The Whore of Babylon

Chapter 23 | part 2

For all that she had said, Eliana couldn't bring herself to fully trust Mari. She tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, but uncertainty lingered.

The girl had been true to her promise to taste everything that came to Eliana's table, and the incident had not been mentioned again, but still she could not eat or drink without a little flutter of worry in her belly. She kept quiet about it, not wanting to make Mari feel worse; she did seem genuinely repentant.

Eliana could only hope that her own good nature would not be her downfall. She had even considered telling Samsu, but the blame would certainly fall to Mari as Susa tried to deflect suspicion. Eliana shuddered to think of the girl's fate – Samsu would be obliged to believe his wife over his concubine's slave.

So far, Susa had not attempted any retribution against Mari, but Eliana could not help but be nervous for her. The flutters continued for more than three weeks – she put them down to almost everything else before she realised what they were.

It was as she lay on the bed one afternoon, resting in the midday heat as the two girls took their naps, that she felt it. An unmistakeable thump against her ribs.

She cried out and sat up in alarm, placing her hand where she had felt the kick.

Everything was still for a moment. Mari came running, 'I heard you shout, my lady. Are you alright?'

'I think so,' she said, cautiously. Then, 'oh!' Another thump in the same spot.

A slow smile spread over her face and she felt a warm glow diffuse through her body. 'It's the baby,' she said. 'Come, feel!'

Mari almost ran to the bed. Eliana took her hand and placed it over the spot. The baby obliged with another hearty kick.

'Oh!' Mari laughed. 'He is strong!'

A fist of fear gripped Eliana's stomach. 'You said "he". What if... if it's not a boy?'

'It will be,' said Mari, with absolute conviction.

'You can't know that. If it's a girl... I'll go back to being Samsu's whore. There'll be no hiding from him. He slapped Kisha when she bore him a daughter, and he's more intense about me than he ever was with her. I can't bear it – the not knowing. Building my hopes for months. At least if I could know, I could accept it. Prepare for what might be coming.'

Mari dropped her voice to a whisper, 'there could be a way.'

'How? What way? Nobody can know.'

'There is a priestess in the city – I knew her back when I was free. She serves Ninlil – a goddess who should have great sympathy for you.'

'Enlil's wife? Why should she?'

'Think about it, my lady. You share the same plight. Ninlil was forcibly taken by her husband, ravaged and impregnated. She conceived a boy-child from her ordeal, perhaps in her sympathy, she will send one to you, too. The priestess could tell you – Ninlil speaks to her.'

'As Marduk spoke to Samsu and promised him a boy with Kisha?'

'Marduk is a false usurper – Enlil truly rules the pantheon. His wife is queen and mother of his sons. She will take pity on you.'

'I hope so. If you think you can get your priestess here, I will happily see her.' Eliana conceded. 'Anything to set my mind at rest.'

**

It took only a few days to make the arrangements. Mari sent Resu out to find the priestess, with instructions to disguise her as a midwife. She would enter the palace under the pretence of examining Eliana.