Within an hour, the pair was once again on the road, Alteira now attired in clothing much more appropriate for walking and fighting. She remained standoffish, but was no longer quite as hostile as she had been. Hercules, ever optimistic, continued to try to make friends. "I meant to tell you -- you fought incredibly well yesterday. Where did you learn combat skills like that?"

"My people teach all children the skills they need to defend themselves. It's only barbarians who deny vital knowledge to half their population."

"So everyone in your land can fight that well?"

"Well, some of us have had further training," Alteira admitted grudgingly. "In my country, I held a position of some importance. I was a Guardian."

"What did you guard?"

Alteira studied him, debating whether to explain. Before she could speak, however, a little girl appeared on the road ahead of them and shouted peremptorily. "Hercules!"

They halted, amazed both at her sudden appearance and her ready knowledge of Hercules' identity. Hercules knelt down, half-charmed by her sweet appearance, but ever-wary of one of Hera's tricks. "Hello there. How do you know my name?"

She gazed up at him with guileless blue eyes. "They all said you were coming."

"Who said?"

The little girl pointed vaguely behind her. "Them."

"The townspeople?" Alteira guessed.

"How would they know my identity? I didn't tell anyone."

Alteira cleared her throat and looked away, and Hercules glanced sharply at her. "Did you mention my name?"

"How was I to know you had a fetish for privacy?" Alteira replied defensively. "I may have mentioned it to a few of the women in the store."

Hercules groaned at the news. "Now there'll be no peace. I only just got rid of the fifty daughters of --"

Irritated at this apparent male conceit, Alteira snapped, "Don't flatter yourself! Just because you're slightly famous doesn't mean people chase after you."

In reply, Hercules just looked pointedly at the little girl. Trumped, Alteira turned away grumpily.

Hercules turned back to the child with a gentle question. "What's your name?"

"Gayla. Come with me."

She took his hand commandingly and started to pull him away, but Hercules resisted, still not certain this isn't a trap. "Whoa -- not so fast. Where are your parents? Why are you out here by yourself?"

"They're at home. I came here looking for you." Gayla tugged at his hand impatiently, bored with all the questions.

"Why?"

She stared up at him as though he were quite dim. "Because I need your help!"

"You do? What's the matter?"

"It's Cestus. He's up in a tree."

Hercules began to become concerned. "Who's Cestus? Is that your brother? Is he in trouble? Did someone chase him into the tree?"

"Yes, and now he can't get down. It was that bad Brutus. He scared Cestus and made him climb really, really high. Now Cestus can't get down. I want you to pick up the tree and get Cestus down and then I want you to go and put Brutus in the tree, and see how he likes it."

Hercules grinned. "Well, at least I can get Cestus down for you. How old is he?"

"Two."

Hercules' eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Two? How did a two year old get into a tree?"

"He just ran up it."

Alteira had begun to entertain a sneaking suspicion. "Gayla, Cestus isn't your brother. Is he?"

"Of course not! He's my cat!" Gayla agreed scornfully.

Alteira's initial impulse was to throw herself upon the ground and roll around in wild hilarity, especially when she saw Hercules' expression, but she managed to keep her voice under control long enough to say, "Gee, Hercules, are you sure you can handle this all by yourself?"

He favored her with a long-suffering look as he allowed Gayla to drag him away. Alteira called after him. "Don't worry, Hercules. By day's end, the story will have you fighting a den of lions, not rescuing a housecat. I bet this is how most of the myths about you got started!"

Hercules disappeared over the hill, and Alteira made herself comfortable on the hillside, awaiting his return. There were plenty of fruit trees nearby, and Alteira had just started her second apple when the sound of running feet made her sit up. Within seconds, a young couple was visible on the road, dashing towards her as fast as they could. They reached her, gasping for breath, and pleaded, "Help! Where is your house?"

"I don't live around here. I'm just passing through," Alteira answered blankly.

"Are you traveling with a caravan? Where are the others?" the girl begged.

"There are no others. Just me. What is it?"

"Bandits!" the boy cried. "They ambushed us up the road, but we were able to break free and run away. They're right behind us! We have to flee!"

"Too late." The mocking voice from behind made them all turn around. Four thugs had jogged up and were fanning out.

Alteira stepped forward. "I don't have any money, and it looks as though you've already taken these people's, so why don't you just move on?"

"Because nobody escapes from us. It would ruin our reputation if word got out," another thug explained.

"I think I can promise you that none of us will say anything. Okay? Do we have a deal?"

The brigands pretended to think about it for a moment. "Mmmm... No. Get 'em."

