Gratitude

By Maureen, the Greek Amazon

Four gods and a mortal were seated in the main hall of mount Olympus. The hall seemed very empty to each one of them. Apollo sat weeping for his lost sister, Aphrodite sat mourning for Hepheastus, her husband. Cupid sat silently, mulling over the loss of his companions while Hermes fluttered about doing his best to console all of them. The mortal looked skeptically at the remaining gods. He plunked down in the chair that had been his for hundreds of years and began polishing his sword.

"How can you just sit there, Ares? Like nothing has happened? You could have just let Eve die! You would still be a God!" Apollo spat. "Why did you do it? Why did you let my sister die?!?"

"For love."

"For the love of a mortal," he quipped. "You ended Olympus' reign for a MORTAL!! A mortal who doesn't even love or serve you!"

"Hmmm..." said Ares sarcastically. "Where have I heard that before? Oh, yes. I seem to remember a perky little girl going by the name of Daphne. Wouldn't you have done the same for her?" Apollo angrily admitted defeat, and went back to weeping. Ares couldn't take it anymore. He jumped out of his chair and waved his sword around the room at the gods.

"Look at you! You're pathetic! You're GODS. You don't sit around crying like babies all day."

"And what would you propose we do, dad?" asked Cupid his voice dripping with cruel sarcasm.

"Well, I don't know. Maybe you could try giving some kind of funeral instead of just weeping. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to... eat. And sleep."

"Downsides to being mortal?" joked Hermes, still light-hearted, even in this chaos.

"Yeah." said Ares, and walked out of the room towards his den. He might not be a god, but at least he still had his place on Olympus. For now. He grabbed some grapes and began popping them into his mouth and sat on his little bed.

"Idiots," he mumbled to himself. If they just hadn't gone after Eve, they'd all still be fine. But nooooo. They'd never listen to the God of War, because the God of War couldn't possibly see reason. Why was he still in here? He looked around at the room in mount Olympus that he had held for so long. It wasn't like he belonged here anymore. He wasn't a God. But where else would he go? He didn't want to lose track of Xena, and if he ventured off by himself, he probably would. He sighed and wandered over to the little mirror. It flickered and showed him his chosen warrioress. She and Eve were playing with a spider. He watched Xena's eyes for any trace of bitterness, resentment. He couldn't find it. He stared in envy and disbelief. How did she forgive Eve? Just like that? Eve had killed Joxer. In all the years that he had fought for Xena, he had never done anything close to that. True, he had killed Eli, but Joxer was their best friend. Why wouldn't she just forgive him? He saved Eve and Gabrielle. He had given up his Godhood. She had thanked him, he had never seen truer gratitude in the eyes of anyone, let alone the warrior princess. Had that been his forgiveness? Gods, he wanted to be with her. He turned away from the mirror and the image vanished. He turned to see the messenger God in the doorway.

"Don't give up, stranger things have happened." The tiny wings on Hermes' feet kept him hovering in the air, as he did his best to comfort Ares.

"Oh really," he sneered. "Like what, exactly, Hermes?"

"Like -- Salamoneus." Ares laughed, despite himself at the mention of Xena's old friend.

"I don't suggest you say that around Xena," he remarked, realizing that much of Xena's old life was gone.

"Don't worry," said Hermes, still jovial. "If I stepped near her, she'd probably slice my head off." Ares didn't like that remark.

"She's not out to kill you all, you know. She only wants to defend her child. Why are you here?" Hermes sagged his shoulders. Nobody was being any fun around here anymore.

"Funeral. They'll start it as soon as we get back." Ares nodded and headed down to the main hall. He had her gratitude. Now he wanted her love.

...h.o.m.e...