Death is separation. Expressions such as "My love has died," or "This marriage is dead," are used daily. It is expressing that, what was, is no longer. When a born again Christian dies, he immediately enters the presence of his Lord and Savior.
Death Has No Hold
.
Fear
In many ways, life on Teylia Island was
rather primitive, with the exception of life in the palace where the
queen lived in luxury. Teylia itself was beautiful. Blue water, lapping steadily
against the white sand along the shore, had a restful, peaceful
effect, though people all around were busily working in their gardens, carrying
goods off of ships, or cleaning shops and homes.
Everything was lush and green. The
brilliancy of the colors of flowers and other plant life were beyond
compare.
The small island lay about 325 miles
north of the Equator approximately 400 miles southwest of Sri Lanka
in the Indian Ocean. The royal descendants were a mix of Swedish and
Arab. The original founders, who first took possession of the island
in 1833 and set up the monarchy there, were a wealthy Swede and his
wife, a princess of Arabia, whom the island was named after.
From the western shore the palace could
be seen looming in the distance, rich and elegant against the
skyline. Its gold domed roof, glistened in the sunlight, bespeaking of wealth and
power.
Things seemed pretty routine inside the
palace, for all but Mirah. It felt like all the blood had instantly
drained from her body the moment she saw the old, wrinkled envelope, addressed to
her from her sister in America, which she recognized immediately. She
felt cold and started to shiver. She knew this did not really come from her
sister. She no longer lived in Colorado, as the envelope indicated.
She had been living in Texas for three years now.
Seven years ago, Mirah had carefully
copied her own sister's handwriting and addressed this very envelope,
putting her sister's name as the sender and addressing it to herself.
“Use this envelope if you need to
reach me. No one will give it a second thought thinking it comes from
my sister Anna to me.”
She had kissed that pale cheek and left
the hospital. Her precious Natalie had not lived much longer.
For only a few seconds, Mirah felt a
rush of joy with the thought that maybe Natalie was alive after all.
That, however, could not be. Everyone knew she was gone. Mirah had been to her
funeral herself.
Just as quickly as the joy came, so did
the dread and fear. Who would have sent this and for what reason?
Since no one else was in the palace
entryway, she hurried to her room and plopped down on the bed. Her
heart was racing and her hands were trembling as she stared at the envelope
lying on her lap and unconsciously ran her fingers through her loose,
black curls. She didn't realize she was biting her lower lip as she stared in a
daze. For a few minutes, she just sat there and cautiously fingered
the envelope.
Who on earth would have had this for
the entire time Natalie had been dead? How could anyone know to send
it to her? Why would they? Had Natalie told someone that she had taken
Terah for her, before she died? What might the implications be?
Repeatedly she ran her hands, nervously
over her cheeks and mouth, then again bit her lip. What would happen
to her now?
Finally she swallowed hard and began,
slowly and carefully, opening the envelope, as if afraid it might
explode. It was hard to control her shaking hands.
At first glance, she could see that it
was, indeed, Natalie's handwriting. Quickly she looked at the
signature. Yes, it was Natalie's signature and it was dated only four days ago!
She put her hand over her mouth and
tears filled her eyes. She felt a little blood on her lip. Licking
it, she realized what it was. It didn't matter. Wait! She stopped, closed her eyes and took a
deep breath. Natalie must have written this, trying to contact me
before she died!
Mirah was now even more terrified.
Someone had this letter waiting for the right moment to use it
against me! Someone knows I helped Natalie!
Okay... I must read this and see what
sort of awful game is being played. Yet... what if the mistress she
loved and served was alive?
She pressed her hands to the sides of
her head. “Stop thinking and read!” she commanded herself.
“Dear Mirah,” the note began. “I
am alive and well. It is a long story, which I will tell you in time.
Please call me at midnight on Friday. It is imperative that I speak to you. I must bring Terah
home to her mother. I am anxious to see you dear friend. Much love,
Natalie.”
