Chapter 155

 

CHAPTER 155

 

Hephaistion kept asking himself over and over again, ‘why had he agreed to do this?’ He hadn’t been drunk at that time, so he couldn’t use that as a pretext; why then? WHY? But the answer was very simple: it was Alexander’s fault, he and his adorable puppy eyes that always made him do whatever the blond wanted. He sighed. He should start learning how to say ‘no’ because this wasn’t the first time he ended doing something embarrassing because of his lover.

 

‘Phai! Lets go to the Karaoke, it will be fun!’ Or ‘Phai! Lets go to a costume party this Halloween!’ And that had been how he ended being the laughing stock of his friends because of his terrible singing skills and also how EVERYONE at his office had laughed to tears watching on Facebook a photo of him wearing his Jedi costume with saber laser.   

 

Alexander’s ideas were always bad news for him, but, here he was! Despite all the many things he had to do back at his office, stuck at the studio where Reign’s new video was about to been shot.

 

The blond had asked him to appear in the video and here he was, sitting with his arms crossed, next to several costumes and boxes waiting for the girl who was going to prepare him. If he didn’t remember wrong, the blond had told him, they were going to shoot the video disguised as ancient Greek soldiers, Alexander was going to be the General and his band mates, and beloved, his officers. He could see the props there, magnificent swords and armors lying close to where he was. Apparently they had asked to use the props of a movie because everything was magnificent.  

 

Leon would have loved to be here –thought Hephaistion remembering his friend’s fascination with fantasy weapons. Among his most price possessions were: Aragorn’s sword from the Lord of the Rings and a replica of Sephirot’s katana from Final Fantasy VII.   

 

- Oh. My. Freaking. GOOOD! –a young girl with short and spiky orange hair, shouted when she saw him sitting there. Hephaistion tried not to turn and see to whom she was talking—You are a beauty! –she approached him—No, no, no! Don’t tell me, you are Calvin Klein model, aren’t you? 

 

- I beg your pardon? –he asked utterly confused. 

 

- You are here for the video? –she asked, still shouting as if Hephaistion were standing a couple of blocks from her instead a couple of paces in front.

 

- Yes.

 

- GOD! Today is my lucky day –she said, smiling—My name is Trisha by the way, and I’m in charge of the make up around here.

 

- I’m Hephaistion Amyntoros, nice to meet you –he stood up and Trisha stared at him as if he were a ghost.

 

- Wait! You are THE Hephaistion? Alex’s husband?

 

How he hated when people called the blond his husband, but he decided to let it pass.

 

- Yes.

 

- Oh my Goooooood! –she shouted again, as if she had just seen a cockroach, making people passing near to turn to see what was wrong with her—I’m such an idiot –she hit her forehead with her hand— I heard Alex was bringing his husband to take part of the shooting but I never thought it were you. I heard you were handsome but I assumed Alex was exaggerating.

 

- Thank you…I guess.

 

- Until now there was just one man I thought was a living God –said Trisha with a love struck look in her eyes, indicating that Hephaistion should follow her.

 

- And who may that be? –he felt obliged to ask, walking with her around the place full with people running in all directions. 

 

- Julius of course. Do know him? –as an answer Hephaistion narrowed his eyes—He is GORGEOUS. You know what would be great? If you two kiss in this video.

 

- No way in hell –muttered Hephaistion through clenched teeth.

 

XXX

 

In the studio the team had 3 scenarios ready, and for what Hephaistion could see, almost the entire video would be shot in front of a green screen. Since the story was taking place in ancient Greece, the landscapes and scenarios would be added virtually, but there were things that the team had to recreate, like a bathroom with beautiful tapestries, curtains and carpets, statues and paintings.

 

The bathroom looked impressive, a perfect work of designers, and Hephaistion truly thought that no bathroom of ancient Greece could have looked as magnificent as this one, but he said nothing. Videos are about images and great scenarios not about historical accuracy. He was now ready, dressed in a red-blooded chiton, his hair combed in a half ponytail decorated with several jewels and his eyes painted in black delineator.

 

- You have to remind me to congratulate Trisha –said Alexander walking to where he was, dressed in a wonderful armor without helmet—You look striking, my love. 

 

- I don’t feel comfortable wearing a dress –the blond laughed, watching his beloved’s serious expression and his arms crossed over his chest, feeling so out of place there.

 

- It’s not a dress; it’s a chiton.

 

- Whatever –he sounded like his brother Nikandros in that moment—Why am I not wearing armor like you? You said I was going to be one of your officers.

