An Instrument in His Hands

Prologue

(c) Becky Paget 2013

Prologue 

96 BC 

'Where are you going? Mother is expecting us home from our training classes,' I nagged. 'Andrew! Why are you walking away from me?' Instead of turning into the Nephite section of Zarahemla as we came out of the Temple School, Andrew was headed for the Muelekite section. We rarely went there and I could not imagine why he was going there today. 

I followed him into a lane of wattle and daub huts, continuing to complain. 'If we are late, Mother is going to get so upset, that she will take ill!' 

'Then stop following me!' Andrew hissed. He turned and walked quickly past children playing in yards behind fences, mothers hanging clean laundry, and dinners sizzling on stone cook fires. It reminded me that it was near our own dinnertime. Should I go home without Andrew?  

I hesitated, then jogged to catch up with his fast pace, despite the heat of the sun. 'I can't go home without you. I'll be the one she is mad at.' As the older sibling by 11 months, I was responsible for him. I was 12 years old and considered quite adult. 

'Then go climb up a tree and wait for me.' He pointed at several trees on the edge of town that overlooked the whole city. There were monkeys there. 'I don't need you to tag along.' 

It was tempting, but I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. 'Where are you going?' 

He didn't answer, but kept walking on and on, past a farmer's bean field, and another field of corn, so I followed, continuing to badger him about turning around and going home. 

'You know what?' he accused, 'You are starting to sound just like our mother.' 

That was a low blow, but I followed him anyway. By this time we were traveling past the lake, and as usual, I was mesmerized by its crystal clear, aqua color and the clouds, like heaven's tall towers, reflected from above. But I did not stop to dip my feet into it. 

I was growing concerned. We were headed uphill, away from Zarahemla, and I knew there was a wicked cave in the side of the hill below the mountain that some of the boys in the school had been visiting. Once some of us had followed the Sons of King Mosiah there, but had been frightened away by all the snake skeletons hanging from the trees on the path before the cave. 'Are you headed for the cave?' I demanded. 

Andrew ignored me. That meant he was. 

I quickened my pace. 'You can't go there! It's wicked! The people that go there are wicked!' 

'Since when do you call the King's sons wicked?' he accused. 

'I've known about them for a few months now. And its none of my business what they do. We are no longer friends.' I heard rumors that they were messing with idols and harlots. 

'Well, anything they do, I'm sure our mother will approve of.' 

'She will not!' I protested, though Andrew was probably right. 

And then we saw them up ahead, waiting in a hidden clearing- Aaron, Ammon, Omner, and Himni. They were smearing paint on their cheeks and arms, and Aaron had put on a fearsome headdress that looked like a jaguar. I stopped in shock. 

So the rumors were true! They were idol worshippers! For that was what they wore. 

I had heard that they were doing evil, but to actually see them dressed so... it made my heart first drop to the earth, and then pound like a deep war drum. 

'Andrew!' they waved. 

'No!' I called ahead, alarmed, and began to run towards them, almost tripping over vines that lined the path. 'You leave my brother alone!' I screamed.