CHAPTER 44

 

All the way from Alida to Halicarnassus was very tense for the hetairoi and anybody who had to spend too much time with the King in private; but as far as the rest of the army was concerned the King could not be better. Alexander was always careful that his personal problems were not a burden to their men ... so only his friends and senior officers had to endure him. Hephaistion was avoiding Alexander and spent almost all his free time training, in his own words he was out of shape after being in bed for days recovering for his wound and later because he was trapped in Memnon’s house. But in his brother Nikandros’ opinion, it looked more as if he was taking out his frustrations using his training as an excuse.

 

No one who valued his life went near Hephaistion when he was training, they kept their distance in case he considered that he needed a target of flesh and blood.

 

- What do you think? –asked Ptolemy to Thais one evening, watching Hephaistion training at the distance.

 

- I think he had a fight with the King and that’s why they are both in a terrible mood –said Thais wisely, before continuing walking. She liked them both but she had learned that when they were angry it was best to walk away and wait out the storm.

 

Hephaistion broke his swords after being training all day and he cursed. These were the third pair he broke in 2 weeks. He threw the pieces to the floor and cleaned the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand; he lifted his eyes to the sky and saw the last rays of sun dying to leave his place to the night. He should go back to his tent; it was late. He was still angry with Alexander and very hurt after finding him with Barsine but the worst for him had been his words, there wasn’t one day in which Hephaistion didn’t thought about that conversation, thinking over and over again about the meaning of those harsh words. 

 

Well, if he wants to think that I like Memnon more than him, that’s his problem –he thought angry—I should start a womanizer career like Nick and stop suffering for a jerk like Alexander –he kicked a rock, if only his heart cooperated, but the treacherous bastard kept beating only for the King.  

 

- Kyros! –he shouted arriving to his tent—Prepare me a bath, plea…

 

But he felt silent in the moment he saw 6 boys instead of one there. The King’s pages were there with Kyros and they were desperate to talk to him. The poor boys were at the edge of a mental collapse, and they had gone to complain with Hephaistion about Alexander’s behavior.

 

- Sir, my apologizes for intruding like this in your tent –said Glycon speaking on behalf of the other 4 boys of 13 and 14 years old—Could you talk with the King on our behalf, please? This can’t continue, one moment the King tells us to do something and then he changes his mind and asks for 3 different things at the same time. Sir, the King is driving us crazy. 

 

Hephaistion sighed. When all he wanted was to bath, eat and sleep these boys came to talk about Alexander, the person who was trying to get out of his thoughts. Why was that everything had to revolve around Alexander? The world was conspiring against him, for days everything he saw reminded him about the King…that cloud in the shape of Boukephalos, Boukephalos being ridden by a page, someone reciting the Iliad aloud, an apple tree like the one under they had shared their first kiss…everything around him reminded him of Alexander. 

 

Because he is the King and General of this army, idiot –said Hephaistion to himself—I should go and employ myself with the Great King…

 

- I can’t tell the King how should he treat his pages, Glycon –said the General politely.

 

He understood perfectly well their problem but as things were he couldn’t go and say: “Hey Alex, stop being an ass with the poor boys and act like a grown up King. By the way, I’m still mad because you slept with Barsine and I think you owe an apology” 

 

- But sir, he listens to you –Glycon insisted—Everybody in the camp says so, besides… —he hesitated, not knowing whether to speak or not—I have seen how the King treats you, he would listen.

 

Hephaistion took his hands to his face, rubbing his eyes hard.

 

- I’ll see what I can do –the pages’ faces shone.

 

- Thank you, sir.

 

The boys left and now the General could take his bath and ate his meal in peace.

 

- How long have been the pages here? –asked Hephaistion, taking a mournful of chicken, how he loved chicken, even if he had more luxury options he would always go for the chicken.

 

- Mm…like half an hour –said Kyros, eating with him. His master hated to eat alone and he treated the Theban as his friend rather than his servant.

 

- You said Glycon is your friend.

 

- Yes.

 

- Only your friend? –that question made Kyros blushed.

