Hello all, A very long time ago I promised my dear 'net friend Fredericka a story about how Hephaestion got his prudent and faithful war stallion Castor. Here it is, at long last!
Perhaps you know by now that I'm a slow writer - but not in this. Part two is almost ready and will be coming soon. :)
All the best wishes. Read and enjoy
// Northern Light
TEMPLATE
Title: Gifts From The Horse Goddess ( 1/2 )
Author: Northern Light
Feedback: Yes, on or off list, as you please.
Archive: Yes, but please tell me.
Date: June 2007
Pairing: Alexander and Hephaestion.
Rating: PG
Beta: Denise. Many thanks for interesting discussions and suggestions. You sure make my stories a better read.
Category: Historical AR
Disclaimer: Not for gain. This is for my deep interest in Alexander and Hephaestion, their time and age and their great adventures.
Summary: Castor, Hephaestion's faithful and prudent war stallion, thinks back on how he first came to his Dear Master.
Warnings: Cruel treatment of our equine friends in the beginning - but they will soon come to a better place with better Masters.
Author's Note: The war horses were an important part of Alexander's great and fearsome army. They must have seen and experienced much of interest.
I just love Disney, so I couldn't resist letting little Castor be a bit like the Little Bull Ferdinand, sitting under the old olive tree, peacefully enjoying the grass and flowers. :)
Dedication: To Fredericka. You rightly reproached me when I forgot to mention Castor amongst Hephaestion's most faithful friends. This put my muses to work. I hope you enjoy the results.
Gifts From the Horse Goddess
Plains Of Thessaly
Prudent.
Even as a small cold I was always prudent, taking good care of myself and others. When the other colts ran away, kicking and fighting and exploring new parts of the paddock I went my own calm and steady path, grazing peacefully in the shade of an old olive tree. The grass was especially soft and sweet just there, and I just loved looking at the beautiful flowers and plants, sniffing at their different sweet fragrances. My dear mother mare came to me and asked me to join the other colts, but I always told her I wanted to be just where I was, in the calm and tranquility under the old olive tree. That's why they called me Olive, back then in my young and carefree days.
When the time came for me to be broken in for riding, all the stable hands at the stud farm thought it would be an easy matter. Not so. I was calm enough when they put on the saddle cloth and bridle, but when the rider tried to mount me I prudently went away, making it impossible. They just shook their heads, telling each other I would easily submit to the right kind of rider.
Time went by, and then the Bad Man came to our peaceful stud farm. I was three years old by then, and I still hadn't felt a rider on my back. He took me and many of my friends away. We were terrified, since he talked loudly to us and bound us together with thick and hard ropes, dragging us with him down the road. The last I heard was the sad and bereaved whinnies of my dear mother mare.
Thunder.
The huge black stallion scared me tremendously at first. He was much older than me and my friends, and he had been in many hard battles. He must have seen and experienced unmentionable horrors, since he was the most ill tempered stallion I had ever met. It didn't take much to make him squeal angrily at us, kick us and even bite us with his fierce yellow teeth. I kept out of his way as best as I could, since I didn't like my fine auburn hide being covered with welts and bruises.
One day the Bad Man and his stable hands came to give Thunder some exercise. They put the saddle cloth on him with great difficulties, and then the Bad Man himself tried to mount him. He wasn't successful. Very soon he was thrown with his nose first right into a great heap of horse dung. He rose, wiping his face and screaming the most foul mouthed curses I had ever heard. I wished I could cover my ears with my hoofs!
Then the Bad Man produced a cruel whip, and took forceful aim, intending to flay Thunder's beautiful silken black hide from his strong muscular body. At that hideous sight I forgot all of my prudence. I instantly ran towards the Bad Man and sunk my teeth right into his left buttock, giving him a fierce bite. He tasted very badly, but I held on, enjoying his screams of pain and outrage. He managed to strike me with his whip, and he and his stable hands came at us with cruel whips at the ready. We ran away, and I showed my new friend how we could hide ourselves in some thick and protecting brambles in the paddock. We stood there trembling as we heard the Bad Man screaming.