The thugs rushed them. Two went for the boy, thinking he posed the greatest danger. The teenager was quickly subdued and dropped to the ground, half-conscious. Meanwhile, another grabbed the girl, kicking and struggling, and the last one tried to do the same to Alteira.

She neatly deflected his grasping hand and turned it back on him in a joint lock. She then used the hold to throw him into the nearby fruit tree. He collided with it headfirst, knocking loose several apples, and collapsed to the ground with a moan.

Alteira then directed her attention to the men who were rifling the pockets of the boy. She dropped the first one with a strike to the back of the neck, then dove at the other one while he struggled to draw his knife. She was grappling with him and winning the battle when the remaining brigand yelled for attention.

"Surrender or she's dead!" His dagger dug viciously into the girl's neck, and Alteira was forced to halt.

She released the last thug, who whipped out his own knife and advanced on her as she backed off. Behind her, the other two bandits regained their feet, and Alteira was quickly ringed by hostile faces. She glanced from man to man, trying to decide what options she had, as the thugs advanced.

They were only a handsbreadth away when a new voice interrupted. "Excuse me! What seems to be the problem?"

Everyone spun to find Hercules standing a few yards off, a spotted cat in his arms and Gayla by his side. The bandits instantly assessed him to be a passing farmer, and their leader snarled, "This is none of your affair, Dad! Get on home with your kid before you end up hurt."

"Or dead," another added with a growl.

Hercules handed Cestus to Gayla and stepped closer. "You're the ones who'll end up hurt if you persist. Why don't we just end this now?"

The last thug decided to join in, and he brandished his knife threateningly. "You heard them! Get out of here!"

The instant the knife moved from her throat, the girl grabbed it with both of her hands and, lowering her head, bit the bandit's wrist. He let go of the knife with a bellow just as her boyfriend, who'd been feigning unconsciousness waiting for just such an opportunity, rolled into him from behind. The man's knees buckled and he fell over backwards. Both teenagers jumped on top of him and began pounding him.

Alteira used the diversion to close with the thug nearest her. He was too distracted to use his knife before she was upon him, and after grabbing his knife hand and immobilizing his wrist, she threw him to the ground with a quick twist of her hips. She followed him down, and socked him in the jaw before he recovered. She then went to help the kids subdue their foe.

By this point, the remaining two bandits were badly rattled and beginning to consider the value of a strategic withdrawal. Seeing their pals set upon, they not unreasonably chose to exit in a different direction -- the path blocked by Hercules.

"Get out of the way!" the first bandit demanded, his knife extended menacingly.

Hercules leaned forward, one hand cupping his ear. "Excuse me? What was that?"

"Get out of the way!"

Hercules shook his head sorrowfully after a glance at Gayla. "Somebody forgot the magic word."

Driven beyond endurance by this "farmer's" flippant remarks, the thug charged. He attacked with a backhanded slash, which Hercules arrested mid-swing and then countered with a left cross which dropped his adversary to the ground.

The second brigand stepped forward. He was not the brightest of the bunch, but he was undeniably the biggest, and he advanced on Hercules with a certain swagger. "You think you're so tough --"

"At least I think."

Gayla got it before the thug and started to giggle. Hercules turned back to her and winked. She waved cheerfully in return.

The bandit belatedly realized he'd been insulted, and he heaved a mighty punch at the side of Hercules' head. Hercules caught it without looking away from Gayla. He made a funny face, sending her into screams of delight, while the last bandit struggled madly to pull his hand free.

Hercules twisted the man's wrist, and the brigand, finally realizing he was outclassed, snatched at his dagger in order to even the odds.

Alteira shouted a warning from where she was standing over her foe's prone form. "Hercules! He's going for his knife!"

Hercules shoved the thug's wrist down, then snapped his elbow into the man's face. He staggered backwards, and Hercules finished him off with a particularly impressive spinning kick to the abdomen. Gayla put Cestus down and applauded.

"Oh for the gods' sake, Hercules," Alteira groaned, walking over. "Do you have to train your audience when they're this young?"

Hercules was unperturbed. "Do I detect a note of envy?"

"Only nausea."

The boy and girl timidly approached. "Excuse me -- did you say you were Hercules?" asked the young woman.

"Thank you! Thank you so much! If it hadn't been for you, those men would have --" her boyfriend began.

"I was there too, you know," Alteira reminded them indignantly.

They completely ignored her. The girl stood on tiptoes to kiss Hercules, and the boy pumped his hand, babbling thanks. Although normally Hercules would find this effusive gratitude embarrassing, he took a certain degree of malicious pleasure in seeing how much it annoyed Alteira.

Before too long, Gayla tired, and she gathered Cestus back in her arms. Marching up to Hercules, she yanked on the hem of his jacket. "I want to go home."

