by LJ Maas
"What about Xena? Could he hurt her?" Gabrielle questioned further.
"Not while I'm around." Athena took a protective stance beside me.
We all watched as Gabrielle turned around and walked the half a dozen strides to stand before Ares. They looked comical standing there like that, as if facing off against one another. I was rather mistrustful of Athena's statement about Ares being unable to harm Gabrielle, but the Goddess read my thoughts and simply smiled at me.
"You're the God of War?" Gabrielle finally asked.
"The one and only." Ares held out his arms and fixed a blinding smile at Gabrielle.
"You're the one responsible for the darkness that still plagues Xena. You're the one who seduced her by telling her it would be a gift."
"She was a grown woman and able to make her own decisions," Ares replied. His charm was beginning to slip and the smile was gone.
I watched, as Gabrielle's demeanor changed. I saw something that I hadn't really witnessed before. Gabrielle was angry. I stood there shocked and amazed. Gabrielle, the young woman who couldn't seem to muster the strength to hate the men who took and used her all her life, was angry. She couldn't show any anger for herself, but here she was, facing down the God of War, preparing to defend my honor.
"She was a child, and you used her!"
"Yea, well, I'll let you in on a little secret, shorty." Ares leaned in closer to Gabrielle until his face was a hands-width away from her own face. "She was the best piece of ass I ever had."
He looked down at her with that smug little arrogant grin, and I wished for nothing more at that moment than to smack that smile clean off his face. Gabrielle must have been reading my mind. In one swift motion, my small, compassionate consort displayed a love and a loyalty that I'd never known from anyone. She swiftly drew her hand back and slapped Ares across the face so hard it rocked him back on his heels. Time seemed to freeze as we all waited to see if he truly could not harm Gabrielle.
Ares raised his hand to the small woman, but to Gabrielle's credit, she never flinched. She stood there waiting for his move. He wanted to hit her; you could see that. He made a motion in the air as if to strike her, then simply followed his punch through into mid air.
"You are monumentally annoying!" he cried out.
Athena and I merely looked at each other and burst into laughter. Our mirth was a release of sorts. We let go of the tight edge of tension surrounding us with ordinary laughter. I believe what amused us the most was that the more we laughed, the angrier Ares became.
"What I want to know is how you found out?" Ares shouted in Athena's direction.
"I had a little help, Ares, from a most unlikely source," Athena answered.
With that statement, a shower of shimmering pink sparkles filled the air beside Ares. In the blink of an eye another Goddess appeared. Aphrodite wore her customary diaphanous gown, and looked not one heartbeat older from the last time I saw her, nearly twenty-five seasons ago.
"Big bro, you didn't tell me the truth," Aphrodite accused. "You said keeping these two apart would benefit mortals everywhere."
"What he really meant was benefit himself," Athena answered dryly. "Ares knew what all of us knew about these two mortals. Really, Aphrodite, if you paid attention to things a little more."
Athena looked at her sister and gave an exasperated sigh seeing that her younger sister's head was already occupied with other thoughts.
"Oh, Sweet Pea, you are just too cute," Aphrodite crooned at Gabrielle.
"Wait a moment. Ares, is that father calling you?" Artemis tilted her head and the other Gods appeared to be listening to something that Gabrielle and I couldn't hear.
"Oh shit!" Ares muttered. "I'll be back, Xena." He pointed a finger in my direction and then he was gone.
"Oh no he won't," Athena chuckled. "At last not for a very, very long time. Don't worry, Xena, it will be a mortal lifetime before you're bothered with him again, even indirectly."
I moved to stand beside Gabrielle. I held her in my arms and could feel her trembling. "Are you all right, love?"
"I--I just have never been so mad at anyone before. I didn't mean to hit him."
I arched an eyebrow at her obvious fib.
"Well, not much anyway." She smiled. "I don't know about you, Xena, but I'm very confused. What’s happening here?"
"I told you once before, the Gods have always taken a very active role in my life. Even I'm just finding out how active it was." I paused to look at the three women surrounding us.
