Alexander was not sure if either of them slept so much that night but he got up as dawn was breaking, having heard his father's preparations to leave on a hunting trip which had been planned the night before, he had chosen to stay at the camp, wanting to make up the time he had lost with Hephaistion.

Philotas greeted him on the way, trying to make some joke which Alexander did not hear. "I have learned my lesson," he said, quickly, before he was passed by.

Alexander turned and looked at the man that he thought he could trust. "And I have learned too," he replied. He shook his head, he should have been the spoilt son, the boy given everything but it was Philotas who lived that life, his doting father giving all that he desired.

He walked away, looking down to fasten his belt and straighten his chiton, going over to where the hunters were getting ready to leave, noticing four people standing on the outskirts of the camp, pointing at him as he made his way.

Philip smiled at him, then nodded to the people.

"You'll get this. Crowds coming up from Thermia when they hear that you are here, all coming to see if what they heard was true."

Alexander looked back to the group of people. "I think a prince would not matter so much," he looked to his father, "the King is who they have come to see."

Philip grunted, then nodded towards his surgeon as he approached them. "So, Hephaistion has some feeling back. in his legs?"

"They pained him last night."

"What do you say?" Philip asked the surgeon. "Will Hephaistion walk once more?"

"I have yet to examine him but I don't want to raise anybody's hopes. Feeling sensations and being able to live as you once were..." The surgeon sighed, then looked to Alexander. "I think he will have all the help he needs."

Philip grunted once more, never the most sociable of men in the mornings. He cleared his throat and spat on the ground. "I'll be back later, try to keep out of trouble."

He pulled his horse around and called to Cleitus to come over then he looked to Alexander and smiled. The group were just leaving the camp when a messenger arrived.

"A boy! A boy!" the rider shouted as he galloped up towards them, bringing his horse to a halt before the King. "Eurydice has had a son. Both he and his mother are well, Sire."

Philip laughed and Cleitus came closer, leaning over to embrace him and offer congratulations, the rest cheered and shouted well wishes for the boy.

Alexander stood frozen, watching the scene, an icy hand seemed to be gripping at his heart, he had hoped it would be another girl but the seers had been right. Attalus had said they would have a true Macedonian as an heir and he wondered what favours this son would be given coming from the belly of a woman who was loved. He forced himself to walk forward, made himself smile and find words of congratulations, taking a breath, reminding himself that this boy would have to be lucky to have someone like Hephaistion in his life. He had Hephaistion, nothing else mattered to him.

His father changed his plans, he would head right back to Pella. Alexander was grateful he was out of the city.

"You should be there for the celebrations," his father said.

"I wish I could...but Hephaistion needs to get well.

Philip looked over his shoulder, seeing more people arriving from Thermia, some carrying baskets of food.

"Get him to Ptolemy's estate as soon as you can. Keep me informed."

"I will, Father," Alexander replied, still not feeling at his ease. but when had he ever felt relaxed in the presence of the man. Perhaps this new son would find things easier. He said farewell then went to walk away."

"Alexander!"

He turned back to his father.

"Remember what I said. The wedding will be at Aegae in four weeks. I want you there...and Persia after."

Alexander nodded his agreement. One day he might yet be king but until that day he had to obey.

00XX00

Hephaistion looked around the interior of the tent, noting the sunlight which brightened the canvas walls as he listened to life going on outside of them.

His head felt heavy on the pillow, his body felt tired when it had no reason to feel that way and his shoulder ached, though he knew the surgeon would say it was because the bones were healing.

Closing his eyes he saw Pelagia's face, the moment before he was thrown from the cliff. His heart lurched in fear as he relived the moment, recalling that he thought of Alexander and had a moment of regret he could no longer be by his side. He thought of his time with her, thinking of how she would spend time with Phokas and Aspasia, all plotting against him, all planning when and how he should be killed. Everyone said she was a pretty thing but like Olympias she schemed, she had ambitions to fulfil. Phokas had won her heart, he wondered how long he would have kept it.

Taking a deep breath, he reminded himself that Pelagia was gone, she rested now in Hades, while he rested in the arms of Alexander once more. He should forgive Aphrodite for not letting him love Pelagia, the goddess obviously had other plans for him, with Alexander. That was a good thought.

He tried to move his right leg and for his efforts he received some movement, a flexing of his ankle which seemed more involuntary than something he had willed. It seemed ridiculous to him that he should feel no pain, feel nothing, apart from his broken shoulder. He felt as if he should be able to stand, to rise easily from his bed and walk outside to join the world, but here he lay, waiting for assistance, waiting to be carried out in to the sun once more.

Hearing someone approach, Hephaistion looked to the entrance and saw the surgeon enter, Nikias right behind him.

"Right," Philip said, decisively, "let's take a look and see how you are doing".

