forming beneath the altar. It was at that moment that the best part of Livia's heart began to die; the part that knew what love really was. Once again someone had died to save her.  Only this time that person was the only woman she'd ever called mother.  A sudden surge of hot, but helpless rage flooded Livia’s body, and she found herself wanting to do something to avenge her mother’s death.

"Ah, they would have come out by now," Alec said with a growl of frustration. There was no point in staying here, when Octavious' charge was somewhere else to be found. Livia's sacrifice on this altar would surely prove him more worth of Ares favor than Octavious. Yes, he had to find Livia if he hoped to win in his campaign against Roman oppression.

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

The last of Alec's footsteps faded and Livia pushed the floor covering completely back.  She then pulled Brigid out behind her and the two girls faced the altar.  Their heart broke at the sight of Ann's beautiful eyes, which had once been full of such love and light, clouded in death and staring up into eternity.  Their mother was gone and a war party of guards from the temple of Ares had the Academy under siege. How long would they be able to hide before someone finally found them?

"Momma."

Brigid began to cry but Livia remained oddly calm. The hurt she expected to feel at the sight of the only loving mother figure of her life, lying dead on an altar to Ares had been strong in the crawl space, but now it was fading away.  It was replaced by anger and the frustration that followed behind her helpless rage.  Livia knew she and Brigid had limited time before either Mistress Odessa, the traitor who had gotten Ann murdered, woke up and held them there for Alec to find, or Alec himself came back and finished the sacrifice to Ares. 

Though she were only nine years old, Livia was intelligent enough to know she and Brigid couldn't keep hiding in he floor space. It was only a matter of time before they were found.

Another odd sensation was the anger she was feeling toward Brigid for acting like such a big baby in this crisis. They didn't have time for her to stand around and cry. They had to jump into action and save their own skins. Tears would not accomplish that.

"Brigid, pull yourself together."

The tone in Livia's voice surprised Brigid and she looked over at Livia who was staring down at Ann's dead face. Livia closed Ann's eyes then pulled Brigid away.  Both girls were unaware that Ares was still in the temple watching the entire exchange with more than a passing interest in Livia’s behavior. 

"But they killed our Mom!"

"I know they did. We've gotta run now or they'll-"

"But we can't leave her!"

Then Livia said the words that were really the source of her anger.  "We're not leaving her! She left us!"

Brigid jerked away from Livia as surely as she would have stumbled back had Livia just slapped her across the face. Her words had the same effect. "What's wrong with you Livie? Why are you talking like that?"

"Talking like what?"

"So...cold. Like you don't care about Mommy anymore."

The anger in Livia's heart began to boil and she didn't know what to do with it. Was she angry with Brigid as much as she was angry with the men who'd killed Ann? She didn't know why all she could feel was anger but she was powerless to stop the rage growing within. She felt betrayed by Ann, and all sorts of thoughts filtered through Livia's young mind with lightning speed.

This woman was supposed to love and care for her, not die for her. Not leave her with only her own wits to keep herself and Brigid alive! She was only ten years old! This was too much to ask of her. They could have all fit into the floor space and been safe...

"Well, maybe I don't!" Livia answered Brigid angrily, pulling herself away from her thoughts. "She should have hid with us! Now she's dead and...we're gonna die too if we don't get out of here. It will only be so long before they check the floor Spider. We have to leave."

"But if we leave," Brigid said with an irritating whine in her voice, "they'll catch us!”

Livia caught sight of the dagger on the floor at the foot of Ares throne and ran over to it. It might come in handy later for cutting thorns and vines out of the way or for cleaning fish. There was no telling how long they would have to hid out in the forest before it was safe to go back home, or before someone they could trust took them in and cared for them.

"Fine. You've got a choice, you can stay here and die with Mommy or you can make a run for it with me. Mother is dead Spider. There's nothing we can do about it."

"You've got that right."

Livia looked around to find their betrayer holding on to Brigid's wrist, and she was coming around the altar to get her as well. Livia knew that if they didn't get away from her, it was all over for both of them.  Alec would murder them both, thereby making Ann’s sacrifice in vain.  Though angry with Ann and feeling abandoned by her, Livia knew in her heart she would do all in her power to stop Odessa from cheapening Ann’s gift.  How she would do that was a mystery to Livia. It was something she knew she would have to let her instincts lead her to.

