The Dungeon

"Eve, I'm going to need you to be very quiet from mommy its vital for everyone's safety." Eve nodded. To Eve this was a game and she would be quiet for the sake of being able to play. Just in case they were prepared to gag her just for a little while. They hid their horses safely and took note of the guards and much more. Ephiny came back through a portal.

"Well?" Gabrielle asked.

"They're still there and secure for now in exchange for protecting us they want protection as well."

"We can do that," Gabrielle said. Ephiny nodded and looked at Xena.

"Gabrielle's right we can do that."

"Good, they told us we have to hurry though Caesar is trying hard and they can only hold him off for so long. We're also welcome to leave Eve with the Queen who the most protected of anyone there. They have all managed to unite under one Queen thank God." Xena nodded.

"Eve do you think you can handle a few hours without mommy for me please while I get our family too safe out of the dungeons." Eve nodded. "Good girl, now it'll only be a few hours all right." Eve nodded. She kissed her forehead before giving her to Ephiny. She opened a portal and Ephiny stepped through and she kept it open and soon she returned. Xena closed it after she led the horses through the third time.

"All right once night falls we move." They nodded and waited as they ate and rested conserving strength, energy, and magic.

"Let's go." They crept towards the fortress where Caesar stayed and took out guards along the way. Daphne and Emily prompted them back up to appear as if they were still on watch. Xena swung the rope down and went down the wall carefully avoiding a stack of swords. The others followed stepping exactly where she had except Gabrielle who they quickly stopped before she hit the swords. They pulled down the rope easily after the hook came loose. Xena caught it before it hit the ground. Xena looked around for a door as Gabrielle started to speak they stopped her and managed not to utter a sound in their attempts to silence her. Xena opened a door and looked in she heard voices and closed the door. She motioned for them to hide. They hid in the shadows and then Xena had an idea. She let herself be caught.

"Hey you!" They exclaimed. "What are you doing here? You know the penalty it's to the dungeons with you!" Everyone else stayed back seeing in the light of the men's torches, who had come out of the door Xena had found, she had changed her appearance. She appeared to look more like Eve or an older version. They grabbed her and led her to another door they hadn't seen. They followed behind them, but not closely as they led her to the dungeons.

"You can spend a night down here and we'll see how you like sneaking around maid." They threw Xena in just the right cell and closed the door. It was dark, but she could make out the figures chained to the walls. They were all staring at her. She changed back and listened to the guards disappear. She held out her hand and a ball of light appeared after she scanned the dungeon for any spells she hadn't thought of.

"Xena?" Hercules and Ares asked at the same time. The chains were that Hephaestus. There would be no breaking the chains.

"Yes, it's me I've come to get you all out."

"But Caesar he's so strong it doesn't make sense," Hercules breathed.

"Look I'll explain later, but right now you've got to get out." She saw they were all filthy and bloody. They had been beaten.

"Xena I'm just glad your back, he said he would let us go when he had captured you, but I knew it was a lie. They killed my daughter," Diana told her before crying.

"I'm so sorry I've caused you guys to suffer, if I had known I would have come back. But I didn't know and I was imprisoned myself."

"Its okay, Torres told me before all this where you had gone and about a war. I knew you were occupied and that one day he would get a message to you, I just never thought it'd take ten years."

"I know, but you'll understand more later." Xena went over to a skeleton. "Who is this?"

"He was here when we got here," Ares told her. She broke off a finger and began to release Diana first because she looked the most pathetic of them all. She was still dressed in Royal finery, but it was all rags now. Next was Allissia who was passed out, her beating was more recent than everyone else.

"Hang in there Allissia, I'm here for you." She undid the cuffs holding her arms up and than her feet. After Allissia she found Autolycus and next to him was Rafe. After Rafe was Amarice and she had the most chains.

"Xena," Tara whispered. Tara was in her mid-twenties.

"Yes, it's me Tara."

"They killed my family Xena." Xena rubbed the side of her face sadly. It hadn't been easy to get Tara on the path to good and now this had happened to her and it was all for knowing Xena.

"I know, but I'm going to get you out of here." After Tara there was Flora, who she was surprised to see. Flora only said nothing, but the look in her eyes told her she was so happy to see her and had never given up hope. After that she was fully surprised to see Artemis and Aphrodite.

