the sun’s glare off the sandy terrain. From the Canaanite point of view, on the other handl, their faces were largely masked by shadows—and looked anything but friendly. Unaware of the drama they’d interrupted, my charioteers came in at a slow walk and began waving at us. Zaggi turned, smiling through clenched teeth, to face the elders.
Their chief stammered, “My Lord, if you’ll stay for just a while, we’ll prepare a gift for the Lady as best we can….”
The Chancellor took that as his opportunity to wax sarcastic: “Worthy Chief, in view of your recent—and let us hope unique—experience with…heavy taxes…we shall require nothing of you but a moment to water our horses. Rest assured, however, that all of your generous offers of hospitality will be reported to the Melek….” The elders scurried away to set up watering troughs; the crowd shrank back. “We should have Jaita run them all down!” Zaggi told me in fury.
“Don’t do anything to endanger our girl!” I snapped, just as angry with him as with myself for letting Jaita’s platoon leave us in the first place.
The Canaanites understood our situation: even with our chariots, we could hardly have destroyed the whole town without
some casualties—to our horses if not our men—and some danger to Delai. They therefore assumed that their punishment, if any, would come later, from the Melek. But they were left in uncertainty: how angry was Zaggi? They had to depend on mercy, and for that they would be obsequious, remarkably so.
Then Jaita rode up, his black curls matted with dust and sweat. He noted the dwindling crowd. “Greetings, m’Lords and Lady! Have we missed a celebration or something?” He lifted an eyebrow in question.
Zaggi replied: “On the contrary, your arrival was vital to our…celebration….” Then he walked away.
“We had a splendid maneuver,” Jaita enthused to me. “I wish you could have seen us—how well we executed platoon turns!”
“Oh, Phicol,” Delai exclaimed, “don’t let them leave us agalin. Those people might have killed us….”
I put my arm around her shoulder, then proceeded to explain the matter to Jaita.
“A close call,” he remarked, and his mouth curled up in that wry grin of his. Then he went off to rejoin our platoon.
Soon the caravan got under way again, passing mud-roofed huts and stone houses, heading for the town well. There everyone, animals and humans alike, drank mighty draughts in relief. Rachel alone seemed completely recovered from the episode. “Do you see those houses, my Lady?” she squeaked, pointing. “I was born in just such a place, like that, with a mud roof. I remember how, after the rains, grass would grow on my roof!”
“Really?” Delai exclaimed.
Rachel nodded. “And look at me now!” She flashed her finger rings. “Servant to a priestess and princess-to-be!”
“Servant, yes…and a dear one, too,” Delai answered, gazing beyond our caravan into the town. “And since Uncle Zaggi gave you to me as my possession, the first thing I want to do is give you your freedom. Rachel, you’re no longer a slave….” Rachel was stunned. Delai continued: “But stay with me and be my servant and companion still,” she concluded, tears filling her eyes.
Rachel bowed her head and clasped my cousin’s hand. “I’ll always be your slave in my heart,” she replied with emotion.
And then we heard the caravan master’s call, announcing the resumption of our journey.
Much later I learned that Zaggi had indeed reported our little adventure to Melek Nasuy. As a result, the chief elder of Micherar was hanged at the town entrance, his body left to be picked at by birds of prey.
Chapter IV:
The Road to Gaza
Askelon, that queen of riches, Rusa claimed as his,
While Piram chose the best
Of prizes, Gath , the sun-baked fortress city, greatest
In the land.
“These two we’ll conquer first,” the King declared,
And Gaza next
Their chief stammered, “My Lord, if you’ll stay for just a while, we’ll prepare a gift for the Lady as best we can….”
The Chancellor took that as his opportunity to wax sarcastic: “Worthy Chief, in view of your recent—and let us hope unique—experience with…heavy taxes…we shall require nothing of you but a moment to water our horses. Rest assured, however, that all of your generous offers of hospitality will be reported to the Melek….” The elders scurried away to set up watering troughs; the crowd shrank back. “We should have Jaita run them all down!” Zaggi told me in fury.
“Don’t do anything to endanger our girl!” I snapped, just as angry with him as with myself for letting Jaita’s platoon leave us in the first place.
The Canaanites understood our situation: even with our chariots, we could hardly have destroyed the whole town without
some casualties—to our horses if not our men—and some danger to Delai. They therefore assumed that their punishment, if any, would come later, from the Melek. But they were left in uncertainty: how angry was Zaggi? They had to depend on mercy, and for that they would be obsequious, remarkably so.
Then Jaita rode up, his black curls matted with dust and sweat. He noted the dwindling crowd. “Greetings, m’Lords and Lady! Have we missed a celebration or something?” He lifted an eyebrow in question.
Zaggi replied: “On the contrary, your arrival was vital to our…celebration….” Then he walked away.
“We had a splendid maneuver,” Jaita enthused to me. “I wish you could have seen us—how well we executed platoon turns!”
“Oh, Phicol,” Delai exclaimed, “don’t let them leave us agalin. Those people might have killed us….”
I put my arm around her shoulder, then proceeded to explain the matter to Jaita.
“A close call,” he remarked, and his mouth curled up in that wry grin of his. Then he went off to rejoin our platoon.
Soon the caravan got under way again, passing mud-roofed huts and stone houses, heading for the town well. There everyone, animals and humans alike, drank mighty draughts in relief. Rachel alone seemed completely recovered from the episode. “Do you see those houses, my Lady?” she squeaked, pointing. “I was born in just such a place, like that, with a mud roof. I remember how, after the rains, grass would grow on my roof!”
“Really?” Delai exclaimed.
Rachel nodded. “And look at me now!” She flashed her finger rings. “Servant to a priestess and princess-to-be!”
“Servant, yes…and a dear one, too,” Delai answered, gazing beyond our caravan into the town. “And since Uncle Zaggi gave you to me as my possession, the first thing I want to do is give you your freedom. Rachel, you’re no longer a slave….” Rachel was stunned. Delai continued: “But stay with me and be my servant and companion still,” she concluded, tears filling her eyes.
Rachel bowed her head and clasped my cousin’s hand. “I’ll always be your slave in my heart,” she replied with emotion.
And then we heard the caravan master’s call, announcing the resumption of our journey.
Much later I learned that Zaggi had indeed reported our little adventure to Melek Nasuy. As a result, the chief elder of Micherar was hanged at the town entrance, his body left to be picked at by birds of prey.
Chapter IV:
The Road to Gaza
Askelon, that queen of riches, Rusa claimed as his,
While Piram chose the best
Of prizes, Gath , the sun-baked fortress city, greatest
In the land.
“These two we’ll conquer first,” the King declared,
And Gaza next
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