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.
“It will get better,” Iolaus said, as he hurried to keep up.
“Why should it? I mean, Ares won’t leave well enough alone. He knows about the Jester and Nautica. I’m just worried, that’s all.”
Iolaus put a hand on Hercules’ arm, causing the larger man to stop and turn. Iolaus saw the worry etched on his face, the pain in his eyes.
It will be all right, Herc. Iolaus is a smart man. You’ve told me so.. On several occasions. Surely he would see any danger, would act.”
Hercules threw up his hands in a hopeless gesture.
“Besides, he’s got Poseidon on his side. Doesn’t he?”
“I hope so, Iolaus.”
The water was warm and blue. As they swam, they were aware only of each other.
They swam to the edge of a rocky outcropping near shore that formed a deep tidal pool. It had a long, rocky arm that extended toward shore. It was a place to come up and see the world that Iolaus had left behind.
There was nothing in that world that he missed, except Hercules. He did miss the feeling of safety that Hercules gave him, he missed the long talks they used to have. But, now that Iolaus was back from the Light, Hercules was no longer alone and the Jester was at once saddened and harkened by the fact that his only real friend no longer needed him.
Treading water, Nautica put a small hand to Iolaus’ cheek.
“Do you miss the land, my husband?”
Iolaus smiled at his wife.
“Sometimes. There’s not really anything there for me, except Hercules. But I miss the feel of the land beneath my feet. The sounds, the smells.”
Nautica smiled, her eyes lighting with merriment.
“Then go back. No... No!” she added at the look on Iolaus’ face. “Not forever. Just for a visit. To see Hercules. You could meet the other Iolaus. Maybe for a couple of days.”
Iolaus took Nautica’s hand and kissed her palm.
“So sure I’ll come back, are you?”
She grinned at her sweet, guileless husband.
“I trust you. Besides, I’m here. You would never leave me, not for long.”
Biting his lip, Iolaus thought about it for a few minutes before a broad grin broke out on his face and he nodded his head.
Nautica turned toward shore and, in a quiet voice, said, “Aphrodite, please come. We need you.”
Aphrodite had heeded Nautica’s call, agreeing to lift her spell for 48 hours. At the same time, Hercules and Iolaus had ended up on the beach where the Jester had left Hercules.
“It was here,” he told Iolaus, pointing toward the water.
“What are we doing here, Herc? Even if this is the place, how will that help us find him?”
“Don’t know. Just a feeling.”
They stood, watching the water. It was so serene, a huge vista of blue extending far beyond what the eye could see. Hercules drew in a deep breath. He had come here before, after the Jester had left but before Iolaus had come back. He remembered standing almost where he stood now, watching the water, looking, searching.
While he had been happy for the Jester, he had also been desperately lonely. His heart had ached for one more word, one more smile from the man he had come to call friend. But, always, he left unrewarded. He knew the Jester was happy and content where he was. He also knew that the gentle man was safe in the sea. Safe from vengeful gods and grief-driven mortals.
But, a part of him wondered if the Jester missed him, if only a little. He hoped his friend would not forget him.
“It’s beautiful, Herc. He can’t help but be happy, surrounded by all this.”
Hercules turned, putting a hand on Iolaus’ shoulder.
“I know. But I need to know for sure he’s all right. He’d be no match for Ares, at all. Ares would not hesitate to hurt him just to get at me.”
“You worry too much, you know that?”
Hercules grinned ruefully.
“Yeah, I know. I guess it’s a habit, picked up from years of association with you.”
Iolaus giggled.
“Of course it is. I’ve always been a good teacher.”
Aphrodite had been watching the exchange between her favorite brother and her only true mortal friend. She thought that Iolaus was aging very well, now that he was alive again.
Giggling, she appeared to the unwary duo in a sparkle of pink and gold.
“Aphrodite,” Iolaus cried out, catching the goddess in a huge hug.
“Sweet Cheeks,” she said, leaning to kiss him gently on the cheek. Touching the same cheek with her long fingers, she smiled a sweet, almost sad smile. “I’m so glad to see you. I really missed you this time.”
