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The Arrows Of Love Mark Their Spot
Part I
By: Tamar
Disclaimer:
The characters all belong to Renessance Pictures. No infringment was intended.
Summery: Xena and Ares get closer after he saves Gabrielle and a girl named Lauren.
The day started as it had always. Xena and Gabrielle woke up and headed towards Potadia to visit Gabrielle’s family. Halfway there soldiers attacked them. In the battle Gabrielle had fallen and was nearly about to be killed but something strange happened.
This is where the starts.
There was bright light of gold and blue. The soldiers ran in fear it might be a god. Both Xena and Gabrielle expected to see the God of War appear out of nowhere, but the strange light kept glittering in front of them. Xena helped the young bard on Argo then raised her sword to protect both of them. Xena was almost positive this was another one of Ares’s tricks to win her back since it was all he ever did. Suddenly they saw to figures appear from the light then it disappeared leaving them behind.
“Who are you?” Xena said threatening them with her sword.
The tall one had long brown hair with crystal blue eyes as Xena did. She wore a short but loose jean skirt with laced black boots and a white, sleeveless belly top. She raised her sword in protection before realizing who she was talking to then put it down.
“My name is Kara.” She said. “I’m you from the future and this is Gabrielle from the future.” She pointed to her friend.
“I’m Lauren.”
Lauren was a long, blond haired, green-eyed girl wearing brown-laced boots, with baggy shorts and a long, tight sleeveless shirt. She had no weapons but you could tell she could fight.
“Yah right.” Gabrielle smiled.
“Its hard to believe I know but in the future we have time traveling devices. We’re here to help you.” Explained Kara.
“I don’t need help and I know who sent you. Come on Gabrielle.”
“Wait!” They shouted but Xena paid no attention as she walked further into the distance until they lost sight of the two strangers.
“Xena don’t you think you could be wrong. I mean they where dressed strangely.” Said Gabrielle.
“Maybe. But that blue light belongs to Ares. I can’t risk putting us, especially you, in danger because of him.”
Night came but Xena couldn’t fall asleep. As usual Gabrielle fell asleep as soon as she could. The thought of what happened today wouldn’t leave her mind. Soon she fell asleep. She awoke to find herself on comfortable bed. Next the god of War entered the room. Somehow her feet moved her towards him. She raised her hand and wrapped it around his neck and they joined with a passionate kiss. Ares nuzzled around her neck and she found herself moaning with pleasure. Suddenly a chill came down her back. Xena woke up realizing it was a dream. She walked across the path and into the forest.
“Ares I know you’re here. Come out!”
Ares showed himself sitting comfortably on a huge boulder.
“Hello Xena.”
“What you want?”
“Just because you won’t come back doesn’t mean I can’t watch you.” He said walking behind her.
“That’s not it. You want something else. You can watch me from Olympus.” she said moving away from him. “Maybe you want to talk about those two women you sent.”
“Who? Oh, them. What was it? Kara and um…”
“Lauren. You sent them.”
“I did not send them. I’m the God of War not fashion! I couldn’t think of those clothes if Morpheus put them in my dreams! But maybe with a bit of inspiration…”
He put his hands around her waist. Xena didn’t budge realizing she could get a few things out of him. Besides as much she hated him she felt safe in his strong arms.
“Aphrodite is your sister.”
“What makes you think she’d do it for me.”
“A hunch.”
“Well you can hunch as much as you want. But I didn’t do it.”
“What makes you think I’ll believe you?” Xena said moving away from him.
“Nothing much. Just a hunch.” He grinned. “You were in my arms a minute
ago.”
“Well maybe you didn’t send them but then who did?”
She walked back to Gabrielle and went to sleep. The next morning proved to be better. It was a peaceful walk to Potadia. Gabrielle decided she would stay with her family for a week then Xena would come back to get her. Xena left the next day headed for adventures. In the middle of the woods she stopped. She had sensed something. Suddenly Kara ran from the bushes towards Xena.
Lauren wasn’t with but she seemed worried.
“Xena! Thank goodness! Lauren has been kidnapped.”
“You’re me. Couldn’t you protect her?”
“That’s not the problem. We got ambushed. When we started fighting the men suddenly I turned around and she was getting dragged on a horse!”
“And what do you need me for? Go find her.”
“I can’t. I don’t know anyone or my way around. I have my suspicions about Ron or should I say Draco.”
“Your from the future. You don’t know about him.”
Kara took out a small, metallic square from her pocket and showed it to
Xena. “You can see into the future or the past.”
“Show me.”
Kara activated it as Xena saw visions with Ares, then her first meeting with Gabrielle. Then she showed her and Lauren getting ambushed.
“All right I believe you. Those were Draco’s men. But I can’t imagine why they would want her. They don’t know Lauren the future Gabrielle, or do they…”
“Do you know where they would be?”
