Ares stood knee deep in bodies. Things between the Persians and the Romans had gotten completely out of hand. When Ares arrived on the scene he was shocked by the complete and utter destruction. The vicious Romans had been outraged about being out maneuvered by their foes. They had laid a ravenous swath of destruction across the land, killing everything in sight, no one had been spared man, woman, nor child. Ares had been forced to call in a favor owed him from a satrap in central Persia in return for fresh troops to stop the Roman onslaught. But, Ares' arrival had only served to make matters worse. The Roman general had somehow found out about Ares' alliance with the Persians. The Romans had taken down Ares' banner and now fought solely under the flag of the Caesars. The Olympians were going to be furious with him. They couldn't afford to lose the Romans. The bastards had quickly become the largest empire in the region. It was one thing to play around, it was another to tempt fate. The last thing the remaining Olympian gods needed was for the strongest power in the Mediterranean to start shopping around for new gods.
When Ares first heard Xena's wailing, he tried to ignore it. This wasn't exactly a situation the God of War could just bail on! But there had been such anguish in her cry that he feared she was in either mortal danger or inconceivable pain. So, he disappeared from the field of bodies and flashed himself in shards of silver light to her presence. He found her cradling Kam's limp form. Gabrielle was trying to piece the kid's scalp back onto his skull.
"What happened?" Ares asked as surveyed the state of Kam's health. The wound was too severe. Incurable.
"Those thugs, the rest of the band from the other night, they attacked Greba." Xena jerked her head to indicate the thugs.
Ares looked around. He realized that they were standing outside of the widow's farm and not Xena's. "I see."
"Can't you do anything?" Xena looked at him and then back to Kam. The comment took him by surprise. Xena never asked for anything. When she looked back up her blue eyes held such remorse. Clearly, she blamed herself for this mortal death too! Gods, she was insufferable. Her guilt knew no ends.
"No, Xena. I can't 'do' anything. He's clearly beyond my healing. Why would you call me away from battle for this, anyway?" Anger coursed through Ares. The boy was dead. Xena would carry it. Ares could feel the calls of the Persian warriors who fought for him. He was torn between battles. Xena had never asked him for anything and yet here she was asking him for the impossible at the worst possible time. And asking him for something she damn well knew he couldn't deliver.
"What? What the fuck is wrong with you? Ares! This is Kam." The pleading in her voice was undeniable.
"I don't care who it is, do you think this mortal's life comes above the duties of the God of War?" I can't fix him and I can't fix you."
Xena's jaw fell open. This had not been the reaction she was expecting. Maybe thirty years ago she would have expected as much, but he'd changed, in so many ways. And why was he making Kam's death about her? "Ares. He's dead."
"Yeah, I got that, Xena. Look, I don't have time for this. The Romans. . . "
"The Romans! The fucking Romans! Don't you dare! You are going to tell me that your precious Romans take precedent over this boy that you brought here. That looked up to you like a big brother. That thought you hung the moon! You put that sword in his hand, the sword that got him killed."
"Xena, do you think he is the only one I've gotten killed today? It's kinda what I do, or have you forgotten who your bedfellow is? Besides, just because I gave him a sword, doesn't make me responsible when he decides to take on bandits that are way out of his league. If it makes you feel better, look at it this way, he died a hero protecting Greba and it looks like you already had your vengeance," he gestured to the dead thugs.
"Vengeance. Ares, you really are a despicable ass, you know it," Gabrielle joined the debate.
"Kam died trying to protect Xena."
"Well, then, that shows his stupidity, doesn't it. She hardly needs protecting."
Gabrielle had had enough. She placed Kam's scalp onto his chest. She stood and started to walk toward Ares. Xena winced as Kam's weight adjusted from Gabrielle's movement. It was then that Ares' noticed Xena's broken limb. "By the gods, Xena. One of those cretans got a weapon on you?" He was in utter disbelief.
"I'm fine. I'll be fine." She lied. The arm was likely broken and would take the rest of her pregnancy to heal and holding an infant with a healing arm was not going to be easy.
Ares shook his head as he guessed at how things had played out. "Oh, I see, He distracted you didn't he? Almost got you killed, didn't he? He wasn't protecting you. His misguided sentiments got him killed and now you blame yourself. For fuck's sake Xena. It's not your fault."
"No, it's yours. Kam wouldn't have even been here if it hadn't been for you bringing him out here to work on your little project," Gabrielle charged. "What's more, he had no interest in being a warrior until he started hanging on your every word. You may not have swung the mace but you're as guilty as anybody. And, you can't even be inconvenienced by his death." Gabrielle spat in Ares face and walked off toward the farm. She had to tell Corina and Aleta the bad news.
Ares wiped the spit from his face and watched Gabrielle walk away. He didn't dare retaliate. He knew Xena would never forgive that. He took a breath and looked back at Xena. "Look Xena, I can't do anything for Kam, but let me take a look at your arm."
