Read Online Michal by Jill Eileen Smith - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jill Eileen Smith
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Merab’s hand from David’s, and he dismissed Merab with a nod. Relief flooded Michal so quickly she nearly fainted.
As Merab walked from the room without a backward glance, head held high, Michal slipped away from the banquet hall through another door and hurried to her room. She flopped facedown on her sleeping couch, then rolled onto her back and clutched a pillow to her chest. There was no question she would be miserable if Merab married David. But David’s words made no sense. He was supposed to marry her sister because he killed the giant. Why turn down such an opportunity? If anything, marriage to the king’s daughter would help his future.
Michal dug her fingers into the embroidered pillow, curling it into a tight ball. David’s actions today had brought a reprieve, and Michal’s heart sang with tentative hope. Now all she had to do was convince her father to give Merab to another, then persuade him to let her marry David in her sister’s place.
Saul paced the length of the banquet hall moments after the last commander had left for the evening. His royal robes flowed about his feet, girded at the waist with a golden sash, and he clutched his bronze, iron-tipped spear in his left hand. He’d sent the young upstart David to the guardhouse with a new title—captain over a thousand. It was his only recourse. After the young fool had refused to marry his daughter, he had to reward his act of bravery in battle somehow. His men would never trust him again if he didn’t offer their young hero some compensation.
His long legs carried him to the opposite wall, where bronze shields taken in battle from the Ammonites and Philistines stood on display. Saul stared at a shield emblazoned with the Ammonites’ colors and symbols, then turned his attention to a similar Philistine one. The giant, Goliath, had possessed such a shield and carried an even more ornate sword. David owned that sword now.
Brash, arrogant, youthful, popular David. Saul cursed under his breath. The boy was a blight, a pestilence to be rid of.
Without warning, the melancholy thoughts slid under his skin again. He whirled around and stomped across the tiled floor.
“Ahh!” He flailed his spear at the air as he walked. Let David be captain of his thousand. “Take that!” Let him fight battles and skirmishes and full-scale wars. “And that!” Let the Philistines come against him. “Argghh!” Then he, Saul, would be free of shedding the boy’s blood.
Saul leaned against the wall, spent from his imaginary battle. The scraping of wooden hinges made his pulse jump. He looked up.
“Forgive me, my lord, for intruding,” David said, taking one step into the room, “but Commander Abner suggested I play the lyre for you this evening.”
Saul stared at him as though he were seeing a ghost. He twisted the blade around, slapping the shaft in the palm of one hand. He glanced down at the spear, then lifted his head, his vision blurred.
Pin him to the wall. Be done with him , the voices screamed at him. You can kill him with one thrust. Then the kingdom will be yours, and your son’s after you, and your son’s son forever and ever, and you won’t be tormented anymore.
Saul grimaced. He didn’t want to hear the thoughts. Trying to thrust David through last time hadn’t worked. He was too quick.
No, he’s not. He doesn’t suspect you now. Not after you offered your daughter to him.
But the boy had refused her. Why did he act like he didn’t deserve to marry her? Perhaps he was trying to act humble to gain the favor of the people.
“My king? Are you all right?”
David’s words mingled with the other voices in his head. He glanced up at the boy. A handsome lad. Too handsome. The people might love him more.
Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
They already did.
Saul’s eyes bored into David’s.
Do it! You have nothing to lose!
The voices grew louder, shouting, blaring their demands, until at last— whoosh!
As Merab walked from the room without a backward glance, head held high, Michal slipped away from the banquet hall through another door and hurried to her room. She flopped facedown on her sleeping couch, then rolled onto her back and clutched a pillow to her chest. There was no question she would be miserable if Merab married David. But David’s words made no sense. He was supposed to marry her sister because he killed the giant. Why turn down such an opportunity? If anything, marriage to the king’s daughter would help his future.
Michal dug her fingers into the embroidered pillow, curling it into a tight ball. David’s actions today had brought a reprieve, and Michal’s heart sang with tentative hope. Now all she had to do was convince her father to give Merab to another, then persuade him to let her marry David in her sister’s place.
Saul paced the length of the banquet hall moments after the last commander had left for the evening. His royal robes flowed about his feet, girded at the waist with a golden sash, and he clutched his bronze, iron-tipped spear in his left hand. He’d sent the young upstart David to the guardhouse with a new title—captain over a thousand. It was his only recourse. After the young fool had refused to marry his daughter, he had to reward his act of bravery in battle somehow. His men would never trust him again if he didn’t offer their young hero some compensation.
His long legs carried him to the opposite wall, where bronze shields taken in battle from the Ammonites and Philistines stood on display. Saul stared at a shield emblazoned with the Ammonites’ colors and symbols, then turned his attention to a similar Philistine one. The giant, Goliath, had possessed such a shield and carried an even more ornate sword. David owned that sword now.
Brash, arrogant, youthful, popular David. Saul cursed under his breath. The boy was a blight, a pestilence to be rid of.
Without warning, the melancholy thoughts slid under his skin again. He whirled around and stomped across the tiled floor.
“Ahh!” He flailed his spear at the air as he walked. Let David be captain of his thousand. “Take that!” Let him fight battles and skirmishes and full-scale wars. “And that!” Let the Philistines come against him. “Argghh!” Then he, Saul, would be free of shedding the boy’s blood.
Saul leaned against the wall, spent from his imaginary battle. The scraping of wooden hinges made his pulse jump. He looked up.
“Forgive me, my lord, for intruding,” David said, taking one step into the room, “but Commander Abner suggested I play the lyre for you this evening.”
Saul stared at him as though he were seeing a ghost. He twisted the blade around, slapping the shaft in the palm of one hand. He glanced down at the spear, then lifted his head, his vision blurred.
Pin him to the wall. Be done with him , the voices screamed at him. You can kill him with one thrust. Then the kingdom will be yours, and your son’s after you, and your son’s son forever and ever, and you won’t be tormented anymore.
Saul grimaced. He didn’t want to hear the thoughts. Trying to thrust David through last time hadn’t worked. He was too quick.
No, he’s not. He doesn’t suspect you now. Not after you offered your daughter to him.
But the boy had refused her. Why did he act like he didn’t deserve to marry her? Perhaps he was trying to act humble to gain the favor of the people.
“My king? Are you all right?”
David’s words mingled with the other voices in his head. He glanced up at the boy. A handsome lad. Too handsome. The people might love him more.
Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
They already did.
Saul’s eyes bored into David’s.
Do it! You have nothing to lose!
The voices grew louder, shouting, blaring their demands, until at last— whoosh!
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