Thank You For Your Lovely Reviews.
Mara: I kinda mentioned what was in the letter in chapter 17, you kinda guess where Hephaistion went because of it as well. I'm glad you like it. Thank You For Reviewing.
lvingphai: How did you guess? ;) The blond man doesn't really matter because he was never truly in the picture. Hephaistion picked him because he was drunk and looked like Alexander nothing more. Thanks for reviewing.
Vero: Don't worry both Alexander and Hephaistion realise their mistakes and will fix them, for the better :) Thank You For Reviewing.
Queendel: Yes, they are very proud and stubborn, their feelings sometimes get the better of them. But they both know they made mistakes and will try to fix it. Thanks for reviewing.
Shioban: Hephaistion is clever like that but then again it all started with Alexander ;) Hyperventilating is very nasty, especially after everything that happened. Thank You For Reviewing.
Special Thanks To My Beta Shioban, Who Helps Me Correct My Mistakes.
Tell me,
What is my life without your love?
Tell me,
Who am I without you by my side?
- What Is Life by George Harrison. -
Chapter 19: Making Up!
It had been days since Hephaistion left Pella and Alexander. He sighed, looking outside his window at the rain, wishing it would stop, it had been raining ever since that dreadful day. A cough made him turn around and walk back inside.
He crouched next to his father, a big strapping man, with long silver hair and green eyes and pored him a cup of boiled water, which had cooled down. The man drank it gratefully and laid back down. Hephaistion stood back up with a lingering look at his father and sat in a nearby chair trying to read.
His father was getting better quick. Soon Hephaistion's help would not be needed. He had thought his father was in a much worse condition then he actually was. But someone, his father would not tell who, has had sent him some potions the day before his arrival and he had gotten better swiftly. The only one thing that remained remaining was a slight cough. Hephaistion sighed again, missing Alexander terribly.
"What's wrong?" asked Amyntar all of a sudden, making Hephaistion look up from the scroll he was pretending to read.
"What?" muttered Hephaistion, haven't really heard what he said,
"What's wrong?" asked Amyntar again sitting up,
"Nothing…" muttered Hephaistion, "…rest a little…"
"Oh, who is she?" teased Amyntar chuckling as he saw Hephaistion blush,
"Father please!" Hephaistion pleaded, attempting to hide his red face,
"Oh sorry…" chuckled Amyntar again loving to see his son squirm, "….who is he?"
Hephaistion simply shook his head, looking in front of him.
"It's your friend, Alexander, isn't it?" asked Amyntar seriously
This time Hephaistion's head snapped towards his father, looking him strait in the eye,
"How did you… I mean what?" stuttered Hephaistion, "… I mean…no um no…." shaking his head trying to cover up his mistake, Amyntar simply chuckled before standing up.
"My dear boy, I might be old but I am not blind." Amyntar said squeezing his son's shoulder before sitting down opposite of Hephaistion, "… I know you Hephaistion. You are my son and you cannot hide from your old father…." Amyntar continued "… I read those letters you sent me telling me about Alexander. I knew from the start there was something more then meets the eye. Now tell me, what happened!"
Hephaistion stared in his father's, aging and understanding face and tears gathered in his eyes when the thought about all that happened. Amyntar, who was not used to see his son cry, immediately stood up and walked around the table towards his son, who instantly surrounded his waist and buried his face in his father's chest.
Hephaistion told his father everything that happened while Amyntar listened to his son with understanding, caressing his hair in an attempt to comfort him.
"What am I to do father? I cannot live without Alexander." Cried Hephaistion when he finished his story. Amyntar bend down, lifting his son's head, looking in his eyes and wiping away tears.
"My dear boy…" started Amyntar, "… It sounds to me you are very much in love. I think love blinded you, did you even ask Alexander who she was?"
"No…" murmured Hephaistion looking down,
"Did you even give him that change?" asked Amyntar,
"No…." whispered Hephaistion ashamed, "…but what does it matter now? I slept with someone and have away what belonged to Alexander alone." Amyntar caressed Hephaistion's face,
"When you are in love, you tend to forgive your loved ones their faults…" said Amyntar, Hephaistion stood up feeling slightly annoyed all of a sudden,
"I do not think Alexander loves me, father, he never told me so…" said Hephaistion bitterly, "… he wouldn't have let me go if he did…"
"Did you tell him?" asked Amyntar, when Hephaistion simply stared at the ground he continued, "…besides of what you told me, you might be surprised…" Hephaistion simply kept staring at the ground, kicking at a piece of dirt. Amyntar sighed at his son's stubbornness and stood back up, drinking some water and laying back down.
Hephaistion stared at his father, knowing he was perfectly right but refused to acknowledge he was. He heard a dog bark and he frowned, knowing no one around his father's house had a dog, he decided to investigate.
Stepping outside, he remained under the ledge of his roof, wanting to keep dry and looked around hearing the dog again. He saw nothing and went back in as he heard soft running coming closer. It sounded far to light to be human and he turned back around. The dog barked again and Hephaistion squinted his eyes to see more clearly, then he saw it a dog running closer and closer. Hephaistion hardly had any time to prepare himself before he was run over by the dog in question.
The dog licked his face until Hephaistion pushed him off. Hephaistion looked shocked as he recognized the dog,
"Peritas?" he petted the dog, "… How did you get here?" Hephaistion frowned not understanding, then he heard a horse neigh in the distance, recognizing the horse anywhere his heart started to beat faster and he stepped in the rain for a closer look. There walking down the hill was Bucephalus, being led by Alexander was dripping wet, his hair matted to his face. Hephaistion couldn't move as he saw Alexander walk closer, stopping a few meters in front of him, giving him a nervous smile.
