****
When they came out of the small house no one expected Xena to look as good as she did. She was a bit pale, marginally spindly legged and required Hercules ear whisperings to keep her informed and emotions in check. Yet, Xena's hair was combed, her black leather warrior's outfit, with light armor, was in place and her astonishing eyes were clear. She even managed an iota of a smile for Gabrielle when the girl looked at her from across Cyrene's open grave.
At the conclusion of the funeral service Xena threw a wreath of grap leaves on her mother's coffin and watched, with a calm-cool expression, as the box was lowered into the ground, then covered over by earth. The mourners, friends of Cyrene's, filtered away. Some touched Xena's back and shoulders with compassion and others spoke lowly to her, wishing her well on her future adventures.
Iolaus, who hadn't a chance to speak with Hercules since he and Xena walked from the house, gave him an inquiring glance.
Hercules took in both Gabrielle and Iolaus with a mime of 'Later.'
"Rest in peace, Cyrene." Xena said, gazing sadly at the fresh grave. "There is a place in the Elysian Fields for someone as kind, loving and loyal as you."
***
It was decided the four would travel as far as Cyberus together - where there were warlord problems. Xena was anxious to get back in action and Hercules thought it a good idea to have the woman on her feet and doing good deeds again as quickly as possible. It would be a week long jaunt that was fraught with obstacles but few real dangers. A good time to think and mend.
The first night out Xena kept to herself and when Gabrielle tried to talk with her the answers were short, but without malice. "I promise, Gabrielle, I will answer all questions but give me a few days to get it straight in my head. Hercules helped me," The Warrior Princess glanced over at the night-time campfire to where Iolaus and Hercules sat, discussing something in hushed tones. "but I still need time."
She looked so tired and confused that Gabrielle couldn't be angry with her, "All right." she said and gave her friend a brief hug.
But before the girl could move away, Xena placed fingers under her chin and smiled, "You really are my best, dearest friend, Gabrielle. I don't know what I'd do without you."
The Amazon Princess smiled and, mirroring her friend's action to such a display of affection, she gave her an 'Oh, come on' look and warmly pulled away, tossing sticks on the campfire.
"Did you hear that?" Iolaus, suddenly stood. His body was in alert status.
"What did you hear?" Gabrielle stopped in mid toss and looked in the same direction as he.
"I'm not sure. Maybe nothing but I'm going to take a look."
"Do you want me to go with you?" Hercules asked.
"No," Iolaus eyes darted from one tree to the next, "It's probably nothing. I just want to be sure."
"Yell if you need us." Xena offered, some of her dry humor returning.
"Believe me, I will." he shot back.
Gabrielle watched him move off, to be swallowed by the darkness. Iolaus hadn't really talked to her much since the morning they awoke in each other's arms. It was a little awkward but also kind of nice. Perhaps she had revealed too much. Some men were like that. It was all very intriguing while the mystery remained but the minute a girl showed interest in something on-going it was a whole different story. But she really needed to talk with him and hoped the opportunity would arise before they parted.
****
Still not completely formed, she leaned her long, smooth back on a tree trunk and allowed her arms to folded themselves over an ample and hardly outfitted bosom, "Sweet-Cheeks, over here!" she called with that lilting party-girl tone in her perpetually young voice. "Right here, cute stuff!"
He stopped short when finally seeing her, "Aphrodite!" Iolaus exhaled in relief when spotting the pink spindle of god-light followed by the appearance of the beautiful Goddess of Love, "What are you doing here?" he asked and tried not to sound too terribly displeased to see her.
"Cool it," she piped, glancing over at the camp to make sure the others hadn't heard, "I'm here on business. For you."
"Me?"
"Sure, I know there's some bad karma going on right now with the death of Cyrene and all. Xena's not in too good of shape but she'll get through it with my big bro's help ... But I'm here for YOU - " she twinkled and stood straight, proud of her cleverness, "- and that cute little girl you've been mooning over, Gabrielle."
"Aphrodite ..."
