Chapter 20: Unending as Starlight
Everywhere she goes, there have always been Romans in the corners of her kingdom. Currently, Cleopatra is not yet the Queen of Egypt, but her brother, Ptolemy XIII, is.
Compared to Arsinoe and her, Ptolemy is a very incompetent man. He is a disappointment and a shame to the Pharaoh. Instead of fighting the Romans, he submits to them and pleases them at every turn. He lacks the backbone a king, or more precisely a Pharaoh, is supposed to have.
Because the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt is very rich, even surpassing Roman wealth, they always live in excess and luxury. Her brother uses this opportunity to please the Romans by setting up banquets for them every day. Every high-ranking noble is invited by her brother to launch parties.
As Cleopatra sat there with an almost bored expression on her face, she saw a blond-haired man with crimson eyes, who stood out from his surroundings. He wasn't accompanied by anyone or participating in the gathering set up by her brother. Just like her, he sat there sipping his wine while everyone else had a partner at the banquet.
When he saw her, his eyes brightened, and he approached her with the confidence of a Gigachad and Sigma Male.
"Hey, beautiful. It seems we're the only normal ones among all these idiots," he grinned.
"Why do you say so, sir? Do you know that among those idiots is my brother?" Cleopatra winked playfully at him.
Let's see how he answers, will he still call her brother an idiot despite her being in front of him, or will he take back what he said to please her?
"Of course he is. I believe you are a gem among them, not an idiot like your brother. That's why I'm here, Cleopatra. Nice to meet you, it's been a long time that I've wanted to meet you. Your beauty is indeed legendary as they say. You can call me Titus. Titus Brunestud." Titus flashed her a suave smile and asked,
"Can I sit here?"
"You're welcome, Sir Titus." Cleopatra straightened up her posture, letting Sir Titus sit beside her.
"Has my name even spread in Rome?"
"Of course it has. The very reason why they don't approach you is because of their strict laws forbidding them to marry foreign women," Titus explained.
Cleopatra blinked.
This was the first time she had heard of this rule. No wonder most Romans avoided her like the plague. Sure, they wanted to spend the night with her, but not marry her. The law forbade them. But is there anyone willing to sleep with her without offending her brother just for a single night of pleasure? She was his fiancée, after all, and would soon be betrothed to him. As weak a ruler and pushover as he was, he was still the king, the Pharaoh.
A dilemma formed in Cleopatra's mind. Here was a man, strong and audacious, everything her betrothed, Ptolemy, wasn't. Yet, she couldn't simply abandon her duty.
"As much as I appreciate you flirting with me for obvious reasons, allow me to refuse, Sir Titus. I have already been betrothed to my brother." Cleopatra began to distance herself from him.
"Before I go, how about I recite a poem for our last farewell, Cleopatra? At least this would express my admiration for you." Titus sighed regretfully.
"Of course." Cleopatra nodded, wanting to see and hear the poem this man had created.
Titus then stood up in the center of the stage and cleared his throat.
"Ahem... Ladies and Gentlemen, can I take a moment of your time?"
When they saw the man, they recognized him instantly. He was the one who had sat beside Cleopatra, and none among them didn't know the girl. She was the richest woman in the world, after all, inheriting the kingdom's wealth while her brother inherited the position of Pharaoh.
Most of them occasionally stole glances at her. She was such a stunner, after all.
They nodded playfully, wanting to know what this guy had to say to Cleopatra and noting Ptolemy's increasingly darkened expression with silent amusement.
Everyone present craved drama and hoped this man could give them a good show.
"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Let me present this poem to you, or more precisely, to you, Cleopatra."
"My awe for you, a boundless sea,
Deeper than oceans, vaster than the sky.
No parched seabed, no crumbling peak,
Could ever drain this wellspring deep.
Though time itself may twist and bend,
And worlds to dust and ashes descend,
This constant light will ever burn,
A starlit flame, forever to return."
He launched into the poem, his voice deep and rich, painting a picture of a love as eternal as the stars.
The poem was a masterpiece. It spoke of a love that transcended time and space, a love as eternal as the stars themselves. Even the drunken nobles, momentarily stunned into silence, recognized the brilliance of Titus's poem, which perfectly mirrored Cleopatra's beauty and eternal allure. Ptolemy, however, turned the color of a particularly ripe tomato. Here was this outsider, waltzing in and stealing the attention of his "property."
The assembled crowd, initially skeptical, erupted in thunderous applause.
Cleopatra's heartbeat quickened as she saw the man's dedication in writing a poem for her.
"What is the name of this poem, Sir Titus?" Cleopatra asked curiously.
She knew how hard it was to write a poem that sounded both romantic and philosophical, and this man had done it. She was very curious about the title that fit the poem.
"'Unending as Starlight,'" Titus smirked.
"Just like your beauty, Cleopatra. It's eternal and always shines like a star."
"It's a romantic and poetic name." Cleopatra complimented him, her expression betraying her joy as a smile never left her face.
Ptolemy, a cuck in the making, fumed silently as he witnessed Cleopatra's growing affection for Titus.
His weakness and cowardice were on full display, making him utterly powerless to stop the inevitable.
"How about we talk about it deeper in a more private place, Cleopatra?" Titus then casually draped his arm over her shoulder, a not-so-subtle display of possessiveness, seeing Cleopatra was into it and showing no resistance.
His sadistic instinct kicked in when he saw Ptolemy squirm in discomfort as he saw his woman close to him.
Cleopatra had never been one to refuse an intelligent and strong man like Sir Titus. Not only was he good at writing poems, but he also had a strong grip and evident masculinity and intelligence.
When combined, how could she have the heart to refuse? Moreover, she was angry with Ptolemy, who had no backbone and didn't bother to fight for her or defend her. Instead of fighting for her, he fumed in his seat at his own incompetence, not bothering even to defend his own honor.
This made her very disappointed with him. If he had fought for her, she would have refused Sir Titus's offer without hesitation. But seeing how incompetent her brother was, she sighed inwardly.
"Ahem, I apologize for dozing off, Sir Titus. Yes, let's discuss it further in a more private place."
Everyone knew where this would lead when Titus Brunestud left with Cleopatra, lowering his hand suggestively on her backside. She didn't refuse and leaned closer to him, attempting to make her brother jealous and give him a last chance.
In the end, Ptolemy only watched as his sister was stolen from him.
The banquet hall faded into the background as the scene focused on Cleopatra and Titus.
Their future remained unwritten, but one thing was certain: the night was far from over.
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