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Hephaestion hung in the doorway to the busy dining room of Parmenion's house in Pella, a small smile on his lips as he held onto the doorframe and leant sideways, looking straight at Parmenion and trying to catch his eye. It didn't take Parmenion long to notice his handsome but uninvited young guest, who looked him straight in the eye and gave him a dazzling smile. Others in the crowded room noticed the exchange and glanced at the doorway. After a moment, Parmenion dropped his eyelids with a slight bow of his head, giving Hephaestion permission to approach.
Hephaestion walked towards Parmenion's couch with all the confidence and authority of a young prince and the room inadvertently quietened with curiosity. He had returned from his ride with Alexander on his new horse and had gone straight to seek out Parmenion.
"What can I do for you, young man?" Parmenion said coolly.
Hephaestion smiled; briefly, sweetly, with a touch of wryness. "You owe me an assignment," he said lightly. His cheeks and eyes were bright with excerise.
"Do I?" Parmenion asked with studied innocence.
"You know you do." Hephaestion's expression of sweetness and his light tone had not changed. If he felt any nervousness about bearding the lion in his den, he did not show it, but Parmenion owed him for trying to manipulate him.
Parmenion studied him for a brief moment, then looked down at the cup he held and swirled the wine. He looked up, his face and voice now focused, all business.
"I need someone to command the escort for a silver payment to the shipwrights at Amphipolis. Report to my commander Meleager first thing in the morning and he will arrange the escort. You leave the morning after at dawn."
Hephaestion had imperceptibly straightened, head up, his features sharpening as he gazed steadily at Parmenion. He bowed very slightly, elegantly. "You have my thanks," he said, then gave Parmenion a mischievous smile, turned and walked out of the room.
Amyntas, one of Philip's senior commanders, was reclining on the couch next to Parmenion. He turned with an incredulous look to his host, cup forgotten in his hand. "You're not seriously giving the escort for the silver payment to that child? He'll be robbed before he's out of sight of the city."
Parmenion shrugged, and looked down at his wine. "I'll make it good if he does, but he won't." He looked up at Amyntas and gave a half smile. "Meleager will send someone sensible with him. The boy's not a fool," he said, setting down his cup. "I've a bit of a soft spot for our Hephaestion. Once he learns to stop relying on Alexander's judgement, I think he could be formidable."
Amyntas quirked an eyebrow at him and buried his nose in his cup. "Are you sure you're not thinking with your bollocks?"
Parmenion roared with laughter. "Maybe," he said, retrieving his cup and settling himself comfortably. "But it's worth a try, isn't it? Alexander is going to be a force to be reckoned with, and that boy is the key to him. He has a lot more influence over Alexander than he realises, so I want him on my side."
**
Hephaestion caught up with Alexander and his group of friends as they were going into supper.
Perdiccas looked at Hephaestion as he joined them and said, “What’s up with you? You look like the cat that got the cream.”
Perdiccas was the same age as Alexander and Hephaestion, and like Alexander he was a prince, an Orestian prince. His father was all but a king, except for Philip’s greater power and strength, so positions of command were Perdiccas’s birthright, like Alexander’s. He had been commanding army units for the best part of the past year, while Hephaestion was simply a trooper in the king’s bodyguard when not serving as a Page to the king.
Hephaestion suddenly felt embarrassed about boasting about such a minor achievement as obtaining an assignment from Parmenion, so he grinned at Perdiccas, who didn't have to go begging for a command like he did. “None of your business,” he said.
“Oh, come on,” Harpalus said. “Tell us what’s got you all purred up. Today’s been really boring.” Harpalus was another who was practically a prince, a relative of one of Philip’s wives, but he was lame and would never be a soldier. Alexander liked him though, and his family would look out for him..
Alexander was on the other side of the group and had missed the first part of this exchange as he had been talking to Leonnatus - yet another prince, a Lyncestian prince a couple of years older than Alexander and related to his grandmother. "What's this?" Alexander asked, moving forward through the group. There was another prince at his shoulder, Langarus, a real prince this time, a guest- hostage of Philip's, who would one day be king of the Agrianians.
