I don't really remember anything afterwards, but it must have been a couple of dark hours later when I was suddenly taken aback by the blinding light surrounding me, so bright that for a moment there I had to cover my already squinting eyes from the radiating diamond white that was literally burning my retina.

It took me awhile, but as I got used to that initially disturbing intensity and I was finally able to take a look around, to my boundless surprise I discovered that the surroundings were utterly familiar….I walked a few careful steps in the direction of the imposing oak tree dominating the hill and my heart just skipped a beat when, getting close enough to touch its thick , rugged bark, I noticed an X and an L engraved on it …. Tears began streaming instantly down my face, and with shaking hands I caressed the rough surface of the slightly fading letters ….

"Lyceus…" I murmured melancholically, biting my lower lip, bowing my head in defeat as old, painful memories assaulted my tormented heart at the same time as the sharp thorns of remorse began grazing its fragile walls.

" I can't believe the guilt is still haunting you…I could have sworn it on the head of Zeus that you managed to overcome it…." a strong, shooting voice came from behind, and I didn't have to turn around to see who it was, for I could recognize those inflections anytime, anyplace….."It wasn't you fault, Princess"

I gulped nosily part of my immense pain before I turned around rather annoyed that he had had the guts to transport me there without asking first. He should have known how bad it hurt , and by the Fates, he should have been at least aware of how much effort it had cost me to bury my regrets and all that guilt he was talking about…..How could he be that soulless and reckless, the Bastard?!

"Why did you bring me here?!" I broke out, spinning around to face him, eager to slap him silly. I could feel the fire burning everywhere inside me, flaring in my eyes, scorching my guts with the same intensity it was burning the tip of my tongue as I spoke, and as I rose my hand to smack him I could even feel the flames on the tip of my fingers, but in a split second, all that fury died out when I noticed the boundless sadness darkening his features….- a mirror of my own sorrow….

My hand stopped thus in mid air, not even close enough to his cheek to be considered a menace, but he didn't budge one inch anyway…As an answer to my so called outburst, he gently took my hand in his and pushed it until my palm was perfectly pressed against his warm face, his gaze never leaving mine, boring into me, searching for something behind the steely gaze that had been virtually cutting him into pieces earlier. As his eyelids finally lowered and his lips brushed against my palm, even the last ounce of my anger melted away, before he whispered the first words to me….

" I wasn't the one who brought you here , Darling. "

" What are you talking about? I sure didn't transport myself through the aether! The last time I checked, I was only mortal, Ares!" I snapped at him again, angry at my own embarrassing weakness….Just earlier that night the same thing had happened…One touch was enough for him to send my soul spiraling into another dimension….And it was not good, not good at all…As much and as desperately as I wanted him, I was still lucid enough to tell how wrong that was...

He only smiled and delicately pulled the robe off my shoulders, letting it fall in a heap to the ground, leaving me only in my shift, involuntarily painting a harsh frown on my forehead, and I was right about to explode in a series of memorable curses when the tips of his fingers touched my shoulder….my wounded shoulder….Or so it had to be….

" But how ….? When? You don't have the power to heal such injuries without Athena's blessing…"I murmured, staring in awe at my perfectly intact skin.

"No , I don't…" he pointed out, licking his lips as his hand lowered a bit, cupping my breast. I didn't even consider the possibility of mumbling the slightest protest...He pulled away just as fast anyway and his longing gaze lingered for a few moments on my hand- that was now casually resting on his chest- instead .

"Then how did you…..? "

"I didn't….." he simply answered, and that was when I finally noticed the concern in his eyes….It hadn't been sadness I had seen earlier, but worry…..He was worried sick.

" What's going on?" I asked, in a low, strangled voice.

" You're dreaming…."

"Oh…." I replied, relived to hear that it was all some awkward, nightly fantasy. So that was it…a dream….I was just being paranoid. " And you decided that it was high time you plagued my dreams as well huh?" I casually joked, shaking my head at the thought….He just couldn't stay away from me…Not even in my sleep I couldn't get rid of him….Not that I actually wanted to….

When no trace of smile softened his statue like face though, a cold shiver ran down my spine again. I couldn't help it….

The only good thing about it, was that this time I didn't have to find my words to utter the question…..As always, my eyes silently asked whatever they needed to know and he just answered, his voice slightly grave and unusually calm given the circumstances….I could feel the blood in my veins running faster at the implications…

" What is the last thing you remember?"

Ok….I was definitely starting to panic now….his thumb, sweetly tracing the contour of my lips now- was the only thing that was keeping the paralyzing fear out of my system.

