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Weeks have passed and the golden city of Uruk is still silent. The once busy streets of the marketplace now seem like a ghost town after Enkidu’s tragic passing. Not a single citizen was not mourning over the death of their strongest warrior, and hero. And most of all, their king has never gotten down from the ziggurat.
Gilgamesh’s eyes were red from crying for weeks, sometimes breaking down in anguish in their chambers. “Your majesty, please calm down.” Siduri says as Gilgamesh was once again punching the wall in tears. Not a word comes out from the king’s mouth, only breaking down further. Siduri understands Gilgamesh’s frustrations and sadness, knowing how much the king loved them, as even she is still mourning Enkidu having lost a dear friend.
“Your majesty please, you have to calm down.” she once again calls out. Gilgamesh only rested his head on the wall with his hand all red and bruised from punching. “They’re gone, Siduri. I lost them.” He says clenching his fist and lowering his head as tears start to well up his eyes again.
“Your majesty it has been weeks already-“
“SO WHAT IF IT HAS BEEN!?” Gilgamesh said, raising his voice creating all the more tension in the room, sending chills down her spine. Siduri was unable to speak. It was the first time she saw the king in such a state, knowing fully how Enkidu’s death impacted Uruk, Gilgamesh took it the worst, having lost his friend, his lover, most of all his life long companion.
“Your majesty-“
“Begone.” Gilgamesh states cutting her off as she tries to reach out. Siduri pursed her lips, looking worried at the king. “Didn’t you hear what I just said? Leave. That’s an order.” He states once more getting a little agitated. Siduri only managed to steal a sad glance at Gilgamesh before taking a bow and leaving the room.
“Have you managed to talk to him?” A servant girl asked Siduri. She only managed to sigh, shaking her head. “ Enkidu’s death surely took a toll on his majesty.” The servant girl said, looking down sadly.
“As much as I do understand his grief, it makes you a little worried about him, doesn’t it?” Siduri sighs once more, placing a hand on the girl’s shoulder.
“Give him time.” She says with a sorrowful smile.
Later that night, Gilgamesh was getting ready to go to bed, feeling more numb than ever, eyes still red and puffy from crying. “None of this would’ve happened if the bull of heaven wasn’t slayed”, he thought as he formed his hand into a fist, cursing under his breath preparing for another bucket of tears to be shed.
“Your majesty, it’s getting late. You should rest.” Siduri says standing by the entrance of his chambers, who has been checking up on him throughout the day. Gilgamesh proceeded to huff before heading to his bed, with Siduri once again taking a bow before she left. After another minute of cursing, did the king finally feel tired, dozing off into a deep sleep.
“Gil” a voice calls out to him.
Gilgamesh was bewildered with the void around him, until he recognized the voice that called out.
“Could it be?…”
He thought, as he slowly opened his eyes.
“En…kidu?”
His vision started to clear up, revealing a familiar green-headed figure, sitting down on their knees beside him with a sad smile.
His eyes widened, as tears started to form, quickly pouncing on the other in a tight hug.
Enkidu was taken aback at first, but still reciprocated.
Gilgamesh was gripping a handful of hair tightly, resting his head onto their shoulder as he cried with Enkidu soothingly rubbing his back.
“I thought I’d lost you forever.” He said in between.
Enkidu was the one to break the hug, carefully wiping the tears away from the king’s eyes.
“Gil, you know that you wouldn’t lose me. But…”
Enkidu said, looking at him with a sorrowful, yet resigned look.
“You have to let me go.”
“What?” Gilgamesh looked like he just heard terrible news. “Gil, you have to let me go.” Enkidu reiterated, this time trying to hold back their tears.
“Enkidu, no!” Gilgamesh exclaimed. “Enkidu I possibly could not, why would I-.”
Enkidu cut him off by placing a hand on his cheek, caressing it gently. “ My love, you have been suffering, because of me. You are in pain because of me.”
Gilgamesh takes their hand onto his, holding it tightly.
“ ‘Kidu, no-“
“Gil…” Enkidu says, cutting him off again.
“It’s for the best of both of us. Gil, it hurts me seeing you like this.”
“Enkidu I can’t let you go, I just can’t.” He desperately states. Enkidu looks at him sadly, trying to force a smile in. “Gil, I’m not saying you forget, but you have to move on and continue to live.”
Gilgamesh was unable to speak, as tears started to well up his eyes again.
Enkidu lowers his hand, holding it, placing their other one on top of his.
“ For me. For both of us.” They said as a tear fell down their eye.
Gilgamesh remained silent, taking his free hand placing on top of theirs, pressing their foreheads up against each other.
“I’m sorry.” They whispered, crying.
Gilgamesh wipes the tears from both of their eyes, pulling them in closely. Enkidu immediately returns the gesture, burying their face onto the other’s shoulder as the both of them cried.
“But Gil, we can’t always be together, and this is where we part ways for now.” Enkidu says, pulling away, caressing Gilgamesh’s face with their thumb.
“Enkidu-” Gilgamesh tried to speak, only to cut himself off with his tears, unable to let Enkidu go. Pulling them in even closer, holding them even tighter.
Enkidu tried to comfort the king, rubbing his back again soothingly. After a while, Enkidu placed both of their hands onto his face tracing in Gilgamesh’s features before leaning in to place a kiss on his lips.
Gilgamesh reacted, supporting the back of Enkidu’s head with his hand as he deepened the kiss, placing his other hand onto their cheek.
They pulled away, Enkidu giving him a reassuring yet resigned smile, still with a hint of sadness in their eyes.
“ Gil, I have to go. But don’t ever forget that I’ll still be with you no matter what.”
It was then Gold sparks started to surround the two of them. Gilgamesh was confused, only to realize that Enkidu was starting to fade away.
Gilgamesh only stood there not knowing what to react or say, watching as more Gold sparks were surrounding them.
“Enkidu wait-” He uttered out at the last moment out of desperation, trying to reach out to them. Only then did he find himself quickly opening his eyes seeing the familiar canopy of his chambers.
Gilgamesh got up, noticing how his pillows were soaked, touching his cheeks only to find out they were wet. He sighed, ruffling his hair, staring into nothingness.
“Nothing else in this world matters, if you can’t be by my side.”