Chapter 18--Half His Kingdom

The first few days were awful, but their lives quickly settled into a routine. The queen certainly missed her husband, but she was so busy with the added responsibility of running the city in Lamoni’s absence that she had little time to regret. Abish was equally busy, though with very different tasks. She was now delivering babies all throughout the land of Ishmael and was often away for several days at a time.

Near the end of their third week away, the queen received an unexpected visitor that sent the entire palace into an uproar of preparation-making. Lamoni’s mother herself came for a visit. Queen Vitria was a formidable presence for even a lady as gracious as Zaria.

“I am so glad to see you!” The queen exclaimed when she saw Abish return one afternoon after four days away.

“I heard that you have an important visitor.”

“Yes, and it worries me. The only times I’ve spoken to her without Lamoni present have not gone well. She would only come if there was something very serious on her mind. She doesn’t waste time on frivolities.”

“Maybe she just wants to see the baby.” Abish speculated.

“I think the baby visit is a cover. I think she has learned all that has happened here.”

“Then she is probably livid over Lamoni’s absence.”

“You know, that is the strangest part. I thought she would be. But she seemed to expect it, almost like she knew he wasn’t here.”

“Have you spoken with her yet?”

“Only formally. She just arrived the day before yesterday, but she has requested a meeting with me later today.”

“How can I help?”

“Will you stay with me?”

“Won’t that seem strange, for her to request a private meeting with you, but then you invite me to join you? A stranger for Queen Vitria to meet?” The queen’s cheeks flushed a bright red and she and opened her mouth to speak but no words came. In that moment Abish understood. Her own cheeks grew hot too, but with something more like anger than embarrassment. She kept her voice low, willing herself to be patient until she understood. “I see. You aren’t inviting me to join you; you are inviting me to stand in the corner, mute, as a slave.” Instinctively, Abish fingered her mutilated earlobe. The mark was still painfully obvious to even a casual observer.

“Please hear me out.”

“I’m listening.” Abish sat back in her chair, arms folded.

“She will expect me to have slaves and servants around. If she is carrying a message back to her husband, it may be better for her to see that things are pretty much the same here, at least until Lamoni returns. Besides, then you will hear everything that goes on and you and I can talk about it later. I won’t ask you to do anything for us.”

“You won’t, but she might.”

“Probably not, that would be very irregular.”

Abish chafed under the request, not that it was a difficult thing to do, but only because she hated being treated as a slave again, even in appearance, simply because it was convenient. She remembered telling Lamoni that she would help take care of his wife. She really had asked so little from her in recent months, and Abish did live in their home. The arguments for and against ran through her head and she sighed, “I will do it, but only because you are my friend and I think it will help you.”

The queen’s face relaxed and she smiled, “I am so sorry to ask you to do it, but I think it will be for the best.”

For whom? Abish couldn’t help but think bitterly, but she kept her mouth shut and nodded. She traded her outfit that afternoon for a simpler one and helped the queen dress her hair. Abish chided herself for being so foolish as she helped the queen. This was a task she had always enjoyed before, so she tried to convince herself that she was just helping a friend get ready for an important day instead of only being there because she had no other choice. It almost worked.

Queen Vitria was prompt. She entered the room with a slave of her own and Abish kept her eyes averted, remembering the proper behavior for a slave as she saw the subdued manner that the other woman held her head. Abish and the other woman stood on opposite sides of the room, ready if called, but shadows otherwise.

“We missed you at the celebration months back.”

“We were sorry not to attend; I was very ill after the baby was born.”

The queen’s eyes were sharp as they regarded her daughter-in-law. “Surely Lamoni could have had no part in dealings with women; he could have come alone.”

“Lamoni was loathe to leave me; for a time my midwife feared that I would die.”

“It is a poor midwife who brings a woman and child through delivery only to nearly lose them in the days after.” Abish’s face burned with anger, but she held her tongue.

Zaria’s voice turned slightly cold, “My midwife is the best of women. She seldom loses a mother or a baby, even in the most difficult circumstances. Because of her, Sariah and I both lived.”

The queen’s eyes narrowed, “Yes, I have heard legend of the child-midwife who delivers babies in this quarter of the land of Ishmael.” Abish almost bit her tongue to keep from gasping. How far had her overblown reputation spread?

There was more silence. The queen prompted quietly, “But I know, Mother, that you did not come all this way to discuss my midwife.”

“Indeed I did not. There is something much more pressing on my mind.” The queen raised her eyebrows ever so slightly, encouraging her mother-in-law to continue. “For a few months now, ever since our celebration, Lamoni’s father has heard alarming reports coming from this land, causing him to believe there was more to Lamoni’s absence than just a sick wife. In fact, these reports were so alarming and so patently out of character for our son, that my husband decided a few weeks ago that he would journey to this city in an attempt to discover the source of these rumors.”

