Part X

Already he had searched every place that seemed logical and even those that did not. No matter where he searched, though, Hephaestion could not find the ring that had been left to him by his maternal grandfather. He had not paid much attention to its location when he had moved to his new quarters, but with the upcoming festivities in Aegae he wanted to look his best. He was a captain and a member of the prince's Companions; he could not look like a mere vagabond. The ring was a small thing, but it had been in his family for several generations; since Greece's defeat of Xerxes if the family legend was true. He had first heard of King Leonidas and Thermopylae and the Spartan three hundred from his grandfather. Leonidas had been his first hero until a few years later when he had learned of Achilles and Patroclus and Hector. And while the Iliad would come to dominate his passions he could never completely forget about his childhood heroes.

"Cerberus' slobbering maw… where in the name of all the gods is that cursed ring?" Hephaestion grumbled as he searched the deep recesses of his chest for the third time.

"So this is the sight that has Alexander so besotted."

Without even pausing in his search, Hephaestion lobbed a sandal over his shoulder in Perdiccas' direction. There was a quick shuffle of feet followed by laughter which meant his aim had not been far off.

"Your aim is excellent as always, madman," Perdiccas chuckled. "Have you misplaced some lover's trinket?"

Hephaestion snorted, rising to his feet and turning about. "Hardly. A family heirloom. I had just assumed that it was still here when I moved rooms only I cannot think of where else I might have left it."

"Seleucus and I can check our trunks," Perdiccas said with an absent wave of his hand. "For now, though, it is time to eat. The others sent me to fetch you before you had a chance to forget."

Even as he followed Perdiccas from the room, Hephaestion rolled his eyes. "I only forgot the one time and that can hardly be counted against me."

"A hangover is hardly a reason to forget to eat."

"I was ill, not hungover," Hephaestion insisted, smirking in the other man's direction. "I can only imagine how much you and Seleucus will glut yourselves at the wedding games next week. The pair of you will be hungover for a month."

Perdiccas jabbed him in the arm with a finger. "Changing the subject does not alter how deep into your cups you were that night." Then he started to laugh. "By all the twelve, Phaesté, but you and Alexander have the most dramatic lover's quarrels."

"And you were any better at sixteen?"

"I will have you know that I have never yet dumped a lover into a river and then stomped away. Even at sixteen."

"Alexander fell in on his own. I simply chose not to help him out," Hephaestion defended himself.

Not very convincingly to judge Perdiccas' amusement. "And telling him that you hoped his cock rotted and fell off?"

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In a few hours time she would be formally introduced to her future husband. She had met him once, long ago as a child, but he had been her uncle then and her mother had still been a queen. So much had changed since that last encounter that there were times Cleopatra could hardly recognize her life.

"What a beautiful bride you will be," Lanike cooed as she carefully arranged the dark curls around the golden diadem she wore. "You will do your family proud and erase all that has come before."

"That is a great deal to expect of one marriage," Cleopatra murmured as she picked up a beaten bronze mirror. Slightly distorted, she could see only her mother's features staring back at her. Their colouring and the shape of their foreheads, nose and lips marked them as mother and daughter. It made Cleopatra shiver every time the resemblance was commented upon. The curse of her mother's madness called forth once again.

"Your husband is a good man," Lanike spoke up as she pushed the final pin into place. "He is also young and without any other wives, things that most brides can be assured of. It may not be a perfect match, but I have no doubt you will be happy enough."

It was true, everything that Lanike said, and Cleopatra was almost able to make herself believe it. She was marrying someone young. Alexandros was only twenty-six to her seventeen, an age difference that was barely noticeable when compared to some. And, unlike her mother, Cleopatra had every intention of doing their line proud. Andromache had been a noble queen, trading the splendor of Troy for the much more wild landscape of Epirus. She may not have willingly become Neoptolemus' wife, but she had done her duty and bore him a son. She had been loyal to her Greek husband even if her heart had belonged to her dead Trojan spouse. Cleopatra herself would hardly be such a tragic queen, but as a child she had always loved to hear stories of Andromache just as her brother had always loved to hear of Achilles.

Lanike squeezed her shoulder gently. "You come from greatness, my sweet girl, and will continue on in greatness. I am certain of it."

"May the gods grant it so."

