CHAPTER THIRTY ONE - RISE, RAISE; ENEDUANNA

Heabani lustlessly leaned over the lapis-lazuli battlements of the inner-city. He held a pink canvas umbrella over his head, and an incessant circle-shower of drip-water surrounded the eunuch.

Below the hungry masses stood, a near solid mass of starving devoted. They held up self-made images of Eneduanna and their whispers had turned to demanding screams for their Revered one.

Men, women and children. Drenched in rain, bodies weakening with every passing moment. Some had already lost the strength to stand. Amongst the citizens stood formations of red men. Shields and spears and axes and blades, pointed conical helmets and dark beards. Murderers brought to desperation, carrying their banners and arms in service to their divine. Choirs of their baritone voices sang hymns to the Revered one.

Heabani watched the people from the wall and felt saddened. Any man can lose hope, and Heabani’s belief that things would be well again was rapidly dissipating. Sing then, he thought miserably. Sing you slaves, but bread will not fall from the sky. How long until even the rats would run out?

Anger flashed over his eyes as he gazed upon the people, who raised their images yet another time. You. it is you that caused this. Unfaithful, undevoted city. Only when hunger strikes you beg for the divine. Fast then, fast and cleanse yourself. This city is unworthy of her presence, no wonder she has retreated into elsewhere.

The eunuch sniffed.

And those wretched warriors - those singing fools. Helpless, Completely helpless! Without her guidance they are nothing. Would they protect the temple when the invader would come, or would they then also stand by idly, and allow the Carps and the Ur-men to take and desecrate the Revered one’s living body?

Tears came to his eyes as he saw it all end in his mind. His lifelong servitude erased, pointless, the holy path blocked; her shining presence removed.

A multitude of fists banged on the gates below.

‘Begone!’ Heabani yelled back to the swelching mass. ‘She must not have you!’ He cried, his painted skin washing away in streams of black kohl and white powder.

But the people did not listen to the high-pitched eunuch atop the walls. More joined in, and they hammered their fists on the door of Eneduanna’s garden. Around, the devoted on the boats came closer and reached to the walls, clambering against the slick stones with their nails. With sudden fright Heabani saw the red-robed warriors join in with the masses, strong voices starting to demand entry.

Priestesses rushed up the walls, taking up position besides Heabani. Long hair in tails, wet scarlet cloth of their long dresses sticking to their skin. Their bows were aimed down, arrows pulled back. The broad shouldered Matron took point besides the eunuch. Heabani swallowed his panic and forced his expression to calmness. He disliked that vile woman and would not show weakness before her.

‘Why are the servants riled?’ Amalda demanded with an unfriendly bark.

‘You can only put a kettle so long on the fire before it starts boiling.’ Heabani replied.

The Matron turned away, mouth curled up in disgust.

‘Arrows on your bows sisters! Keep at bay the masses. The dumb mule has riled, put it back to sleep!’ More priestesses ran up the stairs to the azure walls. A hundred scarlet dresses, old and young, with all the arrows, knives and spears they could muster. And in howling choirs they screeched down for the people to leave. But their banshee-noise had no effect, it was muted in the maddened screams and prayers of the masses.

On the canals people with shining eyes held ladders. From the causeway a ram was carried forth by warriors under cheering audulations of the masses. The Matron pushed away Heabani from his overlooking position; the ledge where Eneduanna speaks to the city.

‘Halt, and away!’ She ordered. ‘This city is for the Divine, not for thee!’

A tri fold of Eneduanna images was raised up to her; the only reply she was given.

Amalda gave an angry nod at her sisters. The priestesses ejected their arrows. Thirty devoted died but more took their place. The warriors reached the gate and battered their ram against the bronze reinforced wood. ‘’Eneduanna’’ it was yelled. Eneduanna. Eneduanna.

 ***

In the room of light, surrounded by candles and the priestesses of Inanna whom steadily continued the rites: tall Eneduanna, lying so calm and silent before; stirred.