"You! You, Thunder, you have always been Bad - and now you have managed to corrupt that docile auburn stallion, too. I cannot sell you to some fine gentleman in the South. No, the both of you will go to the Macedonians! Those uncouth savages will teach you some manners!"
The thought of this unknown horror made me shudder.
"Macedonians?, " I asked my new found friend. "Who are they, Thunder? Could they be dangerous for us horses?"
"I don't know, young one, " he answered in a deep whinny, nodding towards the Bad Man. "They sure cannot be worse to us than Him. "
He turned his head towards the Bad Man, giving him such a baleful stare that I thought he might drop down from the sheer force of it. Then he turned to me once more.
"You surprised me today, Olive, my auburn friend. I thought you were the most cowardly stallion ever to graze in our paddock, " he told me. "Now I see you are brave and reliable when it truly matters!"
"Yes, I couldn't just let him beat you so callously. I had to do something..."
After this we became the closest friends, always helping and comforting each other. I was still very afraid of the Macedonians, though, and Thunder often had to reassure me that they couldn't be so bad and dangerous as I feared.
"No, my friend. Perhaps they are even worse, " I told him back when I was in my most fearful moods.
The Horse Goddess' Promise
They stabled me together with Thunder that evening. As a punishment they let us go to sleep without our evening water and barley gruel. We didn't even get a pile of dry hay to feed upon. We soon became so hungry that our bellies grumbled all the time. We stood there trying to give futile comfort to each other, all until we got so tired that we succumbed to sleep out of sheer exhaustion.
// The Moon was shining right into our box. Thunder stood sleeping at my side. A beautiful woman came sliding down on a silvery moon ray. Her hair was long and spreading around her like a cloak of sparkling silver. She had a bow and quiver at her side and she was riding on a slender, dappled mare. The mare gently nudged me, giving me comfort as she nuzzled me with her silken muzzle.
"Don't despair, my beautiful auburn friend, " the woman told me. "You will soon be taken to the Pella horse fair, and there you will meet your Destiny. Look for a handsome young man. He will have a long, beautiful auburn mane, the same colour as your own, and the most wonderful blue eyes. He will take you on wondrous adventures, ride you to the End of the World, and back..." I was confused, but still I managed to address her.
"Yes, My Lady - but what will become of Thunder, here? Will we be together in all of this?"
"Yes. When the Golden One comes you must stand back. He and Thunder will find each other, and Thunder will find both a new Master and a new name. "
I was so confused that my head begun to spin and my legs gave way under me. The Lady went away on her dappled mare. It looked like the silvery moonlight grabbed her and lifted her up to the starlit skies. Perhaps it was just a hallucination from hunger and anxiety, but I never forgot her and her comforting words. In the morning there was still some silvery dust remaining on the stable floor. //
Pella Horse Fair, 343 BC
Auburn Dream
All to soon we set off to the horse fair. The Bad Man took us on a long and forced march far up in the North, where all people spoke an unintelligible language. They were kind to us horses, though, and gave us plenty of nourishing barley and fresh, sweet smelling hay. When we were put into pastures the grass was soft, green and succulent, and it grew in abundance. I started to change my opinions about the Macedonians. Perhaps our new Home would be a god place for us.
We came to a big city, and after a night of troubled rest we were taken to the Horse Fair that was held in an emerald green pasture just outside the City Walls. Lots of people were cheering and walking around, looking curiously at us. Some were so uncouth that they even looked right into our mouths!
Thunder was being kept in his own tent. He was not to be lead out until later on, as the main attraction of the day. I was in the common horse lines, standing together with two lovely mares, Sapphire and Amethyst. We were talking friendly, trying to comfort each other in this strange place.
A young boy with the most radiant auburn hair mane came up towards me. He was looking just the way the Horse Goddess had told me! He seemed most calm and reliable, and looked at me with longing and respect. There was something in his beautiful blue eyes that made me trust him immediately, and I let him gently strike my muzzle, head and ears. I just gave him a friendly blow into his ear when an older man came up to us. He was very like the boy, but there was some gray in his hair. He was followed by a small girl with the same auburn mane, bound into a thick, glossy braid. She had warm, hazel eyes and looked up to the boy. I understood they must be siblings.
