REDISOVERY by Moon71

SUMMARY: All change! After his wedding, Alexander increasingly struggles to come to terms with unpleasant events during Bactrian campaigns. Meanwhile, an unexpected slight causes Hephaestion to reassess himself and his relationship with Alexander.

STORY NOTE: Events in this story take place directly after my earlier story, A time for lovers. Though it isn't a direct sequel, and doesn't centre around Bagoas, readers might feel like referring to it for some of the sub-plots.

HISTORICAL NOTE: I have tried to be as accurate as I can about historical events. If I've stuffed up, it's my fault alone.

RATING: T for love scenes (tasteful of course), mild violence, scary bits and images of violent death (in Alexander's nightmares)

DISCAIMER: If anything like this ever happened, I'd be surprised. Not mine.

DEDIDCATION – This story owes its existence to my dear friend Fredericka, who thought up the idea, suggested the setting, put forward lots of useful ideas, read through the many drafts, listened to me complain and generally worked to the prize loose crushing grip I – no, I mean, Alexander had on Hephaestion's gonads, to let him have a bit of fun. The story started life as a bit of a laugh, but became increasingly more complex and serious when I looked into the times immediately surrounding Alexander's wedding and realised he had had quite a run of bad luck around that time. As such, it was a very difficult story to write! Thank you my jaan, I could not have done it without you!

Grateful thanks are also owed to all of you who have unwittingly contributed to this story, either by answering my direct questions or just by your fics, reviews and lj discussions. In particular, Coral Dawn, Joyeee, Parisad, Barbara, Euripides, Selket, Norskken, Trust No One, Tionsbabe, Qaddafi, Balliansword and Purple Lolly. And to Marina – no Amyntor, but a little Hylas.

REFRENCES!

Yes, I know it's a bit odd to include a notes page in a fic, but this is such a long one and draws on a number of sources, so I thought it would be simpler to have them all together rather than explaining chapter by chapter!

PEOPLES, PLACES AND OBJECTS:

ORONTES, MITHRANES AND THE ARMENIOI -While the Armenioi delegation are obviously my own creation, the story of Orontes and Mithranes is sadly true. The Armenioi, probably known to themselves as the Uratians, now known as the Armenians, apparently had Darius as their Satrap before Grand Vizier Bagoas made him Great King; they were famous for their horse breeding and sent a large cavalry to the aid of Darius (not that it did him much good!) Their principal deity was Vahagn, a god of war and fire born from a volcano. The Romans later associated his cult with Vulcan (the Greek Hephaestus), but he would probably liken himself more to Mars / Ares!

ANAHID / ANAHITA was another very popular deity in Armenia, a goddess originally of water, later associated by Alexander with Artemis. "Anahid" remains an extremely popular girl's name amongst Armenians – I am dubious about the variation "Anahita"; to me it sounds like a Roman variant rather than a Greek or Armenian one – a bit like Roshanak becoming "Roxana"! However, I have used both spellings of both names to emphasise the cultural and linguistic differences between Macedonians and Persians.

OBSIDIAN – Black volcanic glass, which can be turned into beautiful jewellery. It can be found scattered all over the hillsides in Armenia, and it would make sense for the ancients to have made use of it as we do. The qualities Hephaestion ascribes to it are not specifically Persian – but they sound strangely appropriate!

SHERBET – also known as shabat, is traditionally a drink made with fruit juice and spring water or snow. (I am a big fan of lime sherbet myself…) The drink / dessert is mentioned as Persian, but the name is more likely Arabic. Milk puddings made with almonds or rice or just lots of condensed milk are popular in the East; again I am only guessing that they were enjoyed by the ancient Persians too!

SOURCES

For some reason, Quintus Curtius Rufus and his history of Alexander always seems to come to my aid. I always find him the most useful source for anecdotes of Hephaestion in particular. To him I owe the details of Erigyius' golden moment and the name of the "lucky" fellow who succeeded Cleitos to the post of Satrap of Bactria. He is also the source for Hephaestion's founding of cities in the area – though whether the number is as high as he says, and whether they were really cities or just fortified towns, I couldn't say!

LITERARY REFERENCES

In the effort to give my characters something intelligent to talk about I began reading Greek tragedy! Now I am addicted! If any of you were like me, feeling you won't understand it or won't enjoy it, give it a go!

HELEN - The traditional story of Helen of Troy is that she went to Troy with Paris and was brought home by her husband Menelaus. This is reflected in The Odyssey of Homer and in Euripides The Trojan Women (where she is the villainess of the piece!) However, Euripides later told an alternative story, of a "phantom Helen" going to Troy while the real one was stranded in Egypt, in his play Helen.

LYSISTRATA – The play performed at the festival is by comic writer Aristophanes; in the story, the women of Athens and Sparta, weary of their men constantly making war, impose a sex ban until they agree to make peace. It's genuinely funny as well as a relevant comment on war (though I don't know what Alexander would have made of the anti-war message!)

THE OCs!

Partly because this story is so long, it has quite a big cast list, many of whom have appeared before. For those of you who for some strange reason seem to think you have better things to do than memorise every story I've written, these are the main appearances of the buggers I've invented for my own perverse gratification:

ARA – A Time For Lovers

HYLAS - The Ivory Eros, The Substitute

IASON – The Other Half, Competing for Second Place

ADMETUS - The Ivory Eros, Competing for Second Place, The Substitute

HELENUS, NARCISSUS, NIREUS – Competing for Second Place

HYACINTHUS – The Other Half

AND FINALLY For anyone who has got this far – thank you for your patience!