Ares' Flame

The Oracle walked in a stately manner towards the room, her hand-maiden's standing still as statues along both sides of the room. She walked past them and they each raised a sword as she reached them, the flat of the blade pressed against their foreheads and the point facing towards the sky. The Oracle's long white dress brushed the floor, slightly unsettling the red and white rose petals that were strewn along the floor from the door to the throne. Her long silvery-blonde hair trailed down her back to her ankles and her silver eyes were wide and clear as she firmly fixed them upon the wall above the throne.

There was a large silver Medallion, a meter square and in the direct center was the symbol of a flame, seeming almost to dance and glimmer as if alive. It was surrounded by two outer circles, one of white and the other of black.

She finally reached the dais and walked slowly up the stairs to the throne, bowing low before the Medallion. In response the flame began to glow with a pure white light and then the medallion resting against the snowy-white of her dress began to glow also. She then turned to face all the hand-maidens and their medallion's also began to glow faintly. They all lowered their swords and placed the points upon the ground, resting their hands crossed over on the hilts.

"It is the time. I have sensed the Messiah abroad in the world and now you must all leave here to seek the owner of Caeralon, the flame sword!" the Oracle said in a musical voice, strong enough to carry to the farthest ear. She looked around slowly, as if memorizing each face, for she knew that most of them would never return to her.

"I wish..." her voice faltered, then she began again.

"Search far my children, the Messiah MUST be found in time for the rising! The sword must be taken in hand before it is too late...for us all"

A hand-maiden on each side, closest to the throne broke away from the rest lining the walls on each side of the Temple and walked slowly to the Dais. They mounted the steps in perfect synchronization, the ritual well known to them and bowed before the Medallion on the wall. It's glow intensified as the Oracle turned to face it also and she held up her arms, the palms of her hands facing upwards.

"It is time! Caeralon, come forth!" she called out, eyes closing as the large Medallion became to bright to watch. A bell-like tone rung through out the room and then the light died, she opened her eyes and saw a sword hovering in the air, just above her palms. It was beautiful, with it's engraved silver hilt and the blade shone like the stars itself. It was the stone set in the blade however that drew all eyes, a silver stone in the shape of a flame. The sword lowered itself till it touched the Oracle's hands and she almost fell as a jolt of power went through her body. Such power! she thought.

"Caeralon!" she said, her voice clear.

"Caeralon!" they chanted.

Then a compulsion seemed to come over her and she grasped the hilt, releasing the blade and turning till the point of the sword was pointed towards the hand-maidens. The silver in the flame stone abruptly changed colour, glowing the purest white and she was almost staggered as the sword glowed in response. She stared down and it and had a premonition, giving it over to the two hand-maidens waiting patiently by her side. Each wore gloves of the thickest white leather and one took the hilt, while the other, the blade. The they turned and went to the throne, turning the sword until the hilt pointed towards the sky and was resting over the seat of the throne.

"Now" the Oracle said quickly and the hand-maidens thrust down into the stone of the throne, the sword sliding into it as if into water and it imbedded itself half way up the blade. They released it and it stood on it's own, still glowing with that light but the stone had returned to silver as if awaiting something. The Flame glowed with a strange luminescence as the sun broke through the clouds and shone through the slats of the windows, high on the Temple walls. They all bowed towards the great Medallion and it pulsed once in response, then both it and the sword ceased to glow.

"Go now, find the one we seek and never give up. Test all, the flame stone in your dagger's shall find the Messiah" she paused, running a weary hand over her face, feeling as if her will had been drained and all in the room felt the same way.

"Go and may the Gods protect you"

Gabrielle looked up at the morning sky and smiled, it was such a wonderful day. The sun was shinning, there were only a few fluffy clouds in the sky...and nothing was out there to threaten them. No battles, no one Xena had to run off to help...nothing.

"What are you smiling at, Gabrielle?" an amused voice asked her and the blonde turned her head to look at her dark-haired companion. Xena was watching her with a tolerant expression on her beautiful face and Gabrielle stretched widely.

"Oh, just the day. It so wonderful!" Gabrielle exclaimed, surprised when Xena dismounted from Argo to walk beside her along the dirt road.

"You really like this traveling don't you"

"Of course, never think that I don't enjoy traveling with you Xena" the blonde smiled mischievously, looking at her companion from under lowered lids.

"Of course" Xena said absently, patting Argo's mane as they walked.

"Now the war lords, the battles...Ares! I don't enjoy them!" the blonde paused, slyly. "Your stinky armour..."

"Mmm hmm...what?!" Xena said, that look in her eyes and Gabrielle backed away slightly.

"Now Xena.  Xena!  XENA!" Gabrielle yelled as Xena made a grab and caught the back of the blonde's clothes, pulling her into a head lock.

"Now what was that about my stinky armour?"

"Arrgggggh! Xena!" Gabrielle shouted, struggling. Her staff shot up and Xena easily ducked it, but it was enough for Gabrielle to get loose and she brandished it. "En gard!"

Xena grinned as she and her friend exchanged playful blows, Gabrielle really was getting better with that staff...just like the Amazon Queen she would have to be one day. That thought sobered Xena greatly, she didn't like to think of the day Gabrielle and she would part. She wasn't watching with her full attention and Gabrielle's staff hit her squarely in the stomach. It would have hurt a lesser person but it caused Xena to grin wickedly and purposefully stalk the blonde until she gave up.

"Enough, I give!" Gabrielle yelled, waving her staff wildly. Xena nodded and got up onto Argo, her face sober. The blonde turned and started to walk down the road next to the horse when a booted foot caught her solidly in the rear and she went sprawling into the bushes. She emerged a second later, covered in dirt and leaves clinging to her hair. Gabrielle glared indignantly at a grinning Xena, who sat with both legs casually over the left side of the saddle.

"Now who's clothes are stinky?"

Aurelia groaned, moving her head slightly and wincing as pain shot through her temples harshly. She tried to open her eyes but they didn't respond and trying to move her limbs came with as much response.

"Oh, my head" she moaned. A faint sound came to her ears and she listened for a minute, trying to figure out what the familiar sound was. It was just on the edge of her mind. She knew what the sound was, but her mind was so foggy that she couldn't think coherently. The sound got closer and then it suddenly clicked that what she was hearing was hoof beats...a horse! Aurelia winced again as it became unbearably loud and she managed to crack open her heavy lids slightly to see that she was apparently lying in the middle of a dirt road and the horse was approaching. She also realized that the road bent around the tree's and she would be seen at the very last minute by the rider.

"I need a wash now, which way to the closest river?"

"Just brush it off Gabrielle, we've got a long way to go to the next town. Besides, I thought Amazon's LIKED getting in touch with the forest"

"Ha ha, very funny. How about you take a roll in the mud and we'll call it even!"

