Chapter 14: Again?
A Month Later
Alexander woke to the sound of someone retching and sighed getting up from bed, he walked to the bathroom where he saw his wife emptying her stomach once again while Hephaistion rubbed her back holding her hair.
When she was done he handed her a cup of well watered wine which she drank slightly before retching once again. After taking a few more sips she finally stopped retching, she stood on wobbly legs while Alexander and Hephaistion helped her back in bed.
Suddenly the sound of running feet could be heard, followed by a door opening and someone jumping on the bed.
"Good Morning Uraeus." muttered Eudora holding a cold wet cloth on her forehead, sensing her tone Uraeus, stopped bouncing around,
"Are you ill mother?" asked Uraeus, now age four, lying down beside her,
"Leave your mother to rest son and come join us for breakfast." Uraeus looked up to see his father and Hephaistion sitting on a nearby table while servants entered carrying fruit and bread, he nodded and kissed his mother on the cheek before joining them when the servants left.
"Phai!" and Uraeus hugged Hephaistion before moving to sit beside his father and hugging him as well,
"Father."
"Did you sleep well?"
"Very well father." He answered and ate an apple,
"What are your plans for today?"
"Leonatus is going to show me to wrestle today."
"Is he?"
"Yes, I can hardly wait." Alexander smiled sharing a look with Hephaistion who smiled as well. After they were finished Alexander gave Uraeus a rose to give to his mother to cheer her up. Finding it a great idea, he skipped into her bedroom and climbed on the bed, she looked at him smiling,
"Did you eat enough? You will need it for today!"
"I did mother."
"Good!"
Suddenly Uraeus produced the rose from behind his back and presented to his mother who started crying,
"What is wrong mother? Are you not happy with my gift?" asked a confused Uraeus, making Alexander and Hephaistion come in for a look, she just nodded and hugged him close,
"I love you mother…" whispered Uraeus hugging his now sobbing mother. When he moved back, she suddenly turned white, jumped from the bed towards the bathroom hand covering her mouth. They all looked at each other confused until they heard her retching again,
"Father, What is wrong with mother? She has been ill for some time now."
"I do not know son."
"Maybe it's time to call Philip Alexander. She hardly eats anymore and is losing weight fast." Alexander nodded and soon they were joined by Philip who examined her. When he finished he just smiled,
"And?"
"Nothing serious, nothing 9 months won't cure…"
"What?"
"She is expecting, my boy" they all looked at each other shocked before breaking out in smiles and hugging each other.
"How far?"
"About a month. The sickness will pass but you must try to eat something even if it comes up again." Eudora nodded, getting some colour back in her cheeks, exchanging a knowing look with Alexander before turning towards her son,
"How about that Uraeus, you will get a brother or sister to play with soon."
"How did a baby get inside you?" asked Uraeus after a long silence, Eudora just smiled and looked at Alexander,
"Well, I think that's something you have to ask your father…." Alexander looked up before holding up his hands in surrender,
"Oh no, no, no, no… Hephaistion can explain it better." He shoved Hephaistion in front of him and quickly disappeared claiming he had a meeting.
Eudora's Pregnancy went much smoother this time and she wasn't as exhausted. She was also much bigger then when she expected Uraeus.
But she looked radiant, her skin glowed in the sunlight. Her hair was more curly then before and her eyes shone like sapphires.
She still held some fears though but kept silent feeling Alexander had enough to deal with already.
Bessus, one of Darius' former Generals, was mounting an army but no one knew where. Alexander sent out scouts to comb the land but this far they all returned with no new information and finding nothing but sand and some poor villages.
It frustrated Alexander to no end.
One morning he woke up feeling cool hands running their way up his back and shoulders, rubbing oil on his skin. Sighing he recognized the weight and calloused fingers of Hephaistion as he enjoyed the gentle massage.
"You have been working too hard Alexander." Whispered Hephaistion as his hands rubbed some more oil on Alexander's tense muscles.
Alexander hummed, nodding as best as he could while lying down on his stomach. He slightly drifted of as Hephaistion weaved his magic. He came to when he felt gentle kisses being placed on his shoulders. He slowly turned around making sure Hephaistion stayed put and stared in Hephaistion's gentle blue eyes. Hephaistion moved closer placing a kiss in the slight dip in Alexander's collarbone.
"This is my favourite part of your body…." Murmured Hephaistion kissing it again. When he moved up again Alexander stopped his movement with his hands, slowly bringing their heads together until their noses and foreheads softly bumped into each other.
They stared into each others eyes for what seemed forever until Alexander moved his hands over Hephaistion's face, stopping here and there. Then softly pushed him down hands still moving as if he saw Hephaistion for the first time. He stopped at every freckle and every scar slowly caressing. Hephaistion kept silent watching Alexander's face in awe trying to keep his breathing under control. Soon Hephaistion lost his control and moaned out loud, making Alexander look up with a mischievous smile, it was then that Hephaistion saw Alexander's arousal and he quickly switched their positions again kissing Alexander hard until they were breathless.
"Tease." Muttered Hephaistion breathless and Alexander chuckled but it quickly turned into a moan as Hephaistion pressed his body down. They rubbed and kissed for awhile when Hephaistion gabbed the veil of old he used earlier and prepared himself and Alexander when he was done he entered in one thrust and stilled. He loved to watch Alexander at this exact moment knowing he was the only Alexander, King of All, submitted to. It warmed his heart and he began moving. Sooner then they both wanted they reached Nirvana and came back to earth whispering each others names. They held one another afterwards, kissing now and then.
After a peaceful silence, Alexander looked around noticing for the first time they were alone. As if feeling Alexander's upcoming question Hephaistion said,
"She has gone to the marker with Uraeus. Seems there is a fair of some kind and Ureaus insisted in going…." Alexander chuckled at his son's antics and kissed Hephaistion sweetly on the lips.
"More time to ourselves then.."
"But your duties…." Protested Hephaistion,
"I'm taking the morning of. King's Privilege! Did you yourself not say I was working too hard?"
"Yes, but…." Muttered Hephaistion relenting, the prospect of spending the morning ebbing away his worried and selfish feelings,
"Do not worry! Or do you not want to spent time with me anymore?" whispered Alexander turning his head away,
"Alexander!" protested Hephaistion affronted, "Of course I want to spent time with you, how can you even…." But he didn't even finish because Alexander started laughing, knowing he had been had he jumped on Alexander holding his hands above his head. They laughed as they wrestled trying to beat each other but as always Hephaistion's thighs won.