The following morning, just as the sun peeked it�s first rays over the horizon, Varia burst into the hut occupied by Xena, Gabrielle and Angela, �Xena! Come quickly, something is wrong with Solari.� Solari was a village elder who had been the chief scout when Gabrielle had been made an Amazon Princess. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, the warrior rolled out of bed onto unsteady feet. The previous nights mischief had taken its toll, but she quickly willed down the throbbing in her head, �what�s wrong?� she asked as she preceded the Amazon out the door. �She yelled out and when I got there, M�tai (the healer) was already with her.� the Amazon took a deep breath, as she and Xena ran towards Solari�s hut, �she was clutching at her heart.� The two had reached the hut at this point and Xena motioned back towards her hut, �go wake up Gabrielle. Tell her I need her here right away.� The Amazon said nothing as she turned and ran back towards the hut. Xena, meanwhile strode into the elder�s hut and sidled up next her, on the opposite side of the bed from M�tai. �How is she?� the warrior asked looking earnestly into the eyes of the healer. The healer shook her head, �it is difficult to say,� but her eyes told Xena a different story. The healer was keeping the truth from the dying woman. M�tai was not one to relinquish hope to the four winds. The warrior settled herself on the edge of the bed and took the old woman�s right hand into her own, �hey,� she began in a whisper, �you�re doing fine. Gabrielle is on her way and I�m going to have her make up something to ease the pain. You�ll be up and around in no time.� Solari gave a faint hint of a smile at the warrior�s kind words, but knew the truth, �it is my time. I am ok with it.� �No Solari, don�t talk like that. You�ve got a few more years ahead of you.� Xena willed back the tears threatening to escape with every last ounce of strength she had. The old woman lightly squeezed the warrior�s hand, �I am the oldest living Amazon. I have led a wonderful life. I have no regrets.� Xena�s heart felt like it was in a vise. She and Gabrielle owed Solari their lives from a time long ago. A time before their twenty five year hiatus. �We were all so much younger then,� she thought to herself. Solari and Eponin, who had died 15 years ago in battle, had trained Gabrielle in Amazon ways. They had been a part of helping Gabrielle to become the woman that she was. �I know that you don�t.� the warrior swallowed hard and took a deep breath, �thank you; for all that you have done for Gabrielle... and me.� �No thanks was ever needed, but you are welcome.� The old woman took a shallow breath and closed her eyes for a moment, visibly in pain. �What... what�s going on?� the bard swiftly moved over to the warrior who relinquished her seat on the bed to her. The bard sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed. �Solari, just hang in there ok.� The elder gave a slight shake of her head, �you told me something once,� she closed her eyes for a moment then opened them, �you were telling me a story. You said that as long as you keep someone alive in your heart, they are never truly gone.� The first tears made their way down the bard�s face, �yes, I did say that. Didn�t I.� �You have been a good queen, Gabrielle; and an even better friend.� the elders voice was becoming weak with each passing moment. �celebrate the Solstice as if I were there, because I will be. Tell some of your tales. I�ll be listening.� �I will Solari, I promise.� the bard choked out. She brushed a stray lock of hair from the old woman�s face, �anything in particular?� �Something fun,� the elder whispered hoarsely with a slight smile. �Yeah,� the bard said as she wiped some of the dampness from her face, �I think I have few of those.� The Warrior Princess stood at the back of the room with Varia and Angela. She took deep breaths in an attempt to stay composed; the tears etching their paths down her cheeks went unnoticed. The warrior felt as though time was standing still. She watched as Gabrielle spoke softly to their friend. She felt helpless. After what seemed an eternity of stillness, but was merely minutes, she felt a hand on the small of her back. The warrior looked over to see watery, emerald green eyes looking imploringly at her. Angela snaked an arm around the warrior and gave her middle a light squeeze then whispered almost inaudibly, �she taught me how to track last time I was here. I really started to look up to her.