To Be a Goddess or Not To Be a Goddess

by Xena

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. I did make up a couple, but the majority belongs to Renaissance Pictures, USA Studios, and the creators of Xena Warrior Princess. This is the eleventh installment of the Fate series. It immediately follows Avenging Eve.

Subtext: No

Violence: No

Sex: Mostly just kissing….

Series: This is the eleventh installment of the Fate series. It immediately follows Avenging Eve.

~*~

It had been six months since Eve's death. Zander was halfway through with being one-year old. In just six months, he'd be two. Emma was nine-months-old now, and she was growing and sitting up by herself.

Joxer and Gabrielle were happy, but they were helping Xena and Ares get through the loss of Eve. The days got better and better until Eve's death was not cried over everyday, but she was missed terribly. Xena focused all of her pain and sorrow for Eve's death and for killing that girl, into fighting. She would fight harder than ever when she put her feelings into it.

Xena was playing in the back yard with her son. She was chasing him around and picking him up and twirling him around. Ares watched them. Xena's hair hung loosely around her shoulder and down her back. Her perfectly jet-black hair blew in the wind. Her purple dress swayed in the wind as the warrior princess twirled with her son in her arms.

Ares hadn't seen Xena so happy in months. He was glad that she was healing from her loss. He knew Eve would be happy about that. He was also wondering when Xena would marry him. The wedding had been set back after Eve's death, and they hadn't discussed it since. They had discussed the prospect of Xena becoming a goddess. She would be married to a god, so it was only natural that she be a goddess, or at least an immortal.

Xena was strongly against it, but he decided to take her away for a romantic wedding ceremony. He'd told Joxer and Gabrielle, and they said that was a great idea to whisk Xena off from the world and have a private, intimate marriage ceremony. Their 1 ½ year old son would be accompanying them.

Xena walked into the house and Gabrielle and Joxer left to go for supplies. They took Emma along.

Zander wriggled in his mother's arms.

"Xena." Ares said. She smiled and kissed her fiancé.

"Yes?" she asked. She kissed him again and they disappeared and reappeared on Olympus. The other gods were not there. It must've been arranged. "What are we doing here?"

Zander giggled in Xena's arms.

"We're getting married." Ares said. He saw a priest standing at an altar. The priest looked confused, but didn't speak a word at the moment.

"What?" Xena asked. "What about Gabrielle and Joxer and Emma? They should be here."

"I've spoken with Gabrielle and Joxer. They thought this was a good idea. It'll give you time to think about some things." Ares said. Xena knew exactly what he was speaking of.

Xena was dressing in her wedding gown and Ares was putting his son down to bed. His Aunt Aphrodite was looking after the little demi-god.

Xena looked down at herself. Her dress was not white, but a beautiful blue, the color of her eyes. The dress had long sleeves and a long flowing skirt. It did however show off her curves. Ares watched from the doorway as his soon-to-be bride admired her dress in the mirror.

"Ares, it's beautiful." Xena said.

"So are you, my princess." Ares said. He walked over to her and kissed her shoulders.

Gabrielle and Joxer sat along the river bank and watched Emma play in the sand. She was laughing and kicking around.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Gabrielle asked laughing.

"Yeah. She looks just like ya." Joxer said. Gabrielle smiled at Joxer and kissed him gently.

"Thanks." Gabrielle said.

"You think Xena will become a goddess?" Joxer asked. Gabrielle shrugged.

"I don't know." She said. "I really don't know."

They kissed their wedding kiss. They drank from a cup of wine. The god and his mortal wife danced their wedding dance. Ares looked into Xena's eyes. He wanted her to drink the nectar to make her a goddess. He wanted her to be his Warrior Queen. But he knew she would make that decision for herself.

Husband and wife made their way to their room on Olympus. As they entered the room, Xena saw the goblet of nectar above the mantle. She kissed her husband's lips and walked over to see her son who was sleeping in his cradle. She walked over to the mantle and lifted the goblet to her lips.

The End . . . or is it?