by Tali goddess_tali@yahoo.com.au
Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters of Xena Warrior Princess or Hercules the Legendary Journeys. I don’t own the lyrics to Xena theme or The Gauntlet. (Just try to sue, I’m a minor, haha!) I can’t really do anything set in season 6 since I haven’t seen it *little hint there Jen* and well I have restrained myself and kept away from Whoosh and spoiler sites ( I only end up crying) ENJOY!
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE (YOU WON’T GET THE STORY IF YOU DON’T READ IT!): This is set at the end of season 4, early, I mean very early season 5. I’m rewriting the show :) (I’m sure Rob Tapert would love it) Julius “I have a salad named after me” Caesar still crucifies Gabrielle and Xena, and Brutus (my friend has a dog named Brutus. Yappy little thing) still gets the senate to knock salad boy off. We get up to Xena and Gab dying and going to Heaven before my story butts in. Then....tragedy strikes, Tali gets an idea for a story. This is what happens.......
P.S I seem to have a thing for destroying Thrace. It’s the first name that pops in my head when I want to slaughter a village. So sorry to any Thrace lovers.
Ares gets them off the crosses and puts them in ice coffins (I’m stealing from Looking Death in the Eye) he does the whole speech thing (so sweet, made me cry) and leaves. Joxer, Eli and Amarice find them (don’t ask me how they just do). Eli does the whole healing thing (the guy took credit for something he didn’t even do!) and they wake up. Xena never lost her dark side and all is well. Oh and Ares doesn’t know they’re back. Surprise factor! Now on with my story! (Now after writing all of that I don’t feel like writing a story.)
"You're with her now. I handled you all wrong. I know that. She knew what you needed, unconditional, and unselfish love and I couldn't give that to you. But I appreciated you in ways she never could, your rage, your violence, your beauty. When you sacrificed yourself for others, you were hers, but when you kicked ass, you were mine. I love you, Xena."
Xena awoke in a cold sweat. For nights she had been dreaming of Ares leaning over her dead body and whispering these things to her. He couldn’t have, he wouldn’t have.....not Ares. He manipulated and tortured. No, these dreams were just the doing of her overactive imagination.
Aphrodite played with a lock of her long golden hair, not really listening to anything her father was saying. Usually in a family meeting she could get away with this but today Zeus had asked her to stay behind so that they could discuss something. He sat upon his throne after finishing a sentence waiting for Dite to look at him. After five minutes of the Love Goddess twirling her hair Zeus finally snapped and cleared his throat.
“Ah yeah Daddy?”
“Aphrodite.....” Zeus started in a serious tone, “ We have a problem. Do you know what I am speaking of?”
“You have alot of problems.” Dite quickly shut her mouth from the glare her father bestowed upon her. “That came out wrong. What I mean is are we talking about a little ‘Hera tried to kill Herc again’ prob or the big ‘Ares has lost his mind’ prob?”
“You could have a little more tact when it comes to your brother.”
“So we are talking about tall dark and deadly.”
“He’s been distant of late. Doing his job a little to well.”
“You mean the ‘I’m going to kill everyone in sight’ gig he has going. Look Daddy, Ares was like that for more then a couple of thousand years, then he turned soft. The world got used to, we got used to it.”
“What happened.” Zeus asked rather interested yet trying not to show it.
“She came alone.”
Rogovi zvunove idavt
Napraite put na voina!
Tupani biat vuv ritum
Princhesta e pak tuka!
“Xena? Xena?”
“What is it Gabrielle?” The Warrior Princess was startled out of her thoughts. She turned to see the face of her best friend.
“We’re worried about you Xena. Ever since we were brought back you’ve been distant.”
“We?”
“Eli, Amarice, Joxer and myself. I know what we went through. I was there.”
“Gabrielle, I just haven’t been sleeping well.”
“Nightmares? Of the crucifixion?”
“Not exactly.” Xena murmured.
“You’re saying the problem is this mortal woman. Aphrodite that’s preposterous.” Zeus’ deep laughter filled Olympus. The King of the Gods wiped a tear from his eye before stopping dead in his tracks from seeing the deadly serious look on his daughters face. “You’re serious?”
