Title: "Beyond the Battles"

Author: Baliansword

Chapter: 2, "Persia and her Beauty"

A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews. Noted, this chapter is not a PoV. Also, if you like PoVs, go and see "The New World" with Colin Farrell. A lot of the movie is PoV but it is wonderful! Alas, that is why this chapter was not up sooner. Sorry! But I had to go support Colin.

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He knew even before he stepped out onto the balcony that it was he. His footsteps were always the same no matter how he came to him. Even in knowing that it was he Hephaestion glanced over his shoulder. After a quick glance he looked away though. His arms were crossed and he gazed out at Persia. He tried to keep a straight face as Alexander put a gentle hand on his shoulder and placed a kiss upon his neck before he leaned against the ledge. Alexander put his arms on the ledge and leaned over to see the world below, and then looked out at the city. Yet Hephaestion's laugh distracted him and Alexander was soon looking over his shoulder at Hephaestion.

"Ah," Hephaestion sighed softly. His arms were still crossed over his chest as if he could protect himself from his feelings. Such acts only made Alexander laugh lovingly inward at him. "It still is just so overwhelming."

"Tell me."

"It is just that you've worked so long for this Alexander. For years you've been speaking of Persia and now here she is. We stand on her ground, have taken the palace, and now we look out at her people. She is just as beautiful as you promised she would be. I just still do not believe that this day has come."

"We knew that it would," Alexander agreed. He stood and then turned to face Hephaestion. He approached, putting a hand on Hephaestion's cheek, and kissed leaned in to kiss him. He silenced him with one kiss, leaving him breathless, and eagerly wanting more. Yet Hephaestion was not one to fall easily to desire and that was another one of his endearing qualities. After giving him such a kiss Alexander pressed another to his forehead, which Hephaestion gladly gave him, and then took his hand. He led him into the room, leaving the drapes to the balcony open, and stared around the room. Everything seemed to be inlaid with gold or some rare jewel. It was beautiful, truly.

"There is no other I would share this with," Alexander told him as he let go of his hand and then turned and looked at him. Hephaestion only smiled and cast his eyes down for a moment. When he looked back up he did so through his lashes, his cerulean eyes glowing. Alexander closed the space between them though, and threw his arms around Hephaestion, one around his neck and the other around his waist. Hephaestion melted quickly in his embrace and put his own arms around Alexander and held him to him.

"We're in Persia," Alexander laughed as he held Hephaestion, his lips brushing against his neck, his hand wound in his hair. The excitement was starting to creep up on him too. Alexander then pulled slightly away so that he could kiss Hephaestion again. He crooked his head, then pushed Hephaestion's back slightly so that they were even. Holding him closely to him he pressed his lips hard against him. Yet for as hard as he kissed him the tenderness was there, along with the lust and the eagerness. Hephaestion smiled at Alexander as the kiss ended, their foreheads still pressed together, and Alexander's hand was still clinging to Hephaestion.

"This is all I have ever wanted," Hephaestion then whispered. Alexander was confused upon his meaning. It must have shown for Hephaestion soon elaborated. All the while he smiled as if he were a child that had just received a new toy for his birthday. "You finally have all that you've ever wanted, and in life, that is all I've ever wished to see."

"No," he disagreed with the shake of his head. "I do not have everything that I have wanted. There is nothing that I want more than you."

"You've always had me Alexander." Alexander leaned closer, kissing him once more. This time he made it apparent what his intentions were. If they were not clear enough Hephaestion added an erotic whispered suggestion into Alexander's ear. "But never on Persian sheets."

As he had said this Alexander had been kissing his neck, and as Hephaestion whispered into his ear he laughed, and in doing so lightly bit his neck. Hephaestion did not mind it though. Instead, he only pulled Alexander closer to him. Alexander brought his lips to Hephaestion though, and as he slid his tongue into his mouth, he began to slide Hephaestion's silk robe from his shoulders. He had wonderful shoulders, muscled and tanned perfectly, yet nothing that would note him as neither too strong nor too weak. Instead he was a perfect middle.

Alexander put his hand on the small of Hephaestion's back as the robe fell to the floor. He pulled him to him, and felt all of him pressed against him. His bare chest pressed to Alexander's, which was bare apart from his own robe, and at the mere touch Alexander felt his loins weaken. It did not matter that he felt as if he was going to fall to the floor. For Hephaestion held him, and in the end had lifted him up by his buttocks, and Alexander wrapped his legs around him. It was odd, that so many noted Alexander's power, but it was Hephaestion that always was the one to make him weak.

It never took Hephaestion long to have Alexander in some sort of compromising position. Yet tonight something was different and he was taking more time than ever. He placed Alexander down, and leaned him back, and leaned over him himself. His long hair trailed over Alexander's chest as he pressed light kisses against his chest. Alexander let out a stifled moan as Hephaestion ran his tongue down the center of Alexander's chest, stopping at his navel, and sliding his tongue into his navel in a very suggestive manner. Alexander lifted his chest slightly but Hephaestion only pushed him down against the sheets. Alexander sat up, wrapping his legs around Hephaestion's lower waist, and let Hephaestion continue to kiss at a small scar on his left side.

