AN UNKNOWN OCEAN WHICH LIES BEFORE YOU

Gabrielle breathed in looking up at the sun in the sky as the dark portal disappeared completely as the elder god vanished from sight, leaving everything as it had been. She was so tired she could feel her body rebelling against her once more and she had no strength left to fight it everything hurt far too much. She would never be able to see this city again if she entered it or spoke about it she'd die where she stood, yet a part off her knew that she'd miss it. If there was one thing she had learned in all this it was that despite how terrifying this place was it was beautiful in its own way though it was terrifying kind of beauty.

They had been trespassers and trespassers weren't allowed here and she along with her lover and sister would be one of the few to ever see this place. It would be a long time before anyone was forced to trespass here again and she doubted it would be in her life time. She took in a deep breath feeling the sting in her muscles. She felt her eyes slowly close as the need to sleep took over fully and she sunk in to her own dreams despite that her sister and her lover were still holding her up. She felt her lover grab her as she leaned forward feeling her dream take over, it was a blissful deep dream, which she had been longing for.

Xena turned sharply realizing that her lover had finally succumbed to her dreams. She looked up at Lila as she carefully began to lower her carefully to the floor. Lila looked down moving her hand slowly over her sisters wounded shoulder feeling a sense of panic take over all too suddenly at the realization that Gabrielle was no longer awake. She looked up sharply meeting Xena's gaze. "Is she going to be okay?" Xena turned to meet her sea blue gaze. "She's fine she just needs to sleep, she's just had a really rough day." She moved her finger over one of the cuts which had stopped bleeding long ago. "She just needs rest, that all." She moved her hands through the long blonde hair letting it spill through her fingers.

She put both hands under her lover carefully lifting her up as she slowly stood up, just in time to see both winged horses fly over head. Both circled the temples top before coming back as they played in mid air. She raised her eyebrow Argo obviously like her new stallion friend since she was playing with him. She turned to Lila who was slowly standing up along with the others. "Can you whistle?" Lila blinked feeling the confusion take over. "Yes I can whistle but why do you need me to?" Xena pulled Gabrielle up so she was fully in her arms. "I need you to whistle for my horse, she's flying above us, along with Gabrielle's horse, I can't do it because my hands are full right now."

Lila blinked as the realisation hit home. "Oh I see." She turned whistling hard, only to watch in surprise as the golden horse turned sharply in mid air it spread its wings as it came in to land, followed by the other black horse who snorted hard as it landed on the platform directly behind Argo before folding his wings. Lila eyed both winged horses for a long moment she recognised Argo but not the other one. "Your horse has wings?" Xena moved forward taking Gabrielle with her. "It's a very long story." Lila looked down feeling a much more pressing question come to mind as she met the tall woman's gaze fully. "Is it over? I mean we can leave here can't we?"

Xena lowered her gaze before looking up, a part of her now desperately wanted to leave she wanted her lover to be healed and that would have to done before they could do so. "As soon as your sister has been healed we will leave Mexica." Itzli looked around him as he put his weapon away they were free to leave this place. He turned meeting his brother and his companion's confused gaze. "You are free brother, you and Amoxtli, we can all go home." He stopped in mid speech he couldn't go home though not right away. He had a very pressing matter in the fertility goddess's city, somewhere was the child whose father he had killed and now he would have to for fill the man's dying wish.

Huitzilopochtli walked forward it was time to leave he did not want to stay here any longer. He turned to the other gods ignoring his fathers annoyed gaze. "We are leaving, all of you right now, I will not anger the elder god further." Chantico felt a smile form. "Is this your first order as king of the Aztec gods?" Huitzilopochtli looked up sharply. "I am not king of the gods, I said what was necessary." Chantico felt her smile turn to wide grin. "You misunderstand I have no issue with you being king of the gods. I agree with your parents you should be, your the right person to be king." Xochiquetzal nodding as she took hold of the other woman's arms. "She's right you should be king."

Xochipilli folded his arms looking at the now confused sun god. "Despite our differences in the past I would rather you be king than anyone else. It's obvious that a creator god should rule so it is only fitting that a war god who knows the meaning of love takes the throne as king." He turned on his heels. "You are the only one who has the strength to rule in a fair manner." Huitzilopochtli turned eyeing Tezcatlipoca who had said nothing. "Do you have anything to say regarding this?" Tezcatlipoca felt a smile form as he stood up fully flicking his tail. "You are the king, I will follow and protect the king, I have no interest in the throne. I only fought for it because I hated that Quetzalcoatl had it, but lets face we both know that he's not coming back any time soon."

