They rode on for most of the afternoon and Theseus began to feel uncomfortable and his horse could no longer match Briseis' pace.
Hephaistion suggested that they should dismount and walk for a while and Theseus was happy to agree.
"How far to Alexander?" he asked.
"He might be moving away from us, not aware where Darius is. We heard he was elsewhere, waiting."
"What for?" Theseus asked. "I mean, if he had a battlefield prepared, and if it suited his army to fight there, then why would he move from it?" He walked on a few paces, thinking it through. "You'd have to not be very good at commanding men to move from a strong position. If Alexander is all that I have heard, then you can see why, even when he has fewer men, he would take his chances and fight, because Darius sounds like a fool."
"Now you're getting it," Hephaistion replied, and grinned.
"And you get to hear these things?" asked Theseus.
Hephaistion nodded. "We get to hear."
"Then might Alexander already know where Darius is?"
"He might."
"So, then he could be nearer than we think?"
Hephaistion shook his head. "I suggested walking to give your backside a rest, Theseus, but perhaps we should ride on a little further and give your tongue a rest."
Theseus flushed, embarrassed to have said too much.
Hephaistion must have seen his reaction by what he said next. "I am sorry, Theseus. I have a lot on my mind, not only to reach Alexander but also that he might not know where Darius is. He will know by now that the supply carts were taken and he will know that I had stayed, all this will be on his mind at a time when he needs to be focussed on defeating Darius. He might think that I am dead, and that will be dangerous for him. I fear for him and because of that I wish that I had wings so that I could reach him now."
"I'm slowing you." Theseus said.
"No. We're going fast enough, you're keeping up. And what if I were captured again? Who would come to my rescue, if not you, brave Theseus."
Theseus laughed. He hoped he would live to tell his grandchildren of his adventures with Hephaistion, though they might not believe it, he would know he spoke the truth.
They remounted and rode on, the sun set behind them, but the moon goddess gave them enough light to travel on though they had to stop and rest the horses, and rest their legs when they had finally walked enough. They stopped at a place, hidden by large bushes, away from the track they had come along. It felt secure, well hidden.
Theseus sank down in to the grass, letting himself lie back, feeling the weariness flow through him along with the relief at finally being still. He was aware of Hephaistion walking over to him and then felt him settle alongside him.
The night was chill, and soon he began to feel cold and turned to his side, drawing up his legs and wrapping his arms in front of him in an effort to retain some body heat. He had given the chlamys back to Hephaistion, as it seemed the right thing to do, but he wished he had it now, for whatever warmth it gave. He began to shiver and was about to suggest they keep moving, when he felt a hand reach around his waist.
"Do you still think I might seduce you?" Hephaistion asked the question as he moved his body against Theseus, sharing the warmth of it.
Theseus shook his head, while his eyes grew wide with alarm as Hephaistion's legs entwined with his own. He was about to protest, to declare his lack of interest, when he realised that the warmth was good, that it made sense to lie so close when they were both cold and could warm each other.
"I did not think you wanted to seduce me, back then," he replied, relaxing in to the touch, hearing Hephaistion laugh softly. He laughed in return. "Well, maybe a little," he conceded, closing his eyes, taking what comfort he could.
In the dawn, he awoke to find that he had turned himself during the night, and now lay with his face towards Hephaistion's, his own arm around Hephaistion's waist. Lying like he might with Dione.
Hephaistion still slept, and he had a while to study the man before him and to wonder once more exactly what he was to Alexander. Then he realised that he was sampling what only Alexander might know - how good it felt to lie with Hephaistion by your side. He looked on Hephaistion's face, thinking it rare for a man to have such beauty, and he found himself wondering what Hephaistion's kisses might taste like as he gazed on the perfect lips, to find himself being gazed on by perfect, lapis coloured eyes.
"Joy to you, Theseus," Hephaistion murmured, pulling away and sitting up.
Theseus watched him stretch his arms. "Joy to you, Hephaistion," he replied.