“Me, too. But I’m back and I intend to stay for a long time.”
“Good!”
Hercules gave his sister a hug, at once glad to see her and nervous as to what was up.
“So, Aphrodite, what’s going on? This is the first I’ve seen of you in a while.”
Aphrodite smiled broadly.
“I have a present for you. Actually, for you both. It has a limited warranty, though. You can only keep it for two days.”
“Why, what happens after two days? Does it explode?”
“No, Hercules,” she answered, as she gestured toward the water. “It turns back into a fish.”
Hercules and Iolaus looked out again at the blue vista. But this time, they both saw the bobbing, blond heads and the excited way they both were waving. Then the Jester kissed Nautica and began swimming toward shore.
Hercules turned toward his sister, the question clearly on his face.
“Iolaus just wanted to see you. He misses you, baby bro. So Nautica asked me to lift the spell. I gave him two days. So make sure he’s back here by this time in two days.”
Iolaus had emerged from the water and, to Iolaus’ everlasting amusement and Hercules’ embarrassed chagrin, was totally naked. The Jester, having become accustomed to not needing clothes, seemed totally unaware of the obvious.
Iolaus leaned over and in a low voice said, “Hey, Herc, he and I have a lot more in common than you know.”
Hercules looked at Aphrodite, who seemed to be admiring the well-endowed vision coming toward them.
“Aphrodite! Now!” Hercules demanded.
Aphrodite, jolted out of her trance, looked around to see a red-faced Hercules and a highly bemused Iolaus.
“Oh, all right! Party Pooper!” she said, even as she waved her arms. In a familiar spray of pink and gold, the Jester stood on shore clothed in the same outfit he’d worn the day he had left with Nautica.
Almost tentatively, he approached Hercules. After so long, he didn’t know how to approach him or even what to say.
“Go on, Herc. Go say hello to your friend,” Iolaus said, giving the dumbstruck demigod a gentle push.
Hercules started toward the Jester, equally as unsure. Then he remembered all the quiet talks, the silence that spoke volumes, the jokes the Jester could tell all day long, but most of all the complete trust the Jester had had in him. Oddly, it was like the trust Iolaus had in him.
Suddenly, he found himself almost running toward the Jester. Catching up, he caught the smaller man up in a huge bear hug, swinging him off his feet.
Putting him down, he held the smaller man at arm’s length, taking a closer look. He was still the same. His hair was longer and his color was much paler than before, but it was still him.
The Jester was also looking, trying to see if Hercules had changed. The eyes were happy, the deep sadness that had haunted them during all the time they were together gone. Hercules dropped his hands and smiled.
“It’s good to see you. I’ve missed you.”
The Jester grinned.
“I’ve missed you, too. I’ve got a two day pass, did Aphrodite tell you?”
“Yeah, she did.”
A soft cough from behind, a gentle reminder.
“Herc?”
Hercules stuttered, embarrassed he had almost forgotten about Iolaus.
“Iolaus,” he said to his brother. “This is Iolaus.” He pointed toward the man who had helped him heal enough to carry on.
They stood for a long moment, just looking at each other. Then each reached out a tentative hand, gripping each other’s forearms.
“It’s nice to meet you, finally,” the Jester said, smiling.
“Yes, it is,” Iolaus grinned.
Aphrodite smiled and kissed Hercules on the cheek.
“Remember, Hercules. Two days.” And, with that, she disappeared with a gold-pink sparkle.
The Jester turned and waved at Nautica, who blew him a kiss and disappeared beneath the water.
It was a good day for all of them. Hercules had delivered his warning about Ares, with more than his usual force. He got the Jester’s attention and a promise to be careful.
Hercules had walked along with the gentle Jester beside him, talking about the last few months and gesturing with great enthusiasm, more so than Iolaus had seen in him in a long time. Walking along behind the two, Iolaus had been touched by the obvious closeness they shared, the trust and ease between them. He was struck anew by the open way the Jester showed his feelings for the demigod.
Hercules had told him about the time the Jester had spent in the Netherworld, a virtual prisoner of the Sovereign. About how timid and shy he had been and how, slowly, he had learned to fight and back Hercules up.
