OF SELFLESS LOVE AND VIOLENT JEALOUSLY
Ares pulled on his chains again only to stop as a commotion hit the air out side the keeps steps. He turned slowly watching as two warriors walked down the steps dragging someone. He breathed in looking up slowly he could sense her before she even entered the room. He'd always been able to, right from the beginning when he'd mentored her. He could sense her fire her anger and her sadness at this very moment it was that strong. He stepped forward only to be stopped by the chains which were taut against the wall. The two warriors slowly dragged in the unconscious Warrior Princess. A part of him seemed to fill up with pure joy she was alive after all the jaguar god had failed in killing her.
He narrowed his gaze as the two warriors turned throwing her on to the floor in front of the golden throne. Another set of warriors came in side after them tossing one of there own warriors who was passed out on the floor next to her, which caused his golden eagle headdress to be thrown off. They all looked at the room which was mess before leaving. He looked at Xena again trying to get closer, she was completely un-moving and he could see dried blood on her lip and chin. All her weapons were still in place which confused him even more. No one had taken them off her even the even Aztec warrior lying opposite her still had his axe. He eyed the man he had no idea who he was only that he probably here because he'd helped her.
He tried to move forward only to feel his chain tighten he snarled aloud pulling harder on them as he tried to get to Xena. He ignored the pain as the shackles tighten. He wanted to help her, even if that meant getting close enough to her to see if she was still breathing! He roared in anger pulling with all his might only to find that he couldn't get any closer. "One of the worst things in life is looking at what you want and not being able to have it, would you not agree lesser war god?" Ares turned watching as Huitzilopochtli appeared in a blast of golden light. The Aztec god was seated side ways on his throne with his leg over the arm he had a skull in his hand which had a gold tooth in place of one of the back teeth. It was covered in green jade which ran around it creating lines of patterns, he watched as the sun god carefully placed it on the table beside his throne.
The yellow eyes turned for a moment looking at Xena before meeting his again. "It is all very painfully is it not?" He stood up ignoring the lesser god's look of disgust as he walked over the fallen Warrior Princess who was still lying motionless on the floor. "Once again I fail to see what your fascination is with this worthless woman." He used his foot to prod the Warrior Princess. "I fail to understand Gabrielle's fascination as much as yours." He looked up slowly seeing the anger in the other gods face. "Is it ignorance or stupidity that guides the heart to feel nothing but pain?" He took in a deep breath kneeling down in front of the unconscious woman.
He grabbed hold of her by the back of her leathers pulling her up slightly so he could see her face. He spoke to her not caring that she wasn't conscious to hear it. "Why did you gain her love? You didn't deserve it! You caused her so much pain and yet she still came back to you over and over again! She should always be mine and never yours!" He let go of her harshly watching as her body hit the floor. "What can you give her Warrior Princess? You have nothing, yet I can give her anything she wants." He eased him self up eyeing Itzli for a long moment why had he done this? He knew what the punishment for betrayal was, so why had he chosen this foolish path?
He slowly stood up he would find out soon enough, he eased out his hand watching as the sun light blasted out from it. He had been fortunate enough to be unconscious when his fake flesh had been ripped off but now it was time that both Itzli and Xena were woken up. He breathed in feeling his body tense, as all their scars healed, he was willing play this out honourably. True it would be easy to break Xena's bones by paralyzing her again, but that was just too easy and would take away the pleasure of fighting her. Also if she was anything like him she'd rather fight a battle to stake her claim. He didn't want to be denied the pleasure of seeing her misery when he defeated her in combat.
A part of him really wanted to see her fall in front of the Greek war god since he liked her so much. He closed his hand feeling an evil smile form if his father had taught him anything it had always been that it was best to kill two birds with one stone if possible. It always made the victory sweater than the taste of fresh blood. He turned watching as Itzli groaned opening his eyes he slowly stepped forward so he was in front of him. Itzli blinked watching as everything slowly came back in to focus. He knew he was in the main keep with out a second glance he'd seen the highly decorated walls before along with its golden floor more than once.
He could see his god who was looking at him the anger burning in his golden eyes. He pulled himself slowly on to his knees ignoring the pain as it went though his aching muscles. He looked down seeing that his appearance was back to normal everything had gone wrong and now he'd have to take the punishment he was due. He breathed in deeply the odd thing was that in this moment he felt no real fear. He knew he should feel terrified in the face of his god whose rage he could feel burning through him. No the truth was all to simple for once he had done the right thing and it was honourable in his eyes even though he hadn't succeeded.
