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Sons of the Flaming Throne 3 – Ch. 22 | KT OLLA

WHEN Bathsheba let the prince in and he settled down, she was all too quick to ask:

‘Is this visit of peace, Son of Haggith?’—she started out by calling him by his mother’s.

Then she added, ‘You must have come peaceably!’

Adonijah was eager to clarify himself, so he immediately put in a good word.

‘May you live, Your Majesty! See, I have come peaceably! And if I haven’t got a favour to ask of you, I wouldn’t have come!’

Bathsheba let out a puff of relief. Somehow she knew no one in their right mind would want to harm her, since they would be going against the king doing so.

But she couldn’t be this sure about Adonijah, a man who’d clearly attempted to reign. She was now relieved things weren’t so.

Thus Bathsheba was eager to know what exactly this favour was, the favour a rival might go to ask from a foe, as she apparently wasn’t out of the woods yet.

So she sat up and asked: ‘Now what is this favour that I can possibly offer you? Is there something you want me to do?’

Adonijah was delighted the queen mother asked. So he went on to state his need.

‘Your Majesty, you know that as of this sunrise and this day, I am the eldest of my father’s sons, the first of the princes of David. So, the throne should naturally be mine.

‘However, I shouldn’t use this right any longer, as I have relinquished it since I saw the choice of the God of Israel!’

At this, Bathsheba was quite won over. She seemed really soft as she was the one beaten on bended knees.

Yes, she also felt grateful to the boy for being quite gentle and contented about his situation. She felt indebted, in fact, that Adonijah didn’t fight her son.

Her eyes were moistening and her feelings warming as she listened on. For Adonijah found a shoulder to cry on.

He whined: ‘I have walked away from all my royal rights and do not plan to return.

‘But, Your Majesty, I have only one request and I hope the King would grant me!’

Bathsheba was all ears, so the Fourth One didn’t have a tough time stating it.

‘Queen Mother, I desire the beautiful damsel who catered to my father before he died.

‘That Shunammite beauty called Abisha. All I want is her!

‘The King can have all the maidens of Israel – he is the ruler after all!

‘You see I’m not asking anything big for compensation—just this girl I’ve always desired!

‘I wish the King will not deny me of this, at least! Therefore, I beg you to take my request before him.’

Adonijah finished his words. And Bathsheba agreed without a question.

Yes, the Queen Mother reasoned that if Adonijah gave up his precious ambition, then whatever compensation he asked for is what should be given him.

But she’d got a big plan going on, too.

This low Shunammite girl, however so beautiful she looks to everybody...

This same girl can grow big to take my place in my son’s reign. Just if I wait and let her become his wife.

First, she took my place with my husband the King. But he didn’t sleep with her... and that should suffice!

Now should she love my son, too? Will Solomon not go all the way in making her his wife and queen?

And if he does, then she may go on to be the most powerful woman in Israel!

She can be the queen consort and trouble my boy!

Bathsheba was afraid. Yet her fear wasn’t quite for Solomon, but for herself.

She feared she would lose her importance in her son’s life – as she’d often confused her role and place.

Yet the Queen Mother wouldn’t know she was overstepping her bounds—and everybody was watching.

Now Bathsheba wanted Abisha gone away from Solomon, lest she relegate and displace her.

And if Adonijah’s request was the way to rid her of him, then she was ready to go all the way.

Therefore without hesitation, the Queen Mother got on the Fourth One’s request.

She’d been changing her maids and servants. Now she would dare to change the Queen.

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