Chapter 8

Ave Mother Asherah. Honorifico Te. I honor You. Please forgive my sin and impatience. Because of me, many wars have been started. It is all my fault. Do not forget me, but forgive what I have done. I have failed in my duties to You and Father Elohim, but no matter what I do, I will never forget You. Humans fail to recognize You as a legitimate ruler over all the Adamah but I still honor and love You. I know You weren’t the one who took away dearest Inanna. -Amen. 1488 P.D.

A saddened widow stood in the doorway of her home. Her husband had been dead for almost three year. Her misery had only been increased as the Babylons marched through the streets of Bethulia, Israel. They were everywhere. To her, it was the apocalypse foreseen by the prophets. It was the end of times. There was no going back to the Israel that had been formed from the ashes of the Kemetic slaves. Staring into the masses, she wondered what she could do. These men had taken her beloved husband from her through battle. Now, she was alone in the world. Her two daughters were too

young to be of much comfort and her side of the family had been taken to my Parents in the sky. There was only her handmaiden, Tirzah, who she barely knew. This woman was Aziza, wife of Manasseh. He was the son of a Pharisee, but had chosen the path of a soldier, despite his parents’ protests. And like his chosen career, he went against his parents’ wishes to marry Aziza. Though they never disowned her from the family after Manasseh’s death, she was never greeted with open arms either. Like most women during the invasion, Aziza was taught how to fight. Like Sparta, citizens of Bethulia were trained. The men were trained for battle, while they women were taught how to defend the homes. Hidden beneath her tunic was a dagger, no bigger than a kitchen knife. Yet, she had been trained well to use it. And as the weeks turned into months, a Babylonian soldier came to the door, and knowing her house would be ransacked if she did not obey, Aziza let him through the door. She let him through her home to the kitchen, where he would eat his share. She waited until he had eaten his share before she took out her dagger and placed it under his throat. For a brief moment, the soldier couldn’t breathe; once he recovered he spoke in a sinister voice: “You foolish woman. Now you have placed yourself in ruin. Her face full of bravery, she answered: “Jundiun qadhir. You are under my command now. If you dare defy me, I will cut your throat.” At that, she brought the dagger against his skin and smirked. “Your people have harmed us long enough.” At that, she had her handmaiden help her as she made the Babylonian her prisoner. I was nothing but shocked. There weren’t many women after the flood who were this willing to act that way. Yet, I knew she was doing what she felt was right. Her strength reminded me greatly of Inanna’s.

... Beloved Inanna. How I missed the sight of her; the sound of voice; the warmth of her hands. How I longed for her once more. I would’ve given up my divinity for all time just to lay at her side in death. Yet it was never meant to be. She was to be dragged to the bowels of the land of the unnamed and I was to spend eternity looking upon humanity, invisible to mortal beings, and never really a part of them. My memory takes me back to the sight of Inanna. After the work day, I would often join her side when she attended her grandfather’s meetings. She often spoke freely about

my brethren without consequence. Most of the other female audience members did as well, though to some varying degree. Her interest in the angelic host was fascinating. She asked her grandfather many questions about who these beings were and what they did. Though I had told her in varying degree about my role, her interest range concerned other matters that were beyond my ability to explain. Yet, I couldn’t help but admire her for it. There were days where she often studied under her grandfather’s careful eye. He passed most of his knowledge onto her, ignoring her femininity. This was his grandchild, and he wanted to ensure that she knew everything before he passed from the world. This was his apprentice, and while men in neighboring villages questioned why he taught her so much, he simply told them to get out of his sight. Everyone mattered in the village, male or female. Once her grandfather had been taken to Father Elohim and Mother Asherah, Inanna then took his place. She even wrote what he researched into several books. As the Hebrews would later call them, they became the Books of Enoch. Her writing was so moving that I memorized them long after she was gone. One book was the tale of my brethren who entered the mortal realm, as I did. Another talked about Enoch’s journey through the land of the unnamed one. I drew my inspiration from my beloved; I became better because of her. She was the soul I had lost. She was the love I had shed. I didn’t care about anything else but her at that point. So much so that when I taught her about the stars, I was blind when she shared that knowledge both through her writing and to the village. She had become an important symbol to them; but she was forgotten after the flood. Though her sister Naama would carry the books with her on the ark, Inanna was long forgotten after the death of Naama’s sons. Nothing would every bring back the memory of my beloved to the mortals of this Adamah. Nothing ever could.

