The next morning, before Nikias went with Meno to Thermia, or Sostrate and Epaphras went to hunt, Alexander dressed Hephaistion in one of the new chitons, then had his men help him to carry Hephaistion gently out in to the sunlight and over to their camp, set high, where they could see the sea. The men had not been idle, they had spent their time at the camp making a litter that Hephaistion could lie on. At first the sunlight hurt his eyes but he thanked them for their efforts as they lay him down, brought out more cushions and propped him up so he was comfortable.
Alexander fetched some cooked meat and a cup of wine over while Sostrate and Epaphras had a moment to talk, trying to make light of a bad situation, careful not to talk of the future. They stepped back and went to see to the horses as Alexander served Hephaistion his breakfast, sitting on the side of the litter, smiling at him as he ate.
Nikias brought a basin of warm water and a cloth then said his farewells as he could see Meno setting off with the cart and feared he would be left behind.
When Hephaistion had eaten, Alexander washed him with the warm water, then shaved his face for Euripedes and Meno had let his beard grow.
Hephaistion smiled. "Better?" he asked.
Alexander nodded and lifted a tress of Hephaistion's hair up with one finger and twisted it. Free to touch once more. He released it and sat quietly, raising his right knee to rest his arm across it, while looking on Hephaistion's traitorous legs, as if he stared hard enough and willed it, they might begin to move.
He glanced at his friend, to see he was lying awake, lost in thought. Alexander looked across the sea, taking a deep breath of the air.
"I have a house," Hephaistion said, softly.
Alexander turned back to him.
"I have a place I can beā¦like this," Hephaistion continued. "I have some money left, perhaps enough to hire a servant to help me, enough to live on for a little while at least".
"There is no need when my father's guilt will provide you with a room at the palace and enough servants to care for you."
Hephaistion smiled. "I want to keep my independence if I can." He sighed. "Your father just thought to see me married, to part the two of us, in his temper. Nobody but the gods knew what Pelagia was planning, that she loved Phokas."
"How could she not love you," Alexander whispered, and lay down beside his closest friend.
Reaching for Alexander's hand, Hephaistion held it tightly. "I am afraid for the future," he confided, "for all that we have ever dreamed. I cannot be there with you now, not how it should have been."
Alexander leaned forward and kissed Hephaistion's brow, then moved down to softly kiss his lips. "A short while ago, you told me that we had no more time to be together, yet here we are, Hephaistion. We are together, some god has seen to it, and perhaps the same god will see you by my side, will see you well, we just have to believe it."
"I missed your kisses," Hephaistion said.
"You will get well," Alexander said, rolling on to his stomach to look in to his love's lapis eyes.
"And being with you."
"We'll find a way as we always have," urged Alexander. "Don't give up on me now, Hephaistion."
Biting his lip, Hephaistion studied Alexander.
"We were taught to fight," Alexander continued, "but fighting does not have to be about how to wield a weapon all the time. Sometimes it has to come from within. I am with you, I can help you to win this battle and even when it is done, if you are still lying here, by my side, then we will know that we tried. Don't give up."
"I can't even sit up without help."
"Your arm is strapped up, your back is bruised, it's no wonder you can't."
Hephaistion laughed. "You have such fire in your eyes, Alexander. How can I refuse when fighting is my only option."
Alexander grinned and leaned over to take another kiss.
00XX00
The King arrived in the early afternoon, bringing Cleitus and Philotas with him and the Royal Guard. Two small carts with supplies wheeled around and tents were immediately offloaded, the men wasting no time in setting up a proper camp.
Hephaistion slept through it all, the surgeon having given him a drink to help him rest and ease some of the discomfort he was in.
Alexander got up from the litter to see his father looking over at him, then he waited while he dismounted and limped over. He studied his face, determined not to let the man part them. If it meant giving up his chance of the throne, going in to exile with Hephaistion once more then, at that moment, he felt that he could do it.
Philip looked over his shoulder, nodding towards Aeschylus who was hurrying to greet Euripedes, talking loudly about Pella, about the palace.
"The boy made us think Hephaistion might have died." His one eye looked to the litter. "How is he? Will he live?"
