Hakuno woke the next morning sore but satisfied. She slowly crawled out of bed, careful to not disturb her sleeping King. He stirred slightly but did not awaken.
After dressing and a quick wash from her basin, she headed for the closest garden. It was the quiet time between the dawn and before the servants started their work for the day.
She took a deep breath of the crisp morning air and rubbed her arms. She paused and stared at the small bruises that dotted them. Oh Gods, how was she going to explain this to Enkidu!? And what about the guards!?
She groaned. The only way to hide them was jewelry as wearing a cloak in the castle would draw unwanted attention. A quick check of her reflection in one of the pools told her, her arms were not the only place Gilgamesh had left his mark on her.
Great, just great. Lovely.
"There you are."
She turned to the voice. "Gil?" The rest of her words were muffled as he swept her into a hug and crushed her to his chest, his face buried into her shoulder. "Gil, I cannot breathe," she squeaked.
"I woke up and you were gone."
She froze. He did not sound like the confident King he was. If he had not been hugging her so tight, she would have wrapped her arms around him. "Gil, I am not going anywhere. And even if I do, I promised you I would come back. I will always come back."
Gilgamesh did not respond but somehow managed to hug her tighter.
"Gil, I really cannot breathe right now."
He released her and took a step back, his cheeks flushed a shade of red. Hakuno had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from commenting about it. He would probably get all flustered and talk about how "kings do not blush" or something like that.
"We need to plan for the trip to Suse," she said softly. "And make sure everything will be fine here while we are gone."
He rubbed the back of his neck and would not look her in the eye, but he did manage to growl, "They will pay for going after my Queen."
She shook her head but smiled. This was her king after all.
Hakuno could not stop the small shriek that escaped her lips as the horse skidded to a stop. She clutched the mane in a death grip, praying to every God out there.
"Hakuno, you need to let go." Gilgamesh reached around and slowly pried her fingers off the poor horse's mane.
"Infernal beasts," she murmured but she complied. Enkidu waited next to the horse and they helped her off the creature. Shub hurried to her side and began fixing up Hakuno's hair and making it seem like they have not been traveling for a half a month.
It was all part of Hakuno's plan to find out what was going on Suse. They had left Uruk soon after the New Year's Festival. With the people focused on the crops, it was probably the best time to go with the least amount of impact. They had sent a message through the captured spy that the King and Queen of Uruk would be visiting Suse. Only this time they had a decoy set up. While the decoy left in fanfare and celebration, a smaller group consisting of Gilgamesh, Hakuno, Enkidu, Shub, Urash and Gilgamesh's private guard left under the cover of night. Gilgamesh had balked about the idea of bringing Urash along but Hakuno had argued it was a smart move. Urash had some connections to Nippur and it meant he was a source of information.
They had traveled fast and hard, only stopping to rest the horses and to sleep. And finally, they were here, right outside Suse in record time. Of course, due to how fast they traveled it meant the King and Queen or Uruk did not look like they belonged to their status.
While Shub was getting Hakuno looking somewhat presentable, the guards got to work making the horses presentable with ribbons and fabrics hanging off the saddles with the cuneiforms for Uruk beaded on.
"Best I can do in the short time frame." Shub took a step back and nodded at her handiwork. "Good thing your hair is short, it is easier to manage."
"Long hair is better," grumbled Gilgamesh.
Hakuno rolled her eyes but fear crept into her as she approached the horse Enkidu had been riding on the way here. The horse was dolled up in finery to match the Queen it was supposed to carry. If Hakuno did not have to ride it, she would have found it pretty.
"You are not going to move away right?" she asked Enkidu. "You are going to stay and lead the horse?"
"Of course Hakuno, I will be leading it. You will be able to see me so do not worry. Enlil is a gentle horse. He will not spook."
She did not care if the horse was the gentlest in the world, he was still a horse. However, she was a Queen in a foreign nation and she needed to show her dominance. So, with the help of Enkidu, she got onto the horse's back. She grimaced and laced her fingers through the horse's mane and tried to keep herself upright and looking "regal" as the procession made its way to the gates of Suse.
Ishne stepped forward to meet the guards at the entranceway of the city. "Make way for the King and Queen of Uruk!" he announced.
The guards stared at Ishne like they thought he was saying a practical joke and then at the group.
Hakuno sat as tall as she dared and hoped her expression conveyed a bored Queen instead of the terror she felt about riding a beast.
The guards bowed slightly, and one stepped forward while the other turned and headed deeper into the city. "Of course, welcome King and Queen of Uruk. You have been expected. Sorry if my compatriot is rude, he went to inform the palace of your arrival. You are not expected for a month's time."
