Hello All,

Wishing you a Happy New Year from a cold and frost adorned Sweden. Here comes the next entry of my Illyrian tale. Alexander and Hephaestion are beginning to realize that they are not all alone in the wilderness.

All the best wishes, read and enjoy !

// NorthernLight

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TEMPLATE:

Title: Illyrian Autumn (4 / WIP)

Author: NorthernLight

Category: Love/Friendship/Adventure story

Pairing: Alexander&Hephaestion

Date: January 2009

Feedback: Yes, on and off list, as you please.

Archive: Yes, but please tell me first.

Disclaimer: I don't own them. This is for entertainment only, and for my deep interest in Alexander and Hephaestion, their times and great adventures.

Beta: Denise, but not this time. Wishing you a wonderful vacation and A Happy New Year. Many thanks for interesting discussions and suggestions. You sure make my stories a far better read.

Summary: Alexander and Hephaestion experienced hard times during their Illyrian exile. There were some memorable moments, though.

Warnings: One OMC. Amanda is my alter ego, a wishful dream come true.

Author's note: I don't know much of Ancient Illyria. The Mountain Illyrians are a proud and stubborn people of my own invention. Elk and lynx are animals living in the North of Europe. I don't think that they lived in Ancient Greece or Illyria in Alexander's time, but I like them to be there all the same. :)

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Illyrian Autumn, Part Four

A Wood In Illyria, 338 BC

Worried Vigil

Alexander was very worried over Hephaestion and his illness. He had been unable to sleep and he sat for a very long time keeping vigil over his friend, watching him in the glimmering orange glow from the open fire. He had wrapped him carefully into his warm bear skin fur cloak and put all their furs over him to keep him warm. He was sleeping now, but his colour was high. The fever had returned and he was fidgeting to and fro, being unable to rest.

The nights were cold this time of year, and Alexander huddled inside his warm wolf fur cloak. He sat very close to Hephaestion, and when he saw him shiver and shudder from the night's cold he gently put his hand on his fevered brow and wrapped a fold of his warming fur cloak over him.

"You must stay calm, my Dear One. I will keep you warm and watch over you, " he told his friend. "Rest now, and I hope that you are feeling better in the morning. I simply cannot do without you."

Hephaestion moaned and stirred in his sleep. He seemed to be in pain and discomfort, so Alexander made some more of the elderberries and willow bark concoction. It was steaming hot in the kettle, so he had to let it cool down before he could pour it up in a clay bowl and feed it to Hephaestion. He held him firmly on his left arm and put the bowl to his lips. His friend drank it all up, giving Alexander fond but bewildered glances before he returned to his feverish sleep. Twice more during the night Alexander had to give him the calming concoction before he fell into a deep and salutary sleep. By then the young Prince was very worn out from his nighttime vigil. He found himself nodding and slumping down into an exhausted sleep all the time, then futilely rousing himself again. He felt that he must stay awake to defend them all. The darkness outside seemed alive with all kinds of strange and ominous noises and sounds. A pack of wolves were howling from afar, making the horses ill at ease. Alexander rose and embraced them both.

"Don't be afraid, my four legged friends, " he told them with determination. "Those wolves are far away from here. They cannot harm us. We are safe and secure behind these thick rose bushes. It is a barrier no foes can come through. "

He put several logs on the fire and talked calmingly and reassuringly to the horses. As he did so the howling from the wolves disappeared and the sounds from the darkness became more friendly and less ominous. All the same he continued his vigil with knives, sword and spear ready at his side. Only when a faint gray dawn appeared outside the cave he dared to allow himself some rest, telling the horses to keep watch over them. Bucephalus and Castor nodded reassuringly towards him when he wrapped all the furs around himself and Hephaestion. His friend woke up for a short while and gave him a fond embrace.

"Oh, there you are, Alexander. I never thought that you would come to me! Now you must keep me really warm. I am still freezing!"

"I will always be here for you and keep you warm, Phai. Go back to sleep now. All will feel better in the morning, "Alexander told him as he returned the fond embrace. He was sound asleep almost before he finished the sentence.

Fond Awakening

Alexander slept for a very long time, exhausted from his long vigil. When he woke up he found himself all alone but carefully tucked inside the warming furs. He looked up with great worry, which soon turned into happiness. The bright morning sun shone straight into the cave, and upon Hephaestion. His friend was standing on wobbly legs, supporting himself on the makeshift cane Alexander had made for him, using a stout wood branch.

"No, you are not supposed to be up and about yet!, "he called out to his friend.

"I simply had to, "Hephaestion told him with a reproaching smile. "You were so sound asleep that you had let the fire go out, and I was freezing! How good of you to make this cane for me. You are becoming more practical and responsible for every day!"

Alexander instantly leaped up from the furs and held on to Hephaestion, just in time. The injured foot gave way under him and he gasped out from pain. Alexander put him down near the fireside and wrapped him closely into his bear skin fur. He examined him thoroughly, feeling his brow and looking at him. The fever had broken and his color was back to normal. Alexander gave up a sigh from relief, now that his friend was truly mending.

"You don't need to worry anymore, Alexander. I am feeling much better now, I am even hungry!, " Hephaestion said. "I intend to make us some breakfast from these tasty mushrooms and roots you have found for us and wrapped so neatly into these big chestnut leave parcels. I just cannot understand how you found the time to pick them! You have been at my side all the time since I got sick."

"Why, our horses came with them, wrapped and ready! "

Hephaestion looked at his friend with disbelief.

"There are some strange things going on in this place, "he said, frowning at the neat leaf parcels. "Our horses are clever and they know what we need, but they cannot make such fine parcels from leaves - and - these mushrooms and roots have been dried and thoroughly prepared for eating!"

Alexander and Hephaestion looked at each other, and then outside.

"Well, then we must consider it a gift from the dryads and oreads of this forest, "Alexander stated.

Together they prepared the mushrooms and roots, making them into a tasty stew. Hephaestion did the most of the cooking, sitting at the fireside carefully sprinkling the stew simmering in the kettle with herbs and stirring it from time to time to keep it from burning. Alexander sat at his side, sniffing the delicious cooking fumes. He then put his arm around his friend and embraced him. Hephaestion playfully smacked his fingers.

"No, not now! You are distracting me from my cooking. This will have to wait until after dinner. I am so very hungry. The herbal infusions you fed me all night long were wholesome but not very nourishing!"

When the mushroom stew was ready they sat down on a warm moss clad stone in the sunlight outside the cave and shared it with a hearty appetite.

"Well, now the food is tasting truly delicious, "Alexander said with a complimentary smile towards his friend. "I will never become such a good cook as you are!"

"My mother and sister taught me to cook, "Hephaestion said. "Your mother taught you other things. I would perhaps not have recovered without your skills in making potions and ointments. "

They sat for a long time enjoying their tasty woodland meal in the warm morning sun. Hephaestion felt a great satisfaction, having his Beautiful Golden One all for himself in these calm surroundings. Life was simple, no court intrigues, no persistent detractors, no threats at all. The Gods had granted them this gift, this occasion to be all on their own, to learn about themselves and Nature's gifts. Hephaestion intended to make the most of it.

Soon enough Alexander would return to his true station in life, and Hephaestion would be there for him, giving him help and support in a world filled with wonders and dangers.

TBC

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