Skip to main content

Sons Of The Flaming Throne – Ch.37 | KT OLLA

ABSALOM wasn’t the only one waiting for David. Ahithophel waited also, through the three long weeks that nothing happened.

But the old man’s wait was one that was even more desperate.

Ahithophel was really keen on establishing Absalom as king. Yet his desperate ambition wasn’t born out of some loyalty to him. 

It was an offshoot of his bitter feelings to David.

Now the old sage waited for the king to come out of hiding. And by the third week, he was sure he wasn’t going to show up no matter what.

It dawned on him that the giant game he swayed so frantically, just so he could lure the lion out of his den. That that frantic game had simply failed.

 And from then, the wise one began to lose his cool.

It was a sunny day that afternoon, but Ahithophel’s spirit couldn’t take the plunge into gloom anymore.

And so before the sun would swing round into another night, the old man mounted an ass and decided to take a ride of relief. A ride of reflection.

Old Ahithophel rode through the city of Jerusalem, from the open streets to the market plains. But everything around looked as ordinary as a common day.

There was no smell of storm, no sign of rain. There was no wisp of smoke that David was coming. And the usual quiet before a storm was nowhere in the air.

This thing that the wise one sniffed from town frustrated him more. So he lamented so hard that he’d failed.

He threw his arms in the air in the height of frustration. He cried out a wordless groan.

Then, as if those wide flung arms had caught some answers, the old man folded them back over his breast. And then he turned his steed round towards the palace. As his face lit up with a brilliant shine.

Now the elderly man was quite hopeful that he could turn things around. He’d forced a forward path through a huge blockade. For he told himself that he couldn’t end up beaten by David.

Yet in the next moment, before he would hit his animal to move on, Ahithophel recalled how confident he’d been about the last plan. And how he couldn’t predict that David would not bulge.

He remembered how flatly a neat plan failed. And in that instant, his little confidence tumbled down its high horse and fell.

For right there that he pulled his heavy ass back with the bridle, the animal lifted itself off ground. Then a sturdy old one was shaken up quite a bit.

Ahithophel latched himself onto the side of the beast as his weight came tumbling over.

Then in the fight to regain balance, he grumbled some words of protest. ‘I will rather die! No, I will rather die than lose to David!’

So in that determined fight, he pulled back his full weight atop the ass and steadied the proud mount.

He was ready to stop gaming, and start fighting.

Yes, a new idea came to him; although it felt like gamble. Still it was the gamble the man was willing to take.

So with that fighting spirit, Ahithophel charged his ass with a roaring cry. And off he sped to the palace.

To hand the king his best plan.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Sons of the Flaming Throne 2 – Ch. 9 | KT OLLA

ABISHUM wasn’t done speaking. So she picked up on the matter as things were bound to change. She spoke: ‘See, it was a bedroom cry for Aleph. But not until the day things were shoved in her face… ‘And that day she gave up on hoping! ‘Well, what Aleph thought was the reason why Beth couldn’t marry, was different from what it was with people. ‘She used to think it was because there was no man in her house to ask the daughter from. As is our customary practice in Israel.  ‘But when a drunken man shoved it in her face one night, it hurt her too much what people say. ‘“No one will marry your daughter, woman! Why will anyone do? When death hides in her bosom like it hid in yours. Or why did your husband die? ‘“Look, if you don’t know it – your family is cursed! You only have one child in a nation of plenty. ‘“God has prospered Israel with many children like the sea sand. But what do your family bear? Only one! ‘“So, who will want your cursed daughter for his son to love? You really don’t...

MUSTARD I – Ch. 7 | KT OLLA

NOW it had rained all morning this day. And the sun was finally tearing through clouds to take the day’s glory. It was a brief break for the villages of Ede’s farmlands. As they rested from taking turns in harvesting yams. The town’s harvest season of yam and cassava tubers were in the rains... So they worked double to get them stored in barns and sold in markets – to avoid early rot in the wet weather. Yes, the crops were sources of flours and flakes for main foods. And several kinds of yam – like the ewùrà, ebòlò and the white yam, were also prepared as meals. So, everyone was out going about their own business those rest days... The farmers would go for a routine check on their farm every morning. And return earlier than the time to gather for talks by evening. Every evening, the men would sit under the shade of trees, and play board games amid talk and drinks. They’d talk about everything. From the ruler to their people. And to their wives and children. The young Moro chose to go a...

MUSTARD II – Ch. 8 | KT OLLA

NOW Oji and Daleka went in to meet their brother as his wife hurried out of the house. ‘You meet me well, brothers,’ Morrow smiled as he dished his food. ‘Care to join for breakfast?’ ‘Oh we just had ours, big bro,’ Oji answered for them. ‘Thanks for the offer.’ ‘In that case, will you—?’ ‘Oh never mind,’ their youngest smiled, ‘we can sit and talk while you go on eating. We also have things to share with you.’ He looked to his partner for agreement and Oji nodded back. Yes, it was the culture there for someone to invite their guest to table when the latter meets them dining. Then, it was the right ethic for the guest to decline with thanks. Morrow glanced at them. ‘Oh really? Have your seat then. ‘And meanwhile, you did a lot helping last night – I appreciate it. Please tell your wives, too, we’re grateful.’ ‘Well, that is nothing,’ Oji waved a hand. ‘We are grateful that you returned! That you came home alive!’ Morrow looked at them and smiled. He had just finished dishing, so he smi...