The Whore of Babylon

Chapter 22 | part 1

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.