CHAPTER 68

 

Alexander was informed that a group of Persian forces had occupied the mountain, right behind the Macedonian right wing, so the King immediately sent a squadron of light armed troops to deal with them. He knew his right wing was weaker than the left thanks to his decision of sending the bulk of his cavalry forces to Parmelio; but it had to be done like this if he wanted to have a chance against Nabarzanes and his cavalry force of 10 thousand strong.

 

- What do you think? –asked Leonnatos to Hephaistion, watching the massive Persian army at the other side of the river, determined to end the ambitions of everlasting glory of the invading King. 

 

- I think we are going to have a very long afternoon –answered his brother-in-law. They had spent the morning marching to reach this place and taking their battle formations. By now, the sun was shining with all its force above them, but thanks to the Gods’ mercy the heat was tolerable. Then, he heard Leonnatos laughing—What’s so funny? –he settled his gray eyes on his friend.

 

- “Health to you!” –Leonnatos mocked him and the General narrowed his eyes. 

 

- Will the day come for all of you to forget about that? –asked Hephaistion, still embarrassed by the events of that morning.

 

- Come on Phai! 2000 years from now and it will still be funny. Especially because you scared the living hell out of Eumenes, Kleitos, Perdikkas and Meleager when they heard you –said his friend, patting his horse, trying to calm down the anxious animal—They truly thought your words were a bad omen. 

 

- You know I don’t believe in omens –said Hephaistion, trying to dismiss the subject. 

 

- I know, but the rest of the army does –Leonnatos reminded him.

 

Hephaistion said nothing. After their peculiar battle with the stones, on the hill the night before, the King had insisted he should stay with him that night.

 

- Are you sure you want me to stay here tonight? –asked the General, standing outside the tent.

 

- I’m asking you, aren’t I?…Unless you don’t want to –said Alexander, and his beloved shook his head.

 

- You know I love being with you, but I don’t want to intrude in case you have other things…–but the King never heard about what other things, because he kissed his General—All right, if you are going to put things like this, I’ll stay.

 

Alexander smiled, took his hand and pulled him inside his tent. He wasn’t planning something especial; he just wanted to spend the night with him, felt his warmth next to his body and enjoyed his company…that was all. He didn’t want to be alone, not a day before the great battle that awaited them all.

 

Next morning, Hephaistion started to open his eyes lazily, he felt so good after spending a wonderful night with his other half. They hadn’t made love, they just lay together in bed, with their finger interlaced; enjoying the presence of the other without saying a word. He smiled against the pillow, the locks of his hair covering his eyes. This wasn’t an extremely comfortable bed nor was the pillows as plushy as the ones he had in the Persian camp, but he wouldn’t change the feeling of waking up at Alexander’s side for all the gold in the world…and speaking about Alexander, where was he?   

 

Hephaistion straightened, leaning his weight on his elbows and began to look for the King, but he couldn’t find him anywhere. Maybe he was already up.

 

- Alex? 

 

- Mm?

 

The General peered over the edge of the bed and, found the King sleeping on the floor, after he had kicked him during the night without realizing it.

 

- Alex wake up –said Hephaistion trying his best to not start laughing. 

 

- Why?

 

- Well, you remember we have a battle to fight today, don’t you? –and those magical words woke him up immediately—You call for a meeting this morning, do you remember the meeting? 

 

- Of course I remember –said the King yawning, standing up to start looking for his cloths.

 

Hephaistion smiled. Every morning Alexander’s hair looked as if he had suffered an electric shock, it was so funny; and even if every morning were the same, he couldn’t get tired of admiring him; he could spend the rest of his life just like this, watching Alexander. The General sat on the bed watching with all his attention how the King took off his tunic.

 

- What are you doing? –asked Alexander with curiosity.

 

- Nothing, I’m just enjoying the view –that made the King laughed.

 

- And do you like what you see?

 

- Mm…—Hephaistion pretended to be thinking, his arms crossed, his head to one side and frowning—No.

 

- No?! –Alexander was outraged.

 

- I would like it better if you weren’t wearing that loincloth –said his beloved with all honesty; and the King laughed again putting his military wool chiton on—Now you ruin it.  

