Title: No One's Whore
Pairing(s): Hephaistion/Alexander
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I own nothing, nothing is true ... these are the lies I have created.
Warning(s): m/m slash, angst, slight violence, love
Word-count: 4,820
*****
He had heard it so many times before, ever since he was a teenager and he and the young prince had become important to each other. He had always been judged; whether about his close relationship with Alexander, or the wild, untamed beauty he seemingly possessed, or the way he mourned for the dead in his own emotional way; but the judgment of others had never upset him. He was strong, confident, and sure of his person and his position. He was not one to start trouble, not one to go looking for a confrontation, and his level of discipline and self-control was beyond reproach. iBut/i when he was pushed too far, when he had been dishonored and slandered enough, he was not afraid to push back.
"General Hephaistion!" a voice called out from behind the longhaired general. "Have you been left to your own devices on this fine evening?"
"I know not of what you speak, nor do I care, Cassander," Hephaistion informed, continuing his march from the dining tent to his own.
"But, General, will you not wait so that I might have a word with you?"
Hephaistion knew better. He knew nothing good ever came of speaking with Cassander, nothing worthy of his time, but it had been a good day and he was in the mood to give the man yet another chance to appear human in his eyes. He stalled his fast-paced walk, not stopping completely, but allowing the other general to catch up nonetheless.
"What is it you wish to speak to me about, Cassander?" he asked calmly, when the other man appeared by his side. "Have you something important to discuss, or do you simply wish to rehash your old, tired refrain?"
"I mean you no ill will," Cassander replied, his eyes searching out Hephaistion's in a show of honesty. "I merely have a question that has been plaguing my mind for a while."
"Fine. I shall grant you one question on this beautiful evening. What is it you seek, General?"
Having reached Hephaistion's tent, the two men stopped and faced each other, eye-to-eye, man-to-man, both feeling the tension in the air that came with so much unfortunate shared history. "Well? Hephaistion urged, crossing his arms over his chest and glancing towards the entrance of his tent. He caught a movement out of the corner of his eye, a movement that should not have occurred since his page had the night off. Frowning, he turned back to Cassander, the same question on his lips but with more haste. "Well?"
"There's talk amongst the men ..."
"That is not a question, Cassander, and I have no interest in what the men are talking about."
"But it is a relevant conversation that I believe would be of interest to you, Hephaistion," Cassander teased, a smirk falling upon his lips and settling in his dark eyes. "Might you not humor me and allow me to continue my story?"
Hephaistion nodded distractedly, as the movement reappeared inside his tent. There was no reason for anyone to be occupying his quarters and the fact that there obviously was, was most troubling to him.
"Alexander is a man of his word, is he not?"
"I'm becoming bored with your games, Cassander. If you have something to say, just say it so that I might take my leave."
"There's a rumor that Alexander will name you Chiliarch above all others that are deserved, as well."
"I've heard no such rumor, and if it is a rumor, it does not involve me unless it becomes truth," Hephaistion snapped, not liking where the conversation was going, or what might be happening inside his tent.
"My question is whether you would accept such a position over others that are of higher rank or, in the least, have more years of service in the King's army?"
"If it was decided upon by the King, I would accept the title for the honor that it was. But this entire conversation has no consequence at all, Cassander. Clearly you have something else to say, so perhaps it is time to man up and spit it out."
Cassander's lips curled up in an evil grin. "As you wish, General. Do you believe it to be in the best interest of our king to put a man such as yourself in such a highly-esteemed position?"
"That question has been answered, Cassander!" Hephaistion snapped, his arms dropping to his sides, hands balling up into fists as his frustration grew. "This conversation is over." He turned his back on the man, only to have his arm roughly grabbed and pulled back.
"How can you believe that your precious Alexander will be respected by anyone, let alone those he has conquered and defeated, when he appoints his lover and whore to be his second-in-command?"
Hephaistion swung his head sharply to face Cassander, the scar on his cheek glowing red with anger. "I would suggest you not repeat what you just said."
"Why? Shall you turn the king on me? Shall you run to him and hide behind his skirts like the woman that you have proven yourself to be? Hide behind the man whose bed you warm when he allows it? Run crying to your lover who will settle you on his lap and stroke your hair, before shoving you to the floor and assaulting your pretty bottom? What else might you be called, Hephaistion? The King's concubine? The King's wife? I feel King's whore is clearly the better choice for your new title."
