Always Broken (Book 1 and 2)

Chapter 2: The Prize (Book 2)

Lorena Eliakim

My father figured out about how I saved my people from death by begging for our lives and instead of giving me some type of appreciation for what I achieved, I was chastised.

"Do you know what you have done?" My father asked, very harshly, "You have made us appear to be weak in front of the enemy!"

"My husband, please, be easy on her. She was just simply scared of what was to come. She did not mean to bring dishonor to anyone," my mother tried to stand up for me. My mother was my father's weakness. Even though my father often tried to hide it, I knew how the king felt for his queen. My mother often helped me get out of trouble because of this reason. But this time I knew nothing would save me from my father's wrath. He was angry.

"Rubie, stay out of this right now," he ordered my mother and she looked down, feeling disappointed that she could not help me. "Explain yourself," he demanded me.

"I am sorry. I know it was wrong and it broke protocol of my duty as a princess but father, you must understand! He was about to burn the whole village!" I begged to him, raising my voice and my father gave me no mercy as he screamed at me from across the room.

"I don't care about what that man was about to do! He came to challenge me and you should have never intervened. Now, because of what you have done, those Assyrians will look down upon us as the weak nation. Look what you have done," he seethed at me and I closed my eyes, sealing my mouth from talking back and saying a disrespectful comment.

"My Lord, he wants to have a treaty with us. He gave Lorena gifts of peace. She has done good and now we will not have to worry about our villages being attacked," my mother tried to reason with him again but he was not having it. If anything, I could feel the eternal affliction I had just received from my father. He was not proud of me and I am not surprised that even Satan looked better in my fathers' eyes than myself at this very moment.

"A treaty?" My father took his head back in shock and I could see his face turn more red from anger, "Those heathens have killed our men, raped our women and slaughtered our children for many years and you would like to make a treaty with them? No! My honor is not that low. Those dogs deserve to be dead and the last time that I will ever associate with them myself is to fight. I will forgive you this time, my daughter. However, you are to stay away from the Assyrians and Sahem. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, father," I humbly replied, becoming angry at the way I had been chastised. I was very stubborn and hotheaded when I wanted to be for that was one of the traits I inherited from my mother. Nevertheless, I still knew when to be humble and when not to speak. My father was not like that and he was very prideful and on a high horse. He would fight until the end and never give up and he always thought his way was the best way way for our people. We were taught as leaders to always listen but my father lost that personality trait.

I was scared of the Assyrians, just like everyone else and my reaction was normal. But my father did not think that and I knew that this day would be the last day that I had all of my father's trust to make good decisions for my people. I had lost his trust. That was the scariest part of this situation.

"Does Joseph know about what has occurred with the Assyrians?" My father turned to my mother to ask her the question.

"No. He does not. He never showed up at the synagogue this morning with the Rabbi. Lorena and I were alone when everything happened. But husband, do not be angry with her. She is just a child," my mother pleaded, "If anything, I probably should have stopped her from doing anything. I am the queen and I should know what to do by now. If My Lord would like to blame someone, blame me but-"