Hephaistion reached up and held the metal collar away from his neck for a moment, then gave a soft moan as he let it go back in to place. He held out his wrists to study the metal cuffs, then looked down at his feet.
"You should be free of them today," Theseus said, softly.
"I'll be glad of it, " Hephaistion replied. "It's not what I thought would happen, when I went out with the scouting party."
"I owe you my life though," said Theseus, sitting up beside Hephaistion.
Shaking his head, Hephaistion got to his feet and went over to Briseis. "That was all down to Aepytus talking too loudly, and saying too much. They were after me then, you just got involved in it that's all."
"And you kept me safe. I slowed you down," Theseus retorted.
"Like now, when you should be seeing to your horse?" Hephaistion laughed.
Theseus got to his feet. "You gave me your dagger, told me when to escape," he said, leading his horse to some lower ground where he could mount more easily.
"I'd have swapped places with you in a moment if I could have."
"Honestly?"
"Honestly."
Theseus considered for a moment, then lifted himself up on to his horse's back. He looked to Hephaistion, seeing no clue as to what he was thinking, but he felt he would not have left him behind, he must have been joking. "Were you trained well? To be a soldier?" he asked.
Hephaistion smiled and looked over at him. "Well enough."
"And how do you compare? With others? With Alexander?"
"Well enough," came the reply, as Hephaistion urged his mare in to a canter.
Expecting to see the Macedonian army before him at any minute, Theseus became disheartened to find the morning passing by with no sign of anything. They would ride at speed, then walk a while, then dismount and walk on foot. He began to think that Alexander was moving too quickly for them to catch up, though Hephaistion seemed unconcerned.
"When will we reach them?" Theseus asked, unable to bite his tongue any longer.
Before Hephaistion could answer, two riders appeared over the brow of a hill, reining in their horses and turning to each other.
"Are they mercenaries?" whispered Theseus, as if he might be heard.
"Macedonians," Hephaistion replied, leaping up on to Briseis and riding out towards them.
As Theseus got astride his horse a cry of joy went up and he looked to see the two riders galloping towards Hephaistion, coming to a fast halt and embracing him, without dismounting, almost pulling him from his mare such was their joy.
Hephaistion turned to Theseus, watching him canter over. "Theseus, this handsome chap here is Pheidas," he said, pointing to a skinny, pock-marked youth. "And the old man with him is Odius," he added, nodding towards a handsome bearded soldier with just a hint of grey in his dark hair. "They're both from my troop."
"Where by Zeus have you been?" Odius said, chidingly. "Alexander insisted scouts were sent out, though we all thought you were dead by now...or taken captive, beyond our reach."
Pheidas reached out to touch the collar. "I'd say the latter was correct. Who had you?"
"Darius," Hephaistion replied, then before anyone could say anything he spoke again. "Where is Alexander?"
"We're camped not far from here. Word came that Darius had moved, and he's waiting to hear for sure," Odius replied.
"He has, he's behind us."
"Then we better go tell Alexander," said Pheidas, sparing a smile and a nod to Theseus as he wheeled his horse around.
The pace picked up again now, and Theseus felt more relaxed having two more of Alexander's men with them, fully armed. Hephaistion had carried the Persian sword, which now rested in his belt, and he had the dagger, but he had feared it would not be enough to save them from anything if the Persians set their minds to capturing them again.
Following the two scouts, they came through woodland, skirting the side of a hill, then down in to a valley before reaching an open plain, and there before them lay the Macedonian camp.
It was not as large or grand as the Great King's, and though no army had been present there, Theseus felt sure that they would have outnumbered the men he saw in front of him now. It was impressive nonetheless, a sense of orderliness, of each man knowing what he was about, seemed to emanate from the place.
"Alexander has gone out hunting, he might not be back," Odius said as they cantered to the safety of the camp.
"Let's go to the armourers then," Hephaistion suggested.
Shouts went up as they rode in to the camp, men ran forward to touch Hephaistion, as if not sure whether he was a shade come before them. Theseus found himself mostly ignored, which suited him well enough. He followed the others, amazed at how they could find themselves about so easily, halting with them before some men working at a forge.
