| Disclaimer: | Xena Warrior Princess, Ares, Gabrielle, Argo, and Iphicles do not belong to me. MCA Universal, Renaissance Pictures and USA Studios, much to my disappointment, own them all. The rest of the characters belong to me, but they aren't making any money off of this story either. |
| Rating: | PG - nope, barely any violence and I've all but given up trying to write the sex stuff. |
| Thanx! | Serenity Sea - for encouragement, enthusiasm, and suggestions. (And reading the thing 600 times as I changed it over and over and over... ) |
| Setting: | Sometime after "Ten Little Warlords" and before Dahak |
| Summary: | X/A. Corinth is caught in the legacy of a tug of war between two gods. |
Sometimes You Have to Believe
by SaphiraBleu
The harsh call of a sea gull circling overhead broke the peace of the sheltered cove. Hidden by thick forest on the inland side, tall ridges spread their protective arms to the sides leaving only the seaward view vulnerable to the gently washing waves. Unnoticed by the gulls basking in the final rays of the late afternoon sun, a shadow paused beside a tall oak in thoughtful observation. Several minutes the figure stood more still than the trees themselves then leather gauntlets graced with a swirling pattern of brass dropped onto the sparse grass at its foundation to be joined by an intricately patterned breastplate. Similarly decorated armlets followed quickly as did heavy knee guards, boots, and leather battle dress. The dark haired woman straightened from her task and moved forward from the thick tree line to let the fine, loosely packed grains of sand warm her feet. The unswerving footsteps scattered suddenly alert gulls with angry squalls and for a few moments their cries grated piercingly on her ears. Quiet finally reigned once more as her bare feet tested the water's edge to find the temperature most inviting. She waded out until the waves lapped lazily at her waist then slowly lowered the lithe muscular form to let them caress her shoulders.
A soft sigh of sheer pleasure escaped her lips as she laid her head back. Moments of pure relaxation came few and far between for a warrior princess but she deemed them well earned and enjoyed them to fullest. Bringing her head forward, she pushed off with her feet and luxuriated in the swirl of the warm waters against her skin as she swam out to the breakers in the twilight. A full moon lit a pathway for her return and she reluctantly stood to wade out onto the shore. The faintest of quicksilver tingles ran through her and the crystalline blue eyes searched the sand for a familiar figure. No one was visible, but as she made the last steps out of the water her voice came low and husky in the semi-darkness.
"What do you want?"
An amused deep-throated chuckle drew her gaze to a sprinkling of blue light resolving into a man; tall and broad-shouldered, his muscular frame was draped in burnished black leather highlighted with silver. His full lips curved into a warm smile above the neatly trimmed black beard and the brown eyes above twinkled with mischief.
"You must be disappointed; wasn't much of a show," she gritted testily as she started around him toward her clothing. His thickly muscled arm slipped around her waist to pull her back and his lips pressed a tongue-teasing kiss on her nape; his warm breath caressed her ear.
"I want you."
He turned her in his arms, letting his mouth cover hers to still the protest borning there. She became aware she was answering his kiss with warmth of her own; then her head fell back under the onslaught of his lips tracing a fiery path along the finely chiseled curve of her face and down the slim column of her throat. A low moan wrenched from her while his tongue burned a brand against her breast; but as it captured a tightening nipple, her eyes flew wide and she shoved him from her abruptly, almost stumbling to the sand when her trembling knees didn't respond quite as quickly as they should have. A scathing glare was his reward as she whirled on the march to her garments. The protective leather in place, she turned once more to find him watching, his face inscrutable.
"Leave me be, Ares," she ground out between clenched teeth as she reached for her boots and knee guards. Inside her body quivered still with reaction – longing and indignation; awakened need and outrage that he would accost her in the open. She saw the gleam return to his eyes and thought he saw through her anger to the truth of its source and the turmoil in her breast, and she flared the more fiercely that he would use her weakness and that she could not hide it from him. The light of battle leapt to the blue depths of her eyes as she snatched her arm guards and gauntlets from the ground and shoved the pieces in place. She stepped before him as his already wide grin grew broader yet and unleashed a fist to his leather-clad belly. The blow drove him back a step or two attempting to retrieve his breath, but did nothing to wipe the smirk from his face.
"Guess I'm getting to ya, huh?" he choked out through a wide grin as his wind returned.
She spun on a heel and paced briskly back to the tree line to retrieve her weaponry. Sword in its sheath, chakram at her side, and daggers of various sizes restored to their places, she gave him a final withering glance before she turned to melt into the shadows of the trees.
Ares chuckled softly – following her at the moment would probably not be a healthy move. The conversation he needed to have with her could wait – would necessarily have to wait – until the raven-haired temptress had cooled off. "Probably shouldn't have done that," he grunted through his still present grin, and a flash of blue light left the beach to the creatures of the night.
********
Small puffs of dust rose with each footfall as the two women tread the road out of Amphipolis; two weeks into the heat wave there were still no rain clouds on the horizon. The road, for the most part, wound between the edge of the forest and a seeming endless sea of grassy flat land. It was seldom the trees hung over the road with any shade and the turn it would take into the forest was a good distance yet. They walked to give the horses some relief from the already hot morning.
Talk was desultory under these conditions – even the normally chatty blond was dishearteningly quiet. The green eyes scanned the road ahead hopefully for some spot of shadow to temporarily alleviate the almost unbearable temperature on her shoulders and back, but dropped in disappointment to the road when none seemed forthcoming.
"How far until we cut through the forest do you think?"
The taller dark haired woman beside her turned crystalline blue eyes over her shoulder then up ahead. She bore whatever discomfort she felt from the heavy leather and armor she wore with taciturn solemnity. "Another hour, I think."
The minutes passed in silence as even the birds seemed too hot for activity, until the golden head of the horse that bobbed listlessly next to the warrior's shoulder raised with pricked ears. Her mistress tensed and shifted as she reached to put a hand on the smaller woman's shoulder. Gabrielle's eyes peered upward questioningly only to be bewildered by a smile.
