Defiance Chapter 6: Six, an alexander fanfic

Title: Defiance

Author: Baliansword

Rating: PG-13 / Teen Mature

Chapter: 6 of 6 …..yes, the last chapter……aww…

Summary: Fed up with Alexander's defiance, especially in front of foreign ambassadors, Philip will use any means necessary to break his son's spirit, even if it means removing Hephaestion from his bed, and taking him into his own.

Warnings: The usual. (Actually, I'm writing this as I sit here, so I don't actually know yet.) I trust you to make your own decisions. Really, I give you that trust.

A/N: Thank you so much to all of my reviewers, and to those that constantly support me each day, forcing me to write more. Also, I just gave some blood and have some vein issues going on, so it took a few extra days to get this up. Sorry, I've just been busy and such!

Hand placed over his forehead, she waited for him to exhale again, her second hand placed firmly on his taunt chest. She closed her eyes momentarily and uttered something under her breath, something that Hephaestion could not understand. He waited for her to open her eyes again, and when she did he smiled slightly. He was not sure what else would be appropriate, or what else his body would allow him to do at the moment, the pain in his ribcage beginning to numb him. Olympias stared down at him as she wrung out a damp cloth. Placing the coolness over his chest, she then returned a confident grin.

"To whom do you pray," asked Hephaestion, waiting for Olympias to set a vial of liquid down. She rubbed the contents over her hands, and then raised her lashes in his direction. Such a nosy child, she thought, but for that she also appreciated him. He guarded her Alexander, kept him safe, kept asking questions when Alexander did not.

"To pagan gods," she replied coyly. "Don't worry, Father Zeus will not mind. And if Hera decides to fret, she'll trouble me, not you. Now rest. We will leave for Pella in the morning."

Hephaestion nodded and watched the Queen as she stood, leaving the room, taking her commanding aura with her. He then closed his eyes, his chest burning. Shutting the door behind her, Olympias crossed the adjoining room briskly, sitting down on a grand sofa. Alexander had not moved from his chair, but she had not expected him to. Pouring a diluted glass of wine, taking a sip, his mother stared at him, her emerald eyes causing him to shift in his seat.

"I told you this would happen," she concluded, setting her cup down and crossing her arms over her chest. Alexander continued to fold his hands in his lap. "Didn't I warn you about him Alexander? Your father is not blind. He knows well enough what boy-love looks like. I told you he would use Hephaestion against you, and look what he has done. That poor boy, the things he puts up with in order to protect you."

"I didn't mean for any harm to come to him," the prince replied, his voice lost somewhere from his couch to hers. She raised an eyebrow, making a tsking noise, and then shook her head. Of course he had not meant to, but what good was that to Hephaestion?

"Hephaestion loves you, Alexander, but you cannot love him more than you do. Do you not understand? Your love must be banished from your hearts, otherwise, you will both be in danger. Philip is king, yes, but you know well enough that he listens to Cleitus."

"And he would say that I listen to you."

"Of course," she hissed, opening a woven basket and removing a scarlet corn snake. The snake wrapped around her hand and then flicked its forked tongue at Alexander. "But a mother's love is different, it does not harm. I warned you not to love this boy for both of your sakes. Hephaestion cannot be used as a battling bargain chip whenever Philip wants to bend you to his will. Not only will you always cave, but Hephaestion will always allow it. And you, you must succeed your father, with an heir, so that you may be king. You must be king, Alexander, or it will be the end of both of us."

"I'll be king," Alexander defiantly retorted. He stood and began to pace the room, running a hand through his hair. "Hephaestion loves me, mother, and I love him. There is nothing in this world for me but his love."

"It seems like that now," she contradicted, "but soon enough you will find that there is more to your life than love. Alexander, your defiance does not go unnoticed, and while I understand your reasons to lash out against him, you must control yourself."

"Cleitus wants to harm Hephaestion, not my father."

"No? You think that Philip does not wish the same fate for Hephaestion? Do you think, my son, that there are nights when Philip lies awake in bed at night, thinking, and his thoughts come to blue-eyed Hephaestion, his tanned skin, his long hair, his perfectly carved features?" She took Alexander's face in her hands then, the snake long since roaming the floor, and gazed into his eyes, "How blinded are you to believe you are the only one Hephaestion attracts? Yes, Cleitus would love to bend him over his lap, spank him, show him who the boss is. He would love to run his hands up and down his body, kiss his lips, as you have, but fiercer, like an animal. But Philip, ah, yes, you know. Philip wants him as well, yearns for him, because he is yours. He wants what is yours."

"Stop this," Alexander whispered hesitantly.

"When your drunkard of a father lies with Pausanias, who do you think he sees? He sees only his backside, while closing his eyes, whispering Hephaestion's name. Oh, Alexander, don't be such a child. Your father is Zeus, not Philip."

"Stop," Alexander said, breaking away from her. He began to pace again, but was careful not to tread too hard, should Hephaestion be sleeping in the other room. "He thinks he can keep his crown, thinks he owns me, that he can send me here, order me there, but he'll not have Hephaestion. No one owns him!"

"And what are you going to do? Finally kill him?"

