Title: Royal Slave
Author: Adsagsona
Type: Romance/Drama
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Nothing about the movieverse Alexander belongs to me, I don't own a thing, sadly enough. I believe the real Alexander the Great and his companions belong to history and themselves.
Warnings: Slight slash, allusions to rape.
Beta: None.
Pairing: Alexander/Hephaestion
Archive: Right here.
Author's Note: This is a sequel to the story 'By my side'. AU, Hephaestion has come to Philips court as a slave, but found a place as the loyal companion of Alexander.
Summary: Alexanders army stumbles upon the land of Lord Amyntor. Suddenly Hephaestion reacts strangely and reveals something about himself which had not been forseen.
Royal slave – Chapter 11
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Alexander stepped into the tent which was put up especially for this purpose, a gathering of his Generals to discuss the strategy. Longingly he stared at the tentpole furthest away from him for a moment. That was where Hephaestion stood all the time when there was a meeting, because he did not want to interfere. The Generals sometimes thought that he would have the most influence on Alexander, so they did not dare to speak their mind when he was in sight. Hence, he stayed behind.
"Alexander, what is this?"
Cassander was the first to step in. Or wobble, was more likely. He had hurt himself quite severely that very day in the morning, through a training with one of his soldiers. The sword, which was supposed to be one with a blunt point, had been changed for a real sword. He did not think that it was the fault of the soldier he was fighting with, but when he would find the culprit, he would regret the day he was born.
"What have you done, Cassander?"
"It is nothing. Now, tell me, what is going on? Are you going to start a war over one of your Generals? He can be replaced, Alexander! Just as anyone of us. You said yourself that if you were to fall it would be just one Macedonian and now you would start a war about just one. What are you thinking?"
"This is not about Hephaestion." The young King answered softly as he did not dare to look the other in the eyes. Cassander always knew what went through him, although they had stopped communicating for years through more than words.
"For goodness sake, Alexander, listen to yourself! You sound like a madman. You are not a King anymore, not like this."
He did not know why, but it got him into a fit of rage. He pushed Cassander against one of the tent poles and the Macedonian, not too strong on his legs, hissed softly in pain.
"Watch your words, Cassander. You are bordering on betrayal. Good thing no one else but me has heard you."
"They all think the same, Alexander. We are all concerned about you."
The King let go of his General and sighed softly, raking a hand through his blonde hair. Sometimes he wondered why he even cared to explain his plans to his Generals, they were all there to serve him and… no, he had to stop thinking this.
"I am not doing this because of Hephaestion. Amyntor is trying to get out under my rule and I will not let that happen. This land is mine, even if it means that I have to station my army here for the time being. We have done more for less, Cassander, even you have to admit that."
The other could do nothing more but nod, as indeed they had gone to great lengths to destroy some mountain cities. There had been only one that Alexander had let destroyed completely and not rebuilt, out of rage. Although he had never wanted it, it marked one of his first victories in history.
The other Generals walked in and for a moment wondered what the two young men were doing there by themselves. They tried not to question the motives of Alexander, but it became more and more difficult as it was clear his mind was troubled.
"You have called us."
"Yes, all of you… it is time to start a new battle. I am going to gather half of the army to stand our force, the rest will get rest. This town is not very big and it will not need much to fall. I want Amyntor first though, and alive."
"Alexander…"
"No."
"He lifted his hand and did not let Parmenion speak. The elder General, who had been under the rule of his father, was always the most careful of all of them, which Alexander had found only natural in the beginning. Now, it was becoming annoying and he did not wish to speak more about his reasons why he was starting this.
"Amyntor has insulted me twice now and I will not let this pass me by. We will do what we have done with every city from the moment we left Macedonia. We conquer and better it to the model of Alexandria."
"Yes, my King."
The strategy was not exactly planned carefully, but by now all of the Macedonians were hardened warriors who knew exactly where their position in the large peloton of soldiers was. The Generals who joined the Herateroi of Alexander rode with him to the end, whereas the others gathered to guard their defence.
"What do we do once we have taken the city?"
"Do we grant Amyntor his place?"
Alexander shook his head. He just wanted to get the information out of the mans mouth before he would kill him. There would be no mercy from him, not this time. Although others had proclaimed that he was the son of a god, he now felt all too human.
"Prepare for battle, we leave at the first rays of the sun."
"Amyntor will be waiting for us."
A small smiled played about the lips of Alexander and he shook his head slightly.
"No, he will not expect us to meet him out in the open. He had stocked the whole of his army inside of the city, which is a large trap for them. They can't run, only through the small openings of the doors and portals. Look around you, is this fruitful land? They will not hesitate long before they will try and break out. And then we have them.
The Generals all greeted and made their way out of the tent, but Alexander held a hand on the shoulder of Cassander as he passed by.
"Not you, Cassander, you are not going with the army. You are staying right here."
The dark haired young man looked up with something of hurt in his eyes, but he nodded. He knew very well that he would be of no use when he was injured. Someone else would take his place.
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Nelia: Ah, I won't let anything happen to him… well, we'll see. ;) Knowing the mountains maybe isn't enough… he has been unconscious during the entire ride there.
Fanfic Fish: Yes, Hephaestion is a strong young man and in the end he'll find Alexander… how is another story.
Baliansword: The surprise is in the making –grins- Those soldiers are as good as dead… perhaps it's even more cruel to leave them there than to kill them.
Elithraniel: Ah, but he is! In his own way.
Queendel: I don't make anything easy, love, not even a walk through the mountains ;)
Lisa14: Thank you!
Koalared: -smiles- Indeed. Too bad he's too good of a guy for that ;)