Chapter Two
"How is he today?" Xena asked. Xenan had a fever and it was high time they left, but she wasn't that willing to do so with Xenan sick. She had guarded him with vengeance these last fifteen months of recovery. They had recruited more men and were regaining the strength they once had.
"No better." said Alexandros as Xena picked him up. He quieted down in her arms."His fever is still high."
"If it's still high tomorrow I'm sending my men on an extended vacation to be with their families before we embark on a new territory." Xena said. Alexandros nodded. She gave him something for his fever and cough. It didn't seem to help at all.
"Maybe it'll be down by lunch." said Alexandros as Xena tried yet another remedy for his fever the next day.
"Perhaps it's been two weeks since he got this fever." said Xena.
By lunch it wasn't down and she sent her men on an extended vacation. She just told them that they needed a rest from the way of the warrior for awhile so that when they did embark on their next journey to counquer yet another city-state they'd be like fresh young soldiers except with experience. Plus they were to recruit some warriors. They liked that idea. Soon though they headed in different directions to return in two months to this very place. Though some stayed saying they had no family or no wish to return to them. Mostly the new ones who needed to be trained up some more.
"Gods I hope my mother knows what to do." said Xena. She had thought long and hard and decided after trying everything the healer suggested and everything she knew it was time she consulted her mother. She hadn't seen her mother in years. She didn't know how her mother would react when she saw her. The villagers would not welcome her that was for sure.
"Where are you headed?" Alexandros asked as she packed up.
"To get advice from my mother. You make sure the villagers don't steal anything and your in charge of the ones who've decided not to leave until I get back. Your a trained warrior now you can take the few left. I want you to run them through the Drills you've done it with me many times and can do it on your own. "
"Oh well alright." said Alexandros. Xena took enough money. She had other places stashed with dinars and jewels from their plunderings and her travels by sea some time earlier. Borias and her had thought it over one day and decided that one day they might be backstabbed and if they lived they wanted to still have money. So they stored it in various places. She slung her two bags full of her things and Xenan's over her shoulder. She picked up her son who was crying constantly from his fever.
"Be careful and don't do anything stupid. Make sure they train and all that." said Xena before leaving. Her horse was waiting for her as she fixed her saddle bags onto the horse. She got on without much difficulty despite Xenan. She rode off. For days she rode stopping only, so they could eat and rest. Also to make sure he was still well enough to keep traveling at the pace she had set. She tried different rememdies but nothing worked.
"Alright we can stop for the day and finish our journey to the village tomorrow." said Xena to him. It was a hot day as she refilled her water skin and drank some. The cool water sliding down her throat was like a dream come true. She gave Xenan some water. He barely drank some to her dismay. She undressed them both and stepped into the cool water. It was to cold to put him in fully while holding him, so she dripped water all over his hot little body. She did until his fever broke for once. She let his feet hang in the water as he stopped crying.
"There that's better isn't it." said Xena kissing his forehead. He layed his head down on her chest. After a while of just resting she moved closer to shore and got out the things they needed for a bath. She bathed herself and her son before getting out of the waters. She put him in his sling before setting up camp and unsaddling Argo. She made a camp fire and hunted for some food while Xenan slept after his bath.
"Ok shh...I know." said Xena picking him up. Xenan cried as she picked him up. She got a bowl and put some rabbit in it. "There you go." He devoured his food compared to the way he usually took his time. But than again he had been so fussy with his fever it had been hard to get him to eat for very long or keep it down. He started crying again for no reason she could think of. He wasn't hungry. He'd just woken up from his nap and he had a clean diaper on.
Xena checked his forehead. He still had a slight fever and obviously he still had that cough. She gave him something for his cough. She walked around, rubbing his back trying to get him to stop crying. She started to sing to him as a last resort. She hadn't sang in a long time, but her voice was as beautiful as ever.
"I have to try this more often." said Xena as he calmed down and slept again. He relieved himself at that moment. It was not plesant holding him while he took a dump. She changed him before he had a chance to wake up and start crying again. She washed his dirty diapers as he slept. With a couple of sticks she was able to dry them by the fire. She slept next to him after checking the perimeter of the camp making sure they were safe.
"What do you think should we go see Nana even though your fever's all gone." said Xena to Xenan holding him up. They were all packed up and now she was deciding whether or not to continue to her mother's or go back. She was so close to the village she could see it. Xenan only smiled at her. She smiled back. She didn't know it, but he was his happiest in her arms.
