by Summer Lee
“Of course. Protect her by all means. If you will send some men now, I promise to get you extra support from locals to guard Sarah.”
“That should be sufficient. Everything is pretty quiet here,” said Tall, putting his hand on his forehead.
“Just tell your men to meet the king at the old fort by the big trees near Alalakh.” Tyro paused. “They must hurry. We need them now. The enemy is just over the hill from the palace.”
“Oh, no! Tell the king that I will go to him myself as soon as I set things right here. I need to tell Gauss and Bo what I will need them to do in my absence.”
“Father will be glad to see his best friend.”
“My problem is my wife. I just wish I could take her with me, but she would die out there.” Tall wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“Send a servant to get her a midwife and a body guard.”
“I will.”
The two went back inside. Tall said he was going to retire for the evening and went upstairs. Tyro and Leah sat snuggled in each other’s arms, talking about memories and future plans. Finally, they were both so tired that Tyro suggested that it was necessary that he get some sleep. He kissed her goodnight, and she went upstairs to bed. He slept on the cushions.
*
Morning came quickly.
Tall was already up when Tyro went outside. He had rounded up his choice men as he had agreed to do. “They will be on the road soon,” said Tall.
“Tell them the fort is a short distance outside town. They need to stay among the trees, so as not to be noticed.” Tyro mounted his stallion.
Tall walked over to him and asked, “How is your mother taking this?”
“She’s always been strong. She is handling the pressure like the queen that she is.”
Tall patted the head of the horse. “Tell her that I send my love.”
Tyro looked at him. Tall’s eyes showed a lot of emotion. Frowning, Tyro said, “I will tell her. But you will be there soon and can tell her yourself.”
“Just let her know I am coming. Greetings to the king and Rachael as well.”
Tyro said his farewells and rode away. His thoughts were on Tall’s words. He remembered back to a few years earlier when he had first seen Kenana in Tall’s arms. He had noticed that something was going on between those two ever since. His mother’s eyes had sparkled for Tall in a way that they did not for Asher. These troublesome thoughts would have to wait for another day. He had more pressing issues.
Diligent to his cause, he rode to the next town and the next. He stopped in every hamlet or village, recruiting soldiers and checking to see if all was well. In each place, he asked them to spread the word to all who were loyal to the king.
He arrived at the gates of each of the small communities without any announcement of who he was, however, they knew. Apparently, stories of him were growing. The villages of Tirqo, Tuffel and Hit were on his list to visit. They were quite small and the people were friendly. In each village, he stopped at each community house or made his way to the largest home. His message was always the same. “The king needs your strongest warriors, especially Goels, to come to the palace quickly. We expect an attack shortly,” he would say. “Meet at the fort by the big trees. You will see it just before you get to Alalakh.”
It was in Mari that he got the most attention. The teeming peasantry were milling around in the city square when he arrived. They parted for him when they saw him coming down the street on his powerful stallion.
“The prince of Alalakh has arrived,” someone shouted. “Hail, Prince Tyro! Make way!”
Several children fell in behind him, running to keep up with the trotting stallion. Their laughter filled the air. His heart flooded with joy. Suddenly, with a shout of exuberance, a teenage boy slapped the rump of Tyro’s horse, causing the startled beast to leap forward with a tremendous surge. He raced uncontrollably through the street at a terrific speed. Startled, Tyro clung to the mane, pulling the reins tightly. Dozens of children ran along behind him.
When Tyro finally brought the panting horse to a stop, he was furious as he turned to see who had done the deed. But when he saw all the gleeful faces, he decided not to scold too harshly. His eyes alighted upon the young man who looked guilty. “What do you have to say for yourself, young man?” he asked.
“How fast can that stallion really go?” the boy asked.
“Quite fast,” said Tyro. “Why?”
“Do you want to race?” asked the boy.
“Not this time,” said Tyro, turning his horse around. “I’m on a serious mission. And I would suggest you use caution in the future when slapping a man’s horse. That prank of yours has exhausted my horse so that I must walk him now, to cool him down.”
The boy nodded in sheepish understanding. “I’ll walk him while you deliver your message.”
Tyro handed him the reins. “Don’t let him drink until he is breathing normally and calmed down.”
“Yes, Prince Tyro.”
Tyro went into the governor’s mansion and gave the message. As he came back outside, the boy was standing by his horse, patting it.
“You can ride him next time I come through if you want.”
“I would like that.”
“Also, we’ll let him race your horse.”
“I don’t have a horse,” said the boy, ducking his head.
“You will when I come back. What’s your name?”
“Jonathan.”
“Jonathan, I shall see you later.”
Leaving the city of Mari, Tyro traveled on to Babylon. Once again, the black clouds appeared. They would not make him fearful, but he stayed alert for trouble.
He would usually spend the night in Babylon with the governor. He was tired and in need of a short nap. He went inside the inn and was told that his room was ready.
“I can only have a short rest,” he said as he lay down to sleep. He awakened to a blue sky and white fluffy clouds.
He was given something to eat and drink and then he went on his way.
