See Chapter 1 for disclaimers.

How the Hades did we end up here? How, indeed.

Well, I hate to tell you, but your plan sucks. There was a moment of silence in the void. I’m sorry Xena, I shouldn’t take this out on you.

A whisper of a sigh crossed their thoughts. Yeah, I know. But all I wanted to do was to go home, you know? I don’t know if I’m up to all this hero stuff, Xena.

Gabrielle mentally laughed at the ridiculous statement. Xena, you just have to breathe to be a hero. You don’t get it, do you? Your stature, your confidence, your very nature, screams warrior and hero. You can’t help it.

Xena was glad for the company, despite the risk. Gabrielle was very nicely diverting her attention away from the menace pulsing in the background.

Well then, Miss Bard… Xena paused for a moment, trying to adjust to this new turn of events. So far it’s just there, as you can feel. I suppose the closer we get to the Temple, the more active and powerful it will become, and we’ll have to work together to put up a united front against it. She sighed. Why did you have to go and do this, Gabrielle? I needed you home. I could have handled this by myself.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Slowly, Xena struggled to stand, experimentally straightening out her limbs. Blue eyes swivelled around the courtyard, taking in the gods standing there.

"Xena? Gabrielle?" The tall woman gave a nod.

"Where do we go from here?"

"Well, first of all we better get you warmer clothing. Aphrodite?" The young goddess stepped forward and with a wave of her well-manicured fingers, dressed the warrior in something suitable. Xena looked down to find her armour still in place, but a body suit of fine black wool was pressed against her skin, underneath her leathers, warming her immediately.

She looked up at the Goddess of Love and nodded her approval, bestowing a smile on her for a job well done. Aphrodite couldn’t help but smile in return, taking in the close fit of the fine wool, fitting the tall woman like a second skin and leaving little to the imagination. It wasn’t often that she was thanked for her efforts. Yeah, you can thank me aaannytime you want, Xena.

Xena reached down and picked up her bag. "I really don’t want to lose all my belongings. Is there any way I can carry the Chakram without touching it?" In the blink of an eye, a small metallic hook appeared on the side of her armour. Interesting.

Xena gave her partner a mental warning as she reached in to grab the weapon. Dark, visceral images crossed their minds as she lifted it out and placed in on the hook on her hip. The images receded and the entity died down to the ever-present pulsing in the background.

"Can this be placed somewhere safe?" Xena picked up her bag and the feathered shield and pole. Aphrodite raised an elegant eyebrow at the warrior. "These are very, very special. I don’t want to lose them." The goddess acceded to her request and sent them off in a shower of stars.

With all her immediate problems now taken care of, Xena approached Zeus. "OK. We’re ready." Before she had finished the last syllable, they had materialized on a dusty track, the temperature having dropped several degrees in a matter of a heartbeat. Xena glanced over at Aphrodite, rolling her eyes in appreciation for the warm clothing. The goddess handed over a large fur-lined cloak, which Xena took enthusiastically and swung over her shoulders to keep her partner warm.

"Thank you, Aphrodite." She held the immortal’s eye for a moment, letting her know that her sentiments were appreciated. Xena had to admit that as far as gods go, Aphrodite was proving to be one of the better ones. Her brother, on the other hand…

Xena looked over to the two gods in question. Ares’ eyes roamed over her body, taking in every line and curve outlined in black wool and leather. Mustn’t look too bad then…

"Wow, warrior babe! Very sexy. You totally rock!" Xena could only assume that whatever Aphrodite had just said was a good thing.

"This is as far as I can go, Xena. From here on, you are on your own." Zeus waved his hand and three backpacks materialized containing their supplies for the trip.

"Why don’t you just drop us at the front door?"

"It’s a long story."

"I got time." Xena wasn’t going to budge until she got the full story.

Zeus’s brows knitted together and Xena thought she may have overstepped her bounds. "Some years back, the Chakram of Darkness resided in the Chakram Temple along side its twin, the Chakram of Light. While they rested side by side, Darkness and Light, the world was in balance."

"Well, someone stole it and the world was thrown into chaos. The Chakram of Darkness’s power grew and possessed the man who took it, using his body as a vessel for its malevolence. Its power expanded to the point that we were barely able to stop it. Where he fell was where you found the Chakram, Xena, and ever since I have kept the island hidden from mortal eyes."

Zeus glared at his son. "Now, because of Ares’ thoughtless actions, the world is again in danger."

"Why don’t you just destroy me where I stand?"

"Because, Xena, unlike what you mortals think, I don’t destroy unless I have to. You have a very strong will, as does Gabrielle within you, and I am hopeful that we can get you to the Temple safely. There, we stand a chance of destroying it once and for all."

"But if we take it back to the Temple, won’t the Chakram of Light neutralize it?"

"Ahh, there’s the problem. Soon after the Chakram of Darkness left the Temple, the Chakram of Light just disappeared. No one has ever heard of it again."

"So that’s why you knew what was going to happen to me. Back to my question, why don’t you just drop us at the front door?"

"Because the god whose domain the Temple resides in, Kal, wanted to halt any more godly interference. He placed a barrier around the area, stopping any immortal from entering."

Xena’s mind secretly smiled, so that means… This trip may not be so bad after all.

"Hang on, godly interference? Do you mean that a god was responsible for all this trouble in the first place?" She couldn’t help herself and turned to Ares, who at least had the good sense to blush.

"Very good, Xena. You guessed it."

"You tried this before and you didn’t learn from the first time?" What a bonehead.

"Hey! No name calling!"

Xena leaned in towards Zeus and whispered, "Do they know?"

He chuckled at her enjoyment of the situation. "No." He whispered back.

"Can I tell them?" Merriment filled those blue pools, and he was glad to see she still had a sense of humour at this point of the journey.

"Go ahead." He stood back to watch his children squirm under the news.

"Hey, bonehead."

"Xena, so help me if you keep calling me that…"

"You’ll what? C’mon do your worst, Ares. It can’t get any worse for me right now."

"What about blondie then, Xena? You gonna let her die right now?"

"I don’t want to, Ares. But it’s gotta be better than the slow death you have planned for both of us with this idiotic plan of yours." A frown crossed her brow at that particular thought. "Well, I have some good news and some bad news." She waited for him to ask, enjoying this childish game with her old mentor.

"Alright, I’ll bite. What’s the good news?"

"You get time with me on this journey."

"Yeah? Alright." Alone with Xena… yeah, he could live with that.

"You don’t want to know the bad news?"

"Nope. That’s all the news I need to hear."

"Aww, come on, Ares. Play the game."

He sighed deeply. "Alright. What’s the bad news?"

"You get to spend time with me as a mortal. A mortal, Ares."

Zeus tried very hard not to laugh at the stunned look on his son’s face. It was like he had been slapped in the face with a dead fish. He watched his daughter’s face as well, as the news was delivered. While she was shocked, she at least had a better expression than her brother.

Ares turned to his father. "She’s kidding, right?" Zeus remained silent. "Right?" Still no answer. "Oh, no, no, no, no. No way. Look for someone else." The disapproving look in his father’s eye told him that he was cornered. Whether he liked it or not, he was going… as a mortal.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Xena shifted over to the elder god. "I can understand Ares going, but why Aphrodite? No that her presence is not appreciated, but…"

"I could easily say that the decisions of the gods are none of your business, but as your lives are involved here, perhaps I can make an exception." He bestowed a smile on these two women who were risking everything in an endeavour they had been unwittingly dragged into.

"Ares has to go because he has caused this mess and should be involved in cleaning it up. Aphrodite, well my daughter has been underestimated in the past, perhaps it’s because of her particular vocation, or perhaps because she appears frivolous and self-absorbed at times. Your journey is as much about getting the Chakram to the Temple as it is about these two learning a little humility and self-worth."

Zeus looked at his two children with warm eyes. "I think Aphrodite will be fine. Give her a chance to help. The journey should be relatively easy and the Temple is up this path on that far peak." He pointed a majestic finger up the path to a distant crag, the spires barely visible in the surrounding mist. "There is not much left in the day and there is a small village a couple of candlemarks away."

"Ares, Aphrodite." The two immortals came when their father beckoned. "Anything you want before you begin this journey?" Ares stared with a scowl on his face and Aphrodite… well she didn’t quite know what to think. Zeus drew his daughter aside. "Daughter, you are going as a mortal, that’s all there is to it."

"But, but…"

"I think you may need something more practical here. Perhaps a weapon or two?"

A weapon? When did this get so deadly? Confused, she changed her clothing to her warm hunting gear, a long bow in her hand with two quivers of arrows. Her long platinum blond hair was pulled back into a plait down her back and a warm fur cloak hung from her shoulders.

"Ahh, much better. Now I must say farewell. I will see you at the end of your journey." The goddess mutely nodded her head, still wondering why she was going at all. Zeus leaned in and whispered in her ear before placing a fatherly kiss on her cheek.

"Ares, come here." The tall god sauntered over to his father, dragging his feet like a naughty little boy. "Listen to me, no tricks. You understand me?" Zeus’s stern voice alerted his son that he was serious. "When you get to the Temple there is a vessel inside there that contains the power that locks the Temple shut to immortals. You will need to destroy it for the barrier to be lifted."

