The woods thinned out and Gabrielle gasped at her first sight of Thalassa.
The town spread out below her, the unique whitewashed buildings shimmering
like a thousand diamonds on a beach. The seaside community spread out along
the deep blue sea. The water was such an intense shade of blue Gabrielle
knew she could never describe its color correctly, not even if she used a
hundred scrolls. Her heart beat with excitement and she felt like a little
girl going to the harvest festival. Her grip on Ares' arm tightened as he
led her down the steep curving path towards the town.
Unlike all the other towns she had visited in the past, Thalassa had its own way to build homes. Instead of the regular straw roofs and wooden walls, Thalassians used clay as the main building ingredient. After they built the frame from thick wooden beams, they put up the clay walls. The result was beautiful homes that were cool inside during the hot days. Most homes, Gabrielle noticed, had flat roofs, but some large structures had rounded domes that were painted a blue just as brilliant as the nearby sea. These were probably the temples and other public buildings. Little did Gabrielle realize that this type of building would spread across Greece and become the norm.
"It's all so beautiful!" Gabrielle said as she admired the white winged ships gliding across the blue sea. A wooden street ran along the ocean and up ahead she saw a wide sandy beach. Past the beach wooden piers jutted out into the water, with several ships bobbing next to them. Seagulls swooped through the sky overhead, their loud cries ringing out. The land here was shaped like a huge U and in the distance the dark green fertile hills of Greece rose above the white buildings. "I never saw a place like this. It makes Athens look like a slum!"
"This isn't Xena's type of place." Ares explained as he led her towards an outside cafe. They climbed the steps and Ares pulled out a chair for Gabrielle. After she was seated, he sat down across from her. The cafe was as different from the eating places Xena favored as night from day. For one, they had round wooden tables placed outside the restaurant. Like the cafe itself, the tables were a snowy white and as clean as a freshly washed plate. Not a speck of dirt marred the white surface. The tables were placed on a type of long verandah, with each table having its own spectacular seaside view. A fancy cast iron railing lined the edge of the verandah, the spokes twirled around into decorative shapes. But the thing that impressed Gabrielle the most were the colorful umbrellas, bright orange, blue and yellow, that jutted out from the center of each table providing shade for the diners. Their table sported an orange one. She noted they were made from carefully cut pieces of wood. "It's too classy for her. She likes rough and tumble places, were lowlifes and brawls are common. This is an artisan town mostly. Creative people with fresh ideas live here and it's popular with tourists, too."
Gabrielle glanced down over the railing and saw Xena standing below. The Warrior Princess had a scowl on her face and was staring right at them. She was sure Xena was going to storm up onto the porch to join them, but then Xena leaped onto Argo and raced down the boardwalk. Argo's hooves pounded like drums on the wooden boards and several people had to scurry out of his way.
"I thought she would never go." Gabrielle commented as she turned to face Ares. "She doesn't trust us to be alone together and thinks I need to be watched every minute!"
Ares laughed, his dark eyes sparkling. "She'll get over it. Xena wants everything to be about her. That's how she thinks."
A waiter came to their table and handed them each a menu scroll. When she unrolled hers, Gabrielle was shocked by the prices. They were astronomical! But Ares only laughed again, telling her to order anything she desired. He was, after all, a God! Relaxing, Gabrielle decided to enjoy her lunch with Ares and ignore the prices. For she was sure Xena would quickly be back to spy on them, perhaps even before they finished eating.
*******
Xena had galloped off because a familiar shape on one of the piers had caught her eye. She knew it was risky to leave Gabrielle alone with that pig, but what choice did she have? Talking to her friend hadn't done any good, so she needed a new plan. And if she saw who she thinks she did, then the answer was within reach. Reaching the pier in record time, she reigned in Argo and leaped off. "Hercules!"
The big man in the yellow tunic turned around and smiled at her. His blue eyes lit up and a cool breeze ruffled his shoulder length brown hair. "Xena! What a surprise! What are you doing here?"
