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@ellette-giselle
I read your latest section, but don’t have time to comment on it today. All I can say is that I liked it (in the same sort of way I have liked your other sections recently) That may be the case until Thursday. Don’t worry about me, you can keep posting more stuff.Sometimes it is necessary to paint the sky black in order to see the stars.
Sounds good!
I’m looking forward to a lot of comments on Thursday!
😁
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
you just love sailor characters. 😝
Yup. I’m not ashamed of it either!! Hmmm…well, being a sailor is a good reason for me to like him, but I really liked him because he was a well-mannered sailor. Many aren’t. I immediately liked him because he was truly trying to help Julian and his friends.
Pfft!! What!! A unicorn! That’s insane. 😂
*takes you gently, but firmly by the arm to draw you aside*
My friend, clearly, you wouldn’t say that to his face. Julian is a very noble creature. He is a warrior, but is also has all the manners of a gentleman. Or gentlehorse I should say. He is what you would call a warrior poet, though in equine form. He has the utmost decorum around ladies, human and equine alike.
I also believe you have insulted a distant relative of his…the dear Jewel of Narnia. He also is a unicorn, and the name Julian is very similar to Jewel.
"He who never quotes will never be quoted." ~Charles Spurgeon
The meals worried Leon. Obviously, Hassan was trying to keep them strong and healthy… but to what end?
Okay, when I read this, I was immediately hit with this thought: “They’re going to the arenas.”
Am I correct on this?
“No. Not Really!” Rolf laughed.
That’s funny! I could totally see Leon writing songs and writing. Maybe because he seems to be the thoughtful type…
“How do you choose to live?” he whispered, knowing Rolf could not hear him, but praying he understood.
“For God.” Rolf mouthed back.
*the tears begin*
Jesus, help me! He cried out inside. Please, please help me. Don’t let this break me. Don’t let this turn me bitter and hateful. Oh God, I hate them so much! Help me, please help me. Let me feel You. Help me to know that I am Yours and I mean something to You. Please!
😭😭😭 Especially when you’re listening to a song like this when you’re reading it!
Ian didn’t reply, and Leon nodded. “Ian, I don’t want to be enemies, but I am not going to compromise my beliefs.”
*sigh* I love that line!
"He who never quotes will never be quoted." ~Charles Spurgeon
Okay, when I read this, I was immediately hit with this thought: “They’re going to the arenas.”
Am I correct on this?
Obviously not.
"He who never quotes will never be quoted." ~Charles Spurgeon
My friend, clearly, you wouldn’t say that to his face. Julian is a very noble creature. He is a warrior, but is also has all the manners of a gentleman. Or gentlehorse I should say. He is what you would call a warrior poet, though in equine form. He has the utmost decorum around ladies, human and equine alike.
Okay, okay. It just was not what I expected. I can see a noble prince/horse/person/unicorn.
Jewel is after all.
It was just surprising. 😂
Did he ever get to be a person again?
That’s funny! I could totally see Leon writing songs and writing. Maybe because he seems to be the thoughtful type…
Haha, we’ll Rolf doesn’t know him as well as we do.
*the tears begin*
*cheers* 😂
I am glad though! It made me tear up to write, so it’s good to know it was impactful to others as well.
😭😭😭 Especially when you’re listening to a song like this when you’re reading it!
Oh man! I know! I’m listening to it right now. So beautiful!
*sigh* I love that line!
Me too. 😁
I totally thought you’d be at me for separating them, but I guess you didn’t mind Rolf dropping out of the book.
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
@hybridlore @linus-smallprint @koshka @keilah-h @elishavet-pidyon @liberty
NEXT SECTION!!
The days passed, and Leon threw himself whole heartedly into the work. At first, the idea of completing at task well for someone who owned him was revolting. But after one long evening of prayer, Leon felt in his heart what was right, and as extra confirmation two verses came to his mind:
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
At first, it was hard, and Leon wanted nothing but to do things wrong and make life difficult for his masters— or at the very least just do the bare minimum. However, he prayed hard, and looking out over his work whispered “This is for You”— and it was. He threw everything he had into his work and did it for the glory of the One who had created him.
