Slung casually over one of his broad shoulders was a large, tightly rolled carpet—rich crimson in color, adorned with golden embroidery that shimmered like sunlight on the Nile. It was far too heavy and ornate to be merely a gift, and the way Apollodorus handled it—with care, almost reverence—suggested something far more curious was concealed within.
“Stand down,” Caesar said calmly, raising a hand.
His tone was serene, but there was a spark of intrigue in his eyes. He had seen this man before, years ago, in passing. A trusted ally of Cleopatra, if memory served. A bold one.
Marcus and Octavius slowly lowered their weapons, but their eyes remained locked on Apollodorus.
Pothinus frowned, clearly not expecting this entrance. His lips pursed, though he said nothing. His control over the court, already shaken, now teetered further.
Apollodorus finally stopped a few paces from the throne’s base. He let the carpet slide down from his shoulder with a controlled thud, setting it gently upon the floor.
“Forgive the interruption,” he said with a mischievous bow. “But I bring a most… precious gift. One that deserves to be unwrapped with care.”
And with that, he knelt and began to unravel the carpet, carefully pulling at the fabric’s edge.
All eyes in the hall watched, breath held, hearts still.
As the crimson and gold-embroidered carpet finished unfurling across the polished stone floor, silence fell over the gathering. All eyes turned, and from its folds stepped a woman so radiant, so arresting in her presence, that time itself seemed to slow in reverence.
She was a vision of regal beauty, a living embodiment of divinity. Her hair, the deepest shade of midnight black, was styled in elegant, intricate locks that fell gracefully to the nape of her neck. Each strand shimmered under the golden light, a crown of darkness framing a face that could inspire legends. Her eyes were mesmerizing—brilliant and piercing, the color of molten amber at dusk, like the last rays of a dying sun. They held wisdom, danger, and allure all in one gaze.
She wore a traditional dress of the Amun Ra Empire, but there was nothing ordinary about it. The flowing white fabric hugged her hourglass figure with a softness that contrasted the undeniable authority she carried. Gold embroidery danced across the hem and bodice, catching the light with each step she took. Her arms were adorned with golden bangles and divine bracelets, glinting with encrusted jewels. Heavy earrings swayed like pendulums beside her graceful neck, and an ornate golden circlet adorned her forehead, encrusted with lapis lazuli and garnet. Even her hair was crowned with chains of fine gold, linking her presence with the image of a goddess made flesh.
Her skin was the soft tone of sun-kissed bronze, and beneath her eyes were jet-black tattoos—symbols of royalty and power that only heightened the intensity of her stare. Her full lips curled into a smile so subtle, so enchantingly suggestive, that even the most battle-hardened men in Caesar’s company found themselves momentarily enthralled.
She was not merely beautiful. She was art. She was seduction. She was power incarnate.
And she was Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, the true Pharaoh of the Amun Ra Empire, and its last, most enigmatic queen.
The moment her brother Ptolemy laid eyes on her, his composed expression shattered like glass struck by stone. He recoiled as though he had seen a ghost, his lips stumbling over his own breath.
“W…What are you doing here?!” he gasped, voice thin and trembling. There was an unmistakable tremor in his eyes, a flicker of something raw and primal—fear. He feared her not for her beauty, but for her brilliance. Cleopatra had always been more than a sister to him; she had been a force of nature, and he had never stopped fearing the storm she could summon.
But Cleopatra paid him no mind. Her eyes, sharp as obsidian and warm as fire, remained fixed on the Roman general before her—Gaius Julius Caesar.
“So the rumors were true,” she said with a voice like velvet dipped in honey. “You are a man worth speaking of. I can tell with just a single look.”
Her words carried no pretense, no artifice. They were direct and confident, and yet her tone was so sweet it almost disguised the power behind them. Caesar smiled in return, the corners of his lips curling with intrigue.
“And I can say the same of you,” he replied smoothly. “You possess every right to be worshipped.”
“I don’t merely claim divinity,” Cleopatra said, her voice soft yet resolute, her smile deepening with amused pride. “I am a goddess. The Incarnation of Isis herself.”
