Cassander's Campaign Chapter 12: Background, an alexander fanfic

Title: "Cassander's Campaign"

Author: Baliansword

Chapter: 12, "Background"

A/N: Thank you again for the reviews. Again, I shall contact those that have sent questions and so forth. If for some reason I forget you do not take it personally. I am just very busy with everything at the moment. Try not to hold it against me! Yet I hope that everyone enjoys this next update. To make sure that the chapter was not short, I combined what normally would have been two chapters. So the first chapter takes place in 328, and the second takes place some time later in 327 BC. I hope that no one minds this. Yet I've made the transitions clearer. Right now I am making sure there is some background information. Beginning in the next chapter it will be 324 BC, in Ecbatana. Do not fear though. The story still has some way to go before the end.

There was a moment just as the server passed that brought him an opening. He took Hephaestion's hand in his and gave him a loving squeeze. Cassander glanced over at him and a moment of understanding reached once more between them. But as the doors to the room opened Cassander withdrew his hand from Hephaestion's, no matter how badly it hurt him to do so. He never wanted to let him go. Alexander entered though, same gallant manner as always, and he sat down at the head of the table. There was a silence and he said nothing, yet no others would speak. Cassander lifted a glass of watered wine to his lips and took a drink, glancing from Alexander to Hephaestion over the brim of his cup. Hephaestion caught this and only frowned quickly. It was not the time for Cassander to be playing games with Alexander.

"We march," Alexander said then. The silence was still there. All that could be heard was the rustling of clothing as the men in the room shifted. Cassander did not move, and neither did Hephaestion. Hephaestion did not move because there was a thread upon his heart that kept him in place. Cassander did not move simply because he was not in the mood. He would rather watch Hephaestion. He watched as he drew in a breath, his nostrils flaring slightly, and a strand of his hair that had fallen over his cheek was blown away as he exhaled. Hephaestion blinked and then turned his eyes to meet Cassander's. Looking back at Alexander he waited. Yet this was all that Alexander said. He left after saying this, leaving the men stupefied. He'd gone from being locked in his room to ready to march in a matter of hours. It was ridiculous sometimes, the way that Alexander the Great operated.

Cassander followed Hephaestion as he left the room but for the most part let him go. He knew that now was not the time to follow Hephaestion. So he went back to his own room, where Hephaestion had left his sash, and sat down. He took out his journal and stared at the blurred writing there for a moment. For a great many minutes he sat there, wondering where Hephaestion was. It was taking him far too long to come back. So Cassander rose, leaving his journal on the bed, and went to seek him out. He knew Hephaestion though and it did not take him long to find him. Sitting on the trunk of a fallen tree, staring over a cliff and out at the setting sun on the horizon, Hephaestion stared at one of the only beauties of the world. He stared at the sun as it set, tears in his eyes, yet Cassander could not yet see them.

Cassander stared at the sunset as well, from where he leaned against a tree, arms crossed over his chest. The rose-colored clouds contrasted against the purple hue of the sky. It was the grandest thing that Cassander had seen in India and it amazed him that he'd never taken a moment to notice the wonders of the world around him. It took him a moment before he approached Hephaestion. He stood behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. With the other he lifted Hephaestion's chin, turning him to him, and placed a flirtatious kiss upon his lips. He then kissed his throat, feeling the pulse there, and whispered against Hephaestion's warm skin.

"Tell me what is wrong," he breathlessly pressed to Hephaestion's neck. Hephaestion did not respond for a moment. Instead he let Cassander kiss him once more and hold him close. As Cassander did this a tear slid down his cheek however and Cassander stopped his attempt to be romantic. Instead he put a leg over the seat and sat facing Hephaestion, chest against Hephaestion's arm, legs straddling the tree trunk, but his thighs were pressed against Hephaestion's hip. Cassander pulled his hair away from his face with a hand and then leaned closer. He stared into Hephaestion's cerulean eyes, wishing he could soothe the pain he saw there, but knew he could not. If this was over Alexander, then Hephaestion had made a mistake the night before, but Cassander would let him go. It was his duty to let him go if that be his wish.

"Should I go," Cassander asked him quietly.