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The chiton and chlamys he wore were not his finest, those had been set aside for the wedding festivities. The clothes he wore, however, were his second finest. Most of the ambassadors from around Greece had arrived in Aegae and in a few moments time the bride and groom would be officially introduced. They had met before, but at that time Cleopatra had still been a child. Now she was to be a bride so that ancient traditions would be upheld. Following the wedding there could be no denying that Philip had set Olympias aside in favour of a younger and far less mad queen.

"You are glowering again."

Pulling his lips in briefly, Alexander forced his features to relax. There was no reason for him to be so tense. Alexandros was a good man and would honour his sister as she deserved. It would be an insult to Philip to do otherwise as he owed his throne to the older man.

Glancing about the hall at the assembled dignitaries from all over Greece and Macedon, Alexander's eyes lightened on Hephaestion who stood among the rest of his Companions. Hephaestion looked amused more than anything, smirking in Perdiccas' direction. Alexander would have much rather been there among his friends, but his place was at his sister's side. He was her brother and the wedding that was soon to be celebrated was taking place in part because of him.

"I do not know how Hephaestion puts up with these moods of yours," Cleopatra scolded him, pushing her shoulders back in order to appear taller. "This is not the dire situation you have yourself convinced it is. It is a chance to put things right."

Alexander glanced quickly at his sister, wondering when she had grown up so much. For all that he still thought of her as a child, in that moment he could not deny that she was ready to become a queen. Cleopatra was far more sensible than anyone gave her credit for, even himself.

"I will be content in his marriage."

And because Alexander suspected those words were as much for her sake as they were for his, he did not dare contradict her.

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There was sense of majesty about Aegae that could not be ignored. It was Alexandros' first visit to the ancient capital and he could not help but feel slightly overwhelmed. Alexandros was comfortable enough in his own palace; he knew it and its people and had control in the outcome of situations. Here in Aegae he would just be a spectator because, despite his sister's imprisonment, Alexandros knew that Olympias would not allow the wedding to occur without some attempt at interference. Her devotion to Dionysus was one that he could not even begin to fathom and, foolish though it was, Alexandros feared the gods just might heed her frantic prayers. His sister was entirely too unpredictable.

Alexandros was escorted to the main hall by one of the king's pages, a young boy of about thirteen who announced his arrival. All eyes in the hall turned to him, the Greeks appraising yet another northern king while the Macedonians were no doubt searching for similarities between him and his sister. Simply going by appearance there were no similarities beyond the shape of their eyes. Their politics could not be any more different, Alexandros having grown up with a great affection for Greece. Even had it not been Philip who had all but placed him on the throne he would have supported the elder monarch.

At the far end of the hall, seated in a grand throne, was Philip. For all of the jovial nature he was trying to present, it was impossible to not be intimidated by the older man. Philip was simply an intimidating man which helped to make him such a successful general and king. To Philip's left were Alexander and Cleopatra. Cleopatra was a beautiful girl who did not have the sinister air of her mother. The way that she constantly seemed to be nudging her brother, teasing him about something, hinted that she was a much more joyful than Olympias. The only one he did not know quite what to make of was Alexander. The younger man was as much an enigma as he had been as a child. Alexandros was certain, though, that he did not want to cross Alexander. He had heard the tales of what had happened in Illyria and had no interest of being the one to anger Alexander.

"Welcome, Alexandros!" Philip enthused as soon as he had reached the dais. "It is good to see you again, lad." Clambering down from his throne, Philip gathered him close in an exuberant embrace.

Alexandros returned the hold, though without the same amount of force as the Macedonian king. He simply did not have the massive personality that Philip of Macedon did. Keeping one arm around Alexandros' shoulders, Philip turned the both of them towards his children. On cue, Alexander led his sister forward a few steps, hand on the small of her back.

"Cleopatra, it is a wonder to see you looking so lovely today," Alexandros greeted his bride, smiling fondly at the young girl.

"My lord," Cleopatra demurred, lowering her eyes briefly. When she lifted her eyes once again, Alexandros found himself caught up in her remarkably dark eyes.

Alexandros inclined his head towards his bride, unable to prevent his lips from curling upwards. "My lady."

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For much of the wedding celebrations Hephaestion had spent very little time with Alexander. Companion or no, he was not a member of the aristocracy and the two of them were forced to spend much of their time apart. It was strange to be so incredibly close to his lover, yet not close enough to do more than share a few glances. At Pella, even though Alexander was prince, his station hardly mattered. Things were far less formal and he could stand alongside Alexander should either of them feel the need.