"Well just because I'm on the outs with my mother doesn't mean you have to be." Xena said."You should get to know her if she's alive. That way I won't be your only family." She started walking towards the village a little nervous yet excited about seeing her mother. Though she knew part of this visit would not be a joyous one.
Before they were in the village she smoothed his black hair which was at the moment all over the place. She hadn't brushed it because he was being difficult about getting dressed. Kept walking all over the place and hiding from her if he could make it behind a tree in time. She'd had fun, but had completely forgot about his hair. It wouldn't stay down so she stopped and took her brush out of her bag. She brushed it gently so he wouldn't make to much of a fuss. No such luck he messed it up, and she fixed it.
"No, don't mess up your hair." said Xena. She fixed it again. Twice she did before she slapped his hand. He started crying even though she hadn't hit him hard enough to even leave a sting. She just let him as she fixed his hair and returned his hat to his head. She straightened his clothes as she continued to walk and wiped his tears.
"It's ok mommy's sorry." said Xena. She kissed his hand as he wiped his eyes and layed his head down on her shoulder. She kissed his soft forehead.
"Toy." said Xenan in a whine.
"I didn't bring your toys." Xena said. He started crying. She knew she really shouldn't give in to him to shut him up, but she didn't want him to be without something to have fun with when she couldn't play with him. Like when they were walking.
"Toy." cried Xenan.
"If you stop crying and behave I'll get you a toy." Xena said. Xenan stopped crying and nodded. She stabled her horse. Than went to the market, and got him a toy. All the villagers stared at her, but she just got him a toy as if no one was staring. She could have sworn she spent two hours waiting for him to pick out a bear to go with his favorite bear Lemon. She was just stalling to get to her mother's.
"Come on maybe they'll have better ones tomorrow or we'll try a different merchant." said Xena holding out her hand. Xenan turned around clutching his new toy boat. He took her hand and they headed towards her mother's tavern. She was sure the news had spread to her by now. If not she'd be amazed. She'd been getting dirty looks she had pretended not to see. She'd had to find a merchant not from Amphipolis, so she could get him a toy.
"Boat." said Xenan holding up his toy. Xena looked down at him.
"Yea I see." Xena said.
"Xena!" yelled someone. She stopped and turned. There was her childhood friend Amelia. Amelia wasn't a fighter, and Xena never expected her to be. Amelia was her own woman when it came to important decisions, and if she needed to could defend herself pretty well. But she just wasn't the violent type physically. They had kept in contact over the years, but her father had kept her from ever venturing outside of the village saying she'd run off with her. She was on the other hand allowed to write to her in secret of course.
"Amelia how are you?" Xena asked as she approached her. She hugged her. Amelia and her were close friends. Amelia, Terri, and her had been like the three amigos until Cortese attack. Than Terri died, she had left, and Amelia was stuck here.
"Fine I'm so happy to see you." said Amelia."I've missed you."
"I've missed you too." said Xena. Xenan stared up at Amelia, and didn't say a word as he moved behind his mother keeping his little hand in her big one.
"Where'd the kid go?" Amelia asked suddenly noticing he wasn't where she'd last saw him.
"Right here." Xena said indicating behind her."He's being shy." Amelia started to ask her about him when a man yelled for her to come on.
"Oh I have to go. I'll see you later. Have to get back home kid to feed husband to kill." said Amelia. Xena nodded laughinng. They hugged and Amelia left. She throught she imagined it for a minute when some people scrowled at Amelia's husband like she'd been about to ask her something they all wanted to hear and know for sure. Though she had an idea of what that was. She turned back around and was about to start walking when a kid ran by snatching Xenan's boat.
Xenan was no punk. He was the son of warriors, and although he was one and short in Xena's opinion for a one year old he could fight and had a temper to match his mother's if you got him real mad. Taking his toy made him mad. He let go of his mother's hand and ran after the boy. Xena followed not running after him since he wasn't running that fast anyway on his short little legs.
"Mine!" yelled Xenan after he caught up and they were taunting him. He got a hold of it and was pulling it. Xena walked over and took the boat from both of them before it broke.
"Hey lady that's mine." said the boy.
