“Oh, Jada. You’re wonderful. Did she place my message into David’s dreams?”
“She will, in the right time.” Soft laughter cascaded from her lips. “So, are we going or not?”
“Oh yes.” I puffed my chest and kicked the mule. “David, your wife is coming.”
Chapter 11
Job 6:20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.
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I dragged the mule and followed Jada through tall grass. We passed a row of towering trees and stopped in front of a broken wall. A tumble-down house appeared, covered with green vines and grey thorns. The roofless courtyard was overgrown with weeds and brambles, and birds perched in the rafters.
I stepped over the threshold, or what was left of it. Part of the roof overhung a set of pillars, the door long gone. Blackened walls stood as sentinels toward the back.
I tied the mule to a tree. “This place has been burnt.”
“Yes, but it’ll do. We have at least a part of a roof over our heads.” Jada took snares and nets from her bags and placed them in the corner near the doorframe. “There’s a stream nearby where we can draw water and catch fish.”
Shards of pottery lay embedded in the hard packed soil. The stone floor smelled sour and dusty. I picked my way to the blackened wall. “Oh look, the fire-pits and fire stones are still here, and there’s a brick oven.”
“Then we have all we need,” she said. “Let’s gather thatch to repair the roof.”
I stepped over the rubble and wiped aside cobwebs. A cold breeze blew the pungent odor of rotten figs through the window opening. I jumped at a skittering sound in a pile of dried leaves.
“How do we find David?” I asked.
Jada squeezed my shoulders reassuringly. “Tomorrow I will go to the village of Sorek and put out my bowls near the well. News will come, sooner or later.”
We walked to the river bank and gathered thatch and reeds. Wordlessly, we tidied up the house, ate some of our provisions, and settled for the night. Jada spread a few blankets on a mat of rushes and beckoned me to lie at her side.
I expelled a deep breath, exhausted. “Do you think David dreams about me?”
“I’m sure he does. Do you dream about him?”
“Yes, although lately, it has begun to fade. He’s been gone three years. I wonder what he looks like and whether he still remembers me.”
Jada raised her hands, fingers intertwined, and stretched. “You have to work on keeping his face in your mind. Pick a particular event and think of it over and over again. His touch, do you remember? How about his scent? And his kisses, the tang of his breath, the prickle of his beard.”
“We used to play the harp and sing together,” I said. “He stood like a prince at our wedding. Then there was his anguished face at window, just before he dropped to the ground.”
“Not to worry,” she said. “When you’re in his arms, it’ll come back as if you had always been together.”
“But what about his other two wives? Wouldn’t he think of them more?”
Jada turned to her side and stared at me, her blue-green eyes flared larger. “Each woman is different, like a carved musical instrument. No two are alike, in tone color, response, voice or timbre. Isn’t that the same for you? You’d never confuse Phalti and David, would you?”
My face burned and I coughed. “Ah. No, but I never. I mean. No.”
She tickled my cheek. “Why all the sputtering? Phalti is as much your husband as David. And I’ve seen you taking long walks with him in the evening and sitting with your heads together at the well in the moonlight.”
“I, ah, wasn’t kissing him. We only… talked.” A bead of sweat trickled down my face despite the cool night.
“Darling, you needn’t be ashamed. Phalti is Asherah’s gift. The young man adores you.”
“But it would be wrong. I took a vow with David. What if he thinks I’ve been unfaithful?”
Jada flicked a twig out of my hair. “Pshaw, you Hebrews, so uptight. Let him think. It’ll make him even hotter.”
“I just want David to love me.” My voice sounded pitiful even to myself.
“Are you saying he doesn’t? Let me ask you, what do you love about him?”
I squirmed and turned my back to her, closing my eyes. “I’m nothing without him. God anointed him, a man after His own heart, and I’m fortunate to be his wife.”
She smoothed my hair. “One thing I’ve learned. Never spurn Asherah’s gift when it’s right in front of you.”
