Title: "Beyond the Battles"

Author: Baliansword

Chapter: 8, "Stages"

A/N: Sorry for the pause in updating. I went through some personal relationship problems, which may account for some of the last chapter, and decided to put this away until I was ready to start again. Rereading the last chapter I don't think that it is exactly like one of the 'Campaigns', yet I do see the reader's concerns about how the chapter presented itself. However, this chapter should correct some of that, or at least I hope it will. Thank you all for the reviews, and I look forward to getting more. Let me know how this comes off.

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"Alexander," he whispered as he leaned over him. He put a hand on his shoulder but decided against shaking him awake. Instead he reached out and pulled a lock of his blond hair away from his face so that he could better stare at his profile. The sun shone down upon him, illuminated his features, and he seemed all the more beautiful. For a moment he watched him, grateful to have him, then whispered his name again.

This time the king slowly opened his eyes. He rubbed the sleep lightly away from his eyes then smiled back up at him. There was an understanding between them that could not be broken. It was unbreakable, even after the things both of them had done last night, for they were truly one. He continued to stare down at him before leaning down and kissing him lightly upon the lips.

"Already the men speak," Hephaestion teased him playfully as he tousled Alexander's hair with a hand before he rose. Alexander shifted, repositioning himself in bed, and yawned lightly. Hephaestion made his way to his things and already was readying his outfit for the day.

"But what do they say," Alexander said as he reached for the goblet of water that sat on the stand next to the bed. It was another of Hephaestion's gifts to him this morning. The water had been warmed, with a drop of honey and thyme put in it as well. Alexander drank it down and watched as Hephaestion laughed at his question.

"Just tell me how he was," Hephaestion told him.

"Different," Alexander said shortly. In truth he did not want to share this experience with Hephaestion. He'd tell him from time to time, when especially Hephaestion knew of his promiscuous activities, yet today was different. There was nothing that he'd stopped loving about Hephaestion and started to love within Bagoas. But something kept him from saying anything more and he was not yet sure truly of what it was.

Hephaestion did not seem to mind in the least the abrupt end to this conversation. Instead he set Alexander's dressing garments down and then held out a hand. Alexander took it gladly and allowed Hephaestion to dress him. There was something far more sensual in this than anything they'd ever done before. Hephaestion placed a faint kiss to his lips when he finished and took his hand. He squeezed it slightly, assuring him of his devotion, and then made his way to the door. Alexander smiled as he watched him go, arms folded, thinking that there was nothing better than Hephaestion in this world.

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Miskaelah turned as the door opened and Hephaestion entered the room. He'd not come back to his rooms all night. This morning he'd been with Alexander and the rest of his commanders, discussing she assumed what to do now with Persia. In the time that he'd been gone she'd felt free enough to go and search out Bagoas. However, she learned quickly that perhaps Hephaestion's warnings were correct, and she should have never left the room. He approached her and the smile that had brought life to this room faded away into a frown. He stopped just before her, slightly in her space, yet not too close to make her feel uncomfortable. Carefully he reached out and with two fingers touched the bruise and small cut just beside her right eye. It was hard not to wince, and she did this.

It was foolish to go looking for Bagoas when there were so many of these Macedonian swine about the palace. All of the civilized ones must have been at Alexander's side. She'd been on her way to Bagoas' rooms when she had been stopped by a tall stranger, yet definitely someone she had not known before, and he'd crudely grabbed her. It was in her nature, even if she'd not known if before, to fight and she had shoved him away. In doing such she'd received this blow to the face. It could have been worse and this was why she'd not complained. Instead she'd remained on the floor until she bowed her head and the man left. Luckily he'd done nothing else to her.

"Who did this," Hephaestion asked in a soothing tone. He drew her by the arm to a chair and sat her immediately down. At first she only looked up at him as he, after leaving her for a moment, pressed a damp and warm cloth against the bruise. She winced initially yet the pain was soothed. Whether it was by his touch or by the warmth she did not know.

"It does not matter," she said faintly and she then reached up and took the cloth from him and held it herself. Hephaestion reached to a tendril of her hair and pushed it away from the bruise. "You told me to stay here and I did not. I hope you are not angry with me."

Her fingers trembled and he reached for her hand. He gently put his hand over hers and relaxed her fingers until she let her hand fall. Hephaestion moved closer to her, kneeling now before her, and carefully looked at the bruise. The cut was small, but in the eyes of a woman it may be considered detrimental. Hephaestion wiped the cut deliberately to see if it still yet bled. It did not though, having been done some time ago, and he then just set the cloth back over it.

