Meliora; Chapter 3: River Games
Story Info
Title: Meliora
Author: Del Rion (delrion.mail (at) gmail.com)
Fandom: Alexander the Great
Era: Spanning the years between 342-323 B.C.
Genre: Romance, drama
Rating: M / FRM
Characters: Alexander, Hephaistion (Bagoas, Olympias, Roxane and several others mentioned)
Pairing: Alexander/Hephaistion
Summary: Through the years and across the miles, one man held Alexander’s heart.
Work in progress.
Warnings: Sexual situations between two men (slash), description of violence, brutality, war and death.
~ ~ ~
Chapter 3: River Games
Bactria, 327 B.C.
Celebration for any reason was always a good way to create bonds with new acquaintances, and to lift the mood of the men who had already come so far - and who Alexander was going to take much father still.
The celebratory mood was still high after Alexander’s marriage to Roxane, and despite the differing opinions of some of his most trusted Companions, Alexander would not be swayed from his decision.
His only worry was Hephaistion, who had seemed more withdrawn after his marriage. Even now he stood further away, quite close to Alexander, and yet too far. Alexander knew nothing between them had changed, nor would it ever change because his love for Hephaistion was different from any other emotion he would ever feel for anyone else.
Whether Hephaistion doubted that, he did not know, but the man should feel no need for such dark thoughts.
Roxane, of course, had not taken well to the idea of Alexander’s involvement with Hephaistion, and Alexander hoped that one day she would understand. If she did not, then all Alexander could hope for was for her to hold her peace.
Again he looked towards Hephaistion, and as if sensing it, the other man looked up, his blue eyes piercing in the dancing light of fire. He had a goblet in his hand, but he did not seem to be interested in drinking tonight. That did not stop the others, of course, and like on so many nights before, Cleitus seemed inclined to have a word or two with Hephaistion. Alexander never interfered, trusting Hephaistion to deal with it. Cleitus would not dare to do much, anyway, knowing Alexander’s wrath would be inevitable if he crossed that line.
His wife shifted beside him and Alexander returned his eyes to her, once again awed by her beauty. He had never seen one like her before, with such spirit…
Roxane was looking at something, and Alexander followed her gaze, surprisingly finding that she was looking at Hephaistion, who was returning her gaze. Alexander could almost feel the intensity of it, and he knew that these two would never be at ease with each other, for they both loved Alexander too much, and neither would back down.
Yet the days were not so far gone when there had been no one else close to him but Hephaistion, for everyone else had been driven away by their strong bond.
Macedonia, many years before…
There was one smaller river that managed to flow throughout the heat of summer, and it had a few places where the currents were not too strong to swim in. The youths would gather there once free of their duties, to enjoy the water, wrestle on the sandy banks or just lie in the sun as the riverbanks had a pleasant cover of grass before the sun burned it away.
Often after taking a swim, and perhaps entering some kind of competition with the others, Alexander would lay on the grass, Hephaistion close by his side. Today was one of those perfect afternoons when the temperature was starting to go down, yet it was still pleasantly warm, and a group of girls had come to join them, laughing and screaming from being sprayed with water, awed by the prowess of the young men as they started another contest just to amuse them, or they would just sit there, combing their hair and talking in soft voices.
Many of them would look over at Alexander, knowing who he was, but the son of Philip had no interest in them. Sometimes they would come and talk to him, and he would talk back to them, but eventually they would just drift away and return to their friends.
A few of them were glancing at him now, blushing whenever he looked back, yet none of them dared to come up and speak to him.
Beside him, Hephaistion kept an eye on the goings-on, then after a bit he looked up at Alexander. “Should I move away from you so that those young maidens will dare to come up and speak to you?” he mused.
Alexander pondered that, although he knew the answer already.
Hephaistion’s presence beside him did not always scare them off, but they all knew; as long as he and Hephaistion were together, that was where his heart lay. And they would be together forever, Alexander knew. Nothing would change that. Beyond polite conversation, Alexander wanted nothing from those young maidens whom the other boys found quite alluring.
“No,” he finally told Hephaistion. “Stay right where you are.”
Hephaistion smiled, pleased with his answer no doubt, and even the last of the girls gave up and looked away from them.
Alexander wondered if anyone would ever come between Hephaistion and himself. Of course he would not let that happen, but perhaps there would be those who tried. What kind of people would they be? Where would they come from? What would their lives be like when that day came?
One thing was for certain: even then, Hephaistion would be at his side. They would see that day together, perhaps not lying on grass like today, but wherever they went, the other boy would always be right there at his side. No one could take Hephaistion’s place, ever.
to be continued…
Story Info
Title: Meliora
Author: Del Rion (delrion.mail (at) gmail.com)
Fandom: Alexander the Great
Era: Spanning the years between 342-323 B.C.
