old stuff Chapter six - Cutting

Chapter VI - “Cutting”

“Words are like knives. Beware their sharp jagged corners.
And a sharp nod of the head can fell great oaks.”
---Mardus of Macedonia


“Are you okay?” Adminius asked her.
“Yes,” she shook her head and in her own tongue said, “Thanks be to my God”
He stepped closer to her. “Why do you continue to put up with him?”
“What do you mean?” she replied.
“How can you not wish to pay back or escape his evil?” He looked at her dark eyes, the bruise beginning on her cheek, and the split of her lower lip and her hair that had fallen out of its ribbon. “I don’t understand your actions, Alexenah,” He said.
She lowered her eyes.
He reached out to her cheek. “The way you are around him is not normal. He treats you as he treats no other women. Believe me I have seen it. Caradoc struck you for no other reason than that you were standing there. Again I ask you. How can you not strike back?”
Alexenah politely brushed his hand away and stepped back from Adminius’ touch. And then stooping, she began to clean the dishes off the floor picking up each piece carefully so as to not cut her hands, focusing on the task so she would not have to see his gaze.
He stood there with his hand held out to her as if waiting for her to fill it with the answers that he sought. She knew he would be silent until she responded. He would stand there forever. He was looking at her. She didn’t want him to see the warmth she felt in her cheek. She wiped a trickle of blood that was coming from her nostril.
Steeling herself she rose, faced him and placed the broken pieces of glass into his outstretched hand. Then with straightened spine and soft words, she spoke to Adminius.
“We take God’s gifts and abuse them and yet He is kind to us. When we are His enemy, He loves us. Why should we, who are so blessed by Him, return cursing for cursing?”
Adminius raised an eyebrow.
“I’m not sure I understand.” He said grasping the broken shards tighter. “When I would fight a battle,” He looked at her lips and the blood. “There were many times that I would ache afterwards- all night sometimes-and not wish to rise in the morning. But the pain was something I could easily bear. I will gladly take a blow in battle, if…” He paused, “If I knew I could strike back. Yet, now I watch you work in peace,” he continued as he put down the shards of broken ware, “and take a blow as if it was joy to do so. You do not fight back or protect yourself or even so much as make it seem that you were unhappy with his actions. It is like you are doing him a favor by letting him hit you.” He shook his head. “I do not understand your god.”
Alexenah looked at him and softly smiled.
Adminius sighed, and then continued, “Our women are treated as equal in our tribe, but you are treated by him as less than a slave. I do not accept this abuse and demand just treatment. He is beyond what is proper- even with slaves.” His shoulders tensed and his fist worked open and closed.
Alexenah reached out and put her hand to Adminius’ chest. She felt his quickened heartbeat.
“You must not attack him when he is already hot.” She said softly. “It is like opening a lid when the pot has been boiling for a time. Patience is the key.”
He continued to stare into her eyes and she saw his anger soften. She felt his breathing slow. She smelled the smoke still in his hair from the night before. Had she let him look too long? His reaction frightened her and she turned away. She felt the heat rise in her cheeks again. She stepped back, brushed her hair off of her shoulders, and turned her back to him and said, “Adminius, my greatest love is for my God; that is the relationship that I hang on to. That is my focus, and it allows me strength to show kindness to whomever I wish.” And then kneeling, she picked up the rags Mara had used to clean her children and she finished, “And I must think of my children.”
After a brief silence, Adminius said, “You sacrifice, don’t you?”
“What do you mean?” she said.
“I have heard that your people sacrifice to their god. Is that right?”
She nodded. “Yes, that is true.”
“Why, then, do you place yourself as a sacrifice to my brother?”
“I do not sacrifice myself to him, but I sacrifice to please my God.” She wiped the blood from under her nose as she stood again. “It is my hope that the Almighty will one day put all things right. It is only for me to show the Law of Kindness and let Him do the rest.”
“Certainly, you cannot expect some god will come down, rescue you and fix this man.” Adminius took the rag from her, dipped it in some water and drew closer to her. Tell me, what is this law of kindness you speak of?” As she explained, he tenderly wiped her face clean of the blood.
“This law? It is called goel in my tongue.” She said. “It means ‘to redeem or deliver’. It is my hope that one day God will raise up a redeemer for all men, even for my husband.” She looked to see if he understood. He made no acknowledgement. Her heart ached. Oh, how she wished others knew more about her God and His ways. She wanted so much to show this man how her Lord had from the beginning of time showed His everlasting love to her people. She longed to share the stories of how He protected and guided and delivered them from their enemies. How he had done the same for her. She bowed her head and said, “Perhaps my kindness will one day lead my husband to that redeemer.”
