by Summer Lee
“It will be well cared for,” said Aaron. “How long will you be gone?”
“We don’t know.” Sammael said. “But when we return, we will know each other quite well.”
Clasping her hand, Sammael led Rachael outside and down a narrow backwoods path to a field, talking as he went. “You’ll enjoy it. It is a place where we can be alone.”
She recognized the path she had already taken. “Is it safe?”
“Very safe. It’s my secret garden.”
“I see no garden.”
“It is a fair distance from the palace. Are you up to a small walk through the hills?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I believe so…if it is not too far.”
The moon was full and bright that night, yet Rachael stumbled and started to fall several times. The unseen boulders and sunken holes were so covered with grass that they were deceptive. To keep her from falling, Sammael would catch her every time with a grin on his face. “Are you all right?”
“Certainly.” She did not want to look like a coddled princess.
“You are a strong young lady,” he said as they trudged on.
She was getting out of breath and he didn’t seem to care. Suddenly, Rachael realized that his pressing forward was not necessary.
“What are you doing? Trying to break my leg?”
“No. Just follow me.”
“I can’t do this any longer. Please slow down or else I’m going back home.” She spoke as sternly as she could. “All I wanted to do was talk to you, not conquer the wilderness.”
“My apologies.” He slowed his pace.
“My feet hurt because I am wearing my soft kidskin slippers and every stone hurts the soles of my feet. I can’t do this. You are mad at me, aren’t you? You’re punishing me with this hard walk because you’re angry because I don’t want to lie with you so easily like all those mistresses you have been used to sleeping with.”
He stopped, his face stiff. “Where did you hear that?”
Rachael shrugged her shoulders. “I just heard it.”
“The servants.” He nodded. “They were talking, weren’t they?”
“Yes, of course they were talking. That is the only pleasure slaves have.” She stopped to catch her breath. “Where is this amazing garden?”
“It is hidden in a flora-covered area where no one but me has ever been. It is a garden full of flowers of every sort and color. A stream flows through the heart of it, and the stream is lined with fruit trees.” He was beaming. “Only small animals and birds dwell there with me.”
“No snakes?”
“They wouldn’t dare.” He put his arm around her and gave her a tight hug.
Feeling frustrated and sore from walking, she said, “May I ask you about something?”
“Ask on.”
“Are you able to carry me?”
“Of course.”
“Why haven’t you done it?”
“I thought you would never ask.” At that moment, his countenance changed from ordinary man to a beautiful angel. Sammael radiated in shimmering splendor, as he said, “You don’t have to give the impression of being strong. I love you like you are, a gentle princess.”
“Well, you were cruel to put me through this walk over stones in my thin slippers.”
“I warned you ahead of time that I have two personalities.”
Smacking his bicep, she said, “You promised that you would leave when you felt the darkness of your soul.”
“Do you want me to leave you now?”
“Not here, in the wild hills. A wild animal might eat me. Or a snake might come again.”
He laughed. Throwing her over his shoulder with her bottom in the air and her head hanging over his back, he pushed off with his feet. Up he flew over the treetops. “Feel better?”
“Yes,” she said. “But why didn’t you carry me sooner? Were you just being mean-spirited?”
“I told you that I have a dark side.” He laughed as he floated upward into the sky. “I admit it. I was testing you.”
“That was not very nice of you!” She kicked her feet.
“You’ll learn to read me,” he said as they sailed toward his secret place.
Pounding her small fists on his back, she said, “You are in so much trouble now.”
He popped her on the bottom. “Like I said, you’ll learn.”
Within moments, they were in his garden.
“Here we are, safe and sound.”
Rachael pouted. “I want you to promise to never do that to me again.”
“Do what?”
“Test me to see how far you can go with me. And then…throw me over your shoulder like a sack of root vegetables without any…dignity.”
He laughed. “I can’t make a promise like that.”
“You either promise or there is no wedding.”
“Do not forget to whom you speak,” he warned.
“What do you mean?”
“Whether good or evil, angels do not like threats.”
She nodded somberly. She would not do it again.
Chapter Four
It was dark.
She could hear a waterfall nearby and smell the freshness of it in the air. “Take me over there,” she said. “I’ve never heard water like that before.”
“Certainly.”
She ran ahead of him. While dancing down a winding path in the moonlight, she asked, “Just how long have you been in Babylon?”
“A few months.”
“That explains a few things.”
“Like what?” He clasped her hand and led her close enough to the waterfall so she could feel the spray on her face.
Rachael loved it and said so. “This is so mesmerizing.”
She stepped as close to the edge of the water as she dared. With one foot on land, she stepped on a wet rock in the water and slipped. “Oh-h,” she called out. “I’m going to fall in the water.”
“I’ve got you.” He seized her around the waist and pulled her ashore. They both fell over laughing.
“Thank you for rescuing me.”
“My pleasure.” He used this as an opportunity to kiss her again. The full moon was bright, reflecting on the water. It was all so romantic. Carrying her, he walked to a flat place near the waterfall and positioned her on the smooth dry grass, so he could lie beside her. She realized that he was using this as another opportunity to kiss her, and she liked it.
