Ares was in no mood to be trifled with as he appeared in the clearing where Xena was holding up her camp. Joxer and Gabrielle were arguing over a scroll but he dismissed them without even giving it a second thought, they were always arguing. Xena was working on her blade until she saw the look on her husband's face, "What's wrong?" she ask as soon as he sat down next to her.
"She's disappeared, Zeus can't even find a location for her. My father is about to damn the whole world and my mother is distraught! I tried to track her but I can't!" He shouted and the fire before them sprang to life forcing both Gabrielle and Joxer to dive away because they weren't immortal like the two gods with them, they just didn't age; it was a complicated system that formed after Xena and Ares' marriage.
"Wait, who disappeared?" Joxer ask but then shut up when Ares turned a glare on him.
"Eris, she's fallen off of everyone's radar and no one can seem to track her." he explained when Xena placed a hand on top of his.
Gabrielle looked at the scroll that was still in her hand, "Maybe this is her handwriting!" she said as she turned it upside down, "but it's messy and in red; that doesn't sound like Hera's miniature carbon copy."
Ares walked over and snatched the paper away from her; the same paper that he had been quick to ignore just moments before. He read the name that was written on it, Aprehendo, Apollo's son. Then he held the paper up to his nose, "It's not ink, it's blood!" he said before disappearing.
Xena grabbed her friends and followed her husband's trail to wherever he was going. They landed right in the middle of Aprehendo's dungeons but Xena recognized the sounds coming from a side room; he was whipping someone.
"You'll scream for me you little bitch, or you'll have no skin left on your back!" the grandson of Zeus shouted and everyone saw Ares become enraged. Suddenly Hades himself appeared beside of his son and listened for just a moment.
"I'll distract him, you go in and get Eris and then give her to Xena. We'll take care of Aprehendo from there." Hades instructed his son and then they were both gone.
There was a loud crash and then a scream from the young Aprehendo and the sound of a sword cutting through chains. Ares was back in front of them in a matter of seconds, Eris was unconscious in his arms, "Take her to Athena. I'll be there soon." he said as he handed her off to Xena then went back into the side dungeon.
There were several more screams by the time Xena was able to get Eris out of the place; she was bleeding from seemingly everywhere from her face to her toes but it was the worst on her back. Xena landed in the holding room of the underworld where although Hades was absent, Hera was sitting on the throne in the chair beside of her husband's. She stood up when she saw her favorite granddaughter unconscious in her daughter-in-law's arms.
"Athena, to our world NOW! Xena what in the world happened? Where are Ares and Hades?" She demanded as she rushed forward to take away Xena's burden. She cradled her little granddaughter until Athena arrived and started healing her.
"We were on the northern border of Greece when Ares came and told us that Eris was missing. She had gotten a piece of papyrus to us with Aprehendo's name written in her blood but he is so weak that Ares was able to get to her quickly. He told us to bring her here and that he and Hades would be back as soon as possible." She explained to the Goddess of the Underworld.
Hera was angered by the attack on her family, especially by someone of Zeus' bloodline. Athena came out of the back room where she had taken Eris and sat down on the stairs to the throne with Xena and her friends. "She is stable but I've had to put her to sleep so that she could regain her godlike strength. I don't know how long she'll be asleep, but it shouldn't be longer than a few hours, five at the most." Athena explained.
Just then Hades and Ares appeared in the center of the room, five servants were surrounding Aprehendo, "Take him to the dungeons!" Hades ordered as Ares started to look around.
"Where is Eris at?" Ares demanded from anyone who would answer him. Athena just pointed to the back room, and Hera was the only one who could explain anything to him in his enraged mindset, that everyone knew, "She's asleep Ares; don't panic if she doesn't wake up for you," but he was already halfway to the back room.
Xena followed him in but by the time she got there he had Eris laying on his lap, with her head on his chest. He was running his hands through her hair and Xena knew that she was always going to be his first daughter even if he was only her adoptive uncle. Ares had always taken care of her like she was his own even though she was Artemis' disowned daughter; he had adopted her because Athena had seen that she was going to be a god, them becoming so close had been a bypass.
She sat down next to the bed and put a hand on his arm that was cradling their baby girl, "She's going to be okay. This wasn't your fault."
