Play@YSDC

Cleopatra's Palace- Rome, Italia
Mid-morning- March 15, 44 BC

Elizabeth followed the servant into the antechamber, where Nefertiri was waiting and the others were assembled. Senator Germanicus was there with his disfigured slave Claudius. Caelia Alba was present in her yellow stola. The augur Titus Iunius Philo was there as well. So were the three cavalrymen: Decius Lupus, Artemis, and Spurius. The ex-gladiator Aricus Callidus Gladio and the thief Marcus Sabinus were also gathered.

"Thank you all for answering my summons," said Nefertiri. "The Queen cannot be here now, but I am here on her behalf. Elizabeth returned this morning with startling news. Senator Scaevola is indeed behind the plot. She and her friends attempted to thwart him last night at his villa, but it did not go well. They were all captured, but fortunately she escaped to bring back the news. We do not have much time. Our first priority must be to save Caesar's life."

Caelia bows to the Queen but addresses everyone, "Your Majesty, I had the most awful dream last night; Caesar was killed at the senate, knifed to death. The sky went dark, most of us were there but we were too late. It was awful and so real! If only we do not fail today!" She turns to Elizabeth, "How lucky you were to escape! You must fear for your friends lives- we must rescue them if we can."

To the Queen she says, "That letter suggested that it is Scaevola who must kill Caesar personally if he is to receive his magic powers from Thoth. If we can stop him leaving his villa and rescue Elizabeth's friends too; maybe that would work." She finishes rather doubtfully.

Titus lowers his head. "I am no warrior, but I will do what I can to prevent this horror. It is in the hands of the gods."

Artemis shook his head. Save Caear? A threat on the General?

He looked at the Queen's servant and his colleagues. Shook his head again trying to clear the cobwebs laced across his mind.

"Yes my friends are in terrible danger," says Elizabeth grimly to Caelia. "Your plan sounds like a good one to me. If we could stop Scaevola at his villa we could save Caesar, and free my friends who are probably being held captive there, at grave risk of being killed. Time is of the essence whatever our plan. My lady," she says, turning to Nefertiri, "are there guards here who could help if an assault is made on Scaevola's villa?"

"I am no lady, just a servant," said Nefertiri. "I do have guards available, but Scaevola has probably already left his villa and is in Rome by now if he means to strike today. We must find and intercept him, and guard Caesar's life. I am sorry, Elizabeth, but Caesar's life is more important than the lives of your friends. They understood this, with their courageous actions in the effort to save him. If they have been captured alive, though, there is a good chance that Scaevola will continue to keep them alive. After we have ensured Caesar's safety, then we can mount a rescue. If, may the gods forbid it, we fail to save them, at least their sacrifice shall not have been in vain."

OOC,[b]Cleopatra[/b] is not actually present. [b]Nefertiri[/b] is her servant, though a high-ranking one.

Elizabeth nods slowly as Nefertiri speaks. "Then I pray we may be in time to save all concerned," she says, looking around at the gathered group. "So then, Scaevola, where might he be, or heading to? Would Caesar have any specific plans for today? Scaevola said something about the Theatre of Pompey, but no more information than that." She was unsure whether to give the Theatre location, and certainly did not want to reveal her prior knowledge. Nor does she want to change history. But she wants to help her friends. And knowing there may help them.

"The General saved many of us in the past, we are more than willing to save him today, if Fortuna wills it. Send us to where he may be, and we can do the rest." Artemis' words were sincere, but there was a part of him that felt that something was odd, amidst with the situation.

"I have heard that Caesar is planning to attend Albinus's games at the Theater of Pompey today," said Aricus. "I am due to fight there soon, in fact."

"Excellent," said Nefertiri. "That is just off of the Forum, not far away. With all of you guarding him, no harm can befall him. Adelphus is already waiting in the Forum to warn Caesar when he arrives. You should-"

Just then, an Egyptian messenger burst into the chamber, panting for breath. Elizabeth had to wonder how much worse things could get. "Nefertiri," he said, pausing to gulp in air. "I have wonderful news! I have just come from the house of Caesar. His wife Calpurnia had a bad dream last night in which he was killed, and she convinced him to stay home!"