Hephaistion jumped down, to find himself surrounded. Everybody seemed to be talking to him at once.
"They're men from his troop," Pheidas explained. "We all thought that we had lost him, only Alexander held on to hope. Apparently, he's been insufferable, and so his companions practically forced him out this morning, thinking hunting might help his mood."
A giant of a man stepped forward, from one of the forges, enveloping Hephaistion in a bear hug which must have been unpleasant as the man was covered in sweat and grime, but Hephaistion laughed and seemed touched by the show of affection. The giant inspected the cuffs and the collar, grunting something, some instructions as Hephaistion stepped over to an anvil and put his left wrist on it, while the man fetched a tool similar to a chisel.
"Hephaistion!"
The crowd of onlookers parted and a blonde-haired man stepped forward. Hephaistion smiled with delight and stepped forward to be embraced again. Theseus thought he was witnessing the reunion between his friend and Alexander, but it was not the case.
"Perdiccas, you old dog. You missed me then?" Hephaistion laughed, as he was picked up and swung about.
"Where have you been?" Perdiccas asked, noticing the collar and cuffs for the first time.
"It's a long story, one that I will be happy to share with you over some food and wine. I'm starved, Perdiccas, I can't remember when I last ate."
"Alexander's still out hunting," Perdiccas informed him.
Hephaistion nodded and smiled, then got called back to the anvil by the giant. Again he placed his left wrist upon it. "Let's see if you get this right," Hephaistion joked. "That's why I'm only trusting you with my left hand."
Some of the men laughed and made comments, some joking and some sounding more like they were making threats. The giant wiped his sweat beaded brow, then placed the chisel-like tool upon the lock, bringing the hammer down. The lock smashed and the cuff fell open, a cheer going up. It became a sport then, to watch the cuffs removed, Hephaistion gave a groan of relief as the metal cuffs came off his ankles, he kicked off one of his boots, inspecting the bruising, before pulling it back on again. Lifting his hair from his neck he smiled up at the giant.
"Try not to break my neck, Ajax."
The men laughed, Theseus looked to the giant sure his name was not Ajax, that Hephaistion was just joking with him again.
He heard horses approach and turned to look right, seeing eight men riding over, headed by a man who made it seem as if Apollo had come to live among them. Alexander. He had to be. This was the man he had seen so briefly in Athens, the man he had come to fight for.
He watched transfixed as he leapt down from his black stallion and swept Hephaistion up in to his arms, it was a brief embrace but he looked as though he wanted more, like a thirsty man finding an oasis in the desert.
"Where have you been?" Alexander asked, his voice betraying his emotion.
"It's a long story, but I ended up in Darius' camp," Hephaistion replied, biting his lip to stop himself from grinning.
Alexander's hand reached up to let his fingers run gently along Hephaistion's face, examining the cuts and bruises and then the collar. He looked down at the discarded, broken cuffs. "And they chained you?" His voice was indignant, as though he might go alone to find Darius and kill him no matter what the cost.
Hephaistion reached up and put his hand around Alexander's wrist. Theseus noticed Hephaistion's thumb stroking it, a loving touch, carefully concealed. There was love between them, their eyes never left each other, they were talking as though they might be alone.
"They brought me before Darius, forcing my head down at first, bringing me to my knees. They told him who I was, but he did not believe them, he said that any man loved by Alexander would not be allowed to leave his side, that I was too unkempt to be who they said I was, that I was just a soldier. He is behind us, Alexander, he came to slaughter our sick and injured who, in turn, were betrayed by Aepytus, the man who led the supply carts, which came from Athens."
Theseus saw Hephaistion turn towards him, and felt his heart almost stop as Alexander turned to gaze on him. The man had such a presence, you wanted to be loyal, you wanted to earn his respect.
"This is Theseus, Alexander. He came from Athens to fight, and got caught up in things. If it had not been for him I might still be in chains, I don't know what fate awaited me when my captors returned from the slaughter. They went with Darius, I was told I would be dealt with when they returned. Then, Theseus appeared, like a gift from the gods, and though he would tell you he is not the most courageous of men, he was there alone, taking a chance to rescue me."
