Hairdye & Vengeance & War Gods, Oh My! (part 2/3)

…two days later…

"Do we serve the God of War or don't we? That's what I want to know. This whole situation is purely disrespectful. It's outright insult to who Ares is and what he represents. And what has he done about it? To this point? Nothing. Not. A. Thing. I don't know about you, but when I pledged my life and service to Ares, it wasn't so he could back down just because the law stepped in. He's the God of War. He IS the ultimate LAW and that damn well needs to be made clear to anyone who thinks differently."

Diana winced as she approached the door of the temple atrium. This was not what she needed to hear. Normally, she would be more than happy to join in an Ares' rant and had plenty of her own ammunition to fuel the fire. Especially now. But unfortunately, Ares had taken that simple pleasure away from her, along with all the others. Damn him anyhow.

"Bella, Ah see ye point and understan' ye frustratioon. But we canna ferget Lord Ares 'tis a verra just lord and mebbe has a plan we canna ken now. We mun be patient and let his Lordship do as he sees fit, wither ye agree wit' Ares decision or noo. 'Tis noo matter how fashed ye are; still His tae decide, even if it 'tis a daft one."

Ok, the brogue was unmistakable. That was definitely Ro. But Ro was facing 3 weeks of stable duty anyway, thanks to Di's big mouth. Even Cloud was snubbing the gypsy now; guilt by association. There was no way in Tartarus that Di was going to report to Ares that Ro called him 'daft'; even if she wasn't entirely sure what 'daft' meant (and Ares probably didn't know either). Still, when had Ares even needed a reason to throw a tantrum? Hmm. Time for a sudden bout of convenient amnesia.

Ares had called a full temple meeting and every priestess was required to attend, unless specially excused by Ares. There was a temple in Laodicea that had been dormant for a while. Ares himself had not been there in over a year and very few priestesses even remained there anymore.

But she didn't have to go early. Other priestesses would be arriving as duties allowed. Ares had called a full Temple-wide meeting and with as many priestesses as he had, that took time to pull together. She could wait until after the meeting began, then slip nonchalantly into the back with the next group to go in. If she kept a low profile long enough, surely all of this would blow over.

She stepped away from the door and made it about two steps before hitting a – very – solid barricade.

One that smelled deliciously of Bay Spice.

Diana took a step back, trying to clear her head and eyed Ares cautiously. "Pardon me, My Lord."

Ares crossed his arms over his muscular chest and gazed at her. He was not openly smirking, but a suspicious gleam in his onyx gaze hinted he was gloating in silence. "You weren't thinking of skipping out on my meeting, were you?"

"No! Course not, My Lord." Diana tried her best to sound shocked by the idea. "I was just—just—" Hell, there had to be something she could be doing that wouldn't get her sentence lengthened. Too bad she couldn't claim the usual stable duty excuse. "—um I was just getting a drink of water."

"No problem."

Ares snapped his fingers and a goblet appeared in Diana's hand. She peered inside; gazing at a clear liquid she could only hope was water. "That was easy, wasn't it?"

Diana stared at him, her mouth half open.

"Now go on. They are waiting for you."

Diana tossed her pride to the wind. She couldn't take this anymore. It was time to beg. "Ares, I was way out of line. I had no right to embarrass you in front of Hercules and your priestesses. I am really sorry for what I did. I swear I will never do this again. You have to believe me!"

Ares gazed down at her, a quizzical golden light in his eyes. "I know you won't," he said quietly. He reached out and caught a stray black curl between his fingers, hooding his gaze in the process. He held it for a moment; then carefully smoothed it back into place. The gesture was unexpected and seemed almost affectionate.

"Ares..."

Ares gave her a gentle push in the direction of the door. "Go."

Diana stared at him helplessly. He was really going to make her do this. She didn't have a choice.

She slowly opened the door and slipped inside, trying to make herself as invisible as possible. Fortunately, her presence didn't cause much of a stir. Diana looked for a place in the very back of the room to sit. The last thing she wanted at the moment was to draw attention to herself. Unfortunately the fact that she was making a discreet entrance and quietly besides was so unusual, it was drawing attention. A few priestesses waved a greeting to her, so Diana tried to look natural as she waved back. She found herself a place that would hopefully be out of the line of fire. The more she could avoid catching Ares' eye, the better off she'd be.

But good fortune was with Diana. The quiet entrance would have received more notice, but Arebella was just building to her rant now and she made a much better show than the gypsy.

