CHAPTER 171

 

Year 327 B.C.

 

The Soghdian Rock

Spring, Artemisios. *

 

— You are a motherless dog Seleucus! I’ll KILL you! –growled Alexander, as angry as he had not been in six months, since that dreadful night when he had killed Kleitos son of Dropides, called Melas.

 

How could he? How was Seleucus capable of doing this? Just to think about it made the King’s blood burn, making almost impossible for Hephaistion, Perdikkas, Nikandros, and even Achilles, to hold him as he yelled and tried to piece the officer with the sword in his hand. To cut him in pieces would not be enough to extinguish the fire inside the King.   

 

Whoever thought that Herakles had a hard time dealing with the Nemean lion, never tried to restrain an angry Alexander. Everything was red around him and, Seleucus, confused and scared, could do nothing more than to remain where he was, lying on the floor with a hand over his broken mouth; he was sure the King had broken him a tooth. 

 

Everyone inside the royal tent were frozen on their spot: Leonnatos, Ptolemy, Chrysaor, Krateros and Eumenes watching the scene and experimenting a déjà-vu sensation with their furious King at one step of killing, with his own hands, another of his own Macedonian officers.  It was not summer yet, and even if they all had went through so many events that tasted like an eternity, and even if Kleitos’ death seemed so far away despite the fact that not a year had passed, here they were again, witnessing the same scene and holding their breath while praying silently for a different end.

 

Bagoas, hidden in the shadows and the false promise of safety that one corner gave him, watched everything through big round eyes, his face the living image of terror. This was not what he had planned, everything had gone from bad to worst and now the situation was beyond his control, a complete anarchy. The eunuch had never been this scared before, and he prayed in silence to all the Gods of his land, the Persian Gods and even the Greek ones, for a way to stop this madness. What would happen if the King found out what he had done? He got pale just thinking about it, his knees trembled uncontrollably and he felt the vile raising inside his throat.

 

Alexander could not find out the truth, but, what if he killed Seleucus? Seleucus was innocent, but the eunuch could not talk, and, what would happen to Alexander? Would he suffer again in that everlasting spiral of grief like last time? Bagoas did not want that, but the King could not find out the truth, he simply could not… 

 

How was that things came this far? –Bagoas asked himself.

 

Maracanda

Winter, Audnaios.

 

Ten day had to pass after Kleitos exhaled his last breath before Alexander could claim to feel any better. Many things required his immediate attention but one was more important than the rest, one though painful it was necessary to face. As soon as he heard from Hephaistion that Berenike was unable to give her husband a proper funeral, he agreed immediately to talk to the men and the situation was solved.

 

During his days of mourning he had thought a great deal about his dear nurse Lanike but it was not until Hephaistion came back that he also repaired in the tiny little detail that it was his beloved’s sister the one who would suffer the most, after all she was the widow and mother of 4 children and he had murdered her husband. How was that he had forgotten about her? It was unforgivable. 

 

One of the most difficult things Alexander had to do was to talk to Berenike, for him it was as difficult as if he had to face Lanike…No, this was worst. He had always treated Berenike like his own sister, cared for her, and now he had to visit a woman he knew since she was 11 years old, hold her gray eyes and present himself as the man who murdered her husband…

 

- She is my sister, Berenike –said Hephaistion.

- Joy to you, Berenike! –Alexander smiled and the girl frowned.

- Are you really the Macedonian Prince? –asked Berenike.

- Yes.

- You don't look like a Prince; you are very short.

 

The King remembered as if it were yesterday the first time he saw Berenike. It seemed as if ages had passed and it were only 16 years…How things had changed in 16 years…And when Alexander saw that girl now grown into a beautiful woman, dressed in black, standing in the threshold waiting for him, he felt as if walking to meet a goddess, as if each step got him closer to his destiny, to be judged for what he had done.

