Chapter 9
Dite's picnic was located in the meadow outside Ares' favorite temple. He had offered the location when Aphrodite had told him that she wanted to have a picnic. All the Gods, even Ares, loved picnics. It was a good chance to relax, have fun, and catch a tan.
Gabrielle was very nervous about being at the gathering. She wasn't sure what she would say when she saw Ares, but he wasn't in sight when she and Xena arrived. She started to calm down and enjoy herself. There were lots of games... some of them quite silly for grown-up Gods to play, but they seemed to be having a lot of fun. They played tag, hide-and-seek and pin- the-tail-on-Zeus. Hercules won that game, laughing as Zeus chased him afterwards.
Gabrielle was watching a game of tug-of-war between some Amazons and Gods when she heard a soft voice say, "Hi, Gabrielle." She turned around to see a very bashful Ares, barely able to look her in the eye.
"Hi, Ares. How are you?" Gabrielle asked nervously.
"I'm okay... umm... Do you like picnics?" asked Ares, thinking to himself that that was a really dumb question. In mind-speech, Aphrodite prodded, "Go on bro, you're doing fine." So, Ares continued, "Are you having fun?"
Gabrielle gave Ares a sweet smile, which made his heart bounce... almost through his chest. "Yes, I like picnics and I'm having fun. You ... you are nice to ask me. Thank you, Ares."
Ares felt a silly grin appear on his face. "You think I'm nice?" he asked, hoping she really meant it.
Gabrielle smiled again and whispered, "I think you are very nice."
Ares' smile stretched all the way across his handsome face. He asked Gabrielle if she would like a drink of fruit punch. She was about to accept, when Strife came running past them with Discord chasing him, carrying a pail of water. Discord threw the water at Strife but he ducked, the cold water drenching Gabrielle.
Discord and Strife were really sorry, and offered to get her something to dry off her clothes. Ares said, "No, thanks. I'll get her a blanket." He popped away to his bedroom and brought back his furry blanket. He warmed it up with his powers and laid it carefully around Gabrielle.
Gabrielle protested, "Oh, Ares. Your blanket will get muddy out here."
"That's okay, said Ares, shyly putting his arm around Gabrielle's shoulders. "I want you to use my furry blanket."
Gabrielle looked at him quizzically, "Your furry blanket?"
Ares reddened. "Well, it's really soft and nice to sleep with..."
"I'm glad," said Gabrielle, full of joy that he actually liked her gift. "I could make another one if this was ruined," she added softly. She thought that he wouldn't hear that part, but she had reckoned without the sharp hearing of a God.
"Gabrielle," Ares said with wonder. "How... Did you... did you make my blanket for me?"
Gabrielle was a bit afraid to answer, but she nodded her head. She suddenly found herself pressed against the strong chest of an ecstatic Ares. "Oh, Gabrielle, don't you know what you mean to me? You are the sweetest, kindest, most beautiful person I've ever met. I've loved you for so long." Ares paused, kissing Gabrielle's forehead, then continued, "Is it true what Dite said? The person that made my blanket... loves me?"
Gabrielle's eyes had filled with tears and she felt a huge lump in her throat, so she had to whisper the words. "Yes, I love you, Ares. I think you are wonderful."
"May I kiss you, sweetheart?" asked Ares, with tears in his own eyes.
"Yes, of course you may," said Gabrielle, turning pink.
Ares gently touched his lips to hers, and each felt a sense of homecoming, a feeling of utter peace... as if two halves had been knitted together to make a whole. "Wow," whispered Ares. "You feel like my furry blanket." He reached to kiss her again, when suddenly she pushed him away, saying "What! I'm like a blanket? What's that mean?"
Ares hurried to explain. "No, no! It's ... Your blanket makes me feel like arms of love are wrapped around me. That's how you make me feel."
"You're so sweet!" exclaimed Gabrielle, throwing her arms around him.
"Gabrielle, will you marry me and be my 'arms of love' for always? "asked Ares, looking into her happy face.
"Yes," whispered Gabrielle, shyly taking his face in her small hands, and reaching up to kiss him.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Ares and Gabrielle were married at the picnic and went on a cruise for their honeymoon. The furry blanket was undamaged during the writing of this fan fiction, and went on the cruise with Ares and Gabrielle. The three lived happily ever after.
