Twins of Egypt

Chapter 4: Tiberius | Part 1

[[Dedicated to ArtemNiazi for giving me the inspiration to start this chapter. Literally. The lovely Lily Collins plays Julia ;P]]

"Salve Selene," Tiberius smiled charmingly at me a foot from my chamber door.

I was surprised to see him outside my chamber so early. I closed my door and leaned on it. I smiled happily at Tiberius. "Salve Tiberius, how are you this morning?"

"I am splendid," he looked down shyly for a moment before looking back at me with his dark brown Italian eyes.

I giggled, "I'm surprised your mother let you out so early," I inquired as I looked across from my room to see the sun barely lighting the sky. Octavia had moved me rooms to the East side of the villa, so I could be closer to the noblewomen of the home especially the magnificent garden that adorned the center of the entire home.

"Eh," Tiberius carelessly shrugged, "my mother is busy with my Caesar." He looked hesitantly between the floor and me.

A quiet moment passed, before Tiberius spoke. However, before he can even say one word Valentina walked into their early private conversation.

"Domina," Valentina hastily walked over to me, "you are up early." She glances at Tiberius, and quickly bows. When she rose, she respectfully says, "Salve Domine."

Tiberius nodded at Valentina and looked back to me with a frank smile.

"Domina," Valentina's small voice takes command and she looked over to me. I saw her disapproving look and wondered what was wrong. Then it occurred to me I was still in my nightclothes and robe. A naked or partially naked virgin seen by a boy or a man was sin. Therefore, Valentina looked disapprovingly at my legs that displayed themselves from behind the robe and the flimsy light green silk nightgown. "Domina, your attire is very disrespectful," she tried not to sound above her status, "May I change you?" she waits for my answer.

"Ah," I closed the robe around me more, "Yes, you may." I give Valentina a delightful smile, "Please go inside my chamber, I will talk to Tiberius very quickly."

Valentina gives me another of those disapproving faces and I smile reassuringly at her, "I promise."

Taking my word for it, I move aside and Valentina opens the chamber door to walk inside and ready my clothes for the day.

"I am sorry Tiberius," I looked up and found that I had moved forward towards Tiberius, and I could see from about two feet away from him, that he was blushing.

"It's fine," his blush disappeared, "You should go change, and I will wait here. I will wait for you," he lost his train of thought.

My right eyebrow perked up and a smile was about to spread on my face. I wondered what Tiberius wanted to say. As I waited, the longer I waited, my heart swelled with more love. He was so smitten for me, I could tell, and I knew too. All the past thoughts of Marcellus possibly breaking his engagements with Julia to marry me instead seemed so long ago. Those dreams weren't even a possibility, Marcellus would be Caesar's heir, and she could never come close to ruling Rome. However, Tiberius would not be Caesar's heir, she could marry him, and she could even possibly love him. The only problem is that Caesar and Livia would never allow me to be close to the family. I am the daughter of a...harlot Queen. According to everyone who knew my mother, but I still will not believe that. I believe, my mother is a magnificent Queen. She was the last Queen of Egypt, the last ruler of a glorious Dynasty. Although I would never admit it aloud or to Alexander, or anyone, I partially believed I would never go home. I would never see the home my mother held close to her, my home. I would never see again the direct greatness my ancestor, Alexander the Great, had inflicted in Egypt and Persia. I would never see again, the long beautiful Nile, the symbol of Egypt. As all these bad thoughts clouded my mind, the smile that was to spread my face turned into a frown and my eyes became wet with threatening tears.