Continuation of early childhood

Writing attempt part 2
Philip is the King of Macedon, a strong and lusty man, who had married Olympias after meeting her at a special rites festival.  She had attracted him with her long auburn hair, her aggressive and boisterous dance, and her candid appraoch to him.   Although they had met years earlier, she had been quite young then, so that Philip had not approached her.  But seeing her again he became spellbound watching her.  She danced gracefully, seductively, in the grassy area where the rite had just been performed.  She was one of the few who were selected to enchant and entertain the followers in a special dance performance attuned to the sweet, soft music of the lyre and flutes that floated through the air.  She seemed like an angelic spirit, a goddess of extraordinary powers as she lifted her legs into the air, spinning around and around, dipping and falling, rising and jumping into the air.  Her long red hair spun round and round, then gradually fell into a luxurious veil of silky curls which reached to her waist.

He fell in love with her at once.  he was so smitten that he called to her to come to his side.  She watched him through narrrow eyes as she took in his long, hard muscular body, the dark, curly hair, the firmly set jaw, the penetrating eyes.  He intrigued her so she glided up to him where she rested her head on his shoulder.  She leaned into him sensuously so that the thrill of her touch caused him to catch his breath.  He pulled her tightly to him.

"You will be mine." he whispered roughly.  He drew her close to his chest as he then pressed his lips upon hers.  She surrendered to his passion.  She drew away, looked up at him, and whispered, "Yes, my Lord. I am yours now."
Philip remembered all this as he studied his young son. He had not know that as a member of the cult group that Olympias would instill all that knowledge into their son, but he could see that Alexander was becoming closer and closer to his mother all the while he was in her care.

"Olympias, I must find a man who will be able to take Alexander to the training fields, to the stables, and to the gymnastic center so that he can learn to know the basics now while he is still young." he had told her.  He realized that Alexander was stretching to learn all that he could in the apartments of the court so it was not too soon to introduce him to the military establishments.
Because his father had insisted, Alexander then soon came to learn the smells, the sounds, and the feel of the stables  and the military training grounds.

He would toddle out to the stables with his special nurse to feed the horses. He loved the fresh scent of the feed barrels, the oats, rye, and barley, the hay and the straw.  He would run his fingers through the barrels to feel the hay or the oats. He picked up a few oats in his hand, and would hold his tiny hand up to the horse to feel its sticky, raspy tongue lick his hand.  He laughed with glee at the horses's warm tongue touching his hand, and so would quickly run back to the feed, grabbing another handful to run back to feed the horse.  Thus, he grew happily, making friends wih the stable hands and the horses.

He had no fear of the horses who would lean down to his height so that he could pat their nose, or their forehead, or mane.  He wanted to ride on the horse's back but Philip gently reproved him, and said, "No, Not yet!  Soon you will be able to ride."

Writing attempt 3. First birthday.

Alexander was exactly one year old in October that year.  Olympias had prepared a very special celebraton so that every member of the court and the countryside could come to see the young Prince. The grand courtyard with its beautiful gardens had been filled with banquet tables laden with specialties of the native land.  Dates, olives, figs, apples, pears, pasties sweets, breads, huge pitchers of wine, tinted water, slabs of mutton roasted rare, morsels of mushrooms from the forests, tiny sugar dusted flowers, and delicacies were spread across the tables.

Musicians played haunting melodies that filled the air, actors performed in dramas on the stage, and gymnasts performed acrobats,whirling and bounding in the air.  The festival was filled to capacity as each and every member came to pay their respects to the young Prince, his father, the King, and Olympias, the Queen.

"Olympias, you look wonderful this day!" Cleopatra exclaimed when she greeted her.  Olympias wore an azure blue colored wrap which gave depth to her blue green eyes ,and her auburn hair.  She wore her hair pinned with flowers and jewels in a coil so that  a long strand fell down her back.

Olympias truly looked like a goddess herself.  She had fair alabaster skin, auburn hair, and deep blue-green eyes which dominated her face.  Her long slender nose, full, pouty mouth, and naturally clear complxion created an impression of an ancient goddess.  That coupled with her enthusiasm, her rabid attention to details, listening well to everyone who talked with her gave others the impression of a true queen.

In the meantime, Alexander remained the center of attention as everyone had to greet the young boy ,play with him, take him for a ride on a pony, and then return to the banquet to feast.

Philip greeted everyone who came to join the festivities. He remembered the day well that Alexander had been born.  On that day, he had learned that his horse had won a chariot race, and that Parmenio, one of his generals, had won a battle in Thrace.  Oddly enough, the temple of Artemis had burned to the ground which made it appear that these were omens that bode well for him, his kingdom, and his son.

He turned to see a friend of his from Thebes coming to pay his respects. "Ah, Philip," Lysander said as he approached him. "Here it is,  a year that your young lion son has been born.  Do you recall the dream that you told me about him?"

"Why, yes, I have not forgotten," Philip responded. "Do you remember it, or do you want me to tell it again?"

"Oh, yes, I do recall it.  But please do tell me it once more.  I would enjoy hearing it again," he replied.

"How strange it is when I think of it now.  He does have the look of a young lion cub, don't you think? Philip answered.

"Yes, perhaps.  Maybe in time he will become the lion king that you think that he will be."  Lysander returned.

"As I recall, I saw sealing wax on my wife's womb.  There was an image of  a lion there. Some told me that it meant that a son would be born who would rule the world, be my pride." Philip said.  "  The great seal of the King would be born. I take it to mean that now.
"Then it is up to you to prepare the way for him," retorted Lysander.  "You are responsible for his becoming the great king."

"So you think I can do that?" questioned Philip.

"Absolutely. No better student of Epaminondas than you, is there?  I will expect great things from Alexander." he added. " You know that we will all be watching him closely.  And Philip..."

"Yes?" Philip asked.

"You know that the Persians will be watching advisedly too, don't you?" he continued.

"I hear you, dear friend,"  answered Philip. " He is only one today.  Look at how long it has taken me to build my army.  I will keep in mind what you have said."  With that, he took Lysander to the banquet tables.

Olympias stood and watched her husband, carefully noting everything that young Alexander did as well.  She was more determined than her husband for Alexander to achieve her dream for him.  Like Philip, she too remembered the dream that she had had at Alexander's birth. She had dreamed that a thunderbolt had entered her womb so that fire had gushed out spreading far and wide.   She recalled the thunderbolt, not realizing that it had been Father Zeus implanting his breath and his life into the young prince so that he was son of Zeus.

She looked at Alexander steadily, wondering at what great feats would be his to know.  She realized that he mus be taught with great care.
"Thank you, Zeus, for this day," she again prayed silently.  She quickly hastened to the banquet table to join Philip and his friends.

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