Hello all,
Here comes the fourteenth entry to my Destiny tale. Now the Autumn Festival is at hand both in Macedon and in Ecbatana. Everyone wants to celebrate - but the Ill Omens are looming in the background and for those who sre able to see them they put a damper on the festive mood.
All the best wishes and hopefully good reading,
/ NorthernLight
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Escape From Destiny, Part Fourteen
Pella 324 BC
Autumn Festival In Macedon
Queen Olympias was an ardent follower of the God Dionysos. She celebrated the Dionysia in the Spring, but she also used to hold a very special Autumn Festival to celebrate the arrival of the new wine. This year it was especially spectacular. The Queen wanted to celebrate that her son King Alexander and his Chiliarch Hephaestion had returned safely and alive from their perilous campaigns and journeys. The Regent Antipatros shared her joy.
It was one of the very few things that they agreed on.
They sat together on fine chairs watching the outdoor parade. They had golden wreaths on their heads. The finely made golden leaves looked even finer as they were adorned with fresh and real vine leaves. The old Regent looked almost young with this fine adornment on his grayed head made hom look almost young again. Queen Olympias was still a magnificent woman. Her hair was as flaming red as in her fiery youth. It was a well kept secret that these days its flaming colour had been helped with a generous amount of henna.
It was a lovely clear, warm and sunny autumn day. The autumn leaves still remained on the maples, oaks, birches and chestnuts. The Queen loved their flaming colours. She found a special delight in the fact that her son and his Companions now watched the very same glories of autumn at a distant place.
Ecbatana. Its name sounded safe and secure, a haven after innumerous perils and hardships.
The Parade to honour Dionysos was most beautiful with young women in fine gowns adorned with garlands of vine leaves and wreaths of the same on their heads. Goats and lambs followed and also young men, shepherds and soldiers to accompany the Parade. There was music from flutes and kitharas and the determined steps of the girls and young men.
After the Parade all company went into the forest and celebrated. There was a solemn sacrifice of wine and goats. Then the feast begun. They roasted the goat meat and drank the new wine, all until they could eat and drink no more. They all fell asleep in the dry grass and amongst the autumn leaves. Servants would soon come and help them back to the Palace to protect them from the evening chills.
Queen Olympias was the only one still awake. She sat on a chair in the middle of the forest glade. Some fiery orange maple leaves and golden birch and chestnut leaves swirled around her. They got stuck in her flaming red hair, as an offering from Autumn itself. The Queen was in a very good mood. Her favourite snake Glaucos embraced her, fondly coiling around her waist.
Suddenly there was a Voice filling all of the glade and forest.
"Beware, beware of the City of Ecbatana, good and gracious Queen! In that distant and dismal place your dear Son will meet the direst of sorrows!"
Then the God Dionysos stood before her as a young, golden haired man. He embraced her, offering help and comfort.
"All is not lost yet, gracious Queen, "he told her. "Your Son has the most skilled and faithful friends and Helpers. They will do their very best to avert all sorrows from him and his Dear One! Perhaps they will become successful."
The God Dionysos kissed Queen Olympias on her brow and then bade her farewell. He was gone, leaving a chill autumn breeze behind.
The Queen was not easily frightened or upset. This was one of the few times this occurred. She felt a cold hand grasp at her hear of hearts. She shivered violently and Glaucos with her.
Then Queen Olympias and her favourite snake fainted and fell on the ground. A shower of golden and orange autumn leaves covered them.
The God Dionysos returned. He put his hand on Olympias' brow, saying a prayer of comfort and solace to the unconscious Queen.
Ecbatana 324 BC
Autumn Festival In Ecbatana
Hephaestion rested in bed at Alexander's side. He was feeling much stronger now and he looked forward to celebrating the Autumn Festival with his beautiful Golden One. He stretched and embraced the golden haired man at his side. Alexander gently stroke his hair, chin and brow.
"You feel much cooler now, "Alexander said in a reassuring manner. "I hope that you are well at long last."
"Yes, Alexander, I am feeling much better now, "Hephaestion answered.
He rose from bed and went to the window with his bear fur cloak wrapped around him. His auburn hair mane fell like a cloak over his broad shoulders. Alexander watched and found the sight enticing. He rose to join his friend, wrapping his wolf fur cloak around him. It was the very same cloak that Queen Olympias had made for him the first winter at Mieza. Since it was made with so much love and caring it still looked the same as when it was newly sewn and made.
