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The Heat of Battle
by Xena
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, but I made up a couple. The majority of the characters belong to Renaissance Pictures, USA Studios, and the creators of Xena Warrior Princess. This is the ninth installment of the Fate series. It immediately follows Elysian Fields.
Subtext: No
Violence: Yes
Sex: Yes
Rating: PG-13
Series: Fate series. This is the ninth installment in the Fate series. It immediately follows Elysian Fields.
Author's Note: To my knowledge, a war like this never occurred, so please do not sue me!
Xena hugged her one-year-old son and kissed his forehead. She hugged her almost 14-year-old daughter and kissed her cheek.
"I'm going to miss you two. You behave for Aunt Gabrielle and Uncle Joxer. And Eve, you help with Zander because Gabrielle and Joxer already have their baby to take care of." Xena said.
"We'll behave mother." Eve said. Xena smiled and walked downstairs. Gabrielle was rocking her three-month-old daughter to sleep in the rocking chair. The baby was named Emma. She was definitely going to be a beauty. Her red hair was growing, and her green eyes were shining. Gabrielle knew her daughter was only three-months-old, but the when she was older, she'd have boys courting her day and night.
"Well, we'll see you in a month." Xena said as she walked into the kitchen sporting her famous leather and armor. Her sword was sheathed and her chakram on the beltloop. She was carrying her little boy who was squirming to get out of his mother's arms. She finally let him down and he clumsily walked around the house.
"Okay Xena. I still wish I could go to this battle to help you, but my baby needs me, and Aphrodite is busy, so she can't watch the kids. And to tell you the truth, I don't think Joxer could handle a three-month-old, a one-year-old, and a teenager for a month alone." Gabrielle said. Xena laughed. Gabrielle hugged her.
"Hey Emma." Xena said. "You behave and be good. I'll see you in a month."
"Can you say, 'bye Auntie Xena?'" Gabrielle asked. The baby cooed. "Ahh, good enough." Xena laughed and hugged Gabrielle once more. She walked out on the porch.
"See ya soon Joxer." Xena said.
"Hey, good luck." Joxer said as he waved. Xena was now down the street, heading for the nearest boat to take her to Chin.
"Xena, you don't need a boat to get you there." Ares said as he appeared beside his fiancé. Ares had popped the question a month before and she had said yes. The wedding was supposed to take place as soon as they got back from the war.
Xena smiled at Ares. "I forgot you're going too." She grinned at him and kissed him. Ares took her in his arms and before Xena knew it, they were in Chin.
"You forgot huh?" Ares asked. Xena chuckled a little.
"No. Just wanted to kiss you." She said. Ares smiled and kissed her again.
"Xena!" said a familiar voice. Xena turned and saw her friend from about 14 years ago. It was K'ao Hsin. Xena hugged her. She introduced Ares to her and they shook hands.
"What's the problem?" Xena asked. "All I know is that Hermes came to me and to Ares and said we needed to get here fast because of a war."
"Yes." K'ao Hsin said. "It's not a big war. It's between us and an army from a province just south of here. They're from our country. They're called the Green Dragons" Xena nodded. She knew they were followers of Ming T'ien.
"Where's your home?" she asked.
"This way." K'ao Hsin said. Ares and Xena followed her. They came to Lao Ma's home.
"You took this home. It's a good choice." Xena said.
"I can feel my mother's presence sometimes. I knew you weren't dead those 10 years, even though everyone was talking about it. I had a vision of this day." K'ao Hsin said. Xena nodded. Xena looked up and saw Lin Qui. She remembered when he and Gabrielle were captive by Khan and she had to use Lao Ma's powers to take the oxygen from the room long enough for them to escape.
"Hello Lin Qui. This is Ares. Ares this is Lin Qui, an old friend." Xena said. The war god shook Lin Qui's hand.
"Xena, K'ao Hsin always believed you were alive. How's Gabrielle?" Lin Qui asked.
"She's good. She and Joxer have a daughter." Xena said.
"That's wonderful." Lin Qui said with a smile on his face.
"Did you ever marry, K'ao Hsin?" Xena asked. K'ao Hsin smiled and looked at Lin Qui. "You two? Congratulations." Xena said.
"We have a son." K'ao Hsin said.
"That's wonderful." Xena said.
The day wore on, and K'ao Hsin declared that the Romans wouldn't be to Chin until the next night. She gave the biggest guestroom to Xena and Ares.
Xena was starting to see the side of Ares that she hadn't seen in awhile. Every time he heard the word 'war', he'd be in a very good mood. He was sharpening his sword and sword fighting with some of the best soldiers. Xena watched Ares out in the field. She found herself more attracted to that side of him than to his gentler side. She didn't know why. She loved everything about him. She accepted his past and how he'd tried to hurt her. But she accepted that part of him, and to her, it didn't really matter.