 

How does a man behave in front of a goddess? How does a man face his worst sins without going mad? Alexander did not ask for forgiveness, he talked to her like a repentant man, not like a King, and assured Berenike that he would always see that she lived comfortably for the rest of her life; as long as he lived, she would be treated like his own sister.

 

— I should have refused! –had said a very angry Berenike to her brothers, pacing around her room like a caged lion—I should have never accepted Alexander’s pity!

 

— Calm down! –ordered Nikandros, raising his voice slightly. Standing with his arms crossed over his chest— You are making me nervous with all this pacing.

 

Hephaistion smiled without humor. His big brother did exactly the same thing when he was nervous, he paced around making HIM nervous, but he decided to say nothing. Alexander had left them 5 minutes ago, and thank to all the Gods Berenike had done nothing more than to fell silent and listen to what the King had to say, but as soon as he left…

 

— Eni, I understand you are angry but…

 

— Do you? –Berenike interrupted the hipparch, challenging Hephaistion— Why do you understand? Had a King, you thought was your friend, murdered your husband?

 

— BERENIKE! –shouted Nikandros and his sister stopped pacing and sat down like a scolded girl— I’m tired of this! You are hysterical –her big brother approached her.  

 

— Oh, really? –Berenike answered sarcastically, holding the lochagos’ green eyes— And how do you wanted me to be if…?

 

— Shut up! –exclaimed her big brother and she closed her mouth, making a pout. In those moment the likeness between Nikandros and their father was such that it was terrifying, and Berenike felt again like that scared 16 years old girl who just found out she was pregnant without being married— Listen to me Eni, you did the right thing when you shut your mouth and listened to Alexander. I know that you are as stubborn as a mule and too proud to see that you are a widow alone with 4 children and you don’t have the luxury to deny Alexander’s generous.

 

— Generous offer?! He killed MY husband –exclaimed Berenike outraged.

 

— Yes he did, but he could also leave you with nothing if he wanted –said Hephaistion in a hard tone, but his sister needed to understand that, she was in no position to demand anything from the Great King. It sounded cruel but it was the truth and Berenike understood when she bit her lower lip, making and effort to not cry out in anger and impotence.

 

— What now? –asked Lysanias, who had remained silent for a long time since the King left.

 

— Good question –answered the hipparch, leaning his weight against the back of the chair— Eni, you should go back to Macedonia, you will better with mom. 

 

— I agree –said Nikandros, extremely serious, his hands on his hips— This way Leonnatos would give up his crazy idea.

 

Hephaistion frowned, he had no idea of what was his big brother talking about.

 

— What crazy idea?

 

— He wants to marry Eni –said Nikandros to his brothers’ astonishment. Berenike said nothing and just looked at her hands. This was nothing new for her.

 

— You are kidding! –exclaimed Lysanias in absolutely disbelief.

 

Somehow, I knew this would happen –thought the hipparch, shaking his head.

 

— Leon talked to you? –he asked the lochagos.

 

— Yes, he came yesterday asking to marry Eni as soon as her mourning period ended –Nikandros was not happy with this news.

 

— What did you say? –Lysanias wanted to know.

 

— I was at one step of killing him right there! –yes, the lochagos was definitely not happy— What does he think? That my sister is a piece of trash he can throw and then pick up again whenever he wanted? –his green eyes settled on Berenike— And listen to me Eni, I don’t want to hear that you keep receiving Leonnatos here, understood? –his sister sighed and nodded— As soon as possible you are going back to Macedonia. 

 

It did not pass unnoticed to Hephaistion that Berenike was not happy knowing she would have to go back home. Why? Did she want to marry Leonnatos again? Even if the hipparch agreed with Nikandros that it was not a good idea to let his friend, the same one who divorced his sister in the first place, to re marry her, he also wanted Berenike to be happy.  

 

And she already paid dearly for all her mistakes –he thought— The man she loved divorced her, and a man who truly loved her was killed by Alexander –he would not forget to ask her later what did she want.

