"Hello Gabrielle. Ares." Hercules said. The big hero wished that Xena
hadn't stuck him in the middle of this situation. For one, he didn't get
along with his Godly half-brother. Second, he didn't want to interfere in
someone else's relationship. And from what he had seen, Gabrielle really
liked Ares. He'd even seen her resting her head on Ares' shoulder. Nor did
Hercules miss how she frowned when she spotted him and Iolaus heading their
way. No doubt she was worried a fight would break out between the brothers.
"I didn't see you for a while, Gabrielle. How are things going?"
"We're on our first date." Gabrielle held onto Ares' arm, hoping that would restrain him from punching Hercules. It also showed her two friends how they felt about each other.
"Um, yeah. Xena told me about that." Hercules admitted. He stared at his half-brother. "Xena mentioned a few concerns she had."
"Hercules," Gabrielle blurted, still holding onto Ares' arm. "You have to do something about Xena! She's treating me like a child! How can we go on a date if she's constantly spying and following us everywhere? I think she's taking this a tad too far."
"She's concerned about you." Hercules told her. "And I'm concerned, too, but for a different reason. You have to remember that he's a God and not just any God but the God of War. Gods see things a lot different from mortals do. For one, he's not going to age. If Ares is really serious, if you're really serious, you'll probably have to become a Goddess. That's something you should think about very seriously. Then there's his parents. Xena mentioned something about marriage. If that's true, you'll have the King and Queen of the Gods for your in-laws."
"Whoa, that's right!" Iolaus said, his eyes getting huge. "Boy, I can just guess what kind of Mother-in-law Hera would make, being on the warpath all the time. But I don't understand why you'd want to date Ares. I mean, it's Ares!"
Ares snarled at Iolaus, raising his hand. Light began to appear in his hand. "Why you little..."
"Ares, don't!" Gabrielle cried as she jumped in front of the angry God and tried to yank his hand down. "He's my friend. They both are. And I won't allow you to be tossing fireballs at them! They're just surprised, that's all."
"See? That's what I mean!" Iolaus shook his head, a worried expression on his face as he watched the bard try to control Ares. "He's been trying to kill me and Herc since we were teenagers! You can't trust him, Gabrielle. You'll only end up getting hurt. What if he gets angry at you? Who's going to stop him? He could kill you!"
"If I wanted to kill you, you'd been dead years ago." Ares lowered his arm, the energy being absorbed back into his leather clad body. "And you both know that. Admit it, Hercules. You enjoyed our battles. You liked the fact that a God came down from Olympus just to see you, even if it was only to beat you up. It made you feel special. That's why you think you're such a hot shot."
"I don't think I'm a hot shot!" Hercules insisted, spreading his arms out. "Where do you get these demented ideas? Look Gabrielle, I'm really worried about you dating Ares. He lies, he kills people, starts wars, he hangs out with Strife and Discord. I mean, what do you see in him? Why him and not some other guy?"
"Because I like Ares." Gabrielle explained, standing between Ares and the other two men.
Iolaus rolled his eyes. "Oh, that explains it. Tall, dark and deadly!"
Gabrielle walked up to Hercules, her head tilted back to see his face. "Have you ever tried to talk to Ares instead of fighting with him? He's your brother, Hercules! You give everyone else a chance, why not him? You know Xena has a dark past. You helped her change. You saw her transformation from evil to good. She had slaughtered thousands! Thousands! And yet you forgave her. Why can't you forgive him? It's his job, Hercules. Someone has to be the God of War. Without one, everyone will fight and kill each other. You know that. And I've never seen Ares kill anyone. Oh, I'm sure he has. I'm not saying he's totally innocent. But Ares has never hurt me and I'd like to get to know him better. But I won't get the chance if everyone keeps interfering!"
"You know, Little Brother. I do have feelings, even if you and your little buddy think I don't." Ares stared at Hercules. "And I don't appreciate the wisecracks you two are always making about me."
"All Xena ever does is insult him." Gabrielle said quietly, her head hanging down. "It's not fair. And all he wants to do is talk to her and she doesn't listen at all. According to Xena, everything he says is a lie and a scheme to get her back. Even when it's not."
Hercules was quite for a long time as he rubbed his chin with his hand. His blue eyes darted around the area, looking in corners and out to sea. His gaze seemed to settle on something. "You see it?"
"Yeah, I see it." Ares replied, his dark eyes settling in the same spot as his brother's.
