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 13


Alexander’s quarters were in complete chaos when he arrived. Hephaistion could be heard bellowing out of pain and fury from down the hallway. Alexander charged into the room just as the angry general punched the physician sending him unconscious to the timber floor. The king dove into the fray. Hephaistion doggedly fought to exit the room only slowed by bouts of agonizing stomach cramps. He yelled for Alexander and his weapons as he raged against the many strong arms attempting hold him down.

“He won’t see reason, Alexander!” Nearchus hollered as he dodged a blow. “He needs the medicine to purge the poison from his system. Now the doctor’s down! Gods, you little Athenian bastard, be still boy! Hephaistion, be still!” The Cretan ordered as he tried to restrain Hephaistion’s left leg.

With that Hephaistion screamed as if he’d been impaled and tried to clutch at his mid-section but strong arms held him in check. “I will kill the man who did this. I will flay him alive with my own hands and eat out his heart!” Then in an instant, seemingly spent he finally collapsed into the arms of the four guards holding him.

“Get him on my bed! Send for another doctor! Bring me the medicine!” Alexander gave the commands with a certainty born from leading men for a lifetime. What ever uncertainty had assailed him earlier had been replaced with a sureness and calmness that immediately eased the tension in the room. In his own mind he was anything but calm.

Medicine in hand he sat on the edge of the bed. Hephaistion was pale, sweating and short of breath. Alexander read not just pain in the man’s eyes but hatred and terror.

“Not like this! Alexander. Won’t die like this!” His body arched as another spasm shot through it. “I will live to…” Another wave of pain silenced him. “to see these men dead by my hand…Patroclus’…hand! Arrrrgh…!

“Here, Hephaistion. Drink.” The sick man shook his head no. “You must. It is safe. I have made certain of it. Drink.” Still he refused. “Perdicass, take his head. Hold him now. Hold him! Gods, Hephaistion do not fight me!” He handed the draught to Nearchus. “Hold it firmly Perdicass, tip it back. Why make me treat you like a sick hound, my love. Farther, Perdicass, like giving medicine to a dog. That’s it. Keep his legs and arms pinned men!”

Alexander placed his huge hands on either side of Hephaistion’s face and pressed his thumbs forcefully into the squirming man’s jaw bone joint. At the same time he pushed downward with the heel of his hands on Hephaistion’s lower jaw effectively prying it open.

“Now, Nearchus! Quickly; then hold his nose!” Gray eyes burned into crystal blue as Alexander willed Hephaistion to swallow. “Swallow you stubborn sow of a man! Swallow or by the gods it’s you who’ll be flayed!” He grabbed the top of Hephaistion’s head by his bronze colored hair pulling it towards himself; at the same time he jammed his right hand beneath the sick man’s chin and pushed in the opposite direction forcing the writhing man’s mouth shut. “Rub his throat Nearchus! He has to swallow.”

Nearchus nodded when he felt Hephaistion swallow. “Again, Alexander!” The three men repeated the exercise until the draught was gone.

“Damn all of you!” Hephaistion spat. “Let up let me up! You‘ll not kill me today!” Hephaistion demanded but the excruciating pain in his gut sent him into uncontrollable spasms yet again. “’Xander…” Was all he could mutter as he fell back a limp pile of muscles onto the bed.

“The doctor has been revived, Alexander.” Perdicass said quietly in his ear.

“Send him in here. Hephaistion, hear me out. Easy man, just let the draught work. Be still. Promise me. If you struggle the poison works faster, love.”

“People…Xan…not ‘love’…general Heph….”

“It’s alright. Rest.” He stood and moved off to talk with the doctor as Hephaistion’s body again succumbed to spasms of pain. The sound of his friends cry of pain froze his heart.

The physician was dazed but able to talk. “I don’t think he got much Alexander, or he’d be gone already. He will be sick as a dog for short time though. The draught will help. I want him awake, I fear if he sleeps I might miss a worsening of his condition. The pain will be brutal but it is necessary. I am so sorry.”

“Take good care of him. You life depends on it, Leander.”

“Alexander, you must dress and go.” Perdicass stood holding Alexander’s cuirass. “There are urgent matters…”

“Hephaistion is the only urgent matter just now, Perdicass. Give me some time with him. Clear this room. Leave my armor and Milos only. He will attend me.”

“Milos, Alexander. The boys are all suspect…”

“Not Milos; bring him immediately!”

Perdicass cleared the room and conferred with Cleitus. A double guard was posted outside the rooms and Milos was brought in. The boy was terrified. He’d been dragged in with the other boys in Alexander’s rotation due to his closeness to Hephaistion. Alexander ordered him to prepare his armor and again went to Hephaistion’s bedside. He motioned the doctor to give them privacy and once the heavy door was closed he took Hephaistion’s shaking hands in his.

“You look awful.” He said trying to lighten the mood and ease his own terrified soul.

