XIII
Xena had wanted Ares to ask Bilka and Hargel if they would prefer coming to work at her and Ares' island estate rather than the Halls of War. When the god arrived at his familiar fortress, it surprised him to find the young captive girl from Darian's tent in the kitchen with Bilka enjoying a bowl of goat stew. Ares would never understand why mortals loved the fare so well. The girl started on Ares' sudden entrance.
"No need to jump, now, Miss, that's just the Master. He does that sometimes, he forgets that all of us mortals can't sense his presence before he pops in on us."
The girl settled and resumed slurping at her stew.
"I never got your name, by the way," Ares said in a soft voice.
"This is Astra, I found her on the front stoop this morning, cold and starving." Bilka refilled the girl's cup with red wine.
"Well, Astra, I am Ares, the god of war, and despite what you must have thought, I meant you know harm."
Astra simply nodded her head.
"Is the mistress back?" Bilka asked, causing Ares to wonder just how much his cook knew about what had happened the day before.
"No, she will be staying elsewhere. Another estate I have on the Mediterranean. She has sent me to ask if you would like to come work there at twice what I pay you now? And before you answer, she intends for me to make Hargel the same offer."
"Hmm," Bilka considered the wage. "Would I still be able to come and go as I damn well please?"
"Yes, but I won't lie to you, the compound is on an island so your movement might be restricted by geography some. And there are lots of stairs."
"How far from the mainland?"
"Forty miles."
"Well, I should like to visit there first and talk it over with Hargel. The mistress has to understand, we've made our home here for so long."
"Bilka, Xena will understand whatever you decide. She's not going to off you like she did the other cook. Xena's a bit more, shall we say, mellow, these days."
"Oh, I know, I am surprised she didn't off you yesterday for messing around with that trollop, Enyo." Bilka eyed him disapprovingly.
He threw his hands up. "Why does everyone assume the worst of me? I am done with that "trollop", Xena's my only gal."
"Hmmpfh!'
Ares could see that it was pointless to dry to dismantle her opinion of him as a philanderer. In fairness, he'd spent years earning that reputation.
"Astra, would you like to accompany us to the island? I am sure that Xena would be happy to offer you a position on the staff, if you are interested. If not, you are welcome to stay here as long as you need."
Astra didn't understand why the god was being so nice. He hadn't treated her like his warlord had and he was even offering to take her to some paradisical island and pay her for it? This couldn't be the same blood-thirsty god about whom her parents and village elders had told horror stories. And, he was so damned handsome! "Yes, I'd like to see your island."
"Great, I'll round up Hargel and we'll head that way!"
AXAXAXAXAXAXAX
When Ares arrived back at the estate, he found Xena going through drills in the ball court. He took a minute to study her superb form. She'd spent years crafting the art of sword fighting, and it was evident in every subtle drop of the arm, twist of the torso, and pivot of the foot. She was magnificent to watch. She had left her dark hair down, which was a rarity when she went through drills and Ares' admired the way it poured over her tanned shoulders like ink on parchment.
Although he had stood silently since his arrival, Xena knew he was watching. Her core burned a little hotter and the fine baby hairs on her arms pricked up. Plus, there was the always gentle shift of the wind and his unique sandalwood, cedar, and god of war smell that always gave him away. She didn't dare look at him, instead she focused on finishing the maneuvers. She'd always gotten a thrill out of him watching her, that thrill had never gone away, even in the darkest days after she had just left him.
As she thrust her sword forward, she recalled her fight with Draco, not long after she'd met Gabrielle. She'd known Ares was there in Amphipolis watching the two of them go at each other. It was why she made Draco swear on the head of Ares. She knew that if Draco had not kept his oath that Ares would've seen to it that he was duly punished. Even then, when she was pulling away from him as hard as she could, she'd still gotten that little tingle knowing that he was there watching her take down one of his favorite warlords. When Xena went through the last series of swings and arcs, she vaulted into the air, double flipped and landed a meter in front of Ares and brought her sword to rest under his chin.
"Uh-huh, now that won't be necessary," Ares casually shifted her sword to the side and moved into her body. "I've brought you guests."
"But, I am all worked up, I was hoping for a good fight from you," Xena pouted.
Ares ran his hand up under her skirt. "Mmmm, you are worked up."
Xena tossed her sword to the ground and used her freed hand to pull his neck down so that she could kiss him. Ares returned the kiss with fervor and then grabbed her by the waist, lifted her up and turned her so that her back was pinned against the wall of the house that bordered the ball court. He mentally cursed her breastplate which was denying him access to her ample bosom but he knew from how wet Xena was that this was going to be a quick romp anyway. He reached down and pulled his godhood from his pants and glided it into his horny warrior. The deep moan that escaped Xena's throat was matched by his own grunt as he buried his sword to the hilt before he started thrusting in and out.'
