Kaisaros: The Roman Pharaoh

Chapter Seven: Coronation

"I accept your proposal, my beloved," I say, smiling back. Antony laughs in relief, openly crying now.
"You will not regret this, Octavian. I swear on Jupiter's Stone," he promises, peppering my face with kisses. I laugh and make him stop with a solid kiss to his lips.

He lets go of my hands and holds me close, breaking contact to breathe. "But we should keep the announcement secret for now, at least until after my coronation," I sigh, feeling Antony rub my back.
"Of course, Gaius," Antony yawns, exhausted from all of the excitement.
Sleep comes easy for both of us.
****
Even after a week, the heat of the morning wakes me up once the large bedroom floods with sunlight.
I wake up with a sigh, truly relaxed for the first time in what feels like years. Antony is still asleep beside me, looking peaceful under the thin cotton covers.

I lean over and kiss his forehead before getting up.
Antony only stirs awake minutes later when Eros comes in to help me apply the makeup every Pharaoh before me has worn. "Already starting your royal duties without me?" He teases.
I smile back in response, glancing at him in the golden mirror. "I assume being Phraoah doesn't have any breaks, does it, Eros?" I ask her.

She seems to catch onto my joke, judging by how she relaxes. "Not very often, save for after your coronation with the feast, Your Highness."
"A feast?" I murmur, glancing at Antony again in the mirror. "Seems like you're going to be happy with the amount of alcohol that will be served."

Eros and I hear Antony guffaw from bed. "Oh, wouldn't you like to see?" Antony responds, stretching and getting out of bed. The scar on his side seems to have healed completely now, to my relief.
"But for now, I'll have to sit on the throne for more than half of the day because....Ah, can you remind me again, Eros?" I ask, slipping on the bright blue bracelets with yellow triangles on my wrists and upper arms.

She nods. "Since the other leaders around Egypt have heard of your coronation, they will come bearing gifts and greetings."
"Right," I nod back.
"At least you'll be sitting down the whole time," Antony yawns. "I'll be standing around like the rest of your soldiers."
"You make that sound like a bad thing," I smile, standing up and walking over to the large closet filled with different crowns and skirts.

"I don't think it is," I hear Antony respond from beyond the wall I stand behind. I sigh and pick out a colorful longer skirt designed with scarab beetles and wrap it around my waist.
****
The scents of cinnamon and other sweet spices make me want to sneeze, but I have to remain emotionless while sitting on the throne.
After what felt like the longest feast with toast after toast congratulating my ascension to the throne as the first Roman Pharaoh, it's now late into the night.

Most of the gifts I receive are, as expected, foreign spices, jewels, silver from Hispania, silks from China, and various decorative weapons from India. The last person to give me a gift is King Herod of Judea, having his men carry in what looks to be a decorative chest.

"I hope this last gift will be to your liking, Your Highness," Herod says in Latin. I smile down at him. "From one king to another, you have not disappointed yet," I respond.
He nods and motions his men to open the chest.
Three large scaled eggs are resting in velvet, shining like jewels in the torchlight.
They're large, larger than any common animal egg I've ever seen.

I lean forward on the throne, curious. "Mysterious eggs from beyond the Mediterranean. Stories say of great beasts of air and fire had once ruled the skies, but no longer. The many years have turned them to stone, but they will always be beautiful," Herod explains.
"Bring them to me," I murmur.

Herod nods and motions for the chest to be brought closer to the base of the throne. I get up and walk down the steps, then kneel to see the eggs closer.
Even Antony looks curious from the base of the throne.
The eggs are different colors, one dark blue with hints of white, the middle one is the color of lavender with pink, and the last is the color of sunset, burnt orange and red.

"They're beautiful," I say, picking up the blue one and alarmed at how heavy and warm it is. They almost seem to radiate heat like miniature suns. "I thank you again, King Herod, for this most generous gift."
He smiles at my reaction and nods, bowing slightly before walking off.

With the gift giving now over, the other people in the throne room begin to talk and relax, sipping from goblets of wine servants pass around.
Antony and Agrippa walk over as I stand, still holding the egg.
"Eggs?" Even Agrippa looks confused at such a gift.
"What kind of animal laid these?" Antony asks, head tilted.

"Here, hold one, feel how warm they are," I say, motioning to the other two. Agrippa picks up the orange one, Antony picks up the purple one. They both look at me like I've gone mad. "Octavian, they're stone and cold to the touch," Agrippa says slowly.

"What?" I blink in surprise, setting the blue one down and touching the orange one. It feels warm on my skin, they both do. "Nevermind," I say, a little unnerved that I can feel the heat, but they cannot. "The Alexandrian heat had made me somewhat dizzy. I'm fine, just need a drink."
Both men relax and set the eggs back in the chest.
I watch them both go talk amongst the other people as I stare down at the eggs, still feeling their heat that seems to pulse with the beat of my heart.