It was a fangirl moment for an archaeological intern.

I was so absorbed in the view of the greatest king ever, that I didn't notice the twitch in master invader's jaw.

Alexander had soft curls of orangish hair, which I couldn't figure out how. The face that looked too young.

Historians described him as rash, reckless, one who did whatever it took to expand his territory. But right now, my thoughts were muddled over his appearance.

Alexander was... cute?

He wasn't as tall as the warlord but was built like dynamite. It was undoubtedly the cause of his superb physical endurance in the wars.

His features were boyish compared to Julian, who looked more like a man.

All in all, Alexander was a chocolate boy while Julian looked a playboy.

To my surprise I impressed him, "The great?" he asked amused,

"I am Alexander III of Macedon, Mila, not Alexander the Great yet."

But I would have none of it, for the history enthusiast I was. What's better than boosting the groundbreaking leader's ego?

"You are the greatest ruler of all times. Haven't you pledged to conquer the world?" I beamed and continued, "What about the Gordian knot? You were the only one to untie it."

Both didn't expect this incident to be reiterated by a captive woman like me. To say it merely shocked them was an understatement.

"How.. do you know?" Alexander stalked forward in interest but stopped, sensing Julian's deadly stare.

This was probably the best opportunity to showcase my writing identity,

"I am a writer," I replied, smiling widely before diving into my treasure trove,

"The Gordian knot was one of the most complex knots used by Gordius of the Gordium kingdom. Legend stated whoever untied it would be the greatest ruler of Asia. And who could accomplish it except you?" I squealed excitedly. "It was officially the moment you became Alexander the Great!"

Alexander couldn't help breaking into a hearty laugh at my assumptions. The assumptions he didn't know were 100% real.

"I like this woman, Julian," he chuckled. "Damn, she has wisdom there."

"Boosting one's ego isn't wisdom, Alexander. Moreover, you sliced through the knot with your sword when you couldn't untie it," Julian grinned.

Although he was correct, I didn't know what was provoking my inner debater. "But still he did it. I know for a fact he will be the greatest ruler the world would ever see. He would stop at nothing, he-"

"Althea!" I zipped up at master invader's lethal roar.

"One more word, and I swear you'll regret your very existence!"

My fangirl self had gone too far.

"Relax Julian. It's rare we come across such woman," he turned to me,

"And where might you be from? You don't look Egyptian to me." no doubt Alexander had the keenest eyes.

"I am from a small village of Greece," I mumbled for the barbarian's stare that was weighing me down.

"And what were you involved in before the annexation?" he asked. I knew he was merely checking if I was a threat or not.

"I wrote in the praise of her Majesty Queen Cleopatra," I replied. His eyes narrowed.

"Your father's another woman? But she's already dead, right?" Julian elbowed him in the side. Alexander's nose flared in distaste.

Oops. Quick recap.

Alexander's dad, Philip II of Macedon, had seven wives. The last one being a noblewoman called Cleopatra Eurydice of Macedon, a mistress of sort.

"She is Cleopatra, the late queen of this city," I said hurriedly, "not Cleopatra Eurydice of Macedon."

The great seemed to relax but stiffened again. "How do you know about my family?"

"I am a writer," I sighed. "Its rare for a woman being a writer, but Her Majesty Queen Cleopatra was gracious enough to support me. I would take brief trips with people to know about the neighbouring kingdoms as well." I lowered my head in tiredness.

"That's a nice thing, but since you are Julian's captive, it's up to him what he has in mind for you," Alexander replied humbly.

"Though I would've loved to make you my court writer."

I looked up at him with the utmost puppy eyes. He only shrugged in response.

Julian stared at me for a moment before turning to his friend.

"It would need the next season to start another invasion. Meanwhile, I'll go back to Romanos with my war booty. The eastern warlord will be dead in no time."

"I will have some discussions with your brother regarding Egypt's future," Alexander informed to see Julian's face turning sour.

"His and my dealings are different. I'll serve you till time permits, but not him," he gritted out.

"I'm never up for Ptolemy. Don't associate me with him."

Ptolemy I Soter was Alexander's companion, who started the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt. I guess I hit the jackpot for my future writings in his hot mess of a brother.

Alexander wished him luck, moving out of the camp. He turned around to look at me one last time and whispered something to the warlord that I couldn't get.

My throat was parching its way to a desert. Every breath pricked like thorns in the neck.

His eyes watched the retreating figure of the Macedonian general before they fixed on me.

He closed the camp's entrance and walked to my right to rip open a little piece of the ragged cloth wall, letting the light in.

Julian strode to the far end, picking up my toppled AI book, and sat on the ragged bed. He sucked on his upper lip in annoyance, flipping through its pages.

"Can I have water?" I croaked out.

His eyes shot towards me before he got up, "You didn't need anything while glorifying Alexander, did you?" he was obviously pissed but did a good job at concealing it.

"After you read this for me," he dropped the AI book on the ground.

"What's the use when you'll make me a slave after knowing everything?"

His jaw hardened. With a determined expression, he came forward but slowed down a few feet, clearly controlling himself.

It wasn't his fault, though. Ancient men got easily riled up if it were a woman talking back, that too a captive.

Instead of facing me, he trudged behind the wooden pole and gripped my shoulders.

Panic started to fill in when his large hands grasped my neck from behind, sickeningly trailing up the length of my neck. Squeezing it enough that I couldn't speak.

He tilted my head backwards so I could see his face looming over me. The position was painful, with the hold of his hand tightening over my neck.

"I've got amazing ways to put that mouth to use if you do not shut up," he threatened. His voice was just above a whisper, making his threat seem ten times scarier.

"Will you read the book for me Althea?" he tilted my head further down, making me cry out at the unbearable pain,

"Aah! Y- Yes I would-" tears pricked my eyes as my throat turned drier than before. He undid the ropes from the wrists and stood me up with a harsh tug to my elbow.

"Here," he pointed to the ground and sat on the bed, waiting.

Seeing no other option, I sat on the ground with my AI book in front.

"W- Water please," I clasped my throat, trying to gulp, but it seemed even the saliva had dried out.

I heaved for breath as I drank whatever he gave me voraciously. I could sense his gaze travelling along the water that dripped from my lips to the chest, wetting my linen.

After I sat on my knees to read the book, he took out the sword and positioned it behind my neck. "Try to act smart and this will do its work, so read what's written as it is," he warned.

I nodded in response. When I bent to flip through the pages, another pain surged through my back, making me wince.

Nevertheless, I twisted to the last page to see the laser pen intact in the box-like structure.

Thank heavens.

But my eyes caught yet another message from the department.

Try to survive at least one year in the era you have landed on. Currently, there is a pandemic going here by the name of Corona virus and the world is on lockdown..

"Read from the beginning!" Julian rapped the sword on my neck and I flipped to the front page quickly.

What in the twenty-first century is happening?