Title: "Nine full Moons" – Chapter 5: Sixth to Ninth Moon: Getting ready.

Author: too_beauty

Feedback: yes, please any kind of them will help me to improve my writing or leave it forever.

Pairing: Alexander & Hephaestion.

Rating: PG.

Category: Historical AU.

Disclaimer: I don't know the people involved; A&H belonged to themselves and to History, if not, Phai would be living in BA…

Warning: this is a MPREG fic, it means it will deal with male pregnancy, if this is not your cup of coffee, don't drink it.

LadyLight looked at Hephaestion again and sighed; she was so in love with him that she didn't remember a moment when he wasn't the desire of her heart. But she had learnt to love him as an elder brother because she had seen how deep Hephaestion's love for his Alexander was.

***Flashback***

She met Hephaestion when she was eight and the blue-eyed boy had just turned fourteen. The first time she saw him, she rubbed her eyes with the balls of her hands and asked her grandmother if it was possible that a god was walking on earth. The old Penelope laughed at her comment but she added that he wasn't a god, he was just Hephaestion but that maybe the gods had had something to do with his birth, after all he was named after the god of fire Hephaestus. The little girl was more than happy because her name was connected to light and warmth too. Penelope also commented her granddaughter that she was a close friend to the Amyntoros family and said that, if she wanted, she could introduce her to him.

LadyLight dusted her green peplos, combed her dark long auburn curls and wore her best smile; Penelope smiled and shouted at Hephaestion. The young man turned round and ran towards her, hugging the old woman tightly. Then he looked at LadyLight and asked who the little girl was, LadyLight blushed deeply and Hephaestion laughed soundly, then he set his lapis lazuli eyes on her, outstretched his hand and asked if she wanted to meet Auburn, his new mare.

LadyLight was excited, the most handsome boy was strolling with her, holding hands and chatting friendly. They got closer to a barn where they found a blonde young man brushing the mare. The little girl asked if he was Hephaestion's groom, the brunette shook his head and explained her that he was his soul mate and prince Alexander. The blonde young man caught the sad look on LadyLight's hazel eyes so he rapidly assured her that it was his pleasure to have her as his new friend and invited her for a ride. He also asked Hephaestion to take her on Auburn so the little girl rode in front of her god, being held by strong suntanned arms. The slow pace of the horses, the excitement and Hephaestion's warm body made LadyLight fall asleep. When they returned to the market, Alexander gifted her one of his rings as a token of friendship and asked her to search for his help whenever she was in need of it.

Two years later, while Alexander and Hephaestion were walking in the market, they saw a small girl being slapped by a fat man because she had thrown his wine; the girl was carrying a very heavy tray and too big for her still small hands and couldn't manage it at all. Both youths went to help her and when Hephaestion looked at her face, he recognized his little friend. Alexander asked what she was doing there and she told them that her grandmother had died, leaving her alone, and their house had been sold to pay for some debts (her grandmother had been ill for almost a year and they had used their little savings) so she was working there and the owner gave her food and a place to stay at night. The young prince was furious, he went inside the tavern while Hephaestion hugged and comforted her. A moment later, Alexander went out carrying a small bundle of clothes and told her she was coming to the palace. There she became their personal maid, doing small chores but basically, being with them, learning how to read and write and spending time with them. Even though she was close to both of them, her gratitude was always towards Hephaestion and sometimes, she could feel the look of possessiveness in Alexander's two-coloured eyes; that made her a bit more distant from the blonde youth but, deep in her heart, she knew she'd risk her life for any of them.

When the time to departure to Persia came, she begged her two friends to take her with them. It took her two entire days to convince them but she finally succeeded, they couldn't deny her anything. She always there with them, tending to their clothes, their food and bath, looking after them as a mother would do. She also helped Hephaestion with his writing and proved to be an efficient secretary, a position she'd hold from that moment on.

***end of flashback***

LadyLight came back from her memories and looked at the former chiliarch again; he was perched by the window, with the afternoon sun enlightening his silhouette, especially his swollen belly, his strong and slender fingers were brushing it up and down and finally he set them entwined in the lower part of his belly, hugging his unborn son. His face revealed his happiness but his eyes still kept that hue of sadness.

The small woman made a little noise and Hephaestion turned round, smiling at his friend, who was giving him a cup with warm milk, for the baby, she added, trying to cheer his friend up.

Another two months went by, Hephaestion's belly was getting really big, his feet were also a bit swollen so he couldn't walk as fast as he was accustomed. The midwife had told him that the baby seemed to be a big one and that he was already head down and in position to be born; sometimes the baby's little feet pushed his diagrapham upwards making him a bit breathless, but Hephaestion was so happy that he was ready to tolerate all those problems.

His naps tended to last longer and his nerves were a bit sensitive, his only fear was the delivery to come, he wanted his baby to be fine but he had asked LadyLight, his little sunshine, that if something happened to him, she'd be in charge of the baby and raise him as hers. She was very angry because he mentioned that but she had the same inner fear.

One night after dinner, Hephaestion went to the back yard to talk to the moon, he asked her to send his lover all their love – his and the baby's- and also asked the Olympians for his safety. A strong cramp made him bend over and hug his belly; the baby was kicking him hard so he shouted for LadyLight, who came running to his help. She led him towards his chamber and made him lie on the bed, his breathing was getting heavier and the contractions were more frequent. He prayed for Hestia's help and moments later, the goddess appeared on all her glory, but she didn't come along, all the Olympians were with her, they wanted to be present in this special birth because they were also bringing presents to the newly born.

LadyLight stood at the head of the bed, cradling in her hands one of Hephaestion's, he was squeezing her friends whenever the contractions got stronger and released them when they were gone, Aphrodite gave the father-to be a goblet with a dark liquid and asked him to drink it up, when that was done, she explained that the liquid would easy the pain and help the delivery.

Hestia asked for Asclepius's help, they had everything they needed there, bowls with hot water, clean clothes to wrap the baby and a special kind of knife, which would let them perform the surgery with a minimum risk, both for the father and the baby.

Hephaestion relaxed his body and looking at Hestia into her eyes, he told him he was prepared, the goddess made a clean cut and after some seconds, a baby cry was heard on earth … the Olympians clapped and cheered because a miracle had been born, a miracle called Phainder.

Finis.

Thanks to all who reviewed, put it into alert and chose as favourite this story. It was really my pleasure to attempt this kind of writing, I also hoped you had found it as reliable as I was intended to write it.

There will be more parts: one will be a direst sequel to this story and the second will be the proper sequel to "C is for chiliarch".

For those who didn't discover, LadyLight is the translation of my real Greek name.