Beyond the Battles Chapter 5: Miskaelah, an alexander fanfic

Title: "Beyond the Battles"

Author: Baliansword

Chapter: 5, "Miskaelah"

A/N: Again, I hope that everyone enjoys. This is not my normal format, however, I'm trying to create something. So thank you for going through this with me. As always all input, advice, and so forth is welcome.

He was unsure what to do with her as soon as he entered the room. It would have helped if he had created some sort of plan. He had not though. Instead he shut the door behind him and leaned upon it for a moment. She did not seem to notice though. Instead she kept her back to him, her head still up though, which he already knew was unlike the others. She had spirit, and such spirit made something move within him. Silently he stepped past her and glanced around the room, making sure things were in order. The woman did not seem to notice not though. Instead she sat down, when he motioned her to do so, on the Persian couch. But beyond that she did nothing. He could not even concentrate enough to see if she blinked.

"Tell me about your brother," he said finally, hoping that at least this way they would begin to speak. He took a chair and sat opposite of her. There was something about her that intrigued him and scared him at the same time. He wanted to know who she was. Yet he also did not want to know. For if he were to know, then he would be forced to know her as he should not, and then she would come between something he'd worked for all of his life. She'd come between him and Alexander. It was strange, that he could tell all of this, just by looking at her.

"He was killed," she told him again. That was all. No elaboration. Nothing even close to the sort. Instead she kept her eyes on her hands, which were folded upon her lap. Hephaestion stared at her but then tried to focus on something else in the room. Any random point would do but for some reason, and he knew what it was, his eyes kept creeping back to her.

"You're one of Darius' courtesans," he asked. It was an obvious. Yet he could not connect with her. She was not some man that had been captured on the field. He could not beat information out of her. He could not send her to be killed. This was far different. She was far different, and part of him hated it.

"I am," she told him. He stared at her still, and she noted the depth of his eyes when she glanced up. The stare was enough for her to know though. She drew in a slight breath and continued her answer. She told him what he wanted to know. "I belonged to Darius, yes, as property. But never was my body his, nor my soul, and least of all my heart."

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"Where are you from," he asked. He glanced at her though and added, hoping he did not insult her. In no way did he want to. "I only ask because you do not look like most of the Persian women I have seen as of yet."

"Corsica," she answered. "I was brought here when I was very young. My father died in this country from malaria. My mother in another childbirth. I was the only survivor of a caravan of explores all looking for profit in this land. There are many that have come here before your Alexander."

"But how did you end up here?"

"You mean how did I find myself in Darius' bed?"

He nodded. "I suppose. But I am not asking to be cruel. I just ask so that I may know you. I am not like some of the others. I'm sure you understand the differences of one man to another."

"Darius never had me," she continued. "When I came to Babylon I was brought by one man that had outlived the rest. He sold me for a good price. Yet he died from the drink upon that day. I was taken to a man that said that he could give me a good life. He said I was a beauty and a wonder, and would make a wonderful dancer, or anything else that I put my body to. It was that, or he would let me go, in this foreign world. So I took his offer as any wise person would do and came to the palace. I was trained in many arts, mainly those of pleasure, and was to be given to Darius as a gift a fortnight from now."

"What about Bagoas?"

She shrugged, "What would you like to know about him? I know very little. Like I he is young, and therefore we came to look out for one another. Until your people came things were fine."

Hephaestion stared at her before he stood and went to pour himself a cup of water. He was not sure what to say to her. She was not even one of these Persians. Although he wanted to tell her that they were not his people, nor were they hers. They were just people. That was what Alexander came here hoping for, to unite both words, but even Hephaestion had his doubts. Over time maybe. Yet clearly this change would not come quickly.

"Would you like something to drink," he asked.

"If you want me," she said without any emotion, "you have but to ask. I would take no offense if that is what you want me for. I would be rather honored in fact. You are better than many of them could have been."

"That is not what you are to me," he told her. It wasn't either. He came back to the chair and sat. With him he'd brought a cup of water which he held out for her to take. She stared at him for a moment but then reached out and took it. She drank deeply, as if she hadn't in some time. "I just did not want to see you throw your life away so quickly. Angering Alexander is unwise."

