Title: Taming Wolves
Author: Rothalion
Summery: Movie verse for the pinky thing. Alexander exacts a harsh punishment after infighting threatens to cause a rift in his chain of command. These guys were always vying for position I think things had to get physical now and again. So here goes this…
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own them.
Reviews are always appreciated. I can't improve without them. Thanks
Chapter 2
"Come on Puppy by the gods wake your sad ass up so we can get this vile deed over with!" Cleitus hissed at the lump that was Hephaistion; slumped unconscious against him.
Standing awkwardly, the shackles binding his hands behind his back making the task difficult, he shook the fog from his head and stared down at Hephaistion. The man had tipped over when Cleitus stood but was still completely out. Alexander had taken pity on him and shackled his hands in front to try and ease the pain of the young man's dislocated shoulder. Cleitus kicked at Hephaistion's feet and growled under his breath when the beaten man did not stir.
In a way Cleitus was glad of it. The longer that Hephaistion was out the longer he, Cleitus, had to recover before the flogging. He'd suffered the whip's wrath before at Philip's hand and twenty lashes was nothing to joke about. Hephaistion though, favored as he was, had never felt the sting of leather and Cleitus wondered how the boy would fair. Boy. He chuckled to himself. That was no boy who had beat him hand to hand. No, Hephaistion was no longer the long legged twig of a lad that had followed Alexander around Meiza like a shadow. No, he was grown now. Cleitus could still feel the strength of Hephaistion's broad shoulders and the power in the young man's legs that allowed him to drive the older warrior into the dirt time and time again. All that aside the whip was a vicious taskmaster, flesh was flesh, muscle mass made no matter, and Hephaistion, the fine sturdy tree he grown into, had always been spared its lesson. Spared, he thought, with a cruel smile, spared until now. That softness was Alexander's fault. How many times had the king, while still prince, interceded and kept Hephaistion from the whip after the young man had done some insolent act trying to protect Alexander raising Philip's ire in the process. Cleitus had to laugh at that; for all that Philip had loved him, that love had never prevented the old king from taking the whip to the young Cleitus' back. In the condition Hephaistion was in, Cleitus had to admit to himself, the flogging just might kill the boy. Then what…Alexander without Hephaistion…he shook his head at the thought and kicked at the sleeper's feet again. To lose Persia over a fist fight and a demonstration of power over the troops by a boy king. Cleitus knew what Alexander was doing, he was making Hephaistion and him his next Thebes, raze the city and quell the unrest.
"Well my pretty young Kinglet you may just get more than your bargained for, and for your sake," he kicked Hephaistion's feet again, "I pray to the gods that I'm wrong."
Alexander sat slumped in his chair absently swirling a cup of very mixed wine. It had been some time since he'd ordered the flogging and neither of the men had come around yet. He cursed Hephaistion's brashness and in the same breath his own hasty decision to flog the two men. How long had they known each other? Eight long years now and never in all that time had Alexander intentionally caused Hephaistion harm and now…because of Hephaistion's rage and his own short temper he just might kill the person most dear to him.
Hephaistion knew Cleitus, he knew that the man liked to taunt people into foolishness, why had he allowed himself to fall afoul of the older general's mocking. Alexander shook his head at the memory. He'd been completely stunned when Hephaistion had dove across the table at dinner.
"Damn you, Phaistion!" Alexander yelled at the empty tent as he tossed down the remainder of his wine. "When this public flogging is over you'll have me to contend with, you fool!"
He turned as the tent flap was opened and his page entered. "My Lord, the Generals Craterus and Parminion." The boy informed him. Alexander groaned. He was in no mood for a lecture especially the one he suspected was coming.
He nodded and motioned for them to enter. Both stood stiffly and stared at Alexander their faces clouded in sorrow and fear.
Craterus spoke first. "Alexander, I'll not be a party to this flogging. I understand your desire to make an example of them, to instill in the men the understanding that infighting will not be tolerated but…"
"But what Craterus?" Alexander interrupted tilting his head and narrowing his eyes. "You doubt my judgment?"
Parminion took over. "Alexander, as a General I will flog any man in my command, I will do so with conviction and full acceptance of my authority over that man but only you may flog a General. They are under your command the duty is yours and yours alone."
"I see." Alexander stated tersely and refilled his cup without offering any to the two men with him. It was all he could do to keep the dread he was feeling at the thought of injuring Hephaistion from showing on his face. He wasn't all that thrilled about hurting Cleitus either. "So the punishment is mine to administer?" He asked leaning his cheek upon his left fist.
Both men nodded in agreement.
"Alexander we know how your…love…for Hephaistion…"
"Leave my feelings for Hephaistion out if this Parminion!" Alexander yelled defensively, launching to his feet.
"We now how your love for Hephaistion," he continued on anyway, age giving him some measure of freedom to speak, "is a great factor in your life, but I will not be used as a pawn in order for you to spare yourself the pain and guilt that I know dishing out this rash and impetuous punishment will certainly bring you. If you will, flog me as well for disobeying your order but this, this senseless, and it is senseless, punishment is your folly and yours to administer. Yours alone. Craterus and I both will kneel before the whip before we ease or accept this burden for you."