Ares felt Xena's eyes on him, and he looked up at her. She was staring at his butt, his biceps, and his chest. He disappeared and Xena felt his hands on her waist. She leaned back against him as he nuzzled her neck.
"Mmmm . . . Ares." She whispered. With a wave of the hand, Xena was out of her armor, and wrapped in the bed sheet. She looked down to see that Ares had removed his clothes as well. She unwrapped the blanket, and wrapped Ares in it with her. He could feel her body shaking and he held her close until it stopped. In a slow rhythm, he began to dance her around the room and over to the bed. The warrior princess wanted to take charge for once. She made him lay down on the bed, and she crawled over him. She kissed him, biting his nipple between her teeth. He groaned for a second and then pulled her down on him, making love to her as she made love to him.
"Come back here Zander!" Eve yelled down the street as her brother took off. She was shopping in the market and Joxer told her to take her brother with her, and he ran off. She decided it was time to use some of her techniques. She sat her basket of supplies down and ran down the road after her one-year-old brother. He was fast. Eve did a flip into the air and continued running down the road. The townspeople watched the 14 year-old-girl curiously. She did a flip and landed in front of her brother. He looked up at her with his beautiful eyes and grinned innocently.
"Hi sissy." He said. Eve sighed and rolled her eyes. She picked her brother up and went back to her shopping. She looked up at the sky.
"Remind me to never have kids." She whispered as Zander giggled.
"Where momma?" Zander asked.
"I told you Zander, mother is fighting a war somewhere in Chin." Eve said. Zander lay his head on his sister's shoulder and fell asleep.
Gabrielle was in the barn practicing with her Sais, and Joxer was taking care of the baby. He had never really taken care of his daughter alone for long before. When Xena and Ares had gone after Gabrielle, Eve and Aphrodite helped with the baby.
"Gabrielle!" Joxer called. Gabrielle was getting frustrated. For the last hour she'd been trying to concentrate on her Sais. She was wearing her beautiful warrior's outfit with the satin red skirt and her boots with the Sais. She'd not been fighting for a while, and she was warming up on her technique. Every five minutes Joxer yelled out to her to ask her for something.
"WHAT!?" Gabrielle screamed from the barn. Joxer felt Gabrielle's anger.
"Ummm . . . I was just wondering where Emma's blanket was. Nevermind! I found it!" Joxer called. He was cranky, Gabrielle was cranky, and Emma was cranky. Everyone in the house was cranky because that past day, Emma had been crying and crying and crying. Gabrielle gave up and put her Sais in her boots. She walked into the house and picked up a crying, three-month-old Emma out of Joxer's arms.
"Shh . . ." Gabrielle soothed. She cradled her daughter and waited for silence. It never came, so Gabrielle decided to take her daughter for a walk. A very long walk.
"Xena!" K'ao Hsin's voice came from behind the door. Xena sat up in bed with Ares beside her.
"What is it?" Xena asked quickly pulling on her leather and armor. Ares snapped his fingers and he was dressed. Xena sheathed her sword and had her chakram ready.
"The Green Dragons are here!" she exclaimed. "They arrived early! Their troops are a mile out of Chin's boundaries. They'll be here in no time."
"Get the troops together." Xena ordered. "Prepare for attack." She settled her chakram in its place on her leather, and she and Ares ran from the room.
"Come on!" Ares called out on the field when he saw some of the troops already together. They ran for the hill and stayed perfectly still they had about 3,000 men, the Green Dragons had nearly twice that.
"We're not going to make it." Whispered one of the soldiers. Xena spun around and hit the man across the face.
"If you have that embedded in your minds, we won't win! They have TWICE the number of men than this army, and I'm not about to lose. Now, if any of you are cowards enough to talk like that, then get out of this army. I will not lead an army of cowards!" Xena yelled. No man moved. Xena turned to Ares.
"Xena, you have that fire in your eyes." He said slightly grinning. Xena kissed him passionately.
"I love you." She said. He kissed her back.
"I love you, Xena." He said. Xena felt the need for war course through her veins. She felt the taste for blood on the tip of her tongue. She was slowly sinking into darkness. She fought it.
"I can't do this." She said as she closed her eyes.
"Do what?" Ares asked.
"I can't go back to my dark side. It's pulling me back." She whispered. "I have to fight it."
"Xena, we need that fire for this army. You keep that with you until this war is over." Ares said.
"If I do, I fear I won't be able to come back." Xena said.
"Would that be so bad?" Ares asked. Xena slapped him across the face.
"Yes! I have children and family. I won't do that to them!" Xena exclaimed. She started to run off, but Ares caught Xena gently by the arm and pulled her to him.
