Chapter 20 The Long Sleep
Alexander and Hephaistion travelled all over the ancient world.
They went to Rome, Cathage, Sicily they want to Arabia where the stopped for a while.
They could hardly contain their excitement when they found the world was bigger than the first imagined.
They crossed oceans to far and distant land some of them they liked some of them they didn't.
The world changed around them yet time passed them slowly and they became bored and tied.
So they decided to returned back to there native Greece and settle in Athens.
Alexander was pacing one day and he was bored. Bored of watching people died bored of watching the same problems the same everything he sighed.
"Hello." Said a voice behind him
Alexander jumped up and spun around but he relaxed when he saw the old man sat in one of the chairs, before he could stop himself Alexander knelt on one knee causing the old man to laugh
"You don't have to do that." he said
Alexander quickly scrambled up "Where are you here?" he asked
"We felt you displeasure," the man replied "And I have come to offer some help."
Alexander's hope began to build "What kind of help?" he asked
"I and the others have decided to offer you and Hephaistion what we like to call the long sleep." The old man said
Alexander frowned "The long sleep," he echoed "What's that?"
"Well," the old man began to explain "Basically you drink this drink and you fall into a deep sleep for as long as you want."
"I see," Alexander said flatly "For as long as you want."
The old man simply nodded "If it is any consolation
it helps heal emotional wounds." he said reaching over to pat
Alexander's arm.
Alexander bowed his head and stared at the
floor, he was very tempted to say yes but he wants to ask Hephaistion
first.
Just then Hephaistion came into the room rubbung the sleep away from his eyes he stopped when he saw the old man.
"What's he doing here?" he asked
Alexander come over and put his arm around his waist.
"It's alright he has come to offer us a bit of help." Alexander told him calmly
Hephaistion looked at the old man then back at Alexander "Have you agreed?" he asked
Alexander shook his head "No I was waiting to ask you." Then he turned to the old man "Can you give us a minute."
The old man stood up "Of course." And with that he went out the front door.
Leaving Alexander and Hephaistion to discuss.
They came outside a few second later pleased with what they had decided together.
"We decided to take your offer." Alexander said
The old man looked at Hephaistion who nodded and the old man smiled
"Well in that case follow me." the man said
They seemed to walk on forever and ever, they passed fields that had horses in them, they crossed streams and tops of waterfalls till they arrive in a wood and followed the old man to its centre where stood a little wooden hut.
"Welcome to my home." the old man said opening the door and inviting them in.
Hephaistion and Alexander stared at wonder at the room which was laid out before them.
The centre of the room was a huge round bed with dozen of cushion in all the colours, incense burned and soft music played in the background.
"Now you don't have to worry about people finding this place it is well hidden." the old man said "And I will give this to and take my leave."
He gives Alexander a glass vial with a thick gold liquid that shimmered in the light and t o leave but stopped
"Oh before I forget," he said "I'll be here when you wake up." and with that he was gone
Alexander and Hephaistion spent the next couple of hours kissing and cuddle before the sat up and poured the Gold liquid into the goblets that on the table. They down it in one and flopped back on to the bed and snuggled up close, Hephaistion was the first to fall asleep and was soon joined by Alexander.
As they slept the ancient world changed, their moments turned to runs some were abonded other swept away by natural disasters, the people who they had meet in there travels had passed into the next life some into legend. The world opened up to, huge tall ships carried a whole new set of characters to the ancient world come to see the mythical land of heroes and monsters.
It was around late 17th century when Alexander stirred from his deep sleep, he had dream of peaceful things. He found himself with one arm resting on top of Hephaistion's head and the other arm draped over his waist.
After years of practise of slipping in and out of the bed without waking Hephaistion Alexander untangled himself and lent up on one elbow He reached over and began to genteelly to slide two fingers down Hephaistion nose.
He loved it when Hephaistion stirred and wrinkled his nose then woke up when he saw Alexander he smiled.
"Morning," he said stretching
"Morning."
"Well I thought you two would never wake up." came the voice of the old man causing Alexander and Hephaistion to scrambling up there cheeks a bit red with embarrassment.
The old man jumped out of the seat he had been seating and began to talk rapid as he went over to the big wardrobe and flung it open.
"Come on you have lots to explore the world change a lot since you were around I mean a lot."
He came out with two costume and held them up, Alexander and Hephaistion stare at the clothes, they were nothing like the tunics and chriton of there day.
Both were a long coat which was worn over a long waist coat with cropped trousers and came with a lace collar. The old man flung the blue and pink one at Alexander and the green and blue one at Hephaistion who just looked blankly at each other not anything where to start.
An hour or two later they were dressed in their new clothes. Alexander jacket was blue with light pink sleeves and the waist coat and cropped trousers were a light pink where as Hephaistion's Jacket was a light blue with a light green sleeves. The old man went to stand in front of a mirror and called Hephaistion and Alexander over he said a word which had been all but forgot and in the mirror he saw Alexander and Hephaistion what had happened while they had been gone.
Then they were ready the old man gave them a big floppy hat with a feather design and walked them to the door
"Don't worry you'll both be fine and remember we will always be here if you need us." he said and with that he was gone.
Alexander looked at Hephaistion and smiled as they stepped into the new world.