“I could guess.”
That night they walked towards Lycia. There were rumours that Draco has been attacking there and using their ship to get to other islands. That night they made camp. Both couldn’t sleep. Each one wondered about different things but they both had Lauren in mind. Kara finally slept. Xena knew if Kara was her, she would have the same scenes she had. Xena quietly walked away with that strange twinkle running down her back. She marched into the bushes and waited.
“Ares!”
He didn’t show. She called him again and again but he still didn’t show. Then a strong hand circled around her waist pulling her closer. She elbowed his waist and moved away.
“You’ve got to stop watching me.” Xena said.
“And why?”
“Lets see, invading on privacy, your annoying, I hate you, yatyatyata.”
“Well that’s all very nice but you can’t stop me.”
“Well I have one thing to say.”
“What’s that?”
“Stay away!” she warned.
“Your little threats mean nothing to me. But we can make a deal.”
“Like what?”
“I’ll bring back Lauren and you have to spend a night with me.”
“Why should I accept?”
“Because if Draco hurts Lauren… like say kill her Gabrielle dies too.”
“He’s in love with her.”
“But he doesn’t know that Lauren is also Gabrielle.”
“Then why did he kidnap her?”
“Because if he has Lauren he has Kara. They’re bait for Gabrielle. His men must have overheard.”
“So our lives are interconnected. If one of us dies so does the other.”
“Check!” Ares exclaimed and disappeared. “Say my name when you accept the deal.” His voice continued.
Xena went back to sleep.
The next morning they head towards Lydia. Neither of them spoke much until Kara asked.
“You were talking to Ares yesterday?”
“Yah so?”
“What did he say?”
“Not much. Just that if Lauren dies Gabrielle dies. I thought you were here to help us.”
“If we didn’t get ambushed Gabrielle would be dead. With that metallic square we saw Draco making his way to Potadia. This gave us a second chance.”
“By sacrificing Gabrielle and Lauren.”
“No one is getting sacrificed. I’ll get her if not you.”
“If Lauren dies Gabrielle dies! I’m coming.”
Soon they were at Draco’s camp. It was worse than they thought. Everything was destroyed. They made their way to Draco’s camp knocking off and hiding any warrior they saw. They finally found Draco’s tent with Lauren tied up to a pole. Xena threw her chakram but Draco ducked. She caught it but Draco made her way to Lauren putting a dagger to her throat.
“Xena, and I guess this is Kara. Drop your weapons!”
They did as they were told.
“Guards take them to the prison.”
Draco grinned at Xena with satisfaction. He untied Lauren and dragged her with him to the prisons. Xena and Kara were dumped in. Draco grinned in front of them.
“Well looks like I won’t need Lauren anymore now that I have you two. Lets see how Gabby feels seeing her dead in front of you two.”
He raised his dagger ready to strike.
“Lauren!” Kara screamed.
Xena knew what to do.
“Ares…”she whispered.
Instantly Draco got clumsy and Lauren got pushed to the bars.
“Go back with her. Now!” Xena commanded.
Kara grabbed Lauren’s hand and pressed a small circular button. They disappeared. Then Xena also disappeared. She landed comfortably on a red, luxurious bed. She sat up and knew it was her turn to pay up her end of the bargain. Xena was wearing a long sleeved, green dress with matching jewelry.
“Here goes.” She thought.
“You gonna sit there all night or what.”
“Sounds good to me.” She said turning around to Ares.
“Whatever. We did have a deal.”
Xena sighed and walked towards the dinner table for two. There was a small candle. The food was fruit, pork, rice and a chocolate cake for dessert.
“Wine?” He offered poring himself a glass.
Xena nodded and stretched out her cup.
“Your quiet tonight.”
“How would you feel if you had to have dinner with someone you can’t stand?”
“Am I really that bad?”
“Yes.”
“Come on Xena. Lighten up!”
“Why should I?”
“Because as bad as you say it was you have to admit we had fun.”
“Fun?”
“Yah. Ruling, killing, rampaging across measly villages. Feeling their
blood on your sword. Them begging for mercy…”
“Stop it!” Xena ordered and threw her wine on him.
Ares spit the wine that went in his mouth out and ran his hand across his wet pulling it to the side. Xena watched as her frown turned to a laugh at Ares’s sight.
“I really don’t see what’s so funny.” Ares took his wine and threw it on her.
She spit out the wine in her mouth and threw rice and cherries on him. The food fight began. Soon there was no food left. (On the table at least) Ares stood up and raised his arm out to her. She accepted it and stood up. They both broke into laughs at the sight of each other. With a wave of Ares’s arm they were both clean and in fresh new cloths. Ares was wearing his usual but Xena was wearing a radiant, short, red dress with light red boots.
