The sun was warm and bright on her face and a light breeze moved across
the forest blowing leaves across her bedroll. The birds were lightly
singing into the morning air and the camp fire softly crackled. Xena's
eyes slowly fluttered open and she took in her surroundings and shot up
fast in her bedroll.
In front of her Gabrielle was kneeled down next to the fire with ingredients and cooking utensils spread out all over the ground beside her. Xena looked at her best friend strangely, holding her breath.
"Bad Dream?" Gabrielle asked her friend. Xena normally didn't sleep in that late, she must have had a very restless sleep.
Xena rubbed her head gently relieving her painful headache and allowing her eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight.
"Umm, uh...yeah," Xena replied hazily. Memories of the last days events came flooding back to her. Ares, Warrior Queen, Army, Gabrielle's death. Xena shook the memories off. Maybe it was a dream after all.
"What are you doing up so early?" Xena asked Gabrielle. It wasn't like Gabrielle to wake up without Xena having to force her to do so.
Gabrielle blushed and grew timid with a small grin on her face.
"Well I, I thought I would make you those dumplings you like so much because today's your birthday," Gabrielle Explained.
Xena sighed deeply and didn't hesitate to roll her eyes. No matter how many times she told Gabrielle that her birthday was not to be any different from any other day, she always had to sneak something in. Xena was extremely hungry however. The dream, if it was a dream, had left her exhausted.
Gabrielle noticed her friend's uneasiness. "Now, I know you don't like the whole birthday scene, but I just wanted to do something for you."
Xena brought her focus back to Gabrielle; she was too tired to argue with her.
"Thanks," Xena replied.
Gabrielle smiled slightly but was concerned for her friend. She was acting really strange, like she wasn't all there. Something was up. Gabrielle didn't want to push the subject. Maybe the dumplings would cheer her up a bit before she said anything.
Gabrielle took one of the hot sweet dumplings and handed it to Xena. Xena smiled with satisfaction as she carefully brought it to her lips, holding one hand beneath her mouth to keep any of the fruit filling from coming out.
"It's delicious Gabrielle," Xena said as she licked her fingers clean.
Gabrielle smiled with pride. Maybe Xena was fine after all. They sat in silence enjoying their morning meal when suddenly a blinding blue light flashed before them leaving a very stoic god of war standing in their presence.
Ares first looked to Gabrielle and then glanced down at Xena.
Xena suddenly stopped breathing and looked up at him. She suddenly new for some reason that what had happened was no dream. Both women waited for Ares to say something.
After a long tense silence a necklace appeared in Ares hand. It was the one Ares had given to Xena the other day. More memories started to come back to her. The battle, her and Ares fight, and her throwing the necklace across the room before she went to sleep.
Ares held the necklace out to her and dropped it on the ground beside her.
"This is yours. You can do what ever you want with it, I just don't want it."
With out a second thought he disappeared.
Xena still starred at the spot where he stood. She remembered everything now, every single detail. She finally let her breath out and began breathing again. Xena reached down into the dirt and took hold of the necklace.
Gabrielle sat beside her in utter bewilderment. She watched Xena, as if she could see all the wheels turning in her head. She could sense the emotions of anger, hurt, and confusion. It made Gabrielle want to hug her friend.
"Xena?" Gabrielle started. Xena didn't acknowledge her. "What was that all about?"
Gabrielle waited patiently for her friend's response. There was none.
"Xena?" Gabrielle asked a bit more assertively. This time Xena turned her head towards Gabrielle. She still held the necklace in her hand. Xena tired to focus. What would she tell Gabrielle? She could lie, give her some stupid explanation. That wouldn't work though, if she knew her friend as well as she thought, she would be bombarded with endless questions which she wouldn't have answers for. Xena might as well tell the truth.
"Last night," Xena spoke softly and stopped. Searching for words. "Last night Ares offered me a chance to go to an alternate universe with him...one where I had agreed to be his warrior queen after he had me on trial for my life."
Gabrielle's expression went from friendly understanding to shocked confusion.
"And you agreed!?"
Xena looked away. She knew she shouldn't have gone, Gabrielle had every right to scold her, but her pride made her have to explain herself anyway.
