Glorious Companions

by Summer Lee

  Rachael ran outside to watch the masses making their way anxiously up the winding road toward the hidden cave. Villagers and desperate travelers streamed in throughout the day. She heard the squeaking of the metal hinges pulling on the stout wood each time the gate would swing open and shut again.

  There were several high-ranking soldiers by the front gate, ensuring that the people kept moving forward into the shelter. Rachael groaned. She had no doubt that this massive exodus had something to do with the diversion planned by the king. He was positioning his soldiers for an attack in both the front and back of the Nephilim village. Residents of Alalakh could be in danger.

  Once the people were all in, the massive gate into the shelter was closed.

  Thinking she was well-hidden, Rachael was startled when she heard Joel come behind her and say, “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

  “Nor I,” Rachael said. She turned, with a mischievous grin on her face and said, “Want to go see what is happening between the Goels and Nephilim?”

  Joel’s eyes lit up. “Sure. But not too close.”

  Rachael led the way as the two young teens slipped up the path to get a quick look of the opponents. A general, dressed in red, stood before the ranks of Nephilim, shouting muffled orders that were lost on the howling wind. The giants all held curved swords, their blades impossibly long, glinting in the sun.

  On the other side of the hill, an army was getting orders from Tyro.

  “Interesting, huh?” Rachael said to Joel from their hiding place.

  “Yes. Look, there is your father. King Asher seems so calm through all of this,” said Joel. “How can that be?”

  Rachael said, “His confidence is in God. He’s not disturbed, because he focuses on getting the attention of God, not people. If you will just pause and think about how much God loves you, you can get God’s attention, as well.”

  “You’re joking.” Joel paused and blinked his eyes.

  At that moment the branches in the trees began to shake and crackle. There were vibrations in the nearby trees. A drumbeat and music of soft stringed instruments filled the air.

  “What’s that sound?” asked Joel, perking up his ears. “Is it the Nephilim?”

  “No. It sounds like marching angels to me,” Rachael said.

  “Can you feel the vibrations?” asked Joel, looking around.

  “Yes. I have felt that before when God sends angels to fight.”

  The strong wind somehow grew stronger still; perhaps it was supernatural in origin. Rachael was positive the wind was heralding the arrival of angels. Her face beamed as she smiled from ear to ear. She folded her hands in thanksgiving. “Thank you, Lord.”

  Things became quiet again, or quieter, and nothing else seemed to happen. “I guess that is all the sign we will get,” she said.

  “I’m spooked,” said Joel. “Why is it so quiet?”

  “They are still here. Just calm down. It is going to be all right.” Rachael studied the treetops. Her eyes roamed the hills. She guessed the angels were there. Just invisible.

  Momentarily, Joel looked like a wild animal. He was scared and looked as if he would run at any moment. So, she told him about King Asher being a Goel, one who does the works of God. Joel started to relax as Rachael spoke.

  She said, “My father is a holy man who gets his prayers answered. I believe that God will empower the soldiers.” The air was barely stirring now.

  “What is going on with the weather?”

  “Nothing,” Rachael said. “Don’t worry. The weather is unpredictable.” She prayed that God would send Aurora, but no angel appeared on the scene.

  “I don’t know what to do now,” she said.

  “I do,” said Joel. “Let’s run before the giants come.”

  Chapter Twenty-one

  TYRO

  Tall and Leah were waiting for Tyro by the front gate.

  Tall said, “My daughter suffers from demonic attacks. You are the only one I know who can help her.”

  “Leah is my heart. What can I do?”

  “Will you take Leah with you?”

  He then turned to her and asked, “Is that what you want, Leah?”

  “Indeed, it is. I would rather be with you than anyone.”

  Tall spoke up. “No one is attacked here, but Leah. We need her to be with you.”

  “How will that help?”

  “Tyro,” said Tall. “Take Leah with you, please. I’m going soon myself. I’ve hired a midwife to care for Sarah. And I don’t want Leah’s demons around here with the baby coming.”

