The Whore of Babylon

Chapter 25 | part 1

The news of Samsu's accession threw the Red Palace into uproar. The comfortable routines of the last weeks and months were blown away in a heartbeat, and suddenly every servant from the most senior steward to the lowliest kitchen maid had a role to play in packing up the place for the move to Babylon.

Samsu was determined that they would arrive in Babylon in time for Akitu – the fortnight-long harvest festival that celebrated Marduk's victory over the water demon Tiamat. On the fifth day of the festival, the Babylonians had some traditional ritual in which the king must submit publically to Marduk, and so it was vital that he be enthroned before then.

Life for Eliana had never been so hectic – there were still the four children to look after, and now she had to supervise the careful packing and transportation of all their clothes and belongings, as well as her own. Mari was less and less mobile, and Eliana was beginning to think that Samsu had forgotten his promise to send her two more maids, though she supposed there would be a whole army of staff when they reached Babylon.

On top of all that, Samsu insisted that she have a wardrobe befitting a queen when they made their entry into Babylon – she was plagued by dressmakers and goldsmiths, bowing and scraping to her as they measured and fitted and plied their wares.

More than anything, what she could not get used to was her new honorific. Whenever somebody called her 'your highness', she failed to answer – it just did not seem natural that they might be speaking to her.

One thing stuck in the back of her mind in the midst of all the preparations – her father. He would be left in charge of Nippur, as he had been before the conquest, but now subject to Samsu. Adab would be expected to send regular reports to Babylon, but unless they contained stories of rebellion and trouble, they would no doubt end up buried in the vast mountain of reports that must pour in every day from all over the empire. It was with a bitter pang of sadness that Eliana realised that she was going to Babylon as queen; it must become her new home, and she might never see Nippur – or her father – ever again.

Though she had not had more than a handful of glimpses of him in the three years since her arrival in the Red Palace, it was painful to think that she might never speak to him again. She would so like to say goodbye – to speak to him, and show him that she had matured from a proud and headstrong child into a daughter, a queen, to be proud of.

She confided this to Ashan when he visited to congratulate her on her new status, and ask if there was anything he could do for her. They both knew the real reason for his visit – he held both his children, kissed them fondly, gave them his blessing, and looked longingly at them when it was time to leave. Still, he had said nothing when she expressed a wish to see her father – she supposed it was impossible, and he did not want to upset her by saying so.

The days passed in a frenzy of activity, and before she knew it, she was waking up in a near-empty bedroom on the day of their departure.

The royal party were to meet at the north gate an hour after sunrise. When Eliana stepped through the huge thick wooden doors at the front of the palace, from cool dim passageways into dazzling sunlight, the forecourt was alive with noise and frantic activity. Her appearance did not go unnoticed.

A steward banged his staff as she stepped out, 'Her Highness, Queen Eliana of Babylon,' he called.

All activity stopped, and every servant of high or low estate paused to bow to her as she passed. She tried to greet old friends, people who, just a few months ago, recognised her as an equal, a slave as much as they were. Now they all averted their eyes, murmured deferential nothings. It infuriated her.

Spying Resu amongst the crowd, she stopped before him. The old man kept his head bowed, showing her his thinning hair instead of his gruff face.

'Resu,' she smiled. 'I hope you are accompanying us to Babylon?'