It was difficult bearing this cold of Babylonia when I was finally comfortable in the warmth of Egypt. Though I hated it when I first stepped into that desert kingdom, it felt home now.

"You instructed your guards to tell others you were asleep, so you could roam in this temple?" Jakov muttered, still in the grip of sleep.

"If some people know I'm here, they'd want to come too," I muttered.

"Oh, yeah, your writer woman?" he chuckled, stretching his arms to get rid of the morning fatigue.

"Yeah..." What a curious little butterfly she is. The thing was, I wanted to visit without letting her know. Because if she stepped here, she'd have to go with that ritual.

This was the last place she should be in.

"Damn man, what's with these women being so excited about in the middle of the night?" he yawned, "It's not like they shut these temples in the day?"

"I thought your wife-to-be told you?" I teased. This place was much better than the cold outside.

"She has valid reasons," He looked around the enthusiastic people in boredom, "She is preparing for the ceremonies one has to do before the wedding.

You know, offering handmade stuff to Gods."

"No, I don't know," I snickered.

"Ah, anyway, why are we in Ishtar's temple? Helaine isn't in this one... oh," He could barely glare with his drooping eyes,

"Are you here to...?"

"No," I replied, "Most women come here for the first time. I don't intend to be the first experience of any women."

"Whoa," he whistled in amusement, "But men go berserk at the mention of virgins?" he wondered aloud, "Why are you the odd sheep then?"

These questions were pointless, "Virgins have no idea what to do except laying lifeless. They don't know how to respond to touch, where to move their hands, how to angle their neck," I tsked.

"The last thing I want in my bed is a woman who only knows how to sleep."

He whistled again. "You're one of a kind, man," He slapped my shoulder, "What I'm saying is..." He scratched his jaw, "The reason they take them is because they know nothing? And I think they take pleasure in the teaching process."

"I'd better utilise that time to teach new war tactics to my army than teaching some virgin to-" I halted.

In the line where the ritual's participants stood, there was a woman who appeared to jerk her head aside upon seeing me?

She had her hand pressed against her mouth as if she was whispering to the woman next to her.

"Why are we here? I'd better be in the one where Helaine is," he droned.

I looked back at him, bewildered. He really can't stay away from her. Poor love-struck man.

"At dawn, they cook a sweet dish which is distributed as an offering to the devotees," I looked around aimlessly, "I'm here for that." Nothing is more delicious than the creamy dish they serve here.

This time, it was him who looked around, baffled, "You woke me this early to eat?!"

As we walked ahead to offer prayers to Ishtar, we came across the women who were waiting to offer their services in the ritual.

I looked through their excited faces once.

No, I snorted. My concubines are much better than these newbies.

"Stop eyeing them, Julian. They are getting ideas," Jakov mocked.

Men began to crowd the forefront of the line, taking the woman of their choice. Some women giggled upon noticing me, pointing their fingers in my direction. I internally shook my head. Jakov was right. This wasn't a place to stand.

"Hey, look. Even he's here," he pointed to a bearded man who was walking toward the line of women, "Is he here for his daily fix?" he chuckled.

With his white beard coming till his chest that was very dear to him, he was famous for his spear fighting. Although ageing, he was a strong commander leading the left front of Alexander's army.

"This isn't a place for a daily fix," I warned him, "People offer their devotion here. They say Ishtar punishes men who come just to satisfy their lust."

This was what a priest told me when I came here for the first time. At the risk of angering the goddess, I had retreated to the creamy offering instead of taking any women.

I followed the line of sight of the commander in curiosity. Which woman had caught his interest?

She was the same woman I'd seen earlier who was whispering, with her head tilted aside. Probably talking about someone, just like other women.

When she looked up to a fire torch, her face sparkled from the glow of the light. I furrowed my brows. That was... water?

No, they were tears staining her face.

My heart stopped beating when her sky-blue eyes looked in my direction. But she didn't see me.

She had averted her gaze again after watching the old commander who had just crossed me to fetch her.

Fuck.

I pressed a fist to my mouth. What the fuck is she doing here?

