Disclaimer: I do not own the characters Xena, Gabrielle, Ares, Cyrene, or Eve. Little Eli and Ahmad however belong to me. No profit is being made from this story.
The dark haired woman smiled as she entered
Amphiboles. It had been two years since she had
laid eye's on her home town. She remembered the attack that Athena had launched in an attempt to make Xena give up her daughter Eve. But thanks to her quick thinking and another one of her great plans, the goddess Athena failed.
Ares had been apart of her plot to defeat Athena. Xena could not defeat Athena alone, she needed an ally. And Ares was just the god for the job. She had seduced him and engaged in foreplay to put the idea that she was willing to be with him in his head. She knew that he would show up at the battle. He was so predictable. Sometimes it was just to easy. The greek gods were so easily manipulated and tricked. She thought that the greek gods had to be the dumbest bunch of all the gods.
The warrior princess looked down at the sleeping bundle that lay in front of her. Her son, Eli. She closed her eye's remembering the day her son was created. She had felt tiny bit guilty for playing with Ares' head and she thought that she should apologize to him. Though he had never apologized fro playing with her mind she felt she should.
As she expected Ares was extremely angry with her and with her betrayal. But in the heat of an argument passion and a little bit of Aphrodite's meddling, they ended up sleeping together. Two months passed before Xena realized that she was pregnant. Gabrielle chasetised her for her carelessness. She confronted Ares about her condition. He was very arrogant about it. He told her that maybe next time she would think twice before double crossing him again. that was the last time she had seen him. She expected Ares to come when Eli was about to be born but he never showed. She had to admitt that his not being there bothered her. She guessed that he was still mad over the event in Amphiboles.He had not come to see Eli at all and he wouldn't answer when Xena called. She figured that she would be raising this child alone. It did not matter to her either way. But she knew that one day that her son would ask about his father and she did not know what she would say!
. But she had Gabrielle, Joxer simple as he was, and soon she would have her mother to help her. Cyrene had never seen her grandson before and Xena was sure that Cyrene would make a big fuss over the little the little guy.
"Xena can you believe we're finally here?" Gabrielle said to her friend. The bard rode with a sleeping Eve in front of her. She had noticed that Xena had been acting a little distant and preoccupied in thought latley. "Xena, Xena!" Gabrille yelled. The warrior princess snapped out of her daze and turned to her friend. "What?" Xena asked.
"I said can you believe we're finally here? I bet Cyrene will be so happy to see you, Eve, and little Eli!"
"Yeah, maybe." Xena and Gabrielle stopped their horses in front of Cyrene's stables. They dismounted with the two sleeping children. Xena's thoughts were on Ares at this moment. She found herself wondering where he was and where he was. When she realized that she had started to miss the arrogant war god she tried to erase him from her mind, she never wanted to think about him again. He had impregnated her, insulted her, and had been neglecting her and Eli. "Xena is something wrong?" Gabrielle asked in concern.
"No why would you ask that?"
"I know you Xena, somethings wrong! It's Ares isn't it?" The bard knew the answer all ready.
"I haven't seen or heard from him in two years. One would think he would be interested in his own child!" Xena spat in anger.
"Xena he's probably still sulking over what happened in Amphiboles. Don't worry about it, he's not worth it!" Gabrielle replied as they led the horses into the stables. After they had settled their horses down they headed for Cyrene's tavern. Little Eli's eye's fluttered open revealing his dark brown orbs that reminded her some much of Ares. He was the very likeness of his father.
~*~
The two women made their way inside of the tavern holding her son close Xena spotted her mother. She was serving drinks to table full of men. Eve awoke to the sound of the roukas that was being made in the bar. When Cyrene looked up the group caught her eye. She smiled and made her way to them. She embraced her daughter. "Xena, it's so good to have you home!" She breathe in her ear.
"It's good to be home mother!" Xena smiled.
Cyrene took a step back to take in the sight of her daughter and her new grandson. "Is this him?" she asked. Xena handed ten month old child to his grandmother. She made a cooing sound when the baby was placed in her arms. Cyrene noticed that the boy looked alot like Ares. Xena had sent word to her of what had happened with Ares. She couldn't say that she wasn't disappointed in daughters lack of good judgement when it came to a certain war god. But she was still glad she had a new grandbaby. "This is Eli, mom." Xena said.
"Hello there Eli, you're a very handsome boy. I tell'ya Xena this one will be a heart stopper and a heart breaker." Cyrene laughed.
"Much like his father." Xena couldn't help but add that last remark. She looked over to Eve who was still asleep in Gabrielle's arms.
"Come, let's go to the house. I'll fix a welcome home dinner." Cyrene announced leading them out of the bar.