"Your back?" He asked, concerned that the friction against the wall would tear her delicate mortal skin.
"Fuck me, Ares!" Sometimes he was just too sentimental, Xena thought. She wrapped her arms around him and whispered into his ear. "I'm Xena, the chosen of War, I can handle a rough pounding. The question, War God, is: Can you handle the Warrior Princess? Now fuck me."
Ares quit worrying about her well-being and finished the task at hand.
AXAXAXAXAXAXAX
Xena brought an amphora of wine and a tray of goblets to the courtyard to greet her guests. She filled Bilka's cup first, then Hargel's, before finally offering a goblet to the pretty young blonde. She could tell the girl was sizing her up. Xena noticed how the girl kept looking at Ares out of the corner of eye. She was obviously smitten with the God of War. Xena couldn't blame her, but the child was out of her league.
"So, as I am sure Ares has told you, I would love if you both came to work here. As you can see the place is entirely too large for the two of us."
"Three," Ares corrected.
Xena nodded.
Bilka looked around the courtyard, she didn't see a third party. "Three, my Lord?"
"Yes, Bilka, three!" Ares smiled from ear to ear. "Xena is expecting my child."
Blika threw her chubby pink arms around the Warrior Princess. Hargel grinned and knew that they would not be going back to the Halls of War. Bilka would never give up the opportunity to help Xena raise her baby.
Xena caught the dejected look in the girl's eyes at the revelation.
"When, ma'am, when shall we expect the baby?"
"Well, according to his aunt, I've only been impregnated very recently, so a in about nine moons, I'd say."
"Oooh, I do hope it's a little girl," Bilka cooed.
Hargel shook Xena's hand as a way of congratulating her."You know, you'll never be rid of her know."
"I'd hoped as much, but I want you both to know that we value all the service you've offered through the years, isn't that right, Ares?"
"It is," he stammered. He wasn't used to saying things openly. Of course he appreciated Bilka and Hargel, if not he wouldn't have kept them in his service so long. He always thought that fact alone had made his approval of them obvious. Until Xena pointed out that he should compensate them more for their work and tell them he cared about them as individuals, it never occurred to him that it would do their hearts good to hear it. "Look, I know I haven't always been demonstrative about how much you to mean to me but I do appreciate you both. You're really more like family to me than my own kin are. I'd love it if you'd stay here with us."
"It's settled," Bilka pinched Ares on the cheek like he was a small child, "Show us to our quarters then."
"Would you like to share quarters?" Ares asked.
Bilka gasped as if she was scandalized at the prospect of sharing a room with Hargel.
"Adjoining rooms, then?" Ares offered.
"Well, I suppose that would be fine," Bilka answered.
"Let me show you to your rooms," Ares gestured to the northern wing.
Ares' exit with his two servants left Xena and Astra alone in the courtyard. For a few minutes that sat silently sipping at their wine considering each other. Xena pitied the girl. She'd just lost her family, been raped by Ares' general, and was now homeless and penniless. She wanted to set the girl at ease but she also knew that the girl had eyes on Ares. Xena knew that beyond her young flesh, that Ares would have no interest in the girl. She didn't have the spirit of a warrior, more like a lamb.
"You remind me of a friend of mine, when she was younger," Xena tried to open up to her.
"Really?"
"Yes, my best friend, in fact. Do you write poetry or stories of any kind?"
The girl looked at Xena like she had lost her mind. "Men write poetry."
"Well, what do you do for fun?"
"I like to cook, and I sew."
"Bilka is a first rate cook, you two would probably have a lot to talk about."
"I had her stew, it was delicious." The girl took another sip of wine.
"You know, you are welcome to stay here too. I could use someone to help me keep the place clean and help me make the baby some clothes."
"You don't know how?" The girl queried.
"I could manage. . .but. ."
"But you kinda manly, huh?"
"Manly?" Xena didn't know if the girl meant it as a compliment or an insult, her tone hadn't given anything away.
"You're a warrior, right?"
"Oh, yes! She is a warrior," Ares answered as he waltzed back into the courtyard, having caught the last snippet of the conversation, "but she is anything but manly." Images of him and Xena making out in the courtyard filled his head.
"Ares," Xena's voice held a subtle warning. "Why don't you take Astra to one of the guest suites and let her get settled."
Astra sat her empty goblet down on a nearby table and smiled at the god.
"Astra, think about my offer. It would be nice to have you here. You can leave whenever you like and I would pay you a salary to keep things clean and I would compensate you per piece of clothing."
"I'll give it some thought."
As Ares led Astra down the same corridor that he'd taken Bilka and Hargel, Xena headed down the south wing toward the master suite. She hoped she was making the right decision with the girl. She wanted to help her, she just hoped that the girl would be able to overcome all that had happened to her without letting darkness invade her soul. Xena had tried, after her village was sacked, but she had lost that battle. Maybe, just maybe she could save this child.