TITLE: The thread that ties hearts. (1/2)
PAIRING: Hephaestion and Alexander and many OCCS.
RATING: R
CATEGORY: AU.
DISCLAMER: I don't know the people involved, no harm intended, everything is product of my imagination, but I wouldn't mind sharing my life with the blue eyed god.
NO BETA so all mistakes are mine.
FEEDBACK: comments are love! Yes, please any kind of them will help me to improve my writing or leave it forever.
Author's note: The story is barely based on a traditional Chinese or Japanese legend (it depends on the sources) with some changes to fix their universe. The whole legend will be explained in the second part.
Hephaestion had been special since the day he was born. His parents did never expect him as his mother was a woman of an advanced age for bearing more children, however they were truly happy with his birth, especially because their elder children were no longer living in the family house.
His mother called Hephaestion "the gods' gift" and whenever she was asked why she thought that she simply asked people to look at his son's eyes and they would have the answer. Hephaestion's eyes were a jewel on their own; their colour was so unique that no one could give a name or say what the exact hue was. But even though it was a strange colour, it was the depth of his look that called people's attention; it was an old look in such young eyes and his mother affirmed that she could clearly see a storm brew in them when he was upset; but also they were very calm and deep blue pools when he was tranquil. His mother said that it was as if the very same Poseidon had set two of his most beautiful waves in his orbits. She also added that the first time she said that aloud, she heard a deep and happy laughter in her ear, as if the god of the seas were confirming her suspicion.
Little Hephaestion grew being a lively baby and a very curious one. When he learnt how to walk on his own, he used to follow her mother everywhere she went and when she stopped, he used to play with her hands; it seemed that the little Amyntoros had an obsession with his mother's hands and sometimes she used to bat his fingers away telling him that her hands were not always clean enough for him to touch them, especially because she spent many hours working in the garden. But no matter how many times she told Hephaestion that, he continued doing it.
The little boy with eyes as precious as sapphires was nearly two years old and he continued with that annoying habit. One day, his parents were sitting in the front garden, resting after a long day working on the farm, when Hephaestion ran towards them and touched his mother's right hand, he then followed an invisible line towards his father's left hand. He repeated the action many times and a wide smile appeared on his face while he clapped with his still chubby little hands.
"Stop doing that Hephaestion, it is annoying" his mother said, a bit annoyed because she could not understand why her always obedient baby could not follow such a simple rule.
"Tred" he said and frowned so he tried again "Thread" and now he was happy because the difficult word had been pronounced correctly.
"What thread, son?" his father asked, looking downwards to their hands.
"Red thread, papa" Hephaestion insisted again.
"There is no thread, Phai" the man with an endless patience said.
"Yes, look, mama hand to papa hand" the blue-eyed boy replied.
"No, son, there is no thread between our hands" the father insisted again.
"Yes, look" Hephaestion said upset because the adults could not see the red thread and in consequence they could not believe him.
"There is nothing and stop doing that, you are just tired after running after your puppies all day long and so you are seeing things that do not exist" his upset mother said scooping him up in her arms and taking him to his bed for a forced nap.
Hephaestion stopped speaking about the red thread but that did not imply that he did not see it, in fact he kept seeing it not only in his parents but also in other people.
Once when his elder sister, her husband and their daughter came to visit them, Hephaestion saw the red thread between his sister and her husband and a very short thread from his ten-year-old niece's right hand.
Hephaestion went towards his mother and told her:
"Look mama, red thread" pointing at his sister and brother-in-law's hands.
"There is no thread, Hephaestion" the poor woman did no longer sound upset but extremely resigned.
"What thread, little brother?" his sister asked whispering so he could tell her his secret.
"Red thread from your hand to your husband's hand" the four autumn boy explained to his sister.
"There is nothing there, Phai. Please, can you stop saying those strange things because mama gets worried" she whispered back trying to explain the consequence of his weird behaviour.
Their mother had already told her about Hephaestion and his insistence with the red thread and how that made her worry thinking that maybe her "little gift" was hallucinating or worse, losing his mind.
