Hello all,
Now morning has come and the Battle of Gaugamela will soon begin. At the end of the day much will have happened and the world will never be the same.
In this chapter I want to give a tribute to another author, the Norwegian Jo Nesbö. In his children's book about The End Of The World he lets the Norwegian King address the whole Nation, uniting and saving them from some most sinister, evil and formidable foes. He is able to do so with his Hypnotic Speech, making him and them irresistible. IMO King Alexander uses the very same kind of Hypnotic Speech when he manages to unite the Macedonians against their overwhelming Persian Foes.
All the best wishes and hopefully good reading,
/ NorthernLight
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The Blood Red Moon Of Battle
Part Three
The Plains Of Gauagamela, 331 BC, Macedonian Camp
The Morning Before Battle
The General Parmenion was very worried. Now it was well past dawn and King Alexander had not appeared from the Royal tent. The General waited together with the other Generals, the Companions and the Guards. They could hear the sounds from the Perisan army nearby, the shouting of orders, the neighing of horses and the thunderous stamping of a million men. They were formidable Foes, the biggest Army the world had seen.
The Macedonians needed their Commander. They needed to take initiatives and start the day's crucial battle.
"We cannot wait any longer, "The General Parmenion stated. "I must go inside and wake the King."
The old General briskly entered the King's tent.
/ "Oh my, oh my," he sourly muttered to himself, "This would never have happened when Philip was King!" /
Stefanos and Alexios guarded the King, standing with their spears and shields ready. They saw the old General and let him inside, following. They well knew the time of day and they were very worried, too.
King Alexander was soundly asleep, well wrapped inside his wolf fur cloak. There was another suspicious bump at his side and he was holding on to it with the greatest care and caution. The General and the Guards watched the King for some time. When he showed no signs of waking up Parmenion went to his bed and started to shake him violently.
"My King, my King! You must wake up now!, "he called out loud. " We have all the Persian Empire armed up against us today!"
Alexander sat up and yawned, stretching his arms all up towards the roof of the tent. He was well rested, his grey eyes clear and radiant. He looked strong and confident, almost like a young God.
"Parmenion! You need not worry so much, "he told his old General. "The Persian Empire will not leave, not until we have chased them all the way to Babylon!"
The King rose and his pages came with his snow white chiton and a bowl for washing. Alexander started to prepare himself for the most important Battle of his life.
The General Hephaestion had been very worried on the evening before the Battle. Now he was sound asleep. All his worries had been taken away while he rested in the arms of his Beautiful Golden One. There was warmth and security and he slept on, even forgetting the dangerous Battle that awaited him in the morrow.
Suddenly the warmth and security was gone. He opened his eyes and awakened to a most unwelcome sight. The old General Parmenion was in the tent with Alexander. They were sharing a simple breakfast of bread, porridge and well watered wine and going over the last of the Battle plans. Hephaestion knew that he needed to join them, but he did not know how to handle the situation. He managed to pull the blankets and fur cloak aside and then he went up at the farside of the bed. The Guards helped him and discretely gave him his chiton. When he was properly dressed he went to Alexander and Parmenion. He was as well rested as his King but a bit more drowsy.
"Health to you, my King!", he politely exclaimed when he saw Alexander.
As the words left his mouth he immediately started to blush. Parmenion and the Guards looked at him with astonishment and awe.
"And Joy to you, my General, "Alexander answered. "As you so wisely say we all will be healthy and alive in the evening!"
Then they all interpreted the erratic morning greeting as a very Good Omen.
They prepared themselves for the Battle in a confident and secure manner.
They expected it to become a day filled with wonder and victory for them all - except for the Persian Empire.
The Healer Amanda was very worried on the morning before the Battle. She embraced her man the General Cleitus, hiding her tears when she rested her troubled brow on his shoulder.
"My Dear, you must promise to come back to me and our boys in the evening, "she told him. "And you must be careful!"
"Yes, Amanda, but that is not easy when you are constantly at Alexander's side, "he answered his worried woman. "You know that he is reckless and always ready to risk all to gain all!"
He gave her a strong and reassuring embrace, then he lifted their little boys up high in his arms and gave them a fond embrace before leaving to be with his his King and his Companions.
Preparations Before Battle
Alexander was dressed in his finest armour. It was well polished and shone and glittered brighter than the very sun when he went outdoors. The head of Medusa, a gift from Queen Olympias, glared from his pectoral, threatening to turn all his enemies into stone. He wore a Royal red cloak, pinned with a golden fibula adorned with the sixteen rayed star of Vergina at his left shoulder. His pages carried the Shield of Achilles, his sword and his two sharp javelins.
Hephaestion walked at his side, dressed in finely polished armour, glittering like silver. He had a midnight blue cloak, fastened with another star of Vergina, this one in silver. His pectoral and shield were adorned with a silvery Moon, invoking protection from the Goddess Artemis.
It was like watching the Sun and the Moon coming down to visit Earth together.
All cheered as they mounted their horses. Bucephalus and Castor were well prepared in their finest gear, Bucephalus with a Royal red saddle blanket adorned in gold, Castor with a midnight blue one adorned in silver. Their headgears were adorned with bangles and crests in gold and silver.
The brave horses thought that they were supposed to go on a very fine and magnificent Parade.
Then Alexander started to ride to and fro, all along the Battle lines. The whole Macedonian Army was well prepared, armed to the teeth, Infantry standing to attention and Cavalry sitting erect in their saddles. The King addressed his troops with one of his moat hypnotic and charismatic Speeches. This one was the most important he had ever given.