But Iolaus was taken mostly by the courage the Jester had inside. To leave the Netherworld, a world he hated yet knew and called “home”, to come across the portal to this world to the uncertain legacy that Iolaus himself had left behind. And to leave this world and the comfort of Hercules’ friendship behind for yet another world as uncertain as this one had been. Yes, Iolaus thought, all in all, quite a man.
Finally, as dusk approached, Iolaus called out.
“Hey, Herc, we better camp for the night. I’m tired and hungry. I know our friend must be. He’s not used to dry land.”
Hercules paused to look at the Jester, who did look tired.
“Ready to stop, my friend?”
The Jester smiled up at Hercules.
“I didn’t want to say anything, but yes, I’d be more than willing to stop.”
The camp, a small clearing surrounded by large trees and several old treefalls, was just what they needed. Hercules and the Jester had set it up while Iolaus went hunting. By mutual, unspoken agreement, no mention was made of fish or fishing. By dark, the three were settled in front of a blazing fire enjoying roast quail and cold spring water.
Finally, Hercules turned toward the two blonds and, stretching, excused himself.
“I have almost two days,” he said. “I think you and Iolaus need some time alone.” And with that, he went to the opposite side of the fire and rolled up in his blanket.
After awhile, Iolaus turned to the Jester and grinned.
“Thank you,” he said simply.
“For what?” The Jester asked, a little confused. He had done nothing to warrant thanks, at least in his own mind.
“For keeping him sane. For making him want to go on. For easing his pain.”
The Jester poked at the fire with a stick, a bit pensive.
“He gave me more than I could ever begin to give back. He gave me a life and taught me how to love life again. He gave me someone to care about and he gave me my freedom. He let me go, knowing he would be alone again. Hercules needed someone, but it wasn’t me. I realized that when we went to the Academy with Jason.”
Iolaus looked into the fire. He had been through so much in his life, not all of it good, for the sake of being at Hercules’ side. Even when he had been a part of the Light, he had still ached for the companionship of his “brother”. His soul felt incomplete, almost barren. Even though he had accepted his new life, he longed for the old.
“Hercules has lost so much in his life for the sake of his beliefs. He and I have always been there for each other. I had to leave, to go where he couldn’t follow. I know how hard that was for me.”
“For him, too,” the Jester answered, looking toward Hercules. The demigod was on his side, turned away from them. Yet they both could tell he was relaxed in deep sleep.
The Jester looked back, to see Iolaus still gazing at Hercules. In the flickering flames of the campfire, he saw the profile of what he might have been. Iolaus, warrior; Iolaus, Guardian. Iolaus, who owned a part of Hercules no one else could ever touch.
“When we were at the Academy, Hercules showed me the statue that you and he and Jason and Lilith had made at graduation. He was so proud of it. But, late one night, I couldn’t sleep so I went for a walk and found him standing in front of the statue, not moving. I think he was there all night.”
Iolaus smiled. “We were kind of wild in those days, especially me. I got in some trouble with the law. It was either the Academy or prison. Hercules was there. We didn’t get along so well then. I think having Jason in the middle gave us space, time to grow up and realize how much we needed each other.”
“I like Jason,” the Jester said. “He’s a good man.”
“Yeah, he is. He gave up a kingdom for the woman he loved. When we were young, he centered us, Herc and me. Made us see the bigger picture.”
Hercules turned over in his sleep, coming to lay on his back.
“Does he still grieve for you, blame himself?”
Iolaus sighed deeply. “Yes, I think so. He’s still afraid I’ll leave again. I think, no matter what the future holds for us, he’ll always feel guilty, blame himself. I can’t stop that and I’ve given up trying. That’s something he has to fix all by himself.”
The Jester looked up at the stars, the bright full moon.
“I’ve missed this,” he said quietly. “I hadn’t realized how much until now.”
“Would you leave your world to come back?”
The Jester smiled and said, with the conviction of honesty,
“No. I love Nautica. I’m not as strong as you. I can’t leave a place where I feel safe for a world I never really belonged in.”
