It had been three days and Alexander would see no-one. His face was looking worse, more swelling had occurred around his nose, making it harder for him to breathe. His eyes were swollen and black, and when he tried to stand he was blinded by the pain in his head and would fall to the ground. He wouldn't let anyone know these things. He had banned Hephaistion from seeing him; he had banned anyone from coming near him. Servants would offer to bring him food, but he would yell and scream at them to leave him be.

Philip walked the halls outside of Alexander's barricaded door. "Alexander, don't be a child" he scorned, banging on his door. Olympius would come and tell Alexander it was time show the world what a brute his father was, but Alexander cowered, hiding away in his bed.

"Alexander, please" his mother came to his door, her hand resting on the carved wooden panels.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Alexander shouted, pulling his all ready aching muscles more. His mother went to unlatch his door, but he put he clambered out of his bed, he stood against the door frame, one hand on the door the other resting on his head. Every time he blinked, he was blind. The visions were blurry, the colours in his room all melted into each other, he was standing, but he was very weak.

"Alexander it's not your fault!" his mother tried to comfort him, "He's a brute! Have courage!"

"I do not want your sympathy, mother!" Alexander cried back, trying to hold in his tears. He took a breath, and like being stabbed with a thousand knives he cried in pain, allowing himself to fall to the floor, yet still, his body remained pressed up against the door. His distorted vision made him sick to his stomach, closing his eyes to stop the whirling sensation, nothing worked. All he could hear was his mothers persistence to let her in.

"Why torture yourself for your fathers actions?" she asked him, "Come, Alexander. Have faith in Dionysius!"

"Oh mother not more tales of gods I can't stand it!" Alexander wailed, banging his head against the door as if this would rectify his near blindness.

"Alexander, if you don't open this door, I will get it removed. You cannot continue hiding from the world… what about Hephaistion?"

"I don't want him to see me like this, okay?" he said, knowing all to well he wanted Hephaistion, but the thought of a man's touch, even Hephaistion's revolted him.

"Alexander, he cares for you. He's worried, like I am. You haven't eaten, it sounds like you haven't slept. Your cries of pain break my heart, why won't you let me in to help you?" His mother cooed.

" I want no touch nor kind words" Alexander bitterly remarked, his tears now frozen droplets on his face, " I see no reason to leave my chamber"

"Then allow you wretched body some nourishment, let the servants in too feed you" his mother begged, to Alexander in his normal state of mind it was a reasonable request, but to the battered and bruised, it was a mere trick to lure him out for another beating. His heart raced a mile a minute, he felt as though he was going to explode into a billion pieces. He wiped a clammy hand down his face, his hands shook with fear.

"Alexander, please" his mother was frantic, "Don't make me force you, I couldn't bare it"

"I don't want to die!" Alexander screamed. Suddenly the halls became silent. His mother leaned against the door, softly weeping for her son's broken frame of mind.

"Alexander, these things pass" she told him, "You will learn to accept it, it is part of our duties…. Do you really think I like making love with your father?"

"Its 'nice to know that my parents relationship is a healthy one" Alexander said sarcastically, knowing all to well the relationship between Alexanders 'mother and father was bittersweet. Just like his young existence. "Perhaps if you pleasured him more, he wouldn't take his anger out on me"

It was wrong, Alexander knew this. Olympius however didn't see it that way

"You know too well Alexander how your father's mind works. I cannot protect you, anymore than I can protect myself. You must learn to deal with the pains as well as the happiness of our lives"

"I know you cannot protect me" Alexander hissed, "I do wish you would try"

He waited for her to leave; he knew his final words would sting her. She always cared for him, but being a woman she was weak against the tyrannical power of his father.

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