"Keep walking. Be ready."
Gabrielle understood and smiled in return. The hand fell from her shoulder and she saw the tall warrior's eyes narrow as she considered the area around them once more. Some way in front of them was a pool of desperately hoped for shade; the eyes hardened thoughtfully as they studied the place.
"We'll stop for a bit up there if you like."
The bard nodded in gratitude as her eyes dropped once more to the dirt track, presuming the danger passed. It would be a relief to stop even if it were only a few minutes. Her head jerked up in surprise as she heard the whisper of metal on leather and found that the warrior had drawn her sword. They stopped just inside the inviting shade.
"Come out," Xena drawled to the spot in general. The moments drug out with interminable slowness.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way – your choice."
Gabrielle turned questioning eyes to her companion then a soft gasp escaped her lips as she whipped her head back to the fore at a minute sound.
"Xena! You take all the fun out of a surprise party!" The burly ash-blonde man who appeared in the road laughed heartily. "And I was so looking forward to surprising you." Four armored men stepped into the road behind him.
"What do you want, Cericles?" she paused as she studied his face a moment. "Tell your men to come out of hiding." The warrior princess almost yawned the demand.
Cericles gave a low whistle and two more men appeared from under the trees.
"The ones sneaking around behind us too."
The warlord chuckled again at Gabrielle's bemusement as he lifted his arm to beckon to someone behind the women. Four more armed ruffians joined the group of men. "I should have known you'd know."
"The three in the trees?" Gabrielle's gaze jerked upward. How did Xena do that?
Cericles roared his laughter as he called the men to come down. "You never miss a thing, Xena. You never did," he grinned, "Glad to see you've still got it."
A raven brow rose and the corner of her mouth turned up mockingly. "Did someone say I didn't?"
"You must admit there had to be some speculation about you going soft."
Xena shrugged and laid the tip of her blade on her shoulder. "So is there a point to this … little gathering? Or did you just miss me?"
Cericles let his gaze roam warmly over the tall leather clad form. In truth his task was a simple one that required neither the men he had brought nor a brawl; but this was Xena and a man had to be dead not to feel the stirrings of desire or the itch to cross her sword just to watch her in action. The blond beside her shifted her feet restlessly as they waited for his answer; Xena never twitched a muscle. He wondered, not for the first time, what it would be like to break past that air of cool indifference and feel her body responsive and vibrant under his hands… He mentally shook himself to clear his thoughts. This was the one woman you didn't want to get distracted around.
"I'm here on a mission," he announced abruptly bringing the bard's startled green eyes back to him. "I've been requested to escort you to the King of Corinth." Gabrielle's look shot to the taller woman but other than a slight narrowing of the eyes, Xena showed no surprise.
"Alive?" she countered dryly as her mind quickly retrieved the information it had filed away about this king. The current king of Corinth was Iphicles, half-brother to Hercules. He had become king on the occasion of Jason's marriage to their mother, and had now been in power for about 3 years. Reasonable and benevolent ruler, faithful husband, doting father… she ticked off the list of things she had heard as she slid her sword back into its sheath.
The warlord before her heaved a heavily exaggerated sigh. "Alive. And not in chains – though I must admit the challenge of getting them on you has its appeal."
The deceptively soft lips twisted in a wry smile. "But not the bruises that would accompany that effort."
"So true!" Cericles laughed.
Xena motioned to Gabrielle who took Argo's reins and led both horses fully into the shade. She tossed Xena's water skin to her then settled under a tree where she could watch and listen as she relaxed.
"Since when does a king with armies at his command send cutthroats to do his errands?" Xena questioned Cericles.
"Since the sudden appearance of a rather large army camped in the forest around the city. He wasn't certain anyone dressed in his colors would be able to get through so when one of his commanders found me in a tavern in town, he… requested… my cooperation."
Xena's brows drew together in a harsh frown as she considered this information. "Who's army and why?"
"I asked the same of the commander, but he was either unwilling or unable to tell me anything. Of course," he shrugged with a grin, "why should he tell a common place warlord anything? I did do some asking around though and it would seem that the army belongs to some guy named Mendelaus. But no one seems to know the why."
*******
The dark robed priest put his hand up abruptly to silence his young assistant as his eyes went to the heavy tapestry hanging on the far wall of his office. He rose and stepped carefully around the cherry wood desk to retrieve a sword, then positioned himself at the place he knew the barely perceptible sound of stone grating had to have come from. Sword at the ready, he waited.
"Do you always greet expected visitors so warmly?"
The sword lowered and the robes flew momentarily wide as he spun to find a beautiful, raven haired woman in leather and armor leaning almost nonchalantly against his desk while his assistant stared at her in surprise. A whisper of movement swung his head back around as Cericles and Gabrielle stepped from behind the tapestry.
"Cericles. You return." The priest visibly relaxed.
"With Xena, as requested."
The priest turned his attention back to the warrior at his desk. "I am Kaellis, priest of Athena and advisor to the King. I presume you are Xena, the warrior princess. And your companion is…?"
"Gabrielle," the bard answered for herself as she and Cericles stepped around him to join Xena. "Bard of Potadeia. Amazon Princess. Traveling companion to Xena Warrior Princess."
The priest's eyes flickered over Gabrielle with something akin to distaste before he turned to put his sword away. "The King asked for Xena, Cericles. Not Xena and whomever you wanted to drag along."
Xena's eyes narrowed and swift strides carried her past Kaellis to lift the tapestry. "Come on, Gabrielle. We'll get in to see King Iphicles another way in the morning."
"Wait!" Kaellis turned to his assistant. "Go to the kitchens and tell them our guest has arrived with a companion so two rooms will be needed." As the door closed behind the young man, he turned back to his visitors. "You do us no favors by acquiescing to the King's request for your presence, Xena. We don't need you here."
The raven brows drew together sharply.
"You don't know me, do you?" the priest smirked.
"Should I?"
"You should. But I'll let it pass for now; a more appropriate time will come," Kaellis said as he turned to the warlord that accompanied them. "Cericles, you will return to your men?"