  “Of course, I’ll take her with me. But I will be riding hard and fast.”

  “I would like to go with you anyhow,” said Leah.

  Tall said, “There’s something wrong in Leah’s life. She fears having an experience like your mother had when she was young.”

  “I told Tyro about that already.”

  “Very well, darling. I’ll take you with me. No fallen angel will get near you. I will find a way to drive the spirits off.”

  “Do it now,” she said.

  Tyro closed his eyes and called out, “Leah is a child of the living God. I command all demonic spirits go away in the name of Almighty God.”

  “Is that all?” she questioned.

  “It is all that I know to say.”

  Without hesitation, Tyro took Leah home with him. They each rode their own horse. The dry hillside was scorched by a bright sun overhead. When they rode into Babylon, it was day. A bed was waiting for Tyro, but not an extra one for Leah. Tyro offered Leah the comfortable bed. She suggested they could sleep back-to-back.

  Light from the sunset blazed through the window, creating a reflection on her red hair. Tyro wanted to hold her, and he longed to kiss her and caress her. He wasn’t sure if he could maintain control. She was such a temptation! “No, I will sleep on the floor. You sleep on the bed. El must be obeyed.”

  She nodded.

  They were up early and back on the trail.

  Roiling gray clouds stretched to the horizon, and the temperature dropped by the moment. Leah was scared again. Tyro insisted that Leah would not be harmed. He did not want her to be upset. “Our strength comes from the Lord,” he thundered over the beat of the horses’ hooves. “Believe.”

  Arriving in Alalakh in late afternoon, the two entered the palace courtyard on tired horses. “You will be safe here with my mother,” said Tyro. “You do understand that I need to go and fight the evil adversaries without you near?”

  “I know.”

  “I do not want your tender eyes to see me slay the enemy.”

  She looked away, and Tyro saw the deep emotions she felt for him. “I will pray for your safe return.”

  Tyro moved his horse beside hers, leaned over, and kissed her. “Thank you.”

  “So, Tyro, how are things?” came a ridiculing voice from the side of the palace.

  Tyro spun around and saw Rachael watching them with a look of amusement on her face.

  “Nice kiss,” she said, teasingly.

  “You just wait, young lady, I’ll get you back for spying on us,” Tyro said, wagging his finger.

  On a more serious note, Rachael informed him, “The opponent army is here, Tyro. I’ve seen them near the trees in the south pasture.”

  “You are not allowed over there.”

  “They didn’t hurt me. You can be glad I was there. Now you know how to find them.”

  “I already know where they are camped, little girl. Get in the house before they find you. They may have spies watching you as we speak,” said Tyro. “Leah, go with her now, please. You may not be safe outside.”

  “All right.” Leah dismounted and followed Rachael into the palace.

  “I’ll be back as soon as I am able,” he said. Tyro grabbed the reins of the horse that Leah was on, and quickly guided it into the stable with his and put them both in stalls. “Give these horses hay and water,” he told the stable boy. “Rub them clean.”

/>   “Yes, Prince Tyro.”

  Tyro needed to take a good look at the place. He walked out behind the shed and through the garden and looked around. He then walked quietly down the path to where the struggling fields began.

  The giants had organized men who were full of hate. They were now preparing for an attack on Alalakh for certain. He could hear them, smell them, and feel them in the trees. A cluster of them were hiding. Others stretched down the hillside. The rest camped between a barrier and thick brush. It was obviously a trap designed by King Asher. They fell for it.

  Tyro had enlisted warriors from several small towns that were camped on the other side in the old soldiers’ quarters. The rest would arrive tonight.

  “Dear God, what do we do now?” Tyro asked quietly in prayer, hoping the wind would carry the prayer to Heaven. He heard his voice vibrate through the atmosphere in a haunting way. There was no audible answer, but Tyro knew what to do in his heart. It was the voice of God speaking inside him. He went into the palace and found the women all in one place. “Where is Father?” he asked. “I need to talk to him.”