"And ruin my Warrior image?"

"You're just a barrel of laughs today.  Why don't you just-"

Aurelia heard two people talking, one sounding implacable, the other annoyed. Perhaps they would see her before it was too late, she couldn't even summon up enough energy to fight a mouse. Maybe they could help her and tell her why she felt so sick and deadly tired...drained almost.

"Xena!" someone said sharply, just as it appeared around the corner, luckily someone had been walking ahead of the horse and it stopped as it's sharp hooves were almost touching Aurelia's face.

"Oh my god, are you okay? Miss?" the blonde girl who had warned the owner of the horse knelt down in the dusty road next to Aurelia and frantically brushed the dirt that the horse had kicked up from her face. Aurelia couched and felt her eyes closing again, then another voice was hear and she managed to open her eyes wider to see that the owner of the horse was another woman. A woman that was strangely dressed in a leather armour of some sort, a sword at her side and a strange metal circlet at the waist.

"Is she all right, I didn't see her down there" the woman asked, also kneeling down and Aurelia felt warm hands touch her forehead carefully. Aurelia shivered violently at the cool touch, the hand feeling like ice against her skin.

"Is she sick?" the blonde girl asked anxiously, rushing back to the saddle bags for water and she helped raise Aurelia's head slightly while she drank.

"She has a fever Gabrielle, we have to get her warm" the woman continued and Aurelia's eyelids finally dropped, the will going out of her and she slumped heavily back into the blonde girl's arms. Everything was going black and she struggled to stay awake, realizing in some detached part of her mind, that she was no where near home...wherever this was.

Xena tossed some more wood onto the fire and then looked over to where Gabrielle was brushing a damp cloth across the girl's forehead, murmuring soothingly every time she moaned in her fever. It was strange how they had found her, in the middle of the road like that. Xena wondered if she had been attacked perhaps, but there had been no sign of a struggle...the girl was ill however and had been tossing and turning with the fever for hours now. She studied the girl quietly, noticing the poor clothes that were in tatters and covered in dirt in some places. Her hair was covered in a wimple, but Gabrielle had removed it to reveal shoulder-length light brown hair.

The eyes, when she had looked dazedly up at them from the road had been a pain-filled dark brown. She hadn't known where she was or what was happening, Xena was sure. It was strange because there were no villages around the area, so the girl must have been walking. Traveling alone.

"Xena, she's getting better I think, the fever is breaking" Gabrielle's excited, but weary voice said from across the fire and Xena stood to walk to their side. She leant over the girl and felt the forehead, sure enough it was cooling and she smiled at her blonde friend.

"It looks like it, she should be all right in the morning" Just then Gabrielle yawn loudly and Xena grinned.

"Why don't you go to sleep, I'll keep an eye on her" the dark-haired woman nodded and Gabrielle looked as if she were going to protest but another yawn interrupted her and she shrugged.

"I need a bath" Gabrielle said, teasing good-naturedly and Xena smiled.

"We'll find a river tomorrow...you'll need it because you do stink" Gabrielle looked as if she wanted to argue about it but another yawn interrupted her and she grinned.

"Okay, but wake me if you need me" she instructed, climbing under her blankets and Xena sat down by the girl.

"I think I can manage, get some sleep" Xena ordered dryly. She waited until she heard Gabrielle's even breathing and then turned to the girl, eyes penetrating.

"You can open your eyes now, I know you're awake"

The girl opened her eyes slowly, the brown remarkably clear and coherent for one who had just recently been in the throes of a fever. The girl ran a hand threw her hair and grimaced as it came away damp and sticky.

"How did I get here?" she mumbled, looking around and then her eyes fell fully on Xena and they widened in surprise. She saw the leather warrior's garb and the sword and then she sat up fully, throwing off the blankets.

"We found you in the middle of the road, feverous and made camp to take care of you" Xena said, watching the girl carefully. She had seemed to be startled by Xena's clothes and the fact she had been lying in the middle of a road when they found her.

"Oh" was all the girl said, she shivered and pulled the blankets back up around her shoulders.

"Can you tell me your name?" Xena said more gently, seeing a fawn-like startlement and fear in the girl's eyes and a protective instinct emerged.

"I-I Uh" the girl said, she had been rubbing her clothes and now looked down in amazement, her eyes widening further. She seemed shocked by something and Xena's eyes narrowed in thought as she watched the girl, who felt along her clothes as if seeing them for the first time and Xena saw that there were gloves covering the girl's hands. She hadn't noticed that before and now thought it strange. They were almost rags, the gloves, but they covered the skin.

"I'm....Meryll" the girl said abruptly and Xena glanced up, caught at staring. "What is your name?" she said politely and Xena smiled slightly.

"I'm Xena and this is Gabrielle" Xena introduced herself and the sleeping Gabrielle, bracing herself for the usual fear that people tended to showed at the sound of her name...but there was none at all. Meryll smiled warmly, her eyes glowing in a friendly manner and Xena smiled back involuntarily. There was no fear, no recognition in Meryll's eyes at Xena's name and though she was relieved at it...it also made her wonder.

"Thank you for helping me, I remember hoping that whoever owned the horse would" Meryll remembered aloud.

"We wouldn't have left you there, but you're lucky it was us" Xena said, glaring darkly into the fire at what could have happened if anyone else had found the girl helpless.

Meryll stifled a yawn and a slightly sheepish smile crossed her lips.

"I feel really tired, do you mind if I sleep now?" Meryll asked drowsily, her lids dropping and Xena nodded.

"Go ahead, you need the rest and in the morning we can talk"

Meryll nodded and lay down with her back to Xena, but her eyes were wide open. Where WAS she?

"So you travel around a lot then, Gabrielle? It must be wonderful!" Meryll said eagerly, drinking up Gabrielle's every word and Xena sighed. Ever since they had risen that morning, Gabrielle had been telling the peasant girl all about their adventures. Meryll's eyes had grown wider and wider, almost with disbelief as time had passed and Xena couldn't blame her really. It was hard to believe that she had gone through all that Gabrielle was describing.

"Oh yes, it's wonderful. Traveling with Xena is NEVER boring" Gabrielle said, cheerfully throwing a smile over her shoulder at Xena. The warrior Princess was a few paces behind them on Argo and Meryll was walking next to Gabrielle.

"Meryll, tell us about yourself" Gabrielle said after a silent moment and Meryll looked startled, then her expression closed and her eyes darkened a bit even as the blonde watched.

"There's nothing much to tell...my brother is in the King's Army and I lived with my father until responsibilities drew my brother back home. He got married and left being a soldier to take care of our home...I left then" Meryll said, hesitating slightly over some places, as if thinking. There was truth in her words but Xena had the distinct feeling that Meryll was not telling the complete story.

"Oh, it was uncomfortable with the wife being there huh?" Gabrielle said understandingly and Meryll flashed her a slight smile.

