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.Immediately her sons drew close.Ulrika recognized the eldest, Samuel.He was a tall, lean young man with olive skin and jet-black hair that hung in ringlets on either side of his face.He wore a fringed prayer shawl and displayed the same leather phylacteries his devout father had worn.His dark features, Ulrika saw, were etched with pain and fury.Her heart went out to him.He had witnessed what no son should."I am all right," Miriam said in a tremulous voice, putting a hand on Samuel's arm."This dear daughter has brought good news." To Ulrika she said, "God will prepare places for you and your husband in Heaven.The consuming fire would have robbed my husband of the resurrection.""Resurrection?" Ulrika said."We will live again when the Master returns and the faithful are restored to their physical bodies, just as the Master was.""Forgive my astonishment, honored mother, but this is an extraordinary coincidence, for this the second time I have heard of this rebirth among Jews.The other was in Judea when I stayed awhile with a woman named Rachel.She was guarding her husband's grave against desecration by his enemies.His name was Jacob."Miriam gave her a startled look."But I used to know a Rachel and Jacob in Judea! Jacob was executed in Jerusalem by Herod Agrippa.We never knew what became of his wife."Ulrika told her of her ordeal by the Sea of Salt, how Rachel and Almah found her and her took her back to their camp."Wonder of wonders!" Miriam declared."Jacob and his brother John were the sons of Zebedee.They were part of the Twelve, and we wives followed them as they traveled with the Master during his ministry of the Good News.Yeshua worked miracles and after his death, thirty-one years ago, he passed that power to his disciples.This was how my Judah was able to help people.But he will work miracles again, when Yeshua returns to this earth, as he promised, and I will be reunited with my beloved husband in the resurrection." She frowned."But now, like Rachel, my sons and I must protect my husband's body.""Honored mother," Ulrika said quickly, praying that Sebastianus was having success with his contact in the governor's office, "I told you once that I am blessed with visions, as I know you are.I had a dream.Judah spoke to me.He wishes to be buried at Daniel's Castle, for that is sacred ground.Sebastianus will take him there.You must send someone to meet him.But be careful.It is very dangerous."As Miriam rose from her chair, Ulrika added, "There is one more thing.In the dream-visitation, Rabbi Judah said, 'Tell them to remember me.'"36ULRIKA PLACED HER TRAVEL packs in front of the tent and turned her eyes to the city's eastern wall and the Enlil Gate, through which heavy traffic endlessly flowed.Sebastianus had left that morning to inform the custom's agents of their departure, and to pay the tax.Now it was late afternoon.He should be here any moment.And tomorrow they would start for Rome!Around her, in the spring sunshine, the caravan camp was bustling with industry as slaves prepared the many animals for the journey, and the treasure-filled tents were being taken down, folded, their precious contents secured in sealed boxes.Ulrika had not been able to eat her lunch—soft warm bread, sharp goat's cheese, and spicy olives soaked in vinegar and oil.She was too excited.And she was in love and ached to feel her husband's touch again.She would never cease to marvel at the man she had married, his kindness to strangers at risk to himself.Sebastianus had been successful in secretly obtaining Rabbi Judah's body.He had taken it to Daniel's Castle where, out in the wilderness, far from traffic and passersby, Miriam and the family had buried him.When she saw Timonides stumble through the camp and slip inside his tent, Ulrika's thoughts shifted to the astrologer.She had tried to talk to him, comfort him.Timonides's usual zest was absent from his speech, there was no life in his body and his eyes.She knew it was due to the manner of Nestor's death
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