 

Alexander kissed his cheek and called his pages, to have breakfast before the meeting. The boys ran to obey his orders, and his servant brought them the austere food: bread, water-wine and dried meat.

 

- What’s wrong? Missing the Persian’s cuisine? –asked the King when he saw his best friend wasn’t eating, just playing with his piece of bread.

 

- I’m not hungry.

 

- You have to eat, we are going to fight Darius today and I want you in perfect shape –said Alexander with that tone of voice that didn’t allow a “no” for an answer.

 

Hephaistion puffed out, crossed his arms over the table and rested his head on his makeshift pillow.

 

- Phai?

 

- Mm?

 

- Do you feel ill? –asked Alexander concerned.

 

- No.

 

- What happen then?

 

- It’s…nothing –answered Hephaistion, brushing his hair back.

 

The King put his food aside.

 

- Phai stop playing, what’s wrong? –now he was really worried, what if his beloved was feeling bad? He wasn’t going to let him fight; he preferred to lose the battle before endangering his soul mate’s life. 

 

The General sighed.

 

- I’m horny.

 

- You are WHAT? –that was definitely the last thing Alexander would have expected to hear.

 

- I told you it was nothing, I’m always like this before a battle –he sat up and took the bread again, he ate even if he wasn’t hungry. The King was right; they had a very difficult battle that day and he had to eat. 

 

- Always? –asked Alexander with curiosity.

 

- You can’t tell? What did we do before the battle at Chaeronea? –Hephaistion questioned him—In Pelium? At the Danube? During the siege of Thebes? In Halicarnassus?

 

- All right, I get it –said Alexander, how was that he didn’t noticed before? His beloved continued eating—Phai, what are you going to do?

 

- About what?

 

- About your… situation –said Alexander. 

 

- What situation?

 

- You are playing with me –said the King seriously, making him laugh.

 

- Of course I’m playing with you –said Hephaistion smiling—And I’m not doing anything…unless you want to help me –and that made those 2 cute little red spots appeared on Alexander’s cheeks.

 

- Fine, but you have to hurry before my officers arrive –a big and evil smiled curved the General’s lips. Hephaistion slid under the table completely confusing Alexander, what was he planning? But he got his answered when he felt Hephaistion’s lips sliding over this thigh, going all the way up…

 

- I’m telling you it’s true –Alexander heard Perdikkas’ voice, coming from outside the tent— I heard it from Meleager, who heard it from Amyntas, who heard it from Koinos, who was told by Polyperchon who heard Philip talking with this girl who was Attalos’ mistress. 

 

- I don’t get it –answered a very confused Leonnatos.

 

Shit! –the King cursed, feeling his face burning, he was breathing heavily.

 

- Pha…i… –said Alexander in the middle of a moan—Let me go…

 

Perdikkas and Leonnatos opened the tent’s flaps and soon were joined by Kleitos, Meleager and Eumenes; they all turned and found the King… ready, and waiting for them inside, as if nothing had happened, just with his cheeks slightly pink. 

 

- Joy to you Alexander! –said Kleitos.

 

Hephaistion, arrive then, after taking a moment to catch his breathe and still the beating of his heart.

 

- Health to you, Alexander! –said the General and all the present feel silent, watching him as if he were a lost soul that had appeared before them to predict their own demise. It took Hephaistion a moment to realize what had he just said, and then he blushed ashamed. 

 

- A bad omen –said Eumenes pale, without voice—And just before the battle –he shook his head with the same sorrow of whom is in a funeral, mourning the death of a loved one.

 

- Nonsense! Who says is a bad omen? –said Alexander smiling—Hephaistion is just assuring us that we are going to have a safe return from battle.

 

And with that, the situation was forgotten…or that was what the General hoped. 

 

At least nobody knew what was happening inside the tent before they arrived –thought Hephaistion.

 

The General came back to the present and saw the King, riding one last time in front of his army, stopping every now and then to speak to his men and encourage them; he knew they were scared and tired, and who could blame them? They had marched through unknown lands, they had suffered shortages and, all for what? To be forced to face an enemy that outnumber them at least 3 to one? Alexander knew it was in his hands to cast away their fears, they had to see him confident and calm, sure that the victory would be theirs.