"We decided it to be for the best to travel light this time so there would be no repeat of last time." Warning laced the edge of Gilgamesh's words.
The guard swallowed and then nodded. "Well, if you follow me, I can lead you to the palace."
To avoid having to think about the creature she was riding, Hakuno looked around. She had been to Suse once, years ago, on the traveling caravan. It looked to be the same from her memory. Reed and clay houses lined the streets. People stopped their daily lives to watch the small procession pass. Ishne stood in the front of the group while the other guards converged on the side closest to Gilgamesh as well as the back. Usually they would protect the Queen as well but they only had five guards and Enkidu was more than enough protection.
The palace itself was as splendid as the one in Uruk. Made from stone, the walls had carvings of various depictions of stories of the Gods.
A woman with the slave brand on her hand met them in front of the palace. She bowed low to the ground. "I am sorry but my King and Queen are currently in an important meeting and they are unable to meet you at this time."
"No matter," said Gilgamesh with a roll of his shoulders. He looked down at the slave woman with cold indifference. "Show us to our rooms for now then. My Queen would like to get some rest and freshen up before dinner. I assume we will be able to meet with them?"
"Of course King and Queen of Uruk," spoke the woman. She stood but kept her eyes to the ground and gestured to a nearby male slave. "He can take care of the horses and I can lead you to the rooms."
"Excellent." Gilgamesh got off his horse in one smooth motion and with a snap of his fingers, the guards got to work removing the packs from horses.
Enkidu moved to the side of the horse and held out their arms. Hakuno carefully threw her legs over, trying to conduct herself as dignified as possible as Enkidu caught her. "I do not like it here," they murmured into Hakuno's ears. "Something feels wrong with this place."
Hakuno would have grabbed Enkidu's hand to give them some comfort but they were in a foreign kingdom and Gods know who was watching them right now. So, she just nodded to show she had heard them and agreed.
They were in enemy lands and they needed to be on guard, no matter what.
They were lead to a large suite that overlooked a small private garden decorated with statues of the Gods and various flowering plants. The suite had multiple rooms, a large bedroom fit for a King and Queen and a couple smaller side rooms for the guards and the slaves.
While the guards got some time to rest, Shub and Urash helped Hakuno and Gilgamesh get dressed in full royal regalia.
"No, that belongs on the other arm!" Gilgamesh scolded.
Urash jumped in surprise at the voice and quickly removed the bracelet. "I am sorry my King," he said softly.
"Gil, do not tease him," scolded Hakuno. She yelped as Shub dug a pin into Hakuno's hair to attach on the jeweled headpiece.
"Sorry Hakuno but if you do not feel it, it will not stay on."
Hakuno side-eyed her husband to make sure he would not bully poor Urash for no reason.
"I should come with you two," insisted Enkidu. "I do not mean any offense Shub and Urash but without the guards there…."
"Ishne will be with us," Hakuno reminded the ur-sal.
"But the other guards will be in the rooms," Enkidu pointed out.
Hakuno reached out, the bracelets on her wrists clinking together as she grasped Enkidu's hands. "Enkidu. We need to appear to not be worried we are in enemy territory. We need to appear confident." And she was worried how they would react to Enkidu. The green haired, otherworldly appearance probably would give the royalty of Suse a sense of unease, but she wanted to get a baseline of them before having them officially meet Enkidu.
"Please let me at least stay outside the door," they begged. "Let me be close as least."
"Enkidu, we cannot," Hakuno insisted. "If anyone sees you they will ask questions. Just wait here."
"Hakuno always has a plan or twelve in mind. Listen to her. Besides, in case you forgotten I will be with her. You think I will allow any danger to befall her?" Gilgamesh pointed out.
Enkidu hesitated but nodded. "You must be safe too Gil. Please do not be reckless."
"I agree, please keep your temper under control Gil," said Hakuno.
"I have done these kinds of meetings before," protested Gilgamesh. "I know what I am doing."
"You may have but that was before Gil but you tend to get a bit…angry when it involves me," Hakuno pointed out.
"No I do not."
Everyone but Gilgamesh exchanged glances.
"My King, my Queen, I am sorry to interrupt." Ishne stepped into the room and dipped his head. "There is a slave here to take us to the dinner."
Hakuno took a deep breath and adjusted the necklaces that sat on her collarbone. This was it, her first real diplomatic trip.
"I hope Ekur taught you well," Gilgamesh said to Urash. "What?" he asked when Hakuno gave him a look. "I was not mean so you cannot complain."
She shook her head but took Gilgamesh's outstretched hand and they were lead down to dinner with the King and Queen of Suse.