Hostages

With the story of the Slaughter of the Innocents running through her mind, Portia hatches a plan that could force her uncle and the Romans to allow Jerusalem’s children to escape the besieged city. She arranges for the zealots to kidnap her away from Toadie while he and she are riding outside the city. The zealots then offer to trade Portia back in exchange for safe passage for the children. Fearful that Tiberius will punish him for losing Portia, Toadie tries to make Tiberius think that he is Portia, but he’s quickly exposed. And back in Jerusalem, Portia and Macky are having problems of their own: the children don’t want to leave the city. As Tiberius and the Roman army prepare to attack, Macky tells the children how a very young Samuel heard the words of God and obeyed them. The kids finally decide to leave, and the battle is averted. Portia returns to her uncle Tiberius, who never suspects that this was all her idea.