 

- Well…we kissed…more than once –he admitted, making Hephaistion smiled. 

 

- Glycon’s father is one of the closest friends of Antipater, the regent of Macedonia at the moment –said Hephaistion, finishing his chicken.

 

- What do you mean? –asked Kyros frowning—I know I’m your slave and that Glycon is going to be an important person someday.

 

- You are not my slave –soon the General saw his mistake, he sighed and closed his eyes for a moment—I’m sorry Kyros, I was rude. I didn’t want to offend you.

 

The Theban shook his head.

 

- You shouldn’t apologized for telling the truth –said the Theban looking at his piece of bread—My mother used to say that. And I’m fine with that, Glycon is great and very formal, that makes me laugh a lot, he always talks as if he were at the court surrounded by ambassadors of all the Greek cities; and I know that we are not going to be together for a very long time, I’m just enjoying the moment I guess.

 

- Right.

 

Now Kyros is wiser than me –thought Hephaistion—He isn’t bother by the differences between them and he is just taking the good things while he can…

 

The Theban laughed amused.

 

- What?

 

- Nothing, I’m just remembering how was that the King’s pages and I started to talk –said Kyros.

 

- How?

 

- They wanted to know if you have sex with me –Hephaistion choked with a piece of bread.

 

He coughed and tapped his chest with his fist.

 

- What? –asked his master with drowned voice.

 

- You are pretty popular, you know –said the Theban.

 

Hephaistion took large sips of water.

 

- I don’t think I want to hear more –he said not wanting to ask Kyros what he had answered.

 

Hephaistion tried to keep his mind busy reading but a couple of hours later he gave up. He couldn’t concentrate, and the stupid cricket outside his tent was driving him nuts, he seriously considered going out to end the cricket’s singsong life but he knew it was childish.

 

His gray eyes settled on the roll in his hands. He was trying to read Euripides’ play: Herakles. Why, in the name of the specters of the underworld, was he reading that play? Yes, the world was conspiring against him, or maybe it was his subconscious playing him tricks.

 

He sighed. How he missed the theater.

 

I don’t have to say that I have always like theater. I watched all the plays you can imagine; from the Roman author Plautus, to Shakespeare…but I when I discovered the opera. Ah! That was a glorious night…you are right I should take Alexander to the opera when he wakes up…

 

It was pointless to remain in bed doing nothing. He remembered the pages and puffed out. If he were going to talk to Alexander about the pages he would better do it as soon as possible. He stood up and took his cloak.

 

- Kyros? –Hephaistion shook him softly. The boy usually slept in a bed near him. The Theban was wrapped like a cocoon and only his face was visible—Kyros.

 

- Mm?

 

- I’m going out, to the King’s tent –said Hephaistion in a whisper.

 

- Yes, mom –he murmured half asleep and the General smiled and patted him.

 

He went to the King’s tent walking as fast as he could, it was late but it was better this way; Alexander should be alone and he could go, say his piece and left.

 

Again the King was in a terrible mood, he knew he had been fooled by Barsine and was angry with himself, but not only that, Hephaistion’s words about Memnon had hurt him deeply, there were so many things he didn’t know about his best friend…what else he didn’t know? He never would have guessed that Hephaistion considered him unreachable, that his soul mate felt more comfortable at the mercenary’s side. But why? He couldn’t understand that, he had known Hephaistion since they were boys, what did Hephaistion knew about Memnon?

 

To say that Alexander was feeling terrible was too say the least. He loved Hephaistion so much that his heart hurt; he just wanted to be at his side, enjoyed him, drink on the sight of his beauty, feel the warmth of his skin…he wished that those silver eyes always looked at him, only at him. Alexander couldn’t share him, how could him? When Hephaistion was his other half. Was he being selfish? Maybe, but he couldn’t stop that burning desire inside him, he would never doubt of Hephaistion’s love, of his kisses, his sweet kisses that were promises of a love so deep and so pure that couldn’t be stain by someone else.

