| Part 16 � Well,� Strife paused and sighed, � The first thing we�ll havta do is train Jox to fight as best we can.� � How long�ve we got?� asked Autolycus. � A couple of weeks,� Eris answered grimly. � Oh come on, that�s ridiculous! Can�t Ares just use his powers?� Xena exclaimed. � Um no! Although,� Strife paused thoughtfully. � What have you thought of?� Eris asked her son curiously, recognising his expression. � Well, we already know the ability�s there, in Joxer. Maybe Unc can access that,� Strife basked in his mother�s smile. � Good thinking. The bond between them should help, Joxer can probably access Ares� knowledge and experience of fighting through it, � Eris said, chewing on her lip. Strife nodded eagerly, � Unc�s gonna be stoked!� � So, why exactly are you telling us about this?� asked Gabrielle. � We�re gonna need your help,� Strife admitted grudgingly. Gabrielle snorted and was about to speak, when Xena elbowed her. � Ow! Will you stop doing that!� Xena ignored her, � We�ll be happy to help Joxer.� Gabrielle had the grace to look abashed. � Yeah, course,� said Iolaus, Hercules nodded. Eris turned and glared at Autolycus, who hadn�t answered. � Yes, okay, I�ll help too!� � I thought so,� said Eris with a smirk. � So, come on, why will Joxer need to fight?� asked Iolaus. Strife tore his attention away from the byplay between his mother and Autolycus. � Zeus has ordered Aphrodite to set up his own twisted version of the Trial of True Love for them to take,� he shuddered at the memory of being dead. � Trial of True Love?� asked Xena with a frown. � Yeah, it�s a �Sephie thing. How Cupid brought me back,� Strife said with a fond grin. Unconsciously, he stroked the mark on his shoulder. *Baby?* *Sorry Cupe, jus� thinkin� �bout ya* There was a chuckle in his head. *Missing me already?* *Ya know I do! How�s your mom doin�?* Strife felt rather than heard the sigh. *She�s really pissed and worried* Someone shook him. *Sorry babe, gotta go* *�Kay, love you* *Love ya too* Strife pulled out of his mother�s grasp, � Hey!� � Tell Cupid to bug off.� Strife glowered at her, � So, where was I? Oh yeah, tha first test. Joxer has to prove himself a warrior worthy of being Ares� consort.� � Yeah, and bro can�t interfere at all, that�s his test,� added Eris. � Shit!� gasped Iolaus. � Yeah, that�s gramps idea of a test of friendship! It�ll be a fight to the death against one of Unc�s warlords.� � To the death?� Gabrielle squeaked. Strife nodded grimly, � The penalty for failing any of the tests is death for Joxer, loss of powers for Ares.� � But that�s hardly fair!� Hercules suddenly exploded in anger. Eris and Strife stared at him in surprise. � Since when has Zeus ever been fair?� said Iolaus quietly. Hercules blinked at him. Then he sighed and shrugged, � True.� � This will only happen if Joxer agrees,� said Strife, � Otherwise they will be forbidden to see each other, and Joxer will live out the natural course of his life.� � Oh that�s horrible,� said Xena with a small shudder. The thought of being forcibly separated from the one you loved, while still being connected to them, horrified her. Better to risk death than live like that! Strife nodded in agreement. He was very grateful that his Cupe was a favourite of Zeus� and had managed to persuade the old goat to bless their union. � The second test will be temptation, we can�t help them with that one,� he said. � How many tests will there be?� asked Autolycus. � Three. Tha last one is tha difficult one. It�ll involve facing their worst fears and showing unconditional love,� said Strife. � Is Ares� afraid of anything?� asked Xena. � �Course. We all have fears and weaknesses, jus� like mortals,� Strife answered honestly. � I dread to think what Ares� worst fear is!� said Iolaus. � Yeah!� Hercules agreed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- � I don�t want you to do anything you don�t want,� Ares said seriously. � Ares, I love you. I couldn�t face life without you. I know we can do it, together,� Joxer replied. He pulled Ares up for another kiss. Ares kissed him back hard, with a hint of desperation. Again Joxer got a strange feeling from him. He pulled back. � Ares?� � Yeah?� Ares� voice was husky with need. � You feel� different. I keep feeling something from you, but I don�t know what it is,� Joxer sounded worried. � What do you mean?� Ares asked with a frown. � I don�t know. Are you okay, you�re not ill or anything are you?� � I don�t get ill,� Ares stopped, concentrating on himself. � Oh.� � What?� Ares stared blankly at his love. How could this have happened? He got up and started pacing agitatedly. It was all right for Cupid, he was a Love God, but the God of War, pregnant! He shuddered at the thought of how many worshippers he could lose over this. � Ares, what?� Joxer repeated. Ares turned and stared at Joxer, the love and concern radiating from his lover snapped everything back into perspective. He was a God, and could do whatever the fuck he wanted. And right now what he wanted, was for Joxer to want their children. � I, uh. Um, how do you feel about parenthood?� Joxer blinked rapidly, � Pardon me?� � I�m pregnant.� Ares searched Joxer�s face worriedly, kneeling back between his legs. Joxer was stunned, this was almost too much for him. The one love of his life, loved him, wanted to marry him. And now they were going to be parents?! That just made it even more imperative that they passed the trial. � Oh Ares,� he smiled happily. Ares sagged visibly in relief. � We start training as soon as we finish here.� � Finish what?� Ares frowned. |