Xena was on her way to visit King Lias, and his daughter, Diana, and her husband, Philemon. It was their anniversary in about a week, and they were going to have a party. It was almost dusk, and she was starting to make camp. Gabrielle was off in the Amazon Village, tending to some matters. Since Xena never really felt welcome there, she decided to let Gabrielle go by herself. So here she was, in the woods. She bent over to pick up one last log, and headed back to camp. When she got a fire going, she laid down on her bedroll. She quickly fell asleep. Snap! Xena’s eyes flicked open. She reached for her sword. When she found it, she held it tightly in her hand, and soundlessly got up. Snap! There it was again. The sound came from behind a bush. She approached it cautiously. Then she quickly lunged at the bush, stabbing and thrashing with her sword. "OW! By the gods, stop it!" a voice said. Xena stopped and drew back. Ares popped out from behind the bush. "Ares," Xena said calmly, hiding her surprise. "Was that absolutely necessary?" Ares asked angrily, examining his hand. Xena walked over to him. Something caught her eye. Blood. Ares’s blood. A large cut was on the palm of his hand. "You’re mortal. Who stole your sword, where can I find them, and is there a time limit?" she asked, sounding like a child reciting rules they knew by heart. Ares smiled. "Nobody stole my sword. Zeus is suspending me from my god hood," Ares replied. "I’m not even going to ask why." "I’m cursed to be mortal for a whole month," Ares said. "So you decided to spend it torturing me? Why am I not surprised?" Xena said. "Let me take a look at that cut." She took his hand and led him to a log where they both sat. "It’s not bad," Ares said. "New rule. Don’t sneak up on an ex-warlord at night, in the dark, unless you’re suicidal," Xena said. Ares’s laughed. "I’ll have to remember that." "You’re right, it isn’t bad. Um…sorry," she said quietly. "I knew you still cared about me," Ares said slyly. She glared at him. "Well, where are you headed tomorrow?" Ares asked. "I’m visiting some friends. King Lias, Princess Diana, and Prince Philemon. In a week or so they’re having a party for their anniversary. They wanted me to be there," she answered, neglecting to tell him that Diana was one of her remarkably coincidental identical twins. "So why are you here, if not to get me to help you?" she asked. "I just thought I’d spend the month with you," he replied. "And what makes you think you’re welcome to?" Xena asked. "You couldn’t turn me away, could you?" Ares asked. "Watch me," Xena said. "Aw, come on, Xena," Ares said. "After all that we’ve been through, you’re just going to ignore me?" "And just what have we been through?" Xena asked irritably. "Tell me you haven’t forgotten," Ares said. "I’ve been there since the beginning. Remember your warlord days? Remember when I gave you your chakram as a gift after one year of leading my army?" Xena closed her eyes, and fingered the chakram at her hip. Memories flooded into her mind. Memories of Ares, who was always there for her. Who had never lied to her. Who constantly warned her, though she paid little heed. Who gave the chakram to her, and taught her how to use it. Who, at his best moments, could make her laugh and smile. Who was the only one who could give her that devious grin that made you give into him and get away with it. She opened her eyes. Ares was looking at her pleadingly. She sighed. "I’m supposed to stay at the palace for a month, since Gabrielle is gone. They might let you stay with me, if I asked. Fine with you?" "Sure," Ares said. "I guess you weren’t lying when you said I was ‘irresistible’." "I guess not," Xena muttered. Ares smiled triumphantly, and Xena glared at him. "Here," she said, tossing him a bedroll. "We should get some sleep." He laid the bedroll out. "Good night, my forever stubborn warrior," he said, when he was comfortably laying down. "Night." Ares awoke the next morning to find Xena gone. He rolled his bedroll up, and went to look for her. After a couple of minutes, he found her up to her shoulders in water in a stream nearby. He folded his arms, smiled, and leaned against a tree. "When are we heading out?" Xena whirled around. "You…" she started, about to get angry with him, but there was that grin. "When I’m finished, and we’ve eaten." "What’s for breakfast?" "Rabbit." She moved closer to the shore, but before exposing anything, she asked, "Do you mind?" "Not at all," he replied, but made no move to turn. Xena threw him a warning look. "Fine, fine," Ares said, putting his hands in the air, as if surrendering. He obediently turned around. Xena got out, dried off, and put her armor back on. "You can bathe, and I’ll get the food," she said, and walked back to the campsite. It was well past dark when they arrived at their destination. Once they were in town, Ares noticed something strange. All of the peasants and guards still out were immediately moving out of their way, or asking if they needed assistance. And when they reached the castle, they weren’t questioned, they were just led in. Xena, seeing the surprised look on Ares’s face, smiled. When they were in the castle, a servant called for the king. The two were almost immediately greeted by a happy man. "Xena!" he said. "Who’s your friend?" "King Lias, Ares. Ares, King Lias," she introduced. "I ran into Ares on the road, and I thought that he may be able to join me in my stay at the palace," she explained. "Any friend of yours is a friend of ours. We welcome him to stay," Lias said. "Thank you," Xena said. "So, where are Philemon and Diana?" "They’ll be here in a couple of minutes," the king replied. Lias and Xena chitchatted for a while. They were interrupted by a musical voice say, "Xena!" Ares gasped. The trio looked up to find a Xena lookalike dressed in a gown. "Hello, Diana," Xena said. The two girls embraced. "And who is this?" Diana asked. "Diana, this is Ares. Ares, this is Diana," Xena introduced, stifling a laugh. Ares was totally and utterly in awe. "Ares is a friend of hers, and he is going to stay here as well," Lias said. "Oh," Diana said. "Hello, Xena!" a man’s voice called. The four looked up to find Prince Philemon. "Philemon," Xena said. "This is Ares. He’s going to join me on my stay here," Xena said. "Oh, good. Are we still on for the play tomorrow night? He can come, of course," Philemon said. Xena looked at Ares. He shrugged. "Sure," Xena said. "Have you eaten?" Diana asked. "Yes, we had dinner," Xena answered. "Well then, I suppose we should get some sleep. You can get up whenever you feel like it. I think it would be nicer if you dressed in something more royal. There are clothes in your rooms. If you want to talk to one of us, come and find us, or ask someone where we are. We’ll have a servant show you your rooms," Lias said, and clapped his hands. Two servants immediately appeared. "Show our guests their quarters." Ares and Xena followed the servants up a staircase. "Here is your room, miss," one said. "And yours is on the left side of hers, sir," the other said, and the two servants left. "Do you want me to wake you up in the morning?" Xena asked. "Sure," he said. "Well, good night, Xena." "Good night, Ares," she replied, and walked into her room. When she got inside, she took in the magnificent surroundings. Nice accommodations, she thought to herself. There was a bed, a couch, a fireplace, a balcony that overlooked the gardens, tables, chairs, and chests full of clothes. She took her armor off and laid down on the bed. She easily fell asleep. When Ares got into his room, he did the same thing Xena did. Took in the surroundings and thought about how nice they were. The only difference was that he couldn’t get to sleep. He walked onto the balcony, leaned over, and looked down. Beautiful, he thought. I can’t believe she let me come with her. He walked back in and laid down on the bed. After much tossing and turning, he fell asleep. Xena woke up before dawn, as usual. She looked through the chests to find something in her size. How I hate wearing dresses. I can’t believe that Diana does everyday, she thought. She was taller than most women, so it was usually hard to find something to wear. But to her surprise, she had quite a selection. Diana is about my size, she reminded herself. Of course there’d be a lot to choose from. Something caught her eye. She pulled a blood red silk dress from a chest. For a brief moment, she thought of Caesar. Of Pompey. Of the day she seduced Caesar, or rather, the day Caesar seduced her. Of the party she attended when she was in Rome to rescue Vercinix. Of how irresistible the two men could be, yet they always found some way to