The Godly Triplets

Lady Frisselle

Part Four: Xena Starts to get a clue

Notes: "This is Normal speech" (this is thoughts) #This is speaking mind to mind#

"Hey guys, can we head to Athens next? They're going to have a costume festival in honor of the harvest and I haven't seen my brother for a while." Joxer babbled. He gave them the puppy dog look. No woman he knew could resist his puppy dog look.

Gabrielle seen torn between saying yes or saying no just on general principles. "Sounds like fun," Xena said. "I haven't been to a costume party in a long time. I wonder if they'll have a bardic contest too?"

"They had one last time I was there. It was very entertaining to watch the bards recite in costume." Joxer looked up at Xena and grinned when she gave him a wink.

"What are we going to do for costumes?" asked Gabrielle.

"There are lots of merchants. If you can't find anything I suppose my brother could help. He has mine already done. We wear the same costume every year. If we're lucky Jett will be there and we can do a set."

"What are you going to be?" asked Gabrielle.

"Well a while ago we read a legend about some triplet gods. We couldn't find any record of what they looked like and the legend said that they were on earth for some reason. We asked some priests of Cupid's if they would be offended if we dressed as them and the priests said 'no'."

"That's a good idea," said Xena. "I wonder if I could get away with dressing as myself. No one would believe I was me anyway." She looked over at Gabrielle and grinned. "You could go as an Amazon."

"That could work . . . I want to check the merchants first. I'll need a costume for the contest anyway. Unless we dress as each other."

The two women continued to discuss costumes until they made camp that night. By the time they reached Athens a few days later they had decided to dress as each other unless they found a costume they really liked during the festival. Joxer led them to the inn where his brother was staying.

"JOXIE!!!" THUD

"Hi Jayce. I missed you too."

"You look good little brother. These must be the friends you told me about."

"Yes. I'm Xena and this is Gabrielle." The blonde bard nodded.

"Wonderful. I had the innkeeper save a room near mine if you need it. Joxie can stay with me."

The two women accepted the offer of the room and went to get changed for the opening of the festival. Everyone met in the hallway.

"I've never been to one of these festivals before. What goes on?" Gabrielle asked.

"Well there's a parade that starts at Strife's temple. Then there are stops at the biggest temples of the other gods. Then it's just general festival stuff," Jayce told them.

"I ran into Illustra on my way here. She's the one who told me where everyone was staying. She'd like us to do the invocation again. Apparently the last time we did it they had fewer problems than they ever had before." Jett added, while pulling a mask out of a pouch on his belt.

Joxer sighed and pulled a different mask from his belt and Jayce draped a veil across the bottom half of his face. Joxer looked at Xena then at his brothers. "Hey Xena, when we get to the first drink stall on the parade route could you buy us each a drink?"

"Sure, but why?"

"We can't take these off until someone offers us a drink or something to eat," Jayce said. "It's a festival tradition."

The group headed off to Strife's temple and the triplets climbed the steps to stand facing the door. At some unseen sign they turned in unison with their right hands facing the audience at shoulder height. Each man spoke one word until they got to the last line which they spoke in unison.

To all who come with good intent

May our words be heaven sent

All who are of ill cheer

May you find some joy while here

May all the gods hear our prayers

And watch over us even if we are unawares.

The triplets then dropped their hands and descended the steps to join the crowd. Joxer grabbed Xena and Gabrielle and started them along the parade route.

"That was a nice one guys. Did you just come up with that?"

They nodded.

"That was cool. I liked the way it flowed together even with each of you saying a word. Is that a triplet thing?"

The three brothers looked at each other and shrugged. Xena said, "You can't talk until you take the masks off can you?" More nods followed.

As the group continued to walk Xena watched the brothers. Those wings almost looked real. She wondered how they made them. Just then a drunk bumped into Joxer's left side and the wing on that side twitched. It wasn't a big twitch but someone who had been paying attention would have seen it. Through the rest of the parade Xena paid closer attention to the wings and noticed small movements that wouldn't have happened if the wings were fake.

Xena resolved to ask one of the brothers, preferably Joxer who she knew better, about the wings as soon as she could get them alone. She had a feeling that there was more to the brothers than she realized.