I Saw Three Ships

For today’s Fiction Friday short story, I’m doing something a little different. Since it’s almost Christmas, I wanted to do something festive. So, today’s story is a fantasy reimagining of the Nativity story based on a popular, tradition Christmas song. It’s also one of those songs that doesn’t make much sense when you listen to the words. So, without any further ado, even though there’s no body of water in Bethlehem…

“I Saw Three Ships”

I met Yosef and Miriam when they were en route to Bethlehem. Miriam was with child, and the child’s time was complete and could be born on any day. In the distance, I could hardly tell the difference between the two, both heavily bundled up to protect from the elements, both seated on a camel.

And they were both being hunted.

I spotted them just as they were stopping to make camp. I went to greet them and offer them shelter, as my tents and campsite were already set up.

As I approached, he attacked.

Ba’al Nachash, the Serpent King, managed to bite and poison their camels, but he could not touch Yosef and Miriam. 

I wouldn’t allow him to. 

I drew my weapon, The Sword of Breath, from its scabbard. I called upon the God of my ancestors and swung the blade as the serpent sprang to strike the woman.

My sword barely broke its skin, but the serpent lurched back and rolled in the desert’s dust. The serpent turned towards me and glared, baring its fangs.

I pointed the sword at the creature, and the blade glowed bright white in the darkening twilight. I inhaled and gathered my thoughts and memory to speak a Word from the Breath, but the serpent dove into the sand and disappeared.

Yosef helped his frightened wife to her feet and led her a few paces away from their slain camels. He turned to me and asked, “Who are you, sir, and what was that which attacked us?”

Miriam, paying no mind to me, only looked at the camels. She whispered to her husband, “No, no, no…we need the camels. Yosef, we’ll never get there before the baby comes.”

I said, “Come with me. I will grant you shelter and help you on your journey.”

I helped Yosef gather his and his wife’s belongings from the camel, and I led them to my large campsite. We exchanged pleasantries, but we didn’t talk much more until I’d been able to serve them some bread and water, and we ate under the stars in the warmth of my campfire.

Yosef said, “Thank you, sir, for your hospitality. And thank you for bringing us to safety. You know not the importance of your charity.”

“The God of our ancestors has revealed part but not whole. You gave some questions for me, and I have some questions for you. I was on a journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, my home, when the Voice told me stop and wait. I knew not for what until I saw you both on the horizon.”

Yosef asked, “Are you a prophet that you so hear from God?”

“No more a prophet than both of you. The messenger Gabriel told me he’d spoken to two in dreams, a husband and bride to be. My spirit now tells me he spoke of you, Yosef and Miriam.”

Miriam turned to Yosef, but I said, “Blessed daughter, you are free to speak here.”

Miriam nodded. “Thank you, sir. You know much as any prophet; tell me, know you the treasure I’ve been entrusted to carry?”

“Your child is Immanuel.”

Miriam said, “Then you must know why we need to get to Bethlehem safely. If anything happens to the child…” She shuddered.

Yosef said, “We face the road of the western desert. Without the camels, I fear what will come of our journey. You say you can help, but I see not how.”

Miriam said, “Well Yosef, he did help, did he not?” She turned towards me: “I’m curious how you knew to rescue us when you did, and I’m intrigued by the sword you fought with.”

“I already told you I am Shemuel, Bar Yoshua. Now I reveal, I am Shemuel, a Magus of Melchizidek. Have you heard of our order of magi?”

Yoseph said, “I’ve never heard of your order, but I do know of Melchizidek.”

I said, “Our father Abraham honored Melchizidek, the King of Peace. Our order was formed to defend the coming Prince of Peace, Messiah Himself, from Abraham’s bloodline and of the power and authority of Melchizidek’s priesthood.”

Miriam said, “You speak mysteries, yet they calm me. I know the child is the Prince of Peace, Messiah foretold. Tell me, what is the blade with which you fought off the creature?”

“It is the Sword of Breath, forged by the Voice of El Elyon. It is our order’s most cherished, most sacred, most effective weapon. We use it to fight against any who resist the coming Messiah. It has been passed down for generations, but it was once wielded by Melchizidek himself.”

Yosef said, “Another fascinating mystery, Shemuel. I would also like to know about the beast which hunted us. I didn’t get a good look at it—I simply knew it was there when the camels lost strength.”

“Ba’al Nachash. Fear him not, but be very wary. He is Lord of the Serpent, a demonic entity, maybe even the Accuser himself, the dark serpent from the days of Eden. He’s been hunting Messiah for generations. The Magi of Melchizidek have fought him several times, yet never slain.”

Miriam rubbed her belly and said, “If this Ba’al Nachash hunts us, fine. The Lord will protect us. I’m more worried about the journey. The camels are dead. Even if the serpent doesn’t take our lives, the desert might.”

