Sorry for the long absence, but my life has been like something out of a movie lately then in other ways it's been incredibly dull. I'm back now and I will be postimg more often. I hope you enjoy.

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Bridal Shower

Gabrielle had never seen anything like it. She'd been to parties before, but never one thrown by the Goddess of Love. The temple was beautifully decorated with every flower imaginable and some she'd never heard of before. There were also a myriad of candles and ribbons. Gabrielle thanked Zeus that her bridal helper had not gone overboard.

"Here's the guest of honor now!" Aphrodite announced when she spotted her.

The goddesses cheered. Her mortal friends had been given special permission by Zeus to attend, but their memories would be altered.

Gabrielle smiled and sat beside Aphrodite. Everything was perfect except for the absence of Xena and her mother. Her mother still blamed Ares for her father's death ignoring the fact that he died in bed with another woman. Xena still hadn't come around.

Artemis stood and gave Gabrielle the gift she had brought. The gift was wrapped in paper that depicted a running buck with dogs chasing it.

"Thank you Arty," she said. Over the past several weeks Gabrielle had gotten to know the younger gods and goddesses well to the point that the allowed her to use their nicknames.

Everyone gasped as she lifted out the contents of the box. Inside was a sheer, short wrap around with strings to hold it up. It was green which would enhance her hair and bring out her eyes. She blushed fiercely when she realized it would leave nothing to the imagination.

"This dress is made from fertility herbs," Artemis informed them.

"In other words," Athena said impishly, "wear it only when you want to get pregnant."

More laughter rang out as Gabrielle's blush deepened. She didn't know why she was blushing. She wasn't an innocent by any means. She'd been married before! But the thought of being with Ares in such an intimate way made her feel scared and unsure all over again.

"Open mine next!" Athena said handing over her gift.

She gently opened the wrapping paper which unsurprisingly depicted a loom in the Acropolis. Inside were several pieces of parchment sown together.

"I call it a book," the goddess explained.

"It's beautiful," she read the label on the front, "How to train your man without him knowing."

"I wish I'd got something like that when I got married!" Hera laughed.

"Me too," said Ephiny the Amazon, "read one out."

Shaking her head she opened the book, "Number five, for each pair of socks he refuses to put in the wash basket, exchange them with a pair of pink ones. Repeat until success is achieved."

"Zeus! Can you imagine Ares in pink?" Aphrodite laughed.

"That's almost as impossible as imagining Hades in it," Persephone laughed, "I might try it just for fun."

"Thank you," Gabrielle leaned over and hugged Athena, "but I don't want to change him."

"She's still star-struck!" the married women exclaimed knowingly.

Persephone handed her gift to the bride-to-be. Everyone leaned in to see what the Queen of the Underworld had brought.

Dead silence filled the room as Gabrielle pulled out a top and a skirt made of cobwebs in a red so rich it looked like strips of blood. The top seemed to be knotted in the front. Ooohs turned into gasps when they saw the back of the skirt. It was cut into an arrow shape. It would leave the wearer's buttocks exposed.

"That is beautiful!" Aphrodite said in awe, "where did you get it?

"I made it myself," Persephone said proudly.

"Can you make me one?" the goddess of love asked.

"Sure,"

"How much are you charging?"

"Do you think I should?"

"You should. You'll need your own money for when you pretend to be mortal,"

"True. I never thought about it before. I just make it for Hades,"

"Hades wears it?" Ephiny asked. The deity had strange customs.

A roar of laughter greeted that question.

"No," was the response, "I once caught him with a several shiny parchments. I think they're called papyrus. It depicted women from the dark continent in various stages of undress."

"He showed them to you?" Artemis gasped unable to comprehend such a thing.

"No," Persephone admitted with a blush, "I caught a glimpse before he realized I was there. I snuck back later to look at them."

"You didn't!" Gabrielle laughed.

"I did. And if I do say so myself I have a better body than some of those girls,"

No one bothered to point out to her that as a goddess she naturally had a better body than any mortal.

"So I decided to make my own version. Hades thought I'd come up with them myself. Needless to say Hades was very appreciative,"

"Ewww," exclaimed Aphrodite, "I don't need to hear about my uncle's sex life."

Everyone laughed.

"Will Ares like it?"

"He's a man isn't he?" Athena responded sarcastically.

Persephone took orders while Gabrielle was opening Ephiny's gift.

"It's from all the Amazons,"

It turned out to be a swing.

"This is nice,"

"It's not that kind of swing," she blushed, "Well it is, but it's meant for two people,"

"Ask Ares to show you," Aphrodite said tongue in cheek, "I'm sure he'd jump at the chance."

Gabrielle blushed as her imagination weaved several situations.

"Now dear this one is from me," Hera handed over a thick book.

"Thank you," Gabrielle was still in awe of her future mother-in-law. Inside was a book. Opening it and flipping through several pages she saw that it was like looking into Ares' pool. Only there were smaller ones of Ares from birth until now.

"Oh!" tears sprung to her eyes as she watched a much younger version of her fiancé laugh and wave at her. In these pictures he didn't look as dark and as menacing. She wondered what had happened to change him.

"Obviously I haven't put in all his pictures, but I did put in the requisite naked pictures,"

"We've all seen him naked at some point," Artemis said.

Gabrielle eyes widened. A hint of jealousy crawled through her. These women had known Ares longer than she ever would. And they'd seen him naked!

"The boy knows he's attractive so he has no sense of modesty," declared Athena.

"They are naked baby pictures," Hera clarified. A beatific grin crossed her face at their expressions.

"I'd give up my loom to see those!" Athena stated. She reached out a hand to grab the book, but it vanished from Gabrielle's hands.