Maacah squirmed and bobbed her head as if she possessed the biggest secret. She leaned forward and whispered loudly, “David told me when we were in bed. He complained that she talked like a crazy woman.”
“Oh, that is so funny,” Haggith said with a rolling titter. “But why didn’t he tell me?”
Maacah patted her arm. “Oh, dear Haggith, you must not be doing something right. But don’t worry, David will soon tire of her and send her back to her husband, the scribe. He won’t have any need for her once his kingdom is established.”
Unwilling to be driven off, I seethed in silence. Perhaps they were right. David had already tired of me and suspected I carried Phalti’s child. Perhaps I should go back to Mahanaim before it was too late. The thought of Rizpah befriending Phalti sickened me, and my heart drummed that familiar aching beat as I picked up the scroll. Another wave of nausea struck, but I held it back so Maacah would not get the satisfaction of affecting me.
* * *
I spied Ittai taking lunch with my sons. He escorted them back to their tutor and returned to pick up his cloak.
I cornered him behind a wall. “You must help me.”
He walked away, ignoring me.
I ran after him. “Ittai, you’re my only friend.”
To keep out of view of Maacah, I ducked behind a clump of junipers and cut across the courthouse garden. Ittai headed for the guards’ quarters. I climbed over a low hedge and waylaid him before he could enter the gate.
“What are you doing outside of the women’s compound?” His voice was firm with a hint of annoyance.
I braced my hands on my hips and glared at him. “I didn’t know I was a prisoner.”
Ittai looked around. “The king wants you confined to his tower and the women’s courtyard.”
“I’m not going back there.” I stomped my foot. “Now that David’s gone to war, you can take me to Mahanaim.”
Ittai grabbed my elbow. “I’m walking you back to David’s tower where you’ll stay. You’ll either cooperate, or I’ll truss you like a goat and haul you back.”
I jerked my elbow from his grasp. “You men are so overbearing. I dare you.”
His eyes glinted. “Oh, and I’d dare a lot more too.”
Before I could raise my arm to slap him, he had it twisted behind my back. He clamped his other elbow around my neck and pressed the side of his face against mine. “Won’t we make quite a spectacle?”
“I could have your head for this.” I dug my fingernails into his forearm.
The strength of his arousal pressed against my back sent shivers up and down my spine. I sucked in a breath and huffed, “Unhand me, guard.”
“Not until you’re back in the king’s bedchamber. Let’s go.”
He unclamped me and steered me up the stairs to David’s bedchamber. His dark eyes hard, he led me into the room and turned to leave.
“Wait.” I pulled him into the chamber and hugged him. “You’re not angry, are you?”
He glanced around and shut the door. “I thought we weren’t friends anymore.”
I blinked and put on a face of contrition. “Oh, Ittai. I can’t let David suspect anything, that’s all.”
He wrapped his arms around me. “I understand. People were watching. I had to be gruff with you too.”
“That means you’ll take me away from here?”
He set his chin on the top of my head. “And how will I get away with it? David would catch me, torture me and cut off my head.”
I tickled his ribs. “You’ll manage. You’re very clever.”
A one-sided grin wavered on his handsome face. “Nice try. And how exactly am I to steal the pregnant queen from the bedchamber of her king?”
“What? How did you know?”
Ittai lifted my chin with his thumb. “I know everything about you. It’s my job.”
“No, really. Who told you?”
“Your husband. He told me to make sure you’re comfortable and have all your needs met.”
I poked his chest. “Then why have you been ignoring me?”
“Ah, so there’s a need I haven’t met?” He tightened his embrace and chuckled.
A cold sweat broke on my nose, and my stomach rumbled.
Ittai loosened his hold immediately. “Sorry. I don’t want to hurt the baby. Maybe you’ll have twins again.” He added with a cheerful chirp.
I backed away and put a hand on my mouth. Ittai grabbed the bowl and held it for me as I sunk into the couch.
“You’ll feel better after you retch.” He offered helpfully.
