AS THE EMOTIONAL BARRIERS BREAK

Zeus turned sharply he knew he'd felt that feeling before it felt like a cold evil shiver running up his spine. He turned looking at the other gods in the main room of Mount Olympus. He put a ringed finger to his beard for a moment as Hephaestus, Aphrodite and Artemis turned to meet his concerned gaze. Hera slowly sat up in her throne her ice white eyes darting. "Did you feel that?" Zeus turned to his wife who was in her dark black dress with its feathered collar, on her red head he could see her jewelled crown which was gleaming in the low light. "Aztec cursed power…" Hera's eyes darted. "You don't think…" Zeus raised his hand. "No it wasn't the feathered serpent…" Hera turned sharply feeling her fingers clutch her throne. "Ares!" Zeus shook his head. "No It wasn't him…it was in a mortal's hands."

He turned slightly looking toward Aphrodite. "Tell me your mortal friend Gabrielle wouldn't happen to have Aztec godly items in her possession, would she?" Aphrodite felt her self freeze. "Exsqueeze me I like don't think so." Zeus breathed in deeply as he came to stand over her. "I know about the timeline change so do me the pleasure of dropping your act." He turned eyeing Hephaestus who was raising his hand slowly. "You as well if you were about to say something." Hephaestus limped back he could see Artemis's face turning to utter confusion. "I only know about what happened before the timeline changed nothing more." Aphrodite breathed in sharply. "I saw her bury the Aztec items here…yes."

Zeus raised an eyebrow. "How could you not tell me this?" Aphrodite turned slightly. "She's my friend…" Zeus breathed in closing his eyes this was not what he wanted to hear. "How many items does she have and how many can she use?" Aphrodite looked up slightly. "She has four items but she can only use one, the one belonging to the fertility goddess Xochiquetzal…" She raised her hand seeing Hera sit up slightly she was sure since the queen of the gods wasn't saying anything that she already knew about the changed timeline. "She wouldn't harm any one though you know she's not like that…" Zeus slowly met her gaze. "Do you have any idea how dangerous even one of those items is in the wrong hands?"

Aphrodite put her hands together. "Yes I knew." Zeus turned trying to control his anger. "Yet you still let her bring them to these shores?" Aphrodite turned slightly. "She took them to spite the feathered serpent…she buried them not long after she came back from Mexica." Hera breathed in sharply. "It would seem that the feathered serpent's reason for being here has now become very clear." Zeus turned sharply looking at Aphrodite. "Dahak is currently in hiding, do you have any idea what could happen if he got his clawed hands on even one of those items?" Aphrodite took a slow step back. "Yes…" Zeus raised his ringed finger. "Then you know that he could resurrect his dead daughter Hope and her grandson the Destroyer. He could create more chaos and blood shed, than we've ever known."

He narrowed his gaze. "With all those godly Aztec items in his hands he'd be more powerful and dangerous than ever. He could kill every god on Mount Olympus. We'd be looking at the twilight of the gods all over again!" Aphrodite looked down sadly. "I didn't think about it at the time, my mind was concerned with other things…" Zeus raised an eyebrow. "What other things?" Aphrodite looked up slowly. "That my husband and all the other gods would be returning to Olympus and that everything would be changing back to how it was." Artemis raised a gloved hand. "Like it was? Can someone please explain to me what's going on…I don't understand…" Zeus looked up slightly, he easing up his hand to silence her as he turned back to Aphrodite. "I want those items of my shores…I want you to tell your mortal friend Gabrielle that I want her gone and I don't want her to return, until those item are back in Mexica.

I don't want any of the Aztec gods here, declaring war on us because they think that we stole their godly items!" Aphrodite lowered her gaze sadly. "You don't understand, Gabrielle has no choice but to return to Mexica the feathered serpent has captured her sister…" Zeus breathed in slowly. "Then you'll be the one to help her get there…I don't care if you have to give her one of Pegasus horses. I want her off these shores as soon as possible!" Aphrodite looked down slowly and sadly. "I'll see to it…" Zeus breathed in deeply keeping his gaze fixed on hers he looked up eyeing Hephaestus "Yes you will…both of you." Hephaestus took hold of his wives arms. "We'll do it…Xena and Gabrielle will be gone from these shores as soon as possible." Zeus narrowed his gaze. "Understand that the only reason I'm not moving them right now is because of there service in killing Lycaon the werewolf king. If you fail to move them, I won't waste any time in moving them myself!"

