Title: "The Other Persian"
Author: BalianswordA/N: I have to shout out to Queen – thanks for reading. I greatly appreciate your reviews. To all the others, thank you so much, and keep reading and reviewing! Love you all, Baliansword
A nudge on the arm caused his eyes to open quickly. His green orbs searched the face before him. Arias stared coldly at Bagoas. Bagoas did not seem to mind, notice, or perhaps care. He instead motioned for Arias to get up and follow him. Arias paused, feeling the arm around his waist, and slid away from Hephaestion quietly.
At first he thought that perhaps Hephaestion would awaken. It would actually have been a good thing because then perhaps he would not had to have left with Bagoas. Yet this is what he did. He picked up a robe as he followed Bagoas out of the room and quickly covered his body before he was out the door. His legs and body ached from the exhaustions of the night yet he still would never forsake having been with Hephaestion.
"What," hissed Arias as the door to Hephaestion's chambers shut.
Bagoas at first did not reply. He did smirk though. Raving through his mind was the thought of Arias being with the magnificent Hephaestion. He found it rather odd in fact. Arias had always been so weak, but now, he was in the arms of a powerful man. However –he was with a better man. This was all that mattered.
"I knew you would be with him," Bagoas replied after a small pause in which the world seemed to have stopped moving. "The Macedonian king is not willing to share his companion Arias, this is easy to see. He gifted you as a kind gesture to try to right his sins. However, he never thought that perhaps Hephaestion would use you."
Arias felt anger building in his throat. Hephaestion had not 'used' him. Darius had used him, but Hephaestion had been different. There was a connection between them that Alexander would envy if only he knew. They were both the same, both slaves, held captive by the ones that they loved.
"I only came to warn you," Bagoas said.
"Warn me of what," Arias said. He wrapped his arms across his chest in a protective gesture. Something about Bagoas would always cause him to do this. Was he stronger, no, he was surely not. Nor was he smarter, finer looking, and in no way was he a better man when it came to moral or idealistic fibers.
It was something else that Arias decided he did not like about Bagoas. It had to be his eyes. His dark gaze cast judgement upon those that he looked at. It should in no way bother him, this Arias knew, but just to have the thought of Bagoas in his mind irked him. Bagoas had power, the power being that he always got what he wanted, even if it meant to have others killed. Many times before had Arias seen executions ordered by Darius upon those that Bagoas did not appreciate being around. Coincidence, of course not.
"Alexander," he continued, "has just awoken and plans to visit Hephaestion. I believe that you lying beside him, your skin touching his, your bodies entangled, would leave some impression in the king's mind. You must learn to worry about such things young one. Otherwise, you will soon find yourself nothing but a common whore."
"Strange, I thought you already thought me to be this."
Bagoas had mysterious eyes whenever Arias looked at him. Yet now those eyes seemed to hold a purpose. He looked as if he had derived some plan in the past few moments. Not to mention he was acting strangely toward Arias. Not once had he insulted him, or tried to harm him, in the last few days. In fact, in all of the day.
"What," Arias asked.
"Macedonians are odd," Bagoas said as he slowly pushed the two of them closer to the shadows of the walls. "They expect that all except their rule. But many do not. Last night, after I met with Alexander, I went around the palace. The slaves speak of a revolt. Did you know this?"
Arias shook his head. Of course he did not, he had been with Hephaestion all of yesterday. The thought of a revolt did not surprise him. His people were proud and would not let a Macedonian rule them so easily. Yet in revolts, many were slain. It was not that Arias thought that Hephaestion would not be able to defend himself, for he was strong and would not be broken, yet at the same time he still worried for him. It was odd, he barely knew him, yet already knew he must protect him.
"They will attack," Bagoas stated. "There is nothing that Alexander, great as he is, can do to stop them. Even his own people begin to wonder why he does not rule with and iron fist yet. They want him to rule, to take away our gods and rights, and install those of Macedonia."
Bagoas glanced around the hall before he continued.
"If there is a revolt you know what our people will do. They will attack Alexander, and his closest commanders, especially Hephaestion. The men closest to Alexander –all of those that know they share a soul and bed despise Hephaestion. The Greeks will turn on their own. This is a fact young one. They will come for him Arias, and you should not be there, for they will kill you too."
"Stop," Arias told him. "I wish to hear no more of this madness."
"It is not madness," Bagoas insisted. "You know that it will happen, and it will happen soon. That is why I wish to speak with you. Arias, we are both lined with the most powerful Macedonian rulers, and when they fall –we shall be the strongest Persians."
"If you are suggesting what I think you are then by the gods of all men I hope that they strike you dead here and now and cut out your tongue so that you may no longer say such things," Arias growled.
Bagoas smiled, "You give yourself away too easily."
