UNDER THE MOONLIT SKY

Phantasos turned the corridor it was late in the afternoon and in truth he knew he should be in bed but he had been up searching for Gabrielle. He was already starting to feel frustrated for a seven foot tall being she really knew how to disappear when it suited her. He guessed that was down to her spending so much time around these corridors at night she probably knew them better than anyone else. He had heard that Thaleia liked to get her dinner then she liked to go out in werewolf form and walk the corridors. The sun had just set which meant she could transform and he was convinced that she was now wandering around somewhere. He'd checked the lions and she wasn't there so she had to be elsewhere, it was just a case of looking harder. He turned another corridor feeling himself breath in as the frustration mounted, what was this was she trying to get lost or something? The servants had said that she had been seen walking this way. He put a hand through his beard trust him to loose a seven foot tall werewolf in the middle of the palace.

"What do you want?"

He felt himself freeze he looked up slowly only to blink in surprise as the golden werewolf came in to view. Gabrielle was literately sitting on the heavy pillar like rafters above the door behind him perfectly balanced on all fours. She'd clearly done this more than once, because she looked perfectly comfortable. Phantasos put his hands together. "It's good to see that your well." Gabrielle narrowed her gaze eyeing him. "Why are you following me around? I don't like people following me around." Phantasos looked up slightly. "I just wanted to talk to you." Gabrielle didn't think as she jumped down feeling her clawed front and back feet slam in to the ground.

She'd been on her way to the school to see Fedora and the children only to realize that the healer was following her which had annoyed her. She'd leapt on to the rafter as she had no intention of letting him follow her around. She felt her gaze narrow as she lowered her ears. "Talk to me about what?" Phantasos breathed in deeply watching as she circled him on all fours. "You stopped coming to our sessions." Gabrielle felt a cold sneer form. "The Empress burnt my contract so what ever obligation I had with you, it's over." Phantasos took in a deep breath. "Yes but I'd still like you to come to our sessions, there's still so much I need to learn from you, I mean you've got horns and their remarkable."

Gabrielle slowly stood up on her hind legs not caring that she towered over him she closed her hand around the wooden griffin in her hand which was for Fedora. "I don't want to come to your sessions I'm not interested in being part of your pet project!" She breathed in deeply. "I'm tired of being poked and prodded by someone who can't even refer to me by my name." Phantasos breathed out sharply. "If I ever called you monster I did not mean it as an insult." Gabrielle eyed him in disgust. "I don't care if you didn't mean it as an insult, the word offends me! My name is not palace monster nor is it the werewolf, my name is Gabrielle!" She raised a clawed hand. "I don't wish to be in the presence of some one who offends me and see me as a thing to write notes about."

Phantasos lowered his gaze sadly. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to call you that I didn't realize that it hurt your feelings so much." Gabrielle narrowed her gaze. "I'm guessing you also didn't realize that when you burnt my finger and put my other hand in ice cold water that it didn't hurt me ether, but believe me when I say it did." She raised her clawed hand opening it before closing it slowly. "My flesh burns and I feel the pain, the fur doesn't make much difference all it does is it gives me more time before I feel the pain."

She felt her teeth grind together as she spoke. "Here's a really interesting fact for you to learn an older stronger werewolf whose been skinned alive can survive it, right up until they turn back in to human." She lowered her hand. "The very healing process that allow them to live becomes there worst enemy, because to fix that much damage it's so painfully that it causes them to go in to shock and die. The thing that keeps them alive is an incredibly powerful heart and there alive for every excruciating second, until their heart stops beating." She stepped back. "They scream so much before they die, it's enough to haunt your dreams and give you nightmares." She breathed in deeply. "I've never suffered that kind of pain but my heart is just like there's given enough pain it will probably stop beating just like yours." She shook her mane. "I don't think you appreciate that fact and that is why I have no interest in your sessions."

Phantasos watched as she slowly walked away he looked up slowly. "I'm sorry I didn't know that." Gabrielle eyed him for a long moment. "There is a lot you don't know Phantasos, I'm more than just a sum of notes which you've written up. I'm a living breathing person, who can die just like you and until you respect me as an equal you and I have nothing to talk about." Phantasos watched as she walked away disappearing in to the darkness, that had not gone the way he had imagined it going at all. It was clear that she didn't trust him and she didn't want to spend time with him due to the way he treated her. He put a ringed finger to his lip.

He wouldn't lie though he had treated her no better than some of the others had in the palace and he'd become very foolish with his experiments. He'd forgotten that she was a living breathing being and had seen her as a creature to try things out on. Clearly things which had really hurt her, even though she had never showed any pain he shook his head as he walked away only to look up sharply as he caught sight of the Empress who was walking towards him, he stopped nodding his head respectfully. "Empress it's a pleasure to see you."

