A NOTION BEYOND YOUR WILDEST BELIEFS

Gabrielle eyed the items as she walked through the market she watched as Xena followed her slowly the taller woman was deep in her own thoughts and not really paying attention to anything apart from her. She stopped at a clothes store which had sheep skin rugs. "We could get one of these for our room, I mean don't we have a rug?" Xena looked up sharply breaking out of her thoughts. "What did you say?" Gabrielle pulled up the rug. "I was saying that we could get one of these for our room." Xena looked at the younger woman again she hadn't really been able to take her eyes off her since they'd left the house. She was struggling so hard with the notion that the woman she loved was related to Typhoeus.

She looked nothing like him, she had none of his mannerism and she saw none of him in those forest green eyes. They were related though the blood line. Never once during there whole relationship had she ever questioned or thought about Gabrielle's origins or her blood line. How could someone as beautiful as she was even have any relation to him? She'd accepted Gabrielle's dark behaviour but even when the younger woman was being cruel, vindictive and violent she was still nowhere near as cruel and sadistic as he was. She shook her head it was almost ironic of the fates to allow her to meet Typhoeus when he was much younger and then make it so years later that she'd fall in love with his granddaughter.

Typhoeus was very old now and retired but he was no less potent, it now seemed clear to her that the fates had made it so that their fathers had both been warriors of Olynthus. Her father had served there and so had Gabrielle's and Typhoeus's was the key to it all, it was his mass recruitments that had given that place the nick name city of Ares. Gabrielle blinked seeing that her lover had drifted back in to deep thought. "Xena are you alright?" Xena looked up sharply realizing that this was second time she hadn't been paying attention to her lover. She paused suddenly feeling the need to do something which she couldn't stop herself doing she moved forward so she was standing in front of the younger woman.

She took hold of her both her arms gently guiding her gently back until her back was up against one of the wooden displays. She watched as her lover eyes darted in confusion over her action. She raised her hand putting it on her face ignoring everything and everyone around her. "How are you related to him?" She moved her fingers gently down her lovers face feeling the soft skin and contours causing the younger woman to go very still. "You're so beautiful and so kind, your nothing like him." She kept one hand in place as she moved her hand down over her chest not even caring that it was an open action, she was long past caring when it came to showing open displays of affection to her lover in front of others. Gabrielle breathed in sharply but not because of the surprise but more the deep enjoyment of the moment it was so sensual and right now she completely at the other woman's mercy. All she could do was look in to her lovers light blue eyes, which were studying her so deeply at this moment and she could feel herself getting lost in them.

Xena moved her hand through the long blonde hair watching as it spilled through her fingers. "I look at you and I see nothing of him." She leaned forward meeting her lips in a deep sensual kiss which she instantly began to respond to as her hand moved up wards through her hair in a gentle motion, all she wanted was to get lost in this kiss. Gabrielle felt her lover's arms move to her waist which caused her stomach to flutter and she just wanted more. She opened her eyes slightly as Xena's hands trailed lower. She watched as the taller woman pulled back she looked up meeting her gaze. "I love you Xena." Xena felt her smile form. "Love you to Gabrielle."

"Oh now isn't that just darling!"

Xena felt her smile fade as she turned sharply seeing that Ophelia was standing behind her, she found herself forced a wide smile. "We were just looking for you." Ophelia smirked pulling up her bag which was filled with things. "Well it looks like I found you two first, I had no idea that your relationship was so open, Herodotus mentioned it but I thought he was over exaggerating." She walked up to Xena ignoring the fact that the owner of stall was looking over at them all. "Not that a big girl like you would care for onlookers you'd punch there lights out, right?" Xena eyed her for a long moment. "I try not to do that sort of thing often." Ophelia raised an eyebrow. "Oh and why is that?"

