A Soliders' Duty, 10
A continuation of Part 9
Ten
"Your poor hands. This is from more than one fight, Hephaistion." Alexander stroked the battered fingers and washed the scrapped skin gently. "This hand is much worse can you move your fingers?"
"Yes, they're just sore and a bit stiff."
"Nothing broken at least," Alexander sighed again as he examined the swollen fingers carefully. "I've something that will help with the stiffness. Where… ah, yes." He prodded through an assortment of jars in a chest he kept for medical supplies.
"Dionysius balls!" Hephaistion jerked as the ointment was applied. "What in Haides is that? It stings!"
"It'll help with the stiffness and make the skin heal faster. It's a salve - I mixed it from a recipe Aristotle gave me. Now hold still."
"Well, you use it, I don't like it! Stop!" Hephaistion tried to pull his hand away, Alexander frowned his patient wasn't behaving. He gripped Hephaistion's hand tighter.
"Just a minute longer, drink some more wine." Gently he smoothed a thick white paste over the torn skin. He finished wrapping it and kissed Hephaistion's hand tenderly.
"Gods it stinks!" Hephaistion lifted the white pot to his nose and made a face.
Alexander burst out laughing. "It is awful I think it's the clay that's so strong. It's supposed the draw the impuries out from the skin allowing it to heal."
"Uh, huh," Hephaistion answered as he poured some wine and drank it quickly. "It still stings. If my skin comes off I'm coming after you."
Alexander leaned in close kissing him, "Brat." Hephaistion glared in return and tossed down more wine.
'Phai, you need to get out of camp for a while." Alexander suggested as he cleaned up and refurbished his medical kit while keeping an eye on his patient who seemed restless yet quieter than usual.
He was becoming concerned about Hephaistion and even more concerned about Kleitos. Kleitos always seemed to appear whenever they were together and would drag Hephaistion off somewhere. Earlier in the day just after morning drill, he'd gone looking for Hephaistion to suggest a possible hunting trip and discovered Kleitos had taken him away. Hephaistion hadn't said anything about it, and he wasn't sure if it was something to worry about or not.
"What I need is to get out of fucking Macedon!"
"Everything okay today?"
Hephaistion held up his bandaged hands and smirked. "Oh, yeah - great day."
"Everything alright with Phillip?"
Hephaistion sat still, just staring straight. Alexander came over and sat opposite him, and noticed he wouldn't meet him in the eye.
"Phai?"
"I'm fine Alexander." Hastily he put the cup to his lips and drank, and refilled it and drank some more. He didn't particularly like drinking good wine so quickly, it was meant to be savored.
Alexander watched him while gnawing his lip in anticipation. "You don't look fine. Something's wrong, I know you well enough and can tell. What's wrong, it's more than a fight. You've never backed down from a fight and usually like them. Tell me."
"No, just the fighting, it's getting to me that's all." Hephaistion said but went back into his head, staring nowhere in particular. He felt awful, he'd never lied to Alexander before. But he would never tell him, never.
"Okay, I know that you know I don't believe you, but I'll wait." Alexander studied him there was an oddness about him that some inner sense told him he shouldn't disturb just now. He felt uneasy, but decided to trust his feelings. "I know how stubborn you can be, so I'll just wait until you feel you can tell me."
"Thank you." Hephaistion muttered softly staring into the red liquid in the cup before him as though it could give him some clue to solve the problem that was threatening his very life. He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid, so naïve, Phillip had completely duped him laying his trap slowly, carefully until Hephaistion had been so ensnared in it, he hadn't realized he was caught until he tried to break free.
To be continued….