Page 129 of Cleopatra

“Divine blood,” I said. “Blessed by the pantheon of Egypt.” Though I doubted the words as I said them. I feared that, like Caesarion, the babes would not be blessed. I had not divulged my worries to Antonius. He believed my blood to be linked to the gods, and so too would his children’s be.

“It’s my turn,” Caesarion claimed, climbing across the bed. He placed his little hand on top of mine and squealed when he felt the babies move.

“They hurt me,” he claimed.

I reached for his hand and cradled it between mine before pressing a kiss to it. “They did not hurt you, they will not hurt you.” I hoped my words prophesied their future.

Antonius saw my concern and gathered up Caesarion in his arms. “You shall be great friends with your siblings.”

“Will we go fishing together?” Caesarion asked hopefully.

“You will, and much more besides,” Antonius said.

That seemed to satisfy Caesarion, who bucked out of Antonius’s arms and ran from the room. His maids followed after him and Antonius and I were alone once more.

“Are you well?” Antonius asked after I sighed.

I nodded. “This pregnancy is harder on my body than Caesarion’s was.”

He reached over and began to massage my legs. I grunted softly as I felt myself relax.

“Not very long now,” he said. I could hear the excitement in his voice and it did more to ease the tension in my muscles than his hands.

“A moon cycle, no more. Twins come earlier.”

He looked away and I read concern in his face.

I sat up. “What is it?”

“Nothing,” he said. But Antonius could never lie to me convincingly.

When he left to attend the gymnasium later that evening, I found myself looking through his letters.

“What do you expect to find?” Charmion said.

“I’m not sure.” There were scrolls upon scrolls of correspondence, for Antonius had not been idle during his time in Egypt; he took his role as triumvir seriously.

There were not many from Octavian, so when I came across his name I lingered on the words.

You forget yourself and your duties to your country. First your wife raises an army—in which you say you had no part, but how can I trust your word when you have broken it repeatedly? When we were bound together as triumvirs you promised yourself to the Roman people, not to a foreign queen. You may barter your bed for her soldiers, but it is our people who suffer for your indulgence. If you do not return to Rome, I will take your motives as an act of war.

I waited for Antonius late into the night. When he arrived back from the gymnasium his usually bright eyes were dulled with wine.

“Octavian threatens you,” I said.

For a moment it looked as though he might deny it. But then he nodded.

“But I cannot leave you, not like this,” he said miserably, holding out his arms.

I did not let myself go to him. “You should have told me.”

“What could you have done?”

“Sent you back to Rome,” I said, my voice rising. “Octavian threatens you with war, and you have no armies, no soldiers here. So in truth, Octavian threatens me with war.”

“I would not let him,” Antonius said fiercely.

I went to Antonius’s side and cupped his cheek in my hand. “You would have no choice, my love.”