Daron Fraley - The Thorn

Eli paused and crossed his arms as if to allow Jonathan time to absorb the new information.

“Father and I suspected Ain had already been captured, but we did not know for sure.” Jonathan let out a deep sigh, then pursed his lips. Confusion replaced his anger. “If you found the village deserted, how did you get mixed up with the Gideonite soldiers?”

“I sent most of my men to check the garden gate while I took Tavor with me to check out the temple, palace, and hall. The temple seemed to be undisturbed. Obviously the Gideonites were not after gold candlesticks that day.”

Jonathan managed a thin smile at this somewhat positive news.

“When I got to the hall, I found your father in the Council Room.” Eli placed his hand on Jonathan’s shoulder. “I sent Tavor to call the other men, and then the ten of us carried him out the broken gates into the olive garden. We found some shovels in the gardener’s hut. Jonathan, we laid him under your favorite olive tree.”

Tears were visible in Eli’s eyes again, and Jonathan’s own sorrow pulled his head low. He felt the strong squeeze of Eli’s hand on his arm. He looked up, again wiping his face with his hands. “Thank you, Eli. You did my father a great service.”

“I loved him too, Jonathan.”

Eli paused, but then explained that after their very emotional ceremony for Samuel, they split up to cover the entire village to be sure there were no survivors within the walls.

“When we met back at the hall, we thought it peculiar that we did not find any other bodies in the entire village. There were evidences everywhere of intense fighting when the village was overrun, but we did not find a single soul, living or dead. We decided to patrol the outside wall, and did so, starting at the garden gate. We circled the southern wall heading west.”

Eli cleared his throat. “We were surprised to find a fresh mass grave to the west of the village, still being filled by a group of Danielites and their captors. Not far off, a group of about forty Gideonites were camped in the hollow there by the vineyards. About ten of them rushed up to us as soon as we were seen, and knowing we were outnumbered, we surrendered. We were harshly questioned, and when they figured out that I was the leader of my band of warriors, they separated us. My nine were added to the main group of remaining Danielites and marched down the road towards Saron. I had the pleasure of traveling the forest trails toward Ain in company of the rogues you caught me with earlier this evening. The captain told Pekah and the others it would be a faster route.” Eli grinned and spat on the ground in defiance. “Once again, you have gotten me out of a bad one,” he said with a laugh.

Jonathan didn’t laugh, but he did return the smile. “It’s so good to see you, Eli. Thank you again for giving my father a dignified burial. It was I who left him on the floor of the Council Hall. I hated to do it, but I was in a hurry to escape.”

With hand gestures for emphasis, Jonathan proceeded to tell Eli about hiding in the barn, hearing the commotion in the village, and returning to the hall where he found his father. He also mentioned the noise which had startled him, and his retrieval of The Thorn. Jonathan patted his chest.

“Eli, I got it, and then literally ran out the door.”

“I’m glad you did,” Eli said as he glanced back toward the camp. Jonathan also leaned to see the dim outline of Pekah sitting by the fire.

Jonathan ended his account by describing the long day in their secret cave. The two of them laughed a little as they reminisced together about the many items they had hidden there long ago as boys. But again their moods became somber, and they both grew quiet as their gazes rested on the moons-lit ground.

Eli lifted his head and pointed at the campfire. “What are we going to do with him?”

“I don’t know. He seems to have a good heart. If we can convince him to join the side of peace, he may be able to soften the hearts of others. What do you think?”

“You may be right. Although we all expected this war, I would very much prefer that it end quickly, and he may be able to help.”

Jonathan tapped his sword pommel with his hand, anxious to do whatever was necessary to stop Gideon. Numerous possible outcomes crossed his mind in mere seconds, but then he threw a startled expression in Eli’s direction.

“What has become of your sister?” Jonathan asked. “Last I knew, Rachel had been in Saron. Did she make it home safely?”

Eli’s jaw stiffened with anger. He shook his head, and Jonathan instantly felt ill.

“But I don’t know for sure,” Eli added, his tone grave. “To my knowledge, Rachel was still at market with the family steward, selling our spring lambs, when Saron was surprised by the Gideonites. If she left early enough, she might have made it home to Ramathaim before they attacked. I just fear she did not. When we left the city, we did not see anyone coming north from Hasor. She should have been back by that time.”

Jonathan saw deep emotion like a kindled fire burning in Eli’s eyes. “If she did not make it out of Saron, where do you think she is?”

“She may be at Ain. Our scouts confirmed there was a significant movement of people from Saron towards Ain the day before yesterday. They reported to have seen several columns of prisoner escorts. But then again, she may have been… the Gideonites…” Eli shuddered.

At Eli’s unspoken suggestion, Jonathan remembered the dishonorable things some Gideonite captains had done with female prisoners in the past. He could not bring himself even to complete the thought. Jonathan fought the images away and mustered his courage.

“Eli, don’t fear the worst. Let us have faith she has been protected.”

Eli grumbled. “I suppose you’re right. But you know as well as I do, the Gideonites do not always treat women with honor or respect. Some of them have forgotten the ways taught by Father Noah and treat women as if they were mere property.”

Jonathan bristled at the thought. His father Samuel had taught him to honor women as God’s finest creation, and that attitude prevailed amongst his own people. Jonathan loved Rachel dearly, and the thought of Gideonite soldiers harming her made his blood boil. Rachel had been promised to him, and even though she was not yet his lawful wife, Jonathan felt protective of her.

“Well,” Jonathan spat out, “at least we’re traveling in the right direction. I think we can easily reach Ain within two days. It’s my intention to find out what’s going on in that fair city.”

Eli patted Jonathan on the arm. “I feel the same way, my brother. If she’s there, we will find her.”

The two friends made their way back to the campfire and found Pekah sharpening the dagger he had taken from the Gideonite captain. He glanced up as they approached, but then returned to his work. As Jonathan and Eli removed their weapons and found themselves seats near the fire, Pekah stopped his sharpening and sheathed the dagger.

“Nate, can you tell me about the sword you carry? I have never seen anything like it.”

It seemed to be a harmless question. Jonathan took up the sword that lay next to him on the ground, pulled it from the sheath, and turned it in his hands, causing reflections from the campfire to bounce above them in the trees. Pekah gaped in wonder at the lights and leaned forward to see the narrow, thin, faceted blade.

“It is merely a glow-stone, albeit a special one,” Jonathan said. “This nearly perfect crystal was found by my grandfather in the mines near Hasor, crafted into a sword, and presented as a gift to my father.”

Jonathan stopped short of telling the whole story. To do so would reveal his identity. The Sword of Daniel had actually been given to his father as a coronation gift on the same day Samuel married. He chose to keep those facts to himself.