Part VII, Alexander Meets Barsine

Takes up after Part VI

The noonday sun was high, almost at its zenith, and all around the courtyard, it seemed every living thing was lazy with sleep. The soft buzz of crickets seemed the perfect accompaniment to such a day. Singing a wordless little tune Barsine left her perch at the marble fountain. A new bale of fabrics had come from Athens and she and mother had been pouring over it along with her sister chattering about the lovely clothes the rich silks and fine wool gowns they would make.

A blooming bush of red roses beckoned and she decided she would pluck a few and bring them to her nurse who was lately in bed with a sick headache. She bent to her task and then frowned. The strident, taunting voice of a young boy disturbed her concentration. He was belittling someone rather viciously.

"You are nothing but a stupid child who cannot fight. Your father is ashamed of you. I know for I heard him say just this to my father. He is sorry you were not exposed at birth on the mountains." Barsine's eyes widened – she knew and understood the perceived insult. It was a terrible insult indeed.

"I will kill you for that." She began to laugh almost pleased when she realized who was being taunted, but held her breath. It was as though something inside of herself told her to wait. Stealthily she crept away from the bushes, checking behind her to see that she was not observed. She reached a fence of cypress trees, and peeked between them. She could see the merest sketch of two pairs of legs. One set was tall and skinny, the other pair of legs, splotched with mud and covered with bruises and scratches she recognized. She found herself flinching as she heard the thud of flesh against flesh. The boy hitting Alexander was his size twice over. It was clearly an unfair fight. A single soft cry rose in the air then stopped abruptly. She watched as Alexander fell back after being punched in the stomach. He was shaking all over, she could see it, but whether from fear or rage she could not tell. She frowned again and turned her head at the sound that issued from his lips, it was a high wild sound, keening and full of hot fury For a moment it crossed her mind were he a man calling out and looking as he was just now she would fear for the life of the boy who was taunting him. It seemed that something, some force, was being held back inside of his small frame. She shuddered thinking when it was finally unleashed it would bring terrible destruction and death to any who crossed him.

"You cry like a girl!" A red haired boy about the size and age of her ten-year-old brother was smacking Alexander. Alexander's nose was bleeding and his face was bright red with anger. He was kicking and pummeling his attacker, but his small frame was no match for the older boy. She watched as with a loud cry he launched himself headfirst at the other boy bringing them both down. They rolled along the ground. The red haired boy caught Alexander's head in his hands and bit his ear. Alexander screamed and pounded his small fists against his assailant's head. There was blood everywhere and the larger boy grabbed Alexander around the neck and began to choke him. Barsine found herself shaking as she watched Alexander sputter and cough as he tried to wrench the other boy's hands from about his neck. He was too small and hadn't the strength to stop him.

"Stop that! Stop it, stop! You are bigger than he. It is not a fair fight!" Barsine bounded forth, a small, flying fury of blue that landed like a furious windmill. She beat her fists against the red-haired boy's head and neck, pounding him as hard as she could. She pulled on his hair until he screamed and tufts of it came out in her hands. His hands loosed from Alexander's neck, but still she beat him mercilessly. When he tried to crawl away, she began to kick him cursing him.

Turning to Alexander who lay unmoving on the ground Barsine wiped away some of the blood from his face. He opened his eyes and blinked several times. He sniffed a bit as he studied her. He didn't stop her ministrations but rather allowed them. She noticed he was pushing out his lower lip, and huffing loudly, something she knew by now was a sign of distress for him. He was bare moments away from crying. He would not thank her if she witnessed it, but she felt uncomfortable leaving him. He was after all his loud bravado, just a small boy, a very small boy. Thinking quickly she rose to her feet and clapped her hands wiping dust and blood from them.

"You are very brave for so small a warrior. I would think Memnon and his men could learn something of courage from you. That was most unfair of him, not well done at all. I hope you broke his nose." She grinned widely – he studied her silently and then slowly a smile blossomed on his face. The blood from his nose had reduced to a trickle, but his upper lip was badly cut and blood was pouring from it. His golden curls were dust covered and his chiton was in shreds. The other boy, Kassandros was hobbling off moaning and making so much noise that both, she and Alexander began to laugh.

"I did not hurt him that badly. He exaggerates all things." Alexander said as he pulled himself up. She sat down beside him, not caring that her gown would be soiled and torn. Then he began to giggle loudly and fell back down slapping his little hands together as he rolled about on the grass. "Wait, I will tell everyone he was beaten by a girl. He will never show his face again to me. He is a bully always after any child smaller than he. However," Alexander wrinkled up his small-bloodied nose and giggled loudly, "I know one boy who can best him, my friend Hephaistion, Amyntor's son. You've not met him, have you? He does not come often to court, his home being some distance there, in those hills." He pointed west toward higher peaks where the faintest glimpse of snow caught in the bright sunlight. "His father does keep a house here in Pella, for his purposes, he works some way for my father, and he has brought Hephaistion to court. You'll like him, he tells the best stories." Their voices caught like wildfire, filled with laughter and joy as they sat in the early afternoon sunlight, suddenly two allies rather than enemies.

To be continued….