Disclaimer: I don't own 'Alexander'. This is merely a projection of my imagination.
Summary: Alexander takes his men across Halicarnassus and the battle rages between Persians and Greeks. The King stands to lose more than his kingdom and soldiers when Hephaistion is wounded in battle and must now fight to keep himself alive and out of the hands of Persians.
Author Shpill: Yes, I know I have another story that hasn't been updated in a while but this idea wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it down so you'll all have to forgive me for the time being.
Enjoy:
The sky was grey over the campsite; every now and then a white flash would illuminate that grayness and would succeed in silencing the many men that huddled around their fire pits. It seemed that in Zeus's moment of showing his power had great effect on the humans.
Though, one blue eyed General only viewed the sky as nuisance, making it harder to get to the medical tents that held many of his own wounded soldiers.
The early morning battle was still raging into the night. One could only hope that the inevitable rain would fall from the sky and wash away all of the blood that has washed the sands as well as every guilty warriors hands.
Hephaistion Amyntor came forth and was about to push aside the cloth hanging as a door on the tent but stood still for a moment as he prepared himself from the site that would soon throttle him. He winced slightly as he heard pained screams, but calmed himself with a deep breath and took a tentative step into the tent.
The man's blue eyes widened slightly while the adjusted to the numerous candles and fire posts. He surveyed the makeshift beds and the men upon them with a doctor or page huddling above them with either a pitcher of wine or water. "Oh my," Hephaistion breathed in distress. He stood in that place as it seemed that he could not move his feet forward.
"General Hephaistion?"
Hephaistion looked to the large man that stood before him and recognized him of one of his own. "Titus…" Hephaistion took in the disarray sight of his soldier. "Are you well?"
The man smiled slightly. "I am fine, I've brought soldiers from the battlefield to the doctors," he spoke. He caught all the blood that adorned his armor and regarded it with disgust. "I never looked good in red…"
Hephaistion laughed softly before cringing. For he had just reminded himself of the injury that he had. He believed himself to be perfectly fine for continuing the battle, but many of his soldiers who fought along beside him in the frenzy had pleaded with him after he'd been stabbed with a foreign blade in a slight skirmish. After becoming very lightheaded he'd retreated with a promise to be back as soon as possible, and left with an order that every one of his men stay alive while he was gone.
"You are injured," Titus breathed in accusation. He ripped the General's arm away from his ribcage and viewed the bleeding wound.
"Titus, don't touch it. It hurts enough without you prodding it, and last time I checked, you're not a healer," Hephaistion spoke with a light tone to show his friend that he was jesting.
Titus huffed before turning around so his back was to Hephaistion. "I need to find an open bed…"
"No Titus, I'm just here to fetch a needle and thread."
Titus spun around and lifted an eyebrow to his superior. "That better not be true Hephaistion. That wound needs to be looked at by a professional, you are too eager to return to that battle. There will be enough Persians to fight when you're done here."
Hephaistion sighed in defeat. "Has there been word from the King?"
Titus shook his head softly and pulled Hephaistion along beside him as he tried to find an open cot. "No, but I assume Cassander and Craterus are with him. How is it that you became separated from him General?"
"You act as if getting lost in a sea of men isn't easy to do," Hephaistion protested.
Titus set his mouth in a thin line and shook his head. "I was actually wondering how he lost you," Titus snorted and barely missed the hand moving to swat the back of his head.
"That is not amusing Titus. He's not my keeper."
The bigger man ignored Hephaistion as he found a blood splotched cot. "Perhaps this will have to do General," Titus motioned to the bed and made sure to keep a stronghold on Hephaistion as the General recoiled in revulsion.
"I'd rather sit on the ground," Hephaistion mumbled. He remembered that he was covered in blood and dirt anyway, and allowed himself to be pushed back on the cot.
"You better be here when I get back. I'm going to fetch a healer; I'm surprised that one hasn't rushed over to hustle about the King's right hand General… and also his fine piece of…"
"Don't say it Titus," Hephaistion warned with a serious face and contradictory glint in his eyes.
Titus raised his hands in a peace gesture. "I'm jesting Hephaistion, just jesting."
The man walked off and left Hephaistion to his thoughts, he knew he could relax knowing that Cassander and Craterus were fighting beside Alexander. Of course Hephaistion was not on fair terms with either of the two Generals but he knew that they would protect him with their lives.
Fatigue rattled the General into numbness and he let his eyes slide downwards. Part of him realized this to be a form of shock, and it bothered him to think that such a little wound would be creating such a large problem.
"Hephaistion."
The General identified the soft voice as belonging to Titus. His eyelids refused to move upwards again so he just bobbed his head in acknowledgement until a second voice spoke to him.
"Let me see here."
Ah, the healer was finally here. He could be going back to the battlefield in a matter of minutes. Hephaistion couldn't help but to yelp as calloused fingers prodded the aching wound. Soon all he could hear was the rushing blood in his body.
