The Whore of Babylon

Chapter 10 | part 1

'Let's do it.'

Eliana had wrestled with her conscience, but the baby's welfare had to come first. Sarri relied on her mother and aunt to give her the best quality of life they could, that was the nature of being a parent. Eliana had finally convinced herself that Sarri would have a better quality of life away from the palace, away from Samsu.

She would have a chance to grow up free from fear, cherished by an adopted family and free to marry whom she chose when the time was right. Being denied that privilege herself, Eliana was all the keener that Sarri would not end up chained to a monster who would only take her for the dynastic advantages. She deserved a man like Isin, who loved her and was willing to go to the ends of the earth to help her.

Isin. He was the next fence to clear.

'Are you sure?' whispered Mari. 'Once we commit, there's no turning back.'

'I'm sure. Get Isin to meet me at my garden at dusk – we'll be safe there.'

Eliana's garden was in a tranquil, secluded spot. Not so far from the stream that she couldn't still hear its soothing babble, but far enough to take her comfortably off the path and into a patch bordered by trees on three sides and a wall on the fourth. She felt safe there. When she sat with her back against the sun-warmed stone wall, nobody could sneak up on her. She had her plants to amuse her, the soft grass for a bed, and the sun for company as he drenched her little space with his rays.

Even shut away in the depths of the palace, she had found a place to call her own.

After dinner, she took the lyre and went to sit out amongst her herbs. The sky flamed as Utu began to lay his head to rest. She had intended to practise her playing, work on a tune she had been composing, but in the end it was irresistible. Stretching out on her back in a pool of sunlight, luxuriating like a cat in the warmth, she watched the sky as it dimmed from orange, to pink, to purple twilight.

A light cough came from the trees.

'It's safe, Isin.' She said in a low voice.

He stepped out from behind a date tree. If it was possible, he was even paler than when she'd last seen him. His eyes were large and bright in an almost emaciated face.

She gasped. 'Have you been ill?'

'Just heartsick,' he mumbled.

'You haven't been eating, have you? Here,' she stood and plucked a ripe fig from one of the trees.

He shook his head. 'I'm not hungry.'

Pressing into his hand, she insisted, 'eat.'

Taking the fruit, he made no move to put it in his mouth. 'You didn't ask me here to ask after my health – what do you want?'

Eliana hesitated a moment, searching for the right words. 'It's Kisha,' she began.

'Well obviously it's Kisha – do you think I'd have come otherwise?' he snapped. Her shock must have been visible, for he immediately hung his head, flushing in shame. 'I'm so sorry ahatatu,' he used his pet name for her, little sister, 'it's just that I've been under a great deal of strain lately. I'm thinking of leaving the city altogether. It's clear I'll find no happiness here.'

'Will Samsu let you leave?'

'Willingly – he's granted me safe passage to Umma, and offered to give me an introduction to the Ensi there, on the understanding that I never return to Nippur.'

She pulled a face, 'and are you going?'

'I suppose so. There's nothing for me here. I'll never love anyone other than Kisha, and my career is limited here because of our relationship, though we've not laid eyes on each other in over a year. I might as well start afresh somewhere else.'