Is it a dream?
Is it real?
Cool touches sooth my pain
Melodic whispers embrace my body
My heart trembles with a thrill of joy
If it is a dream
Please Zeus let me stay in the dream
I no fear death nor pain
I no fear sufferings
Cool touches change to a grip
Melodic whispers change to a kiss
Through the mist of feverish veil
I catch the gaze of my delightful dream
I no need jewels nor gold
I no need an empire
My jewels are lapis lazuli of your eyes
My gold is sweet honey of your smooth skin
And my empire is you; the house of god
I knew you would come for me my dearest Hephaistion
A/N: On June 10, 323 BC, Alexander left this world to join with Hephaistion. This short story is written as a tribute to them. Some of the fans of Alexander and Hephaistion are lighting candles to commemorate them on this day. Please join us if you wish.
To the Best
"I am ready Hephaistion."
Alexander murmured in between the painful breaths. He had waited for this moment for nine lonely months, ever since Hephaistion had gone. He hid himself in the state of incubation, and waited patiently. As the fetus matures in its mother's womb, his fate had finally ripened on the vine of life. There was no fear; just aspiration and hope.
His feverish eyes searched for the sign. He closed his eyes for a moment, and he could almost hear the soft voice whispering to him. Cool cloths wiped beads of sweat off his face.
"To the garden."
He hardly could let out the words under his tightened jaw, but they understood, as it was his daily routine since he was bed ridden and moved to the main quarter four days ago. Ptolemy and Perdiccas motioned the servants to prepare. They carefully lifted him, and laid him on the stretcher. Alexander groaned at the pain, it hurt everywhere where they touched.
Warm moist air of the early summer night glued on his skin, but he welcomed the fresh air of the natural world, apart from his chamber filled with thick aroma of incense. The air cooled down as they approached the river. Their boat floated away to the other side of the shore parting the smooth current to leave semi circular ripples on the surface. They slowly carried him up to the top of the garden with Ptolemy, Perdiccas, and Cassander behind. Three generals transferred him onto the soft couch under the olive tree.
Alexander slightly nodded to signal them to leave. He knew that they would not leave him completely alone, but at least they would keep enough distance to give him some privacy. He looked up at the dark indigo sky. Abundances of silver stars were shining through the laces of oval leaves, along with the blinking lime green lights of fireflies set on almost every single leaf. It gave Alexander the illusion of floating. He closed his eyes for a moment.
He felt a cool hand rested on his sweaty brows. It felt so familiar; he could almost see the long elegant fingers. He was afraid to open his eyes only to find the touch did not belong to the person he wished for. Another hand settled on his stomach, slowly motioned in circles as if to erase the pain he carried inside. Tears ran down from the corners of his eyes.
"Soon my love, very soon." Unmistakable soft voice whispered to his ear.
"Yes, soon." Alexander whispered back.
Hearing Alexander's voice, three generals were right at his side.
"Alexander, what is it?" Ptolemy inquired with a concerned voice as he wiped tears from Alexander's cheeks.
"Hephaistion was here." Alexander sighed softly.
The generals froze for a moment, but looked at each other holding back their own tears. To their slight comfort, Alexander looked somewhat in less pain.
"It is time for us to go back." Cassander broke the stillness. Alexander nodded, and they started to track the way back to the palace. Everybody marched in silence.
Next time when Alexander woke up, he was back in his chamber. He heard a faint rumbling of thunder in the distance between a hum of voices around him. He kept his eyes closed as if he could shut out the noise around him if he did not see them. He noticed that the pain and fever were eased from where Hephaistion had laid his hands. And there, there was the touch again.; one on his cheek, and the other on his shoulder. He shivered in delight.
"Alexander, you can open your eyes now. I will not disappear."
Alexander's eyes flew open, and met with smiling azure jewels. His gaze was fixed on them in a trance. How much he had yearned to see those soothing pools. He would have traded his whole Kingdom for just one more glance.
"You are here, really here. You finally came for me. How badly I longed for this moment to come! The world meant nothing without you." Alexander's voice trembled between the sobs of joy.
Hephaistion smiled at him tenderly. Alexander looked up at the beautiful face above him. There was not a single trace of scars visible on his smooth skin. When Alexander raised his hand to touch Hephaistion's cheek, he caught a sight of a ring on his finger; the symbol of the great conqueror and the king. He looked at it for a moment, and then slowly slipped it off from his finger to hold it in between the thumb and forefinger before letting it fall freely. He raised both hands to cup Hephaistion's face.
Everybody around him gasped, but Alexander did not hear. His mind was solely focused on the enchanting figure in front of him. He no longer needed jewels, gold, or even the power of a throne. He simply wanted to reunite with Hephaistion as Alexander. He would leave on a journey of eternity just like he came to this world, empty handed yet full of passion and love.
As he reached to Hephaistion, he was pulled into a warm embrace, and he felt wholeness filling the empty hole in his heart once more. He was finally at peace. Alexander squeezed Hephaistion tight burying his face in soft auburn hair and inhaled the familiar scent. Indescribable nostalgia and happiness rushed into his mind. He came to this world alone, but now he was leaving with his love.
"It is time to leave for our journey, Alexander."
"Where to?" Alexander asked Hephaistion without breaking an embrace.
"To the best." Hephaistion's melodic voice rang in his ear.
"To the best." Alexander repeated with a mischievous grin on his face, which was now illuminating with joy and hope. The new journey of their dream had just begun.
End