Before AD [Babylonian Favorites]

This posture always reminds people of many Wangfu stones standing high on the cliff.

I collected myself and said softly, "Master Hephaestion, why don't you go in and sit down?"

"I'm just passing by here." He shook his head, took a quick look at me, and asked hesitantly, "Is... how is he?"

Recently?

I looked back at the figure in the tent, and forced a smile: "Why don't you go in and have a look yourself?"

Hephaestion hurriedly took a step back after hearing this: "No, no, Bagoas, don't tell him I've been here."

"grown ups?"

"I just looked at him, I didn't want to do anything." He lowered his eyes.

The atmosphere was a bit awkward at once, Hephaistion obviously didn't have the mood to speak anymore, I stood there uncomfortably for a while, and said: "In that case, my lord, I'm going in."

He nodded.

It seems that Alexander has been depressed these days, probably because of the cold war with Hephaestion, I didn't even see such an obvious thing.Thinking about it this way, the words he said while hugging me that day were actually meant to be said to Hephaistion.If the two of them hadn't become like this, maybe that scene would never have happened.

I head back.

"Don't tell him, please." Hephaestion's suppressed voice came from behind.

I silently kicked away the stones at my feet.Damn, why do I know this better than anyone else.

When the curtain was lifted, Alexander was still sitting there alone, his silhouette reflected on the tent like a clip art.He concentrated on looking at the papyrus in his hand, and his usually transparent eyes were bloodshot.

I walked over and said after a pause, "Your Majesty, would you like something to eat?"

Alexander seemed unaware.

When I think of someone outside staring at his shadow obsessively, I feel very uncomfortable.I want to know what happened between them, but to them, I am an outsider at all, and I have no right to ask these questions.

Just let them torture each other?

I lowered my head slightly.

If only Alexander could be happier.

I plucked up my courage, raised my head and said, "Your Majesty, I..."

"Bagoss, can you bring me some wine?" The papyrus was put down, and Alexander curled up his slender and straight legs as if he was sleepy.The butter lamp in the tent was flickering, and he leaned sideways on the table, his eyes covered by the shadow of his eyelashes.

"But Your Majesty, drinking on an empty stomach is bad for your body..."

"I know, Bagoas, I know it all," he interrupted slowly, "but sometimes you have to admit it's a good thing, if it's going to get you out of it for a while."

I remember he was not a good drinker.

His hoarse voice came from under his arm: "Usually I will depend on you for everything, just this time, Bagoas, let this king who is always on the road rest for a while."

"Your Majesty, you and Lord Hephaestion are angry, right?" I said.

Alexander raised his head suddenly: "What did you say?"

I raised my arm and pointed outward.

"He's just outside."

Alexander propped himself up and jumped up, before he even had time to straighten the crown on his head, he ran out of the tent in a hurry.There was a gust of wind blowing in front of him, and there was a light fragrance.The papyrus scattered all over the table was brought up, and then fell down one after another.

I froze for two seconds, squatted down, and picked them up one by one.

The sound of footsteps disappeared, and the tent was as quiet as if no one had been there.

I gathered the papers and stacked them, and one of the papyrus fell out accidentally.I picked it up slowly, but was attracted by the content above.In the lower right corner of the page, two children were drawn with childish lines. They were crossing their shoulders and laughing foolishly.On one side are two crooked but completely different handwritings.It's like a note that was secretly passed on to my friends in class when I was a child.

The thin papyrus is somewhat wrinkled, and there are traces of being blurred by water.

I endured and endured, but I still couldn't help rubbing my eyes with my sleeve, and stood up as if nothing had happened.

As soon as I turned around, I was caught off guard and staggered.

Alexander was still in the house!

He leaned his back against the curtain, buried his head in his chest, and grabbed the curtain with all his strength, even his bones were turning white, but he never opened it.After a long time, he slowly sat down along the tent.

I gently placed the papyrus into his little wooden box and closed it again.

Alexander looked up at the sound and gave me a hasty look.

"For Zeus's sake, Bagoas, please help me get the wine."

