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As Romantic as her mother liked to make it sound, studying abroad was much more of a baleful obligation than the wonderful opportunity that she had been promised. Zhen Chen, Nian, had always been an excellent student—perpetually looking towards each new opportunity from the top of every class. She worked diligently in her assignments, studied voraciously, and had a natural affinity for language. She had won a less than modest amount of scholarships from her extracurricular activities and the various institutions from which she studied or took part in. With her perfect record and test scores, she could have had her pick of any university in China. And if she’d had it her way, she would have done just that—picked a Chinese university. She never would have set foot on Western soil, if it hadn’t been for her mother. Even from a young age, she had always thought of America (and by extension, most of the Western countries, but America especially so) as somewhat superfluous and wasteful

Egypt would not fall—not to Rome, not because of Caesar, and it would stand with or without Mark Antony by its Hatshepsut’s side. Through a miracle, one that could have only been described as a divine intervention, Egypt managed to pull through the so-called Last War of the Roman Republic in much the same manner as its queen had. Despite being bitten by an asp, poisoned in a melodramatic show of emotion, Cleopatra VII Thea Philopater would live to see the next day. Though there were many nights afterward when many would wish privately that she had not. Egypt remained independent as Rome shirked away from a truly impressive loss. As Cleopatra became famed in myth as the woman that Caesar couldn’t tame, she clung to life for weeks in her temple. The absence of Mark Antony had left a hole in her heart, and the poison had left her weakened. The Hatshepsut was in dire straits, needing constant care of her handmaidens and eunuchs so that she may make a full recovery. Thankfully, the Nile