"Dammit Xena! If you had just kept your word…" Ares threw as his sword found its first target. He threw himself at her back and struck another man in the side.
Xena's jump took her high enough to kick two men in the face, heaving them backwards onto the road. Her feet no more hit the ground than she plunged her sword into the chest of another man. "Had you told me what was going on, I could have figured a way out of it," she accused as her sword crossed another.
Ares' sword slid deftly beneath her arm to plunge into the belly of an attacker. "If you had done as you said, he would have been free by the time you got here," he barked over his shoulder.
"And just how were you going to convince her I was dead?" snapped Xena as she spun her sword around and cut off two men as they leaped for her. Her hand jerked up to snag an arrow just before it hit her shoulder - his grabbed one perilously close to her neck as he snarled in return.
"Doesn't matter now, does it?"
Slamming two heads together dropped more bodies at her feet. She leaped over them to plant a foot firmly in the midsection of yet another man who hurled backward into three others. "He better not be harmed," she growled back at Ares.
"Look - we're going to have to do a little damage control at this point," he grunted resentfully as he pulled his sword from the man in front of him. "We need to get along for that much time at least."
"Agreed," she gritted out as she sent the last of those facing her to Hades. She straightened and looked about; Gabrielle was just finishing as she brought the handle of one of her sais down on a final opponent's head to make his world go dark as a frightened looking Joxer approached her at fast clip. Xena took a moment to watch the byplay as Gabrielle turned to face him - though Xena couldn't see the bard's face, she knew by Joxer's reaction that Gabrielle had hissed something to him. He changed direction and both he and the bard approached Xena.
"So…" she wiped her blade on a downed man's tunic and slid it deftly into the sheath on her back. "We can't stay here in the middle of the road… come on." She grabbed Argo's reins and stalked off with Ares at her side and the others trailing.
"Xena…" Ares' frustrated words fell silent beneath the murderous look he received from her.
Soon she was pushing aside the underbrush to reveal an overgrown path heading off into the forest on their right. The path threaded its sun-dappled way to a small, long abandoned temple built into a sheer rock face. Its courtyard surrounded by a low wall of tumbled stones, tall grasses standing unbroken there told them there had been no recent activity in this area. Xena told Ares to inspect one side with a jerk of her head as she handed Argo's reins to Joxer and took the other side to make sure nothing escaped their notice.
Finally satisfied, she waved her hand at Joxer to indicate a small opening in the mountain wall. "Put the horses in there. They'll be safe enough." She spun on a heel and approached not the main temple doors but a spot in the rock face covered by straggling brush. Her sword found its way to her hand and she hacked at the brush for a moment before she slipped through and disappeared.
Gabrielle and Ares exchanged questioning looks as they waited to see what would happen next. As Joxer returned, Xena's head popped out of the brush and she waved her hand for them to join her. They stepped through the bushes to find themselves in a roomy tunnel dimly lit by several torches but Xena was nowhere to be seen.
The tunnel walls were tall, well honed, and dry, and a sandy floor muffled their footsteps as they followed the passageway deeper into the mountain. Rounding a curve, they stepped over the ruminants of what appeared to have once been a stout wooden door and stopped in surprise to find themselves in a chamber of immense proportions with richly carved columns supporting the roof. Though the dust and cobwebs were thick, the simple graceful lines of the room and its furnishings were undiminished. A fire roared in a huge hearth and Xena reclined lazily on what could only be an elaborately carved throne created for a god.
Ares mouth dropped open as he recognized the runes in the rich carvings of the tables and chairs. He moved to examine the heavy wooden throne and turned accusing eyes to Xena's smirk of satisfaction. "I thought you'd forgotten about this place," he said.
"How could I?" her eyes danced with repressed humor. "It was deserted just after the attack of Cortese, when the people turned to Athena for protection. They built her temple over near the temple of the Fates."
"This is a temple to Ares?" questioned Gabrielle to Joxer's astonishment.
"It was." Xena's form unfolded as she rose gracefully to her feet. "Right now it will be our base since it looks as though everyone's forgotten about it. Rather fitting really - considering who's involved here." She turned to Ares with a hard glint in her eye. "Now - talk," she told him harshly.
Ares drew a deep breath as he wondered where to start. "When we defeated Athena's army, she was furious when she found out that you had been leading the men instead of Mendelus as she had assumed. Apparently she never foresaw that I might send you in as pinch hitter."
He folded his hands behind his back and bowed his head as he recalled the events of the past few days. "Just after you left to join Gabrielle, Hermes dropped by with a cryptic message from Athena. 'She will be mine' was all it said - but I knew." He paced across the room and turned to face her but her head was bowed in thought as she listened. "I didn't know what she was going to do. Word was sent to me a few days ago that her General Adulus had come to Amphipolis and taken your brother. Athena confirmed it when she sent me a message that my chosen might wish to visit the place of her birth one final time."