Hephaestion continued to kiss him, making his way back to one of Alexander's erected nipples, and ran his tongue over that. Alexander tilted his head back, a hand in Hephaestion's hair, and let out another breath of air. Hephaestion was all that he ever cared for, all that he ever wanted. Not even all of the world would ever change his mind about that. After a few moments of kissing his chest Hephaestion slid his thumbs in Alexander's waistband and started to remove them. Alexander did not mind doing the same to Hephaestion. Yet none of this mattered, for their love ran deeper than this. The only thing that mattered was the meaning of it, and the knowledge that their love was so deep, and that it could never be taken away.

Alexander pushed himself up on one elbow finally and stared down at Hephaestion. The candle by the bed was just enough to illuminate his face. Alexander, careful not to wake him, put a finger on Hephaestion's jaw and just ran a finger over the high cheekbones and soft skin. There was nothing that he did not love about him. Yet staring at him now was what he wanted most in the world. To know that he was there was the greatest gift of all.

"Of all the world," Alexander said as he stared down at him, "nothing could ever measure up to you. Not even Persia and all of her beauty."

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The night before….

Alexander stared at him for a great deal of time before he finally slid out of bed. He left the sheet over Hephaestion and picked up his trousers. They were lying on the floor and next to them was the robe. He dressed quietly and then went around the bed. He silently leaned over the candle, staring at Hephaestion as he did so, and blew out the flame. After doing so he quietly slipped out of the room. He went down the hall and it took him no time at all to end up in the great dining all. As he'd suspected there would be, there was one that had not gone to their room. Alexander laughed quietly as he passed Cassander who only groaned as he slid off of the couch he'd been lying on.

"I didn't mean to wake you," Alexander said as Cassander looked up at him. He was lying face down on the floor. When he looked up hair draped over his face. Yet as he lifted his head there was a thin trail of blood streaming from his nose. Cursing softly Alexander approached him, wondering why he'd drunk so much tonight, which he at most times did not do. Unless he was angry, or it was the day after a battle, or if…alright. So he drank like this all of the time. Yet normally he ended up in his own bed.

"I thought you went with Hephaestion," Cassander said as Alexander helped him up. Alexander sat him on the couch and picked up a cloth napkin that was on the floor. Carefully he wiped the blood away from Cassander's nose and then applied some pressure. Cassander winced.

"It may be broken," Alexander told him. Cassander only laughed. He took the cloth from Alexander and held it himself. Alexander stood and went to get a cup of water for Cassander. It was easy to find the water pitcher. It was the only one that was not drained of its contents. He brought the cup to Cassander and handed it to him.

"I thought you would still be on your hands and knees," Cassander said as he took a drink. It was like him to be crude at times. Alexander did not fault it of him though. He had been raised like this from his father. He simply, was Cassander and that was all he could be. Deep down, he was jealous, and Alexander knew. Hephaestion knew. Everyone knew that there was some odd love triangle between them but it was also known that to this point only Alexander had left Hephaestion's bed. Hephaestion remained Alexander's, and from the fear of that, Alexander had done many stupid things.

"Calm yourself."

"I am calm," Cassander said as he tilted his head back. Alexander sat down next to him and sighed. After a few moments Cassander glanced over at him. That was his apology. "Is he content with Persia?"

"We all are," Alexander said with a smile. He looked over at Cassander and nodded. "Yes, he is content with Persia. Sometimes I wonder why he followed me all this way. Then I thank the gods."

"Why aren't you with him then?"

"I can't stay with him for an entire night," Alexander confided. Maybe it was the air that made him do so. Perhaps it was just Persia. But for a moment he felt like he could tell his secrets to Cassander. However, Cassander would probably never recall this conversation, just awaken in the morning with a close to broken nose.

"Why?"

"Because if I go to sleep with him by my side, he may not be there when I awaken. Then it will just be a dream."

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Hephaestion yawned and then opened his eyes slowly. He rolled over, expecting to find the bed empty as he always did. Yet he was not alone. Instead, Alexander slept soundly next to him, for the first time in seven years. He silently leaned over and pressed a kiss to Alexander's forehead. Without opening his eyes Alexander put a hand over Hephaestion's side and Hephaestion willingly scooted closer to him.

"Hold me," Alexander whispered and Hephaestion obliged. Alexander, after a moment, opened his eyes and looked up at Hephaestion. There was a soft smile crossing his lips and he pressed a light kiss against Hephaestion's lips. "I came back. I couldn't leave you tonight."

"I never have asked you to."

"I know," Alexander agreed with a soft whisper as he closed his eyes again. Hephaestion kissed the top of Alexander's head and held him. Then, after some time, he closed his own eyes. They were in Persia. Things would be different now. However, at the moment, he liked things just the way they were.