Part 14 (1/2)

We were back in uard around all entrances, using only his most trusted soldiers Once in the innermost room, he sank down on a bench Suddenly he looked much older, and the lines on his face were deeply etched In the twilight, a gold signet ring on his tanned hand was the only bright thing about hi ht I knew the world, and now I see it is even ined”

”When first you realize that,” he said wearily, ”it changes you forever But then, in the , when the sun cohed ”You surprise yourself by enjoying it”

But he sluainst the wall, worn out by that day's work I stood behind hi head I rubbed his temples and pulled his head back, so the ainst me He closed his eyes and sat ed, faded, and finally disappeared Darkness stole into the rooainstwith each breath he took

What made him trust me? I wondered Why me, and not Arsinoe or Pothinus? It would have been so much easier for him to ally himself with them Now he had enveloped hi me

He could have come here, accepted Poone his way back to Roeneral But he trusted me, for the same inexplicable reason that I trusted hinized ourselves in each other

He stirred He had actually slept in her proof of his trust

”My dear,” I said, ” ”let us rest properly I think ill not be disturbed in our bed tonight Your guards are strong”

He allowed a and put it with his belongings on a trunk, to untie his sandals and rub his feet

He watched s,” he murmured ”You can be queen or servant, as it pleases you”

I lifted his legs gently onto thesilken coverlet over him ” ”Rest,” I said ”Even Hercules rested after his twelve labors”

He closed his eyes and turned his head to one side, giving a deep sigh-- of contentment? exhaustion? relief?

I lay down beside hi up the coverlet Silence pervaded the room, but I knew elsewhere in the palace, in the streets of Alexandria, there was no silence, but tuuards outside the doors

Soht, when the heavens stand suspended, Caesar reached out for me He ide awake, and so was I

”I told you you would know me better after the banquet,” he said quietly Somehow he must have sensed I ake

”You knew about Pothinus then? You had already given your soldiers their orders?” I spoke equally quietly, as I turned to him

”Yes,” he said ”Can you love the person you no me to be?”

”More than ever before,” I said ”You did what had to be done, and did not flinch” I admired him, was now in awe of him

He pressed me to him, to his lean soldier's body, already rested after only this little sleep He kissed ers he did not allow hiether in his desire now, ether and multiplied

How intrusive it may seehness in war; it was said that any battle he fought was decided so coht it So he ith ht; as he possessed ht, in many different ways, he captured th

Chapter 13

The Alexandrian War now co his commentaries on it I was scarcely mentioned in the commentaries, but then that was Caesar's way It was a tricky war, not least because Caesar had not expected a hen he landed, but also because it was the first tiround, which required different tactics and strategy from those used in the open field

The ar the reconciliation banquet, reached Alexandria in only a few days, twenty thousand strong Caesar sent out envoys to Achillas, ere killed rather than being answered

”So,” said Caesar in that quiet voice, ”he not only kills when it seee, as with Ponize time-honored diplomatic rules I need have no mercy on hier, if indeed he felt anger Perhaps he was past the stage where vile behavior was anything other than expected; perhaps to him it was loyalty and honor that were the rare finds I also marveled at how he assuionaries, runaway slaves, pirates, outlaws, and exiles--a motley, desperate bunch

My own army, abandoned in Gaza, had dissolved for want of action and pay, and could not help Earlier, Caesar had sent for reinforcements from Syria and Cilicia, but for noould have to fortify the eastern section of Alexandria and try to make it secure, particularly the part where the palace was located on its peninsula Safe inside the eastern harbor were his ten Rhodian warshi+ps a his others I could see them from my s, as they anchored inside the breakwaters In the western harbor was the Egyptian fleet, which Ptolemy and I commanded: seventy-tarshi+ps

Achillas and his forces, with the help of the excitable citizens, built gigantic triple barricades of stone blocks forty feet high across the streets, so that the er passable, nor the wide north-south Street of the Soh, which could be pulled by ropes to any location they wished Arms factories were established in the middle of the city, and the adult slaves were armed, while their veteran cohorts were centrally located, to be rushed to whatever site needed them They were able to reproduce any arms they captured from our side, so cleverly that it seemed ours were the copies instead

In theroom into his military headquarters, where he spread out hismarble table and held conferences with his centurions and cos, as I found myself fascinated to learn how the most disciplined and advanced army in the world operated

”We must take the offensive,” said Caesar, after the first week of fighting

He tapped the diagram of the city tied up between two of the pillars in the hall

One of his officers gave a snort Caesar shot him a look

”Not the entire city,” he said ”But we hthouse so that our reinforcements can reach us from the sea We are pinned in here, and must keep this sea side open”

Was this the sort of daring for which he was renowned?

”Hoe attack?” one of the centurions asked

”There is only a little stretch of the waterfront between our barricades and theirs that controls the causeway At the signal, ill rush froht our way there and then onto the causeway, then all the way to the Lighthouse”

At midday after this conference, Caesar held his custos, and his officers The table was set ooden platters,orders froypt, and the rulers of Cyprus, dine,” said Caesar, gesturing to the table ”Soldiers' fare after a long ca left for us to eat because of the Ro” Ptolemy in his whiny voice ”He said it was all devoured by your soldiers! And they old plate!”

”Pothinus will tell no more lies,” said Caesar ”And I a such sparse fare, when there are fine foods aplenty in the kitchens It will build your character A man shouldn't care overmuch about food I etable dish and didn't notice--even after I ate it”

”Barbarian,” muttered Arsinoe

”What's that, my dear?” asked Caesar ”Barbarian? Yes, perhaps so I caht them in Gaul They have a different enerate minds of the east For exaave a sour s to ruin her beauty Caesar lifted his wine goblet to her and took a sip

”I do not feel well,” she said, putting hers down ”I ht she escaped from the palace, accompanied by her eunuch-tutor Ganymedes, and went to join Achillas and his forces

I expected Caesar to be angry, now that he could no longer claiyptian troops were siainst the entire royal family, but he was not, even when the troops proclaimed Arsinoe their queen