CHAPTER 3.

Alexander did not realize what was happening behind his back. He did not know and he did not care either, his mind was so muddled that he could not have a single clear thought. His chaotic state of mind was so continuous that no one dared to ask for anything.

Ten days had gone by since Cleitus's murder and things seemed to be getting back in order. Hephaestion's optimum efficiency and the companions and the Elder's support had made the transition quite smoothly.

The young General, now named High Ruler of the Macedonian Empire, continued taking care of the daily activities as well as his former ones. He was also supported by the mother Queen Olympias, who looked after his health while the young Queen offered him fresh moments of happiness with the daily visits of Prince Alexandros.

Meanwhile, Alexander did not leave his chamber at all; he had everything he needed there and Bagoas provided him with an endless provision of wine and food. However, he could not continue like that. Eris was happy because the King was under her control, however, she had not expected Hephaestion to leave the King alone and take the weight of the empire onto his shoulders. The furious goddess had to recognize that the brunette was doing an excellent job and that the chaotic situation had been reversed in quite a short time.

She decided that the situation was too calm for her desire; she needed to create chaos again and see if the powerful Hephaestion would be able to manage her attack once again.

To get her desire, she had to make Alexander sober up, clear his mind and make him realize that he was losing his empire at the hands of his former lover.

She started that very same day; she ordered Bagoas to bring healthy food and pure water, they would give Alexander some wine but watered so he did not get drunk as he had been for the last days.

Bagoas was a bit confused but the wicked goddess told her about her plan and decided to help him by appearing as a young maid before Alexander's eyes so he could not suspect about her actions. They also decided that they would do everything under secrecy because they did not want anyone to discover their new plan. They were going to get the empire back to Alexander's hands to have it destroyed to the roots for once and for all; obviously, the great General was the one who would fall harder than the rest and if Eris played all her tricks well, he would be buried next to Cleitus very soon.

Little by little, Bagoas helped Alexander to leave his inebriated state and recovered his physical health. However, following Eris's advice, he poisoned Alexander's ear against Hephaestion. He did such a good job that, by the time Alexander was feeling better, his former love for Hephaestion had turned into the bitterest hate any human being had ever felt before.

Olympias, due to her motherly love for her son, asked to have an audience with Alexander. Bagoas denied her entry to the royal chamber, telling her that the king was not feeling well yet and that he did not want anyone to see him in such a sorry state. Olympias did not believe that Alexander could say that but she did not want to anger him more so she accepted her son's decision but begged Bagoas to let her know when he was ready to see her.

- "Who was that at the door, Bagoas?" Alexander asked from his bed.

- "It was Queen Olympias, Sire," he asked.

- "Why didn't she enter to see me?" he asked, a bit confused.

- "She said she was quite in a hurry taking the meal to her son, who was busy dealing with some problems in the kingdom" he added.

- "I am her son and I am not busy everything is going so well in my kingdom that none of my counsellors is asking me for anything" he answered.

- "I think she meant her son Hephaestion," Bagoas said while picking up a fallen cushion and fluffing it.

- "Hephaestion? Why would she consider him her son?" the king asked, feeling quite surprised.

- "It is not the first time I hear her calling him her son. She had a worried expression on her face" he added.

- "And what problems is he dealing with? Why hasn't he come to ask me anything?" he asked and his tone of voice revealed annoyance.

- "I don't know, Sire. I am just a poor servant" Bagoas said.

- "You know you are not a servant to me, you are very important," he said while caressing Bagoas's long curly hair.

- "I am yours, now and forever, my Alexander," he said and lowered his head until it was resting on the king's lap.

- "Hephaestion used to tell me that but now he is behaving so weird as if he has stopped loving me …" Alexander said and sighed so pitifully that Bagoas smelled "danger".

Sensing that Alexander was feeling soft against Hephaestion again, Bagoas realized that he had to change his tactics and made him feel angry at the brunette.

- "Maybe he has, my king. I have seen him in the company of one of his pages, especially when he goes to sleep. That page follows him to his room like a little puppy," he said while he continued folding some of Alexander's clean clothes.

- "Who is he? What is his name? I want him here right now" he claimed loud and clear.

- "I don't think you should lower yourself to tell him off. Let him enjoy the boy" he added but he could see the anger taking possession of the king's mismatched eyes.

