Upon entering the room full of gold, which they were now in, involuntary shivers had run down their spines. It was so blatantly obvious that this had to be a trap of some kind: a room full of gold left unlocked and unguarded just did not happen. Even Alex was far more worried than he thought he should be. Pushing these thoughts to one side for the moment, he looked closely at the various piles of gold. He knew that they had to find out what the gold was being used for, and now he knew!
The ancient Egyptian economy ran on gold. It was available in abundance, vast, vast quantities of gold, and the three young adventurers had already seen so much of it. That is why yet another room full of gold should not have given them any reason to become excited; however, this was different. It was, for the most part, a room full of gold which had been reworked to show a cartouche, and a name within a cartouche could not be anything except that of pharaoh.
Kate, Alex and Cairo easily recognised the cartouche of Cleopatra. There would have been something wrong if they had not. It was the other cartouche which confused Kate and Cairo, whilst Alex beamed.
“Okay, clever clogs. Whose cartouche is that, and why is it on nearly everything in here?” Alex gave no sign of wanting to say anything. Kate paused and thought. Could this be an unknown pharaoh, or, considering their reworking, not a real pharaoh at all? “Don’t tell me Cleopatra is doing a Napoléon!” she blurted out, as her thoughts took her back to a previous adventure.
It was obvious that Cairo had shared the same thought. “No!”
“You are getting there,” Alex said with a beam. “Not Napoléon, but whose name do you think she has–”
“Yeah, I know, it’s Marc Antony.” Cairo was so excited that he cut right across Alex. “She make Marc Antony a pharaoh.”
“It’s not Marc Antony, but you are not far off the mark.” Kate and Cairo’s inability to read ancient Greek hieroglyphs left them no wiser. Though this cartouche contained symbols, that when read together formed a familiar name, it was not the name of any known pharaoh, in fact it was not the name of anyone who had ever wielded any power at all. “I know exactly who this is and I will now tell you,” is what Alex wanted to say, but with his attention elsewhere he tactfully said, “I know the symbols, but I can’t make it into a name, we can work this out together.”
Before Kate could blast Alex with both barrels, the voice of a lady filled the room. Every word was said so precisely that each could have been followed by a full stop. “Alex, you are truly a diplomat. Such a magnificent brain in such a fine looking young man.”
Alex had been well aware of the soldiers arriving and stepping to the sides of the room, leaving the well-lit entrance for the grand arrival. Cleopatra stood in the light and … well … and! She totally blew Alex away. There was definitely something very, beyond very, special about her. Alex had only ever seen Cleopatra once, at a great distance, and that was at Karnak temple, yet he did not need to be told that this was indeed her. She was covered from the neck down in the finest white linen, enough to effectively hide her figure whilst offering an alluring mystery. A long golden tie travelled loosely around her waist, with both ends stopping, perfectly aligned, just before they touched the floor. This gave what she was wearing shape, though just a little. A single gold band on her right wrist, a gold Alice band, and a single gold pendant was her only decoration. Understated and mysterious, though no ravishing beauty.
Upon the realisation that they were not alone both Kate and Cairo spun around.
“Who are you?” Kate asked with attitude and also so quickly that it came out as a single word, though she obviously knew exactly who the woman was.
Without any sign of outward annoyance Cleopatra calmly replied. “I am Cleopatra. Welcome to my palace. I do so hope that you will all come and join with my other guests, who, I expect, will be starting to arrive soon. We are in the process of preparing a royal feast for this evening, so your timing is impeccable.”
“If you are really Queen Cleopatra, and I seriously doubt that you are,” she actually had no doubt at all, but Kate was going with extreme attitude, “then where is the dead turkey that you plonk on your head?”
“I am sorry, Kate … May I call you Kate?”
Taken aback by the response Kate only managed a nod.
“That’s good, because we are all friends here.” Alex had serious misgivings over Cleopatra’s definition of ‘friends’. “Well, Kate, my full title is Queen Cleopatra VII Philopator, though I would much prefer it if you called me Cleopatra, because, as I said, we are all friends here. To tell the truth, I have never been keen on Philopator. It makes me sound as though I collect stamps!” She did not move much whilst speaking, but enough to hold the gaze of everybody in the room, including her personal guards, all elite soldiers.