 

And so, he spoke to his highest rank officers, the captains of squadrons and companies, the common soldiers, the allies, even the mercenaries. Alexander spoke to everyone, always addressing them by name, remembering them their distinctions and acts of courage in the battlefield. And the entire army cheered, hit their swords and spears against their shields, and the shouts of ALEXANDROS, ALEXANDROS! Raised and floated to the other side of the river, reaching Darius’ ears.

 

Lost in a dream, finally it seems,

Emptiness and everlasting madness,

 

Persian center,

 

The Great King’s dark eyes followed Alexander’s gallant silhouette, riding in front of his army on a horse as dark as the abyss of eternity, with mane dark red like the blood he was ready to spill. The sun made his armor shone, and one glint forced Darius to close one eye.

 

So, this is the man who owns the heart of that treacherous Hephaistion –thought the Great King, proudly standing on his magnificent war chariot. 

 

The two Kings couldn’t be more different: Darius looked like an outstanding piece of art, dressing his best armor, surrounded by the impressive escort of his 10 thousand Immortals; his slaves covered him from the sun with a sunshade parasol of embroidered cloth. While Alexander was a warrior god, savage and brave on Boukephalos, a horse so fierce in battle that had the reputation of eating men.

 

But the Persian King was so full of himself that couldn’t comprehend that he wasn’t going to fight against a man; he was going to face a hurricane, a force of the nature, unstoppable, indestructible...invincible. Darius just wanted one thing that day: revenge. He had been thinking on what he was going to do, once he had Alexander and Hephaistion in his hands, and not even for a moment he thought he could lose. That was just as impossible as the thought of the sky falling over them.

 

See the sadness grow, watching as we know,

Blinded for our journey for the world,

 

Macedonian Right Wing,

 

Alexander was still riding, in the hetairoi cavalry direction, when he began to shout orders. It was afternoon already, the Persians had adopted a defensive formation and weren’t going to make the first moved; and he would not wait a second longer to start the attack. If Darius wanted to hide himself behind that wall of men, that was his problem. The 1, 800 men who conformed the best cavalry of the world followed him, directly to where the Cardaces, the Persian infantry troops, were waiting behind the archers.

 

This was the weakest point of the Persian formation, and Alexander knew that to achieve his goal he had first to crush the Cardaces, 10 thousand men against his small cavalry force. The Pinarus River wasn’t as deep or wild as the Granicus and it was relatively easy to cross since it was shallow, but the hardest part where the thousands of arrows that rained upon the Macedonians, “such a shower of missiles that they collided with one another in the air”(1)

 

Call for us, the power in all of us,

So far beyond the blackened sky tonight

 

Macedonian Left Wing,

 

Berenike bit her fingernails when she saw the impressive sight of thousands of arrows shot at the same time. She clasped her hands and began to pray for her husband and 2 brothers, feeling a knot in the stomach, fearing that every time one raider fell could be Leonnatos, Hephaistion or Nikandros.

 

- ARCHERS! –Baerius booming voice took her out of her thoughts, making Berenike jump.

 

Berenike turned and saw 10 thousand horses galloping directly to where Parmelio was shouting orders to the Thessalian and Allied Greek cavalry. She couldn’t imagine what were all those men feeling when they saw that monstrous sight, clamoring for their blood and ready to destroy them. She was relieved knowing she just had to shoot from the distance…or that was what she thought.  

 

- READY! –shouted Baerius, and the first line of archers raised their bows. 

 

Glorious, forever more in us,

We are victorious, and so alive

 

Macedonian Center,

 

Since he got his orders, Perdikkas knew his task was almost impossible. Cross the river in battle formation and maintained the phalanx, it would have been easier if Alexander had asked them to froze the river. The terrain was rough and the bank steep, and even if he kept shouting orders until his throat hurt, gaps started to appear among the ranks of the phalanx, and not only that, the enemy had constructed stake-palisades that hinder their advance. He started to curse. 

 

- What are you waiting? A formal invitation from the Persians? ADVANCE! –shouted Perdikkas in his best parade voice.