"What happen to all the Gods?" Xena asked. "Did he really kill you all?" Artemis shook her head. She like Aphrodite and Ares weren't hurt with blood and dirt all over them, but the chains kept them in place.

"Caesar happened," Ares spat. "He has robbed us of everything except our immortality."

"Looks like its Caesar Athena should have waged war against not Eve," Artemis said thinking the whole situation was ironic to say the least.

"Yeah I guess so, but what about the others?"

"Dead, dead as mortals get. Well everyone except my Cupid," Aphrodite told her with tears in her eyes.

"Where is Cupid?"

"Down the hall in a separate room late at night we can hear his screams." Aphrodite said no more as Xena finished unchaining her and then Artemis.

"If you can stand begin stretching you need to get use to being on your feet." Several people stood up slowly and carefully. Xena freed Leah and Meg as well as Philemon who crawled over to his wife. They were all skin and bones. Her mother would be happy to fatten them up.

"Xena did you bring your healer's kit Iolaus is really sick," Hercules told her.

"Yeah, it's with my things, I can treat him when we get to safety." Hercules nodded as she freed him and then moved in front of him to undo his chains. "Is your mother alive?"

"She was when they took me away, but when they went for Iphicles they razed the city of Cornith to the ground. Iphicles doesn't know if mother or even if his children and wife escaped. She finally got the locks on his cuffs to give before she went to Iphicles who had regular chains and his were easier to pick with the bone. After him she looked down the row to find Minya, Salmoneous, Joxer, and a teenage boy she didn't know. Meg was near Joxer whispering to him and then to the teenage boy.

"They had more kids, but they were burned alive." Xena frowned sadly seeing that Meg's family was barely intact just like Philemon and Diana's family.

"Xena I knew you'd come," Joxer told her as he gave her a little smile. She gave him a smile back.

"Always Joxer no matter how long it takes."

"Is Eve safe?"

"She's fine, she misses her Godfather." He smiled more as she released him. Xena finished with Virgil who didn't look much like his father or Meg. He almost resembled Eve in his skin coloring and bone structure was only slightly similar, but not really. Salmoneous said nothing as he stretched. He was very frightened and his cheery self was hiding.

"So how are we going to get out of here?" Hercules asked lifting up Allissia; he still had his super strength. Everyone was supporting someone.

"Yeah, and don't tell me you didn't think that far," Ares said.

"Well I sort of did, but I changed the plan in the middle." Xena went to the door and looked out. There were two guards on the side of the door.

"Guard can you open the door please someone is dying in here!" Xena said her voice full of panic and fear.

"No need for that Xena we already took care of it," Ephiny said turning around. Xena smiled and nodded.

"Well we're ready." Ephiny disappeared and pushed the guard beside her over. Soon the door was opened and they all filed out into the hall. Everyone looked at Daphne and Emily as they moved to help them though Amarice found Daphne to be unbelievably hot, but then it started to cool down.

"Sorry," Daphne whispered to her. Amarice nodded.

"I'll get Cupid," Xena told them. They nodded as the light went out in the dungeon they had exited. Xena went down the hall with the keys and the bone in her hand. What she saw when she opened the door made her want to throw up. Aphrodite started to come down the hall.

"No Aphrodite stay down there with everyone." Aphrodite feared the sight before Xena and nodded. Xena entered the room where the torches were lit. Chains held Cupid's arms and legs spread out. He was naked with whip marks all over his body, he was cursed with mortal wounds all over his flesh and his wings had been cut off several times before they had grown back. They were still on the floor in front of him and bleedings and while his wings were gone Cupid was mortal. She moved in front of him and was horrified that his genitals had been struck with thin metal sticks.

"Cupid I'm so sorry."

"Just get me down," He managed to get out with blood all over his mouth. Xena nodded. First she released his feet so that he could kneel or stand while she released his hands. She found cloth and covered him properly before helping him walk out. Aphrodite immediately took him into her arms and cried at his missing wings thankful she had not looked upon the whole spectacle of him chained up. No mother should ever see her child in chains. Everyone asked Cupid if he was okay.

"I'll live if we can get out of here." They nodded.

