ARRIVAL
"Did you hear it?" groaned Parmenion, entering the large elegant rooms he had been allocated. He was followed by Philotas and Cleitus, who stood and watched him remove his ceremonial armour.
"It doesn't mean anything, father," Philotas said calmly, sitting himself on a large chair by the wall. "Alexander has always been the same…."
"Which Alexander?" spat Parmenion. "It seems we have two of them now."
Cleitus laughed, and walked over to the bed, lying down on it, caressing the silk sheets, thinking of the girls back in the harem. One particular girl back in the harem, who had been only too willing to echo his desire.
Parmenion glared at Cleitus. "You should feel the same as I do, Cleitus. We both served Philip, and he saw us rewarded for our efforts, he never took favour…yes he had Pausanias, but he was just an amusement, he never confided in him." Parmenion dropped his breastplate in a corner. "He thinks me a silly old fool, that's what he thinks of me. He too is Alexander!" he scoffed. "Wait and see, Cleitus, Hephaistion will take all of the glory."
Cleitus shrugged his shoulders. "Alexander is still young. Yes, he should have given up Hephaistion by now," he added, seeing Parmenion about to protest, "but he had an eye for the eunuchs today, and perhaps the pleasures of Babylon will tempt him. He is the Great King now, he rules Persia…"
"But he loves Hephaistion," Philotas interrupted, standing up to pour three cups of wine, handing the first to Cleitus, and then his father before taking a drink from his own.
Cleitus frowned at Philotas. He shared his father's ambition, but was too sure of himself.. He had come to his father's rooms, ignoring the drinking party that Ptolemy invited him to, just to think himself an equal. Just to think himself a general, already. "Hephaistion gets no special privileges from Alexander," he argued. "Philotas ranks higher in the army….and I don't think he's ever so much as kissed Alexander."
"He cares too much for that boy," grumbled Parmenion, walking over to his balcony to gaze over Babylon.
Cleitus turned to watch him. "Babylon has enough for everyone. We are rich, Parmenion. Is that not enough?"
Parmenion took a drink of his wine, his eyes not leaving the city. "I miss Philip," he admitted. "He should have been the one to conquer Persia. We'd be with him now, Cleitus, you know we would. And where is the King? Where is his son, Alexander? Trying out Darius' bed with his lover, Hephaistion, that's where."
Cleitus laughed again and got up from the bed, going to Parmenion, slapping him on the shoulder, embracing him. He knocked his wine cup against Parmenion's. "To Philip," he smiled. "The fates were cruel not to give him this victory, but have we not seen what a son he has in Alexander?"
Parmenion grunted and tried to free himself from Cleitus' embrace, Cleitus had had too much wine, was blind to the danger that was Hephaistion; that was this second Alexander. Everyone had laughed at the mistaken identity, nobody had seen what it really meant, what it had really shown.
"Babylon is enough to change any man," Cleitus whispered conspiratorially in Parmenion's ear. "Even Alexander. When that change occurs, and it will, then be by his side Parmenion, as I plan to be. He will see us for what we are, he will give the recognition we deserve.
"Hephaistion says that Alexander will not settle here, that he will go on…" Philotas said, stopping himself as he saw the two generals turn to look on him.
Cleitus pointed at Philotas. "And we'll have no more 'Hephaistion says'. Mark my words," he said, releasing Parmenion and walking to the door. "Now I am off to find the prettiest girl in the harem, drink my fill and have my own celebration." He turned and bowed, then went out of the room.
Philotas stared at his father. He knew he had not been happy for a long time; that he thought Alexander blamed him for not being able to pursue Darius at Gaugemela. He shook his head. Hephaistion had told him that Alexander was frustrated at having to let Darius go, but that he understood Parmenion had fought valiantly, under great pressure. In fact, he had heard Alexander say the same a short while after. His father missed Philip, they had fought too long together. Philip had trusted him, shared confidences, but Alexander had Hephaistion for that.
"Go join your friends, Philotas."
"I would stay here with you, father."
Parmenion turned to Philotas. He had three sons in all, now only Philotas remained. A father should not have favourites but out of the three it was always Nichanor he loved best. Alexander had loved Nichanor too, not as much as Hephaistion, but the love was there. "Go join your friends," he repeated.
Philotas bowed to his father and left the room.
Parmenion sighed and took another sip of wine. He shook his head. "He too is Alexander," he muttered.
TWO MONTHS LATER
Ptolemy knocked quietly on the door, waiting a moment and getting no answer he knocked louder, then growing impatient he opened the door and went in.
"Seleucus!" he snapped, walking to the bed, aware that two people shared it.
The body on the left moved, groaned, then threw back the sheets, blinking against the morning sunlight to see who had invaded his quarters. "Ptolemy. What in Zeus' name are you doing here?"
"Looking for Hephaistion."
