Okay, I have tortured you children more than enough I guess. Here's your long-anticipated chapter. I think this is one of the fastest updates I've had. Thank you summer for that!

With this, we have reached the end of part 1! Hooray! I never imagined I would come this far, ah but we're not even close to the finish. There are a lot of things I have planned for this story, so please be patient. There will be many more times when the waiting will appear endless, but that's writing. Planning, procrastinating, hating your own work, loving it, hating it some more, being a perfectionist. So, this is a heads-up that I have no idea when the next chapter will be out. I do know the direction I want to take this story, but it's always the 'how' that takes time and the fact that I am strict with myself will not make it any faster. We'll just wait and see.

I want to thank a certain friend from Discord for helping me out with some scenes and of course my beta MidoriKurenaiYume for the amazing feedback! While I have been writing for quite a while, there is still a lot I have to learn.

The ceremony felt like a blur, Arturia was so out of focus that she could not properly register what had transpired. She vaguely remembered the presence of the high-ranking officials, nobles and the king's advisers. Enkidu, Siduri and the temple priests and priestesses were present as well.

She was led to the upper floor by the king, where the priest who oversaw the ceremony was waiting. The priest spoke, there was a cup both of them had to drink from, and by the time she found herself blinking, everything was over. Now she was allowed to eat again and fill her stomach after going through the day without food. But she was not hungry. Instead, she just felt exhausted. If she could just close her eyes and pretend as if today had never happened— But she knew that she could not do that. The only thing she could do was blankly stare ahead while wondering what she had done to deserve these punishments.

Her gaze lingered over her hands, decorated in various jewellery. Golden bracelets, all masterfully crafted in each their own format and style. Some were even embedded with precious stones, others carved with such accuracy that she could only imagine the most skilled craftsman creating these. She imagined that many noble ladies would have dreamed of indulging in such luxury. But she thought it to be inconvenient and heavy for combat. Her skin felt soft and smooth, a result of the servants tending to her hours before. She had never guessed that it would be possible anymore after all the scars she had gotten. With one finger, she inspected her skin with curiosity. It felt foreign to her as if what she was touching did not belong to her.

She thought back on her unexpected encounter with the goddess Ninsun. Never would she have imagined that a goddess would personally come to meet her. Merlin had once told her that Gods were fickle beings. They wouldn't just show themselves to anyone. But who was she to judge? She had never met a god before, so she could not acknowledge their reasoning, nor could she understand the love of a mother for their child, since she had never had one in her life.

A sigh escaped her lips. Arturia felt as if she was trapped in an internal battle, where she had to keep her composure as promised or reach out for the freedom she so craved. She was desperately trying to find a distraction, something to keep her occupied and prevent herself from losing her mind, but the few things she sought were denied to her. She had more than enough time to rethink her plans, and she had already come to accept that the answer was not as easy as it seemed. So she told herself that she should keep quiet, tolerate and observe. Which was easier said than done.

The music of the instruments, along with the dancing and laughter, drowned the sounds of conversation from the room. If the circumstances were different, the woman would have been impressed by how there were still similarities between two entirely different cultures. Sadly it was not the case at the moment. Because she could feel the curiosity of the people, their eyes wandered, the conversations shallow. But even that was something she could see happening in Britain. The discomfort felt similar to the day she arrived. However, unlike back then, she was unaffected by the undesired attention.

"It would be in your best interest to eat something," the voice of her now 'husband' cut through her thoughts.

She blinked once, then twice and reluctantly looked up; he was eyeing her with curiosity. There was a glint of satisfaction in his eyes that she wished she could forcefully remove from her visage. Arturia did not respond and simply stared blankly ahead.

"I will do so later," she curtly said and grabbed the goblet that was placed at her side.

Her brows crooked as the unfamiliarly sweet but also slightly bitter taste of the beer hit her tongue. It wasn't the first time she had drunk such a beverage. She had after all shared a few mugs with Merlin and Kay during their travels. It had started after they had been travelling for a while when Kay teased her about her inexperience. The first time she was so surprised by the sweet taste that she had gotten herself completely drunk, and anything that happened afterwards was a haze. Her brother ended up scolding her the next day for her reckless behaviour.

