Part 22:
After stopping for the night to camp out, Jett and the others found themselves making good time back to Eleutherae when they were attacked by several villagers armed with anything from pitchforks to large sticks.
"Son of a bacchae!" Meg yelled as a large stone whizzed past her ear. To her shock, it was a young girl that threw it and she managed to duck just in time before she was hit squarely in the face with another rock.
"DIE, SCUM! DEATH TO YOU ALL!" one of the men shouted, raising his pitchfork as he ran straight towards Jett, who leapt off Red Fox and drew his sword.
"Jett! No! These are innocent people! Don't harm them!" Jezda cried out.
"Mother, I don't have time to debate with you!" Jett replied as he used the back of his weapon to bring the man down. "I'm kind of busy right now!"
Gaston quickly jumped down from the wagon, drawing his small dagger. "Do not fear, my son! I will help you."
"GET BACK IN THE WAGON AND KEEP AN EYE ON MY MOTHER, YOU MORON! AND I'M NOT YOUR SON!" Jett yelled as he punched another man out. "Meg, get everybody out of here!"
"Like Tartarus I will!" Meg hollered as she jumped off her mare, her ice-blue eyes flashing in anger as a woman came running over, pitchfork in hand. She let out a yell and grabbed the pitchfork from the woman, who, once disarmed, ran off in the other direction.
"Gods damn it, Meg! Leave here! AAAAIIIIOOOOOWWWWWW!" Jett looked down and saw that a boy was biting him in the leg. "Get off me!" he growled, grabbing the boy by his shirt and lifting him up by it. "Go away before I bite you!" he snarled, lunging his head forward and snapping his teeth together for emphasis before dropping the boy onto the ground.
The terrified boy ran off into the forest, screaming.
Jett whirled around and delivered a kick to another villager's midsection, knocking him over. He saw from the corner of his eye that some of the girls in the wagons were defending themselves by hitting at the attacking villagers with sacks of flour or anything else they could get their hands on.
As Jett found himself being overwhelmed by the other villagers, Meg leapt onto Red Fox. "YIYIYIYIYIYIYI!" Her eyes were wild as she rode straight into the crowd, making them scatter before they were trampled by the horse's hooves. She reached out and Jett grabbed her hand. He scrambled onto Red Fox and had him turn to face the small band of wagons.
"YAH!" he hollered, making Red Fox go into a gallop and the two rode up next to Meg's mare. She slid over onto her horse and they wheeled around just as the villagers went to attack again.
Suddenly, there was a small but spectacular explosion a short distance away from the villagers, who stopped in their tracks and began coughing at the black smoke and the sulfurous smell that followed it. Frightened by the noise, Red Fox and Meg's mare both reared, but the two riders managed to stay on their mounts.
Jett whirled around to see that Gaston was standing on the wagon's seat, holding a flint and what appeared to be a tiny rocket in his hand. His lips were pulled back in a grimace and his nostrils flared as he glared at the would-be attackers. "I have more of these," he said, holding the small but potentially deadly weapon before him. "Now I suggest that you let us through without any more trouble."
The villagers, already frightened by the first explosion, and many of them looking rather bewildered, left the clearing without further incident. Gaston puffed his chest and winked at Jett. "We did it, my boy!" he crowed.
Jett's eyes narrowed as he glared at the older man. "If you pull another foolish stunt like that again, old man, I'll..." he hesitated for a moment. "And I'm not your boy!" he finished, turning Red Fox around and taking the lead, Meg riding up next to him. "Let's go, ladies. We've only got a short distance before we arrive in Eleutherae."
Gaston sighed as Jett took the lead, his posture stiff and straight in the saddle. "Ma chérie, did I do something wrong?"
Jezda shook her head. "It's nothing, Gaston. You just hurt his pride."
Gaston looked at her for a moment then shook his head. "Then I've wronged him. A man's pride is something you don't want to hurt. I must make it up to him, chérie."
"Non, mon amour. It's okay. Jett is upset with me for not telling him and his brothers about us," she murmured.
