Thank you very much to delos13, deelove1, S0phea, and Zophiel Lagace for your kind reviews, they are greatly appreciated!
Here we have chapter two, in which Alexander and Olympias reach a confrontation.
Reviews would be very much welcomed :)
Part Two
Like his father, Alexander was not a patient man. Though he was loath to admit it, Alexander did in fact share many of King Philip's traits, one of which happened to be that he often turned his panic into anger.
And so it was that he hurried into his bed chambers in a storm, temper not improving at the sight of his mother sat on the chair by the window, no doubt waiting to tell him again of his being the son of Zeus himself, with Philip a mere puppet to take on the role of fatherhood. His scowl darkened and he strode towards the woman, whose serene smile widened at the sight of him.
"Have you seen him?" he demanded, towering over Olympias as she upturned her gaze to meet his eye.
"Who, my child?" she asked, her voice soft and caring, though it was close to a simper.
"Hephaestion of course, I cannot find him." He spoke as if such things were obvious, and Olympias' mouth twisted in distaste at his words.
"It is high time you forgot about foolish dreams, Alexander." She sounded suddenly cold, and she folded her arms, trapping the snake that had been writhing through her fingers into her locked position so that it hissed, but did not strike.
"What?" Alexander snapped, his dark eyes alight with curious anger, and he stepped back a little, as if to view the elegant woman better, or perhaps simply to put a little distance between himself and her. "What is your intention behind such words, mother?" he asked warily.
"You are a King, Alexander! Or soon to be," she said, tilting her head to the side and cooing at the snake, running light fingers over its lithe body until it hissed again, this time in pleasure. "And as such you should be looking to your future, not clinging to your past. It is time you found yourself a wife." She looked up at her son upon concluding her demands, her expression expectant, as if she hoped him to produce such a woman out of nowhere and introduce her there and then.
"And what does this have to do with the whereabouts of Hephaestion?" he questioned hotly, swallowing uncomfortably and clenching his jaw.
"It has everything to do with his whereabouts!" Olympias snapped, her eyes flashing dangerously as she stood to her full height, elegant gown trailing along the floor. "The Gods know, Hephaestion is a good man, and a valuable friend to you it is true," she admitted with some reluctance, her voice bitter as she spoke, as if such words brought a bad taste to her mouth. "But only a fool cannot see your overly deep affection for him," she carried on, her own temper close to breaking. "A pretty face he may be, but it seems his more tempting attributes are a threat to your throne and your entire future; a future that is already endangered, and shall not be secure until you produce an heir!" she finished, her chest heaving and her cheeks glowing with the impatience that blushed in her face.
"Enough!" Alexander cried, fists clenched and expression one of horror. "Incorrigible woman, be silent! Now tell me, where is Hephaestion?" he asked as calmly as he could force his voice to become, and Olympias smiled sweetly.
"I do not know," she said simply. "Though he did come by looking for you himself earlier today," she recalled, her face displaying innocence, but Alexander could read the deception in her voice. "However, once he learned of your busy schedule and clear wish for no visitors he left. I doubt you'll find him anywhere within the vicinity, given that he along with most of the soldiers have been allowed some time of relief." She raised her eyebrows a little, seemingly shocked that the news appeared to displease the Prince.
"I expressed no such wish," he snarled darkly.
"Oh dear…" Olympias replied, her face a picture of false disappointment and sympathy, eyes focused on the snake once more, lips so close to its scaly skin that her breath rippled over its body. "I must have been thinking of someone else when I told him, then." She did not even attempt to sound remorseful, nor did she offer any form of apology.
"He was to dine with us at the feast tonight, he could be anywhere by now! Knowing him he'll have taken his horse and gone gallivanting off for a few days into the wilds, where anything could happen to him…" his concern did not suggest that he was talking about a grown man, instead perhaps of an infant or inexperienced teen, and Olympias was close to rolling her eyes in impatience with her son.
"Only further proving me to be right in my thoughts, Alexander," she said in a bored voice. And before Alexander could cut her off with an angry retort she continued. "Your fondness of him does you no good, Alexander, you depend too much on the man." She despaired, taking a step nearer to her son, fingers clenched around the snake and the young man eyed the creature in her arms with some wariness. ""Why…your will is as strong as an ox's, except for when Hephaestion plays a role in your decision; when he does you think not with your head but your heart and your groin!" She spat venomously.
""Do not speak to me in such a way!" Alexander roared, but wrathful Olympias did not fear the man before her, and her silver tongue worked to bring him back to her with cold words.
"Do you deny it, Alexander?" she asked derisively, "Alexander: strong enough to be King of all Kings. Alexander the Great…ruled by Hephaestion's thighs."
"Silence!" Alexander bellowed, doing his best not to lay a hand upon his mother, whose smile was poisonous and eyes white hot with fury. "Do not speak as if you understand such emotions as love. There is no love in your heart, mother; only greed and hate and vengeance. I cannot expect you to understand my feelings for Hephaestion, but you will not stop me from feeling them. I am not going to let you live your hopes through me, mother!" he cried, and his heart clenched as Olympias' eyes turned from cold to pained, angry to hurt, and her disappointment was evident in her expression. He frowned. Though his anger at the woman had not dissipated, he could not bear to see her so upset.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, reaching up to put a hand to her face. "But you won't rule my life; I won't let you."
Alexander leaned over to kiss her forehead, lightly and lovingly as ever, before turning to make for the stables, to see if Hephaestion had indeed left. But before he exited the room he stopped, and turned back to leave Olympias with one final warning.
"Never interfere with my heart again, mother. Do not assume anything about me. And never try to come between Hephaestion and myself."
And then he left, Olympias' voice ringing painfully in his ears as she screeched her fury at him.
"Do not forget who it was that carried you, Alexander! From the day you were born all I have tried to do is give you what you deserve; to help you learn just how important you are. But you do not listen to me! You shall one day know how true my words are, little Achilles…"