Livia's hand tightened around the dagger as Mistress Odessa came around the altar to claim her. The sight of the woman's wicked, self-satisfied grin only served to make the boiling anger in Livia's heart spill over into the fire raging within her soul. It was all Odessa's fault! Those guards wouldn't have even known about this secret temple had she not told on them. Now her mother was dead and it was all because of Odessa.

Livia put away all thought and allowed her instincts to guide her.  When Odessa was close enough she gripped the dagger as tightly as she could.  With a cry of rage and all the strength her ten-year-old body could muster, Livia released as much of her anger and frustration on Odessa as she could.

Livia swung the dagger in an eerily accurate arc that cut deep across Odessa's throat. The woman was completely unprepared for the attack and at first wasn't entirely certain what had happened. She just watched in horror as her life-giving blood sprayed from her neck across Livia's face and chest, then let go of Brigid's hand.  Odessa stumbled back and before she could grab her throat she fell to the floor dead.

With her life Ann was avenged, but all of Livia’s innocence died with her. She was painfully aware that she was no longer an ordinary, innocent child.  She was a killer now, and no matter how hard she tried she just couldn’t make herself care.

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

Ares had watched Livia from the moment she exited the floor space until now with ever growing interest. Unlike the red haired girl who was obviously the daughter of his sacrifice, Livia had remained calm and kept her thoughts ordered.  She hadn't panicked and come out of hiding until the moment was right, and when she saw her dead mother she began to think up a plan of action.  A plan of action that would surely have led to her death but hell, she was only ten years old.

He also recognized anger and strength, and Livia had both of these in a healthy, self-destructive combination. She was only ten years old and she had, without hesitation, made her first kill. She was a diamond in the rough as far as the god of War was concerned, and much too valuable to offer as a sacrifice. Without even realizing it, Livia had proved herself worthy of his protection. For now.

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

"Livia!" Brigid said, staring at her blood-soaked friend with a mixture of awe and horror. More horror than anything else.

The feel of Odessa's blood covering her chest and face, not to mention her hand, was oddly familiar to Livia. She wasn't the least bit shocked, as Brigid was, that she could do something like this.  To be quite honest with herself, she had a feeling of calm about her first kill. Maybe it was shock, but she couldn't deny the feeling of satisfaction that replaced her feelings of helplessness. She had, in one short moment, avenged Ann's death and sated the anger that had threatened to drive her mad only seconds ago. It had been so...simple to do.  By slashing her blade across Odessa’s neck, she’d satisfied her rage.

What was even stranger was that her first kill felt so familiar to her.  It was almost as if she'd done it hundreds of times before instead of only this once.  The sight of Mother's beautiful face and long flowing blond hair came back to her mind. Not Ann's face, but the face of the woman she had created to be her mother when she still lived in Rome under the tyranny of her nanny Delphia.

If Livia only knew, the face she saw less and less as she grew older belonged to Callisto. Not the angel Callisto had become to conceive Eve with Xena, but the evil warrior of her dark past. Mother was pleased with Livia for standing up for herself, and Livia knew in her heart that if anyone ever threatened her or Brigid again, she would kill again, without hesitation.

And she would like it.

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

Alec entered the temple to find Odessa's throat slashed, his dagger missing and the floor space exposed. He could feel his head begin to throb as he realized two children had fooled him and he screamed in rage.

"Search the grounds! I want Livia found, and I want her brought to me now!"

"Alec."

Alec turned to find Ares seated in his throne, and he immediately fell to his knees, as did his minions. "My god! The two girls have deprived you-"

"Don't you mean they've deprived you? I never asked for their sacrifice."

Alec stumbled over his words, unsure of what to say. He had been so certain that Ares liked to receive sacrifices as much as he liked to give them. He watched Ares stand and wave his hand over Ann's body. It faded away, leaving nothing behind but her blood. He took up a place over Alec and stared down at them. How he enjoyed their fear. It was so intoxicating.

