The glow of the setting sun filtered through the apartment's thin curtains, dancing across the white tablecloth draped over the dining table.
In the kitchen, Arthur was chopping spices and sprinkling seasonings onto a large slab of meat resting on a polished clay platter, itself set atop the rough, rust-colored desert-stone countertop.
Arthur glanced right into the living room, where Cleopatra and Seshat lounged comfortably, sipping wine and chatting casually—though Seshat looked a bit nervous.
Arthur didn't understand why—or only had a vague inkling—why other gods feared Cleopatra, even members of her own pantheon, who'd sooner steer clear of her than make small talk with the beautiful goddess.
'It's… unusual for a beauty goddess,' he thought.
He'd always assumed such deities were flanked by lovestruck gods, drooling with desire, ready to tumble into their beds at a moment's notice.
'Maybe I'm wrong,' Arthur admitted to himself, a hint of doubt in his mind.
Cleopatra noticed his furtive, analytical gaze at her and—cheeks flushed—shot him a playful, haughty smile.
"Hey, mortal, is that kudu ready yet?" she teased.
He could only throw her an exasperated look before turning back to his task.
After all, cooking for her was his assignment: if she didn't like the dish he served, he'd be sleeping on the floor tonight.
Despite knowing Cleopatra's caprices, Arthur refused to obey any order he deemed unfair or unreasonable.
Still, the challenge amused him.
Seshat looked over and blinked, then walked across the kitchen to tug at his shirt sleeve.
"Hey, mortal—if you want, I can help…" she offered shyly.
Arthur met her eyes and saw a silent plea: Seshat wanted to help him simply to keep her distance from Cleopatra, whose imposing, foul mood made Seshat uncomfortable.
He stared expressionless at the goddess of knowledge, forcing a polite smile, then extended his knife toward her.
"Go ahead and chop the vegetables," he said in an almost robotic tone.
With that, he opened a cabinet, pulled out a second knife, and began slicing the meat into thick, hefty rounds while Seshat cheerfully diced the veggies, humming a sweet melody in time with her cuts.
Behind them, Cleopatra stomped up with a loud "Whump!" as she plunked her wine jug on the table, then leaned back and took another gilded sip.
Startled, Seshat tensed, glanced over her shoulder, then resumed chopping—this time more rigidly.
Cleopatra narrowed her eyes, appraising them both, before breaking into a mischievous grin.
"Well, look at you two cooking together… as people these days say…" She drew out the "a" as she thought, eyes flicking side to side. "Oh, yes—like you're married."
Arthur and Seshat whipped around, shocked and indignant.
"W-w-w-w-what are you SAYING?!" Seshat stammered, crimson with embarrassment. "I-I-I have no intention of having a partner! Not right now!"
Cleopatra laughed at the sweet reaction from the ancient goddess of knowledge.
Arthur, feigning a more serious mien at her brazen tease, was inwardly furious.
"I don't plan on entangling myself with divines either—especially not undesirable goddesses," he said, winking at Cleopatra.
She ground her teeth inwards, hiding her fury behind a composed face, but her glare burned hotly at Arthur.
'How dare he?' she thought.
Arthur chose to turn away and ignore her murderous stare—a move he'd typically never make.
But it was fine—Seshat was here; Cleopatra wouldn't do anything reckless.
Sure enough, Cleopatra merely sat in a dining chair, folded her arms, and stared at the fading evening light through the window with blunt indignation.
"If that kudu isn't ready in fifteen minutes, I'm going to get very upset," she declared sternly.
Seshat shifted uncomfortably, and Arthur spun toward her, eyes wide.
"You're crazy! Kudu needs at least an hour in the oven under high pressure—cooking it in fifteen minutes would be a disas—"
"I don't care," Cleopatra cut him off, closing her eyes in annoyance.
Arthur's stress vein throbbed at his temple, and he muttered under his breath, 'Damn goddess…'
.*
Darkness had claimed the divine residence by the time Arthur finished dinner, and the day was done—he thought he could rest at last.
Or so he believed.
After the meal, Cleopatra had urged Seshat to stay and drink more with them. Though reluctant at first, Seshat finally agreed—perhaps bewitched by Cleopatra's charm, perhaps by weariness.
With lively minds and full bellies, the three lit torches in the living room for light and settled on the carpeted floor, backs buried in a mountain of silk cushions in front of the room's holoscreen.
