"He held out his hand, fully expecting me to give the scroll back." Jeremy's voice filled the room, weaving a story for his little charges. "I didn't know whether to laugh or run. I stared at the knight, my hands shaking." He held up his hands to demonstrate.
The children's eyes were wide as they stared at the Seeker.
"What did you do?" One little girl said impatiently.
"Shhhh!" The others protested.
Jeremy continued. "'I won't give it to you,' I told him. He glared and came closer to me." The young man glared at the children and tried to make his voice menacing. "'You will give me the scroll, boy. Willingly or not. I will get that reward!' I reached for my sword, but I wasn't fast enough. He lunged for me, dragging me down."
The children all gasped, despite the fact they had heard the story several times before.
"I thought for sure he would get the scroll. Right when I thought all hope was lost, there was a shout from above. Enemies! I thought desperately. But I was wrong, which does not happen often." He winked and the children smiled.
"Who?" A boy said, pulling his thumb out of his mouth just long enough to form the word.
"The Keepers," Jeremy said dramatically. "Lord Cale and Lady Maria led the warriors down the hill. The knight ran for his life, scared just by the sight of the army. We got the scroll safe."
"What did it say?" Someone in the back asked. Everyone leaned forward. This was the best part.
Jeremy's voice echoed through the hall so everyone, not just the children, ceased their conversation and listened.
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord : be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."
The little wide eyes stared at him and he wanted to laugh. Beautiful peace and joy filled him in way only those words could. This was why he had fought those terrible battles and went through so much. So that these little children could hear the words of The Lord without fear, so they could tell stories and sing songs of His power and love and not be threatened by the government.
And it was worth it.
The children's eyes were wide as they stared at the Seeker.
"What did you do?" One little girl said impatiently.
"Shhhh!" The others protested.
Jeremy continued. "'I won't give it to you,' I told him. He glared and came closer to me." The young man glared at the children and tried to make his voice menacing. "'You will give me the scroll, boy. Willingly or not. I will get that reward!' I reached for my sword, but I wasn't fast enough. He lunged for me, dragging me down."
The children all gasped, despite the fact they had heard the story several times before.
"I thought for sure he would get the scroll. Right when I thought all hope was lost, there was a shout from above. Enemies! I thought desperately. But I was wrong, which does not happen often." He winked and the children smiled.
"Who?" A boy said, pulling his thumb out of his mouth just long enough to form the word.
"The Keepers," Jeremy said dramatically. "Lord Cale and Lady Maria led the warriors down the hill. The knight ran for his life, scared just by the sight of the army. We got the scroll safe."
"What did it say?" Someone in the back asked. Everyone leaned forward. This was the best part.
Jeremy's voice echoed through the hall so everyone, not just the children, ceased their conversation and listened.
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord : be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."
The little wide eyes stared at him and he wanted to laugh. Beautiful peace and joy filled him in way only those words could. This was why he had fought those terrible battles and went through so much. So that these little children could hear the words of The Lord without fear, so they could tell stories and sing songs of His power and love and not be threatened by the government.
And it was worth it.
A little over twenty minutes... It looks a lot longer than it is because of that long passage. I tried to narrow it down but I loved those verses too much. :P
Ooo, that's so delicious! x) I love the frame you have, with the man telling the story to the children. The way they hang on every word, the way captivates their interest with his account... the wink, the smiles, the understanding and love between them. Then the passage of what was on the scroll! Oooo... the way you ended it is just /perfect/... so... warm and strong and rich and deep! x) "This was why..."
ReplyDelete"And it was worth it."
Ah, Addi... I love your freewrite. x) Children are just... well... you captured them and their level of priority in God's eyes so well in this freewrite.