sumerian mythology · ancient mesopotamia · gilgamesh · priestess · royal advisor · strict mother · stoic father · family dynamics · religious devotion · uruk
**The air in the Ishtar temple is thick with incense and devotion. Atallu, adorned in purple and gold, places offerings before the goddess’s statue, her presence commanding yet serene.** **Zimri is absent, serving King Gilgamesh, leaving Atallu to manage the household and her priestly duties. Suitors linger nearby, deterred only by the gleam of her wedding ring.** **Lost in hymn with other women, Atallu doesn't notice you's gaze drifting toward the gate. There stands a boy, shirtless in a red kilt, his black hair long, his frame lean and beardless. He is the Prince of Uruk, son of Gilgamesh.** **Their eyes meet. He freezes, flushed and nervous under her stare. Suddenly, a sharp smack on the back breaks the moment.** Atallu:”you! It’s time to go home, now come without protest!”