Chapter Twenty-seven: Parents' years.
As soon as the baby princess was born, she had her two fathers wrapped around her tiny little finger; in fact, she had a full Army of brave soldiers at her own disposal and no one would doubt once to give their lives for her.
Both parents were totally besotted with her and it was not strange to see the great king escaping every now and then from his official obligations to spend some time with Hope, even if it was just to kiss her blonde head.
Her eyes, two big aquamarines, were her most outstanding features followed by a cute button nose and bow lips; she would be a heartbreaker and her parents were seriously thinking about enclosing her in a high tower that they were planning to build soon.
Everybody was enchanted by the little one but one of the rudest men of the kingdom was head over heels and had not doubted in showing his softer side. Black Cleitus had found every excuse to go to the royal nursery every single day and he had always gifted the little princess a trinket. Sometimes he spent only few minutes, on another occasions, especially after hard days, he spent there longer and even dared to cradle her tiny body against his broad chest.
One afternoon, Hephaestion entered the royal nursery, that was next to his working place in the palace, and found the big warrior with Hope in his arms, both facing the window.
"See there, beyond the high walls, there are some exotic lands that I will conquer for you, my princess. I promise you that I will take care of your daddies and I will bring you tons of jewels and gold to match your precious eyes and hair. I will look after you and kill anyone who dares to threaten you. I almost did it once, you know, when I discovered Cassander's attack to your father who was still carrying you. I wanted to kill that rat with my bare hands but I knew that it was the king's right to do that"
The warrior stopped talking and kissed the blonde mop tenderly, letting his mind dream about what he had promised. A light movement brought him back from his reverie; Hope had caught his index finger in her tiny hand and squeezed it to call his attention. When the rude man saw those big blue eyes looking up at him, he fell in love once again and he knew that he had lost his heart to his little princess.
"That is so nice to hear, Cleitus, and now I can sleep better knowing that my daughter has such a good protector" Hephaestion said appearing.
"I am not just her protector, pretty boy; I am her personal and unique bodyguard, and I will be her most fervent suitor when she reaches her marriage age" Cleitus said while looking at her big blue eyes.
"You will be too old for her, Cleitus" Hephaestion said smiling.
"I won't, I will ask the gods for a miracle. I lost my chance with you but it won't happen with her, I promise" Cleitus said seriously.
"Don't let Alexander hear you saying that, he is already jealous of her nana because she spends more time with her than he does" Hephaestion explained as a warning.
"Don't listen to him, my little jewel, we will be together and I won't be old, I will keep myself young and safe, just for you" the courageous warrior promised.
Hope, as if she were able to understand what the tall man was saying, smiled at him and gurgled happily as if she were accepting his promises.
Hephaestion laughed loudly and in that moment, Alexander entered the nursery and his eyes became two thin slits when he saw his daughter in the warrior's arms.
"What are you doing here, Cleitus?" Alexander asked, trying to mask his jealousy.
"I came to visit my future wife" he replied calmly while caressing the chubby cheek with his index fingertip.
"What have you said?" Alexander shouted, startling Hope who pouted and started to cry.
"Look what you have done, you have upset my little jewel" Cleitus said while cradling Hope tighter against his chest and his huge hand caressed her little back with circular soothing movements. "Shhh my jewel shhh" he shushed her quickly and to her fathers' dismay, she smiled at Cleitus widely and then sighed, letting sleep claim her in the arms of her protector.
After rocking her for a while, Cleitus let her inside her crib, tucked her in and kissed her forehead wishing her sweet dreams.
Alexander and Hephaestion could not believe what they have just seen and even though they were jealous, they were grateful at the same time for Cleitus's unconditional love for their daughter.
They saw Cleitus leave the nursery and both men could spend some time, whispering about their day while watching over Hope's rest.
The little princess had been a bit feverish during the last week. She had also refused to drink her milk or she brought it up minutes after she had finished drinking it.
She had always been a quiet baby, only crying when she was hungry or sleepy but those were not her normal sobs; they were deeper as if she wanted to express discomfort or pain.
Hephaestion had been pacing with Hope in his arms for the last half an hour and he had been the only one who could calm her for a while; not even her almighty Cleitus had been able to offer the little princess some comfort.
The princess had brought two of her father's fingers into her mouth and sucked them thoroughly, covering them in thick dribble. Hephaestion did not care what his fingers were suffering if that brought her some release. She had been sucking and chewing them for a while and then she got asleep.
