FOR SOME REASON THIS WAS SOOOOOOO HARD TO WRITE. ANYWAY, HOPE I NAILED IT. ENJOY:)
"I have been waiting for something to happen..."
"What?"
"For you to come along…"
XXX
For a few particularly intense seconds, only their perfectly synchronized breaths could be heard on the background. It was amazing, absolutely amazing what five apparently trivial words could do to her- the avalanche of contradictory emotions that it could trigger. A fierce battle- that she had no intention of ever winning in the first place- was given inside her. All the feelings that she had been trying so hard either to keep in check or to suppress, were now deviously crawling their way into her already half broken heart. Plus, the adoring way in which he was looking at her, now that was just too much for her to handle- not to mention that everything inside her body began to pulse and throb maddeningly the instant she felt his hot breath against her lips... Her nerves were frayed...
And then, right when she least expected it- as if determined to ruin the Warrior Princess' precious fairy tale fantasy- reality caught up with her, strangling her with its unwanted presence, forcing her love drugged mind to start searching for any possible hidden meaning behind his statement- in what appeared to turn into a painfully real quest for the brutal truth….
Definitely taken aback by the wicked suspicions that soon began spreading their poisonous tentacles throughout her overly active brain, Xena made nontheless a superhuman effort to crack a smile, hoping to efficiently disguise that twinge of self-loathing that had astutely pierced the improperly fortified defenses of her heart the minute she had once again discovered just how quickly she could fall for his any trick….A sensual smile, a lie uttered in that low, husky, unmistakable voice of his, a caress, that alone was more then enough to have her staring at him like some love infected fool. Where was her pride, her flawless self control, her ...judgement?! It was as if she were brainwashed, and that was preposterous! How could she be as naïve as to believe for one tiny second that he had been serious when it came to uttering those bloody words...?
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you're just trying to impress me and that you waiting for someone to share your power with, is as ill-fated as Zeus finally admitting that the fight against the Titans was terribly unfair…" she jokingly tried to ridicule the situation- a brave attempt to hold herself together, really…For nothing in the world could she allow him to see that she had let her guard down so easily...
The pain reverberating from her aura though, and the blatant contrast between her words and that broken, afflicted voice, was as clear as daylight….Even a child would have noticed the discrepancy …
" But you do know better, don't you?" he tantalizingly inquired instead- suddenly no longer smiling, even if a veiled glint of amusement could still be noticed sparkling in his charmingly triumphant eyes.
"Sure…." she muttered with a half smile of her own- more like a short lived, confused grimace one might say-while forced to admit to herself that despite the callous disappointment of having been right once again, she was somewhat intrigued to find out the real version of his burlesque but scrupulously romanticized scenario. " And yet…..do tell….." she thus insisted, her fingers tracing delicately the perfect contours of one of the alluringly dark petals...- the real object of his desire. " ...what does the rest of the story sound like? I can already anticipate something captivating enough to be worth your scandalous elaboration."
"Scandalous?" he rhetorically inquired, laughing briefly at her comment, but the joy was quickly gone from his eyes, when, carefully scrutinizing her face, feature by feature, he noticed something that made his heart constrict in his chest. "It takes two to tango right?" he continued, his thumb brushing hesitantly over her bottom lip- desperately meaning to erase any negative reply that could ever come out her exquisitely sweet mouth.
"It depends on the fantasy, I guess...Three or four can also keep on to the rhythm..."
She was smart- as smart as a whip- and he loved her for it, but sometimes she was just too bright for her own good- he silently told himself as he finally stopped what he was doing and moved passed her, incredibly bothered by that senseless anguish he had been reading in her beautiful sapphire moons ever since they got there. And just in case anyone's wondering, he had told her the truth- she was indeed the one that he had been inexhaustibly looking for all those endless eons- but unfortunately, things were a bit more complicated- not that things were ever simple when it came to the War God, anyway...
" Weren't you the one who used to complain that I had a dirty imagination...?!" he casually reminded her, leaning against one of the cold marble pillars of the pavilion. " Anyway, regardless of how dark and naughty your secret desires are, it only takes two people to eat the ambrosia…a god and his mortal Chosen." he patiently explained, once her delicate brows had arched inquisitively at his statement.
"Why's that?" another question soon followed, her eyes still firmly fixed on him while an unseen but vicious fight was given between her brain and her rebellious hand- that seemed to be having this demonic, irresistible urge of touching her lips- the last spot that he had touched buts seconds before...She was really losing it...
"Probably because a mortal's frail body would never resist the shock of absorbing the quantity of dark energy released by this divine delicacy …..In its turn, a God's physical form would also be irremediably damaged if he were to fall into the temptation of consuming it alone, foolishly ignoring the consequences."
" I don't get it….How exactly would a mortal be of any help and why does that mortal necessarily have to be a Chosen?
