She wasn’t at all familiar with her surroundings but far from panicking she just lay there. She too could see the glow of the moon out her little window. It was glorious: soothing and calming, energising and illuminating.
She started to remember: the pain, the stinging, the blood, the cold, she shivered as she recalled the atrocities, but one thing was for sure – she knew she was now far away from that reality and out of harm’s way.
She rested.
She remembered nothing of the past few weeks. In fact the last thing she remembered was being in that cold and awful place, with that cold and awful man and her head hitting the ground. She must have passed out cold after that.
As she rested, she thought.
“How did I survive?”
“Who rescued me?”
“Why did I survive when all I wanted to do was die?” and “Where am I?”
All that mattered was that she was somewhere sacred, somewhere safe.
The chanting continued well into the night and Inanna must have drifted off to sleep as when she awoke again, it was morning.
No one was around and she just lay still, gazing out the window.
The sky was clear and blue, a cool breeze drifted through kissing her cheek lightly and rustling her hair – the bird song was comforting but unfamiliar. She was in a different place.
She was far from home, far from Beircheart. She missed her family terribly and just wanted to run home to them but she was terrified they would send her back to him. She would remain where she was for now, until she was strong enough mentally and physically to make a proper decision.
She had learnt that making rash decisions based on your emotions wasn’t such a great idea. Making decisions when the mind was clear and the emotions stable was much better.
She heard the door open and turned her head gently.
An extraordinary woman stood in the doorway, older, attractive, with beautiful grey, thick hair falling naturally around her face.
She was wise, Inanna could see it in her eyes.
The wise woman back in her neighbouring village had the same look in her eyes.
They were different, hard to explain – but it was as though someone else was inhabiting their body. There was an innate calmness to them and she wished one day she could be as relaxed and knowing as they.
Lilith smiled sweetly and said, “Welcome back Inanna darling”.
Inanna managed a smile back.
Lilith came over and sat by her side stroking her hair and her face – she was warm and kind and Inanna felt immediately at ease.