No Woman So Fair (46 page)

“We'll get them. Come on. Let's go!”

Eliezer gave orders to the others to proceed as quickly as they could. “Ishmael and I are going ahead,” he said, grim determination in every line of his body and a steely glint in his eyes.

“I'm going with you too.” The speaker was a thin man, not tall, but with hardness in his voice and eyes. “They killed my brother. My beast is as fast as yours, so I'll go with you.”

Eliezer nodded. “All right, Eben. That is only right. Let's go. The rest of you follow our tracks and come as fast as you can.”

****

Eliezer glanced ahead where the land heaved away in an irregular monotony. Rocky hills rolled on and on under the strengthening sun. They had just crossed areas of strewn rock, and a powdery dust rose behind them in dotted clouds. Eliezer studied the land before him, moving more slowly now, for the signs were much fresher. His eyes darted from point to point, and he was aware that Ishmael and Eben were doing the same. He knew this country well. It was an area of extremes—bone-searing dryness, interspersed by sudden cloudbursts that would send violent torrents rushing down the narrow canyons. It was a raw, primitive place that scoured the softness out of a man.

Eben pulled his animal up and broke the silence. “They're very close. Perhaps behind that next set of hills.”

“I think you're right, Eben.” He studied the ground ahead of him and said, “One of us will have to go ahead and locate them, then come back and tell us where they are.”

“Let me do that,” Ishmael said at once. His eyes glowed, making him look like a fast young animal.

“All right. But don't let yourself be seen.”

“I'll be back,” Ishmael said, grinning. Then sliding off his animal, he unfastened the water bottle and looped it around his shoulders by a thong and set off toward the nearby hills. He moved swiftly, almost like a running deer, and as he left, Eben shook his head. “He's young, but I never saw a man quicker or crueler when the time for fighting comes.”

“We'll wait here for Ishmael to return, Eben. But I don't think we can wait until the other men catch up to us.”

“There's no need. The three of us can do it!”

****

The waiting was hard. Eliezer spoke little, lost in his thoughts, keeping his eyes on the hills ahead. He and Eben had taken shelter under a skinny scrub tree. It did not offer much shade, but it did provide some relief from the heat. Though the sun was approaching the horizon, the air was still fiercely hot. From time to time Eliezer stood up and walked. The anxiety and eagerness in him to come to grips with the raiders was more than he could stand.

Eben watched him pace back and forth and said, “We'll get her back, Eliezer.”

“Yes, we will.”

“But I can never get my brother back. He was such a fine young man. He had great promise.”

Compassion flooded Eliezer at the realization of his friend's loss. He had loved the young man himself, and now he said quietly, “It's hard to lose those we love.”

A depression had fallen on Eben, and he said, “We lose everything we love sooner or later.”

“But all the more reason to treasure everything that's dear to us every day, every moment.”

“That's true. I think now of so many good things I might have done for Benjamin.”

“No point thinking thoughts like that. You were good to your brother. Everyone saw it.”

“I wish I had been better. I wish I had spent more time with him. I wish it had been me who died instead of him. He was so young and full of life.”

The two fell silent then, enduring the desert heat and conserving their strength for the battle ahead. Finally a slight movement caught Eliezer's eyes. “I think he's coming.”

The two men stood up, and Eben put a hand over his eyes to shade them. “Yes. That's good. He wouldn't have come back unless he knew something.”

Moments later Ishmael came to a halt in front of them. Sweat made a sheen on his tanned face, and excitement stirred his features. He smiled, his teeth making a white slash against the darkness of his skin. “I found them.”

“Did they see you?”

Ishmael cast a disdainful glance at Eben for asking such a foolish question. “Of course not.” He pointed back toward the close range of hills. “They're down in a gully. There's some water there, a little pool in the riverbed.”

“Do they have any guards out?”

“Just one. We'll have to get him first.” He spoke quickly, and both of his companions saw the pleasure that the idea of a fight gave him. “We take him out silently and that will leave five more. We sneak in until we're close, and then we take them all.”

