Stories from Heaven's Library - Vol. 7
For Young and Old
Featuring:
Amaris: Chapters 9-11
Al the Air Ace
The Legend of Mother Earth
--AMARIS--
The story so far
In a faraway Eastern nation, Princess Amaris, the adopted daughter of King Merchal, has been sent on a journey of faith; a journey that promises, somehow, to reveal her destiny--and her God. Traveling with her trusted manservant, Jordan, they soon reach the home of Father Michael, an Englishman who was once a tutor to Amaris. He relates to Amaris how, after a long search, he has found her English father, from whom she was separated as a young child, twelve years earlier.
Amaris is soon reunited with her English father, and, to her great joy, Amaris discovers that she has a younger sister, Pamela, who is ten years old.
Overwhelmed by her emotions, Amaris rises early the following morning to take a short walk. Alone, and in the deepest recesses of her thoughts, she sees a vision of a golden staircase. From the light of this vision, she goes forth a changed person, to learn the many splendorous ways of love
And now, the conclusion:
--An Eastern Tale, as told by Sheherezade
IX - Gain and Loss
Amaris walked slowly down the grassy hillside and came up behind Jordan, who was sitting against a large, smooth boulder. She sat down on the rock, and slipped her hand onto his broad shoulder. He looked up with a smile.
"I'm sorry, Jordan," she said quietly, and looked down at her lap.
"Why are you sorry now, my lady?" Jordan inquired cheerfully.
"Back on the road, earlier I didn't mean to mock you. I understand that no matter what you might think or feel, you probably don't feel in a position to just come out and talk to me about it. I hope I didn't make you feel bad."
"Amaris " Jordan turned around and knelt before the rock where she sat. With his large work-roughened hands he grasped the delicate one on his shoulder, and held it tightly. His large brown eyes searched deep into hers.
"I think you know that I love you more than I could ever say. I have loved you ever since I first came to know you, years ago, and every day that has passed has only made this love flow more deeply and richly in my heart. I had long since buried this feeling as a foolish and childish dream, but, since coming on this trip, I have experienced more hope than I had ever dared to imagine."
He dropped her hand and passed his palms over his face impatiently. "I only wish " he paused, then continued hesitantly. "I only wish I could be worthy of you. No matter what you might say or what I might hope you would feel, there is just no way anything of this sort could ever come true. Our roles are too different--these things are just not done."
"Jordan, Jordan! Don't you see?" Amaris was bursting with a passion she had not known she held.
Jordan caught his breath at the tremor he felt in her voice, but did not dare look up into her eyes. He waited silently for her to continue.
"Don't you see?" she said. "I am not true nobility any more than you are. You've seen my father with your own eyes!"
"Perhaps," Jordan said, "but in His Majesty's eyes, and in the eyes of the realm, you are royalty nonetheless. And how would it look to " Jordan trailed off uncomfortably. He realized that he didn't even know what Amaris was thinking of, and he did not want to put words in her mouth.
"Jordan, look at me!" she begged.
He did, and for a moment she thought her heart would break at the tender longing in his eyes. "It does not have to be," she continued, "for has not our God said that when we are near Him, all things are possible? Not a week ago, I woke up an entirely different person than the one I am today. I have been revitalized and given an infusion of zest and passion for life and for our Lord such as I had no idea could exist. I feel that I am consuming and giving out pure energy, where before I was only floating along on the tide. And somehow" she reached down and grabbed his hand firmly, "somehow I feel that we are meant to be together."
"What do you mean?" Jordan spoke softly, trying to suppress the hopes that were threatening to beat down the doors of his countenance and gush forth. He knew that once he let them go, they could no longer be held in.
"I mean that I love you, Jordan," she said as she pulled up her veil, threw it back over her head, reached over, and kissed him.
That was it. The barriers Jordan had so desperately tried to hold up crumbled to dust. Before he could tell what was happening, his arms were encircling her, holding her so tightly she thought she would melt into him. Now they were standing--their lips still joined--tenderly, passionately, retracing every thought and desire that had haunted them for years. In a moment that seemed to last an eternity, their love was sealed forever.
+ + +
How different Amaris felt as she walked down the now-bustling streets towards her father's home. Jordan walked by her side--although it could hardly be said that he walked, but more that he floated, for he was much too far gone into his world of bliss to come down for such trivia as earthly travel.
"Come along," she laughed, pulling his hand towards the door to the stairwell that led to her father's rooms. "We've arrived, and our hosts await upstairs."
Pam had been watching the road from the window, and no sooner had Amaris set foot inside the entrance than the upstairs door flung open and the vivacious * girl ran down to escort her newfound sister up the stairs. She was bubbling over with questions that had germinated * through the night after hearing her sister's incredible life story.
"How is father?" Amaris asked.
"Oh!" Pam's face fell. "He's not doing so well right now. I think all the excitement of seeing you again and staying up so late talking was too much for him. His breathing has become difficult."
Amaris moved quickly down the hallway towards her father's bedroom.