irritate her. She shook her head. No reason to live in the past. She’d disposed of Pompey, and Brutus disposed of Caesar. She felt a quick pang of something. Guilt? Sorrow? Remorse? Yes. As much as she hated to admit it, she felt sorry that they were dead. Are you getting soft? she asked herself. They were double-crossing jerks. Back stabbers. (At least Pompey was.) She put the dress back and brought out another one. At least it doesn’t look like it’s from Stigera. It was meant to fit tightly on the wearer. Why not show off my figure? Give Ares something to dream about, she thought. What?! Give Ares something to dream about?! Are you insane?! What are you thinking?! She slipped the dress on. It laced up in the back, so it took her a couple of minutes. After that, she put on diamond earrings. Deciding she looked good enough, she left her room. She walked into Ares’s quarters to find him sleeping. She crept over to him. "Ares," she whispered. Getting no reaction, she shook him. "Xena?" he asked, trying to blink the sleep away. "Xena!" he exclaimed, when his eyes focused on her. "You look like an Empress!" he said. Xena smiled. "So what are we going to do today?" Ares asked. "Don’t know. Wander around the palace, I guess. They’re not at war, or anything interesting like that. They’re at an unnerving point of peace right now. Besides the play and the party, there isn’t anything else planned that I know of," she said. "When I’m dressed, I’ll meet you in your room. Okay?" Ares said. "Sure," Xena said, and left. When she was back in her room, she looked in the mirror. Forgot to brush your hair, she scolded. When she completed that task, she absently walked to the balcony. Leaning on the stone railing, she looked down. The scenery was breathtaking. Beautifully groomed bushes, flowers, trees, and a fountain in the midst of it all. She heard the door open, but didn’t turn around. Since Ares was mortal, she could only faintly feel his presence. Confident, dark, dangerous, passionate, and at times, frightening. She felt two strong arms wrap around her waist. "You look more beautiful than Aphrodite," Ares whispered in her ear. They stood in silence for awhile, looking at the scenery round them. "What are we going to do?" Xena asked. "Take a walk in the garden," Ares said. Xena rolled her eyes. "You’re desperate, aren’t you?" she asked. "Me? No," Ares said, smiling his devious grin. "Why do people insist on wearing these clothes?" Xena asked after a moment of silence. "Don’t know. Why, are you uncomfortable?" Ares asked. "I just despise dresses," she said. "You look almost like you did in Illus—" he commented, but stopped short. "What?!" Xena whispered. "How could you know that?" She pulled away from his arms. He sighed. "I suppose I should start at the beginning," he said. "Every once in awhile, I visit Solan in the Elysian Fields." "You what?!" Xena whispered. "He’s the son of my favorite warrior, and he likes to hear about his mother. And I like to tell. Anyway, he knew that you and Gabrielle were drifting apart. He wanted to help, so he asked me for assistance. I helped him create Illusia. Me getting you to attempt to kill Gabrielle, and Gabrielle hurling you both off the cliff was part of the plan." "But what was in it for you?" Xena asked. "I’d have been your warrior again." "If Gabrielle were to die, your spirit and soul would die with her. You’d just be a shell, and of no use to me," Ares said. "May I continue?" Xena nodded. "I created Illusia and used friends and foes to help you two to overcome your hatred. Joxer, Callisto, the warriors, the villagers, Caesar, Krafstar, and all of the others were replicas of the real people. All of them but myself and Solan." "I don’t believe you. Your lying. This is just another scheme. Besides, you couldn’t sing if your life depended on it," Xena said. Ares rolled his eyes. "So sure of yourself, aren’t you?" he asked. Xena glared at him. Ares hesitated, but decided to prove he was there with her. So you think I can’t sing, huh? "You’re lost and confused, but I understand. This once beloved friend has been slain by your hand. You feel all alone, betrayed and adrift. But maybe her loss can be viewed as a gift. Now I’ll be your rock, your strength and support. Your close confidant, with whom you can consort. I know you completely. Come melt into me. Unleash the power…of your destiny. You’ve proved to yourself now that you’ve made the kill that you’re just like me, with as evil a will. Our forces are meant to be merged into one. The world will be panicked when our work is done. Let the music of war—with its lustful refrain—arouse us to heights, with a passionate strain. Imagine how awesome together we’d be. So feel what I’m feeling. Come melt into me." "Wow." Xena was at a loss of words. "If you’d like, I’d happily prove I can dance," Ares said, smiling his devilish grin. "No, that’s okay. You were there. I just can’t believe you’d do that for Gabrielle and I," Xena said. "It was Solan’s idea," he said. "You said that you tell him about me?" Xena asked. "Yeah. Like I said, he loves to hear, and I love to tell," Ares said. "How about that walk in the garden?" Xena said. "Lead the way." "We should get ready for the play," Xena said. It was a couple hours before dusk, and the two were standing outside the bedrooms. "Meet you in your room in an hour?" Ares suggested. "Sure," Xena agreed. She walked into her room. Gods! What happened today? Did I actually enjoy today? How could I have so much fun with someone so evil? She started rummaging through the chests again. She pulled out a flowing green silk gown. She put it on. Perfect. She looked through another chest. There she found another pair of diamond earrings. These dangled more than the ones she was wearing now. She also found a diamond necklace, and a diamond tiara. She put her hair up and put on the tiara. Then she put on the necklace and earrings. After that, she looked herself over in the mirror. Not bad. She laid down on the bed. She laid there, staring at the ceiling, until she heard a knock on her door. "Yes?" she asked. "It’s me, Ares," the reply came. "Come on in," Xena said, and sat up. Ares came through the door, and stopped short. His mouth was open in awe. The woman before him could pass for a goddess any day. He wasn’t lying when he had said that she was more beautiful than Aphrodite. She made the goddess of love look like a peasant. "You look beautiful," he managed to say. "Thank you," Xena said. Ares shut the door and walked toward her. He took her hand and kissed it softly. "Shall we find Diana and Philemon?" She nodded. "I hope you don’t get Diana and I confused," she commented. "How could I? No one can compare with your beauty," he said. "She looks exactly like me!" Xena said. "I could tell you apart from anybody," Ares said. "Let’s watch Leah and Meg walk through that door," Xena muttered. "What?" he asked. "Leah, Meg, Diana, and I all look alike," Xena said. Ares raised his eyebrows. "There are three people who look like you? The Fates have been kind," he said, and Xena threw a pillow at him. He caught it easily. "Don’t try anything," Xena said teasingly. "Don’t worry. I wouldn’t want to make you jealous." He yelped as another pillow came hurtling at his head. Xena laughed. "Come on, let’s go find them," she said. "Need an escort?" Ares asked devilishly. He offered her his arm. Xena shook her head and took it. "You never give up," she said. "And you love every minute of it," Ares replied. She shook her head again, and they walked out the door. They found Philemon and Diana waiting at the base of the stairs. "Xena. Ares," Philemon acknowledged, slightly inclining his head. "Are we ready to go?" "Yes. Which play are we seeing?" Xena asked. "Jason and the Argonauts," Diana said. "I wonder who they got to play Hercules," Xena said. "They have Hercules playing himself, actually. It’s for charity, and they convinced him to help out," Diana said. "I’ve heard that he’s quite a nice man." "That he is," Xena said. "According to you," Ares muttered. "I can’t believe my luck." "You know him?" Philemon asked. "This is the real Ares," Xena said, gesturing at her escort. "But his god hood was taken from him, at least for the month." "You mean to tell us we have an Olympian god among us?" Philemon asked. "The one and only Ares," Ares said. "We’re honored by your presence. I just hope you’re not going to start a war here," Philemon said. "I’m not. As Xena just said, I’m mortal. She’s just an old friend, and I thought I’d enjoy her company," Ares said, smiling slyly at Xena. "You mean acquaintance," Xena corrected him. "Really? That’s why you let me come with you, right? We’re just acquaintances," Ares