Part 2 (2/2)

it wasn't the lack of a window that stopped Annie's heart for a moment or two.It was the scene beyond that froze her in her tracks.”Oh s.h.i.+tttt...” she breathed.All tan and gold and brown, a huge ziggurat dominated the horizon, its steps covered with lush foliage.

Decorations sparkled and glittered from the walls, and there seemed to be a lot of people walking up and

down the enormous staircase leading to the entrance. Palm trees surrounded it and were scattered all over the gardens nearby. Her view outside was framed by a shrub with some kind of brilliant white flower on it and a man leading a camel strolled down the street outside the house. The heat of the day made the distant views s.h.i.+mmer, the sky was cloudless, and Annie had never seen anything that looked less like her home.

”Where the h.e.l.l am I?”A low chuckle greeted her words. ”Welcome to Sumer, n.o.ble One.””I'm not your n.o.ble One,” answered Annie, saying the first thing that came into her mind.”Indeed you are. What else would you call yourself? We found you on the very center point of the Circle of the Moon, you have hair the color of moonlight, and eyes that rival the sky in the moments after sunset. Your arrival has been foretold for many years in our legends. How can you doubt that you are the daughter of the Moon G.o.ddess, sent to help us in our time of need?”

Annie closed her eyes, digesting this speech. Nope, didn't compute. Waaaay too far out. She had to be on some really heavy dope.

”My name is not 'n.o.ble One',” she said, quietly but firmly. ”My name is Annie Lynden. Or it was until a short time ago.”

”Welcome Annilin,” said the woman.

Annie sighed.

”I have to face this. I really have to face this. It's probably a drug-induced fantasy, but I have to face it. The only other answer is that I've been...thrown back...in time...” Her voice trailed off as she put two and two together and came up with about four thousand. Years, that is.

G.o.dd.a.m.ned friggin' Merlin...he'd sent her back through time to Sumer. Not the Regency, where she could have coped quite nicely, thank you. She could probably have handled the French Revolution, or even the court at Versailles. But ancient Sumer? What in blazes did she know about ancient Sumer? She' d taken one lousy course in Sumerian culture and that was only because the guy she'd been in l.u.s.t with at the time had signed up for it.

This, to make the mental understatement of all time, was not good.

She opened her eyes and took stock of her situation.

Beside her bed was a woman, looking down at her with concern in her eyes and a drinking vessel with water in it clasped between her hands.

Seeing Annie's gaze, she smiled.

”I am Ens.h.i.+lla, servant of the Moon G.o.ddess. These are my handmaidens...” She waved elegant hands at several young women who were fluttering about at the far end of the room. It appeared that fas.h.i.+on was not a problem in Sumer-no one bothered to wear much of anything.

Ens.h.i.+lla was at least partially covered. A wrap skirt of sorts was slung around her hips and held in place with a heavily jeweled belt. She wore a heavy choker of similar design, and a large half-moon swung down between her ample b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Her nipples were quite dark, and Annie wondered if they had been hennaed.

Realizing that her mind must be functioning, if she could wonder about henna and nipples, Annie tried sitting up.

The room swam for a few seconds, but then righted itself.

Ens.h.i.+lla was at her side helping her. ”Take it slowly, Annilin. You will be dizzy for a while. It is the effect of being sent here from the G.o.ddess' home. The last n.o.ble One to arrive this way was very ill. You are lucky, or possibly stronger, being a woman.” Ens.h.i.+lla's lips quirked at this statement, and Annie couldn't resist the urge to smile back. It appeared as if feminism was universal, regardless of the time period.

”There have been others to arrive like me?”

”Just one. Our Shepherd. You will meet him at the Festival. But now we must get you on your feet and well again.”

Wanting to ask more questions, but knowing that Ens.h.i.+lla was right, Annie allowed herself to be helped to her feet and across the room. The tiles were warm beneath her bare skin, and the air comfortable. She knew she was lucky to be indoors, because she would have roasted outside in the hot sun. The naked handmaidens scattered at her approach and revealed a beautiful bath, large and inlaid with exquisite tile work. There was a delicious scent coming from the water and soft linen cloths laid to the side. Obviously this had been prepared for her.

Mmm, thought Annie. It's good to be a G.o.ddess.

There was easily room for ten people in the bath, which could have doubled for a small swimming pool.

Annie noted an inflow pipe that permitted a trickle of water to continually replenish the tub, and putting her hands beneath it discovered it to be warm.

”It is warmed by the rays of our Sun G.o.d, Annilin,” said Ens.h.i.+lla, watching Annie's movements and

guessing her thoughts.”Very clever,” smiled Annie.Everybody got into the tub.”Oh, I...um...well, isn't this fun?”Ens.h.i.+lla had dropped her skirt and jewelry and stepped into the bath with Annie and the other four women. ”We will be honored to wash you, n.o.ble Annilin,” she said, bringing the cloths closer.”I...er, well, thank you,” said Annie, not sure what protocol demanded when naked in a tub with five women from four thousand years in the past. This wasn't covered by any reference books she'd come across.

Hands covered in scented lather swept over her body, and it seemed as though there were a heck of a

lot more than five people in the tub all of a sudden. Much attention was paid to Annie's hair, with lots of oohing and aahing over its texture and color.

Annie barely avoided a face full of lather by dodging an over-enthusiastic handmaiden.

”If you will allow me, Annilin...” Ens.h.i.+lla grasped Annie's thighs and pulled them apart.”Whoa there, your Elegance, Ma'am, we don't do that where I come from.” Annie slammed her legsshut tighter than a new pair of scissors.

”But Annilin, you are the representative of the Moon G.o.ddess...”

”Yes. I got that bit. White hair, pale skin, the eye thing...” answered Annie, inching back and away fromthose eager hands.”The Moon G.o.ddess, Annilin...””I'm missing a few little details here, aren't I?”Ens.h.i.+lla sighed. ”Annilin, your mistress must have bestowed forgetfulness upon you as you traveled to the temple.” She brushed a lock of her hair away from her shoulders and straightened herself in the water. ”Now pay attention.”Annie suddenly flashed back to elementary school. She hoped there wouldn't be a quiz later.

”The Moon G.o.ddess is a very important member of our Pantheon. She is wors.h.i.+pped for her beauty, and also her gifts to us, her humble children. She gives us darkness that we may rest from our labors...”

”She gives us the rhythm of our time that we may know when to reap and sow...” continued another maiden.

”She gives us the rhythm of our bodies that we may know when we are to bear our children...”

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