Alexander nodded. "Your surgeon thinks so. He only rests now because of a sleeping draft he has been given."
Philip grunted and moved closer to take a better look. "He broke his shoulder? That is all?" He seemed surprised, "I would have thought it might have killed him, I'm very grateful it did not."
Seeing how he might attack and win the battle, win back Hephaistion, Alexander chose his words carefully. "Who knows what the fates have planned at any time, Father. Hephaistion was not killed but crippled in the fall," He paused a moment, to judge his father's reaction, seeing the regret and the guilt upon his face. "If the gods wanted Hephaistion harmed then they had to get him away from me. I made a mistake, one that roused your anger...understandably, then Alkaios came too you, with perfect timing, looking for a groom as he had believed Pelagia was with child, she told them the same story."
Looking to his son Philip shook his head, then gazed upon Hephaistion before sitting upon the litter to take the injured man's hand, turning his arm to see the bruises. "Your telling me there was no child?"
"They had Hephaistion thrown from the cliff, to make Pelagia a widow so she would be free to marry the servant that she loved. They got him away from Pella so his death would not be known of so quickly, to give them time to get away and to take his money, what possessions he had. They have gone to Rhodes, and if you would allow it, Father, I would like to send some men to hunt them down, men who know her, Nikias, Epaphras and Sostrate. I would ask to go myself but I can not leave Hephaistion."
Alexander stayed quiet, waiting several long moments before his father chose to speak.
"I meant no harm by this," he said. "I heard Hephaistion had no part in your proposal. I did not intend for the boy to be harmed." He shook his head and looked at his son. "And he is crippled?"
Hephaistion began to wake, turning his head to gaze upon the figure on the litter, beside him. "Alexander?" he whispered, his eyes opening from sleep.
Alexander stepped forward and knelt upon the ground before him. "My father is here, Hephaistion."
Nodding his acknowledgement, Hephaistion became concerned. "Don't let him part us," he said, freeing his hand from the King's and seeking Alexander's.
Philip put his hand on Hephaistion's brow for a moment. "These drugs that Philip uses, they do their work, but I know them of old and I know the confusion that they bring when you first wake." He pulled his hand back and got up to his feet. "If he is crippled then he must stay here when we go to Persia, so don't be getting any ideas of bringing him with us."
Alexander opened his mouth to speak but stopped as his father held up his hand.
"If this was a trick of the gods...if they intended Hephaistion to be this way, then they have had their sport. Stay with him Alexander, do what you will, but be there on the training ground and ready to come to Persia because I want you there with me, Antipater will be regent in our absence. Before you go, make provision for Hephaistion, give him what he needs...I will not try to part you again, when Hephaistion wakes properly you can tell him I granted his wish."
"Thank you, Father." Alexander leaned forward to embrace the man before him, surprised to find himself held tightly.
"Watch what you do, and listen to Hephaistion," the King whispered in his ear.
Philip wandered off to talk to his surgeon, Alexander sat down by Hephaistion's side, unable to stop himself from grinning. All he had to do was get Hephaistion on his feet.
OOXXOO
Nikias came galloping back to the camp in the late afternoon, dismounting and staying by the house, obviously anxious to bring news but wanting to be careful who heard.
Looking to his father, Alexander helped him up from where he was talking with Cleitus and Euripedes and went with him over to Nikias, turning to see Cleitus following, Philotas too, but with one look he told Parmenion's son to stay at his place.
Nikias bowed to Philip, then looked to Alexander before turning back to the king to tell him what he had found out. "The ship Hephaistion's wife took, it has been wrecked. It is the talk of Thermia, pieces of it have washed upon the shore, the body of a man too, badly disfigured and bloated by all accounts but recognised as one of the crew by the clothing that he still wore." He nodded towards Aeschylus, sitting at the camp. "The boy said there had been a storm that night. Pelagia and the lover will be dead."
"Poseidon took revenge," Philip said, putting his hand on his son's shoulder. "No need to send anyone to Rhodes now. I'll have to send a letter to her father, try to explain all that has occurred, try to explain this mess."