"I think it's Xena who is responsible for this lackluster attitude," she continued. "If he didn't spend every spare moment of every single day moaning and wailing about what he lost, then Laodicea would be a grease spot in the road by now."

Diana bit the inside of her lip to keep from any instigating remarks. She longed to agree and instead had to keep quiet. More than that, she had to keep an ear out for anything that would be traitorous to her liege Lord. For Zeus sake, they were Ares priestesses, not Dite's. Every word out of their mouths was traitorous.

"Well, I don't see why we can't just leave it alone," Rusty said laconically. She stretched out her legs and slung one off the armrest of her chair. "I mean after all, this is Ares matter. He is handling it the way that he sees fit. If he wants to close down that temple in Laodicea, that is his right. He doesn't have to answer to us, Xena, the guards or anyone else about it. It's his temple; let him do it his way."

"This is not about the temple," Bella argued. "This is about Xena. If it wasn't for his preoccupation with her, there wouldn't be any of this "oh I'm gonna be a nice magnanimous kiss-all-the-babies politically correct" god stuff. We'd be a "respect me or there'll be smoking piles of ash everywhere" time."

"Even if it is about Xena," Red interrupted. "It's still Ares dealing with the situation. It's not our call to tell him how to deal with Xena or anything else."

"Maybe so. But I didn't come to this temple to serve Xena, Warrior Bitch. I came to serve Ares, God of War. That's why I'm here. And I would hope that Lord Ares would appreciate us coming to his aid in the matter. I stand ready to defend him and his temple... any of his temples... from being trashed and boarded up like some abandoned slum shack. The God of War is not dormant. His temples are not dormant either. I'm not going to stand for this."

A cry of supporting battle screams split the air and Diana resisted the urge to bury her head under a table. Why did this have to happen now? Bella was being vocal, but that wasn't news. And anyway, she wasn't saying anything that most of the other priestesses weren't already thinking. The circumstances that surrounded the closing of the Laodicea Temple were highly controversial right now. It was an older temple, one that Ares hadn't even visited in months. No one had really. There were a few acolytes who managed the place, but nothing significant had happened there in... oh, at least a year or two. It was just -- there.

But Laodicea had recently decided to make the city more accessible to the rest of the Grecian world, so they started building a new road right through the plot where the temple stood. Without bothering to inform the Lord of War or any of his servants, the authorities in Laodicea skipped directly to kicking out the acolytes and boarding up the temple, which they declared to be a 'rundown eyesore'. This, as expected, did not go down well once the news reached Cenchrea. The temple was torn over the issue, some wanting Ares to lead an army and tear through Laodicea, teaching them a lesson for this insult. And some insisted that since they didn't use that temple anymore, what did it really matter if it was demolished and they didn't have the time or resources to waste in a war with Laodicea, so why stand in the way of progress? There were strong arguments on both sides and Diana really wasn't sure how she felt on the issue, though Bella's stance was perfectly clear. But the reason Ares had called this meeting in the first place was to discuss and resolve it to everyone's satisfaction.

The arguing in the meantime had grown fiercer. Diana alone remained silent. Had she any clarity of thought at the moment, she would have realized that was an unwise move on her part. It was bound to draw more attention than simply joining in the spectacle. But her mind was too busy whirling with other thoughts, specifically along the lines of 'what will Ares say about this when he gets here' and 'will he blame me for this'? Red noticed Di's preoccupation and nodded in her direction.

"So quiet Di? That's unlike you. What do you think we oughta do?"

"I think we should go to the Laodicean's, kick their ass, take our Temple back and when they get pissed; give 'um Ares to deep fry," was what Diana did not say --though she desperately wanted to-- because Ares had excellent hearing and had been way too creative lately for her peace of mind. Instead, she repressed her death wish and with a surge of unnatural self control, she replied softly, "I think we should let Lord Ares handle the situation his way. I'm sure we can trust him to do what's best."

This got her sudden silence and a look from her surrounding priestesses that defied description. Darielle was the first to recover.

"Um, Di? Are you feeling ok?"

Diana groaned inwardly. Oh Helios! Here it comes!

"Fine, just fine," she snapped, a shade impatiently. Dari lifted a suspicious brow.

"It's just that, of all the people to agree with Ares, you are certainly—"

Di cut her off. "Look, it's His Temple right? Let him bloody well make the decision about it."

