A Love Never Recieved
By: Aurora
*~A love that lasts the longest is the one that is never returned~*
-- Somerset Maugham
Copyright Disclaimer: All characters that have appeared in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess belongs to MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing for this fan fiction.
Subtext: None--what, are you kidding me?
Violence: None--yep, not this time. What a bummer.
Sex: None
Rated G
Date Written: January 5, 2001
E-mail: sinbody@denvermail.com (Please send me feedback; I want to know what you think!)
Author’s Note/Summery: When Xena journey’s home to meet her mother, she discoveries a startling surprise and finds out that Ares has done something that Xena will never forgive him for. This story takes place before “Amphipolis Under Siege” but it is as if that episode never occurred.
It was an unusually hot day and Xena and Gabrielle were one the road to Amphipolis. Xena was anxious to see her mother since she hadn’t seen her for several months. Xena road Argo while Gabrielle was beside her riding Amber. It was such a hot day that they had to take it slow so that their horses did not tire. Three-month-old Eve was strapped to Xena’s back fast asleep.
It had only been a few days since they had come into contact with the priests of Apollo, Artemis, and Poseidon intent on killing her child. The dream that she’d had about Ares still disturbed her greatly and as they road along, Gabrielle could see that her friend was in much discomfort.
“Is that dream still bothering you, Xena?”
“Yes. I wish that it would just go away. I know that Ares must have messed with my head that night because I know I do not have feelings for him. It’s impossible.”
Gabrielle didn’t respond, but instead decided to change the subject.
“How long until we arrive in Amphipolis?” She asked.
“Probably another mile or so.”
“Good because I could really use something to eat.” Gabrielle chuckled, to lighten the mood.
Xena smiled at her comment as they continued down through the forest.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Soon they arrived in Amphipolis. Xena and Gabrielle took their horses to a stable and then went to Cyrene’s tavern. But when they got to the door, it was locked and there was a note nailed to it. It read:
This tavern is closed until further notice.
Signed,
Athos, the town magistrate
“My mother would never close the tavern, it’s how she makes a living. Something must be wrong.” Xena said.
“Like what?”
“I don’t know but I am going to find out.”
Xena and Gabrielle left the tavern and walked across the street to a large building in the center of the city--the town hall. The two of them opened the doors and a pair of guards holding spears greeted them. They crossed the spears in front of Xena and Gabrielle as they walked in.
“Who are you and what is your business here?” One of the guards asked them.
“My name is Xena and this is my friend Gabrielle. We’ve come to see Athos, the magistrate.” Xena said.
“He’s in a meeting right now so you will have to wait a moment. What do you need to speak to him about?”
“I need to ask him about my mother Cyrene and why her tavern has been closed down.”
“In a moment.” The guard replied.
The other guard went toward a door in the far corner of the room and walked in. Xena and Gabrielle waited for a few minutes until the guard came from the room and walked over to them.
“Athos will see you now.”
“Thank you.” Xena said as the guard led them to Athos’ quarters.
When they entered, Athos was standing by a window.
“Xena and Gabrielle are here to speak with you.” The guard said before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.
Athos walked up to the two of them.
“It’s nice to meet you both. What do you wish to speak to me about?”
“We were just at Cyrene’s tavern and there was a sign that said it was closed. I want to know what that is all about. I know that my mother would never close her tavern.”
Athos sighed. “I closed the tavern because there was no one to tend to it. Two days ago, Cyrene was found missing and no one in town knows where she is.”
“My mother’s missing?” Xena asked, beginning to get a little worried.
“Yes. It’s like she just disappeared.”
Xena was in shock. She had no idea what could have happened to her mother. Gabrielle put a hand on her shoulder.
“Who would want to kidnap your mother?”
“I-I don’t know.” Xena turned to Athos. “Was there any evidence that she had deliberately left from town?”
“No. The tavern was searched and there was no evidence that she had chosen to leave. The whole town is worried. Everyone loved Cyrene, she was a good friend to everyone who came to her tavern.”
