Chapter 4

After Hephaistion's attack on him, Alexander placed three guards on his tent one inside and two outside.

"How is he?" he asked the guard on the inside

"Just the same my lord." He replied wearily

"You look exhausted, when was the last time you slept."

"Don't know my lord, we don't get much sleep." the guard replied nodding to Hephaistion

"Well in that case you must go and get some rest." Alexander said

"What about him?" asked the guard

"Don't worry I'll stay."

The guard looked uncertain at Hephaistion then to Alexander.

"Go, that's an order; I will call if I need any help." Alexander said

The guard nodded but Alexander called him back

"Tell anyone that questions you I said."

The guard nodded again before leaving.

Once they were alone Alexander dared approach Hephaistion who was hunched up legs drawn to chest rocking back and forth wide eyed staring at nothing.

"Hello." Alexander said not wanting to scare Hephaistion

He was wrong as he came close Hephaistion snapped around and a small yelp escaped his throat and he scrambled back trying to put enough distance between him and Alexander only stopped by the table where he tried and failed to make himself as small as possible and watched Alexander through a veil of hair.

Alexander slowly stood up holding his hands outstretched before him and moving slowly so as not to startle the other man with any sudden moves.

"I mean you no harm and I never will do you understand, you are safe."

He was surprised to see something cross Hephaistion's face, a small glimmer of normality before it was chased away when Hephaistion started to shake his head furiously and claw at his hair and skin till tiny starches appeared

Alexander rushed forward and fought passed the struggling till he had seized Hephaistion as tightly as he could till he fell calm and quiet.

"See no harm, you are safe." he said repeating the word safe over and over again but he somehow he doubted that Hephaistion knew the concept for safe anymore.

This was not the last of the outbursts he was quiet one moment staring and talking to things that were not there the next petrified of everything and everyone, and men in cloaks with the hoods pulled up were the worst. Alexander to was begun to lose sleep of his friend's condition what was he to do, Hephaistion wasn't or didn't want to get better. He thought of putting Hephaistion with the rest of the mad people but then chased them thoughts away, no he couldn't do that to someone he loved, could he?.
A couple of days later Alexander was going to visit Hephaistion, all three guards had been replaced he asked how he was and they replied quiet.

Good he was in one of his quiet moods providing he didn't get to close he would remain that way.

Something was wrong, he could feel it as he entered, it was to quiet and Hephaistion was nowhere to be seen.

"Hephaistion." he called softly

He got no response but a shuffling gave away where Hephaistion was between the wall of the tent and the pallet.

His suspicions were confirmed when he approached and managed to get really closed, Hephaistion never let anyone this close. He was huddled as always but he didn't even move when Alexander touched his shoulder nor when Alexander lifted his chin so that he could see his face.

"My you are burning hot." he commented

He got one arm around Hephaistion's waist and yet Hephaistion rebel still against him but in his state he quickly exhausted himself.

Once Alexander managed to get him into bed he called the guard which in turn lead to the doctor being sent for.

Many anguished days and nights followed and Hephaistion sunk lower and lower into the jaws of sickness. He was delirious most of the time rambling about a hooded thing and the name Ahriman over and over the only clue as to the events that put him in the state of mind to begin with.

All the remedy that the doctor tried only managed to quieten him for a few hours they tried everything.

"I'm sorry my lord, but we have done everything to be done all we can do now is wait and hope he is strong enough." the doctor said on the eve of the sixth night

Alexander looked down at a restless Hephaistion and sighed

"Isn't there anything?" he asked

The doctor shook his head "No." he replied

"Then in that case we must wait. Alexander replied

Ten days later and there was no improvements, even his tossing and turnings left him exhausted so now he lay still breathing laboured. It was also the day that the four strange Indians came into the camp. These were not like any other Indians they had seen. Their clothes were of fine silk and bright colours they even had colour in their beards and they carried weapons.

Everyone in the camp stopped what they were doing and stared at the four arrivals.

They stopped outside Alexander's tent, he to have come out to marvel at the arrivals.

"Greeting." said one in Alexander's native tongue "My friends and I are on a hunt, you see there is a great evil plaguing this land and we have been sent to capture it."

Alexander invited them inside his tent where they told him of their quest. As Alexander listened he was remained of Hephaistion's delusional rantings and when he told them of what had been said during those times they were eager to see him.

Once he had showed them into Hephaistion's tent they were disappointed to find him comatose.

They stood around in a little huddle saying things that Alexander and the other companions who had followed them.

"Will we help you friend." said the fourth one

With that the other three began to move forward and shoo Alexander and the others out the door ignoring any protests.

Once everyone was outside they closed and sealed the door leaving everyone on the outside to wonder what they were going to do to Hephaistion.