"I understand Xena. When you're out there fighting, pretend you are fighting your dark side." Ares whispered into her ear.
"ATTACK!" Xena heard a Green Dragon general yell. Xena looked abruptly over at the lines. They were charging for them.
"I love you, Xena. No matter what happens. I love you." Ares said. He kissed Xena.
"I love you Ares." Xena said. She looked at her troops. "ATTACK!" The lines attacked, charging for the first lines of Green Dragon soldiers. Xena ran through the charging men, and with her sword, cut off the legs of three Green Dragon soldiers. They fell to the ground crying in pain and in shock.
Ares threw lightning bolts at a group of them, and they fell dead. A coward ran from him, and Ares zapped him in the but with a bolt. He watched his warrior princess slaughter a big group with her chakram. He saw many of both armies fall dead to the ground.
Hours passed, and day turned into afternoon and slowly the sun began to set, and the war continued. There were only hundreds left of each army. The casualties were building up and the battlefield looked like a sea of death.
An exhausted Xena tossed her chakram at a man trying to kill Lin Qui. The man's head flew off as soon as the chakram struck. Lin Qui looked in shock as the man's headless corpse fell in front of him. He snapped out of it right away as he felt the steel of a man's sword against his neck. He plunged his sword into the man's stomach.
Soon, the Green Dragon's retreated for the night as Xena's army retreated as well. There was basically an equal number of casualties for both armies. Xena and Ares retreated to the guestroom in K'ao Hsin and Lin Qui's home.
Gabrielle looked at the sun rising. She knew the sun was just setting in Chin. She needed to go to help Xena. The war was supposed to last a month, but she had the feeling the war would be much shorter with Xena and Ares in charge. She tapped Joxer on the shoulder. He woke up from his slumber.
"Gabrielle?" he asked.
"Joxer, I have to go help Xena." Gabrielle said. "I need you to take care of the children. Eve will help you. Just don't ask any questions. I'll be back soon. I promise. I love you." She kissed Joxer and left him speechless. She dresses in her warrior outfit and put her Sais in her boots. She picked up her little girl and kissed the little sleeping beauty. She lay her back down and left the house in a hurry.
She hurried into town with one thing on her mind. To get to Aphrodite's temple. She ran as fast as she could and finally reached her destination.
"Aphrodite!" she called as she entered the temple. "Aphrodite!"
"Geesh! Can't a girl get some piece and quiet around here?" the love goddess asked as she appeared in front of her ears.
"Aphrodite, this is important." Gabrielle said. "I need you to take me to Chin, now."
"Do I hear a please?" Aphrodite asked.
"Please, Aphrodite." Gabrielle said. Aphrodite grinned.
"Sure." She said. "Why?"
"I need to help Ares and Xena with the war." Gabrielle said.
"Enough said." Aphrodite said. She snapped her fingers and Gabrielle felt herself transported. She appeared in the house that was once Lao Ma's. Gabrielle could hear a discussion going on upstairs. She climbed the stairs and instantly recognized the voice of Xena. After a few seconds, she recognized Ares' voice. They were talking about the war because Gabrielle heard the mention of soldiers.
"Gabrielle?" came a voice from behind her. She turned around.
"K'ao Hsin!" Gabrielle exclaimed. She hugged her.
"What are you doing here?" K'ao Hsin asked.
"I'm here to help with the war." Gabrielle said.
"We're lucky to have you." K'ao Hsin said.
"Thanks." Gabrielle said.
"You can stay in the guestroom down the hall. Xena and Ares are occupying that one right there." K'ao Hsin said pointing to the door in front of them.
"Okay. I wanted to speak with them anyway. Thank you." Gabrielle said. K'ao Hsin nodded and left to go tend to her husband's wound and check on her daughter.
"I think we should start with a fresh surprise attack at dawn." Ares said, as there was a knock on the door.
"Yes, that's a good plan." Xena said as she hung her sword's sheath on the wall and put her chakram with it. She walked over to the door and opened it.
"Hi Xena." Gabrielle said smiling. Xena's mouth gaped open and her eyes went wide.
"Gabrielle. What are you doing here?" she asked as she motioned for Gabrielle to come in. Gabrielle walked into the room and quickly greeted Ares.
"Hi." She said. "I came here because I thought you may want some help, and the house was so noisy. Don't worry, the children are safe. Joxer is being responsible, and Eve's there to help. She's getting older so I assumed she'd be fine. Aphrodite brought me here."
"Okay. Well, we could use the help, but you have a daughter, and she needs you." Xena said worriedly.
"And you have children at home, they need you." Gabrielle said. Xena nodded.
"I know. Well, the sooner we get this war over with, the sooner we can get home." Xena said.
