Author's Notes: Hello, hello! When I finish this story, it'll be a miracle. The evil god in this story is NOT and I repeat NOT Dahak. He's a god I created from my own dark corners of my imagination. So enjoy! Disclaimer: The characters of Xena: Warrior Princess DON'T belong to me.neither does the song below.



Can't Fight the Moonlight

Leann Rimes

Under a lover's sky

Gonna be with you

And no-one's gonna beat you now

If you think that you won't fall

Well just wait until

'Til the sun goes down

Underneath the starlight

Starlight

There's a magical feeling so right

It'll steal your heart tonight

You can try to resist

Try to hide from my kiss

But you know

But you know that you

Can't fight the moonlight

Deep in the dark

You'll surrender your heart

But you know

But you know that you

Can't fight the moonlight

No, you can't fight it

It's gonna get to your heart

There's no escaping love

Was the gentle breeze

That weaves its spell upon your heart

No matter what you think

It won't be too long (it won't be too long)

'Til you're in my arms

Underneath the starlight

Starlight

We'll be lost in the rhythm so right

Feel it steal your heart tonight





Rogue wiped the dagger as she finished the sacrifice. In the back of the cave

she watched as something stirred; a black mist. Two red eyes glowed from it,

and she could feel the darkness sing in her blood. The mist sighed and as it

noticed her, she bowed, her wavy black hair falling over her shoulders.

" Aaah, I live." It whispered, " You have brought me into the world again,

Rogue. I can feel the evil slowly drifting away from this world. Things have

changed without me. Tell me, who does my work here? Who spreads the darkness?"

She answered;

"The God of War, my Lord."

* * *

A younger Xena stood in a temple, dressed in a black robe. The other eleven

Gods stood around her and Ares, in a semi-circle. The only light were numerous

candles that were randomly positioned around the room. In her hand was an

oriental dagger made of Hepheastus steel. A thousand thoughts passed through

her mind as she looked at the handsome God before her. Athena started the

ceremony: " I, Athena, witness this ceremony for Ares' new chosen." The other

gods said the same, one by one. Xena took a deep breath as a wind gently

tasseled her hair, though there were no openings in the room.

" I, Xena," the wind got stronger, " bind my self to Ares, the God of War, as

his Chosen, to serve him and honor him, till fate has it's will." She slashed

her left wrist once. "I bind my self by blood." Twice. "I bind my self by

blood." Thrice. " I am bound to him by blood!" she yelled as the wind swirled

around the God and his chosen, picking up the drops of blood in to the air.



Xena gasped, and woke up, looking around her at the familiar surroundings of

the woods, trying to calm herself as the words rang in her ears. "Bound to him

by blood." She laid back down on her bedroll, remembering the dream. She'd

been having the same dream, over and over again for days now. She shuddered,

remembering the bond. Gabrielle woke up and looked at her.

"Xena? You all right?" Xena forced a smile for her friend.

"I'm fine Gabrielle, go back to sleep." Her friend looked at her for a minute

more, then plopped her head down, and instantly went to sleep again. Xena,

having lost all desire to sleep, picked her self up, and slowly walked to the

river bank, sitting down next to a tree. A shiver ran down her spine, as the

all too familiar God appeared and sat next to her.

"You having that dream again?" he asked, his voice sending shivers down her

spine, and she grimaced at the sensation, and looked at him.

"Why? Have you been looking in my dreams?" She glared at him.

"Well, if it concerns me, I do." The warrioress stood up.

"My dreams have nothing to do with you" Xena said boldly, but in truth she

knew that they had everything to do with him. She looked at him sideways,

suspiciuos. "You haven't been putting these dreams in my head have you?" Ares

shook his head, and chuckled.

"I'd never do that."

"Yeah, I bet you wouldn't," Xena answered him sarcastically. Ares ignored the

remark.

"Xena, have you felt a change in the air?"

"What ?"

" It's darker," he stepped up behind her, and gentley wrapped his arms around her waist,

"More.dangerous."

The raven-haired woman slapped his arms away, and stepped to the side, away from him.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." she answered him.

"Come on, Princess, this is me you're talking to , the God of War."

"Yes, that's exactly why I don't want to have this conversation. Now I want to sleep, so good-bye." The dark godgod god sighed and disappeared in a flash of blue. Xena walked slowly to her bedroll, and lay

down, but in truth, she couldn't sleep. She did feel a darker presence, no,

not 'dark' like Ares is, but more.evil, and it, mixed up with the dreams,

made her more than a little suspicous. As her mind slowly quieted, she slipped in to

the sweet oblivion of sleep.

