CHAPTER 1: Teen years in Harmony.
Hephaestion had never been a morning person, however, he knew his duties began early every morning so he realized that he needed to leave his bed. He would indulge himself just for a few minutes and remain in bed so he closed his cyan eyes and let the warm sun caress his well-toned body and golden skin. The rays of the morning sun heated his skin and he stirred like a cat beneath the silk sheets. His morning erection came to life with the soft caress of the fabric against it and the prince lazily took his hard problem in his right hand. A male and powerful name, that was not obviously his own, escaped from his clenched lips as soon as, after some strong strokes, he released the warm and pearly seed. A very satisfied and not at all embarrassed Hephaestion felt sated and in a very good mood. The previous night he had had a dream and it had been, once again, about the young Macedonian King. It seemed that the effects of that dream had lasted until the morning and his body knew how to express its happiness.
Hephaestion had fallen for his Xander, as he secretly called the Macedonian King in his mind, some years ago and if anyone asked him, he could say that he had loved the man since he had memory.
It did not matter to the young prince that Alexander was eight years older than him; he was always told that even though he was only 13 years old, he looked much older than that, not only because he was the proud owner of a slender but toned body but also because he was considered very mature by his own parents, his tutors and many of the Eldest.
Hephaestion was a very dedicated student and his vast knowledge about everything in his kingdom, as well as his natural sense of curiosity, had started at a very early age when he was just a child with five summers over his thin shoulders.
According to his tutors, he was a quick learner with a very sharp mind. He was intelligent but humble, he would share his knowledge with whoever asked him and he would never brag about his knowledge or quick thoughts. That attitude made his parents feel very proud of him. Hephaestion was also an avid reader and there were no books in the palace library that he had not read, except those who he was not ready enough to do it. The Eldest, always worried about their students' progress, especially the Harmonian heirs', had monitored his reading and discussed it with the young boy, to check his understanding. To their surprise; they had got a fresh point of view on many of them quite frequently and that had encouraged them to give Hephaestion more difficult texts to read and analyse.
Even though the young prince had a big and rich imagination, as any child of his short age, no one could say that he did not have both of his feet on the ground. As the royal couple shared everything with their children, Hephaestion was aware of the very few existing problems in his father's kingdom and he was always ready to suggest solutions, some of them had been quite interesting and innovative and the King had taken them into account more than once.
His parents and the Eldest listened to Hephaestion with respect; every inhabitant of the kingdom had the right to express their ideas freely, no matter if they were right or wrong, but they should always have a logical basis and be expressed with respect.
Being the youngest and the only boy of the three royal heirs, Hephaestion was spoiled rotten by his two elder sisters, who had treated him as if he were their child instead of their baby brother. The prince, however, had never taken advantage of that situation because he had a heart of gold, filled with innocence and goodwill.
Diodoros, Hephaestion's father, was a noble king who ruled the small kingdom of Harmony with a gentle and caring hand and based on three single principles or virtues: Truth, Service and Peace. The inhabitants could choose between Service and Truth according to their own skills or likes and live their lives ruled by them.
Everybody respected their own principle and any of the many foreigners or travellers that visited the small kingdom could immediately and easily "breathe" and experience those principles, especially the common one for all of them that was Peace.
The Harmonians were always ready to help, that was why travellers were offered to stay in their own houses so they could also share their family lives and customs for as long as they decided to stay there.
Many of the Harmonians were scholars, who were in charge of the search for Truth. They were also the ones who taught those who had the required skills and the intention of becoming the seekers of the Truth. Few of them would be part of the Council of the Eldest who helped the king to reign.
The rest of the population worked the fertile lands of the kingdom or they produced the goods that the rest of the population used. Their main virtue was Service and it was highly appreciated and recognized not only by the Scholars but also by the ruling house that was always thankful for their effort and hard work. The cooperation between Truth and Service was a very close one and there was no competition between them.
Every single inhabitant of Harmony knew how to read and write, make calculations and speak in public. Poverty had been eradicated in their kingdom and richness was shared and enjoyed in its different concepts.
Everyone who visited Harmony felt amazed by the feeling of peacefulness they found all over the small kingdom. The king ruled with integrity and mercy, assisted by the council of the Eldest; however, any major decision would be also discussed with the representatives of the workers. Women were also listened and many times they had been the ones to find the best solutions.
Harmony did not have an army; in fact, there were no weapons and since the origins of the reigning house, it had never taken part in any war, not even in a simple battle or skirmish. It had never been invaded as the kingdom maintained good relationships with its neighbours.
The Harmonian king Diodoros had been called many times to settle confrontations between other territories and his intelligence, the high value of justice and service had solved all the problems, and due to his actions, the king had gained more respect. King Diodoros had been able to embrace and fuse Truth, Service and Peace, a unique but possible fact among Harmonians.