"Yes, I know that he is - and rightfully so," Gaston concurred, still gazing at Jett thoughtfully. "You must talk to them and tell them everything. It's not right to dismiss their feelings like that."
Jezda nodded, leaning over to kiss her fiancé on the cheek. "I will, Gaston - just as soon as we are all together," she promised.
Adora sat quietly on a large rock outside her home as she stared down the road, lost in thought.
"What are you looking at?"
Adora closed her eyes and sighed in frustration. "Andy, will you please go away? I want to be left alone for a little while, okay?"
"I just want to see what you're looking at."
"I'm not looking at anything. I'm just sitting here."
Andy climbed up on the rock and sat down beside her. "Okay. I'll help you not look for anything," he said with a grin.
Adora shook her head. "Whatever," she murmured.
"Dorie?"
Adora closed her eyes again, trying not to lose her temper. "What is it, Andy?"
"Do you think my dad is okay?"
Adora's eyebrow rose as she turned to look at the little boy. "What are you asking me that for?"
"Because you and your dad have a connection and I thought maybe you have a connection with my dad too."
Adora lost what little control she had on her temper and exploded. "Well, I don't! I can't tell you that your father is dead or alive! For all I know, he probably is dead! Now will you leave me alone?" she yelled.
Andy's bottom lip trembled at Adora's shouting and tears streamed down his cheeks as he scrambled down the rock and ran up the stairs. "Mama! Mama! Adora said Daddy was dead! Mama!" he blubbered.
Melody, Xena, and Gabrielle ran over, Melody taking her son in her arms as they exited the house and surrounded the visibly upset girl.
"Shhh, shhh, honey. It's okay," Melody crooned before turning her attention to Adora. "Why did you say that horrible thing to my son?" she demanded, stroking Andy's hair as he silently wept.
Adora blinked away the frustrated tears that were stinging her eyes and swallowed back the lump in her throat. "I just wanted to be left alone for a while. Uncle Jace, Eve, and Uncle Pierre mean well but I needed some time for myself. I kept asking Andy to leave, but he kept pestering me..." she began
"And that gave you the right to tell him his father was dead?" Melody sharply interrupted Adora's explanation. "I don't care who you are or what you have to do with what is going on here, but you will not speak to my son that way! Do I make myself clear?"
Gabrielle suddenly turned on Melody, her own temper flaring. "I'll talk to Adora. You stay out of this, Melody! She's my daughter, not yours!"
Melody glared down at the shorter woman haughtily. "That demon spawn is not your daughter! She's the daughter of a God and Joxer and we'd all be better off if she'd just go away!" she spat.
Adora's face turned chalk-white at Melody's words.
Gabrielle's eyes widened in shock then in anger. Her hands briefly went of their own accord towards her sais, but she forced herself to straighten up. "You take that back! She is NOT!" she snarled, storming over to the taller woman.
"I won't! Just as soon as Jett gets back, we're leaving!"
"No one is going anywhere! Will you two knock it off? We don't need to be at each other's throats at a time like this," Xena said, her eyes darting back and forth.
Both women turned around to stare at Xena, who returned their combined gaze with a raised eyebrow. Melody shook her head as her anger faded away. "I'm sorry, Gabrielle. I didn't mean what I said. I'm just worried about Jett." She turned to her pale-faced niece, who stared back at her with wide brown eyes. "I really didn't," she softly added in.
"I know, Melody. Let me handle talking to Dorie about this, okay?" Gabrielle murmured.
"Talk to Dorie about what, Gabrielle? What was all the shouting about?"
The others turned to Joxer, who walked down the stairs to join the others. Gabrielle immediately went over to him and hugged him fiercely. "Are you okay?"
Joxer closed his eyes as he returned the hug. "I'm fine," he said reassuringly, taking advantage of the situation to kiss her briefly before breaking the embrace. "Now, what do you need to talk to Adora about?"
"She told Andy that Jett was dead."
Joxer turned to gaze at Adora, who was very quiet. "Is this true, Adora?"
