Chapter 46

 

CHAPTER 46

 

Between Hannibal Barca and Publius Cornelius Scipio the Africanus.

192 B.C. Ephesus

 

- Who do I think has been the best general of all time? That is certainly an interesting question –Hannibal said. Then taking a few seconds to reflect with calmness– No doubt –he said at last– The best general of all time has been none other than Alexander the Great: he conquered more territories than any other, submitted more kings than no other and showed that an army of fewer well-trained and well managed, was able to defeat armies far superior in number, and even more than that: he taught us the importance of cavalry. Alexander has undoubtedly been the best.

 

Publius Scipio the Africanus nodded.

 

- Yes  –replied Publius– I agree, Alexander has been the best (1)

 

-o-o-o-

 

Alexander didn’t return to his tent until later that night. He spent the rest of the day with his men, visiting the wounded, giving his soldiers and officers encouraging words and checking the damages and casualties. He hadn’t stopped for a moment; he had to keep his army with good spirits despite the defeat that day.

 

- This was nothing boys –said the King to his men, looking so calm that it was contagious—These mercs aren’t a match for you, you are the toughest son’s of a mother I have ever seen.

 

And his men loved him even more when he spoke to them using the worst and most vulgar words in the Macedonian language; it was in moments like this that they didn’t look at him as a boy of 22 years old, but as a very capable commander.

 

- Don’t tell me you are scared of the mercs, Basilides –asked the King to one of his officers who had a dressing around his head.

 

- No sire. Next time we are going to kick them so hard in the ass, that they are going to taste our shoes in their mouths –he said making the rest of his men laugh.

 

This was what Alexander wanted, to keep the moral up, a siege was always the worst for the troop’s moral, it was long, stressful and tiresome. But until now he had managed to keep his men in a good mood.

 

- Alex –Hephaistion entered the King’s tent later that night—I have with me the report about the casualties and the wounded that you want.

 

- Thanks, leave it there I’ll checked it later –said the King, while Glycon helped him to take off his armor—Have you eaten something?

 

Hephaistion shook his head.

 

- No, I came directly from the infirmary.

 

- Stay with me, please.

 

His pages prepared the King and his dearest friend a bath and after the 2 of them relaxed in the hot water they ate as if there was no tomorrow, Berenike’s note forgotten among Alexander’s clothes. 

 

- Phai?

 

- Mm?

 

- We had a bad day –said Alexander in a low voice. Now he could stop smiling and said to his best friend what he was really feeling.

 

- We can’t always win –said Hephaistion, sitting at his side—But it was only the first assault, where is the fun if things are easy?

 

The King smiled at that.

 

- You are right –he said, eating the last bite of his meal—But I’m telling you this Phai, I will not have mercy on Memnon when I get my hands on him.

 

- I know –of course that Hephaistion knew, Alexander would never forgive the mercenary for kidnapping him, humiliating the King and for putting in danger their relationship…even if Memnon wasn’t completely guilty about the last charge.

 

It’s a pity –thought Hephaistion, but he wasn’t going to beg for the mercenary’s life, even if it hurt him to think in Memnon’s death the same way it would hurt him to think in Leonnatos or Perdikkas’ death.

 

Alexander took his beloved’s hand over the table and caressed it. Hephaistion lifted his head slowly and in that moment the King trapped his mouth, and that simple gesture served to warm every inch of Hephaistion’s body. His best friend parted slightly his lips to let him invade his mouth and moaned softly when Alexander nipped his lower lip.   

 

Hephaistion didn’t have to be a genius to know what the King wanted after that stressful and horrible day; he felt his hand sliding through the inner side of his thigh and smiled, Alexander’s hands were no longer soft, now they were callused after being fighting for so long, but the sensation of them against his creamy skin was delicious.   

 

Alexander slipped his lips over his best friend’s, and kissed his cheek on his way to his ear, licking his lobe.

 

- I want to ask you something –whispered the King.

 

- You don’t have to ask –said Hephaistion in a husky voice, a lazy and arrogant smiled curving his lips—You know I will spend the night with you, my lord –he opened his legs and put his hand on Alexander’s guiding it all the way up; but for his utterly surprised the King stopped. 

