Maybe Later
by Taleen

The Fates were smiling on him. The horse was still there.

Ares stumbled more than once as he made his way down the stony hillside. Every muscle, bone and blood vessel ached from the pounding Xena had put on him. Although, he prided himself, he'd gotten in a few good licks too, until he remembered - the Furies had driven him mad and he'd nearly killed her. Thought he had, in fact, and the memory of his helplessness left him shaking. He reached the horse and leaned against it, pressing his forehead against the saddleleather.

He hadn't known what to do to save her - it was Gabrielle's efforts that brought her back, not his.

Face it. You're useless as a mortal. You're a joke. You've been lucky to survive as long as you have.

So what to do now?

After a minute he sniffed and rubbed his eyes. Told himself he was getting a cold, another detestable mortal weakness. A hot bath would help. A hot meal, a soft bed, his Godhood, Xena -

Not necessarily in that order.

Hell. It was a pipedream. She'd said it often enough - she wanted nothing to do with him. "One chance in a billion," she'd told him, and bravado had governed his reply.

It was time to get on with whatever bit of life he had left.

He seemed to remember a village over the ridge. Mounting carefully (his muscles were already stiffening - ah, it hurt to ride, but walking was worse) he took a moment to orient himself before turning the stallion's head south.

The innkeeper eyed the battered warrior dubiously and stuck out his hand, palm up.

"Show me the money."

Ares looked at him blankly.

"Two dinars. Bath, meal, room. No woman, this is a decent establishment."

The ex-War God glanced around at the other customers, regulars who'd eyed him with interest until he turned out to be destitute, and who now hunched their shoulders and averted their eyes. No sympathy there for a poor man.

"No money, no munchies. Unless… " the innkeeper's gaze fell on the pendant nestled in the fine dark hair on Ares' chest, "you got something else?"

Startled, the warrior put his hand to the jewelry in question - a winged scarab on a sword - it had been a gift from his colleague, Anubis, in the Egyptian pantheon. The silver winked in the torchlight as he lifted it away from his skin and cradled it in his palm.

He was fond of the piece.

But he needed food and a bed more.

With a defiant growl he ripped it over his head and held it out.

"Don't be greedy, Nessus," the man's wife bustled up and slapped at her husband's reaching hand. "That's worth more than two dinars."

"But woman - "

"Pay him what it's worth."

"But - "

"Nessus, I won't let you cheat the poor man. Look at him. He's been through hell already. Probably fighting to protect people like us. Would you cheat a hero, Nessus?"

Me? A hero?

Ares felt a tug on his vest and looked down.

Solemn seven-year-old eyes stared up at him. "That true, mister? You a hero?"

"Uh… "

"Aylissa, go play. Sorry, sir. She's just curious. We don't see too many soldiers here. Nessus? Give the man his money."

"But Leda, we don't have that much in the cashbox," he whispered urgently in her ear.

Leda frowned and looked Ares up and down. She turned away and shouted, "Dinos, Petros, fill the tub. First room on the right." She glanced back at the scruffy-looking champion, then down at the silver. "Put it away. I'll send for Mother Neesa to tend your wounds."

He was unaccustomed to kindness. "Uh, why are you - ?"

"Our boy went off to fight for Ares some time ago." Her eyes took on a faraway gaze. "I'd like to think someone would've helped him out in similar circumstances."

Ares pressed his lips together and nodded, wondering if the boy was still alive. He could - ah no, he couldn't. He was no longer the God of War. "Your generosity is… appreciated," he murmured.

The servants staggered by as he was speaking, straining under sloshing pails of hot water. Ares nodded again and, too tired to avoid the puddles, trudged after them to his room.

"Woman, what in Hades are you doing? He had no money, and we didn't even get the silver - "

"He made me think of our boy, Nessus. Out there, somewhere. If he's still… " She wiped the back of her hand across her cheek. "It's not gonna break us to offer one night's lodging. Have done with your complaining."

Leda's eyes watched the stranger disappear up the stairs. "And besides," she muttered to herself, "I've got a feeling about that one."

