The Philistine Warrior (41 page)

“One thing’s for certain. Zaggi’s kept the secret, likely because he wants my support (however reluctant, as he knows it would be) for his election. So perhaps he might come to terms…and give up his demand for the baby’s death…provided its sent out of
Philistia
….”

“That might be the case.”

“Yes,” I pondered, “he needs me—and really, all he can offer me is the life of the child…so long as
Philistia
’s interests are safeguarded by the baby’s disappearance from our country. I’ll get in touch with him….”

But at that moment, my butler came to the door, interrupting our deliberations: “Pardon, my Lord, there’s a Canaanite girl outside who begs permission to see you—and the Queen, too. She says her

name’s ‘Rachel,’ and she claims to be the servant who went to
Egypt
with Her Majesty—although I can scarcely recognize her!”

“Rachel!” I exclaimed. “My God, what’s she doing here?”

“She says, my Lord, that she comes to see you, that she needs you—and the Queen,” the butler told me.

“Well, bring her to my chamber. We’ll see if it’s really Rachel or not!”

Ibbi looked a bit distressed: “My Lord, I doubt that Rachel would care for my company—because I…because of her husband’s death, I mean…and so I shall take my leave, with your permission.”

“Good idea, Ibbi—at least for now. Is Delai recovered enough to see Rachel?”

“Yes, m’Lord,” he answered, and then bowed his way out.

I went to my chamber, and soon my butler presented the girl. It was Rachel, all right—but, like the butler, I, too, was amazed by her appearance. She was thin and worn with care; her face had taken on a sharper look than before; and she seemed unkempt. “Rachel! I exclaimed—and I smiled.

Her mouth twitched in a half-smile. “My Lord, it’s…good to see you again,” she answered softly, as I pressed her hand. But she appeared distracted, not genuinely happy about our sudden reunion.

“But…where have you been all this time?” I asked. “What—please, sit down—what’ve you been doing?” I couldn’t very well ask her how she’d come to look so…worn out….

She twisted her hands in her lap. “My Lord, I’m sure you haven’t heard of what happened to the baby I was carrying when you last saw me—Menena’s child….” I shook my head. “His child was born dead, in
Egypt
,” she explained.

“I’m sorry….”

“I’ve wandered, abandoned by everyone—even by my in-laws, after the still-birth…wandered through
Egypt
, through Sinai, until I reached
Gaza
. It’s been difficult….” She let out a long sigh.

“
Gaza
, you say?” I commented.

She hesitated. Then: “Yes, some weeks ago. I’d come back to my native land…to beg permission to serve my Princess again….”

“It’ll do her good to see you again,” I said—and I smiled. “You know, Delai’s had a hard time, too…first the loss of her husband…then her baby, Akashou…not to mention being kidnapped—but you’ve heard all about that, I suppose?”

“Yes, my Lord, I’ve heard,” she replied. “I learned all about that in
Gaza
. My old master, Lord Zaggi, was there when I arrived, and he gave me some money so I could buy a decent dress and come to Askelon to see her. He said she’d soon have need of me because of the miracle child, the posthumous child of King Ekosh!” I tried to hide my astonishment at that, and she went on: “Lord Zaggi says it will be born soon,” she concluded.

My confusion was hard to conceal, and I thought fast: So, I noted, to myself: Zaggi has decided to pass off the child as that of Ekosh after all! But why?

Rachel continued: “Oh, Lord Phicol, don’t worry—he told me it’s a secret! I won’t tell anyone. He said that the Danites might try to kidnap and kill the baby—because of that prophecy about how it’ll grow up to rule in Philistia; and to get revenge for Samson. He told me that…that, ever since Akashou’s death, the prophecy must mean that this
new
child will grow up to lead
Philistia
against the Danites and the Canaanites—against the Judaeans, too.” She paced around, nervous as a cat.

“That’s what Chancellor Zaggi told you?” I asked, underlining the obvious.

“Yes, m’Lord. But may I go to her now?” She motioned toward the door.

I made a snap decision: for the moment, until I could find out what Zaggi’s game might be, I would uphold his lie concerning the baby’s father. Perhaps, I imagined, this is how Zaggi and I can come to some sort of agreement—by telling Rachel an untruth, we prevent any Canaanite from knowing the child’s real sire. Let her imagine that the fact that we kept the pregnancy secret was for its—and Delai’s—safety, until (something Rachel would not, of course, know was our plan) the child could be sent abroad!

Now, however, I had to get word to Delai that she must join us in tricking Rachel, at least for the time being—get word to her before

Rachel reaches her chamber. “Ah, Rachel,” I told the girl, “the child—a boy—has just this day been born…at full term…and Her Majesty will be delighted to see you.”

She was surprised at that news. “Yes, I want to see her right away, then,” she replied.

I called for my butler. In a moment, he appeared; Rachel jumped at the sound of his knock on my door. “Take this girl to a room where she may change her clothes and freshen up. Give her some fresh clothes. Then escort her to Queen Delai’s chamber,” I ordered. He saluted and motioned for Rachel to follow him.

“Thank you, my Lord,” she curtsied, and was gone.