� She wiped at one her many tears, her breath was ragged. Angela composed herself the best that she could as she watched Gabrielle close Solari�s eyes for the final time and bow her head in utter grief. She looked over to her right, Varia was on her knees with her head in her hands sobbing uncontrollably. She took a deep breath and bean to sing... �Heaven can wait And a band of Angels wrapped up in my heart Will take me through the lonely night Through the cold of the day And I know, I know Heaven can wait And all the god�s come down here just to sing for me And the melody is gonna make me fly Without pain, without fear Give me all of your dreams and Let me go along on your way Give me all of your prayers to sing and I�ll Turn the night into the skylight of day I�ve got a taste of Paradise I�m never gonna let it slip away I�ve got a taste of Paradise That�s all I really need to make me stay Just like a child again Heaven can wait And all I�ve got is time until the end of time Well, I won�t look back, I won�t look back Let the alter shine� Angela�s eyes were closed as she hummed the piano parts of the bridge until it was time to sing again.... �And I know that I�ve been released but I Don�t know to where Nobody�s gonna tell me now and I Don't really care No, no, no I�ve got a taste of Paradise That�s all I really need to make me stay I got a taste of Paradise If I had it any sooner I�d have known You know I never would have run away From my home Heaven can wait And all I�ve got is time until the end of time Well, I won�t look back, I won�t look back Let the alter shine Heaven can wait Why, Heaven can wait Well, I won�t look back, I won�t look back Let the alter shine Let the alter shine� Her eye�s were closed when she finished singing. She swallowed a large lump in her throat before opening her eye�s. She scanned the room, all eye�s were on her. She spared a glance out of the open door of the hut to find the entire village gathered there. The bard eventually found her voice, after a few moments, and stammered out through tears, �that song was beautiful.� �Thank you,� she replied hoarsely. Xena laid a tentative hand on Angela�s shoulder, �will you sing it again at her pyre after I�ve sung my �Song of the Dead?�� Angela shook her head slowly, �it�s not meant for that.� she said quietly, �it�s meant for now.� She looked up at the warrior, and saw that the tears had not subsided, �it was written from the point of view of someone, like Solari, who was about to... cross over. I�ll see if I can think of something more appropriate.� The Warrior princess nodded her assent, �I understand.� Xena led Gabrielle out of the hut, with Varia and Angela in tow, to allow the rest of the tribe to pay their respects before the funeral. Meanwhile, two dozen Amazons went out into the forest to begin gathering the wood needed for the pyre.  It was early afternoon when Solari�s body was laid upon the funeral pyre. As the pyre was lit, Xena began her �Song of the Dead.� Her voice was rich and unfaltering, though she could not control the tears that blinded her. Silence hung in the air as she finished, save for the sound of the funeral pyre burning. Even the creatures of the wood seemed to have stopped their daily rituals to mourn the loss of Solari. After a short time, Xena lightly nudged Angela and asked softly, �did you think of something?� �Yes,� Angela said solemnly. Angela closed her eye�s and took a deep breath, �from stories I�ve heard and from what I know of Solari, she was a bit of a wildcat when she was younger. She lived life to the fullest, right to the end. She told Xena that she had no regrets. She could have written this.� She cleared her throat silently and began her song.... �In younger days I told myself My life would be my own And I�d leave the place where sunshine never shun For my life�s too short for waiting When I see the rising sun And I know again that I must Carry on Carry on �till tomorrow, there�s no reason to look back Carry On Beyond the shadows of the clouds And onward to the sky Carry on �till I find the rainbow�s end For my life�s too short for waiting As I see the rising sun And I know again that I must Carry on Carry on �till tomorrow there�s no reason to look back Carry on Drifting on the wings of freedom Leave this stormy day And we�ll ride to tomorrow�s Golden Fields For my life�s too short for waiting When I see the rising sun And I know again that I must Carry on And when the heavy journey�s done I rest my weary head For the world and it�s colors will be mine For my life�s too short for waiting When I see the setting sun And I know again that I must Carry on Carry on �till tomorrow there�s no reason to look back Carry on� As it had when Xena had finished her song, silence shrouded the village. Solstice