Here comesthe sequel to myDisaster At Persian Gate . Alexander and Hephaestion visits Persepolis and the Persian Gate anew at their return from India. Theyfind a wonderful surprise.

All the best wishes and hopefully good reading/NorthernLight

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Title: FIC: Title: Persian Gate Revisited. (1/1)

Author: NorthernLight

Category: Love/Friendship/Adventure and action story. Alternate History.

Pairing: Alexander&Hephaestion

Date: March 2005.

Feedback: Yes, all kinds, preferably "nice".

Archive: Yes, but please tell me. Archivated at the ATG Slash&Fanfic Yahoo Groups.

Disclaimer: I don't own them. My work here is for my deep interst in Alexander and Hephaestion, their time and age.

Summary: Alexander and Hephaestion returns to Persian Gate after many hardships and hard campaigning. They come upon an unexpected surprise.

Warnings: This is an AU story. Anything can happen! This particular story is "nice", to come from me. Nothing disastrous happens in this chapter.

Many thanks to Dreamer46. Without your question about what became of Ghwetryn and her child this tale would never have been told.

Persian Gate Revisited

Persian Gate, 324 BC.

Happiness And Prosperity

Ghwethryn looked with joy upon her fine home and the beautiful green meadow in front of it. She was holding her new born infant in her lap. It was a lovely little girl. She was surrounded of her other children, the twin boys and their sister...and Herazanes. Her oldest son was the one she loved the most. He was very unlike her other, dark haired and brown eyed children. His hair was a beautiful burnished copper tone, his eyes dark blue, his skin fair...and his temper so prudent and polite. He was always nice and orderly, taking so good care of his smaller siblings. Lately he had started to guarding the goats together with two fierce dogs, and he was doing it very well...

Her thoughts wandered back and she saw Herazanes father before her Inner Eye. The strong and wonderful man who lived with her for some months seven years ago. She was most sad when he went aways - but very glad when he came back, so wonderfully restored together with his Beautiful Golden One. They both thanked her and gave her a present, a sack of gold. She made good use of it, getting herself a new husband, Ramin whom she had felt a fond friendship with for a long time. They turned her poor little hut into a fine mountain manor and were very prosperous indeed. When their first child was born, far too early, all understood who fathered the big, beautiful copper haired boy - but no one minded.

Yes. Ghwethryn was pleased with her lot in life...but sometimes she wondered about Herazanes father. Where was he now? How did he and his Beautiful Golden One get along? Would she ever see him again?

Returning

Hephaestion was happy returning from all eastern hardships, still alive...Far too many of his brothers in arms had passed away, slain by the enemy, succumbing to unknown, terrible diseases, killed by poisonous snakes or perishing in cruel and meaningless disasters of nature. He deeply mourned all the lost lives - but all sorrow and hardships were soon forgotten. He had what was most important - his Beautiful Golden One riding at his side. Alexander was slowly recovering from his terrible arrow wound. That Mallian Arrow almost killed him - and the desert disasters in Gedrosia so soon after didn't improve his failing health. He was more thin and pale than before, his golden hair full of silver strands - but the signs of wear and aging only made him more beautiful.

Hephaestion was satisfied with his lot in life, newly married with the beautiful Persian Princess Drypetis, sister to Alexander's own spouse, the Princess Stateira. The Susa Weddings had been a magnificent feast, a wonderful union of the Macedonian and Persian people - and most fruitful. Both Princesses were expecting! Hephaestion could barely wait. Alexander's and his own son would be cousins, and growing up in peace together.

Now they were returning to Persepolis. Persian Gate was more friendly this time. People came cheering towards the returning army, looking prosperous and well fed. All remembered their Day Of Luck those seven years ago when Carduzes Cruel Castle was reduced to a heap of smoldering ashes. Since then all people had prospered and lived in peaceful happiness. Everyone welcomed King Alexander's returning army with open arms - only one place shut its doors with sullen antipathy. The fine vineyard up the mountain slope! When they came by and wanted to sample their finest vintages the owner reluctantly peered through the gates.

"Oh no! Not you again! It was bad enough with you sampling my vintages on your own! My poor vineyard won't survive hosting your whole entourage!"

He was persuaded to let them in. Fortunately they behaved themselves and in the morning there were even some jars left over...

Guarding Stefanos never tired of it. Now he had young Herakles in his care. King Alexander's beautiful golden haired son was even more reckless and troublesome than his father. He was a bright child, quick both in mind and body, always up to something new. At seven all the world lay before him, every day a new adventure.

King Alexander and his friend Hephaestion were sleeping late after their thorough wine sampling the night before. Little Herakles had been there in the beginning, drinking some raspberry juice, eating some roast boar with vegetables and honey cakes for deserts - but when the serious wine sampling begun Stefanos prudently took him to bed. He was up early in the morning, wanting to ride his pony Little Lightning to look at the mountainside. Stefanos armed himself, brought their guardian dog Pandora and off they went after a healthy breakfast of gruel, bread and goat cheese. It was a bright sunny day, flowers blooming and filling the air with delicious fragrances. The sky was azure blue behind the high craggy mountains. Young Herakles was riding along, cheering his pony along. Stefanos wished he had been as bright as his young ward. He had gone back to the wine sampling after putting Herakles to bed and now he was having a very bad headache. The mountainside looked most calm and quite. No one was about and he saw an inviting tree with soft emerald grass under. He got off his horse and sat down with a painful sigh, lifting one hand up to his troubled head. Herakles asked curiously:

"Stefanos. How are you? Did you go back to Father's party when I was asleep? No wonder you are feeling like that today..."