"Livia killed Odessa."

"Odessa?"

Ares rolled his eyes at Alec's stupidity. "The other woman fool! She's only ten years old and already she's outsmarted you. Not to mention she's made her first kill."

"Yes my god," Alec's voice reflected reverence, but inside he was beginning to burn with resentment. He'd served Ares his entire life, now he was siding with a child over him? How dare he!

"Do you know what the best part is? She liked killing. I could feel it. She's got potential and I intend to mold her into a great warrior. I don't want you doing anything to ruin my plans.  Do what you want with Livia’s sister.  Killing her will add more fuel to the fire, but Livia isn’t to be touched.  Do you understand me Alec?"

"Of course, my god?" Alec already had visions of cutting little Livia's tender throat for coming between him and his god's favor. Regardless of what Ares said, he would have his revenge. When the child's blood flowed over Ares altar, the god of War would see the error of his ways. If Alec understood one thing about his god, it was Ares appreciation for initiative.

"Now go."

"But, my god, what about the other sacrifices?"

"If you want to slaughter these sheep then be my guest. I've had enough sacrifice for one day." Ares turned and walked back toward his throne. With his godly vision he could see a ghostly image of Livia and Brigid running for their lives deeper into the forest. He would test her there. Make sure she was the one who would one day replace his most beloved warrior. Xena.

Ares faded away, leaving an angry and resentful Alec behind, with intentions to defy his god by hunting Livia down and killing her.

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

 

Livia and Brigid ran as fast and as hard as they could through the thick vegetation of the forest that surrounded the Academy grounds. Every muscle in their bodies burned and their breath came in ragged gasps, but their will to survive was stronger than their desire to rest. They pushed themselves on for what seemed like hours, until they came to a trail that had obviously not been in use for quite some time.

"Look," Livia said, drawing Brigid's attention to the trail. "We can go left or right. Which way?"

"Maybe we should go straight."

Livia studied the bush before them. It was obviously too thick to run through, and if they were forced to cut their way through they would leave too much evidence of their presence for any trackers searching for them, not to mention the time and effort it would waste.

"No, we can't go straight. It'll slow us down too much. Do you know what's to the left?"

Brigid shook her head no. "I've never been this deep in the forest before. I don't even know if I can find our way back."

"I say we go right then."

"Why?"

"I don't know. It just feels right,” Livia said in irritation. The satisfaction she’d known after killing Odessa was almost gone and it seemed her nerves were raw in her body.  Everything from the sound of Brigid’s voice to the every bug that flew past her filled her with rage.  What was happening to her? Why was she still so angry?

The two girls took off in the right hand path, heading still deeper into the forest. It was only a partially lucky choice, for the left path would have only led them back to the Academy where the guards were still hunting and killing the girls in sacrifice to Ares, but they were also running closer to Alec and his most loyal soldiers as they searched for Livia and Brigid to kill them. 

As they traveled, a heavy rain began to pour, each drop hitting their skin like shards of ice and robbing their bodies of precious warmth. Why was this rain so cold? The day had been so hot earlier. Livia forced her mind from her physical discomfort and trudged on, pulling Brigid behind her.

The path they were traveling dwindled until they were once again walking in the thick trees of the forest. The sky above was darkening and the rain showed no sign of letting up any time soon. Add to that the two girls hadn't eaten since that morning and they had been through the worst trauma of their lives, it was a miracle they were still on their feet.

"Livie, we have to find-"

"Shhh!" Livia lay a hand over Brigid's lips. She'd heard something. Perhaps it was fear, or perhaps she was just lucky, but her senses had somehow sharpened enough that she could feel something near by. A second later she heard the unmistakable crunch of a twig beneath a man's weight, and both girls froze in place.

"We have to get out of here," Livia warned. She searched the trees for the intruder but saw no one. No doubt their pursuers, wiser in the ways of hunting and tracking, were upon them and they didn't even know it.

"How?" Brigid whispered.

"There!"

Both girls screamed at the sound of the guard’s voice, which was much too close for comfort. Livia allowed her instincts to take over once again and she pulled Brigid in an all out run through the trees.