He eyed his father. "Good riddance to the spoilt little bastard, he got what he deserved now he'll spend the rest of his life on a baron island with a pitiful lesser god who owns him it's a really fitting punishment." Huitzilopochtli eyed him for a long moment for once he could tell that his older brother was being honest even though he wasn't being nice about it. He turned to Coatlicue and Mixcoatl. "What you did was wrong but I think you know that anyway. We can talk further on this issue but as of right now I wish to return to one of the cities, there we debate the ins and outs of all that's happened." He turned eyeing the Itzli and his brother who he recognised from the many times he'd sent him in to battle.

He eyed the female warrior who was a warrior of Quetzalcoatl she looked afraid as she hung on to his arm making her intentions very plain. "When we return, we shall talk over all your futures and your obligations, which for some have changed." He turned to Xena who was holding up Gabrielle who wasn't conscious. "Thank you for all you both did." He looked down eyeing Gabrielle. "I'll get Xochipilli to heal her wounds, as soon as possible." He wanted to say more but he had too much to do and he wanted to do it quickly. He ignored the Greek war god who had pulled his sword free from the stone by and put it in his scabbard. He turned looking at the young black haired woman who was slightly younger than Gabrielle.

He smiled as he leaned closer to her seeing that she didn't flitch. "You must be Gabrielle's younger sister." Lila looked up slightly meeting the tall man's golden eyes. "Yes I am." Huitzilopochtli breathed in deeply. "I apologise for everything that has happened to you, I had no idea that Quetzalcoatl had taken you from your homeland." He shook his head putting a hand gently on her arm watching as her sea blue eyes studied him in the same manner as Gabrielle's did from time to time. "I will make sure that you are given something in compensation that has great value for all you have had to endure. You deserve no less for having to suffer you way you have at the hands of Quetzalcoatl."

He gave her slight smile watching as she gave a half smile in return, obviously she wasn't used to being around gods. Having been around the worst she was obviously unsure about him and the others. He took hold of her hand patting it. "We will talk as soon as we return to one of the godly cities." He moved watching as Ares rubbed his neck, he didn't think as he grabbed him by the back of the neck. "Well, well it seems that you can be a real god of war when the situation is right, though frankly I expected Quetzalcoatl to eat you." He smiled coldly. "I also expected you to open your mouth in front of C'thulon but he was obvious more terrifying than you could fathom."

Ares pulled away ignoring his pain. "I did what I did so I could leave this Tartarus of a hole you call Mexica." Huitzilopochtli sneered in disgust. "Oh do not worry war god, you will leave here, I will see to that, but when you leave you will run an errand for me. Since we have no truce with the Greek gods we will make one to compensate for the war that Quetzalcoatl caused centuries ago." He moved his fingers. "I will also tell them that despite your arrogance and rude behaviour you did your duty and acted like a real god of war for once." He stepped away. "They'll know that those actions helped us greatly." He ignored the Greek war gods surprise as he eyed Xochiquetzal. "I need to return to your city to check on my head hummingbird warrior."

Xochiquetzal nodded before looking up. "It'll be my pleasure." She easing her hand up watching as the lightning came out of it slowly forming a huge portal which would lead in to her inner keep. It was big enough and wide enough for three people at a time to walk through. She turned eyeing Chantico. "You first, I have something to discuss with you when we return." Chantico felt a wide grin form. "I look forward to that." She turned walking through the white streaming portal's light. Coatlicue raised a clawed hand. "Wait, are those two?" Huitzilopochtli turned eyeing her. "Yes." Coatlicue blinked all her many eyes. "I shouldn't be surprised yet I am, how strange it is that things have changed so much since I last set foot here."

She watched as all mortals went through one after the other followed by the jaguar god and the love god as well as the lesser war god. "So much that I don't know and have yet to see again." Mixcoatl sneered slashing his tail around. "We need to talk, since you threatened to eat my mother. You know I do not approve of that from you." The many eyes blinked again as his lover's gentle voice hit the air. "Come now I was only playing." Mixcoatl sneered. "You weren't playing, I know when you're playing and you weren't playing!" Coatlicue rolled her golden eyes watching as the lesser hawk god moved through the portal. "Both your sons Huitzilopochtli and Tezcatlipoca are right you let your mother get away with far too much."