"I should have been there. I never should have let her go to his house without me. It's my job to protect her and I let her get hurt." Ares said as he held her closer. Xena knew that he was upset; she was too because Eris was as much her daughter now as she was Ares'.
"She was going to someone's home that was her family. No one, not even Zeus or Athena, saw him hurting her; she had gone several times and nothing bad had happened. It wasn't your fault." Xena told him as they sat there staring at their oldest and only daughter. She was pressed comfortably against her father and Ares was holding her a little to tight even though she could still breathe.
They stayed there until Hera came into the room, "My son, Zeus wants to talk to yourself, Xena, and your father. I'll stay with her while you all converse." she told them even though Ares didn't want to go he wasn't going to argue with his mother.
Artemis and Apollo were with their father on this little journey to their uncle's world and Athena and Aphrodite were with Hades. Ares took Aphrodite's place next to their father because she wasn't much of a fighter if all of the underworld broke loose.
"Ares, how is Eris doing?" Artemis ask him as he took his position at the back of Hades' chair but that did nothing except make him mad.
"Artemis, you've never cared before so why don't you do everyone a favor and not choose to start today. It'll do nothing but piss me off." He told he with no remorse. Xena had been Eris' mother more in the six months since their marriage than Artemis had ever wanted or cared to be. And Eris was his baby girl, no one was going to toy with her, physically or emotionally, and get away with it.
Zeus put a hand out towards his nephew, "No one wants to anger you Ares; she didn't mean any harm and I do care about how Eris is doing so please tell us." Zeus tried to keep the peace; the last thing he wanted was to start a fight with his brother or his brother's children. He really did care about how his family was and if anything he felt guilty for letting this happen right under his nose; he should have known that Aprehendo was up to no good.
"She is stable at this time Zeus but she is exhausted. If you are here to try and get us to release your grandson..." Hades tried to say but his baby brother cut him off.
"No, we don't want that. I would never let him off after what he did to Ares' little girl. We are only here to make sure that she is alright and there is nothing we can do." Zeus told him.
Cupid, Venus, and their mother Aphrodite in the mean time were sitting in Eris' room with Hera. Cupid had his weakened best friend cradled to his chest while the two girls conversed about the conversation going on outside. He wasn't really paying any attention because he didn't care; Ares wouldn't let anything happen to them especially while Eris was injured. She and Cupid, along with Athena's son Sirius, were all best friend; he couldn't remember a time when Eris had ever been injured nor could he remember a time when he or Sirius had been injured and Eris wasn't there to protect them.
Sirius and Minerva, Athena's two children, were outside with their mother and uncle providing extra man power seeing as they were one great fighter down. Minerva was Venus' best friend and they were the youngest of Hades and Hera's grandchildren.
"How long did Aunt Athena say she was going to sleep?" Cupid heard his little sister ask and it caught his attention.
"She said that she would at least sleep for a few hours so we've got a while yet. I'm more concerned with what they are going to do with Aprehendo; they have every right but it's still a disturbing thought." Aphrodite stated.
Cupid just rolled his eyes, "They? You say it as if Uncle Ares is going to share his killing with anyone more than grandfather, if he even lets him help." he told his mother.
The fighter group, minus one, was at the end of their rope. Zeus wanted to see Aprehendo and Hecate, his new wife and Hades' ex-wife, had show up demanding that he be released. She was a prissy little trophy wife who didn't mind her husband having affairs because she was having just as many. Hera had always wanted loyalty in a marriage and that was part of what had led to her divorcing Zeus and marrying his newly divorced brother Hades.
Said ruler of the Underworld was about to shoot himself; his little brother had always been a pain but this was about to turn into an all out brawl between the children, "Zeus you said it yourself; even you can't just let him off after what he did to my granddaughter, no matter how much you want to please your wife. Your own laws state that we have eternal rights to kill him because he attacked someone who was loyal only to me and not to you."
"Look, I realize that you have rights but Hecate is very unhappy about me letting you kill one of my own and she's even more upset that Apollo would permit it because we are talking about his son." Zeus tried to justify.
