Title: Even If it Were Hate
Chapter 7
"Since when have you become a minion of Alexander?"
Cassander accused Hephaistion.
"Aren't we all one for the king?"
Hephaistion replied chuckling, and Cassander did not like it at all. No matter how hard he tried to sound as harsh and mean as possible, somehow his sarcasm did not have a full effect on Hephaistion like it did to others. It was almost as if Hephaistion carried an antidote against Cassander's poisonous words in his heart.
It irritated Cassander immensely. It would be easier if he could hurt Hephaistion with his sharp words, so that the other man would hate him. Then, he could have given up his hope totally. Yet, it seemed that Hephaistion was the only one who did not keep away from him despite of his rudeness, but understood him.
Cassander tensed feeling Hephaistion's gaze upon him. Hephaistion's bright eyes always made him uneasy. He felt that those eyes could see through deep into his heart, and read the secret in the bottom of it, which even Cassander himself had not recognized yet. Cassander glowered desperately trying to focus on the original issue.
"Ha! He is more likely a god after entering Egypt. Does Alexander seriously believe that he is the son of a god? Did he tell you what exactly the oracle told him?"
"No, not really, but I can guess." Hephaistion smiled meaningfully, and continued. "Alexander can be a god if he wanted to be when he needed to be. Don't you think it's not such a bad thing if we could avoid an unnecessary battle because the enemy believes that Alexander is a god, and is afraid of receiving fury from him?"
Cassander had to agree. He wished that the people of Tyre had seen him that way. Replaying the image of thousands of corpses that painted the shore of the island crimson with blood, Cassander felt the cold sweats forming again on his palms, just like on that terrifying day in Tyre. It was a bloody battle where Cassander had witnessed Alexander's darker and cruel side for the first time.
"Let's hope that Alexander himself would not get fury from the god for pretending to be one."
Cassander scoffed.
"Oh, so you are worried about the king after all?"
Certainly he cared for the king's well being as a Macedonian soldier, but although he knew that it was based on illogical jealousy, he cared less for Alexander as a person.
"No, it was sarcasm, Hephaistion."
"Sure, you hateful Cassander."
Hephaistion teased, and Cassander puffed his cheeks. Again, he could not believe that he, the scary Cassander, was treated like a little child.
It had been three days since they arrived at this mystic ancient city of Siwa. It was so different from their homeland, Pella. After it felt like eternity crossing nothing but brown dunes, all of a sudden, a massive green appeared in front of their eyes. Cassander had almost forgotten how beautiful and soothing the color green could be.
As they approached the oasis, they recognized that this massive green was a forest of palm trees. If it were in Greece, then they would have built a temple of Apollo with no hesitation as it was said that the god was born under a palm tree. Considering the Egyptians had built a temple of Amon here otherwise in this remote location, Cassander thought that people's minds might not be so different no matter what culture they lived in.
Cassander also had to admit that the place possessed something sacred, or even magical. A huge lake with cool blue water, and the small water pools that were dotted throughout the forest made them forget that this place was standing in the middle of the sea of sands where they had almost died.
It was a terrible journey. For Cassander, it was also a pointless journey just to satisfy one of Alexander's capricious behaviors. At one point, he was so angry with Alexander for putting the life of Hephaistion and him in jeopardy in that he had taken them to this barren world for nothing.
Shaking off the bad memory in his mind, Cassander changed the subject.
"Have you ever heard of the pool called 'Fountain of Sun'?"
"I'm afraid not. What's so special about it?"
"I heard it from a local that there is an oasis where the water temperature changes by the hour."
"Well, the water temperature changes at any pool, doesn't it? It would be warmer during the day because of the heat from the sun, and cooler at night, right?"
"If it were any ordinary pool."
Hephaistion raised his eyebrow for an inquiry, and Cassander knew that he had made the other man curious. Hephaistion was the kind of person who dissected everything from every angle, and analyzed it until he found a logical solution before taking any actions. While, Alexander acted instantaneously driven by his ingenious instinct.
In other words, Hephaistion was the chain to keep Alexander to the ground. Their alliance had worked perfectly; one started with the intuition, and the other confirmed it with the logic. However, something had gone terribly wrong at the battle of Tyre. Alexander ran wild without control, and it seemed that even Hephaistion could not stop him.
Or could he? Cassander inhaled sharply realizing a crucial fact that he had overlooked. He did not remember Hephaistion arguing with Alexander as he had numerous times in the past when he did not agree. As a matter of fact, he never heard Hephaistion protesting against Alexander's cruel act.
' So, Hephaistion did not fail, but he did approve?'
