The woman sat on the cold floor of the cave, listening to her captain’s bloody account of the carnage. It was a month after the Sukkot Holiday and winter had arrived early this year. Bedecked in her opulent black winter furs and huddled close to the fire at the caves center, the chill still managed to penetrate to her bones. She sat with a slight grimace on her face –though at the account or the cold one couldn’t quite tell.
“Tell me,” she said when the captain was done, “how did the enemy fare, did we at least make them pay?”
Barely, the legion is nearly at full strength, Marah.”
“Where are they basing themselves?”
“Out of the cfar, Marah. They control the city from there, this way they avoid having to enter the city in a potentially dangerous occupation. Truth be told though, other sources, perhaps more accurate ones, claim the reason is because there no longer is any city to control. They claim the city has been utterly destroyed and that rivers of blood flow down the camel humped mountain. A man could bathe in it, according to the rumors. I’m sorry, but It seems that the city of Gamlah is no more, Marah.
Miriams gut roiled, her city, her cfar, her country. All her people were being killed. The people may have rejected her family generations ago. Her Hasmonian lineage angered all when it came out, the Pharisees called her grandfather a slave and the Saducees called him a heritic. They’d completely sidelined all his political power until all that protected him from being run out of the cfar was his wealth. But still to her mind it was only temporary, one day she would restore her family to its rightful place. Seeing the countryside taken, stolen, by the roman enemy was like seeing her beautiful clothing taken and worn by her rival. Her heart ached inside her.
She took in the flow of information, absorbed the blow and looked dreamily to the future.
“Captain,” She asked, dreamily, “Do the people still have faith, do they believe in the land?”
It was her beloved land and to her it was worth fighting for down to the last drop of blood. What she wanted to know was –did the people feel the same?
“Do they have faith in the land? Yes. In your family? No.” He added in the last bit to head off her next question before it could be asked. He knew right away in which direction this line of questioning was going.
She furrowed her brow in concentration; lost deep in thought about their situation. She was determined but she was soft. She had wealth but no power. By her side were ten of the hardest men she knew, quality fighting men and completely loyal to her. But only ten. She’d always meant to grow that fighting force from ten to a hundred, a hundred to a thousand, and then retake her kingdom, but in these desperate times it was not to be. Her kingdom would never be reclaimed.
From out of nowhere a kernel of an idea began to form inside her. These times called for a new plan. From deep down she felt a longing to protect her land; the rolling hills, with its sprawling landscape and grand splendor. and she felt an overwhelming desire to do something. She knew that since she felt that way that was enough to insure that her men felt that way. Hmm, she wighed the risks of her sudden inspiration. If she went where she intended to go, she would become but one faction among many. Her cause would be lost for the sake of the greater good. But was not the land worth sacrificing all? Was not the temple a prize to be held above all?
She felt her resolve harden within her.
“Captain,” She called.
The leader of her men, who’d taken up murmered conversation with the others while she’d been lost in thought, now turned back to look at her.
“What say you to a journey?”
His eyebrows shot way up; this was not what he’d expected.
“Where to?”
She ignored his question and plowed on.
“So that's a yes. Can you have us ready to leave the day after tomorrow?”
He nodded, “the men have their horses and I should be able to find you a pony by then.”
“Good,” she said, raising her voice so as to address all of her people together. Around the cave, everyone turned to focus on her.
“Its high time we left the Galilee and put this fox trap, which only holds death, behind us…. Onward to Jerusalem!”
There was steely determination in her voice as she pronounced the cities name. They were going to fight. Jerusalem and its temple was her peoples pride and joy and she was determined to do her part to make sure it didn’t fall.
Miriam shifted her body so it was propped up by her pillow and held the position for a long moment to give her body time to adjust to the rapid change from sleep to awake. Her black locks were caked to her neck in a sweaty tangled mess. A new day. She was young and optimistic and couldn’t help herself from thinking maybe todays the day. The day she got to Jerusalem.
She vividly remembered Yochanon's response, nearly two weeks ago, when she finally divulged the destination she had in mind was Jerusalem; since he always listened without question to whatever she said it was surprising. He'd pursed his lips and given her a long look. At the time she’d taken it as a look of defiance but in retrospect she decided it was really one of appraisal. He was deciding whether to trust her despite that she was taking them to a place of overwhelming danger. He’d stared away at the fire for a good long while, thinking, who knew what thoughts, before finally acquiescing, “Fine but I will need to go ahead to Jerusalem, to make preperations,” he’d said.
Technically she called all the shots but they both knew he had a choice; the only reason anybody at all obeyed her, was because Yochanon obeyed her. he could have shut down this harebrained scheme in its infancy. Only he didn’t. No arguing, no babying her, just cold calculation on his part and then quiet submission. From time to time, she found herself surprised with his more adventurous side for generally he was very old school. She suspected that inside he liked to pretend to himself he was young and spirited, that would explain the inconsistencies.
