Title: "The First Campaign"
Author: BalianswordChapter: 2, "Untold Truths Revealed"
A/N: I can't keep the story out of my head. I know where this tale should lead, so I'm going for it. Please review if you get the chance and let me know how I'm doing. Enjoy!
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Alexander was so afraid of what Hephaestion would say next. What could he possibly tell him, that he knew all along? Alexander drew in a slight breath, yet realized as soon as it happened that he need not be worried about Hephaestion's response. Hephaestion leaned forward and pressed his lips against Alexander's, tilting the younger prince's head up. Hephaestion kissed him softly, and Alexander could not move at first, but then found himself kissing Hephaestion back with the same pent up passions.
It was not as he had imagined it would be. Looking at Hephaestion while they trained in the ways of combat Alexander had fantasized about what it would be like to kiss the strong Hephaestion. He'd thought that it would be rougher, unpolished perhaps, but not soft and serene like this. This was something completely different yet it was something far better than what Alexander had dreamt of. Hephaestion kissed him as if it were his last chance to do anything in his life, taking his time as he lightly explored the lips he'd longed to taste for so long. But before Alexander, and even Hephaestion, were truly done discovering the other the kiss ended. Hephaestion pulled away, and quickly stepped away from Alexander, his cheeks aflame it seemed.
"I'm sorry," Hephaestion said quickly. He was practically panting from the excursions of the kiss he'd just led. But it was not his place to have done so. Even if he were a prince, equal in status to Alexander, it would not have been his place. Something had told him to do so and perhaps it was the whispering of Aphrodite herself, but he should not have done it. What had he been thinking?
There was silence then, after the apology, which made Hephaestion want to turn away from Alexander and run. Yet his feet would not move. He could not flee from Alexander despite the fact that he would likely been whipped until his flesh fell from his bones now. However Alexander was deep in thought it seemed. He thought to himself of the kiss he had just experienced, and wondered why Hephaestion was now apologizing to him. Was it all false?
"Hephaestion," he began but the scared Hephaestion immediately interrupted him. Whether or not he meant to Alexander did not know. He just frantically said what was on his mind.
"It was not my place," Hephaestion said as he tried to busy himself by picking up the broken base of the lamp and moving it over to a chest. He opened the lid, placed the lamp inside, but never stopped speaking. "It was wrong of me, I know. Just say the word and I will return to Pella immediately."
"Hephaestion," Alexander said as he put his hand around the other's wrist, forcing him to stop his jittery movements. Hephaestion stopped immediately and turned his head. A lock of his brown hair fell over his face, shielding part of him to Alexander, but not his eyes. Those cerulean orbs whispered to Alexander, and before he spoke again he leaned close to Hephaestion.
Brushing the lock of hair away with a hand he pressed his lips to Hephaestion's. Hephaestion tried to still himself before his lips began to move in unison with Alexander's. Yet not even he could deny himself. Alexander continued to kiss him, even when he felt that he couldn't breathe. His hand moved to the back of Hephaestion's neck, and he only pulled Hephaestion closer as his fingers wrapped in the hair at the base of Hephaestion's neck.
His other hand moved unsteadily to Hephaestion's waist. He did not know if what he did was right and did not know if this was how he should be holding Hephaestion, but the other didn't know either. He kept a hand on Alexander's cheek, holding him to him as he maneuvered his lips against Alexander. Hephaestion pressed his other hand against Alexander's chest and let his fingers grip at Alexander's white chifton.
"Is this wrong," Alexander asked as he broke away, pressing his forehead against Hephaestion's. He panted far more than Hephaestion but both were equally spent. Neither of their breaths slowed as they tried to remain apart, but were still pressed together.
"Yes," Hephaestion whispered. "Its so wrong Alexander."
"I don't care," Alexander said as he pulled Hephaestion to him once more. Something so wonderful could not be wrong, no matter who declared it so. It was right. It was so right that Alexander wondered why he had not told Hephaestion of his thoughts earlier.
