Page 58 of Cleopatra

“Is Pothinus truly gone?” Theos asked.

“Yes.” He looked downcast so I added, “Only the guilty flee.”

After a moment, Theos stood. He winced as his chair scraped the tiles—as if he’d hoped to slip away unnoticed.

“I think I will go for a swim,” he said.

“Go, but I expect you to join me at court later. You want to rule Egypt as an equal? Then that begins today,” I said.

He gave me a faint smile, his back straightening despite the burden I bestowed upon it. The younger Ptolemy left not long after.

I sighed. “That could have gone better.”

Caesar nodded. “Perhaps.”

“Tell me of Pothinus,” I said.

“When I sent my guards to his chambers, we found them empty. His belongings gone. I suspect that is the last we will see of him.”

“Do not miscalculate his ambition. He seeks to rule Egypt to benefit the nobility.”

“And you?”

“I seek to rule it for everyone.”

Caesar’s chuckle reverberated in my chest. “That is impossible, Cleopatra. The one piece of advice I will grant you is this: you do not rule, the nobility do. You are merely their shepherd.”

“That is not how it shall be.”

“Think on this little rebellion Pothinus has brought to your door. The ships in the harbour? They are all courtiers coming to his aid. He is beholden to them, as you are, for his promises brought them to the fight.”

I bridled at this. “I spent many years being schooled in warfare and politics. I do not need you to lecture me so. But I will say again, this is not how I rule.”

Caesar cocked his head. “So how do you rule, exactly?”

“Reform in coinage. Redistributions of wheat to the famine-struck areas. Devolving the governor-run ministries in the smaller cities.”

The last had come to me during my visit back down the Nile and perhaps was touched with a little spite from all the ruling class who had refused my summons.

“And a hospital next to every gymnasium, led by acolytes of Isis, where people can come for healing.”

“You have many plans. And I have many more questions. This is the first.” He looked at me seriously. “Where can I acquire more of this palm wine?”

I laughed, feeling myself relax for the first time since he had entered the room.

—

The rest of the morning passed quickly. We discussed politics and languages, military strategy and trade. It wasn’t until I noticed the sun dipping down from its zenith that I realised how late in the day it was.

There were few people who could match my intellect and interest in scholarly pursuits like Caesar. We took pleasure in each other’s company, as equals. Being a pharaoh meant I was second only to Isis. But Caesar had already dismissed my god, and rather than being offended by his blasphemy, I found him thrilling, his wit sparring with mine.

We were discussing the writings of Timagenes when a Roman soldier ran to Caesar’s side.

He whispered in his lord’s ear, his rumblings too low to hear.

Caesar nodded once, then turned to me, his face grave.

“Your brother and sister have fled the palace in one of the royal barges. They have taken a cohort of soldiers with them. Guards loyal to you sought to stand in their way but were cut down.”