Her movements, when combined with her words, were almost hypnotically magical in their attraction, yet Alex was unable to feel the presence of any magic. He spoke quietly, so that only Kate and Cairo could hear him, and uttered “Keep calm,” when he had actually wanted to shout, “Run for your lives!”
“Welcome, Cairo.” Cleopatra beckoned for Cairo to approach her and he did. He moved as if he were floating on air. “I have so wanted to meet you. Finally, I have the pleasure, and it is my pleasure. Do you know, I have looked forward to this day for such a long time?”
Cairo was putty in her hands, possibly more like a melted ice-cream. He drooped a little as his knees went weak before looking up at her, eyes agog. Kate failed to get the image of Dopey out of her mind. The part in the Walt Disney cartoon where Snow White places a kiss on Dopey’s forehead.
A million thoughts, in a somewhat random sequence, raced through Alex’s mind. They clashed, overlapped and rolled right over each other. He now understood completely, even though he had only been in the presence of Cleopatra for a matter of minutes, how she was able to bring great rulers, entire countries, to their knees. For the first time he had a truly complete picture as to why Ramses could not get involved, under any circumstances. He really would be putty in her hands. An afternoon of conversation with Cleopatra, and Ramses would be begging her to rule the ancients, such was the hypnotic effect of her voice. He would willingly give her anything she wanted … no … he would give her much more than she wanted.
Thoughts of his most important ancient relative, Aryamani, involuntarily sprang to mind. The ancient Nubian king had lost everything, not only his power, but also his country, all because he had been so utterly captivated by Cleopatra.
In minutes he had learnt enough to fill book after book. She had a presence which radiated around the room: her movement, her obvious intelligence, though it was her voice which was her power. Alex had noticed the muscles in Kate’s neck relax as Cleopatra had spoken to her, when it should have been quite the opposite. Clearly Cairo was smitten. And even though he considered Queen Cleopatra VII Philopator should, more accurately, be titled Queen Cleopatra VII Velociraptor, he was really fighting with his emotions and was in danger of losing the battle.
It was clear for Alex to see that each and every one of her soldiers felt both individually important to her, and included, possibly loved, even when she had not been speaking directly to them; in many cases she had not even paid them any attention. To a man, they would willingly lay down their life for her; such was her magnetism. In the end Alex knew that he was wrong, he would not be able to fill any book with a description of the real Cleopatra, and he knew nobody ever could, because Cleopatra was a visceral experience. She was not a person you could get to know through either the printed page or canvas.
The many and varied emotions she drew just from the few people in this room would prove impossible to portray. They all saw and heard the same, though each experience was deeply personal. They each experienced their Cleopatra, a Cleopatra who only saw them, who was only interested in them.
Alex now knew so much more than he did, a lightning bolt of understanding having hit him. Right now was not the best time to realise with such
certainty that they were doomed. With his mind momentarily distracted from Cleopatra, he was back in touch with his surroundings. Aware that he was still holding the golden statues, even though his arms were now down by his side, he immediately threw one directly at her, and quickly followed it with the other.
“Plan B,” Alex shouted as he let the second statue go. There had been no plan ‘B’, so Kate and Cairo turned and looked at him in confusion. “RUN,” he shouted even louder. In his mind he had visualised the soldiers immediately surrounding Cleopatra. This would have at least given them a chance of escape. However, the soldiers did not, they steadfastly stood their ground. First one hand and then a second reached out; the soldier picked both statues out of mid-air as easy as if Alex had thrown tennis balls.
Cairo bolted. His flip-flops remaining where he had stood, his galabeya bellowing like a cape. He was out and away. Alex had not even started to move and Cairo had made it out of the gold room. He shouted, “Run, Cairo, run!” “Clever, very clever,” Alex thought, “he had not been as smitten as I thought; we may have a chance after all.”