His words rang through her mind, "Never drink on an empty stomach!" and she immediately regretted her stubbornness.

Arturia set the goblet back. A slight flush adorned her cheeks.

"You are not thirsty either?" came the king's voice.

It was an observation and possibly a taunt for her behaviour. She coughed and fleetingly looked around the room. They tried to hide it, but she knew the crowd's eyes were on them. "I do not engage in reckless drinking," she answered as calmly as she could muster.

"This is a feast, a celebration. There is no shame in indulging oneself during festivities."

"You are free to decide whether you want to indulge in your whims or not. I decide for myself whether I want to indulge in today's liquid refreshments," she responded.

The king shrugged. He raised his goblet towards her, "To our new lives, my dear wife. I look forward to your future antics."

She did not respond, only looked as he drank his beer. For some reason, it did not feel like a loss, but an opportunity, and as long as she drew breath, she would make sure he would be aware of it too. "I will accept that challenge of yours," she murmured softly.

With her mind cleared, she finally reached out for the food and began to eat. She felt as if her stomach opened up, but instead of taking one bite after the other bite, she chewed slowly, swallowed and kept an eye on the public. It would be embarrassing if she were to reveal her recently discovered gluttonous side.

Her eyes met with Enkidu's. They had been talking with one of the guests. A smile graced their features as they, for an instant, shifted their attention towards her. Arturia, in return, sent them a pleading gaze, hoping they could come and give her a break from the celebration. She was instructed to listen and do as she was told. But no one had told her what to do afterwards. She was not the type of person who would suddenly start a conversation with someone.

Enkidu gave her a wink and continued the conversation with the guest. Arturia could not help but send an incredulous look at them as a wave of utter betrayal swept through her. She would pay them back for this. The woman looked back at the food again and decided to place all her attention on eating.

Gilgamesh stood up, and immediately everyone grew quiet.

"Today is a celebration for the coming of my queen!" He glanced at Arturia. The woman watched him quietly and silently nodded. Her expression did not betray any of her thoughts. Then she eyed the crowd while silently acknowledging their presence. "You will worship her as you would with your gods. You will honour her like you would your mothers! For this Uruk will feast, Uruk will celebrate! You may enjoy yourselves for the next three days. That is my decree!"

"Praise the Lugal and Erish!"

There were chants, there was joy, and the guests raised their goblets and drank. The music continued, and some guests began to sing along to the tunes. It was an odd sight.

Siduri appeared next to Arturia, almost startling her. "It is time," she stated.

Arturia did not understand what the priestess meant. Time? What time? Was there another custom that she was not aware of? With a questioning gaze, the woman glanced at Gilgamesh from the corner of her eye and with just a glimpse did she realise the meaning of Siduri's words. Panic seized her insides as if she was thrown into an endless bottom of cold water. Already? It couldn't have been that long could it? Couldn't they give her additional time to eat more?

Despite the discomfort, she silently got up. She sent one glance at the king. He did not look at her and merely continued with his meal silently.

"I look forward to our night together, my queen," she heard him speak as she was leaving.

A gentle, sweet smell wafted through the bridal chamber. The room was furnished with expertly crafted furniture. A large bed enfolded in soft linen, pillows and a thin drape occupied the far end of the room. There was a sizable table with a carpet, several soft seats and a couch with more pillows on the right side of the room. Six large braziers kept the dark room alight. The walls were decorated with exotic hangings, which gave off a relaxing vibe. Artoria sat in front of a mirror as the attendants removed all the jewellery and hair accessories.

"His majesty will be entertaining his subjects for a while. You can be at ease," Siduri reassured her.

Arturia looked at the priestess through the mirror. "That may be the case, but even 'a while' can pass swiftly," she answered. Her hair was slowly being unravelled and brushed.

"You've done really well during the ceremony and celebration. There's no need to be nervous now. This is how nature works."

She pursed her lips and closed her eyes. "Nature..." she repeated.

The woman unconsciously stood up and allowed the servants to undress her. "Despite what he says, I still have a will of my own."

"Of course, you have," Siduri agreed. "However you know that you also cannot—"

"Yes, I know," she interrupted the priestess with a smile. "I know what I am doing, furthermore I prefer being here, instead of a room where the majority of the attention is on me."