 

XXX

 

To say that everybody was fine after 10 days it would be very optimistic. Alexander was better, and Hephaistion was learning to live with this new side of his lover. The news of Kleitos’ murder had shaken him, not only because the fact that Alexander had killed one of his brother-in-law, but because all the consequences. What did it mean that the King had killed his hipparch? First that they were no longer allow to express their opinion freely like they had always done, that his lover was becoming little by little the Great King and the meaning of this was tremendously big.

 

Hephaistion remembered one time when Perdikkas had joked about the possibility of their King asking them to prostrate in front of him. Now the hipparch wasn’t very sure that this was only joke, and if the day came when Alexander asked them to do this, that would cause shock and indignation among the men.

 

Bow for him, bow to the supremacy

Bow for him, at last

Fool, dance with me again

I am your destiny, mark my words

Don't you ever disagree?

Fool, kneel for me again

I am your agony, walk my way

I will never set you free

(Epica, Fools of Damnation)

 

The King and the man he loved were changing, and all these changes had made him to question his love for Alexander, something that had never happened to him before.

 

What really meant the words “forever love”? You fell in love with a person, with his or her faults and strong points, but people change, did that mean that your love have to change too? Hephaistion had never questioned this, until now. He loved Alexander, but, could he love this new Alexander? It had taken days for him to find an answer but, to watch how sorry the King was, how the remorse had eaten him, gave him his answer. Yes, he loved this new Alexander.

 

He was perfectly aware that the King would change even more in the future but he would still love him because he had changed too. Berenike had said Alexander was not the same boy who came one day to their house, inviting him to go to Mieza; well, he was not the same boy who had accepted that invitation, and the screams of Philotas still resounding in his ears were a very vivid reminder of that. 

 

The new Hephaistion could very well love the new Alexander.

 

Achilles was overcoming the situation little by little, if something good had come out from the King’s monstrous mourning was that his Prince had forgiven him; it had impressed Achilles how his adopted suffered for what he had done, and this had extinguished the hatred inside him, but Hephaistion was sure that something in his son had changed forever. Something had died and reborn in Achilles’ heart. 

 

His son was a boy who rarely shared his feeling or his most intimate thoughts, when he was angry he usually fell silent instead of shouting, reason why his father had been truly worried when he found him crying and screaming after Kleitos’ death. What was the Prince really thinking now? It was a mystery and neither Hephaistion nor Alexander wanted to press him for an answer because this would only make everything worst. They would have to give him time. This was one thing the hipparch wished his son had not inherited from him, he was exactly the same and that was not precisely very good.

 

10 days…Those were 10 hard and difficult days for all of them, but Hephaistion was sure that they would not only overcome this trial but that they would be stronger, they just needed time…

 

XXX

 

The moment to leave Maracanda was approaching and Bagoas had feared for a moment that the King would leave him behind, as he had done in other occasions, but for his utterly happiness and good luck this did not happen, and so he prepared his things and Alexander’s baggage to start the campaign season.

 

That night, as every night, the eunuch prepared the King’s bedroom. When Hephaistion was not at Maracanda he had stayed, hoping in vain to wake up Alexander’s interest in him and not moving until the King said otherwise. But, since the hipparch slept with the King, he had stopped doing this. It was pointless; if he had not succeeded when Alexander was alone it was impossible to do it with Hephaistion there.

 

To begin with, Bagoas could not understand why they slept together, not even Darius shared Stateira’s bed every night, and it had always confused the eunuch how they behaved as if they were married, as if Hephaistion were Alexander’s consort Prince instead of his hipparch; this confounded and enraged him because it made his task of seducing the King a lost cause.

 

Bagoas felt the jealousy burning inside his heart. It had taken time for the eunuch not only to know, but also to accept that the King would never look at him as long as he loved Hephaistion, and what he needed to do was to destroy that love first. That was his goal but in order to achieve that he needed to understand his enemy, he needed information, but where to obtain it? 