 

- I want to… —Hephaistion turned to see him—I want to do something different this time –that caught his beloved’s attention—I have never felt you in me…

 

Hephaistion’s eyes were wide open, staring at him as if he had just appeared from nowhere. What did he say?

 

- Are you sure about this? –he had to ask, this had been one of his most hidden fantasies but he had to be sure that Alexander was convinced of his words. The King nodded—Alex, why are you asking me this? 

 

The King moved away a little and held his gaze.

 

- Because this is something we have never done before –Alexander explained with simplicity trying to rest importance to the matter.

 

Hephaistion felt the urge to ask: “are you sure this has nothing to do with me saying we are not equals?” But he decided to keep his mouth shut. Of course this had everything to do with that, but saying it aloud was going to ruin the moment and would make Alexander felt uncomfortable.

 

Hephaistion nodded after a long silence.

 

- All right, but I have to warn you –he said softly—It’s going to be different for you.

 

- I know, but I want to do it –Alexander couldn’t forget Hephaistion’s words, if he had kissed Memnon because he felt curiosity after being with him for so long, then he would give him something new. 

 

Hephaistion licked his lips; he felt a burning excitement running through his body. He had imagining this many many times and couldn’t believe his dream was about to come true.

 

- When? –that was the only question he managed to ask.

 

- Tonight –Hephaistion opened and closed his right hand, feeling his heart racing.

 

Alexander saw a wild glow in his best friend’s eyes. He had never seen that look; he could read the most pure desire mingled with a profound love in his silver eyes, and the next thing he knew was that his best friend was kissing him with hunger, devouring his lips and almost making him fall from the chair. 

 

Hephaistion took him to the bed without giving him a pause, kissing him until the King felt dizzy from the lack of air. Only the Gods and Hephaistion knew what had Alexander unleashed with his petition. His best friend made a pause when he had the King lying in the bed, taking a moment to admire him. Alexander could be the lord and master of a powerful army but in those moments he was his, only his. He took the King’s hand, caressing it with his thumb, while his gray eyes were on the adorable blushing face of Alexander. He kissed the palm of his hand with devotion, caressing it with his lips, running the length of the King’s fingers and kissing the tip of each one of them slowly. 

 

Hephaistion took his kisses to his wrist, using your fingers to stroke the length of his arm stopping especially in those places where you could see a scar. Alexander noticed how his beloved tried with his kisses to erase his pain, the pain that those wounds he had suffered in battle had caused him, but he didn’t say a word. The King watched him, relaxing under his touch and feeling how his best friend’s lips reached his neck, while his long fingers where caressing his chest with such gentleness, that it appear as if he were afraid of breaking him. 

 

- You don’t need to be so gentle with me –said Alexander, his face was burning and he felt a little ashamed in being treated like that.

 

- But I want to be –said Hephaistion kissing his shoulder, twining their fingers—You had a terrible day and I want you to forget everything for a moment –he kissed and nipped the King’s neck, making him shudder—If I could –his breath hit the wet skin with each word, sending sparks through Alexander’s body—I would take all your pain in me so that you never had to suffer again.

 

For once in his life the almighty King of Macedonia, the terror of the Greeks and the Persians whip, had no idea of what to do. He felt again as if he were 15 years old and this were the first time he was going to share his body with someone. It was difficult to explain, he had never been the one at the receiving end; after all, he had heard all kind of vulgar comments about the men that have a women’s roll in bed, because the women’s roll was low, and for a man to act in a passive was humiliating.

 

Not that he thought like that about Hephaistion, he would never thought something like that about his most dearest friend but…he was a King, he was the direct descendant of Herakles and Achilles, his mother had told him before coming to Asia that his father was no other than Zeus, that he had visited her in the form of a snake… 

 

He loved Hephaistion but he was also a very proud man and this was, in a way, to diminish his self-importance, or as the Romans said his dignitas, the valor of a man. He could have said to his beloved that they were equals but deep inside his heart he knew that was a lie, because he thought that what was good for Hephaistion wasn’t good enough for him. But that was precisely why he had asked him to take him, because he wanted to change that, and this was his way to start the change…even if he was terribly nervous.

 

What’s wrong with me? I have never been afraid and now I’m behaving like a virgin girl in her wedding night –said the King to himself, making a titanic effort to remain calm.

