Part 13
The cries were heard throughout the chambers. The first to run in was Gabrielle, followed by Xena's daughters scurrying behind her. Ares hurried in when he heard his son and he started to cry. His son was alive. He had a son and an heir now.
Well, everyone rejoiced and for the first month, Xena and her son and daughters were inseparable. Ares would sometimes spend time with them, but for the most part, he kept away. Xena was confused, but she didn't mind. All that mattered to her was that she had her children and she had the friendship of Gabrielle.
Gabrielle and Joxer had become parents the night Xena had her son, Solan. Gabrielle had given birth to a son, whom she named after her first husband, Perdicus. Gabrielle's son was a blonde-haired blue-eyed baby. Xena's son was a black-haired blue-eyed baby.
Well, on a certain day, a month after the births, Ares came into the nursery where his children slept, and went to the grand cradle and picked his son up. The baby boy started to cry, he was used to his mother, Gabrielle, or the nanny picking him up.
"Father . . ." Eve said. "Maybe you should put him back down. Mother will tend to him."
"It's okay my princess. I'm his father. He's my son, and your future king. I must take him with me right now."
"Where are you taking him father?" the four-year-old asked.
"I'm taking him to be trained for the kingship." Ares declared. Eve watched as Ares carried Solan out of the room. She then hurried out and down the hall in the opposite direction her father was going. She ran into Xena's room. Xena was startled as she looked over at the door from her place by the window.
"Eve? What is it? What's wrong?" Xena asked hurrying over to her little girl.
"Father is taking Solan to be trained for kingship." Eve said. Xena's eyes grew wide. She hurried down the hall, Eve behind her, and she stopped Ares in the middle of the hallway. He was holding his crying son in his arms.
"What is the meaning of this?" Xena asked, tears in her eyes.
"I'm taking our son to be trained. He's going to be king one day. He must be a good king."
"He's my son too! I should get to decide what he does and what he doesn't do! He's too young! How is he going to learn anything?"
"The fastest he goes for training, the sooner he'll be ready." Ares replied. Xena quickly took her son out of Ares' arms. The baby was comforted in Xena's arms, and he began to stop crying.
"You're not taking him, Ares. I've worked too long and too hard to bear you a son. You will give me this and not take my boy away from me." Xena said, her tears starting to flow.
"I will give you one week, my love. Then, I must take him away." Ares said giving his wife a soft kiss on the lips. "Don't cry, my love. He'll be safe and you will see him again one day. Don't worry." With that, Ares left to talk with his advisors.
The cries were heard throughout the chambers. The first to run in was Gabrielle, followed by Xena's daughters scurrying behind her. Ares hurried in when he heard his son and he started to cry. His son was alive. He had a son and an heir now.
Well, everyone rejoiced and for the first month, Xena and her son and daughters were inseparable. Ares would sometimes spend time with them, but for the most part, he kept away. Xena was confused, but she didn't mind. All that mattered to her was that she had her children and she had the friendship of Gabrielle.
Gabrielle and Joxer had become parents the night Xena had her son, Solan. Gabrielle had given birth to a son, whom she named after her first husband, Perdicus. Gabrielle's son was a blonde-haired blue-eyed baby. Xena's son was a black-haired blue-eyed baby.
Well, on a certain day, a month after the births, Ares came into the nursery where his children slept, and went to the grand cradle and picked his son up. The baby boy started to cry, he was used to his mother, Gabrielle, or the nanny picking him up.
"Father . . ." Eve said. "Maybe you should put him back down. Mother will tend to him."
"It's okay my princess. I'm his father. He's my son, and your future king. I must take him with me right now."
"Where are you taking him father?" the four-year-old asked.
"I'm taking him to be trained for the kingship." Ares declared. Eve watched as Ares carried Solan out of the room. She then hurried out and down the hall in the opposite direction her father was going. She ran into Xena's room. Xena was startled as she looked over at the door from her place by the window.
"Eve? What is it? What's wrong?" Xena asked hurrying over to her little girl.
"Father is taking Solan to be trained for kingship." Eve said. Xena's eyes grew wide. She hurried down the hall, Eve behind her, and she stopped Ares in the middle of the hallway. He was holding his crying son in his arms.
"What is the meaning of this?" Xena asked, tears in her eyes.
"I'm taking our son to be trained. He's going to be king one day. He must be a good king."
"He's my son too! I should get to decide what he does and what he doesn't do! He's too young! How is he going to learn anything?"
"The fastest he goes for training, the sooner he'll be ready." Ares replied. Xena quickly took her son out of Ares' arms. The baby was comforted in Xena's arms, and he began to stop crying.
"You're not taking him, Ares. I've worked too long and too hard to bear you a son. You will give me this and not take my boy away from me." Xena said, her tears starting to flow.
"I will give you one week, my love. Then, I must take him away." Ares said giving his wife a soft kiss on the lips. "Don't cry, my love. He'll be safe and you will see him again one day. Don't worry." With that, Ares left to talk with his advisors.