"Yes, I felt left out"

"So you left home...to go where?" Xena asked from behind and Meryll slowed, turning slightly to face the dark-haired woman. Xena truly had the most uncannily blue eyes, startling against the tanned face and Meryll felt as if those eyes saw a lot.

"I didn't know really, I just wanted to get away...to travel" Meryll said, her eyes were sad and she turned back to face the road before them after a moment.

"Well you can travel with us as far as-" Xena started to say but then the hair on the back of her neck rose and she slipped swiftly from her horse, recognizing the presence that had caused that feeling. A moment later the air before her horse flashed brightly and Ares appeared, looking as arrogant as usual.

"Ares" Xena said, not really surprised for some reason, only he could make her instincts kick into over-drive like his presence did.

"Xena" Ares said, smiling mockingly and then his eyes flickered over Gabrielle, barely seeing Meryll. He looked as confident and arrogant as usual, but Xena could sense an air of...impatience around him.

"What do you want Ares?" Gabrielle almost hissed and he didn't even look in her direction, addressing Xena instead.

"I need you to come to my Temple" he said commandingly, "Now"

"I don't think so-!" Gabrielle said indignantly, holding her staff before her as if wanting to hit him with it and he threw her a dark look.

"Be silent" he growled, taking a step forward threateningly and Xena stepped between them.

"I have no intention of going anywhere with you, Ares" Xena said calmly, a half-smile playing about her lips and Ares almost glared, then seemed to control himself.

"I don't have time for arguments. Look, one of my Priestess' is with child and is asking for you" Xena looked disbelievingly at him, wondering at the lame excuse.

"Is that the best you can do!" Gabrielle yelled, scoffing. The look he threw her was so black she shrank back and Meryll put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"I see there's a new addition to your little party Xena-a new sidekick perhaps?" Ares asked, arrogance back. He looked at Meryll and almost smirked, his dark eyes sweeping her from head to toe.

"I can't say she's much of an improvement, but anything is better than listening to the blonde's incessant chatter" Ares said insultingly and Gabrielle growled, lunging forward with her staff. Xena blocked her casually with her arm and stared firmly at The God of War.

"Did you come here to insult Gabrielle or do you want to tell me why you're really here?" Xena said, loosing some of her patience with the handsome God.

"I told you, my Priestess-Sionna-is pregnant and for some reason she wanted you" Ares said in annoyance and Xena's eyes widened in surprise.

"Sionna? A girl with red hair and green eyes?" she said urgently and he smiled slightly, straightening his leather vest.

"Yes, red hair. Can we go now?" he said bored of the conversation. His patience was running out rapidly and he watched as Xena went back to her horse, motioning for Gabrielle and Meryll to follow her.

"Can you take us there?" she asked and the God smiled mockingly.

"Us? I don't remember inviting any side kicks, least of all nosy blondes" he looked Gabrielle over insultingly and then raked Meryll again. "Or peasants"

"Why you-!" Gabrielle, raised her staff again, face angry and she was dying to wipe that amused smile off of Ares face...God or not!

"If I go. They go" Xena said, cutting off any further conversation and Ares glared at her.

"Absolutely not! You, I will tolerate in my Temple, but not these stupid mortals!" Ares bellowed angrily, Meryll had been silent through out all of this and she watched as Xena faced the man calmly.

"All or none, Ares" Xena said, Ares seemed to be counting slowly backwards, his hand on his sword hilt as he glared at Gabrielle and then Xena.

"Fine!" he said finally, an amused smile crossed his lips before he turned away from them and gestured. Xena had enough time to feel a reluctant smile cross her own lips and then the air swirled and lurched dizzyingly.

Meryll blinked as the world became stable again and she saw that they were in a vast room, lavishly furnished with candles, red silk and an elaborate throne. Ares went to it and sat down, throwing a leg over one side and slouching casually. He clapped his hands twice, loudly and after a moment a woman came in the oak double doors to the side of the room. She was dressed in a black dress, complete with a medallion, black boots and a sword at her side. She went straight to Ares, bowing down before him.

"Ara, take Xena to Sionna" Ares ordered and the woman turned towards Xena, her face impassive, but her eyes were filled with dislike as she gestured for Xena to follow her.

"This way, Warrior Princess" Ara said some-what coldly and Xena followed her out, Meryll flinched slightly when the double doors boomed shut behind them and Gabrielle and she were left in the room with Ares. Meryll looked around and shivered a bit, not liking the situation and a look at Gabrielle's face told her that it was the same with the blonde.

"And now, what to do with you" Ares said musingly, his dark eyes amused as he stared first at Gabrielle-who faced him defiantly-and then Meryll. When she met his eyes for the first time she felt a jolt, this man was incredibly powerful, she could feel it almost emanating from him. Ares, Xena had said, was it possible that this was The God of War? It seemed almost unreal to be face with a God, someone that people had long since forgotten to worship where Meryll came from.

"Nothing, Xena will-" Ares cut the blonde off with a wave of his hand.

"Xena will do nothing, as long as you are here you are safe-unless you cross me" he said ominously, then he smiled arrogantly and a goblet of wine appeared in his hands. He took a sip and smiled at them both over the rim, reminding Meryll sharply of a hunting wolf. He was so dangerous.

"You and your friend may sit, I'll have some food brought" Ares said graciously, Meryll and Gabrielle sat warily at the suddenly appearing table and they stared distrustfully at the goblet of red wine that was in front of them both. Bowls of grapes were there also and Gabrielle and Meryll exchanged a look, wondering why The God of War was being so...nice.

"No thank you, I'd rather starve" Gabrielle declared, pushing the goblet away and Ares shrugged, unconcerned. Meryll looked into the depths of the red wine and her mind wandered, it was all so strange to be in this place. One minute she had been at home-in bed-drifting off to sleep and the next, she was waking up on a dirt road! She caught sight of herself in a shield on the wall and her mouth fell open in shock, she didn't look anything like herself! Her long black hair had turned to short brown, her dark green eyes to a dark brown and her face and figure...she was shorter and, well, ordinary. She had noticed that her clothes were strange, but even delirious it had not taken long for her to realize she was not in her own time.

"Meryll, do you think it's safe to eat, I mean, I'm pretty hungry come to think of it" Gabrielle's whispered voice broke into Meryll's thoughts and she started almost violently.

"I don't know" Meryll whispered back, her eyes on the grapes and she realized that she too was hungry.

"Are you afraid?" Ares said from behind Meryll and Gabrielle got to her feet, talking a stance with her staff defensively as Meryll spun in her chair. He was right behind her and neither of them had heard him, or seen him either, both having their heads so close together so he wouldn't hear them talking.

