Cleopatra's Secret: Keepers of the LIght (40 page)

“Antony’s legions!” He spat the words out. “Antony has abandoned us, yet again, and leaves us to be conquered by Rome! Antony will not save you, Mother. But I will fight with my last breath!”

She shook her head. “You mustn’t argue with me. You’re the son of Julius Caesar. Don’t you understand this puts you in greater peril from Octavian than anyone on this earth?”

“Yes, I’m Julius Caesar’s son!” cried Caesarion, his face glowing. “The greatest general who ever lived! Would he have run away and left you in the hands of your enemies?”

She couldn’t answer.

“Would he?”

Cleopatra felt her own irritation rising. This was indeed the son of the impossibly stubborn Caesar. “I warned your father of his impending death the night before his murder,” she reminded him, “and he wouldn’t listen. Learn from his mistakes! Do you think you can do anything to save me here in Alexandria? You cannot! But you can
live
Caesarion and you can protect your brother and sister and see that they live. Yes, the mighty Caesar’s blood flows in your veins, but it’s nothing compared to the lineage I have given you!”

Caesarion stared angrily at the floor, but Cleopatra reached for his shoulders, which still felt so childish in her hands, and forced him to look her squarely in the face. “You turn away from your gifts, but you cannot deny divine blood flows through your veins. That secret knowledge lives in your heart. The scribes in the temple could not on a thousand scrolls contain the information which lives in one cell of your body. Do you still not understand what it is to be Pharaoh? It is your
blood
Caesarion––the living blood of the Gods.”

He shook his head belligerently. “It’s too much! We may have their blood but we’re still mortal!”

“We are The Keepers. It’s a sacred trust. If you and the twins die, the trust dies too.” She stared at him, frustrated at his unwillingness to hear her words. If only he would listen!

“Caesarion, you know I speak the truth. You can’t block out your gifts that completely.”

The boy looked shaken and tears sprung into his eyes. “No, I can’t. I’ve seen enough to know if I leave here, I’ll never see you again.”

Her heart constricted and for a moment she couldn’t speak. Blinking back her own tears, Cleopatra tenderly took his face in her hands and pressed her lips to his forehead as she had done since he was a small boy. “My darling, you know that nothing ever can truly separate us. We will always be a part of one another…always.”

He looked up, tears ran down his face and he embraced her, pressing his wet cheek on her shoulder. She cradled him against her, not knowing how she could bear to give up her first, her dearest, son.

But Caesarion stepped back, rubbing his hand on his dusky face to wipe away the tears.

“I’ll take care of the twins,” he promised, turning his back on her as he crossed the room and lifted his sword from its post by his bedside.

“You must leave tonight,” said Cleopatra, unable to keep the urgency from her voice. “India is our friend and not afraid of Rome. You will be welcomed at their court. I’ll pack enough gold in your saddlebags to keep you indefinitely, but other than that, you must travel light. Selene has the gift of visions. She will guide you along the way. I’ll send a legion of the palace guards with you as well.”

Caesarion, who had now dried his tears, shook his head. “They’ll only draw attention to us.”

“You can’t go without men to protect you. You’re barely sixteen and the twins are still children. There are bandits on the roads and if anyone were to recognize you traveling on your own––”

“They will hardly think myself and two children dressed in peasant’s clothes riding through the desert unattended are the Princes and Princess of Egypt,” he said. “And if it’s just the three of us on swift horses, we’ll be across the desert and onboard a ship for India before anyone has time to notice our disappearance.”

An uneasy feeling stirred in her, but she was so tired she could hardly think straight. It was a daring plan, but perhaps her son was right. The palace guards would certainly draw attention, even in disguise, whereas a young peasant and the two children would slip by unnoticed by anyone.

But to leave them totally unprotected…she did not like either plan.

“Don’t be afraid, Mother,” he fingered his sword. “I know how to defend myself.”

