by Tim Chaffey
“And a map of the western lands, if you have it,” Elam said.
“Is that all?” Wurnu chuckled.
“I know it sounds like a lot.” Noah glanced around the room. “I’d probably buy several of your tools, too.”
Wurnu grinned and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s not that I don’t have or can’t get what you need, but I don’t think you realize how much everything will cost.”
Noah folded his hands together and leaned forward. “My boat’s worth at least twice as much as what we’re seeking in trade. It’s only a few years old, and it’s made by Ara’s Shipyard in Iri Geshem, the best shipbuilders in the world.”
The man’s eyes lit up. “Of course, I’d need to inspect this boat to see if it’s truly worth so much.”
“Of course,” Noah said.
“Hey, boss,” Purlek said as he looked at Noah. “Would you really trade it for so little?”
Wurnu jumped in before Noah could respond. “I’m sure you’d like to see what I have to offer.” He pointed to an opening beside the fireplace, which led to an attached barn. “I have several options for wagon beasts, hundreds of tools, and plenty of foodstuffs, but it might take me a few days to get a third wagon here.”
“I’d prefer to let my wife make the decision about the animals. She’s the expert in that area.” Noah looked around at the shop. “While we wait on the third wagon, would you recommend a warm place for us to eat?”
“Yes, of course.” He stood and waved an arm toward the rest of the shop. “Let me know if there’s anything else you need, and we can wait until daylight for me to examine this boat.”
Noah stood and gripped the man’s forearm. “That sounds perfect.”
* * *
Western Frontier — Noah’s 500th year
Noah glanced at the ever-expanding bulge in Emzara’s midsection as he slipped his arm around her and scooted close. The cushion beneath her lifted her to his height as they sat on the bench of the second wagon in their tiny caravan. Lamech, Methuselah, Elam, and Rayneh spent much of their time in Noah’s wagon. Being the largest of the three vehicles, it served as the group’s meeting place and meal room during inclement weather. Garun and Laleel currently took the lead in their smaller wagon, while Purlek and Evet brought up the rear.
The springtime sun slowly sank toward the horizon in the western sky far ahead. The two gray large-eared tuskers hauling the cart plodded along the scarcely used path. Thankful for Emzara’s expertise with animals, Noah had quickly learned to appreciate this kind more than lunkers. They provided a slightly faster and steadier pace, and they were far less irritable. In fact, they were often friendly and playful and, despite their bulk, they seemed to enjoy being around little Rayneh. Of course, they were not alone in that area. She was the center of the group’s attention whenever they were together.
Noah kissed Emzara’s head. “Two whole moons.”
She lifted her head from his shoulder and furrowed her eyebrows. “Two? We’ve been traveling for three.”
Noah grinned and touched her stomach. “No. I meant two more until we get to meet our son.”
She snuggled against him and softly pushed her head under his chin. “I can’t wait to carry him on the outside.”
“I can’t wait to see that. If the reaction to Rayneh is any indication, our son will be well loved by his people.”
“Well, Rayneh probably won’t like it when he starts stealing some of her attention.” She placed one hand behind his back and rubbed it as she spoke.
Noah sighed. “I love watching her with my father and grandfather. Did you see her at midmeal? Grandfather kept trying to teach her new words, but all she wanted to do was show him her new dance, which is really the same as the old one. She just spins around with a cute grin on her face.”
“Mmhmm. You up for a strange question?” Emzara asked.
Noah shrugged his free shoulder. “Sure.”
“Well, speaking of Rayneh, did you ever wonder if she might be . . . if she might marry one of our sons someday?”
Noah pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ve wondered that ever since we escaped the arena. And in many ways, I hope for it. Obviously, I want her to be on the ark. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if Aterre’s niece became our daughter-in-law?”