 

Maybe if I seek in Hephaistion’s room, if I look among his things… –thought Bagoas, arranging the bed’s cushions and pillows— It won’t be so difficult, I can always lie to the guards that I come in the King’s name, and all the guards know by now that the King trusts me…

 

He was still lost in his thoughts, making plans and creating excuses to enter in the hipparch’s room when he heard Alexander’s and his beloved’s voice. It would be better to leave. If he was going to do this he should do it now, he was sure Hephaistion would be here the whole night and it was too good an opportunity to let it pass. Yes, he would do it that night.  

 

Hephaistion paid no attention to Bagoas as he left, in fact the hipparch had completely forgotten about him during those tumultuous days, more important things had his complete attention and lately he divided his days among: Alexander, Achilles and Berenike, not to mention that his duties increased everyday. He had no time for the eunuch, not even to tease the King with him anymore.

 

Hephaistion dropped backwards on the bed, his long legs hanging at the edge, too tired to undress. He closed his eyes, resting his right arm over them and felt how all his muscles protested and screamed wanting to stay there and never moved again. What a long day! And his future only seem more complicated, as long as Spitamenes were there causing problems and Sogdhiana still had rebellious groups, they won’t be able to rest.

 

— So, what do you think? –asked the King, approaching him.

 

— About what? –answered his beloved, still with his eyes closed.

 

— About what I said of the supplies –Alexander sat down at his side.

 

Hephaistion dropped his arm at his side and turned to look at him.

 

— Is the King or my lover the one asking?

 

— The man who loves you with all his heart is the one asking –the hipparch laughed.

 

— There is not much to think –said Hephaistion, rolling to rest on his side, in fetal position with his hands under his head— You need someone to gather supplies at Bactria for your campaign during the rest of the winter and you need me to go.

 

Alexander sighed and dropped at his side. He took a moment to admire his beloved, he could be 29 years old now but his beauty was always the same…No, every year he was even more beautiful and his eyes, hiding some secrets that not even him could unlock would be forever one of the things that he liked the most about his beloved. The King caressed his hipparch’s lips with his index finger, slowly, taking his time to outline them, feeling his hipparch’s breath against his skin and his pulse under his fingertips.

 

— I don’t want you to go –he whispered— We were apart for almost a year and after what happened…But I need you to go, I can’t trust anyone else with this.

 

If Hephaistion still had doubts about his feelings towards Alexander everything was forgotten in that moment. This was why he had forgiven him, because not only of the remorse that ate him after what he did but also for the unconditional loved he had always felt for him, because, no matter what, he would always be that boy of 13 years old with a head full with dreams and hopes for the future.

 

The hipparch smiled and took his lover’s hand, caressing it with his lips, before kissing each one of his fingertips.

 

— I don’t want to go –he whispered in that husky voice that made Alexander feel butterflies in his stomach— I missed you terribly these past months –he made a pause to kiss another finger— Especially at night…

 

The King blushed like a teenager. It surprised him that he could still do it with such ease, he was far from being naïve, since he was a boy he had been like Achilles, a very precocious boy, but at Hephaistion’s side he was as helpless as a virgin at her wedding night.

 

Over the years Alexander had learned 2 things that fascinated him about his beloved; one that the hipparch was more skillful in bed than he, something that far from bothering him made him very happy. If there was something that had never interested the young conqueror it was to be the ultimate lover. Alexander was not, and had little interest to be, like Memnon or Kleitos in that aspect.  

 

Since he was a teenager the King had little interest for love affairs, for bedding the greatest number of women or boys or even men, as his father had done. His carnal needs were little and all involving Hephaistion, but his beloved was not like him, and the second thing he had learned was that his hipparch was also hornier than him. And this, among other reasons, was why he was so jealous.    

 

The idea of Hephaistion looking to satiate his needs with someone else left him without sleep at night.

 

— I don’t want to leave you again but –Hephaistion purred the words, caressing with his thumb the back of Alexander’s hand— This is not about what we want but what we have to do.