But Arthur had overlooked one crucial factor: eight large jugs of wine sat on the low table between them. He glanced from the jugs to the two goddesses eagerly pouring themselves more of the heady, dark liquid—and panic seized him.
He considered fleeing but was trapped between two divines—Cleopatra to his left and Seshat to his right—both sipping with gusto.
"This wine is exceptional," Cleopatra sighed in pleasure, slowly licking her lips.
Seshat, still tense from Cleopatra's presence, nevertheless imbibed with satisfaction. "Oh yes," she murmured in a breath of delight. "Dionysus's vintage never disappoints. This year's harvest was particularly plentiful."
Cleopatra's eyes widened as she leaned toward Seshat. "Really?! The Greeks finally agreed to trade with the Egyptian wing?!"
Seshat sipped and adjusted her glasses. "It was all thanks to Osiris," she said, fixing Cleopatra with her own golden gaze. "He and Anubis schmoozed with Ares and Poseidon—and Dionysus tagged along. In the end, they sealed a deal."
Cleopatra gazed thoughtfully at the wine jug. "No wonder it tasted so superb." She looked up at Arthur. "Don't you agree, mortal?"
Startled, Arthur realized both goddesses were leaning heavily against him as they conversed.
He stood stone-still, sweat beads sliding down his face, eyes darting from one to the other.
"You… never tried wine?" Cleopatra asked, incredulous.
Seshat echoed the shock. "Whaaaa—?"
"In fact," Arthur clarified, "I've never had any kind of alcoholic drink in my life."
Seshat stared at him in horror; Cleopatra's mouth hung open as if Arthur had committed an unspeakable blasphemy.
"Impossible!" Cleopatra fumed, pointing at the wine. "How can you have never tasted such a heavenly, god-worthy elixir? You insult your own kind—and those who make it!"
Seshat grabbed Arthur's face, pulling it closer. "I may disagree with everything Cleopatra says," Seshat declared, "but here I agree. All the knowledge and devotion your species poured into perfecting and transporting this wine through millennia—and you…" She hid her eyes beneath a curtain of hair. "…you do this?!"
Arthur panicked, unsure what was happening—but clearly he was in deep trouble, on the brink of a divine crisis.
'These tests the gods put me through are unfair,' he thought as Seshat's angry gaze bored into him.
Meanwhile, Cleopatra filled a third jug, set it before him, and extended it toward his face.
Arthur inhaled the fragrant bouquet of grapes laced with alcohol—sweet, divinely sweet.
He raised the jug to his lips.
"Drink." Cleopatra said, almost as if issuing a royal command. Seshat leaned forward, her beautiful red eyes alight with excitement.
"Yes, come on," the goddess of knowledge urged. "Drink."
Arthur glanced at them both, hesitation flickering in his gaze. They were determined to make this mortal taste alcohol, no matter what.
He assessed the situation and realized his only way out was to play their game.
He reached out, took Cleopatra's hand, closed his eyes, and with newfound resolve tipped the wine jug to his lips, guzzling a generous mouthful.
He savored the alcohol mingled with sweet grape notes, inhaled the bouquet, felt it slide down his throat, setting his stomach ablaze, then spreading a gentle, relaxed warmth through his body.
Gently he removed his hand from the jug—leaving only Cleopatra holding it—his eyes briefly glazing over as he savored the last drops.
Both goddesses watched him intently.
"Well?" Seshat asked.
"How was it?" Cleopatra chimed in playfully, beaming.
Arthur licked his lips, then looked up, surprised.
"Oh! It's not as bad as I thought!"
The two deities smiled broadly at his reaction. "I'm glad you like it," they said in unison.
Arthur took the jug from Cleopatra's hand, cradling it between his own. This time his expression was more serious.
"Now that I think about it…" he ventured, still mulling it over in his mind, "how are classes here at the Academy, Seshat?"
Seshat tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well, since it's the start of term, you'll have the usual subjects."
Arthur arched an eyebrow. "Yes, that's what I mean. What subjects? Do you gods teach the same courses humans do?"
Cleopatra waved her hand and rolled her eyes. "Oh, by Ra, of course not. Humans have their schools to teach and delve into those. We offer far grander things."
Arthur folded his arms and looked to Cleopatra. "Like what?"
"At Da'at Academy we give lessons to divines on how to preserve and advance their divinity," Seshat explained, picking up her glasses and polishing them with her dress. "However, recently blessed mortals and minor deities have joined us, so this year we're also covering how to ascend into full divinity."
