Happy Birthday, Mother, part 2

by Susan Owens

Joxer laughed as he took the bard's hand. "Yeah, let's go see. I can't wait to

see what they got her. Knowing those two, I bet it will be interesting."

Gabrielle looked down at Joxer's hand in hers and smiled. I'll let him get away

with it this time, she thought.

They entered the house and sat down as Jace approached his mother.

He smiled at her and gave her a present wrapped in gold paper.

"One uf my dancers ees also good at making stuff, an' I ast heem to make thees

for chou. I hope chou like eet," Jace offered with a grin.

Jedza slowly opened the present. She gasped with delight as she slowly lifted

out the gift. It was a jewelry box made of Mahogany wood. It was a deep red

color and had peacocks painted on the top.

"Oh Jace, this is so beautiful. Merci, mon cher."

Jace smiled and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek.

Jett stood there for a moment, then he approached Joxer.

"Play something soft on your lyre, okay?"

Joxer looked up at his brother. "Why"?

The assassin looked at him. "Just do it, okay, Jox?"

The wanna-be warrior nodded his head and began to play.

Jett approached his mother and bowed like a gentlemen.

"My lady, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?"

Jedza smiled at her oldest son and reached up and took his hand. "I would be

honored."

They slowly danced around the room with Jace and Joxer's mouths both hanging

open as they watched in surprise to see their brother dancing. Gabrielle smiled

at them.

"I didn't know Jett could dance."

"Neither did I," replied Joxer.

Xena smiled. "Hmm, maybe I can get him to dance with me sometime."

Soon the dance was over, and Jett lead his mother back to her chair.

"Oh merci, Jett, for that dance. I loved it, and it came from your heart."

Jett smiled at his mother. Suddenly Joxer jumped up.

"Hey look, Jett is blushing."

Jett turned around and gave Joxer an evil look. Joxer backed away. "Sorry, I was

mistaken. "

Jace moved over to Jett. "Where did you learn to dance?"

Jett sat down next to their mother. "In prison. Some woman was giving dance

lessons, and if you took them you got to leave your cell. I took them because it

was a chance to get out of the cell. I didn't like them at first but she said I

had it in me."

Jace was now more interested. "Wha' was her name?"

Jett thought for a moment. "I think it was the Widow Twanky."

The middle brother smiled "I knew eet. She taught me to dance. Tha's probably

why she said chou had eet een chou. Dere's dancing een our blood."

The assassin laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, I can see how father loves to dance."

Their mother smiled sadly. "In his younger days your papa was une bonne dancer."

The brothers looked at each other in surprise.

The old man sat in the tavern nursing his drink as well as his shoulder. How

dare them humiliate him in front of his men? Even his eldest had done it now.

They all must die. Sitting by him was a young woman.

"Okay, old man, here's the deal. I want 100,000 dinars apiece for them."

He looked at her incredulously. "Are you kidding? 100,000 dinars apiece?"

She smiled wickedly. "Look, I'm the best, and that's what I want. Take it or

leave it." She started to get up and leave. But he grabbed her arm.

"Okay. 100,000 dinars apiece. Just do what you have to do."

She smiled evilly at Judd. "I will either give you their heads or their hearts.

Which do you prefer?"

He thought for a moment. "Give me their heads."

She smiled coldly again. "It's nice doing business with you. Oh by the way,

don't contact me. I will contact you."

The female assassin left the tavern. She mounted her horse and thought to

herself, "Well, Nashasa, it looks like you are going to see Jett again after

all."

The next morning after the party, Gabrielle and Joxer were helping Hemes clean

up.

"You don't have to do this, sir," said the servant.

Joxer shook his head. "We want to help, Hemes."

"Yes," added the bard. "You should not be doing this by yourself."

The servant smiled at them. "Thank you ".

The would-be warrior and the bard smiled back and continued to help. Xena was on

the verandah with Jedza, looking out at the garden.

"This is a beautiful place," the Warrior Princess said.

Jedza look sadly at her. "Yes, it is a belle place, but it also holds death."

Xena smiled at the trio's mother. She thought to herself how much the brothers

look like her. They had the same color eyes and hair, and she even had that same

goofy smile. No could deny that she was their mother. Jedza spoke again in a

whisper.

"I am worried about mon fils. Judd will come after them. I just know it."

Xena put her arm around the older woman's shoulder.

"Don't worry. Gabrielle and I, Jett, and maybe even Jace will stop Judd from

hurting any of you."

The older woman smiled. "Merci, Xena. I am so glad Joxer met you."

Xena nodded her head. "Me too," she replied.