How this could be, she did not know,
but it must be true. She sat there for a second, crying and smiling
at the same time. Suddenly a scene came playing back in
her mind's eye. It was a funeral procession and a closed casket. She
saw Natalie's mother's face. It had an unusual expression, as she looked from
the crowds of people to the casket. For a second Mirah saw an evil
look in her eyes, before she covered them with a lace handkerchief.
“That's why the casket was closed!
She knew all along! But why?” Mirah felt astonished and angry at
the same time. “It was all a lie and she knew it!”
As quickly as the anger had filled her,
incredible relief and joy began flooding her heart. It was a miracle!
Yes this was a miracle!
But what about Natasha? She thought.
I'm sure she doesn't know She had a terrible time getting over the
loss of her sister. She become depressed and even ill for a time.
Mirah recalled that Natasha had begun
asking her questions about Heaven and why people must die. Mirah
hadn't known the answers herself and had a hard time trying to answer her.
She did pull out of it eventually and began getting her strength
back, but she became a more serious young
woman. She seemed to lose much of her
youthfulness.
Now, however, she had been queen for
four years. She had put her focus and energy on becoming a good
queen, though she was forced to take on that role at a young age.
With Natalie alive, however, she was
the rightful heir to the throne. How would Natasha respond to such
news as this? She had worked hard at putting aside her youthful desires to
take on the responsibilities of a queen. Would her love for her
sister be greater than her love of self, position
and power? Had she inherited a little
of her mother's need for power and glory?
Mirah believed that Natasha's mother
had not been beyond committing murder in order to get what she
wanted. Natasha was a much kinder person than her mother and far more fair with
the people she served. But a lot was at stake now.
To what lengths might she be willing to
go or what price might she be willing to pay in order to keep things
as they were now? How would she react should she learn that Mirah had gone
against the queen seven years ago for Natalie and Terah's sake?
Up to now, Mirah had not had to face
any negative consequences. In fact, she was satisfied that she had
carried out her mistress' wishes, bringing a little comfort to her anguished
heart, as well as having done what was best for her tiny three year
old daughter. The results had all been good up to now, in her estimation.
It was Queen Lucienda who had put Mirah
in the predicament of having to make the decisions she ended up
making. She was the one who had sent her on that awful mission to the
United States. It was she who had instructed her to persuade Princess
Natalie to leave her husband and come home.
She spent hours drilling Mirah on all
that she was to say in order to portray to the princess the value of
the one life over the other; the one she had been born to over the one she had
chosen for herself. She was to try to get across the importance not
only of her role in succeeding her mother one day, but of raising her own little girl
to be a true and worthy princess.
“You are the one person who may be
able to reach her, Mirah,” the queen had tried to impress upon her.
“For I do think she has come to love you more than anyone. You have been with
her so long, know her so well and she trusts you implicitly.” These
words were spoken with warmth and
tenderness. Then she added with a smile
that made Mirah cringe, “And if you are successful, dear, faithful
servant, your reward will be ample, as you deserve. I will reward your heart
and your purse.”
Even then, Mirah had been sure that she
did not like the queen. However, she didn't see how she could keep
from going along with her, though she wasn't sure what to think of the whole
affair. The truth was, she was afraid of the queen. For herself, she
wanted Natalie home. She missed her terribly. The palace was cold and
dreary without her. The princess treated her more like a real friend
than a servant. There was a special bond between them. Still, Mirah wanted
Natalie to be happy.
The queen never spoke of what her
daughter wanted. It seemed irrelevant to her. She believed she knew
better than anyone else and what she wanted was all that mattered. Her way
was always right and best. You could count on her to always have her
way.
Natalie, the eldest princess, had been
a quiet, reserved ten year old, when Mirah, only fifteen herself, was
hired to serve her. Natalie did play with her sister at times, who was two years
younger than her, but the two girls were very different.