"Earlier, when we were in the Amazon camp, I had the strangest feeling that everything had been tied up much too neatly. In my life that usually meant that I'd been set up, or that people around me were used, and usually by the Gods. No offense intended," I said to the trio of Goddesses.
"None taken," they all automatically responded.
"I haven't seen or spoken to Ares in twenty seasons, Gabrielle. This just felt like him. He was always manipulating my life to suit his purposes, but when I was younger, I let him. I could always tell when he was about, though." I paused to run my fingers through my hair and took a step away from my consort. I always spoke better when I was moving.
"I didn't think he'd show himself just anywhere for me. We didn't part on the best of terms. I came here and called him out."
"But why does everyone act like Ares is after me?" Gabrielle asked.
"Because he is, Gabrielle," Athena answered. "More appropriately he has been, very nearly since the day you were born."
"Why would the God of War have any interest in me?" Gabrielle chuckled nervously, as she spun around searching all of our faces for an answer. I could offer little assistance being as I was just as much in the dark as Gabrielle was.
"Gabrielle, according to the Fates, you have had one purpose in this lifetime: to save the known world from a great darkness."
"Oh, I don't think--"
"Ssh, little one. Let her tell the whole story," I said. I had an inkling of what Athena meant, but even I didn't yet know the extent of Gabrielle's involvement in history.
Gabrielle sat down upon one of the marble steps and I lowered myself to sit beside her.
"Let me tell you a story, Gabrielle. Once there was a small girl running through the fields on her father's farm. She met a warrior whose sadness touched the girl's heart. Even at such a young age, the girl did what she could to make the warrior feel better. She gave the warrior a rose, and that simple act changed both of their lives for all eternity." Athena moved to sit down beside Gabrielle.
"After the warrior left the girl, a fire broke out that claimed the lives of her family. By the time the small girl wandered into the warrior's camp, and she led the warrior back to the farmhouse, there was nothing left. The warrior took the girl with her. The warrior was destined for greatness as well, but was standing on the precipice of decision. Because of the girl, who was now in the woman's life, the warrior gave her allegiance to good over evil." Athena paused in the telling of her tale to look up at me.
"The warrior raised the young girl and gave her every advantage in life. The girl turned into a loving and compassionate woman, and somewhere along the way, as is the way with life; the warrior fell in love with the young woman. They shared a love the world had not yet experienced, and they brought only goodness and light to the world."
"What a beautiful tale," Gabrielle said in a breathless sort of tone. "Is it true?"
"It was supposed to be, Gabrielle. What happened instead was that the youngster never lost her parents and she never went away with the warrior. The warrior wanted to do good, but the lure of the darkness was more than she could fight against on her own. Alone, the warrior made the attempt to throw the darkness from her, but she failed. She spent many seasons quenching her appetites for evil and blood. The blackness of her heart spread across the world and everything she touched withered and died."
"I like the first ending better," Gabrielle commented sadly. "Whatever happened? Did the warrior and the girl ever meet?"
"Yes, love, they did." I gently took Gabrielle's hand within my own and brought it up to my lips. I placed a light kiss on her palm and continued to hold her hand in mine.
"You mean... you... us?" Gabrielle asked.
I nodded. "After you gave me that rose I went back to my camp and committed myself to Athena. I tried to make myself worthy, but she was right. The call of my dark side was too great, and I gave in to it. I think what Athena meant to say is that I'm the great darkness that you were meant to save the world from."
"I don't understand," Gabrielle looked at me, then Athena. "Why don't I remember, and why didn't it happen the way you told it the first time?"
"Ares," Athena answered. "He was more than a little angry when Xena told him she refused any further patronage. When I found her that night she was barely alive."
Gabrielle turned to me and I quickly explained. "Ares and I had quite a fight. He knocked me up one side of the countryside and down the other. I don't ever remember hurting that bad, but somehow I managed to crawl away when he left me alone."
