Lions of Men

Chapter 34

Shamarah had noticed that Kiherah was uncharacteristically silent while they waited outside for Allista and Beshlem. By nature, she was a quiet person, but it appeared to Shamarah that she was deliberately avoiding her attempts at small talk.

"Phew!" Shamarah said. "I will miss many things about Kyros. These tight garments and long walks into town are a few things I can live without."

"Agreed," Tesyonah said. "I'm roasting and ready to go home."

Kiherah smiled but said nothing.

"Daughter, what troubles thee?" the queen finally said. "You disagree with my judgment. I know how much you care for Allista and Beshlem.."

"Thou judgments are wise and true, your Grace," Kiherah responded flatly.

"Kiherah, one day you shall be queen. Along with my crown, ye will inherit all of my power and responsibilities. You must learn that not everything can be governed from the heart. Compassion must be tempered with harsh but fair judgment. If not, the scales of justice will become unbalanced, and everything will spill out of control."

"May I speak freely?" Kiherah said.

"Always," Shamarah said tenderly.

Kiherah led her just out of earshot of Allista's female servants Shamarah had befriended. The maidens no longer treated her with cheerful greetings, but more of discontent reverence.

"I understand Allista's and Beshlem's transgressions against thee," Kiherah began. Shamarah detected her apprehension to speak her mind. "But are they not our friends?"

"True friends don't deceive Kiherah."

"And have you not deceived me. Rashnee held my son and daughter in his arms. Those same hands defiled innocent, helpless children. And ye knew of this."

"If I had told you what Rashnee had done, you would have never consented to let him be anywhere near his grandchildren. And he would have had you put to death, along with anyone else who had gotten in his way. It was only because of me that he had limited interaction with them. I am truly sorry, Kiherah but I was trying to protect you."

"You know well then that everyone harbors secrets. Allista too had good reason to keep her's hidden."

"Allista cloaks herself in piety, yet she places her loved ones at risk? Why coerce a good man like Beshlem into a fight that is impossible to win?"

Kiherah shook her head. "Beshlem's decisions are of his own accord, your Grace. He loves Kyros as ye do. While ye judge Allista for crimes that are of noble intent, have you considered that she and Beshlem have surrendered without resistance? By what lethal measure do two women without escort exercise them to obedience, except by their own consensus?"

Shamarah opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. She was right. Allista and Beshlem, two of the leaders of this small resistance had surrendered without protest. They had agreed to take the queen to meet Allista's pastors before being taken into custody.

"What think ye will become of your friends if I don't take action?" Shamarah said. "Beshlem and Allista will be at the mercy of Malisdier and his men. What would ye have me to do?"

Kiherah didn't have an answer. She shook her head and glanced over at Allista's sons sitting on the ground. She had come to favor Cashem and Caslin. Shamarah had come to admire her maternal instinct toward the boys, despite her being relatively new to motherhood.

When they had finally arrived at the festival, an exhausted Shamarah forthwith looked for a place to rest. She wondered how she had ever survived in the past without a horse. Allista covered her head with her shawl as to not be recognized, though it did no good. Every fifty feet or so, she was stopped by friends and admirers. Beshlem and his men had to disperse the crowds so that they could pass through. Shamarah wondered how she was able to put on such a brave face, knowing she was about to be arrested and taken from her home.

"I didn't expect to see so many people," Kiherah said to Allista when they had passed the crowds. "All of them have journeyed hither to hear your teachings?"

"I suppose one could say such," Allista said. "Though I'd prefer to believe that they came to hear from God, himself."

"You have touched so many lives, yet you remain humbled," Kiherah said dreamingly. "They love you just as much as they do Eudarius."

"Servility does draw many admirers your Grace, but I can't imagine that even I am responsible for all of this. They came because the Lord drew them hither."

Shamarah pondered Allista's last comment as the matriarch stopped to welcome a large peasant family from Lans Costest. They greeted her enthusiastically, and she kissed the young children on their foreheads. The youngest of the family, a five-year-old girl gave her a flower, and Allista lifted her in her arms.

"What meanest thou when ye say the Lord drew them hither?" Shamarah inquired when they had moved on.

Allista seemed taken aback by Shamarah's sudden entrance in her beliefs. "Our scriptures teach that no man comes to God unless the Spirit draws him," she said.

Shamarah furrowed her brow. "The Spirit?"

"You mean the Holy Ghost?" Tesyonah chimed in.

Allista beamed at her new favorite friend, patently impressed by her answer. "That's correct, Tess; the Holy Ghost."

Shamarah glanced at her granddaughter and then back at Allista, laughing. "Ye sayeth to me that a haunted soul walketh to and fro of the earth, bidding people come to Kyros?"

"The Holy Ghost is not a haunted soul," Allista said. "He is the spirit of the immortal, eternal wise God of heaven."

"Impossible. How can thy God be in heaven and on earth at the same time?"

"I don't know. That's why he's God."

"Well he's not a very considerate one, is he? I wonder how receptive these believers will be when they learn of thy departure."

Allista smirked at Shamarah. "Your Grace, behold these people. They are hungry, poverty-stricken and ravaged by famine and sickness. Nevertheless, they found the strength to make it hither. They've traveled from all over Laynemarah, looking for something that thy gods, the royal council, nor kings have ever been able to give them; hope.

"They trust what God's word says; to delight themselves in the Lord and that he would give them the desires of their hearts. Ye may bind my hands today, but nothing will stop God from speaking to his people. He will provide another willing vessel. Now your Grace, if we may hurry, my camp is just up that hill."

As they made their way to meet Allista's leaders, Shamarah gazed out across the landscape and beheld the sea of humanity filing into town. She estimated that more than ten thousand had come from every walk of life to be a part of the festivities. To her surprise, some had come as far as Shamrah and Kabaaz. Many of them were indeed poor and sickly. Shamarah couldn't help but be overcome by guilt when she saw them congregating before a large scaffold in front of the pond, one of Shamarah's old favorite spots.

She had her reasons for being angry at Allista, but not at the expense of making a mockery of her cause. If her quest for justice didn't blind her so, she would have greatly admired her new friend. She wasn't sold on the idea of this one God belief, but she was not going to be the cause of these souls not getting some much-needed inspiration.

"We will go in and meet my pastor along with the organizers of the event," Allista said. "Please permit me a few moments to explain my situation to them and then we may leave."

"Allista," Shamarah said. "Justice can wait. These people hath need of thee."

Allista gaped at Shamarah in disbelief. "Your Majesty?"

Kiherah smiled and took Allista by the hand. "Your people await you," she said gleefully. "Go now."

"Well, alright," Allista said, tears welling up in her eyes.

As they walked away, they heard her servants chattering joyfully and whispering expressions of praise to their God. Kiherah took Shamarah's arm in hers.

"I have never been so proud to call you my mother," she said.