 

Hephaistion gently moved away from him, he took off his military tunic and helped the King to take off his clothes, caressing his skin with the help of his fingers and the fabric. He stroked his legs and knees and took his hands to his calves; he slid his hands to his ankles and went up again. He kissed Alexander’s knees and made him bent his legs upwards, making him feel the most precious thing in the whole universe. Each of his kisses and caresses silently professed all the love he felt for the King. Hephaistion smiled watching him blushed even more (if that was possible) but he frowned when he saw the King had his head turned, his eyes on the furniture. 

 

- Why don’t you look at me? –asked his best friend, softly; stroking his thighs distractedly—Alex?  

 

- Because is embarrassing –said the King, still without looking at him. 

 

- Why? You have see me like this many times before –Hephaistion wasn’t angry, he knew that Alexander was thinking as if he was reading it on his face. He knew this was extremely difficult for a man as the Macedonian Lion, reason why he was very surprised when he had asked him to take him, but he wanted to hear it from his lips. 

 

- I know but…

 

- But what? –Hephaistion insisted—Look at me Alex –the King did as he was told, he was terribly ashamed but when he saw those gray eyes he saw nothing but love—I know what you are thinking even if you don’t say it; if you don’t want to do this is fine with me, you don’t have to prove anything.

 

Alexander straightened, leaning his weight back on his elbows.

 

- I’m fine –the King assured him—Just do it.

 

- I’m not going to do this if you ask like that –Hephaistion smiled, a very sweet smile full with understanding, leaning his arms on Alexander’s knees— You make it sound as if this was an obligation.

 

Alexander puffed out.

 

- I’m…I’m nervous, all right? –that made his best friend laughed.

 

- You? But you are never nervous! You are monument to courage –Hephaistion teased him.

 

- Shut up, Phai!

 

Hephaistion gave him a lazy and arrogant smile and kissed one of his knees, going all the way down. He walked his fingers over his the inner side of his thighs; he inspected his hip, stroking the bone, down to his crotch carefully paying attention to each of the reactions of the blond.  

 

Alexander gasped when his fingers reached their most intimate place. He was very tense and he closed his fists, but forced himself to remain calm.

 

- I’m not going to hurt you –Hephaistion whispered tenderly, running the length of the blond with obsessive delicacy, sending tickles to his entire nervous system.

 

- I know –said the King moaning softly; the heat was growing between his legs, but then his best friend left him, for Alexander’s utterly surprise, and went to the table were the remnants of their food were—What are you doing?  

 

- You will see –Hephaistion took a small bottle of olive oil, again courtesy of Queen Ada. If the Queen knew how her gifts were used…

 

All right, this is not what I had in mind but it’s going to be useful nonetheless –thought Hephaistion, returning to his King’s side.

 

- What’s that? –asked Alexander seeing the bottle in his hand.

 

- You’ll see –he said again, regaining its position between the King’s legs.

 

Hephaistion took his finger covered with oil to the warm entry of Alexander, and the latter jumped as if he had stuck by a needle.

 

- Are you sure you want to do this? –asked his best friend again.

 

- I’m sure…is just weird, that’s all.

 

- It’s all right, but you will have to relax –Hephaistion knew he was a bad person for being thinking this, but he was enjoying seeing his almost perfect and extremely brave friend in this situation, he couldn’t help it.

 

Slowly he introduced in him his finger feeling the King shake, it was so warm and tight that he could not help but feel a twinge of pleasure imagining how it would feel it once he was inside him. Hephaistion had never before done this, and he was absolutely excited with the idea.

 

For Alexander was the most weird sensation he had ever felt in his life, and it only felt more awkward when his best friend add another finger inside him, moving them with some ease thanks to the oil.

 

- How are you feeling? –asked Hephaistion. Ow! Alexander looked adorable so ashamed with those spots burning on his cheeks. 

 

- F-fine…it feels weird that’s all –the King rested his back on the bed, his uneven eyes on the ceiling.

 

Of course it felt weird, to have an alien object in him. He clenched his jaw when Hephaistion put 3 fingers in him, it was a little painful being stretch like this but he was not going to complain, he had never done so, not even when doctor Philip cleaned his wounded head after the battle at the Granicus River and he was not going to start now. How was that Hephaistion liked when he did this to him? He couldn’t find the pleasure in this.  

 

Hephaistion stopped scissoring inside him and looked at Alexander.