Emzara sat up and stared into Noah’s eyes. “You really have given this some thought.” She pressed harder against his lower back in the spot that gave him the most trouble. “And thank you for mentioning Aterre. I haven’t thought about him for so long. It would be terrific to have his niece on board.” She grinned. “I guess we’d better hope our son has good taste.”
“Well, there’s a very good chance of that since his father has incredible taste.”
Emzara rolled her eyes and then yawned and stretched.
Noah responded automatically with a yawn of his own and allowed his mind to drift while the same scenery passed by in the open grassland. For three weeks, they had seen nothing but wide open plain, the monotony of rolling hills broken only by the occasional small copse of trees or wandering stream. Rarely had they met anyone on the path, and they passed only a handful of tiny settlements and farms. Noah appreciated the peaceful travel and, based on the map Wurnu had provided, guessed that another two weeks might bring them to the outer edge of Eden. How far they would need to move beyond it, he could not yet say, just as he could not know when the Creator would tell him the remaining details about the ark.
Shortly before the sun touched the horizon, the caravan started up one of the largest hills they had observed in the region. As they reached the crest, Garun stopped his wagon and then frantically gestured for the others to stop. He ordered his animals to back up a little and then hurried to Noah and Emzara. “We might have a problem.”
“What is it?” Noah asked.
“Come and look.”
Lamech peeked out of the canopy that covered the large wagon. “Why did we stop?”
“Bring Elam out here,” Garun said.
By the time Noah climbed down from his bench and walked around the pair of tuskers, Purlek had joined the group. “Why did we stop?”
“Follow me,” Garun said.
The men followed Garun up the hill, but as he approached the top, he crouched lower and encouraged the others to do the same. He dropped to his hands and knees for the final 50 cubits or so.
Shadowing Garun’s movements, Noah finally peered over the top of the hill as a stunned silence fell over the group. Sprawled out in the valley before them stood a settlement consisting of hundreds of tents and thousands of beasts, including herd after herd of bleaters. “Was this place on the map?” Noah asked.
Elam unrolled the map and studied it for a moment before shaking his head. “Nothing is marked here.”
“Do we go around?” Purlek asked.
Noah looked at his father. “What do you think?”
Lamech shrugged. “I think you’re the leader of our expedition. I know we’re running low on rations, so we may want to approach them to see if we can buy supplies.”
Noah stroked his beard, which had grown much longer than he liked it during this trip. “What if we emptied one of the wagons? Then Garun and I could drive it to their settlement to see if they are friendly or hostile and ask about purchasing goods.”
“Me?” Garun asked.
Noah smiled. “Yes, you. You’re the one who complained about always being left behind while we check out new places. Are you afraid?”
Garun chuckled. “I wasn’t objecting to your plan. I was merely surprised that you recommended me.”
“What do the rest of you think?” Noah asked.
“I think Emzara’s going to hate it.” Elam faced Noah. “Maybe if someone else went in your place.”
“I can go,” Lamech said.
“You there!” A voice from the other side of the caravan jolted Noah. A younger man, perhaps in his mid-100s, stepped around the front of the first wagon and approached. He did
not appear to be dangerous; a small knife strapped to his belt was his only visible weapon. “What are you doing? Spying on our camp?”
Noah stood and approached the newcomer. “No sir. We’re traveling west and were surprised to come across such a large encampment. It’s not on our map. We were concerned that we might need to take a different route to avoid any problems. But we also need to purchase provisions, so we were just discussing who would go down there to speak for us.”
“Have no fear, travelers. We are a group of peaceful herders. My grandfather grew tired of the violence in the cities to the south, so we’ve roamed this area for centuries, living off the land and keeping herds. We have an abundance of supplies you could purchase.” He gestured to the three wagons. “Come, I’ll take you to meet my grandfather. He’s always happy to welcome friendly visitors.”
Chapter 15
Emzara repositioned her cushion as far to the right as she could to allow the man a spot in the seat next to Noah. Noah reached out a steady hand to guide him and he laid his staff in the wagon bed behind them before settling in.
