Title: "You are my weakness" Chapter 5: "King Philip"
Author: too_beauty
Feedback: yes, please any kind of them will help me to improve my writing or leave it forever.
Pairing: Alexander & Hephaestion; Philip .
Rating: PG
Category: Historical AU so some personages will appear to serve the purpose of this story.
Disclaimer: I don't know the people involved; A&H belonged to themselves and to History, if not Hephaestion would be still among us, living under my "protection".
No beta so all mistakes are mine.
Author's note: the words in CAPITAL LETTERS belong to the script of "Alexander" by Oliver Stone.
The sun was setting on the horizon and a gloomy young man was sitting on his bed; the last rays of sunshine gave the chamber a yellowish appearance , the air was still warm but several shivers ran along the prince's body; he was numb, confused, lonely …. empty.
After an exhausting search for some days, he had found his Phai's letter, well, not his anymore, among Ptolemy's things and after reading it several times, his loneliness had struck him with full force: Hephaestion was grieving, he wanted to die, he had admitted he still loved Alexander and cared about him but he had also resigned to have him; in fact Alexander had to recognize that Hephaestion was doing what he, the almighty Regent of Macedon, had asked him to do. Right now Alexander was still thinking what had made him ask his lover to do such a thing. He also had to recognize that his mother was partly guilty for his decision and also his father and his lecturing since his early years.
Alexander lied on his back on his bed; he put his arms behind his head and rested his nape on his hands. His mind took him to his childhood and to a special afternoon he spent with his father in the caves near his home.
Looking at the paintings of gods and heroes over its walls, they talked about everything but mostly about feelings, duties and people.
"THERE'S NO GLORY WITHOUT SUFFERING AND THIS your mother WILL NOT ALLOW" King Philip stated between his teeth.
"MY MOTHER WOULD NEVER HURT ME" Alexander replied.
"IT IS NEVER EASY TO ESCAPE OUR MOTHERS, ALEXANDER. ALL YOUR LIFE, BEWARE OF WOMEN. THEY ARE FAR MORE DANGEROUS THAN MEN. And your mother is not an exception."
"I know, Father, that's why I have Phai by my side, he is always so sure of himself, he soothes me when I am broken, he makes me happy and the most important for me is that he loves me because I am just his friend Alexander and not a king-to be. " the young prince explained very seriously.
"A KING ISN'T BORN; HE IS MADE BY STEEL AND BY SUFFERING. A KING MUST KNOW HOW TO HURT THOSE HE LOVES. IT'S LONELY AND ALL GREATNESS CAME FROM LOSS" Philip told his son with a sad voice.
"That is so sad to listen, Father, but I know that one day I'll be important but I won't be alone, and Hephaestion will be by my side, as he has promised me, sharing my glory and greatness, and I won't hurt him, he is too important for me." Alexander said with a hint of pride in his childish voice.
"Don't be so sure, Alexander. NO MAN OR WOMANCAN BE TOO POWERFUL OR TOO BEAUTIFUL WITHOUT DISASTER BEFALLING."
"Don't worry Father, when the time comes, I will be able to think and act with intelligence, without hurting those I keep in my heart."
"May the gods listen to you and give you the understanding to recognize your own mistakes and failures and praise you for your achievements. I also pray the gods that they keep you pure of heart and soul so that is the only way to make justice to your beloved ones." Saying that, King Philip went on his way towards the cave entrance.
Alexander went back some steps to look at his hero Achilles on the wall and passing his fingerprints over Patroclus´s face, he whispered: "I will never let you done, Phai, my Patroclus."
His vow came back to Alexander's heart, smashed against its hard shell and the young prince couldn't stop his tears; he had not only betrayed his beloved but also his hero. Crashing his pillow between his arms, the young man cried till he fell asleep, exhausted and more depressed than ever.
In the meantime, King Philip, his guards and part of the Army was entering the Palace with all the pomposity deserved to a winner; his last fights were successful and by the time most of the peoples of Greece had recognized the importance of Macedon and its strength. But King Philip was feeling magnanimous and on his way back to his palace, he had decided that new treaties were about to be written and signed with his new allies, assuring them that he would exchange his protection by their acceptance and recognition. And after that, when everything was calm inside the Greek lands, he would start planning his last actions to conquer Persia. He was eager to comment this idea to his son and he was a bit disappointed that he wasn't among the people who went out to receive him.
Ptolemy hadn't had time to send a page to wake Alexander so he ran to the Throne Room to sneak among the generals and companions who were greeting his King. He wanted to know what had happened but due to the joy in everybody's faces, the King had been victorious.
A banquet was on its way and when the generals and companions had their cups filled with red Macedonian wine; Philip turned to look at his lover, the black Cleitus, and asked him about Alexander's whereabouts. The young general calmed him down, telling him that the young Prince was busy with something. Cleitus spotted Ptolemy in the corner of the room and signaled him to go and bring Alexander. The young man ran to the prince's chamber to find his friend curled up like a ball in the middle of the spacious bed, with his face clearly stained with tears.
"Wake up, Alex, your father has just returned and is requesting your presence at the Throne Room" Ptolemy said with his voice full of anxiety. He saw how his dear friend opened his eyes and discovered that they were reddish and empty, without the usual glow in them. The prince got up, put a clean chiton on and headed to the room, followed by one of his most loyal friend.
"There you are my son, but are you feeling well? Your eyes are reddish " The king asked with concern.
"Joy to you, Father and congratulations on your new conquests." Alexander greeted his father and told him he had been reading under the sun and that was the reason for his sore eyes.
"Where is your lover, pretty boy? I need him to give me some advice on the new treaties and he will be acting as one of my first diplomats."
"He is not here, Father; he decided to go home because the soldier life didn't suit him" Alexander explained trying not to look at his father' eye.
"Gone? By Zeus's balls what had happened between you two while I was away? Did you have a lover spat? If that is what had happened, go back to Pella and bring him back if not I will summon him to come and give me his excuses because …"
In that moment, Cassander entered the room and walking towards the king, he stopped some feet away and kissed Alexander's cheek saying: "There you are, my Prince, I have missed you all day " while he pushed his fingers inside Alexander's hand and gave him a love puppy look.
The king was astonished at this new display of affection by Cassander, he knew that the boy had had a crush on his son since the first time they met but Alexander had only had eyes for his blue eyed friend. What had really happened? He wondered.
"Step back, Cassander, I have already told you how you should behave in public and I don't like your attitude today" the prince said as if his companion was a mere slave. The noble young man turned round and went to talk to his father, who was among the new comers.
Philip saw the sadness in his son's eyes but didn't say a word, life has showed his golden boy her ugly face and Alexander didn't know what to do.
"Titus, send a messenger to Amyntoros's house and summon Hephaestion to come back to the palace. Tell him the king has very important matters to discuss with him" Philip could say a ray of hope crossed his son's eyes but he remained in silence.
Alexander was thinking that he hadn't seen his friend for six long months, they had never been apart for such a long period of time since they met eight years ago and in two days maximum he would be seeing him again.
A day and a half later, Alexander saw the page sent by Titus entering the palace and heading to the Throne Room, he sneaked inside the room because he wanted to hear the news at the same time as his father but it was strange that Hephaestion hadn't come back with the messenger.
"Is Hephaestion washing before coming to see me?" the king asked the man standing in front of him.
"No, Sire, I regret to say that I had brought some bad news."
… and in that moment the young Prince couldn't believe what he was listening, that couldn't be true, he had to be dreaming.