It was a bright spring day, and the sun shone down on the two cadets walking along the road towards Corinth. The dirt path was hard packed by the hundreds of travelers that had taken the road before them, but there was no sign of anyone else on the path today. The taller boy had medium length blond hair and had a leadership air around him despite the fact that his old yellow leather tunic and dark leather pants did nothing to hint that he was half god.

His companion, a slightly older boy garbed in simaler dark leather pants and a colorful patched vest, energetically kept up with the demigod's long strides. The sunlight bounced off his golden curly hair and a mischevious grin lit his face as he playfully argued with his long-time friend.

"Come on, Herc. It'll be fun!"

Hercules just shook his head. "Why do you want to, Iolaus? You know it's all fake." They had been over the same subject for the whole walk, and he was tired of the topic. Up ahead were the gates to Corinth and, upon seeing them, Iolaus redoubled his efforts. He jogged ahead of his friend and then turned around and walked backwards, facing the demigod.

"That's what you said the last time we wandered around the marketplace, and we found Ruff in that freak show. Who knows what we might find this time. Besides," Iolaus said, grinning, "Jason said that there was a new fortune-teller in town. Are you afraid of having your fortune told?

Hercules shot his friend a look. "No, I'm not *afraid*. I just think it's a scam."

Iolaus frowned. He had one idea left, guarenteed to hook Hercules... yet he hesitated, knowing how sensitive, not to mention obsessed, Herc was about his father. They were almost to the city gates when he decided to play his last card. Jason had said that he had heard the girl was hot, and Iolaus was desperate for a date. And, he reasoned to himself, It just might help Herc too.

He turned around and walked straight. "You're probabally right." Iolaus said, appearing to give up. "Besides... what in Greece would you want to know about your future? I'm sure you're fine with not knowing when you're going to meet Zeus for the first time." Just as Iolaus had known he would, Hercules stopped dead in his tracks, considering this new possibility. Iolaus kept on walking like he didn't notice. "I bet it would have been a waste of time." He hid a smile as he heard Herc jog to catch up to him.

"I never said that it would be a *waste*." Herc objected, knowing that he'd lost the battle, but determined not to reveal how much his interest had sparked at the mention of finding out more about Zeus. Ever since he had seen the outline of his father by using the fate's eye, he had yearned to see more. "I just said not to get your hopes up." he said, trying to sound casual and failing. "We mineswell try it, just for fun."

Iolaus grinned, knowing he'd won. "Well, if you insist, Herc."

~~~~~

A raven-haired girl opened the flap of the tent and stepped out into the bright sunlight. Shading her eyes, she took in the hustle and bustle of the marketplace around her and frowned. She disliked being in a city... one was always looked at strangly if they didn't fit in, and she definatly didn't fit in. She knew it wasn't the godly blood running through her veins that was the problem, although it had taken away her brother. It was mostly the fact that she didn't give a flying Furie's arse whether she fit in or not. The only reason she was here was to gain a few dinars before heading to Cheiron's Academy. Her long time friend, Holly, had sent for her. Otherwise she would never subject herself to the glances and stares that came with a big city like Corinth.

Though she had to admit that if she dressed more like everybody else that she wouldn't be so conspicuous. But black was her favorite color and she didn't care if the clothing she was wearing was unusual. She was an unusual person. Not many people could claim to be the half-mortal daughter of Hera, so she thought she had a right to wear whatever she wanted.

Her garb was black, her blouse off the shoulders and skirt large and flowing when she moved. Her feet were bare and calloused, and there was a mother-of-pearl triangle hanging at the base of her throat, suspended by a thin gold chain around her neck. Her strange clothing and dark golden green, haunting eyes were said to remind most of a gypsy, and even thought she wasn't wearing the rainbow of colors that gypsies were said to wear, the black she wore seemed to glow, and was too provocitive an outfit to be of the 'mourning' style.

Seeing nothing in the marketplace she thought of value, she turned back to her tent. It too was unusual, made of a gold colored cloth that glittered in the noonday sun. Beside the tent flap was a small wooden sign: 'Roswella, Crystal Worker'. She ducked back inside her tent and sat down. It was so much cooler inside the tent, and the racket outside was muted to almost whispers. She smoothed the cloth that covered the makeshift table and carefully set her crystal ball on the table. After rearanging the pillow that served as her seat, she reached out to grasp the small bench that served as a seat for the customer. She gasped as her fingers touched the pillowand a rush of images flashed through her mind: Two boys walking down a path, one tall with a godly aura, the other shorter with curly hair but not to be disreguarded lightly. Her half/step brother Hercules and his friend Iolaus. A man, tall, dark, and powerful... Ares. And a flash of the minotaur in the Labyrinth. Her eyes shot open and she took in a ragged breath. Could this have something to do with why she'd been dreaming of the past for the last few nights?

~~~~~