Chapter 17
Alexander already expected everyone was looking for him to control Darius because of their friendship but when would they learn he was not enough to change the mind of a king? Alexander expected Darius to deflect his behavior. He already spent a great deal of his time warning Darius about his behavior and how others won't like it. There were rumors of the ministers wanting to remove Darius from his position as king and let another relative take over.
Alexander wasn't opposing this idea because he followed the crown which protected the people and if Darius needed to be replaced then so be it. "I will go see what is happening," he told Leon so that the man could stop turning red, Alexander patted Leon's shoulder and grimaced when he lifted his own. He was confused about how fast this pain had become overwhelming.
He left his room and went towards Darius's room where the facial expressions of the guards became worse the closer he got to the room. It wasn't any of their faults whatever entered the palace had escaped. They never went up against something like that before and he was not going to let Darius abuse his power to hurt them tonight.
"Don't let anyone in," he told the four guards stationed outside of the king's room. Darius had his security doubled because he was afraid of what might happen. Alexander entered the destroyed room with paper, books, chairs, and more thrown onto the floor. "Your highness," he got down on one knee when he was in the presence of the king.
As disappointed as he was in his friend, Alexander always knew to show respect first. What he didn't like was the almost empty bottle of alcohol Darius held in his hand. Drinking won't make the situation any better and would only cause Darius to become more paranoid. "You shouldn't drink at a time like this," he advised his friend.
The whimpering of someone else in the room brought Alexander's attention to a maid bowing on the floor to Darius. She must be the one he ordered to get the alcohol. "Get out," Alexander told the girl. If she stayed any longer, there was no telling she won't be hurt.
The young maid looked up at Alexander then back at the king unsure which of the two men's words she should obey. She wanted to leave as Alexander told her to but she knew she couldn't disobey the king's order to bow to him. Scared, she stayed frozen on the spot.
"You're making everyone afraid of you," Alexander stood up without waiting for Darius to give the command to stand. Why couldn't Darius see the way his servants shiver with fright in front of him? The previous king was obsessed with Gods and power but the servants never feared him. Darius was taking this to a whole other level because of his obsession with being better than his father and previous kings.
Darius accidentally poured too much of the remaining content of alcohol into his cup causing it to spill. "They should fear me. If word gets out that I let something get away from my palace which is supposed to be the most protected place in this entire kingdom, they'll make a mockery out of me. I'll be a joke!" Darius placed the glass of alcohol to his lips but didn't get the chance to taste it because Alexander took it from him.
"Stop drinking at a time like this," Alexander angrily said, gripping the cup. All eyes were on the king recently and Darius was acting like a child. He knew all of this stemmed from Darius's past with his father because the man didn't think his son was a good choice for the crown. "Pull yourself together and act like a king!"
Darius swayed back and forth, intoxicated from his previous drinking. "They always taunt me saying I don't have a good hold on you. I see the way your eyes look down on me sometimes. You've achieved your dreams and want to rub them in my face. What kind of a friend on you to do that to me, your king?"
Alexander placed the glass down on a table tired of defending and putting up with Darius always deflecting. He knew his friend could be a good king if he stopped and focused on what was more important.
"I am the king and even though you are my friend, you cannot speak to me as you like, nor walk in here and take something from my hand. You are my friend Alexander but if you act so boldly like this again-"
"You'll do what Darius?" Alexander interrupted, dropping all formalities. He respected a king but right now there was no king in front of him. Darius was acting like a young boy throwing a tantrum because he didn't get his way.
What would Darius do to him? The first person Darius called to tell some crazy plan to was Alexander. The first person anyone called to speak to Darius was Alexander. He was a bridge between the people and the king. He was supposed to be out with his father at the gates but he was called back to the palace to be a messenger and guard for Darius when there were more than enough capable men here to help.
"Have you ever betrayed me, Alexander? Have you ever thought about betraying me? I'm not sure who brought that monster in here and I don't know who to trust." Darius was drunk and uneasy about the monster being a planned attack on his life. It didn't help that the voice in the shadows was starting to get inside his head. It made him become suspicious of everyone and right now, he didn't know if he could trust Alexander.
"I have no need to send a creature after the king. With you dead, the kingdom would become chaotic and that is the last thing I want. As your friend and a general, I am asking you to calm down before you hurt any more of the servants. You're failing as a king when your people have to whisper when talking about you."