They awoke to snow the next morning, it had settled on the furs and covered their supplies.
Hephaistion looked up at the sky. It was grey, no hint of blue. He nudged Alexander, then pulled himself up, lifting one of the furs and wrapping it around himself. He went to check the horses, who had turned their backs to the slight breeze, that at times would make the snow fall faster. He untethered the pack horse and led it down to where he could easily load it up. Alexander had just got up, and like Hephaistion he had wrapped a fur around himself to keep warm.
Alexander too, looked up at the sky. "It's not likely to stop," he commented, more to himself than to Hephaistion. They had some bread left. He went to the supplies and found it, breaking it in half and handing the other to his companion. "I'll go and check the snares I set, perhaps, if the Gods are with us, we'll have a warm supper tonight.
"Don't be long," Hephaistion replied. Deciding to use what wood they had remaining to build the fire once more.
The pack horse was ready to go, and the fire welcoming by the time Alexander returned, empty-handed. He shook his head in disbelief. "Not even a rabbit," he complained, aware that they would be eating bean stew for supper, instead of meat.
"I like bean stew," smiled Hephaistion, handing Alexander his cloak and some furs. He looked towards the route they would follow today. "It's as if we are alone in the world, Alexander. And to be honest, I quite like that too."
Alexander grinned and shook his head. Hephaistion could always lift his mood. With the sudden belief that things could not get worse, he went to fetch Bucephalus.
OOXXOO
Things did seem to look up, when they finally located their first village. They rode along a path and in to the centre, looking for the chief. People came out to stare at them, children shouted up at them. The young men held back, hands to their weapons.
Finally, coming to the largest wooden structure in the village, a man stepped before them.
Alexander and Hephaistion both dismounted. The man spoke to them.
"We have the chief," Hephaistion said, before replying in what, to Alexander, seemed like flawless Illyrian. Hephaistion always had a gift for languages, he knew some Persian and a few Egyptian words, enough to make himself understood.
While Hephaistion spoke, Alexander looked up at the sky. The snow was falling faster now. He hoped they would be offered a place to stay. He looked back, having heard the name 'Amyntor' spoken by the chief. Hephaistion was nodding. The chief's face broke in to a big grin. He gave Hephaistion a big pat on the back, and welcomed him inside.
It was good to be out of the snow. Alexander looked over his shoulder to see a couple of young boys already taking care of the horses, then looked ahead to see a large hall, with tables and benches, and a huge fire roaring at the end of it.
Some women sat inside, and smiled up at him, talking and laughing amongst themselves. At a shout from the chief, one of the women got up and hurried to pour a drink for the chief and his guests.
Hephaistion turned to Alexander and smiled. "The chief's name is Stegran, his brother used to trade with my father. His brother is dead now, killed in battle with another tribe, but Stegran said my father provided them with fine horses, that he was honourable and on that basis , we are welcome to stop the night."
"Just the night?" asked Alexander, hoping they could stay until the weather improved.
Hephaistion smiled. Then spoke to the chief before turning back to Alexander. "He's agreeing, that game is scarce. But he has some beans he can let us have, if we have something to trade in return."
"What does he want?"
"The pack horse…if he can have it." Hephaistion took a drink of what he had been offered. "We have two flasks of wine. I think he will eventually agree to that. It's better than this, whatever it is."
Alexander smiled, and nodded at the chief, risking a sip of the drink, careful not to show that it tasted like goats piss, or what he imagined goats piss would taste like. He looked around the hall, smelling meat roasting, and wondered if this tribe knew where to hunt for food. There were plenty of them to feed, they had to know where the wild boar roamed, at least.
He thought it would be an easy thing, to head off in to the mountains of Illyria with Hephaistion, to hunt for game and explore the land, while waiting for the fates to decide their future…while hoping that his father would send for him, in a way that made no demands; in a way that showed the love Alexander had seldom seen from his father.
With that thought, he turned to gaze on Hephaistion, who was talking to the chief. From the very first moment that they met, Hephaistion had offered nothing but his love and loyalty. When he had proposed heading in to these hostile lands, Hephaistion had totally supported the idea, although Alexander was aware he must have had doubts about their safety. Even here, where the chief appeared hospitable, he would make sure he slept with his sword by his side.
The chief patted Hephaistion's shoulder, and then left the hall shouting orders as he went.
