the blood stained Gladius. Ten paces from Julius he stopped. Custom decreed that by law no one armed could come closer except his Generals and personal bodyguards. Apollodorus went down on one knee and laid the sword on the floor.
“Great Caesar I beg to report to you that I have executed the eunuch, the Lord chamberlain, Pothinus.”
“You did it?”
Caesar had planned that Apollodorus, if invited to join the execution party, would probably strike the blow. He had arranged it with the centurion Vinius. Thus pothinus was killed by an Egyptian and not a Roman.
“Yes Caesar. I hope I did not act against your best interests.”
Caesar glanced at Cleopatra then back at the servant before him.
“What is done is done. Lucius add to the record please that Apollodorus performed the execution. That is all. Apollodorus you may stand,” To Germanicus he said, “See that whoever owns the sword gets it returned to them. You might wish to clean it first.”
“Yes sir.”
Now Julius focused on the boy King who blanched under the gaze.
“Are you going to kill me too Caesar?”
Lucius unrolled a new blank scroll and waited with pen ready.
“King Ptolemy you have been found guilty of allowing the death of the Roman consul Pompey the great….”
“I had no part in it,” the youth whined.
“Do not interrupt me!” Caesar roared, “You could have stopped it! Or prevented it!”
“I tried to. I wanted to. I wanted to be friends with Rome. I wanted to be your ally. Isn’t that so Theodotus,” Ptolemy turned to his schoolteacher, “Tell him the truth.”
“Enough!” Caesar raised his hand to silence them, ” You have been found guilty, as was Pothinus. You will be banished from Alexandria. I am sending you to your army. Achillas can do with you as he pleases. If you choose to fight against my legions then no Roman shall hesitate to slay you. You too,” Caesar spoke to the teacher.
“That doesn’t sound too bad,” Ptolemy said to Theodotus.
“Be quiet,” Theodotus said, “If I may speak Caesar. You know that sending
Ptolemy to his army means almost certain death to him. If your Romans don’t kill him Achillas surely will.”
Caesar knew full well that if Achillas were to defeat his legions then removing Ptolemy would give the Egyptian General the kingdom.
“If Achillas defeats me then I am dead and so is Queen Cleopatra. It is a dangerous game we all play as Pothinus so recently found out.”
He spoke now to Ptolemy.
“It is always a risk for one who would be King. Ptolemy XIII, King of upper and lower Egypt you are hereby banished from the kingdom of Cleopatra and of Alexandria for the rest of your natural life.”
Lucius scribbled as the staff struck the floor twice.
“From this day forward Queen Cleopatra is to rule upper and lower Egypt as sole ruler and monarch.”
The staff struck the floor twice more.
Ptolemy was frantic. Tears were running down his face. He looked at Caesar, his lips were quivering. Then he looked at his sister and sank to his knees. Cleopatra stared back. He tried to plead with her using his eyes. Finally she could stand it no longer and she stared down at the floor again. Ptolemy shook his head slowly in disbelief. The tears were flowing freely. Then he looked at Caesar once more who just stood and glared at him. Finally he could take no more and he stumbled to his feet and fled. At the door he pawed feebly at the two legionaries guarding the door.
“Let him go,” Julius ordered.
They moved out of the way and Ptolemy fled the room, crying uncontrollably.
Caesar looked at his generals. They all stood their ground. Then angrily he stomped from the office. Cleopatra got up and ran after him, calling out to him, stopping him.
“Cleopatra I want to be alone. I’ve not had time to mourn my son-in-law.”
“I understand Caesar but I thought that tonight you need not be alone.”
He went to pull away from her.
“Cleopatra I….”
He stopped as she reached up to kiss him on the mouth. Then she smiled at him seductively while biting her lower lip. His mood had now changed and he allowed her to pull him along the corridor.
“Where are we going?”
“To be at one with the Gods.”
She led him across the palace, turning to look at him occasionally. His guards were protecting most of the doors they passed. At the end of a long corridor both his and her guards protected a final door. They moved obediently out of the way all except