his small company to Rome and then on to win Antioch in 1098 with a final victory on July 15, 1099, liberating Jerusalem from the Muslims.

Geoffroi and Roland did not survive to reach Jerusalem. Roland died on board the ship that was taking them to Asia Minor. Geoffroi died at Antioch in the fighting. Guillaume had survived, not because of his warrior skills, but mainly because of the young Spanish knights who had been charged to ensure that he was able to return to Spain to prepare the ground for the unnamed brotherhood.

In the late autumn of 1099, Guillaume found himself back in Pamplona with ten young knights. The work of protecting pilgrims began within days of their arrival. The escorting of pilgrims was a Christian duty. Under the cover of that duty, Guillaume searched for two sites that would become their bases of operations. Only a half-day’s ride from Pamplona, near the village of Puente la Reina, Guillaume found a spot just a few kilometres from the pilgrim path that would serve as a discrete setting. He had found the site which would serve as his home base for the years that remained. Then Guillaume sent a letter to his wife and son, letting them know of his final task, the protector of pilgrims.