"I don't know what I am without you." The man sighed happily as he counted the gold pieces, knowing they were more than the last time.
"It's my pleasure that I could be of any use to you," the young man replied with a slight smile.
"Any use? Oh good Lord, you are not a use, but a blessing to have! Otherwise, God knows those swindlers would've robbed me of all my goods till now," he exclaimed, separating one-third of the gold to give it to his helper.
Aarmen took the currency, making sure he didn't appear too excited. The place he currently resided in was a little cottage made of brick walls.
The walls were tried to be painted with a smoother mud which would help cool off the little area whenever it was splashed with water. After all, there weren't any fans around.
Though little, the cottage was separated in two by another wall to make a second room. The floor was covered with silted mud.
"I have listed the costs of wheat, grain and beer that you must sell to make maximum profit." Aarmen took out another scroll he had been preparing and showed it to the man.
"If it doesn't work, we'll look for other options. One should always be positive, Giorgus," The man couldn't help but move forward to hug him. He patted his back in approval.
"Such a gifted child you are. Why did your father throw you out of his house?" Giorgus asked gloomily. Aarmen's breath hitched, but he retained himself.
"He didn't like me studying mathematics and wanted to work with him in the fields. Of course, it's the duty of every son to help his father.
"I knew we could earn a lot through the studies I was doing, but... he never believed in me," Aarmen sighed, feeling genuinely guilty of saying such lies about his father when he was his best supporter.
"Don't feel terrible, son. If he doesn't, I surely know your worth. You are like a son I never had," Giorgus replied, who looked to be in his forties.
When others had set for different paths, Aarmen had thought of pretending to be Aristotle's student. Apparently, finding the father of biology wasn't a simple job, given the tons of old men who looked similar to him.
It was during his stroll when he had spotted this man, walking sadly with heavy sacks of grain, carrying everything on his own. He had felt instant pity and offered to lift some loads.
"Will you go to Euclid today? I was thinking it would be a fine day for Ismene to start her studies," Giorgus said hopefully.
"Yes, sure. I will be going, and Ismene is more than welcome. You are lucky to live in Egypt otherwise her being female, she would've been left out on basic education," Aarmen stated. He sensed the girl Ismene peeking shyly from the next room.
"It was the sole reason I left my hometown to come here. After my wife's death, I only had my daughter. She always hoped to study just like men, but the society is too oppressive that she never got a chance," he sighed.
"Father, don't. I will fulfil her wishes by studying hard," the girl meekly stepped into the room and hugged her father.
Ismene was old enough to be a university student, but it was only now that she got the opportunity to study.
Aarmen smiled to himself, knowing he could help people whilst keeping his identity incognito because it was obvious, helping needy people won't mention him anywhere in history.
"Ismene can start from today. Hellenistic girls are freer here. I've also seen Egyptian girls taught actively. Hopefully, she can also make some friends," he offered, to see the girl blush.
Ismene would always run in the opposite direction and was utterly shy in front of him. Maybe it was the first time she was with another male except for her father?
Hellenistic girls could be really shy because they rarely came in contact with another male except for their family due to their upbringing.
"Shall we go, Ismene?" Aarmen asked slowly, but it still jolted the girl.
"Y- Yes, of course," she murmured. Her cheeks turned red again, making Aarmen doubt himself.
Oh Lord, just don't have a crush on me, he fretted. It would be troublesome if her father suddenly decides to marry his daughter to him.
Given the amount of profit he was helping him have with his itty-bitty commerce skills, the man won't have a doubt, Aarmen could have a well-made house in a year, in place of the little cottage they were living currently.
With a small jute bag that contained their essentials for study and some food, they walked out into the breezy morning of Egypt. He safely tucked the AI book under his arm.
For the ease of walking, sand was cleared in various places where most of the houses were situated. Date palm trees were spread across the area while cactus could be spotted too.
He had come to know that this was some place near the border of Romanos and Rhacotis.
He'd never heard of Romanos and was a little envious that Coretta was the one to discover this hotspot.
Then again, she had to go through the horrible conditions of a captured woman, so it was only fair. She got a unique place to write about.
"You can walk beside me instead of trailing behind," he told Ismene with a laugh. When he turned around to check, she was staring at him. Noticing his eyes, she immediately lowered her gaze, stifling a silly smile.
