Chapter 53

 

CHAPTER 53

 

Between Vespasian and one Legionary.

42 AD, The Rhine Frontier

 

‘How old are you?’ Vespasian asked.

 

‘Sixteen, sir. Seventeen next month’

 

‘Sixteen… hardly enough to be a man. Certainly too young to lead men’

 

‘Begging your pardon, sir, but Alexander was only sixteen when he commanded his first army in battle’

 

Vespasian’s eyebrows shot up in amazement. ‘You consider yourself to be an Alexander? What do you know about military affairs?’

 

‘I have studied them, sir. I am familiar with the works of Xenophon, Herodotus, Livy and, of course, Caesar’

 

‘And that makes you an expert on the modern Roman army does it?’(1)

 

 

-o-o-o-

 

We continued our journey and took many cities along our road. Some of them surrendered without major conflicts, others opposed us, but at the end Alexander always had his way. In Aspendus, where the Great King’s horses were bred, Alexander got many excellent mounts and of course a huge amount of money that went directly to the men’s pay.

 

- I have a present for you –said Alexander excited, poking his head through the tent’s flaps.

 

- A present? –Hephaistion didn’t like this, every time the King had that expression on his face it meant he had done a mischief, and, in this particular case meant he had something really expensive for him.

 

- Come, and take Aki with you –Alexander left before he could say anything.

 

Hephaistion sighed.

 

He went to look for Achilles and found him with his cousins, Berenike’s children. They were playing seek and hide in a beautiful garden; Amyntas was looking for his sister and cousin behind a bush, and for what Hephaistion saw, Achilles was hidden inside of a hollow trunk. 

 

- Aki, come out, your uncle is calling us –said Hephaistion kneeling in front of the trunk.

 

- Don’t speak so loud, daddy –whispered Achilles.

 

- Fine –Hephaistion whispered too—Come out, you will play latter.

 

He took Achilles by the hand and went to one of the famous breeding places of Aspendus. The boy walked with his mouth opened, admiring the beautiful horses around the place, mares with their foals, and big muscular stallions; more than once Hephaistion had to pull him to make him walk when he stayed for too long in one place.

 

Finally they found the King and Achilles ran, stretching his arms up for his uncle to carry him.  

 

- What did you do now? –asked Hephaistion.

 

- You know Phai, you are a very strange person –said Alexander with Achilles in his arms—Everybody likes to receive presents, but with you I practically need to beg you to accept something.

 

- That’s because you insist in giving me expensive things –said his best friend smiling. 

 

- Oh, but you are going to love this –said the King excited as if Hephaistion hadn’t say a word—I couldn’t give you something in your birthday, so I’m giving you a gift now.

 

- All right –his best friend didn’t have to be a seer to know the King wanted to give him a horse, but he decided to wait before saying anything.

 

Tree young boys were attending 2 magnificent horses, one mare of a beautiful brown color that looked almost golden and a black colt with a white leg.

 

- So, what do you think? –asked Alexander with a big smile, Hephaistion smiled shaking his head.

 

- Wooow! Can I touch them? –asked Achilles excited.

 

- Of course you can, son –said the King and Hephaistion lifted an eyebrow. Son? Since when Achilles was “son”?—The little one is yours.

 

Achilles opened his big eyes of different colors and they shone like jewels, he saw Alexander as if all his wishes had come true in that moment.

 

- Really?!

 

- Wait, what?! –exclaimed Hephaistion, the smile left his face—You lost me, what’s going on here?

 

- I want to give you a horse –explained Alexander, putting the excited boy on the ground, and Achilles ran immediately to where the colt was.

 

- I already have 2 horses –said his best friend—And you gave me Alastor.

 

- Yes, but that was years ago, you need another horse –explained Alexander, smiling when he saw Achilles caressing the colt as if he were made of crystal, afraid of hurting him, while the grooms held him for the boy—We are traveling a lot and you need a fresh and young mount.

 

- And the colt?

 

- As I said, it’s for Aki.

 

- Why? –asked Hephaistion confused—He is 3 years old.

 

- So you keep reminding me –said the King, his eyes still on the boy.

 

- He doesn’t need a mount now.

