Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword

Chapter: 5, "Return to Babylon"

A/N: Thanks for all of the support. In the next few chapters I may be using outside characters. Hope that they don't confuse or displease anyone. Please review if you get the chance. I love to hear how I'm doing.

There were a great many people waiting to see the king as he entered Babylon. They had lined up around the city, hoping to at least get a good look at Alexander the Great. He had conquered Darius and not stayed long, but now their ruler was returning. It was enough to make many happy, and few furious. Yet there was one person that waited more anxiously than anyone in all of Persia.

"My Lady," Aryse quietly said as she entered the room. She made sure to keep her eyes on the floor. Many years of being a slave had taught her such. It had also taught her to use a quiet tone. "King Alexander has only a few moments before he reaches the palace."

"Thank you," Olympias said as she turned away from the balcony. She took the snake in her hands and put it in a woven basket on a table. She then left the room, not wanting to miss seeing Alexander. By the time she reached the doors of the palace, and stepped out into the blinding light of the sun, Alexander was dismounting his horse.

He waited for Hephaestion to do the same before he began up the stairs to the palace. However, when he saw her, he stopped for a moment. Taking in a breath he then continued. Hephaestion followed close behind, as Olympias remembered him doing often. When Alexander reached her she did not know what to expect. Yet Alexander simply knelt, took her hand, and brought it to his lips gently.

"Welcome to Babylon," he said as he rose. He then glanced over his shoulder as Roxanne approached. Olympias looked at her and decided that she would never like this woman. She was too plain for her Alexander, plain, and in being so was rather ugly. She could not judge yet her spirit but if it were like her looks it would be nothing great. It was easy to see that she was a barbarian though.

"This is Roxanne," Alexander introduced them. "She is the Queen that you have heard of, I assume."

Olympias faked a smile, "Charmed. It is almost easy to see why you chose her. Forgive me for arriving early my son. It was far safer for me to travel this way though, without others knowing. You know how men are in the times of war."

"Understandable," Alexander said as they continued up the stairs and into the palace. Olympias took care to note that he did not give much attention to his wife. He cared more about Hephaestion, looking over his shoulder to make sure that he was fine. The wife he could care less about. Apparently all the love he had for her had warn off.

There was not much else said between them just then. As soon as they were in the palace Alexander excused himself. He told her that he must show Roxanne to her rooms. He would then see her later, at dinner likely. Olympias smiled and let him go, being glad to at least see him. When she turned, only Hephaestion remained. All others had gone on to do other business.

"You look well," he told her. "It does not appear that you have aged since last I saw you."

"Thank you," Olympias smiled. "You seem well yourself. I guessed that you were ill. When I got word from Alexander I wished that I had not said anything. Yet I was right, and I am glad to see now that you are better. Thank you for bringing my son home, and I to meet him."

"It was not my doing."

"It was," Olympias argued. "Do you think that I do not know that if you did not tell him to he would never write me? I have often thought that he does not love me. But that cannot be it. All sons love their mothers to at least some extent, I suppose. You understand him though, as I do, but he listens to only you."

"Because of it I have to be careful. Not all think that I should have such influence on Alexander."

"Jealousy," Olympias resolved. She then began to walk, urging Hephaestion to go with her. He did, following him with his arms loosely at his sides. Her own arms were crossed over her chest. For the first time she decided that her thin dress might not be warm enough for Persia. Yet she decided that it was the look she strived for, not the feeling. A little cold may do her good.

"I heard that you were married," she asked really as they walked down the halls. She had only heard it, so she must ask about it. Hephaestion had never mentioned anything in a letter to her. It was not her business. But at the same time, if it were true, he probably did not care enough to tell anyone.

"Her name is Drypetis," he replied.

"Do you love her?"

She asked, as if it were nothing. But her words were meant to sting deep. Hephaestion glanced over at her. His blue eyes caught hers for a moment. It was easy to see his answer there. The fact that he did not profess his love immediately was enough for her, yet it was his eyes that gave him away. That, she declared, was the trouble with having eyes that lead to one's soul. They would always give things away.

"I love her the best I can," Hephaestion told her. There was a pause, and then Hephaestion went on when Olympias said nothing else. "She is a good wife. She never really asks me of anything. I believe it is because she knows that I cannot give her what a husband should. She has a lover, of course. A eunuch, a friend of Bagoas'."

"You know this?"

He nodded. "She does not know that I have knowledge of it though. But, even though I know, there is nothing I will do about it. She needs someone to love her in ways I cannot. There is nothing wrong with it."

"You plan to never have a child then," Olympias asked.

"I haven't given it much thought," Hephaestion admitted. In truth he never really had. He had always been infatuated with Alexander. In the years that he should have been chasing the girls, he was chasing the prince. Therefore he had never found someone, a woman at least, to share his bed with. In not doing so he missed nothing. It had not occurred to him until Roxanne became pregnant that he had missed out on having a child. It would be possible to do so with Drypetis, but at the same time, he did not love her enough to put her through such. Perhaps, someday, it would be different with another woman. Yet he truly doubted that such a day would come.

"Alexander will have a son," Olympias broke the silence. "I cannot say that I agree with the mother. But I am sure that I will love him. I can only hope that he takes on after Alexander. That barbarian's blood will run in his veins, but if it touches his features, I do not know what I will do."

