The night in the palace of Romanos was silent, devoid of any celebration noises as the guests had moved to Jakov's home. Even though it was the wedding night of festivity, cadaverous silence curled the majestic walls of the palace.

Gracefully, she moved in through the entrance; the guards parting their ways in a deep bow. Her amulets clanked in a chime against her wrists as she passed them, a gentle smile on her face.

Once inside, she laughed softly, a mix of seduction and innocence as she stood in the celebration hall. She was glad to know the guards recognised her, even though they had never seen her.

Even though they were fiercely loyal to...

"Julian," she uttered his name, her breathing instantly shallower. As if she was tasting him on her lips.

Her kohl swiped grey eyes drifted over to the throne at the far end of the hall. Sitting in the centre in all its magnificence.

But it wasn't splendid enough for her. Not when he wasn't seated there. She closed her eyes, placing a hand over her throat.

She imagined sitting next to his feet while he ruled his kingdom. His strong muscular hand occasionally moving down the nape of her neck.

Lips wet, she shivered at the vile thought, a soft laugh pouring out of her lips. For her, it was a misery that he wasn't interested in slaves. So much that he had prohibited slavery from Romanos when other kings still favoured it.

Her longing for being close to him, even if it meant to be his slave, was hopeless. Still, she couldn't help thinking about it when he was madness, seduction and strength all wrapped in one man.

Her elaborate skirt swept on the carpeted ground as she made her way up for the floors, being all too familiar with the turns and corridors.

After all, she'd lived here. Long before the ruler of Romanos had even stepped foot in Egypt.

The woman, with an exotic beauty that matched only one person except her, reached the fifth floor of the royals. The guards parted ways as if they knew her since forever.

As if she and her family weren't banished by the king of Romanos ever.

At the beginning of the hallway was a large semicircular window where sat a girl, laughing jovially. A boy, no older than her, was seated across, occasionally playing with her hair. A constant night breeze blew by, ruffling up their hair.

She smiled, having seen that girl before. All splattered in blood during the marketplace massacre of Romanos, caught in the crossfire of Alexander's army and the nobles who ruled Romanos when the sweet law of having slaves still existed.

"Thalia." she smiled sweetly as the girl turned to her with a warm smile. She playfully pushed the boy away.

"You're back from the bridegroom's house?" she asked excitedly. "Even Althea is back!"

Her senses perked up. That was a foreign name to her. Resisting the urge to ask who the woman named Althea was, she asked otherwise.

"Hmm, she returned? I thought she was quite close to the bride and would stay at the celebration..." she murmured. But it seemed like nature itself was mirroring her emotion. So toxic, it didn't even compare to jealousy, as an icy night breeze blew by, shivering up Thalia for a moment.

Goosebumps rose on her arms as she rubbed them to go. The boy instantly removed his linen mantle to cover her; both of them blushing innocently at each other.

She cleared her throat, finding that childish love pathetic. Real love was what she'd seen in his eyes. Years ago at the Aphrodite Festival of Aphrodisia in Greece. When she had just helped the other women to purify Aphrodite's temple, he had come to her, asking about the ceremonies. Together they had chatted for so long, and with every movement of his eyes, his sly smiles and occasional jokes made her fall into a deep trench that was love.

In love with Julian Romanowski.

"My apologies, I'm disturbing your good time," she said timidly as Thalia broke into a shy giggle. "If you could show me where's the milk kept in the kitchen, Thalia..."

"Yes, sure, let's go!" She exclaimed, pushing away the boy named Cicero in hearty laughter. The exotic woman laughed softly to herself.

It was good that Thalia knew her and didn't know her at the same time.

She looked at her reflection in the windows they passed by in the hallway to the kitchen. Grey eyes, clever face, exotic enough to be his favourite. Her teeth clenched at the thought, but she hid it behind a tight-lipped smile. The jealousy was beyond overpowering, but she assured herself she was his concubine.

When in truth, she wasn't even allowed to enter his kingdom, let alone his palace.

"Where can I find His Honour..." she asked hesitantly as they entered the kitchen. "I'm so worried if he had his dinner properly..."

"He must be... in his room. It's quite late at night, so he should be there only," Thalia mused, but was taken aback when the woman placed a piece of cloth in her hand.

"I would've kept it in my room, but I need to attend to His Honour," the woman smiled, "Give it to me tomorrow morning. Hmm?"

Thalia was confused, nevertheless folded the piece of cloth and ambled out of the kitchen.

Like any other concubine, she warmed the milk, humming to a soft tune as she prepared two goblets of sweetened milk. She topped them with finely chopped fruits and used the same knife to drive it through her arm.

Blood oozed out of her pale arm, dripping into the goblets of milk. The crimson colour turned to a nasty blue before dissolving into the milk.

She smiled softly because this drink wasn't meant for Julian. She knew it wouldn't affect him.

