Led in to the hall, Alexander was guided to a table where several of the men who had journeyed with them, sat now drinking from wooden cups.
The mood was solemn, whatever these men and their chief had hoped for when they set off to meet with the Glaucini, the worst had happened. Their chief was lost to them, not even a body to pay their respects to, to offer to the safekeeping of their gods.
Some women stood against the wall, holding young children to them, who in turn hugged onto their mothers thighs and stared at the men as if afraid that their failure meant their doom.
Brandor patted Alexander on the back and encouraged him to sit amongst them, offering a cup of mulled wine, some bread and cheese.
Alexander looked back towards the chief's room. Without Hephaistion he was mute; without Hephaistion he was lost.
Brandor spoke to him, but he could not understand. Brandor spoke again, this time nudging him and pointing to the chief's room, miming the action of removing a bandage from his hand, slicing it, then placing a poultice. His other hand moved like a claw over the other, slowly dragging away, and Alexander understood that Brandor was telling him the poultice would draw the poison. It was something he already knew but he was happy to comprehend in sign language, if nothing else.
He ate the food. The time spent with the Glaucini had affected him, he saved half for Hephaistion, as he had done while held captive. Only when he realised he had no need to share, did he finish the contents of his plate.
He stood up, one of the men signalled for him to sit down, but he pointed to the door outside and they let him go.
It was snowing. Alexander wandered over to where crude wooden stables stood, stepping inside to see horses standing in wooden pens, eating a poor quality hay. He found Bucephalus alone, happily eating what he had been given, and then he saw Briseis amongst some others.
He climbed over to the mare, going to her and stroking her firm neck, while she tugged, at the hay in the manger, and ate.
Needing whatever comfort he could find, he rested his head against the mare. Tears came to his eyes in the quiet of the stables. "What if we lose him?" he murmured, then he closed his eyes tightly and turned his face into the neck of the mare, full of fear, but not wanting to submit to it. "What if we lose him?" he asked again, as if daring himself to face his greatest fear. He swallowed hard, forcing down the idea that there could be a world without Hephaistion in it.
Releasing the mare, he climbed out of the pen and made his way back to the hall. Striding along, past the people gathered there, past the people gathered at tables talking in low tones, and in to the chief's room.
He found three women in the process of removing Hephaistion's clothing, having already removed his cavalry boots which now lay in a pile on the floor. It would have been funny, if Hephaistion were not so ill, a payback for Hephaistion's joke on him at Stegran's village.
Hephaistion's right hand was raised, as if trying to stop them. Alexander went to him, pulling back the women, who now held the chiton.
Alexander went to grab for it, but Talis was right behind him and got there first. "Ey!" he shouted, taking the chiton and walking over to the fire with it.
"Don't," Alexander ordered, but then saw that Talis was just holding it, warming the fabric, causing the dampness within the fibres to rise as steam. The cloth was damp, they had removed it to make Hephaistion more comfortable, so that he did not catch a chill to weaken him further.
Alexander turned back to see the women, already dressing Hephaistion in a light blue, embroidered tunic and some brown leggings, tied at the waist with a cord. One of the older woman made a comment, which the other women laughed at.
Talis made a comment back to them and the older woman shook her head, while she pulled the furs back over Hephaistion, then gently patted Hephaistion's face, before going to Talis and pulling at his beard and playfully slapping his belly.
Alexander went to Hephaistion's side, sitting on the bed and taking his right hand.
Hephaistion's eyes flashed open for a moment, then closed again. "Alexander," he whispered and softly squeezed the hand that held his own.
Talis crouched down beside him and put his fingers to his lips, signalling that he should be quiet. He reached over and pulled the furs tighter around Hephaistion, then stood up, patting Alexander on the shoulder before he left the room, calling the women to follow to leave them on their own.
Alexander had so many things he wanted to say to Hephaistion, but he held himself in check. He sat in silent vigil, studying every part of Hephaistion's face, preserving it in his memory as he had done so many times before, when his love lay sleeping and it was still a long time to the dawn. He longed for those blue eyes to open, and stare on him, laughter-filled for catching him in open adoration.
One of the women came back into the room, carrying a dark blue tunic, embroidered with light blue thread, and a pair of black leggings. She held them out to Alexander, to tell him they were for him, then placed them on the bed and left the room.
With his left hand, Alexander felt his chiton, realising it was damp. He stood up, then stripped off his clothing and kicked off his boots, picking them up and placing them by the fire. He was just about to step in to the leggings when he noticed Hephaistion's eyes on his, and smiled to see that laughter was held in them.
Alexander held up the leggings. "You are already wearing some," he informed him, then stepped into them, pulling them up and tying them at the waist, while Hephaistion shifted a little, then looked surprised.
Alexander sat beside him, taking his hand once more. "How do you feel?"
Hephaistion sighed, then shivered, before pulling his hand away from Alexander and trying to push the furs away. "My head aches…I am hot," he murmured, "I feel sick."
"Don't talk, Hephaistion," Alexander replied softly, taking his hand so that the furs would stay wrapped around him. "Just rest and get well…for me."
Hephaistion needed no further encouragement. He gave a deep sigh and drifted back to sleep.
Alexander reached back for the tunic, and put it on, feeling its warmth against his skin. He stood up, walking around to the other side of the bed, lifting the furs to slide in alongside his sick lover. Wrapping his arm gently around Hephaistion's waist, he nestled up against him, closed his eyes and felt sleep claim him too.