So young, but already so familiar to the facts of adult life.

"Yes. I should have staid away from it. When you get older, Herakles, remember to stay away from that bad habit! It is a lot of fun when the wine is drunk - not so good the day after...I will rest here for a little while. Do not stray too far from me..."

Unlike

Herazanes realized very early that he was not like his siblings or all the other people around him. He belonged - but in a way he was always apart from them. No one told him directly, but he often heard whispers about his dear Mother taking care of a strange man who had been seriously hurt and tortured of the Cruel Carduzes, the scourge of Persian Gate, fortunately long gone...All said he was the very image of this man. He was very curious of him, feeling the excitement of having a Father who was far away...

Now he was out guarding the flock of goats, together with his two brave watch dogs. He sat on a mossy stone with his staff ready. The goats were grazing peacefully in the warm sun and he felt himself almost dozing off... Loud barking woke him up. His watch dogs were fiercely attacked by an angry bitch. She was foaming mad and all the dogs fought fervently in a ball of biting and tearing fur. All the goats were running havoc and he feared for their sanity. Alarmed he called out:

"Rustam! Luhraz! Stop it! Let her be! Tend to our herd instead!"

No results. The commotion got even worse. Now he heard a loud ringing voice in an unknown language:

"Pandora! Stop it! You'll be sorry for it . And you have no business scaring those poor goats away. "

A boy his own age but most unlike him came running, swift as lightning. He grabbed the bitch by her spiked collar and dragged her away. She whimpered embarrassed, baring her teeth one last time to the watch dogs. Rustam and Luhraz glared suspiciously at her, but when they saw she was held closely at check by her young Master they started to collect and compose the scattered goats together. Herazanes just stared at the stranger. He had never seen anyone like him. His skin was so fair, almost transparent, and his thick curly hair had such a wonderful color like molten gold. He was strong for his tender age and dressed in an azure blue tunic with elaborate golden meandering selvage. His riding boots were of the softest deer hide and he was striding mightily, as if he owned the whole world. Herazanes was completely taken aback and he felt all things totally changing around him. He immediately liked the Golden Boy and wanted them to be friends forever.

Commotion.

Stefanos woke up to a horrible racket and barking. Alarmed he jumped up, clutching his poor head but soon forgetting his distress. He run towards the riot as fast as he could, brandishing his sword. It was not far away. On an emerald green meadow full with many colored rich smelling flowers he saw a most surprising sight. Now all was calm. Herakles had grabbed Pandora and was calming her down, patting her behind the ears.

"Hush, hush, you she bitch! Don't you scare those poor animals no more...What shall I do about you?"

Herakles and Pandora was familiar to him- but strangely the goatherd even more. He knew that true and steadfast look, that calm and beautiful face, that shining copper tone hair - but he had never expected seeing it in a seven year old boy. The young goatherd really was the very image of his Lord Hephaestion! How could this be possible? He who never even looked at women...

The boys were sitting together, trying to have a conversation, using the little Persian Herakles knew. Now Pandora was calming down and was licking the hands of the goatherd, precisely as she did when the Lord Hephaestion came around...

"Herakles! What are you up to now? Didn't I tell you to stay away from mischief!"

"It was not me, Stefanos. It was Pandora! She scared Heraz' goats away - but now I have caught her and I'm telling her to behave herself!"

"Yes. We must be thankful for Pandora's bad temper today. I think she has found us an unexpected blessing. "

He then told Herazanes in stumbling Persian:

"Please bring your goats and dogs to the vineyard nearby. There is someone you certainly would like to meet!"

Herazanes nodded knowingly and gladly collected his herd.

Copper Hammers.

Alexander and Hephaestion were recuperating in the shade of a big chestnut tree near the vineyard. Their poor heads were beaten from the inside by cruel copper hammers and they regretted their all too thorough wine sampling the evening before. They were drinking cool mountain water with drops of lemon juice in it, trying to comfort each other. Sometimes they dozed off and no one dared to disturb them...

A lot of barking and bleating woke them up. It was a most hilarious sight. An angry billy goat was butting Krateros and making him run away in shameful distress. Hephaestion laughed so heartily that he forgot his hurting head. Then he saw the goatherd. He was so amazed by the boy's all too familiar appearance he couldn't say a word. Alexander told him in astonishment:

"Well, well. I didn't know you and our dear Ghwethryn were that close when she nursed you back to health? You never told me about this!"

"How could I? You know I lost my memory for a long time. "

Now Herazanes interrupted, running to Hephaestion, hugging him warmly.

"Father. I always knew you would come for me! And - how strange. You too have a Beautiful Golden One as your dearest friend!"

Alexander and Hephaestion quickly forgot their headaches and copper hammers. All went off to a happy reunion, meeting Ghwethryn and her husband, having a delicious meal at her fine manor. They staid there for some days, Herakles and Herazanes becoming the closest of friends, as if they always had known each other. Herazanes wanted to be with his father and took a fond farewell of Ghwethryn, his stepfather and his smaller siblings.

It was late in spring as they rode off to the multicolored walls of Ecbatana...

To be continued in Evil Events In Ecbatana