Eliezer nodded. “It should be dark enough soon.”

“Yes,” Ishmael agreed, nodding. “The darkness will make it easier for us to sneak up on the guard. Or they may have more out by now.”

“All right. Let's move out. They'll be having a meal soon and will be off guard. Prepare to attack!”

****

The cords cut into Zara's hands. They were tied in front of her so tightly that her hands were white. The other end of the cord was fastened firmly to a stake driven into the ground. She had been out in the blistering sun since midday, with only a small portion of water given to her late in the afternoon. Now as darkness was falling, her lips were dry, and she sat on the hard ground, her eyes turned downward.

Zoltar, who had gone out to check on the guard, now returned. Standing over her, he began to taunt her. “You're a good-looking woman, Zara. I'll sell you, but first I'll enjoy your favors.”

Zephir said, “Now is a good time, master.”

Always a creature subject to his own desires, Zoltar looked down at the woman. She was wearing only a thin dress, and the sight of her suddenly inflamed his desires. “You're right, Zephir. Come along, my pet.”

Zara's heart went cold as she watched Zoltar loose the rope from the stake. He pulled her to her feet and jerked the cord, bringing pain to her wrists. His eyes were bright, and his mouth was twisted in a gesture of lust. Reaching out, he caressed her, put his hand under her chin, and forced her face up. “Have you ever had a man?” he demanded.

Zara did not answer. Hope was gone. She had been praying that the rescue would come in time, but now she knew what awaited her inside that tent toward which Zoltar was dragging her. She held back, and he jerked at the rope, bringing a cry of pain from her.

“Come along, my little dove. I'll show you what a real man is—” Zoltar did not finish his words. He heard Agag cry out and wheeled quickly to see the small man clawing at an arrow that had gone right through his stomach. Zoltar bellowed to his men, “Kill them! There! They're coming!” He drew his sword and saw two of his men grab up their weapons and engage a figure that had emerged from the gathering darkness. But then he heard the hissing of an arrow, and another of his men fell to the ground, kicking and clawing at the arrow in his throat.

At that same instant a dark shadow appeared before him. He struck out with his sword as he recognized his enemy—Eliezer. With a roar Zoltar began raining blow after blow. He had never encountered anyone who could stand up to him with a sword, and he drove his opponent backward. He was aware of shouting and screams and half expected an arrow to catch him, but he would kill this one before he died!

Zara's hands were still tied, but her heart was crying out with relief. She saw the fight between Zoltar and Eliezer and was sickened to see that Eliezer was getting the worst of it. His chest was bloody, and his left arm was dangling helplessly, the blood running off in crimson streams.

Eliezer knew he was no match for this man. He felt a shock, and his sword was driven from his hand. He heard Zoltar yell in triumph and saw the big man lunge at him.

At that moment everything but the huge figure of his adversary seemed to be blotted out. Eliezer saw the sword rising and knew he had only one chance. His hand dipped to his side, and he came up with the dagger he always carried there. The sword was coming down, but Eliezer threw himself forward, catching Zoltar off guard. The big man had expected him to go backward, but he had stepped inside the swing. The sword hissed through the air and at the same time Eliezer pushed up against the trunklike body of Zoltar. The smaller man shoved his dagger forward, felt it hit bone and grind on it, then forced the blade in clear to the hilt.

Zoltar gave one short cry, then coughed and straightened up. Eliezer was faint from the loss of blood and knew he had no strength left to defend himself. He had seen Ishmael and Eben take down their adversaries, but Zoltar was still alive. As Eben approached the pair, his weapon drawn, the big man groped for the dagger and tried to pull it loose, but he too had lost his strength. He opened his mouth to speak, and blood burst from his lips, spattering on Eben and Eliezer.

Zoltar straightened, his eyes rolling upward. He turned and took two steps, then his legs lost their strength, and he fell. His fingers grasped at the ground as he struggled to hold on to his life, but it poured itself out on the dry sand, soaking it with crimson blood.