Cairo had feinted his dive to the floor and slide between a soldier’s legs. The soldier had committed himself quickly, far too quickly. He had instantly dropped down, only for Cairo to leapfrog over him, almost taking out Cleopatra as he landed at a run.
“Any other bright ideas?” Kate called out as she clambered over a pile of gold.
Alex suddenly realised that he had made no attempt to move, that he did not know where to move to, though no soldier, as yet, had moved towards him. There was only one exit and that was where the soldiers firmly stayed.
“As entertaining as this all is, I must go. I look forward to giving each of you my personal attention at my banquet.” Cleopatra’s eyes and body language had included everyone. No single name was mentioned. She turned to walk away, took just a step, before twisting to look back over her shoulder. “Of course, after you have all finished having fun, do allow yourself enough time to freshen up.” And with that she went, just as if Kate and Alex were her best friends, and each soldier had a personal invite.
All eyes had been focussed on Cleopatra, so there was an expression of slight surprise from the soldiers, as they turned back only to see that Alex had disappeared.
“Enough of this,” the largest of the soldiers said. “You, get the girl … unharmed!” The ‘you’ had been said without any gesture as to who he had directed his order to, but such was the discipline that a soldier stepped out and plucked Kate from a pile of gold as though she were a rag doll.
She fought like crazy, and Kate could do crazy so very well. Having picked her up with ease he now struggled to keep hold of her. When his fellow soldiers laughed at him, anger took over and he struggled no more. Immediately tossing her in the air, his fist was rising as Kate was falling, face first. The air was completely knocked out of her as her stomach connected square on with his fist, however the soldier did not let her fall to the floor; he caught hold and gently placed her down.
Kate lay there gasping for breath, tears streaming down her cheeks, holding her stomach, and rolling from side to side. The soldier leaned over her and said, “Just for clarification, ‘unharmed’ means leave no visible marks, it does not mean give no physical pain.” He paused. “Do we understand each other?”
Kate was unable to reply, but the soldier was happy with what he took to be her look of remorse and contrition. He obviously did not know Kate!
Chapter 39
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Cleopatra’s Invite
“You have Helios to thank for not being in the clutches of Cleopatra right now.” Alex was far too shocked by the turn of events, as well as too busy alternately rubbing his elbows and knees, to say anything to Emmy. “This is a secret passage through which, shall we say, the guards enhance their meagre earnings by ‘borrowing’ a little gold every now and then.”
“Guards! If the guards know this is here, then we must move – NOW! – come on!”
“Calm down, Alex,” Emmy put her hands out to stop him from moving, “there is no need to do anything. Trust me, we are quite safe.” She paused to give time for her words to sink in. “That’s better.” Alex resumed worrying about the pain from his elbows and knees. Emmy attempted to make herself more comfortable in the small space by sweeping out the loose stones from beneath her. “In fact, Helios told me some very useful things which we should be able to use to our advantage. Staying here, not running, is one of them.”
“But the soldiers must be looking for us … frantically looking for us.”
“You, Alex, they will be looking for you!”
“Point taken … but we need to get out of here,” he said with his voice rising in renewed panic.
Emmy calmly raised her hand and pointed upwards, “They will not be looking for us down here, because they have absolutely no idea that this place exists.”
“Sorry! ‘They have no idea’! Helios is a guard, they are soldiers, but they are also Cleopatra’s royal guards,” he now also pointed upwards, though far less calmly, “so how can they not know we are here?”
“Yes, they are all guards, but up there are very well paid royal soldiers. Helios and his friends are neither soldiers nor well paid. Oil and water!”
Alex understood: they did not mix. He remembered feeling hands around his ankles. He remembered falling to the floor. He could still feel the pain, but he could not remember how he got where he was, wherever that was.
“Sorry … you are going to have quite a bump on your head,” his hand went to his forehead, “but I had to get you in here whilst nobody was looking.”
“You were under the gold?”
“Yes, I could see out, though nobody could see me, or at least I hoped they couldn’t.”
“Did you see? Cairo got away.”