The creaking door and shuffling footsteps jolted him from his doze. Water surged over the floor as he heaved himself around, reaching for his sword.

"It's only me, boy. Mother Neesa. The local healer." She hitched a stool over with her toe as her patient hustled to cover himself.

She guffawed. "You don't have to do that, boy. I've seen my share of naked men in my time. Hee hee hee." The elderly wisewoman sat heavily and rested one arm on the lip of the copper tub; with her other hand she turned his face to the light.

"By the Gods, were you the winner or the loser?"

Ares shrugged, although even that hurt. "Draw."

"You must've been pretty evenly matched."

"Yeah. Yeah, we were." A muscle twitched in his cheek. Xena!

Mother Neesa shook her head, dipped a cloth in the water and began to swab the abrasions. Ares closed his eyes and leaned back, taking some small comfort from her delicate touch.

The ointment she applied stung; he jerked and cocked a spaniel eye at her.

"Hold still, boy. It'll feel better in a minute." She dabbed it to his cut lip. "I can heal this. I can't heal the other."

"Other… ?"

"Broken hearts are not my line."

"It… shows?"

She settled back on the stool and looked straight into his eyes. "I look for what ails people. Most wouldn't see it." She tipped her head to one side, considering. "Want some advice? It's free."

Ares made a face. Once he would have told her to 'Stuff it', but he wasn't that man anymore.

"They say the Gods are always watching for us to prove our worth."

He raised his eyebrows. First he'd heard of it.

"Pretend she is a Goddess. Make her proud of you, and maybe later… "

Ares' lips parted.

"Maybe later she'll open her eyes. And her heart."

He felt a lot better in the morning. Mother Neesa had left him a small jar of the salve; since the cut on his lip was noticeably improved he applied more, wincing as he did so. A bar of soap (he flared his nostrils - it smelled suspiciously of flowers) lay on a dish beside the pitcher and basin. Too bad Sis hadn't had this stuff that time she cast a spell on the Bard's scroll and - he shut that memory down. He wouldn't allow himself to think of Xena or her companion right now.

The latest rejection was still too raw.

Nessus scowled as their charity case limped down the stairs, made for a corner table and settled stiffly into a chair. Leda jabbed her husband in the ribs and motioned with her chin. An extra dollop of hot stew went (grudgingly) into a bowl; he passed it to a slender brown-eyed blonde to deliver.

Ares smiled at the quiet young woman (another daughter, perhaps?) and thanked her; he would've asked her name but a whirlwind girlchild interrupted him.

"Hey, mister," Aylissa squealed, "Are you gonna stay with us? Are you really a hero? Do you know my brother? He's a hero too," she avowed. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Uh, Are - Arecles. I'm… Arecles. And you're Aylissa, am I right?"

"Yup. Are you gonna be my friend? We could play Tag and Hide and Seek - "

"Aylissa, run along. Let the man have his breakfast in peace," Leda tried to shoo her daughter away. "You'll have to excuse her, sir. She's our youngest, and spoiled rotten."

"Mama, his name's Arecles. Maybe he'd like some candy?"

The innkeeper's wife ruffled her daughter's pale curls. "You mean, you would like some candy. Well, not for breakfast. Maybe later."

Aylissa's older sister Lianna peered curiously around the kitchen doorway as her extrovert sibling chattered at the stranger. His dark good looks appealed to her - he was as beautiful as a statue, his face and body pure sculptured grace… like she imagined a God would be - only Gods didn't bleed.

He seemed overwhelmed by, yet oddly taken with the little one, accepting her attention with uncertainty. Lianna sensed a sadness in him, a cutting loss he took care to hide behind his charm - as if he needed healing, not only physical, but emotional.

She hoped he would stay.

Nessus' eyes flicked from wife to daughter to stranger to older daughter. He was not happy. The stranger looked like Trouble.

The human's social instinct to help others had never developed among the Olympians. Yet, when Aylissa darted after her ball into the path of a recklessly-driven chariot Ares hesitated barely a fraction of a second before jumping to snatch her from the crushing wheels.

