by Daron Fraley
Pekah caught the tail end of a question posed by Tavor about the farms around Ain. Amon started to answer the question, but then stood to get everybody’s attention. The chatter died down, and all eyes fixed on the captain.
“I want to explain something about this meal,” Amon said. “Just one day ago, many things were taken by force from the citizens of this conquered city. But this meal was provided entirely by the donations of families who were returned to their farms in peace. Gideonite soldiers assisted in repairing fences and doors broken during the attack. The families were grateful for the service rendered, and many of them donated chickens, fruit, flour, and other items. Many of these good people shared from very limited supplies, having lost most of their stores in our conflict. And yet they still shared.”
Amon’s eyes misted, and the room stilled. “We thank them. We thank them for their forgiveness, which they have truly manifested by their generosity. Have we ever witnessed such a day as this? I have not. I look forward to many, many more.”
Amon sat down amidst the gentle clapping of approval from the room.
Jasher then stood and thanked all for being present. He also mentioned the miraculous events of the day, and noted that he felt privileged to have had just a small part in bringing The Brothers together once again. “I wish this war had never started,” he said. “There are many things that should have been considered before Gideon marched in aggression. I shoulder much of the blame. Before casting my lot with Manasseh in this matter, I should have personally traveled to Hasor to verify what Rezon had told us about Daniel’s preparations for war. Long-standing prejudice clouded my thoughts. I consider it to be my greatest mistake. I thank Pekah, whose eyes were open to the truth, for opening my own eyes in these matters. I also want to personally beg the forgiveness of my brothers from Daniel and Uzzah for the pain, sorrow, and death inflicted upon them and their families. I pledge myself to my brothers in peace. I will never again cause them this kind of pain.”
The sincere, emotional expressions by Amon and Jasher appeared to touch Jonathan’s heart. His eyes moist, he stood, speaking softly.
“There have been sorrows for Gideon, too. I thank you for your pledge, and pray the Holy One will forgive us all, not only within Gideon, but Daniel, and Uzzah too. We are not without fault in this grave misunderstanding.”
Jasher responded that his wish was the same, to which Amon also added his approval. “Can we invite the priest within our midst to begin our meal with words of thanks?” Jasher inquired.
“Did he mean me or you?” Tavor asked Eli.
“I’m sorry, Tavor,” Jasher answered, overhearing the question. “I didn’t know you were also a priest of the temple. I was referring to Eli. Eli, would you please?”
Eli stood, and with head bowed, prayed tender words of thanks and appreciation for the safety of those present. He implored the Holy One for His guiding hands to assist those who still suffered. Before closing, Eli also asked for a quick resolution of the war still being waged near his own home of Ramathaim.
As Eli took his seat, Pekah noticed Rachel blotting tears from her eyes. Eli reached for her, drawing her close. Jasher again rose from his seat.
“My friends—please eat. Enjoy this wonderful bounty.”
Pekah relished every savory bite of the delicious meal as he chatted occasionally with those around him. Most of the conversations at the table centered on happier days spent with family and friends, but a few times during the meal, messengers who stood by were called up to receive orders from Jasher or Amon, after which they would depart on their errand. Minutes later, others who had been summoned would enter the tent, receive instructions, and then depart again. Among the guests, there was some discussion of plans for the morrow, but only in generalities, with nothing decided.
Near the end of the meal, Pekah listened in as Rachel told Jonathan of her journey from Saron. She was gracious—the references she made to the Gideonites who captured her were matter-of-fact, not spiteful. When she told Jonathan of Asah’s death, she broke down. Jonathan held her close, whispering in her ear until her sobbing stopped.
“I’m very sorry for your family’s loss,” Jasher offered when she had composed herself.
“I am also sorry for your grief,” Amon said. “Please forgive the people of Gideon for this terrible deed.”
“Thank you for your understanding,” Rachel said while blotting tears away. “He meant a lot to me and my family.”