“Isis… interesting,” Caesar murmured as he strode toward a nearby table adorned with polished silver trays of grapes, figs, and sweet dates, accompanied by a tall amphora of rich, dark wine. He moved with the calm grace of a man used to command, pouring the aged liquid into two crystal goblets, the fragrant aroma drifting into the air like a perfumed whisper.
Without hesitation, he turned and approached Cleopatra, offering one of the goblets with a disarming smile that hinted at both charm and calculation.
“She is the goddess of your empire, is she not?” he asked, his voice low, smooth like flowing silk.
Cleopatra accepted the glass, her fingers grazing his with elegant poise. Her golden bangles jingled softly as she raised the cup, her amber eyes never leaving his.
“I consider Isis the protector of my empire,” she said, her lips curving into a smile that held both warmth and challenge. “Not just a goddess. My goddess.”
Before the moment could linger longer, a shrill voice pierced through the calm.
“W–What are you doing, Emperor?!” Ptolemy’s indignant cry echoed across the chamber. His face had turned red with fury, veins bulging along his neck like cords pulled too tight.
He had been ignored—by his sister, and by the very man he had hoped to impress. Caesar, now entirely captivated by Cleopatra’s presence, barely acknowledged the boy-king’s growing tantrum.
“Why are you so angry, Pharaoh?” Caesar asked with a hint of weariness in his tone, not even turning to face the younger ruler. “Does diplomacy offend you?”
“I am the one who invited you here!” Ptolemy snapped, his voice high-pitched and cracking with emotion. “She’s a criminal! She conspired against our people—and you stand here speaking to her as if she were royalty?!”
His outburst had the desperation of a child throwing a tantrum when his toys are taken away. Cleopatra remained unmoved, sipping delicately from her wine as though none of it concerned her.
Caesar finally turned, his expression calm yet firm. “There’s no need to shout. I was sent by the Roman Senate to forge an alliance with the Amun Ra Empire. That duty demands I speak to all potential heirs of the throne, whether you approve or not.”
“You insolent—!” Ptolemy’s face twisted in rage. “I am the Pharaoh! I rule this land! You should speak only to me!” He spun toward the palace guards. “Guards! Kill her—now!”
Gasps filled the hall as soldiers stepped forward, weapons gleaming in the torchlight.
But in the same breath, two Roman blades were drawn with a hiss—Marcus Antonius and young Octavius stepped in front of Caesar, weapons pointed with deadly intent toward the advancing guards.
Behind Cleopatra, Apollodorus and her loyal companions formed a protective half-circle, each one tense, ready for violence.
The atmosphere turned ice-cold.
Caesar’s smile faded, replaced by a gaze that could freeze the sun. He said nothing at first, only stared at Ptolemy with the weight of Rome behind his eyes.
Cleopatra let out a quiet, almost sorrowful sigh. “How tedious,” she murmured. “I came here not with blood in mind, but with hope. Hope for a future where our two great empires might prosper together. Did you not come for that same purpose, Emperor?”
Her voice was calm, yet heavy with meaning.
Caesar’s eyes softened only slightly as he glanced at her, the edge of his mouth lifting again. “Indeed,” he replied. “I have no interest in spilling blood over childish whims.” He turned pointedly back to Ptolemy. “Do you understand?”
It was a jab—a clean, deliberate cut that struck at the boy’s pride.
Ptolemy’s lips trembled. Rage boiled in his chest as he stormed toward Caesar, fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white.
“If you continue to speak with her, I will order the death of every Roman stationed in the Amun Ra Empire,” he spat. “I’ll start with Alexandria.”
A deadly silence followed.
Caesar tilted his head slightly, the corners of his eyes narrowing with a dangerous glint. He took a step forward, towering over the smaller ruler.
“Are you threatening me?” Caesar asked, his voice a low growl beneath the smile. “I suggest you think very carefully about your next words.”
Ptolemy tried to meet his gaze, but his bravado crumbled beneath the weight of Caesar’s presence. The Roman general didn’t need to raise his voice to project authority. His aura alone bent the room to his will.
Wordless and seething, Ptolemy turned on his heel and stormed out of the hall, his footsteps echoing through the marble corridor like the retreat of a defeated child.
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