Chapter 12 – Starting Over

"This cannot be!" exclaimed Hephaestion in rage as he bolted up from his seat slamming his dagger into the log. The young Amyntor was consumed with an on slot of mixed emotions. He was both incensed and heartbroken over Alexander's revelation. He stood glaring down at Alexander, trying to wrap around his head the notion that his friend had lied and played him for a fool. He reflected upon everything that had transpired since his first encounter with Alexander. He thought back to the attack in the market, the banquet, and the hunt today. It all made logical sense now. There was new meaning to the unexplained and bizarre behaviors of Alexander's friends, of his father and of Alexander. To further fuel his rage, he recalled back to the day in the apple orchard when he had confessed of his "intimacy" with Pericles in the stables. Hephaestion had sought to be honest and forthright with his friend. Alexander had demanded for the truth and he had given it to him. Yet in exchange for his admission, his friend had provided him with nothing but lies. Alexander had deceived him about his identity, of his status and perhaps of his feelings for him. He bit his lip in frustration. What a fool he had been to believe Alexander, a blinded and idiotic fool.

"Phai… it was never my intention to hurt you."

"And yet you did! I do not know who you are anymore, Alexander... or rather should I say your highness." Hephaestion goes down to one knee to give a mocking bow, "Sire!"

"NO!" quickly stood the Prince to lift his friend up, "I will always be just Alexander to you!" He stared sincerely at his friend pleading for understanding and forgiveness, "It is you who sought value in who I was as a person. It is you who knows me the most."

Hephaestion flinched at Alexander's touch, ""How can you say I know and understand you? There has been nothing but lies and deception between us!"

"That is untrue!" again pleaded Alexander, "I have been nothing but myself with you. It iwas only my title that I concealed from you, Phai!" He reached out slowly for his friend to place a hand on his arm.

Hephaestion yanked away from the Prince's hold. "Enough!" he yelled, "I will not hear anymore from you."

"Hephaestion, Please…let us talk about this!"

"Alexander how am I to believe anything you tell me to be true!" curtly stated Hephaestion, "All this time you have led me on. It was YOU who made me believe what we shared was real. You made me believe in us!"

"It is real... it still is… to me…" Again the Prince stepped up to reach out to his friend, "I am sorry Hephaestion. Truly…"

"Please go Alexander!" mumbled Hephaestion in disappointment, "I cannot do this now."

"Phai!" frantically pleaded Alexander as he desperately came up to embrace Hephaestion. He gripped him tightly and kissed him hard. "Phai…I…"

"Hephaestion!" shoved the young Amyntor as he threw a swift and strong punch into Alexander's chin, "My name is Hephaestion Amyntor!"

Alexander was thrown back hard to the ground by his friend's powerful blow. He sat up slightly dazed as he searched out his friend. All of a sudden, a stamped of men could be heard rushing to him. Swiftly, the Prince jumped to his feet and motioned his friends to stay back. "Leave us!" he ordered, "Go!" Alexander raised a hand to emphasize his point. He waved to his companions to disperse and leave the two men to their own accord. He then wiped the blood trickling down his lower lip. Alexander stood back and quietly watched his friend pace before him mumbling under his breath. He stood attentive when Hephaestion stopped in his track and turned towards him with piecing blue eyes. Then there was hope. Hephaestion's face softened and he sighed out loud. The young Amyntor held back his urge to step up as he took sight of another streak of blood drip off Alexander's chin.

"I am sorry for that!" whispered Hephaestion as he dropped his head in shame, "I should not have hit you."

"I deserved it!" half smiled Alexander under a calm tone, "You pack a tough punch." He cautiously made another effort to approach his friend. Alexander could now see the mixture of emotion written all over his friend's face. "Hephaestion please let me explain…I had…."

"Who you are now only complicates matters!" cut Hephaestion before he resumed his pacing, "Nothing could be the same!" exclaimed the young Amyntor, his comment was more to himself based on fear and rooted by love.

"Why?"