Seleucus laughed, standing up, naked and stretching his body before rubbing at the stubble on his face. "Why would I have seen Hephaistion?"
"Well, have you seen Perdiccas? He's not in his rooms either."
Seleucus turned round and pulled at the sheets, revealing Perdiccas lying there, fully clothed and dead to the world. "He didn't quite make it back to his own bed last night," he explained. "It's not what you might think, but he kept falling off the dining couch and if I were to get any sleep I thought it best he share my bed."
He squinted at Ptolemy, his eyes not yet free of sleep. "What's the matter? You look concerned," he said reaching for a jug of water so he could pour the contents into a silver bowl and wash.
Ptolemy shrugged. "Nothing," he replied. "Except that Alexander finally took the eunuch, Bagoas, to his bed last night."
Seleucus stopped what he was doing, holding the jug over the bowl as if time had stopped. After several moments he turned to Ptolemy. "And you suspect Hephaistion knows?"
"He was there Seleucus. Alexander had him with him, had me there, at the meeting with the ambassadors from Caria and Egypt, but Bagoas was beside him, advising him. Hephaistion acted unconcerned…he'd no need to be concerned, for all this time Alexander has sought him out. When the meeting was over, Alexander called Hephaistion to him…."
Seleucus poured the water. "So what makes you think? Alexander will always…"
"Let me finish, Seleucus," Ptolemy protested. "He called Hephaistion over and asked him to go to Mazeus, there were some things he wanted discussed, wanted Mazeus to be made aware of. That he need not return that evening."
"Oh." Seleucus hesitated again.
"Yes. Oh." Ptolemy went to the chest and pulled out a clean chiton for Seleucus.
Seleucus washed his face, the cold water waking him. He turned to Ptolemy. "If you cannot find Hephaistion, what makes you so sure that he is not with Alexander? Perhaps, Alexander changed his mind and called for him after all."
Ptolemy sighed. "Because Eurymedon, one of the Royal Bodyguard, who is presently on duty, as he has been all night, guarding Alexander, told me that Hephaistion definitely did not return. That Bagoas was with Alexander." He pushed the chiton towards Seleucus. "Hurry up and dress, I want to find Hephaistion."
"He is not in his rooms?"
Ptolemy looked at Seleucus as if he were an idiot. "Would I be here if he were? The pages tell me he has not been there all night."
"Then perhaps he was with someone else," Seleucus suggested, pulling the chiton over his head, then fetching his belt.
"Hephaistion?" Ptolemy laughed. "Never." He fetched Seleucus' boots, handing them to him. As Seleucus pushed his feet into them, Ptolemy grew thoughtful. "I thought we conquered Persia, and now it seems that Persia has conquered Alexander. He wears their clothes, though none of us do…not even Hephaistion. Over the past weeks he has become more and more enamoured with Bagoas, relying on him."
"Alexander will want Hephaistion tonight, surely he will," said Seleucus. "Come on then, we will go and find him, console him and assure him it is just a momentary weakness on Alexander's part."
Ptolemy turned to look on Perdiccas, still sleeping fast. Still drunk. It would be a waste of time to wake him and hope he might join the hunt. He followed Seleucus out, along the richly decorated hallways and in to the morning sun. Seleucus had paused, allowing his eyes to adjust to the bright light. Ptolemy tapped his arm, then headed for the open area where he could hear men wrestling.
Leonnatus was here, apparently attempting to tie Nearchus into knots. Some off duty soldiers were standing around, enjoying the sport, Philotas and Cassander were shouting encouragement to Nearchus, laughing at his vain attempts to free himself.
Cassander saw Ptolemy and Seleucus approach. "You think he'd know better by now," he said.
"I think he's improving," Philotas laughed, as Nearchus gave a groan of discomfort, allowing Leonnatus to pin him to the floor.
Leonnatus laughed, leaning his weight on his friend, happy when Nearchus gave him the fight and then holding out a hand to help him get to his feet.
Leonnatus grinned at his friends. "Who's next?" he asked, reaching for a cloth to wipe the sweat from his body, though hardly any was there. It was Nearchus who looked as though he had run a marathon, and was now leaning on Ptolemy, trying to catch his breath.
"Have you seen Hephaistion?" Ptolemy asked.
Cassander smiled, his gaze wandering to where Parmenion and Cleitus sat with Antigonus, laughing loudly. "He'll be licking his wounds somewhere, I imagine," he replied.
Ptolemy followed Cassander's gaze, frowning at the generals. They must have heard. If Cassander knew, then they would know."
"How the mighty are fallen," Cassander stated. "It must be a blow to be replaced in Alexander's affections by a eunuch. What can that say for Hephaistion?" Cassander laughed. He looked at Ptolemy, seeing anger there. "His horse is not in the stables," he said. "The groom told me he rode out last night. Late."
