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The following is the fourth installment of a serialization of the novel, Abinadi by H.B. Moore. To read the previous installment, click here. More information about H.B. Moore can be found: www.hbmoore.com
Chapter Three
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the
name of the Lord shall be delivered.
(Joel 2:32)
The fields were empty—too empty. Raquel strained to see through the darkness. Where were the sheep? The men? A whisper of warning touched her back, and the hairs on her neck stood. Instinctively, she crouched and placed her hands on the steady ground. What was going on? Where was Seth?
She was sure he’d told her to meet him here at the north field by the agave presses. Her breathing had slowed after her mad sprint through the city, and now she could hear the wind as it stirred the nearby branches. She glanced uneasily at the forest south of the pasture. No matter how reckless she’d been in coming here by herself, she wouldn’t venture there alone—in the dark.
Raquel wrapped her arms around her knees, hugging them tightly against her chest. She couldn’t just wait here all night, but she didn’t want to return home yet. She looked around wondering if Seth had tricked her. Even as she thought it, she laughed at herself. He had just told her the wrong field by mistake. But what if . . . what if something had happened to her cousin? No, she decided, the sheep would still be with the other shepherds. She rose to her feet, ignoring the touch of fear that slid along her arms.
She waited as long as she could stand it, her courage ebbing into boredom, then anxiety. She could search for some plants and herbs, but most of them grew near the line of trees, which loomed a little too dark. There was nothing to do except return home. But this time, she planned to keep to the outskirts of the city to avoid any more unsavory encounters.
Just as she rose to her feet, she saw something black scurry between two trees. Raquel covered her mouth to silence her own scream. Maybe it was an animal, perhaps a wild boar. Heart pounding, she walked toward the rows of maize, careful to steer clear of the edge of the forest.
Suddenly, the dark shape burst out of the trees and hurled toward her. Raquel froze in place, staring, unbelieving, as it grew closer. “Help,” it cried.
Help? Animals didn’t talk.
The shape was too tall for a boar, and it had two legs. A child.
“Help!”
The child didn’t slow as he reached Raquel, but plowed into her, knocking both of them to the ground. Stunned for an instant, Raquel finally pushed the child off of her. The young boy’s eyes were large with panic.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, grabbing his arm.
Tears rolled down his cheeks as he stared at her. “Help.”
Raquel peered at him in the moonlight. He looked slightly familiar, but his round face and brown clothing didn’t give any clues. “What’s your name?”
He took a ragged gulp of air. “Ben.”
“All right, Ben,” Raquel said, feeling sorry for this boy while at the same time becoming increasingly worried for Seth.
“They’re following me,” Ben whispered. “They caught the Teacher, and they tried to catch me.” He started to tremble.
“Who’s following you?” she asked.
“The Lamanites.”
A shot of dread coursed through Raquel. She looked at the tree line, trying to see any hovering forms there. Her skin crawled to think of bloodthirsty men hunting down a young boy. Or girl. “You must come with me, and we’ll find help,” she whispered. She stood and pulled Ben alongside her. “We’ll keep cover in the stalks, and when we reach the city, we’ll find someone to help.”
He was already shaking his head. “No—they’ll kill the Teacher and his elders.”
Raquel let out a low breath. The “teacher” must be their leader. “If your friends live in the city of Nephi, they’ll be protected under the king,” she said.
“No.” Ben’s voice was scarcely above a whisper. He looked at the ground and shuffled his feet. “He’s not favored by the king.”
“The king will overlook your friends’ beliefs to fight the Lamanites,” Raquel said. A shade of hope was restored to the young boy’s face. “Come on, Ben. If we are to help your friend, we must hurry.” Then another thought occurred to her. In spite of what she had just told Ben, Raquel knew that chances were slim that the king would send his men to save religious zealots. But if the shepherds were attacked, the king might be roused to action. A new shard of fear pierced Raquel. The life of this teacher, and perhaps Seth, might depend on her actions after all. “Do you know Seth?” she asked.
“I . . . don’t think so. Is he an elder?”
A wry smile crossed Raquel’s otherwise anxious face. “No. He’s my cousin. But he was out here with the sheep.” She gazed over the empty fields, her heart telling her that something bad had happened to him. With greater urgency, she said, “Let’s go.”
They plunged into the maize and started running. Adrenaline propelled her forward, and she ran as fast as she dared without losing Ben. She couldn’t believe this was happening. Mixed fortune had brought her here tonight. She just hoped she wasn’t too late to get help for Seth and the others.
Ben tugged at her robe, and she looked over at him. He slowed to a stop, his thin chest heaving. “I can’t leave the Teacher behind.”
“We’re not leaving him—we’re finding help,” Raquel said. She’d never met anyone so obstinate. “If the Lamanites have captured our people, King Noah will send an army and rescue them.” At least she hoped Seth or the other shepherds would be reason enough for the king to take action.