"The doctor will come by later today," Pam continued.
Amaris swept off her headpiece as she came into the dimly lit room. The man looked up weakly, but upon seeing her, his face lit up with the radiance of a sunbeam. "Ah, my starlight!" he whispered. "Come close to me, child."
Amaris knelt by the bedside and placed her head on the pillow alongside him. "You'll be all right soon, Father dear," she whispered. "You're going to get better now. I'm sure that His Majesty would be happy to have you join us at the royal palace. And there you would be able to regain your strength."
"You are going back then, aren't you?" Edward asked. Amaris bit her lip, but he continued quickly. "Of course! You must, child. I know that as well as you do. I am not going to be the one to pull you from your destiny. As for me" he smiled, and moved his cheek closer to hers. Amaris was startled at how cold it felt. "As for me, I am content just to have seen you before passing on to my reward."
"Please don't say such things, Father!" Amaris exclaimed. "You will get better!"
But the old man shook his head. "I've always known it was a matter of time, little one," he said. "I was only holding on until my Lord fulfilled His last promise to me. I have accomplished my mission in life, and now I must be on my way, for " He looked up at the ceiling with a faraway look of longing in his eyes. " for my dearest one awaits me there." A tear or two trickled down his wrinkled cheek, and Pam dashed forward to bury them in a soft handkerchief. Edward reached for her plump little hand and held it tight in his. His other hand reached for Amaris'.
His voice was barely audible now, and Jordan, who was standing near the foot of the bed, could scarcely make it out. "Take good care of your little sister, Sarah," he was saying. "And Pamela, be obedient and helpful. Love each other always, both of you, and never stray from the path to which our Lord calls you. If you continue therein, then I have no doubt of your happiness and ultimate success, for that He has guaranteed." The tears were gone now, and only a soft smile remained, glowing with an unearthly light and peace.
"Goodbye, my precious ones. And always remember, I will be near you " With those words, he was gone.
Amaris closed her eyes. She could almost feel her father's soul floating upwards on the breath of his love to meet his Creator and his long-missed wife. Tears rolled down her cheek as she sighed, but it was a peaceful sigh. Parting so soon after having just been reunited with her father was difficult indeed; yet amazingly, Amaris felt content. It was an almost supernatural feeling that came from knowing that God's will had been done, and that all was well.
Jordan walked over to Pam and placed his arms around her. "It will be all right," he said, stroking her hair. "He will never be far from you, and at this moment he is happier and healthier than he could ever have been if he had stayed."
The little girl nodded, and her sobbing subsided. She knew that Jordan spoke the truth. For a moment that knew no earthly time, they all remained silent.
The silence was broken by Pam's tear-choked voice. "What will happen to me now?" Then her face lit up. "Can I become a princess too, Sarah?"
Amaris managed a chuckle through her own tears. "Why, I do believe you can, little sister!" she replied. Then Amaris turned to Jordan, as if wondering where they should go from there.
"I suggest we send a messenger to the palace as quickly as possible, and ask that they send a litter to fetch us. Meanwhile we could pack up all of Pam's belongings "
"And we'll need to leave the house clean " Pam added.
"Well, we can start on that, Jordan, if you want to go out and hire a messenger." Amaris began to roll up her sleeves, then stopped. "But come, let us first say a few words to the One Who has brought us this far." Gently pulling the sheet over her father's face, she knelt down by his bed. The others followed.
"Thank You, blessed Heavenly Father, for perfecting Your will in all of our lives," she prayed. "We are but instruments that move at Your command. We marvel at the perfectness which results from following Your plan. At this time, when so much around us is changing and uncertain " Her eyes opened a crack to look across the bed at Jordan, who looked more kind and tender than ever in the soft light. She shook her head and continued, " we can only thank You for having brought us this far. Grant us the grace to continue along the path that You have chosen, that we may fulfill the remainder of our destiny with the ease of a life carried along by Your current. Amen."
X - The Touch of God
A loud pounding on the door caught Amaris by surprise. Before she could gather her wits, Jordan was already in the hall, calling, "Who goes there?"
"It is the litter, come to fetch her Highness!" a voice rang out.
"So quickly?" Amaris was quite unprepared, and ran into the other room to don her headdress.
Jordan opened the door and motioned to the servants that entered which boxes and bags needed to be carried out.
"Jordan!" Amaris beckoned fiercely from the side room. He ducked in, and she shut the door behind them.
She leaned back against the door, and he leaned towards her, brushing his lips along her neck.
"We shall have to resume our respective positions for the time being," she said.
"Of course," he nodded.
"Kiss me one last time," she said. "It will have to last me all day, at least." And so he did.
They were interrupted by a jolt as Pam tried to open the door on which Amaris was leaning. "Are you two in there?"
"Just a moment!"
Pam rounded the door to see Amaris and Jordan standing apart, hands behind their backs, with their faces flushing a mild red. "Oh," Pam said matter-of-factly. "Well, the servants are all ready. And they have prepared Father's body and placed it in a coffin to be carried back with us. I think we can be off."