Cericles stepped forward with a small frown as he glanced from Xena's inscrutable look to the priest and back. "I'm at your disposal if you should need me, Xena." He vanished behind the tapestry and moments later they heard the minute sounds of the stone moving mark his exit.
"If you will follow me, I will take you to your rooms. King Iphicles will see you at breakfast." He took a torch from the wall and opened the interior door.
Xena's shoulders shrugged slightly in response to the question in Gabrielle's eyes as they followed him from the room into the darkened hallways of the castle. They came to a stairwell and the priest led them up two floors and along a gallery hung with heavy tapestries to keep the drafts down until he stopped before a door.
"I'm guessing that they would have put Gabrielle's room next to … yes," he said as he opened the door to glance inside. "Xena will be the next door down."
Gabrielle slipped into the room and turned to face them. "In the morning then?"
"Good night, Gabrielle," Xena smiled. "Get some rest." The bard nodded wearily in return and Kaellis pulled the door shut.
He led the other woman to the next door and opened it only to find himself being pushed inside. He turned on her with a growl.
"I am a priest of Athena; you can't abuse me like this!"
"And I am a warrior princess. Now – what's your problem?"
"I advised the King that he didn't need to involve you in this; that he wouldn't be able to trust you. You only prove my point."
"You're not leaving this room until you've aired your complaint, so get comfortable or spill it."
Kaellis glared at the warrior for a few moments before he finally opened his mouth to speak. "Athena doesn't want you here."
"You said I should remember you. Where and why?"
Kaellis' lips tightened as he considered his lack of options. "Thebes. My brother was Taelin… I see you do remember."
The memory did nothing to ease her irritation. Taelin was a slaver who made demands of the city of Thebes a couple of years ago and it was simply his… misfortune that she and Gabrielle had been riding through. They helped the city's people with their defense and toward the end of the battle, Xena had found herself face to face with the man – who was enraged to find his plans cast so completely array. She had severely disabled his sword arm but he came on. The next slash took him to the dust on the road and she turned to walk away from him. A clash of metal rang in her ears - she turned to find Ares there, his sword blocking Taelin's attack to her back. His sword slid easily through the warlord before he turned to her, nodded, and disappeared to leave her in confusion. By all that was right, she should have been severely wounded – or dead.
"Your brother lost his life as a warlord threatening to take anything he could from honest people."
His eyes blazed his fury. "My brother was killed by Ares as he was watching over his pet warrior! You should be dead!"
Xena glanced toward a rap on the door then back at him. "Your… issues… will necessarily have to wait until after this… whatever your king wants me to do, is over."
He nodded and went to the door, opening it to reveal two maids bearing steaming buckets of water. At his curt nod, they scurried into the room followed by more servants carrying water, a stool, towels, bath oils, and an enormous brass tub to begin setting up a bath. When they finished and removed themselves, two pails of water had been left beside the roaring fire on the hearth and two more beside the tub that waited her.
"Just pull that when you are finished and someone will come to remove the tub," Kaellis pointed to a thick rope-like cord hanging down close to the mantle. "Pleasant dreams, Princess," he sneered as he closed the door.
Xena shook her head, dismissing the man from her thoughts, and glanced around the room, taking in its comfortable appointments for the first time. The room was done in subdued reds and golds – the four-poster cover was red swirled with gold leaf patterns; the rugs scattered on the floor were red dyed pelts; red woods dominated the furniture construction. She walked over to the dressing table laid out with the implements of femininity - brushes, combs, powders, and scents – and raised her gaze to the silvered glass that stood over and behind it. A warrior looked back at her with raven hair and blue eyes, dressed in leather glinting with metal. Such a one has no need of the accruements of womanhood, she mused, nor was I called here to make use of them. Always the warrior; never the woman.
She glanced back down at the table to find a rose bud of unusual tint lying there. She picked up the offering, so deep a red as to be thought black until the flickering of the flames revealed its true color. Thoughtfully she brought it close to inhale the sweet fragrance. She moved to the tub to lay it on the stool already bearing towels and bathing oils, and began disrobing. She slipped into the welcome warmth of the water and lay her head back against the end of the tub as she lifted the rose once more to bring its fresh innocence under close inspection. A tingling pricked her and it occurred to her where the thing must have come from. Her arm rose dripping with water and she hurled it toward the fire.
"That wasn't nice!" protested the black and silver draped God of War as he caught the bloom.
"Apologizing for something you're going to do?" grunted the woman as she pulled a sponge over her breasts to shield them from his view.
A lopsided grin was her only answer before he stepped to the dressing table to lay the rose down. Walking back to the tub, he set his hands on her shoulders, fingers kneading the skin firmly. Xena closed her eyes and let his hands do their work.
"You must want something pretty badly."
She felt the angle of his hands shift as he knelt; his lips brushed her ear.
"I want you."
"The time for you and me has come and gone."
"You don't believe that." His lips pressed to a spot just below her ear, allowing his tongue a stealthy caress of the wet skin.
Xena bolted upright at the invasion. "What do you want, Ares?"
He rose and she turned to watch him walk to the dressing table where he began picking up and setting down the various bottles. He could feel the increasingly curious stare bore into his back but didn't turn to face her. The words he wanted so badly to say were caught at the back of his throat; his mouth was suddenly dry.
The water sloshed to the brim of the tub as the woman stepped out to pat herself dry and wrap a towel around her.
"Ares?"
He glanced over briefly but quickly returned his gaze to the dressing table. Xena's brows drew together as she went to the cord and pulled it.
"They'll be here to take the tub soon. They shouldn't find you here.
He threw a lamely teasing smile over his shoulder. "They won't see me."
Xena crossed to the bed and sat down in the silence. A knock came at the door and she called admittance to the maids come to remove the tub and its accompaniment. As the door shut behind them, she tried again.
"Ares… What do you want?"
Finally he turned to her with a heavy sigh. "I told you – I want you." He paused and turned his stare toward the fire. There was another subject he was more comfortable with; he could address that first. "Don't do this, Xena."
