Usual disclaimers apply.

Chapter 2

Getting home, I jumped out of the truck and raced to the barn, leaving my bag on the seat.

Reaching the stalls, I moved Mavri out, talking to him as I hugged his neck. Breathing in the wonderful smell of horse I relaxed and wondered why everything else couldn't be as easy as it was when I was with him.

Hearing Mama come in, she walked to another stall and moved Argo II out. Her actions repeated my own and I watched her in contentment knowing that we shared more than just the love of fighting.

Finishing my barn chores, I took Mavri to the paddock and practiced my whistle training with him while Mama finished with Argo and Domino. He responded well to most of my commands and I felt Mama's eyes on me as Mavri bowed allowing me to mount him using his leg as a lift.

"No riding Samina." Mama's voice came from behind me as she entered the paddock.

I sighed before nodding and sliding off his back. "I'm sorry boy; I really screwed up this time." I told him quietly leading him back to his stall. I left the barn without looking at my blue eyed mother and retrieved my book bag from her truck. Entering the kitchen, I pulled off my boots and dropped my bag before running to my room. Slamming the door, I grabbed a towel and headed to the shower before Mom could confront me about school. All I wanted to do at that moment was get away on Mavri and I couldn't. Today had not been a good day at all.

Dressing again, I headed downstairs toward my doom. Hearing the murmur of voices coming from Mom's study I headed that way knowing my Mama's hearing wouldn't let me be invisible for long.

The voices stopped as I entered Mom's study. Mama and she were already seated on the comfortable leather couch and they motioned for me to join them. Sitting between them I sighed as Mama pulled me into her side.

"Do we really have to talk about this?" I asked. "I mean, I think I have a permanent staff mark across my back side and I already have to re-write about half a dozen papers in English. Can't we just say lesson learned and move on?"

"She is so your daughter," Mom said as Mama shook her head.

"Oh no, my bard, she is all you." Mama kissed the top of my head and reached around me to hold Mom's hand.

"I think it's been established that school work needs to be done in English," Mom said. "Any more phone calls like the one I got today and the type of chatting we do may be a little different. Understand?"

I nodded slowly. "I understand."

"Good." Mom grinned at me. "Sam, as you know, your mama and I had plans to go out tonight."

I nodded.

"Well, we decided that despite your behavior at school today, we are still going to head out."

I smirked. "Really, so Auntie Dite is babysitting?"

Mama groaned at my enthusiasm. "Yes, Aphrodite will be here with you tonight. We've already called for the pizza and the money is by the front door."

"Yes!" I got off the couch and watched as my mothers snuggled together. "Get a room would you?" I teased as a sparkle of pink entered the room and my Auntie Dite stood in front of me.

"Hey it's my little warrior bard," she said hugging me. "We are going to have some fun tonight."

I grinned as she turned her attention to my moms. "And you two, go already, she's too young to be seeing this."

Mama grinned cheekily at her, "Really Aphrodite, I never thought I'd hear you say that."

Auntie Dite moved to give my Mom a hug, "Get the warrior out of here would ya Gabrielle, she's killing my mojo."

Laughing, Mom pulled Mama behind her as Auntie Dite and I followed waving goodbye until they were out the door.

Turning, I grabbed my Auntie by the hand and led her back to the overstuffed couch in the family room. "Okay what do you have planned for tonight?" I asked excitedly. It was always an adventure when Aphrodite babysat.

She sighed and stretched out on the couch. "Not much my little warrior bard, I'm not quite feeling like my usual self."

"What's wrong?" I asked, immediately worried.

The doorbell interrupted us and she got up and winked at me, "I've got this." Opening the door, the pizza boy about died seeing a blonde wearing a pink bikini and see through cover up answer the door.

"Hey Mark," I said walking over to the door and handing him the money. "This is my aunt."

"I didn't know you had an aunt." He stammered looking Dite up and down.

She grinned and waved her fingers at him. "Hey sweet cheeks, how are you?"

He gulped as I took the pizza from his hands and closed the door in his face.

"Ah Sam, I wasn't done having fun with him." Auntie Dite protested.

I grinned and headed to the kitchen with the pizza. "He studies at Mama's dojo which makes him off limits."

Pouting she sat at the table and began to nibble at the slice of pizza I gave her. "Well, it's not ambrosia, but it will do." She commented as I shook my head waiting for her attention to return to me.

She finished her slice of pizza and smiled at me. "That wasn't half bad and I was hungry."

"You were hungry?" I asked. "I didn't think gods got hungry." I stopped eating and stared at her. "What's going on, first uncle Ares claims he's not up to snuff. Then you tell me you're not feeling well and you're hungry. I want to know what's happening."

Auntie Dite sniffed as she took a drink of the water I gave her. "I promised your mommies I wouldn't tell you my little warrior bard, but" she grinned. "I didn't promise them that I wouldn't tell you something else."

"Tell me what?" I asked grinning.

I watched as Auntie studied her nails for what seemed like forever while I finished my pizza. "So are you going to tell me?" I demanded.

She looked at me and nodded, "What's the one place in this house you've never explored?"

I thought about it for a minute before smiling. "The attic."

She clapped her hands and hugged me, "Oh you are so smart just like your goddess mother." She laughed as she stood up and yawned. "You know, I think I'll just go read one of those books your mom wrote about me. I bet I wouldn't even notice if you decided to go exploring someplace."