"Would you tell me who he was," he asked, "if you saw him?"

She said nothing. Instead she stared at his eyes for a moment. They were the color of the Mediterranean, where the sands met the water, and where the silver fish swam. She remembered this from her childhood, and nothing else, and this must be some sign from some god. Arias reached out and put a hand under his chin and then lifted his head lightly. In the most natural way she then leaned forward, having a height advantage at the moment, and kissed him. At first he was unresponsive but just as she began to draw back his lips took hers. He kissed her softly at first, lips barely touching hers, but even this caused her to grow weak. However this was only the beginning for after a moment of this he then began to kiss her as if he would die did he not.

His lips called to hers, pulling hers to him, and his hand left her cheek and wrapped around her neck. Hephaestion kissed her deeply but leaned back after a moment. He stared at her for a moment and then stood and walked tot he other side of the room. Forcing his thoughts away from her he put the cloth back into the basin of water. She said nothing though, and instead she stood, and went to the bathing room. It was part of her job title here to know what he wanted, and he yearned for a bath, and had since he'd come in the room. She readied the bath and when it was ready she exited, telling him in faint words that he could bathe, and as he did she would take his chifton and any other garments to be washed.

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Hephaestion dried himself and then stepped out of the room. He wore nothing but a robe, yet tied the sash firmly. He expected to see Miskaelah but did not. For a moment he wished he would have told her not to worry with his things. Yet she was now undoubtedly washing what he'd handed her when she'd entered the bathing room. Everything inside of his body ached for her, mentally and physically, when she'd entered.

Unlike him, she seemed to take this all too professionally. She did not cast even a simple glance at him. Instead she picked up the clothing on the chair, which he'd even folded, and then turned and left quickly. Hephaestion watched her go and then slid lower into the tub. The warm water soothed him and he tilted his head back and closed his eyes. He was unsure when it happened but eventually he was asleep, and when he woke his skin pruned, and the water was cool now. Hephaestion ran a hand through his hair now and glanced once more about his chambers.

Again he wondered why he'd been given something so big. He would have been suited fine in a one roomed simple soldier's quarter. Yet Alexander had given most of his command these grand rooms in the palace. Not only did he feel that it was too grand, but it was too large, for he had to walk around for some time before he was sure Miskaelah was gone. There was a writing room even, the bedchamber, the center meeting room, and the bathing room, which was as grand as all the other rooms.

Whereas when he'd started his bath the sun was shining high in the sky it was now beginning to set. Hephaestion went to a wardrobe and found none of his things. They'd all been dirty, but he was not yet ready to wash them. This left him only with a pair of Persian trousers, which he had no problem with, and he slid them on. He kept the robe on but made no move to cover himself further. Just as he was running a hand through his hair again there was a knock at the door. Hephaestion pulled the door open, recognizing one of Alexander's pages, and held it open for him. However the boy declined entry.

"I was told by the king," he began. "To tell you that he requests you go to him before the feasting hall. He has something he'd like to tell you privately."

"Thank you Theais," Hephaestion said. The boy began to leave but Hephaestion drawing a breath caused him to stop. "There is no need to go back and relay such a simple message. I'll go now in fact. Go and have some time to yourself Theais. I doubt Alexander will require you for the rest of the night."

The boy nodded then scurried down the hall. Hephaestion exited the room, shutting the door behind him, and made his way to Alexander's chambers. He entered without knocking, fearing nothing about doing so. Alexander wrapped his arms around him as soon as he came into view. Hephaestion let Alexander kiss him, and denied himself not either. Alexander had that glimmer in his eyes, the one he got when he'd done something he knew would make Hephaestion proud, or perhaps if he'd bought him some grand gift.

"I saw Miskaelah in the hallway," Alexander told him. "I even asked her about the bruise on her cheek."

"I am working on that."

"Yes, but Bagoas planned to dance tonight. He mentioned something to me though, about Miskaelah. Did she tell you yet that she danced?"

"No," Hephaestion said with a shake of the head. Alexander drew him further into the room and sat Hephaestion down on a chair before a mirror. He pulled Hephaestion's hair back and ran his fingers through it. He continued for some time doing this, massaging Hephaestion's scalp as he did so, and continued. He hoped that if he worked at it a few more minutes the dampness would be less.

"She is going to dance tonight," Alexander said as he continued with Hephaestion's hair. He glanced up to see perhaps if he could see any emotion in Hephaestion's eyes but alas could not. He would have to wait and see what would play out before him tonight.