Hephaestion meets the worst disaster of his whole life. He is almost overwhelmed by angst, grief and sorrow. In a dream he is able to be of some assistence to his Beautiful Golden One before he sets ouf to the rescue and some real action. Any similarities with the Arven / Aragorn river sequence in the LOTR movie is clearly intended.

All the best wishes and hopefully good reading,

/NorthernLight

TEMPLATE: Title: FIC: Hazards Of Friendship ( 4 / WIP)

Author: NorthernLight

Category: Love/Friendship/Adventure story. Alternate History.

Pairing: Alexander&Hephaestion

Date: December 2005. Feedback: On or off list.

Archive: Yes, if you like, but please tell me. Archivatet at the ATG Slash&Fanfic Yahoo Groups.

Disclaimer: I don't own them. For entertainment only...hopefully. Not for gain - my work is for my deep interest in Alexander and Hephaestion, their time and adventures.

Rating: R

Beta: Denise. Many thanks for good discussions and suggestions. Summary: In the beginning of his reign Alexander made a campaign towards the Danube. Some rumor said that he was severely wounded, dead or missing in action. Perhaps Demosthenes made it up, perhaps there was some truth in it.

Warnings: This is AU, very close to but not "real" history. Violence, hard fighting, angst and intrigues. Envy with troublesome consequences. Violent struggle for power. Horrible accident and traumatic events for major characters.

X-tra warnings: Any likeness with the wonderful passage in the LOTR movie with Arven helping Aragorn through severe adversities by being at his side in a dream is clearly intentional. I couldn't resist this "crossover". It's one of my very favorite love scenes!

Dedication: To Juu. Written on behalf of your fic challenge about Hephaestion and his constant trouble with the envious generals.

Hazards Of Friendship, Part IV

The Danube, 335 BC

Rescue In Vain

Bucephalus simply loved the times his Dear Master took him to a brave charge against his enemies. The clamor of war heightened his spirits and he never felt so close to Alexander as when they rode out on the battlefield together. They were as one - a deadly weapon set upon victory and Eternal Glory. It was very different with his fellow war stallion Castor, the General Hephaestion's mount. His Dear Master had chosen a stallion with a quite different temper for his Dear One. Castor was so similar to his own master. He was prudent, calm and thoughtful and he never took any unduly risks at the battlefield. His sole concern was to carry his Dear One securely through all dangers - and to help and guard Bucephalus and Alexander in their brave but often reckless endeavors.

Then came that Dark Day. It started out peacefully enough, with all the army riding along the big river. A sound of many hoof beats, then all Hell broke loose. Enemy riders were all around them and Bucephalus could feel the surprise and uncertainty in his dear Master. It was soon replaced by forceful determination and the battle went well as usual. They had just rescued the Dear One and seen him safely back on Castor when a pack of hungry wolves came running all over the place. They were lean and staved from a hard and cold winter. Their ragged gray furs were at ends, bristling with some evil energy. Feral yellow eyes gleamed with an unearthly hunger. Red tongues flickered with anticipation between jaws filled with razor sharp chalk white teeth.

Bucephalus had but one thought - to carry his Dear Master to safety! He took a great leap over all the pack, proud to have gotten his Dear Master out of harm's way, feeling almost as prudent as if he were Castor. To his horror and dismay he didn't see the familiar and safe ground under his hoofs anymore. No, he was soaring all over a sheer precipice and an engulfing mass of blue green streaming water came closer and closer. The cold winds were howling in his ears and he felt Alexander clinging to him for dear life, screaming, trying with all his might to lift them both back to safety again. The impact on the water surface was shocking and he felt as if he was being torn apart from a burning and bristling pain. All the air left his mighty lungs and a dark cloud filled his clever horse brain. Before he finally past out he saw his Dear Master disappear in a whirlpool of cold blue green river water. His last thought was to swim for the shore and then run for dear life to find some help in all this horrible distress.

