“Your pardon General but my Queen instructed me to give this to Caesar and no one else.”
“Your load looks heavy Apollodorus. Why aren‘t you carrying it over your shoulder?” Julius interrupted.
“This was the way I was told to carry it.”
“By whom?”
“I take orders from Queen Cleopatra only.”
“Do you always do as you are told?”
“Yes.”
“You’re a good servant then.”
“I try to please my Queen. She honours me by letting me stay in her employ.”
“My manservant over there, Lucius, says I shouldn’t trust you. Queen Cleopatra clearly does. But tell me is he wrong?”
“Yes Caesar.”
Julius had been studying the linen, the way it bent in Apollodorus’ arms.
’It’s almost as if he’s carrying someone, a small person’
“I think I’m beginning to understand. Thank you gentlemen you may leave us now.”
The Generals looked at each other in disbelief. It was an order. Caesar could see that Marcellus wanted to object but didn’t.
’At least he is learning’
As he walked past Julius spoke to him.
“Marcellus seeing as your sword is desperate to drink Egyptian blood perhaps you would be kind enough to lend it to me.”
The steel sang as it was pulled from the scabbard. Marcellus turned it, held it by its tip and laid it gently across his forearm, offering it as a sword should be offered. Julius took it by the handle and held it firmly. It was a very fine officers sword. It felt good in his hand.
“Thank you.”
Marcellus saluted and strode for the door where the others were waiting. The door closed with a thud. Now they were alone. The two of them. Apollodorus bowed his head to the Roman then went down on one knee and put the bed clothes down.
Julius bent at the knee and brought the sword in close to where the bundle was tied at one end.
“Please be careful. The sheets are quite delicate.”
“Don’t worry. I can be deft with a sword.”
He gently cut the string and proceeded to the other end and cut that one as well. Then turning his back on Apollodorus he took hold of the end of the bundle and with great strength he pulled it towards himself. It began to unroll, turning and turning and when it reached the end a female figure rolled out onto the floor and stopped, face down. Julius looked puzzled for a few moments. The girl’s dress was plain.
“What’s this Apollodorus. You bring a slave girl to me at this hour.”
The girl turned over slowly and propped herself up on one elbow. Her long dark hair was in ringlets about her head. One had come loose and was down across her face. Her right leg was bent up at the knee and her split in her dress had fallen away to reveal a shapely, smooth thigh.
Caesar extended his hand but the girl swatted it away as she brushed the hair from her face.
“I am no slave.”
Apollodorus jumped to his feet.
“Hail Cleopatra. Daughter of Isis. Queen of upper and lower Egypt.”
Julius Caesar pulled the girl to her feet.
“Queen Cleopatra did you say?”
“Yes,” she retorted straightening her dress and dusting off her hands.
The Roman glared at her open mouthed, then at Apollodorus, then at the sheets. Then he threw back his head and roared with laughter.
“My dear girl is this some sort of elaborate hoax?”
“It’s no hoax and you should not be mocking me. Caesar I had to come to you, to speak urgently with you and I and Apollodorus came up with this plan so as my brother and his guards would not be suspicious.”
“Ah yes your brother. But you are Queen are you not?”
“You’ve met my brother, spoken with him. Did you not see how those two, Pothinus and Theodotus control him.”
“Theodotus? Ah yes, the boy King’s school teacher is he not?”
“My brother is a puppet. It is those two who secretly rule. Ptolemy has no power. He is duped by the rest of them, and Achillas.”
“They have all been summoned to my audience. You were the last one on my list. All except Achillas who is as yet unaccounted for.”
“That’s because Achillas has slipped through your net mighty Caesar. He is as we speak racing through the desert to his army on the banks of the Nile.”
She saw the discomfort on the Roman dictator’s face.
“I’m afraid Caesar that you find yourself in a desperate situation.”
His head was aching and his throat dry. He put the sword down on a table within reach. He poured himself some wine and drank thirstily.
“Have you had the wine tested to make sure it contains no poison?”
He took the cup away from his lips and studied it.
“At least it would put me out of my misery. An end to my….” he searched for her word, “….desperate situation.”
She crossed the gap between them.
“Caesar I must insist that you reinstate me as Queen as soon as possible. Sole ruler preferably.”
He was rubbing his brow, tired now. He took his hand away to look at her. She was quite plain looking. He knew she was twenty one, her voice sexy, her breasts full. Her body was slim and her skin that he could see was blemish less. She was quite beautiful he decided.
“I’m afraid that’s impossible.”
“Impossible?”
“The agreement made between Rome and your father was that yourself and your brother would rule the lands of upper and lower Egypt jointly. Rome was and is to be an arbiter in the situation only. Egypt was to keep its own laws and customs.”
“So you’re going to do nothing?”
“I didn’t say that. I merely said that until you and your brother are in my presence at the same time I can make no ruling and as I see that the hour grows late I guess it will not be tonight.”
He strode over to his writing desk, took a wax tablet and pressed his ring into the soft wax. The indent was perfect. He took the tablet to Apollodorus.
“Give this to the Captain of my guard. See that the Queen is given suitable accommodation.”
Apollodorus nodded and turned to leave.
“Stop! Where do you think you’re going?”
“Majesty I….” he stopped as Cleopatra cut him off.
“Who do you take your orders from?”
Apollodorus didn’t know what to do. Obviously he would always follow the Queen’s instructions but when a man was present and in particular this man, he felt he should take orders from the Roman.
“Do not presume to tell me Caesar where I can or can’t go. May I remind you that this is my palace, not yours, and all of it is accessible to me and may I further remind you that it is you, not me, who requires suitable accommodation. You are after all my guest.”
Both men stood and stared at her flabbergasted. She had one hand on her hip. Caesar wanted to laugh again but chose not to. Instead he smiled.
“Thank you for reminding me Queen Cleopatra. I am honoured to be your guest.”
“That’s better. Apollodorus you may go. I will sleep in my own bed tonight.”
“Yes my Queen.”
The door closed quietly. Now they were alone. Cleopatra poured herself some wine. She looked at the Roman.
“It’s perfectly safe,” he said.
She took a sip. Still angry at the arrogance of men. Julius watched her. He could see her buttocks through the sheer material of her dress as she moved.
’I really do desire her’ he was thinking. She suddenly smiled at him and he knew he wanted her.
“We’ve gotten off to a bad start haven’t we?” she said.
“My dear it’s just not simple for me to make you sole ruler. However if you could explain to me why you and your brother have fallen out it may help your cause.”
He pulled up a chair for her and sat himself. She came round the chair and straightened her dress as she sat giving him a tantalising flash of her inner thighs, which he found very erotic. She sat and placed her hands in her lap.