"Don't go tomorrow," Alexander said as his kisses moved from Hephaestion's lips to his cheek, and jaw, and then his neck. He left warm patches of moisture over Hephaestion but he did not care. Hephaestion only tried to stifle a moan as Alexander pulled him even closer to him. They were now so close that there was no space between them. "I will not allow anything to happen to you Hephaestion. Stay here, be safe. Be here when I come back."
"Alexander," Hephaestion said as he pulled Alexander away from his neck, and looked him in the eyes. He put a hand on Alexander's cheek, so that he could look at him and hold him at the same time. "I go wherever you go, remember?"
He referred to a day long past in Pella. Alexander had been fourteen and full of himself. He had even decided to leave the palace. He felt that his father wanted him only to campaign with him, or run the kingdom while he was away. His mother wanted him only to use against Philip so that she may keep her head on her shoulders. No one loved him he declared as he decided to run away. Yet Hephaestion had spotted him, knew his plan, and had begun to follow him. He never stopped following. He vowed to follow Alexander to the end of the world if that were where Alexander's feet led him.
Alexander was angry and had fired back that perhaps he would go to the end of the world. Hephaestion shrugged but continued to follow behind him. Alexander had hated him for being so stubborn. Why couldn't he just go home and act as if he had seen nothing? But after walking for hours Hephaestion had not let up, and Alexander had begun to admire his stubbornness more than despise it. It showed his character. Hephaestion Amyntor would never give up.
But that was also the day that Alexander had almost killed Hephaestion without meaning too. He had thought it wonderful to try to trek to the end of the world. He grew weary though, and as he walked he began to notice how his lips were parched. Suddenly he was beginning to think that it was a bad idea to set out with no water. Yet he could not back down because if he did, then Hephaestion would think him weak. Hephaestion never got to accuse him of being weak though.
As he continued his march to the end of the world he heard a sudden sound. Even before he turned he knew that it was a body striking the ground. Alexander spun around and looked at Hephaestion, who had fallen to the ground. It took him quite awhile to carry and drag him home. It was only when he was back at the palace of Pella that he realized how sunburned Hephaestion truly was. He saw the way his lips cracked from the lack of water, how tired he really had been before the sun had claimed him.
Never again had Alexander done anything quite so foolish. He thought that Hephaestion would be angry with him. Yet when he woke he was not. In fact, he just smiled and made Alexander make him a promise. The next time that Alexander tried to reach the end of the world there would have to be at least one horse and one satchel of water with him. Alexander agreed eagerly.
"This is different," Alexander insisted. "We aren't at Pella anymore. There are no wooden swords. Those that are tackled to the ground are armed, and you won't be rolling around in sand, and there won't be a coach to stop your opponent when he begins to hurt you too badly. Hephaestion what we are to face tomorrow is real."
"I know," Hephaestion replied. "But still I go with you Alexander. I cannot take back my vow."
"It is only a silly child's vow that I would ardently release you from Hephaestion. You do not owe me any loyalty. Please, let me find somewhere else for you to be tomorrow."
"Do not worry about what awaits us at dawn Alexander," Hephaestion insisted. He smiled softly as he traced Alexander's lower lip with his thumb. He then leaned closer and kissed the prince's forehead. "Let us worry only about tonight. Go back to your tent Alexander, and get some rest."
"Come with me. I dare not be alone tonight."
"Alexander, you know how the tongues of others are. If anyone were to find out you know what they would say."
"Aye, they would say what they say of my father and Clietus. Let them speak though Hephaestion. I do not fear whispers of young men that act more like young women. Come back with me, if only until I fall asleep."
Hephaestion looked at him, perhaps as if he were nervous about what going back to Alexander's tent would entail now that they seemed to share mutual feelings. Alexander at least feared this was what he thought of. He did not want Hephaestion to think that he would take advantage of him. He could never force him to go with him, or do anything with him that Hephaestion did not want. Yet for the first time he truly looked younger than Alexander, his eyes holding that restraint that they yearned to keep so badly.
