Xena vs. the Sovereign
by Lysia
Disclaimer: All characters of X:WP and H:TLJ belong to
Xena paced the perimeter of her room for what seemed like hours. When Ares blurted out that he wanted his godhood back, she excused herself from the prying eyes of the table. Wasn’t it bad enough she felt guilty over his sacrifice? She flopped down on her bed and put her head in her hands. She had to help him, she owed him BIG!!! But she was starting to enjoy him in his mortal state. His eyes, his laugh, his… Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.
“Come in?” she said as she composed herself.
“Dinar for your thoughts?” A deep voice asked.
“Not worth that much Herc.” She responded sadly as he sat beside her. He gazed at her forlorn face.
“Hey,” he nudged her “come on! I can be a very good listener.” She smiled at him.
“You don’t want to hear my problems Hercules, you’ll be here for eons.” She got up and walked to the window.
“Its Ares isn’t it?” He saw her grimace slightly. He breathed deeply. “Xena, whatever you choose, I’ll stand by your decision.” He walked over to her and leaned on the ledge of the window. She looked at him sadly.
“Well, I’m glad to hear that, because I’m helping him get the ambrosia.” Hercules pulled her into a bear hug.
“THAT wasn’t what I was referring to and you know it.” He whispered in her ear. She returned the hug. She felt somewhat protected in his embrace.
“Hercules, Ares and I can’t be together, even if I wanted to be…we’ve been enemies for over 4 years. And as much as it pains me, I-I” she paused as tears welled up in her eyes. “ I feel like such a monster, Hercules. I didn’t want to kill his family, really! But it was my daughter and I had to protect her. And No matter what he did I couldn’t bring myself to kill him, he’s a part of me. I wasn’t expecting him to give up his godhood for Eve and Gabrielle, I treated him so badly…and in Amphipolis and the way I hurt him—“
“Shhhhh! Its okay Xena! You can’t keep blaming yourself. You did what you had to do.” He held her close as she tried to control her tears. He hated seeing her like this. But what could he do? There is one thing he thought. He slowly let her go and dropped to one knee holding her hands. She looked at him, bewildered.
“Xena, I have loved you since the first time we met. After you changed I got to know your heart and I just fell deeper. I want to take your pain away if you’ll let me.”
“Herc, what are you saying?” She asked almost timidly.
“Marry me! I love you.” She looked shocked, taken aback. She looked into Hercules’ eyes and realized, that she loved him too. No one could ever compare to Ares but she loved him and perhaps he could help her through this. He could take her pain away, couldn’t he?
“Yes!” a pause before she softly laughed through tears. “Yes!” There was a noise outside the door, but neither thought anything of it, as Hercules stood and kissed the warrior passionately.
“Come in?” Hercules opened the door a crack.
“Dinar for your thoughts?” He walked in the room and shut the door. Curiousity got the better of the ex-God of War. He stood and pressed his ear against the door listening. He heard the entire conversation. Her words broke his heart and he longed to hold her in this emotional state, but couldn’t peel his ear away from the door.
“Marry me! I love you.” Ares almost fainted. What? His mind screamed. Say no Xe, just say no! Gods, please say no!
“Yes!” He heard her say. “Yes!” He dropped to the ground, loudly. She agreed? His heart broke. How could he have been such an idiot… He practically threw the warrior into his brother’s arms. He should have proposed to her, not tell her he wanted to be a god again. He slowly got up and turned to walk to his room but stopped to see Gabrielle ascending the staircase. She saw the tears in his eyes and on his face.
“Ares? What’s wrong?” He responded by walking down the hall, going into his room and shutting the door. But the bard wasn’t giving up that easily. She marched down to his room and threw open the door. She was ready to interrogate him like a prosecutor would a defendant, but she froze at the image in front of her; Ares, the former God of War, was crying near the fireplace. She walked to him.
“Ares?” His head snapped up but he didn’t look at her, instead using the moment to wipe the tears with the back of his hand.
“What do you want Gabrielle? I haven’t tried to convert Xena back into an evil bitch if that’s what you’re wondering.” She sat across from him.
“What’s going on?” She said gently but firmly. He looked at her, sadly.
“Xena’s getting married…” he trailed off.
