Chapter 17 Alexander's Son
Author's notes In this chapter I have turned to Mary Renault's Funeral Games. I needed a playmate for Alexander's son so I decide to use Alexander's brother Arridaios who later on in the book became king after his brother Alexander and became Phillip the 3rd.
They were stood on the dock saying their goodbyes to Alexandria and Ptolemy. The pharaoh had given them money and clothes.
"Oh and one last thing," the pharaoh said
He lifted up his hand and pulled off the amber and gold ring, he lifted up Alexander left hand and slide it on his finger
"Here, he said "I believe this is yours."
Alexander looked down at the ring and smiled it felt good to have it back on and he would never lose it again.
They boarded the ship that would take them back to Babylon; they stood on its deck till Alexandria had faded into the distance.
The first couple of day the journey was uneventful then there was a huge storm that tossed the boat and everyone was drafted in to help keep the boat afloat, by some miracle they made it till morning where the sea calmed and they could carry out repairs to the hull and sail post.
Alexander and Hephaistion kept themselves to themselves and were among the survivors of a disease that plagued the ship as they seemed immune.
They finally arrived in Babylon
"Now what?" asked Hephaistion?
Alexander looked around as if he had never been to Babylon before; he chewed on his bottom lip.
"Well… well we have to…to." he said stumbling over his words
He didn't have a clue what to do next as they walked down the street and in to the market square Alexander noticed a lot of new faces and a lot of new things, he knew things would change after his had died but what amazed him more was how fast things had changed.
As he walked passed a market stall that was selling scarves and other pieces of clothing Alexander stopped and let Hephaistion get a head of him.
When he realised that Alexander wasn't with him Hephaistion stopped and looked over his shoulder, Alexander was looking at some clothes and Hephaistion quickly rejoin him.
"I have to get in the palace," Alexander whispered so that the owner of the stall couldn't hear
"You mean through the secret entrance?" Asked Hephaistion
Alexander shook his head "No that would be too risky," he replied "I mean things might have changed guards where there was no guards that sort of thing."
Hephaistion nodded his head in agreement "So what do we do?"
Alexander called the owner over to them.
"I have an idea," he replied
A couple hours later Alexander was dress in blue trousers and a white shirt that was tied at his waist with a red cord and on his feet were brown fabric boots soled with brown leather. Hephaistion cut his hair short and smeared his face and hands with dirt.
The plan was Alexander would go to the place and offer his services no matter what while Hephaistion would wait in the abandoned hut they had found within walking distance of the palace.
Alexander was about to go out when Hephaistion stopped him.
"Are you forgetting something?" he asked
Alexander thought and took off his pendent and handed it to Hephaistion who placed it around his neck with his but the look on Hephaistion face made him think again, He looked down at his hand and saw the ring
"But," he began but Hephaistion cut him off
"We can't have a peasant wearing a ring of a king." he said taking Alexander's hand and pulling the ring off and placing it on his finger then he gave him a kiss on the cheek and pushing him towards the door.
Alexander stood in front of the servant entrance of the palace. He hesitant before knocking on the door.
There was no reply when he knocked the first time; there was still no reply when he knocked the second and third time.
He was about to turn away when the flap at the top of the door opened and face appeared.
"Yes," the man said
"I am a poor peasant come to offer my services." Alexander replied
The man study him through the hole in the door
"And what you think that we have anything for you." he spat
Anger began to fill Alexander and he had to bite down hard on his tongue to stop himself from yelling "Who do you think you are talking to."
"I…. er …" he stammered
"Be off with you and don't come back." the man yelled as he slammed the flap shut.
Alexander stood there he had to get in to the palace he knocked again
The flap opened again
"I told you there is nothing for you now go away," the man said "or I'll come out there and make you leave."
"Please sir I don't want any trouble I'll accept anything you have." Alexander begged
The flap slammed shut and there was the sound of the door unlocking and Alexander stepped back as the door flung up and the man came out.
Alexander could tell that he was a lot younger than he first thought he was dressed pretty much the same as Alexander. He grabbed Alexander by the scruff of the neck
"You just don't get it do you!" he snarled "I told you there is nothing here."
