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Porius
By: Emily
Disclaimer:
Don't own 'em.
Subtext: Ha! No!
Violence: Probably
Sex: no
Author's note: This story takes place ummm...pretty much any time before season 5, things get too complex/dramatic in that season.
Email: favyear79@yahoo.com
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Prologue: I'm going to be introducing a new character, Porius. He is Ares' mentor, and although never seen in any of the Xena episodes...him and Xena have been good friends ever since he helped her when she was taken prisoner and was to be killed, but he saved her. Porius is immortal, he's like waaaaaaaaaaaayyyy older than Ares.
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Ares abruptly stopped going over battle plans with a new warlord when he heard someone say his name, the only other person he had that good of a bond with other than Xena.
"Porius" He said concerned.
His warlord looked at him strangely.
Ares suddenly vanished, leaving the warlord to his thoughts.
He reappeared next to Porius who was lying on a bed, not looking too great.
"Porius" Ares said with a smile as he took hold of the old man's arm.
"Ares"
"What did you call me for?"
He asked, pulling up a chair and sitting down.
Porius looked at him, and said finally:
"Ares, I'm dying"
The god stared at him incredulously.
"You...can't...die...you're...immortal"
"Someone, a traitor in my household, has poisoned me with Hind's Blood. I'll be dead in less than one or two days"
Ares put his head in his hands for a moment, then looked back up at him.
"I'll stay here with you"
"Now Ares, you have wars to plan-"
"I owe you my life. If you wouldn't have mentored me, I would have lost many a fights"
Porius nodded. Then after some chit-chat, fell asleep. Ares leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, trying to keep thoughts of Porius out of his mind.
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Meanwhile Xena and Gabrielle were sitting at camp debating over who was smarter, Socrates, or Aristotle. Just as Xena was going to make a comment, she heard something crack in the woods. She jumped up, sword in hand.
"Come on out" She said in a menacing voice.
Out of some shrubs stepped a man just a little taller than Gabrielle.
"I'm sorry to sneak up on you two, but your debate was very interesting."
Xena rolled her eyes.
"What do you want?"
"I am a messenger from Porius, he requests your presence."
"Why?" Xena said, suddenly very interested.
The man took a deep breath, then said:
"He's dying"
Xena lowered her sword and stepped back.
"He ca- That's impossible. He's -"
"Been poisoned by Hind's Blood."
Xena started to snap out of her phase of incredulity.
"Where is he?" She demanded. "Who did this to him? How long does he have? Who's taking care of him? How-"
"He's in Tripoly, only about seven miles from here"
"I've got to go Gabrielle"
She started to run off.
"But Xena-"
"Take care of Argo, and whoever you are, stay here with Gabrielle, and if you dare hurt her, you'll be sorry!" Her voice drifted off as she sprinted out of sight.
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After sprinting about seven miles, she found the town Magestrate of Tripoly and he informed her that Porius was about one mile east of the place. So she ran there, and when she found his palace, she went in through the huge double doors.
Xena raced down the halls, looking into the rooms, she finally heard voices coming from a room down the hall. She stealthily crept up and recognized Porius' voice and...Ares'? Yes, she was sure, and as she inched closer, she could feel his presence.
Xena stepped into the doorway, and she saw Ares sitting next to Porius' bed. At her appearance in the doorway, they both sat up. Ares looked at her puzzled, and Porius just laid back down.
"Xena" He said.
She hardly glanced at Ares and ran up to Porius.
"Porius" She said with gladness "Ares."
"What's *she* doing here?" Ares asked Porius, being very protective of his mentor.
"Xena's a good friend of mine"
"And what may I ask is *he* doing here" She said, eyeing the god next to her.
"He was my mentor" Said Ares, looking over to the old
man in bed.
Xena stood in a daze of shock, never really thinking of Ares having a mentor, then snapped out of it.
"Well" She said, shifting her gaze to Porius "How are you doing?"
"I'm dying, but other than that..." He smiled.
"How?"
"I need to talk to you two about that." Xena pulled up a chair and sat down next to Ares. "Someone in my household has obviously poisoned me with Hind's Blood. I'm sure they obviously want my estate. Now, I know you two don't play well together, but I want you two to stay here and figure out who it was"
Xena and Ares both nodded slowly.
