by LYDIA STORM
Antony studied the boy’s features. “Why Caesarion, you are the very copy of your father! One look at you would still the wagging of many idle Roman tongues.”
Caesarion stood silent and unsmiling.
“Aren’t you pleased to see Antony?” asked Cleopatra, a stern undercurrent creeping into her melodious voice.
Caesarion looked at the floor. “I am pleased if you are pleased, Mother.”
Antony’s smile faded a bit and he folded his arms across his chest.
“You were very fond of Lord Antony as a little boy,” his mother reminded him in a gentler tone. “Don’t you remember how you used to play at wrestling and mock sword fights together? How Antony allowed you to sit on his knee at dinner and eat from his own plate? Antony was your father's great friend. He destroyed every one of the men who murdered him. Don’t you owe him a warmer reception than this?”
Caesarion boldly looked Antony straight in the eye. “I am well aware of the general's brave deeds and relationship to my father. It’s his conduct towards my mother which is of greater concern to me.”
Antony stepped forward, grasping Caesarion’s shoulder in paternal friendship. “Your loyalty does you credit. But I will swear before you, as I have done before your mother, that I will not leave again. I can’t unwrite the past. Even the Gods don’t have that power. But I give my word, I will not desert the Queen, or her family, again.”
Caesarion shook off Antony’s hand and turned to face his mother, barely able to contain his emotion. “This is the same man, is it not, who swore over our holy Nile water he would return to Alexandria as swiftly as possible! Yet instead, he married Octavian's sister and made fools of us before the world!”
“That’s enough.” Cleopatra rose from her seat, her voice deadly calm “There’s more to the story than you are aware of. You must trust my judgment in this.”
“Then tell me the rest of the story!” he demanded.
Cleopatra hesitated. She glanced at Antony, but then shook her head. “I can’t. Perhaps someday…”
For a moment Caesarion’s mutinous eyes met hers, but he could not fight his mother. He fastened his gaze to the floor and mumbled, “As you say, Queen of Heaven.”
Cleopatra looked at her son frustrated. She turned to Antony, who gave her a reassuring nod, as if to say that this would all turn out right in the end. With a sigh Cleopatra decided to let her son go for now. In time he would come to accept Antony. “Very well, Caesarion. You may return to your studies.”
Without a word, he bowed and left the room. The sight of a Roman, any Roman, made him cringe. True his father had been one. But then he had never really known Julius Caesar, had never known anything but Egypt and his mother. As he stalked through the maze of Lochias Palace, some creeping sense of the intuition he had long ago locked deep inside whispered to him that this coming of the Roman general was no less than the harbinger of his destruction.
Pushing the premonition away with angry determination, Caesarion quickened his pace as he marched out the palace gates with a fervent desire to get as far away from Marc Antony as he possibly could.
***
Cleopatra sat staring at the closed doors where her son had stood fuming a moment before, a frown puckering her brow.
Antony wrapped his arm around her waist and brushed his lips against her cheek. “He’s angry with me for hurting you and he’s right to be. But in time we’ll be friends again.” A wistful smile crossed his face. “He’s so like Caesar. Their voice and mannerisms are almost identical. I’ll work hard to gain his friendship, Cleopatra. For your sake and his father’s.”
“It’s not simply that…. We must talk.” She gave him a measuring look. How would he react to all she was about to ask of him? “Though I don’t blame you for what’s happened, Caesarion was correct when he said you made fools of us before the world. Now there’s much to be mended and bold action is required if we’re to survive.”
“Very well.” Antony pulled his arm away and straightened up. “Then to business. First, I must tell you that I came to Alexandria seeking help. As you must know, I’ve been waging a campaign in Parthia. The battle can’t be won, but it’s still possible to save my legions. Give me the gold to feed them and bring them medical supplies, and I swear you will have an army at your service for as long as my men remain loyal to me.”
“I’ll instruct Apollodorus to release whatever funds you require. Is that your only request?”
““No.” He cleared his throat and took a few restless paces across the room, then suddenly turned to her. The intensity and determination kindling in his eyes were like a physical force. “I’m sending Germanicus to Rome, where he will execute my divorce from Octavia. I would have sent him already, but first I must write to her and explain.” He took Cleopatra’s hand and she could read his need for her understanding in the depths of his eyes. Could he see the stab of pain in her own at the mention of his wife’s name?
“Octavia did her best to be a good wife. She has been my friend, Cleopatra. She and my daughter deserve that much from me and I have also given her my estate in Rome to sustain them.”
He cupped her chin in his hands and brushed away the traitorous tear which slipped down her cheek. “My beloved, as you said, we were all caught under a spell, but have no doubt, you are the love of my life.”
She nodded, blinking hard to hold back any trace of the emotion which threatened to overwhelm her. She knew better than anyone his marriage to Octavia was not his fault. “I know it, forgive me.”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” he said in a low voice. “Your tears only prove your love for me, which gives me hope…” he circled his hands around her waist and gently pulled her closer, so she could feel the warmth from his body next to hers. He titled her head back slightly so he could look deeply into her eyes as his voice came out in a passionate whisper. “Cleopatra, I want you to marry me. Not with contracts and lawyers, as we do in Rome, but in your sacred temple by your High Priest. I want our souls to be joined for eternity.”