Conversation around the table returned to small talk. As the evening grew late, Eli suggested that arrangements needed to be made for the night, but Amon announced that he had taken care of everything.
“Extra tents have been set up near here. Eli, Tavor, and Jonathan are invited to share a tent. There is also a tent for the lady,” Amon said, with a gesture to Rachel.
“Thank you, Captain,” she said.
Amon straightened and smiled, apparently pleased for his part in making her comfortable.
Jasher rose from his seat, and the rest of them did likewise. As they all stood to leave, the general reminded Pekah that he was still conscripted, and told Amon to find him accommodations with the other soldiers. “However, you may stay with your Danielite friends if you wish.”
“No, sir,” Pekah replied. “I will stay with the other soldiers, as suggested.”
“I have an extra cot in my tent,” Captain Amon offered. “I doubt the barracks in the city have any free sleeping space. We’ve sent all those who do not have a bed here within the walls to an outpost north of Ain.”
“Very well,” Jasher said.
Outside the tent, and standing under a lantern which Amon held aloft, Pekah waved his goodbye to the others. “May you all sleep well.” He then turned and followed Amon into the darkness.
* * *
Jonathan let go of Rachel’s hand, then waved to Pekah as he left with Amon.
Pointing to a barely discernable form in the darkness, the cloud cover preventing the moons from illuminating the plaza, Jasher said, “That tent near the fountain has been prepared for the three of you men. Jonathan, I plan to gather my captains for our journey toward Saron soon after dawn. At first light, would your group join me for a quick meal?”
“Yes, General,” Jonathan replied. “I, too, would like to be on our way as soon as possible. There are many lives at stake in the north. I hope the armies can hold the walls of Ramathaim until we arrive.” He reached for Rachel’s hand and held it tight.
“So do I,” Jasher said. “Jonathan, would you please accompany me to the lady’s quarters?”
“Yes, I will,” Jonathan said, winking at Rachel.
“We’ll see you at our tent,” Eli said as he and Tavor left.
A short distance away from the general’s accommodations, yet apart from all others, stood a tent Jonathan hadn’t noticed before. Light spilled from the open entrance. Two guards were already posted there, and to Jonathan’s surprise, a beautiful Gideonite woman waited at the entrance, her face illuminated by a lantern hanging from the tip of a pole above her. She appeared to be quite young, but she stood tall and confident. When Jasher approached, the woman stepped forward to kiss him on the cheek. Both surprised, Jonathan and Rachel exchanged glances.
“This is my recently wedded wife, Abigail,” Jasher said. “Rather than eating dinner with the soldiers and having to listen to talk of war, she insisted on seeing the beautiful fountains of Ain. She arrived a few hours ago under escort with a message from my mother, who has been ill. Abigail has cared for her while I’ve been away.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Rachel said.
Holding Abigail’s hand, Jasher motioned to the others. “This is Jonathan and his betrothed wife, Rachel. Jonathan is the heir of Daniel, and he came with the soldier I told you about, the one who brought The Thorn.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” Abigail said, her head dipping forward.
“I admire your courage to travel during wartime,” Jonathan said.
/> “Sometimes she does not concern herself with whatever danger may be out there in the world,” Jasher teased.
Abigail poked Jasher in the ribs, making him wince.
Jasher took Abigail’s hand. “Because of the change in conditions here in Ain, I asked her to stay, but we are still at war. Would it be acceptable for Rachel to stay with her as a companion?
“I would sleep much better knowing you were in the company of another woman, rather than by yourself,” Jonathan agreed.
“Yes, that would be fine,” Rachel said. “Thank you very much for your kindness.” She smiled at Abigail.
Eyes bright, Abigail reached to take Rachel by the hands, seemingly delighted to make a new friend.
“Abigail, let’s leave these two alone for a few moments. These dutiful soldiers can be their chaperones,” Jasher teased. The soldiers posted at the tent saluted sharply. The general then offered his arm to his wife as the two of them meandered toward Jasher’s tent.
