Cleopatra's Palace- Rome, Italia After Midnight- March 15, 44 BC
Story, Brook, and Marcus entered the antechamber of Cleopatra's palace. In addition to the guards and servants, they also found Adelphus, as well as Elizabeth, Lucius, Caelia Alba, and the two cavalrymen Artemis and Spurius. They recognized Story and Brook, but not the young man in the brown hooded cloak with them.
Marcus looks around with great fascination, although he feels a lot of eyes on him, which in fact, amuses him, generating that signature crooked smile on his face.
It's been a while since I've seen Cleopatra, this is going to be interesting.
Caelia can not help yawning; it's so late. She smiles an apology and looks at the newcomer; but she doesn't really know Brook and Story either, maybe he is a friend of theirs. "You've met the Queen before then?" She says to him, slightly archly; she's just too tired for pleasantries.
Marcus,Caelia is young, beautiful and obviously from Roman high society
Artemis turned about when the others arrived. Sleep would have to wait despite the longing in his mind for slumber. He looked over the new comer and noticed the smile when the gentlemen looked about and commented as he did.
"Good evening, good sir," Artemis said as he brought his right fisted hand to his left shoulder and bowed slightly. "Artemis Gaius Sylvius, sir."
Marcus bows in response to Artemis. "Good evening, sir. My name is Marcus Sabinus, nice to meet you, and you too, Miss." He says before getting up and addressing Caelia.
Marcus was surprised to see such a beautiful woman near him, the women from his lowlife residence weren't exactly beautiful. Still, he managed to keep his cool and maintained his slight crooked smile when looking at her. "Indeed, she and I crossed paths before, and she helped me like she did with everyone, our kind queen. I was just returning the favor with my companions here." He said before stepping aside and making a gesture with his hand in direction to Brook and Story-
"Thank you for joining us, Marcus Sabinus. A friend of the queen is a friend of ours. I am Caelia Alba, daughter of Caelius Albus Graecus, the great physician. Please forgive my bluntness; it's been a long day and night and we haven't found much to help us I'm afraid." Caelia says looking at Adelphus.
"Yes, it seems we are at a loss," Adelphus said, regarding Story, Brook, and Marcus. "I hope you have managed to come up with something. We are otherwise no closer than we were in the morning."
Brook smiles at Elizabeth. "We're fine. How did it go with you and Lucius?" Looking to Adelphus, she waits for Story to answer his question, not sure how much they can tell.
Elizabeth shakes her head sadly at Brook, hoping that her friend understands enough for now, without the need for more words, that can come later. She, too, waits for Story to speak, though in her case more in a state of curiosity than concern. She does not know how her friends got on in their adventures, and is eager to find out more.
Turning his attention to Adelphus, Story says, "I'm afraid it is no longer merely an assassination attempt, but rather a sacrifice." He glances around the room before continuing, "A sacrifice, that with Thoth's blessings, will insure the primary assassin will become more powerful than anyone could imagine. It would seem that in order for us to insure this assassination doesn't become a sacrifice we must track down and procure the Dagger of Ra. Which according to the scroll from Master Kemnebi to Senator Scaveola we located, it would seem the dagger is in the Senator's possession." Looking directly at Adelphus he says, "The assassination must happen, you know it to be true. However, the Senator doesn't need to play a role in it. We must stop him for it would seem he is part of the Brotherhood."
Hearing the Senator's name, and the fact that the assassination couldn't be stopped, Artemis turned quickly towards Story. "Wait that Senator, the one we just left in his villa, is going to assassinate the General and we are going to just let him be murdered? No, no, not agreeing to letting someone kill my General! Can't we go to the army and get some help? Use this special dagger to protect him?
Arty realized that he was speaking in a tense tone that deepened his voice like he was speaking to new recruits on the training ground. He gulped and relaxed, but only slightly.
"You are right," said Adelphus with determination. "We might not succeed, but we must try. Senator Scaevola is a powerful and influential man. If he is part of the plot, you may need the army to stop him. I would suggest you go to Marcus Antonius at once, with this scroll as evidence of his role in the conspiracy. It Scaevola can be arrested and compelled to talk quickly, the other conspirators can be identified and stopped before it is too late."
Artemis felt the wind taken out of him by the realization that this was a very real plot. In some parts of his mind, this was just talk, terrible and inappropriate talk, but talk all the same. Now, there was an offering of proof and the need for intervention, by Marcus Antonius no less. Artemis knew the name, not a soldier in the Republic didn't know the name. He sighed audibly
"So we need to take that to Marcus Antonius in the middle of the night and try to explain that a Senator of Rome is plotting to assassinate Julius Caesar." He sighed again, swallowed, and reached out for the scroll if no one else was going to take on the burden. "Any idea where he could be found? We are going to need to be prepared for the wait as it may be a bit hard to explain our sudden arrival at the guards station at this hour."
"He will most likely be at home, asleep," said Adelphus. "I think it will be worth waking him. Time is of the essence! He doesn't live too far away." Adelphus gave them directions.
"Understood. Spurius, you will need to join me, and I think we might be able to come up with the an approach of the guards. Who else will be coming with us?" Artemis took the proffered scroll and turned about asking the others.
"Story, what do you think?" asks Elizabeth, turning and looking to her friend. "You've found out a lot about this conspiracy tonight. Will you be going to see Marcus Antonius, and if so would you want us to come too? I'm happy to come, but concerned that if too large a group turned up it might cause problems."
Caelia has been quietly listening to the the others, it is all starting to make sense; Scaevola and the brotherhood; their devotion to Thoth and the belief that Thoth can and will bestow great powers to the believers... "Wait! it is all true!" She cries, "Scaevola is an important member of the brotherhood; they are all fanatical in their belief that Thoth walks amongst us now and that one day, 'when the stars are right' he will rule the world. Maybe not now, but one day. He has an alter under his villa, a dark one; I can believe he'd sacrifice Caesar if he thought Thoth willed it so."
She takes a deep breath. "I too am a member of the brotherhood now, I lay on the alter and took the initiation. The members are from all walks of life and I am one too. But I just can't believe as they do, whatever Scaevola says. With all my medical knowledge, I find it hard to understand some ideas of theology.I can understand how someone would want Caesar removed from power for political reasons but not as a sacrifice!"
Caelia thinks for a moment. "Perhaps I can go back to Scaevola tomorrow and stay by his side, if he'll let me. I'm our best chance of discovering how the brotherhood plan to initiate the murder. Although how I'll get a message out, I don't know."
"Lady Caelia," Artemis' eyes went wide as she briefly recounted her evening with the Senator, "I am frightened for what you learned and what you are now associated with. But, accept your position that you could not partake of such a terrible plan. What I wonder if your presence could be a beacon for any help that we might be able to convince the Consul to come to the General's aide. Meaning, if you are with that vile man wearing something that is festive and easily identifiable, it could be a means of quickly finding the leader of this plot.
