April 6th, 1BC: Late at night, hours past sundown, a small gust blew a warm, southern breeze throughout the region of Northern Egypt. Lilith, tired from her long trek through the dunes of sand, had just entered Alexandria. Though the sky had been dark for some time, Alexandria was busy as large crowds of people walked up and down the cobblestone streets. Torches illuminated buildings and roads, which made the white stone pillars contrast and glow against the streets and dark sky. Dressed to blend with the locals, Lilith wore a tanned, sand-colored kaftan and gallibaya, which was more modest than most. The tightly tied brown hizan showed the curvature of her waist and nothing more. She kept a sash over her head and used it to tie her copper hair back and keep the sweat out of her hazel eyes. The busy streets were lightly peppered with conservatively dressed folks here and there, many were travelers like her, while other locals wore similar clothing to hers, but more casual and liberal. Many of the townsfolk were on their way to their homes after they finished up their evening shopping while others made their way to the nearest watering hole. Some people glanced at her while they talked to others about their day, and the occasional man or woman eyed her with curiosity and interest but never stopped to talk to her.
She wrinkled her nose at the pungent smell of salt from the lake of Maryūṭ. Her mouth suddenly felt dry and acidic. While she walked around and got her bearings of the city, she stopped at the western harbor to admire the craftsmanship of the many boats. She observed dingy and tired men deboard their boats and find lodgings for the night. "I should probably do the same," she thought as exhaustion began to weigh heavy on her legs and shoulders.
Abruptly, a voice, one thunderous and powerful, rang out and startled her. She let out a small "yipe," then she quickly composed herself as she glanced about. She was grateful no one was nearby or had seen her jump, and quickly before she could cause a scene, she ducked into a nearby alley and awaited the message of God. She stood still, nervous and anxious for what he had to say. She listened intently, but her hopes of being offered salvation and a swift return to Heaven were dashed as the thunderous voice announced the birth of her new half-brother, a half-human, born to a virgin woman somewhere in Bethlehem. Lilith let out a defeated sigh and rolled her eyes, profoundly uninterested in the new offspring and quite defeated by how swiftly her hopes had been dashed away. She ducked out of the alley and continued to wander about the town, past closed stalls and people who failed to stifle yawns. Eventually, she found a nearby tavern inn, one that looked cheap enough for her to afford and to rest at for the night. The outside of the structure was mediocre; the building was a fairly average two-story sandstone build that lacked any uniqueness and blended with the others, save for the subtle smell of urine and an unconscious man, who snored loudly, around the left corner from the main door.
As she made entry, the smell of alcohol, pungent unbathed men, and what she guessed was a goat permeated the air. The combined scents mixed into a nauseating cocktail, which caused her to gag slightly. She swallowed down her pride along with the bile that had burned the back of her throat, lowered her expectations, and braced herself for the possibility of worse to come. As she made her trek across the crowded room to the barkeep, she pretended not to notice the stares and glances that were directed towards her from the rugged sailors and various sinners. She noticed she was the only woman in the room, which made her nervous and uneasy. The barkeep, a tall, muscular man with tanned, aged skin, dark hair, and thin facial hair, walked over to the area of the bar she halted at. His facial expression stayed hardened and unamused. He looked her over, obvious in his show of disdain for the company in front of him.
"We don't allow solicitation," he spat in Egyptian. Lilith could see he was fatigued and agitated, so she tried to tamp down her anger.
"I am not here for... that," Lilith replied in his language, disgusted. "I wish to patronize your establishment, not the patrons within." The barkeep looked her over again, lightly shrugged to himself, and relaxed slightly as he leaned on the bar.
YOU ARE READING
The Origin of Temptation
Fantasy(The First installment of the Split-Soul Series) You've heard the story before of Lucifer's fall from grace, but have you heard it told like this? Recently expelled from Heaven, fallen angels Lucifer and Lilith are exiled to Earth. While there, God...