Day.... As per Solari�s request, Gabrielle remained true to her word and made sure that the preparations for the Solstice celebration were well under way. She found some quiet time for herself, after a while, and walked over to the stream that wound it�s way through the woods near the village. A dogwood tree nestled near the banks of the stream broke up the green of the canopy with its white blooms. She sat beneath it, resting her back against the trunk and thought about the stories she would recite that evening during the celebration. Her mind went back to a time, many long years before. She and Xena had arrived for a celebration and after she had retired for the evening, Xena had instituted a drinking contest. It had been due to Eponin�s prodding, and Xena was not one to back away from a challenge. By morning, the only people left standing were Eponin, Xena, Solari and Ephiny. �And they were still going strong when I found them the next morning,� the bard chuckled to herself. The Solstice celebration began at dusk, though mournfully at first. It began with a small procession of one dozen Amazon�s, Varia�s elite guard, carrying Solari�s ashes to the podium at the center of the village. There it was placed amongst a multitude of flowers and mementos of the deceased. From there, Varia bade the four tribes present to begin the celebration. The Amazon�s were fairly subdued during the main courses of the feast. Gabrielle decided that it was time to take center stage. She relayed the story she remembered of drunken mischief and happier times. The Amazon�s enjoyed the story and laughed heartily at the antics described. They all agreed that Solari could �put away the ale.� Only a handful remembered Ephiny, the queen�s regent. And those that did remember were mere children at the time. Their memories were of a kind soul. Most though, did remember Eponin. Eponin had been killed in combat 15 years before. A dozen Amazon�s had been attacked near a mountain pass. The walls of the pass were sheer. The only way in or out was through a small opening that fit only one person at a time. The weapon�s master called for a retreat and regrouping. She sent the Amazon�s through the pass and to the safety of the forest where they would have the aid of the rest of the tribe and be more capable of defeating the larger numbers of the advancing army. She alone stood at the pass and fought each man as they came through. Hours passed. The Amazon began to fatigue. Fresh soldiers came through at a consistent rate. They fought atop the bodies of the slain men; three layers deep. She had slain 100 men before the tip of a sword pierced the flesh just beneath her breastbone. Before her last breath, the owner of the sword died too. The Army advanced through the pass and entered the forest where the Amazon�s awaited them. The army was summarily defeated. Solari commandeered a handful of Amazon�s to go with her to find Eponin�s body. They had expected to find her desecrated at the very least. What they found made them stop dead in their tracks. Eponin was seated atop a large boulder with her back against the sheer wall of the mountain cliff. Her sword had been lain across her lap, still held by her right hand. Various flowers had been laid upon that. Beneath her, the bodies of the men she had defeated were piled high all around her. She was guarded by six men from the defeated army. Six men that never saw the battle. Solari approached them wondering why they had put her atop this pedestal. The leader of the guards informed her that they had never come across a more brave and noble warrior and could not, would not desecrate her body. Instead, they built a shrine to her. Solari asked for the body of her friend and the guard told her that they would not give her up without a fight unless they would be allowed to accompany her and be sure that the fallen warrior received a proper burial. Solari conceded and the guards carried Eponin�s body back to the Amazon village. They watched the funeral and were allowed to leave in peace. Gabrielle relayed that story also. The bard went on to tell tales about Solari�s younger days. She spoke of the scout�s sense of humor, her skills in the forest and in battle. She told tales of Solari�s bravery and unwavering loyalty to the Amazon Nation. The Bard�s tales lightened the somber mood of the Amazon�s considerably and the festivities carried on until the wee hours of the morning. It was nearly midday when Angela arose from her slumber. She was the first of the three warriors in her hut to wake. The raven haired woman had not partaken in large amounts of ale, unlike her two