And no year-long wait. It's a miracle! Really, I thought it would take me months to finish this chapter since there was a lot I wasn't satisfied with, but I was able to pull through! Anyway, this is just another case of "The plans for this chapter became more than what I expected so I left the rest for the next one." Not that I am complaining, I like how it turned out. I also have a spoiler for you guys, the next chapter is already finished, but I will prob wait a while to keep the tension going :D
A little update: I changed the summary of the story. I wasn't fond of the previous one, but well idk if it's an improvement or not. I would like the know what the majority thinks.
Thanks again MidoriKurenaiYume for being my amazing beta.
Turns out FF removed certain words because the stupid site mistook them for a link... I had to improvise to fix it. Thank you very much FF document editor...
Silence hovered over the empty streets of Uruk. The darkness of the night swallowed the light that would usually illuminate the streets during the day.
The crackling cinders of the torches carried by the patrolling guards were the only sign that indicated there was any life at the city palace.
Arturia silently scanned her surroundings. Aside from the few torches, there was nothing else to illuminate her vision, as everyone was still asleep. However, it would not be long before the servants got up and began preparing for the long day ahead of them.
The steps she took sounded too loud in the empty hall. She almost let out a sigh of relief when she confirmed there were no guards near. After sneaking around, she finally arrived at her destination.
A clear view of the city of Uruk greeted her. She carefully looked over the edge, confirming that it was a safe landing if she were to climb over the palace walls. Her optimistic thoughts came to a halt when she spotted a guard passing by. The woman quickly hid away and waited for the man to disappear from her sight.
After being bedridden for a while, she had finally recovered from her injuries and decided to take immediate action. During that time in bed, she was incredibly restless. Her training had already diminished immensely with Merlin missing, and becoming bedridden had made her feel completely crippled. She was so used to practising the entire day, at times even in her sleep. As a result, Arturia did not know what to do with the free time she was given. While recovering, she tormented herself over her condition and the things she wanted to do.
When she was sure the guard left, the woman quietly climbed over the palace walls. It was hard to get a proper grip, but somehow she managed to launch herself towards a nearby tree and carefully dropped herself to the ground. A sigh of relief escaped her at her successful landing.
The cold air felt refreshing to her. Aside from the lack of rain or strong winds that permeated Britain during most of the year, the cold night was one of the few things that slightly reminded her of the climate back in her homeland.
She continued walking, making sure she would not make any noise. However, her venture quickly came to an end.
"Greetings to the early bird." Enkidu addressed Arturia with a smile. While they would not say it out loud, she knew that they had been waiting for her.
The woman did not answer and silently stared at them.
"Playing hide and seek just to test Gil's patience will not get you anywhere."
She continued to be unresponsive and dropped herself to the ground. Her gaze went up to the dark sky. Enkidu mimicked her in silence.
"There are a lot of stars now," they commented.
Arturia nodded. "Whenever we had a clear night, my brother and I would climb on the roof and count them, or we would have a bet on who could find the most images in the sky. I never won, though," she mumbled in annoyance. Kay would deny her findings every time with lousy arguments to prove his point. Even when she did win, she never felt like it was an actual victory. He was such a cheater.
"Is that so?" Enkidu wondered; a mischievous gleam shone in their eyes, "Then, shall I teach you a trick? The priests use the stars to predict divinations and omens from the gods. The positions of the planets and the path of the moon tell us a lot." They pointed at the sky, "Do you see that bright star over there? That is part of MUL MUL, also known as three stars each. These represent a tripartite division of the heavens. Enlil governs the northern hemisphere, Anu the centre and Ea the southern hemisphere. They are connected to the remaining seventeen zodiacs."
Enkidu continued to point out the stars to their corresponding constellation, and Arturia listened attentively. "MUL SUGI is also known as the old one. If you connect those stars, you can see it looks a bit like an old man."
"The one on the left that looks like a tail is also a constellation, is it not?" the woman asked curiously.
"Correct," Enkidu answered. "That is MUL KUN MES, and as you guess, it means the tail."
The names sounded odd to her and would probably be forgotten as time passed. "The tail?" She repeated with an amused tone. A smile graced her face as she looked back at the sky. No matter how much time passed, she would never tire of the view.
"I guess your time is almost up. It won't be long until the servants wake up." Enkidu pointed out after looking at the diminishing stars. "We should go back to your room."
The cold reality washed over her shoulders. Her expression quickly soured; she eyed Enkidu and reluctantly got up.
"If it makes you feel better, how about sparring with me when this is over? I promised to tell you more about myself."
A frown creased her brows. She did not understand the connection between a sparring match and their promise. Nor did they appear as someone experienced in swordplay. "I‐ I do not think that I am adequate enough."
