Snake Bites

Cleopatra

I rest as my maids smoothed out my robes, adjust my crown, hand me my crook and flail and lay me down. My beloved loyal maids, to have two of my most trusted advisors by my side as I ascend to my place by the gods is a blessing. But even more comforting as I lay dying is the presence of my love, Anthony sleeping peacefully just beyond my arms reach. He looks so much more peaceful like this, the lines that years of war and toil smoothed by his slumber. No longer does he seem the desperate, drunk man he became, once again he's the strong Anthony of so many years ago. I can feel a dull warmth in my body, soon I'll rejoin him.
Iras has already fallen at my feet, the blessed girl, her suffering was not prolonged. I can feel Charmain reach out to move her, adjust her to a more dignified position. But I can feel her weight slump against the bed, she's too weak. Instead she reverts to fixing my hair, ensuring my image when they come to find me. When they enter my sacred chamber, they will find me as I should be, dying with dignity, like a true queen of Egypt.
The poison is acting fast, the marks on my arm sting, but it is a dull, faraway pain, and I know it will not be for much longer. This is a fitting death for a Pharaoh, as the new Isis, it is right that I die by her symbol, the snake. The asps disappeared after biting Charmain, slithering into one of the crooks between the great slabs of my monument. Perhaps those Roman bastards shall never discover how I died.
Surrounded by my all my earthly possessions I've won through my lifetime, I feel an emptiness. No amount of gold or jewels can replace the comfort I crave from my children. To have them here in my last moments…oh Bes, Bastet, Hathor, who can help protect my children from that monster Octavian! Already one of my sons has fallen by his hand, and no less the son of my beloved Caesar! I loved Anthony, like I've loved few others, but no-one can replace my dearest Julius.
Ever since his death, since I realised that Egypt was not to unite under my rule, my goal was to rise Caesarion, my little Caesar to the throne. A lifetime of work, smote by his foolishness and Octavian's brutality. Gods but can I hope that my other children do not suffer the same fate. To lose so many of those I love, first Julius, then Caesarion, Anthony, and now my children? Must I lose everyone I care for? Even as I lay dying must I have everyone I hold dear wretched from my arms?
And what of my country, of Egypt? Has not everything I've ever done been for the benefit of my beloved land? Did I not always stand in the way of her opposition? I fought so hard to keep her under the rule of Pharaoh, but I fear that now all her treasures will go to those wretched Greeks. The sacred tombs of my ancestors exploited by their greedy hands and minds. What is to become of everything I love?
I feel my dismay must've shown on my face, for Charmain is cradling my head and whispering comforting words now. I can hear how weak her voice is, she won't last much longer. I feel that I will pass on soon. I can barely keep my eyes open. I can still hear Charmain though, however soft and pained her voice may be. May Anubis guide her safely to the next plane, she's served me well, she's earned her place in the field of reeds.
I've getting so weak, my eyes are closed now, my breathing slow and shallow. Perhaps Charmaine thinks me dead already, her whispering is too quiet to hear now and I think I felt her shudder against the sheets.
But I can hear something else now, distant banging, shouting voices. How dare those barbarians invade my crypt? How I wish I could keep them from entering, but I knew there'd be no stopping them. How I long to see the look on Octavian's face as he sees that I have not bent to his will, when he sees that this queen will not be marched in his parade like some conquest of war. But will my children be? I don't know, I can but hope. I hear his sister has a kindly disposition to children, I can only hope that she will intervene. Would even the lowly Octavian display children as prizes in his victory march?
Angry voices, so many and approaching fast. They're close, but the sounds are becoming quiet now, so quiet. I feel so tranquil, my body feels numb, like I'm floating. They're here, Charmain has fallen now. Now I can sleep.
I feel at peace.