Chapter Ten

"Well there's Amphipolis, the town I grew up in."

"It looks peaceful." Solan replied.

"Yea, its one of the more peaceful villages if they can help it, unlike Potidaea they aren't so backwards in their knowledge about the world that they would let themselves be slaughtered and don't you dare tell Gabrielle I said that, she happens to be one of the occasional smart types that come out of that town."

"Yea, I've noticed." Solan said. They continued and finally they reached Amphipolis. Xena hopped down and shouldered their bags before helping Solan down. He leaned against the wall while she stabled Argo. She took him inside, and they were all so happy to see that they'd made it there safely. Cyrene was ecstatic and happy to get to know her grandson, but than she demanded Xena put him in bed and told her shouldn't have made the poor boy travel all the way from Athens to Amphipolis.

"Sorry Mother next time I'll just make you wait longer." Xena said.

"There's more?" Cyrene asked. Xena laughed at her mother's reaction. She loved how praising a word a certain way got these small, but great reactions from her." Oh Xena I hate when you do that." She hit her daughter lightly on the arm.

"I know, but its to fun," Xena replied."Hercules could you bring that bag." Hercules nodded and picked it up. Xena carefully lifted Solan up and took him upstairs and into the prepared room, Cyrene had for him.

"Mommy, you really should tell Grandma about my brothers and sisters I mean they should get to meat her too," Solan said as they made him very comfortable. Xena saw the mischievous gleam in his eyes and decided to play along.

"Hercules maybe you should go get them from your mother," Xena said as if contemplating the whole idea.

"I don't know, it'll be pretty hard mother will never let them go."

"There's truly more?" Cyrene asked horrified that she had so many grandchildren out there she hadn't spoiled yet."Oh gods I can't afford to spoil them all like I want, may be I can barrow..." Xena had to lean against Hercules to keep from falling on the floor in laughter. It was to much for her, but Solan started laughing as he tried to continue the joke, but the fake that she had easily took the bait was to much for him, he was going to enjoy kidding around like this with his grandmother as much as his mother.

"What?" Cyrene asked. The clueless look on her face did it for Xena and she erupted in laughter. It tickled her so much that she had tears in her eyes even Hercules was laughing heartily. This was how a family should be, and he missed these times, maybe he could get Xena to agree to marriage one day when they had courted longer, but with his luck with women he'd probably get her pregnant first.

"Oh now my own grandson is teasing me and he hasn't even been here three whole minutes." Cyrene smiled and pinched his cheek. She smiled even more with satisfaction when she saw he didn't like it."Are you two hungry, I know your not much of a cook, Xena, my walls are proof of that."

"I love mother's cooking," Solan said honestly. Once they weren't eating deer meat he found her cooking to be quite good. Everyone looked at him shocked including Gabrielle and Iolaus who had just entered to hear the statement.

"Did I kill both of us with my cooking?" Xena asked. Solan shook his head no.

"No, honestly I love it."

"Swear?" Gabrielle asked.

"Swear," Solan repeated.

"Wow, now that's something you don't hear everyday," Xena said breaking the ice of disbelief that was forming between them all.

"Well I'm gonna go make lunch now, and than after the lunch rush Solan I'd like it very much if we could get to know each other much better."

"I'd like that too," Solan said excitedly. To think he had a mother and a grandmother to spoil him. Cyrene smiled and left the room. Xena ushered everybody out of the room, so Solan could get his rest. She followed them to get him some herbal tea to his dismay. Solan noticed that the room had once belonged to a teenage boy, probably a uncle of his, who he couldn't wait to meet. He had just finished surveying the room when Xena walked in with a hot mug of tea.

"How do you like my brother's room?" Xena asked looking around. She hadn't been in Lyceus' room in ages.

"Its got a boy feel I like it."

"You better, I had to decorate it for him," Xena joked. He laughed a little and she handed him the mug. He made a face.

"I know it tastes nasty and stinks, but you have to drink it." Solan nodded and started to take a sip when Cyrene walked in. He was grateful for the distraction, maybe he could make her forget that she wanted him to drink it.

"No chance of that even happening so don't even think about it." Solan frowned wondering how she knew what he was thinking.

"She use to try the same thing Solan," Cyrene commented as she set a round tray on the side table. She set one smaller tray on his lap as Xena watched him drink it. He grimaced and set the mug down.

"Ugh!"

"Now Xena why don't you be a good girl and drink your tea," Cyrene said in a mocking tone, her eyes twinkling.

"No thanks, I'm not injured or sick."

"Not yet you mean and besides I thought I heard you cough a while back, besides Gabrielle told me you got caught in a blizzard and it hasn't been a good two weeks yet and chances are you'll get a cold or the flu just like you always do." Xena groaned and took the mug, her mother knew her immune system to well. She practically spit it out when she tasted.

"Awe this is worse than the crap I gave Solan!" Xena said without thinking. She coughed.

"Oh I know, its the special family recipe." Xena looked alarmed before racing out of the room in a flash before either could blink.

"Special family recipe?" Solan asked with a raised eyebrow. He looked so much like his mother that Cyrene never doubted for a minute that he was her daughter's son.

"Makes her puke every time, and hopefully get rid of all those nasty impurities in the body that cause cold and flu." Solan nodded hoping she never gave it to him. Soon Xena returned, but she refuse to eat anything from her mother all day until she had inspected every little piece for any ingredient belonging in her mother's special tea.

A/N: Sorry Chapter ten is so short, but something came up so I had to finish it. Hopefully I can make ch 11 longer.