"Hakuno…are you alright?"
She looked up from the text she was translating. Shub stood on the other side of the table, her face etched with concern. "What are you talking about Shub?"
Shub looked down at her hands and then back up at Hakuno. "It is just that…you have been spending the past couple of days with Munzur… You two seem to be getting to know each other quite well."
Hakuno put down her pen. Was Shub worried about her? She smiled. "We share something in common. It is very hard to explain Shub." She shook her head. There was no way she could betray Munzur by telling Shub about him being a magus. Shub would not understand. She might even fear Munzur as a result.
"But Hakuno…you do not find this odd at all? Logically? You are not one to spend time with someone you just met and speak like you are doing."
Why were Shub's eyes so wide? She really seemed to be making a big deal out of nothing. "There is nothing to fear Shub. You are over-reacting." She glanced out her window. "Oh, it is that late already?" She got up from the chair and handed the papyrus sheet to Shub. "Can you get this copied onto a tablet?"
"Of course Hakuno. Are you…are you planning on meeting him?"
"Why do you think I am hurrying?" She laughed. "I will return soon Shub."
She left Shub in the middle of her room and hurried to the gardens. Like the past couple of days, Munzur was waiting for her on the bench by the water lily pond.
He smiled. "I thought you were not coming today."
"I was in the middle of translating a text. I lost track of the time." She settled on the bench.
"I heard the King is returning. He will be arriving here by tomorrow."
"Yes." Hakuno looked down at her sandaled feet and wiggled her toes. She giggled. "Knowing him, I know he will want to play a round in a game with me right away."
"Oh yes, I forgot you two usually spend the evening hours engaging in random board games and whatnot."
"Yes we do and he gets so cranky when I win." She let out a long sigh. "Sadly, I think these evening meetings of ours is at an end. The King is not the kind of man who likes his schedule rearranged."
"That is alright. I will be spending time at the other temples in the kingdom for the next couple of days."
"Oh really?" She felt a twinge of disappointment. She greatly enjoyed their conversations. Unlike Gilgamesh, they spoke about more intelligent topics, Gods, sacred texts and even magus related matters. She had also told stories about herself and her various experiences in the traveling caravan.
A small frown crossed her face. Now that she was thinking about it, Munzur never really talked about himself. He had also never revealed what his powers are either. She voiced the question out loud.
"Oh, of course. I never did tell you did I?" Munzur chuckled. He glanced around, probably to check the locations of the working slaves. There were a couple working nearby but not close enough that they could overhear what Munzur said if he whispered.
He leaned in close. She could feel his breath on her cheek. "You will find out the truth of my powers soon enough."
She turned her head to look at him in confusion. Her whole body turned cold as she stared into the depths of his black eyes. Those eyes were not kind. They were manipulative and cold. Why did she think of him as kind? This man was anything but!
She opened her mouth to protest but no sound came out.
"Shhh. We do not want to alert the slaves," he whispered.
"What do you want from me?" she managed to choke out. "And how did you…"
"Do not worry about the details. You have given me a lot of good information these past couple of days. I must thank you for that."
Her mind whirled to try to come up with an explanation. Why did she reveal all that to him? She did not know anything about this man and yet she revealed all of that without a fuss.
"You will be a great help to me in the future, I can foresee that." Munzur got to his feet and walked away.
It was like she was rooted in place. Her eyes watched him leave but she could do nothing to go after him. Her throat would not work. She could not call out for help. Only when he was out of her sight did she feel her body relax. She scrambled to her feet and opened her mouth to call out for help.
Only nothing came out.
Frowning, Hakuno looked around. Why was she so nervous? She was in the water lily garden. Why was she here? It was not like this was one of her favorite places to go. She preferred the other garden with the pond that housed the fish. The water lilies were pretty but not that stimulating for her.
Shaking her head, she headed back to her room. With Gilgamesh returning tomorrow, she wanted to get as many texts translated as possible before then.
Gilgamesh let out a long sigh as he collapsed on his lion-pelt bed. There was nothing like returning to his comfortable bed after having to deal with the king of another kingdom. Since they had to meet on neutral ground, he was forced to sleep in the best room of an inn. An inn! Kings should not be allowed to sleep in vile places like that. He should have gotten his bed taken with him.
