It's here! Woo-hoo for Mr. Chapter Two! (corny I know... but it rhymed)

To The Fans: Thank you all for taking the time to review this story, I'm glad to read that your enjoying it. It's good to have encouragement and enthusiasm for this story . I hope that you'll all enjoy the rest of this story as well!

Ooh, and heads up, I don't have a BETA...so the grammar and spelling errors are indeed my fault, but I seriously don't try to do things like that... so hopefully you can see past them and enjoy the story anyway :p

And yeah, I worded things that almost sound 'Old English', but hey, I know they didn't talk the same way we do now back then, so it's a fruitful guess as to how it would have gone!

Thank's to you all who are sticking by me, you ROCK!

Enjoy!


Chapter Two:

With a great sigh, the young page pulled back the tent flap on the healing tent and stepped out into the darkness. He only had to walk a short distance when his features were illuminated by he fire pits that many soldiers huddled around.

Tonight was alike many others. The battle had darkened many hearts and many doused many hands with crimson causing men to wallow in the innocence they believed to have lost. Of course, as all things did, they would go back to ordinary when King Alexander would proclaim victory like he always did after a triumphant battle.

The men's spirits would arise like a phoenix from the ashes and they would celebrate with goblets full of tangy wine. They would lean on each other and sing merrily about their homeland and why Greece was so superior to everything else in the world.

Hoof beats resounded and were heard like a mighty drum over the bright flashes that illuminated the camp grounds. A great black horse dressed in its own shiny armor rode into the distance with a dark figure riding its back with an aged skill.

The page knew at once that King Alexander was the one who rode the skillfully tamed the horse. Nervousness and fear plagued the young one's heart as he walked forward. From what he'd experienced around the great King he knew to be of mercy and kindness. But the boy knew that some of that came from the gentle coaxing of his great love, Hephaistion.

Rain started flowing from the heavens in light sprinkles causing the young page to shiver. But still he could not tear his eyes away from the man that rode towards him. He just barely heard soldiers clapping thunderously at the King's arrival over the mad hammering of his heart against his rib cage.

The King gracefully stopped a few feet back from the boy and slung one foot from the saddle and dropped to the ground. He quickly pulled the helmet from his head as he was engulfed by the men that came to surround him.

The page heard him apologize quickly and push past them. The boy knew all too well who the King was set upon seeing first, after all the man had been separated from his General in battle and gods know what bothersome thoughts must be thundering through his imagination.

It amazed the page what the King's eyes had zeroed in on him and instantly recognized him. It took all of the strength he possessed not to turn around and run screaming like a banshee.

"Lucian!" The King yelled out to him.

The boy nodded and wondered how the King could see him through the darkness. He walked forward a ways before he stopped in front of the King.

"How do you fair King Alexander," the boy asked in politeness while keeping his head down and out of Alexander's watchful eyes.

"I am unharmed," Alexander told him. His eyes went upwards and he looked around and surveyed the area and men that stood staring at him. "Is Hephaistion waiting in my tent? Is that why you're here? Does he worry for me?"

The boy studied the ground with dread building in his chest. "He is not, and I am not here to tell you so. And…" the boy looked up to meet Alexander's searching gaze. "It is you that should be worrying for Lord Hephaistion."

Alexander blanched and reeled back as if he had been hit. He was silent as he searched for something to say and finally opted with a weak, "What's happened to him?"

The boy swallowed thickly. "He was cut with a poisoned blade, the healers fear that he will not awaken without a cure… they cannot even identify what poison Lord Hephaistion has been beset with."

A dark growling emanated from the King's throat and his face had come to be turned to stone. "Where is he?"

"There," Lucian pointed to the tent in the distance.

Alexander moved stealthily and quickly enough to have knocked over Zeus in his path to get to Hephaistion. In the seconds of finding out about his better half Alexander felt as if the Gods had taken something from him and broken his future like a sledgehammer to rock.

The King entered the tent and had to squint at the sudden lightness from the illuminated fire posts and candles set about the room. Upon his entrance the room had gone deafly quiet and all eyes had turned to look upon the King in his bloodied glory.

Alexander nodded respectfully to his soldiers and the healers that fought to save them from an untimely death. A strong hand to his shoulder took his attention. "Nearchus," Alexander breathed in relief.

