Sorry for the delay. Thanks again to everyone that reviews.

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Caesar barged into the dimly lit room that his Oracles dwelled in. His face was creased in anger, his eyes burning.

"Prisca!" he roared, but came to a sudden stop, his face changing to one of shocked disgust. He had interrupted the brother and sister mid carnal liaison. Caesar glanced away, his lip curling with revulsion at the sight of their bodies entwining.

"My Emperor?" Prisca asked casually, Caesar could see her lithe naked body as it slipped from between the sheets, completely unashamed by her act or lack of clothing. She shrugged on a deep purple coloured robe and walked to the fire, drawing herself a drink from a large bowl of what appeared to be wine.

"Would you care for a drink?"

Caesar met her gaze, his lip curling once more at the bowl she indicated to.

"I would not touch it if it were the greatest wine" he sneered.

Prisca laughed. "What do we owe your… presence?" she asked, glancing to Priscus who still reclined, unconcerned in the bed waiting for his sister to return to him.

"You said it would be soon!" Caesar said, regaining the momentum and meaning of his previous anger.

"What troubles you?" Prisca asked, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"Xena!" Caesar bellowed the name. He began to pace, his cloak floating behind him as his feet covered the same ground over and over again. "She has taken too many villages to name! Conquered and destroyed towns! Her two armies are advancing rapidly and she works her way to Reate, she will be there in days!" Caesar fumed. "I haven't the men to stop her!" He finally stopped his agitated pace and faced her. "If I do not act she may be able to take Rome! Her armies are vaster than I expected." He turned his dark gaze to the fire and then to Priscus. "You said she could not win!" He accused the nonchalant man who seemed to be studying Caesar's procession with great amusement.

He felt Prisca's slender hand grasp his shoulder though he had not heard or seen her move towards him, the sensation made him jump a little as he turned to her.

"Have patience" she said with a wry smile. "It takes my brother… time to gather his strength." She smiled, "What we have planned is no light undertaking… all is now in place." Her eyes seemed to bore into Caesar for a moment. "I assume you are not concerned for the people she is killing?" she said, making a strange shrill noise within her throat.

Caesar shrugged her hand from him. "No, of course not, but she is making me look like a fool, I am unable to protect the people of Rome and rumors have begun that I am unfit to rule… she is making a fool of me!"

"Not for long" Prisca soothed. "Be patient" she repeated, trying to calm his fears. "She may take Reate, but she will get no further." She gave a low chuckle.

"And what of her men, the army is uncountable!" Caesar challenged.

Prisca's chuckle turned into a devilish cackle. "They will be of no concern, just ready your men to go into her camp two days hence; you will take her prisoner; of that I can assure you My Emperor."

Caesar glared at her but said no more, he turned upon his heel and marched out of the room. Prisca watched him until he was out of sight before turning back to her brother.

Priscus pulled the covers from him and beckoned her back to his awaiting form, already filled with lust to finish what they had started earlier. Prisca came to him willingly and wrapped her arms about him, letting his lips gain full access to her neck.

"I don't understand why you humor such a man" he said between caresses.

Prisca laughed. "He amuses me, when I bore of him you will know" she said with a smirk before Priscus took her fully into his arms and flung her down upon the bed.

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Xena reclined upon a wooden chair, her small tent was a hovel compared to her larger one still sitting, waiting for her to return in Gaul. She pulled a fur blanket tightly around herself and picked at the remaining chicken bones that littered her plate before wiping her greasy fingers on a nearby piece of cloth and then downing another cup of wine, she knew she should stop drinking but she felt she needed it tonight.

Her thoughts were upon the young girl that now slept close by her own pallet, one of her many physicians were working on her but she would not awake from the strange sleep she seemed to be cloaked within.

Her thoughts drifted to the battle that was planned for tomorrow, they would take their first city - it would be a great conquest and then Caesar would have no choice but to face her. She wondered for a moment what it would be like to see him again, would he have changed in any way… would he beg her for his life.

