This story is not intended to violate any copyrights held by MCA, Universal Studios, or Renaissance Pictures concerning Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. This story is for fun and no money was made from it.
“Hercules! Herc, slow down!”
Iolaus stopped, bending to rest his hands on his knees. He drew in a deep breath and looked at Hercules, who loomed over him like a small tree. Why did he have to be best friends with an eight-year-old giant?
“You alright, Iolaus?”
Iolaus straightened up and glared at Hercules.
“I would be, if you’d stop trying to kill me. What’s your hurry, anyway?”
Hercules almost jumped up and down, he was so excited.
“Iphicles is coming to visit today. Mother said to come straight home after school.”
Iolaus grinned at Hercules.
“Ok, buddy. You go on ahead. I’ll go on home.”
Hercules grabbed Iolaus’ shoulder.
“No... No, you can’t go home. Mother wants you to come. She told me to invite you and your mother said it was alright. Please, Iolaus. It’ll be fine!”
Iolaus sighed. Hercules hadn’t seen Iphicles in a long time. He had barely been past babyhood when Iphicles’ grandparents had come and taken him away. He was amazed Hercules remembered him so well. But, Iolaus mused, family and friends meant everything to Hercules.
“Ok, I’ll come. But I won’t spend the night. You and Iphicles have a lot of catching up to do.”
Hercules smiled broadly.
“Ok. But you’ll stay for supper. Mother said so.”
Iolaus shrugged and held up his hands.
“Well, if Alcmene said I’d stay, I guess I have to stay. But I’m going home after we eat, understand?”
“Yes, Iolaus. I understand. I’m not a baby anymore!”
Iolaus grinned at Hercules.
“No, you’re not, Herc. But it’s been a long time since you last saw Iphicles. He’s probably changed a lot. You certainly have.”
Hercules turned toward Iolaus, his face a study in forced patience. Iolaus had the feeling he would be seeing that face a lot in the years to come.
“I know, Iolaus. But he’s still Brother.”
Iolaus hoped Hercules was right. Iphicles hadn’t spared a backward glance for Hercules or his mother. Iolaus hoped this visit would go well for all concerned.
Iphicles was gone when Hercules and Iolaus got to the house. Alcmene was upset and could only tell Hercules how sorry she was. Iphicles’ grandparents had come for him early and no amount of cajoling or pleading could change their minds. It was as if they wanted to hurt Hercules by denying him an even brief visit with his brother.
Hercules was visibly upset, tears welling up in his expressive eyes. He couldn’t understand why he was being denied. He hadn’t done anything wrong. All he wanted was to be with Iphicles. Hercules turned without a word and went to his room, leaving Alcmene and Iolaus to watch as he left.
After he was gone, Alcmene sat down with a heavy sigh at the kitchen table. Iolaus stood where he was, uncertain what to do.
“How can anyone be so cruel?” she finally asked. She had gotten into the habit of asking Iolaus for advice or confiding in him her problems. He just seemed older than his years, a quiet confidence that made her trust him and value his opinion.
He sat down and put his small hand over hers.
“That’s just what some people are like. They feel big by hurting other people. Like my father.”
Alcmene squeezed the small hand and smiled at the beautiful, blond child beside her.
“When did you get so wise, little man? I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Iolaus blushed and ducked his head in embarrassment. Alcmene leaned over and kissed him gently on the cheek.
“Why don’t you go and see if you can cheer Hercules up? I don’t think he wants to talk to me right now.”
“I’m sorry, Alcmene.” He said as he got up.
He spared a look back at Alcmene before he opened the door to Hercules’ room. She sat with her head cradled in one hand, the other resting on the kitchen table. She looked so sad, Iolaus felt his heart break for her. She had never done anything to cause someone to want to hurt her so, certainly Hercules hadn’t.
Opening the door, Iolaus saw Hercules curled up on the bed. He looked like what he was, a child who, in his innocence, was being made to suffer. Iolaus sat down on the floor next to the bed and waited.
“Why do they hate me, Iolaus?” Hercules asked, honestly not understanding what he had done.
“Herc, I don’t think they do. It’s more complicated than that. It has to do with people and how they judge other people because of ‘things’.”
“Things? What things? I don’t have ‘things’. I’m too young.”
Iolaus giggled, despite himself.
“Herc, everybody has ‘things’. But, in your case, it’s not your fault. It’s not even your mother’s fault. Your mother is the best person I know. She deserves better.”
Iolaus looked up to see Alcmene standing in the doorway. She nodded slightly. It was time Hercules knew the truth, but her heart told her Iolaus was the only one who could tell Hercules so he would accept it.
“Herc, you know about Amphitrion, don’t you?”
Hercules sat up, wiping his eyes.
“Yes. He was mother’s husband, our father. He was killed in battle.”
Iolaus smiled.
“He was Iphicles’ father, Herc. He was a good man who loved your mother and his son. But he wasn’t your father. The night Amphitrion was killed, he came to your mother. She truly believed it was him. But, it wasn’t. Zeus had admired your mother for a long time and when Amphitrion died, he came to her with Amphitrion’s face. Alcmene didn’t know, Herc. He stayed the night and was gone when Alcmene awakened, but he left something behind. Alcmene bore a son from that night. It was you.”
Hercules raised such hurt and miserable eyes to Iolaus.
Iolaus put a small hand on Hercules’ shoulder.
“That’s why you’re as big as kids twice your age and stronger than any grown man I know. You have the blood of the gods running through your veins.”
Hercules looked at his mother.
“Is that why they took Iphicles away? Because of me, who I am?”
Alcmene moved swiftly to sit beside her son. Pulling him to her, she kissed the top of his head and hugged him tightly.
“They took Iphicles because your father and I were not married. In their eyes, that makes me unfit to raise him, unfit to be his mother.”
Hercules looked at his mother. She and Iolaus were the most important things in his world and he couldn’t fathom why anyone would think his mother unfit.
“Why doesn’t Zeus help you?”
Alcmene just raised her hands, looking a little lost herself.
“The gods do what they want. Zeus chooses not to intervene. He has other things to contend with.”
“Like Hera,” Iolaus chimed in. “She’s his wife and she’s not very nice, Herc.” Iolaus leaned close to Hercules and said softly, “She’s a witch.”
Alcmene choked, her eyes huge with merriment.
Hercules eyed Iolaus, convinced that Iolaus knew everything and Hera must, indeed, be a horrible witch.
“A witch? Why would my father marry a witch?”
“He’s stupid,” Iolaus answered with conviction. After the life he’d led so far, he had little use for the gods.
Alcmene watched as Iolaus and Hercules became involved in their conversation. Quietly, she turned and left the room, as Iolaus began to tell Hercules all he knew about his godly relatives.
“You’ve got lots of brothers and sisters, Herc. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, Artemis, goddess of the hunt, Athena, goddess of wisdom, Ares, god of war, lots and lots.”
So, in time, Hercules came to understand why he was different. He also came to understand that, for Iolaus, he was just Hercules, friend and brother. And, for both of them, that was truly enough.
finis
Melinda is not online at this time, but if you would like to give her feedback on this story, email it to me, Quiet Wolf, and I will pass it on to her.
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