David Ascendant (Chronicles of the Nephilim Book 7) (28 page)

One hundred and thirty miles north of the coastal city of Ashkelon, the sister cities of Tyre and Sidon ruled the northern regions of Phoenicia. They were both port cities that were wealthy and cosmopolitan from merchant trading around the world. Both were cities of the goddess Asherah, but she favored Sidon with its larger temple and more loyal priesthood.

Unlike the patriarchal religions of Canaan, the Sidonian priesthood allowed female priests to serve alongside their male counterparts with equal authority. More deliciously, they also included many priests who castrated themselves and dressed as women. Others were women who dressed as men. Others sought an androgynous appearance without gender.

The goal was to defy Yahweh’s distinctions within creation; male and female, adult and child, human and animal, god and human. But the most desirable object of pleasure to Asherah were the two high priestesses who were hermaphrodites, special creatures of the gods who were born with both male and female genitalia. Their extremely rare occurrence among humanity gave them worshipful status among the humans. But it also gave them special attention from the gods Asherah, Ba’alzebul, Dagon, and Molech, who currently engaged in unspeakable sexual violations on one of them in the midst of an orgy at the temple of Asherah.

Earlier, the four gods had exploded out of the sea onto the coastal shore of Sidon, released by their mount, Leviathan. The sea serpent, under the spell of Lady Asherah of the Sea, had helped them escape the archangels. It now returned to the depths of chaos in the waters of the Abyss. The gods made their way to the temple and put out a call to the local deities, Resheph and Qeteb, to join them in their plan. But first, they engaged in gratifying their lusts in a temple orgy involving men, women, children, animals and inanimate objects, that ended in the performance of a child sacrifice, which was the only thing that gave Molech any satisfaction.

When they tired of their abominable deeds, and could no longer garner pleasure, they gathered together and left the city on their trip eastward to the cosmic mountain of Hermon.

They had called an assembly of all the gods of Canaan.

David jealously guarded his corner of the iron-barred dog cage. The large greyhounds lay down around each other at the other end. The cage was not tall enough for David to stand up, but he was comfortable enough to curl up in his corner. He had slept well through the night, and now it was time to hatch his plan.

He called out, “Guardsman, where am I? How did I get here?” A guard approached him. David said, “All I remember was the full moon and then I blacked out.” The guard complained, “Crazy lunatic. The moon has passed.”

David said, “I must speak to Lord Achish.”

David was brought before Achish and Bisha at their breakfast table. They were seated on the floor with a display of freshly caught fish, fruits and vegetables before them. Achish was a bit of a slob when he ate, as he had stains and food pieces on his tunic front.

With his mouth full of plums, Achish said, “Son of Jesse, I am told you have a respite in your divine madness. Your mind has returned to you for the moment?”

“Yes, my lord,” said David with a bow. “I wish to speak with you about something I suspect will be of great concern.”

Bisha watched David with hungry eyes. This strapping, muscular Israelite before her looked very tasty. He had cleaned up, shaven and brushed his hair out. He seemed sane again. And very desirable to Bisha. He was like an unblemished bull to her—or better yet, an unblemished lamb—innocent and unspoiled. What a pleasure it would be to consume this one like a sacrifice. It would make her feel like a goddess.

She was feeling particularly divine because she had finally conquered one of her most difficult goals in bedding Ishbi ben Ob last night. He had been the last of the Sons of Rapha she had been trying to seduce. Since he did not desire women, she had to use blackmail on him. She told him Lord Achish was considering imprisoning Lahmi for his insubordination before the throne that day and that if Ishbi fornicated with Bisha, she would seek to persuade the Lord of Gath to withhold his judgment on the disrespectful Rapha.

Achish lifted a glass of wine to David, “You must be hungry. Please join us. Break your fast.”

“Thank you, my Lord, but I am not hungry.” Of course David was hungry. He just could not stomach eating a meal in fellowship with this disgusting swine and his lascivious wife, who would not keep her lewd eyes off David. He would eventually have to eat with them, if he was to fool Achish with his plan. But at this moment, he preferred the pangs of hunger.

“My Lord and Lady, it would be folly for me to ignore the fact that Israel is your ultimate enemy, King Saul, your most hated nemesis, and I, your worst insult and thorn in your side.”

Achish smiled. “Ah, your reason
has
returned to you.”

“Indeed, it has,” replied David, “and with it, an offer for you that will result in great benefit to your strategy against Israel.”

Bisha perked up with even more interest. She blurted out, “Do tell.”

Achish gave her an annoyed glance, and said, “Yes, please, do tell.”

David took a breath and said, “King Saul has spent great sums of money and much of his time chasing me around the wilderness and caves of the hill country. His madness has focused its attention on killing me as much as his desire to vanquish you.”

“I have heard of his pursuit of you,” said Achish.

“You and I have a common enemy in King Saul,” said David. “You and I could be allies.”

