Chapter Fourteen: New Life

As always, no copyright infringement intended. Just borrowing these characters - I'll return them unharmed when I'm done :)

“You miss her already, don’t you?” Hercules and Iolaus had only just begun their journey, and the hunter grinned guiltily at having been caught looking off in the direction from where they had come.

“I’m was just thinking about how cold and lonely it’s going to be around the campfire tonight,” he said mischievously.

“Well, don’t get any ideas,” Hercules teased. The demigod was feeling very light-hearted to be traveling with his friend. After Iolaus and Elissa were married, Hercules had gone off for awhile to give them some time to spend together, despite their protests that it wasn‘t necessary. He had missed them more than he’d cared to admit to himself, and had eventually made his way back to their stone house in Acheron. For once, their were no monsters to slay, warlords to halt, or angry gods to deal with, so the demigod proposed a hunting trip. Iolaus, while continuing to be caught up in wedded bliss, was also suffering from restlessness, having been in one place with no action for too long. He immediately agreed, but Elissa declined the invitation to come along.

Hercules hadn’t minded that the healer did not want to join them. As much as he loved the girl, he was also looking forward to traveling alone with Iolaus. Just the two of them, like it used to be. The demigod didn’t want to go back to those days, as he would never deny Iolaus the girl that shared his soul. And Hercules himself had grown to enjoy and depend on the balance that Elissa brought to their little family. But just for a few days, he wanted Iolaus all to himself. He figured that the hunter felt the same way, as he surprisingly did not try to change the healer’s mind when she declared she wasn’t going, but now Hercules wasn’t so sure.

“Why do you keep doing that?” he asked as Iolaus again turned to stare in the direction of Acheron.

“I don’t know,” the hunter replied as he stopped walking. “I just have a funny feeling about leaving her alone. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”

“Iolaus, I don’t blame you for worrying about her,” Hercules said. “After all that’s happened over the last couple years, I can see why you’d be a little paranoid. But we’re only going to be gone a few days. Elissa’s safe at home, and she’ll be fine. As she’s told you many times, she can take care of herself.”

“I know,” the hunter mumbled. “But I still feel like something’s wrong.”

“We’ve only been gone an hour,” the demigod reasoned. “What could have gone wrong?” He slung an arm around his friend. “Besides, what do you think she’d say if you showed up back home because you were worried about her?”

“She’d probably whack me in the head with my bow,” Iolaus said with a grin as they resumed their journey. “You’re right, Herc. I’m sure everything’s fine.” He tried to chalk up his anxiety to the paranoia that had been a lasting gift from Sinis, but he still couldn’t quell a nagging worry in the back of his mind.

“Besides,” Hercules continued with a wry gleam in his eyes. “Salmoneus was supposed to visit sometime today, wasn’t he? He can protect her.”

“Oh yeah,” Iolaus snorted. “He’ll protect her from any stray dinars that might come her way.”

Elissa pulled the thread tight as she placed the last stitch that closed up the nasty gash in her patient’s arm. She dabbed a bit of liquid on the wound to help combat infection, and then tied a clean bandage around the limb.

“Try to keep it dry,” she told the soldier, finishing with the bandage and standing up to stretch. Looking around the sparse camp, the healer heaved a sigh. She was less than happy with her situation, but despite the circumstances, she could not refuse to help these men. Their last battle had been fierce, and many had come away injured. While it wasn’t exactly her idea to be here, she couldn’t bring herself to ignore the suffering around her. So, she had diligently taken care of the soldiers that needed her help, and for now, at least, it appeared that they all had been treated. Even so, Elissa seriously doubted that she would be given her freedom, like she had been promised.

Before she could find out for sure, the healer’s attention was drawn to a girl. As she had cared for the men, Elissa had noticed the girl hovering nervously in the background. She was about the same age as the healer, and very beautiful, with long dark waves cascading down her shoulders. Elissa motioned for the girl to approach, as she seemed uncertain as to whether she should or not. At her signal, the girl timidly came forward, limping badly and supporting herself with a staff.

“Are you really a healer?” the girl asked softly. As Elissa nodded her confirmation, the girl gave her a shy smile. “I didn’t know there were women healers.”

“Do you want me to look at your leg?” Elissa prodded. The girl blushed furiously and shook her head.