"I thought if I went it would help me to see that I made the right choice, maybe understand myself a little more. I wanted to test myself, make sure I wouldn't fall into that temptation of war."
Gabrielle could understand that. It was still insane to trust Ares, but Xena's motives were innocent enough.
"And...?" Gabrielle asked wanting to know the outcome.
Xena looked back over to her. Guilt flooding her azure eyes.
"I, I killed you," She said quietly.
Gabrielle looked at her friend questioningly.
"Ares and I had succeeded in creating an empire. You rebelled and raised an army. While I was there we fought...I won," Xena said grimly. Gabrielle could see the pain in Xena expression.
"Xena...It's, it was a fight," Gabrielle knew Xena had most likely killed her in combat. Not even Ares could persuade her to murder her best friend. Xena shouldn't feel guilty about defending herself.
Xena shook her head in shame. "I could have stopped the fight; I could have beaten you with out resorting to the kill," Xena explained.
Gabrielle suddenly frowned. "Thanks," Gabrielle knew Xena didn't mean it as an insult to her fighting skills but she hoped that maybe it would lighten the mood a little if she pretended to be insulted. Xena sadly smiled.
Gabrielle quickly continued on wanting to know more about what happened. She wouldn't admit it but she was actually a bit curious herself about what could have been. But the more important topic right now was what was bothering Xena, and Gabrielle knew that it wasn't just her death, it had something to do with Ares.
"So now you're mad at Ares for taking you there." Gabrielle said more as a statement then as a question.
Xena's head jerked and Gabrielle couldn't tell if it was in the 'yes' or 'no' motion.
"He said some things he shouldn't have," Xena said simply.
Gabrielle waited for her to go on. She knew that this was more than just Ares making fun of her. It was serious which means it took two.
"And what did you say to him?" Gabrielle asked. Xena looked at her innocently.
"Nothing!"
Gabrielle wasn't fooled.
"Ok, we are both to blame, but it doesn't matter, I don't want anything to do with him anymore!" Xena said bitterly.
Gabrielle looked at her friend sympathetically. Sometimes Gabrielle had always wanted to hear Xena say that. She hated how Ares was always torturing and tempting her friend, and she had always wished that Xena would tell him to get lost, that he didn't mean anything to her anymore. Now maybe she could finally relax more with him out of her life. On the other hand though, Gabrielle had sort of grown to like Ares. The time they had spent on the farm was nice, and she had even become slightly protective of him. She would actually miss him a little if he didn't pop in once in a while and torment them.
Gabrielle's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of heavy feet hitting the ground. Gabrielle and Xena's heads jerked up and they both quickly took a defensive stance.
A tall skinny man in his early thirties came running at them from around the bushes. He was out of breath and he stopped in front of the girls.
"Are you Xena?" He asked panting.
"Yes."
The man looked relieved. "We need your help."
Gabrielle looked at him suspiciously. "Who is we?"
"Athens."
"Why," Gabrielle Asked.
The man tired to steady his breathing.
"A nation north of Greece will be marching on Athens within days. A long time ago it was prophesized that this would happen. Athena being our patron goddess said that when the time comes she would get the sword of bonus and give it to our champion and we would be safe."
Xena showed no emotions, she was trying to push them all away and get back to business.
"And you can't get this sword because Athena is dead right?"
"Right."
"And you want us to get it."
The man swallowed hard. "Well, see that is the problem."
Xena and Gabrielle listened waiting for him to continue.
"A mortal can't find it, only a god can."
Xena was suddenly frustrated. "So why are you asking me for help!?"
The man grew scarred and stepped back an inch.
"We-well, you are friends with the gods so-"
"I killed the gods, you think were friends?"
"With some yes, I've read the scrolls."
Xena grew silent. She really should read more of Gabrielle's scrolls, maybe monitor what she writes in them.
"We were hoping you could persuade one of the Olympians to retrieve the sword," The man suggested hopefully.
Xena was silent. Gabrielle waited for Xena to reply and didn't so she kindly smiled at the man.
"Will you excuse us please?"
The man nodded hopeful.
Gabrielle took xena gently be the arm and led her away into the forest just out of ear shot from the man. They stopped and Gabrielle opened her mouth to speak but Xena started before her.
