The Whore of Babylon

Chapter 11

Isin tendered his resignation, and Samsu was glad to accept. A date was set for him to leave the city in a fortnight's time, with a full escort all the way to Umma and an emissary to introduce him to their Ensi.

Mari went between Eliana and Isin with messages as they laid their plan – she was the only one who had freedom of the palace, and could even venture out into the city market occasionally.

It was a freedom that Eliana had never realised she would miss. The heat that shimmered off every stall; the close press of bodies that jostled her at every step and exuded every human smell imaginable; the merchants shouting their wares over the constant thrum of chatter – a steady vibration, like putting an ear to a beehive.

When her father had sent her to the marketplace, she'd hated every moment. Now, she would give anything she owned to go again. On a still day, she could hear the noise of the city over the palace walls and see the dust dancing in the air, stirred up by impatient feet. She felt more a prisoner than ever, and glad that Sarri wouldn't have to suffer confinement as she grew up.

Isin showed no signs of second thoughts – his messages were upbeat and positive, and he seemed to relish the idea of being a father to Kisha's child. They arranged that he should come to Eliana's garden at sunset the night before he was due to depart – Kisha was usually with Samsu at that hour, and Eliana would be able to hand Sarri over without causing any suspicion. By the time Kisha returned to the room, Isin would have left the palace.

Eliana considered hiding somewhere until the morning, perhaps up one of the trees – she had no idea how she would explain Sarri's absence. But her own disappearance along with her niece's would suggest that she too had escaped, and a city-wide hunt would be launched. If Isin was discovered, it would be the end of Sarri's chance at life.

Her only thought was that she could claim the physician had taken the baby for examination and would return her tomorrow – that would provide enough of a delay for Isin to get out of the city.

The more Eliana thought on the plan and the closer the day came, the more she tried to picture her sister's reaction and foresee the consequences of what she was planning.

It was not the thought of Samsu's punishment that scared her, though it would inevitably come out that it was she who had planned Sarri's escape, it was the thought that she might not be able to conceal the baby's whereabouts if he began to torture her. She would not put it past him – although he probably cared little about his daughter, it would be the principle of the thing. He would see it as defiance, and would punish her accordingly until he brought Sarri back.

And Kisha... her sweet, gentle sister had been replaced by someone unpleasant since the birth, but only because she was in constant fear for her child. If Sarri were taken away, would that fear be assuaged, or grow worse?

The more she looked ahead, the less she thought her sister would ever forgive her.

She knew that what they planned would be in Sarri's best interests, but she also had Kisha to worry about. And herself. Once Kisha understood what had happened, things could get very unpleasant in the apartments...

Eliana was torn. She had been resolved on her course of action, but it seemed that no matter what she did, misery would be caused somewhere.

It was as she watched her sister feed the baby on the night of the planned handover that she made her decision. Kisha gazed on her daughter with soft brown eyes brimming with love and wonder, as if she couldn't quite believe that this child had grown from her own body. As the baby suckled, Kisha gave a contented sigh.

'This is all I ever wanted from life,' she smiled.

Eliana was astonished. 'Confinement, restriction and an abusive husband?'