He was immune to snake poison. That scar on his arm was clear proof.

The guards guarding the doorstep of the king of Romanos instantly bowed at the royal palace women they assumed her to be.

"Gentlemen, you work so hard day and night to ensure my Lord's safety..." The guards were taken aback at her sweet words. It never happened before and it instantly elated them that they were being acknowledged by a royal like her.

"Time and time, you've helped me too, without even knowing it," she tilted her gaze, an innocent sweetness, "So, I thought, why not make a little something for you," she extended the bronze tray of goblets to them.

She folded her arms, standing patiently as the guards took her offering. But soon, they were clasping their throats till their eyes turned bloodshot. A soft smile came on her face as she noticed the nasty shade of blue spreading down their necks and they dropped to the ground.

"M- Mistress..." The guards couldn't speak out her name as they continued to tremble on the ground, gasping.

"I am what you are wondering, gentlemen. His favourite." The woman completed for them. Her hands fisted beside her to the point she could draw blood out of her palms, but a sweet smile graced her lips.

"Promise you'll remember me when you tell everyone about this, hmm?" she smiled, dropping the tray to push the doors open to her dream man's room.

He was so great in her view that even being his slave seemed like a privilege. Tantalizingly, she entered, undoing the laces of her back. Desiring, he would undo the rest for her.

His back was to her as he slept peacefully in his four-poster bed, all soaked in moonlight from the enormous window. Mesmerised, she moved ahead, reminiscing about all those days when they would talk endlessly in this room. But never once did he give her the sign he wanted her more. More than just talks and tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Why did you do that to me, my Lord..." she whispered, tracing his back with her fingers.

It was she who had helped him when he was spying in this very palace in the guise of a slave during the rule of the previous cruel king of Romanos. If she wanted, she could've had him executed, but she was drawn to him like a helpless being. She remembered what happened in Aphrodisia and knew Aphrodite herself had sealed their fates together.

But the very warrior she had helped had banished her family after coming to the throne. Because they belonged to an exotic cult.

The cult, who loved making gemstones out of the human eye.

Years before the Greeks stepped into their land, they'd enjoy the status of their exotic cult under the previous ruler. Anyone who did a crime was easily subjected to the cult where their eyes were removed, which would then go through the process of becoming a gemstone.

People feared them, and that's what they fed on. The ruler also encouraged them with his sadistic approaches to keep the law of his kingdom in order. That's what the work of a king was. But she remembered what Julian had told her when she'd defended her family and that law.

I may punish culprits with my own methods, but taking their eyes out while they are still alive is something I'm not in favour of.

Her teeth gritted together. She'd assumed him to be just as cruel as the previous ruler. A sadist. There wasn't any doubt when he looked cruel with his harsh features, someone who'd enjoy the misery of slaves.

But he didn't. Instead, he'd forbidden the precious cult her family belonged to when eyeless bodies of people began to appear around Romanos. It began to be called the eyeless kingdom, and traders were afraid to even enter the region. The King had to take rigorous steps to stop that infamous notion.

"You said you owe me since I helped you when you spied..." she whispered, her breath shuddering in her heart with such rage, she had to bite her lip till it bled.

"And that's the reason you banished us, but never took our lives," she murmured. "Isn't it bad that I'm tired of being obsessed with you? Because I can never have you..." Her lips trembled, but still holding back her feelings for him, she plunged the hidden knife from her robes, deep into his back.

Her face was as still as a stone as the dark gush of blood smudged her hands. Only one thought in her mind.

The cult of the eye queen would prevail again.

She looked in horror as the knife came out clean. The earlier slash from her arm now bled profusely with the pressure she'd applied to stab him. Furious, she removed the sheets to see only cushions lying over his bed.

She let out a suppressed agonized cry, seeing the sheets that were now coloured red with her blood. Tearing apart the sheet, she tightened it around her bleeding arm, her breath heaving.

You're back from the bridegroom's house? Even Althea is back!

Her hands shook with a rage greater than that of avenging the disrespect of her family. Greater than killing the person who she was personifying to the others.

She was glad to know that the poor wench Medisa was already dead. At the expense of her dead cousin, who was the previous court writer of Romanos, she fumed to herself. Medisa was a weakling, so weak she could probably die if anyone even pushed her to the ground. Someone who was definitely not suited for a king.

Only strong women like her did who had a command over the kingdom's people. Who'd quiver in fear and bow to her.

Jealousy came easily to her. With the snake poison boiling in her blood, furthering her wrath. Whoever this Althea was, she wanted to gouge her eyes out.

Sickly, slowly, taking her sweet time until what remained of her was an eyeless carcass which she would happily gift to her beloved ruler of Romanos. Along with the gemstones made of her eyes. She thought with a cruel smirk.

* * *

Althea

The carriage moved at a steady pace over the desert sand as I sat staring out the little window across from me. A basket packed with sweets and jewellery lay in my lap. A gift meant for the newlywed couple.