“It’s not my leg. It’s something else,” she whispered, casting her eyes downward. The healer was confused for a moment, and then it dawned on her what the girl was inferring.

“What’s your name?” she asked, putting an arm around the girl’s thin shoulders.

“Hebe,” she replied.

“I’m Elissa,” the healer told her. “Let’s go in here and talk.” She steered the girl into an empty tent, lighting a lantern that was in the corner and closing the flap to give them privacy.

“Are you the only woman here?” Elissa asked after she had given the girl a quick examination.

“Yes,” Hebe replied. “I’ve been here since I was a child. My father was a great mapmaker. Nobody knew this side of Greece better than he did. Calais kidnapped him and used him to plan ambushes and find escape routes. I was brought along as insurance, to make my father do what they wanted.”

“Where is your father now?” the healer inquired gently.

“Dead,” Hebe told her, her violet eyes filling with tears. “As I grew older, the men began to take interest in me. My father tried to keep them away, but one day Calais came for me. When my father found out and tried to stop him, Calais killed him. From that day on, he made it clear that I belonged to him.”

“Hebe, is it just Calais?” The girl lowered her head so that her hair hid her face. Elissa could barely hear her reply.

“Most of the time. But sometimes, if he’s pleased with one of the men, he’ll offer me as a reward. And if he’s away, sometimes the men will come for me...”

“Ok,” Elissa comforted, hugging the girl. “Listen to me, Hebe. I’m getting out of here and I’m taking you with me. But I need your help. Do you think you can do what I ask?”

“I’ll try,” Hebe promised.

“Good. Now I’m going to go have a word with Calais.” Ignoring the look of fear that shot across the girl’s face and her warnings, Elissa left and strode purposefully to the large tent that housed the notorious warlord. Without waiting for an invitation, she let herself in.

“Hebe’s sick,” the healer announced as Calais looked up from the parchments he’d been studying.

“So?” he replied in a bored tone. “What do you want me to do about it? You’re the healer. Give her some kind of potion to cure her.”

“I’ve already done that,” Elissa said coldly. “But you and all your soldiers are going to have to be treated as well.”

“Any other demands?” the warlord asked, eyes narrowing dangerously.

“Yes. Hebe is off limits until I finish treating her, so you and your men keep it zipped up for at least a week.” She turned to leave, but Calais grabbed her by the arm.

“Or maybe I should just find myself a new playmate,” he growled. Elissa wrenched free of his grasp and stepped forward to snatch up a coiled whip that was resting with a pile of weapons in the corner.

“Now I know you don’t mean me.” Her tone was light, but fire flashed in the healer’s eyes.

“Oh, but I do.” A cruel smile stretched across Calais’ lips. “Hebe has become obedient to a fault. She’s so broken, there isn’t any fight left to her. But you, my young healer, have an overabundance of spirit, just waiting to be shattered.”

“Better men than you have tried and failed,” Elissa sneered. “I’ve looked evil in the eyes, so if you think that I’m afraid of a coward like you, think again.” The memory of Sinis’ face flashed quickly before her eyes. “I’m warning you, don’t come any closer.” Calais took a deliberate step toward her, and she let the whip fly. The tip didn’t actually touch him, but whistled a fraction of an inch past his left ear. “You see, the last one that forced himself on me was a god. And he is now dead, so whatever you have in mind, I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“You’ve made a fatal mistake,” the warlord told her. “I never walk away from a challenge. You’ve just ensured that not only will I have you, but that I’ll be as brutal as I can be. But I haven’t gotten this far without learning patience, so, until later.” Calais waved in the direction of the door and turned his back on the healer. Elissa backed slowly out of his tent, taking the whip with her. She coiled the long, black length of leather loosely around her arm as she reentered the camp. At first, she had scoffed at Jason’s suggestion that she should learn to use a whip, but he persisted, and she had given the weapon a try. As he had predicted, she had been a natural, and was able to direct the lash with great finesse after no time at all. She sent out a silent thank you now that the Argonaut had been so persuasive. Her talent with the whip had undoubtedly just saved her from an experience that she had no desire to go through again, and she desperately hoped that the small braid of leather could protect her long enough to get herself, and Hebe, out of Calais’ camp.

