Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

Thanks very much to my two faithful friends Abby-Flourite and Leyshla Gisel; it's always nice to have familiars (wow does that make me sound like a witch or what) joining me!

AN: Please note that while I wanted to find a suitable Roman name to mesh with our "Caesar" I honestly couldn't find one that blended smoothly in my opinion. I also debated on whether to actually call our guy Caesar. It is a very powerful name and carried weight for centuries. However, again I did not think it fit well with our Japanese names.

I did however settle on a few Latin words that should hopefully give some weighty affect to our players.

Domino in Latin means "lord".

Seducing Setesh

Chapter 1

"What news, my Prince of Pirates?" The young woman's voice floated lazily on the desert's hot breath, the nearly nonexistent breeze that stirred the sands into tiny dervishes at her feet.

The man kneeling before her rose slowly, his green and white striped pileus pulled forward so that his pale blonde waves swept low over his eyes. "Ah yes, the man you await, your highness, is advancing steadily toward Alexandria with his fleet… His resources are much depleted; he has chased Koga for some time."

"And Koga?"

"Dead… Murdered by your brother's men." The poor man barely set foot on the sweet soil of the Black Land before his head went flying from his body.

There was silence for a long moment and then the young woman made a sound of mocking pity, "Hmm… Hardly a fitting welcome for a triumvir… And poor Ptolemy… The boy has unwittingly allowed those incompetent advisors to orchestrate his own downfall."

"Indeed, your highness. Lord Kuchiki is not a man who likes his rivals swept from his grasp by underhanded machinations… Now if he were a Ptolemy…"

"Take care, my Prince of Pirates, in time that tongue of yours may lead to your own ruin… Such impudence." She scoffed and turned her head away to hide her smile. She was not ashamed of the rumors that had surrounded the Ptolemies for generations, mostly because many were true. Being a Ptolemy assured one, three things: precarious power, sibling rivalry, and living under the threat of assassination.

The Pirate bowed to her in apology, hiding the impish grin as he stared at the golden dunes beneath him for a moment, "My queen."

She gave him a dry look, and then leaned on her elbow, cheek in hand in a gesture of boredom as she asked, "And my brother's forces?"

"Still awaiting you at the border." The man replied his face settling into solemnity.

She clicked her tongue at this and stared past him. They had been in exile for months, hiding in the desert with their band of mercenaries and a small force of palace guards loyal to her. The boy, Ptolemy the XIII, still played at warrior king, leading his army against her like the per'aas of old, riding out in a golden chariot with the striped nemes crown on his brow. How she had sneered to see that scrawny fifteen year outfitted in a gold-threaded kilt, adorned in gold imprinted with the image of the sun god, and that crown… that oversized crown, dipping low on his broad forehead.

She was grinding her teeth before she knew it, but quickly forced her rising agitation away. Her eyes flicked back to the man waiting for her to speak. Her eyes narrowed, "If my brother still has control over the border, how is it you manage to slither in and out without alerting his men?"

"Ah," He chuckled and lifted his face upward so that the sinking sun poured down on his sharp features favorably, "That is an old smuggler's trick, your highness."

The young woman ran a finger along her bottom lip as she contemplated. Her smile was slow, but when it bloomed fully, the pirate couldn't help but return it. "I think perhaps we should discuss more about these smuggling tricks of yours, my Prince of Pirates." She made a gesture with her right hand and a guard stepped forward. "Send for the Lady Rukia, I believe I require her council."

The soldier tried not to quaver under the impassive grey stare of the man before him. He bowed his head further.

Byakuya Kuchiki only stared harder at the man, as though something in the man's story might change should he continue to give him such a fearsome gaze. The white scarf and general's cloak snapped in the breeze; he cut an impressive and intimidating figure.

"You are saying he has now fled Egypt as well?" His brow twitched slightly.

"N-no- Domino Kuchiki, only that we saw his ship… We cannot confirm whether he was on it or not." The man replied, already feeling the triumvir's displeasure.

"Why was the ship not intercepted?"

"Domino… I- we- we did not spot it until it was too late to give chase." A bead of sweat had formed at the man's brow and was threatening to trickle down his face.

There was silence for a time before Domino Kuchiki spoke again, "My other spies assure me that Koga has indeed set foot on Egyptian soil… At Pelusium in fact."

A trail of perspiration rolled down the man's cheek and dropped to the deck of the ship. He swallowed before he could speak, "I am only relaying what I saw, Domino."

Byakuya made a noncommittal sound and replied, "You are dismissed."

Containing a sigh of relief the soldier rose to his feet, bowed at the waist once more and retreated.

The Triumvir's eyes slid to the horizon where the sun was being swallowed by the sea. If they sailed through the night when the dawn broke it would illuminate the dazzling white metropolis of Alexandria, the jewel of the East.