Ptolemy nodded. It would be like Hephaistion to want time alone. Licking his wounds as Cassander had so eloquently put it. So many had waited to see Alexander relinquish Hephaistion, not realising what it cost Hephaistion each day to stay by Alexander's side. Hephaistion was no fool, he knew what people said behind his back.
"So who will fight me now?" said Leonnatus, then grinned at them before walking over to a servant who held a cup of wine.
Ptolemy turned and nodded at Seleucus, then stepped up alongside Philotas while Seleucus stood by Cassander. Then almost as a mirror image, they reached up and unclipped Philotas and Cassander's chitons, letting them fall, leaving the two bare-chested.
"What's that you say? Philotas? Cassander?" Ptolemy said, loudly…dramatically, causing Leonnatus to turn and look. "You both want to take on Leonnatus…one at a time?"
Philotas and Cassander turned to protest, but Seleucus and Ptolemy shoved them into the ring, while Leonnatus laughed with glee.
Nearchus had dressed. Ptolemy decided to give up the hunt, he had no idea where Hephaistion would have headed. Somewhere the country reminded him of Mieza, no doubt. But he had no idea where. He would ignore his concerns and hope to speak to his friend later.
"Let's go and get breakfast," he said, leading Seleucus and Nearchus back into the palace, taking care to pass the three generals. "I'm sure Leonnatus will be careful with your son, Parmenion," he noted as he passed them, laughing as he heard what sounded like a crying child coming from the ring.
TWO MONTHS MORE
"This is getting beyond a joke," grumbled Parmenion, selecting some meat for his plate and coming back to where Cleitus, Philotas and Cassander sat at table.
"Alexander intends to leave soon, Parmenion," soothed Cleitus. "So we have to drill the men and get them fighting fit. Are you so idle now, after all this time?"
Parmenion took a seat and poured himself some wine. "It's not that."
Cleitus looked at Philotas and Cassander, winking at them. "Then what is it?" he asked, already knowing the answer. It was Parmenion's favourite topic.
Parmenion's face grew red with anger. "Alexander," he spat. "The Great King, himself. I am surprised he doesn't grow a beard and curl it like the Persians. He is becoming more Persian than the Persians, he will have us bowing down to him next."
"Proskinysis," Cassander said.
"What?" asked Parmenion, spitting food over the table.
"Proskinysis. It's what the Persians call it when you bow."
"When you lie down," corrected Cleitus.
"Well, he'll have us doing that," Parmenion complained. "And is he ever without that eunuch? At least Hephaistion had the courtesy to leave when I said I wanted a private word. This eunuch…"
"Bagoas," Philotas said.
Parmenion glared at his son. "This eunuch…Bagoas,he stays in the room, hearing every word you say, acting like he doesn't understand, when you know he does. Every word…"
He paused as Ptolemy, Perdiccas and Seleucus came in, still brushing the dust off their chitons after riding with the cavalry. They went over to the long table bearing a selection of delicacies they had become accustomed to, picking up plates and helping themselves.
"You three have grown soft," Cleitus remarked.
"I didn't fall from my horse," replied Ptolemy, looking over to Cassander and winking.
"He's not fully broken," Cassander retorted, standing up and signalling for Philotas to finish his dinner so they could leave.
"Didn't see Alexander fall from Bucephalus when he first rode him…he's never fallen from Bucephalus and everyone said the horse was mad," Perdiccas said.
"Where is Alexander?" Philotas asked, in no hurry to leave, not concerned that Cassander wanted him to.
"Alexander is in his rooms." The reply came from Leonnatus, who had come to join them.
"And where is Hephaistion?" Cassander enquired.
Leonnatus looked out of the window, which looked down on the palace stables and the wrestling ring. He laughed. "Teaching Nearchus how to beat me," he said. Then obviously studying the two figures, that he alone could see from his position, he frowned. "He knows some smart moves…Hephaistion."
"He was the only one who could ever beat Alexander," Seleucus stated, nudging Perdiccas to pass him the wine, and winking at Ptolemy as he sat by him. The morning had gone well.
Cassander sat back down, his temper cooling. "We all let Alexander win, Perdiccas."
"Speak for yourself," smiled Perdiccas, taking a bite of chicken. "I tried to win…every time."
"What's this?" Leonnatus asked, nudging a grey mass with his finger.
"Sheep's brain," said Seleucus. "Don't touch it, Leonnatus. I was sick for a week."
The table was silent. Parmenion, sitting at the head, studied the young men in front of him. He had seen them grow from boys to men. He looked at Philotas, proud of what his son had achieved. From outside a shout went up, followed by laughter.
"I haven't heard Hephaistion laugh like that for a long time," remarked Ptolemy.
"His spirits are finally lifting," Seleucus replied, taking some bread from Perdiccas' plate, much to Perdiccas' disgust.