 

Alexander was a King, but in moments like this he was just another man as vulnerable as anyone else. He walked to the tent’s entrance and raised his uneven eyes to the moon, her phantasmagoric light bathing the camp, making his guards look like ghosts. Was he dead? He maybe as well because only darkness and suffering were in his life without Hephaistion. What a sweet name in his lips: Hephaistion, but now it was only smoke and every time he tried to catch him, he escaped through his fingers.     

 

The King returned inside and emptied another jug of wine; he wished to rip out his heart, he didn’t want to keep feeling. He thrown the jug and dropped on his chair, hiding his eyes behind his hand. What could he do now to mend what had happen? Why had he been such a fool? He would have to believe in Hephaistion no matter what and he had believed the words of a strange woman instead.

 

Alexander cursed his terrible character, he was too impulsive, carried away by his emotions, he often acted before thinking ... but sometimes he felt he couldn’t control his temper. The King’s head was spinning around, he had drunk too much but he didn’t care. What could he care after hurting the most important person in his life?

 

Hephaistion considered him unreachable…he didn’t want to be with a man who was aiming to become a God among men…why? Since he was born his mother had told him that a great destiny awaited him, that he would be the greatest of men, was that wrong? He had never thought that could be wrong.

 

- Sire?

 

Could it be? –thought the King. That was Hephaistion’s voice, was he in the tent or he had drank so much that now he was hallucinating; he turned and there he found the source of his happiness and misery. 

 

The look in Alexander’s eyes scared his best friend; he had never before seeing him so… devastated, he looked like someone who had lived one hundred years of misery. Hephaistion went at his side, to ask if he was all right was stupid because it was obvious he was not; so he just took the cup of wine from his hands and helped him to go and lay down on his bed.

 

Hephaistion’s touch was like a sublime torture, his hair with his soft smell of chamomile filled his nostrils. Alexander closed his eyes enjoying his best friend, but then he felt the cold of the night hitting his body when Hephaistion left him on the bed and went to look for water. 

 

- Here, drink this –said his best friend giving him a cup with water.

 

The King obeyed like a little boy drinking all the water.

 

- You are drinking too much wine –Hephaistion scolded him, kneeling in front of him to take off his sandals—You need to focus if you want to take Halicarnassus.

 

Alexander took him by the wrist and his best friend lifted his head to see him.

 

- Why do you like to be with Memnon? –asked the King, taking his best friend by surprise.

 

- Alexander, you truly are in no conditions to have this conversation with me –said Hephaistion. He tried to stand up but the King held him tighter, it would ever cease to amaze Hephaistion how strong was Alexander, even if he was drunk. 

 

- Why is he better than me? –he asked in a low voice, his blond hair tousled was covering one of his eyes, and the cerulean blue was the only one looking at him.

 

- He is not better than you –said Hephaistion, he was still angry with him, but seeing his almighty King in that state was softening his heart—He is just…different.

 

- I love you –those words left Hephaistion without defenses.

 

How does he do this? He has so much power over me that one look and 3 words take me down on my knees in front of him, completely disarm –thought the General.

 

- Did I…mistreated you? –asked Alexander. He needed an answer because the question was driving him crazy. Why Hephaistion had chosen to kiss Memnon?

 

- No…—answered his best friend in a low voice—It’s not that.

 

- Then, he is a better lover than I, is that it? –asked Alexander—I can improve.

 

That made Hephaistion smiled sweetly. He didn’t know what to tell him, but when he was going to open his mouth the King felt the urged to vomit.

 

- Don’t move –said Hephaistion running to get a bucket.

 

He patted the King’s back and cleaned him with a wet cloth; instinctively he stroked his face, removing his blond locks from his face. He changed him bringing a fresh tunic and got him into bed. He took his time to see him sleeping before standing up and walking to the entrance. 

 

- We’ll talk when you are sober –he whispered before leaving the tent.

 

XXX

 

Finally, grandfather Demetrios, Berenike, Netikerty and the children arrived to Halicarnassus after weeks traveling by sea. The group was very impressed with what they saw; this was a large, well-fortified stronghold with a first class harbor (1) It was a beautiful and interesting place, full with people from all places of the Persian Empire, and soon Berenike found herself admiring the place with her mouth open with the same expression of surprise of the children.  

