Abishag bathed me and then we struggled over to the edge of the bed where upon she bandaged my ankle expertly. "How are you so good at this Abishag?"

"Oh, I use to help look after the soldiers when they returned from war and were needing care in order to return back to action. I was bored and it was something to do. I always had a eunuch with me though. I could not be seen to be helping unmarried men without them." Abishag replied, "How did you end up in this state?"

I felt myself tear up then, as I was repeatedly bullied by those within the harem, "Jezebel, Drusilla and Candace tripped me again as I was taking food to Solomon. I don't mind that so much as they caused me to drop he favorite plate and cup to drink from..."

"That's terrible! I wonder what Solomon is addressing that you and I are not there. I hope that it is the bullying that occurs in the harem. No one deserves the bullying." Abishag sympathised with me.

It turned out we did not have to wait much longer as Mina came bursting into Solomon's room looking for me. "AMARI!!!" she wailed, flopping herself on me and knocking me backwards onto the bed, "Solomon has laid down the law in the harem, "No bullying allowed, the perpetrators will be removed immediately to the 2nd harem, and the same for those who try to deceive others by playing the victim when in fact they were doing the bullying. Solomon used your example and embarrassed Jezebel, Drusilla and Candace no end. I am worried about you with those 3. Pleeeaasssseeeee do not go out without either Abishag or I. In fact, it would be better if we 3 stuck together so we cant be accused of anything!"

"What about my sister?" I worried, my sister did not have close friends like I did, she only had friendly acquaintances. Her rise within the harem was just as fast as mine, but I was the more envied being in Solomon's actual room. Though if anyone asked me, being in his room was just like being in a favored room, but with more work and hassle. There were times when I simply did not see him for days. Mind you that was before Solomon and I had gone on our 2 day trip.

"We can include her too if you want, but she seems to stick to the harem and the markets, I do not see her working the vineyards with us," Mina said thoughtfully.

"Thanks, I appreciate it!" I said to the pair, "and you are right! There's no way that she would. Talking about the vineyard, how am I going to look after it now?"

"We will look after it for you!" Abishag volunteered, herself and Mina.

"But I can't expect you too," I objected.

"It's ok, we are growing them for Solomon aren't we? I know you will credit us with our work," Mina said, "Besides which it gives us a chance to get out of this viper's nest. I will get your sister to come be with you while you can't walk far."

"Thanks," I replied.

I was stuck in bed for 5 days and for 5 days my sister kept me company. It was almost like the fun times we had before we were married to Solomon. But Namaah kept talking about Moloch. I felt unclean talking about my old God and I tried to deflect her discussions about him, but I was not very successful. I was even further unimpressed when Solomon caved into her and allowed her to build a shrine to Moloch on one of the hills nearby.

It was the first fight we had - over him wanting to please my sister, because she was my sister. I told him that he should honor what his God had said and not what my family wanted. His God was more important than us. He just smiled and said, "Lets not argue Amari, I have already said she could, I do not like to go back on my word."

"But Solomon, she will lead you astray from your God if you let her," I objected, "Do not do that, Please."

But Solomon was done talking to me and he left me then. I guess I drove him to my sister that night as the next day she was exceedingly happy, in comparison to my unhappiness. I wanted to ask, but I was not game to. I know in normal circumstances that I would be happy for her, but this time I was not. It had come at too high a price for me.

It was a few days before I saw Solomon again, and in that time I prayed to his God that he would open Solomon's eyes, but I also told him it could not be me as he walked away on me when I bought it up. I do not think my prayer was answered, but I do know Solomon loved his God. I just wondered if he loved his wives more, as I heard that several other shrines were allowed for his foreign wives.

My foot was finally healed, and I decided that I had enough of being cooped up in Solomon's lonely room, so I headed off to my vineyard alone. When I got there, Mina and Abishag were already there, "Amari!" they called when they spotted me, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you still be in bed?"

"Probably, walking here was harder than I thought," I replied, "My ankle is sore again from the walk. But I needed to get out." and burst into tears.

They hurried over and hugged me, "What is wrong Amari?"

"Solomon has not seen me since we argued, he won't even come back to his room. I do not know what to do!" I sobbed.

"What did you argue about?" Mina asked concerned.

"About him allowing my sister to build a shrine to Moloch," I said, "I begged him not too."

"I never thought I would say this in my life," Abishag commented, "But in this case, Solomon is being an absolute idiot! You are right in what you said. If Solomon can't see that, and is punishing you, why do you not move to my rooms until he realises it?"

"Are you sure, Abishag? I would not want to inconvenience you," I smile with relief, I did not want to stay where I was not wanted.

"It is no problem," she smiled fondly before continuing, "Lets move you out upon our return. We will clean his room when he is not there or likely to be there, ok? That way he can not use the excuse you are stopping him from being in his room."