Zara saw Eliezer sinking, and by the time he fell, she was at his side, as was Ishmael. The blood was terrible! “Eben, Ishmael, cut me loose and help me bind these wounds.”

Ishmael sliced her ropes, and Eben ripped off his tunic and tore it into strips to bind Eliezer's wounds.

“He's too badly wounded,” Ishmael whispered.

“No, he's not! He won't die!” Zara cried.

And there beneath the desert moon, Zara bound the wounds tightly and then took Eliezer in her arms, cradling him like a child. She began to cry out, “O Eternal One, save him. Do not let him die!”

“Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

Genesis 22:2

“Zara, you must rest. You're going to make yourself sick if you're not careful.” Sarah had come to bend over Zara, who was sitting beside the still form of Eliezer. She studied the young woman's pale face and saw the lines of strain. “I'll sit beside him. You go lie down.”

Zara did not move. It was as if she were asleep, but her eyes were open, fixed on the still form before her. “No, I'm not that tired.”

Shaking her head, Sarah paused for a moment, and her mind went back over the three days that had passed since Eliezer had been brought back to the camp, near death. The sword wounds had been deep, and he had lost a great deal of blood. A man named Aaron had sewn up the wounds. He was old, but his hands were still strong and certain. Sarah had watched him sew the torn flesh back together, and when he had finished, the two of them had simply stared at each other. Doubt had flared in Aaron's eyes, and he had shaken his head and left without saying a word.

The noises from outside the tent seemed distant—dogs barking, children shouting, the muffled sound of a man and woman arguing over something—but inside the tent was silence. Sarah gave a compassionate look and then laid her hand on Zara. “I'll be back in a little while and then you
must
rest.”

Zara only responded by nodding as Sarah left the tent. She went directly to Abraham, who was standing a short distance away, his eyes lifted toward the east. He turned quickly to meet her and asked at once, “Is there any change?”

“No, I don't think so.”

“He can't die.” Abraham made the statement with his teeth clenched, as if by his will he could repel death. “I didn't realize how much I loved Eliezer.”

“It's when we are in danger of losing people that we realize how very dear they are to us.”

“Is there any change at all?”

“Not that I can see. Well…perhaps a little. I thought I saw some color in his face. It's hard to tell. He looks so pale—as though there is no blood left in him.”

The two stood speaking quietly, exhausted and worn by their long vigil. The thought of losing Eliezer was almost intolerable. As they had watched him lying helpless after Aaron had sewn up his wounds, all strength gone, his chest barely stirring, their hearts had been drained of strength.

“She loves him so much, Abraham.”

“We've known for a long time that she is in love with him.”

“Yes. She wouldn't let it show before, but it shows now. I don't know what will happen to her if he dies.”

“He mustn't die!” Abraham straightened up and whispered, “I'm going out to pray. The Eternal One will help. I know He will.”

Sarah watched as Abraham strode purposefully away. She waited until he was out of sight and then went to their tent. She knelt down in the faint darkness and began to cry out within her heart, although her lips were still,
O Eternal One, give us the life of this one we love so dearly….

****

Eliezer found himself suspended in a place with no sound or motion—nothing but an immense impression of space above him, around him, beneath him. He swept through it as though he were on the end of a rope and felt a hot wind brushing his face. Sometimes he was drawn upward into space, rising above the sun, past the stars—then he would fall, fall, fall, until he sank into a place devoid of all light. Once he seemed caught in a storm that tossed him end over end, but then he was floating, as if in the outer darkness, a place without any sense of life.

There were brief moments when, as he drifted in this sea of unconsciousness, he heard voices, felt the touch of hands on his face. The touch was cool and soft and gentle. He strained toward it, wondering whose hand could give such comfort. The coolness only emphasized the heat in his body, the sensations of fire that tried to suffocate him. He yearned for the touch of the hand and for the comfort of the sweet voice that was so soft and gentle. Then he would drift away again into nothingness. Each brief moment of awareness was swallowed all too quickly by the void, and before slipping away again he would despair that he would never know the difference between what was real and what was only in his mind.