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: Slash.

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 29

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It was Hephaestion who walked out of his own tent first, leaving Alexander behind. He needed to think about his question, if he would want to give up what he had now. But, it would mean that he would be by Alexander's side once more, like he had promised to his mother such a long time ago. Was he betraying Olympias by not chosing for her son? He wondered if she knew.

As he walked by a campfire he got distracted by the sounds coming from a quite large group of soldiers who were laughing and shouting. Going closer, he could spot a familiar dark haired young man and he gasped. They had found Bagoas. Quickly he made his way through the circle of men, getting a few looks and curses thrown in his direction, but he could not care less. Pushing one aside and then the other, he soon stood in the middle of the circle, together with Bagoas, who was held by Cassander.

"Let him go!"

Cassander turned towards him and gave a small smile, not even cruel ,but tired. What did he had to gain by this other than his revenge? He wanted to hurt Hephaestion as much as he had been by Alexander. Thrown aside from the moment the young King had found his former lover again, like an old rag which was of no use anymore. He had wanted power, but gradually it had become more for the dark-haired soldier. He had actually thought that Alexander would care more for him. How mistaken he had been.

"Finally, I thought you would never make it."

"What do you want, Cassander? Let Bagoas go, he has nothing to do with this."

"Oh, but he has everything to do with it. Is he not your lover?" Cassander asked quite innocently as the soldiers watched from one side of the fire to the other. Bagoas had been caught when he had run out of Hephaestions tent and currently two soldiers were holding him by his wrists, unable to wrench free. What had been the plan of Cassander? "Your whore.. a replacement for yourself, I suppose. Did you get homesick for the times of old, Hephaestion?"

The young man didn't answer, glaring towards the other and inching his way closer to Bagoas. How had they found out that the young Persian was more to him than just a servant or a slave? Had they tortured it out of him? Perhaps, because Bagoas really was not used to that much when it came to not giving out information. He looked quite well, a little bruised, but he stood dully between the soldiers.

"Let. Him. Go." He whispered once more between gritted teeth, his hands clenched to fists. He was ready to attack Cassander, but with the other young man in his claws, he couldn't do much.

"I thought that I would use him for the purpose he has been born to, just like you. Get him."

A few of the soldiers who were still loyal to Hephaestion didn't know what to do, but others didn't have much problems in getting towards one of their own. Most had never liked the blue-eyed male because what he represented. They tried to grab him, but he swiftly turned out of the way and grabbed his sword.

"Any of you that dare to touch me are dead before they try." He threatened as he retreated a little, but tried to stand his ground. Cassander seemed a little surprised at the fact that Hephaestion was resisting, but he swiftly pulled his own sword out of its sheath and advanced on the other.

"You just don't get it, do you?" He murmured as he came closer, his sword out in front of him. Hephaestion began to see the flashbacks when his father did just the same and he shuddered slightly, holding his own sword high up.

"If it weren't for you, Alexander would have everything he wished for too… But he had to fall for a slave boy."

Cassander took his first swing and missed barely, Hephaestion quick enough to step back and their swords clashed. The zing of the bronze was something they both had expected, the clashing harsh and the both of them stepped back. The General could hear Bagoas cry softly in the background. It made him want this even more and he advanced himself, taking Cassander completely by surprise.

"You are a liar, Cassander. You don't care about Alexander or anyone else but yourself. You want power, and that's it. You're not going to get the chance anymore though."

He said nothing more, just attacking the other General and driving him back. He might not be the best strategist around, but he was not a bad soldier or a non-skilled fighter. Others made him out to be nothing more than the whore of Alexander, but all would come out surprised if they knew what Hephaestion really was capable of. The soldiers around them didn't dare to interfere in case Cassander might get hurt in their doing.

And then it happened, the dark haired General tripped and fell hard onto his back, his sword thrown from his hand into the sand right beside him, just out of reach. Hephaestion had enough of fair fighting and kicked the sword away, poising his own right above the throat of the other.

Silently the young man wondered if Cassander was worth all of this. He was making a murderer out of him just by looking defiantly towards him with those eyes. Why did he strike him so deep? Why did he have such an effect on him? For one moment he remembered the loneliness of the other again and he felt pity for him.

"Enough!"

The voice startled everyone and the soldiers made room for their King. Alexander looked so much like a King that it scared Hephaestion. The loving young man he had seen not too long ago was now reduced to this, a King who would have no mutiny between his soldiers. The young man looked more than angry and he growled.

"Hephaestion, let him go. Now!"

He stepped away from Cassander, his sword still poised at him. The other scrambled up to his feet and stood straight a few steps further, looking at Alexander himself.

"All of you, get out of here! There is nothing to see… get around your campfires." Alexander said strongly. He pinned both Cassander and Hephaestion to the canvas with his eyes however and the both knew that they should stay. Bagoas was freed and he immediately ran to Hephaestion, enveloped securely into his arms. The young King saw this and had to bite back his jealousy.

"Get Bagoas back to your tent, Hephaestion… Come back to mine afterwards." He said towards the General before taking Cassander by the arm and almost physically dragging him towards his own tent. This was bad.

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Queendel: Of course there can be only one by Alexander's side, but Hephaestion still has to realise that.

Nelia: I didn't realise it was difficult to enter the chapter, but I guess it had something to do with the general problems on fanfiction. Tender chapters are over though, back to angst!

Baliansword: Indeed, it can never be fully broken. –nods- I would never do that.

Kitten: Poor Cassander? –grins-