Nessus heard her scream and came running; Ares threw her into her father's arms and, forgetting his aches and pains, took off on an interception course for the idiot at the reins. A shortcut across the square, a bounce and a flip - he was airborne for a minute - landed him beside the charging horse. A punch staggered it - it reared and dropped to its knees, stunned. The chariot slewed around and slammed the wall of the communal well. The shafts splintered and the snapping axle made a great cracking noise. A couple of loosened rocks splashed into the well. The impact made the waterbucket dance a lonely jig at the end of its rope.

The charioteer, a young rascal with the beginnings of a beard, had (by sheer blind luck) maintained his precarious balance in his vehicle. Made belligerent by too much strong wine too early in the day, he yelled and slashed at Ares with his whip.

His target caught it deftly and snapped the wielder forward, grabbing his clothing and yanking him from his conveyance. He dumped the youth on the ground and stood over him, hands on his hips, giving him the full force of his scorn.

"You find your license under a grape leaf?"

The driver was too inexperienced, too stupid and too besotted to stay down. He scrambled to his feet, blustering, "Hey asshole, whaddaya think you're doing?"

Road rage kicked in and Ares lost it - he clenched his fingers on the fool's throat, raised him off the ground and snarled in his face, "Asshole? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me?"

Feet kicking, eyes bulging, face turning blue - the youth slowly choked in the warrior's grasp.

Mother Neesa put her hand on Ares' arm. "Let him go, boy."

He transferred his angry gaze to her.

"You're killing him, boy. Think about it. Is that what you want to do?"

Make her proud…

Ares expelled his breath and flung the drunk away. He remembered Aylissa, belatedly. Was she all right?

Tears streamed down Nessus' cheeks as he held his daughter in a tight embrace. Leda was there too and Lianna… in fact the whole damn village had apparently witnessed the rescue.

People crowded around, engulfing Ares in congratulations, slapping his back and grinning as if he were a favorite son they'd known forever.

"Mister, you can stay as long as you want. The best room, the best food, it's yours - whatever I can do… " Nessus sobbed and hugged his child 'til she began to struggle and fight for breath, "it's all yours."

Mother Neesa ran practiced hands and eyes over the child and could find no hurt. She shook her index finger in Aylissa's face, "How many times have we told you not to play in the street? You're lucky this young man was here to save you."

Ares demurred, "It was nothing - "

"Nonsense." Nessus straightened up and looked Ares in the eye. "You saved her life. I can never repay you."

"What'd I tell you, boy?" Mother Neesa winked at Ares; the elderly healer's habit of calling him "young man" and "boy" amused him. If she only knew…

But as he absorbed all the kudos he wondered if this was what Xena had been feeling these last few years…

"See, Daddy?" the child's voice piped up, "I told you he was a hero."

It… wasn't so bad really.

Over the next few months Aylissa wormed her way into Ares' affections. In some ways they were the same age, two children discovering fresh aspects of mortal life on a daily basis.

She followed him about like a puppy and he allowed it, even (occasionally) indulging her passion for sweets.

She showed him where (and how) to catch the biggest fish. He only pierced his finger on a hook once, and made her promise not to repeat his curses. She taught him her favorite songs; sometimes he hummed them while he sharpened his sword. He showed her how to slip through the woods and sneak up on an unsuspecting rabbit, and then (oh the grateful look she gave him) instead of wringing its neck he found himself setting it free.

The child worked miracles all unknowing.

The rest of his time he spent making himself useful to the village - Ares had resigned himself to mortality, at least for the moment, and decided he might as well be where he was liked and respected (that was new to him too). It gave him incentive to fit in.

The heartache of Xena's loss faded as time passed. He would pass whole hours without thinking of her, then something would remind him and he would grind his teeth - knowing she was out there, alive and (presumably) well, but not with him. Gradually hours stretched into days and weeks as he actively thought of her less and less, but she always hovered in the back of his mind.

Make her proud, the old woman had said.

And he tried. He made mistakes, but he tried. And he learned.