"Do what?"
"Help Iphicles."
"What is going on here, Ares? Mendelaus is your man, isn't he?"
"He is." Ares fell silent once more as he studied the fire intently.
"Ares… if I'm going to make any decisions, I need to know the whole story. All I know is that your army is out there and there's a city full of people in here."
A sharp rap and the door slowly opening brought Xena to her feet.
"Xena?" Gabrielle's head appeared around the door followed by her body when she spotted Xena and stepped inside. "I couldn't sleep and I … What's he doing here?"
Ares faced the women, disgust at the interruption written plainly on his face. "Guess it's time I was leaving," his lips twisted sarcastically.
"Ares… !"
But he was already gone. Xena sat back down on the bed with a sigh, chin resting thoughtfully on her chest.
"Why was he here?"
"I don't know. We hadn't gotten to that yet."
"Xena…" the bard settled down next to her friend. "What happened in Amphipolis?"
"What do you mean?"
"What happened that last evening we were there? You said you were going for a swim but when you came back, you were upset about something and you weren't talking."
"Oh. That." Xena folded her hands behind her head and lay back over the bed covering. Her lips curved somewhere between pleased remembrance and satisfaction.
"You saw Ares, didn't you?"
The smirk widened. "What makes you think that?"
"The moaning in your sleep that night?"
"I don't think so," Xena's snorted skeptically.
"But you were!"
"Me. Moaning in my sleep after meeting Ares." She shook her head. "No."
The bard closed her eyes briefly in amused frustration. Dragging information out of Xena was a pleasant challenge most of the time, but sometimes… sometimes it got a little… difficult.
"Is he still walking around like he wants to say something?"
"How did you know that?"
"Let me see…" the sarcasm was heavily laced with laughter. "There was when we saw him in Thebes, then later in that little village where we helped round up that band of petty thieves. After that there was – "
"Okay! I get the picture," Xena laughed. "You know what? You're too observant for your own good sometimes."
"So, is he?"
"Yes," Xena sighed. "I wish I knew what it is he's after."
"Maybe it's something … personal."
"Personal? The God of War?" Xena's brow lifted quizzically. "What would Ares want with me that's personal?"
The petite blond head turned toward the fire to hide her smile of amusement. "Just a thought."
*******
At last the first blush of pink brightened the horizon through the window. Finally she would get some sort of hint of the troubles she presumed Iphicles had called her for. She stepped back from the window casement to snatch up her sword as she headed toward the door. Moments later she tapped on Gabrielle's door and entered at a sleepy response.
"Xena." The bard fell back with a groan when she recognized her visitor.
Xena grinned impishly as she crossed to the bed, catching up Gabrielle's garments from a chair on the way.
"Time to get up." She turned slightly to let a pillow fly past her – two long steps found her next to the bed dragging the coverlet, Gabrielle tangled in it, to the floor. An edge of the blankets turned over and out poked a blond head sporting a glare intended to make the enemy's blood run cold. Xena laughed, tossed the garments on the bed, and made a break for the door.
"I'll be waiting out in the gallery."
Footsteps interrupted the blue-eyed vixen's half-hearted inspection of the tapestries and she glanced around to find Kaellis' assistant approaching and asking if she had slept well. Gabrielle found them a few minutes later in discussion of the histories of several of the wall hangings dating back over a hundred years.
The young man, whose name turned out to be Alexander, led them back down the stairways and through the castle to a small dining room where they found a side board of steaming foods laid out and waiting. Voices heralded the entrance of others and they looked up from the dishes only to freeze momentarily in surprise. The man before them was tall, broad-shouldered, dark eyed, and dark haired; the mode of dress was different but the only things missing were the beard and the earring.
"Ar… you're not Ares," Gabrielle shook her head in bewilderment.
The man standing before them laughed. "I should say not! Lord Ares was always good to us when he was our patron, however; or so the chronicles say. I am Iphicles, brother to Hercules and King of Corinth, and I am pleased to meet you."
"Please pardon our rudeness, your highness," came the calm, even voice of the warrior princess. "Your likeness to the God of War is startling."
He took a step closer and held out his hand. "I'm grateful you could come, Xena." He smiled warmly as they clasped arms. "And you, Gabrielle! Your reputation as a bard precedes you."
Gabrielle flushed and the King's smile widened into a grin. He waved his hand toward the sideboard and bade them finish getting their food and be seated while he got his own plate to fill. The people that had entered with the king proceeded to have their own breakfast, and small talk flowed through the room for the duration of the meal. When most of the others had taken their leave, Iphicles invited the two women to join him in his map room.
They passed down several hallways, glimpsing rooms furnished mostly as comfortable offices. Tapestries depicting battles, coronations, and other momentous events lined the walls and the King paused often to inquire of the various officers of his household. They heard short discussions on things that varied from the weather to the state of the granaries; proof that he was indeed a King that cared for his people. At length they came to a door set well back in an alcove. Passing through it, they entered a huge room containing maps hanging from the walls. A miniature of the castle and its surrounding area dominated the center of the room, complete from the banner that stood at the top of the King's residence to many small farms with rows furrowed for crops and pastures for the small representations of animals outside the castle wall.
"Do you like it?" asked Iphicles as he approached the small duplicate of his immediate kingdom. His smile might have been that of a proud father.
Xena leaned over the carvings to inspect it and smiled at the ruler. "Wonderful detail."
His smile faded as he moved to her side and pointed. "The army that threatens us has destroyed several farmsteads to the north, and their camp currently spreads almost completely around the castle walls. Most of the people have entered the castle itself for protection but the men lay waste to the people's lands and animals."
"What do they want?"
The King sighed heavily as he turned away from the display and walked to the massive hearth. He sat down and waved his arm in invitation for them to join him in front of the fire.
"I daresay you know that at one time Ares was the patron of Corinth, but do you know the story of how it came to be Athena?"
