Forest Child Chapter 20
Alexander postponed his homecoming till Hephaistion showed signs of improving. Hephaistion only got worse and the doctor was sent for again, a remedy was made up in the hope of purging the poison out from Hephaistion's system.
"I don't know what else to do sire. The purging was unsuccessful" The doctor stammered "I wish I had something more positive to add but..."
Their discussion was interrupted by the sound of Hephaistion in distress, his breath coming out in a desperate gurgle. Alexander and the doctor rushed to his bedside smoothing down his legs to stop him curling up in a ball.
"Lie still" Alexander pleaded
"It hurts!" Hephaistion's voice was strangled twisted with agony.
"Something for the pain!" Alexander turned his attention to the doctor pushing him into action.
While the doctor prepared the potion Alexander tried his best to comfort the other man. Hephaistion looked at him with eyes so wide they flashed white, tears rolled down his face. His mouth opened and another cry escaped him, His hands clawed at the furs and Alexander gave him his hand to hold.
"Sorry." He managed as his crushed Alexander's fingers
Another wave of pain made his spine bow and body twist. The doctor came forward and Alexander snatched the cup out of his hands to try a little bit out on himself before giving it to Hephaistion. He only managed a few tiny sips before vomiting it back up. The attack left Hephaistion exhausted with no energy to do anything so he laid there riding out the attacks.
"Help him."
"Sit him up it will help ease some of the pressure off his chest."
Once they had made Hephaistion comfortable in the new position.
"My lords a moment please." The doctor asked nodding that he wanted to move away from the patient.
Alexander joined him but the doctor was nervous unable to speak what was on his mind.
He looked over Alexander's shoulder to where Hephaistion was eyes closed; breathing in shallow pants "I'm sorry" he said finally "There isn't any more that I can do."
Alexander followed his gaze before turning his attention back to the doctor. He nodded in acknowledgement.
"Leave us please."
The doctor bowed and left the cave, where he went Alexander cared not. He returned to Hephaistion's bedside taking a cold hand in his own. Hephaistion opened his eyes and blinked though he didn't seem to be focusing on anything.
"Alexander?" He asked
"Yes I'm here."
"I'm cold"
The campfire had not gone out and was burning naturally. Alexander reached for another blanket and wrapped Hephaistion in it. That made Hephaistion smile thinly.
"Much Better." He said then he became serious
"I want you to do something for me."
"Anything!"
"When I die."
Alexander let out a sob; he dropped his head so that his hair fell forward to hide his face. Hephaistion reached up to cup the side of his face, Alexander nuzzled into the gesture until he finally acknowledged his friend.
"When I die," Hephaistion continued "there is a place I want you to bury me. It's in the forest not far from here. There is a tree; it's where we first met. Do you remember that moment?"
Alexander nodded for that's all he could do.
"You'll see a carved wolf. That's where I want to be. Do you understand?"
"Yes." It came out as a whisper
"I need you to say it so I can hear it, promise me Alexander." Despite his failing condition Hephaistion somehow for it to rebuff Alexander.
I promise."
"I hear the wolves howling, "Said Hephaistion his voice taking on a drifting like quality "It wants me to go to them."
And those were the last words Hephaistion spoke.
May years from that dreadful day an old man was walking in a forest. He asked his escort to stay behind despite their protests. But when Alexander flew into rages that ended up in a coughing fit. The only way to calm him down was to let him go. So the guards and royal staff stood by and let their king wonder off into the forest alone.
Only he wasn't lost nor was he alone, he could hear a familiar voice and present on the wind.
He knew what everyone was saying behind his back, crazy old Alexander that his mind was going, hearing the voice of the long dead. Perhaps it's time for him to step down and let his eldest take the crown. Some wanted to removed him forcefully, others thought he was half dead anyway and nature would take its course soon enough. He was going to prove them all wrong.
Unsteady on his feet Alexander slowly shuffled his way towards his destination. He could hear two voices calling him forward. The harshness of his mother and the softer Hephaistion.
"Hello old friends." He said once he arrived at that marker that showed where Hephaistion and the wolf were buried. On the spot was a statute of wolf a forest child and a wolf cub walking side by side. Alexander eased his body down on to a tree stump and waited. Though he did not know what he was waiting for he would know what it when it arrived.
He didn't have to wait long for suddenly out of the woods came a fox. It was about the size of a small dog. It was slender appearance. The coat was reddish with specks of light through to dark orange and the throat and belly were pure white as was the tip of a large bushy tail.
Alexander watched it go about its business until involuntary he had to move to free himself of the stiffness in his body. The elongated muzzle shot up and turned into his direction the pointed ears twitched back and forth.
"Hephaistion is that you?" Alexander asked gently
The fox continued to study him with green eyes, then it blinked and Alexander was almost certain it dipped its head in acknowledgement.
No it couldn't have maybe once when he had the basic things that Hephaistion had taught him.
"Hephaistion?" he asked "Are you Hephaistion in spirit?"
There it was again the dip of the head.
Alexander laughed with glee as the fox came trotting over towards his trembling out stretched hand.
Then as they were about to touch the fox's head snapped up jumped back in fright then promptly ran off back in to the trees.
"Come back!" He called before finding out what had caused the fox to flee so suddenly.
Horses broke through the trees, a royal protection and sat on top of the lead horse was Alexander's son, a young man of 20 identical to his father as a young man Alexander IV.
"Father there you are, we have been worried." He said jumping down from his horse, waving the others to stay back for privacy.
"You stupid fool!" Alexander snapped glaring at those who had dared to defy him "I told no one to follow me."
His Father's outburst stopped the younger Alexander in his tracks until he saw that his father struggling to stand up and went to his aid. Thankful for the assistance Alexander lent against his son for a moment then began to push away. In the direction the fox went.
"I have to go after it!"
"Go after what father?"
"The fox."
"What fox? I saw only you."
Alexander grabbed hold of his son with unnatural strength for an old man and pulled him close in a threating manner. The older man was chilled to the bone.
"It was right there, damn your eyes boy. It was Hephaistion I tell you."
The younger Alexander knew the story of Hephaistion. His father had personal hand written every word and added some sketches. But he thought it was make believe, a story to tell children even when his father commissioned the wooden Boy and Wolf statues.
He followed to where his father was pointing then turned his attention back to the aged king.
Elder Alexander had pulled away from him and was hurrying further into the forest very much agitated. His energy soon gave out and he collapsed in a heap, but still refused to stay down. Until he was spent and laid in the middle of the floor huddle up in a ball crying. Younger Alexander crouched down wrapping his father up in his own thick wool fur lined cloak.
"You are not well. We need to get you home."
His father simply nodded in defeat and allowed himself to be lead back towards the horses. He looked at his son.
"Promise me." He said almost in a whisper "you will look after this place, it is very dear to me and I trust only you and those that come after you."
"Yes father I will Promise."
As the rode out King Alexander looked back, out from the trees came a lone fox. It's was a beautiful creature with a coat of red with specks of light through to dark orange and a neck and belly of pure white. It trotted in front of the statue and sat down curled its tail around itself and watched them go.
During the night Alexander developed pneumonia brought on by his daytime adventure. Due to old age he was unable to fight off the infection and died peacefully in his sleep.
THE END