- "Why? Hephaestion belongs to me. He is nothing without me. I made him the man he is now. I gave him a house, studies, my own family and his position in my Army," Alexander said and Bagoas smiled because he could see the animosity against the brunette growing inside Alexander once again.

The Persian eunuch decided to keep poisoning the king with his lies and see how far he could go and if he could get the effect that the goddess Eris wanted.

The servant had already started with his gossips about Olympias and her deep devotion to the General. He also added that he had heard Hephaestion calling her "my dear Mother".


The evening arrived and Eris changed into the human form she had lately adopted, the one of a young but shy maid at his service. She entered the royal chamber and asked the king's permission to take the dirty dishes away.

- "What dirty dishes? I am starving and no one had brought my evening meal" he answered and his tone of voice revealed how mad he was.

- "My apologies, my King but I saw your Queen with a tray loaded with food for two and it looked quite heavy. When I asked her if she needed my help, she refused and said that she was taking dinner to her man, the very same dinner she had cooked with her own hands and with so much love" she added.

The maid dared to lift her gaze and looked at the blonde man in front of her and she could see him fuming. Then he looked at her and asked:

- "So tell me, where is that dinner so lovingly cooked for me? Can you see it? Can you see it?"

- "No, Sire. I can't see it anywhere, so I don't know who she was referring to if it wasn't you. Maybe she was talking about the Higher Ruler and I got confused. I have seen them taking walks in the inner gardens of the palace," she explained and a tinge of purple glow appeared and lit her eyes when she saw Alexander standing up and walking fast towards her.

- "High Ruler? Who is that? There is not such a position in my kingdom" Alexander shouted while shaking the maid's thin body as if she were weightless.

- "The High Ruler is the brunette General with blue eyes, General Amyntoros, my King. He is the ruler of the Macedonian empire," she added, giving a hard blow to the king's reality.

- "That is a blatant lie. He would never do something like that to me. I am Alexander, King Alexander, the one and only ruler of the Macedonian Empire; he is just one of my Generals" he shouted loud and clear and then he left the room.

The blonde king walked quickly along the long and deserted corridors of his palace. He knew where to find that traitor so without even knocking, he entered Hephaestion's chamber. It was tidy, dark and empty. There was nobody in there. After checking the inner chamber and balcony and finding no one, Alexander decided to go to the Throne Hall. He missed visiting it but he could not remember why he had stopped doing that.

The sound of happy voices, chattering and showing their happiness surprised the King and amazed him at the same time.

He entered the Throne Hall and he was ready to ask his men to go on eating when he sadly realized that no one had noticed him standing there. However, all the people's attention was set on a tall brunette who was retelling how Prince Alexandros had learnt to crawl that very same afternoon and he had even dared to stand up for a little while even though he was only eight months old.

Everybody was listening to his retelling; it was so vivid that everybody could imagine the little prince doing that under his observant eyes and the prince's young mother.

Alexander looked at them and while he paid attention to the description, he could hear the pride in the General's baritone tone of voice as if he were talking about his son and not about the young prince.

- "My prince? Did you say, My prince? Are you his father? Are you so proud of him to talk about him with so much happiness and pride? Is it true that my wife has been cheating on me with you? Aren't you man enough to get yourself a woman instead of seducing my wife?" Alexander shouted.

Everybody turned around with surprise written all over their faces, which were no longer showing any sign of happiness.

- "Alexander. What are you saying?" Hephaestion asked while the young king looked at him with wrath in his mismatched eyes.

- "Is that the way you address to me, the great king of the Macedonian Empire?" Alexander asked in reply, his eyes drilling the General's gaze.

- "Excuse me, my King. There was no offence in calling you by your name; it is the same way I have been calling you for the last 25 years" Hephaestion replied and once he finished, he cast down his cerulean eyes.

- "I think you should kneel in front to me and ask for forgiveness" Alexander stated, trying to punish his General for defying his authority.

- "Excuse me, my King but you are neither a god nor my master to request that from me," Hephaestion said and lifted his head to face the blonde man.

- "But I am your king. You are nothing without me; you are not even a good soldier. Everything you are is because I have always felt pity for you" Alexander replied loud and clearly, feeling proud of his own words.

A pregnant silence invaded the Throne Hall, nobody dared to speak, however, a low but firm voice was heard coming from the far end of the long table.

- "Alexander, are you out of your mind?" the young Queen Roxanne asked and she immediately turned to look at her beloved brunette who was still facing the king.

