Hadassah's Sacrifice

CHAPTER 25

Mylitta held tightly to the statue of Baal in her hands, not that she believed in gods, she didn’t believe in anything but herself. However, being here in the King’s villa makes her see a need to believe in something at least if she was going to become Queen. The eunuch had said that what the King sought was far beyond the physical beauty, she hoped that Baal will give her favour and bless her with all other qualities that will make her irresistible to the King. Her parents trusted Baal; mother spent most of her day praying to the different small statutes of Baal that she has and rubbing ointments for luck.

Shrugging, she thought of the many times she has seen her mother praying fervently to their god, and how uninterested she has always been to join her. It didn’t make any meaning to her — why trust a god when she could trust herself? Why suffer disappointment like her mother did from trusting her gods? The only reason she even went to the temple of Baal was to get away from her father’s over protective eyes. She looked around her room, she was a lucky girl to be here — in the King’s villa and now more than ever she needed Baal. Mother has suggested that she take some luck ointment but she has refused. It didn’t do much for her mother, so why bother taking some with her? But as she thought of the many beautiful girls who were her competitors, she wished she had listened to her. Luck was something she needed now more than ever.

Adjusting herself on the well decorated dressing table, where she sat admiring herself for the hundredth of times that day, she remembered the event of the day before with Tiamat. It hurt her that Tiamat would betray her by talking to someone else without even letting her know about it. There was something about that girl that Tiamat talked to that made her uncomfortable. Perhaps it was her stunning beauty or the quiet way in which she carried herself, but she made her feel insecure, which was strange because, she — Mylitta, never felt insecure because of people. It was always the other way round — people got insecure around her because of her carriage, beauty and wealth. Tiamat’s new friend was making her insecure and if Tiamat wanted to remain friends with her, she had to stay away from that girl.

                                     

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“Hadassah, are you ready?” a waiting Tiamat asked from outside the door of Hadassah’s room where she was standing with her maid who was done dressing her. They had a morning session with their eunuch.

“Almost ready,” Hadassah called back. Inside the room, she asked her maid to go keep spaces ahead for herself and Tiamat, while she stepped out of the room to meet a well dressed Tiamat. Hadassah’s maid walked ahead of them to do as her mistress have asked.

“Thank you for waiting for me,” Hadassah said cheerfully to her new friend. It was a surprise to her that Tiamat would call on her and be willing to stand outside her door for a long time because she wanted them to walk into the hall together.

“I want us to sit together,” Tiamat replied smiling. “Where did you send your maid to?” she asked when she saw Hadassah’s maid moving ahead and not beside her like her own maid was doing.

“Oh, I asked her to keep seats for us. I made us late, I hope to make up for it,” she looked at her friend’s face.

“You didn’t have to,” Tiamat replied brushing off her statement with her hands, “I’m certain our seats will be reserved,” she said matter of fact style.

Sneaking a quick peek at her, Hadassah liked her already. Tiamat was ever optimistic, just the kind of influence she needed around her.

                               
    
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It’s been weeks since Hadassah was taken and Gad felt terribly her absence. The small house now appeared large for him alone. His weight has considerably dropped and so has his appetite. It was usually Hadassah who did the cooking and now….now she was gone. He missed her so much. His life felt so empty without her. He was alone.

“Gad,” a woman’s voice called from outside which was strange because he wasn’t expecting anyone. “Who’s that?” he asked moving closer to the door. Who he saw when he opened the door was a surprise.

“Adah — I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” he moved away from the door to make space for her. He tried adjusting his hair with his hands, but he was failing miserably. Forcing a lipped tight smile, he gestured for her to sit. But Adah saw beyond the smile.

“I haven’t seen you in a long time,” she studied his features, he looked emaciated and like he hasn’t been having enough sleep, but quietly, she continued, “so I decided to see how you are doing.”

“You didn’t have to come all the way, Adah,” he sounded worried, “I would have come if you sent word.” He didn’t like that she had walked all this way because she was concerned about him. Adah was an old woman; he didn’t want her stressing herself. But he knew she wouldn’t mind him. She acted like a young woman and not like her age, in fact, she didn’t like it when people were nice to her because they considered her old. That’s why Gad was trying to be careful with his words.

“I’m only seventy, I can still move around without help,” she stretched her right leg a bit uneasily in a bid to show Gad that her limbs still worked well. Gad could only chuckle. He loved Adah. She was strong and she represented the kind of woman he wanted Hadassah to grow up into. Now that wasn’t possible anymore, not with them being far apart. It made him hurt even more just thinking about it.

Pushing aside his hurt, “So what was so important that you had to come all the way?” he raised an eyebrow, robbed his palm together and rested his back on the chair. Adah took that as her cue that he was ready for her visit.

“I wanted to see if you’ve been fine, especially since Hadassah’s no more with us,” she didn’t want to make him more uncomfortable than he already was. She only wanted him to see that they all cared about him.

Sighing, his reply came rather stiffly, “I’ve been doing fine.” Are you really fine, Gad? Why lie? His subconscious rebuked him. What difference did it make if he said he wasn’t fine anyway? No one could bring back Hadassah. She was gone.

Sensing that he appeared withdrawn, Adah decided to give him a moment before she said, “I understand, Gad. I know how difficult things are for you right now, in fact,” she stood up, “it’s the reason I brought this for you,” she handed him a bag he hadn’t noticed with her since she came in.

Amazed was more than how he felt when he saw what was inside the bag — a bowl of cooked grain, fried beef and packaged beautifully was a bowl of fruits. He was grateful. Adah has been so thoughtful of him. It made him sad that he hadn’t been overly excited when he found her in his front door. “Thank you, Adah… for this,” he pointed to the bag he has placed on the floor beside him, “and for everything.”

Adah has been there for Hadassah when his work wouldn’t give him enough time, she has been like a second mother to her and though he didn’t know the depth of their relationship, he knew they must have been close. He was aware of how much Hadassah loved her. And after what seemed like a long time, Gad was going to eat a healthy dinner.

                                           
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He was ready to be a new man for his wife, but Gershom still had to fulfill his dream — annihilate the Jews. He loved Nana, he knew he didn’t act like it, but he did. And more than anything, he wanted her to see how much he loved her and how he was still the man she has married. After he was done with his mission, they could both see someone who would counsel them on their marriage. Soon the King was going to do whatever he wanted; he just had to wait for the right moment. After then, Nana was going to see a different husband.

He couldn’t place the reason why he didn’t like the Jews, so much that he wanted them dead, just that they made his people feel like their god was dead while theirs was some living god, and they acted so self-righteously that it grated on his nerves. But Gershom knew, he knew that there was something different about the God of the Israelites, something that Baal didn’t have. Maybe that was the real reason behind his hate — jealousy. He was jealous that they could pray to their god and he would answer. He was jealous that they had a real connection between them and their god, something that he has never had with Baal.

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A/N: thank you for sticking with me even with how inconsistent I have been.