Jonathan took no more notice of the guards, and reached forward to brush a strand of hair from Rachel’s face. He then pulled her to himself. Rachel’s eyes glistened with joy as he held her, and she shivered in the cool night air.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked.
“I’m just thrilled to be here with you,” Rachel said as she stepped back.
Still holding her hands, he took in the beauty of her soft features under the lantern light. She took in a breath as if she wanted to talk.
“What is it? You seem to have a question.”
“When are you coming to Ramathaim with our letter of marriage? We’ve been betrothed for nearly a year now, and I’m getting anxious to know the date.”
Jonathan grinned at the prospect of finalizing their marriage. “That’s why we are going home, so I can tell Rezon to leave. He’s not invited to the celebration.”
Rachel let out a giggle as Jonathan pulled her close again, twirling her around as he did so. He held her there for a few minutes, warming her, and then bent down to kiss her tenderly on the forehead. Light from the two lesser moons bathed her fair skin.
“Don’t think you’re going to get away with a mere touch on my head, son of Samuel,” Rachel said, teasingly defiant.
He usually kissed her in a more subdued fashion, but now, with both hands, he brought her face to his and kissed her hard on the lips, making her flush. He did it again, just to show how much he enjoyed it. Rachel moved forward, resting her head on his chest. They held each other, Jonathan’s chin nestled against her warm cheek. Over Rachel’s shoulder, he could just make out a woman approaching, a glow-stone in her hand. As she got closer, he could see it was Abigail. He released Rachel with a final kiss.
“I pray you will sleep well this night, my dear lady.”
“And you, my prince.”
Both went away smiling, Rachel into her tent with Abigail, and Jonathan to his.
Chapter 18
Symbols
Kissing my sister again?” Eli asked with a low chuckle when Jonathan entered the tent.
“Guilty.”
“You’re a lucky man,” Tavor said. “I have not kissed the love of my life for more than two weeks.”
“How long have you been married now? Four years, right?” Jonathan asked.
“Almost five.”
“I still remember how hot it was that day. How is your family?”
“The twins have been very . . . busy lately. My Sarah is a wonderful mother, but the two boys really test her strength. I wish I were there to help.”
“I’m sorry you’re not home,” Jonathan said.
“I am too. Eli and I have been scouting about longer than I would have liked, and I worry about her.”
“I understand completely—I would feel the same way.”
Tavor’s gaze fell to the ground. He cleared his throat. “Jonathan, I’m very sorry to hear about your father. Samuel was one of the best men I have ever known.”
Jonathan briefly looked away. “Thank you, Tavor. I think so too.”
Eli’s loud yawn caused the others to do the same. Each man arranged his things by his cot and bedded down quickly. Tavor slid the door closed on the glow-stone lantern closest to him, muting the light in the tent. Jonathan closed the other lantern, but it still spilled faint streams of light onto the floor through its bent door. He reached for a tunic left behind by previous occupants and covered the lantern.
Soon Eli snored like a bear in hibernation. Even after Tavor’s breathing became deep and regular, Jonathan lay thinking about his father. He was troubled by the painful memory of finding Samuel on the floor of the Council Hall.
I am alone.
He had certainly not expected to lose both his parents before he was even married.
Now, neither will see their grandchildren grow up.
A tear rolled down behind his ear. He sighed.
Thank the heavens above Rachel still has her parents. I look forward to seeing them play with our children.
He forced himself to reflect on happier times. He remembered wonderful days full of sunshine, the outdoors, and talking about the simple things of life with his parents. Jonathan had learned so much from both of them as they worked together in the gardens of Hasor.
As he began drifting off to sleep, he could almost smell the beautiful rose bush Samuel had planted in the gardens for Jonathan’s mother, Rachel.