  “I think he’s out with the warriors at the old fort,” said Kenana.

  “I was just looking around. The opposition is ready to march on the palace anytime. You women need to be prepared for self-defense. Better yet, I need you women to stay inside and stay hidden. If things get ugly, go to the shelter.”

  “We’ll be careful,” said Kenana.

  “Where will you be?” asked Leah.

  “I’m going to be on the front line in the battle.”

  “We’ll pray for you.”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  KENANA AND RACHAEL

  Morning came.

  Leah had slept in Rachael’s room. They chatted while they brushed their hair. “Guess what my mother is going to have?” asked Leah.

  “What?”

  “A baby.”

  “No! At her age?”

  “Yes.”

  “That is so exciting,” said Rachael.

  “I have to tell your mother.”

  “No, let me tell her.”

  The girls giggled as they raced to see who could dress the fastest and then race downstairs. They both went down to the royal hall as fast as they could.

  They found Kenana relaxing with a cup of herbal tea.

  “I have a surprise for you,” Rachael said to her mother.

  “Let me guess,” said Kenana. “You are making something to eat?”

  Rachael laughed. “No, silly. For me to make the morning meal would be a disaster, not a surprise.”

  “So, what is this surprise?”

  Leah said, “Someone you know is going to have a baby.”

  “Let me tell her,” said Rachael.

  Kenana laughed, eyes sparkling. “I think if Leah has something to say, you should let her, Rachael. She is our guest.”

  “My mother is going to have another baby.”

  “After all of these years!” Kenana said joyfully. “Sarah is going to have another baby.”

  “Yes,” said Rachael and Leah in unison.

  Rachael covered her mouth to keep from giving sound to her joy all over the palace. “This is going to be so much fun,” she nearly shrieked.

  Kenana’s hands flew together across her breast. “I’m so happy for Sarah. I wish her the best.”

  “We all do. It will be fun.” Leah turned and said, “Father may come and help the king fight.”

  For the rest of the afternoon, Rachael and Leah made plans for how they would dress the future baby and Rachael got out the despised knitting needles and taught Leah how to knit. Perhaps knitting was not punishment after all.

  Kenana fell silent. Her mind went back to when Sarah had served her as a maid, and then she had set her free. Kenana had been so happy for Tall and Sarah when they had married.

  Years after Asher had brought Kenana back to Alalakh, the two couples had maintained a great friendship. But Kenana no longer found excitement in Asher’s presence.

  Whenever the two couples were together, Tall hinted at similar complaints about Sarah.

  In sharing these innermost thoughts with each other, something began to develop between Kenana and Tall.

  She grew excited at the thought that Tall was coming to the palace.

  *

  Later in the day, Kenana felt something was wrong. Was she just nervous because she would soon see Tall?

  No, that was not it. While the men were preparing for battle, Kenana sat in the palace worrying about her children. She wanted El to keep them safe from the evil one. She thought about the other day when that magistrate, Samuel, had come to the palace to question Joel. Could he be guilty of murder? Kenana needed to know. She went to the great room where she found Rachael and Ava playing “hounds and jackals,” a board game.

  “Rachael, tell me what you know about Joel.”

  “I really don’t see him much, Mother,” said Rachael, looking up from the game board. “He is a fine young man.”

  “You are positive?”

  Ava cleared her throat. “I think you can trust your daughter,” she said. “She is not like you.”

  “What does that mean?” Kenana snapped at the older lady.

  “Did no one talk to you about the risk of loving a fallen angel when you were in your teens?” admonished Ava.

  “No, but I wish someone would have.”

  “It is going to be fine, Mother.” Rachael spoke with compassion. “I am very careful with discernment these days.”

  “It is just that evil spirits are subtle. My love for the fallen angel came to me slowly. A wedding dance, a trip to Egypt, and the fear of Nephilim, those things drew me to Malluch’s splendor. But he sinned against me by forcing me against my will.” Kenana blinked back the tears. “He will one day be judged for what he did.”