Xena walked around the room to the window, thinking. Then she turned back to Athos.
“Do you think you could give me a key to her tavern so that I could check it out for myself.”
“Well, sure, but I don’t know why you would find something that I didn’t.”
Athos walked to a desk and opened a drawer, retrieving from it a small box. He opened it and inside was a key. He walked back to Xena and gave it to her.
“Here. I hope you’re able to solve this mystery.”
“Oh, trust me. If anyone can find something out that no one else could, it would be Xena.” Gabrielle smiled.
“Thank you, Athos.” Xena said.
“Good luck.” He replied.
Xena nodded her head in response before she and Gabrielle left the room.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The two of them went back to Cyrene’s tavern. Xena put the key in the lock and opened the door.
“See if you can find anything that could be useful.” She told Gabrielle.
“All right.”
Xena walked around the room, looking for anything suspicious. Everything seemed to be in perfect order. When Xena didn’t find anything, she turned to Gabrielle.
“Gabrielle, I am going to check my mother’s bedroom. Keep looking down here, okay?”
“Sure, Xena.”
Xena walked up the stairs and made a right, walking into her mother’s room. There was a small bed in the corner with a desk next to it. Across from the bed, there was a small open window that looked out over the city.
Xena slowly walked through the room, surveying everything. Then, lying on the bed was a scroll. Xena rushed over to it and picked it up. It read:
Hello, Xena. I’m guessing that you want your mother back. Well, I’m willing to give her back on one condition--you give me what I want. If not, you will never see her again. When you’ve made your decision, meet me when the moon is high at the only building in town that sunlight will never touch.
Signed,
I know you know who it is; I don’t even have to tell you
Xena’s raised an eyebrow, trying to think of who it was.
“A building never touched by sunlight? Hmm. The only building I can think of like that is…is…Ares’ temple at the far end of the city! It is built inside of a cave!” Xena snarled. “Ares…Ares how could you? This is the worst thing you’ve ever done and you will pay!”
Xena rushed out of the room and ran down the stairs.
“Xena, did you find anything?” Gabrielle asked.
“It’s Ares. Ares has my mother!” She responded hurriedly.
Xena handed Gabrielle the note and she read it.
“This is terrible. He’s done some mean things to you but this…this is the worst. I thought he was beginning to change.” Gabrielle put the note down on the table. “Xena, you can’t agree to his offer, so what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know, Gabrielle but I will get her back no matter how hard it is. Ares is NOT going to win this battle, not in a million years!”
Xena walked toward the door and Gabrielle followed her.
“Where are you going?” Gabrielle asked.
“Well, I can’t do anything right now. I’ll have to wait until tonight. You said you were hungry, didn’t you? Well, me too so lets go get something to eat.” She smiled at her friend and then left the tavern.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
That night Xena and Gabrielle were in Cyrene’s tavern. Xena was rocking Eve back and fourth, singing a lullaby to her quietly. Eve cooed and babbled in her mother’s arms. Gabrielle was looking out the window, watching the moon.
“Xena, the moon is high.”
Xena stood up and walked over to Gabrielle.
“Take care of Eve while I am gone, will you?” She said, handing Gabrielle the baby.
“Sure thing. Oh, and Xena? Be careful.”
“I will. The gods know I have always been able to handle myself with Ares. Now is no different.”
Xena grabbed a torch from the wall and then left.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Xena walked along the lonely street towards the far end of town. The stars in the sky didn’t shine as brightly as they normally did; a large dark cloud covered the sky preventing the light from reaching earth. It seemed that Xena’s only source of light was the bright torch she carried in her hand.
When Xena reached the outskirts of the town, she stopped in front of a huge cave. There were two very large torches that were on either side of the cave that burned brightly. Xena walked into the cave. The entrance was a long hall that led to an open room at the end. The sides of the cave had been inlaid with stones of granite. Every third stone had a torch imbedded into it, which made the entrance seem to have an eerie glow. Near the ceiling was a row of sculls that had red gems placed in the eye sockets.
