The Heart of Alexander

Chapter Eleven- Monsters

Alexander's P.O.V.

I laughed with the men as they merrily danced around the fire with wineskins in their hands. At that very moment I wanted to become a drunkard as well. Roxana had not gotten better in the few hours I had saw her. I even made my men stay yet another week in this camp for the sake of Roxana's health. The camp should have moved on by now to a new settlement to be able to pillage and invade a new city. What was this woman doing to me?

I retired for the night to look after dear Roxana. I sighed at the sight of her, wishing just for one moment that she would open those beautiful big brown eyes. I sat down on the ground beside her and she rested on the klinai. I laid my head down by her, my hands resting against her hands. Why had she not have gotten better yet? I thought back to the last thing that I said to her. How no one could ever love her. Why was I so stupid to say those words. Had I hurt her? If I could, I would take those words back instantly.

"So it is true then?"

I noticed Hephaistion was across the room, watching curiously.

"What is?" I asked.

"Every time I bring a new whore to my bed, I hear the gossip of this Roxana stealing Campaspe's destiny of becoming your wife. Are you still making false promises of Campaspe being your bride? That woman could never be a queen. We would all surely die," He joked. Even grown he still makes sad excuses of jokes.

"She is cunning. I will give her that," I replied.

"She was the one, wasn't she? The one you let escape during the invasion,"

I paused, looking up at him. I had forgotten how I rambled on about the luscious beauty of the girl I found in the Bactrian palace. How I thought she was 'too beautiful' to keep as a concubine. I remembered the moment when an angel had fallen into my clutches. The confused expression she had when I pushed her away to safety.

"Yes, she is. Now I finally have her in my grasp and I still can't seem to keep her," I spoke, my mind still drifting off into the memory of the first time I saw her.

"This Roxana. Do you plan to make her your bride then?" Hephaistion tilted his head, observing Roxana.

"We will see about that. Campaspe sure has met her match. Let us see if she can keep her position or not. The only thing with this Roxana, is that she is difficult. No matter my advances, she still keeps her distance from me. Her guard is always up against me," I confessed, my eyes drifting to her sleeping form.

"Women, I tell you. I have only heard of her actions, but I know the women do look up to her. She is the only woman in the camp who has ever put up a fight, especially after trying to kill you in front of the whole camp. She is brave, but she is also kind. I heard of the stories of how she rescued that boy who came with her, and the story of her saving the life of the our soldier even though she despised us. Those qualities go hand in hand to become a queen. You have already accomplished the goal of making the world fear you. Now you need to accomplish making the world adore you so they won't retaliate. She may be the key ," he explained.

"But this damn woman won't let me near her!" I growled.

"Have you forgotten you killed the one soldier she saved. How you made her leave her only home? Maybe your problem, Alexander, is that you don't see the things you did to her," Hephaistion reasoned.

With that, he left, leaving me to ponder those last words until I drifted off to sleep beside Roxana.

Roxana's P.O.V.

I saw Cassandra. She looked happy. As if she were in heaven. I saw Hortes, come from behind her, wrapping his arms around her small figure. She looked to him and smiled, pecking his cheek in the same loving fashion Mother used to do with Father. I looked behind me, pulling the window flap to see the treasure Egypt. She made it. She was finally safe in Egypt.

"Now it is your turn, sister,"

I looked to Cassandra as she took my hands in hers. A small smile appeared on her face as she tilted her head to the side. I gave her a confused expression and she returned it with a pleasant one.

"I am happy. It is time you are happy too. Let yourself love Alexander. He needs you," she spoke softly.

"I cannot love a monster,"

"All monsters were once like you, desperate and alone. But they embraced the other monsters inside their head," Cassandra said, "Don't let his monstrous ways turn you to hate as well,"

I smiled. For the first time in a long time. Once again, my little angel faded from my world, and I surfaced for the first time in what felt like forever.

____________________________________________________________________________________

I was still in the same place I was left at before, but this time, Alexander was asleep by my side, clutching my hands firmly. I smiled and lifted a hand from his grasp to go to his curls atop of his head. He stirred, but I still didn't remove my hand. I played with the curls that framed his handsome face. In my mind, I repeated the words Cassandra told me in my dream. All monsters were once like you, desperate and alone.But they embraced the other monsters inside their head.

As I observed him in his sleep, I realize he didn't look like a monster at all. He didn't even look like a king at this very moment. He looked like a broken man, a man begging to be loved by another. Could I love a man like him? No, I couldn't. Could I?

He stirred again, his eyes fluttered open in the process. Those blue orbs bore into me and I blushed, pulling my hand away from him. He grabbed my wrist abruptly. I flinched in fear.

"You're alive. I didn't think you would wake," he whispered.

"I thought when I would wake that this would all be a dream and I would be home again," I shot back. I saw his eyes flash with hurt as he dropped my wrist.

"Alexander, I have been waiting for you, what is taking so long-,"

Campaspe stood still at the entrance to the tent, she eyes staring at me in disbelief. She looked from me to Alexander, then back to me, as if making sure I was real. Then, she slowly backed out once more.

"Have I done something wrong?" I whispered.

"Never mind that. I will give you one more day of rest before leaving," he said firmly.

"Leaving?" I questioned.

"We are packing up camp and heading east. I promise you one more day of rest. You will need your energy for the trip, we don't know quite when we will set up camp again. I will return later tonight for you. I have business to attend to. Rest well, Roxana,"

With those last words, he looked away from me. I touched his arm reassuringly, but instead, he winced away. Like I had burned him. Did he believe I, too, was a monster?

Campaspe's P.O.V.

I stormed into his tent to catch him in the act of being under the blankets with some useless whore. The girl sat upright with Cleitus, clutching the covers under her body as if she had something to hide. What was the point? Who hadn't seen her body when she would put it on display for the whole camp? I shooed her out.

"I told you to give that damn drink to her! Why the hell is she not dead? Do not dare lie to me or I will have Alexander cut out your tongue!" I spat.

"Do you think I am stupid, Campaspe? All I had to do was look into your eyes to know you were plotting something. You always were the cunning one," Cleitus smirked, his eyes dropping from my face down to my body, making me smirk in return.

"Do you plan to tell Alexander?" I questioned innocently, turning up my charm. The same charm that had even the King on my leash.

"It has crossed my mind,"

I got down, crawling onto his pallet. His gaze was hungry looking, like he would devour me like a piece of meat. I crawled onto his lap, already feeling him erect against me. I smirked, whispering into his ear seductively, my tongue twirling around his earlobe for fun.

"Why don't we keep this our little secret then,"

He groaned at my words and threw me down beneath him, tearing at my bodice. I believed that was a yes.

WOAH! A TURN OF EVENTS!!!!! Haha not really, but there will be more just around the corner. What do you think Campaspe is plotting??