"Phae," he said quietly. "I didn't mean that…"
"I know," Hephaestion replied. He blinked a few times before he said anything more. He also went to the flap of the tent and pulled it open. Alexander stepped out, not sure what to think. Maybe now Hephaestion's thoughts were clearer and he was rejecting him. However Hephaestion followed him out and silently followed him back to Alexander's tent, which was far more luxurious compared to his own.
Alexander watched as Hephaestion paused before he entered. If Hephaestion had one superstition it would be that he hated the lamps that lit the world in the night. Especially those on the eve of battle. Alexander nodded an understanding and Hephaestion took the lamp from the pole it hung upon. Hephaestion noted that it was much lower and felt like laughing as he blew out the flame. He then hung the lamp back up.
"Why do you do that," Alexander asked as they entered the tent. After what they had shared earlier he figured he could now ask. Hephaestion smiled a little, but it wasn't his normal smile. It was his smile of embarrassment.
"I don't like the idea that they can see us," he answered.
"The Thebans, or their assassins, or really anyone that is around. The lamps are like the stars. They lead men to our camp. It's more of a superstition now than anything I suppose."
"No," Alexander disagreed. "It makes plenty of sense. I don't see why others have not thought of it. I never have."
Hephaestion went to Alexander's bed as he always did when he was in his room. It was nothing new to watch him crawl onto the bed and lift the pillow. As soon as he found the worn copy of the Iliad he crossed his legs and glanced up from the bed at Alexander. Alexander poured himself a glass of water, and then one for Hephaestion, and handed it to him carefully. Hephaestion took it and did as he always did since a guard had been poisoned in Pella.
He first smelled the water, even though he tried to make it look very natural to put the cup under his nose. He then dipped a finger in the water and waited for a drip to fall from his finger back into the cup. After that he took another drop and tasted it. After all of this he decided that the water was not poisoned. Alexander watched this, already drinking from his own cup, and tried to hold back a laugh.
"What," Hephaestion asked as he found where they had last left off on the parchment. He knew what Alexander was laughing at. But so far Hephaestion had never been poisoned so all of his work had to be worth something. Then again, Alexander had never been poisoned either.
"My mother is not here," Alexander said as he crawled across the bed and sat down next to Hephaestion. It was in fact his mother that had killed the guard. She had openly told him but denied it to everyone else. He was there when she denied it to Philip, who had more of a 'personal' relationship with the guard.
As soon as his father left, confident that she had not been wise enough to concoct the poisonous mixture used, Olympias had turned to Alexander and told him that it had been her. She even told him how she did it. He asked why she'd not been honest if she did not fear Philip like she claimed. She had smiled, that evil smirk of hers really, and told him that she had just taught him a lesson in lying. She assured him that one day he would have to lie to at least one person for the better of a thousand others. He still didn't believe that.
"I know," Hephaestion replied. "You should be more careful though. Never trust anyone around you."
"Am I to trust you?"
Hephaestion glanced over at him. He worried at first about the meaning of that line. Yet he could see clearly that Alexander had meant it as a joke. He meant nothing else by it. Hephaestion shrugged then.
"That is up to you."
Hephaestion then began to read. He read the story of Achilles for some time. All the while Alexander watched him and listened to the melodic rhythms of Hephaestion's voice. When he came to the end of a passage Alexander found himself whispering something else, as he was being claimed by sleep.
"I do trust you," Alexander said just before he fell asleep. Hephaestion watched him sleep for a moment. He even reached out and boldly brushed a lock of Alexander's golden blond hair away from his cheek. Silently he put Alexander's copy of the Iliad under his other pillow and then stood, leaving the tent quietly. He went back to his own where he tried to sleep. However, he found himself only able to think of Alexander's lips pressed against his.