Before Hephaistion knew what was happening, a guttural growl had escaped his throat, and Cassander lay flat on his back at his feet. "You will shut your mouth now!" he yelled, the anger in him rising to a level he had surely never felt before. The audacity of the man to say such words to another man of his own rank and power …. The audacity of a man who called the King his companion and friend, to have spoken such foul words against not only Hephaistion, but Alexander, as well.
Cassander struggled quickly to his feet, the smirk back on his face as he brushed himself off. "Such uncontrollable rage, General Hephaistion. Does a Chiliarch not require some form of dignity and manners? I dare say your dignity was never there in the first place once Alexander started bedding you, but I thought you had a little more self-control than you've just displayed."
Hephaistion was on top of Cassander in an instant; the man's collar gripped tightly in his hands, his body straddling Cassander's hips forcing him into the hard ground. "You will stay away from me, do you understand?" he hissed. "Or I shall show you how much self-control I do not have! You believe yourself to be untouchable because of your father, Cassander? You believe yourself to be of a higher rank and higher lineage and higher status? Well, I care not for all those things or any of your observations or slanderous conversations, but I do warn you not to sully me, or Alexander's reputation, again. Do you understand, Cassander? Or must I force it farther into your thick and unworthy skull?"
The smirk never left Cassander's face as Hephaistion shoved himself up and off the man's body, turning quickly to leave. "King's whore is perhaps too direct a title for you, Hephaistion. Perhaps camp whore is more to your liking? I can't imagine you're able to keep your proclivities restricted to kneeling before the King, and that you do not share your special gifts with others."
Hephaistion's aim was dead-on as his fist collided with Cassander's mouth, a string of blood sailing into the night air as the man stumbled back, but Cassander quickly regained his footing and retaliated with a punch of his own. Both stood still after the first two strikes, Cassander wiping the blood with the sleeve of his chiton, and Hephaistion rubbing the start of a bruise on his reddened cheek.
"It's been a long time coming, Cassander," Hephaistion spoke softly. "A lifetime of your remarks and unsubtle jealousies."
"Jealousies?" Cassander squealed. "You believe me to be jealous of you? Jealous of a man whose only claim to any sort of rank and title has come from servicing the Prince and then the King?"
"Yes, and I believe you tell yourself exactly that. That I have risen above you, not because of your failures to improve upon your character and your loyalty, but rather because Alexander seeks my company and friendship over yours, and always has."
"Alexander is a fool and your rise in ranks and status has no bearing on your character or your loyalty. It merely shows how good you must be on your knees, or shall I say on your back? What do you and the mighty Alexander prefer, Hephaistion? Does he like you on your back so you more resemble the woman you should be, or on your knees before him where he can run his fingers through your long hair and pretend you are a woman sucking his cock?"
Two more punches to the face found Cassander lying in the dirt, again, but this time he made no move to bounce back to his feet. Blood ran from his mouth, the smirk replaced by open-mouthed anguish, and one eye immediately began to swell.
"I warned you, and I will warn you again. Do not get up. Do not say another word until I am in the confines of my tent, Cassander. And do not come near me again unless it is deemed necessary in the context of army business. Do you understand me this time?"
"Whore." The words entered Hephaistion's brain and sat there for a moment. Was this man out of his mind, or was he asking for Hephaistion to continue beating him senseless? He watched as Cassander finally staggered to his feet and lashed out at Hephaistion again, his fist making only minimal contact with the general's jaw.
"Why, Cassander? Why must you continue with this? What exactly is your motive? Do you wish to become a hero in the eyes of the men of whom you speak? Does having me beat you until you cannot move make you more of a man in their eyes? And if so, why is that so important to you?" He ducked another fist as it sailed towards him, shoving the unbalanced general out of the way and watching as he fell to the ground again. "Do you feel you're not a man, Cassander? Can you not satisfy the bevy of women you always insist be by your side? Do you perhaps wish to pursue the attentions of the opposite sex instead, but do not know how to go about it? Is it Alexander's affections that you seek?"
"You'll not group me into your depraved existence, Hephaistion!" Cassander slurred, rising once more and squinting his eyes at Hephaistion's calm face. "And I surely will not take the advice of a whore."
"I feel sorry for you, Cassander," Hephaistion said softly, his startling blue eyes boring intently into the general's skull. "You feel the need to defame others in order that you become a bigger man and that is truly sad. But how shall the men whose approval you seek feel about you when they discover you've been beaten by a mere whore?"