- "Who has given you the right to question me? How do you dare to talk to me like that?" Alexander asked while walking towards her.

- "I am your queen, your wife and the mother of your only son" she replied loud and clear this time; she still felt afraid but she knew she had to conquer that feeling.

- "Maybe the first two statements are true but I am not sure about the third one. The baby has his eyes" Alexander said while turning around and pointing at Hephaestion.

- "How cruel you are! Alexandros has your father's eyes" another female voice answered, it was Queen Olympias the one who had just spoken.

- "What are you doing here, mother? Don't you have your palace?" Alexander asked.

- "I came to visit my son and grandson" Olympias replied, trying to hide the sorrow in her words.

- "Your son? Who is your son, me or that traitor over there?" Alexander shouted once again and everybody realized that he was really out of his mind.

- "I gave birth to three children but only one of them is standing in front of me," Queen Olympias said, trying to calm Alexander down.

- "So, why haven't you come to visit me?" the king asked and he sounded a bit repentant.

- "I did want to visit you but your servant told me you wanted to see nobody" she replied.

- "Servant? You mean Bagoas. He is not my servant, he is my lover, the only man who understands me the best" he added.

- "I thought that the man who knew you the best was your Chiliarch" she added while setting her green emerald eyes onto the brunette's face.

- "He is no longer by my side," he said.

- "Because you threw him away after Cleitus's death" Olympias added.

- "He is trying to keep everything for himself, my son, my wife, my mother, even my empire. Do you know that he calls himself the High Ruler of the Macedonian Empire?" Alexander said and his eyes became two thin slits while he set them onto Hephaestion's livid face.

Hephaestion felt his knees go weak and so he decided to sit but the king stopped him and ordered to kneel instead. Hephaestion stood up once again and even though his dizziness was not over, he did not want to show any kind of weakness in front t of Alexander.

- "I will never kneel in front of you and neither will my brothers," he said and his voice sounded firm.

- "Alexander, why don't you take me to my room? I am a bit tired" Olympias requested and smiled at his son, trying to lower the tension in the room.

- "Yes, mother. I have not forgotten your offences, General Amyntoros. We will talk tomorrow and I will set order to the mess you have brought to my kingdom," the blonde said.

Hephaestion looked at him but decided not to answer; he would not lower himself to answer to the king's whims.

- "Have you listened to me, General? Maybe I will demote you so you can start again as a page and learn some obedience and loyalty. Can you imagine a page of 30 years, you will be the laughingstock of my Army" he said and when he started to laugh, he sounded like a mad man.

The king did not wait for an answer and the rest of the companions looked at Hephaestion who had finally taken a seat. He grabbed his head between his hands and shouted.

Everybody was surprised, they had never seen such a raw attitude but the General had finally changed, he was no longer a follower, he had become a leader, a ruler.

He stood up and he felt a warm soft touch on his arm. Queen Roxanne was by his side and her beautiful black eyes showed him how sad she was feeling. He knew it was because of her husband's words; Hephaestion also knew he wanted to comfort her but he did not want to bring more problems onto her young shoulders. He only patted her hand and offered her a tiny smile, one which did not reach his eyes but he knew she had understood him.

Roxanne lowered her head and started to walk towards her chamber. She had been staying there since Alexandros's birth because she did not want to annoy the king with the baby's whimpering and nightly routine. However, when it was time to move back to the royal chamber, Roxanne felt she had no desire to go back to her old routine, which included sleeping alone because Alexander had started to visit Bagoas's room more and more often. She had also realized that she no longer felt love for her husband, only respect. Her young heart belonged to the tall General even though she knew she would never have it.

However, her respect for the great king had started to fade away and it finally disappeared when Alexander speared Cleitus to death. Respect turned into fear and she currently felt insecurity while being around Alexander.

That was one of the reasons why she sought refuge in Hephaestion's security and his promise to guard and protect not only her but also Alexandros from Alexander itself.

Ptolemy asked Hephaestion how he was feeling despite already knowing the answer. The General, even though he had toughened his skin since a long time ago, felt betrayed by his former lover's words. Hephaestion had never imagined he would listen to those statements that pierced his heart like thousands of sharp sarissas. He finally understood that the man who had thought and said such horrible things of him was no longer his king and lover but a poor shadow of the great man he used to be.

The brunette looked at this brother in arms and sighed loudly. His silence spoke louder than his words and the elder blonde understood him very well.