"I'm going to go to my room now. I'll see you both in the morning." Gabrielle said. Xena and Ares nodded.
"We'll attack at dawn. Be ready." Ares said. Gabrielle nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her.
At home, Joxer fed Emma milk from a wineskin. Eve was getting Zander in his clothes and getting herself ready at the same time.
"Uncle Joxer, I'm going to go for a walk with Argolis today. You don't mind watching both Emma and Zander do you?" Eve asked.
"No, I'll be fine. Just be back before lunch." Joxer said.
"Okay." Eve said. She ran a brush through her hair for a few minutes and then left for Argolis' house.
Xena looked out as she watched the moon leave the skies, and she knew dawn was approaching soon. It was almost lunchtime back in Greece. She sighed and thought of her children. Then her mind wandered back to war. She knew her dark side wanted to take over, but she was taking Ares' advice in when fighting a soldier, to pretend she was fighting her dark side.
Ares walked up behind his warrior princess. He kissed her shoulders and started to bring the straps of her leather bodice down. He massaged her shoulders.
"It's almost dawn." He said. Xena nodded.
"I know. I think we should get the troops together." Xena declared.
"Gabrielle's already doing that. The men are ready, and we're having reinforcements come in as we speak. They're already here and they'll wait to battle until we really get down low on our soldiers." Ares said.
"Okay." Xena said. She kissed her fiancé and smiled softly. She dressed for battle and headed out for the field.
Back in Greece, Joxer had the table set for lunch, and the babies were already fed. Eve wasn't home yet, and he had told her to be back for lunch. She should've been home about ten minutes ago. She was never late.
"Eve!" Joxer called out the back. She came running out from behind the barn. She looked embarrassed. Argolis came out behind here. Joxer sighed. Teenagers.
"I'm here Uncle Joxer." Eve said. "I'm sorry I'm late. I was just . . ."
"Behind the barn kissing Argolis." Joxer said. Eve blushed. "Do you know what your mother would do if she knew you were doing that? She's already nervous enough as it is that you're becoming a young woman, but you're in your kissing boys stage now. Pretty soon, you'll be married off. I don't think she's ready to let you go yet. She won't be happy."
"I'm sorry Uncle Joxer. Please don't tell mother." Eve said. Joxer sighed.
"I'll think about it. Bye Argolis." He said still looking at Eve. Argolis walked off, and Eve walked into the house with Joxer behind her.
The troops marched silently to the battlefield. They watched in amusement as the Green Dragons stumbled out of their beds, looking for their armor and their weapons.
"ATTACK!" Ares yelled. Xena, Ares, Gabrielle, and their army charged the Green Dragons before they had the chance to get into their lines. The war of the day had begun.
For Xena, through the day, she killed in the ranges of 200 soldiers. For Ares, nearly that, and Gabrielle had killed about 100 men. She took her time, doing flips in the air to distract the, as she decapitated them. Xena watched her friend at how well she battled. She knew she'd taught Gabrielle a lot.
Every kill Xena made, a fire ran through her veins. She felt her body shudder with the udder heat that took through her body. She was on the verge of converting back to her old ways when she heard the screams of Gabrielle.
"XENA!" she screamed. Xena searched the battlefield and found Gabrielle about to be decapitated by a Green Dragon. Xena threw her chakram, knocking off a couple of enemies on the way, and she cut off the man's arm that was trying to kill Gabrielle. Gabrielle stabbed the man in the back with her Sai.
Ares watched Xena carefully as he slaughtered his way through the battlefield. He knew the past was coming into Xena's soul. It was about to capture her. He knew she knew it. Xena could feel Ares staring at her, and she knew she couldn't go back to her evil ways.
Gabrielle could even tell Xena was about to go evil again. She had a never-ending trust in her friend's will to go on that would conquer anything. She knew Xena could control her soul.
As the day progressed, the Green Dragons started to retreat. Few by few, men fled for their lives, deserting the Green Dragons. They knew they would be caught and killed for their insubordination, but the army grew smaller. Second by second, hour by hour, Xena's army won.
"Xena! Xena! Xena!" The army chanted as they watched the cowardly Green Dragons surrender. To Xena, it felt good to finally be in charge again. It was then that she was about to take control of the army for good when she heard Ares' voice that brought her back.
"Xena?" he asked. Xena looked into his eyes. "We did it."
"Yes. We did." She said. She felt the will for evil leave her as soon as he pulled her into his arms. "We did." Gabrielle walked up to them.
"I think it's time to go to our family now." She said.
"Let's say good-bye to K'ao Hsin and Lin Qui first." Xena said.
After saying their good-byes, Xena, Gabrielle, and Ares were on their way home.
The End . . . or is it?