Calipso, who was there the fateful day that saw Di toted before Ares Throne for the Herc escapade, didn't know exactly word-for-word what was going on, but she was all too familiar with Ares line of thought and had a pretty good guess. And now her amusement was evident as she watched the scene, more aware than anyone else of why Di was suddenly a model priestess.

"That would be a good idea," Krista agreed. The Egyptian priestess was fully backing Bella's agenda of kicking Laodicean ass. "Except for the fact that Ares isn't fighting for his Temple. And if he doesn't take a stand for his rights now, it is going to cause a whole slew of problems down the line for all of us."

"I'm telling you, this is Xena's fault," Bella added. "That woman has gotten on my very last nerve. She struts around and pretends to be a hero, when really she is a self-righteous pain in the ass. She's taken the God of War we all love and torment and caused him a complete mental breakdown."

"C'mon. You are all just focusing on the negative side of Ares. He--he has—" Diana took a dramatic pause, both to warm to her point and to silently pray for forgiveness for the monstrous lies she was about utter, "--he has so many good qualities."

The other priestesses stared at her. "Name one," said Ro, the concise.

Diana shot her a fulsome glare that promised vengeance at a later date and wracked her brain for a good quality that could pass creditability on Ares behalf. "Well, you know Ares..." she stalled with a nervous laugh. "He's so... so... well, yeah um..."

Hell. There had to be something. What were the virtues again? Love--no. Joy--no. Peaceful--um no. Kind to animals? Sigh. She was so screwed.

"So...?"

"...so active in the community," Diana finished weakly. Hey, it was true, right? If there was one thing Ares definitely was, it was active in the community. There was not a God on Olympus more community-oriented than he was. Nobody said it had to be in a good way.

"Active in the community?" said Calipso, the very first words she had uttered since Di got there. Her blue eyes were literally twinkling with amusement. "Verrrrrry slick, Di!"

Diana changed the direction of her glare. After the damn stunt Ares pulled on her, she was in no mood to be patronized. "Cal, you can just go take a flying f—"

Fortunately the rest of her explicit --and rather vulgar-- thought never got vocalized. The door opened with a forceful thrust and the withheld breath of every priestess present was expelled in a whoosh when they realized it was just—

"Strife!"

Strife looked excited, never having been the center of such feminine attention before. "Oh nice," he purred, looking over the priestesses as if they were just presented to him as gifts for a harem. "Maybe I should go out and come back in again, if that's the kind of reaction I'll get."

"If you go out, stay gone this time," Red grumbled, in no mood to deal with the godling, though she rarely ever was.

Calipso, however, ignored her brother entirely. She was still hellbent on provoking Diana, for the opportunities to do so were so few and far between. "And what made you suddenly throw your bets into Ares camp, Di? Usually you like to offer your opinion whether it's asked for it not, rather than resigning yourself to whatever Ares chooses to do."

Diana glared. "I'm just saying it's HIS temple, that's all," she snapped defensively. "We need to band together and support him in this time of his need."

"And I agree with Di," Jocasta piped up from the back of the room. "I think we should support Ares. His temple; his call."

"And Di's penance," Cal murmured, low enough only for Diana to hear. Diana scowled in her direction.

"Cal," she said warningly. "It takes a long time to get the smell of manure out of bedsheets, do you get me?"

"Now, now Di, wouldn't that be crossing the lines of your parole?" Cal returned easily. "Wouldn't want it to slip out to my Uncle that you haven't been playing nicely with others."

"Cal, you are cruising for a serious bruising! You'd better watch your step. I am not threatened by hind blood you know." She waved a hand inclusively towards the surrounding priestesses and finished loftily, "And we are not threatened by stable duty either."

"Whoom be the 'we' ye are referrin' tae in that sentence, mah butter-mouthed mavoureen?" Ro's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Ah dinna recall agreein' tae any o' ye daft schemes."

Diana bit her lip, recalling Ro's own little excursion with stable duty. Oops! Before she could reply, Red cut in.

"Speaking of schemes, I think Ares stumbled onto your most recent one Di! Last time he put you on KP duty, he figured out where those experimental meals Falafal made went after Gragus had diarrhea for a week. He decided to put a stop to that, so he put Gragus in a place that, quote: you never go."

Diana paused. Ares had a twisted sense of justice. And recent events had proved the boundless limits of his creativity. What would he consider a place she never went?