Gabrielle shrugged. "Everyone knows the story. About a hundred years ago Queen Therese lost her husband fighting for Ares while she was giving birth to their son. The child was stillborn from the stress she had suffered and she blamed Ares. She was unbalanced by her grief, had Ares' priests beheaded and set up a temple to Athena. When Ares heard about it, he sent an army to besiege the city but Athena told Zeus and asked him to intervene. Zeus was angry and considered the whole thing a petty dispute, but he agreed to halt Ares until the matter could be resolved. He eventually decided in favor of Athena since that was what the city seemed to want."
Iphicles smiled sadly. "While all of that is true, there is much more to the story." He brought his hands up before his face and studied them intently for a moment before laying them over the arms of his chair.
"As you said, Queen Therese was woman wild and unbalanced by the grief of losing her husband and child. She had the priests beaten then crucified and after they were dead, she had them hauled down and beheaded. Ares' temple was stripped and demolished and the stones from the building were hauled out of the city; new stone was quarried for Athena's temple and it was put on a new site. The site of Ares' temple was left bare for generations; few remember what was there.
Athena was chosen as a patron not so much for what she represented as much as because it was known that, of all Ares' siblings, he disliked her the most. Athena didn't care why the Queen chose her – only that she did and now she had something to rub in Ares' face.
Zeus visited with Queen Therese to try to determine the truth of the matter but she was anticipating this and set herself to seduce him and thereby gain his favor. Ares caught them and gleefully reported it to Hera. In the face of Hera's anger, Zeus almost had to relent and give Corinth back to Ares but his own anger had to be assuaged so he pronounced that, as punishment for the deaths of the Queen's husband and son, Athena would be the patron of the people of Corinth for the next 100 years."
Iphicles leaned forward in his chair to lend emphasis to his next words. "The 100 years is up and Ares wants his worshippers and his temple back. He came to me and demanded the temple to Athena be destroyed and his rebuilt. He reminded me that the will of his father was for the 100 years and no longer.
I tried reasoning with him – Corinth has been at peace for the last 100 years and has only its standing army – which is quite small by most standards. The farmers and ranchers are not trained in the arts of war because it wasn't necessary. He says he needs the men of Corinth and nothing will satisfy him but the return of what once was his.
We have asked Athena for protection but though she says she will again ask for Zeus' intervention, we must be willing to fight if we wish to keep her as our patron. I have prayed to Zeus himself but have gotten no answer from him."
He leaned back in his chair once more. "I have asked you here because it is said that you are the favored warrior of Ares. We need help, Xena. We aren't enough to go up against that army out there nor, if we give ourselves over, are we prepared to fight for Ares as he requires – most of our men aren't trained for fighting and innocent lives will be lost by the hundreds. You are our last hope."
Gabrielle's gaze settled momentarily on Xena staring fixedly across the room before she looked at the King's half hopeful expression.
"This is going to take some planning." Gods, what a mess, she mused; one woman's vengeful whim costing hundreds of lives.
She glanced back at Xena's shuttered face to see her get up and move to the layout of the city. After a moment's pause, the bard and King followed.
"Where was his temple?" Xena asked evenly.
"Here." Iphicles pointed to a barren lot approximately the same size as the palace close to the inner castle wall.
"And Athena's?" He thrust a finger toward a large elaborate construction across the castle grounds from where Ares' temple had been.
The dark haired warrior faced the King with a sigh. "We'll do what we can but this won't be easy. When does Ares want his answer?"
Iphicles' eyes shone his gratitude. "Tomorrow morning."
"Gather your generals."
*******
"That seemed to go well." Gabrielle tried once more to break into the ice encasing her friend since Iphicles had told them the story.
Xena nodded and kept walking through the throngs of people crowding the market place. The market was noisy and colorful even with threat looming just beyond the castle walls. It might have been a holiday if they hadn't caught snatches of worried conversation as they passed vendors and small groups.
The bard grabbed Xena's arm as they passed a fruit seller and the warrior nodded again. The smaller woman slipped deftly between several people and reappeared scant moments later with a pair of rosy apples; Xena snatched one out of the air as it headed her way and resumed their direction.
"Where are we going?" asked a breathless Gabrielle as they left the market for a narrow street shouldered with small buildings, but the warrior never answered. Her stride never hesitated but passed down one street and into another until Gabrielle lost all sense of direction.
Suddenly the buildings gave way to a wide field of tall grass; it might have been a pasture except that it stood surrounded by buildings with the castle wall at its back. The bard waited expectantly as the warrior set out into the expanse seeming to look for something. Finally halting near the wall, she waved her arm in invitation for Gabrielle to join her.
Gabrielle started carefully into the grass, looking closely for small dips and crevasses common to open areas. To her surprise the ground was smooth and almost level. This then, she thought, must have been the site where Ares' temple had stood. Her intuition strengthened as she reached her goal and watched as Xena pressed one of the stones. Her eyes widened as the ground seemed to shift beneath her feet; her mouth dropped open as Xena leaned down and pulled at something to have a piece of ground swung up. The warrior smiled in grim satisfaction as she slid her sword from its sheath and started down into the openning. Hurrying around the door, Gabrielle looked down to see Xena with a torch in her free hand waiting for her to start her decent.
The torch flame flickered eerily in the darkness once the door was lowered over them and Xena started slowly forward. The steps wound endlessly down into the ground. She stopped and Gabrielle peered over her shoulder to see more light up ahead. No sound traveled the corridor they stood in and they started cautiously forward once more.
They eased into a room where small torches lit the walls at elongated intervals, revealing tapestries and paintings; aged armor and weapons glinted softly into recognition between the pieces of art. Closer inspection revealed the drawings to be depictions of men fighting and dying. The far end of the room raised by two steps and reverently framed an altar littered with objects; they glittered spasmodically in the shifting light cast by huge vats roaring flames at either end of the long surface.
Mesmerized by the light's pattern and texture play, Gabrielle almost missed the whisper in her ear as Xena slipped past her into the shadows. The bard approached the altar to examine the offerings, a wide assortment of blades, furs, coins, and other items of value.
So… they still worship him... down here," she whispered softly.
"Of course they do."