"He said that?" I was horrified.

"No, but it was inferred," she said looking at Mina for confirmation. Mina looked away, but nodded.

"Oh," and I cried more, I truly had hurt my relationship with Solomon because I wanted him to do the right thing by his God and not by his wives. I should have known that he loved us all too much.

Abishag patted my head, "Its ok Amari, we will sort it out on our return, but for now Mina and I will finish off tending these fields. In about a month we will have a nice crop of grapes growing, so we should start work on the wine room soon, and figure out what needs replacing there."

I nodded, "I can go look now at what is there."

I went and looked, but the room was so dirty and dusty, I ended up just cleaning it. Not that I finished cleaning it that day. Not by a long mile. But I did have a task while Mina and Abishag continued to look after my vineyard.

I cleaned and cleaned resting my foot as much as I could. It took about a week before the room was clean enough to be assessed as a lot of rubbish had built up with in it.

Abishag and Mina both entered it when I had finished and assessed the condition of what was there and made up a list of the things we needed to make the grapes. We then headed to town to purchase the required goods. The carpenters gave us about a month for completion of the list and I was happy with that. It meant they would be ready by the time we needed it.

I, it turned out, did not have much, so it did not take me long to move to Abishag's room. Abishag had more of an issue sourcing me a bed to sleep on. I ended up with a day bed in the corner of her room. I was estatic it was better then what I had in the harem, but I was protected by being with Abishag.

When Solomon returned to his rooms he was surprised that it felt so empty and unlived in, so he went in search of me, only to find that he could not locate me anywhere in the harem. No one had told him of the move, and he did not ask, I guess he had a reason for not asking.

I am guessing Solomon realised then how harshly he had treated me and became sick from worrying about me. He requested Abishag to nurse him back to health as he did not want any of his other wives near him, not even Mina or Namaah. Even though it was those two he had been with when he was shunning me for speaking my mind about his God.

Abishag said to me, "You know Solomon is sick at heart. He is pining for you."

"I cannot see him Abishag, at least not yet," I told her with tears in my eyes, what Solomon had done was too painful for me. Never once had I walked out on a person I was arguing with until a resolution was found. What made it worse was I was the one defending his God, and his God's ways. By rights I should have supported my sister and been thrilled at the piece of land, but I was not. I really believed that Solomon's God was THE God we should worship. He was the one to be feared...

Maybe I feared his God more than him. I do not know. What I did know was I was going to his God's temple to pray.

I stayed in the Gentile court as close to the holiest of holies as I could go in that court. I must have looked weird praying and grieving. I was often accused of being drunk, but I was not.

Meremoth eventually found me, I think it was because I was due for a lesson and I missed it.

"What are you doing Amari?" Meremoth asked me, concern on his face as he had never seen me in such a state before.

"Petitioning God in what I should do," I answered.

"Has he answered," Meremoth asked as he sat down beside me.

"No, I do not really expect him too, as I am but a foreigner and a woman at that," I responded starting to cry again.

"Shh, do not do this to yourself. Talk to me instead, and let me know your concerns," Meremoth instructed, "Perhaps I will have an answer for you."

"Solomon and I argued about how he gave Namaah land to worship Moloch. I told him he should not have done that as it will lead him astray, his God is all he needs, and he should not be looking to others nor encouraging others to be worshiped. He said that he had already given his word and he would not go back on it. I tried again but he walked out on me. He was gone 5 days before I realised he was not coming back because of my presence. So I left after discussing what happened with Abishag and Mina. I am now in Abishag's rooms. I have been the past 3 weeks..."

"Oh so that was why you were so flat the past 2 weeks ...' he interrupted my story, "Sorry, go on."

"Solomon returned about 2 days ago and found me gone and the room very unlived in. He then got sick and Abishag is looking after him. Abishag says that he wants to see me and I am the cause of his sickness. But I do not understand how this can be. He was the one who walked out on me. So I am here praying for what to do."

"A wife is supposed to care for her husband," Meremoth gently reminded me, "Did he formally divorce you?"

"No he did not," I shook my head.

"Then, regardless of what he has done, you must go care for him," Meremoth did not look happy at telling me this, "Though I want to kick my brothers butt! How dare he do that! You were in the right here not him!"

This earned a small smile and hiccough from me through my tears. Meremoth noted the smile and smiled in return, "I am glad I got a smile from you. It grieves me to see you cry and over something that you were correct in. I hope my brother treats you better from now on."

Meremoth got to his feet and offered me his hand so that I might get up too. "Go home, bathe, get dressed and go see Solomon. Be the good wife until he says otherwise. Ok?"

I nodded, my burden somewhat eased.

I went home, bathed, got dressed and went in place of Abishag to Solomon's room to look after him.

🍀A/N If you enjoyed this chapter please vote! 🍀