“Yahuh.” A strange noise escaped Aphrodite’s lips that obviously meant yes.
“A mortal woman?” The King of the Gods lowered himself to his throne once more.
“Not just a mortal woman, Xena. You might of heard of her ya know. The Warrior Princess, Destroyer of Nations, Princess of War, stop me when you hear something familiar.”
“Did she deny him again?” Zeus rolled his eyes, not seeing the serious nature of the conversation now that it was about Ares obsession.
“No, she died.”
“I love you Xena.”
Once again the Warrior Princess was haunted by her dreams. She had no way of knowing how she got in the ice coffin and assumed her mind was just making up an explanation. But of late the dream had not been focusing on the how her body came to lie in the coffin, but more the declaration of love.
It had been a week since Zeus and Aphrodite had talked about Ares after the family meeting. The God of War was getting worse and the world was suffering. Even Athena had kept away, taunting her brother would do no good at a time like this. He was in mourning and only one thing could help him. But alas her soul was forever lost, wasn’t it?
“Everywhere we go war has been. What’s happening?” A small blonde woman asked her traveling companion.
“I don’t know Gabrielle. Maybe Thrace will be better.” A tall dark haired woman replied.
“How long until we get there? My feet hurt.”
“Not long, I can see the city gates.”
“Good!”
An army hacked through defenseless villagers and slit the throats of the cities defenders. Thrace after this day would be no more, and it felt so good. Ares could smell the blood, almost taste it. After years of holding back, being easy on mortals Greece had gotten weak. It was dog food now. The people would suffer like he was, mourn for their loved ones and hate everything around them. Hope had got up and abandoned them all.
“Ares?” For a minute he stopped and listened to his name. Dam his imagination, how dare it play such tricks.
“Ares!” This time it was louder but not the sweet voice of his Princess, no this was the blonde bard. The God of War turned to see a very angry Blonde and the most beautiful sight ever, Xena alive.
Maybe Hope had come back.
“Xena?” It was but a whisper. The war seemed to stop, the violence and killing ceased. “You’re dead.”
“You wish.” Whatever sincerity was in Ares left abruptly with those two sarcastic words.
“You win some you lose some.” A cocky smile replaced the startled look that had occupied his face only moments earlier.
“What’s with all the killing?”
“In case you haven’t noticed, it is my job.”
“Never been this bad before. Athena call you a bad name?” Xena coaxed.
“You look pretty good for a dead woman who was buried in a couple of slabs of ice. How did you get out?” Ares changed the subject.
“How did you know about the ice coffins?” A shocked look came over her face.
“My dear Xena, who do you think put you there, your fairy Godsmother?” Images of her dreams flashed through her mind. Ares cocked an eyebrow and smirked.
“Nice talking to you Xena. Hopefully next time I see you, you won’t be dead. Can’t say the same thing for you Blondie.” In a shower of blue The God of War was gone and had taken his soldiers with him leaving the village perfectly untouched and villagers that were recently dead standing in the square rather confused.
The God of War appeared on his throne on Olympus. It was all to much to take in. Xena was alive, the annoying blonde too. They were definitely dead when he put them in their ice grave. He had made sure of that, fearing it was just a bad dream. But now that he thought about, why wouldn’t she come back. It wouldn’t be the first time. Granted she had the Thief and the little blondes help but she had come back. Xena always was a fighter.
Pozora ia izgori povetche
ot hiliada udara
tova rasbi duha I
Tova koeto ne moge
Da ia ubie
la pravi po silna, po silna
“Like I so told you that was the problem. Xena back equals lots of blood and violent killing stopping. He’s in love Daddy. Maybe you two are more alike then you realize.” Dite smiled at her father before disappearing in a shower of rose petals.
Zeus sat on his throne and contemplated the words his daughter just spoke. His mind wandered to a mortal woman, one he could quiet easily give up his throne for. Maybe Aphrodite was right, the King of the Gods and his son had alot in common.