"Ephiny go get Gabrielle."

"Xena what are you doing, the door is that way," Ares said. "Don't tell me you've gone daft in the…head." He looked on as a purple portal appeared.

"Go through." Daphne and Emily head through first with the ones they supported. Eponin and Solari were next with their load. Gabrielle came down the steps with Ephiny.

"We have to hurry they've noticed the guards who were killed." Xena nodded as Aphrodite went through with Cupid. Ares followed her with Tara. Philemon and Diana went through. Hercules went through as well.

"Come on he's detected us." Soon only Ephiny, Xena, Flora, and Gabrielle were left and Xena's portal began to waver. Xena stepped halfway in her portal to hold it open as it got smaller she threw Flora through it and Ephiny dived in and Gabrielle followed suit pulling Xena with her as the portal slammed closed just as the guards burst in.

"That was close," Gabrielle mumbled as Xena closed the portal on their end. Xena stood up as well as Gabrielle before helping Flora.

"Girls over here!" Ephiny called. They went over to the hunt where everyone was residing. There were twenty-seven cots and their things were in a corner. Xena lay Flora down as water and food was passed out by amazons who had come to help. Xena saw that they were all thinner than normal and sparing as much food as possible.

"Where's Eve?" Xena asked as she got her healer's kit."

"I'll go get her," An Amazon said. Xena nodded.

"So what's the plan for taking back Greece?" Hercules asked as she moved to him. Everyone was giving their full attention to Xena now.

"The plan is to get to safety."

"We're not safe yet?" Cupid groaned.

"No, not completely, not yet, I was trying to give you all three days rest before we left."

"Xena, that is hardly enough time to heal," Hercules protested. The door opened and Eve ran through the door with her arm in a sling. "Is that Eve?" Xena nodded.

"This is Eve all two years of her."

"That's impossible Eve should be older," Joxer told her, "She should be nine not two."

"No, it's not impossible where I come from. I come from another realm, it's really a completely different world where Greece only exists in another realm, and we're going back there. There everyone will be safer than you are here, but the war will follow us home that I can promise you."

"Is that where you get your power?" Ares asked. Xena nodded.

"But Ares is your father," Hercules said.

"Hey yeah that's right I fathered you." Xena shook her head.

"No, you didn't, I've found my real dad and its not you Ares or Atrius. My mother was pregnant with me before she lay with you or Atrius again."

"How?" Xena explained about her youth and Eve's. She explained about why it was ten years passed in Greece and Eve was still a baby and she explained how she had come to find out about them finally and resolved to come rescue them because they would do it for her.

"And your revenge on Caesar?" Ares asked.

"Not important my children need me and I would be stupid to go up against General Ving and Caesar alone despite all my skill."

"General Ving?" Gabrielle spoke than. Aside from fighting with Drake's mother she had learned about Arcadia before Drake and Xena's rule.

"So that bastard is responsible for Caesar's power."

"General Ving uses his power in the worse way possible. I've only gone up against him once and that was twenty years ago for you guys." They nodded.

"Why not leave now for Arcadia?" Aphrodite asked wanting to get Cupid somewhere safe.

"Because of the way one enters Arcadia, I don't want to make you worse yet. I want you to at least begin your healing process and perhaps not be hurt so much."

"What do we have to swim up to the top of an unbelievably deep lake?" Hercules asked. Xena shook her head.

"Worse."

"What?" They asked.

"When you come out on the other side you will find yourself in the air and for the first few seconds as your brain registers the problem you will enjoy it and then you will fall and die."

"And how do you survive this?" Ares asked.

"The horses, we're going to send for horses, thankfully Arcadia breeds lots of strong horses every year and of course there are lots that roam free. But we've decided that it's easier if we just get a horse for every wagon in this Amazon village." An Amazon entered.

"Xena our Queen would like to speak with you." Xena nodded as she stood up.

"Daphne and Emily are quite capable of answering all of your questions about Sultry and Arcadia." They nodded. Eve, who was sitting next to her Uncle Joxer after recognizing him immediately and almost confusing Meg for her mother, followed her out. She stopped when she saw a weary looking Diana and looked back after Xena. Xena noticed and stopped.