* * *
Jada used a blade to cut through the tangled brush. I slapped at the flying insects darting in front of my face. Plant life grew abundantly, and small animals rustled in the bushes. Warblers and thrushes flitted and chirped in the trees above.
We reached the village around mid-morning. I wandered around the vendor stalls while Jada headed to the well. She approached a woman and asked for a drink of water. The woman lowered her pitcher to pour. Jada took out her bowl. “Sister, pour the water here and let me divine your future.”
Soon, a crowd of women gathered. She told their fortunes and collected many silver pieces, chickens, eggs, wine, and bread.
We went back many more days as winter approached. Every woman had heard a rumor, knew someone who’d seen him, told a story about a chance encounter, and whispered dread about imagined curses, but we were no closer to finding him than when we left Gallim.
I had no heart to berate Jada. She taught me her lore of medicine, herbs, and basic skills, how to cook, snare, skin, fish, and plant. And she took me to villages where she went to heal and occasionally deliver a baby. She dressed me as a Philistine, bright reds, woven with gold and blue in spiral and circular patterns.
At night, she taught me Philistine words, told stories, and sang songs. An island amongst a sea of dolphins, priestesses with snakes on long boats, a mountain of fire, the wrath of the gods, and the sojourn awaiting the bull king’s return. She talked of love, of men, and the many ways to snare, to entrap, and to haunt. And she braided and unbraided my hair, and curled it and straightened it, and washed it, and oiled it. And she showed me a mother’s love, and she called me the daughter of her heart.
* * *
“Michal, don’t look back. Someone’s following us.” Jada pushed aside a fig branch.
My palms tingling with sweat, I quickened my pace. Instead of approaching our house, we turned abruptly at the creek, crossed it, and trekked up the hill.
“Hide over there.” She pointed to a rock.
I crouched obediently and clenched my fist in my shawl. “What are you going to do?”
“Find out who the man is and what he wants. I don’t want him to find you. Hurry.”
Jada walked along the creek, skipped up the bank, and stepped into a clearing.
A man stopped at the edge of the forest, hidden in the shadows.
“Stand back, for I am a priestess.” Jada waved her arms like snakes in front of his face.
The man bowed. “I am Ittai, son of King Achish. I mean no harm.”
“What is your business, Prince Ittai?”
“I wish you to see for me, Priestess. I’m looking for a woman.”
Jada laughed, a high-pitched shriek designed to unsettle the man. “You’ve taken a wrong turn. The Sorek Grove is down the river. You can worship fiery redheads from the northlands or sultry nymphs of the Nile, as well as the more affordable local variety.”
“I’m not looking for a grove. I’m looking for a princess, an Israelite.” His smooth voice sent a rush of blood to my ears.
“I know not about whom you speak. Show yourself.” Jada waved sharply.
I held my breath. A young man stepped into the clearing. Tall, muscular, and tanned, his bronze skin shone. Straight, glossy hair, so black it held shades of blue, flowed over his broad shoulders. A Philistine, he wore no beard on his strong, angular jaw. Butterflies took wings in my stomach. What reason could he have for seeking m
e? Did he know where David lived?
“Madame Priestess.” He bowed. “I seek a princess. Her hair flowing streams of curly mahogany, her eyes green like a wooded vale, her skin golden like a lioness.”
“There are many young women who fit your description,” Jada said. “What makes you think I’ve seen her?”
“Honored Priestess, there is a young woman who follows you. She’s the one I’m looking for.”
“And who sent you?”
“Her husband.” He waved a parchment and handed it to her. “You may examine this note. It is written by the hand of the princess.”
My heartbeat accelerated, and I flapped my hands, almost jumping up. David had sent him! He hadn’t forgotten me. A warm swoon like fresh wine bathed my chest. He still loved me.
Jada examined it with a swift turn of her wrist. “I do not read Hebrew.”
“She does, ask her,” the man said.
“I did not tell you I know of her. I will meet you here tomorrow.”
“Madame Priestess.” He handed her a sack of coins. “Bring her to me, and you shall have another one heavier.”