Nasha walked into the tavern. She looked around carefully until she spotted one

of her targets. He was sitting at a table drinking some ale. He was dressed in a

blue silk shirt with blue silky tight pants to match and wearing a dark, almost

blue, wig on top of his head. She smiled. The flamboyant one, she thought. This

will be easy.

She walked over to him and cleared her voice to get his attention. He looked up

at her.

"Is this seat taken?" she asked in a very seductive voice.

Jace just kept on looking at her. Finally he said to her, "Sorry, but chou're

not my type."

She stared at him. How dare this idiot say I am not his type? He will die right

now.

Jace thought, Maybe I chouldn't be so rude. Perhaps she joost wants a seat.

"Escuse me for bein' rude." He stood up and gestured to her "Please haf a seat."

Nasha smiled and started to take the seat, when she was suddenly grabbed and

kissed with such force that she almost lost it. She now looked into the eyes of

the assassin she wished she could love. He was there, holding her in his arms,

and for a moment she forgot what she was there for.

"Hello Nasha," he murmured in his raspy voice as he kissed her again.

Jace look at his older brother and back at the woman "Jett, do chou know thees

woman?"

The elder brother laughed. "Jace, this is Nasha - the second best assassin in

Greece."

Nasha held Jett closer. "You mean the best, don't you?" she purred.

He just laughed and shook his head. "So what brings you here?"

"I got a job."

"Oh. Anyone I know? I could help you."

She smiled and thought to herself, Jett's guard is down. I could get him now.

When he's out of the way the other two will be easy.

"Jett, I would love for you to help me. Come on with me and we'll discuss it

somewhere quieter."

Jett turned to Jace. "See you around, bro."

Jace watch his brother and the female assassin leave. Then he followed. He watch

them standing in between two buildings kissing each other. Jace was angry. Jett

had his guard down; this was not like him at all. What was it when it came to

women? Why were strong men like putty when it came to a woman? Suddenly Jace saw

a glimmer of something shiny in her hand as she reach around Jett. He then saw

that she had a knife and was going to stab his brother. The king of assassins

was so busy kissing her that he was not aware of the danger.

Jace took out his own knife hidden in his shirt and hurled it towards the female

assassin. It hit its mark the same time she plunged her knife into Jett's

shoulder blade. She died instantly, falling to the ground. Jett was also on the

ground holding his shoulder. Jace came running over.

Jett look up at him with pain in his eyes "Did you do this for me this time?" he

asked.

Jace bent down to see how bad it was. "Si, thees time was for chou. Let me see

how bad eet ees."

Jett weakly pushed him away. "It's just a flesh wound."

Jace looked closely. He knew it was more then a flesh wound. "Come on, Jett, let

me take chou back to de house. I beleef Xena can help."

Jett nodded his head and leaned on his brother as they walked back to the house.

As they came towards the estate, Hemes saw them coming. He went into the house.

"Ma'am, Master Jett and Master Jace are coming, and I believe Master Jett is

hurt."

They all ran out of the house. Joxer ran over to help Jace with Jett. "What

happened"? Joxer asked.

"I want to know what happened, and I want to know imm*diatement," said their

mother.

Jett look at her as Xena fixed him up. "I lost my edge. I was with someone I

used to love and she tried to kill me. If it hadn't been for Jace, I'd be dead.

I'm sorry mother."

She turned away, tears coming from her eyes. Slowly she faced her sons.

"C'est tout que je puis prendre. I am tired of my husband trying to kill my

sons. You are going to stay with your uncle Jean Luc till this is over."

"Uncle Jean Luc? But he lives in France," complained Joxer.

"Je connais, and that is where you three are going."

Jett stood up against Xena's advice and felt the pain shoot right through him.

"Mother," he said in a strangled voice, "we are not afraid of father. We are not

going to France."

She went to him. "S'il vous plait, mon petit. Just for a little while, until

your father calms down."

He just shook his head. She turned away. "All right. I should have known better

to even ask. I am sorry - my boys are not cowards. Je t'aime."

Joxer hugged his mother "We love you too, Mother. Maybe someday we will go see

Uncle Jean Luc, but not now."

Jett smiled as he turned away. "I'm going to bed."

Jace nodded his head. "Here, I help chou. Good night effryone."

That night Hemes knocked on his mistress' door. She opened it. "Oui, Hemes."

"It been done ma'am. I put the stuff in their drinks as you ordered. They should

sleep at least a week."

"Bon. Is the captain of that ship ready to take them to la France?"

"Yes ma'am he is. Just as soon as I take them to the docks. What of the two

woman?"

"We will leave them here. By the time they wake up in the morning we will be

gone."

Hemes nodded his head. "Some of my friends and I will put them in the wagon now,

ma'am."