"And where might that be?"

"His bedroom."

That BASTARD!

Diana bit her tongue again to keep from saying it aloud. Temper, temper Di! How did he manage to stay one step ahead of her? It was so inconsiderate, especially when she worked so hard at getting the best of him.

"I've tried to be nice, but now I'm just going to have to kill someone," she muttered grimly to herself. At the moment, it didn't particularly matter who. Ares, Calipso and all the other priestesses finding amusement at her expense were equally attractive choices. It may simply be a matter of who didn't move out of the way fast enough.

And since the topic of beating someone up is introduced…

Diana turned to Strife, a dark light in her eyes. "Oh Strifey," she sang. Strife cringed back, knowing that look all too well.

"Hey, Uncle Ares said ya have to be nice to me. Besides, he is waiting for you to prepare the way so he can enter the meeting."

"Prepare the way," Diana echoed, anger momentarily overtaken by confusion. "His Arrogantness wants me to 'prepare the WAY'? What the hell do I look like? One of his priestesses?" She paused to think that last part over, then sighed in resignation. "Fine. I know I am going to regret asking this, but how do I 'prepare the way' exactly?"

Strife told her.

There was silence for a full three minutes.

"You have got to be kidding me…" Diana hissed finally. Strife grinned wickedly.

"Fun as that'd be, I'm not. These are Unc's orders. Cross my heart and swear to ultimate Chaos"

"He cannot be serious. He SO cannot be SERIOUS! He really wants me to roll a red carpet out for him?"

"Very serious. You know how Uncle Ares is about jokes. I believe his exact words were: "Tell Diana when she mouths off that her only other option includes a good spanking."

There was silence again, though not any shorter than the first. Diana's face had turned an interesting shade of purple, mottled with red. Veins were beginning to pop out in unattractive places on her forehead. Her fists were clenched and her eyes were narrowed to almost pinpoints. Unknowingly, her expression mirrored the expression Ares wore in the marketplace at the start of the escapade. Strife moved back several feet from sheer self preservation.

"I'm just the messenger," he squeaked, knowing drawing attention to himself was not wise, but it was worth the risk to remind Diana he was not the target she really wanted.

Diana said nothing. Her expression was growing stormier by the moment and her silence grew thicker, angrier, but she kept a rein on her tongue. In a whiplash blur of movement, she reached out and grabbed Strife by the safety pin studded lapels of his outfit and dragged him parallel with her face; something the godling greatly desired, but in his fantasies she always looked passionate and 'come hither', not pissed off. The compromise was not worth it.

"Where. Is. It?" Diana gritted out. Strife couldn't reply fast enough.

"Outside the door. Di, don't kill me. It wasn't my idea."

Diana dropped the whining godling without a second look, growled something unintelligible and stomped to the door of the atrium. It took her less than five minutes to retrieve the large roll of velvet carpeting and most of that was Diana's growling and spitting temper. She stalked back in, rolled out the thick carpet and straightened it under the watchful and amused eye of the other priestesses; who had no idea what Di had done to deserve this, but by the Gods it'd had to be good! Then Diana, as if led by invisible strings, straightened, turned to face everyone and cleared her throat for attention. She tried to smile, but it had a stiff, forced look to it and the glint in her green eyes said unspoken volumes.

"Announcing His--," she hesitated, as if wagering some internal battle against invisible cue cards which only she could read. Her voice was firm and unwavering, but her expression didn't agree with anything she was saying. "—Gracious Lordship, Ares, The God of War, The Prince of Olympus, Sovereign Lord of Greece, Patron Saint—" she choked a bit, "—'cuse me-- of all Grecian Warriors, Penultimate God to which all must be subject to--" she coughed again, "--sorry, bit of something in my throat there-- and Wonderful Lord that we all, er all... adore." She said the last word as if it physically hurt, ejecting it with such violence that it embedded itself as deeply in the listener's eardrums as a weapon would in the far wall.

Ares strutted into the room, looking proud as a rooster with in the henhouse. He walked slowly and majestically up the red carpet, giving everyone plenty of time to admire him. And he was a specimen worth admiring. Regal head tossed back, glossy black --who knew how or when he dyed them back to his natural color-- curls spiraling in a magnificent mane around his shoulders; he strode with a catlike grace that put any king to shame. His leathers were resplendent, every stud gleaming and his boots reflected light like a mirror. There was an intake of breath around the room as everyone ogled the War God, unable to look their fill. All, that was, save one. And that one was glaring straight into Ares eyes, too angry at the moment to be awed by the otherwise breathtaking sight.