roommates. She had a hangover to be sure, but knew that Xena and Gabrielle were much worse off. She chuckled lightly to herself at Xena�s antics the evening before. The warrior had constructed crude funnels from gourds and, with the help of Varia and a few other Amazon�s, talked the bard into partaking in a drinking game. Angela slowly sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, facing the rear of the hut where the bard�s bed was situated. She rubbed some of the sleep from her eye�s and, noticing a foul stench, looked about the room. The bard was laying on the floor cradling a bucket. The raven haired woman craned her neck for a better view and saw that the bucket was half full, �so that�s what I smell,� she mumbled. She then looked over to her right and across the hut she saw Xena out cold, laying on her side with a line of drool running from her mouth to her pillow. The pillow was soaked. Angela shook her head at the sight of her two friends and couldn�t help but to smile and laugh lightly at the scene. She stood and stretched. The sound of a few vertebrae popping back into place nearly camouflaged a light rapping at the door. She opened the door to the overly bright morning rays and found Queen Cyane standing nervously in the doorway. �Cyane? What�s up... what�s wrong.� She groggily mumbled out. The queen took a deep breath and closed her eyes momentarily before answering, �the stone is missing.� �What? Can you repeat that?� Angela asked disbelievingly. �It�s gone. We�ve sent scout parties out to pick up the trail of whoever took it....� Angela put up a hand to forestall any further banter, �how did someone get into Varia�s heavily guarded hut without being seen?� �I don�t know.� �I am so fucked.� the dark haired woman said mostly to herself. She turned and walked over to the Warrior Princess� bed and gave her shoulder a shake, �Xena wake up. We... I got problems,� Angela caught a slight moan in answer and tried again, �Xena please?� Angela let out a long drawn out sigh and turned to look at Cyane. The smaller blonde only shrugged her shoulders in response, then almost immediately motioned to Angela to step away from the bed. The blonde took a deep breath and yelled out, �Xena! We�re under attack! Come quickly!� The warriors eye�s were already open at the mention of the word �attack.� The warrior rolled herself out of bed, falling unceremoniously to the dirt floor. Angela tried to catch her, but was brought down with her. Angela stood and held a hand out to the warrior to help her up, �here... now calm down, we are not under attack....� Xena shot up from her position, her head throbbing and guts roiling, and put �the Pinch� on Angela, �you have thirty seconds to explain. Spill it!� Angela fell to her knees and sputtered. A trickle of blood made it�s way from her nose. �the... the...� she gasped for air. Cyane�s heart was beating out of her chest at the sight. She took a few steps into the hut, �Xena, we couldn�t wake you, so I yelled out that there was an attack.� �Why?� �The stone is missing.� The queen looked over at Angela who was turning blue from lack of oxygen, �release her!� The warrior looked down at Angela, �she still has a few more seconds.� She turned cold eyes to Cyane, �take a good look at this,� pointing back towards Angela, �you don�t ever want to be at the receiving end of this. Don�t ever wake me up like that again!� The bard had awakened during the commotion and crawled on her hands and knees across the hut. She looked up at her best friend who seemed heedless to the fact that Angela was on her last few seconds. Fearing that Xena was not about to move, not that she had realized that Gabrielle was behind her, the bard swept unsteady legs out from beneath the warrior with her hand and dove across her prone form to release �the Pinch.� Angela fell forward into the bard who caught her and kept her from sprawling on top of the Warrior princess. After a few minutes, the natural act of breathing returned to Angela. With the bard still holding her steady, she scanned her position. she was situated over Xena�s knees. The warrior was sitting up with her hands placed behind her for support. Her head swooning. Angela steadied herself and looked straight down. She feigned dropping her left hand in exhaustion and grabbed hold of the warrior�s right knee and, using her thumb, activated a painful pressure point on the inside of that knee with every ounce of strength she could muster. �OWWW!!!� the princess screamed as she lunged forward grabbing her leg in pain. Not to be outdone by �the Pinch,� Angela deftly activated the mirrored pressure point on the warrior�s left knee also. �That is for putting the pinch on me for no good GOD DAMMED REASON!