“We were never privileged to receive this visit.”

“No you were not. My husband met Lamoni and a very unlikely companion when he was a just a few days on the road.” She snapped.

“You must mean Ammon.” Abish could tell by her tone that her friend was fighting to keep her composure and dignity, and while her voice did not shake, she kept her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

“Is this what your Nephite calls himself?” The queen was haughty.

“Ammon is a Nephite.”

“My husband has given me some of the details from their chance meeting on the road. I was first surprised to learn that they were headed to Middoni, and not to see Lamoni’s father, as should have been proper.”

“They had actually planned on meeting with His Majesty, and were making plans for such a visit when urgent business called them to Middoni.”

“Yes, I heard of this ‘urgent’ business. Apparently there are more of these Nephites who have been imprisoned by Antiomno.”

“Yes.”

“And the Nephite knows this because his god told him?” The haughtiness of her tone had been steadily increasing.

Abish was proud of the way Zaria held her head high and replied, “Yes, your majesty, that is how Ammon knows.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Indeed.” There was a pause. “Well, if by some means of stealth or deception he has learned this information, Antiomno has made the right choice by putting our enemies in prison.”

“Did your husband send you to deliver this message?”

“My husband does not order me about. I am free to come and go as I wish. If he merely wanted a message sent then he would have sent a slave.” There was another pause, this one heavy with waiting. Abish could see her queen wanting to ask the obvious question then—why had she come? Why did it seem that she was not on the king’s errand if these were indeed his feelings? After an uncomfortable interval, the high queen finally got to it. “Where they were going was not the only item of interest to my husband in the course of their meeting.”

“Oh?”

“My husband ordered Lamoni to kill Ammon.”

Abish nearly bit through her tongue to keep from crying out and she saw the blood drain from the queen’s face, “And how did my husband take this command?”

“He refused. In fact, his refusal was so vehement that it angered his father greatly who then attempted to take Lamoni’s life.” The stillness was powerful and the Zaria’s eyes welled with tears. Abish felt her stomach churn with anxiety, but the silence only lasted a moment. “You’ll be grateful to know that your Nephite intervened just then, and while my husband is a powerful man he is no match for a young man who rips the arms off his enemies with his bare hands.”

Abish nearly chuckled with relief and at the latest distortion of Ammon’s strength. The queen’s face finally relaxed also and she said mildly, “I believe he used a sword.”

“Whatever! The point is that my husband had to promise him half his kingdom to make Ammon to let him go.”

Sensing Queen Vitria’s growing discomfort with the direction the meeting between her husband and son had taken, Zaria’s said sardonically, “Ammon hasn’t seemed all that greedy to me. The king should have been more conservative; Ammon probably would have been satisfied with your husband’s promise not to attempt to murder my husband.”

Queen Vitria looked at her sharply and narrowed his eyes again, “You seem to know the Nephite well.”

“I like to think we do.”

“Well, that is exactly what he said! That he would let him go on condition that he would not kill Lamoni.”

The queen’s face softened somewhat, “All in all, your Majesty, doesn’t that seem to have been for the best? Your husband and your son are both well and perhaps they will begin to see eye-to-eye on some things.”

“I don’t want my husband to be minded as Lamoni is regarding Nephite traditions. Your people are not my people.” Abish suddenly saw into the heart of what this was all about. Queen Zaria did look like a Nephite and Vitria seemed to think she was somehow responsible for all that had transpired.

Zaria lowered her voice and said, “In all the years I have been married to Lamoni, I have followed his leadership and learned all I could about his culture, leaving my own behind. Now, under the influence of the true God of Heaven, Lamoni is trying something else. Once again, I am wholeheartedly following my husband.”

Queen Vitria suddenly swept to her feet, “What is it about this Ammon that has you all so bewitched? My husband is acting as crazy as the rest of you!” She dropped her defenses in an instant and suddenly looked more worried than haughty.

Abish fought to keep control of her face, it would not do to have Queen Vitria believe the slaves were listening in. Zaria spoke in low tones, “Your husband was impressed with Ammon then?”

“It is not to be believed how impressed he was! When he saw how much Ammon loved Lamoni, he granted Ammon’s brothers’ clemency. Even Antiomno cannot argue with that, regardless of the charge against his brothers. On top of that, he has given Lamoni absolute control over this land.”

Zaria’s face was no less puzzled than Abish’s own as Queen Vitria explained, “Didn’t you understand, Your Majesty,” this latest was said with much sarcasm, “that Lamoni’s power and policy was contingent on his father’s good grace, but now! Now my out-of-his-head son can do whatever he likes regardless of what my husband thinks. He has made Lamoni a sovereign nation right here in the middle of the Lamanites! He has never allowed this kind of privilege to any of his kings before.”

