Alexander's Lover [Alexander the Great + Hephaestion | mxm]

V

That same year, Alexander's sister Cleopatra was wed to Olympias' brother. The wedding ceremony took place in Aegae, and it was a grand, lavish affair. A parade of floats carried Philip into the theatre, and he was named a god by his adorers.

Dignitaries from all over Greece were gathered. Alexander stood behind the podium with his father while Hephaestion smiled encouragingly at him from the audience.

The king stepped forward into the stadium to give a speech. He had left his guards behind, feeling invincible, when he was confronted by the captain of his bodyguards and his former lover, Pausanias.

The expression on Pausanias' face was strangely contorted, clouded with grief and rage. Alexander's heart began to hammer.

"Pausanias," Alexander heard his father start in a conciliatory tone.

In the next instant, the king doubled over, blood spurting from his midsection.

Pausanias immediately fled, and Perdiccas and Leonnatus took off along with several other men in pursuit of him. Alexander rushed to his father's side, greatly distraught. His hands trembled as he and the king's men tried desperately to revive Philip. Meanwhile, Hephaestion sought to comfort Alexander.

Throughout the chaos, Olympias looked on, unmoved.

When the king breathed his last, grief seized the crowd, who were stunned and looked at each other in bewilderment. The king was dead. And yet...

"The king lives!" A breathless Hephaestion grabbed Alexander's arm and lifted it in the air. "Alexander, son of Phillip!"