Perdiccas grabbed the bread back. "Fetch your own," he said, taking a bite of it. "It's not even as if Nearchus has any intention of fighting Leonnatus, if he can help it."
"Then why has he got Hephaistion teaching him?" Leonnatus asked.
More laughter echoed up from outside.
"For that," said Cleitus.
"Alexander has embraced the Persian's ways. We have not. Nor do I want to," Parmenion stated. "Bagoas has bewitched him and every day it's like we are losing a little more of him to this country." He took a sip of wine, aware he held every man's attention. "You see it yourselves. He dresses like a Persian, listens to them. Who knows what he says or thinks any more? Remember Alexander at Granicus? At Miletus? Halicarnassus? Issus? Tyre? Remember the early days. Alexander. A Macedonian king we could be proud of - dressed as a Macedonian, open to our ideas. What happened, here at Babylon? We are losing him. That is my opinion, though I fear to voice it directly to Alexander anymore."
"Hephaistion used to speak the truth. Alexander always listened to him," Ptolemy said, his eyes meeting Parmenion's. "Hephaistion didn't do it for gain, Parmenion. No matter what you might think."
"Hephaistion knows him, heart and soul. He just loves him," Perdiccas said.
Parmenion grunted, noisily pushing his plate away. "I never thought I would say it. I hated the way Hephaistion held Alexander's attention. But while Hephaistion held Alexander's attention, he would still listen to what we Macedonians had to say. He has not taken to Persian dress like Alexander. He does not line his eyes, like the eunuch…Bagoas."
"He'd be better looking than Bagoas if he did," Seleucus remarked.
The table went quiet, each man looking to the other, then back to Seleucus.
"Genius," muttered Ptolemy, patting Seleucus on the back.
Cleitus laughed. "Would Hephaistion go for it?"
"He might take a little persuasion," Ptolemy said. "But he has missed Alexander. I know that much.
Parmenion stood up. "That's your task then, Ptolemy. Take Seleucus and Perdiccas with you. Take Hephaistion back to his rooms, have the servants bathe him. Cleitus come with me, we have some things to gather together."
Cleitus shook his head and stood up. "To battle then," he said.
FOUR HOURS LATER
It had been a while since Parmenion had danced a komos. Now here, in the privacy of his rooms, he danced gleefully with Cleitus, Perdiccas and Nearchus.
As they all danced Ptolemy and Seleucus came running into the room, closing the door quickly and leaning against it, holding their sides as they laughed.
"Is he with him?"
Ptolemy nodded, pulling himself upright, slapping Seleucus on the back. "Just now."
"And did he wear the green silk?" Nearchus asked.
"He looked better than he did this afternoon. As if that were not enough to shock Alexander into wakefulness. Make him long for what he had lost…what he had let go."
"Why I would have taken him myself," laughed Parmenion. "Did you see the look on the eunuch's face, when Alexander asked Hephaistion to come to him tonight?"
"Now he is another Persian who knows what it is like to be beaten by a Macedonian," grinned Cleitus.
Ptolemy waved for silence. "We hung back. I handed Hephaistion a cup of wine, assured him he looked fine, then told him to go to Alexander. He was reading a letter from his mother when Hephaistion walked in. I could not see what was happening, but after the sculptor was dismissed I heard him ask Hephaistion to stay the night. Next thing, Alexander is telling the eunuch he will take his own bath. Alexander and Hephaistion walked out on to the balcony. They are there now…and Hephaistion will stay the night, I'm sure of it."
"How could he resist Hephaistion?" grinned Seleucus. "The eye liner was the finishing touch."
"Only cause it was your idea," said Perdiccas.
Nearchus grabbed a cup of wine. "To victory!" he cried, beginning a komos of his own.
DEPARTURE
Cleitus cantered his horse up so that he was riding along with Ptolemy and Perdiccas. He nodded to Alexander, who headed the army as they left Babylon behind, noting Hephaistion was by his side.
"Feels good to be leaving, doesn't it?" he said.
Ptolemy turned to look back on Babylon. "We were all growing soft. Part of me would like to stay," he nodded to the distant hills, "but a part of me would like to see what's over there."
"And Alexander?"
Ptolemy grinned. "Which Alexander do you mean? The king? What do you think, Cleitus?"
Cleitus looked along the line, seeing Alexander deep in conversation with Hephaistion. "I'm not so worried. Not for now," he replied. "And Hephaistion? Well Parmenion is singing his praises these days. That's for sure."
He kicked his horse on and galloped off to join Parmenion, then in turn they galloped up to join Alexander and Hephaistion.
"I'm glad to finally be going," Perdiccas said, taking a final glance of the city. "The days have been good. Everything turned out right in the end. But who knows if we'll see it again."
"Who knows," agreed Ptolemy. "Who knows.
THE END