***Hephaistion finally manages to arrive at Alexandros' chambers, but he has a few things to deal with along the way.

PART THREE


'Hmmm, a ball of string, the Minotaur, Babylonian mazes, Alexandros does enjoy a good hunt…" Hephaistion's mind took a rather devious bent and his eyes danced as he strode along. He came to the second pair of doors these were bronze and red cedar. No winged bulls graced these doors, but rather a pair of high kicking stallions set out in sharp silver relief. He studied the stallions for a moment their manes were milky and glowed with a brilliant pearl essence. He considered the work more clearly and wondered at the amount of pearls that had been crushed to create these two beautiful creatures. He noticed that their hoofs were sparkling onyx and their eyes large green emeralds. Yet, beasts made from the breath of the artists, they were also endowed with the spirit of the horse king, for it was evident in the very turn of their head and the wild roll of their eyes. He wondered if the old myths were true that these were the depiction of the first horses ever tamed by man and on the night of the first full moon of the summer, they would come to life, come down from their heavy housing of mahogany, and go in search of sustenance, human blood. The ancient Assyrians had believed that horses and other beasts had come from a long off star in the sky. He and Alexandros had been shown some ancient texts by the Magi that spoke of the ancient kings of Assyria and Babylon as being half man and half fish. Hephaistion had merely laughed and said if they caught one they would have to be sure to send it to Aristotle.

The great doors were opened for him immediately and he strode threw, tossing a lazy smile to the guards who were posted there. Then he reversed his steps. Unless his eyes played him for a fool, Telemon, who was too much of a veteran to know better had the slightly grey pallor of a man who was ill, or, Hephaistion snickered softly and turned and glanced again, at Telemon's face, the stance of a man who had drunk well, perhaps too well. The slightly sour scent of vomit reeked in the air and sweat sheened his face. It was clear he was unsteady on his feet.

"You would do well to thank Father Zeus I am in a good mood tonight." He strode back and addressed Aster who was also on guard and Telemon's superior. "I want this man dismissed thirty lashes for appearing on duty before the King's bedchamber in this state, he's stripped of rank, and you'll receive fifteen for allowing it. Both of you go now, report to Ptolemy and tell him of my orders."

The words had barely left his mouth as the two men presented arms, saluted, and left their posts. Immediately two other guards filled them. Hephaistion watched as all along the hall the guard changed allowing for the break in line. What ever had gotten into Telemon to appear on duty drunk? Hephaistion sighed deeply, he knew. It was Babylon herself. She seduced men, already it was happening with Alexandros. Well, he would be Tartarus bound before he would allow it to happen to him!

He caught the glint of acknowledgement in the dark eyes of one of the guards and sighed but moved through the next set of doors. These fronted Alexandros' bedchamber. Nothing was amiss here, which was good as he was not on duty himself this night, he smiled briefly at Laomedon and Nearkhos who were. Neither of them returned the smile, and that made his smile widen. At least they knew their duty.

If he couldn't be on duty himself, at least he knew the King was safe with these two or any of the Seven. Lucky for Aster and Telemon he was in a good mood or he'd have staked them over an ant colony after giving them twenty-five lashes each for every hour they had stood there, Telemon drunk and Aster for allowing it in the first place.

Discipline had gotten lax lately. Well, it would stop. Tomorrow he would call for a general inspection of his troops and suggest that Alexandros do the same for the entire army. They would turn out as though ready for a night march through thirty miles of pouring rain, or by the balls of Apollo's bulls he would…!

Some troops and certain officers might curse him behind his back, call him an upstart, mutter that he had the king's ear only because he had fascinated the king with his thighs; yes, he'd heard that bit of gossip too. Actually, he wasn't sure where it had started. It certainly didn't bother him or Alexander. They both had a good laugh over it. Alexandros reckoned the remark was made by an Athenian, certain Athenians hated him with a passion, he knew this, but didn't much care. He had too many other things to be concerned with just now than the taunts and slanders of certain self-important Athenians orators or other anti-Macedonian detractors.

Let them think what they liked, Hephaistion thought, he would sacrifice his pride. For when it came to the army, all knew, the men would rather face his anger than see the great disappointment in Alexandros' eyes. That would be a wound too great for either side to bear. No, it was Hephaistion's job to prevent such a thing. He sighed heavily for a moment. Sometimes, though he got tired of it.

He entered into Alexandros' private chamber, Alexandros reclining in indolent majesty upon the great bed of the Persian kings beckoned with the impatient wave of his hand. He reminded Hephaistion in that moment caught half in shadow of the heavy sky reaching columns surrounding the bed and glittering candlelight of a lithe golden cat - stretched in repose, but restless and waiting still, always scenting the air for the coming of prey. Would he, Hephaistion be the prey or…? He allowed a small smile to rise along his lips and licked the sweet strong wine that lingered there with his tongue.