Just as he learned to live with something else - it seemed wherever he went, whatever he did - whether he pumped the bellows or dunked sizzling hot metal into the water, rode or groomed the horses or strode into the inn with the bloody carcass of a deer draped across his broad shoulders (his contribution to the stewpot) - he had an audience.

A female audience. A cluster of village maidens watched Ares' every move with hawk eyes. They knew where he was every minute of the day. They brought him gifts and drinks and followed him about. They sighed and giggled and gazed languorously after him, each undoubtedly fantasizing that she would be "the One."

They were getting damned annoying.

As a God he'd had his choice of women - there were a dozen enticing creatures in the Halls of War alone (to which he no longer had access) - until he'd stupidly fallen in love with Xena. He tightened his jaw at the thought of her kisses (and her lies), reminding himself that she wasn't coming back.

At least he'd become a lot fussier - he shuddered at the thought of Mavican, she whose breastplates had been bigger than her brain. He could surely do better than that in this mortal life…

The problem was - he was a man who needed a woman, and none of these silly chickens would do.

In the whole village only one paid him no particular mind. Her apparent disinterest began to intrigue him.

He took to sipping his wine and watching Lianna move about her parents' inn serving customers, helping her mother with chores and tending Aylissa on those rare occasions when the child wasn't glued to Ares' side.

The other girls' catty remarks (his hearing was more acute than they suspected) actually served to cement his attention.

She was serene and sensible and restful, with, he suspected, a hidden strength…

She wasn't Xena , but that might be a good thing.

Nessus watched Arecles studying his daughter and smiled. It had been a great day when the champion had arrived and Nessus had been smart enough to succor him. He patted himself on the back for his foresight and conveniently forgot his wife's part in the affair.

Arecles would make a fine son-in-law, he assured himself.

She wasn't averse to his attention after all - she'd merely believed a man of his obvious assets wouldn't look at her twice, and as she had no inclination to make a fool of herself in front of her people, she'd kept her attraction to herself.

When he chose her, when he began to court her, she could hardly believe her good fortune.

Ares strolled arm in arm with Lianna on their way back from their third picnic.

Aylissa rode his shoulders, crowing her delight at her greater-than-usual vantage point. His hands rested on her knees lightly, lest in her exuberance she topple off.

He had no warning at all.

An icy blade slid into Ares' heart at first sight of the golden mare. He halted in his tracks and stared, his face frozen as everything he had packed away (successfully he thought - til now) ripped away his defenses.

Lianna, startled by the abruptness of his mood swing, placed her other hand on his wrist.

A dark-haired warrior in brown leathers stepped out of the inn into the sunlight, a shorter, paler woman at her side. The taller one glanced casually around the square and met Ares' eyes.

The domestic scene tugged at her heart.

Ares was the last person on earth she'd expected to see in this godsforsaken village in the back of beyond. He'd changed slightly, a bit more mileage on the face, a little grey salting his hair - mortality will do that to you - but he was still as devastatingly handsome as he'd always been. He was the man she'd spurned; later she'd spent nights staring at the stars, lying beside Gabrielle and wondering if she'd done the right thing.

Her brain inserted herself into the tableau - Ares, a child, a picnic basket - that could've been her…

She blinked as Gabrielle whispered, "Xena? Are you alright?"

No she wasn't.

He was still Ares.

And he still got to her.

The former God of War sat at his usual corner table and frowned into his drink. What the hell had she come here for? It wasn't for him or she'd have made that clear. What could he say to her? Oh he had plenty to say, given a chance. He probed his heart, found the wound with her name on it (newly unscabbed) and ordered it to heal.

Nessus and Leda beamed at the newcomers. "We don't get many strangers through here, particularly warriors. Arecles was the last one, assuming that's what he was. He's never said. He carries a sword but we've never seen him use it, 'cept in practice sometimes… "

"Arecles?" Xena jerked her chin. "That man over there?"

"Yes. You know him?"

"We've met," she replied dryly. "And yes, he is… was… a warrior."

"Well, he's a hero to us."