 

- But every Macedonian prince must have one, he need to learn to ride –said Alexander stubbornly— What is he going to do when he has to lead a cavalry squadron?

 

Prince? To lead a cavalry squadron? –thought Hephaistion.

 

It was pointless to reason with Alexander, he was hallucinating that in some strange and twisted way they had had a son together, and frankly he was starting to give up. If the King wanted to give Achilles gifts, fine; he would have to see how to deal with the consequences latter, starting with the long list of jealous and nasty people that were going to say that he used his son to obtain benefits from the King; as if he was a woman to use such tricks.

 

And Eumenes will head the list –thought the General.

 

- Fine, but just give me the colt –said Hephaistion at last.

 

- No –answered the King, firmly—You will have the 2 of them. Phai –he closed the distance between them—This is the least I can give you –he soften his voice—My love, you are always helping me, taking care of me; by the Gods! You are the last of your men to get pay when I don’t have money.

 

- That’s because I’m not here because of the money –explained Hephaistion, holding his gaze. It would never cease to amaze Alexander how his best friend was the only one who could do it. 

 

- I know –Alexander took his hand—I like to give you things, please don’t deny me that pleasure.

 

- You are a cheater –said his best friend smiling, and the King kissed his cheek. What could he said now? How could he answer that?

 

They approached the horses and Hephaistion smiled, watching his son’s absolute happiness knowing that he was now the proud owner of a colt. It was so easy to be a child; everything was so simple.

 

- Do you like him? –asked the General, bending down in front of him, and the boy smiled, a bright and innocent smile.

 

- Yes, daddy.

 

- How are you going to name it? –asked Alexander, and Achilles frowned, thinking for a moment.

 

- Pegasus! –exclaimed Achilles making them laugh.

 

It was almost impossible to separate Achilles from his colt, he wanted to feed him, groom him, and sleep with him. The boy had been very close to taking the now named Pegasus to his father’s tent, but the grooms didn’t let him.

 

XXX

 

- Honestly Phai, I don’t understand why you don’t like that Alexander treat Aki as if he were his own son? –asked Nikandros, eating with his brother at the port of Side.

 

The army moved at a speed that had the Persians in astonishment. One moment they were in one place and before the news could reach Darius they were at another city. 

 

- Nick, if Alex wasn’t a King, everything would be perfect, but…—Hephaistion made a pause—I already have a lot of problems with people like Eumenes to want my son expose to their enviousness.

 

- Do you want an advice? –his brother left his last piece of fish— Forget about what people think or say about you. The King is madly in love with you, you have known this since you were 13 years old, and I have been telling you to enjoy it since then –Hephaistion said nothing and brushed his hair back—When you were younger, you had Cassander and Philotas teasing you, a Persian behind you and King Philip obsessed with you –Nikandros counted with his fingers—And you were still a boy! Phai, what I am trying to say to you is…your situation is going to be more and more complicated as Alexander became more powerful and you have to get use to it. You can’t run away.

 

- You are right –Hephaistion sighed, and turned his head to the window, watching the sea at the distance. A salty smell floated to where they were eating.

 

- Of course I’m right –Nikandros smiled and took his cup with wine—Mm –he licked his lips—How are you doing as the leader of the Agema? 

 

- Fine…it’s a tough work but I like it –said Hephaistion, playing with his cup of water-wine, his eyes on the dark liquid—Dismas is a good commander but…I think he doesn’t like me.

 

- Why is that? Have he said something? –the General shook his head—Then?

 

- Dismas is a good man, he always treats me with professional respect but…I don’t know, I have the feeling that he doesn’t like me.

 

- Your ideas.

 

- Nikanor had been great, by the way –said Hephaistion—He is a very kind person.

 

- I have never talked to him, but for what I have heard, he had nothing in common with Philotas –said his brother.

 

- I thought you liked Philotas.

 

- Sometimes, not always –said Nikandros, Hephaistion thought of the possibility of asking him about what Alexander had said, that Philotas liked him, but his brother changed the subject before he could open his mouth—What do you think of Eni? 

 

- What do I think about what?

 

- She should have returned home, I tried to reason with her –said his older brother—Is dangerous for her to stay here.