He balled up his fist and was about to strike out when somebody grabbed hold of the man wrist
"Stand down soldier," the man said
The soldier let go of Alexander's collar and shoved him away.
"What is going on here." the newcomer asked
The solider looked at Alexander and then at the newcomer who clearly outranked him.
"Nothing sir." he replied
"Well move along," the newcomer said "I deal with this."
The officer gave one evil look at Alexander then left and the General turned to Alexander he was must have been another newbie as Alexander did not recognise him either.
The General was a lot nicer then the solider; at first he denied that there was anything for him at the palace even the little jobs. Alexander was about to turn away when he was stopped by the general
"Wait!" he called "How good are you with horses."
Alexander turned he knew quite a bit from looking after Bucephalus.
"I know quiet a bit." he replied
"Excellent." the General replied
He opened the door and let Alexander in to the palace grounds.
Being back brought back memories some painful some happy he just followed the General not really listing. As he walked he scenes played out in his memory, there were several horses in there already and they stopped right outside the empty stall where Bucephalus used to be kept. Alexander brushed the top of the stall and he died inside.
"This is where you will sleep," the general was saying "It will be your job to clean and muck out the horses and make sure that they are ready to ride."
Alexander nodded "Thank you sir." He bowed
The General nodded and left, Alexander opened the stall and stepped in.
He brushed away a tear and went over to the corner where he would hide from his father's temper with Bucephalus near by; he slid down the wall and hugged his knees.
He had been there a couple of weeks when he saw his son.
Alexander had been swiping out one of the chestnut stalls when there came the sound of laugher from the courtyard. Alexander stopped swiping and went to stand behind the door and watched from the gap.
He looked more like his mother with his ivory complexion, determined grey eyes and raven black hair. He was running around and hiding behind things then came the sound of somebody else running
"Alexander Alexander wait for me." the person called
Alexander heart stopped as the person came running it to the courtyard it was his brother Arridaios.
What was he doing out Alexander thought
Alexander never let his brother out with out someone with him in case he had one of his fits
"Alexander Alexander where are you come back," he begged
The younger Alexander was hiding behind a box when Arridaios came closer the young boy jumped out and Arridaios let out a scream and the young boy laughed.
Then somebody came running out calling "Your highness."
At first Alexander thought the speaker was talking to the boy but he got a shock when a soldier came up and spoke directly to Arridaios.
No no it's not possible Alexander thought over and over again how that is possible Arridaios wasn't king or was he, Alexander had warned his brother about the dangers of becoming king.
"But I want to say and play." Arrodaios said in a whiny voice
"Please your majesty." the soldier said taking him by the arm.
"Don't worry Uncle I shall be here when you get back." said the younger boy
Arridaios nodded and held his head as he was led away.
The boy sat on a box he had been hiding behind and began to swing his legs kick the side of it.
Alexander slowly crept out from behind the back of the door as he did so he anciently brushed against the wall which knocked off the hay fork and sent it crushing to the floor.
The young boy jumped off the box in surprise then crept closer to the stable.
"Hello!" he called
Alexander was stood looking at the hay folk when the boy entered the stable
"Hello." he said to Alexander
"Hello young man," Alexander replied back
"You're new what's you name?" asked the boy
"I'm Ale," Alexander began but stopped he didn't want to give his name in case there was some body about who might recognise him he thought about giving Hephaistion's name but thought against it "I'm Alexios." He said
"My name is Alexander," the boy said "I am named after my father."
Alexander arched his eye brow "Oh." was all he could manage
The boy continued he nodded his head "My father died before I was born but my mother has told me so much about him."
Yet again all he could say was "Oh." and he wondered how much of what Roxane had told their son was true he decided to find out.
"Tell me about him?" he asked the boy
It turned out that what Roxanne had told him about his father was correct and all true after Alexander had told him about his father; Alexander showed him how to groom the horses and told him a story about a boy who once had a black stallion.
Time passed and an oldest round lady came looking for the young prince. She was shocked to find him with the stable hand she grabbed hold of the boy by the scruff of the neck and pulled him away.
"Come your highness you should not be mingling with this sort." She said giving Alexander a cold stare the boy managed a quick wave before he was whisked away.