 

We'll all find our sacrifice tomorrow,

Our journey on towards a brighter day,

 

Macedonian Right Wing,

 

Hephaistion was having an extremely hard time covering himself with his shield; the archers didn’t give them a break and kept shooting without pause. It was just when their Macedonian archers, the slingers and lancers attack back that he felt he could kept going. He saw Alexander was still near him, he knew the King would want to be the first one in crossing the river, he always wanted to be the first one in everything, but Hephaistion wasn’t planning to let him, it was far too dangerous.

 

As soon as the first Macedonian horse reached the other side, the archers retreated and the Cardaces launched their attack. The General smiled, at least now he didn’t have to worry about the arrows; he hanged his shield from the saddle and drew his swords, always keeping an eye on the King; ready to cut his path and made a bloody offering for his King that day.

 

Silent tears we left behind, still so far away,

Across the endless sands,

Through the fields of our despair,

 

Persian Center,  

 

Once the Greek mercenaries advance to face the Macedonian phalanx, a savage fight began in the river. The Greek mercenaries were as good soldiers as the Macedonians, discipline and deadly, they saw at once the gaps that appeared among the phalanx and took advantage of them immediately. Soon, neither side could advance and a bloody battle of wills and strength began.

 

From his position, Darius kept stretching his neck trying to understand what was happening on the battlefield, but all he could see was a huge mob divided in groups at different parts of the field. To him floated orders shouted in different languages, curses, screams, cries, the neighing of horses, the clang of swords and spears when they hit each other, the hooves of the horses... but all of this told him nothing. The Great King truly had no idea of what was going on in front of his eyes.

 

Dream for all eternity, we stand, yeah,

Rise above the universe tonight,

Starchaser

 

Macedonian Right Wing,

 

Contrary of Darius, Alexander knew perfectly well what was he doing. He struck not only with iron but also with fear the hearts of the Carduces, attacking them without mercy until he finally broke their will to fight, and replace it with fear of dying a terrible dead. The Carduces ran for their lives, and then, the King took his uneven eyes to where Darius was, surrounded by his Immortals.

 

- HEPHAISTION! –shouted Alexander, to be heard over the noise. His beloved cut the throat of his opponent and rode to where his King was waiting— Phai, take off your helmet –asked Alexander, in that tone of voice that appeared to be of someone else. His General didn’t question him, and did as he was asked—We are going to attack Darius directly, but I want you always at the front of the charge, at my side.

 

- Yes, Alexander –still he had no idea of what was he planning, but he trusted him.

 

- They saw your fight against this man Kingu, I want them to look at you ready to kill them, understood? –his beloved smiled, a dangerous smile that in other circumstances would have made the King drool, but not now.

 

- Understood.

 

Only Alexander could regroup his cavalry at the middle of a charge and take them to attack Darius. It was crucial that he captured the Great King alive, he could feel his heart beating furiously against his chest at each step of Boukephalos, and each step brought him closer to his destiny. He was so close…

 

Fly towards the storm, see the world reborn,

Feel the pain inside, the voice, the sorrow,

 

Persian Center,

 

Oxathres, Darius’ brother, lead the Royal Household cavalry ready to protect the Great King and launched the attack against the Macedonians. The Immortals also reacted quickly, they were the elite of the Persian army and were ready to prove that they deserved their flashy name. Quickly they took their positions surrounding the Great King, ready to protect him with their own lives. They would not run away, and they would not surrender; their lives weren’t their own, they were the Great King’s possession.

 

Darius narrowed his eyes and immediately found Hephaistion, riding at Alexander’s right side on a magnificent white horse, the perfect contrast to the black stallion of the Macedonian King. The hetairoi cavalry was approaching quickly and for the first time since the battle began, the Great King felt a cold shiver going down his spine.

 

Across the distant shores, find the open door,

Stand alone, in judgment for tomorrow.

 

Macedonian Left Wing,

 

Berenike kept shooting just like Baerius had told her, at first everything had order and the mechanic was quite simple, but, as the battle went on, confusion spread around her. Naively she thought that she wouldn’t have to see an enemy face, but Berenike saw with horror how some riders reached the Macedonian side of the river. They were few, but sufficient to scare the living hell out of her and the Thracian javelin men who where at her left side.  