Iolaus finished running the line through the fish and carefully strung the fat trout up over the crackling fire. Their hunting trip had suddenly degenerated into a fishing trip, but neither he nor Hercules had minded. Whether they actually brought down any game or not was irrelevant. The hunting trip was just an excuse for them to enjoy each other’s company away from the usual drama and danger that seemed to rule their lives. As the flames reached up to lick the silvery fish, Iolaus plopped down next to the demigod and they sat in companionable silence until a twig snapping brought them both to attention. The warriors both stood, eyes searching the shadows that the approaching evening had dropped over the land, listening intently for any further sounds.

“Do you think someone’s lost?” Iolaus whispered to his partner. The noise that the stranger was making in the bushes indicated that he was not trying to sneak up on anyone.

“Probably, but be ready all the same,” Hercules whispered back. The hunter drew his sword cautiously as the demigod called out a hello to their unseen neighbor. At first only silence greeted them, but then they heard the nervous reply.

“Hercules?”

The demigod glanced at Iolaus and began moving toward the sound.

“Salmoneus?” He called back. The salesmen burst out of the bushes and sprawled at their feet.

“Thank the gods,” he exclaimed. “I didn’t think I was ever going to find you.”

“What happened to you?” Hercules asked, helping the salesman to his feet and noticing the wound on his head.

“You have to go after Elissa,” Salmoneus explained, shooting a nervous glance at Iolaus. “She’s been kidnapped.”

“What are you talking about?” the hunter demanded tightly.

“I met this soldier on the road to Acheron,” the salesman continued. “He said a lot of his men were wounded and he needed to find a healer.”

“So you brought him to Elissa,” Iolaus finished for him.

“She’s the best healer around,” Salmoneus defended himself. “I thought I was helping him.”

“And just how much of a finder’s fee were you charging him for taking him there?” Hercules asked coldly.

“You’re right,” the salesman whispered, hanging his head. “This is all my fault.”

“Just tell us what happened, Salmoneus,” the demigod prodded, a little less harshly.

“I don’t know,” he answered. “The guy hit me over the head when we got there. When I came to, he and Elissa were gone and the place was a wreck. I guess she tried to put up a fight.”

The hunter turned away and sheathed his sword as he went over to the campfire. He bent down and began stuffing his supplies into his pack. Salmoneus followed him tentatively.

“Iolaus?” The hunter didn’t answer, but kept rummaging in his pack. “Iolaus, please say something,” Salmoneus begged desperately. He had been anticipating a violent reaction from the hunter, envisioning Hercules holding him back as Iolaus tried to come after him. Seeing him calm and silent was very unnerving.

“You’re bleeding,” Iolaus said simply, taking a strip of cloth and dampening it with his water skin. He approached the salesman and placed the cloth against the darkening bruise at his temple. “Hold that there,” he told Salmoneus, positioning the salesman’s hand to keep the cloth to the wound. As he turned back to his pack at the fire, Salmoneus dropped his hand and turned the damp cloth over in his fingers. He didn’t think he could stand Iolaus being nice to him. The salesman knew he was guilty, and he needed the hunter to be angry with him and to yell at him for endangering Elissa’s life with his stupidity. He didn’t deserve to be treated with any degree of decency when the healer was who knows where going through who knows what all because of him and his greed.

“Salmoneus,” Iolaus sighed, turning back to the distraught man and repositioning the cloth against his wound. “Look, I’m not mad and I don’t blame you. I know you care about Elissa, and I know you would never do anything to intentionally hurt her, right?”

“Right,” the salesman whispered.

“We’ll get her back, and she’ll be all right. But first we have to stop this bleeding, and the longer that takes, the longer it will be until we can go after her. So stop blaming yourself and work with me here.” Salmoneus nodded and kept the cloth pressed against his head. He still couldn’t help feeling guilty, but Iolaus was right. There would be plenty of time to punish himself once Elissa was safely back home.

“Now,” Elissa whispered to Hebe, helping the girl to rise and handing her staff to her. “Come on.” The two women made their way carefully through the camp to the open field where Calais’ horses were picketed. With as little noise as she could manage, Elissa set about untying all but two stallions and shooing them off in all directions. After helping Hebe to mount a calm, steady chestnut horse, the healer leapt onto the spirited black one that she had chosen for herself.

“How long will they be asleep?” Hebe asked quietly, taking a look back at the men strewn about the camp.

