What Price Fury

Title: What Price Fury
Rating: PG for now.
Fandom: Stones movie

Summery: Not For the first time in their relationship Hephaistion is a victim of Alexander’s wrathful temper. Mitigating issues play a part weakening the faithful General’s defenses causing him to retaliate and havoc ensues before the two can reunite. I can’t help but feel as though these two had there fair share of brawls. Egos aside…besides Hephaistion’s got other things on his mind.

Genre: Anger and angst and reconciliation

Warning: Implied rape and sexual brutality. It’s there because I couldn’t see the scenario honestly with out it. That would have been a manufactured environment.

Reviews: Please send advice to rothalion@hotmail.com and thanks!

Disclaimer: Mr. Stone for this one, he brought them to life so we can torment them! Not purely movie driven I tweaked it a bit.


Thanks: To everyone who awaits updates to this tale and all who provide encouragement. Once again I thought that this chapter would lean toward a conclusion but it seems instead to have opened up the thing to more stuff…we’ll just have to see where it goes. Do not despair. Leave that to me…. . Ahhhh…what else…..I could keep going over it trying to edit all my punctuation glitches and what not but…since I stink at that lets just try and post the damn thing!


Chapter 12

Hephaistion awoke slowly with a feeling of unease. His stomach was jittery and his head throbbed a bit from his planned yet foolish consumption of too much wine the night before. Once the wedding had been completed it had taken only a matter of days for Alexander to fall back into his normal superhuman pace. War councils were being held three times daily, scouting parties had been tripled, spies had been re-dispatched far and wide and Hephaistion had been given no quarter when it came to reassuming his varied and multiple duties. The tired general had worked through the night on three of the previous five days only napping briefly. This had been his first chance to truly sleep all night and he used the free flowing wine to make sure that he did.

The groggy man stumbled from his bed and wandered to his chamber pot. He pissed with a low groan and arched backwards stretching sleep stiffened muscles. Then wiping the remaining sleep from his blue eyes he threw on a heavy robe, roused a sleepy Milos, asked him to fetch a hot breakfast and headed for the door. Again a sense of unease assailed him and he stopped in his tracks. Returning to his weapons rack he belted on his sword and made his way out of the fortress. Hephaistion was mostly ignored by the servants and slaves wandering about the dimly lit hallways. The posted sentries gave him his proper salute but no words were spoken. Just as he reached the exit he was stopped by Nearchus. They spoke briefly and planned to meet later in the day for a sparring match. Hephaistion had been out of commission for a while and Alexander had ordered Nearchus to whip the young man back into fighting shape. Hephaistion had reluctantly agreed, and was now regretting the decision. Nearchus, while not a tall man, was a thick brutish fighter and he was giving Hephaistion fits. He also, although the two were fast friends, seemed to have taken a twisted relish in tormenting the younger general, making keen sport of him. They parted and Hephaistion cursed his sour luck. He’d hoped to avoid the daily exercise and get a bit more work done on his bridge designs.

The morning air was cold and the brisk wind blowing down off the mountains whipped his long hair around his face. Hephaistion hunkered down in his furs and headed for the command tent. He needed some maps to complete one of Alexander’s many assignments and planned on studying them over breakfast. Now was the best time to procure them. The command tent would be empty, so he did not have to concern himself with running into any rivals. As he crossed the courtyard he was surprised to see Alexander exiting the billowing structure. The king was still dressed in morning clothes and a heavy robe. It was not often that the two could see one another outside of council meetings and crowded banquets so Hephaistion quickened his step, in hopes of having at least a few cherished moments to chat with his companion. As he walked he noticed a page exiting the tent with a cup of wine. Before he could give the drink to Alexander the king saw Hephaistion and began to walk toward him. The boy was forced to follow along bearing the warmed beverage.

“Hephaistion!” Alexander beamed. The broad smile cheered the groggy general and he stepped forward and into Alexander’s outstretched arms. The two men embraced tightly and parted. “

“Alexander, working so early, and after the night you had last night?”