"No, you stole it, and your lucky I don't tan your backside." said Xena."Next time you won't be so lucky." Xena grabbed Xenan and pulled him away just as he was swinging to knock the boy out. He got lucky, Xenan just missed him too. Xena didn't know where he learned it from. She made sure he wasn't around any of the men while they were training or even herself.
"Here." said Xena handing it back to him. He didn't say any thing as she picked him up. She picked up her saddle bags, which she had dropped to go break the two apart, and kept going. She wiped the smudge of dirt off his face. They reached the tavern and walked in. She took in the familiar place where she had grown up. So many memories in this place. The place was empty not yet full with the dinner rush. Her mother was not in the front. She set her bags down.
"Mother." She called. The word felt as foreign as the word mommy had on her tongue. When she had repeated it the first time Xenan had called her that. Cyrene having been expecting her daughter when she heard the rumors recognized the voice of her daughter immediately. She hadn't heard it for so long it was like music to her ears despite all that her daughter had done she'd missed her and prayed she'd turn off her destructive path. Now she was hoping she had. She hadn't heard anything new her daughter had done except that she was recruiting more men into her army. Yet here she was. She came out of the back wondering what she would see. How much of her daughter would have changed by now.
"Xena." said Cyrene. She was putting on a front. To Xena it seemed her mother was not to happy to see her at all."What are you doing here?"
"Just thought you would like to meet somebody." said Xena. She gave Xenan to her mother. Xena watched her mother as she realized who he was. It was clear to her that her mother had been expecting her, but not her grandson.
"Is he?" Cyrene asked looking at him and than up at her daughter. Xena only nodded.
"His name's Xenan." said Xena. Xenan reached out for her, but she didn't take him back right away. He started to cry and she took him.
"He's beautiful." said Cyrene."Hi Xenan."
"Say hi." Xena said when he turned away. He waved. Cyrene smiled at him as he put his arms around Xena's neck.
"What does this all mean?" Cyrene asked. She needed to hear her daughter say she was giving up the life of a warrior. Xena seemed to notice this.
"It means you have a grandson." said Xena. She was a little sorry she couldn't give her mother the answer she wanted.
"When do I get to meet your special someone." said Cyrene seeing she'd have to ask a more direct question to get a more direct answer from her daughter perhaps she hadn't understood her. But she knew she's have to ask about her being a warrior later. Now was obviously the time to pry about her grandson's father and all that.
"If you mean the father than the answer is never." said Xena."His father is not in our lives anymore."
"Well why not Xena. Every child needs a father." said Cyrene.
"Olivia not Xena your my mother. Besides you raised me alone." said Xena. Xena loved her first name it just didn't work as that of a warlord. She wouldn't stand for her mother to call her Xena anymore. Her name was Olivia.
" Olivia it would have been a job that would have been much easier with help." Cyrene said. She was glad her daughter wanted her to call her Olivia.
"Look mother his father is not in our lives, because he's dead." said Xena.
"You didn't kill him, did you?" Cyrene asked. Xena was shocked her mother would even suggest that, but it didn't show on her face. But than again they were talking about her.
"No, as a matter of fact I didn't." said Xena.
"Than he died of natural causes." Cyrene said.
"I seriously doubt it." Xena said.
"Well how long are you staying?" Cyrene asked.
"Just tonight than I'm gone." Xena said."You need not be bothered with my presence again. I just thought you'd like to meet your grandson. We have to get back to camp." Cyrene didn't want her daughter or her grandson to go. At least not yet. All her anger had just melted with the happy news of her grandson.
"No, I will not have my daughter sleeping outside when she can sleep inside." Cyrene said."Especially my grandson as well. He could catch a cold."
"He's already had one it'll be awhile hopefully before it returns." said Xena.
"How long have you had him?" Cyrene asked touching his cheek as he turned his head away from her.
"A year and almost four months." said Xena."But really we must be going before it's to dark for me to find my way back."
"Nonsense you have your stuff you can stay here tonight." said Cyrene."There are bandits roaming around here and I don't want you hurt in the middle of the night." Xena gave in.
"Alright." said Xena. Her mother led her to a back room. She put her stuff down in there as well as Xenan. He layed down waiting expectantly for her to change his diaper.
"What did you shit again?" Xena asked him.
"Uhuh." said Xenan.
"Olivia." said Cyrene hearing her daughter cuss.
"What?" Xena asked."It's not like he doesn't hear the men swearing all the time. I doubt it'll make a difference if I didn't."
