Tomb of the Lost (20 page)

“
The wells, the fountains, the very pipes are contaminated, flooded with sea water.
”

“
Inside the palace is fine.
”

“
So I see.
”

She opened her eyes again and reached for a wooden boat drifting on the ripples. She opened it
’
s top and dipped her fingers in and proceeded to rub her arms with scented oil. He glared at her in disbelief. She caught his gaze.

“
It
’
s a model of my royal barge, to scale of course. Not the real thing. Perhaps you would like a guided tour.
”

“
Some other time. Things are more pressing at the moment.
”

She pushed the barge across the bath as though it were a toy then stopped it with her toe.

“
If only my brother would sail away so easily,
”
she said more to herself. Only Caesar heard.

“
Cleopatra please!
”
he said loudly making her look up,
“
I need blueprints, plans, whatever you have of the palace irrigation system and I need it now before my men discover the pollution and we have a full scale mutiny on our hands.
”

She stopped what she was doing to glance up at him.

“
Oh very well!
”

She stood in the bath and modestly covered her large breasts with one arm and hand. He felt excitement rush through his tummy.

“
Well don
’
t just stand there Caesar. Pass me a towel.
”

He passed her one that was too small. It barely covered her. She stepped up out of the bath and onto a small mat that had been placed for her. Serving girls rushed to her with towels and began drying her legs and feet. Two others began brushing her hair. Caesar watched with amusement.

When Cleopatra was dressed she slipped into a sheer, almost see through pink dress and gold, thronged, slippers. She was handed a glass of fresh water. Caesar waited patiently for her. Then finally she said.

“
It was water you wanted to talk about.
”

“
Yes. My men have reserves but they are getting low.
”

“
If you would like to come with me. The best and most accurate records are kept in the library but the palace has copies. My architect Theophrastus will have copies. I will have them brought to us.
”

Thirty minutes later and Julius Caesar had the best copies of Alexandria
’
s water supply system on the table in front of him.

“
Where is the most likely point for Achillas to flood the conduit system?
”

“
The main pipe from the Nile runs underground from here,
”
she pointed on the map,
“
It passes the southern suburbs of Alexandria here and then runs very close to the harbour here. From here he could stop the freshwater, cap it and flood with seawater instead. This half of the palace runs off this pipe. Your half runs off this pipe. It
’
s this pipe that he
’
s sabotaged
…
.Why do you smile?
”

“
Because it
’
s ingenious. He
’
s a worthy adversary. He sabotages my half of the palace and not yours why?
”

She searched for the answer.

“
Because if he defeats you and I he will want to move straight back into this side of the palace which is not contaminated.
”

“
Clever girl.
”

She leaned forward over the table.

“
All your men have to do is dig.
”

He was looking at her buttocks through the thin material.

“
Dig?
”

“
Yes. If they dig down they can penetrate the pipe network and reach water.
”

“
That
’
s a very good idea.
”

He reached a hand out and placed it on her right buttock. This action stopped her and she turned up to look at him.

“
Now Caesar are you trying to take advantage of me?
”

“
No. This is my reward to you for helping me.
”

He pulled her close and kissed her hard on the mouth. She responded. There was a polite cough from behind. They both turned. Dolabella was standing ten paces away looking awkward.

“
I
’
m sorry to interrupt Caesar but the men have discovered the sabotage.
”

Julius wasn
’
t surprised. It could only have been a matter of time. He nodded at Dolabella and turned back to Cleopatra.

“
It seems once again that duty calls.
”

“
Come to my bed tonight.
”

He gave her a peck on the cheek.

“
I will count the moments.
”

He lifted both her hands and kissed them. Then with a swish of his cloak he turned and strode from the room. At the door he turned back, smiled, and was gone.

“
Yes come to me tonight Caesar,
”
she said,
“
And when I give birth to our son he will inherit your world.
”

Night had come as Caesar ascended the steps of the fortifications. He reached the top and his men below fell silent at the sight of their leader. Torches lit the compound and Julius could see thousands of faces staring up at him. On approaching he had heard their shouting. Now they were quiet. Many unsure of their actions. Many veterans remembering Caesar
’
s wrath at previous mutinies and the punishments that followed. Now though there was a sense of, safety, in numbers.

