|
|
Creation´s
Child 
by Vickey Brickle-Macky 10/22/2000
Part Three
Around her the meeting was breaking up and groups were forming to talk and look like they wanted to have a party which she was in no mood for. A few gods here and there said hello and welcomed her and Eve as she passed by going back to her side of the room. She smiled back and was pleasant to them too them before she got away and moved on. She still had a slight headache and wasn't completely over the effects of the ambrosia and she suspected that Eve wasn't either, but the child was adapting better than she was. She finally made it back to the cushions after a few delays and sank into them gratefully.
Ares came back after having a few choice words to Athena over not preparing Xena for the effects of the ambrosia, and then waiting until afterwards to tell her about the changes she and Eve were going to be going through. The final draw had been when she had dumped goddess duties on Xena on top of all this. At least he got Xena a couple of days reprieve before she had to report to Athena. He sank down wearily next to her and she barely reacted to his presence. Though Eve was delighted to see him and reached out chubby arms for him to take her. Xena did release her hold and Eve stood up and waddled over to him, shocking Xena out of her stupor.
"She's walking already?" she said freaking. Her eyes wide at her daughter's actions.
"It looks like it," Ares said surprised too, having to do some mental adjustments himself over Eve's changes. "Ohh, she's gotten to be a big girl," he said picking her up and lifting her up high in the air, feeling the weight.
Xena just stared, not so much at Ares playing with her but just the differences. She spotted Aphodite a couple of cushions down and waved at her. The bubbly Goddess of Love saw her waving and bounced over in a couple of seconds, flopping down next to Xena. "Congratulations on joining the club? I am so happy for you and Eve. It all worked out better than I thought it was going to. I was like really worried that something bad might go down, but it didn't. So how are you doing? You still look a little green around the edges," she said getting a good look the new goddess.
"I feel green. Isn't this stuff supposed to make you feel great, wonderful or whatever?" Xena asked.
"Yeah, normally it is. But like you're also pregnant too and we can get sick just like mortals occasionally. It looks like Eve's doing okay," she added watching Ares and Eve playing together and enjoying the sight of her big brother playing daddy to the little girl.
"Ohh. just wonderful. I just love morning sickness. So I get to have this kid in six weeks instead of nine months? That's what Athena was telling me," Xena asked, questioning her.
"There abouts. I know it seems sort of short but here time is a little stranger, not as exact and precise as Below's time. Same way our kids don't stay babies very long either. One minute they're babies and the next they're grown into teenagers. It's a real major downer. First Cupie then Bliss--pouf they're all grown and not needing me. Bummer. I know you feel cheated, Xena, but at least you and Eve are still living--that's a plus," she smiled trying to cheer her up.
Xena shook her head at Aphrodite´s cheeriness, she knew she was trying to help so she really couldn't get mad at her. "I suppose you're right. I just have to get used to all of this. And Athena wants me to have duties. I just don't believe her," Xena added.
"Athena is a workaholic. She doesn't believe in fun or relaxing. But no, that sounds like her and it was rotten the way she sprang the whole goddess trip on you and Eve without any preparation. It totally pissed off a lot of people," she told her.
"Good to hear that. Now Athena said to ask you about the care and feeding of immortal kids since you're the expert," Xena said, trying to adjust and understand what kind of changes she had to make for Eve.
"No diapers, no having to feed the kid unless you want to. Maybe a little ambrosia laced milk or juice. But seeing that she's got her teeth now she can eat food if she wants. Bath's and clean up are a snap of the fingers. Nap time's the only real hassle, you really got to be firm on that, or they'll go on, and on all day, and night until they fall over if left to their own devices. I had to make mine crash out so I could get some peace and quiet. She is now super strong, can't be hurt by anything, but she can get into things she couldn't before. She's now super smart and should be able to talk already once she picks up she can do it now. I don't know if she's grounded, a floater or able to fly yet. You'll find out soon enough,"
Xena was trying to listen and take it all in. "What do mean grounded, a floater or can fly?" she had to ask, not even having had time to think about such possibilities.