"Welcome My Lord," Diana tossed the words at him like weapons, locking eyes with him in a staredown of pure defiance. Ares stared her back, smugness oozing from every pore.

"Thank you Diana," he replied, calm and secure. "You may bow."

It was hard to know what Diana would have said to that. It was possible she would have said nothing either way, because the way her jaw dropped was not conducive to smart-assed remarks. But whatever may have happened, she caught herself in time, bit her lip and dropped into a curtsey that was pretty, if not submissive. Ares waved her back up with a nonchalant grace.

"You may go," he continued smugly, obviously enjoying himself.

If looks could kill, Ares would be stuffed and mounted on the wall already, or at least whatever sufficiently large bits of him remained to be stuffed and mounted. But Diana still magically held her tongue and stepped away, if such a delicate word could be applied to what she did. Her stomping was louder and quite sulkier than usual, but Ares chose not to notice.

"Very good. I see we are all here." He settled back in his throne and draped a leg indolently over the side. Tapping a finger against the armrest, his gaze slid over the collective of women impassively.

"There are several matters I wish to address today. However, first I'd like to draw to your attention the lack of respect I've noticed lately. For example, some of you in this room, this is the first meeting you've attended in six months. Now I am a forgiving God as you well know, but such insolence will not be tolerated any longer. I trust that I am making myself clear." He paused and glanced meaningfully around the room a moment before continuing. "Now, I understand that we are ready to discuss the Laodicea situation?"

"Yes M'lord," Jocasta agreed, eager to keep the peace. She could feel the tension building in the room and was doing her best to ease it. "We are eager to hear what your plan is. Diana suggested it would be best to let you decide, seeing how it is your temple."

"Did she? How astute of her," Ares said dryly, glancing at the gypsy. All he got in response was a glare. He sighed. "Very well. Who would like to start the proceedings?" Without leaving a pause, his gaze fell again on Diana and he smirked. "How nice of you to volunteer, Diana."

Diana scowled, but inwardly. "Did I?" she replied flatly. "How presumptuous of me." She stood reluctantly to her feet and continued with no enthusiasm. If there was a trace of sarcasm in her voice, it was well hidden.

"I move that we proceed as you direct, Lord Ares. Surely it is worthless for us to discuss our views, when yours are so much better -- you being infinitely wise and all knowing of course."

"True," Ares agreed unabashedly. "Nevertheless, I wish to hear your views on the matter, Diana. I have a feeling they will prove most -- entertaining."

"I doubt they will be of much consequence, seeing as you are the ultimate decision maker here. But if you wish it My Lord, it pleases me to obey you." With a uniform glance that revealed nothing, Diana began her speech. "Friends and fellow priestesses, you are all familiar with the incident surrounding the closure of our Laodicea Temple. It is the gravest of insults that it should be boarded up, not only without our knowledge, but also without our permission. While it's true that the Temple was seldom used, it is nevertheless still the property of our esteemed Lord and it's not public domain that it can be demolished by the whim of a city. It's my belief that we should take action against Laodicea for this threat against Lord Ares sovereignty. We stand united, ready to follow your orders -- My Lord." With that, Diana looked at Ares, silently indicating that it was his turn to take over. Ares nodded and she sat down gratefully.

Diana said nothing. Her expression was growing stormier by the moment and her silence grew thicker, angrier, but remarkably she kept a rein on her tongue. In a whiplash blur of movement, she reached out and grabbed Strife by the safety pin studded lapels of his outfit and dragged him parallel with her face, something the godling usually greatly desired, but in his fantasies she always looked passionate and 'come hither', not pissed off. The compromise was not worth it."Where. Is. It?" Diana gritted out. Strife couldn't reply fast enough."Outside the door. Di, don't kill me. It wasn't my idea." Diana dropped the whining godling without a second look, growled something unintelligible and stomped to the door of the atrium. It took her less than five minutes to retrieve the large roll of velvet carpeting and most of that was Diana's growling and spitting temper. She stalked back in, rolled out the thick carpet and straightened it neatly under the watchful and very amused eye of the other priestesses; who had no idea what Di had done to deserve this, but by the Gods, it had to be good! Then Diana, as if led by invisible strings, straightened, turned to face everyone and cleared her throat for attention. She tried to smile, but it had a stiff, forced look to it and the glint in her green eyes said unspoken volumes."Announcing His--," she hesitated, as if wagering some internal battle against invisible cue cards which only she could read. Her voice was firm and unwavering, but her expression didn't seem to agree with anything she was saying. "—Gracious Lordship, Ares, The God of War, The Prince of Olympus, Sovereign Lord of Greece, Patron Saint—" she choked a bit, "—'cuse me-- of all Grecian Warriors, Penultimate God to which all must be subject to--" she coughed again, "--sorry, bit of something in my throat there-- and Wonderful Lord that we all, er all... adore." She said the last word as if it physically hurt, ejecting it with such violence that it embedded itself as deeply in the listener's eardrums as a weapon would've in the far wall.

