Ch. 14 "Understanding"
Title: Olympias' Request
Author: Baliansword
A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews! Sorry this update has taken a few days. I had some drama work to do and was clocking a 4am to midnight! I love your patience. Thanks again, hope you enjoy the chapter! Note to all, things will get better as I have promised, don't worry! Bagoas warning really takes place next chapter for all the Bagoas lovers out there. Baliansword
Hephaestion awoke sprawled out on the bed. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes before sitting up and pulling on his clothing. After a few minutes he was already leaving the room. To his dismay he could not see Cassander anywhere. It was strange, even to him now, how much their relationship had changed in the last few months. Especially the change that had happened last night, this surprised him the most.
Without thinking he entered the main dining room. He looked for Alexander, and was glad that he was not there. It was not that he did not want to see him. He would have loved to watch him sleep, like he had before, when they still saw each other on good terms. But now he was just glad that Alexander had been escorted into his chambers. That made him glad enough.
He sat down and tried not to feel guilty about what had happened last night. In all honesty he really didn't feel all that bad about it. In fact- he felt rather liberated. At least now he knew that someone else in the world loved him. As he sat, thinking hard of what love was, he picked up a goblet. It was still full of wine and without thinking he took a sip. Shortly after he sat it down. The taste of wine no longer satisfied his thirst.
"You seem lonely," a voice said from across the room.
Hephaestion looked up quickly. Olympias had been sitting in a chair at the corner of the room for most of the morning. She had decided not to immediately pull him from his thoughts. Yet now seemed as good a time as ever. Hephaestion took a breath and then shook his head, ready to respond, for his fear of her was almost completely gone.
"I was only thinking," he replied softly. "What are you doing up so early, if you do not mind me asking, my Queen."
She laughed lightly, "Why sleep away the day when there is all of Persia to see. Alexander was even awake earlier. He went with Ptolemy and Cassander to speak with some of the men in the camp. Word has it there is to be a mutiny."
"One day in Persia and you already know all of the secrets of this new world," Hephaestion said as he glanced down at his hand. He then looked back up, his cerulean eyes meeting hers, and asked her something he had never had the courage to before. "Olympias, why do you despise me?"
Olympias had started to come closer even before he had spoken. When he asked, she took a faster pace. Before he knew it she was at his side, on her knees. She put both hands on his cheeks and pulled him closer to her. His hair fell like a veil over the both of them.
"Hephaestion," she spoke frankly, but her voice was soft, and relaxed. "I do not despise you. I only worried for what was to become of my son, and even of you, if you were to be too open with each other. Love is needed in all relationships, but too much love can condemn both lovers. Alexander needed to rule his people, and you needed to be his general. Even now the men hate you Hephaestion –because even now you are Alexander's closest consort."
"They are mistaken."
"Do you think he loves Bagoas," she asked rhetorically, "like he loves you? I know my son Hephaestion. He does not whisper to that Persian boy his hopes, his goals, or his dreams. I doubt they even truly talk. What my son does with him is purely physical, if even that high honor would be becalled to them. It is you that he loves Hephaestion.
"You are the one that he tells his secrets to," she continued. "You are the one that he tells his ambitions to. Your souls are connected and will be forever locked as one. Understand this Hephaestion, it was not you that I hated. If anything I longer for what your relationship had. You must believe me, I only wanted to protect Alexander, as a mother would."
"You tried to kill me," he reminded her, still slightly pessimistic about the situation he was in as of now. "I forgave you long ago. I only want you to know, I would never have let harm come to him, even now I will not allow it."
Olympias nodded and placed a light kiss on his forehead.
"That," she then said, "is why I must speak with you. There is something that I must propose to you Hephaestion. My only question is, how much are you willing to do, to get Alexander back?"
She knew that she did not have to ask. Hephaestion would do anything to protect Alexander, and he would do anything to love him, which was at times the same thing. When Hephaestion looked at her, she knew. Yet all along she had know. Now she was in Persia, and things would no longer be the same. Bagoas was now the root of a problem. In being such a problem, Olympias hated him, and had to get rid of him.