At night the same problem began; Alexander took her in his arms and tried to calm her. Hephaestion saw how Hope sought for a pleat in Alexander's chiton and started to suck and chew it frantically, the same she had done to his fingers in the afternoon and so the chiliarch had a clearer idea, Hope was almost 8 months old and it was time her teeth made an appearance. He walked slowly towards where the father and daughter were pacing and pushed the piece of cloth out of her little mouth. The yell she gave must have awoken the dead but Hephaestion refused to give it back. He coaxed her to open the mouth and there he found the culprit, her gums were totally reddish and swollen and a tiny cut had appeared in the upper front gum. Hephaestion gave her the cloth back and Hope stopped her crying.
The chiliarch was about to explain that to Alexander when Cleitus entered the nursery as if the very same Hades had been chasing him.
"What happened to my princess? What was that yell?" her asked and approached the little one, who recognizing his baritone voice, outstretched her little arms and opening and closing her hands, she let him know that she wanted him to take her.
Alexander was not happy at all, moreover when Hope took the warrior's thick finger and chewed it and then snuggled confidently in his strong arms. When she fell asleep, Cleitus left the room, after listening to Hephaestion's explanation, but came back three hours later with a small bowl made of stone and a kind of small knife without point or blade. He gave them to Hephaestion who looked at them curiously.
"I remembered seeing an old woman helping her grandchildren with the teething. When the gum is really swollen and you can see the tip of the tooth beneath it, you set the metal knife in cold water for a while, until it is really cold and then press it against the swollen point. The cold numbs the area and the metal helps to break the gum and so the pain is more bearable" Cleitus said in a rush because his little jewel had started to cry again.
Hephaestion set Hope in Alexander's arms and he proceeded to do as the General had previously taught him. He had to repeat the same action four of five times but finally he succeeded. The point of the tooth tore the swollen skin and Hope cried loudly but then she smiled broadly, showing proudly the tip of her first tooth.
Spring came back and brought many colours in the hundreds of flowers blooming in the royal gardens. Hephaestion had requested the best care for them as they were going to celebrate Hope's first birthday in the open air with hundreds of guests that were already invited.
The day came and Hope woke up early as usual, she was an early riser like her fathers, and to her surprise, it was her parents who were looking after her sleep.
"Happy birthday, Hope" her parents greeted her at the same time and tickled her tummy.
"Hope one" she replied laughing loud and contagiously.
"Yes, Hope is one year old today" Hephaestion replied while kissing her chubby cheek.
"I think we have a gift for Hope, don't we, daddy?" Alexander asked, winking his grey eye.
"Gimme gimme" the little princess said while opening and closing her little hands.
"Alright, but be careful because it can break" Hephaestion warned her.
The little girl stood up and with quite firm steps she walked, following her father. He showed what he had in his hands and said:
"Because you are our princess, we wanted to give you a little crown" Alexander said and he set the crown on her blonde head.
"Look papa!" Hope said lowering her head so Hephaestion could see her crown.
"It is beautiful, baby. You have one crown like father now" he said and saw the confusion in her aquamarine eyes.
"No daddy?" she asked while patting Hephaestion's head.
"What, baby?" the brunette asked with confusion.
"I think she is saying that you don't have a crown" Alexander said seriously.
"Ah …. No Hope, no crown for daddy, daddy is not king or prince" Hephaestion explained.
"Poor daddy" Hope said and immediately offered her own crown to her father.
"No princess, this is yours" Hephaestion said giving it back to her.
"No sad, daddy?" Hope asked, not totally convinced.
"No, I am not sad, I am very happy because my daughter is 1 today" and saying that, he scooped her in his arms and started to dance all over the room while Hope laughed loudly.
Alexander smiled at the beautiful sight in front of his eyes, not even the most exotic lands could compare to that image of happiness and love.
"Love you, daddy" Hope said while giving her daddy a big and nosy kiss.
"Love you too, my princess. Let's get dressed so we can have breakfast" Hephaestion said and ran after her daughter, followed by a much slower and pensive king.
There was a small banquet prepared on the dining room table, there were sweet treats and a soft cake, ready to be eaten by a one-year old girl with only six teeth.
Hephaestion realized that Hope was looking around the room, so he dared to ask:
"What are you looking for, Hope?"
