Chapter 201

 

A/N:  Another –M–  chapter

 

CHAPTER 201

 

— This is the last time I leave you alone –said Hephaistion, dead serious; feet slightly apart and arms akimbo. His eyes looked about to cast thunderbolts and his brow was furrowed.

 

The commander had left that morning with the scouts to survey the surroundings. Since word had spread around the locals that the invader was dead, dying or seriously injured, many had found the courage to challenge the Macedonians again and, almost daily, they had suffered attacks at the camp. The part that worried Hephaistion the most was that, since the fleet was with him, he was responsible for the grain supplies, and, if he wasn’t careful, the Indians could caused them very serious problems if they managed to steal, or worst, burn their supplies.

 

He had found nothing out of the ordinary but, as soon as he got back, Hephaistion was welcome with the news that Alexander had come to the camp by ship.

 

— You are still recovering from a wound that almost cost you your life and still, you had yourself carried on a litter, downstream, so your men could see you –his beloved scolded him.  

 

— Phai, don’t be mad, it was necessary. Aki did all he could to keep the men in peace but they needed to see me –the King explained, laying on his bed, his back resting among cushions as soft as clouds— You know this better than anyone, I sent a letter for them and still the troops refused to believe I was fine. Besides, the Indians needed to know I am ready to face them before they revolt.

 

— Fine –his beloved threw his arms in the air— I get that part, what I don’t get is this: why, and think very well your answer, why did you have to ride with a wound that is still open around the entire camp? Aki told me you passed out as soon as you came back to the tent.

 

— Because it is not enough for the troops to know I am well, no one can doubt that I am invincible –the King held his gaze and his commander understood.

 

The glue that held them all together was Alexander, if he was fine they could go on; he was the God who could take them back home safe, there was still hope if he was fine and they could face everything sure that their King was an unconquerable hero.

 

— You are crazy –Hephaistion sighed, taking a seat at his side on the bed, leaning his back against the cushions— Alex, you cannot do this anymore –he said in a soft, loving voice— You are no longer 20 years old –he turned to look at him, at that face he loved so much— You have to be more careful. 

 

I cannot lose you. I cannot imagine my life without you –thought the commander, his eyes speaking louder than his words.

 

And Alexander’s heart hurt, sincerely moved by that love and concerned.

 

— I’ll try…—he took his beloved’s hand and caressed the back with his thumb— I am sorry for worrying you.

 

Hephaistion moved closer and kissed him fully on the lips— How I needed this –thought Alexander, opening his mouth obediently for his beloved, enjoying greatly the taste of those lips. 

 

The commander turned and rested on his side, taking his hand to the King’s naked chest. He felt the rough fabric of the bandages under his palms and Alexander’s hot skin; he moved his fingers through his muscles almost as if he did not want to touch him, afraid to break him, until he found his nipple hidden under the bandages. The King moaned softly inside his mouth, his body shuddering feeling Hephaistion caressing the bulb with his thumb, rubbing it, drawing circles over it and making his lover sighed and moaned louder and louder. 

 

His beloved drank from every sigh and, leaving one more kiss on his lips, slid his mouth down, down, down. Alexander gasped when Hephaistion licked and sucked his nipple, his teeth brushing his hard oversensitive bulb.

 

— …Mm…Phai…

 

— Do you feel too weak for this? –Hephaistion purred against his skin, sending shivers through his body, sucking again.

 

— No…—after days of pain, after days on bed, after days fighting for his life, pleasure was a wonderful change, it did not only comforted him, it also made him feel truly alive. And he needed this desperately.

 

His beloved smiled and sat at his side for the King’s absolutely confusion and frustration.

 

— Don’t look at me like that –said Hephaistion in that husky voice that made Alexander giggle like a little girl— You will like this, I promise.

 

The commander uncovered him, letting the blankets and sheets fall on the floor, and moved between the King’s legs. Alexander laughed without noise but soon, he was moaning again, this time with all his forces, throwing his head back and spreading his legs, feeling fire running down his thighs while his beloved’s tongue licked his length, making circles at the tip. 