 

- Alex, if you are so tense is going to hurt you –the last thing he wanted was to hurt him, he would kill himself before doing anything that could hurt him.

 

- I’m trying to relax –said the King in a bad mood—But I can’t, are you sure you are doing this right? –his best friend blinked in totally confusion and laughed after a pause.  

 

- Always so impatient –Hephaistion shook his head. He took his time to prepare Alexander, he was looking for that particular spot that would make the King melted in pleasure…but he was starting to think Alexander was born without one because he couldn’t find it. He decided to take his chances.  

 

When he took his finger out he heard the King sighed in relieve. Hephaistion was very tempted to ask: “are you sure you want to continue?” But if he asked one more time the King would punch him.

 

He settled in four over Alexander, and kissed him, his arms resting at each side of his blond head. Hephaistion caressed his face with his lips and nose, walking the roundness of his cheeks and tickling him with his eyelashes before kissing him again, slowly; he felt he King’s hands playing at his chest, sliding through his back. He placed one last kiss on his jaw before kneeling again between his legs. 

 

Hephaistion took Alexander by the hips; he could feel the tension in the body of the other, he had to be very careful and with that in mind the looked in his head for what he liked, the best way to make his King touch the clouds and remember this night as one of the best of his life.

 

The first thing Alexander felt was pain, a sharp pain down his spine when Hephaistion made his way inside him. His best friend saw this and lifted even more his hips trying to find a way to make this more comfortable for the King, who was panting, clinging to the sheets beneath him with force. Hephaistion moved slowly inside him, stopping from time to time to give him a moment to get used to the intrusion before continuing.

 

This prove to be the hardest test for Hephaistion’s self control, if he hadn’t love Alexander so much he wouldn’t have been able to take things easy. Every single fiber in his body was screaming to take the King like an animal, the tightness around him, like a warm embrace, was driving him crazy… but his fear of hurting his dear one was even greater. He tried to kiss and caress Alexander’s legs, to make him relax but he failed miserably and he was starting to run out of ideas, but then he climbed Alexander's legs on his shoulders, was rewarded with a long moan as the King felt him even more in him, in the depths of his being.

 

Now Alexander felt a delicious warmth invading him when he felt complete, having his soul mate touching his most intimate part, felt ... right.

 

This is how it should be –thought the King, his last coherent thought before a wave of heat took away all his rational thoughts.

 

Hephaistion lifted him without difficulty, physically he was stronger than Alexander and soon he got the King imprisoned between his body and head of the bed, devouring his lips and stealing the little air that reached his lungs. Alexander's response was to put his arms behind Hephaistion’s neck and pressed himself tightly against him.

 

- Alex… –said his best friend panting, his words seemed to caress him with the same intensity of his hands— Forget about everything and forget about yourself ... when you can do it…Mmm… the only thing left is you…Nnn… the real you with no lies, no frills, just you ... 

 

This was a Hephaistion that Alexander didn’t know, savage, demanding and loving but he soon find he liked it...a lot. The King had to cling to something and soon he took his best friend's arms, feeling lost in this whirlwind of sensations. 

 

- Alex… –said Hephaistion, his voice drown—Move your…hips…mm…

 

The King had no idea of what he wanted but then he felt his beloved’s hands on his hips and he understood what he was asking…even though it was a little embracing to do that…what was he? A flute girl? But after an especially savage thrust he changed his mind and did as he was told. That was like magic and soon both of them were completely lost.

 

For those moments where the two of them were one person, everything seemed perfect, the time had stopped for them without they noticing and suddenly they only care about themselves, the rest of the world disappeared. They were no longer the King of Macedonia and his most faithful hetairoi, and then, when they forgot it all, things were clear ...

 

- I love you… —said Alexander without voice.

 

By the time they finished both were exhausted, Hephaistion lying on Alexander’s chest, panting and trying to calm the furious beating of his heart. 

 

- Did you like it? –they spoke at the same time, and soon they were laughing like fools.

 

- You first –said Hephaistion when he could speak.

 

Alexander blushed again for his best friend delight.

 

- Yes… but if you say something about this to anyone I’ll kill you –he threatened him, which was adorable because he still had his two cute red spots burning in his cheeks.

 

- All right.

 

- And what about you?

