The Tardis has landed at the Holy Lands
during the crusade of the late 12th century. Almost immediately Barbara is
captured by Saracen soldiers
and their commander the ruthless warlord El Aqir.
The travelers do not have time to look for Barbara as the sounds of battle
begin to approach them.
King Richard and his knights are under attack. The king is wounded.
To create a diversion one of the king's loyal knights
William de Preux proclaims that he is King Richard.
The bluff works and he is captured allowing the real King Richard to escape.
De Preux is locked up with Barbara
and to support his deception he creates an alias for Barbara.
She is to pose as Joanna, King Richard's sister
and together they will try to deceive the Saracens. They are taken to the palace of
the Saracen leader Saladin
where El Aqir proudly presents his prisoners to Saladin's brother
Safadin. The deception is short-lived
as Safadin soon realizes that the prisoners are not who they claim to be.
This humiliates and infuriates El Aqir.
In the king's palace at Jaffa the doctor
Ian and Vicky are presented to the king by the knight William de Tornebu.
The king is being treated for his injuries
having just returned to the palace himself. De Tornebu finishes with the story of his
rescue
and Richard thanks them for their assistance. Even the return of the jeweled
belt
does nothing to improve the king's mood. Ian decides to risk the king's bad mood
to ask for his help in recovering Barbara. He explains what happened
and asks to be sent as the king's emissary to Saladin's headquarters
to bargain for the return of Barbara and William de Tornebu. But the king is ill
disposed to trading with Saladin
and nothing they say can change his mind. As far as he's concerned
Barbara can stay in his clutches until she dies. We join the story
for the reconstruction of part two, the night of Jaffa.