"Well, let us go then," Amaris said, as she gave Jordan's hand one last clandestine squeeze.
But as she rounded the corner into the hall, there she remained with open mouth, staring at the maidservant that faced her. "What are you doing here?" she gasped in amazement. She walked quickly into the front room and there saw the second maidservant, and one of the litter-bearers. "But you you left us in the cave! What happened? Why are you here now?"
The first maidservant hung her head in shame, and the other two were speechless.
"What is going on?" Amaris asked again.
A voice from the entrance broke the awkward silence. "Madam, we beg your pardon most humbly." It was one of the soldiers, and he entered the room, then bowed low before his mistress.
Amaris motioned for him to stand. "Go on," she said.
"Your Highness," the soldier continued, "it was thus instructed us by "
"I instructed them to do so!" An authoritative voice reverberated through the small room, and half of the onlookers fell to the floor. Amaris turned to face His Majesty, King Merchal.
"Your Majesty!" she exclaimed, as she bowed before him. "Why, what has brought you to this place?"
The king nodded at the servants, and they all scurried out of the room. He then turned towards Amaris. "My child!" Tears of joy sparkled in his eyes as he reached for her hand. "I could not bear to be away from you one moment longer! As soon as I heard that you were on your way back to me, I had to come and join you. I was hoping also to be able to meet your father " His voice trailed off as he read Amaris' reply in her eyes. "I'm very sorry," he said.
"Don't be, Father," she said, and couldn't help but notice his eyes light up at the sound of the word that put his fears and uncertainties to rest. "My father, Edward, has passed on to his reward, which I am sure is a very great one. He was a good man, and I am honored to have met him."
"I only wish that I could have," the king said quietly.
"Well, if you will receive it," Amaris said hesitantly, "he has left you a gift."
"A gift?" King Merchal suspiciously noted the twinkle in the girl's eye.
"Wait here a moment, and I will fetch it." She dashed out of the room, and returned a moment later with a reluctant little redhead.
"Your Majesty, this is my sister, Pamela Norman. Pam, this is His Majesty, King Merchal."
"I am honored to meet you," Pam curtsied low before him.
"Another little Amaris!" the king exclaimed. "What a glory has been bestowed upon me! I sent forth my one love, and I have gained her back twofold!" He looked into Pam's eyes with a beaming smile. "Little one," he said, "you are welcome in my home!"
"I am honored, my lord," she said quietly.
"I hope that one day you will also come to think of it as your own home, and that you will welcome me into your family, as you have your blessed sister."
Pam smiled, but she was obviously very nervous; all of this was a lot to take in at one setting. To her, the last three days all seemed like some sort of dream. Amaris pulled her close. "It's all right, Pam," she said soothingly. "Take your time. We've got plenty of time to get to know each other."
Then Amaris recalled her unfinished question. "But Father, what was the soldier trying to tell me--that you had ordered the retreat of our company?"
The old man looked bashful. "I apologize for the deception, little princess," he said. "I felt that due to the nature of your journey, it was best taken alone, with only Jordan for your protection. But I thought it best that this removal be unexpected, otherwise you would have worried and wondered why I wanted you to make this journey alone, as such a thing has never been done before. It was difficult for these who live to serve you to think that their image may have been tarnished in your eyes, but I hope that you will forgive them. The blame is mine."
"Not at all, my lord," Amaris smiled. "I understand completely, and I hold nothing against them, or you. I see how this journey was perfect in every way, according to God's plan. It would have only been less so had we had much company. Oh, Father!" She leaned her head against his chest. "I have so much to tell you!"
"And I cannot wait to hear it," the king replied. "Let us make haste then in our journey home, that we may begin to partake of the joyous remainder of our lives!"
"Yes!" Amaris exclaimed happily. "Let us go home!"
"Home!" Pam's eyes glowed at the thought, for though her young life had been happy, the last months had seen their share of toil and heartache with her mother's passing and her father's illness. She had sometimes felt the burden too heavy on her small shoulders. Now she was looking towards an entirely new life. She felt safe in the loving hands of her newfound sister; the deep tenderness in Amaris' eyes told her that all would be well.
"Come, sweetest!" Amaris put her arm around the little redhead. "Let us be off."
+ + +
Amaris' excitement had been mounting steadily with each passing hour. At last she could contain it no longer, and she reached for the curtain to get a view of how they were progressing.
At that very moment, the king--who had been riding alongside the litter--poked his head through the curtain. "Patience, little sprightly one," he remonstrated with a smile, seeing Amaris' anxious look. "We shall arrive none the quicker for your anxious fretting!"
"Oh, Father," she wailed, "there is so much that I want to see again! I feel like I've been away so long and now I value my place in your wonderful home so much more! I cannot wait to show my sister all of my favorite places."
Just then the footmen halted their walk. The king dismounted and cast an approving glance ahead of him, while guarding the litter's curtain with his hand. "Well, it appears that before too long you will be able to do so. We have arrived."