� She stood up and stepped away from the warrior writhing around in agony, �you can�t deactivate those. The pain will go away in about 15 minutes. The bruises will last much  longer.� ***** Maddy backhanded her raven haired friend abruptly in the arm, �what were you thinking?� �I wasn�t thinking.� �Apparently.� �You know better than anyone not to wake me up like that.� �Well maybe she didn�t!� �Does now.� slight shoulder shrug. �The Pinch?� �Reflex.� �Well at least she got ya back.� Maddy said leaning back in her chair. �It�s the least of our problems Gabrielle.� Xena sighed. �I know. The stone. Who do you think is behind it?� �Take a wild guess.� �Ares. Has to be.� �Yup.� �But why her? Her fighting ability is top of the line, but she is no tactician.� �She has the propensity to be a tactician.� the blue eyed woman sighed and looked at her friend, �or he may attempt to use her against us.� �No, that wouldn�t work. She would have to...� �The battle started.� �I know. She staying out of it, thank god.� ***** �Angela c�mon. the village is being attacked!� �Gabrielle, I can�t,� she looked at the bard imploringly, �this raid is the reason my sister wanted me home. I promised that I wouldn�t get into it. Please tell me that you understand.� �I do. How bad will it be?� �Xena said that she didn�t remember any Amazons dying. Some were wounded, nothing serious, I think. Be careful anyway.� �I always am. I don�t think you should stay in the hut though. They have torches. Hang out in the tree line.� �My eyes will be on you and Xena. If anything looks out of place I�ll join.� �Try to keep that promise Angela. I know how much it�ll mean to me.� �So do I.� Angela followed the bard out of the hut and made her way to the nearby tree line and found herself a good vantage point to watch the battle from. ***** �Something is wrong.� �Xena? Who is that?� �I don�t know.� �Amazon�s didn�t die that day.� the blonde gasped in disbelief. �They are now.� the ex-warrior deadpanned. �The battle was over just after I was wounded.� �Was. He�s after you... Angela�s on him.� ***** Standing in the shadows of the trees, Angela watched the battle progress. Things were very different from what she had been told. �Gabrielle got nicked in the shoulder... it should be over.� she said aloud to herself. She watched with growing dread as a man about Xena�s height with long blonde hair, wearing armor and a full face helmet, made his way towards Xena and Gabrielle�s positions. He effortlessly dispatched any Amazon in his path. �Something is very, very wrong with this picture.� Angela left her place in the shadows and ran for the soldier about to confront the bard who was fighting back to back with the Warrior Princess. Gabrielle�s senses were in overdrive. She felt the presence of the soldier coming up on her mere moments before his sword arced in her direction. She spun, swinging her katana in an intercept path. The swords clashed. The bard�s mind registered the strength behind the soldier before her and counterattacked unhindered. The bard traded blows with the soldier for only seconds before a large booted foot connected with her chest, sending her airborne, crashing into Xena. The Warrior Princess barely sidestepped a sword thrust from her opponent as she stumbled from the blow to her back. The Warrior Princess regained her footing quickly and spun in anticipation of attack. It came from the soldier she had been fighting. She dispatched him quickly, noticing that Angela had engaged the blonde soldier. She scanned the area around her, looking for more soldiers, but the army had been wiped out. Their bodies lay strewn across the village; the limp forms of Amazons dotting the scene as well. The soldier had raised his sword in anticipation of cutting down the stumbling Warrior Princess, but aborted the swing at the sound of someone growling behind him as she approached. He spun to meet Angela head on. The swords vibrated with each clash. In only a matter of seconds Angela had dominated the fight. She blocked a wild swing and brought her sword around in a arc. Her opponent flinched just enough that her sword glanced off of his helmet tearing it from his head. As she brought her sword back around she caught a glimpse of his ice blue eyes and stopped. She began backing up, her heart pounding out of her chest. �No more.. it�s over,� she whispered. �It can�t be Joe, it can�t be Joe,� she tried desperately to reassure herself that it wasn�t him, but a small part of her believed it was. It was just enough to put her mentally off balance. Seeing her confusion, the warrior attacked. He unleashed his wrath and fury on her. She blocked his advances easily. �Xena, what�s going on? You would think that she knows him.