Title: Listen to me Hephaistion 1/1
Authors : veronique
Email address:kyomine2002yahoo.fr
Category:romance
Pairing: Olympias/hephaistion (not sexual way for O/H) Hephaistion/ALexander
Date:14/01/2005
Feedback: please, but if you don't like it, be constructive , I don't want to read sarcasm or snarks.
Archive: if you want I'm ok
Rating:nc 13
Disclaimer: I don't own them. They're characters belonging to Warner Brothers Pictures, to Oliver Stone, to my imagination, and to the ages. This is a work of a fan, done for no remuneration save the satisfaction of the work.
Special thanks to my beta dreamer46 .
Summary: Olympias learns of Hephaistion's death and she is worried about her son's grief. She adresses a request to Hephaistion' soul.
Warnings: I based my characters on my interpretation of the movie. It's a fanfiction based on the movie and the movie only.
Particular warning for this fic. You have to read it before.
This fic is, like I said, based on the movie.
"I see Hephastion as a strong character who possessed both good and bad qualities. My portrayal of him is not black and white, but gray." This is what I took from Oliver Stones's suggestions and his little glimpses. The story can appear shocking to some people, I guess. Remember it's a fiction and a fiction only. I can tell you later if you request it why I imaginated this fic from Oliver Stone's movie.
Thanks for reading the warnings.
Listen to me Hephaistion.
Olympias looked through the window. She had just received the news : Hephaistion was dead. She frowned as the cold wind beat her face.
She had read about her son's monumental grief and shivered at the thought her son might be not recovering from his pain.
Since the day Alexander met him , Hephaistion had conquered her son 's heart, and had never been defeated until now. Until death took him away from Alexander. But would his death really free Alexander 's heart and let him move on?
Olympias feared that Hephaistion 's death was the beginning of Alexander's end.
She closed the window, the wind was too cold. She reread what Ptolemée had written.
"The king's grief is so huge, he didn't want to leave Hephaistion 's body. He is angry at everybody, he is drinking excessively. Nothing seems to bring him solace; nor will he have an heir soon..."
She stopped reading because she couldn't bear any more. She was distraught.
" You have to move on my son! Damn, Alexander, you can not give up now!" she thought.
How could the gods have been so cruel to her and her son? She lit a candle and said her prayers to Hephaistion :
" Hephaistion, listen to me, you cannot let him destroy himself like this. I know you love him very much; I know the part you took in building his Empire. It is yours too. Hephaistion, protect him like you always did. Let him get over your loss. Hephaistion, I remember the day I met you! You were the only one who was always between me and my son's destiny. The one who was stopping Alexander from taking a wife. I wanted to meet you and scare you away. But our encounter turned out differently, in a very unexpected way. I remember Hephaistion :
Twelves years ago:
Olympias was waiting for the young man. She had given orders to discretely meet with Hephaistion . She wanted to frighten him away, because with him in her way, Alexander didn't want to take a wife. One of her snakes was in her lap and the others were on the floor. She always used her pet snakes to impress people . They were like a shield to her.
Hephaistion entered calmy and saluted his Queen with grace.. Olympias looked at him.
" No wonder her son was charmed by that young man. He became a beautiful man" she thought, Hephaistion was graceful, and his blue eyes was like topaz 's stone.
She told Hephaistion to sit. They were looking at each other silently, both smiling. Olympias, by remaining silent as long as she could, wanted to make Hephaistion feel unconfortable. But she could not see behind the blue eyes to tell if her plan's first step was succeeding.
A white snake became adventurous and moved closer to Hephaistion. Olympias watched her snake who was about to climb Hephaistion 's leg. Hephaistion felt the snake and looked down at the pet. Olympias smiled with satisfaction. Suddenly Hephaistion carefully and gently took the snake in his arms and put the pet on his lap. Olympias was surprise but didn't let it show . Hephaistion took that opportunity to break the silence between them.
" I am not afraid of snakes, they are interesting animals. I love animals, especially exotic ones. You can learn more from them than the common animals" he said with a gentle tone and very respectfully.
Olympias wasn't expecting what was happening. Hephaistion 's words obviously had a double meaning. It was at this moment she recalled that this was the boy who dared to let himself beat her son in some athletic contest a fews years ago.
" We are not here to talk about animals" she said calmy, with a smile, but with a tone that showed she was queen, and Hephaistion had to be more careful the next time he dared talk to her.
Hephaistion looked at her , in an humble way.
" The problem here, is that because of you, my son is not willing to take a wife and have an heir. This could bring Alexander many troubles. His life depends on it as his destiny is to become The King."
Hephaistion let her talk.
" He refuses to listen .... so I am expecting you to understand how important this is. He said you love him for who he is ." She laughed sarcastically. " My son is so naive."