"You know nothing!" Cassander lashed out, again. "You know nothing and you are nothing! But I believe this confrontation must come to a close now since you appear to have someone waiting for you."
Hephaistion narrowed his eyes and turned his head to see Alexander standing by the entrance of his tent, dropping his guard just long enough for Cassander to get in one last good punch that sent him sprawling to his knees.
"Do you wish to punish me, my King?" Cassander called out to the stoic man by the tent, arms folded over his chest, feet firmly planted. "Shall I escort myself to my tent and put myself under arrest, perhaps?"
"Be on your way, General Cassander," Alexander said, making no move towards either man. "This matter shall be discussed in the morning, I assure you."
"Then joy to you, my King," the general replied, turning dizzily back to Hephaistion who had righted himself and faced him, again. "And joy to you, General Hephaistion. I hope your knees are not too sore from that last fall so that you might do your sacred duty to His Majesty this evening."
Hephaistion remained silent, the anger he was feeling rising up from the depth of his gut, but showing nothing of it on his face. One last punch would surely shut Cassander up for the rest of the night, but he dared not allow that to happen. The fighting was over ... at least for that moment. He believed he'd gotten his point across, no matter how painful it had been for both of them, and even if Cassander's words were still cocky, the look in his eyes contradicted those words and made them small and worthless.
Watching as Cassander turned and walked away, Hephaistion's eyes never strayed to where Alexander stood. "Did we have business tonight, my King?"
Alexander remained where he was, eyes dark and brooding, body language stating his disappointment and anger. "No, but it appears we need to have a chat, Hephaistion."
"I'm not in the mood for chatting, Alexander," Hephaistion said, turning to face the man of his heart, then pushing past him as he entered his tent. Alexander followed him in, just as Hephaistion expected he would.
The general sat heavily down on his cot, hands reaching down to pull off the boots that were making his feet scream at that moment; there were more painful parts of his body screaming as well, but he did not wish to make that appear so in front of Alexander.
He watched as the King dipped a cloth into the basin of water, which sat on the small table in the corner of the tent, then crossed back and sat beside Hephaistion. Placing the cloth gently on his lover's cheek, Alexander wiped the blood from Hephaistion's face. "You've not let him get to you like that before, Phai."
"I've not let anyone get to me like that before, Alexander. And you being here does not improve the situation whatsoever. And just what iwere/i you doing here in the first place? You've not waited for me in my tent for a very long time."
"I wished to see you," Alexander replied, still wiping the dirt and blood from Hephaistion's mouth while his other hand stroked back the long auburn strands that hung in the man's face.
"Well, now you've seen me and can surely leave me in peace ... please." Hephaistion moved his head from Alexander's hands and stood up suddenly from the bed. "I wish not to be coddled and mooned over like a woman. Please allow me the time to regain my dignity and control. I do no want you to see me like this and wish you had not witnessed the scene that you did."
"There is no shame in standing up for yourself ... and for me, Phai. I see no need for you to regain your dignity because I do not feel you lost it in the first place. I had come to invite you to my tent for the evening, with the belief it would be a night of celebration, not anger and upset. I shall leave you but the invitation still remains open. I'll have my page warm the tub should you change your mind."
"I'll not be needing a bath or your pity, Alexander, but thank you. I shall see you tomorrow," Hephaistion replied turning away from the man, his heart aching to just dissolve into Alexander's arms and be held. But that was exactly what Cassander expected, was it not? And all the other men who spent their time conversing about Hephaistion and his lack of strength when it came to Alexander. The king just needed to leave before Hephaistion faltered even more in his control.
Alexander nodded, walking slowly over to his lover and placing a chaste kiss on the side of his mouth. "I offer you no pity, Hephaistion. I know you enjoy the bath and I merely wished for your company to celebrate this special night with you, since I did not get to see you all day. The bath will still be waiting should you change your mind." With a soft pat on Hephaistion's shoulder, Alexander continued his walk to the entrance of the tent, turning back momentarily to say his goodnights. "Goodnight, my Phai, and happy birthday, my love."
*****
Hephaistion watched quietly as Alexander left. He had forgotten it was his birthday. It had been a busy, but fulfilling day and when he thought back, he realized that he had not seen Alexander at all since the night before. And now he had allowed the foulness of Cassander to ruin both his birthday and the surprise that Alexander had planned.
