THE FOLLOWING MORNING, we pushed our siege engines forward under the watchful eyes of Stephen's men. Mangonels, their baskets stretched, followed by wheeled carts filled with giant stones, massive rams hewn from tree trunks and ladders stacked in piles.

We began the construction of wooden towers as tall as the outer walls, as well as smaller platforms called cats covered in moist, bloody hides to protect our charging ranks from the rain of burning pitch.

I was in Daniel's tent, running through the siege plans, when a shouting was heard outside. I rushed out and............