The legionary stopped rubbing his wrist and gestured to his friends.

"Sir. Somebody has spiked our drinks with salt and well, sir, as much as we all enjoy a joke sir we were worried that they'd done it to yours and as we all knowawell that would be taking it too far sir," he swallowed hard, knowing that Falco's temper was never far under the surface, just waiting to be scratched.

Falco took a mouthful of his water, swilled it around his mouth and spat it out.

"Who did this?"

His voice had become menacing. No one dared move or answer. Falco had been known, legally, to beat soldiers to death.

"I do not need to remind you that water is a precious commodity and that we have to ration it. It is too priceless to waste by accident or practical joke. Now who did this?"

He glowered at his men. Clearly no one was going to own up. Especially not now.

"Very well. In that case you leave me no choice. You are alla." he stopped as the legionary with the crushed wrist stepped forward.

"So it was you Marcus Iunius."

"No sir. In truth it was none of us."

"Is that so?"

Falco looked past Iunius as he saw other legionaries who had just received their water ration begin spitting it out and throwing cups to the ground. Two palace servants struggled past carrying a fresh barrel of water.

"Wait!" Falco shouted.

They stopped. He went over to them and dipped his hand into the water which was sloshing from side to side and brought it up to his mouth and tasted it. It was salty. He spat the water out, not concerned that it splashed their feet.

"Where did you draw this water from?" he asked.

Neither of them spoke Latin so they both looked at him puzzled for a moment. Then one of them said something to the other and dipped the ladle into the water and offered it to him. Falco shook his head.

"No! Where?" he pointed at the water then gestured with his arms, "Where?"

The other servant now understood. He pointed across the courtyard, then motioned with his hands a right turn, then a left and then drew a fountain in the air.

"Show me!"

Once again there were blank looks so the huge centurion placed his hand on the mans shoulder, turned him around and pushed him forward.

"Show me!"

This time he understood and he took Falco to the fountain.

"What do you think is happening?" Gaius asked.

"I don't know," Marcus Iunius still massaging his wrist answered, "But if it was a practical joke I wouldn't want to be the bloke who did it. Did you see the look on Falco's face."

"Better shut up," one of the others said, "He's coming back."

Falco went straight to Lucius Scato. The two men were in deep conversation.

"Can anyone hear what's being said?"

"No. They're too far away. Look at how close they're standing. Must be so no one can overhear. Falco hates anyone to be close to him."

"Apart from when he's shouting at you then he's right in your face," someone said.

The legionaries were starting to group together. One soldier came over to Falco's group.

"Hey Marcus Iunius what's going on?"

"Publius! We don't know. Not yet at least."

"Did your water taste of salt?"

"Yes. Yours?"

"Yes. At first we thought it was a joke."

"Us too."

"Here you don't think it was sabotage do you?"

"I'm not sure."

"It can't be the palace servants can it?"

"No. They wouldn't have the balls."

Another officer rushed up to Scato and Falco.

"I guess we're about to find out," Publius said.

This new officer spoke to Scato and not being careful with his voice the legionaries nearby overheard.

"Did you hear that. All the fountains are contaminated," one said.

"Does that mean we have no fresh water?" another asked.

"I hope not because we won't last long trapped in here."

"Keep your voices down!" a nearby centurion shouted.

"But sir you heard what was being said."

"Yes I did but until we know for sure there is no need to spread panic."

"Well there is nothing else I can do," Scato said, "I'm going to have to tell Sejanus and he's going to have to tell Caesar."

"Caesar will have to sort it out. We can't go on without water," someone shouted.

"WHO SAID THAT?" Falco roared.

No one came forward.

"It is true sir," Marcus Iunius said, "We can't go on."

"Do you stand alone here Iunius?" Scato asked.

There was a long pause. Then others of Iunius' group stepped forward.

"I'm with Marcus. We can't go on without water sir."

They looked at Gaius Domitius. Slowly he got to his feet. He stepped forward and swallowed hard. It was the bravest thing he'd ever done. Falco stared at him. Gaius couldn't hold the big man's gaze. At one point he looked up and Falco half smiled and nodded slowly to him. Then he swung around and in his deep voice, he bellowed.

"Who else among you refuses to carry on without water to drink?"

Slowly legionaries began rising. Falco and Scato looked out over a sea of heads. Now everyone was standing.

Marcus Sejanus suddenly appeared alongside his two officers. The noise of shouting voices had woken him though he hadn't slept long. He was now rubbing his stiff neck.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Falco and Scato turned to face him.

"Sir I think we have a problem."