Genre: Romance, drama
Rating: M / FRM
Characters: Alexander, Hephaistion (Bagoas, Olympias, Roxane and several others mentioned)
Pairing: Alexander/Hephaistion
Summary: Through the years and across the miles, one man held Alexander’s heart.
Work in progress.
Warnings: Sexual situations between two men (slash), description of violence, brutality, war and death.
~ ~ ~
Chapter 3: River Games
Bactria, 327 B.C.
Celebration for any reason was always a good way to create bonds with new acquaintances, and to lift the mood of the men who had already come so far - and who Alexander was going to take much father still.
The celebratory mood was still high after Alexander’s marriage to Roxane, and despite the differing opinions of some of his most trusted Companions, Alexander would not be swayed from his decision.
His only worry was Hephaistion, who had seemed more withdrawn after his marriage. Even now he stood further away, quite close to Alexander, and yet too far. Alexander knew nothing between them had changed, nor would it ever change because his love for Hephaistion was different from any other emotion he would ever feel for anyone else.
Whether Hephaistion doubted that, he did not know, but the man should feel no need for such dark thoughts.
Roxane, of course, had not taken well to the idea of Alexander’s involvement with Hephaistion, and Alexander hoped that one day she would understand. If she did not, then all Alexander could hope for was for her to hold her peace.
Again he looked towards Hephaistion, and as if sensing it, the other man looked up, his blue eyes piercing in the dancing light of fire. He had a goblet in his hand, but he did not seem to be interested in drinking tonight. That did not stop the others, of course, and like on so many nights before, Cleitus seemed inclined to have a word or two with Hephaistion. Alexander never interfered, trusting Hephaistion to deal with it. Cleitus would not dare to do much, anyway, knowing Alexander’s wrath would be inevitable if he crossed that line.
His wife shifted beside him and Alexander returned his eyes to her, once again awed by her beauty. He had never seen one like her before, with such spirit…
Roxane was looking at something, and Alexander followed her gaze, surprisingly finding that she was looking at Hephaistion, who was returning her gaze. Alexander could almost feel the intensity of it, and he knew that these two would never be at ease with each other, for they both loved Alexander too much, and neither would back down.
Yet the days were not so far gone when there had been no one else close to him but Hephaistion, for everyone else had been driven away by their strong bond.
Macedonia, many years before…
There was one smaller river that managed to flow throughout the heat of summer, and it had a few places where the currents were not too strong to swim in. The youths would gather there once free of their duties, to enjoy the water, wrestle on the sandy banks or just lie in the sun as the riverbanks had a pleasant cover of grass before the sun burned it away.
Often after taking a swim, and perhaps entering some kind of competition with the others, Alexander would lay on the grass, Hephaistion close by his side. Today was one of those perfect afternoons when the temperature was starting to go down, yet it was still pleasantly warm, and a group of girls had come to join them, laughing and screaming from being sprayed with water, awed by the prowess of the young men as they started another contest just to amuse them, or they would just sit there, combing their hair and talking in soft voices.
Many of them would look over at Alexander, knowing who he was, but the son of Philip had no interest in them. Sometimes they would come and talk to him, and he would talk back to them, but eventually they would just drift away and return to their friends.
A few of them were glancing at him now, blushing whenever he looked back, yet none of them dared to come up and speak to him.
Beside him, Hephaistion kept an eye on the goings-on, then after a bit he looked up at Alexander. “Should I move away from you so that those young maidens will dare to come up and speak to you?” he mused.
Alexander pondered that, although he knew the answer already.
Hephaistion’s presence beside him did not always scare them off, but they all knew; as long as he and Hephaistion were together, that was where his heart lay. And they would be together forever, Alexander knew. Nothing would change that. Beyond polite conversation, Alexander wanted nothing from those young maidens whom the other boys found quite alluring.
“No,” he finally told Hephaistion. “Stay right where you are.”
Hephaistion smiled, pleased with his answer no doubt, and even the last of the girls gave up and looked away from them.
Alexander wondered if anyone would ever come between Hephaistion and himself. Of course he would not let that happen, but perhaps there would be those who tried. What kind of people would they be? Where would they come from? What would their lives be like when that day came?
One thing was for certain: even then, Hephaistion would be at his side. They would see that day together, perhaps not lying on grass like today, but wherever they went, the other boy would always be right there at his side. No one could take Hephaistion’s place, ever.
to be continued…
Story Info