Zeus could nearly see the wheels turning in the God of War’s mind. "Don’t you even think about it, Ares. You have tried this ruse twice and both times it failed. Don’t be foolish to try it again." His eyes narrowed, trying to instil a bit of fear into his impetuous son.

Zeus turned to face the two remaining figures awaiting him. Raising his hands to the sky, lightening sparks flickered across his fingers, arcing across the distance to join together. He closed his eyes and muttered. Glowing auras surrounded Ares and Aphrodite, pulsing in intensity and slowly drawing strength from them. Driven to the ground, both young gods gasped for breath as their immortal life force was taken away, leaving them weak and panting on the ground.

Xena stepped in to help Aphrodite to her feet, leaving Ares to get himself up. "How do you mortals do this?" Aphrodite had been mortal for just moments and she already hated it.

"Well, you just live with it, I suppose." What could one say? You were born mortal and you died mortal. It’s not every day you got the chance to be a god.

"Bummer…"

"Hey, a little hand over here." Ares struggled to get to his feet. Xena gave him a cursory glance and went back to helping the young goddess.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Hmmm…. Gabrielle directed her frustration towards the dethroned god. Is he going to whine all the way there? I may be tempted to kick him off the side of the mountain.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

As Zeus had promised, the road was easily traversable and they eventually made it to the small village just before sundown. Xena had to constantly slow down for the two immortals who struggled with walking such a long distance. It was going to be a long, long trip…

"A bow, Aphrodite?" Xena had never thought about the goddess actually ever using a weapon.

"Swords, knives and stuff are too sharp for me. I could cut myself or something."

"Well, that is the point of them you know."

"That’s why we have warriors like you."

"Hey, what about me?" A slightly miffed voice could be heard behind them.

"Exactly. What about you?" Xena couldn’t help the jibe at Ares’ expense.

"So, do you actually ever get the chance to use it?"

"Not really, no, but I did teach Cupid to shoot his arrows."

"Yeah," Ares snorted, "The arrows of luurve."

"Hey, that’s my Cupie you’re talking about there. Watch it!"

"What’s he gonna do? Shoot me with his iddy-biddy arrows? Big threat there."

"Well, I’m not carrying any ‘arrows of luurve’ and your butt is no longer arrow-proof. Don’t make me use you for target practice."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

It took a little prompting to get her two companions through the door of the inn, but after a couple of drinks they began to loosen up.

Xena and Gabrielle sat back, relaxed in the warrior’s body, watching as the two gods ate and drank for the first time, unaware of the side effects of alcohol. As the night wore on, they started giggling, finding the smallest thing amusing.

Well, this was worth the price of admission. Gabrielle couldn’t help but laugh at their antics.

Shhhh…. Xena watched amusedly, deciding these two had just about had enough for the night.

Ares slowly slid off the bench, landing on his ass on the floor, sending Aphrodite into a new round of raucous laughter and finger pointing at her brother sprawled out below her.

"Now, now children. You’ve had enough for tonight." She would have got more response out of Marina than she was getting from these two. Xena spared a quiet thought for her absent daughter, wishing she was home with her.

"Aw, Xena. No fair. It’s our first night as mortals. I’m not finished yet." Xena’s eyebrows disappeared into her hairline as Ares sat there with a pout on his lips. A pout! It looked so incongruous on the God of War.

"Oh, yes you are. Come one, time for bed."

"Bed?" Aphrodite’s eyes lit up. "That sounds good." She looked around for a suitable bed companion, disappointed that the room came up sadly lacking. Her eyes fell on the woman helping her up.

"Oh, no. Don’t even think about it." It took all of Gabrielle’s willpower to stop herself from taking control of Xena’s hand and slugging the woman.

"Why not?"

"Because I’m barely holding Gabrielle off from hitting you, that’s why."

"Oh." She was suitably chastised and went along meekly with the warrior.

"Hey! What about me?"

Xena turned and looked at Ares sprawled out on the floor, a large mug in one hand and a foamy white moustache plastered on his cheerfully inebriated face. She shook her head and assisted the goddess to her room, leaving the drunken god on the floor where he fell.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Xena, you call this a bed?"

"For a small country inn, yes I do."

"You expect me to lie on that?" Aphrodite thought Xena had lost her mind.

"No, I expect you to sleep on that."

"Sleep? That is so croaty, Xena. It’s… it’s… like so rumpled. Sweaty, smelly men have slept on that."

Xena pushed the swaying goddess to the mattress, lifting her legs up. "And you’ll live. Now you’re mortal, Aphrodite, you have to sleep. Close your eyes..." Xena found a spare blanket and tucked it around her young charge. "Let your body relax. Wipe all thoughts from your mind and let it wander." She could see the goddess start to relax as the alcohol started to take effect. "That’s it, just relax and let yourself drift off."

When she was fully asleep, Xena tiptoed out of the room, gently closing the door on her way out.

Sure enough, Ares was just where they had left him minutes before, unable to find his legs to stand.

"C’mon Ares." Xena struggled to pick up the dead weight as Ares resisted her attempts to lift him. "Damn, why do these gods have to be so heavy?"

"I knew you liked me, Xena." His alcoholic breath blew over her face, the stench nearly causing her to lose her dinner. Xena grabbed the half-full mug still in his hand, slamming it down on the table.

"Hey! I was still drinking that!"

"Not any more, Ares. Time for bed." His face lit up at the thought of he and Xena in the same bed. "You can forget that thought right now."

"How did you know? Are you a mind reader, or someth’n." His words started to slur as the alcohol made him sleepy.

"I don’t need to be a mind reader to know what you’re thinking, Ares." She managed to get herself under his armpit and manhandled him up the stairs to his room. Unlike Aphrodite, Xena grabbed his boots and yanked them off and roughly covered him with a blanket before leaving the room.

That particular thought needed no interpretation for Gabrielle. Yeah, me too. What do you think? Can we?

No, it wasn’t possible, was it? Gabrielle hesitantly asked, What was it about?

Gabrielle continued the image, And you led me out into the sun to a mound of grass.

Xena hesitantly filled in more of the picture. And you had trouble getting my tunic off.

This is really, really strange. And afterwards you showed me your back and your scars were gone.

Two minds took time to get over the shock of their mutual dream. What is going on here?

Gabrielle couldn’t help but chuckle at her partner’s easy banter. A lover to the end…

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Xena made herself comfortable on the bed. So, Gabrielle, what are you in the mood for?

Xena’s intellectual eyebrow rose in question. I was thinking more the where than the who at this point.

Xena chuckled. I bet she did. Marina sort of looks like me, doesn’t she?

Xena stopped herself from thinking anything. She nearly let slip "if" we get back. Gabrielle picked up on the silence and tried not to think the same thought.

At the very least… And my mom would be standing in the ruins trying to bat it away with her broom. They both chuckled at the amusing image.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

It was dark, but her nose picked up the smell of wood smoke, a nice fragrant aroma permeating the air. Xena could feel the warm water gently lapping at her body and smooth skin resting against her chest. She was loathe to open her eyes at present as she was enjoying what her other senses were relaying to her brain. A gentle stroking drew her attention to a small hand slowly running down her thigh, idly caressing the skin without much thought or direction.

A smile crossed her face in response to the tingles left in the wake of those nimble fingers, and her hands twitched in anticipation of reciprocating the pleasure. Unable to stop herself any longer, Xena opened her eyes and peered over her lover’s shoulder, watching as her own hands came up to claim the skin in front of her. Delighted at the whispered gasp she drew from Gabrielle, she continued her gentle roaming.

She scooped up hands full of water and poured it over her partner’s skin, letting it cascade down the tanned flesh and watching it stop at twin points before gravity finally allowed the drops to fall. She repeated the action several times, each time watching the drops stop for a moment before falling back into the cooling water. Xena licked her lips in anticipation, as she knew her tongue would be following that same path very soon.

Gabrielle sat quietly, allowing her warrior to do whatever she wanted. The water felt nice gliding over her, and she almost giggled at the tickling sensation where the water left her skin. She looked up over her shoulder to the waiting blue eyes, full of expectation, vibrantly glowing in the candlelight. Emotions rich in colour and depth passed between them, spanning time older than the few meagre weeks they had known each other.

As Xena’s hands slowly caressed her, Gabrielle reached up, cupping a hand behind her head and pulling her partner down for a slow, sweet kiss.

Xena looked into familiar eyes, coloured amber in the reflected flames from the fire, knowing that deep down inside her, there was a core that belonged to this woman, and only her. She wanted this particular dream to last into the early hours, to make love to her partner in as many and varied ways as she could. She would catalogue every sound, taste, touch, smell and image in her mind, saving them for the dark days ahead, for she knew she was going to be tested. Even though the darkness would never touch that part of her that belonged to Gabrielle, she had reservations about the rest of her tortured soul.

Xena glanced over to the window, seeing the darkness lurking outside. It battered the glass, looking for a way in, but so far the barrier held. She turned her attention back to the woman in her arms, closing her eyes once more and feeling the firm skin under the rough pads of her fingers. The different textures teased and tantalized her, feeding her fevered imagination with images that had been burned into it from the moment she had seen her little blonde on the slaver’s block back in Rome.