I put my head down. “No. I’m better now.” I wiped my face with my sleeve and took a deep breath. Tears pooled in my eyes. “David thinks this baby is Phalti’s.”
“Well, is it?” Ittai rubbed my back.
“It might be. It all depends on when the baby is born. But I can’t stand to wait here and watch David hate me. Phalti would accept the baby no matter who the father is.”
“Yes, I’ve heard Phalti is very loving.” His voice dipped to a soothing tone.
“He is the manifestation of love, the perfect husband.” I wailed and bemoaned my fate. “But you and David stole me away from him, and now I’m sure he’s going to fall in love with Rizpah, if he hasn’t already.”
Ittai’s lips were upon mine before I could take another breath. Warmth washed over me as his mouth comforted me, his tongue, like living water, nourished and refreshed me. Heat anointed my chest, and confidence sprang in my heart. Ittai would always help me and be my friend.
Several moments transpired before my tears quenched. I lifted my head and stared into his concerned eyes. “I will face David, no matter what. I am his covenanted wife, and if he executes judgment on me, I shall go to the grave willingly, but only after my baby is born. Will you promise to rescue my baby if it should come to that?”
Ittai ruffled my hair. “He won’t execute you. He could accept the baby. He’s done it before.” He stiffened and grimaced. “I’ve said too much.”
Curiosity sparked in my heart. “No, tell me.”
“It’s not certain, so I should not say. And if it happened, it was forced on them.” He kissed my cheek. “I’ll have dinner sent up. Would you like company?”
“Yes, but chaste company only.”
“Then let’s eat with your sons. I love those boys.”
* * *
The mid-summer afternoon burned hot and sultry, and sleep buzzed behind my eyelids. I languished in its steam. David had been gone for months. Alone in the tower, I sat by the window plucking his harp, balancing it across my pregnant belly. The nausea had passed and the baby kicked vigorously. Naomi had gone to the water tunnel to find news. The door thumped. “Naomi? Have you…”
David shuffled in, slouching, his body covered with grime and sweat, his footsteps heavy. Fingers of trepidation gripped my sides, and my heart tumbled to my knees. I clutched the harp as if it were a shield.
“David?”
He rubbed his brow with the back of his hand and dropped his bag at the foot of the bed. Grunting with a neutral sound that meant nothing, he yelled through the door for the servants to draw water for his bath.
I shoved the harp to the floor and sat at the table, my hands under my thighs, my stomach feeling like a stone, heavy and dull.
Naomi appeared as David came out of the bathroom. “Oh!” she exclaimed, lowered her head and retreated.
David pulled up a chair and stared at me. An earthy odor emanated from his blood-stained garments. I drew deep breaths unobtrusively, daring not to speak. The babe sensed my agitation and launched a volley of kicks.
A manservant filled the tub. “O King, shall I bring a maid to tend to your bath?”
David glared at me. “No, that’ll be all.”
The servant retreated, and David stepped into the bathroom with audible groans. The urge to comfort him overcame me. I would rub his shoulders and he’d melt in my arms, just like before.
I walked to the table
and took out the shears. Silently, I entered the bathroom and knelt on the floor in the same spot where I had cradled his head and cut his hair the night he asked God to bless us with a child.
I raised the shears to his head. In a single motion, he knocked them to the stone floor and locked his arm around my neck. I gagged and sputtered. He swung himself out of the tub and threw me against the wall. I slumped in the corner, gasping for breath.
He poked my face with his finger. “What were you trying to do? Don’t you know I’m a warrior?”
“I wanted to cut your hair. Please, David.” I touched his hand.
The air whooshed out of his lungs, and he shook his head in a jerking fashion. “You tried to kill me.”
“No, no, David. Never. These shears aren’t sharp enough.” My heart in a panic, I cowered in a corner as David ran to the bedroom with a shout.
He came back and pointed his sword at my neck. “I have returned from killing thousands of Philistines. I have cleansed the villages of Gibeah, Ramah, Mizpah, Geba, Laish, Nob, Gallim, Hazer and Elon. I’ve left none alive, not a soul. You, daughter of Saul, should be thankful. I have shed blood to take back what your precious father lost.”
