Egypt's Bad Romance

Chapter I - A New Era Begins

Copyright © 2011 preciious-diamondz

Chapter I - A New Era

Cleopatra walked solemnly behind the rest of her siblings, the heat of the sun beating down on them all. They had started to walk back from the pyramid where her father, Ptolemy XII, had just been buried. As the family trudged back to the palace, Cleopatra could not help but wonder what the future may hold. She was the eldest child, which gave her the right to rule in place of her father, but since she was a female, she would have to have a male rule by her side.

Cleopatra would often be reminded of this fact by her pesky younger brother. She hated the fact Egyptian protocol did not allow for sole female rulers.

“Cleopatra, come along,” called Arsinoë.

Cleopatra noticed she was falling behind and quickened her pace to catch up with her younger sister.

“What do you think is going to happen now?” asked Arsinoë, falling into step with her sister.

Cleopatra shrugged.

“I’m not exactly sure, but we will find out soon enough,” she replied.

Secretly Cleopatra knew what would happen, but she did not want to share it with her younger sister, who would ask too many questions.

‘Will you be pharaoh?” questioned Arsinoë loudly.

Cleopatra nudged her hard in the ribs.

“Be quiet, I do not want a fuss made over all of this. You should be mourning the death of our father, not asking questions of who shall succeed him.”

Her brother, Ptolemy XIII, turned around at those words.

“Don’t be so coy Cleopatra, you know just as well as I that our father has left the kingdom to you and me. I know you’ve already thought it all over – you’ve always been like that.

Cleopatra fumed.

Ptolemy had made her life miserable ever since he found out he would share the role of ruling Egypt alongside his older sister.

He continued to taunt her.

“You know what that means...if you want to rule – you have to marry me first.”

Cleopatra wrinkled her nose up in disgust.

Marriage was something she had not really thought of, especially with her brother. She hated the way Egyptian law stated a female heir would have to marry another male, which in her case was her own brother.

“So what’s it going to be, are you going to marry me or would you like to forfeit your crown to me completely?” he asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She gritted her teeth to stop herself from screaming at him.

Cleopatra lifted up her chin and plastered on a calm expression.

“You know my love and loyalty is for Egypt and its people. I will do what I must in order to rule, even if it is to marry you, my brother.”

He shrugged.

“Suit yourself. Let’s see how well you cope. Females aren’t supposed to rule as pharaohs anyway.”

Cleopatra was furious.

“What about Hatshepsut or Nefertiti? Did they let the laws that govern our people stop them?”

“They were exceptions, and even then they did some things that go against our laws.”