It had been some time since he had set foot on its infamous water steps, since he had seen the wonder that was the lighthouse on the Pharos, the colossus whose beacon could be seen 35 (to 100, if some were to be believed) miles out to sea. Egypt itself truly was a marvel of ingenuity and invention; and it had been so for thousands of years since the time of the ancient kings whose images, still cut deep into the monuments, inspired awe. As for Alexandria, it was a thinking man's haven; a place of scholars and philosophers, architects and engineers. If you wished your mind to be appreciated and your genius put to the test, the capitol city of Egypt was your destiny. It was a city of both notable culture and unfailing arrogance.

The man's mouth turned downward slightly in a moue of distaste as he recalled that it was also a place wrought with civil war. He had just taken part in his own battles of political strife.

"Sir," His lieutenant strode forward, intruding on his thoughts as he was wont to do. He paused and saluted him abruptly, before standing at attention and continuing, "We are making good time! Perhaps we will catch Koga's dogs unawares if we continue at this pace- we may-"

There was a chuckle from the other side of the deck which cut the red-haired lieutenant off short. "Don't you pay attention, Renji? Koga has no forces. That's why he's here- to try his hand at gaining Egypt's support!"

Renji glowered at the orange-haired man who casually leaned back against the deck rail, a smirk on his face, his arms folded across his chest. "What I meant was any men he's gathered."

The young man across the way scoffed, "Either way you sound like a man who's had his head up his-"

"Kurosaki." The Triumvir warned flatly. He was from a very noble family, one of the founding families in fact, who upheld the virtue and dignity of Seiretei. While he may have been a soldier and become used to a rough lifestyle, crude language was unacceptable, though by now he should be used to it from the ruffians that surrounded him.

Kurosaki responded to this with a snort and a roll of his eyes, but continued unapologetically, "Arse."

Byakuya sighed, closing his eyes to the two. He was reminded that he did not employ them for their intelligent conversation.

Renji bristled, his hand twitching just over the hilt of his sword, "What did you say?"

"We would have already met Koga's new allies if there were any," The young lieutenant's eyes narrowed, suddenly serious, "We're not even sure the man is alive."

Renji blinked in surprise and then dared a careful glance at his commander. The clenching of his jaw was tell-tale enough that Domino Kuchiki was much displeased by this possibility and likelihood.

Without thought Renji murmured, "So what then?"

Byakuya's eyes, now open, narrowed the slightest bit, the dying light making their grey color shine like polished steel, "There is still civil unrest in Egypt. Koga's choice of potential supporters was ill-advised. But regardless, now that we are here, it is our duty and within our jurisdiction to settle the feud between the king and the exiled queen." I've a feeling my uncle is the least of our worries now. He sealed his fate putting faith in a Ptolemy… We are headed into a den of snakes.

This time it was Renji who gave a rude snort, completely disregarding the solemn mood that had settled over them, "A teenager who goes nowhere without his eunuch and has never seen battle and a pampered woman who's simply throwing a tantrum- hiding out with a band of hired cutthroats. We'll be on our way back to Seiretei in less than a fortnight!"

Both the Triumvir and the other lieutenant looked over at the red-haired man. He simply scratched at his head, oblivious to their stares for a moment.

When he finally noticed their gazes he shrugged, "From what I've heard."

"So," Came that deep voice that reached out to brush his mind, "She has decided it is time to make her move."

"Ah." The Prince of Pirates replied, as he stopped to the right of the black cat, who sat on a large sand dune, her tail twitching as she stared into the golden glow of the god's sinking incarnation. There was silence between them for a time, the tranquility of the desert, the feeling of being very small in a very big world settling on them.

Urahara drew his hat farther down over his eyes. The god's light was still too much for his human eyes, but for his companion the brightness only cast visions into her golden orbs. "Will you reveal yourself soon then, my lady?" He asked quietly.

He heard the amusement in her voice as her reply echoed in his mind, "Not just yet... Rest assured there will come a time when my true presence will be needed, but the goddess has laid her plans well. I await her pleasure."

"As I most humbly await yours." The man said, bowing slightly.

The cat smiled.

AN: Alright, questions anyone?

Again please remember that this is history, very obviously blending with imagination.

Notes:

Ptolemy the XIII: Was between ten and twelve when his father died and thus leadership of Egypt fell to him and his sister Cleopatra the VII. Bound by tradition, they were married and began to co-rule with a council of advisors overseeing. A few years later when Cleopatra began to make command decisions without the approval of the advisors or her brother-husband's knowledge this led to a coup. Cleopatra was forced to flee. But she wasn't going quietly; she raised her own army while in Syria and eventually headed back toward Egypt to face her brother-husband's forces.

Pompey: Meanwhile after engaging Caesar's forces on several occasions, the last battle at Pharsalus in which he was defeated forced him to seek allies in Egypt. But hoping to gain Caesar's approval and also avoid his wrath, at the advice of his council, Ptolemy the XIII had Pompey beheaded.

Thanks!

Sin