“Get me up! Damn it, Alexander!” His voice was not much more than a ragged whisper. The painful spasms having sapped the strength from his stout body. “Must…attend meeting. Can’t disappoint. Can’t let them see me weak again. Can’t….Oh! by the infernal gods of all that’s dark, Alexander it hurts! It fucking hurts. My guts are being ripped from me. I‘ll repay this…”


“Hang on, my Hephaistion. You did not get enough poison to die, but you will be sick for a short time. We don’t want you to sleep, we might miss it if you take a bad turn. Please try and bear up. Please. No tears, be they from anger or not. I know the pain of poison, love…just hang on. Milos will be with you. I have to go and see to matters. Hephaistion, you must get past this.”

“Promise me, Alexander.” Hephaistion hissed through gritted teeth. “Promise me this bastard will be mine to play with. I will get the truth. I…”

“There is no need for you to sully yourself so. Hephaistion, we’ve men for this. You…”

“Promise me!” It was a guttural plea wrenched from a pain torn soul. Hephaistion raised himself up on his elbows and stared into Alexander’s eyes. “Say it! He is mine! Mine, Alexander! I…arghhhh! I need no man to help me with this. I am more than capable of met….gods it hurts. Meting out my will…I know how to cause pain, Alexander, you know this!” He fell back onto the pillows.

Alexander wiped his head with the cool cloth that the doctor had left on the bedside table and spoke quietly to the man he loved more than any other. “I do, Hephaistion. I do and I pray daily to the gods that your life had not taught you such fiendish lessons. I wish that were not the case, because I hate that part of you! Rest…”

“Promise! Hate what you will, just promise me…” He grabbed Alexander’s hand and drew it to his chest and placed it over his heart. “As long as this heart of mine beats, my vengeance alone will render any enemy of yours dead. Your- life- is -mine…” he winced in pain, “Patroclus’. Patroclus’ alone. My Achilles, promise me!”

At the mention of their idols Alexander faltered. “You have my word.” He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Hephaistion’s; unbidden tears streaming down his stubble coarsened cheeks. “My sworn word.” The heat burning there did little to ease his mind. The man’s skin was scalding hot. He sniffled back tears and put on his best stern face. “You must get well first! Torture’s no fun with a belly full of pain! So, from now on, please do as Milos orders and ‘only’ Milos. The doctor’s orders will come through him. He is not to attend you alone without Milos at his side. Rest love. I will see you soon”

“Love. Really, Alexander, you mustn’t… call me that in mixed…. company.” He muttered softly without very much conviction.

Alexander smiled down at him. Now that Hephaistion had his promise of revenge, he was letting his exhaustion take over. His broad chest heaved in exertion, every breath a jarring stab of pain. Hephaistion’s voice was now thin and weak. Childlike. Alexander knew though that once that child was well, the man within would effectively and brutally exact his blood lust upon the perpetrators involved in the assassination attempt. He hated that side of Hephaistion. As a king he slew thousands, he ordered executions, he made life and death decisions everyday. But Hephaistion, he relished the brutality of punishment far more than Alexander had ever been comfortable with, far more than any of the other companions.

“Rest. Milos!”

“Yes, Alexander.”

“Is my armor ready?” He asked still dabbing at Hephaistion’s cheeks and neck.

“Yes, my lord.”

“I must go, love. But never, never again, Hephaistion, will I leave you in your time of need. I promise you.” He bent forward and placed a soft, lingering kiss on Hephaistion’s cracked lips. “Never, my love. Never.” He tore himself from the sick man’s gaze and ordered Milos into the other room to dress him.

“You are not to leave his side, boy, do you understand me, Milos?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“The doctor is not to administer to him alone. Do you understand, boy?”

“Yes, my lord.”

Alexander cinched up his belt and sheathed his sword. He made for the door. “One more order, Milos. You are to love him and care for him as I would. No different. Do you understand, my trusted friend?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Explain your duties to me in this matter Milos.” Alexander watched as the boy pulled himself up to his full height and stood proudly before his king, with black eyes blazing.

“Forgive me my impertinance my good…no, Alexander. But in this matter, I too am Alexander.” He bowed very low and gazed bravely into Alexander’s silver eyes after he stood. The sincerity of the lad’s response stunned and filled him with pride. Hephaistion had trained the boy well.

Alexander stepped out of the room and into the encircling ring of companions with a renewed sense of well being. Milos would indeed watch over his treasure. He put his concern aside and focused forward to the sad task at hand. Finding the traitors involved in the attempt on his life. His father’s words echoed round and round in his mind. To be a king means that you must be able to hurt the ones you love. “So,” he said quietly, not quite to himself, “Father, you were right, it has finally come to just that.”

“Excuse me, Alexander?” Philotas asked. He was walking on Alexander’s left.

“Just recalling some advice my father once gave me good, Philotas. Let us both hope that you are not on the receiving end of it.”