Mourning
After all was over, Aphrodite reappeared. It seemed they had won the battle, the two and their daughter, yet the war still raged on. The goddess realized she needed to stay away from Olympus for a while until things cooled down. Perhaps a decade or two. When you're immortal, you've got a long time to hold grudges. Aphrodite was reluctant to ask for the lovers' help, but, after all, they owed her. So she had popped up in their campsite. But she was almost unrecognizable. Her hair was limp and messy, she had no makeup on, and her face was severely tearstained. But worst of all, her eyes were dull and lifeless. She came up to Gabrielle (for she couldn't bring herself to face Xena) and asked to stay with them for a while. Gabrielle had agreed, knowing of Aphrodite's need to lay low. Taking in the love goddess' still black attire, she sat closer on their log around the fire, putting an arm around the deity's shoulder. Xena sat on the opposite side with Eve, having the sense to keep her distance at this time. Gabrielle intertwined her fingers with the goddess'.
"I'm sorry about Hephaestus."
Fingering the hem of her black gown, she replied "It's not Hephaestus." She thought about how the old Aphrodite would have taken delight in Xena and Gabrielle's expressions when she told them who she was mourning. But the new Aphrodite just stared blankly ahead as she continued without any trace of emotion: "She killed my Discord."