Title: By my side (12 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: Bit of yelling.

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 12

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Although he had insisted that Hephaestion would stay in bed, the young man had said that he would do his duty as normal. Nobody would be able to see that his back was injured, he could even stretch it without too much worry. Queen Olympias would not bring him down.

"If you must leave…" Alexander mumbled from under the soft sheet as he kissed the slave gently on the lips and let him go. Before Hephaestion went to the slave quarters again, he turned around at the door and gave the sweetest smile. "I'll see you tonight." He said then and truly meant it. He was sure he would not be able to live without his Prince.

From the moment he had gone, the young Prince turned into a flurry of movement. He had kept calm for Hephaestions sake, because he did not want to make him more worried or nervous about his health than he already was. Or beg him not to go to his mother, because that was his intention.

Quickly putting on his clothing, feigning that he was sleepy when Hephaestion had asked about it, so that the other would not become suspicious. He did not waste much time, as he would not go further than the palace. Putting on some soft slippers he hurried towards the apartments of his mother and knocked on the door.

"My Prince."

"I need to see the Queen. Is she here?"

The young woman nodded and let him enter, pushing the door shut behind him and going back to her work, far out of hearing range. Alexander gave her a last look as she disappeared before going in search of his mother. Finding her laying on a canopy, reading of a scroll, he went towards her.

"Alexander." She smiled as she looked up. "To what do I owe this pleasure? You know I am not going to that wedding feast of your father."

"I don't want to talk about my father. What have you done to Hephaestion?"

"Hephaestion?" She did not know the name, or did not want to know him, as he was sure it had come up in conversation a few times already. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her with storms in his eyes.

"You know very well of whom I'm speaking, mother. You ordered to have him beaten! You thought that you could take him away from me!"

"I did no such thing, Alexander. I wonder where you get these ideas…"

He did not let her finish.

"You are the only one who would have any benefit from it. You think that I wouldn't become a king when I don't take a wife. If I keep loving Hephaestion, you fear that I won't have an heir! But I swear on my own head, mother, that you will not take him from me! If you try this one more time you'll find my body next to his."

She had not expected this kind of fierceness from her son, although she knew that he posessed it. Queen Olympias looked up towards Alexander and for the first time since he had come in there she gave a soft smile.

"Alexander, you are exaggarating. I know that everything seems wonderful now and nobody will look down on you for sleeping with your slave. But you are making an equal out of him! I know that nobody will be able to see it, you are too smart for that… but I have watched it happen. What will you do when the child is born?"

The Queen always referred to the young woman who was to become the wife of King Philip 'the slut' and her child simply 'the child'. She did not want to know any names as she felt that it would degrade her.

"I will /always/ be the heir, mother. What I have with Hephaestion does not change that." He now turned around with his back towards her. "He loves me for who I am… he does not have a need for money, just my love. I will never find someone like him again." Then he faced his mother. "And I am not letting him go."

Olympias visibly cringed as she started to realise that what Alexander felt for this other young man was not just a one time thing, a fling. The young man did not lust after the body of Hephaestion, but simply loved him. From what she had heard from the guards who had brought Hephaestion away to have him tortured, he had sounded the same. He did not mind what they were doing to him, as long as Alexander would not be harmed.

"He is not worth it."

"You do not know him, mother. And I don't expect you too… just respect my wish and leave him be from now on. You know what will happen if you raise another finger at him."

Olympias had not even said that she had nothing to do with it. Alexander knew her that well and secretly she was proud of her son that he stood by what he believed and by whom he loved.

"Yes, Alexander. What kind of promise do you want from me?" She laughed softly as she looked up to him once more.

"None."

The young man walked out of the room without as much as a goodbye, but he knew that his mother thought more of him now, because he had spoken his mind. He was of royal blood of both sides of his family and he was beginning to show it.

"Alexander."

The soft voice awoke him from his deep thoughts while he walked through the corridor. Hephaestion had seen him come out of the apartments of his mother. Quickly he pulled the slave behind a corner and kissed him gently.

"Don't…" Hephaestion whispered as he pushed the other away, but Alexander insisted and wrapped his arms around the young slave.

"Your mother will see us."

"Let her see us… she is alright with it, Hephaestion. I told her I could not live without you and she accepted it."

Hephaestion was more than sceptical about it, but Alexander kissed his doubts away.

"Let me go now, my Prince… I have my work to do."

Reluctantly Alexander did like the other asked and smiled softly as the young slave walked away.

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Queendel: Let's see what he comes up with :-)

Xzanayu: This is how, hehe.

El: They are, aren't they? I adore them as a couple.

Lexy: Thank you, luv. –hugs- And Alex wrath is up there –smiles-.

To all: I'm sorry if this chapter hasn't turned out really well… I kind of believe that Alexander tried to write it himself, because it is not how I wanted it and I can't get it right. So… I let him have his way. Who could refuse him anything, 'ey?