"What is it?" Gabrielle asked, one hand on Hercules' upper arm. She moved a bit closer to the big Demigod. Following their gaze, all she saw was the boardwalk, the white sandy beach, a few empty piers and the sea. "Is something out there? I don't see anything."
"I don't see anything, either." Iolaus admitted, his eyes scanning the entire area. "Except the water."
"We're being watched. Over there by that first pier. See the dark head?" Hercules nodded in the general direction the pier in question. Turning to Gabrielle, he put a hand on her shoulder. "I can see that Xena is being a bit ... overzealous."
"You mean that's Xena over there?" Iolaus asked, staring towards the pier. "That's kind of, I don't know, weird. Or something."
"OK, I'll try to do something about Xena." Hercules sighed. "But I'd appreciate some suggestions as to what. It looks like she already made up her mind about this and is dead set against it. I'm not sure what I can do."
Iolaus turned to his best friend, surprise on his face. "You're not going to let her date him, are you?"
"Iolaus, she's an adult. She wants to date him." Hercules explained. "I told Xena that I'd talk to her and I did. I pointed out the differences between Gods and mortals, now the decision is theirs. And Gabrielle made a good point. Constantly fighting with Ares hasn't gotten us anywhere, so maybe it's time we gave him a chance. And who knows, maybe she's exactly what he needs!"
"Whoa..." Iolaus muttered to himself. Then a big grin spread across his face. Then he boldly went up to Ares and patted him hard on his back. "Take good care of her, but watch out for that staff."
"And she talks in her sleep." Hercules added, grinning. Then his smile faded. "But I still don't know what to do about Xena."
"Ask her out on a date!" Gabrielle suggested.
********
Up on Mount Olympus, Hera frowned. She sat on her golden throne, her eyes locked to the enchanted scrying mirror. The mirror showed the Warrior Princess hiding partly under the peer, only her blue eyes and hair visible. "That floozy will ruin everything! Why must she insist on sticking her nose where it doesn't belong?"
Oh, she knew her son could instantly teleport Gabrielle elsewhere, thus getting Xena out of their hair. But he wouldn't. Well, not yet anyway. And if he did, Xena and her friends would just make a bigger stink. They would say Ares kidnapped the blonde bard. So what to do, before her son's lovelife went back to being nonexistent?
Rising gracefully, Hera strolled out onto her balcony. Just below, her prize peacocks sunned themselves among her blooming flowers. She didn't know why she loved the birds so much. It certainly wasn't for their song. No, it was the iridescent feathers and brilliant colors. Odd how so much beauty could strike fear into a few select hearts. And now the birds reminded her of all the evil she had done in the past. How many times had she dropped a peacock feather down to the mortal world? How many mortals had lost their lives or ones they loved?
"How easy it would be to pluck a feather!" Hera said aloud, watching her birds. The birds themselves were innocent, living their immortal life in the protection of her ever-blooming garden. They didn't know the destruction their bright plumage caused. "Oh, but I mustn't!"
Hera's hands gripped the cool stone railing. Her knuckles grew white and her face paled. Her immortal heart beat like a drum in her ears. "It could just be a distraction. No need for anyone to get hurt. A simple distraction just to keep Xena busy, her mind on something else."
Time passed and Hera didn't move.
"Surely that would be OK, wouldn't it? It's not like I'm going back to my old ways. That evil person is gone forever. I'm a good person now. I only want my son to be happy. But the floozy won't let them have a chance."
Taking a deep breath, Hera turned around and hurried back inside. She closed the balcony doors, then locked them. Walking through her Queen's Audience Chamber, he entered the corridor. Several minutes later she reached her private quarters, the rooms she shared with her beloved husband. Zeus was not there. Sitting down, she decided to work on her loom. There was a tapestry to finish. It kept her mind and hands busy. Threading the colored silk through the other threads, an image began to take shape.
"Ares can handle the problem." She reassured herself. "I must not think of the feathers or the floozy. It is too tempting. Some mortal may get hurt."
************
"I hope I did the right thing." Hercules said as he headed towards Xena's hiding spot. "If Gabrielle gets hurt I may never forgive myself. Did I do the right thing Iolaus?"
"I don't know, Herc." Iolaus had to take two steps for every step Hercules took. "I wish I did, but I don't know. I just can't imagine Gabrielle liking someone like Ares! He's just so ... slimy!"