said. "She can be so denying," he said to the royal couple, and they laughed. Xena put her head in her hands. "You’re delusional." "Whatever you say," Ares said, shaking his head. "We should probably get going," Philemon said, smiling at the pair. It’s always entertaining when Xena’s around, isn’t it? The two couples walk out of the castle, Ares still shaking his head. "You’re not going to talk to Hercules, are you?" Ares asked. "Of course," Xena said. "I don’t know why you don’t get along with him." "He stole you from me," Ares muttered. "You don’t miss me that much, do you?" Xena asked. "You have no idea," Ares said. "You don’t have to talk to him with me," Xena said. "You can go directly back to the castle after the play." "No, that’s okay. I can put up with him for a couple minutes," Ares said. And maybe make him jealous. The play was surprisingly good. Herc must’ve talked to the writer. If he didn’t, it would have been much more enhanced and exaggerated, Xena thought. "Are you two going back to the palace?" Xena asked. "Yeah, it’s late. We should get to bed," Diana said. "Ares and I are going say hi to Hercules, and we’ll be back soon," Xena said, and walked backstage. Ares followed hesitantly. Xena spot her friend, and crept up behind him. "Hey, big guy. Do I know you?" she asked, teasingly. Hercules whirled around. "Xena!" he exclaimed, and gave her a quick embrace. "What are you doing here? Where’s Gabrielle?" "Gabrielle is at the Amazon Village. I’m staying with Prince Philemon, Princess Diana, and…" She trailed off as Ares stepped up beside her. "Ares! What in Hades name are you doing here?" Hercules asked angrily. "Just looking in on my Warrior Princess," he said coolly. "Look in on this," Hercules said, his fist flying at Ares’s face. Xena caught it neatly. "Now, now, Hercules. You might just kill him if you do that," she said. "His god hood was suspended." "His god hood was suspended?" Hercules asked skeptically. "Why?" "Complicated," Ares said. "I don’t believe you. You’re still a god," Hercules said. "Really? Then, how, may I ask, did Xena do this to me?" Ares asked, holding up his hand. "Wow. Almighty Ares hurt by a mere mortal," Hercules taunted. Now it was Ares’s turn to throw his fist. Xena’s other hand shot up and easily caught his fist, too. "Brotherly love," Xena muttered. "I came to talk to you, Hercules. I haven’t seen you in a long time. Now, can we make a truce, at least for a couple of minutes?" Hercules nodded, and Ares gave in, too. Xena released her grip. "Where’s Iolaus?" she asked. "Cyros, visiting royalty. A friend of ours, Dearsy," Hercules answered. Xena nodded. "I never thought that you were one for plays, Hercules." "It’s for charity. Besides, I’d rather they told a true story and not enhance my adventures too much," Hercules said. "How noble," Ares muttered. "Ares, this should be a good experience for you. You’ll finally feel some of the pain that you inflict everyday," Hercules said. "Hercules, he’s been mortal before," Xena informed. "Really? How?" Hercules asked. "The first time, when he was preoccupied with Callisto and I," Xena shot him a dirty look, "his sword was stolen by Sisyphus." "How’d he get it back?" Hercules asked. "Well, before he became mortal he put me in Callisto’s body, and Callisto in mine. I helped him regain his god hood, and he gave me my body back," Xena said. "But not before he and Callisto got to be really good friends." "Callisto in Xena’s body?" Hercules asked. "How low can you go, Ares? You’re pathetic!" Ares glared at him. "The second time, well, let’s just say it involved a jealous goddess, Gabrielle, an enchanted scroll, and a busy quill," Xena said. "You’ve seen me as a mortal before," Ares said. "Remember that thing with Dahak? You were performing an exorcism on Iolaus. Nebula and Morrigan were there." "Oh, yeah. I forgot about that," Hercules said. "So what are you doing with Xena now?" Hercules asked. "Why are you here?" Ares put his arms around Xena’s waist. "He’s just visiting. He’s harmless, so I thought that I could put up with him," Xena said, rolling her eyes, and stepping away from Ares. "For awhile." "Are you crazy?" Hercules asked. "He’s easier to put up as a mortal," Xena said, "I think." A woman waved and called out Hercules’s name. "I better go," Hercules said. He embraced Xena once more and kissed her on the cheek. "Bye. Ares, pleasure as always." He walked toward the woman who had waved. "Bye," Xena said. "Shall we?" She started to walk away. "Are you still mad about that Callisto thing?" Ares asked, catching her arm. Xena looked into his eyes. "No. I just find it sickening that you would do something like that." Ares broke the gaze. "I’m sorry, Xena. Really." "Let’s go," Xena said, and started out the door. Ares followed. They walked to the castle in silence. Everyone had gone to bed. When they got to the doors to their rooms, they stopped. "Night, Ares," Xena said softly. She looked at the floor. "Xena," Ares said. He lifted her chin up so that she was looking at him. He stared deep into her beautiful blue eyes. Praying that she wouldn’t slap him, he leaned over and kissed her. To his surprise, she entwined her arms behind his neck, and returned the kiss. After a minute or so, Xena broke free. She straightened her dress. "Good night, Ares," she said, looking flustered. "Good night, Xena," Ares said, and the two retreated to their rooms. When Xena woke up in the morning, her head was spinning. Focus, she ordered herself. "Focus on what?!" she asked out loud. She picked out a blue dress and put it on. She brushed her hair as slowly as possible. She was dreading talking to Ares after what had happened last night. Why didn’t I slap him, or at least pull away? I kissed him back! Why?! She hurled the brush across the room in frustration. Why? She calmed herself down, and reluctantly went to wake up Ares. When she got into his room, she stood silently for awhile. What happened last night? She walked over to his bed. "Ares," she said loudly. She shook him. He groaned, and his eyes opened. "Morning," Xena said, and without another word, went back to her room. When she got there, she picked up her sword. Maybe a good workout will help clear my mind, she thought. Still in her dress, she started going through a series of moves. Parrying, thrusting, flipping, kicking. Each step confident, never unsure. She did everything she knew, and then started over, completely slaughtering her invisible enemies. She heard a knock and the door opened, revealing Ares. "Whoa," he said, dodging her sword. "Did I come at a bad time?" Xena stayed silent, never stopping. "I guess I’d better go," Ares said, hearing the unspoken message. He started toward the door. Xena did a quick flip, and landed in front of him. "It’s as good a time as any," she said. "What d’ya want?" "Nothing, by the looks of it. You obviously don’t want to do anything today, and you obviously don’t want anything to do with me," Ares said. "I’m sorry about last night. If you need me, I’ll be in my room." He started to go around her. She moved to block the doorway. Ares sighed. "You look gorgeous in that dress. Okay? What else do ya want from me?" Xena smiled. "Flattery will get you nowhere," she said. "I’ve noticed," Ares said dryly, gesturing at the surroundings, and then at her. "I’m just about on the road to Tartarus. I’m mortal. I totally screwed up the fun we were having. And now you, Xena, the one mortal that I actually care about, you can’t even carry on a decent conversation with me." "You didn’t screw up anything," Xena said. "I shouldn’t have done it," Ares said. "It was wrong." "It wasn’t wrong," Xena argued. Ares raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Then why’d ya leave right after I was awake. And why wouldn’t you even talk to me?" "We’re supposed to be enemies," Xena said. "Exactly. Like I said, it was wrong." "You didn’t let me finish," Xena said. "We’re supposed to be enemies…but we’re not." She paused. "I wouldn’t talk to you because I was trying to sort out my thoughts. You taught me that it’s better to focus than to do or say something and regret it later." Ares smiled. "Xena, I never meant to hurt you. Ever." "It’s okay," Xena reassured him. "I know the reasoning behind what you’ve done. And once you get your god hood back, you’ll keep on doing it." "No I won’t," Ares said. "Yes you will. When you’re a god, you want me back so badly that you can taste it. All you do is try to get me back," Xena said. "And kill Hercules," Ares muttered. "How is it that you know me better than I know myself?" "I just do," Xena said. "I really don’t mean to torture you," Ares said. "I know you don’t," Xena replied. "Since you