"Jakov, stop that commander," I didn't look behind to see if he understood or not. With the crowd that had increased to offer prayers, there was no way I could overtake him.

I stopped running to move a hand through my hair. No, I can't reach her this way. Noticing my right where the crowd was lesser, I fought past the bustling people. The commander was still trudging his way through the crowd I had escaped.

Once out, I rushed for the line's backside as there was hardly any space to seize her from the front. Anger rippled inside me when the commander's gaze turned dark watching my weeping Althea.

Just when I stopped behind her, Jakov tapped his shoulder causing him to turn around.

"I will take this woman," I said, securing an arm around her waist. My heart slowed down eventually, knowing she was safe now. Goodness, that was close.

The priestess arranging the women jolted by my sudden presence, "Sure, my gracious Lord," she bowed, "Please follow her out for the completion of the ritual."

Jakov had successfully tangled him in a conversation. The man glanced behind only to see me taking her away. His gaze turned bitter.

What a pervert. Taking a woman thirty years younger than him when he could've taken someone of his age.

Althea had grown cold as I held her arms to lead us out. She didn't look up to me, controlling her sobs somehow. Still thinking that the man who saw her had taken her.

Why don't you follow the rules, Mila? I sighed.

Stepping out on the pillared porch, an icy wind blew past us. Covering her with my cloak, I took her behind the temple and turned her to face me.

I was angry, knowing she was going around without my permission. I wanted to scold her, but when she looked up with her tear-soaked face, my resolve broke to soft sympathy.

"J- Julian...?" she hiccupped, not believing as she wiped her eyes again to have a clearer look. She just stood without another word, sniffing. All while staring at my face.

I couldn't take it anymore when I noticed her trembling frame. Holding her wrist, I drew her closer to engulf her in my arms. The tears she was keeping at bay flowed freely as she sobbed in my chest. I rubbed the back of her head, holding her tighter.

"It's alright now, Althea," I whispered, "No one is going to touch you..." The thought of any man forcing himself on her drove me to a madness I'd never felt before.

When she calmed a bit, I took her face to wipe her tears with the back of my thumb, "Who told you to come here, hm?" I asked carefully.

"I- I wanted to... w- write," More tears gushed out her eyes. I sighed. Her will to write each and everything would kill her someday.

"You should do a background check before visiting a place, no?" I coaxed her, "Maybe getting people's view on what you need to write, then seeing it for yourself?" She nodded furiously, sniffling.

I smiled, pulling her back to me, "Don't cry now," I soothed her back, making her exhale in relief.

My eyes caught someone behind the pillar at the beginning of the porch. There were one or two people? The woman wearing a cream coloured linen dashed inside, leaving the man alone.

The man appeared to mutter something, but when he turned back to look at us, his eyes widened in panic, and he too fled inside.

What was this dumb general Fartaxerxes doing here?

The confidence he flashed at the warrior meeting was shrivelled the moment I started talking to him. Some people even thought of him as my younger brother, given our similar light brown eyes. I chuckled inwardly.

Behind that stance, it was obvious he was still a scaredy boy.

No wonder got demoted from his position of a warrior general. Loser didn't even have enough guts to marry the queen of his kingdom.

"I- I'm so sorry," Althea pulled herself back, looking at my robe that she stained with her tears. There was a subtle blush on her cheeks now.

I waved a hand, "It's nothing. Let's go." Putting a hand on her back, I led us to the nearest lodging for Alexander's warriors, who were visiting this temple.

She looked apprehensively at the warriors who had taken women from the temple for the ritual. The couple laughed amongst themselves as they entered the single-storeyed lodging.

What was to happen now hit me like a brick out of nowhere.

Will I have to complete the ritual with her?

I looked down to see her walking silently beside me. She was still shocked, eyes dwindling in unease.

In the lake, I was just experimenting with how she reacted to a kiss. But that little action had panicked her a great deal.

This ritual was something on an entirely different level.

We entered the small door and into a tiny hall. Crossing the little garden built inside this complex, we arrived in one of the rooms. Scented wood crackled in fire at the corner, glowing the room with a yellow light.