“You said, ‘that explains a few things.’” Seated on a grassy knoll, he asked, “What did you mean by that?”
“You.” Rachael said, “I don’t really understand how you exist. I thought all angels were either good or evil. I never guessed one could be both.”
“I guess anything is possible,” Sammael leaned back on his elbow and studied her face. “I just am who I am. You will like me, I promise.”
“I like you already. It must be fun to be naughty sometimes when you are the bad angel.”
“Fun may not be the right word.” He looked into the distance as if remembering. “Dangerous may be the better word.”
She studied his face. He seemed to enjoy his life. She had a feeling that she was going to have an amusing time here in the garden alone with him. She closed her eyes momentarily. “I just wish there was no such thing as evil. That’s all.”
“I would like that myself,” he said gently. “It would make for a beautiful world.”
“And death. I wish there was no such thing as death. Wouldn’t the world be so sweet without death?”
Sammael flinched, startled. “Yes,” he said carefully. She could never know that he was the angel of death or it would be the end of her love for him, whether she was bewitched or not.
“Have you seen the whole world?” she asked, yawning and stretching as if she hadn’t just almost stumbled upon his darkest secret.
“The whole world? Not in its entirety. It is very large. And much of it is covered in sea. I like to stay around Mesopotamia or Egypt. There are ot
her places, but I like humanity. There are many places in the world without humans and they are less interesting to me.”
“But you could see the whole world?”
“Yes, I could.”
She could feel his eyes lingering on her bosom as she stretched. She could tell that his thoughts were centered on her body. She put her hands on both sides of his face and looked him in the eyes.
“I need your attention on my face right now. We are talking about the world.” Not my breasts. “Do you think that the earth is beautiful, like your garden?” she asked, bringing him back into the conversation.
He leaned back and sighed. “I think it may be. Someday, we will travel the world over. Just us. I will take you over hills and mountains to see faraway places, like lakes and rivers and oceans. It has to be equally beautiful as this place.”
“I look forward to that, now that I know you can carry me.” She laid her head on his chest and yawned.
“Is it beyond any hope that you will someday wear sensible shoes to walk in the hills?” he asked.
“I am a princess. I wear pretty shoes and I either ride a fine horse or I am carried by my prince-angel. If I do walk, it is in manicured gardens where pitchers of cool water are set out to quench my thirst and young servants bring me sweetened nutmeats or fan me with a palm leaf on hot afternoons while I nap among the flowers in the shade.”
“Oh my!” He chuckled. “Go to sleep, my love.”
She took in one final deep breath. The last thing she remembered was the feel of Sammael rubbing her back.
*
The sun was very bright the next morning. Sammael leaned against a tree. Rachael was so elated that she danced and twirled around.
“Well now, this is the kind of entertainment that I like…my bride dancing for me.”
“You like it?”
“Yes. How did you learn?”
“My mother had a teacher come to the palace to teach me.”
“You are good. Show me your best steps.”
She groaned. “I can do cartwheels.” Rachael, attired in her best linen undergarment, flipped a complete circle, legs flying overhead. As she completed the cartwheel, he snapped her up into his arms. Sammael’s massive frame surrounded her, as his roaming hand analyzed her anatomy. He took in a deep breath and then relaxed. She loved the way he held her. In his arms, she quietly listened to the sounds in the garden.
Birds were singing in the top of the trees. They sounded like a choir as they created soft music to fill the air. There seemed to be many kinds of birds in the choir and they all sang together on key.
A large bird with a deep voice began. A few more joined it. And then they were all singing at once. Once they reached their crescendo, the deeper voice dropped off until all that was left was a small bird with a tiny voice—a single chirp. After a silent pause, the song repeated itself.
The waterfall was rippling. The fragrance of fruit trees filled the air. She could almost taste the flavors of apples and pomegranates as they floated on the moist air. She turned toward the beauty. A refreshing breeze swept in from the west. Rachael lifted her face to the breeze and let her hair fly behind her shoulders. She stood and ran into the wind.
“Happy?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said. “Very happy. This is perfect.”
“Come to me,” he said, breaking a stem off a peppermint plant covered with mint leaves. She sauntered over to him and he pulled her down. He placed the mint in her mouth. “Hold this tight between your teeth. Don’t let me take it from you.”
She gripped her teeth around the stem.
“Close your eyes,” he said.
“They’re closed.” Suddenly, feeling his mouth encircling hers, he was forcing her teeth open with his tongue, as he clasped the mint stem. Engulfed in his kiss, she did not know what happened to the tangy herb. Nor did she care. For certain, the tasty mint sparked a desire in her that was new and exciting. She longed for more of him. She did not want this kiss to end. Her body felt limp, as he once again placed her on the ground. Frightened that she might give herself to him now, she pulled away.
He gripped her body, holding her close. “I want you now.”
“I can’t. I want our wedding night to be spectacular.” She snuggled up under his arm. “I want it to be the best consummation ever, in the history of the world.”