OOC,[b]Artemis[/b] (and everyone other than [b]Elizabeth[/b]) may roll Insight.

Germanicus takes in the tidings and then nods.

"I was going to meet Caesarat the the Theatre of Pompey, and that is where I saw him dead in my dream. No doubt Scaevola will already be there. However, he is not the only one involved in the conspiracy."

"We must move to the Forum and intercept them all. Or had the Queen some other plan in mind when she summoned us here?"

Insight 5%,[dice]0[/dice]

Titus nods his head. Clearly so many people sharing the same dream indicated that they had come through the gate of horn rather than the false gate of ivory. Caesar's life must be saved, if the gods willed it. And he felt as if they were trying to tell him something even now.

"Wait, Senator, you had a dream about Caesar being killed? So, did I and he died in the Forum, or rather in the Temple in the Forum." Artemis looked about. "We need to move quickly, or else if the dream is any indication, we will find Caesar dead."

Caelia is surprised to hear that other people seemed to have had the same dream - what could that mean? She leans over to Artemis who doesn't seem to be quite his usual confident self, "Are you okay Artemis? Is it just the bad dream that effects you?" She surreptitiously casts her professional eye over him.

To Nefertiri she says, "As soon as we know where Scaevola is, I will meet him and try to stay by his side for the day - if he'll let me. I don't suppose Caesar will be happy to stay at home all day on his wife's whim; he could still leave at any minute and there's nothing stopping Scaevola from going there and killing him either. Oh! We really must hurry!"

She turns to Elizabeth, "If I am with Scaevola I will do everything I can to prevent him from harming your friends. If he is away from his villa all day then at least they should be safe for now." She hopes this will give some hope.

Insight,(45%) roll:37

"Truly, the dreams Calpurnia and you had must be prophetic," said Nefertiri. "There can be no other explanation." She addressed the messenger. "Did Calpurnia say where Caesar had been slain in her dream?"

"In the Forum," said the messenger.

Nefertiri nodded. "Then he is safe for now in his own house. There he is surrounded by his lictors and others loyal to him. As long as he avoids the Forum, all we have to do is make sure he stays put while hunting down Scaevola. In the long term, Caesar will not be safe until Scaevola is dead. Return to Caesar's house and keep watch. If Caesar changes his mind and leaves, run back to the palace with the news. Also, send another messenger to the Forum to join Adelphus and inform him about Scaevola. If either of them spots him, the messenger is also to return to the palace and report."

"It shall be done." The messenger bowed and ran from the room.

"If Scaevola is not in the Forum yet, it will be very difficult to find him. Rome is a huge city. Even the Forum is large, with massive crowds. He could hide if he wishes to remain anonymous. Who is to say he is wearing the robes of a Senator? Of course, it is possible that he is still at his villa, or that he is currently on his way to the city from there. If so, we could still head him off."

Titus Iunius Philo and Caelia Alba,While [b]Nefertiri[/b] genuinely wanted to save [b]Caesar[/b]'s life, she had her own reasons for it. From the way she reacted when the Queen was mentioned, it seemed to have something to do with her. However, she also seemed to be acting on her own initiative in this matter without involving her.

"I am willing to make the journey to the villa of Scaevola. Surely he will think me a harmless old man, and I will not be in any danger."

"Lady Caelia, in my dream, we spent part of the evening at Scaevola's villa where he led you into a cellar dedicated to some bird headed Egyptian god. Senator, in that same dream, you sent the three of us to recruit soldiers to come to the defense of Caesar's allies after he had been killed." Artemis shook his head and rubbed his temple. "My head seems to be a bit cloudy, too much drink I suspect, Good Lady."

"General, Lady, I am a Scout by trade, I believe I would be of greater use going to this villa than into the heart of the city. Going to the villa stealthy like."

Lupus' hand goes to rest on a sword hilt that isn't there. At least I would have my sword and bow for a change.