Daughter Of The Sea.

Chapter 20

Obadiah waited untill the crowd had completely left his street before he stood up from his crouching position on the balcony. He went to the courtyard side and waved. This was the signal that the coast was clear and all the 'actors' could return to their normal duties.

Obadiah was impressed with the soldiers and his staff and with the speed they had cleaned up the street adjacent to his property and the courtyard. It looked as if they had successfully pulled off the prophet rescue mission. However, the mission wasn't finished. He still had to find a way of smuggling one hundred Yahweh prophets out of the city. Also, where could he hide so many people? One thing was sure, they couldn't stay on his property for longer than was necessary as eventually someone would find out.

Obadiah met with the prophets and the soldiers. After much deliberation a plan was formulated. Starting that very night they would use three of the supply wagons belonging to the palace to transport thirty prophets to a location outside the city. The wagons had to return before morning, so that they could be used for the normal daily deliveries from the market to the royal palace.

Obadiah would send his own private carriage with the supply wagons,  containing the bodies of the slain temple guards. The first load of prophets, armed with spades, would bury the bodies near the drop off point. The carriage would not return but shuttle the prophets from the drop off point to a location near the base of the mountain, where the prophets knew of two deep caves in whichthey could hide.

The following two nights would see the operation repeated. This would bring the total of men smuggled away to ninety. The last night only one wagon would be used to convey the last ten prophets. Obadiah's carriage would return only after all hundred prophets were safely in the caves.

Obadiah was used to organising functions and meetings at the palace but this operation was the most dangerous and challenging he had ever undertaken. He hardly slept. He was up and pacing up and down his balcony on the fourth morning. When the big gates opened, just before sunrise, and the last wagon rolled in, he sank to the floor and praised Yahweh for His goodness and mercy.

                           ~~~~~~~~~

The queen paced the floor of the small room that adjoined the main state hall. She had ordered the chief temple guard to meet her here with a report back on the happenings of the last few days. The queen had not left the palace since the day she had been called a whore and in her rage had ordered the death of all the Yahweh prophets.

She wasn't afraid for herself but she wanted to protect the next king of Israel growing inside her. She wasn't a hundred percent sure it was a boy, but she felt confident, and the midwife attending her also seemed to think that all the signs indicated a male child.

At last the door opened and Zeldar, the chief temple guard entered. As was the custom, he knelt on one knee and taking the offered hand, held it against his forehead. He rose and stood facing straight in front of him. It was forbidden to look at the high priestess.

Jezebel walked twice around Zeldar before speaking. This wasn't a custom, but she wanted to choose her words carefully.

"You know why you're here. Speak, tell me all!"

Zeldar began,"High Priestess of lord Baal, we carried out your orders. The prophets of Yahweh ran off in all directions but we followed them and put them to the sword, even as they ran."

Before Zeldar could continue, Jezebel's head shot up. She was still pacing the floor as he spoke.

"All of them?" the Queen asked.

Zeldar hesitated as he answered.
"I'm not sure. "

"What do you mean you're not sure? "
the Queen asked in a low menacing voice.

Zeldar swallowed noisily. He did not know how to explain the missing prophets.

"I err.... "

"Come on man! Speak up, did you, or did you not, kill all of them?"

Zeldar awkwardly continued.
"We chased them and killed them in every street except one. Something strange happened. My men did not return from that street so I personally went to look for them. They were nowhere to be found. We could not find the prophets either. We came across some blood in the street but could not be sure to whom it belonged. We continued searching but found nothing."

"How many of your men were involved and how many prophets are missing?"

"I despatched eight of my men in that direction. I do not know how many prophets there were. We tallied the number of prophets by counting the dead bodies. Without the bodies, I cannot be sure. Some bystanders say about a hundred prophets ran in that direction."

"Where did this mysterious disappearance take place?" The Queen asked. Her anger was slowly being replaced by her interest in this strange tale.

Zeldar answered
"We don't really know, but the blood marks were near the house of Obadiah, the master of the palace."

"That's interesting," Jezebel mused. "Did you investigate his property?"

"I looked through a gap in his gate and everything looked normal. His servants and guards were all going about their business and seemed calm enough."

The queen thought about her guard's answer for a moment and then replied.
"Didn't you think that a bit strange?
A hundred people, being chased by guards with swords, probably crying and screaming their heads off, running past the house and everybody is calm. The servants pick fruit and vegetables. The guards relax in the sun. Surely they would be alarmed at the noise in the street and want to find out what was going on?"

The guard felt the heat of this interrogation. A bead of sweat rolled down his back as he answered.

"The street was empty when we arrived. Perhaps they were curious, but seeing nothing, returned to their duties."

The queen continued to voice her thoughts.

"You say a crowd followed you?"

"Yes, my queen."

"So there must have been noise in the street?"

"Yes, my queen."

"So would you not expect the household to be glued to the gate, trying to peer out, instead of you peering in?"

"The walls are thick and high. Perhaps they did not hear the ruckus in the street. The hammering of the blacksmith and the horses being exercised in the yard may also be the reason that the noises of the street were not heard."

Jezebel's eyes narrowed as she answered.

" Do you work for me or the master of the palace? "

" I don't understand, my Queen? My total allegiance is to you and lord Baal. Why do you question my loyalty? "

"Because my dear Zeldar, you seem to have an answer for every question I put to you concerning this matter."

"I'm sorry my Queen. I shall go to Obadiah's house at once and investigate further."

The Queen raised her hand and started to leave the room as she said:

"Don't bother, I'll deal with him myself."