"Afraid? No, I'm not" Meryll said stiffly, lifting her chin, though she felt fear as his dark eyes met hers. He must have seen her start in shock when Gabrielle interrupted her thoughts. A smiled crossed his lips and he raised the goblet to his lips to drain it, then he leaned past Meryll to set it sharply down on the wooden table. It was loud and Meryll jumped in shock. Ares laughed in amusement and then disappeared. She took a deep breath and looked over at Gabrielle, who wasn't looking too pleased.

"I really hate him-he's so arrogant!" Gabrielle burst out and flopped back into her chair angrily, muttering darkly. Then she reached for a bunch of grapes and bit into them viciously. When she realized what she had done, she almost spit them out again, then paused. A blissful smile coming over her face.

"Oh, but these are SO good!"

Xena came in a while later and the bowl was almost empty, though Meryll had touched nothing. She had watched the slender blonde eat an astonishing amount of food and wine, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Gabrielle, I see you got breakfast" Xena said, amusement in her voice as the blonde turned and grinned-not noticing that her chin was strained red from the grapes.

"Yep! These grapes were AMAZING, I love 'em!" Gabrielle said enthusiastically and Xena's eyes narrowed a little. The blonde was acting just a bit too...bubbly? Her eyes were bright and she seemed to be impatiently fidgeting as if she wanted to run or dance.

"Yes, I'm sure they were" Xena said, wondering what Ares had put in the grapes to get this reaction. A look at Meryll showed that the brunette had not touch her wine, and from the distrusting look in her eyes when they alighted on the bowl of grapes, she had not touch a thing. The girl exchanged a look with Xena and then they both stared back at Gabrielle, who leaped from her chair and began rushing around the room.

"I feel great! Xena, why don't I feel like this ALL the time?" Gabrielle shouted, dashing from candle to candle and playfully blowing each out. Though as soon as her back was turned, they magically lit themselves again.

"I don't believe this" Xena muttered, Sionna had wanted to meet her companions but there was no way Gabrielle could be brought into a pregnant woman's presence like-that!

"I know. It was the grapes. She took one bite and she was hooked" Meryll said in a low voice, trying to keep from laughing despite the situation. Gabrielle had clearly been drugged with something.

"I think it's an improvement, personally" Ares said, appearing and looking at Gabrielle with an amused smirk. Xena turned to him, distinctly un-amused.

"What was on those grapes, Ares?" she demanded, watching as the blonde tried-vainly-to climb up to the chandelier and swing from it. She was too short and kept falling back, but cheerfully trying again as if it were the first time. She gave up after a moment and swung her staff around wildly, as if fighting an invisible enemy.

"Just a little something found in a particular plant" Ares shrugged, smiling and went to sit lazily in his throne again. His eyes followed Gabrielle in vast amusement and Xena finally sighed, turning to Meryll.

"Come on, Meryll. Sionna wants to meet at least one of you"

Chapter Two

The hall Xena led them down was chilly and they met many of Ares Priestess' on the way. They were given distrustful glares and avoided, making Meryll distinctly uncomfortable, though Xena just ignored them. Sionna's room was at the back of the Temple and a comforting warmth spilt out as they entered, closing the door again behind them. Meryll looked at the beautiful red-head lying in the bed and walked slowly over.

"Hello, I'm Sionna" the woman said warmly, shifting awkwardly, her stomach distended. Meryll stepped swiftly forward to take the proffered hand so that Sionna wouldn't have to disturb herself too much.

"I'm Meryll, I'm pleased to meet you Sionna" Meryll said gently, her eyes fell again to the stomach and she reached out with her mind, probing. A boy, the child's mind was clearly male and Meryll smiled, then it faded as she felt...something. It was Ares child, she suddenly knew.

"Xena tells me that she found you in the middle of the road, I hope you are unharmed?" Sionna said, somewhat anxious and Meryll understood that the maternal instincts that Sionna was feeling had been extended to include her.

"Yes, thank you. Xena and Gabrielle took care of me" Meryll murmured, withdrawing her mind from the woman. A slight frown crossed Sionna's face as she looked at Xena.

"And where is Gabrielle, didn't she want to meet me?" Sionna asked, a little hurt and Xena brushed the hair back from her forehead wearily.

"She's a little indisposed at the moment, something she ate no doubt" Xena said ironically and Sionna gave her a suspicious look.

"No doubt" she agreed, a roll of her eyes and Meryll grinned. A Priestess entered and instructed Xena and Meryll to accompany her so that she could show them to their rooms. Meryll walked beside Xena, a few paces back from the Priestess and leaned closer to the Warrior Princess.

"Just how long are we planning to stay here, Xena?" Meryll almost hissed, wanting to get away from Ares as soon as possible.  It was entirely possible that he could find out what she really was. The longer she stayed, the more risk that he would discover that she was not from around there.

"Oh, a few days at the most. Sionna is due anytime now" Xena said under her breath and missed the dark look Meryll threw upwards, cursing whoever had brought her to this place and dumped her in a road in the path of Xena's horse. She didn't believe in coincidence.

"Fine, but I don't like this...place" Meryll's voice trailed off as the Priestess flung open a door to reveal a beautifully furnished room, complete with canopy and rugs. The next room-Meryll's-was slightly less so, but still stunning and she found herself gaping.

"Wow" Meryll breathed, closing the door behind her and moving towards the window. The view of the moonlight playing over the tree's was spectacular, especially because it was so bright and the clouds looked luminescent and ghostly. She moved towards the mirror and stared at herself, fully seeing herself for the first time. Meryll looked nothing like her former self, whoever had brought her to this time had made sure that she could not be recognized. But why?

"I don't understand what I'm doing here. WHY was I sent here, and for what purpose?" she demanded of the room, not expecting an answer and silence greeted her. Dinner was brought to her by a Priestess and Meryll declined to leave her room for the rest of the night, instead turning in early to sleep.

The morning sun shinning through the open curtains woke her at dawn and she yawned loudly, not wanting to stir. It's truly was an ungodly hour, she giggled, wondering if Ares was up.

"Do Gods even sleep?" she wondered aloud and was startled when Xena answered her from the open doorway.

"It's thoughts like that, that will get you into trouble" the woman said, coming further into the room and a sleepy Gabrielle entered behind her. The blonde looked almost haggard and Meryll saw rings under her eyes.

"Just curious is all, I wasn't planning on finding out" Meryll muttered, embarrassed. She climbed out of bed and Xena waited till she was dressed before telling her that they were leaving.

"Leaving? But we just got here, what about the baby?" Meryll exclaimed in surprise, but Xena smiled.

"It's just what Ares wants and I'm not sticking around to find out what he's up to" the warrior said.

"You know me so well" a voice mocked and they turned to see Ares standing in the corridor outside Meryll's room. Gabrielle's face darkened and her hands clenched as if looking for her staff, whatever the consequences of that drug had been, Gabrielle was looking for revenge.