know everything, do you know why I want you back?" Ares asked. Xena searched his face, trying to figure out which answer he wanted. "Because I’m a great warrior," she said finally. Ares looked at her, slightly shaking his head. Xena sighed. "Because you love me," she corrected softly. Ares nodded. They stood in silence. "So…have you sorted out your thoughts yet?" Ares asked. "Yes. You weren’t wrong to kiss me. I’m not angry with you. Like I said before, we aren’t really enemies. Besides, I kissed you back, didn’t I?" Xena asked. Ares grinned. "Why’d ya let me come with you?" he asked. Xena thought for a moment. "Because as many times as you’ve manipulated me, you’ve still helped me. Or tried to. Half of the time, I never listened to you. But I do owe you. I should have destroyed Dahak’s temple when I had the chance. It would have saved us all a lot of pain, had I listened to you. Most of the time, you want what you think is best for me. And sometimes you’re just looking out for your own personal interests. But I do owe you something. I wish I could give you what you really want, but I can’t. I can’t be a warlord again. But I can at least let you enjoy your month of mortality." "You do owe me that, I think," Ares said. "What do you want to do today?" Xena asked. "How about another walk in the garden?" Ares asked, grinning slyly. Xena smiled and sighed, shaking her head. "Fine," she said, and took his hand. They walked down into the garden. "It’s breathtaking out here," Xena said, her hand still in Ares’s. "You should feel right at home," Ares commented. Xena rolled her eyes and said, "Just drop it, will ya?" "Never. If you think it’s beautiful out here, you should look in the mirror. You’re a goddess," Ares said honestly. "Yeah, yeah. Heard it all before." "But it’s the truth," Ares said. "Sure," Xena said. "Would I lie?" he asked. "I guess not. You’ve never lied to me before," Xena admitted. "You had a good workout today," he commented. "I would rather have been fighting a real person, instead of an invisible one. But, what can ya do?" She shrugged. "A real enemy would have been too easy. Your fighting skills are beyond compare," Ares said. "There’s only one person who can fight better than I can. And that person just happens to be you," Xena said. "Then how did you win in the Temple of the Furies?" Ares asked. "You lost on purpose." "Now why would I do that?" Ares asked. "I don’t know. But when you slaughtered those three villagers, you fought much better than I could," Xena said. After the talked for awhile longer, they headed back to Xena’s quarters. "Now what?" Ares asked. "I don’t know," Xena said, grimacing. "What’s wrong? You look as though you’re in pain," Ares said, concerned. "I must’ve pulled a muscle this morning," she replied, gesturing to her shoulder and her back. "Nothing big." "Lay down on the bed," Ares said. She hesitated, but did as she was told. Ares sat down beside her. He brushed the hair away from her neck, and started to undo the back of her dress. "Hey!" she said. She moved away from him. "It’s okay," he coaxed. "Give me a chance." She studied him for a moment. After a minute, his grin melted the last of her protests. She laid back down beside him. Ares smiled. He unlaced her dress, and slipped it off of her shoulders. Feeling her whole body stiffen, he repeated softly, "It’s okay." He felt her muscles relax. He then started to massage her shoulders, and then moved on to her back. Xena was at first planning on looking annoyed, but she couldn’t. She smiled. She hadn’t felt like this for a long time. It was bliss, no question about it. "Mmm. This feels so good!" she whispered, and closed her eyes. Ares laughed softly. "Do you treat everyone you know like this?" Xena asked. "Only you," he replied. "I must be very special," Xena commented. "That you are. You’re the most precious thing in the world," Ares said. "How many compliments leave your lips in one minute?" she asked, and the both laughed. Xena moaned in pleasure as Ares’s hands moved down her body, reliving all of the stress. When he stopped, she smiled and sighed, her eyes still closed. "How do you feel now?" Ares asked, whispering. "Perfect," Xena answered, opening her eyes. Ares smiled and slipped her dress back over her shoulders. He carefully laced it back up. When he was done, Xena sat up and leaned her head on his chest. "I love you, Xena," Ares said softly. "I know," Xena said. He stroked her cheek, and kissed her forehead gently. "I feel like I’m on Olympus," Xena whispered. "Darling, Olympus is nothing like this," Ares said. Xena laid back down on the bed, and Ares followed, wrapping an arm around her thin waist. It was still morning, but in a matter of minutes, Xena was fast asleep in his arms. Ares felt a sudden sense of peace and tranquility that he’d never felt before. He quickly followed Xena in her venture to the Dreamscape… When Ares woke up, the sun was beginning to set. Xena stirred in his arms. Her sparkling blue eyes opened. "Ares?" she whispered. "I’m here, Xena," Ares said. "It’s almost dark." "It is?" she asked. "We slept all day?" "Yeah," he said. "Mmm," she sighed, and sat up. She straightened her dress. "We’re gonna be up all night, now." Ares arched and eyebrow and grinned devilishly. "You know what I meant," Xena said, giving him ‘the look’ but a smile teased her lips. "What are we going to do?" Ares asked. "Now that’s the one-million dinar question," Xena said. "Another massage?" Ares asked, grinning. "How about we get something to eat?" Xena suggested. "Fine," Ares said. Xena groaned and opened her eyes. It was the day of the anniversary party. She almost jumped when she felt someone shift beside her. She looked over and calmed down when she saw who it was. Only Ares. "Good morning, your highness," she said when his eyes had opened. "Morning," Ares replied. Xena stood up. "The party is today," she informed him. "It is?" Ares asked. He turned over. "I think I’ll go back to sleep." Xena laughed. "Come on, Ares, get up." He turned back over. "What’s for breakfast?" "Do I look like the cook?" Xena asked. She looked herself over in the mirror. "On second thought, don’t answer that." Ares smiled and stood up. "I have an idea. Let’s eat lunch in the garden," he suggested seductively. "Gods, you never stop," Xena said. "And I like it." "I’m going to find something to wear. Be right back," Ares said. Xena watched him leave. When he was gone, she started looking through chests. She couldn’t find anything new. She’d worn them all, all but the blood-red silk dress. Ignoring the memories, she slipped it on. She brushed and put up her hair. She sat down on the bed. After about five minutes, Ares came through the door. He sat down on the bed next to her, and started massaging her shoulders. When he got bored with that, he wrapped his arms around her waist and started kissing her neck. "Mmm…stop…breakfast," she mumbled. But that’s all she protested, because he moved from her neck to her lips. Suddenly, a lightening bolt whizzed across the room and hit the wall behind them. The couple looked up and found a dark-haired goddess standing in front of the door. "Discord!" Ares yelled. "Sorry to break up your little party. It must have been hard to get her to kiss ya, let alone share a bed with ya!" Discord shouted. She shot another lightening bolt, this one aimed at Xena. It hit her square in the chest, and Xena went flying backward, her back hitting the wall. "Xena!" Ares whispered. "Leave her alone, Discord! She’s done nothing to you!" "Day and night, you think of her. You’re obsessed with her! All you do is try to get her back! You hardly even notice me anymore. And you say she’s done nothing! I’ll say she’s done something!" Discord screamed. Xena stood up, her eyes half closed. She steadied herself, and then lunged at Discord, knocking the goddess over. Discord flipped back onto her feet, throwing bolts at Xena. Xena dodged each one expertly, flipped, landed behind Discord, and kicked her feet out from under her. "This isn’t worth it," Discord muttered. "This isn’t over!" she screamed at Xena, and then disappeared in a flash of light. Xena sighed in relief, and almost collapsed, but Ares jumped up and caught her. He laid her down gently on the bed. "Xena! Xena! Can you hear me? Are you okay?" Ares stroked her cheek. Xena groaned and opened her eyes. "Ares?" "It’s me. Are you okay?" he asked. "No! I just got hit by a jealous goddess’s lightening bolt! Of course I’m not okay!" She grimaced. "Gods, it hurts!" "What can I do?" Ares asked. "I don’t know. I’ve never been hit by one of those before," Xena said. "It’s not so much as where the bolt hit, it’s where my back hit the wall." "Turn