!-- START HOME FREE FOOTER CODE --!-- END HOME FREE FOOTER CODE --
The Heat of Battle
by Xena
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, but I made up a couple. The majority of the characters belong to Renaissance Pictures, USA Studios, and the creators of Xena Warrior Princess. This is the ninth installment of the Fate series. It immediately follows Elysian Fields.
Subtext: No
Violence: Yes
Sex: Yes
Rating: PG-13
Series: Fate series. This is the ninth installment in the Fate series. It immediately follows Elysian Fields.
Author's Note: To my knowledge, a war like this never occurred, so please do not sue me!
Xena hugged her one-year-old son and kissed his forehead. She hugged her almost 14-year-old daughter and kissed her cheek.
"I'm going to miss you two. You behave for Aunt Gabrielle and Uncle Joxer. And Eve, you help with Zander because Gabrielle and Joxer already have their baby to take care of." Xena said.
"We'll behave mother." Eve said. Xena smiled and walked downstairs. Gabrielle was rocking her three-month-old daughter to sleep in the rocking chair. The baby was named Emma. She was definitely going to be a beauty. Her red hair was growing, and her green eyes were shining. Gabrielle knew her daughter was only three-months-old, but the when she was older, she'd have boys courting her day and night.
"Well, we'll see you in a month." Xena said as she walked into the kitchen sporting her famous leather and armor. Her sword was sheathed and her chakram on the beltloop. She was carrying her little boy who was squirming to get out of his mother's arms. She finally let him down and he clumsily walked around the house.
"Okay Xena. I still wish I could go to this battle to help you, but my baby needs me, and Aphrodite is busy, so she can't watch the kids. And to tell you the truth, I don't think Joxer could handle a three-month-old, a one-year-old, and a teenager for a month alone." Gabrielle said. Xena laughed. Gabrielle hugged her.
"Hey Emma." Xena said. "You behave and be good. I'll see you in a month."
"Can you say, 'bye Auntie Xena?'" Gabrielle asked. The baby cooed. "Ahh, good enough." Xena laughed and hugged Gabrielle once more. She walked out on the porch.
"See ya soon Joxer." Xena said.
"Hey, good luck." Joxer said as he waved. Xena was now down the street, heading for the nearest boat to take her to Chin.
"Xena, you don't need a boat to get you there." Ares said as he appeared beside his fiancé. Ares had popped the question a month before and she had said yes. The wedding was supposed to take place as soon as they got back from the war.
Xena smiled at Ares. "I forgot you're going too." She grinned at him and kissed him. Ares took her in his arms and before Xena knew it, they were in Chin.
"You forgot huh?" Ares asked. Xena chuckled a little.
"No. Just wanted to kiss you." She said. Ares smiled and kissed her again.
"Xena!" said a familiar voice. Xena turned and saw her friend from about 14 years ago. It was K'ao Hsin. Xena hugged her. She introduced Ares to her and they shook hands.
"What's the problem?" Xena asked. "All I know is that Hermes came to me and to Ares and said we needed to get here fast because of a war."
"Yes." K'ao Hsin said. "It's not a big war. It's between us and an army from a province just south of here. They're from our country. They're called the Green Dragons" Xena nodded. She knew they were followers of Ming T'ien.
"Where's your home?" she asked.
"This way." K'ao Hsin said. Ares and Xena followed her. They came to Lao Ma's home.
"You took this home. It's a good choice." Xena said.
"I can feel my mother's presence sometimes. I knew you weren't dead those 10 years, even though everyone was talking about it. I had a vision of this day." K'ao Hsin said. Xena nodded. Xena looked up and saw Lin Qui. She remembered when he and Gabrielle were captive by Khan and she had to use Lao Ma's powers to take the oxygen from the room long enough for them to escape.
"Hello Lin Qui. This is Ares. Ares this is Lin Qui, an old friend." Xena said. The war god shook Lin Qui's hand.
"Xena, K'ao Hsin always believed you were alive. How's Gabrielle?" Lin Qui asked.
"She's good. She and Joxer have a daughter." Xena said.
"That's wonderful." Lin Qui said with a smile on his face.
"Did you ever marry, K'ao Hsin?" Xena asked. K'ao Hsin smiled and looked at Lin Qui. "You two? Congratulations." Xena said.
"We have a son." K'ao Hsin said.
"That's wonderful." Xena said.
The day wore on, and K'ao Hsin declared that the Romans wouldn't be to Chin until the next night. She gave the biggest guestroom to Xena and Ares.
Xena was starting to see the side of Ares that she hadn't seen in awhile. Every time he heard the word 'war', he'd be in a very good mood. He was sharpening his sword and sword fighting with some of the best soldiers. Xena watched Ares out in the field. She found herself more attracted to that side of him than to his gentler side. She didn't know why. She loved everything about him. She accepted his past and how he'd tried to hurt her. But she accepted that part of him, and to her, it didn't really matter.
