Late afternoon they began to search for shelter. Coming over the rise of a hill, they saw open land before them, cold and inhospitable. By the trees scattered along the edge of it, they could tell it was a frozen lake.
"Do you think it is the one Stegran talked of?" asked Alexander.
Hephaistion closed his arms tighter around Alexander's waist, consciously seeking more warmth. "It could be, then again it might not. Epirus still seems like the best place to head for. But we could stop here and decide what to do in the morning."
Alexander put his hand on Hephaistion's thigh, and turned and smiled. He felt too cold to move and he knew Hephaistion felt the same. Bucephalus needed to rest, though, he couldn't carry the two of them constantly. He slowly lifted his right leg over Bucephalus' neck and slid down, groaning as his ankles jarred on the frozen ground. Turning, he saw Hephaistion lowering himself off Bucephalus, careful not to suffer the same fate.
A fallen tree trunk seemed to provide the best shelter. Tying Bucephalus to a young tree, Alexander helped Hephaistion gather small branches to form a base that they could lie on, with some protection from the snow.
It warmed them a little to keep busy like this. When they had collected enough, they began to look for larger branches, which had fallen from the trees. Something to prop against the tree trunk to give a little more shelter. When they had done, they did not have much, but it was better than before.
"If we just rest for a while, then Bucephalus will be able to carry us again," Alexander said. "It's best if we keep going, cover as much ground as possible."
Hephaistion nodded his head, then taking Alexander's hand guided him to lie down beside him. The branches were wet and uncomfortable, and so they held on to each other for warmth. Hephaistion laughed. "I don't think there will be a time when we look back on this with fond memories. If we make it back to Epirus I will have the largest fire in my room and bury myself beneath the furs until the Spring."
Alexander moved himself, so that a twig was no longer sticking in his ribs. "And plates of meat, hot and roasted, more than you can eat," he added. Laughing as Hephaistion's stomach answered loudly to the suggestion.
Hephaistion shivered, and Alexander pulled off the fur hat and placed it on love's head. "It's your turn," he said, kissing Hephaistion's cold lips, and thinking of what he would like to do, if they were at Epirus with the fire blazing and warm furs to lie under.
Bucephalus stomped his hoof, and gave a low snort.
"I think he agrees about the furs and fire," Alexander said. But Hephaistion was propping himself up on his elbows and looking in to the forest.
"Someone's coming," he whispered.
Alexander listened, and at first could hear nothing, then the sound of a horse approaching slowly. He reached for the sword, aware that Hephaistion held the dagger.
Another horse approached, from a slightly different direction. Two men speaking could be heard, though their words were not clear enough for Hephaistion to understand. Then a girls voice. Alexander and Hephaistion looked at each other, then in an unspoken agreement they crawled out of their den and stood up, stepping forward to see two men from the new tribe, one with the girl riding behind him.
The one with the girl spoke as he rode over to them. It was the one who had given Alexander his sword.
Hephaistion replied briefly, and then the young warrior spoke again. The other man with him, a giant like Ajax, just watched the conversation and contributed nothing.
"He's thanking us. He's been tracking us through the snow, he said it took him a while to catch up with Bucephalus….and he wants his sword back."
The tribesman spoke to the one who had stayed silent, the man found his voice and nodded before riding away.
Alexander looked at the sword in his hand, reluctant to let it go, but he walked over to the young Illyrian and handed it back with a word of gratitude he hoped conveyed more in its tone. The warrior replied, then signalled for the girl to get down, before dismounting himself.
"His name is Brandor," Hephaistion translated. "He's asking how we thought we would survive the night like this. That it will snow again by morning."
As Hephaistion spoke to Brandor, the girl took some of the bedding they had collected and set about making a fire from it. With the wood being damp it took a little while, but even the first flame was welcome for the warmth it gave.
"The other man, Talis, has gone for the rest of the men. They are just a days ride from their village and they say we would be welcome to go with them. They do not have much but Brandor heard me shout and then saw you save Shanna, and for this, they are willing to share."
"They don't have a god who needs a sacrifice, do they?" Alexander asked, and smiled.
As he spoke the rest of the tribesmen, the survivors, arrived. Some saw to their horses, some built up the fire, while others made camp, producing meat for roasting and making a bean stew. They smiled and nodded at Alexander and Hephaistion, giving them furs to wrap around themselves to keep warm and when they eventually sat around the fire and ate, asked question after question about their life with the other tribe, and told dark tales from the past.
They did not seem interested in Alexander or Hephaistion's past, just how they had been treated. The tribe they had been held by were called the Glaucini, they were known as the Therici tribe. The Glaucini had come from the north, only two years previously and taken the land from them, then taken what they could from other tribes. They were fearsome, and the past two winters had been difficult for all the tribes in the area while the Glaucini thrived.
Their chief, Fladon, had made the decision to offer his oldest daughter, Shanna, in marriage to the chief of the Glaucini. The chief's word was law with the Therici, and nobody had objected, but now that he was dead they felt free to air their thoughts, even though Shanna now sat quietly among them.
The chief had one son, Grayroc, who had remained back at their village, and one other daughter, Tayanor. After a suitable mourning time they would elect a new leader. It was not always the right of the son to inherit.
Hephaistion smiled at the light that ignited in Alexander's eyes, when he translated it back to him. If ever there was a man in search of a kingdom it was Alexander.
"You are not Illyrian, Alexander," he said, and smiled at him.
"Do you have to be?" Alexander asked, earnestly.
Hephaistion looked back to the tribe, now agitatedly talking amongst themselves, then he laughed. "It seems Fendor, Dalgon or Galadian, might have some objections. They seem to be the favourite candidates at the moment. The son, Grayroc, is thought too weak to lead."
Alexander smiled. "Perhaps, we should not be in such a hurry to go to Epirus."
Hephaistion shook his head and grinned. "I can see how a stranger, who can't even speak the language, would be the perfect choice for chief."
Alexander grinned back. "Ah, but I have you by my side, and together we can achieve anything."
Some of the men went to collect more wood, to build the fire up before they slept. Alexander and Hephaistion went with them, wanting to show willing, to repay them for sharing their food…for saving them.
When they returned, carrying bundles of the driest wood they could find, they stacked it by the fire, then with the rest, lay down around it.
Alexander spooned himself around Hephaistion, holding him close. He saw Talis look over at him, saw him grin and say 'grecon'. He nudged Hephaistion. "What does 'grecon' mean?" he whispered.
"Greek," Hephaistion replied. "Now get to sleep, Alexander…Chief of the Therici."
"It sounds good," Alexander replied, then, getting an elbow in the ribs from Hephaistion he said no more.