“You proposed to her?” Gabrielle asked, somewhat happily, but Ares shook his head.
“Hercules did…and she accepted.” He turned back to the fire. Gabrielle was at a loss for words. Hercules? She could’ve sworn Xena was in love with Ares. Looking back to the hunched figure across from her, Gabrielle breathed deeply. She saw fresh tears roll down his face and reached up to wipe them.
“I’m so sorry Ares.” She whispered when he looked at her. She stood up to leave the room.
“Gabrielle?” She turned back to him.
“Yeah?”
“I really did love her.” He said quietly. She nodded.
“I know! And you still do. But tell her. No strings.” With that she left the room and headed for her best friends’.
“Come in?” Xena said, afraid of who it was. Gabrielle walked in.
“Sorry! I uh just wanted to talk to Xena for a while but I’ll come back later.” She moved to leave but Hercules’ voice stopped her.
“No that’s alright Gabby I was leaving anyways. But since you’re here you might as well be the first to know…” he held Xena from the back in a hug and rested his chin on her shoulder. “…that Xena and I are getting married in 3 days.” The bard pretended to be surprised.
“You’re kidding? Oh Gods, congratulations!” She went to Xena and hugged her before giving Hercules a rather tight hug and kiss on the cheek.
“Uh what’s going on?” Came a voice from the doorway. The three occupants of the room turned to see Eve and Iolaus looking rather shocked at the entrance to Xena’s room.
“Xena and Hercules are getting married.” Gabrielle said, trying to sound excited but failing miserably. Iolaus and Eve exchanged glances until Iolaus reached in his pocket and gave 10 dinars to Eve followed by a short
“Damn!” He then turned to the bewildered couple and gave Herc a hug. He turned to Xena and she stuck out her hand. He laughed at her “Still walking on eggshells around me Xena?” He pulled her into a hug and gave her a kiss. “Congratulations. Herc there’s a small problem downstairs.”
“On my way buddy!” He pulled Xena into another passionate embrace.
“Awwwwwwwww!” They pulled back and Herc exited the room with Iolaus and Eve in tow. Once they were outside, Eve went to her room and Iolaus stopped his extremely bigger friend.
“Herc, I didn’t know that your idea of putting Xena and Ares together involved you getting married to her!” Hercules just smiled.
“Ares won’t like this news too much and he’ll do anything to win her back. He’ll confess his love for her and she will accept. This “marriage” is just to give Ares the edge that he needs.”
“Ohh! Uh What if he tries to kill you?” There was a pause as Hercules looked somewhat shocked.
“I, uh, didn’t think about that!” He preceeded down the stairs.
“People of Cyrius, May I have your attention please!” People in the streets automatically gathered around the dais, usually used for dramas, to listen to the stranger who looked extremely familiar.
“I am here to bring great news. You all know that the majority of the gods on Olympus are dead, killed by Xena, the Warrior Princess herself. “ He made a dramatic pause and listened to the murmurs run throughout the group. “It is time for the one true God to be brought into the world. We, mortals, need to be lead, need to have someone to believe in, right?” Agreements were shouted out. “Then I ask you now, to join me in bringing about the new order…the order of the one true being, the one that is Damian!” There were whispers among the crowd at this new name.
“And what does this ‘Damian’ ask of in return?” A villager asked as he approached the stage. “Temples, gold, we have none!”
“A few temples and a small cash allowance are needed to begin but that we can work out a little later. He…” the stranger rose his hands and eyes towards the sky “does not want to rush you. Just to have your word that you will serve him.” Sensing disapproval throughout his audience he motioned with his hand to a group of soldiers standing near the tavern. Automatically they started to move towards the villagers.
“Do you agree to serve Damian…I’ll only ask once.” There was silence until an elderly man, apparently the eldest of the village, stepped forward.
“No! We do not agree, this is just another sham. You are a thief who wants to make money off of poor people. Get out of this village. You’ve said your peace!” But instead the handsome stranger grabbed the eldest and spun him to face the crowd, holding a dagger at his throat. At that moment the soldiers drew their weapons and closed in on the villagers as the stranger whispered in the eldest’s ear.
“Oh, but I’ve only just begun…”
“Xena?”
“Yeah Gabrielle?”
