True Friends part 7

Something wet splashed on to my face, I opened one eyes and blinked the wetness out of my eye and found myself looking up into blue sky.

It was day, I sat up but was hit by a wave of dizziness. I closed my eyes trying to make the world stop spinning, which it did after a couple of seconds.

I touched my head and found my fingers come away red, though I was score I knew that nothing was broken.

I slowly stood up and looked around, I found myself at the bottom of a bank and it was raining lightly and I remembered the outlaws, where they still up there, where they still looking for me.

I moved slowly through the forest, though it was day it was still hard to find my way around.

Maybe I would stay lost forever, never knowing if the outlaw's words about Alexander were true.

I don't know how long I wondered but I found myself wondering out of the forest and straight into the path of an oncoming cart.

I was so comfortable that I did want to wake up, but something in in my mind told me that I had to.

I slowly opened one eye followed by the other and looked around.

I was in a room that was beautifully decorated with mosaic surfaces soft furnishing and wooden furniture.

I lay there for a second taking in my surrounding when suddenly the door open and in came Olympias, Alexander's mother followed by a servant.

I had done it; I had managed to get from Athens to Pella.

"Ah, I see you are awake." she said "Hungry?" Sitting down on the bed.

I sat up and nodded my head and she turned to the servant and gave instructions to get food.

In a fury of speech I was asking questions about Alexander, but Olympias simply put up her hands and waved me shh.

"Alexander is recovering, he had a nasty fall from his horse." she said

And I began to ask when I could see him but she ignored that one

"It would seem you had quite an adventure yourself young man," she said "If it had not been for your horse we would never have known you were out there."

Of course, just like me and Alexander had taught our horses to Thunder Child had gone and found one that belonged to Alexander.

"Then of course you give that farmer a scare wondering out like that." she continued "it was they who brought you here."

She stood up and went to leave "Have a few more minutes rest then once you have eaten you can see Alexander."

I lent back in the fluffy pillows and closed my eyes.

Alexander was sat up in bed with his head, ribs and hand wrapped in a bandage.

He still looked pale and ill but when I came into the room his face lit up and he shouted in delight.

"HEPHAISTION!"

I ran as best I could towards the bed and hugged him.

"By gods, they said you were dying, they did, but you not ,you're perfectly fine." I rambled

Alexander held me back with his good hand

"Whose they?" he asked

"The Outlaws." I said "I was captured by Outlaws."

"Outlaws!" Alexander exclaimed eyes going wide

"But I escaped by falling down a bank." I continued "that's how I got this."

I showed him my wound but he just looked at me eyes wide.

"I was brought in by a farmer whose cart I walked in front of."

"You wal…" Alexander began but stopped and just shook his head causing him to wince.

"Never mind you here now."

When my parents found out I had gone a mixture of emotions ran through their minds, so they told me when they came to Pella.

My father was mad for putting my mama through what I had put her through, but he was proud when I told him how I escaped the outlaws. My mama wept a little then, she finally came around and hugged me tightly.

Over the following days I stayed close to Alexander, helping him out into the palace grounds. In my time away several more boys had joined Alexander friendship circle but I didn't need any introduction as Alexander, had told them so much about me, that were all go along.

But history was about to repeat itself.

My father wanted to go back to Athens to finish what he had started, but after my time in Pella and with Alexander I didn't want to go back.

So I took up my protesting again but this time Alexander helped me.

He called my father into his room and told me to wait outside, as I waited I couldn't help but smile as I wondered what was going on inside.

Suddenly I was called in, only to find my father a bit calmer than when he had first gone on.

"Hephaistion," he said "Alexander and I have decided that it would be best if you…"

"No, " I shouted as loud as I could "You can not make me go back, I won't."

I contuied to shout till Alexander said over my noise "You can stay."

That stopped me in my tracks.

"I can stay." I repeated

Alexander nodded and smiled

I hugged my father and Alexander saying thank you over and over again.

I was very sad to see my mama go but she promised to write everyday.

I stood and watched them fade into the distance and felt one or two tears fall down my face.

Alexander came and stood next to me.

"Why, are you crying?" he asked thumbing away a tear

"Because I am happy." I said "I happy because I am here with you and that we are going to do a many a great things you and I ."

"Why's that?" he asked

"I don't know just a feeling that I have." I replied

AND THE REST AS THEY SAY IS HISTORY…….