Rendezvous in the Romanowskian Empire

41. Beware of the temple of Ishtar

Many incidents in this book are True historical events, like Dionysus' cult, handling of snakes by Alexander's mom, the ritual in this chapter, etc.

Please read the warning on previous chapter before proceeding.

Althea

I couldn't believe things were turning out in my favour.

The priest in Aphrodite's temple had told how there was a ritual to offer prayers to Aphrodite in Babylonia.

In a place called the temple of Ishtar.

Offering services there is the best way to please Aphrodite, he had said. And I was over the moon when Julian offered to take me to that exact town. Rituals, although creepy, were interesting to know about. The broader the spectrum of my research would be, the better.

During our week-long journey through the deserts, I kept thinking about what happened in the forest.

The lake in there is seriously playing cupid.

But what astonished me was... Julian's gentle behaviour.

The sky outside was dark, with the stars still shimmering softly. I placed my palms over the open window, to feel the chilled swoosh of air passing my bare arms. It left a trail of shiver down my body.

Babylon, the capital of Babylonia, was on a higher altitude compared to Egypt. With a lack of deserts and the approaching winters, it was cold in this early morning.
There were still a few hours to go for the Sun to come up.

Closing the window, I walked over to the mirror to comb my hair. As I combed, I looked at my reflection. Putting down the comb, I touched the corner of my lips, feeling around the area where he had...

I closed my eyes, trying to feel the sensation again. It wasn't his lips at that moment. They were just his stubble that had brushed past my lips.

My hand was pressed against his chest then. It was instinctive to keep my hands there because, at that moment, I was trying to get hold of something to stabilise my disoriented state.

It was then that I felt his heartbeat, beating so wildly like a small terrified animal in his wall of a chest.

My cheeks warmed up. Was he... was he, of all people, nervous?

What did he find in me to make him so nervous? I asked myself, staring at my reflection. My braided hair? My dull blue eyes? My face that looked like a dumb doe at crucial times?

I couldn't figure it out, and that disturbed me.

Shaking my head, I focussed on the task at hand. Twisting up all the hairs, I did a side bun and pulled some hair around my temples. Fair look to visit a temple, I hummed.

"You look lovely!" Thalia entered my room with a tiny pot in her hand.

"Here, this is milk cream churned to make a balm," she handed me the pot,
"Aphrodite admires it when women are well dressed and look their best!" she beamed.

"Oh, thank you so much," All these stuff were reminding me of DIY skincare, which I and Cheryl used to make when she got acne with the market ones. I smiled, applying the sweet balm over my lips. What a lovely world, free of chemicals.

"It's good to have these," I said, returning the cream, "winters make the lips chapped. It's an excellent substitute."

When I noticed her lost in thoughts, I touched her cheek,
"Oh dear, your cheeks are hot. Are you alright?"