"What do you want, haven't you done enough?" Gabrielle growled but Xena silenced her with a look.

"I? Want of YOU?" Ares laughed, a sardonic look on his face that made Gabrielle flush deep red. "I want Xena to stay here until the baby is born"

"I don't think so Ares, we have somewhere we have to be" Xena said smoothly, moving to walk past the god but he didn't move back and she was forced to stop.

"It can wait" he said commandingly, the look in his dark eyes telling them all that he expected to win any argument in the end.

"Not for you it can't" she purred, stepping forward till their faces were but a few centimeters away. "I'm not coming back to you"

"We'll see" he murmured, then a smile crossed his face and it wasn't pleasant. "Either you stay...or-" he looked over her shoulder and she whirled quickly, in time to see Meryll disappear.

"Bring her back!" Gabrielle yelled, but both Xena and Ares ignored her.

"Or?" Xena said, her eyes intent.

"You'll never see your little peasant again, it's your choice"

"Some choice!" Gabrielle shouted angrily, looking around for a weapon and was surprised when Xena suddenly gave in.

"All right, I'll stay. But only till Sionna's child is born" Xena agreed. Ares smiled smugly and walked off, leaving the two there to stare at the spot he had been.

"Why did you give in to him Xena!" Gabrielle protested loudly and Xena shrugged.

"Do you really want Meryll dead, she's nothing to him and he meant every word. Something is going on here and I'm going to find out what"

"Wait! Where IS Meryll!?!"

Meryll stared around vainly, trying to figure out where she was but everything around her was pure darkness. Not one light showed and she felt a spark of fear but squashed it firmly, it wouldn't help her. Ares had put her here, she was certain, to force Xena to stay in his Temple.

"Oh great" she muttered and a laugh answered her.

"Are you afraid? Does not seeing, not hearing a single thing, frighten you?" Ares asked, his voice seeming to come from everywhere at once. Meryll crossed her arms, though not sure he could see the action.

"A little" she admitted candidly and there was a silence, he had not been expecting such a honest answer. "Fear is the mind killer" she whispered, remembering having heard someone say that once. One of her father's soldiers, she thought.

"True, but it can also be used. The weak are easy to manipulate" came the cold reply and Meryll glared around, suddenly annoyed that she could not see him.

"And you use that to your advantage, don't you?" she said icily and a light suddenly appeared, blinding her. Ares became distinct...but nothing more. She looked down and saw that she was standing on nothing and nothing was around them.

"Naturally. I am the God of War. Fear, like love is a weakness...something Aphrodite would deal with" Ares stared down at her from his superior height and Meryll tried not to be cowed. She remembered everything she had been taught and lifted her chin proudly, her shoulders straightening.

"Love is no weakness, it is a strength" she said softly and he snorted in contempt.

"A strength? What would a peasant like you know of strength. Of love. Of life? You've barely lived little girl!" he laughed and she glared darkly at him, eyes flashing furiously and she fought back at what fought to be free within her.

"I have known-" she broke off, unwilling to reveal anything to this annoyingly handsome God. Something fought within her again and she lowered her eyes, not wanting him to see but he strangely reached out and lifted her chin. He stared arrogantly into her eyes and saw...something there. Something that made him release her chin abruptly and allowed her to step back away from him, uncertainly.

"You think you know an awful lot for a mere peasant, you're getting above yourself" he said arrogantly and a surge of rage left her momentarily speechless, making her lower her head again so that he would not see her furious eyes.

"I'm not a MERE anything-" Meryll almost yelled, then remembered she was talking to someone who could kill her with a thought. "Lord Ares" she belated added and he smiled at her suddenly subservient manner, stepping closer.

"Enough of this talk, I have a proposition for you, peasant" he told her, eyes indefinable and she stared into the darkness of them, almost drowning. They seemed to pull her in and she yanked her mind back, her eyes still on his though she blushed slightly in confusion. He was VERY dangerous!

"A proposition?" she echoed, wondering what scheme he had come up with now. She was positive it had something to do with Xena, it always did.

"Become my servant or-" he paused, a wicked look coming over his face and she stared at him, eyes wide.

"Or what?" she said in a low voice and his smile widened arrogantly.

"I'll kill your friend, Gabrielle. I'm dying to kill her anyway but Xena-"

"No, you won't kill her. Because then Xena will never come back to you" Meryll interrupted expressionlessly, but a slight smile played about her mouth at the certainty of her answer and his gaze grew dark.

"You are smarter than you look girl...then smile about this. If you don't become my servant, I will kill you" Meryll smile faded and her eyes switched around frantically. Sure she had power, but she had no idea where she was. Did she really want to face a God? Would he really kill her to keep Xena there...of course he would!

"Fine" she said sullenly, averting her gaze from his arrogant face.

"I knew you'd see it my way" he murmured, the darkness swirled and Meryll was standing back in her room, Xena and Gabrielle gaping at her furious look.

"Oooh-! Gods! Men!" Meryll muttered darkly and the two others exchanged a look.

"I take it you mean Ares?" Xena said dryly, not really expecting an answer, but Meryll gave her one and it was astonishing to see such a mild-looking girl enraged.

"Yes, Ares! Your precious God of War! Arrgggggh!" she stormed out of the room and Gabrielle went after her, leaving Xena wondering.

"What are you up to now, Ares?"

"Hahaha! There's quite a temper hiding under that mild surface, much more fun to taunt than the blonde" Ares said, laughing loudly at Meryll's words and the expression on her face when she stormed out of the room.

["What are you up to now Ares?"] Xena's voice came clearly through the mirror and he leaned forward slightly, to see her face better.

"And wouldn't you like to know, my beautiful Xena" he took a sip of the red wine and glanced thoughtfully at her determined face, she walked swiftly out of the room and he knew she was headed his way.

"So predictable, my Dear" a smile of anticipation spread over his face and he sat back lazily, awaiting her. It would be quite an argument, from the look in her eyes and he mentally counted the seconds.

She came storming into his throne room, thrusting the doors open furiously. Though her face was calm and her eyes expressionless, the way she stood before him showed that she was mad enough to hit him.

"What are you up to Ares!" she had said in that deadly quite voice of hers that gave him delicious shivers every time he heard it...for it meant that she was on the verge of fighting him. She had used it many times in the past, on her enemies and it had made them back down warily. But not Ares, he thrived on Xena's darkness, the side she tried to hide from even herself.

"Done?" he said innocently, knowing how much it would irritate her and it did. She stepped right up close to his face and they locked eyes in a furious battle of wills. He took a sip of red wine from a goblet that had just materialized in his hand and watched as she came to stand right before his throne.

"If you're trying to bring me over to your side by using her, it won't work" she purred, his eyes glittered and a slight smile hovered about her mouth. Xena was enjoying this battle of wills as much as he was!