""Daddy, No Cletus here? The little girl asked, still trying to master the black warrior's name.
"Umm, no he is not here, baby" he said and immediately realized that his daughter was already pouting.
From the end of the chamber, a loud voice asked:
"Who said my name?" the tall soldier said while approaching the princess with his hands hidden behind his back.
"Me me, Hope, Cletus" the little girl said waving her little hands.
"Ah…. What happens here? Is there a party?" Cleitus asked.
"Hope one, Cletus, one" the little girl said while lifting her hand and showing one finger up.
"Ahhhh, so do you want a present?" he asked smiling.
"Yay" she said clapping and laughing.
"Well, so this is for you, my little jewel" he said and handed her a rag doll that looked exactly the same as she did, crown included.
"Awww pretty Cletus, pretty" she said while hugging the doll against her chest.
"Look at her arms, they are very long so she can hug you while you sleep or you can take her for a walk" the man explained, repeating the same things the woman who had made the doll had told him.
"Let's begin the party!" Alexander said, sitting Hope in one extreme of the table on a high chair that was decorated with flowers.
The birthday celebrations lasted all day long; wherever the princess went, she received presents and even the army followers gave her simple but meaningful gifts.
When they went back to the palace, they found some people waiting for them, under Cleitus's haw look. They had introduced themselves as ambassadors from foreign lands who had come to present their respects to the baby princess.
Hephaestion immediately recognized who those people were but he kept his mouth shut. One of the women, the youngest and most beautiful of the two, winked a green eye to the young chiliarch and turned to speak to the princess but the little baby was trying to get to the tallest of the two men, who had an almighty presence. In her effort, she lost her step and was on her knees fast. Cleitus moved extremely quickly for a man with such a big body, scooped the princess in his arms, and moved towards the table to put some cold water on them. He then carefully wiped her tears and made her smile by making funny faces.
The short man, who looked like more than a boy than a man, looked at the tall man who nodded. He approached the warrior and the princess and pinched both cheeks simultaneously, murmuring something in a language who none could understand. The short man then invited Cleitus to drink some wine and he whispered something into the liquid. When the warrior asked what he was doing, the short man said that he was wishing him good health and eternal youth. The tall warrior did not protest at all and drank until the goblet was empty.
The four ambassadors left the palace but before they stopped to speak to the young chiliarch. Alexander looked at them with a bit of mistrust but he relaxed when his mate laughed and nodded to what the tall man was saying. He also saw how the two women were clearly speaking about their daughter because they kept looking at her who was still in Cleitus's arms.
Exhausted, Hope fell asleep in his daddy's arms by mid-evening so the brunette took her back to her room and put her down to sleep. When he turned round, Hephaestion saw Alexander, leaning over the doorframe and looking at them. The brunette approached his mate who immediately enveloped him in a tight embrace while eager but soft kisses took his partner in a toe-curling kiss that left them breathless.
When the kiss was over, Alexander looked at Hephaestion and whispered:
"I have a present for you, love"
"Why?" the brunette asked curiously.
"Because exactly one year ago, you gave me the most beautiful gift I could have ever desired, our wonderful Hope" he said while taking Hephaestion's hand in his.
Hephaestion felt something cold sliding along his left fourth finger and when he looked at it, he saw a beautiful gold ring with a sapphire, an exact match to his own eyes.
"This is beautiful, Xander" Hephaestion said, admiring his new piece of jewellery.
"It is nothing compared to what you gave me, Phai" the king answered, pecking him on the lips once again.
"What do you say about having a celebration of our own?" the slender brunette asked and after kissing and wishing their daughter a happy rest, they moved to their own chamber where a very different party began.
Four-year-old Hope was running towards his daddy's room, followed closely by her nana. She entered the room where the young brunette was working and jumped onto his lap.
"Hello rabbit" Hephaestion greeted her.
"Hello daddy, what are you doing?" she asked while spying the scrolls on the table.
"I am working, love. And you?" he asked interested.
"She is going to take her nap, Sire" Agaia, the nana, replied but she kept staring at him.
"But?" he asked.
"I think she might be running a fever" she said, setting her hand on the little girl's forehead.
"Does something hurt, Hope?" Hephaestion asked, sounding a bit worried.
"No, but there is bug in my throat, and it feels as if it is scratching with its legs" Hope explained and Hephaestion looked at Agaia.