As a child, Natasha spent all the time
she could with her mother - that is, when her mother was in the mood
for her. She was a busy little thing who spent a lot of time trying to think of
ways to get her mother's attention and to please her. When that was
not happening, she often got the attention of
some other adult. One minute she would
be insisting on helping the cooks, who had to put up with her, the
next she was following the gardener around asking hundreds of questions.
Natalie, on the other hand, was more
quiet and thoughtful. She was very reserved. She seemed to be quietly
taking things in and thinking them over.
The queen got the idea that someone
just a little older than Natalie might be good for her; draw her out
of herself, as she put it. Mirah was to live at the palace, except on week ends, and be
available to Princess Natalie at all times, except when she was with
the tutor. She was to help her with her
studies on the tutor's day off, assist
her in any and all ways which Natalie wished and to some extent be a
companion to her.
Secretly, Queen Lucienda thought that
it would be good for Natalie to have charge over someone a little
older than herself, to give her a sense of superiority, power, and authority.
Mirah had been careful to never forget her role as a servant.
Natalie, however, insisted they be friends - true friends, as she put it. She would never
believe herself to be superior to Mirah in any way.
“It's just our jobs,” she would
say, “nothing more. Besides, you are older than me and so very
pretty!” Mirah blushed, but she was supposed to do as her mistress wished and keep her happy,
so she could not disagree. For both girls, the arrangement turned out
better than either would have expected. They grew to love each other.
In time Natalie even grew to feel closer to Mirah than either her
mother or her sister.
Years later, after the princess met the
poor woodworker from the United States, who the queen hired to build
the beautiful gazebo in the rose garden, Mirah saw that Natalie became
happier than she had ever known her to be. This man introduced her to
spiritual things and to God himself, or so Natalie said. The two fell deeply
in love.
Natalie slipped away one night, after
Edward's work on the gazebo was finished, married him, and took off
for the United States before the queen knew what had happened. It was all
planned and carried out in secret. Natalie didn't even let Mirah know
until after the fact, for she did not want to chance having her mother punish Mirah.
It was after Mirah sent word to the queen to inquire of Natalie's
whereabouts, that it was discovered. Natalie left a note to her mother under
her pillow for the maid to find.
Queen Lucienda went into a rage. There
was no way to reason with her. She would stop it. Her daughter would
not waste her life living in poverty with a common woodworker in another
country. She would not shirk her duties to her mother or to the
people. Queen Lucienda would take care of
this.
The queen was unable to locate Natalie
however, before receiving a letter from her six months later. Natalie
informed her mother that she was four months pregnant. She did not put a
return address on her letter.
Lucienda raged again. She might have
set out more ferociously, to bring Natalie back as quickly as
possible, had it not been for the pregnancy and the advice of her closest advisor. The
Queen had imagined herself to constantly be on the verge of death
when carrying her daughters, so she reasoned Natalie to be fragile and in
danger of her life as well. Lucienda would have to be careful. She
did not want to gamble with her daughter's life.
She was frustrated. She did not like to
feel she had no choices. This provoked her anger more.
She decided to use her time locating
Natalie's whereabouts. Her advisor suggested that it would be best to
find a way to convince Natalie that coming home was her own choice. Certain
plans could be put into action to discredit her husband and thus
encourage her to leave him. This should be done so cunningly that the princess
would never realize what was actually going on. This way, the advisor
reasoned, when she did come home, it would not be in bitterness toward the
queen.
Lucienda succeeded in locating Natalie
and waited impatiently until after the birth of a healthy, eight
pound, four ounce baby girl, Terah Lavine Williams, and a clean bill of health
for the new mother, to set any of her plans to action. The queen was
not really motivated by love for her daughter, concern for her country or a sense of
right. She was enraged at the thought that what was hers would
actually leave or reject her. It was humiliating that her own daughter would go against
her wishes. That someone or something would have more influence or
power over what she considered her own, was inconceivable! There was no
way she would tolerate it!
The loss of control devastated her for
a while. She became obsessed with the idea of punishing Natalie's
husband and conquering Natalie herself. She sought out a seer who would
encourage her through prophesying victory for her in her conquest and
sent her advisor to find her a psychic. She
began to study mysticism and
spiritualism in her thirst for greater power and control.
