by Tim Chaffey
Chapter 27
The closed golden doors before him stood at least twice his height and were equally broad. Noah marveled at the fine detail displayed in the animals and people engraved on panels. He snorted when he saw his reflection distorted by one of the figures. Just then, the door to his right opened slightly and Tubal-Cain slipped through and closed it behind him.
“How can you even move these things?” Noah asked. “They must weigh as much as an earth shaker.”
“They’re not quite as bad as they look,” Tubal-Cain said. “They are made of wood and overlaid with gold. That’s one of the great things about this metal — it can be beaten so thin.”
“Fascinating.”
Tubal-Cain adjusted his robe. “Okay, they are ready for you. Just a couple of things to remember. First, don’t speak unless my father asks you to. He’s in a good mood today and eager to see you, so he’ll probably be a bit relaxed in this regard. And second, a slight bow is considered a sign of respect here. You ready?”
Noah nodded and then followed his new friend through one of the massive doors. He quickly glanced around the room. Elaborate tapestries and gleaming weapons decorated the room’s side walls. White stone pillars with oil lamps attached to their sides lined their walkway toward a small set of black stairs that climbed to the platform against the back wall. On the stage sat the king on a golden high-backed throne. He wore an exquisite robe bedecked with precious stones, and a golden crown speckled with jewels rested on his curly brown hair. Noah guessed the man was probably about his father’s age. One woman with long black hair sat on a similar, but smaller chair to his left while another woman with shorter brown hair sat in an identical chair to his right. Both wore daintier versions of the king’s crown. Two guards stood at attention on either side of the second step.
Tubal-Cain led them to within a few cubits of the first stair and stopped. “Greetings, Father.” He looked to his left. “And Mother.” Then he nodded to the other woman.
The king leaned forward. The soft light of the lamps revealed a scar running from close to his nose all the way back to his right ear. “Greetings, Son, how are the metalworkers today?”
“Busy as always, Father, but they are keeping up with demands. In fact, they are ahead of schedule.”
“That’s good to hear. But I didn’t really invite you and your guests here to discuss smithery. Let me meet our guests.”
Tubal-Cain stepped to the side. “Please, introduce yourselves.”
Zain and Noah bowed slightly as Tubal-Cain had suggested. “Greetings, sir. Thank you for meeting with us. My name is Zain. I’m a merchant, and this is my friend, Noah.”
“Zain and Noah, allow me to welcome you to the great city of Havil, the jewel of the sea. I am King Lamech.”
Noah raised an eyebrow when the king mentioned his name. He realized that he should avoid drawing attention to himself so he tried to put on a straight face, but he was not fast enough.
“Did I say something you didn’t like?” the king asked.
Noah felt all the eyes in the room turn on him. He shook his head. “No sir.” His voice came out weakly, so he cleared his throat. “It’s just that I had not heard your name until now, so I was surprised to learn that you have such a fine name — the same as my father’s.”
A small grin crept across the king’s face. “Well, then I must agree. Your father has an excellent name.” He nodded to the woman on his right. “This is my wife, Zillah.” He gestured to the other woman. “This is my other wife, Adah.”
Noah wanted to react but remained expressionless. He was a guest here and did not believe it was his place to tell the king that the Creator had established marriage at the beginning as a union between a man and a woman. If the king flagrantly violated such a basic part of God’s created order, what else might he be willing to do?
He pulled himself forward and sat up straight. “Are you a merchant as well?”
“No sir, but I do work with them regularly. I am a shipbuilder.”
“Are you?” The king raised his head and smiled. “Then I have found my man. Did you build the boat that you came in on?”
Noah nodded. “I was part of the crew that did.”
The king pointed up and to his left. “I have only seen it from the roof. It’s too far away to for me to really know much about it, but I’ve heard reports. Is it true that you crossed the sea in the ship with five people?”
“We didn’t really cross the sea.” Noah drew a semi-circle in the air with his finger. “We had to stay pretty close to the shore.”
“Why? If it floats, which it clearly does, why can’t you go straight across?”
Noah nodded. “We could’ve done that if the water remained calm the whole time. But the joints aren’t strong enough to survive in stormy seas. The boats are really made for running the river. That’s the reason we made the trip to your city.”
The king tilted his head slightly to the side. “What do you mean? Havil only has a few tiny boats. How can we help?”
“We heard that you had figured out how to use a metal much stronger than copper, and that it might be useful for making stronger joints. We decided to find out if the rumors were true.” Noah glanced at Tubal-Cain. “That’s how we met your son.”
The king stroked his chin slowly as he eyed Noah and then Zain. “Son, you have spent time with these men. What is your impression of them?”
“I haven’t known them for long, but I believe they are honest.”
“Indeed.” The king pointed at Noah. “How can I purchase a boat like the one you brought here?”
“Well, you could order one and we would build it in our shipyard. Or —” Noah looked at Zain who nodded in return. “You could send an ironworker with us to teach us how to use iron.”
“A boat in exchange for a blacksmith?” The king pursed his lips and seemed to consider the offer.
Tubal-Cain glanced at Noah and his eyes brightened. “Father.” He stepped forward. “I’d like to volunteer to travel with these men and teach them.”