“I saw. Great move, though not all the soldiers took their eyes off of you, so I couldn’t get you in here when he ran.” Emmy lit a second candle and then a third. It was now light enough to make out a very roughly cut tunnel reaching off into the blackness, through which a person could only crawl.
“Don’t worry, we will not be leaving that way.”
“That’s good. I wasn’t looking forward to crawling through there. My hands and knees hurt like hell, though,” he pointed to the bump on his head, “this doesn’t hurt much at all.”
“Given time, it probably will!”
“Thanks!” Alex moved enough to brush out the loose stones from beneath him.
“Not very comfortable is it?”
“I’m not complaining.” There was enough height to be able to sit up and enough room for one person and a bag of gold, or in this case, just about the two of them. Alex gently placed a hand on Emmy’s arm and winced from the pain in his elbow as he did. “Thanks, Emmy, thanks for saving me.” He paused, though he kept his hand in place. He wanted to kiss her, she wanted to be kissed. Neither moved. The moment passed into awkwardness. “How,” he gave a cough, “how long before we can get out of here?”
“I think we should be okay. Helios said the soldiers worked to a plan, so they should be gone by now.” She placed both hands on a lever above her head and pulled with all her might. A shaft of light entered with so much power that it could have been from a spotlight. Emmy moved to stand up and look out.
Alex’s hand tightened on her arm. “No, me first.” He stood, looked out, blinked several times. “All clear.” Had it been Kate, she would have blown up there and then; giving him a verbal tirade about his stereotypical boys go first attitude. Emmy could see his logic, or at least she suspected he was thinking as she was. Nobody knew she was there, so if there had been soldiers waiting above and Alex was immediately captured, she would have remained free to attempt a rescue. Had she been caught, they would have certainly come down looking for him.
Having put some distance between themselves and the gold room, they scurried behind a marble statue of Athena at the sight of two figures, not royal soldiers, approaching
from a distance. Her plinth, her size, and the very large round shield which was sculpted resting against her legs, afforded them the security of not being able to be seen from any angle along the corridor.
“Do you think they saw us?” Emmy whispered.
“I couldn’t really see, but it looked as though they were deep in conversation.”
They kept quiet for what seemed like an eternity. Voices became louder and then diminished as two ladies of low order passed. Alex, understanding some of what they were saying, gave Emmy a reassuring gesture.
“All okay?”
“Yes. They were moaning about doing all the work and then not being allowed to go to the banquet.”
“Not friends of Cleopatra then. It’s reassuring to know that not everyone is under her spell.”
Alex gave Emmy a look which told her that she was totally wrong.
“You are not trying to tell me that they still like her?”
“I am; they are not allowed to go to the banquet, but they still love Cleopatra.”
“How does she do it?”
“I didn’t hear enough, but just the way they were talking I could tell that they didn’t blame Cleopatra, they actually felt sorry for her.”
“Why?”
“No idea.” There were several seconds of silence before he asked, “So, what were you saying before we dived in here?”
“Oh … um … that the soldiers will not be looking for us here, not in the palace. They use an egg timer …”
Alex looked sceptical. “Helios told you this?”
“Yes … well … no … not the egg timer exactly. I was trying to think what they call it. You know what I mean. One of those glass things with sand in it that measures time. A large one.” He did know exactly what she meant, but could he bring hourglass to mind? He could not, so he gave a single nod. Emmy looked relieved and continued. “Helios said that every time,” she made a rolling motion with her fingers, “the thing is turned the soldiers are ordered to widen their search, until they eventually meet up with those on the outer walls. He said that everybody runs, not that many people have ever gotten in here, so that is what the soldiers are trained to do. Widen their search at regular intervals until the intruders are eventually left with nowhere to run. They end up sandwiched between the soldiers searching for them and the soldiers on the outer walls.” Alex did not immediately respond, so Emmy added, “Once the royal soldiers are after them, they will not be wanting to stay in here, they will be running, they will be trying to escape just as quickly as they can.”
Gold of the Ancients Page 31