“Long enough for us to get away, but not long enough for the scenic route,” Elissa answered. With Hebe’s help, she had managed to slip a potent drug into the soldier’s evening meal. “Let’s go,” the healer commanded, kicking the horse gently to spur it into a brisk trot. As they moved swiftly in the direction back to Acheron, Elissa kept her eyes firmly focused on the road ahead of her, but Hebe couldn’t help looking nervously over her shoulder.

“Are you ok?” Hercules asked, glancing at his partner as the early fingers of dawn began to streak against the night sky.

“Fine,” Iolaus answered absently, concentrating on the road before them. After a moment, he began to feel the demigod’s eyes boring a hole into his back and he turned his attention away from scouring the road for any sign of the healer. “Really, Herc. I’m ok. I just wish I knew if we were going in the right direction or not.”

“This is the way Salmoneus was coming from when he meet the thug that grabbed her,” Hercules reminded him. “But tell me the truth. You really aren’t mad at him?”

“What’s the point?” Iolaus replied tiredly. “If I would have kicked his head in back there, it wouldn’t have gotten us any closer to finding Elissa.” The demigod was a bit surprised at this rational side of his often reckless partner. And he had to admit, there was a small part of him that blamed the greedy salesman for causing his friends yet another adversity. But Iolaus was right. Salmoneus was feeling bad enough, and this was a time for action, not for blaming.

“Are you mad at me?” Hercules asked slowly.

“Why would I be mad at you?” the hunter questioned, shooting his friend a funny look.

“Because I talked you out of going back when you first wanted to.”

“Of course not,” Iolaus said dismissively. “I’m still not sure if that was premonition, or paranoia. But if I had really wanted to go back, you wouldn’t have been able to talk me out of it.” He dropped his head down and began watching the road for any tracks once again. They kept walking in silence, until the hunter felt Hercules’ hand on his shoulder.

“Iolaus. Look up ahead.”

The hunter strained his eyes and saw two horses on the road coming toward them. They were too far away to identify, but instinctively the hunter knew it was Elissa approaching. He began sprinting towards them, and was rewarded to see that the riders began galloping faster to meet him.

“Hello there, stranger,” the healer called as she reigned in her stallion next to her husband. Iolaus reached up and grabbed her around the waist, swinging her down off the horse and into his arms.

“Are you all right?” he asked, pulling her in tight.

“I’m fine, my brave warrior,” she whispered, green eyes glowing at the sight of him. “Is Salmoneus ok?”

“He’ll be all right. We left him back at the house.”

“Did you miss me?” the healer asked coyly, resting her head against Iolaus’ strong chest.

“I’m never leaving you alone again,” the hunter declared before taking her lips with his own. After a few moments, Elissa suddenly remembered her traveling companion and managed to disentangle herself from Iolaus. The hunter looked back for Hercules, and found the demigod literally stopped in his tracks, staring open mouthed at the beautiful girl that was mounted on the second horse.

“Hercules, Iolaus, this is Hebe,” the healer introduced. Iolaus nudged his partner sharply in the ribs, and the demigod got himself together enough to move forward and help the girl down from her horse. Fortunately, he noticed that she was lame, and took care to lift her down gently and make sure that she was steady before he let go. The hunter watched Hercules’ clumsy attempts at chivalry with amusement for a moment before he turned back to his love.

“What kind of trouble did you get into this time?” he asked teasingly.

“Enough to make you happy,” she teased him back. “I know you’ve been dying for some action, and there’s plenty coming this way. Come on, we have to start walking, and I’ll tell you on the way.”

“Elissa,” Hebe called softly. The healer turned and went up to the girl. “I have to go back,” she whispered nervously.

“What are you talking about?” Elisa demanded incredulously. “Calais will kill you if you go back there.”

“If I don’t go back, it will be worse than death when he finds me.” Hebe looked at the three concerned faces surrounding her, and all saw the fear and pain deep in her lovely violet eyes. “I tried to run away once,” she confessed. “Calais eventually found me, and before he was done I was begging him to kill me and get it over with. But instead, he made sure that I’d never be able to run away again.” Unconsciously, everyone shot a quick glance down to her useless leg. “I know Calais,” she continued. “He’ll never stop coming after me, and I don’t have the strength or the will left to go through that again.”

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” Hercules said softly. “I mean... we’re not,” he added hastily as Hebe fixed her soft gaze on him.