Althea looked around the room, feeling warmer as she rubbed her hands around her arms. Her gaze landed on the little statue of Aphrodite placed over a raised platform, and my gaze landed on her.

I massaged the back of my neck at the conflicting situation that had arisen. Surely there were nights when I dreamt about making sweet love to her, but that was it.

They said Aphrodite fulfilled her devotee's wishes if they were true in offering their prayers to her.

I didn't know she was going to fulfil my wish so soon.

What do I do now? I raked a hand over my face.

While Ishtar was a stubborn goddess. Her anger knew no bounds when people didn't follow her rules. And this ritual was a major rule.

Should I risk angering the goddesses or do the inevitable with Althea?

I gazed at her eager self roaming around the room, looking at every little thing delightedly. I sighed.

Goodness, how will I ask her?

I walked away from her, noticing how excited she appeared to see this tiny room. She didn't know what was to come now.

Oh Aphrodite, are you rewarding me or punishing me?

***

Was it Aphrodite's way of punishing me because that day, I wore the same rose pink dress like her?

I bit my lip in anxiety. These Greek gods are making my survival tougher by the day.

The statue of Aphrodite in this room was a weird one. She stood with an odd pose for a goddess. With one of her hands above the head and the other resting at her waist, she stood as if she was trying to seduce someone.

"Have you eaten something?" I turned around to see Julian had changed his robe that was wet due to my stupid tears. I felt embarrassed now. I shouldn't have cried like that.

What is coming over me? I sighed. I was trained to tolerate all this, and yet I ended up crying.

"They said to offer prayers with an empty stomach to please the goddess of our devotion," I mumbled.

"Hm, but you have prayed already?" I nodded.

"Well then, we'll have something," Saying so, he walked out and clapped once. A guard and a maid came rushing by to follow his orders.

The relief I felt when I saw his face had caused the tears to let go that were brimming my eyes. I didn't know what to make of it. Did Ishtar or Aphrodite finally show pity on me?

Maybe yes, because I did nothing to upset them. Ugh, why are these Gods super active here?

I walked over to a low-lying table near the fire and settled cross-legged. Removing his warm cloak, I folded and placed it beside me. My gaze went back to the odd statue. Something was unnerving about it.

A maid came with two bowls and placed them on the table. I thanked her, after which she bowed and left.

As I watched the dish in curiosity, I heard Julian's chuckle as he walked in to grab his bowl and settled behind me.

"You want to write about it too?" he laughed.

After a moment of silently finishing our soups, a constant thought nagged at the back of my head.

Though he had saved me, it didn't mean I was saved from the ritual. I remembered what the wicked priestess had said.

Please follow her out for the completion of the ritual.

Was he going to... do it? But he wasn't saying anything about it. Even when we are alone.

I shouldn't be surprised if he wants to do it. After all, he's a person from this century and obviously wouldn't want to anger any goddess. Given Aphrodite was one of the prime goddesses his kingdom worshipped.

I felt him sitting motionless behind me. Shifting slightly, I peered up to see him gazing at the crackling fire, the reflection of the glow visible in his light brown eyes.

Why wasn't he saying anything?

Hesitantly, I asked, "Can Aphrodite do anything... except converting her sinners to... cows?"

The way he laughed told me, he understood in which light I was asking him.

What would be the consequences of not following this ritual?

"For starters..." He sucked on his upper lip in thought, "The sinners are turned infertile."

I beamed inwardly, "Only the women?"

"Men are an equal participant in this ritual."

It was like pieces of a puzzle were assembling on their own in my head. It was the fastest conclusion my mind had ever made.

If I don't follow the ritual and Julian becomes infertile?

And fatherless,

And heirless,

And finally, lost from history?

And I'd be the reason for his disappearance.

Holy Shit.

I placed a hand over my mouth. No, I can't do this to him.

If it was some other time, I would've laughed my ass off that Aphrodite steals people's fertility as a punishment.

Wait... a freaking sec.

Before Aphrodite, this ritual is Ishtar's business. What was this goddess up to?

