Title: By my side (5 of ?)

Author: Adsagsona

Type: Romance

Rating: PG – PG 13

Disclaimer: Nothing about the movieverse Alexander belongs to me, I don't own a thing, sadly enough. I believe the real Alexander the Great and his companions belong to history and themselves.

Warnings: Very mild slash.

Beta: None.

Pairing: Alexander/Hephaestion

Archive: Note: It is a slight AU from the Alexander movie verse. Hephaestion is not the son of Lord Amyntor, but a slave.

Spoilers: For 'Alexander'

Summary: At a young age, a slave gets captured by the soldiers of Philip. Alexander needs someone to wrestle with, because his friends always let him win. Too stubborn for his own good, the slave causes problems.

By my side – Chapter 5

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As he entered his bedroom, he was not surprised to find no one there. Perhaps he had been mistaken and this teenager remained the stubborn young fool he had been in his youth.

"My Prince."

The soft words came from the other side of the room, where a bath had been prepared for him. Hephaestion stood next to it, his head lowered, waiting for Alexander so that he could help him. The young Prince wanted to give a remark over his improved behaviour, but let it go. Turning his back to the young man, he allowed the other to undress him. Alexander was feeling a bit embarrased, but Hephaestion didn't seem to care, handling the body of the other with professionalism.

"Your bath, my Prince."

He gestured to get in and Alexander did so without hesitation. He reminded himself that he was used to this. From the moment he was born he had servants at his beg and call, he still believed that the first word he had ever spoken was the name of his personal slave. It was difficult to remember anything about his mother or father during his childhood.

These thoughts soon disappeared as the hands of Hephaestion worked their magic. Whatever he had been doing over these past years, he had improved on many levels, so it seemed.

"How did you get here, Hephaestion?"

For a moment, the young man did not answer, but then came the soft reply. Alexander noticed that he did his best not to look at his Prince.

"They choose me, my Prince."

"Are you happy with that?"

"Of course, my Prince, how could I not?"

For the moment he seemed satisfied with the answer, gesturing for Hephaestion that he could stop. Getting out of the bath, he waited for the slave to put on his robe, before walking to the bed. He glanced back at the youngster who was cleaning up.

"Leave it, or get someone else to do it."

Almost frightened, blue eyes finally dared to gaze up at him. Would it take an order from him every time to even see the face of the one taking care of him?

"Can you read?"

The only reaction he got was a nod.

"Good then… I have been longing for someone to read to me before I go to sleep. It is lonely here and it would do me good to hear another voice besides my own. There are the scrolls, take the right one."

Hephaestion hesitated, but finally took the scroll which had been appointed to him and folded it open. Standing in front of the bed he began the tale of Odysseus, reading it of the paper which was relatively new but marked in all kinds of spots and small tears.

After about fifteen minutes he heard the even breathing of the Prince and looked up. Alexander was sound asleep. With a small smile Hephaestion put the scroll down and continued to clean up at the bath tub, which stood at the other side of the room. He would have to get it done before anyone noticed. In that way, he would not get punished… he had been helping his master, after all.

A soft mumbling interrupted his work and he faintly looked back, where Alexander was trashing in his sleep. Frowning, the young slave went to take a closer look. He wondered what he should do, would the other not be embarrassed to know that Hephaestion learned about his nightmare?

"My Prince?"

Alexander did not react to the voice, but continued his trashing about. Tears streamed from his closed eyes, although he did not speak. Hephaestion pitied the smaller man and sat down on the bed for a moment, looking down. The Prince had felt the shifting of weight however and turned his head… eyes open but not quite awake.

"Come here."

He did not seem to address anyone in particular, but Hephaestion had no choice. With a sigh he shifted so that he laid down on the bed. Alexander snuggled at his side, laying his head on the others chest. The strong steady heartbeat seemed to be enough to let him go back to sleep, this time undisturbed.

After a while, when he realised he would not be going anywhere for the entire night, Hephaestion relented and closed his eyes himself, so that he at least would get his work done the following day.

The next morning Alexander found himself pressed against a warm body, which made him frown. He had not invited anyone to his bed, as far as he remembered. When he found the angelic features of a sleeping Hephaestion, he did not complain however.

"Hephaestion?"

Softly he laid a hand on the others cheek, which startled the young slave immensely. In one quick moment he was out of the bed and on his feet, bowing deeply.

"I am sorry, my Prince, I was out of place."

"Heph…"

"It will not happen again, my sincerest apologies."

Alexander was faster than he and he quickly wrapped his hand over the wrist of the young man before him. He motioned him to sit back on the bed and in this position, he was the one higher than Alexander, who still laid down.

"What happened to you, Hephaestion?" He asked softly.

The young slave bowed his head, but a small smile tilted at the corner of his lips. His arm relaxed under the hold of Alexander and he sat down on the bed.

"They have many means of teaching someone, my Prince. Some are less painful than others." He answered then as he gnawed at his lower lip. "Could I go now… please?"

Alexander didn't dare to do much else than to nod his consent. For the first time since long he wondered about the treatment of the slaves and vowed that Hephaestions fate would be better from now on.

With a another deep bow the young man hurried out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, where he would make breakfast together with the others. That he not had slept in his own bed quickly became known amongst the other slaves and a sort of jealousy began its work between them. One of the others made Hephaestion trip, so that he fell face forward to the ground, the work he had been putting into the breakfast fruitless, it was now scattered all over the place. The superior whom had seen it happen, found that it was the young slaves fault and he received four lashes of the whip for it.

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Queendel: I know they are short, luv, I try…!

Xzanayu: Yup, he changed a lot, but it has been a few years.

Lexy: Of course it was Hephaestion! And it'll become even better ;)

Nelia: I don't like the word either, but that was the way of the world back then.

Elithraniel: Hehe… it's actually good you think him arrogant, that was my purpose.