Cassander paled when it became clear all of a sudden. It was a calculated plan to make people believe that Alexander was a son of the god. Only the rage of the god could punish people like that. It was an example to show the enemy that they should think twice before going against Alexander, since they could be dealing with a mighty god.
Now it all made sense why Alexander had treated the king of Gaza like Achilles did to Hector. He punished the king for revolting against a god. He tried to prove that he was the son of a god just like Achilles was. And Hephaistion knew all too well; he was a part of it.
"Cassander! Hello? Are you there? So what is so special about this pool?"
Hephaistion's voice brought him back from the deep thoughts, and Cassander blinked.
"Yes, the pool. Unlike an ordinary pool, this one becomes the coolest at noon, and the warmest at midnight."
"Interesting! I wonder what is causing this unusual phenomenon to happen, if it is true what you said. Let's find out. Would you like to come with me tonight?"
"Sure."
Cassander chided himself for replying too quickly and too eagerly. He knew that Alexander had a meeting with the priest that night, and it was only Hephaistion and he who would be visiting the pool late at night. The doubt if Hephaistion was doing this by knowing his feeling toward him had crossed Cassander's mind for a flick of a moment, but he could not deny the joy that filled his heart.
It felt forever for Cassander until the sun finally set, but the time finally came to meet with Hephaistion. The night in the desert was rather cool. Cassander grabbed a cloak before going out of his tent.
"Are you ready?"
Cassander addressed his arrival while lifting the flap of Hephaistion's tent.
"Yes, shall we go?"
Hephaistion stood up from the chair where he was reading some documents at the desk, and followed Cassander, also wearing a cloak over his shoulder.
They did not need a torch to find the way to the oasis, as the bright rays of the full moon shone on the ground. While they walked farther away from the camp, silence surrounded them. The only sound that they could hear was the soft footsteps of their feet crushing the sands underneath, and the rustling noise of the dried leaves of the palm tree, which they stepped on once in a while.
After walking almost three miles, they finally came to the small pool. The surface of the dark water that reflected the silver yellow moon was as calm as a mirror. As Cassander explained, the water temperature must be warmer than the atmosphere. White steam was swaying up into the air while painting a mystic scene in front of them.
"Let's find out."
Hephaistion stripped his boots and clothes without any hesitation, and waded into the water. He stopped mid way when the water was at his knee high to put his hair up into a ponytail by using a leather cord. Cassander's eyes were fixed onto the other man's bareback view.
A proportional upside down triangular shaped upper body connected to the round bottom where the lean yet muscular thighs ended. The broad back and the tight bottom that were normally covered with clothes had avoided the taint from the strong sun. The protected skin was pale and smooth, and it floated in the dark like a nocturnal flower while reflecting the moonlight.
"Aren't you coming?"
Hephaistion turned around and questioned Cassander.
"I will, after you have proven that the pool is not connected to the underworld or something."
"You are now turning into a coward."
Hephaistion scoffed. Cassander waited to enjoy the view for another full moment, and then quickly stripped himself and waded into the oasis next to Hephaistion, so that the other man would not notice his excitement.
The water temperature was perfect. They sat next to each other facing to the shore. A narrow beach separated the oasis and the lines of palm trees. It was not like what they needed, but the pool was also secluded with a community of tall pampas grass to their left. They soaked themselves into the warm water up to their shoulders and relaxed.
It was so peaceful and quiet. Cassander closed his eyes so that he would not see the source of the temptation, and enjoyed the feeling of the time halting around them.
"I wonder how it is even possible to have this phenomenon; keeping the water temperature at its coldest during the hot day, and the warmest in the middle of the cool night."
Hephaistion mumbled voicing his unanswered question.
At that moment, something alarmed Cassander and he opened his eyes. He thought that he had seen a black shadow approaching the shore, and yanked Hephaistion with him to behind the grass while covering Hephaistion's mouth with his hand.
Cassander pointed at the shore to the protesting Hephaistion. A big black panther elegantly walked up to the water line, and started to drink. Cassander almost gasped audibly seeing the silver blue eyes of the beast watching him directly into his eyes through the grass.
Cassander's skin burned where it touched with Hephaistion's, his heart beat faster, and his breathing became ragged with desire. He swore that the beast sneered at him. The animal's eyes saw through his soul just like Hephaistion's eyes did. He could hear the beast's voice.
'Are your passions assisting or hindering you at this time? Are you choosing to suppress latent desires?'
The beast's eyes would haunt Cassander forever along with the sensation of Hephaistion's skin on him.
TBC