“I’m Vadid. And you are?”
“Noah, and this is my wife, Emzara.”
As Vadid directed the caravan toward the camp, Emzara studied him from the corner of her eye. His hair and beard were shorn close. His garment, a cream linen tunic, fell to his knees, and a belt cinched it at his waist. He wore a dark blue woven outer cloak, bound together in the front by a beautiful metal clasp. Hides encircled his calves and leather cords crisscrossed and held them tight to his legs. His brown shoes reached mid-calf and completed his unique outfit.
“That’s one of our herds over there.” Vadid pointed left when a sudden animal call drew their attention. A lone man stood in the distance with a staff in his hand. At least ten bovar surrounded him. Soon more herds and farmhands dotted the landscape, and not long after that, clusters of large rectangular tents appeared. Their peaked tops were not much higher than the sides. Pelts or fabrics covered them, and Emzara imagined what each home told about its owners. One had hides haphazardly strewn around the structure, and she pictured a chronicler living there, more interested in the information he wrote than the place where he lived. Another was brightly colored with images painted on the sides, and she imagined a happy young family lived inside. They passed by a plain one, and Emzara stifled a laugh as she pictured someone like Nmir living there.
As she watched, a woman stepped outside, but she bore little resemblance to Emzara’s old nursemaid. Instead, this woman looked like someone else from her past. She raced through memory after memory, trying to locate the person’s face. Suddenly her mind brought up an image of Kal as a young girl, hugging the woman. She smiled and spoke quietly to herself. “That’s who she reminds me of.”
“What did you say?” Noah glanced at her.
“Oh, nothing really.” Emzara gestured toward the woman. “I was thinking that she reminds me a little bit of Adah. I guess it must’ve slipped out.”
Vadid raised an eyebrow at her. “That’s funny. Her name is Adah, too.”
Emzara spun to see the woman again. “Could it be?”
Vadid swept his arm in a sideways arc to indicate the whole encampment. “Her son leads our group. Actually, he started it after they fled Havil.”
Emzara grabbed Noah’s knee. “Stop the wagon.” Before they fully slowed, she leapt to the ground and hurried toward the woman. “Adah!”
Though now gray-haired and wrinkled, the still-beautiful woman stood on her front platform and stared.
Before Adah could stop her, Emzara grabbed her old friend by the shoulders and studied the face she had not seen for centuries before wrapping her in a hug.
Adah pulled away. Looking confused, she measured Emzara. “You seem familiar. Where do I know you from?”
Emzara bit her lip and nodded rapidly. “From a long time ago. We were . . .” Emzara looked up as she searched for the words, “we were coconspirators — well, almost anyway.”
Adah’s face lit up. “Emzara?”
“Mmhmm.”
“How? I mean, what are you doing here?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing.”
“It’s a long story.”
Noah rushed toward them as Vadid and the others secured the wagons.
“Adah” — Noah tipped his head slightly — “it’s good to see someone we know so far away from home.”
“This is my home now. It has been for a long time.” She held out an arm to Vadid, who came alongside her. “Long before Vadid here was even born.”
“Good to see you, Grandmother.” He warmly took her hands in his own.
“Vadid, where are you taking them?”
“To see the chief. They want to trade with us.”
“Perfect. Come with me, all of you.” Adah turned her back to the group and started walking.
Emzara looked at Noah and shrugged, then they all followed the elderly woman. None of the dwellings seemed befitting for a leader, but they continued toward their unknown destination.
“Here we are.” Adah stopped outside a large but modestly constructed tent.
“This is where the chief lives?” Noah asked. His tone made it clear that he was surprised, too.
“Yes.” She opened the leather flap and led them inside.
As her eyes adjusted to the low lighting, Emzara saw the wooden posts that formed the inner frame of the walls. She was amazed at how large and cozy it was. Fur rugs covered most of the floor except for the space opposite the door. There, a man sat next to a bleater in a small pen and the animal bellowed loudly.
