The House of the Rising Sun

Chapter Thirty-Eight: War

Chapter Thirty-Eight: War

Alexander

“Antony, are you sure?” I demanded, pacing angrily.

“I have to do what I can to protect Cleopatra and to protect Egypt,” he sighed.

“Gods, I understand that, and may Mars and Minerva be with you, but…”

“I understand your wife is pregnant,” Antony said, and he gave me a weak smile, “but there’s nothing that I can do. You know Octavian. He’ll destroy Egypt if I don’t do something about it.”

I stopped pacing and sighed, frustrated. I breathed hard, hoping this would all go away.

“Alexander,” he whispered. “I know you and your wife aren’t on the best terms with Octavian either. Do what you can to keep her safe.” He didn’t need to tell me that.

“We’re going to flee to Canaan if Egypt gets sacked. We want our child to grow in peace, not enslaved.”

“That is a wise choice, Alexander. Mercury be with you if Mars and Minerva are not with me.”

I started pacing heavily again. “Why are you telling me this anyways?” I asked. “I quit politics ten years ago.”

“Because whether you are in politics or not, I trained you, and you are the man that I trust the most. You are to me what I was to Caesar, and nothing will ever change that, Alexander.”

I took a shaky breath but didn’t say anything.

“I am Rome’s public enemy number one,” Antony whispered, and I could hear the fear in his voice. “I have made some stupid mistakes, things that I regret. I have two beautiful children now, possibly the only beautiful things that came out of this, and yet…things cannot be as they were.”

I shook my head. “They cannot. Octavian is so hardheaded. I love my home, the land of my birth, but if it is lead underneath Octavian’s hand, I cannot say I defend motives, causes, or…or future.”

“I trust that you will relay this information to your wife so you can prepare for the future, correct?”

I sighed in frustration. “Antony, we can’t flee to Canaan now. My wife is already full term with child! Her health and our child’s could be jeopardized, and I love Selene too much to let that happen to her.”

“I understand that, and I understand that you will risk your life for her and your unborn child, just as I will for Egypt, for Cleopatra, and for my children, but consider leaving soon, okay? Octavian has already captured Methone, a Greek city allied with me.”

I thought. “I can’t just make her leave the land of her birth, especially not in her state. Are you sure this is the only answer?” I demanded.

“I’ve gone over any and every other possible scenario in my head. This is the best way.”

“If you lose, Octavian will make you pay with your life. Cleopatra will not be safe, and neither will any of her kids—Alexander, Cleo, and Caesarion. I will not be safe, and…” I swallowed back the feeling of fear, “and neither will Selene.”

“That is why I’m begging you to flee to Canaan now, while you can. I cannot bear to see your family be hurt if Egypt lost.”

I sat down and thought again. “I cannot believe this. Egypt is a great superpower in this world, over the Mediterranean, and we—and Egypt has been here forever. It has withstood the test of time. However, Rome is a new, up and coming superpower with grand potential—with all of Caesar’s conquests, we—Rome has expanded to far away lands.” I realized I couldn’t choose whether I belonged to Egypt or to Rome. I felt…like perhaps…I couldn’t fit into either the land of my birth or the land that was my home now. “So now there will be…”