Daughter Of The Sea.

Chapter 21

"What in the world possessed you! You have gone too far this time. We are all doomed. Yahweh will not let this deed go unpunished. Ooh! I dread Elijah's visit, for he will surely come. He will bring the Lord's punishment. We will all be struck down dead. Yes I will not see my son, my heir. The ravens will peck out my eyes."

Ahab ranted, moaned and cried as he paced up and down the throne room. Eventually he fell on his knees and, putting his face in his hands, wept bitterly.

Jezebel stood in front of the King, silent and motionless. She had been summoned to the throne room. She expected the King to be upset and she knew why. Now she quietly waited for the King to get over his misery and compose himself. Then she would speak.

Ahab stopped crying and half crawling, made his way to his throne. He sat there shaking his head. Jezebel chose this opportunity to speak.

"We must plan and prepare for the forthcoming crisis."

The King looked blankly at the queen. He was expecting an apology or even an outburst of anger, but this matter of fact approach took him completely by surprise. He sighed.

"What are you talking about? What crisis?"

"I'm talking about the impending drought."

"Drought! What drought?
Oh please my Queen, stop all these riddles, my head spins with the thought of your actions and now your words do the same. Explain yourself on both accounts."

"I don't know why you are so shocked at my actions. Am I not Queen of Israel and High Priestess of the Baal temple. If you were with me and people slandered me and defamed me in public, your wife and Queen, would you not have given the same execution order yourself?"

"Yes but...."

"But what? Do you not care what people say about me?"

"I was going to say......you were justified in punishing the person who said those derogatory things about you, but why did you have to kill all the others?  They were not scoundrels or thieves. They were not even ordinary men. They were prophets of the Most High God. Do you realise what you have done?
Ooh! We are all doomed. The Wrath of Yahweh will be upon us. We are as good as dead."

Ahab sat with his head in his hands again. The queen continued in her calm, matter-of-fact voice, although a hint of her disgust in her husband's behaviour was evident in her tone.

"I know how your god aims to punish us and because we know, we can lessen the impact by preparing ourselves for what lies ahead."

"What is the punishment?"

"Don’t you listen? I told you! There is to be a drought upon our land."

"And how do you know this?"

"The prophet, who had such nice things to say about me, told me what was going to happen."

"Did you ask for forgiveness? Beg him to withhold such a disaster? Did you try and bargain with him?"

"It was a bit late for that. The curse were the last words he uttered. He fell down dead at my feet!"

                   ~~~~~~~~

The Queen shuffled along the passage. Her stomach felt like a small bag of potatoes. The baby was developing fast and every day she felt more tired than the day before. She stopped and leant against the wall. The stone wall was cool and refreshing. She heard someone coming. The Queen reluctantly pushed herself away from the wall.

The person coming along the passage had his head down, mumbling to himself. He seemed to be in a great haste. Jezebel recognised the man and addressed him as he drew near.