“Hebe, you need to come with us,” Elissa coaxed. “I promise you that you’ll be safe with us.”

“We’ll take care of Calais,” Iolaus added, giving the girl a wink. “Come on, what do you say?”

Hebe again looked at the three people surrounding her. They were treating her with such kindness, more than she had seen since her father had died, and she couldn’t refuse them. She nodded slightly and managed a small smile.

“How many men does Calais have?” Iolaus asked the healer. Hercules was thoroughly preoccupied with helping Hebe back up onto her horse, so the hunter figured that all strategy was currently up to him.

“About thirty,” Elissa answered. “A lot of them are wounded, but not so badly that they won’t fight if Calais gives the order.” Although she didn’t say it, her eyes told him that they did not have much time left.

“Then we’d better hurry back to Acheron,” Iolaus said seriously. “We have a lot of work to do.”

“Herc, are you sure about this?”

“No, I’m not,” the demigod told his partner. “But what other choice do we have?”

Iolaus looked back at the men from Acheron that were flanking them. They were farmers, merchants, and tradesmen, not warriors. Only a few had ever been in battle before. But when Iolaus and Hercules had gone into town and relayed the message that a warlord and his soldiers were coming for Elissa and Hebe, all the able men had volunteered to help them make a stand. No one was going to let their beloved healer go without a fight, and most were honored to be able to help such legendary warriors.

“I just hope this doesn’t end up in a slaughter,” Iolaus whispered.

“Try to take as many as you can,” Hercules advised. “The fewer number of soldiers that get past us, the better. I’ll try to get to Calais.” The hunter nodded his understanding and turned back to look at the courageous villagers behind him once more.

“Do you think Salmoneus is all right?” Iolaus asked suddenly. The salesman had been gone when they had arrived back home.

“I’m sure he’s fine,” the demigod told him. “Probably just went off to sulk for awhile. He’ll be back once he gets over it.”

“You’re probably right,” the hunter agreed. “But Elissa was worried about him.”

“Well, we’ve got bigger worries than that now,” Hercules cautioned. “Here they come.”

As Calais led his men into Acheron, they were met by a mob of villagers. Hercules stepped forward from the group and advanced, with Iolaus close behind.

“Hebe is staying with us, Calais,” the demigod said quietly but firmly. “Save yourself the trouble and turn around.”

“Hebe belongs to me,” the warlord declared. “I will have her back, and the healer bitch as well.”

“Then come and get them,” Hercules challenged. Calais gave the order, and his soldiers rushed forward in a frontal attack. The demigod tried to move ahead through the onslaught toward the warlord, but his men were doing an efficient job of protecting him and Hercules had to fight off the soldiers before him. Iolaus was doing his best to block the attackers, trying to keep them from making it to the wall of villagers, but there were too many. With a loud roar and a clashing of weapons, the battle was on.

Three men surrounded the hunter, and he held his sword before him, eyeing them warily. They remained tensed like that for several heartbeats, until one of the soldiers feigned a rush. He’d been trying to provoke Iolaus into committing to action, but the skilled warrior never moved. Finally, unable to stand it no longer, the soldier on the right attacked for real. Iolaus dodged his rush and felled him with his sword as he went by. The hunter sensed the man behind him approaching, and whirled around in a spin kick, catching the man in the chest and sending him flying. Iolaus turned, and his sword met with the third soldier’s blade. They parried for several minutes, with the hunter fully enjoying himself until he suddenly was disarmed. With a loud, metallic noise, his sword was knocked out of his hands and went spinning across the ground.

“Now what are you going to do?” the soldier taunted him. The hunter didn’t answer, but his fist shot out with lightening speed and cracked against the man’s jaw, dropping him to the ground. Iolaus brushed off his hands in satisfaction and retrieved his sword. He looked for Hercules, and found him fighting Calais. The warlord was coming at him with a sword, and the demigod was blocking the thrusts with a staff that he had somehow procured. Iolaus began to run toward them, and as he moved into range, he shouted his partner’s name. When Hercules looked in his direction, the hunter tossed his sword. The demigod effortlessly caught the blade as Iolaus was tackled to the ground by another soldier.

