The Whore of Babylon

Chapter 28 | part 3

She was forced to admit defeat. There was a brief silence before she asked, 'Do you think Eshu is ready to rule?'

'With a strong regency council, I think so. He's a clever boy – bright, good with people, quick-witted, wise beyond his years...' Ashan's voice warmed as he praised his son. 'With the right guidance, he'll make an excellent king.'

'You don't think there'll be any opposition?'

'Not with me on his side. If there was going to be opposition, it would be trying to put me on the throne, as the only other available heir. I will lead the regency council, advise him, help him learn to rule, but I will not take the throne.'

She exhaled slowly, a long sigh of relief; she had not realised she was holding her breath.

'But there is one thing... Eliana...' his tone grew serious in the darkness.

'Ashan?' she breathed.

He came half a step closer, almost within touching distance.

'If Eshu is to be king, we will see a lot more of each other – with me leading the council, and you having a prominent place as queen mother.'

'Yes...' her heart took off at a gallop again as her body became painfully aware of his nearness. She had thought that these feelings were dealt with years ago, but they had resurrected themselves without her permission. This Ashan was stronger, more powerful, more confident than the man she had fallen in love with as a vulnerable girl. He was no longer afraid of Samsu, and she had faith that he would do what was necessary to protect her children and Kisha's.

'You have broken your vow – you swore never to see me alone again. I just want you to know – I can't work alongside you without telling you – I have never broken mine.'

'Yours?' she was baffled for a moment.

'My vow. The one I made the day you broke my heart. I respected your wishes, kept my distance for the sake of you and the children, for your safety; but I promised you that, no matter how long it took, I would wait for you, and I have kept my promise. No matter how aloof you were, how haughty, I kept a spark of love for you burning in my heart. There has never been anyone else for me, but you.'

'Oh, Ashan.' She took a step towards him, closing the gap that separated them.

'If you don't feel the same, that's fine,' he rattled on, quickly, 'just say so, and I swear I'll never bring it up again; but all these years I have held out in hopes of you, and now I need to know whether to let them go for good, or...'

'Hush!' she smiled, lowering her hood. 'I love you, too. I told myself that the love was gone, but it never truly was. Please, tell me you understand why I did it.'

'Of course I understand,' he wound his arms around her waist, resting his chin atop her head, 'but it didn't make it any easier to bear.'

She slipped her arms underneath his, clasping her hands behind his back and standing with her head resting against his chest. It was harder, more muscled than she remembered it, but his scent was the same, and it set a wildfire of memories blazing through her blood.

Pulling back, she stretched up on tiptoe as he bent his head to meet hers; their lips came together in a kiss full of a heat and passion that she had forgotten she could feel, that she had only ever felt in his arms.

He slipped his hands under her cloak, sharing her warmth and pulling her closer to him. She reached up and entangled her fingers in the hair that fell across the back of his neck, grazing her fingertips against the fragile hollow beneath his ear and allowing them to trail across his shoulder and down his bicep. He groaned in arousal and tried to pull away, 'How do you always have this effect on me?' he growled. 'Almost ten years, and you can still make me desperate for you with the lightest touch.'

'It's only fair,' she laughed, holding onto him. 'You do the same to me.'

'Let go now,' he said. 'You are not free yet.'

'No.' She shook her head, 'We have to be together again, just once. In case we fail.'

'We can't go inside – we might be heard.'

She took his hand and led him around behind some potted trees to a favourite bench of hers. 'Will this do?' she smiled, wickedly.

In answer, he pushed her down on the bench and covered her body with his own. One hand cupped her face as his lips met hers again, his tongue searching hers as the other hand brushed lightly against her warm breasts beneath the cloak.

She was suddenly overwhelmed with need – she had to know that he loved her, that he truly wanted her. Reaching down between his legs, she pulled up his tunic – he was hard, ready for her. She began to caress him, sliding the silken-smooth skin of his member against her palms, stroking the shaft, encircling the head.

In answer, his hand snaked down between her legs, fumbling with her gown as he pulled it up to her waist. He began to stroke her with such gentleness that she felt she might explode with frustration.

'Take me, Ashan,' she whispered, urgently.

He did not need telling twice – in moments, they were making love. It was only the second time in all the years since he had first confessed his feelings for her, yet it felt as though their bodies had known each other forever. As he moved inside her, the memories flooded back – she remembered that there was pleasure to be had in this act, that a man could make her feel good, could take her to the very gates of heaven.

When he could hold out no longer, he brought his head to her shoulder and kissed her neck as he shuddered to his climax, struggling valiantly to keep himself silent. He lay panting against her chest; she stroked his hair as the sweat cooled on her skin.

'Thank you,' she said.

He raised his head, surprised. 'For what?'

'For keeping faith,' she smiled.

He answered with a kiss.

When they had recovered, they began to make their plans. It would have to be poison, they decided – they would bring Mari in on their secret. With her great knowledge of medicine, she must have acquired some skill with the darker herbs along the way. They would require something fast-acting, something that left no visible sign of their crime.

Eliana would invite her husband for dinner – a quiet, family affair, under the pretext of Eshu wanting to spend more time in his father's company, to learn from him. In his increasing paranoia, Samsu trusted no-one but Ashan to serve his food and wine. The responsibility of slipping the poison into Samsu's drink would lie with Ashan, and if they failed, he alone would take the blame.

She had protested this last part at first, until he made her see that the children needed her – he could bear whatever pain Samsu chose to inflict to end his life, as long as he knew that they were safe, that he had a son to continue his legacy.

They would give it out that the king had died choking on his food – an ignominious death for a once- revered warrior.

When their plans were thought out to the last detail, they returned to their beds.

Eliana lay awake until Suen retired and Utu lifted his golden head above the horizon. She had no sleep that night – her mind raced over all the possible outcomes of the situation.

There was no turning back now, and no possibility of failure. She must not allow her courage to forsake her. They had one chance at this, and one only – any blunder meant certain death.