Daughter of the Gods (Gilgamesh x Reader)

Chapter Thirty-One: Vermilion

There is still a day left before the wedding but that upcoming event is already the talk of the town. Wherever you went, people were out giving you their greetings and wishes in advance. You thank them with a smile on your face however that is not how you feel deep inside.

You never really thought of getting married since you believe that life is more than just a boy but if ever you would, you wanted to do it with someone you truly love. Unfortunately, as things are, that is not the case.

Although the thought of marrying Gilgamesh no longer brings the same heaviness to your heart, at some point, your train of thoughts still drifts across that. During the past few days, you didn't just get yourself acquainted with everyone but also prepared yourself for the things that are to take place.

You began to accept that whatever happens will happen and that you don't have to cage yourself within the negative thoughts the king stirs in your mind. The moments you spend out of the ziggurat and with the people put you in so much ease that lessening the displeasing feelings felt like a piece of cake.

Speaking of cake, Siduri's butter cake tastes excellent! You would do anything and everything to have yourself enough of that. The other day, she stopped you as you were heading out of the ziggurat and offered you a snack before going out.

Going back to the matter at hand, you also accepted the fact that there are things beyond your control and things you need to let happen so that you can move forward.

You realized that if some things don't go your way, maybe they're intended to give you lessons. For a time, you need to learn this one lesson so you could skip to the other one so that when you're done with all of those, you only bring with you what you need to.

You decided to view things from a holistic perspective and just look ahead towards the future with the hope that all will be alright in time.

You were shaken out of your thoughts when Siduri called you, announcing that all the daily reports were done. She asked you if you had further orders and you shook your head in response. She gave a nod as she looked towards the direction of the Royal Hall's entrance as if waiting for someone to enter.

Your guts were proven correct when a group of women appeared into view. The three girls reluctantly walked forward to make their presence known. Gilgamesh simply looked at them with his usual unfazed expression.

Although deep inside, Gilgamesh knew these girls. They happened to have slept with him for who knows how many times and with his view of women, he can barely care. With the number of women who have walked in and out of his chamber, he most likely doesn't remember everyone but he immediately recalls once he sees them again.

He stood up and stepped down the throne. His heavy footsteps echoed and you noticed the slight trembling of the girls as Gilgamesh descends. For a moment, your senses felt sharp.

You thought that Gilgamesh would cause a scene but thankfully, he just walked out of the hall. Had he tried doing so, you would've jumped in to protect your guests. Once he was out and nowhere in sight, you stood and made your way down to the girls where Siduri met up with you.

"What do we have here?" You asked. "These girls were the ones who made your wedding dress, my lady," Siduri answered. You recalled that the other morning when Siduri fetched you from your chamber, she brought with her measuring tools.

With great precision, she took note of your body measurements quickly. When asked what it was for, she told you it's for your wedding. Since that day, every servant in and out of the ziggurat had been busy with the preparations.

"You are to fit the dress to make sure that everything's well and that there's no need for any alterations," Siduri told you as you were eyeing the pieces of fabric held by the girls. "But if you wish for changes, they'd simply comply, of course."

"Very well, then," you said. You turned to walk towards your chambers as Siduri accompanied the girls as they followed you.

Upon reaching the destination, you temporarily disabled the bounded field by reaching your hands out and touching it with your palms. "You're a mage!" One of the girls gasped, surprised. As the other two looked at her, she covered her mouth with her palm.

"S-sorry," she said, looking down. You chuckled in response. "It's okay," you said. "I'm not that great. I'm only acquainted with bounded fields and the likes."

Once the magical energy dissipated into thin air, you stepped inside. Siduri ushered the girls to follow. Quickly getting to the matter at hand, two of the girls held out a large blanket in front of you to cover you as you changed. 

The other one handed you the clothes and waited by the other side of the blanket until you've had the dress worn. Once done, the two girls dropped the blanket and all three of them rushed over to help you.

You held your hands up on either side of your body to allow them access. They worked around to make sure the dress fits your body perfectly. Their hands worked with caution, careful as they made contact with your figure as if your skin would bleed by just one wrong touch.

They admired the way your skin was illuminated by the sunshine that peaks into your room as if trying to get a glimpse of you in the fiery dress you wore. Your skin was so smooth it felt as if it went for years untouched.

You held the beauty of a virgin, an honor to any man, something long taken away from them by the very man you'll marry. Yet they remembered that the king didn't take honor into stripping them away of their womanhood.

But perhaps for you, things will be different—for all the remaining untouched women in Uruk. Perhaps they wouldn't have to give themselves up to a man who sees them as nothing but toys anymore. Perhaps they didn't have to be forced into something they didn't want.

Not all women in Uruk would throw themselves to the king. Not all Sumerian women wanted to be labeled the king's slut. But do they have a choice?

When the dress has clung perfectly into your body as it found home in your curves, the three girls stepped back. They did so with the hope that the social status of women would change—that they no longer have to be playthings for men.

They've seen you a couple of times before and they've heard about you from those who walk in and out of the ziggurat every day. They knew you were strong, brave, and liberated—the traits they hoped you'd be able to bless upon them in your rule. They decided to put their trust in you, and in the future that you will bring.

***

"You'd need to stop letting women into your chambers soon," Enkidu said as Gilgamesh inspected the red bobbinet in his hands. "Has this been made with the fabrics from my treasures?" Gilgamesh asked, changing the topic.

"Yes," Enkidu answered. "Also by the finest tailors of the capital."

The king cast the cloth away towards the direction of his friend. Enkidu, as quick as ever, caught it just in time. "You know that for things to get well between you and her highness, you need to start treating her right," Enkidu continued. "Like her husband that you will be."

Gilgamesh scoffed and it was soon followed by laughter that echoed around the walls. "Whatever made you think of that?" He asked. "She was the one who said it herself; she'll only marry for the sake of the crown."

"Even so—" Enkidu was cut off.

"Even so, she'll serve her purpose," Gilgamesh continued. "Like the rest of the women, I only need her for her body. Like I'd give a damn care about what she feels."

"She's been out and about pathetically mingling with the mongrels and it's absolutely disgusting. She needs to be tamed," he added. What the king means to say was that you have to submit to him your everything—your very being, and this time, he'll do all that he could to make you do so.

After all, after the wedding, you're completely his whether you like it or not.