The startled bard's head whipped up and around at the unexpected male voice to find a tall, dark-haired man standing close behind her. "Who are you?"
"I am Jassonine, humble warrior turned hostler and servant to Ares, at your service." Brown eyes twinkled above the warm smile tickling his dark mustache. "I watch over this place. My inn is near here. Is there something I can help you ladies with? It would be an honor to serve you."
Gabrielle's eyes caught a movement over the man's shoulder and Xena stepped silently into view.
"Why do people worship a god when being caught would mean their life?" Xena asked evenly.
Jassonine turned so that both women could see his face. "Because there are those who don't favor Athena and feel the only true god of war is Ares."
"If they are frightened enough to go to the effort of keeping their faith quiet, how is it that you come right out and tell us who you serve?"
"Ares would wish me to welcome the Warrior Princess and her companion – I'm sure of it."
"What makes you think he would want us welcomed?"
The man's smile widened. "Why would he not want a welcome for his favorite?"
"Perhaps I'm not his favorite."
Jassonine burst out laughing. "If you were not still his favorite, you wouldn't be standing here – you would have been dead not long after you left him."
Xena ignored the intended jibe as she studied the man.
"How do I know," a familiar shiver ran through her like quicksilver and her eyes went to the altar, "I can trust you?"
"You don't," growled the husky voice of the God of War as a flash of blue light left him standing beside the offerings.
"Lord Ares!" Jassonine quickly knelt. "As you foretold, the women are here."
Ares waved his hand in impatient dismissal of the man's words and addressed Xena directly. "Iphicles told you the story."
"Yes."
"So you know what I'm here to do."
"Yes."
"Don't get involved in this, Xena. I won't be able to… help you if… anything happens."
Xena's arms crossed and her body relaxed to a degree, but her face took on a decidedly blank expression. "I don't need your protection," she replied coolly.
"I mean it, Xena. Once this starts, I won't be able to watch over you. This is between two gods – get out of the city."
"As I said…" her eyes glittered dangerously and she turned on her heel to walk away.
He was suddenly beside her taking her arm and turning her to face him. "Dammit, Xena! Listen to me for once!"
She looked at the hand on her arm, then up into his face with narrowed eyes. "Take your hands off me."
The blood pounded in his ears as his breathing quickened. He knew it was a mistake to touch her but his frustration had overcome his good sense. She was too close; he was touching her… his mouth dipped and caught her lips; the world fell away but for their tongues meeting in a greedy, starving, demanding dance that told each more than they wanted the other to know. Her mouth ripped from his and his head reeled from the resounding thunder that was the flat of her hand against the side of his face. Her eyes flashed and she stepped back, tearing her arm from his grasp. His hand went to his face as he stared at her, intensely aware that he shouldn't have done what he did – waiting for her next move.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
"Xena – I …"
"Don't give me your excuses!"
Ares' mouth opened but she waved a hand and cut him off.
"I'm called to Corinth by a king that has no where to turn because of petty dispute between two gods that may cost hundreds of lives! What excuse is there for that?"
The war god's features took on the stubborn quality of stone.
"You shouldn't have come at all. Corinth was mine and is mine again by the terms of the agreement. Athena needs to clear out."
"So you'll destroy everything if they won't change their allegiance? What kind of sense does that make?"
"This is bigger than Corinth, Xena. I will not lose anything more." The dark brows drew together like a thundercloud riding low over the piercing eyes. " Do you hear me? Nothing."
Blue shards of light exploded and the God of War was gone from the suddenly perplexed view of the warrior princess.
*******
Ares paced the throne room in the Halls of War as his mind churned in rapid thought. He was losing his focus in this escalating situation; it was starting to spin out of control – not a good feeling. Nothing had gone as planned. Nothing that mattered anyway. Nothing about this whole affair had gone right since the day that infernal queen had executed his priests and gotten away with it. Damn Athena and her interfering ways! If not for her, he would have just punished the woman and no one would be questioning his authority now. And now Xena was mixed up in this – something he should have known would happen since things had gotten this far out of hand. Hercules, however, hadn't shown up. Why? Why did Iphicles summon Xena and not Hercules? He shrugged mentally; what was to question? He and Hercules had never gotten along – that was no secret. But what did Iphicles hope to gain from involving Xena?
He threw himself across his throne. Iphicles must assume that Xena still had his favor. Others would have told him that; was his preference for the warrior princess so marked? Or were they just hoping that it was so since she wasn't destroyed after leaving his service? Xena. If he could only find a way to remove her from the fray. How was he to do what had to done now if she was in the way? What if… ? He recoiled from the thought before it could finish. But he couldn't back down – not now. His authority had to be restored in Corinth or people would be questioning it everywhere.
"Hello brother. I see you've called in your favorite commander for the job. Don't you have any faith in your generals?" sneered a feminine voice.
Ares' head jerked up in surprise and he straightened in his seat.
"I didn't 'call her in'. I don't need her to deal with you," he snarled back at the golden armored goddess in front of him.
Her laughter at the response she managed to incite rang through the room. "You are so easy to rile, Ares. That's part of your problem, you know. Of course, it's part of your charm too."
"My problem," he spit out between gritted teeth, "is Daddy's little pets and the way they disguise their true natures, Athena. If people knew what a conniving little bitch you were, they probably wouldn't worship you."
"Bravo brother!" Athena clapped her hands in mock applause. "Your wording is getting better, but, alas, it still doesn't move me."
Ares settled back into the throne and glared at his sister. There were a few choice words on the tip of his tongue to describe just what he thought of the woman but he knew from long practice the folly of losing his temper.
"What do you want, Athena?"
"I simply wanted to ask you why Xena was here. I was under the impression that she didn't take care of your business any more. Xena seems so much more… levelheaded than you do, Ares. I couldn't imagine her backing you up on this one."
"Iphicles sent for her. But I think you already know that."
Athena smiled and toyed with one of the rivets on her gauntlet for a moment before she looked back up at the face that was struggling for control. Whatever she knew or didn't know, she wasn't telling him. Part of getting Iphicles to send for Xena had been to throw him off-balance. He would find out all in good time what she had planned.