 

The blond sighed.

 

— You are right. Then, as your King I will give you an order –said Alexander and his beloved raised one eyebrow— You have to hurry and come back as soon as possible.

 

Hephaistion smiled like a wolf about to devour an innocent prey.

 

— I will –he vowed, holding his gaze.

 

— Tell me something –the King changed the subject. 

 

— Mm?

 

— What do you think of my decision about the hetairoi cavalry? –asked the blond.

 

Alexander had decided to take Kleitos’ place at the front of one half of the hetairoi cavalry, but, even if the decision was already taken, the King wanted to know what was his beloved’s opinion, it was important for him.

 

— I think you are working really hard to avoid having one officer with too much power –said Hephaistion, still holding his King’s hand.

 

— Would you have preferred to be the sole hipparch of the hetairoi cavalry as Philotas was? –Alexander wanted to know.

 

Hephaistion took a moment to choose his words. He knew that, if he asked to have the sole command of the cavalry, his King would give it to him not because he could manipulate Alexander, as Eumenes liked to think, but because his lover trusted him and respected his opinion. 

 

— No, I don’t want it and, even if I wanted it, you can’t do it, at least not without offending a lot of people in the process –said his beloved— I am not naïve, I know that many despise me, and to have me as the sole hipparch of your most important force along with the fact that my son is your heir would complicate your relations with the army even more, and after what happened with Kleitos you can risk it. 

 

The King nodded, he thought the same thing and was pleased to see that his beloved agreed. They felt silent and for a long moment they just remained there, lying at each other’s side holding hands, hearing their steady breathing. 

 

— Phai, when you heard I had killed Kleitos you hated me, didn’t you? –that was not a question it was an statement but the calm voice of his lover told Hephaistion he was not angry, sad, disappointed, not even upset, just curious. 

 

— Yes, I was furious because I never thought you would be capable of doing something like this –said his beloved.

 

— You were disappointed –the King guessed.

 

— Yes.

 

— Why did you change your mind? Why do you stay with me? –Alexander rolled to rest on his side, facing his hipparch.

 

— Because of what you said –answered Hephaistion— “Have you ever find yourself doing something you never thought you would be capable to do?”

 

— And?

 

— And I felt the same as you when I tortured Philotas –both fell silent again.

 

Alexander had never asked what had happened that time, he had seen Philotas’ horrible wound on his arm and he had also noticed how shaken had been his beloved the day after but he did not ask. The King knew that Hephaistion would tell him everything when he felt ready and now he congratulated himself for doing it. He understood without further explanations. 

 

— How did you overcome that? –his lover wanted to know.

 

— Thinking that I had done the right thing because I was protecting you –the King opened his eyes slightly, surprised to hear that answer. The hipparch had done a terrible for him, because he believed in him and found him worthy, he could not disappoint Hephaistion any further and he had to be strong. He would overcome what had happened and would never make the same mistake again.

 

Xenippa, border with Scythia

Winter, Audnaios

 

The Macedonian army moved again to the borders of the Empire, a place where several villages had their home and also where Bactrian exiles had sought refugee after defecting from Alexander’s side. The King came to pacify the region while Hephaistion was far gathering supplies for the campaign, but all of these were of no importance for Bagoas who appeared to glow that day, after discovering a very useful piece of information.

 

The eunuch had searched Hephaistion’s bedroom without finding anything useful, the only thing that had caught his attention was a box with Indian aphrodisiac herbs, but that was all. Not even the news that the hipparch was leaving again on a mission cheered him up until he had came with the very clever idea of asking Hephaistion’s enemies about him.

 

Bagoas was no fool and he soon discovered that 2 men hated the hipparch above all others: Krateros, who was still at Bactria, and Eumenes. Despite everything the eunuch had said about not being a common whore, he had used his charms to seduce the royal secretary and had found what he was looking, the weak point of Alexander’s and Hephaistion’s relationship. Among all the things Eumenes had said, and he talked a lot after a long wild night of sex, was that the King was extremely jealous.