What a journey it had been. From that tentative first step together until today, where they could so freely give and take without a single word of encouragement, knowing exactly what the other needed. And yet there was still so much more to discover. Xena doubted she would ever find out everything about her enigmatic partner in this lifetime or the next.

Xena nudged Gabrielle forward then eased herself out of the water, letting the thin film of liquid slide down her body to the pool below. She looked down to find aroused green eyes, slowing darkening to a deep emerald, gliding over her skin. She didn’t know if it was the cooling air or the heated gaze, but she felt her own skin pebble at the thought of what Gabrielle was about to do to her.

"Come on." Xena extended a hand down to help the smaller woman out of the bath, both standing on the cold floor as the older woman reached for a dry towel. Using the cloth was just too slow for Xena’s liking. She handed over the towel to Gabrielle, then fell to her knees, bringing the damp body closer to her. Lips and tongue made quick work of the moisture, often labouring on when the skin was dry. Not that either of them noticed.

Xena looked up from her work to see Gabrielle’s face in rapture: eyes closed, mouth open in a silent cry and her features set in a look of hedonistic pleasure. She continued her ministrations, trying to watch the fleeting emotions crossing her partner’s face. Small fingers buried themselves in her hair, trying to pull her even closer to where Gabrielle wanted her.

"Not here." Xena’s voice rose over the crackling of the fire and the distant roar of the darkness outside. She stood and grabbed both of Gabrielle’s hands, gently guiding her towards the bed. Perched on the edge of the mattress, Xena pulled her partner into an embrace, her long arms encircling the slim waist. She laid her cheek on the well-toned abdomen, breathing in a scent she knew belonged to Gabrielle and Gabrielle alone. She was happy.

Looking up into that young face that held so much joy in her life, she whispered, "I love you." She felt her eyes mist over as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her.

A melodious voice, thick with its own emotion, answered, "And I love you." There was silence for a moment. "And after you have taken me back to Potadeia, I want you to take me home, to our family. Keep that in your heart, Xena. You have so much more to fight for now, remember that."

"Yes, I do… my bard."

"Yes, you do… my warrior."

They exchanged smiles, each studying the other’s face. As if committing to memory every loving detail, they took in the arch of the eyebrow, the laugh lines dancing around the eyes, the elegant curve of the lips, the softness of the skin and the deep abiding love in their eyes, each a mirror of the other. Long moments were spent in just being. No words were necessary; they spoke with their hearts and their minds.

Gabrielle resisted Xena’s pull and pushed her partner down onto the mattress, shifting her to a more comfortable position. Straddling the older woman, she lowered herself until their bodies met. Long, gentle kisses seemed appropriate and they were both content to keep it slow.

Xena’s wandering hands played lightly across Gabrielle’s back, creating a lassitude which was slowly eating at her reserves. Gabrielle tried to shake off the sleepiness, not wanting to waste a moment of their time together. Her lips moved, kissing slowly down her lover’s neck and finding all those secret points that would drive her partner wild. She playfully nipped and licked the tendons that flexed with every movement of her head, not stopping her journey until she reached the base of the throat. Gabrielle knew she had Xena where she wanted her when long fingers buried themselves in her hair, massaging her scalp and trying to draw her down further.

She ignored Xena’s silent pleas, working on the small erogenous zone that would stimulate her warrior’s libido. Slowly and methodically she teased, nipped, toyed and licked until she could feel Xena move beneath her, unable to stay still any longer. Before she ended up on her back herself, the young blonde moved her attentions elsewhere. When those fingers in her hair became agitated and more demanding, she knew she had made the right decision.

Gabrielle knew enough about her partner’s body to slowly and teasingly draw her out, building the expectation until the older woman could stand it no longer. Xena had to insistently push her tormentor to reach completion. Gabrielle lazily licked the damp skin, allowing Xena time to quietly float in that place of satiation and contentment while she revelled in the tactile sensations she was absorbing from the body below her. Gabrielle was in no hurry, taking pleasure from her warrior’s enjoyment of what she could offer her.

Her mind drifted back to the early days of her slavery, where every day was one more lesson in the harshness of life. How different sex and love could be – from the taking of one’s soul to the giving of one’s heart. All it had taken was the right teacher.

She felt a rumbling in the chest she was lying on and looked up. As expected, those blue pools were staring back at her, filled with peace and love. "Let it go, Gabrielle." Xena whispered. "It’s in the past. I’m your teacher now."

"What the… indeed."

Huh? Xena watched patiently as Gabrielle put the pieces together. Of course, she had forgotten that they spoke in thought now. No more secrets, eh Xena?

"No, Gabrielle, no more secrets."

The smaller woman rested her chin on Xena’s chest, idly watching her partner. A large hand cupped her cheek, gently stroking the curved plane in a loving gesture. A sweet smile crossed Gabrielle’s lips, causing her skin to wrinkle at the bridge of her nose. It was such an adorable look that Xena burst out laughing, grabbing the young woman and rolling her over.

"Now," she whispered, "Let’s see what I can teach you."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Some time later Gabrielle’s mind murmured, Be careful what you wish for, Gabrielle… Xena had taken her to the Elysian Fields and back. Wow!

"I’m glad you’re happy, Gabrielle." Xena turned to her little blonde, a lascivious grin crossing her face. "Hmmm…"

"Will you stop that!"

"Sorry. It just pops into my head."

"Hades, Xena. Are you trying to kill me, or something? I feel like I’ve melted into the mattress."

Gabrielle looked over to the woman lying next to her to see a sexy little half-smile crossing her lips. She closed her eyes, trying to get herself under control. She thought that after the woman had exhausted her they would now get some rest. She opened her eyes and looked over again. Xena still had that disgusting smile on her face, even broader than before. In fact, the invitation had extended to her eyes. Oh, sweet Aphrodite! Speaking of whom, she was glad she wasn’t watching this particular dream…

"Cut that out!"

"Why?"

"I’m exhausted, you’re exhausted."

"Says who?"

"Me. I say so." Gabrielle looked over to see that sexy smile replaced by a sexy pout, sad puppy eyes pleading her case. Damn!

"Oh, Gods!" Awww… Who needs sleep anyway?

"That’s my girl." Xena pounced on her exhausted prey and proceeded to carry out her wish for the evening.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The next morning, saw four grumpy people trying to get three grumpy bodies into some form of readiness for the day’s hike. Not that Xena or Gabrielle would trade their night together for anything. The body was rested but their minds were on edge from lack of sleep.

They looked over at the two gods, heads in hands, feeling sorry for them as they battled their first mortal hangover. Xena just couldn’t help herself and slapped her palms down on the wooden table and raised her voice. "OK then. Who wants breakfast?"

Blood shot eyes looked up beseechingly as stomachs roiled at the thought. Aphrodite held her face between her palms as if to stop her head from ringing and Ares just threw up, no longer able to stop his unsettled stomach from reacting.

"Ewww, what is that smell?" The goddess started smelling her clothes, her armpit, Xena and finally her brother. She shifted up to the other end of the bench, getting as much space between her and the stench emanating from the God of War. Ares looked up with agonised eyes, not quite sure what was happening with his body.

"Hang on a minute." Xena disappeared for a short time, returning with a mug of something that looked and smelled distinctly unappetising. "Drink this."

Ares stuck his nose in it. "Hades, what is that?! It smells like my uncle’s stables, and those flying horses can stink up the place pretty good."

"Just drink it."

"No. You trying to kill me or something?"

"Ares, if I wanted to do that, I’d find far more satisfying ways to do it than poison you. This will help with the hangover."

He didn’t quite believe Xena but, hey, he couldn’t feel any worse. One sip made him change his mind. Xena put her hand on the bottom of the mug, forcing it up into his mouth before he could stop her. He could hear his stomach gurgling and he prayed that it would all stay down, not wanting to have that disgusting taste in his mouth again.

"How about you two go and wash up before we leave?" They looked at her like she had spoken a foreign language. "Go! Have a bath. Wash yourselves. Get rid of that smell. I’m not gonna walk all day that and have that odour hanging round me."

Ares’ brows drew together. "I’m a man. I’m supposed to smell manly."

Xena moved right up to his face. "Manly, yes, stinking and covered in vomit, no. Go and wash or, so help me, I’ll let Gabrielle loose on you and she won’t be gentle." She tried very, very hard to keep a straight face as Ares had a look of terror in his eyes, the thought of the young blonde washing him to within an inch of his life scaring the life out of him.

"We will meet back here in one candlemark ready to go." The two gods dragged themselves upstairs, dreading the thought of one more mortal habit to get used to.

C’mon, while they’re pulling themselves together, let’s get to the market and gather some supplies. With that thought, Xena strolled out of the inn, throwing a couple of extra coins on the table to cover the cleanup of the floor.

The market was pretty small, but then again it was a pretty small village. Xena wandered through the half a dozen stalls, picking up some fresh fruit and vegetables, a couple of precious herbs, a pot and some dried meat.

"So, how’s the hunting around here?" She decided to make some polite conversation with the fruit vendor to while away the time before collecting her errant gods. Xena, warrior babysitter… hehe.