Hephaistion turned and smiled at Alexander. "Stegran says that if we go any further north we'll come to a range of mountains, at the foot of which is a vast lake. From here he says to keep to the east, the tribes to the west are not as…" Hephaistion laughed, "…as cultured as they are."
"How far to the lake?" Alexander asked.
"About five days from here, with other villages along the way."
Alexander considered what they had brought with them. Some fodder for the horses, plates, a couple of pots, the axe, furs, rope, beans, their shields, wine and clothing. They had also brought some bread, but that had gone. What was left he did not want to trade as they might need it.
"We'll just trade the wine, for more beans then," he agreed.
"Would you like me to fetch a change of clothes?" Hephaistion asked.
Alexander let the fur cloak he was wearing fall back. He wore a long sleeved chiton, with a leather belt. On his feet were cavalry boots, but his legs were bare, no self-respecting Macedonian would consider wearing leggings. He often thought that Macedonian pride should sometimes be sacrificed for comfort, but at the moment, not wearing leggings, reminded him of his Macedonian heritage. He put his hand up to his face. He needed to shave. That had caused enough discussion, when the court realised that he would not be keeping the beard that other Macedonians sported with pride.
He nodded to Hephaistion, who stood up and went outside to locate the horses.
Alexander stood up and went over to the fire, still carrying the drink in his hand, a second sip had made it appear more palatable. He looked in to the flames, his mind going back to his father's wedding night, over the words that were said. He closed his eyes, seeing Attalus laughing at him, seeing his father pointing at him, casting accusations, agreeing with Attalus. He had no choice but to leave, even if he had not already decided for himself, his father's proclamation of banishment, before the entire court, was enough.
He opened his eyes, and shook his head as if to dispel the visions in his head. He thought too much on it. He took another drink of the foul brew in his cup, and noticed a girl approaching from his right. She held a flask in her hand, and spoke to him as she filled his cup.
Her hair was dark and unkempt, the gown she wore was torn and dirty, and yet Alexander reckoned that with a bath and fine clothes she could be a match to any woman at Pella. He thanked her for the drink, she spoke to him, and not understanding what she said he smiled and nodded, which made her laugh and run away back to her companions.
It was to these women laughing that Hephaistion returned. He looked over to them as he made his way to Alexander, carrying a bundle of clothing. Alexander followed Hephaistion's gaze back to the women.
The dark-haired girl laughed. "Thelo!" she said, repeating what she had said to him.
"Thelo," Alexander replied, smiling, then turned back to see Hephaistion gazing on him with laughter in his eyes.
"What is it?" Alexander asked, but Hephaistion did not answer him.
Hephaistion turned back to the women and spoke to them. They pointed to a dark alcove at the end of the hall, and Hephaistion put his hand on Alexander's back and guided him to it, telling him that was where they would be sleeping that night.
A rough woollen blanket gave a little privacy in the small space where a mattress, filled with straw and covered with furs, lay on the dirt floor. There was a bowl on the floor and a jug beside it.
Hephaistion stepped around to the far side of the mattress, dropping the clothing down on to it as he removed his fur cloak, and started to undress. Alexander followed his lead, watching as Hephaistion poured water in to the jug and began to wash, then shave.
Alexander watched Hephaistion, crouched down by the bowl, wearing only his cavalry boots and longed to take him on the mattress there and then. He too, only wore cavalry boots and did not try to hide his arousal as Hephaistion stood up, pouring his share of the water away, and turning to him.
He went to Hephaistion as he poured fresh water, letting the fingers of his right hand caress Hephaistion's waist, to go to his chest and down to his groin, grinning as he felt Hephaistion's arousal match his own.
Their lips sought each others, and Alexander encouraged Hephaistion to move back, until his back was against the wall. Hands greedily seeking each other, stroking, teasing, until they both required release.
"Thelo," Hephaistion whispered, biting Alexander's ear, before he turned to face the wall.
There had been times like this at Mieza….at Pella, when their need was urgent but they had to act quickly and keep silent. It felt like one of those times now, when they might be disturbed at any moment, when they both knew they had to bite back any cries of passion.
Hephaistion parted his legs, his hands stroking the wall, then reaching back as Alexander entered him. He threw his head back to rest it on Alexander's right shoulder, biting his lip. Alexander bit his neck and held him tightly as he began to thrust, reaching for Hephaistion, his hand matching his pace. They came together, Hephaistion turning as best he could to find Alexander's lips, stifling the words of love he would have spoken.