"What?"Eve's eyes fell on Leah who had planted herself next to Gabrielle who was no longer the little naïve girl she knew. Eve walked over to Diana, who gave her a smile knowing she was confused. Eve studied her face for a long moment than went to study Leah's. She even went back to Meg and studied her face before she went back to Xena and studied her face before nodding her head.

"Your mommy," Eve said holding out her hand. She was so cute and everyone laughed a little.

"Yes, I'm mommy." After a few moments they both departed to speak with the Queen of the Amazons.

"Queen Xena, I am Queen Cyane, after the woman you killed." Xena nodded.

"I'm glad to hear the name is still being passed on." She nodded.

"I wanted to talk to you about how you're going to provide my nation with protection."

"By taking you, your fellow Amazon sisters the Greek Amazons."

"You're going to kill us all," She said angrily. Xena shook her head no and stopped her from pulling out her sword.

"They're not dead, they're perfectly safe I assure you, four of the women with me are Greek Amazons, and the short blond is Queen Gabrielle, Ephiny as you know is her Regent." Queen Cyane called Ephiny and Gabrielle to her. And with Eve in her arms they were able to get Cyane to trust Xena.

"Xena, I've been thinking and I can't just leave without knowing if my family is safe," Iphicles told her.

"Iphicles I don't know what to tell you, you're going to be alone and Caesar's army is headed this way."

"Can't we stay a little longer to search?"

"No," Eve said. "Mommy busy."

"Apologize," Xena told her. Eve pouted. "Eve apologize you are not to be rude and it will not be tolerated."

"You're not mommy." She got off Xena's lap.

"Apologize."

"No," Eve told her shaking her head.

"Eve, I'm not arguing with you now I told you to apologize and that's what your going to do or be punished. Pick wisely little girl."

"Eve no have to say sorry, Eve princess." She stuck out her tongue out at Xena to everyone's disbelief. Xena frowned at her straight out disobedience. She went and sat by herself to play with the stick dolls an Amazon had made her.

"Excuse us and Iphicles I can't make you any promises." Iphicles nodded. Xena carried Eve outside who kicked her things and one good arm. She tried to burn Xena, but of course she didn't have enough power to do that. Xena put her over her knee and she cried as Xena had frozen the seat of her cloth diaper. Xena didn't see the point of warming her back side if she didn't notice a big difference. It was course hurt her to cause Eve pain, but it was for her own good.

"Now I'm sorry mommy had to do that to you, but you were being naughty."

"Mommy no do it again."

"I'll make you a deal I won't spank you anymore if you don't be naughty, fair trade." Eve nodded. "Good and I'll give you warnings that you're being naughty." Eve nodded as she kissed the top of her head. "Okay now let's go apologize to Uncle Iphicles." Eve nodded. Xena put her down and led her by the hand back to the hut. Eve walked with her head down and apologized to Iphicles who smiled at her and offered her an apple as a peace offering which she accepted.

"I was thinking and Caesar never killed Hades."

"What?" Everyone asked looking at Ares. Ares nodded.

"Yeah, he never killed Hades, Hades closed off all the door ways to his realm and he only sends his sister up if someone is dying away from Caesar otherwise all those people never die unless they're his warriors when Caesar is too preoccupied."

"Do you think he'll come if you call?"

"He didn't when we were in the dungeons, but now that we're out I think we have a shot."

"And what about Eve?" Gabrielle asked. "Will he attack her and blame her for Caesar?" Ares shrugged.

"I'm sure if he still thinks she's behind this we can reason with him."

"Eve come here." Eve came over and Xena took her up in arms drawing her sword. Daphne and Emily did as well positioning themselves between their Queen and Hades when and if he arrived.

"Hades!" Ares called.

"Hades!" Artemis, Aphrodite, and Cupid called.

"Hades come on we've escaped!" Ares yelled.

"Hades!" Hercules called. Soon everyone was calling him which switched to insults and he appeared in the middle of the room.

"What!" Hades exclaimed. "I don't want to be killed." He looked all around him and saw they were indeed out of the dungeon. "Cupid nephew what have they done to you?" His genitals were swollen and Xena wanted him in Arcadia before she removed anything and he had agreed.

"Too much Uncle," Cupid told him.

"Uncle can you tell us if Iphicles' family and our mother are dead?" Hercules asked. Hades sighed.