"Not good," the elderly merchant replied. His aged eyes scanned up and down the tall woman, clad in leather and wool. He only wished he was thirty years younger as he took in the magnificent body on display in front of him. What a woman!

Xena glanced over at him, noticing the lustful gleam in his eyes. Mentally, she rolled her eyes. Not another one…

"There’s some small game, which should do for your purposes, but the bigger game moved out of the area years ago."

"Why is that?"

"It’s been steadily getting colder here, but there’s a new warlord in the area and he’s probably hunted out what was left."

"Get much trouble from him?"

The old man just shrugged. Xena knew what that meant. He would periodically come to call and you paid up or else. After all, that’s what she used to do all those years ago.

"What’s his name?"

"Cebraxis."

"Rough time, eh? Sorry to hear that. What’s the road up ahead like?"

"Depends on how far you want to go. It’s pretty flat to the next couple of villages. After that, it steadily climbs up into the mountains to an abandoned Temple at the end."

"Temple?" Xena already knew the answer, but she was curious about what the locals knew. She picked up one of the merchant’s apples and tossed him a coin. The apple was a little bitter but it was fresh, forcing her to wipe herself as the juice dribbled down her chin.

"Pretty old. Hasn’t been used for as long as I can remember. Story around here is that it used to be a temple to the local god, Kal, but it now seems to be a temple to the local wildlife."

"Kal?"

"Used to be the God of War around here. Folks don’t pray much any more. Been let down too many times by them. Why bother?"

Xena tried not to smirk. If only her companions could hear this man talk. Their hair would stand up on end!

"Why not, indeed? So, how far is it to, say, the Temple?"

"Why, you interested in going there?" Xena could hear the suspiciousness in the vendor’s voice. Oops.

"No, just wanted to know in case we go too far. We may need to seek shelter."

"Oh. It’s about a day and a half to the next village then the path separates. The lower path goes to the second village about another couple of days on. The upper path leads to the Temple, about two to three days’ travel. After that, it’s wild country."

"Well, thank you merchant for your valuable information." Xena turned away to head back to the inn.

"You’re welcome, young woman." He smiled as she left, his eyes travelling down to watch the sexy swagger of her walk, her hips swaying from side to side in a most enticing manner. He sighed and turned away to attend to his wares, however his smile never left his face for the rest of the day.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The warrior looked up, watching a wagon pull away out of the village, heading up the road they would be taking later. Her attention was drawn to a young woman sitting in the back.

Me? Jealous? Of course not. A few moments passed. Yeah.

Then why are you still looking? Gabrielle’s possessiveness was adorable.

Gabrielle did what her partner asked and looked. The girl was pretty enough, but nothing special grabbed her attention, except for the long blonde hair.

Gabrielle looked again and could only see a very mild resemblance. She looked to her partner. You think so? I can’t see it.

Oh. Xena could feel her partner’s hurt. Now you listen to me. I don’t care about her, OK? It’s you that I love and adore. She couldn’t help it as her mind added, Mush, Xena. You are becoming a complete mushball.

Xena could feel the blush creep up her face. You’re welcome, and if you tell anyone about this I’ll deny it strenuously.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Marina awoke in a nice, soft, sweet smelling bed in grandma’s inn. She expectantly looked around in the hope of finding mama and Gabby. There was silence; there would be no family today. A tiny squark drew her attention to the egg resting in its cloth nest next to her. She leaned over to watch it, the shell shifting in its safe haven. Tiny cracks appeared, becoming bigger as the hard covering pushed up and a tiny snout appeared.

"Eep! Eep!" the creature inside cried in distress.

Marina’s eyes lit up at this surprise, the happiness spreading to her face, her lips spread into an excited grin. Tiny fingers slowly pulled away the broken shell, revealing more and more of what was inside.

Bright golden eyes looked up expectantly to the young girl. "Eep!"

"Cool!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Aphrodite and Ares met downstairs, newly scrubbed and looking very grumpy. Ares’ jacket was damp but at least the stain had been removed and smelling a lot better. Xena stood and watched them as they fussed about themselves. "Here is some food, store it in your packs." She had split the food stores so that they all carried some.

Xena snorted, coughing to try and cover up the smirk on her face. Stop that!

"Ready?"

The look on the gods’ faces said it all. Aphrodite was wishing for a bed with a dozen male companions, all helping to ease her tension, while Ares wanted to just kill something, or perhaps someone by the look he was giving her.

Without another word, Xena picked up her pack and left the building, the two siblings tagging along behind her. She sighed and took the first step along the path of what was going to be a difficult few days.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

There was a moment of hesitation. From now on, one of us has to be conscious at all times. Xena sensed the bolt of fear coming from her partner. It’s just a precaution, that’s all. I’ll get some rest and then you get some rest.

Her spirit reached out to Gabrielle, surrounding her in comfort. It will be fine. I’m here. I’ll try to relax and let my body go. Try to grab it and take the limbs over as your own.

"OK everyone, take a break." Xena moved away quietly, finding a solitary spot and sat down. She applied her mind to relaxing her body, letting her limbs go limp, and drawing herself into her mind, preparing for sleep.

Gabrielle, tried to expand her thought, willing herself to pick up Xena’s hands. It took several attempts before she figured out how to apply her thought to achieve actual movement. She pushed the body to stand, swaying unsteadily until equilibrium was restored.

It was the strangest sensation. She could feel the breeze on her skin and feel the air move in and out of her lungs, but it was not her body. Xena? She could not consciously feel her warrior’s presence like before, but it was a warm fuzziness that she would associate with her essence in rest.

Gabrielle looked over to the two gods as they studied her quizzically. She staggered over, her gait unsteady and clumsy on such long legs, making her feel like she was walking on stilts. She flexed the muscles under her control and could feel them respond readily. Maybe she’d better start doing some exercises when she got home.

"What’s the matter with you?" Aphrodite thought she had been sneaking a drink behind the bushes.

"Nothing." Ares’ eyes narrowed at the different timbre of Xena’s voice.

"Alright. What’s going on here? Xena, are you in there?"

Aphrodite stood up and walked over, grabbing Xena’s chin and looking into her eyes. "Gabby?"

Gabby? When did it go from ‘hey you’ to Gabby?? She really did like Aphrodite and felt she could live with that.

"You got it."

"Awww, Hades. Why did you have to go and do that?" Ares glared at her.

"Hey, she suggested it. It’s not my fault." Xena’s face broke out in a wicked grin, the bridge of her nose wrinkling up in a very un-Xena-like fashion. "In fact, it’s yours."

Gabrielle turned back to Aphrodite, "She’s taking a rest. I’m just stepping in for a while."

"Pretty strange, huh?"

"Tell me about it."

"So, Gabrielle, how does it feel to be in charge of all of this?" Ares swept his hand down Xena’s body in illustration. She knew he was jealous. She could tell by the look of disgust on his face.

"Pretty good, Ares. Not that you’ll ever know." Electric blue eyes turned in his direction and gave him a wink, a slow, sweet smile gracing those curvaceous lips.

He turned away, trying not to look hurt. All he had ever wanted was this woman and the small blonde had beaten him to it. Damn her!

"C’mon let’s get started. The sooner we get to the Temple, the sooner you guys are back on Mount Olympus." And out of our hair…

Ares strutted up to Gabrielle, looking into pale blue eyes and muttered, "Don’t get too used to it, blondie. It’s only temporary. Then you’re gonna have to answer to me."

Aphrodite stepped in before it deteriorated into a fistfight. "Ar, stop this. You know you can’t do that. Besides, I kinda like her, you know?"

The blonde looked over to the goddess who looked back at her with… something. Oh no. With the God of War breathing down her neck, it would be suicide not to have the Goddess of Love in her corner. She only hoped that Aphrodite didn’t lose sight of the fact that her heart was already taken.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

"So, Aphrodite, what do you do with yourself when you’re not meddling in people’s love lives?"

"Hey there, miss. I fill my days."

"Not much else, then?"

Nicely manicured fingernails landed on a well-endowed chest in mock hurt, Aphrodite’s face twisting into a grimace. "Who put a stick up your butt then, Miss Grumpy? Why are you picking on me? What did I do to deserve that?"

Gabrielle was silent for a moment, sighing in regret. "Sorry, I’m just on edge, that’s all."

"Aren’t we all?"

"So, can you use this thing?" Gabrielle pointed at the bow.

"Exsqueeze me! Artie taught me a thing or two. I can manage if I have to, but I’m not keen on killing things. The image, you know??" Aphrodite’s nose wrinkled up in distaste.

"Yeah, I know. I’m the same, but Xena says there are times where you have no choice. I hope I don’t have to find out."

"Yeah, bummer."

"So, what’s with leather boy?"

"Leather boy?"

"Your brother."

"Ah, well, you’re moving in on his gal, you see. He’s been pining after her for a long, long time, then you step in and, wham! He’s not in the picture any more. He may be a god, but he still thinks like a man." The goddess chuckled at the expense of her brother. "He knows she likes all that dark stuff and he just feeds into that. Problem is, he sometimes gets too sneaky for his own good."

"Well, this was pretty stupid."

"Not one of his better moments."

"What about you? No one you’re pining for?"