She looked at the girl once more, it was startling how much she was reminded of M'Lila, but then Xena knew the mind liked to pay tricks and perhaps she was seeing within the girl what she wished to see. She let her mind lightly touch upon those fond memories after she had ransomed Caesar, her lover, back to his people with whispered promises that they would meet again soon. M'lila had kept her spirits up in the dark days that ensued following the separation. She had never thought she could love someone so deeply, so completely, and she had - that betraying bastard. M'Lila had taught her many pressure points during those long days upon the ocean, filling her days with more than just pining, and even though they did not understand each other's language, their hearts spoke easily and their friendship grew. Xena felt painful, long forgotten tears prick at the corners of her eyes at the remembrance of M'Lila killing the guards that stood watch around her crucified, broken body; cutting her down and hiding her until the Roman guards found them, attacked… Xena had been weak, and the pain… she could still feel the searing, stabbing sensation after all these years. Her reflexes had been slow; she hadn't noticed that one guard aiming his crossbow, the intended target deep within her heart… M'Lila had thrown herself before Xena, taking the arrow meant for her and Xena had held the dying woman, her friend, within her arms… not understanding why someone would do this for her.

"Why?!" She remembered screaming the word as the life ebbed from her friend and M'Lila had smiled in reply to the desperate question, touched Xena's face tenderly and then gone limp… dead.

Xena still did not fully understand the sacrifice, but that very night Xena had chosen the path of darkness. A new woman had emerged later from that tiny hut, her legs still splintered, her eyes cruel, untrusting and glassy… the woman's purpose was death and power… to never allow herself to become so weak, so unable to defend those she loved again. But then there never had been another like M'Lila, someone that saw the good in her soul and so Xena had not needed to protect those she loved, for she had no one. Men came and went as she willed it and she consorted with great warriors, sorcerers and Gods, but she doubted she would have fought, genuinely, honestly, for their lives unless it had some gain for herself. She sighed, knowing she was being foolish, this girl was not her long dead friend, but still she could not force herself to cast the girl out, to completely give up all hope.

She saw a small flash out of the corner of her eye and groaned silently to herself, she could do without The God of War's presence tonight.

"You've done well." His voice bristled with pride. "Rome is within your grasp."

She heard him walking towards her and finally his form came into her line of sight. Xena didn't move, she was afraid of swaying, giving her drunken state away to him.

Ares took a chair on the other side of the small wooden table and threw his leg casually over one of the arms.

"I'm surprised Caesar has not sent out his own army." He paused, noticing the girl sleeping nearby. "Who is she?"

Xena made a non-committal noise in the back of her throat.

"What's wrong?" Ares asked, his dark brows knitting together.

"I'm tired" Xena managed, her gaze lingering over the devastatingly handsome man's features, his confident air. She thought that perhaps she did care for him at first, that perhaps she could even have loved him… it would have been an easy thing to do. But as she had spent more time with him his manner and lust for battle overshadowed her emotions, showing her once again that she had been about to do something very foolish, a God could not love a mortal and what could Ares' offer her? War, battle and betrayal… she knew only too well that he could cast her aside in favor of the next great warrior. She had hardened herself against his charms, knowing that if she showed even a second of emotional connection he would start to doubt her, tire of her… She had been right, in fact her refusal of him seemed to keep him coming back to her, she almost felt she had the power but she would never let that fact reach her head.

Ares seemed to grow uncomfortable under her piercing blue scrutiny.

"Xena?" he questioned, sensing all was not right.

Xena smiled and sipped a little more of her wine.

"Something is bothering you" he stated rather than asked.

Xena felt all her inhibitions melt away with her last mouthful of wine. "Are you in love with me Ares?" she asked, smirking, but her eyes were serious.

Ares stared at her stunned, finally he laughed. "I'm a God!" he said a little too quickly.