"You are a Prince!"

"I am still Alexander."

"It will never just be you, as Alexander… you will one day be King… it could never just be you and me again…"

"I will always be just Alexander to you!"

Hephaestion stepped up wanting to embrace his friend, but held back again remembering his own rage, "You have made me into a fool!"

"What?" snapped the Prince in a desperate urge to defend himself, "Do you realize the grief I have endured with my father, my mother…. Your father?"

"All of them? They had known of your little charade?"

"Well yes! But…. But… it was me alone who has been made out as a fool. They had all wanted me to reveal my true identity to you."

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why did you lie to me? Did you see me as an idiot? What have I done to deserve such treatment?"

"No Hephaestion! I needed a friend. Someone who could see me for who I was. To lo…ve.. me as I am, as Alexander!"

"Had you given me an honest chance, Alexander, you would have learned that I would have loved you no matter your social status, your wealth or your belief." Hephaestion looked out at the companions standing at a distance, "I had grown to love you for who you were… not what you were… but now… it has become all too complicated!"

The Prince felt his legs giving out from under him. He was losing his friend. "Hephaestion… by all the Gods… I beg of you to see past this… to allow me another chance! I swear with everything I am, I will spend my lifetime to make things right with you. I will …."

Hephaestion's stared pass the prince at the gawking eyes from behind the bushes. "Your friends… your companions. They were all on this?"

"I am afraid so!"

"So too their relationship with me has been a lie."

"I do not see how this would be" stated Alexander, "They are men of valor. Never would they have befriended you... had they not truly liked you."

"They are all but strangers to me. Just like you!" roguishly countered Hephaestion, "All this wasted time and effort."

"These are volatile times, Hephaestion." Began to explain Alexander, "I needed to be careful."

"So I am a suspect to these assassation attempts on your life?"

"Never... had I thought so" quickly responded the Prince, "I never believed for once that you would ever hurt me."

"But your friends… your companions, they suspect me." Harshly argued Hephaestion, "I can see their distrust in me."

"My opinion is what matters." Offered the Prince as he again made another attempt to move up towards his friend, "I trust you and…"

"I need time to think!" cut Hephaestion as he raised a hand to cease Alexander's advance, "This is all too much for me. I must…. I must go!"

"Hephaestion, Wait!"

"Alexander!" held out Hephaestion, halting the Prince from approaching him, "Please... I do not wish to say anything that I will later regret!"

"Please Hephaestion! Allow me then to say one last thing."

Hephaestion dropped his head in anguish, "Go on!"

"Remember me for who I was ... before this day. All that I have shared with you during these past weeks…. remains the same. I am still Alexander… the same man you met in the marketplace."

Hephaestion says nothing and stared despondently at his friend. "How am I to remember you?" he coldly replied looking around at the companions now stepping up, "When I do not even know you. For weeks you have deceived me… how do you expect me to distinguish your lies from your truths?" He then quickly pivoted away, "I must go!"

Alexander boldly stepped up and reached out to clasped Hephaestion's arm, "A generous friendship …" whispered the Prince, hoping their shared love for the Iliad would spark some form of forgiveness, "no cold medium he will know. He burns with only one love."

Hephaestion made no effort to turn around, rather, he stood detached from the Prince, and with a clear voice countered, "Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another." Hephaestion said nothing further as he ran towards his horse.

Alexander stood lost for words. Hephaestion's comment had hit its mark. He dropped his head to conceal the tear that rolled down his face. The Prince refused to acknowledge his friends stepping up to him. He looked up once more towards Hephaestion direction. "Ptolemy! Leonnatus!: he called out under a soft mumble, "Make sure Hephaestion is escorted home safely." Alexander followed his new fiend briskly run to his horse, while clutching to the dagger they had found in the cave. He gave a deep sigh, "Coenus and Hector, breakdown the camp, we are heading home!" He walked slowly away from his men to give himself some time alone.