I was trying hard not to break into a smile as I kept a straight face, looking out the window. As if I found something more interesting than the man sitting across from me.

Julian crossed and uncrossed his arms, his unmoving gaze directed at my ignorant one. It seemed fun to see him bothered over a small thing like me not talking.

After we got into the carriage, I only gave him small replies. It was my silent treatment to him for all those words he had whispered to me when... we had just woken up in the morning today.

The first rays of the Sun had just touched us, and I was all groggy, barely able to wake after I got so little sleep. But his warm, enticing mouth right next to my ear. Whispering those suggestive words had made me wide awake.

It didn't help at all that I was clinging to him (courtesy of my habit of being clung to my pillow) with nothing in between. First, his fingers feathering over my bare back, and then those words. It had my entire body twist with a need that I was mortified of my existence. Oh, you unholy Althea, Coretta is ashamed of you!

But even then, my lips quivered into a smile. It was strange, no it was lunatic of me, but I still thought it. That I felt like a woman... after he had done... that... Not a childish girl I deemed myself to be.

The daylight inside the carriage suddenly dimmed down. I blinked out in alarm at what just happened.

Julian had closed the linen curtains of the carriage window as he proceeded to take the basket from my hands, placing them in the carriage's small crate.

With the secretive smile on his face, it was obvious he had seen me break into a grin. Probably glad to know he was worrying for no reason.

Now my heart was thumping with the same curiosity, like that of the night, with an unabashed need that my insides curled and uncurled. Waiting. Anticipating. What the hell am I becoming? I'm beginning to sound like a hoe. God help me!

He pulled the curtains close to the window behind my head too, finally succeeding in holding my gaze that I was so playfully avoiding since morning.

The brown of his eyes was so light, almost transparent. As if I could see what lay inside them. Intensity. An obscure, primal hunger that told how different he was from the modern men. The men who I grew up having around. I shouldn't forget that even if he was gentle and caring in his actions towards me, he was an ancient man. It was so easy to note that restrained wilderness about him, that he had almost let go the night before. That eagerness to possess a female. No female but me. A natural instinct of the ancient man for his female counterpart. Polar opposite to modern men.

As guilty as I felt, I liked that fact.

Slightly, he pulled the linen mantle down my neck, gazing briefly over all the marks he'd made. A shiver ran through me. He really couldn't help his ancient man instincts. Marking the woman and all.

"Hmm, let me guess..." he started, retreating to his seat, his expression that of wonder. "You are quiet because you regret what we did?"

"No!" my mouth said before my mind could even process it. Flames of red spread across my face. Burning, teasing. My body started humming its own beat as the events of that night replayed again. Mind vaporising pleasure. Like how the water vaporises when it gets too hot? That's what happened to me. I vaporised last night.

If that was step two, I'll die if he ever goes on to step three. But wait, wouldn't it be an amazing way to die?

Congratulations Althea for officially becoming AltheHoe, I cried inwardly.

"No, what?" he asked, brows furrowed.

I took a double-take at that. Did he want me to elaborate on the no?

"No, n- nothing," I stammered, fiddling with my chiton dress. I should've given an indirect explanation, but AltheHoe was already one step ahead.

He sighed, moving his tongue over his upper lip in dismay. If it was possible, I grew redder watching his mouth. That mouth. That so damn lethally talented mouth.

"My apologies, Althea." he crossed his arms, face falling, "because of me you had to go through all that, last night-"

"Why are you apologizing?" my voice wavered in dread. His slightly knowing look brought me on edge again.

"Didn't you say no?" he frowned. "that means you didn't like what I-"

"Wait, I didn't say no in that context!" I attempted to explain, "you- you had asked something else."

"What was it again?" he lazed back in his seat. God, was he an excellent actor?!

"That if I liked what you did and yes I-" I stopped abruptly as realisation hit me with his ever-increasing smile.

"And yes you?" He poked in deliberately, clearly enjoying but masking that look from his face.

I grasped my fiddling fingers together, looking anywhere but his face, "You do not need to know."

"That you wanted me to stop," he said, guilt washing his voice.

This lethally creative man!

"No!" I responded again, but it was a little too loud. And eager. And that was making me look like a damn wanton woman.

In short, I wanted to disappear.

He just looked at me. Without a tease or amusement. God knows what he was planning in that kingly brain of his. I'd heard how he had one way or the other to make hardcore culprits speak, admit to their guilt. I was nothing in comparison. All easy peasy perhaps.

Can't you see Coretta, he's trying to make you talk again? A voice tugged me from within.

Warm hands enveloped mine, and that's when I realised my hands were freezing. A common symptom of me when I was-

"You are nervous." Julian laced his fingers firmly around mine, completing my thoughts. I'd assumed him to mock me, but only genuine worry sat on his face.