Ares felt Xena's eyes on him, and he looked up at her. She was staring at his butt, his biceps, and his chest. He disappeared and Xena felt his hands on her waist. She leaned back against him as he nuzzled her neck.
"Mmmm . . . Ares." She whispered. With a wave of the hand, Xena was out of her armor, and wrapped in the bed sheet. She looked down to see that Ares had removed his clothes as well. She unwrapped the blanket, and wrapped Ares in it with her. He could feel her body shaking and he held her close until it stopped. In a slow rhythm, he began to dance her around the room and over to the bed. The warrior princess wanted to take charge for once. She made him lay down on the bed, and she crawled over him. She kissed him, biting his nipple between her teeth. He groaned for a second and then pulled her down on him, making love to her as she made love to him.
"Come back here Zander!" Eve yelled down the street as her brother took off. She was shopping in the market and Joxer told her to take her brother with her, and he ran off. She decided it was time to use some of her techniques. She sat her basket of supplies down and ran down the road after her one-year-old brother. He was fast. Eve did a flip into the air and continued running down the road. The townspeople watched the 14 year-old-girl curiously. She did a flip and landed in front of her brother. He looked up at her with his beautiful eyes and grinned innocently.
"Hi sissy." He said. Eve sighed and rolled her eyes. She picked her brother up and went back to her shopping. She looked up at the sky.
"Remind me to never have kids." She whispered as Zander giggled.
"Where momma?" Zander asked.
"I told you Zander, mother is fighting a war somewhere in Chin." Eve said. Zander lay his head on his sister's shoulder and fell asleep.
Gabrielle was in the barn practicing with her Sais, and Joxer was taking care of the baby. He had never really taken care of his daughter alone for long before. When Xena and Ares had gone after Gabrielle, Eve and Aphrodite helped with the baby.
"Gabrielle!" Joxer called. Gabrielle was getting frustrated. For the last hour she'd been trying to concentrate on her Sais. She was wearing her beautiful warrior's outfit with the satin red skirt and her boots with the Sais. She'd not been fighting for a while, and she was warming up on her technique. Every five minutes Joxer yelled out to her to ask her for something.
"WHAT!?" Gabrielle screamed from the barn. Joxer felt Gabrielle's anger.
"Ummm . . . I was just wondering where Emma's blanket was. Nevermind! I found it!" Joxer called. He was cranky, Gabrielle was cranky, and Emma was cranky. Everyone in the house was cranky because that past day, Emma had been crying and crying and crying. Gabrielle gave up and put her Sais in her boots. She walked into the house and picked up a crying, three-month-old Emma out of Joxer's arms.
"Shh . . ." Gabrielle soothed. She cradled her daughter and waited for silence. It never came, so Gabrielle decided to take her daughter for a walk. A very long walk.
"Xena!" K'ao Hsin's voice came from behind the door. Xena sat up in bed with Ares beside her.
"What is it?" Xena asked quickly pulling on her leather and armor. Ares snapped his fingers and he was dressed. Xena sheathed her sword and had her chakram ready.
"The Green Dragons are here!" she exclaimed. "They arrived early! Their troops are a mile out of Chin's boundaries. They'll be here in no time."
"Get the troops together." Xena ordered. "Prepare for attack." She settled her chakram in its place on her leather, and she and Ares ran from the room.
"Come on!" Ares called out on the field when he saw some of the troops already together. They ran for the hill and stayed perfectly still they had about 3,000 men, the Green Dragons had nearly twice that.
"We're not going to make it." Whispered one of the soldiers. Xena spun around and hit the man across the face.
"If you have that embedded in your minds, we won't win! They have TWICE the number of men than this army, and I'm not about to lose. Now, if any of you are cowards enough to talk like that, then get out of this army. I will not lead an army of cowards!" Xena yelled. No man moved. Xena turned to Ares.
"Xena, you have that fire in your eyes." He said slightly grinning. Xena kissed him passionately.
"I love you." She said. He kissed her back.
"I love you, Xena." He said. Xena felt the need for war course through her veins. She felt the taste for blood on the tip of her tongue. She was slowly sinking into darkness. She fought it.
"I can't do this." She said as she closed her eyes.
"Do what?" Ares asked.
"I can't go back to my dark side. It's pulling me back." She whispered. "I have to fight it."
"Xena, we need that fire for this army. You keep that with you until this war is over." Ares said.
"If I do, I fear I won't be able to come back." Xena said.
"Would that be so bad?" Ares asked. Xena slapped him across the face.
"Yes! I have children and family. I won't do that to them!" Xena exclaimed. She started to run off, but Ares caught Xena gently by the arm and pulled her to him.