"Heph…" stared Alexander but was interrupted by Hephaistion. Who looked him up and down, arms crosses over his chest and snapped;
"Why are you here?" Alexander didn't seem fazed and said,
"I came for you…"
"Why?" asked Hephaistion looking weary. He did not know why he acted that way, the words simply came tumbling out of his mouth,
"I need you…" stated Alexander, looking hurt,
"Why would you need me?" asked Hephaistion bitterly, not understanding why Alexander was there,
"I need you, Hephaistion. Please!" pleaded Alexander taking a step closer but Hephaistion only took a step back.
"Is that what you need me for?" snapped Hephaistion, only understanding a portion of what Alexander meant. He got angry and walked away, "Go ask that girl, I bet she'll be eager to help you with that…"
"She's my sister!" shouted Alexander trough the rain making Hephaistion stop dead in his tracks. Blood draining from his face he muttered,
"What?"
"She's my sister Hephaistion! We had not seen each other for a long time…" explained Alexander having heard Hephaistion despite the rain. He walked closer and turned Hephaistion around, "…Hephaistion?" Hephaistion stood trembling in the rain as he realized the mistake he had made that night. He knew Alexander and his sister were very close and she was supposed to be there. Now, that he though about it she looked a lot like her mother Olympias. He was so blinded by jealousy he did not notice. All of a sudden he fell to his knees and emptied his stomach. Alexander held his long, wet hair back and rubbed his back trying to sooth him.
"By Zeus Alexander…" stuttered Hephaistion shaking in shock, "… I… I slept with…. with…"
"I Know…" said Alexander understanding what he meant, "…it's alright…" Hephaistion shivered for several minutes until Alexander's last comment sank in and he stood up in shock,
"It's not alright Alexander…" yelled Hephaistion tears streaming down his face, "… I slept with someone else and betrayed you…" Alexander stepped closer shaking his head in dismissal trying to hug Hephaistion who took several steps back.
" No Alexander no…" screamed Hephaistion in pain, continuing to step back, "Why are you even here? You should be back in Pella… Go back!"
Alexander couldn't say anything, seeing Hephaistion in so much pain and simply shook his head indicating he wasn't going anywhere.
"Go back, leave me here. You deserve better then me…" yelled Hephaistion getting further and further away.
"I don't want anybody else, just you…" shouted Alexander back, tears in his eyes,
"Whyyyy" screamed Hephaistion bending over in pain and confusion, not understanding,
"Because I love you damn it, I love you!" shouted Alexander passionately, poring all his love and passion in that little sentence. Hephaistion couldn't believe Alexander loved him, even after everything that happened. This time he did not step back as Alexander walked towards him.
He looked closely into Alexander's eyes as he stood before him and noticed Alexander was crying. He had never, in all the years they had known each other seen Alexander cry and it shocked him. Alexander grabbed his face between his hands and whispered,
"I love you, My Hephaistion." Alexander softly kissed Hephaistion before hugging him close,
"I love you too…" murmured Hephaistion clutching Alexander close, "…My Alexander."
They stood for what seemed forever, in the rain clutching each other close, whispering their love to each other.
Suddenly Alexander stepped back, holding Hephaistion's hand in his.
"Hephaistion, I have something to ask of you…" Hephaistion looked into Alexander's two-coloured eyes in wonder and nodded for him to continue, "…I cannot survive without you my side, you are the one who keeps me grounded, who keeps me sane….I cannot be parted from you again…" Hephaistion nodded and was about to speak but Alexander motioned for him to be quiet so he simply listened.
"I wish for us to be bonded…" stuttered Alexander suddenly nervous, "…I want for us to swear an oath of love and loyalty binding us together for ever…" Hephaistion's hearts swelled in love for Alexander, he fell in love all over again. "… A bond that can never be broken, not even by death."
Then Alexander, released Hephaistion's hand and reached in his pocket and pulled out a small cloth. Hephaistion looked on in wonder as Alexander opened the cloth to reveal beautiful necklace, from which hung a beautiful dark stone and imbedded on it was another white stone and he gasped.
Alexander looked in Hephaistion eyes holding up the necklace and he asked,
"Will you do me this honour?" Hephaistion eyes teared up and he could do nothing more then nod, while Alexander smiled and fastened the necklace around his neck. Hephaistion lifted the chain and stared at it, Alexander's hand covered his and touched the white stone moving it. Hephaistion gasped as he saw his necklace opened up, he looked inside and found a tooth and a lock of hair. He looked in Alexander's face.
"They are both mine, I found the tooth in your belongings and I thought…" Alexander never got to finish his sentence because Hephaistion bend down and kissed him. Hephaistion was touched by the sentiment and thought Alexander put in the chain and could barely strain himself until he lost control and kissed him. His hand touched Alexander's chest, he still had trouble believing he was actually there and caressed Alexander's chest to makes sure this wasn't a dream. His hand bumped into something hard and he ended the kiss, looking down in wonder.
Alexander smiled at him, taking Hephaistion's hand and moved it over his chest stopping over his heart. He urged Hephaistion on, who moved his chiton to reveal a matching chain around his neck. Hephaistion looked touched and opened the chain to reveal his own tooth and have Alexander a watery smile who simply smiled back kissing him passionately.
They held each other for some time until the insistent barking of Peritas brought them to the present and they both realised they were standing in the rain. They both laughed and ran in the house where Alexander met Hephaistion's father for the first time.
Amyntar gave him a big welcome and thanked Alexander for sending the potions. Hephaistion was shocked to hear this but wasn't really surprised because Alexander would do such a thing. They talked for a longest time, forgetting about everything that has happened, making a fresh start.