by Fiona Tarr
A roar came up from the Philistine forces. The giant was once again on the field taunting the Israeli army, offering his regular challenge, for the war to be settled on one battle between the Philistine King’s champion and a choice of the Israeli Kings.
'If only we had such a warrior, we could end all this in a matter of moments,' mumbled the King.
Martinez felt the weight of the situation. He could fight the giant, yet he did not believe it was his battle.
'Fetch yourself something to eat and drink Martinez. We will await the arrival of Jonathan. Call a meeting of my officers as soon as he arrives. We can then discuss a plan of attack against the Philistines before their reinforcements arrive. We will need to act hard and fast if we wish to overcome them before the mercenaries arrive. Martinez nodded his agreement, bowed and left to seek out some food. He did not realise it until Saul mentioned it. He was quite hungry and extremely thirsty from the long hard ride. Jezebel came out from behind the cushioned dais as Martinez left the tent. At her sight, Saul immediately felt the tension ease from his mind and body. She gently stroked the back of his neck and rubbed her hand up his inner thigh.
'You are so tense, let me help ease your tension,' she suggested in her usual provocative manner.
****
Dusk was approaching as Jonathan, David and Bartholomew trotted their horses into the camp. David had finally mastered the art of trotting over the past weeks. It had its uses, yet was still the least comfortable way to ride a horse. They were met with expectant looks from the soldiers loosely gathered around the area. They had no doubt seen Martinez’s hasty entry earlier in the afternoon. Cook fires had been lit and David longed after the smell of stew boiling slowly over the coals. His mouth was watering and his stomach was groaning at the aromas. Jonathan smiled at him, obviously having the same thoughts. Martinez waited for them outside the King’s meeting tent. As they dismounted, soldiers took their horses. Martinez opened the tent for them to enter.
'I am starving, can we eat something first,' begged David.
Martinez indicated the entrance to the tent, seeming to ignore David’s request. As they entered a table was set out with food. Fruit, nuts, bread and steaming bowls of stew awaited their arrival. David’s first thought was he could get used to this type of treatment, quickly followed by the total absence of thought altogether as he began to unceremoniously devour the welcoming banquet. Jonathan was not far behind him, loading a plate with fruit, bread and the largest bowl of stew he could find. Martinez sat in silence as the men ate. Neither had noticed the King sitting on his dais of cushions. Saul smiled to himself, he thought how interesting it was that men were so driven by the need for sustenance that they would totally forget all sense of order and propriety. In some cultures such behaviour would almost certainly mean a flogging at the very least, possibly death. In different circumstance, he might have ordered exactly that, however these men had travelled hard to bring him what he needed. Besides, he liked David immensely and loved Jonathan unconditionally. The young man was strong-willed and intelligent like his mother, but had the good sense to hold his tongue. His loyalty was unquestionable and Saul trusted him and his judgement.
Saul cleared his throat to the amazed looks from both men. Martinez only smiled to himself.
Jonathan wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smiled and said 'forgive us sir, we have not eaten properly for days and our minds were dazed to the point of forgetting our manners. Thank you for such generous provisions.'
David merely kicked himself for being so stupid and dropped to his knees in obvious submission to his King. Both were met with a mildly amused stare from Saul who indicated with his hand for them to rise.
'Join me and let us call on my generals for some consideration of what we might do to head off this war before the mercenaries arrive.
The generals, Martinez, Jonathan and the King sat around the lamplight with charts and glasses of watered wine until all hours of the night. There was much debate on how to handle the Philistine forces. Some of the generals suggested they send a force of assassins into the camp of the Philistines to kill their King. Others insisted the entire army should be sent into battle immediately, under nightfall. Still more wanted to discuss terms of retreat from the field altogether. David sat silently for some time listening to many and all suggestions. He felt uncomfortable and well out of his depth with the conversation, however he also felt compelled. He silently wondered why God had not intervened; the Israelis were surely destined to win, although he knew many wars had been lost by the Israelis, so God did not always choose to protect his people.
Suddenly without warning to anyone present, least of all David he asked 'Does the giant’s challenge still stand?'
All eyes swung to David in that instance. He was suddenly filled with a sense of purpose and conviction he could not very well explain.
'I will fight the giant tomorrow, before the reinforcements arrive!'
He was met with blank looks from Saul’s generals. The King did not seem to be surprised, while Jonathan looked very serious and Martinez raised one eyebrow.
'Do you know what you are asking boy? You want the King to gamble the entire Israeli nation on your ability to take on a giant nearly twice your size. Have you thought this through?' Martinez gaze was intense now.
'I have not thought it through Sir. I was deep in thought wondering why our Lord had not yet brought us victory, when I suddenly spoke out without any thought at all. If you can explain why I spoke up then please do so. However having said it, I know it to be true. I must fight the giant. I have fought lions as you can attest to and I have fought renegade soldiers. I may not be a seasoned soldier of the Israeli army or any mercenary forces in far off lands, yet I am called to be here! Of this I have no doubt.' David spoke with such authority, leaving the assembled men totally speechless.