"You got to help me!" Xena said quickly, ignoring the small talk. "Gabrielle's in trouble and I don't know what to do. She refuses to listen to me!"
"Well, you know I'll help you any way I can." Hercules told her, a more serious expression on his face. His big hands clenched into fists, as if he was preparing for the trouble ahead. "What kind of trouble is she in?"
"Hey! What's up?" Iolaus said as he joined the two on the pier. He held some kind of wrapped sandwich in his hand, a thing Xena had never seen before. Her sharp eyes noticed it wasn't made from bread but a thin ... something. Iolaus waved the thing under Xena's nose. "You want some? It's good!"
"Gabrielle is in trouble." Hercules informed his best friend as he elbowed Iolaus in the ribs. "Pay attention!"
"Gabrielle is on a date with Ares." Xena blurted out. "She thinks she loves him!"
"Ares?" Iolaus asked, his eyes growing wide. "You mean Ares Ares? As in the God of War Ares? That Ares?"
"Yes, that Ares!" Xena fumed, giving Iolaus a dirty look. "They're over there by that cafe with the colored umbrellas. I just hope they're still there, that he didn't pop off with her somewhere. I got to hurry back there so I can keep an eye on them."
"Did he kidnap her?" Hercules asked.
"No, she was hanging on his arm and looking at him like a love sick puppy!" Xena stared down the beach toward the now hated cafe. She shifted from foot to foot, her fingers playing with the chakrom on her belt. "Ares showed up in the middle of the night and confessed his undying love for Gabrielle. She fell for it. Now I got to save her from his evil clutches before he takes her to his love nest and breaks her heart."
"Whoa, that sounds serious!" Iolaus gazed at Xena. "I'll help anyway I can! Ares tried to kill me and Herc lots of times, but this is a new low even for him!"
"Xena," Hercules started, one hand resting on her bare shoulder. "I'm not sure what we can do. You said yourself he didn't kidnap her, that she went with him of her own free will. Gabrielle is an adult. She can make her own choices. You know how I feel about Ares, but I'm not sure what I can do in a situation like this."
"Ask her out on a date." Xena blurted as she started back towards Argo. The clock inside her head was ticking. She hadn't spent very much time away from Gabrielle, but with Ares every minute counted. "Ask her to marry you."
"What?" Hercules cried, shocked. "Xena, Gabrielle is my friend! I don't feel that way about her and I'm pretty sure she shares the feeling."
"Well, I don't care. We have to break those two up before it's too late!" Xena jumped onto Argo and gripped the reigns. "Thing is Gabrielle apparently wants a husband and children, a home. That's what Ares is preying on. He'll persuade her to do things she shouldn't and then leave her. I can't let that happen."
"I'll talk to her, Xena." Hercules said as he stepped off the pier onto the boardwalk. "But I can't promise anything."
"I'll help, too!" Iolaus cried as Xena galloped off down the boardwalk back in the direction she had came from. The curly haired hunter looked at Hercules. "Boy, when it rains in really pours!"
Together, they started to hurry down the beach towards the cafe.
************
Gabrielle licked the last traces of the sweet brown sugar from her fingers. The cafe, without question, served the best baklava in all Greece! Everything had tasted so good, from the fresh tropical fruit cut into cubes and served inside a cantaloupe half to the expertly grilled swordfish. Now she held hands with Ares as they strolled along the boardwalk. Her eyes searched the surrounding area but she didn't see Xena anywhere, which surprised her. But knowing her friend, she was without a doubt trailing them and watching every second! Xena would be lurking in shadows and scoping out the situation, acting like this was some battle! But it wasn't a battle. It was a date!
The idea of her best friend spying on her made her mad. Didn't Xena trust her at all?