Xena stopped in front of him taking in a deep breath. "Hello Phantasos, have you seen Gabrielle at all? I've been searching for her." Phantasos felt a sad smile form. "She does have a habit of vanishing does she not, I mean you wouldn't think that it'd be possible to loose a person who's as big as she is in her other form at night." Xena looked up slightly. "Yes I know what you mean it's very surprising." Phantasos raised his hand. "I have seen her though she was heading up the corridor." Xena turned eyeing the long corridor. "Thank you Phantasos." Phantasos nodded watching as she walked up the corridor he looked down at the floor. "You're very welcome Empress."

8

Fedora looked at the ten children whose attention was completely on her they were between the ages of four, eight and twelve and sitting on the big cushions in the small hall which was close to the royal gardens. Under the Empress's law boy and girls both had equal schooling and once there schooling was over they could go to an academy of there own choosing. These academies could be anything from combat trainings to politics or athletics for those who wanted to be part of Olympic Games. Men and women were treated with equals rights under the Empress's rules and it had made the Empress very popular among her people. Even she had to confess she now liked having the same equal rights as any man it meant she could pick and choose her own path.

It meant as well that her daughter could marry when she wanted to and she could marry who she wanted to and say no to anyone she didn't want to marry. She breathed in deeply looking at the children when she'd first come to work in the palace she hadn't been the child minder but had worked in the kitchen along with Kalika. Frankly she didn't have fond memories of working with her, Kalika could be very mean spirited and bitter, she put it down to her child hood and the loss of her brother it had left her hate filled and always wanting revenge. When the opportunity had come up for a child minder as the number of children being born inside the palace was increasing she'd taken the position right away.

She was much happier here she got to see her daughter daily and she enjoyed spending time with the children. Very soon she'd have a proper teaching room as the Empress had granted her, her wish she'd seen the builders who had just started working on it. New furniture was already being put in side the room, it was wonderful. As were the new rooms which her and her daughter now slept, these rooms were in the higher level of the palace. The most thrilling thing though was her daughters rise in status she was now Gabrielle's personal maid it was a high ranking position, one of the highest in the palace. Ceto was the only other personal maid of that status and she took care of the Empress. All the other maids in palace didn't remain with the palace guests and they were switched and changed constantly.

She'd always felt that Thaleia deserved to be more than a cleaner but convincing her daughter of this had always been hard. Thaleia had just got used to the idea that a cleaner was all she was destine to be. Her becoming friends with Gabrielle had been such a wonderful thing it had made her happier and given her a new lease of life as well as a new perspective. She put her hands together as she looked at the children as she closed the scroll in her hands. "So what did you think of the story?" An older boy put his hand up at the back, she smiled turning to him. "Yes Titus?" The young boy breathed in before speaking. "If Aphrodite knew that her son Cupid would turn in to a monster when he gets jealous why let him fall in love in the first place? I mean it just seems kind of stupid."

Fedora eased up her hand. "That's a very good question Titus in life we can't choose who we love it just happens. I think this story is about the risks involved, Cupid couldn't stop loving Psyche or being jealous of Jason, he loved Psyche despite that he knew it would turn him in to a monster if he became jealous." He watched as a young girl put her hand up. "Yes Neola?" The young girl looked up slightly. "Doesn't that make love dangerous though? I mean Cupid was going to kill Jason and it was all because of jealously." Fedora raised her hand. "Love is a very powerful thing it can also be dangerous yes, I'm sure you remember the story of Achilles and Helen, they caused a twenty year war all for their love which in the end destroyed Crete's great city."

Titus folded his arms. "If love is so dangerous why do adults bother?" Fedora put her hands behind her back. "Now that's the million dinar question Titus and I think people can do great things through love, they can accomplish wonders, so they take these risks no matter what, because ultimately they want to be happy." Neola raised her hand again. "But if say Cupid had never become human again Psyche wouldn't have loved him, I mean who can love an ugly beast?" Fedora shook her head. "Neola people should never be judged by how they appear, if it had turned out that way Psyche may have very well loved him, because love is something that goes beyond appearance it's a deep feeling from the heart."

She paused before speaking. "It is also unfair to judge any being based on appearance, monsters and beasts should never give these titles if they have feelings and can feel pain like the rest of us. For them to feel makes them just like us and they should be treated as equals. A true monster is one who kills for fun or does great evils and they can look just like any of you, always keep that in mind." She looked up slightly. "The great forging God Hephaestus is married to the beautiful goddess of love Aphrodite and there's also Proteus who is so called an ugly god but who has an extremely kind heart." Titus sat up slightly. "I heard that we have some one like that in the palace my dad was talking about her she's like us but she can turn in to a walking wolf at night and she's got this scar on her eye in both forms."