 

- Mom... daddy –said Amyntas correcting himself—Why is that man dressed in that funny thing?

 

- Amin don’t point at the people –said Berenike.

 

- All right! –said grandfather Demetrios, he was looking younger, the thought of having a big adventure before him made him glow with new energy—This is what we are going to do. First we need to ask about the Macedonian army, and when we get the information we hired a guide and go to them.

 

Little Sophia raised her hand, jumping while holding her doll in the other arm. She looked so much like Leonnatos, the same brown chocolate hair but her mother’s gray eyes.  

 

- What is it? –asked grandfather Demetrios.

 

- I’m hungry; can’t we eat something, grandpa? –Demtrios laughed. 

 

- Of course we can eat –he said in an extremely good humor—Eni, go with them and find a place to eat, I’ll do some enquiries around and catch you latter.

 

- All right. You hear grandpa –said Berenike—Sophi take Nety by the hand and Amin don’t run, Aki you stay with me.

 

It wasn’t difficult to fine a small place were they could eat, they had money and with money life was always simpler. Nobody asked them questions and people just assumed that Berenike was a very young Greek soldier who had a lot of fun with his slave and left her pregnant 3 times.

 

- Uncle? –asked Achilles, finishing his glass with milk—Is my dad here?

Achilles had spent a lot of time imagining how his father could be, and after so much thought he reached the conclusion that he should look like his grandfather Amyntor, with the same beard and all. 

 

- I don’t know Aki, but we are going to find out soon enough –Berenike was still talking, with her daughter sitting on her knees when grandfather Demetrios arrived. He was very pale and worried and that scared his granddaughter.

 

- What? –asked Berenike bluntly, waiting for the worst—Don’t tell me the army was annihilated.

 

- No, no, no –he shook his head—Is not that –his granddaughter sighed with relief—In fact the army is very close, so close too be good.

 

Berenike frowned.

 

- What do you mean, grandpa?

 

- The Macedonian army is surrounding the city –said grandfather Demetrios.

 

- This city? –all right that was a stupid question, but the poor Berenike was in shock—You mean, we are under siege?

 

- Yes.

 

- But, but… —Berenike found herself without words— What now?

 

- We can’t leave the city.

 

- But we are Macedonians; surely Alex is not going to hurt us –her grandfather laughed.

 

- Eni you are naïve –said Demetrios, sitting at her side, running a hand through his hair—This is war, if we are under siege, we are going to suffer just the same as the rest of the population here, and that’s what worries me, things are going to get really bad.

 

- Can’t we leave, sir? I mean, we can take another ship and go back –asked Netikerty scared.

 

- No. General Memnon has the control over all the ships in the harbor now –Demetrios rubbed his face. 

 

- Who is this Memnon guy? –asked Berenike, sitting Sophia at her side.

 

- The Greek mercenary who commands the Great King’s troops. He is in charge of defending Halicarnassus –grandfather Demetrios had been asking questions all morning and now he had a lot of information, but the more he knew about the situation he was more concerned.

 

Berenike fell silent for a moment, not noticing that Achilles was following the conversation with all his attention. He was very clever; he didn’t look like a 3 year old boy, but that didn’t surprise his family, not with Hephaistion as his father. 

 

- Grandpa? –asked the little boy—This means that my dad is outside the city?

 

- Yes, son, that’s exactly what this mean –said Demetrios taking a cup of wine. Achilles face shone.

 

- And, why don’t we send him a message? –grandfather Demetrios and Berenike saw him with the most pure surprise on their faces.

 

- Send him a message? –Demetrios repeated. 

 

- Grandpa, isn’t a bad idea, why don’t we do that? –said Berenike, excited with the idea.

 

- Probably…but how do we do that?

 

- Can’t we shout? –asked Amyntas and his mother laughed.

 

- No Amin, we can’t.

 

- Excuse me –said Netikerty shyly—Why don’t we get a pigeon?