Mounting the stallion, he rode to the last of the villages. He stopped at Nipper, then Kish, and last of all, he stopped at Larsa. Each time, he told the soldiers where to meet the king.
He made it a point to ask a servant to bring a safe, swift horse to Jonathan as soon as possible. He paid for the horse with a small pearl from the purse that his father insisted he carry when he traveled.
When his mission was finished, he sighed in relief. Thankfully, he thought, I’m done with that job. It is time to go back home and see how many soldiers I have recruited.
Chapter Sixteen
TALL
Tall had gathered up his small army in Adah and sent them to Alalakh to help his friend protect his home from those who had been terrorizing the land. He sent Gauss into town to hire a midwife to help Sarah. “Hire someone who is willing to come stay with her for six months,” Tall said. “And find her a bodyguard.”
“I can guard her myself,” said Gauss. “I have been doing this for years and have never lost anyone yet.”
“My thanks.” He patted Gauss on the back. “I know you are capable but you have so much already that I didn’t want to ask you to do this, too.”
“It is my honor to do so.”
Tall turned and walked out toward the field. His thoughts wandered back several years to when he used to watch Sarah serving Kenana. Tall loved Sarah then. He always had. They had both been slaves in the palace of Prince Jubal.
Then their lives had changed. It all began when one day, Prince Jubal bought himself a wife. Young Kenana had glowed with excitement and fear. Everyone loved her. She put on a brave face, but she had always seemed miserable when she was with the prince. He couldn’t blame her. She was just a young girl who had been forced to marry an old man she didn’t really know and surely didn’t love. Asher had been assigned to care for Kenana. Theirs had been more than a princess and servant relationship. Sarah had been recruited to be Kenana’s personal maid. Then t
hey all had all gone to Egypt. Asher was charged with guarding and protecting the princess on the trip. As for Tall, he just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
He and Sarah took care of each other and they had all grown close. The women had been best friends. He and Asher had been best friends, as well. After Prince Jubal died, there had been a time when the four were inseparable. That had been a long time ago. After the prince had died, the princess set the three slaves free. That was when they were all separated.
Now Asher had found his home and discovered the people were expecting him. He was the long-lost king who had now married the widow, Princess Kenana, and they had overcome the claims to the throne from Prince Jubal’s sons from a previous marriage. Asher and Kenana had gone on to become King and Queen of Mesopotamia. Tall and Sarah had married as well. Children had been born.
Everything was wonderful for a few years. He and Sarah had their baby girl, Leah. She had been the joy of their lives. It was not until Leah was in her teens that Tall had realized that his love for Sarah had cooled to a respect, and yes, a love, but no more passion.
Then something else had happened. Asher and Kenana had joined with Tall and Sarah to observe a celebration of a war victory. Tall and Kenana had been in the kitchen preparing food together when they both felt the attraction. Kenana should have been happy, married to King Asher, who was a great man. But she was not satisfied in her marriage. She and Tall had expressed their feelings of empty souls to one another; they spoke of the longing that stirred in their hearts for each other. But in the end, they agreed that they could not satisfy their desires for each other. There was nothing that could be done about their love without hurting others. And Kenana loved Sarah, her dearest friend. And of course, Kenana was Queen of Mesopotamia and had much to lose if she risked her throne.
Tall wondered, Was it possible that love could die? Right now, it seemed impossible to overcome his feelings for Kenana and be a proper husband to Sarah, who did not seem to notice Tall’s interest in her best friend. And after all, she was great with child, and a bit fragile, due to her age, so it would be unthinkable for Tall to risk the life of his child with physical love with Sarah.
As Tall reminisced, he admitted that the feelings of passion that he had for Kenana had never gone away. He knew he did not want to leave Sarah, for what kind of man would abandon a woman who is with child? Also, he could not hurt Asher by seducing his wife away from him. That would destroy their friendship.
No, what Tall and Kenana wanted was to have an affair, but this was completely forbidden…and, if they were discovered, their adultery could be punishable by death.
Chapter Seventeen
ASHER AND KENANA
The storm clouds in Alalakh disappeared overnight.
“The darkness around us is evil in nature. The fallen angels are trying to stop us from doing good for the people. There is a battle between the angels, both good and bad. The clouds are a clue. They show which army is moving forward. Black clouds are evil. White clouds are good,” Asher said.
“I don’t feel strong enough to watch,” said Kenana. “I’ll pray. Let the angels do the work of El.”
Asher replied, “We must have the faith of El, and the sinister clouds will go away.”
“All right,” Kenana said. “I just wish Tyro would hurry home. He has been gone a long time.”
“He has a big area to cover, my dear,” Asher said. “He’s gathering enough soldiers to protect Alalakh. The most dangerous enemies in Mesopotamia are out there with their own large army. You know how evil the Nephilim are. You dealt with one yourself when you were a young lady.”
“True. Tyro knows that story, and I know that he will get the right number of warriors,” said Kenana.
“Exactly,” said the king. “He is a great prince and is committed to our safety, just as the enemies of Mesopotamia are fully committed to our destruction.”
