Rebkah Draper, daughter of a wealthy merchant and wife of Danek Draper, heard the cries of her youngest, Arram. Standing from her seat at the supper table, she picked baby up and rocked him.
Glancing at her husband, she turned away and looked out to the windows of her home in Tyra. She could hear the guards and their whips cracking.
"Mud..."
"Sand..."
"Water..."
"Straw..."
"Faster!" the snap of a whip followed.
"Mud..."
"And lift..."
"Sand..."
"And pull…"
"Water..."
"And raise up..."
"Straw..."
"Faster!" Again came the crack of the whip.
She thought this was no place to raise her two children—a daughter, Mara, her youngest, Arram-- and herself. But Denek thought otherwise.
With the sting of the whip on my shoulder
with the salt of my sweat on my brow
Elohim, God on high
can you hear your people cry:
Help us now
this dark hour...
Rebkah wanted to escape this world. Wanted her children to live in Tortall and to have Mara marry a good husband.
But Denek kept them here, beating her each time she tried to take Arram, Mara and herself to Tortall…
DELIVER US
Hear our call
Deliver us
Lord of all
Remember us, here in this burning sand
Deliver us
There's a land you promised us
Deliver us to the promised land
Rebkah looked around the corner of an alleyway and ran from her abusive husband, baby Arram cradled in his arms, Mara running after them.
"Yal-di ha-tov veh ha-rach,
Al i-ra veh al tif-chad" she soothed him in Tyran
Rebkah continued, "My son, I have nothing I can give
But this chance that you may live
I pray we'll meet again
If He will deliver us"
She and Mara ran to the River Drell, Marra carrying a reed basket under one arm, Arram in Rebkah's arms…
DELIVER US
Hear our call
Deliver us
Lord of all
remember us, here in this burning sand
Deliver us
There's a land you promised us
Deliver us
Out of bondage and
Deliver us to the promised land...
Reaching the river, Rebkah placed the basket down and placed Arram inside. She sang to him as he fell asleep.
"Hush now my baby
be still, love, don't cry
Sleep as you're rocked by the stream
Sleep and remember
my last lullaby
so I'll be with you when you dream,"
Tears slid down her cheeks as she sent the basket into the river. She would never get to see her baby grow up. It broke her heart to see him go. But for Arram it was best.
"River, o river
Flow gently for me
such precious cargo you bear
Do you know somewhere
he can live free?
River, deliver him there..."she prayed.
As the River Drell carried her baby away, Rebkah wiped the tears away. Arram and Mara deserved better then the life she had lived.
Mara watched the basket and whispered,
"Brother, you're safe now
and safe may you stay
for I have a prayer just for you:
Grow, baby brother
Come back someday
Come and deliver us too..."
Deliver us
Send a shepherd to shepherd us
And deliver us to the Promised Land
Deliver us to the Promised Land
Tortall. The land of freedom and opportunity, of prosperity, Tortall would become her brother's new home…
Deliver Us!
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- AnimalWriter1