Chapter 13
Saul ~ continued from Chapter 13 | Dear Sweet Lamb
The bone handle felt cool and warm at the same time.
The players continued to play while the men disappeared in a world of food and drink.
Jonathan bent close to David.
“I love you so I tell you it’s not safe here.”
“Why?”
“Father grows more obsessed with you.”
“Obsessed?”
“He sees you usurping the crown.”
“I need no crown.”
David gulped his wine and looked around at the battle-scarred faces of his tribe.
“That is the problem,” Jonathan whispered into David’s ear.
“You must leave here.”
David watched as his men drank the night away. “And those loyal to me?”
“They travel with you,” Jonathan put his arm on David’s sleeve. “I would join you if not for my duties here.
David looked into Jonathan’s eyes.
“I know this, my friend.”
Saul slammed his fist on the wooden table, while his mind reeled in drunken and perplexed thoughts.
“No, don’t cut his throat, better to, better to…”
The king looked around at his guests with a blank stare.
“Father?” Michal said.
“Banishment,” Saul whispered. “Banishment.”
He lifted his eyes to the ceiling and quietly rolled the word around his mouth, “Banishment.”
Saul smiled.
“Hiding The Ark means banishment,” he laughed to himself. “Seeing himself higher than me means banishment.”
He rubbed his hands together.
“One hundred to my ten is banishment.”
“Yes, yes, my dear.”
Saul took Michal’s hand in his.
“All will be well.”
Saul took another gulp of wine and sat back in his chair. The noise around him and the boy’s quiet chanting to the lyre music now calmed his turmoil. He looked across at Jonathan and David deep in conversation.
“Like love birds,” Saul thought.
He turned away and smiled at some guests.
“No, don’t worry,” he whispered to himself. “All will be done before the two cocks can go gaming.”
The king began to play with the dagger that lay on the wooden table, caressing the handle over and over.
The Scorpion moved close to David, inching his way through the wall of laughter and drunken men all the while eyeing Saul.
“Master,” The Scorpion whispered.
He had been keeping watch over Saul as the night grew long.
The Scorpion put his hand on David’s shoulder, “Master.”
Saul pushed forward from his chair unbound with renewed vigour.
“Banishment is David!” he screamed.
He grabbed the dagger’s handle and flung the weapon skilfully to bury the knife in the opposite wall.
The Scorpion moved in front of David. Soldiers stood up and began pushing each other. A group of guards came to Saul and surrounded him.
“Banishment is David!” Saul yelled again.
David ducked under the table and was grabbed by his men as they left quickly.
“Go quickly,” Jonathan yelled while trying to keep the soldiers at bay.
The guards quickly took up the chant.
“Banishment,” yelled one armed man.
“David is banished,” the drunken men yelled, some laughing and some wearing dangerous smiles.
“Banishment, banishment!” Saul continued yelling as the cock crowed uneasily in the new dawn.
Leave a Reply