"Don't say such things!"

"Why not," she asked, taunting him in her own way. It was part of his madness, her constant voice in his head. He stopped pacing, and then slammed a hand down on the table closest to him. She smirked, her features evil. Yes, this was what haunted Alexander when he could not sleep at night. "He would have you killed, you know, if he needed to. Do not put it past him Alexander. He would have left you in the mountains for the buzzards to peck out your eyes had I not stopped him."

"I'll not kill my father. This is why they call you Harpy!"

"Harpy, perhaps, but living. Do you think Philip has not tried to have me killed, brought poisons to contaminate my drink? Do you think he's not tempted me with youths from all over the world, youths that he wanted me to fill my lonesome bed with so that I could fall asleep, only to have them brutally stab me to death. Alexander, you know nothing of the world. Have I failed you so as a mother?"

"I'll handle Philip," he stated. "But I'll do it on my terms."

Silence had crept over the palace as the door creaked open, revealing a world now clad in darkness, so much different from the daylight realms of the palace. Entering the hall, the door slowly shut behind him, and after a moment he was carefully turning in the mazes. Coming short of the door, he slowly pushed it open, knowing that inside Hephaestion slept. As he entered the room he made sure that the door made no noise, that he did not step down too hard, that he knew his placement in the room. Slowly, he entered, like some demon from Hades' hall. Reaching the bed, he then reached out, his fingers lightly drifting over Hephaestion's shoulder. The boy did not stir. He was too tired. Suddenly, it mattered not, for a candle was set down on a table, now lit. Cleitus whirled around, and stared at the glowing area, but there was no one to be seen. Surely the Queen had been asleep. Alexander was in his own room. There simply could not be another here, not now, not when he was so close.

"Cleitus," a voice said from behind. The general turned, but in the dark could see no one. He turned again, and now a blond-haired youth sat next to the candle, eyebrows raised, hand drifting above the low flame.

"I heard…"

"Noise," Alexander asked, smirking. "Come, Cleitus, be honest. Tell me. Do you dream of him?"

"Watch your words –I could have you whipped."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Alexander picked the candelabra up and approached, reaching out and placing a hand over Cleitus' mouth to silence him from speaking further. "You're sick, Cleitus, you're absolutely abysmal. Leave, now, or I'll make sure that it is you my father takes his next anger upon."

Cleitus could not muster the courage to form words. Instead, he continued to glare at Alexander before he stepped past him, leaving the room. Alexander was left behind, staring after him. He set the candle down on the stand next to Hephaestion's bed and then reached out, placing his hand lightly upon Hephaestion's cheek. Stirring, Hephaestion's eyes soon fluttered open, and he smiled immediately.

"What time is it," Hephaestion asked, yawning. Before he could finish, Alexander had leaned in, placing his mouth over Hephaestion's. He leaned into the kiss, pulling Hephaestion to him as he did so, taking him in as if he'd never before been so close. He let his tongue swirl with Hephaestion's, let his skin begin to tingle as Hephaestion pressed a hand against his arm, holding him against him. He tasted salty-blood as the cut on Hephaestion's lower lip opened, but neither was interested in stopping. Instead, Alexander crawled into bed beside him, pressed perfectly against him, as if they were created for one another. Alexander could have asked for nothing more.

Olympias stepped in front of the figure that crept through the hall, knife firmly tucked behind her back, her knuckles white from her grip. Smiling, she waited for Cleitus to recognize her, and only when he saw her face did she lunge forward. The tip of the blade instantly pressed against his scrotum, and she carefully leaned forward, whispering secretive words into his ear.

"I warned you," she whispered, "not to touch them. Did I not warn you Cleitus?"

"Release…"

"You're in no position to say anything," the Queen interjected, sliding the blade forcefully upward, creating a deep incision nearest his most important physical feature. Drawing the blade back, she then pressed a soft kiss of hatred against his stubbled cheek.

"Harm my son, or Hephaestion, and next time, you'll have nothing left."

"Alexander," Hephaestion whispered, arms wrapped around his lover. Alexander's back was against his chest, and he was running his fingers over Hephaestion's arms, giving him goose bumps while doing so.

"Hmmm?"

"I don't want to go to Athens."

"What," Alexander asked, turning his head and glancing back at Hephaestion. Hephaestion, so beautiful. His eyes seemed to glitter more in the night, the moonlight the only illumination they had.

"I'd rather follow you to Egypt, and then to Persia, where we'll fight every great fighter, until everything is yours."

"You'll always be my chiliarch."

"I'd rather just remain as we are now."

"Then," Alexander replied, turning to kiss him, "we shall remain like this forever."

A/N: I know. It was a short ending. However, with my current health, I'd rather finish it now before I forget about it, don't have time, etc.

Secondly, I know that perhaps there should have been more detail in there, etc., but I think the touch of vividness makes it good.

Third, I'll begin working on something new ASAP, which may be a few days, maybe a week.

Lastly, I love each and every one of my readers and reviewers. Please know that I appreciate the fan support. Let me know what you think of this, and I can't wait to see you again in another tale.

Michelle (Baliansword)