Hephaestion looked at Alexander. "Parmenion," he said, and Alexander understood. Sometimes Hephaestion wondered what on earth he was doing in this company of princes. He couldn’t bring armies or wealth to support Philip or Alexander, all he could bring was his friendship with Alexander and sometimes he wondered if that was enough. He knew Alexander was loyal to his friends, but all he could give him was his devotion.
"What's my father got to do with it?" Hector, the youngest of Parmenion's sons asked.
"Oh, for god's sake," Hephaestion said, exasperated at this inquisition. "Your father's given me an assignment to go to Amphipolis. That's all; end of story."
"Excellent," Alexander said, linking his arm through Hephaestion's and drawing him forward. "Let's go. I'm hungry and they'll be waiting to serve dinner." As they moved into the dining room, Ptolemy came up beside them. He was a bit older than them, a full-time army officer, but not a prince. He was one step up from Hephaestion and could call on troops to serve the king, which Hephaestion couldn't.
"If you're acting as an escort and don't get robbed, Hephaestion," he said, "watch out your own men don't stick a knife between your ribs, and blame it on robbers." It might have been meant well, but he said it loud enough for others to hear, and they looked to see how Hephaestion took the advice.
Alexander felt Hephaestion stiffen, but he merely said, "I will," a trifle coldly.
Alexander took the conversation to himself. "Thank you, Ptolemy." He looked up at Hephaestion, who had had a growth spurt recently and asked, "When do you leave?"
"Day after tomorrow." Hephaestion was suddenly feeling a bit nervous. As everyone dispersed to their couches, he looked at Alexander and smiled. "Wish me luck."
"You don't need it," Alexander said, plonking himself down on his couch. "What have you got to do?" It had occurred to him that he should have found an assignment for Hephaestion, but knew it would be seen as favouritism and it wouldn't carry the same weight as a assignment from a senior general like Parmenion. He wasn't sure either he had the authority to do it yet as his father might get annoyed at him issuing orders when he was at Pella. Hephaestion was two or three years behind Alexander in command experience as he did not have a powerful father or wealthy relatives to put him forward as most of the rest of Alexander's friends had. And he wasn't yet old enough to be promoted on merit alone. Alexander was going to have to give this some thought, yet he was also sure Hephaestion was good enough to make it on his own once he was given the chance.
Perched on the end of Alexander's couch, Hephaestion told him what his assignment was. Alexander resisted the urge to offer advice, having full confidence in Hephaestion's intelligence. It wasn't his first assignment, although taking pack mules to the army camp hardly counted. It was the experience Hephaestion needed, not advice.
Hephaestion had just realised he was going to have to ask the Master of Pages for permission to go, which he had forgotten about, but it would have to wait until tomorrow. He looked around the room, troubled. Servants were bringing in fruit and bread, serving wine before the meats and hot food were brought in. They were serving young men, princes, all friends and contemporaries of Alexander. This had become the young men's dining room, Alexander's court, while the king dined with his own friends and generals.
"Alexander," he said, "what am I doing here?" He waved his hand towards the other end of the room where Alexander's cousin Amyntas, who by rights should be king and was Alexander's biggest rival to be Philip's heir, was laughing with his cronies, including Alexander the Lyncestrian, another potential rival. "This room is full of princes. Why am I here? I'm nothing compared to them. I can't bring you armies or money like they can."
He looked at Alexander, who wouldn't look up at him but, curled up in the corner of the couch was concentrating on paring an apple.
"Are you going to start playing silly beggars on me and tell me you don't want to be my friend again?" His tone was a little ominous. He had spent the last week without Hephaestion's company, thought he had got him back, and now suddenly Hephaestion wanted to be independent from him again.
"No," Hephaestion said, a little startled. "I am just asking why I am here. Is it because of my pretty face?" His tone had hardened.
Alexander looked up at him from under his eyebrows. "Don't you dare," he warned.
"What? What use am I to you when you aim to become king some day?"
Alexander froze and looked at him as if he had hit him. "Do you really want to have this conversation here? Because I am not fucking saying I love you. Right?"
"Why?" The word was startled out of Hephaestion. "I wasn't asking you to." He was annoyed that he appeared to be asking Alexander to validate their friendship. What he really wanted to know was what his role was in Alexander's ambitions, and if he even had one.
