Chapter Eleven

"Mommy?" Solan asked.

"Hmmm?" Xena answered sleepily as she laid beside him taking a nap. She had done nothing, but keep him company and run the occasional errand for her mother as well as make herself scarce with Hercules when Cyrene insisted on keeping Solan company. If it wasn't Cyrene it was Gabrielle who insists on teaching him the very easy lessons she provided for him and if not Gabrielle, Hercules came in often enough to get to know him and win his complete trust.

"You don't have to stay here all day with me, you know."

"I don't, any minute now your grandmother is going to insist I wake up completely from my delightful nap and go do something while she's in here with you having all the fun." Solan smiled at her words.

"I'm no fun in my condition."

"Sure you are, I enjoy talking to you, beating you in all the games, singing to you, and continuing your studies when Gabrielle comes in the room." Solan laughed at her last words. Poor Gabrielle thought he spent most of the day doing work, but she gave him such easy work that he had already been through that he sailed right through it.

"Yes, but you can't like being in here all the time."

"Solan, you're my son and I enjoy your company its that simple." Solan kissed her and her beautiful blue eyes fluttered open a gentle smile on her lips. She returned it and put a smile on his face."If you're through asking questions for the time being why don't you get some much needed rest." Solan nodded and got more comfortable under the covers. Well as comfortable as humanly possible with a broken leg.

"Mother?" Solan asked.

"Yes?" Xena asked feeling like she was about to die if she didn't have her routine nap now. She knew she was going to have a hell of a time breaking her routine when he was better.

"You told me that Hercules is your boyfriend is that true?" Solan asked. Xena was silent for a moment as her drowsy brain registered his words. She yawned.

"Yes, I did and yes its true he's my boyfriend."

"Are you going to marry him?" Solan asked.

"Well I love him and he loves me back so yes I would marry him."

"You can't just marry him cause you love him," Solan stated matter of factly.

"Oh really?" Xena asked opening her cerlean blue eyes to look across into her sons, which mirrored hers perfectly.

"Yep, didn't Grandma teach you anything about marriage?" Solan asked. Xena curious as to what he had to tell shook her head no.

"I was stubborn and I refused to marry any guy she put before me, just think if I had of you wouldn't have had such a great father."

"Yeah, I'm glad you're stubborn mother, but perhaps I'd better school you in the matters of marriage."

"You're right a good soldier should never venture into unchartered territory if they can help it."

"Exactly now like I said you can't marry for love and looks, now does he have a pretty bank account?" Solan asked.

"He can take care of us if I allowed myself to be completely dependent upon him," Xena replied. No one outside his family except Iolaus and herself, but Ipficles had given him a considerable amount of money he never spent and being the favorite son of Zues had its perks too when it came to money matters.

Besides even if he was broke she had acquired a nice fortune for herself in an honest manner when she was a child not to mention her dowry that just sat in its trunk untouched. They would live a very comfortable life it they just moved away from everybody and lived on their own.

"Is that all?" Xena asked.

"No, does he drink excessively?" Solan asked.

"I"ve never seen him take even a drop more of liquor than he should except when he's lost some one close to his heart like you, Iolaus, Gabrielle, his mother, Jason, some of his siblings, my mother, and I."

"Whose Jason?" Solan asked.

"His step-father and ex-King of Cornith, you see Jason couldn't marry Alceme his mother without giving up his throne, so he decided to give it to Hercules."

"So Hercules is King now?" Solan asked suddenly liking Hercules a whole lot better than he already did. Xena laughed a little at his excitement.

"Um... no sorry to disappoint you darling, but Hercules gave it up and it went to his brother Ipficles."

"Why would he do such a stupid thing?" Solan asked.

"Hercules gave it up for several reasons."

"What were they?" Solan asked.

"Well firstly he's a hero and he travels around helping people for no cost to them and he couldn't do that anymore if he was a King."

"Not good enough what're the others?" Xena laughed, but continued.

"Another reason was me."

"You, why you?" Solan asked.

"Well at the time Hercules and I had been dating again before we let unreasonable logic pull us apart, and I couldn't and didn't see myself as a Queen not to mention if he became King he'd be in the same dilemma as Jason and Alceme, so he chose me rather than be King."

"Now that is a very good reason, but why did you two break up?"

"Because we felt that if we were apart we could help more people, but now I know it was just because we were afraid to face the love we had for each other, you can't run from love Solan sooner or later it will catch up with you," Xena replied.

"Well are you going to break up again this time?" Xena shook her head.

"No, this time is different from all the rest."

"Why?" Solan asked. Xena yawned.

"Because when I thought I'd lost you forever I was lost and if it wasn't for him I wouldn't have found the strength to stay alive and if I had of let myself die I wouldn't have found Virgil. As you know without Virgil I probably would have never went to Athens."

"Hmm...but mother our troubles aren't over we still haven't found the Chronos stone what if Dagnine finds it?" Solan asked.

"He won't, I don't know where it is, but I do know its not on a child or he would have just yelled out a name, but Dagnine will be trying to raise an army big enough to keep me occupied at least while he finds the stone, so that means that we have time. Its winter and there's not much he can do. Besides you're my top priority, I'll worry about Dagnine once you're all better." Solan nodded. She kissed his forehead and stood up just as her mother walked in.

"Oh good no fussing today." Cyrene was holding a very vile mixture that Xena was determined to get away from. Solan however was frowning as Cyrene came in.

"I'll see you later with dinner in hand." Solan nodded and waved silently begging her to get rid of that vile mixture. Xena took simpathy on him and bumped into her spilling mixture.

"Oh gods even the smell makes me want to puke," Xena said as she picked up the cup and looked at her mother apologetically.

"Yeah, I know go hurry up and clean off before the dress is ruined." Xena nodded and exited the room as Grandmother and grandchild started giggling. She shook her head and knew that the vile mixture had been meant for her if she hadn't left the room.