"My brave Macedonians. Today we face an enemy with an overwhelming numerary. All the Persian Empire stand mustered against us - but we need not be afraid. They are but slaves, commanded against their free will. We are Men, fighting together towards the same goal, Glory and Victory. Our enemies have Darius as their General - but you, you have Alexander !"
The King's voice rang and boomed all over the Plains of Gaugamela. It carried, strong and persuasive. It was as if Alexander were able to fill his Macedonians to the brim with Courage and Strength. When his speech was finished all the Macedonians cheered and called out loud:
"Alexander! Alexander! ALEXANDER !"
The King's Speech was heard all the way over to the Persian Army. They were tired afer having been awake and alerted all night long, waiting for a night attack that never came. Now they shuddered when they heard this clear ans strong Voice.
Who in all the World could resist a man with such a compelling Voice?
The Drums Of Gaugamela
If there was one thing that Stefanos would remember the most from the Battle at Gaugamela it was the Battle Drums. They beat in a steady pace, the biggest one setting the slow and gradually augmenting pace. He rode at the side of the King and the General Hephaestion, together with his Companion Alexios and the General Cleitus.
They were prepared to do their very best and bravest during the Battle.
They were even prepared to give their very Lives for the King and the General Hephaestion.
The Drums beat and beat and beat. The Macedonians rode and marched against the overwhelming might of the Persian Empire.
The Blood Red Dust Of Gaugamela
Hephaestion rode into Battle at the side of his King and Friend. At first he saw them all, the Macedonian Cavalry and Infantry in full attire, marching and riding against the Persian Empire. The Persian Army was like a Colossus, it was gigantic. The War Elephants and the Scythed Chariots stood in front, now coming against the Macedonians. Their superior drill enabled them to avoid these horrors.
Soon the battle begun in earnest. Hephaestion rode at Alexander's side against the Persians. He engaged with innumerable foes. He thrust and parried, slashed and parried, seeing them fall before him like wheat before the scythe.
Then there was just all this blood red dust. The sky and aire was filled and dimmed with it. It clouded his vision, making it all so much more difficult. It reminded him of the red shadow that had covered the Moon on the Eve before the Battle.
Hephaestion had to see through this blood red dust, he simply must be able to protect his King and himself.
Now there was an extreme turmoil before them. He saw a most magnificent Chariot with a tall and preciously armed and adorned Warrior in it.
It must be Darius!
He rode against him at Alexander's side. They were like Twin Gods of Destruction. They came so fast and so very close that they could see the expression of utter fear and dismay in Darius' face. His eyes were widened and dark from overwhelming terror.
The High King of the Persian Empire realized that it was not enough with an overwhelming numerary. His heart suddenly was grasped by a cold hand of fear and his mouth filled with the bitter taste of defeat.
Darius gave a sign to his Chariot driver to turn and flee.
The whole Persian Army fled together with him.
The Victory was given. The Macedonians started to cheer and chase the Persians.
Suddenly Hephaestion saw an Arrow flying with uncanny speed towards Alexander. It was surrounded with its own poisonous cloud of blood red mist. He managed to ride into its deathly path, intending to hold up his moon adorned shield to protect Alexander.
He was too late. The Arrow did not reach its Royal goal.
It was stuck into Hephaestion's left arm instead. He immediately was hit by an excruciating pain, the worst pain that he had felt in his whole life. It was like a red hot agony, burning and throbbing in his whole arm, soon up in his shoulder and head. The arm was paralyzed and impossible to use. The silvery shield fell from his palsied hand.
Hephaestion continued the Battle riding at Alexander's side on sheer will power alone.
The Archer's True Aim
The Archer could barely believe his eyes. At first he thought that the blood red dust of the battle field had filled them with a horrible illusion. More and more he realized that what he saw was actually true.
The King of Persia was turning his tail and fled like a coward before the Macedonian King and his Companions.
It all had happened so very fast. He had not even been able to carry out his orders to shoot the Macedonian King to arrest the battle and save the day for the Persians. No, this foreign Invader was just suddenly there before them, scaring and chasing their proud King and Army away from the battlefield.
The Archer now had to use his famous Bow for protection and defense only. The day could still be saved for the Persians.
He took true and steady aim, seeing the fearsome and magnificent Golden King before him. His arrow was made to be able to break the strongest armour. It was dipped in the poisons of Persia's most venomous vipers.
No one could survive being hit by such a venomous weapon.
The Archer was filled with remorse. He did not want to kill this brave and formidable King with his arrow. Still he must do it. He had his orders and he must defend and protect his King and Master, even if Darius was not worthy of such loyalty anymore.
He took aim once more, letting the Arrow fly away on its deathly path.
It was intended to strike King Alexander directly in the throat.
It was not to happen. A cloud of midnight blue and silver suddenly appeared as out of thin air. A formidable Warrior held up a silvery shield with a Moon upon it, intending to protect his King.
He was successful - but the Arrow did not lodge in his shield.
It was stuck in his left arm instead.
The Archer smiled, both with satisfaction and sadness.
The brave and unselfish Warrior would not survive to celebrate the Macedonian Victory.
TBC
My apologies for this cliffhanger. I hope to have the update ready next weekend and I can reassure you that Hephaestion will receive the very best of help, care and Healing.
/ NorthernLight
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