Chapter 3

This chapter is dedicated to the memory of Kevin Smith who portrayed Ares so perfectly on the 16th anniversary of his passing May he be enjoying eternal peace and happiness in the Elysian Fields

Reappearing in our bed chambers, I quickly made Xena's battle armor disappear, and gently placed her on the silky royal blue sheets of our bed. Looking at the innumerable bruises and cuts covering her body, I was amazed at the fact that up until I had appeared in front of her in that clearing, she was still standing.

By my family and me, she is truly the most strong-willed mortal I have ever known! If any other mortal had gone through what she just did, they'd be on the far side of Tartarus! And we'd have no chance of fixing this! I can't imagine what would happen if I ever had to truly live without her…. I thought with a shudder.

As my wife whimpered in pain, I quickly called for Athena. I will never understand the friendship between those two. Time to eat some crow, I had once sworn that I would never allow Athena entrance to my private fortress. The things one does for those they love…. "Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, Weaving, and Honorable Warfare, I grant you permission to enter the Halls of War. My wife is in dire need of your blessing for me to heal her." I said, lowering the barriers surrounding my fortress temporarily.

In a blinding flash of golden light, my least favorite sibling appeared.

"Ares, what could Xena possibly need my blessing for healing that you couldn't handle? SWEET ZEUS AND HERA! WHO DID THIS TO HER?!" she breathed, upon seeing my wife's bruised and battered body.

"Her former Lieutenant and several of her soldiers. They made her walk The Gauntlet. They are nawt but ashes now. So do I have your permission to heal my wife?" I ground out.

"Of course. I'm so sorry she was put through that. If she needs anything more, just let me know." Athena said as she disappeared.

Well that went a lot better than I expected. I guess even Athena can be civil, when absolutely necessary. With that thought I set about to healing the most important person in my life, now that I had the much needed blessing.

I started with her shoulders and upper back. The severity of the bruising and swelling on her shoulders truly surprised me, especially given how well she had fought the past few days. Thank Zeus and Hera for pressure points to block the pain, otherwise she would certainly be dead now. I thought as I healed the horribly sprained and cracked bones and muscles of her body. Oh my beautiful princess, when all of this is done, I must talk to Uncle Hades and make sure Darphus and the rest of those sorry excuses for soldiers who hit you during your Gauntlet get put in the worst circles of Tartarus.

Once I had healed her body, I clothed her in one of my favorite negligees, a thigh length ruby red silk gown that molded to her perfect form, and changing into my own black silk lounge pants, and reclined on a black leather chair a near replica of my thrown, but without the skulls, and waited for Xena to return from Morpheus's realms.

"What should your punishment be, my beautiful princess? It must be something truly special, to make you understand just what you put me through." I mused, while I watched her sleeping form. "Perhaps I should make you go and help those poor mortals Jercules is so fond of. And you can start with rescuing some residents of Potedeia from Draco. Then you can go and try and make peace with your mother in Amphipolis."

Draco….I had never really cared for him, he was great with the offerings, don't get me wrong, but he had a certain lack of morality that had always bothered me. I may be the God of War, but there are still certain rules that my warlords, soldiers, and worshipers had to adhere to. A moral code of not harming women and children was at the top of that list, second only to not harming my chosen and wife, and if she gave an order it had to be followed as if I myself had given it. For some reason Draco had always had problems with those two rules.

A small moan came from the bed interrupting my musings. I quickly turned my focus back to the bed and saw a frown marring my wife's face. Frowning, I quickly checked our bond to make sure there wasn't any remaining injuries I had missed that would be causing her physical pain. I didn't feel anything, which meant that Morpheus wasn't doing his job. Yet another relative I'm going to have to have a discussion with, oh goodie. I thought as I moved to the bed and pulled the one thing that seemed to bring any happiness to my life into the safety of my arms.

"You're ok, I'm here." I said soothingly, running my hands through her hair. Once she was resting against my side, her whimpers slowed and finally stopped. As she snuggled closer into my side, I sent her soothing thoughts through our bond.

I'm sorry, I didn't listen to you about Darphus." I heard a sleepy voice say inside my head. Thank you for healing the injuries those bastards inflicted. I hope in time you can forgive me for breaking our vows. I never wanted to hurt you.

You are welcome Princess. I will forgive you in time. But know that you will be punished for breaking our vows. As punishment I am exiling you for six years from The Halls of War. You will also help those less fortunate against the likes of Draco, Virilius, Tegason, Sadus, and Carus. You will also go to Amphipolis and attempt to make peace with your mother.

As I finished listing her punishments, her eyes snapped open, and she exclaimed,

"You can't be serious! I will happily go against Draco and the other warlords but making peace with my mother?! After what happened with Lyceus, that is never going to happen! Have you so quickly forgotten what happened the last time she saw me and what her words were? 'this is no longer your home, and you are no longer my daughter! If you ever show your face around here again, you will be killed!'" she spat out in a perfect imitation of her mother. "And to exile me from our home? I know I hurt you, with my recent actions, but you can't forbid me from the one place that means the most to me!" This last was said in near hysterics.

"I'm sorry princess, but those are my terms. Starting tomorrow you are forbidden from entering these Halls for six years. You and Argo will also make your way to Potedeia, where you will find Draco trying to enslave some of the towns' women. I want you to remind him that I do not condone the mistreatment of Greek women nor do I accept enslavement of people under my protection."

Does that mean that I won't be seeing you every evening or sleeping in your arms? She asked in a heartbroken voice.

"Not at first, Princess. You have to earn that back." I said wiping a tear from her eye. "However, that does not mean that I won't be looking in on you and keeping you on your toes. I must make sure you stay safe, because unlike some, I don't break my vows. Now come here, you are exhausted and still need your sleep." I said with a sigh, as I kissed the top of her head. How was I going to survive six years without her in my arms or our home?