 

- I agree, but I’m afraid there isn’t a way to convince her of going back –said Hephaistion—And I don’t blame her, Nick. It’s tough to be a woman, and if I were in her place I would have done just the same, and came with Alex here as a camp follower.

 

- Oww… you mean if you have been a woman, you would have been his wife? –asked Nikandros.

 

- I guess –how would have been his life if he had been a woman? That question left Hephaistion thinking for a moment. Of course he would have had to start a career as a camp follower, because there was no way he would have been separated from Alexander for months, let alone years.

 

If he had been born as Berenike instead of Hephaistion, would he be married with Alexander? Of course he would, and he would be Queen of Macedonia, the daughter of a simple hetairoi as his father was, which would have made Parmelio and Antipater extremely angry because they were by far more important than Amyntor, and they had daughters, which made him realized that even if he were a woman he would still have a long list of envious and malicious people behind him.

 

That was the prize to pay for being with a man like Alexander. Nikandros was right; he had to stop paying attention to what others said about him.

 

They heard a commotion outside the house where they were eating, voices and people running.

 

- What’s that? –asked Nikandros, looking for his sword—Do you think we are under attack?

 

- I don’t know –Hephaistion stood up to see what was going on.

 

- Eurycliedes! –said the General, when he saw one of his men running in front of the house.

 

The young man of 18 years old, platinum blond hair with amber eyes, stopped. This was Eurycliedes’ first military campaign, but what he lacked in experience he compensated in enthusiasm, he was always ready to help in everything he were useful.

 

- General! –he said, saluting.

 

- Eurycliedes, what’s going on? –asked Hephaistion walking to him.

 

- The Persians, General, they are outside –said Eurycliedes.

 

- What?!

 

Hephaistion and Nikandros arrived, running, outside Side, wearing their armors and with their swords ready. There, they found a multitude: soldiers, citizens, children, merchants, camp followers, even Kallisthenes was there, along with all the Macedonian officers that were not on duty. When Hephaistion and his brother pushed through the crowd, and arrived to where Alexander, Kleitos and the rest were. There, they found a small, colorful and magnificent group of Persians. Five members of the elite group known as the Immortals, two servants, and one Greek mercenary, mounted on splendid Arabic horses.

 

The Persians were covered in gold and jewels that shine proudly under the sun, and the Greek mercenary was dressed in a fine cotton chiton and wearing a new silver breastplate with a silver helmet. That vision of splendor and riches only served to aroused the greed of the Macedonians. 

 

- What do you think they want? –asked Krateros.

 

- I think that finally Darius is taking us seriously –said Alexander, a half arrogant smile curving his lips.

 

The group stopped a few paces from the crowd, and the Greek mercenary advanced alone, his horse walking elegantly.

 

- I’m Maeon son of Theas –said the Greek, in a loud and clear voice—I’m under the orders of the Great King Darius.

 

- I salute you Maeon son of Theas –said Alexander, advancing 2 steps to where the group was. Hephaistion kept his senses alert; ready to protect his Kings even with his life if it were necessary—I am Alexander, King of Macedonia. What brings you here?

 

- Hail, King Alexander –said Maeon—As I said, I came by the orders of the Great King to speak with one of your officers.

 

- What did he say? –asked Perdikkas in shock.

 

The Greek’s words started an avalanche of rumors, but Alexander remained as if Maeon had said nothing, as immobile as a monument.

 

- With which one of my officers do you want to speak? –asked the King.

 

- Hephaistion son of Amyntor –the rumors increased, now even Alexander looked surprised.

 

Hephaistion needed a moment to understand the man had just said his name.

 

- He wants to talk with YOU? –asked Nikandros, as surprised as the rest.

 

- What for? –asked Alexander, before his best friend could even move from his place.

 

- I have a letter from the Great King to him –said the Greek—The Great King wants to meet him, sire.

 

- I am Hephaistion son of Amyntor –said the General, walking until he reached his King’s side.

 

- Then, this is for you –said Maeon, giving him the letter.

 

Hephaistion took it; it was the finest paper he had ever seen, adorned with a golden ribbon of silk.