Theseus laughed, nervously. "And he says I talk a lot," he said,earning himself some laughter from the men around him.
"I owe you a debt, Theseus," Alexander said.
Suddenly finding himself in Alexander's embrace, Theseus only had a moment to take in the pleasant scent of the man, the scent that was on the chlamys, before he pulled back.
"Can we eat now?" Hephaistion asked.
"You have the collar to come off," Perdiccas reminded him.
This time Alexander carded his right hand in Hephaistion's hair, holding it up as the armourer prepared to break the lock. Alexander's left hand held the collar, cushioning it from the blow that came fast but broke the lock in one. As the collar came off, bruising was revealed on Hephaistion's long neck, Alexander's hand caressed it and Theseus saw the longing between them and felt he ought to look away.
As Alexander threw the collar away, more men, the ones who had been hunting came forward, each with their own greeting. They began to guide Hephaistion along, still talking to him.
Theseus stayed where he was, not sure what to do now, not sure of where to go.
"Theseus. Come on."
Hephaistion had called for him, he grinned and ran after them, happy not to have to leave his friend. He followed through the camp, watching Alexander and Hephaistion walking side by side, hearing the talk and laughter from their companions. Men still came over, calling a greeting, or just to see that Hephaistion truly had returned. Coming to a large tent, they headed inside, where pages hurried to prepare food and bring wine, on Alexander's orders.
Theseus was directed to sit at a large table with them. He was both hungry and thirsty and did not know whether to drink or eat first. His dilemma was solved as wine was poured and handed round the table, before the food arrived.
"What's Darius like?" a man asked.
"I can't believe you saw him that close," another said.
"I only had a fleeting glimpse," Hephaistion replied, drinking his wine and reaching for some bread and meat as a platter of food was laid before them. "My head was pulled back for Darius to look at me, while he was considering if I might have been Hephaistion."
"They think we live the same as them, by their standards," the first man said.
"It worked in my favour, Nicanor," Hephaistion replied.
Theseus looked to this man, seeing a similarity in their appearances, understanding why Hephaistion had chosen that name. He looked to Alexander, while the talking and questioning went on. The King sat, studying Hephaistion, drinking his wine but not eating, as if Hephaistion were the only sustenance he needed. He asked no questions, and Theseus got the feeling he would wait until they were alone. Only when Perdiccas talked of Alexander without Hephaistion did he join in with them, defending himself from the teasing, but he laughed with them and took it all in good part.
He looked too young to be taking on the Persian empire, his face was relaxed, as if he had no concerns that the Great King's army was approaching, that he was massively outnumbered. Theseus felt he could carry these concerns for Alexander. As he ate some meat, it stuck in his throat, as he realised that he would soon see his first battle, and that more than likely it would be his last. He thought of Dione, and wondered if she was thinking of him right now. They had promised to think of each other every night, as the moon rose in the sky, and he realised that he had forgotten over the past couple of days.
Four older men entered the tent, with a look of importance, Theseus guessed that they were Alexander's senior general's, though he treated them no differently to his friends before him. They greetedHephaistion, but seemed reserved in their affections.
Hephaistion stood and looked at Theseus. "Follow me," he said. Giving his thanks for the food and wine, Theseus headed out after Hephaistion, running to catch him up as they walked through the camp. They didn't go far, coming to another tent, where a couple of pages ran up to greet Hephaistion.
"We're glad to see you back," one of them said.
"We have a hot water ready for you," the other said.
Hephaistion thanked them, then went inside the smaller tent, where a bed, a wooden chest, armour, food, wine, a bowl and two jugs of water were neatly arranged in the space provided.
Walking over to the chest, Hephaistion lifted the lid and fetched out a clean white chiton, handing it to Theseus, before picking one out for himself.
"You'll find what you need in here," he said, then looked to Theseus, running a hand over his own face. "I need to shave," he said, absently. "If you want to grow your beard again, then do, but if you want to shave as well then ask the pages for a blade."