"Please, take her back to her chamber and I will call the doctor" the chiliarch said, standing up.
The doctor came fast to the princess's chamber and greeted her with a smile, trying to transmit her confidence and calmness.
"My sweet princess, how are you today?" the doctor asked.
"I am fine, Nikos but there is a bug in my throat and when it moves the legs, they scratch my throat and now it hurts" Hope explained and her lower lips start to tremble.
"Don't worry, Hope and let me check that throat of yours" the doctor said, approached the little girl and sat her on his legs.
The good doctor searched for any ganglion and he found that the ones on her throat were a bit swollen, mostly because she was suffering from a sore throat; there was not bug at all and no legs acting funny inside it.
He was still checking Hope when the chamber door was opened suddenly and the king entered asking loudly what the problem with his daughter was.
"Father, my throat hurts and I am hot" the little girl informed her father immediately.
"So, what is your diagnosis, Nikos?" Hephaestion asked, trying to focus the attention back to the problem.
"Just fever and a sore throat, she will have to stay in bed, without catching cold, taking hot drinks or stews. If the fever keeps on going high, I recommend some cold baths using cloths especially over her forehead, inner thighs and ankles" Nikos said when he finished his check.
"Will she be alright?" Alexander asked a bit worried.
"Yes, my king, however I will go back to my chamber and prepare a concoction to help her in lowering her fever" the doctor said, leaving the chamber.
"We will stay here with her tonight" Hephaestion said, taking place at the end of the bed.
Gaia searched for some linen and cold water to give a cloth bath to the little princess. When it was over, she redressed her in a clean sleeping gown and plaited her long tresses so they did not get messed up.
Hephaestion thanked her assistance but told her that they would look after Hope, especially since the little girl was a bit scared and it was the first time that she got ill.
The girl took some soup that Athina had prepared especially for her but after the fourth of fifth spoonful, she stopped and brought up the whole meal. She started to cry because she hated vomiting and because that bad bug was still inside her throat making it hurt. The doctor came back to check on the small girl and he told them that she had been sick because there was too much mucus in her throat and stomach so it was common but uncomfortable.
In the middle of the night, Hope started to whine and twist in her bed. The movement awoke Hephaestion who was sleeping next to her while Alexander had taken a chair next to the bed. Hephaestion tried to comfort her but she did not want it, she was crying and begging him to take the bug out of her throat.
She got so worked out that she started to choke with her own phlegm and started to shout:
"Don't want to die, daddy, don't let me die, papa" she cried for both men.
"Calm down and breathe, you are not dying, your throat seems to close when you cough but we will not let you die, rabbit, calm down" Hephaestion said and finally he was able to calm her down.
"Love, listen to your daddy and soon you will feel better" Alexander said, rubbing the small back with soothing circles.
As soon as Hope was sure that she would not die, she calmed down and started to breathe slowly so her cough and sore started to diminish and she finally fell asleep in her daddy's arms.
The fever went up during the early hours of the morning and they bathed her again, making deaf ears to her pleas of taking her out of the cold water. Alexander could see a stray tear roll down Hephaestion's cheek but the brunette continued with the bath until the fever broke. Then he wrapped his daughter in his own cloak and took her back to the bed where she finally could sleep without waking up till the following morning.
A worried Cleitus entered the room and saw his king and chiliarch dozing in their chairs. He woke Hephaestion and gave him a new concoction the doctor had prepared for Hope. The young brunette gave his daughter the medicine and the little girl fell asleep again; the fever had taken a toll in her small body.
Three hours later, Hope opened her eyes and saw Cleitus sat by her bed. She smiled at him and said:
"The bug is dead, Cleitus, my throat sore is almost over"
"I am so glad, my little jewel, your fathers were very worried" Cleitus said while he glanced towards the sleeping men. He had finally convinced them to take a nap while he looked after his princess.
"I am sorry" Hope said, looking contrite.
"There is no need for an apology, rabbit, you got ill and that is all" Hephaestion whispered because he did not want to wake Alexander.
"Thank you daddy for looking after me" Hope said and blew a kiss towards his father.
"You are welcome, we will always be near to protect and help you" Hephaestion replied.
"And I will help. Well my little jewel, I must go, I have some lazy soldiers to train" and kissing the princess's hand, Cleitus left the room.
"Get well soon, Hope" Hephaestion said and kissed her cold forehead and smiled. Everything was going to be alright.
TBC