"Oh Xena, Xena! If I wanted you back, I could have you" he told her in a bored tone and she gritted her teeth.

"I don't think so Ares, I'm fighting for the greater good"

"The greater good? You ignore the fire in your veins, my Princess...and for what? Peasants, slaves, nobody's!" Ares straightened in his throne, meeting Xena's gaze furiously.

"No" she said almost silently, but he could see that she was thinking back to what she had been.

"You were the best, your will could have set the world on fire, Xena" he said more quietly, something flickered deep in her eyes and he knew he was getting to her.

"No" she said more firmly this time, stepping back from him.

"That is all in the past, I'm not that same person"

"You lie even to yourself" Ares told her mockingly, then disappeared. Xena stared at the spot he had been and her hand went to her sword hilt unconsciously. He had been right about one thing, the fire still burnt in her veins and it was getting harder and harder to fight it.

Ares sprawled on his throne, drinking and staring at a mirror on the wall. In it was visions of the past, of Xena when she had been his Warrior Princess. She had been so alive, so vicious...so his. She had lived for war and the terror her very name struck into the hearts of all men. He slammed the goblet down on the arm of the throne and ignored when the wine spilled everywhere. The days of that Xena would come again, all thanks to fate. And that girl.

Three days they had been in his Temple and he had used every opportunity to get under Xena's skin using her little peasant. He knew that to keep her as a slave would keep Xena within his grasp, she valued her little friends far too much. To his advantage of course, as long as he had her friend...he had Xena. But he had to keep an eye on the girl...Meryll was it? Not that he cared, she was so, so plain. Something was strange about her, in her eyes he had seen something...something he could not quite put his finger on. And also a darkness, a fierce rage that had burned in her eyes and had made him interested in her. Despite himself.

"Hmm, perhaps keeping her under my thumb was a good idea after all" he murmured. He'd keep her so busy that she'd have no time to escape and just to make sure, he'd post one of his Priestess' to watching her. Xena had to stay close by and to keep her he had to keep one of her friends.

He'd already given her the duties of several servants...One that cooked, and cleaned the dirty washing. That served them all at dinner and was given a small dingy room to sleep in. She was at his total beck and call and Xena was more enraged by it each day, though she tried to hide it. Ares smiled, summoning a picture of Xena and seeing that she was again with his Priestess, Sionna. They had been close years ago and it took but a small amount of power to implant a need in her mind...a need for an old friend; Xena.

Then it had been just a matter of going to get his Warrior Princess, using Sionna as an excuse. He knew that Xena still felt for him as he felt for her and he knew that given an amount of time, he could convert her back to her former glory. He hadn't really counted on Xena stubbornly refusing to come without her sidekick AND a peasant girl they had picked up along the road somewhere. He clenched a fist and then relaxed, smiling slightly. His Xena was strong willed, he should have known she'd never leave her little friends behind and defenseless. And now he had her and it was only a matter of time before she was totally his again, thanks to his little plans.

Her weakness was her friends, especially Gabrielle. But she was strong willed also and would have fought being a servant. But not Meryll. The strange thing was that the girl Meryll herself, after that first time, had never complained again. No glares, nothing. And it baffled him. What game was she playing? He'd made her nothing more than his slave to irritate Xena and the girl didn't care! Ares concentrated on the mirror and nothing happened, he sat up straighter and a frown appeared between his brows. The mirror could find anyone, but he was unable to find Meryll.

"What is going on?" he asked himself, then he abandoned the mirror and searched for her with his mind. After a moment he relaxed as he found her by the river, for a split second he wondered why he had been unable to find her in the mirror, then it fled from his mind. He had a job for his little slave, involving a certain irritating blonde.

He appeared and then quickly moved behind a tree at the sight that greeted his eyes. She had a sword and was using it like an expert, the strokes perfect and measured. She moved it complexly, timing each thrust to the tree and despite himself he was impressed. But what was a peasant doing with a sword and how did she know how to use it so well?

And she was FURIOUS, by the look of it too...

Meryll narrowed her eyes, all her energy and concentration bent on her sword. She was furious at Ares and the world in general and she was using the sword to take it out on a defenseless tree! She growled and swung it smoothly, lopping of branches delicately, moving her feet like she was in some strange dance. Her brother had taught her this, how to place the feet, how to time everything and how to defend herself. So why was she a servant?

"Damn, damn, damn!" she yelled, stabbing viciously at the tree and imbedding it slightly, then withdrawing it and thrusting again. She spun around and her sword flew up smoothly, cutting off the lower branches. Her eyes glued to one branch and before it could even touch the ground, she had cut it into 8 pieces.

"I...don't...like him! I...hate this ...place, so why...do I...stay?" she muttered, lashing about with the sword furiously, skilled despite the anger she felt inside.

Why was she letting herself be used to get back at Xena, she knew exactly why she was Ares slave. He wanted Xena back and Xena would not leave without her, she knew. There was no way that she would leave Meryll with Ares. So here she was, with dishpan hands from washing dishes all afternoon, then she had been sent by Ara down to the river to wash clothes! After she had almost ripped on of the Priestess' garments she decided she needed to work out her frustrations and had summoned her sword.

"WHY AM I HERE?!" She punctuated each word with a vicious swipe to the trunk and deftly sliced off the bark, bit by bit while emphasizing the words.

This was meant to help her, relax her and level her thinking. But it wasn't working! She needed to fight someone, and a tree, was not a someone. As much as she would have liked it to be. She hacked furiously at the bared white of the tree under the bark, making criss-crossing marks and chunks flew in every direction. A flurry of splinters and dust sprayed in clouds and she squinted a little as it tried to get in her eyes.

"Arrgggggh!" she shouted, spinning rapidly, the sword launching from her hands smooth and quicker than the eye could see and burying almost to the hilt through the trunk of a tree behind her. She gaped as she saw Ares then, standing a foot from the tree she had just impaled and his face was...amused.

"Ah, Lord Ares..." Meryll's voice trailed off, not knowing what to say really. He had seen her practicing and she had not meant ANYONE to know she could fight!

"I see that you've been keeping secrets slave" Ares purred, reaching up to grasp the sword hilt and easily pulling the blade from the tree. He walked slowly towards her, aware that she was incredibly nervous of him and what he had seen. "And I see that you have quite a temper too"

"You never asked" was all she could manage as he stopped a few feet from her and ran a practiced eye over the sword blade. He frowned disapprovingly when he saw all the nicks in the metal and Meryll flushed bright red; her brother would have lectured her for days about misusing her weapon in such a manner! She snatched it out of his hands quickly and put it behind her back almost guiltily, then realized he had not said another word. She looked up at him to see him regarding her almost...maliciously. Waiting with one fine brow raised, for her answer.

