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He's ignoring me again, Aphrodite thought to herself, as she waited in her garden. Aries had promised to meet the goddess shortly before the midday meal, but that time had come and passed.
He stood me up! He forgets me, Aphrodite, goddess of love, so that he could play cruel little games with his mortal.
"I won't have it! Who does he think he's dealing with? I am the most beautiful woman ever, and he trifles with me like a trollop!"
Aphrodite's anger was growing by the minute. In a fit of pique, she visciously tore off a beautiful jemstone necklace Aries had given to her previously & threw it as far as she could across the garden.
Then, with a movement very reminicient of Aries, Aphrodite stood and began to pace the well manicured paths of her garden.
No one keeps me waiting, she thought to herself. Her angry strides caused her silky, white robe to billow out around her legs. A corner of it caught on a sharp thorn of a rose bush beside the pond. Reaching down, she angrily tore the cloth from the bush, but in a breif instant, caught the reflection from the pool.
Stepping closer, Aphrodite saw a scene she vagely remembered Aries mentioning. So that's where he is. Out trying to cause more trouble for the little mortal.
She could see Xena, agile as the wind, flipping over the shadow monsters that Aries controlled like toys.
He needs to be taught a lesson, not the mortal, she decided. Separating a single strand of her long, golden hair, she lightly pulled the thread out. Holding it by the end and dropping it into the pool, Aphrodite whispered, "This should teach you some manners."
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Mischief on Olympus, XII
In the valley, Xena bravely continued to dodge her attackers, flying through the air like one of the eagles soaring above. But long term acrobatics cannot be kept up forever, & Xena began to tire after several hours of avoiding and dashing.
The figures never seemed to tire. They continued on, merciless in their attack. They did not approach Gabrielle, which confused Xena. It's as if they were set a task and will not stop until it's complete.
Her breath coming in harsh gasps and her energy depleted, Xena ducked under 2 shadows and began to flip over another. But the shadow reached out and touched her arm.
It was the first during the battle, and Xena leapt back with a gasp of pain. Where the shadow had touched, a burn-like mark remained, but the wound was from cold instead of heat. Grasping a nerve high in her shoulder, Xena used a pressure point to control the pain.
The fight looked dismal to Gabrielle. Standing to the rear, she could see Xena's injury and exaustion. Getting ready to drag Xena away if she had to, Gabrielle stepped forward to pull Xena away.
At that moment, a bright ray of sun, almost blinding in it's intensity, broke throught the cloud cover and beamed a single, intense stream of light between Xena and her attackers.
The creatures drew back in fear from the light, and Xena grinned with the knowledge of their defeat. Loudly chanting her war cry, Xena grabbed her chakram and thrust it into the light. It reflected bright shards of light in all directions, spearing through the shadow creatures and dissolving them into nothing.
The shadows in the forest lifted and the clouds drifted away, leaving the valley full of sunlight.
"By the gods, Xena! How did you know to do that?"
Re-attaching her weapon to her belt, Xena replied over her shoulder, "When I saw them flinch from the light, I remembered something about light always conquering dark."
"You guessed, right?"
Xena's smile was quick with good humor. "How did you know?"