over," Ares ordered. Xena obediently turned onto her stomach. Ares carefully slipped the dress off of her shoulders, leaving her back exposed. A troubled look crossed his face. "Your whole back is bruised," he informed her. He caressed her shoulder gently, and then started to massage her back. Xena drew in a quick breath. Ares frowned. He had never seen the Warrior Princess hurt and vulnerable before. It unnerved him to see her in pain. "I think a hot bath would help to soothe your muscles," he said. He stopped and she got up, adjusting her dress. "Good idea. I’ll be back in a little while," she said, and left. Ares laid down on the bed and awaited her return. An hour or so later, Xena walked through the door. "Feeling better?" Ares asked. "Good as new," Xena answered. Her hair was still wet, but neatly brushed. "Have you eaten breakfast yet?" "No. I was waiting for you. We were supposed to eat in the garden, remember?" Ares asked, standing up. "Oh, yeah. Shall we?" They were eating their late breakfast outside when it started raining. "That’s odd. There wasn’t a cloud in sight a couple minutes ago," Xena said. "Let’s go," Ares said. "We’re already sopping wet," Xena commented. "No point in rushing." "You could get sick," Ares pointed out. He swept her gracefully off of her feet, and carried her to her room. He laid her down on the bed, kissed her forehead, and sat down beside her. Xena shivered slightly. Noticing her movement, Ares said, "I told ya you’d get sick. You’re gonna catch a cold." He put a blanket around her shoulders. Xena shook her head. "You’re getting overly protective. Don’t forget I’m Xena. I can take care of myself." She took the blanket off. "Well, excuse me for being worried about you. I know perfectly well that you can take care of yourself. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t help, does it?" Ares asked. "Sure, whatever," Xena said. "The party starts in a couple of hours. It lasts almost all night. I suggest we change into something dry. Come back here when you’re done." "Bye," Ares said, and went to make himself presentable. Xena looked through the chests, searching for a certain dress. After a couple of minutes, she found it. It was a green sleeveless silk dress with gold trim and a V-shaped neckline. And it would cover up her bruised back. She put it on. Then she found the jewelry that matched it. A tiara, necklace, bracelet, and ring, all made out of gold, and each containing at least one emerald. She dried her hair, brushed it, and put it up in one of the popular styles. She put on the jewelry and looked herself over in the mirror. Satisfied with herself, she sat down on the bed, waiting for Ares. A couple minutes later, she heard a knock on the door. "Are you dressed?" Ares asked from the other side of the door. "Yes," Xena replied. The door opened, and Ares stepped inside, looking incredibly handsome. "You look beautiful, Xena," he said. He took her hand and kissed it. "Some of the guests are already here," he informed her. "Should we go down now?" Xena asked. "Sure," Ares said, offering her his arm. She took it, and they walked to the ballroom. King Lias, Princess Diana, and Prince Philemon were talking to some of the guests that already arrived. Xena gasped when she saw a familiar face. "Autolycus," she whispered. "Who?" Ares asked. "Autolycus," Xena repeated. Ares thought for a moment. That name seemed so familiar. Then he remembered. He laughed softly. "What’s so funny?" Xena asked. "You know Autolycus?" Ares asked. "Yeah. Why?" "He turned Discord into a chicken with Artemis’s bow. Or at least, he helped Iolaus and Hercules do it," Ares said. "Oh, yeah. I heard about that. And then you handcuffed Iolaus and Autolycus together and turned them into idiots fit for a circus. I’m sure you’re on his ‘friends’ list," Xena said. "But why would Autolycus be here?" Ares asked. "It looks like he came with that royal couple. That blonde and her husband," Xena said, nodding in their direction. "He’s not talking to anybody. Probably looking for a way into the treasure room, or something. Come on." She sneaked up behind the thief and tapped on his shoulder. He whirled around. "Xena! What are you doing here?" he asked. He kissed her hand. "I could ask you the same thing," Xena said. "I’m here with Cupcake and her husband. We go way back, Cupcake and I. She invited me to come with her. I’m just here to enjoy the hospitality, the wine, and the food." "Oh, so you being here has nothing to do with, say, the money and gems and other things in the treasure room?" Xena asked. "Palaces have treasure rooms? Treasure rooms have gems and money? Who would have thought," Autolycus said innocently, shaking his head. "They come up with the weirdest ideas." Xena raised her eyebrows. "Oh, fine. I’m a thief, aren’t I? It’s not my fault. It’s my nature," Autolycus said. Xena smiled. "So what are you doing here?" Autolycus asked. "I’m a friend of Diana and Philemon. Gabrielle is at the Amazon Village. I’m going to be here for the rest of the month." "You’re…," his voice trailed off as Ares stepped behind Xena, casually putting an arm around her waist. Autolycus nearly jumped out of his shoes. "Ares! What are you doing here?" He backed up a little. "Don’t worry. You’re a friend of Xena’s, so I’m not going to handcuff you to your worst enemy, or send a giant chicken after you," Ares said. "Okay…," Autolycus said, studying him. "He’s with me, Autolycus. Can we make a truce?" Xena asked. "Truce," Autolycus said, nodding. "Truce," Ares agreed. "He’s mortal and he’s staying with me here," Xena said. "He’s staying with you? Autolycus asked. "How did you two meet? I mean, he is the half-brother of Hercules, but what would he want with you?" "You obviously know little to nothing about her past," Ares said. "All I know is that she use to be a warlord, but then Hercules helped her," Autolycus said. "I’ve known Ares since my evil warlord days," Xena said. "He’s an old enemy slash friend." "Ah." "Let’s sit down," Xena said. There were a bunch of round tables scattered around the room. In the middle there was room to dance, and off in the corner there were musicians playing. They took a seat at one of the tables. The rest of the tables gradually filled up. Half of the guests were sitting and talking, the other half were dancing. Xena started talking about her latest adventures, but Ares and Autolycus looked uncomfortable. "What’s wrong? You aren’t very talkative," Xena said. "What is it?" "Xena, do you want to dance?" they both ended up asking in unison. They looked at each other warily. Xena laughed. "That’s what’s been bothering you? You couldn’t muster up enough courage to ask me to dance?" She rolled her eyes. "The God of War can dance?" Autolycus asked skeptically. "Yes, I can dance," Ares said indignantly. "Sure. Have you ever danced with Xena, huh?" Autolycus asked. "Have you?" Ares challenged. "I’ve danced with both of you," Xena interrupted. "What?" the two men asked in unison, and glared at each other. "I danced with Ares in Illusia, and I danced with Autolycus in that village. We were helping out Tara, an old friend," Xena said. "Oh," Autolycus said. "Then who are you going to dance with?" Xena sighed, shaking her head. "Dance with Autolycus first," Ares said. "I’ve been enjoying you for the whole month." "Thanks," Xena said. Autolycus nodded, and watched jealously as Xena kissed Ares. He led her onto the dance floor. After the song was over, Xena danced with Ares. "Look at all of the beautiful women," Ares said mischievously, glancing around. "Hey!" Xena said, a hint of jealousy in her voice. "Are you sick of me already?" "Of course not. I was only joking," Ares said. "You better have been," Xena said mock-threateningly. He kissed her. "Would I ever betray you?" he asked. "Oh, I don’t know…" She was going to say more, but his lips recaptured hers. She pulled away. "What are ya trying to do, make Autolycus jealous?" "Maybe," Ares replied slyly. The song ended and they went back to the table. "Cupcake’s not gonna miss me, so you can keep me here as long as you want," Autolycus said to Xena. Xena poured herself a glass of wine. The three talked, danced, and irritated each other for the rest of the night. Discord poured the vial of poison into Xena’s glass. She smiled evilly as the Warrior Princess took a drink. The poison had no taste, so she didn’t notice it. It had no antidote, and Xena would die eventually. She’d get weaker and weaker until she hadn’t even the strength to breathe. Are you sure you’re okay?" Ares asked. The party was over, and they were heading upstairs to get some sleep. "I’m fine. Just tired, probably," Xena insisted. She forced a smile. They