 

Alexander was going to open his mouth and explain when Julius appeared, as always looking astonishing, something that didn’t make Hephaistion happy. Couldn’t the Roman have bad days?…Apparently, no. And he was always so vain; Hephaistion hated that, taking so much care of his appearance that the Roman reminded him of his sister. No, wait, now that he thought about it, Berenike didn’t take care of herself as much as Julius did. Hephaistion was sure that, if the manager were a girl, he would be the type that always wore a perfect make up and high heels even if they just have to throw the garbage. 

 

- Hephaistion! I’m glad to see you are ready –the newcomer greeted him.

 

- You –that was Hephaistion’s version of “hello” every time he saw Julius.

 

- The director says they are ready for the bath scene –the Roman informed them.

 

- What bath scene? –asked Hephaistion and both, Julius and Alexander turned to see him. He didn’t like this.

 

- Your scene, of course. Didn’t Alexander explain this to you? –in those moments Hephaistion was truly thinking to kill the blond and become a widower. Maybe they could shoot a new version of Psycho, he could play the part of the killer with no problems.

 

As things turned out Hephaistion was required to take all his cloths off and be filmed while taking a bath. This was going from bad to worst. He felt inside a porn movie, hearing the director explaining what he had to do and having so many people staring at him. All right, it was their job to stare at him but it was uncomfortable. The lights were on and Trisha came running to fix the make up once more before they started.

 

- You always work with Alex? –asked Hephaistion, trying to relax and stopped thinking about all the people around him.

 

- Yep –answered Trisha, applying more powder—Since Reign’s first video –she giggled—The guys are pretty cool, and its always fun to be around…Are you nervous? 

 

- Can’t you tell?

 

- Don’t be, the director is great and you’ll be fine –she patted his shoulder—You are ready handsome.

 

Everything was set and they rolled the playback to shoot the scene. The only thing Hephaistion had to do was: walk to the tub in the sexiest way possible, (according to the director), take off his cloths, (not all of them, he was allowed to keep the minimum necessary) and step into the tub. As simple as that, it couldn’t be so difficult to walk to a stupid tub, right? He advanced, one foot first then the other, but suddenly, he felt as if his legs were covered in cement, and he walked awkwardly, like a rusty robot.

 

- CUT! –yelled the director.

 

They had to shoot the same scene 10 times. It wasn’t that Hephaistion didn’t know how to be sexy enough to kill somebody from blood pressure, but he felt intimidated with so many people. Perdikkas and Ptolemy couldn’t stop laughing watching their friend’s embarrassment, which, by the way didn’t help to improve Hephaistion’s sad situation.

 

- Phai is not big deal, just act as if nobody were around –was Perdikkas advice and his friend puffed his cheeks out.

 

- Easy for you to say, how many video have you shot so far? –he said, brushing his hair behind his ear—I should have never agreed to do this.

 

- What? No! You’ll be fine –said Ptolemy—But if you can’t do it, don’t worry, I heard Julius can –he teased him.

 

- Oh, yeah. And he can be pretty hot, you know? –Perdikkas played along. They both knew how much Hephaistion hated him, but never imagine his hatred would be such that he would take this as a personal challenge. If “that man” could do this, the hell he could too. After that, and a massive nose bleed attack and many excuses to go to the bathroom, the director declared the scene was perfect.

 

- Wow! –exclaimed Trisha, fanning herself—You will become every woman’s wet dream after this –he declared to a very embarrassed Hephaistion.

 

- I won’t ever do this again –he muttered, closing the bathrobe they gave him.

 

- Not so fast darling, you have other scene.

 

- What? –exclaimed Hephaistion in dismay.

 

- Chill, this one is wearing armor and mounting a horse. Cool stuff –Trisha explained—Come, I need to get you ready.

 

With all naivety Hephaistion thought this would only take a couple of hours, but as things turned out, he stayed there all day. By 11 pm he felt about to drop death, if a genie appeared in those moments granting him one wish, that would be to be in his bed.

 

- So? What do you think about my job? –asked Alexander happily, while they were getting ready to go home.

 

- I don’t like it –the blond laughed—And I mean it.

 

- But you were great!

 

- No, I wasn’t, and I don’t want to do this again –Hephaistion declared, walking to the car. A zone outside the studio was under construction and they had to pass through the debris in the dark. Alexander sighed and followed him.

 

- Well, I like your performance –said the blond—You are the sexiest grumpy man alive for me.

 

- You still aren’t going to get laid tonight –said his beloved, smiling when he saw Alexander’s expression of complete misery. And he was so concentrated in his lover that never saw a hole in the ground. Hephaistion tripped and hit his head hard against several rocks.