"That's when I found her," Athena added. "Her body was one big crushed bone. When Ares left Xena that evening, he formulated a plan to go back and change the events of that morning. Ares always did have a way of talking the Fates into whatever he wanted. Instead of a fire decimating your life, Gabrielle, Ares sent the slavers. Xena left Ares anyway, but he knew that as long as he kept you and Xena from ever meeting, Xena's life would be misery. I think he was truly hoping she would one day return to him."
"The pathetic bastard!" I hissed. I jumped up from my seated position on the steps and stalked a few strides away.
Artemis came closer and looked down upon Gabrielle. I could see the concern in her eyes and it gladdened me a small bit to think of my consort with more than one protector.
"Gabrielle, we can never make up for the times we were unable to keep Ares from turning your life black with his evil, but hopefully we can begin to repay you for your devotion. Please, come with me for a moment."
Artemis held out her hand, which Gabrielle immediately took. My consort's face held an expression comprised of equal parts awe and trepidation. She followed the Goddess to a spot in the Temple a small ways apart from the rest of us. I left them their privacy, knowing that Gabrielle would never really belong only to me. She was my savior, but she also saved the world from me. I would simply have to learn to share.
"You are one lucky Conqueror," Aphrodite said. She kissed me on the cheek and I believe I felt the beginnings of a blush.
"I just recently found out that this was the deal that Artemis made with father. Once Gabrielle found her way to you--"
"And saved the world," I interjected.
"That's right." Athena grinned. "After she did all that, Artemis was within her rights to claim Gabrielle as the chosen Queen of the Amazon Nation."
"She's going to be a busy young woman. You both do realize she's going to be my Queen too?"
"Don't pout, Conqueror. We wouldn't dare presume that our needs come above yours. We are only Olympian Gods after all," Athena replied sarcastically.
"Well, as long as you all realize that then." I smirked over at the two Goddesses beside me.
Gabrielle returned alone. She had a pleasant, even relieved expression on her face.
"All right?" I asked.
"Mmm hmm." Gabrielle answered with a nod of her head. "May we please go home now, Xena. My head is spinning with all of this."
"Yes, love. Athena, as always, it's been interesting. I thank you for your patronage." I bowed deeply to the Goddess. I may have always been testy with the Gods, and their meddlesome ways, but I knew enough to give respect when it was due.
"Gabrielle," Athena addressed my consort. "What can I offer you child? A repayment of sorts?"
"Thanks you, but I have everything I want," Gabrielle answered.
She wrapped her arm around my waist, and I draped mine protectively across her shoulders. I took a moment to allow Athena and Aphrodite both to see my small gloating smile.
"Hhmm, there's nothing you wish for, Gabrielle?" Athena prodded.
"Well..." Gabrielle trailed off.
"Ahh, yes," Athena nodded her head. "But do you think Xena is ready to change diapers?"
I felt the heat creep up my neck and I wasn't sure I was prepared for the turn this conversation had taken.
"Can't I even know? Will it happen someday?" Gabrielle pouted and looked down at her feet.
"Heavens above. What do you do when she makes an adorable face like that?" Aphrodite turned to me as if for advice.
"I usually give her what she wants."
Athena chuckled softly then drew closer to Gabrielle. "It's not such a good thing to know too much about our future, is it?"
I'm sure Gabrielle was remembering some of her more disturbing visions of the future. Athena bent over and whispered into the small blonde's ear. Gabrielle's whole face lit up and I worried at the expression.
"Is that good enough?" Athena asked.
"Yes, very much so. Thank you, Athena."
"You're welcome, my child. Now, off with the two of you. I shall see you on your wedding day. Wait, Xena, look 'round here."
Athena lightly grasped my chin and tilted it upward. "You have one small cut that I didn't attend to," Athena said.
I felt a shock run through my body, more so than during any other healing. My heart raced along, then just as suddenly returned to its regular cadence. After saying our goodbyes, Gabrielle and I walked from the temple, hand in hand.