I smiled. “Miriam and Yosef, there is still much you don’t know. I believe, with the power of El Elyon, his messengers, and his sword, I can take you to Bethlehem.”

Yosef said, “Do you have camels?”

“One. But I also have access to another world. See, the circle of the earth is much larger than you understand it to be. It also has many layers, many realms overlapping and interweaving, just beyond sight and comprehension of the common man.”

Eyes wide, Miriam said, “I believe you, Magus, but I understand none of it.”

“Even so, let us sleep. I will protect you from Ba’al Nachash if he dares cross into my territory. But when we wake, I will take you to Bethlehem, and you will arrive next morning.”

“Next morning?” Yosef exclaimed. “Forgive me, Magus Shemuel—Miriam might believe you, but I don’t know if I can.”

“Do you believe the one who spoke in your dreams? Do you believe the one who made your wife with child, when she’s still not known you or any other man? Sleep, good man. I will show you the way in the morning.”

I kept watch, and I used the sword to set up spiritual defenses around camp. A few hours before dawn, Yosef awakened and offered to watch the remainder of the night, and with the defenses up, I confidently obliged.

In the morning, I knew Yosef and Miriam were getting antsy. How could they not be? I continued reassuring them that I could get them to Bethlehem in one day, but they had yet to see any evidence to accompany my outlandish claims.

Finally, after a quick breakfast, I announced, “Now is the time.”

Yosef asked, “Do we need to break camp and pack up your belongings?”

Miriam said, “Please tell we are not just taking your one camel for the three of us. That would not do to take us all the way to Bethlehem safely, with the child safe as well.”

I said, “We’re leaving most of it. I will pack a few of my belongings, but we don’t have time to fully tear-down and pack.”

Yosef said, “Robbers will surely take it all. I can help you carry everything.” 

“Everything as you also assist your wife and child? Nay. You, Miriam, and the child’s safety is my priority. The ones I traveled with went ahead of me to Jerusalem, but it was the Spirit told me to stay and wait for you. Now that my camp has served you for the night, holding on to it longer is only vanity.”

They gathered their things and I took my leather pouch and gathered the small amount of things I’d planned on taking with me.

After we finished and walked away from the camp several paces towards the west, Miriam spoke.

“Magus Shemuel, I cannot go the whole way on foot. Please, show us your way, this other realm you were speaking of.”

“We only need to walk a while longer, and we will be where we need to be.”

Yosef looked frustrated my my answer, but he didn’t say anything we continued walking for half of an hour.

We stopped at the top of a hill and could see the desert continuing through the rolling hills of the west. Beyond our sight, Jerusalem lay further south to the west, and even further south was Bethlehem, but I knew to get to Bethlehem the quickest, we’d need to bypass the city altogether. 

And I knew the best way to do that.

I drew The Sword of Breath and held it aloft. I said, “I call forth the mighty Breath in the name of El Elyon. In the words of Your servant Isaiah, 

“‘Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.’

“Open our eyes and make a way for your servants in the realm of your river!”

With those words, the blade glowed once more with a blinding white light.

Yosef said, “Magus, see the serpent. It’s coming right towards us, but you don’t seem to notice!”

Indeed, I had recognized Ba’al Nachash coming towards us, slithering over the desert floor. “I see it, Yosef, but I don’t notice it. Can you see the river?”

Miriam said, “The Jordan to the east, but it is not where we’re going.”

I slashed the sword down, and the blade cut a hole in the air, piercing the fabric of reality. At first, the tear looked like a white line, but the line split open and through it the world looked different. Instead of desert, the ground was a grassland meadow, and further down the hill was a wide, large river.

Miriam asked, “What is that? What did you do?”

I said, “I made a doorway to another realm. Come see.”

I climbed through the hole to the other world and helped Miriam and Yosef through as well. Just as they cleared the entrance, the serpent tried leaping through, its fangs bared for attack. I swung the sword and whacked Ba’al Nachash back through the hole into the desert, but as I did, I noticed the snake was larger, wider than it had been on our first confrontation.

“We must go quickly,” I said. “I slowed him down, but he will still be hunting the child.”

I led them down the hill, and Yosef and Miriam were looking all around, marveling at the new realm. In just a few minutes, we approached the wide river’s banks.

“You can’t expect me to run to Bethlehem,” Miriam said. “Nor can I swim, not if we want to keep the child safe.”

“Look upstream,” I said. 

On the horizon, three large ships appeared and were flowing towards us. I waved my hands in the air, and the ships lowered their sails, slowed down, and dropped anchor. The one closest to us sent a small boat to shore. We climbed in, it took us to the ship, and the crew hauled us aboard.

A man with a large hat on his head and a broadsword in his hand greeted us. A man I recognized.

“Well, well,” the man said, “if it isn’t Shemuel of the Magi. What a coincidence.”