"Now wait," he said, opening the curtain, "As you step forth, remember this: You are both the most precious reward I could ever have. My God has returned unto me that which I have given Him, and I have promised Him that I will do my utmost to love and cherish you with every bit of my soul. Now, you may go."
Amaris stepped out of the litter, followed by her little sister. Their eyes widened in amazement. The litter had been set down just before the palace entrance, and as the girls looked up at the palace, it appeared to be entirely made of flowers! From the top to the bottom, in every conceivable crack and opening, bloomed flowers of all colors and shapes. Small and large, common and rare, simple and spectacular, all blended their cheery faces as one shining banner of welcome. The girls stood transfixed, overcome by the beautiful fragrance that cascaded upon them.
"I have had this done as a welcoming gift to you." The king's voice startled them from their reverie * as he placed a hand on each of their shoulders, "This is what you have done to my life. You have transformed it from dull, lifeless clay into a beautiful blooming garden of flowers, aglow with life and beauty and joy."
"And God has done that to us all!" Amaris whispered. "For I think each one of us has been the salvation of the other in some way! And thus, it is not me nor any one of us who are the blooms that give life to another's dull existence. It is the breath of God that whispers forth and causes each place it touches to blossom. And the more we give ourselves unto Him, the more blossoms fill our lives and the lives of those around us."
"Thank God for His blessed touch!" the king whispered.
The two girls threw their arms around him, and they held each other close.
XI - Forever
Amaris slipped her hand into her father's as they walked through the lush greenery, made fragrant by the evening air. The moon gazed serenely down at them with a round, full face, bathing the whole garden in a most tranquil beauty. But Amaris felt a twinge of restlessness. It had been days since their return, and a question that she had been fighting to subdue rose resolutely to the surface. At last she determined that, no matter what the outcome, she would be more at peace once it was out. Surely there must have been a good reason
"My lord" she began gingerly. Noting the uncertain quiver in her tone, the king stopped in his tracks and turned to give her his undivided attention.
"What is it, little heart?" he asked gently.
"Father, one question has returned to haunt me many times since I have heard the news of my past life. You have always been the most loving of fathers to me, and have seen to my every need. But did you ever attempt to find my first parents? Did you ever search for them? It seems that they could have easily been found, knowing their names "
The king sighed, and reached his hand out to touch her shoulder, then paused in mid-air. His hand fell back to his side. "I must be true with you, child," he said sadly, "for I have held much torment in my soul over this. When you first came to me, I closed my mind to the idea that you could have relations close by. I assumed that the traders had brought their slaves here by ship, and that any relations were too far away to be discovered. So for some time I did not inquire. I had heard from God that He had sent you as my angel of comfort, and how could you be that for me if I were to return you from whence you came?" He looked sidelong at Amaris to see her reaction, but she was careful to hide any feelings until she had heard the rest of his tale.
"After a month or more I became too stricken with guilt, and I determined that, come what may, I would not be able to live with myself if I did not do all I could in this direction. So, at the risk of losing that which was most precious to me, I launched into a search."
"Was that the long trip you went on, soon after I arrived?" Amaris' mind shot backward in keen remembrance. "You looked so sad. The image of you at the door is burned into my mind to this day."
"That, little one," the old man spoke from the depths of his soul, "is the look of someone who is putting his dearest treasure on the altar, and saying unto his God, 'Do with it as You will.'"
Amaris leaned her head on his arm as they walked on together, and the tale continued. "I journeyed out myself, because I did not want to tell another soul the truth of your past unless it would be absolutely necessary. I made arrangements to visit the English ambassador, to tell him of your situation, and he told me the strangest tale! He recalled well the name of your father, for the man had been greatly distraught at the loss of his young child, and feared for her safety. He said that for weeks the man had put out requests and bulletins and had conducted searches of his own, but finally, one day--about two weeks before my visit--your father had come and told the ambassador, 'I must confess that in all my searching I knew '"
Amaris' head shot up as the king's voice trailed off. "Did you hear that?" she whispered.
"Someone was saying the words along with me!" the king whispered.
Amaris nodded. "I, too, heard the same words spoken by another! What is this?"
"I do not know." The king held the girl closer to him.
Amaris pulled her cloak tightly around her slender frame, for the garden seemed to have suddenly grown cold. Then, before them, a figure materialized. The two looked at each other, blinked several times, and then looked again. The figure was still there.
"In all my searching " The voice reverberated through the stillness of the grove. " I knew that my search would prove fruitless. I told the ambassador that day, 'Search no more, for God Himself has taken my child to serve His purpose, and in His good time, I will see her again.'"
King Merchal trembled uncontrollably, and could not speak. He looked up into the warm, loving eyes of the spirit before him, and then did a thing he had never done before. Before Amaris' eyes, the great king and ruler of the land threw himself forward and bowed in the dirt before the shining spirit that he owed so much to. "I am speechless," he murmured, "I cannot face you."
"Arise, I am but a mere servant of our Lord, like you," the spirit said. His voice was soft, his eyes were kind, and the two mortals were filled with an abundance of peace. "Continue the story for our child."
