Short Stories

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© Josprel (Joseph Perrello)
"The Archer of Paran"
Historical Fiction - Part Two
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The Archer of Paran
by
Josprel

Part Two

Chapter Eleven

The Archer's Reconciliation

Turning to Nebajoth in puzzlement, Ishmael noticed his eyes shinning with pleasure.

"Who is this stranger, my son?" Nebajoth was about to respond, but the visitor spoke first. An inner pain seemed to haunt him.

"You last saw me as a babe in my mother's arms, Ishmael. I am Isaac, your brother." Ishmael stiffened in apprehension, his eyes blinking with incredulity. Brow lowered in suspicion, he responded, "You say you are my brother, Isaac, but to me you are a stranger. Why have you come into my land?"

"Abraham, our father is dead and has been gathered to his people. I ask you to go with me to Mamre, that together we may bury him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron."

Ishmael lowered his eyes. His sons and Isaac knew he was grieving. Moving forward, Isaac embraced him and Ishmael did not resist.

When he stopped sobbing, his brother released him and Ishmael said, "I thought my heart was filled with hated for our father, because he drove me into the desert. Now I learn it is filled with love for him."

Isaac nodded. "When I came to understand what was done to you and Hagar, I knew it was unjust. As Abraham's eldest son, the birthright should have gone to you. Please do not blame our father for your exile; it was my mother, Sarah, who in her jealously against you, demanded otherwise.

When our father departed from Ur, he hoped to find Melchizedek, the king of Salem. He desired to learn from him where to find the god most high, who does not demand the sacrifice of children. Though he did not find Salem, he found his God, Yahweh.

"Our father said to me many times that Yahweh commanded him to heed the demands of my mother, Sarah. Yahweh promised him that He would make you the father of many nations. It is right that you love him, Ishmael, for he greatly loved you. It grieved him to send you and Hagar away."

Ishmael again nodded. "Come, my brother, you and your men shall be taken to Nebajoth's castle. You shall be fed at our table and then rest. Tomorrow morning we shall depart to bury our father."

Chapter Twelve

The Archer Buries His Father

The burial procession that wended its way through the desert was a lengthy one. In addition to Isaac's and Ishmael's tribes, all the desert chiefs who had submitted to The Ishmaelite, as well as those who knew Abraham and Isaac were in attendance with their women mourners, whose duty it was to dolefully bewail the death of Abraham. Eventually, at Mamre, the procession converged with the tribes ruled by Isaac. At his command, the camels on which Isaac's mourners traveled joined with those of their Ishmaelite counterparts. Upon arriving at the burial cave, the women dismounted to assume their positions, Ishmael's women in a single rank on one side, Isaac's taking a similar stance on the other.

As the wrapped body was carried toward them, the women moaned softly. The moans became progressively louder, until they reached a crescendo of loud, heartbreaking sobs that moved the other procession members to join in.

"Abraham is gone form us," the women loudly wailed.

"Yes, Abraham is gone from us," responded the others, including Ishmael and Isaac, "Why have you gone from us, our father?"

"Why have you left us, Abraham; when shall we again behold your face?" the women wailed.

"Abraham, our father is now among the gods. When shall we see him again?" Ishmael mourned, in a hopeless tone.

"Our father rests on the bosom of Yahweh, the unseen God," Isaac responded, "We shall see our father again when the promised one comes."

His face a study in desolation, Ishmael turned to Isaac, "Though I cannot believe that a promised one shall come, I would that it were true, my brother; I would that it were true.

"Why do you think it not true?"

Ishmael grimaced before responding. "Did not our father seek all through his wanderings for the city of his God?"

"That is so. I also was with him in those wandering. He sought for the city because he believed it was built by our God, Yahweh."

"Did he ever find it?"

"No, our father never found the city he sought."

"Why did he not find it?"

Isaac did not respond.

"Do you believe that such a city exists, Isaac?"

When Isaac remained silent, Ishmael continued, "Our father did not find such a city because it does not exist. Why should the gods build cities on earth, my brother? They cannot live in them. It is men who build cities with walls to protect themselves against those who would kill and steal. My brother, who can kill the gods? Who can steal from them, so why would they need cities? All talk of a city whose builder and maker is Yahweh is a fantasy."

"All else that our father taught to me is true. He believed such a city exists and I also believe it."

Ishmael laughed contemptuously, "Believe what you will, Isaac. When you find this city, send a messenger to me and I shall visit it with you. Come, let us depart from here. I must return to my land. Our castles are lightly guarded."

Continued in Part Three

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