"What about Ishtar?" I asked, "Can't she like... stop Aphrodite from creating this mess?"

He snickered, "Both of them are the same," Clearing his throat, he continued, "Ishtar is also the goddess of war. Maybe she'll break a bone or two," he shrugged, "or fractures one of my arms, or better yet," He looked down at me inquisitively, "kill me in the war?"

Nooooooooo!

My internal screaming intensified. I better be dead than be the cause of his death.

"Do people really have to..." I looked up painfully at him, "do it?"

When he shook his head to a no, I was dumbfounded.

"Who's there to confirm if couples do it or not?" He cocked a brow, "People assume they do, but in reality, it's a mutual agreement." I took a double-take at that.

"If either of them doesn't want to, they don't do it. That said, if you aren't paired with an immoral man, who'll have his way regardless of your choice."

Cheryl and Lorenzo, these two dumbheads! I snarled to myself. No wonder it was me who was doing the ground zero reporting of this ritual. Both were here just to... friends with benefit each other!

I was finally relaxing at the situation when he spoke, "But... couples do something else to compromise with the actual ritual," He looked at the goddess' statue, "for the fear of facing punishment."

"And that is?" My heart was in my throat again.

"Pretend," He looked into my eyes, "Pretend to make love. To please the goddess of love," He pointed to Aphrodite's statute.

My entire body turned into a large beating heart.

Aphrodite had made it her life's mission to acquaint me with the experience.

"You've never... done it?" He asked, awkwardly.

"I am an unmarried woman!" I gave the most logical reason for a woman of this century.

"It's alright if you don't want to," The turmoil inside me halted at his words. He stood up and walked to the exit, to gaze at the night sky that was turning a less deep shade of blue.

"The punishment is nothing I can't manage," He gave me an assuring smile, "A few more injuries in the war, I guess. Nothing much."

He had told me the truth of this ritual and still agreed on not following it because it would make me uncomfortable.

Which ancient king thinks so much about a lone, helpless woman?

If he wanted, he would've never told the truth and did what he wanted because, at last, he was a king. No one could stop or question him.

How did I become so lucky to... meet him?

I walked over to stand beside him, "And if Aphrodite makes you infertile... you won't have an heir to your kingdom," I sighed.

"I am Aphrodite's favourite devotee," he grinned, "She won't do that to me."

I smiled at that. But then again, he would get injured. First, by my stupid bet, and now... this.

What if a time comes when he'll die because of me?

"I will follow the ritual," I said, looking up in the sky. The stars had disappeared, replaced by the faint light of dawn.

"Will you be able to handle it?" His voice turned dark.

Neither of us looked at each other as we spoke.

"Doesn't it depend on you? How you... do it."

"These things work on trust, Althea," he questioned back, "Do you trust me?"

How can I not after all this time?

I carefully framed a sentence, "As a citizen of your kingdom, I trust my king."

This time, he faced me, looking straight into my eyes, "I'm not a king here, Althea. I'm just like any other man." His expressions turned grim, "Do you still trust me?"

I understood what he wanted to say. That he wouldn't treat me like a king treats his subjects.

He would treat me as a man treats a woman.

The thought alone bought a shudder down my back, but I will have to compromise. In fact, I should be grateful it's just pretending and not the actual act, and not that old man.

Look at the brighter side of things, Althea. I convinced myself.

"I do," My calm face took him aback.

It's only him who I could trust here. Because the day I lose his trust, it would be my end.

He let go of my face and straightened up, "As you wish then," He analyzed my face again, "You'll have to wear the ritual clothes."

He clapped once, and a maid came, who took me to the adjacent room.

"You have to wear this, gracious lady," My eyes widened at the outfit.

It was something like those... dancers wore.

"Isn't there something... less revealing?" I inquired.

"This is what everyone wears, gracious lady," she replied, "You will have to remove everything to wear this."

"Everything?!" I shrieked. She flinched at my voice, staring at the ground as she began shivering in her spot.

I sighed. It wasn't her fault. It was me who was acting crazy at this probably common thing.