� the bard whispered urgently. The tall warrior shook her head, fear shown in her eyes, �Gabrielle I have no idea. All I know is that this is not good.� The blonde soldier was relentless in his pursuit of the woman begging before him. He drew a large dagger from his boot and doubled his efforts. Too much was happening now. Her opponent was attacking with a flurry of swings using both blades. Her brain shut down and her body took over. In one quick motion, she blocked a heavy thrust of the soldiers sword and arced her sword around to bring it down on his right shoulder cutting through to his left hip. His body fell apart cleanly in two pieces. She stood dumbfounded for a moment, watching the blood pour out and pool around the inert body. Her breath came in ragged gasps. She fell to her knees hyperventilating, staring into lifeless eyes. ***** �SON OF A BITCH!! This wasn�t supposed to happen!� Maddy leapt from her chair screaming as tears began stinging her eyes. �I know, I know. This didn�t happen!  He wasn�t supposed to be... FUCKIN� ARES! It had to be him!� the taller woman seethed. �But how would he know? That�s my question.� Maddy asked as she paced the large office. �I don�t know.� the dark haired woman�s mind raced with possibilities. �I knew she shouldn�t have gone. Something just didn�t feel right. I shouldn�t have let her go...� the blonde rambled. �ARES... you BASTARD! Where are you?� ***** Gabrielle made her way cautiously towards Angela. She held her sword passively, but ready to defend herself, if need be. She was unsure of how Angela would react to her, or anyone, at this point and she knew first hand how dangerous the woman was. When she was within a few paces, she tentatively spoke. Her voice as calm and soothing as possible, �Angela?  Angela, it�s me, Gabrielle. Is it ok if I come over?� The bard garnered no response. Angela was still hyperventilating and the bard pondered waiting until the raven haired woman passed out before closing the distance. She took another wary step, mindful of her close proximity. She was now within easy striking distance for the distressed woman before her. �Angela,� she began in a whisper, �deep breaths, Angela. I need you to look at me,� the bard knelt down on one knee, about three feet from the darker haired woman. The blonde held her sword in her left hand pointing it behind her. In this position, the katana could be swiftly brought up to block a strike from Angela�s sword. Varia carefully made her way around Angela and the bard, giving them a wide berth, and sidled up next to Xena, �we have problems, Xena... he�s the spitting image of her late husband,� she whispered. �Oh no,� the warrior groaned. She cautiously moved in behind the bard. As she put her hand on the bard�s shoulder to get her attention, Angela spoke. �I... I killed him, how could I?� Angela whispered hoarsely. She closed her eyes and brought her breathing under control. �You had no choice,� the bard replied quietly. Angela turned an icy gaze towards the bard that sent a shiver down her spine. Gabrielle thought that she felt her heart stop for a long moment before it began beating wildly.  She felt Xena�s hand pulling her backwards and complied with the unspoken request. The Warrior Princess moved the bard a respectable distance before whispering in her ear, �Varia said that he is identical to Angela�s late husband.� �Oh, by the gods,� the blonde looked up at her friend, �how could this happen?� �I�m not completely sure, but I have a pretty good idea. Keep an eye on her while I go check on something.� �Ares?� �Maybe,� the warrior stalked off towards the forest. Gabrielle remained where she stood. She watched as Angela slowly stood and whipped her blade back and forth in smooth strokes, whisking away most of the blood. The distraught woman then turned and wiped the remainder of the blood off on the pant leg of a downed soldier. The blonde took a cautious step towards her, �Angela?� The raven haired woman held a hand up, but did not look at her, �not now,� she choked out, �I need time.� She proceeded towards a horse belonging to a fallen soldier. The bard followed tentatively after her, �talk to me, Angela,� she began in earnest, �you promised you would talk to me.� Angela spun on her heel to face the bard and ground out, �right now I would prefer to never have existed. Back off.