The rich scent of ambergris, sandalwood and frankincense stirred something deep in him and he sighed against the images it wove that rose in his imagination. Mieza in the spring – the air bleeding pink and red as Aphrodite's rain of sweet apple blossoms fell down to the earth coaxing the fruit to rise in the small waxy buds and awaken. The cold tang of fresh water, icy as it ran fast and strong from the mountainous cantons that sat high above the plain of Pella. Alexandros' laughter, high and wild when he and Boukephalas would pound the earth like some ancient deity that Hephaistion, in his heart knew he would be forever bound to kneel before in love. The ancient stones and burning sands of Siwah, surrounded by the lush oasis of that city, reaching its exotic hands out to the sweat stained traveler in welcome - showing the glimpse here and there in its long, black mysterious gaze of the delight of its antique lands that could so easily ensnare the unprepared.

Then another scent reached him, a cleaner one, lighter with the purity of a cleansing rain. It had always reminded him of Mieza, but lately, after leaving Egypt, especially at the time of the great flood, when the Nile rich, green and fertile grew like a great sinuous snake upon the land he thought of Alexandros. He stopped a moment swayed almost to tears breathing in the essence of the man who had come up behind him. He turned at the touch of the hand on his shoulder.

"Hephaistion, come, aide me in my restlessness for surely with this missive, my mind stirs as though it will never light to the gentle reaches of earth again. My mother, Zeus take the woman!" He shook the piece of papyrus in his hand until it fluttered like some caught bird worried in the grip of an eagle. "My rent is paid up, I swear by Zeus it is! She thinks to barter with me, and keeps raising the toll ever higher. Would that I could have bargained the cost before I was born from her, I swear by black–eyed Hecate I would! Perchance then I would find some recourse to her constant complaints."

"Then I will relieve you of this burden." Hephaistion made to grab the letter away, but Alexandros would not release it. Laughing he grabbed his hands and they fought for the letter which was quickly lost and fell to the floor forgotten as they continued their light play.

"So, you would wrestle, is that the game we are to have this night?" Alexandros threw off his robe and leapt at Hephaistion. He was laughing as he grabbed Hephaistion by the shoulders and pulled him down toward the soft fur covering of the bed.

"Wrestling is the game, are you sure?" Hephaistion laughed as with one great swoop of his strong arms, he tried to upend Alexandros. "You know you never win with me?"

"By all the Muses, what are you doing to me?" Alexandros' voice was muffled but it was filled with laughter.

"I would make a broom of your golden hair and swept the floors of this great palace." Hephaistion chuckled in response as with a shout Alexandros wrapped his hands around Hephaistion's ankles as he stood over him - then leaned in and bit, none too softly the tender skin on Hephaistion's shin.

"Hades! You little beast!" Hephaistion flung Alexandros and his sharp little teeth away from him and then between rubbing the sorely used skin, and swearing, he went after his attacker with a vengeance. Alexandros spun around and clapped his legs hard around Hephaistion's ankle. Hephaistion, wobbling and unsteady tripped he fell landing on the floor next to Alexandros where he lay in a laughing heap.

"You'd have earned a beating for that, you know," Hephaistion rubbed his sore leg, again, and chuckled softly, as Alexandros sat up rubbing his back. "Back in Pella, Kassandros always bit when he wasn't winning. I didn't think you'd choose to follow his example.

"Perhaps it was the blood running fast to my head as you attempted upturn me. I am not a broom to sweep the fibers of the carpets." With a wry grin, he leaned in a smacked a loud kiss on Hephaistion's injured shin.

"In truth 'tis my arm that is sore, and my hand, my foot, my mouth hurts most terribly." He moaned in mock agony that broke into almost boyish sounding giggles as Alexandros was tying hard to keep up kissing all the various body parts Hephaistion was pointing out. Alexandros fell back against the thick carpeting greatly amused, and pulled Hephaistion down with him.

"Ah, always you with your great eyes of violet, you can seduce me into anything." He bent his golden head toward the face that was so dear to him and smiled. "So, what is it you wish now?"

Hephaistion stretched his mouth in a lazy half smile as he kissed Alexandros' lips, once, then twice more. "I would like the taste of pomegranates upon my tongue and the perfume of mountain lilies cast about my senses, I would like the roar of the hungry lion in my ear and his playful paw at my back. I would like what I cannot always have but dream of both waking and asleep."

Alexandros laughed softly and whispered in his ear, "Ah, you are so easy to please; you bring joy to me with your very footsteps."

As the night grew on there was nothing heard but silken whispers from the king's chamber. Once a guard happened to turn his head in that direction but smiled and kept his tongue silent. He looked about himself at the great cobalt tiled walls and closed his eyes as he sipped the fine wine on his break. "Indeed, this place is a paradise," He thought to himself, as shadows flickered in the distance, soft and dancing sinuously as the night drew on.

FINIS