  “Is that what you fear for your daughter?” asked Ava.

  “I don’t want the bad things in my life to have anything to do with my daughter.”

  Rage showed in Kenana’s eyes. At the moment, she was too angry to speak.

  “Don’t expect the worst. Just trust your daughter. That is all I am saying,” said Ava. “She’s a good girl. Just lonely.”

  “That is easy for you to say. My son is part angel. He has supernatural abilities.” Kenana frowned. “I don’t know what he’s doing half the time.”

  “Joel is not supernatural,” said Rachael, showing sarcasm. “His enemies are our enemies, too.”

  Kenana snapped back, “It could be harmful for you to be in his company. Samuel may just as well have accused him of murder.”

  Rachael spoke from her heart. “I believe that old woman, Lady Rita, had many enemies. Any one of them could have killed her. Why do you accuse Joel?”

  Kenana tightened her lips. “The only reason I don’t think he did it was that his mother vouched for him.”

  Rachael said nothing. She heard the distant sounds of war outside, and wanted to go watch. She was learning to live with the idea that Joel was just a servant and could not be a close friend.

  “Excuse me, but I need to rest,” Rachael said.

  Ava replied, “We’ll continue the game later?”

  “Yes, leave the pieces where they are.”

  “Very well,” Ava said and gave Kenana a sharp look.

  Rachael went upstairs to her bed and laid there face down, so that her mother could not see her face when she thought about Joel and ached for the injustice of his situation.

  *

  It was too hot to rest in the upper rooms.

  Still angry at her mother for mistrusting Joel and causing gossip about him, Rachael looked out her bedchamber window to the nearby hills and saw their soldiers gathering.

  There were a few friendly faces among the Goel. The sound of the wind in the trees was friendly. Music filled the air. There was music coming from somewhere up above the hills. Beautiful voices were singing praises to God, the euphony echoing through the hills. She g
uessed that it was angels singing a victory song, victory in advance. The angels sang over Asher, because he was a friend of God. He was a servant of God that was a strong Goel. Her father was her hero now.

  She saw King Asher walking up the path alone. He was singing as well. “I love you, Father,” Rachael called out, blowing him a kiss. He tilted his head in her direction and blew a kiss back. Asher raised his hand into the air and waved, smiling from ear to ear. She waved to him and then ran down the stairs and outside.

  He put his arm around her shoulder. “How do you fare, my daughter?”

  “I am well.” Rachael turned and looked into his face. He was dressed in a dark-blue tunic and coat. He was long-legged and trim. She thought she saw a few gray hairs in the temples of his dark hair. To Rachael, he was the most handsome man in the world. She adored her father. “Are you ready to defeat the enemy? Do you have enough weapons?”

  “I am ready.”

  Chapter Twenty-three

  KENANA

  Kenana was looking out the window when she saw Tall coming up the walkway. She was surprised that he had come so soon.

  “Leah, your father is here.” She walked over and opened the door.

  “I know. King Asher is expecting him,” said Leah.

  “Really? Did he send for him?”

  “In a way,” Leah said, looking out the window. “Tyro said the king asked him to come.”

  Kenana felt at peace knowing Tall had come to help. She ran to the front gate to greet him. Clasping his hands, she said, “Thank you for coming. You will be a great asset.”

  Leah was right behind her. She threw her arms around Tall’s neck. “Oh, Father. Are you well? Was Mother all right when you left?”

  “I am fine, and your mother is in good hands. She would have lost the baby if she had come with us.” Tall looked forlorn.

  Leah said, “I agree. I do think that the terrain out there is too rough for a woman who is with child.”

  “You did right by letting her rest. An unborn infant needs protection.” Kenana smiled and asked, “How is she faring?”

  “She is doing quite well.” He dropped his eyes. “She just worries about the coming war.”