Current mood:	pensive
Entry tags:	fic

New Alexander fic

Title: Such a short time  1

Rating: FRM for this chapter

Notes: I'm doing a fucking mess of things at the moment, but I managed to start a new fic...It's about Hephaestion's last days: I've always wanted to write something about this, but I never found the inspiration. This is the "default chapter", tell me what you think about it...:)

This chapter is for the sweet Silvia  ailes_de_verre

1.

Modo amisisse te videor: quid enim non "modo" est, si recorderis?

(It seems yesterday when I left you: but what doesn't seem so if you remember it?)

                                                                                Seneca,Epistulae ad Lucilium

Hephaestion felt the warm touch of the sun on his skin and turned to the balcony, looking at the blue sky darkened by thin clouds. The crisp morning's air made him shiver and he wrapped himself up the furs, stretching out an hand to the young man who slept beside him. He brushed softly the fair hair loose over the pillows and stroked those golden locks, then he slowly bent down to touch his lover's lips.

Alexander imperceptibly stirred in his sleep and Hephaestion pulled back, resting his hand near the King's face. He stared at him, then moved closer, sensing Alexander's breath warming him softly.

That night they had feasted and drunk until the dawn: Alexander had recited some passage from his favorite tragedies and he had talked about new campaigns, new conquests. He wasn't tired of wars: there was something inside him, an energy in his soul that drove him beyond all boundaries. Hephaestion had watched him, drinking and laughing, and he had felt happy, after the long journey, he could see again his Alexander surrounded with all he had conquered: he was the Great King they had always dreamed of.

He smiled trying to remember the first time he had met Alexander: he remembered a child who stubbornly tried to mount a too tall horse. And their first kiss, shy, shivering, behind a column of the temple of Dionysus, and then they had smiled and laughed.

Years of dreams and hopes, and their first battle, the fear of no longer seeing him, their first killed ennemy, the joy of meeting again among blood and injuried men, ragged and exhausted but alive and together still, looking into each other's eyes renewing an ancient promise.

The triumphs over Darius, over the betrayals, over the mysterious Asian tribes.  The long, exhausting and terrible march across the desert, the devastating hunger and thirst, but then again a great celebration, the wonderful marriage in Susa, all of them had hailed Alexander again and never Greek and Persian had been so united.

He had trembled for his King, thinking of the people plotting against him: he had trembled in Opis, when the Macedonian soldiers had rebelled against the Persian, but Alexander had triumphed over them too, and he had been the greatest again. 

And that King, the God the masses rose hymns to, through the altar's fumes, was sleeping beside him, hair loose over the cushions, lips slightly open, deep breath enveloping him with a warm embrace. 

Hephaestion stared at him, waiting for his awakening, waiting for the King to open his grey eyes, to smile and to drawn him in his arms and to kiss and to stroke him: they would be united one more time, before opening the doors to the world around them.

Babylon was waiting for them and far away Greece and their land, over there, among the rocky Macedonian mountains. Sitting in the palace of Pella they would remember great victories and painful days, embracing each other in the night as they always did: Alexander would rest his face on Hephaestion's heart and he would whisper words only for the two of them.

Hephaestion held Alexander with an arms, moving closer to him, peering at him, looking for signs of his awakening. Under his palm he sensed the heart-beat of his lover: he bent to brush his lips and Alexander smiled sleepy whispering Hephaestion's name. His lover held him tightly and suddenly a shiver struck him thinking of that emotion that made him shiver with joy but also with fear. An inexplicable fear.

What if I should die now?

No, I will not die. Not yet.

But if I died?

Such a short time it lasted. How many days, I wonder, since the first time I gave myself to him?

If death should come tomorrow, how many days would it be since our first day together?

How many, how many from the first moment he made me his own to the last day I made him mine?

Such a short time it lasted.

Hephaestion rested his face on Alexander's hair and the King lifted his gaze, his eyes sparkling and still dim with sleep. Hephaestion forgot that strange fear and smiled to Alexander, who started stroking his chest with his lips. The young general leaned into the soft touch, letting his hands slide over the King's back, pulling him closer. Alexander bent down taking him in his mouth and the room only echoed with soft, stifled moans and with the rustle of furs over naked bodies.

Alexander met his lover's shining gaze and kissed him deeply, hiding himself inside him. Hephaestion winced and held tightly his lover's hips, but soon relaxed, brushing an ear with soft lips:

- I'm yours, Alexander.

He felt his lover move inside him and hugged him with all his strength, stroking his neck, his shoulders, his back, stealing kisses from his lips. He felt him tremble and whisper his name and a shiver crossed his body while the warmth overcame him.

When they parted Alexander rested his head on his lover's neck, holding his chest with an arm. He felt Hephaestion's heart-beat beneath him and he whispered:

- My love.

Hephaestion turned again to look at Ecbatana's sky, then he caressed the King's hair and closed his eyes, smiling softly:

- My Alexander.

I remember. This was my dream.

But if it should come tomorrow?

I never wondered what to die means.

Such a short time it lasted.

TBC