"We can ask Aphrodite," Xena suggested. Gabrielle looked at her friend stunned.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm sure Aphrodite would love to help," Xena explained.
"Xena, I love Aphrodite, but seriously, she is not the one we are going to ask to do this!"
Xena held her hands up in defeat. "Fine"
Gabrielle sighed and tired to relax. She knew Xena wouldn't like what she was going to suggest.
"You know as well as I do that Ares is the best for the job."
Xena shook he head vigorously. "Forget it! I'm not asking Ares for anything!"
"Xena we have no choice! It's ask Ares for help or Athens is destroyed."
Xena frowned at her friend. She was fooling her self if she thought she would ever get Ares out of her life. If there was anything Xena had never done before it was ask Ares for help. Even if she wasn't angry with him she wouldn't be thrilled with asking him. Gabrielle was right though. Ares and Aphrodite were the only gods they had contact with, and unfortunately Aphrodite wasn't an option.
"What makes you think he would help me?" Xena asked with a bitter tone. Chances were Ares was just as angry with her as she was with him. There is no way he would help her, not unless it made him feel victorious in some way that she had finally asked him for help.
Gabrielle could sense how much her friend did not want to go through with this.
"I'll ask him," Gabrielle suggested with an innocent charm.
Xena offered her a bemused glare.
"Yeah that's better," Xena said sarcastically. There is no way Ares would help Gabrielle.
"I can be persuasive" Gabrielle chirped and turned away from her friend and walked back over to the man.
Gabrielle smiled brightly. "We'll help you."
The man smiled with relief. "Thank you so much, our enemy will be here in days. Please hurry."
"We will, don't worry."
The man nodded in thanks and quickly ran away. Xena came up behind Gabrielle to her side with a stoic expression on her face. The pair stood in silence for a moment then Xena crossed her arms across her chest.
"Go ahead," Xena said challenging.
Gabrielle looked confused. "What?"
"Ask Ares," Xena pushed.
Gabrielle felt nervous, but turned from Xena confidently.
"Ares," She shouted. No reply. "Ares, I need to speak with you."
There was nothing. Xena was right and let a smile escape. "Doesn't look like he wants to talk to you either."
Gabrielle kept her determination. "We'll just have to go to his temple to get his attention."
In front of her Gabrielle was kneeled down next to the fire with ingredients and cooking utensils spread out all over the ground beside her. Xena looked at her best friend strangely, holding her breath.
"Bad Dream?" Gabrielle asked her friend. Xena normally didn't sleep in that late, she must have had a very restless sleep.
Xena rubbed her head gently relieving her painful headache and allowing her eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight.
"Umm, uh...yeah," Xena replied hazily. Memories of the last days events came flooding back to her. Ares, Warrior Queen, Army, Gabrielle's death. Xena shook the memories off. Maybe it was a dream after all.
"What are you doing up so early?" Xena asked Gabrielle. It wasn't like Gabrielle to wake up without Xena having to force her to do so.
Gabrielle blushed and grew timid with a small grin on her face.
"Well I, I thought I would make you those dumplings you like so much because today's your birthday," Gabrielle Explained.
Xena sighed deeply and didn't hesitate to roll her eyes. No matter how many times she told Gabrielle that her birthday was not to be any different from any other day, she always had to sneak something in. Xena was extremely hungry however. The dream, if it was a dream, had left her exhausted.
Gabrielle noticed her friend's uneasiness. "Now, I know you don't like the whole birthday scene, but I just wanted to do something for you."
Xena brought her focus back to Gabrielle; she was too tired to argue with her.
"Thanks," Xena replied.
Gabrielle smiled slightly but was concerned for her friend. She was acting really strange, like she wasn't all there. Something was up. Gabrielle didn't want to push the subject. Maybe the dumplings would cheer her up a bit before she said anything.
Gabrielle took one of the hot sweet dumplings and handed it to Xena. Xena smiled with satisfaction as she carefully brought it to her lips, holding one hand beneath her mouth to keep any of the fruit filling from coming out.
"It's delicious Gabrielle," Xena said as she licked her fingers clean.
Gabrielle smiled with pride. Maybe Xena was fine after all. They sat in silence enjoying their morning meal when suddenly a blinding blue light flashed before them leaving a very stoic god of war standing in their presence.