"Maybe because the only person any sane God trusts is his Chosen- which might be important given that he would be placing his life in that particular Chosen's hands once the amazing process of transformation starts…." he said, pausing briefly, making sure he got her attention….
Allegedly, this also seemed to be the perfect moment for him to at least partly dissipate that tension he could still feel hanging heavily in the shimmering air between them " You might also want to know that this would be the easiest way for you to end my life if by any chance you have decided that you no longer want me lurking around anymore….You don't even have to get your hands dirty or anything- you just have to…watch me die….." he flatly announced, and to his pleasant surprise she just narrowed her eyes at him. Obviously, he couldn't possibly tell that she was in fact unsure whether his suggestion could be actually taken as a joke or not since that very moment, the perspective sounded incredibly appealing….
"That's good to know….I think I'll keep that in mind…." she finally spoke, unbelievably restless when, agitated himself, the God crossed the short distance between them until he once again ended up behind her, his hands now casually brushing her hair over one shoulder, thus leaving the other one fully at the mercy of his unbearably gentle strokes….
She instinctively folded her arms across her chest as if suddenly too exposed for him, and she unwillingly shivered when his warm fingers touched her skin…..His hands always had the most incredible effect on her- even when she was so angry that she could barely stand to look at him- a weird, hard to describe mixture, in which shooting and disturbing combined were bound to mess with her head…
" While you think about it, you should also consider the fact that by doing your part, the power you'd be able to access, would be unlimited….No mortal or immortal being in this universe would be able to stand in your way…You, my dear Xena…you would be invincible." he solemnly uttered, passion echoing from his every word.
"No one but you." she corrected, throwing him a glance over her shoulder.
" As long as we stick to the plan- and that shouldn't be too hard given our common goals- I wouldn't worry about that if I were you….I'd rather focus on the half full part of the glass." he softly advised, making her let out a wistful sigh when his lips, deciding that it was time to explore, began trailing kisses down her shoulder- a warm, intimate contact that felt sooo good that for a moment everything else faded from her mind…
"…Sounds tempting….Too tempting…." she wisely answered, even though her flushed face was by now transfixed with pleasure "… And where there's temptation there is always danger….. am I right?"
" There is danger in every aspect of our life…In our line of work, it is quite inevitable, wouldn't you say so?. Plus, if this would be some ordinary, risk free job, were would all the fun be ? The satisfaction...? "
" I'm afraid you'll need to be a bit more persuasive than that...….And by persuasion, I mean information" she stoically specified- an almost steely demand in fact- curiosity flickering in her eyes. Against all odds, things were definitely staring to look up for the War God….
"I like this impatience of yours…It nearly matches mine." Ares remarked, a small smile quirking his full, sexy lips. " Well…..legend has it that the dark ambrosia is only destined for people who have known both rage and suffering, both aggressiveness and darkness in its purest form…"
"Death?"
" The death of the soul…Not your case , but you were closer to it than anyone that I have ever met….And most importantly, you've been able to face it, to control it and eventually to surpass it….."
" Lyceus'…" she whispered, her voice filled with immeasurable sadness and guilt….His death was indeed an ache that had only slightly softened with time- the God had made sure she moved on - but the agonizing frustration of knowing that she could have saved him had she been more careful, refused to go away…." I'm far from having surpassed it, Ares…It still haunts me, every single night….."
" And yet, you still get up every single morning and live life to the fullest…That's the right attitude. A winner's attitude. You're just being too hard on yourself, Princess."
" I don't know about that…."
" You've done great, so far, and that makes me proud." he mildly encouraged, taking advantage of her weakness." The point is that you have known darkness but you haven't allowed it to engulf your soul- you haven't lost yourself in it. And that's precisely the kind of person I have been looking for all this time…." he stressed, but once again, instead of the faint smile he had expected to see, there it was again, that discreetly accusing glance…Needless to say, he felt its impact like a dagger to the heart…The silent reproach in her eyes, he couldn't shake it off….What in Tartarus had he done to upset her like that… ? The question was still there, unanswered. Maybe he had over reacted with Amytis after all….Maybe he shouldn't have brought her here in the first place.
" What exactly do you need me, for, Ares? To clap my hands and salute your almighty presence?" she sarcastically bit, turning away from him but without advancing too much - for the pavilion barely offered enough space to walk by the round marble table.
" To share my power with you. To have you rule the world by my side…."
"As your overall commander?"
"As my Queen….my Enyo…." he replied, and his answer had her stunned. Petrified. Definitely speechless for more seconds than her suddenly alert mind could count before it stopped for good in utter awe…..What in Gaia's name did this bastard want with her? Just earlier that day she had felt hurt, used and meaningless, and here he was now laying the world at her feet….Why would he do that? Sure, she was a good warrior- not perfect but definitely better than anyone she had met on the battlefield-….But from there to becoming his Queen…What was that all about?!
" Your Queen?" she asked, nearly choking on the title- the only coherent thing she was able to articulate.