I tipped at the edge of my toes, straining from behind the bushes to see his evidence. Could he be trusted? He spoke well, and I desperately hoped he’d be the one to take me to David.
After Ittai disappeared into the woods, I hurried to Jada, brushing burrs from my robe. She handed the note to me.
“Yes, it is my writing.” I thanked Phalti in my heart while cheerful tingles engulfed my head and shoulders. “I’ll be seeing David soon.”
I hugged Jada and swung her around, dancing. “My husband wants me.”
Laughter bubbled over my throat, and I skipped and hollered down the path. Everything looked brighter and prettier. The house was adorable, the trees were majestic, and the river sparkled. I yelled to the sky, “David, oh, David. Let me ride up on that cloud with you.”
Jada placed a motherly hand around my shoulder. “Let me do your hair and pretty you up for tomorrow.”
That night she sang a familiar song my nurse had used to lull me to sleep. She cradled my head to her breast and sobbed, kissing my forehead and cheeks. I wanted to ask her why she cried, if her heart had been broken, or if she had lost a child. But my eyelids danced with images of David, and when I drifted off, she blessed me by her goddess.
* * *
We woke early the next morning. After I said my prayers, I dressed in my own clothes and put Jada’s clothes back in her bag. Jada eyed me quizzically. “Are you sure you should dress as a Hebrew? Will you be safe?”
I tightened my sash and pinned my robe tightly over my breast. “David would not approve of immodest clothing. Do you think he’ll come for me himself?”
Jada touched my cheekbone, grazing it with her fingertips. “A few days ago, I had a vision and saw a man with long, black hair. The spirit of peace and friendship enveloped the two of you. When I saw Prince Ittai, I knew he was the one. He’ll be good to you.”
Her cheeks dimpled, and she kissed me. “I must go. The prince’s father and I are not exactly friends.”
The thundering of hoof beats alerted me. Ittai jumped off his horse, and his wide mouth broke into a smooth grin. “You are more beautiful than he described.”
He kissed my hand with a flourish. “Let me help with your things.”
Jada motioned Ittai toward the house. “There are still a few bags back there.”
Ittai handed Jada a large bag of coins before following her to the house.
I pulled the note out of my pocket and perused it. David had not written anything on the back of the note. But he must have remembered me and sent Ittai to fetch me. A smile tickled my cheeks as I stuffed the note into my bag.
Jada took my hand. Her eyes pooled. “Dear Michal, may your way be blessed.”
I latched onto her, unable to swallow the lump in my throat and bear the sudden ache in my chest. “Will I see you again?”
A tear trickled down her face, and she made no effort to wipe it. She twisted a strand of my hair behind my ear. “I’ll find you when you least expect. My destiny lies in Israel, in the valley of Jezreel. Look for me if you travel there.”
Ittai helped her on the mule, and she rode away, the glint of her coppery-brown hair vanished into the greenery.
Ittai pointed to the bags he’d tied to his horse. “Princess, you’re carrying a king’s ransom.”
“What do you mean?”
He opened the bag.
My head spun, dazzled by the glitter of gold and jewelry. “This belongs to Jada. We must catch her.”
“She told me it belonged to you. I wouldn’t argue if I were you. Come, let’s get on the horse.” He clasped my hand.
I hesitated, taken back by his deep midnight eyes, the rakish curve of his upper lip, and the heat seeping into my hand from his strong, hard grasp. He lifted me to sit sideways on the horse while he straddled it in one fluid motion and arranged my legs over one of his muscular thighs. Uneasy being nestled so close to a stranger, I leaned as far as I could toward the horse’s neck.
Ittai grabbed the reins and spurred his horse. “Hold on, Princess.”
“I can’t.” I bounced so high, I almost fell. Because I sat sideways, I could not grip the horse with my thighs. It was either this, or hike my skirts to straddle the horse.
“Then let me hold you.” He clasped a strong arm around my waist and slowed to a trot.
I squirmed breathlessly. “Take your hands off me.”