Ares waited in silence for Xena's reaction. Finally her head rose and angry blue eyes bored straight into his. "So you decided that I couldn't take care of it! I'm your Chosen! I'm your chosen because I can handle myself," her voice boomed in the stillness of the room.
"Xena, dammit - she's a god! You can't win this one on your own. You need me to help this time!"
A sparkling of pink heralded my arrival. They weren't pleased to see me, but I wasn't about to let Xena defy Ares just because she was angry with him; she did indeed need the war god's intervention - not only for herself, but for another.
"What do you want, Aphrodite?" growled Ares, "We're rather busy here at the moment."
"I didn't come to see you - I came to see her." I leveled my finger at Xena who scowled back at me suspiciously. Not in the mood for diplomacy, I came directly to the point. "You need to tell him. You need to tell them."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Xena's arms folded with cool deliberation in front of her deceptively relaxed demeanor but her stare did not relent.
"I'll tell them if you don't," I hissed. "I will tell them, Xena." Her eyes glittered promises of violent recompense but I wasn't backing down; they needed to be told and they needed to be told now, before anything could happen that they would all be sorry for.
"Tell us what?" barked Ares. "What do you know that I don't, Xena?"
"No," she snapped. "Not a word, Aphrodite. It's none of your business who I tell and when - if I tell anyone at all."
"It's his right to know, Xena." My temper was growing short. Why was she being so stubborn? How could she risk herself like this? How could she risk the loss of … "Tell 'em grrlfriend," I growled at her.
Ares' hand clamped hard on Xena's arm and he spun her to face him - his eyes blazed down into hers. "WHAT do I have the right to know? What is she talking about?"
"Xena, if you don't want to tell…" Gabrielle's concerned voice came hesitantly from her place near the fire. Joxer stood just behind her; his face had taken on an ashen hue.
"It's necessary, Xena," I tried to cajole her into compliance but my teeth were grinding heavily in frustration. "You cannot go into this if not everyone knows the risk. It's not fair to any of them. What if something goes wrong?"
"Nothing will go wrong," she said flatly.
"Xena…"
"That's enough, Aphrodite!" Xena snapped.
I stared at her in desperate impatience for a few moments. I couldn't allow this to happen. If something were to happen to Xena, they had no idea of what they would lose - what Ares would lose. But how to convince her? I bowed my head to hide the impish gleam I knew was shining from my eyes as I thought of another tactic. I let my shoulders sag in what had every appearance of defeat, but she sensed something. Her arms dropped to her sides as those incredible blue eyes narrowed and shot darts of pure venom at me. She knew I wouldn't give up that easily - and as she took a step toward me, I launched my volley. "Okay," I shrugged innocently, "if you don't want to tell them about the baby, I can't make you." I smiled sweetly into the raging features rapidly moving my direction and flashed out of there before she could reach me.
As Xena's feet skidded to a stop, Ares was there snatching her around by her shoulders. "You carry my child and you didn't tell me?!" his rage was deafening in the suddenly small room.
"I wasn't ready to tell anyone yet," she defended herself as her eyes locked onto his furious brown depths. "She had no right…"
"NO RIGHT?!" She flinched slightly in the close range roar of the God of War. "You had no right to keep this from me! Especially when we're talking about wading in to save your brother from Athena's camp!" He shoved her from him and strode angrily across the room only to return and stand glaring down at her. "How dare you keep this from me?!"
Gabrielle's fists were suddenly pounding on his back. "Leave her ALONE!" she shouted. "She would have told you when she was ready!" Ares' shrugged her off and took a couple of steps to one side to continue glowering at Xena.
Gabrielle's arms went around the stiff warrior princess. "Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered. "Couldn't you at least trust me?" Her eyes searched Xena's sadly.
"Gabrielle… I haven't told anyone. I wasn't ready to tell anyone," her eyes softened as she tried to apologize.
The bard heaved a deep sigh. "Well - this rather complicates things, doesn't it?"
"You could say that." Xena's eyes moved to meet Ares' deadly glower. As she stared at him in defiance for her action, he strode angrily back into the passage to the outside.
"Xena…" began the bard hesitantly. Xena's eyes flew back to her. "I need to tell you something too."
Xena's eyebrow rose in question. Joxer stepped up next to Gabrielle and lay a calming hand on her shoulder making her jump.
"Ow! Gabby! That's my foot!" he howled suddenly, breaking the tension in the room with the laughter of both women.
