Here comes part 5. The rescue mission for King Alexander is slow and complicated - and - have his dear friends arrived in time? Another cliffhanger in this one...
All the best wishes,
/NorthernLight
TEMPLATE:
Title: FIC: Hazards Of Friendship ( 5 / WIP)
Author: NorthernLight
Category: Love/Friendship/Adventure story. Alternate Reality.
Pairing: Alexander & Hephaestion
Date: January 2005.
Feedback: Yes, all kinds, on or off list, as you please.
Archive: Yes, if you like, but please tell me.
Disclaimer: I don't own them. For entertainment only. 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 interesting 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. Envious people with insulting behavior. Horrible accident and traumatic events for major characters. Attack of ferocious wolves. Cooling cliffhanger - but I promise Alexander will be revived in next part!
Author's note: Ferocious packs of hungry wolves are not only a peril from Ancient times. In my remote part of the world they are running rampant in our forests, often to devour our poor domestic animals...
Dedication: To Juu. Written on behalf of your fic challenge about Hephaestion and his constant trouble with the envious generals.
Hazards Of Friendship, Part V
The Danube 335 BC
Divine Rescue
Bucephalus thought his last moment had come. His Dear Master was lost in a whirlpool of blue green water and he found himself struggling for dear life in the merciless torrents. He moved his powerful legs, propelling himself towards where he supposed the shore must be. To his great dismay it simply wasn't there. Cold water filled his lungs, he felt himself sinking deep into the river, floating endlessly down into a cold, blue green tunnel. Suddenly a flare of wonderful white, turquoise and blue light immersed him. He opened his eyes and saw the Horse Goddess once more. She was swimming towards him and grasped at his bridle with her lithe hands, dragging him forcefully up to the surface. Life giving air rushed into his lungs, filling them up, reviving and painful at the same time. A Voice filled with kind reassurance adamantly told him:
"No, dearest friend of mine. It's not your time yet. Not for many years. Your Dear Master needs you desperately!"
She guided him towards the shore and saw him safely up on it. When he stood there on shaking legs she pointed upstream.
"There! Follow the river upstream. Then you'll find King Alexander - and when you do you must stand close guard over him. He will need all your cleverness and strength to save his very life!"
Bucephalus tried to run in his usual fast canter, soon finding he simply wasn't up to it. His legs were shaky and he was shivering from cold and weakness. He staggered from side to side, bumping into boulders and thorny spruces and junipers. Several times he fell down to his shackles and he had great difficulties in rising. At long last he saw his Dear Master - and a strange, wraith like appearance at his side. It was the Dear One - but at the same time it wasn't. Hephaestion didn't have any true substance, yet he was really there, reviving his Alexander with rough ministrations. He now patted the astounded horse's muzzle with an insubstantial hand, telling him:
"Take good care of your Dear Master for me! Alexander is in a bad way right now!"
Then he just disappeared in a wisp of fog and a strange opalescent violet light. Bucephalus watched amazed before he turned to his Dear Master with deep concern. Alexander was lying still and cold. His face was white and his lips were blue from cold and lack of air. One could hardly see if he was breathing and each sparse breath came with a stertorous rattle. Bucephalus tried to revive him, licking his face and hands, nudging him carefully as he tried to make his big hooves as soft as possible. All ministrations were to no avail whatsoever. Alexander remained still and white as a marble statue. There were only some weak movements and low moaning shoving there was still some life left in him.
The faithful horse soon got both hungry and thirsty after his hard fighting and ordeals in the cold river water. He wandered away a short distance to drink from the river and graze on the meager grass, herbs, moss and lichen at the river shore. All the time he kept a close watch over his Master. He dared to explore the vicinity and found some big, light green tufts with very hard and tough sprigs, carrying an abundance of shrunken and wrinkled blue berries that miraculously seemed to have survived the hunger of all other animals and the cold of winter. Normally he would have scorned them but now they made his stomach grumble with a hearty appetite. Some important memory far back in his clever mind made him stay his eager muzzle. Alexander had once showed just the same tufts and berries to Hephaestion, telling the Dear One that they were a most important cure for some human ailments Bucephalus didn't understand. He decided to wait and give the blue berries to Alexander when he woke up. He surely was in desperate need of all the help he could get!
Reluctant Prey
A distant howling interrupted Bucephalus' meager meal. The pack of wolves were looking down from the sheer cliffs. Now they came jumping and running down the steep precipice. It was as if some cruel Dark God of vengeance had led them there, to find the faithful horse and his Dear Master when they were overcome by weakness and dangerously vulnerable. The ferocious beasts were soon running rampant all over the place. Some of the boldest ones came dangerously close, nibbling at Alexander. Fortunately they only took some bites into his armor, breaking their razor sharp teeth upon it.