Alexander chuckled and pushed a bit of Hephaistion’s wind tangled hair behind his right ear. Then grinned as the mountain breeze tore it free again. Hephaistion shrugged and smiled. “For you, my King. It is you who loves it long. Is it not.” He bowed mockingly and was rewarded wit a swat on his ass.

“Aye, it is. But you know I love and appreciate all the tortures that you suffer for me Hephaistion. Are my sketches done yet? And my supply figures. How about the trail heads between here and the south road. Or, General Hephaistion, have you been too busy growing and primping this hair of yours.” They laughed, and Alexander couldn’t help the flood of relief that he felt. Was it possible that he had his Hephaistion back? “Yes. To answer your question. The eastern spies brought me word of Bessus during the banquet. I spent the night planning some raids on outlieing settlements. We will discuss them later at the morning council.” The wind blustered and Hephaistion pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders. “Gods, Hephaistion! Your frozen, man.” He turned and took the large ceramic cup from the boy and handed it to his friend. “Here, it will warm you. I’ve a belly full already. Drink up now. For the life of me I don’t know why you are always so chilled.”

“Yes, chilled. Thanks. It’s always cold here it seems. Never really gets warm.” He held the cup between his palms and relished in the warmth it provided. Finally, his hands warmer, he raised it to his lips and took a large sip.

Alexander having seen Hephaistion drink turned to the page intending to order a cup for himself. He was stunned when the boy dropped to his knees his face a mask of pure terror. Alexander acted instinctively and backhanded the cup from Hephaistion’s mouth. Before Hephaistion could respond, Alexander struck him forcefully between his shoulder blades causing him to cough up the liquid in his mouth, he then grabbed the confused general by the back of his head and rammed three fingers down the man’s throat causing him to retch and drop to his knees. He repeated the action as he called for guards and ordered the area sealed off.

The guard ran up as he made Hephaistion vomit a fourth time. “Arrest him; put him under guard, no harm will come to him! Not yet!” The armed men yanked the boy to his feet.

“Alexander!”

“No. Don’t speak! Hephaistion, swallow? Did-you-swallow!” He shook him by his shoulders. “Tell me! Ah Gods!” He looked to the pinking sky “Did you swallow? Poison! It was poisoned!”

“No. Don’t think so.” He rasped before spitting and grimaced at the taste of bile in his mouth. The thought of poison caused him to throw up again, dry heaves wracked his shivering frame. “Not a lot, if any. Up. I want up.”

“Send my physician to my rooms! Call the…” Was all he got out as Hephaistion drove past him in a blind rage. “Hephaistion, no!”

The young man rammed the hilt of his sword into the pages gut full force. Crushing his ribs and dropping him to his knees. Before the guard could drag him away he slammed it down into the page’s face breaking the boy’s jaw. “Who? Who sent you? Tell or by the gods I will flay you alive you….” He continued to scream as strong hands pulled him back. Alexander blanched and screamed out his name as Hephaistion doubled over in obvious pain and also fell to knees.

“My rooms now, with haste! If he dies on the way It will be your heads!”

Alexander swiped a hand through his tangled mop of hair and turned in a circle. Rare was the occasion that he found himself at a loss concerning how to react. Cleitus rushed forward and handed him his Kopis and dagger.

“The camp is sealed. No one in or out. You need to don armor, Alexander. We don’t know how big the threat is. The boy will be taken to the command tent and the rest of his watch is being rounded up now.”

“Good.” He tried to concentrate. Someone had tried to kill him. One of his own boys was involved, implying that it was Macedonian plot and not Persian.. Hephaistion could be dying. “Gather the men. Full armor. Call out all companions. Sound a full alert. As soon as everyone is armed and dressed. We will convene in the command tent. Double the guard there. And Cleitus,” he grabbed the older man by the elbow. “The boys, I do not want them touched until I speak with them. My order. Now I must dress and see to Hephaistion.” He waved a hand and was immediately surrounded by his personal guard. It was not lost to him that at his right hand where Hephaistion should be, Perdicass marched. The two made eye contact and the handsome blonde reached out and squeezed the king’s shoulder.