"No," Hephaestion said with a soft laugh. He seemed to be nervous and even shivered for a moment. Cassander only smiled softly and then moved back slightly. He did not know for the most part what to do with Hephaestion at times. He loved him and would do anything for him. Yet he was not used to, even now, having to care for someone as a lover. He knew to protect only himself. It would take years for him to understand Hephaestion completely, to know all of his soul, but he was willing to spend those years with Hephaestion. "I do not want to be alone."

"Why are there tears in your eyes?"

Hephaestion shook his head, biting his lower lip slightly. He stared out at the horizon as the sun fell further out of the sky. Within moments it would be gone from sight. Hephaestion let tears glisten in his eyes and after a few moments of pausing he turned to look at Cassander. He shook his head slightly, causing tears to fall, and Cassander wrapped his arms around him. Cassander held him, wishing he could take his pain from him. Yet he wished to know for the most part what hurt him so. Hephaestion only shook in his grasp for a moment before trying to suck in a deep breath. He pulled away and stared at Cassander, putting a hand on his cheek before kissing him. Cassander tasted the salt on his lips but minded not. Instead he pushed that thought away and thought of only comforting Hephaestion. Hephaestion pulled away, biting his lip, but this time when he turned his head Cassander stopped him. Putting a hand on his cheek Cassander turned Hephaestion to face him and pleaded with his eyes for Hephaestion to speak to him.

"Tell me," Cassander whispered.

"I just feel as if we've been here so long," Hephaestion said as he wiped tears from under his eyes. He felt odd for crying. He should have been able to hold it in. Yet there was nothing now that kept him from crying. He was in the arms of Cassander, who would understand, no matter what he said. It was Cassander that held him together, but it was Cassander who also raveled him. Hephaestion shook his head again and smiled at Cassander.

"I just do not want to go on anymore," Hephaestion admitted. Cassander waited for him to say more but he had nothing left to say. Cassander pulled him close in silence and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Then, lips on his forehead still, he pulled the hair away from Hephaestion's face. He pulled back and stared into his eyes, foreheads touching, and before saying more Cassander pressed a soft and tender kiss to Hephaestion's lips. He then whispered silently a vow that he'd always made to Hephaestion but needed now only to secure the words. He needed to make sure that they were etched in Hephaestion's mind.

"Say the word," Cassander told him. "No matter where we are or what the consequences are, tell me, and I will take you from the pain you face. Hephaestion, I would do anything for you, if only you say the word."

"I love you Cass," Hephaestion told him before kissing him again. The tears were gone as Cassander held him. Hephaestion knew that Cassander would protect him and would do anything for him. That brought joy to his heart, to know that he was loved in such a way. But at the same time it scared him. He did not wish for harm to come to Cassander if he tried to tend to his needs too much.

327 BC, the Plot of the Pages

"You amaze me," Alexander screamed out. His face was red with anger as he unsheathed his sword. Cassander merely stared at him, eyes unmoving, wondering why the king could not lower his voice. As Alexander knocked over a chair in his ranting Cassander sensed Hephaestion jump. He did not need to see it, or hear it, but knew that the sudden crash had scared him. Hephaestion stood behind him, standing with arms crossed next to Ptolemy, and before long he was chewing on his nails. Cassander wished that he would stop. It would only cause Alexander to suspect him of something.

"You all amaze me," Alexander shouted again, throwing another chair across the room. There were pages before him in a line, on their knees, and they all trembled. He grabbed one of the boys by the hair, pulling him up, only to shove him back to the floor. Cassander only watched, eyes unmoving, but eventually he glanced over at Hephaestion. He jerked his head slightly and Hephaestion took his fingers from his mouth. "After all that I have given you how can you try to form some desperate attempt to murder me in my own palace!"

"Alexander," Cassander broke the silence in the room. Alexander turned in a furry, unsure of why Cassander would interrupt him. There were many in the room that were terrified of him. Then there were the pages, which were probably wetting themselves at the moment. Cassander should have been biting his nails like Hephaestion but instead was the calmest man in the room. Not to mention, he had a power in his voice as he spoke that not even Alexander had at the moment. "Think rashly as you decide how to punish them."

"What," Alexander screamed, spit even flying from his mouth as he did so. Had Hephaestion thought that it would be unnoticed he would have stepped back. Ptolemy would have done the same, as would most of the men in the room. But they all remained in the same spot as if nailed to the floor. Cassander, on the other hand, only came closer.

