Love's Curse
by
Discussions: Characters don't belong to me. No Subtext….Same as before….
Cyrene was taking care of the children for a few days. Eve wanted to visit her grandmother, and Xena though it would do the babies good to spend time with their grandma. Ares was off controlling a war somewhere on the other side of the world. Gabrielle and Xena were riding their horses. It was a silent night. There was no moon, and if there was, the ominously dark clouds that hung low were covering them.
"Gabrielle, I think we should stay at an inn for the night. We could put the horses in the stables." Xena said.
"Good idea." Gabrielle said as a clap of lightning struck low to the ground many miles away.
"This storm is going to be bad." The warrior princess said. "Let's hurry."
"Yeah." Gabrielle said having her horse speed up a bit. Xena and Gabrielle reached the nearest village and put the horses away in the stables. They found an inn and got a room with two comfortable beds. Xena went downstairs to get some port as Gabrielle bathed in a warm tub.
"What'll it be?" the bartender asked.
"Port." Xena said smugly. She wasn't in a very good mood. She needed to talk to Ares, but he wasn't about to leave the war.
Aphrodite appeared beside the warrior princess. Xena looked at her.
"What's up Xena?" Aphrodite asked.
"What do want Aphrodite?" Xena asked.
"I just want to have a little chit-chat." Aphrodite said. "See, I'm supposed to do something. It's kind of a surprise, and you can't know about it. But someone else has to be here, so I can't do it. Well, see ya!"
"Hey!" Xena called, but Aphrodite disappeared before she got the chance to yell at her.
Aphrodite reappeared on Mount Olympus and found her son Cupid.
"Hey Cupie!" Aphrodite exclaimed. "How's my favorite son?"
"Mom, we have to get Ares to Xena. How else are you going to test out this new spell?" Cupid asked.
"Well, I have a feeling Xena's getting close to calling Ares in a way that he will have to leave that war. She's getting pretty tense, and I think she's about to start yelling." Aphrodite said wincing.
"Well, he better show soon or we're gonna have to try this on someone else." Cupid said.
"No! It has to be Xena and Ares. My brother is in love with Xena, and hopefully if this spell works, they won't be able to keep off of each other for a whole day! And if it works, they'll be more in love at the end of the day that they already were." Aphrodite squealed happily. "Literally!"
"Mom. Xena's not gonna be happy." Cupid warned.
"Oh Cupid. Xena always forgives me. I'm her friend. She knows that I mean well." Aphrodite said.
"Ha!" Cupid said laughing and disappeared.
"And what do you mean by that?" Aphrodite asked. She disappeared to find her son.
Xena splashed some cold water on her face to cool down. It was early morning and Xena was not happy. She was so mad right now because Ares wouldn't answer her calls when she wanted to see him.
"ARES!" she yelled. Ares appeared, and Aphrodite and Cupid thought this a perfect opportunity.
"What is it?" Ares asked.
"You didn't come to me when I called you." Xena scowled.
"I was kind of in the middle of gouging a few people through. That kind of thing." Ares said. Xena sighed. She hugged Ares reluctantly even though she did love him. She hated the way he phrased that last sentence. Aphrodite put some dust into her hand and when Ares and Xena were in mid hug. Xena was about to pull away from the hug to kiss Ares when she realized she was stuck to him.
"Ares. What's going on?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" Ares asked pulling away, or trying to. The he realized he couldn't. "We're bonded together."
"Just pull." Xena said. They pulled away from each other, and then realized the got their arms stuck together and they were as one.
"What is going on?" Ares asked.
"That's what I'd like to know." Xena said. Then she remembered. "APHRODITE!"
"What does she have to do with this?" Ares asked.
"Let's just say she dropped me a hint." Xena said.
"All right." Ares said.
"Okay. As long as we're like this, let's get one thing strait." Xena said.
"Sure." Ares said.
"No disappearing." Xena said.
"But. The war . . ." Ares started.
"Hey. I mean it." Xena said.
"Fine." Ares said.
"And another thing, be quiet. Gabrielle is asleep." Xena said. Aphrodite appeared.
"You rang?" she asked smiling.
"Yes. What did you do?" Xena asked.
"I bonded you two together." Aphrodite said. "It does wonders for the love life."
"Unbind us at once!" Ares commanded.
"Okay, okay. Sheesh!" Aphrodite exclaimed. Then she remembered that they would have to wait until the next morning. "You'll be free tomorrow morning." She said as she disappeared.
"Okay. That's it!" Xena said trying to pull free and away from Ares.
"Hey. As long as we're like this . . ." Ares started.
"NO!" Xena hissed. Ares kept his mouth shut. Gabrielle started to stir in the next room.
"Gabrielle!" Xena called.
"Huh?" Gabrielle mumbled from the room.
"Could you come out to the balcony for just a second?" Xena asked sweetly.
"What? Why? Oh, Xena what is going on?" Gabrielle asked walking groggily out to the balcony. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Ares and Xena stuck together. Then she just burst out laughing.
"Hey!" Xena yelled.
"It's not that funny." Ares said.
"Sure. It is." Gabrielle said. She laughed some more and finally quieted when she realized she was the only one laughing. "What happened?"
"Aphrodite happened." Xena said.
"Oh." Gabrielle said.
"Yeah. It's not that funny is it?" Ares asked.
"No. Not really." Gabrielle said. She swallowed back a laugh. The day passed as Xena and Ares stayed at the inn. Gabrielle had to get some fresh air. She was so tired. Xena woke her up at the crack of dawn, and she thought a nice walk would do her some good.
Meanwhile, Xena and Ares, even though they were in love, couldn't stop arguing.
"So, what you're saying is that guys can't have the baby because they're too strong." Xena said.
"Exactly." Ares said.
"That's it. When we get out of this mess, you're never touching me again!" Xena hissed. Ares smiled that charming smile, and Xena laughed. She softly kissed him. "All right. All right. Let's call a truce."
"That sounds fair." Ares said.
"I thought it would." Xena said.
Finally, it was almost early morning the next day. Xena was about to jump out of her skin, and well, Ares' skin because she was so anxious to be free.
"Gabrielle, when it's time, I want you to help pull us apart." Xena said.
"All right." Gabrielle said. The hours went by, and finally Xena and Ares knew it was time.
"Pull Gabrielle!" Xena ordered. Gabrielle pulled Xena away from Ares and they were two again.
"Finally." Ares said.
"APHRODITE!" Xena yelled.
"Yes?" she asked appearing before them.
"Never use that spell again. It won't work for most people." Xena said.
"All right. All right." Aphrodite said. She disappeared with a snap of her fingers. Gabrielle gave Xena and Ares a few minutes together.
"Look, I need to go away for awhile. I have to help finish that war."
"I know." Xena said.
"It's almost over. I'll be gone two months tops." He said.
"Okay. You better go." She said.
"Yeah. Bye Xena." Ares said softly kissing her.
"Bye." Xena said smiling after Ares disappeared.
The End… Next story in this series is Reunions.