Hearing a noise at the door he lifted his head to see a slave standing there. "The bath is ready for you my King. Shall I have your meal brought here when you are finished?"
Finally. He got to his feet. "Yes do that. Also, when I am having my meal, have Hakuno be brought to me."
He saw an emotion pass across the slave's face but before he could register what it was, the boy's face returned to neutral. "Of course my King. I will inform Lady Hakuno."
Before the King could ask what that expression was about, the boy was gone. Odd. It was probably nothing though. Maybe he was thinking of something that happened while Gilgamesh was away.
He smirked. What was this? He was actually thinking about the slaved as people. Obviously Hakuno was influencing him too much. "A King being influenced by a woman…" He heard of it happening to other Kings. Their Queens were the ones that ruled and they were just the mouth pieces for her. Gilgamesh on the other hand? No. He would not be controlled by any woman, no matter how smart and logical she was!
After he had finished his long, and relaxing bath, he returned to his chambers and found Hakuno waiting for him at the game table. A wide smile lit up her face as he walked in. "It has been a while Gil." She held up a checkered board. "I found something new that we can play today."
Gilgamesh took his place across her. He watched as she began setting up the pieces on the board. "How have you been the past couple of days? Missed my presence to lighten up your evenings?"
She giggled. "Sure. Let us go with that."
"What is that supposed to mean?" He watched as she began setting up a bunch of pieces on board. The pieces came in many different designs and they were set up in a very precise way.
"Nothing. I was having a lovely time taking care of people and editing texts…" She trailed off and stared down at the pieces. Her brow was hitched together slightly.
"What is wrong?"
Hakuno was about to respond but the slave had returned with Gilgamesh's meal. The boy's eyes widen in surprised for a few seconds seeing Hakuno there. He turned away and focused on the King. "Here is your meal, my King. Where should I put it?"
Why were the slave's eyes flickering to Hakuno in that odd way? Was he hiding something? He pointed to the other table in the room. "Go put it on the table. And explain to me why you are staring at Hakuno like that."
The slave jumped. "My King…I do not think…"
Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes and got to his feet.
"Please leave the boy alone Gil, you are scaring him."
"No, I need to know why he is staring at you like that."
"My King…may we speak…privately about it?"
Privately? "Fine," growled Gilgamesh.
The slave walked outside the room and the King followed close behind him. This better be good. Gilgamesh was not enjoying the fact that he was losing time to spend with Hakuno because of the look this slave was giving her.
"What is it?"
"My King…" The slave looked like he did not want to be there. "Can I speak freely?"
Gilgamesh crossed his arms. "Sure. Whatever. Speak freely."
The slave looked down at the ground. "The slaves that work the gardens have seen things…"
"Seen things?" he growled.
"Lady Hakuno was seen… with a man…"
"A man?" growled Gilgamesh. "Which man?"
The slave jumped. "A…a baru. They were spending every day together and their last meeting yesterday…"
"Yesterday?" prompted Gilgamesh. His hands clenched into fists.
"The slaves working at the gardens…saw him lean close to her…he probably…"
"I do not believe in gossip like that," snapped Gilgamesh. "Leave now."
The slave was gone before Gilgamesh had turned around. The King returned to his room.
Hakuno looked up at him. "Is everything alright?"
Gilgamesh stared at her. It could not be true. Her, spending time with another man, doing something that was questionable. "Hakuno. I have a question for you. Have you been spending time with a baru in the gardens for a past couple of days?"
She hesitated. Too long for Gilgamesh. "We are done for the day."
"What?" Hakuno's eyes widen and she scrambled to her feet.
"You can go. I want to eat my dinner now."
"But we have not played yet."
He turned his back to her as he focused on the meal set on the table. "Leave Hakuno."
He heard her moving behind him and then a touch on his arm. He yanked his arm away. "Leave Hakuno."
He glanced over his shoulder and saw her eyes were downcast and filled with hurt.
"Gil…"
"Do not call me that," he snarled. "Leave."
He did not move until he sensed she had left the room.
What in the name of the underworld had happened? Hakuno's eyes hurt as she collapsed on her bed. What had happened? Why did he get so angry? Why did he ask about a baru in the garden? She tried to remember the past couple of days but it was hazy. What had she been doing for the past couple of days?
