Gilgamesh could tell something was wrong with Enkidu. They were not as attentive as they usually were, the questions not free-flowing like they were before. And Enkidu was the one who insisted on visiting the various azu houses that Hakuno visited to heal the people within.
"If you are bored, we can return to the palace." Gilgamesh could feel the stares of his citizens around him. Of course, Enkidu had not wanted to take a liter there, they insisted on walking. Well if they were going to walk then Enkidu should have paid attention to everything around him! What was the point otherwise!?
"I am not bored. I am sorry if it appears if I am not enjoying myself, it is not my intent. I am glad to see the places where your Queen showed her gift." A small secret smile. Gilgamesh had noticed Enkidu had that smile a lot, usually when the topic of Hakuno came up. He had asked about it once, but Enkidu was surprisingly tight-lipped about it, not giving the King any hint to what they was thinking of.
"My King, hypothetically speaking, if you had the chance to see someone again but you were not sure if seeing them would be a good idea, would the correct path be to see them again?"
Gilgamesh was smart, he was a king after all but even he could not understand the words that had just left Enkidu's mouth.
"Do not worry about it my King."
"Wait, you cannot just say that and not expect me to respond! Explain what you mean!" Out of the corner of his eye he saw his guards bristle at his sudden outburst. He raised a hand to show it was alright and they would not be needed.
Enkidu stopped before stand selling carpets. The woman behind the stall's expression was halfway between star-struck and wary. They ran their fingers after a few fibers. Gilgamesh could tell they were thinking about Zaibu by the way their expression softened. A twinge of annoyance welled up in him. Seriously, that damn slave was always on Enkidu's mind!
Enkidu turned around and stepped closer to Gilgamesh, the movement so sudden that the King stepped back without thinking.
"Forgive me for being forward but if you had the chance to see your Queen again, even with the risk of losing her again, would you want that?"
What kind of question was that!? He realized if Enkidu had asked this question a few weeks ago he would have thrown them into the dungeons and executed. However now, he took a moment to think the question over. For some reason it seemed like the answer was important to Enkidu.
"Yes. If I had the choice, I would see her again…and I would make sure this time that what had happened will not happen again."
Enkidu's secret smile was back. "Of course." They shook their head. "Where is the next azu's house? I cannot wait to see it!"
Hakuno took a deep breath and rubbed the bridge of her nose to try to stop the oncoming headache from overwhelming her. Over the past few days, Shub and Urash did most of the legwork in digging up information about Rigiljo.
Rigiljo was not a solider that attracted attention. Quiet, kept mostly to himself but he was not unkind to the slaves. He joined the army a few years ago and his family, a mother and father lived in the city proper as merchants, selling pottery. From Hakuno's trips to the training grounds during the morning regimes, Rigiljo obviously had great skill with a weapon. She could see why he had been chosen for the mission of protecting the Queen.
However, in all their searching, they could not find anything to link him with anything regarding Suse.
"Maybe he has nothing to do with it?" suggested Shub. She sat on the bed while Hakuno sat at the desk, papyrus papers laid out with all the information that had been gathered so far.
"Perhaps but I feel like we are missing something…" She tapped the stylus on the table. She stood. "Are you able to get away this afternoon to go into the city?"
"I could probably make an excuse for a shopping trip, why?'
"How do you feel about pottery?"
It felt surreal walking through the city and no one knowing who she was. She had not been paying attention when she had arrived with Enkidu earlier, her thoughts focused on getting into the palace. Now she had to marvel how no one paid her any mind. No one stopped in the streets to bow at their Queen or present an injured individual for her to heal.
She shook her head. It looked like being a Queen had gone to her head a little bit.
"It is that one there," murmured Shub, gesturing to the stall in question.
Hakuno stepped up to the stall with a bright smile on her face and she pretended to take in the wares.
