The Persian Campaign Chapter 9: Missing the Fleeing, an alexander fanfic

Title: "The Persian Campaign"

Author: Baliansword

Chapter: 9, "Missing the Fleeing"

A/N: See? I did let them get away. But the question becomes, will Alexander let them get away?

"We've searched the palace, the markets, every room in the city," Nearchus said, staring at Alexander, who was still fuming. "They are nowhere to be found Alexander."

"We have to find them," Alexander said as he crossed his arms. He stared out at the dark clouds in the sky. Rain poured heavily from them. He knew that Hephaestion was out there somewhere, and he wanted to shelter him, but didn't know where to begin. His fever had lessened, but he could still remember everything that he had done. Each and every harsh word, each blow to Cassander, each cut he'd inflicted not only of the flesh, but also in the heart and soul of Hephaestion. Tears began to form at his eyes. "We have to find them Cleitus."

He looked down at the goblet that was in his hand. Once again he dipped his finger in it and let a drop fall to the ground, then tasted a drop. It was as if he thought that in the moment that he'd held it without looking at it, it could once again be filled with the poison that had tried to take his mind. He dripped another drop from his finger and then brought the goblet to his lips. He drank lightly, knowing what the doctors had told him. He should be drinking boiled water and goat milk.

"We won't be able to find anything in this weather," Cleitus told his king. He came a little closer, looking out at the pouring rain with Alexander. They both worried. Alexander worried for even Cassander out of guilt, even though he'd never be able to forgive him. "When the rain stops their tracks will have washed away."

"Hephaestion won't leave tracks," Alexander spoke in a soft tone, because he didn't want to admit it out loud, just in case Hephaestion had left some sort of tracks to follow. "He's too smart for that."

"He is also wise enough to get out of the rain. We will find them soon enough Alexander. Wait for the rain to cease, and then you can ride out. Until then there is nothing you can do."

Alexander continued to stare out at the dark abyss before him. He wanted to find Hephaestion. He wanted to wrap his arms around him and hold him, tell him the things that he hadn't said. It was the poison that had made him mad. He wouldn't have told him the things he did otherwise. He wouldn't have tortured Cassander, well, maybe he would have a little. Still he couldn't believe it, not truly. He was with Bagoas, that he could believe. But Hephaestion…and Cassander…together.

Maybe the hurt of it shocked him the most. Hephaestion had never looked at another, never touched another, and had never even thought about another. Alexander had, and Hephaestion had always sat by, knowing that he would return. Yet Alexander had taken advantage of that. He knew this now. He'd let Hephaestion slip away. What a fool he was, to think that Hephaestion couldn't love another. He could. Hephaestion would give his heart to another, if that other was deserving, and that was Cassander.

"Alexander," Ptolemy said from across the room, "how do you want us to begin the investigation?"

Alexander glanced over at Cleitus. He didn't know. He even doubted that they would be able to find whoever had put the poison in his drink. It was a Persian, likely, but that person wouldn't confess. They would be a fool to. The poison hadn't killed him though, only made him mad. But maybe that was worse, for he'd ruined the best thing that had ever come to him. He'd ruined his own legend. No longer did Achilles have his Patroclaus, he had nothing, and Patroclaus had...Cassander.

"I liked being your whore."

The words echoed in his mind. Hephaestion wasn't his whore. He'd never wanted him to be his whore. How had Hephaestion begun to feel like such was true? He knew though, knew it had been his neglect. Sighing he tried to look away from the balcony. He just wanted the gods to make the rain stop. They were mocking him. Where was Hephaestion now?

"Just find whoever did it," Alexander told Ptolemy. If Hephaestion were here, he knew that Hephaestion would have already found out. But he wasn't. Maybe that was part of the reason that someone had been able to poison him in the first place. Because he'd pushed Hephaestion, his only shield from the world, away. The king said nothing more, just went back to staring out at the darkened world. He only wanted Hephaestion to be back at the palace, even if he hated him, because he'd be safer. Thinking of it, maybe he was wrong. Maybe Hephaestion was safer with Cassander out in the rain.

Another bolt of lightning spilt the sky, lighting the cave for just a moment. Cassander glanced out at the gray world. He'd never been fond of the rain but for the moment didn't mind it. He sat against the wall of the cave, listened to the dripping rain from a crack somewhere, and all the other sounds that surrounded him. He glanced over at Hephaestion, who was threading a sharp hooked needle. Cassander watched as Hephaestion dug the needle under his skin. He didn't even appear to notice the pain it should have caused. He just began to stitch the two sides of flesh back together as if he did it all the time.