 

For the royal secretary this was nothing of especial interest but for Bagoas it was something more precious than gold and jewels. Jealousy…that was priceless. If he could plant the seed of doubt in the King’s heart, if he could make Alexander believe that Hephaistion was cheating on him, or even better, he could actually make Hephaistion to cheat on the King, victory would be his. But, how to achieve that?

 

The eunuch was still pondering on this, thinking really hard how to use this knowledge, this powerful weapon, when he arrived, without noticing, to where Achilles was, sitting on the ground outside the royal tent with Chrysaor at his side.

 

— I’m sure its nothing –said the guard to the Prince— Cyrus is acting weird, so what? Maybe he is not well, maybe he ate something that did not agree with him.

 

Achilles, sitting with his legs crossed in meditating position, remained silent with his elbows on his thighs and the face resting on his hands. He was worried and a little sad, Cyrus was his best friend, the only friend he had around his own age and was behaving rather oddly with him. 

 

— I also thought he was sick, but now… —the Prince made a pause— I don’t know, he barely talks to me and when he heard about what happened with Kleitos he said something…strange.

 

— Strange how? –Chrysaor sat down at his side, if it weren’t for their seizes, whoever look at them would think both had the same age, thanks to how they behaved.

 

— When I told him that dad had killed Kleitos he said, in a cold and expressionless voice, “it does not surprise me, the King is an usurper and a barbarian” and then he left before I could say something –Achilles looked at the front, thinking really hard what was happening with his friend, why had he changed like that.   

 

His guard whistled.

 

— He seems to be in a bad mood –he leaned back, resting his weight on his hands. 

 

— Do you think is my fault? –asked Achilles, turning to look at him.

 

— Let’s see –Chrysaor threw his head back, his extremely pale gray eyes on the sky— Did you do something to him?

 

— No.

 

— Have you 2 argued?

 

— No.

 

— Did you steal his woman? –that made the Prince laugh.

 

— Of course not!

 

— Then, why do you think is your fault? –asked Chrysaor, brushing his black hair with the fingers in a futile attempt to comb it, and only managing to make it look even worst.

 

— I don’t know, I… —Achilles took a deep breath— I can’t find another explanation.

 

— How old is he?

 

— 13 years old.

 

— Boys that age are weird –was the expert opinion of the bodyguard— I’m sure he would be his old-self in no time.

 

— How can you be so sure? –the Prince looked at him skeptically.

 

— Hey! I’m trying to help here, you don’t have to be so picky –said Chrysaor, looking at him and making the boy laugh again. 

 

They fell silent. Achilles looked at the distance a group of Macedonian soldiers dragging more of the Bactrian exiles they had captured in the past days. So far, if the Prince did not recall wrong and he never recalled wrong thanks to his gifted memory, they were 2, 500; it had been rather easy to find them since the villages had helped them seeking to gain Alexander’s favor. 

 

— Chrys, I want to ask you something –said Achilles, in a low but clear voice. 

 

— Sure, what?

 

— One of my father’s friends asked me to be his eromenos –said the Prince, successfully catching his guard’s attention.

 

— Seriously? Who?…No, no, no. Don’t tell me, let me guess: Seleucus –said Chrysaor lively, like a gossipy girl— I told you he was crazy for you –he said in a singsong— At first I thought he was just very honorable and all that shit looking over the King’s son but Nah! He wants to bed you –he laughed making Achilles blush.

 

Thanks to Chrysaor the Prince now understood several things about the officer of unnerving eyes and blue black hair, why he was always there when he needed help, why he cared for him, why he looked at him like that, and why he had touched him with such tenderness that day when he cut his hair. His hair…Achilles still remembered how Xsayarsa had screamed, with that annoying high-pitched voice of his that could break a crystal, for almost half an hour, cursing him for ruining such beautiful hair.   