Iolaus nodded. “I gave up a lot to come back. Peace I’ve never known before, my place as a Guardian. I was important there and I liked it. But, here, I’m still important, to him. And, for now, that’s all that matters.”
It was after noon the next day. Iolaus had gone hunting and the Jester and Hercules were left alone. Hercules sat beside his one-time companion, smiling.
“You look good. I never realized how much you looked like Iolaus until I saw you together.”
The Jester looked up. “I was a little startled by it. But if I have to look like someone, I could do a lot worse. He’s really a good man.”
“Yes, he is. I’ve learned more from him about life and honor and loyalty and bravery than he ever even began to learn from me.”
The Jester cocked his head slightly.
“You look older,” he said, being honest.
“Hard times tend to do that, make you older. We’ve had more than our share, he and I. I hope it’s over, for a while.”
“Iolaus asked me if I’d give up my world now for this one. I told him no. I’m happy, Hercules. I love Nautica and her world needs me. I can do a lot for them.”
“Good. I’m glad. You deserve it. As much as I loved having you with me, you would never have been happy here. I was carrying around way too much baggage to be the kind of friend I should have been or that you needed.”
“No, Hercules. I’ve always wanted to tell you how much I appreciate everything you did for me, the things you taught me. Letting me be your friend even though I know it was torture for you whenever you looked at me.”
Hercules looked at the Jester.
“Oddly, no, it wasn’t. You look like Iolaus, that’s all. You are a totally different person and I realized that from the start. You each have qualities I admire, but you were never him to me. It was very easy for me to separate you. That’s not a bad thing, either. I learned a lot from you about patience and courage. While Iolaus is a part of me, you are special to me and always will be. You are and always will be my friend.”
The Jester reached up to wipe a stray tear away. Looking at Hercules, he realized that he hadn’t once thought of the Sovereign when he looked at Hercules.
“Iolaus loves you, you know. Love is the only thing that would have caused him to give up his place in the Light. I think you are his heart, the thing that guides everything he does. It, his love for you, gave him the courage to give his life for another.”
Hercules swallowed hard, remembering holding Iolaus in his arms, feeling him slip away, knowing this time it would be for good.
“Iolaus did what he had to do that day. I’ve told him so. He has the heart of a lion and the soul of a poet. He can be very gentle when he wants, but will fight anyone for what he believes in.”
“He believes in you.”
“I know. That’s what got him killed.”
It was dusk. While they could have journeyed for a day, by mutual, unspoken consent, they had stayed near the ocean. The Jester had a deadline and Hercules meant for him to make it.
Iolaus looked across the campfire at his counterpart, who sat beside Hercules. Somehow, this felt right. Iolaus admitted he would miss the Jester when he left tomorrow.
Hercules smiled at something the Jester had said and put a hand on his shoulder. The Jester hung his head slightly, also a grin on his face. There was a gentleness about the Jester, almost a childlike trust. Iolaus was suddenly glad he had gone with Nautica. Not because he was jealous or felt threatened but because he realized that the Jester, brave in his own way, didn’t have the instincts to survive in this world. If he had stayed with Hercules, he would not have had a long life. That would have broken Hercules beyond redemption.
“I miss the stars most of all, I think. When I first came here, I would lay awake at night counting them or trying to see things in them. I’d never seen a shooting star before I came here.”
“My mother always said if you made a wish on a shooting star, it was sure to come true. I saw a shooting star one night, while Iolaus and I were still at sea on the way to Sumaria. I don’t look for them anymore. For me, they’re bad omens now.”
The Jester shifted slightly. “Maybe it was an omen, good or bad. I’m not sure I believe in omens.”
“What do you believe in?”
“Faith. I have to believe in that. You and Iolaus are proof of it. His faith in you brought him back. My faith in you gave me a new life, brought me love and peace.”
“You, my friend, are remarkable. I’ve only known one other person who has such utter faith. And you’re both here, together. I wish I could have been a better friend to you. I do care and want only the best for you, but I do regret that we never got close, never had the chance to really understand each other. I know it would have been for my betterment.”