� Gabrielle felt her breath catch as the words spoken by Angela sunk in. She watched, mouth agape, as Angela swiftly pulled herself up into the saddle. With a hard kick, the chestnut mare bolted out of the village. She stood for a moment, watching the dust kicked up by the horse settle, then turned, �Varia!� The Amazon leaned out of the door of the nearby stables, �Your horses are being saddled as we speak and I have a sister bundling up some supplies for you. You should be ready to leave as soon as Xena gets back.� �Good. Thank you.� The bard ran for her hut to gather up her and Xena�s saddle bags. In the forest, just outside of the village, Xena and Ares were in the midst of a heated discussion concerning the raid. They stood in a small clearing ranting at one another, merely inches part. �ARES!� Xena bellowed, �I know you had something to do with this. Don�t lie to me!� �I had nothing to do with this, Xena. You have my word.� The God of War took a deep breath. He knew that the incident truly did seem a product of his handy work, but he hadn�t even known that Angela had arrived. �What makes you think that it was me?� �I felt your presence when she arrived with Varia. It was fleeting, but it was there.� Her gaze bore through the god. �Then maybe it�s another God of War. And if it is... I will find out who. I am not about to have someone else encroach on my territory.� �Ares, you are the only one that has ever affected me.� The god waved his hand in dismissal, �any god can do that if they want to.� �And why would they even bother?� �I don�t know.� The god pondered for a moment, �tell me about her. Why would a god want her?� �That, Ares, is a tough question.� The warrior looked up into the sky for a brief second then began pacing in the small clearing. �Her fighting abilities are incomparable. But you already know that.� she acquiescenced. �She is brave, but bull headed. I don�t know what her tactical capabilities are, but she told me that in her time wars were few and far between. Things are very different where she comes from.� �In two thousand years, Xena, I should think so.� �You honestly have nothing to do with this?� �Honestly. If you happen to run into this rogue god before I do, call me. There are only a few of us left on Mt. Olympus and I wouldn�t be surprised if another god was trying to worm his way in.� He stepped back and vanished in a ball of flames. �Tartarus!� Xena made her way back to the Amazon village seething. �Who in Hades� would be behind this?� she mumbled to herself. As she stepped out from the tree line, she saw the bard atop her horse with Argo�s reigns in her hand. �I guess this means hot pursuit?� The bard pointed in the direction that Angela had ridden off in, �she went that a way.� The Warrior Princess vaulted onto her golden mare, �yah! Argo.� ***** �Xena, her tracks go off over here.� the bard pointed to a set of tracks leaving the road and trailing off through a stand of trees. �She dismounted and walked the horse in.� �Yeah, we made camp around the lake over there once before. She must have remembered it.� the warrior turned in her saddle and looked back the way they had come, �there is another good spot back a little ways. Let�s go set up camp and get the horses tended to. We�ll check up on her when it�s full dark.� �Sounds good.� By the light of a full moon, Xena and Gabrielle quietly made their way to a small clearing that Angela�s tracks had led them to. �Xena, where is she?� �I don�t... she never stopped.� the warrior looked around her flabbergasted. �Is it possible that she went down a little further?� the bard�s hands were on her hips, her brows furrowed in thought. �No, the woods are pretty dense past here.� The bard shook her head in disbelief, and gazed through the woods towards the lake. �I�m going down by the water and see if there are any tracks. Maybe she just watered her horse and kept going.� �Good idea.� A few minutes later, the bard came rushing back to the warrior, �Xena, you are not going to believe this.� �What?� �Just follow me.� the bard turned on her heel with the warrior right behind her. In moments they emerged from the forest onto a small sandy beach. �It looks like she rested the horse for a while, then,� she brought the warrior�s attention to a set of tracks disappearing into the water, �swam him across the lake.� She then pointed out a small campfire directly across from them. The warrior lightly slapped her hand to her forehead and dragged it down her face, �I�m gonna kill her.� The bard looked up at her friend and smirked, �you�re just bent because you didn�t think of it first.� �No I�m...� the warrior stopped in mid sentence and let out a sigh, �c�mon. Let�s get back to camp.� �So what�s the plan?� �I don�t know. What do you think?