I will do the same for my Rachel. I will plant her a rose bush. It will be a tribute to both my mother and my wife.
Jonathan rolled over and slept.
* * *
Sometime in the middle of the night, near morning, before the sister suns began to paint the horizon in brilliant blue, Jonathan dreamed—a dream that seemed very real to him.
He saw Jasher in a field, standing beside his wife, Abigail. There were many Gideonite, Danielite, and Uzzahite soldiers gathered around, all gazing upon the admired military leader with great sadness. Pekah stood in the group, and Jasher called him out of the crowd. As Pekah approached, Jasher kissed his wife, then took her hand and placed it in Pekah’s hand. Jasher then removed his armor and sword, placed them at Pekah’s feet, waved to those gathered, and walked away, disappearing into the distance. Jonathan then noticed three small children next to Abigail, all of them tugging at her skirts. Pekah continued to stand next to her, and all the soldiers present in the scene took one knee before him. They stretched forth their hands as if to receive what he would have them do.
The dream broke, and Jonathan jerked upright. Darkness still reigned outside the tent, and he could barely discern the heaving chest of Eli or the smaller form of Tavor near the tent wall.
He mused over the dream and wondered at it. It made no sense to him.
Why would he leave his wife and his armor in Pekah’s care?
He reviewed the dream again in his mind, surprised by the vividness of the mental images left behind. He noticed that Jasher had been very deliberate in placing Abigail’s hand in Pekah’s, almost as if he were giving her to him in marriage. And then there were the children . . .
This bothered Jonathan. Apart from a formal divorce—which was quite rare, and usually only in a case where a spouse had been unfaithful—the only way Abigail would be released from her husband’s claim was if Jasher had died. And yet the dream did not necessarily indicate such a thing. Jasher was alive and well when he walked away.
Jonathan lay back down. He tried to close his eyes, hoping for sleep to come again, but it did not. He gave up, and rose to dress for the day. Pulling his boots on as he stumbled toward the exit, he grabbed his gray cloak and his weapons, including the Gideonite breastplate he had obtained the day before, then left his slumbering companions behind.
He stepped out into a morning with scattered signs of a gray storm lingering in the valley. Low clouds threatened moisture, the air cool and somewhat damp. Traces of water from a quiet midnight rain remained on the ground in small pools.
The yawns and grunts of waking
soldiers came from various tents around him. Jonathan could see faint traces of smoke rising from stone chimneys behind the Gideonite encampment. The pungent smell from the fires drifted in ribbons across the great plaza. Not far away, Jonathan could hear the sprays and gurgles of the central fountain of Ain. Turning his head, he could just make out the bulky shapes of three pedestals holding the bowl, and the round basin below where numerous lions guarded the water.
Jonathan pulled his cloak around himself as he shuffled toward the women’s tent. To his surprise, Rachel and Abigail were already awake and sitting outside in chairs, chatting gleefully—their hand gestures exaggerated, and both of them laughing like lifelong friends in the pre-dawn air. Seeing him approach, Rachel ran to greet him with a hug, then led him the rest of the way. Abigail rose from her seat too, and bowed slightly. Seeing the wife of General Jasher brought Jonathan’s dream back to him in a most vivid manner. He wondered again at the meaning of it.
“It gives me pleasure to again meet the heir of Daniel and to know that my new friend Rachel will truly be blessed by your union.”
Jonathan smiled and bowed back to her. “It gives me pleasure to make the acquaintance of the wife of a very brave and wise general of Gideon.”
Abigail thanked Jonathan for his kind words. With a hand on Rachel’s arm, she asked, “Would you both join me in Jasher’s tent? Even though it’s early, I am sure breakfast is ready. I know he wants to leave soon.”
“We would love to,” Rachel eagerly accepted.
Jonathan didn’t mind her speaking for him. He almost chuckled, thinking he had better get used to it.
She moved over to him, looping her arm in his as they followed Jasher’s wife to the officers’ hall.