"Sorry Joxer," giggled Gabrielle as she held out her arm to help steady him. She turned back to Xena. "Xena, Joxer and I…" she paused, not quite certain how to elaborate. "We…"
"You're engaged?" came Xena's voice still warm with the laughter of the previous moment.
"Something more than engaged," Gabrielle blushed as she glanced at Joxer whose face was still grimacing slightly with pain only to return her gaze to Xena. "We're married."
"I guess this means you can put your ring back on now?" asked Joxer as he touched his foot to the floor and winced once more.
Gabrielle chuckled lightly while she blushed once more. "I guess it does," she said as she pulled the plain gold band from a chain around her neck and slipped it on her finger.
"Congratulations," came Xena's warm voice once again. "I'm glad you two finally see something eye to eye." The three friends laughed together as Xena wrapped Gabrielle in her embrace.
Gabrielle's face grew serious once more as she stepped back and contemplated the new complication to the situation at hand. "Xena, what are we going to do? We can't risk the baby being hurt."
"I'm working on it," replied Xena, her smile fading to a slightly worried frown. "Right now… I need to talk to Ares." She released Gabrielle and strode quickly from the room in the direction he had taken.
***********
The passage empty, she walked swiftly out into the courtyard where a quick glance assured her of its lack of occupancy. With hardly a pause in her step, she continued into this forest of her childhood with certain strides between the darkening trees. Memories flashed through her mind but she had no time for them in seeking her destination. Finally the trees thinned slightly and she halted to take note of any who might be on the small beach before her.
Dying rays of sun splashed red across the mountain enclosed expanse of sand where the only sound was the quiet wash of waves on the shore. Many times in her youth she had played in the magic of this small cove with her brother Lyceus; had come here for solace in times when her mind was troubled or uncertain. She removed her boots and padded to the water's edge to lift her disquieted gaze to the distant horizon.
She hadn't wanted it to happen this way - she had only determined the difference in her body and acknowledged the newly forming life in her for herself during the trip here. Though she was angry with Ares for keeping the knowledge of Athena's hostile treatment of her brother from her, she was neither surprised nor displeased with the thought that she carried his child. He had wanted it for a long time - and somewhere in the far reaches of her mind, she had too, though she hadn't admitted it until now. A child - the physical manifestation of the bond they shared. Would Ares care for this child more than the dozens he had sired and ignored before this? There was no way to answer that at the moment; she did know the knowledge that she carried this child would cause opposition she couldn't afford just now if she were to defeat Athena and get her brother back.
Her arms slid tightly around her waist and she idly wondered if the child was a boy or a girl. She decided it didn't matter; what mattered was that she return Toris to his life, then she could focus on protecting the child. At this stage the child was well protected inside its mother's womb but that would rapidly change. There were many who would love to destroy the child of the warrior princess - especially the child of the warrior princess and God of War - and their best chance to do that would be before its birth. After that… who knew what powers the child would have? She thought of Solan and her efforts to protect him - efforts that had finally proven fruitless - and her jaw tightened in grim determination; she would not lose another child. For now, though, she must concentrate on Toris… and there was still Ares to talk to.
"Ares…" her voice came on an aching sigh, "Ares - I didn't tell Aphrodite. I'd have told you… after we got Toris back."
She felt his strong arms wrap around her as he materialized at her back and his lips pressed softly against her hair. "You should have told me the moment you knew," he chastised gently. "Aphrodite knows these things - especially when it concerns her protégés," he chuckled briefly in humor but continued more seriously, "But I can't risk you with Athena now that I know."
"But I have to get Toris out of there," she sighed, turning to face him. "I must risk it." Her eyes pleaded with his for understanding.
His hand slid down to spread wide over her belly. "I won't lose this child - our child," he said firmly. "I cannot allow you to take an active part in this."
"Ares…" she began hotly, but he held a finger to her lips to still her protest.
"I need to check on something - there may be a way out of this without a battle," he smiled. "Promise me you won't do anything to get him back until I return - not anything at all."
"But -"
"Promise!"
The disgruntled warrior princess took a step back with arms crossed and groaned her frustration. "I promise I won't do anything to get him back until you return."
"Good girl. I'll be back soon." His eyes twinkling mischievously, he placed a quick kiss on her nose and was swallowed by a flash of blue.
She stood there for another moment staring out to sea as a delicious grin took slow possession of her lips and impish lights danced in her eyes. "I said I wouldn't do anything to get him back; I didn't say I wouldn't gather information." She set a quick pace for Amphipolis to talk to her mother.
***********
"Xena, Xena, Xena!" I scolded as I appeared in her path.
"What do you want, Aphrodite? Haven't you done enough damage?"
