Title: F is for FURY. 1/3

Author: too_beauty

Feedback: yes, please any kind of them will help me to improve my writing or leave it forever.

Pairing: Alexander & Hephaestion.

Rating: PG

Category: Historical AU.

Disclaimer: I don't know the people involved; A&H belonged to themselves and to History, if not Phai would be among us, living under my "protection".

No beta, so all mistakes are mine.

Alexander went out of his royal tent near the bank of the river as soon as the messenger had announced the arrival of one part of his Army, but what it was more important was that among his men there was a brunette with blue eyes General that could take his breath away.

Everyone thought that their relationship would finish when Alexander got married to Roxane but it didn't; being now 35, they were still so much in love as when they started when they were 15. Alexander had been thinking about their incoming twentieth anniversary and he decided that he would do something special for his lover, very intimate and, if possible, away of curious eyes.

Alexander was standing outside his tent; Nearchos, his navy commander, was next to him and laughed loudly when he listened to Alexander whispering "ten months". He looked at his King's face and could see a man totally in love, his two coloured eyes were dancing with joy because they have distinguished his soul mate, wrapped up in a red cloak over a navy blue chiton, his auburn hair like flying in the air and his big and strong frame sitting in its full height on his precious mare.

"You are lucky, Alexander, to have such an amazing man by your side" said Nearchos.

"I know" the King said sighing at the approaching rider.

"He is not only a pretty face, he has proved several times his loyalty as well as his intelligence in very serious maters" the Cretan seaman added.

"Of course, I have never doubted about his skills".

As he was getting nearer, Hephaestion's features were more defined and Alexander could see those beautiful cerulean eyes he liked to get lost in.

"You were also lucky when your father decided that he should join the Cavalry and not my navy; if not, I'd have claimed him and gave him my full attention; I'd not have got distracted by wives and eunuchs." Nearchos said.

Alexander looked at him seriously and answered:

" I needed a heir, that's why I got married and Bagoas, well, he was a mistake" he replied.

"Yes, I understand the question with Roxane but the "mistake" is still around" Nearchos said with an angrier voice.

"Not anymore, he is now at the service of the queen and sleeping in the harem again." the King explained.

"Why did you do that?" the commander asked his friend.

"Because I recognized it was a mistake and from now on, I won't neglect my Phai any more".

The man of his desire was now at the entrance of the campsite and he, as well as the rest of his men, was greeted with shouts. Alexander could see that there were more followers at the back of the troops, children and women. Hephaestion stopped his march and let all the men enter the camp and then, to the king's dismay, a young and beautiful woman approached his General and gave him a lovely look and set a hand on his bare knee, Hephaestion looked at her and nodded with his secret smile, the one that only Alexander was allowed to see, especially because that tiny smile was reserved for their most intimate moments.

Alexander paled in seconds and Nearchos, who was still standing on his side, outstretched his hand to hold him. The King couldn't believe his eyes, his loyal and handsome Phai has taken a woman and to put the matter worse, he couldn't say a thing as he had a wife and another lover.

The general approached the King, dismounted and bowed slightly while greeting:

"Joy to you, my King" the blue eyed man said with loud voice.

"Joy to you, general Amyntor, hope your trip back was fine." The king replied seriously.

"Yes, it was, Thanks to Zeus, we are all safe but really tired, so if you may excuse me, I'd like to take a bath and some rest before I give you my report "

"Of course, general, take your time and send one of your pages whenever you are ready."

"Nearchos, glad to see that you are joining us, I really missed our conversations" and greeting the other man, he set his strong arm on the Cretan's shoulder and set off towards his tent, speaking in a very happy mood.

Alexander remained in his place for some minutes, trying to understand what had happened. He turned round and entered his tent. He went to the cabinet near his desk, poured some wine and sat on his bed, looking at the table which had been set for two, full of all Phai's favourite food and sweet treats.

On his way to the tent, the general's knees went weak but his friend Nearchos steadied him firmly as he had done before for his King.

When they entered the tent, the brunette man let himself fall on the couch.

-"Thanks, Nearchos, I'd not have been able to do it without your help, my friend."

- "There is something you must know, Hephaestion, he has left him"

- "Oh! But there will always be another one and I don't think I can tolerate anymore. I am still weak, my recovery is still very slow" and I don't have the strength to fight for him. I've already taken my decision and I don't want to suffer anymore, Nearchos, I can't." answered the general with tiredness.

- "But he has changed, my friend, you should have seen how his eyes lighten up when he saw you coming and how they darken when your woman touch you. I think he got the wrong impression"

- "It wasn't my intention, but maybe that will help to make our break-up easier" Hephaestion suggested.

- "Do you think so? Why after so many years have you taken this decision? This will break his heart, you know."

- "No, it won't, Nearchos, he is strong enough to get over me and he has others to comfort him."

- " It is not me who should say this but he told me that …" but he was interrupted by Hephaestion

- "So say nothing!" he said with a grumpy voice. "I need to rest Nearchos, my body hurts but my head is really killing me"

- "Rest, my friend, we will meet each other at dinner time" and saying that he left the tent.

Hephaestion sat on his bed, took out his red cloak and put it inside his chest, he then unlaced his leather boots and moved his toes gently; the large and deep wound that was along his left thigh and stomach was still infected, it had the shape of a half moon and even though he had been taking care of it properly, it hadn't healed yet.

He lied down on his cot and a sweet smell invaded his nostrils, it was a scent of honey and mint, a combination that Alexander used to wash his hair with, he began looking for the object that held the smell and he found a new chiton resting under his pillow, it should be one of Alexander's welcome presents. At the sight of this, his heart got heavy with sorrow and a pang of deep pain settled in it. He didn't want to take that decision but it was necessary. His firm resolution had nearly came into pieces when he saw Alexander so sad; in that moment he had only wanted to run towards him, hug and kiss him with all the love he had been nursing in his heart in the last ten months. He had missed him so much that he had even had nightmares.

Meanwhile, Alexander was still in his tent, his pages were a bit nervous because there was a mortal silence inside it. They could only listen to the King's pacing along the tent and his footsteps sounded heavier and heavier.

In a moment, a whisper started and the only distinguishable word was "Why?" "Why?" "Why?". The whisper became louder until it turned into a loud shout. Fury had taken control of the King and he was smashing things against the floor, being his first target a small bust of Hephaestion he had on his bedside table.

His eldest page Theo entered the inner chamber but he was sent out and banned to enter again. Theo ran out and entered Hephaestion's tent but the General was dead to the world, he really looked exhausted; so he went out to look for another Companion. Nearchos saw him running out of the general's tent and thought that something wrong had happened.

"Theo, slow down, what's the problem with Hephaestion?"

"Hephaestion is not the problem, it is the King, he is destroying the tent and he is yelling and calling names. I am really afraid, my lord."

"Don't worry, Theo, everything will be better in the morning, I hope so" Nearchos said.

Two hours later, the king stopped with his rant and stepped outside his tent and in that moment, he saw the same young woman going out of his Phai's tent, he also saw her stopping by the entrance and saying "Take care Tion, see you later."

"By Zeus's balls, he was tired to talk to me but he wasn't that tired to be onto her" Alexander murmured with an angry voice.

He felt his wrath rise in his body and decided that enough was enough and that if Hephaestion didn't want him in his life but he wanted her, that was what he would get but by Megaera, HE, the King of Persia and the known world, wouldn't make his life easy from now on.

Author's note: the Furies were three goddesses of vengeance: Tisiphone (avenger of murder), Megaera (the jealous) and Alecto (constant anger). Another name for them is the Erinyes.
Without mercy, the Furies would punish all crime.