The king raised an eyebrow. “Who would supervise the smiths here?”
Tubal-Cain stood tall, exuding confidence. “Demek could do it. He’s ready.”
“And why would you want to go?”
“As you know, Father, I’ve never really traveled anywhere before, except for the mines and the nearby towns. I would like to see some more of this world.” Tubal-Cain scratched the sizable muscle on his upper right arm. “Perhaps I could find other metals while there.”
“Perhaps.” The king turned to Noah. “How long would it take you to build me a ship like the one you have?”
Noah looked up as he counted on his fingers. “It takes about five whole moons to build the boat, plus up to one whole moon of travel each way.”
“Seven total?”
“Eight, sir. There is another I must add to the total. I am getting married soon after we return.”
The king grinned. “Congratulations, young Noah.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He extended an arm toward each wife and let out a short laugh. “As you can see, I like marriage. So in exchange for my son’s services, you would deliver a boat like yours to these shores in eight whole moons?”
Noah glanced at each of the man’s wives; neither seemed to find his joke funny. “Yes.”
The king leaned back and looked at Tubal-Cain’s mother. “Zillah, how many whole moons until the festival?”
The woman hesitated before speaking, apparently searching for the answer. “Just shy of eight.”
The king pointed at Noah. “If you can guarantee delivery of my own ship like yours before the festival, then my son can go with you.”
Tubal-Cain clasped his hands together. “Thank you, Father.” He looked at Noah. “Will you have room for me and all my gear?”
“How much do you have?” Noah asked.
“Well, besides some personal items, I’ll need to bring a load of iron pellets and a f
ull complement of tools.”
Noah shrugged. “We should have enough space.”
“Great,” Lamech said. “Return in time for the festival, and you will be our honored guests.”
“That sounds like quite an honor, sir,” Zain said. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” The king stood abruptly, allowing his decorative robe to fall onto his throne. He motioned toward a large open door on the side of the room opposite of where they entered. “Instead of spending all evening in here, I’d like for you to join us for evenfeast.” The two guards and Lamech’s wives followed the king down the stairs. He approached Noah and warmly clapped him on the shoulder. “Come.”
Noah walked with the king. The man was a little shorter, but his broad shoulders, barrel chest, and thick arms made him quite intimidating.
“You never said where you were from,” Lamech said.
Noah grinned. “That’s because the king never asked. We are from a small city on the other side of the sea.”
“I gathered as much. What’s the name of your city? I wonder if I’ve been there.”
“You’ve been on the other side of the sea?” Noah asked.
“Of course. I was born in the city of Enoch.”
They walked into another spacious room. A long dining table stretched across the middle of the floor. Ten chairs lined each side, although only about half of the places were set with silver dishes and golden drinking vessels. Ornamental oil lamps hung above the table. A large purple curtain draped from the ceiling to the floor above a low platform in the middle of the far wall. As Noah marveled at the richness of the room, Lamech continued.
“My father was heir to the throne of the Nodite Empire, but his younger brother wanted the throne, so he framed my father for murder.” The king stifled a cough. “We were exiled and decided to move far away from Nod. Sadly, my father became very sick and died along the way.”
“I’m sorry,” Noah said.
Lamech held up a hand as if to tell him it was in the past. “I moved to Havil and soon became involved with the town council. The city grew rapidly so we had to keep building. The council must have seen something in me. About five years ago, they decided to make me the sole ruler. It’s hard to believe how much Havil has changed since we arrived. It’s now the greatest city of the South.”
“From what I’ve seen, it’s a magnificent city.”
The king gave him a sly smile. “Just wait until you see what else we have to offer.”
A guard ushered Noah to a chair on the near side of the table. “Remain standing until the king is seated.”
Noah watched as the king stood behind his chair on the far left until his wives reached their respective spots on either side of him. Lamech motioned for the women to sit, and then he followed suit. Noah sat to Tubal-Cain’s right, and an empty spot remained to Tubal-Cain’s left, between him and his mother, Zillah. A guard directed Zain to a chair across from Noah, with two open spaces between him and the king’s other wife.
Lamech cleared his throat. “Noah and Zain, we would like to thank you for joining us for evenfeast. But before the meal is served, we have prepared a little entertainment.”
A guard entered the room behind Noah. He hurried to the king’s side and whispered something.
Lamech nodded. “Bring him in.”
A second guard led Ashur into the room and directed him to sit near Zain.
Ashur, wearing a new outfit, bowed to the king before taking his seat. “Thank you for allowing me to join you for evenfeast, sir.”
“We want to thank you for visiting our city. It’s the least we can do as your hosts. I understand that you are a merchant as well.”
“Yes, sir. I run an eatery and inn back home.”
“And what did you think of Havil?”
“Marvelous. Spectacular.” Ashur shook his head. “I don’t know if I can find the right words.”
Lamech chuckled. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I understand your companion was not with you when my guards located you.”
“Yes, that’s right.” Ashur gave him a half smile. “He left to take a load of supplies back to our boat. His loss. I’m sure he would’ve loved to be here.”
