Hello all,

This short story is inspired by Jun's new prompt Crash. This is a very good and useful one. I will probably use it more than once. This is an AR tale about Amanda. She is not very fond of Alexander's excessive drinking bouts. When an emergency occurs she has to make an appearance all the same.

All the best wishes, Read and enjoy,

/ NorthernLight

Gatecrashers At The Party

Maracanda 328 BC

Amanda loved and adored King Alexander. He was the very Sun in her life and she felt that it was the very best decision that she ever had made when she followed him and his dear friend Hephaestion back to Macedon and further on their long and glorious Campaigns.

Even the Sun has its faults and dark blotches.

King Alexander's was his drinking. It had become worse of late. There were drinking parties almost every evening. They went on forever and ever and ever. In the morning the guests were in a terrible state and Amanda had to boil more and more headache concoctions. It felt like she had picked all the wormwood and willow bark that was to be had in all of Persia and prepared it into Day After concoctions.

Amanda hated those drinking parties.

This evening there was another orgy going on. Amanda was very worried. Her common law husband Cleitus had been offered to become Satrap of Bactria. It was a most honourable assignment but he did not like it at all. He had always been close to the King. He was one of King Philip's most trusted men and now one of King Alexander's. He adamantly wanted it to remain that way.

Amanda wanted that, too. She was the King's Healer and she could think of no other station in life. It was very hard for her. She was torn between her King and her husband. She was needed by them both - and she did not know what to decide.

Mother Earth and Mother Nature would have to make the decision for her.

Tonight's orgy was intended to be Cleitus' farewell party.

Cleitus had gone to the festivities. Amanda remained in their home near the Royal Palace. She did not dare to go to sleep. The Omens had been to bad for that. Late in the evening she sat upright in her bed. Her dear little boys slept with their heads in her lap. Little Cleitus was five now, a big, black haired and sturdy boy. The twins Stefanos and Alexios were three years old, Stefanos was black haired and Alexios had a glossy dark brown hairmane. They were so sweet when they lay softly snoring in her lap. She gently caressed their heads, hoping that nothing bad would disturb their sleep.

Suddenly there was a dismal and forlorn bleating at her door. Two white and very fine sheep came into her bedchamber. They jumped and bleated and soon they even pulled at her blankets, dragging them down on the floor.

Amanda recognized these sheep.

They were the Sacrificial Sheep Cleitus was supposed to sacrifice to Dionysos. Whatever had made them come to her bedchamber?

Something most grave must be afoot!

Amanda rose from the bed. Her little boys woke up.

"Mother, what is it? "

"Nothing, I hope, my little Dear Ones, "she told them with false reassurance. "You must stay in bed and wait until I come back. Cleitus, watch over your little brothers."

"Yes, Mother, but we will come with you. I think that we all are needed. The sheep will guide us. "

Amanda did not stop him. She knew that her firstborn son had the Second Sight. It was very strong in him, quite unusual for a boy.

They all went after the sheep. Amanda reached out fore something to comfort her. She found the enormous jar with the headache concoction and held it under her right arm. As a small procession they all went towards the King's Palace. The sheep took them straight to the orgy going on. There was a brawling, singing and lewd talk so bad that Amanda told little Cleitus to hold his hands around the ears of his little brothers.

"You need not do that", the little ones prudently said. "We have heard it all before!"

On they went. As they came nearer the brawl became even worse - all until there was a total silence.

At that moment Amanda and her three boys entered the Banqueting Hall.

Amanda thought that she had seen all the worst horrors of the world on King Alexander's Campaigns.

She was to be proven wrong.

The sight at the King's Banqueting Hall was beyond belief.

King Alexander stood with a spear in his hand, red with anger, his golden hair flaming around him like a lion's mane. He pointed the spear towards her husband. Cleitus stood frozen and still, equally red, like an angry rooster.

Then Amanda saw what King Alexander meant to do. It was as if her Sun and hero had been possessed by an Evil Spirit. A great no, No, NOOOOO rose in her. She ran through the Hall in five swift leaps.

CRASH !

The jar with precious headache concoction landed on King Alexander's head. The King fell to the ground. The spear fell from his now lame and listless hand. Now it lay harmless on the stone floor. King Alexander lay unconscious in a great pool of wormwood and willow bark concoction.

Amanda stamped her small foot on the stone floor.

"Men! MEN! You are all the same. It seems that you must always argue and fight. This has to STOP!", she adamantly told them all. "Cleitus! You will come home with me - and you will remain with the King. There will be no Bactrian Satrapy for us!"

"Yes, Amanda, your are right, as always, but tell that to HIM , not to me, "Cleitus told his young wife.

Now one other came up to them, bringing calm and order. He was looking magnificent in a midnight blue chiton, golden belt around his waist, a golden chain with amethysts sparkling around his neck and a ribbon of the same precious stones upon his clear and calm brow, shining together with his wonderful blue eyes and his glossy auburn hair, so long and beautiful. The stones of Sobriety, most appropriate for their wearer.

It was the Lord Hephaestion. He put his arms around Cleitus and Amanda and gently patted their children on their heads.

"Amanda, it seems that you and your boys came as Gatecrashers at our party, just in the nick of time, "he told them. "I am most thankful. Now you andCleitus must go home and stay calm. I will see to Alexander, and in the morning I promise you that he will have returned to his senses."

The little family nodded in thanks before they went home.

For once, in Maracanda, sobriety and Common Sense ruled.

Another Satrap was appointed for Bactria and Cleitus and Amanda followed King Alexander and the General Hephaestion on their further Campaigns. They were his most trusted and faithful followers.

The End

Author's Note: You all know that Cleitus is one of my favourite characters. I would have wished that this AR could have been for real.