opened the door to her bedroom and went inside. Xena took off her jewelry and laid down on the bed. Ares followed. "I should probably watch over you tonight," he said. Xena wanted to say she was fine, but as his arms slid around her waist, she felt safe, not to mention so good. Ares woke up in the middle of the night to find Xena coughing. The coughing subsided and was replaced by sobbing. "Xena?!" Ares asked. "What’s wrong, darling?" She turned to him, tears in her eyes. Ares was startled, to say the least. He’d never seen the proud warrior cry before. Xena moved closer to him, and he held her. His hand came across something wet that didn’t feel like tears. He looked down on the bed and saw the problem. Blood was covering the silk sheets and pillows. She’d been coughing up blood. "It’s okay, Xena," Ares comforted. "It hurts! Oh…it hurts!" Xena whispered hoarsely. "Ares?" "It’s alright. I’m here, Xena," Ares said, and kissed her forehead. "Get…Philemon," she said finally, when she had calmed down a bit. "Okay. I’ll be right back," Ares said, and kissed her forehead again. "It’ll be alright," he said reassuringly, and rushed out the door to find Philemon. He ran to the royal bedroom. Philemon and Diana were fast asleep. He shook Philemon gently, careful not to wake Diana. "Philemon!" he whispered. Philemon’s eyes opened. "What?" he asked loudly. Ares quickly put a hand over his mouth. Philemon, understanding to signal, whispered, "Ares! What is it?" "It’s Xena. She’s coughing up blood," Ares said. Philemon got up as fast as he could, avoiding waking his wife. "Let’s go," he said. Ares led him back to Xena’s room. She had started coughing uncontrollably, and was now covered in blood. "I’ll get the doctor," Philemon said, and went running back down the hallway. Xena’s coughing was replaced by tears again, and Ares rushed to comfort her. "Xena, it’s okay. Don’t cry," Ares said soothingly. He caressed her cheek gently. She started to pull herself together and her sobbing stopped. "Are you alright now?" Ares asked. She nodded. "Fine." "You should probably change into something else. You’re covered in blood," Ares said. Xena got up and took a simple plain dress from one of the chests. Ares turned around, not wanting to test her patience. Xena took a cloth and wiped away the blood covering her skin. She took off the now ruined green dress and put on the clean one. She wiped herself off again. She then took a seat on the couch. Ares sat down beside her. "What happened?" Ares whispered. "I don’t know. I really don’t know," Xena said. She moved closer to him and leaned her head against his chest. Ares put an arm around her and held her. They sat in silence until Philemon stepped inside, followed by a female doctor. The prince smiled when he saw the two guests. "Xena?" Philemon whispered. Xena looked up and smiled grimly. "This is our doctor," Philemon said. The doctor smiled warmly. She had long red hair that reached to her waist, and green cat-like eyes. She actually looked like she should be the one sitting on the throne, instead of Diana. "You can call me Vanessa." "I’m Xena," Xena said. The two women shook hands. "You were coughing up blood?" Vanessa asked. "Yes," Xena replied, gesturing to the blood-soaked bed. "Could I have you lay down, please?" Vanessa asked. Ares moved away from Xena so that she could do as the doctor wanted. Vanessa took Xena’s hand and checked her pulse. She frowned. She then checked her eyes. She bit her lip thoughtfully. "Open your mouth up wide," she instructed. Xena did as she was told. Vanessa looked around carefully. Her beautiful features tightened in confusion. She went over to the bed and cautiously touched the blood with her finger. She examined it, and then wiped it off. She walked back over to Xena and felt her forehead. She drew back quickly. A look of realization crossed her face. "I’ve seen this a couple times before. Coughing up blood, burning up with a fever, red sore throat. Tell me, what was she doing last night?" "She was at our party. Talking, dancing, eating, drinking, and having fun," Philemon said. "Does she have any enemies?" Vanessa asked. "This is Xena we’re talking about. Of course she has enemies," Ares said. "Any of them make any recent threats?" Vanessa asked. "Discord," Xena said softly. "Who?" Philemon asked. "Discord. She’s a goddess," Ares said. "Let’s cut to the chase. Why is she sick?" "She was poisoned. Somehow, the poison entered her blood through digestion, being shot, or something else. There are a lot of possibilities. The poison is lethal…and there isn’t an antidote. Xena will get weak…and eventually she will die," Vanessa said. Silence filled the room. "How long does she have?" Ares whispered. "A couple weeks. A month at most," Vanessa said. "I’m sorry." "Thank you, Vanessa. You can go now," Xena said, forcing a smile. "Okay. If you need something, call for me," Vanessa said, and left. Philemon shifted uncomfortably. "Get some sleep, Philemon," Xena said. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Yes," Xena said. "Okay. I’ll come by and check on you in the morning," Philemon said. He left reluctantly. Without a word, Ares walked onto the balcony. He leaned against the railing and closed his eyes. Xena watched. She quietly followed and leaned against the railing next to him. "What’s wrong?" she asked. He turned to her. "It’s my fault," he said guiltily. "No it isn’t," Xena said. "Yes it is," Ares said. "How do ya figure? It was a jealous goddess’s payback," Xena said. "She’s jealous of you because of me," Ares said. "Don’t blame yourself," Xena said. "If I hadn’t have fallen in love with you, this wouldn’t have happened." Xena sighed. She moved closer to him and took his hand, motioning for him to hold her. He did as she wanted. He kissed her neck. "I’m so sorry," he whispered. "We all die eventually," Xena said. "Should we send for Gabrielle and Hercules and everybody else tomorrow?" Ares asked. "Yeah," Xena said. "I’ll get more blankets and pillows from my room," Ares said. "I’ll be right back." Xena walked back to the bed and picked up the blood-covered pillows and blankets and threw them on the floor. She laid down. Ares walked back in, his arms full of pillows and blankets. "Here, Honey," Ares said, handing her a pillow. "Do you want a blanket right now?" "No. It’s too hot," Xena said. "Okay. I’ll be right back, again. I’m going to get some water," he said, and left once more. A couple minutes later he came back, a basin full of water and a cloth in his hands. He set it down carefully on a table on his side of the bed. He took his shirt off. He laid down beside Xena and felt her forehead. He wet down a cloth and wrung it out. He gently dabbed her forehead with it, and then her neck. "Please don’t leave me, Xena," Ares whispered. He kissed her, starting with her hand, and then up her arm, to her shoulder, to her neck, and then to her lips. "Don’t," Xena said, pulling away. "You might get poisoned, too." "I don’t care," he said, and kissed her again. She pulled away. "No." Ares reluctantly stopped. He put his arms around her. "Go to sleep," he said, sounding hurt. "I didn’t mean it like that," Xena said. "Get some rest," he said. Xena sighed. She idly ran a finger down his arm, and then kissed his cheek. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep… Ares woke up early the next morning. The sun was just rising, and he still yearned for sleep, but he wouldn’t let himself rest. Last night’s slumber was full of nothing but nightmares; just about everything he didn’t want to dream about. He’d dreamt of all of the times he’d hurt Xena. Of all of the times he’d deceived her. Why had he done it? Why to her? He looked down at her. She was sleeping peacefully, a look of innocence on her face. She was still in his arms, her head against his bare chest. He gazed at the face of his one true love, seeing only beauty and purity. Some thought of her as evil, as a warlord, and as a tramp. But to him she was beautiful, the image of absolute perfection. Suddenly, the walls seemed to crumble. He again thought of all of the times he’d hurt her, the one perfect mortal. And now she was going to die because of him, but her love didn’t falter. He didn’t deserve her forgiveness. Without warning, tears that had been hidden expertly for decades started to fall. He cursed and tried to pull himself together, but failed. He got up, trying not to disturb Xena, but failed at that, too. "Ares?" Xena asked, her eyes focusing on him. "What’s wrong?" "N-Nothing," he said. "I’m sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep." He stepped onto the balcony, trying to regain his self-control. Xena, not satisfied with his