Though the labor was hard, Leon was grateful he hadn’t been singled out by the overseers for punishment of any kind. Some of the slaves thought he was foolish for working hard, and others respected him for it. But everyone openly claimed he was naive for believing in a God who cared about him and who was with him.
Ian avoided Leon since their encounter the first day, though his laughter was always the loudest when the others talked of Leon’s God. However, Leon observed the fact that whenever they were out of the slave quarters, everyone distanced themselves from Ian. He soon discovered from whispered comments that Ian had been marked by the overseers who were biding their time until they had a reason to kill him.
No one wanted to be near Ian when it happened.
Leon pitied the young man. He was on a path of self-destruction, and he knew it. What’s more, he didn’t seem to care.
One day Leon was across from Ian when an overseer passed the young man. Ian ducked his head low, and when the overseer passed, he looked up and glared, but Leon could see the stark fear in his eyes. He understood what made Ian act like he did. Ian knew any moment he would be dragged off and killed, and he lived in the shadow of that knowledge every moment of his life. It would be enough to put anyone on edge— but especially someone like Ian.
Albee continued to be the same cheerful person, and Leon found him a refreshing contrast to most of those there. Though his cheerfulness was often disturbingly morbid in a weird contrast that sometimes but Leon on edge. He disliked the view of life Albee had, but he could understand where it came from. Albee was by no means ready to listen, so Leon worked to live out his faith more then he talked about it.
Even though the others laughed at his belief in God, Leon could sense that they trusted him and were intrigued by him. Leon continued to look for ways to connect with Ian, but the young man avoided him.
Albee constantly warned Leon to stay away from Ian, and one day Leon turned around and replied, “If he is going to die, he needs hope of life.”
Albee laughed. “Leon, I like you, but you certainly have problems with facing reality.”
Leon just smiled. Show me how to reach Ian, Lord. I’ll do anything, just show me what to do.
***
Julian rubbed a hand across the back of his neck and looked at Aelic and Roland. “How long has it been?”
“Several weeks,” Roland replied.
“And not one person?”
“No,” Aelic replied.
“What about the man who wanted to pray with you?” Julian asked.
“Well, he waited until my eyes were closed to make off with the money I was carrying in my satchel. When I looked up, they were both gone. He’s skilled,” Aelic replied, a little miffed at being tricked but clearly in admiration of the man’s speed.
Julian sighed leaned forward, rubbing his face with his hands. He drew in a deep breath and looked up. “All of us are having a hard time right now,” he said quietly. “We are struggling with the grief of losing two close brothers, and all our plans have been completely tumbled end over end. Without Leon and Rolf, I don’t know how to go about this. Everything was perfect with Leon as leader, Aelic and I on a team, and Roland and Rolf on a team. We made such an impact in Wiedlisbourg. I can’t help but feeling a little discouraged with how things have gone.”
“We can’t let it stop us,” Aelic said. “Julian, I don’t know any more then you about why God did this, but He did. Are we going to trust Him and continue to do what He has called us to do, or are we going to give up at this first sign of real trial?”
Julian hung his head. “Your right, Aelic. I’m sorry. I’m just overwhelmed! Leon was always the one to lead. It was so easy when he was here, and I can’t figure out how to do it now that he’s gone.”
“That’s because you are taking too much on yourself,” Aelic said.
“He’s right,” Roland agreed. “You’re missing something very important Julian. You are trying to take Leon’s place as leader here, but what you don’t realize is that Leon wasn’t anything that we can’t survive without. It was nice to have his ability to plan routs to cities and towns, but what else did he do? He encouraged us, and he spoke God’s word. That was it. To us, it felt like so much more because we were experiencing God speaking through him. We can all do what he did. The rest is up to God.”