 

- We’ll come tomorrow for your answer –said Maeon—With your permission, sire –the Greek made a slightly bow and the group left, leaving behind them numerous voices, murmuring in astonishment and confusion.

 

- Come –said Alexander, and Hephaistion obeyed. They ignored the voices around him, and Philotas’ questions and went back to the city. The General’s mind was buzzing, full with ideas, what was going on there? And what did Darius want from him?

 

When they were alone in the house that served as headquarters for the King, the General extended his hand to give his King the letter.

 

- Why do you give me this? –asked Alexander, watching the piece of parchment in his best friend’s hand.

 

- You let me read your mail –said Hephaistion softly—Here, take it. I don’t want you to think I’m hiding things from you.

 

- I would never think that –the sincerity in his voice made the General smiled.

 

- Thanks, but I insist.

 

Alexander sighed and took the letter. He broke the seal and found a beautiful handwriting, it was written in a very elegant Greek, and after a few moments the King gave the letter back to his best friend.

 

- Darius wants to meet the man who defeated Dardanos, the Hell Hound, in a single combat –said Alexander while Hephaistion read. 

 

- So it seems –he whispered still reading—I suppose I am an interesting specimen to entertain a Persian King.

 

- What does Darius think? That you are one of his servants to command at his will? –said Alexander pacing around. Peritas, who was sleeping near them, lifted his head, curious about what was happening.  

 

Hephaistion thought exactly the same as Alexander, he felt offended, he was nobody’s buffoon and certainly he wasn’t going to entertain the enemy...but, in the other hand, he also felt curious.

 

The King saw his best friend too quiet and frowned.

 

- What’s in your mind?

 

- Mm?…Oh, nothing –said Hephaistion. He walked to the nearest candle and approached the corner of the letter to the flame—I’m just…curious. What kind of man do you think is Darius?

 

Alexander shrugged.

 

- I think he must be like all the Eastern potentates –said the King, sitting on his desk—As a child with power, always wanting to do what he desires, changing the mood from one moment to another, seeing conspiracies in every corner and spending all his money on things he doesn’t need .... Oh! I almost forgot, looking for exotic things to have fun.

 

His best friend laughed.

 

- So, now I’m an exotic thing –he teased Alexander.

 

- Well, I wouldn’t say exotic –the King smiled, taking his hand to pull him closer—I would better say…hot.

 

Hephaistion laughed again. 

 

XXX

 

Since Aspendus had given the Macedonians a great amount of money, the King took the opportunity to give a banquet for his closest companions and officers. Of course that the closest men of the King were like 300, so it wasn’t a quiet party, it never was with the Macedonians, especially when they had the opportunity to have a good wine after months marching through hostile territory. Even the common soldiers had permission to celebrate and the King bought them, from his own purse, several amphorae of excellent wine.  

 

Everyone was in an excellent mood in the great hall where the King’s drinking party was held. Hephaistion was really grateful to have an opportunity to relax and spent a good time with his friends. Alexander had put Eumenes in charge of finding the second thing that made his men happy: women. So, this promised to be a memorable party.

 

- Stop drinking that much –said the General to Alexander, taking away the cup that a half naked servant girl had just refilled.

 

- What are you now? My mother? –asked the King smiling. He tried to take back the cup, but his best friend took it further away.

 

- Alex, I will not be the one carrying your drunken ass back when this is over –Hephaistion warned him.

 

- Phai, I’m not drunk –said Alexander—It’s my fourth cup, it takes much more than this for me to get drunk.

 

- I know, nevertheless you shouldn’t drink this much –Hephaistion smiled, giving him back the cup—Let’s do something, if you promise me not to get drunk I’ll see that you have a very…hot night after the party.  

 

Alexander smiled back. Eumenes was right, his General controlled him, but the saddest thing was that he didn’t give a damn about it.

 

Almost at midnight, Krateros walked to the couch Alexander and Hephaistion shared, holding a big and heavy amphora of wine in one hand. Hephaistion ignored him, he thought he was going to talk to the King, but for his surprise Krateros stood in front of him.

 

- Did you lost something? –asked the General, bored.

