Inanna's Descent into the Underworld Ch. 03

Bending over some more, she lowered her hanging breasts over Inanna's lips, letting one nipple slide in between Inanna's ready lips. She rejoiced as she felt Inanna's lips work to create suction. Milk began flowing, and along with it, the Essence of Life that still filled her body.

"My breasts are a broad field," she cried out the words from an old song. "My breasts are your field, Inanna. For you my breast pours out plants. For you my breast pours out grains. For you my breast pours out honey. Water flows from me to you. Bread flows from me to you. Honey flows from me to you. Drink of me, my queen, my goddess! Drink of me, my beloved Mistress!"

She suckled her Mistress as if the larger, stronger goddess were a babe in arms. Inanna, who had given suck to her most dearly beloved subordinates, was now receiving sustenance and strengthening directly from the milk of Ninshubur's hanging fruit. She cradled Inanna's head to her breasts, and wept with the pleasure. Her thighs grew slick with sweat as she rubbed them against Inanna's torso.

Inanna's movements were growing stronger and surer by the minute. She began to moan deeply with pleasure where before her throat had been so parched she could barely speak. Her hair was regaining its golden lustre. Her eyes shimmered with renewed vigour.

"Ninshubur," she breathed. "My valiant handmaiden... you have braved much and more to be here... you have suffered..."

"My suffering is as nothing compared to your travails, beloved goddess," Ninshubur cried out, shifting her body down to look straight into her Mistress's eyes. "You must be whole and well again, my queen. We need you... we need your strength!"

Inanna's eyes dimmed momentarily. "My strength..." she said softly, pensively.

Ninshubur felt the ecstatic clenching in her loins, and she knew that she would soon be done. She gathered and focussed the remaining amount of Essence of Life into her lower abdomen, and smiled down at Inanna. "Your strength has nearly returned, Mistress. I shall feed you the remaining part of it now; I shall let it flow from me to you, in whatever fashion you desire most."

Inanna smiled back at the lithe, eager Ninshubur. "It is fitting that I receive you with my mouth and lips, my loyal handmaiden," she told her. "Sit upon me as you would receive the greatest of pleasures. You have always served me, so now I shall serve you."

Ninshubur shivered with anticipation and delight. She quickly wriggled up until she was perched on Inanna's shoulders and chest, her dripping crotch directly above Inanna's preternaturally beautiful features, which had resumed much of its divine cast by now. What an honour her Mistress was giving her! Slowly, she began lowering herself onto Inanna's waiting, eager lips.

But she had forgotten their hitherto silent watcher. In a thrice, Pazuzu was standing in front of her, and she gasped with surprise.

"Enki's gift has been given," came the harsh, cold voice from above. "Now she shall receive mine. And you, little one, shall have a taste as well, for I am a generous master."

Before Ninshubur could protest, he had cupped her cheeks painfully, pressing against them, forcing her mouth into an "O". And he forced his member into her! It was huge – her mouth had to stretch just to accommodate it, and to her own horror she felt her jaw attempt to clench by reflex. Her teeth sank somewhat into the flesh. She quailed.

But he showed no reaction – no pain, or even a hint of discomfort. Instead, he groaned as with his other hand he held the back of her head and forcibly moved it back and forth along his shaft. Her teeth could seemingly make no impression upon his flesh, or not enough to cause any hurt, which was currently a cause for relief.

Precious little else about this situation was desirable or pleasant. Inanna shifted underneath Ninshubur, but could do nothing to stop Pazuzu's actions. She had a full view as Pazuzu threw back his head, gave a roar, and spurted his seed into Ninshubur in several powerful jets.

Ninshubur gagged, and strove not to swallow. She could feel there was something terrible about this seed – something portentous, something ominous, something... evil. She tasted just the barest hint of the primordial chaos that was part of Pazuzu's fundamental essence. She held the seed in her mouth, or as much as she could, because there was so much of it that it was flowing out of the corners of her lips.

Pazuzu stepped back. "Feed it to her," he commanded. "Give her a kiss. Let her drink."

Ninshubur trembled with fear and shuddered with revulsion, but there was no disobeying this being's voice. Slowly, she moved to comply. Her Mistress pushed herself up to a sitting position, so that they could embrace chest to chest, face to face.

"Do not be afraid, Ninshubur," Inanna whispered. "Remember that you, too, are a Queen."

With her mouth dripping with the abominable seed, Ninshubur could only nod. She closed her eyes as Inanna moved in, and their lips locked. Despite herself, she found herself earnestly pushing as much of the substance as she could out of her mouth and into Inanna's with her tongue. It felt completely wrong to her in an indefinable way. Her body simply wanted to reject it. She did not dare to think what would happen to her if she were to swallow it.

But that was exactly what Inanna was doing. Ninshubur could see Inanna's throat muscles working as she sucked in the mouthful of Pazuzu's seed and swallowed willingly. Inanna's face suddenly tightened, and she broke the kiss, hissing in pain.

"Mistress!" Ninshubur cried, reaching for her Mistress.