King Merchal rose slowly, and Amaris quickly leaned forward to brush the dust and bits of grass from his garments. "The ambassador then told me," he said as he cast a glance at the spirit who was still smiling at them both, "that the man had said to call off the search. He would retire from his government position and devote his life to serving his God in this country that had been chosen for him, until God's will was accomplished." King Merchal mopped his brow.
"Since that time, the ambassador had not seen Edward Norman, nor heard of his whereabouts. I told him if he ever did, to send word to me at once, which he promised to do. I never heard from him again."
The king stopped, but Edward looked deep into his eyes. "Go on," he said, in a deep yet tender voice. "Tell of your feelings."
"For years--well, I guess for all of this time, ever since--I have berated myself that it was my fault that you were deprived of your natural family. Had I acted sooner, I could have returned you before your father called off the search and disappeared. So although I have been wonderfully happy with you, I have always felt guilty, and felt that I had wrongfully taken you from " The king looked up at Edward.
"Oh, but don't you see?" Amaris burst out. Her heart swelled as she remembered her experience on the golden steps not many days before. "It was all a part of God's plan. I loved "
She gulped and looked over to the kindly specter * who stood alongside her. "I love my dear father Edward very dearly, but you, my king, are no less my father than he! For as God has told me in my time of great distress, there are many forms and levels of love. One of His great purposes for our lives is that we would come to understand and appreciate them all. It is clear to me that the great Designer above in actuality engineered this whole plan, including what seemed to you to be a mistake. But tell us the truth," she said, turning to Edward, "for certainly it is clear in the realm where you are."
Edward smiled, and to the eyes of the onlookers that smile brought pure joy, for it came from the depths of the soul of one who had been translated into that eternal world where all is truth and bliss. He looked young and radiant and beautiful beyond words. "The last thought that passed through my mortal mind before I departed for the land above, was this: 'I have no regrets.' And do you know why I could say that?"
The two felt they did know, but they shook their heads. They wanted to hear it from Edward's mouth.
"I have no regrets because the life that I lived was ordained by God, and led by Him at every step. He used the fruit of my body to accomplish His will, and He kept every promise He ever made to me. What more could I ask? My life was filled with joy in every way. It seemed that God did nothing but try to compensate me for the sacrifice that He had required. He showered upon our small family every blessing and bounteous supply. We truly had a wonderful life.
"So you see," he said to the king, "you had no cause for your remorse; your very hesitation was directed by the hand of God to suit His perfect will. Let this knowledge bring you the perfect peace that you so richly deserve. You have now experienced the greatest and truest freedom of all--that which comes from placing on the altar that which you most dearly love. When you give fully and freely to God, He always pours forth in return so much more that you feel you can scarcely contain it."
The king's eyes filled with tears, and Amaris' vision became blurry as well. When they regained their composure seconds later and looked up--and all around--their mysterious visitor was gone. He had vanished as abruptly as he had appeared.
The king shook his head, wiped his eyes and smiled. "Friendly man, your father," he said.
Amaris laughed. "I have been blessed with closeness to two of the greatest men I could ever hope to know," she said fervently. Then she caught herself. "Well, I would have to say, three "
The king looked at her questioningly. "Amaris," he said, "is there something you would like to tell me?"
Amaris' eyes widened as she realized that she had given herself away. I suppose it is all for the best anyway, she thought, for I shall have to tell His Majesty if I intend to do anything about this.
And so she told him everything, from the very beginning. She told him Jordan's secret, and of his long-time love for her, and how she had grown to deeply care for him as well. On and on she went about his wonderful tenderness, his love for God, his sincerity. Finally the king could take it no more.
"Peace, child! Be still!" He laughed aloud and covered both his ears. "I think if I hear one more virtue attributed to this fellow I shall feel entirely too small myself!"
Amaris looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry," she said. "I got carried away! But what do you think? I realize it would be a difficult thing to make it work, for the realm thinks me to be royalty, and he is but a servant. But perhaps he could continue to serve me, and we could continue our romance clandestinely!"
"I do not know about that, Amaris," the king said, tugging on his bushy beard. "This is a very complicated matter. Let me first say that I am very happy for you. I have seen that Jordan is an excellent man, true and upright, and noble in heart. And to me that is of far greater importance than lineage or station. I can see that your heart is set on him, and I will honor that. But I cannot help but feel that for him to continue in your service, with your mutual feelings the way they are--and being that we now know what he isn't--I fear the temptation will be too great. You may slip and cause others to question."
Amaris' heart sank, her eyes fell, and she felt as though she were about to cry. But before she could say anything else, the king continued.
"I have a plan," he said. "I have need of a counselor to advise me in matters of state. This post has been empty for too long now, and I think one who was a good companion to Her Highness on her trip of utmost importance would be a worthy candidate. From such a position, then, it would be more fitting for you two to see each other. We could then see how your love progresses. What do you say to that?"