"Good, now, would ya' two let me get some sleep?" He asked.
They both laughed quietly and exited the room. Once out in the hall, a servant named Nikila came up to the two of them.
"I hear you two will be staying here" She said to the two.
"How'd you know that?" Ares asked quizzically.
"I over-heard you guys talking"
Xena gave Ares an incredulous glance, then said
"Yes, now, would you please escort us to our rooms?"
"Rooms? There's my room, Jared's, Ackien's, Porius' and a guest room. You two will have to share it, if you don't mind"
"That'll be fine" Ares said, cutting Xena off from protesting. "I'm a god, I don't have to sleep here"
"Alright, this way." The two followed her down the hall and to a room at the end to the left.
Xena and Ares walked in and took in the balcony, large, luxurious, red satin bed, dresser, and a small chair, like one at a table.
Once Xena could tell Nikila was out of ear shot, she said, turning to Ares:
"I think it was Nikila"
"That poisoned Porius? Come on Xena, I knew her, I doubt it." Then added "You always jump to conclusions"
"I don't jump to conclusions, I just take the obvious for what it is!"
"Sure..." Ares said as he disappeared.
Xena plopped down on her bed. After checking on Porius in a couple hours, she fell asleep for the night.
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Xena was awoken by a dagger missing it's target and hitting the headboard. She soon went into attack mode. She heard footsteps in the hall, but when she went out to investigate, saw no one. Xena's mind quickly jumped to Porius. She rushed into his room to see him slowly awaken.
"Xena, what's going on?"
"Someone, tried to kill me with a dagger"
"What did it look like?"
"It had a black leather handle and a blade about as long as my hand."
"I've never seen it in my household. Ares!"
Ares appeared.
"What's the matter Porius?" He asked with concern.
"Stay with Xena tonight. I don't want her getting killed by someone. She was attacked tonight"
Ares nodded.
"I can take care of myself, Porius" Xena said defensively.
"She is a woman of many skills" Ares said mockingly.
She glared at him.
"Ares will stay with you at all times, I will not have you die because you were trying to avenge me"
"Yes Porius" They both said, sounding like children being lectured.
They turned around and walked out.
Once in their room, Xena went out onto the balcony. Ares decided to join her, now that she was his priority.
"Did you get a glimpse of who it was?"
She shook her head, seemingly in a daze.
"What's wrong?" Ares asked.
"Watching, waiting for Porius to die, when I thought he'd live forever. It must be hard to watch your mentor die"
Ares shifted his gaze from Xena to the night sky and nodded as he leaned on the railing. "Seeing him so defenseless, when he was the one who taught me everything I know"
"It would" Xena paused "destroy me, to watch my mentor die" She said looked into his eyes, seeing only disbelieving.
"I'm sure it would just pain you to see me go, but honestly, we both know you'd get over it, and then find some other god to mess with" He said walking back into the room with a coldness.
"Gods Ares! I try to be sincere and you respond to me like I can't wait to see you die!" Xena stormed in after him.
Ares turned around quickly. "Okay, sorry! Sorry for not believing your "sincerity" when, hmmm, last time saw you, you didn't take *my* sincerity about Dahak!" As he took off his vest and got into bed.
"All right, let's just stop being civil at all and live out this game that we've created" Xena said angrily as she slipped into bed also. They both turned their backs to each other and fell asleep.
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The two awoke to a scream. They exchanged glances and ran to Porius' room, the source of the scream. They found Nikila standing over Porius who was not moving. Jared rushed in and soberly took Nikila, who was in tears, into his arms.
Ackien, a round man with kind eyes, soon came in too, and upon seeing Porius' still form, gravely covered him up with a blanket. He looked to Xena and Ares, standing in shock.
"You two can leave, we'll prepare Porius for the ceremony this evening."
