A New Beginning
by
"Where is my other sai?" Gabrielle asked. They were all packing up their stuff to go to Olympus, and one of Gabrielle's Sais was missing.
"Auntie Gabby!" Lyceus came running in her bedroom with her sai in his little hand.
"Hey little one, give that to me okay?" She held her hand out and waited. He put it in her hand and ran out. She placed it with the other one in her bag and walked out. She glanced into Xena's room and saw her pacing along the floor.
"Hey, you alright?" Gabrielle asked her.
"I just don't know if this is the right thing to do. My mind tells me to not go through with it, that it's wrong, and yet my heart is saying to go for it, and that it's right." She looked at her friend for advice.
"Xena, I say you should listen to your heart and do what you think is best, but don't take too long." Gabrielle gave her a supportive smile and headed downstairs.
"Wait." Xena said. Gabrielle turned around and looked at Xena.
"What?" Gabrielle asked.
"I think all of this will work out if we give it a chance." Xena said. She smiled. Gabrielle smiled.
"Good answer." She went downstairs and joined Eve, Virgil and Ares. Ares was cradling Cyrene in his arms and Eve was holding Zander. Virgil had Ephiny who was getting fussy.
"Come here Ephiny." Gabrielle said. She picked up her daughter and held her. "Shh…. We're going to be on Olympus soon."
"Auntie Gabby!" Lyceus hollered as he ran into the room. Gabrielle kneeled down and looked at him.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Is mommy coming?" he asked.
"Yeah. She's just getting ready." Gabrielle said. She smiled. Lyceus ran over to Ares. Ares picked him up.
"So, are you ready to be a god on Olympus?" Ares asked.
"Yeah!" Lyceus exclaimed. Xena came down the stairs in her armor. Her original armor and leather that she wore when she first met Gabrielle. Gabrielle was in her warrior outfit that she wore after her outfit was ruined when she was pulled through the floor by demons in Xena's mother's house. The outfit that was red with silver. Ares had his God of War outfit. Everyone got on their horses and headed for Olympus.
Lyceus rode with Ares, Ephiny with Gabrielle, and Zander and Cyrene with Xena.
The day went on as the children slept. Even though gods and goddesses never sleep, babies and children need their rest.
"Question." Eve said. "Since we are gods and goddesses, why can't we just zap ourselves onto Olympus?"
"Let's just enjoy our last few hours here on earth." Xena said.
"Sorry." Eve said. "I'm just anxious."
"We all are. None of us know what is ahead." Gabrielle said.
"I guess you're right." Eve said.
The night progressed as they approached the mountain. There was an invisible entrance. At least it was invisible to mortals.
"I guess this is our big entrance." Xena said.
"Yeah. It is." Ares said. He smiled. "It's good to be home."
"Let's go." Virgil said. They slowly approached the entrance on their horses, and went through. Before they knew it, they were up on Olymups.
"Wow!" Eve exclaimed when she saw the magnificent view before her. She hardly remembered what it looked like. Last time she was there, she was dying, and her mother killed Athena.
The floors were covered in fog; the walls had beautiful paintings. Lyceus woke up.
"Mother?" he asked. "Are we on Olympus?" he asked.
"Yes." She said. Ares led them to the Olympian Stables and they put the horses there. Then he showed them around the place.
"This place is beautiful." Gabrielle said.
"Yes. It is." Ares said. He took a breath and sighed. He was glad to be back.
Time didn't seem to pass on Olympus. The only way they could tell if it was day or night was by going to a cliff out on the edge of Olympus. Lyceus, Zander, Cyrene and Ephiny grew fast. They were gods and goddesses, so they aged fast. Soon they would be caught up to Eve.
"Let me get this straight." Gabrielle said. "Ares, you are saying that in no time, the children will be Eve's age?"
"Well, they age much faster than mortal children. It took me just a few years to get to my final age." Ares said. Xena sighed. She wished that it didn't take that long. Soon she wouldn't have a child to care for. They had only been on the mountain for about three days, and Lyceus was about ten years old, Ephiny was a little over eight years old and Cyrene and Zander were eight years old.
The day had come to determine who would be the god or goddess of what.
"Just a minute." Xena said. She vanished and reappeared a few seconds later with Aphrodite.
"Hey!" she exclaimed. "What's the deal? I was just getting a manicure!"
"Same old 'Dite." Ares said.
"Hey big bro!" Aphrodite exclaimed. She hugged Ares and looked at everyone. "Who knew you all would be the Greek gods and goddesses? Xena? Why did you bring me here?"
"We were just about to decide what each of our jobs would be. We were wondering if you still want to be the goddess of love."
"Aww! How sweet for you to think of me!" Aphrodite exclaimed.
"Does that mean you'll do it?" Eve asked.
"Of course!" Aphrodite said. Cyrene smiled.
"Yay! Aunt Aphrodite is going to live here with us on Olympus!" Cyrene exclaimed.
"So, you're the niece I've heard about!" Aphrodite exclaimed. "Well, I've got some beauty secrets that you would love! And where is my nephew Zander?"
"I'm here!" said Cyrene's twin. Zander ran over to Aphrodite. So did Lyceus.
