Enter the Goddess...
Disclaimers on Page One.
PART FOUR
XII
Her eyes opened softly to see the brightness of late day filter into the room. Taking a deep breath in, a heady musky scent caught her. She turned her head, smiling softly.
"Hello," she said.
"Hi," Ares said, his tone soft also, "You've been sleeping, that's good."
"I need it," Xena said, running her hands over the head of her child, "We're setting off to Ephiny's tribe soon."
"The Amazons," Ares nodded, "Excellent."
Xena smiled, "I thought you'd approve."
"I do," he nodded, settling on the bed next to her, slipping a muscled arm around her.
Xena cast a gaze out the window, the sky growing pale from the sun's low position.
"I've been thinking about the incident in the cave."
Ares rose a brow, "What - Hera tricking you?"
"Yes," she said, "I thought - for one awful moment - you'd joined her."
Ares shook his head, "I could have, at any moment..."
She met his dark mahogany orbs.
"I was tempted, too," he nodded, but pulled her close in his embrace, "But nothing Hera would offer me could ever compare with what I have now."
Xena did her damnedest not to sigh right there and then. She blushed, looking down to An.
"That's a relief," she said. Ares winked at her, pointing his hand and bending his thumb in a "you gotcha" fashion. Xena rolled her eyes, snuggling down on the bed.
"I know I seem - cold - sometimes," Xena turned her face, meeting Ares' gaze, "And I know I've been scathing in the past..."
"I don't blame you," Ares said, "I wouldn't trust me!"
"I've come to," she said, "You did good, Ares."
Ares glanced to her, fighting the blush that filled his high-boned cheeks.
"Yeah, don't rub it in," he said, Xena grinning brightly. At her smile he couldn't help but join in - just a little - just a touch. He pursed his lips, letting the corners of his mouth rise in a small smile.
"That's mah boy!" Xena laughed, squeezing his cheek between her fingers. An giggled in her arms, gaahing at the spectacle of her father - the God of War - being babied by the jovial woman next to him. Xena calmed, lazing in Ares' arms, gazing back out the window at the blissfully warm day.
"Oh are you sure you want to move on?"
"We have to Ma," Joxer sighed, securing the saddle-bag to Nippy, "The Amazons are the only ones that can take care of us. Corinth is too risky - warlords after Xena passing through every day!"
Eurepaeda sighed, "Oh, I will miss you!"
Joxer turned. His mother stood at the front of her house, clasping her hands together, a dark green dress hugging her buxom figure, the black shall she wore indicating her state of mourning. Jett and Lethaia stood next to her, soft smiles on their handsome features. With them was Cyrene, a proud expression blessing her beautiful face. Gabrielle stepped to Eurepaeda, slipping into a hug.
"Oh Gabrielle darling!" Eurepaeda planted loud kisses on her cheeks, "You're such a nymph! Look after my son!"
"I will," she grinned.
The mother let loose another sigh. "Of all the places to get yourselves married though!"
"I'm an amazon," Gabrielle said, "My tribe is the right place for me to perform the rites."
"But they don't like men there!" Eurepaeda exclaimed.
"Some reason, they don't have a problem with me," Joxer mumbled. Gabrielle rolled her eyes, Xena stifling a chuckle.
"Just - send me the odd messenger eh? Tell your old Mama how you're doing? I want to see your first baby!"
"Me too," Cyrene smiled. Gabrielle stepped to Cyrene, hugging her tight.
"I'll be back to visit," she said, "I'll drag Xena along with me - you'll see!"
"Good!" Xena's mother smiled cheekily.
Gabrielle turned, Joxer lifting her up onto Nippy. Xena sat like a Queen on Argo's back, a thick blanket wrapped around her, the soft head of An barely poking out of the affair.
"Bye Mama," Joxer said, stepping forward and catching a kiss on his mother's cheek.
"Joxer," she said, taking his hand, "I want you to have these - wear them when you get married..."
His mother's hand uncurled in his, and two heavy somethings fell on his palm. When his mother took her hand away, two gold chunky rings sat in the wake. He gasped.
"Oh Mom!" he gulped, "No! Not the rings!! Your ring!"
"Take them," she said, "I'm a widow - a wedding ring is no use to me."
"But-"
"Joxer," she said, a serious in her tone that silenced him, "I would very much like you both to use them."