"How sad for you, Ares. First you lose Corinth, then you lose your star warlord. Tsk, tsk – what must your followers be thinking?"
Ares rose but before he could take the three steps down, Athena vanished, leaving only a trail of white sparkling to the floor.
*******
Xena's puzzled eyes met those of Gabrielle for a moment before she remembered that there was another in the room. Her gaze found the priest busying himself with arranging the altar with almost mathematical precision.
"Xena." Xena's vision settled on the amazon once more. "He's not going to back down. He can't."
"No, he can't. But there's something wrong with this whole situation. Why would Athena want a war?"
The hostler turned with an apologetic smile. "Seems to me, you're missing a piece of the puzzle, Xena." He glanced at Gabrielle and at her nod of approval continued. "The God of War has a weakness. And that weakness is… you."
"Don't you ever say that outside of this room." Xena's eyes narrowed to gleaming slits. "The God of War with a weakness? I think you're a little loose in the head."
"You don't deny he's favored you."
"So he wants me back," she shrugged. "He wants his star employee back on the job."
"No. Not quite."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying…" Jassonine took a deep breath and a step back. "I'm saying that he favors you for a different reason. I think the God of War has met his match… in love."
Xena wasn't even aware her feet had moved but suddenly she was in front of the man, his tunic in her fist. "The God of War doesn't love. Look around at these walls – do you see love?"
"Xena – let him go. He's right."
An incredulous stare pinned the bard to the floor where she stood, but the hands released the hostler.
"I've been watching him – and you – these last months since Thebes. You spend so much time fighting him, you don't seem to notice what he wants."
Xena's eyes narrowed and her mouth curled in apparent disgust. "Jassonine, please take Gabrielle back to our quarters. I'll see you there later, Gabrielle."
The bard and the warrior turned hostler watched as Xena turned and headed back for the entrance, then looked at each other and shrugged.
"Not much on discussing feelings, is she?" asked Jassonine.
"Nope."
*******
"There are times when a king must be willing to fight, Kaellis," the goddess lightly admonished the priest before her. "Faith is good, but how do we know it's true faith unless it's tested?"
"But, my lady – the people have shown their devotion over the years in hundred of ways. The altar behind you alone bears ample proof of their gratitude for your protection. Must men die to show proof of their faith?"
"Are you questioning the wisdom of your own faith, Kaellis?" she replied gently.
"No, my lady, but –"
"These people have are devoted out of long habit. Faith, Kaellis, is believing without a solid reason, against every logical appearance of contradiction. Sometimes you just have to believe.
Kaellis' lips parted to answer but Athena's signaled him for silence as her eyes searched the shadows of the temple.
"Leave us, Kaellis."
The priest turned a confused look over his shoulder then back at his goddess in surprise. "But there is no one – "
"I said leave us," her voice sliced across his words.
The flesh along his jaw tightened but he bowed his head briefly and turned away. When he was gone, Athena spoke pleasantly to the pillar on her left.
"Welcome, Xena."
A tall shadow separated itself from the pillar and the warrior princess strode boldly into the light.
"And did the conversation answer your questions?"
"I think so," Xena replied thoughtfully. "I had to wonder why you were apparently insisting on a war. I guess the long and the short of it is that 100 years of peace isn't necessarily a completely good thing."
Athena smiled indulgently. "I have always respected your cleverness, Xena. You don't disappoint me."
"You told Iphicles to send for me, didn't you? It was you who told him I was Ares' favorite."
"Right again. But it had to be kept secret if it were to work. I knew you would discover what was really happening before it was necessary to act."
"And if I had refused?"
The goddess' smile widened. "Oh, you wouldn't have, Xena. A chance to go against Ares? A chance to thwart yet another of his plans in favor of the 'greater good'?" She laughed and shook her head. "No, Xena, there was no chance that you wouldn't come."
"Stopping Ares will be a job in itself," Xena replied.
"I know, and I leave that to you," Athena chuckled. "But he will see that allowing the people the freedom to choose who they wish will pay off in the long run. His temple will be rebuilt and he can use those underground rooms to pout in."
"And your temple?"
"Will stay right where it is, of course. I'm not relinquishing anything – I'm only letting the people follow whom they will without fear. But their long period of peace has made them complacent and they need to be reminded that they do believe in something for a reason."
The goddess' eyes went beyond Xena and she stiffened. "Kaellis!!"
A flash of metal caught Xena's eye as she turned, throwing her body away from the spot. She landed sword out and feet braced only to see a ruby encrusted gauntlet just behind the hand that stayed another holding a knife. Ares' enraged countenance looked hard into the disbelieving face of Kaellis. Their eyes followed his down to see the gilded hilt of a dagger protruding from his ribs. Kaellis' breath caught in his chest a final time, and Ares released the crumpling body to the floor. He raised his head to stare at Athena's grim smile for a long moment before he nodded once and dissolved, leaving Xena's questioning look meeting the goddess' gaze.
"He never truly understood what I stand for. His fate was inevitable," she shrugged; then she too quitted the room in a swirl of colored light.
*******
Night lay like a shroud over the trek back to the palace; even the wind seemed to be holding its breath in dreadful anticipation of the morning. Finding a secluded alleyway, Xena paused and double-checked to ensure she was alone.
"Ares."
A light rain of sparkling pinpoints evolved into the frowning God of War leaning against a wagon with his arms folded. She stared back at him for what seemed an eon, then shook her head. "You already know what Athena has planned."
His scowl deepened before he broke the hold of her gaze by tossing his head back to look to the sky.
"What makes you think that?"
"You dropped in pretty conveniently not to have been eavesdropping." She paused warily then continued. "Thank you."
He swung his head back to meet her eyes. "For what?"
"For eavesdropping." He turned away again.
"Ares…" Her hand was gentle on his arm but he refused to look at her. "She wanted them to show they would fight for what they wanted, what they believed in. She wanted them to ask themselves if they really had faith."
