Timeline: After retirement
Summary: Xena keeps a promise made a long time ago.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters
The Promise
By Cat
As the sun set the lone woman sighed. Her long raven hair blew around her face and body. Her crystal eyes stared out at the fading light with tears forming. She shuddered against the breeze and pulled her crimson red cape around her. "I should get going, but I have a place to go to. I can't stay here, it will be too cold soon" she thought to herself. She turned and began to walk back to the trail "I will go to the village and stay at the inn for tonight" she sighed as she made her way to her awaiting steed. With the agility of youth that she once held she was up on the horse with one fluid jump. She stopped and again glanced toward the mountain range in the distance "I will come for you my love" she whispered into the chilly night air. She turned the horse and began the decent to the village in the valley below.
"I will need supplies and some better clothing" she looked down at her well worn leathers and armor. They were in desperate need of repair or maybe just replaced. She would keep the cape, it was fairly new and would keep her warm. She kicked her horse into a gallop and saw the village a short distance away. Her thoughts went back to the mountain range "I will come, nothing will keep you from me my love" she thought again.
She entered the sleepy village and went to the stable first. She found the owner "I would like to put my horse up for the night and if possible I think she needs a new shoe on her back right hoof. I have a great deal of traveling ahead of me and need to have her up to par" she said to the elderly gentleman.
He shook his head in agreement "No problem Miss, I will have her ready in the morning." She turned away with a nod and headed toward the inn.
When she entered the inn she received several quizzical stares. Her Warrior clothing stood out among the peasant clothing of the natives. She made her way to the counter and asked about an available room. The older woman looked her up and down deciding whether or not to give her the room. "What does your type want in these parts?" asked the woman gesturing toward the weapon at her side. They were a peaceful people and didn't want trouble.
"I am only passing through and need a bed for the night, do you have any rooms available?" the warrior asked again.
"I suppose, as long as you are leaving at sun up" spat the woman. The warrior nodded, paid and was given a key.
She went to her room. The room was small but adequate. As she removed her armor and leathers she caught sight of herself in the mirror "Not the young and powerful one anymore are ya" she thought to herself. Her hair still held the raven color, but gray had snuck in here and there. Her face was marked with slight wrinkles of age. Sure she wasn't the young beauty anymore, but who would have guessed she was almost 60, no she thought she looked more like 40. She retrieved her night slip and sank into the bed and fell into a dreamless sleep. She needed all the rest she could get for the trip ahead.
The morning came all too soon for the warrior. She was awoken by the woman from the night before "Get up woman you must be on your way, we don't want trouble."
The warrior rose from the bed and tried to loosen her stiff muscles "I will definitely have to find some new clothing, maybe something a little less noticeable" she said out loud to herself and finished gathering her things.
As she entered the main hall of the inn, she made herself go up and talk to the woman from the night before "Miss, I would like to thank you for the accommodations (you always get farther with honey than vinegar as Gabrielle would say), and now I would like to ask one more thing of you" said the warrior in her most honey tone she could muster. "Well what would that be?" asked the woman a little startled that this warrior woman could be that polite.
"I would like to know if there is a seamstress in this fine village?" asked the warrior. " "Why yes the best in the country!" answered the woman suddenly smiling maybe this woman wasn't as bad as she had thought she was polite and interested in getting rid of those clothes "She is across the street, I am sure she could help you."
With that the warrior picked up her bag and walked out of the inn. She had no appetite and knew she had to get going. It would take her a least a week or more to get to the mountain range. After acquiring some new clothing and supplies from the village stores she returned to the stable and collected her steed. Her clothing now was far more fitting for the weather. She new the cotton dress & pants along with the furs would keep her much warmer than the leathers that now resided in her bags. With everything taken care of the warrior rode out of the village and toward her destiny.
The mountains had changed little since her last visit some 30 years ago. She followed a well worn path. The path eventually came to a point where it turned in the opposite direction then where she need to go. She turned her horse off the trail and began trudging through the dense forest. She traveled as far as she dared the first night. Her strength didn't hold up as long as it used to now and she would need all her strength to open the gate. She made camp in a small cave. Luckily she had remembered the cave from her last trip and it was big enough for her horse to bed down in to. She made a fire and forced herself to eat. She knew the lack of appetite was not a good thing, but with her age she didn't think she would live much longer anyways. She definitely had to get a move on and get to the range in a hurry. She lay on her bedroll and fell again into a dreamless sleep until the morning light awoke her.
She gathered her things and headed out again. Her week of travel was uneventful and she found herself at the base of the mountain range.
She knew he was there in his castle up on mountain. He had basically imprisoned himself there after she rejected him once more for the company of her friend. He never understood, but he agreed to let her live her life out with her friend. She would have to make him now. Gabrielle was dead and her promised had been fulfilled to the bard. She never left her side until after death had claimed her. Now the warrior could have the love she denied herself and him all these years, even if it was for a short time. "What if his feelings had died" she thought to herself " well than this will have been your last adventure Warrior Princess and it to would have been in vain like so many before." She sighed and urged her steed up the mountain to the pass.
She arrived at the pass and saw that the gate was still intact and glowing blue. He was still there. She reached to her side and grabbed her Chakaram. She threw the weapon with all her remaining strength toward the top of the gate hoping it would hit the invisible lock. It hit and triggered the gate to shut down for a moment, her key he had given her so many years ago. She pushed the tired animal on through the gate before it closed again.
