Day Sixteen: Alexander's engagement.
The news ran fast like the wind among the companions; by the end of the summer Alexander would be engaged to the red haired Megara who would later turned into their queen. The rest of the maidens started to wander around the most important girl in the palace and queen Olympias had started to feel neglected due to the lack of attention from the girls. Totally unexpected, Megara was the only one who continued behaving towards the queen as she had done it previously, with respect and even consulting about her embroideries and other chores that they were supposed to be doing around or in their chambers in the small palace.
Queen Olympias appreciated her good behaviour so she started to spend more time with her, trying to know her better. Of course, due to Olympias's controlling nature, her intentions were not as innocent as she let the rest believe; she really wanted to discover if the red haired Megara had any notorious flaws so she could use them against her, if necessary. Her son needed only one strong woman to guide him and, without any doubt, that strong woman and advisor would always be Olympias, not only because she had given birth to him but also because she was the only one who knew what he needed best.
**flashback**
Megara was sitting in the back garden, her busy fingers were sewing one little stitch after the other, she was making a new embroidery for one of his newest peplos but her mind was not totally on her work; her mind was reliving the whole conversation she had had with Alexander some days before.
"Joy to you, Megara, may I talk to you?" Alexander said quite quickly after entering the common room.
"Of course, my prince. What do you need to speak about? Is Hephaestion alright? I haven't seen him all day" she asked mild worried because she had noticed that those were not attached by the hip anymore and that could only bring more problems.
"I don't know and I don't care" Alexander said, sitting by her side and taking one of her delicate and small hands in his.
"Well, don't tell me that this is not strange, you are barely apart one from the other" she said smiling but it disappeared as soon as she took a better look to Alexander's expression.
"Not anymore, he had taken a serious decision and I am going to take mine now" the blonde youth said plainly.
"I am listening, my prince" Megara said, leaving her handwork by her side.
"I have been thinking that we do not have to fake our engagement any more, I have realized that I have strong feelings for you and I would be truly honoured if you accept my proposal and promise of marriage in the future" Alexander spoke quickly without breathing in between.
"Are you sure, Alexander? Is this what you really want? Don't rush any decision because of a fight or a misunderstanding" Megara advised her friend.
"I know what I am doing, I am not a child!" he said loudly.
"There is no need to be so angry but I am thinking that it is quite change of heart, two months ago you were really smitten with Hephaestion and now you don't even care about him. I am not like the rest of the women, I do not need a man by my side to feel complete, I am quite well on my own. If, and that is a very big if, I ever think about getting married, I will want a true marriage and I will not tolerate a husband who is comfortable taking mistresses or lovers because he is bored and not totally satisfied" the red haired young woman stated clearly.
"That is one of the things I like about you, Megara, you are always ready to speak your mind, without having fear of being punished or told off because of your words" Alexander said and smiled, the first true smile she had seen in his face in the last week or so.
"So, in the case I accept your proposal, you have to agree to one or two of my terms" Megara said seriously, trying to see if Alexander was truly listening to her.
"Well, tell me what they are and we can discuss them before announcing our engagement" Alexander said but he was slightly distracted when he saw Hephaestion passing by in the distance.
Megara saw the quick look Alexander threw towards the brunette, his eyes were feasting on the gorgeous young man, who had not seen the couple speaking. Alexander opened and closed his fists repeatedly, as if by doing that, he could stop his desire of grabbing his cyan eyed lover and take him somewhere else. Megara saw all the signs and she instantly realized that Alexander was still in love with Hephaestion; it was impossible for the prince to hide his love for his brunette as it was impossible to cover the sun with a finger. What he wanted to do, she could not really understand but she did realize that he was not true to his heart.
She took a deep breath and sighed lowly. Alexander came back from his day dreaming and masking his pain and distress; he looked at Megara and smiled at her. The young maiden smiled back and made up her mind. She would accept the prince's proposal but only after her terms, without any further discussion of her conditions. She cleared her voice and started to speak her mind and wishes.
"I will accept your engagement proposal only under my terms; they are not negotiable, Alexander" Megara said plainly and seriously.
"What if I think they are too strict?" Alexander asked, more curious than before.
"If you do not agree to them, you still have five other maidens you can choose from or any other woman you may come across in the future; I am not planning to get married soon" she replied without taking her emerald eyes from the prince's two coloured eyes.
"Alright, tell me what they are" Alexander said, a tiny smile gracing his lips, as he was wondering what she would be asking for herself.
"First of all, I do not appreciate public displays of affection; I think they should be only shared in the intimacy of a room, away from curious and envious eyes; I could accept a loose handholding or walking arm in arm but no further. I would not have any kind of sexual intercourse or any kind of activity or caresses that may lead to it until we are married, however I will not ban you from getting them if you are totally discrete; of course these extra marital activities will cease as soon as we are married. Lastly but not least important, if by the time of the marriage, in the next four or five years, I don't feel comfortable with you or the idea of marriage, I can cancel the wedding without any further explanation that the one I have already given" Megara said slowly so Alexander did not have any doubt of what she had been saying.
"You really have a lot of conditions, Megara. Are you playing hard to get or it is just me the one who provokes this in you?" Alexander asked laughing but he suddenly stopped when he saw the serious expression in the young woman's face.
"Any of them, my prince. Those are my conditions, do you accept them or not? I really would appreciate a quick answer here" she said plainly.
"I do accept your conditions, Megara. So do you accept my engagement and later marriage proposal?" the prince asked with a serious voice.
