Friends and Enemies
Disclaimer: the characters are not mine. They belong to RenPics and Universal.
Note: This is a story I wrote late one night after watching the second season episode TEN LITTLE WARLORDS. I must have put it away somewhere without giving it much thought, but I found it while I was clearing out a closet and I was rather pleased with it.
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I am not proud of what I can remember of the last few days. Part of it is to do with Ares losing his godhood, I know that, but even so, I don't like knowing that I can lose control of myself all of a sudden: beating up tavern owners; giving Joxer, who is becoming a friend for all he irritates me, good reason never to speak to me again; and doing more than my share to upset Xena.
As usual, she managed to save the day, but as I watched her, I couldn't help but think that this adventure has taken its toll on her more than most. She's sleeping; it's rare for her not to wait for me to settle down first. She was preoccupied all evening, though. She went through a lot of her sword drills, to try and get her body back in shape, she said. Apparently in Tarturus, one is not forced to exercise daily, so she's not pleased with Callisto. This offhand rebuke of the woman who killed my husband made me laugh despite myself, more at Xena than at the actual comment.
I think Xena's glad to have her own body back; she must, if she feels anything like I do. It's so freeing to be able to look at her again and not see Perdicus reflected in her eyes. I don't think I've ever hated anyone as much as I hate Callisto. I've never loved anyone as much as I love Xena; looking at one and seeing the other is not an experience I care to repeat.
She was very quiet on the boat home. I thought at first that whatever Ares had to do to switch her body must have been tiring, but now I'm not sure. She seemed fine, and she isn't chatty at the best of times, but she barely even acknowledged me for most of the way. Just thinking, she said when I asked what was wrong, but she wouldn't tell me what about.
Something happened on that island and, as she won't tell me what, I can only assume it had something to do with Ares. I was so sad, so angry on her behalf when he disappeared without even a thank-you to her, that I put the wistful look on her face as he left down to that, but I wonder. She wasn't surprised that he did come through for her. He must have his own bizarre sense of justice, one that appears to make sense to her.
I tried to get her to talk to me on the way to the boat. I asked questions that were supposed to get her to tell me about the two of them, but she didn't take the bait. I don't doubt that she would have helped out any other god, but I could see how concerned she was about Ares from the other end of the tavern we found him in. She regularly beat up drunks in taverns, but this was the first time I've ever seen her offer a hand to help one up again.
She's dreaming of something as I watch her sleep. She's smiling, ever so slightly, but a smile nonetheless. She has one hand covering her cheek and she rolls over away from me. The moon is bright; maybe I just saw a reflection of the light on her face as she turned, maybe it wasn't a tear after all.