Chapter 6 Please Believe Me
Alexander watched as Hephaistion/Alexios finish and go back over to his Master before he stood up and boldly marched over to the table where Hades was sitting he pulled out a bag of gems he had wished for and banged them down on the table in front Hades.
"There you are," he said "There's my payment now give me what I want." he pointed to Hephaistion/Alexios.
Hades picked up the bag and opened it; his eyes went wide at it content.
"Where did you get those?" he asked looking up and down
"It does matter where I got them," Alexander replied "you have your payment."
Hade thought and then nodded "Ok you got your wish."
Alexander flung open the door and a surprised Hephaistion/Alexios was stood there. He still wore his dancer's costume, tattoos painted all over his body and he had an angry bruise on the side of his check.
Alexander pulled him inside and sat him down.
"What happened?" he asked
"I -I don't know he got mad and he hit me." Hephaistion/Alexios replied "He's never done that before I thought he loved Me." he whispered
Alexander crouched down in front of him and took his hands and held them.
"No he doesn't." he said "Listen I found a way to help you but you have to trust me and believe me."
Something flashed in Hephaistion/ Alexios eyes.
"I trust you." he said
Alexander told him of what Achilles and Patroclus had told him about how what Hephaistion did and why he wasn't remembering anything
Hephaistion/Alexios sat and listened but he frowned and the trust went out of his eyes.
"I think I would remember doing something like that!" he said
"That's the point you won't." Alexander replied
Hephaistion/Alexios bowed head "Oh." he said
He looked up "Were we close?" he asked genteelly looking at him through a strand of hair.
Alexander reached up and brushed it behind his ear and smiled though he had tears in his eyes.
"Yes we were." he replied
"Then I - I think I would like to start and remember now." Hephaistion/Alexios said as he got down on to the floor with Alexander.
When he slept he pressed him self closer to the sleeper next to him and was surprise to feel himself being pulled closer instead of being pushed away.
He dreamed of battles and love he dreamed of the thrill of building an empire but then he dreamed of sadness, somebody was dying and he moved his dream self closer. Alexander was cradling the body of someone that he knew was Hephaistion. He put his hand over his mouth to stop himself crying out when Alexander laid then body down and laid down next to it he found himself staring into the vacant face of him.
He could smell a river and he woke up in a cave and in his hand held a golden branch. As he moved down a tunnel he called for Alexander but the reply he got was and echo.
He joined the back of the queue that was moving towards a waiting boat. Hephaistion reached the start and was greeted by a tall figure.
Hephaistion looked into those blank holes where his eyes should have gone, he automatically lifted his arm and held out the golden branch.
The figure turned his back on him and headed back into the boat. Hephaistion ran along side it trying to get the get the attention but failed several people jumped into the river and tried swimming across but where burned by the acidity of the water or pulled under by unseen monsters.
He stood on the dock and watched as the boat moved in the fog, he throw the branch into the river and watched as it burned before turning away. He found a spot under the dock and pulled his knees up to his chest and sat rocking back and forth.
He felt someone approach the smells coming from the river where making him dizzy and sick. He looked up and found himself staring into the face of Alexander; he wore a blood red chriton
"Come on," Alexander said taking hold of him and pulling him up.
"Where are we going?" he asked as he slumped against Alexander
"Home" said Alexander
Alexander picked him up in his arms and he felt the rush of air and there was a scoring feeling he could hear the flapping of leathery wings. He looked down and he could see the river and a tiny blue dot moving in the water through the fog.
Then they were falling fast Hephaistion clung tighter to Alexander and then they stopped and he was dumped face down on to something really soft.
He tried sitting but the fumes form the river had made him weak.
"Okay my love," I need you to sign this for Me." said Alexander
Hephaistion felt something being put into his hand and it being guided to a sheet of paper. He couldn't write so he just moved his hand.
Alexander began to laugh and Hephaistion watched as Alexander's golden hair turned into jet black and his eyes darken to almost black.
"Thank you my lovely," he said
From the bed shot out several pairs of hands that pined him down and then there was a heavy weight on his back and then something cold and hot was pressed against his shoulder and he cried out.
Then someone was trying to get him to drink out of a cup but he didn't want to he tossed his head and closed his mouth. But they touched his wounded shoulder and he cried out once more
The liquid was sour and thick and they made him drink it all.
Then the hands let him go and as he laid there he began to forget stuff one by one his memories disappeared all but one that of a golden hair man whose name he forgotten.
Someone was shaking him
"Come on wake up." said a voice
He woke up with a start he was crying.
"What
Did you see?" asked Alexander
"I saw everything." He replied "And."
He didn't finish he just flung himself into
Alexander's open arm
"And I remember everything I am
Hephaistion."