Into the Abyss

Alexander had never felt so triumphant before. He had acted with courage and swiftness, saving his whole army from a most insidious ambush. He had also saved his True Steadfast Friend from being abducted by the worst foe they had ever met on a battlefield. Than, before he could savor his wonderful glory, cruel Nature struck back. The ravenous wolf pack came as a scourge from Hades, overwhelmingly brutal and many enough to devour the whole Macedonian army. They had to fight another cruel battle, without any conscious strategy, only sheer will of survival as a guideline. His Bucephalus was brave as usual, showing no fear, not even when hunted down by a pack of huge, ferocious howling beasts. He took a mighty leap over them all. Alexander felt safe and secure - until he found himself soaring in thin air, desperately clutching at Bucephalus' waving black mane, trying to lift both man and horse back up to safety. He saw the blue green, whirling river all under him and the wolf pack howling triumphantly at the precipice. Their yellow eyes looked down at him with leering malice as he was swept away from Bucephalus by a violent gush of wind.

He took a crushing fall on the surface of the cold river and felt a torrent of blue green water drowning him. His last conscious thoughts were

/ This ambush was surely no coincidence! And - how could the Scythians home in so exactly on my Hephaestion? Oh, Mighty Zeus Ammon, come to my rescue/

Missing In Action

Craterus came and put a strong hand upon Hephaestion's shoulder, saying in an unsteady voice near to breaking:

"Come now, General Hephaestion. No one could have survived such a fall. We'll not even have a chance to retrieve his body. We must hold Assembly immediately. Macedon is in grave danger. "

" No. I will NOT accept it. Alexander is NOT dead! I would have felt it right here."

Hephaestion put a hand upon his heart, his blue eyes filled with determination. Craterus tried once more to convince him:

"Yes. I know you miss him dearly - but we must look forward - decide how to defend ourselves. His recklessness has thrown us into terrible danger. "

Hephaestion shrugged away from his strong grip.

"Alexander is not reckless. He has made careful plans for this campaign. We'll be successful when he returns to lead us. "

Cassander came up to them with a smile filled with false grief:

"Oh what a black day for Macedon. King Alexander will NEVER return from that horrible fall. It seems that I must take over the High Command until we can hold Assembly. My father is the Regent and I represent him here in camp. "

Craterus turned towards him, his face showing true grief, his eyes filled with tears:

"No, my friend. I'm the King's most trusted and experienced General. I'm in charge here until we have elected our new King! Oh, this is a sad day for Macedon. I cannot understand how you could be able to strive after power in all this sorrow. You ought to be ashamed of yourself!"

Cassander held his head high, showing no guilt whatsoever. Eumenes now came leering at Hephaestion:

"Well now, pretty boy. You're already insane from grief. Alexander will NEVER return from this fall Your time at the High Command has come to its end. You'll hand over all your archives and documents to me immediately. Tomorrow you'll return to your keep at the second hill from Pella, never to come back at court!"

Stefanos and Alexios took a step against the scheming Secretary, their strong hands at their sword hilts. Ptolemy and Cleitus followed them, together with Leonnatos and Lysimachos and many of the soldiers. Cleitus roared at the Secretary :

"Eumenes! That was uncalled for. He's doing excellent work with our logistics and documents. He is a far better man and warrior than you with your heart filled up with ink and envy! We need him now more than ever in this disaster. You cannot denounce him. Until the King returns, he holds the High Command, together with the General Craterus."

Hephaestion took a step forward.

"Thanks a lot for your confidence, Cleitus. Eumenes! You'll behave yourself and assist ME with my important paperwork - or else, I'll send you back to Pella.in disgrace I hear that the Queen Olympias is in need of an extra subordinate scribe. Let us now proceed to the most important issue. We must send out a search party for the King. I'll lead it myself."

Craterus made ardent objections :

"No. It's futile. We'll never find him - and the Getae will surely find our search party and annihilate them. There's no need to risk the lives of good men. Let's hold Assembly here and now! Sadly the King is dead - and we need a new strong leader immediately."