~*~
The war god sat with his right leg draped casually over the arm rest of his throne. He held his head in one hand and a goblet of wine in one hand. He was thinking about going to see Xena and his son, Eli. Eli, he didn't care for that name much. No doubt she had named him after that anti-gods fanatic Eli. Many people saw him as a prophet and martyr but to Ares he was pest and that was why he killed him. But still the boy was his son and he wanted to be apart of his life. He had not been to see him because of he and Xena's last meeting. They had said alot of hurtful things to each other and he had severed all ties with her. But he had started to miss her. Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by a sparkle of pink light that shimmered and left the form of the love goddess. She wore her usual pink attire and her hands were planted firmly on her hips. "Hey Ar, babe we have got to talk!" Aphrodite said getting right to the point.
"Dite I don't feel like talking right now, I have alot on my mind." He never looked his sister's way.
"Look bro this whole thing with you and the warrior babe is totally buggin! You have to talk to her yo!"
"I know that!" Ares shouted as he threw his goblet across the room. Aphrodite stepped back not wanting to be the next thing he hurled across the room.
"You should go see your son!"
"Don't you think I know that?" Ares shouted standing from his throne.
"Then why haven't you?" Ares was quiet for a moment and then answered.
"Because Xena may not let me see him."
"And why wouldn't she, the warrior babe is reasonable?"
"She hates me!"
"She does not! I'm love bro I know it when I see it!"
"She does NOT love me!"
"Yeah she does and like you she's having a hard time admitting it."
"I don't know Dite."
"Just go, what's the worse that could happen?"
~*~
"Sleep now my little one, pleas don't you cry. Lay your head down on my shoulder and sigh. Sun's gone away, mama will stay. Silence will keep all awhile you're asleep." Xena had just song her tired son to sleepa nd placed him in his cradle. Gabrielle had let Eve share a bed with her in the next room. Xena walked out onto the balcony and looked over the town below. It wasn't long before she felt his presence. "Come out, it's about time you showed up!" she said coldly.
Ares appeared out of his blue aether and stared at his chosen. She glared at him with anger written across her face. "Xena." he said.
"Ares."
"How have you been?" Ares stood with a blank expression. She on the other hand was boiling over with pent up anger.
"Fine, no thanks to you!"
"What's with the attituide Xe?"
"Where have you been and why wouldn't you come when I called you?"
"Oh I'm sorry I didn't realize I had to check in." Ares said sarcastically. Xena was in no mood for his smug demeanor.
"Cut the crap Ares I'm in no mood for it! Answer my question!" She snapped.
"I was busy with a war."
"Yeah right." They stared at each other for a while before another word was spoken.
"Look I just came to see my son!" Ares declared. He was on edge and he really did not need to be hassled right now. He had come to apologize but she was not making it easy.
"Why you weren't there for his birth?" she shouted.
"Believe it or not I CARE fore him!"
"You CARE?" Xena questioned sarcastically.
"Yes." He was pleading with Xena to understand but like always she would give him a chance to explain his position.
"You haven't been there for him since the beginning!"
"I'm here now." he said softly.
"And?"
"And I'm willing to be a father to him."
"I don't think you're ready to be a father to him all you think about is yourself and what will make Ares happy!" Ares was fed up with Xena at this point and he decided that he would just have the last word and leave.
"You know what I don't need this, FORGET IT! I don't have to stand here and take this from you I am a god!"
"Yes, you are so why don't you go back to Olympus and do what you gods do best, think about yourselves!" Just as she turned to walk away Ares grabbed her by the arm and backed her up against a wall. "Who do you think you are talking to like that, I could kill you with a mere thought!" Ares shouted coldly.
"Get you filthy hands off me you stupid bastard! Some time I think you're just deaf and dumb!" Xena spat. Ares eye's grew enraged, those words had tethered the rope that was holding him back from becoming physically violent. "Why did you call me, NO ONE CALLS ME THAT!" At this Ares forced Xena to the ground and started to tear at the night gown she wore. Every time she resisted and tried to push her off of her he would hit her.
Covering her mouth so no one would hear her screams of terror, he forced himself on her. She tried time and time again to stop him but he was too strong for her. "Please stop, stop!" Her pleas went ungranted. Ares hd turned into a different person, some one Xena had never seen.
~*~
After it was over Ares stood up and clasped his pants back together. Xena was still crying and had huddled into a corner on the balcony. She had not cried since Solan'd death a few years earlier and she did not like to cry she saw it as a weakness. Ares had made his way over to the rail on the balcony trying to catch his breath. He could not believe what he had done, he had never intended to hurt Xena in any way when he came. But she had awakened an old wound that was still very sensitive. He lost control, beat her, and raped her. He had made sure that his thrusts hurt her. He wanted to get back at her for hurting him. But he was sorry after he had finished with her. the last thing he ever wanted to dod was bring her more pain. He turned and stare at the broken warrior. Calming his breath he spoke. "I'm sorry I don't know what got into me, I'm so sorry Xena!" With that he disappeared. Xena never looked up and she did not even realize he was gone. It had s!
tarted to rain and the rain covered her bruised and bloody face and disguised the tears that flowed from her eye's. She stayed there all night crying until restlessness over took her.
