In the bright recesses of his room, the eunuch sat alone huddled in his room. The room was thoroughly clean and pristine. The bed was made. Cloaks and garments were stored with care. Not a single thing out of place. Acquiring a room to call his own was after all one of his biggest achievements. He certainly was not going to let it go to disrepair.

Potheinos was what the young man was called. Like other eunuchs he was a thing of great beauty.  The Gods blessed him with statuesque stature and a slender frame. Matching with long dark thick waves of his hair and his dazzling dark eyes, the young man was known for his elegant quiet charms. Widely regarded in the gossip that fills palace hall's as a mortal Ganymede in the flesh.

In a corner, his long-fingers carefully slipped the venomous contents of a little vial into his wine-filled amphora. The pale gold venom glinted in the evening light. To the eunuch’s dark eyes, he thought it resembled ichor — The golden blood of the gods. A liquid that was said to be deadly to mortals. Smiling, he could not help but find it a truly fitting sweetener for the Queen’s last drink.

With his long-fingers he tapped the last little drops into the vessel and shook it well. Effectively lacing it with the pomegranate wine. The young man hoped that the bitterness of the venom would be masked by the fruity sweetness of the drink.

With that he hoisted the heavy container with his slender arms and left the room.

Moving through the corridors of the Palace, the eunuch walked alone. An odd occurrence in the bustling residence. No pitter-patter of guardsman feet filled the marble halls; no servants scurried obscuring the painted walls; no other eunuch’s fine cloaks trailed on the floor covering the mosaics. No, nothing.

Everyone was in hiding, Potheinos supposed. They knew, with his and the Queen’s recent overthrow that turbulent times were, once again, ahead for the Ptolemy Household.

And they would be right of course.

Reaching the door of the Queen, Tryphaena, he stopped. The amphora seemed heavy in his sweaty hands. Lips pressed tightly together, his mind raced. Should he really go through with this?

Is Tryphaena really that hard to control? Could she not still be of use?

This prompted him to remember the events of a few days before. They still remained fresh in his mind. The cold hard sting of her hand still felt fresh somehow on his pale cheeks. The wildfire in her amber eyes still blazed fiery hot in his mind.

Any remaining reluctance slipped away. Standing up tall & straight, he shook his head firmly.

No, Tryphaena cannot be controlled. She has served her purpose. She will only be hindrance from now on.

He gave a light tap on the door befitting his position as a eunuch.

A firm snap of “Yes, what is it?” answered him. Clearly, its owner did not want to be disturbed. The eunuch simply rolled his eyes. He knew for a fact that the voice’s owner was most likely swaddled in her sheets with wine bottle in hand; annoyed that someone interrupted her as she drank herself into yet another stupor.

“Little Lamb…” He said with such loving tenderness. He never thought he could ever fake it so easily (Perhaps it came so easy because this was the last show he would have to perform for her).

A squeal of elation answered his call. Smiling, Potheinos knew he did not need to plan the next thing on his script. He simply entered into the chambers.

The room was an utter mess. As always he hid his upturned nose. He is always been so utterly disgusted at how she little she seemed to care for her room. As a seasoned traveler in the space, he easily traversed through it. Tip-toeing between the assorted flatware and cups strewn on the floor; undaunted by the sulfurous stench of weeks-aged wine; straight to the unmade bedside of the Queen.

The owner of the scream, Tryphaena, was sitting upright on her bed. Just as Potheinos foresaw, the dark auburn-haired woman was wrapped in fine woolen sheets with wine in hand.

Melting into a sweet embrace, the eunuch’s master asked softly, “You are no longer upset at me, Love?”

A long-fingered hand cupped a soft cheek; midnight dark eyes met those of a golden brown. Silently, but falsely, assuring that, I could never stay mad at you.

Tryphaena’s plump arms wrapped even tighter around the eunuch’s slim waist. Silently promising that what happen would never happen again.

But, Potheinos already knew that. It indeed would not happen again.

Gallantly he hoists the terracotta container onto the woolen sheets.

“Oh, what have you brought for me today, Love?” She was already bright and alert with anticipation at yet another one of her beloved’s signature surprise gifts.

“Your favorite: Pomegranate Wine!” The fragrant full-bodied aroma of the drink now fully mingled in the air.

Amber eyes open wide, and her jaw dropped. As expected. All Tryphaena could do was say in a hushed tone that her beloved truly spoils her. Potheinos knew that already. He merely began filling the Queen’s cup, and assured her that it was no trouble to do so for her.

Examining the sweet red liquid, deceptively sitting pristine in the bronze cup, Giddy, Tryphaena couldn’t help but smile. “You know, the pomegranate is a symbol of Hera, Queen of the Heavens, how truly auspicious!”

“It's also the symbol of Persephone — Queen of the Dead”, Potheinos’s tongue slipped.

“Yet another Queen!” The ominous mention was, of course, all lost on the plump woman.

“Why, yes.” The slender man handed her drink and said “Cheers to your new reign, my Little Lamb.”

The Queen took one last look to admire the beverage. The eunuch’s heart began to race. She swirled it. Seeing how it seems to glitter in the evening light. The eunuch pursed his thin lips. The anticipation was eating at him.

“Stop being a tease, my sweet!” the dark-eyed man tried to disguise his nervousness. Amber eyes just gave a wink before Tryphaena finally took her first sip.

Will she see through the ruse?

Mischievously, the Queen let the beverage settle in her mouth. The eunuch hoped he did not look as hot as he felt. Tryphaena finally swallowed, and complimented the wine for its fruity and sweet taste.

“Enjoy your drink, my sweet”, Potheinos quickly made his way out.

The Queen’s room was brimming with activity. Eyes examined Tryphaena’s shivering body. It had gone pale and glistened with a profuse sweat.  Lips wagged shouting that ‘M’Lady needs this, M-Lady needs that’. The Queen’s attendants were all unsure of how exactly to aid their ailing mistress. Hands clasped together praying for help from anyone that could hear.

All this commotion was going on around Tryphaena, yet she felt so distant and faraway. She didn't feel anything. She was in her own little world. A soft world of wooly fleece.

Silent murmurs. All she wanted was to tell her attendants was to keep calm. She had drunk some bad wine or something. No need to worry. All will be fine. But, the words just refused to come out.

At that moment her bleary vision focused on a familiar slender figure in the room. Potheinos.

A warm smile began to form on her face. With all her remaining strength she reached out. Her weak hands yearning for one final touch.

Come a little closer, my love.

But his perfect little face had a look he had never seen before. Cold and unfeeling dark eyes look down on her.

In what were the remains of her mind, all the pieces came together. As her world grew dark and she entered in her eternal slumber. She knew. The eunuch was to blame.