Sorry this took so long. Cat (sherlockiansarcasm- the lovely child who writes this with me) got sort of obsessed with Welcome to Night Vale and Legend of Korra. It sort of took over everything...but if you need people to fangirl with about WTNV or LoK, we're here. ;)
Anyways, we own nothing. Enjoy!
Alec only realized his jaw was gaping open after Magnus had left. Lucky for him though, Simon hadn't noticed at all. He was too busy wrapped up in his own disdain for the two priests.
"Well, he thought he was all that and more, didn't he?" Simon scoffed. Alec barely heard him at all. He was all that and more. Lots more, Alec thought. "He was? Really, Alec? He was? That's all you have to say? Gods, I thought you were a good judge of character. The bastard just completely ignored me. Oh and let's not mention the weird blonde know-it-all guy. I hate Egyptians. I hate this city. I hate Caesar. We should run away."
I said that out loud? Oops, Alec thought.
"If we run away, Caesar will kill us," Alec said, beginning to catch back up to what Simon was blabbering on about. "We either obey or we die."
"Great job benefits," Simon muttered.
"What?" Alec asked.
"Nothing."
Alec shook his head and walked out of Caesar's room. The dictator stood with his arms crossed outside the door, flanked by the four guards that were not off-duty. Shit.
"Fancy meeting you two here," Caesar growled softly. "It's so great to know that by 'please stand by my door' my guards think I'm saying 'go ahead and search through my room'."
"Sir, we only let in a couple priests to put a protection ward in your room," Alec said, surprising himself with the strength in his own voice. "They're the bags in the corners. You should take them out if you like; King Ptolemy was only trying to be friendly."
"I don't need orders from my guards. Get lost, you two. Raphael and Eric can take your place, since they seem to know not to trust the Egyptians." Julius waved a non-caring hand and dismissed both Alec and Simon.
Once the two boys were out of earshot from their leader, Simon grabbed Alec's arm to pull him to a stop. "What was that?"
"I don't know," Alec said. He tried and failed not to sound terrified. "Caesar's been in a forgiving mood this whole trip. What the heck is making him so happy?"
"Maybe it's his new rug," Simon snorted sarcastically.
"What? He went rug shopping?" Alec asked. Caesar would never do something so mundane and ridiculous while in Egypt's territory. Egypt, no matter how oppressed it was, was still free. Not a part of the Roman Empire. As far as Alec knew, Caesar had work to do. No way would the dictator leave without at least attempting to capture the place.
"No. It was delivered to his room yesterday. You know Caesar and his expensive items," Simon snorted. Oh yeah, Caesar was big on being worth too much. It was one of his favorite hobbies. Besides, like, taking over empires and stuff.
"Of course it was," Alec sighed. "I really hope we're here for more reasons than to put fear in the heart of the Egyptians and to acquire fancy rugs."
"We probably aren't," Simon said. His shoulders sagged. "He's been pardoning a bunch of enemies and just found out his main target is dead. He probably just wants a break for a bit. Think about it; we aren't fighting any wars. It's like a little vacation to the eldest, wisest empire in existence."
"I guess. Hey—any idea where we're going?" Alec asked. The two had begun to wander the long hallways
"No clue," Simon replied. He didn't seem very bothered by it. Alec, personally, wasn't too happy wandering the halls of the Egyptian royal palace. The high-class painted walls and beaten down earth of the ground all looked the same and was putting Alec on edge.
"Okay... Um. What do we do?" Alec said. He turned to look at Simon, who was grinning and staring down the hallway.
"I know what we do. Come on and hurry up, will you?" Simon started jogging and took a sharp right into one of the rooms. Alec followed him...right into a training room.
"Oh, this will be fun," Alec said, smirking at Simon. He took in the room; it was slightly different from Roman training areas, but not too different. Wooden and iron weapons were in piles against one wall and wooden dummies were on another side of the room. Sand was on the ground to break a fall and to let blood drain easily. For the first time in Alexandria, Alec felt at home.
"Grab a wooden spatha and scutum. Hurry," Simon said. He had already picked up one of the wooden training swords and a shield.
Alec rolled his eyes and made big show of grabbing a gladius. The spatha had only recently been introduced to the army and Alec had never really liked the weapon. "Simon, we're alone. Do you think it would matter if we took off our armor?"