"Apparently not if you're going to persist in this! Ares is up on Olympus digging through the archives for the rules concerning the chosen ones," I told her, "and Athena is raging in a rather divine fury at her men because you got away." I couldn't stop the giggle that accompanied this final piece of news - Athena was always acting so superior to the rest of us that it was a real pleasure to see something go wrong for her.
"But, warrior babe, I can't let you do something that may harm that baby. Ares has been so much easier to get along with since you two renewed your vows; and now - I won't let you take away what he's always wanted," I finished sternly.
"I have no intention of letting any harm come to this baby!" she growled at me. "But I want my brother back, and I'll do what it takes to get him. Now get out of my way."
I sighed heavily. "But you promised Ares -"
"I promised Ares I wouldn't do anything to get Toris back. I did not promise not to do anything at all."
What could I say? She had me there. But there had to be a way to stop her. If Athena found her out here roaming around on her own… "Look warrior princess - can I appeal to your common sense for just a moment? If Athena finds you out without someone there to at least be able to tell Ares what's happened, how long do you think you'll last with her? And if she finds out you're pregnant…" I shook my head without continuing.
Xena's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "What if she does find out I'm pregnant?"
"It's very likely that she'll want you dead just to keep the child from being born. I don't think you realize just how deep her jealousy of Ares is."
"Athena? Jealous of Ares? Please!" she scoffed.
"Athena may well be Daddy's favorite, but Ares has power she will never have. His followers are more dedicated and, in short, he has a love life which she can never have since she has to be the virgin goddess and all. Ares is more free to do as he likes than she is simply by virtue of their respective reputations to be maintained... You get the picture?"
Xena stared at the ground for a long moment before meeting my eyes. "You realize, Aphrodite, that there will be a lot of people try to harm this child?"
"It's darn likely, I'd say! After all, you've both made your share of enemies!"
"And their best chance of destroying the child is before it's born."
That idea sobered my thoughts quickly. "Yes…"
"You knew I was carrying the child without my telling you. How likely is it that any of the other gods could know?"
I stopped to think about this for a moment. I, as Goddess of Love, felt the presence when it was conceived as part of the fruits of love itself. Was it possible that some of the other gods would know this without being told? Ares, as the child's father, should have known, but I suspect he was more or less afraid to, knowing it could mean problems in his relationship with the warrior woman. Artemis would if Xena were an Amazon but Athena was a more generalized goddess of wisdom, warfare, weaving and… "Childbirth! Athena is the goddess over childbirth!"
Xena frowned heavily. There had to be a way to conceal the babe from Athena. If Athena's plan to use Toris to draw her out didn't work, she would be back to try again. Ares wasn't likely to agree to Xena removing herself from the country until its birth either. "Oh Ares…" I thought, "you have to find something in those scrolls to help the princess."
Xena gave me a quizzical look. "Aphrodite, I think I know a way to fool Athena and protect the baby - but I'll need your help."
"You got it! Just tell me what to do."
***********
The tavern was empty of all save the final discarded tankards in various carelessly dropped positions throughout the common room; Cyrene grabbed them up on her tour to douse the torches. She came to the table closest to the kitchen entry, heaved a heavy sigh, and set the mugs on top of it as she sank wearily to the bench. These last days had seen her spirit whipped - nay, flogged and beaten - unmercifully and the cost was apparent in her drooping shoulders and lagging step now that she was alone with her thoughts. Where Xena was she had no way of knowing but somewhere in the recesses of her mind she half hoped her daughter wouldn't show - in spite of the risk to her eldest child held hostage by the Goddess of Wisdom. She knew with unerring certainty though that Xena would come; she could only hope that her younger child would not throw herself in the goddess' path to no avail. That you couldn't win with the gods, she knew; they seduced you into believing they wanted one thing and it unerringly proved they wanted something else. Always. And Athena, in her short interview of Cyrene, had said that no harm would come to either of her children; Athena simply wanted to talk to Xena and it was hard getting her attention since she had taken up once more with the God of War. Cyrene shook her head as she thought of the likelihood of that being the truth. Odds were definitely against it.
She drug herself to her feet and gathered an armload of the cups, then turned and stepped through the kitchen doorway. Her breath caught in her throat and her arms lost their precarious hold on the tankards as she stopped short in stunned surprise at the tall shadowy figure materialized in front of her. "Xena!! Don't DO that!"
"Sorry Mother - I tripped over the bench over there and thought you heard me," Xena smiled as she hugged the woman briefly before bending to help retrieve the tankards. "I can't stay long - Ares will be back soon and I need to be there when he returns."
Cyrene smiled at her daughter in spite of her still rather shaken composure. "I was afraid you'd come, but I knew you would." She took Xena's hand and led her to the table where normally she would be preparing food for the tavern patrons to sit down. "I don't know what Athena is up to. She said she only wanted to talk to you, but…" Cyrene shook her head sadly.
