A fortnight after her announcement, Eliana was moved, along with Mari and the girls, to a vast suite of rooms that almost rivalled Susa's for luxury. Her jaw dropped as she was ushered through the doorway – sun streamed through the expansive windows at the far end of the room, where the doors to the terrace stood wide open to allow a cool breeze to ripple through, carrying the scent of blossoms from the gardens.
The walls had been painted with vibrant scenes illustrating Samsu's great victories – Eliana supposed that he wanted his daughters reminded of their father's greatness every time they glanced around. The living space was equipped with every luxury – the stools and tables all had legs carved to resemble those of an ox, just as Susa's throne had had. A great copper plate was set on a broad table near the middle of the room; it in, flower petals drifted in fragrant oil.
Not one detail had been overlooked. This was clearly a reward for her pregnancy – she wondered if he would take it all away again if she was delivered of a girl.
Mari followed in behind, carrying Kisuri and holding Sarri's hand. She gasped, stunned, and immediately went off to explore the other rooms.
They were as lavish as the first – there was a well-equipped nursery for the two girls, with a room leading off it for Mari, as well as a grand bedchamber and dressing room for Eliana. She looked at the bed with just a hint of melancholy – it was enormous, hung with rose-pink curtains and draped with matching silken sheets; it looked inviting and comfortable... but she missed the bed she had shared with Kisha. The bed she had shared with Ashan.
Somehow, it felt that by leaving that bed behind, she left behind her last traces of physical connection to Ashan and Kisha. There had been a strange strength in sleeping in the bed that Kisha had died in, a feeling that somehow, they still slept together. She wandered from room to room, gazing around sadly; her surroundings were beautiful, but Kisha had never set foot here. It would never be home.
All her possessions had been moved on ahead – there was no need to unpack or fuss over where things should go, it had all been arranged for her. She sank onto a plush cushion and studied the walls, wondering if Ashan was depicted in any of the paintings. Eliana missed him desperately in those first long weeks. She felt his absence more as her belly began to grow.
Perhaps it was best that he was gone. The added space and grandeur of her new apartments came with the distinct downside that she was much nearer to Samsu – it would be far harder and riskier to snatch a private moment with Ashan now.
Less than half a day after their arrival, they had visitors.
The Brute and Ani arrived together, bearing gifts from the royal couple.
They made no pretence at civility. Ani stepped forward first, a cold smirk on her lips. 'My mistress thought you might appreciate this, in your current state.' She thrust something small and black towards Eliana; she recognised it immediately, with a heave of revulsion in her stomach.
Slowly, deliberately, she reached out for the statuette of Lasmashtu. The last time she had seen it, it had been tied to the neck of the dead and decaying dog that had shocked Kisha into labour. She was not so easily shocked as her sister.
Ani held out her hand to drop it into Eliana's – at the last moment, Eliana drew her hand away. The statuette tumbled to the floor with a satisfying crack as it broke into three pieces of the tiles.
'Oh,' Eliana gave a falsely apologetic smile. 'Such a pity – do tell your mistress I am sorry. I truly appreciate her gift, and accept it in the spirit in which it was sent.'
Glaring through narrowed eyes, Ani made no reply. Eliana turned to the Brute. Her palms sweated a little and her hands trembled – every time she looked at this man she could feel nothing but the terror he had inflicted on her as he had systematically stripped away her pride, her dignity and her innocence. She was fully under Samsu's protection now, but it brought her little comfort when the Brute could so easily kill her with a well-landed blow.
'The prince sends this, with a summons to attend him in his rooms tonight. Bring it with you.' He thrust a large object towards her, wrapped in red silk.
She took it and drew off the cover, revealing an elegant lyre of gilded wood, carved with the snake-dragon of Marduk and inlaid with panels of lapis lazuli and shell. It was breathtaking.
Running her fingers tentatively over the strings, she smiled. It was perfectly in tune.
'You may thank the prince from me,' she said briskly, turning away from the pair, walking towards the terrace with her gift .
Ani glanced down at the floor and gave a spiteful kick – one of the pieces of the childbirth demon came skittering across the floor towards Eliana's feet.
She ignored it.
Taking a final look around, no doubt to inform Susa of her rival's new station, Ani and the Brute left without another word.
