Twins of Egypt

Chapter 15: Ilium || Part 2

[[Alexander || Same day]]

"Queen Selene wants to have a lighthouse made," I told my wife after I intercepted a letter from my dearest Queen. Remarkably, there was no mention of a lighthouse in her letter to me, but I had a deep feeling inside my heart that she wanted this kingdom to resemble Alexandria. She may have not specified on a lighthouse, but I knew what she meant by this kingdom would be the spitting image of Alexandria.

"Why?" Gwen impassively asked. She was too busy feeding our newborn babe Lysander.

Yes, I named him after my deceased adoptive brother, and no, it was not bad luck. After hearing what I had chosen to name our newest baby boy, Helena nearly strangled me with joy. Lysander was a beautiful boy and different from his siblings. He looked more like me with his Greek nose and big ears. He had dark hair, very different from his platinum blonde of his siblings. His eyes were not blue or green like everyone, but they were the deepest brown and his skin was dark, as if the Nile Goddess Isis, as opposed to the Roman Goddess Venus, had birthed him. He was still beautiful and reminded me of my mother.

"She wants a siren made, for all the trade ships coming when the sun has gone." I answered and dropped the parchment onto my desk. "I must tell the council this."

"Tomorrow my love," she finally looked up, "come and look at your new son. Let's call Nicholas, Caden, and Laith. They must be waiting to see their beautiful brother."

"Of course," I left her side very briefly to command the guards to summon our children from the nursery. The guard dispatched and returned with three children.

I sat there admiring my first three babes. Nicholas and Caden were six, and while one was robust and arrogant the other was calculating and scholarly. Caden - the robust and arrogant one - was tall like his twin but his hair was always in blonde disarray. Nicholas kept his hair curly and neat. He absolutely hated messes unlike Caden. Laith, my pretty daughter was seven and a doll. She kept her hair braided and reminded me of the little Antonias - when they were young. "Come children, your little brother Lysander dreads to see you."

They approached and their responses were all different.

"Why is he so dark, Papa? Like you." Laith asked.

"He will be like Papa."

"I want to be like Papa!" Caden shouted.

"You can't be Papa," Nicholas shook his head, "we look nothing like him. Lysander looks like Papa."

"We don't know that yet!" Caden continued to shout and Gwen pulled him to her side to shush him. Caden held a brave face and accepted his scolding.

"So Laith," I smiled at my daughter, "You are not blessed with a sister yet."

"I know! I am so angry."

The little girl fumed and pouted until I gave her my good news, "But the Queen in pregnant. She might have a daughter who you will absolutely love."

"A new Princess!" Laith exploded with joy, "What if it's a prince?"

There was no fooling this cunning daughter of Isis, "Then this kingdom will be filled with boys and you will have plenty to choose from as a husband."

"You are letting me choose?" Laith asked with narrowed eyes. She didn't believe me and it made me chuckle.

"Yes, but I must approve first."

"Ah Papa you will love him," she waved her hand and twirled away to dance. "He will be tall," she spoke as she danced, "he will be handsome and humble. He doesn't have to be rich or Roman. He can be anything so as long as he loves me. Like how you love Mama, Papa."