Amaris could not say anything. She threw her arms around the king's neck and buried her face in his shoulder. She hugged him until her arms felt weak, and he pulled her off him. "Come now," he said, "we must move along. There is someone who no doubt anxiously awaits a word with you."
"Oh yes!" she exclaimed. "I've got to tell Jordan! Thank you again, Father dear!" And she was off, dashing through the gardens.
+ + +
It was late, but Amaris and Jordan were as two who knew nothing of the trivialities of time. Their hearts channeled tireless energy into their bodies, and their eyes drank in each other's every detail.
Jordan could hardly believe what was happening to him. "You are sure that your father has promised all this for me?" he asked incredulously.
"He has!" Amaris said, looking up at him with gleaming eyes. "And what he has promised, he will surely bring to pass, as I will deliver what I have promised."
"And I likewise," Jordan said, holding up his index finger.
Amaris raised hers, and they pressed them together.
"Forever," Jordan whispered.
"Forever," Amaris echoed.
--The End--
AL THE AIR ACE *
"Merci beaucoup, mademoiselle,"--it was all the French Al knew, and from there he went on in his Texas drawl--"for the coffee and the fine vittles * . Sure reminds me a heap of home, where my wife--God bless her--used to make me breakfast just like this, before she passed away. Let me tell you, she was sure a pretty thing."
All this time Franoise listened intently to him, looking at him with big blue eyes framed by her wavy, long brown hair. She nodded her head like she understood.
Al was about to go into a long explanation of the virtues of his past home life, and his wife who had died in an accident shortly before he joined the Army. But he caught himself. What am I doing? he thought. She barely understands a word of English.
He went back to enjoying his breakfast. It had been a long time since he'd had a breakfast like that--a long time. It had been a week since he had been shot down in a dogfight * . He figured the Germans must have thought that he died in the crash, because his plane had gone up in flames a few seconds after crashing into the forest. But Al had been thrown out of the plane shortly before it exploded, and had landed on a tree branch. He escaped with minor scratches.
I sure am lucky, he thought to himself. But a voice in his heart told him something different--maybe it was more than just luck. He clutched his St. Christopher's medal that hung around his neck. His silver-haired mother had given it to him just before he left to join the Army. He paused for a moment as he reflected on her last words to him: "Every time before I eat a meal, I am going to pray for you, Son. I'll pray that the good Lord will protect you."
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St. Christopher's medal:
An image of St. Christopher, the Catholic patron saint of travelers.
According to medieval legend, St. Christopher was a converted pagan warrior who devoted his life to carrying travelers across a river on his shoulders.
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What was that Psalm she had quoted? He could only remember a few short lines. "A thousand will fall by your side and 10,000 at your right hand. But it won't come near you." Well, he hoped that she was right. Death came mighty close to him that day he was shot down, and it had been breathing down his neck every day since.
Well, whatever it was that Mom gave me, it was a heck and a hoot better than any rabbit's foot * ! He thought of his best friend, who had died the week before. He had always carried a rabbit's foot for good luck. A lot of good it did him! Poor fellow!
As he mentally reviewed the events of the past weeks, Al knew it had been a miracle that he had been saved from that crash, and that he had been able to avoid capture by the Germans--at least so far. He had already had a few narrow escapes in the days following the crash, as he was still in enemy territory. One time, when rummaging around for food at night, a German patrol had stopped him. He eluded them by pretending to be a drunk and vomiting in the trash can. The German soldiers laughed, and let him go after he had made a good show of a drunken ruckus.
Little did he know what had happened at that very moment in the spirit world. The daily prayers of his mother shot like laser beams through the sky, destined for the throne of grace. Eleazar, one of the attendants of the Heavenly courts, came to Jesus.
"My Lord, we continue to receive strong prayer requests for protection at the same time daily from Al's mother for her son." He held some in his hands as he spoke.
"Yes, I know," said Jesus. He opened the vial as it was handed to Him and smelled the beautiful fragrance of that morning's fervent prayer, which Al's mother had offered for him.
"Behold, how she weeps for her son! Such love this mother has. It reminds Me of My mother when I was on Earth, who often wept for Me. I truly am touched by the feeling of her infirmity."
Jesus lifted His right hand. At that instant, a surge of lightning shot out into space, once again saving Al from imminent capture.
Jesus was quiet for a moment and then said, "Eleazar, please arrange a meeting. He needs to find a place to stay. And I think I know the perfect person: a woman named Franoise. She faithfully goes to the chapel every day to pray."
"Oh, you mean the one with the same two prayers every time?--That her family will be protected and that she will be used to help her country?"
"Yes, that's My girl."
+ + +
Al had been living by his wits * , scrounging for food the best he could, sleeping in the forest and coming to the village at night. He managed to find a few leftovers in the garbage to live on. Pickings were scarce, as was everything else during wartime. Rummaging through the garbage was one of the few things that you didn't need a ration card for, he often joked to himself.
