"So are you my prince" she responded as she dropped her gaze in affected modesty-knowing of his sexual decorousness from his mother. Alexandros acknowledged her remark with a nod and a smile then headed for the table where the rhyton stood. " May I offer you a drink?" he inquired graciously. Callixeina nodded and murmured her thanks.

They spoke of her home city in Thessaly and of people they both knew. She reminisced of her travels, the places she has seen Athens, Sparta, Delphi, Miletus, Ephesus, Halicarnassus and Ilium -the mention of which greatly roused Alexandros interest confiding in her that is was one of his dreams to visit the shrine of his ancestor Akhilleus and his friend and lover Patroklos. She quoted passages from the Iliad and the play The Myrmidons that the prince so loved. From his delighted reaction she could see that the Queen's information she gave her was hitting it's mark. Callixeina felt satisfied. She was very aware that if she did her work well, not only would she be paid handsomely but she felt as if she almost could count on the King and Queen to note her achievement thus increasing her re-known.

Encouraged by the warmth of the prince's response, she decided to go a step bolder. Keeping her friendly and pleasant bearing, she made her way to the couch where Alexandros sat, inching ever so slowly towards the boy till their thighs were touching. In the course of their conversation she would casually touch his lower arm or rest her hand on his thigh and when appropriate nudge his upper arm with her full, rounded breasts.

Alexandros for his part was well aware what the hetaeira was aiming at. He tolerated her advances in the manner he tolerated his little puppy Peritas to lick his toes or his hand. He knew exactly what his mother's designs were by sending Callixeina to his chambers. No doubt she was well informed on a lot of things and her pleasure skills would be beyond reproach but he had no desire for her -especially not when his mother was harassing him to rut like the boars in the woodlands around Pella. As the evening wore on a sense desperation gradually overcame her. Despite her increasingly overt attempts at seduction, Callixeina felt she was not getting anywhere with the prince. If anything, with the discreet looks of admiration mixed with desire for her body that Alexandros had been throwing at her all evening, she instinctively knew it was not a gynnis she was dealing with. However he seemed to have built some kind of barrier between his desire for her and her person itself that just seemed to grow insurmountable. She decided she could and would not fail in the task she was ordered to perform.

As the talked turned to the soldiers training stamina and injuries, she found her chance. Having advised by Olympias about his interest in medicine, she deplored to him of how the long hours of travelling in her cart did her back no good whereupon she unfastened the brooches and belt of her diaphanous chiton to indicate to Alexandros where it bothered her physically. Soon she sat with her torso exposed, her pale well-shaped breasts with it's perfectly rounded areolae and firm papillae.

"So…"the prince remarked "which part of your back causes you bother."

She turned around with her back to him. Then grasping his right hand she muttered "My back has recovered, it is more this side that causes me concern." With is hand in hers, she guided it to the area where the swell of her breats met her ribcage.

"The pain radiates from here" she remarked as she pressed his hand just below her right breast "to this area." Still holding his hand she slid it along the underside of her breast bringing it to a halt in the middle of her cleavage.

Alexandros grinned in obvious amusement but did not loose a word -pandering to the hetaeira's ever-growing desperate attempt to seduce him. He has seen and heard about womens varied attempts at seduction from the brothers Erygius and Laomedon as well as from Philotas, Krateros and Ptolemaios. He indulged her ploy of enticement much in the same manner as he would his half-brother Arrhideus, when as children he wanted to go on playing with his toy soldiers long after he himself had lost interest in it. As she guided his hand to her left breast, he remarked "Your body is truly worth every man's desire" as he grazed her cheek with his lips "however, I choose with whom and when I shall lay with a woman."

Callixeina froze at his words and turned to Alexandros as he cupped her cheek "tell my mother I was most pleased with you but it is I not her who decides." His tone sounded friendly but with subdued obduracy as he gently gathered the folds of her himation and draped it over her bare body, pinning it in place with her brooches. As she gazed into his blue-gray eyes, she discerned a steely resolved that startled and left her shaken. With her womanly intuition, she also could also sense enormous love and devotion from it's owner. Blessed is the person that is the object of that affection, Alexandros she thought. Suddenly she felt lonely and absolutely insignificant.

That night Morpheus gifted him with the enticing presence of his beloved as he called out Hephaistion's name in his slumber.

