Xena snapped awake. She took a quick survey of their camp. Gabrielle slept soundly on her bedroll which was spread out next to Xena's. Coals glowed in the fire pit. Argo was still tethered to the large oak. She listened for footsteps or the tell tell clang of metal that might have aroused her from her slumber. Everything seemed absolutely normal. The night was filled with the typical sounds of the summer forest: crickets chirped, frogs croaked, and night birds sang. Still, she couldn't shake the dark feeling that clawed at her soul. She felt cold inside, almost empty. Something was definitely wrong, she just couldn't place what was off.
She wondered if there was a dark god lurking around. It wasn't Ares, she would have felt him. His presence was unmistakably his own. Maybe Bacchus or Enyo or some other devious entity. Whatever it was it didn't appear to visible in the natural world. Nevertheless, she got up and walked the perimeter of the camp just to be sure their was no one secreted in the leafy shadows.
Satisfied that there was no one about, Xena sat back down on her bedroll. Instead of lying back down, however, she scooched her back up against a tree, keeping her sword and chakram at the ready. Xena was not normally a paranoid person but the world felt akimbo and she felt a despair like she had never known.
When Gabrielle awoke the next morning, it surprised her to find Xena asleep, sitting up with her head supported by the birch tree, her arms crossed over her knees, and her sword in her hand.
Gabrielle tapped Xena lightly on the shoulder and had to move deftly out of the way to avoid being sliced by Xena's blade as the warrior swung it in panic.
"Xena, by the gods, you nearly took my leg off. Everything okay?"
"No, Gabrielle, it's not, everything is not okay. Can't you feel it?"
"I feel fine. Come here." Gabrielle felt Xena's forehead to see if her friend was running a fever.
"I'm not sick." The warrior swatted the bard's hand away.
"Just checking. What's got you so addled?" Gabrielle tossed a couple of twigs and leaves onto the blackened coals, hoping there was enough heat to get a morning cook fire going.
The dry tinder smolder then came to life, Gabrielle added a few larger sticks and readied two logs.
"I can't believe you don't feel it. It's in the air. It's thick, it's heavy. The world is not right."
"Xena you're raving. Did you have mushrooms last night? You didn't pick the red ones with the white spots did you?"
"No, I'm not sick, I'm not hallucinating, How can you think of eating at a time like this?" Xena gestured to the fire.
"Xena, I am not sure what 'a time like this' is. I feel fine. It's a beautiful morning. I was thinking of even taking a swim before we head out."
"What? Swimming? No, forget it. We have to figure out what is going on. Eat and do your business and we are moving out."
"We are still going to Athens to see Virgil aren't we?" Gabrielle hadn't seen the hunk in months and was looking forward to swapping stories with him.
"Yes, but first we are stopping at that tavern just outside of Corinth." Xena took a long sip of wine from her wineskin.
"Xena, you're not drunk, are you?" Gabrielle asked, concerned.
"What?" Xena looked at the leather bag, "Please, Gabrielle, it would take more than this watered down juice to get me this fucked up."
"Then why the tavern?"
"Cause that's where people go to gossip and that's where I will find out what's going on."
"Okay, whatever makes you feel better."
AXAXAXAXAXAX
Later that morning, Xena and Gabrielle walked into the tavern. Xena checked her weapons at the door, then told Gabrielle to grill the crowd for information. The warrior headed straight for the barkeep. Their trip there, however, was short-lived as no one had heard of any doomsday news. Everyone was going on about their day as if the world wasn't spinning out of control.
By the time they rode into Corinth, Xena's nerves had settled a little but she couldn't get rid of the sourness that roiled in the deepest recesses of her stomach. As they walked through the crowded agora, they passed a stall selling several varieties of plants and flowers. Xena took notice of the purple irises, her favorite flower. Ares used to bring them to her when he was feeling particularly romantic or when he'd done something to piss her off. Thinking of him hurt, it hurt more than normal. Then it hit her, maybe there was something wrong on Olympus. Maybe what ever was off kilter was in the supernatural realm and not on Earth at all.
She turned to Gabrielle. "I'm gonna pay a visit to Dite's temple."
"Huh?"
"It's just a hunch, but I'll be there when you're ready to leave Corinth."
"Just need to get some provisions and I'll head over there," Gabrielle promised.
Xena bought a single iris from the vendor and headed to the temple.
AXAXAXAXAXA
The priestess looked displeased with Xena's offering when the warrior placed the simple flower on the altar.
Xena stepped into the center of the room and called out loud, "Great goddess Aphrodite, Xena: Warrior Princess requests your presence."
The priestess raised her eyebrow at what she considered Xena's theatrics. To her surprise the chamber filled with pink light and the goddess appeared right in front of the leather-clad warrior.
Xena knew from the love goddess' furrowed brow and deep frown lines that the news was going to be devastating.
"Aphrodite, I need you to tell me what is going on. I woke up in the middle of the night with a deep ache in my soul. I can't shake it."
"Xena, oh, Xena," Aphrodite pulled the warrior into a hug. The goddess sought comfort but Xena wasn't able to give her solace.
Xena shook her, "Dite, Dite, what is it?"
"It's Ares."
"Ares, what has he done? Has he started a war among the gods?"
"No, no, it's not that."
"Then what? What has he done?"
Aphrodite picked up the purple iris, "Aww, his favorite."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, now tell me, what has Ares done?"
"That's just it, Xena. He hasn't done anything. They killed him. He's dead. Gone. Oblivion, that's why your soul hurts. Your love, your bond, your connection. It's all meaningless now. It's over . . ." Aphrodite's voice tapered off to a whisper but it didn't matter because Xena had quit listening.
Dead! He couldn't be dead. Not Ares.
"It is not over, I won't let it be."
"Xena. . ."
"No, don't try to fucking placate me. How did this happen? Where is his soul? Where is his body? Who did this?"
Aphrodite didn't try to answer the question. She knew that Xena was raving from grief.
"Xena, I am so sorry."
"Yes, yes you are and all of you other miserable fucking gods. Didn't you do anything."
"Xena that's not fair."
"You want to know what's fair. I tell you what's not fair."
"Stop! Before you go there, let me remind you that you killed my husband. I know a little bit about what you are feeling."
Xena looked down at the stone floor. Aphrodite had her there. She shouldn't be attacking Aphrodite anyway, she should be figuring out how to get to the bottom of this.
"Take me too him," She ordered the goddess.
"It's just a lifeless shell, Xena. Don't put yourself through that."
"I need to see him. Take me now."
Gabrielle walked into the temple just in time to see Xena and the goddess of love disappear into the aether.
