"Care if we join you?" Hercules called out.
Xena and Gabrielle turned around with smiles. Hercules was walking and Iolaus was on horseback. Xena and Gabrielle were leading their horses. They stopped and waited for them to catch up.
"You are definitely pregnant and far along by the looks of it," Hercules told Xena.
"Not as far along as you think. I'm just a little bigger than usual."
Gabrielle glanced at the warrior princess and looked like she wanted to say something, but she stopped herself.
"You two look the same as ever," Hercules said.
"That's what happens when you're frozen in an ice cave for 25 years," Gabrielle said. "You guys look—" Gabrielle broke off.
"Say it," Iolaus said, "Hercules doesn't look a day over 40 and I look like a wizened old man. I've come to terms with it."
Gabrielle reached up and squeezed his hand. "It's good to see you."
"I should warn you before we start that we're dangerous traveling companions. How many times did we meet Ares on the road?" Hercules asked, turning to Iolaus.
"I don't know. I lost count at 12 or 13. I know Ares is relentless when it comes to trying to destroy you and his obsession with you, Xena, but he's taking relentless to a whole other level."
"I haven't seen hide nor hair of Ares since I broke the news," Xena said, "not that I'm complaining. His pursuit is because I told him you were the father."
"I figured as much. I'm assuming I'm an uncle," Hercules said solemnly.
"You would assume right," Xena answered.
Iolaus didn't voice it, but the look of disgust on his face said it all.
"It's not as bad as it sounds," Xena explained. "He was a mortal at the time and almost bearable, but he's wanted to have a child with me for a long time and I know it's not so we could play house. I had to protect the child and Hercules was the first name that came to mind. I knew his jealousy where you're concerned would keep him distracted."
"That makes sense then," Hercules said. "He was in a mortal state during the time you became pregnant, so for all he knows you might have been with a 100 men. I know you know this, Xena, but Ares is not an idiot. We've been lucky so far, but he will figure this out if we're not careful."
"I've been using my Ares-free time to cover the tracks. If he decides he wants to check up on the story further, we're ready. We met each other about 15 miles north of Amphipolis. It turns out that we weren't that far apart at that time, so there are plenty of honest witnesses that can testify that they saw you and that they saw me in that area. I called in a favor to a tavern owner there and he is willing to say we stayed the night there, together."
"It sounds like you have that part covered," Hercules said. "There's a new danger to think about though. Ares may try to kill your child."
"Ares could have killed my daughter and he didn't," she said in such a defensive tone that it made the others uncomfortable. " He knew she would bring about the destruction of the gods. He even gave up his own immortality to save her life."
"I don't know that you realize how deep his hatred of me goes," Hercules explained. "Any child I had could be a mark, but a child with the woman he envisions as his own would be a double mark."
Xena started to respond, but her eyes widened and she placed a hand over her stomach.
"What's wrong?" asked Gabrielle, Hercules, and Iolaus at the same time.
"I've never felt this before. It's like there's a war going on inside my womb."
When she saw the alarmed expressions on her friends' faces, she said, "It's not like they're about to rip out of my body. They're normal baby kicks, but I think there may be more than one child in here and it feels like they're fighting each other."
Gabrielle looked pale, "Does it—do they feel human?"
Xena shot her a dirty look, "Of course they feel human."
"You remember Hope's son? Ares was his father," Gabrielle reminded her.
"He took after his maternal grandfather, not Ares' side of the family," Xena shot back.
Gabrielle's eyes went to the ground as she tried to hide the pain.
"I'm sorry," Xena quickly apologized. "That was insensitive of me. I know you're all concerned about this pregnancy, but I think we have proof here that having a god for a parent isn't a completely bleak situation."
Hercules managed a smile, "I've seen children born to Ares before and it doesn't ensure a dark future. You won't mind if we stick around at least until after the pregnancy? It wouldn't hurt to have extra support and Ares would never buy me not wanting to be involved in the life of my child."
Xena gave a nod of consent and they traveled in silence for awhile. No one spoke it but everyone was thinking it. The world had never seen children born to Ares and Xena before.