Gabrielle once again played with the idea of Xena being jealous. Xena was always saying what a rat Ares was, how crooked and deceitful. But could Xena really be in love with him and just saying all that stuff, never expecting Ares to fall in love with her so called sidekick? And wasn't that a demeaning word, too? Sidekick? It was like an afterthought. Why, Xena only kept her around to cook and clean the dishes! It was becoming too clear that Xena didn't really respect her. Worse, she loved Ares but treated him like dirt, no, worse than dirt! She didn't want him but wouldn't let anyone else have him, either!
Gabrielle glanced at Ares as they strolled along, the sea breeze ruffling their hair. His hair was so thick and midnight black, the thick waves falling to his shoulders. And look how the sunlight glinted off his silver earring. His arm muscles bulged, reminding her how incredibly strong he was. He was so strong, yet last night he had held her so carefully: tight but not tight enough to harm her. A grin spread across her face as she remembered how wonderful it had felt. Utterly delicious! She rested her head against his shoulder, not caring if Xena was watching. This was her date and she was going to enjoy herself! Ares smiled back at her and a thrill raced through her.
He really loved her!
Then two approaching figures caught her eye and her smile faded. It was Hercules and Iolaus! Normally Gabrielle would have been glad to see her two friends, but she knew Ares hated Hercules. Or that's what Herc had always told her. The last thing she wanted was for a fight to break out! A frown marred her face as another, even more sinister thought occurred to her.
"That darn Xena!" Gabrielle stopped where she was, staring at Hercules and Iolaus. They were closer now and quickly gaining ground but still far enough away that they couldn't hear her words. She turned to Ares, her hands clinging to his arm. She could see his eyes, which were normally a deep brown had darkened to black. They stared unblinking at his half- brother. "She sent Hercules to scare you away! Whatever you do, don't let him goad you into a fight! You have to outsmart them. They are doing everything they can to break us up."
Ares shifted his gaze onto Gabrielle. "You know how I feel about Hercules. He's always bugging me, saying he is better than me. He steals from my temple and then acts like he can do no wrong. Other times he snubs me, like I'm dirt under his boots."
Gabrielle sighed. Dating Ares was going to be more complicated then she thought. Unless she could get Hercules on her side? Smiling, she patted Ares on his arm. "You let me talk to Hercules! I know just what to say."
Unlike all the other towns she had visited in the past, Thalassa had its own way to build homes. Instead of the regular straw roofs and wooden walls, Thalassians used clay as the main building ingredient. After they built the frame from thick wooden beams, they put up the clay walls. The result was beautiful homes that were cool inside during the hot days. Most homes, Gabrielle noticed, had flat roofs, but some large structures had rounded domes that were painted a blue just as brilliant as the nearby sea. These were probably the temples and other public buildings. Little did Gabrielle realize that this type of building would spread across Greece and become the norm.
"It's all so beautiful!" Gabrielle said as she admired the white winged ships gliding across the blue sea. A wooden street ran along the ocean and up ahead she saw a wide sandy beach. Past the beach wooden piers jutted out into the water, with several ships bobbing next to them. Seagulls swooped through the sky overhead, their loud cries ringing out. The land here was shaped like a huge U and in the distance the dark green fertile hills of Greece rose above the white buildings. "I never saw a place like this. It makes Athens look like a slum!"
"This isn't Xena's type of place." Ares explained as he led her towards an outside cafe. They climbed the steps and Ares pulled out a chair for Gabrielle. After she was seated, he sat down across from her. The cafe was as different from the eating places Xena favored as night from day. For one, they had round wooden tables placed outside the restaurant. Like the cafe itself, the tables were a snowy white and as clean as a freshly washed plate. Not a speck of dirt marred the white surface. The tables were placed on a type of long verandah, with each table having its own spectacular seaside view. A fancy cast iron railing lined the edge of the verandah, the spokes twirled around into decorative shapes. But the thing that impressed Gabrielle the most were the colorful umbrellas, bright orange, blue and yellow, that jutted out from the center of each table providing shade for the diners. Their table sported an orange one. She noted they were made from carefully cut pieces of wood. "It's too classy for her. She likes rough and tumble places, were lowlifes and brawls are common. This is an artisan town mostly. Creative people with fresh ideas live here and it's popular with tourists, too."