"It's going to get infected," Cassander said quietly, his body still aching. He knew that the flesh around the wound was already reddening. At the edges the skin was the darkest sanguineous color. It was the sign of infection, which would lead to fever, and then who knew what.

"What," Hephaestion said, glancing up. The small fire was enough to light up his face. Cassander watched as the flames danced in his cerulean eyes, making them sparkle. He was so beautiful.

"You need to wash it out with something first," Cassander told him. He then let his eyes blink shut for a moment. He heard Hephaestion get up slowly and it caused his eyes to open. Hephaestion stuck his arm out of the cave and let the rain pour onto his arm. He then drew it back and came back to the small fire. He blew at the wound for a moment and then began to stitch it again. Cassander still looked at him, and Hephaestion glanced up, with a soft smile.

"It's all we have," he said quietly as he began to stitch at the wound again. Bagoas had given him plenty of needles, but he'd given him an even greater deal of thread. Apparently he'd worried about the stitches all over Cassander's body opening up. Cassander only blinked and began to sit up again. Hephaestion wanted to help him but didn't. He knew that Cassander wanted to be independent, that was his flaw. He wouldn't let that independence go, he wouldn't let another into his heart, but he was learning to. Hephaestion finished his work and crawled over next to Cassander.

Cassander put his arm on Hephaestion's thigh and then turned himself so that he could lean against him. He rested his head on Hephaestion's chest and thought of sleeping. Yet he couldn't sleep. He still knew that Alexander would be trying to find them soon. They both knew. Hephaestion put his hand through Cassander's hair and stared down at him. He knew that Cassander was still awake, even though his eyes were closed, and his breathing was light.

"Cass," he whispered quietly, "I'm sorry."

"I know. It's not your fault though. You're not responsible for his actions. Besides, three fourths of these were because I opened my mouth."

"Which is now swollen," Hephaestion mentioned as he ran a finger over Cassander's lower lip. Cassander liked the slight tingling feeling that it caused. But he also wanted so badly to sleep. He felt himself drifting away, and Hephaestion held him. He couldn't leave him alone thought. He had to stay awake, incase someone came, so he could protect him. Hephaestion sensed that he was trying to desperately hold on though. "Cassander, sleep."

"No," he whispered, about to fall asleep as he spoke. "I'm fine."

"Sleep," Hephaestion whispered as he kissed the top of Cassander's head. Within a few moments Cassander was sleeping. A soft noise escaped his lips every time he breathed in and out. It was hard for him to breathe, and he couldn't breathe from his nose. Hephaestion turned his head, still softly playing with Cassander's hair, and stared out at the dark clouds. He wondered if it always rained here so or if the gods were angry. It was a stupid thought though, the gods weren't protecting him, and they weren't protecting Alexander. It was just rain.

He sat there for some time, just staring at the rain. After a few moments he felt a memory creeping up on him. As he stared out, time slipped backward, and he was once again in Pella. He remembered it so clearly. There was nothing to do to push it away. It had already taken over him.

"Alexander," Hephaestion screamed from under the large rock that was now serving as a slight shelter. The rock jetted out from the side of the cliff. The rain poured as if it would never end. Hephaestion was wet, cold, and he wanted to go home. But they couldn't go home. The grayness of the sky and the blinding rain had made it so they couldn't even see their way.

Alexander didn't mind though. He was having a wonderful time standing in the rain, palms up, staring up at the heavens with his mouth open. Hephaestion watched him, wishing he would at least try to get out of the rain. He also wanted to snuggle up next to him, for he was freezing. Alexander didn't seem to know that the rain was freezing. Hephaestion watched as Alexander spun around again, tempting the gods to throw lighting on him.

"Alexander," Hephaestion screamed again. Now he was just angry. Alexander was such a fool. He was going to catch pneumonia and die if he didn't stop this stupidity. He couldn't hear him though. Not only did he not want to, the rains would not allow it. Hephaestion cursed before crawling out from under the rock. He hadn't seen Alexander be so careless since they were children. He would have hoped that Alexander would have matured by sixteen, but he apparently hadn't.

"Alexander!"

Finally when he got close enough Alexander turned, lowered his head, and looked down at him. Hephaestion was soaked now just as much as he was. His brown hair fell in messy wet locks down to his shoulders. Dark hairs covered his face. When he screamed his name rain flew from his lips. He was trembling, and it made Alexander laugh, because it wasn't that cold out.