She could feel the wide smile starting in her heart and blossoming up onto her tear-stained face. If only this was all there was. If only she could bask in this joy for the rest of her life. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with the soul stirring passion that, for a moment, took her away from everything but Antony. Antony, who would finally, truly be hers!
After a beautifully languorous moment, still half drugged with his kiss, Cleopatra willed herself to slip from Antony’s embrace. There was still so much to be said, even if she would prefer never to have certain conversations.
Antony looked at her hopefully. “Then you’ll marry me?”
She nodded. “I will.”
He nuzzled at her neck, his warm breath tickling the delicate skin just below her ear. “Marrying you will be the joy of my life.”
She forced herself not to melt at his touch and gently disengaged her body, taking a few steps away from the temptation of his embrace.
This was too important.
Cleopatra straightened her back. “But first, I have a few requests of my own.”
“Anything,” promised Antony.
She raised her brows with a little smile. Impulsive, overeager Antony. Age and sorrow had not tempered that. “Perhaps you should hear the list first.”
“I’m willing to do anything which will repair the damage I’ve caused, Cleopatra.”
The sincerity in his voice and expression made it harder for her to continue. But she forced herself to meet his gaze straight on as she began her list of requirements. She would treat him as she would any head of state. True, she adored him beyond reason, but she was also Pharaoh and bound to Egypt and her people.
“First,” she began, “as you have already decided, you must break from Octavian once and for all. You’ve already done as much by coming here, but it must be made clear that it is you who break ties with him and not the other way around.”
Though she knew they were
alone, she dropped her voice to barely above a whisper. “There are secrets here, Antony, secrets you still do not understand about the Great Mysteries. Normally you would never…” she trailed off, not wanting to explain that under usual circumstances he could never hope to attaint the level of enlightenment which would allow him access to the secrets she must now reveal. But times were desperate, so she plunged ahead.
“Our rituals are not merely rites to please the Gods, or even to commune with them, although of course that’s part of it…the truth is, in the Time Before Time, those of my bloodline, The Keepers Of The Light, were given certain powers, certain knowledge.”
“Things you have not yet shown me?”
She nodded. “With the knowledge of the secret name of God, The Keepers hold the power of life itself. Of the mysteries of the universe and the powers that hold our world together: The ka, or particles that make up matter. With our knowledge, we could destroy the whole world if we wished to, or hold it in balance and harmony, as we do now. Without our guidance, the earth could grow so cold every last bit of land would be covered with ice and snow, or so hot the sun would sear it into a barren desert. The seas could shift, and where there are cities the land could plunge away in an earthquake so violent you would swear nothing ever stood there. The earth itself could slip off its access, shift polarities. So many catastrophes could occur.” She paused and her voice was no more than a whisper. “It has happened before.”
He stared at her incredulous. “What has happened? The world has been destroyed?”
She nodded slowly. “The world as people know it. And now we’ve been given a new chance, but mankind is not yet ready for these Mysteries. Perhaps they never will be. But surely Rome, surely Octavian, cannot lay his hands on this knowledge.”
Antony narrowed his eyes. “Is this magic you speak of?”
Cleopatra shrugged. “Call it magic, call it science, or art, or religion––it’s all the same. But the important thing is that these Mysteries must never fall into Octavian’s hands.” Her face was pleading, trying to convey the urgency. “Do you understand?”
Antony looked grim. “I understand that any weapon Octavian can use to cause harm and conquer you he would use.”
Her eyes glittered with an intensity of purpose. “This is why we must fight him––no matter the cost.”
She held her breath, watching as Antony sat back for a moment considering her words. “It’s true I can no longer pretend to any sort of alliance with Octavian.”
“We must consolidate our position, so we’re as strong as Rome,” she urged. “Make no mistake, it’s not enough too simply defend ourselves if they attack. You must publicly name Caesarion the legitimate heir of Caesar and I will name him the next Pharaoh of Egypt. You will grant him all the lands under your control, making our kingdom almost as vast as that of the Roman Republic.”
She took a deep breath, hating the next words she would have to say. “Then we will gather our troops and march on Rome. Once we have our victory, Caesarion will sit on the thrones of Rome and Egypt as the God-King, Caesar. The world will know a lasting peace and our secrets will be protected.”
Antony stood gaping, then a low rumble started in his chest and he threw his head back and laughed. “Am I to understand that you propose conquering Rome? ” He looked at her as if she had gone completely mad. “Cleopatra, one does not conquer Rome. It’s not possible. Do you really believe this is the best plan?”
“It’s the only plan,” she insisted. “Do you really believe Octavian will do anything but try to destroy us both, now that he has the excuse?”
Antony clenched his fists. “May I be damned forever for marrying Octavia! That one foolish act has set us up for ruin!”
“It was as the Gods wished it,” she reminded him gently.
“It was as Octavian wished it!” He raked a hand through his hair and for a moment the haunted expression returned to his eyes.