Arturia's calm behaviour left Siduri speechless. Throughout the whole day, she had acted surprisingly well. By nature, the woman was already stoic and composed. However, the king had tested her patience various times. To the point where many people would unconsciously avoid her whenever she was in a sour mood. She had already noticed— by how the woman carried herself— and heard it also from Enkidu, Arturia was not a noble lady but a warrior. The scars left on her body were proof of her capabilities.

Arturia turned to face the priestess to express her determination. Her eyes were burning with confidence and resolve. She had had a lot of time to think and find her answer. After considerable words of advice and concerns from others, she had finally come to a conclusion that would assuage her worries. Of course, that did not mean that she liked it. However, she had accepted the king's challenge and thus would not back out of it. For her pride, she would confront him straightforwardly. And it was that look in her eyes that put Siduri at ease.

"I pray that your night will be eventful."

The servants left the room when they finished preparing Arturia for the night. Siduri glanced at her one more time before also making her exit.

The woman let out a sigh, it had been an exhausting day, and the worst was yet to come. She turned around and took a look at the room. Whoever was in charge had worked very hard in decorating. The incense they had prepared had a calming effect on her. For a second, she considered laying down and going to sleep, but she couldn't do that yet. No matter how much she desired her rest, it was considered an act of retreating for her. Her attention shifted towards the table. There were goblets and two containers prepared, along with a bowl of fruit. For now, she had little interest in the refreshments, even though she had been hungry just a short while before. Instead, she headed over to the hangings and gently pushed them aside to gaze at the sky. The moon shone brightly. As if it was inviting her to partake in the beautiful night. There were millions of stars visible, which reminded her of the view she and Enkidu had gazed at this morning. A sea of endless brilliance in bottomless darkness that captivated anyone who laid eyes on it. She recalled that Merlin once told her that witnessing a star's descent created miracles. Obviously, she knew that was just man-made superstition, but it was still beautiful to behold with her own eyes.

She could try to climb out of the room again and hide. However, as she looked back at her behaviour, she could only label them as foolish actions of a childish mind. It would not solve anything, it would only create more problems for her, and she was sure guards were keeping an eye around the area or worse, Enkidu could trap her in those mysterious chains and drag her back. While she did enjoy the person's company, at the same time, she was not fond of how they were behaving like a watchman. She could not fault them entirely for their actions. It was her actions that spurred Enkidu to act in such a manner, after all. Yet, such behaviour was natural for anyone if they were to find themselves in undesirable circumstances.

She let out a sigh and moved from her position. She lowered herself to the ground and sat while facing the direction of the table. She closed her eyes and began to meditate. Her mana, which had been more in a dormant state, flowed slowly through her veins. While it had certainly become active again after Ninsun had removed the seal from her, it still felt more like a small drop of a large ocean had begun to leak through a gap that had been created. She hadn't noticed it before, but it was definitely there.

She heard the door slowly opening. However, there was no need to look, for she knew who the person would be.

"Hmm, definitely not a sight I anticipated," Gilgamesh said as he came closer to her meditating form. He stopped when he stood right behind her, towering over her body.

"I was considering resting early," she commented, a tinge of mockery present in her tone. She did not turn to confront the man. Instead, she concentrated on her breathing.

Gilgamesh shrugged and sat at the table while leisurely enjoying the refreshments the servants had left them. The night was still young. If his wife wanted to pointlessly distract herself, then he would not deny her to do as she wished. "Tomorrow, we will be meeting with the representatives of the other city-states," he pointed out.

This did catch her attention. "A meeting with the representatives?" she repeated.

"It's just a formality." he answered in an almost boorish manner, "but a required one." The goblet he was holding swung from side to side before its contents were consumed.

"You still insist on drinking more?" Arturia's voice cut through the room's momentary silence. She was now observing him with scepticism and slight disapproval. Her posture was guarded as if she was ready to attack whenever she would detect suspicious movements.

"While I appreciate my wife's concern over my well-being, I have had times where I drank twice as much." he pointed out. "I have no problem with articulating my sentences or holding a proper conversation. While you instead refrained from drinking and still look as stiff as you did in the morning."