"Some of us can't float or fly, we can just teleport. Cupid could fly within a week of being born. Blew me away and he was always flying out of range too on purpose. I can't float, or fly so it was a major hassle. Now that she's walking, it also means she can run, climb, swim, etc. The fun part is when they figure out how to pop in and out without supervision. Remember the trouble Bliss got into on Earth? Be prepared, as it takes a while for them to understand that just popping in and out is bad without someone along. Zeus used to be real good about keeping track of all the young godlings. I'm afraid no one around here has quite got the knack," Aphodite said with a touch of sadness but recovered quickly. "Got any questions?"
"She can talk now and understand me?" Xena asked in wonder, turning around to watch Eve who was sitting in Ares' lap as she looked around wide eyed, pointing to objects and people, and he was enjoying himself by telling her what and who the different gods were. Eve was also repeating what she was hearing, very carefully getting it right the first time it was told to her, her voice very musical sounding to Xena's ears.
Xena clasped a hand to her mouth shocked that her baby was already talking now, sounding like a two year old or older. "She's talking...." she gasped, not believing it was happening.
"Yeah, it seems like," Aphodite said with a giggle. "Hey, bro' you're feaking Xena out," she told him.
Ares looked over to them with a broad smile. "Sorry, she just started doing this. I wasn't expecting it either. It took me a minute to figure out what she wanted, but she's very persistent, like her momma. The only thing I've been doing is supplying the words. She's putting them together herself. She's a very quick learner," he told Xena proudly as the little girl got up and toddled over to her mother grinning.
"Da, teach me talking, momma," she told Xena as she flew into her arms her arms wrapping around Xena's neck, hugging her tightly. Xena almost started crying happily, hearing her daughter talk and walk over to her.
"Oh Eve, I see he did, and he did a good job too," she said looking over at him gratefully as Eve released her, her eyes bright and shining. "You're so big now," Xena smiled up at her still in a state of disbelief and shock over how Eve had transformed so quickly.
"I big now, know. I not baby anymore," she solemnly told her momma.
Xena smiled at how serious she was. "Too me you'll always be my baby. You feeling okay?' she asked checking her over.
"Feel good. Go now. Go play? Da said we can play?" she asked, looking up with hopeful blue eyes and turning around to look at Ares who was wearing an amused expression at both mother and daughter.
"We can. Your Da' and I still need to talk. And I want to get out of here. I need to sort some stuff out," Xena said both to Eve and also to Ares, who understood how stressed out she still was over the entire day's events.
"Sis can you watch Eve for about a hour while we get our chambers a little more child proof and Xena and I have that talk we talked about?" Ares said talking charge.
"Ohh, yeah right, forgot all about that. Sure, no problem, bro'. Yeah, your room's not very kid friendly, especially for a little lady like this," Aphodite said smiling down at Eve who seemed like she liked the idea of going with Aphrodite. "Yah wanna come with your Aunt Aphodite? I got some neat things for you to play with and I'll see if I can get your cousin Bliss to come play too. That sound okay?' she asked.
Eve nodded, "Okay," she replied a little shyly, but taking Aphrodite´s out stretched hand, went to her willingly, jumping up in her arms.
Aphodite stood up and reassured Xena, "I'll be okay. Take as long as you guys' need. Just come and get her anytime. She'll be safe with me," she said smiling, perching Eve on her hip. "Hey kid, how does a bubble bath sound? Won't that be fun? And I got all kinds of neat things to do," she told the little girl who was beaming back at her playing with one of her scarves on her dress.
"Thanks Aphodite, I really appreciate you doing this," Xena said standing up and giving her daughter a kiss on the cheek. "Be good sweety. Momma will see you in a little while<" she told Eve and watched Aphodite and Eve leave the hall going towards her rooms.
Ares had gotten up and was standing next to her, waving back at Eve as they left. He turned to Xena. "Ready to go?" he asked.
"More than ready. I guess to your rooms. I just need to get away from here," she told him. "So how does this popping in and out thing work?" she asked, raising an inquiring eyebrow and he grinned.
