Cleopatra's Maid

The First Night of the Feast

Kira, Apollodorus, and the other maids and servants were busy preparing for Cleopatra's feast in honor of Caesar's visit. They had gotten the best foods, the strongest wines, and the greatest artisans and musicians for entertainment. It would be one of the greatest feasts they've ever held. There was enough food and wine for the party to go on for weeks, which it would. Cleopatra commanded that they pull out all the stops. She wanted to impress Julius Caesar.

During the few days they were preparing the feast, Kira noticed Apollodorus' sad, faraway look in his eyes. She knew he hated the notion of Cleopatra and Caesar together, but honestly, she hated the notion of Cleopatra and Apollodorus together. However, she still felt sorry for him. She hated seeing her childhood friend so depressed.

On the night before the feast, the night before Cleopatra was to return with Caesar and his cohorts, Kira found him sitting out on the terrace, looking out to the ocean. Kira sat beside her friend, wrapping a blanket around him to keep him warm from the chilly midnight air.

"Thanks," he said, giving her a sad smile.

Kira looked at her friend with concerned eyes, "Will you be alright?"

"I will. I never had a chance with her anyway. I am just a servant."

"You aren't just a servant," Kira argued, "You are a good, kind man. You have always been good to me, you are much more than just a servant to me. You are my best friend. If the Pharaoh doesn't see that, then that's her own fault."

Apollodorus gave a small smile, the first genuine smile he had given her in days, "Thank you, Kira. That means a lot."

Kira stood and smiled back at him, "You should get some rest. Tomorrow will be a very busy day. Goodnight."

Apollodorus nodded, "Goodnight, Kira."

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The next afternoon, a ship pulled up at the dock. All of the servants hurried about, making the last finishing touches on the feast that was to be held. Soon Cleopatra lead Caesar and his cohorts into her home, giving them a brief tour and introducing them
to some of the musicians and artists that were to preform for the group. As soon as that was over, Cleopatra lead them all into a large open room, with plenty of long sofas and chairs for eating and resting.

With that, the feast began.

Kira and some of the other maids were to pour wine for Caesar and his friends, and to entertain them in the event they got bored. Kira walked around the room with a jeweled pitcher, carefully pouring wine into each of the men's cups. When she got to the next cup, the man holding it spoke up.

"Kira?"

She looked over at the man. It was the same soldier that she had ran into before, the one who caught her sneaking about. He had remembered her! The girl nearly dropped her pitcher.

"You are a maid for Cleopatra?"
he questioned. He genuinely looked confused.

The girl nodded.

"Can I talk to you? Alone? After this meal?"

The girl nodded again. She was in to much of a shock to say anything else. The soldier smiled, a beautiful smile, and went back to his meal.

Kira went back to pouring wine.

After they had finished their first meal, it was time for some entertainment. The musicians began to set up their instruments and began to play.

That's when the Roman soldier pulled Kira out of the room and into the hallway. "So you were the one who helped Apollodorus get Cleopatra to the Caesar? You lied to me about being his sister, didn't you?"