Chapter 2:
Everybody stood in silence for quite some time, unsure of what to do. Cleites whimpered, and all turned their heads towards him. Some men gasped, for one of the most venomous snakes made their way to his feet. "If you hesitate, he strikes." The Queen said in her foreign accent. Cleites bit his lip, and just as the snake leaped forward, Hephaestion cut of the snakes head in one swift movement. He drew back and put his sword back in his belt. Cleites gasped and smiled at Phai, while others patted him on the back. Alexander threw him a look that said "I'm proud of you, but please be more careful." But deep down he was on cloud nine, for more prove that Hephaestion is his night in shining amour. Wow, he sounds like a love struck schoolboy. This thought made him grin like an idiot. Olympias looked disgusted, for she did not know Hephaestion was this good a soldier. "Men, its so good to see you." She spit with fake enthusiasm. She walked past them, stopped infront of Alexander and Hephaestion, and looked over her shoulder, sending a signal for the rest of the company. They hesitated and looked at their King, he nodded but directed his glare to his 'mother'. "Hephaestion! Its been so long. Oh, how I have missed you so." She said and kissed him on the cheek. Alexander had to control every thing he had, to not push his mother away from his Phai. The Queen noticed Alexander's breathing and flared nostrils. "Alexander. I would most certainly not hurt any of your Generals, now would I?" Alexander did not answer her, but kept glaring at her instead. She made a tssk noise and hugged her son, before kissing him on his cheeks. "Now, I need to speak with you two in private." She said looking at them both. Alexander was suddenly furious. "No. You can speak to me, but you will not touch Hephaestion!" she shook her head. "This concerns you. Both of you." She said stroking the snake on her left arm. Hephaestion looked at Alexander, and Alexander looked sad and mouthed and apology. Phai smiled and nodded. "Fine, but harm him, and I will kill you." He threatened. She shook her head but said nothing. Although she did whisper something to one of her snakes, the smallest one. They walked to her rooms, each of them stealing glances at the other, making sure the other is still unharmed, and wanting to see each other. When they got into her rooms, she walked past them, and went to sit on a chair. She motioned for them to sit, but Alexander just shook his head. "No, we stay right were we are." He said, and half stepped in front of Phai. Hephaestion rolled his eyes, and pulled Alexander next to him, after all, he was supposed to be the body guard. Before Alexander could respond. Olympias shook her head and laughed a very cruel laugh. "Boys, boys, boys. You need to learn to control yourselves." She shook her head again. Alexander glared at her again, and oh, if looks could kill. "I came here, for I need a favour." Alexander let out a shaky laugh and shook his head in disbelieve. "Oh really?" he said sarcastically. "I want to go to war with you." She stated firmly. Alexander snapped his head in her direction and furrowed his brows. "No. You could get hurt." He stated. Yes she was evil, but she was his mother. No matter how hard he tried, he cannot really hate her. "I will not. I could help you." He looked at her questionably. "I have been messing around with potions. And I have found a potion with the worst stench. It could cloud you so easily, and make you lose focus. I could ride in a carriage of some sort. And throw the potion bombs at the enemy. Making them vulnerable, while you attack." She stated proudly. He hesitated, and glanced at Hephaestion. He sighed. "We were just about to have lunch now. Why don't you join us and come to the meeting afterwards, explain your idea to the rest of the Generals." She smirked evilly and stood up. She then walked past them to the dining hall, brushing herself against Hephaestion, and smiling seductively at him. He took a deep breath and looked away. It was obvious that the Queen hated Hephaestion, for she wanted to be the only person in Alexander's heart. Little did she know that Hephaestion is/was and will always be the only person in Alexander's heart. Alexander closed his eyes and stayed like that for a while. Hephaestion stepped forward, kissed his neck, and put his chin on his lover's shoulder. Alexander sighed and turned around, putting his one hand on Phai's cheek, and the other at the small of his back, pulling him closer and kissing him passionately until the need for air became to strong and they both pulled away panting and laughing. "Come, my love, let us join the rest for lunch." He smiled and took Hephaestion's hand. Lunch went well, everybody laughing and joking around, most pretending it was just the usual crowd. After their meal they all went back to the meeting room, stomachs full and ready for another planning session. As soon as they were all seated, Alexander took a deep breath and started. "Ok, so you all know my mother, Queen Olympias." A few Generals nodded. "She has come up with an idea that she thinks might be useful for us. Mother?" the Queen nodded and began