Ares strutted into the room, looking as proud as a rooster with his own harem in the henhouse. He walked slowly and majestically up the red carpet, giving everyone plenty of time to admire him. And he was a specimen worth admiring. Regal head tossed back, glossy black curls spiraling in a magnificent mane around his shoulders; he strode with a catlike grace that put any king to shame. His leathers were resplendent, every stud gleaming and his boots reflected light like a mirror. There was an intake of breath around the room as everyone ogled the War God, unable to look their fill. All, that was, save one. And that one was glaring straight into Ares eyes, too angry at the moment to be awed by the otherwise breathtaking sight.

"Welcome My Lord," Diana tossed the words at him like weapons, locking eyes with him in a stare down of pure defiance. Ares stared her back, smugness oozing from every pore."Thank you Diana," he replied, calm and secure. "You may bow."It was hard to know what Diana would have said to that. It was possible she would have said nothing either way, because the way her jaw dropped was not conducive to smart-assed remarks. But whatever may have happened, she caught herself in time, bit her lip and dropped into a curtsey that was pretty, if not completely submissive.

Ares waved her back up with a nonchalant grace. "You may go," he continued smugly, obviously enjoying himself. If looks could kill, Ares would be stuffed and mounted on the wall already, or at least whatever sufficiently large bits of him remained to be stuffed and mounted. But Diana still magically held her tongue and stepped away, if such a delicate word could be applied to what she did. Her stomping was louder and quite sulkier than usual, but Ares chose not to notice.

"Thank you Diana for that precise summation. Opposing views?"

Calipso stood. "I'm not convinced that fighting is a good move. Let's face it; the Temple established there was pretty run down. We weren't bothering with the upkeep because there was hardly anyone in residence there. We can hardly blame the city for wanting to do something productive --not to mention profitable-- with the land, instead of just letting it take up space. Going to war with Laodicea would only be a waste of time and energy that could be better served elsewhere."

Bella leapt to her feet without invitation. "That would be true if the temple itself was the main focus. But this isn't about a temple. It's about the insult that the city of Laodicea would take the God of War so lightly. Such a lack of respect demands a response. The people need to know that it is wrong for them to cross the gods. Unfortunately, when acts of defiance and humiliation go unpunished, people think its ok to do whatever they want." She glanced deliberately at Ares then, "Not for the first time either."

Diana closed her eyes in a sudden pain. Oh Helios! Here it comes. Now all Tartarus is going to break loose.

Ares narrowed his eyes. "Exactly what do you mean by that remark, Arebella?"

"My Lord, don't be obtuse. You know what I mean and you know we know the real reason you don't want an attack on Laodicea. Xena was in residence there, shortly before her untimely demise. We all know you visited her there. And some sense of sentimental nostalgia is keeping you from enforcing your prerogative."

"You are on dangerous ground Bella," Ares' voice carried a subtle warning, though there was nothing subtle in his words. "Proceed at your own risk."

Arebella took a step back, smart enough to heed the warning, but courageous enough to proceed undaunted. "My Lord, you know better than to expect us to sugarcoat the facts. We all understand what you are going through and are truly apologetic for your loss." She stopped as Ares looked away. His expression didn't reveal anything, but his glower had disappeared and his eyes were unusually empty. Arebella paused to let a moment of respectful silence pass before continuing. "But life goes on, My Lord. And you are alive -- not dead. Do not let the loss in your heart claim your life too. We have to make the point to Laodicea that pain has not made you weak. On the contrary, it has made you stronger than before."