The frown on Arturia's face deepened and almost transformed into a scowl. "I stated before that I have no need for drinking recklessly, and do not mistake my words for concern!"

"That is not exactly the face a bride should have on her wedding night," the man pointed out.

She took a deep breath before speaking again, contouring her features into a rigid mask. She would not allow the man's words to crawl under her skin again. "I have had enough of your nonsense. I am going to sleep."

She stood up and walked towards the bed. As she walked nearer, Gilgamesh grabbed— and pulled— her right wrist in his direction, forcing her to turn and see his mischievous face. He narrowed his eyes, and their gazes locked. "It appears you are forgetting something, my queen," he murmured in a low, seductive voice.

Her expression did not change; there was no need to give him the satisfaction of him seeing her annoyance being displayed on her face. He went for her other wrist and gently pushed her towards the bed, then made her lie down on it. His face slowly leaned close to her cheeks as he trapped her underneath him. "It wouldn't be a proper wedding if my wife has not received any form of reward yet."

Arturia reflexively closed her mouth and shut her eyes when she felt his breath on her neck. He chuckled loud enough for her to hear, affirming his dominance. He then went to the base of her neck and slowly licked it up to her ear. Like a starving lion, he grazed his teeth unto her nape, and it sent a strange chill down her body. It felt foreign, and to her chagrin, she knew something was incited within her. She hesitantly inhaled a deep breath through her nose, not wanting to lose any of her strength. Gilgamesh, instead, exhaled profoundly while raising his teeth to her nape and then kissing it. He hovered around again above her face, yet there was no reaction from her.

He had anticipated her stubbornness as it wouldn't be much of a challenge if she caved so quickly. To break the ice, he stared at her and leaned closer to nibble her lower lip to test the waters. To his delight, Arturia let out an involuntary gasp. It was a soft one, but he definitely heard her.

He wanted more.

He raised his face away from her mouth, took a deep breath and licked his own lips.

The foreign feeling was getting stronger within Arturia as she saw his tongue touch his lips through her lidded eyes, but her iron will still demanded that she kept her composure. Gilgamesh went closer again to her face while maintaining eye contact. He slowly opened his mouth to let his tongue slither into her lips. He thought that her lips were dry and took the liberty to moisten them.

"Still nothing?" he thought to himself.

His tongue brushed along her lips, from side to side, three times, each stroke applying more pressure than the previous one. After the final stroke, he gently pushed his muscle between her lips and touched the treasure hidden within. Her eyes widened as his eyes squinted when their lips closed the gap between them. The adventurous tongue went straight to hers and moved around her mouth, trying to trap it as the other tried to escape. It was all for nought, of course, as the action itself was pleasurable for both parties. She was still resisting, but even a fort, like her, could not be immune to human pleasures. After a while, he broke apart from her for air. He had to applaud her for her willpower. Her face was slightly flushed, but otherwise, there was no change in her.

"You sure know how to test my patience," he commented.

He kissed her forehead and stared at her. Starting from her face to looking at the base of her neck and the ears on both sides. He wanted to make sure he left a trail of his essence to mark her as his own. He leaned closer to her face and closed his eyes to attentively listen to her deep breaths.

He raised his body as he let go of her wrists. His arms smoothed over the hem of her dress. It was thin, more meant for decoration than as an actual piece of clothing. He gently pulled it up and aside to reveal her thighs. Unlike the women he had had before, Arturia's thighs were toned from her years of training. Even after being bedridden for a while, it did not seem as if much had changed. Arturia flinched at the unexpected movement. Despite her composed nature, her reactions betrayed her inexperience. It awakened his appetite further and made him wonder how sweet the flower would taste if he were to relish in one of its petals.

He touched her thigh, squeezed it gently and slowly made his way to his destination. His fingers touched her outer lips. A grin spread across his face, she would not be able to endure for long, and when she finally did waver, he would enjoy teaching her every kind of carnal pleasure in the world. He reached for her opening, feeling the moist of her cavern as he slid his finger inside—

"Ugh!"

However, just as he touched her entrance, a sudden jolt ran through his body. It lasted for a moment, but it was more than enough to make him lose his strength. He looked up, surprised at the sudden change of events.