"Hakuno? Are you alright? You look like you are going to cry."
Hakuno looked up to see Shub standing in the doorway. "I…I am fine." She rubbed her eyes. "Gil…the King, he got really angry with me…I do not understand why though…why are you looking at me like that Shub?"
"Hakuno…are you joking?"
"What are you talking about Shub?" Why did her tone suggest that Hakuno should know what Shub was talking about?
Shub was blinking slowly. "Ummm, you have been spending time with Munzur…"
"I…I have?" She scrambled to her feet. "When? How?" Why did she not remember this? She tried to think about what she had done for the past couple of days but they were hazy. "Shub…this might sound weird…but I cannot remember what I have been doing for the past couple of days. Have I been spending time with Munzur?"
"Yes," whispered Shub. "You have been spending every evening with him. And yesterday…"
"Yesterday?" prompted Hakuno.
"It…" Shub mumbled something under his breath.
Hakuno leaned forward. "What was that? I did not catch that. Speak louder please."
"It looked like you two…touched lips…"
Hakuno's eyes widen. "Kiss?" she squeaked. "We kissed?"
"The slave who saw did not have a clear view but it looked like, from her point of view, that you two…"
She numbly turned her attention to the window. She tried to remember the past few days but nothing. Just a foggy blur. "No wonder Gil was so angry," she murmured. That man got so upset over the littlest of things. Although that was a matter in and of itself, it still did not answer the question of why she could not remember it happening.
"Oh Marduk…you do not remember this happening at all, do you?"
She shook her head. "No…I do not Shub." She rubbed her eyes and dug her fingernails into her palms. "I need to tell the King about this. Obviously…he did something to me. He…he might be dangerous."
"But he is a baru," Shub pointed out. "However, I do agree about him being dangerous. I never liked him from the first meeting and you did not like him at first either. I found it odd that afterwards, you kept spending time with him."
Yes. Something was really wrong here. Hakuno hurried out of her room and headed for the King's. The guards outside gave her a look of surprise.
"Lady Hakuno, what are you doing here?" asked one. "You usually do not come by this late."
"I need to speak with the King."
"He is probably asleep by now," spoke the other. "He has had a long day."
She bit her lip. That was true. Gilgamesh had returned from his travels today. He was probably exhausted which also explained why he had kicked her out without letting her explain. Was this something that could wait until morning? Probably not. If Munzur had affected her memory like this, what else had he done to other people?
"This is very important though. Please. You need to let me in."
"If the King is awoken from his slumber he will have our heads…"
"Do not worry. I will wake him myself. He will only yell at me."
The guards exchanged looks and then stepped to the side. "Alright Lady Hakuno."
She gave them both a smile before she walked in between them and entered Gilgamesh's room. She waited in the doorway for a couple of moments for her eyes to adjust. It was dark; he had blown out all the lamps. Some light pooled from the moon through the window which gave her a general sense of where everything was. Not like she needed it.
Carefully she made her way over to the bed. Even in the dim light, she saw that he retained the regal aura he had while awake. Some things never changed, did they? However, now that she was staring, she noticed he also looked very innocent as well.
"They do say that the sleeping form reveals things that the awake cannot." She leaned over to shake him awake but before her hand touched him, her hand froze. Frowning, she tried to push her hand forward but something was preventing her from doing so.
It was in that moment that she felt another presence standing next to her. She turned her head but saw nothing there. She watched in horror as her body began moving on its own. Turning away from the bed, it went to the chest Gilgamesh kept against one of the walls. The chest he stored some weapons in.
What was her body doing!? Why was it not listening to her? She tried to open her mouth to scream but her mouth would not do her bidding. A voice chuckled next to her ear. A deep, male voice. Munzur.
If her eyes could widen they would have as the memories of the past couple of days slammed back into her. For the love of Ishtar…that man was a magus!
Her hand reached into the chest and pulled out a knife.
No. No. No. No.
I will not! Please. No. I cannot do this. No. No. No. No.
Her body was ignoring her pleas as it slowly returned to the bed. Gilgamesh was just lying there, fast asleep. He would not see it coming. The knife would plunge into his heart and nothing would be able to save him.
Tears were streaming down her face as the knife was lifted high above her head.