“There are no coincidences in the order of Melchizidek, Captain. I do believe you owe me a favor.”

“What a time to come calling for the reckoning of favors, eh? Who are your guests, and what’ve you roped me into, Magus?”

“Yosef and Miriam,” I said, “meet Captain Zacharias, leader of the Fleet of Three Ravens. We are aboard the White Raven, and the others are called the Red Raven and the Black Raven.”

Miriam chuckled. Captain Zacharias looked at her and then back at me.

“What does she think is so funny?” he yelled.

Yosef said, “We mean no disrespect, Captain, Sir…it’s just, all three of the ships are brown and wooden. The names surprised us.”

“Magus, tell what these two are doing on my ship and what favor I might be helping ye with. Tell me before they both go to the brig!”

“Calm down, Captain,” I said. “They are the favor. You can see, the woman is with child. She will give birth any day now, but before she does, both she and her husband need to be in Bethlehem. Get us there by morning, and your debt with me is fulfilled.”

“You couldn’t’ve picked worse timing, Shemuel. We already need to make a supply stop in Jericho, and I have a shipment headed for New Salem Harbor. The rendezvous is tomorrow afternoon.”

“Then you may return to New Salem Harbor after you deliver the man and woman.”

The captain said, “Have you tried paddling these ships upstream? It isn’t easy.”

“Your men have oars, and I’ve seen first hand that they are trained in the art of rowing. Your excuse is a thin one.”

“I can drop them off in New Salem. It isn’t a long distance to Bethlehem from there.”

“They’d never survive the Shadow Road. Follow the river downstream, Captain. Do not stop until you reach Bethlehem’s Docks.”

Yosef said, “Magus, Bethlehem doesn’t have docks. And what is New Salem Harbor?”

I smiled. “We’re in another world, remember? In this realm, Jerusalem is called New Salem. And Jericho, New Salem, and Bethlehem are next to this very river.”

Understanding dawned on Miriam’s face. “We’re sailing in to Bethlehem? All the way there?”

I said, “Yes. All the way there.”

The captain said, “No! I have unsettled debts in Bethlehem. Not to mention the beasts…”

“The friendly beasts will not harm you, Captain. These are my terms! You owe me the favor, remember?”

“Fine,” the captain said, “but two of the ravens will dock in New Salem.”

“No, all three are sailing in to Bethlehem. You will need the strength of the three.”

Captain Zacharias gritted his teeth. “Okay, if those are your terms. But I refuse to leave the ship for any reason.”

“Of course,” I said. “But in return, the woman will ride on your donkey.”

The captain stormed off towards the helm on the upper deck. Within another minute or two, the anchors and sails were raised, and we skimmed gracefully down the large river.

Over the next several hours, I talked with Miriam and Yosef to ease their fears. The ships all three did stop at Jericho; that much I couldn’t talk the captain out of. Still, I knew these ships and I knew this river, and I knew we would still get to Bethlehem before the sun’s dawn.

We left Jericho after nightfall, and everything thus far had gone smoothly. But from the crow’s nest, a scout spotted something unusual upstream.

On the upper deck, Miriam lay bundled in blankets but still ready to leave the ship the moment we’s arrive. Yosef had tried to sleep, but he could not. I was standing with Yosef when the scout called from his perch.

“Something’s coming—I see it in the distance—a monster!”

All the sailors who weren’t busy manning the ship armed themselves, most with bows and arrows and many with swords. Yosef woke Miriam, and as he did, I looked to see if I could see the beast in the moonlight.

“There!” I said, pointing, as arrows shot into the starlit river. Indeed, the beast was Ba’al Nachash, but it had grown: It’s head was now half the size of a man, and it extended at least four ship-lengths long. Only a few of the arrows actually hit its darkly scaled sin, but none of them penetrated.

I unsheathed the Sword of Breath and ran to the edge of the ship deck. Ba’al Nachash lunged forward, its mouth opened, prepared grab me.

I called, “In the breath of El Elyon, the prophet Isaiah says, 

“‘In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea.’”

The sword gleamed its usual white, and I swung it into the serpent’s mouth. Shards of teeth cracked and shattered, pieces clattering on the ship deck, and the blade cut deep into the creature’s mouth, blood spurting from the back edges of its lips. 

Its retracted, venom-laced fangs sprung, and the serpent yanked its head back, using its fangs to try and yank the sword from my hand. I gripped with all my might and pulled the sword free from the mouth, and I sliced a line down the side of Ba’al Nachash’s face in the process.

The creature shrieked as the archers from all three ships shot a new wave of arrows, many slicing through the beast’s vulnerable mouth, lacerating its lithe tongue and thick throat.

