Hakuno knew it would be a while before she was ready to have another child. The pregnancy period was taxing in and of itself, but the post-partum recovery period was also brutal. Finally, almost two months later, she felt more like her regular self. She had to give credit to Elutil, the wet-nurse in in charge of their son, Ur-Nungal, Nungal for short. Having a couple children herself she had great advice on transitioning Hakuno into motherhood as well as helping to take care of the newly born prince.
At first Hakuno wanted to raise her son herself but with her duties as Queen, it was difficult balancing act. Gilgamesh had reassured her it was fine, most royal children were raised this way. Even so, she wanted to be a part of her son's life as much as she possibly could. In case something happened like what occurred with Shulpae she wanted him to have positive memories of her.
Speaking of positive memories, Enkidu had taken well to the baby. A little too well she would say. Enkidu liked spending time with Nungal. Last she heard from Elutil, Enkidu was now trusted with burping Nungal when he was finished drinking milk and they were able to gently rock him back to sleep. There were even a few nights where Enkidu would sleep in Nungal's room instead of with Hakuno.
She had to smile. If this was what Enkidu was like now, just think of when Nungal was older. Enkidu would be a great older sibling for him. Smart enough to keep the boy out of trouble but would allow him to explore and grow.
"Hakuno!"
She stopped and turned to see Ekur hurrying down the hallway towards her. Surprisingly Urash was nowhere in sight. She really hoped Ekur did not slip away when Urash wasn't looking. Two weeks ago, Urash lost sight of the baru and it took him almost half a day to locate the old man. And then Urash got an earful for his trouble.
"What is it Ekur?" She frowned as she took in his disheveled robes and slightly panicked expression.
"Do you know where the King is?"
"Gil?" She thought for a moment. "I think he is observing the training of the new recruits for the army today." That was why she was on her way to meet the elders of Uruk now to discuss plans for infrastructure.
"Bah, of course he is," grumbled Ekur.
"What's wrong?"
"It might be nothing but it might be something." At Hakuno's concerned look, he added. "I did a goat liver reading last night. I had to check the records on what I saw."
"Was it something rare?" For Ekur to not know what a reading was at a glance, that sounded alarming.
"I had not seen in all my times reading livers. It spoke of the arrival of a Goddess, the changing of fates and a possibility of a deep loss."
A shiver ran down her spine. "And you think it is related to Gil?"
"I was aiming for a general reading about the future of Uruk but when I was doing the reading, I kept thinking of the King. He probably plays a major role in the events to come."
"I will tell him what you said when he returns."
"Thank you my dear. I will do a couple other readings to make sure but I have a feeling Uruk will have another trial soon."
"I really hope this trial will be nothing too difficult." After everything they had been through, Hakuno wished things would stay quiet for a time.
"I hope so as well. Oh yes, when can I expect those tablets translated? I think one of them is about the location of the underworld and I am quite interested to see what that one says."
She had to laugh. "I will get on that as soon as I can."
"I will hold you to that." Ekur was gone as fast as he had arrived.
She turned to head towards her meeting and spotted Urash at the other end of the hall. She pointed in the direction Ekur had gone. "He went that way."
Gilgamesh splashed some water of the Euphrates into his face. He was covered in sweat and probably a few bruises. Sure, he had been here to observe the training regimen for the recruits, but he could not let them join the Uruk army without testing their skills right? Or perhaps he was preparing an argument in case Hakuno made a comment about it.
He grinned as he watched Ri-is order the men into different formations. He barely gave them time to get into one formation before calling out another. Although Gilgamesh would like to take all the credit for creating an army that befit the might of Uruk, it was Ri-is who got those men ready for battle.
Seeing movement out of the corner of his eye, he turned his head to see a woman standing before him. Where did she come from? The land was flat here, the training men kept Uruk citizens from wandering about. And he did not see a boat or raft on the river.
There was no other way to put it, this woman was beautiful, her portions perfect. Her long black hair had an unnatural sheen to it along with a slight curl on the ends. Her dress was extravagant, too out of place out here, in the middle of nowhere. Her earrings, bracelets and necklace dripped in jewels, but Gilgamesh's attention was drawn to the simple eight-pointed star pedant she wore. Why did that look so familiar?
The woman seemed to glide on the air as she invaded his personal space and ran a finger down his chest. "Marry me Gilgamesh of Uruk. You will want for nothing, your chariot will be made from jewels and gold and all would bow down to you, kings and peasants alike."
What in the name of the Gods!?
Wait.
Her eight-star pendant. He had seen that before, on the walls of a certain temple. The main temple of the patron goddess of Uruk. "Ishtar."
Ishtar, the goddess of beauty, fertility, war, and justice, grinned coyly at him.
"What do you say Gilgamesh?" she purred.
Gilgamesh took a huge step back and resisted the urge to wipe her touch from his chest. "I refuse you. You may be a goddess, but I know the stories of how you treat the people you say you love," he snarled. "Dumuzi was taken to the underworld because of you. The horse and lion that cares for you, you shackled and broke. You turned your human lovers into animals when you tire of them. I want nothing to do with you. There is nothing you can give me that would be worth the pain it would bring. In fact being trapped in a marriage with you would be the worst." He would admit, he was quite proud for remembering all those stories of Ishtar. He had to tell Hakuno later.
Ishtar's expression darkened. "You will regret saying those words Gilgamesh of Uruk."
"I will not," snarled Gilgamesh. He had Enkidu and Hakuno by his side along with his son. His kingdom was thriving. There was nothing he needed.
Ishtar screamed, the sound like something out of the underworld. He was forced to clamp his hands over his ears to block out the noise and his eyes shut instinctively.