"And we are talking about Ares' daughter. I find no justification in what my son did and I'm asking you politely not to drag me into this, father." Apollo told him and Zeus didn't even try to change the sun god's mind. He was fighting a losing battle but Hecate was going to make his life a living hell if he didn't save her little boyfriend; sometimes he thought it might be easier to still be married to Hera.
Hecate straightened up and looked over to Hades, "He did nothing wrong; you have no right to kill him seeing as that little bitch was probably begging him for it."
Hades grabbed his son as Ares tried to go after his ex-wife. Xena was being held by Athena and Minerva while Sirius tried to help restrain his uncle, "You little whore, you have no right to talk about my daughter that way!" he roared as said whore cowered behind Zeus.
Zeus, who was shocked that his wife would dare say that about family, especially Ares' daughter, turned around and slapped her. It was opened handed and it wasn't near as hard as he could have but he did regret if afterwards because she looked so pathetic; Hera never would have let him even think about doing that. "We are leaving; we've done enough damage, everyone leave now. I apologize Hades," was all he said before disappearing.
Ares started to calm down after a minute and Hera came out to see what in the world had happened, "My son, get control of yourself." she told her oldest child as he was still shaking with rage, "Hades what in the name of the gods happened?" she demanded of her husband.
"Hecate decided to open her mouth," was his only explination but he wasn't planning on explaining to his wife that she had called her eldest grandchild and favorite a 'little bitch'; that wouldn't end well for anyone. He retook a seat on his thrown and the scene before his was rather pleasant given their recent events. Cupid and Sirius were on one side of the room, the one closest to Eris' room, and Minerva and Venus were on the other, probably talking about what had happened in Venus' absence.
Athena and Aphrodite were sitting on the steps below his wife while the three of them discussed what had happened while Hera and Aphrodite were watching over Eris. When Hera looked up to smile at him in surprise Hades could only smile back. His son and daughter-in-law had obviously disappeared back into their child's room and he decided that it was high time he go and check on her too.
"Sirius, have you been in to see Eris?" Hades called to him and the younger man just shook his head, "Come with me; I want you to see how even the mightiest of us can fall if we are alone against the enemy. Cupid, you come to." he instructed the two of them. They walked into the room, Ares was in the middle of the bed with Eris on his chest and Xena curled up to his side.
The boys stayed behind their grandfather but niether of them could erase his words from their thoughts. She looked so frail as she laid against her father in an induced sleep and she was usually the strongest of them; she always protected them and the one time she needed them they weren't there. The mightiest had fallen and it was because they were too busy to pay any attention.
"Don't think that way you two. This wasn't your fault; it was Aprehendo's and his alone." Ares said as he read the looks on his nephews' faces. The looked like they wanted to kill themselves; it was how he'd felt earlier but now he was starting to realize that Xena was right; it wasn't anyone's fault except for Aprehendo's
"Is she moving at all my son?" Hades ask as he circled the bed and placed a hand on his granddaughter's shoulder. He had seen her fight so many times that it was hard for even him to see her looking so fallen and he was the same leader who had watched her father fall before his eyes but still it was difficult. Eris had a certain connection with everyone in their family, from him to his wife to their children to their grandchildren. She was the last person in their family who deserved to have this happen to them.
Ares just continued to run a hand through her hair, "No, she's been still as stone except for her breathing." he finally said. Eris had been asleep for a good hour and even though she was suppose to sleep for a few of them he couldn't help but worry; he was her father.
Cupid came over after Hades had excused himself and he just looked at his uncle for a moment. Ares noticed his nephew's stare and looked into his eyes; it wasn't a challenge just a curious stare that he couldn't quite figure out. "What did she say about her?" he ask and at first Ares wasn't sure what he was talking about but then it hit him.
"It's nothing to be concerned with Cupid. Don't let it worry you; she won't ever make that mistake again." he tried to say but his nephew just kept searching his eyes. After a moment he excepted that if he didn't get it from Ares, himself, he would go and find out from someone else, "She called her a little bitch and said that she was probably begging for it."
The son of the goddess of love wasn't known for his temper but at this he was ready to yell. Sirius who expected this came up and put his hand over his cousin's mouth to keep him quiet, "Don't bother; Uncle Ares told her off and like he said, she won't ever make that mistake again."
Soon both boys cleared about and it was again just Xena and Ares left with their daughter. "You've been awfully quiet given today's events. What's wrong?"