Hephaestion felt hot tears of grief and bereavement rising in his blue eyes. With an iron will he managed to force them back.

"How can you speak so callously? Our first priority is to save the King! Alexander is alive somewhere out in all that cold rushing water. We must go to his rescue before it is too late."

"I'm not callous, Hephaestion. It's only common sense. The men must vote for a new leader right now. Follow me and let's call for Assembly."

"No. I know what you're after, Craterus. You want to hold the throne of Macedon yourself! It won't happen. Not over my dead body. Cleitus! Come with me. I need your help with the rescue party.

"He turned his back to the frustrated General Craterus, eagerly walking to Alexander's tent to get the things he needed for the rescue party. A rasping sound behind him caused the hair at the nape of his neck to rise. He turned around fast as lightning. Craterus stood brandishing his sword at him. Knowing the General couldn't attack him unarmed he just stood looking calmly at his opponent.

"General Craterus! Put your sword away. Macedon is in grave danger as you stated just now. We cannot strive amongst ourselves in this time of dire need. Let's be sensitive. You must handle things here in camp, keeping all in order while I go to search for Alexander..."

Craterus did as he was told, submitting to his opponents command with cheeks blushing in shame. The General Hephaestion's grief was a complete mirror of his own, his wonderful blue eyes filled with clear crystal tears and his auburn hair torn and lackluster. Craterus suddenly remembered Alexander's words/The King's closest Friend - and the King's most trusted General. / He simply couldn't harm the King's Dear One in this time of dire need.

"Yes, General Hephaestion. You'll have it your way - for the time being. "

All the Macedonian army saw the King falling over the precipice, feeling deeply alarmed by this horrible accident. Then the immediate struggle for power arose between their High Commanders. The General Hephaestion handled the emergency with calm and diplomacy, although he must have been the most grief stricken of them all. Courageously he ordered a search party for their beloved King Alexander, oblivious of the dangers behind his own back. They were truly impressed by his calm rebuke of the General Craterus when he actually came upon him with his brandished sword. What a brave and confident leader. Now they truly knew why King Alexander had chosen him to share his confidence above all other men.

Malicious Pleasure

Curios stood watching the violent struggle for power from a safe distance. He had great difficulties in hiding a malignant and gleeful smile. How easy it had been to send those messages safely bound to swift arrows he shot over the river to his "friends" at the Getaes camp. They had known everything about King Alexander's whereabouts, his march routes and even his clever plan of crossing the river on hay filled hides and boats made from hollow logs for a surprise attack. He had expressively told them all about the King's dearest friend and closest Companion, telling them to do their very best to kill the General Hephaestion or take him into captivity. That would be the surest way to unnerve the young King and stop his victorious campaigns.

The Scythian attack had been a complete surprise even to Curios himself. Its tragic aftermath was most unexpected. Those ravenous wolves must have been sent by some Dark God of Vengeance. He had anticipated to achieve some minor disturbances with his spying and informing activities, never such a total success. King Alexander had fallen to his certain death, drowning in the cold waters of the Danube. The whole Macedonian camp was in total uproar and the Peers of the realm were already engaged in a bitter struggle for the High Command. Macedon would not be a threat to his dear Athens for a very long time indeed.

Curios went away to his tent, quickly packing the most necessary of his belongings. All camp was stirring with unrest and sorrow. No one saw him leaving, his pale yellow horse taking him to the South in a swift canter. He would bring the good news of the Macedonian disaster to Demosthenes all by himself.

Absent "Friend"

Eumenes was most upset by his humiliating defeat. He had thought the General Hephaestion would fall from grace immediately after the King's sad demise. Instead many of the Peers of the Realm and most of the army had sided with him and now he was even more powerful than before. The Secretary went to the tent of his Athenian guest friend seeking for some comfort and friendly talk. Strangely the tent was empty. Even the knapsack with Curios' most precious belongings were gone!

"Curios? My friend, where are you? Curios?"