"Don't worry for him, Father. He should apologise for the trouble his daughter caused, for all that is has cost."
Alexander had wanted the revenge, he was angry that it had been denied him but he walked away and looked out to sea,saying a silent prayer of thanks to the god.
He broke the news to Hephaistion, who did not say too much about it but nodded his head, absorbing the information.
"I would have had them found," Alexander said, looking in to his love's lapis eyes.
Hephaistion shook his head gently. "No, I am glad it was this way...if I wanted them punished at all, she was wilful, a spoilt child but her only crime was to love someone she could not have."
Alexander felt his temper rise that Hephaistion could be so forgiving. "They had no thought for you like that, they meant to kill you. They could have stolen from you and left you bound if they had to, they could have run away together from the start but they chose to kill you and did not even give you the speed of a blade to do so."
When Alexander finished his tirade, Hephaistion smiled at him. "I had my chance to live and be with you, I am glad they did not use a blade. They could have run from the start but Pelagia needed money, she loved beautiful things..."
"Then she should have loved you," Alexander interrupted.
Hephaistion reached up to caress Alexander's face. "She had money when we married, I wanted to be a good husband and not deny her what she wanted, I had the guilt of loving you." He sighed deeply. "She wanted me dead and all her reasons I will never know, like I never understood her in life, I will never now have the chance as she is dead."
Alexander looked away, across the sea, the sun was beginning to set. "Either way, you should make an offering to Poseidon and I will do the same because I am glad he saw them punished."
"Enough now," Hephaistion whispered, then looked around. "Is supper ready?"
00XX00
Without a word being spoken a circle formed as they ate supper, a pleasant banquet made up of people who might never mix in normal circumstances.
Philip sat upon a wooden bench with Cleitus to his right hand side, sharing a flask of wine between them. Somewhat contrite, Philotas sat to the left hand side of the bench, staring at the flames's of the fire in the centre. Then Sostrate and Epaphras sat still eating their fill of meat, next to them Hephaistion on his litter with Alexander right beside him. Nikias after that, then Euripedes and Aeschylus looking bemused to be in the party but laughing at Philip's jokes and listening intently to his stories of campaigns long gone. Even Meno sat and ate with them, though not part of the circle but happy enough as Nikias had thought to bring him wine.
As it grew dark, Hephaistion slept once more and the surgeon had him taken from the litter and carried to the tent where a bed had been prepared. When he was settled more medicine was given to him, with Alexander watching intently, wondering if it was so necessary, the fever they had spoken of had gone and it was so good to have Hephaistion with him after their enforced parting.
Alexander came back out to the campfire, going to his father when signalled to come over. Philip gave an order for Philotas to move out of the way and then patted the spare seat beside him as a signal for Alexander to sit beside him. He had drunk his fill of wine and his voice was slurred. father's face.
"Bring him back to Pella. He will have the care that he requires then, I'll make it right, Alexander, as best I can."
"Hephaistion will die if he is left to lie within a room, isolated from the world. He has always filled every moment, with a longing to explore...to learn."
"You sound as if you are talking about yourself. You think Hephaistion will react the same as you? He's going to have to accept his life has changed."
Alexander looked at his father, not wishing to hear this acceptance of Hephaistion's paralysis as though it were a permanent thing.
Philip shook his head. "We will include him in court life the best we can. The sooner the lad gets used to the idea...to the change...the better."
"He cannot travel yet, your surgeon says so," Alexander said, hoping to buy time. In his mind, if he thought about the future now, it was of Hephaistion lying in a darkened room, shut out of life and the image angered him. "A place like Mieza would be good, he would be free from the stares of the court."
Philip laughed. "I should go there then." He took another good sip of wine.
"You thought of Mieza...but, Alexander, it is not ideal. A peaceful place but too many steps to carry a litter up, then the trouble of bringing it down.
Alexander reached for a piece of wood he'd noticed on the ground and picked it up, absently throwing it in the fire. He had just realised the same thing, and there were too many memories there. They could not stay here and camp indefinitely as once word spread at Thermia people would come to stand and watch and point out the cripple. He was just thinking that it had to be Pella when another place came to mind.