The Jester looked across at Iolaus, who was quietly working on a new fishing lure. He had been meaning to make several, when he had time. Now was as good a time as any.
Hercules also looked across at Iolaus. While he still had the same fire and energy as before, Hercules had noticed a quiet peace about Iolaus that hadn’t been there before. It reminded him of the Jester in an odd way. The Jester had always accepted things the way they were. He never wasted time trying to change things to suit his vision of right or wrong. Iolaus seemed more inclined now to change what he could and let the other sort itself out.
The Jester nodded toward Iolaus.
“Has he changed much?” he asked.
“Some. I always saw the world in black and white, good or bad. Iolaus always knew the world was gray. That good and bad were two sides of the same coin. He could always read people much better than I could.”
The Jester sighed. He could only imagine the bond between the two men, a bond that had cheated death, more than once.
“When we were children,” Hercules continued, “we vowed to die battlefield heroes. Back to back. I know now we’ll never keep that vow. But we’ve had second chances, more than most. I hope we die crotchety old men surrounded by dozens of grandchildren.”
The Jester sputtered a quick laugh.
“I can’t imagine you a crotchety old man. Iolaus, yes. You, no.”
“My fondest wish, my friend.”
“What will you do, Hercules, when he goes for good? Can you survive?”
Hercules took a deep breath, remembering the agony that was the last two years.
“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “Before I met you, I did a lot of crazy things. I never knew pain like I felt. I wanted to die. But, now, I know Iolaus would want me to go on. I’d have to. I couldn’t stand to know I’d disappointed him.”
The Jester watched Hercules watch Iolaus. Iolaus was still absorbed in his lures, totally unaware he had been the topic of conversation.
“Does he know how important he is to you?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think so. He doesn’t realize how much I rely on him. He makes it easy to know what’s right or wrong.”
Hercules looked back at the Jester.
“I never said thank you.”
“For what?” the Jester asked.
“For being there. For taking away the loneliness. For helping me heal. You were important to me. I wanted only the best for you. When you left, I was lonely again but I knew you were alive and well. And you’d found your true place in life.”
The Jester smiled.
“And I want to thank you. You brought me here, knowing I had no survival skills. You had no idea how I would fair here, but you gave me a second chance and protected me and taught me what I needed to know. And, in the end, you let me go. I have a good life now, I love Nautica with all my heart.”
“I’m glad for you,” Hercules said, putting a hand on his friend’s shoulder.
“And I’m happy for you. You’re whole again. That’s really why I came back. I wanted to be sure you were all right. But as long as you have Iolaus, you’ll be fine.”
It was early the next day when Iolaus and the Jester returned to camp. They sported two large rabbits and very large grins.
“Hey, Herc.” Iolaus poked the dozing demigod. “Look. And I didn’t catch them. He did.”
Hercules saw the shy grin on the Jester’s face.
“I just set the traps the way Iolaus showed me. I was just lucky, that’s all.”
Hercules smiled at his friends. He pointed to the fire he had already started.
“Let me have them. I’ll spit them and we’ll let them roast.”
They sat in companionable silence as the rabbits filled the air with a delicious aroma. Iolaus’ stomach growled loudly. Both Hercules and the Jester laughed at their friend.
“I’m hungry!” he defended himself. “That happens.”
The Jester looked wistfully toward the water. He, too, was hungry but he found himself longing for the sea and the food he would find there. He missed the water more than he ever imagined he would. Iolaus and Hercules both noticed the look.
“You miss it, don’t you?” Iolaus asked.
“Yes. I’m a creature of the sea now. While I miss the land, I feel at home in the sea. It’s where I belong.”
Iolaus smiled. “I know what you mean.” He had been a Guardian, a warrior in the greatest army, the army of eternity. Yet, he had longed for this world, for this moment.
The Jester turned toward Iolaus.
“I saw you, this morning, what was that you were doing? It looked almost like a dance.”
“It’s a form of exercise. I learned it when I went to the East, years ago. It helps you keep mind and body centered, calm. I don’t do them as much as I used to, but when I can, I do.”
