The Conqueror and the Rose

Chapter XVII - Babylon

They were moving towards the palace of Babylon, and it seemed like they were hurrying along rather than to enjoy what the city offered. The army stretched out behind them, and the generals surrounded them as usual, Cassander, Polyperchon, Ptolemy, Selecuos, and Perdiccas. But Cassander did not ride close to Alexander as before. He seemed to have distanced himself to the far left. Nothing felt the same. Things were different now. There was none of the comradely spirit of before. There was only the necessity of battle, as they were to ready their troops here.

***

Roxana was sweating as she sat under the umbrella that the servants were holding up for her. She watched through the dusty haze as Alexander shouted to his men about the campaign and what tactics they would be using. He paced back and forth, rubbing his chin, shouted, and then did this again. The soldiers looked nothing but weary.

"We will bring about a swift victory!" She heard.


"The cavalry will overwhelm them from the right, the infantry from the left, and the archers from the front - all at once. Their confusion will pave the way to our victory," She heard Alexander saying.

"Bahar, let us return to our chamber," Roxana said.

"Yes, my lady."

"Wait!" Roxana turned around, wondering what was the matter. There, a soldier was running to her, with some sort of parchment in his hand.

"What is it?" She asked.

"My queen, this is a letter from Larisa. The king has instructed me to give this to you." Roxana looked up sharply at Alexander, who was looking back at her with a twinkle in his eye. She hastily opened the letter, and spent a moment skimming over it. Roxana looked up at Bahar.

"The king's friend, Medius of Larisa, invites us to a banquet. He wishes to provide a resting place for the Alexander and I as we go on our next campaign in Arabia." She looked up from her letter and smiled at Alexander, who nodded back at her.

***

Roxana coolly observed the people around her as she stood behind one of the refreshment tables. There was Alexander, laughing loudly and being slapped on the back by Ptolemy. Beside them was Medius of Larisa, the one who had thrown this party. She was about to pour herself a drink when Cassander sided up to her. 

"What is the queen doing here, all alone?" He asked, "Here, let me do the honours." With that he took the pitcher from the table and poured her the cup of wine. She took a sip and smiled at Cassander, though she was wary of him. Promptly she left the refreshment table and went to Alexander's side. 

"Ah, there is my wife," Alexander acknowledged. 

"Medius, this is my wife, Roxana. Roxana, this is my good good friend, Medius," introduced Alexander. Medius of Larisa was a jolly-looking middle-aged man in a green robe lined with gold trimmings. He greeted her with a smile. 

"You are really as beautiful as they say," He told her. Roxana gave a graceful bow as Medius discreetly glanced at her stomach. 

"Thank you, you are flattering me," She replied.

"No, you are truly beautiful. I also congratulate you, my queen." He said, "I am sure that Alexander's heir will grow up to be a mighty warrior just like his father."

"Thank you," said Roxana demurely, lowering her eyelashes. Then lifting them, she could not help but add, "I heard you have not acquired a wife to this day?" Her eyes twinkled with mirth. 

"Yes, yes I have not," Medius responded good-naturedly, "Is it just you, or are all Sogdian women beautiful? Maybe I shall journey to Sogdia to find myself a wife," He said, laughing. Roxana smiled in return. 

"Alexander placed a hand on her shoulder and he led her to meet his other friends. Each she greeted amiably, but she soon felt herself growing tired.

"Alexander." she whispered. 

"Yes, little star?"

"I am tired. I shall like to return to my chambers." Alexander nodded, and pressed his lips to her forehead before letting her go. 

***

Roxana entered her chamber tiredly and was about to change into a thinner linen dress when she almost shrieked in surprise. There, seated at a table, was General Cassander. What was he doing here? He did not stand up and bow, nor did he look surprised.

"Please, I apologize for the intrusion," He said, "But I have a plea to make to you." Roxana lifted one of her eyebrows in questioning. Slowly she made her way inside and sat down across from him.

Abruptly Cassander stood up from the table, and made his way to where Roxana was seated. He crept up behind her and placed his face next to hers. Roxana was too shocked to move.

"You are as beautiful as they say. The most beautiful woman in Asia, maybe even more beautiful than the wife of Darius, Stateira," He whispered against her ear.

"It is such a shame that my friend, Alexander, has lost his initial interest in you." Roxana clenched her fists from under the table, wishing that she had her dagger with her so that she could drive it through this conniving general. But she took a deep breath.

"Firstly, I suggest that you do not crowd your face so close to me. It is not only a disgraceful to do so in front of a queen, the scent of your breath is also disconcerting me," Roxana replied. She twitched her lips in wry amusement. Cassander also chuckled and obliged, straightening up. But instead of taking his seat across from her, he drew the chair out that was beside her and sat there.

"Has he been visiting your chambers time to time?" Cassander asked. At this, Roxana banged her small fist on the table in rage. She stood up, swiped the wine goblet from the table, and splashed it in the general's face.

"That is none of your concern. I suggest that you be careful what you say or the price you pay will be with your head," She said. Cassander stared at her.

"How do you feel about the king's indulgences these days? Do you not want to take revenge on him, do the same thing he is doing, to abandon you lover and go with someone else?"

"What are you implying?" Roxana asked sharply.

"I am merely offering you aid. Come, it is unlike the fiery Sogdian queen to sit by and do nothing as the king indulges in other women." Roxana was growing sick of this argument, but she would not give up right now. So she leaned forwards and placed her hand on his chest, giving him a coy smile. In his eyes, she saw a flicker of surprise before he quickly masked his expression with a smirk of his own.

"Shall we?" Asked Roxana. "General Cassander, if I were to go with you, I imagine that that the revenge will taste very sweet for me. Additionally, you are not so bad-looking yourself. Yes, and it would evoke Alexander's jealousy as well, and I will have accomplished my goal." But suddenly Roxana shifted her demeanour and grew serious.

"Yet to make love for the sake of mending my own heartache, or for the sake of causing another heartache - What would that make me? Hate will not give me happiness, though you seem to be trying to tempt me into thinking so. For these actions are despicable, and when one indulges in these actions, the soul begins to shrink. And when you keep going at these things," Roxana spoke lividly now, recalling the way her father had slept with many other women other than her mother.

"Your souls shrinks." Cassander stared back at her intently, at how her eyes had widened and how she seemed to be speaking of something else rather than to him. 

"So Cassander, mighty general of Macedonia," Roxana continued, the twinkle returning to her eyes, 


"The answer is no, and I suggest you return to your chambers and ponder about acquiring a life, which you so clearly do not possess." Roxana motioned with her hand, as if dismissing him. Cassander gave her a forced smile, then rose up to go. He walked to the entrance, but he seemed to change his mind and turned his head.

"You are very brave," He said. "But I'm afraid you are too brave for your own good." With that he walked away.