"The Goddess of Love pines for no one." She smiled then sighed. "Sometimes I wish I could, you know? My love can be fleeting and it can be deep, but that’s what love is all about, isn’t it? It can be nothing and it can be everything."

"That’s pretty deep thinking." Gabrielle glanced across to her companion, looking at her with fresh eyes. Perhaps the goddess wasn’t as shallow as she presented herself.

"But, hey, why let love stand in the way of a good roll in the bed sheets?"

Xena was now awake and back in control of her own body, and Gabrielle was safely asleep. She could feel the evil slowly getting stronger with every step along the path towards the Temple. It knew it was coming home.

She tried to protect her partner from the brunt of the attack, wrapping herself around the core of her partner’s spirit. Even though Gabrielle wanted to help, she was going to spare her young partner as much of the pain and desolation as she could. She could feel it worming its way into her own darkness, stirring long forgotten memories of past campaigns and the joy and lust for conquest. Memories she thought she had left far behind.

Xena could sense Ares behind her but she chose to ignore him. Her anger still stirred within her, and she suspected the entity was feeding off that dark emotion. He picked up the pace until he was along side her. Still she said nothing.

"Xena." She refused to reply.

He grabbed her arm and they stopped dead, Aphrodite nearly running into the back of her brother. Angry glares passed between God and disciple. The goddess quickly scampered away, not wanting to get caught in the middle of the angry confrontation. Xena’s eyes looked to the immortal’s hand then rose to his face. "Let go." Her voice had dropped to a deadly whisper.

"No. Talk to me."

"Why should I?"

"Because you owe me that."

"I owe you nothing, Ares."

"After all that I gave you?"

Xena swiftly grabbed his lapels and slammed him back against a tree trunk. "You gave me? How arrogant can you be? What did you ever give me that you didn’t want something in return?"

"You came to me, as I recall, all those years ago."

"Even when it was about me, Ares, it was always about what you could get in return. Everything came at a price, everything! You have never done an unselfish thing in your whole damn immortal life! Look what you’ve done to us because of your selfishness. You know very well that the chances of Gabrielle and I coming out of this alive are slim at best."

"You could have chosen not to take the Chakram, you know?"

Xena nearly laughed hysterically. "You’re kidding, right? I had no choice. You took my choices away from me. I was going home with my family and you wouldn’t even let me do that. I’m nearly tempted to let this evil take me over so that I can be rid of you."

A slim dagger slid silently out of its sheath in her boot, finding its way to Ares’ throat. "Or maybe I should just be rid of you now."

The War God’s adam’s apple bobbed several times, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple as he awaited Xena’s next move. She gently traced the blade across his throat in imitation of the genuine act, feeling the slight tremble in his body. It would be so easy…

Her darkness rose up looking for a kill, but she resisted the urge. Breathing deeply, she re-sheathed the blade, saving it for another day when she had more control over her dark side.

Aphrodite stood back, letting the confrontation play itself out, glad that Xena had seen reason. Not that she could blame her. She was secretly very disappointed with her brother for so shamelessly manipulating the poor woman to get what he wanted, and she silently cheered Xena on for outsmarting him again. Besides, they were her project, not his. It would have been a hard thing to tell her father that he would need to look for a new God of War.

Xena stepped back and walked away, grabbing a waterskin and sitting down, leaning against a nearby tree. Her stomach swirled with pent-up emotion, making her feel slightly ill at the thought of what had nearly happened. She grabbed her head in her hands, trying to stop the dizziness that assaulted her.

Gabrielle awoke to the dark wash that swept over her. It nearly felt like she was back on the boat again, with a swaying that left her feeling ill. What? Xena?

She could hear the defeat in Xena’s voice. What’s wrong?

Nothing. Xena sounded flat and emotionless. Nothing’s wrong. Go back to sleep.

She mentally sighed. Not much. I nearly killed Ares, that’s all.

If Gabrielle had a hairline, her eyebrows would have disappeared into them. You what?

How do you know, eh? How do you know? You don’t know me at all! Xena’s anger flared again, this time at the one person who didn’t deserve it.

Just leave me alone, alright? Just… arggh, never mind. Xena withdrew herself from her partner, finding some quiet corner of her mind to contemplate what nearly took place.

Gabrielle had nowhere to go. Xena had never talked to her like this, had never sounded so angry and disoriented. What could she do to mend this? Xena was content to sit back, so she wrestled control and took Xena’s body over to Aphrodite.

"What just went on?"

It took the goddess a few moments to realize that the spirits had changed. "Ares pushed her and she pushed back. She drew a blade and held it to his neck. Gabby, I think it’s getting to her. You’re gonna have to watch her."

The young woman was beginning to realize that perhaps the greatest danger was not out in the wilderness but within Xena herself. She extended her senses toward her lover and could feel the roiling emotion there, dark and dangerous, swirling around with no solid form for the present. It had grown in strength just in the few candlemarks since leaving the village.

"How about we set up camp here tonight? I don’t think any of us are up to travelling any more today. Can you see if you can find something for the pot tonight?" Blue eyes looked up in expectation, hoping the goddess could put her bow to some use. Hesitantly, she nodded and disappeared into the brush.

"Ares!" He looked over, not sure who he was talking to. Gabrielle could see the uncertainty in his eyes. "It’s me, Gabrielle." She watched him relax at the news. "Can you get a fire started?" He pointed his finger but nothing happened. "The old fashioned way, Ares."

"How do I do that?"

"Oh, for goodness sake…" Gabrielle muttered under her breath. "Just collect some wood, OK?" Gods…

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"C’mon ‘Ditie, you can do this. Artie taught you well. Just paint a target on those cute little bunny rabbits," she murmured to herself, trying to build the confidence to actually shoot at something. The light was still good and she had no trouble seeing anything that came across her path. She nocked an arrow, slowly stepping through the undergrowth in search of prey. For about the hundredth time, she wished she had her godly powers then she could just snap up a meal, but then she wouldn’t have needed to eat either. At least she wouldn’t have to kill anything.

She pulled up, listening as Artemis had taught her, waiting for something to move. Several moments passed without success, and she continued her search. Half a candlemark passed before a target finally presented itself to her. C’mon ‘Ditie, do it! Just do it! Make Artie proud. She hesitated and tried again. We need to eat. Gabby is relying on you. C’mon, NOW! She fired before her courage left her once again, closing her eyes so she didn’t have to watch the arrow spit the rabbit. Ewww…

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Gabrielle knew she was going to have to go looking for her partner. None of them knew what to do next and they needed Xena’s expertise to set up camp. Aphrodite had turned up with a good size rabbit, tears rolling down her face. She understood the goddess’s distress only too well.

Xena’s body stayed at rest against a tree while Gabrielle went in search of the taller woman. Xena? She used the uneasiness as a guide and found her lover’s spirit sitting in a dark corner, away from where she had resided earlier.

She could hear the sigh in the older woman’s thoughts. Give me a moment.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Xena again took control and a fire was quickly blazing away, chasing away the shadows that had begun to form. Without a word, she prepared the rabbit for Gabrielle who took over momentarily to combine the ingredients to make a nice hot rabbit stew.

Dinner was a sombre affair. Not a word was spoken, but eyes flickered from one companion to the next, waiting for Xena to say something. The tall warrior took out her sword and proceeded to sharpen it, the sound of the whetstone sliding down the blade breaking the silence. Several minutes passed before Xena finally spoke. "Why?"

Both gods looked up, wondering who the tall woman spoke to. Shadowed blue eyes looked over to the God of War and repeated her question. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you steal the Chakram in the first place? Didn’t you know it was going to be trouble? It’s called the Chakram of Darkness, for crying out loud!" Xena’s volume steadily rose, her anger getting the better of her.

"I wanted it. End of story."

"There you go again. It’s always about you, you, you. You are such an arrogant, pig-headed, self-centred…" Xena’s sputtered in frustration. She felt a ghostly hand on her shoulder, the love of her partner flowing through her and restoring her calm. I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately.

Yes, you are, Xena replied with a hint of affection.

Her eyes focused on the man opposite her, returning from her inner reflection. She again asked, "Why?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Ares!" Aphrodite stepped in. "Enough of this. Just answer her question."

"It’s none of her business."

"Oh, yes it is, Ares, very much my business. I want to know why I’m gonna die for this."

He picked up a stick and proceeded to poke the fire with it, watching as the end caught alight. He pulled it out and lifted it up, studying the small flame flickering in front of his face. His eyes returned to the face that had haunted him for so many of his waking hours.

"Kal was talking about finding someone to use this weapon. I just beat him to it, that’s all. I was saving it for someone worthy enough to wield it."

"Me?"

He hesitated. "Maybe."

"I got some warlord wannabe to get it for me a long, long time ago. He thought it would get him into my good favour by doing so. What none of us knew then was the extent of the power within the Chakram. What a weak-minded fool he was."

"Boy, was Dad ever pissed off over having to clean that up." Aphrodite’s body shivered over the close call that caused. "Anyway, he thought he’d made sure no one would ever find it." Her eyes wandered over to her brother. "But someone just couldn’t help himself when he found out you were coming home."

"Why didn’t you try to give it to me earlier?"

"Xena, you were a kid - a strong-willed, clever kid - but still a kid nonetheless. I thought I’d let you grow up a little before leading you to it."