She was too shy to walk side by side, so he stepped back and walked along. After all, he had the responsibility for her safety. He didn't want any goon kidnapping her behind his back if those things happened around.
Though Aarmen couldn't find Aristotle, he was successful in spotting a young man in his thirties. He was none other than the great mathematician Euclid.
The institution was built in the form of a wooden archway, followed by a plain hall. With an interior that was bordered with wooden pillars, the floor was entirely mud where Euclid used his stick to explain things.
"The simple patterns make way to three-dimensional models, like this cylindrical pillar here." he hugged the pillar.
"Now, consider this pillar to be the axis of rotation of the Earth. The Earth is permanently fixed here, which defines that it only rotates and doesn't revolve. The planets and Sun revolve around it in a continuous motion-" Aarmen zoned off the topic, knowing it was all wrong.
"Does it mean Earth is the centre of the universe, master?" a fellow student asked.
"Yes absolutely! Where's the doubt there? Earth is our nurturer, our mother. She is the centre of the universe, obviously!"
Aarmen knew better and kept shut about it. When Copernicus and Galileo pointed out in the sixteenth century that the Sun was the centre, they were put to house arrest for going against the proposed belief. It won't be a doubt he'd be hanged publicly if he asserted the truth.
It could be a simple solution to go back to the twenty-first century, though, he thought.
He just had to go crazy about the Sun being in the centre. Shame a few not-so-wise heads and Voila! He'll definitely reach home.
"Also, today we will be visiting the new neighbouring city that's in the process of making. Pack your stuff, we'll leave soon." Euclid informed.
"W- Where will he take us? How will father know where are we going?" Ismene whispered, visibly terrified. Aarmen assured her they would be all right.
Everyone boarded a horse-drawn vehicle and set off for the destination. Ismene sat close to Aarmen quietly as everyone chatted along.
In the approaching afternoon, he spotted an enormous palace complex in the distance. With high fortification walls and golden flags posted atop its citadel, it looked like a masterpiece in the desert.
"See that fortress, students? That's the Romanos kingdom, ruled by the brilliant companion of Alexander, Julian Romanowski." Euclid waved his hand out the cart's window. Everyone swooned at its magnificence.
So, this is the place Coretta is residing. Such a lucky girl, Aarmen sulked. But when his mind reeled, he smiled satisfactorily to himself.
Out of them all, Coretta and Lorenzo were the biggest fools. Surely it would bring ease and luxury to live in palaces, but they were at a high risk of associating themselves with the royalty and hence, the history. A little input from their side and it would make major damage.
Though he had his belief in Coretta that she'd do best on treading carefully, Lorenzo was a greater fool in this matter.
He literally signed a treaty sent by Alexander, so that the little area he was apparently ruling under the queen would become an ally to the Greeks.
Not to mention with his signature Hollywood looks, he was attracting dangerous attention of most princesses, all of whom were ready to marry him.
And what to say of Cheryl? She was twisted but intelligent in her own ways. To attempt being a concubine and actually succeed in it.
While Dunkin seemed to be on crack.
The carriage stopped in front of a similar institution like theirs. Only it was way larger and in the process of construction.
People were rushing with bricks and building equipment, while there were some who stacked a bunch of scrolls in the corner. Euclid went ahead to discuss things with a fellow man as the students spread out to inspect the new area.
Interested in the scrolls, Aarmen walked to the far corner of the unfinished building, and Ismene followed him.
When he opened them, it amazed him to see some old manuscripts which dated back to sixth century BCE. Checking around if anyone would come to bother him, he sat down with his AI book and began writing as much as he could.
"In a hurry, young man?" A voice came from beside. Stopping dead in his writeup, he looked up to see a fellow young man with some scrolls in his hand.
"Ah, yes. I am a student of Euclid. Nice to meet you. Well... may I know who you are?" he questioned back.
"I am a student from Athens, came here to study medicine," he smiled. He swiped a hand over his short curly hair and fixed the toga that was about to slip from his shoulders.
"They teach medicine here?" Aarmen asked back, curious.
"They would soon. This area, you see, it is being developed into a medical school. They want maximum attention to this new city after all," he laughed. Aarmen sensed something was off with the way his laughter sounded, but dismissed it.