When I didn't say anything, he silently pulled at my hands, so I was compelled to sit next to him. He rubbed my palms, raising them to his mouth to leave a warm kiss.

Coretta and Cheryl, you must know that you are being deported to a time that was merciless for women. No rights, no voice and certainly 'no' man who'd ever want to sympathise for you. We have faith that we have trained you well enough to survive in such a harsh environment. But never slip up enough to expect that an ancient man can be good to you. That's a sign of danger. They controlled women like a puppet. Any possibility of affection towards them must be terminated the moment-

I squeezed my eyes shut, cutting off the instruction our mentors gave during the training. I'd taken them by heart, but now the same words were cutting through my heart.

Tingles ran down my arm when he blew warm air over my closed palm, and I remembered that he was still trying to ease the coldness of my hands.

Was this a sign of danger...

"Althea," he held my shoulders tenderly. This time, failing to hide the distress I was giving him, "are you embarrassed by what we did? Does it make you feel bad?" His voice was thick.

It beat at me. Again and again. How can a man of such strength and such status be so gentle in his actions? Did they teach us the wrong conception, that an ancient man can only be brutally controlling and aggressive to a woman...

Arms surrounded me, drawing me to him. Like a spell engulfing me, lulling me to comfort.

When he brought his face to my level, so concerned, I wasn't uneasy anymore. I picked up his hair between my fingers, taking in the jet black texture. "Shouldn't you be worried about more pressing matters about your kingdom?" I asked him softly, "than a woman being nervous..." A woman who was just for a temporary phase in your life...

He did the same with my hair, smiling ruefully. "If I'm not able to ease your fear of me, how will I make sure my people don't fear me?" He looked at me, disturbed. "I've failed as a King then, haven't I-"

"Julian!" I scolded him, placing a hand over his mouth to stop him. "You are the ablest king I've ever known about. And no, your people don't fear you."

"But you fear me." He removed my hand to keep it over his shoulder, unknowingly urging me closer.

He was so clever, really wishing for the hard way. I glowered, "Flatter yourself all you want but I do not fear you."

That made him chuckle low, male amusement dancing in his eyes. "Hmm, let me rephrase my question then," his eyes glinted mischievously, hands moving around my waist, "Do you fear what we did can happen again?"

His question hit right at the spot. I wanted to turn my head around but couldn't when he was holding me. The dreaded flush returned, despite which I had to speak. "N- no, I do not fear anything. I'm a strong woman."

Never appear strong to an ancient man. They hated a woman who went out of her docile ways to show she can compare to a man...

"I know how strong you are, Mila," he mused, trailing a finger down my neck. "I love how your strength literally takes my breath away," he whispered and my mouth went dry at his remarks.

I found an ancient man who is breaking all your theories, dear department...

"But..." he tipped up my chin, moving his mouth next to my ear. Even when the carriage kept us swaying, I went still as a statue. His breath swept over my neck and I had to close my eyes, hold on to his shoulder firmer to steady myself.

"Are you strong enough to handle me?" he murmured.

My eyes flew open as impossible blush razed me. I gawked at him. "No, of course not!" he shifted his face to look at my bafflement, stifling a grin. "Is there a doubt when you almost killed me yesterday?" I asked, my eyes wide as I remembered the night when I was hardly able to breathe after he had...

He held my arms a bit too strongly, the familiar feeling of power and comfort washing over me. Mischief was clear in his eyes. "And the cause of death?"

Breathlessness.

The word itself was painting such a sinful image in my head. I cleared my throat, thinking of a technical word, "Ah, asphyxiation," I nodded.

His brows drew together. "That means death due to choking," he chuckled. A secret taunt, "Did I choke you?"

I meant death due to lack of oxygen, but of course, you don't know about oxygen. Heat crawled up my face, seeing my words backfire. When I couldn't say anything, he rested his chin by my shoulder, nearing my ear again, "Or... was the pleasure too much for your beautiful body to take, my lovely nymph."

Good Lord, there. He told the truth. I closed my eyes helplessly as my teeth sunk into my bottom lip. The jagged, euphoric feeling in my chest returned from the intensity of his words. My hands sunk harder into his shoulders for support.

"Yes or no, Althea?" His deep voice dropped even lower.

"Yes," I breathed out. Talking about such intimate detailing was a whole different level of adrenaline spiralling through me. I couldn't differentiate between embarrassment and excitement anymore.

He smiled warmly, stroking up the heat from my face. "Now, was it too hard to let me know your cause of silence?" He pressed a kiss by my temple, caressing away the hairs.

"Was it too hard to read it from my face?" I laughed awkwardly. He really had to make me confess out loud.

"The head feels freer when you speak it out, instead of relying on assumptions. Now, don't you ever punish me with your silence again," his smile faltered, "I cannot bear it, Althea," he whispered.