“What are you doing?” She asked raising her hands up and letting them fall back to her sides.
“Huh?”
“Marrying Hercules? Come on Xena, I know you want to get over Ares but really, marrying his half brother not to mention his worst enemy?” Xena who was fixing her bed turned sharply and looked rather coldly at her best friend.
“Are you implying that I’m marrying Hercules in order to get over Ares?” There was a pause “First of all, lets clear some things up…” She walked towards Gabrielle who in turn walked backwards afraid of the coldness in Xena’s eyes. “Number one: I WAS NEVER IN LOVE WITH ARES! Number two: I would NEVER use Hercules that way and Number three:…” By this time she had Gabrielle cornered and roughly grabbing the bards hand, she twisted it until Gabrielle let out a small cry of pain and sunk to her knees. “…I do not appreciate being accused of using men for my own personal gain. In case you’ve forgotten…” She knelt down beside her best friend, who was still in pain and whispered quite psychotically “…I’m not the Destroyer of Nations anymore.” She threw the hand in Gabrielle’s face and stood up. “Or am I?” She asked thoughtfully and pulled out her sword.
“Xena, what’s wrong with you?” The bard asked from her position on the floor. She watched her friend’s expression change from anger to one of confusion and eventually pain. The Warrior Princess fell to her knees, grabbed her temples and screamed in anguish. In seconds, Eve ran into the room followed by Ares.
“Mom?”
“Xena!” Ares rushed to the crumpled warrior and held her around the shoulders gently shaking her as if to snap her out of her trance. Within a few moments, Xena stopped screaming and fell into Ares arms.
“Something’s wrong…” She shakily said. “He’s here!”
“Who is?” Eve asked as she sat in front of her mother, but Xena didn’t hear her and went on rambling.
“I should have known he’d be back, he’ll never be gone till I’m dead…”
“Who’s back?” Gabrielle asked firmly. Xena instead looked into Ares eyes.
“Dahak!”
RenPics. I gain
no profit from this story but this story is MINE!!!!!!
Any characters
you don’t recognize are the figments of my
imagination.
Timeline: After Season 5 finale “Motherhood”.
Hurt/Comfort: There is violence but no more than a
regular episode.
There is no sex in this story just kissing (some
forceful others not).
Pairing: X/A, a bit of X/H and G/I. No more than the
shows though.
Authour’s Notes: I always wondered what would happen
if Xena met up
with the Sovereign.
Summary: After the destruction on Olympus, Ares joins
Xena, Gabrielle
and Eve on the road only to dicover that a force they
once thought was
defeated, has risen again with a new leader… the
Sovereign.
Chapter One: After Olympus
“You have your daughter back.” The warrior smiled and
put a hand on
her best friend’s shoulder.
“We have OUR daughter back.” She corrected. “You ready
to go Eve?” Xena
asked the figure running towards them.
“When you are, but…is he?” She motioned with her chin
to the figure
sitting on the hill directly behind them. Xena
frowned. He was awfully
quiet and looking rather somber as he picked up
several stones and threw
them to the beach below. His eyes found hers and they
locked. She
casually walked over to him and sat down.
“You ready to go?” She asked softly as she too threw a
stone to the
beach.
“Are you sure they want me?” He questioned.
“Whether they do or they don’t, does not change the
outcome. I want you
to come with us.” She replied looking into his brown
eyes, which at
that moment seemed so childlike and vulnerable. He
didn’t respond and
tried to turn away but she grasped his upperarm and
pulled forcing him to
look deep into her eyes. “What you did for me, for my
family, I-I can’t
find the words to prove how much that touched my
heart. So I’m giving
you half of the deal you proposed 25 years ago. You
and I will be
together, fighting side by side, against evil, for the
greater good. And
well, who knows what’ll develop?”
“I thought the idea of being with me made you sick?”
He snapped. She
was quiet for a moment as guilt swept through her
entire being. She shook
her head.
“Ares, I was angry, I was hurt and I didn’t mean that.
Yes, I’ll admit
the thought that you would use blackmail to get me to
warm your sheets
did sicken me,” her fingers lightly brushed his cheek
“but the idea of
you and me together, no strings attached, does
anything but disguist
me. I want you with us.” She slowly got up and
extended her hand to him.