For a week after her announcement nothing happened, Yochanon didn't even make a move to begin his preperations, and she wondered if everyone forgot about it. But then one day out of the blue Yochanon announced to that if they were going to Jerusalem then now presented the right opportunity. He took them through the Galilee, in a round-about route to avoid roman encampments, and then just outside Jeruselem, in the sparsely populated ruins of an ancient cfar, they stopped.
“I’m going ahead to make arrangements, like you agreed. This way, when we arrive in respectable company, you’ll actually look like the princess you are,” he explained, “You will be here a bit, waiting for my return, so make yourself comfortable. There are some other people here.” He wagged a stern finger at her in warning, “Your going to enter the village anonymously and it better stay that way. If you are remembered by the locals for who you are, it could ruin your claim to royalty. If they ever trace their Hasmonean princess to this-“ he indicated her unprincesslike appearance, her drab clothing. her drab everything, “-It will be a disaster, understand?”
She sputtered indignantly, she was a princess no matter how she looked. But Yochanon cut off her protests.
“and keep busy,” he admonished, “This is all the time your going to get to practice your part. I know you are a princess ,” he waved off her objection before she could say it, “but after living in the mountains for five years you don’t much look the part. By the time I get back you better look like spanking royalty. A girl who grew up prim and proper and with diamonds spewing from her every orifice.
“and,” he added in after thought, “You could work on your plan; the one you havn't shared with me. For I pray to the lord, you actually have plan…”
Miriam smiled reassuringly in response and then shooed him away. Yochanon took two men with him and left her with a guard of seven. What else was she supposed to do, tell him the truth? That there was no plan, that she hadn’t a clue what she was getting them all into?
And so that was how she found herself in the present: lying anonymous in a drab anonymous bed, inside drab anonymous accomodations- stuck there by her servants, until three whole hours after sunrise (because apparently that’s how long royalty was supposed to stay in bed) – pondering whether today was the day she finally went to Jerusalem.
At the table for break-fast, the Shifcha Sarah, placed her hot cereal on the table before bolting back to the kitchen. She was a local they picked up to do all the household chores who seemed quite intimidated by her soldiers. At all times, two of her men took up positions by the door and another one was perpetually by her side.
Before Miriam made the blessing over her food, she stared down at her plate, thinking about g-d. What could she do to get his help? She didn’t think she could take another day cooped up in this backwards village. She so desperately wanted to be in Jerusalem already.
Hmm, she lodged her tongue in the side of her mouth in concentration. What the situation really called for, she mused, was a holy vow. Abstinence on her part was anyways called for in the face of a war and a protracted siege. The people would expect it and doing it publicly with a public vow would make her look noble.
The question was what should she avow? No meat? that too hard. Liquor? A queen needed to be seen drinking at social events, it was part of diplomacy. So then what? Hmm…
Then it came to her, a brilliant way to also solve her other problem. She had an inkling that Yochanon had some sort of plan for her and a sneaking suspicion she knew what it involved. She would hate it. It left her sleepless the last bunch of nights, trying to figure out how to thwart his no doubt noble intentions.
Her heart lifted with youthful satisfaction at her own cleverness. This would kill two birds with one stone.
“Menachem,” She said solemnly, turning to the soldier who’d been standing unobtrusively by her side. His armor was off and he wore clothing in its place that was designed to disguise him to look like just another manservant. It was so that they wouldn't stand out. However mostly it was a flop, it was futile to attempt to give a wild looking man such as him a look of domestication.
“I have sacred vow to make, will you be so kind as to fetch a holy scroll.
“Yes Marah,” he obliged, frowning slightly at her unexpected request.
He came back bearing a scroll of Psalms, which he placed gingerly on the table before her. She slid her chair back and stood up in front of the scroll. By now she had the attention of every soldier in the room and even Shifcha Sarah was sneak peaking from the kitchen.
“You are all in attendance as witnesses,” she solomnly intoned, before placing her hand on the scroll to pronounce her vow.
“If on this great and glorious day, the twenty second of Cheshvon, the oh’mercifull one, does see fit to send us the return of Yochanon and to see too our arrival in his holy city of Jerusalem. And we are given us the merit to partake in its defense, which is actually the defense of his great and holy name, Then I do solemnly swear to stay chaste and wed no man throughout the entire duration of this holy war, until the day on which Jerusalem is truly free and no longer within the sights of its foes.”
A thrill of fervent satisfaction shot through her, she was sure g-d would respond to her righteous proclamation in kind. In one swipe she’d accomplished her purpose and freed herself from the oh-so-real threat of an arranged marriage. Now she could partake in break fast with gusto.
Sure enough, G-d answers those who beseech him. By the time she finished eating, there was a note in front of her, sent by Yochanon: he would be back by noon.
