the-OC-maniac

† - 0 - † Jerusalem; August 7, 1099 A.D. The sun was setting behind the glowing Dome of the Rock, its dusky orange light combined with the intense gleam of the gold tiles suffusing the monument's entranceway. An old, cracked wooden table sat in that light, making it the perfect place for reading maps (such as the currently laid-out one, showing the Near East territories) and letters such as the one resting atop of it. The seal holding the letter shut had already been broken open, which only its intended recipient would dare to do, considering it was the seal of the greatest power on Earth: the Roman Catholic Church. The man to whom it was addressed was still smiling broadly, his breath still caught in restrained glee as he read once again the Decree contained on the parchment; even after a hundred readings, it still made him feel giddy. "By the power vested in us by our Saviour, we give to the Duke Godefroi de Bouillon possession and control over the kingdom of Jerusalem as