"What? … How?" She said in a weak voice. Suddenly her heart began racing when she realized her daughter was no longer in her arms.
"Eve? Eve!" She cried out, trying to move but something was holding her down.
Ares awakened to find her struggling against him while calling out for Eve. "It's alright, calm down" He leaned in and whispered in her ear, while holding her closer trying to get her to settle down.
She heard his voice but didn't stop. With every move she made, she felt a touch of pain run through her body. A dizzy feeling soon took over her, but she could not stop. She had to make sure Eve was safe.
"Where? Where is she?" She asked in a hoarse tone.
"Right here… she's right here" He replied placing her hand on the child's head.
"Eve?" Xena said, calming down as she stroked the child's hair.
"Shh, she's sleeping" He whispered, watching as Xena fought with the sleepiness apparent in her eyes. "See she's okay. Now rest, you're still tired"
Xena mumbled something, a refusal he would bet, but the second she closed her eyes she fell back asleep.
He looked at her marveled by her beauty. A sad smile appeared on his face, she probably won't even remember this, he thought.
"It's almost time" The god uttered to himself, looking at the small hint of the coming sun through the window.
Ares didn't go back to sleep, afraid that if he did it would all be over in a second. Instead he lie there awoke, caressing his princess' soft skin, pretending for a moment that they were not enemies but lovers.
An hour had passed when he heard Eve begin to whimper before opening her eyes. Her cries started low then grew louder.
"Shh, what's wrong?" He asked getting up and trying to calm the small child down. "Shit, you're hungry aren't you?" He realized. "Well your mom is out cold, so it looks like it'll just have to be goat milk for you angel" He said, as a container of milk appeared in his hand.
He fed her as he walked around the room, telling her about the different battles pictured on the walls. When she was done she let out a burp and smiled. Reaching for his face, she pulled on the short hairs of his goatee. He shifted her from her side ways position and held her upright with one arm.
He looked out the window and could see the rising sun. He walked back to the bed and looked from the smiling baby in his arm to the sleeping warrior princess lying on his bed.
It was over, he thought. Once she awakes things will go back to how they were before. She will hate and despise him, while he will pretend to want nothing more from her than her body. If only she knew the truth, if only. Ares chuckled to himself, it seemed ridiculous to think that the god of war could have such feelings for a mortal women let alone anyone for that matter.
With a sigh he sat down beside Xena and took a hold of her hand as they all disappeared, and reappeared inside Gabrielle's room in the tavern. Xena was now laying beside the bard on the medium sized bed.
Ares then turned to Eve. "Remember our deal, make sure it's a good one…. Sweet dreams angel" And with the wave of his hand the child had fallen asleep. He gently laid her down between her mother and Gabrielle.
Ares stood there for a few minutes longer, not daring to move. He didn't wait to let Xena go, not when he knew how it felt to hold her in his arms. He caressed her face with his hand before bending down and kissing her lips.
"Good bye princess" And with that he vanished.
Gabrielle awoke with a jolt, 'Xena, Eve!' she yelled in her mind. What was she doing sleeping? She had to find them. Right when she was about to leap out of bed, she realized she was not alone.
"Xena? … I can't believe it, he wasn't lying" She said, her voice almost shaking. She then reached over and shook Xena softly, making sure not to disturb Eve. "Xena, Xena get up" She said.
"Gabrielle?" The warrior princess whispered, unsure if this was real.
"Are you okay?" The bard asked, concern humming in her voice.
"Yeah, I'm fine. What happened?" She sat up slowly noticing her surroundings.
"Don't you remember? Discord and Deimos attacked us, and took you and Eve to Mt. Etna"
"I remember that, but everything afterwards is a blur" Xena replied, lifting up Eve and holding her close. She had almost lost her daughter, and it terrified her to think that right now her child could have been dead.
"After I found out where they sent you two, I panicked and did the only thing I could think of"
"You called Ares" Xena finished; her face turned a pale white.
"I know what you're thinking, asking Ares for help is never a good idea but he saved both of you. Whatever the cost of him helping, it's worth it"
"It wasn't a dream, he really was there" Xena said to herself in barely a whisper.
"What'd you say?" Gabrielle saw her friend's mouth moving, but didn't hear a thing.
"Nothing, it was nothing" Xena replied, with distant eyes. Gabrielle continued to talk but she was no longer listening. An image appeared in her mind. Ares lying on a bed holding her in his arms, speaking with soothing words as their hands lay on the baby sleeping peacefully on his chest.
She then reached up and touched her lips, as confusion clouded her thoughts. It was as if she could feel his lips on hers but had no memory of ever kissing him that night.
"Xena, Xena" She heard someone calling her back to reality.
"What?" She asked, a little out of breath.
"Are you sure that you're alright?"
"Yeah I'm fine, I am"
"And you're positive you don't remember anything more about last night?"
Xena paused a moment before answering. "Yeah…I'm positive" She looked away, afraid the bard would see right through her.
Gabrielle stared at her for a moment. Xena was hiding something, she could tell. But what? She contemplated questioning her, but at the moment her friend seemed more in shock and slightly scared. She watched as Xena rocked the small child in her arms, with a hold that seemed not even the Jaws of Life could pry open.
Gabrielle moved closer and placed her arm around Xena's shoulder. "She's safe" The bard said, holding Eve's little hand in her fingers.
"But for how long" Xena replied, pain and sadness clearly evident in her eyes. "We almost lost her last night. I don't want my child growing up having to fear that she might not live to see tomorrow" She whispered in a shaky voice.
"We'll find a way, we always do"
"But what if by then it's too late"
Gabrielle looked down at Eve, unsure how to respond. No matter what she said Xena would always have that feeling of, what if they couldn't always protect Eve? A feeling that she herself had felt a number of times. Questions would race through her mind. Was this fight pointless? Would they just end up causing the child more pain and getting themselves killed? One second the answers were clear and the next not so much.
They sat there in silence a moment before Gabrielle spoke. "One day she will be safe from the gods, she will be happy and secure. I know this because I can see it in her eyes. Those little sapphire eyes are all the proof I need to know that everything will be alright" She said softly, as Eve gradually opened her eyes, finally awakening from her slumber.
A smile appeared on Xena's face as the child released a yawn. "You're absolutely right" She replied, watching as those sapphire eyes stared back at her.
Gabrielle paused for a brief minute unsure how to bring up the next subject. "So…" She said in a cheerful tone. "I really like what you're wearing, it suits you well" A broad smile appeared on her face.
"What are you thinking about?" Xena replied then glanced down to realize she was wearing a short black silk nightgown. "Ares" She said with clenched teeth.
The bard could no longer contain her laughter as she pulled away from the warrior. Figuring it would be safer to put a little distance between them while she released the held in laughter.
"It's not funny" The warrior warned.
"Yeah but your expression is" The bard took a second to stop laughing. "Come on isn't that sweet? He even put on a cute little nightgown on you"
"Shut up" Xena replied, but couldn't help a small smirk from coming out. "I'm going to have to burn this"
"No, keep it as a memento for the first time Ares ever did something selfless"
"Nothing he does is selfless. Sooner or later he's going to pop up and want something from us… he always does" The last part she said with a hint of sadness in her voice.
:I just want to thank all those who review, I really appreciate it: Thanks!