"I understand Xena. When you're out there fighting, pretend you are fighting your dark side." Ares whispered into her ear.
"ATTACK!" Xena heard a Green Dragon general yell. Xena looked abruptly over at the lines. They were charging for them.
"I love you, Xena. No matter what happens. I love you." Ares said. He kissed Xena.
"I love you Ares." Xena said. She looked at her troops. "ATTACK!" The lines attacked, charging for the first lines of Green Dragon soldiers. Xena ran through the charging men, and with her sword, cut off the legs of three Green Dragon soldiers. They fell to the ground crying in pain and in shock.
Ares threw lightning bolts at a group of them, and they fell dead. A coward ran from him, and Ares zapped him in the but with a bolt. He watched his warrior princess slaughter a big group with her chakram. He saw many of both armies fall dead to the ground.
Hours passed, and day turned into afternoon and slowly the sun began to set, and the war continued. There were only hundreds left of each army. The casualties were building up and the battlefield looked like a sea of death.
An exhausted Xena tossed her chakram at a man trying to kill Lin Qui. The man's head flew off as soon as the chakram struck. Lin Qui looked in shock as the man's headless corpse fell in front of him. He snapped out of it right away as he felt the steel of a man's sword against his neck. He plunged his sword into the man's stomach.
Soon, the Green Dragon's retreated for the night as Xena's army retreated as well. There was basically an equal number of casualties for both armies. Xena and Ares retreated to the guestroom in K'ao Hsin and Lin Qui's home.
Gabrielle looked at the sun rising. She knew the sun was just setting in Chin. She needed to go to help Xena. The war was supposed to last a month, but she had the feeling the war would be much shorter with Xena and Ares in charge. She tapped Joxer on the shoulder. He woke up from his slumber.
"Gabrielle?" he asked.
"Joxer, I have to go help Xena." Gabrielle said. "I need you to take care of the children. Eve will help you. Just don't ask any questions. I'll be back soon. I promise. I love you." She kissed Joxer and left him speechless. She dresses in her warrior outfit and put her Sais in her boots. She picked up her little girl and kissed the little sleeping beauty. She lay her back down and left the house in a hurry.
She hurried into town with one thing on her mind. To get to Aphrodite's temple. She ran as fast as she could and finally reached her destination.
"Aphrodite!" she called as she entered the temple. "Aphrodite!"
"Geesh! Can't a girl get some piece and quiet around here?" the love goddess asked as she appeared in front of her ears.
"Aphrodite, this is important." Gabrielle said. "I need you to take me to Chin, now."
"Do I hear a please?" Aphrodite asked.
"Please, Aphrodite." Gabrielle said. Aphrodite grinned.
"Sure." She said. "Why?"
"I need to help Ares and Xena with the war." Gabrielle said.
"Enough said." Aphrodite said. She snapped her fingers and Gabrielle felt herself transported. She appeared in the house that was once Lao Ma's. Gabrielle could hear a discussion going on upstairs. She climbed the stairs and instantly recognized the voice of Xena. After a few seconds, she recognized Ares' voice. They were talking about the war because Gabrielle heard the mention of soldiers.
"Gabrielle?" came a voice from behind her. She turned around.
"K'ao Hsin!" Gabrielle exclaimed. She hugged her.
"What are you doing here?" K'ao Hsin asked.
"I'm here to help with the war." Gabrielle said.
"We're lucky to have you." K'ao Hsin said.
"Thanks." Gabrielle said.
"You can stay in the guestroom down the hall. Xena and Ares are occupying that one right there." K'ao Hsin said pointing to the door in front of them.
"Okay. I wanted to speak with them anyway. Thank you." Gabrielle said. K'ao Hsin nodded and left to go tend to her husband's wound and check on her daughter.
"I think we should start with a fresh surprise attack at dawn." Ares said, as there was a knock on the door.
"Yes, that's a good plan." Xena said as she hung her sword's sheath on the wall and put her chakram with it. She walked over to the door and opened it.
"Hi Xena." Gabrielle said smiling. Xena's mouth gaped open and her eyes went wide.
"Gabrielle. What are you doing here?" she asked as she motioned for Gabrielle to come in. Gabrielle walked into the room and quickly greeted Ares.
"Hi." She said. "I came here because I thought you may want some help, and the house was so noisy. Don't worry, the children are safe. Joxer is being responsible, and Eve's there to help. She's getting older so I assumed she'd be fine. Aphrodite brought me here."
"Okay. Well, we could use the help, but you have a daughter, and she needs you." Xena said worriedly.
"And you have children at home, they need you." Gabrielle said. Xena nodded.
"I know. Well, the sooner we get this war over with, the sooner we can get home." Xena said.