V

It was the second day after Callixeina' visit that he finally took it on himself to visit his mother, who to his surprise was quite subdued on the topic of the hetaeira. She inquired about his evening with Callixeina who unknown to him immediately sought her audience upon leaving his quarters, informing her of how she greatly enjoyed her son's company without giving out the less than successful results of her mission. While at that time Olympias thought of pressing her for more details , she decided against it preferring to ask Alexandros herself. He confided to Olympias that the hetaeira was indeed worthy of her reputation but told her in no uncertain terms that he was the master of his own life and that there was no need for her to involve herself in his affairs. Olympias gave him an aggrieved look but kept her silence. He realized she finally was learning her place and this left him with a sense of satisfaction. With Hephaistion returning that very day, he thought their conversation most propitious.

It was also the very same day that he received the news from the messenger sent by Menidas, his father's garrison commander at Heraklea Sintika, a town located northeast of Pella towards the Macedonian border with Thrace. Together with Antipatros, they received Antigenes the courier in the King's study. The General sat quietly across the desk watching Alexandros expression changed from plain interest to one of agitation as he read Menidas letter. His brows creased as he met the prince's angry countenance.

"They have attacked the miners outpost at Pangeus and have killed two of the sentries during the middle of last moon!" He blurted out. "The Maedoi" he added before Antipatros could ask the question. "Menidas says there are talks in Lamphorynna of their chief Kallas preparing to revolt against Macedonia. This absolutely shall not do. They must be suppressed before this spreads!"

"Indeed it should" Antipatros concurred. Then turning to Antigenes " Do you know how long has this been going on?"

The courier cleared his throat "No my Lord. But the soldiers say that there had been talks but this has been dismissed as just that. The common opinion was that they never would be able to, at least not until now."

Alexandros regarded Antigenes in thoughtful concentration as he ceased reading the letter. He then turned to Antipatros."Menidas says they plan to take over the silver mines and make it their own and with it establish their own sovereignty."

The General let out a mirthless laugh and snorted "They overrate themselves, the fools! They should think twice before attempting such thing. With their army they never shall stand a chance." he remarked contemptuously.

"They say with the King away and Macedonia ruled by nothing but a boy who has no fighting experience freeing themselves from the Macedonian yoke would be a straightforward matter." Antigenes stated with obvious unease in his voice.

Antipatros could see how colour crept into the prince's face -his eyes narrowing with disgust as he contemplated on what was just said. That phrase was just the spark needed to kindle a blazing fury.

"Nothing but a boy" he repeated the phrase almost to himself in a venomous tone. "They yet shall learn what that boy can do." Then turning to the courier "you have my thanks Antigenes, you may now take your leave and await my summons". Alexandros gave him a thin-lipped smile and waved him off. As the door closed, he turned to his guardian. "I have a good mind to march to Lamphorynna myself and punish them for their insolence." he comment with suppressed anger. Antipatros knew what was going on within the lad's head. It was clearly evident in his manner and the decisiveness of his voice. He also was aware that even as a child, once the prince hat set his mind on something dissuasion was almost impossible to come by. Himself, Antipatros had a plan formed on how to go about the situation, however he decided to hear out what idea Alexandros had forged to resolve the problem.

The prince stared in silence at the painting on one side of the room showing another of Herakles labours-his slaying of the nine headed Learnean Hydra. Antipatros saw that his gaze was intensely fixed on the mural, as if awaiting some kind of an answer from his ancestor.

"I shall have a small delegation sent to Kallas the chief of the Maedoi to deliver a message warning him that I know of their plans and that they should heed my request…" there was a hypnotic quality to his voice as he broke his silence "lest they face my wrath!" The otherworldly quality of the tone coming out from such a seemingly delicate face momentarily sent an involuntary shudder through Antipatros body. "While there, they also could arrange for a secret meeting with our spies so we could have newest details on their plans. We should increase the army's presence around the mines to show them we are serious and step up with the drilling of the new soldiers." Alexandros gazed at the man contemplatively "that should be sufficient" he added, lost in his thoughts.

What Antipatros heard pleased him enormously. Those were the exact proposals he wanted to bring forth to the prince-that he himself would come up with the idea was but another proof of the boy's impressive intelligence and brilliant grasp of strategy. A gleeful smile crossed his weather- beaten face. "My prince, it could be none the better" he remarked. Alexandros head bobbed up and down as response giving his mentor a smile "Do you recall what the King said the day you tamed Boukephalous?" Antipatros turned to him" ….with your talent this kingdom could one day indeed be too small for you."

