Cassander's Campaign Chapter 13: Ecbatana Part One, an alexander fanfic

Title: "Cassander's Campaign"

Author: Baliansword

Chapter: 13, "Ecbatana Part One"

A/N: I know that there has been some crying throughout the chapters, but don't worry, no more crying until Hephaestion's death. Hephaestion has become stronger through the time skipped over. Also, yes, he is still with Cassander. Where else would I put him with Alexander being such an, you know the word I'm thinking of. Hope to hear from everyone and that everyone enjoys this installment.

It was hard to determine yet what he wanted out of life. But he knew that he wanted this more than anything. Cassander rested his chin on Hephaestion's shoulder, his chest pressed to his back, an arm draped over his lower torso. Hephaestion slept soundly, his hair tousled about the pillow. For some time he just stared at him and wondered what he dreamt about. It seemed like he'd been there for hours but only gazed at the god before him for a matter of minutes. After a moment he removed his arm from around Hephaestion. This caused Hephaestion to moan softly, still asleep though, and it caused a smile to creep up upon Cassander's lips. Cassander glanced back at Hephaestion as he crawled out of the bed. He pulled his clothes on, wishing that he didn't have to, but knew that he must. Before leaving he knelt and pressed a faint kiss to Hephaestion's forehead. There was nothing he wanted more than he.

Cassander slipped into the hall as a shadow would have. Yet there was one problem with being a shadow. Other shadows would be able to see you as well. He managed to walk down the hall for a few moments before the Persian slipped up and made a footfall. Cassander only smiled, and whistled an apologetic tune, and then glanced over his shoulder at Bagoas. Bagoas followed him but stared down at the ground. It was Bagoas' job to watch Cassander for Alexander, to make sure he did not go near Hephaestion's rooms at night, but Cassander could only laugh at the attempts Alexander made. Of course, he would have done the same, but he knew Bagoas' heart. The poor boy wanted Alexander to himself and knew that if Hephaestion were around that would not be so. Therefore it was easy to have Bagoas lie about things and say he did not see Cassander enter Hephaestion's chambers.

"How are you this fine morning," Cassander asked, glancing over his shoulder at Bagoas. He paused for a moment and Bagoas made his way to his side. The Persian hardly ever did this. It did not matter that he no longer was treated as he was with Darius. He could walk next to any man and none would touch him because they knew that he was Alexander's boy. Still, the poor thing was a creature of habit.

"Why are you so happy," Bagoas asked, his Greek now far better than it had been. It was a silly question, for he knew why Cassander was happy. There was something about love that changed a man. It even changed Cassander, who he'd known to be rough around the edges, but he seemed smoother when he left Hephaestion's room. Eventually he would go back to being Cassander, the murderous man that others feared, but Bagoas liked him at this moment. He wished that he could act at least a little more like this in general.

"Any news of Alexander's plans," Cassander asked, smiling all the while. He paused for a moment, drawing Bagoas to the side of the hall. Servants walked around here and there. But glancing at them Cassander knew they were Persian and likely did not speak Greek. At least not enough to understand what he was going to tell Bagoas. "Last night stars fell from the sky!"

"I know," Bagoas said with a nod. He knew that Cassander was going to rant for a moment about Hephaestion and how beautiful he was. Bagoas only tried to keep his eyes from rolling as Cassander began. This piece of his happiness was rather annoying. Not only did it seem perhaps a little needy, but it also took so long, and ended up saying the same things as last time. Not to mention that Bagoas wished not to hear about Hephaestion. If there was anyone that could rival his own beauty it would be Hephaestion, so he no longer wanted to speak about him, just be better than him in something. He couldn't even lay with Alexander without Alexander bringing up Hephaestion, even now, after all of this time. It annoyed him to the bone.

"No," Cassander said as he began to walk again, changing like some beast back into the general all knew. He walked straighter and his smiles were gone. Everything about him was mean and hard now. Sadly Bagoas looked away from him and returned to staring at the floor or straight ahead. "Seriously, has Alexander asked of anything?"

