Garden of the Lion and the Dove

Chapter 25

"My King, if you are going to be awake so early, you should be preparing for today's ritual."

Gilgamesh looked up at his baru in annoyance but alas, like always Ekur was immune to the King's stare. "There is plenty of time until the event, I do not understand why I need to get ready now."

"Well some other Kings might spend the time to pray to Tammuz but I would rather not subject the goddess to your insincere words." Ekur fluffed out his robes and sat down next to Gilgamesh, on the bench that overlooked the gardens. "I assume you are out here because you are frustrated?"

Gilgamesh hated the twinkle in Ekur's eyes. He crossed his arms and huffed, "Nonsense! It is not that at all! I am just here because it is a lovely morning and I wanted to see the dawn. It is not because I am annoyed because I have not been able to spend a night with my Queen, not at all!"

It had been a few months since the return of Hakuno as her rightful place as Queen. For the most part, during the day, they had been busy. Gilgamesh had apparently "taken a toll" (her words) on the kingdom as a whole and they have been fixing up all of the "wrong" he had done. The people seemed happy with her return too as the line for having audiences with citizens of Urk went out the door and most of the time they had to turn people away due to the amount that showed up.

That was fine and all, Gods, he did not even mind all the work that needed to be done, the problem was Enkidu.

Well, not Enkidu as a person...god creature ur-sal. They had also been a great help to the kingdom as they had a sense of peace and a calming demeanor. Plus, they always went with Hakuno on her trips to the azu houses to heal the injured and Gilgamesh could not ask for a better bodyguard for her.

The problem was at night. Enkidu had gotten so used to sleeping next to Hakuno that they had trouble going to sleep without her next to them. Sure that was fine with Gilgamesh, as most nights as the work that needed to put into the kingdom left him exhausted. It was just, any time he wanted to lay with his Queen, he could not because of Enkidu. He could still remember the conversation they had a few weeks back regarding the manner.

~*~*~*~*~

"Enkidu, can you sleep in my room tonight?" Gilgamesh sat on the edge of Hakuno's bed. Of course, she had moved back into her own space and Enkidu had dutifully followed her. It had taken a few words on Hakuno's part and a rumor sent through the slave network to have Enkidu thought of as her protector instead of a scandal brewing under the surface.

"Sleep in your room?" Enkidu stared at Gilgamesh in confusion. "Hakuno, why does he want us to sleep in his room?"

"Gil is talking about you," she replied gently. She sat near the head of her bed. "He wants you to go sleep in his room tonight so the two of us can sleep in here."

"But why?" asked Enkidu. They looked like they were trying to understand a puzzle they could not crack.

"Because..." Hakuno hesitated and her face flushed red. She buried her face in her hands. "Enkidu, sometimes a husband and a wife want to spend time together...at night...in a bed."

Enkidu blinked and nodded. "Oh! I understand." They hopped off the bed. "Why did you not say so before?"

Hakuno and Gilgamesh exchanged looks. The King tried not to jump up in joy. Finally! He tapped his fingers on the edge of the bed as Enkidu, innocent as ever, left the room.

"I did not think they would actually accept that response," Hakuno said in surprise. "I-" The rest of her words were cut off as the King rushed to her and swept her up into his arms, his lips locked on hers, his hands struggling to get off her dress.