Inexplicable Sickness

Hephaestion sighed with deep relief. He knew he had many friends to side with him against his malevolent detractors. At last he could go for the most important mission of his life, the rescue party for his Beautiful Golden One. He was filled with an astounding calm and confidence. Alexander couldn't be dead. He had only to find and help him. Soon he would be at the side of his Loved One. Suddenly he felt an alarming shortage of breath, as if his lungs were full of cold and suffocating water. He clutched at his chest and throat, gasping for air, feeling himself being engulfed by a torrent of ice cold, swirling blue green river water. His legs gave way under him and he fell senseless to the ground. The guards rushed to him.

"General Hephaestion? How are you?"

He wasn't able to answer, his mind and soul being extinguished by sheer anguish. He felt he was desperately needed elsewhere, by someone most dear to him...

General Cleitus saw Hephaestion falling. He rushed to him, scoping him up in his strong arms before the guards could prevent him from hitting the hard, stony ground. The younger man was deeply unconscious, his breath labored. He was alarmingly pale, lips and nails blue from a severe shortage of air, and he was drenched in so much cold sweat that he looked like he was drowning.

"Get Doctor Philip immediately! I don't understand what ails him. "

Cleitus quickly carried Hephaestion inside his tent, gently putting him onto the warm fur bed, removing the iron collar from his throat and unlacing his corselet to facilitate his labored breath. It wasn't of any help. The younger man continued to gasp for air, his skin now shining from an ominous blue pallor. Cleitus put two fingers close to his jugular, feeling the pulse. It was weak, flickering, sometimes not there at all. Alarmed he shook the younger man,calling his name, even slapping his chin several times.

"Hephaestion! Wake up! Speak to me! You simply cannot just lie there out cold! We need you to sort out all this calamity!"

Doctor Philip came rushing, throwing the tent flap away and took an alarmed overview of the patient.

"Cleitus! Stop it! All this violence is not doing him any good. How is he? Whatever happened?"

"He passed out right after the brawl with General Craterus. Strange, he handled that so bravely. I didn't know he had all that strength in him. He's in a bad way. It almost seems like he's drowning - but that simply cannot be possible."

The good Doctor closely examined his important patient. He put two fingers at his jugular, feeling the unsteady and flickering pulse. Then he put his hand on his clammy, ice cold brow, before he examined his whole body, searching thoroughly for possible injuries.

"I don't understand this. He is very seriously ill, difficulties in breathing, weak pulse, a severe chill and cold sweat all over- but I cannot find any signs of injury or disease. It must be the shock from seeing his...eh...the King falling to his doom. You must wash him in really warm water, then wrap him up closely in warm furs. Watch carefully over him. I'll soon be back with a strengthening cordial."

Cleitus and the guards handled Hephaestion with the most tender care those hard men were able to procure. They had frightened servants to bring buckets with warm water and washed the young man all over, looking at him with fearful compassion. He was ice cold, clammy and covered in cold sweat, almost like drowning and he suffered from constant chills and convulsions. The warm water was not helpful and didn't give any warmth back to his ailing body. Puzzled they rubbed him down with dry cloths, having to do it all over again when the cold sweat returned. At last they wrapped him up in warm furs. Cleitus took him in his lap, gently holding him, trying in vain to give him of his own strength and warmth. The good Doctor came back with the cordial.

"Here. Try to make him drink this. He needs it badly. " "Yes, but he's still unconscious. Warm water and furs cannot relieve this Evil that torments him. "

They all struggled for some time. Pollux tried to help, pushing and running around them, howling and whimpering in deep concern for his dear master's inexplicable illness. It was hard work feeding the unconscious patient the strengthening cordial - and the strong brew of brandy, foxglove, willow weed and poppy didn't relieve any of his pain and distress. He remained in a deep coma, deathly pale and with labored breathing. Doctor Philip wrung his hands in despair.

"I simply don't know what ails him. All we can do now is to keep him warm and secure until he comes out of it..."

