<div class="floatleft">(https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTRKUSjDgurEWHsAKB-rJHL1dcuTlFBcTHoi1rKCRdAOwlmvJsSWQ)</div><em>Alexandria, 13 years earlier.</em><br/><br/>That was not the first day he saw the magnificent Alexandria Lighthouse. On the contrary, he had already loaded and unloaded several cargoes to and from the Alexandria Harbour. As his galley was based in the Greek city of Naucratis, some miles into the Nile Delta, the strategically located Alexandria was a mandatory stop wherever it would sail. However, on that occasion, Orion was happy - to be more precise, he was too happy. Never had Orion spent more than a few hours in the impressive city and then he was going to spend a couple of days there. He had always been told about the glory and beauty of his hometown Athens - it was almost a cliché to praise its beauty. After seeing Alexandria from the harbor, Perseus learned there was a great deal of exaggeration in favour of Athens. No longer was his hometown the richest and most important city in Greece. It had lost most of its power and glory, even though it continued to have a lively cultural and trade life. Alexandria was different. A bustling metropolis, crowed with brand new monuments, lively market: it was a crossroad where people from different lands and cultures would meet, creating a vibrant melting pot. By then, Orion did not miss his Athens at all.<br/><br/>These thoughts did not matter though. What made Orion excited was his visit to the magnificent Alexandria Library. His tutor and friend Plato had already told him about his young years, when he visited the place and spent days and nights there, as if time did not exist, as if he was going to learn everything he could. For the first time since Orion left Athens, he was going to land his eyes on something longer than one sentence. He had longed for that day since his galley reached Alexandria a couple of years ago. Not even the long days rowing, taking the large Genoa jib, loading and unloading the bags filled with wheat flour made him give up the idea of going to that library, once said to be one of the Wonders of the World. That was his dream coming true.<br/><br/>As soon as the galley boarded, Orion performed his tasks as swiftly as possible. He was used to be efficient, but that day, his anxiety made him be even more efficient. In no time, all his tasks were over and Orion jumped on the quay, shouting<strong>"I will be back in two days"</strong>without looking behind.<br/><br/><strong>"Take care, Orion"</strong>, the shipmaster spoke, sure that his young sailor had not heard that.<br/><br/>Running like a crazy towards the tall building of the Alexandria Library, Orion did not pay attention to anything. He hit a couple of Egyptians in his way, but he did not even care to lookind behind and apologise. All he wanted was to read the latest works of Anaxagoras on philosophy and Archimedes' scrolls on sphere making. Nothing could stop the young Orion in his frantic run to knowledge. His was nearly blinded, running as if h were going to save his own mother from certain death.<br/><br/><div class="floatright">(http://th07.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2012/249/1/7/rhadopis_by_deadheart82-d5drlv4.jpg)</div>While Orion was once more raising his head to see the approaching Alexandria Library, Orion hit a Roman citizen in his mid 40, causing him to fall to the ground at the same time a mature, pretty dark-haired woman stumbled towards the wall in the narrow alley. Romans had conquered Egypt some 20 years ago and were still strangers in the nest of a very old civilization like the Egyptian. They were never seen walking alone, because there were still many rebels among the Egyptians and riots against the Roman rule and murders of Patrician and Plebeian were quite common. This made Orion froze and stopped his run. Rather than caring for the woman, the inexperienced Orion turned his back and offered his hand to the Roman richly dressed in a red and white toga. To his greatest surprise, the Roman closed his fist and threw a punch from below, hitting his jaw painfully.<br/><br/>Orion stepped back with his left leg, but he did not fall. His strong abs and his leg prevented him from falling. That was the first time since Orion had left Athens that someone hit him. The pain was equally unpleasant, there was no doubt about it. Then, the Roman came for a jab cross and Orion swiftly dodge his attack. A third punch came from the left and Orion once more dodged. Everything was too fast and Orion could either fight on run. No time to think about that. The woman was screaming in panic without understanding exactly what was going on. A small crowd was forming in the narrow alley and instinctively, Orion closed his fists and began to punch the Roman's face repeatedly from the right to the left and vice-versa. In no time, Orion knocked the Roman out. He saw his hands and they were full with blood from the Roman's nose.<br/><br/><strong>"Thank you, my lord"</strong>, the dark-haired woman whispered in Latin with strong foreign accent as she threw herself on Orion's arms. His left hand slid down to her butts and his eyes gazed hers. She was scarred, her sensual body was covered with bruises, her left eye was darkened. It was clear that the woman was not happy with that Roman.<br/><br/><strong>"You will pay for that, Greek"</strong>, the Roman muttered on the ground. Having a woman in his arms and hearing those words made Orion even angrier. Orion simply stepped on his throat.<br/><br/>"Shut up, pig", Orion spoke confidently as he groped the woman's butts.<br/><br/>As Orion finished his words, a group of 15 Roman cohorts came from one side of the alley. The orders were to disband every crowd, in order to avoid riots and confusions. The small crowd had definitively drawn the attention of the small group of cohorts in charge of patrolling the streets of Alexandria. The leader of the cohorts soon identified a fellow Roman citizen on the ground and swords were drawn around Orion and the woman. Protectively, Orion stepped ahead of the woman, placing her behind him.<br/><br/><strong>"For Jupiter, it is Lucrepus!"</strong>, the Roman legionnaire leading spoke to the others. Orion did not understand what was going on. At first, he thought his life was over, but the swords lowered almost immediately.<br/><br/><strong>"Well done, Greekman"</strong>, the leader of the cohorts spoke without hiding how happy he was.<strong>"Come to the Roman fortification and collect your bounty. We have been hunting for this bastard, since he helped Marc Anthony and Cleopatra in the Battle of Actium. Rome has a debt of gratitude with you"</strong>, the same legionnaire said, grabbing the arm of the fallen Roman.<br/><br/><strong>"Lucky Greek"</strong>, another Roman said.<strong>"And you also have a Phoenician girl"</strong>. All the Romans marched out of the alley, laving Orion and the dark-haired woman alone in the alley.<br/><br/>Before Orion could turn his back to face the woman, the female stranger was wrapping her soft hands around his large pecks. Orion did not care to turn his back. That was the first time a woman touched him, that was his first time he felt the strange feeling of a goosebump going down his spine. He took a deep breath and raised his head above, staring quietly the rooftop of Alexandria Library for some of seconds. The shorter woman stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his left ear with her rusky voice.<strong>"What bothers you, my young lord?"</strong><br/><br/><strong>"Nothing, woman. Nothing."</strong>, Orion replied turning to her, pinning her arms above her head and kissing a woman for the first time in his life.<br/><br/>That Fates smiled at Orion that day.