Title: "The First Campaign"

Author: Baliansword

Chapter: 3, "Before Battle"

A/N: This chapter takes place just before the battle in which Alexander first shows his military expertise. Yet he is also torn between sending his friend Hephaestion onto the field with him. For all historians like me out there, this battle takes place in Boeotia, August 338 BC. There are 35,000 troops from Boeotia, Athens, Megara, Cornith, and Achaea facing the fewer numbers of Macedonia and her allies. Alexander is in charge of the Companion Cavalry, and is currently camped near the river Cephissus. –Thanks for the review Queen, I am going to work this out and it may end up longer, like my other favorite stories. Also, thank you Mel for your input. I'll try to work on it. I give a shout out to the others that have reviewed. Thanks so much! To everyone else -Enjoy!

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Alexander reached out with a hand, hoping to touch something other than the sheets of his bed. Yet that is what he touched, not the hardened muscular flesh of Hephaestion's chest. The prince pushed himself up on his elbows and looked around the tent. Hephaestion had clearly left in the night. Sighing, Alexander ran a hand through his blond hair and forced himself out of bed. The sun was just rising outside of the tent, but he knew that he should already be up and getting ready. He could hear others doing so on all sides of the camp.

He dressed quickly in his best armor. He even picked up the helmet that he had thought would make him look prouder than any man on the field. The plume was white, which would stand out. However Hephaestion's words seemed to drift back to him from last night with the lamp. Maybe it was better for him not to be seen on the battlefield. Yet he knew that if he did not wear a helmet Hephaestion would give his own to him, and he did not want that.

Alexander left the tent, dressed in his best. He smiled when he saw a slave walking around collecting lamps. His own was out, as it had been all night, and the slave would not know that it had been put out. The slave did on the other hand seem to know that Hephaestion's lamp was missing. However he could not fight with him, for Hephaestion was missing as well Alexander learned when he entered the other's tent.

The prince left quickly and made his way around the camp. He saw many men that he knew but stopped to speak of none of them. Most were busy getting ready for the approaching battle anyway. Yet Cassander did look up as his prince was passing by. He was not like the other men. He did decide to speak with Alexander.

"Are you ready," asked Cassander with a hint of teasing in his voice. Alexander knew that he could not possibly know his secret fears. It was just the personality trait which Cassander carried heavy in his veins that made him a pain at times. It was, after all, genetic. His father was no better at times.

"Of course," Alexander replied cockily. "But tell me, have you seen Hephaestion?"

"Hephaestion, why would you need to see him? Let me tell you though," Cassander laughed, "the boy is probably hiding over by the river. I saw him venture over there earlier. I think he is going to hide from the battle. Would you mind it if he did Alexander?"

"Yes," Alexander said even though he truly would not. If he could get Hephaestion to stay behind he would. However he would have to make sure his honor was not taken from him. Perhaps he could send him on some far off mission back to Pella. Then, by the time this fight was over, he could meet him on the road back. Yet Hephaestion would not willingly go along with such a plan and it was too late for that.

"Good then, he's by the river. Have him whipped."

"Cassander," Alexander said with a sigh, "you should watch your tongue at times. Some day I will have power and you will anger me."

"You have power now," Cassander said with a smirk. "At least say that you will possibly sternly reprimand him."

Alexander merely nodded. He then left and made his way toward the river Cephissus. He took an already well-treaded path, knowing that he would find Hephaestion close to the river. He and Hephaestion had already ventured to the river many times before. Without looking very hard he spotted Hephaestion, sitting on a fallen over tree and tossing small stones into the river. It would look calm to those that did not know him. But Alexander knew that this was Hephaestion being rather nervous.

Alexander approached further. He thought that perhaps he would be quiet enough not to startle Hephaestion. However Hephaestion tossed a small stone over his shoulder and hit Alexander perfectly in the center of the chest. It caused Alexander to stop, and he knelt down and picked the stone back up.

"I don't think I will ever be silent enough to startle you," Alexander said as he came closer and took a seat next to Hephaestion. He tossed the rock in his hand into the river, watching the ripples that this force made. He then glanced over at Hephaestion. He noted that his eyes were even clearer than this river.

"Are you still worried," Hephaestion asked as he handed Alexander another stone, tossing his own. He asked, but Alexander knew that Hephaestion was not beginning to get nerves. It actually made him feel normal. Hephaestion rarely ever looked at a situation and felt nervous, so if he did now, it was fine for Alexander to feel completely petrified.

"Undoubtedly," Alexander answered. "What about you?"

"I worry only for you."

Alexander put an arm around Hephaestion, but noticed that the gesture had changed. When they were just friends, it was merely being friends. But now it was something else. It was more intimate and more suggestive. Alexander found himself wondering about last night. Was it something that would stay in that tent or could they be together as they had been, more than friends, for the rest of their lives?

To test this Alexander put a hand on Hephaestion's cheek and he turned his face toward him. Hephaestion looked at him for a moment before Alexander leaned down and placed his lips to Hephaestion's. He kissed him softly, letting his lips fall into a soft pattern of tender pulling on his lower lip and brushing against the top. Hephaestion went along with the kiss for a moment before he pulled away at the sound of a neighing horse.

"Alexander," he began but was cut off.

"Just tell me if you want me to stop thinking of you in such a way," Alexander told him immediately. He was clearly worried about Hephaestion's thoughts about this kiss. He faced rejection now, so rather than be driven away from Hephaestion, he wanted to tell him things could be as they had been. They could be friends if that be Hephaestion's wish for them. "Tell me and I promise I will stop Phae. Just say the word."

"No," Hephaestion told him with a soft hinting laugh. "I was only going to say that you should not kiss me in public."

"Oh, you're right. Is it that wrong though?"

"It depends," Hephaestion said, the wisdom of that extra year back in his voice. "It is one thing for a king, or a prince, to be with other men on long campaigns. But it is another thing for you to be with me, when we are not really on campaign. Others will frown on it now. Even later, if it were to be with me and we were thirty, it would still be wrong. I'm not in your league Alexander."

"You too are Alexander," the younger of the two told him. He did not know that this phrase would forever be between the two of them. It was something that he had just said, but he knew that he meant it. He could feel it. "We are the same, neither of us better than the other."

"I don't think your father would like that comment."

"Let my father think what he wants," Alexander replied. "But we are one, and always shall be Hephaestion. Its like, you and I are meant to be. The Fates, maybe even Aphrodite herself, has brought you to me –or I to you."

Hephaestion smiled the blushing and embarrassed smile that Alexander was growing used to now. It was as if he had changed now that they had revealed their secret to one another. The thought made Alexander smile, for it had been one secret. Hephaestion still seemed not to be able to form the words he wanted to. He glanced over at Alexander with a smile, and then just laughed.

"Let's go," Hephaestion said as he stood. He put his hand down to help Alexander up. The younger prince took it gratefully and then stood. Before leaving, he pressed one more kiss to Hephaestion's lips. Hephaestion, despite his worry of what others would think were they to see, gently kissed Alexander back. There was nothing that he could deny Alexander, and he couldn't deny himself for the most part.

Both knew that once they left this clearing things must change between them. Alexander would become the prince once more, and one that would be preparing to take them into battle against the Thebans and Boeotians. They would have to separate their feelings from the battle though. It would be hard for the both of them. Neither wanted the other on that field, and both silently vowed to themselves that they would protect the other.