Bisha butted in, “Why does Saul want to kill you so badly? Are you this promised messiah king that threatens his reign?”

David could see she was the more cunning of the two. She was sniffing out David’s real motives. He knew he had to throw her off with a half truth.

“My Lady,” said David, “I have had several chances to kill King Saul and have deliberately refrained from doing so, because I believe that Saul is the messiah king of Israel, chosen by our god Yahweh, and anointed by our own holy Seer.”

“But he considers you a threat to his reign,” she repeated.

“I married his daughter and became closer than a brother to his eldest son, Jonathan, heir to the throne. The king became madly convinced I was conspiring to kill his son and steal the throne.”

Bisha eyed him suspiciously, “Are you?”

“No,” said David.

Bisha said, “Why not?” It was an accusation, as if to say that it would be hard to believe anyone having such righteous motives. She was taking over the discussion from Achish, flushing David out
.

“Because, my Lady, I believe that if I were to touch Yahweh’s anointed king, I would be cursed and under judgment.”

“Hmmmm,” she pondered. “That god of yours is a curious one. But how do we not know that you are pretending to get close to Lord Achish in order to kill him?”

“Yes,” Achish finally jumped back in so he would not look too passive. “How can I know you are loyal to me?”

David said, “We have a common enemy. But I have worked closely with Saul. I know how he thinks and how he strategizes. I will give you intelligence on him that will enable
you
to have victory over him. I cannot kill him because of my belief in the curse. But what is that to you?”

“Nothing,” said Achish quickly, with a smile. He also thought that as soon as he killed Saul, he would immediately kill David, to keep David from seeking the throne of Israel against him. Then all of Canaan would be his.

Achish added, “I find your offer enticing. You have proven yourself quite useful.”

Bisha said dubiously, “I would like to add one condition of your loyalty.”

“What is your wish, my Lady?” said David.

“I want you to fight for us. I want you to kill Israelites.”

She saw David’s face go taut. She was definitely trying to ferret him out. But he said, “I have prepared myself for such an eventuality, my Lady. And I have already decided that I will fight for you. I only ask that you allow me to gather my six hundred, who have been scattered from me, to form a combat unit. They will fight with me and for Lord Achish.”

Bisha turned to Achish with overwrought deference. “My Lord Achish, forgive me for being forward, but before you grant a decision, may we talk in private?”

Achish turned to David. “Wait for us out in the hall with the guards.”

“Yes, my lord.” David left them.

Bisha waited until she was sure he was outside the door and out of hearing range. She spoke as if she was the Lord and Achish the Lady.

“Of course, you will accept his offer and be wary of ulterior motives. But I must warn you, I have spies who inform me that the Sons of Rapha are planning an assault on David.” She was lying. She knew the plans of the Sons of Rapha because she just slept with Ishbi ben Ob the night before. “Your best bet is to assign Ishbi and Runihura to head up two separate regiments in battle against Saul. Keep them out on the field of battle. That way, they will not be in town to plot against David.”

“What about Lahmi?” said Achish. “What do you propose we do with him?”

“The insubordinate?” she said with contempt. “What do you think I would propose for the blood avenger of Goliath, who will not stop until your new ally is dead?”

              • • • • •

Lahmi had just finished his morning exercises. He was exhausted and starving for a meal. He sweated heavily from his workout, so he stripped off his loin cloth to cool his naked body. He went into his bed chamber, where he had left his sexual partner from the night before.

But he was gone. Lahmi thought he might have gotten up to relieve himself, so Lahmi walked over to the latrine. It was empty. Not that he cared one whit for his one night conquest. In fact, he would kick the prick out as soon as he could, because he tired of them all anyway.

He walked back out into the atrium, an open area about fifty feet square where he exercised. He ran into a regiment of twenty soldiers and the decorated General of Achish’s forces, Phicol.

Lahmi stood naked and vulnerable before the armed soldiers. Even so, they were visibly nervous to a man. Confronting a Son of Rapha, no matter their numbers and no matter how disadvantaged or surprised he might be, was a frightening prospect. That was why Phicol was there. As the most celebrated General of Achish’s armed forces, Phicol commanded the respect and admiration of the entire Philistine pentapolis. If Lahmi resisted Phicol, it would spell certain exile or execution for him.

Phicol barked, “Lahmi of Gath, Lord Achish has ordered your arrest for insubordination to the throne and willful conspiracy. Will you surrender peacefully?”

Lahmi realized he had been betrayed by his partner from the night before. He stared into the eyes of Phicol with a smug smirk and held out his hands as if giving up his naked body as an offering.

              • • • • •

Shortly after Lahmi was arrested and imprisoned, two of the three remaining Sons of Rapha, Ishbi and Runihura, were called before Lord Achish and Lady Bisha to accept a commission over three separate regiments of the Philistine armies of the pentapolis. They were told Ekron and Gaza needed their leadership, so they would be split up and sent to these cities. They were also told that Lahmi had been arrested for insubordination and conspiracy against the crown. Obvious trumped-up charges to protect their new political alliance with the Hebrew scamp. Yes, the Sons of Rapha had their own spies within the palace as well.