The fatigue was getting worse and all Hephaistion could do was fall victim to it, and he was unwillingly swallowed up by the darkness.
The healer turned accusing eyes to Titus who in turn shrugged his shoulders. "Don't blame me; he's the one who wanted to stitch up that wound himself."
The healer snorted before turning his attention back to the wounded general. "You are all blasted fools. Does that not look like a serious wound?"
Titus studied the wound like a curious youth. "I'm not a healer as everyone so keenly puts it, so why are you asking me?"
The healer rolled his eyes and shook his head in dismay at how thick-headed these soldiers were. "You are a fool lad. The knife that cut the General is poisoned," The healer educated Titus.
Titus's mouth fell open and he stared down at the abnormally still General. "This is a very bad thing you've told me healer," Titus spoke through clenched teeth.
The healer nodded and bit the inside of his cheek. "It gets worse soldier."
"How so?"
The healer kneeled and lifted one of Hephaistion's eyelids to view his dilated eyes. "It appears that this poison takes time to start its devilry on the body. I won't be able to identify it until symptoms start appearing."
Titus fought hard not to throttle the healer before him. "What if this poison has the power to kill him? What if the symptoms kill him?"
The healer closed his eyes in annoyance before opening them and glaring at Titus. "You fool! Don't you think I know that the General could die? There is very little I can do here. This poison was not ingested, it was put right into his blood I can't simply make him sick to get the poison out."
"Should someone send for the king?" Titus asked skeptically.
The healer shrugged and began checking his patient over for any other injuries he may have. "I am just a healer."
It was Titus's turn to glare at the healer. "You have the fear of a woman," he insulted.
"I may have the fear of a woman but it is you who will have to make the decision on whether to pull the King's attention away from the battle to take care of one General."
Titus shook his head. His decision had been made for him, King Alexander had a duty to an entire nation and despite his love for Hephaistion he could not allow himself to be caught up in one man when so many more were at stake. "We'll keep this between us for a time, the King will come looking for him eventually and hopefully General Hephaistion will be here to greet him."
Alexander spun around and brought his strong blade across a Persian solder's unarmored chest. The blood spewed from the lethal wound and droplets landed all about the King. He pushed onwards and was only vaguely aware that Cassander and Craterus were fighting right along with him, but he was aware the Hephaistion had been lost in the flurry of moving men hours ago.
"Alexander!" Cassander called out.
The King turned in the darkness to see a Persian soldier bring his blade straight forward to stab through Alexander's armor. The King easily sidestepped it and brought his blade forward in the same move, impaling the man's abdomen with his sword.
"They retreat Alexander," Craterus huffed as he tried to catch his breath.
The King nodded knowing that this battle was far from over but seemed to be ending tonight. "Set troops along the border to keep watch; if they come back we'll be ready. Back to the camps freshen up men."
Cassander and Craterus agreed and orders were made before the three warriors made to find their horses that had been abandoned for hand to hand combat.
Becephalus was found quickly by Alexander and was being kept watch by a young page. "Back to the camp with you too," Alexander told the young boy who readily nodded and began running the way back to camp.
The King surveyed the battlefield for as far as his eyes could see. Dead men lye where they had fallen in battle and taken their very last breaths. Most of the dead belonged to the opposing side and for that Alexander was grateful.
A matter pressed in his mind though, and that concerned a certain General that held the biggest part of his heart. He believed that Hephaistion would not be lying with the dead and took great comfort in the belief. They would reunite in the camps.
With that thought, Alexander nudged Becephalus forward and rode towards that camp.
Titus was encompassed in anxiety as General Nearchus entered the tent and announced that Alexander would soon be riding into the camp and would be visiting the wounded soldiers soon.
The General had nodded to Titus after recognizing him as one of Hephaistion's soldiers and friends. They had spoken and Titus had explained Hephaistion's injury and was surprised to see panic flare in the General who ordered Titus to take him to Hephaistion's cot.
Hephaistion was still unconscious and refused to rouse. His brow was continually being rewetted by his page who had wandered in to help the healers with the wounded soldiers. The healer was washing out the wound with water and some kind of brown liquid he had with him.
Nearchus had been updated on the General's condition and had stayed beside him for the few moments. "We must send someone to tell the King immediately."
Titus knitted his eyebrows together. "What good will that do now? He'll be here in minutes."
Nearchus raised his eyes to meet those of Titus. "You are too young to understand. If the King walks in here and is notified, there will be screaming. Now we don't want that now do we?"
Titus huffed and nodded before sending Hephaistion's page away to do the bidding. "I kind of feel bad for him," Titus mumbled as the boy walked cautiously out of the tent.
Nearchus gave him a half-smile and nodded. "As do I."
TBC... Reviews are always welcomed and appreciated. It's nice to know what people think!