explaining her plan. As soon as she was finished, she smirked, for she could see on the faces of the soldiers that they agreed with her and for once liked a plan of hers. After a bit of negotiating, they finally came up with the plan, that the Queen would ride on the same horse as the strongest and best General. Everybody looked at Hephaestion, and Alexander panicked. That would mean that Hephaestion's horse would be the best target, and most men would attack him. Olympias noticed this and came up with a brilliant plan. "I know, why don't we hold a competition. Here in Babylon, to see which one of the Generals would be best." They all seemed to like the idea, for it will be fun. Alexander sighed but reluctantly agreed. Olympias smiled. "Great, we shall start with the contest, to test your strength. Why don't we do it right now?" Alexander's eyes widened. "Are you sure? I mean its pretty cold, and its winter." Some men seemed to hesitate. "The sooner the better." The Queen said. The men nodded slowly and went to their rooms to prepare. Alexander grabbed Hephaestion by his arm and drew him in for an embrace. "Please be careful." He whispered. Hephaestion nodded and smiled softly, before leaving the room to prepare. "So you and I shall be the judges I see." The Queen smiled. Alexander glared at her before sighing and nodding. While making their way to the wrestling grounds, Alexander's mother came to stand next to him while he ordered the guards to bring the Queen a chair to put next to his thrown. "You really do love him, don't you?" his mother suddenly questioned him. This made his head snap up. He narrowed his eyes at her, and she simply shrugged. "I can see it in your eyes, when you look at him." She added softly, looking down. Alexander's face softened, for he could see she yearned for the love he has for his Phai. "Mother-" he started, but she cut him of. "Its ok. I just wish I was as lucky to have someone care for me the way you care for him." Suddenly she was not the woman he hated, or tried to hate in his case. He wrapped his arms around her, and for the first time since he was a little boy, he let her embrace him the way a mother should embrace her child. Little did they know Hephaestion was entering the room, but stopped as soon as he saw them, admired the picture and softly left the room to give them some privacy. "I'm sorry I didn't bring you here." He whispered. "That's alright, I'm just so glad to be here." Came her soft response. "Now," she said as she pulled away. "Back to the task at hand." Alexander rolled his eyes but smirked at her. "I think we should draw names out of a wine glass, two at a time, and then they shall fight each other, the winners will put their names in a new glass, and the action will be done again, and again until there is only two left, the winner of that battle will be the one to protect me. Agreed?" she explained while stroking the snake on her arm. Alexander thought about this for a while, before nodding his head and trying not to think of his Phai in a battle. All of the Generals then appeared, some excited, other nervous. The Queen explained the rules and they all nodded their heads and some even smiled. Everybody then looked at the King expectantly. Alexander drew in a breath and got up. "Nearchus and Ptolmy, Cassander and Aleandros, Cleites and… uhm… and Heph-ph-hephaestion." He swallowed. Everybody looked sympathetically at Alexander, and then at Phai, for Cleites was older and have been in the army longer than what Hephaestion knew what war is. Cleites was also King Philip's best General, and that says something. Alexander put the pieces of scroll down, slid into his seat, and put his hands on his face. Desperately trying to think of an excuse so that Hephaestion would not be able to fight. Suddenly he felt someone kneel beside him, and pulling his hands away from his face. When he looked up, into those cerulean eyes, he couldn't help but smile. Phai smiled back at him, stood up, kissed his forehead and walked back to Cleites. Alexander sighed but repositioned his body, so that he could see more clearly. The battles were ruff, first of was Nearchus and Ptolmy, Ptolmy won, since he was also more experienced. Next was Cassander and Aleandros, Cassander won for he was younger and much faster, aslo, he had both of his eyes. And finally came Cleites and Hephaestion. Alexander held his breath, and his hands were gripping into the chair as if it was his lifeline. Cleites lunged at Hephaestion, and Alexander had to struggle with all his might, not to jump in front of him and let him be dragged away to the dungeon. "Alexander! Cleites is both you and Phai's friend. He wouldn't hurt him on purpose." He had to keep reminding himself. The Queen watched her son struggle and smiled to herself. Fortunately, Hephaestion dodged the move, and with one swift movement, grabbed Cleites by the arm, turned around, and threw him over his shoulder. Everybody gasped and started to cheer. Alexander smiled proudly while Hephaestion helped Cleites to his feet. Olympias was shocked, for she definitely did not expect this. She remembered Cleites so strong. "My king, there are three of