But that night things changed for the better. A lone girl happened to pass him on the street, and for a moment their eyes met. She could tell that he was not from town, and by his tattered clothes, she knew that he had hit on hard times. Why she approached him she did not know. There was just something about him that made her trust him. She had no idea that her spirit helper was whispering in her heart, giving her courage.
Al took his chances, too, and told the young woman his whole story. Even though Franoise couldn't understand what this stranger was saying, she had heard about a plane going down in the area, and rumors that the pilot might still be alive.
This must be him! she thought. She took Al by the hand and led him to her out-of-the-way cottage. There, she figured, would be a safe haven for him until she could contact the Resistance * , who could take him to safety.--Maybe over the Alps into Switzerland.
+ + +
Al's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of a Messerschmidt * engine roaring overhead. He could tell it was German by its distinctive noise. It was a sound he was all too familiar with. This same noise had tailed him in that dogfight and riddled his plane with holes.
"It's one of theirs--too bad. They must be gaining ground," Al said to no one in particular. He looked up as if to visualize his enemy.
"More coffee?" Franoise asked in her broken English, as she tried to fill his cup again, in an effort to take his mind off the war surrounding them. Al shook his head and put his hand over the cup, "No, thanks, I'm fine."
BANG! BANG! BANG! Again the morning calm was broken by the sound of gunshots outside. Suddenly there was a loud pounding on the door, followed by a gruff voice. "Offne die Tur!"
The Germans!! they both thought, and looked at each other. Their eyes darted around the room looking for a hiding place.
(Editor's note: The dialogue will be in English for the benefit of the reader.)
"Open the door immediately! This is the Gestapo. Open the door or we will have to force it open!"
"Just a minute, I'm coming!" Franoise frantically scurried around, hoping to stall the soldiers for as long as possible. The best hiding place they could come up with in that split second was a lumpy rug lying haphazardly in a corner of the room. She motioned to Al to hide underneath it, which he did. It was dark and dank underneath, and now he had to trust completely in Franoise and the God of his mother.
Franoise tried to regain a calm composure as she straightened her gown and went to face the traumatic test that stood before her.
"Good morning, officer. May I help you?" she asked.
"We are looking for an American pilot who was shot down in this area recently. We know that he is still alive. Would you have any information concerning him?"
"No, sir, I haven't seen him," she meekly responded.
"I hope that you realize the seriousness of hiding the enemy!--Death by firing squad * . We have reason to believe that he is a spy, and as such, he will suffer the same fate when we find him."
"I live alone and mind my own business, sir." Franoise responded, amazed at the peace and boldness that had suddenly come over her. "I am a seamstress. Perhaps you would like something made?"
"We can speak of that another time. As for right now, we must search your home."
With that, he forced his way in and looked around. Two men checked floorboards and wall panels, searching for a telltale, hollow sound that would reveal a secret hiding place. But for some reason they did not check under the rug where Al was hiding.
"I am sorry to have bothered you, mademoiselle. We are at war, you know; we must be careful."
"It is quite alright, Captain. Do come again if you ever need something sewn."
The captain turned to leave, and Franoise heaved a silent sigh of relief. But then, unseen to Franoise or the captain, an emissary of the dark kingdom whispered to the captain: "You did not look under the rug."
"Oh, before I go, there is just one more thing. Perhaps you can help me. My office is in need of a rug."
"A a rug?" Franoise stammered, "But I am a seamstress."
"Actually," the captain said, with a hint of suspicion in his voice, "I was thinking of a rug just like that one in the corner there."
"Oh that rug! But I could not think of parting with that rug, sir. It was a special present from my mother. It is an heirloom "
"Men, take that rug!" the captain ordered coldly, ignoring what Franoise had started to say.
Two soldiers quickly walked over to the rug, and pulled it up, revealing Al, crouching fearfully under it.
"Arrest them both!--And search him!"
Underneath Al's torn jacket the soldier pulled out a well-worn map which was heavily marked in red.
"Just as I thought! A spy!" he said. Then he turned to look at Franoise, and with an air of mock sympathy said, "I'm so sorry, mademoiselle." He turned back to the soldiers that were with him. "Take them to the station."
They were hustled away in chains and put under heavy guard that night. They were both to be shot at dawn. Al tried to comfort Franoise, even though he knew that she could not understand him.
"Don't worry, we will soon be in Heaven," he said, as he clutched his medallion and remembered his mother's parting words to him. Franoise let out a sob, and then knelt fervently in prayer.
When morning broke, they were led away to an old football field, where the soldiers, led by the captain, prepared for the execution.
The captain politely offered Al a last cigarette.
"No thank you, Captain. I do not smoke. It is bad for my health."
The captain nodded and motioned to his men, who then tied the two prisoners to the posts that they had set up. Then Al and Franoise were blindfolded, as they awaited their fate. The soldiers took their positions, and awaited the captain's signal.
When he lifted his baton, the soldiers lifted their guns.
"Ready!"
Al flinched at the sound of the guns being cocked, followed by an eerie silence. A thousand thoughts raced through Al's mind. Perhaps Franoise and I could have raised a beautiful family ...
"Aim!"