" You…leaving. You went to check on some wars…Why do you ask?" I hesitantly answered in a small voice as if dreading my own words. My feet felt like jelly, and I couldn't really tell if it was from the dizzying arousal caused by his nearness or from the chocking terror creeping into my soul...What on earth could have happened to me?

"I came back at dawn…"

"And?"

" You were deeply asleep, so I didn't wake you up. I just laid in bed by your side and wrapped my arms around you, waiting for the hours to pass…"

I held my breath while he finished his little story.

" It was almost noon when I finally realized that something wasn't quite right….."

"Noon….?"

"Yeah…..I mean….I just assumed that you were exhausted with the wound and the pain, the previous day's events ….But you didn't move one inch throughout the morning and when I tried to wake you up, there was no reaction what so ever…"

" You mean I'm…..dead?!"

He laughed bitterly at my assumption.

"I think I would have known, Honey." he responded, while frowning a bit at something.

" What then?" I rushed to ask ,in a high, impatient tone.

" I don't know…..I just….I couldn't wake you up….."

" Ok….." I whispered, aware that things were anything but…"What did you do afterwards?"

" The first thing that crossed my mind...I projected an energy shield around us and entered your dreamscape…..And here I am….."

I gave his statement a second thought...

"Maybe you were right…..Maybe I was just very tired….."

" Xena…..Believe me, I tried….."

" Did you check my fever….?" I asked, clearing my throat nervously while searching for answers.

" Sweetheart…..You've been in my arms for the past six , seven hours. I would have noticed even the slightest change in pulse and breathing let alone body temperature…..You are physically fine…Except for that shoulder wound of course- which hasn't bled anymore by the way- you're ok…"

I was really confused now….

" I don't get it, then….Nothing unusual happened…..I must have fallen asleep after you left, that tea was sure calming enough to…." I instantly stopped as soon as the words rolled off my tongue and our facial expressions changed simultaneously at the very possible explanation.

" Damn it! …..What did it taste like, that accursed tea?"

"Do you really think that…..? " I inquired without finishing the sentence, but briefly considering that option " Ares, she wouldn't have dared. She knows you far too well….And….I'm your Chosen….Attempting to harm me in your own temple…..? That would have been suicide..."

" Maybe her hate for you was a bit more intense than the fear of what I'm going to do to her….."

"Do you think she would have risked that much?" I added, unable to accept that I could have been so wrong about someone.

"Can you think about anything else?" he replied, arching an eyebrow at me. " Tell me all about that tea, will you? ….Everything that you can remember…Taste, color…."

" Do you think it was poison?"

"I have no idea…."

I gulped nervously and I was ready to turn around but his hands, gripped my shoulders firmly holding me in place.

" Come on. Think about it. ….Taste, color, Princess….We need to find out what it was…."

" It was a herbal tea…..a bit sweet….."I answered, a bit irritated by the situation itself.

" What kind of tea? Made out of what?" he continued to push.

" Chamomile, hibiscus, cinnamon….and something that I couldn't quite detect…." I almost yelled at him and he just pulled me in his arms and held me tight for the following minute, waiting for me to calm down, brushing lightly his fingers through my waist long hair...I hadn't even noticed that my hair was unusually long ...What was wrong with me?

"You said it was sweet…..?" he finally questioned, placing a loving kiss on my forehead.

" Yeah…."

"Honey sweet…?"

"No." I frowned, trying to associate the taste with something familiar….."Opium…"

He sighed at my statement.

" Exactly what we needed right now….Whit Blondie gone mad and all…."

" Right…" I said, laughing at the perspective…"You'll be spending a lot of quality time together while trying to find a way to bring me back….." I answered, my eyes widening with shock the very following instant "Ares…." I started...

"Yeah?"

" Is it normal not to recall certain details in dreams…?"

He tried not to look flabbergasted, but his body suddenly went stiff, I could tell.

"I guess…..I don't dream much, you know…Why do you ask?"

This time, it was an absolutely impossible to control reaction. Tears welled in my eyes almost immediately.

"I can't recall Gabrielle's face….." I breathed out, the blood itself freezing in my veins at the realisation.

"That's not necessarily a bad thing" he laughed, doing his best not to sound as desperate as I had.

"Tell me…" I insisted, aware of the fact that he already had a pretty clear idea of what must have happened.

"It's just a hunch. It could be nothing, really. No need to worry, Xe….."

"Tell me, Ares…! "

His lips pressed together in a line as his gaze fixed the emerald green grass beneath our feet.

" The tears of Celesta are known to have similar effects…"

" The tears of Death?"

"The very ones…" he said, and for a minute I could literally feel the icy blue vault of the sky crashing over my head.