Hephaistion looked to Nikias, seeing the pity in his eyes before he managed to mask it. It was something he would have to get used to, unless he followed Alexander's wishes and fought.

He watched as the surgeon pulled the blankets back and began to massage his legs, then saw nothing as Nikias obeyed orders to prop him up with pillows. It hurt a little to have that done, his shoulder protested as Nikias struggled to find a way to hold him. His back ached and he felt weak, lethargic.

"Try again to move your legs. The right one first," Philip instructed.

Once more, Hephaistion managed to make his ankle jerk in to life, much to the delight of Nikias who reacted as though he had just witnessed a race being won at the Olympic games.

The left leg did not win such applause, Hephaistion was only able to move his toes a little and that was with great effort on his part. He lay back on the pillows, staring at the canvas above him as the surgeon ran a dagger lightly over his legs asking him to say if he felt it. His legs felt numb, he could feel nothing.

Alexander stepped in to the tent and the world became a brighter place.

"Well?" he asked.

Hephaistion laughed to hear him, to see him wanting answers....the right answers. Nothing mattered as long as Alexander was with him.

"There is some movement coming back, it gives me some hope, some god is with him."

Looking to the surgeon, Hephaistion wished he shared his optimism, but the next moment he heard the man ask Alexander and Nikias to lift him to his feet.

He felt a moment of panic as the hands reached for him, but swallowed back his fear, these were not the men employed by Phokas and Pelagia. Still, he could not stifle a cry of pain as he was lifted up, his shoulder protesting at the assault.

Alexander and Nikias bore his weight, holding him up between them as Philip placed his feet correctly and ordered them to let him take his weight.

There was no pain, only numbness. No sensation that these legs were his legs, though he felt his body over them, seeming to press down, his upper half too heavy for the dormant legs to move He felt dizzy at being upright once more, a wave of nausea passed through him, he swallowed it back..

"It's too much," he warned, as the surgeon urged him on. He shook his head in despair as he willed his mutinous legs to work, to take a step. He was about to protest again when Alexander spoke the words for him, ordering Nikias to lower him down.

Hephaistion clutched at Alexander's chiton. A new habit that he was forming, it made him laugh and he saw the puzzlement in Alexander's grey eyes.

"I should be pushing you away. Instead I keep holding on to you."

Alexander laughed softly, understanding now. "Some movement is better than none," he said.

"Exactly," Philip exclaimed, signalling for them to raise him up again. "Just hold him this time, take some of more of his weight."

"We have to keep trying," Alexander urged him, looking deep in to his eyes.

Again he was lifted to his feet, held upright, while the surgeon walked around them, pressed on his back as if there might be pain. There was no more pain than after a wrestling bout with Craterus, where his muscles ached and protested at the force he had to use. So it was a puzzle why his legs would not move.

He was about to protest again but Alexander urged him on and with that his right foot moved a short distance upon the ground but then his balance went, just for that, just for that movement and he needed Alexander's and Nikias' support more than before as his left leg obeyed no command.

This time he held out until the surgeon had decided he had taken enough, lying him back down upon his bed, unclipping his chiton, which was fastened over only the uninjured shoulder and gently lifting the cloth over his body until he lay naked.

Hephaistion glanced over at Alexander, it must be hard on him to see him so helpless, that the past must be in the forefront of his mind, of the times when he could walk and run.

He longed to hold him close now, seek comfort from him once more, to offer comfort too as he had heard the cheering for Eurydice's son, but the surgeon was not done with him. He poured warm, sweet smelling oil onto his skin and massaged him, the sensation lost as the physician worked on his legs.

Nikias put his hand upon his shoulder, and Hephaistion turned to see the tears in his eyes. Tears for a fallen comrade who would never fight again.

Perhaps this was the truth of it, despite Alexander's fervent belief. Hephaistion looked to Alexander to see him studying the surgeon's ministrations. No. Alexander was a man who made things happen. If Alexander said he would walk again then he spoke the truth.

Done with the massage, Philip poured more medicine in to a cup. Hephaistion protested, he knew the drink would make him sleep and he had done enough, he wanted nothing to take him away from Alexander again.

Alexander came closer to him, took the cup from Philip and lifting him up, held it to his lips. "Drink, Hephaistion. The sleep will be a healing one, and I must ride in to Thermia to buy good wine as a libation for Poseidon."

"Your father has left some wine," Nikias said.

"Wine bought with your own money, Alexander," Hephaistion acknowledged before drinking down the contents of the cup.

"I'll stay until you fall asleep," Alexander whispered.

Hephaistion nodded, his eyes already closing. "It will all be well, do not worry, do not let it concern you," he whispered, "just think you have a new brother, who will love you, Alexander". He looked to the surgeon thinking he had made his potion stronger, then back to Alexander before looking to his hand holding his chiton, laughing softly before falling in to the arms of Morpheus.