"The two of you were made for each other," Leonnatus snorted, jabbing Hephaestion lightly in the ribs. "He looks as though he has ruffled tail feathers and you glower on his behalf."

"You have entirely too much time on your hands if you pay attention to things like that."

"It is impossible not to," Perdiccas spoke up from his other side. "Except that you look nothing alike the two of you could be mirror images of one another."

Hephaestion looked over both of his shoulders, glaring at both of them. Or rather, he attempted to, but it was difficult to appear threatening when he was unable to keep the smile from tugging at the corners of his lips. He could only shake his head in frustration when Leonnatus and Perdiccas began laughing quietly. With all the other noise in the hall the sound was barely audible. The only reason Hephaestion was able to hear it because he was standing so close to him.

From the dais, Alexander glanced in his direction and Hephaestion smiled fondly at him. Even from where he was standing Hephaestion could see how tense Alexander was. Alexander had been out of sorts since they had left Pella and try as he might Hephaestion had been unable to coax him out of his dark mood. It did not surprise Hephaestion that Alexander persisted in his melancholy state. It would be impossible for Alexander's thoughts not to be drawn to his mother given that it was her brother whose wedding they were celebrating.

Still, once he was able to get Alexander alone once again, Hephaestion would do what he could to lift his lover's spirits. Weddings were meant to be festive times and from what Hephaestion understood King Philip had spared no expense with the wedding games. The king wanted to show the Greeks that Macedon was as civilized as the rest of the Hellas and that his kingdom was not full of barbarians. Hephaestion did not know all of the details of what the wedding games entailed but they would be far more grand than Philip's own marriage to Eurydike.

Slinking backwards through the crowd, Hephaestion made his way out of the great hall. Things would progress for a while yet and during that time Hephaestion intended make things ready for Alexander in his rooms. With luck he would be able to distract Alexander from his troubles for at least a night.

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It was late when he was able to retreat to his quarters. The sky was already beginning to show signs of the coming dawn. He had not seen Hephaestion for hours. Hephaestion had never developed the Macedonian passion for drink. The other man could handle his liquor as well as any true born Macedonian, but had always abstained from excessive drinking. Since his abduction the year before he drank even less and certainly never to the point where he was no longer in complete control of his senses.

Alexander's own head was slightly fuzzy as he stumbled into his bedroom, but was brought up short by the sight that greeted him: Hephaestion reclined naked on the bed reading from the Iliad. Hephaestion's eyes flickered briefly towards him before he finished whatever passage it was he had been reading.

"Since I was a boy I marvelled at Achilles' courage," Hephaestion spoke softly as he set the tale aside. "Killing Hector even though he knew it meant his own death."

"He knew that Patroclus was waiting for him on the other side, calling him home," Alexander responded as he crossed the short distance to his bed. "Killing Hector would bring him glory and reunite him with his love which would make his death more of a blessing than a curse."

These were sentiments that Hephaestion knew just as well as him which meant there was a secondary meaning intended.

"I do not regret anything because it has purged her from your life and made the both of us stronger."

He could only stare at Hephaestion in absolute wonder. Alexander watched transfixed as Hephaestion rose from the bed and crossed to where he stood. His love silently knelt down before him and, with gentle murmurs and nudges, got his boots off. Rising to his feet, Hephaestion unfastened his chlamys then his chiton. The both of them stood naked, close enough to touch, but not doing so. Not until Hephaestion lifted a hand to cup Alexander's cheek.

"In a few days she will be forgotten by all," Hephaestion continued, speaking as one would to a skittish horse. "You and your father will go on to glory in Asia and your greatness will be remembered for all time. Myth and legend will swallow up some parts of your tale, but what is truly important will remain for all time."

Alexander swooped forward, catching Hephaestion's lips with his own. He felt Hephaestion smile as the kiss deepened and brought both hands up to clutch his lover against him. He had not realized himself that such words needed speaking, but they had soothed him in a way the wine had been unable to that night. Alexander wondered if Hephaestion was aware of just how much he relied on his strength and knew that he would never be able to express that need vocally. Hephaestion knew him so completely, though, that he did not doubt that his beloved knew.

To make absolutely certain, though, he expressed with his body what he could not with words and as exhaustion claimed him just as the sun was rising over the horizon his soul felt all the lighter.