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

V

Hephaestion's eyes bore into Alexander's, willing him to understand. He knew they needed to act fast and crown him publicly so there would be no time to dispute or question legitimacy, or consider Philip's newborn child in his place.

"May the gods bless Alexander! Alexander is king!" Hephaestion lifted the crown from Philip's head and placed it on Alexander's.

The crowd joined him, swerving on a dime from their anguish to devotion for their new king.

Alexander was too stunned to weep.

***

That night, Alexander stole away with Hephaestion to the shade of their olive tree, where he wept and vomited, distraught over the murder of his father, and of Pausanias. The latter had been killed by spear during the pursuit. He wanted to feel relief, but he could not. Eight years prior, Attalus and the king's men raped Pausanias and the king refused to punish Attalus, preferring instead to elevate the boy's rank. This had been the ultimate revenge, and a tragedy.

"I should hate Pausanias but I pity him," Alexander wept into the shoulder of Hephaestion. "I should have loved my father but I hated him. He was a monster, Hephaestion. I will never, not ever, be like him."

He knew he was being rivalled for the throne, and could not bear to cede it to the wickedness of those rivals.

He had Attalus killed.