"Hey! You guys look so much like your father!" Aphrodite said. "Cyrene, you're beginning to look a lot like you mom!"
"Thank you." Cyrene said. She smiled.
"Well, bro," Aphrodite said turning to Ares, "I trust you'll be the King of the Gods as well. It's only natural that you take dad's place."
"Yes." Ares said. Aphrodite looked to Xena.
"That would make you Queen of the Gods." Aphrodite said.
"Right." Xena said. Just then Ephiny hurried into the meeting.
"I'm sorry I'm late." She said.
"It's okay sweetie." Gabrielle said. Aphrodite looked at the little blond girl beside Gabrielle.
"Is this your daughter?" she asked.
"Yes." Gabrielle said smiling.
"Who'd have thought that blondie would have a little girl?" Aphrodite squealed. "Hey. I'm Aphrodite."
"Hi. I'm Ephiny." Ephiny said.
"I guess being the goddess of love would be nice. I miss it." Aphrodite said. "Thank you." Xena smiled. She took Aphrodite's hands, and Aphrodite felt that familiar surge go through her. She was the goddess of love again.
They decided that now it was time to figure out what everyone would be. Ares was king of the gods as well as god of war, Xena was queen of the gods as well as goddess of truth and justice, Eve was goddess of Eli, Gabrielle was goddess of amazons, and Virgil was god of bards. They had to think of something for the children to be.
It was decided that Ephiny would be goddess of music, Cyrene would be goddess of fun, and Zander would be god of mischief just to keep the world a little interesting. Xena and Ares let Lyceus decide what he would be. He said he wanted to be god of health. He would be full-grown within days, and he was going to be busy traveling the earth healing people.
Well, days passed, and Ephiny, Zander, Cyrene, and Lyceus were full grown and Eve's age.
"I can't believe this! Do people like not want love anymore?" Aphrodite asked flopping down on a comfy sofa on Olympus.
"Problems Aphrodite?" Xena asked looking up from a scroll.
"Yes! Every love spell I cast goes seriously wrong!" Aphrodite exclaimed.
"Your powers are just rusty. You've had a nice long while since you've been a goddess." Xena said.
"Bummer." Ares said walking in. He stretched, and hung his sword above the mantle.
"Hi honey." Xena said as Ares kissed her. "I guess you had a nice day."
"Yeah." He said. The thing was complicated. Xena was the goddess of peace and justice, and Ares was the god of war. Sure they argued a lot, but they always made up.
"Hey, remember, I get to do the peace treaty for the Cretan war tomorrow." Xena said. "You promised me that you would let me end the war."
"Right. And I get to keep the war in Sicily." Ares said.
"Yes." Xena said sighing. "I really think that one needs to end though."
"Xena. You better not interfere." Ares said.
"Goody. My husband has his big ego again." Xena said.
"Did you say something?" Ares asked.
"No honey." She said smiling. Xena wasn't all too pleased that Ares was beginning to act like the god of war again. But she knew that she fell in love with him as the god of war, she could continue to love him.
"Mom!" Cyrene called running into the room. "I have the best news!"
"What is it sweetheart?" Xena asked.
"Well, I was out doing the fun stuff, and I actually made a group of people from one side of a village friends with another group on the other side of the village!" Cyrene exclaimed.
"I'm happy for you!" Xena exclaimed hugging her daughter.
"Well, glad to hear somebody's actually got working powers." Aphrodite said.
"Oh. Aunt 'Dite." Cyrene said. "Having a bad day?"
"Yeah!" Aphrodite exclaimed. "I was trying to make a simple farmer fall for this beautiful village girl, right? Well, I did my spell, and they just started hitting each other. To top it all off, the farmer fell in love with his best friend's daughter!"
"Wow." Xena said. "Tough break." She started to laugh, but stifled it when Aphrodite shot her a warning glance.
"That's it! I can't do this!" Aphrodite exclaimed. She stormed off and out of the room. Gabrielle, who had been sitting in on the conversation the whole time, hurried off to talk to Aphrodite.
"Aphrodite." She said. "Wait up!"
"Gabrielle, I can't do this. I don't think I have it in me!" Aphrodite said.
"Well, just get a good night sleep. I'm sure everything will be okay in the morning." Gabrielle offered.
"Thanks blondie." Aphrodite said hugging the goddess of amazons.
The days went on, and the gods and goddess of Mount Olympus ruled. Aphrodite found that her powers got stronger and better by the day.
"ARES!" Xena yelled appearing in their bedroom. "ARES! You get in here now!" Ares appeared before her.
"What is it my goddess?" he asked lovestruck.
"Cut the act. I know that you made that Cretan War start again. You knew that I made that peace treaty! Why did you do that?"
"Honey. I'm sorry." Ares started.
"If you're truly sorry, you'll go stop that war by yourself." Xena said. With a wave of his hand, he changed everything around. The peace treaty was back.
"Thank you." Xena said. She kissed Ares.
"You're welcome. I love you Xena." The god said.
"I love you Ares." Xena replied. They embraced in a powerful magical kiss.
To Be Continued...