Title: "Fire and Signs".
Author: too_beauty
Feedback: yes, please any kind of them will help me to improve my writing or leave it forever.
Pairing: Alexander & Hephaestion. Kronos and Athina were born from my imagination and I really loved creating them.
Rating: PG for first chapters.
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.
Chapter 5.
A very depressed Hephaestion came home that evening. There was no need of words to discover that something was wrong with him. His body language spoke volumes of him: the darken eyes, his soft lips turned into a tight line, his shoulders hunched, his tired footsteps, his head sank into his chest and his two hands turned into fists.
Athina saw him enter and her heart flew to his son, what had happened today? she wondered, he was so happy and cheerful yesterday but today he reminded her of the little boy Kronos had found in the middle of the fire some years ago.
Hephaestion looked into her eyes and she automatically opened her arms and Hephaestion didn't doubt a second, he ran and hid his head in her chest, sobbing and crying his soul out. Athina soothed him by whispering sweet nothings into his ear. An hour later, when Kronos entered the house, he saw Athina hugging a very deep asleep Hephaestion who still had his face stained by his tears.
The evening meal was quieter than ever and Hephaestion went to bed earlier too, but he didn't fall asleep straightforward; he twisted on his bed and, despite of his effort, Cassander's words kept coming to his memory. Hephaestion already knew he was just a farm boy but he didn't understand how a person could be so mean and said that horrible things to him. He knew that he belonged to an inferior cast but the prince hadn't showed his disgust as Cassander had implied. Hephaestion also knew that if feelings for the Prince grew up inside his heart, he would have to erase them; he knew that too well but even at his short age he knew that the heart had reasons that the mind didn't understand.
He tried to get some sleep as he had to go back to the palace the next morning to see how the construction was going.
At the same time, on another bed, another boy couldn't sleep either; he was trying to understand what had happened with Hephaestion earlier that afternoon and why his new friend had run away from him. He felt unhappy but not angry at him, Hephaestion had got under his skin and he really wanted to know him better; his heart got warmer whenever the brunette was near and what was more fantastic was that they needed no words to communicate, they had created their own way, mouthing words, reading their lips and eyes.
Alexander's heart was heavy with sorrow and wanted the next day to come quickly so he could sort things out with Hephaestion.
Athina went to wake Hephaestion up and found him curled like a baby with the blanket covering his head.
"It's dawn Hephaestion, let's get up, get washed and come to have breakfast."
Hephaestion shook his head
"Come on, son, don't you want to see your new friend today?" she asked him just to get the same previous answer.
"Have you fought with the Prince, Phai?" she asked nervously
Hephaestion looked at his mother his horror in his eyes and he started to make signs so quickly that Athina could just take his hands between hers to stop him.
"Slow down, my dear, I can't follow you. So someone had been rude to you and you think the prince will follow this person's opinions, but has he said something rude to you? Do you want me to tell them you are not going back"
Hephaestion thought for a moment and shook his head for the third time. He got up, hugged his mother and had breakfast with his parents, but his mind was further away. He kissed his mother goodbye and headed to the palace.
By now, every guard in the palace knew about the young builder and they were very respectful as his invention could save many lives; Hephaestion was greeted by many soldiers of the Cavalry and got more than one proposition from the senior officers. Hephaestion had never realized that he had turned into a handsome teenager because many people rejected him when they dawned on he was mute, well, I am not mute, I don't want to speak yet, I will speak again when I have something important to say, Hephaestion said to himself.
He met Ptolemy and Perdicas who greeted him happily and offered themselves to take him to the Prince. Hephaestion shook his head and wrote the name of the master builder on his scroll meaning he was going to look for him.
Alexander entered the dining room wishing to speak to Hephaestion; his mind was playing again the conversation he wanted to have with his new friend and when he got into the room, his smile disappeared.
"Joy to you, Alexander, why have you got that expression?" Ptolemy asked
"I thought Hephaestion would be sharing the breakfast with me but he hasn't arrived yet" the prince answered.
"Oh, yes, he did arrive but he went directly to the construction." Perdicas explained.
"So he is still angry with me" Alexander whispered.
"Maybe, he looked quite unhappy and his eyes got bigger when we offered to escort him to you. Did you two quarrel?" Ptolemy asked.
"No, I was about to speak to him yesterday but he ran away from me" the prince answered back.
"Leave that poor boy alone, he doesn't need more pity, he already has tons of it" barked Cassander smiling.
"I don't feel pity for him, Cassander, in fact his muteness is not a problem, even less when we have found the way of understanding each other." Alexander replied.
"Whatever, at least you won't hear him yell as a girl or bore you to death with his comments about his poor farm life" Cassander added.
"What are you talking about, Cassander?" Alexander asked "Don't tell me you have talked to him?"
"Yes, I did yesterday and put him on the right track so he won't suffer, poor thing. At least he looks nice so anyone could have his wicked way with him." Cassander said with a smirk on his face.
Alexander saw red and pinned Cassander against the wall.
"You are the one who will regret being born, bastard!" Alexander shouted.
"What's the problem, Alex, do you fancy the poor mute?" and that was the last word Cassander said before Alexander crashed his fist against his lips and left the room as if the same Hades were running after him.
Alexander knew he had to find Hephaestion and explain him that he really cared about him and that he did want to be his friend, well, Alexander wanted to be more than his friend but he would let the brunette boy lead the way.
Following the sounds of hammers and saws, Alexander arrived at the workshop and saw Hephaestion climbed up high on a tower, working himself hard.
- "What's he doing up there?" Alexander asked to one of the men who were carrying a wood pole.
- "He is working, my prince, he wrote down he'd not be directing today, just working and if possible alone. So here he is, in his world of silence" the man explained.
Alexander felt a blow inside his heart, "his world of silence" he repeated for himself and he promised to himself that that was about to change.
The prince climbed a ladder carefully and touched Hephaestion's leg with his right hand, the brunette boy got surprised by the touch and one of his hands released the pole he was holding and his body turned round, crashing his back against the wooden structure, cracking his head and twisting one of his feet. Alexander climbed further and put his arm round the slender waist to give him foot and said "I got you" but instead of a thankful look, he got only a cold one.
Two other workmen helped the prince to get Hephaestion down but the young builder dismissed them, showing his thumb up meaning everything was fine. Alexander told him that they should see the doctor but Hephaestion shook his head, turned round and went away, limping all his way out.
The afternoon became evening and Hephaestion was about to leave when the young prince joined him, telling he'd escort him to his house just to see he arrived in perfect conditions. Hephaestion didn't make any sign so the ride lacked of any kind of gestures or drawings.
Alexander dismounted and walked Hephaestion to his door, the brunette didn't look back and was about to open the door when Alexander grabbed his arm and turned him round so he could face each other. The prince mouthed "I am sorry" but not even the apology made Hephaestion answer; Alexander knew that Hephaestion was really angry but he needed to get a reaction, no matter if the builder got even furious, so the prince approached a bit and without any warning, he set his lips over Hephaestion's while his hands rested on the broad shoulders. Hephaestion was so surprised that he started to kiss him back but when he realized what he was doing, he gave one step backwards and slapped the Prince's cheek.
Alexander looked at him and lifted his hand to the slapped cheek; he couldn't believe what Hephaestion had done and when he looked at Hephaestion's eyes, he saw anger and sadness at the same time. Hephaestion was writing frantically on his scroll and shoved into Alexander's hands and it read "I'm not your lapdog, don't do that ever again" and he entered his house, slamming the door behind him.
TBC