"There's no need to worry. I can assure you that it'll be interesting."
Enkidu picked up Arturia without a word and quickly returned to her sleeping quarters.
The woman wordlessly watched as her companion placed her in her room and headed outside through where they entered.
"I'll be right there if you need anything," Enkidu said as they looked back at Arturia before leaving.
A bitter frown graced her features. Of course, they had to keep an eye on her, on whether she was causing trouble, like a guardian trying to keep their child in check. The irony made her almost laugh.
Not soon after, a knock was heard, and the servants entered as soon as she gave them a response. Arturia turned around and gave them a nod before anyone could open their mouths. It was a silent acknowledgement to confirm that she was aware of what she could expect.
This cooperative behaviour made the servants worried. Especially Iltani, who had been with her from the day she arrived. Her soon-to-be queen was a strong woman and did not hesitate to share her opinions. But watching the woman as she silently complied —albeit reluctantly— appeared more to be a warning than a good omen.
While Arturia was thoughtful towards those around her, those that lacked respect for others would often find themselves at odds with her. Which was the exact case with the king.
It was this particular habit of hers that made it impossible to predict what would happen.
After what appeared to be a surprisingly short wash, Arturia was given a white, simple tunic to wear. She could not help but frown at this strange development, as she inspected the tunic she was wearing.
"My lady, we are to escort you to the temple for the cleansing," Iltani explained.
This was different from the customs which pertained to Britain, but it was to be expected. Arturia nodded and followed the servants out of the room.
Two guards stood outside. They exchanged a few words with the servants before they silently followed them. She did not know if their task was to keep an eye on her or their surroundings.
Arturia stared at them for a mere second before her attention shifted back to the front.
The sky was still dark, but the first rays of the day were already emerging. A bright orange glow slowly began to break through the darkness. While Arturia was briefly captivated by its beauty, the moment the group arrived at the temple, her mind was brought back to reality.
It felt strange to see the building from up close. The group entered and they were met with the priestesses, led by Siduri, who had been waiting for their arrival. They gave her a polite greeting. It was an awkward display to her. To their greetings, she only responded with a quiet nod.
Siduri led her to a room deep inside the temple. The room was spacious, filled with a herbal scent, and its walls depicted various images of a ritual or a story. She was not sure which one it was. At the centre of the room was a large circular pool, and on the left side was a rug with several pillows, a table and chairs. The room was dimly lit by the braziers.
Siduri waited for the servants to leave before she turned her attention to Arturia. "I assume that no one has informed you of what to expect today, so I will give you a quick briefing. Before the ceremony begins, both the bride and the groom have to soak their bodies. The bath is supposed to cleanse the body from any impurities that could bring ill omens. Otherwise, you cannot present yourself in front of the gods during the ceremony. We have prepared several ointments for you. I know you do not look forward to this, but please use this opportunity to calm down."
Arturia stared grimly at the bath in front of her. "I understand," she answered.
A rather heavy silence fell between the two before Siduri continued, "After the cleansing, you are to be brought to the prayer room. The bride and groom are supposed to pray to the gods before the ceremony. During the ceremony, you will not have to do anything, just listen and do as you are being told." Siduri paused before speaking again, "Afterwards, a celebratory feast will be held before the consummation of your marriage. The bride will be prepared beforehand."
Her expression darkened. "You are well aware of my feelings on this."
"While I cannot prevent you from whatever you are planning, I do beg of you to not create a disaster."
She sighed; a bitter taste was left in her mouth. She knew Siduri was not thrilled about her predicament either. But neither women could do anything about it. For now, the only thing Arturia could do was to follow the decision she had made not long before.
"Now, does your home practice marriage consummation?" Siduri asked.
Her eyes widened. It was a question she should have expected, considering the awkward conversation they had had during their first meeting. She did not respond, however. Instead, she clasped her hands together and stared ahead.
"It was a formality, but yes," the woman finally answered. "I am not aware of the exact details, but the bride and the groom are to spend the night together after the wedding. In regards to the wedding of nobility, representatives of both families have to be present to witness the consummation."
"I see. You do not have to worry about witnesses. In Uruk, the gods are witnesses. Thus, there is no need for representatives."
Arturia did not know if she should be relieved or not.
"Furthermore, there are a few things you should know regarding the first night. I am assuming that you have not been told much, considering your past behaviour and words."
"I may have dedicated my life to the sword, but I can assure you that I am not ignorant. I just have no interest in anything that has nothing to do with my goal." Merlin had given her more than enough information when she became old enough to understand adult obligations.
Siduri did not react. She gazed at Artoria, almost in pity for her choices. "As I mentioned before, these are just precautions. What you decide is all up to you," Siduri eventually told her.