"Just go, you've made it clear that you've got pressing matters in Persia."
"Xena–
"No, just go. Don't come near me.."
"Well, I can't do anything here. I'm needed there."
"Well, you better go where you are 'needed' because you are neither needed nor wanted here, understand?"
Ares swallowed hard. So that's how it was going to be? Well, fuck it! He didn't have time to deal with this!
AXAXAXAXAXAXAXAX
Ares reappeared on the Persian plain just in time to see a fresh wave of Romans pouring over the ridge. Well, this was it. The end of the battle was nearing. His defeat imminent. He was tempted to use his powers and unleash a fury of death on the Romans as they charged forward, but he'd tempted fate enough for one day. He unsheathed his sword and prepared to slay as many Romans as he could until the Persians called retreat.
AXAXAXAXAXAXAXAX
Three hours later, sitting in his sunken tub washing the blood from his body, images of Kam's dead form haunted his brain. He had felt a fondness for the boy but Ares wasn't a fool. He knew better than to allow himself to develop familial feelings toward mortals. The problem with mortals was that they were. . .well. . .mortal. Why could he never learn this lesson with Xena? Kam was a decent kid but he was going to die one day. At least this way, his sister could at least think of her brother as a hero. Much better than how he could have died; being raped on a river bank. Xena should be thanking him, not castigating him! He'd already saved the boy from a worse fate!
Xena, ah, Xena. Now, she was pissed at him again. She'd told him that he wasn't wanted there. Well, he might not be wanted but she was carrying his child and he'd be damned if she was going to keep him away.
Ares squeezed out the sponge he'd been scrubbing with. Blood red water squirted from the pores. Suddenly, he felt another god's presence in the room.
"Quit skulking around."
"You've had an interesting day, Ares," the winged-footed deity chastised, as he sat on the edge of the bath.
"Hermes, get to your point." Ares had no patience for godly politics.
"The Council wants to meet with you. Immediately. I've been sent to bring you. It's regarding. . ."
"I'm pretty sure I can guess what it's about." Ares knew they'd be pissed at him both for playing both sides and for getting personally involved in the fighting.
"You've brought shame upon us."
"I'm one of the most feared gods on all of Olympus and you dare to speak. . ."
"Ares, you of all gods should know that fear and respect are two different things."
"Why you little, shit! How dare you talk to me. . ."
"Don't make me use Hephaestian metal, Ares." Hermes gestured at the metal cuffs hanging at his hips. "Even you have more grace than that."
"Fine, let me get dressed."
"I'll wait for you in the hall."
As Ares dried off, he wondered what his punishment for the Persian debacle would be.
AXAXAXAXAXAXAXAX
Ares didn't have to wait long to learn what his penance would be. The council was convened in the Main Hall when he arrived. Hestia asked him to take the center platform to hear the council's decision.
"I haven't even had a chance to plead my case." Ares bargained.
"No need," Hestia started, "You've acted on your own in a hideous game that has far-reaching consequences for all of us. You become too dangerous in Zeus's absence. You wittingly antagonized the very Empire who has stood beside us in the face of dangerous new religious ideas. Do you want the Romans to become monotheists, Ares, is that something that you think would be beneficial to any of us? We've all agreed with the exception of one dissenting vote that you should be banned from Olympus for a period of 100 years." Hestia announced.
"Don't be ridiculous, 100 years!" Ares boomed.
"Yes, let me finish, nephew. You are banished for 100 years, however, once every ten years you may request the Council to reconsider this ruling. I am personally sorry that it had to come to this."
"Sorry, so were you the dissenting vote? I think not!" Ares turned to Aphrodite who displayed an anguish he'd never seen on her lovely face. "Sis, your loyalty will be forever remembered."
"I'll miss you, Bro!" Aphrodite stood and hugged Ares. "I'll visit, I promise."
"Ares," Hestia requested his attention again,"You will still have access to the Halls of War but you will report directly to the Council by sending daily updates through Hermes. If you fail to provide timely updates or behave in a way that the Council deems reckless or irresponsible, we will strip you of your mantle. Do you understand?"
"Needed but not wanted," Xena's words pricked at his brain. "I think I've got it."
"I'm sorry," Hestia asked for clarity.
"No one else really wants to do what I do, they find the work distasteful, so you still need me to keep up my obligations as war god without the privileges of your company. So, I am needed but not wanted."
"Ares, you can sulk for the next 100 years for all I care, as long as you learn to behave with dignity and learn to respect the rest of us and our precarious position in this changing world," Hestia dismissed him.
Ares vanished from the Main Hall and re-materialized at the Halls of War. He plopped down on his throne. The kid was dead, Xena was pissed at him again, the Romans hated him, the Persians were growing suspicious of him, and the gods had forsaken him. He was pretty sure he'd had worse days, but he was having a hard time remembering when.