Saul remembered the words of the Priestess Francesca and broke the silence.
'I was given a prophecy just the other day of this exact offer from David. I promised I would not ask the task of him, but should he offer, I would accept on behalf of the entire Israeli nation.
With his words a protest erupted from the assembled generals, it was silenced immediately by the mere raising of the King’s hand.
'God’s Will be done,' was all he responded with. The generals dismissed themselves leaving only Saul, Martinez, Jonathan and David.
'Are you sure about this David,' questioned Martinez again, with genuine concern in his voice.
'I am sir,' said David remembering to use Martinez’s title when with company. 'Do not ask me why God has called a lowly shepherd to such a role but I am sure he has called me.'
'Let us drink to victory then. We must have faith in our Lord and the prophecy the King has been given,' Martinez raised his glass and nodded towards Saul. 'I think we should call it a night and all commit tomorrow to prayer.' With that, all glasses were raised and emptied. Jonathan left first, bowing and heading for his bed. Martinez escorted David from the King’s presence, offering to see him to his rest.
'You are an amazingly brave young man David. Are you sure this is what you have been called to do? I have no doubt that if you are called, you will succeed. I just wish to ensure you are definitely supposed to do this; I have grown accustomed to your companionship. Although you are brave you are also young and possibly rash, I would not like you to make an impulsive decision'
'I have never felt more certain about anything before. When I was younger I always felt I was supposed to be more than a shepherd. I waited patiently for my time to come. When you left me behind in my father’s tent I was disappointed but still had faith in my future. When my father sent me here, I could sense a new direction for my life, although I had no idea where that direction would lead me. It has been an amazing experience so far. As I sat and listened to the generals making plans, I felt empowered suddenly to speak. Believe me Martinez, I would not be so sure if I had not seen with my own eyes how fate has brought m
e to this point. Even the attack from the rogue lioness in the forest; it has all reassured me I am here for a reason.'
David looked so full of faith. Martinez did not see the need to question him further. If anyone should be a hero in this terrible battle, it should be David. Pure of heart and full of God’s spirit, Martinez could think of no better man to be called to such a duty. He only prayed he lived to see his eighteenth year.
'Sleep well David. May the Lord truly bless you and give you peace.' With that Martinez turned on his heels and headed away. David made the last few steps to what he now thought of as his tent. Tomorrow morning he would see his brothers again and then meet the giant on the battlefield to settle this matter once and for all. Strangely as he lowered himself into his bed and blanket he did feel at peace. Sleep came instantly and his dreams were filled with strange images of lands he had never yet seen, people he did not recognise and feelings he had never felt before. One image which stayed with him as he drifted into a deep sleep was that of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. She radiated pleasure and serenity, yet he could not make out her face, only the colour of her hair could be seen. A very unfamiliar colour indeed! Red and gold, long flowing hair all the way down her naked back to her buttocks.
****
Jezebel was furious. She never thought for a second that Saul would allow David to fight for his entire nation. She knew the boy’s role was important, but without the talent to walk the future paths, she could not foretell exactly what he would be significant for. Someone had gotten to the King while he was away. Very clever of them and whoever they were they had the ability to see the future or at least know that she was away from Saul for a time. She was angry now. She would need to find a sacrifice and soon so that she could ensure David did not succeed in his task. This would mean finding a secluded place to meditate, make the sacrifice and leave her earthly body as she made the spirit journey. In spirit she might be able to enter David’s body and ensure he froze at just the right moment so that the giant could kill him. She had not planned to see the Israelis overthrown by the Philistines. The Egyptian people did not share any love of either nation. Their histories had crossed paths many times and always with major losses to the Egyptian people. However to let the Israeli people win would not be what her uncle the Pharaoh would appreciate. It would further grow the strength of the Israeli people and increase their arrogance. They would spread like a grass fire across the land.
She headed to the King to explain why she would be absent. She would simply tell him it was her time of the month and she wished to have some space and solitude. She would travel to a nearby oasis and spend time cleansing herself in the cooling pools. He would believe this. On her way to the oasis she needed to find herself some willing soldier who could not believe his luck that the lady Jezebel should wish to bed him. This would not be hard. She had her eye on young Bartholomew; maybe this would not be an entirely annoying and burdensome task. She had no doubt he would take her on with great zest. She would have barely enough time to enjoy him before the sacrifice. Somehow the power from a sacrifice was always so much more potent once she had vented her lust with them before the ritual killing.
****
Martinez was heading to his own sleeping quarters when he saw Bartholomew finishing up his shift guarding the King. He liked the young man and remembered him as a stand out soldier on many occasions. He approached him from the opposite direction.
'Bartholomew, how goes it?' He gestured with a wave as their paths met. Bartholomew stopped to meet the general and commander of the King’s army and personal entourage.
'Very good, thank you Sir. It was a most pleasant ride back with David and Jonathan this afternoon even though we had to make speed,' he remarked genuinely.
'Well that does please me as I would like to have you join the ranks of my regiment and work with David, Jonathan and myself after this campaign is over. Let us say we have a chat over a few glasses of wine in my quarters,' offered Martinez.
