QUEEN OF BABYLON - BOOK ONE

62 - QUEEN OF BABYLON

Month Vidar... Babylon Emerald City

At the break of dawn in the Harlan, the women with their pallu draped over their head held baskets of flowers, some held burning touches, others a bowl of scented mashed aloe Vera with other plants designed to make the skin fresh.

In between them sat on a pillow with her legs folded and her arms held in a prayer. Nephrite dressed in a white Saree with gold chain on her wrist, waist,forehead.

Seven maidens apply tumeric paste on her skin, this practice is believed to make her skin soft and silky before the main wedding.

Sybil appears with a bowl of rice water that she gives Queen Narial who collects it and pours on her daughter muttering prayers.

In one corner incense burnt with priestess chanting incantation in low voices. The rice water flow down her face into her clothes. Then another bowl of clean spring water was poured all over her, this practice is believed to wash her clean.

Then the elders of the king's family comes in to bless her by sprinkling rice and trefoil on her hair and giving her gold ornaments to show their acceptance.

Then the Gaye Holud takes place, a ceremony in which five to seven married maidens of the household grind tumeric with mortar and pestle then anoint the her with the tumeric paste, then a new saree and Gamccha (cotton towel) and other tressaud set. It brightens the complexion and makes her skin glow.

Nephrite was later released to go back to her to break her fast while she ate, her mind wove round how and who was the person who wants the king dead.

"Leave me" she tells the servants inside her room. With confuse looks they all left. Nephrite closed the door and brought out the dairy and started reading....

Amtrak is dead!!! She died in the early hours of the morning, our son was present when she died. Oh my beloved is dead!!! My best friend and confidente is no more. How will I cope?? They're asking me to be strong for my son but how will I do that when I can't even be strong for myself......

I gave him the power to do as he please, I asked him to do as he please...I don't care anymore about the palace all I care about is my son

Nephrite stare at the book, who did the king give the power to?? She remembered the priestess telling her that the late king gave the power to someone..but who is he???

She sigh and went to her balcony, she stare outside Babylon her mind lost in thoughts, something fishy was going on in the palace! The palace is beyond what the normal eyes saw, it takes someone with deep knowledge to understand the palace.

"My Princess!!!!!" Alias gasped as she ran in and fell at the princess feet startling her.

"What's wrong???" Nephrite ask confused.

"You won't believe it!!! The high priestess is back!!!"alias shouted.

Nephrite eyes grew wide. "Very well. You may leave" she dismiss the maid who bow her way out. She turned back to the balcony and said a prayer of thanks to Krishna.

KRYPTONITE, PALACE BABYLON

"Welcome high priestess Ashiwayarai" king Nebuchadnezzar welcomed the woman who gently bowed at the king.

"I couldn't stay away for this auspicious occasion" the priestess replied, the king has grown from when she last saw him. To think that he was just a boy to now a man. She was far impressed with how Babylon looked as the gods has foretold he made Babylon great and she was proud she did all she did back then to save the king's life.