He still did not understand why he had turned into a rabid dog against the other general. Perhaps it was as he had said; a lifetime of small jabs and statements that had finally just added up enough to break Hephaistion's stellar resolve. And he was no one's whore. The relationship between he and Alexander was one of love and respect, not one of mistress and master, but he had never felt the need to clarify that before. Perhaps his mind had simply snapped and Cassander was the closest, and albeit, most likely candidate for his anger at that moment.
And what must Alexander think now, after seeing him pummel the other general into the ground and be struck unawares by that man, as well. Perhaps it was best to leave it all behind for the night, to just sleep it off and deal with the consequences in the morning. He needed sleep more than resolution at the moment, and that did seem to be the best plan of action.
*****
"I believed you would not come," Alexander remarked, as Hephaistion stood in the door to his tent. "But I'm certainly glad you did. Does your face hurt, Phai?"
"No, not yet. I believe I will be a sorry sight in the morning, though." He stepped towards Alexander, stopping several feet away and dipping his head. "I'm sorry you had to see me in that light, Alexander. I truly do not know what came over me and for you to be there at the time ..."
Alexander cupped Hephaistion's face in his hands, a sweet smile gracing his lips. "There is little that I do not know about you, my love, and I know the man that just beat a very-deserving Cassander into the ground, is not someone who comes out often, but I dare say that perhaps he needs to show himself more."
Hephaistion looked deeply into Alexander's brown eyes, the cerulean of his own searching for answers to his confusion. "You wish me to be more aggressive and spend my time beating people, Xander?"
Alexander smiled, his fingers stroking over the red scar on Hephaistion's cheekbone. "No, but standing up for yourself is not a bad thing, and Cassander, as well as a few others, have had it coming for a while, love. I am neither deaf nor blind to the way they treat you, and there have been many times that I only wished to step in and beat some of them myself."
"Which would not have made matters any better ..."
"I know and that is why I have never done it, but to see you defending the man that you truly are is something I've waited for."
Hephaistion smiled, his hands gently stroking Alexander's face then embracing him tightly. He settled his head in the man's neck, breathing in the glorious scent of the only person he had ever really loved in the world. "Thank you. And I'm sorry I ruined your surprise."
"It's not ruined, merely delayed, and I believe the water is still tolerable. Shall I help you undress?"
Alexander did not wait for an answer, loosing himself from his lover's arms, and immediately pulling Hephaistion's chiton over his head, eyes never leaving the brilliant blue of his true love while his hands ran down the muscled chest and settled on the slim hips. He pressed their mouths together in a simple, yet sweet kiss, and trailed his lips down Hephaistion jaw and over the bruises that were already forming.
"I believe Cassander will look more a fright than you in the morning," he teased, guiding his lover to the bed and kneeling down to pull off his boots.
"You don't have to do ..."
"It's your birthday, love. I would surely do the same for any of my generals."
Hephaistion's mouth popped open and his brow furrowed. "You would?"
"Of course. On Cassander's birthday, I both bathed him and allowed him to act as my whore for the night."
"Alexander!"
"What? Did you not hear the rumors about camp? Cassander, the King's whore. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
"You are incorrigible," Hephaistion chuckled, his worries of the evening gone in a swirling cloud of love.
"And you are filthy and need a bath."
One more chaste kiss and Alexander led Hephaistion to the tub, watching as he settled himself in, relaxing back and closing his eyes. "Oh yes, when you are right, you are right, my King," the general moaned as the water lapped at his cool skin. "Will you join me?"
"Is that what you wish for me to do for your birthday?"
"That and much more. Just watch where you swing your feet when you get in, last time you managed to knock me in the face, and I do not believe I need that extra pain this evening."
Alexander chuckled out loud, quickly shedding his own clothing and carefully lowering himself in the tub facing Hephaistion. "Do you wish to talk about it, love?"
Hephaistion sighed and lifted his legs so they lay on either side of Alexander's. "I'm not sure that I want to further ruin this night with that tawdriness."
"Alright, but may I say something about it before we drop the subject completely?" Alexander asked, running his hands over Hephaistion's calves and up his thighs.
"Of course."
"You are not anyone's whore, Hephaistion," he began.
"You don't have to say ..."
"Listen to me, Phai," the King continued, moving his body closer to Hephaistion's in the warm water, one hand settling on the man's chest, over his heart. "The fact that we are lovers, and indeed ilove/i one another, has no bearing on any rank or status that you may hold or that you may gain in the future. You are a good man and an excellent soldier and general. And if you are considered to be my whore, it would only be right if I were considered to be yours, as well." He grinned. "Which in fact, suits me fine."