Xena walked down the hall until she reached an open room at the back of the cave. The room was very big and the ceiling was high. Here too, the walls were of granite and sculls lined the ceiling. Candles were placed all over the room in. On the walls were murals that depicted bloody battle scenes in extraordinary detail and color. The room could defiantly be identified with the God of War. It was so gruesome. At the far end of the room was a thrown that had black diamonds imbedded into it and on it sat none other that Ares. He was sitting with one leg hanging over the edge of the thrown.
When Xena saw him, her facial features began to show the anger that she felt toward him.
“Ares…” She growled.
“How’s it going, Xena? Have you made a decision?” He asked as if nothing was wrong.
“Yes, Ares. I have.”
“And?”
Xena walked up to him and leaned over him, placing her hands on the armrests of the thrown. She was nose to nose with him and gave him an icy glare.
“I will burn in Tartarus before I EVER give you a child.”
Out of pure anger, Ares growled and shot a lighting bolt at her, causing her to fly backwards and hit the wall on the other side of the room. Ares disappeared and then reappeared instantly, grabbing Xena and picking her up by the shoulders.
“I’m warning you, Xena! You’d better give me what I want or you will NEVER see your precious mother again!”
Xena looked at him firmly. “Ares, I can’t believe you would do something like this. You’ve done things to me in the past but this is worse than everything else put together. You are such a liar!! Trying to convince me that you love me when we were in Tartarus. Trying to tell me that all you really wanted to do was help me. And yet, all you really wanted me for was so that you would have a sure chance of surviving. Ares, you’re sick! I never want to see you again.”
Tears had begun to well up in her eyes and she didn’t know why. Ares let her go and she dropped to the ground. He turned around and walked back to the thrown. Xena stood up but before she left Ares looked at her.
“Fine, Xena. If that’s the way you want it. Your mother dies tomorrow night.”
Xena stared at him and then left the cave. As she left, she heard Ares howl into the night.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When Xena got back to the tavern, tears had filled her eyes.
“How did it go?”
Xena sighed and wiped her eyes. “Not good. My mother dies tomorrow night. It’s strange; I’ve never seen Ares like this. He seems so evil, more than he has ever before. Everything he had said to me was a lie; it was all a lie! Gabrielle, I don’t know how we are going to save my mother. I have no idea where he is keeping her and we only have until tomorrow night. It seems hopeless.”
Xena walked over to Eve and picked her daughter up. Without a word, she went up the stairs into an empty room where she planed to stay for the night. Gabrielle watched as she left. She couldn’t believe that Xena had just given up. She never gave up on anything.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Later that night when Xena was asleep in her room, Gabrielle left the tavern. She knew that she had to talk to Ares; maybe she could convince him to change his mind. Gabrielle walked to the cave and entered. When she was inside, there was no one there.
“Ares. Ares, I need to speak with you.”
There was a flash of light in a dark corner of the room and Ares appeared.
“What do you want? Have you come to yell at me too?”
Gabrielle walked up to him. “Why do you treat her the way you do? You know you can never force her to do anything she doesn’t want to do. How can you be so heartless and cruel?”
“I want her back. I want things the way they used to be but she won’t give me a chance.”
“Ares, you haven’t given her any reason to give you a chance.” Gabrielle paused before continuing. “Let Cyrene go. You aren’t gaining anything by killing her, now are you?”
“I can’t let her go. I told Xena I would kill her and that is what I plan to do.”
“Well, then…I have no business being here. You’re not going to change your mind no matter what I say.”
Ares turned from Gabrielle and walked away but before he had time to disappear Gabrielle spoke up.
“Ares, I know how you feel about Xena.”
Ares stopped dead in his tracks and looked at Gabrielle.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Yeah, you do. I know what your feelings are for her.”
Ares was silent for the longest time. “How do you know?”