Julian took a deep breath and nodded, but he wasn’t completely convinced. Ever since he was young, Leon had been a sort of rock for him. He was steady, easygoing, wise, slow to lose his temper— he was everything Julian wasn’t.
“This place is overwhelming because it’s so large,” Roland mused. “We need to make it smaller. Let’s focus on one place at a time. What should we do, the harbor, the alleys, the trading market, the inns and taverns?”
Julian let out a deep breath and looked up. “We need to lay at the advantages and disadvantages of each.”
After much talk and weighing of choices, they decided to spend one month focused on the alleys where most of the poor lurked. It was the darkest part of the town, but those people were the most desperate for something to hope and trust in. If, after a month, God did not lay it upon them to continue there, they would move on and come back at another time. After praying, they once again all agreed that something was compelling them to go to the slums of the town.
The next morning, they packed food and set out, though they left their money in the room of the inn lest it be stolen.
The three made their way to the slums and wondered about for a time. No one was really about, and those who were scurried out of sight. After several hours and not a single person to talk to, the three paused to rest and eat.
Though no one said it, they all felt discouraged. They spent the rest of the day there with nothing but a man who was so dead drunk he wouldn’t wake up.
They returned tired, hot, and depressed. That night they prayed for over and hour, asking God to show them His will.
For three days Julian and his friends wondered through the alleys and found nothing. On the fourth day the same thing happened, and at noon they sat down to eat lunch, wondering if they were really doing what God had called them to after all.
“The last two towns we were in accepted God with ease compared to this,” Roland stated. “But perhaps we are expecting too much. No two men are the same, and no two towns will be either. In the book of Acts some places accepted the message of Christ with open hearts and the change was quick and powerful. Others completely refused. But there were some where people believed but it took time for that belief to spread, and it was hard won.”
“I think you’re right,” Julian agreed. “We would all do well to remember that. I know I, for one, struggle to do so.”
“Julian, Roland, hold still,” Aelic said in a low voice.
Julian froze and let his eyes move to Aelic’s face. “What?” he whispered.
“There are two children just behind you,” Aelic replied, though his lips hardly moved. “Don’t turn around. I think they’re coming closer.”
Roland and Julian continued to act as normal as possible, but soon they too could hear the soft steps now that they were listening for them.
At last, a voice spoke. “What are you doin’ hangin’ about here all day every day?”
Julian turned slowly so as not to frighten the speaker. It was a boy with his little brother peaking around from behind him. Julian took in their overly slender forms and dirty clothes. “Have you two had anything to eat today?” he asked.
The boy shrugged.
“Do you want some lunch?” Julian asked, holding out a chunk of bread with some meat and cheese.
The two stared at him for a long minute. At last, the older spoke. “Are you trickin’ us? What’s the cost? What do you get out of it?”
“Nothing,” Julian replied. “We aren’t trying to get anything out of it. We would just like to share lunch with you.”
For a few more moments the boy warred with caution and hunger, but hunger won, and he and his brother slowly came and sat down with the three. Julian and Roland gave the two the rest of the food they had, while Aelic offered them water. When they had eaten, the boys stood up. “Thank you,” the elder said softly.
“If you come back here tomorrow, we’ll share lunch again,” Roland offered.
The little one nodded and the elder smiled. Then the two turned and disappeared.
Julian smiled. “I think God is starting to open the door.”
***
The next two days, Julian and his friends brought extra food and shared lunch with the two boys. On the third day, the boys didn’t seem so eager to run off.
“Sir, what’s your name?” the older asked, looking at Roland.
“I’m Roland, and these two are Julian and Aelic,” Roland replied. “Who are you?”
The two exchanged a glance. “I’m Gunther and my little brother is Enrich,” the older replied.
“Gunther, have you ever played shooting stones?” Julian asked suddenly.
