CHAPTER SEVEN: STILL THE QUEEN
"Did I tell you that I love your new hair cut? It shrieks 'look at me, I'm sexy',"
Gabrielle chuckled then they sat in silence for a while each with their own thoughts. Suddenly Aphrodite gasped.
"You did ask my sister for permission, didn't you?"
There was no response.
"How could you forget protocol? You're Queen!"
"I wasn't thinking!"
"Oh Zeus! If you think Xena's ballistic. You don't want to see Artemis in action!"
"What am I going to do? I already said yes! What if she says no?"
"Then you'll have to un-yes my brother. Even he won't interfere in Goddess/Queen business,"
"I want to marry him,"
"Then you better hope my sister's in a good mood,"
"Should I go to her?"
"Nah," she settled back on her sofa-like throne. Artie! Artie!"
A green light appeared which faded to reveal a rather tall beautiful woman. She was the spitting image of Apollo, the sun god. Her long blonde hair, slightly darker than her sister's fell in curls around her shoulders. Resting on her head was a tiny plain tiara. She was dressed in a loose fitting green gown.
"I'm here. What do you want?"
"To tell you how much I love you,"
Her sister snorted, "Love telling someone she loves them must take a lot out of you."
"You have no idea," she sighed, "I'm so exhausted just from that."
The moon goddess chuckled, "what did you do this time? Zap some of Ares' men so they fell in love with each other? I'm not going to stop Ares from trying to redecorate your temple this time."
Aphrodite laughed and tossed her hair. "They totally needed to learn the edict 'make love not war'. I decided to help them along. It's not my fault they decided to run off to the male equivalent of the Island of Lesbos and become peace negotiators."
Shaking her head at her sister, she turned to the woman laughing on the other sofa.
"Queen Gabrielle,"
"My Goddess," she rose and made the appropriate obeisance.
"What are you doing with my ditz of a sister?"
"Hey! Don't hate me because I'm beautiful," she waved her hand and a cloud of flowers and ribbons surrounded her sister.
Artemis waved her hand and a cloud of moon dust descended on Aphrodite.
Both sisters cleaned themselves up.
"If I get moon dust up my ass, I'm making your pets want to mate with you!"
Gabrielle couldn't hold it in any longer. She slid off the couch howling. She'd never seen or heard anything so funny in her life as the two sisters bickering. Everything with Xena and Joxer seemed so far away.
"She's your chosen Queen, do something!"
"You do something, she's your guest,"
They both stared at the human laughing on the floor.
"I think she's cracking up,"
"Getting engaged to our brother, Ares will make you do that,"
"Did you say Ares?"
"Yeppers,"
Apollo's twin sister did something she rarely did. She laughed. She was laughing so hard she joined Gabrielle on the floor.
"Zeus!" she gasped holding her sides, "thank you Dite! I haven't laughed like that in a long time."
"I'm not kidding. She just asked me to be her bridal helper,"
Artemis looked at her sister. The smile slowly faded as she saw the serious expression.
"Ares?"
"Yup,"
"The brat who tried to see if my hounds could pull a chariot?"
"Yup,"
"Wears leather, has an ear-ring, and thinks he's Zeus' gift to goddesses and women?"
"Yup, yup, and yup. That's the one,"
"I need to stand," she rose gracefully and towered over Gabrielle who had sobered up.
Maybe she won't remember that I…"You didn't follow protocol,"
She remembered.
"I apologize, Artemis. I forgot,"
"You're really marrying Ares?"
"Yes,"
"What happened to wanting to boil him in a pit of lava?"
"I still want to do that,"
"So what do you ask of me?"
"I ask permission to take a male mate,"
The goddess remained silent.
"I willingly rescind my role as your Chosen so I may claim my mate,"
A sigh made its way passed the divine lips. "That will not be necessary. You will remain my Chosen until such a time that you go through the ceremony to become a goddess."
"Does that mean?" the Queen's eyes gleamed with hope.
Artemis gave a regal nod and placed her right hand on Gabrielle's head. "I grant permission for my Chosen, Gabrielle of Potedeia, to enter into marriage with my brother Ares, God of War and to retain her role as Queen of the Amazons until she ascends to godhood. Rise."
"Thank you Artemis," Gabrielle rose.
"Be happy. I must go now. I was getting ready for bed when Dite called,"
"You can't go now," Dite whined, "we were about to discuss the pre-wedding party. Gabrielle, how do you feel about getting Adonis to strip?"
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A.N. Matron of Honour and Still the Queen was actually one long chapter, but I decided to split them up. Allows for a shorter attention span. :-)