They stood for several moments, neither quite sure how they should part. Mara reached for her pitcher, a nervous blush on her face.
"I should probably get back to Michal now. It was wonderful to meet you Tobiah."
Tobiah relinquished the pitcher.
"Yes. I’ve probably already kept you away too long," Tobiah said. "Shalom, Mara. Thank you for your help."
Mara nodded, turned, and started to walk away. Then she stopped, cast a glance over her shoulder, smiled, and waved.
It was difficult not to be entranced by her quiet beauty. Tobiah lingered in the street, watching her, a strange, warm feeling coursing through his body.
He couldn’t go back to Bethlehem now. Not until he had another chance to be with her. He waited until she disappeared before moving reluctantly toward the practice field.
—
Saul’s citadel had large cisterns to sustain the fortress in times of siege. Usually Mara just filled the pitcher there, but she was glad for once Michal had sent her out on another information gathering errand. If not for being sent to the well, she wouldn’t have run into Tobiah.
Meeting Tobiah had been a fortunate in more ways than one. Not only had she been able to meet Tobiah, but it had also given her an excuse to approach a soldier at the barracks. Now she knew where David was. Now she would have actual information to pass on to Michal. Best of all, Michal’s agenda would probably take Mara to the place where she now most wanted to be.
"That was a long trip just to fill a pitcher with water," Michal said in an irritable voice as Mara entered her room.
"I met David’s cousin at the well," Mara carefully replied. "He didn’t know his way around Gibeah so he stopped me to ask for directions."
"It looks like he made you spill half my water in the process," Michal said, staring at wet spot on Mara’s robes. "I hope there’s still enough to fill the washing bowl."
Rather than respond to this, Mara went to the brass basin and filled it with the pitcher’s contents. Michal spent a few moments splashing cool water over her face, neck, and arms and dried herself with a thick towel.
"Well?" Michal said. "What did you find out? Will David be out with his soldiers today?"
"He’s at the practice field now. Apparently he wanted to get an early start on things."
"What? There now?"
"Yes. That’s what the guard on duty at the barracks told me."
"This is a disaster!" Michal wailed. "I can’t believe this is happening to me!"
"A disaster?" Mara stared, not attempting to mask her confusion. "I thought you wanted David to go to the practice field."
"Yes. But not this early! I’m not even close to being ready! My hair isn’t done. I have to choose the right set of robes. And what if he leaves before I even get there?"
Mara took Michal’s hand, led her to her dressing stool, and made her sit on it. She’d been through many of Michal’s emotional crises. Somehow it didn’t surprise her this would cause one, too.
"We’ll fix your hair," she said. "I’ll fix it any way you’d like. Then we’ll pick out some suitable and go to the field together. It’s David’s first day with his soldiers. I’m sure things will go more slowly at the start. I’ll be surprised if he finishes too soon."
"Use a loosestrife spray in my hair," Michal commanded as Mara began to pull a comb through her long black tresses. "I think David liked it the first time he met me. And use some powdered galena on my eyelids. The blue-gray goes so well with my eyes."
Mara nodded and did as directed, but she wasn’t sure how David could have liked what he hadn’t been able to see. It was the custom among Hebrew women to cover their heads when they were in public. The most David would have seen of Michal’s hair was a few stray wisps escaping from her shawl, but Michal’s anticipation was improving her mood. It was always a better day if Michal was happy.
When Michal was satisfied with her appearance, they quickly made their way to Gibeah’s edge. Apparently, Michal and Mara weren’t the only ones interested in David’s first day as a captain of a thousand. Many other Gibeahan citizens had gathered at the practice field’s border to watch David command his troops. Michal and Mara were an insignificant part of a much larger than expected crowd.
If Saul wanted to remove David from the palace and lessen his fame, this definitely hadn’t been the best way to go about it. Now David was out where the people could see him, and Mara could tell by the smiles on faces around her the people were enjoying every moment of it.
