Surprise Guest

"Xena, what's wrong?" Cyrene asked her as she bent over. Xena looked at Cyrene as if she were about to cry.

"I think there's another one." Cyrene looked more than alarmed as the ground shook from a blast. The fighting had begun.

"Oh no, come on we have to get you out of the village," Cyrene told her as the birthing hut caught fire. Xena nodded and hurried out leaning against her mother. They made it into the cover of the woods away from the fighting. They kept going and eventually they found a spot.

"It's coming," Xena cried.

"Push Xena." Cyrene squatted alongside with Xena and she pushed. It was several minutes before Cyrene caught a baby. Xena lay back against a tree. Cyrene carefully handed her the now swaddled baby.

"What is it?" Xena asked her holding the baby close. The ground shook once more from a blast.

"A girl," Cyrene told her. "If I didn't know better I'd say Ares found a way to control the sex of the baby."

"Even so she's not his to take." A tree fell as another blast hit.

"We have to go." Xena let out a small whimper as the placenta expelled itself. Cyrene took the baby when she began to glow.

"I think that's how you know your done," Cyrene commented seeing Xena back to her original size.

"I can't comment on this right now, too freaky." Cyrene nodded putting the baby who was even smaller than Zoe in a makeshift sling around herself. "You go to the caves mother, head to Egypt with the boys if necessary."

"Oh her name, she needs a name if nothing else you need to name her." Xena looked down at her little girl who was watching intently as if memorizing her. It was quickly occurring to her that Xena was not sticking around. It hadn't taken long for them to bond and Xena could already see her face screwing up in concentration to protest the only way she knew how.

"Shs…Samantha," Xena told her. "Now is not the time for tears." Samantha however would have none it. She wanted her mother. Xena kissed her forehead. "I love you." She hugged her mother.

"Be safe dear." Xena nodded and headed back towards the battle. For the first time she used her powers retrieving her sword and chakram from the ashes of the birthing hunt. They were in perfect condition if only because they were hers. Her power now flowed through the items though she was sure even as a mortal nothing could destroy her chakram.

"Xena!" Ephiny called. She ran over. "You should be heading for the caves and resting." Xena shook her head.

"No, I have to fight, if I don't fight we fail, that is what the prophecy said." Ephiny sighed but nodded. It didn't take long before both were engaged in a fight with an enemy soldier. Once they had finished off the army attacking the amazon village the able bodied amazons raced for the village. Amphipolis' militia were doing their best, but losing.

"Attack!" Xena cried. They all charged taking the army from behind. The Amphipolis militia cheered and attacked again with new hope and zeal. Xena was just wounding a boy too young to be sucked into Ares army when he appeared.

"I want my children Xena, you tricked me!" He thundered.

"Perhaps so, but a deal is a deal Ares. You leave my sons be and my daughter you cannot claim as per Olympus Laws."

"Than I will kill you to get my way." They fought sending sparks flying and starting fires. It was like thunder boomed each timed their swords met. Xena was very skilled, but it had been a long time since Ares had thrown all he had at her.

Xena realized too late that she was out of practice goddess or no goddess. They had been fighting for two days and her stamina was waning greatly.

She looked into Ares eyes as she parried they were wild and nothing good would come from him where any of her children were concerned. He predicted her next move well and she found herself on her back his sword raised but she wasn't afraid. He couldn't kill her. To her shock he pulled out a bloody dagger and she knew it could only be one thing. Xena rolled as he brought the dagger down cutting her side. He looked at with disgust as she lay there.

"You'll die soon you bitch, now I got to claim what is mine." He kicked her hard in her wound, she felt herself getting weaker.

"Leave them alone Ares, they aren't yours."

"They are now," He laughed and disappeared.

"Xena!" Torres fought his way to her and protected her until they were able to carry her off the battlefield. Athena was there immediately trying to heal her.

"Can you save her?" Gabrielle asked her worriedly.

"Yes, he failed to remember that I was nearby," Athena told her. "The bastard, he'll pay for this, he is not suppose to have that dagger."

"Gabrielle, the children," Xena whispered. Gabrielle gasped.

"Ephiny, Solari, Eponin come on we have to get to the children before he finds them.

Meanwhile Solan, Daniel, and Cyrene ran through the forest with three baby girls strapped to their chests.

"Grandma come on," Daniel cried. Cyrene cursed herself for having to stop. She hadn't run like this since her youth, she was only slowing the boys down, that she knew.

"I can't go any further, you must take your sisters and go I will follow later when I can." Daniel looked distressed he didn't want to be separated from his grandmother as well. As soon as she had arrived they had taken off for Egypt just to have a head start on Ares. They knew that they couldn't afford to take any chances.

"He'll find us soon," Solan told them.

"You're at the cost only a few more miles, take Samantha and go. I will follow in time." Solan nodded as he strapped his baby sister to his chest next to Eve.

"Grandma please you can make it with us," Daniel told her.

"I'm too old Daniel to run, but one day I will make it. Trust in me." Daniel nodded and they both hugged her before they hurried off. It wasn't long before Cyrene lost sight of them. She walked on at slower pace trying to hurry hoping she might still catch the boat with them, but as the sun set she knew that was not the case.

"Where are they you bitch," Ares growled appearing behind her. She gasped and turned around in fright.

"I don't know," Cyrene lied.

"You lie, you fucking whore, where are they!" Cyrene cowered against a tree.

"Somewhere you can't get them, they're in Poseidon's realm now!" Cyrene's scream echoed throughout the forest.

Ares returned to Amphipolis and appeared before a passed out Xena. It wasn't hard to knock her brother out across the room.

"One way or another you're going to give me what I want." He picked her up and disappeared with her.