Quickly, I went to Delai’s chamber—before Rachel could arrive. I found her placing the new-born baby in its crib, beside her own bed. “Hello,” she greeted me as she lay down. I kissed her cheek. “Where’ve you been? I thought you and Ibbi would’ve been back by now.”

“I’ve got a surprise for you,” I answered with a weak smile. “You’ll never guess who’s here!” I paused. Naturally, she couldn’t guess. “It’s Rachel!”

“Rachel! Why, that’s fantastic!” She was much pleased.

I hated to cast a shadow across her joy, but it had to be done: “Yes, but she’s awfully thin and worn. And her baby—Menena’s baby—it was born dead while she stayed in
Egypt
….”

Delai, of course, knew how much that would mean to Rachel. “Oh, dear Goddess, how horrible! Poor Rachel!”

But there wasn’t time to linger over joy or sadness. “I must hurry,” I began. “She’ll be here in a few minutes. Listen to this: she met Uncle Zaggi in
Gaza
, and he told her that your baby’s father was Ekosh!”

“But….”

“I know, it’s strange. I don’t know why. I’m trying to figure out his game. I’m going to send him a letter right now—this may be the break we’ve been waiting for….”

“I don’t understand….” She sounded almost annoyed.

“Well, Zaggi needs my support if he wants an overwhelming victory in the election for Melek—which he does. I think this may be

his way of letting the baby survive, thereby gaining my good will. He thinks that, maybe, if the secret gets out, the public will demand the baby’s death—and he won’t trust Rachel with keeping the secret. I guess, after the baby’s safely transported to
Babylon
, or wherever, then Rachel can be told the secret, and Zaggi will reluctantly agree to that. I suppose he thinks that the public might even turn against
you
if the secret gets out—and against me. And against him for keeping the secret this long. He doesn’t want that…at least until after the election. Ibbi’s so-called prophecy must be kept secret from the public. Rachel already knows about the prophecy, and she says she’ll keep it secret…and it doesn’t matter, because the prophecy, so far as she knows, and will know, it isn’t to be kept from the public permanently, but only until we can be sure of the safety of this ‘child of Ekosh,’ as she thinks it is! Safe from Danite assassins, as she’ll suppose.”

“Great Goddess, you don’t suppose Uncle Zaggi will try to have Rachel killed, do you? Will he really trust her to keep the prophecy a secret? And the child himself a secret?”

“She’ll be safe until the election, because killing her would alienate me from his cause. So she, like the baby, must be spirited out of
Philistia
as soon as possible.”

“I don’t want this child taken from me…but I guess it has to be done…I can’t leave Philistia, my home…where I’ll have responsibilities as Dowager Queen; my duty to the shade of my dear Ekosh…and I don’t want to leave you….”

“Thank you, Delai, I…I don’t know what to say. But Rachel will soon be here. I’ll try to work out an agreement with Uncle. So, in the meantime, we have to play along—let Rachel keep on thinking that the child is Ekosh’s. I know how you feel about deception, dear Cousin….”

“Yes, but I understand. Even so, I believe Rachel can be trusted not to tell anyone…”

“You haven’t seen her yet. She’s not herself—she’s distraught, haggard! I know it’s odd to trust Zaggi, but not her…still, we have to think of years of trying to protect the baby without his help, indeed
with
his enmity. If he can’t be persuaded to spare the child’s life, he

won’t settle for leaving it anonymously in the hills to die—or be adopted by someone; the prophecy scares him too much for that… he’ll demand a
witnessed
death…or, I hope, a firm commitment to anonymous exile….”

“I don’t want to have the child left somewhere on the chance that someone will adopt him. Yes, better to let Ibbi transport him to
Babylon
….” She sounded—and was—so weary, from childbirth and the strain of keeping the secret…her spirit had indeed been weakened when Samson rejected her plea for peace. “It’s such a gigantic injustice that an innocent baby has to become a pawn like this…but I’ll do as you wish….”

I kissed her cheek. “It’ll only be for a while,” I told her. “We might even suggest to Rachel that she accompany the baby to
Babylon
, or wherever—after she learns the truth, I mean…. I’ll be right back—I’ll go write Zaggi immediately.”

I dashed back to my chamber and called for a trusted member of my staff. While he was coming, I scribbled a fast note to Zaggi:

Lord Zaggi: Why did you tell Rachel that the baby is King

Ekosh’s rather than Samson’s? Delai doesn’t want to deceive

her, nor do I. We even believe that Rachel might accompany

the baby into exile, once she’s told the truth. Please answer

right away. If we can come to an agreement on this, I shall

support you in the election. In the meantime, we’ll keep up

the charade so far as Rachel is concerned. Phicol, Sheren.

I sealed the papyrus sheet and handed it to my messenger when he reported. “Go as quickly as you can to
Gath
,” I ordered him. “Give this message to Lord Zaggi and only to Lord Zaggi. Bring me his answer immediately. This is urgent.” He saluted and departed.

That done, I decided to rejoin Delai—and see if her unexpected guest had arrived in her chamber. As I walked down the corridor, I began to think that I’d been too hasty about Rachel: clearly
she,
of all people, could be trusted, no matter how frazzled she appeared. Perhaps, I thought, we should tell her the truth now. And yet, I’d just