"He sleeps Alexander," the General spoke softly in his ear. "Well now, you all have work to do, quit staring at us like such fools," Nearchus hollered out to the spectating crowd.

Nearchus smiled slightly over to his friend whose lips twitches slightly upwards. "Let me take you to him Alexander."

In moments Alexander gazed down at the seemingly sleeping Hephaistion, his hand gliding across the fiery forehead. "He's on fire."

"Infection and poison can do that to a man," a cynical voice startled the King from behind.

Alexander's eyes moved to stare at a man drenched in blood covered armor. "Who are you?" He demanded.

The man raised an eyebrow and turned to look behind as if Alexander must be talking to someone else. "Me?" he asked when he turned back.

Alexander nodded with a tight jaw. "Yes you."

"Titus," he replied simply. "I am a soldier under General Hephaistion's order."

"Does he know you well?" Alexander asked in interest. This man didn't look to be someone his Hephaistion would interact with.

Titus huffed lightly before replying, "He knows me well enough to argue with, to laugh with, and to yell at. So I guess you could say he knows me pretty well."

Alexander was slightly taken back by this soldier's undeniable boldness but found it interesting and figured that Hephaistion probably felt the same way. His attention turned back to Hephaistion and tried to ignore that pain that seemed to emanate off of his heart. "Where is his healer?"

"I'm right here my King," a soft male voice spoke from Titus's direction.

"Tell me everything," he ordered and bore his eyes like daggers into the healer who now seemed to stagger beneath Alexander's watchful eyes filled with accusation.

The healer composed himself and walked up beside Hephaistion, kneeled down and spread a soaked cloth against the General's forehead. "This poison is mischievous; it was intended to conceal its identity within the body until the symptoms begin to ail the body."

"But you have no idea what it could be?" Alexander asked in confusion.

The healer shook his head. "It's not that I do not know what it could be, it's that there are so many poisons to choose from… it could be so many things my King."

"Alexander," Nearchus whispered to his friend. "Do you think other soldiers were slashed by a poisoned blade as well?"

The King frowned and turned to the healer. "Have there been any similar cases?"

The healer shook his head obediently. "It appears that Lord Hephaistion was singled out. Perhaps an assassination attempt…"

Alexander turned back to Titus. "Was he cut with a Persian blade, or a Greek one?"

Titus raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "I wasn't with him on the battlefield, and he our conversation was more about getting help for the wound, and not so much about who caused it. After all, it did seem quite obvious at the time…"

"You don't believe one of our own did this to him do you Alexander?" Nearchus asked. He didn't want to hear that one of Greece's own soldier's had been foolish enough to go against his own nation and attempt to slay a General. King Alexander's own encouragement no less!

Alexander chose not to respond. He held Hephaistion's hand in his own and tried to remember the good times that didn't involve blood, death, or duty. But rather their innocence as children who fell deeply in love within the confines of Macedonia.

"When will he awaken?"

The healer bit the inside of cheek in contemplation. "It all depends on what poison is in his blood."

Alexander could feel his frustration building. "Then what good are you? You tell me absolutely nothing I couldn't have figured out on my own!" Alexander shook his hands in anger. "I should have you killed."

Fear shone brightly in the healer's eyes. "Please… I'm doing all I can for him."

"Yet it is not enough!" Alexander raged. "He is a General in my army and you; you have no idea how to save him. If he dies, you're going with him, and your death will be so horrible it will fringe the minds of every man who looks upon you!"

The healer cowered like a frightened child. "I will do everything I can sire."

"Alexander," Nearchus spoke his name calmly. "Let's have Hephaistion brought into his tent where there aren't so many speculating eyes."

Alexander's head moved up to look around the tent. He cringed once he saw the many curious soldiers, pages, and healers, looking at them. "Go back to your duties," he ordered then turned back to the healer. "Arrange for General Amyntor to be taken to his tent, send his page as well. I will be there as soon as I can."

The King looked to his friend and General. "A meeting is in order."

Nearchus nodded his head softly in agreement. "We need to seek more information about this Alexander. If there is an attempt on his life, what's keeping them from trying to take yours or any other General here?"

"Then there will be a meeting… we can discuss our options and take into account all that we can do," Alexander spoke as a leader to his men. "This battle has become pointier than I could have imagined."

"That it has Alexander," Nearchus.


TBC... Reviews are nice... hint, hint