Title: "The Psychology of Chaeronea"

Author: Baliansword

Type: Story

Chapter: 2, "The Victory Feast"

Rating: T for Teen

Warnings: Some violent content, some sexual content.

Summary: Alexander and Hephaestion fight in their first major battle, however, sometimes the battle with what you have done is worse than the battle itself. Hephaestion angers Alexander in a rather interesting way, and then has to make it up to him.

A/N: Wow! Thank you everyone for the reviews. There were more than I was expecting! I hope that everyone will enjoy this, especially Sushoo and Mary, who it was written for.

H/N: The Battle of Chaeronea was the first battle that Alexander and Hephaestion, as well as the rest of their young friends, fought in. I've done other stories about it, but this seems pretty cool too. Alexander would have been 16 and Hephaestion would have been 17, in case anyone needs to know.

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Hephaestion's hands shook as he dipped them into the water. He let out a startled yelp and then pulled his hands back and tried clasping them together. Drawing in another breath he began to pace, for he knew not else what to do. Everything that he had just seen was real. This was not training anymore, the fallen would not get back up. There would be no laughs and jokes made later. In truth, this was nothing more than murder. Stopping suddenly, he reached that exact conclusion. He was a murderer.

Still he heard their screams, those soldiers on the field, which he'd killed. He heard even those that were in no way near to him on the field. There were faces he saw too, faces that were as young as his, and they would not be coming back to expectant mothers. There were fathers that would not return home. There were sons, husbands, grandfathers, uncles, nephews,…the list just kept going as he thought about it. For a moment he tried to think about what it would have been like to have been killed. Who would go to his mother and tell her the news that her only son was dead, killed for a fight he cared nothing for?

"Hephaestion," a voice said, drawing him from his thoughts. He glanced over as Cassander entered the tent, the same bright smile shining from his eager face. He was all too ready to kill. He was all too pleased with himself, and for that, Hephaestion realized that he hated him. He hated that it was fine for him, yet he himself could not even touch a sword without shaking now. He couldn't even look at himself in a reflection of water without seeing blood.

"Come on," Cassander said briskly. "Hurry up so that we can get going. Alexander will be praised for years for this victory. We all will be Hephaestion. We cannot be late to the feast, otherwise, that may change."

"Shut up," Hephaestion said as he clipped a dagger at his side. There was no real reason to do so. It was for show. It seemed as soon as he had removed his fingers from it, the blade fell to the ground. Panicking slightly, Hephaestion knelt and picked it up and tried once more to place it at his side. It fell again, but on the third time, his hand was shaking less. He managed to place it at his side, and this time it stayed.

"Problem," Cassander said with a raised brow.

"No," he answered. He then pushed past Cassander and exited the tent. Cassander followed close behind, more than ready to bask in his glorious win today. It was not his. It truly belonged to Alexander. Yet sometimes Cassander became confused about who he was, and what his name titled him.

Hephaestion stepped past a group of younger men, who had at least seen battle before, as he closed in on the heart of the action. Already Alexander was lifting a goblet of what Hephaestion knew was wine. He drank it down and then let out another victory cry. There was something about the sight of it that made Hephaestion's stomach turn. He didn't want to see Alexander like this. The boy that he knew, the boy that he loved, would not take so much joy in the slaughter of others. Alexander shouted something to the soldiers around him, but Hephaestion could not hear him. He also was unsure if he wanted to, either.

"Hephaestion," Alexander said upon spotting him. Immediately he was rushing up to him. He threw his arms around him and smiled. He then quickly pulled away and waved his hand around at the feast that was taking place. There were tables with food on them, seemingly out of place on dirt that led to the field hundreds at least had just died at. There was music, which pained Hephaestion even more. It was supposed to be a happy tune, however, he could think of nothing more than loud screams in his head.

"Hephaestion," Alexander said again. This time Hephaestion looked at him, instead of into the darkness of the night. "What is wrong? You don't seem to care at all that I'm trying to speak with you."

"No," Hephaestion assured him quickly. "It is not you."

"Are you well?"

"Fine," he answered with a weak nod. He then glanced to the darkness once more. The screams were still there. The blood was still there. It was wrong. They were celebrating, and mothers were at home crying. They took joy in the suffering and death of others. How could he be here?

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Alexander looked at him again and this time actually rolled his eyes. Hephaestion always had a way of making things less fun. For the most part, he enjoyed that about him. It was good to know that Hephaestion was watching out for him. However, this was not one of those times. At the moment, he wanted to do nothing more than celebrate their victory. Hephaestion clearly wanted nothing to do with that.

"Come on," Alexander said as he grabbed Hephaestion by the arm and pulled him further into the bodies that were swarming into the feast. There was a moment where Hephaestion tried to pull back. It did not seem to help though. Alexander drug him right into a situation that he wanted, but did not know that Hephaestion did not want.

"Alexander," Cleitus said as he raised a goblet. This goblet was gold and had in it the finest wine in all of Pella. Cleitus had been sent by Philip to watch him. Alexander knew this, but at the same time, he did not mind now. He had won, that was all that mattered. Cleitus grinned as he held the golden goblet up, and all were silent. Even the music stopped.

"In this goblet," Cleitus said to all. Everyone heard him, no matter how far away they were. "In this goblet is your vow to Macedonia. You stand after your first battle! When you drink this, you shall win the rest!"

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Hephaestion watched as a circle was formed. He watched as Cassander drank from the goblet. He knew that he would. Cassander had no trouble in killing. The goblet continued to be passed, until finally, it was in Alexander's hands. Hephaestion did not wish him to drink it. He wanted him to stand up to them all. He wanted him to be the one that said he would not drink. However, Alexander raised the goblet without a hesitation, and drank. He then held the goblet out, handing it to Hephaestion.

Hephaestion took the goblet and then stared at the wine inside of it. It was the crimson color of blood. Perhaps it was blood. There was plenty enough of it he knew. Hephaestion blinked, and his hand began to shake. There was a moment and then he began to raise the goblet to his lips. Yet, it fell to the ground before it could touch him.

"No," Hephaestion said as he shook his head. He looked at Alexander, hoping that there was where he would find his support. "I cannot do it Alexander."

"Pick it up," Alexander said under his breath so that hopefully only Hephaestion would hear. Hephaestion shook his head though. Alexander felt himself growing angry. He voiced his words again, only loud enough so that his voice rang out and all could hear him.

"We are not victors," Hephaestion said as he took a step back. "We murdered them Alexander! There is no glory in that!"

"You will drink it," ordered the prince. Hephaestion stood his ground however. He was not going to drink a victory if it meant to do so in the slaughter of others. Of all people, he thought that Alexander would understand. As Alexander grew angry, he knew that he too was becoming angry.

"Drink it," Cassander said with a slight laugh.

"No," Hephaestion screamed. "I will not drink it because your prince is a brat that thinks victory is only glory! You care nothing for the lives of others Alexander!"

It was silent when he said these words. However, it seemed as if everything froze in the world when Hephaestion said these words. Even Cassander smirked, thinking that Hephaestion would surely be executed for such a statement. Hephaestion did not wait for this though. Instead, he brushed past Alexander, saying nothing more.

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A/N: Next chapter will be up tomorrow, I hope. I have a case of strep-throat and it seems to be complicating a lot of things. I will definitely try to post this for everyone though, by tomorrow. Thanks for the reviews. Review more if you get the chance!