For nearly three years, however, every
attempt to persuade Natalie to return failed. Nothing seemed to touch
her husband or discredit him. All reports spoke of a happier, more
radiant princess than ever before. The young woman was more than
content with her new life. She cherished it as if she had found heaven on earth, quite
to the consternation of her mother.
In Lucienda's mind, her daughter now
became her enemy. Through her study of spiritual things, she decided
that she was in a spiritual battle. Of course Mirah was not aware of her
queen's involvement in these things. As a matter of fact, Lucienda
became more amiable and docile in appearance than ever, when in the
public eye, shortly after beginning her visits with the psychic and
seer. Mirah only knew that she found the queen increasingly repulsive, no matter how
sweetly she spoke to her. When the queen would gently stroke her
cheek, she felt frightened and cold. At the same time, when with her, she would
find herself being persuaded that she was doing the right thing in
following her queen's requests. As soon as she left her presence, she no longer
felt certain.
Mirah was sent off to visit her
precious friend for the first time in over three years, with best
wishes from the queen and a mandate to try and convince her to return home. As she sat
in the plane, she was glad to be going to see the friend she loved so
dearly and was quite curious about a life that would appeal so greatly to
her mistress, though one of poverty compared to of life of luxury,
back in the enormous palace she had grown up in. She tried to convince herself that
what she was doing was right, but in her heart she did not believe it
was so.
When Natalie and Edward met her at the
airport she could hardly believe her eyes. Never had she seen Natalie
look so beautiful, not even when dressed in the finest gowns for an
impressive ball, with her lovely hair done by the private hair
dresser, sparkling with tiny jewels.
When Natalie saw Mirah, she ran to her
like a little girl running to her mother. Her long, brown hair hung
soft and loose about her shoulders. There was no makeup on her lovely face, just
a natural beauty that would have defied any artist to try and capture
it on a canvas. Her cheeks were rosy and she seemed to glow. Her dress was
simple, soft and feminine.
The one thought that struck Mirah
immediately and never left her, though she wasn't quite sure what it
meant, was that Natalie and her family looked absolutely free. Princess Natalie and
her husband were, perhaps, the only truly free people she had ever
seen. She felt good just being in their presence.
The plump, bright eyed little girl in
Edward's arms, had one chubby arm around her daddy's neck and her
little cheek pressed shyly against his.
There was a smile on her face as her
tiny fingers fiddled with a few of daddy's loose waves of hair,
obviously loose only because of those tiny fingers, that seemed to find comfort in
stroking or gently pulling on them. Edward didn't seem to mind or
hardly notice. It was quite apparent that his child was his treasure.
He stuck out a calloused hand and
greeted Mirah like an old friend.
This, thought Mirah, is what I am
supposed to break up? She knew in that moment that she had no desire
to do so, but rather desired to have what this family had.
Mirah felt happy and peaceful that
evening in Edward's and Natalie's pleasant wooden home, where there
was not one inch of marble, gold or silver, only plenty of love. They ate a
simple, healthy meal prepared by the princess herself. There were no
servants in this place, except that everyone served each other out of
love.
Suddenly as tears filled her eyes,
Mirah looked at her friend and said, “I cannot do it!” Natalie
took her by the hand and said, “I know dear, and you don't have to.”
“You know?” Mirah asked, looking
surprised.
“That my mother sent you to try and
persuade me to go back? I figured as much. But it isn't in your
heart, is it?”
Mirah shook her head in amazement. “No
it isn't and I'll not even try, even if she punishes me! But how
could you know?”
“God let me know and I know my
mother. I know you too, Mirah. You're my friend. We were together a
long time.” She put her arms around Mirah, gave her a hug and kissed her cheek.
Edward smiled.
“Don't worry about it, Mirah,” he
said. “God has a way of taking care of things. Now you are to enjoy
your time with us and worry is forbidden. How about dessert on the porch?”