"But why would he be interested in Gabrielle?" Hercules asked himself. "Besides the reason Xena gave. Could he really be in love with her?"
"Do you think another God is involved? Like maybe Aphrodite or Cupid?" Iolaus asked, his dark vest practically flying behind him as he kept pace with the big hero. "They have been known to interfere, maybe they think it's a big joke on Ares!"
"That's a possibility." Hercules admitted as they reached the pier. He strolled right up to Xena and stopped. "I know you're there, Xena! Come on out."
"Well, did you ask her?" Xena popped out and climbed onto the pier. Every part of her dripped salty water except her head. "What did she say?"
"No, I didn't propose marriage or ask her on a date!" Hercules stood with his boots firmly planted on the wooden deck, his arms spread and ready for anything Xena did. "I did have a talk with her as you asked and told her to be careful."
"What? Is that all you did?" Xena frowned, her blue eyes narrowing. 'I told you this was a serious problem! We need to save her!"
"But she says she doesn't need saving." Hercules informed Xena. "Xena, are you sure you're feeling all right? Spying on them from under a pier is going a bit far, don't you think?"
"But they need to be watched!" Xena cried.
"And their both adults. What they choose to do with each other is their own business. You know that." Hercules moved closer to Xena, placing a big hand on her wet shoulder. "I know you're worried about loosing Gabrielle to Ares. She helped you through some very tough times. But did it ever occur to you she could help Ares now? Maybe what he really needs is a true friend. Someone to stick up for him and to talk to, someone who won't insult him with every breath and knock his teeth out. I know I never was a brother to him. Me and Ares got off on the wrong foot a long time ago, when I stole from his treasure cave just to prove I could. And I'm regretting that now. Ares might have been a different person if I had cared enough to befriend him all those years ago. But I didn't. It was too much fun moping the floor with him."
"Ares will never change! You're wasting your breath." Xena snarled, her blue eyes freezing Hercules to the core. Her war cry ringing out, Xena leaped over Hercules with a somersault and landed easily on her feet. "Some friend you are!"
"Xena! I'm not going to beat Ares up when he didn't even do anything yet!" Hercules said, reaching out and gripping her shoulder from behind. Xena spun around as fast as lightning, a dagger pointing at his face. "Xena, what are you doing?"
"You let me go or you'll be sorry." The Warrior Princess warned him. "I'll find some other way to solve this problem, without your help."
Hercules let her go and watched her slowly walk away.
No one noticed the peacock feather that had landed in the water behind them. A moment later the once calm sea began to bubble.
"We're on our first date." Gabrielle held onto Ares' arm, hoping that would restrain him from punching Hercules. It also showed her two friends how they felt about each other.
"Um, yeah. Xena told me about that." Hercules admitted. He stared at his half-brother. "Xena mentioned a few concerns she had."
"Hercules," Gabrielle blurted, still holding onto Ares' arm. "You have to do something about Xena! She's treating me like a child! How can we go on a date if she's constantly spying and following us everywhere? I think she's taking this a tad too far."
"She's concerned about you." Hercules told her. "And I'm concerned, too, but for a different reason. You have to remember that he's a God and not just any God but the God of War. Gods see things a lot different from mortals do. For one, he's not going to age. If Ares is really serious, if you're really serious, you'll probably have to become a Goddess. That's something you should think about very seriously. Then there's his parents. Xena mentioned something about marriage. If that's true, you'll have the King and Queen of the Gods for your in-laws."
"Whoa, that's right!" Iolaus said, his eyes getting huge. "Boy, I can just guess what kind of Mother-in-law Hera would make, being on the warpath all the time. But I don't understand why you'd want to date Ares. I mean, it's Ares!"
Ares snarled at Iolaus, raising his hand. Light began to appear in his hand. "Why you little..."
"Ares, don't!" Gabrielle cried as she jumped in front of the angry God and tried to yank his hand down. "He's my friend. They both are. And I won't allow you to be tossing fireballs at them! They're just surprised, that's all."
"See? That's what I mean!" Iolaus shook his head, a worried expression on his face as he watched the bard try to control Ares. "He's been trying to kill me and Herc since we were teenagers! You can't trust him, Gabrielle. You'll only end up getting hurt. What if he gets angry at you? Who's going to stop him? He could kill you!"
"If I wanted to kill you, you'd been dead years ago." Ares lowered his arm, the energy being absorbed back into his leather clad body. "And you both know that. Admit it, Hercules. You enjoyed our battles. You liked the fact that a God came down from Olympus just to see you, even if it was only to beat you up. It made you feel special. That's why you think you're such a hot shot."