8

Xena eased up the wet cloth wiping the dried blood from her lover's face, which was from a cut above her right eyebrow. Her lover was seated by the family's fire on the comfortable chair. Sagittarius was seated next to her he was panting as he warmed himself by the fire. She turned seeing that Lector Hecuba and Herodotus were seated near by none of them saying a word. This didn't surprise her they had just gotten to see another side to there daughter which had probably really shocked them. It wasn't like it had occurred to them that sometimes her lover did get hurt and she wasn't the cause of it. Her gaze drifted as she eyed the Mexican warrior who she'd gagged and bound and who was now sitting the corner close by his hated showing as he cursed at her in his muffled Aztec language.

She turned her gaze to the bleeding teeth marks. "I'm going to have to stitch this." Gabrielle looked up slightly as she put her hand on her lovers. "There's no need…he has something that can heal my wounds" Her gaze turned as got up slowly moving towards Itzli, she kneeled down pulling the gag of his mouth. "Where's that healing position you made, the one that has watered down godly blood it?" Itzli grunted aloud. "Bitch…I don't have it!" Gabrielle growled aloud. "Don't lie to me Itzli!" She leaned closer. "I know you have it, you wouldn't get rid off it…you need it to heal yourself." Itzli felt his teeth grind together. "Maybe I used it all before you reopened my prison…" Gabrielle turned slightly. "You couldn't open the bag even with your own teeth…let alone your tail."

Xena moved forward putting a hand on her lovers shoulder. "What are you saying to him?" Gabrielle looked up slightly her smile widening. "I'm just asking him a question nothing he can't answer." Xena narrowed her gaze somehow she felt that her lover's words weren't a question more a demand. Gabrielle had very little patience for this warrior if any and that worried her. She had seen the cruel and violent dark side of her lover and it had shocked her. She couldn't seem to shake the fact that Gabrielle looked like she was enjoying the threat she'd been giving in the barn far too much. Had Mexica created this dark side or was it her fault for not being there? She wasn't sure what to say to Gabrielle about it or even how to go about it.

She needed longer to think maybe this wasn't as bad as it appeared, maybe it was just a one off and she wouldn't see it again. The only other thing that she was sure off was that Itzli wasn't a shining example of a warrior. He was dark, cruel and he hated her lover with a passion by the looks of things, and it seemed that her lover returned the hatred willingly. Gabrielle turned back to Itzli meeting his gaze. "Tell me where it is! Because if you don't I'll make you wish you had!" Itzli pulled back not liking the tone of her voice. He looked up eyeing the tall warrior woman who was looking at him intensely he didn't want to hit by her again it had hurt like hell the first time, he looked down. "It's on my belt…in the purple herb bag"

Gabrielle leaned down eyeing the gold bottle she moved her hand past it yanking the purple herb bag free. She slowly sat down watching as her lover sat down next to her. "I need that water…" Xena slowly passed over the water bowl she watched as her lover opened the bag pouring in a little of the herbs which caused the water to instantly steam up and turn a bloody colour. "What in Tartarus is that?" Gabrielle slowly dipped in the cloth. "You don't want to know…" She slowly squeezed out the cloth. She winced as she ran the water over her arm she felt her hand suddenly tense as a spasm of pain shot through it. Xena took hold of her lover arm watching as the water suddenly bubbled up hissing only to turn clear as it ran of her lovers arm revealing fully healed flesh she gently ran her fingers over the healed skin.

She blinked ignoring the shocked gasps from behind her as she pulled her hand away. "What is this healing remedy…is it godly?" Gabrielle slowly smiled as she pulled away the bandages on her waist. "You could say that…" She moved the cloth downwards running it over the bruises watching as they disappeared as the water hissed and ran clear. "It's called Tlachinolli Yolotli, which means fire heart." She raised the cloth to her eye brow wincing slightly as it healed. "It's very dangerous and shouldn't be drunk. If that happens, it'll cause your heart to catch fire literality." Xena raised an eyebrow. "Hence the term fire heart." Herodotus couched slightly causing the Warrior Princess's gaze to fall on him. "So…this Mexican warrior he was that snake?"

Gabrielle turned slowly adjusting herself in the chair as put the red water down. "Yes…I wouldn't worry though." She turned meeting Itzli's gaze. "He's not a threat anymore…" Lector put his hands together. "Why does he wear the mask of a bird, I mean it looks a little like an Amazon mask?" Gabrielle eyed Itzli for a moment. "It's an eagle mask there only worn by the elite warriors." She breathed in deeply narrowing her gaze. "If you could call them elite warriors since they take great pleasure in capturing helpless people by drugging them and then sacrificing them to there gods." Itzli looked up slightly he opened his mouth to speak but closed it again as the dark haired warrior woman's eyes fell on him.