Mirah and Natalie smiled at each other.
“Terah will help daddy carry out the cake and tea, won't you
sweetheart?” Edward said. Terah smiled from ear to ear and nodded her little head.
“Okay, you girls scoot on out to the porch swing.”
Natalie was a far more relaxed and
confident woman than Mirah had known back on the island. It was a
night Mirah would never forget. They sat out enjoying the cool evening breeze and
each other's company. Natalie nursed Terah and sang her to sleep,
while Mirah, who had never known of a
child of three to still nurse at all,
watched and was touched by the naturalness and tenderness of it all.
The ease with which mother and child related to each other and the utter
peacefulness of the close relationships in that beautiful family
absolutely amazed her.
I didn't know it could be this way,”she
thought. How I would love to live the way these exceptional people
live! She had no idea that everything would change in a day.
Mirah did not know that Queen Lucienda
had actually sent her to witness a completely different plot unfold
before her eyes, suggested by the queen's seer. For Lucienda did not
actually expected Mirah to convince Natalie to leave her husband and
return home. Rather she would have her to witness the Queen's cunning work and
great victory.
The next evening, Edward and Natalie
had an appointment to take dinner to a poor couple who had recently
moved into the area and were looking for work. Mirah insisted on staying
home and resting, saying she would see them when they returned. After
supper the young wife served cake which she said she had made herself.
Within ten minutes Edward began getting sick. By the time he got
home, he was feverish and cramping terribly. Mirah drove them to the
hospital. By the time they arrived Edward was having trouble keeping
alert and not passing out. As he was being examined, Natalie called friends to
pray.
Many people began gathering in the
hospital waiting room; both people whose apparel told that they were
of the upper class and those who were obviously rather poor. Natalie handed Terah to a lady who
looked to be in her mid fifties. Terah went to her without
hesitation, though her little face looked worried. The woman's dress suggested she did not
have a lot materially. It was a clean, faded, cotton dress. Her dark
hair was beginning to gray. She wore it in a loose bun. Her eyes reflected an
intelligent mind. Her skin was weathered as one who probably worked
hard outdoors. As she took Terah, Mirah also noticed that everyone who had
gathered, concerned for Edward, interacted as equals, holding hands
and praying together fervently, in a manner to which Mirah was totally
unaccustomed. No one seemed to notice differences but Mirah.
Terah didn't seem bothered by the
praying. She seemed used to it. She lay her face on Aunt Bessie's
shoulder and fell asleep as if Aunt Bessie and the praying were a comfort to her.
Mirah followed Natalie into the room where they had taken Edward.
Within thirty minutes Edward was gone.
A doctor came into the room to check him. He was laying very still.
The doctor checked his pulse, shook his head, then covered him with a sheet.
Natalie lay her head next to his and began to cry softly. Then her
cries grew louder, until suddenly she stood
up, looked about wildly, cried “No!
Why? No!” and collapsed onto the floor.
She was carried to a bed in another
room. Mirah followed and sat in a chair next to her bed. When Natalie
came to, she lay very still for a few minutes, then seemed to be out of her
head, tossing, jerking and rambling incoherently. The nurse sedated
her and she finally grew still again and closed her eyes. At first Mirah could
not comprehend how this could be happening. Then suddenly she was
struck with a thought that made her blood run cold.
“Lucienda has done this! I don't know
how, but I'm sure of it!” she said aloud. She had never before
experienced the kind of anger she felt at that moment. She walked over to the window
and stood there shivering.
A nurse brought a large overstuffed
chair into the waiting room for Aunt Bessie, where she slept, holding
Terah, after everyone else had left. She was not about to leave the hospital
until she knew Natalie was going to be all right. She only left that
room for short periods, with Terah, to eat or
freshen up and return. She couldn't
leave for long without Terah wanting her mama. Aunt Bessie would take
her to the door of her mother's room and show her that her mother was
sleeping. It was the only way to keep her from crying.