"Ptolemy. His family estate is close to here, the same distance as to Pella. We could go there."
Philip opened his mouth to protest but then, obviously counselling himself, he closed it. Staring in to the fire with his one eye. "I exiled him."
"He still will be exiled, Father. I have seen the house, it has views of the country all around it...."
"I know it, I know it. Long before you were born I went there a lot." Philip nodded. "Take him there then. It's decided."
Alexander smiled, pleased to have won a victory, then surprised to have his father reach over and ruffle his hair, like he had when he was a boy and in favour. He had intended going to Hephaistion but, savouring the moment, he stayed close to his father, listening to stories of the past and laughing at the way his father conveyed them.
OOXXOO
When Alexander eventually retired for the night he headed for Hephaistion's tent, choosing to lie down beside his friend, holding him close, though the medicine had claimed him and he was oblivious to his touch.
For a moment he lay, wondering at the pleasure it brought him just to lie so close, matching his breaths with Hephaistion's, feeling sleep claim him.
He must have fallen asleep, for how long he did not know, but he awoke as Hephaistion cried out, began to move.
Thinking it was a nightmare, Alexander sat up and tried to wake his friend, quickly realising that no bad dream held him in its grip but raw pain. He rose from the bed, stepping out of the tent, finding the surgeon and calling for him, before hurrying back to find Hephaistion clutching at the blankets, his body twisted, and even by the moonlight, by some miracle, he could see his legs move.
As the surgeon arrived, Alexander quickly lit a lamp then reached for Hephaistion's hand, soothing him as Philip carried out his examination. A bleary-eyed Nikias appeared with a couple of the guard, standing at the entrance watching the proceedings.
Philip pulled back the blankets, what part of them still covered Hephaistion, hesitating a moment, almost disbelieving what he was seeing, but a stifled cry from Hephaistion brought him back from his thoughts and with just a glance to Alexander he began to massage his patient's left leg.
Alexander knelt on the ground and copied the surgeon's movements on he right leg, the deep massage seemed to quickly ease Hephaistion's pain and he settled once more upon his back, opening his lapis eyes to watch the scene before him. His face was pale a sheen of sweat upon it.
"Cramp," Philip said, sitting back and stopping his massage, smiling at Alexander as he did the same.
"But how? When he is crippled?" Alexander asked, his voice held hope, he looked down at Hephaistion's legs, hoping they might move once more.
The surgeon laughed. "I don't know, I have heard of this happening at times...of it happening once before."
"So he will walk?" Alexander looked to the surgeon.
"I can't say. Though it looks as though not all feeling has gone, it might not be enough for him to be the same as he was before."
"It's better than before." Alexander lifted Hephaistion's hand to his lips and kissed it. "You will walk again," he promised.
"I felt pain...I have had cramp...but not this bad," Hephaistion gasped.
"You moved your foot, Hephaistion," Alexander said, then laughed with a mixture of relief and joy."
Philip stood up and fetched a cup of wine, then with Alexander's help they propped Hephaistion up on pillows so that he could drink a little.
"Are you in pain now?" the surgeon asked.
Hephaistion shook his head. "My shoulder but that is because my arm is strapped, I feel no pain now.
Nikias stepped in to the tent, reaching for the discarded blankets, lifting them up and placing them over Hephaistion's legs. "You'll be getting cold," he murmured.
Philip stood up and stretched. "I'll get back to my bed, you know where to find me if you need me." He smiled. "Things might not be so bad, Hephaistion. In the morning I'll examine you again, see how things are."
Hephaistion nodded and thanked the surgeon, then Nikias, acknowledging the guards who wished him health before they left. He looked to Alexander.
"Health to you," he whispered, "I never thought of it before. When you are fit and well it is just something that you say, when you are ill...or crippled, it is like a prayer." He looked down at his legs, his lips pressed firmly together, eyes fixed in concentration. His right foot moved again. He smiled and looked to Alexander.
"It is a start," Alexander soothed, pulling the blankets over his legs, to share, then lying down beside his love and draping his arm around him.