When his sister explained how their mother was really feeling whenever he mentioned that red thread thing, Hephaestion started to keep the red thread sightings for himself and he never mentioned it again.
However, he was worried; he had seen many threads between couples, also between male and female couples, and even every child had, at least, a very short one. But in his case, no matter how many times a day he looked at his hands, there was not even the slightest trace of the thread.
One day, two years later, his father was summoned to the palace, he had to go and see king Philip because he would depart on a very important diplomatic mission the following spring and the king could only trust in his abilities to sort out the situation quickly and peacefully.
Hephaestion, being six years old, asked his father if he could go with him; the former General and warrior, now turned into a diplomat, agreed to his wish because it was time for the king to meet his youngest offspring.
Both Amyntoros departed towards the palace very early in the morning, they got there just in time for the morning meal that they shared with the king in one of his private chambers.
King Philip was amazed at Hephaestion's knowledge and good manners, especially because the boy had never been to school, only been taught by his parents at home.
While they were eating, an idea started to form in the royal mind; his ever-moving son could do with a calm boy of his age by his side; both boys could learn from each other and both of them together could learn from Aristotle. The king told his idea to his diplomat and the man, truly honoured, accepted it right away and gladly because his family would go on serving under the Macedonian king. The only disadvantage was that their boy would grow up a bit far away from home but he knew that they would find the way to keep in contact and to visit regularly.
As soon as Hephaestion heard the news, he felt a searing pain his right little finger, he looked at his hand but there was nothing there. However, when breakfast was over and they were taken to a chamber so they could rest after such a long trip, little Hephaestion looked at his hand again and discovered the tip of the red thread appearing and a big smile crowned his already handsome face.
Seeing the smile on his son's face, the diplomat asked:
"Why are you smiling, son?"
"Because I saw the red … ladybug" he replied, changing his real answer in the moment so his father did not get upset.
Amyntoros looked at him, hardly believing his answer, but he did not want to go on asking further.
At lunchtime, a young page knocked at their chamber door to tell them that prince Alexander had invited young Hephaestion to have lunch with him and some of his companions. Hephaestion timidly followed the page and he was led towards a secluded garden; five boys were already talking there but Hephaestion saw only one of them, a short blond boy with two-coloured eyes that made his right little finger beat repeatedly.
"Please, come over here and tell us who you are" the blond boy told him.
Hephaestion walked towards him and as he was advancing, he could see his red thread growing and, with a snaking movement, heading towards the red thread coming from the prince's left hand.
Seeing that, he became so nervous that he stuttered his first words.
"I am … I am Hephaestion, son of General Amyntoros, my prince"
"Joy to you, Hephaestion, and how did you know I was the prince?" the blond boy asked curiously but, at the same time, trying to make the boy feel more comfortable.
"Because my father was here when you were born and then he told me that you had the most amazing eyes he had ever seen" Hephaestion said in a rush, blushing slightly when he realized what he had said in loud voice and feeling a bit angry at his own stupidity.
"Well, your eyes are quite amazing too, I can see a storm brewing in them right now" Alexander said approaching in order to have a better look at them.
Hephaestion got really agitated, both threads were very near, almost touching when a high pitched voice, full of venom, asked:
"Is your girlfriend coming to your sister's wedding, Alexander?" Cassander's voice resounded in the garden.
"I think she is" Alexander replied but his voice sounded a bit upset.
And Hephaestion saw with horror how both threads retreated to their own hands until his own disappeared completely, not even the tiniest trace of it remained.
Hephaestion sat far away from the prince, with a pained expression in his face, and remained quiet for a while. Sighing deeply, he decided to take part in the conversation, paying extremely attention not to cross gazes with the prince.
The annoying boy kept silent after his rude interruption but a constant smirk took place in his face while he kept watching from one boy to the other. He did not need another newcomer fawning over his Alexander; the prince would be his and he would also take care of that upstart princess soon.
Two days later, a very sad Hephaestion returned to his house and no one could understand why the boy was feeling so blue.
How could he tell them that he had seen a glimpse of immortality in his growing love for a golden prince?
TBC