When Natalie woke she looked at Mirah
questioningly, then began to sob. For two days she refused to eat.
She was becoming very weak from lack of food and pure pain and despair. On
the third morning she woke and looked at Mirah with a desperate look
in her eyes. “Where's Terah?”
“She's in the waiting room with Aunt
Bessie. She's fine. We're both watching over her.”
“Promise me Mirah that you won't let
my mother get near her! Keep her away from my mother!”
“But you're going to be all right,”
Mirah told her. “You'll take care of her. But you must start eating
so you can get strong and raise your little girl.”
“I know, I must and I will,” she
agreed. “But I need a little time.” She tried to sit up, but
instead just grabbed Mirah's hands.
“Mirah, take Terah tonight. It has to
be tonight or my mother will take her. I know it! You know it's true!
Hand me my purse.”
She was so certain and so desperate
that Mirah couldn't resist her. Mirah herself was afraid it was true.
She handed Natalie her purse and she took it with trembling hands. She pulled out
some money.
“Here,” she said. “Edward just
got paid. Take this and take Terah now. Tell no one where you're
going. You do know someone, somewhere, who will be good to her until I can get up
and come for her, don't you?”
“Yes, I believe I do.”
“Then go quickly. Tell no one. Please
promise me!”
She was beginning to sweat and shiver.
Mirah began gently pulling her hair away from her face and neck.
“Shh...,” she said softly. “I'll
do just as you say. I know a family who are friends of my sister here
in the states. They are very good people. I'm sure they will help us. Now you calm down
and rest. You need to regain your strength.”
“No one will know?” Natalie asked.
“You promise?”
“Yes, of course I do. I won't let
anyone know. I'm your friend, remember? I'm in this with you. I'll
take her to Colorado tonight by car and see that she has what she needs. Now please, dear,
just sleep. Rest now and get strong so you can go to her. But here,”
Mirah said, taking Natalie's purse and putting the money back into the
billfold. “Your mother has supplied me with plenty. I don't need
this.”
She slipped another $500.00 in with
Natalie's money, without her knowledge, knowing she would need it
when she left the hospital.
Natalie relaxed a little and closed her
eyes. She was shivering terribly. She opened her eyes again and again
looked desperate.
“How will I reach you and my mother
not know?”
“Shh... easy. Okay, here's what we'll
do.” Mirah pulled an envelope from her own purse, then looked again
for another. She copied the address from a letter from her sister onto the blank
envelope, being careful to imitate her sister's handwriting. She
addressed it from her sister to herself and stamped it.
The handwriting looks close enough not
to be detected, she thought.
“When you need me, write me and send
it in this envelope. No one will know but what it's from my Anna to
me. I'll write you the same way, through my sister and tell you about Terah.”
She put the envelope in Natalie's purse. “Now don't you worry, just
get yourself well so you can be up and ready
to get Terah in only a few days. I'll
leave tonight.”
Mirah rang for a nurse and had her get
a doctor. While he tended Natalie, Mirah sang softly and gently
stroked her hair. She dozed off, still shivering. But the next time the doctor
checked her, only a few minutes later, he said she was worse. She was
slipping in and out of consciousness.
“I'm sending for a psychologist,”
the doctor told Mirah, “to try and help her. She is in such a state
of depression, I fear she will die too, if something doesn't change. I think, at least
subconsciously, that is what she really wants right now. If she
doesn't make an effort within the next hour I'm going to
begin feeding her intravenously. She
needs to get her strength up, to help her start thinking more
clearly. She is far too weak.”
It was with a heavy heart that Mirah
left the room, but she had to keep her promise. She told Aunt Bessie
that the doctor had given Natalie another sedative.
“I'll take Terah to the cafeteria for
a snack and stay with her tonight. Go home and get some sleep and
come back in the morning if you want. Just keep praying.”
Aunt Bessie was awfully tired, so she
agreed to go home for one night without a fuss. She kissed Terah and
left. Mirah took Terah for a snack, then left the hospital.
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