“
Men!
”
he began,
”
By now you all know that our water supply is contaminated, about the sabotage by the enemy. The enemy fear you men. He knows he cannot defeat you without these mind games. They are over a million strong and have gained nothing, no ground on us. For every one of you lost hundreds of theirs have fallen. Their dead lay in the streets becoming food for the animals that prowl in the night. Do not fear these desperate tactics of an army, an enemy, who is poorly equipped, poorly trained. You are the best fighting soldiers in the world. Your officers are second to none. You have the best commander
…”
he paused,
“
In me!
”

A terrific cheer rose from the assembled legionaries. Someone shouted Caesar
’
s name and others took up the chant. Then as the voices began to die down Marcus Iunius shouted.

“
Perhaps we should withdraw Caesar!
”

Julius raised his hands for silence.

“
No! Absolutely not. The very second we begin to retreat the Alexandrians would overwhelm the barricades and our positions. We would never make it to the harbour alive. Retreat is both unnecessary and wholly unacceptable.
”

“
But we can
’
t carry on without water.
”

“
Queen Cleopatra has given me her copies of the layout of the water systems,
”
he held the map up for them to see,
“
Hers are the best available. I will pass it on to your officers. Beneath this courtyard is a conduit system which carries water to fountains on our side of the palace. Next to our pipes are pipes that run directly into the royal section. Take your shovels and dig down men. Dig for your very lives and you will strike the clay pipes. Break through them and you will have your fresh water.
”

Again there was a terrific cheer. Julius handed the plans to Sejanus.

“
Your men need to dig down here,
”
Julius pointed to the pipe network on the left,
“
The water is fairly deep. Buried hundreds of years ago to protect it from earthquakes.
”

“
Yes sir. I will assign teams.
”

“
Try to tap into the source after this junction here. That way the royal palace will still have a water supply, though limited.
”

“
Yes sir.
”

Sejanus saluted and left. He passed Marcellus on the steps running in the opposite direction.

“
Caesar!
”
Marcellus called even though he was still some distance away. The senior officers swirled around as Marcellus stopped, bent over, to catch his breath. He had sprinted from across the other side of the palace complex.

“
Marcellus?
”

“
Sir. I have just received word from Domitius Calvinus. He has made it along the coast with a fleet of ships from Rhodes.
”

“
That
’
s excellent news,
”
Caesar was delighted.

“
No sir. It
’
s not,
”
Marcellus said, still trying to catch his breath,
“
He only has sails for power and the strong westerly winds are preventing him from getting any closer for now. He
’
s anchored near the shore.
”

“
So we just need to hold out until the wind dies down. That doesn
’
t seem so bad. I
’
ll break the news to the men.
”

“
No that
’
s not the end of it Caesar. I
’
ve just received word that Achillas has a fleet of ships sailing directly for the harbour. I think he means to attack our ships sir! Calvinus won
’
t be able to get through.
”

CHAPTER TEN

Caesar stood in the prow of his galley in full battle armour as the oars dipped into the water. It was dark now and he
’
d ordered all lights on his ship extinguished and silence. There was to be whispering only.

He turned and looked back at the other ships following. Like his they were in darkness. He could scarcely make them out in the night.

He faced the front again and gauged the distance to the island of Pharos. The lighthouse lit up the sky half a mile ahead. His ship was in a clear channel amongst the various anchored vessels of the Egyptian fleet. He knew that the following Roman ships would now be getting into line to follow him through.

The decks were empty of soldiers. Caesar couldn
’
t spare any of his men defending the barricades so the only ones he had brought were manning the oars. The slaves that usually manned the oars had been set free and had probably already gone over to the enemy. Caesar wasn
’
t bothered about them. As far as he saw it they were a drain on his supplies and expendable anyway. In their constant weakened condition they certainly wouldn
’
t put up much of a fight.

Dolabella joined Julius. Both men smiled at each other.

“
We are ahead of Achillas
’
fleet Caesar. It
’
s all going as you planned.
”

The moon suddenly broke through the clouds and the two generals could clearly see the ships following. They both glanced up.

“
Curse the moonlight,
”
Julius said.

“
Let
’
s hope none of these ships we
’
re passing have sentries.
”

“
These are fishing boats so I hope not but we are coming up to merchant vessels and over there is an Egyptian war galley.
”

The wind suddenly whipped their cloaks up bringing a chill to the night air. The clouds scudded across in front of the moon again and they were plunged back into darkness. Dolabella was studying a large merchant ship to the left. It towered over the smaller fishing boats below it. Torches were burning on its top deck. For a split second Dolabella saw one of the torches appear to go out and come back on again. It happened again as he was watching. There was no one nearby. He sighed with relief. It was just the wind blowing the flames.

“
You seem a little tense Dolabella.
”

“
It
’
s just the wind and the light playing tricks on my tired eyes.
”