The next morning Hephaestion was waiting for Alexander's decision but it never happened. The king did not show up the entire day at all. The brunette waited until mid-morning in his chamber and when the call did not happen, he went to the meeting room and organized the daily activities.

The men were restless, they needed to do some exercise and get tired, if not, fights would occur and it would be difficult to stop them without Cleitus around. The old Companion was one of the very few men to be immediately obeyed by any men in the army, it did not matter if he was his commander or not, everybody did what he said. Hephaestion needed to find another man like that and was still looking for him, without realizing that the man was himself. That epiphany occurred to him that same evening.

Some men were drinking around a fire pit outside one of the barracks. Those men had belonged to Cleitus's section and they were feeling the absence of their leader, especially the strong hand that kept them quiet and together. The quarrel began with a simple and innocent exchange of words, however, the tone of the voices and the meaning of the words uttered changed to shouts and insults in a question of minutes and two small bands happened to begin the fight. Men from both bands started to exchange blows, kicks and head-butts and the angry spirits filled their bodies and souls. They did not recognize the other as a brother but an enemy until one of them cut someone's face and the small fight became a riot.

Chaos reigned between the two factions and a happy goddess sat nearby started to laugh and clap her hands madly because she was enjoying the fight.

Hephaestion, who was taking a bath, heard the uproar and left his bath unfinished. He tucked a towel around his waist and with bare feet; he walked to the barracks to see what was going on.

The men did not realize his presence until a whispered "Patroclus" was heard. Ptolemy, who had arrived minutes before, thought it was Alexander who was mentioning Achilles' lover's name, referring to his former lover. However, it was not the king but one of the eldest warriors who watching Hephaestion with the dying sun rays lightening his tall frame from behind thought he was the reincarnation of the hero of Troy.

The men stopped fighting and silence spread all over the place. Eris, who had been a bit distracted watching at a handsome young man, turned her head around and a low sigh escaped from her pinkish lips. She had to recognize that that Hephaestion was a magnificent human being; even his body helped him to wake up admiration and loyalty. She already knew what would happen there so she decided to go, she did not want to see Hephaestion calming down the furious spirits and putting all those men under his tight but rightful leash.

- "What is happening here?" his baritone voice resounded all over the place.

- "Nothing, General," one of the leaders said but Hephaestion realized that the man was still angry.

- "I can see too many bruises and some blood to be nothing. So, I ask again, what is happening here?"

- "The men missed Cleitus, Sire" an older soldier replied.

- "I miss him too, my brother, more than you all can imagine. However, I can't do anything to bring him back from Hades, if not, don't doubt I would do it" he confessed.

- "I know you feel restless, abandoned and without a leader so I suggest you choose a new leader; the one you feel will be the best for all of you. I will go now and when you have reached the decision, let me know" the General said and started to walk towards the palace.

The very same old man who had talked before looked around the men and one by one they nodded at him. The man shouted Hephaestion's name and the rest choired it up three times, so loud and clear that the Olympians must have listened to them. A very beautiful goddess was already clapping madly because his protégée was doing things so well.

- "I can't be your leader; there are many good men among your rows" Hephaestion explained.

- "We want no one else" a man shouted.

- "Only you, Hephaestion"

- "Only you, only you, only you" all the men shouted as one voice.

Hephaestion looked at them, smiled and then shouted:

- "Clean the place, take a bath, and go to sleep. Tomorrow at dawn your training begins" he spoke with his commanding voice and the men shouted "Yes, sir" and immediately disappeared to do what they had been commanded.

Ptolemy looked at him, patted his shoulder and said:

- "You are truly perfect but maybe this gorgeous and toned body of yours helped you a bit today"

At that moment, Hephaestion realized that he was only covered by a small towel and he finally understood why they had called him Patroclus. He smiled and went back to his chamber to finish his bath, without knowing that two pairs of dark eyes were following him; one with hate, the other with love.


The following morning, Alexander woke up after being drinking quite a lot the previous day, his discussion with Hephaestion had left him sad and angry at the same time. He needed to know if what Bagoas was telling him was completely true.

He decided to visit his General, he needed to have a conversation with him, another habit that he had stopped doing without knowing why.

He entered the chamber and saw the man at his desk. He seemed to be writing and very concentrated on what he was doing but then he saw him lifting his head and smiling; maybe the man was having a nice thought or remembering some of their moments together. Nothing was what the king thought, a burst of low and feminine laughter disoriented him; Hephaestion had never taken a woman to his chamber but maybe it was that young page Bagoas had been telling him about.