Herodotus breathed in deeply trying to think of what to say he slowly got up walking towards her daughter and the Warrior Princess. "That winged horse outside." He flinched as the animal screeched loudly. "What is it…I mean is it alive." Gabrielle breathed in deeply. "It's not alive it's an un-dead animal servant, the reason it hit the barn is because it doesn't remember everything from when it was alive. It has wings because that's what I wanted when I asked it to serve me and it for filled my request with out me saying a single word." Xena pushed the bowl with the wet cloth it towards the Mexican warrior who took the cloth in both bound hands and began to use it on his long leg cuts and his neck cuts. She watched as he tried to use it on the scar on his face which didn't heal despite his desperate rubbing. She turned back slightly watching as Herodotus's eyes darted showing deep thought.

Herodotus put his hands behind his back getting ready to speak only to stop as Lector stood up sharply. "I want to come with you to Mexica…I want to save Lila." Xena turned sharply she pulled herself up in a standing position. "No…" Lector grunted aloud. "I have a sword I have armour…please I can help you save her." Gabrielle turned slowly in the chair meeting his anxious gaze. "No Lector…if it we were going anywhere else in the world I'd say yes but not Mexica." Herodotus turned slightly. "He's very good with my sword he can help you both." He turned to the Warrior Princess. "You could train him Xena you could make him an even better fighter so he can stand up to this serpent god with you and Gabrielle."

Xena blinked, by the gods the man had used her name for once and not referred to her as warrior or Warrior Princess like he normally did. Herodotus raised his hands noticing the warrior light blue widen in surprise. "You trained my daughter to fight you could train him…he's a fast learner…he won't let you down." Gabrielle felt her fingers clutch the chair arm tighter. "People die in Mexica father." She looked up slightly. "I don't want anyone in my family to get killed in that place." Her gaze darted as she slowly rose to her feet. "That's why my self and Xena should go…." Xena walked over to Lector seeing the disappointment in his eyes she slowly put a hand on his shoulder. "Gabrielle wouldn't say this with out good reason."

Lector sighed aloud. "If you both change your mind I'll be here." Xena breathed putting her hand on her face. "We need to get some sleep." She walked over to Itzli pulling the gag back on his face as she turned to her lover. "I'm going to the barn." She leaned down getting ready to grab hold of Itzli's ropes. "I'll take this bastard with me so I can watch him…" Herodotus eased up his hand. "No!" Xena raised an eyebrow. "No to him being the barn." She sighed aloud. "You know its better that I watch him…he's not a nice piece of work." That was only a half truth the full truth was that she didn't want Gabrielle near him. It seemed that when the Mexican warrior was around her lover's calm seemed to fade at any moments notice.

Herodotus put a hand on his chest. "No I mean you can sleep in here…in Lila's bed." Xena pulled back. "What?" Herodotus breathed in sharply. "You can sleep here in the house." He paused adjusting his shirt slightly. "The barn hasn't been repaired it's to cold for people to sleep in." Xena raised her eyebrow the families barn was the same as always it wasn't in need of repair. Herodotus looked up slightly ignoring the shocked look as it spread across his eldest daughters face. "It wouldn't be right." He leaned down patting Sagittarius's head as the dog came to sit as his feet. "It's better if you're here…" He breathed in deeply hoping that he didn't look foolish or weak for trying to be nice to her daughter's lover.

Xena felt her gaze dart as she looked up. "I'll sleep in Lila's bed." She shoved the Mexican forward hard as she pulled him to his feet. "I'll tie him up inside the room where I can see him." Herodotus folded his arm trying to keep his voice as deep as possible. "I want you in Lila's bed not in Gabrielle's." Xena nodded calmly. "Sure…" She yanked the warrior forward ignoring his muffled cursing. Herodotus eyed his daughter who seemed utterly shocked. "Same goes for you." Gabrielle got up slightly she slowly picked up the red water throwing it out of the open window while tying the herb bag to her belt. "Yes…" She paused as she eased up her hand slowly meeting her father's gaze. "Thank you father…"

Herodotus breathed in deeply. "Don't make me regret this." Gabrielle lowered her gaze. "You won't regret anything." Herodotus watched as she disappeared from the room. He sighed heavily as he sat himself down on at the table running a hand through his hair in frustration. He was doing the right thing…he had to this for Gabrielle she deserved to be treated like Lila and for her partner to be given the same level of respect. Doing this terrified him all the more because once she left the room it would mean that he his chances of seeing grandchildren from her would slip away. Something he had feared so much and had tried so much to stop by pushing the Warrior Princess further back and taking out his bitterness on her. Truth was Xena did have a kind side but he always ignored it.

