Ares couldn�t believe it. Cupid�s irritating little son was having a far greater effect on the harmony of that little town that even Ares best warriors. It seemed that love could be a more potent force than war and Ares was revelling in the chaos that ensued whenever little Bliss flung his father�s arrows.
If he found the boy�s feelings for the cow amusing, then the adoration one lad felt for his friend had him laughing out loud. He couldn�t stop chuckling as milkmaids fell for their masters but when the Hestial virgins began chasing his warriors, Ares fell about wiping tears from his eyes.
It had been a long while since he had something to laugh about and Ares wondered if he should try to recruit the winged infant for his own use.
It might raise a few eyebrows and it would definitely annoy Cupid.
Bonus.
After he had composed himself somewhat, Ares watched as the little tyke shot Xena, Draco and Gabrielle in quick succession.
He had thought that seeing Xena in love with someone else would be painful since he was in love with her, but there was something oddly amusing about it and he felt good for the first time in a long time, hoping he was finally over his feelings for the Warrior Princess; feelings that had led him wrong on more than one occasion.
It wasn�t until Draco fell for Gabrielle that he began to see the seriousness of the situation. The way that Draco proclaimed his love for Gabrielle really irritated Ares. His warlords weren�t supposed to act like love-struck fools.
Then the way the bard refused Draco�s advances because of the bumbling buffoon made his fingers itch to strangle someone.
He told himself that it was because they couldn�t hold a tune and the Joxer song irritated him like crazy and Joxer didn�t deserve to have so much fun, besides he had a little respect for the bard since her enchanted scrolls tricked them into spending time together and he knew that she would be mortified by her actions.
It was then that he put a call into Cupid telling him that his son had gone astray with his arrow quiver.
Cupid had been appalled and hastened to the village with Ares hot on his heels to watch the entertainment.
�Oh, no you don�t,� he said as he caught sight of little Bliss attempting to fire another arrow. �You�ve caused me quite enough trouble for one day, young man. Your mother and I have searched Olympus all over looking for you. So, you consider yourself grounded. OK?�
Bliss gurgled and managed to look adorably sheepish.
Ares rolled his eyes.
Xena�s voice suddenly came from his left and, for once, Ares was glad to be invisible around her. The last thing he needed right now was to be pummelled by the Warrior Princess.
�About time you clipped his wings,� she drawled, her arms folded as she looked at Cupid.
Cupid shrugged, his pink wing bobbing up and down. �Yeah, well, I was a little tied up.�
Ares smirked.
�Thanks for finding my boy. I owe you one,� Cupid smiled and turned to leave.
�Yeah, �cause if word about this ever got out, you�d look kind of foolish, huh?�
Cupid froze and half-turned, resignation on his face. �What�ll cost me to see that it doesn�t?�
Ares wondered what Xena would ask for. Maybe Draco? He began plotting various scenario�s based on what she�d request and so was marginally disappointed when she replied.
�Don�t worry about it. Just put everyone back to normal, and we�ll call it even-- starting with me, and ending with those virgins.�
Cupid shrugged. �Deal.�
He came forward and tapped Xena in the centre of her forehead. Pink sparkles drifted to his fingers and Xena blinked.
�That�s it?�
Cupid smiled. �Yeah�easy come, easy go.�
Xena shook her head. �Okay, now the others. They�re in the temple.�
Cupid followed Xena and Ares blinked himself into the temple already to watch the proceedings with interest.
Cupid appeared in front of Gabrielle who was touching Joxer�s armour and gazing into his eyes.
Ares shuddered at the mushy display and was glad to see the pink spark as Cupid tapped her head.
�What�s going on?� Gabrielle said in bewilderment as she stepped back.
Joxer gazed soulfully at her. �A love so deep, few have known it.�
Cupid grimaced and tapped Joxer�s head.
Gabrielle frowned. �What?�
�A love so deep�� Joxer repeated.
It was Cupid�s turn to frown as he hit Joxer�s forehead again.
��few have known it,� Joxer finished.
Cupid looked down at his fingers.
�Cupid. Forget it,� Xena said ruefully. �He�s for real.�
�Oh,� Cupid looked discouraged. �Happens.�
Ares smirked, so the little bard had herself an admirer in the bumbling buffoon? That would be interesting later on.
He turned as his warlord walked in and made a fool of himself professing love and devotion to Gabrielle.
He winced as Xena made Cupid leave the spell on his battle hardened warrior and slumped as he realised that he had yet another do-gooder on his hands.
Draco sucker punched Pinullus in the stomach on his way out, making the dark man groan in pain and Ares brightened up.
Maybe not.
Xena threw her arm around Gabrielle and they left with a forlorn Joxer holding up the rear.
�Poor guy,� Cupid said.
Ares scoffed. �He�s an idiot.�
�Yeah, well,� Cupid sighed and shrugged. �Your turn.�
He held up his hand and Ares backed away.
�Woah, woah, woah, boy,� he demanded. �What in the name of Tartarus are you doing?�
�Taking it off,� Cupid waved his hand. �You do want the effects of the arrow displaced, don�t you?�
�I wasn�t hit by one of your stinking arrows,� Ares said in disgust.
�Sure you were,� Cupid said in surprise. �I can see the edge.�
�What?� Ares wasn�t pleased.
Cupid sighed, like he had to explain something to a child. �Every affected person has a tainted edge to their aura, mostly pink. Yours,� Cupid frowned, puzzled. �Well, its faded, like it�s been there a long time, but it�s still there.�
�That�s ridiculous,� Ares said flatly. �I�m a god, no way would one of your paltry little arrows affect me.�
Cupid rolled his eyes. �Do you want me to take it off, or not?�
�There�s nothing to take off,� Ares maintained. �I think I�d know if I�d been��
Cupid was fed up of this and so tapped Ares on the forehead, cutting him off mid-sentence.
Ares blinked.
Cupid watched as Ares seemingly froze.
�Ares?�
Nothing.
�Ares?�
He blinked. �Oh, you have got to be kidding me!