"Athena wants me dead, Mother." Xena pulled no punches with her mother; best for both of them if she said things plainly. "It's a long story, but when I give myself up for Toris, she will try to kill me. I have a plan but I wanted to see you first."
"Soon, I will give myself up to Athena. She will let Toris go, though I don't know what shape he will be in - he will be alive, but that's about all I can be certain of." She stood and paced across the kitchen in deep thought and returned to stand before her mother. "No matter what you see, no matter what you hear - it will be all right. Trust me, Mother." She held out her arms and her mother stood and hugged her close.
"Be careful, Xena," Cyrene whispered in her daughter's ear. "Be very careful."
***********
Xena smiled at Argo's restless stamping as she brushed her gleaming coat to a richer shine. "Sorry girl, but we can't go out for a ride just yet." Finished with the brush and comb, she stepped from Argo's side and knelt to dig in her saddlebag for the hoof pick. Her hand rummaged about until it touched a smooth leather pouch; she hesitated then indulged in a moment to withdraw it.
The small brown pouch was generally undistinguishable from hundreds of others sold in markets every day - unless you looked carefully; one side bore the discrete inlay of a chakram surrounding a rune of war - an inlay worn smooth from many miles and much handling. With a thoughtful frown, she turned the bag upside down to let its current contents slide into her hand and rolled the ring between her fingers. A gift worthy of a god, she mused as the light refracted on the stones in a flash of brilliant display; a gift from a god, she remembered. "…my offering to you," he had said, and the words echoed through her mind. If this plan were to work, she had to return it to him. How would he feel? Her hand closed tightly around the ring pressing it until it bit into her palm even as her eyes closed to feel the pain parting with his gift would cause her. Would he forgive her when it was over? She didn't know; she could only hold tight to the fact of his love and hope it would be enough when all was done.
Her eyes opened as she became aware of voices entering the stable. She hurriedly tucked the ring securely between her breasts and dropped the pouch back to its original resting place. She found the tool she looked for and tossed the saddlebags aside in the straw as she rose and returned to Argo. Her hands lifted a hoof between her knees just seconds before Ares and Joxer came into view. Joxer headed straight for Gabrielle's saddlebags to take back into the temple, but Ares stopped a few steps short of Xena as she bent over the hoof with efficient strokes. She lowered the leg she held back to the floor and moved to take another as Joxer mumbled a hurried excuse and left them alone together.
He waited until she had finished with the hoof and was setting it down to step close and catch her hand as she straightened. Her eyes widened slightly in question but he only smiled and drew her to him. His arms came around her and his eyes smiled into her's for a moment before capturing her lips with his own. He had meant it to be just a simple kiss - one that would tell her he missed her, he was glad to see her, everything was fine - but her lips opened softly to his questing tongue and he lost himself in this warm moment when everything around them ceased to exist. There was a muffled thud as the hoof pick fell to the floor then Argo snorted and nudged her mistress in the back, pushing her sharply against Ares and effectively breaking the kiss. They turned to laugh at the mare as she raked the floor with a reproving hoof and tossed her mane as though to remind Xena that she wasn't finished yet. Xena patted the horse's neck fondly. "Feeling left out, girl?" Argo tossed her head once more, all but rolling her eyes at the woman.
"So… what did you find out?" she asked Ares as she retrieved the pick and moved to the far side of the mare to check the other two hooves for objects.
The warmth with which he watched her faded from his face though he struggled not to show her the the true depth of worry his news caused him. "There wasn't actually much there. I have some people checking in other places for me." He grew angry at his apparent failure. "I will find a way, Xena." His fist clenched as he bit out the words. "No one will take you or this child from me."
Xena ducked quickly beneath Argo's neck to cover his fist with her hands. Her eyes searched his, asking for something but he couldn't tell what. She smiled softly and unfolded his hand to lay it against her cheek and his thoughts were rent asunder by the smooth touch of her skin. "Athena can't take her from me," he thought desperately. "I won't let her." He leaned forward with a gentle brush of a kiss and smiled down at her, his discontent effectively washed from him by the touch of her hand and the trust in her eyes.
"Everything will be fine. You'll find the answer," she said softly though she redoubled her resolve to make certain all would come out for the best. An ache started deep within her but she squashed the feeling quickly, mentally bracing herself; knowing what she had to do. She couldn't tell him her plan. She knew what his reaction would be.