He eased up his hand feeling Xochipilli's messenger pendent which was still around his neck. He had made his choice and for better or for worse he was willing to live with what ever the consequences were. He knew that he had a child in another city and the truth was that his priories had changed. If he lived through this he was going to make things right and grant the priest's final request. If he had leant anything from Gabrielle and Xena it was that something's were truly worth holding on to. Love was something that was rare and more priceless than gold because it was worth spilling your mortal blood for. The blood that the gods graved to drink in the dawns light could not be measured because it ran through the heart carrying a soul's emotions and these emotions could change the world for better or for worse.
To him that made everything seem so much clearer now, people were guided by their hearts and they could do truly horrific things. They could also do truly noble things and they could put right their wrongs. He knew now what mattered to him it was following the laws of war and doing the honourable thing as a warrior of the sun god. Huitzilopochtli eyed the warrior in front of him who slowly lowered his head. "You betrayed me." Itzli kept his head low feeling no fear as he spoke. "I followed your laws of war as they are written." Huitzilopochtli narrowed his gaze ignoring the lesser war god who was watching intensely. "Did you honestly think that you could just come back here with Xena and collect Gabrielle's soul?"
Itzli breathed in deeply he turned seeing that Xena was close by like him her fake skin had been ripped off and she was still unconscious. He turned back putting his hands together. "Yes I believed I could." Huitzilopochtli leaned forward. "I gave you everything you wanted status, a position of glory in one of my temples why did you do this?" Itzli looked up slowly. "My place is by the Blood Jaguar's side her final request was to save Xena, I would not deny her request." He kept completely calm as he spoke again. "When she came back to this land she told me that if anything happened to her, then I was to help Xena. So I have done as I was told because that is what is right."
Huitzilopochtli kept his eyes fixed on the Itzli's. "I am your god I tell you what is right. I gave you an order and you denied it!" Itzli shook his head. "Your order did not follow the laws of war, there fore it wasn't honourable. I only follow your laws of war as they are written and as I am taught." Huitzilopochtli didn't think as he grabbed hold of his shoulder pulling him to his feet forcefully. "You are not telling everything, so please satisfy my curiosity by telling me the deeper reason that you are keeping back!" Itzli took another deep breath ignoring the stinging pain in his shoulder as he looked up. "You are not the right person for Gabrielle, you changed her destiny to suite your own purposes. In doing so you went against what the writing that governs the city of the gods." He felt his gods grip tighten even more causing hot knifes of pain to go through his shoulder. "You also took someone who belongs with Xena."
Huitzilopochtli felt his teeth grind together. "Are you telling me that Xena deserves Gabrielle?" Itzli ignored the pain as he met his gods golden eyes. "Yes I am. There are some creations in this world that are beyond your understanding and at this moment you are destroying one which is sacred. That is a sin in its self." Huitzilopochtli stopped in mid motion only to feel the anger start to boil as his gaze slowly fell upon the pendent around Itzli's neck. He eased it up to get a better look at it. He recognised the symbol instantly and it caused his stomach to twist in a violent knot. "You have betrayed me to Xochipilli! That vile love god has corrupted you hasn't he?"
Itzli looked up again. "No, he only asked that I bring you a message to say that he will be here soon. He did not put these words in my mouth, they are what I believe." The next moment turned agony as his god let go of the pendent then slammed his lightning filled hand in to his side causing him to cry out in pain. Huitzilopochtli snarled aloud. "When I am done with the Warrior Princess I will see that you know the price for betraying me to my enemy!" He let go of watching as Itzli stumbled back holding his side trying to take the pain which by mortal standards was no doubt extricating. It would keep part of his side paralyzed for a while. He turned sharply he could sense that the Warrior Princess was about to wake up. "You will not interferer with our battle ether." Xena groaned feeling her eyes slowly open she blinked watching as everything came back in to focus. She was lying on a cold stone floor which was decorated in golden Aztec patterns. She winced as she tried to move her body which felt numb, her gaze shifted just in time to see the gold sandal as it appeared in front of her face and Huitzilopochtli's voice hit the air.
"Get up Warrior Princess."
She could hear the venom in his words she slowly raised herself seeing now that her body had been fully healed. All her weapons were still place and she was sure that wasn't for a good reason. She sneered slightly as she got to her knees meeting the gods golden eyes which stared back at her in disgust she could see Itzli standing close holding his side the pain showing in his face. Like her he'd been stripped of his fake flesh, she breathed in deeply as she looked up again feeling the rage as it started to burn. "Go to Tartarus!" Huitzilopochtli folded his arms as he stepped closer to her. "If I were a lesser god I may have reacted to a pitiful comment like that but I have always felt myself above that."
