Cavalier

Chapter Twenty-Five

One year and four months after they enter Philistine territory, David's patience pays off. He's just finished giving his verbal report and is sitting down to breakfast with Achish, as he usually does, when Achish says, "David, you've served me well in your time here."

"I've tried my best, sir."

Achish laughs. He laughs a lot whenever David's around, like he still can't believe his good fortune after nearly a year and a half has passed. "Ah, no need for that, son. Just call me Achish."

David barely represses his flinch at the word 'son'. Barely. He doesn't know why every President he gets even slightly close to seems to have the urge to call him that and he wants to ask, but he shoves that down, too. "Alright."

"Now, as I was saying," Achish continues as he takes another bite, "you've served me well in your time here. You've never complained and you've been very accommodating and, I daresay, you've grown on the people. But now I must ask you for a favour."

"Okay," David says, exuding calm even while his heart starts to beat faster in his chest and his mind swirls. "Go ahead."

"Saul's forces are in shambles," Achish says. "They've gathered at the spring in Jezreel. I'm sending all of my men to Aphek to finish them off, and I would like for you to accompany me to do so. A final blow to the man who abandoned you, if you will."

David makes a show of thinking about it. He thinks it's rather persuasive. "Why us, si— Achish? Surely you have enough men all on our own."

"Yes, but you're my best and the key to an assured victory. You know their tactics and their strategies and you know better than we do how General Abner's mind works." Achish doesn't mention Jonathan even though Jonathan is surely with his father's troops, Saul grappling for all the extra pairs of hands that he can find, and David thanks his lucky stars that Achish apparently doesn't know that he and Jonathan are best friends.

Even though they've spent years apart, David knows that they're still best friends. He knows that, despite what he's done in the past year, Jonathan would never judge him, would stick by him even if he didn't understand David's reasoning, even more so than the men David has with him have. It's one of the few strands still holding David together.

David musters up a smile. "It'd be an honour, Achish," he says. "When do you need us to be mobilized and ready to go?"

"By the end of the week, at the latest. Report to the military base just outside of the city, and then we'll head off."

"Where will we be in the arrangement?" David asks. There's a plan hatching, and if his hunch is right—

"At the back, with me," Achish says, and it's all David can do not to cheer or jump up or fist pump or even hiss out a quiet, Yes.

Achish will never see it coming.

-

David's men don't see it coming, either.

"David," Eleazar says, "I fail to see how being at the back of the Philistine army with the President is a good thing."

"It's because he'd only keep people he really trust at the back," David says. "And if we're at the back then we can attack the Philistine's from behind as Abner's coming at them from in front. We can destroy their entire army and their President in one easy battle."

"But what happens after we destroy Achish's army?" Eleazar asks, and, okay, David hasn't thought that far ahead but he doesn't dare let it show. Because this—this is his ticket out. This will be his crowning achievement. This could be the one thing that redeems him in the eyes of Saul.