Gunther looked at him with wary interest. “No. What is it?”
“It’s a game some young friends of mine often played,” Julian said, thinking of Beric and the Caddick boys. “Here, I’ll show you. Find me some small, smooth rocks.”
The two jumped up and soon they had gathered the stones. Julian took them and crouched down on the dusty street. After he showed them how, the five played shooting stones until the sun set.
For the next week the three shared lunch and played shooting stones. It wasn’t long before Gunther and Enrich began to bring their friends, and Julian and his companions took to filling one of the rucksacks with food before heading to the alleys.
Julian found this time strengthening and refreshing, and soon the group of children had grown from two to twelve. What’s more, they began to trust the three companions.
One day as they sat on the ground eating lunch, Gunther looked over at Julian. “Can you tell us a story?”
“A story?” Julian repeated, somewhat surprised.
“Yes, a story,” the others clamored.
“What kind of story?” Julian asked.
“A story about a great warrior,” Gunther said.
“One who loves little children, even if they aren’t pretty,” a girl said, pushing back her tangled hair from her eyes.
“He has to be powerful!” another boy cried. “A hero!”
“If he is a hero, then he must fight an enemy,” Gunther added.
“And he must save the one he loves,” a girl in her early teens said, blushing slightly.
“A story of a great warrior hero who loves children and saves his bride,” Julian repeated. He looked at Roland who gave him a smile. “I think I know just the story.”
***
As the days passed, the children wanted more and more to listen to stories, and Roland, Julian and Aelic were more than happy to oblige. Along with the story of the Prince of peace who came to save His bride, they told stories of the heroes of faith, and the children hung on every word.
It was a wonderful day when Gunther looked straight at Julian and said, “These stories are true, aren’t they.”
Julian nodded. “Yes, they are.”
“And the Prince is real too?” Gunther asked.
“Yes,” Julian replied. “He is more than a Prince of this earth. He is God Himself.”
When the other children left, Gunther hung behind. Looking up at Julian he said simply “Tell me everything about the God Prince.”
The sixteenth year of Emperor Haidronias’s reign
June 20th
The EmpireAs I wrote in an above entry, we decided to begin ministry in the slums and alleys of the town. God has truly blessed this work. Starting with the children, but growing rapidly, people are coming to God. I can hardly believe it, and it is truly a wonderful thing. Gunther was the first to believe, and he talked about it so much that his father came to find us. After that, more and more began to ask questions. A small church is indeed growing, and one of the men has offered his home for this Sabbath. Our work here is far from over, but we are growing in number, and the Lord’s hand is most certainly upon us. Oh, how I wish Leon was here to see this and be a part of it. I miss him so much. Father, help me to bear his loss and continue on in the path You have called me to.
~Julian.
***
Time passed, and the small band of believers met in one house or another to worship each Sabbath day. At first all went well, but after three weeks they began to draw attention.
Julian and his friends were on their way home from one meeting when they were hailed by several men and older boys who were lounging in an ally sharing the contents of an ale flask. “You three,” one of the men called.
“Yes?” Julian replied, turning to look at them.
The man took a drink and passed the flask to an older teen who sat near him. “You three are the ones who have been talking about there being only one God,” the man said.
Julian nodded. “Yes sir.”
“Listen fellas, I don’t know who you are or where you come from, but this is our home and you need to leave us all be,” the man said, his words slightly slurred.
“Don’t worry sir, we mean you and your companions no harm. We were only fellowshipping with our friends,” Julian replied.
“Fellowship with our friends,” the man mocked. His companions laughed loudly and passed the ale about again.
Julian and his two friends turned to walk away.
“You three, listen here,” the man called.
They stopped and Julian turned.
“You go on home and leave this place alone.”
“No,” Julian replied. “We were called here by God, and we will only leave when He tells us to.”
The man sat up and pointed a finger at Julian. “You are asking for serious trouble.”
“Yeah, you tell them,” the youngest said, tossing a knife up and catching it by the hilt.