Arias tried to avert his eyes. In doing so Bagoas knew why it was easy to take to him. He looked so innocent it made even him want to reach out and touch him. Yet of course he refrained from doing so. However, by quickly staring down, it proved Arias guilty. He felt more than an obligation to Hephaestion. He leaned toward loving him.
"You were a gratuity," Bagoas insisted. "There is nothing more than that. I wish I could say this there is a chance that Hephaestion will some day love you as you love him, at least, as you love him in this moment. Give it time and I presume that you will no longer keep your peace with him."
Arias glanced up, "Be jealous of me not cousin. It is not my fault that Darius bent you over and nothing more became of his thrusts."
Like a panther Bagoas backhanded Arias hard across the face. It took all of his will not to hit him again. Arias felt the blood on his lip but refused to act as if he noticed it. Bagoas leaned closer.
"Be a fool if you will," Bagoas told him. "That is up to you. But when you wake to find Hephaestion dead, and your life being torn apart, then you will see what I have tried to tell you."
Arias watched Bagoas turn around swiftly on his heels and then walk away. He did not even walk. He seemed to glide as if a god was levitating him from behind the pillars of the palace. Arias turned and reentered Hephaestion's chambers. He took the robe that he had taken off.
As he began to dress he glanced at Hephaestion. The commander still slept, unmoved from where he had been. Yet as Arias slid his bracelet back on his arm the gold beads hit together. The sound caused Hephaestion to stir. Just as Arias had slid the cuff all the way to his forearm Hephaestion's eyes opened. He yawned slightly before he pushed himself up onto one elbow. He said nothing, and when Arias looked at him, he felt strange.
"I'm just watching you," Hephaestion told him. "What are you doing?"
"Preparing to do my morning duties."
"Don't," Hephaestion said as he extended an arm. Arias stepped forward, taking his hand, and let himself be pulled onto the bed. Strong arms surrounded him and pulled him against Hephaestion's chest. Hephaestion rested his lips against Arias' shoulder blade, his forehead lightly pressed against the base of his neck and shoulder.
"Stay with me," Hephaestion said, a hint of pleading in his voice. Arias put a hand over Hephaestion's, which rested on his chest. He then turned himself around so that he faced Hephaestion. In doing so their bodies drifted apart, and Arias badly wanted to fill the void between them, and as if reading his mind Hephaestion soon pulled him closer.
"You never have to ask," Arias said. "I am yours. Yet it is late in the morning and Alexander is on his way to see you."
Hephaestion twirled a strand of Arias' hair around a finger.
"Do not fear him," Hephaestion whispered as he pressed his lips against Arias'. "Alexander does not understand me. You, you alone Arias, know what I feel in the depths of my soul. For our souls are very much the same."
There was a knock at the door just then. Hephaestion could not stop Arias from quickly pulling away from him. In the time that it took Hephaestion to get up and get a robe, Arias was already redressed. He wore no shirt, but the gold that idolized his body took long enough to put on. Hephaestion went to the door and opened it. When Alexander entered Hephaestion could sense that he knew, and he sensed Arias tense, but the king said nothing.
"We leave soon," Hephaestion said as he went to retrieve some clothing to dress in. Having Alexander in the room to watch him do such did not bother him. In fact it rather put him at some sort of ease.
"That is what I wanted to talk to you about," Alexander stated. "I do not want you coming."
Hephaestion froze. It was as if the words were a knife and Alexander had just stabbed him in the chest. Arias watched as the blood poured from his wound. Hephaestion, at least in Arias' mind, would reach up to the knife. Instead of pulling it out and trying to close the wound he would rather shove it deeper in, because without Alexander, he was nothing.
"What do you mean," Hephaestion asked.
Alexander swallowed, "I want you to stay here while I am away. It will not be long. Perhaps a week at the most. Cassander, Ptolemy, and I are just going to speak with a migrant Bedouin tribe."
Arias looked at Hephaestion. He was clearly shocked. It was also apparent that he was holding back strong emotions. His emotions were so walled behind his eyes that the pressure was enough to make the dams break and the waters of his soul pour out. Yet, he contained his tears, and tried to say something else.
"As you wish," Hephaestion said. He then turned his back to Alexander and pulled a thin shirt over his shoulders. Arias saw the tensed muscles in his back. He wondered if the king noticed as well.
"Phae," Alexander said as he stepped closer. "It do not mean it as it sounds. I need you here. Please, do not be mad."
Hephaestion turned and put on the fakest smile Arias had ever seen. Hephaestion nodded, and let Alexander plant a light kiss on his lips. Arias knew that Hephaestion felt used. It was easy to see. Clearly there was an understanding of Hephaestion that Alexander did not have. Arias watched as Alexander whispered a few more words and then left the room. The moment the door shut Hephaestion's smile was gone.
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