"What life do I have now? I was a slave and now I am another slave, just to another man."

"You are not my slave. I do not have slaves. There is an air about you that I like, I admit. Yet I have no claim to your body. I have no claim to you. As soon as I can convince Alexander that you are not any type of threat to him you will be able to do as you wish. In the mean time, I wanted to know about your brother, as well as your accusations."

"And what do my accusations mean to you?"

He leaned forward and smiled softly. More to himself than her. He glanced down at the cup in his hands before he leaned back. A small laugh escaped him but he then looked up at her. She stared at him with unchanging eyes but he knew that she was taking every bit of him in. It hit him who she reminded him of just then. She reminded him of Olympias. They had the same spirit it seemed, and both were beautiful, yet both deserved to be feared in their own respect.

"In all the world there will never be a king that can do everything himself," he told her. She'd given him a little piece of her life. Why not give her some of his own in return? "Alexander has a vast army and vast lands. He cannot be everywhere at once. So wherever we go he appoints advisors, leaves people in charge of things. But the army he gives over to Cassander, Cleitus, and I when he is not in battle. Sometimes even when we are in battle. When it comes to matters such as yours, and any accusations about any man in our command, then I am the one that finds out the roots of such matters. Therefore, anything that you have a concern about involving this army, becomes my concern. But alas, he could not be your brother, but even if not a relation of yours he was a relation of someone. I would like to know if there was foul play in his death as much as you, or any other that knows of this attack, would want to know."

"Be careful," she warned quietly. "Some may start to think that you are the king."

Cassander's PoV

He comes out to stand by me as I throw small stones into one of the Persian fountains. There are large golden fish swimming in this fountain. They also inhabit every pond that I have yet seen. As he approaches me I hand him my handful of pebbles and he tosses a gray stone into the fountain as well. We do it not to be disrespectful, but to clear I thoughts. I turn my head and glance at his profile. Sometimes I wonder why I have not taken him into my bed as a lover. I think everyone would understand it. But, then again, he and I have the same problem. We are both in love with Hephaestion Amyntor, and Hephaestion loves only Alexander.

Kasir is beautiful, and sometimes I wonder why I love Hephaestion when I look at him. He is built the same way. His hair is the same length, just a dark black, and his eyes have the same depth even though they are green. Kasir has fuller lips and perhaps rougher hands from wielding a sword for so long. He is not a commander like Hephaestion and I. He belongs in the phalanx. I wish though that I could find a way to get him some kind of horse, or another position, so that he did not need to fight. He is so handsome, just like Hephaestion, apart from the scar on the palm of his left hand. Once, when he was knocked to the ground, he used his hand to shove a blade away from him. The cut had been deep, gotten infected even, but here he was. The gods left him with me for some reason. Before he notices that I am looking at him he looks away.

"I hear that even Hephaestion has taken one of the Persian harlots into his chambers," Kasir tells me as he tosses another stone into the fountain. "Yet you are out here. That is strange."

"It is too early in the day to be bedding Persian women," I assure him. There is a quick smirk that touches his lips but he pushes it away. We both do. Love is not something that we are ready to admit just yet. We don't even really love Hephaestion. We just, I suppose, want to find out what we're missing. But love is something completely different.

"I like your current look."

I reach up and touch my nose. It is still sore from where I hit the floor. But at least it is not broken, just close to it. There is also not much swelling or blackening around my eyes. I've told most it is from the battle. Only those that know me well, sadly like Kasir, know that such an answer is a lie. I glance over at him and he tossed the handful of pebbles into the fountain. He then takes a step closer to me, and wraps his arms around my neck and waist, and pulls me to him. The kiss he bestows upon me is deep, full of ravaging passion, but it does not last long enough. He lets me go and with a simple flutter of the lashes leaves. As he steps away he takes my hand, only letting it go when he is out of reach.