Adora nodded, unable to say anything. Her eyes seemed to gaze straight through Joxer and right into Melody's eyes. Melody looked visibly uncomfortable at the girl's stare but didn't drop her gaze.
"Why would you say such a thing?" Joxer asked calmly.
Adora averted her eyes away then and pushed the hair away from her face. "I... I... I just wanted to be left alone for a little while and Andy wouldn't even after I had asked him to. I guess I lost my temper when he kept asking me questions," she mumbled.
"I see." Joxer gazed at his daughter, not saying anything else. He didn't need to.
Adora walked over to Andy and Melody. Without a word, Melody gently placed her son on the ground and Adora knelt down beside the boy. "I'm sorry that I told you that your dad was dead," she whispered.
Andy looked up at her. "Does that mean Daddy's okay?"
Adora reached out and wiped Andy's tears away with a sigh. "Look, Andy. I really don't know, but…" She thought for a moment before she carefully put her hand over his heart. "Well, I think that if he really was gone, you'd know it."
"How, Dorie?"
"Your heart would tell you. Does it hurt?"
Andy stared at her, frowning. "My heart?"
Adora nodded. "Yeah. Your heart."
"No."
Adora smiled. "Then that's a good sign."
Andy reached out and quickly hugged Adora. "Thanks, Dorie."
"You're welcome, squirt."
Andy giggled at the nickname and they all turned around when they heard the sound of horses and wagons approaching from behind. "DADDY! DADDY!" he cried, his eyes shining at the sight of Jett leading the wagons as they turned the corner. He ran over to the group as they drew to a halt.
Jett quickly dismounted from Red Fox and swept his son up into his arms, hugging him to his chest. "Have you been a good boy while I was gone?"
"Oh yes, Daddy! I've been real good." Andy laughed as Jett ruffled his hair before setting him down on the ground and taking Melody in his arms for a kiss.
"I've missed you," Jett murmured as he hugged her to him closely.
"I've missed you too."
"Well... At least everyone's safe for now," Meg remarked as she dismounted her horse, ignoring Gabrielle's hard stare. "Say, Xena. Where do you want me and my girls to set up?" Before Xena could reply, Jezda suddenly reached up and grabbed Meg by her ear. "Hey! Let go, you old cow!" she yelled.
"MOM, STOP THAT! What's the matter with you?" Joxer gasped.
"You will not be 'setting up' here! You are here as guests!" Jezda snapped, giving Meg's ear a good twist before she let go.
Meg pulled away from the older woman, straightened up and walked over to Autolycus, who had just come back from gathering additional supplies. "Hey, Meg! Glad to see that you and your girls made it," he greeted her with a wink.
"Good to see you too, Mr. Stinky," Meg replied with a grin.
Autolycus rolled his eyes as Cyrene stepped forward. "Come with me, Meg," she said kindly, rewarding Jezda with a glare. "I'll help you and your girls get settled in."
Meg smiled at Cyrene gratefully. "Thanks." She then turned to Jett and gave him a good poke in the chest. "It's a good thing I'm a lady, or I'd put a halter on your mother! She better not touch me like that again or I won't be responsible for my actions!"
Jezda only gave Meg a look as she, Cyrene, Autolycus, and the rest of the girls departed then turned to Joxer, who was frowning at her and the oddly dressed little man that joined her. "I need to talk to you and your brothers. Would you please go get Jace?" she requested.
"Mom, is there something wrong? Are you ill?" Joxer asked.
Jezda smiled and shook her head. "No, little one. I just need to tell you something. Please get your brother."
Joxer stared at Jett, hoping for an answer from him, but all Jett said was, "You better go get Jace. You two are just gonna love this one!"
Joxer's eyebrow rose, but he turned around and headed over to Jace and Pierre's home.
"Uh, Jazz. Could you tell me where I can stable Pedro?"
Jett bristled at Gaston's question. "First of all, the name is Jett, not Jazz, you little shi..." He stopped when Melody glared at him.
"I'll show you, sir! My name's Andy."