If only we had had just a little more time
"KAPITAN! KAPITAN!!" The silence was suddenly broken by the sound of a jeep roaring into the field. The captain motioned to his men, who lowered their guns for the moment.
While Al and Franoise wondered what was going on, the captain walked towards the soldier who jumped out of the jeep with a message for him. The captain hurriedly opened the missive, which read:
"To Captain Herzog: The Fatherland has been defeated. The war is over. Germany has surrendered. Release all prisoners immediately."
Suddenly Al and Franoise found their blindfolds and ropes being loosed. Blinking in the light of the rising sun, they looked at each other in amazement, and then embraced ardently.
"Now I know there is a God in heaven," Al whispered.
+ + +
"That's right Al," smiled Jesus, looking down at them both.
THE LEGEND OF MOTHER EARTH
In the days of the Creation, when God was separating the light from the darkness, and the earth from the waters, everything was very young. The whole world was new and, as you can imagine, God's creations had a lot to learn about how to fit into the big scheme of things.
God placed the ocean within its bounds and told it to stay there--and it obeyed. Its big moment was to come later, with Noah and the Flood, but for now it knew its boundaries. And since water always seeks the lowest place, in its humility, it listened to the voice of God.
God let the dry land appear and called her Earth. And He said, "Let Earth bring forth grass and herb yielding fruit after his kind."
Then the stars were placed in their constellations in the sky. They were thrilled to be close to Heaven, and they gladly let their lights shine for all to see. The moon also shone its reflected glory, and the sun beamed with happiness at its calling to demonstrate the power and light of God, and to rule over the day.
God knew in His infinite love and wisdom where each creation belonged. Each part of God's new, wonderful creation was filled with life and excitement. Everything was good. Everything was beautiful. Everything was happy. So each part of Creation took its place at God's command. And God saw that it was good.
Earth had a tremendously important job to do in order to bring forth much fruit. But she was young and rather vain, and wished some glory for herself. As she looked up to the sky and saw the sun, moon and stars shining so brilliantly, she wondered why God had fashioned her so--plain and unpleasantly clumpy. She looked at the happy, sparkling ocean, with its waves glistening in the sunlight, and she began to envy those around her.
How God placed all those plants within the earth and in one day created the beautiful Garden of Eden, we do not know. It was not a slow, patient process as it is today. It was part of the miracle of the Creation. Complete and mature plants appeared, each with their seed already placed within them.
Suddenly Earth began to feel broken and strange. She felt the grass and trees and flowers reaching their tendrils and roots deep into her heart. She could feel the movement of life; the motion of the grass and flowers. At that moment she began to see the incredible beauty of the garden that drew its life from her. She looked in awe at the dazzling colors and blossoms which lay on her surface. But instead of feeling happy with her part in the garden, she began to think, What about me? No one sees me or notices me at all. I do all the work, but they get all the admiration.
Then she saw how the wind gaily played with the flowers and grass. Without thinking, she tried to dance and imitate the swaying flowers. But as she began to shake and quake, the poor plants were totally uprooted. Trees fell. Bruised and broken flowers were strewn everywhere. The lacy tapestry of living green became disheveled, and the garden lay in shambles. God rushed to replace each plant, gently pushing it back into the earth.
Earth lay still. Knowing her foolishness, she awaited God's judgment. She had no need to fear. God lovingly looked upon her and said, "You do not understand, My dear Earth, how necessary you are to My world. Though you are hidden and unseen, the garden could not exist without you. Seek not to glorify yourself, nor attempt to dance the graceful dance of the flowers. Be willing to be covered and concealed, and be thrilled with the new life and fruitfulness that you help to nourish and feed. Be still and do your part to hold together and support this beautiful garden. Without you, there could be no garden at all. Rejoice, My dear Mother Earth, that you have been called and chosen and privileged to bear fruit for Me in this way."
Then, to show Earth that He forgave and truly trusted her, and to show how much He appreciated her ministry of serving, nourishing and giving life to others, the Lord God formed His ultimate creation--man--out of the dust of Mother Earth. He breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and man became a living soul, created in God's Own image. Of all the beautiful, glorious parts of His creation, God chose the plain, lowly dirt of the earth to be the mother of life.
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"There went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
"And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden" (Gen. 2:6-9).
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Glossary
(definitions included throughout booklet on page where the word is found--in this order:)
* vivacious: lively, energetic
* germinate: to grow, sprout up
* reverie: a state of deep thinking, a daydream
* specter: a ghostly figure, a phantom
* ace: a top-notch pilot
* vittles: food supplies (also spelt "victuals")
* dogfight: a battle in the sky between two or more airplanes
* rabbit's foot: a charm, often attached to a small chain, carried for good luck
* wits: cleverness; ingenuity; quick-thinking
* the Resistance: an underground organization striving for liberation from military occupation
* Messerschmidt: a type of German warplane used during World War 2
* firing squad: a group of soldiers assigned to shoot prisoners who have been condemned to death
[End]
Copyright (c) 1998 by Aurora Productions