Xena, still in shock, didn't answer. Ares nodded. They both knew he was going to die, but neither of them had thought what it would be like with out him. Xena walked out of the room soberly and laid down on her stomach on the bed and cried. Ares debated whether to go in and comfort her, or leave her alone. He, walked away down the hall, sure no one would try anything on her in broad daylight. Ares went outside and looked around. He saw a path into the woods and followed it. It took him up to the edge of a cliff, overlooking a beach. He sat on a boulder and thought to himself of Porius and his killer.
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That evening Ares was still up there. He decided it was time to go back, so he walked down the path to Porius' palace to see the servants preparing a brush pile for Porius to be burned on. He went inside, and down the hall to his room. He found Xena still on her stomach, fingering the threading on pillowcase next to her. She didn't bother to look up, for she knew it was him. Ares sat down beside her on the bed and gently ran his hand down her back. Xena closed her eyes in response to his touch.
"Sorry for being in such a bad mood last night."
"Don't blame you, but I forgive you, sorry"
Ares laid down next to her and after a couple minutes said, "And for your information, it meant a lot to me, what you said last night"
"Only the truth"
They captured each other's eyes, and after a few moments, Ackien walked in.
"The ceremony is to begin now"
Ares and Xena got up and went out of the palace to where Nikila was standing with a torch next to the brush pile. She sang a slow, mournful song, and lit the fire. The two stood there and watched their old friend and mentor being consumed by the flames. A tear rolled down Xena's face, which didn't go unseen by Ares. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her next to him. She rested her head on his shoulder.
Once the fire had died down, Xena and Ares walked up the path that Ares had taken that day and stood together, watching the waves crash on the beach. Ares stood behind Xena, and slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him. Xena reveled in the warmth that was Ares.
"So, you think it was Nikila?"
Xena turned in his arms so that she was facing him, but still pressed against his body.
"I'm not sure, Jared's a possibility also, but I doubt Ackien because he seems too slow to have thrown the dagger at me and left"
Ares nodded. Xena ran a hand up his upper arm, then around his neck.
She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes, she opened them after a few moments and found that they were in the same position, only on the bed.
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Xena awoke the next morning very chilled. She pulled up the covers and nestled more into Ares. Ares was also awoken by Xena's rustling. He was in black satin pants and Xena was in a loose fitting night gown. Xena smiled mischievously and placed her frozen hands on his neck under his jawbone. He jumped a little and quickly took her hands in his, massaging them sensually until they had reached an equilibrium with his own hands. He then proceeded to pull her back to his chest so they were on their sides and wrapped one arm around her waist.
"Mmm" She sighed, reveling in the warmth of him. At almost the worst possible time, her mind, which had over-slept just a few minutes to allow Xena to let herself not resist Ares, woke up, telling her that the god she was with was her "enemy". Xena pulled away from Ares a bit, then decided she had been through too much in the last couple days. If Ares wanted to comfort her, and she wanted to be with him, she was going to give into her heart for once.
Xena settled back into Ares. She decided it was time to get up, and sat up. Ares sat up also and got up. When he stood up and turned around he was fully clothed in his usual attire.
"I'm going to go outside, maybe talk to Ackien or Jared, you want to talk to Nikila?"
"Yeah" Xena sighed reluctantly. She didn't like Nikila from the start.
Ares grinned. "She's not all that bad once you get to know her"
"And how would you know?"
"I met her a few years ago while Porius was training her. I suggest you don't get into any cat fights with her, she's good"
"You're saying she's better than me?" Xena asked quizzically, giving him the "look".
Even though Ares wanted to tell her she could take Nikila any day, he wasn't sure. Nikila was very skilled. He shrugged and disappeared.
Xena was almost angry with him. Did he really think someone else was better than the person he trained? And what's all this nonsense about not "being that bad once you get to know her"? Whatever, now it was time to go talk to the girl so she got up, put her armor on, and went out into the hallways. Just as she turned the corner to go into the dining area she bumped right into Nikila.
She slapped on a fake smile and said "Good morning"
Nikila, still seemingly startled, replied "'Morning, sleep well?"
"Yes, although my room was freezing this morning"
"Yes, it's cold in the morning here."
Xena shrugged.
"I have my ways of keeping warm"
Nikila glared at her. "I'm sure you do. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go speak with Ares"
"Why?"