"Okay, I guess lessons are in order so you don't materialize in a wall or something," he told her. She gave him a worried look and decided to listen to his instructions after all. "The way we teach the kids is to hold on to someone hand and visualize where you want to go. They will pick up what you are thinking to help guide you until you can do it alone. Just feel the energy build up inside and let it flow around you, cover you, then tell yourself to go there. See yourself there," he told her, being patient and gentle with her, with none of his usual smartalic remarks or behavior.
She took his hand and closed her eyes, following his instructions to the letter. She visualized his chambers here, and from somewhere within found the source of her energy and summoned it up, letting it build, until she was bathed in light and energy, marveling at the experience and feel of it. Then with a thought and a slight bit of dizzying vertigo she felt herself slip from where she was to where she wanted to be and was there in his chambers.
"I did it!" she exclaimed delighted, wide eyed as the glow around her died out and she took in her surroundings.
"Yes, you did! Not bad at all for a first timer. I'm impressed, really," Ares said, looking at her, still holding her hand which she took back to move a few paces from him to clear her head and think.
"Thanks. I guess. There's still a lot I've got to learn and get used to now that I'm immortal. Still having a hard time with that. You know this is the last thing I wanted for me or Eve. You should be happy now. You've gotten everything that you've been wanting without a fight," she told him, not looking at him standing with her arms wrapped around herself, feeling very alone and frightened for her future.
"Maybe," he said. "All I ever wanted was you and I together, side by side. I hadn't planned on Athena turning you and Eve into goddesses right away. I knew it might be a possibility but...not a certainty. At least your daughter is safe and you have nothing to fear any more," he said gently, being careful not to push as he wandered over to get a goblet of wine for both of them.
Xena nodded sadly, "yes, there is that. Eve is safe. I should be grateful but there's a lot of bitterness too. You should understand that. Never deal with gods as you always get screwed over in the end if you do," she said, more to herself than to him.
He had been listening and winced a little at her words, but kept his composure as he came over with their drinks. She took the offered cup from him still distracted by her thoughts. "Look if it's any consolation, I am sorry that things turned out this way knowing how you feel about gods and all. But you do have an unique opportunity. You can use what ever powers you have to help humanity like you always wanted. I know it's not the mortal way you wanted to do things," Ares told her taking a sip of his drink and prudently staying out of close range of her having seen her in similar moods before.
"No, it isn't. And right now I feel like if I tried to help people the way I'm used to, being a god now, I would be betraying all that I said I have believed in all these years," she said both angry and sad, pacing a little now.
"You wouldn´t have to show off any powers. The way you move anyway most people think you´re superhuman anyway, but I know it´s this honesty thing you have. You have to be you," he said, seeing her stare at him.
Xena was frowning and starting to get mad. How typically Ares, she thought. Wouldn´t know honesty if it bit him on the ass. "You make it sound like honesty is a bad thing. It´s not. I have based my reputation on it. I´ve spent years repairing the damage from my warlord days and it´s been working. It would be a sham if I went around helping people like I was mortal still.… I just have to think all this out—there´s just been too much happening in too short of a time," she said finally talking a sip of her drink to calm her very overwrought nerves.
Prudently Ares kept his mouth shut. There was a long silence before he said anything, mainly to chose his words carefully as he had a real good idea of what was really going on her mind now and didn´t want to push her any further. He could tell she was on a hair trigger with the nervous pacing like a tiger in a cage. Her life as she had known was effectively over due to their actions. No more Xena warrior, no more mortal life, friends, family, and pleasures. Her daughter now lived, but she would experience a brief childhood, and she would be a virtual prisoner here on Olympus until it was deemed she was safe to everyone. He was sure Xena would be allowed to come and go as she wanted. Ares didn´t think Athena or anyone else would be fool enough to stop her if she wanted to leave. She had been hard enough to handle as a mortal, now she was a goddess with untested powers of unknown ability. Had Athena really thought that out when she made both of them immortal? Probably not. He hadn´t even entertained the idea as he knew how much she would loathe it.