***********
Xena sighed as she took what she knew was a last look around the room. Joxer and Gabrielle had gone to find food and firewood, and Ares had been called away by a warlord though he said the man was a fool and hadn't wanted to answer the petition. The shadow of a smile fell briefly across her face as she recalled his parting admonishment about staying with someone at all times. There was still no word from the priests he had searching the scrolls for a way to keep Athena from her, and he, like Aphrodite before him, was afraid she would be taken when there was no one to tell him of what happened. At least if he knew, he could call on Zeus' intervention to at least slow Athena's plans; favorite daughter or no, Zeus would demand that she call off her minions immediately.
She walked to the altar of days long passed, retrieved her sword, and hung her chakram at her side. Quick strides found her at the opening to the tunnel where she paused and started to look behind her once more; she thought the better of it and instead hastened toward the exterior opening. She waited in the shadow of the doorway for her eyes to adjust to the brightness outside, listening intently for any betrayal of sound that others had found them at last. No sounds other than the trilling of birds and the whisper of the breeze on the tall grasses came to her and she stepped out into the sunlight. She spared only a cursory glance around before directing brisk steps toward Amphipolis.
***********
I closed the portal and bowed my head wondering just how all of this would come out. My hands clenched and relaxed almost spasmodically as my thoughts raced with the plan we had made. Would it be good enough? It had to. The one thing I didn't like was the part about Ares. I am the Goddess of Love - I put people together, I don't break them up! But Xena insisted it was necessary and I could see her point. Would Ares ever be able to forgive her for what she was about to do? If all went well, he wouldn't know I was involved until long afterwards. But would he forgive me then? If I weren't so frightened of what might happen without this plan, I might have gone to Ares right then and there before it could go any further no matter how angry he would be. But neither Ares nor his priests had been able to uncover any fresh light on the rules concerning the chosen ones and the rules we knew of unfortunately didn't cover things like a chosen carrying the child of their god.
I reopened the portal to watch her stroll leisurely into the village square; watched the people there glance at her and quickly away to whisper to each other. The area began to clear as mothers grabbed their children and husbands found their wives to remove them from the scene certain to follow. She approached the makeshift staging in the center that had served as an auction platform earlier in the day and climbed the few steps. Placing herself in the middle of the platform, she drew her sword and braced her feet apart. "Athena!" she yelled in controlled rage, "Athena!! I'm here. Release my brother!"
"Oh Xena…" I thought forlornly, "this has got to work or the toll is high for everyone. Be careful, Xena."
***********
Gabrielle and Joxer returned to the temple interior with a covered basket and an armload of wood to find Ares pacing restlessly. He nodded a greeting as they walked past him but his eyes were beyond them looking at the empty doorway.
"Where's Xena?"
Joxer slowly straightened from laying the wood on the hearth and turned to face the God of War. "She's not here?" he asked warily.
"Does it look like she's here?!" thundered the impatient god.
Joxer and Gabrielle exchanged startled glances before Gabrielle gasped audibly. The basket crashed to the floor but she was running back down the passage and no longer there to hear it. Joxer took off after her while Ares stood for a moment lost in thought. Then he vanished in a blinding strike of blue light.
***********
The booming echo of contemptuous laughter announced the arrival of the Goddess of Wisdom and Honorable Warfare before the rain of white sparkles gave away her position. "So, Xena! You've decided to be reasonable after all! I thought you might come around," she smirked smugly.
"Where's Toris?" came the calm reply of the warrior. "You said you would release him."
"And so I shall, Xena - so I shall. As soon as I have your word that you won't try to escape Adulus and his men, he will be returned to your mother," returned the goddess.
"No. I want him returned here so that I can see him. You have my word."
A bolt of white light swirled and smoked as it resolved itself into Toris. He fell heavily to the staging at Xena's feet and she knelt to check him for signs of life. He looked as though he'd been beaten but he still breathed. Her jaw tightened and her eyes narrowed even as she straightened to face Athena once more. "I am here as you requested, Goddess of Wisdom. What do you want?"
"Why, my dear Xena," mocked Athena, "I call you to answer for your crime against my chosen. Did you not strike down my beloved Elanis?"
The raven-haired woman's brow rose slowly above a disdainful smile. "She was trying to kill me."
"Well, I guess we'll have to see who the council believes," came the flippant reply. "Let me see, Xena, Destroyer of Nations, chosen to Ares, untrustworthy God of War, - or Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Honorable Warfare, favorite daughter of Zeus, King of the Gods." She gave an abbreviated burst of harsh laughter before she gestured to Adulus. "Get her secured."
Xena leaned down to her brother once more. "Go to Mother," she smiled at him as her hand stroked softly over his cheek. "Tell her not to worry." She straightened to meet the men approaching the steps of the platform.