The scream tapered off and Gilgamesh cracked open his eyes and saw Ishtar was gone.
"My King!" Ri-is ran over with a sword in hand. The soldiers were behind him, some with weapons and others ready to fight with their fists.
"Stand down, everything is alright." Gilgamesh's ears were slightly ringing from Ishtar's scream.
"Was that a demon that made the infernal sound?"
Gilgamesh shook his head in response to Ri-is's question. "Something similar but not quite. Now if you would excuse me, I need to get back to the palace." He knew this was something he was going to need to get Hakuno's and Ekur's opinion on.
"You said what to her!?" Hakuno shot to her feet and stared at her husband in disbelief.
"My King…you…" Ekur rubbed the bridge of his nose slowly, like he was hoping it would be a magic spell to erase the words Gilgamesh had spoken.
Gilgamesh leaned back in his seat, frowning at everyone. Seriously? Why was everyone thinking the world was ending? Even Urash was giving the King looks of horror and disbelief. The only that did not make the King feel like he did something incredibly stupid was Enkidu. They just looked confused to how everyone was reacting.
"Uh Hakuno? What is going on? From what I can gather, Gil was incredibly rude to Ishtar and she seems to be someone with great power from what I gather but from the way it sounds, Ishtar was incredibly rude to him."
"The problem is not what Ishtar said, it is how Gil reacted to her. Ishtar is an incredibly powerful goddess and getting on her bad side will not go over well," said Hakuno.
"I knew I should have continued to search for you after figuring out what that liver reading said. Although sadly you do not put stock into them."
Gilgamesh had to look away from Ekur's critical eye. "It will be fine, whatever happens we can handle it."
"Defeating Huwawa is not the same as going up against a goddess. And if you forgot, she is the patron of Uruk. She, in a way owns Uruk!" For a few seconds Gilgamesh was worried Hakuno was going to pull out her own hair. He really hoped she wouldn't, it was finally close to the old length.
Enkidu slid over, so they were next to Hakuno and put an arm around her. "It will be okay. We can take care of anything that will happen."
"Plus we have the will of Gula on our side and that has to count for something," spoke up Urash.
"That is only in name only," replied Hakuno. "I'm still surprised she has not come down to smite me for using her name so casually in relation to my power."
Gilgamesh was not sure but it seemed like Urash was going to say something and then stopped himself. Before he could say anything, Ekur spoke. "I will do a couple more readings tonight in an aim to see if the other gods would be willing to spare any information on what is to come."
"Good idea," replied Hakuno. She stood. "I will look through the texts for any information I can gather on Ishtar."
Ekur gestured to Urash. "Go with her. You will be of more help to her than me."
Urash dipped his head. "Of course."
"Thanks for the help Urash. We should go get Shub and go to the library. I'm thinking it would be best to look into the stories about Ishtar's responses to other mortals."
Before he knew it, Gilgamesh and Enkidu were the only ones left in the room. He leaned back in the seat, not realizing how tense the whole situation had been. Sure he knew making a goddess mad was bad but they were acting like the world was going to end or something!
"Gil? Are you alright?" Enkidu approached him. "Whatever happens with Ishtar, we will be able to handle it."
"I do not know what she expected me to do," he grumbled. "There was no way in the Underworld I was going with her so I refused her. What did she want me to do? Say yes?"
"Of course not but maybe you could have refused her differently?" Enkidu shook their head. "I am sorry Gil, I do not know what to say. But I am also worried. I do not want my home and you to be taken away because you scorned a goddess."
Gilgamesh rolled his eyes. "She's a goddess. I doubt she would give it a second thought once she gets over her initial anger of the subject. The whole interaction has probably left her mind and she's off doing whatever goddess do."
"FATHER!" Ishtar stormed into the throne room, her dress billowing behind her and tears streaming down her face.
Her parents, Anu and Antu were on their thrones and they were in mid-conversation when Ishtar dashed into the room.
"Father! You have to hear this!" Ishtar fell on the ground before her parents. She placed one hand over her chest. "I approached Gilgamesh of Uruk and he insulted me!" How dare he say such words to a goddess such as herself?
She had been traveling on the Euphrates to see the sights when her eye caught something beautiful on the shore. A man with an excellent figure and golden hair. Water dripped off his locks and sweat clung to his skin. He was something she wanted.
And that Kings denied her. No one denied Ishtar.
Anu closed his eyes. She had a feeling he was going back in his memory to "witness" the scene. "My dear daughter," he began. "I do not understand why you are upset. Everything Gilgamesh of Uruk said was true."
Ishtar bristled and shot to her feet. "Father, it is not true! Okay maybe it is, but he should not have spoken to me like that! Please give me Gugalanna so I can teach him a lesson!"
Antu let out a long sigh. "Ishtar dear, you do think about the consequences of your actions. This would be a good lesson for you to not play so much with mortal men. Besides, the King of Uruk has already taken a wife."
Ishtar narrowed her eyes and glared at her mother. "Well if you do not give me the bull I will destroy the gates of the underworld and let them feast on the living!" She inwardly smirked. There was no way her father could resist that threat!
"My daughter, you must understand the consequences of using the Bull of the Heavens. The land of Uruk will have a famine for seven years through the power of the bull."
"Do not worry Father, I have already taken care of it. I have provisions prepared so the people of Uruk will be able to live once the bull takes its course." A little white lie didn't hurt anyone right?
"Alright then my daughter. It seems like despite your temper, you have prepared for using the bull. Go on. You may use Gugalanna."
"Thank you Father! Mother!" Ishtar bowed low before she turned and strode out of the room, a grin lighting up her face. Gilgamesh would pay for his transgression.