They had both opened a big can of worms with their simple bargain. What had started as a simple means to protect Eve and Xena from his fellows, plus admittedly get her in bed with him was way beyond that. He was honor bound to protect them both as well as insure their behavior. He was now Eve´s father legally by their laws, though not Xena´s husband or consort which made the responsible for Xena´s actions or behavior part a little more difficult. The status of their union had not come up. He wasn´t even sure if they were even going to be living together as a couple. And that he wasn´t stupid enough to press her on that subject, not now. He was also totally responsible for any children they might have and their actions too. However it was clear that the Council had decided that Eve was to reside within his sphere of influence, these chambers which could be modified for a growing girl as well as additional children. Maybe letting Xena decorate or help in the construction of a children´s area might cheer her up or make her feel welcome, he hoped. With her you never knew what was going to work.
Hoping he wasn´t going to set her off he cautiously suggested, "you can make any changes you want to this place. Since Eve is going to be living her, plus our child we need to make some changes for them," he said gently, trying to be reasonable, since he had gotten her into this.
Xena spun around, stopping her pacing to glare at him for reminding her of her new semi trapped circumstances. "Yeah, thanks," she finally said, her voice brittle. "Okay, I know I´m stuck with the deal all the way around. Do not expect me to be happy with it or for me to be all lovey dovey. But for the kids I will try to make this work. After all that´s happened I don´t know how I feel about anything, understood?" she asked pointedly, still keeping her distance.
"More than you know. Considering everything that´s happened, you´re doing remarkably well," he said, concern in his voice as he stayed over by his throne.
She arched an eyebrow but decided not to comment. "Thanks, I guess," she replied, then switched topics before it started getting too personal. "You said we can change these chambers, how?" she asked not seeing how such a thing would be possible.
He smiled, as it was now lesson time as to what she could do now. " Actually anyway that you want. You´re used to thinking in mortal terms that all you see is really here and set in stone so to speak. All you see is illusion, a trick of the mind that has been woven into the fabric of this time and place to set it," Ares explained to Xena, who nodded actually comprehending what he was saying.
"I had wondered about that since I know that Olympus was not built, but created. So it´s like popping in and out, it´s something created by visualizing it into being or changing what is there?" she questioned to see if she was understanding the fundamentals.
"Yeah, pretty much. In the case of this chamber it will be overriding the existing templates to make changes then tying them into the template so they stay," Ares told her and he could tell she was fascinated with the idea.
"Show me," she asked, then added "please," with a smile.
Ares relaxed a little and walked towards her. "What do you want to do? Where do you want to make changes?" he questioned, trying to visualize what could be done himself. Yeah, it was rather a dark and depressing chamber and definitely not kid friendly, especially for a young lady that was not going to be taught the ways of war, he thought to himself. He hadn´t done any redecorating in ages. Yeah, it was about time to make some changes that reflected his new change in lifestyle which he hadn´t fully thought out himself either.
"It´s your room," she said with a shrug. "But can we add rooms or windows?"
He grinned, "yeah, we can do that.," he said visualizing a suite of rooms off the main chamber like his sister except in black marble with silver and red touches that had lots of large windows, a large play area, fountains, trees and flowers. As he thought them, they sprang into being with his thoughts. He visualized two nursery areas for growing godlings. One for Eve, and one for their child who would be shortly joining them within a fortnight. He also visualized a large airy master bedroom for them, disappearing his old bachelor area within his throne room. His throne room he kept pretty much the same, but added a door leading to the new rooms so that if he had to do business the children could be kept out of adult affairs. The same with their bedroom. He did not want interruptions and wanted privacy.
Xena was stunned, he eyes widening as she saw the changes take place all around her, manifesting out of nothingness it seemed like to her. "You did all that by thinking it?" she asked incredulously. "You mean I can do the same thing now?" Before she really hadn´t paid any attention to what gods did or didn´t do except as how they directly affected herself or the people she cared about. Nor how they did what they did. They just it and they were annoying for the most part. Now she was one of them and had to learn to be one of them, hopefully without the associated ego problems they all seemed to have. Though when you could create what Ares just did out of nothingness and mortals couldn´t, it would tend to inflated the ego somewhat.
Ares nodded enjoying showing her the just barest beginnings of what she could do, "You should be able to. It´s going to be a matter of trial and error until you get it right the way you want something to be. Some things we do have do by hand or have made for us like real weapons, some clothing or personal items. But most things are just a thought away. Would you like to see our new rooms?" he asked holding out his hand.