The End
Dite's picnic was located in the meadow outside Ares' favorite temple. He had offered the location when Aphrodite had told him that she wanted to have a picnic. All the Gods, even Ares, loved picnics. It was a good chance to relax, have fun, and catch a tan.
Gabrielle was very nervous about being at the gathering. She wasn't sure what she would say when she saw Ares, but he wasn't in sight when she and Xena arrived. She started to calm down and enjoy herself. There were lots of games... some of them quite silly for grown-up Gods to play, but they seemed to be having a lot of fun. They played tag, hide-and-seek and pin- the-tail-on-Zeus. Hercules won that game, laughing as Zeus chased him afterwards.
Gabrielle was watching a game of tug-of-war between some Amazons and Gods when she heard a soft voice say, "Hi, Gabrielle." She turned around to see a very bashful Ares, barely able to look her in the eye.
"Hi, Ares. How are you?" Gabrielle asked nervously.
"I'm okay... umm... Do you like picnics?" asked Ares, thinking to himself that that was a really dumb question. In mind-speech, Aphrodite prodded, "Go on bro, you're doing fine." So, Ares continued, "Are you having fun?"
Gabrielle gave Ares a sweet smile, which made his heart bounce... almost through his chest. "Yes, I like picnics and I'm having fun. You ... you are nice to ask me. Thank you, Ares."
Ares felt a silly grin appear on his face. "You think I'm nice?" he asked, hoping she really meant it.
Gabrielle smiled again and whispered, "I think you are very nice."
Ares' smile stretched all the way across his handsome face. He asked Gabrielle if she would like a drink of fruit punch. She was about to accept, when Strife came running past them with Discord chasing him, carrying a pail of water. Discord threw the water at Strife but he ducked, the cold water drenching Gabrielle.
Discord and Strife were really sorry, and offered to get her something to dry off her clothes. Ares said, "No, thanks. I'll get her a blanket." He popped away to his bedroom and brought back his furry blanket. He warmed it up with his powers and laid it carefully around Gabrielle.
Gabrielle protested, "Oh, Ares. Your blanket will get muddy out here."
"That's okay, said Ares, shyly putting his arm around Gabrielle's shoulders. "I want you to use my furry blanket."
Gabrielle looked at him quizzically, "Your furry blanket?"
Ares reddened. "Well, it's really soft and nice to sleep with..."
"I'm glad," said Gabrielle, full of joy that he actually liked her gift. "I could make another one if this was ruined," she added softly. She thought that he wouldn't hear that part, but she had reckoned without the sharp hearing of a God.
"Gabrielle," Ares said with wonder. "How... Did you... did you make my blanket for me?"
Gabrielle was a bit afraid to answer, but she nodded her head. She suddenly found herself pressed against the strong chest of an ecstatic Ares. "Oh, Gabrielle, don't you know what you mean to me? You are the sweetest, kindest, most beautiful person I've ever met. I've loved you for so long." Ares paused, kissing Gabrielle's forehead, then continued, "Is it true what Dite said? The person that made my blanket... loves me?"
Gabrielle's eyes had filled with tears and she felt a huge lump in her throat, so she had to whisper the words. "Yes, I love you, Ares. I think you are wonderful."
"May I kiss you, sweetheart?" asked Ares, with tears in his own eyes.
"Yes, of course you may," said Gabrielle, turning pink.
Ares gently touched his lips to hers, and each felt a sense of homecoming, a feeling of utter peace... as if two halves had been knitted together to make a whole. "Wow," whispered Ares. "You feel like my furry blanket." He reached to kiss her again, when suddenly she pushed him away, saying "What! I'm like a blanket? What's that mean?"
Ares hurried to explain. "No, no! It's ... Your blanket makes me feel like arms of love are wrapped around me. That's how you make me feel."
"You're so sweet!" exclaimed Gabrielle, throwing her arms around him.
"Gabrielle, will you marry me and be my 'arms of love' for always? "asked Ares, looking into her happy face.
"Yes," whispered Gabrielle, shyly taking his face in her small hands, and reaching up to kiss him.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Ares and Gabrielle were married at the picnic and went on a cruise for their honeymoon. The furry blanket was undamaged during the writing of this fan fiction, and went on the cruise with Ares and Gabrielle. The three lived happily ever after.
The End