“And if we sit here inactive and allow Octavian to spin another plot, we will truly be lost,” she pointed out. “And my kingdom, which has endured for ten thousand years, will be erased from the earth. Only perhaps a few of our great monuments will stand to remind the world what Egypt was.”
Antony still shook his head, his face haggard.
“Antony,” she grasped his shoulders, forcing him to look into her eyes. “You are a great general! The greatest general in the world! Octavian is no match for you on the battlefield. With your legions and my gold, it’s not as impossible as you think to capture Rome. If there was any other way, believe me, I would try it. I despise war. It goes against everything I hold dear. But it’s the only way to a lasting peace, and we must strike bold and swift as the cobra before Octavian has time to think.”
Antony looked down at her, his expression grave. “As a Roman, I understand the might of the army, Cleopatra, and I tell you we would be crushed. You don’t comprehend the power of the Republic.”
“You, and your legions, are the power of the Rome!” she insisted.
He shook his head. “No.”
Exasperated, she turned away and half whispered under her breath, “Caesar would never have spoken thus.”
Antony rose, bitterness written into every line of his face. “Caesar sits in Rome, Queen of Heaven! Because Octavian is Caesar now!”
“Only because you will not be.” Her words bit like venom. Antony paled and stood frozen with his hand gripping his sword.
The air vibrated with electricity as they glared at each other.
Cleopatra let out a slow measured breath and closed her eyes for a moment, regaining her composure, forcing her voice to a more gentle tone. “This is our only chance for survival, my love.”
Though still glaring like an angry lion, he allowed her to place soothing hands at his temples. She concentrated for a moment, letting the stormy waves of her emotions still, like a silent pool, as she drew up the memory which lay dormant in his mind. She saw for him again the Land of the Reeds. Heard for him the great Song. Sent the eternal love of the Goddess to him through the tips of her tingling fingers.
He opened his eyes in surprise, then his lids slowly closed in languorous rapture as she watched him drift for a moment in the Time Out Of Time. She pressed her body close to his and sang softly in his ear, the low music of her voice a magic spell.
“We are the guardians of this place. The great Mysteries flow in the blood of my line. In the blood of your children. The knowledge of the Gods is inscribed into the walls of our temples for those who know how to read it. The power of the Song of the universe can alter worlds. This we must protect. This we will fight for, even to death. You have seen enough to understand a little, my love.”
Slowly, she pulled her hands away and his eyes opened, refocused.
Antony ran a hand over his face and stared at her, the light of the Song still lingering a bit in the depths of his eyes. “There are things…I had forgotten,” he whispered.
Antony closed his eyes again and pulled her against him. She willingly released herself into her lover’s comforting arms. For a moment they stood pressed close, the soft unreal magic of the Time Out Of Time still buzzing around them like afterglow.
Cleopatra nuzzled against his neck. “My beloved, can we finish this business swiftly? All I desire is the freedom to be together in peace at last.”
Antony’s eyes opened as he peered out the window at the harbor, the sea dancing in the sunlight on ripples of shimmering waves. “I’ll prepare my men. We’ll set our plans in motion immediately.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Germanicus was mud-spattered and out of breath by the time he reached the doorstep of Octavia’s villa. Glancing down at his dirty sandals, he wished he had stopped to change his clothes and bathe, but the message he carried was burning a hole in his satchel.
When Antony handed him the missive, Germanicus had not tried to change his friend’s mind. Antony had been Cleopatra’s since he first laid eyes on her. Now it was Germanicus’s
task to deal with the storm of controversy which the news of Antony’s impending marriage to the Egyptian Queen would bring here in Rome.
Straightening his cloak, he entered the villa, announcing himself to a surprised Maurus. The steward scuttle off to find his mistress and Germanicus waited as patiently as he could in the library. He ran his hand along a small statue of Dionysus and studied the room lined with row upon row of Antony’s obscure mystical scrolls. There was no doubt this was one of the most beautiful homes in Rome. He wondered if Antony would ever set foot in it again.
Octavia’s presence made him look up. She stood in the doorway, a welcoming smile on her lips. As she came towards him, Germanicus noticed something was different about her. He narrowed his eyes trying to discover what it was. Her shy girlhood obedience had been replaced by a quiet dignity, and though her beauty still made his breath catch in his throat, she seemed far older then when he had bid her goodbye two years ago.
He inhaled the scent of lavender as she leaned closer to squeeze his hands. “Welcome, Germanicus. Your presence has been sorely missed in Rome.”
Her warm palms slipped through his fingers as he inclined his head respectfully. “I am very pleased to see you, Octavia.” He frowned. “Although, in all honesty, I wish I came on a happier mission.”
She looked calm, almost serene. “Antony’s in Egypt.” It was not a question.
“Yes.” Germanicus reached into his satchel and pulled out the scroll. “He sent this for you.”
Wordlessly she took the scroll and read it. He scanned her face for signs of her reaction but her expression was indecipherable. At last, she moved to a small desk across the room and placed the scroll inside. She stood with her back to him, her shoulders hunched, looking down on the desk.
He couldn’t stop himself from going to her, but hesitated before laying a hand on her white shoulder. “I don’t know what to say. I’m truly sorry for you. But you’re still young and…and beautiful. You will marry again in time.”