 

Calm down Eni and keep shooting –she said to herself taking a deep breath, her arm hurt and trembled after being shooting for hours, but she forced herself to concentrate and looked for another arrow.

 

Her companions watched Berenike in awe every time she shot; she never missed a target and she was even able to shoot 3 arrows at the same time. She truly was the best archer of the army.  

 

Years of pain still haunt us all, we saw the last sunrise,

Take me home, in freedom, for a lifetime...

 

Macedonian Right Wing,

 

Just as Hephaistion said, the Immortals fought bravely and the Royal Household cavalry attacked like demons crawling out from the depts. One of the Immortals buried his sharp dagger in Alexander’s thigh and the General, reacting quickly, cut his head with his 2 swords in a clean blow.

 

The King lifted his head and found his beloved.

 

- Be careful, I can’t fight and take care of you at the same time –said Hephaistion in a cocky tone, and without turning back, he stabbed one of his swords in a man who tried to take him by surprise, coming from his left.

 

It was difficult for Hephaistion to fight on his horse, he was much deadly on the ground, but it was crazy to dismount in the middle of that confusion.

 

The General lifted his eyes and found his brother among the battle. Nikandros was having a hard time fighting against 2 Immortals, and Hephaistion rode to where he was, took his spear and threw it, piercing one of his enemies from side to side. The other one made the mistake of turning to see what had happened and then, Nikandros cut his throat. He lifted his green eyes to see who had helped him and laughed when he found his brother.

 

- I see at last you learn how to throw a spear properly –he said, making Hephaistion smile.

 

- Do you want me to baby-sit you, Nick? –his older brother showed him his middle finger, and the General laughed; he went back to Alexander’s side.

 

Praying on for the silence, and the last tears will blind,

So glorious, this fight inside, united we stand

 

Persian Center,

 

Darius saw with horror how one by one his Immortals fell like insects, he turned his dark eyes to the battlefield and saw his Carduces and Asian levies running for their lives, only his Greek mercenaries and cavalry were still fighting like lions. He turned again and, for a moment, he found Alexander’s uneven eyes; that made him sweat cold, they were so close that he could actually see the blood covering the Macedonian King. 

 

Then, the Great King had a panic attack, he started to hyperventilate, had tachycardia and his hands sweated cold. He shouted to his driver to take him out of there, but the dead bodies of his faithful Immortals were blocking his escape route, so he asked for another chariot. 

 

Free from this world, here for the last time,

Oceans collide inside of us all,

 

Macedonian Left Wing,

 

Berenike saw the savage battle around the Great King, and for a moment she stopped shooting.

 

- That is clever –said a man at her side.

 

- What is clever?

 

- King Alexander is aiming to finish Darius –said the man, scratching his nose—If he kills him, the battle is over.

 

Berenike opened her gray eyes and saw again the fight around the Great King. The Immortals were doing an outstanding job and she started to fear that no one would be able to reach Darius. Spears and javelins didn’t reach him, he was still too far from them.

 

If only they have an archer –she thought, feeling her heart beating faster. 

 

Berenike turned a saw a horse without a rider, not far from her, and an idea struck her. If she could get to where Darius was, she could shoot him, she knew of what was she capable and she could do it.

 

The battle would be over and Leon, my brothers and Alex would be fine –she made up her mind, took a bunch of arrow from her feet and ran with all her forces to the horse. 

 

Her companions thought she was running away, and Baerius was too busy to see what was she doing. Berenike mounted the horse and kicked his flanks. She would have to take the longest route but the safest, behind the Macedonian phalanx and follow the steps of the hetairoi cavalry. She had no time, so she hurried.

 

Believe who we are,

The phoenix will guide us,

Freedom will rise once again.

 

Macedonian Center,

 

Krateros was soak and covered in blood and mud, he was hoarse by now, after hours shouting orders without pause, and exhausted after being fighting at each step to advance, they had to keep advancing or would be dead men. The Greek mercenaries prove to be the tough opponents they claimed to be, and Krateros was doing everything he could to keep the phalanx with close ranks.