"Okay," she said still stunned by the display of his real powers as he had never fully demonstrated in such a way what he was capable of doing. It was a bit unnerving to her now. Thunderbolts and conjuring up simple objects were one thing but this creation of whole structures was blowing her away. A little humbled, Xena took his hand and he led her forward towards the new doorway to their family and private chambers.
The new thick wooden door opened at their approach swinging inward into a brighter torch lit corridor. "I am leaving the decorating to you. You get to do anything you want here," he told her cheerfully as they walked along the bare walls and their footsteps echoed on the black marble floor tiles. Just a ways down past several other closed doors were the children´s rooms. The two rooms, on either side of the corridor before it opened into a huge open atrium and play area, were roughly the same size, with white not black marble walls and flooring, large and spacious with windows overlooking a forest outside and mountains beyond. The were both bare for the moment. "Do you approve?" he asked hopefully, as he had seen in her mind what she wanted and had gone from those basic ideas.
"It´s wonderful, Ares. Thank you," she said in awe, her eyes misting a little as she was so overwhelmed at his kindness and thoughtfulness. She turned him, her eyes meeting his, softening when she looked at him. "You are just amazing me. I just don´t know what to say," she said.
He took her hand and kissed it, looking up at her. "Xena, I just want you to be happy. I know this isn´t easy on you, but I am serious about this whole family thing. I´ve never wanted to have a family, not with anyone before in all my long life. I´ve never wanted to be responsible for a child, let alone children. War and kids just don´t go together. You ought to know that. But for you, I´d do anything it takes to make this work because I do love you and maybe one of these days you´ll believe me," he said releasing her hand.
"I am beginning to," she said, coming closer to him to gently kiss him on the lips, and then stepped back looking at him. "I will try to do my part too, to make this work since you really do mean what you said," she told him, then turning around she surveyed the bare room. "You were going to show me how to do this visualizing thing?" she asked, glancing back at him to ask him what to do since she really didn´t quite understand it yet.
"Yeah, right, visualizing," he said, pulling himself together to focus as he was still a little lost in the moment that had been. "Well, what do you think this room needs? Think about it. See each piece of furniture or whatever as solid, tangible in it´s place. Close your eyes and make it appear the way you want. Where you want it," he told her.
She was still a bit skeptical but she did as he suggested closing her eyes and seeing the perfect room for Eve. First she visualized a crib out of ebony wood with gold Celtic knot trim that she had seen once at a palace and when she opened her eyes it was there sort of. Behind her Ares stifled a laugh.
"Not bad, not bad for a first time effort," he said trying to hide his amusement at her slightly lopsided creation.
"Sure. It´s a mess. Can I pop it out and start over?" she asked, embarrassed, knowing he was laughing at her. But it was her first try. At least she had made something come into being. That counted for something. She laughed finally, "It is really bad isn´t it?"
He nodded still trying to stifle his laughter. "Have at it," he told her standing back.
She made it go away and then revisualized the crib. Really looking at all the dimensions of it, shapes and textures so that it was solid in her mind´s eye. That time she felt it come into being before her. And opening her eyes it was there, perfect, the way she had seen it. It even had a beautiful rainbow stripped cover on it´s firm mattress. "Wow, I did it! I really did it," she gasped, and went over to it to feel the solidness underneath her hands.
Ares was very impressed too. It wasn´t taking her as long as he thought it might to get the hang of this. She was a very fast learner for new immortal. "Yes, you did," he told her proudly coming over to check out her accomplishment. "Not bad, and not bad looking," he said running a hand over the polished ebony wood and feeling the mattress and blanket. "What next?" he asked cocking his head enjoying her happiness.
"Hmm, chests, shelves, toys?" she said, more to herself than to him, wrapping her arms around herself as she thought about that bedchamber and the things she had seen there and other places and within minutes all that she had seen or thought about wanting to have for her daughter was there solid and real. It was definitely a girl´s room, feminine but not over frilly, tastefully done with lots of toys and playthings.