 

- I challenge you –for a moment Hephaistion thought that after all the Gods existed and had granted his wish of killing Krateros. If they had a duel he could always say to Alexander that Krateros had started it and, oh his bad luck! He had no idea of how his swords had ended in the other’s neck, an unfortunate accident, we all were going to miss him but Krateros died.

 

- Are you sure? –the General had to ask, and evil grin on his face. The other showed him the amphora.

 

- Let’s see which one of us can drink more –said Krateros with his booming voice, and the entire party heard him.

 

- Eh? –Hephaistion lifted one eyebrow. This wasn’t what he had in mind.

 

Alexander was following the conversation amused, but he didn’t want to intrude and said nothing.

 

- Let’s see what a pussy you are, Hephaistion, or if you can drink like a man –that was enough, the General stood up.

 

- I accept your challenge –cheers and screams filled the place, and all the eyes were settled on both men. Everybody knew how much they hate each other, and no one wanted to miss this peculiar duel.

 

- Alexander –said Krateros—You will be the judge.

 

- No! –shouted Perdikkas, swaying slightly as he walked after a few drinks—That wouldn’t be unfair.

 

- Let Kleitos be the judge –proposed Nikandros—He is the undefeated champion here!

 

The audience shouted and whistled their approval. 

 

- What do you say, Melas? –asked Krateros.

 

- I gladly accept –said the hipparch and the audience cheered again.

 

Soon Hephaistion and Krateros were sitting in front of each other with only a table between them. A very beautiful Persian girl was going to serve the wine, and Krateros spanked her before they started.

 

- Ready Mr. I’m-too-handsome-to-do-a-men’s-job –said Krateros.

 

- Ready, Mr. I-had-a-broken-jaw –the men around them laughed, Krateros saw him through narrow eyes.

 

- Wait, wait –said Kleitos, taking the amphora from the girl’s hands—Wine? Are you planning to have a drinking competition with wine? This is going to take forever, let’s do this properly.

 

- What do you suggest? –asked the King, his arms crossed. Oh, he was having the time of his life.

 

Hephaistion wasn’t very sure he wanted to hear.

 

- Let’s do it with this! –said Kleitos showing them a big barrel—I found this in a village, and believe me, this is men’s stuff –again the shouts and whistles of approval. If Kleitos said it was strong, then it was strong, nobody could drink like the hipparch, not even the King.

 

A mysterious beverage? –thought Hephaistion in dismay. He didn’t trust Kleitos, but if he said something like that aloud all the present there would mock him and torment him for the rest of his life. 

 

- Bring it –was all that Hephaistion could say, and from the corner of his eye, he saw Alexander laughing. The motherless King knew what he was thinking and was laughing himself to tears.

 

And the mysterious beverage it was, the General had to make an effort to not do faces after drinking the first cup of that horrible thing. Where did Kleitos found that? He was sure, that if they set fire to that barrel, they could explode the entire city. But after the fourth one he stopped tasting that horrible flavor, probably because he couldn’t feel his tongue. The Persian girl filled the cups and Krateros and Hephaistion drank it all in on gulp.

 

- You know Hephaistion –said Krateros after the seventh cup. His face was blushed and his grin made the scar on his face looked even uglier—I bet your men like you so much in such a short time because you know how to “take good caaaaare of them”

 

- Are you jealous, Krateros? –asked Hephaistion, his long straight hair was loose, sliding down his shoulders and back, partially covering his blush face.

 

The girl filled the cups again.

 

Krateros took his cup and lifted it to propose a toast.

 

- This one is for you! –he said to the General—For the most beautiful ass in the entire army.

 

For Hephaistion embarrassment their audience cheered, even Leonnatos and Perdikkas happily drank at that. Alexander only laughed.

 

Krateros emptied his cup and the General took his own.

 

- And this one is for you –he said to Krateros—For the only man capable of passing out after one punch –Hephaistion emptied his cup and the audience cheered again.

 

After the fifteenth cup, Hephaistion was starting to see two Krateros sitting in front of him and knew that his nineteenth cup will be the last one. But at least Krateros didn’t look better than he.

