Tree of Life

Book II Chapter 13

TREE OF LIFE BOOK II

CHAPTER 13

In the end, Julian had to pick up Joseph into his arms and carry him to the foot of the Tree.

“That’s all right.” Joseph indicated the ground by their feet. “Put me down here.”

Julian placed him down on the grass and then crouched down next to him. Joseph sat with his arm out, leaning on the trunk of the Tree for support.

There were just the three of them now. The rest of the able-bodied men in the village had gone to join Willibald in his fight against Brian at the edge of the forest. The women and children were up in their dwellings, gathering up what they could and getting ready to leave.

Joseph turned to Nicole. “Nicole…”

“I’m here.” She knelt down by his side.

“Nicole, my precious child. I have not the time to tell you but I know you will be strong. In the days ahead, you will be so alone, with so much to endure, but you are the strongest of us all.”

“Me? But…” She shook her head.

Joseph turned and looked at Julian. “And you, my son. I know you have questions. But the answers you seek are hard and may not be to your liking. You will have to put your faith in me. Trust me. Fully. Are you willing to do that?”

“Yes. You know I am.”

“All things end at the beginning. And the way of the Tree is the way of all things. In the end, there is always a giving, a sacrifice, a price to be paid. It must come from you…”

Julian interrupted Joseph and recited his earlier words from memory. “…it must come from you and from the very deepest part of you, and you must give willingly. If you will find it in you to give, then who is to say that perhaps now, even now, others in the world might be saved?”

Joseph smiled. “So you remember.”

Julian nodded. “I remember. I remember your words and have thought about that day many times.”

“Then you may also remember the question you had asked me that day. The one that I had not provided an answer to…”

“Yes. With the power that you had given me, I had gone on to ask you, ‘how will I know who to help? Who not to help?’”

“And now do you have the answer?” Joseph coughed and his voice strained. “Now do you know who you have to help?”

Julian looked up. He nodded. He sat back and drew to his full height, a giant among men. Having traveled the world, having seen everything that he has, the troubles in the world, the wars, the disease, the famine, the great need of all mankind, all his brothers, all his sisters, his mothers and his fathers, Julian has seen it, and for having seen it, his eyes were now crystal clear and open.

Wind whipped up against his hair and tousled it and he did not notice. A young lion cub and though yet inexperienced, he was now called upon to assume a heavy throne.

“Who do you have to help?”

Julian turned to Joseph. He bit his lip.

“I have to help them all.”

Joseph smiled.

Tears of joy flowed from his eyes, down his cheeks and onto his chin. And for a moment, he was bathed in a strong, warm and golden light again. And he did sit up, on his own strength. He leaned forward and nearly stumbled, but he inched over to collapse into Julian’s open arms.