Would even a man of my century go to this extent to make a woman feel comfortable...

You're too beautiful to look frigid Coretta, loosen up.

You dunno how to kiss? What in the world, my holy little angel.

She's so into history, guess an ancient man would suit her better haha.

The mockery returned. When I'd refused to date anyone in view of preparing for the project. But the truth was, none of those twenty-first-century guys were patient enough to even see if I was comfortable.

And here was Julian. Even when it was just step two, he was so patient in listening to every cringe-worthy doubt I had. Had it been any of those guys, they would've simply laughed me in the face. Most probably broke up with me for being such a noob.

"Enough thinking for today, my dear, look at me." Julian held my head, gently guiding me to look at him. "Close your eyes," he instructed softly.

I was too drowsy in his presence to speak anything else. His lips shimmered over my forehead, soothing the creased lines of worry. Then over my eyelids and I had the urge to cry at the gentleness in a man of such power and so past of a time.

"I would never want you nervous of my closeness, Althea." He weaved his fingers through my hair, resting against my forehead. "I should be the last person you should be embarrassed with, hmm?"

Will I ever find someone like him back in my time...

Before the tears could come spilling by, I took his face in my hands and closed the little gap between us. His face felt so hot under my palms as he held my face, taking no time to continue what I initiated. The feel of our lips, so naturally melding, his hold firm but gentle, transported me to the night before. He had been incredibly gentle, even when I caught at times how he tried controlling himself.

I withdrew from the kiss, realising I had abruptly started it. This newfound courage was terrifying me. But he only gave me a second to breathe before pulling me back to him, kissing deeper until I was helplessly pressed against him.

Eventually, he pulled me onto his lap and I wanted to gasp, but everything drowned in the kiss. When we became out of breath, I collapsed against his chest, my eyes threatening to close.

"Mila..." he breathed out, stroking my hair out of my face. "You look so tired. Did you sleep well?"

I faced up to him, my chin resting over his chest, "Says the one who barely let me sleep," I narrowed my eyes but soon they were all drooping, barely able to glare. I sank against him.

Of course, we didn't sleep the night. He wouldn't, if I may correct. It was just in the early signs of morning that we slept because Aphrodite seemed to have blessed him with every skill of pleasing a woman. Till she was fatigued out. Even when he made sure not to go anywhere except step two.

Something inside my chest tightened, then loosened, spreading the sensation all over. I inhaled a sharp breath, only to take in his addictive manly scent. It would be his fault if I became a crazy, wanton woman.

He tucked the hairs behind my ear as I lay with my cheek pressed against his chest. "Did I make you too tired the night before?" he chuckled, strong arms enveloping me completely within them.

"And that's something to be proud of?" Came my groggy voice.

"Of course I am, when you looked so relaxed and sated after that. Didn't you?" he laughed when I tried hiding my face in his chest.

He was right. It was the most relaxed sleep I'd ever got. There were times when I'd get tired of working and studying too much and dozed off. But the way I became tired last night was... sin. Shouldn't be thought about.

"We would've been completing our sleep if you hadn't been stubborn to give gifts to Helaine," he clucked, "You can barely keep your eyes open, Mila."

I wanted to sleep too, so badly, but it wouldn't have looked good when today was the Epaulia. The day after the wedding day when gifts were presented to the newlywed couple in their home. Plus, I'd already disconnected my teammates when they all were in the celebration too. It would be better to meet them and make sure they weren't cooking theories about my disconnection.

"Are we near our destination?" I mumbled, raising off of him, but he just kept my head back over his chest.

"No. Jakov's home is at the southern border of Romanos. It will take time," he informed me and knocked briefly at the carriage's front wall, which was separating us from the driver. "Go slower," he ordered. I looked at him, open-mouthed.

He flashed a smile. "Now my tired little nymph can take a nap."

"But-" I squirmed, "my weight would hurt you- mhm," He silenced me with another kiss.

"I don't become a bed for just anyone. You should enjoy this opportunity," he tutted in, and I couldn't do anything but stifle a smile.

The mere thought of planning my departure stung at my heart. I sighed, burying my face in his chest. His arms instinctively wrapped firmer around me.

I didn't know if I was right or wrong to believe that I had a lot of time to think about a happy demise.

* * *

"Awh, we missed you so much!" Helaine hugged me after keeping the gift basket aside. She looked more beautiful than she already was, her face glowing with all the flower jewellery decorating her. She wore a soft pink ensemble, contrasting my magenta one.

Many women were seated in this room. Some enthusiastically opening the gifts for Helaine, a few gathered around lioness Lola at one corner. Phoebe and Zurin hugged me out of nowhere, and I had to adjust my linen mantle from time to time to hide Julian's doing.