He met his mother's brown eyes a moment, large and deep as his own, and he fell into another hug, tears rimming his eyes.
"Thanks Mama - this is - this is great!"
"It's the least I could do for you and Gabrielle," she said with a proud smile.
"I love you," he said. His mother nodded.
"I know, son."
Taking a deep breath in, Joxer moved away from his mother, casting a glance to Xena's.
"Cyrene," He clasped the woman's hand a moment. He looked to Jett, a pensive smile on his sculpted lips.
"Hey," he patted his brother's arm roughly, "Look after Lethie eh?"
"I can look after myself, thanks," she grinned with some indignance.
"I know," Joxer said, "You know what I mean. Don't wear him out eh?"
She grinned wider, "Haha, I'll try not to..."
After a silent moment, Joxer stepped forward, hugging Jett tight.
"Bye brother...."
"Bye Joxer," Jett said, "Congratulations with Gabrielle."
"Thanks."
Joxer hugged Lethaia, "I'll send word when I've written some new songs..."
"Do that," she said, "I'd love to hear them one day."
With that, Joxer turned, leaping up onto Nippy. He smiled over to Xena, who tugging stiffly on Argo's reign, led the golden mare away down the dirt road that wound through Corinth's resident areas.
Xena looked back, waving at the group.
"Bye Ma!! Bye!"
"Bye!" called Jett, Lethaia waving and calling a farewell of her won.
She looked ahead, listening to her friends shout out their happy good-byes. After
a few of the newly repaired white plaster houses had gone by, she heard the frantic
hoof-clops of Nippy making an attempt to catch up to Argo. The horse met up with
hers, snorting at Argo as if complaining to her for being so fast. Argo snorted an
indignant reply, and lifted her nose in the air. Xena looked to Gabrielle, who
smiled to her best friend. There was a happiness in her eyes Xena understood, also a
gratitude that surpassed words. This glorious day they lived now, was only possible
through their building of their life together. Somehow, it had all fallen into
place. Xena glanced up to the sky, knowing the Godly domain that was beyond her
sight, though a part of it was in her heart. She smiled and whispered "Thank
you."
EPILOGUE
The hut stood a little dishevelled, the woman inside weary looking. Her hair, brown and deep with a few silver slivers, kept falling in her round, sad face. A son played at her side, watching his mother pack up the equipment that once belonged to her husband. A fellow walked up to the stall at the side of the house.
"Where's Damocles?"
"He's gone," she said sadly, "We are closing shop."
"Damned shame!" the fellow said, "He was a fine smith!"
"Thank you," she said darkly.
Hades stood at the edge of the clearing between a row of townhouses and the front of the smith shop, invisible. He looked to the God next to him, a puzzled frown on his face.
"You know - I can't help but find this request a little surprising. I mean, really - it isn't your style."
The God sighed, "His demise was Hera's doing. She tricked him with promises for him and his family."
Hades sighed, "He was tempted - he was greedy and taken and now he has to pay the price."
"Just imagine how angry Hera would be, sitting in that jar - all her work undone..."
Hades tilted his head, pouting, wincing when the temptation of annoying the most irritating Goddess he had ever known overwhelmed him.
"Oh, you got me with that one," he shook his head, "Damn it. Okay! I'll bring him back!"
"Good," he smiled, "Well - no time like the present."
Hades sighed, waving an arm up through the air. In the wake of the swish of air, the form of a man faded into existence. He blinked, looking over himself, looking at his hands in front of him. He took a step forward, peering with disbelief at the woman at the stall. She stopped in the middle of lifting a basket of shoes, and dropped them in the sand suddenly.
"Damocles!! Oh thank the GODS!!"
She nearly tripped over the basket, staggering out into her husbands arms. The little boy's neck stretched as he blinked, a large grin splashing across his features.
"DADDY!!"
The smith knelt to his family, receiving them in the rough embrace, the three of them falling over into a laughing heap. Tears streamed down the woman's face, Damocles' eyes joyous beyond belief.
Hades looked to the God.
"Happy?"
The God nodded, "Yes, thank you Hades."
"Well, I'd love to stick around, but I have the Underworld to manage. Don't fill it up too quickly will you?"
"I don't think so," he replied, "Take care."
"Goodbye, Ares," Hades said.
Look out for the next part - The Amazon King.