She moved her long clawed fingers. "You should have fixed the issues before we ascended maybe then it wouldn't have come to this. I asked you to fix it then and you refused and I told you that if you didn't fix it now that your mother may suffer at a later time but you did not listen." She flicked up one of her tongues. "You should be grateful that she has been banished and not killed." She breathed in deeply. "As for your other son Quetzalcoatl, you spoilt him rotten and you taught him war and from that he became a monster that you couldn't control. Yet now he is banished but he got the good end of the deal as that other god loves him. Though it'll be some years before he comes to truly realize that and give him unconditional love back."

She moved her clawed fingers watching as the two winged horses walked in to the light. "It is but fortunate that we got off so easily, after what we did." Huitzilopochtli turned eyeing both his parents. "Its time to leave this place, we can not risk staying here any longer." Coatlicue turned looking at her son before turning back to Mixcoatl. "He is right we can pick up this issue at a later time." Huitzilopochtli turned watching as Coatlicue turned going in to the white portal. His gaze drifted to his father Mixcoatl. "We all must leave now there is a lot still to be resolved." Mixcoatl shifted his body forward he turned his neck looking at his son. "Yes there is much that needs to be discussed by you and the other gods we are not allowed to interfere in you discussions."

Huitzilopochtli watched as moved thought in to the light his huge body vanishing from sight. He took in a deep breath looking at the city this would be the last time he'd see it for a every long time and it was best to admire the view for the last time. He took in a deep breath closing his eyes. For better or worse he was now king of the gods. That notion terrified and excited him all at once he opened his eyes slowly watching as the light began to fade above. Now it was truly time to leave as the darkness was falling to protect the un-dead and ghosts of this city along with its guardians. He turned with out taking a second look as he stepped in to the portals white light feeling it encompass him fully.

8

Xena looked up sharply as she turned walking in to the main keep she didn't think as she moved in to the room where her lover and her self had awoken earlier. She ignored the other gods as they came through no doubt they sort out there issues, but right now she had her own to deal with which in her mind were more important. She walked over the bed lying her lover down very carefully on the fur skin, only to realize that Lila was right behind her along with Itzli. Who she'd forgotten never left their side unless he had to as he felt it was his duty. Itzli moved forward very slowly keeping his voice very quite. "I'll get Xochipilli he can heal her wounds and I'll put both your horses outside."

Xena gave him a nod as she stood up fully. "Thank you." She raised her hand. "Could you get me some warm water and a cloth as well?" Itzli nodded as he stepped back. "Of course I'll be right back." He stopped turning to face Gabrielle's younger sister who looked slightly confused by his actions. "May I ask your name?" Lila blinked eyeing him for a long moment feeling unsure as to whether she should answer. Xena took a step forward watching as Lila turned to look at her. "You have nothing to fear, this is Itzli he's our friend." Lila turned back looking at the man she didn't know his name but she recognised his face from her memories.

He had been with Gabrielle in the house during the day that her sister had gotten drunk and hurt her. There was a difference though which was that this mans face didn't have three scars running down it. She looked up meeting his gaze. "My name is Lila." Itzli felt his smile widen. "That's a very beautiful name." He leaned over patting her shoulder gently. "You should be very proud of it." He stepped away nodding at her respectfully as turned going in to the other room at a fast pace. Xena moved a step closer. "To the warriors here a name is valued if they know your name then you'll have their greatest respect."

She paused seeing that Lila was feeling slightly unsure of herself not that she blamed her. She'd been through a lot not and all of which had been good. Her lover was used to going through these motions and she could get over them given time, but for some one who was new it was all it could be unnerving and frightening. Lila wasn't Gabrielle she was just as brave though the fact that she had survived this was proof enough of that. What worried her was that Lila's life had been very normal and simple before this. The things she had seen here and the trials she had suffered would no doubt mean that she would never see the world the same way again.

