Chapter Seven
Alexander
My father is to marry again. Her name is Cleopatra and she is Macedonian. Some suspect she is already pregnant. My mother is furious whispering to me every chance she can
"See Alexander, I told you he was going to replace you, you must kill him Alexander it is the only way" she hisses at me like one of her snakes.
"I have a plan Alexander, if you ever want to hear it" she slithers. I stay away from her as much as possible, avoiding her.
I am at the celebration for my father's bride. He is sloppy drunk and he disgusts me. Hephaestion is with me I look at him and he smiles trying to cheer me up. He is doing better now. Clitus comes stumbling by grabbing my face, kissing me. "I love you man" he tells me drunk and happy. How I wish I was; but no I am sober and mad. I call for more wine as General Attalus, Cleopatra's uncle, stands to make a toast. I am handed a full goblet of wine as he yells out to the crowd,
"Too King Philip, may he finally have an legitimate heir"
That little fucking prick did not just say that. I stand pushing Clitus out of my way as I throw my goblet at him. It hits him in the chest, red wine splashing in his face. Hephaestion takes my arm and I shove him back charging at the General. Clitus and Philotas hold me back. My father stands and I yell out to him
"You will let him disrespect me. You will not defend me. You are a drunken fool"
He charges at me tripping over a couch leg, falling to his face. I stand on the nearest couch and announce to the attendants
" Here is a man who was making ready to cross from Europe to Asia and who cannot even cross from one table to another without losing his balance" I look down at him with a look of disgust, then jump to the floor and walked out. I take my mother and Hephaestion to Epirus. If he were thinking of making me King, he would have defended me. I decide to talk with my mother.
I am determined to fulfill my destiny. In order to accomplish this I must make choices that tear at my conscious. I am encouraged by my inner circle; they too want me at the helm. My father had become weak and sloppy his ambition dwindling from drink and women. It is only I that can liberate the Greeks from Persian rule. I converse with my followers from my mother's home in Epirus, discussing the how and when.
My father is assassinated, stabbed in the heart by Pausanias; there will be no trial as my bodyguards take vengeance for me killing Pausanias on the spot. I am crowned King and order Cleopatra's child to be executed. I will not be challenged now or later. Rebellion breaks out in areas that were loyal to my father. This happens whenever a new leader takes over; the people like to test your strength. I come down on them hard, slaughtering and selling into slavery 30,000 Greeks in Thebes before leveling the city. Let that be a lesson to any who will question my ability, my determination. Now we must begin our destiny; conquering the Persian Empire they have ruled long enough.
We confront the Persian army at the river Granicus, near Troy. Parmenio commands our infantry his son the Companion Cavalry. I ride with the Cavalry, along with Hephaestion and Clitus. My life is saved by Clitus during this battle solidifying any question of his loyalty to me. We take 2000 prisoners and I execute thousands of Greek mercenaries that refused to support me. It must be done there is no way I can leave them to rejoin Darius.
We follow Darius's army to Issus; the Pinarus River runs red with Persian blood. Darius was present at this battle but escapes leaving behind his mother, wife and children, showing me the type of man he is. I feel justified in my pursuit of Darius by this, how cowardly he must be to leave his family to fend for themselves. I treat them kindly as I would my own family. Darius returns to Susa, Babylon gathering men. I suffered a thigh wound at Issus and as I tend to it I decide to send Parmenio to occupy the Syrian Cities. I will march down the Phoenician coast. We have no problems as all the major Cities surrender to me. We reach the Island city of Tyre and begin a seven month siege.