Bucephalus shared all horses' normal instincts to run far away from all beasts of prey but with his Dear Master in such a dreadful peril he was able to overcome his fearfulness. He bravely ran right into the pack, kicking and smashing all around with his powerful hooves, like a black cloud of Thunder and Fury. Some of the strongest wolves managed to jump all over him, scratching and biting his velvet black hide, locking their jaws painfully into his flesh. The pain was searing and maddening. He reared up on his powerful hind legs, neighing furiously and shaking them all off. Now ten or twelve of the voracious beasts lay dead in a heap of bloodied fur all around Alexander. The rest of the pack ran off, howling with hungry disappointment from far away.
Bucephalus immediately got back to Alexander and stood there closely watching over him. He was seriously concerned about his health and well being. He had never seen his Dear Master inactive for such a long time. No, Alexander was always up and about, engaging himself and all others in all kinds of activities and wonderful plans and designs - and he was always warm, glorious, golden and filled with that exuberant energy that was his, and only his. Now this energy seemed to have left him completely. Not even an attack from a whole pack of ravenous wolves could wake him up! The clever horse understood that Alexander needed something more, someone else to bring him back to Life. Bucephalus watched in desperation up the steep precipice. Where ever was Hephaestion? He had never before been so wanted and needed.
The big black horse suddenly felt his powerful legs give way under him. He lay down, panting from total exhaustion. Before he passed out he managed to lay his head over his Master's chest, covering him with his long, black, silky mane. Darkness fell over them, and the sky reared as a dark blue cupola adorned with glittering stars and a crescent moon desperately tried to give the exposed couple some of the scarce warmth they could offer. The moisture from the daytime froze to glittering white rime frost all around. Soon beautiful and soft, but deadly cold snowflakes whirled all over the place, covering them as a deceitful white blanket.
The hungry wolves returned at the dead of night, eager for their helpless prey. They saw the unmoving, golden haired man, vulnerable and unable to defend himself. Then the crescent moon sent its silvery rays down from the velvet dark sky, showing them the big stallion lying at the side of his Dear Master, like a black demon cloud of danger and destruction. The wolf pack sneaked back into the cold night. This was not their usual, hapless prey. Facing such a dangerous and faithful Guardian would be foolish. They would have to find their next meal at some other place.
Rescue Preparations
Hephaestion had gotten all the necessary things packed for the King's rescue, and was feeling ready himself, being armed to his teeth and dressed in his warm bearskin cloak. He looked with satisfaction at the kind pack horses and went to search for his reliable war stallion. Castor wasn't at his usual place at the horse lines. The stable hands pointed towards the precipice.
"He has been morose since the King's accident, General. He hasn't eaten or taken any water, and he doesn't want to leave that place. One could almost think he understands the disaster that has stricken us. He surely misses Bucephalus, they being the very best of friends. "
"Of course he understands, Lachnos! My Castor is the wisest amongst horses. If only he had been able to teach the King's reckless stallion some of his own common sense!"
The big, chestnut colored stallion stood looking down over the steep precipice, watching into the swirling river. His head was hanging low in despair and he mirrored Hephaestion's own feelings of bereavement so closely the young man felt a hot tear drop down his cold cheek. Peritas sat close beside him, howling mournfully at the deep blue green waters. Pollux ran up to his friend, barking and yelping in his ear. Alexander's favorite dog immediately begun to wag his tail and both dogs ran up to Hephaestion. He gently patted their heads and ears and told them:
"Good dogs, good dogs! Now you must come with me immediately and help me find Alexander and Bucephalus! By the looks of you I almost think you understand all of this horrible mess we're in."
He took a step towards Castor and put his arms around the great stallion's neck, softly telling him:
"My faithful one, I understand how you must miss Alexander and Bucephalus - but you can help us find them. I need someone reliable when I search for them - and you must be able to home in to Bucephalus! First I want you to have something to eat. We cannot let you go on this important mission on an empty stomach. "
He adamantly told the stable hand:
"Give him some fine barley and tepid water at once! Now I think he will eat and drink. And - get the dogs some strengthening meat and juicy bones before we set out!"
"Yes, General. I'll see to it immediately. "
Hephaestion took Castor at the bridle and gently led him away from the precipice. The dogs followed, barking with anticipation. Suddenly he staggered and his legs gave way under him. He felt dizzy, almost at the verge of fainting. Cleitus was there immediately, taking him into his powerful arms.
