Hello everyone, sorry about that terribly long delay but you know how life gets and all of a sudden I didn't have the inspiration. Anyway I'm back, please make sure to review if you're liking what you read.
The sun had barely started to filter into the room when Gabrielle and Xena awoke to screaming and banging outside of their door. It was too late in the day to be an assassin, and far too noisy. Palemon's voice was soft, but insistent that the intruder go away. Gabrielle sighed and was about to flop back into bed, continuing where her and Xena had left off last night until she heard her father's voice. It was too high and yet booming for her to distinguish the words but she could guess. She started to get up and slip into a nearby robe and turned back to look at Xena who was still lounging comfortably. Gabrielle glared.
"What, he's your father."
"Yours now too thanks to that little stunt you pulled last night." Gabrielle fastened the robe tightly and tried to shake out her hair a bit making it a little less tussled.
Xena groaned and rolled onto her stomach. "I didn't know he came with it, too late to take it back?" She looked up jokingly into Gabrielle's eyes but there was no amusement there. There rarely was when her father was involved. "Fine, fine, I'm getting up." She quickly pulled on the nearby pair of pants that had been thrown on the floor and threw a loose shirt over her head. "Happy?"
Gabrielle rolled her eyes and made her way over to the door. She started to open slowly but after it had barely moved an inch, it was thrust open with her father, purple faced on the other side. He pushed past Gabrielle and made his way to Xena. Palemon followed closely but Gabrielle grabbed his upper arm and shook her head. The two turned to watch together, Gabrielle clinging to her friend for support.
"How dare you? First you return to your old bloodthirsty ways and then you make a claim on my daughter?" He was so close to Xena's face that it was getting sprayed but the spit that was flying as he yelled. "I've already told you she is mine until I see fit to find an appropriate match for her, and then he is going take over her supervision. I've allowed this, this... freakshow to go on long enough. It ends now. I'm taking my property and going..." To everyone surprise a hand came out of nowhere and slapped Herodotus across the face.
Hecuba stood there as red in the face as her husband. In all the screaming no one had heard her come up until she was close enough to hit him. He stood back stuttering. "Listen you oafish excuse for a man, I believe it's already been discussed, no one owns Gabrielle and any confusion to that was cleared up last night! Our daughter is NOT a freak, she is a young women who was lucky enough to find love in this madhouse we call a world. You should be congratulating her."
After a moment Herodotus collected himself and turned in anger on his wife. "How dare you speak to me like that woman, or lay a hand on me! Can't you see what this woman has done to our daughter! She promised to free her in exchanging for laying a claim on her." His chest was heaving and he moved towards Xena again. This time he was intercepted by both Hecuba and Gabrielle.
"Shut the hell up father." Everyone stopped to look at Gabrielle. Even when she was angry beyond belief she had never spoken to her father like that. "Instead of blaming Xena for everything and placing words in my mouth why don't you ever ask me what I want?"
He sneered in repulsion. "See the ideas this bitch as put in your head, that you can disobey your father."
"She is not a bitch." With the last word this time it was Gabrielle's hand that came across Herodotus' face. "I love her father. She doesn't own me, she's never laid a claim on me and she sure as hell has never treated me like property, that would be you that you're projecting onto her. I've been through more than you could ever fathom with Xena father and never once has she even made me feel like I need to stay, I can tell it makes her happy I'm there but if I said tomorrow I was leaving and never coming back she would let me go."
Xena placed a hand on Gabrielle's shoulder and nodded. "Sir, I don't know how I can make you understand but I do love your daughter. I love her more than words could express and I would sacrifice anything except my son for her, including my own life but if she told me tomorrow that she never wanted to see me again, though it would break my heart, I would try to stop her. I never wanted to 'own' her, that was your fellow villagers who trust that upon me. I know this may sound foolish but I hope one day you'll understand and give us your blessing, but in the mean time if you continue to say such horrible things about my fiancé I will have to ask you to leave."