"Now, don't pretend you don't have the hots for her because I've been watching you ever since you arrived in Amphib .. Amphi.... *town*." The Goddess of Love delicately stepped over a branch and stood in front of Iolaus, laying slender hands on her perfect hips, "Well, to be honest with you, it was Cupid that pointed you two out to me ... I always figured you had a 'soul-mate' thing going with her but didn't really care until my son gave me an idea. He said, 'Just think Mom, if Gabrielle and that Iolaus dude got together then they'd settle and she'd stop writing those stories about Xena's adventures -- and everyone would go back to looking at you as the A Number One Chick-Attraction in Greece -- not that leather clad fighting machine with a breast plate.'." Aphrodite cleared her throat, "Oh, I added that last part myself."
"Was that you talking in my head last night?"
"You got it -" she tittered, "But geez, what a hard head you are! All that worry about what's right and wrong ... You keep that up and you'll never connect with that girl! I mean, it'd be a shame seeing as how you are destined to be together and ..."
"What do you mean by 'soul-mate' and 'destined'? Isn't that kind of up to Gabrielle and me?"
"You're so sweet but completely out of the loop, Sunshine!" Aphrodite huffed just slightly and rolled her eyes in a 'I guess he's going to make me explain' gesture, "You see, about twenty five percent of the human population on Earth have soul mates ..." she thought a moment, "I think it's twenty five percent -- Could be up to thirty now. I don't usually keep the books myself and ..." She noted Iolaus' impatient stare and continued, "But anyway, some people do. It has nothing to do with that weird story she told you about humans having two heads and four legs - oh yuck! - but something to do with spiritualism. I'm not real sure myself. But the bottom line is that some people are meant to be together and you and Gabrielle are one of those couples. Now, it doesn't always happen. Somewhere along the line one will marry the wrong partner --"
"Like Gabrielle marrying Perdicus?"
"Yep. If he'd lived their life together would have been torture. She'd have a kid every year and he'd demand she stay home and raise the little rug-rats and she'd argue that she needed more from life and ten years later he'd run off with some pretty tavern girl and leave her high and dry."
Iolaus was astonished, "You know that for a fact?"
She shrugged, "Nah, but I've seen it happen."
"And what about me?"
"If you and Gabrielle don't get together?" She thought about it a moment, "You'd go off to the kingdom of Attica, hoping to reunite with Queen Niobe. But you'd find her totally different." Aphrodite's voice softened a little, "I know you loved her, Sweet Cheeks, but she wasn't for you. There is a lot of selfishness there. Believe me I know about selfishness!"
'I bet you do.' Iolaus almost said but somehow prevented the words from leaving his lips. "So now I know." He smiled and seemed satisfied, "All I need to do now is tell Gabrielle and we can go off and live happily ever after." he summed up. But how to tell Hercules ...
"I wish it were that easy." And she sounded genuinely apologetic, "You see, as much as I'd like for you to keep this memory of me I can't. It's in the rule book. I have to leave here and with me goes the memory of me being here -- especially since I let your destiny out of the bag."
"Then why did you come in the first place?!"
"Well, sometimes when I make an appearance a part of me stays with the person I visit. You may not know why you're thinking the things you're thinking but it will be a memory of me from me ... and maybe it'll stick with you." Aphrodite sighed and suddenly looked serious, "I know I sometimes seem a little superficial but I really like you two kids and want to see you make each other happy ..."
"I see." Iolaus had to smile, "And Gabrielle stops writing The Xena Scrolls?"
"That's a perk." She faded from sight.
****
Their third night out Xena was ready. Hercules knew the story but the retelling would still be difficult for him. He accepted what she had to say the first time they discussed it, in the house of Cyrene, huddled together in a dark corner. He was wonderful and supportive and she didn't know how he could look at her and not see her for what she was.
Gabrielle, Iolaus and Hercules sat beside the campfire, the dark woods about them acting as another audience for the tale Xena was about to impart. The night sounds were nearly non-existent -- almost as if they too sensed something momentous was going to happen.
"She was so pale and near death --" Xena began, " -- when I entered her bedroom. I knew my worse fears were confirmed. My mother was dying and there was nothing I could do. I felt as if all my years as a warrior, sacking villages - like Amphipolis - and killing off their men ... It demanded retribution. My mother -- a lonely painful death. And I never really told her I loved her as deeply as any ocean on Earth." Xena stood and paced in front of her friends. "But Cyrene wasn't quite dead. She looked up at me with her pained eyes and said ...."