Kaia turned on her cushion. "I've seen her she's called Gabrielle." Neola eyed the smaller girl. "Yeah right you saw her she only comes out at night your mother would never let you stay up that late." Fedora smiled looking up. "No Kaia is telling the truth we both met her and she's a very nice person, she just looks very different from any of us in her other form." She turned watching as a familiar figure appeared near by she could tell instantly who it was as the shimmer of golden fur hit the fire light. She felt her self breath in as she watched Gabrielle half stand looking slightly nervous as she flicked her tail as if waiting for an invitation. She was so glad that she was here she'd been so much wanting for the children to see her. She turned back to them. "Yes and I have a surprise for you all."

She turned towards the doorway. "Gabrielle is here, I invited her here tonight to see you all." She turned seeing the surprise in the green eyes which darted. "Why don't you come in Gabrielle and say hello to the children?" Gabrielle stood still for a moment before taking in a deep breath she should have seen this coming. Truly this wasn't the first time she'd been around lots of children it was just they were normally werewolf children and they'd always just carried on with there lives paying no interest to her. She walked in slowly going down on all fours in to the lit room watching as their expressions changed to shock and awe, they'd probably never seen a werewolf before apart from in pictures. She came to a stop easing herself half way up on to her hind legs keeping her head low, she knew at full height she'd tower over these children. She eased up both ears hearing the silence only for it to be broken as Kaia got up slowly walking towards her stopping at her one of large feet before looking up giving her a smile. "Your different you've got those things on your head now."

Gabrielle lowered herself down in to a sitting position eyeing the tiny girl before speaking in a soft and gentle tone. "Yes I have, there called horns do you like them?" Kaia moved forward putting both her hands on her big clawed hand. "There odd." Fedora stepped closer to Gabrielle. "Gabrielle is a werewolf she's a very special one she has antlers, it very rare apparently only one werewolf ever grows these horns at a time." Xena walked up the corridor she could hear Fedora talking in the room she stepped closer remaining in the shadows as she came up to the door looking in side, catching sight of Gabrielle who was seated in front of the children who were all moving closer to her following Kaia's example. She kept perfectly still she knew it was wrong to eves drop but she couldn't help herself her curiosity was getting the better of her.

Titus looked up at Gabrielle. "So you're a girl werewolf?" Gabrielle looked up slightly as she eased up the griffin carving placing it gently in Fedora's hands ignoring her surprise before turning to the young boy. "Yes I am." Neola looked at Gabrielle. "How can you tell?" Gabrielle smiled at Kaia who still had her hands on her clawed fingers. "Because we aren't very different from you, its just all covered in fur." Titus stood up now even more fascinated. "My dad says that you…I mean other werewolves eat people." Gabrielle moved her tail letting Kaia take hold of it. "Personally I don't like werewolves who hurt people in that way, I think its wrong." Neola folded her arms. "But their like you." Gabrielle looked up shaking her head. "No there nothing like me, I wouldn't hurt any of you because to me that would make me a very bad person, but those bad werewolves take the view that humans like you are just things and to hurt you would be perfectly okay."

Titus sat down in front of her he moved out his hand running it down her large clawed hand before looking up. "Are all werewolves bad?" Gabrielle shook her head sadly. "No not all werewolves are bad, there just like people some are unkind and some are nice it's just you don't get to hear much about the kind ones." Neola eyed the scar on Gabrielle's eye. "I heard the head cook say that you got that scar on your face because you deserved it." Fedora turned sharply eyeing the young girl. "Neola that's very rude." Gabrielle raised her clawed hand slightly before turning to the young girl. "No you're not wrong I did get this scar because I did something foolish." She leaned closer speaking in a calm voice. "I was four or five years older than you and I stood up trying to be brave and I was given this scar as punishment. I've carried it all my life and when I look at it, it reminds me that if you do something brave there may be consequences." Neola lowered her head in deep though before looking up. "If you can get scars, why do some thing brave?"

Gabrielle looked up slightly. "Because doing the right thing is important to me and it makes me feel better knowing that I tried." Titus moved his hand touching one of the velvet covered horns he watched as the other children got closer no longer seeing any danger as they began to touch Gabrielle's fur with a deep curiosity. "Why do you have horns were you born with them?" Gabrielle watched as he stepped back. "No I wasn't born with them, it's difficult to explain." She lowered her gaze looking at the floor before looking up at the young boy. "There was a werewolf called Eleutherios who had huge grey antlers, they weren't covered in velvet like mine the velvet was gone and they had points but he was very old even when I was young."

