Crown in the Stars (40 page)

Tiyrac stared at his brother in Ra-Anan’s evening-shadowed courtyard, wondering why Kaleb thought he had any information on that Lady Sharah’s missing guardsmen. “No, I haven’t heard anything.”

Almost inaudibly, Kal muttered, “Why would she send her guardsmen away so mysteriously? Her son claims that she loves to be surrounded by them; they make her feel powerful. What else could be so important… unless they’ve found out that I’ma-Keren and Zekaryah and the others are in the Tribe of Metiyl?”

The thought made Tiyrac catch his breath sharply. “Do you think they have?”

“We’ll know when those guardsmen return. Until then, we pray.” Still quiet, Kaleb asked, “How is she?”

It took Tiyrac an instant to shift his thoughts. “Shoshannah? She’s well.” He had almost mistakenly said the name of the young lady Demamah. He had to forget her, particularly if their enemies had found Zekaryah, I’ma-Keren, Father Shem, and I’ma-Annah. Considering what might happen if I’ma-Keren and Zekaryah were caught—if they were all caught—Tiyrac felt his stomach churn. Truly, he had to forget Demamah; it was useless to
think of her anyway. Her father would never approve of his only daughter marrying such a plain man as himself.

Perek entered the darkening courtyard just then and gave the brothers a suspicious look. Kaleb straightened and stared at Perek coolly. Tiyrac detested the rude man and silently echoed his brother’s attitude. Perek sneered at them but turned away.

Coward
, Tiyrac thought, pleased.

After stretching and studying the dawn, Annah carried a limp heap of water skins down a green hillside to a tree-sheltered, noisily rushing stream. She would fill these skins while Shem and Zekaryah were tending their horses, and while Keren finished binding the tents for their journey today. By tonight they would be well into the mountains again, farther away from the Great City.

Are we doing Your will?
she asked the Most High as she lifted the first plump and dripping water skin from the cold rushing stream.
Should my Shem and I be avoiding the Great City and our rebellious children to the south? Or should we ride down there and confront them all?
She had been asking herself and the Most High this question for months with no definite answer. They could be in the Great City within weeks. But they didn’t want to risk Keren’s and Zekaryah’s lives.
What should we do?

A muffled clatter on the other side of the stream alerted her to the presence of another human; no animal made such a noise—like sticks rattled together.
Who are you?

Fleece-cloaked, leather-clad, and watchful, a man stepped from behind a coarse green bush on the other side of the stream. His bow and arrow were readied, but
not aimed directly at her. A quiverful of arrows clattered against a knife handle at his side. He warbled a bird call, bringing two other men from their own hiding places, their weapons also readied. Two additional horsemen came riding down the opposite hillside, leading three horses. Annah stood, alarmed.

They’ve found us—they’ve come for Keren
.

Twenty-Three

SCARED AND INFURIATED, Annah watched the three guardsmen splash across the icy stream.
Look at their horrible faces. How can they be children of my own children?
But all of them were probably descended from her in some way. She wished they were small enough to spank.
Oh, you would be punished!

She almost screamed to warn Keren and the others but realized that if Shem and Zekaryah thought she was in danger, they would fight these men. And the two of them would probably be defeated, wounded, or even killed. These guardsmen would also catch her if she ran, which could provoke the violence she feared. Exhaling a silent prayer, Annah tied the filled water skin, her hands shaking.

The first guardsman to reach her was apparently the leader, an arrogant, brawny, nut-brown man. Shifting his weapons, he grabbed her arm.

She raised her eyebrows at him severely. “Son, whichever one of mine you are,
behave.”

His black eyes flickered, and his grip loosened for the slightest breath of time, then he held her more firmly. “You are Ma’adannah then. I thought so—you were described to us perfectly. Forgive me, but you must obey us. We have no quarrel with you.”

“Oh, but you do have a quarrel with me, child!” Annah glared at him, furious now. “You are…”

The guardsman actually gave her a silencing shake as the other two drew near; Annah gritted her teeth and calmed herself somewhat. But she flashed the first guardsman a warning look.

He put his oily, bewhiskered face down to hers, saying, “We are commanded to bring the Lady Keren and her companions to the Great City. I’m sorry you disapprove, Ma’adannah, but you are one of those companions. I will follow my orders.” Turning, he snapped to the nearest guardsman, “Erek, as soon as the others get here, we haul her into their camp and claim their weapons. And you, Abdiy, keep your aim toward that Zehker. And watch their Father Shem.”

“Don’t trust the Lady Keren; she will also have weapons,” Erek said. He was such a sly-looking man that Annah mistrusted him at once.