 

- Oh come on, boys –said Kleitos to the 2 contenders—18 cups and you are going to pass out? What’s wrong with you?

 

- Not everybody can be like you, Kleitos –said Alexander.

 

- I’ll drink to that! –shouted the hipparch, lifting his own cup with that strange beverage.

 

Hephaistion took his nineteenth cup; he could hear the cheers and shouts around him. His brother Nikandros shouted his encourage to him, or what Nikandros thought was encouragement.

 

- Phai, I bet two months salary on you, so keep drinking you motherless dog! –were his brother’s words.

 

Hephaistion told his arm to move and lift the cup, but the ungrateful limb didn’t obey.

 

- I give up –announced the General. And the sounds of disappointment could be heard. 

 

- I’ll kill you, Phai! –shouted Nikandros.

 

Krateros smiled.

 

- Victory…is mine –he said.

 

- Not so fast, old boy –said Kleitos, leaning his weight on the table—You’ll have to empty that cup first –the men supported the hipparch’s words.

 

Krateros took the cup and started to drink, but before he could empty it, he passed out and fell on the floor, like a lifeless sack of grain.

 

- That’s it! It’s a tie –announced the Kleitos, and the ones that had bet growled, cursed and insulted.

 

Alexander walked to where Hephaistion was sitting, and bent at his side. 

 

- How do you feel?

 

- How do I look? –asked his best friend, everything was spinning around him.

 

- Like shit –answered the King with all sincerity.

 

- Uhm!…I feel like that –said Hephaistion. He tried to stand up, but almost fell, so Alexander had to take him by the waist and almost carried him out of the hall.

 

On their way out Hephaistion started to laugh and couldn’t stop, it was as if somebody was tickling him, and that made the Alexander’s task of carrying him even more difficult.

 

- That…that…thing tasted like piss –said the General roaring with laughter.

 

- I can imagine, if Kleitos chose it –said the King, he had never realized how heavy was his best friend, and being almost 20 centimeters shorter than he didn’t make things easier.

 

And there goes my chance to get laid tonight –thought the King puffing out.

 

- Alex, you are so short that I don’t know how you managed to be seen in the battlefield without standing on a siege tower –said Hephaistion, laughing as if that was the funniest thing in the whole world, patting the King’s head—You should be careful or one of these days you are going to find yourself stuck in a horseshoe.

 

Alexander rolled his eyes tired. He had never seen Hephaistion this drunk, usually it was the other way around, Hephaistion was the one that took care of him, and he didn’t know his best friend was such a happy drunk.

 

- You should rest –said the King, ignoring his comments.

 

- Rest? Where? In your bed? I don’t think I’ll fit in a walnut-shell –the General laughed so much that his tummy started to hurt.

 

- Ha-ha, Phai –said Alexander without humor, seriously considering the possibility of leaving him there to sleep on the corridor.

 

- Alex! Alex!

 

- What? –asked the King dead serious.

 

- Alex, I bet that you have a collection of toothpicks to use as spears –Hephaistion laughed so hard that Alexander actually let him fall.

 

His best friend lay on his back laughing.

 

The King ran a hand through his face and bent over his General to help with to stand up.

 

- Phai, you can’t say I don’t love you –he muttered, dragging him.

 

- Alex? –said Hephaistion standing up with difficulty.

 

- What now?

 

- I like you, very much –he said in a silly tone—Do you want to know what I like the most about you?

 

- I’m not very sure I want to know right now –the King muttered.

 

- Your…butt –he said proudly—You have a beautiful butt –and the General spanked him, just like Krateros had done with the Persian girl.

 

Alexander narrowed his eyes and thanked all the Gods that they were alone in the corridor. The King managed to take him as far as the house door when Nikanor came running after him.

 

- Alexander, a messenger arrived asking for you –he said, hearing Hephaistion laughing. 

 

- Now? I can’t see him now –said the King, trying his best to keep Hephaistion on his feet.

 

- He said is urgent –Alexander puffed out and watched his best friend—Alexander, if you want, I can take Hephaistion to his tent.

 

The King nodded. He didn’t want to leave his General but he hadn’t other choice.

 

- Please take care of him.