 

— Oh…Nn…dear…oh…Gods…Phai…Mmm…—he panted, moaned and sighed with all his forces. Hephaistion’s hands on his thighs, his thumbs caressing his skin— Phai!…—he exclaimed when his beloved took all his hard desire inside his mouth. It was unreal, intoxicated, wonderful, being inside that hot and wet confinement and soon he could not take it any more, finding his release. 

 

Alexander let a long sigh of relief abandon his mouth and Hephaistion kissed his thighs before falling again at his side on the bed.

 

— So? Did you like it? –he smiled like a cat, cleaning his mouth with the back of his hand.

 

— You…are… the worst –Alexander panted, trying to catch his breath and making his beloved laugh.

 

— You felt strong enough to mount a horse, I thought you would be strong enough to enjoy my attentions –he kissed him again, letting his lover taste his own seed.

 

How he does this? Only Phai can make me feel like this –he thought, lost in his dark gray eyes.

 

— But…what about you? –asked Alexander between kisses.

 

— What about me? –another kiss.

 

— I cannot…return…Mm…your attentions –Hephaistion smiled against his lips, an idea crossing his mind.

 

— I may have a solution.

 

The commander moved over the King, without sitting on him, each knee at his sides and smiled, that lazy arrogant smile that could make an army of fan-girls scream at the same time, and took off his cloths, slowly, letting the fabric caressed his body like the hands of his lover, until he was completely naked. He licked 2 of his fingers, letting his lover admire the sight of his mouth sinfully invaded, his cheeks pink and his silky hair deliciously disheveled half covering his face.

 

Beautiful –thought Alexander.

 

Hephaistion slid his hand through his torso, slowly, his fingers traveling through his muscles until they rested between his own legs. His lips curved in a half smile, always looking directly at his King, and up and down his hand moved along his length, moaning and sighing musically while Alexander watched him enthralled, spellbound, completely lost. It had a special magic to have his lover’s uneven eyes, his intense gaze, over him while his hands worked sending waves of pleasure through all his body, making him shiver and bit his lower lip.

 

The King wanted desperately to touch him but the only thing he could do was to take his thighs, feeling the muscles contracting while his beloved’s caresses intensify. Hephaistion rocked his hips against his hand, throwing his head back and letting his lover admire his naked throat exposed while repeating over and over again his King’s name. 

 

— Alex…Mm…Alex…—he ran his thumb over his tip and, with a long loud sigh, everything was over.

 

Neither talked, it was one of those moments were silence said more than a thousand words and both just lay there, naked, face up on the bed; hearing at each other’s breathing, enjoying their company.

 

— I missed you –whispered Hephaistion.

 

— I can tell –answered Alexander and both laughed. The King looked for his beloved’s hand and laced their fingers.

 

They fell silent again.

 

— Phai.

 

— Mm?

 

— I want to talk to you about Aki –said the King.

 

— He had a pretty rough time trying to control your men –said Hephaistion— He wrote asking me to go to him but…I could not leave my post.

 

That still hurt the commander, he could not avoid feeling he had failed his son when they boy needed him the most, no mattered how many times he repeated himself he could not have done more, the guilt was still there. Alexander nodded.

 

— Phai, you could not leave the camp –said the King as if he had read his mind— You had your orders…my orders, besides it was dangerous –he had no way to know it but his words were exactly what Hephaistion needed to hear—Aki had a tough time but, he did a marvelous job –said the King, genuinely impressed and proud— Did you heard he wore my armor and fooled the Indians?

 

— I did –the commander smiled. It had been a crazy plan, and one that he would have opposed if he had been there, but, against all odds, it had worked.

 

— Phai, our son is only 13 and, even if it were just for a week, he managed to control my men –Alexander laughed— That was amazing! Eumenes is still complaining about him –he added as if this were a great achievement.