"I'm going to go to my room now. I'll see you both in the morning." Gabrielle said. Xena and Ares nodded.
"We'll attack at dawn. Be ready." Ares said. Gabrielle nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her.
At home, Joxer fed Emma milk from a wineskin. Eve was getting Zander in his clothes and getting herself ready at the same time.
"Uncle Joxer, I'm going to go for a walk with Argolis today. You don't mind watching both Emma and Zander do you?" Eve asked.
"No, I'll be fine. Just be back before lunch." Joxer said.
"Okay." Eve said. She ran a brush through her hair for a few minutes and then left for Argolis' house.
Xena looked out as she watched the moon leave the skies, and she knew dawn was approaching soon. It was almost lunchtime back in Greece. She sighed and thought of her children. Then her mind wandered back to war. She knew her dark side wanted to take over, but she was taking Ares' advice in when fighting a soldier, to pretend she was fighting her dark side.
Ares walked up behind his warrior princess. He kissed her shoulders and started to bring the straps of her leather bodice down. He massaged her shoulders.
"It's almost dawn." He said. Xena nodded.
"I know. I think we should get the troops together." Xena declared.
"Gabrielle's already doing that. The men are ready, and we're having reinforcements come in as we speak. They're already here and they'll wait to battle until we really get down low on our soldiers." Ares said.
"Okay." Xena said. She kissed her fiancé and smiled softly. She dressed for battle and headed out for the field.
Back in Greece, Joxer had the table set for lunch, and the babies were already fed. Eve wasn't home yet, and he had told her to be back for lunch. She should've been home about ten minutes ago. She was never late.
"Eve!" Joxer called out the back. She came running out from behind the barn. She looked embarrassed. Argolis came out behind here. Joxer sighed. Teenagers.
"I'm here Uncle Joxer." Eve said. "I'm sorry I'm late. I was just . . ."
"Behind the barn kissing Argolis." Joxer said. Eve blushed. "Do you know what your mother would do if she knew you were doing that? She's already nervous enough as it is that you're becoming a young woman, but you're in your kissing boys stage now. Pretty soon, you'll be married off. I don't think she's ready to let you go yet. She won't be happy."
"I'm sorry Uncle Joxer. Please don't tell mother." Eve said. Joxer sighed.
"I'll think about it. Bye Argolis." He said still looking at Eve. Argolis walked off, and Eve walked into the house with Joxer behind her.
The troops marched silently to the battlefield. They watched in amusement as the Green Dragons stumbled out of their beds, looking for their armor and their weapons.
"ATTACK!" Ares yelled. Xena, Ares, Gabrielle, and their army charged the Green Dragons before they had the chance to get into their lines. The war of the day had begun.
For Xena, through the day, she killed in the ranges of 200 soldiers. For Ares, nearly that, and Gabrielle had killed about 100 men. She took her time, doing flips in the air to distract the, as she decapitated them. Xena watched her friend at how well she battled. She knew she'd taught Gabrielle a lot.
Every kill Xena made, a fire ran through her veins. She felt her body shudder with the udder heat that took through her body. She was on the verge of converting back to her old ways when she heard the screams of Gabrielle.
"XENA!" she screamed. Xena searched the battlefield and found Gabrielle about to be decapitated by a Green Dragon. Xena threw her chakram, knocking off a couple of enemies on the way, and she cut off the man's arm that was trying to kill Gabrielle. Gabrielle stabbed the man in the back with her Sai.
Ares watched Xena carefully as he slaughtered his way through the battlefield. He knew the past was coming into Xena's soul. It was about to capture her. He knew she knew it. Xena could feel Ares staring at her, and she knew she couldn't go back to her evil ways.
Gabrielle could even tell Xena was about to go evil again. She had a never-ending trust in her friend's will to go on that would conquer anything. She knew Xena could control her soul.
As the day progressed, the Green Dragons started to retreat. Few by few, men fled for their lives, deserting the Green Dragons. They knew they would be caught and killed for their insubordination, but the army grew smaller. Second by second, hour by hour, Xena's army won.
"Xena! Xena! Xena!" The army chanted as they watched the cowardly Green Dragons surrender. To Xena, it felt good to finally be in charge again. It was then that she was about to take control of the army for good when she heard Ares' voice that brought her back.
"Xena?" he asked. Xena looked into his eyes. "We did it."
"Yes. We did." She said. She felt the will for evil leave her as soon as he pulled her into his arms. "We did." Gabrielle walked up to them.
"I think it's time to go to our family now." She said.
"Let's say good-bye to K'ao Hsin and Lin Qui first." Xena said.
After saying their good-byes, Xena, Gabrielle, and Ares were on their way home.
The End . . . or is it?
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