'It would be a great honour Sir to serve with you and Jonathan. Are you sure you wish me to join you for drinks? I am only a common soldier and not worthy of your company,' replied Bartholomew obviously nervous of the invitation.
'Nonsense Bartholomew, I have just spent weeks in the company of young David who was only a harp player and shepherd before suddenly becoming the King’s personal body guard and man servant. You are a soldier with great potential; I wish to talk with you of your hopes and dreams so that we might work together to help you find and fulfil your destiny. You have been given gifts and talents for a purpose and you will serve the King and my regiment with distinction.
'You honour me Sir, I could think of nothing that would finish off my day better than to share a glass with you, except possibly an end to this stalemate,' smiled Bartholomew.
'That may not be as far away as you believe,' mumbled Martinez as they made their way to his tent. It was then that Martinez noticed Jezebel making a determined line to the King’s meeting tent and vaguely wondered what she was after this time.
****
Francesca had found a safe place to attend to her meditation and communion. She had fasted for the required time, had bathed her body clean and now lay naked by the glowing embers of a small fire. She could not risk a larger fire and fortunately it was relatively mild at night, as summer had not yet fully passed. She had already spent some time in spirit seeking visions of the future. She had glimpses of many visions but the one which had stayed with her, was the one of Jezebel sacrificing some young unaware soldier after using him for her own pleasure. This she knew meant that Jezebel was preparing to go into the spirit realm to somehow hinder David’s fight against the giant Philistine.
Francesca would meet her in spirit and ensure she was distracted long enough to allow David to fulfil his destiny. It was not going to be easy she knew. She had spent much time in prayer and knew that even if this meant her death, she would succeed in her task. It was her destiny to be in this place at this time. Much of her life had brought her to this point. If she had not lost her family at such a young age, she would never have come to be a Priestess of the one true God.
Her family had been travelling to a new land away from the poverty and dangers of her homeland. Raiding parties of heavily armed men attacked her village repeatedly. She was becoming of an age when they would seek to take her from her family to satisfy the lust of the mercenaries who killed and terrorized the people in order to keep them under control. Her father did not wish to allow that to happen. He had packed up the meagre wagon with some provisions and the very few items of worth they owned and they had all headed for the west. They had made a great distance with relatively no obstructions until they reached the outskirts of a small town. They were many days from home, yet the brigands had tracked them down and advanced ahead of them. They had not wanted to allow even one family to escape their tyranny as it may have caused a complete surge of refugees. Her mother and father were both brutally butchered as an example for the rest of her home village. Her little sister and brother were both killed after being slowly tortured for amusement. Francesca however was thirteen and she had reached an early womanhood. She was too much of a prize to be wasted by killing, at least not until they had their pleasure.
The first night had been horrific. There had been so many men she could not remember any faces by the end. She had curled up into a ball in a complete state of shock. They had not even bothered to tie her up to restrain her for the small time they had left her alone. It was the early hours of the morning and they must have decided they would all rest for the night, rather than torment her anymore. She recalled the voice in her head. At first she had thought she was going insane.
A clear audible voice told her she was a blessed child of the one true God and that if she were to seek him, she would find him. What followed was extraordinary. She crawled out of the campsite past the guards on duty without a hint of fear and was not once seen by anyone. She made her way to the town
where her family had been attacked and there she met Samuel. He had taken her in saying he had been expecting her and that there was a place prepared for her. He sent for a lady of the village to come and bathe her, knowing that the touch of his hand would cause her emotional pain. He had then come to her and sat at the end of her bed and prayed for her.
The memory stirred in Francesca mixed feelings of great pain along with the sense of limitless love she felt both from Samuel and in the presence of her Lord and one true God. When she heard that clear voice tell her she was loved, all the pain and confusion abated. She had once been a young women thinking of young men and love. After her attack she decided that the human desire for love, which most women longed for, no longer held any attraction for her. At least that had been how she felt until she had seen Martinez. The very sight of him, his kind heart, his caring nature, his presence had taken her back to her adolescent thoughts of love and a lifelong union; thoughts she had not considered possible for a very long time. She had spent the past years training along with Samuel learning to defend herself. Samuel had protested about this aspect.
'You do not need violence to protect you when God’s spirit will protect you.'
She had asked him why God had not protected her from those men.
'Our path is set by God, events can happen which shape our life. Some, God prevents, others he allows to strengthen us and refine us into whom he wants us to be. God never promised to make life easy, he only promised to make it better if we trust in Him.'
It had been many years since Samuel had said those words. Francesca now understood what the old seer had meant. If life was too easy, we would not talk to God and God liked us to share life with Him. Sometimes life could be hard, yet with faith, it was not hopeless. What purpose would have been served by stopping those men from taking her innocence away? Without that particular life event, she would probably not have come to meet her One True God or serve a greater purpose than herself. Some people were destined for more than a regular life. Others the average life was all they needed. Deep down Francesca knew that an average life as an aging, plump wife and mother would never have satisfied her. God did both her and her possible husband of that time a favour by allowing her life to take a different path, even though it had been a rocky path at times.