"Do not think that I will allow you to do as you please." Arturia's ragged voice came from above him. Her face was flushed, her eyes glowed in reawakened determination, and her body was warm and unstable from the unfamiliar stimulation she had received. She had her right arm firmly pressed against his shoulder, and mana was coursing through her body.

"You-?!" Gilgamesh could not finish his sentence as his wife immediately sent another shock through his body. It had only occurred to him now that the bracelet he had placed on her was missing. How could that have happened?! She shouldn't have been able to remove it on her own unless... A laugh escaped him, followed by another. Arturia watched him silently as Gilgamesh continued to laugh.

"My mother has staged this, hasn't she?" he finally asked. It was not exactly a question but more like a confirmation. He knew that there was a reason why his mother would go behind his back to meet his bride. But until he could speak to her, he would have to fish for answers from his wife.

"Whether she has or not is not important," Arturia stated. "You were the one who challenged me in the first place. As long as I have my own free will, I will not submit to you. I do not mind if I have to go along with this charade for the citizens, but do not expect me to do the same in private quarters!" she stated firmly. "If you desire to have intercourse with me, then you will have to make me change my opinion of you, turning it into a more favourable one."

He glared at her, seething with rage. The nerve of this woman! "How dare you deny your husband!" he growled, trying to rise and remind her of her place. However, another shock quickly coursed through his body, and he fell back on the bed.

"Honestly, I find it more a generous gesture since I did give you a moment of enjoyment." Arturia glanced at her hands and tested her strength by clenching and unclenching her fingers. She sucked in a deep breath, trying to regain control of her body again as it had still not recovered. That was dangerous. If she possessed even a bit less willpower, her plan would have backfired. Now she understood what Ninsun meant when she was praising her son. The king was more dangerous with his seduction skills than she had imagined. He had taken her off guard completely, even more, when he suddenly shoved his tongue in her mouth. The taste of beer still lingered on her tongue, and she wondered how much he had drunk before coming here. She thanked Merlin mentally for teaching her one defensive spell. "The spell should have no lasting effect since it's mainly used as a distraction," she stated as she stood up and channelled her mana.

Gilgamesh crooked his eyebrows in question at the woman's behaviour.

In a flash, her sword appeared in her hands. She took a deep breath and lifted the skirt of her dress until she could see her thighs. With one smooth swing, she cut her thigh and allowed the blood to stain the sheets. "This should be enough, I think," she mumbled. The woman proceeded with ripping a part of her dress and wrapped it around her wound. With care, she inspected the injury and confirmed that she had it wrapped properly before lowering her skirt. If the healing proceeded smoothly, there would not even be a scar present. "With this, no one should suspect anything," she declared. She cast another stun spell on Gilgamesh before stepping off the bed and grabbing a chair so she could sit. She eyed Gilgamesh calmly as she was pondering what she would say. "I hope we are on speaking terms now."

He snorted. "After your jest play?" His tone was filled with sarcasm. "I never imagined you were such a shameless woman."

"I find your actions to be more shameless compared to mine," she mused. "As I was saying, I have no qualms about playing along with your charade, and I have done nothing that would leave an unfavourable impression on the citizens. Moreover, it is not as if I have anything else to do here. But make no mistake, as long as you keep undermining my desires and restraining me, you will only have that."

He raised his eyebrows as if he did not understand what she was talking about. "While I do possess clairvoyance, I cannot read minds. You are free to request anything, but I have never heard anything from you," he stated, "You were never restricted to stay in the palace the whole day either, but you still spent most of your days in your room out of your own volition. Lastly, you require an escort as you are not familiar with Uruk's streets." He gazed at her for a short while before smirking. "If you desire my company, I would not mind bathing you in my presence— Ugh!"

Instead of glaring, Arturia sent another shockwave at Gilgamesh.

The man cursed and glared at her. "Damn it, woman, stop that!" he demanded.

"Ah, my hand slipped," she admitted with no remorse and continued as if nothing had happened. "While I do agree that especially during the earlier days, I was too much in a foul mood and in poor condition to do anything, I did request various times for you to send me back to my home."