Hercules added, “He learned a lot in the East. He can hold his breath underwater for half an hour or longer, slow his heartbeat until he seems dead. He learned to use his head in battle. He fights as much with his mind as his body.”
The Jester grinned. “My body was willing but my mind kept screaming ‘Run, you idiot!’”
“But you never did. That’s the mark of a true hero. Anyone can fight when they have no fear. But, it takes a true brave heart to fight in spite of their fear,” Iolaus said, almost to himself.
There was a moment of silence. An awkward, long moment.
Finally, the Jester asked what Hercules had never been able to ask.
“Were you frightened, in Sumaria? Did you feel your death lay there?”
“I knew, as soon as we touched land, I’d never leave. I wasn’t frightened for myself. I’ve been there, done that. But I was terrified for Hercules.”
Iolaus could feel Hercules’ eyes on him. He looked pointedly at the Jester.
“Hercules doesn’t do well alone. He needs someone to rely on, to be there. He’s my best friend and I’ve known him all my life. No one else knows the fear he has of being left alone, left behind. And I left him. In a way, of all that happened, that was my greatest betrayal.”
The Jester looked at both these men, one the shadow image of himself, the other the author of his new life.
“Of all the time Hercules and I were together, he never believed you betrayed anyone. He believed in you and never wavered in his trust in you. He and you are tied together in a bond I don’t believe has ever existed before with anyone. Just listen to your hearts. Everything else will fall into place.
It was almost dusk when they arrived at the place where the Jester would go back. Although they had been only a mile or so away the whole time, they all had taken their time getting there.
Iolaus gave the Jester a warrior’s handshake, before pulling him into a tight embrace. He pulled back, tears glistening in his eyes and found he was, for once, unable to speak. Instead, he gave the Jester’s arm a quick squeeze and nodded briefly before stepping away.
Hercules walked up to him, almost shyly.
“I’m going to miss you.”
The Jester shuffled his feet and looked Hercules in the eye. He could feel the tears that threatened to flow and was amazed to see tears flowing freely down Hercules’ cheeks.
“I’ll miss you, too. But, you know where I am. Maybe Aphrodite will let me come back again.”
Hercules took the Jester’s arm and held on.
“I treasure the time we had. It saved me, gave me purpose. I only wish it had been under better circumstances. You made me proud, the way you adjusted and made a life for yourself. And know this. I trusted you at my back. I never doubted you had the heart of a warrior.”
Then Hercules did what he had been unable to do the last time they parted. He pulled the Jester into a tight embrace, letting his chin rest briefly on the top of his head. The Jester returned the embrace, now knowing what he had been unsure of at that last parting. He had a place in the heart of the person he respected above all others. He was truly important to Hercules, as Hercules had always and would forever be important to him. Pulling back, the Jester smiled weakly.
“I didn’t know it would be so hard to leave again. I wish I could have been more what you needed. But know I’ll carry you with me, whatever happens.”
Hercules smiled. “And I’ll never forget the lessons I learned from you. That gentleness isn’t weakness, that the world is a wonderous place.”
They had stood on shore for a long time after the Jester left. He had discarded his clothes on the beach and Iolaus had picked them up and folded them neatly before giving them to Hercules.
“For the next time, Herc. He’ll need them. We’ll just hang on to them for him.”
Hercules nodded, looking once more toward the water.
“He’s happy. But I’ll miss him”
“‘Course you will. He’s part of your life now. He always will be. That’s a good thing, Herc.”
“Yeah. A very good thing.”
After a moment, Iolaus turned and began to walk away, Hercules following slowly.
“Hey, Herc. Let’s go home. I’d like to see the farm, check on my forge. We could stop by the Academy and see Jason and go to Corinth. You haven’t seen Iphicles in awhile.”
“I’d like that,” Hercules brightened.
So, deep in the sea, a shy Jester and a beautiful mermaid were together again. He was home, a place he never believed he’d ever have and he was important to people.
Life was learning and he had learned much in two days. He belonged in both worlds, but his heart was here with his beloved Nautica. And Hercules belonged in the other world with all he had lost and all he had gained.
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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