As the other men dispersed to gather their gear, the dark eye mercenary stepped up and stared upon the discarded jewel studded dagger left lodged in the log. He cautiously pulled it out and wrapped it in a small linen cloth. The time had come to put his final assassination plan into action.

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Hephaestion dug his heels into the side of his charger and rushed aimlessly into the open field. Through a furious charge, he continued to ride at an ever greater speed. The young Amyntor had no sense of direction. He wanted to find a place to escape the disappointment of his reality. Hephaestion's immediate desire was to chase the unsettling thoughts aching in his mind and the pain in his heart. The very memory of Alexander's confession created a sorrowful aftershock that reverberated throughout his soul. He was still unable to wrap his head around the whole situation. The conversation with his friend had left him shattered and disoriented. The idea that for weeks, Alexander had been concealing his true identity reignited Hephaestion's rage and frustration.

In the distance he heard the neighing of horses. He need not turn around to know that Alexander's companions were following him. If the Prince's friends' intention was to be discreet, they were failing miserably. The young Amyntor was keenly aware that Ptolemy and Leonnatus had been trailing him since his departure from the camp. Hephaestion could only presume the reasons.

Upon taking sight of a large river ahead, the Young Amyntor decided it best to refresh his horse before heading home. He reined his stallion in and slowed his pace at a gallop across the field towards the rushing body of water.

He pulled his horse back gently as he came to a final stop. He dismounted and allowed Xanthus to roam free over the wild grass and flowing river.

Hephaestion looked out to consider and reflect all that had transpired throughout the day. He sat upon a large boulder along side the water to sort out his feelings and to grasp what decision he would make. With a large bag of wine in hand, he drank down a few gulps to clear his head; but the sound of breaking twigs diverted his attention.

"You might as well join me for some wine!" announced Hephaestion, "It is a long ride back to Pella."

"Your horse truly lives up to his name!" chuckled Ptolemy as he walked up to stand beside Hephaestion. The beaked nose youth stared out following the large golden horse chewing on grass, "He is truly a descendent of the immortal horse of Achilles."

"It is only because you are a novice horseman" chimed in the taller brawny youth, "An ass could outride you."

"That would explain your skills!" countered the other companion, "Takes one to know one! Of course no offense to your own horse, Hephaestion."

"None taken!" smiled Hephaestion. He extended his offer of his wine bag, ""Why do you follow me?" He asked already knowing the reason.

"The Prince wished to see that you returned home safely" replied Ptolemy

"Even now he still watches over me like some pathetic woman."

"He is a good man Hephaestion!" quickly explained Leonnatus taking a swig of wine, "I would not follow him as my commander, if he were not!"

"You must forgive me if I do not wish to share my personal affairs concerning the Prince with you" softly replied Hephaestion, "I do not wish to say something that will influence our already fragile relationship."

"It is understood" offered Ptolemy through a small smile, "But if you could indulge us to say a few words."

"Of course!"

"Alexander was an idiot!" interjected the brawny companion shaking his head, "A fool!"

"What my poorly educated friend is trying to say" cut the beak nose youth nodding his head in amazement, "Is Alexander had made a grave mistake. But know his heart is always in the right place. Contrary to the rumors of court, Alexander is a man who loves passionately and gives generously. He is a fierce commander and an extraordinary warrior."

"I dare say, he is a force of nature." laughed out Leonnatus, "Perhaps… maybe a true son of Zeus!"

"He is self confident and always ambitious!" continued Ptolemy, "It is only with you has Alexander faltered in his efforts." He stared straight at Hephaestion with a half smile. "I do believe you have changed him."

"He demonstrated a poor choice of judgment" again chimed in other companion, "A small lapse of his usual obstinate character."

"I hardly call lying to me for weeks a small lapse." snorted Hephaestion as he turned his gaze away from the men, "He was well aware of his own conduct."

Ptolemy shrugged his shoulders at his comrade. He took a deep breath and placed a hand on Hephaestion arm, "These are difficult times. The life of the Prince is on the line. There are those who wish to see him dead. Since your arrival to Pella…"

"So it is true, you are all suspicious of me?" Hephaestion looked back at the beak nosed youth. "You suspect me?"