Xena raised her finely-arched brows.

"The day after he arrived he saved my daughter's life. Our youngest. There she is now, the little scamp, making a pest of herself." Leda gestured at the child who was at that moment climbing onto Ares' lap. "They're great friends," she confided.

The Warrior Princess and the Bard exchanged disbelieving looks.

"Peculiar fella, though," Nessus inserted. "Takes a bath every night." It seemed some folks' quaint hygienic habits were incomprehensible to the innkeeper.

Gabrielle was caught by surprise - she inhaled her cider, gagging and choking and spluttering while her friend pounded her back.

"I'm alright, Xena, really," she hiccuped as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, but you know what they say… " she whispered, "cleanliness is next to godliness," and off she went again.

Xena snorted and tried to shush her friend, keeping her own face straight with difficulty.

Her eyes slid to the corner table.

Lianna stopped at Ares' side to refill his cup. She was worried about the newcomers; from his reactions it was obvious there was history between Arecles and the black-haired woman. If the stranger was an enemy, the pretty blonde was determined to protect the man who had become dear to her.

Ares glanced up, felt Lianna's concern and reached for her hand. Gabrielle's sudden laughter (was she laughing at him?) made his brow knot, and his temper began to simmer when he caught Xena's curious (amused?) eye on him.

Dammit, he'd made a place for himself here; he wasn't about to let her ruin it.

He set Aylissa aside with a promise of candy later, smiled reassuringly at Lianna and strode out the side door toward the stable without looking back.

Xena would follow, he knew.

It was time for a showdown.

Gabrielle bent her head over the delicious stew and murmured, "Guess he's over you, huh?" They'd both seen the hand-holding.

"Guess so," Xena replied shortly. She didn't look happy about it. She dabbed at her mouth and shoved her chair back.

"Stay here, Gabrielle. I want to find out what he's up to."

Lianna waited 'til the blonde was once more stuffing her face before hastening after her rival. She meant to catch up to her, to confront her, warn her, ask her - what? She didn't know. She started to run as the warrior disappeared into the stable, but stopped when she heard Arecles' voice.

Was it a lover's tryst then? Had there been some secret signal between them?

Should she leave? Dare she… listen?

She told herself she had to know as she pressed her ear against the wall.

The more Ares stewed about Xena's unexpected arrival the more resentful he got. He backed his stallion out into the aisle and tethered it to a ring in the wall. Hooking his vest on a nail, he grabbed a shovel and attacked the floor of the stall viciously. The sound of metal scraping stone was as jarring to his ears as her presence was to his hard-won contentment.

Xena hesitated inside the door. His back was to her, and she couldn't help admiring the play of muscle under his flawless golden skin. She squirmed. Yes, he still got to her. And it was her actions that had brought him to this - the God of War shoveling shit in a quarter-dinar village barn. Shame made her tongue bitter.

"How the mighty have fallen."

The black stallion nickered at the sound of her voice. Ares plopped the last of the organic debris into a wheelbarrow, glanced at his observer briefly and grunted, "Somebody's got to do it."

Xena wrinkled her nose and looked away. "Six months ago you said 'Mortality stinks.'"

The former immortal picked up a brush, went to the horse and began to groom it; its hide shivered at his short, angry swipes.

"It's been five months, eighteen days and six hours." He tilted his head, eyeing the slant of the sun's rays in the doorway. "And twenty-four minutes. As for the 'stink'," he spread his hands, "I've got no choice."

Xena sucked in her cheeks and said nothing.

The horse tossed its head, its beautifully-cared-for mane swooping like a raven's wing. Ares soothed it and let his brushwork smooth into long even strokes; no sense subjecting an innocent animal to his misery.

"I used to dream you'd come back for me. But you're not here for me, are you?" He cast his eyes sideways at the Warrior Princess and pressed his lips together. "No, I thought not."

<Oh Gods, he loved this woman! Lianna was sure they'd hear the cracking of her heart - she wanted to leave but her feet had grown roots and a mind of their own.>

"I didn't think you'd still be here."

