Sons of the Flaming Throne 3 – Ch. 1 | KT OLLA

WHEN Fire fell on the throne called Flaming, it was a burning thing no man could stand. So Fire died a natural death, for all fires must die.

Then came the Wind, hastier in pace and stride than Fire. But Wind only passed by, brushing the throne…

He was too cold to sit on live coals.

Now, a new one arrived among the sons of power. And he was called Fear, for he feared to sin.

They called him Water, but he was hot water. They called him Peaceful, and his other name was Dreadful.

They called him Salemon, a Child of Peace.

Chapter 1

OLD Nathan sprang up to his feet, his heart leaping too. He looked in the distance as a young man flew off in front of him to the palace court.

Questions pounded in his chest, but they were those no man could answer. So as the lad disappeared in the distance, he looked up to sky and puffed a sigh.

Now he slumped back in his chair where he’d been sitting in his front yard. He sighed, ‘This is the sign! This is clear sign things have gone wrong!’

It was a snowy morning in ancient Jerusalem, in one of those old times when Israel knew both sun and snow. Earlier that dawn, Nathan had returned from the day’s sacrifice at the holy tabernacle around town.

He returned feeling the heat of all the burning of sacrifice which took most part of dawn. So he set a seat for himself in the front yard and bathed in the winter’s snow.

The prophet had got nothing slated for the day, so he took his time to comb through faces – faces of the people gathered that morning. And if at least he could spot an absentee, he would be so glad he tried.

So Nathan tasked himself a little, to keep his idle mind busy and make his sitting out fun...

Yet the old one didn’t stress too long before he was able to spot a face, a missing one. And it was among the ruling priests that the prophet found him.

For Abiathar, second of the two high priests of Israel wasn’t there.

Now as the man realized this and was almost waving the case, he recalled that quite a number of junior priests and the laity were absent too.

Immediately, Nathan knew something wasn’t right. So he sat up to think.

But as the old man braced himself to find things out, he was jolted out of his thoughts. It was by a mad rush of a younger man racing towards the palace.

Old Nathan couldn’t stop the stare that followed the lad. He looked and saw no chase behind him, then he saw no kill ahead to hunt.

Nathan recognized the young man immediately. And if anything at all, he knew he was the son of Abiathar the priest.

Then he’d heard how the lad and Zadok’s teenager had run with news for the king during the revolt of twenty years before.

And his running this day only called back the memories of those times.

Now this young agile man was the younger of the two boys. The frisky playful kid called Jona.

And by this time he’d grown to add twenty years more. But he was still the same little kid, in spite of twenty years of growing old.

Now Nathan recognized his running again, but could easily spot that something was off.

For Jona was looking around like a tactless spy hastening to eavesdrop on someone. And to make it worse, he was heading towards palace.

Now Nathan stopped him. ‘What is it, son? What must be chasing you that you’re running so early in the morning?’

Immediately Jona dragged his feet to a stop and ran back to the elder. He bowed to touch his feet.

‘Shalom, my Father! Forgive me, please; I never looked to see! Pray, let me have your blessing, sire.’

Nathan bowed to touch him on the shoulder. ‘Peace, my son. Rise up; may the Lord bless and keep you!’

‘Amen and amen!’ the man said, getting up to stand. Then he fumbled with his hand, rubbing them nervously.

‘Thank you, sir—I must be on my way…’

‘All right, boy; do watch your steps!’

‘Okay, then. But it’s the King’s business, that’s why I have to run...’

‘Oh, you carry news for the King? Please, go quick!’

Jona wanted to chatter. ‘Partly, sir. Partly so.’

‘All right! Now hurry boy, come on! Or else you’ll run late!’

‘It’s late already, sir! Because I haven’t got news for our King—I’ve got news about another!’

The thing wasn’t clear. ‘Another what? Another k—!’

Nathan stopped right there. He was hit with fear.

He picked up in an earnest voice then. ‘Wait, is there something you want me to know? Is there something you’re trying to tell me?’

Jona felt powerful in that moment. He grinned so big, then bowed to tell the news in the ears of the elder.

Nathan was still as the words dropped in his ears. And in that stillness, many questions pelted the seat of his thoughts.

Now as Jona finished his talk and ran to palace, the prophet stood and stared at the morrow.

He gazed up to sky with questions no mortal could answer.

In the height of everything he crashed to ground and heaved the sigh.

‘This is the sign! The clear sign things have gone wrong!’

But a cool downpour followed that rumble, and a great answer that query. For in the prophet’s ears, the Quiet Voice came whispering peace.

No, but it is clear sign it is time! Now, it is clear sign it is time!

And Nathan heard that Voice and feared. For he just couldn’t see how, no matter where he turned.