The soldiers rarely got to train without the heavy armor, because they needed to learn how to be the most efficient fighter possible with the iron on their body.
"Nah, we're just screwing around. Go ahead."
The boys dumped their armor in a corner and circled each other in their knee-length tunics.
After a few hours of training, they were interrupted by the soft sound of someone clearing their throat.
Alec turned and saw an Egyptian servant. Lunch time already? Simon followed after the servant when he turned and walked out of the room, so Alec did as well. The servant led the two to a room where the rest of the guards were.
"Alexander, Simon. Get your asses over here," Jordan snapped.
"What is it?" Simon asked. "Hey, wait. Aren't you guys supposed to be guarding Caesar? I kind of thought that was the one job requirement for a guard of Caesar."
"No, he is being guarded by others. 4,000 legionaries have moved to Alexandria, so he snagged a few others. Lunch is coming, by the way," Luke answered. Alec sat down next to Simon at the long table the moment the doors opened.
Servants walked in and Alec's mouth already began watering. Whenever he was camping out in between fights the food had always been scarce. Usually he just got a small grain ration, but on a good day men would go hunt for meals. Breakfast that morning, however, showed just how great Egyptian food could be.
It was because his expectations were so high that Alec was immediately disappointed when a small wooden bowl of old grain dropped in front of him. Alec looked up in surprise and saw a man standing in the doorway, grinning. He recognized him as Pothinus, King Ptolemy's regent.
"Hello, guards of Caesar," the man said, effectively getting the attention of everyone in the room. "You've probably noticed the disgusting food we've just given you."
"Oh good, I'm glad you realize just how gross this is," Raphael snapped. "Where's our actual meal?"
"That is your actual meal. With Caesar's demands to be paid now, we've been forced to make a few minor cutbacks in order to save money. No longer will you or any of the 4,000 legionaries Julius has in Alexandria be fed fresh food, nor shall it be from any precious metal bowls or plates." Pothinus paused for what seemed like dramatic effect, or maybe he was just thinking of how to phrase his next sentence. Either way, Alec thought his face looked particularly wolfish in that moment. "I do hope you get used to it. You'll have to, since we are the ones providing food."
All the guards were shocked into silence, which Pothinus used to his advantage-he spun on a heel and dramatically exited the room.
Magnus reached behind his head and tucked his ivory wand between his neck and animal skin robe. He was sick and tired of healing spells. The old man was going to die no matter how many deity images Magus drew on his skin.
"Magnus, wait up!" Magnus stopped walking down the hallway and turned so Camille could catch up.
"Hello, Cammie. What is it?"
"Did you hear?" Camille asked him quickly. Camille was usually the type of person who used carefully chosen flowery words. Her quick talking was surprisingly out of character.
"Hear what?" Magnus asked, making a 'get on with it' motion with his hands.
"Pothinus gave Caesar's soldiers our worst grain. Servants eat better food than that." Camille delivered the statement with a grin that Magnus found himself copying. Even the smallest rebellion against Caesar counted. But something nagged in the back of Magnus' mind. Alexander and his friend. Magnus didn't like the idea of the beautiful boy eating the animals' food.
"Where are they?" Magnus asked.
Camille gave him a strange look. "Mess room. Why in the name of Ra does it matter, Magnus?"
Magnus shrugged. "No reason, only simple curiosity."
"Mmhmm. I'm sure that's exactly what it is." She scrutinized him with the air of someone who knows much more than they should. Magnus tried to look nonchalant, and eventually Camille shrugged and left.
As Magnus retreated down the dark hallway, he scolded himself. Get him out of your head! He will only bring trouble. Some pretty boy isn't worth that price. But even as he thought it, the delicate face framed in dark curls appeared once again. Magnus imagined what he would look like laughing, crying, and he knew that Alexander was not just another pretty boy.
Magnus burst into his quarters and began pacing. He wanted so badly to make sure the guards-well one guard on particular-were decently fed. But how? He thought. With all the security and surveillance around this place, somebody ought to notice a Lector Priest taking pity on the enemy. Magnus laughed harshly. That was exactly what he was considering. Becoming a traitor to his king.
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