“You can do nothing to us unless God allows it,” Aelic spoke up.
“Oh yeah? We’ll tell the priests on you, boy,” the man threatened.
“You do that,” Aelic replied coldly.
“You come back here for another one of those meetings and you’re asking for trouble,” the man warned.
“We must obey God,” Aelic retorted. “We’ll leave the outcome in his hands.”
With that, the three turned and walked away. When they arrived back at the inn, they discussed the threat. “There is no need to put the people in danger,” Julian said.
“They were just some drunk street thugs. I’m sure it was all talk,” Roland replied.
“Maybe, but I have learned over the years to treat everything as a real threat,” Julian replied.
Aelic looked at him in surprise. “Are you saying we shouldn’t meet next Sabbath?”
“No,” Julian replied. “However, I do think we should keep this threat in mind.”
“So, you do think they will go to the priests?” Roland asked.
“I have a feeling there is no love lost between those men and the priest. However, I do believe that they will start to cause trouble and may eventually go to them if they see an advantage in it. I have the feeling that at the moment those men don’t know if what we’re doing is illegal or not. Once they get sober enough to find out, we could be in a lot of trouble. For now they just want to throw their weight around,” Julian said.
“And what happens when they do tell the priests?” Roland asked.
Julian hesitated a moment. “I’m not sure. We might be ignored, but my guess is we’ll be thrown out or arrested.”
Roland looked from Julian to Aelic. “So… what are we going to do?”
“I think we need to keep all these things in mind, and I can talk to some of the men and get their opinion on it. We will never stop worshiping. We may, however, have to do so in an ‘underground’ sort of way,” Julian said. “Like we had to in Ardenta.”
The others agreed, and the next day they told three of the men who seemed to have the most authority. These three had accepted Christ readily and were thriving in their new faith. It was clear the other believers trusted them and listened to them. Two were in their later thirties, but the third was nearer Roland’s age and had just recently been married.
The six sat down around a table in a lantern-lit room. After Julian retold the events of the encounter, there was a moment of silence. At last, Oswin–– one of the two eldest–– looked up. “I agree with Roland that this is mostly weightless threats. However, I also agree with Julian that we must treat it a true threat.”
Clemens and Amarin–– the youngest––nodded in agreement.
“So then, what are we to do?” Roland asked.
“I think we should continue to meet, of course. However, we should not meet in the same place every week,” Oswin decided.
“Do we have a good place for this coming Sabbath?” Julian asked.
“Come to my home,” Amarin offered. “It is not large, but we will gladly open it to all who will come.”
The rest agreed, and the meeting broke up.
The next Sabbath, they met for worship without incident. Soon the threat slipped to the back of everyone’s mind, and Julian and the others began to focus on more pressing needs. There were many poor in the church, but some were desperately so. Julian, Roland, and Aelic began to seek these people out to help them, and soon Amarin joined them. He gathered a group of strong young men to come and aid the people whose homes were in desperate need of repair. His wife, Adeline, gathered a group of women together to make food and clothing for the poorest among them.
Julian was deeply touched by this, for Amarin and Adeline were among the poorest of the town, yet they so willingly gave to others. He could hardly believe the way God’s Spirit had taken root so deeply in the hearts of these people.
The poor of the slums were only the first to believe. Soon, those they worked for noticed a difference, and it was not too long before men who owned the businesses began to wander in for Sabbath meeting. Some returned with their families, and then they too began to believe.
When these people saw the poverty of their brothers and sisters in Christ, they began to give. Some of the wealthier women joined Adeline and her friends in making clothing and food, and the men donated supplies for fixing homes–– some even coming to work on the buildings themselves.
Anonymous donations were left in Julian, Roland, and Aelic’s room in the inn with notes saying the money was to be used for the poor, and Julian gave all these to Amarin, for he trusted the young man to distribute them well.
