Chapter Text
The Amonia residence, morning. In Roxanna's spacious gym room, the rhythmic breathing and the soft thud of bare feet on a mat fill the air.
Roxanna, muscles already warmed and glistening, finishes her floor exercises, her crisp white short-sleeve shirt and practical brown trousers lying neatly folded on the floor beside her. Minutes later, she grabs her white fingerless gloves and white shoes, pulling them on with practiced speed. She then dons her blue and yellow sleeveless jacket, the fabric cool against her skin. A quick, habitual smoothing of her hair, already neatly pulled back in a severe bun, and Roxanna is ready. She exits her gym room, heading towards the inviting aroma emanating from her mother’s breakfast nook.
In the brightly lit breakfast nook, Kyra Amonia, 53, Roxanna's mother, moves with an easy grace, preparing a vibrant shakshouka, its tomatoes simmering gently. A steaming mug of tea is ready for her, and a tall glass of milk awaits Roxanna.
KYRA: [a voice echoes from the nook] Rammie! Breakfast is ready!
ROXANNA: Coming, mother!
Roxanna enters the nook, a faint flush still on her cheeks from her workout, and sits down on the chair opposite her mother.
Roxanna is at the table, spooning a mouthful of Shakshouka, the rich, spiced tomato and egg dish, a welcome warmth. Kyra, sipping her tea, is seated opposite her, a sleek, modern tablet held in her hand.
Its screen displays a news article with a dramatic headline in a bold, ancient-looking font, and a grainy, digitally enhanced picture of a sorrowful-looking goddess Ishtar, who felt thoroughly betrayed by Gilgamesh.
KYRA: [muttering, eyes fixed on the tablet, a slight frown creasing her brow] Can you believe Gilgamesh's betrayal, Rammie? Tragic, huh? Absolutely tragic.
ROXANNA: [chewing slowly, swallowing before speaking] What is it, mother? Another one of the goddess's revenges? The divine tabloids again?
KYRA: [shaking her head, tutting] Worse. It's Ishtar. And it’s far more dramatic. Look at this! The audacity!
Kyra turns the tablet for Roxanna to see the story, her finger gesturing emphatically at the headline. Kyra reads aloud, her voice infused with a mix of shock and morbid fascination: "The goddess Ishtar sends the Bull of Heaven to punish Gilgamesh for spurning her advances, thanks to Gilgamesh's betrayal! The nerve of that man!"
ROXANNA: [eyes widening slightly, a flicker of something between exasperation and awe crossing her face] For Ra's sake! A *bull of heaven*? That seems a tad... excessive, even for Ishtar. Did he really just say no?
Despite her shock, Roxanna continues to eat, the powerful narrative of ancient gods and mortal kings, reported with modern urgency, a familiar backdrop to their daily lives.