The Other Ring
One ring was destined to go down in history. It was famous, revered and sought-after. The story of its' beginning, middle and end are recorded for posterity. One wedding night, one King and one beloved friend and lover were all apart of its' history. But there was another ring of equal importance and of equal value.
The first ring had been given to Alexander the night of his wedding to Rozanne. It had been thrown across the room in jealousy and hate by the new bride and only retrieved later after Alexander had performed his marriage duties. The ring was then returned to his finger where it belonged.
Hephaestion was never far from Alexander's thoughts that night, as he was every other time. Alexander had seen the look in his tear-laden eyes and felt the hurt Hephaestion tried, and had failed, to hide behind them. He had put himself in Hephaestion's place if the positions had been reversed and Hephaestion was taking a bride. No matter how strong he would have tried to have been and supported Hephaestion, it still would have hurt to watch him be with someone else. Doing what is right and inevitable still did not make it any easier to live with, especially in your heart.
He started looking right after the wedding, searching the markets and noted tradesmen. Some came close but he hadn't seen the right one yet. He would know it when he saw it. And then one very quiet day, he found it. He knew instantly that it had been what he was searching for. It was as perfect as the man he was getting it for.
The color was indescribable. The shade of blue would change depending on its surroundings and light. It could be lighter in shade or turn to deep blue, almost violet. It matched the color of its soon-to-be new masters' eyes exactly. Hephaestion had eyes that Alexander had never seen before or seen since in all of his travels around the world. No others came close to their beauty or depth.
He planned a private party to give his precious gift to Hephaestion. No one else would be around to witness the event, no royal recordings of it were ever written down for posterity. But no words could have recorded the depth the gift meant to both the giver and the receiver. Love is immeasurable, especially theirs.
The other ring remained on his finger for many years until Alexander took it off the silent hand and placed it on the cord with the pendant that matched the one around Alexander's own neck. He then slipped Hephaestion's necklace over his own. Only at his death was it removed.