"Yes, I do, Alexander" Megara was saying when a loud gasp could be listened behind some rose bushes.
"Who is there hidden? Step outside and do not try anything as I am armed" Alexander said, putting his hand onto the hilt of his kopis.
"It is me, my prince" Hephaestion said, stepping from behind the plants and with his head hanging onto his chest.
"Don't you see I am busy, Hephaestion! What do you need?" Alexander asked, wondering if the brunette had listened to his proposal.
"The Queen wants to talk to you and she commanded me to look for you" the blue eyed young boy said with a thread of voice. Megara realized that he was trying to keep his tears unshed, what she could not guess if they were tears of pain or anger.
"Well you have found me, go and tell her that I will be speaking to her as soon as I finish talking with my beloved" he said, knowing that his words would not affect the brunette who had so quickly renounced to his love.
"Of course, my prince. Megara" Hephaestion said and slightly bowed to the other two and the red haired girl felt her heart heavy because she had hurt the noble and faithful brunette.
"Why are you treating Hephaestion so badly, Alexander? That was really mean of you" Megara said angrily because she would not tolerate that behaviour in her beloved.
Alexander looked at her and blushed deeply, knowing that he had acted badly, he had wanted to hurt Hephaestion for leaving him without even fighting for their love, but in the end, he realized that he was also hurting himself too.
Megara came back from her memories and sighed deeply. Two weeks had gone by since that nasty moment and she had not seen any improvement in the young boys' behaviour to each other. Hephaestion, with each passing day, was even more withdrawn and he was also the target of all the jokes, especially from Cassander who was always reminding him of his current situation and asking him how he would do to cope with the situation now that he had fallen from grace with the royal prince.
Hephaestion only looked at his detractor and remained in silence. Megara wanted to intervene and speak in favour of the brunette but she also knew that that was not her place, Alexander was the one who should prohibit Cassander to laugh at Hephaestion but the blonde boy did nothing to stop the jokes and insults.
So the brunette got every day quieter and lonelier until one day he did not show up for breakfast or even his morning classes. Nobody realized of his absence until Megara asked for him during lunchtime. Alexander lifted his head so quickly that the red haired girl thought he would snap his neck with the rapid movement; he immediately asked one of the kitchen pages to go to Hephaestion's chamber and see if he was there.
Some minutes later, the page came back and he approached the prince, telling him what he had found. Hephaestion was still in bed but he looked as if he was running a high fever because his full body was shaking. Megara also listened to the news and she immediately remembered what she had been said about Hephaestion's strange disease he had had some years ago and how he had been at the point of death.
She immediately stood up and asked the page to go back to the kitchen and bring a bowl with fresh water and some cloth and to take it to the brunette's room. She was about to go when she felt a hand grasping her wrist firmly. She looked at her wrist and then to the owner of the hand, throwing a cold look at him. Alexander immediately released her wrist but did not make another move; if he wanted to remain alive, he would not follow her to Hephaestion's room. She would not tolerate anyone dictating her actions, royal betrothed or not.
Megara knocked gently onto the wood door and when she did not get an answer, she entered the room and walked towards the bed. The brunette was still shivering and his forehead was burning. A moment later, the page entered the room carrying what he had been asked and left the place immediately. Megara dipped the cloth in the fresh water and proceeded to refresh the clammy skin. She repeated the same action many times until she felt that the skin was getting a bit fresher. She was about to set the cloth over the brunette's eyes when that said young boy opened his eyes, that were reddish due to the fever, but that could easily distinguish who was with him in the room.
He sat in one quick movement, the cloth falling onto his bare chest, and he opened his mouth to speak but his throat was really parched. She offered him a glass of fresh water and he took some sips to wet his throat. He cleared his voice and said reverently.
"You shouldn't be here"
"Why not? You are my friend and I am just taking care of you because you are running a high fever" she answered while taking the forgotten cloth from his lap and putting it inside the bowl. She then took it out, wringed it a bit and made the brunette lay on his back once again so she could put the cloth over his eyes.
"I really don't need Alexander to get angry with me" Hephaestion confessed in a whisper.
"Why would he get mad at you? For being ill?" she asked confused.
"Because you are here tending to me and you are his beloved" he said in a low voice.
"I can be that but he is not my owner and you are my friend and I am really worried about you. You have not been yourself since last month and you have been a bit careless with your health" she said while patting his hand amorously.
"I beg for your forgiveness, you should not worry about me" Hephaestion said totally embarrassed.
"I will worry all I want about you, you are my friend and that stupid prince is behaving as a spoiled brat with you" she said.
"Please, watch your mouth, if the queen hears you badmouthing Alexander, she can send you to be flogged" Hephaestion said, feeling terrified at the idea.
"Thanks for the advice but it does not hide the truth behind his behaviour" she said, standing up.
"I will come back with some broth and don't dare to deny my help" she said smiling, kissing the brunette's forehead.
Megara went back to the table and Alexander asked her how Hephaestion was doing. She looked at him and simply answered that if he wanted to know, he should check by himself, especially because Hephaestion was his best friend. Alexander remained in silence for the rest of the meal.
Two days later, Alexander and Megara officially announced their engagement and they celebrated it with a small banquet with the presence of all the companions, the queen, the king and Aristotle.
Three days later, the young brunette took a new decision, he was ready to get his strong and stubborn attitude towards life back so Hephaestion asked permission to visit his parents on their farmhouse; what he did not say was that he was thinking about not coming back to Mieza again, he had realized that the only way to get his life back was by being away from the prince.