"Phai, how strange. This horse must be meant just for you. Look, you even have the same colour on your manes!"
Yes, now I saw the strands of soft human hair and coarse horsehair mixed together. They shone in the very same auburn color.
"We will see, we will see, my dear boy, " the older man mused. "You know, our olive trees haven't given us the best of crops this year. "
The Golden One
Now I saw someone in the shadows. There was a golden mane rustling in the springtime breeze, a determined nod and then a soft whisper to someone else standing even deeper into the shadows. Then there was a tremendous commotion, and the auburn haired boy and his family stepped aside. A One Eyed Man dressed in a purple, gold rimmed cloak came up to us. He was surrounded by other men in red cloaks. They were heavily armed and clearly guarding and protecting him. He was followed by a tall, muscular man, sporting a long coal black mane, almost like my friend Thunder. The Bad Man followed them, and I had never seen him in such an obsequious mood.
"I want to look at a steady and docile stallion for my Son, " the One Eyed Man stated. "He is young and reckless and needs someone reliable to take him to hunting and wars. "
"I have exactly what you need, Sire, " the Bad Man answered, taking a determined hold of my tether. "Olive here is calm and steady, but he is brave and fierce when it truly matters. He will be an excellent war horse some day, and at the time being, your Son couldn't do better. "
The One Eyed Man gently stroke my head and ears with his calloused hands. I instantly liked him and I knew he was a true Leader of Men.
"Alexander! Come here! What do you think about this fine stallion?"
A young boy came running up to him, radiating an aura of such golden energy that I had never seen anything like it before. He had beautiful golden hair, floating like a mane of soft curls onto his broad and muscular shoulders. All of him was golden, and I knew he must be the one the Horse Goddess had described to me. I felt drawn to him, but at the same time he scared me. A tapestry of blood, violence, smoldering deserts and steaming jungles quickly passed before my eyes. I instantly stepped back from him, knowing that I was not to become his war horse and he was not my future Rider He was surrounded by both older and younger boys. One of them came limping behind. There seemed to be something wrong with his left leg. They looked like an Army in miniature, and I felt sorry for the ones who might come in their way in the future.
"Yes, Father, he looks fine enough - but I have my mind set on someone more spirited. I've just not seen him, yet..."
He looked into the shadows. There was a gleam of auburn, a silvery shine, and I felt like I had stumbled upon something most unusual.
Wild Ride
Now we all heard a loud and fierce neighing from Thunder's tent. He was being led out, and the Bad Man proudly presented him.
"This is Thunder, the bravest and most fierce war stallion you have ever seen. He can carry a King to Victory and Glory on his back, and he is brave enough to scare off even the strongest and most determined enemy. "
Thunder reared up, almost breaking his tether. Then he stamped down, making the ground shake and ring with the impact of his great black hoofs. The stable hands threw themselves out of harms way, nearly dropping the tethers.
"This one looks more dangerous to his riders and grooms that to his enemies, " the Black Maned Man adamantly told the One Eyed Man. "Let him alone, Sire. We must look for someone more reliable. "
"No, Cleitus. I like the looks of him. Let's give him a try. "
He came close, and the grooms held him as best as they could. Three times he tried in vain to mount my friend, but Thunder shied away, reared up and kicked around so violently that he had to leave him alone. The Black Maned Man then came to him, talking kindly. Thunder listened for some time, but then he reared up once more, not letting him mount, either.
"This is hopeless, Sire, " the Black Maned Man stated. "Thirteen talents - for this black maned Menace! We can buy ourselves something better than a broken neck for this outrageous sum!"
"Yes, Cleitus. You are right. We must go and look at the other stallions. "
The One Eyed Man turned the back at Thunder, not noticing The Bad Man's disappointed looks.
"No, Father. You must not let this excellent war horse go away from us!", The Golden Boy came up to them, indignantly telling them this. "Let me ride him! I'm sure he is spirited enough to follow me to war and adventures!"
"Alexander. You are young and inexperienced, you just left your small pony behind, " his Father told him. " I cannot let you risk your life. That stallion is dangerous and bad mannered. I will buy the auburn one for you. He will never let you be hurt or led astray!"