 

— Why? –Hephaistion did not like this.

 

— Because Aki is pretty good with numbers and he, unlike me, actually likes to administrate –explained Alexander— He checked Eumenes’ books about the army’s equipment and supplies and gave him a hard time asking all kind of questions.

 

— Well, for what I have noticed, Aki pays more attention to expenses than you –the King laughed.

 

— He does…he is like you –Hephaistion had to nod in agreement— I asked Aki to help me with my paperwork –those words took the commander by surprise— He can help me answering letters and giving order to mountain of documents that require my “immediate attention”.

 

— It’s a good idea, Aki likes that –Hephaistion agreed— Besides, he loves to feel he is helping. 

 

— He is old enough to take a more active part in my staff. He earned that right –said Alexander proudly, making his beloved immensely happy.

 

XXX

 

— You shouldn’t be here.

 

It always begins like this –thought Seleucus, closing the door of Achilles’ bedroom and reducing the distance between them, not stopping until he could feel the Prince’s chest touching him every time he breathed. 

 

— I miss you. It has been a while since the last time you came to me –that was true. Seleucus had became addict to Achilles’ night visits and never thought he would miss him, wanted and needed him, as desperately as he did now.

 

— My father was dying –the Prince reminded him, moving his head to stop the archihypaspistes from caressing his hair.

 

— Did you miss me? –Seleucus bent over, looking for his lips but Achilles stepped back.

 

— No.

 

The archihypaspistes smiled, shook his head and put his arms akimbo— You are going to make me beg this time? —the worst part was that he would do it; he would beg, cry and crawl on the floor just to have him one more time in his arms.

 

— Tell me something at least. Why did you ask to travel with Krateros during the march along the river? –Seleucus wanted to know, it was something that had eaten him since he heard the news but hadn’t had the chance to ask— You could have gone with the King and we could have had more time for us. 

 

— There is not ‘us’, Seleucus –said Achilles, trying to sound dispassionate as always but failing. It was obvious, even from a complete retarded, that the Prince felt something for him, though what was it, the archihypaspistes had no idea— I wanted to show you this by staying away from you. I don’t need to be at your side. 

 

— Need? No! But you like it –he did not let the Prince answer, Seleucus took him by the arm and pulled him, kissing Achilles with hunger and forcing him to open his mouth for him— I would…—he savored his lips— Sell my…Mm…soul…for you…

 

— Let me…go…—the Prince asked but it was such a weak plead that only made the older one smile and carried him without difficulty to the bed, letting Achilles fall on the mattress, never leaving his lips and feeling how the Prince began to return his kisses with the same hunger.

 

No matter what he says, no matter how hard he tries to be cold and distant with me, he always sighs and moans the same under my touch –thought Seleucus, his whole body tensed in desire watching the Prince arching beautifully under him.  

 

— I love you –whispered the archihypaspistes against his lips, meaning every word, his hands traveling up Achilles’ sides, pulling up his chiton to feel his skin— Do you love me? –he asked, resting on all four over him.

 

— No –the Prince answered without delay, but, despite the cold answer, the older one smiled. He asked the same every time they met and he always obtained the same answer.

 

— One day…—Seleucus kissed his cheek, sliding his lips down, looking for his neck, feeling his young heart beating against his lips— You will.

 

The Prince said nothing. He did not know how was that this had began but now he could not deny how much he enjoyed the archihypaspistes’ body, his expert attentions, his company and, what scared him the most, how much he liked being loved like this— I cannot depend on Seleucus, I cannot love him…What if he betrays me? What if he dies? –Achilles did not want to feel again as he did when Cyrus died, that horrible excruciating pain as if someone were ripping his heart out.

 

No. He was scared to feel that again. 

 

The Prince shuddered and moaned softly, spreading his legs for Seleucus, his entire body burning and dissolving as the archihypaspistes carefully led his fingers inside him— He is so beautiful –thought Seleucus, lost in his blushing face and half closed eyes, his mouth permanently opened looking for air. 