“I must protect the Teacher from the Lamanites and from King Noah,” Ben said, his eyes fearful.
“How?” Raquel asked. “You’re just a young boy.”
His expression hardened. “I made a promise to the Lord.”
Raquel bent forward and placed both of her hands on his shoulders. “You’ll keep that promise by coming with me. We’ll get help, but we have to stay together for our own protection.” She wanted to shake some sense into the child.
The boy still hesitated. Then he did something very strange. He knelt on the ground and bowed his head.
“What are you doing?” Raquel whispered. “We’ve got to hurry.” She leaned down, ready to grab his arm, when she heard his soft words—pleading and supplicating.
“O God of our righteousness. On this night, spare the Teacher and all the men who are in danger. Show us the way. We are indebted to Thee for Thy kind mercies, O Lord. Amen.” The boy opened his eyes. “All right. I’m ready.”
Raquel shook her head in shock. “Only the king and the priests can pray.”
“No,” Ben said, his eyes locked with hers. “Everyone can pray. The Lord will hear and answer prayers, no matter who asks—”
“Come,” Raquel said, fighting the urge to laugh. She’d never heard such foolishness. As if the great God of the universe would pause in His work to listen to a little boy in the middle of a maize field. Besides, it was completely unnecessary since the priests said prayers in behalf of the community.
They zigzagged through the fields until they reached the main road to the city. Ben kept up with Raquel, but every so often, crying wracked his small frame. Raquel kept his hand in hers as they hurried along the road, first so that he wouldn’t slow her down, and second because his pitiful crying was difficult to bear. She hushed him over and over, but to no effect.
Finally, she stopped and took his shoulders firmly. “Ben, you’re slowing us down. You need to stop this crying. The sooner we find help, the better.”
“But if I tell them the location of the Teacher and the elders . . .” A tremor of emotion passed over his face.
At once, Raquel understood his dilemma. “You won’t be betraying your friends. This is a matter of life and death,” she said, trying to calm his trembling body. She removed the turban from her head, and her hair tumbled past her shoulders. “My father is part of the king’s court. I can speak with him and the king. If it makes you feel any better, I’ll take the blame.”
Ben stared up at her, clearly startled by her hidden identity. “Y-you will?”
“Of course,” she said with a smile, realizing that she truly meant it. “You can trust me.”
“All right,” Ben said as they started again, his pace noticeably increasing.
The road widened, stretching toward the city. On the slopes that rose from the center of town, torches still blazed around the royal courtyard.
The wedding, Raquel thought. She’d almost forgotten. It would be perfect. All of King Noah’s chief officers would be there. She and Ben could inform everyone at the same time. She swallowed the hard lump in her throat, knowing all she needed now was courage—courage to disturb a king on his wedding night.
They wove their way through the streets until they reached the outer wall of the king’s residence. A guard rose unsteadily to his feet and leered toward her. “Come to j-join the d-dancing?”
The odor of sour wine emanated from the man. “No,” Raquel breathed, taking a step back. “I need audience with the king. The Lamanites have crossed the borders.”
The guard stared at her for a moment, then swayed slightly. He looked past Raquel and Ben toward the empty road. “I don’t see any L-lamanites.”
That’s because you’re drunk, Raquel wanted to retort. “They’ve breached the vineyards and captured some shepherds,” she tried again. She squeezed Ben’s trembling hand. “The king needs to be warned.”
“All-ll right,” the guard slurred. He staggered to his post and took a long swig of wine from a jug. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he mumbled, “Come with me.”
At last, Raquel thought. They followed his slow steps through the torch-lit courtyard, and she squinted against the brightness. As they neared the main hall, the music grew louder, mixed with bursts of laughter and conversation. A couple of men lounged outside the curtained entryway. They gazed at Raquel with unbridled interest, but she tried to ignore them.
“A m-message for the king,” the guard announced, rocking on his heels.
“Ah,” one of the men said with a greedy smile and moved toward Raquel. “I’ll take her in.”
She recoiled as he reached for her arm, “We have a message,” she said, practically crushing Ben to her side.
The man looked at the boy in confusion.
“I am not a dancer,” Raquel clarified.
The man’s expression drooped, but his eyes stayed inquisitive. For an instant, Raquel wished she had replaced her turban. Her unbound hair was a symbol of her unmarried status. She didn’t want to be rude to these men, for they certainly knew her father.
The other man joined them. “The king will not be pleased.” They walked through a great hall, sounds of music and laughter growing louder. Then the man stopped before a large curtain. He pulled it aside, and Raquel stepped into the glittering interior.
Confusion hit as she stared into the massive room. A crowd of men and women were dancing—together—something that shouldn’t happen between those who weren’t married to each other. Raquel stared at the sight for a moment, then turned toward the men who had let her in. One of them grinned and motioned for her to enter. The crowd broke apart as Raquel and Ben walked across the room. In the center of the action, the king sat upon a pile of cushions. Several women dressed in next to nothing surrounded him. A priest sat near the king, with just as many women hovering over him. Then to her surprise, Raquel recognized the priest. “Father!”
