Mona (Part Two)

“Jago, you shouldn’t make fun of Monalora’s pain.”  Eve scolded. “Why would you say such a horrible thing to this poor woman to give her false hope?”

Monalora sat in her chair by the table writhing and twitching uncontrollably as one of Jago’s servants fed her pieces of chicken and bread.  If it weren’t for the palsy, she probably would have attracted many young men.  Her wild black hair was full and long, and her dark eyes were beautiful and almond shaped -- her body, if not for the illness, probably would have been as alluring as Eve’s.  But the reality of the situation was that she did not have long to live in such a progressive state of the illness.

“I wasn’t making a joke or telling a lie!  I love her and want to marry her.  She is a wonderful woman and she loves me too.” Jago defended the relationship.

“Jago,” I questioned him, “it is admirable that you would do such a thing, but how does Monalora feel about all of this?  Does she agree with this?”

The young woman was listening to our conversation and in anger, she slapped her hand on the table to get our attention.  She looked up from eating and with tears and drool rolling from her face she said the best could through slurred words, “I love him.”

A tear rolled down Eve’s cheek.  I wasn’t sure if it was for Monalora’s condition or for Jago’s confession of love.  She later told me that it was for both of these things.  Eve gave me that look again and I told her “no”.  She looked away in frustration knowing that I was not easily persuaded in matters of the medicine. I thought about it too, about giving the potion to this young woman with the hope she would be healed and made whole.  But I also knew the outcome if her body was not compatible with the medicine.  I shook my head and walked away to relax in the partitioned off area Jago gave us for privacy in second large room.

Eve eventually joined me on the mats set up for us behind several interlocking dividing walls setup for our privacy.  As we lay in semi-seated positions talking softly about Monalora, Jago peeked in smiling and looking for an invitation to join us.

“Come in my friend,” I said with a gesture, “what is on your mind?  That smile of yours has always brought some task for us.”

Jago laughed, “Ha! I just want to share a bit of wine with old friends. I owe you both so much!”

“Sure, but only if it’s your best wine,” Eve joked.

Jago poured the liquid into wooden cups and sat with us.  It was sweet with a hint of sour that reminded me of my home so long ago.  Eve also drank it quickly and took another cup and we finally began to relax as Jago spoke.

“When I came to this village I realized I needed to work hard to please the gods so they would smile down on me and show me what to do with the gift you had given to me.  In Thrace I was a skilled hunter and trapper so I went about the early morning hours in the dark to find game for meat and fur to sell to the people of this village.  After twenty-five years of building this market and making a good fortune and eventually having others work for me, I was finally been able to settle down and go about my business of helping the poor and the sick.  But I became lonely and helping just wasn’t enough.”

Eve interrupted with a loud cough -- she had a look of panic in her eyes.

“I met Monalora on the streets.  She was abandoned by her family at the age of ten and I took her in and looked after her and gave her a place to live.   After the years had passed and she became a grown woman I began to feel a love for her that was deeper than friendship . . . I love her the way you love Eve.”

I heaved a loud cough and both Eve and I fell over twitching in agony, spewing vomit onto the mats and our clothes.  “Jago, what is this?”  I asked as my body heaved and went rigid.

“Now I will have someone like you Joseph.” He said calmly, “I will be able to have sons and I can hold a woman I love in my arms and lay with her forever.”

Eve shouted her last word, “What . . .?”

“I am sorry my friends that I had to poison you.  I know you won’t die, so this is all good.  I am sorry you are suffering discomfort, but I need the medicine to make Monalora well so she can be with me.”

Jago knew where the medicine was in my caftan.  He knew about my secret pockets and found the container quickly.  Neither Eve nor I could stop him from bringing certain death to the young woman --- but on the other hand, it could make her eternal like us.  I felt myself lose consciousness as Jago walked away saying, “Thank you my friends”.

I’m not sure how long we were unconscious, but it was the middle of the night when both Eve and I came to and went to the area where Jago’s big table sat.  We saw him standing over Monalora’s body covered in mist as she lay naked on the table.  Eve gave me a sideways look of relief and grabbed my arm as I approached him and the young woman.

“Joseph, she will live and be healed.” She said. “Give him a moment and be merciful.  I will kill him few moments after that.”

I don’t know if she was joking or if she meant to stab him through the heart again, but she was very angry --- more so than me.

(TO BE CONTINUED . . . .)

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