Day Twenty nine: Cheating death.
The curtains were still closed even though it was nearly noon. Hope entered her father's room quietly and climbed onto the bed. Alexander had stopped sleeping in her room two months ago after agreeing that the situation was not helping Hope at all.
Hope set herself very close to her father and caressed his wrinkled forehead; it seemed as if his father had grown older in the last months.
"Five more minutes, Phai" Alexander murmured and drove his arm backwards to bring his mate's body closer to his.
"It's me, papa, Hope" the nearly six-year-old girl whispered, trying to stop her tears.
Alexander turned round and looked at his daughter who was knelt by his side on the bed.
"Hope, how are you, my dear? Is there anything you need, my princess?" the king asked while drying the tears he had not realized he had shed while sleeping.
"Can you come and have lunch with me, papa?" she told him while she snuggled next to him, looking for his warmth.
"I am not hungry, rabbit" Alexander said and she could see his eyes totally bright less.
"Daddy used to call me rabbit" she said between sobs.
"That is because you are always jumping" Alexander said tapping her tiny nose.
"I don't like jumping anymore, papa, so no more rabbit" she whispered.
"Why not?" he asked worried.
"Because I am sad and I miss daddy so much" she said and while sitting on her father's lap, her sobs grew louder.
"I miss him too, so much that it hurts all the time" Alexander confessed and did not care this time to dry his falling tears.
"Come with me, papa, I need you" Hope pleaded.
"Alright, we will have some lunch together" Alexander said and after refreshing a bit, they headed to the dining room.
It was the first time in the last month that Alexander had appeared in the dining room and when the rest of the companions saw him, they were surprised due to his untidy appearance and not looking well at all. His hair, now shorter, had lost its brightness and his eyes were two deep hollows with bright less eyes, a shadow of the man he used to be.
They greeted him but tried not to focus too much on his presence. Hephaestion's parents were there too and suffered not only by their dead son but also because their son-in-law was digging his own grave.
From that day onwards, Alexander started to take more active part in the palace life and he continued looking after Hope during the night, falling asleep when he could no longer keep his eyes open, but going to his chamber after a while.
His closest friends thought that Alexander was finally finding something worth to go on living but Hephaestion's parents knew him better; he was hiding his true feelings for Hope's sake; they had listened to him crying during the night and pleading Hephaestion to take him with him soon.
A&H
Eight months after Hephaestion's death, Alexander passed away on his sleep in the same way as his mate had done it before.
The great king had left clear instructions in case he died young; first of all, Hephaestion's parents would take care of Hope and her custody would pass onto Cleitus when they got married. As the great king did not have a son to succeed him in the Macedonian throne, he decided to divide his kingdom in four smaller reigns, being Ptolemy the only one who the other three minor kings paid obedience to.
Hephaestion's parents took a devastated Hope back to where her daddy had been buried but that time they were carrying her papa's corpse there.
Cleitus abandoned the army and followed his little princess as her bodyguard in case someone decided to attack the only living descendant of Hephaestion and Alexander.
They arrived at the hidden cave and opened it again. What they saw inside surprised them a lot, Hephaestion was there but instead of looking dead as he firstly did, he looked as if he were in deep sleep. He had a peaceful expression on his face and his complexion had lost that marmoreal appearance and seemed to have recovered his usual tanned colour.
Cleitus and General Amyntoros set Alexander's corpse next to Hephaestion's. They had followed the same instructions as they had done with Hephaestion and also left water, seeds, his shield and sword by his side.
Hope insisted on seeing her fathers off and she set one of Alexander's hands onto Hephaestion's and then put another crown of forget-me-not on both entwined hands while the former crown was still fresh.
They bid their goodbyes and left the cave between sobs and laments.
A&H
Three days went by since both mates had been reunited in the cave, when a golden and warm light invaded the whole place. Its intensity grew and grew until it lit the cave as if it were broad daylight. It concentrated on Hephaestion's body's starting from his bare feet until it paused for a long time on his chest, over his heart, and then it continued until it covered his head. The light disappeared as fast as it had appeared.
For the following seven days, the same light made its appearance and repeated the same pattern on Hephaestion's body every single time.
On day eleventh, the light stopped when the brunette's toes made a little movement, just for a few seconds.
On day twelfth, the light stopped when the chiliarch's knees made a small shacking movement.
On day thirteenth, Hope's father' stomach seemed to move upwards and filled with air.