((continue))
When they came out of the small house no one expected Xena to look as good as she did. She was a bit pale, marginally spindly legged and required Hercules ear whisperings to keep her informed and emotions in check. Yet, Xena's hair was combed, her black leather warrior's outfit, with light armor, was in place and her astonishing eyes were clear. She even managed an iota of a smile for Gabrielle when the girl looked at her from across Cyrene's open grave.
At the conclusion of the funeral service Xena threw a wreath of grap leaves on her mother's coffin and watched, with a calm-cool expression, as the box was lowered into the ground, then covered over by earth. The mourners, friends of Cyrene's, filtered away. Some touched Xena's back and shoulders with compassion and others spoke lowly to her, wishing her well on her future adventures.
Iolaus, who hadn't a chance to speak with Hercules since he and Xena walked from the house, gave him an inquiring glance.
Hercules took in both Gabrielle and Iolaus with a mime of 'Later.'
"Rest in peace, Cyrene." Xena said, gazing sadly at the fresh grave. "There is a place in the Elysian Fields for someone as kind, loving and loyal as you."
***
It was decided the four would travel as far as Cyberus together - where there were warlord problems. Xena was anxious to get back in action and Hercules thought it a good idea to have the woman on her feet and doing good deeds again as quickly as possible. It would be a week long jaunt that was fraught with obstacles but few real dangers. A good time to think and mend.
The first night out Xena kept to herself and when Gabrielle tried to talk with her the answers were short, but without malice. "I promise, Gabrielle, I will answer all questions but give me a few days to get it straight in my head. Hercules helped me," The Warrior Princess glanced over at the night-time campfire to where Iolaus and Hercules sat, discussing something in hushed tones. "but I still need time."
She looked so tired and confused that Gabrielle couldn't be angry with her, "All right." she said and gave her friend a brief hug.
But before the girl could move away, Xena placed fingers under her chin and smiled, "You really are my best, dearest friend, Gabrielle. I don't know what I'd do without you."
The Amazon Princess smiled and, mirroring her friend's action to such a display of affection, she gave her an 'Oh, come on' look and warmly pulled away, tossing sticks on the campfire.
"Did you hear that?" Iolaus, suddenly stood. His body was in alert status.
"What did you hear?" Gabrielle stopped in mid toss and looked in the same direction as he.
"I'm not sure. Maybe nothing but I'm going to take a look."
"Do you want me to go with you?" Hercules asked.
"No," Iolaus eyes darted from one tree to the next, "It's probably nothing. I just want to be sure."
"Yell if you need us." Xena offered, some of her dry humor returning.
"Believe me, I will." he shot back.
Gabrielle watched him move off, to be swallowed by the darkness. Iolaus hadn't really talked to her much since the morning they awoke in each other's arms. It was a little awkward but also kind of nice. Perhaps she had revealed too much. Some men were like that. It was all very intriguing while the mystery remained but the minute a girl showed interest in something on-going it was a whole different story. But she really needed to talk with him and hoped the opportunity would arise before they parted.
****
Still not completely formed, she leaned her long, smooth back on a tree trunk and allowed her arms to folded themselves over an ample and hardly outfitted bosom, "Sweet-Cheeks, over here!" she called with that lilting party-girl tone in her perpetually young voice. "Right here, cute stuff!"
He stopped short when finally seeing her, "Aphrodite!" Iolaus exhaled in relief when spotting the pink spindle of god-light followed by the appearance of the beautiful Goddess of Love, "What are you doing here?" he asked and tried not to sound too terribly displeased to see her.
"Cool it," she piped, glancing over at the camp to make sure the others hadn't heard, "I'm here on business. For you."
"Me?"
"Sure, I know there's some bad karma going on right now with the death of Cyrene and all. Xena's not in too good of shape but she'll get through it with my big bro's help ... But I'm here for YOU - " she twinkled and stood straight, proud of her cleverness, "- and that cute little girl you've been mooning over, Gabrielle."
"Aphrodite ..."