Hephaistion could hold himself back no longer, as he grabbed Alexander's wet body to him and crushed their lips together. That was all he had wanted to do all evening and if that made him a whore, then so be it. His love for Alexander was not defined by sex or lust, it was a pure and giving love, one that any man or woman would surely welcome into their lives. He gasped into Alexander's mouth when the King took him in his hand, his strong fingers stroking and caressing him.
"I love you so, Hephaistion," Alexander breathed into his mouth. "You are my one and only, and that shall never change, no matter how anyone else chooses to describe it or view it. You, and you alone, make me happy and content in my life, and I praise the gods every day that I still have you."
Stealing his lips from Alexander's, Hephaistion's grin spoke volumes as his eyes met his lover's, and he gently took Alexander's length into his own hand. "You speak nothing but honeyed words tonight, my King, whatever would your men and subjects say if they were to hear you speak such things to your general?"
"That I loved him and I was very lucky," Alexander replied without a thought, his body tensing as Hephaistion matched his strokes and passed his thumb over the head of his member. "Do you wish to make love, Phai? Do you wish to be taken or perhaps, take me this night?"
"Not now, Xander," Hephaistion whispered, gently kissing Alexander's lips again, then licking slowly across their soft fullness. "This reminds me of when we were just beginning our love, and I wish to revel in those thoughts and feelings for this moment."
Alexander nodded and wrapped an arm around Hephaistion's neck, fingers tangling in the long locks while his other hand stroked and moved faster on Hephaistion's length. "It was an exciting time, was it not? Discovering each other's bodies and wants and needs," he whispered, his breath suddenly hitching as Hephaistion's fingers found one of his nipples and squeezed it gently.
"I love you as much today as I did then, Xander," Hephaistion purred back, feeling his body tensing up with the pleasure that would soon overtake him. He was truly lucky, and the words of others had no bearing on what he felt for this man whose body he was enjoying. The words of others had no meaning and yet, he suddenly felt a rush of pride that he had defended himself against Cassander. Perhaps, it had not been as shameful as he had believed.
"What is it that you think of at this moment, Phai?" Alexander asked, his words slurring slightly as his cock twitched in Hephaistion's hand.
"Only of you and of us, Xander," Hephaistion replied, feeling his own member twitch in response to the one in his hand. "I fear I will not last long, love. Forgive me if I appear too eager but ..."
His words were silenced by Alexander's lips on his, feeling the King groan against him and his lover's cock begin to spasm in his hand. "Gods, Phai," Alexander moaned into his mouth, before his body began to shudder and he dipped his head, watching as the water of the tub became cloudy with his own seed, and was quickly stirred-up further by that of Hephaistion's.
Both men sat perfectly still for some time; foreheads pressed together, hands gently stroking each other to softness, arms and legs still tangled as they held each other while their convulsing and fluttering muscles returned to normal. When Alexander finally spoke, his voice was low and still heavy with lust. "You are aware that I shall have to offer up some punishment for both you and Cassander in the morning, are you not?"
"Of course," Hephaistion replied, lips moving against Alexander's jaw, pressing open-mouthed kisses to the wet, salty skin. "I would have it no other way."
"Perhaps confining you to your tent would be a suitable punishment?"
"Would I be allowed visitors?"
"I should say not. What kind of a punishment would it be then?"
"True," Hephaistion answered, tongue lapping at Alexander's ear.
"But I believe with your record of insubordination, and inadequacies in following orders, I may have to stick close by, to remind you of your punishment."
Hephaistion smirked against his lover's skin. "And that of course, would be punishment enough in itself. Being under house arrest with the King, I mean."
"Shall we retire to the bed where I can give you your proper birthday gift, love?"
Hephaistion looked up into Alexander's eyes, his heart and mind soaring with happiness and love, "You've given me everything I need, Alexander, everything a man could ever want for his birthday or any other time."
"A soak in a tub swarming with seed?" Alexander teased, kissing Hephaistion's lips tenderly.
"Well, that ... and you, of course."
"No, you are the real gift, Phai. It's lovely having my own personal whore, you ..." Alexander was cut off by a rush of water as Hephaistion dunked his head and pulled him back up.
"I do believe you shall be the whore tonight, my King," the general hissed, rising from the tub and pulling Alexander out with him.
"Mmm, sounds delightful to me, General. I'm truly at your service."