 

The first time he rested inside Achilles the archihypaspistes though he had died and arrived to the Elysian Fields; for years he had fantasized with that moment, and after so many years of just admiring him for afar, dreaming about him, when it finally happened, it was much better than anything he had imagined. For days Seleucus had been so happy that his men started to make jokes behind his back and, when it happened again, he truly considered himself bless, enjoying that warm feeling of being one with the object of his adoration.

 

Now he could not stop, he did not feel truly alive unless they were together and soon it became a torture to be far from his Prince. Those days while he marched with the fleet while Achilles went with Krateros had been a living hell, but now…Now nothing mattered because now he had the Prince again with him— It’s a dream, and I don’t want to wake up –and Seleucus pushed inside him.

 

XXX

 

The wind made the locks of his blond hair dance in front of his uneven eyes. Cold, so cold it made him feel it was Death itself were caressing his forehead with its long fingers, impregnating everything with the smell of rotting corpses, of wet earth and doom. Loneliness and silence filled his senses. He was dying, or was he dead? He was lying on the top of a funeral pyre. He knew it. He could hear voices around him, praying, singing a dirge for him.

 

But I am not dead…I can hear you –Alexander found himself thinking, in that state were his soul appeared to navigate, to float, between the material world and the domains of the incorporeal. 

 

He opened his eyes. The sky was above him, dark gray, like his beloved’s eyes, dark gray announcing a storm— It will rain soon –it was fitting, the sky should weep on his funeral day even if no one else were going to. Why was no one crying for him? Not even Hephaistion? Where was he?

 

Alexander turned, looking for his beloved and then, he was no longer on the pyre, he was standing in front of it, as part of the crowd waiting for the man with the torch to burn the body of…

 

— HEPHAISTION! –the King shouted with all his forces, fear and desperation tearing his throat; fear and desperation running through his body; fear and desperation clinging to his soul. 

 

This was not his funeral.

 

He ran with all his forces to the pyre, he shouted to the man with the torch, he gave orders that none could hear and then, the terrifying splendor of the fire blazed in front of his eyes and his beloved Hephaistion was no more…

 

— HEPHAISTION! –his shouts woke up his beloved immediately and, even the guards and the sleepy pages came running to the King’s bedroom. What had happened? An attack? An emergency? Was the King ill again? They all were still concerned about Alexander’s health, still nervous, and arrived almost at the same time, ready to help.

 

— Alex! Wake up! Alex, you are dreaming, open your eyes –Hephaistion shook him with all his forces until he finally opened his eyes.

 

The King looked confused but, what worried his beloved the most, was the fear in his eyes; he had never seen Alexander so scared in his life. His uneven eyes moved around, as if trying to see where was he, until they stopped on Hephaistion. The fear gave way to an infinite sadness that appeared to consume him from within and then, slowly, very slowly, relief washed over him. The King embraced Hephaistion with all his forces, driving the air out of him, paying no attention to the pain than ran through his arm and chest with that sudden movement.

 

It took a moment for the commander to come out from his initial surprise and to become aware that they were not alone.

 

— You can go, the King is fine –Hephaistion dismissed their audience and, as soon as they were alone once again, he caressed his lover’s head, kissing him, and brushing his hair, hearing him cry as he had never heard him cry before— It’s fine Alex, you had a nightmare.

 

It had been years since the last time the King woke up in the middle of the night because of a bad dream— Years, indeed…Maybe the last time was in Mieza.

 

— I…I…you were death –Alexander sobbed, his head resting on Hephaistion’s lap, clinging to his cloths as if his life, or his sanity, depended on it.

 

— It was a nightmare. I am here –his voice was soft and full with love. 

 

— But…it…was so…real…

 

— Alex, if dreams were prophesies then Nick would be Great King by now –he joked but the King shook his head.

 

— Your dreams…come true –Hephaistion kissed his head.