"Because I don't."
They had kept their voices low, but the shock must have shown on Hephaestion's face as Ptolemy wandered over. "Are you two rowing again?" he asked casually, cup in hand.
"Fuck off, Ptolemy," Alexander said, his voice still dangerously low. He was avoiding eye contact again, like he didn't want to be provoked.
"Hephaestion," Ptolemy said, ignoring him, "whatever it is that's going on, even if it's not your fault, apologise and make it up with him. He's important; you're not. He's been like a bear with a sore head this last week while you wouldn't talk to him. So sort it out."
Hephaestion looked up at Ptolemy like a bewildered five year old, not understanding, but Alexander moved suddenly, scooting forward to sit on the edge of the couch beside Hephaestion. "Go away, Ptolemy," he said, his tone normal now.
Ptolemy wandered off and Alexander, his thigh close against Hephaestion's, said quietly, "You're here precisely because you're not a prince. This lot are all looking to augment their own status through me, and they would supplant me if they got a chance. Or they would go to war against me one day when I become king if their own power grew too great. You don't have that power base they do, so I can trust you not to betray me. I trust you completely. Does that satisfy you?"
Hephaestion met Alexander's gaze, and for a moment thought they were alone. "I understand," he said quietly.
At that moment Ptolemy returned with a cup of wine in each hand. He handed one carefully to Alexander, then passed the other to Hephaestion. "Here, have a drink," he said. "Get drunk." Then he clipped Hephaestion lightly round the head. "Cheer up," he said. "It might never happen." And he walked away again.
Alexander looked after him, then intently back at Hephaestion. "You are every bit as good as they are, same as he is. A man is only as powerful as he makes himself. You know my father's court is open to ambitious men of merit. And you are one of them."
He surged to his feet, holding his wine cup aloft. "To us, my friends!" he said. "The future is ours and together we will conquer the world, heroes all!"
He was greeted with loud cheers and shouts as his companions raised their wine cups in response. He sat back down, a little flushed as he grinned surreptitiously at Hephaestion and drank from his cup. Hephaestion grinned back at him, but any reply he may have made was lost in the flurry of activity as the servants brought in tables, meats and hot dishes.
As they began to eat, Alexander said quietly to Hephaestion, "It's not true, you know."
"What's that?"
"That you're not important. Because you are." He wasn't looking at Hephaestion, but concentrating on the food on his plate. "You are very important to me." He looked up at Hephaestion. "Don't ever forget that," he said softly, then leant forward and quickly kissed his lips.
Cheers and applause erupted around the dining hall, and Alexander looked up, his eyes round. Cheeks aflame, he smiled widely and raised his wine cup to acknowledge the cheers, looking around and catching the eyes of each of his friends, acknowledging their humour.
"We are watched," he said softly to Hephaestion. "You see why I cannot show favouritism to you."
"I do," Hephaestion said, looking rather warm but unembarrassed. He was smiling as he touched his wine cup to Alexander's. He held his eyes proudly for a moment, knowing that he was never going to be able to give Alexander a kiss in public. He would have to wait for Alexander lest he be accused of presumption, and Alexander was going to be very careful not to detract from his dignity. So a kiss was going to be a rarity.
"It would ruin your respect," Alexander said quietly.
"I know," Hephaestion said, looking into his wine cup. His jawline clenched. "And I will earn that respect ten times over. For every promotion you are able to give me, they will know that I have earned it." He drank deeply from his cup.
When he looked up, Alexander was smiling broadly at him, his eyes shining proudly. Ignoring the food and wine he reached out and caught hold of Hephaestion, giving him a long kiss. Ignoring the cheers and noise, he pulled him down onto the couch so that they could extend the kiss. They had spent a week apart, and Alexander reckoned he had earned a little self-indulgence.
When they broke the kiss, he laughed and Hephaestion chuckled back at him. They struggled upright and though there was a lot of noise going on, nobody seemed to be paying much attention to them anymore. They both knew better however, but they made themselves comfortable, reclining on the couch against each other, and they settled down to eat their fill and enjoy the company this evening. Dignity had blinked for a moment and could resume her position tomorrow.