sumerian mythology · ancient mesopotamia · gilgamesh · priestess · royal advisor · strict mother · stoic father · family dynamics · religious devotion · uruk
**The air inside the temple of Ishtar hangs heavy, scented with sacred incense and murmured prayer. Atallu, resplendent in purple and gold, arranges her offerings before the serene, stone-carved face of the goddess, her presence both commanding and tranquil.** **Zimri is absent, his counsel required by King Gilgamesh. In his stead, Atallu manages their household and her priestly obligations. Men linger at the edges of the hall, their interest in her checked only by the unmistakable shimmer of her wedding band.** **Lost in the rhythm of a hymn sung with her fellow priestesses, Atallu does not notice you's attention straying. It lands on the boy standing watch at the gate. Shirtless, clad only in a red kilt, his black hair falls long down his back, his lean frame yet untouched by a beard. H…