"What are you doing," Hephaestion asked. Alexander laughed for a split second. It only made Hephaestion angrier. Poor Hephaestion, he probably thought that he was going to catch a cold.

"Look at it Phae," Alexander said as he motioned to the craziness around them. He grabbed Hephaestion and pulled him to him, kissing his trembling lips. Hephaestion kissed him back, angry or not, the rain covering both of them. The grayness and mass hysteria shielding them from the world they'd left behind. When the kiss ended Alexander put a hand to Hephaestion's cold cheek and rubbed his thumb over his lower lip. "You're cold."

"We're in the rain," Hephaestion said loudly, hoping that Alexander could hear him over the pouring rain. Alexander only stepped back and stared up at the skies again. Hephaestion threw his hands up in frustration. "What the hell are you doing Alexander?"

"Do it," Alexander said as he took Hephaestion's arms and held them out. Hephaestion was clearly not in the mood for experimenting. But he let Alexander raise his arms to his sides and turn his palms up. Alexander then came and stood behind him. He put a hand over Hephaestion's eyes, and Hephaestion shut them, but Alexander didn't move his hand. The other hand he put on Hephaestion's chest and held him. "Open your mouth, taste it Hephaestion."

"I'll drown!"

"No you won't," Alexander said into his ear. "I promise, I won't let you drown. Just do it. It feels wonderful. It's a gift from the gods Hephaestion. You'll anger them if you don't taste it."

After mumbling some inaudible displeasure Hephaestion opened his mouth. He wasn't drowning. It actually felt exhilarating, standing in the freezing rain, which for the moment didn't seem so cold with Alexander holding him. But he felt Alexander letting go of him, and knew he was stepping away. He didn't move though, instead he listened to the rain, tasted it as it trickled into his mouth. He stood there for who knew how long before opening his eyes and looking around for Alexander. At first he didn't see him, but he then saw him sitting under the rock shelter. Hephaestion immediately left the rain and climbed under the rock beside him.

"Why did you leave me," Hephaestion asked as he took a hand and wiped wet hair away from his face. He felt cold again until Alexander wrapped his arms around him. They held each other and the world seemed warmer. Alexander only laughed slightly in his ear.

"I knew that you'd come back once you felt it," he said. He knew that Hephaestion had felt it. It was a tingling feeling that you got, then a numb feeling, where your mind was clear. Then suddenly, you just knew. It was the realization of love. Alexander held him, and Hephaestion held him back just as tight, and when the rain stopped they didn't move.

Hephaestion continued to stare out at the grayness. He thought about standing in the rain, soaked to the bone, and thought of the feeling he'd felt. It had felt so real then, the love they shared. But it had changed somewhere between Pella and Persia. Now, who knew what it was. He found himself glancing down at Cassander. After a few minutes he carefully moved away from Cassander. Careful not to wake him he rested Cassander's head against a bag of clothing.

He then stepped out into the rain. For a moment he just closed his eyes and let the rain hit him from every direction. He let his hair fall in front of his face, let the rain soak into his clothes, chilling him. He opened his eyes, stared out at the grayness that clouded the world so that you couldn't see very far in front of yourself. He then raised his arms, putting his palms up, and tilted his head back. He watched the rain hit him for a second before closing his eyes and opening him mouth.

Alexander walked out onto the balcony, wearing nothing put a pair of Persian pants. He stared out at the rain. He felt his heart breaking, felt his life slipping away from him for the first time in his life. Putting his hands on the stone ledge he looked out at the world. It was as if doing so would bring Hephaestion back to him. After a moment he screamed as loud as he could, just as thunder echoed across the land.

"Hephaestion," he screamed as loudly as he could. He then sunk down to the stone beneath him. He leaned forward, his head resting against the ledge, his body soaking in the rain. He found himself crying, and it didn't matter. Whoever had tried to claim his life had not succeeded. They had done far worse. They'd caused him to loose Hephaestion.

No, Hephaestion had already begun fading away from him, he admitted. But this poison, this land, this adventure, this broken myth, had caused the demise. Hephaestion was gone. It was his fault, it was the poison's fault, but most of all it was the Fates. He cried, thinking of nothing but Hephaestion. Without him he was nothing. He could already feel himself slipping away from the world. He cursed loudly at the gods for taking Hephaestion away.

"Hephaestion," he cried out weakly, unable to stand, only able to cry. "Come back…by the breath of Aphrodite…I love you…I can't live without you…just come back…Don't leave me alone…there is only you…we are one…Phae, I love you."