She pointed to a stack of books in the corner of the room. "See the red ones? Those are on blessings. The blue ones cover mythology, the gray ones alchemy, and so on."
Arthur grinned at both of them. "Wow, that sounds way more interesting than human classes."
Seshat gently set her glasses on the table and looked back at him. "I'm glad you think so," she smiled. "Athena would blush at your praise."
Cleopatra tapped his chin with a finger and fixed him with a stern look. "But don't get too cocky, mortal. Just because they sound fun doesn't make them easy," she warned, her gaze sincere. "You still have to study hard to get top marks."
Arthur tried to come up with a witty reply, but his head was still buzzing from the wine. Finally, he settled on a joke. "Yes, ma'am."
Cleopatra withdrew her finger from his chin and regarded him with a pleased profile smile.
Seshat raised an eyebrow, then looked at Arthur. "Still, it's the first time I've seen you speak respectfully to a goddess," she teased, turning to Cleopatra with a mischievous glint before grabbing Arthur's arm. "Don't you think so, Cleopatra?"
Arthur had never seen that look in gentle Seshat's eyes—something was definitely off with the goddess of knowledge.
Quick as a flash, Cleopatra grabbed his other arm, smiled wickedly, and faced Seshat. "You're right, Lady Seshat," she said, broadening her grin. "This mortal has been extraordinarily insolent to me."
Seshat smiled back just as wickedly and leaned her head on Arthur's shoulder.
In that moment, Arthur realized they were drunk—they'd already overindulged, and he was on the way to tipsy too.
Together they gave him a little shove onto the pile of silk cushions. Once he was on the floor, their prey was set.
Both goddesses traced their hands lightly over Arthur's face, their malicious smiles heightening the tension.
"Oh, Cleopatra, look at him," Seshat teased, pouting theatrically. "He's breaking out in a cold sweat, poor thing."
Cleopatra took the jug's final swig, set it back on the table, and gazed at Arthur with gleeful eyes. "It doesn't matter—it's all an act. This mortal is fierce when it comes to these matters," she said playfully.
Seshat gave Cleopatra a soft look before turning to Arthur. "Oh? And how do you know that?"
Cleopatra simply returned her look. "Trust me," she winked.
Seshat turned to Arthur. "Is that right, mortal?" she asked, arching her lips downward. "In the hallway, you seemed so respectful and proper…" Then she smiled and brandished a paintbrush that had appeared in her hand amid a scattering of scarlet sparks. "I think you deserve to be punished for laying hands on a goddess on your first day of school."
Arthur raised his hand to Seshat and shook it back and forth. "Wait… this is a grave misunderstan—"
"In this life there are no misunderstandings," interrupted Cleopatra. "Time for punishment." Cleopatra arched her mouth downward and fixed her gaze on Arthur's face. "Give him more wine, he's still not drunk enough!"
Then, Cleopatra poured some wine while Seshat sat straddling Arthur's abdomen so he couldn't get up.
The goddess of beauty took the wine and held it in her mouth, gently bringing her face close to Arthur's.
The rational part of Arthur knew very well that he should avoid that kiss, but the truth was that the sight was too tempting to look away from the beautiful eyes of his que-
'Wait a moment!'
Arthur had no idea why he was thinking this way, this was clearly due to Cleopatra's hypnosis, but he didn't sense any malicious intentions from Cleopatra.
Then, the young man looked into the goddess's eyes and could see two spirals within her irises. The damn woman, being drunk, was applying her sorcery unconsciously.
Nevertheless, it was already too late. Cleopatra's face was above his and both their lips were touching. Arthur accepted the kiss with pleasure, while the wine was transferred with the gentle caress of Cleopatra's lips.
A small stream of wine escaped from between the corners of the kiss, rolling down Arthur's chin toward his neck.
"My, how indecent," said Seshat while covering her mouth with the upper part of the four fingers of her right hand.
Cleopatra separated gently, while licking the remaining wine from her lips.
"I think that will be enough," she said with a rather broad smile.
"Very well," said Seshat in a playful tone while waving the brush in her left hand. "It's time to begin the punishment."
Arthur couldn't protest, he was already consumed by desire, the heat that accumulated in his belly and the intoxicating sensation that the wine left him.
Cleopatra flashed a mischievous smile and then looked toward where Seshat was.
"Enjoy your meal," said the wretch.
Then the two of them pounced on the young mortal.