"Is that all." They nodded.

"His family is dead, but your mother she's in Athens or the new village of Athens." Iphicles now turned away in grief.

"Can you bring mother?" Hades nodded. He disappeared not even noticing Eve or Xena. He appeared a little later with a child and Alcmene. She hugged Hercules spotting him first. The little boy spotted his father and ran to him. Iphicles was overjoyed that his youngest son at least had survived. He had only been imprisoned for six of the last ten years.

"Xena thank you," Alcmene told her before she thanked Daphne, Emily, Ephiny, Eponin, Solari, and lastly Gabrielle. She was a big help as Hades disappeared telling them not to call him again. The next morning Xena had Cyane telling her Amazons to pack every last bit of food.

"Drake's sending wagons now," Xena told Gabrielle.

"Who's Drake?" Ares asked. Hercules was a little curious along with Autolycus.

"My husband." Everyone gasped and looked at her.

"You got married?" They asked.

"Yes, I got married its not that hard to believe, I told you this last night."

"Yeah, but now there's a name attached to the lucky son a bitch," Ares grumbled.

"You can't get mad at him for having the courage to do what you've always wanted too," Xena told them before she followed Gabrielle out. They packed everything imaginable. Solari went the supplies to prepare her fellow Amazons. Any sick Amazons or wounded ones from fighting of Caesar's army were taken after the supplies. After the sick and wounded the children were taken. Eve stood by Xena's side watching Daphne and Emily help her keep the portal open on their end and Drake was on the other and although far was keeping the portal open with the help of her ladies in waiting who were actually in the Amazon village. Of course it was not the same portal as Xena's portal appeared in the air, there's was on the ground and appeared on the ground in Greece.

"Come on ladies we have to move fast!" Queen Cyane yelled. Next groups were taken. Xena and Gabrielle's friends went. Xena was grateful when all the Amazons had gone except Queen Cyane who looked over her village. Eve sat perched before Xena on Argo.

"Is that everyone?" Xena asked.

"I think so."

"Search the village, make sure no one is left behind. It was a good thing they did because a pregnant Amazon had almost been left. She had locked herself in the room and she was so quiet that in the commotion she had been forgotten and her only daughter beside her. Ephiny took the child while Queen Cyane had the woman.

"Go, I'll stay with her," Queen Cyane said.

"Go you guys send back a wagon you too Daphne, Emily." They nodded after much protesting. Xena held the portal open.

"We're coming for you Amazons!" They heard men yell.

"They're making it up here without women to defend our border." Xena nodded as the wagon came through. Queen Cyane put the woman in the wagon and led it through in the driver's seat. Xena sent her horse through and rode in just beside it with Eve in her arms. She stopped and sealed the portal just missing the surprised look on the man's face as she disappeared. She rode ahead seeing that the wagon had disappeared.

"Hang on Eve." Eve's eyes went wide when they fell into the night sky. As her brain registered they were in the air and Argo began to fall she gripped Xena in fear and screamed as Argo's wings flew out catching the wind and slowing them down. She calmed down as they glided safely in the air so she could get use to it.

"Relax Eve you're fine and mommy is right behind you darling," Xena whispered and glided Argo towards the ground. When they landed everything was being put and Amazons were bunking with other Amazons or going to the newly finished huts.

"That was insane," Aphrodite told her. "It was like riding a monstrous wave!" Xena smiled at Aphrodite's comparison.

"Well I never want to do that again," Alcmene told her. Everyone had their comments as a feast was brought in much better than in Greece.

"Xena can we do this now?" Cupid asked. Xena nodded.

"I'll put her to bed," Daphne volunteered. Xena nodded and kissed Eve goodnight before taking her to Xena's hut when she visited. They moved Cupid somewhere more private and she worked all night long and in the morning she was finally done and he was on his way to healing. Aphrodite took over his care than. He still couldn't close his legs, but he was a deal more comfortable.

"How are you feeling today Iolaus?"

"Much better, I'm glad to be able to stop hallucinating for now." Everyone nodded. It would be awhile before any of them really recovered. Xena, Eve, and Melody were around on and off because she had a wedding to plan, but finally Cyrene just came to the Amazon village.