He turned from the room and stormed out without another word. Hecuba watched him go and sighed. "I wish, Gabrielle, that in my youth I was as lucky as you have been. To find someone who cares for you so much, unconditional love with no expectation of anything in return." Gabrielle stepped back into Xena's arms and they held on tight. This wasn't the hardest thing they had ever faced but it still wasn't easy. Hecuba turned to face the couple and saw them smiling into one another. "Gabrielle I have two questions. Is this what you want and are you happy?"
The bard lost no time in nodding. "Yes mother, this is everything I've ever wanted and I am so happy, I just wish father could see it."
Hecuba brought her hand up to her daughter's face. "Maybe one day he will." She looked on the verge of saying more but the doors bust open again. Solan, carrying the sword of Borias in front of him ran to his mother and Gabrielle.
"Are you two alright? I heard screaming so I came to help you fight!" Xena's fire shone in his bright eyes. It dimmed slightly when he saw it was only the three women in the room. "Why were you yelling? Mom why are you crying?" He dropped his sword onto the bed and wrapped his arms around Gabrielle. "Mom, did they hurt you? I promise I'll find them and make them pay!" Gabrielle returned the embrace.
"Easy there Solan. It's not that easy this time. My father just found out about your mother and I getting married. He doesn't like the idea and decided to come here and tell us very loudly." He pulled back and bumped into Hecuba. "Sorry ma'am. Who are you? I'm Solan." He extended his hand. For a moment Hecuba stood there looking at him and then ignored the hand pulling him into an embrace.
"Well if you're calling Gabrielle mom, then I must be grandma." His eyes lit up.
"Oh are you Gabrielle's mother? It's so nice to meet you. I've been waiting ever since I got to the palace. I met Lila a few times but," the noble courtesies Xena had been teaching him kicked in. He bowed and took Hecuba's hand and kissed her ring finger, "I am very pleased to make your acquaintance."
A smile spread across all their faces. "My, what a fine gentleman you are Prince Solan." Hecuba curtsied in return. He turned to Xena the look in his eye saying see mum. He had been complaining lately that his other lessons were interfering with his battle training. His number one enemy was etiquette which he felt he could drop since he had sufficiently mastered it. She rolled her eyes and smiled.
"I'm sorry again for Herodotus, sometimes I wonder if he's the same man I married all those years ago." Her eyes got a far off look which meant she was remember fonder times. "Anyway I have a lot to do today but I wanted to come here and congratulate you ladies wishing you both the best." She gave Gabrielle a quick kiss on the cheek and ran held Xena's arms for a moment before she was gone.
The three that remained stood around staring at one another. Xena was the first to speak. "I'm going back to bed, trying that whole waking up on the right side of the bed thing." She fell face down on the bed, still fully clothed and pulled a pillow over her head. Gabrielle sat down on the edge, her finger massaging her temples. She's barely been awake ten minutes and already a headache was forming. She looked up at Solan staring at her, a question burning behind his eyes. Gods he was so like his mother.
"What's on your mind Solan?" She patted the bed next to her and Solan sat down. She threw an arm over his shoulder and nodded for him to go ahead and talk. Xena pretended to sleep behind them.
"You said your father doesn't like the idea. What do you mean? He's your father, why isn't he happy for you?" A genuine look of confusion was set in his face.
Gabrielle sighed deeply. Xena sat up and moved to the other side of Solan. She looked at Gabrielle as if asking if she was okay talking about this. Gabrielle nodded and Xena reached behind her son to lay a comforting hand on her soulmates shoulder. "I honestly don't know why he isn't Solan. When I look at two people in love that's all I see love."
He nodded. "Me too, doesn't everyone?"
"No Solan they don't. Some people don't understand that love doesn't have to be one thing that looks the same for everyone. There are those who believe that love can only be found between a man and a woman but they're blind. They've never seen, or at least never experienced love outside of that very black and white situation. They can't see that some love is different than their own. Then there is my father, who I'm not sure if he even loves my mother. He's never really felt love and that makes love something to be scared of for him, especially love that's different."
Solan sat for a moment thinking. He truly did seem as though he could be the son of Xena and Gabrielle. He had Xena's shocking blue eyes, her inner strength to make tough choices and her battle spirit when it came to protecting his love ones, but he also shared Gabrielle's fair hair and possessed the ability to see the truth of issues far beyond his years.