“But you might fall. I’m sorry. He’s a bit hard to control. He’s not used to having a princess ride him.” He laughed and tightened his grip.
I elbowed him. “This is highly improper. I should not even be alone with you.”
“Ah, but your mother seemed quite eager to leave you. She has a price on her head.”
“She’s not my mother, she’s my friend. And what do you mean by a price on her head?”
His eyes bounced like a skittish colt. “It means I get a reward if I capture her.”
He paused and licked his lips. “But I prefer a pretty, young princess to an old sorceress any day. Less trouble.”
“How do you know I’m less trouble?”
“I don’t, but I’d like to find out.”
“Well, my husband isn’t going to be happy if you don’t take me to him safely and in one piece.” I twisted and threw his arms from my waist for breathing room.
He responded by grappling me closer. “Which is exactly what I propose to do.”
He rubbed his face in my hair and inhaled.
I threw my elbow into him harder. “Get your face out of my hair, you naughty boy.”
“You’re calling me a boy?”
“Yes, look at you,” I said. “You don’t even have a beard.”
“Ah, but if you look closely, you’ll see.”
“I don’t want to. Now, unhand me, you ruffian.”
“You mean it?”
“Yes, take your grubby hands off me right now.”
He raised his hands into the air. “Fine by me. But don’t blame me if you fall.” He kicked his horse.
The horse leapt forward. By reflex, I grabbed Ittai’s arms and held on.
“See, Princess? You need me to hold you.” He slowed the horse to a walk and flashed a triumphant grin.
I shot him a you-can’t-be-serious scowl. “You shouldn’t have kicked your horse. Do you know how rude it is? I’ll have you know that I’m a princess.”
He winked and raised a single eyebrow. “And, I’m a prince. So we’re well-matched. Now…” He fingered the chain around my neck. “Let me see that gem, and we’ll be on our way.”
I slapped his hand. “Don’t touch my gem. Don’t even think of taking it, or… or, I’ll curse you.”
He gaped and made a circle with his mouth. “No, no, dear witch, don’t curse me. Anything but a curse.” He fluttered his thick, curly eyelashes and flapped his hands rapidly.
“You. Are. Not. Funny.” I
poked each word onto his chest.
Instead of faltering, the shameless boy moved his gaze to the line between my breasts. “David told me to look for a green emerald—one with brownish flecks that matches your eyes.”
My heart jolted at his mention of David. But Ittai’s greedy eyes angered me. I clapped my hand over my robe and tugged it tighter. “I’m not letting you look at anything.”
He turned his head toward the sky and whistled. “How do I know you’re David’s wife? What if I go to all this trouble to bring you to his tent and it turns out I’ve caught the wrong wildcat?”
“Of course I’m David’s wife,” I wanted to claw his eyes out. “What would I be doing in this god-forsaken forest if I weren’t?”
A gale of laughter blew from his mouth, and he doubled over. “You’re exactly like he said.” His shoulders jiggled so hard I thought they’d fly off.
“And what exactly does he say about me?”
“Oh, that you’re headstrong, impetuous, irresistible, and maybe a little irascible.”
“Did he say that? It doesn’t seem like a particularly flattering thing to say.”
“No, but you’re not nice, so it doesn’t matter.” He winked and blew me a kiss.
I couldn’t let that one pass. I jutted my chin and glared at his impertinent face. “And what else do you know about me?”
Amusement danced in his eyes. “I know what he tells me.” He mocked in a sing-song voice.
“Oh, really. Did he tell you how he feels about me?”
Ittai frowned and rubbed his chin. “That depends.”
“On what?”
“On my interpretation.” He grabbed the back of my neck and kissed me, his lips massaging mine for several heartbeats, pooling guilt between my legs.
Breathless, I pushed back and slapped his face. “What did you do that for?”
He grabbed my hand and rubbed it across his lips. “Honing my interpretation.” He rolled his thumb in my palm. “Yes, he loves you. He definitely loves you.”
I twisted my hand out of his grasp and elbowed him again. “Why should I believe you?”
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