She closed off her mind, lowering her body to a kneeling
position. Xena
focused on her breathing, in and out, in a gentle and unhurried way. She
brought on a level of tranquillity. Letting her mind go blank with just
her breathing, in and out in a slow pattern. She knelt up on her knees,
making her body tall, but relaxed, leaning backwards slightly so that
her balance would not be disturbed.
When she gained the tranquillity that she required, she gently
lowered
herself, from her tall, erect position and then brought herself back up,
this was to test her surroundings, making sure that she had the
tranquillity of mind that she required. Satisfied, she moved both her
arms from their position at her sides and slowly brought them up to
shoulder height, still concentrating on her breathing and now the
pressure of the air surrounding, following with her arms the current of
the air. She was now oblivious to her surroundings but at the same time,
highly aware of them. The slightest noise would have her on the alert
but all she was focused on was her own body. She was gaining the
ultimate level of control over it. Slowly moving her arms in what seemed
to be a set pattern, though she herself did not know the pattern, she
just felt the guidance on the air and made the elegancy of the moves.
She felt a warming in the air and a reaction from the body that
she had
forgotten, it did not disturb her movements, nor her state of mind, she
only knew the presence to be Ares. Normally she might have felt a
tingling sensation but her mind was detached from her body, though
perfectly in tune. She appreciated the presence though, it seemed to
heighten her awareness of the routes her arms needed to take. In the
know tranquil chambers of her mind she could almost see his very
presence, her eyes were closed and all she had was the feel of him in
her mind, she knew that he held knelt behind her though and had taken to
the same routine as she herself had done.
As they did the movements in time, their minds seem to merge,
their
presences mingle and entwine. The air around them gushed, seem to push
them together almost, though in a very gentle, almost unperceivable way,
their bodies seemed to hear it and sway with it. Their arm movements
stopped as their arms are once against placed by their sides. Slowly,
their eyes opened and they stood.
Both Ares and Xena were completely relaxed, no confrontation
happening.
They had a level of peace within them that was hard to find and even
harder to accomplish. Xena herself had learned it in Chin but where had
Ares learned it? Xena didn't think that God's needed to be calm, wasn't
it natural to them?
"Where did you learn that?" Xena asked Ares, she said it in a
normal
tone, not wishing to start to fight with him, but just to relax some
more and perhaps have a decent conversation.
"It's not something you learn, but I was shown it by my own
mentor when
I was a teenager. His name was Anamus."
"I wasn't aware that you were a teenager. It never really struck
me
that you weren't born like that, grown up." Xena looked quizzical, if
she carried this on she might actually start to she him as human, she
knew he wasn't but she'd always wanted to.
Ares chuckled, "Yes, I grew up, it was eons ago, I hardily
remember but
I always remember what I'm taught. I suppose that it how a God grows,
not through body but in mind, in person."
"Aren't you shaped by what you stand for, what you are? I was
under the
impression that you are war, or something along those lines, I never
really gave it that much thought." They were both pondering now, their
differences not relevant, their tranquillity ruled and made it possible
for them to just think and talk.
"Ah, (he sighed), war runs through my veins but I have to have a
level
of humanity in me, or else how could I ever stand for that which is
human? I wouldn't have a chance of understanding them." His voice was
almost soft, if not a little sombre.
"Why so sad?" A hint of concern was etched into Xena's voice, "I
thought that you liked what you do, I thought you had all that you
wanted."
"I'm not sad, and I will never have all that I wish for, some
things
you can't have. Xena, I do like what I do, I just don't see why it must
be all that I do? Even you, the one that probably knows me the most,
though hardily at all, sees me as only the God of War and it is tiring.
It is why I came here, I saw you were practicing my old methods of
gaining calm and thought I would join you. I know you dislike me, if
that was ever a stronger word, but you still don't see me like everyone
else, we were close once and to you, at least, I can be a little
different, not just war."
"Ares, you have been alive for eons and yet you find my company
desirable over everyone else's; if it's true, why will you not except me
for who I am now, why make elaborate schemes to get me back, I still
enjoy your company, though never ask me to admit when I have all of my
senses about me."
"The truth of it; I know only war and have too much pride to
except you
whilst you aren't under my thumb, though that statement goes no further
than here. The war in me still loves to see you fired up, fighting your
way through a battle, with the bloodlust in your heart, the fire in your
eyes. The god of war cannot have a companion, a friend, Xena, to talk to
you without getting others on at me I have to create schemes for you to
foil, then I can talk to you. You aren't my lover, so I have no rights
there either. It just isn't appropriate, I might even get you caught in
with some of my enemies if they think I care for you."
Xena's heart was warmed at this speech, next time they met it
would all
be different, so she had to make the most of it. What could they do
though, she wasn't going back and it might damage Ares' power to have
her as a friend. Being a lover wouldn't be bad but there would be no
respect in it, and she said as much.
"We could do this though, couldn't we? If I'm alone and you feel
like
this, you can talk to me, or get me involved with one of your little
plans, though try to make them less dangerous, I seem to get more
bruises each time!" At this they both chuckle, Ares was going to
apologise but thought better of it, Xena might be insulted and her
comment didn't mean much. "Other than that there isn't much, unless we
swallow our pride, but that'll never happen. You can talk to me at
night, when gabby is asleep, I'll hear you, I feel you."
"I always wondered about that. I suppose it is all we can do. I
wonder
when this calm thing will turn itself off. It's quite nice but I can't
really control my tongue, I'll be spoiling my next surprise before I
know it." He grinned wickedly. Xena returned and watched as he made to
get up.
"Get outta here then, before I start trying to tear you limb
from
limb!" She mocked menaced at him. Then they smiled at each other and in
a flash he was gone. Though her calmness was still their her senses came
back, she realised she had been talking quite normally to Ares and
everything she had said was true as was what he had said.
"Damn," she thought, not wanting to admit it, "I'm still in love with
him…."