"And here I thought you had finally given up on that nonsense." A sigh escaped his lips. "You should forget about your homeland. Even if I were to agree to your request, I do not know how to send you back."

She gave him a death glare. Ninsun had already told her it was an almost impossible feat, but to hear him declare it with ease as if it was but a trivial fact made her mad. "And yet you were able to bring me here," she hissed through gritted teeth.

He shrugged. "True magic is a miracle in itself. Besides, I have no need for the knowledge on how to reverse it."

There was no point in arguing with him. He saw no fault in his reasoning, and after meeting Ninsun, she began to understand why he had such an intolerable personality. She took a deep breath and eyed him again. So far, negotiating has gotten her nowhere, while she did receive some confirmation on what was bothering her the most. "Then what about every time I got dragged back when I tried to escape?" she questioned.

"Would you prefer getting lost outside and die of dehydration? Or risk getting captured by slave traders?" Gilgamesh provoked. "I do not think you would have been in a proper condition to fight against the demonic beasts that are roaming outside."

It annoyed her how he knew how to answer every demand and question of hers. She was tempted to stun him again, but it would just be a childish outlet for her frustration.

"If what you desire is to do something where you can make use of your skills, then I will not deny you that."

Arturia froze. She was astounded by his declaration. "Do you mean that?"

A chuckle escaped him, "Only a fool would let talents go to waste. I am also aware that you wish to know what happened to the citizens after the Edimmu's attack." he answered, "However, I will discuss this with you at a later date."

She shifted her gaze towards the table, contemplating his words. The only thing she had heard was that the destroyed buildings were being rebuilt and what Siduri had told her after she had woken up. This was definitely the most advantageous offer she could get. "Alright," she finally answered.

Gilgamesh sat up and threw the stained sheet on the ground. "I will retire for now. You have miraculously ruined my mood," he declared. The brazier had already turned into a pile of embers, making the room dim.

She watched him as he took off his ceremonial robe and jewellery and threw them aside. Something was bothering her, and it did not take long for her to realise what it was. "Ah!" she gasped and quickly approached the table. She found a cup with water, dipped her hands in it and made her way over to Gilgamesh.

He observed her quizzically until she tangled her wet hands in his hair and ruffled it until it began to stick to his face. At least this would look more convincing when the servants arrived in the morning. It was strange how his hair could give him such different vibes depending on how it was styled. She could feel his red orbs observing her attentively, but she was too focused on her current task to care. When she was satisfied with his dishevelled hair, she returned the cup to the table. Her gaze lingered for a bit on the couch until Gilgamesh's voice cut through her thoughts.

"Come and sleep," he ordered.

She eyed him with scepticism, not trusting his words at all.

He groaned at her stubbornness. "There is a time and place for everything, and now, it is time to rest. You have already exhausted me mentally with your audacity."

He lay down and covered his body with the sheets. Arturia glanced around before she tiptoed carefully towards the bed. In the process, she almost bumped into the chair she had placed in front of the bed. She stood still in front of the bed and looked at the empty space where she was supposed to lay and then at Gilgamesh's form. There was still some hesitation, but she crawled under the sheets anyway.

It was strange. Despite the favourable outcome, something was still bothering her. A feeling or a warning that something was looming closer. She had to remind herself that this was the Age of Gods, where all kinds of dangers lurked outside. She recalled the incident in the city, the poor man who was nothing but a victim and still had his life robbed by her own hands. The memory had not left her since that day, and she knew that many more incidents were to come. Many more would come, some similar to that time, others entirely different.

Her eyes blankly stared ahead at the darkness, waiting, contemplating, until she finally drifted off to sleep.

Info dumb: There were 4 classes back in the Sumer period. The slaves, the middle/ freeman class, the Mushkina (upper class) and the Amelu.

The slaves were obvious at the very bottom, priests and the rich owned slaves so they could do labour work for them. People were sold into slavery by their families or husbands to pay a large debt or they were born into slavery.
The freeman class consisted mainly of merchants, craftsmen and farmers. The Mushkina class are the government officials, nobles, lower-ranked clergy and warriors. Skilled warriors were very valued back in those days.
The Amelu class is the highest class which is where the high-ranking priests and the King belong to.