"And knowing what you knew then, you were going to give it to me?"

"I knew you could take it. After all, you were my Chosen, not some run-of-the-mill hick warlord who couldn’t scratch his butt if he had a map to it. You were smart, you were strong and you were single-minded in your thirst for power. You were just like me."

"I am NOTHING like you. Nothing." Xena wasn’t sure whether she was trying to convince the God of War or herself with that statement. A gentle hand scratched her back, wisps of thought floating through her brain in comfort.

"So this weapon was for me all along?"

"Well, no, not back then but I was hoping someday to find someone who would be worthy of it. I knew from the moment you strode into my Temple and demanded to see me that you were special. Someone who could grab hold of the world and mould it into my image of it. We could have had it all, Xena, but that damn Roman spoiled it."

"Why didn’t you just take the Chakram yourself?"

Ares stared into the heart of the fire, thinking for a moment before answering. "We saw what that power did to a mortal. Could you imagine what would have happened if one of us carried it? As much as I would like all that power, Xena, I would not be able to control it. Not even Zeus would consider trying to take it. That’s why he hid it."

"And we’re going to the Temple because…"

"We destroyed the carrier but not the Chakram. Zeus is hoping that it is vulnerable at the Temple."

"And I’m the unwitting carrier of this? What made you think I’d be any more successful than anyone else?"

"I wanted you to have it all, Xena. You were my greatest pupil. I’ve never seen such a strong will. If anyone could fight it, you could."

"I think you’ve over-estimated my abilities there, Ares."

"Stop trying to be so modest, Xena. You’re the best and you know it."

"I’m trying to be humble here. Stop appealing to my ego." Eyes darkened to near black looked up at the vulnerable god sitting opposite her. "This is a risky game your father is playing, Ares. We may very well be taking this thing to the one place it wants to go. Did you ever think of that?"

"Yeah, but the other possibility is not much better. He is relying on your strength of will to get it there, Xena. Can you do that?"

She took in everything the God of War was telling her, trying to form some sort of plan that could be useful in this situation. Most of the outcomes led to one conclusion, one which was not good for both her and Gabrielle. She could feel the anxiety from her partner and steered the conversation away from its logical conclusion. "So who has been causing havoc while I’ve been away. Anyone special?"

"Oh, someone has come to my attention. She’s pretty special too, but not in your league."

"Do I know her?"

"You two have met, but I don’t think you would remember her."

"What’s her name, so I know to steer clear of her."

"Callisto. She’s my new Chosen, but I’d drop her in an instant if you would come back to me. She likes the macabre, but you had that special fire."

Xena felt that stirring in her blood that had drawn her to Ares all those years ago. The entity magnified the attraction, and she felt that pull all over again, but without the god’s power, the thought was fleeting and left only a sad reminder of what she had been.

"It’s not gonna happen, Ares. Especially now. If we, by some miracle, get out of this alive, we are through. Don’t go coming to me for any favours, Ares."

"But, Xena…"

"No, this ends it. Go back to your other bimbo, what’s-her-name. Let her kill and maim for you. I’m done."

Aphrodite sat quietly while Xena ranted and raved, giving Ares an earful. She silently cheered on the taller woman, glad to see someone finally putting him in his place. The only one who had ever done that was Zeus, but that was because Ares feared him. She glanced over to her brother, who looked suitably humbled, and knew that he understood her perfectly. He had overstepped the mark once too often and she meant what she said. Now she could get on with her business with them.

"Now, if you don’t mind, it’s time for sleep. Everyone get some rest. It’ll be a long day tomorrow." End of discussion.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

She sighed. Yeah, you’re right. I gotta relax.

OK. But Xena could hear the hurt in her partner’s voice. Oh, Hades! Her soul reached out to its other half and entwined itself around it in comfort. I love you, you know that, but rest is more important at the moment. I have a feeling that something is going to happen tomorrow, and it’s not gonna be good.

Xena sat quietly, leaning against a tree, looking pensively into the heart of the blazing campfire. Azure eyes glittered in the reflected flame, hiding a mind in turmoil. Gabrielle was shifting restlessly in her mind, unable to settle in reaction to her own churning emotions. Sparing a quick glance over to her resting companions, Xena sighed deeply and lifted her face to the sky.

That looks like an athlete… Her mind couldn’t help but play the game.

Nah, it’s you, the hero. The soft burr echoed in her mind, bringing a smile to her face.

Sorry. Images invaded her mind, bringing a pleasant tingle to her body. Stop that!

A far off chuckle tickled her senses. Another vivid scene played in her head and she let it unfold, letting the passion sweep through and cleanse her clean.

Do you remember, Xena? The voice, low, deep and full of want, whispered in her brain.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

She had just finished her training for the day and was heading back inside for a long, hot bath. The house appeared deserted, the other slaves apparently having their evening meal. Walking along the corridor leading to the quieter part of the building that housed her quarters, a small hand came out and grabbed Xena’s arm, pulling her into a darkened alcove.

Before she was able to react, her hands were full of a small blonde who seemed to have eight hands of her own. She barely had a hold on Gabrielle as she climbed up her body, desperately trying to reach her goal. The extra weight sent her slamming against the wall at a precarious angle. The small woman had knocked the wind out of her and she was gasping for air.

"Gabrielle, one moment," she whispered.

"No, now!" Her voice brooked no argument, and she proceeded to take what she had been waiting for all day.

"Someone might hear."

"I don’t care. Let them find someone of their own." Her lips went back to their search, looking for those places that would make Xena react. Gabrielle was still discovering her lover’s body, mentally cataloguing everything like a precious treasure map.

Xena’s mind was playing mental catch up as her body flooded with sensations, wild and exciting feelings that simply swept her away. Whimpers escaped her mouth without permission as wave after wave of pure unadulterated passion swamped her. This mere slip of a girl had her begging for mercy in near-full view of anyone who would pass by, making her forget her own name.

She was beyond caring at this point as quicksilver fingers found her and tortured her mercilessly. A voice hoarse with passion, whispered in her ear, "I love you, Xena, but I have to have you now. You have been on my mind all day and now I have to repay you in kind."

Xena was not about to argue with the outcome of this sudden tryst. She only hoped that Antillia didn’t walk past at that particular moment, not that she would have or could have stopped. Gabrielle had won this particular battle without so much as a skirmish. She had no defence against this onslaught and had to simply surrender to her lover’s greater emotional strength.

The maelstrom of passion subsided as quickly as it began, leaving its two participants panting from exertion. Xena slowly let down her partner, straightening garments strewn in a fit of physical madness. They took a moment or two to calm down, but neither could remove their grins for the rest of the day.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Thank you, Gabrielle. Xena could feel herself settle after the pleasant diversion.

Xena breathed in the cooling night air, watching over her charges as the night sky slowly passed overhead.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Cyrene woke up the next morning, preparing for another day’s work. She poked her head in her granddaughter’s room to find it empty. Resting in its little nest was the egg, now broken in pieces. She quickly scanned the bed and the floor, looking for the little creature that had hatched, without success.

"Marina?" There was no answer.

Cyrene trudged down the stairs to the kitchen to start breakfast. A sound caught her attention and she opened the back door and looked outside.

"Marina, honey, what are you doing?" The child was searching through the food scraps. "Did you lose something?"

"No, grandma." She hid the scraps behind her back.

"What do you have in your hand?"

"Nothing." Bright-blue eyes looked up under dark lashes in innocence.

Aww, that is sooo sweet… "Well then, come inside before you catch your death." Let her keep her secret for now.

Marina skipped in smiling, thinking she had managed to fool her grandmother.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Gabrielle stirred up the fire and had the remnants of last night’s meal heating up for breakfast.

"That had to be the worst night’s sleep I have ever had!"

Well, d’uh! Xena mentally rolled her eyes at the goddess.

"Aphrodite, just live with it, OK?" Gabrielle had to admit that the deity was easily upset and was getting on her nerves. She didn’t like the bed, she didn’t like the food, the walking was too hard…

"And this isn’t fun. This is just so… so… uncool." Her nose wrinkled up in disgust.

Gabrielle crossed over to the immortal, squatting down on her haunches, "Just think of this as a bad vacation. It’ll be over soon enough and you can get back to your nice, comfy room upstairs." It was really strange to be looking down at someone from this height. And intimidating too, by the look in Aphrodite’s eyes. Heh…

"Sorry, sweetpea." She really had no right to complain. After all, she wasn’t the one with the nastiness inside her. Her hand caressed the knee in front of her, feeling the soft skin underneath it, and her mind immediately turned to the young blonde inside.

"Don’t even go there." She looked up into pale blue eyes that read her every thought.

Her brow creased in concern, upset that her intentions were so easily picked up.

"It could have been real good, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. The Goddess of Love and all, but I’m taken."

"Stuck on tall, dark and deadly, eh?"

"Oh yeah. You better believe it."

"Life just sucks."

A large hand came down on top of the goddess’s arm. "But look what we had to go through to get to it."

"If you ever change your mind, all you gotta do is call."

"I know. But it’s a forever kind of thing, Aphrodite."

"Yeah, I know." The goddess’s tongue clicked in disgust.

"You know?"