Xena nodded. "When we first met…" she paused, her brow creasing in thought. "Do you remember?"

Ares grinned. "Of course I remember" he scolded. "You had just returned to Greece, your army was already great, your battle ruthless, how could I not look in your direction."

Xena nodded, her eyes half closed. "You came to warn me that Hercules was heading my way… that you had foreseen him… depleting my powers" she ended, quoting his exact words. "You steered me in another direction, towards greater battles and even greater victories."

Ares nodded, "My half brother always had an art of taking my best warriors, I did not want your name added to the list, I had such plans for you." He glanced at her with a dark and seductive look.

"How are your plans for me coming along?" she enquired, her eyes now no more than slits.

Ares grinned broadly. "The God of War is pleased that his great warrior will soon be Empress."

Xena gave a soft chuckle and opened her eyes. Slowly, so as not to reveal her true state, she rose from her seat, letting the blanket fall and went to him, straddling his thighs with one swift movement.

She let her lips meet his in a soft, meaningful kiss, she felt him stiffen at her unusual tenderness and then his body relaxed, his arms embracing her, pulling her to him.

Xena felt down, her hands gliding across the leather of his pants and easily releasing him, before gently sliding herself down to become one with him. She rocked her body, enjoying the fuzzy sensation the wine created within her head and the warmth of his body against hers, his deep moans as she gently squeezed. She suddenly realized that this was the first time they had made love, every other time they had lain together had been about want, need and lust… this was different: caring, soulful and sweet. Ares clung to her, his fingers digging into the bare flesh of her back, he leant his brow against her shoulder as if it were almost too much to take.

She heard him breathe her name softly against her skin and her eyes widened slightly… what was she doing…?

She thrust down roughly, increasing her speed, she felt him shudder and turn his face to look at her and see what was wrong but Xena closed her eyes, concentrating upon being as rough and fast as she could, just as she always was with him. Within a few moments he gave a low moan and his body tremored as he reached his climax. Xena quickly pushed herself from his lap and wrapped herself back once more in the blanket.

Ares regained himself quickly and turned his attention back to her as she curled back into her seat.

"I wasn't expecting that" he murmured, pleased. "You have a battle tomorrow." He raised a dark eyebrow at her.

Xena shrugged but did not reply right away, "You were here and I felt like it." She said casually after the silence became pressing.

Ares studied her expression intently. "I don't quite remember it ever being like that" he commented, placing his fingers to his lips in contemplation.

Xena gave him a nervous glance, why had she acted so rashly, she had always vowed never to show him any true emotion.

"It was as though…" Ares smiled teasingly, "you cared about me."

Xena sneered at him.

He rose from his seat and came to her, crouching onto his haunches before her.

She tried to avoid looking at him but he drew her gaze like a moth drawn to a candle.

"I've drunk too much" she finally admitted, hoping this was enough of an explanation.

Ares seemed to look deep into her as if reading her soul. His brow furrowed as if he was seeing something he could not quite understand.

"Do you…" He hesitated, his expression becoming serious, an almost hopeful glint in his gaze. "…care for me Xena?" Xena thought she detected an unguardedness to his tone.

Xena's eyes flicked to his, the wine once again making her act before she thought. "Maybe… once" she said with wistfulness.

"Once?" he repeated.

"When I was younger." She met his eyes directly, "I soon realized how stupid I was for even beginning to think such thoughts."

His face fell as if he had been wounded deeply.

"You can't love me then?" he asked, regaining himself, his tone forcedly casual.

Xena shook her head. "I can't trust you, I don't trust you… I can never love you."

Ares gave her a snarl before he turned away from her.

"You are drunk and in a foul mood!" he accused. "I won't return until you beg me to!" He snarled, "And you WILL beg me!"

Xena lifted the cup to him in a mock toast and Ares gave her an infuriated glare before disappearing, leaving Xena once again to her thoughts.