“By the way, Ma’adannah,” the chief guardsman said, “I am of the sons of Khawm; you are not my First Mother.”

Annah eyed him critically. “Perhaps not. But you look and act too much like my dead brother Yerakh for the resemblance to be a coincidence. I’m sure you didn’t listen to your elders enough. One of my own daughters probably married into your family.”

His eyes flickered again, and she could almost hear
him silently recounting his lineage to himself, considering possibilities. He looked away. “Even so, Ma’adannah, you will go quietly with us to your encampment.”

“Are you carrying any weapons?” the sly-faced Erek demanded.

“Will you search me, child?” Annah asked him gently, aware of her knife and tools secured beneath her robes.

His face turned crimson brown, and he hushed.

The other two horsemen joined them now, their five horses immediately lowering their heads to graze. Abdiy, the hitherto silent guardsman, warned the two horsemen, “This is the First Mother Ma’adannah.”

Annah was gratified to see the two latecomers falter, embarrassed. Now she spoke to the guardsman who had her by the arm. “Child, what is your name?”

He looked offended. “You will call me Becay.”

“Thank you, Becay-child.”

They all shuffled around now, obviously uncertain how to manage her.

Let them be ashamed of themselves
, Annah decided as they guiltily nudged her up the slope.
They should be ashamed
.

“How did you find us?” she asked, walking slowly up the grassy hill, wanting information. “We haven’t been using cooking fires for days, so you had to know where to begin looking for tracks. Did someone tell you where we were?”

“We were told that you’d be somewhere along the river between the Tribe of Metiyl and the mountains,” the guardsman Abdiy said, barely polite.

Becay scowled at him. “Tend your weapons and don’t let her distract you; they might already know we’re here.”

“You should walk her into the camp first, Becay,” Erek suggested, his dark eyes suddenly scheming. “If you use
her as a shield, they won’t shoot you. In fact, I’m sure the Lady Keren would give up her weapons immediately.”

Becay sneered, “You’d know
that
, wouldn’t you? Actually, Erek, if I didn’t think you’d run like a whining coward, I’d have you do it.” He shoved Annah slightly. “Let’s hurry, Ma’adannah.”

“Don’t hurt
anyone,”
Annah commanded, feeling panicked now.

“That depends on how everyone else behaves.”

The violent terrors of Annah’s childhood arose, no longer memories but real again, full of cruel, bloody possibilities.
I beg You
, she cried to the Most High without words,
don’t let anyone die. I don’t want to see it!

Keren glanced toward the tree and shrub-swathed hillside that led down to the stream.
Where is I’ma-Annah?
She called to Zekaryah, “I’ll be right back; I’ma-Annah may need help with the water.”

Shem lifted a genial hand, shaking his head. “Stay with your husband, Keren-child. I’ll go find her.”

You’ll snatch any excuse to pursue your wife
, Keren thought, smiling. She went to lift the last bundle of tent leather.

Zekaryah hurried to help her and to kiss her, snatching time alone with her as eagerly as Shem did with I’ma-Annah. “I’ve missed our children,” he said, smiling. “But it’s been good to have time to ourselves.”

Pleased as always by the sight of his dimples, she hugged him. “I agree. If only we’d hear Shoshannah is safe…”

Zekaryah held her and kissed her hair, silent as always whenever she spoke of Shoshannah. He feared that his daughter and Kaleb and Tiyrac were dead, for there had
been no messages from the two young men since they departed all those months ago.

Burying her face in his shoulder, Keren tried to convince herself that everything would be well.
They must be alive …

Without warning, Zekaryah roughly yanked Keren behind him as he faced the direction Shem had gone. Keren caught her breath and peered around him, bewildered. Her confusion became terror.

Soldier-guardsmen
. Five of them, all brandishing arrows or spears. One man was leading I’ma-Annah, who looked small and defenseless beside him. Two other guardsmen were confronting Shem.

This is Your answer
, Shem thought, raising his arms as a thin, devious-looking guardsman searched him and took his knife and a small copper axe from his belt.
Now, because we have no weapons of our own, O Most High, I ask You to be our weapon
.

Accepting captivity for now, Shem looked at his beloved Annah. Her dark, beautiful eyes were huge, anguished, begging him without words to be careful. He winked at her in reassurance. And he smiled at the thin guardsman who was stashing Shem’s weapons in his own belt, then backing away as if he feared Shem would attack him.

“Don’t worry,” Shem promised, “we’ll go with you peaceably; there’s no need to threaten us further.”