I shouldn’t have you executed right here and now.”
Theodotus quailed under the stare.
“The sentence stands!”
Dolabella came running up to Julius.
“Sire you’d better come quick. Achillas and the Egyptian army has been seen just outside the city.
Ptolemy suddenly made a run for it.
“Stop him!” Caesar ordered.
Marcellus caught him by the collar of his robe.
“You try anything like that again and I’ll shove my sword up your arse you snivelling little shit!” he bared his teeth at Theodotus, “That goes for you too!”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Julius Caesar bounded up the steps two at a time. His bodyguards, carrying shields, having to work twice as hard to keep up. The steps were built into the palace walls. His men lined the steps, his soldiers, his legionaries. At the top of the steps, sixty feet above the ground, he stopped. The two towers of the star gate loomed another twenty feet above him. He turned to face into the Royal palace complex. He glanced up at the window he’d stood in that first night when Cleopatra had been brought in by Apollodorus in the rug. It seemed so long ago to him now.
Much had happened, much had changed, he had changed.
He watched as his men, stripped to their waists, dismantled roofs and walls of buildings, using ropes, pulleys, hammers, horses, their bare hands, to create his no-mans land. The stone being stockpiled further back behind Roman lines. Teams of legionaries were setting up Ballista’s, the large catapults. The stone would be used against the enemy.
“Have you checked the range?”
“Not yet Caesar,” Germanicus replied.
Julius turned and looked down the street. The thoroughfare was wide but not wide enough for standard battle tactics. He allowed himself a small smile.
“Do you know gentlemen,” he said to his Generals surrounding him, “I have besieged many cities in my campaigns but I’ve never yet been the defender. Still there’s a first time for everything.”
He looked up at the stone gate towers.
“Come gentlemen. We need to go higher.”
Once at the top of the left tower Caesar could see out over the whole city. The sun sparkled off the sea beyond the harbour where the Roman ships lay at anchor. Smoke drifted up from the lighthouse where the fire had burned out. It would be prepared for dusk during the day. The streets below were unusually quiet. On the rooftops of many buildings the Romans could see people. No doubt spies recording what they saw and reporting back to Achillas with their findings. Tall palm trees appeared at random above the rooftops. Up the hill behind was the temple complex, dedicated to Osiris.
From up here Julius could see exactly what he controlled. Beyond the Royal section of the harbour was the common harbour.
“From here we can see exactly what we control.”
The Generals gathered closer around their leader.
“We control that much of the harbour,” he said with a sweep of his arm, “The palace grounds before us. That area to the South is ours. Agrippa holds that with over four thousand infantry and a few hundred cavalry. Achillas has flanked them without a fight. Even though he outnumbers them five to one he doesn’t attack. Agrippa has sent riders to Mithridates of Pergamum asking for help.”
“But Sir Pergamum is in Turkey. Even if King Mithridates left immediately it will take him weeks to arrive at best.”
“I’m afraid Marcellus is right gentlemen. We are in the most difficult, physical fight of our lives.”
“Don’t worry sir. You always come out on top. You’ll find a way to save the day. You always have, you always will.”
“I am worried Marcellus. I’m worried about supplies. Food is scarce. We have enough for now. The men will fight hungry but no it’s not the food I worry about, it’s water. A man can survive on hunger, but thirst?”
“We have plenty of fresh water sir, from the canals.”
“Which could easily, going by the model, be flooded with sea water, leaving our supply useless.”
“Let’s hope they don’t think of it sir.”
“I’m afraid Marcellus I expect they already have.”
“Caesar!” a voice called from below.
Five faces appeared over the edge of the tower and looked down. Caesar saw one of the Ballista commanders. The man who’d called next to him. A legionary without weapons covered in dust.
“An urgent message sir!”
Caesar waved.
“After you Marcellus.”
By the time Caesar and the Generals got down to the level of the courtyard the messenger was gulping down a jug of water. He saluted the Roman dictator.
“I beg your pardon sire, about my appearance. I had to leave my