Day Eighteen: The confrontation.
Hephaestion and Theron had begun a very healthy routine that allowed them to exercise, on Theron's part and to do some chores around the farm, on Hephaestion's side. They shared the morning meal with Hephaestion's parents and then they would start with that routine, that included tending to the horses, feeding some of the animals, take long walks and look for things to do and finally enjoying a long dip in the river for Hephaestion and some sunbathing for Theron, who was not still fully recovered.
Lady Amyntoros was happy about them, Hephaestion had recovered his smile and happiness and Theron was slowly recovering his health. On the other hand, even though he was happy for him, Amyntas felt that Hephaestion was not keeping his word towards king Philip. He decided to talk to his son later that day.
Hephaestion was washing his face and arms before having lunch when he felt a pair of thin arms around his slender waist. For a moment he thought it was Alexander hugging him but then he noticed the differences, the arms were too much thinner, the chest was not so broad and the smell was wrong. He had to fight to hold his tears and he solved the problem by splashing some more water over his face. Theron kissed his shoulder gently and let his chin rest on his shoulder.
"Is everything alright?" he asked a bit worried, he had seen Hephaestion flinch at his touch before.
"Yes, of course" he said and turning round in the merchant's arms, he pecked his lips softly.
"You know you can tell me anything" Theron said confidently.
"I know, I was just thinking that I have to write a letter to Master Aristotle" the brunette said, drying his arms and face.
"Why do you have to do that?" Theron asked, a bit defensively.
"Because I want to do it, he had been my teacher for many years and I really miss him" Hephaestion replied sharply, he did not like having to give explanations about his things to anyone, not anymore.
"You can write to him after our evening walk" the man said, trying to soothe the agitated youth.
"I will do it tonight, before going to bed" he answered plainly, no one was going to plan his activities either.
"Your father wanted to talk to you, he sent me here to fetch you. Is there any problem?" Theron said, drowning in his boyfriend's blue eyes.
"No that I know about. Why do you ask?" Hephaestion asked curiously.
"Because he sounded quite serious" Theron explained.
"I will know about it soon" Hephaestion said, leaving the dirty chiton inside a basket.
Both men went back to the house and lady Amyntoros told Hephaestion that his father was waiting for him in the garden. Hephaestion looked at her astonished, the conversation had to be serious if his father was taking the time to sit and talk to him.
As soon as the brunette entered the garden, he could see his father already sat on the bench with his arms resting over his legs. The old warrior lifted his gaze and smiled, just a tiny smile but that made Hephaestion feel a bit less anxious. He sat next to him and waited until his father started to talk.
"Son, I am really happy that you have found happiness with Theron, however, I know that something serious happened at Mieza, but running away from the problems is for coward people and I know you are not that. I have been waiting for you to come and explain me why you have taken the decision of not going back to school but as you remained in silence, I have to ask you now , with all the respect your decision deserves" the old warrior asked seriously.
"I know that I owe you an explanation, father and even though it is quite embarrassing for me, I will tell you what happened between Alexander and me" Hephaestion told him.
Father and son talked for hours; Hephaestion retelling his father everything since the very beginning. He told him about Olympias's plot, he also spoke favourably on behalf of Megara, the red haired young maiden that had wanted to help them. Hephaestion confessed his fears and how he knew that he would never have Alexander and that he was lying to himself every time he thought he would. He also added his decision of letting him go before his love got deeper, without considering that his love was already attached to his heart so deeply that he had felt his heart break in halves when he left Alexander behind.
Amyntas listened to him carefully; in a moment, after Hephaestion's latest confession, he made his son stop his talk and asked him if he was aware of the things he had been saying. Hephaestion looked at himwith a puzzled expression in his face. After some silent minutes, Amyntas asked him if he had not realized that he was still in love with Alexander and how that could affect his relationship with Theron if the merchant decided to take it to a more serious level. Hephaestion looked at this father with frantic eyes, he had never realized, until that moment, that he still loved Alexander so deeply and that he was not being loyal to Theron while still feeling like that for the prince. He knew he could love Theron but he would always be in love with Alexander.
Amyntas suggested Hephaestion to take his time and think for a suitable solution for all the people involved in the mess he had created. He also added that he needed to give a very logical and reasonable explanation to king Philip if he was to abandon his studies in Mieza, after being chosen for that by the king himself and adding to that that the king had kept his place there at the school while he had been ill.