After a short while Brigid stopped and leaned against a tree, breathless and holding her side. "I can't run anymore!" Brigid whined. Livia would hear none of it. They had to keep running or they would die. She tightened her grip on her adopted sisters hand and pulled her along.

"Move it Brigid! We have to, for Mom!"

The sound of their pursuers running after them was becoming louder and closer, and Livia began to feel in her heart they were fighting a useless battle. The men were closing in on them terribly fast and they were too tired, weak and scared to keep it up.

Livia pulled Brigid around a tree only to smack into a wall of flesh and fall back, on top of Brigid. When she looked up, it was into the handsome face of a man she'd never seen before. He was dressed in leather with short hair and a mustache, and the grin he offered her sent chills through her. However, the more she looked at him, the more familiar he felt.  It was as if she'd met him before, a long time before but she couldn’t quite put a finger on it.  Brigid began to cry and scoot away from him, but Livia bravely held her place.

"Are you going to kill us like you killed Mom?"

"I didn't kill your Mom, Livia.”

"I know you.  You're Mars!" Livia was stunned. Never had she met a god before. Or had she? There was something oddly familiar about his face...

"I prefer to be called Ares. Mars sounds like something from outer space."

"What?"

"Never mind." He pulled Livia to her feet just as Alec and his men came upon them in the forest. Alec was shocked to find his god here protecting his prey.

"Ares, my god! What are you doing here?"

Ares looked down at Livia, who was pulling Brigid to her feet and comforting her. He'd work that soft streak right out of Livia, given time...

"Watch and learn Livia," Ares instructed. He turned to Alec and the group of five men that had played follow the leader into the forest after the two girls. "Alec. I thought I told you not to touch this child."

Alec licked his lips as his mouth had suddenly become dry. "My god.  I-I-"

"You directly defied an order from me. You know how I hate disobedience."

"Yes, but you also appreciate initiative. I was going to sacrifice her to you! Show you the error of you ways for protecting this-"

"Error of my ways!" Ares was now in Alec's face and his words echoed like thunder in the increasingly darkening forest. "You would dare say I, Ares the god of War was wrong!"

"No, my god! You misinterpret my meaning-"

Ares threw his hands up in the air again, disgusted. Something bad was about to happen; Livia and Brigid could feel it. The difference between the two girls was, it frightened Brigid, but Livia was looking forward to seeing the man who’d murdered her mother get his comeuppance. 

"This is it," Livia said, squeezing Brigid's hand tightly. "Ares is going to avenge Mom's death."

"You already did that.  Livie, I just want to go home."

Ares lay his hands on Alec's shoulders. "Now you're saying I'm wrong again? Are you, Alec?"

Alec held his head down in shame. He'd horribly misjudged Ares. Perhaps, if Ares believed him contrite over his actions he would spare him.

Nothing doing. Ares grabbed Alec's head in both hands and twisted as hard as he could. Alec's neck snapped like a twig, and he fell to the ground, dead. The other guard's cowered in fear, barely resisting the urge to run. They shouldn't have resisted too hard.

"And you! After I gave the order Livia wasn't to be touched, you went after her anyway. You will all pay for your sin against me."

Ares threw ball after ball of electric blue energy at the men, disintegrating them before they had a chance to run for cover. It was all over in a matter of seconds, and Ares turned to Livia and Brigid.  He’d wanted to get rid of the red-head but he’d have to make other arrangements for that.  He knew that if Brigid remained in Livia’s life their bond of sisterhood would heal the hurt in Livia’s heart, and he couldn’t allow that.  He needed that pain to stay right where it was so he could nurture it until it grew like a cancer that ate away at her heart and soul until she was as dead inside as he was. Then and only then would she be the ultimate warrior like the one he’d once had in Xena.

"Make your way back to the Academy by morning.  The place will be safe, I promise you.  Do that, and you will have my favor Livia. I will make you powerful beyond your wildest dreams, and you will never have to worry about anyone hurting you, or your sister ever again. Understand me?"