"Yes, I agree he is a fine stallion, but Thunder is the one I want! We are meant for each other. Now I will take him for a ride!"
Before anyone could stop him he was at Thunder's side, putting his arm around his withers. He gently ruffled his mane, telling him secrets no one else would ever hear. Suddenly he made a great leap,vaulting up on Thunder's powerful back. My friend was as surprised as everyone else. He bucked and bolted, but the Golden Boy stayed firmly put. Away they went, in a cloud of red and yellow dust. Tufts of emerald green grass flew into the air. One was thrown right at me, and I munched at it, finding the taste delicious.
I saw my friend galloping far away, making a powerful run all around the horse fair. The Golden One was safely seated on his broad, muscular back. They seemed like One, and I felt a surge of happiness for my friend. Something now told me that our days of misery were over, and that we were meant to see and do great things together. Thunder and his new found Rider came back. Both were covered in sweat and panting, but both looked happy with each other. The Golden One slid of Thunder's back, right into the waiting arms of his Father. The older man had been out of his wits from sheer anxiety, and he was still trembling. They embraced each other, and I could see tears in their eyes.
"My Son, you must go seek yourself a grander Kingdom. Macedon is not great enough for you. "
I didn't understand much of this statement. The place we were in sure was good enough for me, fine stables, nourishing food and fragrant green pastures in abundance, even some very beautiful mares. Who would ever want more?
Tranquil Moments In The Stable
At the end of the day me and Thunder found ourselves sharing a box in the Royal Stables of Pella. The beautiful mares Sapphire and Amethyst were stabled in a box nearby, and we heard their beckoning whinnies. The grooms were very kind to us. They brought soft and fragrant hay, the finest barley and also some sweet apples and honey cakes. They took good care of us, washing us and grooming us, leaving us shining with health and pride. We realized that these Macedonians intended to take us out for some very great missions, indeed.
My friend was not called Thunder anymore. The Golden One had renamed him, so he was now called Bucephalus. He gave me a new name, too.
"Olive, that's no name for a skilled war horse! You are Castor, now, and I will find you the very best and kindest of Riders. "
He spent a very long time with us in the stable that evening, talking to us, grooming us and giving us extra apples and honey cakes. I took an instant liking to him, even if he managed to scare me. He was simply too much, his personality so overwhelming, his personal scent so very sweet, clean and fragrant. He smelt of violets and lavender, and some of his very own essence, something so wonderful it made you want to follow him to the very End of the World.
"Alexander! So it's here you are hiding away! I have been looking for you all afternoon, " the auburn haired boy adamantly stated, as he came into the stable in great strides. "You are spoiling these horses, I see - but they sure deserve it. Philonicos treated all of his stock most cruelly, especially Bucephalus. Poor brave one, he was beaten and taunted so badly, that he was even afraid of his own shadow!"
"Yes, I know. You told me so, making it easier for me to know how to tame him. Now he will never be beaten or taunted anymore! Father has bought him for me, together with his auburn friend. I cannot wait until we can go riding together!"
They stayed for a long time in the stable, talking to us about all the great adventures we were to share, making us feel their excitement as our very own. When they had talked and talked forever, they went up to the haymow, sharing an evening meal brought to them in a basket. We heard rustling and rolling, soft pealing laughter, and pleasurable sounds. After a long time they came down, holding on to each other, all covered in hay and chaff. They gave each other kind and loving looks, as if they had just looked upon the most beautiful mare on earth. We didn't understand a bit, but since they were in such a good mood, we also felt good about it.
Lecture With Interruptions
In the morning we were given a sumptuous breakfast, before being let out into a soft, green pasture. We ran around for a while, greatly enjoying ourselves. Then we heard a droning, but very special and engaging Voice from behind a thick bramble with fragrant and blooming lilacs. The sweet scent of the Golden One clearly came through, so strong that it surpassed the fragrance of the lilacs. We drew closer and closer towards the lilacs, until we could look between the flowery twigs.