Inanna gave vent to a loud moan that sounded hollow but resonant. There was some new quality to her voice, a new harmonic frequency. She leaned back, bracing her palms on the floor. As Ninshubur watched, something began happening to Inanna's body. Her muscles quivered and rippled strangely, as if they were moving of their own will. They also seemed to be growing larger right before Ninshubur's very eyes. She put a hand to her lips, in mingled horror and fascination.

Inanna's hair began to darken slightly at the roots. Veins began appearing on her arms and legs. Moaning again, she clambered to her feet, and Ninshubur quickly rose and backed away. But Inanna collapsed onto all fours again. Her body was shaking as if she was overcome with a great palsy.

Gradually, the shuddering stopped. Inanna panted, and raised her head slowly. Her face was covered in sweat. With wide eyes, Ninshubur surveyed Inanna's form. The goddess now looked... harder and stronger, somehow. The curves of her body had become... sharper, less streamlined. She did not look less feminine – but she seemed more feral, her muscles honed for murder and mayhem, rather than maternal protection and womanly warfare.

Inanna drew herself up onto her knees, and stretched her limbs, arching her back, placing her physique on full display, and Ninshubur could see now that it was true. Inanna had always been the picture of feminine muscular might, but now she looked truly dangerous.

And there was now a gleam in her eyes, a look that Ninshubur had not seen before. Briefly, their gazes met, and Ninshubur saw that the golden eyes were flecked with dark specks now, like Inanna's hair. Then Inanna, the Supreme Goddess of the Sky, Warrior Queen of the Heavens, turned to Pazuzu who was standing behind her, and said one word.

"More."

Ninshubur sat heavily upon the stone floor. The remnant of the Essence of Life she had brought with her sat in her loins still, a gift ungiven. Pazuzu stepped up behind Inanna's kneeling form, a lascivious grin on his ageless face. His priapic cock stood ramrod straight.

Then he seized hold of Inanna's hair, and shoved hard, pushing her face-first into the stone floor. Inanna cried out with the impact, but he had already climbed atop her back and taken hold of her wrists, which he planted firmly to the sides. His knees parted Inanna's with ease, splaying her legs wide apart. She was helpless to resist – all her strength would avail her nothing, Ninshubur knew. The redoubtable strength of Inanna was, in a thrice, overmastered by Pazuzu's sheer potency. Her muscled form strained futilely beneath his stronger body – she could not move, let alone extricate herself.

Looming over her like a gigantic spider over its entrapped prey, Pazuzu slowly teased Inanna's labia open, the tip of his member pressing in against her vulva. Inanna gave a shuddering moan, and her struggles ceased. She waited, with hung head and drooping hair, to receive him into her.

He inserted himself slowly, bit by bit, stretching her, filling her. She was wet and ready. Sweat beaded her skin. Her face was flushed, her lips open in ecstasy as she was penetrated. Then he suddenly jammed it in, as far as it could go, and she screamed, her arms going weak and bending, unable to support her weight. Pazuzu crushed her upper body to the floor, subduing her utterly, as he mounted her with animalistic ferocity.

Ninshubur bit her lip – Inanna had never offered herself to such a potent creature before. She had always been the one in control – she had always been the dominant one in any act of coupling, whether it was with Ninshubur herself or with certain chosen mortals, such as the shepherd-king Dumuzi. To see Inanna like this was a complete shock – Ninshubur was utterly unaccustomed to it. She had felt similarly when Ereshkigal had exerted her dominance over Inanna, but that had been a battle, a Trial of strength and power. This was Inanna submitting voluntarily to the will of another being.

Was it really so delicious, the taste of the power that an Elder One could give? How had Ereshkigal struck the bargain with Lamashtu? And after this act which she was witnessing was done... would there be anything left of her Mistress? Would there be anything left of pure, pristine Inanna? Would Inanna's taste of death, and subsequent taste of dark revival, change her irrevocably?

Inanna was now crying out rhythmically, her yelps and moans of pleasure echoing through the chamber. The usual audience of underworld eyes was not present – Ninshubur could sense none of the usual inhabitants of Irkalla. Neti was nowhere within the area – the damn souls were not looking in – the rest of the Judges were far away. With a chill, Ninshubur had an intuitive flash of understanding – they were gone simply because Pazuzu had not given them leave to remain in his presence.

Her Mistress was now writhing like a temple maiden, shaking with sheer ecstasy. This was not her usual disport – even in the most intimate moments which Ninshubur had shared, the throes of Inanna's orgasms had never caused her to move in this particular way. At this moment Inanna was somehow behaving as if she were... enjoying... the act of being debased or violated. Usually, her moans were low and throaty, mature and womanly, a pleasant counterpoint to Ninshubur's own girlish squeals and sighs. But now Inanna was carrying on in the manner of a debauched prostitute.

When Pazuzu reached his climax, Inanna screamed to match his roaring, and Ninshubur knew that she had reached her orgasm along with him. It seemed to go on for an interminable time, until finally, he withdrew and released her, rising to his feet. He now wore a look of dark satisfaction.