"My brother was a soldier and he taught me how to use a sword" Meryll managed, wanting to be miles away. Ares looked beyond her at the tree and she followed his gaze, flushing again as she saw the hacked remains of the once beautiful tree.

"He taught you well, slave. I've never quite seen that style before" he said, almost to himself and Meryll shifted from one foot to the other.

"I have to finish the washing" she said abruptly, striding off and Ares laughed softly as he watched her walking so stiffly. Meryll was far more interesting than he had at first thought. And more skilled, he wondered what else she might be hiding from him.

Meryll's shoulders tingled as she felt Ares gaze on her and she hoped he would not ask WHERE she had gotten the sword. He watched her wash for a long while and then he left, she felt him go and slumped in relief.

"Fool!" she berated herself. She should have felt him there as soon as he had appeared, she had been taught how to sense a person's presence. Just how much he had seen, she was not sure and he had been remarkably calm about the whole thing also. Too calm.

"Xena" Ares voice said in her ear and her eyes shot open quickly, looking directly into his dark one's. He was on her bed, LYING ON TOP OF HER and his face was centimeters from her own! Her heart thundered in her ears at his closeness, then she schooled her face into calm and refused to move. The amusement in his eyes showed that he and read what was on her mind and she gritted her teeth.

"What do you want Ares, it's the middle of the night" Xena said smoothly and his brow lifted slightly, he moved to get more comfortable and his arms rested on either side of her face as he braced himself over her.

"So?" he moved closer till she could feel his breath on her face and she resisted the urge to close her eyes. "You never used to be so clumsy Xena, I was here five minutes before I even called your name and you never woke. And in such a...stimulating position too"

Her heart leapt and she felt every inch of his body as it lay upon hers, in fact, she was right on the verge of...Xena grimaced, her eyes narrowing. She gave no excuse for not having sensed him earlier, but her eyes clearly conveyed that she thought little of his words, he was a god after all and could move more silently than any mortal. If he had not wanted her to know he was there, she would not have.

"What do you want?" she repeated, shifting slightly and realizing that he was completely constricting any movement on her part, with the mere weight of his body. He smiled wickedly and she knew what was on his mind, but he never uttered it.

"That girl Meryll, I want to know where you found her and what you know of her" Xena's eyes narrowed again, Ares was interested in Meryll?

"We found her almost unconscious in the road, about a mile from where you came for me" Xena said, trying to read his face, but it gave nothing away.

"Unconscious?" he murmured, then looked into her eyes deeply. She felt a sinking sensation-along with a burning need-in her stomach as she looked into his dark eyes. It was like...complete darkness, warm, inviting...darkness...Xena bit her tongue till she felt blood and pulled her mind back from the feelings in her body, enough to concentrate on his question.

"She was feverish too. We had to make camp and looked after her till the fever broke..." She trailed off abruptly and his gaze sharpened.

"What is it?" he said quickly and she thought back to that night.

"It was strange" Xena began, remembering. "She got over the fever remarkably quickly, almost as soon as she woke and the next morning it was as if she had never been sick"

Ares said nothing, seeming to be deep in thought. Then something occurred to him and he looked down at her again.

"Did she have a sword with her when you found her?" he asked abruptly and Xena was suspicious.

"No, she had nothing at all" she said softly, wondering where that question had come from. "What's going on Ares, why all the interest in the girl? She's no Warrior, leave her be"

He ignored her words, seeming instead to be suddenly fascinated with the skin on her shoulders and neck. His hands came up to stroke along her arms and he lowered his head to touch his lips to her delicate throat. She almost groaned, his lips feeling like fire and then her drooping eyes shot open and she tried to push him off.

"Get off!" she hissed at him, furious that she had fallen under his spell for a moment. His eyes showed a momentary anger, then he shrugged and disappeared. Xena was furious with herself and after an hour she realized she wouldn't get back to sleep, why couldn't she ever resist Ares?

The next morning she walked into the hall and saw that Gabrielle was there as bright-eyed as usual and with her familiar smile of greeting. Xena knew that there were slight bags under her eyes from the sleepless night and she tried to smile.

"Xena, you look terrible" Gabrielle exclaimed, going to her friend's side.

"Is it so obvious?" Xena muttered. She put a hand on Gabrielle's shoulder and steered the blonde back to the table. "Just a little trouble sleeping"

"Uh, huh" Gabrielle said, seeming to accept it, but she kept looking at Xena from the corner of her eyes.

"Gabrielle I'm fine!" Xena finally snapped in exasperation and the blonde blushed in embarrassment. Then Meryll entered the hall, a wimple over her hair and brought them some freshly squeezed juice in a jug. She reached for Xena's cup but Xena pulled the object away, taking the jug from the girl's hands.

"I can serve myself Meryll" Xena said gently, looking up at the girl and seeing a vague unease, but she was grateful never-the-less.

"It's her duty, she's a servant" Ara said, coming to the table and standing over Meryll. The girl looked down at the jug and quickly went to Gabrielle's side to pour into her cup, Xena noticed that her hands were holding the jug so tightly that the knuckles were white.

"You're to go with Xanthe to the town for supplies" Ara instructed Meryll and the girl nodded, putting down the jug and leaving the room quickly.

"Don't interfere with Ares servants again Warrior Princess" Ara said, a slight threat in her voice and then she left the room, after a warning look in Xena's direction.

"Xena! This isn't fair, we have to help Meryll" Gabrielle burst out as soon as the Priestess had left and Xena was silent.

"We'll do nothing" she said and Gabrielle stared in shock.

"WHAT? Your not going to do a thing? Just let poor Meryll slave away for that maniac?" the blonde raged.

"Temper, temper. You should have been a red-head" Ares said, suddenly appearing in a chair at the opposite end of the table. He threw a leg over the arm carelessly and his eyes roved lazily over Xena and then Gabrielle.

"A red-head?! Why you...you-" the blonde spluttered and Xena touched her hand lightly. Ares eyes went to her face and a satisfied smile spread over his lips.

"Have trouble sleeping, Xena?" he inquired some-what maliciously, seeing the slight bags under her eyes. She didn't rise to the bait though and thoughtfully took a bite from a peach.

"Not at all, I slept like a log" she said calmly, ignoring the look Gabrielle gave to her for the blatant lie. Then she became suspicious and looked from the god to her friend, something had gone on between then, she was certain. She opened her mouth to ask just what that 'something' had been when the sound of running footsteps came and Priestess pushed the doors open forcefully.

"Lord Ares, forgive me. But Sionna's baby is coming!" Terra gasped, wiping a bloodied hand on a cloth. Ares stiffened slightly, but didn't move as Xena and Gabrielle got to their feet hurriedly.

"Xena will help her" he said noncommittally and the Priestess didn't even blink at his behavior. She bowed and left, Xena close on her heals.