"Now, don't pretend you don't have the hots for her because I've been watching you ever since you arrived in Amphib .. Amphi.... *town*." The Goddess of Love delicately stepped over a branch and stood in front of Iolaus, laying slender hands on her perfect hips, "Well, to be honest with you, it was Cupid that pointed you two out to me ... I always figured you had a 'soul-mate' thing going with her but didn't really care until my son gave me an idea. He said, 'Just think Mom, if Gabrielle and that Iolaus dude got together then they'd settle and she'd stop writing those stories about Xena's adventures -- and everyone would go back to looking at you as the A Number One Chick-Attraction in Greece -- not that leather clad fighting machine with a breast plate.'." Aphrodite cleared her throat, "Oh, I added that last part myself."
"Was that you talking in my head last night?"
"You got it -" she tittered, "But geez, what a hard head you are! All that worry about what's right and wrong ... You keep that up and you'll never connect with that girl! I mean, it'd be a shame seeing as how you are destined to be together and ..."
"What do you mean by 'soul-mate' and 'destined'? Isn't that kind of up to Gabrielle and me?"
"You're so sweet but completely out of the loop, Sunshine!" Aphrodite huffed just slightly and rolled her eyes in a 'I guess he's going to make me explain' gesture, "You see, about twenty five percent of the human population on Earth have soul mates ..." she thought a moment, "I think it's twenty five percent -- Could be up to thirty now. I don't usually keep the books myself and ..." She noted Iolaus' impatient stare and continued, "But anyway, some people do. It has nothing to do with that weird story she told you about humans having two heads and four legs - oh yuck! - but something to do with spiritualism. I'm not real sure myself. But the bottom line is that some people are meant to be together and you and Gabrielle are one of those couples. Now, it doesn't always happen. Somewhere along the line one will marry the wrong partner --"
"Like Gabrielle marrying Perdicus?"
"Yep. If he'd lived their life together would have been torture. She'd have a kid every year and he'd demand she stay home and raise the little rug-rats and she'd argue that she needed more from life and ten years later he'd run off with some pretty tavern girl and leave her high and dry."
Iolaus was astonished, "You know that for a fact?"
She shrugged, "Nah, but I've seen it happen."
"And what about me?"
"If you and Gabrielle don't get together?" She thought about it a moment, "You'd go off to the kingdom of Attica, hoping to reunite with Queen Niobe. But you'd find her totally different." Aphrodite's voice softened a little, "I know you loved her, Sweet Cheeks, but she wasn't for you. There is a lot of selfishness there. Believe me I know about selfishness!"
'I bet you do.' Iolaus almost said but somehow prevented the words from leaving his lips. "So now I know." He smiled and seemed satisfied, "All I need to do now is tell Gabrielle and we can go off and live happily ever after." he summed up. But how to tell Hercules ...
"I wish it were that easy." And she sounded genuinely apologetic, "You see, as much as I'd like for you to keep this memory of me I can't. It's in the rule book. I have to leave here and with me goes the memory of me being here -- especially since I let your destiny out of the bag."
"Then why did you come in the first place?!"
"Well, sometimes when I make an appearance a part of me stays with the person I visit. You may not know why you're thinking the things you're thinking but it will be a memory of me from me ... and maybe it'll stick with you." Aphrodite sighed and suddenly looked serious, "I know I sometimes seem a little superficial but I really like you two kids and want to see you make each other happy ..."
"I see." Iolaus had to smile, "And Gabrielle stops writing The Xena Scrolls?"
"That's a perk." She faded from sight.
****
Their third night out Xena was ready. Hercules knew the story but the retelling would still be difficult for him. He accepted what she had to say the first time they discussed it, in the house of Cyrene, huddled together in a dark corner. He was wonderful and supportive and she didn't know how he could look at her and not see her for what she was.
Gabrielle, Iolaus and Hercules sat beside the campfire, the dark woods about them acting as another audience for the tale Xena was about to impart. The night sounds were nearly non-existent -- almost as if they too sensed something momentous was going to happen.
"She was so pale and near death --" Xena began, " -- when I entered her bedroom. I knew my worse fears were confirmed. My mother was dying and there was nothing I could do. I felt as if all my years as a warrior, sacking villages - like Amphipolis - and killing off their men ... It demanded retribution. My mother -- a lonely painful death. And I never really told her I loved her as deeply as any ocean on Earth." Xena stood and paced in front of her friends. "But Cyrene wasn't quite dead. She looked up at me with her pained eyes and said ...."
((continue))