XXOOXX

Alexander raised his hand in greeting to the people of Thermia who had cheered when he had leapt on to the back of Bucephalus. He turned the stallion around to see the smiling faces of Nikias, Sostrate and Epaphras who were to accompany him.

"You're a living legend," Sostrate said, nodding in the direction of the crowd which had grown since morning. "You and that horse of yours."

As if aware of what was said, Bucephalus chose the moment to plunge forward and rear. Alexander stayed seated as if he were a part of the animal.

"Some have bought baskets of food but Euripedes is not complaining, they are buying his pots while they are here, he has Aesychlus going amongst them telling the story of why you are here to anyone who buys a bowl or a jug," added Epaphras.

"And Meno has taken the cart to fetch more clay. Thermia will have no-one there when we arrive," Nikias smiled.

Alexander smiled in return then wheeled the stallion around and pushed forward in to a fast canter, raising more cheers from the crowd.

Thermia was not that far, literally once you cleared some woodland the track rose steadily then at the peak the port lay spread out before you. Ships were sailing with the tide, their sails unfurled, the wind carrying the shouted commands, indistinct but audible.

He imagined Pelagia passing the same way just days ago and wondered what was in her mind. Was she happy that she was free to now be with her lover or did she regret the harm that she had caused, the cost of that freedom. He shook his head, doubting that she had any remorse, Hephaistion's murder was on her mind from the day that they got married. His hand tightened on the rein, the stallion responding with more speed, until checked. It was done. All he could do was thank the gods Hephaistion lived.

They rode in to the lively port, aware of the stir they made, all hearing the name 'Alexander' murmured, though people kept their distance they were curious just the same.

Nikias had found a good wine merchant the previous day. so they rode directly to him, Alexander dismounting along with Nikias as they spoke to the merchant to get the best that he had in store. The merchant, too busy bowing, almost stumbled over some of his stock, Nikias catching him before he fell to the floor.

Alexander looked around, then looked outside across the sea, his focus going to a horse merchant who rode by, leading a couple of older war horses, a fine pony that trotted smartly to keep up and bringing up the rear a red roan mare with a broad back but not so rounded on her belly as she might have been.

This mare held her head down, Alexander gauged instantly that she was aged, well past her prime. Another couple of years pulling a heavy cart would see her gone. As the horse merchant stopped at a tavern, the mare rested a back foot, only flinching to avoid a nip from one of the horses, not bothering to fight back.

Alexander told Nikias to buy two kraters of the best wine then, distracted, he made his way over to the tavern aware of Sostrate and Epaphras riding after him, not taking their guard duties lightly.

The mare studied Alexander as he studied her. There was a calm about her, a gentleness. He smiled. She might be the same age as Hephaistion, he wondered if they shared the same birth date too.

The horse dealer, strode forward calling Alexander' attention away from the mare and to the finest of the two horses, not realising who he spoke to but judging him to be a nobleman's son.

Nikias came over, leading the horses, he carried the wine but quickly got rid of his burden by handing it up to Sostrate and then to Epaphras.

The merchant was busy selling the horse but looked up and saw Bucephalus, falling silent as he did, looking to the horse he meant to sell, then the finest horse he had ever seen and the golden haired youth before him.

"Alexander?" he asked.

Alexander smiled and nodded. "How much for the roan?"

The horse merchant looked bemused by the question and spoke before he measured his words. "The mare? She only has one pace, too slow to even pull a cart at any speed," he stopped himself took a breath and carried on, "she's a willing animal, good-natured."

Alexander laughed. "I can see. How much?"

The merchant was too shocked at a prince bidding for an old cart horse that he did not think to raise the price and a deal was quickly done. Nikias had leapt on to his horse's back and leaned forward to take the rope the mare was fastened with but Alexander shook his head and jumped up on to Bucephalus' back leading the mare himself.

"For Hephaistion?" Sostrate asked.

"For Hephaistion," Alexander smiled.

"I doubt he's ever ridden anything so slow in his life," Nikias commented,already frustrated by the pace the mare was having them all stick to.

"If he can ride her then it will be better than a cart; if he can ride her then he will gain some independence," replied Alexander, pulling a face at Epaphras who almost dropped his krater as his horse shied at a woman shaking out a sheet from the room of a house. "That's the last thing he will need, a horse that might react like that." He turned to study the mare, urging her on but getting no change of pace.

"Hmmmm. You should call her Tortoise," suggested Nikias.

"Aphrodite...she is so beautiful," mocked Sostrate.

"Don't insult the goddess," Epaphras warned, turning to spit on the ground.

Alexander reached over and gave an affectionate tug on the mare's forelock. "Nike...for victory," he said.