Still he refused to look at her. His profile showed his jaw clamped tightly, his eyes closed as if in denial of any rational explanations.
"What irritates you more – that she wanted a show of faith and forced you to show your hand, or that she never had any intention of keeping Corinth to herself?"
He flung his arms down behind his back to clasp his hands together and stomp off several yards before returning to stop and stare down into those incredible blue eyes. Eyes that were asking questions he didn't want to answer even to himself.
"Talk to me, Ares."
"Talk?" he growled sharply. "What do you want me to say? Admit I've been duped and used like a common farm tool?"
"She wanted what was best for Corinth."
"So she lied and cheated to get it?"
"She didn't lie, Ares. She's a god. A god never needs to lie."
His lips twisted in sardonic recognition of his own words from long ago; then the anger crushing his chest broke and allowed an amused smile.
"I'm glad you remember that." The smile gave way to a chuckle, then a rolling laugh. After all, Athena had done no more than he might have done, had done, in the past. In the end, he had what he wanted, for the most part any way, and the only loss was the intolerable personality of Kaellis who had earned his reward given by the hand of Athena herself. His body began a shimmering dissolution, but Xena's voice stopped him.
"Where are you going?"
"To have the army relocate. Since there is nothing for them to do here, there are other places." He stepped forward, slipped his hand beneath the raven tresses and crushed her mouth in a fierce kiss.
"Later, Xena. We'll talk." He moved away from her and vanished into the night.
*******
A mixture of dread and anticipation cloaked the battlements in the early morning hour. Muted sounds of quiet voices and restless shifting drifted like orphans lost in a mist as Xena and Gabrielle made the tour, stopping to ask a question here and answer a question there. Iphicles appeared up ahead and they went to meet him.
"All appears to be in order, Xena. I've prayed to Athena," the king shook his head sadly. "I hope the losses are not more than our city can bear."
"There are times when people must fight for what they believe in," Xena paraphrased Athena's words gravely. "If you don't stand up for what you want, it can be taken from you."
Gabrielle looked out over the ground surrounding the castle. The sun was about to rise and soon the area would be swarming with men. This was one sunrise she would have preferred to skip.
The sun's first rays broke across the ground and a startled murmuring rose from the men. Xena and Iphicles joined Gabrielle in looking toward the invaders' camp. The fires that the watches had noted all night were still in place but the tents, the wagons, the men… everything – everything else was gone.
An explosion of multicolored light appeared halfway between where the camp had been and the wall where they stood, leaving Ares and Athena in its wake; all eyes went to them.
"You have demonstrated your faith well," began Athena. "You have shown that you will fight to keep what is yours. In this case, what is yours is the ability to worship the god that you wish. Henceforth the people of Corinth may worship the Olympian of their of their choice without fear of repercussion. The temple to Ares may be rebuilt and King Iphicles will see that the appropriate laws are changed or abolished as necessary." She paused and looked up and down the wall at the men gathered there. "Well done, King Iphicles! Well done, people of Corinth!"
Fractals of light expanded madly then retracted and the Olympians were gone.
"You knew all along!" Gabrielle accused Xena's smiling face.
"You knew? How did you know?" Iphicles interjected in wonder.
"It was a matter of logic," Xena replied. "Athena told you that you must be willing to fight. Athena doesn't start wars for no purpose; she is the Goddess of Warfare, true, but she's the Goddess of Wisdom first."
"And after all these years of peace, we had become like sheep following a leader," the king said thoughtfully. "She wanted us to think."
"So you couldn't tell us," the bard sighed.
"Then they wouldn't have been going on faith, Gabrielle," Xena smiled at her. "They had to have faith enough that they would fight for it."
Iphicles was beaming at the two women. "You will stay with us a few days, won't you?"
Xena's mouth opened to speak, but slowly closed as she caught sight of Gabrielle's eager face; she laughed lightly.
"We'd be happy to stay – a few days."
*******
The day had been long – celebrations in the streets, a grand banquet and tournament, entertainment of all types – it felt good to relax in the tub brimming with warm water. She laid her head back on the rim and closed her eyes to let the softly mysterious aura of the firelight and candles take over.
A familiar prickling teased her and strong hands were at her shoulders, kneading firmly but gently. Some part of her was wary but she gave up the rest to the soothing of the hands lulling her body. Minutes passed in contented quiet broken only by the crackle of the fire before a warm breath caressed her ear.
"I love you."
A full moment passed before her body stiffened and her mind registered the statement with full awareness. The hands stilled.
"I'm not up for your games, Ares."
"This isn't a game."
"Everything is a game for you."
"Not this. Not now."
The silence was deafening; a log falling in the fireplace broke the spell.
"So… they were right – the God of War is in love. That ought to make for some good gossip," her bitter tone cut like a knife.
"Who's 'they'?"
"Jassonine and Gabrielle."
Ares walked to the hearth to stare down into the flames.
"Dammit, Xena… you think this is easy?"
"No. No, I don't. But you must admit to yourself that it's a little difficult to swallow."
She lifted herself from the tub and stepped out. Wrapping a towel around her, she went to the dressing table and began brushing her hair in angry stokes. Ares appeared behind her in the mirror, the look on his face grim.
"Okay — you have no reason to trust me, but it's true. Sometimes you just have to believe."
"You love me."
"I love you."
"And just what do you expect to happen now? You want me to throw myself in your arms and say 'You win, Ares, I'm yours'?"
"It's not about winning."
"Isn't it?"
"No –"
"Then what do you want?" The brush stopped and she turned to face him. Her hand rose as if of itself to caress his cheek and her voice softened. "You have to know this isn't easy for me either."
He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm, then his eyes searched hers intently. "I don't know what I expect. I don't know what I want you to say. I just don't know. All I know is that I love you. That I need you."
Her fingers strayed into his sideburns and back into his hair. What reason did she have to believe he was sincere? None. But she wanted to believe him — so much. Sometimes, she thought, you just have to believe. The enchanted moment stretched into eternity. Without knowing quite how, her face was close to his – her lips parting to receive his kiss.
"I know."