The prince gave him a grave look "I have to be worthy of my father" there was iron determination in his answer "..and my ancestors Akhilleus and Herakles." In his mind Antipatros had no doubt that the boy would. He cringed inwardly at the thought of what could possibly happen to any of the other pretenders to the throne or to Philippos himself when the boy finally realizes his own genius. As a father of seven boys himself, he intuitively felt Philippos son had indeed the makings of greatness far more than anything he has seen in his fifty one summers. He started in the service of the boy's uncle, King Perdikkas III and was actively involved in his father's ascension to the Macedonian throne but neither with his uncle or with his father has he seen brilliance in such magnitude.

"Two taxeis should suffice as reinforcements" Alexandros murmured "However we have to consider who we may send as delegate" Alexandros broke his musings as he handed him a cup of watered wine and poured his own. "I do not subscribe to the idea of sending old war veterans to simply deliver a message as they might opine what we plan should he refuse to heed our counsel, on the other hand it has to be someone than a mere courier to demonstrate that we mean what we say but at the same time give them a show of importance."

The senior courtier could not help but be genuinely astonished by his ward's complex but totally logical thoughts. It was as if though the prince of sixteen summers could read the furthest corners of his mind. All he could do was nod mutely at Alexandros who now, with stylus in hand started writing down the names of the possible candidates as Antipatros went about silently reviewing it.

The short knock on the door brought both boy and guardian back to the present. Philoxenos' head appeared through the partly opened door but before he could entreat entry the prince gave him a cursory glance, waved him in and continued his task.

"The son of General Amyntoros requests his admittance my prince" he announced as he winked an eye at Alexandros. At the mention of Hephaistion's name the prince's head shot up as he called out excitedly "Phaistion!"

The boy is really smitten! that was the first thought that crossed Antipatros mind as he watched Alexandros face light up and headed for the door to greet Hephaistion who appeared behind Philoxenos - a silent, intense joy shining on both their faces as they embraced each other. This was not his first encounter with the cerulean-eyed lad but as he mulled over the reason for the prince's obvious attraction even he had to admit that Amyntoros boy was nothing short of a gift from the gods. He entered the room dressed in a cream-coloured chiton with a dark blue woolen chlamys carelessly slung across his broadly muscled shoulders. His braided dark brown hair framing a well sculptured, evenly proportioned face to match through which the bluest pair of perfectly shaped eyes shown. A countenance that matched his also well proportioned body. The general knew had he been younger, he too would not have been immune to the boy's beauty.

The prince chattered excitedly filling him in on his activities as he half-dragged the cerulean-eyed lad to where he and Antipatros were working. He inquired as to how his family was and how his visit progressed. Then he told him of Ptolemaios newest conquest and of how Marsyas was thrown of Boukephalous as he tried to mount the horse. He recounted in detail of how the training of the new soldiers were progressing and of the King's letter informing his of a possible protracted siege of Perinthos and Byzantium as well as of the threat of a revolt from the Maedoi and the detailed plans have made to counter the threat.

"So has it been decided who shall be sent?" Hephaistion let his gaze travel slowly from the one to the other.

"We presently are drawing up a list of possible candidates" Alexandros declared as he looked at his guardian "We shall review each and everyone of them according to their soldier's merits and their diplomatic skills, after all the person we choose shall be sent to Thrace not merely as courier." Hephaistion regarded him thoughtfully "Then why not send Himeraios…He is one of your father's best diplomats, surely the Maedoi would listen to him."

"Himeraios has family in Lamphorynna." Antipatros remarked as looked up from his reading " They might hold his family as hostages or perhaps even kill them if this mission fails. That is a risk we cannot allow. The King holds Himeraios in such high esteem and does not want to displease him if it can be helped, besides he is too good a diplomat to be wasted on such a mission to that hillside tribe." Alexandros nodded in agreement but did not loose a word.

The three of them went through the list of possible candidates but for each name on the list objections bounced this and that way from either Antipater or Alexandros. As they got to the bottom of the list, they still could not agree on who was to be sent.

"Then send me" Hephaistion exclaimed as he regarded the prince "I am neither a veteran soldier or a diplomat. I for one am quite sure they would consider me no harm."