"Yeah. The Fates foresaw it and I sort of put my stamp of approval on it, so that’s that." She sighed at the loss. Oh well…

Gabrielle stood up and went over to kick Ares awake. "C’mon, time to get up."

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled, trying to open sleep-soaked eyes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Xena and Gabrielle switched places once more, allowing the older woman control in case of trouble. They quietly played a game of "What Am I?" while they walked, allowing brother and sister to chat behind them.

"Ar, will you get over it? It’s done and you lost."

He walked along sulkily, not happy with losing the one thing that he truly wanted. Everything else was just a diversion. His mind was already trying to figure out how to get her back, but first he needed to get rid of that annoying blonde.

"Stop it! Leave them alone." Ares glared at his sister, upset that she knew what he was thinking. "Of course I know what you’re thinking. You think of nothing else."

You got that right… His eyes subconsciously shifted to the body walking in front of him, his mind lulled into sensual lassitude by the bold sway of Xena’s walk. Oh yeah…

Xena could feel Ares’ eyes boring a hole in her butt and was tempted to turn around and tell him to put his eyes back into his head.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Xena’s senses went on alert before she even saw them, grabbing Gabrielle’s attention. She glanced over to the two Gods in warning seconds before they were waylaid.

A band of about thirty men stood in their way, awaiting their leader who weaved his way through them on horseback. Xena looked him in the eye, mentally sizing him up. Piece of cake…

"Well, well, what do we have here then?" He took in the three of them, already looking past the fight to the enjoyment after. "Veerrryyy nice." Aphrodite shivered at the undisguised look of lust on his face. As a mortal, this was now a very real threat that she hadn’t had to face before.

"We don’t want trouble here. We’ll just move on." Xena tried to walk around them but the leader moved his horse to block her way.

"Not so fast there, warrior. I require some payment, a toll if you will, for you to pass."

"What sort of payment?" Xena shifted in readiness as she took in the line of men spreading out in front of her. They were expecting trouble.

"Just a little comfort and understanding from you two ladies should suffice. What do you think men? These two help to while away a few hours in exchange for our ‘protection’?"

"Not for you." Xena’s voice dropped to its lowest register, sending a warning to her opponents.

Cebraxis laughed, his men joining in the merriment. "Well then, warrior woman. I’ll just have to settle for blondie over there." He turned to his men, "Kill them. Save the blonde for me."

The air erupted in a sound of wild yelling and crashing metal. Xena’s sword slid from its sheath in silence, the sun glinting off the razor sharp weapon in deference to its wielder. She headed for Cebraxis, intent on bringing him down quickly. Glancing over her shoulder, she could see Ares draw his sword, taking on two of the advancing soldiers. Aphrodite was up against a far tree, seemingly frozen in her tracks. Another couple of Cebraxis’s men were heading in her direction.

Without thinking, Xena grabbed the Chakram and tossed it towards the most immediate danger. "Aphrodite, don’t just stand there. Fight!" the spinning disk bounced and ricocheted, finally finding its two targets and returning to her hand.

Xena knew she had made a fatal mistake the moment the weapon returned. Her battle lust was up. It latched onto her dark emotions and tore at them, like a lion feeding on its prey, multiplying her darkness so fast she could not stop it. It rolled over her and she could feel only the need to kill and destroy.

In the back of her mind she could hear Gabrielle screaming at her, but the voice slowly faded into the background until all she could hear was her own heartbeat, her vision veiled in crimson, as she went in search of blood.

Men came at her from all sides but it meant little to her. Her blade flew with terrifying speed, cutting through bone and muscle without much effort, her strength tripled by the force inside her. Blade in one hand, and Chakram in the other, she cut a swathe through the opposing forces towards her goal, who was slowly backing up his horse, and she advanced quickly on him.

Xena felt the force increase in her, her need for death becoming an unquenchable thirst. Her focus was on getting to the rider on horseback, but she desired the fury and the lust of the kill, demanding blood satisfaction to satiate its constant hunger. She drew out the battle, enjoying each slice of flesh and cry of pain her efforts elicited.

Blood flew in all directions, spraying her with the hot liquid. Licking away the moisture on bloody lips, the sensation struck her to her core, stirring those deep, dark emotions she hid well away. Her path was now clear to her next target and she steadily stalked towards him.

With nowhere left to go, Cebraxis attacked, swinging his sword down on her head. His downward momentum was stopped, the sword caught in a large hand and merely held there. A sensual smile graced her lips as she reached up and held his hand in hers, slowly tightening her grip until the sound of breaking bone echoed around the trees.

He screamed in pain but she merely held it, tightening her grip even more until the bones pierced the skin. She grabbed his shirt and threw him off his horse into the dirt. The fighting had stopped momentarily awaiting the outcome. Xena’s heart pumped in slow pulses, the excitement building as the entity demanded its sacrifice.

Without much pretence, she raised her sword and brought it down swiftly, the sensation of cutting flesh and bone passing up her arm to her brain. She stood for a moment, a sexual shudder shaking her long frame. Oh yes, this was freedom at its rawest and most satisfying.

Xena turned to the rest of the battle. The remaining men stepped back in fear, seeing a ghostly aura appear in her eyes. She was lost.

"Damn," Aphrodite muttered.

"Come," Xena’s voice held a hypnotic tone to it, drawing in the twenty remaining men left alive. "I’m now your leader."

"What about these two?"

"Leave them. We have more important targets now."

Gabrielle had never felt anything so terrifying as the orgy of violence that was flowing through her partner. She could sense everything; the dark intent, the cool cunning intellect and the almost sexual ecstasy of the kill. She now fully understood her partner and the constant day-to-day battle it took to keep this madness under control. How was she going to pull her back from the edge of this insanity?

Ares watched Xena move off with her band of followers, secretly pleased that his plan still had a chance of coming to fruition. All he needed now was for Zeus to restore his powers before he lost complete control of her. The tall god moved over to his fallen sister and helped her to her feet.

"Well, that’s it then. Zeus!" He yelled to the heavens, waiting for his father to answer the call.

"Ar, what are you doing?" Aphrodite had been surprised when the group of men just left, leaving both of them still alive.

"It’s finished and we’ve lost her. No point in hanging around here. Zeus!" Ares wandered around in a circle as if that would make the King of the Gods magically appear at this feet. There was no answer from the sky above, not even a rumbling of thunder.

"Hey, get us out of here!" He was loathe to say the next word, but he wanted his godhood back. "Father!"

"I don’t think he’s going to answer us, brother. I think we’re on our own."

Damn, this was not what he had hoped for. Every second he was without his power was one second more the entity had to get a firmer hold on what was his. He only hoped that the thing inside Xena got rid of what’s-her-name in the bargain.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Marina? Marina honey? Are you here?"

A small mop of midnight blue hair moved behind the bed as Cyrene watched from the doorway. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." This seemed to be the stock standard answer from the girl for the last day or so.

The older woman stepped over to the bed and lifted the empty egg. "Where’s your little pet?"

"He’s hiding."

"He?" The unruly mop bobbed up and down. "How do you know it’s a he?"

"Because he told me so."

"He told you…" Cyrene was taken aback for a moment, then realised she was playing make believe. "So, has he a name?"

"Jax."

"Is that what you were doing in the scraps bin this morning? Getting food for Jax?"

Again, the small head bobbed in the affirmative.

"OK then, honey, you can play with him for a little while but be careful, he’s only a baby. Come down for lunch soon and then you can go play with your new friends."

"OK, grandma."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Gabrielle had never felt so alone in all her life, and that included her time as a body slave. She could feel every horrific sensation running through her partner, but her own attempts at communicating went unheeded. For the moment, she was an unwilling passive observer of her lover’s actions.

What Xena had done to that warlord turned her stomach. Gabrielle knew that her gentle partner was capable of such violence, but her negligent despatch of her enemy after crushing his hand bordered on cruel. She knew if she didn’t stop this woman soon, the sadistic violence would escalate to epic proportions. No one would be safe - Marina, Cyrene and herself included.

Xena’s mind clawed at the deepening quagmire of maliciousness that was threatening to take away her remaining resolve. She had managed to divert herself from the two gods, dangling a greater target further down the road as bait. Her only hope now was to come up with some sort of plan to stop the upcoming slaughter before it began.

A tiny corner of her mind was repulsed at the action she had taken, and the fact that she had reacted so erotically to the violence. She had always felt the excitement of the fight and the satisfaction of the victory, but the utter seduction of the bloodletting she had felt sickened that tiny kernel of her that belonged to Gabrielle.

She desperately tried to find that tiny piece of herself untouched by the entity inside her; that tiny beacon of humanity that was her lifeline back to sanity. For now, she was unable to reach it because of the power the Chakram had over her, but she hoped that when the opportunity came she could grab onto it with both hands.

Somewhere out there was her partner, cast adrift and floating helplessly in her consciousness, watching the slow destruction of her lover’s will. She fervently hoped that their love would survive this; that Gabrielle’s feelings for her wouldn’t die along with her soul. With that thought, her will slipped another notch into the slime. Frantically, she searched her memory for those thoughts of the one person who meant everything to her - her Gabrielle.

