The Chronicles of Gan: The Thorn (21 page)

The men he challenged shrank back, searching
their friends for one who would lead out. Not one would. Fingers
twitching on the pommel of his sword, it seemed as if Kalev was
going to defy Jasher again. He gripped the sword tightly and looked
about. Very few men stood with him. He grumbled. Stepping forward,
he thrust out his hand. Jasher’s gaze locked with Kalev’s. The old
soldier made his oath to return home, and the others joined him in
the pledge. This appeased Jasher, and he promised them safe passage
out of the city.

At this juncture, Jonathan took a step
forward, and with his arm raised, said, “I will follow Jasher. He
will be my protector, to lead me into safe havens.” This allusion
to Father Gideon, founder of the tribe, drew a very positive
reaction from the crowd.

An unknown soldier from within the group
below tossed a Gideonite breastplate onto the platform, where it
landed squarely at Jonathan’s feet. He did not hesitate in the
least, but retrieved the armor and strapped it on.

Cheers flew skyward as soldier after soldier
raised his arm in their traditional greeting, welcoming the
Danielite into their midst. Several shouted encouraging words, and
a few even waved swords in the air. Others joined together and
cried aloud, “Health and prosperity to the heir of Daniel!”

Pekah’s jaw tightened, attempting to fight
back the tears now welling in his eyes as he saw his new friend
proudly wearing the Black Raven of Gideon.

Chapter 17

Bounty

W
ould you please join me in the general’s quarters? Our
evening meal awaits—there is enough for all. General Jasher
insists,” Amon said.

“Thank you.” Pekah immediately noticed his
own hunger, his stomach growling.

“We would be honored,” Jonathan said.

Amon raised his voice and waved his hand to
include Tavor and others standing nearby. “Please come, be filled,
and rest before we depart for Saron in the morning.”

Once they were all seated around a group of
mismatched tables in Jasher’s tent—a large reception area attached
to the general’s sleeping quarters—Pekah breathed in the wonderful
smells of the hot meal about to be served. He studied the guests
around the table. Smiles were plentiful, and Rachel’s eyes
exhibited pure delight, which Pekah surmised came from having both
Jonathan and Eli safely there with her.

Content being among new friends, Pekah
watched, intrigued by each of them. Eli teased Rachel, making her
laugh. Jonathan leaned in close to whisper something that made her
blush. Tavor had taken a seat next to Amon, and the two of them
chatted amicably about various things pertaining to the events of
the day.

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.”