"Here, here, my friend. Always the same, always thinking more of the welfare of others before your own. Our dear animals surely need to eat, but so do you too! You haven't taken anything at all since yesterday morning, before the battle and all our recent troubles. Let's share a jar of well watered wine, with some hot broth, bread and ham to go with it.
"Hephaestion could hear his stomach grumble and eagerly answered: "That sounds fine, my friend. Just what I need right now. "
Cleitus give him strong support as they walked back to his tent, telling the servants to immediately bring them the food and drink. They sat down and shared the meal in silence, feeling one another's troubled thoughts as a cloud of anguish soaring all around the simple camp table. When the last morsel of bread was being swallowed Cleitus took a careful look at Hephaestion.
"Yes, now you're looking much better. You've even got some color back on your cheeks. You surely needed that before we'set out to find the King. "
"Yes, Cleitus, but you won't be following me. I think I can manage well with my strong guards and Doctor Philip. You are more needed here in camp, looking after things for me and Alexander. There's too much intrigue and devilry afoot. We must have someone strong and reliable to hold the pretenders back! "
"You are quite right at that, my friend - but I surely think Ptolemy, Leonnatus and Lysimachus can manage things here around for us until we return with the King. You must set your pride and independence aside and understand that YOU need someone strong and reliable at your side to be successful! Our rescue mission is the most important thing right now - and who am I to abandon you and Alexander when you need me the most!"
Hephaestion rose and embraced him in silence, nodding in acceptance to his suggestion.
Setting Out
Both men carefully armed themselves with swords, spears, daggers, bows and quivers filled with arrows. At last they dressed in warm fur cloaks and went outside. The horses were ready with all the necessary packing, Stefanos and Alexios stood waiting and Doctor Philip was there, holding his clever, silver gray donkey Silena at the bridle. They mounted the eager horses, with Pollux and Peritas running around barking expectantly. Craterus came up to them, followed by Cassander and Eumenes.
"General Hephaestion! Is it really wise to ride out searching for the King with such a small party? Shouldn't we send a whole ile (cavalry unit consisting of 64 men and horses) to accompany you?"
"Yes, General Craterus. That would have been a good idea under more normal circumstances - but in my vision I exactly saw the King's present whereabouts. It's easier to get there with a small party. We don't want to draw too much attention. You must stay here and be on your guard against all our enemies. They might want to attack us once more, thinking us defenseless and disordered with the King missing. "
"That would be a grave mistake. We'll give them a hard welcome. Our men are eager for revenge. Now I wish you good luck with your mission and I surely hope you will return to us soon with the King. "
Hephaestion and Cleitus nodded in acceptance before they urged their horses on and rode out from camp. They were eager to be away, feeling suffocating waves of intrigue vibrating all around.the place The wind brought three insidious and unanimous whispers right into Hephaestion's sensitive ears.
/"That man! It's a crying shame that he is alive and King Alexander perhaps not! "
"He must be insane, letting the King's rescue depend upon some imaginary vision of his!"
"Don't you worry. He'll return in disgrace from his wild goose chase - and then we can easily get rid of him!"/
Hephaestion shuddered at their malice and he felt ice cold shivers creeping up and down his spine. Then he took a deep breath of the fresh, cold air rushing from the river valley, letting it cleanse him from all malicious influences. The small rescue company rode downstream, carefully looking for a safe place of descent.
At the Shore of the Danube
They rode for ever and ever so it seemed. At long last Hephaestion saw something familiar from his strange dream. Two tall junipers stood at the precipice, almost like a welcoming portal. Between them was a safe path leading directly down to the river shore. It was steep but broad enough for men and horses. Castor sniffed in something and immediately started his descent. Hephaestion gently patted his neck, feeling a wonderful reassurance.
"Yes. This surely is the right place! You, my friend, with all your prudence, would have refused to carry me down here if it wasn't. Pollux! Peritas! Search for Alexander! Now!"
Both dogs run before the search party, yelping and barking. The men sat off, carefully leading their horses down the path. It had many turnings and knuckles but it led them safely down to the river shore. Behind a high, mossy boulder they heard Pollux and Peritas give a marking bark. It sounded ominously weak before giving way to some sorrowful yelping. Hephaestion and Cleitus were the first coming around the boulder.
They were met by a sad sight. A circle of big, furry wolves lay dead in puddles of clotted blood a short distance from the river shore. Alexander lay still and lifeless in their middle. Bucephalus was close at his side, his head resting on his Dear Master's breast, covering him with his silken black mane. Man and horse were covered with a thin layer of cold, powdery snow and glittering rime frost. No signs of life whatsoever were to be seen.
TBC