Xena looked up at him and looked back down all to quickly for his liking, "It's nothing, we can talk about it once Eris is awake." she tried to say but Ares knew her better than that.
"No I think you better tell me now. I won't get angry Xena; I promise you I won't be angry at you." he told her as he loosened his grip on Eris and pulled her closer to him. She pressed her lips to his shoulder and looked at their daughter for a moment before getting ready to speak.
"I found out right before you came to tell us that Eris was missing that..." she stopped at tried to figure out how to put this but there wasn't really a gentle way, "I'm pregnant."
His wife said it so quickly that Ares had to think for a moment before he figured out what she'd said. When it hit him that they were having a baby the urge to drag her into a kiss was to great; he was going to have to tell the rest of his family but Eris had a right to know first. She was going to be a sister and they needed to tell her first.
After several passionate kisses Ares had just dropped his head back on the pillows when Hera poked her head into the door, "Everyone is staying here for the night, at least, Ares. Sirius and Cupid are going to bunk of the floor in here, we tried but they were relentless to go anywhere else. Sleep well."
"Good night, Mother." was all he said even though he was bursting to tell her about Xena's pregnancy. The boys trucked into the room with two blankets each and they laid two down to sleep on and covered up with two, obviously going to share one semi-comfortable makeshift bed. "Good Night Boys." he said once they were both settled.
"Night Uncle Ares, Aunt Xena." they both said in unison.
Ares blew out the candles adorning the room with his powers and then settled back down to sleep. He could deal with Aprehendo tomorrow; he had his babies to worry about right now, and a possible war in northern Rome but that could be postponed until later. He had family issues to worry about right now and he didn't need to be distracted by wars right now.
An hour later Eris started to wake up and the first thing she noticed was an absence of pain and the next was the increasing warmth around her. Opening her eyes she realized that she was lying on her father's chest and her mother was snuggled up beside of her. Hearing a snore that was neither of them she sat up slowly and realized that both Cupid and Sirius were asleep on the floor.
She looked out the window and saw that there was rain falling. Eris wasn't exactly wondering what all had happened while she was unconscious but it was definitely something that she was going to have to have her boys fill her in on tomorrow, or maybe today. What time was it anyway?
"Hi baby girl," Ares said when he opened his eyes to see Eris awake and staring out the window. She looked at him and smiled but the only thing he could do was pull her into a tight hug. Eris snuggled closer to her father and inhaled his scent. If she hadn't gone to Aprehendo's without him, "It wasn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong baby girl. Don't even think that."
"I could tell you the same thing." Eris said as she looked up at him. He just smirked and ran a hand through her hair again. She was his daughter through thick and thin; she always knew what he was thinking.
"Your mom's..." he tried to say but he was cut off.
"Pregnant, yeah I was following her into town to get tested when the boys came to get me. What, Gabrielle said she had been acting funny." Eris whispered innocently and he just shook his head.
"Go back to sleep, it's way too early for you to be up." he said and she snuggled up to him but while he fell back to sleep Eris had other ideas. Squirming out of the bed she snuck down to the pallet that her cousins were asleep on. She leapt onto Sirius and grabbed his hands with one hand and covered his mouth with the other. After a moment he got a look at her and this wild excitement came over him.
She let go of his mouth and he reached over, smacking Cupid into consciousness and she covered his mouth because he was always verbal when he woke up but he was a lover not a fighter. After a moment he started to wake up too and he realized that Eris was the one waking him up. All three of them snuck out of the room.
Ares who had not fallen back asleep watched as his daughter snuck out with her two best friends, "Are you going after them?" his wife ask from her place at his side and he looked at her then thought about it.
"Maybe in a few minutes. I'll let her have a few minute with them first." he said as he grasp her on the sides and rolled them so that he was on top of her. "How long were you awake?" he ask in between kisses.
"Long enough to know that she's aware that I'm pregnant." she said and he just laughed; they'd been walking on eggshells all day, of course she'd know when her baby woke up.
Eris snuck into the kitchen with the boys right behind her. They formed a small triangle under the table and started talking, "Alright, what the hell happened while I was out?"