"So you're telling me that he's angry because you're a woman who is in love with a women? He can't see that you two are each other's soulmates." Xena brushed the hair back from his forehead and laid a gentle kiss there.
"Yes son. Some people are so blinded and consumed by hate that they can't see past it."
"But he can change right, there's a chance one day he'll be able to see the love the two of you share."
"Yes." Gabrielle nodded solemnly. "The cycle of hatred can be broken but only with love. We just have to keep on loving one another and ignore what he says and maybe one day he'll see through his hatred and learn to see how much we've loved one another all along." He sat there a long time pondering. Finally he signed and nodded.
"I hope one day Aphrodite will help him see."
"Oh honey you have no idea!" A shimmer of gold sparks appeared along with the smell of roses and chocolate, followed quickly by Aphrodite. Gabrielle sprang from her seat and embraced her friend.
"Dite! I'm so happy to see you. Where have you been, how's Olympus..." Aphrodite put her finger over Gabrielle's lips giggling. "Easy there bardy, I'm glad to see your back to your old self but geesh, give a girl a chance to answer. She started to fall back but as she did a bright pink chair appeared catching her and she lounged back.
"Olympus is good, so good to see my boy again and Hephaestus. Getting reacquainted with the whole family makes me remember how much I didn't like most of them. You haven't seen that idiot brother of mine have you?" They both gratefully shook their heads. "Good, I made him swear on the Styx to leave you two alone until the baby's born but you know him, if there's a way around it..." Her eyes fell on Solan. "OH MY ME! Who is this little one, he's so cute." He took a step back towards Xena but she ushered him forward.
"Aphrodite, this is my son Solan, Solan, this is Aphrodite goddess of love." He stood there shaking his head.
"You mean you know the goddess of love, personally!" He started to fall to his knees but Xena caught him and dragged him back on his feet. "Shouldn't we be worshipping at her feet?"
"Nah, she prefers a little higher." Gabrielle reached out and smacked Xena.
"Really in front of your son!"
She shrugged. "He's either old enough and he'll get it or it will go over his head and we can have that talk later."
"From the way he's blushing I think he got it." Aphrodite giggled. "Of course your mother is right, I..."
"DITE!"
Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine, we can protect his innocence for now. Anyway, you called last night for a favour." Xena looked over at Gabrielle who blushed slightly.
"I wanted to show you this." She held out her left ring finger and Aphrodite was up in a second grabbing her hand.
"No. Way. Warrior babe, you did so good. It's not traditional which totally suits you." She pulled both into an embrace. "My favourite girl group, finally tying the knot. So have you picked flowers and..."
"Actually there's another reason I asked you here Aphrodite." The golden haired goddess paused for a moment and put her hands on her hips. "Before we make any plans for the wedding I want to invite Xena's mom, personally. Especially before word of this reaches Amphipolis. I was wondering if you could help us out with that?"
"Sure thing sweetie, anything for you two." She blinked and in a second the three were outside of Cyrene's tavern. Just Aphrodite's voice drifted on the air. "Just holler when you're ready to go home."
"I guess I am." Xena looked over that the inn her face long and a mask. Gabrielle knew that meant she was upset. Probably upset that she hadn't been asked, hadn't waited till she was ready, but Gabrielle knew Xena. If she waited till she was ready Solan would have grandchildren. Sometime Xena needed to be forced into these decisions. Gabrielle couldn't lie, she was nervous too. She had never felt comfortable going home after the whole Hope fiasco and this inn had become her home, Cyrene and Xena, and even Toris, her family.
"You don't have to go alone."
"I can't. Last time she only started to forgive me when she saw you defend me. She's so strong and stubborn, I can't believe we're related." The both shared a nervous laugh and grabbed each other's hands.
"Should I wait outside mother, is this just going to be you and Gabrielle?" She smiled and pulled Solan close to her and led them on their first step to the door.
"No Solan, I believe this is going to be a family affair." With a quick squeeze of their hands the three walked into the inn.