One Sabbath morning, the people had gathered for worship.
After singing, Julian prayed over the meeting. When the prayer was over, Julian opened his Bible and began to thumb through the pages.
At that moment, there was a crash of braking pottery, and several women screamed. Julian jerked his head up just as another rock was launched through the open window to crash into a small vase of flowers sitting on a table.
There were jeers outside followed by several more rocks. Julian rose and walked toward the window. Amarin had already gone to the other window and was closing the thick wooden shutters. Julian looked out and saw the group from the ally. Their leader pointed up at him. “I told you to go home!” he yelled.
Julian quietly shut the window and dropped the locking bar in place. He looked about the room to ensure no one had been injured. Adeline and Amarin were cleaning up some of the broken pottery, and one of the women had gone for a cloth to wipe up the spilled water. Everyone else was making sure each other was unharmed.
“Thank You God, that no one was hit,” Julian said. He held up his hands and the room quieted. “As long as no one is injured, let’s return to worship.”
The room quieted and everyone settled down.
“Today I would like to read from––” Julian never finished, for at that moment there was a loud banging on the wall.
The banging multiplied and was accompanied by loud jeering and shouts. The noise was so loud that Julian couldn’t possibly be heard. He closed the Bible and looked around at the faces before him.
Suddenly, Amarin rose to his feet and in a strong, rousing voice began to sing.
“Now unto Jehovah, ye sons of the mighty,
All glory and strength and dominion accord;
Ascribe to Him glory, and render Him honor,
In beauty of holiness worship the Lord.Julian smiled and got to his feet, joining Amarin. Those around them stood and began to sing. Several started to clap and a group of young men began stamping a rhythm. Soon the voices, stamping, and clapping completely drowned out the disruptive noise from outside.
Though the disturbance of worship was easily overcome that day, Julian and the others all agreed that it could get much more dangerous. After all, one of those rocks could have hit a child and seriously injured or even killed them. It was decided that a new meeting place out of the slums needed to be found.
“There just aren’t lot of open places in a town like this,” Clemens remarked.
“What about the old messenger stop on the outskirts?” Amarin asked.
“What messenger stop?” Julian wondered.
“Well, there used to be a horse exchange here for messengers. However, so many of the horses were stolen that they moved it one town farther,” Oswin explained.
“The building is empty, and no one uses it. I think it would be alright for us to meet there,” Amarin agreed.
That afternoon, the six went to look at the building. The floor was littered with pieces of broke stalls, but once these were removed, the space would be big enough. The foundation was strong as was the frame. There were a few holes in the walls here and there, and a large one in the roof. However, it could be mended and repaired over time, and for now it was the best place available.
The next few days were spent in clearing the floor and dragging out anything broken and unnecessary. When the crew of boys and men finished, the stable was a whole new place.
That Sabbath they met without concern or interruption. Things seemed to be improving, and the Gospel continued to spread.
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
I totally thought you’d be at me for separating them, but I guess you didn’t mind Rolf dropping out of the book.
I was devastated, but it works better with them getting split apart.
So, Rolf never shows up again?
"He who never quotes will never be quoted." ~Charles Spurgeon
Oh, sorry for devastating you.
Hmmm. We’ll have to wait and see.
Did you see the section I posted today?
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
@ellette-giselle I love how they shared the gospel with the children by telling them stories, and then explaining that the stories were true! That was probably my favorite part of this section.
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
I’ve always found that a wonderful way to connect with children and help them understand. I’m glad you liked it.
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
@ellette-giselle yes!
That was a great little addition and helped me get even more immersed in the world.
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
Really? How so?
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
@ellette-giselle You wrote children as, well, children. It’s the same in your other books.
So many writers write kids as if they’re little adults.
"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers
Well thank you!! Children characters always drive me insane. I dislike them so much because they are written so badly. We either have super tall toddlers or super short adults.
It’s something I really try to get right, so thanks for mentioning it!
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
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