"Oh Dear Olympus, Eris we thought Grandpa was gonna tear this earth apart to find you. I mean I don't know who was more nuts him or your dad and then they showed up with you and you were in the worse shape I've ever seen anyone in. I mean you're immortal and I didn't think you were gonna make it, I was just petrified because we wouldn't know what to do without you and for once you were the one who needed protecting and we were just so scared..." Cupid whispered in a hurry.
"Anyway, what stupid here is trying to say is that we were really worried about you and we're so glad you're alright. Plus, getting you back is only like the first fourth of the story because after Mom healed you Zeus, Apollo, and your mother showed up," Sirius said but it took Eris a moment to realize what he'd meant.
"You know that she's not my mother," was all Eris said in response to this because her cousin had already realized his own mistake and there was no reason to harp on it.
"Right sorry, anyway, they showed up and everything was fine. Uncle Zeus was just here to check on you and they seemed to understand that your dad was gonna do what your dad was gonna do. It wasn't until his wife showed up that everything started going down hill. I mean I don't know why she was so worried about him but she was and so she started arguing with Zeus and then he started trying to get Grandpa to let him go. After a while I think he knew that it was a lost cause and so did she because she did the stupidest thing ever. She..." but that was all he got out before he was interrupted.
Before any on them could comprehend what was happening the tablecloth was thrown up and Eris' father was peering down at them. "Enough for the night. I thought I told you to go back to sleep?" Ares commented as he picked up his daughter and swung her over his shoulder.
"Daddy put me down! DADDY!" she squealed as they walked back into the bedroom. Xena was laughing at her daughter's antics but it only got her a stuck out tongue.
The minute Ares dropped her off on the bed she scrambled down to the boys pallet and got between them. The wrapped her in arms and it was obvious that unless Ares wanted to wake up the whole house he wasn't going to get her away from her best friends. Rolling his eyes he looked at the boys, "Keep your mouths shut or you'll answer to me. Now go to sleep all of you."
Eris watched as everyone started to fall asleep around her but she just couldn't shut her eyes. "Go to sleep Eris." he father said and it startled her because his still body and even breathing had sworn that he was asleep.
"I can't."
"Why not?" he ask her but then there was a long pause so he sat up to look at her and she was staring at her pillow with tears in her eyes, "Hey, look at me. Come here." he said patting the bed next to him.
She got up and walked over to her father's side of the bed, sitting down as he indicated. He grabbed her chin and looked into her dark eyes; she knew that he wanted to know what it was and she was going to have to come clean eventually, "Before, when I was asleep, I didn't dream. Now, if I close my eyes I'm afraid I'll see him." she admitted.
His immediate reaction was to pull her into a bone crushing hug and Eris couldn't help but cling to him and cry. He held her until the sobs left her body and she was able to breathe again. "Now you listen to me. It's okay to see him because every time you see him you're gonna see me. And what I do to him should scare you a hell of a lot more than anything he could have ever done to you."
She nodded and went back down to the floor with her cousins. After a few minutes she was in a peaceful sleep and Xena reached up to grab Ares who was still watching her, "You better stop being so sweet or people are going to start staring." she told him and he just laughed.
"Men's eyes were made to look; let them gaze. I spare them no grief if they are stupid enough to think it a weakness." he told her as they laid down in the bed together.
The next morning, Venus and Minerva's playful screams woke everyone up. The patriarch and matriarch of the family met their three children and three present grandchildren at the bottom of the stairs. Hera went over and embraced Eris, "Thank the titans you're okay. We were so worried about you." she told her as her favorite grandchild hugged her tightly.
Right after everyone present had hugged her, Venus and Minerva came running in and tackled her to the ground. The family, plus Gabrielle and Joxer, could make out only small phrases such as 'let go' and 'get off' from Eris over the other girl's screams. Ares stepped forward and pulled Eris away from her two attacking cousins.
Just as everyone got comfortable around the large throne room/living area a scroll appeared beside of Hades' chair. He reached out and took it as both his son and Joxer approached the throne, "Well, apparently Zeus is summoning us to Mount Olympus. Ares, go take care of Aprehendo now, so that he won't be able to change the laws before we get our chance at vengeance."
Ares disappeared from the room in about half of a second, he wasn't going to let Aprehendo live after what he did to his baby girl. This ended right here, right now!