It took a while for him to react, but he finally took
it and stood
beside her. They silently walked down the grass
covered slope and joined
the bard and the former Champion of Rome.
Chapter Two: Fancy Meeting You Here…
“So where are we headed anyway?” Eve asked. Xena
looked at her daughter who was sitting behind
Gabrielle on Amber II.
“First we’re going to see Gab’s family and then we’re
travelling to Amphipolis to visit mom and Toris.” She
responded. Gabrielle smiled.
“I can’t wait to see Lila. She’s probably married
now,” Xena couldn’t help but smile at her friend’s
musings, somehow predicting it wasn’t going to end
there. “ with children,” Gabrielle continued. “Four! I
always pictured Lila raising four children, I don’t
know why. But Oh I can see them now:
Blond hair no! no, brown hair and green eyes. The two
girls will be petite like my mom and the boys will be
tall like my father-“
“So I’m guessing you didn’t take after you’re father
huh?” Ares aked innocently. Xena bit her lip to avoid
laughing. Gabrielle shot the ex-God a dark look. He
was sitting on Argo II behind Xena, with his arms
wrapped tightly about her waist. He gave her his
famous grin and cocked an eyebrow. Xena started
laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Gabrielle snapped. Xena composed
herself enough to talk.
“When you imitate “my look” try to do it without the
eye twitching.” She said before bursting into laughter
again. Gabrielle tried not to laugh. She was angry.
Angry people do not laugh. But she could feel Eve
shaking with laughter behind her. Before she could
think to stop herself, she broke into a smile and
starting giggling.
“I never could get that look down could I?” She asked
while shaking her head in mock embarassment.
Later that day, the four travellers arrived in the
village Cyrius and stopped at a tavern. Xena held
Ares arm as he dismounted before doing so herself.
Tying the reigns of both horses to a post, she
followed Gabrielle and Eve into the tavern pulling a
reluctant Ares with her. As soon as their eyes
adjusted to the dimness of the room, they realized
every occupant was staring at them, Xena too be exact.
Spotting a table in the far corner, Gab, Eve and Ares
walked down the steps and headed for the table as Xena
went to order. The noise in the room started up
again.
“What’s your special today?”
“Roasted Lamb with rice and potatoes!” The barkeep
answered nicely. “Oh and mead.”
“I’ll take four.”
“Coming right up” As she turned to join her friends,
she was blocked by three, rather burly looking men.
“I came here to eat boys, not fight so whatever you’ve
got to say, spill it and make it fast!” She growled.
“We do not appreciate wannabe warrior princess’ in OUR
tavern!:” One said. “Xena died 25 years ago.”
“Well as you can see, my death was nothing but a big,
fat, over exaggerated rumour.”
“I served Xena long ago!” The third man said coming
out of hiding. She instantly recognized him, as she
did all the men she recruited. “I’ll admit you look
like her but you lack that fighting quality”
“Believe what you want to believe…Antonius…” he
gasped. “But like I said before, I’m not looking for a
fight. So move!” They responded by pulling out their
swords. She didn’t. Within 5 minutes, the three
ruffians were sprawled somewhere in the tavern. She
was about to continue walking to the table when a
voice from behind made her freeze.
“You could’ve saved two for us you know.” She tensed
and then turned to see Hercules and Iolaus looking
exactly the same way as she remembered them. She
threw herself into Herc’s arms and welcomed the
scorching kiss he planted on her lips. Iolaus had his
arm full as well…literally, as Gabrielle flew into
them and kissed him passionately. They switched
partners but not the kisses!
“Okay you’re going to have to explain this to me!”
Iolaus started. “25 years ago we heard you and Gabby
and…” he hesitated “…Eve died! And now you’re here
looking as great as usual.”
“As much as I hate to admit it…I’m stuck as well.”
Hercules stuck in as he held Xena again. “How is it
possible?”
“Cause I made the worst mistake of my life!” A husky
voice cut in from behind Xena.
“Ares!”
Chapter 3: You What?
"Hercules," Xena said placing a hand on his shoulder "Lets all sit down and we’ll explain." Once they arrived back in the dark corner, the barkeep placed the four orders on the table. Before he sat Iolaus raised two fingers towards the plates and the man nodded.
"Coming right up!"