* * *

Rogue looked at herself in the mirror, she wore a short sued dress, with

strappy sleeves. Her hair fell loosely down her back, and her goldish eyes

traveled to her waist which held a small dagger. She took a deep breath and

picked up her bag. She had to bring Ares to her Lord by seducing him with the

little powers her Lord gave her. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, Ares

wasn't completeley evil, he had softened since he had met that Warrior Bitch

Xena. She growled, Rogue knew that Xena would screw up her mission one way or

the other, so there was only one choice left; kill her. Rogue walked outside,

and saddled her horse, her plan set.

* * *

Gabrielle turned in her bedroll as the smell of fried fish blew toward her.

Squinting against the bright sun, she sat up.

"Morning, what's for breakfast?" asked the still sleepy bard.

"Fish." Her friend said shortly. Gabrielle groaned, they'd been having fish

for the last three days because they were traveling by the river. But

Gabrielle saw that her friend was in deep thought and didn't say anything.

Xena stood up and looked around the clearing.

"Xena?" Said Gabrielle

"Shh" Xena answered as she saw someone walkout of the trees, sword drawn. Xena

unsheathed her sword. "Who are you?" The other woman walked closer, and

looked around.

"Call me.Rogue"

"What do you want?" Gabrielle asked, picking up her double knives. Rogue

pointed at the raven-haired woman.

"I want you dead!" Rogue snarled as she slashed her sword towards Xena. The

other woman, blocked it swiftly, and kicked Rogue in the knees. Rogue fell,

but qickly got up again. The two women circled each other. Finally, Rogue

lunged at Xena, slashing her arm. Xena feinted, and opened up a cut on Rogue's

chest. Swords flashed through the air as the two women fought each other.

Xena's mind whirled as fast as her chakram. *Who is this woman? And why does

she want to kill me? * Xena dodged an attack and flipped over Rogue. Xena

managed to trip her from behind, and pinned her down to the ground. "What do

you want?" yelled Xena

"I want your god." Rogue hissed and dissapeared in a rush of black sparkles.

Xena stared at the empty ground.

"My god?" she whispered, then it came to her, "Ares." Xena stood up. "Come on,

Gabrielle, we're going to Ares' temple." Xena said to her partner as she

ssaddled up once more.

"We are? What? Why" asked Gabrielle confused, but got on her horse. "Does that

woman have anything to do with this?" she trotted beside Xena.

"Yes, she said something about wanting my god, but.what's going on?"

"Ok, another question, how did she disappear like that? Is she a goddess?"

asked Gabrielle.

"No, if she was a goddess, she would have beaten me like that." Xena snapped

her fingers, emphasizing her last word.

"So why are we going to Ares? If she's not a goddess, he should have nothing

to worry about."

"I don't Gabrielle, I just have to go there, I think she's more than she

seems."

* * *

Hidden in the safety of bushes, Rogue tried to catch her breath. Just

disappearing like that took a lot of energy. She had only enough strength and

powers to do two more things. Rogue heaved herself up and passed her hand in

front of her body. She looked into the pool by her side and smiled wickedly.

She looked exactly like Xena. With another deep breath, she called up on the

last of her powers, and disappeared to Ares' temple.

Rogue looked around the temple and smiled. He'd never know she wasn't the real

Xena, Rogue looked just like her.

"Ares," she purred. The handsome God of War appeared in front of her. He thought this was a little suspicious,

as she walked up to him, and wound her arms around him. But then again.Xena had a tendency to change her mind,

So he decided to give this a shot.

"Xena, Xena, Xena" he chanted, "Looks like you decided to take me up on my

offer." Rogue just licked her lips and lowered his head. She shivered as her

lips met his. As the kiss deepened, Ares felt more and more confused. This

wasn't like Xena, she wouldn't do this. He knew Xena,and even though he wanted

her to come back to him, he knew that she wouldn't, not this easily. Ares shoved

the imposter away from him, and as Rogue hit the wall, her image of the

Warrior Princess vanished, and she looked like herself again.

Outside, Xena jumped of Argo, and ran up the steps, flinging open the door.

"Ares!" she yelled, before seeing him stand in front of Rogue. "You!" she

growled again. Xena moved toward her, but she managed to scramble up and run

out the open door.

***

As Xena and Ares sat on a log outside, Ares retold what happened with Rogue.

"How did you know it wasn't me?" Ares looked down and said softly.

"How could I not? I know every smile you make, and every glint in your eye. I

know how you move, how you fight, how you are." Xena looked at him,

"Ares" she breathed, and gently brushed his lips, and as she moved to she

moved to stand up, Ares caught her arm, and caught her lips in his. Xena

explored his mouth, remembering how much she missed him. His arms went around

her waist as she entangled her fingers in his hair. Almost regretfully, she

pulled away. It looked to her that she had seen another side of Ares just

then, but then he grined slyly, and he was back to his ignorant normal self

again.

