Cleopatra died and was taken before Osiris, the king of the dead. Osiris said “Cleopatra, you are my slave and must serve me in this my throne room. You must obey me with all your heart!” Cleopatra began to sob. He said “I’ll give you some time to compose yourself. After that you are expected to be entertaining and cheerful!” Cleopatra resigned herself to her fate. Finally Osiris asked if she was ready and she responded in a sultry voice “How may I please you my beloved master?” Her first task was to dance before Osiris. She was a beautiful and graceful dancer.
Cleopatra enjoyed dancing and she enjoyed pleasing Osiris. Sometimes she would sing to him or dance for him. They helped her forget her sorrows for a while. She also served him food and drink, and cleaned the throne room. Occasionally a new arrival would want to see her and Osiris would present her. The first visitor was Caesar Augustus. Cleopatra was horror struck when she heard his name, but still she bowed to him. She had to bow to everyone it seemed.
Cleopatra said that they hadn’t actually met but when her beloved Marc Antony was killed that she was captured by the Romans and imprisoned in Egypt. The Centurian sentenced her to death. She was strangled to death before her subjects. Before strangling her she was allowed to make a final statement. She told her subjects that she loved them and apologized for not being a better ruler. Cleopatra struggled to breathe for a minute or so before collapsing and dying.
She said “I realize that I had to die, but why humiliate me by executing me in public! A Queen is not executed publically!” Cleopatra was weeping by this time. Caesar responded “Are you not at heart an entertainer, O Queen? You have always been entertaining people to get what you want! Why shouldn’t you be entertaining in death? Even here you are an entertainer.”
Osiris dismissed Caesar. He said to Cleopatra “You may get up off the ground dear Queen. Caesar had a point there.” Cleopatra responded “I had to use my talents to make my way in the world. As a woman in a world ruled by men, I had to get what I wanted from men. I understood Julius Caesar and Marc Antony and they understood me. I did my best for Egypt! Yes My Lord Osiris, I did what was best for me too!” He replied “You are most fascinating, dear Queen! You are like an onion. I peel one layer of skin off and there is another below it! It will take forever to plumb your depths Cleopatra!”
Life became a routine with Cleopatra dancing and singing and sweeping up stray centipedes and worms. She became more beautiful and busty than before. She wanted to learn new dances. She hoped to branch out and be more than just a dancer.
One day Cleopatra went with Osiris to a gathering of the gods and goddesses. She went along to be Osiris’ servant. Cleopatra looked stunning and turned a lot of heads. The gods and goddesses couldn’t afford to be seen looking at her since she was a slave. Cleopatra was commanded to dance before the gathering so they could all get a good look at her. She enjoyed the attention.
The gods and goddesses needed to talk in private so the slaves left the room. The female slaves had their own room to rest in while their masters and mistresses talked. Jezebel, a bully among the slaves, demanded that Cleopatra should kiss each female slave in the room. Jezebel was formerly the wife of King Ahab of Israel. Cleopatra sputtered for a moment as she thought. She knew that she was in a strange world and she didn’t have any rights. Still she refused Jezebel’s demand because she didn’t have the power to command her.
Afterwords Cleopatra returned to Osiris’ throne room to take care of it. Osiris was to be gone for a while. Cleopatra couldn’t leave the room. She lay down and rested for a time. When she got up she started cleaning the room. Her couch and dressing table were in a corner with a privacy screen. She was grateful for the privacy. She swept the floor including a few creepy crawlies, dusted the throne and cleaned up some cobwebs. She thought that it was ironic that a former Queen was now a household slave.
A few days later Jezebel showed up and Cleopatra was glad she couldn’t enter the room. Jezebel was still disturbed. Cleopatra said “If you have a crush on me, let’s talk about it.” Jezebel gasped and looked frightened. Cleopatra continued “All kidding aside, you’ll find that it is easier to have peace if you treat people nicely. Maybe we can have a heart-to-heart talk one of these days.” Jezebel’s eyes were tearing up and her face was red. Cleopatra concluded “I look forward to our next encounter.”
Jezebel returned home frustrated. Cleopatra had played her like a harp. Jezebel sighed as she realized that she would have to apologize to Cleopatra and the others if she wanted influence within the group. She would have to steel herself for that ordeal.
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