"Hercules, Iolaus meet Eve!" Xena said as she pulled Eve out from behind her.
"Nice to meet you!" Hercules said as he gave her a hug. "I was there at your birth you know?"
"Were you the one who gave me that stuffed monster?" Eve questioned.
"uhhh yeah!"
"Mom told me all about you, and what you did. Thanks, and I just have to tell you that It is such an honour to meet the man who unchained Mom’s heart…" Xena sorta blushed as she gave Gabby a penitrating stare. Gabrielle shrugged.
"She wanted to hear a story." She whined. Eve was still chattering away.
"… and if I could set her up with any man whatsoever it would have to be…" A hand clamped over Eve’s mouth.
"I apologize for my daughter’s constant talking," she gave Gabrielle a look and snarled " she doesn’t get it from ME, you know!"
Finally, they all started eating their meals while Gabrielle explained in detail (minus the five times Xena interrupted to put some facts straight, like, Gabrielle would say there were 50 archers when in fact there were only twenty!) how they survived the Gods’ chasings. From Celeste’s tears to the escape of their ice coffins, to the past two days of gods slaying!
"Okay, now you two have to explain why you don’t look any older than when we last saw you!" Gabrielle asked impatiently as she took out a scroll and quill.
"Well, its kind of odd but this archangel Michael…: Iolaus started with a mouthful of lamb in his mouth.
"Michael?" Xena interrupted. Hercules gave her an odd look.
"You know him?"
"Oh, you could say we’ve been to hell and back with him." She said giving a slight smile in Gabrielle’s direction.
"Yeaaahh well, anyways, " Iolaus continued "He gave us immortality to help fight off some evil that will be coming soon and to lend a hand in the Twilight of the Gods situation…But of course, you handled that pretty well on your own." Xena glanced at Ares and quickly lowered her eyes.
"I’m not going to say I’m innocent Iolaus, I am a murderer…"
"Xena…" Gabrielle said.
"Mom…" Eve placed a hand on Xena’s arm.
"No! I didn’t want to kill them alright? If I could have prevented that I would have, " she raised her palms to her face and stared at them hatefully "Just some more blood to stain these with, I guess." Hercules took hold of her hands and forced Xena to look at him.
"Stop it Xena! I can’t watch you do this to yourself anymore. They left you no choice." He put his arms around her shoulders. Ares was quiet through all of this even though he burned inside knowing he could never get that close with the Warrior Princess.
"If I had known you staged your deaths, I could have taken all three of you to my temple in Rome. You would have been safe there." He said quietly. Eve and Gabrielle exchanged glances as Xena lightly touched his hand.
"Ares, we couldn’t risk telling you. I wanted to---"
"So WHY DIDN’T YOU?" He exploded as he stood up.
"Cause I knew what the price of THAT help would mean!" Xena yelled back as she too stood up.
"We could have reached something!" He said evenly.
"Your black heart was set on only one thing." She spat.
"Yeah YOU!" She was taken aback by this. "That’s right, no matter how many times I tell you, you just don’t seem to get it! I LOVE YOU XENA! I mourned you for 25 years."
"You did what?" Hercules and Iolaus asked at the same time in bewilderment.
"I missed every single thing about you…your eyes, your laugh, your smile, your beauty, your rage, I even missed the blonde’s irritating antics. Then I found Livia…or Eve…and I had an idea. I could make her the most powerful woman in Rome and then, I was going to pretend that I died in battle while I secretly stabbed myself with chronos’ remains that Herc used to kill dad. The funny thing is, I was already dead. When you died, a huge part of me died along with you. All that was left of me was an empty shell. I wanted to love you, to care for you, to grow old with you, I wanted to be with you and…" He glanced away as tears threatened to fall, then looked back to his love’s misted eyes. "…then you came back. I treated you like crap, I know that, but now I want to make up for it. I would give up my godhood all over again for you. I’ve been mortal for 1 day now, and I can’t take sleeping next to your beautiful form without being able to hold you…as a God I could control myself, but as a mortal I can’t. I’m having terrible urges Xena, and I can’t live with it anymore."
"What are you saying?" Xena asked trembling. There was a long pause. "Ares?"
"I want my Godhood back!"
Chapter 4: He’s baaaaack!