"I haven't seen him in a while."
"How long have you known him?"
"Since I was training here. I saw him one day and was struck with his good looks and charm. Then eventually we got together."
"You two were...lovers?" Xena inquired quietly.
"Yes, jealous, Xena?"
"What's there to be jealous of? You and him? Please, I had five years with him as a lover, and even though I turned from him and deceived him, he wants me. Give it up."
It seemed like out of nowhere she back-handed Xena across her face, giving her a cut in her lip. Xena unsheathed her sword and swung for Nikila's stomach. Nikila flipped backwards and grabbed a sword off a nearby table. They started a vigorous sword fight, which Xena was losing. Nikila grazed her arm, gave her a cut on her leg, and Xena was presently on her back on the floor, writhing in pain. Nikila walked up to her, and just as she was about to plunge her sword into Xena's heart, Xena's knight in shining leather showed up. (Does leather shine?)
"Nikila stop!" He shouted.
She looked at Xena on the floor, who was slowly gathering her senses together, and Ares. She dropped her sword and said to Ares:
"Tell the warrior bitch not to pick anymore fights with me"
Ares looked to Xena who was slowly getting up, her face showing the pain she was in. "I already did"
Nikila looked confused for a moment, then got a superior look on her face and walked away. Ares walked over to Xena.
"How bad are you hurt?" He asked.
"My leg is the worst, just a couple other minor wounds"
He nodded, although she could tell he was holding something back. He was angry with her.
"She was better than me"
"Yeah, why'd you start a fight with her?"
"She back-handed me and I guess that did it for me. I can't stand her..." She said, walking back towards her room.
Ares followed her, and once they were inside, he shut the door.
"Why did she hit you in the first place?"
"She was jealous of me...and you." She sat on the bed and lowered her head. "You never told me you two were lovers"
Ares defended himself. "Didn't think you needed to know"
"Did you love her?"
"No. She meant nothing" He said sincerely. He sat on the bed next to her. "Let me see your leg."
Xena pivoted on the bed and laid her leg on his lap. A bowl with some water and rags appeared next to him. He started to clean Xena's cut.
"When did you last see her?"
Ares answered annoyed "A few years ago. Why do you care so damn much?"
"I just wanted to know." She said angrily.
"Yeah, well it's none of your business. I suppose you didn't find anything out about the murder."
"No. Did you?"
"Yeah, Ackien didn't do it...neither did Jared. They were both with their family when the first news of Porius' murder reached them. They're brothers."
"That means Nikila did it..."
"I didn't say that!" He said exasperated.
He finished bandaging her leg. "Ares! You can't always be sticking up for her just because you still have feelings for her. It's clear she did it, why in Tartarus can't you accept that fact?!"
"I don't still have feelings for her!"
"Then why won't you take the obvious for what it is?"
"Because she still loves me and I can't betray her like this. If you want to convict her or whatever, fine. But I won't. I can't."
"Because you're still in love with her" Xena said.
"I'm not in love with the girl!" A few moments after he said it, they heard a thump outside the door. He glanced at her and ran out to find Nikila with bloody dagger in hand laying on the floor. Her neck was slit. Ares took a step back and turned to see Xena standing behind him with a pained look on her face.
"I'm sorry Ares" He nodded in reply.
"Should we tell the others?" She asked.
"No." He said as he waved his hand over her body and she disappeared.
"Where did you send her?"
"The Underworld. I'll tell the others she ran away with guilt. I'm sure they'll leave it at that, none of the others ever really liked her." He looked up at her. "Never gave her a chance".
"I'm sorry."
"Like I said she meant nothing. Well, maybe a little something."
Xena nodded and turned around and walked into the room with a little bit of sadness in her features. Ares caught up to her and turned her around.
"I didn't love her, I love you." He said meaningfully.
Xena turned around, not wanting to face him. She had been part of Nikila's death. He should be mad at her, not telling her he loved her! But if he did, then she loved him too.
"I love you too" She said as she turned around. A small smile played his face as he put his hands on her waist and drew her closer. Xena wrapped a hand around his neck and brought his lips down to hers as they shared a passionate kiss.
THE END
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