Gabrielle glanced down over the railing and saw Xena standing below. The Warrior Princess had a scowl on her face and was staring right at them. She was sure Xena was going to storm up onto the porch to join them, but then Xena leaped onto Argo and raced down the boardwalk. Argo's hooves pounded like drums on the wooden boards and several people had to scurry out of his way.
"I thought she would never go." Gabrielle commented as she turned to face Ares. "She doesn't trust us to be alone together and thinks I need to be watched every minute!"
Ares laughed, his dark eyes sparkling. "She'll get over it. Xena wants everything to be about her. That's how she thinks."
A waiter came to their table and handed them each a menu scroll. When she unrolled hers, Gabrielle was shocked by the prices. They were astronomical! But Ares only laughed again, telling her to order anything she desired. He was, after all, a God! Relaxing, Gabrielle decided to enjoy her lunch with Ares and ignore the prices. For she was sure Xena would quickly be back to spy on them, perhaps even before they finished eating.
*******
Xena had galloped off because a familiar shape on one of the piers had caught her eye. She knew it was risky to leave Gabrielle alone with that pig, but what choice did she have? Talking to her friend hadn't done any good, so she needed a new plan. And if she saw who she thinks she did, then the answer was within reach. Reaching the pier in record time, she reigned in Argo and leaped off. "Hercules!"
The big man in the yellow tunic turned around and smiled at her. His blue eyes lit up and a cool breeze ruffled his shoulder length brown hair. "Xena! What a surprise! What are you doing here?"
"You got to help me!" Xena said quickly, ignoring the small talk. "Gabrielle's in trouble and I don't know what to do. She refuses to listen to me!"
"Well, you know I'll help you any way I can." Hercules told her, a more serious expression on his face. His big hands clenched into fists, as if he was preparing for the trouble ahead. "What kind of trouble is she in?"
"Hey! What's up?" Iolaus said as he joined the two on the pier. He held some kind of wrapped sandwich in his hand, a thing Xena had never seen before. Her sharp eyes noticed it wasn't made from bread but a thin ... something. Iolaus waved the thing under Xena's nose. "You want some? It's good!"
"Gabrielle is in trouble." Hercules informed his best friend as he elbowed Iolaus in the ribs. "Pay attention!"
"Gabrielle is on a date with Ares." Xena blurted out. "She thinks she loves him!"
"Ares?" Iolaus asked, his eyes growing wide. "You mean Ares Ares? As in the God of War Ares? That Ares?"
"Yes, that Ares!" Xena fumed, giving Iolaus a dirty look. "They're over there by that cafe with the colored umbrellas. I just hope they're still there, that he didn't pop off with her somewhere. I got to hurry back there so I can keep an eye on them."
"Did he kidnap her?" Hercules asked.
"No, she was hanging on his arm and looking at him like a love sick puppy!" Xena stared down the beach toward the now hated cafe. She shifted from foot to foot, her fingers playing with the chakrom on her belt. "Ares showed up in the middle of the night and confessed his undying love for Gabrielle. She fell for it. Now I got to save her from his evil clutches before he takes her to his love nest and breaks her heart."
"Whoa, that sounds serious!" Iolaus gazed at Xena. "I'll help anyway I can! Ares tried to kill me and Herc lots of times, but this is a new low even for him!"
"Xena," Hercules started, one hand resting on her bare shoulder. "I'm not sure what we can do. You said yourself he didn't kidnap her, that she went with him of her own free will. Gabrielle is an adult. She can make her own choices. You know how I feel about Ares, but I'm not sure what I can do in a situation like this."