I sat terrified in the corner, shaking so hard that my breath came in small gasps. “Don’t kill me. I’m your wife, Michal.”
“I know who you are and what you’ve done.” He moved the sword down to my belly, ripping the fabric of my dress. The babe felt the pressure and kicked hard. The sword nicked me, and a small patch of crimson stained my dress.
I clamped my hand over my belly and trembled.
The sword clattered to the floor, and David crouched to my side. He brushed back a strand of my hair, his gaze flickering from my face to the spot of blood on my abdomen. “Eglah, my Eglah. Are you hurt?”
“No, it’s just a scratch.” I stared at him, not knowing what to believe. “Who’s Eglah?” Did he confuse me with a concubine or a wife I had not met?
He shuddered and closed his eyes, gripped my shoulders and leaned his forehead on mine. “You’re mine, Eglah.”
Cold chills poured over my scalp, freezing the back of my neck and digging into my sides. I shook and chattered so hard I thought I would black out. Either he was out of his mind, or Eglah resembled me. When he opened his eyes, they stared as vacant pinpoints.
I reached for a pitcher and poured cold water on his head. He didn’t move, so I waited while the water dripped off his hair and beard. His jaw opened and shut in cycles like a broken heartbeat.
After a few minutes, he grabbed my shoulders. “I’m sorry, Eglah.”
“I’m Michal, not Eglah.”
“You’re Eglah, and you will bear me a son. From now on, you are no longer Michal, but Eglah, my precious heifer.” He picked up his sword, sheathed it, and stepped back into the tub.
“Cut my hair and trim my beard. I like it when you do that. And when you’re finished, take off your clothes and join me.”
* * *
When I woke, David was gone. I had no idea what had happened last night. Other than the spell when he attacked me, he had been warm and loving, calling me Eglah through the night. I rolled to his side of the bed and soaked up his lingering warmth. The baby rumbled contently, and I smiled. After I washed my face and cleaned my teeth, I put on a sheer green dress and went to the window. The dawn broke hot and heat shimmered in the distance. David whistled below. He led a horse and a mule.
“David.” I yelled and waved. He looked up and flashed a wide grin. A delighted tingle wrapped my waist, and my heart fluttered. He was still so handsome.
He bounded up the stairs and burst into the room. “You’re up.” Folding me into his arms, he kissed me deeply. “I want to feel him kick again.” He pressed his hand over my belly.
“There, did you feel it?” I moved his hand. His eyes widened, and he leaned over to kiss the top of my abdomen.
“You are all mine,” he said, “and so is the little one. I prayed and asked the LORD. He assured me I should keep both you and the child.”
“Did he tell you the babe is yours?”
“No, he didn’t, but it’s the right thing to do. As the LORD espoused Israel to Himself, remaining faithful, so should I forgive you and receive both good and bad from your hand.” He grasped my hand and kissed it.
“Oh, David.” My eyes watered. “I mean to always do you good. I promise it.”
“I know you mean to,” he replied. “Now pack a few clothes, and let’s get something to eat. I’m taking you on a trip.”
“A trip? You mean outside of the palace?”
“Yes, trips or journeys usually take place outdoors.” He ruffled my hair. “Arik, my bodyguard, and two others will follow us. Do you want Ittai to come?”
“No, there is no need of Ittai. Whichever guards you’re comfortable with will be fine.”
The guards met us outside the courtyard. David hoisted me on his horse and jumped on behind me. “Are you comfortable? You’re not too big yet, are you?”
“I feel like a cow,” I laughed and leaned back on him.
“Which is why I call you Eglah,” he said. “I had a red heifer when I was a boy, and she followed me around wherever I went. She bore our family many big, strong bulls.”
“So I’m named after your pet cow?” I flicked my hair in his face.
“You said it.” He tilted my head to the side and kissed me, long, hard, and deep.
Chapter 27
Song of Solomon 1:14 My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.