answer, followed him. She ran a finger down his bare back. He turned, his face now dry. "What’s wrong?" Xena repeated her question. "What d’ya think is wrong?" he asked. "It’s my fault." "We’ve already been over this. And again, people die eventually," Xena said. "How can you be so calm?" "I don’t fear death. I mean, I’d like to stay on this side of Styx for awhile longer, but I don’t fear death. What I fear is leaving my friends, my family, and, heck, even my enemies. But I’ll be reunited with most of them some day in the Elysian Fields," Xena said. "But we’ll never be together again," Ares said. Then it hit her. Ares was a god, at least he would be in a little while. He’d never die, he’d live forever. Unless, of course, some dagger happy person with hind’s blood decided to kill him off. But that would send him to Tartarus, wouldn’t it? She fell into his arms and cried. Yesterday was the first time in a long time that she’d shed any tears, and she was embarrassed. "Shh. It’s okay, Xena. It’s okay," Ares whispered. "Don’t cry, Xena." The crying turned to sobs, and then subsided altogether. "It’s okay," Ares whispered again. He held her tightly. "We should get some sleep," Xena said. "You’re right," Ares said. He led her back to the bed, and they laid down. They laid there like that for almost an hour. Finally, Xena spoke up. "I can’t sleep, can you?" she asked. "No," Ares said. Xena shifted her position and winced. "How’s your back?" Ares asked. "It’s aching again," Xena said. "Let me take a look at it," Ares said. She obediently turned over onto her stomach. Ares slipped the dress off of her shoulders. "It still looks bad," he said. "Figures," Xena said. Ares began to massage her back once more. "I love you," he whispered in her ear. He stopped massaging and started to kiss the back of her neck. Then there was a soft knock, and the door slowly opened, revealing Philemon. Ares quickly sat up, obviously embarrassed of being caught in that position. "Philemon," he acknowledged. "Acquaintances, huh?" Philemon asked. Xena blushed ever-so-slightly, a guilty look on her face. "Sorry if I interrupted something," Philemon said, grinning. "I didn't know if you were awake or not, so I didn't knock very loud." "That's okay," Xena said. She awkwardly slipped her dress back over her shoulders. She sat up. "I was going to try to get a message to my friends today," she said. "We have plenty of messengers," Philemon said. "I can get you some scrolls to write your messages on, and I can summon some messengers. You can tell them who to find and where to go. I’ll go get the scrolls now." He left. Ares started to chuckle. "That wasn’t funny!" Xena said. "Gods, that was embarrassing!" "He knows what’s going on, Xena," Ares said. "No reason to be embarrassed." "No reason for you to be embarrassed. I’m supposed to be the warrior, here," Xena said. "I’m not supposed to act like this." "What d’ya mean by that?" Ares asked. "It’s bad for my warrior image," Xena said. "Whatever," Ares said. Xena had sent messages to all of her friends, saying that she was sick, and going to die, and told them what happened, and that they could come to see her if they wanted to. She’d sent messages to everyone she could think of that would want to know, including: Hercules, Iolaus, Gabrielle, Autolycus, Salmoneous, Joxer, Cyrene, Ulysses, Rafe, Meleager, Darnelle, Glaphyra, and Tara. It was just about sundown on the same day, and Xena and Ares were lying in bed. "I wonder when Gabrielle is going to get here," Xena said. "She’ll come as soon as she can. She’ll be crying her eyes out and screaming threats at me," Ares said. Xena was about to say something, but Hercules burst through the door. "Ares!" he hissed. "This is your fault!" Ares stood up and walked over to his half-brother, keeping about a yard and a half distance. "Yes, most of it is my fault," he said. "But I can’t help that." "Get ready to die, Ares," Hercules said, and got ready to lunge at him. Xena, watching every movement, quickly stood up, flipped, and landed in between the two men. "Get out of the way, Xena," Hercules said. "No," Xena said, her blue eyes flashing angrily. "Either you calm down, or you leave." "What?! How can you defend this snake to me?" Hercules asked. "Calm down or leave," Xena repeated. "It’s not his fault. If you really care about me, you’ll stay and be civil." Hercules glared at Ares. "So?" Xena asked. "Fine," Hercules said. "Good choice," Xena said. "You should lay back down, Xena," Ares said. He led her back to the bed, and felt her forehead. "You're still burning up with a fever," he said. "Does your throat still hurt?" "Yeah," she said. "Can you get me some water?" "Yeah. I'll be right back," Ares said, and left. Hercules looked on in silence. When Ares left, he asked, "What's going on?" "What do you mean?" Xena asked. "What's with you and Ares?" "Nothing," Xena said. "Isn't he allowed to help me out once in awhile?" "You were sleeping with him!" Hercules said. "Did Cupid shoot you or something?" "No!" Xena said. "Then what is going on?" Hercules asked. "It's nothing," Xena said. Hercules could tell that he wasn't going to get any answers from her. He sighed. Ares came back, a goblet filled with water in his hand. "Here, Xena," he said. He noticed some tension between the two friends, but said nothing. He sat down next to Xena. They sat in silence for awhile. "Okay, enough," Ares said. "You two are supposed to be friends. Don't you have anything to talk about?" "Why does silence seem to bother you so much?" Xena asked. Hercules choose to stay quiet. He looked at Xena, searching for the answer to his previous question. Ares looked from Xena to Hercules. "What's wrong with you guys?" he asked. "Nothing," Xena said. "Would you stop saying 'nothing'?" Hercules asked. "It would be nice to have some answers sometimes." Xena closed her eyes in frustration. "We should probably get some sleep," she said. "You can have the room to the right of this one." Hercules said nothing and left. Ares laid down next to Xena. "Good night," he said. Xena turned to face him. She moved closer to him, and he held her. They both easily fell asleep. Xena woke up to hear her name being called. "Xena!" a voice said. Xena opened her eyes. "Gabrielle?" "Xena! I'm sorry for waking you up, but I couldn't wait 'till morning." Gabrielle said. Xena untangled herself from Ares, and the two friends embraced. "It's good to see you, Gabrielle," she said. "What's Ares doing here?" Gabrielle asked. She tried to keep her voice in neutral. "It's a long story. He's supposed to be mortal for a month, and he wanted to spend it with me. I let him. Somehow, Discord poisoned me, and...," she shrugged. "No, I mean, what is he doing here?" she asked. "Um...he's watching over me," Xena said. "By the way, Hercules is here, too." "He is?" Gabrielle asked. "Where is he?" "The room on the right of this one," Xena said. "You can pick any room to be yours in this wing, except the ones on each side of this one." "Who's sleeping in the room on the left?" Gabrielle asked. "It's Ares's room," Xena said. "Oh. Well, good night, Xena," Gabrielle said. She left to find a place to sleep. Ares woke up the next morning to find Philemon, Hercules, and Gabrielle all sitting in the room. "Gabrielle, when did you get here?" he asked. "Last night," she answered. Ares nodded and looked down to find Xena awake, too. "Why didn’t you wake me up?" he asked her. "You needed your sleep," she said. Ares walked over to a chair and sat down. "Xena?" a man’s voice asked. They all turned to find Autolycus, Joxer, and Salmoneous all standing at the door, their faces grim. "Hi, guys," Xena said, putting on a smile. "Hi, Xena," they all mumbled. Autolycus walked over to the bed and embraced her. He kissed her cheek gently. Salmoneous and Joxer also embraced her. They all took a seat in the chairs. Xena looked at their glum faces. "Okay, that’s enough. Would somebody please find something to talk about? I’m gonna die, there’s no stopping that, but you might as well kill me off right now if we’re not gonna enjoy ourselves right now." "What are we supposed to talk about?" Salmoneous asked. "I don’t think anyone really feels like talking. We’re all kinda shocked that you’re going to die, and you taking it so lightly isn’t helping." "Even in death, I will never leave any of you. And we’ll all be together someday…except for Ares," she said slowly, fighting back tears. "How are we suppose to sit here and watch you die?" Autolycus asked. "Yeah, Xena," Salmoneous said. "I’ve been there almost since the beginning. I watched you save that child. I watched you go through the gauntlet after your men betrayed you. I watched you make up