Ares was very surprised as she had done it all so easily and quickly once she had figured out what to do like she had been doing it for years and years like any other immortal. "I am impressed. You´ve really gotten the hang of it. Sure you haven´t done this before?," he teased her when she was finished and she almost hit him. "Do you want to do the next room?" he asked dancing out of the way grinning.
"Why not," she smiled getting in a better mood, getting into the swing of it now as they went across the hall. This room she made more masculine in appearance, since it was supposed to be a boy´s room. She didn´t put as much into the room as she had Eve´s because the idea of a new child, coming as soon as it was supposed to be coming, was not real to her yet. Because of that it went quicker than Eve´s had. She deliberately left it sparse since she could come back any time now and change it.
Then glancing down the bare black marble hall l she added some Persian throw rugs, a couple of high dark wood tables and chests, some paintings, shields, and weapons, and odds and ends like vases and statues. Now it looked more homey than it had. If she didn´t like it she could change it.
For now she left the atrium and play area alone. That was for another time as she was tiring a little. That bothered Ares a little, that she was tiring, because she shouldn´t. Something wasn´t right but he wasn´t sure what the problem could be. Maybe the pregnancy compounded by the abrupt change from mortal to goddess. He´s ask Aphodite her opinion on it when he saw her. For now he could only watch and observe.
Xena stood admiring her work. Ares had stayed out of her way just watching leaning against the doorway of the Eve´s room. When she was through he straightened up and approached her. "There is one more room you need to put the finishing touches on.," he told her taking her hand to lead her to a closed door they had passed earlier. "Open it." He requested, careful not to make it a demand.
She lifted an inquiring eyebrow at him and then did as he asked opening the door onto a huge magnificently furnished bedroom complete with a huge king-sized, dark carved wood, four poster canopy bed in the center with black silk sheets, huge red tapestry pillows, and scattered small throw ones. Across it was spread a dark sable fur bedspread. There were several tall chests of drawers, wardrobes, chairs, and a vanity table and mirrors. "I see. Is this a subtle hint?" she asked turning to him, the eyebrow was still uplifted as she took in everything.
"No," he replied shaking his head, "no hidden agenda for once. Just what it seems a bedroom, a place to sleep. I will admit I have hopes of us sharing it, but I can always sleep elsewhere. I am not going to push anything. As tired as you seemed to be I thought you might like to lay down for awhile and rest. Relax, think whatever. Maybe even take a bath, change clothes.," he suggested.
She was touched, and looked at him puzzled, still not believing this new Ares who was trying to make her comfortable and feel at home. "What about Aprodite and Eve? Shouldn´t we be seeing them soon?" she asked stepping into the room and looking around approving of his taste in furnishings. It was a comfortable room. Though the thought of actually sharing it with him still had her unnerved despite what had happened at his temple. They had sort discussed there being an ‘us´ but the details were way from being worked out. All of this was still too unreal and moving too fast for her to handle.
"Sis said to take as long as we need. And if you are really worried I can pop in and check on them?" Ares asked, still worried about her and not sure whether to say anything or not about her being this weakened by doing something that should have been effortless as not normal.
"That sounds good," she agreed sitting down on the bed, really not feeling that well all of a sudden, almost dizzy and ready to pass out, but she wasn´t going to let him know that. He was treating her like spun glass already, which was sweet but unnerving coming from him. They hadn´t gotten into a single fight once in hours. That had to be some kind of record. She sighed, looking up at him, deciding to be honest, and let him know what was going on through her mind. "Ares, I´m still trying to figure out how I´m going to tell my mother and Gabrielle that we´re still alive and the price for it was becoming a goddess. My mom won´t be that upset, but you know Gabrielle is going to be even madder over all of this. Then there´s Argo. What am I going to do with her?"
He sat down next to her giving her space, amusement still on his handsome features. "After all that´s happened, you think about your horse?"
"I am rather attached to her. I mean what am I going to do with her? Does ambrosia work on horses?" she asked and he doubled over in laughter.
"You want to make your horse immortal?" he asked still laughing, having no problem believing her as she really was that attached to that horse.
"Yeah? Why not?" she replied, knowing her request did sound sort of funny.