Xena folded her arms. "I've learnt to respect life, love and peace." Ophelia laughed slightly patting her leather clad waist hard as she walked past Gabrielle. "Yeah I'll bet you really give them peace when you knock their block off." She turned watching as Lysandra appeared holding a bag full off stuff, her gaze narrowed as she walked over to Ophelia. "You're not buying anything else today!" Ophelia put her hands together as her partner came closer. "Oh come on I'm just buying gifts, for our little one and others." She turned eyeing the sheep rugs then Gabrielle. "Weren't you both just talking about buying one of those?" Xena turned realizing that she was right she pulled two off the display holding them in front of Gabrielle. "White or brown?"

Gabrielle eyed both rugs for a long moment. "The white one." Xena turned throwing the other on the display. "I'll get this." Gabrielle walked up beside her. "No I can." Xena pulled up the rug eyeing the merchant. "How much?" He looked up a smile appearing. "Four dinars but since it's you two I'll give it you for two, because I love Hecuba's little dumplings that she's makes during the festivals." Xena felt her smile form as she thought of the taste she looked up tossing him two dinars. "Oh yes those dumplings you can't beat them." The merchant leaned over. "I'm going to the festival of Pan would one off you remind her to make more?" Gabrielle nodded as she took the thick rug. "I'll ask her."

Xena turned putting a hand on her shoulder. "I think you've brought enough things with your own money Gabrielle and you know I don't mind buying things if they'll make our room cosier." Ophelia turned to meet Gabrielle's gaze. "So why did you come to find us?" Xena sneered as she looked up. "Gabrielle's grandfather has arrived and Herodotus was wondering where you had gone." Ophelia snorted. "Great the arch bastard is here and I was so hoping to get another day with out him." Lysandra looked at her. "You know you shouldn't call him that, he's Gabrielle's family." Gabrielle lowered her gaze. "I've just met him and frankly I'm disgusted that I'm related to him." Xena squeezed her shoulder gently keeping her voice even. "Arch bastard just about sums it up."

Ophelia eased her bag over her shoulder. "Well then we'd better get back, before he sees us here." Lysandra looked up in confusion. "I don't see what's so bad about this man? I mean he can't be as bad as Herodotus was can he?" Ophelia turned raising an eyebrow to her lover. "You have no idea what this man is like Lysandra or what he's capable off. Herodotus has become a noble man but Typhoeus will never become that noble he'll always be cruel. Believe me I know I met him once and that was enough I don't want to alone in his presence again."

Lysandra felt her eyes dart. "Did he do something to you?" Ophelia looked down feeling the pain deep in the pit of her stomach. "No not physically it was after Cleobis's died I promised him something we were good friend as you no. I had no choice I had to meet Typhoeus in person to contest it and he denied me what was rightfully mine." She shook off her dark memory. "We can talk about this some other time though I don't want to talk about it now." Lysandra nodded as they walked down the street beside Xena and Gabrielle who were listening quietly. "I understand, well when your ready please talk to me, okay." Ophelia lowered her gaze. "I promise you that I will Lysandra, when the time is right."

8

Typhoeus sat back in the chair of the tavern he'd brought out the whole taverns upper level. He watched as one of the slave woman fumbled as she set his clothes out. He sneered slightly. "Do not muddle up my clothes you worthless slave, I want them perfect for tomorrow." He looked up as Ixion walked in to his room. Ixion put his hands behind his back. "Who is Xena?" Typhoeus turned carefully pouring a goblet of red wine. "She used to be a very power warlord once up on a time the best in fact, before she supposedly changed her ways and became a warrior for good. I met her though when she wasn't so smart and was much younger." He pulled up his opium pipe lighting it. "I killed her army."

Ixion looked up slightly. "So now this Xena is sleeping with Gabrielle?" Typhoeus narrowed his gaze. "Yes sleeping together and that is all it is women don't have relationships with other women. They are just having is sex and the sex is no doubt the only reason that Gabrielle lays in Xena's bed." He breathed in the opium deeply. "She is rumoured to be a skilled lover of both genders." Ixion picked up a filled water goblet looking at it. "She sounds like a whore." He turned pouring the water on the floor ignoring the poorly hidden look of displeasure in the slave woman's eyes. "As for Gabrielle, I don't like the look of her." Typhoeus watched as the slave woman kneeled down wiping the spilled water away with a thick cloth. "She leaves a lot to be desired, but you have nothing to fear from her."

