"Love?…do you honestly believe it is love that holds him to you?" her voice was edged with sarcasm "People are beginning to talk." She replied with eyebrows raised to hide annoyance over her son's reply. "It is said some think you a gynnis."
Alexandros simply scoffed at Olympias comment, choosing to pointedly ignore the irony in her tone. "Hearsay!…nothing but hearsay mother! Are the people here so bored they have to speculate as to when or where I shall rut with a woman...or for that matter with whom?" Now openly showing his irritation he added in a tone coated with sarcasm "What is the price of gossip these days?…A drachm?…or two obols perhaps? It seems to have gone down so much that everyone could afford it."
"It was about time you started thinking about marriage…about having heirs Alexandros," his mother's voice was coloured with suppressed agitation and urgency. "A Macedonian woman of royal standing would be most appropriate. There are a number of presentable women among your father's courtiers. Marry, for that would help assure your claim to Kingship."
Alexandros gave her a withering look but in his mind, there was a smiling Hephaistion as he remarked "There still is so much for me to accomplish. Father's Persian campaign for one. The last thing I need is to be troubled with a wife and child."
He walked up to her and grasped both her arms to bring his point across "If I marry it must be for more than just political purposes. There must be understanding mother, perhaps love but until I find that in a woman we shall leave this conversation be."
"Hephaistion cannot provide you a heir! It is time you realized that if you want to be King!" She remarked in savage desperation, her temper coming to fore as she grabbed Alexandros arm as he attempted to distance himself. Looking into her son's gray-blue eyes, she felt a sense of unease. There was something about his piercing gaze that seemed to unearth some primeval fear from within her as he replied to her. "Tis true you birthed me and for that I shall be ever grateful to you" his voice was low and utterly menacing "however forget not …I am no longer a child…I decide my own life mother."
Olympias stood motionless-fear and resentment warring within her utterly unable to articulate her thoughts. The parting kiss she received from Alexandros was devoid of affection. At that moment the only thought that played in her mind was regret of how soon her son became a man.
The fair-haired boy held the door latch as his remark floated into her consciousness rousing her from her stupor. "Never doubt my love for you mother for I truly do…however may the gods help us both should any harm befall Hephaistion that is of your doing." there was deceptive gentleness in his tone. "He loves me as I do him. Any wrongdoing done to him in my name is a wrongdoing done to me. It would bade well if everyone remembered that." His voice carried a veiled warning and as if an afterthought he added "and I would be most grateful if you never bring up the subject of Hephaistion again."
Is that what you give back to me for all my care and love for you?" she screamed, her voice was absolutely venomous "by threatening me?."
"You are my mother." he declared in a tone of suppressed umbrage "It is not for me to threaten you or mean you any disrespect." turning to her he continued " I am just telling you what Hephaistion means to me." His subdued voice hinted a deadly resoluteness to it.
An enormous sense of apprehension and disbelief coursed through her person as she watched her son disappear behind the door. How could it all come to this? she thought as she restlessly paced about her sitting room. What kind of power does the boy wield over my son? From what she could deduce, Alexandros feelings for Hephaistion obviously ran very deep and from what Eumenes wrote her, it seemed that this was reciprocated in equal measure.
The thought that she could ever have a rival in her son's affections bothered her immensely. But more than that there was the throne. She was not going to allow him to discard his chances of Kingship simply due to the absence of an heir. Something had to be done about it. She would have loved to have Amyntoros son banished from her son's life and there were times that she truly thought of it. But knowing Alexandros' obstinacy and hearing his declaration, as well as General Amyntoros closeness to her husband she knew she risked totally loosing her son to his beloved , and to Philippos. Much to her anger and humiliation, she had to concede her defeat and slowly admit to herself it was best she abandoned her ideas about Hephaistion. It was the realization that while she could manipulate her son in her favour where his father was concerned, to go against his hitherto unknown determination to defend his friend against any possible transgression from her was a risk that, despite of her knowledge of Alexandros' love for her she could not and would not dare take. There must be a way to bring this folly to an end she mused as she tried hard to contain her raging fury. Suddenly her thoughts turned to the story she heard moons ago from Galateia -one of her ladies, about the famous hetaeiras Callixena and Pankaste. She knew then she found a way to curtail her son's relationship, bring his affections back to her fold and secure his Kingship. Somehow, the problem would be solved this she would definitely see to it even without Philippos approval.
