On the day of Inanna and Dumuzi’s wedding, I found myself a wall to stand on, halfway between the docks and the Temple of the Aquifer. I was not too proud to watch the comings and goings of the Anunnaki.
I saw the moon gods of Ur first, carried up from the dock on a flower-decked sedan chair, with eight burly slaves on each side of it. The moon gods were dressed in silver and white, with great crescent-shaped crowns upon their heads. They might have been brother and sister, they looked so alike. I was particularly astonished by their wings, although I knew them to be fashioned from eagle feathers. As they were carried past, the moon goddess glanced at me. She had long, brown curling hair that seemed to float around her head; she was beautiful. Her eyes, though, were wide and dark. She looked like a woman in despair. A heartbeat later her face closed, and she was only regal.
Next in the procession came Inanna, and her husband-to-be. The little goddess wore a magnificent gold crown, a bronze chest plate, ropes of huge jewels about her neck, and the same white eagle wings as her parents had been wearing. As she drew level with me, she turned her head, very slowly, and fixed me with her stare.
I was so startled by it, so transfixed, that I forgot to look at her husband, the sheep god, and then they were already gone by.
It was too late to get a place in temple, so I spent the ceremony wandering the docks, but afterwards there was a feast outside in the palace square for the servants and slaves, and to that I was invited.
Dulma, as a priestess of Nammu’s temple, was sitting on the top table. I was sitting on a table some distance away, with all the temple slaves. But we all ate the same food, and it was the best food I had ever had.
I took a large chunk of venison, on the bone but so soft the flesh could be plucked off with your fingers, and I devoured it while the others stood over the food tables, still choosing. After that I ate a large pile of fish, oily and crusted with salt, and then some lamb stewed with onions and apricots.
They temple slaves all seemed to know each other, but I did not feel out of place. A woman offered me wine and said, “You are very welcome here, child of Nammu.”
“Thank you,” I said, holding out my cup to her.
* * *
Strong as I was, I was not accustomed to wine, and as the day turned to night, I began to feel less sure of my judgement. The eating and drinking had turned into music, dancing and more drinking, but I wanted to be home in my little cell in the temple.
I could not see Dulma in the crowd, but I knew she would not mind me leaving her, so I got up off my bench and made my way through the crowds.
I thought I knew the way out of the palace precinct, but I found myself not in the streets but in another courtyard. By the light of the stars, I could see that there were palace buildings all around the edges of the courtyard, and no obvious way through. I needed to find my way out the way I had come in. As I turned to go, I saw a bench and, for a while, I lay on it. It occurred to me after a while, lying there with my cheek on smooth, cold marble, that I was not sure how long I had been there.
I stood again, not feeling very sure on my feet. I could no longer hear the feast, and the moon had risen. I began to look again for the way I had come in.
A dark shape, in the entrance to the courtyard.
I knew at once who it was.
Enki.
There was an odd sort of glow about him, in the moonlight.
“The girl from my mother’s temple,” he said.
“Yes,” I said. “Ninshubar.” I felt for my knives, but I was not wearing them. How could I have come out with no weapons?
“You’ll do,” he said.
He came at me quickly, catching up one of my wrists in one hard hand.
Well, it was not the first time a man had grabbed me in the dark.
I brought my head forwards hard. My intention was to break his nose, which I find always puts men off.
But instead of connecting with Enki, I found myself flat on my face on the ground. I swung a leg round hard at him, and again, found myself kicking thin air. When I looked up, I saw him standing over me, untouched.
“Savages,” Enki said.
He brought his boot down hard on my head.