Hello all,

This is my entry for the holidays, following Fiona's excellent Going Home theme. One can see it as a sequel to my Midwinter Marriages, taking place long after these events. It is an AR so my *apologies* for changing events from real history into something more to my personal liking. I *must* have Happy Endings, and the AR concept provides me with the tools to make them. The story will be posted in three parts, one now, one after Christmas and one after the NewYear's Eve.

All the best wishes, Wishing all of my dear 'net friends a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and Writing Year!

/ NorthernLight

Going Home

Keep Of Amyntor, 320 BC

A Family In Distress

The Lord Amyntor and the Lady Theano were getting old these days. They had both passed seventy decades, a venerable age, not reached by many. Their daughter Helen and her husband Demetrios lived together with them at the Keep, also their dear grandchildren Petros and Aleko. Theirs was a happy family, they spent their time in calm and prosperity. Their Keep was a good place to live in, their farmlands were wast and fertile, their crops often abundant and their animals many and well kept. All things had been as well as may be, until now.

The Lady Helen was ailing. She had been stricken by some kind of strange wasting illness this autumn. Her strength was rapidly leaving her. Now when Midwinter had arrived with merciless cold, ice and snow she had become even worse. Her loving family had done all that they could to restore her failing health. They cooked all her favourite foods, they brought good warming red wine, they sent for doctors and wise women, making all kinds of healing concoctions, but to no avail.

The Lady Helen became weaker for every day that went by.

She was not expected to live to see the next Spring.

Someone Missing

There was another great sorrow to disturb the happy family life of the House of Amyntor.

The Lord and Lady had a son, Helen had an older brother. She had been very close to him, he was even dearer to him than her beloved husband.

This brother, their beloved Hephaestion, was long gone from home. He had accompanied King Alexander on his glorious Persian Campaign these many years ago. They had often heard news from him. Mostly he had done well. He had been a major part of all the King's Victories. He had kept himself out of harm's way and survived all his wounds and ailments. He had succumbed to a serious illness in the seven walled city of Ecbatana, but fortunately he had survived that, too.

Now he was in the far away city of Babylon.

They did not expect him to ever return to his cold and distant homeland.

They knew that he was the only one who could bring their dear Helen back to life again.

Day Of Wonders

It was a cold winter's day, so very cold. At the same time it was beautiful, promising to be a day or wonders. The sun shone from an azure blue sky. It's golden rays glittered on the white snow and the hoar frost on the tree branches and remaining straws and herbs. There were signs of beauty everywhere. Even the small birds sung songs of great joy, almost as in the most florishing Springtime.

Then the clattering of hooves was heard all over the countryside. A grand party was riding on the path towards the Keep. There were two men on horses, one of them was black as coal, the other a shining chestnut. They had wolf fur cloaks and they were hooded so that one was unable to see their faces or appearances. They were followed by many other men, also on horseback.

The Lady Helen woke up from her troubled sleep. She rose from her bed and walked on weak and trembling legs to the stone window. She looked outside, seeing the many men. Then she called out in sheer desperation, before she fainted and fell on the cold stone floor.

"Hephaestion! You are coming home at long last!"

Her parents, her husband and her young sons called out in distress.

"Oh, no. Now she is delirious, also. Whatever shall we do?"

Demetrios lifted her in his arms and carried her back to the bed. She lay there, as white as the newly fallen snow.

An old mare was standing in the stable. She was long past her brooding days, but she had two fine stallions to accompany her. They were her twin sons, one a coal black and the other a shining chestnut. Now all three of them heard something. They tore violently at their trappings, so violently that they were severed from the walls. Then they ran away from the stable, kicking the door off its hinges. The stable hands looked in terror as they galloped over the courtyard, disappearing down the slope.

"Whatever has gotten into those horses? The mare Selene has always been calm and docile. It must have been her wild sons, young Castor and Bucephalus who have led her astray!"

The stable hands followed their valuable charges down the slope. There they came upon a most astounding sight. The old mare and her young stallion sons had met a large party on the road to the Keep. She stood happily nuzzling two old and graying stallions, very similar to her two sons. The stable hands looked with amazement at the Riders. Then they kneeled before them.