"Maybe you should stay here until we figure things out about Rogue" At first

it looked like the warrior was going to refuse, but then she stood up and

said:

"Fine, but that doesn't mean I'm coming back to you."

"Why Princess, I wouldn't dream of it!" Xena smirked. Xena breathed in the

familiar smell of the room as memories flooded her mind. Memories of her and

Ares.NO, she wouldn't think about that, it was in the past. The room was

decorated in maroon and black colors, the walls were painted maroon, and

illuminated by torches. Black silk sheets lay on the queen bed, and the cold

floor was made warm by the fur throw rugs. Cedar chest and closets were set

randomly around the room. Xena noticed that Ares was gone, and she opened the

doors to the balcony, letting the light curtains billow around her.

Her mind was in a turmoil. Rogue, Ares, her dreams. everything was bothering

her. She laid down on the bed, letting her mind quiet for the first time this

day.

***

The next afternoon came lazily and slowly as Xena practiced her sword drills

in the field behind the temple. As Xena flipped backwards, she felt a shiver

going up her back. She slashed her sword in front of her, and wasn't

surprised when it was parried back at her. They fought with each other, not

saying a word as they parried each others blows. Xena heaved as she stoped a

blow from Ares' sword. They had been fighting for a really long time, and she

was getting tired, while the God looked like he just started the fight. They

reached the bank of the small pond, a little waterfall making soothing sounds

as Xena dropped to the ground.

"All right, that's it, I give up, I'm too tired." Xena said exhausted. Ares

kneeled beside her.

"Getting a little warm are we?" Ares grinned and before Xena knew what

happened she was in the water. She broke the surface, growling.

"Ares! Now you got my leathers wet!"

"Well, you know, " the handsome God grinned devilishley, and snapped his

fingers. Xena was left only in her shift, her leathers and armor in his hands.



"Ares! Help me out!" Ares reached a hand out to Xena, and she grabbed it,

pulling him into the water with her. She laughed as Ares swam up to her, and

dived under the water, Ares chasing her. He finally caught up with her,

wrapping his arms around her waist. The raven-haired woman was suddenly very

aware that she was covered only in a paper-thin soaked shift. Her heartbeat

quickened involuntarily as he covered her mouth with his. Xena sub-consiously

wrapped her hands around his neck, exploring his mouth. The kiss deepened as

she entagled her hands in his hair, but the moment was interruped by a shrill

scream,

"Xena! What are you doing?" Gabrielle stalked up to the pond, furious. Xena

looked at her guiltily as she unwrapped her self from her Gods' arms. As she

walked on to the bank, she was clothed again in her leathers, her armor

appearing in her hands. She said a mental thankyou to the God as she walked

away with Gabrielle, who was yelling at her the whole way back to the temple.

Xena entered her room, Gabrielle still furious behind her. "Xena, what were

you thinking? Are you crazy?". She whirled on her

friend.

'Gabrielle, it was just a kiss!"

"A kiss? A kiss, Xena you're not supposed to be kissing your enemy!"

"Oh, and since when are you telling me what I'm supposed to or not supposed to

do? I'm a grown woman, for Zeus' sake, I can take care of my self! Why are you

making such a big thing out of it!"

"because, he's evil! I knew it was a bad idea coming here! He's going to make

you evil again, like him!"

"He's not evil Gabrielle! You don't even know him, you don't know how he

really is."

Xena turned away from the blond woman, walking back to the temple. She was restless, and she needed to

sort out her thoughts, she walked around the temple for awhile, until she realized she had unconsiousley ended up in Ares' room. She knew that Gabrille was right.on some part of it anyhow. Coming here, to Ares' temple was dangerous. Old memories surfaced, old memories and old loves. It was true, she had loved Ares once, but he betrayed her, and she had gotten hurt too much . She was afraid of getting hurt again.. She could understand her friends reaction to their kiss. Already, they had kissed twice, and she knew that Gabrielle thought that he would make her evil again, but.she needed to figure out the thing with Rogue, and then she could leave. There, she convinced herself. Once this was all done, she'd leave, and this will mean nothing. Xena finally let her eyes close, and she fell in to a quiet sleep, and as she slept, she dreamed.

"The bond of a Chosen is stronger than anything." Xena was standing in front

of the Fates. "It will help you when you will it, at the most desperate times.

But, you must not run from your destiny, young Xena, you must acknowledge it,

or you will lose what you love and cannot admit."

Suddenly, a darkness filled the room. Xena sat up, gasping for breath, and

The darkness seemed to whisper to her,

and she saw an image of Rogue. This all had something to do with Rogue.then

the darkness withdrew, sifting out of the room, and ouside, into the fading

day. Xena followed it, blindly as she slowly fit the puzzle together, but

there were still some pieces missing. What was this? What evil? And what was

that dream about? What you love and cannot admit.Xena needed answers.

To be continued............

,





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