Her innocence had in a way been shattered and she knew that it would a long time before she regained it once more. She moved forward carefully putting her hand on her arm. "Its okay your safe now, no one is going to harm you." Lila looked up realizing that she was feeling vulnerable she found herself breathing in painfully. She turned looking at her sister who was still un-moving. "You both saved me, thank you." Xena felt her smile widen. "Your part of Gabrielle's family." She paused choosing her next words carefully despite that she felt slightly unsure about using them. "That makes you part of my family." She leaned over seeing the surprise flash in the other girls blue eyes.

She owed Lila in a way she had always been the one to stand up for her in the beginning when Hecuba and Herodotus had been against her which had been after she'd come clean about her relationship with Gabrielle. Hecuba had later come to accept it, where as when she'd left for Mexica Herodotus was just starting to come around to her. She felt her smile turn to a wide grin. "Plus your father would kill me if I didn't bring you back in one piece." Lila looked up sharply instantly hearing the humour in Xena's voice. Gods this was just not the Warrior Princess she remembered, she couldn't ever remember Xena joking about anything not in this manner.

She gave the taller woman a slight smile before turning back to her sister before moving forward to kneel down next to Gabrielle she watched as Xena sat herself down on the opposite side. She knew she'd asked this question once but she couldn't stop herself asking it again as she looked at wounds on her sisters body "Are you sure that she's going to be okay?" Xena breathed in eyeing one of her lover bruised knuckles she carefully raised the younger woman's hand looking at it before meeting Lila's concerned gaze. She could tell from the sea blue eyes that Lila was battling something in side, but wasn't ready to deal with it right now hence why she turning her attention to Gabrielle.

She knew from experience that it was better to allow Lila to work through this in her own time and let her focus on Gabrielle. Who she was genuinely worried about. She breathed in deeply. "Your sister's strong she'll be fine." Lila may not have believed those words but she knew from being in Mexica that what ever it threw at her lover she could take it. She turned just in time to see the little dog bolt in the room it ran past Lila coming up to her hand licking her fingers as barked. She lowered her lovers hand as she picked it up smiling at it. "Oh so you missed me as well?" Lila blinked okay this day was getting stranger, Xena was playing with a fox, which was acting more like a dog.

Xena stopped playing with the dog seeing that Lila was just staring at her the surprise as clear as day over what she was doing. She smiled pulling up the little dog. "This is Gabrielle's dog he's very friendly, he was given to her as gift from the sun god." She felt her smile fade slightly that was all Lila needed to know on that subject, she would not tell her about what had happen until Gabrielle was ready. She passed the dog to Lila who held it yipped and then started to lick her hand. Lila eyed the dog feeling her smile slowly return as she looked at the small cute face. "Does he have a name?" Xena looked down slightly as she pulled one of the bags over. "Not yet but I'm sure when Gabrielle wakes up she'll want to give him one."

She looked up sharply watching as Itzli came in closely followed by Xochipilli who smiled as he came to kneel down next to Lila who moved to give him room. He gave Xena a smile watching as Gabrielle's younger sister stared at him. He leaned over putting his hand on her arm. "My name is Xochipilli I'm the god of love in these lands." Lila stroked the dogs head feeling her uncertainty fade away as she met the god's gentle violet eyes she gave him a wide smile. "My names Lila it's wonderful to meet you." Xochipilli watched as Itzli came to sit opposite the warrior nodded before moving back to give enough space as to crowd Gabrielle.

Itzli looked up meeting Xena's gaze. "Both your horses have been put outside." He carefully handed the bowl of warm water over with the cloth watching as Xena look it. Xena gave him a slight smile. "Thank you Itzli." She looked down feeling her attention go back to what was important as she started to wipe the blood away from her lover's face. She needed to do this it was important if she didn't clean away the blood Xochipilli wouldn't be able to heal the wounds. She worked slowly and carefully cleaning away the dried blood a part of her was just happy about this in a strange way. In that this time Gabrielle was sleeping and she was going to wake up sooner or later. Xochipilli turned seeing that Xena was deep in thought and he could see the concern in both her eyes and Lila's. He knew now was the right to lighten the mood. "I seem to end up healing you both quite a lot don't I?" Xena carried on cleaning her lovers body watching as he moved his finger across the cuts watching as the white light flowed out healing them she gave him a slight smile. "Yes you do seem to be healing us both a lot."

End of part 122

Silvermoonlight