His voice was still gentle.

I walked up to him and knelt down slowly.My heart felt as if it had been wrung out of shape, bleeding from the pain.

"His Majesty."

Alexander covered his red eye circles with one hand: "Don't make me say it again."

I did wrong.If I knew he would be so stubborn that he wouldn't even look at Hephaestion, why did I bother to tell him?I thought I was helping him, but now he seemed to be suffering even more.

What can I do to make him feel better?It would be great if I could bear the pain instead of him.

I stopped talking and got up to go out.

The cool air under the night is a little humid.Hephaistion was still standing there, with a sword, a white robe, and hair in front of his eyes, but that posture did not change.

I didn't dare to stop, I went straight to find the cooking soldier, and turned back with a ceramic jar full of spirits.

When I passed Hephaistion again, I was stopped by him.

"What is this?" He frowned and pointed to the wine jar in my arms.

"liquor."

He bit his lips: "It's so late, he wants to drink?"

I nodded.

Hephaestion looked at me for a while, then suddenly said, "Did you tell him? Did you tell him that I was here?"

I was silent for a while, then nodded again.

He suddenly became short of breath and glared at me as if very angry.

"I came to see him for my own business, Bagoss, you shouldn't tell him." His tone was blunt, "I didn't want him to know."

Before I had time to say anything, Hephaistion took a deep look at the tent and finally turned around.

"I just came to see him, as long as I know he's all right...I haven't seen him for ten days."

He said calmly and patted my shoulder.

"Tell him to drink less, take care of... take care of him."

At the end of the last sound, I finally heard the trembling that was close to collapse.

Hephaistion finally strode away under the moonlight under my gaze.

Back in the tent, Alexander began to drink one cup after another like a thirsty traveler walking in the scorching desert.He drinks a glass and I pour one.I don't want to pamper him, but even more I don't want him to be unable to vent and feel uncomfortable in his heart.

"Bagos, do you know Achilles?" Alexander asked suddenly after drinking in silence for a while.

"I know the Greek heroes who died heroically in the Trojan War."

It is also the most admired mythical figure of Alexander.

He raised his eyebrows, took a sip of wine, and said, "Then do you know the story of Achilles and Patroclus[1]?"

I said: "Not sure, Your Majesty, I haven't read the book."

"It's just right, I can have a complete audience." He smiled and said slowly, "I have never mentioned this story in front of anyone except one person."

I nodded vigorously.

"Many years ago, when humans and gods were still living together, a king in the world fell in love with the sea goddess Thetis, and they gave birth to a child, named Achilles. Legend has it that the goddess Thetis had fallen Dip him in the river Styx by holding him by one foot, so that he is invulnerable from all sides except his heels.

The oracle said that he had two fates: either he lived a long life in obscurity, or he died a short and honorable life as a legendary hero.

Thetis was eager to love his son, and worried that the latter fate of Achilles would come true, so he dressed him as a girl and put him in the group of girls to raise him.Unexpectedly, this young hero was still recognized by the wise man at a glance, as if driven by fate. When he grew up, he chose the battlefield of Troy almost without hesitation and happily. "

Heroes are extraordinary because of their own choices.It's like someone would rather be a short-lived epiphyllum, but the whole world should remember it for a moment of beauty.Some people are willing to live an ordinary life and grow old gradually in the years.

I see why Alexander worshiped Achilles.They're just the same kind of people.

The person in front of him already knew what kind of path he had chosen, and he also knew where his destination was.

Alexander squinted his eyes, as if recalling: "The grand battle of Troy, the Greeks and the Trojans confronted each other for the first time a hundred years ago. As the bravest warrior in Greece, Achilles did not disappoint anyone However, when the hero was bravely fighting the enemy on the battlefield, the Greek coach Agamemnon secretly snatched his female slave away.

Achilles felt insulted to his honor and dignity, and quit the war angrily.Even if Agamemnon came to apologize personally, he would not be moved. "

"And Patroclus, Sire?" I asked.

