Chapter 33: The plan

Xena POV

"Xena are you sure? I mean…you could..."

"Mom...don't worry..."

"But you just gave birth and...You are still weak…You should be in bed…resting, you know?"

I smiled at her, really appreciating her concern, she was a mother after all and I would do everything for my children too, so I knew that feeling too well.

"It's alright..." I kissed her on the forehead and gave her a big hug.

"I will go inform Ares that we..."But I had no chance to finish my sentence because Ares was already entering the kitchen.

"Are we leaving...already?!" He asked in surprise.

"Xena...I will go prepare some blankets and food for the road…" Mother said.

"What is happening?" Ares inquired worriedly after my mom was gone, looking at our son, encased safely in my arms.

"Why are you up Ares? Your wound is not completely healed."

"Why is Eve with Dite and...?"

"I will tell you all about it later; first we need to get out of here. I don't want my mother or this people harmed because of us."

"It's Athena isn't it?" he said after pausing some moments.

I just nodded imperceptibly but he got the idea right away.

"Is Adam all right?"

"Yeah, just sleeping." I smiled and looked back at my son. He was so tiny and handsome…

"I will go prepare Argo and one more horse for you…Here..." I placed Adam in his extended arms and he took him with amazing care. " ..Careful with his head…" I added.

Adam moved a little and yawned and then settled comfortably in his father's embrace.

"Stay here...I will come back after you two."

He just nodded and took a seat on the chair next to him, his gaze never leaving his son's face. Now I could see that he really loved him and my heart warmed at the beautiful sight in front of me.

"Hey Argo...long time no see friend, huh? Are you ready for a new adventure?"

She answered me with a pleased neigh.

"Xena…here you are...You can take that horse over there too." My mom showed me another horse that appeared to have no owner. "Nobody came back to reclaim it so I feed him and took care of it as of my own." She made sure to add.

"I packed this for you…aaa...and look…"

She made a wicker basket visible to me.

"Mom is it..?"

"Yeah...yours. Adam will feel very comfortable in it."

"Thanks mother. I thought it lost..."

"You are welcome dear. I will miss you so much!"

"Me too mom…but I told you...I don't want to cause any more problems…You remember the last time Athena was here and..."

"I understand. Where's Adam?"

"With his father...By the way, I should go get him. We really need to go..."

"No…stay…pack all these things. I will tell Ares to come here...And I also have to bring you some food for the road..."

Five minutes later, my mother was back with her arms full of small packages with food. Ares was with her.

"Mom...that's too much."

"Xena…you are breastfeeding Adam, you need your food."

Ares laughed at my mother's seriousness but when she looked at him, he stopped.

"Ok...give it to me." I knew that it was no point in trying to convince her otherwise.

I placed all the things for the road and then turned back to her. Her eyes were full of tears. It was all too dramatic for me and she knew it but she couldn't help it, I guess.

"Mom...we will come back...please don't worry. I will send you note as soon as possible, I promise."

"You do that…Take care."

"You too mom."

I hugged her and kissed her cheeks.

I approached Ares and took Adam from him to place him safely in a garment bag on my back and then I climbed Argo.

"Ares…" My mother addressed him. "Take care of my daughter and my grandson and…take good care of you too…Xena needs you..."

"I will Cyrene…Thank you for everything."

She nodded and then Ares mounted his horse and we were off.

After a couple of hours of riding we slowed down.

"Xena…I think we are far enough away from Amphipolis….So tell me…what happened?"

I almost forgot that I left him in the dark on that last piece of news, my mind filled with anguish, but I knew that my daughter was safe with Gabrielle.

"Sorry..." I looked at him.

"Who did you leave Eve with...? Dite? Is she safe?" he asked, eager to know.

"Of course…Dite transported them to a farm…it was once my grandmother's farm. Athena would be unable to suspect they would be there."

"And where are we going?"

"We're heading there too…but not just now…First we need to have a chit chat with Athena."

"Now it makes sense…But this can take time you know..."

"I do know." I looked grim at him.

"You look really tired."

"That's because I am...it's not easy to give birth."

"Maybe we should stop..."

"No…not yet...Come." I urged Argo to go faster.

The day passed very quickly. We stopped just to feed ourselves and Adam.

The farm was far away…one week of riding and I hoped that till then, Athena will come. I already missed Eve tremendously.

"We could find a town..."

We were pacing on a trot now and I looked at him, wondering if he felt sick or anything, but, as if sensing my inquietude, he reassured me.

"Adam is a newborn and you need your good rest too..."

I waited awhile before answering, thinking that he was right after all. We all needed a rest…a good night sleep, no harm in that.

"So..?" He asked again after awhile.

"Yeah...We are not far from a town where..."

"I know." I looked confused at him."My former job..?"

The town was not far away as I said, so in no time we were there. The inn was in the middle of the town. We dismounted our horses and Ares took Argo's reins too.

"I will put the horses in the barn." He said.

"Ok...I will find us two rooms."

I entered the inn. It was full. I moved between those people making my way towards the bar.

"Are you the innkeeper?"

"Sure I am…you are not from around here, I can tell."

A solid woman answered me.

"Just passing through, I need a room...two rooms."

"That will be a problem miss…everything's full."