Second chance part 2
Hephaistion had been very worried as he made his way at a quick cantor to his father's house. He was afraid that something had happened to his father. He knew that Amyntor was supposed to come back from a campaign some days ago and now his heart was beating frantically as he opened the door.
The room was silent; all too silent to be a good sign. His mother finally came to him and instead of the welcoming smile that he'd expected she glared at him before saying, "Your father is furious with you! Come quickly and try, Hephaistion, to explain yourself and your behavior!" she ordered.
Hephaistion felt suddenly very uneasy, his concern for his father's health was gone, replaced by another, confusion and concern for himself. He entered the main room of the house, where his father was sitting. At his side sat Hephaistion's uncle and his son. Amyntor's eyes were cold and flared with deadly anger, Hephaistion flinched before the man's wrath.
" Father…" said, Hephaistion meekly.
" I came back last night, Hephaistion." He began but his deep voice held no sign of warmth or love. Hephaistion's hearth wrenched at the sound.
"I m glad to see you father." Said Hephaistion with a sweet voice even if it wasn't the kind of reunion he was expected for. He was completely confused by his father's cold demeanor. "I always worry…"
"Hephaistion!" yelled his father in a loud, harsh voice to indicate not interrupt him. Hephaistion nodded understanding the implied command.
"I returned, and I wasn't even an hour at the palace, when I was told you are the prince's little whore!" yelled Amyntor, placing his emphasis on the word whore. Hephaistion staggered before the accusation, shocked beyond words. "Tell me there is no truth in what I heard boy!" demanded the furious general.
Hephaistion took a deep breath and pulled himself up taller; squaring his shoulders and looking into a pair of eyes that matched his own in their blue brilliance. "It is not the truth, sir." He began with confidence and respect. Amyntor seemed to be relieved but then Hephaistion continued. "I am not Prince Alexander's whore, I am his lover." Hephaistion finished and stood passively as Amyntor stood up and punched his son, dropping the young man to the stone floor.
"How dare you to tell me that! His lover! What's the difference between that and his whore boy! I thought I raised you better than this! I thought I raised you to be proud, to honest and a person from 'this family' earned his honors! They didn't win them in a prince's bed!"
Hephaistion stood up, he couldn't believe that his own father was thinking this about him. He had always held his families name in the greatest respect. He had always made his way, never asking favors or relying on his beauty. Yes his beauty. How many times had he been approached and offered great things to be some man's eromenos. But always he'd refused. Prince's whore?
"You know me well father, I have never…"
"Silence!" Amyntor bellowed. "I thought I knew you! We left Athens because it was so corrupt in order to raise you away from such intrigues, away from sycophants and ass kissers! To bring you up in a decent environment; to not have to sully ourselves or be trapped by their meaningless intrigues; and now see what you have done! You, are dishonoring our family Hephaistion!"
Hephaistion had heard enough and yelled back «It is not that! The prince loves me! 'We' fell in love, it is not a matter of winning things in his bed! I am not a whore! I take nothing from him. Alexander is not threatening me like one and I will not, will never accept anything I have not earned by my merits!"
Amyntor shrugged dismissing his son's adamant retort. "If that is indeed what you believe then you are both naive and pathetic.» He scolded in a wicked sneering voice. «What do you think all the people will say of you. By your merits? You make me laugh! Are you stupid or what, Hephaistion? What did you learn from me after all these years? Your merits will now always be judged by what you are doing to the prince in his bed! Your merits? You lost them, as well as your honor, the first time you bedded the Alexander!"
Amyntor was furious and his brother, fearing for Hephaistion, crossed to the pair, placed a hand on Amyntor's chest and the other on Hephaistion's and held them apart. He then asked Amyntor to calm down before turning on Hephaistion.
"Do you know all the sacrifices, your father had to make Hephaistion?" he asked. Stepping away again.
"I Know, but I swear on all my honor father, it is not what you all think! I have pondered the question, father, for quite a while. By the gods, I did not even want to be Alexander's 'friend' at first but he is just so 'different.'"
"Yes different!» Amyntor hissed. «You will still think he is different when he casts you aside for another cute boy or a girl. Then you will be nothing Hephaistion, nothing! Just another name on the long list of visitors the prince's bed."
" It won't be like that! You don't know him…"
"Hephaistion, you are dishonoring our family, the damage is already done but may be you can fix it still. Tell the prince you will no longer be his "whore" or lover, what term you choose to use is not important, and forget all of this. Tell him, that you are not his pretty boy that he cannot command to do what ever he wants! Tell him you have pride and honor and respect and this is his, as a loyal subject, but can not include you warming his bed!"
" I won't do that! Because it is not what the reality is!"
" I don't care of what your reality is! You are ruining your life and your family's honor with this adolescent, self-centered behavior."
" I love him, Father!"
" What do you know about love my son! You are but 15!"
" I know enough, I trust, Alexander."
" You trust him and what will happen to you the day he dismisses you? The day when you look back, and you have nothing left, Hephaistion. Not even your pride! When Alexander will tell you to shut up because you are where you are because you warmed his bed! Because that is the reality my foolish son, it is the way politics works! I thought I raised you so much better than this. You, dishonoring me! I would never have anticipated this."
Hephaistion was in tears but didn't want to back off. "It will not happen! Never! We love each other! Our love is pure and righteous and will last forever!"
"I Pity you my son! Fine! I will have to resign myself from Phillip's army! Since I am old; he won't refuse me."
" Why?" Pleaded Hephaistion.
" Do you think I will continue to serve him while my son his sleeping with his? Up until now, all that I have earned is through my work and it is honest. I don't want to hear that now I've gotten this or that because my son is sleeping with the prince! I prefer dying than to dishonoring my good name in a such shameful way."
Hephaistion didn't want that. He didn't want his father to sacrifice. " You don't have to! I told you!"
"You will tell the prince it's over then?"
" No, I love him." He replied without hesitation. Hephaistion had fallen deeply in love with Alexander and he couldn't image a life without him and he didn't feel as if he'd done anything wrong. He had be always faithful to the principles he was raised with. He didn't understand why he couldn't love Alexander because he was a prince when he, himself, cared nothing at all about his beloved's rank!
" Then, Hephaistion, I will do what I have to. Furthermore, you are no longer my son! My son, Hephaistion, is dead to me! I don't want to see you here in this house again! I have no son! Get out!"
Hephaistion was stunned by what he heard and his heart sank. "But, father…"
" But what? You are still able to choose Hephaistion... your family, your life, our honor or this adolescent infatuation that will ruin your life forever. Choose boy!"
Hephaistion's tears rolled on his cheeks when he repeated "I love him...I love you…"
Amyntor sat down with his back to his devastated son, and said to his brother
" Show him the door."
Hephaistion's uncle didn't look at him as he passed through the door. He nearly crumbled when his mother too refused to look at him. Hephaistion was alone outside, in tears, he had lost his family. He mounted his horse and decided to ride for a while, slowly succumbing to the mounting pain invading his soul.
tbc