Nabucco

Chapter 18: Holiday preparations

Soon enough, Miriam's mother needed to travel again to the souk in Babylon for new materials.

Ahu-bani was happy to oblige, and to see Miriam's mother becoming more dependent on the arrangement, which he might withdraw whenever he felt he needed leverage. For now, the despirited Judeans weren't giving him much trouble so he didn't see any issue.

Miriam again accompanied her for the journey to Babylon. After wrestling with her mixed feelings, she had come around to the view that she liked Kassaya and that she was innocent of any wrongdoings of the adults around her. She went to the Palace door to ask the guard if she could see her. This time, she was better prepared and had washed and changed into the outfit Kassaya gave her last time.

"And who are you?" the guard asked.

"Miriam, the Judean" she replied.

"Wait here".

After a wait of about ten minutes the door reopened and she was admitted. Kassaya herself was on the other side.

Her face brightened with a warm smile when to see Miriam again.

"I am so happy you came to visit" she said. "We are just teaching my younger sisters how to walk. I know that sounds funny."

It did sound funny to Miriam and she assumed Kassaya meant baby sisters. When they returned to the chamber where she had been, she found three girls aged between six and ten were practicing walking in a stately manner, with small tiles balanced on their heads. The shards of several broken tiles still laid where they had fallen.

An older lady was coaching the girls on their pace, while another, seated, looked on.

Kassaya introduced Miriam to the group.

"Hello" smiled the girls, not quite in unison.

Kassaya sat with Miriam and asked her, "What has happened since I saw you?"

"Not a lot; we have been practicing songs for our new year festival, Rosh Hashanah. I'm looking forward to that. We bake special foods that we only eat at this time."

"That sounds lovely" said Kassaya.

"Miriam ... I have to ask you about something"

"What is it?"

"Do you know a boy named Daniel?"

"Yes!! He is my cousin; he came to Babylon to take part in a competition but he hasn't returned and no one knows what's become of him. You've seen him??"

"Yes!" said Kassaya excitedly, forgetting momentarily why she brought up the subject "So you are his cousin? How much time have you spent with him?"

"Hm, actually not very much" said Miriam, which was true, she had mostly been kept at home during the years of siege and she had stuck closely with her mother during the march to Babylon. Since arriving in Tel Abib she had remained at home while he had been working down by the water. She had seen him a few times around meals but he was very popular amongst his male companions who she found a bit loud and intimidating.

"He is very popular among the boys, who look up to him" she ventured.

"Wait - how do you know him??"

"Well," Kassaya said "yes, he came for the tournament. He won. My father made him and his friends members of the royal household. They've all been here since."

"So he is here now?" said Miriam, excited.

"Yes, but you can't see him now, while he's working; he attends the formal audiences of my father. They take the meetings very seriously. I used to get in trouble for trying to come into the meetings when I was younger."

"That's all right, I am just glad he is well."

"Well this is why I wanted to ask you about him," Kassaya said in a lowered tone "I think he needs help from someone in your community."

"Why? What kind of help?"

"He got into trouble at a feast because he would not eat the meat. He said your laws forbid it."

"That's right, we cannot eat some meats."

"Well it embarassed the King. He was very lucky he wasn't punished more severely for it. I think my father likes having him around to talk to, for some reason. But I don't think he needs to be so stubborn."

Miriam thought about this. There was only one name that came immediately to mind as a person who could give advice about this: Ezekiel. Ezekiel was a wise figure who had the respect of the whole community. Miriam knew her mother would think differently about this. Her mother was distrustful of anyone who took religion too seriously and felt it distracted them from practical matters that needed attending to. Miriam was old enough to see, however, that her mother was abrasive and put people off side. Her mother's advice to Daniel would most likely be to just go along with the Babylonian customs and not rock the boat. Daniel was more devout than her and unlikely to take it on board. Ezekiel, despite his killjoy reputation in Jerusalem, had been nothing but a source of hope and encouragement to the community since Miriam had arrived at Tel Abib.

"Can Daniel leave the palace?"

"I'm sure he could ... maybe he would like to attend your festival?"

"There is a man in our community who might be able to help him with this problem," said Miriam. "But Daniel would have to come to Tel Abib, I don't think this man would come to Babylon even if he was permitted to."

Kassaya was happy with this plan, and that she could be the messenger. As the day drew on, Miriam had to return to her mother and make her way back. Kassaya went and waited in the ante-room outside her father's state room.

At about the usual time, the doors were swung open and Nebuchadnezzar emerged. He stopped, startled to see his daughter in this part of the Palace.

"Hello father, I hope your day has gone well"

"Yes," he smiled, "the city has grown so much we have decided to build new city walls to enclose the settlements that are currently outside. People will be delighted when they hear of this."

Before he got too lost in the detail of his latest building project, Kassaya interrupted "I, um, was hoping to speak to Belteshazzar. Is he here?"

"Yes, he's right here" said Nebuchadnezzar, gesturing towards the room he had just left. "You can go in."

She stepped lightly into the room and his glance followed her, smiling indulgently, before turning back to his advisors and on his way.

"Belteshazzar," said Kassaya.

Daniel looked up from the desk, his face open for conversation. The presence of the cheerful princess was a welcome reprieve after a day of bearded old men.

"I have met one of your people in the city. Her name is Miriam."

"Miriam!" said Daniel, "Does she know I'm here?"

"Yes; I told her."

"That's good. They must be wondering what happened to me."

"Well, Miriam had an idea. It is almost your festival time. She suggested you could have a few days to return to Tel Abib to participate in the festival."

"Oh" said Daniel, who hadn't given thought to taking a break from work.

"Would you like that?" pressed Kassaya.

"Yes, of course"

"Wait here" she said. She wrinkled her nose at him and skipped back out of the room, catching up to Nebuchadnezzar who was still within view in the corridor beyond.

"Father, Daniel's people, the Judeans, are having an important festival very soon." she said "Can he travel back to join them?"

"Of course" Nebuchadnezzar replied, put on the spot, "but why hasn't he asked me?"

"I suppose he didn't want to displease you" Kassaya proposed.

"He is my best scribe but others can cover while he is away. Let him know it is fine but to organise who will replace him those days."

Kassaya smiled and rushed back, eager to give Daniel the good news.