Ares didn't say anything. Arebella took advantage of the silence to press her point. "On the same tack, who was it who suggested that defiance to the gods was acceptable? Xena defied you, so now others feel its ok to do it too. You have to show the people that you are War! And War does not bow down to the whims of a city. Like Diana said, 'If you let Laodicea go, where does it stop? Next thing you'll be collecting Xena's used tissues with her snot -- just for the memories.'"

Diana's cheeks flared with color as Ares' look changed directions. Oops. Er, yes -- well, she had said that, about a week before this issue with the hair dye came up. She was pissed at Ares over some trivial thing -- and the remark just slipped out. She didn't expect it to be repeated to the God of War however, although she knew Arebella hadn't meant to say it anymore than Diana had. Bella was just trying to make a point, that's all. But Ares --who wasn't known for his ability to take a joke-- didn't seem to appreciate the humor.

"Mmm. Diana said that, did she?" he asked dryly, his black eyes hot as he stared at the unfortunate gypsy. Diana blushed as Arebella realized her mistake and tried to backpedal.

"Oh well um -- yes but, she was only teasing My Lord. Really."

"Was she?"

"Oh yes, My Lord. She would never insult you, er—"

"—to my face?" Ares finished, arching a brow. Arebella colored.

"That's not what I meant."

"Didn't you?" Ares rose and crooked a finger at Diana. "Come here, gypsy."

Ooooohhhh Helios!

Reluctantly Diana stood to her feet and slowly approached the God of War. Ares watched her intently as she did; arms folded over a massive chest. From his towering height and immense build he loomed over her like a dark threat of certain death.

"So you find my sentimentality amusing -- do you gypsy? Think it's something to joke about?" His voice was dangerously quiet.

Diana winced. This was not going her way at all. She'd have sworn she hadn't broken any mirrors lately. But seven years wasn't enough to encompass all the bad luck she was having in a single week.

"No My Lord!" she replied defensively. "I didn't mean that at all. I was merely trying to—" she hesitated. What had she been trying to do? Embarrass him? Mock him? Humiliate him? "—trying to lighten the mood. We were reminiscing about Xena and I felt things had grown dark, so I tried to give everyone something to laugh at. It was a failed attempt at humor My Lord. You should know better than anyone that I don't keep my mouth shut, even when I should."

"Really? I'm surprised you don't have more respect for my sentimentality Diana

-- considering it is the only reason that you are still alive!"

Diana swallowed. Hard. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Though usually glib, her tongue had failed this time to come to her rescue. It was huddling, terrified, in the back of her throat, much like Diana wished she could huddle in the back of the room.

Ares stared at her. "Sentimentality is a funny thing. It allows one to make a decision based on emotion, when no logical explanation for the decision exists. If I were not a sentimental god, then you --Diana-- would be but a memory."

Diana swallowed again and found nothing to say. Ares continued calmly.

"Luckily I am sentimental Diana and because I am, I believe there are moments --however rare they may be-- when you show true promise. I never stop believing in the incredible woman you could be, provided you learn some restraint." He circled her, looking thoughtful. "Perhaps you're right. Perhaps I have been too lenient. Tell me Diana, would you like to see me punish open defiance? Would you like me to stop believing in you?"

"No," Diana replied quickly. She meant the word to be strong, but instead it came out as more of a croak. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Please Lord Ares. I never meant to offend you."

Ares' dark eyes glittered with sudden amusement. She wasn't sure what it was that made him laugh until he spoke. "That's ironic coming from you, Diana. You who spent your life trying to offend me."

"It's not that. It's that I—I uh…" Diana hesitated. For just a heartbeat's time, she'd actually considered telling him the truth. She looked down at the floor and sighed. How the hell did she get stuck in these situations anyway? Why couldn't she just let well enough alone?

Ares was staring at her with undisguised curiosity now, as was everyone else in the room. It was all she could do not to blush. Really, why did he have to embarrass her like this? Wasn't privately mortifying her enough for him? When she didn't continue her statement aloud, Ares prompted her.

"Yes Diana? What is it exactly?"

Diana hesitated, willing herself to come up with a good lie, one that would both pass inspection with the Boss and keep her out of trouble. It only took seconds for her gypsy roots to come to her rescue.

Donning her most dazzling smile, she curtsied deeply and replied with a cavalier attitude, "My dear God of War, I'm shocked that you haven't already guessed. You demand nothing less than the best from all of your priestesses. And I, in an effort to live up to your expectations, keep myself in consistent readiness for the schemes and wiles any of our enemies may present. I do this by continually testing myself, seeing what I can accomplish, only in the best interests of becoming a clever strategist. And who would serve as a better adversary than yourself? After all, you've proven to be my greatest challenge."