Only King Diodoros and his Queen and wife Annabeth, among the eldest inhabitants, remembered and knew that there had been a fourth virtue, Courage. However, it had been left aside because King Diodoros had seen how it had corrupted many people during his childhood, his elder brother among them. His extreme devotion to Courage and its consequent recklessness had made him unstable and a daredevil, and in the name of Courage, he had dared to threaten their peace. The Eldest had tried to change his mind but they were unsuccessful. The young man decided to leave Harmony and find his own place in the world, where his Courage could be appreciated. However, streaks of bitterness and revenge stained his virtue and, little by little, it poisoned him, blackening his heart and soul, leading him to the dark side.
Young Hephaestion got up and walked towards the window and, opening the heavy drapes, he let the glorious sun enter his room. He looked carefully at the morning sky and he could identify the last star still twinkling in it. He sighed long and loudly and then walked back, towards the inner room to have his morning bath. He discovered a new comb, made of sandalwood and ivory, and the prince smiled. He had admired the object at the market the day before and complimented the artisan for such a nice and delicate work of art. He could have bought it but he already had one and it was still in good conditions. He would go and thank the man as soon as his breakfast was over.
Hephaestion washed his body carefully and blushed deeply when he realized that his stomach was sticky due to his recent morning activity. He let his mind wander to the man of his affection while thinking how it would be like to feel Alexander's hands and lips on his own. Feeling his young manhood getting hard again quite rapidly, he took some long and calming breathes and finished washing his body and hair. He then took his time combing his brunette shoulder-length hair which had entangled during his morning activity. He chuckled loudly as he felt his nether parts having a life of their own and decided to stop thinking about his crush.
He got dressed in a light-blue chiton and leather sandals. The weather was warm enough so he decided to leave the short cloak behind.
On his way to the dining room, he greeted the two maids that generally helped his mother in the place; both young women greeted him and he could hear them giggling and gossiping. Everybody found the young prince very handsome and following the truth rule, they were not shy to tell him what they thought about him, obviously with respect.
King Diodoros was already at the table, drinking a big cup of sweetened milk and he was listening carefully to a young farmer who was having his own cup of milk. The young man was describing his King a new breed of plant that, together with one of the scholars specialized in plants, had been able to discover and make it grow successfully under their careful supervision.
The king was thrilled with interest with the news and followed the conversation with enthusiasm, making the man varied and interesting questions, especially when the man told him that said plant seemed to have healing properties and many nutrients that would be able to help, especially the young children to develop into healthier youths.
The Harmonian King saw Hephaestion arrive but the brunette had stayed apart until his father asked him to accompany them. The prince approached and after greeting them with the same degree of respect, he sat down and listened avidly to the new discovery.
Hephaestion shyly asked the farmer if he could visit the farm to see the plant, make some drawings and include it in his botanic book along with all the information he could give him. The farmer accepted the prince's request proudly, offering to come back for him in the late afternoon. After that, the farmer greeted his king and prince and went back to his tasks, happy to have served his kingdom.
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Some minutes later, soft footsteps were heard along the corridor and both men turned around and stood up when they were nearer. The queen was arriving and both men felt their hearts swell with love.
Annabeth was the sweetest woman in their kingdom, so much so that she was considered by many if not by the vast majority of their inhabitants, as the mother and carer of them all. It was very common to see her walking around the streets, visiting the different houses and asking and worrying about their well-being. It was also very common to see her surrounded by small children, holding her hands or just walking by her side but grabbing her clothes. She was always ready not only to give hugs and kisses as well as receive them but also to tell or read stories when she had free time.
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Annabeth, as well as her two elder daughters, were the vivid exponent of their principle, they not only belonged to Service but also felt it in every single cell of their bodies. On the other hand, her youngest and only son, Hephaestion was the strongest exponent of Truth she had ever known, except her own husband.
Fortunately, her good King and husband had been able to adopt and embrace both principles for himself and King Diodoros had always been able to manage them very well and keep them balanced.
"Peace, Annabeth," the king greeted his wife and the true and only owner of his heart.
He leaned over and kissed her lips tenderly and with so much love and respect that that simple gesture made Hephaestion feel anxious to find soon the same kind of true and noble love his parents shared.
"Peace to you too, Diodoros, how are you today, on this bright and sunny morning? Is there anything I can do for you?" she offered amorously.
"Nothing, my dear, just being by your side makes me feel loved and complete. However, we would be honoured if you join us for breakfast" the king added and no one would have ever doubted that he had spoken the truth his own heart dictated him.
Annabeth turned round to greet her son, who she had not seen up to that moment, and when she did, she quickly realized what the young prince might be feeling due to the expression on his face.
"Peace, Hephaestion. Please, son, don't look at us with those sad eyes; love will come to you when you least expect it, it always comes when you are ready" she added and cupping his face between her small but warm hands, she kissed his cheek lovingly.
"Peace, Mother. I know, I know and I enjoy seeing your love blooming and growing with each passing day. Maybe if King Alexander decides to visit our kingdom one day …" the blue-eyed teen said and then sighed loudly as if his wish was one impossible to get.
