Thank You For Your Lovely Reviews!
Mara: Yup sounds about right, you helped after all and I still owe ya for it. Least I could do is dedicate some chapters to you ;) I thought she did, I have to re-read it in my book but I thought she did. It was her idea to go to Epirus I think. Thank you for reviewing.
Arax: Thank you so much, I'm honoured you think so. Thanks for reviewing.
Josephine: Wow, you read the whole thing twice? I'm so honoured. Glad you like it so much. Thank you for reviewing.
AN: I wrote this chapter during a huge writers-block, so it's short and not too happy.
Though the world is torn and shaken,
Even if your heart is breakin'
It's waiting for you to awaken,
And someday you will….
Learn to be still,
Learn to be still.
- Learn To Be Still by The Eagles. -
Chapter 27: Epirus!
Olympias, Hephaistion and Alexander rode for almost week, only stopping now and then to rest the horses and eat something. The road was hard and long and by the time they reached Epirus they were exhausted.
King Alexander of Epirus received them with open arms, having received a letter Olympias sent before they left. They were immediately shown to their rooms where food and drink awaited them. While Olympias talked to her brother, Alexander and Hephaistion enjoyed some solitude in their joined bedrooms.
Hephaistion however was worried. Alexander had barely spoken a word during the road here and even now, when they were alone he did not speak. When catching Alexander's eye, he saw demons lurking there and knew Alexander suffered greatly due to what happened during Philip's wedding. Alexander merely have him a small smile when he noticed Hephaistion watching him. Hephaistion was about to speak when he saw Alexander get up and walk towards the window. He watched his beloved as he stared outside, head slightly tilted. He knew he had to handle this carefully because Alexander still had to release his emotions. Emotions he had bottled up for the past week. He decided to take a light approach as he stood and joined Alexander by the window.
"Do you know, Alexander…" started Hephaistion, "…that you hold your head slant…" (1) Hephaistion titled his head to the right to prove his point, "…like that?"
Alexander smiled, "No, I don't…"
"Yes you do, every time you look outside or drift off." Explained Hephaistion with a smile, "What is it you see?"
Alexander stared in Hephaistion eyes for a second, drinking his wine, before turning back,
"The Future. Great lands and riches. A unified world…." Muttered Alexander staring strait ahead, "… a world where no one is a slave. A world where every one gets an education, rich or poor. Great cities where everyone is welcome, no matter what colour you have…. " Hephaistion listened in awe, seeing Alexander's eyes glisten as he talked about his vision of the future.
"….A world where dreams become a reality." Alexander suddenly snorted and turned away from the window, sitting back down, drinking some more wine, "… oh forget it, it's just a fool's dream."
Hephaistion looked at Alexander indifferent face, but he knew better. He stepped closer and bowed down before Alexander and took his hand in his,
"No Alexander, no! You will make this happen and when you do, I'll be there every step of the way, reminding you…." Alexander smiled sadly and caressed Hephaistion's face before dropping his hand. Hephaistion sighed, steeling himself,
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Alexander looked confused, "Talk about what?"
Hephaistion sighed, "About what happened a week ago."
"What is there to talk about? I opened my big mouth again, made myself look like an idiot and got myself exiled for my troubles." said Alexander bitterly, drinking his cup in one go and refilling it, Hephaistion sighed sadly,
"Alexander…"
"Oh that's right. I got you and the other's exiled as well." Laughed Alexander, drinking another cup of wine. Hephaistion eyed the wine, knowing Alexander drank too much already and tried to coax the cup from his hand,
"Alexander please…"
Alexander stood up frustrated and angry,
"What is it you want from me, Hephaistion?"
Hephaistion slowly stood up, feeling Alexander temper rising, and watched him drink some more wine.
"I just want you to tell me how you are feeling Alexander. Just talk to me…"
Alexander laughed again, drinking another gulp of his wine, "There is nothing to talk about…" Alexander stumbled a little, "…I'm finally free. Good riddance, My king." Alexander did a mock bow, " I hope I'll never see you again."
Hephaistion took a step forward, "You don't mean that Alexander." Said Hephaistion calmly, knowing this was such the wine talking and not Alexander.
"How in Hades, would you know if I mean it or not?" muttered Alexander, sipping his wine,
"Because you love your father and I know you are in pain because of what happened." Replied Hephaistion as Alexander swayed.
