Herald of Steel

Alexander was honestly emphatic to the girl's plight.

She was orphaned and stranded all alone in a foreign land, penniless and with no place to call home.

This was a cruel fate for a girl of this time period as almost all women needed a guardian to survive, whether it be their kin, husband, children, or even their superiors.

Even Cambyses had a guardian- Alexander.

If Alexander turned Ophenia away, her only fate would be death, slavery, or to be used by countless men like some living fleshlight.

Even if the last ten years had hardened Alexander's heart, he had not yet turned into such a beast that he would turn away such a person in need, especially when the risks were so low.

But Alexander was in a position where he not only controlled his life but also the lives of many other people.

And this made him a bit apprehensive about how this potential time bomb might implicate the others.

"How powerful is the temple in Thesos? How many soldiers do they have?" Alexander attempted to gauge the strength and thus danger of the temple.

"They have no military of their own, their borders being mainly protected by mercenaries and armed devotees," Ophenia informed. "But they do hold considerable sway over other city-states. As the spiritual nucleus of a large number of city-states, they can influence others to mobilize troops on their behalf to punish heretics. But that's only within their neighboring vicinity."

"Hmmm, so how hard will they look for you? Aren't you their god in human flesh?" Alexander asked stroking his chin.

"Under normal circumstances, their chase would be relentless. But I'm in Adhania, a country where their faith does not exist. And with my father's death, they will mostly assume that I am dead too. The chances of them actually finding me is close to zero." Ophenia assured.

"Except for your hair." Alexander pointed out.

"Yes," Ophenia nodded in agreement, but then also countered, "But hiding my hair color is easy. Father bought me a wig and even a herbal extract that turns my hair pitch black for three months. And, worst comes to worst, I can simply cake it with mud to disguise myself."

"Huh? If you have such a hair dye, then why is your blonde? Didn't you disguise yourself till now?" Alexander asked puzzled and considerably more alarmed.

Sensing his agitated state, Ophenia reassured, "Rest assured master, I have always worn a wig outside my tent. The people in this tent are the only ones alive to see my blonde hair."

Then she explained, with a hint of sadness tinting her voice, "The reason for me not dying my hair black was because father planned to get me married to my fiancé after he took Adhan. And he wanted me in my natural hair during the ceremony."

"I see, my condolences." Alexander almost mechanically replied.

Then almost reflexively he inquired, "Who was your fiancé?"

"Samaras. He was the only one who did not look me with those eyes." Ophenia replied with a heavy air of loss and melancholy around her.

"I..see," Alexander awkwardly stammered. "By the way, what will happen if I do get caught hiding you?" Alexander attempted to change the topic.

"*Shake*, I don't exactly know." Ophenia rocked her head. "They could reward you for finding me, demand money from you for the services I provided, or simply kill you for hiding me."

"Hmmm," With all his inquires answered, Alexander once again began stroking his chin as his brain tried to calculate the risk and benefit of this otherworldly beauty's offer.

And Ophenia was a city ruining beauty no doubt about it.

With thick, lush blonde hair upto her thighs, sparking glacial blue eyes, and a dimpled chin, all encrusted in a heart-shaped face. she could certainly tug at any man's heart, including Alexander's.

'Her reputation as a god in human form is not undeserved,' Alexander thought.

But although Alexander always had a thing for blondes, he did not let such physical attractions derail his judgment.

His mind instead thought of a way her presence could be made useful.

He felt down the line, maybe after a few years or even tens of years, he could use Ophenia to pick a fight with the temple and her allies.

He reasoned that if the temple's obsession with Ophenia was as strong as she said it was, then it would be likely that they would still want their lost 'Sacred Priestess,' years down the line, and even go to war to retake her.

Given Alexander could play his cards right, he could use their casus belli against them to win and conquer large swaths of their land while appearing righteous and just in the process.

Alexander would admit that his plan was a long shot among long shots, but the risk for harboring Ophenia was so low that even if nothing happened, he would not be really losing out on anything.