She paused seeing that she all the children's undivided attention. "One day Eleutherios died." Titus looked up slightly. "Was he sick?" Gabrielle breathed in deeply. "No he was just old, he'd lived a long time and after his death the werewolves mourned his passing for a long time. I had been away and I came back home and then one day I woke up and horns were growing out of my head and I become the next werewolf with horns." Neola sat up. "Were you related to him? Is that how you got the horns?" Gabrielle shook her head. "No we weren't related, you see these horns on my head any werewolf can get them. They say a higher power picks the next werewolf and that he or she has these horns for the rest of their life." She shook her mane. "So you see I had no choice I was just picked."

Titus raised his hands. "Why did they pick you?" Gabrielle took in a deep breath. "I have no idea why I was picked, I'm still wondering that myself." Neola looked up. "Your horns are still covered in velvet how come the points haven't come through?" Gabrielle lowered her gaze sadly. "The werewolves say that the horned werewolves, antler points only come through when they find themselves." Titus put a hand on his chest watching as Kaia sat herself down next to Gabrielle's leg enjoying the warm fur. "What do they mean be find themselves?" Gabrielle looked at him for a long moment. "I don't really know what that means I'm still trying to work out." Fedora moved closer. "You know children Gabrielle might be tired we should let her go and sleep." She ignored the groans of annoyance from the children. "Look she has to sleep and you can all see her again soon."

She watched as the smiles appeared she watched as Gabrielle stood up gently picking up Kaia handing her to her she took the little girl in to her arms meeting the uncertain forest green eyes. "I do hope you'll come again." Gabrielle paused before nodding her head. "I'll try." Fedora eyed the carved griffin. "The carved griffin is beautiful, who is it for?" Gabrielle looked up slightly. "It's for you, it's a gift for the skirt you made for me." Fedora eyed the carving griffin for a long moment. "It's so beautiful thank you so much." She turned to the children. "Say good bye to Gabrielle children." Xena watched as Gabrielle nodded before going out of the room on all fours passing her by as the children said there good byes to her. Gods this was such a shock she was so kind hearted with children. It was like in their presence she was a whole different person she was so soft and gentle as far as she knew Gabrielle never let any one touch her fur in werewolf form from what she'd heard, yet she let the children do it without any resistance.

She stepped out of the shadows following her as she walked up the hall way on all fours deep in her own thoughts. She watched as she stopped suddenly her ears pricking up as she turned to face her forest green eyes becoming unreadable as she spoke in the same calm voice which had no anger. "Good afternoon Xena." Xena moved forward putting both hands behind her back. "Hello Gabrielle." She paused before speaking. "I'm sorry I was trying to find you, I had no idea that Fedora had asked for you to see the children." Gabrielle looked up slightly. "I made a promise to her I didn't wish to break it." Xena raised an eyebrow as she folded her arms stepping closer to her. "You're very good with children."

Gabrielle looked down suddenly feeling uncertain of her self clearly the older woman had been watching at her. "I just didn't want them to be afraid of me." Xena looked at her for a long moment clearly Gabrielle didn't like being caught showing soft emotions as she was now trying to make it seem as though she was just being soft out of necessity. "There's nothing wrong with being good with children." Gabrielle lowered her ears she couldn't help but find this a little strange it was more the look of the other woman's face she was smiling openly at her. She took in a deep breath. "I would never harm a child it goes against everything I believe in." Xena felt her smile widen as she moved a little closer. "I think it's nice that you think that way it's a very noble quality."

She watched as the green eyes looked at her the uncertain emotions playing across them she eased up a hand as she spoke. "You'll make a wonderful mother someday." Gabrielle felt the pain wrench at her heart she felt herself tense as she lowered her gaze sadly looking at the ground trying to keep the pain out of her voice as she spoke. "Goodnight Xena." Xena looked up sharply as she turned walking away from her on all fours vanishing from site, what had just happened? One moment everything had been fine and then the next she'd seen the pain in the forest green eyes it had been so profound. She put a hand on her face feeling her smile fade away maybe in her ignorance she'd said something rude or hurtful maybe like her Gabrielle also had problems with conception.

End of part 37

Silvermoonlight

In this universe I wanted to make it than even myths are different, though a few are the same some are completely turned on their head. Hercules was not born in this universe as the gods do not interferer openly in the mortal world. Saying that though they do show themselves from time to time but it's much more subtle like in dreams, visions and whispers, they do not heal mortal's ether.