But she saw beneath his bravado a frightened boy.

“You will bring Akil and Chigaru with you. They are also skilled swordsmen and will be good companions for you on your journey.”

Caesarion looked somewhat reassured. “I would be glad of their company.”

“Very well,” she rose reluctantly, not allowing herself to really think about what was happening, or she knew she could never do what was necessary. “I’ll go see the twins now. You must leave the palace in a few hours.”

Caesarion looked her squarely in the eye. “I’ll be ready.”

Feeling numb, she left quickly, softly closing the door behind her and made her way towards the nursery. But as she reached the corridor leading to the children’s rooms, Charmion appeared around the corner.

“Queen of Heaven, you’re not yet well,” reprimanded Charmion. “You need your rest!”

“I must send the children away…tonight.”

“My Lady…” whispered Charmion, almost overcome at the reality of what was happening.

“You’ll help me.” It was as much a plea as a command.

Charmion nodded. “What can I do?”

“Have three of the swiftest horsed in my stables prepared but don’t tell anyone who they’re for. Each horse must have two bags apiece, one with food and water, the other is to be filled with gold. You’ll have to go to my tomb. You know where the vault is. Go now. They must be on their way well before dawn.”

Charmion bowed and was about to disappear down the dark hall when Cleopatra called her back.

“Charmion, first bring my scarab. Bring it to the nursery straight away.”

The priestess hesitated, then nodded. “Yes, Queen of Heaven.”

Cleopatra took a breath and quietly entered the nursery where her sleeping children lay at rest. Their little faces snuggled against soft pillows, the warm glow of the nightlight illuminating their peaceful expressions. The horrifying image of Octavian’s cold blade running them through flashed into her brain. She covered her mouth to stop a cry from escaping, but this was only her own fear, not a true vision. She could feel that inside.

Couldn’t she?

Cleopatra advanced further into the room, not wanting to rouse them, but if she hadn’t the courage even to awaken her children, how would she ever have the strength to send them away from her––perhaps forever?

She knelt by little Selene’s bed. The girl had shown promise when Charmion took her to the temple to begin her education. Though still so young, she had already surpassed Cleopatra when she was the girl’s age in many areas, especially divination. Surely Isis would protect her?

If only Selene could have completed her training here at the temple and been anointed a full priestess. There was so much still for her to learn! thought Cleopatra as she watched her little girl dream peacefully in her bed.

She turned to her son. He was the very model of Antony, already a favorite of her court with his silly jokes and charming ways. She hoped he would not become too much like his father.

A little hand stroked her hennaed hair. It was Selene.

Cleopatra turned to her daughter and found her looking up at her, the child’s dark blue eyes filled with questions.

I can hide nothing from such children
.

“Are we going on a trip?” asked little Selene, a frown puckering her forehead.

“Yes dearest.”

“To Rome?”

Cleopatra’s blood ran cold. What had her daughter seen in her dreams?

“No, my baby.” Cleopatra pulled her little girl close and cradled her against her breast. “You are going to India for an adventure with your two brothers. You’ll see many wonderful things there, dancing elephants and a fabulous court with all the beautiful ladies.”

“Will Iris be there?” asked the little girl.

“No sweetheart, only your two brothers.” Cleopatra looked up as Charmion quietly slipped into the room. “But I have a gift for you, dearest. A very special one.”

Cleopatra nodded to her priestess and Charmion stepped forward holding out a small plain looking brass locket with the etching of a scarab, the Egyptian beetle, engraved on the front of it. Cleopatra took the necklace and gently placed it around her daughter’s neck.

Selene looked down at the locket on her thin chest and frowned. “It doesn’t look very special.”

“No darling, and for that reason, I hope no one will ever be tempted to take it from you.”

Selene tried to pry it open but the invisible clasp was stuck. “I can’t open it.”

Cleopatra pulled her daughter closer and spoke so softly Selene had to strain to hear. “The locket is sealed by magic. It will open one day when you are old and wise enough to use it.”