 

— I don’t like when you talk like that –Achilles complained, blushing intensely— You make me feel like a girl.

 

Chrysaor laughed.

 

— Why?

 

— Why what?

 

— Why do you feel like a girl? –asked the guard— I mean, Seleucus is crazy for you because you are a very beautiful boy, Heph is really beautiful too and he doesn’t look like a girl –he said almost drooling, remembering the hipparch and the Prince blushed even more, if that was possible— What is wrong with that? 

 

— I don’t want to be beautiful! –Achilles exclaimed, without raising his voice— I want to be a great warrior like daddy, I want to be remembered because I achieved something great not because I was beautiful…—the Prince spat the last word and made a pause— And no, you are mistaken, Seleucus did not ask me to be his eromenos –he said intriguing Chrysaor— It was Perdikkas. 

 

— Perdikkas! –exclaimed the guard and then he frowned— Which Perdikkas?

 

— The son of Orentes –but Chrysaor still looked confused—The taxiarch? The one who was in command of one column of the army like daddy?

 

— Ah! THAT Perdikkas! –exclaimed his bodyguard— Why did he ask you to be his eromenos? I mean, the reason is obvious –Achilles shook his head when his friend’s eyes watched him from head to toe— But I did not know he likes you.  

 

— No idea –said the Prince— But he asked me yesterday.

 

— And? What are you going to say? –Chrysaor wanted to know.

 

— I don’t know, I…I don’t know how to explain it but… –the Prince took a moment— I don’t like how Perdikkas talks or looks at me.

 

— Then say “no” –the guard could not see what was the problem here. 

 

— It’s not that simple –Achilles cooked his head, and spoke in that “professor-like” tone of voice he used while explaining something that for him was obvious— Perdikkas is a good friend of both my fathers, if I’m going to refuse his offer I need a better reason than “I don’t like the way he looks at me”. 

 

Chrysaor sighed.

 

— So, why don’t you like how he looks at you? –he asked with curiosity.

 

— I don’t know! –the Prince was exasperated, never before he had been so confused and if there was something he did not like was to not know. He took a deep breath— He talks to me as if I were a child or a girl, calling me “Aki” —he only let his family to call him like that and, contrary to Hephaistion who did not care if people called him “Phai”, this truly bothered Achilles— Or “my beautiful boy.” All the time he was talking he kept touching me, taking me by the shoulder or caressing my hair and, he looks at me like…like you look at daddy.

 

— Oh –now the bodyguard understood everything. Seleucus could be crazy for Achilles but he was very good avoiding to drool like an idiot watching the Prince with open lust…as he looked at Hephaistion, or even touching him. Now that he thought about it he never saw Seleucus touching the Prince more than it was necessary. But if Perdikkas did this…— Yes, I think I understand now…Ares’ balls! If the King did not hate me, I will talk to him about this, you can be sure of that –he said, making Achilles smiled.

 

— Dad doesn’t hate you –the guard laughed heartily.

 

— Achilles my friend, for such an intelligent boy you are sometimes naïve –the Prince felt his ears burning when he heard that— The King has a very serious problem of jealousy, and he hates me since the day he knew I like Heph.

 

— I am not naïve –Achilles answered with all dignity— Of course I know dad is jealous but I still think that “hate” is a very big word for your case. He hates Scipio, not you. 

 

— If you said so, but trust me, he is not happy with me –Chrysaor insisted.

 

Not far from them, Bagoas was hidden behind a nearby tent and had heard everything. He felt as if the Gods had spoken to him in that moment.

 

So, the King hates this man because he likes Hephaistion –thought the eunuch, his mind racing, thinking in all the possibilities that this new piece of information gave him.

 

XXX

 

* I’m using the name of the Macedonian months, they don’t match our months exactly but its an approximation:

 - January:  Audnaios.

- February: Peritios.

- March:     Dystros.

- April:       Xandikos. 

- May:        Artemisios.