"Gotta be someplace. I know, you thought I'd be out leading an army."

"Seems more your style."

<An army? Had Arecles been a general of some kind?>

"Just goes to show how little you know about me." He paused, and continued, "These people welcomed me when you left me behind. They think I'm a hero. Me. A hero."

"I heard you saved the child," Xena said softly. "Sounds pretty heroic to me."

"Yeah, well… I was in the right place… "

Make her proud… maybe she'd change her mind… but then she spoiled it.

"Have you told them your name?"

<Huh? His name is Arecles. Isn't it?>

Xena remembered the way the young woman had looked at him, and his smile. "Or are you afraid she'll run from you if she finds out?"

"Lianna's stronger than she looks."

<Warmth spread from the center of her being to the tips of her toes. He thought well of her!>

"Does she know who you are?" Xena persisted.

"Who am I, Xena?" he spat back at her. "You tell me."

"Ares - "

"I'm not Ares, Xena. I'm not the God of War anymore."

<Lianna's hand went to her throat. Her knees buckled, and her other hand went out to support herself. The God of War!>

"I'm Arecles. I'm making a life for myself here, for whatever short time I have left."

"And Lianna? Are you sleeping with her?"

"Why, Xena - do I detect a hint of jealousy there?" He ducked under the horse's head and started on the other side. "Not that it's any of your business, but no, I'm not."

"You have changed."

"Surprised?" His anger was mounting.

"I'd hate to see her get hurt."

Ares' eyes searched the rafters before returning to her face. "You've got to be the most selfish woman I've ever known. You don't want me, but you don't want any other woman to have me either."

Xena's face whitened. "Is that what you think?"

"What else is there to think?" he snapped.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them.

His hand stilled on the stallion's withers; he shut his eyes and forced his anger to cool. "I'll never be completely over you, Xena," (damn the catch that tickled his throat) "but life goes on, ya know? Maybe I'll never love her the way I loved you - "

<A tear sprang, unbidden… >

"But I care for her. She's good for me. And you're not."

"Ares - "

"I told you not to call me that."

"Ares, I've always cared for you, even when I thought I hated you, but I told you, you're bad for me."

"Now how can that be? I'm no longer a God - only a powerless, helpless mortal, like the ones you fight for all the time. Only - you won't fight for me, will you, Xena?"

"I saved you from the Furies."

"You saved your Amazons and killed a few more immortals. Quite a bloodlust you've developed there, by the way. But you didn't fight for me."

She bit her lip and looked down.

Ares continued to polish the black's already gleaming coat. "So. Are we done here? 'Cause I've got work to do."

Lianna waited until the Warrior Princess had gone before she entered the barn. Arecles - Ares! - had one foreleg wedged between his knees as he checked his mount's shoes. Getting ready to leave? She panicked, but no, he'd said he was staying…

"Forget something, Xena? More salt to rub in the wound?"

"I'm not Xena."

He jabbed himself with the hoofpick, dropped the leg and straightened up, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

She stared at him with huge doe-eyes.

She knows.

"You are him, aren't you? Ares. God of War."

Damn Xena anyway. Now she's ruined this for me too.

"Not anymore."

She nodded thoughtfully to herself. "There's blood on your hands."

"Uh… "

"No, I mean… you've cut yourself."

He flipped his hand over, saw the blood smearing his palm.

Lianna pulled a small square of linen out of her sleeve, stepped up to him and pressed it into his hand. She raised herself up on tiptoe and kissed him impulsively.

"I don't care who you were. You're a hero. My hero. I don't want you to go."

Blushing with embarrassment at her temerity, she spun on her heel and fled.

After half a minute Ares followed her.

"Let's go, Gabrielle. We're not needed here. I want to make Corinth before nightfall."

"Think Iphicles will be happy to see us?"

No answer.

The Bard tucked her chin down and blew out her breath. I bet I know someone who wasn't.

Xena threw a leg over Argo's back and nudged her into a trot as Gabrielle came up on her left. The Warrior Princess kept eyes forward, pretending not to see the couple in the garden - the petite blonde lifting her hand to stroke his cheek and the dark man's gentle response.