"He received letters," Bagoas said and he managed to pull a thick one from his waistband. He passed it to Cassander who glanced down at it and then tucked it away. This happened a lot of the time when Hephaestion did not leave his room first. Yet today seemed like a good enough day for Bagoas to perhaps ask about the letters. "Cassander, why is it that Hephaestion is given letters from Queen Olympias?"

"Because," Cassander answered simply, "if he doesn't receive it, then Olympias would get no word from her son."

"Does she not know that Hephaestion poses as Alexander?"

"Of course she does." There was silence and Cassander knew that the other did not understand. It was something he could not fully explain to the Persian. A great tale was woven around many reasons explaining how it came to be that Hephaestion wrote to Olympias. Whether or not Bagoas would understand without the entire tale it did not matter. Cassander would try to explain it, but unless Bagoas truly knew what had happened through all of these campaigns, he may never understand it. "Olympias has written to Alexander since he left, and for some time never got a letter. Not until Hephaestion told Alexander to write them and watched, and helped, as he did so. There was a space with them, as there is now, and she received no more letters. One day Hephaestion intercepted one and continued to write to her, where her son otherwise would not have. To this day he still writes, when he gets letters thanks to you, and brightens both of their days."

"He lies?"

"Call it a lie if you want to. But what is wrong with telling a mother that her son is safe? Perhaps it is what Hephaestion has that keeps him close to home, to beautiful Pella. Without it what would he do when Alexander gives him no missions and I cannot be with him?"

"What about you," Bagoas asked as he kept stride next to Cassander. Never before had he really gotten to know him. Today, again, seemed like the day to try to get to know Cassander though. He seemed content with life at the moment and perhaps he would keep him from being bored. It was easy for Bagoas to get bored in this palace when Alexander submersed himself with battle plans and so forth. Only every few nights a month was he truly satisfied without any boredom. "Who is it that you write to, Cassander, son of Antipiter?"

Cassander laughed lowly, "I write to no one. I am like you. There is no one waiting for me to return and if there were I would not go back. It is true, isn't it, that you would not return to your home if you could?"

"Alexander has given me freedom if I desire it. Yet I have nothing to go back for. What would I do?"

"Now you know me," Cassander said with an honest smile. He then left Bagoas in the corridor as he entered a door. Bagoas knew that the rest of the generals were gathering there as well. With a sigh he decided that he would have to go now to Alexander's rooms. Perhaps his king would not be hung over and angered with him. Yet Bagoas knew that this was unlikely.

He watched him enter the room even though no one noticed him do so. Dark tendrils fell over his forehead and he stared up at him through his lashes. The only one that would have noticed this look glanced over at him. His eyes met with his for only a fraction of a second and then it seemed as if they did not know each other. The tender touches of the night before were erased. The glances meant nothing now. They were both generals now and nothing more. Love was something that neither of them needed in this room. No one in this room needed it. Yet Cassander could not help it and he looked up, brushing hair away from his face, and stared at Hephaestion. Hephaestion was speaking quietly to Alexander of some plans he had for some mission. Had Cassander been listening on the previous days it would have been easier to understand what was going on. Alexander had been able to be with Hephaestion on a night and then hold meetings the next day and pay attention. Or had he? Why couldn't Cassander do the same?

"Cassander," Hephaestion was saying now, "would lead the men around this pass. If we were to attack here and there, the rebellions would not expect the main fleet to come up from behind. There are a few minor difficulties though. The left legion will have to go through this area of rocky regions. There are a few cliffs and a few gullies. It would have hard to get the horses through for the most part. However, the right legion must go through tangles and vines. Not to mention the snakes in the undergrowth."

"So," Alexander said as he looked at the model Hephaestion was using. For some odd reason Cassander wondered where the blocks had come from. Who had made them? Perhaps it was some servant's child. He glanced back at Hephaestion and Alexander though. He needed to start paying attention to things. "You are saying that either way there will be deaths."

"Men are expendable," Cassander muttered and many glances turned to him. It may have been something heartless that he'd just said. Yet it was the truth. To better ten men at times one would have to die. It only made sense that Alexander would have to loose a few main to gain control of the rebellions in the Ecbatana region. He'd done so before, let men be expendable, so when did he grow a conscience?

