Kaisaros: The Roman Pharaoh

Chapter Ten: My Children

Still shaking from the funeral, I enter the palace, followed by Antony, Agrippa, and the others. Word seems to have spread fast about me hatching the beasts, but even then many of the people in the palace back away and bow their heads.

I must look like a wreck, still covered in ash and soot, hair burned away, naked save for Antony's cloak haphazardly around my waist, and cradling three reptilian beasts. "Prepare a bath for me," I say shakily to Eros, who nods and rushes off.

Heart still pounding, I enter my large room and set the three beasts down on my bed. Antony and Agrippa walk over, getting a better look at them.
The three of them are small, about the size of kittens, with long tails and horns extending from their heads.

Scales cover their bodies, but the oddest part is that they possess no front limbs like any lizard. They still have back legs with black claws, but have wings where their front limbs should be.
"They're not like any animal I've ever seen," Agrippa notes, pale faced. The three of us are still in shock.

The purple one blinks its red eyes up at me, the skin on its wings the same pink like the egg. Same with the orange one, with blood red wing membranes and green eyes. Antony kneels to look at them better.
The blue one has light blue wing membranes, but all three have the same cream colored horns.

"Siblings," Antony notes. "What?" I blink. "Look at how similar they are, just different colors. It seems like they are siblings, laid by the same...whatever beast laid them."
"Then why are they so attached to me?" I ask.
Agrippa answers, "Perhaps they're like baby birds, imprinting on whoever they see when first hatching."

"So they think I'm their parent...?" I hardly believe the words myself, almost wanting to laugh.
"Test the theory out," Antony shrugs.
Still keeping my eyes on them, I back away.
The blue one tilts its head at seeing me retreat, then suddenly screeches, the sound high pitched.
The other two scream as well, using their wings as limbs to walk on as they scramble to the edge of the bed.

The orange one stands on its hind legs and flaps its wings in a desperate attempt to get to me. Eyes wide, I walk back to them, their cries lowering the closer I get.
They stare up at me again, quiet now.
"By the gods," Antony mutters, "they think you're their father."

Shaking, I lower my hand down on the bed and watch as the three crowd around it. I gently scratch the purple one under its chin, seeing it close its eyes and make a happy, purring-like sound. The tiny line of frills on its back moving up and down. Its tail swishes along the silks like an excited dog's.

Antony reaches out to me and the blue one hisses, snapping at his hand. Startled, Antony quickly draws his hand back, lucky not to have gotten bit. The blue one growls, the same frills puffed up like a cobra's hood. "Not even a day old and they already protect you," he observes.

"Do not bite Antony," I mutter, looking down at the blue one. It only stares up at me again, calm now.
"I...should name them. Calling them the blue, purple, or orange beasts doesn't seem appropriate."
"Then name them. They are yours. No one will dare mess with you now," Agrippa notes.

"I did note that their eggs shone like gems..." I kneel to their level. "You will be called Amethyst, for your purple coloring. You will be Sunstone, for your burnt orange color."
"And the blue beast?" Antony asks.
"The blue one will be Sapphire, the one who caught my attention the most," I finish.

Eros appears in the doorway. "Your Majesty, your bath is ready."
"Thank you, Eros," I respond, getting up and walking to my closet, only to stop when the three scream again.
Poor Eros looks startled and frightened. I don't blame her at all.

Sighing, I walk back and pick the three up. "Bring me my clothing when I'm out of the bath," I sigh, walking to the washroom with the three beasts against my chest.
Once I am alone in the washroom, I look down at the three, seeing them look up at me much like Julia would, with child-like curiosity in their eyes.

My tears fall before I can stop them. This makes the three only seem to worry. They make sad noises, nuzzling my chest, their scales like sandpaper.
"I'm fine," I assure them, sounding insane myself.
"You three just remind me of her, oddly." I kiss the three of them on their heads, which appears to make them confused.

They're a lot like babies, I realize. My babies, since they view me as their father in a sense. I've already lost Julia, I will not lose another child ever again.