General Cleitus sat himself down to care for Hephaestion together with the faithful guards. He carefully watched the young man, alarmed over his bluish pallor and severely weakened condition. His breathing now came somewhat easier and he had regained some semblance of color. The hardened warrior couldn't stand the sorrowful sight, remembering the young man, his wonderful beauty and strength, his warm friendship with the young King. Alexander came before him in all his golden splendor, sitting proudly upon Bucephalus before falling to his doom. Then he saw King Philip, wise, courageous, cunning and always ready to partake of Life's many pleasures.

"What shall I do? Whatever shall I do? King Philip has been murdered and will never come back! King Alexander is gone into a cold, watery grave - and Hephaestion will soon succumb to this strange sickness. He must have been stricken by more grief than any man can take! Oh, I love the both of them more than my very own life, more than my own sons. I cannot bear the thought of losing them!"

Cleitus had nerves of steel, but now they finally broke. There, in the middle of the night he gave in to grief and despair, washing Hephaestion in hot tears of sorrow and bereavement.

Ordeal By Water

Hephaestion was fast sinking into a cold swirling torrent of cold blue green water. It choked him, filling his lungs and overwhelming him with suffocating panic. He desperately propelled himself towards where he thought the surface might be found. Suddenly he saw a body floating towards him, being dragged towards the bottom of the river by its heavy armor. Beautiful golden hair swirled around like some kind of exotic sea grass. It was Alexander!

Quickly he swum towards him and embraced him. It was like a dead weight in his powerful arms, almost impossible to grasp and hold. He had to use all his strength. His head was booming worse then when harassed by the worst copper hammers, his ears were ringing with the din of massive waterfalls, and his chest was totally constricted, the lungs quickly running out of their supply of life giving air. He saw his whole life passing before his eyes. His parents, his home at the hill top, his favorite animals - and then his Beautiful Golden One. Alexander as a small boy, young and vulnerable, in adolescent beauty, in his Kingly glory. Their first wrestling game, their innocent play and talk, their first tender embrace... Bucephalus, Mieza, the bloody horrors of Chaeronea, the fatal wedding party, the adversities of Illyrian exile, King Philip being murdered, Alexander clinging to him for strength and solace for many anguished nights...

Now he felt Alexander clinging to him for dear life again. Once more his friend desperately needed his help. Despite his rapidly weakened condition he found some hidden force deep inside himself enabling him to drag his friend up towards the surface. He passed through endless torrents of swirling water until reaching it. Chilly air rushed inside his labored lungs at the very last moment, feeling both painful and necessary. He turned on his back and held Alexander steadily in his strong arms, feeling thankful that he was a good swimmer. His long auburn hair floated around him in the ice cold water, giving him the semblance of a most beautiful mermaid. Looking desperately after the shore, seeing it far away, Hephaestion started to propel himself towards it with his Beautiful Golden One in a secure grip. It was an arduous task and several times he was close to sinking into the swirling blue green water.

Just as his arms were about to yield and his breathing became unbearably labored he felt his back and bottom scrape against craggy stones covered with moss and sea weed. The shore was close and he found the strength to reach it. An enormous wave helped him, washing him and his precious burden up on a sandy river bank. His head hit a stone and he momentarily passed out from the sharp, lightning pain. A tapestry of stars and darkness quivered before his eyes but before succumbing to unconsciousness he felt Alexander securely lodged in his arms.

A cold wind woke him up. Alexander lay beside him with an uncanny bluish pallor upon his face and hands. He wasn't breathing. Hephaestion quickly forgot his own troubles and embraced him, shaking him violently before turning him on his side. Nothing happened for a long time. He started to cry out loud:

"Alexander! Don't you ever leave me! Please, come back to me! NOW!"

A weak rattle in his friend's throat and chest, followed by a spasm of pain and anguish, and then there was a violent heave as he brought up a clear stream of river water. Hephaestion held his head, gently supporting him in his lap. He looked at Alexander with fear and compassion as he became violently sick and vomited for a long time.