Hephaestion laughed quickly, "Roxanne is not ugly Olympias. She is different from the women here, but she is not ugly."

"You are too kind."

Olympias entered her rooms, glancing over her shoulder and telling Hephaestion to follow with her eyes. He did so, shutting the door behind them. He then looked over the room. Just as he took a step a snake slithered across the floor in front of him. Hephaestion reached down and fearlessly picked up the red serpent and returned it to a tipped over basket on the floor.

"You do not fear her. That is good. She would have tried to strike you otherwise."

"I have seen many snakes," Hephaestion told her. "There are only a few of them that can scare me. She was not one of them. I should have brought you back a serpent from Ecbatana. They have a wonderful selection of poisonous reptiles, most of them snakes."

"Yes," Olympias smiled. "You should have."

Hephaestion glanced up when he heard the folding of garments. Far across the room was a young woman, no older than sixteen, folding laundry belonging to the Queen and putting it in drawers. She turned her head, glancing at him momentarily, and then quickly looked away. Olympias noticed that Hephaestion's attention had gone awry, and she looked over her shoulder. She then looked back.

"Her name is Aryse," she told Hephaestion. She could already tell, since he still looked at her, that he found something interesting about her. He should, because she was beautiful for a slave. In fact, many would think her a divine princess instead of a slave girl. That was why Olympias kept her around, because she was lovely, and she could fold faster than ten slaves put together could.

Hephaestion looked back to Olympias as he slowly came back to a standing position. He did not like the way that the Queen smirked at him. She seemed to notice, so she turned at went to her bed. She then picked up a robe made by the fine weavers of Macedonia. She approached Hephaestion and held out the dark blue garment.

"For you," she said as he reluctantly took it from her. "I thought that you would like something to remind you of home."

"Speaking of that, how is my father?"

His mother had already died, just as they were leaving Babylon he had received the word. It had cut him deeply. Yet his father assured him that his mother had gone quickly, and in peace. She knew that he would have come, had he the chance. She forgave him before she died. That piece of information was supposed to make him feel better but it only made him feel guiltier.

"Oh," Olympias said. "I thought that you would have gotten word. I could have sworn that I have my scribe pen it to you."

"What happened," Hephaestion asked, knowing that it had to be something bad, or Olympias would not have paused so.

"He fell from his horse," she told him calmly. "When he hit the ground, he broke his neck and died. I could have sworn I told my scribe to pen a message to you. But, perhaps I did not. It would have only upset you."

It did not feel any better hearing it now. Hephaestion glanced at Aryse again. He found himself not being able to look away. She had long raven hair that fell down to her lower back in tight wispy curls like Olympias'. Yet when he saw her eyes he knew he was paralyzed. Her eyes were a dark emerald green, like the leaves of trees he had seen in the forests of India.

"Aryse," Olympias called when she noticed Hephaestion staring again. The girl immediately stopped what she was doing. She was quickly by Olympias' side. Her eyes kept to the floor. It was something that Hephaestion thought was beneath her, to look at the floor when she should be holding her head high.

"Meet Hephaestion, he is the Grand Vizier. He is also a great friend to Alexander," Olympias said as an introduction. Aryse did not look up. She instead bowed slightly and kept her eyes on the floor. "I want you to go with him and help him unpack his things. He has had a very long journey. Draw him a bath if he should like one."

"I am fine," Hephaestion insisted. "There is no need for her to do any of my tasks. Thank you anyway, Olympias."

"No I insist," she said as she reached out and took the folded robe from his hands. She handed the garment to Aryse. The girl held it carefully. "Now you must take her. Let her be a gift to you Hephaestion."

"I could not accept."

"Of course you will though," Olympias insisted. There was something about her voice that could make her will be done. Hephaestion only nodded and turned, walking to the door with Aryse following closely behind him. After exiting the room he began down the hall. After being a safe distance away he turned to the girl, and took the robe from her hands.

"Let me get that," he said.

"My lord," she responded in a soft whisper. She then took the robe back from him. She never let her eyes be elevated. Hephaestion found it rather annoying. Yet he did not know if he could order her to look up, into his eyes. Before he could do anything, he heard Alexander call his name.

"Hephaestion, I was looking for you," Alexander said as he approached. When he reached them, and stopped, he noticed Aryse. He glanced at her and then turned his attention back to Hephaestion.

"A gift from you mother," Hephaestion told him. "Apparently she thought that a robe was not enough."

Alexander looked at the girl once more. She was ravishing to the eyes. However, he found himself wishing that she were not placed in Hephaestion's care. He knew that Hephaestion loved him, and him alone, but there was something about this girl that he did not trust. It was something that radiated from around her, her aura, which scared him.

But what could he say? If he told Hephaestion to give her back then his jealousy would be apparent. Not to mention, he had been with Bagoas for some time. In fact, Bagoas was still with him. He was at the moment tending to the needs of Roxanne. Who was he to tell Hephaestion that he could not too have someone to do his bidding for him?

"I will talk to her about it," was all that Alexander said. "You should get dressed. There is to be a feast in honor of our return. I will be in my rooms waiting for you when you are ready."

Hephaestion nodded, "I will not be long."

Alexander found it hard to turn and walk away. As he left, he glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Aryse entering Hephaestion's room. Before now Alexander had been the only one allowed in that room, other than Hephaestion. What was this feeling taking over him, he had never felt it before. Could it be jealousy?