An hour later she stood before the Castle of War. He was there, she could feel him. Could he feel her? She would soon find out. She walked her horse around to the stable and put her up for the night with feed and blankets. She then walked back to the main entrance door. She did not knock, she simply shoved the door open wide. She entered.
What met her eyes made her drop to her knees. It was a her. Statues of her everywhere. The warrior in battle, the warrior at rest and even the warrior with her babbling bard. She found herself getting up and wandering down the hall looking at all the tapestries telling the stories of her in battle and her just living in peace. All of her adventures before the bard and after were here. Her trance was broken at the sound of breaking glass. The warrior raised her aged crystal eyes to meet green eyes of a priestess.
The girl dropped to her knees "You are the warrior!" was all she said. The priestess could see it was her even through the soft cotton dress and furs. Even through the wrinkles of age and the graying hair. It was her masters warrior. She has come back to him and not a moment to soon.
"Get up girl, I have no desire for worship" said the warrior irritated by the child's reaction. "I need to see your master girl, please show me too him" her voiced softened at the mention of him.
"Of course warrior princess, he is in desperate need of seeing you, we had feared the worst" said the girl in a low tone as she reached for the warrior woman's hand "but now that you are here all will be better.
As they walked she thought of the last time he had visited her. She had asked him to wait. To wait until her life or the bards was done and then she would return to him if possible. He professed his love undying and agreed with a frown. Then he disappeared and she hadn't seen him since.
The priestess and the warrior made their way to his chamber. The sight that met her eyes made her again drop to her knees, her breath taken from her at the sight before her. His chamber, well hell it was a temple to her. Everything that was her was represented there by statues, tapestry, paintings as well as her old weapons and armor. Her eyes took all this in and eventually rested on the form lying in the bed. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" she screamed as she jumped up and ran to the bed side. He was fading. He was dying. "Ares, I am here" was all she said.
His eyes opened and brown orbs met blue crystal. A smile slowly lit up his face. He could not speak. The warrior turned to the priestess "What has happened to him?" tears brimming her eyes. She looked back at him and thought of what he was to her, he wasn't just a God he was a man and a man of unending passion. He had promised to let her live her life out with the bard and she would return to him when the mortal life was over, but now it looked like he was dying, a God dying in front of her, her lover, her love.
His eyes never left her face. He searched her eyes and saw the love he missed. He was so weak he couldn't lift his hand to softly rub her face. He did not see the aged face of this warrior, he saw the young woman who made him open his cold heart to love. He was so tired, but she was here, he had to hang on for her. She had kept her promise and came, she did love him. He was capable of being loved. He smiled at her again. The Priestess Marie would explain, and she would help him.
"Please Warrior Princess I have much to explain and little time to do it in" urged the young girl pulling the warrior to her feet.
"What happened?" was all the older woman could utter as she looked at the girl before her.
"He gave up" Marie sighed "he didn't think you were coming. That is when he laid down and began to die"
"That is why the lands have been at peace for sometime now" said the warrior.
"Yes, he just gave up, but you are here now and can free him from this." The girl met the gaze of the older woman "please Xena bring him back" she pleaded.
Not knowing for sure what to do the Warrior once again knelt at the fading God "Ares I have traveled well to far a distance to see you, to serve you." she sighed as she continued "you have to get the HELL OUT OF THAT BED, so that I may lead your armies, so that I may love you, so that I may have you as mine."
Ares raised his eyes as he felt the rush of energy running through him. He looked into the eyes of the woman that held his heart and felt her desire. He sat up rather slowly and cleared his throat "Gods how long as it been since I spoke" he thought to himself. In a weaken voice he began to speak "Xena are you here to stay, at my side, as my queen?" He waited for what seem an eternity for her to answer. She stood up and took the Chakaram out once again and laid it in front of him "Ares God Of War this is my offering to you, I shall remain at your side until my death."
The worship that he needed from his once true love enveloped him and he rose from the bed. His appearance changed back again to the younger God of War that she remembered. He was back. He reached out and took her hand and pulled her into him. The kiss that both lovers had waited for swallowed them both up and they vanished before the awed priestess.
The couple reappeared on Olympus. It had been years since Ares had been there. He looked lovingly at his Xena. He did not see the ravishes of age, he only saw the woman that held his heart. He led her to the throne room. There on the throne sat Aphrodite, Queen of the Gods. She was relieved to see that Xena had made it before her brother died of a broken heart. Xena looked at the goddess and noted the changes. She was not the ditzy goddess that Xena remembered she was dressed in warrior clothing and appeared to take her job very seriously. She motioned for the two to step forward. "Ares, my brother, how glad I am to see you are better. Olympus has been quite lonely without you." her attention then turned to Xena "My dear Xena I must say Warrior babe last time I saw you, you looked a hell of a lot better." That was the Aphrodite that Xena knew.
Ares cleared his throat again "Sister you know why I am here. You know of the agreement made between Xena and I?"
"Yes" the goddess answered "and I now grant you your request."
Before Xena could utter a word a red glow enveloped her. When the light subsided she looked down at herself. She was young again, but there was something else. "Yes Xena you are a goddess now and will serve as the Goddess of War and Wisdom. I can use all the help I can get" Aphrodite said with a huge smile on her face.
Xena should of been made, but she looked up into Ares's eyes and forgot how much she detested the god hood stuff, she only saw the love she had wanted all her life......and would now have for eternity....................
Please e-mail the author of this story with your comments. kitten74@frontiernet.net
bleeding-heart[dot]net