“Oh, come on, Ares. It’s obvious. Everything that Xena has told me about you trying to tell her that you just want to help, trying to tell her how you feel when you two were in Tartarus. She didn’t believe a word of it but you still said it.”
Ares sighed and walked to his thrown, sitting down. “Gabrielle, I know I’m not one to be honest with people but…you’re right. I do have feelings for her. I don’t know what is wrong with me. I’m the God of War; I’m not supposed to feel this way.”
“Ares, you have to release Cyrene. You can’t force Xena to give you a child. If you do, you will turn her back in to the murdering warlord she once was. Now, if you really do care for her, then you will tell her how you feel. If you really want her back, she has to know the truth. That’s the only way.”
With that, Gabrielle walked out of the cave leaving Ares to think about what she said.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The next morning, Xena was outside sitting by a lake nursing Eve. She hummed a sweet tune to her daughter as she looked out over the calm water. The talk with Ares the night before had really gotten to her. She didn’t know how she was going to get her mother back. It was the first time in her life that something seemed almost hopeless. Gabrielle had gone for a morning ride on Amber and would not be back for a while yet.
Xena was in such deep thought that she didn’t even realize that Ares was behind her until he appeared. Xena turned around quickly and drew her sword. She held Eve in one hand and the sword in the other. Anger began to burn in her eyes.
“You’re not getting this child, Ares like you got my mother. The Fates may have said that she will bring about the gods end but I would gladly die protecting her!”
“I don’t want to hurt Eve. I just came to talk to you.”
“Talk?! What is there to talk about?! Hmm. Let’s see. Oh, yes! You have my mother. I want her back and I will never give you a child. Does that about sum it up?” She snapped, turning and walking away from him.
Ares followed her and grabbed her arm forcefully.
“I was wrong, Xena. I shouldn’t have captured your mother just so I could force you to give me a child. It was foolish and I’m sorry. Your mother will be waiting in the tavern when you get back. I promise”
Xena looked at him with a steely gaze.
“You’re lying!”
“Xena, no I’m not.”
Xena pointed her sword at his throat.
“Yes, yes you are! Everything you’ve told me in the past turned out to be a lie. Now is no different.”
“None of it was a lie. I was telling the truth then and I’m telling you the truth now.”
“Right.” She replied, very irritated with Ares at this point.
“Why don’t you believe me?”
“Why? Well, Ares, I’ll tell you why. When have you ever done something to me that wasn’t manipulative, deceiving, conniving, or cruel? You have been treating me harshly ever since the day I changed from evil to good. You’re an arrogant, egotistical, and cynical god who doesn’t do anything unless it is for your own benefit and you care about no one but yourself. That’s why I’ve never trusted you. You have given me no reason to.”
With that Xena walked away with Ares still where he stood. As she left he suddenly appeared in front of her.
“You were wrong, Xena. I don’t just care about myself, I…I care about you too.”
“Yeah, whatever.” She said as she walked around him.
“I love you, Xena.” He said in a caring voice that echoed through the forest.
Xena turned around and looked at him with a blank expression on her face. She didn’t know what to say.
“Did you here me? I said I love you.” Ares said leaning in so he could kiss her.
Just before their lips touched, Xena’s arms pushed against his chest and she backed away.
“No. I can’t do this. How can I love someone who has caused me so much pain?”
“I want to change. I may not be able to undo the past but I want to try and make things better. I am sorry for what I did to you. Truly sorry.”
Xena was silent for a moment before she spoke. “I’m sorry, Ares but it can never be for us. I can’t love someone like you.”
Xena slowly walked away from him, still holding her daughter in her arms. Before he was completely out of sight she turned to look at him again. “Goodbye, Ares. I hope you find true love some day.”
In a moment she was out sight. Ares was left standing where he was. Tears began to fill in his eyes, something that had never happened in all of his immortal life. He knew he would never see her again.
“You WERE my true love, Xena.” He whispered under his breath before disappearing in sadness.
THE END