Decided to discover who the companion of his former lover was, Alexander continued walking and he was very surprised to see his mother and wife sitting on a couch near Hephaestion's desk. Olympias, due to her position, saw him first and so she stood up and stretching out her arms, she walked to his encounter and hugged him tightly.

- "Health to you, my dear son," she greeted him while setting a warm kiss on his cheek.

- "Health to you too, Mother," Alexander replied while he set his eyes onto the other two occupants of the room.

His wife was standing by the couch while Hephaestion was doing the same by his desk.

- "Health to you, King Alexander" Hephaestion greeted him and he bit his lower lip.

- "Oh … What are you doing here, page Amyntoros? This is not the pages' room," Alexander said and smiled, however, it was a smile filled with hate and disdain.

- "I need to know when and why I have been demoted. This is against the law" Hephaestion stated.

- "Now and because I want. And remember, I am the law and you will never talk back to me again," he said and slapped Hephaestion's face with such a strength that he split the brunette's lower lip.

- "Alexander, what are you doing?" Queen Roxanne requested.

- "It is the second time you defy my orders so I am going to put an end to this," Alexander said and taking Roxanne by her wrist, he started to walk dragging her out of the chamber.

Olympias and Hephaestion asked him to let her go and the king stopped when the little prince Alexandros started to cry due to his mother's shouts. He went where his son was lying inside the crib, picked him up quite carelessly and pushed Roxanne to the floor.

Hephaestion helped her to her feet while Olympias ran after his son and grandson, Alexander was so angry that she felt fear for the baby.

Hephaestion comforted Roxanne who had received a hard blow to her head when she fell but decided to look for the doctor to check her and the prince. Roxanne could not remain behind so she started to run after her husband and that was when she saw him put the baby onto a horse and demand him to ride the animal. Olympias was shouting at him, trying to make him understand that the prince could not even walk by himself, less ride a horse. Roxanne tried to convince him too but the king slapped her on the face and made her fall for the second time. The fall was harder than before and Roxanne got a deep cut on her scalp and a broken ankle. Her screams distracted Alexander and Olympias took that distraction on her favour and rescued Alexandros. Listening to that entire ruckus, Hephaestion ran outside, followed by the doctor, who immediately went to assist the young Queen while Olympias tried to calm down her grandson.

Alexander was out of his mind, insulting his wife, telling her that it was all her fault, that if she had not been pinning after Hephaestion, nothing would have happened. He also called her names, calling her a slut because, despite being married to him, she had sex with Hephaestion and even dared to pass their son as his heir. He confessed that he wanted Alexandros dead because he was not a son of his own blood but the bastard son of a traitor.

The whole scene was observed by the army men who could not understand what Alexander was saying, it was a bunch of lies and delirious. By the time the young queen got pregnant, Hephaestion had been away building something in the northern borders of the empire. Alexandros was the spitting image of the former king Philip; even his eyes had the same shade of blue. As regards Hephaestion, he had always been the man behind the king and the one who had solved many of his messes. The brunette General was one of the most loyal men they had ever seen and a man who had never sought fame and glory, only the respect his actions deserved.

Alexander realized that despite being surrounded by his men, they did no longer recognize him as his king and he felt anger, hate and pushed by Eris, who had been watching the whole scene once again, he felt chaos reigning inside his body.

With the quickness of a lightning bolt, he pierced Hephaestion's lower back with his dagger, the very same dagger that a younger Hephaestion had given him for his twentieth's birthday.

Hephaestion fell onto Roxanne, covering her body with his own because he had heard Alexander saying that they were both going to die.

A group of men took Alexander from behind and disarmed him while the king shouted and cursed them with the most disgusting deaths.

The Elder, who had been called by Ptolemy, after watching the whole situation and discussing for some minutes, decided that Alexander had to be locked up, not only for his own good but for the empire.

The king, after listening to the short and quick sentence, cursed them and swore to take revenge on them because they had defied his authority as the Macedonian King.

Once everything was prepared, Alexander was taken to a chamber on the furthest tower of the palace. It had all the comfort a man might need but Bagoas would no longer be at his service. Hephaestion did not trust him at all. Two guards would be constantly standing outside the door to protect him, even from himself.

General Hephaestion was confirmed in his position again by the eldest and so the reign of the General began and this time, it would be forever.