Ares first looked to Gabrielle and then glanced down at Xena.
Xena suddenly stopped breathing and looked up at him. She suddenly new for some reason that what had happened was no dream. Both women waited for Ares to say something.
After a long tense silence a necklace appeared in Ares hand. It was the one Ares had given to Xena the other day. More memories started to come back to her. The battle, her and Ares fight, and her throwing the necklace across the room before she went to sleep.
Ares held the necklace out to her and dropped it on the ground beside her.
"This is yours. You can do what ever you want with it, I just don't want it."
With out a second thought he disappeared.
Xena still starred at the spot where he stood. She remembered everything now, every single detail. She finally let her breath out and began breathing again. Xena reached down into the dirt and took hold of the necklace.
Gabrielle sat beside her in utter bewilderment. She watched Xena, as if she could see all the wheels turning in her head. She could sense the emotions of anger, hurt, and confusion. It made Gabrielle want to hug her friend.
"Xena?" Gabrielle started. Xena didn't acknowledge her. "What was that all about?"
Gabrielle waited patiently for her friend's response. There was none.
"Xena?" Gabrielle asked a bit more assertively. This time Xena turned her head towards Gabrielle. She still held the necklace in her hand. Xena tired to focus. What would she tell Gabrielle? She could lie, give her some stupid explanation. That wouldn't work though, if she knew her friend as well as she thought, she would be bombarded with endless questions which she wouldn't have answers for. Xena might as well tell the truth.
"Last night," Xena spoke softly and stopped. Searching for words. "Last night Ares offered me a chance to go to an alternate universe with him...one where I had agreed to be his warrior queen after he had me on trial for my life."
Gabrielle's expression went from friendly understanding to shocked confusion.
"And you agreed!?"
Xena looked away. She knew she shouldn't have gone, Gabrielle had every right to scold her, but her pride made her have to explain herself anyway.
"I thought if I went it would help me to see that I made the right choice, maybe understand myself a little more. I wanted to test myself, make sure I wouldn't fall into that temptation of war."
Gabrielle could understand that. It was still insane to trust Ares, but Xena's motives were innocent enough.
"And...?" Gabrielle asked wanting to know the outcome.
Xena looked back over to her. Guilt flooding her azure eyes.
"I, I killed you," She said quietly.
Gabrielle looked at her friend questioningly.
"Ares and I had succeeded in creating an empire. You rebelled and raised an army. While I was there we fought...I won," Xena said grimly. Gabrielle could see the pain in Xena expression.
"Xena...It's, it was a fight," Gabrielle knew Xena had most likely killed her in combat. Not even Ares could persuade her to murder her best friend. Xena shouldn't feel guilty about defending herself.
Xena shook her head in shame. "I could have stopped the fight; I could have beaten you with out resorting to the kill," Xena explained.
Gabrielle suddenly frowned. "Thanks," Gabrielle knew Xena didn't mean it as an insult to her fighting skills but she hoped that maybe it would lighten the mood a little if she pretended to be insulted. Xena sadly smiled.
Gabrielle quickly continued on wanting to know more about what happened. She wouldn't admit it but she was actually a bit curious herself about what could have been. But the more important topic right now was what was bothering Xena, and Gabrielle knew that it wasn't just her death, it had something to do with Ares.
"So now you're mad at Ares for taking you there." Gabrielle said more as a statement then as a question.
Xena's head jerked and Gabrielle couldn't tell if it was in the 'yes' or 'no' motion.
"He said some things he shouldn't have," Xena said simply.
Gabrielle waited for her to go on. She knew that this was more than just Ares making fun of her. It was serious which means it took two.
"And what did you say to him?" Gabrielle asked. Xena looked at her innocently.
"Nothing!"
Gabrielle wasn't fooled.
"Ok, we are both to blame, but it doesn't matter, I don't want anything to do with him anymore!" Xena said bitterly.
Gabrielle looked at her friend sympathetically. Sometimes Gabrielle had always wanted to hear Xena say that. She hated how Ares was always torturing and tempting her friend, and she had always wished that Xena would tell him to get lost, that he didn't mean anything to her anymore. Now maybe she could finally relax more with him out of her life. On the other hand though, Gabrielle had sort of grown to like Ares. The time they had spent on the farm was nice, and she had even become slightly protective of him. She would actually miss him a little if he didn't pop in once in a while and torment them.