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We headed east from Hebron past green pastures and lush vineyards. The pastured countryside soon gave way to spindly trees and thorny shrubs scattered in arid, rocky soil. Majestic rock formations decorated the landscape with streaks of brown, red and tan. As the sun set, David pointed toward a ridge of shimmering bands. “Tonight we shall stay in the hills of Hachilah where I once met your father in a ravine.”
It was a dark hill, a peak extending from a long plateau. Finger-like valleys cut between the cliffs. Arik and David dismounted and stood at the edge of a ridge.
“Do you think this is the place?” Arik shielded his eyes with his hand.
“No, maybe over there.” David pointed to a trench. “It’s now overgrown, but I remember it like yesterday.”
The men hiked down a steep path to make camp. David led me to the top of a rock overlooking the ravine. He hugged me and planted a warm kiss on my cheek. “I want you to see the sunset, as I saw it all those years ago.” The vermillion sky, lined with purple and orange clouds, shone with a red glow. “I imagined you looking at the same sunset.”
The sun slipped slowly beyond the horizon. I swallowed a lump in my throat and snuggled closer into David’s arms. Right as the last ray edged into the darkness, he turned my face to his, stared in my eyes and pressed his lips to mine. David’s hair burnished golden-red, and the sight of him was more beautiful than any sunset imaginable.
From the valley below, the smell of wood smoke and roasted meat watered my mouth. David tugged my arm and rubbed my rumbling stomach. “Is the little one hungry?”
The five of us sat in front of the campfire as it petered out to glowing embers. David played his harp and sang of the glories of God, His creation, His mighty works, and His power. I leaned against his side, listening to his heart, awash in a sea of calm contentment. This was the David that I treasured, the man after God’s heart, the man of my dreams.
The men rolled sheepskins and blankets on the floor of a cave. David carried me and placed me on the bedding. He cradled me until we both fell asleep.
In the dark of the night, he nudged me.
“What? Uh…” I yawned.
“I want you to see the sunrise.” He tickled my scalp. “Wake up.”
My limbs heavy, I fought to stay asleep, turning and snuggling back on the skin mats. David lay behind me and placed his hand on my belly. “It’s fine if you don’t want to wake up.”
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“You couldn’t sleep?” My words were slurred.
His hand clutched me, and my womb hardened. “I woke up, that’s all.”
“David, what were you thinking about?”
“Nothing. It’s gone now.” His voice wavered, and I drew his face onto my breast.
“Did you have a bad dream?” I stroked his hair and wiped the sheen of sweat off his forehead.
“No, don’t worry. Just go back to sleep.” He softened against me and blew out a deep breath. I kissed the top of his head and closed my eyes.
* * *
When I woke, David was shuffling outside of the cave. He showed me an old sycamore tree. A carving at the base read Michal, David’s wife. The bark had healed leathery and grey. A warm flutter bubbled in my chest, and the baby squirmed. I smiled and clasped his hand to my womb. He hadn’t forgotten me while hiding from my father. I kissed him. “What a wonderful way to start the day.”
“This is the place where Abner camped,” he said. “Do you want to hear the story?”
“Yes, but after I eat.” My stomach growled, and the baby kicked in agreement. David smiled as he felt the kicks, then he handed me bread, grapes and cheese.
“See here.” He pointed to a ravine. “Here is where your father lay asleep. All the camp of men slept about him. No one stood watch. Even Abner was asleep. Abishai urged me to strike your father dead.”
“What made you stop?”
“My belief in God and that I should repay evil with good. Who am I to kill the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless? Instead I took your father’s spear. It was the one he threw at me while I sat in his chamber and played the harp. I also took a skin of water.”
He pointed to the top of a hill across a ravine. “I climbed up there with the spear and water skin. When your father woke, I called to him. I asked him why he hunted me and to tell me what I had done to deserve it. I waved the spear and water and showed how I could have harmed him. Do you know what your father said?”
“Was he angry?”
“No. He said he had played the fool and had sinned. He actually called me his son and asked me to return. Then he blessed me and wept.”
“So why did you not return with him?”
Michal's Window Page 27