Xena ignored the slight pain as she dragged herself to her feet she could see his gleaming keep clearly now with its golden throne and elaborate decoration. She felt herself stop as she sensed something disgustingly familiar, she turned only to meet Ares's brown gaze, which was looking back at her intensely. Huitzilopochtli eyed the lesser war god. "Ah yes I am sure you two know each other, he is your lands god of war. I am not sure why he came here but as you can see he has been captured, stripped of all his godly powers and chained up." He turned slightly." From what I can gather he likes you very much."
Xena felt her hand form a fist Aphrodite had said that Ares might follow them both here and she had been right! She wanted to spit Ares's his face he had obviously come here for C'thulon. He just wanted to chance the world to suit him self with no regard for anyone else. Seeing him chained against a wall meant that he'd truly paid the price for his arrogant attempt. Right now though she didn't care about him she hadn't come here for him, she was here for Gabrielle. He could burn for all she cared she knew from experience that he only ever looked out for himself. She felt her teeth grind together as she spoke. "I don't care about him." She turned seeing the hurt as it flashed across Ares's eyes. Huitzilopochtli eyed the Greek war god. "I see."
He smiled as he stepped back. "You don't care about Gabrielle ether, do you?" Xena sneered at him in disgust. "I care more about her than you do, you bastard!" Huitzilopochtli stopped in mid motion how dare she call him that, from anyone else he wouldn't have cared but from her it made his blood boil. She was a bitch who deserved nothing! He leaned forward. "Tell me what part of caring was it that meant that she was left all on her own after your death in Japan!?" He stepped closer seeing her stay fixed on the spot. "Tell me that Warrior Princess!" He felt his hand form a fist he wanted to smash her apart and it was taking everything he had to stop himself.
He felt an evil smile form as he looked at her. "Come on tell me why that was, you bitch? Tell me what makes you so caring that you could allow her to suffer in your absence?!" He raised his hand. "You see I'm dying to know what makes you so special!" Xena snarled as she looked at him they were literally toe to toe with each other and she could see the light as it flashed across his long bared canine teeth. She breathed in trying to control her anger she wanted to kill him so much everything about him disgusted her. She could hear the jealous tone in his voice she now realized that she had been healed for a reason. A reason which was probably part of his sick game and that made her hate him all the more she looked up meeting his golden eyes.
Her voice hit the air in a low hiss. "What I did to her is between us, it has nothing to do with you." Huitzilopochtli breathed in sharply what disgusting bravado she couldn't even answer his question. She no doubt felt that due to her egotistic pride that she was above it. "You arrogant bitch what you fail to understand is that when she came here the first time around it became about more than just you!" He shoved past her shoulder ignoring her hateful look. "That has always been the problem though when it comes to you and Gabrielle. It is always about you and never about her." He turned slightly. "I will admit that you did well to even get in to my city walls even with Itzli to help you." He eyed the dark haired woman who said nothing. "Your other ploy to make an impostor of Gabrielle so my attention would be else where got my attention as well."
He eased up his hand slowly. "That was very clever!" Itzli winced trying to take the pain in his side. "We…didn't do that." Huitzilopochtli turned eyeing him. "Do not lie to me!" He turned back to face Xena. "After all it fits how you think Warrior Princess." Xena raised an eyebrow she didn't know what he was talking about anymore than Itzli did. She looked up slightly. "Why would we do that, when I can get your attention just by standing here?" Huitzilopochtli narrowed his gaze. "Don't try and be clever with me Warrior Princess, I only healed you because it suited me." He slowly walked around her. "Frankly I wish that Gabrielle had not brought you back to life, because you do not deserve to be alive!"
He eased up his hand running it across her swords hilt as he leaned over her shoulder. "You might look clean on the out side but inside your disgusting and vile." Xena felt her body tense she hated even the feel of him. "I disagree I think your even more disgusting than I am." Huitzilopochtli laughed enjoying how mocking it sounded as he pulled away from her. "Yet I am not the one who causes Gabrielle pain." He eased out his hand. "I can give her the world, unlike you Warrior Princess." Xena narrowed her gaze feeling her fingers move towards her sword hilt. "She's not yours!" Huitzilopochtli raised his hand spreading his fingers he could see one of the mortal axes lying close by. He watched as it moved across the floor towards him he grabbed it out of the air as it flew upwards. "She is not yours ether, not anymore!"