 

- Phai! –Alexander ran to him and with horror saw his head was bleeding.

 

XXX

 

- I won’t lie to you, Mr. Amyntoros condition is delicate –said dr. Philip once Hephaistion was taken to the E.R. By now the doctor knew the couple pretty well, since they appeared to be frequent clients of the E.R. thanks to all the times they had taken Achilles here in the middle of a crisis.

 

- Why? What happened? –asked a very pale and very worried Alexander. He had been so scared when his beloved fell, that didn’t tell anyone about what had happened, just carried Hephaistion and drove like a mad man to the hospital.

 

- He has Retrograde Amnesia.

 

The blond needed a moment to understand this.

 

- WHAT?! –he exclaimed—Are you serious?

 

- I’m afraid I am –said dr. Philip—Your husband, Mr. Argead doesn’t remember who he is and nothing about his life previous this accident.

 

- But, but… That’s insane! He just fell –Alexander couldn’t believe this, it was impossible. How could their lives change so drastically in such a short time? He felt a hollow inside his stomach. This was a nightmare. 

 

- Mr. Argead, Mr. Amyntoros will need a lot of care, the amnesia is not permanent but it will take time before he recovers…

 

- How long? –the blond interrupted him, so pale that the doctor started to think he was going to faint.

 

Dr. Philip took a deep breath.

 

- Days, months, years…I can’t tell you for sure, but if you…

 

- Are you telling me that my soul mate, the person I love more than my own life, doesn’t know who I am, has forgotten everything about me and he could stay like this for YEARS?! –Alexander raised his voice, scaring the nurses nearby—I want a second opinion.

 

- Fine.

 

XXX

 

Hephaistion opened his eyes, waking up after such a weird dream. It was still dark and the snoring at his side reminded him that Alexander had stayed after their lovemaking. He felt nervous, anxious and scared. Something was going to happen to him, something terrible, he was sure of it, his whole being was screaming: Danger! But he didn’t understand quite well how was it going to happen or when. He rolled and looked at the King’s peaceful sleeping face, resting like a baby, as if nothing could disturb him. 

 

At least, this time it’s going to happen to me –he thought—If Alex is fine then the rest doesn’t matter.

 

The hipparch took a deep breath, embraced his lover with force, and started to feel better. He would face anything destiny had stored for him.

 

XXX

 

Just as Alexander’s spies had informed him, Bessus was hiding on the other side of the Hindu Kush, waiting with his troops to ambush the Macedonian invader and finished him off. But things didn’t come out exactly as the rebellious satrap had thought…

 

- He crossed through Khawak! –shouted Bessus enraged, hitting the table with his fist and making the cups and maps jump.

 

- It doesn’t have sense! –Spitamenes shook his head—The barbarian had to cross through the lowest pass, this has no sense –he, Oxyatres and Bessus were reunited in the, so-called, Artaxerxes’ IV tent when news that Alexander was surrounding them reached their ears—The mountains have 7 passes, and the easiest and more accessible one was this –he pointed at the map, spread on the table. 

 

- Was the land put to waste? –asked Bessus, through clenched teeth who appeared to grind.

 

- It was, your majesty –answered Oxyatres, pale and worried—The invader couldn’t feed his army anywhere near the north, the supplies were destroyed or concealed by the locals.

 

- Then, explain to me, how is that he crossed the mountains through Khawak without supplies?! –the satrap of Bactria shouted, spiting at each word—Or he just appeared here by the magic of his Gods?

 

Spitamenes and Oxyatres fell silent. Exactly 17 days ago they heard Alexander had burned his wagons and was getting ready to pursue them. They all expected him to take the safest route through the Hindu Kush, but the Macedonian King had surprised them all crossing through the most unexpected place and only in 2 weeks, and now, they were surrounded.

 

- We’ll have to retreat –said Oxyatres.

 

- Of course we have to retreat you fool! –Bessus shouted again—We’ll have to leave Bactria and seek refugee in Soghdiana.

 

Spitamenes nodded, he agreed, after all he was from Soghdiana, he knew the place and was well known there; but Oxyatres shook his head. 

 

- I don’t think is wise to do that –he said.

 

- I don’t care of what you think –spat Bessus—Just give the order to retreat.

 

- The cavalry…the catraphracts, would abandon us if we leave their homeland undefended –said Oxyatres, with caution.

 

- Let them do whatever they want, Bactria is nothing more than a mass of mountains and rough ground, we can’t fight here. We’ll use the river Oxus as a barrier and then attack the barbarians in Soghdiana –said Bessus, his jaw set—Now, for the last time, give the order to retreat.