"Ask her out on a date." Xena blurted as she started back towards Argo. The clock inside her head was ticking. She hadn't spent very much time away from Gabrielle, but with Ares every minute counted. "Ask her to marry you."
"What?" Hercules cried, shocked. "Xena, Gabrielle is my friend! I don't feel that way about her and I'm pretty sure she shares the feeling."
"Well, I don't care. We have to break those two up before it's too late!" Xena jumped onto Argo and gripped the reigns. "Thing is Gabrielle apparently wants a husband and children, a home. That's what Ares is preying on. He'll persuade her to do things she shouldn't and then leave her. I can't let that happen."
"I'll talk to her, Xena." Hercules said as he stepped off the pier onto the boardwalk. "But I can't promise anything."
"I'll help, too!" Iolaus cried as Xena galloped off down the boardwalk back in the direction she had came from. The curly haired hunter looked at Hercules. "Boy, when it rains in really pours!"
Together, they started to hurry down the beach towards the cafe.
************
Gabrielle licked the last traces of the sweet brown sugar from her fingers. The cafe, without question, served the best baklava in all Greece! Everything had tasted so good, from the fresh tropical fruit cut into cubes and served inside a cantaloupe half to the expertly grilled swordfish. Now she held hands with Ares as they strolled along the boardwalk. Her eyes searched the surrounding area but she didn't see Xena anywhere, which surprised her. But knowing her friend, she was without a doubt trailing them and watching every second! Xena would be lurking in shadows and scoping out the situation, acting like this was some battle! But it wasn't a battle. It was a date!
The idea of her best friend spying on her made her mad. Didn't Xena trust her at all?
Gabrielle once again played with the idea of Xena being jealous. Xena was always saying what a rat Ares was, how crooked and deceitful. But could Xena really be in love with him and just saying all that stuff, never expecting Ares to fall in love with her so called sidekick? And wasn't that a demeaning word, too? Sidekick? It was like an afterthought. Why, Xena only kept her around to cook and clean the dishes! It was becoming too clear that Xena didn't really respect her. Worse, she loved Ares but treated him like dirt, no, worse than dirt! She didn't want him but wouldn't let anyone else have him, either!
Gabrielle glanced at Ares as they strolled along, the sea breeze ruffling their hair. His hair was so thick and midnight black, the thick waves falling to his shoulders. And look how the sunlight glinted off his silver earring. His arm muscles bulged, reminding her how incredibly strong he was. He was so strong, yet last night he had held her so carefully: tight but not tight enough to harm her. A grin spread across her face as she remembered how wonderful it had felt. Utterly delicious! She rested her head against his shoulder, not caring if Xena was watching. This was her date and she was going to enjoy herself! Ares smiled back at her and a thrill raced through her.
He really loved her!
Then two approaching figures caught her eye and her smile faded. It was Hercules and Iolaus! Normally Gabrielle would have been glad to see her two friends, but she knew Ares hated Hercules. Or that's what Herc had always told her. The last thing she wanted was for a fight to break out! A frown marred her face as another, even more sinister thought occurred to her.
"That darn Xena!" Gabrielle stopped where she was, staring at Hercules and Iolaus. They were closer now and quickly gaining ground but still far enough away that they couldn't hear her words. She turned to Ares, her hands clinging to his arm. She could see his eyes, which were normally a deep brown had darkened to black. They stared unblinking at his half- brother. "She sent Hercules to scare you away! Whatever you do, don't let him goad you into a fight! You have to outsmart them. They are doing everything they can to break us up."
Ares shifted his gaze onto Gabrielle. "You know how I feel about Hercules. He's always bugging me, saying he is better than me. He steals from my temple and then acts like he can do no wrong. Other times he snubs me, like I'm dirt under his boots."
Gabrielle sighed. Dating Ares was going to be more complicated then she thought. Unless she could get Hercules on her side? Smiling, she patted Ares on his arm. "You let me talk to Hercules! I know just what to say."