Livia nodded, her heart racing at the idea of being the favorite of a god. Any god. She waited until Ares faded away and then turned to Brigid. "Did you hear that Spider? Ares is going to give me his favor. He'll probably make me a great warrior one day! Then we'll be safe forever.   I’ll be your protector and no one will ever hurt us again.  That is, if we can get back to the Academy before day break. Isn't this great?"

Brigid nodded unenthusiastically. All she wanted to do was sleep and escape the nightmare that this day had turned into. She'd lost her mother, and her best friend had killed another human being. The scariest part was, Livia seemed too angry to care.  Was there anything she could do to stop Livia from turning into the same kind of monster Alec was?

“Come on," Livia said, pulling Brigid with her in search of home. "We don't know where we are anymore and we don’t know how long it will take us to find the Academy.  Lets move.” 

Livia and Brigid set out on their journey to the Academy. They would try to get on with the rest of their lives, but Livia was unable to see that with every step she and Brigid took on the path to the Academy, Livia was taking one step closer to Ares. Every step she took closer to the god of War was one step closer she took to the death of her own soul.

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

Ares found the messenger assigned to carry Livia’s reports of her well-being to and from Octavious. The man was the perfect soldier, and that was on of the things Ares liked most about Roman’s.  They really knew how to churn out a killer.

“Abderus, sir,” Ares said, disguised as a foot soldier.  Abderus turned to him, his face a mask of disdain for his subordinate. 

“I’m trying to locate Livia.  You seen her?”

“No sir, but Cignus said he saw a girl fitting her description making her way in by the lake. I also found that the slave girl that was assigned to her-“

“Brigid, yes I know her. What about her?”  Abderus watched as his men lined the soldiers of the temple of Ares up for execution. 

“Her mother was killed.”

Abderus shook his head with pity for the child, but he had a duty to find Livia.  “That’s too bad.  Dimitri! Take over for me here.  When all the raiders have been chained, behead them and send them back to Greece.”

“Yes sir!”

Abderus made his way to his horse to go in search of Livia.  “Where did you say she was again?”

“By the lake.  Brigid sir, she’s an orphan now. Academy policy is orphans are to be sold and proceeds are to be given to the school.”

“I know the policies foot soldier.  I don’t need you to remind me.  I’ll take care of it.  Now back to work.”

“Right,” Ares said. If only Abderus had known whom he was talking to…Abderus would have Brigid taken and sold into slavery before the sun rose the next day.  That meant Livia was all his.

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

Livia and Brigid arrived back at the Academy, the bodies of many of the girls they’d known since they arrived here lying on the grounds, their togas soaked red with their blood.  Luckily for them Octavious’ men had taken the Academy back, and the place was no longer under siege from the renegade temple guard’s.

Abderus, the contact that had visited Livia and checked on her progress found the two girls making their way around the lake.  He rushed them home, fed the two girls and listened to every detail of what they had experienced in the woods, minus of course Livia's killing of Odessa and Ares promise to give her his favor if she made it back home before sunset. Not because she feared rebuke, but because she knew he would never believe her. He would chalk it up to the overactive imagination of a frightened ten-year-old girl and leave it at that. Besides, her gut told her not to reveal every secret she had.

After eating a light meal a soldier escorted an exhausted Livia and Brigid up to their rooms and closed the door with the promise that Livia would be kept under guard from now on, by Octavious' order. Livia could care less now. All she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep. To her dismay, Brigid began to bombard her with question after question.

"How come you don't cry over Mom? It's like you don't care about her."

"Of course I care about her!" Livia answered, indignant. "How could you say I don't?"

"I said you act like you don't. I never said you didn't."

Livia had been asking herself that same question and she knew she was only avoiding the subject. When she heard Alec kill the only adult that had ever told her she loved her, something inside seemed to go numb. No, Livia corrected herself. Something died. Most of her heart and her ability to love just died in her chest. All she had now was Brigid and her anger. An anger that seemed bigger and stronger than she.

Now, she had found the favor of the very god her adopted Mother had been sacrificed to. Part of her resented Ares, part of her longed to learn what he had to teach her so she would never have to worry about someone hurting her or Brigid ever again.  She would become strong, just like the faded image of her make-believe Mother, and she would never let anyone hurt her or her sister again.