“Where is my wine sack?” Caradoc said as he burst in to the house. He stopped three steps into the room, looked at Adminius, then to the rag the man held and the closeness of his brother to his slave-wife.
“You are mine,” he said to Alexenah – not even looking at her, “and don’t you forget it.” Then he stepped between her and his brother, grabbed her arm and gave Adminius an exacting look. Then swinging her around, he yelled into her face, “I paid for you with boot lick money.” Then looking at Adminius, he swung back and then struck Alexenah in the face with the back of his hand. ”For blasted freedom I paid Caesar his tribute!” He said as she slumped to her knees. Caradoc raised his hand to strike again. Adminius stepped forward, reached out and quickly grabbed Caradoc’s wrist staying the blow before it could be delivered. He squeezed hard. Then, not showing any sign of fear in his eyes, he pulled a knife and raised his own hand to strike Caradoc.
Alexenah let out a gasp.
Adminius looked at that moment at Alexenah and she looked back. With eyes full of fear she shook her head. Adminius hesitated and then abruptly let go of Caradoc’s wrist.
Pulling away from his brother’s grasp Caradoc rubbed his wrist and then quickly turned toward the curtain where the babies were asleep. He marched toward the twin boys asleep on the palette in the dark recess of the room.
“And these whelps of yours. . .” he said.
Alexenah drew in a breath.
Adminius lunged forward. He reached out with the knife toward Caradoc prepared to thrust it deep into his brothers back. Just before Adminius could strike, Epos stepped from behind the curtain and pushed Caradoc aside away from the boys and the blow of Adminius’ knife. The giant then stood -hands on his hips- between Caradoc and her sons.
Adminius lowered his blade.
Alexenah slowly let out her breath. When did he come back into the room? How long had he been there hiding in the shadows? She wondered.
“Hmmmf.” Caradoc said catching his balance. “You son of a whore,” he said to the long-faced giant, “Get outside now, with the rest of the men-wives. We need to go.” Taking in one last look at Adminius as if to challenge him Caradoc put his thumb underneath the leather baldric of his great sword and walked to the doorway. On his way past the table, he pushed it behind him - toward Adminius - sending everything that was left on it scattering and clambering to the floor.
Adminius looked to the giant. Epos smiled. Adminius nodded to the man and then turned to look at Alexenah. “This law of kindness is difficult to enforce.” With that he picked up a cloak and both men left the room. Epos gently closed the door behind them.
Alexenah clutched her hands to her belt as all three men left the room.
* * *
In the quiet aftermath of Caradoc’s rage, Alexenah removed the knife from her belt and went to the babes. Going to the twins behind the curtain she pulled back their covers and pulled them up to her in a long quiet embrace. Then laying them on the floor, one at a time, she took the knife in her hands and circumcised them. As she did so, she prayed in her native tongue. “Creator of the universe. May it be Your gracious will to regard and accept this as if I had brought this baby before Your glorious throne.” She then cut the foreskin of the firstborn as she had seen it done many times. And then she cut the other son saying, “And You Lord, in Your abundant mercy, through Your Holy Angels, give a pure and holy heart to …” She stopped a moment. She needed a name. Looking around the room she saw the huge house poles holding the roof of the roundhouse in their mighty grasp. They reminded her of the pillars of Great Solomon’s Temple of old. She remembered her loving mother describing their majesty and grace. She had many times heard of the massive stone walls, the golden furniture and the great porch across the front of the Temple. She smiled and looked at the crying babes, “Give a pure and holy heart to Jachin, and his brother -- Boaz, both sons of Caradoc, who are now circumcised in honor of Your great Name.” Then, wrapping them up, bundling them tight and warm, she laid them both down in the bed. She then got a bottle off of the table and she soothed them with wine on their lips - as was the custom - and continued her prayer. “May their hearts be wide open to comprehend your Holy Law, and I pray that they may learn and teach, keep - and fulfill - your laws.”
As Alexenah wept before them, she suddenly felt a presence behind her. She slowly turned to see who it was. She had not heard the door open or the man enter. When he came into the room she didn’t know. Epos stood there quietly holding a bag in his hands. She stepped aside as he stepped up and kneeled before the babies. He opened the bag and slowly and reverently took something out of it. He then laid it gently before the babes at their feet. It was a golden roman sword.