Rendezvous in the Romanowskian Empire

42. Offerings to Aphrodite

A/N
Became very busy this week >.<
So a long chapter to compromise for the long wait ❤
***

Julian

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.