Hagia Sophia was worshiped. With her halo of light, she was the most beautiful in all the land. She was the virgin of Constantinople. Who could deny her beauty? God lavished her with his rays, and she thrived in his light as her gold and gems glittered in reverence. She was holy. She was sacred. None could deny her beauty.
But in the fading light of twilight, Hagia Sophia became common. Her halo grew dim, and her gold mosaics became a dull yellow. The awe lost, men laughed at her. She was no better than their whores, and the men passed her by. She was left on the streets as a mere silhouette, and her shadow grew longer as light left the world.
She was left alone and abandoned by her congregation, but for a small boy.
Isaac remained.
Time frame hints and plot clues for concerned readers (please do not read if you want to interpret this story and uncover its mysteries on your own!):
Look for clues in later chapters for the story's time frame. A new character gives clues to which stage of the Empire is still in power, and the name Constantinople is used for a reason. (It is a long time before Ezio and Ottoman-ruled Istanbul!)
Hagia Sophia is a famous building/monument. Her "halo" is the array of windows that run along the base of the building's main dome. Look up the wikipedia article if you are interested (the pictures are very helpful!).
Also, please remember that stories have figurative meanings embedded.
I hope you enjoy the following chapters!