� The warrior stepped around a fallen log and glanced back to the bard. �I think we split up. She may double back across the lake and take that turn off about a candle mark back.� The two women stepped into their camp and sat down on their respective bedrolls. �Alright. I�ll leave early; well before sunrise. You wait in the other clearing. It�s only about three candle marks to the other side of the lake. If she does come back across, light a fire so that I know to come back.� �Sounds like a plan.� The bard laid herself down on her bedroll, tucking one arm under her head. �Or I could just build a flying parchment.� �Yes you could,� Xena said with a chuckle as, she too, made herself comfortable. ***** Angela awoke sometime after sunrise. She looked up at the sky, wondering what time it was. �I should have brought a watch,� she mumbled. She re-stoked the fire and heated up the fish she had caught and cooked the evening before. �I fucking hate fish.� She cut the fish into small pieces and swallowed them whole. It was the only way to keep her taste buds as intact as possible. �Should I stay or should I go?� she asked herself. She peeled off her clothes after deciding to take a quick dip in the lake while deciding on her next plan of action. She had had no intentions of wandering too far from the Amazon�s. She only wanted some time to herself to work things out. She knew that talking to the bard would help, but she needed to quell her thoughts of possibly killing Gabrielle; thereby wiping out her own existence and pain. �Shit... who am I kidding? I would never hurt her.� �Yes you would. And maybe you should.� Angela spun around to see a tall, well built man standing on the shore. He wore a black leather trench coat, leather pants and boots and dark sunglasses. �Who in the Hell are you?� she shot out. �I am your patron god.� he stated. Angela rose up out of the water and walked towards her clothes, �I have a hard time believing that.� she said in a low tone. �Well you... you...� the god took a deep breath as he looked over Angela�s wet, naked form, �should.� �Then what�s your name?� she knew that the god had been off balanced by her physical prowess. She decided to take her time dressing, making the act as sensual as possible. �Hmmm?� �You are magnificent.� he whispered. �Thank you, but I am fairly certain that you did not come here to tell me this.� She shook out the bottom half of her leathers and slowly slid the cloth shorts and leather belt and armor up her thighs. �Your name?� she asked casually, as she clasped her belt and settled it comfortably down onto her hips. �Or have you forgotten?� �The name,� he took another breath as she used the corner of a blanket to dab at some of the remaining moisture left on her upper body from her swim, �is Ares, God of War.� �I can�t say that it is pleasure to meet you. I have heard so many offensive things about you.� she lifted her leather top over her head and slowly worked it down her body until it was in place. �Here, let me help you with that.� the god moved behind her and began tightening the laces and tying them. �As for the offensive things you�ve heard, well... let�s just say that you shouldn�t believe everything you hear.� �Funny you should say that.� she replied tersely. �And why is that?� The god stepped around her to face her. �It�s something that I have heard about you. I was always told not to trust you. Something about you being deceitful and a liar.� �I never lie. I manipulate and hide truths, to be sure, but I don�t lie.� The god slowly walked around Angela�s rigid form and stood behind her, whispering in her ear, �the people that told you that are the ones that outright lie. They have no problems lying to and deceiving anyone. It�s their means to and end.� He put a hand on her arm and gave a light squeeze, �even you.� Angela spun, breaking the god�s hold, �how can you say that?� �It�s the truth. Your sister tried to lie to you to keep you from coming. Didn�t she?� �I will not fault my sister for trying to protect me.� she spat back. �Did it ever occur to you that she may have remembered the soldier you killed and that maybe, she was the one who did it?� Angela sighed deeply, shaking her head, �I think you�re reaching Ares. They would have told me...� she trailed off, lost in her own thoughts. �Can you be so sure? She was very adamant about you not being here.� �That can�t be the reason,� she mumbled. Her mind drifted back to her conversation with her sister and Xena. Ares smiled, �think about it.� Angela looked up to find the God of War gone.

A God's Sedition Continued

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