The sword was not Hercules’ first choice of weapon, but nevertheless, he still was quite skilled in its use. With his newfound edge, the demigod reversed his position with Calais, putting the warlord on the defensive as he advanced. Calais was also very skilled in swordplay, but Hercules’ sudden aggressive assault had unnerved him. He was used to fighting men like the Acheron villagers. Young and strong, but not battle-wise. The thought that he was now combating an angry demigod, the son of Zeus no less, had struck a chord of fear in him. It was this fear that gave Hercules the edge he needed to finally disarm the warlord.

“Call off your men,” the demigod ordered, hauling Calais up by the scruff of his neck. “Do it,” Hercules repeated forcefully, giving the warlord a hard shake to emphasize his intent. Somewhat nervously, Calais gave the order for his soldiers to lay down their weapons. The men complied, after taking in the sight of their leader dangling from the demigod’s grasp.

“Let them go,” Iolaus told the villager as they began to chase after the soldiers that were scattering. “They’re not coming back any time soon.”

“Is it over?” Hebe asked.

“I think so,” Elissa replied. A loud cheer from outside had prompted her to peak out of the window of the house where they had been hiding. “It looks like we won, but I don’t see Hercules or Iolaus anywhere.” Both women startled as the hunter burst through the door.

“We did it,” he cried, taking the healer by the waist and swinging her in a circle. “They took off running like a hydra was chasing them. Hercules has Calais. They’re locking him up in a storage room in the back of the tavern tonight, and tomorrow some of the villagers are going to take him to Athens for trial.”

“Are there any wounded?” Elissa asked, when Iolaus finally put her down.

“Some,” he answered. “A few are bad, but there weren’t any fatalities to our side.”

“I’d better go see what I can do,” the healer excused herself. She gathered up her satchel and went out to the battlefield to tend to the injured men.

“Hercules wanted me to tell you that you’re safe now,” Iolaus told Hebe, moving to sit beside her. “You’re free of Calais.”

“It’s funny,” the girl said softly. “But I think I’m scared. That life was the only one I’ve ever known. I’ve never been out in the world on my own. I don’t know what I should do now.”

“You can stay here with us,” the hunter offered, taking her hand in his own. “Until you find your place. For as long as you want, you have a home here.”

“Thank you, Iolaus,” Hebe whispered. She lifted a hand to brush away the tears that were forming in her eyes, and the hunter slipped an arm around her and hugged her. It was going to be a big adjustment for her, but she knew that it would be made easier by the kind people that had set her free.

“I’ve been looking for you,” Iolaus said, coming up behind Elissa. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder. “What are you doing out here spying on them?” The healer had been watching Hercules and Hebe as they sat together on the stone bench in the garden.

“She looks so happy,” Elissa murmured. “I think she’s going to be ok.”

“Look at Herc,” the hunter laughed. “He’s acting like a dorky teenager with a case of puppy love.”

“Well can you blame him? She’s a very beautiful girl.”

“Is she?” Iolaus whispered, kissing his wife lightly on the neck.

“Oh don’t try and pretend like you haven’t noticed,” Elissa reproached him gently. “I saw that double take you did when you first met her.”

“Ok, you caught me,” the hunter grinned, blushing slightly. “I may have looked, but she doesn’t even compare to you.”

“You’d better say that,” she teased. “But I don‘t think Hercules would agree. Something tells me he’s going to be spending a lot more time around here from now on.” They watched as the demigod helped Hebe to her feet and took her arm.

“Can you do anything about her leg?” Iolaus asked, focusing on her limp.

“No,” the healer admitted. “Calais made sure of that. He completely shattered the bones in her leg. Even if the injury was recent, I doubt I’d be able to heal it 100%.”

“Look,” the hunter whispered. The couple in the garden had stopped walking, and Hercules was bending down to kiss the petite girl beside him. “Come on,” Iolaus urged. “Let’s go back to the house and give them some privacy.”

“They both deserve to be happy,” Elissa thought aloud, taking her husband’s hand as they headed back to the house. “I hope this works out for them.”

“Me too,” Iolaus agreed. Traditionally, whenever either he or Hercules had found a shred of peace and happiness within their turbulent lives, something had come along to ruin it. It appeared that finally, despite the hurdles that they’d had to overcome, the hunter had found his happiness with Elissa. He could only hope that it was, at last, his friend’s turn.

Disclaimer: Salmoneus was bashed over the head during the writing of this story, but let’s face it, he probably deserved it. He recovered quickly though, and no harm done.

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