I Enslaved The Goddess Who Summoned Me

After the tense and revealing conversation with Arsinoe, Cleopatra and her small entourage exited the ancient stone halls of the palace. The air outside was thick with the scent of the Nile and the ever-present tension that seemed to cling to the streets of Alexandria like a veil. The sound of their sandals against the mosaic tiles echoed faintly, subdued beneath the weight of what was to come.

"It will be difficult to leave Alexandria right away," Apollodorus murmured, his voice low and cautious as his eyes darted toward the narrow alleys and shadowed balconies above.

"I agree," another of the Queen's loyal guards added in a hushed tone, his hand resting instinctively on the hilt of his sword.

One by one, the others nodded. They all sensed it—the invisible net slowly closing around them. Even without words, it was clear: they were being watched.

Stealthy glances confirmed what their instincts had already warned them. Ptolemy's spies were scattered throughout the streets, lurking in corners, trailing behind like wolves stalking their prey. But this surveillance wasn't merely for observation—it bore the mark of something far more ominous. They were preparing for a strike.

"What should we do, Queen Cleopatra?" Apollodorus finally asked, concern etched into the lines of his face. "It appears your brother means to ensure you never leave Alexandria alive."

Cleopatra turned to him without hesitation, her gaze sharp as a blade, her lips curled into a confident smile that did not quite reach her eyes.

"We will not retreat. We are not fleeing from Alexandria," she declared, her voice steady and unwavering. "Caesar will return soon, and with him, his legions. When that time comes, we will reclaim Alexandria—and with it, my throne."

She stood tall beneath the Egyptian sun, the golden cobra diadem gleaming in her dark hair, a symbol of sovereignty and divine right. Confidence radiated from her like the light of Ra himself.

Apollodorus frowned, his brow creased with worry. "It is dangerous, my Queen. We may be welcoming assassins into our midst by remaining here. Might it not be wiser to retreat to the safety of the sea—at least for now?"

Cleopatra merely laughed, a short, defiant sound.

"Assassins?" she said, almost amused. "You are here to protect me, are you not?"

"Of course, we are, but…" Apollodorus hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Should we not prioritize your safety above all else? You are the rightful Queen. Your survival is paramount. The throne lies just beyond reach—we cannot risk it all before the battle even begins."

Cleopatra's gaze hardened, and she stepped toward him, her presence commanding and resolute.

"My throne will not be given. It must be taken—and to take Alexandria, we need strength. We need a force that will break Ptolemy's arrogance and the chains of foreign influence." She narrowed her eyes. "That army is Caesar's, and he will lend it to us."

Her voice deepened with conviction.

"Tell me, Apollodorus, how would Caesar see me if I fled now? If the so-called legitimate Pharaoh of the Amun Ra Empire ran like a frightened girl and let a Roman fight her battles? No. If I wish to rule, I must be seen as worthy of ruling."

Apollodorus fell silent. He had no words to argue against her reasoning. She was right, and he knew it. This was not just a matter of survival—it was a matter of image, of perception, of destiny.

Cleopatra turned away from him, her gaze fixed on the sprawling city below, with its whitewashed buildings and bustling markets—Alexandria, the jewel of Egypt and her birthright.

"I do not wish to be seen as a mere woman," she said softly, though every syllable echoed with power. "Nor a girl who is advised by old men or ruled by distant empires, no matter how mighty they claim to be."

Her eyes glinted like obsidian as the wind caught the ends of her royal robe.

"I will be the woman. The Pharaoh. The sole ruler of the Amun Ra Empire. I shall stand above none, beside none. Not even Caesar."

Cleopatra was no fool—far from it. Her brilliance shone through every calculated decision, every subtle word spoken, every gesture that seemed effortless yet deliberate. She understood the weight of her actions, especially now, as she stood on the cusp of inviting the most powerful force in the known world—the Roman Empire—into Egypt's internal conflict.

By seeking Julius Caesar's aid, she wasn't merely asking for support. She was, in the eyes of many, offering Rome a stake in her kingdom. And she knew the price that came with that kind of assistance. The Romans would expect loyalty, obedience, perhaps even submission. They would presume Egypt owed them, and they would demand compensation—political or otherwise.

But Cleopatra had no intention of bowing. Egypt was not some backwater province to be absorbed and forgotten; it was a jewel, a sovereign land with a legacy older than Rome itself. She would not allow it to become a mere satellite orbiting Caesar's empire. She was determined to rule not as a puppet queen, but as a sovereign Pharaoh in her own right.

It would not be easy. She was, after all, a woman in a world of men, many of whom would dismiss her strength or mock her intellect. Yet Cleopatra possessed an unshakable confidence—a quiet certainty in her voice, a burning resolve in her gaze. She had already won half the battle with Caesar, after all. The way he looked at her, the attention he gave—there was promise there.

But to truly conquer him, and through him, Rome's favor, she would have to prove herself. Not just to Caesar, but to the Senators, the generals, the skeptics who saw only a young woman draped in silk and gold. She would need to demonstrate that she was nothing like her trembling, sniveling brother—no, she was something far greater.

She needed to become what they feared and admired in equal measure. Not a queen, but a goddess. Living, breathing, commanding.

But before she could ascend, before she could demand respect, before she could reign as the Pharaoh she was meant to be—she needed her throne back.

Apollodorus, ever her loyal companion, had no argument to offer. Neither did the others. Her words, sharp and poised, left little room for doubt. There was steel in her voice that brooked no dissent. They followed her willingly, swept by the certainty in her stride and the clarity of her plan.

They departed Alexandria with little ceremony, opting for a discreet carriage to avoid drawing further attention. Their presence, especially Cleopatra's regal bearing and Nathan's strange appearance—his foreign clothes and the mysterious mask that concealed his face—had begun to attract too many curious eyes.

Once beyond the city's reach, they traveled until the marble columns and bustling markets faded behind them. Near the edge of a quiet forest, nestled between a modest town and the vast expanse of the sea, they set up camp. It was a strategic location—secluded enough to offer privacy, yet close enough to civilization for supplies and information. If trouble arose, the nearby port offered a quick escape.

They raised tents—tall, sturdy, and richly adorned. Cleopatra's own tent stood at the center, grander than the rest, its silken flaps embroidered with golden thread and the sigil of her house fluttering in the breeze. A royal tent fit for a ruler awaiting her moment.

Apollodorus approached her with the solemn air of a soldier. "I will begin surveying the area. Two men will accompany me. My Queen should rest while she can," he said, bowing slightly before disappearing into the surrounding trees.

Cleopatra turned, ready to retreat into the sanctuary of her tent. Her stride was effortless, her posture upright, her face composed. But just as her fingers brushed aside the flap, something caught her eye—a still figure beneath the trees.

Nathan sat alone, propped against the thick bark of an olive tree, his masked face turned toward the horizon, gazing at something unseen. He looked almost like a statue, unmoving, unreadable, but Cleopatra had come to recognize that there was always something brewing beneath that silence.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, her curiosity piqued.

"You," she called out, her voice soft but commanding.

Nathan stirred, slightly tilting his head.

"Let's speak," she said, not asking, but declaring.