He'd seen it when they'd been talking on the fallen log outside the house when he'd glimpsed for a moment out of the window. The warrior had changed a lot by the looks of things and he had noticed it in her calm behaviour. He looked up watching as his eldest daughter disappeared from the room. He put a hand on his face… what if he was wrong." He turned feeling his wife's hand on his shoulder which caused him to look up sharply. Hecuba smiled slightly somehow it felt like the first real smile she'd made since Lila's had been captured. "That was a very nice thing you just did." Herodotus looked up slightly. "Was it?" Hecuba squeezed his shoulder slightly. "Yes Herodotus it was." Herodotus puts his hands together. "Am I doing the right thing letting them…?" Hecuba slowly met his gaze. "Yes you're doing the right thing." Lector coughed slightly causing them both to look in his direction. "I'll just go to my room…" He patted his knee. "Come on Sagittarius." He watched as the black Labrador bounded after him, wagging his tail.

In The Lands Of Mexica

Lila breathed in deeply as she guided towards the temples entrance by the tall man. "I really don't want to go out there." Tlaloc smirked as he led her forward. "You really are something of a coward aren't you?" Lila looked up sharply. "I'm not a coward." Tlaloc eased her forward keeping his hand on her upper arm. "You know denial is unhealthy…" Amoxtli laughed slightly. "Funny the winged serpent normally captures people who have angered him…I'd love to know what you did wrong to him because you look like such a pathetic weakling. You don't look like you have the guts to steal food from a godly table let alone lift a weapon." Lila turned sharply. "I didn't do anything to anger your god! It was my sister."

Amoxtli raised an eyebrow. "Oh I see it all makes perfect sense you're here because your sister stole food from the godly table and blamed you." She raised a hand. "You know that means your going to be the feathered serpent's breakfast appetizer…lucky you." Lila turned sharply. "I'm not here because my sister stole from the godly table!" Tlaloc breathed in bringing her forward. "You're going to die anyway so what does it matter what you did." Amoxtli eyed him sharply. "You just had to ruin my thunder didn't you? Why do you do that to me I was having so much fun?" Tlaloc slowly met her gaze. "Because your fun is about dieing…dieing is not fun or have you forgotten that?"

Amoxtli folded her arms. "I remember what it was like to die! My death was much worse than yours. You just ended up being a chewed on by the feathered serpent…I got to die in his stomach!" She eased up her weapon slightly. "So you'll excuse me if I find amusement in the deaths of others." Tlaloc raised his hand ignoring the Greek girl's utter shock and confusion. "You are one of the most annoying women I've ever met you know that?" Amoxtli rolled her eyes. "I've been dead far longer than you…I have an excuse to be annoying." Tlaloc grunted aloud. "That's not an excuse that's what you always say when you can't get your way." Amoxtli adjusted her headdress slightly. "Why am I cursed with you as my partner warrior? I mean you used to be one of Huitzilopochtli's elite warriors. I hate Huitzilopochtli he such an arrogant, self righteous god."

Tlaloc eyed her intensely. "You're stuck with me because you're in hell…I can't believe I'm taking insults from you, your a lowly peasant girl." Amoxtli pulled back feeling the hurt which she tried not to show in her face. "You know when you get killed by the feathered serpent and end up as part of his un-dead army the class system doesn't apply anymore…did that fact just slip your mind Tlaloc?" Tlaloc growled aloud. "How ironic in death we all get to be equals." Amoxtli folded her arms. "You never treat me like an equal despite that fact." Tlaloc moved Lila forward. "I've never been big on equality…" He shoved the young girl though the temples opening as he tightened his grip around her upper arm. "Welcome to paradise Lila!"

Lila felt her heart beat faster as she looked at the huge city bellow which had hundreds of white stone buildings all making up hundreds of long wide streets. Huge lakes of water could be seen along with beautiful water falls and hundreds of jungles trees. Two smaller pyramids were on ether side of the massive one which they were standing on top of. The huge city was a wash with hundreds of colours all from people's clothes and warrior's headdresses. These colours could also be seen in the massive market place which was filled with items and pottery as well as highly decorated blankets. She could see strange animals which walked on all fours like horses but had much longer necks and woolly fur moving around the city.

She looked up slowly seeing the trees and jungle which stretching out far beyond. "It's…its beautiful." Amoxtli sneered slightly. "You should look at the altar bellow us little fool…you might change your mind." Lila slowly looked down seeing a white stone altar bellow them. She found herself tensing in horror as she saw the fresh blood dripping from it, she could also see dried blood all around it. Amoxtli smirked meeting her gaze. "Not so beautiful now is it Greek fool? Shame you missed the morning sacrifice, I'm sure it would have enlightened you to the fact that in this city the word mercy is meaningless." Tlaloc laughed slightly as he leaned closer to Lila. "Yes Lila here you are powerless and no one will be coming to your rescue. Because every god and everyman who has ever breathed knows that Mexica is the forbidden lands. Those who've come here to conquer have died for their arrogance!"

End of part 12

Silvermoonlight