A dark cloud passed over the priest’s face as he registered who the girl in boy’s clothing was. He shoved away the woman who leaned against him and stood. He took two strides toward Raquel, then stopped. “What are you doing here? You should be home.”
Raquel tried to swallow her shock at seeing her father with all these women—as if he enjoyed it—and said, “I”—she glanced at Ben—“I have a message for the king.”
Her father’s eyes narrowed. “Not tonight, Raquel.”
“Amulon,” King Noah’s voice boomed over the music, “bring the children forward.”
Slowly, Amulon turned to face the king, but not before throwing Raquel a warning glare. She knew she’d just tasted her last night of freedom. Her punishment would undoubtedly be severe at best.
Gripping Ben’s hand, she stepped forward and bowed low, Ben following suit. She’d never seen the king this close before. He was near enough to touch. His headdress, in the shape of a large bird, was intimidating, and the cape over his shoulders was a vibrant green. Noah’s heavy jowls lifted into a smile. “I don’t believe I’ve ever met your daughter, Amulon. You’ve neglected to tell me how fair she is.”
“She’s only seventeen,” Amulon said, a strange pleading in his voice.
Raquel sensed he was furious. Her stomach twisted. Maybe her father was embarrassed that his daughter saw him in the company of other women.
But she would worry about that later. She had urgent news. “The Lamanites are here,” she burst out to the king.
King Noah lifted a dark brow and leaned forward. “Lamanites?”
Raquel couldn’t tell if he was mocking her or if he always wore a half-smile when receiving grave information, but she forged ahead. “They’ve breached the north border and captured some of the shepherds.”
She cautioned a look at her father. His face was drawn into a scowl. “Seth is missing too,” she said quietly.
Her father’s face seemed to harden further, but he turned to the king with a slight bow. “My brother’s son.”
Noah’s eyes finally grew serious. “Ah. Family then.” He rose to his feet with some difficulty, causing the surrounding women to scatter.
Nearly everyone had stopped dancing to listen, and the soulful music ceased. Then a fleeting thought passed through Raquel’s mind. Where was the king’s new bride?
The king raised his hand for quiet, and the whispers turned silent. With his eyes locked on Raquel, he said, “Amulon, take thirty soldiers with you to the north border and find those shepherds.”
Murmuring filled the room. Amulon grabbed his daughter by the shoulder, ready to haul her off, but she said, “Wait! There’s more!”
Everyone looked at her. Her father’s face reddened with sure anger.
Raquel glanced at Ben then at King Noah. “The elders of Zeniff’s reign are also missing.”
Noah jerked his head up and crossed to Raquel and Ben. “Who?”
Was he trying to trick her? Or did he really not know? Raquel stammered, “They—they are no longer elders, your highness, only former patrons of King Zeniff’s court—”
“I know who the elders are!” Noah bellowed, his face scarlet. “Tell me their names, girl.” The king circled Raquel and Ben, sputtering, “And never mention my father’s name again in my presence.”
Blood rushed to her head as she imagined all sorts of horrible punishments this great king could order upon her. Why wasn’t her father stopping his ranting? She didn’t know their names, and somehow she didn’t think Teacher was sufficient. Regardless, she’d keep her promise to Ben. As far as King Noah knew, Ben was just another shepherd.
A small but strong voice spoke up. “No matter their beliefs, they’ve been captured by our enemies.”
Noah leaned close to Ben and hissed, “Give me their names, boy!”
Ben dropped Raquel’s hand and tilted his chin upward. “Their names are Gideon, Ezra, Timon, Nathan, and Abinadi.”
Abinadi . . . The name rocked through Raquel. She had only ever heard of one man named Abinadi, so it could be no other. Seth, and now Abinadi, were in the hands of the Lamanites. Forget her father and his thirty men. She would fight herself. Pulling herself from her thoughts, she saw that Noah’s gaze was focused on her, as if scrutinizing her every feature. Her face and neck grew warm until he finally looked away.
“Amulon, I need fifty men!” Noah called out as if he could read Raquel’s mind. “Capture the Lamanites and throw them into the cells! Then bind the elders and bring them here.”
Like an instant thunderstorm, everyone burst into action. Raquel kept Ben at her side and tried to dart out, but her father was quicker. He grabbed her by the arm, steering her out of the palace. “Go home, now!” he commanded, signaling to a guard.
Raquel nodded, tears burning beneath her eyelids. She hurried across the courtyard with Ben at her side. Outside the gate, they said a hasty good-bye and, with a forlorn look, Ben stared after Raquel as she went in the opposite direction. No one bothered her this time as she raced through the streets toward home. At least she’d delivered the warning to the king, although she might pay for the court intrusion for the rest of her life.