“So, what do we expect next?” asked Rachael, unable to hide the fear in her voice.
“Our army will arrive soon. I am sure of it,” said Kenana.
“Actually, I am meeting them at the old fort that my father built. Many farmers and merchants are leaving families they love to join our forces. Citizens standing together have a powerful strength,” Asher said as he leaned forward, folded his hands and rested his arms on his knees. Looking his daughter in the eye, he said, “We will prevail. There is no need for you to worry, Rachael.”
“This is our moment of crisis, and we must enlist the help of everyone, including young women and priests,” added Kenana. “The dark storm clouds that gather over Alalakh frighten the citizens. It seems as though, each day, the fear in the people increases. They fear annihilation.”
“I need to talk to the people now,” the king said. “They need to know that their help comes from the Lord when they obey him. Do you agree?”
“Yes, I do,” said the queen.
“The people need to understand the role of the priest at this time because only blood covers sin.”
“Also,” said Kenana, “I need to get the women from the town together, so they can share their feelings with each other. I’ll just have to be discreet. This may help to calm them.”
“You women need to be careful, because all the men will be gone. I’m taking the locals and meeting with the warriors by the big trees. Most of the men around will be out there with me.” Frown lines formed on Asher’s brow. “Make your instructions to them clear. Tell them exactly what you want them to do.”
Kenana agreed that was a good plan. “I’ll talk to them.”
“Then come with me, my dear. We will call our people to come together for a meeting,” he said. They walked out to the bell tower together, and the king pulled the rope. He released it and pulled it again. The giant bell began to gong and gong.
*
The people gathered noisily below the structure, speaking among themselves as they waited for King Asher and Queen Kenana.
Asher stood above the people on the balcony, and raised his hands to silence them. He said, “We are all in great danger right now. You believe that, do you not?”
Shouts of “Yes!” and “Of course!” rang out. There was a loud roar of raised voices, mingled with frustration.
“Tyro is sending soldiers soon. We have a plan to save our town from attack, but I don’t want the battle fought here where our people will be in danger.”
“Why has your son not returned?” a man called up to him. “He is the only one who can really help us.”
“We expect him today,” said Kenana. “Brave soldiers will be here soon.”
Someone else called out, “Do you think human warriors can protect us from the wild supernatural Nephilim?”
“Yes, but it is God who will empower our soldiers,” shouted Asher. “I need you men to set your houses in order, so that you can be away for a few days. We must all pray that many Goels respond to the call. We will need a few days for drills.”
“What God? I can’t see him work,” yelled the first man. “Prove what you say.”
“Yes. Prove it!” someone else shouted. “Justify yourself.”
“Silence!” Asher gonged the bell once again, and the people quieted down. “I have been asked to explain why I know there is a God and to clarify my relationship with him. As you know, Kenana and I are from the old school. We call God, ‘El.’ That explains my religious title. Most of you know that I am a Goel. That simply means someone who will ‘Go for El.’ I talk to God every day and listen for his voice with my heart. He helps me live a holy life. He directs my steps.”
“What does he say to you?” someone asked.
“He spoke to me recently,” Asher said. “He told me, ‘Give the villagers hope, for they are discouraged. Share with them peace, for they are in turmoil. Share with them love, so they will not hate. Remind them that the Most High is always there for them.’”
Kenana said, “We need to please El. Blood is required by God to satisfy th
e payment for our sins, so you must all go see the priest. He will offer a lamb to the Lord for you. Go before it gets dark. El will then answer your heart’s cries.”
No one moved.
Asher stepped forward. With slight irritation in his voice, he said, “Men! Do we all want to honor God and do his will, or do we prefer to be destroyed by the Nephilim?”
“Is it His will that we all die?” said the first boisterous man.
“Of course not! Just go to Him with your sacrifice,” said Asher. “Priests are making the evening sacrifices tonight. Go to the temple and let them pray for you.”
Kenana said, “You will then all be allowed to eat the meat after it has been offered to El and is cooked.”
“We will win a war against the evil ones,” said Asher. “El will help us if we believe. Now please, go make your sacrifices, and then go home to your families.”
“Why we should believe you?” asked the first man, and others nearby nodded.
“Because God is our creator. We are all subject to God’s will, whether we like it or not, and whether we believe it or not. Nature is subject to God’s will. All angels, both fallen and loyal, are subject to God’s will. God is in charge of the whole world and all that inhabit it, and He can do anything He chooses. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, too hard for Him.”
“Listen to us,” Kenana added. “God will give us the victory. You will all just have to decide how much you want to trust God. That is all. I will just say that for us, and those in our house, we will serve the Lord. I want to invite all of you women for tea tomorrow. We’ll talk about this. That will quiet your hearts.”
The women nodded and seemed interested.
“When you hear the bell gong, come to the palace. If it gongs again, then you should go straight to the shelter for protection. The second gong will mean danger is lurking.”
“I have asked God for wisdom, and I expect to get it,” said the king. He pointed. “Now, go make your sacrifices.” To the obnoxious man, he said, “One more word from you, and you will be thrown into prison.”