“Well, maybe next time. Now for some entertainment.” As the wife to his left turned around in her chair, the king turned and gave two loud claps.
Young twin boys dressed in elegant gold-trimmed robes stepped out from behind the curtain. The first carried a thin wooden rod, and strapped to the front of the other boy was a wide wooden tube with some sort of animal skin stretched across its top. They took their places along the wall on the edge of the platform.
Tubal-Cain leaned close to Noah. “My little brothers.”
With his hands, the second boy beat rhythmically on his instrument. After a few moments of steady pounding, the other lad put one end of the wooden rod in his mouth and covered some of the holes in the top of the instrument with his fingers. As he blew into the rod’s end, a high-pitched but soothing sound echoed through the room. The twins continued to play in perfect harmony. Noah had never heard such pleasant music, and it was even more impressive to hear it from children who could not have been more than six years old. Eventually, their tune ended and everyone at the table clapped.
The king extended an arm toward the boys. “My sons. Outstanding as always.”
The boys nodded in acknowledgment and then started into a new and much faster song. The curtains parted slightly and four women moved through the opening, their dancing seamlessly synchronized with the music. Wearing different colored veils and dressed in fine matching silk gowns that revealed more than Noah believed to be appropriate, the women moved in ways that exuded sensuality. From left to right, they donned red, yellow, blue, and purple, respectively.
Not wanting to appear rude, Noah tried to make it seem as if he were paying attention. He looked past the women at nothing in particular.
Just then the music became softer, and a powerful and captivating voice rang out from behind the curtains, which slowly parted farther as the singer came forward. She moved effortlessly to the center of the platform, almost as if she were walking on air. Her soft brown skin complemented her light green silken gown and veil, which, like the outfits of the dancers, revealed too much of her flawless figure. Everything about this young woman seemed perfect. Incredibly, the loveliness of her voice surpassed her arresting beauty.
Temporarily lost in the enchantment of the moment, Noah became conscious of the fact that he had seen her outfit before. Naamah. He blinked when he realized he was gaping at her. Closing his mouth, Noah looked away and quickly checked to see if anyone else had seen his reaction, but they were entranced too. He chanced another glimpse at Naamah, and her eyes met his. With considerable effort, he broke contact and willed himself to focus on the twin musicians instead. He smiled as he watched the young maestros, wondering how the boys could be so skilled at their age.
The song eventually came to an end, and Noah joined in the applause. The twins set their instruments down and sat between their mother and Zain. Two of the dancers moved around the table and sat to Noah’s right, while the other two sat next to Ashur, who enthusiastically greeted them. Naamah strutted behind her father and sat between her mother and Tubal-Cain.
Servers quickly moved in and placed a variety of food in front of each person. Lamech’s large plate included an array of fruits, and two fish. Noah shifted his eyes to his own plate, trying to hide his confusion and disgust at the meat before the king. Eating animals? Does he follow any of the Creator’s ways? Relief swept over him as he realized the plate set before him contained only an assortment of spiced grains and colorful fruits and vegetables, some of which he recognized only from the marketplace that afternoon.
Lamech introduced the twins, Jubal and Jabal, to their guests. “And this beautiful young woman is my daughter, Naamah.”
Naamah smiled congenially at Zain and Ashur as they acknowledged her. She turned to Noah, and her eyes gli
stened as she flashed a smile. “It’s wonderful to see you again, Noah.”
“Likewise,” Noah said. “You’re a fantastic singer.”
“You’ve already met?” the king asked.
Naamah bit her lower lip and nodded rapidly. “Yes, Father. I went to Tu’s room earlier, but I found Noah there instead. He told me that they came from across the sea.”
“We’ve already heard much about it,” Zillah said.
Tubal-Cain placed his hand on Naamah’s shoulder. “Amah, you’ll never guess what lies in my future.”
She coughed. Noah thought he saw her shoot a glance at her father before focusing again on Tubal-Cain. “Hmm?”
“I’m going back with them to teach them how to use iron.”
Her eyes shot wide open. “What?” She leaned forward and looked past him at Noah. “Then you’re taking me too.”
Tubal-Cain laughed. “Why would you want to go?”
“Because I’ve never traveled anywhere before.”
“But I need you here,” Lamech said. Noah turned away as the king shoved rectangular flakes of fish into his mouth. It looks like woodchips.
“For what, Father?”
“To plan the annual festival.”
Naamah held her palms up. “But that’s not for another seven whole moons. How long is he going to be gone?”
“They agreed to bring me a boat like theirs before the festival,” Lamech said.
“It’s not fair.” Naamah crossed her arms and pouted.
Noah quietly let out a sigh of relief, then he wondered at himself and frowned. Naamah had done nothing to deserve his disapproval. Maybe it’s the Sepha pendant. He looked across the table to see Ashur enjoying a lively discussion with the dancers.
“Can’t someone else do the planning this year?” Naamah asked.
“You’ll be 35 years old,” the king said. “It’ll be your first one as an adult, and you’ll have so much to do. The whole city will be watching for you.”
An adult at 35? Noah rubbed his forehead. So many differences here.
She leaned toward her father. “What if I came back early?”