He stopped laughing long enough to answer he, trying to keep a straight face which was hard, very hard. But this was Xena, and for her the request was not that off the wall. "I´m not sure if it´s ever been done, but sure, why not? She could be stabled with Pegasus and the other horses here. You really don´t want to leave her behind, do you?"
"Not unless I have too. Gabrielle and her sort of get along, but very few people can handle her. It was just a thought," she said, getting sad about all the people and things she was going to be leaving behind now.
"I´ll see if it can be done., but it shouldn´t be a problem. Xena, it will be okay. We´ll make this work some way. Right now I am worried about you. Hell, we haven´t had a fight all day," he told her and that got a laugh out of her.
She was grinning at him, "yeah, you´re right we haven´t. That´s a new world´s record. Mainly it´s because of how life and death things were earlier and you haven´t said or done anything either. You´ve been ‘nice´ all day. Sure you´re okay?" she questioned.
"Yes," he said looking a little hurt. "I been trying to be nice and all those things that you always complained I wasn´t. What, you´d rather I´d be my normal self?"
"No, not really. I like you like this. It´s just such a change. Sorry," she apologized, meaning it, but it was going to take some getting used to if he was really sincere about it, and for once she was sure it wasn´t an act for her benefit.
"Xena, I got you into this and the least I can do is not make it worse on you for once. For the first time I am doing something for someone else because of love. It´s not easy for me either, this being nice. But it feels right somehow. For you I would do anything. I am hoping you can see that now," Ares asked, taking her hand and kissing it.
"I am, I really am," she replied, meeting his eyes and she reached up a hand to touch his cheek then dropped it as a wave of dizziness hit her and she felt like she had been poleaxed. She quickly tried to cover up so he wouldn´t notice. "Maybe you´re right, maybe I need to lay down for awhile. If that´s okay?" she asked .
He frowned at her sudden change, and knew there was more going on that she was telling him. No, something was very wrong and he knew Athena had something to do with it. The only thing he could put it down to was the ambrosia she was given. It had been the same as Athena had given Eve and that got him doubly alarmed. Had the ambrosia been somehow tainted or poisoned? He wasn´t sure if that was possible. But given his sister´s vindictive nature anything was possible. If Xena got worse he was going to pay a call on Apollo and have him check her out before he confronted Athena. He needed solid evidence not speculation.
"Sure, no problem. You get under the covers and get some rest, and I´ll check on Eve. Later maybe we can go pop in on your mother and you can tell her what has happened before we bring Eve home," he told her getting up so she could lay down.
"That sounds good. I´d like that," she said feeling the start of a massive headache coming on from nowhere as Xena started undoing her leathers, and it seemed like even an effort to do that for her.
Ares saw she having problems doing something as simple a task as that and was getting alarmed. "Can I help?´ he asked.
She looked up frowned, then realized he did just want to help. It wasn´t anything more than that and nodded. With a snap of his fingers her leathers were gone and in their place was a long, silky black nightgown. "Thanks," she said, with a weak smile which quickly turned into a grimace as the headache increased to blinding proportions and she started to pass out and fall over. Ares caught her before she fell forward to the floor and eased her gently into bed. Leaning over her looking at her now pale, yet flushed face, he was scared now, and couldn´t hide his concern and fear for her. "Ares, …what´s wrong with me? What is …happening?" she managed to gasp, trying to open her eyes to focus on him and failing
"I don´t know. I really don´t. This shouldn´t be happening. You can´t get sick.. You´re a goddess now," he exclaimed worriedly, brushing her hair back from her pale face and she felt cold and clammy to him. He was starting to panic now. "But I will find out. I´m going to go get Apollo. This is his department," he told her. "You rest and I´ll be right back. I promise, my love," he promised her as he bent and kissed her now fevered lips. "I love you, Xena, …always remember that," he said getting a catch in his voice worrying whether he was going to really lose her this time. He straitened up to see she was already out like a light.
He tucked the covers around her and then in a flash of blue light Ares went in search of Apollo to drag him back from where ever he was playing to cure Xena before he lost her completely.
Complaints, Comments, Requests, Etc, write Vickey Brickle-Macky