“Son, we have visitors,” Adah said.
“Be right there.” The man wiped his brow with his forearm and then cleaned his hands on a large cloth before looking up at his guests. He opened his arms out wide. “Welcome. What can I do for you?”
Noah stepped ahead of his friends. “Sir, we came upon your settlement, and Vadid mentioned that we could purchase food and supplies from your people.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.” He glanced at Adah. “Mother, why didn’t you just take them to one of the merchants?”
Adah smiled. “I thought you might want to see an old acquaintance of ours.”
The chief furrowed his brow and turned to Adah. “Acquaintance? Who?”
“This is Noah, someone you met when you were very young.” She laughed. “And, Noah, this is my son Jabal.”
Turning back to Jabal, Noah asked, “The musician?”
Jabal snorted. “No, that’s my brother, Jubal.”
“But you were both talented musicians. I saw you play when I first visited Havil.”
“That was a long time ago. I played when I was a child, but I could never compete with my brother.”
“You were—” The bleater moaned, and Noah momentarily lost his focus. “You were young, perhaps not even ten years old.”
“Jabal?” Laleel asked, her high forehead pinched in thought.
“Yes. And forgive me, you are—”
“I’m Laleel, and this is my husband, Garun. He used to guard your family.”
Squinting, Jabal stepped closer to Garun. “I think I do remember you. Well, it’s nice to meet you again after all this time.” He fanned his arm around the room. “Please, everyone, have a seat and rest from your journey.”
Adah sat beside her son, and the others followed her lead, forming a small circle. Only Lamech and Methuselah were missing, since they had remained with the wagons.
“Forgive me for greeting you in such a fashion, but this bleater is about to give birth, and I don’t want anything to go wrong. She lost her last baby. But please, tell me about your travels. It’s likely to be a while before her little one makes an appearance. Vadid can bring you something to eat and drink.”
“Jabal, how did you and Adah end up here, so far away from Havil?” Noah finally asked what Emzara had been longing to know.
“Mother?”
Adah looked into her hands
before nodding.
“Well, there’s really not much of a story here if you know what my father is like.” Jabal shifted in his seat. “After my brother and I grew up, he tried to take over our futures. I started getting really involved in architecture. He fueled that passion, and I became rather proficient in it. However, I noticed several odd things. One day, Mother had a long scarf covering her arms though the day was very warm. Then, a week later, I found her limping. She said she’d stumbled into something.”
Jabal sighed. “Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have figured it out had I not been walking around the palace late one night when I heard terrible sounds coming from Mother’s room.” His words picked up speed until they tumbled over each other. “My father. He went into these rages. I think he might have killed her if I hadn’t shown up. He stopped as soon as he saw me.” Jabal slowly let out a deep breath. “That’s when I realized how selfish I’d been. I’d seen only the grandeur of Havil and imagined my own greatness. I didn’t even notice the pain my mother was enduring.”
“Jabal—”
“It’s true, Mother. Anyway, I knew I had to get her out of there. I figured the only way I could keep her safe was to travel as far away from that city as possible. And that’s what we did.”
A little squeal turned everyone’s attention to Rayneh. She had wandered to the pen and stood before the bleater with one little hand clutched to her chest.
Jabal chuckled and lightly patted Rayneh’s head. “Would you like to try petting her again?”
She stared at him through wide eyes.
“Here. She might have thought your hand had food in it. If I hold her head like this, you can feel how fluffy she is.” He cupped the creature’s face in his hands.
Rayneh held out her hand cautiously and plucked up the courage to try again. After making contact, she giggled and pulled her hand away again.
“There. See?” Jabal scruffed the ears of the animal. “I think she likes that.”
Noah knelt beside the young girl. “Rayneh, you just met him, but he’s your uncle, which means that you’re his niece.”
“And that makes us family,” Elam said.