He smirked. "As much she claims to be a warrior I very much doubt she's ever killed anyone I also doubt that she has any skill with killing weapons. Though she may wear sai blade I know that she's new to them as she had a quarter staff previously." He ran a hand through his beard as he looked up. "Eudora!" He watched as the young red haired woman ran in to the room, she lowered her head. "Yes general sir." Typhoeus eyed her. "I have a job for you and you will do it, or I will beat you." He breathed out the opium smoke. "I want you to find something precious which belongs to both Gabrielle and Lila."

Eudora looked at the floor not daring to look up she knew his threat of beating was serious. "What kind of thing?" Typhoeus looked up sneering slightly. "A thing they would never share with anyone, you've done this before you know how it works. You become friendly and you gain their trust then you steal from there homes." Eudora looked up feeling her brown eyes dart. "May I take one of the slaves with me?" Typhoeus rolled his eyes. "House slave!" He watched as man in his thirties with curly short blonde hair and light green eyes entered the room, this slave was the oldest he had he had him for twelve years. He did his accounts since he had a head for numbers. His other two female slaves he'd had for five years both acted as maids and he used them for sex from time to time.

He also allowed Ixion to use them for sex when he wanted it as he knew he was growing man with needs. The last thing he wanted was him sticking his dick in places where it wasn't wanted and annoying noble houses. He had plans to marry him off to noble roman woman who was a settler in the city he lived. As for Eudora he didn't give her any sex with any slave or anyone else for that matter she forbidden from having boyfriends. He'd told her that if he ever caught her pleasuring herself that he'd break her fingers. He needed her to be a virgin it was the only way he would be able to marry her off and he intended to give to black smith on their return. He saw no reason for her to live as a noble like her brother and he wanted to sell her off as pure product.

He eyed her. "Take him with you and do everything you have to even if it means staying in that hovel they call a home. Tonight I want you to go to the towns other tavern for the night to make our plan work, as always you know the rules." Eudora nodded watching as the taller man followed her. She hated having to do this but she had no choice. She could still hear her mothers screams echoing in her mind from that terrible night and she have never been able block them out of her nightmares.

Typhoeus breathed in the opium watching her go. "Do make sure that your little sister does not fail, won't you?" Ixion nodded. "She will come through you won't fail we both know that she's done this many times and you've successfully ruined your nobles rival houses. She'll play her part out perfectly she always does." Typhoeus took a long drink sitting back in the chair. "Do you need a slave woman in your bed tonight?" Ixion sneered slightly pulling off his hoplite helmet. "I'm not in the mood general. Meeting my sapphist cur of a cousin has been most displeasing." Typhoeus breathed out the smoke. "As I said you have nothing to fear you're a true warrior she is not and I will see her broken and submitting to me before this week is done."

8

Aphrodite turned seeing the concern in Zeus's eyes. "Ares isn't himself." Zeus ran his hand through his long white beard with his ringed fingers. "He won't talk to you?" Aphrodite shook her head. "I've tried to talk to him, he wasn't unkind to me but he's deeply depressed. I think this is why he is doing what he's doing." Zeus breathed in deeply. "He does have the right to kill his old warlord leaders I cannot stop him doing so. My concern is what he intendeds to do with this new army he's creating, is he going to use it to overthrow Athena's army or mine." Aphrodite shook her head. "No he said it was for the good of Greece and he's not making it to impress anyone ether."