It means the same thing that it always does. He will allow me entrance to his tent if I am to go to him. I should do it. I know that I should do it but I have not yet done so. After all this time, close to a year now, I have never gone to him. For a moment I close my eyes and let out my breath. It is midday, and there are things I should do, but there is only one thing I want to do. Yet, again, I do not do it. Instead I go on to my duties. But I also vow that I shall be in Kasir's embrace before long. These are no longer the times of war, just the after effects, but I still desire to be with Kasir. I have waited for all of my life to be with someone like him, at least when it comes to men.

"Just do me the favor of staying here," Hephaestion said as he stood. He watched her rise as well before she went and sat down in a corner. Already he'd told her to go on as she normally would. She just could not be out of the room. Others wondered about her but he was going to go and tell Alexander not to. She was just a slave, same as the rest, just she posed no threat. She wanted only her freedom.

Hephaestion made his way to Alexander's chambers. Upon entering he cast a glance at Bagoas. Bagoas took a step away from Alexander and put the comb he'd been using down. Alexander said something to him in Persian, which he already was trying to learn, and then Bagoas bowed his head. After doing so he left. As he passed Hephaestion, the other could tell that the slave feared him, but he was not sure why. Did he dislike the idea that Alexander would likely end up spending nights in his arms, yes. But would he ever do anything to harm the Persian? No, for that would only hurt Alexander as well.

"What have you found out?"

"Harmless," Hephaestion said as he wrapped an arm around Alexander, who still sat. He pressed a kiss to his neck then and Alexander tilted his head back. Hephaestion met his lips and kissed him softly. When the kiss ended he picked up the comb and continued where Bagoas had left off.

"You shouldn't have to do that," Alexander told him.

"I like to," Hephaestion said as he continued. Alexander smiled, for he knew that he did, and he himself did not mind the feeling. He glanced away for a moment though, remembering the woman that he'd just given him. What was her name? Oh yes, Miskaelah.

"What will you do with her?"

"With who, Miskaelah?"

"Yes."

Hephaestion shrugged, "I do not know. I believe that she is harmless to you. She is just a slave like the rest of them. She doesn't get along with the others though. Bagoas seems to be the only one that she has any connection with. Why? What would you have me do with her?"

"Perhaps, you could give us a son."

"Again with that," he said with a laugh as he picked up another chunk of Alexander's hair. He shook his head for a moment, almost laughing, but continued to work out the knots of battles. "Every time your mother pesters you about it, somehow you manage to pester me about it."

"I know," Alexander sighed. "Forgive me for it. I just hope that you get what you need out of life. Sometimes I fear that you follow me so much, you forget to do things that I should be doing."

"You will have children some day Alexander. I know you will," Hephaestion assured him. He stopped combing and put his chin upon Alexander's head and stared into the mirror with him. "Just because your parents were not the best does not mean that you will be like them. You're nothing like either of them already. What makes you think you'd be like them in parenting?"

"I just want you to be happy as well."

"I am happy," he assured him once more. "I'm with you."

"Just promise me, that if you get the opportunity and for some reason I do not see it, then take it. Don't make me force you. But if Miskaelah turns out to be something more than just another slave you're trying to liberate, do not let me hold you back. I wish you a son."

"When the time comes, I promise, I will give you a son."

Alexander smiled and tilted his head back once more. He kissed Hephaestion softly and then let him get back to his hair. Already he hoped that Miskaelah would be the one to bear Hephaestion a son. Not only would the child be beautiful, but hopefully wise like Hephaestion. But he knew that there was so much that they were going to have to do. Persia needed their attention now. He just hoped that Hephaestion and he would still have time for one another. Let alone, if he were to have a child, he'd first have to get time alone with Miskaelah. Hephaestion may just want to liberate her and free her. Alexander on the other hand hoped that she would be the one to carry Hephaestion's child. That was the true reason he'd given her to him. He wanted for Hephaestion to have a child, so that in essence, they could have a child.

A/N: Thank you again for reading. Please review. If I don't get back to you immediately forgive me, I currently have just gotten my wisdom teeth out, and my lower jaw really hurts! Hope all is well with you though, and that you enjoyed this update!