"There are going to be deaths," Alexander agreed, pretending that he did not hear Cassander. He did not like his bitterness anymore but knew it was partially his fault that Cassander acted as he did. Punishing him would be hypocritical in the least. "I would just like to make sure that we loose less of our men. Especially to rocky terrain and snakes. They should die in battle, those that must, not by snake venom."

"Hephaestion's plan makes sense," Ptolemy said as he bit into an apple. What he was eating for only he could know. Cassander glanced over at him but then averted his eyes. He gazed at only Hephaestion for long periods of time. Hephaestion smiled softly, and he looked rather boyish, but he managed to keep himself from blushing. Hephaestion looked away, running a hand through his hair, and then pointed back at the map closest to Alexander.

"It does," Alexander agreed once more. "Ptolemy you will go with Hephaestion and hand select the men in these legions. I do not want to send all of both legions through the area. Hephaestion, you can take the left, and Ptolemy goes with you. Nearchus and Perdicass shall take the right legion, which will be selected by Cassander."

"Would it be rude to ask what I am to do," Cassander said.

"You're coming with me," Alexander said, a smirk upon his lips. He found some satisfaction in this. Cassander only nodded and smiled back as if this meant nothing. There were many things wrong with the way of things right now. For instance, why would any men in Ecbatana be revolting against Alexander? It was a stupid idea to do such. Not only was it foolish, and would lead to their deaths, but now Hephaestion was being ripped from his clutches. How long would it be this time, the separation? Cassander absent-mindedly was turning the ring on his finger, a nervous habit he'd picked up, even though at the moment he was more furious. He could not let Alexander see this though. Instead he waited until they were dismissed and he went back to his room. Hephaestion would usually meet him there moments later, but did not today, instead he went elsewhere. After checking his chambers, Cassander confirmed in his mind where it was he'd gone.

"Tell me," Hephaestion said as he carelessly slammed the door shut, "that this has nothing to do with us and I'll accept it. Tell me that you are doing this because Cassander has shown poor leadership qualities, and then I will be satisfied. Yet you must tell me something, because at the moment, I believe that your decision to take him from leading the legion has nothing to do with strategy. It has something to do with me, doesn't it?"

"What doesn't have something to do with you," Alexander said as if he was bored. He turned a map over, pretending to think something over. Really he was trying to ignore Hephaestion. There was something that burned in Hephaestion, and had since they'd been apart, that made Alexander want him more than he had ever before. Truth be told they were apart not because of any events that had taken place. Events had never before made their minds about the way they felt. Hephaestion could stab him, in the heart now, and Alexander would still love him. So it was not anything that either of them had done for even now they loved one another. Simply, they'd lost desire. They no longer fought to love one another, for if they did, Cassander wouldn't be in the picture.

"Alexander," Hephaestion said, just a step below pleading. "Do not punish him for what offense I have done to you."

"I only do what needs to be done," he screamed. Alexander rose, coming closer, and grabbed Hephaestion. He shook him, tears coming to his eyes. "I am protecting you from him!"

"What," Hephaestion asked as he pulled away. But there was a look in Alexander's eyes that showed him clearly that something was wrong. Hephaestion only stared at Alexander, but Alexander froze, and moved only to put a hand over his mouth. He then shook his head and turned his back to Hephaestion. There was a pause before a whisper escaped Hephaestion's lips. "Alexander, what does that mean?"

"Phae," Alexander said as he turned, looking gravely at the man that had once been his lover. He was still, in soul, his lover. Alexander never would let him go yet he needed to protect him. As king he could not do that. It had already been proven that when Hephaestion was with him, others would use him as a vantagepoint, as proven before in Persia by those like Cleitus. The king shook his head before looking away. He could not look Hephaestion in the eyes as he whispered to him words he never should have. "Phae, do you think I would have ever let you go willingly?"

A/N: I know, dreadful cliffhanger, which will dramatically change the story in the next chapter. There always has to be a twist, right? Just to make sure no one out there gets bored! So, with this turn of events, don't you wonder about how things will turn out? I've already mentioned that Hephaestion's death has a twist, but it spawns off of twists like these. Hope no one is too angry! Don't be too harsh if you decide to send me hate mail. I love reviews, so if you have the time, review. Otherwise I will see you soon when I post Part Two!