4th Book

ACHIAB

Herod the Great had ten wives, twenty children, and a great deal of grandchildren. Doris was driven out and forbidden to set foot in Jerusalem. She can only get in Jerusalem on feasts days because of Mariamne. The same fate happened to, Malthace, Palada, Olimpiada, Fedrra, Elpide, Raxana, and Salome. All these became Herod’s wives, and all have been driven and kicked out with no mercy by the King from out of his Palace. They can do nothing but wailed and curse the sadist, Herod. As they were driven out of the Palace, all they can do are hug and wrap their arms around their children, the real victims, wounded in this separation, the venom full of betrayal by the heartless husband.

Their tears that dried up one day, and the passionate desire for revenge germinated their hearts. These women who were once are Queens, and are now fared badly. Their eyes are still swollen from their painful tears and in full avarice, lusting over their children’s Crown. They assess and estimate that they could go after, and pursue for their children’s Crown at Herod’s expense and also gain after their children. So, they began to make a plan, to hold on to their sharpened daggers to kill the wicked Herod, and thus been able to have their revenge to that barbaric savage.

Herod sensed the great impending danger that warned him; he became terrified and untrustworthy from most of his relatives. He had felt and seen hundreds of knives aiming at his head, and in any moment can be a reality and can carry out as the last stroke to his life. So, he thoroughly said these words:

—” I will kill them all: the dead cannot have their revenge anymore.”

From out of this action, he has to find a good reason not to be blamed by his friend Caesar, and Israel his slave. Of all the Princesses that Herod had rejected, Mariamne II is the one mostly in danger because of her extraordinary intelligence and dazzling beauty. Mariamne was accused of having sent her picture to Mark Anthony, and Herod assumed that they are already having an affair, so he had to execute Mariamne. Not long after this happened, Alejandro, Mariamne’s son, the much beloved by Hebrew people and worthy of the Crown, had met the same fate, the horrible last moment of his mother.

Because of this sensed threat, dreadful blood flows through once again that causes Israel’s executioner sleepless nights. Distrusts embedded his soul, the only one who remains on his side are his loyal slaves, who obtained more lavishness in life through his fears, and anxieties.

One of the most loyal servants who never departed the King’s side are the three Eunuch’s. They became so attached to him, Herod’s beloved and favorite. These three Eunuch’s duties are these: Siloc is like his Secretary; Ratt is his Head Chef, and Fararax is his Room Boy who make up his bed every day. Of all three, Fararax has the most complexed duty; he constantly hugs Herod in his sleep for he is constantly shaken from his horrible delusional nightmares.

Herod’s relatives saw that these three servants are his stronghold’s protection for this cruel King’s full being, and so they bribed, and bought off those three Eunuchs. But Cingo detected, and exposed the agile bribery that night, they apprehended and arrests the three, the plan to finish off his Lord’s life. They horribly tortured those three Eunuchs, and at last the three shouted out the planned rebellion about to carry out that night, Herod’s end.

Alejandro, Mariamne’s son heads this conspiracy, and so he died that night with the rest of the conspirators. At the end of this story, our dear readers will learn how Herod killed more of his six children.

This brutal King forced to drown the unceasing outcry of his conscience for he constantly remembers in his mind the brutality he performed to his children. This is why he made it certain that he should take good care of his grandchildren. And from the length of Herod’s sufferings, in his deathbed and with his dying breath, he made sure that these orphaned grandchildren would often surround him in his deathbed. He even made clear of whom they should marry when they grew up. From all of his grandchildren, Achiab, Archelao’s son is the one Herod loved most, where he prefers to perform the transference of Jerusalem’s Crown.

There are only seven people who can get near the King: Salome his sister, Alejo his brother-in-law, Cingo the Negro slave; Verutidio the Army General, his son Archelao, and Ptolomy his old “look out” guard. Aside from all these, the Israelites are accounted as his enemies, if ruling out the hired soldiers and the traitorous Herodians.

Herod’s life is like a dream of death. The last of his members are a thousandfold happier than their Lord.

Upon learning these clarifications of how the story goes, let’s go back to Achiab the minute he entered the King’s room.

—” Thanks to Marte, and he left you alone my beloved grandfather.” said Achiab while walking towards the old man.

Herod turned his head, and when he saw that it was his favorite grandchild, a smile peered from his smiling lips.

—” What do you think of me?” the proceeded asking of Achiab as he turned around in sphere at Herod’s presence to draw a good look at him.

—” Your not far resembling the real Caesar’s Captain.” Herod replied. —” But what is the purpose of all these preparations for you dreaming to be a soldier, now that everything is at peace?” Then Herod conveyed a puzzling remark to his favorite grandchild saying: ” Why rise from your dreaminess before the glimpse of dawn to Joshaphat’s valley?”

—” If you promise not to be angry with me, I will tell you.” said Achiab.

The young man was stilled for a moment before coming back to his consciousness fearing that Herod might be resentful of what he want to reveal to him.

—” Talk to me, and don’t be afraid Achiab, you know that within me is a giving person to you.” Herod replied.

—” Thank you Grandfather, if that is; Cingo is your favorite slave. He became my best friend when you appoint him to me as my teacher, and so I thank you. But old Ptolomy, your “look out” guard and your authorized teacher for me is very harsh and teaching me pure insanity. Never was he made the correct aim to our Archery’s target. And in our training for combating, he can’t even able to grab the opponents sword for defense. And whenever he rides your female horse from Syria, he often fell his way thru the horse ears down to the ground. Tell me Grandpa, every time you’re in a battle array with him, was Ptolomy brave?”

Herod the fierce executioner in Bethlehem softens his heart whenever he is in the presence of that child, like Samson at Delilah’s foot.

