Rivka the Dove

IV

I was consumed in a ball of light. Blinking painfully as it cleared away, I found myself in a new place, facing a puzzled Lord of War. His voice was carefully neutral. "Do you know what you have done, my dove?"

I assumed my blandest expression. "Bound myself to you, Lord."

"Why that oath?" Again, careful neutrality, as he probed.

I bit my lip for a moment, and then in most uncustomary behaviour, replied truthfully, "My old god deserted me. My new one protects me. Why should I not vow to one in the words of the other?"

He strode around me, hands on hips, considering. "You believe in those words." It was a statement, not a question.

I slid my eyes away from him. Even now, sometimes his beauty is such that I cannot bear to behold him.

"Yes." I replied, after consideration. "Yes, I do."

"And if I should take my favour from you?" His voices was a honey sweet whisper behind me that sent a shiver up my spine.

I whirled to face him. "I do not expect your favour, Lord. This body is unclean. But keep faith with me and I will keep faith with you." I sank to my knees in front of him, my hands pressed together in supplication. "I will serve you forever, in all things."

To my surprise, he knelt also, and clasped my hands in his. His voice thundered and echoed across the skies, and had he not been touching me, I would have run in fear.

"Hear Me. Witness this oath between us. Rivka the Dove is mine, forswearing all others. She will be in my service and I will be her just Lord all the days of her life.'s hes head was thrown back and his voice poured unto the heavens.

He looked at me and whispered, "Repeat what I said."

Dutifully, somewhat dazedly, I repeated his oath. "I am the Lord of War's, forswearing all others. I will serve him all the days of my life, and he will be my just Lord."

There were popping noises, and others, shining with ethereal light joined us. My Lord rose and stood before me, shielding me with His own body.

An old man with pig like, lecherous eyes approached Him. "You cannot be serious!" he proclaimed.

He crossed His arms. "Perfectly serious."

A hawk-faced woman strode forward. "Brother, this is unacceptable. Women warriors are my purview."

I could hear the satisfaction in His voice. "She's not a warrior. Not yet. And she's mine."

An arrogant woman advanced around him, and yanked my chin up. I dared not scowl, but I offered no obeisance.

"Ares, rescind your vow immediately." She ordered. "I will not have it."

I took a deep breath, and then simply relaxed and smiled victoriously at her. My Lord began to laugh.

"I neither can nor will, Mother Dearest," He sneered. "And Rivka knows it." He plucked me from her grasp, and set me gently down. His hand stroked my cheek, before He turned to face His family.

"You had your chance, Mother. You could have - you should have been her champion. Or you, dear sister. Taken from all she knew and robbed of her ~ greatest treasure." The sarcasm dripped from His lips liked poisoned wine. "You did nothing. She was left for me to rescue and to see her possibilities. Do not presume to tell me whom to accept as an adherent - especially not in my Halls of War.

"Rivka is mine." His hand tightened painfully on my shoulder. I rubbed my check against His fingers, mimicking the cat with whom I had lived before. I did not smile at their discomfiture, but simply watched them with large neutral eyes.

The old man began to bluster. "Do not bring her to Council meetings..." he began.

My Lord laughed again. "And do not presume to order me, Father." Venom dripped from the word. "Not when your harlots traipse the halls of Olympus itself. Rivka is mine alone. Are you not, my dove?"

I dropped to my knees before Him. "I am yours in all things, all ways, and for all time, my Lord." I finished my statement by rubbigaingainst His leather-clad legs, once again aping a cat.

The hawk-faced woman flushed an ugly, brick red colour, snarled incoherently in our direction, and vanished in a column of lights.

"Ares," the old man began, warningly. He was cut off by his harpy of a wife, Hera.

"Leave him, Zeus," she commanded. "He will loose interest soon enough." The smile she bestowed in our direction was unpleasant.

"Now, Mother," He drawled, sardoniy. \y. "You of all Olympians should know the solemnity of that oath. Weren't you the one who instituted it?"

With an ugly screech, she and the old man vanished, to the accompaniment of the peals of His mirth.

He looked down, still laughing softly. "You have made quite the impression, my dove. I never expected such vociferous opposition." His laughter stilled. "I wonder why..." His voice trailed away.

For the first time I knew a frisson of fear. I dropped my head. "My Lord," I began.

"No matter," He cut me off. "Rise up, my dove. The day is wasting, and you have much to learn."


TBC