"I assure you, Queen Arsinoë, it is true. Harshad saw it with his own eyes." My spy Juda reported to me. I turned to Harshad, who couldn't meet my eyes. "What did you see, exactly?' I stared with slitted eyes into his face, which was now growing fearful, but still, he said nothing. For minutes he said not a word, and I was growing more impatient by the moment. Finally, he drew in a breath before speaking. "For the past few days at Tarsus, your sister has been feasting extravagently with. . ." "How extravagant, exactly?" I asked. "Very!" Juda answered with greedy eyes. "Gold!" Harshad exclaimed. "And oppuwereplease silk, magnificent tapestries--"
"And how did you know all this?"
Both men grew nervous. "Most of the details were heard by the people on the streets, you know, regular people. Commoners, to be exact."
I raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"I swear on the land of Mecca, we are not deceiving you." "Alright, I believe you. "But, to whom was she hosting it for?" Silence. " Harshad and Juda gazed nervously at me.
"Juda? You're hesitating. Is there something you're not te---" "She is celebrating lavishly with Marc Antony, you know, the second Triumvir of Rome--"
I know who he is, youuu idiot!" I snapped at my insolent spy that I hired so desperately. "and now?" I urged. "She's dining with him and all of Alexandria!"
My eyes went wide. "What?!" Suddenly rage surged through me, and I threw whatever I could get my hands on. Juda and Harshad ducked under a piece of furniture to escape the flying objects in the air. When I was done the room was a mess. my hair was covering most of my face, my dress was torn, and broken pieces of vases and glasses were shattered at my feet. My spies slowly crept out from behind the table and stared terrifyingly at me.
"My apologies, I just can't stand the treachery," I said.
"You're excused," Juda started hesitantly, "but what about---" "Don't even mention his name, or my sister's either!" I snapped. "Go back to Egypt and do your work, I will be here waiting for you." Juda and Harshad got up quickly and scurried out of my room. "Servant!" I summoned a small girl who asked what happened in my room, but I ignored her. "Clean up this mess. I want it spotless when I return." "Nothing less, Your Majesty." She said as she began to scrub the floors.
I went past my bedroom to my balcony and stared over the yonder, far, far away. Then I closed my eyes and began to dream: I was thinking of Alexandria, my beloved home. I could only imagine returning in my dreams. Even here, deep within my nostrils, I could still smell the sea salt in the glistening waters of Alexandria's beautiful harbor. I imagined a pleasant welcome, where Father, my siblings and all of Alexandria await patiently. I remember how Father looked---so happy, so young, stress and debt free. I'll never forget those embraces Father gave Cleopatra. It was full of the love and attention I never got. Then I greeted my sisters, whom were all covered in silk and large rubies, the color of the blood shed during the Alexandrine War. Tryphaena never had anything against me, but that didn't mean she liked or even loved me. Cleopatra and Berenice, they were always kind and loving towards me. They shared with me, laughed with me, cried with me. We have been close in our childhood, but only then.
But as the years proceeded, we grew more and more apart, becoming more unfriendly towards each other. Hiring guards to spy on each other, plotting the end of each other's lives. Such life threatening things! When did our relationships go wrong? But I was no longer a little girl anymore. I was now a teenager, a young woman, awaiting my destiny as the rightful Queen of Egypt. But no. . . I am not in Egypt, but a foreign land north of the familiar Africa I know. Instead of being pampered on my throne I am imprisoned in a temple.
Then I finally realize. . . . I was wrong about Cleopatra. I always was. Those children who dawdled with nothing but toys and thought of nothing important were now gone with our sisterly bond. I hope she will end up just like Berenice and Tryphaena. And I swore to myself that I will never be decieved by her kindness again. Our childhood is but a memory and will always be that. I don't know how, but I will get out of this place, and I will not be trapped like a dungeon rat . . .