Ares smiled briefly, though his eyes revealed he believed none of it. "You've challenged me on multiple occasions. Why not move on to a new adversary?"

"Practice makes perfect," Diana cheerfully replied. Ares' lips pursed --thus bringing to life the sexiest pout in creation-- but he said nothing. He just slowly circled her again, his presence encasing her, making Diana feel edgy. She was all too aware of his closeness and the barely sheathed extent of his power. All he had to do was snap his fingers and she'd be a memory. If he even allowed that much of her to remain

"So all these pranks of yours are for my benefit?"

Diana just kept smiling. "Yes My Lord."

"Mmm. Fascinating. Can't say as I would've expected that answer. But you always have been full of surprises." He stopped his pacing in front of her and tilted his head to one side, adopting an expression which made his adorable dimples appear. Diana tried not to notice. "How engaging of you to go through so much trouble for me. As often as you seek me out, I wonder if I oughtn't feel somewhat flattered."

Diana went red and felt the urge to flee before Ares could see her blush again. It was hard to tell from his tone whether he was mocking her, but either way he was too close to the mark. Uncomfortable with the conversation, she looked desperately for a subject change. Ares cut through her thoughts, his tone still soft and a touch whimsical.

"So quiet? That's not like you, my sweet."

"I don't know what to say."

"That never stopped you before." Ares leaned in closer to her slowly and Diana forgot to breathe. His voice lowered, growing husky, as if affected by the change in position. "Is all this really for my benefit, Diana?"

"I live to serve you My Lord," Diana whispered, wishing Ares would back away. Too close for comfort he was and his words had an unmistakable sensual edge. He smiled at her, his dimples playing hell with her libido. She stared back at him, mesmerized like a mouse caught by a rattlesnake. He really was too damn good-looking for words, indeed he was.

"That, my sweet, is deserving of a response," he growled and without further warning, he leaned the rest of the way in and kissed her. The gasps that went up around the room, mingled with shock and envy, were nothing compared to how stunned Diana felt. She tried valiantly not to melt, but not being affected by the kiss was like asking her not to exist. It was simply impossible to ignore the magnetic way he influenced her, his kiss skillfully manipulating her, causing her to feel as if she were falling sweetly, fading away from herself and soaking in his essence to sustain her. She heard a soft groan, but was unsure whether it came from her throat or his. Not that it mattered much; they were so entwined with one another. Ares took the sound as encouragement and his lips swiftly urged hers apart, his tongue delving inside, hot and wild as he deepened the kiss. Ah. The groan was hers, Diana realized as she heard it again and felt her fingers sinking deeply into soft curls, clutching Ares for dear life as she floated and fell simultaneously into an incredible, unmistakably delectable kiss.

It could have only been moments, but it felt like eternity before Diana was jerked from heaven and found she could breathe again. Ares was looking down at her, eyes hot and fiery, the only indication that he was affected by the kiss. Diana on the other hand was less than subtle, gasping and pressing her fingers to her still burning mouth. Nobody else spoke, or even moved. They just stared at the show in amazed --and in some cases amused-- silence.

Diana didn't dare look at the faces behind her. She just kept staring at Ares, unsure whether to say something or grab him and kiss him again. Ares smirked at her and there was clear laughter in his eyes this time. He could read her thoughts --probably because they were plastered across her face-- and it was evident he enjoyed them.

"You may sit down now Diana," he said calmly and looked out across the assembled priestesses, "Now -- to the battle plans for Laodicea."

Diana had no choice but to turn and stumble back towards her seat. She could tell from the smirks on various faces --smirks which would disappear after meeting the business end of her sword-- that this one was going to take a long time to live down. She felt the edges of homicidal rage uncurling across her mind, fuelled by pure embarrassment. That Ares could kiss her uninvited --ok, maybe the stupefied way she was staring at him could be construed as an invitation, but the principle was sound-- then subsequently dismiss her so casually made her more furious than any of the other stunts he'd pulled. She wanted to kill him so bad she could taste it. That or kiss him again --which she could also still taste and it tasted good-- but damned if she'd give him the satisfaction of knowing it.

Oh no Ares! I was just playing with you before, but now -- NOW this has officially become War!