Arturia nodded and began to undress before she stepped into the water. It was lukewarm, and a relaxing scent emanated from it. The woman wondered what kind of herbs they used.
"I admire your determination," Siduri spoke as she grabbed a bottle and poured its contents into her hands. "To make a decision like this must have been difficult. Please do not move."
the priestess ordered as she proceeded with massaging her shoulders gently.
"Normally, this would have been done by the servants. However, I assumed you would be more at ease with someone you know during the preparations. You do tend to act in an unpredictable manner, and I have not forgotten your outburst from a few weeks ago." Siduri explained, "Please relax."
Despite the strangeness of the situation, Arturia nodded. Slowly, she felt the tension leaving her body.
"It will hurt in the beginning," the priestess began. "However, that will only last for a short moment if you release the tension from your body. Otherwise, you can just let your instincts guide you and do not panic when you see blood; that always happens during the first night."
A frown crept upon her brow. If she followed her instincts, she would have run the man through with her sword or punch him as hard as she could. A grin formed as her imagination began to run wild.
"And no violence," the priestess sighed as she noticed her sudden amused face.
"A person can dream," the woman answered.
"Just try not to antagonise His Majesty too much. I say this for your own good."
Arturia lifted her arm and stared at the bracelet that sealed her mana. She was not able to take it off, no matter how hard she tried. "I will see what I can do."
Siduri grabbed a clean cloth and dipped it in the bathwater, then she grabbed Arturia's face firmly with one hand and used the other to clean her face with the washing cloth. In response, the woman flinched and closed her eyes.
"I will leave you be, for now," Siduri announced. "Until the servants come to dress you, you will have the room to yourself."
In silence, she watched when Siduri left the room. When the door closed, she turned around and stared blankly at the bathwater. She wondered if whatever they had mixed the water with was what gave it an odd green colour and scent. Her blurry reflection came into view, a face that expressed the same amount of discontent as her feelings. It was hard and cold, a stark contrast from the tomboyish girl she used to be.
The woman closed her eyes as she tried to empty her mind from any surfacing thoughts. She must have dozed off, as the moment she opened her eyes again, the servants had arrived.
She stood up and allowed the servants to do their job. They washed her hair and body with an unknown ointment. It felt slightly cool and refreshing. Following that, they brushed her wet hair carefully, massaging her scalp and rinsing it. The ointment was then dabbed away with a cloth.
They proceeded to guide her out of the bath and began to scrub her skin clean of all possible impurities.
It was exhausting for the woman, being stuck in a situation where she was not supposed to do anything. From the corner of her eye, she detected the surprised gazes of the servants. They had not expected her skin to be so rough. It was the same expression Iltani showed her the first time she tended to the knight.
It was no surprise. As a child, she took care of the horses, and from a young age, Merlin had begun to train her with the sword. Her hands had gotten calloused from the years of training and bruises she had sustained. But it was nothing to be ashamed of. They were proof of her hard work and determination.
The servants quickly dressed her in a sleeveless, aquamarine dress and a lighter-shaded tunic. A sash was tied around her waist. She was given two golden bracelets to wear on her right arm and several more for her wrists. While her hair was let down, they did add a hair ornament tied to the back. Lastly, she was given a light blue veil to cover her nose and mouth, and sandals.
She felt as if she was completely drained when the servant guided her out of the room. The next room was filled with plants, it had a completely open ceiling, where the sunlight shone inside, and an altar with fancy seating stood at the very end of the room. The knight heard the door closing behind her as she looked around. Siduri had told her that she was meant to pray. However, she was firmly against it. There was only one individual she regarded as her god, which was why she refused to sin by praying to a god or goddess from an ancient civilisation.
"Oh, I can definitely see why he became interested in you. You are such a beautiful woman, and your height is just adorable!"
The knight unconsciously turned around and stepped back; she wanted to reach for her weapon, only to remember that she did not have it with her.
"There is no need to be on high alert. I just came here personally to greet you."
In the room was a beautiful woman Arturia had never seen before. She was garbed in Sumerian attire and wore quite a fair amount of gold jewellery. The woman was definitely not a servant nor a priestess. The way she carried herself proved that the woman belonged at least to the nobility. However, unlike the citizen she had seen, the woman had golden blonde hair and red eyes, almost like—
"Who are you?" Arturia asked doubtfully.
The woman sighed, "Well, I cannot fault you for not recognising me. You are technically an outsider who arrived only a short while ago. I am Rimat-Ninsun, the goddess of the wild cow, consort of the second king of Uruk and the mother of Gilgamesh. That is to say, I am your soon-to-be mother."
The woman stood speechless. Her mouth hung slightly open before she shut it firmly. The woman in front of her was a goddess? The mother of the current king?