The stranger read the sign outside the town. ‘Cyrius’ he thought. ‘hmmmm good place to start preaching I guess’.
Ares followed Xena up to her room but for some reason couldn’t bring himself to knock on the door. He wanted to apologize, he was WAY out of line, but he was…nervous? This was the first time he was ever nervous. He slowly sank to the floor in the dark hallway and waited. He saw Hercules come up the stairs and knock on Xena’s door.
Hercules and Xena were leaning on the windows ledge looking at the sunset, when there was a knock at the door.
Meanwhile, outside the tavern/inn…
A few minutes earlier…
Chapter 5: So you must be the other half…
"Dahak?" Ares repeated.
"Dahak!" Gabrielle whispered as she backed up into a table. Everyone turned to see her shake with fear. "That’s-That’s impossible!" Eve was confused.
"Who’s Dahak?" She asked the trembling bard. Gabrielle gently led her to the bed on the other side of the room and started to explain. When Xena realized that she was leaning on Ares, she tried to pull away but he held her tighter.
"What do you mean he’s here?" he questioned. She looked up in his eyes. "What…in this room?"
She shook her head.
"No, he’s in the village somewhere, he-he’s entering my head! He tried to make me kill Gabrielle. It-It was as is if he wanted me to have my dark side back. I haven’t tapped into that for so long and now I’m-" she trailed off and looked down. Ares tried to urge her on.
"You’re what?"
"I’m scared (pause) of-of it." She said quietly. She regained her warrior mask and stood. "I’ve got to find him. One way or another it ends NOW!!!"
"Xena, this isn’t exactly Potedaia you know! This is more like Corinth! Where would we start looking?" Gabrielle asked as she and Eve, who was looking awfully guilty, approached.
"…People of Cyrius, May I have your attention please!" came a voice from outside.
"I’ve got a pretty good idea! Come on." Xena stated as she ran out of the room.
When they arrived in the front of the inn, they spotted Hercules and Iolaus standing at the back of the crowd.
"What’s going on?" Xena asked as she approached.
"There’s just a man preaching about changing to a different religion…to follow some guy named Damian!" Iolaus said. "He looks familiar but the cloak is blocking him." The eldest of the village was just stepping on the platform.
"I’ve got to get up there!" Xena was just about to go when someone grabbed her arm.
"Mom no please, you can’t go!" Xena looked strangely at her.
"Eve I don’t have time for this!"
"Mother you don’t understand---" She was interrupted by a gasp in the crowd, both mother and daughter looked towards the stage but their eyes rested upon the blade at the eldest’s neck. Xena shook her daughter’s hands off her arm and pushed through the crowd to the front where a line of soldiers had their weapons drawn.
"Hey!" Xena yelled. "Doesn’t your religion teach free will?" The cloaked man looked towards her and even through the darkness of the cloak, she could see a smile.
"Xena! Good to finally meet you."
"Let him go." She said as she drew her sword. Hercules, Iolaus and Ares approached from behind her as Gabrielle and Eve waited at the back to pounce on the soldiers there. Strangely enough, the man on stage let the eldest go and the men in front of her made an opening for her. She let the weapon fall to her side and stepped through. The soldiers bowed their heads as she did and quickly blocked Ares, Herc and Iolaus. She stepped on the dais.
"Now that’s not very fair! You can see me but I can’t see you." She purred. He chuckled and threw back the hood of his cloak. The warrior tried not to gasp out loud or show her surprise but she was definetly shocked. There standing in front of her, was an exact replica of Hercules.
"Who are you and what do you want?" she growled as she raised her sword towards his neck.
"Well my dear, I’m the Sovereign, and I’m here to reclaim my beautiful fiancee…you!"
Chapter 6: Sins of the Daughter
"Have you been drinking?" Xena chuckled. "I’m not engaged to you!"
"Oh but you are…didn’t your daughter tell you?" Xena looked at him strangely then towards Eve who was approaching the soldiers. Xena went down to meet her but she was blocked by the soldiers’ backs. She now faced Eve. "Oh she didn’t tell you…did she?" The sovereign stated from behind her.
"Eve, what is he talking about." Eve looked sadly towards her mother.