 

He could hear Nikanor shouting orders at his right, the hypaspyst and the Agema were having a hard time too, but they had to resist; many officers were dead by now and their situation didn’t look good. Krateros knew the King had a plan, even if he didn’t knew what it was, and he couldn’t see what was happening at the other side of the river, so he would have to trust Alexander and played his part the best way he could.

 

Save us tonight, the last hope for all of us,

Light-years gone by, we're still holding on,

 

Persian Center,

 

Darius was still struggling to get out of there, when an arrow flew and nailed itself in his chariot. Then he panicked, he took the reins himself and finally could move the chariot to ran away.

 

An arrow? That was the first question in all the minds of the men who saw it. And when they turned they found a woman; yes a woman on a brown horse holding a bow, ready to shoot the Persian King again. Berenike had taken off her helmet to see better, and now her long and thick black hair was sliding through her back, dancing slowly at the wind’s mercy. In that moment she wasn’t an ordinary woman, in that moment she was the Goddess Artemis, and that terrified the Persians who really thought a Goddess had descended to kill them and aid the Macedonian invaders.  

 

Oxathres paled and many of his men ran away, including some of the Immortals, fearing to incur in divine wrath.

 

- Nick! Isn’t that your sister? –asked Kleopatros, Nikandros’ friend.

 

Hephaistion and Nikandros thought they were hallucinating when they saw their sister there. Kleitos didn’t know who she was, the same as Philotas, but either way they were in shock to found a woman there. Leonnatos just stared at her, as if he were hoping that she would disappear at any moment, like an illusion.

 

Berenike closed one eye, oblivious of the shocking faces around her, and prepare to shoot again against Darius, standing up on the stirrups; but then, a wounded Immortal ran to where she was, he took a spear and pierced her horse. The wounded animal cried horrible and fell, but Berenike rolled on the ground and the horse didn’t crush her. She was still confused and dizzy when the Immortal came ready to kill her, she saw him with eyes wide open, his blade shining under the sun, and she covered her head with her hands in a poor attempt of protecting herself. But the fatal blow never came; Leonnatos arrived first, and cut the Persian’s arm. The Immortal screamed, and fell on his knees, then, Leonnatos cut his throat.  

 

- LEON! –exclaimed Berenike with a big smile, she stood up, his knees shook so much that she thought she was going to fall again. Berenike was going to run and embrace him, but when she saw her husband’s eyes, she stopped.

 

Those weren’t the eyes of her dear “Kitty-pon”, those were the eyes of a man who had been killing all afternoon and that, chilled her blood. 

 

- By Ares’ ball! What are you doing here?! –Leonnatos was furious and covered in blood and gore, she had never seen him so angry and that scared her.

 

- I…I… —Berenike felt she was going to cry. She took her bow with force. She was scared, she had stolen a horse, rode in the middle of a battle, shot against the Great King, her horse had died and almost crushed her, and now Leonnatos was yelling at her?

 

- Berenike! –Alexander called her, riding to where she was. Berenike was sure he was going to scold her, like Leonnatos, and was starting to regret her decision of going there, of asking the King a chance to be an archer in his army, for coming to Asia in the first place. She lifted her head crying when she saw that Alexander was offering her his hand. Berenike saw Leonnatos and then the King—Come! –Alexander insisted. 

 

She was very confused but gave him her hand, even if she didn’t understand what was going on, and Alexander lifted her, to sit her behind him on Boukephalos.

 

- Leonnatos, on your horse now! Darius is running away –said the King hastily —Philotas!

 

- I’m here –answered Parmelio’s son, approaching him.

 

- Go with the hetairoi cavalry and help the phalanx, they are having a hard time. Attack the mercs from the right flank and crush them –said the King, his eyes on the battle still in process in the river— Kleitos! Come with me, take the Ile Basilike we are going after Darius –and before someone could say something Alexander kicked Boukephalos’ flanks and went after the Great King. 

 

Save us tonight, a star shines in all of us,

Far beyond our lives, still our glory lives on.

Our kingdom come, we stand as one,

And we will live for always evermore

 

XXX

 

(1) Peter Green. Alexander of Macedon, p 230