Her sinuses burned with unshed tears. Suddenly heartsick and disgusted with herself she kicked Argo in the ribs and let the mare stretch out in a groundeating gallop.

Gabrielle's horse followed its running-mate. The Bard only had time for a quick glance back. It gave her much food for thought.

Ares settled into the tub, glad to get the stink of the stable off his skin. He brought the sponge up to his shoulder, squeezed it and let the steaming rivulets channel down through the hair on his chest and belly. Assuming the knock on the door meant the servants had returned with more hot water (the only advantage he took of Nessus' hospitality) he called for them to come in.

A jug of wine, two cups and a bowl of grapes… Lianna self-consciously carried the tray over to the table. Light from the candles in the wall sconce behind her outlined her body through her thin nightdress.

Ares stared up at her, his throat suddenly dry. Her intentions were clear - she would not see daylight still a virgin.

She swallowed, nerved herself and held out her hand for the sponge.

"Let me do that."

The duties and responsibilities of Royalty had taken their physical toll over twenty-five years - Iphicles had acquired considerable grey in his longish hair and the lines on his forehead and at the corners of his eyes and mouth had deepened. Nevertheless his back was straight, his body fit - in looks and spirit every inch a King.

And a family man.

Xena'd been pleased to find him not only still ruling but happily married to Automedusa ('Tomee', he called her); it was the sight of the children which disturbed her. Crown Prince Iolaus and his three sisters gathered around their parents, reminding the Warrior Princess of possibilities she'd been denied. She was extraordinarily quiet and distracted during an informal dinner with the Royal clan, leaving most of the conversation to Gabrielle.

She'd never noticed before how much Iphicles, especially when he smiled, looked like Ares.

Gabrielle hung back a little as the Queen rose to lead them to the guest chambers. The Bard smiled at Iphicles and apologized for her friend's preoccupation.

"Xena saw someone she used to know. It was a bit of a shock."

"In a bad way?" the King asked with concern.

Gabrielle tipped her head and considered his question. "Nooooo… people change, you know. Sometimes in ways we don't expect."

"Iphicles seems happy, Tomee's perfect for him, and the kids… "

Xena removed the bits of armor from her leathers and grunted. Gabrielle sighed, went around the end of the bed and placed her hand on Xena's shoulder, forcing her to sit.

"You didn't want him, Xena. You told him so yourself, " she reminded her friend gently. "You can't expect him not to get on with his life."

"But an innkeeper's daughter?"

"Isn't that what you were? Once?"

"I… yeah. I guess, in another life. I… wish Ares happy, honestly I do. But I never thought… "

"Thought what?"

"It would hurt so much."

She raised her blue eyes, filled with unaccustomed confusion, to meet her friend's.

"Gabrielle, what have I done?"

Aphrodite waited until Gabrielle was alone.

"Hi, Little One."

"Ohhh, Dite, you startled me."

The Love Goddess shrugged and gave an apologetic smile. She was subdued since the death of her husband and most of her family; she still wore mourning, although nearly a year had passed.

Gabrielle winced at the sight of it. It brought back painful memories. She shoved those thoughts away and asked brightly, "What did you want?"

"Um, I'm not sure you can help me, but… I need to know where Ares is and I can't ask her."

"Ares? Why?"

"We need him on Mount Olympus. Apollo, he's got such a big ego, it's like out to here," she spread her hands three feet apart. "Thinks he's King of the Gods or something. We kinda need Ares to… counteract him, you know?"

She chewed on her lip. "And, I… like, I miss him, you know?"

Gabrielle thought hard. It had been five months since their accidental meeting with Ares, and Xena had said nothing more. The Bard remembered the tranquillity of the scene in the village. Had she the right to disrupt that? But shouldn't it be his choice?

She went to her saddlebag, dug out a spare scroll and drew precise directions to the village…

Aylissa ran in circles, whooping at the top of her lungs, "Arecles loves my sis-ter, sis-ter, sis-ter!"