She could see the queen mulling this over. “So this means that although Lamoni’s kingdom is smaller than his father’s, they are on equal footing?”

Vitria was momentarily taken aback, “Well, yes, I suppose.”

“And that my status is likewise equal to yours.” Now her mother-in-law was really speechless. “I thought so. Thank you for bringing me this news. And now, if our interview is finished, I would be happy to show you back to your rooms; or, if you prefer, my friend Abish can do so.” Here she turned and pointed to where Abish stood, beaming. The word friend had made all the difference.

“Your refer to this slave as your friend?”

“She is not my slave. Lamoni has freed all our slaves.”

“This is scandalous! What has gone on here?”

The queen stood now, to her full height, making her taller than Queen Vitria who suddenly seemed a little bit cowed, “I would be happy to tell you the history of our relationship to the Nephite Ammon, but I would have to ask you to listen very carefully and with an open heart.”

“I have never been so insulted in my entire life! I am unused to being treated in such a manner.”

“Milady, I have no wish to insult you, but our equal status prevents me from having to listen to outlandish criticisms of myself, my husband, or our friends. Again, if you wish to hear the full, true story I am happy to give it to you, but if you have merely come to belittle and gossip, I must insist that our visit be concluded.”

Abish could see that Queen Vitria was unsure whether to argue and risk being put in her place or leave the room, giving her daughter-in-law power over her. She was saved the choice by the Zaria’s deep bow and her own exit from the room. Abish hastily followed her. Her friend swept through the hall, head held high and silent. Even with Abish’s long legs she had to walk very quickly to keep up with her quick pace. When they made it to the queen’s bedroom chamber she shut the door behind her and quickly looked around. Seeing they were alone, she sank to the bed in a fit of relieved laughter.

Abish grinned broadly and the queen said, “That was by far the most indecorous things I’ve ever done as queen. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if I end up paying dearly for it, but oh, it felt good to tell her exactly what was on my mind.”

The great queen was indeed offended. She left first thing the next morning, after requesting one last interview. Abish was the only one present, but she was unable to stay invisible enough to avoid the queen’s disdainful stare. She bowed slightly before the queen and said only, “You and I may officially have equal status, but you are certainly never welcome in my home. That goes for your nasty half-breed child also. Helamoni, Lemuel and Selah are welcome to visit any time they wish; I had no quarrel with their mother. It will, in fact, be good to get them away from this house of zealous Nephite-lovers.”

Much of Zaria’s grace had returned this morning, and Abish was impressed with the way she held her head and kept her countenance, “Is this the message you would have me pass to your son, then, when he returns?”

“I have no faith in your ability to pass on any message to my son; I know that whatever you say to him will place yourself in a perfect light and I will be a monster. So you may say whatever your like to him: I know it will make no difference.” She left the room in a swirl of robes and feathers.

Zaria sighed and leaned on the arm of the chair. She looked very pale and colorless compared to her counterpart who had just left. Abish loved her for it. “My rash words from yesterday can’t make me laugh today. We really need Lamoni’s father on our good side. He was perhaps getting there, but hearing how deeply I’ve offended his wife could turn his mind very easily.”

Abish smiled wanly, “Or perhaps he is not so ignorant of his wife’s nature as to believe outright whatever she may say about this visit.”

Queen Zaria smiled wanly, “I think I cannot see anybody today; I just want to spend the day with Sariah. Today I want to be a mother instead of a queen.”

“A great choice. You are not so busy today, and I’ll have your schedule cleared otherwise.”

“You know that you don’t actually work for me anymore.”

Abish laughed, “I know. Old habits are hard to break. Let’s just say I’m helping as a friend; my own duties are light today.”

The queen stood and sighed, “I’ll be so glad when Lamoni is back.” Abish said nothing as she nodded slightly. Lamoni’s return would definitely be good for the kingdom and for Zaria; Ammon’s return would be good for the church, but what would his return mean for her? Like all the believers in Ishmael, she missed his enthusiasm and his way with words. And in a part of her self she hardly dared acknowledge, she missed his easy charm, handsome face and ready attentiveness.

All of this skimmed across her mind in the silence and Zaria said quietly, “Will you be glad to see Ammon again?’

Abish smiled and put her arm around the queen, “Yes. But whether that means anything significant or not . . .”

“Maybe it’s too early to say.”

Abish nodded, “And he is here on the Lord’s errand. That must come first.”

“Your turn will come, dear. Maybe when you least expect it.” In that moment, the Spirit whispered patience. For many years to come she would remember the peace of that moment and remind herself to just wait.