"I do!" admitted Ptolemy, "It is our duty to suspect everyone."

"Why then try to convince me to return to Alexander?" stated the young Amyntor moving off the boulder to stand before the men, "If I am a suspect….. then why?.... Unless, he has ordered you … put you up to this."

""NO! We ask you only because we believe in him and of his faith with you."

"This in itself is enough for us" interjected Leonnatus, "We need very little to believe in Alexander. His presence, his aspiration and his veracity makes everyone a believer."

"We do this on our own accord… for our love of him" added Ptolemy, "It is obvious he has grown to trust and love you Hephaestion. His opinion of you is all that matters to us."

Hephaestion looked down at the ground and began to pace along the banks of the river. He was overwhelmed with his emotions. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

In his mind he could visualize Alexander. He saw the Prince's smile, his dark powerful eyes and felt his strong arms wrapped around him. A sensational wave of love burned over him. He could almost hear Alexander's voice once more revealing his personal dreams and hopes. Hephaestion's eyes burst open as he came to realize with Alexander he felt a peace and calmness. He held a profound love one in which he would die without. He loved Alexander regardless he be the prince, or the son of a blacksmith. Hephaestion loved him for the person he was and was destined to become. Suddenly, the young Amyntor ceased his walking and for the first time saw the crossroad of his life. A decision would need to be made. Could he accept Alexander as the prince, to see past his previous deception and lies? Or would Hephaestion choose to live an ordinary life without Alexander. He looked out at his horse, which had instinctively meandered towards him, as if aware of Hephaestion's quandary. Then all at once, the young Amyntor had his answer. With Alexander, his life was fulfilled and he was loved. His now knew his fate; it was with his new friend.

Hephaestion stepped up to meet his approaching horse and grabbed for its rein. He looked at the Prince's companions, "Where is he?"

"Perhaps two or three stradia from here." Replied the Ptolemy through a growing smile, "Not far!"

Hephaestion leaped atop his horse and tugged it towards the direction away from Pella

"Where are you going?" called out Leonnatus as he scrambled to his own horse.

"Home!" shouted out Hephaestion.

"But you are going the wrong way!" responded the brawny youth bemused.

"NO!' smiled the young Amyntor, "I am going to Alexander."

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Alexander sat quietly atop his horse, head held down leading the hunting party home. His heart felt heavy with grief and disappointment. But he held on to his hopes with the Gods. He knew his destiny. Hephaestion was meant to be with him. Alexander had resolved upon their return to Pella he would do everything within his power to convince Hephaestion to forgive him. Alexander knew he was running out of time, but this would not deter him. He would win Hephaestion's love again, no matter the cost.

"Riders!" called out a voice from behind him, "Riders from the West are approaching."

The Prince sat straight up and looked out at the advancing horsemen. He eyes widened as he immediately recognized the golden stallion rushing towards him. Alexander pulled his horse back to slower its pace. "Phai!" he whispered under his breath, "PHAI!" He took sight of a single rider pulling away from the others. Then without any notice to his men, the Prince kicked his horse and galloped at full speed towards the riders. Alexander cared nothing for the spectacle he was creating before his companions.

As the two men approached, they tugged their horses to a slow stop. Simultaneously, the youths dismounted and dashed to greet each other.

"Hephaestion!" sighed out the Prince, "You came back!"

The young Amyntor wasted no time as he embraced his friend hard, "As I have said before, Alexander, I am not going anywhere. It is you that I love."

"As the Prince" mumbled Alexander, "Or as the son of a blacksmith?"

"For you alone… for who you are!"

The End

In light of recent events, I believe this story would be better served if I continued it with a sequel that focused on the POV of A/H relationship as Alexander the Prince. The next story, "The King's Son" will post shortly and will contain all the unanswered questions left from the Blacksmith's Son!

See you at the sequel! :)