" As I was saying, one person alone couldn't possibly control all the darkness that would automatically transfer from the rose into the body of the host ….. And though at first glance these petals look absolutely normal…harmless, really, the energy they contain is so strong that it could easily turn everything to dust in less than a second.
" No one should have that amount of power." the Warrior Princess murmured, blinking away the image that had began forming before her eyes, one picturing an apocalyptic ending of the world as she knew it.
"That's precisely the catch …..The energy will be divided between two people…..The God will absorb most of the power, yes, but the mortal's body would also take over enough of it to balance his immortal counterpart…..One could never act against the other's will…."
"That's …..strange…. Who would risk granting someone unlimited power? And...why? For what purpose? "
" It appears that dark ambrosia messes with people's minds to such extent that the two supposedly end up fighting each other for domination- thus gradually destroying their alliance along with their vessels….The thirst for more always leads to udder destruction…." he remarked as a side note,though it wasn't something that she didn't already know, they had discussed that aspect many times whenever they analyzed the most important battles in history…..
" So…in a word, this is suicide…." she concluded, unconsciously her body becoming even more rigid than before.
" Not if you can control your urges….And I do happen to be perfectly able to keep mine in check How about you?
" I don't know…..I have never asked myself that question…" she said, and the instant she spoke them, the words felt rusty on her tongue….She should have said yes…." Is the effect… permanent?" she quickly added, already wondering if he had interpreted that as a sign of weakness.
"A very good question- I wish I had the answer to it….The thing is that whomever created this pretty little beauty had a twisted sense of humor. The rose hides within it both petals that offer eternity on a silver platter and petals the effect of which is only temporary…."
"Temporary….? Like a month, a year…..a decade?"
"No one really knows…." he shrugged.
" Well, that shouldn't be a problem. We'll just come back and eat more once the effect wears off….."
"Not really an option…You see, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. No second chances. If one ever tries to eat it again, ambrosia acts like pure poison…No antidote for it- or so they say." he responded, clicking his tongue. " So…shall we?" he inquired, leaning forward and stretching out his hand, ready to pick a petal.
"What exactly do I have to do, again?" she questioned, still shocked by everything that had taken place, everything that had been spoken having already left its mark on her...
"In short, once I have eaten the ambrosia, your body will act like a sponge, absorbing the excess of energy that my own body cannot hold. "
" How am I supposed to do that?"
"I should have mentioned this earlier " he uttered gravely, breaking their gaze for a little while. " A sacrifice is required for this to work…"
"A sacrifice…..?" she repeated, stupefied.
" ….You'll have to give me your best kiss….." he replied with a barely restrained laugh.
" Go figure! " she frowned , visibly relieved that he had been joking.
" Hey! I'm serious here!"
" So in a word, you'll be giving me… what….? Leftovers….?"
"I wouldn't have chosen that word, but whatever your body will absorb will be enough to make you the most powerful woman on the planet. 'Sounds super sexy if you ask me.." he said, taking the now detached petal to his lips. " Ready?"
" Wait….." she nearly yelled. " I need time… to think about this….."
" Think about what? This is an amazing opportunity Xena. I'm offering you the impossible- the chance for you to shape and reshape the world, to literally mold it in your image….An endless number of followers, millions of soldiers at your disposal, all of them worshiping you like a goddess!"
" I don't want to be worshiped…." she firmly contradicted, but he could clearly read the conflict in her eyes.
" Of course you do….You're just afraid of the implications…You don't fully understand power…my kind of power, and that frightens you. " he said, lowering his mouth to her ear, his voice an overly tempting whisper. " But you don't have to be afraid of the unknown…No... you have to face it, to defeat it and in the end, to rule it….Allow me to change your mind, Princess…let me show you what it feels like. What I feel like…every day…every single second of my life…" he asked, cradling her temples between his palms and making a hallow of light blue energy form around her- an ecstatic experience, almost orgasmic judging by the soft moan that soon escaped Xena's lips. " This is the power of the Gods. Multiply it a thousand-fold. It is like nothing you have ever experienced before, am I right? With it, you can build a better world- destroy everything if that's what it takes and start from scratch….Isn't this what you have always wanted? Not to mention that you will no longer be the humble prisoner of time- Time will serve you. It will work in your favour….Forever will be engraved in every cell of your body…Immortal blood will be running through your veins." he hissed, and by all living Gods it was an offer impossible to refuse...
"Immortality is a curse, Ares, and you know it." the Warrior Princess argued, her instinct screaming at her to say no, despite the temptingly seductive trap he was drawing her in.
"And mortality is a sickness….It's the lesser of two evils principle. Plus…you are already a Goddess …. Anyone who has seen you on the battlefield would agree with me….This would only be the undeniable, worldwide confirmation…"
" Eternity….." she mused, actually contemplating the idea for a few priceless moments…
"Yes, eternity…by my side…..Now I don't know about you, but it sounds incredibly right to me…"