for your past mistakes. I watched you suffer so much. And now you’re going to die from being poisoned by a pathetic excuse for a goddess. You don’t deserve this, and we can’t do anything about it. How do you think we’re feeling right now?" "I know how you all feel, and I know what you’re thinking, too," Xena said. "You’re thinking ‘this can’t be happening. The Warrior Princess brought down so quickly and easily. We can’t just sit around and do nothing. We have to save her’. And I also know who you’re blaming right now. Ares. And it’s not even his fault, not entirely. Most of you have had bad experiences with Ares in the past. Hercules, Iolaus, Autolycus, and Gabrielle have. Joxer was there both times he was mortal, but he wasn’t the enemy then. And Salmoneous has probably heard from you about how ‘evil’ he is. But think back. Gabrielle, remember the temple of the Furies?" "Yeah," Gabrielle said. "I had to fight him to prove to the Furies that I was half-god. I fought him and won. He should’ve won easily, but he didn’t. He restrained himself, and let me win instead. He also told me to destroy Dahak’s temple. And I didn’t. And look how it affected all of us. Iolaus died because of Dahak, but was resurrected. Gabrielle had a child. Solan died. Gabrielle and I were going to murder each other. All because I didn’t destroy a temple that Ares told me to. And then Ares helped Gabrielle and I. He and Solan created Illusia." "They did? I thought it was only Solan," Gabrielle said. "No. I just found out a couple days ago. It was really him singing," Xena said. "And dancing?" Gabrielle asked, a look of surprise on her face. "Yeah," Autolycus muttered. Xena stifled a smile. Autolycus was jealous of the once god, and showing it every chance he got. "My point is, you guys may hate him, and he may hate you in return, but he’s always favored me. I’m his chosen," Xena said. "What do you mean ‘his chosen’?" Hercules asked. "Each god has a chosen mortal. When their chosen dies, they pick another. Their chosen is their favorite mortal. They help them out, defend them. Some even go as far as to base their whole lives around the one person," Ares said. "Oh," Hercules said. "Anyway, I’m his chosen. He won’t hurt me," Xena said. "You’ll have to get along, or you’ll have to leave." "Are we interrupting anything?" a voice asked. They turned to find Xena’s mother and Rafe in the doorway. "Mother! Rafe!" Xena exclaimed. Mother and daughter embraced. Cyrene’s eyes were filled with tears. "It’s okay, mother," Xena said. They let go, and Cyrene sat down. "Rafe," Xena said. "Xena," Rafe said. He embraced her tightly and kissed her cheek. "I missed you," he whispered in her ear. "It’s been a long time," Xena said. "Don’t think I’ve had the pleasure," Hercules said. "Oh, sorry. Um…this is Rafe, Rafe this is Hercules, Ares, Autolycus, Salmoneous, Prince Philemon, Cyrene, and you already know Joxer and Gabrielle," Xena introduced, gesturing at each person as she said their name. "Nice to meet you," Rafe said, nodding. He sat down. "Where’s Eldon?" Xena asked. "Eldon is…Eldon is dead," Rafe said. "How? When?" Gabrielle asked. "Last month. You know what we do. We’re con men, would’ve happened sooner or later. The guy wasn’t as dumb as he looked. He…he ran Eldon through with a sword and almost killed me," Rafe said. "Eldon was a good man," Xena said. "I’m sorry." The month passed by quickly. Iolaus and Meleager came six days after Rafe and Cyrene arrived. Ulysses got there two days after Iolaus and Meleager. Xena and her friends and family spent the days in the gardens, attending plays and parties, and wandering around the palace. But then she got too weak. After that, they all stayed in her room, fearing that she’d die if they left. And then the day finally came. "Today’s the day, guys. I can feel it," Xena said weakly. "It’s getting harder to breathe." In a matter of seconds, everybody in the room was up and at her side, Ares the closest, grasping her hand in his. "You’ve all been the best friends and family anyone could ever ask for," Xena continued. They all smiled through their tears. Each murmured ‘good bye’. Gabrielle started crying uncontrollably, and Joxer, Iolaus, and Autolycus tried to calm her. "Good bye, Xena," Ares said. "You’re the best thing that ever happened to me." He kissed her hand, trying to hold back tears. "Ares," Xena whispered. The room fell silent, everyone trying to hear her. "Ares," Xena repeated. "I love you." Her last words. Seconds later, her eyes closed and her hand went limp in his. "No!" Ares breathed. "You can’t leave me, Xena. Please don’t leave me." He fell to his knees and wept, never letting go of her hand. The others sat down, all of them now crying uncontrollably. Iolaus was holding Gabrielle tightly in his arms. Philemon was trying to comfort his wife. And Autolycus was trying to comfort Cyrene, but it didn’t work, as tears were running down his face as well. Hercules finally got himself under control. He looked at Ares, still grasping Xena’s lifeless hand, pain in his eyes, and tears on his face. Ignoring all rational thought, Hercules stepped behind his half-brother, and put a hand on his shoulder. Cautiously, though, for he didn’t know how Ares would take Xena’s death. Whether he’d give into hatred and grief, or keep himself in control. Ares looked up, not even attempting to hide his emotions. "Why her?" he whispered hoarsely. "I don’t know. She didn’t deserve it," Hercules said. "Are you okay?" he asked, words that he thought he would never speak to Ares. "Hercules, she was my world. She was my chosen. She was my goddess. She was my love. And now she’s gone. Just like that, she’s gone," Ares said. "I should never have spent this month with her. This wouldn’t have happened." "Ares, if you hadn’t have spent this month with her, then you’d still have been enemies," Hercules said. "You heard what she said. She loves you." "Xena’s life is more important than her feelings for me," Ares said. He looked down at her body. "Gods, why her?" Her body was taken to Amphipolis to be buried by her brother, as she had asked so many years ago. The day finally came when Aphrodite appeared to give Ares his god hood back. "I don’t want my god hood back, I want Xena," he said, but approached her to claim his sword. Hercules grabbed his arm. "Honor her memory, Ares." Ares nodded, and took his sword. A flash of light, and he stood there in all of his leather, hair perfectly groomed, an empty look on his face. He sheathed his sword and disappeared. "What did he mean by ‘I want Xena back’?" Aphrodite asked curiously. "Xena’s dead," Gabrielle said. "She died a couple days ago." The goddess’s usually happy features twisted into sadness. "I’m sorry. How’d it happen?" "Discord," Hercules said. "She was jealous of Xena, and decided to poison her. And Ares isn’t taking her death too well." "Oh. I’m really sorry," Aphrodite said, and disappeared in a pink flash of light. Discord paid the price for her acts, because gods and goddesses weren’t supposed to kill each other’s chosen mortals. Zeus sentenced her to Tartarus. Gabrielle went to the Amazon Village, planning to stay there for a long period of time. Hercules and Iolaus kept doing what they did best: helping people. Joxer followed them around for awhile. Autolycus partnered up with Rafe, thinking it would be easier to con people out of their money, rather than stealing it. Meleager traveled around helping people in need, and Salmoneous followed, persuading him into letting him write his biography, and other things that only Salmoneous could think to do. Ulysses went back to Ithica, and back to his loving wife, to rule. Cyrene went back to her tavern in Amphipolis. Philemon and Diana went on to rule their kingdom. Glaphyra got over her sickness, and she and Darnelle continued to be in love, though they’d never use those words exactly. They never heard from Tara. Perhaps she was dead, or she didn’t get the message, or she was dancing herself to death and didn’t want to stop. And Ares. He sat alone in his palace on the throne, taking no joy in war whatsoever. Hephaestus even offered to make new weapons for him, and he didn’t even get enthused. Ares, honor her memory. Hercules’ words drifted back to him. Well, to really honor her memory, he’d have to become good, and go around helping people. When Tartarus freezes over, Ares thought. Oh, yeah, he wouldn’t make any trouble for Hercules, wouldn’t start any wars. But become good. Not in this lifetime. He sighed and closed his eyes, thinking about his beautiful Warrior Princess, and the last words that she had spoken. "I love you, too," Ares whispered.
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