 

XXX

 

On the Macedonian side, Hephaistion helped Alexander to strap his armor. All the slaves and servants had been left behind in Hyrcania, with the camp followers and the rest of the baggage train, and his pages were busy carrying on the King’s orders. The hipparch moved his fingers with ease, he was so used to his armor by now, after so many years of fighting, that he could do this even with his eyes closed. 

 

- We have to hurry, Phai –said the King, not bothering to hide his excitement—If we catch Bessus now all would be over. The hipparch smiled.

 

- He can’t run away –he said with his eyes low, checking his lover’s armor— I’m sure we’ll catch him.

 

Alexander turned and kissed him, cupping his face between his hands. He said nothing but words weren’t necessary. Hephaistion smiled against his lips and patted his breastplate.

 

- You are ready.

 

The King gave the order to outflank Bessus’ forces and to block his only escape route. If the rebellious satrap wanted to run away, he would have to fight his way through the Macedonian forces and his men were eager to fight after weeks on the mountains. Alexander smiled. He had won.

 

Hephaistion took his half of the hetairoi cavalry and hurried to stop Bessus while the rest of the army followed according to the King’s plan. He knew it was in his and Kleitos’ hands to stop the satrap and he was determined to do it. He would not fail.

 

Spitamenes was the first one to recognize Hephaistion, riding directly to them without his helmet, and he felt a cold shiver running down his spine. Everybody knew the man who had been capable of defeating Kingu and he had no desire to fight against him. They all were afraid when they heard the Macedonian invader was surrounding them, knowing perfectly well Alexander won’t show them mercy after they assassinated Darius in cold blood, and, in that moment, when Spitamenes saw Hephaistion it was if he were watching Death itself and he panicked. 

 

- Archers! –Spitamenes shouted, holding the reins of his horse with such force that his knuckles were white. He had to stop the hipparch, in those moments that was all he could think, his heart beat faster and he started to sweat.

 

I must confess that I’m not very sure of what happened next, much later I heard the whole story from my brother. I remember blocking the enemy’s arrows with my swords, hearing the groans and moans of pain of my men when the Persians hit their targets. I remember that all I could think in those moments was: “I have to stop them” and then…I don’t remember nothing else.

 

- In the name of the all Olympians, what the hell happened? –asked Alexander furious, taking off his helmet and walking to where Kleitos was. They could see Bessus and his men at the distance, beyond their reach—You were supposed to block the Persians’ escape route.

 

- Tell that to Hephaistion! –answered Kleitos in a terrible mood, he spat at his side—He had to cover the right flank and he never showed up.     

 

- What are you talking about?

 

- Exactly what you heard –the hipparch was as angry as the King—I saw his men coming and then nothing; and my men weren’t enough to stop their advance.

 

Was that true? But then, where was Hephaistion? Alexander was going to open his mouth when one of beloved’s men came, riding as if he were chase by angry chimeras.

 

- Sire!

 

- What happened? Where is hipparch Hephaistion? –the King was starting to worry. What had happened?

 

- Sire –the man took a deep breath, stopping his mount a few paces from Alexander—The hipparch is injured.

 

- Injured? Injured how? What happened? Where is he?

 

XXX

 

- At the count of 3 –said Nikandros trying, with other 4 men, including his cousin Demetrios, to lift the death horse that had fell over Hephaistion—One, two…THREE!

 

Finally they moved the animal and found the hipparch unconscious and bleeding from a wound on his head.

 

- Phai! –exclaimed a very worried Nikandros. He kneeled at his brother’s side not knowing what to do, he wasn’t badly injured, but the wound on his head was worrying him. He was going to move his brother when…

 

- Don’t! –said cousin Demetrios, alarmed—We don’t know if he has broken bones of something.   

 

- Shit!…Kleopatros! –Nikandros called his friend, who was already standing at his side—Go and fetch the doctor.

 

It didn’t take long for Alexander to reach them, and when he saw Hephaistion lying there, bleeding and unconscious, he felt a knot in his stomach. All his previous fury watching Bessus escaping evaporated at the sight of his beloved.

 

- What happened here? –the King kneeled at his hipparch’s side, checking his body, looking for other wounds or broken bones, without moving him.

 

- The Persians unleashed their archers against us –cousin Demetrios explained—I don’t know what were they thinking, but all of them seemed to aim against Hephaistion.

 

- Phai dodged them superbly but the arrows hit his mount, killing the horse –Nikandros continued—The animal fell over my brother and we stopped the charge. 

 

- Call the doctor –said Alexander, but in that moment the doctor arrived. 

 

XXX