It was a big hall on the ground floor and guests, mostly women, continued to pour in. I assumed Jakov and the men were in some other room. Their house was located in the perfect place, overlooking the Nile. But even in the grandeur of it all, I could sense the stare of a particular woman on me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed her and sighed. Caspara. She had a blank look on her face. Her hairs were all wet, probably after a bath as she looked in my direction with those kohl swiped grey eyes.

She must've come to the palace the previous night. I didn't want to think what must've gone through her head after not finding Julian. I gulped, averting my gaze away from her.

After conversing for a while, we were about to move to the banquet when a sudden commotion broke outside. Startled, we rushed out of the hall to see a horde of people near the Nile's bank. They all were chanting curses.

"She should die!"

"Yes, that whore should die! How dare she do that to Her Honour? Our Pharoah!"

"Death is her only punishment!"

Helaine heaved for breath as she came next to us by the doorway. "Oh dear Lord, which poor woman are they talking about?" she placed a hand over her heart, terrified beyond measure.

It was a sensitive time for women.

It was sinking deeper now, with the chant growing louder. I clamped my mouth, my hands shaking as I thought about who the woman was. And what had she done to receive such hatred?

Phoebe and Zurin made sure to be with Helaine to calm her as I made my way out with the other concubines. The rage emanating from the people, both men and women, was scaring me even more.

Sand blew into my eyes at the coastal breeze blowing by as I covered my face with the linen mantle. Breaking free from the crowd, I chose an alternate way that was clearer, to see a group of warriors surrounding a woman near the Nile's bank. I couldn't get a clear view of her, but pity struck my heart.

She looked so weak and submissive while the angered people looked like if the guards wouldn't have been protecting her, they would've killed her by now.

I moved near the crowd again to glance around for my teammates. If something was going to happen, they must be near, too.

"Kill her!"

"Her only punishment is death!"

My heart hammered louder with every passing moment as I helplessly looked around. Where the hell were they all?

My gaze drifted over to the endless stretch of sand, the winds continuing to pick up the sand grains in little whirlwinds.

And then there was something. No, a someone, moving wildly over one of the many sand dunes. I squinted my eyes and moved closer to notice a person standing behind one of the palm trees.

I didn't know who he was, but he was frantically pointing at his wrist. When I didn't understand what he wanted, his hands went up in frustration. Pacing around, he looked at me again and this time, pointed at his wrist, then at this head.

He was Dunkin. But he wasn't in his priestly attire, as he wore a probable wig and the clothes of a tradesman.

I immediately activated myself but then, I went pale.

Everything was chaotic.

Dunkin was shouting, Lorenzo was crying and Aarmen was saying something, but I couldn't make anything of it. But the voice of one person was missing.

I staggered, dread creeping into me as I pushed people past me to reach the front. The sandy wind whipped at my hair, the lump in my throat growing bigger until I stood in the front. That's when the tears clouded my vision and I could finally make out everything my friends were saying.

"Cheryl, no. You cannot do this to us. To me!" Lorenzo struggled to breathe as he wept profusely. His sobs filled my head, and I turned around to see the sand dune where Dunkin was waving to me earlier. Lorenzo sat against the palm tree, his face covered in tears.

"Cors, where the hell you were?! We were counting on you because Cheryl wouldn't listen to us!" Dunkin yelled through the call as I looked at him from afar. He was clearly so angry.

A sob hiccuped through me as I looked back at who was in front of the Nile. My body shook in the waves of tears threatening to drench me.

No, it cannot be Cheryl.

"Kill that whore! Such a disgrace she is!"

"How could she do this to our Honour?! Our pharaoh Alexander!"

"Cors, I asked where the hell you were?!" Dunkin shouted again, this time making me close my eyes at the intensity of his voice in my head.

The answer to the question made me ashamed of myself.

I took in a shaky breath as people pushed past me, arguing with the guards to surrender Cheryl to them so they could kill her.

"W- What happened, D- Dunkin?" I asked shakily.

"She is going home."

I closed my mouth as another surge of tears threatened to come out. Everything was happening so soon. Was it time to... go home finally...

"Excuse me," I swallowed, tapping one of the nearby women, "W- What did she do?" It was something I should've known, but I didn't and I felt embarrassed to even ask my friends what was going on.

"You don't know?" she gasped. "Everyone knows her. The favourite concubine of our Honour, Alexander," she leant in closer, "she was found sleeping with one of the warriors."

"Did anyone see it that they are blaming her?" I asked.

The woman made a disgusted face, "The head of her concubine association herself saw! Poor old woman must've been so ashamed," she tsked. "Just wondering how greedy she was to cheat on a ruler like Alexander makes me want to-"

I distanced myself from her accusations on Cheryl because I couldn't listen to it anymore. It hurt. Cheryl couldn't be a fool to do that.

Unless she deliberately did it.

"Cheryl... why didn't you tell them about me?" Lorenzo continued to hiccup through shaky tears. "Then they would've killed me too. Why Cheryl, why?"