She sat on the bed and watched her enemy come and sit next to her.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For saving Lauren and Gabrielle.”
“We had a deal. I just kept my end of the bargain.”
“Still, they would be dead if you didn’t offer it.”
“Forget it.”
Xena nodded and stared at him. Ares stared in her eyes looking for some sort of signal. He put his hand under her chin and lowered his head. They were joined with a small kiss but parted with Xena turning away and walking towards the door.
“I’m sorry I can’t. I mean you’re my enemy.”
“I don’t have to be.”
“But you are. I’m sorry.”
Ares sighed and walked towards her.
“Where are we anyways?”
“Olympus.”
“What!”
“I wasn’t sure if you’d keep your end of the bargain so I brought you here.”
Xena opened the double doors a walked out the room.
“Xena what?”
“You know I can’t stand the other gods! You don’t trust me! You brought me here?”
“Xena that wasn’t the reason.”
“Then what was the reason?”
She didn’t stick around for an answer but stormed down the hall.
“Xena wait you can’t go there!”
He was too late. As Xena walked through the hall five arrows came towards her. She caught three but one came toward her lag and the other to her waist. Ares ran towards her and caught her. He blocked his security thunderbolts and carried Xena back to his chamber. He laid her on his bed and brushed of her hair.
“Xena? Xena get up! Xena!” Ares screamed shoving her.
He listened to her heart and gave a sigh of relief. It was beating very faintly. Ares took out the arrows and caressed her wounds. He made some medicines appear then bandaged her. He could feel her heart growing weaker. There wasn’t much more he could do anymore. He simply sat down and watched her. Two days passed until she finally showed some life. Her wounds were healing but she developed a high fever. Ares often called Apollo. After all he was the god of healing. Apollo was stubborn about helping a mortal but he accepted anyways. Four days after the accident Xena was getting better. The wounds were almost healed and her fever was getting better too. The next morning she finally woke up. Sitting down was pain full so she stayed lying down. Ares quickly appeared in front of her.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes. Thank you. How long have I been out?”
“Five days.”
“I have to get Gabrielle.”
“You’re not going anywhere. You can’t even sit.”
“But…”
“No buts. Here. Write a message telling her you’ll be late.” He said handing her a piece of parchment and a feather. Xena wrote down the note and handed it to him.
“Why? I was just going to leave the next day.” She asked.
“Because… Because I, I love you.” With that he disappeared leaving Xena shocked.
Xena lied down thinking about what she just heard. Was it true? Did he truly love her? It was hard to believe after all he had done to her.
“Ares!”
He didn’t show himself. Xena sighed thinking of what she could possibly say to him now. She went to sleep. When she woke up two hours later she found a table with food beside her and a note.
Dear Xena,
I undid the security so you can leave if you want. I realized can’t trap you here like some sort of animal. Wish I were there.
Love,
Ares.
Xena stared at the note then popped a piece of bread in her mouth. She decided she would stay for a while. After all, he did save her. She ate breakfast then limped towards the closet and took out a brush. She sat back down and combed her hair. Xena checked her wounds. They were healing quite well. The waist was healing slower but there was progress. She took some antibiotic and put it on her. It stung for a while, but she dealt with it. Xena put on more bandages and lied down again. She called Ares again but he didn’t show himself. When she woke up again Ares was next to her. She smiled and sat but strong hands pushed her down.
“You rang a few times.”
“So you did here.”
“Yah.”
“Did you mean it?”
“Mean what?”
“That you love me.”
“With all my heart.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you hate me.”
“Hated.” She corrected.
“What?”
“I don’t hate you. Over the past few days I guess I’ve warmed up to you. My hate turned to love.”
Ares’s eyes filled with tears but he wouldn’t show them. He had done so much to her and somehow she forgave. He knelt down and gave her a kiss. Xena sat down and the passion released. He knelt her down on the bed and pressed his body over hers. Ares felt like he was floating. Not in his wildest dreams did he expect this to happen. His hands went down to her waist but he was careful not to press to hard on the wound. He nuzzled down to her neck as Xena put her arms out around his neck. All day this went on. Neither of them wanted to quit.
Xena stayed that night to really keep her end of the bargain. They had dinner and many laughs. At night, before going to sleep there was plenty of passion.
Next morning Xena woke up with Ares’s strong and safe arms around her waist.
“Ares?”
“Yes my love.”
“Ares I have to go back.”
Ares sat in disappointment.
“Well at least have breakfast.”
“All right.”
After their breakfast Ares took her back with her battle costume on. They left each other with a passionate kiss. Xena made her way to Potadia where Gabrielle sat outside worried.
“Xena. Where were you? I’ve been worried sick!”
“Sorry there was someone I had to deal with.” Xena said staring up to the sky knowing from now on she would always feel different about the god of war.
The End
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