Ares and Xenia didn't often have long talks and certainly not in bed, but she asked out of the blue one day. "What's Mt. Olympus like?"
"Lonely." And it was too. Of course, it wasn't necessarily a party down here. Sometimes he felt the loneliest when he lay here, wishing things would be the way they never could be.
"Why? I thought it was a grand place full of feasts, pleasures, and debate over what goes on down here as the gods play human chess."
"It's not as busy up there as it once was. There's my sister, Aphrodite, a few minor deities, and that's it."
"What happened to the rest of them?"
"A beautiful and formidable woman happened to them. They thought their sun would never set and underestimated mortals, one mortal in particular."
"But you didn't?"
"No. Olympian gods weren't always in charge. Before us it was the Titans. Before that it was the Earth and Sky. Power is often seized from the parent and new ages come and go. Right now we're living in the Age of Man."
"Are we now? There can't be new gods? Your progeny isn't running around out there?"
"At the moment, no, but that's a fair point. My children tend to be quite powerful as if they were full gods. Demigods aren't usually so lucky on the average."
"So why haven't you then?"
"When you live forever, creating a next generation isn't high on the list of priorities, especially given the Greek tendency to kill your parent for power. Don't get me wrong, children have their use. Sometimes I wish-"
"Wish what?"
"That I'd been a better father. I didn't love their mothers, which translated to little affection for my offspring, but it shouldn't have. Only once did I offer to be a father in the traditional sense, and it wasn't even my kid."
This perked her interest. "And what happened?"
"She didn't believe me. Didn't believe that I could love her. Didn't believe that I would protect the child at risk of my own demise."
"Did you? Would you have?"
"Yes, but it didn't matter. She had good reason to doubt me. I wasn't always honest with her in the past. But there's no use becoming stuck in the past, dreaming of different outcomes. What happened happened, and this is now."
She propped herself up, using her elbow. "I'm glad to hear you say that. Sometimes we do get second chances, and it looks like you're going to get yours. I'm pregnant with your child."
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Xenia watched him carefully for his reaction. It was one of surprise and then delight even pure elation. She wondered if it was because of another chance at fatherhood or was it because he loved her.
She didn't know what she felt toward him. She didn't feel a lot of things these days and mostly that was a good thing.
That's why she surprised herself by the tender, protective feeling she felt about the life within her. Maybe it was her second chance as well. She hadn't been able to keep Lucius safe, but she wouldn't fail again.
If she'd carried a mortal child, she'd give him away. She wouldn't chance that someone would use her child against her as a target and a weakness to be exploited. It would be in his best interest not to grow up in such a violent environment.
But a child of Ares? They would be born for war with powers that could protect them against schemes of the enemy.
"This is wonderful news," he said, kissing her with jubilance she'd never seen from him. His hands grabbed her as if he wanted to be sure it wasn't a dream and it wasn't all going to evaporate on a sunray.
His eyes were alight with a boyishness when he pulled away that she wouldn't have connected with someone who had lived for so long and had likely had many children before.
"I am pleased you think so," she said, rising to dress. There were still battles to be fought and temples to be built. She was more eager than ever to see Ares restored to his proper place of worship for that would likely mean strength and protection for the baby as well.
"And what was this talk about Mt. Olympus?" he asked. "Are you implying you would want to live there one day with our children?"
"One day maybe," she agreed as she slid on her gauntlets. "This could be the dawning of yet another age. The Age of the New Gods."