A twitch of a finger, unnoticed by the others. She was somewhere between the world of earth and the world of dreams. She felt light. Emptied. Cleared. Like a library whose scrolls had been burnt out in terrible inferno, and there was one scroll in the ashes, and it read: Eneduanna. And she remembered who she was. And there was a second scroll, and it read: Inanna. And she knew who she would become.

She wanted to open her eyes, but her lids were heavy like lead. A storm of colours, and then they finally sprang open. She gasped for air that filled slumbering lungs, exchanging stale air of the tomb for breath of life.

Eneduanna saw the high ceiling, the bright sea of light that surrounded her, the rush of priestesses reaching over her. Living faces.

Her mouth opened without her apparent need:

‘Bring. Me. My. Prince.’ Her frail voice demanded.

The jubilant faces of the priestesses turned cautious. ‘Who, oh Revered one?’

‘The Hurrian.’ Eneduanna sighed with want. She fell back into the pillows, not pulled back into the below, but simply weak and exhausted. Her body was slick with sweat, only slowly awaking from her long slumber. Him. She had returned to her world and she felt an emotion strange, a feeling no longer suppressed. And her heart, she felt, beat for two. Her hand moved to her lower body, touching the skin.

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‘Where is my Prince?’ She asked with demanding voice.

‘Gone, Revered one.’ A grey haired priestess carefully spoke.

It took awhile for her mind before she understood the meaning of the words so preposterous. Gone, Revered one.

‘What?’ The High-Priestess exclaimed. Her mouth tightened as she awaited response, and she swallowed with difficulty.

‘He departed the city, my mistress.’

‘Why did he depart the city? Did the Hurrian break his sacred bond?’ A vein at her temple started pulsating.

‘Heabani took him away. We think he sent him back to Aratta, but we have not yet found him. Sisters have been sent to track him.’

Eneduanna sighed deeply. ‘You are speaking to the Divine embodiment of Inanna herself. Why must I work to extract truth from your mouths? I want an explanation, and I want it quick, or my wrath you will feel. Why has Heabani sent him away?’

It was silent for a moment, the priestesses looking at each other, averting Eneduanna’s demanding gaze.

‘The Dumuzid had to die, mistress.’ A fat priestess confessed. ‘The rites were unquestionable. For your return he needed to be exchanged.’

‘I released him.’ Eneduanna said, confused.

‘And we caught him back, to aid your ritual.’ The priestess said with a hint of pride.

‘I made him PRINCE!’ Eneduanna thundered, and the defiant priestess shrunk away.

‘He fought like a Lion, my mistress, he was wounded but did not fall. The Hurrian breathes.’

Eneduanna rose from the bed until her naked body towered over her attendants. The sweat evaporated from her skin.

‘I gave no permission for such actions. Life and death are my decisions, not yours, who was it that gave the order?’

‘Matron Amalda, my mistress.’

‘Where is the hag now?’

‘Defending the inner-walls, the commoners are besieging your temple, my mistress.’

Eneduanna groaned. ‘I have passed through the realms of the dead and upon my wake I am faced with this trivial, maddening chaos. This city needs to be set straight, order restored swiftly. Punishment is necessary. You all failed in my absence, out of my sight, and bring me Heabani. I wish to hear the truth and guidance from a good, loyal servant. And inform the damned masses I will make myself present swiftly, I can feel the blood spilling on the causeway and it is a waste.’

 ***

Heabani rushed through the gardens, gasping for air and tears flowing from his eyes. Eneduanna!

She had risen, all despair was gone. Even the dreary rain had halted, the clouds opening up. Sun would return to anoint the Revered one.

Her tall body appeared over the hedges and Heabani flung himself onto the path, water and mud on his face. ‘Revered one!’ He kissed the ground. ‘Bless you, bless you, -’

‘Get up you old fool.’ Eneduanna commanded. She was followed by a host of armed priestesses.

‘-Where is my Hurrian?’