This woman had been an unexpected revelation in a situation that had been close to hopeless. She swept into her life like a tornado, upturning everything she had held dear in her life upside down, and giving her such great joy that she could never imagine her life without the small blonde ever again.

Pleasant images flooded her mind’s eye, playing over and over again in her head. She felt herself calm, as she had always done in her lover’s presence, and her equilibrium returned. Xena had found a way to halt the downward slide into chaos, floating in a dream-like state, emersed in her memories.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Hey, dad. Down here!" Ares had been calling Zeus for the last half a candlemark without success.

"For the last time, he’s not coming." How thick can he be?

"I don’t see you doing anything constructive."

"Grab those packs and let’s get going." Aphrodite had just about had enough of her brother, and decided some action was needed.

"Where are we going?’

"After them, of course."

"Are you nuts?? And what’s gonna happen if we ever find them? You gonna fire your ‘arrows of lurrve’ at them? Big help that’ll be."

"Stop whining. Let’s just go." Aphrodite picked up her pack and bow and left, not looking back to see if Ares followed. She heard a scuff of boots and felt his presence next to her.

"And how are you going to find them, oh wise one?"

Aphrodite turned to look at him, raising an elegant eyebrow in a mocking gesture. "Well, unlike you, I did something with my spare time. Artie was very helpful in that department."

"Oh, so that’s where you learned all about women, eh?" He broke out in rawkous laughter, amused at his own joke, ignoring his sister’s unamused glare.

"Actually, she was very helpful with that too, but no. She taught me all sorts of neat stuff like hunting and tracking."

"Well, then, what happened in that fight? You did nothing."

The goddess ducked her head. "Yeah, I know. At the first sign of trouble, I folded. Totally uncool."

"You got that right."

"Hey! You didn’t do much better."

"I had two of them in the palm of my hand."

"And Xena had the other eight."

Ares didn’t know how to respond to that. Out of the corner of his eye, he had watched her decimate her enemies, feeling that familiar rush of excitement when he saw her fight, wondering how much was the entity and how much was her raw talent. Gods, how he loved that woman!

"C’mon, let’s see if we can pick up the trail."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

The small army made slow progress towards its next target, a small village up ahead. Cebraxis had been content to just intimidate them to get supplies, but they knew there would be no negotiation this time, only total annihilation. Spirits were high amongst the followers, finally having the chance to kill at will.

They looked up to the tall woman seated on the prancing horse, her bearing had leader stamped all over it. Cool sapphire eyes surveyed the scene in front of her, scanning the horizon for any signs of life. The menace surrounding her shimmered in the noonday air, attracting the men around her. They could feel the need for a kill building, agitating them to the point of pushing and shoving those around them.

A knife fight had broken out at the back of the line, drawing Xena’s attention. "Stop!" The low voice vibrated, stopping the combatants in mid-fight. "The next one to start a fight, I will rip out their beating heart. Got me?" Oh yeah, they got her alright.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Aphrodite and Ares were making good time, the goddess easily picking up the trail left by twenty men and a horse who were doing nothing to disguise their passing.

"So why are you so interested in saving them?" Ares knew his sister was responsible for blessing them, but he would have thought that her responsibility ended there. There was silence from his sister, her head bent to the ground looking for directions. She glanced out of the corner of her eye at her sibling.

"Oh no, you didn’t! You didn’t fall for her, did you?" This will complicate things. Getting rid of blondie was one thing, but hurting her sister was another.

She shrugged her shoulders. "No point now. It’s not going to happen."

"Why not? Hey, this could work out great. You get what’s-her-name, do your thing, and I end up with tall, dark and beautiful."

"I can’t do that, and you know it."

"C’mon, ‘Dite, you know you want her. Why not bend the rules just this once?"

"Ar, you just don’t get it, do you? That sort of love never lasts. It has to be freely given. I can cause the infatuation but without true love, it’ll eventually fall apart. You want that?"

"Hades, yes!"

"You are such a Neanderthal, you know that?"

"Hey, I’ll get her any way that I can."

"Give it up, bro, she’s just not interested. You are so old news."

"Well, without blondie there…"

"Gabrielle. Her name is Gabrielle. Stop calling her blondie."

"Without Gabrielle, she would come back to me, no problem. She’d be begging to come back."

"What parallel universe are you living in? She grew tired of you a long time ago."

"But I’m persistent. Chicks love that."

"Persistent as a rash you can’t scratch, Ar. And chicks hate that. Besides, it’s a sacred trust."

"Since when has that ever stopped you?"

"Not with these two."

"So, how far has this gone?" He paused for a moment and thought. "Oh ‘Dite, you didn’t. How could you? You love her that bad?"

She nodded sadly. That bad.

"Hrrmph." He was not going to give up. He had time on his hands – well, not while he was mortal, but once he was back on Mount Olympus he just had to wait until Xena became tired of blon… Gabrielle and he’d step back in, just like the old days.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Xena ordered her army to make camp, despite the fact that they were only a candlemark or two away from their target. She could have ridden in at sunset, but she wanted the village out and about so that she could enjoy the killing of each and every one of them. Burning them in their houses would be too easy, and would be far less than satisfying than seeing the horror on their faces, their lifeblood seeping from their dying bodies over her outstretched hands.

Her mind wandered past the immediate attack to the future. It was only a matter of time, with a growing army, to shift the slaughter to her own hometown, and ultimately Athens. The entity within the tall warrior would now systemically erase any evidence of Xena of Amphipolis - for now only she existed, the new Xena, the Destroyer of the Known World.

The entity fed on Xena’s spirit, slowly sapping the life force out of her. The knowledge of what savagery she was capable of scared her, and she suspected that wouldn’t be the end of it. Before this was finished, she was going to learn it all. She knew she had a deep-seated darkness, Ares had shown her that, but she feared how deep that darkness still had to go.

The loneliness was getting to her though, which was strange. She had pretty much been a loner most of her life, but since the arrival of one small blonde, she had craved the company nearly as much as breathing. She cast her mind adrift, looking for the other part of her soul, and found nothing. Gabrielle, where are you?

C’mon Xena. Marina is home and Gabrielle is counting on you. Stop lounging around. Are you gonna let this thing get the better of you? The entity may have had control of her body but she wasn’t finished yet. Patience, Xena.

Gabrielle was tired, the aggressiveness and anger bombarding her was wearing her down. She longed for the tender caress of Xena, the feel of her large arms around her in a warm embrace. At that particular moment, there was a gentle tickling at the end of her conscious thought. Xena? For the first time in quite a while, Gabrielle extended herself, vainly trying to press through the swirling chaos around her. Maybe there was a chance after all.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Are we there yet?"

Aphrodite was about to turn around and punch her brother, who had been whining for the last candlemark. "For the last time, no we are NOT there yet. Stop asking!"

They had continued on in the twilight until Aphrodite could see the ground no longer. With a little effort, they were able to get a fire started after having watched Xena the day before. Cooking was beyond them so they settled for dried rations. As much as either of them would never admit it, they missed their two companions. Ares sighed heavily, looking deep into the fire.

"What?"

"I’m tired of all this. I just want to go home. One way or the other I want it over."

His sister reached across the distance, placing her hand on his arm, "Things will work out, don’t you worry."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Xena will come through. She just so totally rocks, you know?"

"This might even be beyond her, ‘Ditie."

She hit him. "What are you talking about? One minute warrior babe is so totally awesome and the next you’re kicking her in the teeth? This is so not like you, Ar. Have some faith."

"Faith is for mortals, sis."

"And gods too, you dumb-ass. You are such a downer, you know that?" She so wanted to kick the living daylights out of her brother, who was dragging down her own high spirits with this talk. "Let’s get some sleep before you say something else stupid."

"Yeah, right, Miss Love Goddess of the Woods."

"Too late."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The camp slowly stirred in the crisp morning air. Xena was in no hurry to attack the village, waiting for mid-morning when the inhabitants would be out going about their business. Weapons were sharpened and armour checked. The fervour built as the morning wore on.

The two immortals got an early start, wasting no time in picking up the trail and setting off in hot pursuit. They had arrived in time to see the army pack up and begin its move towards the hapless townspeople.

"So, what do we do now?" Ares whispered.

"You’re the God of War. This is your department."

"It’s so much easier when you have your powers. You just walk in, and bam! ‘I’m the God of War, do as I say’. I don’t think that’s gonna work this time."

"Well, we gotta stop them somehow."

"You and me against twenty men and Xena, who counts for ten more? Even with my powers, that isn’t good odds"

"Let’s follow. Maybe we can come up with something on the way."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Gabrielle pushed herself to find her partner through the darkness. She was heartened by the small response earlier, knowing that somewhere Xena was trying to find her. If there was any chance, any chance at all to break through, she was going to take it. She was not going to lose the woman she loved because of lack of effort on her part.

Time was running out, Xena knew that. She needed to do something soon to salvage this situation before innocent people were killed. As she bent her intellect to getting herself out of this mess, a gentle warmth could be felt, afar off at present, but it was there. She knew that feeling intimately and greedily reached out for it, throwing caution to wind, mentally throwing herself off a cliff into the dark void, hoping against hope that a small hand was there to grab her before she fell.

Continued in Chapter 17 - 20 (Conclusion)

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