SEED

  Prologue

  And I will put enmity between you and the woman

  And between your seed and her seed

  It shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

  Unto the woman he said

  I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception

  In sorrow you shall bring forth children

  And your desire shall be to your man

  And he shall rule over you.

  Genesis 3:15,16

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  From The Annals of Na’amah, Wife of Noach the Prophet, Father of the New World.

  For Emzara, yachiyadah, on the birth of her daughter Melka.

  My darling Emzara,

  How I have missed you. How I wish I could draw breath long enough to see your sweet baby girl. I am not strong enough to make the journey; my time is coming to an end. You have given your adonai sons and heirs, but this is the child that will carry forward the bloodline of Ha’Mashiach. There is hope.

  How do I know that? From your dreams and memories, the visions you had as a child. I recorded every one, and you will find them all in the wooden chest that is being delivered to you, along with other stories and the true histories of The Old World, that I want you to copy the way that I taught you, and share with other women of The Way.

  Tell them as tales to your children and grandchildren. Record them as best you can. Preserve them, hide them and protect them with prayer, so that they will be discovered at the right time, maybe even at The End of Days.

  I have recorded the words of Chuah, and finally, I have told my story as best I can. Forgive me if I go back and forth, from this world to that, as memories birth more memories, and my ancient mind tumbles along after them, writing them down as quickly as I can, or narrating them to Dinyah. Some events from hundreds of years ago are as vivid to me as if they happened yesterday, and others I have had to dredge up from the deep, dark recesses, too painful or too horrific to keep in the forefront of my mind.

  Our stories may disappear, the stories of women, forgotten or overshadowed by tales of male glory, battles and war; but we have played our part in The Grand Story. Know that you are seen Emzara. There is a God who sees you, and sends his angels to protect you. He allows us to suffer, but only what we can bear, we are so much stronger than we know. In the midst of pain we feel His love, and we grow stronger, even as our hearts are broken. Do not allow bitterness to corrupt your soul.

  Do you remember the songs that Dinyah would sing to you when you had nightmares, after you first left Babylon, and came to live with us? I have included some of them too, a lullaby or three to sooth both kings and babes.

  She is still with me, Dinyah, her faith and loyalty to our family has always been a marvel to me. She is a woman with a mind full of knowledge, like the libraries found in the great cities of Sumer and the underground crypts of Egypt’s sphinx; yet she has a mother’s heart, full of love for her people. She too is old like me, not as old in years, but we are similarly old in appearance. We laugh about how sometimes, we feel just the same as we did when were in our youth, some parts of us never change, and then we get a shock when we catch a glimpse of our wrinkled faces in a body of water or reflected in a polished copper plate – I have banned any form of mirror from my quarters.

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  Dinyah laughs at my vanity. How can I still be so vain when I am nine hundred and eighty something? I forget exactly, Noach is the timekeeper of this family.

  She remembers everything I have told her about the Old World, but only Noach can correct me if I tend towards vanity or embellishment. I’ve tried to be true. Vanity and pride have undone me at times but also shame and regret. To write down some events has opened old wounds. Yes time heals but sometimes the scars remind us of what we have lost and tears still fall.

  You must continually warn your sisters to beware of the Snake Brotherhoods that are proliferating again, and The Mothers of Darkness who will try and recruit you to their evil ways - do not be seduced by their promises of power and influence. The price for their earthy dominion is too high, and it never satisfies. Never. I saw the price my father paid, my mother, and of course the brother I never met Tubal Qeyin, but read the stories, they are all here, and I bequeath them to you. I tell you everything, everything, and hope you will not judge me too harshly.

  Here in this letter is a song I wrote, many years ago when I was first estranged from Cham, and my mind and heart were tormented daily with darkness. Do you sometimes wish you could go back in time and change things? But perhaps everything has to happen a certain way? B’sha’ah Tovah, at a good hour.

  My twenty-year-old self could not have imagined that after everything that I yearned for and experienced, that I would find pleasure in simply watching the movement of birds, sunlight through the trees and on the water, flowers and the changing moon. And animals of course, I still love all the creatures. There is an old cat with me right now, she may be as old as me but she has pretty markings. I call her Tiger. Dinyah says that she knows when people are about to leave for Sheol and she comes to comfort them. She is purring away. I may be gone before this reaches you.

  Please do not feel you need to make the journey to my levaya, tend to little Melka and your boys. On the yahrzeit of my death, remember me and may my memory be a blessing to you always.

  I am so grateful for my life, and that you came into it. Please accept my blessing for you and Melka. May Jah guard you from evil, give you a long life and establish the work of your hands.

  Baruch ata Adonia

  Elohaynu Melech ha-Olam

  She-he-che-ya-nu

  v’kee-y’ma-nu

  v’hee-gee-ah-nu

  laz-man hazeh.

  Blessed are you

  O Lord or God

  King of the Universe

  Who has granted us life

  And sustained us

  And enabled us to reach this season.

  Baruch Ha-Ba, blessed is the one who has arrived. Welcome Melka. I love you already, even though I will not meet you in the flesh.

  The song of Na’amah

  The Seed

  Stories within stories, from which

  A seed of life and truth

  From which a bitter root?

  Ugliness hides in metaphor, horror a turn of phrase

  Beauty is a sleight of hand, a clever simile

  In it, we may glimpse a whisper of eternity

  For a sweet moment see the light

  His breath breathes me

  Shines beneath my plight

  Illuminates my heart

  Fear takes flight, says

  Come to me, rest in me

  For this you were created

  To walk with me through life

  For every choice, a consequence

  The seed begins to grow

  Towards eternity, or to the dark below

  Don’t grasp too hard

  Greedy for enlightenment

  Secrets not yours to know

  Turn to Him who holds your spirit

  Holds your breath, your soul

  For then in trust

  Lifeblood begins to flow.

  For every choice a consequence

  For every thought, action sows

  And sews, stories thread and weave

  Some full of wonder, others grief

  A lesson learnt, or pride before a fall

  Which beast you feed informs a future tale

  The huge hearted giraffe

  Or jealous yapping hyena

  Ask yourself

  Who has control?

  Worship not the creation

  Not the created

  Nor your own sweet self

  Worship not false gods of brass and stone

  The wonders of this world

  They are all to turn to dust

  Fragrant memories

  They too will dissipate, like mist

  Like water through your hand.

  Lust not for silver, nor for gold

  But with singleness of heart

  With singleness of soul

  Hold onto Elohyim

  For He created

  Everything

  The code, the seed, by Love’s own hand

  Is written in your blood

  Choose not the path of sin and lust

  But choose the way of God

  For every choice has consequence

  A code it will unlock.

  A note from Dinyah:

  I have sent you some of your favourite preserved figs and Lake Van honey, almond blossom honey, your favourite, and for your good husband some of Noach’s finest vintage wine, from the year you came to us.

  I can confirm that your sivata Na’amah is close to passing to Sheol. She is at peace, and also excited to see her ancestors. Sometimes she talks to someone I cannot see, and her eyes are full of joy and light.

  Ahava shli, she calls out, again and again,

  Ahava shli, my love, my love.

  It has been a privilege to attend to her. She talks about you often, and Cham. She never stopped loving Cham, despite everything she never stopped praying for him.

  She said to tell you that you too must forgive your father and pray for him. He may be the Nimrod, but he is also Amraphel, son of Cush and grandson of Cham the son of Noach who survived The Great Flood, whose lineage will bring light to the world.