"I'm all alone now. I don't have my Dad or my Mom."

"You have me."

"But I'm an orphan now. They'll sell me and we'll never see each other again."

"Nobody is going to sell you Brigid. I promise you that. As long as Octavious cares for me, he'll care for you too. Go to sleep now. We'll talk in the morning."

Brigid seemed reluctant but she finally agreed.  "O.K. I love you Livie."

Part of Livia's steadily cooling heart warmed at Brigid's words. "I love you too Spider.  I’ll see you tomorrow."

Livia watched Brigid lie back against the pillows and fall asleep to the sound of the thunderstorm. She felt her own physical fatigue take over, and cuddled up next to her sister. Livia fell asleep just before she heard the terrified screams of the guards who'd raided the Academy being executed three floors below her window. She also had no way of knowing that when she woke up tomorrow, the last reason she had to love would be gone forever.

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

The next day Livia awoke to find the bed empty. At first she thought nothing of it, but when Brigid failed to appear from the dressing room she became concerned. She got up and went to the door to find a Roman guard standing outside.

"Excuse me sir."

The guard gave Livia a friendly smile and bent over to speak to her on her level. Livia hated it when adults condescended to her like that, but she ignored it.  Her concern for her best friend was more important than her pride.

"Good morning! What can I do for you?"

"Have you seen Abderus?"

"He's preparing to leave now. If we hurry, we can catch him before he’s gone."

Livia and her guard ran down the three flights of steps to the front exit, just as Abderus nudged his horse into motion.

"Abderus sir!  Wait!"

Abderus stopped his horse and smiled down at Livia. "Livia! I would have thought you would have slept in this morning. What with the night you've had-"

"Forgive me for interrupting," Livia said sweetly, barely masking her growing panic, "but I seem to have misplaced spider.” 

“Spider?”

“Sorry,” Livia said, remembering the nickname was one only she, Brigid and…only a few people knew. “I meant Brigid.” 

Abderus looked away, suddenly uncomfortable and Livia's panic worsened, especially at his next words. "I'm sorry Livia, but Brigid is gone."

"What? Gone where? Where did you take her?"

"Because she was an orphan school policy dictates she cannot remain here.  She has been sold with the other orphaned slaves-"

"No!" Livia's blood ran cold in her veins. Brigid had been afraid this would happen, and Livia had just brushed her sister's concerns aside as if they were nothing. If only she hadn't been so wrapped up in her own fantasies of Ares and becoming a warrior! Maybe she could have saved her.

"Bring her back! She's my sister!"

“She’s a slave Livia, not your-“

Livia rushed up and began beating on Abderus’ leg with all her strength. “You bring her back!  Bring her back!”

Abderus shook his head. "I'm sorry Livia. She was taken in the middle of the night. She's long gone. It will be almost impossible-"

“No!”  Livia couldn’t listen to anymore so she took off into a blind run, not knowing or caring what else Abderus had to say. Tears streamed from her eyes in rivers. They had come and taken Brigid in the middle of the night, and she hadn't even woken up to see it. After all her talk of becoming a warrior to protect herself and Brigid, she'd been unaware that they had stolen the only family she had left in the world.

Just as she had been years before in Rome, living with Delphia, Livia was alone with no one to care for her.   She’d come so far and loved her adopted family so much, and in only the span of a few hours she’d lost the only mother and sister she would ever have.  Now she had no one to love her, and she had no one to love.

No one but Ares.

Livia determined in her heart and soul that she would be at the mercy of man no more. She was determined to become a warrior, but for different reasons than those she'd had only hours before when Brigid had still been in her life. She would learn to fight.  Not to protect those who couldn't protect themselves, but to avenge the loss of the only family she'd ever known. It seemed the world had done nothing but hurt her since the day she'd been born, and now they would pay. They would all pay.

Livia ran from the Academy and all of the warm, loving memories she had built up over the past four years.  She made a conscious decision that with each step she took away from the school was a step she would take to becoming an ultimate warrior. 

Livia ran as fast and hard as she could from the innocence of her childhood, and straight into the waiting arms of the god of War.

The End of Chapter One