Theseus looked to the bed. "Where should I sleep?"
"In my bed," Hephaistion said, stepping towards him, and smiling.
Theseus felt his face flush, opening his mouth to speak, but not knowing what to say. Hephaistion laughed, then stepped back and left the tent.
Knowing he was not to follow this time, Theseus looked about. A pageappeared.
"Will you need a blade," the boy asked.
Theseus put a hand to his face. Dione never liked the beard. He smiled and nodded. "Where is Hephaistion?" he asked.
The boy grinned. "With Alexander. I suppose he will try to get some rest there, once all the generals have finished their war council."
Theseus began to undress, glad to strip off the Persian clothing. He poured the warm water in to the bowl and picked up a linen cloth and began to wash himself. The boy came back with a blade, offering to shave him, but he declined. He finished washing then he lifted up the blade and shaved his face, before dressing in the clean clothing. The bed seemed to be calling him. He needed to rest, and happily lay down upon the sheets, placing his head on the pillow, to breath in the scent of Hephaistion.
His thoughts turned to the morning, when he had woken up embracing the man, of the comfort he felt in being near to him, of the lips that invited kisses. He sighed, feeling himself almost melt in to the mattress. With images of Hephaistion in his mind he let sleep claim him.
He did not know how long he slept before he realised that Hephaistion had returned. He was with a page who was buckling on a new linen corselet, similar to the one that the Persians had cut and discarded.
Hephaistion smiled at him, when he saw that he was awake. "We're breaking camp," he informed him.
"Is the battle beginning?" Theseus asked, wiping the sleep from his eyes.
"No, it's evening. We are heading for the Assyrian Gates, for the night, then the battle will be tomorrow, I should think. Did you sleep well?" Hephaistion asked, lifting up a red chalmys and fastening it with a brooch that had the symbol of the Star of Macedon upon it.
"The last few days…it took me a while to settle my mind to sleep." Hephaistion smiled and nodded.
"It can get you like that."
"And you? Did you sleep?" Theseus asked the question without thinking, then flushed as he realised what he had implied. An image came to mind of both Alexander and Hephaistion naked in each others arms, and he flushed the more for it and tried to banish the vision from his mind.
"I slept," said Hephaistion, and smiled a contented smile.
Another man appeared at the entrance to the tent, one Theseus had not seen so far. "You're going to be the last to go, Hephaistion," he said, steppingi nside.
Theseus felt the man stare at him, but then was greeted with a smile.
"You must be the one who helped Hephaistion escape the Persians."
"And this is the one who spends all his time womanising," replied Hephaistion. "His name is Seleucus, I don't believe that you have met him before now, Theseus."
"Joy to you, Seleucus," Theseus said, getting to his feet.
"Alexander says you are a hero," Seleucus announced, signalling for him to stay seated.
Theseus laughed to hear it. "Me?" he asked, feeling as though he must have been mistaken for someone else. "Far from it," he said. "I was terrified. I thought I would meet death at any moment."
"And that's what defines a hero," Hephaistion said, softly. "That you overcome your fear to the greater good."
"I still fear," Theseus admitted. "I fear that I will die in the coming battle. I fear that I shall never leave Persia now that I am here."
Hephaistion stretched himself and reached for his sword. "There are worse places to be." Calling for a page he asked that a linen corselet be brought for Theseus, then that he be shown to one of the spare cavalry horses."
"But I am just a hoplite," Theseus protested. " I am to fight in the phalanx, it's all that I've been trained to do. Honestly, if you could come to Athens now and speak to my hoplite commander, well he would laugh at the very suggestion that I fight with the cavalry. I wouldn't know how to, it's only the last few days that I have spent any time on the back of a horse…"
"You're in the cavalry, Theseus," Hephaistion stated, leaving the tent with Seleucus.
