Lions of Men

Chapter 22

Rakurih stirred in the dead of night. Tesyonah's voice played over and over in her head, pleading for her not to go to Lagorah. Two weeks ago, with Rashnee's permission, Rakurih had arranged for her daughter to stay in Levanorah until the united armies of the Fellowship had returned from war.

The morning of her departure, the 'Little Flower' clung to her mother and urged Eudarius to reconsider. It took all of Rakurih and Daylan's strength to pry her loose and put her on the voyage to Levanorah. Rakurih was crestfallen and resisted every screaming urge to keep Tesyonah with her. She knew she was doing the right thing to protect her. Or was she?

Even now at the age of thirteen, Tesyonah always kept a watchful eye on her mother and never liked being away from her for too long. Rakurih figured it to be anxiety from their separation. Could it be more, however? Tesyonah had converted to Christianity, almost immediately upon their arrival in Shirobethniah. Was God using her to warn Rakurih? Was she dreaming? She was sure she heard someone speaking to her.

"Nay," she spoke up in the darkness. "I will not rise. What have ye done? First, you stand by and watch as the Nords slay my Gambian. Then ye sentence my brother to certain death, and because of thine wrath, I am forced to leave my daughter and tread recklessly into the night in hopes of saving him. And now ye wish to rob me of my slumber?"

Rakurih waited, her pulse racing. She felt a deep presence overtake her, and she began to tremble. Suddenly the voice spoke again. It was inaudible, but it discoursed with her as if it were right there in her quarters.

"If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them and make him their watchman; and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head."

"And what if I choose to join the fight to protect my brother?" Rakurih responded attempting to sound bolder than she felt. "Will thou slay me from the earth as well?"

The presence of God lingered like a blanket, and Rakurih imagined a spirit of fire standing next to her.

"I, the Lord am not slack concerning my promise, as some men count slackness; but am long-suffering towards thee, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Repent now. For my kingdom is at hand."

"Thy words cut deep as a dagger. Nevertheless, I am not ready to surrender. Behold. My anger consumes me. Depart forthwith and trouble me no more."

"Be it so unto thee,"the voice said, and the presence of the Lord departed from her.

***

It wasn't lost on Jeruh, the conscientious effort the men sent to accompany him to the palace, took to conceal his arrival. The king's guard came that morning to his home in Betharuh and told him that they were under orders to escort him to Rashnee's palace. Before making the short day-long journey back to the city, Jeruh was instructed to dress in a hooded cloak.

"You've yet to inform me of the purpose to wit the king summons me," the mercenary prodded.

The soldiers remained silent.

"Will you at least disclose to me the nature of my assignment. I understand the Rashnee's strict code of discretion. But I am his dark hand."

Again the men said nothing. They only gazed at the Black Lion.

Jeruh nodded. He understood their behavior more than most would. As commander of the Shadow Infantry, he was usually only summoned when there was a threat to national security, or when rumors of treason against any of the kings of the Regime or its leaders had become more than just accusations. Rashnee usually never flinched at the threat of danger though and often had to be persuaded to take extra safety measures until those involved were apprehended or dealt with. His inconspicuous behavior told Jeruh that this was something even more significant.