The water clock right next to the entrance of the palace hallway indicated well past the fifth hour of the night as he crossed the courtyard to where the pages quarters were. Save for the faint glow of the torches and the fires the sentries lit to keep themselves warm against the chilly winter wind that has come up, the darkness drenched everything and reduced the vibrant colours of everything into muted shades of gray and black. Stopping at the entrance to the covered passageway leading to the pages quarters, he glanced at the starlit sky to calm himself.
His mind as always, was in upheaval after such conversation with Olympias. Her constant intervention was for him becoming an unbearable nuisance. He felt the sparks of hitherto unknown rage within him at his mother's hint to rid himself of his beloved. No mother, much as I love you, on this you shall not cloud my mind. I will not allow you to. I shall heed your counsel in all else but on Hephaistion. He is mine as I am his. This time you will have to agree with my wishes.
Hephaistion was immersed reading Xenophon's Anabasis when the knock on the door sounded. With Leonnatos, Perdikkas, Philotas' brother Nikanor and Peukestas, they played a few rounds of dice earlier on and were joined by Meleager and Nearkhos at deipnos. With the meal over, Perdikkas went to meet up with Krateros and Eumenes, Nearkhos and Leonnatos. While the rest went their own ways. Hephastion however retired to the room he shared with Perdikkas, declining his friend's invitation for him to join them.
"Hephaistion!…tis me Alexandros" the soft voice called out identifying the owner of the knock. As he opened the door, he immediately knew that the fair-haired boy was once again at odds with his mother. There was a nervous energy about him, his eyes mirroring agitation. As the door closed, he held him in an embrace "I wanted to go organize a search party thinking you must have lost your way here from the women's quarters" he joked in an effort to lighten up Alexandros mood.
"Tis mother" he replied tersely. Giving him a kiss on his forehead, Hephaistion simply answered "I know."
"She is at it again. She wants me to give you up." There was an agitation in his voice that he barely could suppress as he pressed the cerulean-eyed lad closer to him. Hephaistion nodded his acknowledgement as his beloved continued." She thinks you stand in the way of my Kingship." Hurt, resentment and fear roiled in Hephaistion's young mind. How could the queen even think that he would endanger Alexandros chances to what he believed was rightfully his and how dare she sow these seeds of doubt about him in his mind. It was all so unjust, when all he ever wanted was the boy. Nothing more. True, he could rant and rave over this unfairness and there would have been no doubt as to whom Alexandros would side but he was aware of his friend's love for his mother. Pulling them asunder would eventually break his beloved and that he never would allow.
Finally conquering his own fear and exasperation at the Queen, he declared with a heavy heart "I would not dare stand in the way of your dreams Xandros for they are part of you and your paths to greatness. It would grieve me so, but if I do indeed hinder your success, then I shall leave you be. I shall not be the cause of your failure."
"No! Never, Phaistion! leave me not…you could never be the cause of my failure!" there was such a savage desperation in his beloved's voice that made his hairs stand on end. "She has to accept you!" He stated emphatically as he clung to him as a drowning man would. "She must!…or risk loosing a son. There is nothing… absolutely nothing that will separate me from you. Not her, not father nor this Kingdom!"
"I love you Xandros… and shall do forever." he replied in a barely audible whisper as silent tears of love and gratitude slid down his face.
"My Hephaistion!…You are my strength and my sanity. It is you I love." He replied as he eagerly searched the other boy's lips with his own. Noting their increasing passion, Alexandros broke the kiss and whispered "Stay with me tonight Hephaistion, please."
Thoughts of Olympias momentarily flashed through his mind making him freeze. But as the fair-haired boy tightened his embrace, he knew there was no way he could refuse nor could he bear the thought of his beloved being alone in the state of mind he was in. As such, despite his incertitude he nodded his assent.
Entering the side door that would bring them to the steps ascending to the prince's quarters, neither Alexandros nor Hephaistion noticed that they were not alone. Eumenes together with Perdikkas and Leonnatos watched as the sentries let both boys into the confines of the palace. Leonnatos mimicked swooning at Perdikkas as Eumenes made a mental note of it. It was one more opportunity of bringing himself nearer in the queen's favour.