He couldn’t stop laughing, which destroyed his amorous mood. “What do you expect from our consummation? That a choir of angels will break out in song when you give yourself to me? Or do you think that the trees will bow to the ground and speak our names?”
“Now you are being silly.” She laughed. “We’ll have to wait and see how magnificent it is…our coupling.”
“I look forward to it.” Now his eyes wandered from her bosom downward.
“You need to get in the cold river. Your hot angel blood is stirred up.” She was afraid of what it meant to have him study her body so closely.
“I will go in the cold river and swim, but only if you come with me.”
“I don’t have a change of clothes with me. Would you like to take a walk and cool off in the shade?” she asked Sammael.
“Certainly.” Sammael stood and pulled her to her feet. They looked into each other’s eyes and both laughed at the same time.
She clasped his arm, and they strolled toward the trees. “This is marvelous. I’d rather live here than in a stuffy palace.”
“Agreed.” Walking down a path of finely crushed rock, Rachael drank in the amazing scents in the moist air. The vineyards looked as though they had been dressed by expert vine dressers. The figs and dates were hanging in small clusters from trees. All were ripe and ready to eat. The cedar trees acted as a framework to the east, and olive trees in long rows were to the distant north.
Joyfully, Sammael pointed out all the best places in the garden, including an arched stone bridge over the stream. Their conversation was enchanting. They each brought up subjects of interest to talk about. They laughed and played as they became more and better acquainted. “This is how I would have expected the Garden of Adam and Eve to exist, in perfection,” she said, clinging to his arm. “Not just a place, though, but a feeling of peace.”
“Yes,” he agreed.
To the left was a garden of pink roses, with a backdrop of lavender, creating a beautiful and natural thicket. The field of wildflowers was beyond that. A few herbs were tucked along the path. Rachael stepped on a mint leaf, which released a pleasant minty odor. She opened her arms and espoused the freedom. “Let’s stay here forever.”
“I’ve committed to rule and protect the good people of Babylon.” He looked into her eyes. “I must go back and do my duty.”
“Please? For me?”
“We’ll stay for a while longer,” he said with a smile.
A crisp breeze came up. “Build a fire,” she said, “so we won’t be cold tonight.”
Beauty burst forth from the variety of colors in plants and trees. A field of rosemary was to the left. To the right, the herbs were planted in geometric shapes.
“Those herbs over there are for cooking purposes. We will flavor our vegetables with them tonight,” said Sammael.
“Come pick out your dinner.” He guided her on a tour of the vegetable garden. Together, they strolled down a narrow path between rows of onions and leeks.
“See those fruit trees over there by the stream?” He pointed to the trees.
“Yes.”
“Let’s pick some fresh fruit for dinner.”
“I’d love that. The fruit looks ripe enough to simply fall off.” Stepping through the herb garden, they walked to the fruit trees. After Sammael picked a ripe pomegranate, he proceeded to open it and feed its luscious seeds to Rachael. She laughed, and soon they were feeding each other, making a mess. When Sammael fed Rachael, she bit into the seeds, and juice squirted out, running down to her chin again. She squeezed some seeds into her hand and rubbed the juice into his face, jesting. “I’m n
ot going to be a mess all alone.”
Sammael laughed and wiped her face with his cloak. She returned the favor. They ended up falling down onto the soft grass together.
By dusk, Sammael had a fire glowing brightly. Rachael was humming a tune as she sat watching the flames. Sammael came up beside her and tossed the vegetables into the fire. When they were done, he blew on it to cool it and handed her one of the garlic-roasted leeks. “Your meal is served, my love,” he said, placing it in her mouth.
She thanked him for preparing it. They ate in silence as the sunset enveloped the western sky. Pink, yellow, red, orange and white were all displayed on a canvas of blue. She looked in amazement at a field of brilliant flowers that began to glow in the moonlight. “I really love this place. The flowers around here capture the reflection beautifully.”
“I’m glad you like it,” he said, “because I want to bring you here often.”
“I would love that.”
“I’ve enjoyed talking to you today more than I could ever have imagined,” he said. “No one has ever been more pleasant to be with.”
“I, too, feel this about you,” she said with enthusiasm. “I can’t remember when I’ve had such fun.”
“Are you still hungry?”
“Not really.”
“Want an apple?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “So, are we having fresh fruit and water for dessert?”
“Why not?” he replied gently.
Once they cleaned up the mess from their meal, they rested on a bed of soft leaves, and covered themselves with a shawl.
Sammael sighed, took her hand and brought it to his lips.
Rachael was in love.
Chapter Five
Rachael liked Sammael a lot and did not subscribe to the notion that he had to give in to his dark side, and she said so. He merely apologized. “That is who I am,” he said, “but I will work on it.”
Sammael, however, was different than other men, both in appearance and temperament. She liked him and thought about how bad his dark side could be. She could tolerate a mean trick here and there just to be with him. She thought about his display of bad attitude with one of the servants, which she had seen earlier, but she let it go. She knew he had a cruel streak, though, and would have to be aware of it in the future.