Title: "Olympias' Request"

Author: Baliansword

A/N: Thanks to all of the new reviews. As of date I must thank Queendel, one of my favorite reviewers, as well as Anthigony and Hpgryffin. All of you have my applause. Thanks much! To everyone else, keep R&Ring!

br /br

It was early in the morning yet Alexander, Hephaestion, and Cassander were already awake. Cassander thought it too early for the king and his whore, the whore whom he desired, to be awake. However, as he entered the dining hall, he found this was not true. Alexander sat drinking from a goblet, eating some warm meal. It was not the king that drew his attention though.

Instead, Hephaestion caught his eye. He sat with his legs curled under him in the chair. The book he read sat on his lap and he curved his neck so that he may read it. This allowed his dark brown hair to fall in twisted strands down his back, and in front of his face, in front of that lovely jaw-line. His sapphire blue eyes moved across the page until he turned it. The crisping of the parchment drew Cassander to a more alert mind set.

Hephaestion glanced up, spotting Cassander, and then looked back down. Alexander looked up. A light smile played at his lips as he watched Hephaestion. Only he noticed the clenching of Hephaestion's first where he gripped the binding of the book. Such hatred the two shared, it almost made him want to give them both swords and let them fight it out, but he feared for both. No matter which won, it would be the wrong one, and he could not have that.

"Good morning," Alexander said as he pushed a chair at the table back with his leg, welcoming Cassander to the table. "Tell me that it is not a wonderful day."

"It is," Cassander agreed. "You are up early. For this I am glad, I had needed to speak with you."

"Regarding what?"

Cassander glanced over at Hephaestion. It had something to do with him, and it was something he could not say before him. Alexander noticed this and shook his head softly. Cassander knew better than to hope for Alexander to send Hephaestion away. However, Hephaestion looked up, and noticed the unease that filled Cassander as he shifted in his seat. Hephaestion stood quietly and set the book down on the table.

"I will be right back," Hephaestion said, as if him leaving were nothing. Cassander knew that it was though. Alexander and Hephaestion were rather inseparable. He was silent until the door shut behind Hephaestion. It was as if the light in the room had left with him and his lovely eyes.

"What is it," Alexander asked once more, putting his goblet down. "It must be important for you to want to speak of it so badly. Hephaestion must have sensed your urgency."

"It is Hephaestion whom my news concerns."

Alexander snapped to sudden attention. He sat forward in his chair, setting both elbows on the table. His brow knotted in fear. With the recent events in the palace Cassander could not blame him for panicking so quickly. Truth be told, he needed to panic.

"What is it," Alexander implored.

"It involves his health," Cassander began, taking a hard swallow. "You know as well as I the temper of your mother if not better. She wants him dead, this is no secret from you, nor is it kept from Hephaestion. What needs to be known is this. She is persistent, the poison did not work, so she will try something else, something soon."

"You know of this?"

Anger was creeping into Alexander's voice. It was not anger directed at Cassander though, and he knew this. He actually worried for Hephaestion, and held rage against his mother. He should have killed her when he had the chance. If Hephaestion had not have been so naïve perhaps he would have.

"She has hired mercenaries," Cassander said. "Two come from the south, three from north, and one from the east. I heard her speak of it at her shrine to Dionyses."

"Damn her," Alexander bellowed as he pushed his chair away from the table and stood. "Damn her treachery. She brought me in the world only for power and now that she does not have it she punishes those I love!"

Cassander sat unmoving. As if he had been listening the whole time Hephaestion calmly entered the room. He walked quietly, his eyes glancing at Alexander, and at Cassander. Cassander, as unlikely as it was, looked away. He did not want those eyes on him now.

"What is it," Hephaestion asked.

"Nothing," Alexander said in a protective lie. He left the room without saying anything else. His cheerful mood was now gone. Hephaestion sighed and looked over at Cassander. For a moment he said nothing. However, his meaning was in his eyes. He wanted to know what Cassander had said.

"Well," Hephaestion asked as he sat, "shall we start by insulting one another or will you kindly just tell me?"

"Me, tell you so easily," Cassander snickered. He hoped that it sounded authentic. "I think not, whore."

"Harlot, whore, wench, trollop, call me all of these names. It does not matter to me. Just tell me what has put Alexander in his new mood."

Cassander sat back. He then shrugged his shoulders, hoping Hephaestion would not bat his lashes like he did normally, even though it was not his intention. Hephaestion's sapphire eyes seemed to hold the secrets of the universe. It annoyed Cassander, that he could be so close to him, and so far away at the same time. If he willed it he could have him, yet at the same time, he knew he could not.

"Please," Hephaestion said kindly.

"It concerns you Hephaestion," Cassander said, addressing him as if he were a human being instead of some cheap piece of filth. But if he were a piece of filth, Cassander was attracted to filth. He quickly looked away, trying to ignore the feeling in his gut, the hardening of his shaft.

"What exactly," Hephaestion said as he came around the table. It was a simple gesture. He simply did not like speaking across the table. It made him feel odd. However, no matter how simple the gesture, it made Cassander want to moan his name. He of course did not though.

"Just beware of your surroundings," Cassander warned.

This was all he needed to hear. Hephaestion sighed and began to leave the room. He gave one last glance over his shoulder to Cassander. Cassander had not moved and Hephaestion wondered why. But he had other pressing matters. Like Alexander.

He quickly walked down the hall until he came to Alexander's chambers. He pushed the door open, not bothering to knock, knowing Alexander was not shy to him. He shut the door and locked it so they may not be disturbed. He then approached Alexander, who stood next to a desk, quickly writing words down on parchment.

"What do you write?"

Hephaestion put a hand on his shoulder and caused him to let out a breath of air. How was it that he had this power over him? Even when he was his angriest he could still be soothed by Hephaestion's soft whisper and simple touch. Alexander let the pen fall from his hand. He placed both hands on the desk and tried not to think of happier things.

Alexander did not answer. Instead he let Hephaestion run his hands up and down his back. He began to rub his tensed shoulders. Alexander sighed and sat down, propping a leg on the table. Hephaestion continued to rub his shoulders. He asked nothing more, simply waited to hear what Alexander would say next.

"I don't know what to do," Alexander quietly admitted.

"Shh," Hephaestion soothed him by whispering into his ear. "All will be fine. I will deal with it."

Truly, he would.