Rather than react to Bisha’s betrayal with hostility, Ishbi silently plotted his revenge against the Philistine bitch queen. He would not let such minor inconveniences distract him from his ultimate responsibility before the gods: to continue to hunt down the Chosen Seed of Eve, David ben Jesse of Israel.

That night, David was asleep in his bed chamber in the palace when he was awakened by a presence in his room. He turned over to find Lady Bisha standing with a small oil lamp in her hand, wearing a sheer gown through which David could see everything. She was a mature woman with a full figure that would otherwise be tempting to David, had her soul not been so rancid. She let down her hair and it fell to her shoulders. She shook it loose and stepped closer to him, offering her body.

David rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. “Lady Bisha.” He suspected that she had slipped unnoticed into his room through a secret passageway.

He sat up, wondering how he was going to escape. “Where is Lord Achish?”

“Do not be coy with me, David. I came to take what is mine.”

He knew full well what she meant by that demand. He sighed.

She protested, “I made sure your request for the regiment of your men was granted by my husband. And I have protected you from death, by arresting Lahmi, your blood avenger, and ridding you of the Sons of Rapha.”

“How did you do that?”

“I told Achish to split them up and place them in leadership over regiments in the other cities of the pentapolis.”

David showed respect for her cunning manipulation with a nod and a raised brow.

She continued in her bribes, “You will see that I am your best ally in Philistia.”

“I thank you, my lady. I am grateful for your help.”

“Good. Now show me your gratitude and plow my field with abandon.”

She moved up to him, inches away. He could feel her heavy breathing. He tried not to look at her breasts and vulva crying out for his touch through the sheer gown. It had been sprinkled with lotus perfume, and the scent filled his nostrils like incense.

“I cannot betray my Lord Achish, for his grace.”

“Nonsense,” she spit out. “Lord Achish is a putz. It is my grace that you are beholden to. And I want my compensation.”

“I am afraid there is a higher grace yet to which I am beholden.”

“Who?” she said with incredulity.

“My god, Yahweh.”

It was his last resort and it worked. She backed away for a moment. He could breathe again.

“Ah yes, that evasive god of yours. I have been meaning to ask you about him.”

“I will tell you anything you wish to know,” he offered. Anything to turn away her aggression.

“Why is he so jealous and petty? His demand to exclusive worship is so —vainglorious. He is a megalomaniac.”

David responded, “He is the creator of all things. He has the right to do and command whatever he pleases.”

“Then why do the Israelites worship Ba’alzebul and Asherah throughout the land?”

“A serious moral failing of my people.”

“Your leaders are no better, which reflects upon your god,” she complained. “Your king is possessed by a demon. Even in your past, your deliverers were no more righteous than those from whom you were delivered. Samson fought against my people, yet he was no obedient Israelite. He frolicked quite eagerly with a Philistine woman.” She stepped closer to David. The implication was obvious.

She concluded, “What kind of a god chooses such vile, hypocritical leaders to represent him? What kind of a god chooses such a pathetic and undeserving people to claim dominion over Canaan?”

David turned pensive. “I cannot deny what you say, my Lady. Yahweh indeed chooses unworthy vessels for his will.” He was thinking of his own unworthiness as Yahweh’s chosen messiah, yet to be inaugurated. All his sins were before him and he was ashamed of how he too was vile and hypocritical. “Sadly, I have seen all too often that the great are not the good, and the good are not the great.”

When he spoke, Bisha did not realize that he was in fact speaking of himself. “Yahweh chooses what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. He chooses what is weak to shame the strong, and what is low and despised—the things that are not—to bring to nothing the things that are. The only thing I can offer you is that Yahweh did not choose Israel because she is more righteous than other nations. She is not. He chose her so that our faith in him may not rest in our own goodness, but in the power of Yahweh, who delivers us from our own evil.”

Her look turned licentious again and she stepped closer to him. “Well, if your god enjoys using adulterers, fornicators, and unfaithful hypocrites, then I am sure you will have no problem indulging in my little fantasies, if it will help to glorify your god’s greatness and goodness.”

She was through seducing him. She wanted him now. She ripped off her own gown and stood completely naked before him. She grabbed him.

He didn’t know what to do.

Then it came to him.

He howled like a wolf.

He went mad again. That way, she would surely turn away in frustration.

But she did not turn away. Instead she breathed more heavily with desire and said, “Oh good. The demon is back. I badly want to copulate with a demon.”

David could not believe his ears. This woman was thoroughly depraved. He shook himself free from her grip by shaking his entire body in a fake seizure. Then he jumped away, howled again, and bolted out the door of the bed chamber.

Bisha cursed him, picked up her gown, and fled back into her secret passageway.