Zeus raised an eyebrow. "What about Xena he would make such a thing to impress her?" Aphrodite looked up slightly. "No it's not for Xena he told me that and I know he wasn't lying. I always know when he's lying and he totally wasn't then. I think though that something truly awful happened to him in Mexica and it's really changed him." Zeus stepped over to the long table which was in his throne room he sighed sadly as he picked up a goblet. "I know something bad happened, I saw it in his eyes when he returned I think the gods of Mexica truly punished him before they let him go. I don't doubt that they destroyed his pride and his self esteem and I feel terrible for that, he's my son and I couldn't go there and help him myself.

He put down the goblet. "I have been to the hall of war many times but he has not been present, I know that ever since he returned he has been wandered around Greece on foot. He's even taken to wearing the clothes of a normal mortal man and he hides the sword of war from mortal eyes by making it look rusty and battered." He shook his head. "He just walks around studying mortals and drinking in taverns, even though he knows mortal alcohol has no effect on him. He's doing what I used to do when my marriage with Hera was at its worst point and I felt that I couldn't return home." Aphrodite shook her head. "You have like totally done everything to fix your marriage."

Zeus felt a smile form. "You may not be might my daughter by blood but I have always seen you as such, as you always say and do what's right." He moved over putting a hand gently on her shoulder. "This is why I trust you with what I have to say next." Aphrodite nodded seeing the seriousness appear in his eyes as he spoke. "I need you to find out what's wrong with him I Know he'd depressed and I'm truly worried about him." Zeus breathed in deeply. "I wouldn't ask but I only ask because I know that he trusts and respects you. I can not force him to come to me I can only ask that he comes to me when he's ready." Aphrodite nodded. "I understand I will try and find out what is wrong." Zeus stepped away putting his hands together. "Do you believe that Ares would steal the Oracle of Delphi?"

Aphrodite looked up sharply. "No he's in like no frame of mind to do that, it's just not in him." Zeus sighed aloud. "I'm sorry to ask I just had to know as she was taken two days ago. Apollo did not realize until very recently when he found that he couldn't send his sight directly to her." Aphrodite blinked. "But shouldn't he have like realized instantly?" Zeus shook his head. "He should have but he felt nothing and he can not track her in Greece she has vanished and her thread is acting most strange its keeps on fading in and out. She is not the only one though others threads are doing it." Aphrodite breathed out. "I'm sorry I was like meant to look in to this I was distracted by Ares."

Zeus looked up slightly. "It's okay." He turned slightly. "There is one thing in common with these threads that are vanishing Athena noticed it this morning." Aphrodite looked up. "What is that?" Zeus met her uncertain sea blue gaze. "Every one of them is a seer but they are all those who see when they are awake, not a single dreaming seer has been taken." Aphrodite blinked in confusion. "Why would some one take waking seers?" Zeus closed his eyes before opening them. "I do not know and it troubles me deeply because it is not just a few people so far twenty have been taken including the Delphi Oracle and we can not trace them and more are disappearing."

He breathed in deeply. "Even I cannot trace them and the gods in other lands say they do not have them and would not take them as they have their own seers and oracles and ours would not interest them." Aphrodite looked up slightly. "And you like believe them?" Zeus nodded. "I do because ever since the new Aztec king Huitzilopochtli sent us a truce to become allies the other gods aren't so coy with us."

He folded his arms. "They take that sigh very seriously and do not wish to annoy us in any manner even though our truce is not quite ready yet and we are awaiting Huitzilopochtli's visit to finalize it." Aphrodite leaned against his throne. "It makes no sense why take waking seers and not like sleeping ones? Sleeping ones see in the same manner as those who see when awake." Zeus met her confused gaze. "Yes they do and that concerns me even more it almost feels like who ever or what ever is doing this is not being random it is as if they know just what they are doing."

End of part 12

Silvermoonlight

Thank you everyone for your kind reviews and feedback.

Side note, in this story Aphrodite's back story follows that of one of her myths in which she is the daughter of the Uranus the sky titan and not a child of Zeus, in this story series she has been adopted by Zeus and is Ares's step sister.