This is mixture of Alexander the movie and research on Alexander's life. It is not accurate in its timeline and I do not own any of the characters. My version; Alexander would not have accomplished all he had without being somewhat narcissistic in his personality. Hephaestion on the other hand is a hot mess. This is a more elaborate version of A Love Story, which was my first time writing. Please review I love to hear your opinion. BEWARE: sex m/m and cutting. Hope you enjoy.
Prologue
Pella 346 B.C.
Alexander
It was a warm morning, warm enough to cause fog to linger over the grass. I watch from my balcony, as a man on his horse rides up with a young boy sleeping in his lap. I watch as the man swings himself off the horse with the boy under his arm, placing him onto the ground and shaking him to wake him. The boy yawns and looks around. A stable hand comes and takes the man's horse and he and the boy walk towards the house. I see the boy look up at me on my balcony and lift's his hand in a slight wave of acknowledgement. His father who I am assuming is the man with the boy, turns then and kneels in front of the boy who looks about five or six years. I cannot hear what he is saying but I can tell he is being stern, he shakes the boy again and then stands and walks into the palace the boy rushing to keep up with him. I am curious and follow the voices of my father and this man. I hide in an alcove so I can see and hear them clearly
"Amyntor, joy to you, you are well are you not?" My father greets this man.
"Come let's get you some food and drink". It is then that my father notices the boy hiding behind his father.
"Who is this Amyntor?" The boy steps out from behind his father and looks up at my father, he has the bluest eyes I have ever seen, clear and bright he is small with dark hair which only makes his eyes seem bluer.
"Joy to you, I am Hephaestion, I am seven years old" he tells my father with a clear voice. He is older than I thought, his size making him look younger. My father laughs loudly
"Well joy to you Hephaestion, it is nice to meet you". It is then that Amyntor takes the boy by the arm and pulls him back giving him a sharp look. " I am sorry King Philip, I had no one to leave him with, he will not bother us I assure you he has been warned if he distracts me he will be punished" My father nods and they continue to walk towards the hall catching up on news. I follow behind them far enough back to not be noticed. They enter the hall and go over to a table and sit, they are brought food and wine and they continue to discuss whatever they were there to discuss, I am more curious about the boy. Hephaestion sits on the floor behind his father's chair and pulls out a book from his waist band and begins to quietly read. I watch for a while becoming bored; it is no fun watching someone read. I forget about the boy as I go about my day until I see them later as they were walking to leave. I again hide in a doorway so I am not seen. I watch the man walking towards the door already having made the proper goodbyes to my father. He is walking fast with a purpose, the boy Hephaestion practically running to keep up. I see him trip and his book falls to the ground the papers flying down the hallway. His father turns then with a look of anger on his face walking back towards the boy as he scurries to pick up the pages from his book. His father takes him by his upper arm pulling him up, lifting his chiton he spanks the boy hard, four times across the back of the legs and buttocks the bruises forming almost instantaneously. I am shocked I have never seen a father treat his son so harshly. Tears are streaming down the boys face, but he does not cry out from the unjustified beating. His father takes his arm and drags him towards the door, not letting him pick up the book. Leaving the book seems more of a punishment then the spanking, as the boy then digs his heels in.
"No papa, please let me get my book" His father looks down at the boy,
"NO, are you telling me NO?" the father slurs, he seems drunk which is common after spending any significant time with my father. The book must be of some importance to the boy for I would not have tempted this man's wrath.
"I will deal with your defiance when we get home boy" he threatens as he takes him by his already bruised arm and pulls him out towards the door. Hephaestion looks back as I come out from my hiding place and begin to pick up the pages. I wave at him, trying to let him know that I will take care of his book. I have a feeling I will see this boy again, I will not forget those blue eyes, no one could forget those blue eyes.
Chapter one
Pella
342 B.C.
Hephaestion
My father and I live alone together just outside of Pella in a small two room home. My father is a mercenary but has not worked in a while due to his age and his drinking. This has forced us to move from the city of Pella to this small home on the outskirts. My brothers Cadmus and Aetos are ten and eight years older than me and have been gone for five years, visiting when they can. They are both soldiers for King Phillips army. My mother has been gone for three years now. I do not remember her leaving; I only know one day she was here; the next she was not. My father's cruelty and drunkenness causing her to leave, why she did not take me with her I will never know. Her abandonment has left me with a great sadness. I remember that she was a beautiful woman, eyes like mine, dark hair. She would listen to my endless chatter as she went about her work. Answering all my questions as best she could for I asked many questions. "Why is the sky blue? How do birds fly?" she would laugh and tell me because the gods have made it so. "Just as they have made you my son" she would tell me as she hugged me close. I hate her now for leaving me. I was a talkative curious child now I am quiet, shy, scared. I am a constant disappointment to my father he tells me daily in one way or another. I can do nothing to please him. He becomes so violent when he drinks that I try to hide from him. Sometimes he searches for me, wanting to relieve his anguish towards my mother on me, I looked like her. He would yell out for me, calling for me, my stomach would lurch knowing what was in store for me. I would wait hoping he would pass out or lose interest. I would have to time it perfectly, if I waited too long it would anger him more. More often than not I would have to go to him, he would berate me, calling me weak, womanly, telling me that if I wanted to be a soldier like my brothers I needed to toughen up. My father's idea of toughening me up was to beat me mercilessly. I preferred when he would use the belt on me, at least then the beating was focused on my legs and buttocks only making sitting a challenge for a while. Other times he would use his fist, punching me in the head and face causing black eyes, fat lips, punching me in the ribs and back making it difficult for me to breathe. Recently, he slammed my head into the stone walls knocking me out completely. I was dizzy and sick for days, blood came out of my ear. He is going to kill me, I am sure of it. He has no control when he is drinking and I am small.
I have lived in fear since my mother left. She either protected me from him or he was not like this, I do not know, I remember little of life when she was here. I do not know why I cannot remember my mother leaving. It seems as if I have missing holes in my memory. I do not ask my father for any information, he does not talk of her; ever.
Sometimes I have nightmares about her, my mother. She is covered in blood, lying on the floor. Sometimes I see this image of her out of nowhere while I am awake and a panic overtakes me. My heart would pound out of my chest, my breathing coming rapidly. My father calls them fits and says that it is because I am weak. I do not remember feeling safe but I know at one time I felt it; when my mother was here.
I am sheltered here in our little house far from neighbors. I have no friends, only my father.
My father has allowed me to continue my education. The boys from school ignore me and I am grateful for it. I would not be able to play with them anyways. School is my only escape I look forward to it, my teacher tells me how well I am doing and I feel a weird flutter in my chest when he says these things. I do not know what to do with his compliments it does not matter, for any encouragement is quickly smashed to bits by my father's fists.
I hope that when I go from this world it is quick; like when I was knocked out, never to wake. I do not want to suffer first I feel as if I have suffered enough for this life time.
