Hello all,

Amanda worriedly waits in the field hospital. For a long time there is nothing to do but wait in anguish - then everything happens at the same time. AtGaugamela not only the fighting men are involved in the Battle. The Persian Court launches an attack on the Base Camp and the innocents who live there. Amanda and her family are involved and they will have to use all their skills to survive this ordeal.

Warnings: The Persian attack on the Base Camp is a horror, a crime of war. As in all wars innocents will also suffer, especially women and children. Not all have a happy ending as in this tale.

All the best wishes and hopefully good reading,

/ NorthernLight

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The Blood Red Moon Of Battle

Part Five

The Plains Of Gauagamela, 331 BC

The Evils Of Waiting

Waiting. It was always a horror for Amanda. She was a woman of action and she always liked to have things to do. Now all she could do was walk around at the field hospital, waiting, waiting and WAITING for the wounded to arrive. She had put it all in meticulous order, her healing herbs, her bandages and all thenecessary instruments. They were placed on a table with a clean white tablecloth. It was best to start out with all utensils clean and in order.

Amanda sat down in a wicker chair and closed her eyes. She needed some rest before the ordeal that sure would be hers in the afternoon.

BAAAANNNNGGGG !

Amanda jumped up from her short power nap. Whatever had happened? Was the war already at her doorstep? No, it was not, not yet - but something most disturbing had happened. Her little twin boys Alex and Heph had crept forward and pulled at the clean white tablecloth.

All her meticulously placed herbs, bandages and utensils now lay in total disarray at the floor.

Her Twins sat at the floor, too, looking at the dreadful mess with round eyes filled with fear.

"Oh no! You little horrors! What have you done?, "she scolded them. "I have worked very hard with that table. Now it might not be ready when the wounded arrive!"

She adamantly picked them up, put them in her lap and started to spank them. She was interrupted when a tiny but very strong hand pinched her knee.

"Mother! No, NO! You may not spank the Twins. You have never done it before so you must not begin now! They did not mean it, they are just small babies."

Little Cleitus scolded his Mother. Then he gently patted his little siblings on their small behinds. The little black maned boy was not so little anymore. He was just three years old but looked like he were well over five - and his hard upbringing in an Army Camp had made him wise beyond his years.

"I think that after this they will never again upset your medical things. We will put it all in order again together."

Amanda smiled and gently ruffled his hair. Then she gave her Twins a fond hug.

"Yes, you are right as always, little Cleitus. We will put it all in order. Soon my patients will arrive and then you will go to Aunt Thais' tent. Her handmaidensXanthe and Malena will look after you when I work. "

The little black maned boy prudently nodded. Then they put all the medical equipment in meticulous order once more. After that Amanda sent Cleitus and the Twins to Aunt Thais' tent. Her friend, the General Ptolemy's mistress, soon arrived at the field hospital. She was dressed in a lovely rose colured gown and she smiled at Amanda.

"Your lovely boys are playing in my tent now. My girls will look after them and give them an aftenoon snack soon, "she told the Healer.

"Yes, "Amanda answered. "I am glad that you help me with them. I don't want then to see the horrors of war. They are too young for it."

The Healer and the Hetaira sat down together hand in hand, waiting for the wounded to arrive.

Soon there was a clattering of hooves and the most horrible screaming and yelling outside the stockade.

"Oh no! They are already arriving, "the Healer said. "We must be prepared to help them!"

Amanda and Thais ran outside. To their horror they saw Riders with golden apples on their helmets, storming through Camp.

"Oh NO, it 's the Persians! We must defend ourselves, and my children!"

Amanda grasped her stout frying pan and Thais took a heavy cudgel. Then they ran as fast as they were able to Thais' tent, hoping that they would not arrive too late.

The Evils Of Persia

Little Cleitus and his twin brothers were merrily playing ourside Aunt Thais' tent. They had a good time, even if they knew that something bad might happen soon. They were children, but they knew and realized much more than their parents thought.

Suddenly there was a huge cloud of dust and Riders coming through the Camp. Little Cleitus quickly recognized the golden apples.

"Oh no. The BAD men have come here! Help me to hide the twins, "He called out loud to his twin brothers and the handmaidens, "Then you must run as fast as you can, or else they will do bad things with you!"

Xanthe and Malena did as the little boy told them, but after having hidden him and his little brothers in the ingenious device he had ordered them they did not run away. No, they bravely armed themselves with knives and cudgels.

Little Cleitus lay in the hiding place he had so quickly invented. He hugged his twin brothers in a comforting manner.

"Alex and Heph! You must be totally silent, it is VERY important. You may not scream or say a word until Mother comes for us, "he adamantly told them.

The little boys nodded, but when they heard the clattering of hooves come closer and closer they shivered with fear. The earth shook as if it was an earthquake or violent thunderstorms around. Then the screaming started. Little Cleitus hugged his brothers even harder and pressed his hands over their tiny mouths to silence them. They all cried and panted from fear, thinking that their last moment had come.

Amanda and Thais ran towards the tent. They saw the Thracian Foot fight the Persians and managing to drive them away in some places. All Camp was in turmoil, Thais' tent being in the midst of the fray. They saw a horrible heap of horrible men doing horrible things. From the bottom of the heap was heard the most pitiful screaming and wailing. Amanda and Thais started to violently beat up all the men with frying pan and cudgel. The Persians were so occupied with their violent business that they did not see the two women until it was too late. Soon they were all unconscious. The Healer and the Hetaira dragged them to the side and uncovered Xanthe and Malena. They were badly bruised and screamed and cried over their ordeal. Amanda comforted them.

"Oh, my dear girls, this is horrible, but I have a medication that will help you - but - where are my little boys?"

Little Cleitus and the Twins were not there. The tent was in a most dreadful turmoil and disarray. Clothes, cushions and furniture lay in a mangled heap. Even the big bath tub had been turned upside down.

"The Persians must have stolen them - ore worse!"

Amanda could already see her little dear ones turned into eunuchs. Then there was a call from under the bath tub.

"Mother, Mother, here we are. Please, help us out!"

"Oh, my clever little boy, he has hidden himself and his brothers under the bath tub! Strong as his Father, wise as his Mother, that is my Little Cleitus!"

Amanda and Thais lifted the bath tub, smiling and laughing with relief in the midst of all horror. There sat little Cleitus and Alex and Heph, trembling and teary eyed but alive and well. Amanda picked them up and gave them a warm and heartfelt hug. She cried with them and Thais cried, too. She hugged her handmaidens and tried to comfort them. Then they all saw a Golden Whirlwind blow through Camp, chasing all the Persians away. It was Alexander and the Companions, victorious and back from the battlefield with reinforcements.

Now they all were safe. Amanda and Thais returned to the field hospital, taking the little boys and the handmaidens. Amanda gave the girls two goblets with anagry red fluid.

"Drink this, my dear girls. It will calm you down, and it will take care of any horrible after effects of your ordeals, "she prudently told them.

They immediately drank the red liquid and it made them drowsy. Thais and Amanda put the girls to bed in a corner of the field hospital. Little Cleitus and the Twins sat at their bedside, gently patting them.

"My dear boys, now you will stay with me here in the field hospital. Things cannot be worse than this !"

Amanda did not know that not far from the field hospital Hephaestion was fighting not only to drive the Persians away from the Base Camp, he was fighting for his very life.

TBC

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