Twice Loved at Armageddon

Twice Loved at Armageddon. Part X

Illness strikes the ship's rowers.  Scott rigs the ship to sail against the wind.  Scott and Farah visit the Great Library at Alexandria. Trouble arises during their visit to the pyramids.

Chapter Nineteen

Their craft was but seventy-five feet long, not large even for a trade ship.  Its keel was much like that of modern ships, but against unfavorable winds the ship depended on twenty rowers on each side.  Flavius's servants were shown a space below among the cargo while the captain led their party aft to a dark room with small beds.  A lamp suspended over a small table provided minimal light.  The room offered little comfort but was sufficient.

   Food was dried meat, dried fruit, and bread.  Wine mixed with water and honey was served in an earthen jar.  Scott and Farah took their leave after the evening meal to go out on deck.

   Flavius took Corrina's hand while he said, "Come back at midnight.  We have things to share."

   Scott grinned back at the older couple.  As they stepped out onto the deck, they could hear the door bolt from the inside.  Farah smiled at Scott but placed her finger to her own lips as she looked back toward their cabin. They continued toward the ship's bow.

   As they moved toward the front, sailors made way out of respect for their perceived rank.  Scott led her to the carved figure of Venus, which was mounted at the ship's bow.  He pretended to whisper into its ear but made sure to speak loud enough for Farah to hear him. "I am so fortunate to speak with men or women of great fame, infamy, learning, or courage.  But above all, most dear is the love I share every day with my wife. Don't you like her?"  Farah gave him her turned-up smile before she kissed him.

   He held her from behind as she looked up at the moon.  "How lovely it is.  How far did you say it is?"

   He said, "We could lose our romantic moment, but I'll tell you if you insist.  It's two days journey by a craft of great speed.  There's no air, water, or vegetation there.  Its mountains and plains bear the marks of eons of heavenly bodies that have fallen there."

   He directed her gaze into the heavens.  "The scriptures tell of the vast universe, but they also speak of the sky as a solid vault in which sun, moon, and stars over the earth are set.  Did your elders speak of the sky in this way?"

   She nodded.

   "Farah, the heavens are infinitely vast. While sunlight reflecting from the moon takes just under two seconds to reach us, light takes eight minutes to reach us from our sun.  But light from those stars, which look so close, can take untold lifetimes to reach us."

   She looked at him in wonder, "You speak of my great mental abilities, but you tell me every day of wonders without end."

   His voice took on a bit of modesty.  "What we humans achieve is worth nothing without a healthy dose of humility.  Men and women must never worship what they create.  Long before you were born, the Book of Job speaks of vast human achievement but then asks, 'But where shall wisdom be found?'"      

   She then posed the question, "But where then is God in this vast universe you speak of?"

   He answered, "The Prophet Jeremiah had it right.  He is a God 'near and not...far off.'  If a god made those faraway stars, distance is not a problem."

   "Time is no problem either. You came two thousand years to share such love and incredible happiness here with me."

   She then asked with a rare tone of anxiety, "How long do we have together, my husband, before we are separated from each other?  It is unfortunate our love itself will not keep us from our ultimate ordeal."