"Welcome, see anything you like?" An older woman with black hair plaited down her back sat in the shade of the tarp. This was probably Rigiljo's mother as the family resemblance was strong in the eyes and jaw.
"I am a beginner in the art of pottery myself but do you make your own?" Hakuno gestured to the closest one, a vase with a narrow neck and an intricate pattern painted in black that was pleasing to the eye.
"My husband makes them and paints them, I just sell the wares," she said with a merchant's laugh.
Hakuno had to admit, she had the trick of making the customer feel right at home with her bright voice and jovial attitude. "Your husband huh? I assume the children are learning the trade as well?' She gestured to a bowl that was done by an obviously different hand. "Your son's work?"
She shook her head. "Naw, my husband's apprentice. Sadly, it is not a family business trade. Our son, unfortunately does not have the knack for the trade." She gestured towards the palace. "My son works for the army."
"Oh wow, the army?" Hakuno feigned surprise. "That must be so difficult on you, not knowing if he is going to come home or not."
"Quite but thankfully the Gods have been merciful and now since we are at peace, my son can visit us often."
"Yes, I am glad Uruk was able to crush Nippur."
"Yes, praise the King." Did Hakuno imagine it or did the woman's expression darken for a moment?
Knowing that she would be unable to get any more now, Hakuno pointed to the vase she had first laid eyes on. "How much for this vase?"
The woman threw out a price and Hakuno responded with her own. After haggling it down for half of the original cost, Hakuno walked away from the stall with a vase she had no idea what to do with.
"Would it not be best to get something smaller?" While the conversation was going on, Shub had done shopping of her own, the basket she carried now full of supplies for the kitchen.
"Probably." Hakuno adjusted her grip on the vase. "What did you find out?'
"Well, from what I was able to gather from the other vendors, the family only arrived here five years ago, and they were not very forthcoming to where they were living before. A few of the other merchants had noticed that the family gets a lot visitors-travelers and traders. Cousins, uncles, family members when asked but…"
Hakuno nodded. It was common for merchants to have visitors, especially if they were from somewhere else but the fact that they were not forthcoming, and the other merchants noticed an abnormal amount of visitors, this sounded like there was something going on under the surface.
Before they left the marketplace, Hakuno glanced back and saw Rigiljo's mother was staring in their direction
"That was not there before right?" Enkidu stared in concern at the vase that took up a corner of the bedroom.
"No, I got it today in the marketplace. I went to Rigiljo's parents' stall. I did not want to leave empty-handed." Hakuno grabbed the money pouch from the table and held it out to Enkidu. "Thank you for getting me some spending money."
Enkidu shook their head. "You keep it. I would not know what to do with it."
Hakuno went to put it in the chest in the other corner of the room. "How was your day with Gil?"
"I had the day mostly to myself for today. The King and I played a few games in his room before he was called out for some meetings. He was grumbling about it but even he admitted it was important to smooth things over with the nobles after his recent behaviors."
Hakuno bit the inside of her cheek. Her King was trying his best to make it up to his people. "I am sorry you had to spend your time alone today."
"I spent the time in the gardens. It is not the forest by any means, but it is peaceful there and reminds me of my old home."
"Do you miss it? If you could go back, would you want to?"
Enkidu shook their head. "Of course, I miss it but I would not have met you or the King otherwise. Both of you are very important to me. And this kingdom, I can see why you love it Hakuno. Also, what did you find out? And I hope you were careful."
"Nothing worthy to note but the family is hiding something. Shub is going to try to use some connections she has to see if she can find something else out about the family, but we doubt it and Urash does not know them either." She rubbed her eyes. "Who knows, we might be focused too much on this family instead of looking at the bigger picture, but I am not sure of who else it could be." This was like finding a specific tablet in a library with no organization, incredibly difficult.
"I know you will be able to do it, I believe in you," Enkidu said firmly. "Trust in yourself."
It was great that Enkidu had put so much trust in her, but she could not help but worry. What if she could not figure out who did it? What then?