Gabrielle's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of heavy feet hitting the ground. Gabrielle and Xena's heads jerked up and they both quickly took a defensive stance.
A tall skinny man in his early thirties came running at them from around the bushes. He was out of breath and he stopped in front of the girls.
"Are you Xena?" He asked panting.
"Yes."
The man looked relieved. "We need your help."
Gabrielle looked at him suspiciously. "Who is we?"
"Athens."
"Why," Gabrielle Asked.
The man tired to steady his breathing.
"A nation north of Greece will be marching on Athens within days. A long time ago it was prophesized that this would happen. Athena being our patron goddess said that when the time comes she would get the sword of bonus and give it to our champion and we would be safe."
Xena showed no emotions, she was trying to push them all away and get back to business.
"And you can't get this sword because Athena is dead right?"
"Right."
"And you want us to get it."
The man swallowed hard. "Well, see that is the problem."
Xena and Gabrielle listened waiting for him to continue.
"A mortal can't find it, only a god can."
Xena was suddenly frustrated. "So why are you asking me for help!?"
The man grew scarred and stepped back an inch.
"We-well, you are friends with the gods so-"
"I killed the gods, you think were friends?"
"With some yes, I've read the scrolls."
Xena grew silent. She really should read more of Gabrielle's scrolls, maybe monitor what she writes in them.
"We were hoping you could persuade one of the Olympians to retrieve the sword," The man suggested hopefully.
Xena was silent. Gabrielle waited for Xena to reply and didn't so she kindly smiled at the man.
"Will you excuse us please?"
The man nodded hopeful.
Gabrielle took xena gently be the arm and led her away into the forest just out of ear shot from the man. They stopped and Gabrielle opened her mouth to speak but Xena started before her.
"We can ask Aphrodite," Xena suggested. Gabrielle looked at her friend stunned.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm sure Aphrodite would love to help," Xena explained.
"Xena, I love Aphrodite, but seriously, she is not the one we are going to ask to do this!"
Xena held her hands up in defeat. "Fine"
Gabrielle sighed and tired to relax. She knew Xena wouldn't like what she was going to suggest.
"You know as well as I do that Ares is the best for the job."
Xena shook he head vigorously. "Forget it! I'm not asking Ares for anything!"
"Xena we have no choice! It's ask Ares for help or Athens is destroyed."
Xena frowned at her friend. She was fooling her self if she thought she would ever get Ares out of her life. If there was anything Xena had never done before it was ask Ares for help. Even if she wasn't angry with him she wouldn't be thrilled with asking him. Gabrielle was right though. Ares and Aphrodite were the only gods they had contact with, and unfortunately Aphrodite wasn't an option.
"What makes you think he would help me?" Xena asked with a bitter tone. Chances were Ares was just as angry with her as she was with him. There is no way he would help her, not unless it made him feel victorious in some way that she had finally asked him for help.
Gabrielle could sense how much her friend did not want to go through with this.
"I'll ask him," Gabrielle suggested with an innocent charm.
Xena offered her a bemused glare.
"Yeah that's better," Xena said sarcastically. There is no way Ares would help Gabrielle.
"I can be persuasive" Gabrielle chirped and turned away from her friend and walked back over to the man.
Gabrielle smiled brightly. "We'll help you."
The man smiled with relief. "Thank you so much, our enemy will be here in days. Please hurry."
"We will, don't worry."
The man nodded in thanks and quickly ran away. Xena came up behind Gabrielle to her side with a stoic expression on her face. The pair stood in silence for a moment then Xena crossed her arms across her chest.
"Go ahead," Xena said challenging.
Gabrielle looked confused. "What?"
"Ask Ares," Xena pushed.
Gabrielle felt nervous, but turned from Xena confidently.
"Ares," She shouted. No reply. "Ares, I need to speak with you."
There was nothing. Xena was right and let a smile escape. "Doesn't look like he wants to talk to you either."
Gabrielle kept her determination. "We'll just have to go to his temple to get his attention."