On day fourteenth, the light stopped when Alexander's mate's heart gave its first beats.
On day fifteenth, the former and remarkable creation of the Olympians opened his eyes and took a first look to his new world, without clearly understanding what was happening to him.
Hephaestion took a deep breath and looked at his surroundings. He then looked downwards and saw a very familiar hand onto his. He looked sideways and saw the last image he had ever wanted to see, the dead body of his beloved soul mate and husband.
Tears came out from his recently open eyes and fell along his dry cheeks until they pooled in his chipped lips.
He forced himself to look at his mate and he saw the peaceful expression on his face, maybe the king had passed away in his sleep.
Seconds later, a memory of their daughter Hope brought new tears to his eyes because he did not know where she was or who was looking after her; he only hoped his parents or Cleitus were by her side in this sad moment.
His mind was in turmoil and he still could not understand what was happening and why he was alive. He suddenly thought that he was living a very vivid dream, that was the only logical explanation he could think about.
Suddenly an intense light appeared on the corner of the cave and a shadow started to become clearer. Hephaestion tried to sit on the table he was lying on, however it was still a bit difficult for him to move quickly, he also did not want to release Alexander's hand from his.
He looked at the approaching silhouette and he saw the almighty Zeus in all his glory. The father of all the gods came closer and helped him to sit but keeping the mates' hands together under the protection of his bigger hand.
"Hephaestion, my dear son, you are finally awake. I was a bit worried about you" the god said patting the entwined hands together.
"Almighty Zeus, can I be bold and ask you what is happening?" the brunette said in a whisper.
"My dear child, you have always known how special you are to all the Olympians and to me particularly. You have always been able to sense us during all your life" Zeus explained but was gently interrupted by a gentle and nervous Hephaestion.
"I know but that does not explain why I am alive … again" the brunette said and he cast down his eyes.
"There was only one time when you could not sense any of us, that special time was because you had not been born yet; you were just a body made of mud; but later all the gods and goddesses gave you their gifts and when it was over and it was my turn, I might have included some extra life force and now I decided it was a good time to wake it up" Zeus explained proudly.
"Are you telling me that I will go on living?" Hephaestion asked with astonishment.
"That is right, endlessly. You are immortal now as drops of my own immortal blood is now running through your veins" Zeus explained a bit slower because he had realized it was too much information for Hephaestion to take in.
"Immortal? But will I die?" Hephaestion asked plainly.
"Yes, eventually, when the stars grow cold …" Zeus assured him.
"Could I see my daughter again?" Hephaestion asked hopeful.
"Of course and after a time you will be able to go and live with her if that is your wish. But isn't there anyone else you want to see first?" Zeus added
"I cannot think about anyone else" Hephaestion said sadly.
"How about your mate Alexander? Don't you want to see him?" Zeus asked a bit confused.
"Of course but, almighty Zeus, can't you see him lying dead by my side?" Hephaestion asked and let a loud sob come out of his clenched lips.
"Of course I can see him, son, but what I don't understand is why you are still discussing this with me instead of doing something to remedy this" Zeus said with a smirk on his face.
"Because he is dead and I am not a god!" Hephaestion dared to shout his frustration.
"So wake him up!" Zeus commanded him.
Hephaestion looked at the god more confused than before.
"Haven't I just told you that you have extra life force and immortal blood running through your veins?" Zeus asked softly.
"Yes, you have" Hephaestion whispered.
"Well, if he is the true holder of your heart and love, you will be able to transfer part of that extra life force to him and bring him back to life" Zeus assured him.
"How do I do that?" Hephaestion asked while getting off the table.
"Which was the truest gesture of love between you two? Zeus asked.
"The kiss" Hephaestion answered.
"So kiss him and mean it, Hephaestion!" Zeus said and disappeared.
Hephaestion took Alexander's corpse in his hands and peppered the cold face with tiny kisses. Then he set his own warm lips onto Alexander's and pressed them, gently at first, but imprinting more strength later while repeating in his mind "Xander, wake up, I love you and need you so much" like a mantra.
The kiss became really heated on his part but nothing was happening on Alexander's part.
Hephaestion, feeling a bit defeated and weak, was about to release those lips when he felt the tiniest of movement under his and those well-known lips began to weakly kiss him back.
Hephaestion released the tight hold he had on Alexander's face and saw in astonishment how Alexander gasped back to life, being immortal too.