The Bastard Princess

11.

Song above: Unlike Pluto - No Scrubs ft. Joanna Jones (Cover)

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A/n> refer to the family tree posted in one of the previous chapters to understand the relationship between the characters better. 

-HER-

I lazily leaned over the cushioned armrest of the chair as I waited for Cleopatra to join me for dinner. So far, I was successful in convincing her to talk to me. I was somewhat surprised that she listened to me and that she wanted to have the talk with me. I was expecting her to execute me right away or something similar but she didn't. It's not that I am complaining but at the same time, it makes me suspicious of her motives.

She has always been very competitive and ready to do everything to secure her throne. She had and always will view me as a competitor even though I was never intended to have any claim on the throne because my mother wasn't a royal.

I was a mere product of one of Auletes' major affairs with the infamous Mesopotamian enchantress Psaltisi Erasmia. She left me soon after summoning me from the void and trapping me in this flesh prison. I've never seen Psaltisi but I have heard a great deal about her, most of the things were bad.

I remember when I was little, I asked Tryphaena, my stepmother about Psaltisi. She bought me up for the most part of my childhood, although, I was mostly stuck with an old woman named Glia. Tryphaena had then told me to look into the mirror and I'd see Psaltisi. She had said that with a frown on her face before she cursed the enchantress and wished I was never born.

Many people said that I looked like Psaltisi. Many times, I was even mistaken as Psaltisi herself. Form the experiences, it turns out Psaltisi had a bad reputation just like me. It seems that not only did I inherit her looks but also her reputation. She was last seen leaving Alexandria just after my birth. After that, no one had ever seen her again. Sometimes, I wonder how she'd have reacted if she ever saw me.

"Psaltisi," A voice snapped me out of my trace. I looked up to find Cleopatra. She had arranged for a private dinner tonight with only us two. I smiled weakly at her. She called me Psaltisi instead of Arsinoe. Psaltisi was my mother's name while Arsinoe was one of my aunts' names. It was given to me to distinguish me as a royal, although, I was never considered one generally. Arsinoe was a formal name for me which was used to address me in public, just like she was called Cleopatra. In return, I called her, "Thea, thanks for having me here,"

She smiled at me widely before taking her seat at the cushioned chair just across me at the table. Her Psechet was gone from her head and so were most of the jewelry from her body. She looked more laid back and comfortable right now, though her makeup was still there.

"My pleasure," She purred as she took a golden tumbler and drank its content, which I mostly believe was water. "So, how was your stay in Rome?" She asked casually after a servant had laid out the starters and poured our drinks.

For Cleopatra, the servant had carried a big clam shell filled with several pearls and set it in front of her. It was followed by a beautiful silver jug which I knew right away contained the special drink into which she dissolved the pearls and drank them. She really liked pearls, so much so, that she even put them in her drinks. Although these pearls were processed and edible, unlike the ones used in her jewelry, dresses, footwear and even belongings.

"It was nice, I learned a lot from the people," I told her before I looked at the food laid out in front of me. There were several kinds of meat and several mouthwatering dishes. It then reminded me how I was living off mostly on fruits back at the exile because as a priestess because we were not allowed to consume meat. Thea laughed at my answer before she commented, "I hope the people learned a lot about you too,"