"About a year ago, I was travelling with 4 of my scouts. We passed a deserted temple, but thought nothing of it… until a bunch of priests jumped from the trees and killed my soldiers. I didn’t stand a chance, but the head priest said he wouldn’t hurt me because Damian wanted to see me. They dragged me into the temple, and sitting on the throne was this Damian. He said he’ll let me live if I give him something important to me. Well, I was under the impression that my mother was dead, and that she always hated me, so to try and fool him, I-I said he could have my mother."
"Evie…!" Xena breathed.
"He said he would find my mother and when he did, he would give her to his right hand man. I didn’t know mother, please forgive me?" Xena reached up to touch her daughter but she felt something sharp make contact with the back of her head. Without realizing it, she started to slip to the ground.
"I forgive you!" She said as she hit the ground. The last thing she remembered was a pair of rough hands hauling her to her feet and voices screaming her name.
"Xena!!!!!" Gabrielle screamed and reached for her best friend who was being carried by the soveriegn out of the town. Ares’ anger grew with every moment. Grabbing one of the soldiers by the neck, he gave it a sharp turn to the left until a satisfying crack was heard. He let the man fall to the ground, before stealing his sword. He started slicing through the soldiers around him till he got on the dais.
"Sovereign!" he yelled. The sovereign turned around still carrying the unconscious warrior. "Let her go!"
"Ares! I should kill you for what you did to me, but I"ve uh…" he looked lustfully at Xena "… got more important and enjoyable things to do!" Letting out a vicious laugh he started walking backwards till he rammed into someone. He spun around to see Hercules standing there with his arms crossed.
"What? No goodbyes?" The demi god stated and started towards the sovereign but stopped short when he saw his evil other half put Xena’s feet on the floor and hold a dagger to her neck. Ares, Gabrielle, Iolaus and Eve stopped as well.
"Leave her alone…she does NOT belong to you!" Iolaus snapped.
"Oh but she does…and I’m a very lucky man if I must say so mysel-OWWWWWWWWWWW!" He reached down for his foot which his captive, who awakened, stomped on as hard as she could. Releasing her, she spun around beside Hercules and grabbed her chakram. Hercules handed her her sword.
"Thanks!" The sovereign was mad now. Letting out a long whistle, he glared hungrily at Xena.
"Ohhh I’m gonna have fun teaching you who your master is." Before she could think of a comeback, thirty soldiers ran into the town. The six friends seperated and waited. Unfortunately, Xena got twenty of the thirty and the soveriegn. She knew she had no chance but her warrior spirit took over and she refused to be intimidated. The first man attacked but her sword sliced through his midsection. She glanced to her friends. Hercules and Iolaus were dealing with two extremely big priests/soldiers, Ares had 4 on his own and Gabrielle and Eve and 4 rather clumsy looking soldiers. They seemed to be holding their own just fine. She, on the other hand was struggling. Another warrior swung a staff at her head. Ducking, she spun around and threw her elbow to the back of his neck. The next soldier aimed his sword at her legs which she easily dodged by flipping over it. Landing on the other side proved to be a mistake. The remaining warriors closed in on her using clubs, staffs, fists and feet. She decided to let the others know she needed their help. Flipping through the air and entering a somersault, she unleashed her famous cry.
"Ayiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyiyi cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeahhhhhhhhh!" She landed facing a wall. ‘uh oh’ she thought. She turned to face her oncomers who seemed to double in size. Gabrielle dispensed of her thug and ran towards Xena when an arm came out of nowhere causing her to crash into it and land painfully on her back. Looking up she saw the sovereign peering down at her. She tried to stand but found she couldn’t move. Looking over at her arm, she saw vines twisted around them as well as her legs.
"Gabrielle!!" Eve screamed and rushed for her. The sovereign saw her coming and looking back at the bard said
"Later!" With that he walked towards Xena, who at this point was thoroughly beaten and had curled herself into a fetal position on the ground. The soldiers stepped back and let him through. When he approached the fallen warrior, he signalled for two men to hold her up. Xena’s face was perhaps the only part of her that wasn’t damaged. She had blood trickling down the side of her head, cuts, scrapes, bruises and gashes spread all over her body. She was breathing hard but managed to look up at the man in front of her. He stared at her condescendingly but with admiration and lust.
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