Hephaistion's deep blue eyes continued to show nothing but respect to his Queen, nothing else. Olympias was upset by this behaviour. She couldn't see past those eyes. Hephaistion 's emotions were not on display. Her silence invited Hephaistion to answer.
" I am perfectly aware of what Alexander is risking now that Euridike is pregnant. I know his desire to be king , to see his dreams finally come true. But, he wants to become king based on his qualities and merits, not by taking a wife and having an heir. I have nothing to do with that."
Olympias sighed. " Merits , qualities" she mocked
" Alexander is a such noble and beautiful soul but.." Hephaistion started to say, searching for the Olympias 's approval. She signed with her hand for him to continue.
" But, as noble as he is, it's a dangerous bet. He could lose it all including his life. I want him to live , I want the best for him. His dreams are precious to me, I share them too; but most of all I don't want to lose him. I love him more than my life"
The more Olympias listened to Hephaistion the more she understood his feelings. They seemed not so different than her own, at least about Alexander.
" Loving Alexander means sacrifices of many kinds" said Olympias.
" Loneliness is one of them" added Hephaistion
Olympias nodded.
" I know about loneliness. Since Alexander became my friend, people have become jealous; they spite me , and mock me. But these things are nothing compared to the love and blissful moments Alexander and I have shared, the love he gives to me."
" What will happen Hephaistion , the day my son is not interested in you any more?" she asked.
" I will remain a great memory to him. One day I know he will marry, he will need an heir. I don't see Alexander marrying someone he doesn't love. That doesn't mean it won't hurt me or break my heart, but Alexander 's happiness is mine. Alexander has the power inside him to do great things. I will never stop loving him no matter what may happen. I will always be there for him, to protect him, to defend his best interests. Like I said, I share his goals. They are important to me as much as to him. Jealousy and anger do not build anything."
Olympias looked at him seriously.
" What charms are you using Hephaistion.... ? But I don't trust anybody, not even you"
She took her pet from Hephaistion 's lap.
" I don't trust you either" he dared to say " but I do trust you want the best for my Alexander, just as I do."
Olympias wondered why she was tolerating such daring language directed at her. Their eyes met, and this time she could see past the blue eyes and enter Hephaistion's soul . She felt connected. They shared many common thoughts. This man could have been his own son too.
" He is Alexander too" she thought as she looked through the window and saw an eagle in the sky. "Alexander's shadow" . She suddenly realised that Hephaistion at her son's side could assure Alexander a great destiny. They were a perfect match. They completed each other.
" Pausanias" she said " he is an example of how jealousy can driven people insane"
" And also a great example of how Phillip could be a danger to Alexander 's life. The way he treated the one he supposedly loved only few days ago."
" Philip is a dangerous person. He can appear charming, warm, loving; but it's all an illusion. I know it from experience"
" Alexander will be more and more a dangerous threat to him, with the passage of the time" continued Hephaistion.
" We are going to take care of Philip..."
Hephaistion stood up. They moved together to the window.
" Alexander isn't stupid, he will know.. He will hate me" said Olympias implying also Hephaistion 's part would be kept secret .
" He ll try but he won't". It was Hephaistion's promise to Olympias he would do his best.
The way Hephaistion and Olympias became allies for Alexander's sake was something neither of them understood clearly. It happened. The eagle was still in the sky , they both looked at it.
When Olympias watched her husband being killed by Pausanias, she felt complete. When she heard Hephaistion and watched him declare "now Alexander is the new king" she knew she didn't have to fear the future. Hephaistion was able to handle Alexander and his love for her son would bring him to the edge of the earth.
For the first time she trusted someone else. Years later , she wrote to her son " don't trust anyone, even the people who are the closest to you, they are like snakes (...) except Hephaistion."
Sometimes she was upset that she still wasn't at Babylon. She was doubting Hephaistion, it was her nature not be so trustful, after all. Maybe he didn't want her there. Sometimes , she thought Hephaistion was trying to suggest her coming, but she also knew that Hephaistion was a man of wise advice and always let Alexander decided.
Months passed and Olympias had no better news. Alexander was still in grief about his lover's death. He was more a ghost of himself than a king.
She was angry. Why! Why Hephaistion? Why didn't you listen to me? I thought we had the same goals. You wanted his happiness. You are destroying him and what he built! What you built, too.
Are you unable to heal your broken heart from not being with him anymore? I thought you wanted to stay a great memory and that his happiness was yours! Liar! Liar!
Then, the eagle came and she understood that Alexander was dead, too. She cried and screamed.
" Why Hephaistion? Why did you take him to you, why didn't you listen to me?" she said furious " were you that weak? Unable to live in death without him?" "Liar," she repeated.
A white snake came closer to her as she kneeled down.
" There is no Hephaistion without Alexander , there is no Alexander without Hephaistion."
She heard.
Fin