Mari popped her head out from the nursery, taking in the beautiful lyre and the shattered statuette. 'That's lovely,' she nodded at the instrument. 'Samsu?'
'Yes,' smiled Eliana. 'The first gift he's ever given me that I might actually want.'
'He's winning you over, then?'
Eliana looked up sharply, 'never.'
'And what's that on the floor?'
Looking down at the pieces of jet at her feet, Eliana shrugged. 'Just Susa. Nothing I can't handle.'
**
When she went to Samsu that evening, she determined to be pleasant, if he would. They were married, she was stuck with him. She would never forgive him, never let go of her hatred for him, but perhaps she could learn to live under some sort of peace banner for the time being, until some better option presented itself.
'Ah, karkittu,' he beckoned her in when she appeared in the doorway, not bothering to stand from his cushions. She walked over, set down her lyre and bowed.
His eyes lit to see her in his favourite posture – prone, submissive, compliant. He stood then, and walked around her – she grimaced as he gripped her buttocks in both hands and squeezed hard. He delivered a stinging slap across her backside for the sheer pleasure of hearing her yelp in pain and surprise.
'Sit up.'
She sat, her cheeks burning with the degradation, knowing what was coming. Her pregnancy afforded her some little protection, but she must still satisfy her husband in other ways. He hitched up his tunic and stood before her.
When he was satiated, he rearranged himself and went back to the cushions, patting one nearby in an invitation to join him. Eliana stood and moved over to him gingerly, feeling slightly nauseous. It didn't matter how many times she had to perform the act, it left her feeling dirty and sick to her stomach.
'Are you pleased with the lyre?' he asked.
'Yes, very pleased, thank you,' she gave a weak smile. 'It will give me many hours of pleasure.'
He nodded, 'a reward for the many hours of pleasure you have given me.'
She repressed a shudder – those hours had not been given, but forced from her.
'There are a few matters I wish for your opinion on,' he continued. 'Certain issues that arose at yesterday's audience.'
It was all the usual problems – shortage of food, decreasing population as people moved away from Nippur, fewer people to tend the land, fewer skilled labourers.
'... of course, the lack of farmers will be less of an issue when Susa's temple is erected on the common land...' he was saying.
An alarm sounded in Eliana's head. 'What temple is this?' she asked evenly.
'Nothing much. My wife wants the common land to build a temple to Pirikir – some mother-goddess from her homeland. She just wants the revenues from visitors to the temple, of course, but it looks good to the people.'
'It does not!' Eliana burst out.
Samsu glared at her.
'It does not, sir,' she amended. 'It's not the farmers who use the land. The poorest people of Nippur need it to survive – if they cannot grow food there, they'll starve. I beg you, don't let her have the land.'
He shrugged. 'I have already said yes, in principle. It just has to be finalised at audience.'
'Please, don't let her take it from the people who need it most – block her.'
'Why should I?'
She thought quickly, remembering how he had craved acclaim on their journey through the city on the day of their wedding. 'Because the people will love you for it,' she tried. 'You will be the wise and benevolent ruler who saved their land and protected them from starvation.'
He was silent for a moment. Then, 'I'll think about it. I suggest that if you do want to challenge Susa for use of the land, you do so at the next audience.'
His tone told her that he would brook no more discussion of the matter tonight. She took a few deep breaths, pushing it to the back of her mind, where she could draw it out later to think on when she was alone. She cast about for a subject to lighten the conversation.
'Sarri is walking now,' she ventured.
'Who?' He was barely paying attention as he scowled at another tablet.
'Your eldest daughter. She's very bright, interested in everything and learning new words every day. And Kisuri is thriving too, considering that she was not expected to survive her first night in this world.'
Samsu looked up, taken aback, as though he'd forgotten he had one daughter, let alone two. 'Oh. Yes, good. I'm pleased to hear it.' He paused. Eliana could almost hear the machinations of his mind. 'Bring them to audience next week and present them to the court. Wear something tight, show the swell of your belly. It will be good to remind people that I am a part of something more permanent than their petty troubles – a great line of kings stretching back for generations, one that will endure as long as time itself. My daughters' presence, with your pregnant belly, will showcase my fertility, prove I am blessed by the gods.'
'Sarri has nothing suitable to wear, sir.'
'Then take a bolt of silk from the store cupboards and have something made, just bring her next week. Now, amuse me. Play something for me.'