"Oh, my poor friend. You must have swallowed the whole river! Yes, that's good. Once more! You need to get all this cold water out of your lungs!"

One last heave, and then Alexander lay limp and completely exhausted in the lap of his friend. Now he was breathing, rattling and labored but he was alive once more! Hephaestion removed the jeweled collar of his armor and then unlaced the corselet. Nothing must hinder the air from reaching his water soaked lungs. Alexander had regained some color but he was still deeply unconscious.

A discordant clatter of hooves was heard from a far distance. Bucephalus arrived in an unsteady canter, soaking wet and looking as if he had been partaking in one of his dear Master's drinking parties. He was struggling to keep his footing and staggered all over the shore. When he saw Alexander lying on the beach he came forward and started to push him and tenderly lick him all over with his harsh tongue, making small worried sounds. Hephaestion greeted him with relief and gently stroke his muzzle.

"It's wonderful to see you again. I surely thought you had drowned. I fear your Master is in a very bad way right now. "

The big black horse neighed in consent and then continued his tender ministrations. Hephaestion suddenly felt something pulling him up and away. He looked around him, clearly remarking the form of the cliffs and the outline of the river shore before it all disappeared in a watery aquamarine haze.

To the Rescue

"He is waking up! At long last! "

General Cleitus had been sitting with the young man in his lap for several hours, seeing him sink deep down into unconsciousness, pale and wan from lack of life giving air. His faithful dog lay close at his dear master's side, often licking his cold hands and chalk white face, clearly wanting to revive him. Now Hephaestion began to slowly recover from his inexplicable weakness. His breath came easier, the bluish pallor on his cheeks being chased away by the healthy color of life, and then he started to move around and opened his wonderful clear blue eyes. At first he was utterly bewildered and looked in panic around him.

"Alexander! Where are you? We must go away from all this cold water...give you some warmth and rest..."

"Hephaestion. Calm yourself down. You are delirious. You have been very ill for some hours now. Rest easy, my friend. I'll take care of you. "

Hephaestion saw General Cleitus' well known face hovering over him, looking worn out from worrying. He felt dizzy, like all the world was in turmoil around him but he forced himself to rise. The older man tried futilely to hold him back as he dragged himself up on his feet, swaying from side to side, feeling like waves of ice cold water washed all over him. His legs buckled and gave way under him and he gave up a sigh as the General caught him once more in his strong arms.

"There I have you. Rest easy, my friend. You are not strong enough to be up and about just yet. "

Cleitus vehemently ordered the guards:

"Get Doctor Philip here immediately. The General Hephaestion is awake - but he is delirious and I cannot handle him by myself!"

Hephaestion protested violently :

"I'm not delirious, Cleitus! I've never been more lucid in my whole life! We must organize a rescue party at once. I know exactly where to find Alexander. We must hurry or else it'll be too late!"

"Whatever do you mean by that? You cannot know a thing about the King's whereabouts. You have been laid up here in my lap, deeply unconscious for several hours,only just coming out of it. "

"Yes, I believe you, my friend. I have had a most enlightening True Dream. You must trust me. Alexander is alive! We must ride out immediately to help him. Time is of the essence!"

He managed to rise once more and staggered around the tent, quickly collecting all the things he would need to help his friend. Pollux ran happily barking all over the place. The clever dog seemed to know exactly what his dear master needed and brought him the things he wanted. Hephaestion wrapped warm clothes and blankets in a bundle, and then he gathered his arms and ordered food and wine in abundance brought to the tent. His pages helped him to dress in warm clothes and wrapped him in a warm fur cloak. He went to the King's tent with brisk but staggering steps. There he found Alexander's favorite wine jars and his miracle ointments and cordials. When he held those jars, recently handled by his Loved One, his iron hard determination gave way to desperation. Hot tears flushed down his cheeks.

"Oh, my dear Alexander. When will I find you again? And, will I be there in time to find you alive?"

TBC