 

- I will –Nikanor took Hephaistion by the waist, and the General lifted his head with difficulty to see the King.

 

- Where are you going?

 

- I’ll see you latter, Phai –said Alexander—I have things to do and you should rest.

 

- I don’t want to rest –said his best friend—I’m horny.

 

Nikanor made his best not to laugh and the King blushed.

 

- Go to sleep Phai –Alexander left.

 

- Come, Hephaistion –said Nikanor, as if he was speaking to a child—We are going to your tent.

 

- But Alex left…

 

- Yes, but I’m sure he will come back soon.

 

Nikanor left Hephaistion in his tent; there his pages took care of him, since Kyros was with Achilles at Leonnatos’ tent. The boys helped him get into bed and changed his clothes, a task they did delighted, and covered him with a sheet before leaving.

 

- Nikanor! –Philotas called his brother—What are you doing here? –he knew perfectly well whose tent this was.

 

- I helped Hephaistion to come back from the party –said his brother—He is very drunk after that competition with Krateros.

 

- But I saw Alexander carrying him.

 

- Yes, but the King has urgent things to attend –Nikanor yawned—I’ll better go, is pretty late. Health to you, brother –he patted Philotas shoulder and left.

 

But Philotas remained where he was, watching Hephaistion’s tent, without deciding whether to enter or not. The General was very drunk and Alexander was busy, he licked his lips and opened and closed his fist. He turned to see if someone was there, but he found no one, except for the guards. The rest were still at the party.

 

Finally, he made a decision and walked to the tent. Hephaistion’s guards saw Philotas, but they didn’t stop him, why should they? Philotas son of Parmelio was the hipparch of the hetairoi cavalry and they had no orders of not letting anyone in the tent.

 

Inside everything was dark. Philotas took a moment to calm the furious beating of his heart and continued advancing until he found the General’s bed. Hephaistion was lying face down and Philotas felt his body burning with the thought of being able to touch him. There he was, the most beautiful man he had seen in his life, too handsome for the peace of mind of men and women, a few feet away, lying completely at his mercy. When Philotas entered he was not quite sure what he would do, but now ...

 

He took a seat at his side on the bed, and when he was going to touch his head…

 

- Alex? –asked Hephaistion in a sleepy tone. Philotas froze in his place, what he was going to do now?—I knew you will come –the General tried to straighten himself but failed and started laughing again—Alex?

 

Philotas nodded. His hormones took control of his body in that moment, and he kissed Hephaistion. He had been dreaming of kissing him since they were boys in Mieza and now, almost 10 years later the desire he felt for Hephaistion hadn’t diminished in the least. The General smiled and clumsily returned the kisses, he waved his body against Philotas, and Parmelio’s son believed he would die at that moment.

 

He lay over Hephaistion, kissing him in haste and desperation, while his hands slid under his robe looking for his strong thighs. Hephaistion bent his knees up on either side of Philotas’ waist and surrounded his neck with his arms. In his drunken stupor the General was sure he was with his King, and he sighed, moaned and moved his body the same way he would have done with Alexander, which had Philotas touching the sky. 

 

Parmelio’s son was overwhelmed by all the sensation that assaulted his body, the smooth and creamy skin of Hephaistion, his kisses, all threatening to drive him crazy. Philotas caressed him trying to cover his body all at once. This was what Alexander enjoyed, why then, what was worthy of a King wasn’t worthy of him too?

 

- Alex, please –Hephaistion panted—I need you…inside.

 

Oh, that was too much. Philotas took off his own chiton, so fast that it seemed as if it had been covered by ants, and lifted Hephaistion by the waist…

 

XXX

 

Alexander finished his business with the messenger and went to his best friend’s tent, but it looked like as if it was a conspiracy to keep him from going because his soldiers, in the same moment they saw him leaving the house of the party, approached him to thank him and ask him to share a few drinks with them.

 

When he could continue his path, he stopped in the middle of the street, and started wondering if it wouldn’t be better to go to his own room, he was tired and by now Hephaistion had probably passed out. Then, he decided to go to the house, which served as headquarters, and started walking again.   

 

XXX

 

(1) Simon Scarrow. Under the Eagle, p 19