Alexander withdrew, and grinned at Hephaistion, kissing his lips briefly before moving away, before turning to wash himself and shave. Hephaistion crouched down beside him and poured some water from the jug in to his hand so that he could clean himself.
He grinned at Alexander, then stood up and dressed, again in a long-sleeved chiton, to match Alexander's. He tied his belt and ran his fingers through his hair, tidying it, then lay back on the mattress and watched Alexander while he finished shaving and then dressed.
"Do you want to tempt me again?" Alexander laughed, holding out a hand to help Hephaistion to his feet.
He pulled back the blanket to see that the women had gone, but several of the men had gathered inside. Their conversation went quiet as they saw Alexander and Hephaistion appear, but then Stegran appeared and seemed to assure them things were well.
Food and drink was served, the men attempted to teach them drinking songs and having discovered that Alexander could not speak their language soon made the most of it. They laughed at the obscenities Alexander was saying, and then Hephaistion translated an old Macedonian hunting song into Illyrian, and they realised their words were tame by comparison and gave up the game.
The whole village seemed to have gathered in the hall. The women poured drinks and served food, while children held on to their mother's or ran about with toy spears or swords, pretending to hunt or fight.
As the drink had its effect, the men either left the hall, some with women, or fell asleep where they sat. Stegran lay on the floor, by the fire, his arm around a young girl who did not seem to object to his advances.
Wishing their hosts health, Alexander and Hephaistion returned to the space allocated to them, and once undressed they slid under the furs.
Alexander turned on to his right side, intending to reach for Hephaistion, but just as he did the young serving girl appeared, quickly shimmying off her dress to stand naked before him. She shivered and quickly pulled back the furs, sliding down alongside Alexander, wrapping herself around him as she pulled the furs back over.
Hephaistion was convulsed with laughter at what had happened, at the look on Alexander's face, just about visible by the lamplight from the hall. The girl wriggled her way over Alexander's body, to lie between them, her back to Hephaistion.
Alexander jumped as she felt the girl's hand reach for his groin. Hephaistion laughed louder, having to look away to gain some control of himself. Alexander held the girl's wrist, bringing her hand up to his chest. The girl said something and lunged forward to kiss him.
"Hephaistion!" Alexander hissed, moving back from the girl, sitting up, still having to fend her off and counter-attack her advances. "Hephaistion!" he yelped, as the girl's hand shot forward, reaching for his groin once more.
"You invited her here," Hephaistion said, clutching at his side and trying to stop the laughter that was now becoming painful. Tears ran down his face. "Thelo means 'fuck me'. She asked and you agreed.
"But I don't want 'thelo' not with her," groaned Alexander. The girl had thrown her arms around his neck and was clinging to him, rubbing her naked breasts against him.
"Thelo," the girl murmured, pushing back the furs and straddling Alexander.
"Don't mind me," grinned Hephaistion.
Alexander pushed the girl away, and stood up from the mattress, grabbing for his discarded chiton and holding it over his groin as a shield. The girl formed a fist and punched the mattress, then turned to Hephaistion and spoke quickly, her hands pointing to Alexander.
Hephaistion replied to her, caressing the side of her face with his hand, then running his hand down her arm. The girl frowned, then crawled over the mattress, reaching for her dress. She put it on, glared over at Alexander, and then left.
Laughing. Hephaistion patted the mattress. "You can come back to bed now. It is safe."
Alexander looked back the way that she had gone, as if she might appear again. Then, as if deciding for himself it was safe, he threw down his chiton and came back to lie beside Hephaistion. "You knew this was going to happen," he said.
"You should be careful what you say, Alexander."
"And what did you tell her?"
"That you like the boys. But she thought it was a very Greek thing to do. She asked if you and I were lovers….and I told her that …"
"You told her that we were," said Alexander, kissing Hephaistion's lips in gratitude.
"I told her that I took you." Hephaistion grinned. "You wouldn't make me out a liar now. Would you?" he asked, moving his body over Alexander's as he spoke.
Alexander ran his finger's along the side of Hephaistion's face, sliding them along to entwine them in his hair. "Thelo," he murmured, as he reached to kiss Hephaistion's lips once more.