In his longing for some peace, Hephaestion had truly forgotten the remarkable position he had been granted by the Macedonian king and how, in his impulsive decision of leaving everything behind, he had not taken into consideration any of that. He decided that he would write to both the king and his master to explain his current situation and the facts that led to his final decision.
What Hephaestion did not know was that the decision would be taken from his hands sooner than he had expected.
A commotion outside the farmhouse made the two men run towards it. As soon as they arrive, they saw a group of five young boys with a blonde one in front of them, they were all wearing Philip's colours so they all assumed that the visit was an official one.
Amyntas stepped in front of his wife, his son and his son's suitor and looked at the young man that was dismounting from the black war horse called Bucephalus, the very same horse the rider had tamed when he was just a child.
The young blonde approached the old man and saluted the General reverently and then threw himself into his arms, hugging him tightly. The young man saw, over the General's shoulder, his Hephaestion and a man who was standing too close to him and with an arm around the slender waist. He closed his eyes tightly and released the embrace.
"Joy to you, General" the blonde greeted.
"Joy to you, my prince" the old man greeted back.
"Lady Amyntoros, it's been a long time since we saw each other" Alexander said while approaching the woman.
"That is right, my prince. May I say that you have turned into a fine man?" she said, bowing her head just a little.
"It is just Alexander, for you, always. May I say that the gods had favoured you with beauty and health?" Alexander said, accepting the gentle embrace.
"Joy to you, Alexander" Hephaestion said, he could no longer wait to know what he was doing there.
"Joy to you, Hephaestion. I hope you are doing well" he said between his clenched teeth. And setting his two coloured eyes onto Theron, he said:
"I am sorry, but I do not know your name"
"He is Theron, son of Kostas, he is a Greek merchant who stopped by to get some healing herbs for an illness he got in India" lady Amyntoros said, introducing one man to the other.
"I am Alexander, son of Philip. You have stopped in the best place to get your medicines. I hope they are having the desired effect" the young man said plainly but without taking his eyes from the stranger who still had his arm around Hephaestion.
"Joy to you, Alexander. As regards the medicines, I am feeling much better; it also helps the company of this gorgeous man here" he said knowing that Alexander would answer in not a very polite way.
"I am sure of that, Hephaestion is the best life partner any man could wish to have by their side. Congratulations" Alexander replied, nearly in a whisper, and his eyes showed so much pain and regret in them that it saddened the presents.
"I think that congratulations are in order for you too, my dear. Hephaestion had only words of praise for your young lady" lady Amyntoros said, unaware of the awkward situation among the young men.
"Thanks, Megara is a wonderful person and she misses your son dearly" Alexander said, his words nearly choking him.
"Let's go inside and have some refreshments. Tell your guards to go to the garden and the pages will take them something to drink too" lady Amyntoros said happily.
On their way to the house, Alexander approached Hephaestion who quickly got far from Theron's side, and asked him if he could have a word with him after their refreshments. Hephaestion nodded, blushing deeply and hoping that Alexander could not listen to his rapid heartbeat. Theron threw a worried look towards his beloved but did not say a thing about what he had just seen. They would be having some words when the prince was gone.
Nobody ever knew what blonde and brunette talked for those three hours; the only thing everybody knew was that they exchanged shouts and insults, reproaches and excuses, half confessions and white lies …
They could see them pacing from one side to the other of the garden, Alexander, throwing his arms into the air and moving closer to his seated friend. When they saw the prince quiet, they supposed that the confrontation was over but they suddenly saw how Hephaestion stood up and standing in front of the now seated Alexander, he started to speak so lowly that they could not even hear him whispering. They also saw how Alexander looked at Hephaestion steadily, as if he wanted to absorb every and each of the words falling from the brunette's pinkish lips and they also saw how the prince let his head hang over his chest and messed his hair with frantic hands. Silence reigned for long moments and it seemed as if the very same earth had stopped its movements.
Everybody inside the house was very nervous; they remained in silence or making small talk among them when all they really wanted to know was what the big discussion was about.
Lady Amyntoros looked at Theron, who was chewing his lower lip frantically. The young merchant realized what was going to happen as soon as he had seen Alexander dismount, he was going to lose his Hephaestion to the prince but if he really thought further and coldly, he would realize that he had never truly had him. He knew that Hephaestion truly appreciated him; he was sure that the young brunette had been sincere about his affection for him but the young merchant realized that he would never be for Hephaestion what Alexander was and had always been for him.