"Good. Merci, Hemes. Make sure that they are covered warmly. It's going to be

cold tonight."

Hemes nodded his head and left the room. Jedza entered the bard's room "Je suis

d*sol*, Gabrielle. I know my youngest loves you," she said to the sleeping bard,

"but I need to take my sons away to a place they will be safe."

The blond bard stretched as she sat up in bed. She had slept so peacefully.

Getting up, she got dressed and went down for breakfast. When she entered the

room, the Warrior Princess was sitting at the table with Eve. She looked up at

her friend standing in the doorway.

"No one else is here, Gabrielle. Everyone is gone."

Gabrielle entered the room. "What do you mean, 'everyone is gone'?"

Xena shrugged. "Like I said, everyone is gone."

"But Xena, where did they go?"

The warrior princess thought for a moment "Gaul, I would guess."

"Gaul?"

"Gabrielle, I think something was put in our drinks, not enough to hurt us, but

enough to make us sleep all night and all morning. It's noon."

"But why would anyone do that?"

"I don't think it was just anyone. I think Jedza did it, and I think she drugged

her sons, too."

Gabrielle frowned. "But why would she do that?"

Xena finished feeding Eve and got up. "I think it's called mother's love. Come

on we've got to find a ship that's going to Gaul."

Gabrielle moaned, "Oh no, not a ship," she complained, as she kept hitting her

arm to find the pressure point.

When they arrived at the docks, they walked into a small tavern. Xena walked

over to the bar. "Does anyone know if there is a ship sailing to Gaul?"

A sailor smiled coldly at her. "Well, missy, that ship sailed this morning."

Xena turned to the man, "Did it have any passengers?"

The sailor shook his head. Xena suddenly put the pinch on him. The sailor

couldn't breathe.

"Now, I'm going to ask you again, were there any passengers?"

The sailor was gasping for air. "Yes, Jedza and her sons."

Xena released the pinch. "Thank you. Now I need a ship to take us to Gaul."

"Another ship doesn't sail there until next week."

"Then you'd better be finding me another ship that does," replied Xena.

"So you need a ship sailing to Gaul, do you? Maybe I can help."

Xena turned to see the female pirate Nebula standing there.

"Hello Nebula. Good to see you again. Gabrielle and I need to go to Gaul,

quickly."

"So why do you need to go there?"

"Joxer's mother kidnapped him and his brothers," replied the bard.

The pirate thought for a moment. "Okay, I'll take you to Gaul. But you'll have

to work."

Xena nodded "Thanks. We wouldn't have it any other way, right Gabrielle ?"

The bard could feel her stomach turn. "Yeah, right, Xena."

It had been four days since the ship had sailed. Jedza was now looking at her

sons, waiting for them to awaken. She bent down over her oldest, who suddenly

grabbed her by the throat.

"S'il vous plait, Jett, let go," she pleaded.

He kept a hold of her but loosened his grip. "Mother, where in Tartarus are we?"

She stared at her son, frightened. "Jett, please."

He let go of her and she moved away. "We are on a ship heading for my home

land."

"What?" yelled the assassin, "We're going to Gaul?"

Jedza stood in front of her son. "Oui, I wanted to protect you."

"I could have handled father. This makes me look like a coward. "

Jett suddenly swung his uninjured arm towards his mother, but it was stopped.

"Don't you dare strike mother. I mean it, Jett, don't you dare."

Jett stared as Joxer held his arm. "Let go, Jox, before I break your arm."

"Joxer, let go of your brother's arm," replied their mother. "Jett, if you want

to hit me, then do so."

Jett shook his head "I'm going up on deck. One of you had better be looking

after Jace when he wakes up. He'll be terrified. He hates ships and he's scared

to death of water, or have you forgotten that, mother?"

Jedza turned towards her middle son. "No, I haven't forgotten. I will be here

for him."

Jett mumbled something and left the room. Joxer turned to his mother. "You know,

it's hard to tell that Jett was hurt."

"Oui, I know. He's probably in a great deal of pain, just doesn't want to show

it. Joxer, why don't you go on deck? I'll stay with Jace. "

"You sure, mother?"

"Oui, ch*ri, go ahead."

When Joxer came up on deck he saw Jett standing by the rail.

"Hi. Don't just stand there. I won't bite."

Joxer came closer. "You were going to hit mother. Why, Jett?"

"Because she kidnapped us. She put something in our drinks that made us sleep

for at least four days."

"She was only trying to protect us."

"Joxer, I can protect myself. I don't need her to do it."

Suddenly there was an earth-shaking scream. "Come on. Mother may need help with

Jace."

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