Theseus looked down at the table, flexing his fingers in to fists, then back. He chewed his lip, as he thought he might die quicker in the cavalry, than in the phalanx. Thinking to argue this point, he stepped outside but Hephaistion had disappeared from view, and as he turned round he found the tent was already about to be levelled to the ground.
The page returned with a linen corselet, and Theseus did not ask where he had fetched it from, but stood while it was fastened on him, then looked down at it and thought he must have looked a fine figure, and he wished Dione could see him. He was handed a chalmys, dark brown in colour, but fastened only with a pin, he put it on and wondered how Alexander had would have taken the news if his own chalmys and brooch were lost. He supposed he had more - a king would.
A fine grey was brought up to him, it looked steady enough and was solid. The page informed him that it's name was Hermes and though he did not look built for speed he could go fast enough when required. The boy fussed the horse and said that he was a great favourite with the pages, though he was Hephaistion's, taken at Granicus.
Odius rode over, hurrying things along, the sun was beginning to set and the army was moving. Theseus took a deep breath and jumped up on to the horse's back, not expecting it to be so broad, he struggled up and looked over to see Odius hiding a smile.
"I told Hephaistion I was no cavalryman," Theseus said in his defence.
"He must have something in mind," replied Odius. "Sit further forward, keep your back straight and your legs stretched out along his sides, but relaxed too, and try not to think so much about it all. Come on."
Odius led the way, trotting forward along the line of men to join up with other cavalrymen.
"Where are we going?" Theseus asked. "To the Assyrian Gates. Alexander needs to take them and hold them, then he can go forward and meet Darius in battle tomorrow."
"Where are these gates?"
Odius laughed. "We came through them, that's how Alexander knows they can be taken." He looked amused at the confused expression Theseus had. "The valley we came through, the narrow valley, with all the rocks? That was them."
Theseus cast his mind back to the journey and thought how places could be given fanciful names, only to appear nothing on arrival. He had not expected gates, he knew the story of Leonidas and his three hundred, holding the gates at Thermopylae. He knew there would be no gates, but he had not expected there to just be rock there either.
"Will we fight at the gates?" Theseus asked.
Odius laughed and shook his head. "Athenians," he said, almost as a curse. "And how would we deploy the cavalry? Where would an army this size find room to fight?"
"But the Persians have a larger army," protested Theseus.
"And we have Alexander," grinned Odius. "Wait and see, Theseus. Wait and see."
Theseus decided he did not know enough to argue further, but he hoped that Odius' faith was justified. He wished he had paid more attention to what his hoplite commander had said, that he had taken more time to practice. He never thought he would see a battle on Persian soil, and never knew he could be so afraid.
The men around him talked amongst themselves, he had no-one he felt could share his innermost feelings, except for Hephaistion. He looked ahead, hoping he might see him, feeling that Hephaistion would know and understand. There was no sign of him, and it was growing dark now, the sun had almost gone and soon only moonlight would guide them.
Wanting to ask Odius about the tents and supplies, he opened his mouth and then closed it. He looked back and all he could see were more cavalrymen and the phalanx marching. Shouts went up, orders given, and he stayed alongside Odius and went with the army, turning his mind to home and picturing Dione in his mind's eye. He was just reliving his wedding memories when dark rocks loomed before him, from out of the shadows. Along them fires were lit, and it was a welcoming sight despite everything.
With his eyes searching in the gloom, he became aware of his surroundings, trying to place the rocks before him with the memory of the valley they had ridden through, just that very morning. He would have liked to say he remembered the place, but he would have been a liar.
Odius called for a dismount, and the men around him followed orders. Theseus was the last off, stretching his legs and groaning before patting the horse, smiling at a page who ran up to care for it. Straightening his chiton, he looked around for where he should go. Odius had disappeared, gone with the horses, and so he walked ahead, past groups of men gathered around the fires, but he did not know them and would have felt uncomfortable presuming to join them.
"Theseus? You look lost." Turning, he saw the blonde man he had mistaken for Alexander at the forge. Perdiccas, that was his name. "Follow me," Perdiccas said, not waiting for a reply.