After a minute or two, the good King approached his son and setting his hand on his arm, told him,
"Hephaestion, I don't think the Macedonian King is a wise choice. My son, that man is full of courage" Diodoros added and only his wife could see the twitch in his eyes and fully understand what he meant by his statement.
Hephaestion thought for a little while and said,
"Yes, that is true, father, but he is also intelligent. He was tutored by Master Aristotle who is a seeker of Truth as you and me" Hephaestion said, trying to defend his crush.
"Yes, but in his younger years he was tutored by his father and Leonidas of Epirus, and everybody knows that victory but mainly courage was the most important virtue for them," Diodoros said.
"I know that but I am sure that he can balance both virtues as you do" Hephaestion replied almost in a whisper and then he remained in silence but he still could hear his father whispering that he would never have courage as a virtue.
Watching the awkward scene between her two favourite men, Annabeth decided to help them to get over that by offering them a distraction.
"Well, I will bring the things for breakfast" she announced.
"Please, Mother, take a seat and let me do it," Hephaestion said and immediately stood up and fetched the extra goblet, plate and cutterly for his mother.
Annabeth looked at her son and asked being unable to hide the happiness in her tone of voice,
"Is there a budding trace of Service I can see?"
It was not very frequent that his son offered to do something for someone else so quickly; he had never been a lazy person but his mind had always been more active and quicker than his hands and feet.
Hephaestion stopped his movements and turned round to answer to his mother,
"Maybe … maybe I want both virtues and if the gods help me, I could embrace them both as Father did" the young prince explained and locked eyes with his mother; eyes that told her that the young teen was seriously giving a good thought.
"That would be wonderful, son, but remember that you should never force it. Peace and Truth are already your virtues and even though you're still young, you have already shown good signs on both of them" the queen added, feeling very proud of her youngest child.
"Thanks, mother. I will remember that. By the way, where are my sisters? Are they joining us for breakfast? I haven't seen or heard them yet" he asked curiously as his sisters were early risers as every Harmonian.
"They left very early this morning, before dawn to help a woman with three small children" she explained while serving the morning food on her men's plates.
"Why doesn't her husband help her? Or is she a widow?" King Diodoros asked after thanking and taking his plate from his wife's hands.
"Her husband broke a leg while he was helping his neighbour to repair his roof. They have lands to sow and even though this neighbour and others are helping her, they also have their own lands and the time to sow is now" Annabeth explained.
"So, are my sisters working on the land?" Hephaestion asked not surprised at all if he heard a positive answer.
"No, the woman is doing that as she used to help her husband and already knows how to do it. Your sisters are looking after the three children and the husband. The eldest child is taking care of the easiest house chores" Annabeth explained and both men could hear the pride in her words.
"Is the man going to be fine?" Hephaestion asked, after taking a bite of the warm bread roll.
"He assured me yesterday when I went to see him that he was already on the mending but he won't be able to move soon. He also explained to me that he had exchanged his tasks with his wife's house chores so he is the one in charge of cleaning the wool and seeds" she said and could not hide her smile.
"Was that your wicked smile I have just seen, my dear?" king Diodoros asked playfully.
"No, my king. How could you think that? But … maybe, the husband will appreciate his wife a bit more after doing her tasks" Annabeth said.
"Mother!" Hephaestion said and laughed loudly, filling the dining room with happy sounds.
The three of them finished their breakfast and then went to do their own chores, promising to get together again to have lunch. Annabeth, however, apologized in advance, because she was going to take some lunch for her daughters and the family in need. Both men looked at the queen's retreating back and wondered how she did to keep so much love in such small body.
Hephaestion remembered to go to the market and thanked the artisan for his new comb and the man could not believe that the young prince had taken time of his more important activities to go and thank him. The owners of the other market stalls saw with pride that Hephaestion would be a fine King after his sisters.
Later that afternoon, the farmer came to pick up Hephaestion and take him to the farm. Both of them walked all the way there speaking about other plants and herbs and the farmer was surprised at the vast knowledge of his prince.
The scholar was already waiting for them and the three of them spoke for a long time about the new breed and the two men gave Hephaestion all the information they got about it. The young prince drew the new plant in his botanic book, putting special attention even up to the smallest details. He also wrote down all that he had listened about it before, promising to keep it update whenever they found anything new.
The farmer invited both men to stay for dinner and both of them gladly accepted. Hephaestion complimented the farmer's wife for the delicious food and even dared to ask for the recipe. The prince went back to the small palace and found his family talking about their activities. His sisters immediately offered him a seat and a cup of sweetened milk an asked about his activities and the new discovery.
The lives of the five members of the royal family went on peacefully as well as the lives of every Harmonian.
Unfortunately, they did not know that in the near future, their small and peaceful kingdom was about to suffer an unexpected attack, commanded by the most powerful King of their time and his unbeatable Army.