"Do you think you two can manage to tie up these bandits and get help from the nearest village, or do you need Hercules and me to do everything for you?" Alteira snapped.

"Oh, we can do it, Hercules. We wouldn't want to trouble you further. Thank you!"

Hercules picked Gayla up. "You're very welcome. I'm glad I came along when I did."

As they walked along, Hercules with Gayla in his arms -- and Cestus in hers -- Alteira said, "I hope that despite those two mush-brains' comments, you have a realistic memory of that fight."

Hercules pretended to ponder the question. "I think so. When I walked up, you were about to be jumped by three of them and --"

"No! I mean, yes, but that's not what I --"

"Did you see Hercules hit that nasty man?" Gayla asked Alteira.

Alteira sighed heavily. "Yes."

"If you'd take off that slave collar, maybe you wouldn't seem so invisible," Hercules commented.

"It stays on until I fulfill my obligation of service to you!" she flared.

Gayla beamed at Hercules proudly. "Even Brutus wouldn't chase Cestus if you were around, Hercules!"

"Gayla, did you see me fighting those men? Just like Hercules?" Alteira asked hopefully.

"No." At Alteira's disappointed expression, she offered, "Maybe Cestus did, though! Cestus, did you watch the lady?"

Alteira pinched the bridge of her nose. Pity from a five year old was a little hard to take.

Hercules tried to stifle his chuckles and decided a change of subject would be politic. "Where do you live, Gayla? Is it much further?"

She pointed. "No. It's just there."

In the distance, Hercules and Alteira could see a neatly kept farmhouse, with livestock in well-maintained corrals. A man led a horse from the barn. Several children of various ages ran back and forth as a tall woman in the front yard called out instructions. "You two go check the lake again, and the rest of you split up along the road. She can't have gotten far on foot. Beron, see if you can find him at the --"

"It can't be," Hercules muttered incredulously. He walked faster, forcing Alteira to jog to catch up. "I don't believe it. Seryna! Beron! It's me!"

The bustle came to a halt as everyone turned to see who was shouting. Then, with gasps of surprise and delight, the two adults dropped everything and ran to meet Hercules. The woman enfolded Hercules (and Gayla) in a hug. "Hercules! And Gayla, you little imp! Where were you? We were worried sick!"

The man lifted Gayla from Hercules' arms. "How did you know where to come, Hercules? The gods must have guided your footsteps."

Hercules grinned. "If that had been the case, I'd likely have gone over the nearest cliff. No, it was Gayla who brought me, but I had no idea she was yours. And what are you doing here? The last time I visited, you were living three valleys over."

"That was seven years and four children ago. When this farm became available, we bought it and moved," came the smiling reply.

"If you visited more often, you'd learn these things." The woman poked Hercules. "But, Hercules, if you didn't know we were here, how did you find Gayla for us? We've been searching for you ever since we heard in town that you were passing through the area, but then Gayla went missing, and I had to send the children to look for her."

"I wish I could claim credit, but it's more the case that she found me."

"Gayla? What were you doing? You know you're not supposed to wander away like that," her father chided.

Gayla shrugged, matter-of-fact. "Brutus chased Cestus up a tree, and nobody would help me get him down. You're always telling stories about how Hercules helps people, and I heard you send the others out to find him, so I went to find him so that he could help me."

"You are a very naughty girl," her mother admonished, laughing and scolding at the same time. "Hercules can't be bothered with silly pussycats."

"Oh, yes he can," Gayla retorted smugly, not in the least chastened.

Hercules laughed with the others and reclaimed Gayla. "I'm sorry, Seryna, but I always was a soft touch for those eyes of yours."

"I can see the children are going to have fun with you. You will stay for a while, won't you? The night, at least."

Hercules glanced over his shoulder at Alteira. "I'm sorry -- we're on our way to Loradon. But I suppose one night couldn't hurt?"

For the first time, Seryna noticed Alteira. "Hercules! How rude of us. I'm so sorry, my dear. The surprise of seeing Hercules and the safe return of our daughter blinded us to everything else. Please excuse our rudeness. Welcome to our home. I am Seryna, and this is my husband, Beron. As you have surely gathered, we are old friends of Hercules."

"How do you do. My name is Alteira. I'm a new -- acquaintance -- of Hercules."

"The collar is a new fashion," Hercules offered quickly.

"Really, Hercules, did you imagine we would think you had taken to owning slaves?" Seryna laughed.

"The idea!" Beron agreed, chuckling.

Hercules exchanged a glance with Alteira, who shrugged and said nothing.

"Alteira, you will spend the night here? It would mean a great deal to us," Seryna asked, taking the younger woman's hand.

Alteira surrendered gracefully. "Thank you for the hospitality."

TBC...