Hello all,

Here comes the seventeenth entry to my Destiny tale.

Alexander has received some very bad news about Hephaestion. Good friends and Helpers are close at hand, but will their efforts be enough?

All the best wishes and hopefully good reading,

/ NorthernLight

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Escape From Destiny, Part Seventeen

Ecbatana, 323 BC

Tumultuous Escape From The Festival

Alexander became most upset and distraught by the very bad news the Royal Messenger had brought to him. He instantly rose from the High Seat and ran down the stairs. He ran so swiftly that his entourage could not catch up with him. The Messenger ran at his side, showing him the right path. All the audience of the Arena parted for him. There was so much talk and speculations over his hasty departure. Soon the bad news became spread all over the place.

The Autumn Festival turned from splendid festivity into a most somber and morose occasion.

Alexander did not notice this as he ran and ran and ran all through the Arena and back to the Palace. He lost one of his gilded sandals. It fell way behind him. He did not notice that, either. He ran further in a limping manner. Amanda picked it up as she ran after her King. She put the gilded sandal into a fold of her green gown, to give it to her King later on. He sure could not run around bare footed.

Amanda well knew that they had more urgent matters to take care of.

Alexander continued to run. He had now lost both his gilded sandals and his feet became chilled and torn by the cobbled stones. He did not even feel it. He did not feel his breath catch and shorten.

He only felt his enormous worry for his Dear One.

When his breath laboured his entourage came up with him. Amanda now carried both his gilded sandals. She could not put them on her King's feet. It was impossible to make him stop. Cleitus and the Guards surrounded her. All else followed. They now arrived at the Royal Palace and entered. Along flight of stony stairs lead up to the Royal Offices. The Messenger pointed towards it. Alexander ran upwards taking three steps in one leap, all until his breath at long last shortened and he simply could not go on as swiftly as before. His chest and legs ached and he almost stumbled and fell over the top of the stairs.

Now the Messenger pointed towards Hephaestion's Office. Alexander entered on trembling and weakened legs, almost falling over the threshold.

He feared for what he would find.

A Sight Of Horror

His Dear One was lying unconscious, still and supine on the floor. His head rested in Stefanos' lap and Alexios sat at his side, trying to bathe his brow with a linen towel drenched in cooling water.

Kamal and Hoosha stood watching with distress, wrenching their hands and constantly wailing.

"Oh my, oh my. Our poor Chiliarch! He is burning up from fever!"

Amanda and Doctor Philip were immediately at Hephaestion's side. They knelt on the floor, feeling for his pulse and putting their hands on his fevered brow.

"How long has he been like this?", the good Doctor asked.

"He was very tired when he worked with the correspondence, "Kamal told them, wringing his hands in distress. "Then he fell asleep with his head resting on the desk. When he did not wake up we checked on him, finding that he was so very feverish. He has been sick several times and we cannot wake him up at all now."

"He will be allright, will he?, "Koosha asked with great worry all over his face. "He is the very best Chiliarch we have ever had!"

"Yes, yes, we will do our very best, "Doctor Philip reassuringly stated.

The good Doctor was not so very conficdent at all. He had seen Hephaestion grow more and more worn out ever since Gedrosia and Carmania. This strange fever worried him a lot. He did not know what to make of it.

"He must be put to bed immediately, and then we will give him a cooling bath with mint and lavender water. Amanda will prepare a healing concoction against fever and nausea, Doctor Phlip said, nodding towards the Healer. We must hope that it will be sufficient."

Alexander came and took Hephaestion in his arms. He shivered when he noticed how very hot his Dear One was. Hephaestion was burning him worse than a furnace. The King rose with great difficulty and carried his friend towards his chambers. Stefanos and Alexios marched close at his side. They wanted to help their King with the carrying but it was impossible.

Alexander wanted to be there for his Dear One. No one could come between them.

Careful Ministrations

At Hephaestion's chambers the cooling bath already awaited them. The beautiful bedchamber was filled with the pleasant fragrances of mint and lavender. Alexander put his friend into the gilded bath tub and gently held his head so that he would not drown in the cooling waters. Hephaestion was still unconscious. Not even the cooling water could wake him up. His breath was strained and laboured, almost as bad as Alexander's. It soon became improved by the mint and lavender fragrances. They let him rest in the bath tub for a long time. It took almost one hour for his temperature to go down, and not even then it was normal. Hephaestion was shivering and it seemed that the cooling waters had done what they could for him.

"He cannot stay in the bath tub any longer, "Doctor Phlip pronounced. "Let us help him to bed now."

Alexander lifted his Dear One and let Stefanos and Alexios gently rub him with thich bath towels. Then they put him to bed and covered him with a fine linen sheet and a thin turquoise blanket.

Amanda came with a concoction smelling strongly from mint, feverfew and chamomile. She gave her Chlíliarch a worried look.

"We must make him drink this at all costs, "she stated.

Alexander nodded and lifted up his Dear One, letting Hephaestion rest in his arms. The Healer then put the silver goblet adorned with turquoises to his lips. Her patient managed to swallow all of the concoction in a few gulps and then fell into a salutary sleep.

A King In Distress

Now Alexander felt totally exhausted after all his exertions. He could barely breathe and his limbs were trembling. He rose from Hephaestion's bedside but he could barely stand. Stefanos swiftly put a wicker chair behind him. He managed to sit down with some dignity but then he put his hand to his chest and mouth. He became white as snow and his lips turned into a light blue colour. His attendants had never before seen him in such a state, not even after his dreadful wound from the Mallian Arrow.

"Doctor Philip! Help me! I cannot breathe!", Alexander called out in great distress.

The good Doctor came up to him and brought a stick smelling strongly from camphor and mint. He lit it up and held it under his King's nostrils. The fumes were of some help but they did not seem to be sufficient to help Alexander. His breaths still laboured something terrible. Amanda swiftly brought a flagon filled with a sweet smelling blue concoction.

"Here, Alexander. Drink this. It is pulmonary herb. It must be helpful for you!"

Alexander drank and slowly he recovered his lost breath. He thanked his Healer and then he could turn to Hephaestion once more, putting his hand on his fevered brow.

The King was very worried for his Dear One. They had been together for a very long time now and Alexander well knew that he would have great difficulties to manage at all without Hephaestion.

TBC

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