Heabani rose up, trying to keep his emotions under control. ‘The Hurrian should be in Rapiqurn now, and will be going on further into the highlands until he reaches Aratta. I have sent him north my mistress, Uruk was not safe and I did not know when your blessed rule would return. For his own safety I've smuggled him away between the wine amphora and sheepskins. By the Heavens he will return swiftly, with a cadre of fresh Hurrian warriors at his back.’

Eneduanna shifted her attention from the eunuch towards the Inner-city gate, where her brass throne was carried through. From outside she could hear cheering and praying, though on the walls armed women still stood guard, arrows knocked on their bows.

‘Quite a mess, isn't it?’ She asked Heabani.

‘Worse than you think, blessed mistress…’

The throne was carried closer and Eneduanna seated herself. The men groaned and sweated and she was joyed. ‘Tell me quickly, I need to placate my people and drink in their prayer.’

‘We have trespassers in your domain. A total invasion from the south and the north, and even stirrings at the edge of our Larsan territories. So far we have not been able to mount a counter-offensive, so I expect the first enemy forces at our gates within days. Trade has halted, there is very little food in the city, people are starving and frightened.’

‘A little war is no issue for the avatar of Inanna herself.’

‘Its Ur, Eridu, Isin, and a host of tiny clans and vulture mercenary corps that have banded together against your Divine Rule. They outnumber us, mistress.’

‘I will deal with them, fear not, precious servant. Your Goddess requires blood and they will provide it.’

She gestured at the carriers to move, but Heabani stepped closer. ‘There is something else…’

‘What then?’

‘Your sister…’

‘What sister?’ Eneduanna’s almond eyes gained a fiery shine.

‘The one called Semiramis has been sighted in the western sands. She yet lives, and it seems she is having designs on Uruk. A merchant called Dan Sarpa, better known as Sapphire, acted as an agent for her within Uruk. At least one murder has been comitted by him on a fellow trader. He escaped back into the desert and I have sent my best hunter after him.’

‘She should have stayed hidden in the sands. Now I must crush her, but first I will restore order in my domain. The people must know I have returned, and the world must know a Goddess walks these lands.’

She was carried away to the gates, and from the staircase Amalda descended. Eneduanna saw her to be wet from rain, her arm bleeding from a minor cut, and holding a warbow. The Matron prostrated herself before her throne. 

'most Revered one. I beg you for forgiveness.'

'You tried to murder one of my possesions.'

'I did, most Revered one. We were desperate...' Amalda looked up, her orange eyes flickering with joy as she looked upon her mistress. 'but the Hurrian still lives, and you are returned. I was wrong, showing that I am but a feeble, weak mind in comparison to your infinite wisdom. I am unfit for leadership, if you want, I will lay down my matronhood, and if necessary, my life. May the Heavens bless you, Eneduanna.'

Eneduanna silently judged Matron prostrated before her feet. 'Have the masses halted their assaults?' SHe finally asked. 

Amalda looked up, surprised. 'We fought them off in bitter struggle. A few sisters were lost. The people were unrelenting, it shows that their faith is strong, and when misguided, their faith can be very dangerous. They only halted when I promised your arrival, and now they wait, outside the gates. The entire city will watch you emerge.' 

'Out of my way then, Matron. If you displease me again I will execute your son.' Amalda cralwed away and the carriers continued forward with the laborous weight of the throne on their shoulders. They passed through the battered gates and Eneduanna was greeted by maddened masses. The causeway had been hastily cleared by warriors, but blood and arrow riddled corpses still littered the ground. More dead floated in the surrounding waters. A ring of boats surrounded her, packed with people, and in the distance walls of devoted had lined up. All fell to their knees when they sighted the High-Priestess. The clouds opened and a warm ray of golden light illuminated her. 

Eneduanna. Eneduanna. Eneduanna, the masses started praying on the beat of a drum.

‘Give me war!’ she yelled in the face of frenzied prayer, rising from the hovering throne. ‘I am your Goddess, and you will punish the disbelievers!’

Eneduanna. Eneduanna. Eneduanna.