Forest Child Chapter 17
Alexander returned to victorious applause. He rode in front of Demeas who was in a wagon cage bound very much like Alexander had been on their first meeting. As soon as he had made sure that his prisoner had be secured Alexander went to find Hephaistion. As he walked his body servants freed him from his battle dress and replaced it with a soft linen robe.
"You have death on you." Hephaistion said pulling away in disgust.
Alexander went to the bowel of water to wash the grime and blood from his person, though he knew Hephaistion statement went deeper than anything physical.
"You have him?"
"Yes."
"What are you doing to do with him?"
Alexander dried himself before setting the cloth beside the bowel which was quickly spirited away.
"I haven't decided yet. We need to find at everything he knows. Will you help me?"
Hephaistion nodded "I have not forgotten what he did to my home."
"And he will. But tonight we celebrate our victory."
For out of nowhere came once again his body servants and began to dress him for the party.
"You should join us, it after all your victory as much as mine."
Hephaistion shook his head "I need to think and prepare for what is coming. I may need to go away for a little while."
"Where are you going?"
Hephaistion stood up he stopped to look over his shoulder "It would be best if you didn't know."
"What! I don't understand. What does that mean? Hephaistion!"
Hephaistion carried on walking ignoring Alexander calls to come back.
Hephaistion did not return that night or anytime after that. The other man's sudden disappearance and the fact that Demeas had yet to speak despite several torture sessions weighed heavily on Alexander's mind, one more than the other. When he approached the subject with his mother she simply deflected by saying "He will be back in his own time."
When Hephaistion did return he seemed different, seemed colder. He never talked about where he had been or how he had spent the time. But he did ask a lot of questions about Demeas until Alexander had questions of his own.
"I will get the information you seek, but it must be in my own time and we must be totally alone." came the reply.
"I don't understand Hephaistion, you are not saying what you mean and I don't like it."
Again Hephaistion deflected the questions so in the end Alexander decided that he needed to keep an eye on his friend.
Alexander was woken with a polite but firm shake to the shoulder. He rolled over rubbing the sleep from his eyes to find a serious looking guard standing beside the bed.
"My lord, Hephaistion has left his rooms."
Alexander got up and flung his robe on as he followed the guard to where Demeas was being held. They were joined by the two guards that were on the door, they both confirmed that Hephaistion was inside and that there had been unnatural sounds coming from within. When asked why they had not gone to investigate the guards admit they had been too afraid. Alexander acknowledged them both before bursting into the cell. What they saw stopped them in their tracks.
Hephaistion was crouched over Demeas, or rather what was left of him. Where there had once been a fit healthy warrior of a man was frail dried up husk only identifiable by the clothes that Demeas had been wearing. There was no sound or movement coming from the prisoner. As the other men entered Hephaistion had snapped around glaring at them.
"GET OUT!" He hissed launching himself at the door intent on pushing them out but was intercepted by one of the guards.
"What have you done?" Alexander asked there was shock horror yet awe in the tone of his voice.
"I have done what was needed." He indicated that he was holding something in his clenched hand. Alexander waved his hand for the guard to let Hephaistion go. He was presented with a balled up piece of parchment. He un-crumbled it and began to read.
"You did it. It's all here."
They were interrupted by a slow shallow raspy breathing which turned into a wheezy laugh.
"Yes he did it." Demeaus chuckled moving into a sitting position after several failed attempts. His once brown eyes were now milky white. "You couldn't do it you so you had your what ... Witch, abomination. Yes you used your abomination on your own brother."
Alexander pushed aside the guard and crouched down to study the other man's altered state. Demeaus meet Alexander's scrutiny.
"You are nothing to me!" He hissed " Nothing but a traitor."