Tobiah stood beside David, and Jonathan, the king’s eldest son, was here with him as well. Apparently at least one of Israel’s military leaders wanted David to succeed. Jonathan seemed to be giving David the leadership instruction Abner should have been here to give. She’d always thought highly of Jonathan. This only made her esteem grow.
"Look how the people love him," Michal whispered, quickly scanning the faces around them. "Doesn’t he look dashing? Doesn’t he look like he was meant to be a commander of many men?"
"Yes," Mara agreed. "He certainly looks the part."
In reality she was watching Tobiah, but Michal didn’t seem to notice. David had now seen them, and Michal grasped Mara’s hand as David said a few quick words to Jonathan before heading in their direction. Tobiah walked close behind him.
"He’s noticed me!" Michal whispered, barely able to contain herself. "He’s coming over. Quick! How do I look? Is my hair all right? Are my robes straight? Do I look presentable?"
"You look fine," Mara answered. "David can’t help but be impressed."
Michal gave a nervous, appreciative nod, brushed imagined wrinkles from her light green robes and attempted to stand with a regal posture.
"I’m honored by your presence here today," David said, bowing. "To what do I owe the privilege of a visit from the king’s daughter and her lovely maidservant?"
Michal beamed.
"We were just passing by," she lied, "saw the crowd, and decided we’d stop to see what had captured the attention of so many. You’ve apparently earned the entire city’s admiration."
David lowered his eyes and gave the modest kind of answer Mara expected from him.
"I’m a novelty," he admitted. "It’s not common for someone as young as I am to lead so many troops. But the interest will soon die down. For my men’s sake, I hope it does. It’s difficult for them to concentrate when so many people are watching. I don’t want them to resent me because of the undeserved attention I’m getting."
"Surely any attention you receive is far from undeserved," Michal said. "My father has great confidence in your abilities or else he wouldn’t give you responsibility like this. In fact, Mara and I were just commenting on how naturally you seem to be taking to your new leadership role. Isn’t that right, Mara? Isn’t that what we were just discussing?"
Mara nodded with all the enthusiasm Michal silently cued her to give, and David grinned sheepishly.
Now that she looked more carefully at him, Mara did have to admit David looked every bit the part of his new military role. Despite his youth, he was a strikingly commanding figure. It was no wonder Michal was so smitten with him.
David’s shepherd garb had been set aside, replaced now by a soldier’s tough leather jerkin and broad belt. On his chest he wore a burnished bronze breastplate. At his side he carried a magnificent iron sword. It was Jonathan’s sword. Mara remembered hearing Jonathan had given it to David as part of a binding friendship pact. David looked much older in soldier garb.
David and Michal lost themselves in conversation, and Mara and Tobiah stared awkwardly at each other until David noticed.
"I’m sorry," he said. "I’ve completely forgotten my manners. Michal. Mara. This is my cousin, Tobiah. He’s come to Gibeah seeking employment in the king’s service. I should have introduced him to you."
"We’ve already met."
David looked at Mara, surprised, and she quickly added an explanation.
"We ran into each other at the w
ell this morning. Tobiah was looking for you."
"That’s right," Tobiah said. "If she hadn’t shown me the way to the barracks, I’d probably still be wandering aimlessly through Gibeah’s streets."
"You’ll be seeing a lot more of these streets once you start work as my personal courier," David said.
"I look forward to it," Tobiah said.
Michal, not liking being left out of the conversation, quickly jumped back in.
"You’ll be working for David? How marvelous! Is there any reason you’ve chosen to be his courier rather than a soldier?"
An unhappy look flickered across Tobiah’s face, but before he could answer, David answered for him.
"It’s not that he wouldn’t like to fight beside me," David said, "but Tobiah’s still too young to be a soldier."
"For the moment," Tobiah mumbled, "but it won’t always be the case."
David playfully ruffled his cousin’s hair, and Tobiah’s countenance darkened a little.