 

— Some of them, but you can rest assure, I haven’t dreamed about my own death –he pinched his nose— I am not going anywhere.

 

— You promise?

 

— Now you sound like Aki.

 

— Please, Phai –he begged, desperate and scared.

 

Hephaistion smiled sweetly.

 

— You have my word; I am not going anywhere.

 

XXX

 

It took Alexander a month before he felt strong enough to walk around the camp without the fear of passing out at any moment but, to say he was fine, was far too optimistic. He never fully recovered from this wound, his health was never the same and, it could be, that this wound helped to hasten his ultimate death, 2 years later.

 

Just as Nikandros had advised me I talked to Yarsa and I forgave him. Yarsa had betrayed me but, as my brother said, he had atoned for his sin protecting Achilles with his own life. I was hard one him and it gave me immensely joy to have Yarsa again at my side. Of course Yarsa too was happy, he couldn’t stop crying for an hour.

 

The winter was almost over and my birthday had come and gone by the time Alex threw a mind-blowing party to celebrate his recovery. Yes, I know what you are thinking, someone who had just recovered from a wound like this shouldn’t be celebrating and drinking until dawn but, at my time we had other ideas concerning our health and how to take care of ourselves.

 

— I think this is unfair –said Hephaistion, frowning. All around him was music, laughter, shouts, vulgar jokes and half naked women.  

 

A box match was going to take place there since one of the Macedonian veterans, called Corragus, had challenge a famous Athenian boxer, called Dioxippus, to single combat. Hephaistion had nothing against the box match, in fact, he was eager to see it and had even bet against his brothers, since both, Lysanias and Nikandros, were supporting Corragus. What the commander did not like was the fact that, while Dioxippus was fighting naked, and armed only with a club, Corragus was in full armor and with sword and spear in hand.

 

— Phai, if Dioxippus agreed to this, I don’t know why it should bother you –answered Alexander who was backing up his veteran with an almost childish enthusiasm.   

 

— Whatever –Hephaistion sighed, he brushed his hair back with his fingers— Aki, what do you…? –but as soon as he turned he found that his son had suddenly disappeared— What the hell? Alex, have you seen Aki? –he looked for the boy but he was no where to be found.

 

He was here just a moment ago –thought the commander.

 

— No…Oh, the match is starting.

 

XXX

 

— …Nn…Seleucus…Mmm…Someone can…Oh Gods!… see us… here… –Achilles panted and moaned, pressed between the wall and Seleucus hard hot body, barely hidden in the shadows of the lonely corridor.

 

— They all are busy with… the match… –the archihypaspistes kissed his neck, thrusting inside him like a possessed, making the Prince’s slender body jumped up and down.

 

Seleucus shuddered feeling those long legs wrapped around his waist and Achilles’ arms surrounding his neck and the Prince rested his head on his shoulder, the friction inside him threatening to steal his reason, his whole body melting under each thrust— Dear Aphrodite this is delicious.

 

— Faster…Mm…faster… –and Seleucus was all too happy to obey. Achilles closed his eyes and the commander threw his head back, both too busy with what they were doing to notice that Perdikkas was watching them.

 

XXX

 

— Alex wait, you are acting like a child –Hephaistion ran behind him on the corridor. Against all odds Dioxippus won the match, and rather quickly to make things worst, and a very angry Alexander had left the banquet full with indignation— Your champion lost, its fine, you don’t have to make a tantrum.

 

— I am not making a tantrum –the King stopped and turned to look at him— This was much more than a box match, this was a matter of who was superior an Athenian or a Macedonian and that Athenian –he pointed at the end of the corridor— Humiliated us all. 

 

— You are exaggerating.

 

— Am I? –the vein on Alexander’s forehead was threatening to explode. The commander sighed.

 

— Fine, whatever.

 

Hephaistion knew it was impossible to argue with him when Alexander was this angry, the best he could do was take him back to his room— By morning he would have forgotten about this and no harm done.

 

He had no idea of how mistaken he was.

 

XXX