 

- I love it –said Hephaistion kissing his chest—When are we going to do this again? –an evil grin adorned his face and Alexander swallowed. He had created a monster.

 

Hephaistion kissed his chest, all the way up looking for his lips; he slid his hands through the King’s sides, settling himself between his legs again.

 

- What are you doing? –asked Alexander between kisses.

 

- What do you thing?

 

- Again? –the King felt his face burning with the thought of...

 

- ALEXANDER! –that was the hysterical voice of Krateros—ALEXANDER!

 

I’m going to kill him –though Hephaistion, reluctantly moving away from the King.

 

- This better be good –whispered the King, standing up wrapped with the blanket at the same time Krateros entered the tent.

 

The always polite and considerate Krateros entered without permission, as if he owned the place.

 

- Alexander, the mercs set the artillery on fire –said the newcomer.

 

- What?! –now even Hephaistion was on his feet, trying his best to cover himself with the other blanket. He had very bad memories that involve Krateros seeing him half naked.

 

- How this happened? –asked the King, putting his clothes on.

 

- I have no idea, but Philotas has a taxei of pezetairoi putting the fires out –he explained—But we are also under attack.   

 

Alexander cursed using the most vulgar Macedonian of the barracks and ran to where his artillery was. A spectacle from hell greeted him, 2 catapults were burning like torches, the smoke rising to the night sky and the tongues of fire glowed with a terrifying force in that extremely dark night. 

 

In no time the King had his men ready and successfully drove the Persians back to the city, allowing his men to get close enough to extinguish the fire. The result was 2 catapults destroyed and 300 Macedonians severely wounded. 

 

- How this happened? –asked the King to his officers, it was almost dawn, but when the first rays of the sun shone, they were received with infinite joy. It had been a very long and difficult night for the Macedonians—Where are Coes, Meges and Dexios, the sentries of that area?  

 

It would never ceased to amaze Hephaistion how Alexander could remember the names of his men and the places where they must be.

 

- Coes and Dexios are dead –said Antigonus, a man that was called the “One Eye” because…well, he didn’t have one eye.

 

Antigonus was a very tall man, like Krateros, he was strong like a bull, but he also had a bovine look in him. His men usually made jokes about how he resembled an ox, saying that the only thing he needed to complete the image were a pair of horns, but according to some of his men his wife had done the job. He had one son Demetrios, who had stayed in Macedonia with his extremely “friendly” mother. 

 

Antigonus son of Philip wasn’t an important officer; many of us didn’t know him and nobody could have ever imagined that he would become the father of a new Macedonian dynasty of Kings. His son Demetrios would be Demetrios I after defeating Cassander for the Macedonian throne, and his great-great-grandson Perseus was the last Macedonian King.

 

Antigonus and his friend Seleucus son of Antiochus…yes, I’m smiling while telling you this…Seleucus also became a King, he founded of the Seleucid Empire; his descendants gave refuge to Hannibal Barca and his great-great-grandson King Antiochus III fought against Lucius Cornellius Scipio the Asiaticus in the battle of Magnesia… both of them lost their kingdoms at the hands of the Romans… but in that moment they were a pair of simple officers. 

 

- Meges is wounded but alive –said Seleucus, he had unnerving deep blue eyes and black-blue hair. He could have been handsome but his nose was too big—He said a group of 4 maybe 5 men approached them and gave them the password. 

 

- That’s impossible! –exclaimed Krateros, sadly his wounded jaw was much better now and he was able to speak normally—All our passwords were in the most pure Macedonian dialect.

 

- The intruders were Macedonians –said Seleucus, taking his audience by surprise, only the King was immobile.

 

- But how…?

 

- It’s Amyntas –said Alexander, interrupting Philotas—My spies told me that some of Attalos’ men ran away to the Persian side after my mother killed Caranus, and Cleopatra Eurydice committed suicide.

 

- What are we going to do? –asked Leonnatos.

 

- We are going to move the siege train to the northern side of the city –said the King—I want the double of guards around the artillery, Antigonus you will be in charge of the security.  

 

- Yes, Alexander.

 

- Hephaistion, see that the catapults are reconstructed and that the rest of the equipment is repaired –said the King. 

 

- I’ll see to it right now –said his best friend.

 

XXX

 

(1) Santiago Posteguillo. Rome’s Betrayal, p 267