Silence followed in which Hephaistion studied Alexander and grew worried as he was him tremble. He took a step forward.
"Alexander?"
All of a sudden Alexander turned and Hephaistion took a step back as he saw the anger on his beloved's face.
"How would you know how I feel?" yelled Alexander getting into Hephaistion's face, "Has you're father ever called you bastard and exiled you, huh?" Hephaistion simply shook his head,
"Then stop saying you understand how it feels." Alexander threw his cup on the ground, spilling wine, " I really hate it when you're like this. Thinking you know how I feel and what I think…"
Hephaistion watched Alexander pase up and down, hardly fazed by his beloved's temper. He'd seen it close hand many times. He stepped closer again.
"You don't mean that."
Alexander wheeled around in anger, tipping the table to the ground, food and drink spilling all over the floor.
"Stop it!" yelled Alexander frustrated, "You're just like him…"
Hephaistion jumped a little when Alexander tipped the table over but quickly recovered. There was something in the tone of Alexander's last statement that made him frown. All of a sudden it dawned on him.
"I'm not going to leave you Alexander…" started Hephaistion, finally understanding that Alexander was afraid he was going to leave him as well, "… no matter what you do or say. I made that promise long ago and I stand by it still…"
Alexander started shaking, "Stop saying that…" but Hephaistion ignored him,
"I love you Alexander. I am not your father, I am not going anywhere." Hephaistion stepped closer, and put a hand on Alexander's shoulder just as the other turned anger,
"I said Stop it!" Alexander wheeled around in anger, hitting Hephaistion in the face. Hephaistion who was unprepared, stumbled a little, grabbing his face in shock. He looked up, strait at Alexander shocked face.
Alexander was shocked, he never meant to hit Hephaistion. He was angry and afraid. Angry at himself for what happened with his father and afraid Hephaistion might leave too. So he started to drink, but the more he drank, the more afraid he got. He decided to be rude and angry with Hephaistion, hope to drive him away before he left him. But the plan backfired as Hephaistion realised his intentions and didn't back off. He drank too much and it got all out of hand and now he had hit Hephaistion. The one person, he swore he would never hurt.
Hands clasped over his mouth, instantly sober, he watched the huge bruise forming on Hephaistion's face. He shook his head in denial and fear, thinking he ruined it. He stumbled backwards, knocking over vases and statues before falling down on his behind. He scooted backward, as far as he could before bumping into a wall and curling into himself, laying his head on his drawn-up knees, hand in his hair.
Hephaistion watched the horror cross Alexander's face before stumbling and falling down. He watched as his beloved curled into himself in the corner of the room. He didn't blame Alexander for hitting him, he knew his beloved did not mean to hit him. Hephaistion knew better then to approach Alexander before he cooled down. He rubbed his face, wincing slightly before walking towards Alexander. He bend down, and sat before his beloved. He reached out and removed Alexander's death grip on his own hair before lifting his head.
"Alexander look at me…" reluctantly Alexander opened his eyes and looked at Hephaistion, tears pooling in his eyes as he saw the bruise
"Oh Hephaistion…" moaned Alexander in despair,
Hephaistion caressed Alexander face with a small smile, seeing his two-coloured eyes returning to normal.
"My Alexander…" whispered Hephaistion, "…I love you. I'm not going anywhere…"
Alexander stared at Hephaistion, silent tears running down his cheeks. All of a sudden, he grabbed Hephaistion close, crushing him to his chest like his life depended on it.
"Oh Hephaistion, I'm so sorry…" sobbed Alexander, "I didn't mean to…"
"Shhhh" shushed Hephaistion caressing his back, "Shhhh, it's alright…."
Alexander and Hephaistion stayed like that for a long time, reassuring each other.
(1) Remember the balcony scene in the movie where Hephaistion says,
"You still hold you head cart (sp?) like that…" and Alexander says "I've stopped that."
Seems to me they had this conversation before. Hephaistion must have mentioned this earlier since he says 'still' so I decided to put it my story. I just hope it worked.
AN: This is a period of which there is almost nothing known of what happened to Alexander, so I'm kinda working in the dark here.
He did flee to 'Epirus' with his mother. And Hephaistion followed but what he did whilst he was there, I cannot tell you. Also he left soon after and went into total exile.