Julius Caesar, Germanicus and his honour guard marched along the corridor from his bedroom. They turned the corner. At the end was Cleopatra's bathroom. The Egyptian guards stiffened when they saw the Roman party approaching. Caesar merely brushed them aside with a wave of his hand and entered the royal bath house. The door closed with a quiet click. Once inside he realised he was in a long hall with rooms branching off on both sides. The walls were covered in Egyptian art. A statue of the Pharaoh Ramses the great dominated the centre of the floor. Large terracotta pots were placed at intervals. Caesar walked over to the statue and stood for a moment gazing up at it. Then the sound of laughter came to him and he went off in pursuit of it. Through another door Caesar stopped behind see through curtains. He could see people moving and sitting and talking and laughing and the sound of someone playing a stringed instrument. The sound of running water was near. On a couch two women were kissing, their tongues touching, their hands caressing, exploring each other's oiled bodies. One of them threw her head back as her neck was now being kissed, her long dark hair hanging down over her shoulder. She rolled her head towards him as a little shudder went through her. Then she opened her eyes and saw him and a small smile spread across her lips. She opened her mouth and touched her teeth with her tongue which he found very erotic. She whispered something and now the other was looking at him. Their cheeks pressed together. Both were seducing him with their eyes and he imagined them on him, loving each other. After a few more moments they giggled and turned their attention back to each other again. Caesar shook his head vigorously to clear his thoughts. He stepped through the light blue curtains and a female servant, wearing very little, and carrying a tray with little cups on it, gasped when she saw him. Others heard the gasp and now he was in full view of them all. They stopped what they were doing to stare at him. The eunuch playing the lyre stopped.

Cleopatra was in her large, circular bath, laying on a sunken seat with only her head above the water which was covered in floating, pink rose petals. Her eyes were closed. She was dozing in the hot water.

"Mardian why do you stop?"

"There is a man in the room highness."

"Men are not allowed in my bathroom," she replied, the heat of the water sapping her strength, "You know the rules."

"I don't think this one cares my queen."

She opened her eyes. The light was bright. The man in front of her in silhouette. She shielded her eyes with her hand. Now she could see the expensive red tunic, luxury boots, gold breastplate, ivory handled sword at the hip.

"Oh it's you Caesar."

"Yes."

"My guards didn't stop you?"

"They didn't dare try."

"I must speak to them about this."

Julius was growing impatient. He planted his fists on his hips.

"How is the water?"

She raised a shapely leg out of the water and ran her fingers up it, from the ankle to the knee.

"Lovely," she replied blissfully.

"Good," he said, "I'm pleased. I can now return to my men and tell them that while they fight a war to reinstate Cleopatra as queen of Egypt and have nothing to drink the queen at least can bathe in luxury."

"What are you talking about Caesar?" she asked, her eyes closed again, irritation in her voice, "have your men thought about going to the wells for water?" she asked sarcastically.

"The wells, the fountains, the very pipes are contaminated, flooded with sea water."

"Inside the palace is fine."

"So I see."

She opened her eyes again and reached for a wooden boat drifting on the ripples. She opened it's top and dipped her fingers in and proceeded to rub her arms with scented oil. He glared at her in disbelief. She caught his gaze.

"It's a model of my royal barge, to scale of course. Not the real thing. Perhaps you would like a guided tour."

"Some other time. Things are more pressing at the moment."

She pushed the barge across the bath as though it were a toy then stopped it with her toe.

"If only my brother would sail away so easily," she said more to herself. Only Caesar heard.

"Cleopatra please!" he said loudly making her look up, "I need blueprints, plans, whatever you have of the palace irrigation system and I need it now before my men discover the pollution and we have a full scale mutiny on our hands."

She stopped what she was doing to glance up at him.

"Oh very well!"

She stood in the bath and modestly covered her large breasts with one arm and hand. He felt excitement rush through his tummy.

"Well don't just stand there Caesar. Pass me a towel."

He passed her one that was too small. It barely covered her. She stepped up out of the bath and onto a small mat that had been placed for her. Serving girls rushed to her with towels and began drying her legs and feet. Two others began brushing her hair. Caesar watched with amusement.

When Cleopatra was dressed she slipped into a sheer, almost see through pink dress and gold, thronged, slippers. She was handed a glass of fresh water. Caesar waited patiently for her. Then finally she said.

"It was water you wanted to talk about."

"Yes. My men have reserves but they are getting low."

"If you would like to come with me. The best and most accurate records are kept in the library but the palace has copies. My architect Theophrastus will have copies. I will have them brought to us."