Dear Fellow Writers,
The following story has been floating around in my head forever, since I first met our two beloved friends. It was been written and rewritten in my mind several ways with different beginnings, middles and endings. It has finally found its freedom.
classyblue
P.S. Being an old retired hairdresser, I know for certain that it is only temporary.
The heat was stifling. That in itself would drive a sane man brainsick. Add the wind constantly blowing sand and dirt everywhere, it would sum up how Hephaestion felt about life right at this moment.
Alexander had send him on this mission many months ago, telling him he needed to have someone he could truly depend on to get it done and get it done the right way. He had trouble looking Hephaestion straight in the eyes when he had assigned this to him. Both men knew there was more to this delegation than just a simple task.
In fact, it was more than a little task. The dessert can be an unforgiving place, even if it is only on the edges of the vast dry land. The heat would blow in waves, sand hitting your face and eyes, getting into your mouth and nose. The need to drink lots of water was a necessity. Death was never far away for the ones who didn't heed the warnings.
The work was tedious and boring, hard on the body as well as the mind. Hephaestion knew that anyone could have been chosen to accomplish this job, but Alexander had asked him. Hephaestion knew this to be more of an excuse to put a little distance between them.
Hephaestion was not blind to the life Alexander led as King. He had stretched himself to the limits and was being pulled in many directions. The demand for an heir was growing louder with each passing year. Each conquered land required their own attention and they were adding up quickly, with more battles to be won in the future. Alexander was being spread thin with all his responsibilities.
Hephaestion had thought he was being a help to Alexander with all of his undertakings, but with this assignment, he began to question his place in Alexander's life.
Another gust of wind blew against Hephaestion, strong enough to loosen the ties that held his hair precariously together at back of his head. Both hands were needed to finish what he was doing and the hair whipped into his face and eyes. Spouting words that would make even the gods cringe, Hephaestion finally finish the project and with free hands pulled his hair back from his face. Quickly, he retied it again.
He continued through the day with the backbreaking work, stopping several times to capture the ever-escaping strands. By the end of the very long day, he was tired, sore and a bundle of raw nerves.
As the entered his tent, his loyal aide had ask him a question and he snapped an answer back. Feeling remorseful immediately, he apologized and gave him a big hug.
A bath was readied for him and he sank down in the luke warm water and let it soothe his aching body. A brush appeared, as his head was relaxing over the edge of the tub and began the difficult task of getting the tangled mess into some semblance of hair. This had become a nightly ritual that both he and the brush hated.
As Hephaestion lay in the tub enduring the torture for yet another time, it suddenly occur to him that this was entirely unnecessary. Why didn't he just get it cut off and end this miserable little game that he and the brush played out each night. The days with the wind and sand would maybe even become more tolerable if he did.
He sat up, bringing the brush with him, still stuck in a huge tangle. He knew there was a man in the camp that gave haircuts to other soldiers and he did a good job.
Hephaestion looked to his aide and told him to go get the barber, he was going to get it all cut off.
The look of complete horror and awe came over the young mans' face and as he stood absolutely speechless. He couldn't suppress a nervous giggle from escaping as Hephaestions statement sunk in deeper.
"Cut all your hair off?" he said when he finally found his voice.
Hephaestion watched his reaction in amazement. He nodded his head and told him to go and returned with the barber.
If he was surprised at the reaction of the young man, he was even more perplexed by the barber himself. Standing in the doorway of the tent, he seemed unable to precede any farther into the room and do the task he had been asked to do. It was as if his feet were made of iron and would not move.
Hephaestion asked the man what was wrong and the barber could only open his mouth and then close it again, repeating this several times before he finally said, " You want me to cut your hair?"
The sentence had been delivered with each word rising higher on the scales.
"Yes please, it is driving me insane and the weather is only damaging it to the point I can hardly get a brush through it even when I am out of the elements." Hephaestion said.
The look of horror had not left the barber face and was now joined by an aspect of fear. Puzzled by both of these, Hephaestion asked the man why he was hesitating to carry out his wishes.
The man looked down at the floor and mumbled something that Hephaestion didn't catch till he heard the word Alexander.
"What about Alexander?" he asked, slanting his head to the side.
"Does he know you are considering cutting it?" the barber asked quietly.
Realization finally sunk into Hephaestions mind and he saw why the reluctant barber was still standing in the doorway.
"This has nothing to do with Alexander, and you need not fear your the life and limbs if you do cut it for me, you have my word on that." Hephaestion said calmly.
Sometime later, and many encouraging words later, the barber stood behind Hephaestion as he was seated on the stool. He hesitantly took the tangled mess in his hands and started to brush again, trying to get the tangles out so he could trim the light brown locks.
"Don't waste your time doing that, just go ahead and cut them out." Hephaestion said quietly.
He turned on the stool when the room went quiet again. looks of pure panic had returned to their faces and their mouths hung open.
"How short did you have in mind?" the barber squeaked out.
"As short as yours." the answer came back.
The brush dropped, breathing stopped and the young aide had tears in his eyes.