Alexander slowly took a sip of wine before saying: "Patroclus, he is a lovely person. He grew up with Achilles since he was a child. Hearing the news that Achilles had stopped fighting, in order to motivate him, Patroclus Locros volunteered and put on the armor of Achilles."

I was taken aback.

He nodded: "Yes, he disguised himself as his beloved partner Achilles, led the Greek warriors to regain their strength, and went to battle to kill the enemy. After killing a full 54 people, this fearless young man was finally killed by the enemy. die.

When his body was dragged back, Achilles blushed anxiously.He looked up to the sky and screamed, vowing to avenge his lover. "

I silently watched him close his eyes.

"In this way, Patroclus exchanged his own life for this hero's tragic sobriety. Achilles killed all the enemies, became a hero admired by everyone, and then followed Patroclus to leave this world."

He shook his glass and smiled: "Don't you think they are real soul mates? Whether it's life or death, they are together, walking down without fear, and becoming eternity."

Achilles and Patroclus, Alexander and Hephaistion.I know what he means.

I poured him wine and spilled a lot.

This is not a kind of happiness.

Alexander suddenly handed me a golden wine glass with engraved patterns, motioned for me to fill it up, then stuffed it into my hand, and clinked with me.

"Praise God Zeus!"

He finished his drink and looked at me expectantly.

Perhaps only in the face of seven years of love in the past, this Greek boy who has always been proud and brave can lose his composure.

Only at this moment can I take a good look at his appearance.

I raised my wine glass and replied, "God Zeus."

I slowly raised my head and drank it all in one gulp.

"My Bagoas is amazing!" he said softly, his eyes curled into crescents.

I laughed too.

He clinked glasses with me again.

"I respect the great mother Olympias who let me ascend to the throne and killed her own husband!"

I froze.

He was still smiling, but that smile was like the god Apollo, too dazzling, and it was hard to see whether it was sad or happy.

"I respect the king who taught me how to be an emperor, who I was most jealous of and admired, and who wanted to kick me out of the royal family because of my concubine, my good father Philip!"

…………

"Respect to my friend Philotas who made friends with me when I was a child and plotted with others how to kill me when I grew up!"

Alexander read it line by line, with a chuckle and calm tone, drinking a glass after each line.Every sentence is so organized and clear, but it hurts my heart after hearing it.

The strong wine is sweet and bitter, making people intoxicated.

At the end of the drink, Alexander in front of him had doubled to the point where he could no longer see clearly.I looked at him with my chin on my back, trying to raise my hand to trace the outline of his face, and opened my eyes wide, but I didn't know which stroke to start with.He could vaguely discern the blue ocean full of his eyes swaying and swaying, and it was about to fall.

"Don't cry, Your Majesty." I hurried over to wipe his tears, but I was so dizzy that I couldn't touch his eyes.I stepped forward, accidentally stepped on the wine jar, slipped and fell to the ground.

I grabbed his soft white robe: "Your Majesty, I am here, I am still here."

"Well, I know." Alexander's gentle voice made people feel reassured. He squatted down and faced me, his blond hair was soft and docile.

"Thank you for still being by my side, now only you are by my side." He murmured, slowly stroked my long hair, and then pressed the back of my head.

The other hand suddenly wrapped around my waist, and pressed my warm lips against mine, holding it gently.

My eyes dilated and my mind went blank.

After a pause, his foggy blue eyes opened with a warm smile.

"I'll have the world, and you'll have me."

The author has something to say:

[1] About the love between Achilles and Patrox, I recommend a short story here, "The Thread of Moerae Destiny", which I found from Jinjiang, is a wonderful article. , This author's writing style is much better than mine, worship.If you are interested in the love between these two people, you can watch it^^ Patroclus No.1 said that the storyline is a bit subversive of the orthodox version that Alexander told here, but I personally think that I have grasped the emotional grasp of the two. essence.

"Close your eyes, as if returning to the grassland many years ago.

The soft sound of the wind blowing the olive leaves is so soft that it makes you sleepy.

He and I haven't met yet. "