Adulus' men swarmed around her with ropes as Toris rose and descended the steps. He paused at the bottom to look back but she was glowering darkly at Athena as her men tied the knots; knowing the odds were ridiculous for making an immediate stand, he turned his steps toward the inn. A roll of thunder reached his ears and he whirled to look behind him… the square was empty save for the confused milling of excited villagers.
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"Xena - are you all right?"
"Yes, just get these ropes off of me."
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"What do you mean she's not here?! I transported all of us!" screamed the enraged Athena in the tent of her General Adulus. "She could not possibly have avoided it on her own! I will have your godhood for this, Ares!" An explosion of white light and the general breathed a heavy sigh of relief at the departure of the Goddess of Wisdom without taking his life with her.
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Hands gripped his arms in a merciless vise and Toris was pulled stumbling around to look into the burning green eyes of the Bard of Potidaea. "Gabri-"
"Where is she?" her vision swept past him to the platform whence he had come and she bounded toward it without waiting for an answer.
"I don't know. Athena -" The abrupt halt of pounding feet brought his startled eyes around to find his mother's worried face and Joxer right behind her. "Mother - she said to tell you -" A roar of blue light revealed Ares with thunderous brows; a twinkling of pink barely after was my entrance to the scene. "She said to tell you not to worry," he finally got out to Cyrene as she began examining him for wounds.
Gabrielle stooped to examine something on the staging. She straightened and came running back down the steps. "Ares…" She dropped the object into the war god's hand and my eyes flew to his face even as my heart stopped. His eyes closed and his hand clenched white knuckled around a ruby and diamond ring as his body went rigid in his struggle for control. A lifetime later, his eyes opened and he smiled darkly at us though he seemed not to be aware of our presence. His eyes closed once more as he inhaled deeply and held the breath for a suspended moment. Eyes open once more, he nodded once at the bard and disappeared in a flash of light.
***********
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"Lord Ares?" the priest uncertainly tried again. "My Lord, Mendelus…"
"Mendelus! Mendelus is a FOOL!" roared Ares in disgust as he flung himself from his throne to pace rapidly to the end of the room and back. He came to a stop with teeth gritted, the lines of his face hard in a mind staggering effort for control. The priest had surprised him in a most vulnerable moment - a moment when, against all his resolves, he was thinking about her. HER!! He had sworn never to think about her again; her name was never to pass his lips or the lips of anyone in his presence. She was gone - what mattered the rest? When Athena had taken her - when she had foolishly, unthinkingly sacrificed herself and his child for her brother - he had thrown himself into his work, losing himself in the only pleasure left to him, the cold satisfaction of a kill, the blood shed on the battlefield. And if his warlords were required to add more gore than usual to the victory, it was only that their patron needed to be amused. But it wasn't enough - the pain and emptiness still filled him, flooded his very essence until he thought he would rather oblivion than the agony of living another day without her. The possibility of reincarnation held no appeal for him; who cared if she would be born again? There was only one Xena, and though her spirit might return, her personality may be much different and he would have to win her all over again.
"Let Mendelus get himself out of this one," Ares hissed, "Now get from my sight." The thoroughly shaken priest hurried from the room, and moments later Ares threw himself back into his throne to bury his face in his hands.
Ares' rage had been great the day that Xena… went. It didn't help that Athena had accused him of all manner of underhanded schemes saying that she didn't have the warrior in her keeping and he had done something with her himself. The matter finally came to the attention of Zeus himself when he was forced to separate the two locked at each other's throats. Ares had simply stood back glaring at both Athena and Zeus as Athena raged to our father, his frame turned to marble, his heart to stone. After that, he would see no one, would have no one near him. He blamed Athena for taking Xena no matter how vehemently Athena swore she didn't have her; he blamed Xena for taking herself and their child for the life of one mortal.
I thought he might blame me. I am, after all, Goddess of Love, and many have blamed me for not doing something, no matter how far fetched, to save the ones they love from death or worse. I have never been able to do the impossible though - when Celesta comes to call, I cannot change the outcome. I can only give the love for mortals to savor for as long as they can.
But though he did not blame me, he would not see me either. Me, the only family member he ever really got along with in the first place. But perhaps it was just as well, for although my own heart ached unbearably with sorrow and guilt to witness his withdrawal from all he had ever known, there was nothing I could do about it. At least… I couldn't until today.
Today… two hundred and seventy days from the day that Xena had taken Ares' seed to nurture in her body. Six long months she had been missing; two mortal seasons. Fall and winter had come and gone and spring was waking the world to new life.
I stood silently, well back from the throne where Ares sat in such grief, waiting for him to acknowledge my presence. I could feel my heart thudding hard against my breast and my whole body trembled in a violent mixture of hope and fear - but I don't remember which was the stronger at the time. All I really knew was that if he wouldn't listen, if he couldn't forgive, there would be that much more pain in the world than there was right now. And worse - he may have added me to his list of people to blame. The tension roiled and churned in my belly as though it were a physical sickness.