"Men?" Cyrene asked."What men?"
"My army." said Xena. She could see her mother was shocked and not so shocked.
"Olivia, you have a child, you can't really expect to still be a warlord." Cyrene.
"Yes I can actually." said Xena."I won't let him grow up to be to much like me. He'll know right from wrong even if I am a warlord." She changed his diaper quickly. He digged in her bag and pulled out lemon. He got under the covers of the bed. Xena took his boat from him, and put it away.
"But Olivia." Cyrene said.
"No buts mother please not tonight." said Xena as the sunset over the horizon. Cyrene decided she would try again tomorrow before her daughter left to convince her to leave the path of a warrior and return home to raise her son. Perhaps marry and give him a father. But she wouldn't push it, and just work on getting her off the path of a warrior. She wished she had more time.
"Alright well come have dinner before the rush gets here." said Cyrene. Xena nodded. Xena looked at Xenan as she put their bags on the floor.
"Do you wanna go to sleep or do you want dinner first?" Xena asked him. He got up crawled over to her. She picked him up and they followed her mother to the kitchen. They ate dinner together and Xena told her mother about Xenan. She didn't speak about herself not much anyway.
"How much have Greece have you conquered?" Cyrene asked out of no where. She wanted to know more about what her daughter was doing.
"None we traveled east for awhile. We've been doing a lot of plundering nothing to my liking anyway." said Xena."If I had it my way all of Greece would be under my control right now, but I had shared power before."
"Oh and was he the father?" Cyrene asked.
"I hope so." Xena said. She just couldn't resist saying that to see the look on her mother's face. It was priceless.
"You mean your not sure?" Cyrene asked.
"I am. I just wanted to see that look on your face." said Xena. Cyrene looked relieved.
"Oh thank the gods." said Cyrene. She finished eatting and managed to convince her daughter to change into a dress and help her out. Xenan sat on the bed playing with his bear and boat as his mother changed. He stared at her taking in the sight of her beautiful form in a real dress.
"Take a good look kid, because this will probably be the first and last time you see me in a dress." said Xena. She walked over and kissed his forehead."Now time for you to get some rest." She changed him into his night tunic and put him under the covers. She put his toy boat away.
"Mommy." said Xenan reaching out for her.
"No, mommy will be back in a few hours ok. I'll be in the front if you need me." Xena said. Xenan lowered his arms. She kissed his forehead again. She stood up and blew out the candles except one. Xenan didn't like the dark. He started whimpering a little and she moved the candle next to the bedside so the pool of light was on him.
"Shhh...it's ok your going to be fine. I'll make sure of that." Xena said she relit another candle and put it on the other side of the bed. She kissed him again to reasure him before leaving out. All talk stopped when she helped her mother out. They were silent except for some whispers, but than slowly talk started again. Some people even left out saying they didn't want to be served by the likes of her. She just ignored everything and wasn't particularly polite, but polite enough so her mother wouldn't lose anymore business. Cyrene was just happily telling everyone about her grandson.
"Thank you for helping Olivia." said Cyrene."It's nice to have some help around here for once."
"Your welcome." said Xena as she finished putting up the dishes for her mother. She'd just come from washing them down at the river
"I don't know why you don't like dresses you look beautiful in them." Cyrene said.
"Can't move in them." Xena said.
"You mean you can't fight in them?" Cyrene asked.
"Yes." Xena said."I'll see you in the morining before I leave." She walked out of the kitchen and into the back. She met Xenan in the middle of the hallway. She picked him up. He was crying.
"What's the matter?" Xena asked. He said something she didn't understand, because he was crying. She took him back into the room. She saw that it was pitch black in the room. She lit all the candles in the room. She checked to make sure nobody was in the room. There wasn't, but than she realized she'd left the window open and a draft was in the room. She closed it.
"Shhh...it's ok I'm here now." said Xena. She didn't notice her mother at the door as she told him a story, so he'd go to sleep. He didn't go to sleep, but he calmed down long enough for her to change blow out all but a few candles. She got into bed and he immediately crawled into her arms. She sang to him the lullabye her own mother use to sing to her. It only made Cyrene smile and cry a little.
"Goodnight dear." said Cyrene shutting the door. Xena was startled just noticing her mother. She'd been to busy with Xenan to notice. She hoped that didn't happen in a crucial moment.
"Goodnight Xenan." Xena said. They both went to sleep.
