She was probably drunk...
Xena's conversation with Gabrielle yesterday kept running through her head. Maybe she had been drunk, that's why she gave herself to him.
" No" her mind reminded her. "You knew what you were doing, you wanted it."
Xena shook her head as if she was trying to shake out the memories of her and Ares. Then, right out of nowhere, there was that old familiar tingle up and down her spine and….surprise, surprise, the Bastard appeared, in his usual flash of blue light.
The Warrior Princess instinctively drew her sword, ready to attack.
Ares quickly held up his hands though, almost defensively.
"Woah!" he started, walking towards her, looking her straight in the eyes "Aren't you the edgy one today….?"
Just a few steps behind, Gabrielle was watching Xena's every move, a shade of unavowed guilt in her grassy green moons, silently hoping that her pissed friend would just stab the jerk anyway.
"I understand that you have been talking about me…."the God continued, casting daggers in the Blond Bard's direction. " But you, my dear, you have been thinking about me..." he made sure to add in Xena's mind.
"Get out of my head you demented Son of a Bacchae!" the Warrior Princess broke out pushing him full force out of her way.
Ares didn't seem to be bothered about it too much nonetheless, and in exchange, he just laughed in her face.
" Well….I'm not the one who can't stop thinking of….. me…or should I say….us?." With a teasing smirk on his face, the God of War disappeared.
Seconds later, a fuming Xena was staring at the spot where the cocky War God had stood.
"Damn him to Tartarus," she mumbled under her breath.
Gabrielle shuffled nervously towards the Warrior Princess.
"What was that all about? Xena….how comes that he's always around? Why do you let him do that?!"
Xena just rolled her eyes.
"And what exactly do you expect me to do about it?! He's…Ares! He's crazy and….. acting stupid as always…"
The displeased Bard let out a loud sigh:
"I suppose….. Listen, why don't we find a clearing and relax for the rest of the day?" she finally suggested.
Xena nodded.
Later that night, the two friends sat, eating silently by the fire- with a very absent Xena chewing rather her lower lip than that piece of roasted bird she held in her hand, her busy thoughts obviously wondering in totally different dimensions and with an overly silent Bard staring from her friend to the flames and back, wishing she knew what was wrong…..There was obviously something….
" That Bastard must have done something to her again….. I wish he'd just leave her alone!" Gabrielle's inner soliloquy was interrupted by Xena's ragged voice though, before she got the chance to develop her ideas.
"I'm going to get more firewood," she said, turning her back and walking into the woods.
Gabrielle was speechless…