"Gabrielle," I drawled. "You were supposed to stay in the palace." I tried to muster a stern look and somehow failed.
"I know, love, but Xena..."
"Yesss?" I drawled, arching an eyebrow down at her.
"I just knew that you needed my help."
It was to be the first of many times that we would exchange those very lines over our many seasons together, and I would always love every moment. I was now certain that the day would come when Gabrielle would truly be free enough to do nothing I ever told her.
* * *
Addendum To The Lord Conqueror's Manuscript
Separate Parchment
Added In Xena, The Lord Conqueror's Presence
By Queen Gabrielle Of Potidaea
Conversation related to Queen Gabrielle by Athena, patron Goddess of the Empire.
"Do you think she noticed?" Aphrodite asked Athena.
"No. She'll notice someday, but probably not all at once."
"Until her wedding night. She's probably going to wear little Sweet Pea out." Aphrodite laughed at the thought.
Athena joined her sister in amused laughter. "Xena deserves a little something extra in her life too. With her heart twenty seasons younger, she and Gabrielle can grow old together."
"She may look the same, but she's sure not going to feel the same!" Aphrodite laughed again as the two sisters vacated the temple.
End Addendum to the Lord Conqueror's Manuscript
* * *
"Xena?"
Gabrielle had popped her head into my private study as I finished sealing the last scroll I had been working on. So much had filled our day and yet the sun hadn't even set. As much as we wanted to spend our day in one another's company, there was much to do before tomorrow's event. Gabrielle wisely spent some of her afternoon at the Amazon camp. She met with a few of their elders, then spent the rest of the time answering questions about herself, and where she saw the future of her new people.
I had a thousand small tasks to complete, not the least of which was finding Solan. I hadn't seen the boy since they'd taken Broh away, and I was certain my son must be off somewhere wrestling with old demons.
"Yes, little one?"
"Xena, I need to speak with you."
"Of course, come in."
"I mean, in an official capacity."
I looked up, some sharp quip on the very tip of my tongu
e. When I saw the serious expression, and the look of hesitation upon Gabrielle's face, I thought better about using my witticism. It was apparent that Gabrielle didn't yet know how she and I were to handle our new roles, she as Amazon Queen, and myself as the ruler of the Empire. I was determined never to cause her to lose face, nor to be intimidated of me. So, I straightened up, prepared to take her words seriously.
"Very well, Gabrielle. What would you speak of, something concerning the Amazons?"
"Yes, in a way. I've invited a number of the Amazons, along with Kaleipus and the Centaurs to the Great Hall. I thought you might hear a request?"
"I don't see why not," I answered. "Lead on, my dear."
I pointed the way out the door to a slightly confused Gabrielle. I think she thought it was going to be harder than that.
Our guests were already in the Hall when we arrived. Solan nodded to me and smiled, but I saw the sadness in his eyes. There were an equal number of Centaurs and Amazons, along with two of my staff members, one set to scribe this official meeting. Gabrielle was certainly prepared.
I assisted my consort into the chair beside my own and bid her to begin our meeting.
"I would like to address the Amazon Elders, if I may?" Gabrielle turned to me and I nodded my head.
"As you know, I find myself in the position of serving as Queen to all of you, and becoming Queen to the Greek Empire. As much as I would enjoy visiting Amazonia, and even staying with you for a short while, I have to say that my home is here in Corinth. I cannot, nor do I desire to, leave my home here in the palace. I have offered to return the crown to an Amazon more deserving, but it seems I've been out voted on that point. In keeping with your need to have a full time ruler, I have appointed Ephiny as Queen Regent of our Amazon tribe. I have heard only good things of her and I know she will do an admirable job."
Gabrielle paused as Ephiny received congratulations from those around her. The Amazon warrior and I traded smirks, feeling, I was sure, as if we'd both won.
"I've talked with Kaleipus, Ephiny, and the Amazon Elders," Gabrielle now addressed me. "We have some maps to show you."