Also, Alexander planned to declare himself divine at some point and he predicted this might not go down well with everyone, especially with the various temples, who saw the gods as their exclusive 'property'.

'Since conflict with them is likely inevitable, then why should I turn this girl away? If she wants to survive, realistically her only option is to sell herself to slavery, so why not it be me?' Alexander finally made up his mind.

"Okay, you have convinced me. I will protect you." Alexander said with a thin smile.

"Thank you, master." Ophenia bowed and returned the thin smile.

"Congratulations, sister Ophenia." Mean, who had been unusually quiet till now yipped in joy.

"See, I told you hubby take you in," Cambyses puffed up her chest in pride.

"Hoho, only master deserves a beauty like her. Congratulations master!" Gelene smiled showing her pearly teeth.

"So, how much did you pay for her Cam?" Alexander was curious.

"Hehe, two thousand tustas," Cambyses spoke as if she got the deal of the century.

"Only two thousand tustas! That's too cheap!" Alexander exclaimed in surprise, feeling Cambyses had somehow scammed the sheltered girl.

An ordinary slave, like when Nestoras bought Alexander cost two thousand tustas. A slightly strong slave, to be used on the farms would cost five to six thousand tustas, while a literate slave may go for more than ten thousand tustas.

As for a beauty like Ophenia, even twenty thousand tustas may not be enough. If a sufficiently wealthy individual took a liking to her, Alexander did not doubt she could fetch two hundred thousand tustas.

So how could she be bought for the same price as a child slave?

"Master is overlooking something. With my golden hair, only someone blessed by the divine like you can own me. If I stayed with ordinary people, I would only bring them harm and misfortune." Ophenia, indoctrinated at a young age, truly believed her hair and thus her to be cursed and the harbinger of misfortune.

This made Alexander look at the girl with genuine pity as he could not even guess the kind of discrimination and abuse she had had to suffer to make her like this.

But at least, up until now, she had her father to rely upon.

She had even lost that today, but instead of breaking down, the kind of strength and determination she displayed until now impressed Alexander and he felt confident that with his help the girl can have a normal life.

"That's right, Alex. I first met Ophenia when they sent her to my tent on the night Damious died to prepare me for my wedding. There, it was Ophenia who offered to sell herself as my slave," Cambyses was a bit offended by Alexander's insinuation that she somehow cheated the girl.

"Initially, she wanted to do it for free, only wanting food, cloth, shelter, and protection in exchange. It took a lot of haggling to convince her to take the bare minimum- two thousand tustas." Cambyses sighed with a bit of helplessness in her voice.

"Hmm, I see."

Alexander personally disliked slavery- the act of buying and selling humans like they were some commodity.

But he also understood that in the context of this time period, it was legal and morally and socially acceptable.

So although he did not like Cambyses buying slaves, he had given her the right to own property, which included slaves and Alexander did not want to break his own words.

"You bought the slave, so why is she calling me her master," Alexander at last noticed a slight discrepancy.

He did not want to own any slaves if he could help it.

"Because she's my gift to you. A beauty like her deserves to be tasted by only someone great as you. Think of it like a congratulations gift on becoming the commander." Cambyses beamed her white teeth.

"Mistress is correct. Only master with his divine providence can shield against my curse. If mistress were to own me, she would only suffer misfortune, like my father and Samaras." The way this war had ended, absolutely convinced Ophenia that she was unwanted by the heavens itself.

Understanding her mindset, to soothe the girl's frayed consciousness, Alexander consented, "Okay. you will belong to me from today."

Then he thought of a way to sever her from her tumultuous past, "But since you are hiding, Ophenia, it is not wise to use that name anymore. Thus, as your master, I now bestow upon you a new name, Talayin."

This came from the word 'talayi', which was Persian for golden.

"Thank you master for your blessing," Ophenia gratefully bowed.

"Now, Talayin, for your first command, as your master I command you to strip!" Alexander sternly ordered.

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