I wiped the bordering tears and eased my frantic breath. Cheryl and Lorenzo couldn't be this careless. I tried remembering anything to connect what was going on.

Your sister Lola, she's being unfaithful to Alexander?

My heart stilled. Julian knew. But he did say he wouldn't tell anyone because she was my sister. No, he couldn't be the one to subject her like this. And then I remembered what Cheryl had told me once.

Choose anyone among the guys to die with, Cors but... I just have a year left because Alexander would marry his wife Roxana. I don't want to be a hurdle...

And don't worry, I won't be killing myself. Circumstances would kill me. Just wait and watch.

The phrase echoed in my head on repeat.

Circumstances would kill me. Just wait and watch.

Cheryl had already planned her departure.

"You are a man. And men caught in the act of infidelity are punished severely. I cannot see you die from a thousand lashes of the whip. Think rationally, Lorenzo." Cheryl's message appeared in the sob-filled call.

She stood so calmly among the curses and howls, staring at the waves rising in the Nile. With the guards surrounding her, she wasn't even able to talk to us.

My face lowered in shame again that I could barely breathe. I felt so distant from my friends. I wanted to message her, ask her to talk to me, but everything felt disembodied.

I had failed to understand my closest friend in such a dire situation.

"Why were you disconnecting us every night from the past few days, Coretta?" Dunkin's voice held accusation. Another pang hit my chest.

Look at this God damned mess you made me, Julian.

"Dunkin, do you realise you are shouting at Coretta?" My guilt only increased when Cheryl's message came again. "She was busy writing gift cards for the guests as ordered by the Ruler of Romanos. That's why she was busy at night. She told me."

I wanted to combust into nothing out of shame.

"Uh, I- I was shouting?" Dunkin stuttered, "I'm so sorry I just lost it cause you know I thought some warrior was tryna woo Cors, and she was falling for him which is a big no-no for us, but oh well my mind's twisted so yeah, I'm so sorry Cors it's just that Cheryl wanted to talk to you but you never seemed to be free. I realise I'm rambling so yeah, I'm just gonna exit the call."

In the distance, I could see him plopping beside Lorenzo, trying to calm him.

"You are not wrong, Dunkin..." my voice was just above a whisper as the realisation struck me.

The crowd continued to move forward, pushing me back in the process until I was finally left alone.

A stark reminder that I do not belong here.

"I come to visit my daughters... only to see one of them being subjected to death..." an old gurgling voice said as he came to stand beside me. A white beard covered his wrinkled face, a turban over his head and his body clad in loose clothes as he stood somehow with the support of a wooden walking stick.

Aarmen.

I sniffled in a deep breath, completely forgetting that I'd asked him to be my father. I rubbed my arms as the breeze continued to blow by. "What would you say to... Julian?"

"You need not worry. I have everything planned, though I'll need to talk to you on some things." He said with a straight face.

His confidence unnerved me to bits, at what he wanted to know from me.

I wanted to ask him more, but he simply turned me to face the Nile's bank where people had parted to make way for Alexander. "We still don't know how Cheryl's going to die," his voice wavered in worry, "she's too brave to accept any form of punishment as her death."

"Cheryl, please let me die before you!" Lorenzo's abrupt shriek rang in our head. "You are risking too much to be the first one to go! We don't know if that fucking department is going to have a glitch again that can cost your life. Please Cheryl, please listen to me, goddamnit, leave me, Dunkin!"

Dunkin held onto Lorenzo, dragging him behind the palm tree somehow so people couldn't witness his outrage. It seemed that Cheryl had made her mind, and she didn't want anyone's interference. I tried messaging her, a weak apology for my absence, but she had already disconnected herself.

Alexander came to stand in front of her so everyone could see them standing face to face. Cheryl's face hung low, as if in shame, but we knew better.

"My Lord! She must be burned alive for the crime she has committed against your greatness!"

"Our law says that an unfaithful woman must be thrown into a crocodile's mouth! The Nile has the most human hungry crocodiles, my Lord, she must be subjected to them!" Another man suggested, screaming. I gasped.

"You bastard! I'll fucking rip your tongue out!" Lorenzo looked as wild as an ancient warrior as Dunkin struggled to hold him back.

"Her nose must be slit!"

"She must be strangled to death!"

"No, stop, please..." A cry escaped me as I moved forward without even realising when Aarmen held me back. I was shaking with what they would conclude as her death. "A- Aarmen, I cannot bear it anymore."

Even with the horrifying ways that people were suggesting to have her killed, she was way too calm to endure it. Then, in the madness of it all, she looked in the crowd, as if knowing exactly where I stood as her eyes met mine.

She gave the smallest of smiles, and her message arrived.

"I've faced worse than this, Cors, don't worry. I'll have a happy demise."

"What do you mean?" I closed my eyes, wiping away the tears. There was so much I didn't know about her.