 

- A pigeon? –asked Demetrios.

 

- Yes –the Egyptian insisted—A homing pigeon.

 

- Can we get one here? –Berenike’s heart was racing.

 

- We can try –said her slave.

 

- Grandpa, what do you say?

 

- I say that is the best plan we have, so…lets do it –said grandfather Demetrios and Berenike applauded excited with a big smile on her lips —But…even if Alexander gets our message I don’t think our situation is going to change –he saw the fear in Netikerty’s eyes and the concern in Berenike’s face, her bright smile was no more, and decided to keep his worries for himself—We have to find a place to stay, and listen to me very carefully, under no circumstances tell anyone that we are Macedonians –he said in a very low voice—That could be dangerous for us, understood?

 

- Yes, grandpa.

 

- Yes, sir. 

 

- If anyone asks we came from Athens –said grandfather Demetrios—Netikerty, I need you to go to the market and buy all the food you can, understood?

 

- Yes, sir.

 

- Eni you and the children come with me, we are going to look for a house as far as we can from the walls –said Demetrios confusing his granddaughter.

 

- Why?

 

- You’ll see soon enough, I’m afraid.

 

XXX

 

The worst for the Macedonian army came when they reach Halicarnassus; there they were welcome by a rain of javelins thrown from the city’s walls. Memnon and his troops had the entire control over the city now that he had the supreme command thanks to the Great King, and not only that, Halicarnassus defenses were perfect. The place was impregnable and only one looked at their high and mighty walls was enough to discourage the Macedonians but not their King. 

 

- I have received word from our spies –said the King to his war council, avoiding seeing directly to where Hephaistion was—Memnon is here and has with him several thousand Greek mercenaries, including 2 Athenian commanders Ephialtes and Thrasybulus, you might remember them, they fled from Greece when I asked for their heads when we took Thebes. And not only that, Memnon has his supplies full, siege artillery and the Great King’s fleet is guarding the coast. 

 

Krateros whistled.

 

- We should go back –said Ptolemy, to take Halicarnassus was impossible, it would take them years to do so, and again they didn’t have the luxury to throw money trying to take this city.

 

- Back where? –asked Kleitos, leaning his weight back on the chair—We don’t have enough supplies, again. The army took everything Hellespontine Phrygia had; if we go back from where we came we’ll be completely out of food. Our only chance now is to take Halicarnassus.

 

- With what? –asked Philotas, sneering—All the siege equipment is still aboard our ships, I mean, the handful of ship we still have –Alexander ignore this clearly attack to his decision of disbanding the allied fleet— And thanks to the Persians’ fleet they can’t reach us. And after what happened at Myndus I have no hopes to see our equipment in the near future. 

 

Alexander clenched his jaw. He was still angry at what happened in Myndus. A small group of citizens had assured him that they would surrender their small port city near Halicarnassus; but when the King arrived at midnight with his forces he found the gates shut and the walls full with defenders. It was a trap. And without Myndus they didn’t have a near port where the Macedonian ships could unload their artillery.

 

- Nearchos is in charge of the fleet –said Hephaistion—He will arrive, I’m sure. If anyone can find a way through is him.  

 

And Hephaistion’s words were prophetic because in a couple of days Nearchos arrived with the equipment, after deceiving the Persian fleet, and the siege began properly.

 

- I want to talk to you –said Alexander to Hephaistion.

 

This time his best friend was in charge of the siege equipment and to the King absolutely delight, he was very skilful getting the things done. He didn’t have to tell Hephaistion too times the same thing and once he had his orders he could forget about the task because he always got the work done.

 

Hephaistion took his time before answering; he finished his inspection on the mobile towers and the process of filling with earth the moat that Memnon’s men had dug in front of one of the walls, and then went to where the King was waiting.

 

- What can I do for you, sire? –he asked in a professional tone. 

 

- Come to my tent, please –for once Alexander’s voice was calm and Hephaistion found no reason for refusing his invitation so, he followed him.

 

XXX

(1) Peter Green. Alexander of Macedon, p 192