"The soldiers are starting to watch us," David said, looking over his shoulder. "I suppose I should get back to the field before Jonathan decides I’m a slacker. It was a pleasure to speak with you, Michal. And Mara."
He bowed to each of them and moved reluctantly away.
"I think he likes me," Michal whispered to Mara. "Don’t you think he likes me?"
"Yes," Mara whispered. "I definitely think David likes you."
"But thinking and knowing are too completely different things," Michal said, frowning. "Somehow I need to find out for sure what he thinks. You already know his cousin. If anyone knows David’s true feelings his cousin does."
"I’ve only spoken with Tobiah once," Mara quickly replied. "I would hardly call that knowing him."
"Yes. But he likes you. I can tell by the way he kept looking at you when he thought no one was watching. You should get to know him better. Ask a few questions about David’s feelings for me. What do you think about that?"
It didn’t matter what Mara thought. Michal wouldn’t rest until it happened. There was just one problem. Mara had promised never to reveal David’s feelings.
Chapter Sixteen
טז
And Saul said to David, Behold my
elder daughter Merab, her will I give
thee to wife: only be thou valiant
for me, and fight the Lord’s battles…
1 Samuel 18:17
"You’re David’s courier?"
"Yes."
"I have a message for the young captain."
The palace messenger placed a rolled scroll in Tobiah’s hand.
"Take this to David. It’s a summons signed by the king. David is hereby commanded to appear at the citadel before nightfall."
The messenger didn’t wait for a response. His message delivered, he turned and marched briskly away. Tobiah waited for the departing messenger to disappear before looking down at the scroll.
He had a bad feeling about this. A very bad feeling.
—
Mara glanced at Michal just in time to see the blood drain from her face. The princess’s skin turned as white as a sheep’s freshly sheared hide. David, though he hid his feelings better, seemed not much happier about Saul’s announcement. Mara looked back and forth between David and Michal, as startled as they were by this unexpected turn of events.
"Who…who am I?" David stammered. "And what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?"
"Don’t be so modest," Saul said, moving forward to clap his hand in a deceptively friendly way on David’s shoulder. "You are the slayer of Goliath! The hero of Israel! I said I would give my daughter to the man who could kill Goliath, and you are that man. Here is my daughter Merab. I give her to you. I only ask you to be valiant for me."
David looked first at Saul, then at Merab, then at Michal. Michal’s lower lip was trembling, and Mara saw she was fighting to hold back tears.
Merab, nervously wringing her hands together, looked the least shaken by Saul’s offer. Her eyes were demurely lowered, and she lifted them only long enough to cast furtive, hopeful glances at David.
"You’ve given me so much already," David said, trying once more to gracefully decline. "You’ve provided me a place in your service, given me the rank of sar alef in your army. I can’t ask for more."
"You haven’t asked. I’ve freely offered. You don’t intend to offend me or my daughter or disappoint Israel’s people by rejecting my offer, do you?
"No… Of course not… I—"
"It’s settled," Saul interrupted. "Merab will be your wife. Let this joyful union be broadcast among the people. Let it be known that David, son of Jesse, has found favor in my sight."
Saul caught David in an unexpected embrace, took him by the arm, and led him to Merab. He placed their hands together, calmly stepped back, and smiled.
"It will be a great responsibility to be son-in-law to a king," Saul said. "But if anyone can rise to the calling, I’m sure you are the man." He spun around now and called out to one of his advisors. "Alert the kitchen servants! We must celebrate this event with a feast!"
Somewhere in the midst of the handshaking, back clapping, and congratulating that followed, Michal managed to slip from the courtyard and vanish. Mara moved to find her but found herself looking up into a warm pair of brown eyes instead.
"Shalom, Mara."
"Shalom," she murmured, feeling her heart beat the same way it had at the well. "You came here with David?"
"Yes," Tobiah whispered. "He asked me to come. He was nervous about the king’s summons. I think he knew it was going to be something upsetting."
