Authors note: What if Philip was going to give the throne to Alexander anyway? This brings around the meaning of the death scene for Alexander too; after all in the movie he does tell him that all the riches in the world will be his one day. Guilty pangs hit Olympias, not because she loves Philip, but because he is Alexander's father and for once, now that he has another new family, Alexander isn't suffering any longer.

Olympias watched Alexander leave. She could see the confusion in his eyes; she knew that he was never going to understand the reasons. She wiped tears from her face as she re-entered her chamber.

'Queen Olympias?" the servant girl asked as Olympias came over to the balcony,

"I'm fine" she insisted, "I know that the King wants to see me. Perhaps… Perhaps you can ask him to come and find me?" she asked softly, as the servant girl nodded.

"Of course my Queen" she smiled politely, bowing lowly before she exited Olympias room. Olympias' heart was racing a million miles. She was going to look Philip in the eye for one last time before the ceremony, and talk about Alexander, Alexander becoming the new King of Macedon.

Philip came to the door of Olympias room he knocked once and she opened it immediately. He was looking a little disheveled, tired from the nights party. Which, Olympias knew he didn't know she saw what happened between Alexander and him. He grunted and pushed past her like she was nothing, crossing his arms immediately.

"Have you spoken to Alexander?" he asked immediately, before she had a chance to start the conversation, she paused briefly, her rounded lips pursed for a second,

" I speak to Alexander every day" she said softly, almost teasing Philip because the time with Alexander he had was estranged and distant.

"He had the nerve to question me about my marriage…. "Philip began, glancing at Olympias, "I no doubt know he wouldn't have if he hadn't spoken to you…"

"Alexander is a caring boy, Philip" she said with a smile on her lips, "He has learnt well from Dionysus, and me, I take pleasure in knowing he is compassionate"

"Compassion is for a fool" Philip snarled, "Always with women, your words may trick the young but I see through this veil of deceit" he needed his fingers together for a moment, "I kept telling you not to teach him those useless things and what have you done? Always to spite me…."

" I don't do these things to spite you, Philip. I do them to show Alexander that being mortal and having emotions is normal for a boy, for a man. I didn't want him to grow up cold like stone… I couldn't bare living with the only men in my life being like that"

It was a confession that Olympias felt gave more away than she intended. Cold as stone, cold like the grave. All these things toyed in her mind as Philip thought about a response for a moment,

'If Alexander was to assent the throne, then he will know what he really needs. That isn't wise talking lies from you" Philip one brow rose slightly, as she coughed a little, suppressing her laughter.

"A true military man no doubt…" Olympias sighed, "Still, what was the reason for coming to my chamber?"

"Making sure you were coming to the ceremony… my new wife is going to be there with our son. She has been away for some time, but we have a healthy little boy…" Philip said with some joy,

"That really isn't a choice" she answered him,

"I know it's not" he said softly, "but I just love telling things to your face, instead of hearing about them behind my back or from my son"

"Not everything about Alexander's temper is my fault. You ignite his fire, so naturally he responds to it" Olympias insisted, Philip glanced away for a moment.

"Well then, it must be Hephaistion" Philip lowered his eye to the ground, "He'll soon change out of that phase though. The older he gets, and the more persistent he is to have my crown he'll have to work for it… I'm not going to give it to a weakling"

Olympias eyes opened up, "You were… I mean are going to give the throne to Alexander?"

"If he has an heir soon, yes. I may despise his antics, but he is my son. Regardless of any myth you tell him"

"What about your new boy?" Olympias asked, "Isn't he going to be King?"

"Perhaps, when the time is right. For now he's still an infant… If I were to die in Persia, a baby couldn't sit at my throne. And all these sycophants that sit around me… I see no real reason to keep Alexander from it"

It was with that open confession that Olympias realized that she had set up to do a cowardly thing. It wasn't heroic and it wasn't saving Alexander, it was merely getting rid of a problem in her life. As Olympias always took these situations, she bid him farewell and joined the others out into the arena.

Her stone cold features were the first thing Alexander saw, and as the man who was planning to kill Philip walked past her, she found all her happiness in the bottom of her lap. Not only was she putting Alexander in charge of an army that he had never fought with, which would make alliances harder for him, she was killing the best tactical King Macedonia had ever seen, and it was with that thought Olympias froze in her chair and would remain there for the rest of the spectacle.