One of the men leaped off his horse and embraced them, lifting them from the snowy grounds. He threw away his wolf fur hood, revealing a silky, auburn mane lined with silver.

"You need not kneel before me, my friends, "he told them in a friendly manner. "I am at home now, at home for the Midwinter festivities at the Keep, and I have brought someone with me."

"You are most welcome home, our Lord Hephaestion! There is only one thing that you need to know, "the oldest stable hand told him. "Your dear sister, the Lady Helen, she is very ill. She is not expected to survive this hard and cold winter."

Hephaestion beckoned to someone in the ranks behind. A giant man in a black bear skin fur cloak jumped from his gray, bat tempered stallion. He had a smallish figure bundled under his cloak. They all ran up to the Keep, leaving the horses merrily frolicking in the snow.

They were met by the Lord and Lady of the Keep. The Lord Amyntor walked with a knotted stick as support. He held his Lady Theano by the hand.

"What is it? Who goes there?, "he sternly asked.

Then he looked at the stranger in the wolf fur cloak. He threw the hood back down his broad shoulders and revealed himself. When Amyntor saw the familiar features, the shining blue eyes and the auburn hair streaming down the shoulders he clutched at his heart and fell backwards. The Lady Theano fainted and hung limp at his arm.

"Hephaestion! I must be dreaming...or has Death come to claim me, and you are here to meet me!"

"No, dearest Father. I am here for real, "Hephaestion answered. He embraced his father and mother, crying hot tears of joy and recognition.

The venerable old couple soon recovered when he held them and rocked them to and from in his strong embrace.

"There is someone more who wants to see you, "the Lord Amyntor told his son as he recovered from the shock.

"Yes, I know, "Hephaestion answered with a serious expression on his fine features.

He almost ran up the stairs, followed by his Companions, one in a wolf fur cloak and the other in a bear fur cloak. They entered the Lady Helen's chambers. She lay pale and wan in her bed, and she had not regained consciousness. Hephaestion ran to her side and embraced her. As he shook her she slowly awakened and looked at him, at first with terror in her beautiful blue eyes.

"Oh no, Phai, no. The Grim Reaper has come to claim me, and he sent you to make my journey easier."

"You are mistaken, my dearest Sister, "Hephaestion called out to her. "I am here for real. Who would want to miss the Midwinter Celebration at the Keep of Amyntor?"

The Lady Helen fainted once more. Now a tiny golden haired woman came forward from the folds of the black bear skin cloak of the giant man. She produced a vial made of simple clay. As she unstoppered it the chambers filled with aromatic vapours, smelling strongly but sweetly of healing herbs and rich brandy. She held it to the nostrils of the Lady Helen. At first they flickered weakly, then she sneezed violently and opened her eyes.

"Drink this, my Lady, "the Healer Amanda adamantly ordered her. "It will make you feel better."

And it did. As the Lady Helen drank from the vial the colour returned to her pale cheeks, the shine came back in her eyes and even the gloss returned to her long auburn locks of hair. She rose from her bed and called out to them all.

"Let us celebrate Midwinter together! HE who we thought was gone for good has returned to us all! Let us rejoice!"

She embraced Hephaestion. He held her in his arms, looking at her with fondness. Brother and sister had always been the closest of friends, there was just One more important to him. Now they all looked at the other man in his warming wolf fur cloak. He had remained hiding himself under the furry hood. Now he threw it aside.

Beautiful golden hair flooded down his shoulders. It was rimmed with silver, but so filled with gloss and shine that all of the chambers were lit up by it. He fondly watched them all as they kneeled before him.

"The King! King Alexander has come home at long last!, "they all called out in amazement.

King Alexander embraced them all and lifted them up to their feet again.

"You do not need to kneel before me, "he reassuringly told them. "You all are my family, too. I have come home to celebrate the Midwinter Festivities with you!"

There was a fond Reunion at the Keep of Amyntor and the very best Midwinter Festivities for many a year.

TBC