Alexander embraced his Dear One and they breathed the fresh morning air together. It invigorated them and Alexander felt that his breathing was much easier this morning. He felt warm and strong once more. He held on to Hephaestion, putting his right arm around his broad shoulders in a protecting manner.
Hephaestion had always been the stronger of them, the most reliable of friends. These days he seemed more fragile and Alexander realized that now HE would need all his strength to support his Dear One. He did his very best to convey warmth and strength to his friend. Hephaestion leaned towards him. There seemed to be something amiss with his legs. He was shivering trembling and had difficulties in standing upright. Then the wondrous golden warmth flooded into him and his good health and vitality returned again.
Stefanos the Guard watched them standing together at the window. There was a golden light surrounding them, almost as a halo. He saw the King's beautiful golden lion like hair and the Chiliarch's glossy auburn hair mane. Both men's hair had several strands of gray and silver in them.
Stefanos had always thought that they all would stay young forever. Now he realized that sadly, it was not to be.
They ate a frugal breakfast before the Autumn festival. Then they dressed in their very finest. King Alexander put on a snow white chiton, a belt adorned wit h gold and rubies and his royal red cloak rimmed with the finest furs. He put a golden chain with blood red rubies around his neck. Hephaestion had a light blue chiton, a belt adorned with silver and moon stones and a silver chain with amethysts around his neck. He had a deep blue cloak rimmed with fine white furs. It was well needed. He felt the chill breezes of autumn. It was as if they went through bone and marrow and he needed all the warmth he could get. Alexander saw his obvoius distress and put an arm around him
The Autumn Parade was the finest, most elaborate the Town of Ecbatana had ever seen. Soldiers marched, young girls dressed in gowns in fiery autumn colours danced, sheep and goats pranced and an orchestra played. There were drums, flutes and chitaras played by expert musicians. The music was wild and exciting. It accompanied the new wine that was carried in finely adorned terracotta jugs by servants wrapped in vine leaf garlands.
All Court followed the Parade out into the forest. It was still beautiful with most of the flaming autumn leaves left upon the trees. They went into a glade where trestle tables were awaiting. The solemn sacrifices were made and then they all ate the roasted goat meat and drank the new wine to the delicious meal. Alexander thought about his Mother the Queen. He well knew that the Dionysia in Spring and the Autumn Festival were Olympias' favourite celebrations. Suddenly Alexander missed her. He felt as if he soon would need her. It was the strangest of feelings.
Alexander very seldom missed his Mother.
Amanda had at all times enjoyed the Dionysia and the Autumn festivals. The Parade and the music was a wondrous entertainment and she sang, clapped her hands and stamped her feet as they marched after the Autumn Parade. She drank the new wine with Cleitus and the Guards and she ate her very own food, a mushroom omelet with parsnips. Amanda had always been and would always remain an adamant vegetarian.
This Autumn Festival was especially glorious. They celebrated not only the glories of Autumn, Dionysos and the new wine. No, this year they celebrated their safe Homecoming from their hard and dangerous campaigns.
Amanda hoped for Peace and Prosperity and no more wars and hardships.
She knew that this was not to be.
Unfortunately she knew that there were worse calamities than wars and hardships that threatened to strike at them.
Her husband Cleitus saw her discomfort and put his strong arm around her slender shoulders. At her other side Arach the Archer reassuringly took her hand.
She watched her King and Chiliarch sit together in the High Seat. Alexander embraced Hephaestion and drank his fill from the new wine with his friend. Peritas and Pollux, Nychta and Mavra had joined them and all the faithful animals ate from the goat meat until they were satisfied and fell asleep at the side of their Dear Masters.
The Autumn Feast went on for all afternoon. As the sun set chilly breezes came sweeping down from the Orontis mountains. Hephaestion started to shiver once more. Alexander embraced him and put his royal red cloak around them both.
"Evening will soon be here, "he told all Company. "It is time for us to return to the Palace."
They he rose and the Court and the Parade returned to the Rainbow City.
Amanda heard some curious sounds back in the forest. She turned her head and looked back.
Two coal black ravens sat in a giant, royal oak dressed in blood red leaves. They croaked ominously.
Amanda wrapped her fur rimmed woolen green cloak around her, shivering and shuddering from dismay.
Another Bad Omen. Another grim foretelling. Whatever could she do to avert them?
TBC
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