Thank you for your lovely reviews.
Mara: I don't really know why I don't like any chapters anymore, insecurity I guess. Your reviews help though ;) And yes, Hephaistion is very sweet, like always.
Shioban: I guess I don't ;) Yes, we all love our sweet Hephaistion.
XZanayu: Yeah, it sure was.
Xiaoweisan: Thx. You have a point though I think children were raised diffrently back then, more talked to like adults, especially royalty. They were taught more delicate and difficult things then others. I also think they were smarter, therefor I believe they would have understood the diffrence between their real and adoptive father. I also think Eudora would have taught them to call Alexander 'father' at all cost and Hephaistion mearly 'Phai', even with people present that they knew could be trusted. But in private, that's something all together ;)
Chapter 21: Family
One Year Later
It was a beautiful day in April, the sun was shining, every rose and flower was in bloom, every tree had the most stunning green leaves anyone ever saw. There was not a cloud in the blue sky.
The inhabitants of Babylon continued with their daily shores and jobs, quietly talking to each other, feeling happy, totally unaware of what was happening in the palace.
Somewhere inside the palace, in one of the private royal rooms sat three children playing and listening to the sounds coming from the next room.
The sounds where made my their mother Eudora who lay on a bed, flanked on each side by the owners of her heart. On her right side held Alexander, King of Kings and her husband, her hand murmuring in her ear and on the left sat Hephaistion, her lover and loyal friend, who supported her head and back as she panted.
"Push!" ordered somewhere nearby,
"I am pushing…" she groaned getting frustrated. Eudora was pregnant again and was now giving birth to her fourth child, but this time she was not alone and both Alexander and Hephaistion were present to witness this miracle.
"Rest for awhile, until the next contraction hits…." Said the doctor as he washed his hands again, to keep them clean and Eudora fell back on the bed panting,
"You're going wonderful my love." Whispered Alexander as he kissed her forehead, she could do nothing more then nod, she tried to catch her breath while Hephaistion wiped her brow and moistened her lips. Suddenly a new contraction hit and started moaning in pain again,
"Now, push as long as you can…" ordered the doctor, she nodded and started pushing,
"Aaaarrgghhh…"
"Deep breath and push again, the head is almost out…." She pushed as hard as she could, turning red in the face while Alexander and Hephaistion could do nothing more then support her.
"Okay, rest a little and when the contraction hit give one more big push…" explained Philip again,
"I can't I'm too tired…" murmured Eudora with her eyes closed, she felt hands caress her hair and arms and calmed down a little,
"It's almost over Eudora, just a little more." Murmured someone in her ear and due to fatigue she couldn't tell who it was exactly,
"One more my Queen and you can hold your baby in your arms…" so when the contraction hit Eudora pushed with the last of her strength until she heard her babies cry, falling down exhausted. She opened her eyes when she heard Alexander yell excitingly,
"It's a boy, it's a boy….."
"Congratulations my king…" said Philip after he checked the baby and delivered the afterbirth. He handed the baby, rapped in a blanket to Alexander, who held his son carefully. He looked at his son and noticed he barely had any hair and even though his eyes where open you could barely tell what his eye colour was. Alexander was entranced,
"He's beautiful my lord." Said one of Philip's understudies and he nodded before sitting down next to Eudora and Hephaistion.
"What will you call him?" asked Eudora. She asked both Alexander and Hephaistion to come up with a name seeing as he got to name all the other children so far, Alexander stared at his son for awhile before handing him to Eudora saying,
"Phaedrus…" Eudora nodded approvingly before turning to Hephaistion who smiled,
"Seems we had about the same idea…. I picked Solon…."
"Phaedrus Solon, you like that little one?" asked Eudora seeing her son look at her with wide eyes his mouth curling slightly, she smiled,
"Seems he likes it…"
Feeling truly happy and blessed Alexander kissed Eudora breathless and held Hephaistion close before heading towards the throne room with his other children and Hephaistion, who stayed on the background, and announced.
"Dear Macedonians and Persians, The Queen has just given me another son: Phaedrus Solon. Honor him!" and the room erupted in cheers, soon everyone was congratulating the king and gifts began pouring in.
Days later Alexander and Hephaistion took their children to see their mother and baby brother for the first time since he was born. Philip had restricted anyone from seeing them to minimize infections but today they were allowed to visit.
They silently entered the room in case they were sleeping, all holding their presents. But once inside they heard a soft voice singing,
Hush now, my baby
Be still love, don't cry
Sleep like you're rocked by the stream
Sleep and remember
My lullaby
And I'll be with you when you dream.
Entering the inner chamber they saw their mother walking up and down the room, holding the baby, singing a lullaby. They silently entered putting their gifts on a nearby table.
Drift on a river
That flows through my arms
Drift as I'm singing to you
I see you smiling
So peaceful and calm
And holding you, I'm smiling, too
Here in my arms
Safe from all harm
Holding you, I'm smiling, too.
Eudora then noticed they were here and smiled at them, motioning her children closer as she ended her song and sat down on a nearby bench.
Hush now, my baby
Be still, love, don't cry
Sleep like you're rocked by the stream
Sleep and remember this river lullaby
And I'll be with you when you dream
I'll be with you when you dream.
She opened the blanket a little more so they could see better. Uraeus, who was almost ten, smiled, happy it was a boy and kissed his forehead.
"Welcome Brother!" and then kissed his mother before lifting Euthalia, now five, so she could see,
"He is so tiny.." muttered Euthalia in awe,
"He's a baby still but he will grow. Just like you." And Eudora kissed her daughter before turning to Nike, also five, who was still standing a little further holding Hephaistion's hand,
"Don't you want to meet your baby brother Nike?" asked Eudora. Nike shook her head feeling shy. Hephaistion bend down and looked in his daughters face,
"You don't have to be afraid. I'll come with you alright?" asked Hephaistion. Nike nodded and together they stepped closer. Hephaistion sat down next to Eudora on the bench and placed Nike on his lap. Still feeling rather shy she peered inside the blanket in wonder. She placed a hand on the blanket so she could lean in without falling. Suddenly she felt a little hand curl around two of her fingers and she smiled,
"He likes me…" Eudora and Hephaistion laughed while the other children kept staring at their new baby brother.
Alexander who was standing nearby felt touched at the scene and engraved it in his heart and memory so it would never be forgotten. Eudora and Hephaistion looked up both smiling,
"Alexander, come, join us…" and he did just that enjoying the times when they were all together like a family.
Phaedrus means Bright and Solon means Wisdom.
They are both ancient Greek names and don't belong to me but to the people who had those names. They are both separate names, I just placed them together.
This was the last chapter before I post the two endings I wrote.