He walked over to them studying their faces with a mix of concern and curiosity. They would, he saw, stand before the whip to keep from meting out this punishment and that spoke volumes to the young king. In hindsight he had acted rashly and out of anger. When two of his oldest and wisest Generals stood before him willing to be whipped rather then follow an order, such actions warranted his attention. He tried to figure a way out of his hasty decision to flog the two men but he could find no viable solution. To turn from his decision was a sign of weakness he could ill afford. If any lesson was left to learn here it was to not act out in anger.
"So be it then. I will do it, and fear not the whip gentlemen your advice is both wise and accepted. The burden, is as you have counseled, transferred and understandable so, to my shoulders."
The two men slumped as the words sank in and before Alexander could speak again the tent flap was pulled open and the page reappeared saying that both men were now awake and being prepared for punishment. The guards had a question though. Hephaistion's shoulder, should it be set back in place now or after.
Alexander pondered the query for a moment before answering. "After. Do it now and he'll likely pass out again. I want this deed over with."
A short time later Alexander was standing in the center of a torch lit area surrounded by thousands of troops. Cleitus and Hephaistion were stretched out on benches awaiting their punishment. Alexander walked straight to them.
"You both are fully aware of the reason for this punishment?" Neither answered so he went on in a voice loud enough for all to hear.
"My father, your King Philip, spent a lifetime unifying and uniting tribes and separate states into a single nation with an army strong enough and vast enough to punish Persia for its crimes against Macedon and Greece. I as your new king and General will not allow dissension and infighting amongst my men, especially my command corps, to threaten that unification. Heed the example of two of your finest soldiers and generals. Two men who fight together for a single cause with such bravery and honor that it brings tears to my eyes, and yet…these same two noble men turned on one another over trivial and petty words tossed out against one another. From this night forth, any men, 'any' men caught fighting each other outside of the wrestling ring will be punished by the whip, twenty lashes. If caught again death. There is no room in my army, our great army for such childish and weak exhibitions of ego. Give me the whip!" He snatched the weapon from a guard and raised his hand to quiet the rumble of voices that had grown throughout the mass of stunned men. The king was going to perform the punishment.
Hephaistion heard Alexander's words through a fog of pain. He was tired. More tired than he could ever recall feeling. He recalled fighting with Cleitus. He recalled being hit so hard that his world exploded in a sheen of twinkling blue and silver before slamming him into a black void filled with an odd whistling sound. Then he was here. Why? Alexander was babbling something about twenty lashes and now, had he heard correctly, he'd asked to be given a whip. Despite the spike of pain it caused he lifted and craned his head up to see Alexander, through a mostly swollen shut eye, standing in front of him whip in hand. Did he truly intend to give the punishment himself. Alexander was going to give 'him' twenty lashes. A part of him panicked. Alexander could not be seen as going to lightly on him and therefore would probably be harsher to make certain that no one cried foul. Hephaistion was no fool. He knew he was in bad shape as it was and twenty lashes would be a devastating punishment. He dropped his head back down and looked at Cleitus trussed up beside him. The older man winked at him with his good eye and to Hephaistion's surprised told him to be strong, that it would all be over soon enough. Hephaistion shuddered and began to pull at his bindings.
"Hephaistion, be still boy save your strength!" Cleitus hissed. They were laid out shoulder to shoulder, arms stretched forward over their heads and Hephaistion could barely hear the whispered words. "Phaistion, focus on me lad, on me. Look at me boy! Come on man, you can get through this son, you…" He stared at the old general and gasped when he felt Cleitus' pinky wrap around his.
Cleitus' words were cut off by the crack of the whip. Hephaistion flinched as the leather cut into his back. He focused on Cleitus and tried to hear the words of encouragement the older man was whispering, tried to push the pain from his mind, tried to figure out why Cleitus was suddenly trying to help him. The whip landed again and again and again. His world was resonating between black and purple. He vomited, dousing them both and gagged but kept his good eye glued on the fierce black orbs before him. He squeezed his pinky as tightly as he could round Cleitus' and tried to focus on the older man's voice.
Finally the crack came without the pain and through a haze of uncontrollable tears and agony he saw Cleitus flinch and curl his battered lips in a feral smile.
"I live for this shit boy, it makes me feel alive. Reminds me that I'm only flesh and blood."
Hephasition stared at the man in disbelief. Lash after lash tore into his broad back and Cleitus continued to smile. It was then that Hephaistion learned something about honor and courage and sacrifice. That it was more than being able to lead a charge and more than being willing to die for your king, more even then being able to struggle ahead through the most unspeakable hardship it was to be able to do all of those things and not think of yourself as being great or grand but still just a man. Still just flesh and blood. When tears began to slip from Cleitus' eyes Hephaistion thought that his heart would burst from his chest. Not Black Cleitus, never. This was his fault. His fault that Cleitus was crying. His fault. Why couldn't he have just taken Cleitus' comments like a real man? Just drank his wine and sneered back at the sarcastic general. Cleitus couldn't be crying. Shouldn't be crying. He was a man incapable of tears, incapable of such weakness. Hephaistion's battered face betrayed his thoughts and Cleitus winked at him again.
"I am only a man Puppy, only a man."