Aphrodite popped into the middle of the dance and caught the child before they had a major collision. "Whoa, slow down, honey, you don't have to practice man-chasing yet!"

She fanned her face as the child charged away, glanced about and caught sight of her brother sharing a tender moment with a young woman. What had that child said? Immediately Aphrodite made herself invisible and waited, impatiently, until the woman had gone.

"Man, am I ever glad I found you! You look terrible!"

Ares glanced about quickly, making sure no one could overhear them.

"Hey Sis, long time no see. Thanks for the compliment."

"My pleasure." Aphrodite failed to catch the sarcasm in his voice. She lifted her eyes to Ares' hair. "But hey bro, grey is so not your color."

She shot a look at the door, winked and gave him a nudge in the ribs. "I see you haven't wasted any time. Of course you'll be leaving now." She sighed insincerely. "Bummer."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well duhhh, 'cause you're gonna be a God again. I brought you - ta da! - Ambrosia!" The Goddess held out a small silver flask.

Ares took it and popped the cork, gazing at the glistening ruby contents. He recorked it - untasted - shoved it inside his vest and began to walk away.

"Hey! Aren't you gonna… ? I mean, don't you wanna… ?"

He paused and gazed at his beautiful immortal sister.

"Maybe later.".

Aphrodite burst into their campsite in a tizzy. "Xena, Xena, you've got to help! Ares has gone insane!"

"Where is he, Aphrodite?" Xena grabbed the Goddess' upper arms and tried to get some sense from her.

"Back in that village," the flustered Olympian waved her arms and wailed. "He's mad!"

The Warrior Princess threw her saddle on Argo and tightened the cinches.

"Xena," Gabrielle approached her, "What are you going to do?"

"If Ares is mad," she gritted her teeth, "if he's endangering those people, or worse - I'm going to have to kill him."

She expected the ravages of war, not signs of celebration, but there was no clashing of swords - only soft music, and all the houses draped in garlands of flowers and ribbons… Puzzled, Xena scanned the calendar in her brain; there were no festivals she could think of slated for this time.

Most of the populace seemed to be gathered at the far end.

She urged Argo into a trot, came up behind the crowd and stopped. Her mouth dropped open in shock.

It was a wedding. Ares' wedding.

He and his bride stood before the priest, about to recite their vows. Both turned to look as they heard the rider approach.

Ares gazed up at Xena and felt curiosity, a mild regret, and a certain sense of… was it revenge? He glanced at Lianna, and smiled.

She faced the intruder (her one-time rival) with chin up and eyes blazing a challenge. She'd turned her body so that the slight bulge of her pregnancy was unmistakeable.

Ares shook his head with pride, threw one last triumphant glance at his former love, squeezed his bride's fingers and proceeded with his part of the ceremony.

Xena couldn't believe it was happening but she had no good reason to stop it. She waited until the rites were finished and congratulated the couple graciously, but it felt too awkward to stay for the party. She rode away thoughtfully.

A mile down the road she pulled up, sensing Aphrodite before the Goddess popped into view.

"Well?"

"Shouldn't you have been at the wedding, Dite?"

Her brother's marriage to a mortal, and further, his apparent choice of a mortal life, made no sense to the Goddess of Love. "Why didn't he eat the Ambrosia?"

"You gave him Ambrosia?"

"Yahhhh. So?"

"He has Ambrosia?"

"That's what I said," the Goddess fumed.

Xena stared into the blue sky overhead and frowned. She'd witnessed Ares marry a mortal woman, one carrying his child, whilst already in the possession of the stuff that would make him a God again! Understanding dawned, and she had to cover her grin to keep Aphrodite from questioning her.

That canny bastard was planning to found a whole new race of Gods.

And wouldn't that throw a rotten fish in the stewpot on Mount Olympus - and elsewhere as well.

"Well? Why didn't he eat it?"

Xena shrugged and chucked her reins. "Maybe he will, Aphrodite. Maybe later."

But she'd bet on sooner.

End

Please read the sequel:
But Not Soon Enough by Taleen