A Bald Man was holding some kind of lecture. The Golden One and his Companions were intently listening, holding rolls of white leaves in their hands, together with some tablets and strange pointed twigs. The Golden One was sitting together with the Auburn Haired Boy. Two big dogs were softly snoring at their feet, and two furry cats lay in a basket at the side of the Auburn Haired Boy. They all listened to the Bald Man. He was not completely bald, but most of his mane was on the sides of his head. His brow was high, and his head was one of the biggest I had ever seen. It looked as if it held very much of useful knowledge, both for men and horses. He was talking about flowers and healing herbs. Since I had loved flowers and herbs all of my life, I soon got caught by the lecture. Bucephalus stood impatiently nibbling at the lilacs, and soon he stamped his great black hoof into the ground.
"Let us gallop one more round, " he beckoned to me. "They won't take us for a ride as long as He is talking to them. "
"You may gallop as much as you please, my friend, " I adamantly stated. "This man truly knows what he is talking about. I want to stay here and listen to him!"
"Then I will stay on, too, but I sure hope something more exciting happens soon!"
We saw that the Auburn Haired Boy wasn't listening very much to the Bald Man. Instead he was giving more and more fond looks to the Golden Boy, closely examining his shoulders, his knobbly knees, his golden hair and shining face. There was a strange heat building between the two of them. The Bald Man noticed it, too. He frowned and gave them a disapproving look. Then he saw me and Bucephalus through the lilac brambles. He gave us an amused smile, and went on with his talk about herbs and plants. It seemed that he was not being used to such unusual listeners.
As I heard the bumblebees softly droning and the birds melodiously chirping I felt more and more sleepy. My head hung heavily down, and I felt Bucephalus leaning on me, gently rubbing my side. The rolled leave the Auburn Boy held in his hand sure looked tasty. I woke up from my sudden sleepiness and reached out to take a nibble at it. It tasted dry and dull, and it made me sneeze loudly. All the audience looked at me, and I would have blushed if I had been able to.
"Alexander! It seems that your new horses are more interested in my lecture than you and your friends - but I am not so sure about what they might learn from it. "
The Bald Man pointed towards us, fondly smiling and laughing. The lecture continued. The bumblebees were droning, the birds were chirping, and the Auburn Haired Boy leaned more and more heavily on his Golden Friend. My head was drooping, my eyelids felt more and more heavy, and I was feeling so warm and secure that I fell asleep on my four hooves.
THUD!
I was startled and raised my head, looking through the lilac bramble. The Auburn Boy was lying at the feet of the Golden One, panting and blushing, and struggling to get up on his feet. The Bald Man looked at him with clear disappointment.
Mild Punishment
"Hephaestion! It seems my lectures are not good enough for you, since you are falling asleep on me! I am very disappointed. Now you will have to learn about flowers and herbs in a more practical manner. "
The Bald Man looked down on all of his students, his keen blue eyes filled with annoyance.
"I will give you a list of fifty different flowers and herbs. You will go out in this green meadow and pick them all and present them to me before evening. And, since Alexander somehow manages to distract you from your studies, he will help you with the collecting. You can not come in for supper until you are done!"
He gave them a stern look, but I thought I saw some mild amusement, too. The soft giggles from the Companions puzzled me. How could collecting flowers and herbs be regarded as a punishment? There sure was no better way to spend a sunny afternoon.
All In A Meadow Green
Hephaestion prudently took a basket and started looking for herbs in the meadow. Alexander followed closely, and they intently looked at the list of herbs and plants. The first ten were easy enough to find, but then they became attracted to each other and disappeared behind some dog-rose bushes. I had seen that the soft grass in this secluded place was strangely flattened, as from some strange and unknown activity. The Bald Man's list lay all by itself on the ground, fluttering in the soft spring breeze. I curiously looked at it. There were clearly painted pictures of all the fifty herbs, and I recognized most of them. Our friends didn't appear from their seclusion behind the dog-rose bushes. I was worried that they would have to go without supper this evening.
"Bucephalus! We must help them to collect the herbs, or else they won't get any supper tonight. Come with me here. We can use the pictures to help us. "
I was clearly focused on the herbs and managed to collect several more and put them in the basket. My friend had other interests, though. He managed to find one herb with beautiful yellow, round flowers and silver gray leaves. When he nibbled at it it tasted bitterly, and he spat it out in disappointment.