It reared its head at the ship again, but when it got close enough I stabbed the glowing sword between its scales. It screeched once more, its head landing on the deck, less than ten paces away from Yosef and Miriam. The ship rocked with the serpent’s weight, but the brave sword-bearing sailor took the opportunity to stumble towards the beast, and at least four of them were able to push their blades through the skin.

Still living, Ba’al Nachash pulled itself back into the sea and growled to the sky.

Captain Zacharias approached me and said, “Magus, is this why you insisted on using all three ships?”

I didn’t respond, as I was watching the creature and assessing the situation for the next course of action.

He yelled, “When we get out of this, you’re paying to get my ships fixed!”

I nodded, eyes still on the serpent. “I am a fair man, Captain. We will reach an understanding, I promise.”

Yosef said, “Magus, I’m taking Miriam below deck. She’s not safe.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Yosef,” Miriam countered. “It’s here for my baby. I go below deck, then the beast will rip the whole ship apart and we’ll all be dead.”

“I won’t let it get you or the baby,” Yosef said.

“Neither will I,” Miriam said.

“I—” I started, when the serpent leapt into the air. When the whole snake was out of the water, it flicked and contorted into a spinning coil, and moments later, Ba’al Nachash was small again, the size of an average snake—and it landed on deck, ten paces away from Miriam.

Several sailors ran with their swords, ready to strike, but the serpent was too fast, and he weaved between each of the archers and swordsmen.

I yelled to Yosef, “Get Miriam below deck!” and I rushed to intercept the serpent. I stepped between the snake and Miriam and I swung the Sword of Breath, but the serpent slipped over my blow, and I turned just in time to Ba’al Nachash’s fangs sink into Miriam’s heel as she tried fleeing with Yosef.

For a moment, everything on the ship stopped.

Miriam looked at the snake over her shoulder, and I saw something I didn’t expect.

The righteous, protective wrath of a loving mother. The snake still held its bite, undoubtedly trying to release as much venom as possible.

But Miriam spun and slammed her heel into the ground, crushing the snake’s head onto the ship deck, its blood splattering every direction.

She leaned forward, yanked the Sword of Breath from my hand and said, “As Moses recorded in the book of the beginning,

“‘I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.’”

The sword glowed even brighter, until blue flame emanated from the blade. Miriam removed her heel and slashed and Ba’al Nachash until nothing remained but pieces.

She only stopped and gave me the sword when it stopped glowing.

“What?” she said, looking at Yosef’s wide-eyed face. 

“It’s just…I’ve never seen a woman, let alone a pregnant woman, handle a sword like that.”

“Is that a problem?”

“No dear, not at all,” Yosef said. 

“Wait,” I said, “the venom!”

Miriam laughed. “After all I’ve been through, there’s no way a little venom’s going to stop what Yahweh already set in motion.” She started to walk away, but she stumbled in a limp.

“Even so, let’s make sure.” I said. I wiped off the blade and gently placed the sword on Miriam’s heel. “As Yah revealed through his servant Moses, 

‘See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.’”

The blade gleamed once again, and I touched the sword gently to her heel, and it healed instantly.

“Captain,” I yelled. “Prepare your donkey. Bethlehem draws near.”

The three ships sailed into Bethlehem just minutes before dawn.

I led them and the donkey away from the docks towards the main entrance of the town. Yosef walked with the donkey while Miriam rode.

“I can feel it, Yosef,” Miriam said. “I think today’s the day.”

Yosef said, “Thank you for everything, Magus, but this isn’t the Bethlehem I remember.”

I nodded and cut a new hole in the air with the Sword of Breath. “The world you know and the Bethlehem you remember is through this doorway.”

Miriam said, “Magus Shemuel, ‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.’”

“Thank you,” I said, with a smile and nod. “You and Yosef are more blessed than you know. I’m afraid your troubles do not end here, but this is where we part ways. You and your child will be in my prayers always.”

Yosef gave me his blessing as well, and they entered Bethlehem on the last morning before the birth Immanuel, the destined Prince of Peace.

I turned back.

The captain said, “You’re going to replace my ships, yes?”

“All of your boats remain afloat.”

“That serpent did deal damage.”

I sighed. “I will give you what is fair.”

The ships began to row back towards New Salem Harbor.

Captain Zacharias said, “You Magi of Melchizidek are sworn to protect Messiah, correct?”

“Yes.”

“So, with the birth of this child, is your sworn duty complete?”

“Nay. The birth is only phase one. The child is the Prince of Peace, yes, but he has much to do before the true battle is won.”

“So, the defeat of that snake wasn’t the battle?”

“I was a shadow,” I said. “We will not see the full victory until the child grows up and wins the battle himself.”

The captain nodded and returned to the helm, but I looked back towards the City of David, as the three ships sailed, away from Bethlehem, on Christmas day in the morning.

~~The End~~

[All Quoted Bible verses taken from ESV]