"I don't think I'm a hot shot!" Hercules insisted, spreading his arms out. "Where do you get these demented ideas? Look Gabrielle, I'm really worried about you dating Ares. He lies, he kills people, starts wars, he hangs out with Strife and Discord. I mean, what do you see in him? Why him and not some other guy?"
"Because I like Ares." Gabrielle explained, standing between Ares and the other two men.
Iolaus rolled his eyes. "Oh, that explains it. Tall, dark and deadly!"
Gabrielle walked up to Hercules, her head tilted back to see his face. "Have you ever tried to talk to Ares instead of fighting with him? He's your brother, Hercules! You give everyone else a chance, why not him? You know Xena has a dark past. You helped her change. You saw her transformation from evil to good. She had slaughtered thousands! Thousands! And yet you forgave her. Why can't you forgive him? It's his job, Hercules. Someone has to be the God of War. Without one, everyone will fight and kill each other. You know that. And I've never seen Ares kill anyone. Oh, I'm sure he has. I'm not saying he's totally innocent. But Ares has never hurt me and I'd like to get to know him better. But I won't get the chance if everyone keeps interfering!"
"You know, Little Brother. I do have feelings, even if you and your little buddy think I don't." Ares stared at Hercules. "And I don't appreciate the wisecracks you two are always making about me."
"All Xena ever does is insult him." Gabrielle said quietly, her head hanging down. "It's not fair. And all he wants to do is talk to her and she doesn't listen at all. According to Xena, everything he says is a lie and a scheme to get her back. Even when it's not."
Hercules was quite for a long time as he rubbed his chin with his hand. His blue eyes darted around the area, looking in corners and out to sea. His gaze seemed to settle on something. "You see it?"
"Yeah, I see it." Ares replied, his dark eyes settling in the same spot as his brother's.
"What is it?" Gabrielle asked, one hand on Hercules' upper arm. She moved a bit closer to the big Demigod. Following their gaze, all she saw was the boardwalk, the white sandy beach, a few empty piers and the sea. "Is something out there? I don't see anything."
"I don't see anything, either." Iolaus admitted, his eyes scanning the entire area. "Except the water."
"We're being watched. Over there by that first pier. See the dark head?" Hercules nodded in the general direction the pier in question. Turning to Gabrielle, he put a hand on her shoulder. "I can see that Xena is being a bit ... overzealous."
"You mean that's Xena over there?" Iolaus asked, staring towards the pier. "That's kind of, I don't know, weird. Or something."
"OK, I'll try to do something about Xena." Hercules sighed. "But I'd appreciate some suggestions as to what. It looks like she already made up her mind about this and is dead set against it. I'm not sure what I can do."
Iolaus turned to his best friend, surprise on his face. "You're not going to let her date him, are you?"
"Iolaus, she's an adult. She wants to date him." Hercules explained. "I told Xena that I'd talk to her and I did. I pointed out the differences between Gods and mortals, now the decision is theirs. And Gabrielle made a good point. Constantly fighting with Ares hasn't gotten us anywhere, so maybe it's time we gave him a chance. And who knows, maybe she's exactly what he needs!"
"Whoa..." Iolaus muttered to himself. Then a big grin spread across his face. Then he boldly went up to Ares and patted him hard on his back. "Take good care of her, but watch out for that staff."
"And she talks in her sleep." Hercules added, grinning. Then his smile faded. "But I still don't know what to do about Xena."
"Ask her out on a date!" Gabrielle suggested.
********
Up on Mount Olympus, Hera frowned. She sat on her golden throne, her eyes locked to the enchanted scrying mirror. The mirror showed the Warrior Princess hiding partly under the peer, only her blue eyes and hair visible. "That floozy will ruin everything! Why must she insist on sticking her nose where it doesn't belong?"
Oh, she knew her son could instantly teleport Gabrielle elsewhere, thus getting Xena out of their hair. But he wouldn't. Well, not yet anyway. And if he did, Xena and her friends would just make a bigger stink. They would say Ares kidnapped the blonde bard. So what to do, before her son's lovelife went back to being nonexistent?