us now, how will we compete?" Cassander questioned. Alexander thought about it for a moment before the Queen interrupted him. "You could always, one by one, compete against Ox." "NO!" Alexander interrupted so quick, not all of the Generals have even heard her. "My King, it is the only solution. If no one succeeds, we can always take Ox. But the person who does, wins. And if two succeeds, they fight against each other, the person who wins, protects the Queen." Ptolmy answered. Alexander sighed, glanced at Hephaestion, who was looking at the floor, and nodded. "You are very, very protective of him. Its almost sweet." His mother whispered. He looked at her and nodded softly. Ox was HUGE and almost everybody feared him. In the first battle, Ptolmy lost to Ox, but then Cassander beat him, although he was very close to losing, for when he battles, he makes jokes, distracting his component. Its just his way of fighting. When Hephaestion stepped unto the field, Alexander groaned. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into the eyes of Cleites. He knew Cleites understood what he felt, for Cleites and Ptolmy's been together for nearly 4 years now. (Alexander and Hephaestion have been best friends for 20 years, and lovers for 16.) Alexander smiled at him as a silent thank you, and turned his attention back to the battle. Ox leaped forward, snatching at Hephaestion, but instead he clutched air. He looked around him, and suddenly he was on the ground. Hephaestion stood over him, grabbed his arms, and pinned them behind his back. "Mercy! Mercy!" Ox screamed and Phai let him go. Hephaestion stood up and brushed of the dust on his clothes, before helping Ox. When he looked up he was met with widened eyes and open mouths. Suddenly everyone cheered and praised him. He smirked and winked at Alexander. Alexander closed his mouth and was suddenly finding himself wishing this would be over soon, for he was suddenly extremely turned on, and he needed to fix that problem, or let his problem BE fixed. *wink-wink* But sadly he remembered that Cassander and Hephaestion was to fight now, and sighed. "Cassander, Hephaestion." The Queen ordered. Cassander gulped and was suddenly very scared, but he wouldn't let anybody realize this, so he walked, well he hoped he did, smoothly over to the grounds. A few giggles confirmed his suspicion that he did not look to brave. He hoped they wouldn't tease him for to long. Hephaestion went to stand on the other side of the grounds and looked directly at Cassander. Cassander was definitely not week, none of the Generals were, just not as strong as Hephaestion was. Though Phai did not believe this. It was quite obvious that Hephaestion did not know how handsome or strong he is. Alexander and the Generals found this very frustrating. Cassander ran forward and tried to bump into Phai, but instead found himself face first in the ground. He heard a few people giggle at this. Fortunately this made him smile, for he has always wished to be the clown among them. He turned on his back and looked up at Phai, he tried to trip him, by pulling his ankles towards Cassander, but instead, Hephaestion did a backflip and landed on his feet a few meters away from where he first stood. The crowd was stunned, for they knew Phai was a great fighter, but none of them knew he was THIS good, and without a weapon! Cassander quickly got to his feet and put his hands in the air in surrender. "I give up. I give up!" he laughed and hugged Hephaestion. Everybody cheered and jumped over to walls to their friends, laughing with Cassander and congratulating Hephaestion. Alexander couldn't stop grinning like an idiot and walked to his lover. When he got close enough to him, he grabbed him in for a hug. Everybody cheered even louder, for when they pulled away, Alexander kissed his Phai with so much passion, its almost not possible. "Hephaestion, congratulations. I did not know you had a talent like this." She said with a sarcastic smile. Alexander glared at his mother and all other went silent, except for Phai, who nodded and looked down. Olympias glared at her son's arm, which was still holding Phai firmly, no space between the two lovers. Hephaestion noticed her glare and tried to pull away, but Alexander refused, and instead of letting his arms fall, he pulled Hephaestion even closer to him, which seemed kind of impossible. The Queen mumbled something no one could understand. "So, it is settled then. Hephaestion would be my personal guard for the battle." Alexander was about to respond to that, saying something about his Phai being so much more, before Hephaestion interrupted him, sending him a warning glance. For he did not want the king to go through so much trouble just for him. Alexander rolled his eyes but listened to what he said anyway. "Are we going to travel by horse? Or carriage? And how close to them will we be?" "That, we will discuss after dinner, my love." Alexander said softly and kissing his cheek. Hephaestion looked at him and smiled. The rest of the Generals all admired the couple, while the Queen huffed, disgusted, and walked away quickly. The others laughed and followed her to the dinning hall.