"Enough!" Alexander's voice rang through the jeering crowd as everyone fell into silence. He motioned for a scribe who soon came to stand in front of everyone, a papyrus sheet in his hands.

"A concubine is a woman who cohabits with a man without the legal or social standing of a wife. Our Honour, irrespective of the fact that Lola Rose isn't his wife, wants to give her a chance to prove her innocence. His Honour has chosen the Babylonian law of reprimand against adultery as the laws laid for the people of Egypt are still under consideration." he paused, then started describing her judgement.

"If the woman has become a subject of scandal, as is the case with Lola Rose, her guilt or innocence might, upon the demand of her master, who is here considered to be His Honour, Alexander III of Macedon, be tested by requiring her to plunge into the sacred river. The holy Nile in this event. If innocent, she would float, but if guilty, she would drown," the scribe concluded.

"Which woman would float if you fucking push her into the river, you dumbass! Oh Lord, what fucking rule is this?!" Lorenzo howled as each of us listened to the punishment meted out to a woman who had committed adultery.

"They see sin as a weight," Aarmen said quietly, "A sinful person weighs heavier than an innocent one and so they shall drown while the innocent would float. But of course it's baseless," he tched.

I tried calming myself, knowing Alexander was kind enough to not listen to the people's horrible ways. I controlled my tears, knowing well she would reach home, eventually.

The Great just looked at her for a while, emotionless. "Any last wishes, Lola?" he asked.

Cheryl had her gaze fixed at his feet as she began to speak, her voice clear in our head.

"The people are true to say that it's only death that I deserve for my crime, my Lord," she murmured.

"My only wish is that my existence must be forgotten," she took in a deep breath. "I want no one to remember that there once existed a Lola Rose, who was the favourite concubine of Alexander III of Macedon. I do not wish your great name to be tainted from my crime, my very name."

This time, she carefully looked up to him, her face solemn, "can you assure me of this, my Lord?"

"Goodness, she is so clever," Aarmen whispered, disbelievingly.

I stared in astonishment at her intelligence. She had deliberately made the people hate her, just so they would forget her.

Alexander looked a little broken, but he wasn't showing it with his stance. While Cheryl stood her ground, showing no other emotion other than guilt.

"Alright, Lola. I'll make sure no one ever talks about you if that's what you want. I wish you a good next life ahead." Alexander looked at her for the last couple of seconds before marching away.

"So, ladies and gentlemen, that's how Lola Rose was never mentioned in history. Now I'm going back to home sweet home so any of you, don't dare cry." Her message arrived as two women held her arms to take her over to the Nile.

She glanced back briefly at Lorenzo and murmured something as if they were communicating privately.

"They are swearing their loyalty to each other. I can't stop my tears now." Dunkin sniffled as he joined the call to inform us. Lorenzo was furiously wiping at his tears.

"No one would come after me. Especially you, Lorenzo. You all need to write about the major events, remember? You cannot miss this opportunity that may never come into your life again." The two women continued to take her to the shore, their feet now dipping in the water.

"Cheryl, I'm so sorry..." I tried one last time. But I couldn't help clasping my mouth as another surge of tears pooled in my eyes.

"Awwh, no baby, don't say that." This time, she spoke as the women left her alone to come back to the bank.

"You lied for me when I never even told you anything, what I was-" I whispered, stepping away from Aarmen. He stepped away too, giving me the privacy I wanted.

"I would've done the same if I were you," she laughed softly. "feelings erupting for the first time are barely controllable. And that too when powerfully charismatic men like Mr Armani become soft to you, it becomes harder, doesn't it?"

"Cheryl, I-" I bit my lip, knowing I was on the verge of breaking a major rule imposed on us.

"It's perfectly okay, honey, you did nothing wrong. Having your focus on nothing but just studying for so long can lead to this at last. We are but humans. But Cors... tell me one thing." She led out a distressed sigh.

"Can you leave Julian just like I did to Alexander?"

"N- No," I whimpered. I could never say it to his face, as she did to Alexander.

"Then tell me, would you start planting a seed that you know could never grow into a flower? Because it can not survive in this world..."

She jerked her head to the right, "The wave is approaching..." she whispered, staring at a tide that was successively coming toward her as she dragged herself further into the river.

"You see Cors, I don't have much time left," she sucked in one final breath. "Everything I wanted to explain to you would've only led to a single conclusion..."

The wave was speeding in her direction as the strong winds blew her red hair. From the distance, I could see her hastily wiping her tears.

"I'm- I'm sorry Coretta, but for your heart's sake, do not fall in love with Julian Romanowski."

The tears finally streamed down my face as I cried bitterly, each breath becoming a struggle to take. In the exhilaration of experiencing something for the first time in my life, with the most tender-hearted man I could ever ask for, I had forgotten the reality of my existence here.

The tide engulfed her, swiping her into the river's depth until she was no longer visible.