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: None.

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 24

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"My Lord, you are not going to receive a messenger of the King in this kind of manner." Bagoas said quite decisively. Hephaestion wondered briefly where the young man had gotten the courage to answer to him like that. Two months ago the slave would have cowered in a corner if he asked him to stay, and now he got a firm answer saying what he should do. Had he changed like this as well? Was this the reason why Alexander had liked him so much to begin with?

"Fetch me whatever you like then, Bagoas, since you seem to know best."

Hephaestion sighed the words, seeing as he did not really want to hear the tidings which the messenger brought with him. They would be quite grave, as the Lord didn't see a reason why Alexander would send him a message otherwise. He had made it clear that he was living a life of his own now… but would his King need an army?

As the young slave brought him back the necessary robes, he was quickly clothed. He still loathed this kind of treatment, because it seemed like he could do nothing himself. Like he was not capable of dressing himself. Ah, he should really get over this, he was royalty now after all. Weren't they supposed to be waited on hand and foot? Problem was, he didn't feel like royalty and he probably never would.

"Where is the messenger waiting?"

"In the throne room, my Lord."

"Thank you, Bagoas."

He smiled at the slave, before walking to the throne room, in the mean while contemplating what he should answer to the messenger. Would this be private? No, he would not be given a private message from the King in this manner. This must be state affairs. Wandering through the hallway of the fortress, he opened the doors to the throne room, where a dishevelled soldier of what used to be his own segment of the cavalry, was waiting for him.

"Milatus, what are you doing here, man!"

He half asked, half shouted this question towards the man who was about ten years older than himself. The man gave him a bow fit for a King, and a small smile tugged at his lips. He seemed quite glad to see his former General, although he now must have been given to the command of another.

"My Lord Amyntor, I've come with a message from my King and yours, Alexander."

"So I have heard. Come and sit, Milatus, you must be tired. Have you come from far?"

While asking his questions, Hephaestion came closer and gestured for the soldier to lay down on one of the low chairs. Milatus gladly excepted, as it really seemed a long journey for him and he had had haste.

"Thank you, my Lord. It is a two day journay on horse back, if you are alone, my Lord, but with our army, we did more than a week to get this far. We are at the desert near Gaugamela, my Lord." He explained quite fastly as he gestured. This was what Hephaestion still remembered about the man, as he could tell great stories and would relive them as if he were there himself.

"What is your message then, my good man?"

"Alexander asks of you to join him in battle, my Lord." Milatus made it short and quite clear what the meaning of his King might have been. "The King wants to meet Darius in open field, but few of his Generals are agreeing with him as of yet. He is in need of all of his Generals and the men they can spare. There is a large meeting in about a week, a war counsil, and he asks that you will attend."

With that he handed over the document which contained the same message. There were no hidden meanings, no outcries between the lines. It was just what Hephaestion had promised would Alexander require it. His assistance as his General, together with his own army. And he had not choice but to accept.

"Are you going back, Milatus?"

"Yes, my Lord… King Alexander wants to hear the answer you gave him as soon as possible."

Hephaestion nodded. "Tell him that I will be there before the Counsil. Tell me something, Milatus, who is your commander now?"

The man grimaced before answering quite shortly. "General Cassander, my Lord."

Cassander… he might have known that he would stick his nose in business that didn't belong to him.

"And if you don't mind me saying so, my Lord… he has gained a lot more than your former position in the army. The King seems quite fond of him as well, my Lord."

Hephaestion stood and looked down upon the soldier, who did not change his expression, but lowered his gaze to the ground. He had meant well, and the young man would not punish him for it, but he should take care of his words.

"No, Milatus, other than that you shouldn't say these things, not even in private. The relationship between King Alexander and I needs no explanation, nor comment from anyone out of the army. Should the King hear you, he would be very displeased."

"I'm sorry, my Lord."

"Let yourself be fed and well-rested before you leave."

Hephaestion turned and walked out, back to his own chambers. He sighed in pure relief that he could leave the throne room behind. He did not know that it could be so difficult to just say 'yes' to a question of Alexander. He needed to ready his army and himself, so that this confrontation between him and the King would turn out like he had planned it. He was not going to turn back for Alexander now. He had come so far on his own.

"My Lord, is there something wrong?"

He hadn't even noticed that he had been crying. Wiping at the tears, Hephaestion shook his head and gave a small smile towards Bagoas.

"Make ready, Bagoas… we will join the army of King Alexander."

"We, my Lord?"

Taking a few steps closer, he took the young slave into his arms.

"I am not going anywhere without you, my boy. Now pack and get yourself ready. We leave at the first light of the dawn."

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Nelia: Cassander would not lower himself as to be a messenger. And thankfully it is no wedding invitation ;)

Queendel: The messenger brought a bit more than the message itself and so Hephaestion knows about Cassander. Confrontation?

Kitten: Oh, Bagoas fics? Then you will be pleased in the next chapters as well.

I heart Wolf: No personal messages, although Alexander probably does need Hephaestion with him.

Baliansword: No real lust in the next chapters… I don't even know if there will follow any in the entire story. Maybe I'll write an interlude ;)