"Phaugh! This one is not even good to eat! Now I want to go galloping!"
He went to the dog-rose bushes and came back with the Golden One in tow. He had taken a powerful bite in his clothes and was leading him over the meadow.
"Oh, Phai, it seems Bucephalus is jealous of you! He won't leave me alone until I take him for a ride. "
The Auburn Haired Boy came running up to them. His glossy hair was filled with grass and small white and rose colored flowers, He had a dog rose stuck behind his right ear and his clothes were looking quite disheveled.
"Yes. It seems I will do the rest of the collecting all on my own. "
He sullenly went to the basket and looked into it.
"Alexander! There are many more herbs and flowers here now. Did you collect them before we were...distracted?"
"No, of course not. I found something more beautiful than flowers and herbs..."
Now I trotted up and deliberately stared at the list, then into the basket, and then at the list again. At the same time I was eagerly neighing. Hephaestion came up to me, gently ruffling my mane and patting my muzzle.
"It's not possible. Philonicos told us this horse has a special interest in flowers and plants - but how could he have collected them and put them in my basket? Why didn't he eat them instead?"
"It seems he wanted to help you. You two can search for the herbs together. Perhaps it'll be easier to find them then."
Now Bucephalus gave the Golden One a powerful tug at his clothes. Alexander looked at us in mock despair.
"I want to help you, too, but it seems Bucephalus won't let me! See you at supper, my friends!"
And off he went, galloping on Bucephalus, right into the deep forest. Hephaestion and I stayed in the green meadow, prudently collecting all of the herbs in his basket. When we were ready he took me to the stable and groomed me all by himself. He gave me cool water to drink and brought me a whole bucket of tasty barley gruel. I felt so very calm and secure in his company. No one had ever taken such good care of me. I wanted to stay with him forever.
Credits And Chastisements
Now the Bald Man came into the stable.
"Hephaestion! Why are you not still in the meadow? You can not have collected all those herbs already! And - why do you have a dog rose behind your ear? Those were not on the list!"
The Auburn Haired Boy blushed before he politely answered his stern tutor.
"Oh, it must have stuck there accidentally. I have collected all the plants, Aristotle. They are in the basket. I got the most amazing help from my friend here."
He gave me a fond hug and gently ruffled my mane. The Bald Man gave the basket a thorough inspection. He counted the herbs, finding all fifty properly arranged inside. Then he gave us some reluctant praise.
"You don't mean that the HORSE helped you search out all those herbs? Horses can do nothing with plants save eating them!"
"Castor here is no ordinary horse. He is brave and intelligent - and no other stallion can keep company with Bucephalus. "
"Yes, I see. Where is he, by the way? And, where is Alexander? He was supposed to help you with the herbs. "
"He and Bucephalus got a bit impatient. They went for a ride in the forest. They ought to be home anytime now. "
"Yes. Let's go to supper now. I will have something to tell Alexander and his black maned menace when they return, " the Bald Man sternly stated. "You were to collect all those herbs TOGETHER!"
He went away from the stable. Hephaestion gave him a worried look, filled with deep respect. Suddenly he threw his arms all around my neck.
"Oh, Castor, you are such a good horse, just the right one for me. I'm so sorry Father couldn't buy you. We cannot know what intentions the King has for you. "
I fondly nibbled at his glossy auburn hair, making soft and reassuring sounds. Somehow I knew all would turn out right for us.
In the midst of this tender moment I was overwhelmed by stark terror and despair. Something must have happened to Bucephalus and his Golden One! My Auburn Haired Friend shared my feelings. He suddenly put his hand over his heart, as if he experienced great difficulties in breathing.
"Oh, Alexander. Something must have happened to Alexander! Damn!! I'm always so well behaved. I should have taken you, too for a ride, following them!"
He ran after Aristotle, and soon they came back to the stables, bringing the two big dogs. Their eyes were filled with great anxiety and they spoke worriedly to each other.
Alexander hadn't returned home for supper.
TBC