The young merchant stood up and headed slowly towards the room where he was staying. He sighed deeply and he packed all his few belongings. After that, when he had checked that he was not missing anything, he sat at the table by the small window and taking a scroll from his saddle bag, he wrote a long letter to Hephaestion, in which he explained why he had to leave him but that he would always have him in his heart. He also added that if, by any chance, he needed his help, he should never hesitate in asking for it; he added a contact address in case he was in one of his trips around the known world.
With regret and feeling deeply sad, Theron sealed the letter and entering Hephaestion's room, he left it onto the bed, after caressing the pillow where his brunette sued to rest his head at night. When he looked around the room, as if he wanted to take the image of the room and its inhabitant with him, he let his grey eyes fall on the night table. And he saw something that confirmed him he had taken the right decision; between the pages of a well thumbed copy, just sticking out of the book, there was a small drawing of Alexander's face and the artist was no one else that the same Hephaestion. The artist had been skilful enough to draw the beauty of the young prince but Theron also realized that that skill was also led by the deep love the artist fell for the object of his affection and contemplation.
He went back to the kitchen, satchel bag in hand, and saw Hephaestion's parents looking through an open window to the two young men who were still in the middle of their big discussion.
In a moment, they were quite expectant and nervous when they saw Alexander grabbing Hephaestion by his forearms and making him fall against his chest. Both young men looked into each other's eyes and then Alexander leaned over slowly and took Hephaestion's lips into a quick and gentle kiss, it was so subtle that it seemed more a peck than a kiss. When the young blond was retreating, Hephaestion wrapped his arms around Alexander's neck and pecked him back as his heart was telling him to do it.
A loud gasp made both parents turn round and they saw Theron standing there, looking at the young men who were no longer kissing but had their foreheads resting onto the other's. even though Theron had taken his decision, it was painful to see them like that.
However, his suffering lasted nothing. Minutes later, Hephaestion started to walk towards the house, holding a scroll in his hand, while Alexander walked towards the garden. They could all see the prince fetched his horse and guards and he left the house with a longing look in his eyes and a sad smile in his lips.
Hephaestion entered the house and found Theron waiting for him. He immediately knew that the young merchant had seen him, especially when he saw that Theron's belongings were already packed by his feet.
Hephaestion asked him to follow and both young men talked for a while in lady Amyntoros's garden. Hephaestion explained how confused his heart was and that he had never had the intention of hurting him because, in the short time they had been together, he had learnt to appreciate him a lot. Theron listened to him without interrupting and he smiled when the brunette ended his heated and hurried apology. Hephaestion was a bit surprised when he saw the tiny smile gracing the merchant's lips but after listening to him, he realized that the man had already suspected what was going on and that he had been quicker than him at seeing what he had been trying to hide, even from himself.
After sorting out their problems, the merchant left the house with a big packet of healing herbs and a broken heart, but knowing that he would always be welcome in the farmhouse where he had found, at least, his health back.
Hephaestion entered the house after seeing Theron off and the young blue-eyed man remained silent for the rest of the night. He did not discuss with his parents about Theron's departure; he knew that his parents had already realized the reason behind it. He was sure that his father had shared with his mother the conversation they had already had in the garden and how he had, unconsciously, confessed that he was still in love with the blonde prince.
However, before going to sleep, he announced that he was going back to Mieza as he had been summoned by king Philip. His departure had to be soon as difficult tasks would be falling onto his young shoulders rapidly.
Amyntas was really worried; it was uncommon for the king to summon someone to his presence, especially that someone was neither a soldier yet nor a diplomat at his service but Hephaestion told him that there was nothing to worry about. He proceeded to reveal the contents of the scroll Alexander had given him before his departure.
The king wanted Aristotle to instruct him in the art of the diplomacy as he was the only one of the companions who could already speak three languages and had a natural talent to learn any language he came across in a short time. He had also seen the calm and observant behaviour he had showed in difficult times and he knew he would be able to trust him as he had done it with his father and brothers.
Both parents breathed deeply and even though they would feel sad when they saw their youngest son depart, they realised that the bright future that lady Amyntoros had predicted for her son on the very same day of his birth had already started to come true.