"Michal is devastated," Mara whispered back. "Twice now she’s had to live through something like this."
Tobiah nodded. "I can promise you David is no happier than she is."
"She wanted me to ‘bump into you,’" Mara said. "She wanted me to probe you for information about how David felt about her. I already knew the answer but didn’t say anything because of the promise I made. Now I think it’s best she never finds out. It would only make things worse than they already are."
"So what do we do?" Tobiah asked.
"There’s nothing we can do," Mara replied. "It’s entirely in the Lord’s hands."
She and Tobiah fell silent. Tobiah looked to make sure Saul was far enough away not to hear him then whispered, "There’s something very odd about all of this. I know Saul promised this as a reward. But why carry through with the promise now? Why after leaving it undone for so long? He acts as if David has pleased him, but somehow I sense things aren’t right between them."
Mara opened her mouth to speak bit quickly bit her tongue instead. This was neither the time nor the place to reveal what she’d seen. Tobiah, however, saw through the veiled look on her face.
"What is it? You know something you’re not telling me."
"Please don’t ask."
"You’re afraid. Is…is David in some kind of danger?"
Mara bit her lip. David wouldn’t be the only one in danger if she revealed what she knew, but maybe someone else – someone friendly to David – should know what had happened.
"I’ll be at the well tomorrow morning," Mara whispered, casting a nervous glance in Saul’s direction. "The same well where we first met. If you have questions, that’s the place to find them."
"I’ll be there."
Mara nodded, looked toward her cousin’s bedchamber and felt her stomach twist with anxiety.
"I should go now," she whispered. "Michal needs me. Shalom, Tobiah."
"Shalom, Mara."
Reluctantly, Mara moved away and stepped into the dark corridor leading to Michal’s room.
Would it be a mistake to tell Tobiah about the attempt on David’s life? What if Tobiah did something rash? What if it got them both killed?
She shook her head. Some things had to be told regardless of the risks.
She paused to lean against the corridor’s cool stone wall, closed
her eyes, and sighed. Whatever came of it, she had other worries at the moment. Michal needed her comfort.
Quietly, Mara entered Michal’s bedchamber and was surprised to find Michal not sobbing uncontrollably but sitting quietly on one of her chairs. She was staring at the floor. Michal stared as if some vital piece of knowledge lay hidden within the earth’s bowels. She looked almost like one of the life-sized graven images — the teraphim — the Philistines liked to carve from stone. But teraphim didn’t breathe whereas Michal’s breast slowly rose and fell.
"I hate him!" Michal whispered after a short eternity. "I hate him more than words can express!"
"It’s not David’s fault," Mara carefully said. "I was watching him when your father offered to make Merab his wife. I don’t think it’s what David wants. I don’t think he has any desire to be married to your sister."
"Of course he doesn’t!" Michal spat. "What man would want to marry her? I don’t hate David! I pity him! It’s my father I despise!"
Mara made no reply. Michal was treading on dangerous ground even if Saul was her father. To agree with her, even in secret, would be unwise.
"Do you know what the worst thing is about this?" Michal asked, her voice trembling as silvery rivulets finally trickled down her face. "The worst thing of all is I’ll have to live my whole life with the knowledge the only man I’ve ever loved belongs to my sister. His life will be her life. His children her children."
Her voice broke, and great sobs wracked her slender body. Mara did the only thing she could think to do. Quietly she moved next to her devastated cousin and placed one arm around her shaking shoulders. Michal sank against Mara like a small child seeking comfort from her mother, moistening Mara’s robes with her unchecked tears.
Mara felt sympathy for Michal’s pain, but she also felt guilt. She felt guilty because she was thinking more about herself than about Michal. Michal had lost David, so what would this mean for Mara’s chances to see more of Tobiah?
She would have one more encounter with him at the well. After that there was no telling if or when she would be with him again. It made her feel hollow inside as if her own future had just been destroyed.
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