Gaston turned around to look at the boy. "Andy? And who might you be?"
"He's my dad," Andy replied, pointing up at Jett, who scowled ferociously at the little man.
Gaston's blue eyes twinkled. "Oh! Well, then. I will soon be your grandfather," he explained.
Xena, Gabrielle, and Adora exchanged glances at Gaston's words, suddenly understanding the reason why Jett was so angry. Without a word, Gabrielle and Xena left to join Hercules and Iolaus, who were on the other side of town setting up a roadblock while Adora went to find Eve.
"Wow!" Andy exclaimed, his dark eyes wide with wonder.
"Will you stop saying that, you twerp? There's no way on this earth that you'll ever be my father!"
Joxer and Jace came back, overhearing what Jett and Gaston said.
"Our father? What are you talking about? Mom, what's going on?" Joxer asked.
"Honey, I promised to help Nikolas. I'll see you later," Melody said, realizing that Jezda and her sons needed to speak privately. "Andy, let's go stable the nice man's burro, okay?"
"Okay! Bye!" Andy waved to the others before putting his hand in his mother's and trotting off with Pedro in tow.
Jett nodded, watching Melody and Andy take Pedro's lead and walk towards the town stables before turning around to face the rest of his family and Gaston.
"Please, my sons. Let's sit down," Jezda said, indicating the carved marble benches that were nearby. After they were seated, she said, "This is Gaston and he's the man I'm going to marry. I love him and he loves me. We met over three months ago."
"So, I'm asking you again, Mother. When were you going to bother with telling us?" Jett ground out through clenched teeth.
"Jett, I was going to tell all of you. I honestly never meant for the three of you to find out like this, but things just kept getting in the way," Jezda murmured.
"Like what, Mother? The entire Athenian army? You didn't even have the decency to bother sending a message telling us that you were seeing this crackpot!"
Jezda rose to her feet then. "I will not put up with you talking to me like this, Jett! I'm your mother and you will speak to me with respect!"
"Like the so-called respect you gave us?" Jett's voice was a deadly-soft rasp.
"Do you love my mother?" Jace broke in before a full-fledged argument broke out between the two.
"With all my heart," Gaston responded with a nod.
Jace nodded and watched as Jezda re-seated herself. "Mother, does he make you happy?"
"Yes, he does."
"Then that's good enough for me," Jace said.
"How can you accept him just like that?" Jett asked incredulously. "For all you know about him, he could be a complete nutcase!"
Jace turned to face Jett. "Our so-called father was never a real one to either Joxer or me. He may have had a part in bringing us into the world and you might even think that he was a father to you in his own way, but he was never one for the two of us. I will probably never call Gaston my father, but I will welcome him as a part of this family."
"Well, I won't!" Jett growled as he rose to his feet, turned on his heel and quickly walked away from the group.
"JETT!" Jezda called out to her oldest son but he acted as if he didn't hear her and kept on walking. She covered her forehead with her hand before turning to her youngest son, who had been silent throughout the conversation. "Joxer?"
Joxer slowly rose to his feet and looked down at his mother with a very hurt expression on his face. "Why didn't you let us know, Mom? Did you think that we wouldn't understand?" he asked before he too turned around and walked away, breaking into a run to catch up with Jett, who was already halfway across the village square.
Jace rose to his feet, watching his brothers before turning around to face the older couple. "Just give them both time to take everything in, Mother," he said, his eyes shifting to meet Gaston's. "I'm sorry that Jett was so rude to you," he added in before he inclined his head forward and walked over to his home.
Jezda's shoulders slumped as she blinked back the tears that suddenly stung her eyes. Jett was furious at her, and Joxer was hurt because she hadn't told them about Gaston - and they had every right to feel the way they did. "I'm so sorry, mon amour. I thought that..."
"Don't be so sad, ma chérie. Jazz will learn to accept me," Gaston said as he put his arm around Jezda's shoulders and squeezed her to him.
"Gaston?"
"Oui, ma chérie?"
"His name is Jett."
"Right."