Rising gracefully, Hera strolled out onto her balcony. Just below, her prize peacocks sunned themselves among her blooming flowers. She didn't know why she loved the birds so much. It certainly wasn't for their song. No, it was the iridescent feathers and brilliant colors. Odd how so much beauty could strike fear into a few select hearts. And now the birds reminded her of all the evil she had done in the past. How many times had she dropped a peacock feather down to the mortal world? How many mortals had lost their lives or ones they loved?
"How easy it would be to pluck a feather!" Hera said aloud, watching her birds. The birds themselves were innocent, living their immortal life in the protection of her ever-blooming garden. They didn't know the destruction their bright plumage caused. "Oh, but I mustn't!"
Hera's hands gripped the cool stone railing. Her knuckles grew white and her face paled. Her immortal heart beat like a drum in her ears. "It could just be a distraction. No need for anyone to get hurt. A simple distraction just to keep Xena busy, her mind on something else."
Time passed and Hera didn't move.
"Surely that would be OK, wouldn't it? It's not like I'm going back to my old ways. That evil person is gone forever. I'm a good person now. I only want my son to be happy. But the floozy won't let them have a chance."
Taking a deep breath, Hera turned around and hurried back inside. She closed the balcony doors, then locked them. Walking through her Queen's Audience Chamber, he entered the corridor. Several minutes later she reached her private quarters, the rooms she shared with her beloved husband. Zeus was not there. Sitting down, she decided to work on her loom. There was a tapestry to finish. It kept her mind and hands busy. Threading the colored silk through the other threads, an image began to take shape.
"Ares can handle the problem." She reassured herself. "I must not think of the feathers or the floozy. It is too tempting. Some mortal may get hurt."
************
"I hope I did the right thing." Hercules said as he headed towards Xena's hiding spot. "If Gabrielle gets hurt I may never forgive myself. Did I do the right thing Iolaus?"
"I don't know, Herc." Iolaus had to take two steps for every step Hercules took. "I wish I did, but I don't know. I just can't imagine Gabrielle liking someone like Ares! He's just so ... slimy!"
"But why would he be interested in Gabrielle?" Hercules asked himself. "Besides the reason Xena gave. Could he really be in love with her?"
"Do you think another God is involved? Like maybe Aphrodite or Cupid?" Iolaus asked, his dark vest practically flying behind him as he kept pace with the big hero. "They have been known to interfere, maybe they think it's a big joke on Ares!"
"That's a possibility." Hercules admitted as they reached the pier. He strolled right up to Xena and stopped. "I know you're there, Xena! Come on out."
"Well, did you ask her?" Xena popped out and climbed onto the pier. Every part of her dripped salty water except her head. "What did she say?"
"No, I didn't propose marriage or ask her on a date!" Hercules stood with his boots firmly planted on the wooden deck, his arms spread and ready for anything Xena did. "I did have a talk with her as you asked and told her to be careful."
"What? Is that all you did?" Xena frowned, her blue eyes narrowing. 'I told you this was a serious problem! We need to save her!"
"But she says she doesn't need saving." Hercules informed Xena. "Xena, are you sure you're feeling all right? Spying on them from under a pier is going a bit far, don't you think?"
"But they need to be watched!" Xena cried.
"And their both adults. What they choose to do with each other is their own business. You know that." Hercules moved closer to Xena, placing a big hand on her wet shoulder. "I know you're worried about loosing Gabrielle to Ares. She helped you through some very tough times. But did it ever occur to you she could help Ares now? Maybe what he really needs is a true friend. Someone to stick up for him and to talk to, someone who won't insult him with every breath and knock his teeth out. I know I never was a brother to him. Me and Ares got off on the wrong foot a long time ago, when I stole from his treasure cave just to prove I could. And I'm regretting that now. Ares might have been a different person if I had cared enough to befriend him all those years ago. But I didn't. It was too much fun moping the floor with him."
"Ares will never change! You're wasting your breath." Xena snarled, her blue eyes freezing Hercules to the core. Her war cry ringing out, Xena leaped over Hercules with a somersault and landed easily on her feet. "Some friend you are!"
"Xena! I'm not going to beat Ares up when he didn't even do anything yet!" Hercules said, reaching out and gripping her shoulder from behind. Xena spun around as fast as lightning, a dagger pointing at his face. "Xena, what are you doing?"
"You let me go or you'll be sorry." The Warrior Princess warned him. "I'll find some other way to solve this problem, without your help."
Hercules let her go and watched her slowly walk away.
No one noticed the peacock feather that had landed in the water behind them. A moment later the once calm sea began to bubble.