Chapter 1

I had ten when my father had taken me with him to court of King Phillip of Macedonia.

I was nervous the king was known to have a short temper and could have you whipped over the littlest of things.
As we approached the palace I stopped my horse and stared in awe at the huge white building letting my father get ahead.

"HEPHAISTION!" my father shouted causing me to jump "hurry up the king doesn't like to be kept waiting."

We were shown to drawing room were the king was waiting. As I tried to follow my father he stopped me and crouched so that he was eye level with me.
"You wait here I have a personal matter to attain to."
He stood up and went into the room closing the door behind him leaving me to stare at the wooded floral designs that decorated it.
I stood there for a while with my ear to the door hoping to hear what was being said but the thickness of the door muffed their voices so I hung my head in disappointment and went to sit on one of the high back wooden chair that lined one side of the opposite wall.
An hour later my father was still in the room and I was getting bored, I had tried to pass the time by talking to the servants as they went in or out of the drawing room but they refused to talk to me saying it was not permitted.
I was sat on my hands to stop me biting my fingernail's and was sat so back in the chair my feet couldn't reach the floor, I was idlely swing them back and forth when suddenly there was the sound of running feet filled the corridor.
A boy about my ages with blonde hair dressed in a blue chriton came running passed followed by the calls of "Alexander."
Alexander looked at me, smiling as put his finger to his lips and climbed into a wooden chest closing the lid.
Soon a round woman with salt and pepper hair came following still calling Alexander's name.
I looked away from the chest when she stopped in front of me; her face was flushed and small beads of sweat glistened on her forehead.
"Have you seen a boy run this way?" she panted I managed to keep a straight face "He went that way." I said pointing to the door at the other end she nodded her thanks and went after the boy.
I made sure she had gone before I went over to the chest and opened it
"You can come out now." I said

Alexander stood up brushed himself down and climbed out.
He looked at me with brown eyes and we both bust out laughing, we laughed so hard that tears ran down our faces and we gasped for air.
"My name is Alexander." he said when we got our breaths back.
"Hephaistion." I said shaking his held out hand

Alexander sat down on the chair I had just been sat on.
"So why are you here?" he asked

"My father seeing the king on a …" I did the best impression of my father "Personal matter."
Alexander laughed but we were interrupted by the sound of the door opening.
"Prince Alexander there you are." said the lady from before
I looked dumbstruck at Alexander his brown eyes turned to meet mine he smiled and shrugged
The lady began towards us and Alexander grabbed my wrist and pulled me along after him as ran off in the opposite direction.

In the next chapter. Alexander dares Hephaistion