I stood for what seemed eternity - stood there until I just couldn't stand a moment longer. As softly as I could, I retreated to a table so I could find some support for my shaking limbs. Something about my movement aroused his attention and his head snapped up in surprise. Mortified at being so caught, his voice made the very stone of the walls tremble and my knees nearly collapsed.
"What does the Goddess of Love in the Halls of War?! Leave! There is no business for you here." He stopped. "Never again," choked the following whisper.
I had reached the table and now leaned heavily against it, effectively bracing myself upright. I swallowed hard trying to bolster what little rapidly vanishing courage I had. I opened my suddenly dry mouth to speak but no words would come. I had known this was going to be hard but…
"I said LEAVE, Goddess!" His fist slammed down on the arm of throne as witness to his rising temper. He stood and took a step toward me.
"Ares -"
"Go!"
"Ares, you have to lis- "
"I don't have to do anything! You are in my domain! Did you not hear my command? I said leave me!!"
"But Ares…"
He advanced on me in measured tread with hands tightly clenched at his sides. The look on his face was… terrible. I was frightened as I had never been in all my millennia. This god before me was the God of War - but this God of War was previously known only in the exaggerated legends of the mortals finally come to life. My terror broke over me and I began choking on heavy sobs threatening to overwhelm me.
"Xena! The baby!" tore itself from my ragged throat.
If I thought his look was terrible before, I was greatly mistaken. I cannot describe for you the way this new wave of rage possessed him - his crushing hands were on my shoulders, tears were streaming down my face and there was horrible pain in my chest.
"You DARE -"
"The baby!" I cried out. "I swear by our father Zeus himself, Ares! The baby!"
"What are you saying?!" The sheer force of his fury shook my body anew.
"Xena -" I gasped as best I could, "The baby is born! Your baby!"
"No!" His hands dropped me so suddenly I nearly fell to the cold stone of the floor. He took a pair of steps back; disbelief fighting his anger; sudden hope battling despair. "NO!" the enraged sound rebounded and echoed through the room and through the passages of the Halls of War. "You LIE! Athena - "
"Athena never had Xena!" I took a step back and fought for control of the fear threatening to undo me completely. "She never had her…" I had to finish - I just had to! I took a deep breath and steadied myself.
"I did." I said quietly as I stared into his anguished face. He didn't want to believe me; the pain of losing his chosen and unborn child had taken its toll and he had mourned hard and long. This news was too sudden. My heart ached as I tried to reach him - to make him believe.
"You?" he croaked in bewilderment. "You had Xena? Where? Why?"
"Athena was going to kill her, Ares - she knew about the child."
"But - "
"Every petty warlord and thief with a grudge would have come after Xena simply to destroy a child of yours and hers together - a great way to get back at the warrior princess and the God of War in the same strike. Gods too - Apollo, Discord, Poseidon… Need I go on?" With every word I grew more confident, more secure in the knowledge that would work out. He was starting to believe me. He would want his warrior back, I was sure of it. I stepped forward and lay my hand on his arm before I resumed my explanation.
"When you and your priests couldn't find anything to hold Athena back in the scrolls, Xena conceived of a plan to foil gods and mortals alike. A plan that would protect the child until it was born so that the two of you decide a way to protect it later. We couldn't tell you - or Gabrielle or Joxer - because it was just way too risky. Athena accused you of taking Xena from her - had you known what had happened, the interrogation that followed would have revealed her hiding place. If we told Gabrielle or Joxer, we ran the risk of them telling you in a moment of weakness."
"Xena turned herself over to Athena, but I was watching - waiting for the moment that Athena would transport Xena to a more private place. When she did," I shrugged ingeniously and smiled, "I took her. It was as simple as that. With you accusing Athena, Athena accusing you, and both of you so certain that the other had her, no one ever thought to look elsewhere for her."
"Where is she?" he asked hoarsely. Moisture glistened in his eyes and gratitude lay naked in his previously pain twisted face.
"Close your eyes," I chuckled softly.
He stared at me in wonder, but the corners of his lips tugged unwillingly up in a smile. "Okay." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
I turned him so that he was facing the dais where his throne sat. "Now… open them!"
He looked - he closed his eyes; he shook his head and opened his eyes once more, and stared -
Sitting on the steps leading to his throne was Xena - her smile was jubilant; her arms were wrapped securely around the bunting cradling a baby. He took a hesitant step forward and her smile widened - he was running across the room -
"Ares! We have a son!"
*****FIN****
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Thank you for reading. — Saphirableu