by Ava D. Dohn
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A freshly scented breeze tickled the soft, downy hairs on Ishtar’s arms and legs and the silky-smooth sheets made her feel like she was floating weightless on a satiny cloud. Long she luxuriated in the ecstasy of those sensations before the reality of wakefulness drove away the fog of mystic dreams. As if resisting leaving the magical world of sleep, one eye grudgingly began to open, stopping half way to examine its surroundings. Eventually, the other eye gave up the fight and began to raise its shades to the day.
At that moment, the late morning sun, having finally struggled high enough into the sky to overcome the mountain-like fortress walls, flooded over the battlements and poured through the open window of the girl’s room, instantly bathing her skin with a tingling warmth. With a start, she shot up in bed, eyes wide open. All sleepiness fled as two astonished orbs of emerald green surveyed the surrounding scenes.
Never before had this child of past ages seen such a breathtakingly beautiful room. The ancient walls were hewn from every color of marble, ornately trimmed with obsidian, alabaster, jade and other semiprecious stones, while brightly colored mosaics of strange exotic birds and animals covered ceiling and floor. Carved marble, inlaid with ivory and gold, formed a banister in front of the window where the golden-yellow sun was triumphantly presenting itself. Everywhere she looked, she wondered upon treasures made with jewels, diamonds, gold, silver and, oh, so many other sparkling gems and metals she had never before set eyes upon.
The breeze wafted across the room, sending a sensual rush of excitement through her flesh. She looked down and marveled at the shimmering, sleeveless nightdress that sparkled in a thousand rainbow colors as the sun danced across it. The satin sheets radiated the same colorful rhapsody as the gown, and the silken curtains beside the window sang out a similar hypnotic melody.
Sounds drifting through the opened window drew Ishtar’s attention away from these spellbinding scenes inside the room. At first she was afraid to move, but curiosity finally got the best of her. First one foot and then another slid from the bed, finally touching the cool stone floor. After quietly standing, she silently made her way to the banister, peering upon a garden far grander than her eyes had ever beheld. The girl gasped in amazement.
As if answering her, Ishtar heard a voice call out from far below. Scanning the garden floor, she spied an all too familiar smiling face looking back at her. In shock, the girl jumped back, her heart pounding in her chest. “Lowenah!” She cried. All the recent events - the palace, chariot ride, palace chamber, and the person sitting on the throne, all of those things flooded her mind, which were quickly followed by the dreaded reminders of how rude and demeaning she had acted toward Lowenah… God.
A crushing feeling of guilt, accompanied by a crippling nauseous ache in the pit of her stomach sent Ishtar into a swirling dizziness. She staggered back to the bed, crashing upon it. A torrent of tears erupted as remorse over such foolishness filled the girl’s heart. As if afflicted with uncontrolled seizures, she thrashed about, stricken with the grief of a mother lamenting the loss of her children. Eventually, exhaustion overcame her struggles and the weariness from anguished laments drifted off with her sleep.