"Oh, by the gods, it is only hair, it will grow back." Hephaestion said with his words and a little mixture of growing anger.
The barber looked at the young aide and he, in turn, looked at the barber and his inch long locks. They then looked at the stubborn man in front of them.
"I have your word that you will protect me if Alexander ever finds out I was the one that did this?" the barber questioned yet again.
"Aye, no harm will come to you I promise." Hephaestion said firmly.
Taking the mess in his hands, the barber started cutting through the tangled mess, the knife making a hacking sound, soon joined by sobs from the aide. Hephaestion closed his eyes to all the noise and let himself relax; he knew this was going to take awhile.
As he sat there, he started to think about what the barber had said about Alexander's reaction. It was, after all, his (Hephaestions) hair; he could wear it however he pleased. Besides, Alexander was not here in this retched weather. After only a few moments of doubt, he felt good about the decision he had made, his head already feeling cooler and lighter.
Amid tears and shaking hands, the job was finally done and a mirror was handed to Hephaestion. He rubbed his head and looked in the mirror. Before him a very shortly shone man returned his gaze. He grinned and thanked the barber. He went to his coins to pay the barber, but the man would have none of it. He left shaking his head and mumbling again, with the name Alexander peppering the conversation he was having with himself.
Hephaestion turned to look at his young helper and found him on his knees on the floor, gently gathering the sacred locks, placing them in a vase. Hephaestion couldn't help but smile. Maybe he thinks he can glue it back on if I change my mind.
Three mouths later
The runner came into Alexander's tent, out of breath and pale., having seen what Alexander was about to witness. He announced that General Hephaestion and his troops were entering the camp.
Alexander smiled to himself and thanked the runner. He had missed his friend dearly. He was such an important part of his life and didn't realize how much he really needed him until he had sent him away.
And he had sent him away. Thinking Hephaestion was the problem, he assigned him to something far away, hoping it would make Alexander's life easier, only to find the opposite was true. Without Hephaestion there to help, life had become even more complicated and he missed his calm reasoning voice and mind.
It wasn't only his mind and voice that he had missed. Alexander let his mind wander as he pictured his Phai, well tanned from the dessert sun, long legs and thighs, long beautiful hair blowing gently in the breeze.
At that precise moment, footsteps were heard in the doorway and a hush went over the room. From the moment Hephaestion entered, no sound was heard, all breathing slowed to a snails pace or stopped entirely. All eyes went from the man at the door to Alexander. Everyone in unison took one step back away from the King.
Alexander's mouth dropped open and his eyes widen, making his face become a huge "O". No words came out of his mouth, as he sat stunned and in shock.
Alexander waved his hands at the rest of the room, unable to find his voice. When it was all clear, he slowly approached Hephaestion and circled his friend. He started to reach up and touch his head but stopped just short of the now three inch strands.
"I cut my hair, the brush and I had it out and he said he would quit if I didn't make his job easier." Hephaestion said grinning widely.
"I see." said a still stunned Alexander.
"You could have just purchased a new brush, I would have sent you a new one myself if I had known." Alexander said, not taking his eyes off now shorter strands of light brown hair.
'It's just hair Alexander," Hephaestion spoke. "It will grow back, eventually."
Alexander looked into Hephaestions eyes for a moment and then turned and walked away to sit on a couch across the room. He leaned forward and rested his head in his hands.
Hephaestion walked slowly over to sit next to him, gently putting his arm on Alexander's shoulder. They sat quietly for a few minutes before Alexander spoke first.
"Why didn't you ask me first, why did you just ..cut...it without talking to me first. Didn't you think I would have a say in the matter?" Alexander said, tears in his eyes.
"You mean like you talked to me first about marrying and taking another lover yourself?" Hephaestion answered, never taking his eyes off Alexanders face.
"That was different," Alexander snapped back.
"Aye, I see, me deciding to cut my own hair without telling you is different than the love of my life taking another lover and a wife without asking me what I thought about the idea first." Hephaestion said, looking off in the distance.
Alexander watched Hephaestion for a while letting the words he had just heard sink in. After a few moments he turned on the couch and took Hephaestions head in his hands.
"It make your eyes even more beautiful, " He said softly, "and now I can get to your ears easier."
Hephaestion sighed loudly as Alexander nibbled on his ear, enjoying the close time they had both missed for so long.
"Whose hand cut your hair?" Alexander whispered in his ear.
"Does it matter? I am the same man you feel in love with, or was it my hair you fell in love with?" Hephaestion asked as he pulled back to look in Alexander eyes, laughter in the corners of his own.
"Truth be known, it was neither, it was your heart and mind I gave my soul too."
Alexander reached up and ran is fingers through the soft curls and pulled Hephaestion close to him.
"Hephaestion, will you ask tell me first next time so I won't be so surprised?" Alexander whispered to him, thinking to himself that he would have time to talk him out of it if he could.
Hephaestion laughed and gave Alexander one of his heart stopping smiles.
"Aye, my Alexander, I will.