—” Ptolomy is a faithful servant, and so I forbid you to insult and ridicule him.” Herod’s gentle reply.

—” So then,” said Achiab. —” Let that old man be; I just don’t like you to be angry with me, but I will continue to tell you about Cingo. Yesterday, when he saw me that I can nail my aim, four hits in full, one after another on the spot, at the mid center’s Archery, he stomped his foot to the ground, and cried out loud:

—” For Jupiter’s name in Olympus! My Prince, my heart will perish if I leave you, now that you are an expert to your weapons!”

—” Are you leaving me?” I told him.

—” We are going to Jericho tomorrow, and god only knows how much I will miss my trainees when we return to Jerusalem.”

—” Why don’t you take me with you?” my repeated pleadings to him.

—” Prince Achiab, Cingo is only a servant.” His reply to me. —” Your Grandfather is my King; ask for his permission and I’ll be happy to see you riding on a horse beside me.”

—” And so from his great advice and to his big yearning to fulfill my desire, I came here Grandpa to tell you that I want to accompany you to Jericho. Don’t you want me to be with you, your grandson Achiab?”

—” Your father Archelao is the first one to allow to go with me.” said Herod.

—“Ah! Therefore, I may not be able to go.” said the grandson. —“But you are the King, we all obey you. Who would dare to oppose your orders?”

Herod is candid like those other cruel Kings, he softens when being praised and admired. Then he gently caressed Achiab’s chin before speaking:

—” You’re going with me.”

The young man jump for joy in haste and leaned on his Grandfather’s shoulder to kiss those whitish beard that made the Hebrew shakes. Then Achiab spoke with gladness:

—” You are so good to me my King and my Lord, you’re so good to me; and I promise you that as an inexperienced young man, I will be good, obedient and attentive.”

Then all of a sudden, Archelao entered the room, Herod’s son. He has a sad look on his face, and he’s looking worried. Then Achiab’s joyful face quickly vanished upon seeing his father’s somber face, looking weak in his sad behavior.

—” My Lord,” said Archelao, with his husky and shaking voice at Herod’s presence. —” From the towers horse racing track to Jehoshaphat’s valley, from Ephraim’s gate to Zion’s Temple is the ongoing cheering, the echoing jeering of people for the coming Kings from the foreign land. They came here looking for the newborn King of Judah. Who is this King that threatens our Crown?”

Herod’s face turned pale with every beat of his son’s words, but he managed to control himself and spoke:

—” You have nothing to fear Archelao, the Jews are not worth considering by Herod’s successor.”

Then he turned his conversation to his grandson:

—” Achiab, go! And tell Cingo that I want to leave now! And you’re going with me.”

Achiab kissed his forefather’s hand and left the room jumping for great joy.

Archelao was left alone with Herod, and the King spoke to him in a low voice.

—” You my son will stay here in Jerusalem, I am going to Jericho to prepare for my travel to Rome because I was formally indicted by your traitorous brothers and sisters: but before I leave, listen carefully of what I have to say to you, and don’t forget that from being loyal to obeying my orders will determine the transference of this Crown to your head in the near future. I told those Wise Chaldeans who causes this big uproar to our City, to come back to me as soon as they found out about this newborn King that they are looking for; If then, you have to manage and arrange to escort them to me to Jericho like prisoners, guard them amid the two walls of spears.”

—” Your wish is my command.” the delighted Archelao replied, for he has the same corrupt blood flowing in his vein as his father is. —” But sleep well for now my King, for you will reign in Galilee, even if we have to fill Cedron’s streams with human blood if needed.”

Herod peered out his window at that very moment, and the first burst of dawn came in and illuminate his room. He then waved his hankies from the window, and immediately the Trumpeters sounded the Trumpets aloud at the squares. Then he took his tiny silver cane and rang the big iron steel three times, giving the resounding reverberation reaching the farthest Palace’s corners. Bringing in an instant, Salome, Alejo, and Verutidio at the door.

—” And the doctors?” Herod asked his sister.

—” They are waiting at the squares, and they are going with you to Jericho.” replied Salome.

—” But what did they tell you?” the King asked in displeasure.

—” Like as usual, they are advising you to bathe often to Callirhoe Hot Springs.” said Salome.

—” Bah! This is really the end of these doctors; when they can’t do nothing anymore in curing their patient, their solution is to give yourself through the arms of nature. Let’s go!”

And they all leave the room. Verutidio the Roman General is leading, Herod is beside his sister Salome upholding his brother for support. Alejo is the last one to go, heading the stairs, carefully watching his steps down. Behind Alejo is old Ptolomy following quietly. As they reached the said Porticos, there waiting is the elegant four-wheeled wagon, a chariot as they exit the private Palace’s entryway. Cingo opened the Chariot’s door for Herod. He bend down his one knee to the ground as a stool for his Lord’s climbing the wagon. From the side of Herod’s Chariot is Achiab riding the beautiful female horse specifically ordered and trained from Syria.

One aloud voice! Long Live the King! The resounding voices at the square. Herod’s greetings, a big smile for his grandson and a big wave to his entire armies, and his troops waved back to him with hankies in their hands. From there, Cingo ordered like this:

—” To Jericho!”

—” To Jericho!” the repeat command of Cingo to Ptolomy and the old man shouted out loud, commanding the Roman Centurion to begin advancing.

A few more moments and the cruel King can be seen coming out from Jerusalem’s Doria’s gate. The mentioned gate is surrounded by Herod’s hired soldiers. And their Chariots left Jerusalem trailing Bethania’s road going to Jordan river’s shorelines on the way to his beloved City, Rome, the final destination.

Let Herod continue to journey minding nothing but a bloody scheme; let us go back and meet the pilgrims from the East, the Seleucia’s Wise Men!