"New city?" He felt awful for not knowing the current happenings. Perks of not having a newspaper. Internet was a long-gone case.
"This will be called as the city of Alexandria, founded by the great ruler Alexander III of Macedon. He has envisioned it to be a world-famous centre of learning, so scholars from all around can come study here," the man explained.
Whoa, Alexandria, he couldn't believe it was happening, all live before his eyes. Surely, once in a lifetime moment.
"You are not a man, you are a woman," Ismene spoke suddenly, startling them both. "I think I've seen you somewhere," she continued.
The young man was stunned and appeared hesitant, "I- I have to go I-" he was about to leave but the girl held his hand.
"Is that you, Agnodice?" Ismene whispered.
Aarmen was surprised to see Ismene hitting right at his confusion. Yes, the laugh earlier sounded womanly. He didn't know what was the matter, but was eager to learn what was going on.
"Look, you don't have to worry. We will make sure no one knows your secret, alright," he assured with a straight voice, to the woman who'd cross-dressed herself as a man.
She looked around frantically, then lowered her voice. "Couldn't you be quite Ismene? Why did you have to point me out?" she whispered dejectedly.
"Please don't be scared. Alexan is my father's apprentice, he is a good man and would tell no one," Agnodice looked up to see Aarmen give an assuring nod.
"Thank you, kind man. Yes, it's me Agnodice. What are you doing here, Ismene?"
"We came here because father wanted to open his shop in Romanos. But tell me, why did you leave Athens? I thought you were joking when you told me once you'll take a man's attire to study." Ismene pressed on.
Agnodice fixed her dress once more before she began with a heavy voice. "Things are not the same after Hippocratic medicine came out."
"You mean Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine?" Aarmen enquired.
"Yes, he and his crazy teaching facilities that only allow men to study medicine," she started.
"Childbirth is the most traumatizing stage a woman has to go through. It is so saddening to see newborns dying with their mothers," she sniffled.
"What about midwives? I've heard they have them here in Egypt. The expectant mother is taken care by female relatives, who apply the knowledge of their experience and help the new mother," Aarmen explained.
"This practice was widely accepted in my hometown, but now they have made it a crime punishable by death!" Agnodice seethed.
"Men are no less than monsters there. When they saw females becoming independent due to the midwifery profession, they couldn't digest it. They no longer wanted midwives to study medicine.
"So it could be them toxic men who would dominate the medical field. And results? They were horrendous!"
"Without the guidance of female midwives, childbirth became an occasion of disaster from celebration. In a society that highly values a woman's modesty, do you think she'll let male physicians help her in delivery, to touch her?!" she roared. Ismene held her hand, trying to soothe the simmering anger.
Aarmen was beyond shocked. He knew that the majority of ancient men were dominating towards their female counterparts, but this was the height of it. Childbirth, in an era with near-zero advancement in the medicinal field, was an excruciatingly difficult thing to be done correctly.
"Now they dismiss women as stubborn beings who don't want to be checked for their own health." she snivelled.
"I can't, I just can't see more women dying because of this!" Tears streaked her eyes, which she immediately wiped and took in a shaky breath.
"If they want it their way, fine! I don't care if I have to dress up as a man, cut my hair short. Because if then I can study medicine, I will!" Her voice was adamant. Full of hopes.
"Have you come here with someone else? You can stay with us," Ismene asked, worried.
"No, I am on my own. But I will manage. This is my fight on behalf of all the women, who these men have deliberately made weak and dependent. I will study medicine here in Alexandria, go back to Athens and help fellow women there. It's my promise," she asserted.
"Ahoy kids, looking sharp I see!" A man came to stand in front of the students, who stopped their exploration momentarily to see who had come.
He was Aristotle.
But Aarmen was no longer interested in the Father of biology. He was desperate to find him, but not anymore.
He had to learn about this woManly doctor, Agnodice, who seemed to be dismissed in history as a mere myth.
Yes, Agnodice existed in history and its sad we weren't taught about this Wonder Woman, who fought against men's belief in her own ways💔
Never knew I'll learn so much while writing this book. I hope you do too,
After all, its better than a history lecture, right? ;)