Inanna was now a quivering mass of flesh. A small pool of drool collected at her lips on the stone floor. A larger puddle had formed at her loins, spreading out from beneath her body, which contained some traces of Pazuzu's copious seed, but mostly Inanna's own bodily fluids. Her hair was now a dark brown, Ninshubur observed dully.

And her muscles... yes, Inanna's muscles were larger than before. She looked even more formidable than she had always looked, but some of the gentleness and sensuality that had always been there had been stripped away. Ninshubur could not help feeling a pang of loss. "Mistress?" she called, softly, uncertainly.

"The bargain is sealed," Pazuzu proclaimed. "She has been potentiated beyond her limits. And I... I shall be free, once she leaves this place and steps into the wider world beyond! Once more, I shall bestride the realm of the mortal worms, and ride the winds of the world on dark wings!" His laughter rang out, and echoed even long after he had faded from view.

"Mistress... beloved..." Ninshubur whispered brokenly. "What have you done...? What have I done?"

Inanna stood up slowly, moving as if she were unfamiliar with her own body. The muscles in her legs coiled and uncoiled. Her torso was now visibly more thickset. Her breasts were as large as before, but because of her muscles, they now appeared smaller in proportion. With an expression of wonderment, she moved her hands up, looking intently at the balls of muscle in her arms.

"Yes," she breathed. "I feel it... with this... I have strength enough to defeat my dark sister!"

"But Mistress," Ninshubur said, trembling. "Are you still Inanna, protector of the weak? Are you still the mother of the motherless? Are you still the warrior queen of virtue? What must come to pass, now that you are a gate for Pazuzu's return to the world?"

Inanna came towards Ninshubur, and the younger goddess held herself still, willing herself not to flinch or flee. Inanna took Ninshubur into her arms, and the two embraced. Ninshubur looked up and into the deep pools that were the eyes of her beloved goddess queen. As she looked, she became more and more reassured. There was the love and warmth that she knew, that separated Inanna from the anguished, malicious Ereshkigal, despite the fact that Inanna's golden eyes were no longer as unequivocally bright as before.

"Beloved Ninshubur. Brave, loyal maiden goddess. Your love for me shines brighter than any light I have ever known. When you came into this realm to seek me, even then, while I hung as a corpse on the hook, I could feel your presence giving me strength and courage. I know that you alone of all the pantheon spoke for me and pleaded with Enki for me. I know that your devotion never wavered."

"Because I love you, Inanna," Ninshubur replied.

"And I you, Ninshubur. I have tasted the darkness of death," and a flicker of dark emotion showed briefly in her eyes. "No more am I ignorant of pain and suffering. Now I have faced it, and returned. This place, Irkalla... it holds no more fears or terrors for me now. And as for Pazuzu... Ereshkigal forced herself on me, and drew my essence from me. She made me feel, for the first time, how it was to be a slave to the desires of an enemy. My congress with Pazuzu has completed the experience – I now know what it is to be in thrall, where before I had only known dominion."

"What a terrible thing that must be," cried Ninshubur. "How unbecoming of you, how unworthy of the Great Queen of Love and War."

"You are wrong, my lovely one," Inanna told her. "In my pride, I did not believe I could be defeated. In my purity, I did not believe I could be sullied. In my strength, I did not believe I could be cast down. Yet, all those things came to pass, and I was not ready. I was not whole, without knowledge of these things. Now, I am complete. I am stronger than I have ever been. The light and the darkness are now in me, combined. I must hurry now, and stop my sister before she throws the world into imbalance forever."

Ninshubur shook her head slowly through Inanna's explanation. She could not understand or accept it – to her, her Mistress would always be mighty, always be victorious. She still feared that Inanna had been tainted. But now she gave a start.

"Yes, Mistress, you must hurry! On fleet wings I have flown, and Ereshkigal means to slay your mother, divine Ningal, Goddess of Reeds!" she cried. "She has already laid waste to Uruk, and she has killed your consort husband, the King!" Briefly she related how Dumuzi – weak, cowering, flabby Dumuzi – had abased himself, and denigrated Inanna at Ereshkigal's command.

"He is of no consequence henceforth," Inanna declared, her voice cold. "He grew soft and weak in the lap of luxury. He wielded power, and forgot to reverence me. May his soul be cast down into the darkened depths of this place for all eternity! I shall not grieve for him. Come, my beloved. Let us leave this place and hurry to my mother's sanctum. We must save her from Ereshkigal's attentions!"

"Before I came here, I appealed to mighty Ninurta," Ninshubur said. "He agreed to be set over Ningal as a guard. He wields the mighty mace Sharur – he has never been beaten yet! He may have already defeated the dark queen!"

"It is unlikely, Ninshubur. Not even he would be able to stand against the might of Lamashtu channelled by my sister. I could fight him to a standstill in times past – he could not prevail against her now. But you have thought well, Ninshubur. You have bought us more time to prepare – once again, I can but thank you for the boundless love and loyalty you have shown me." Inanna clasped Ninshubur tightly to her bosom. Ninshubur gasped with the strength of Inanna's grip, but returned the embrace eagerly.

"Now come – let us go!" Hand in hand, Inanna and Ninshubur strode towards the gates.

[to be continued]