"What do you expect them to do," Cassander asked with a shrug as he picked a whip up from a table. He played with it for a moment before setting it down as if bored. He glanced at one of the boys that were now at his side. How old could he be, sixteen at the most? Cassander looked away. He did not feel sorry for him. The boy was stupid to try and kill Alexander with the pack of morons next to him. They were all idiots in fact for forming such silly alliances with one another. He was not here to feel for them though. Cassander had his own motives in speaking up at this moment.

"Treason!"

"Alexander, I mean only to say that they are only doing what they think is necessary," Cassander interjected. He did not let Alexander speak over him. Hephaestion was back to biting his nails. Glancing nervously over his shoulder even. Yet he looked back and gave a pleading glance to Cassander, wishing that he would not do something foolish. This was rather foolish, even though they'd discussed it earlier. "They want to go home! How old were some of them when they signed on, ten, and now they have aged eight years and have seen nothing of the glory you promised. They see only death and empty promises! What happened to their home, they wondered, and their family!"

"Do not patronize me Cassander! You would be wise to be silent!"

"You would be wise to listen to these uprisings," Cassander cursed back at him, shoving a chair out of his way. Hephaestion bit a nail back so far that it bled at that moment. Ptolemy reached over and pulled Hephaestion's hand from his mouth before he could do more harm to himself. "There is nothing left to search for Alexander! Curse the damned end of the world, what does it mean to you? Look around at what you have for a moment. Is risking everything worth it to you still Alexander?"

"You've taken what I have from me," Alexander cursed.

"Nothing that you did not deserve to loose," Cassander said with a shrug as he came even closer to Alexander. He was inches from him now. If Alexander wanted to lash out he would surely hit him. Yet he kept his temper, for the most part. "Alexander, we do not wish to go further."

"And who is we?"

"Look around," Cassander said as he waved an arm at those around the room. Alexander did not say much after that. The only words that he said were those of dismissal. Generals left quickly, slaves and pages following. Even the scribes did not risk staying in the corners of the room to write down what conversations that would come up next. Alexander told only Cassander to stay. Hephaestion glanced at Cassander, worried, but left so that Alexander would not suspect anything. Cassander only caught a glimpse of him as he left. It was hard to try to keep things a secret for so long. In the entire year of their, well it was not an affair really, but the idea was the same. Cassander glanced at the ground, suddenly aware that perhaps this was not the wisest idea, but he pushed it away.

"Cassander," Alexander said, turning to face him, "if you ever tell me to turn back again, I will kill you. If you ever embarrass me in front of my men again, I will kill you. And if you don't leave him, I'll kill you."

Alexander left the room with that, leaving Cassander with a smirk on his lips. He wondered how much of this was threat and how much of it was a plead. After a few moments Cassander left the room and went down the hall. He opened Hephaestion's door, and saw Hephaestion sitting on the bed, biting his nails. He shut the door behind him and sighed. Alexander stood from where he sat in the corner, waiting for this, and made himself visible. Alexander crossed his arms, looking at Cassander. Hephaestion only continued to bite his nails before looking up, tears in his eyes, whispering an apology.

"I warned you," Alexander said quietly.

"Alexander," Hephaestion said as he threw himself between Alexander and Cassander. He pushed Cassander back, but was pleading with Alexander. "Don't do this. Do not touch him."

"You belong to me," Alexander said as he tried to push past Hephaestion. Instead of stepping aside Hephaestion threw a right punch. His hit caused Alexander to fall to the ground. Not only was he not ready for the blow, but it was a painful blow at that. Alexander looked up from the ground. Hephaestion said nothing for a moment but then looked down at Alexander with hatred in his eyes, and a pity, which Alexander had never seen before. But his next words explained everything.

"I belong to no one."

A/N: The next chapter, which I hope will be posted soon, begins the end of Cassander's Campaign. Upon reaching Ecbatana it will summarize and detail events that happen there. Yet, as everyone knows, Hephaestion will end up dying in the next couple of chapters. Not to burst anyone's bubble! However, to keep everyone reading, I add that there will be a huge change in how Hephaestion dies. As for this chapter though, hope to get a few reviews. Let me know what you are thinking. Yet overall thank you for reading! Hope to see you again soon.