Happily falling in to step with the man, they headed through the valley, but not far, to another group sitting and lying around their own fire. Alexander was here, and Hephaistion, and the men he had seen in Alexander's tent - his companions. Hephaistion was lying down, on his right side, his head resting on Alexander's lap, while Alexander combed his long brown hair with his fingers. His blue eyes were closed, but Theseus was not sure if he was asleep just yet.
Perdiccas threw a goatskin over at Seleucus. "Next time remember to bring your own wine," he said, in a voice that sounded angry, but he smiled as he spoke.
Seleucus drank from it, then passed the skin to the man called Ptolemy, who offered it to Alexander only to find it refused. Instead it was taken by a dark-haired man, who seemed older than the rest, his name was Cleitus.
Theseus thought that they looked for all the world like a hunting party, a group of friends out to have fun, not soldiers going to fight an impossible battle, where this time tomorrow they all might be in Hades. Theseus reached for a piece of wood that was burning in the fire, then stoked it, glancing up through the flames that flared before him to see Alexander looking at him.
"Come here," Alexander said, patting the ground to his right hand side.
With just a moments hesitation, Theseus got to his feet and moved to sit by the king.
"He'll tell you he's married," Hephaistion said, rolling on to his back and smiling up at Theseus.
Alexander frowned and looked down at Hephaistion.
"He thought I might seduce him," Hephaistion explained, lifting his hand to caress the side of Alexander's face.
"Not really," Theseus said, his face flushing, "I talk too much, I was just telling him about my wife, Dione. I used to have a portrait of her face, but it was broken, I've only recently been married."
Theseus looked to Alexander as he thought he heard him say 'and I the same', but he could not be sure, it might have been something else.
Hephaistion had closed his eyes, once more, and Alexander entwined his hair around his fingers. Theseus watched, transfixed by the scene, the love between the two was almost tangible. He had thought Hephaistion would have had a motive for lying with Alexander, and it was true, he did - he loved the man. It felt good to see, good that they had found each other.
"Thank you, Theseus," Alexander whispered. "They would have killed him, had you not found the courage to save him."
"I only did what anyone would do, I owed him my life."
"Twice," Hephaistion murmured.
Alexander laughed and gave Hephaistion a gentle nudge. "Sleep."
"When you do," came the reply.
A soldier appeared, from out of the shadows, a man called Philotas,who said that the sentries had been set, before settling down amongst them, going to Ptolemy's side and taking a drink of the half empty wineskin.
"What is Dione like?" Alexander asked.
Theseus was surprised that Alexander would ask, but he turned to him, eager to let him know. "We've known each other since childhood," he began. "Her father made jewellery, they were quite wealthy, until he became ill and could not work so well. She was always the most beautiful girl, and our friendship turned to love, I was surprised that she should love me, out of everyone, out of all our friends, but I feel blessed for it. Her hair is dark, and her eyes are blue as the sea, her skin is flawless and her lips inviting..."
Theseus looked down at Hephaistion's lips, recalling how he had wondered what they would be like to kiss, then he looked to Alexander and thought that only he would know.
Alexander smiled. "Our stories are quite similar then."
"But you could have anyone," Theseus replied, in a whisper.Hephaistion sighed, and turned himself.
"He's asleep," Alexander whispered. "He always could sleep anywhere." He looked to Theseus. "As for me having anyone, he was hard won, Theseus. You can imagine what others might think, what they might say. It was a hard choice for him to make, but we loved each other and it was love that helped us through. I need him as you need the air to breathe, I can't imagine my life without him. That's why I am so grateful to you, and I will keep you safe, and send you back to your Dione a wealthy man, for all you have done."
Alexander lay back, so Theseus did the same, looking up at the stars and feeling some of the anxiety that had been building inside of him easing as he considered the king's promise to him. He wanted to go and tell, Dione, tell her that he was lying beside King Alexander of Macedon, talking to him, as you might talk to a friend, and having promises made and feeling sure they would be kept. Shuffling a little closer to the fire, he lay his head upon his arm and closed his eyes, feeling sleep rush up to claim him.