That day just after the sun reached its zenith and began its descent, their strange existance in this decaying little hamlet was brought to a merciful close by news of Yochanons return. A rider rode up bearing a letter informing them of his impending return the next day at the cave they had previously appointed for their rendezvous.
So Miriam's stay in this decaying village was short, and to this day the locals never discovered the truth that for a short time they had hosted a queen - albeit one without a throne. The one exception was the maidservant named Sarah, who had attached herself into the household for the duration of their layover and who had definitely learned a great many things about their future plans. She had learned about their impending arrival in Jerusalem and desperately yearned to join with them. When Miriam learned of Sarah's wish she happily retained her services more than happy to get a headstart on forming the neccessary collection servants her upcoming household would need.
Ready to leave, Miriam walked the village streets, between her men, who stood surrounding her so as to shield her from prying eyes. She was bedecked in her grandest finery, appropriate for entry to the Holy City and quite frankly was sweating profusely. Shifcha Sarah, trailed along in the rear of the entourage, still uncertain she belonged. Out of the corner of her eye Miriam caught sight of Sarahs hesitant feeling and noted it.
Upon reaching the cave which Yochanon had designated, Miriam promptly stalked inside and dismissed her entourage for the sake of privacy. “Send in Sarah, she told them, I have words for her.”
Miriam's skirts swirled around her legs and her top clung to her armpits as she swung around the cave with jerky movements taking in her garish surroundings. Finally she plopped herself down on a large boulder, her clothing notwithstanding. She needed Sarah to get the right message, it felt like the first test Miriam would face in this mad adventure, would she be able to successfully manage a large household? She also felt a desperate need to get to Jerusalem with at least one person firmly dedicated to her cause.
Sarah entered. She was dressed plainly as per her station in life and her face was a study in contrasts. On one hand she managed to look quite small and intimidated by the grand world she’d suddenly found herself thrust into yet at the same time her nosy little villiger self was in plain sight. The simpleton not smart enough or perhaps was simply unable, to restrain herself, Miriam mused. It would suit her purposes just as well.
“Sarah, we need to talk about what will happen in Jerusalem, when we get there.”
“mm, yes Marah, I’m so very thankful for the opportunity, I can’t wait to get to the big city.”
“That’s what I was afraid of,” Miriam began, She eyed the girl, who was clearly flustered and uncertain about the direction of the conversation. “You see, in a big city like Jerusalem, naturally, opportunities abound for everybody. If I’m taking the expense to bring you in than naturally-“ she twirled the word with exaggeration around her tongue, “-I expect you to stay on with me. After al,l what kind of thanks would it be, if right when we got there you jumped towards other opportunities and left me high and dry. Right, it would be positively ungrateful?”
“Why Marah,” Sarah said her eyes widened, at the prospect of her mistress' disapproval. Sarah's hands roved over every appendage, rip or handhold they could find on her appare,l her constant fiddling a sign of her nervous anxiety.
“I would never do that,” Sarah said, “how can you even think it. I’m Just a poor village girl, without you I’d have nothing.”
“Stop that rude fidgeting,” Miriam snapped irritably, “If you want to be around real Ladies and grand company it’s the first thing you must learn.”
Sarahs hands dropped instantly to her sided and Miriam noted the fear in her reaction. Ok Miriam thought to herself,you’ve emplanted fear. Stage two: time to go for undying loyalty.
“Listen she said do you know why I wanted to have you along. I mean I could have had any seving girl but I chose you, know why I chose to take you?”
Sarah shook her head, “No marah.”
“Because you display real talent, more than most villagers, that’s why.” Talent only for gossip but now, theres no reason to tell you that. “If you Just stick by me I'll show you how to behave in high society.”
Sarahs eyes glowed bright at the unexpected complement and she jumped at the sudden warmth.
“Mmm, yes Marah, I’ll do what ever you say.”
“Actually Sarah I have a special job for you.”
“Oh yes Marah, you can count on me I’m most dependable mmarah.” The nosey look was back and Sarah was positively jumping out of her skin.
“The job is easy now. All you have to do is keep your eyes and ears open for what people say. A shifcha can go places others can not and has opportunities unavailable to me. Your eyes and ears are most invaluable...that is if you can keep quiet about it. The ablity to keep quiet is a sign of loyalty. It takes subtlety and Subtlety my young servant, is the mark of a great lady something you undoubtedly would like to become, Yes?”
Sarah nodded and Miriam dismissed her. At that moment she felt for the first time capable of rising to the task in front of her. She was as ready as ever she could be, too face the giant task that awaited her in Jerusalem.
She was eager for Yochanon's arrival.
Ready to go to Jerusalem.
Ready to face the monumental task that awaited her there.
Ready to show the world what a scion of the Hasmonean dynasty could do. The only true Hasmonean queen. And definitely the only one loyal to the Rebellion.