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Rikud
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The palace air was heavy with the mingling scents of jasmine and oud, carried in the breeze from hidden alcoves filled with blooming flowers. Burning incense curled through the halls.
Seated on raised platforms, the musicians took their places. One man, of Egyptian descent, carried with him, and Arched Harp. Beside him was another young man who played the flute.
When the music began, it sent a stir through the crowds. With the soft melodies from the harp and flute, aligning with the drums and bells, it made for a monumental moment.
Spread across the dance floor were the royals, the nobility, and guests of honor. They were arrayed in bright, beautiful colors, with touches of gold, gliding across the dancefloor, with lovers, friends, and even their children.
King Eglon, adorned in royal blue, sat on his throne, drinking wine. Beside him, stood his cupbearer, who assessed the celebration along with him.
"Are you excited, your majesty?"
A pause, King Eglon turned the wine in his glass. "Anxious."
"It will all go well, your majesty."
King Eglon smiled, a spark in his dark eyes. "I hope so."
"—We have to make sure none of this goes well."Amos whispered to Mahlon.
Both of them were veiled, dressed in garments of gold, like the rest of the servants in the palace.
They held up trays. Amos held the wine, while Mahlon carried with him the bite-sized appetizers. Walking through the dancing crowds, they searched for Ruth.
"I know." Mahlon said, and ever since he arrived in the palace, his stomach only tightened. "I haven't seen Ruth anywhere."
"Have you seen her parents at least?Tell me how they look, so I can search with you."
A pause, Mahlon turned to Amos, their eyes locking for a split second.
Amos groaned. "You don't know how they look, do you?"
"I do not know how they look."
Amos sighed. "I forgot you fell in love with a stranger, you know nothing about. Quite concerning."
Despite the situation, Mahlon laughed.
"Isn't that how love works? We fall in love with strangers—"
"Yes,"Amos said, sounding exasperated. "But they do not remain strange. What is Ruth's middle name?"
"I don't think she has one."
"In other words, you don't know. You're a very special young man risking your life for a girl you barely know. If she says, no I'm—" Amos stopped, mid sentence.
Mahlon stopped too, trying to see what Amos was seeing. "What?"
"It's starting."
The crowds on the dance floor, parted ways, as an old woman dressed in white, walked towards the throne. In seconds, the dance floor was clearing, with people heading for their seats at the tables. Amos pulled Mahlon away, his pace quick. "What's happening?" Mahlon asked, his heart pounding.
"Rikud." Amos simply answered, further confusing Mahlon.
"Hello!" A man called.
"Hello, I'm talking to you."
Amos groaned, turning around. "What?" He didn't hide his displeasure.
The man paused, staring down at a man who he considered, beneath him, a servant. "You dare regard me in such a way."
YOU ARE READING
Ruth: Reimagined
Romance"I want you to belong to someone Ruth." Adira said, her voice softer. "I want you to be able to breathe in a world where everything is placed on a woman's chest, on her back and tied to her legs and then she's told to be beautiful, to be good enoug...
