Daughter of the Gods (Gilgamesh x Reader)

Chapter Eighteen: Show of Facade

A chuckle followed one after another echoed through the four corners of the dining hall. On normal mornings, it would've been likened to the soft sound of Al-Simr's melodic string instruments that bring about a good morning to you and the queen but that's not the case today.

The chuckles can be likened to the noise caused by gossipers murmuring against each other on mornings you pass by a certain spot in your kingdom as you go for your morning walk. To put it simply, it sounded like rocks scraping against each other that give you a feeling of wanting to tear your ears off your head. 

You sat at your usual place at the end of the dining table opposite the king. Ahead in front of you was the woman you bumped into earlier sitting on Gilgamesh's lap. You can see him telling her things that make her giggle out loud; one that seems pretentious to you. 

For a moment, she glanced sideways to glare at you. She has been giving you that kind of look ever since the moment you and Siduri arrived at the dining hall. It appears to you that she wants those gaze of hers to scare you into leaving the ziggurat and the king to her.

Little did she know, she need not give you those icy glares to make you want to leave this place. You would've done it already if only Al-Simr was not under the threat of being destroyed. You love your kingdom and your people so you endure watching the king flirt with his woman on the dining table.

You weren't against public displays of affection but the eyesore your witnessing at the moment was nothing but inappropriate. It made you disgusted to the point that you already lost appetite. You can even feel the insides of your stomach stir as you watch her caress Gilgamesh's face as he eats.

For a second you understood why this king had to send someone to go all the way down south to get himself a woman worthy of the throne. It's not like you to insult others but you know full well that to put a woman like that as queen would only benefit the king in bed. Such is not fit to be crowned a ruler.

At the sudden change of your mood, you asked Enkidu to accompany you out of the hall. Then again, it's not like you to personally ask for accompaniment much more from the man who took you away from home. He complied with your wishes and followed you right after you pushed your chair backward and stood. 

The sound of the feet of your chair scraping against the floor silenced the lovey-dovey couple. You felt two pairs of eyes watch you leave the hall but you couldn't care less. Your pride would've made you stay and glare back at the woman to tell her that the one who should be afraid isn't you.

Once your presence disappeared from the vicinity, Gilgamesh pushed Shinaku off him. She almost ended up falling on the floor had she not held the table for balance. "Ow, what was that for?" She asked. Siduri could tell that Shinaku was holding her displease in so as to not appear rude to the king. There she goes again; acting like a little girl thirsty for the king.

"Was that just for show, my king?" Shinaku asked, sitting at the chair nearest to Gil. "Who was that woman, anyway? I don't like her at all. She gives off this aura that makes the people around her feel inferior."

Siduri wanted to butt in so bad but she kept her composure and retorted inwards. "Maybe the reason you feel inferior around her is because of the fact that you are." 

Meanwhile, you found yourself walking towards nowhere in particular around the ziggurat. The next thing you know, you heard your stomach grumble a low growl. It made you stop in your tracks, embarrassed by the fact that Enkidu was there.

"Would you like me to get your meal and deliver it to your room, my lady?" He asked. Somehow, his gentle voice that stands at the border of femininity and masculinity calmed you down. "Or would you like to have breakfast out of the ziggurat instead?"

His second suggestion stirred the willingness to go out in you. You remembered how last night you refused to have him give you a tour of the city today and now the only thing you wanted to do was step out of this suffocating place.

"Yes, please," you replied. "Which one?" He teasingly asked even knowing full well what you want. You rolled your eyes before replying, "Just lead the way already." Enkidu let out a chuckle before he led the way.

You passed through the Royal Hall wherein for a while you thought if the two of you were taking the massive staircase located across the throne. You were used to going up and down big staircases since your home in Al-Simr had one too but undeniably not as huge as this.

Surprisingly, Enkidu led you towards the indoor staircase that leads down into the rest of the ziggurat's body. "Would you have preferred to use the other one?" He asked knowing what's on your mind. 

"No, I'm good with this," you replied. The lower part of the ziggurat had fewer windows compared to the upper one where the royal hall rests. As you were nearing the bottom of the staircase, Enkidu stopped for a while to hand you something.

In his hand rested a folded piece of white cloth. You looked at him in confusion before taking the cloth. "I believe you'll need that, my lady," he said. "I'm certain you don't want to garner a lot of attention."

He must be referring to your hair. Indeed, it was uncommon because of its gold strands but Enkidu's was even more unusual than yours. But then again, Enkidu is a citizen of this nation. The people wouldn't be surprised to see him out on the streets.

Gently, you unfolded the cloth and placed it over your head to act like a cloak that'll cover your hair. "Thank you," you said. Enkidu gave a smile in return before continuing to walk. A few meters past the bottom of the staircase was the exit. You felt your legs numb from the flight of stairs you went down on.

You continued to follow Enkidu out until the blinding rays of the morning hit your face. You instinctively closed your eyes and stopped. Slowly, you opened your eyes to adjust to the brightness that surrounds you.

The moment your eyes were fully open, you were welcomed by the sight of a slow-moving body of water that encloses the perimeter of the ziggurat. The water's surface gleaned from the sun's rays. You haven't noticed this before. 

Enkidu continued to lead the way and you followed him closely like a lost child. There was a stone bridge that connects the ziggurat's base to the floor of the city. Across the bridge, you could see the people going about their daily lives. The other side was bustling with people and it made you excited to go ahead and talk to them. Unfortunately, though, you know you have to keep a low profile in the meantime.

As a princess who loves the people, seeing them surely was a game-changer to your mood. You felt your insides feeling a little giddy like a child excited to go out. 

As the two of you crossed the bridge, some people turned their heads to greet Enkidu; you could tell that the people loved him. It made you wonder what kind of a king Gilgamesh is. Maybe he only acts that way when it comes to you but not to his people. If that's the case then you don't mind at all. Besides, it isn't you that he should be serving but his people.