I laughed and hugged her back. "Enjoy your book." I said to her retreating back.

"Oh I will toots, I will." She answered as I ran up the stairs stopping only when I reached the door to the attic.

Turning the knob, I realized the door was locked. Sighing I let my thoughts wander a bit before smiling. I'd seen an old fashioned key playing in my mom's jewelry box one rainy day and hoped it was still there. Running into my parents' room I rooted around in my mom's jewelry box finally finding an old fashioned key on a chain.

Returning to the attic door, I tried the key and smiled as the lock clicked. Slipping the chain around my neck, I climbed the few steps until I reached the attic proper. The room was empty except for a rather large trunk and a love seat.

I walked toward the trunk and was glad to see that it wasn't locked. I lifted the lid and started to remove the items inside. The first to come out was a leather outfit that looked as if it would fit Mama. I followed that with a large metal breastplate, a sword sheath, and bracers. I then began to remove a soft red skirt, its matching top, though it was awfully small to be considered a top in my opinion and a wide leather belt with silver ornament on it.

After taking out the clothing I removed what I knew had to be Mama's chakram. Mom had told me so many stories about it and her descriptions of it fit the round object in my hand perfectly. I had asked about the chakram over the years and had been told I might see it one day. As I held it, I imagined throwing it and having it return to my hand. Grinning, I placed it along side of me and continued my scavenging in the trunk.

Reaching the bottom of the trunk, I finally found a few scrolls, written in my Mom's hand. By the looks of them, they were some of her original scrolls. I opened one and began to read.

Confusion hit me as I started to read a story about someone called Callisto and how she had been reincarnated as Mama's daughter Eve.

Wanting to know more, I decided to go and ask Auntie about what I had found. Repacking the trunk, I kept out the chakram, the scrolls, and a soft leather satchel. I packed the chakram and scrolls in the satchel and made my way to my bedroom, making sure to lock the attic door on my way. Hiding the satchel in my closet with the rest of my bags, I decided to keep the key to the attic and took it off, placing it in my jewelry box. I then headed downstairs to confront Auntie Aphrodite.

Reaching the couch, I took the book from Aphrodite and stared at her. "So I went exploring," I started.

She giggled and clapped her hands. "Oh really my little warrior bard and what did you find?"

"First off, what's with the clothes I found? Some leathers and a red number that was barely there."

The goddess of love smirked. "That's what your mommies wore back in the day Sam. The barely there number was one of my favorites that the bard wore. The leathers, of course belong to Xena."

I shook my head imagining my parents in those outfits. There are just some things kids shouldn't have to see, their parents dressed like that being one of them.

I didn't tell her about finding the chakram or that I'd kept it, I didn't know why, but the chakram was something I was not going to give back without a fight.

Sighing, Aphrodite nodded, "Okay then, what else did you find?"

"Scrolls. Scrolls I've never read before." I stopped for a moment and looked at her hard, "I started to read one and it mentioned a woman named Callisto and a child named Eve. Who were they?" I snuggled into her and waited.

"I'm not sure if I'm the one to tell you that my little warrior bard," she brushed the hair from my face and looked into my eyes. "It's complicated."

"You were hungry earlier," I stated. "And Uncle Ares says his powers aren't what they should be…"I trailed off for a moment. "What happened Auntie? What happened to Olympus to the Olympians?"

Her dark eyes flickered for a moment before focusing on me once more, "I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you the basic information," she relented just as we heard the crunch of tires on the gravel drive.

"Damn," I muttered, "they're home".

Hugging me, Aphrodite smiled. "Don't worry my little warrior bard, we'll talk again soon." She said disappearing in a shower of pink hearts as my moms walked through the door.

Leaning back on the couch I watched them in silence as they hung up their coats and took off their shoes.

Mom came and sat next to me on the couch while Mama checked to make sure the fire had burned completely out.

"Where's Aphrodite?" Mama asked.

"She left when you guys got home."

"Everything go okay, did you two have fun?" Mom asked.

"It was okay," I paused. "She did eat some pizza though, told me that she was hungry and it would do since she didn't have ambrosia."

I watched as they exchanged a pointed look, but neither said anything to me. Feeling my frustration grow I got off the couch and stared at both of them hard. "You're not going to tell me what's going on with Auntie Dite and Uncle Ares are you?"

Mama shook her head, "No, we aren't. I told you to let it go."

"Let it go?" I was almost shouting, but I got control of my voice at the last minute. "How do you expect me to do that? Gods don't get hungry, they don't eat, and they sure as hell don't worry about becoming mortal!" My temper had gotten the best of me and I turned to run up the stairs.

Mom grabbed me before I was on the second step and set a fire in my backside with her palm from a mere six swats. Tearing up, I tried to pull away from her, but was instead turned to face her. Looking down at me, her green eyes flashed. "You do not speak that way to us young lady. We will tell you what is going on when we think you're ready. Now, go get ready for bed." She sent me on my way with another swat and I scooted up the stairs as fast as my legs would carry me.

Reaching my bedroom, I made a conscious effort not to slam my door from the hinges, knowing that would only bring down the wrath of both my mothers. Changing into my pajamas, I climbed into bed and pulled my stuffed elephant next to me. Finally releasing the tears, I wondered once more what was going on with my goddess mother and Uncle Ares.

To all those that have favorite this story or followed it I just want to say thanks! I hope you continue to enjoy it. More to come soon. Kik