... Aziza entered the war hall without a thought. The men were shocked to see her walk to the center table and throw the sword of the imprisoned Babylonian on it. She looked stern as she spoke: “Men of Israel. I swear to you on this. Locked away within the confines of my home, a Babylonian soldier lies in wait. He infiltrated my home and as punishment, he now rots away.” “What is the meaning of this?” A Pharisee asked. “You should be in no position to hold the enemy. We do not take prisoners, especially commoners.”

Holding up his hand, one Israelite soldier stopped the questioning. “Young lady, we ask what your purpose is in holding the enemy within your home? What do you expect to do with him?” He asked this sincerely and I wondered if he even cared about the laws at that point. Since I knew she was uncertain about what to do, I whispered in her ear. Once I finished speaking, she looked over at the soldiers and spoke with confidence. “My brothers, once I learn from the prisoner where his general is being held, I will go to him in the night. Pretending to be a neviʾa, I will tell his future and lie.” “How can a woman lie?” The Pharisee asked. “Elohim wouldn’t allow it.” She glared at him. “Then I will pray for forgiveness.” As she turned away, the soldier asked: “What is your name?” Turning back to look at them, she smiled. Knowing she would have to lie to keep her identity a secret, she spoke. “I am the widow Judith. That is all I can say.” Hours later, Aziza and Tirzah set out the Babylonian camp on the outskirts of the city. In the locked room, the body of the soldier who had given up the information, believing he would be spared, laid on the floors, eyes wide open. Entering the camp, Aziza said she was a messenger from the people of Bethulia, intent on giving General Holofernes, and only him, a message. Though weary, the Babylonians allowed her in, believing that a woman would be unable to cause any harm. I knew mortals were ridiculous, but I didn’t think they would be this ridiculous, or foolish. In that situation, I would’ve believed an innocent child long before I would’ve ever believe a woman would cause any damage. Yet, she passed easily. Holofernes liked her from the instant she entered his tent. Her face was among the most beautiful she had ever seen, though to me she was nothing compared to Inanna. And her voice was strong, yet very feminine. Without a thought, he allowed her to stay at the camp, hoping to one day take her as his wife. She promised to him that she would one day serve King Nebuchadnezzar when the Israelites had been defeated. She also spoke in a voice filled with poetic music that Holofernes would stand in the blood of the children of Israel. Aziza and Tirzah were then welcomed into the tent of the eunuch Bagoas. There, they remained for three days, secretly worshiping my father in the dead of night.

On the fourth day, the general ordered a grand banquet of good food and wine for his servants and new guests. The celebrated into the night and when midnight struck, many servants had dispersed. Soon, it was only Holofernes, Aziza, and Tirzah. Too drunk to even stand, he had Aziza help him to his bed. Though he was barely aware of his surroundings, he hoped she would enter the bed with him and please him. Yet, she did nothing of the sort. Secretly stashing his sword behind her back, she spoke to Tirzah. “My friend, stand outside the door to ensure no one passes this way. Warn me when someone does. For the deed will be done tonight, and I will make quick of it.”

Obeying her mistress, the handmaiden waited outside the door. At that, I knew she was going to go through with my plan. Aziza comforted Holofernes as he drifted into sleep, telling him she would be his servant and wife when the day came. He passed from the realm of life to the one of dreams before long. So, without a thought, Aziza gagged him and took out the long sword. In two swift movements, Holofernes was no longer among the living. Exiting the tent, she and Tirzah left the camp quietly. The guards who knew her only spoke the name she had given, not knowing who she really was. They let her pass, believing she wanted to bath in the nearby river. None of them realized she held a trophy from their fallen general in her knapsack. No one suspected a thing. They entered Bethulia around dawn. As they entered the war chamber, Aziza grew confident as she lifted her knapsack and emptied its contents on the table. The men around her were shocked and relieved as she spoke: “Here is the head of Holofernes, the ranking general of the Babylonian forces, and here is the canopy under which he lay in his drunkenness!” I knew she had done well. And because of her bravery and loyalty to my father, she was able to plan a surprise attack, allowing a quick victory over the unsuspecting Babylonians. And for centuries, her name was written across Israel, as the architect of the divine plan.