Hello all,

Here comes the second part of my Going Home tale. It is about the King's return to Pella. Queen Olympias gets the surprise of her life.

Not all are welcome home to their families.

Dear Fiona, I hope that you don't mind that I borrowed your idea of Alexander riding on an elephant when he returned to his homeland. I have indulged in using the AR concept in a rather wild and far fetched manner.

All the best wishes, Wishing you all a Happy New Year and a Happy New Writing Year,

/ NorthernLight

Going Home, Part Two

Surprise Visitor

The Regent Antipatros had many sons. Philippos was the eldest and his favourite. He had always thrived in Pella, staying at home and helping his father with the government and defense duties. Alecharcos, Iolaos, Pleistarchos and Nicanor were ever so brave, nice and well behaved. He missed them dearly, since they were all long gone on King Alexander's glorious campaign.

There was one other son whom he did not miss at all.

Cassander had always been troublesome, prone to quarrels, envy and obnoxious behaviour.

The Regent Antipatros was most satisfied that Cassander now was far away in the city of Babylon.

It had been even better if he had remained in India!

The old Regent nowadays had a calm and good life. The Kingdom was at peace, all the neigbours were calm and well behaved and the Court was held in stern control and command. Queen Olympias took care of all its troubles and intrigues. She was very good at it, and she had excellent help from young Queen Asteria. Alexander had chosen her very well. There had been no discord at all over his marriage, and when the twins were born, a Prince and a Princess, all were most satisfied. The Lady Rhodia was always there, too, calm and reasonable. She was the quiet and *invisible* of the twin sisters the King and Hephaestion had married these many years ago, but by now all had realized that she had more of common sense and stability than most.

She was an anchor of reason, stability and diplomacy, much like her illustrious husband at the King's side.

The old Regent was most satisfied with his life these days. He leaned back into his comfortable chair and pulled his fur cloak closer around himself. Soon he dozed off, letting the scrolls and papers of government manage themselves as they lay heaped in abundance on his dark wooden desk.

He woke up to a dream - more like a nightmare.

A stout, red haired warrior in shining armour and a flaming red cloak stood before him. His hair was long and curly, it shone like a fiery beacon, but with long strands of silver in it. His eyes were brown but with a sly yellow tint in them.

It was Cassander! Antipatros screamed out loud in dismay at his unexpected apparition.

"Cassander! It is impossible! You are in Babylon with King Alexander!"

"No, dear Father. I have returned - and I am not alone. Look through the window!"

The old Regent slowly rose from his chair and limped to the window.

"It cannot be possible, "he exclaimed with feelings of great surprise.

He could barely believe his eyes when he beheld the splendid and unexpected sight. His son took him in his arms, offering strong and well needed support.

"Yes, dear Father, it is possible. We are all home, at long last."

The old Regent fainted in the arms of his long gone son.

Ending Of A Long Wait

"Where are our Fathers now?"

The question had been posed many times since the children had learned to talk. All four of them asked it several times every day. This time it was Queen Olympias who answered the eternal question.

"They are in the city of Babylon, far away from here. Oh how I wish that they were back here at Pella again!"

Young Achilles was golden haired, brave, strong and curious. His sister Helen was very similar, but her hair had a darker golden shine. Then there were Alexander and Alexandria. They had shining auburn and long hair manes, so like their father Hephaestion that one almost thought that he was there. Cleopatra's son Alexander was there, too, red haired, very like her mother and Olympias' dear but long gone brother. All five were teenagers now. Olympias realized that her son and his Companions had been away for a very long time, indeed.

Olympias had not seen Alexander since that day fifteen years ago when they parted at Dium. All the Gods and their auguries had been favourable before the audacious Persian Campaign.

They had been right.

King Alexander's victories were numerous. He was undefeated and seemed to be invincible.

His realm was the greatest of the known world.

Olympias had seem all her deepest wishes fulfilled. Her son was the greatest King that had ever ruled. She had fine and beloved grandchildren, three of her own, and two others that were almost like her very own. She held the supreme power at the Macedonian Court, even if the old Regent Antipatros sometimes dared to oppose her.

Olympias was satisfied with her life, still there was something sadly missing.

The High Queen wished to see her Son once more before she had to part from this world.

Now there was a great clamour, calling and commotion at the streets near the Palace. The Queen went to the window with great strides, her fiery red gown and fur cloak billowing around her.

Queen Olympias could barely believe her own eyesight.

A golden haired warrior came riding on a strange and huge animal. It was covered in long, gray fur, with a very long trunk and fangs so long that they protruded well over an arm's length from it's muzzle. At his side was another auburn haired warrior, riding a similar mount. Two horses, one coal black and one shining auburn, reluctantly trotted behind the large animals, looking dour and envious. They were followed by an enormous Army with dangerous looking warriors. All the people of Pella were out on the streets, cheering and greeting them. Now the strange animals raised their long snouts and trumpeted loud and clear, more audible than any herald.

"All hail King Alexander! All hail the Chiliarch Hephaestion!, "the people roared and cheered in the streets.

"It simply cannot be possible, "the Queen thought in her heart of hearts, "My son is far away in Babylon! There have been rumours that he intended to come home, but I never believed it..."

Queen Olympias had to compose herself and sit down on a chair that one of her ladies in waiting brought to her.

"Who are all those people parading in the streets, "her grandchildren asked her with curiosity and dismay.

"You will not believe it, but it is your Fathers at long last returning home to us! And - I am not the least surprised that they are not on horseback anymore. Hephaestion has a way to befriend all kinds of strange animals, but this time he has outdone himself! "

It became a very fond reunion. Queen Olympias forgot all her dignity and ran out on the streets together with her grandchildren, Queen Asteria and her sister Rhodia. Old Amyntor and his Lady Theano, also their daughter Helen, her husband and her boys were there, too, riding on horses behind Hephaestion.

Now Alexander and Hephaestion came down from their enormous mounts. They grasped them around their waists and lowered them down to the ground with their long trunks. They eagerly embraced their young wives and Queen Olympias, and then their children. All were so deeply moved that they were unable to speak for a very long time. Tears of joy clouded their vision and they felt warm despite the bitter midwinter cold around them. When at long last they regained the power of speech the first question, posed by young Alexander, was:

"Father, whatever are those animals you are riding on?"

"They are mammoths, my dear son, mammoths from the Hindu Kush. I befriended them there, and they wanted to come home here with us."

They all, men, women, children, horses and other animals had a fond reunion in the city of Pella. In the evening there was a Royal Banquet with no equal. Wine was flowing freely, boar and oxen were roasted, apples were handed out in baskets and all kinds of food, meat and drink were served in abundance.

All were merry and all was well in the Royal capital of Macedon.

One small fair haired green eyed woman stood in a northern window, looking out with longing. A dark maned man came and put his arm protectively around her.

"Amanda, I know that you want to go home. I will take you there. But, your parents must be very old by now..."

"Yes, Cleitus, but I should have felt it here if they were not with us anymore."

Amanda put her hand over her heart, looking at her dark haired Companion before she once more gazed to the far away North.

Illyria waited. It was still there for her.

TBC in Part Three, Illyrian Homecoming