“What’s inside?” whispered the little princess.

Cleopatra paused, Selene was only a baby, but there was no time, no choice. “It holds the secret name of God. With that name, you will have the power to balance the forces of nature, even the rotation of the earth and stars. As pharaohs, our greatest task is to ensure the harmony in the heavens and earth from the forces of chaos. Even if we are very far away from Egypt and do not sit on a throne. You must keep it around your neck always and never tell anyone but your own daughters the secret it holds. Do you understand?”

Selene looked frightened and confused. “But where will you be, Mother?”

“I will be always near you,” reassured Cleopatra. “Always with you, but you may only see me in your dreams, or in visions, like you have in the temple. Do you understand?”

Little Selene’s lip began to tremble and her mother buried her face in the girl’s hair blocking out the sight.

This was too much. Of all the things she had been through, this was too much.

And yet, an urgent voice within kept her moving, forced her to stand and rouse Alexander too. They must leave Lochias tonight.

Iris and Apollodorus arrived in the nursery and helped pack the bare essentials which the children would need. Little Alexander was deceived enough to believe they truly were off on a great adventure and gleefully capered around the room in his excitement, while his sister quietly looked on with her big eyes taking in everything said and unsaid.

Much too soon, they gathered in the deadness of night outside the walls of Alexandria. Bright cold stars pierced through black sky but there was no moon to light their way. Two of Cleopatra’s most trusted guards, Akil and Chigaru, were ready, their swords carefully hidden beneath rough peasant’s cloaks. Caesarion also had his weapon slung at his side but he was shivering in the chilly darkness, whether from cold or fear she could not tell.

The twins, wrapped warmly in soft lambswool cloaks, stood with their great-grandfather, Apollodorus, as he whispered soothing words to them and perhaps a spell of protection to keep them safe on their journey.

Cleopatra placed her hand inside her mantle and removed a chain with a golden ring hanging on it. She pulled the ring off the chain and pressed it into Caesarion's hand.

“This was your father’s. His signet. He gave it to me for your keeping when you were a baby. When he gave it to me, he said it was a token of his intention to proclaim you his heir.”

Caesarion could barely see the heavy ring in the darkness, but he felt its weight, and the outline of a noble visage pressed into the gold.

“Don’t wear it until your reach India safely,” cautioned Cleopatra. “There are not many nomadic peasants to be found with such a ring.”

“I will wear it with honor in the Indian court,” replied Caesarion.

The gentle voice of her grandfather called her back to the group. “They must go now. Dawn is drawing near.”

Cleopatra nodded, though in the darkness no one could see it.

Caesarion swung onto his horse. His eagerness for this goodbye to be over communicated itself to her as he restlessly fidgeted with the horse’s reins and stared out at the cold desert ahead of him. Akil and Chigaru also mounted their horses and now she had only to kiss her twins goodbye.

Alexander, who was tired and cold, no longer looked forward to his journey. He clung close to Cleopatra as she kissed his chubby face and murmured a quiet prayer over him before passing him into the strong arms of Akil, who swung the boy in front of him on the horse and distracted him by pointing out a star just sinking on the horizon, asking Alexander if he could name it.

Cleopatra felt the large dark eyes of her daughter boring into her back and she turned to look down at the little girl who had remained so quiet all night.

“Selene, will you kiss me goodbye?”

The little girl ran to her mother and her silence exploded into a storm of tears. Cleopatra held her girl close. She tried to whisper calming words to her daughter but they dried up in her throat. All her resolve, all her strength deserted her as she clung to her desperate child and she became blind to everything else. The fear and horror her daughter felt ran through every nerve of Cleopatra’s body. The heartbreak of a parting that might be forever was too much to stand. She felt Apollodorus slowly pulling the screaming girl from her arms. Instinctively Cleopatra grasped the little princess tighter.