Xena didn't think as she pulled her sword free in a violent motion. "You never even let her even decide you just took her from me! Then you changed her making her innocent so you could manipulate her and lie to her!" Huitzilopochtli twirled the axe in violent motion as he snarled at her. "I make her happy, which is more than I can say for you!" Xena sneered feeling her grip tighten on her weapon. "You call what you've done making her happy? You took away who she really is, she's my Gabrielle not one of your heavenly warriors!" She didn't think as she swung the weapon only to see him step back avoiding it. "She hasn't lived here all her life and she didn't have a one night stand with some woman!"
She swung it again even harder only to watch him stepped side ways. "She has a lover and I'm that lover!" Huitzilopochtli brought the axe up hard watching as her sword collided with it. He felt his teeth grind together as he spoke. "Not anymore your not! I gave her everything she wanted and more between the bed sheets!" Xena blinked for a moment feeling his words hit home she felt the world slow down to a painfully crawl. A crawl which shattered as she ducked narrowly avoiding the axe as it swung over her head, he was trying to put her off! "You're lying!" Huitzilopochtli sniggered slightly. "She makes the most beautiful sounds right before her release doesn't she? It sounds like a kitten and you just know don't you that she is reaching the moment and is ready to touch the stars and feel the heavens."
Xena turned in shock only to feel the pain as his fist slammed in to her face, causing her to stumble backwards. She shook her head as she felt his weapon collide with hers. She wanted that to be lie but she knew better because that was the same way she'd describe it if she was good at writing her feelings down and hearing it from him made her stomach twist painfully. "No!" Huitzilopochtli swung the weapon watching as she back flipped avoiding it. "Oh yes and she wanted it!" Xena felt her gaze dart as she stepped back avoiding his second swing. She knew now that he was just warming up. All her hated seemed to boil up she knew she was about to explode and she didn't want to stop it.
She could feel her weapon hand shaking, her hated and anger weren't directed at Gabrielle. She'd seen that the young woman was innocent and didn't know what she was doing. She'd slip in to peoples traps without even realizing that they were traps. It made her heart hurt that Huitzilopochtli would be so cruel to her lover and do that to her, Gabrielle didn't deserve that! She narrowed her eyes trying to recompose herself feeling the full force of her hatred as it started to truly burn. "Then why is she still lonely? Why is it when ever she kisses you she never feels content?" Huitzilopochtli swung his weapon sideway seeing her jump backwards avoiding it. "Who told you that Warrior Princess?" Xena felt an evil smile form. "She did right before I kissed her!"
Ares pulled on his chains violently this was insane they were fighting over that irritating blonde! Xena was in way over her head here Huitzilopochtli was toying with her right now. He was checking out her defences as well as making her angry but she was succeeding in doing the same to him it was something that he'd not been successful at doing. This was a battle with two very jealous lovers he'd seen thousands of them. They were always the most violent because it was all about possession. The prize being the man or woman they were fighting over. If there was one thing Aphrodite always fought with him over it was battles like this, because he loved to fuel the flames on one side and start wars using the other mortals jealously to full effect.
Kings would go to battle just to get a woman who they really wanted from a rival. He remembered ruining Aphrodite's plans for Helen of Troy because he'd started the Trojan War. It had been so easy to whisper in to Paris's ear making him think he had a claim over Helen. The fool had acted so perfectly and started one of the longest battles in Greek history something which he'd always been proud of. Jealous and ownership of someone was such a great way to fuel any fire but he'd found it not so wonderful when he'd had to face Gabrielle's jealousy as the deer horned werewolf Horn Hind. He couldn't defeat her and she could make gods bleed. He'd come to close to having his head ripped from his shoulders, but he'd just assumed at the time that, that violence was all Horn Hind.
Now he knew better, it wasn't Horn Hind it had been all her, she had a really violent streak inside her just like Xena. He eyed Xena he could feel her rage and her violence along with her hated. It flowed outwards encompassing everything it was one of the reasons he loved her. He couldn't give her the unconditional love that Gabrielle gave he'd always hated the blonde woman because of that. He could always say though that there was one part of Xena that would always be his and that was when ever the Warrior Princess fought and when ever she killed that was when she embraced his teaching even if she no longer fought in his name. He wanted her to show the arrogant bastard Aztec god her rage right now! He wanted him to see who he was screwing with and he wanted to be there when Xena brought him to his knees!
End of part 71
Silvermoonlight
Thank you everyone for the kind reviews and feedback.