"Such a frigid child, my son has quite the strange taste in women. In any normal circumstances, your behaviour would be deemed insulting. However, I did decide to greet you unannounced. Even Gilgamesh is not aware of my visit, so I would appreciate it if we could keep it between us." The woman winked playfully and walked over to the altar. She sat down and gestured for Arturia to join her. "Come sit, my child," she called out.
Arturia snapped out of her daze and complied. "My apologies for my crude behaviour. I was so surprised that my mind had gone blank," she admitted a little remorsefully.
"All is forgiven," Ninsun reassured her. "Now there are a few things I would like to discuss with you. I do hope you do not misunderstand, I was informed only recently about the wedding. While I am aware that the concept of time is different for gods, I am still hurt by the fact that my son did not tell me anything, and you poor child got dragged into this."
"I suppose you cannot help me?" the knight asked.
"His actions have indeed displeased me. However, your presence has no dire consequences regarding my being. That opinion may not be shared by my fellow gods and goddesses. Besides, as a mother, I wish for my son to be happy. Do not mistake my meaning; I am well aware of the incident that took place some time ago. Your involvement, however, only became clear to me recently. I have such an overprotective son when it comes to anything he fancies."
The woman frowned. 'Overprotective?' If that was supposed to be his overprotective behaviour, then she did not want to know how he would behave in front of his enemies. "I do not think any common man would define his actions as overprotective," she pointed out. "On the contrary, they appear to be rather more possessive and suffocating."
"Gilgamesh is not a common man; he is my son. Divine blood runs through him; his reasoning and actions may be unlike humans. However, I am his mother, and I know him best," the goddess answered.
"That proves my point, which is to say, I do not belong here. Surely, you have also noticed, I am from an era yet to come. I have my own duty to fulfil."
"Yes, but that will be no problem with your disposition. Your home has yet to be founded, and with the blessing of your sword, you can live your days here as my son's consort until the day arrives where you can set foot again in your country. Your home will not be affected at all."
"That could be a thousand years; I cannot wait that long! Furthermore, I have never agreed to any of this!" she protested dejectedly.
"Child, calm down," the goddess ordered. "Whether you like it or not, what has happened, has happened. To manipulate time is no easy feat. It is the result of true magic, while gods are restricted to their own domain. Thus we cannot mess with the domain of the other gods. Moreover, time is a fickle thing; even if you were to find a way to return to the future, there is no guarantee that you will be able to either return to your own time or return unscathed. So, I advise you to instead choose the safest option and stay with my son. You will be able to live in comfort, luxury and I can guarantee you, there is no better husband than my Gilgamesh. He knows how to please his partner in the private chambers."
Her cheeks flushed from embarrassment and anger. "I have no desire to be touched by any man! Especially with the disrespect, he has been showing me!"
Ninsun sighed. "I wonder why my son decided on such a stubborn woman. But I guess it is for the best that you have such a strong personality." A smile graced her ethereal features. "I look forward to having you as my daughter," she said,
Arturia speechlessly stared at the goddess who had taken fruits from a bowl, which probably was left by the priestesses. "I would offer you some, however, you are not permitted to eat until after the ceremony," Ninsun explained. She put the bowl aside and motioned for Arturia to come even closer. "Please sit in front of me. As your mother, I will give you a gift on this joyous occasion."
The woman silently came forward. Ninsun grabbed her hand gently. "While I know he has done this to protect you, its purpose will soon be useless."
A clang echoed through the room. The knight opened her eyes and saw the bracelet the king had given her was now lying on the floor. The mana which had been sealed began to flow through her veins again.
"I do hope you will not cause too much trouble. I want my son to be happy, but that will not be easy when you are at a disadvantage in voicing your wishes," Ninsun proclaimed sweetly. "If you desire company, you are welcome to visit me at my temple."
Arturia gaped speechlessly at the goddess. Did she just do her a favour? Arturia was about to convey her gratitude, but the goddess did something unexpected. Ninsun pushed her bangs back and gently kissed her on her forehead. "Ahh."
"The charm will last until midnight. So until then, please stay put." the goddess warned, "Now, it seems I have run out of time. It was a pleasure talking to you. I wish you good luck on this day, my daughter. May we meet again soon."
Ninsum vanished in a flash of light, leaving Arturia little time to process what had just transpired.
The door opened, announcing to her that she was out of time.
"My lady, the ceremony is about to begin."
The priestess who came to escort her bowed. She was wearing similar attire to Siduri's.
Arturia sighed, and Ninsun's words echoed in her mind. She took a deep breath and nodded.
The woman was led out of the room. The door behind her closed. And slowly but surely, the anxiety for the future yet to come crept its way into her heart.