"Push Sionna, it's almost there!" Xena urged and the mother gave one last push before the baby slithered out, covered in blood. Sionna gasped for breath and waited to hear her baby's cry, but there was none and Gabrielle looked anguished.

"On Xena" she murmured, her eyes on the still bundle in her friend's hands.

"NO!" Sionna screamed, the heartbroken wail echoing through out the Temple and then she reached her hands out for the bundle.

"Give my baby to me" she commanded but Xena wiped the baby clean and wrapped it in a white cloth resolutely.

"It's better if you don't see him" she murmured gently. Sionna struggled up in bed while Gabrielle tried to keep her there.

"You're still bleeding, stay still!" she almost shouted, watching as Ara wiped the blood from the mother's legs and tried to keep her still also.

"I want my baby!" Sionna shouted, tears streaming down her cheeks and Xena reluctantly handed the infant over. Sionna rested him on her chest and looked into the face, taking in the tuffs of dark hair. Xena watched her carefully, it was never good to see the baby when it had died. The mothers got too attached, then believed that perhaps they had never died and then-she looked closer and a grim smile played about her mouth. The child's coloring was unmistakable; the child was Ares son.

"I want to sleep now" Sionna murmured, closing her eyes and her arms were tight about her baby. Gabrielle, Ara and Xena exchanged glances and then left the room.

"I'll take the babe when she is asleep" Ara whispered, almost nice. Then her face hardened and she walked swiftly away.

"Poor Sionna" Gabrielle said, wiping a tear from her eye, but Xena's thought's were on the God of War.

Ares sat still in his throne, idly watching the war going on in his mirror. The slight footsteps came to his hearing and Ara entered the room after a hesitant knock.

"The boy-child is dead, Lord Ares" she reported and he gave her a slight look before turning back to the mirror. She bowed and left again, not knowing her Gods mind. Had he even cared that his son had just died?

Ares watched the war and slaughter, then slowly his hand tightened. It shot out, a blast of light surging into the mirror and the soldiers viewed therein were suddenly obliterated.

Chapter Three

The man stared at the girl narrowly, assessing her worn clothes and then looked at the small bag of money that was clutched in her hands.

"5 dinars" he said flatly and he watched with some interested-trying not to gloat-as she reached into the bag and pulled out the dinars. She counted them out hesitantly, almost as if she had never seen them before and then she held them out to him.

"Here" she said and he reached for then, smiling oily when another hand shot out and covered the girl's hand, closing them tightly.

"Are you trying to rob the girl, Merchant?" a voice inquired, softly menacing and the merchant paled. Meryll turned and looked into the pretty face of a girl about her age, long dark hair spilling down her back and dark eyes glinting with menace at the merchant. The girl wore a dagger at her left hip, a white hilted sword on the right and she was wearing a leaf-green dress that came to her knee's, brown boots that came half way up her calf's.

"I-I...of course not, Lady. I meant 1 dinar of course" Meryll watched with interest as the man practically fawned before the girl and lower his price abruptly. His eyes kept slipping to the medallion hanging about her neck and Meryll's eyes skimmed over it briefly, seeing a flame symbol.

"Of course you didn't" the girl purred silkily. She opened Meryll's hand and took out 1 dinars, urging the girl to put the rest away quickly. Meryll picked up the sack of grain and the bag full of fruit and vegetables that she had bought earlier.

"Th-thank you. And come again" he said, stuttering. The girl snorted and led Meryll away, taking the sack of grain from her helpfully. They walked for a while in silence and Meryll looked around for Xanthe, the nice Priestess she had come to town with. Mylithia the place was called, a fair-sized town a few days ride from Neapolis, Xanthe had told her. The Priestess had been a welcome surprise from Ara, who treated Meryll with contempt. Xanthe had been very nice and had gone off to look after something while instructing Meryll on what to buy.

"Are you a fool? Have you no concept of worth?" the girl suddenly rounded on Meryll and she stared, shocked at her savior.

"I-I" Meryll said, unable to tell the girl that she had never dealt with Dinars, nor had to haggle for her food, in her life.

"I thought so. Did your Master not teach you how to haggle? Or to watch out for greedy merchants?" she looked hard at Meryll, who squirmed uncomfortably under the gaze.

"No, I guess I didn't know what to expect of this place" Meryll said truthfully, but she was really thinking about the whole time she was in. What sort of terrible century was this anyway? The girl's face softened when she saw how uncomfortable Meryll was and offered her name as an apology.

"I am Celeste" she said simply and Meryll remembered that the Merchant had called Celeste 'Lady'. She glanced enquiringly at the girl but she didn't answer Meryll's unspoken question, so Meryll dropped it.

"And I am Meryll" she introduced herself and suddenly wished that she could tell this strange girl her real name, but she couldn't and the words stuck in her throat. Meryll felt instinctively that she could trust Celeste and wanted to tell her everything.

"Where are you headed Meryll, I will help you take these back" the girl offered and Meryll flashed her a smile, then it faltered when it cam to telling Celeste where she was from.

"I don't know if you would help me, if you knew where I am going" Meryll muttered dubiously and Celeste threw her a smile.

"Oh come now, it can't be that bad"

"All right-the Temple of Ares" Meryll said in a rush and almost fell into Celeste when the girl stopped abruptly. Celeste's smile faded so fast that Meryll's heart sank and Celeste's eyes were accusing.

"Ares? You serve as a servant in his Temple?" Celeste was furiously angry and her hand went to her sword instinctively, Meryll's hands tightened about the bag of vegetables, almost summoning her sword to defend herself. That Celeste and anyone else around could see her using sorcery be damned, she opened her mouth and then saw Celeste relax.

"You were right now to tell me Meryll, but I suppose you cannot choose your lot in life" Celeste sighed, fingers going to her medallion. Her brown eyes were far away and Meryll had the feeling that she didn't even realize that Meryll was still there.

"No, you can't" Meryll agreed, looking around again for Xanthe.

"Tell me, how did you come to be a servant in the accused Gods Temple? Are you the daughter of one of his Priestess' perhaps?" Celeste asked softly and Meryll thought quickly, wondering if she should lie.

"No" Meryll sighed. "It all happened so fast really, but I am here in town with one of his Priestess'" Meryll looked around more urgently and finally spotted the golden-blonde of Xanthe's shoulder-length hair, she was talking with a man and he was sweating desperately. She could see why, the black clothes that Xanthe wore and the Medallion of Ares about her neck was enough to scare any man.

"Is that her? I will leave you here then" Celeste said, she gave Meryll a soft look and then put the sack of grain on the ground. Then she turned and was swallowed into the crowd. Meryll pulled the sack closer with her foot and placed the other one next to it, opening her mouth to call to Xanthe. But a hand suddenly covered hers and she was dragged into a alley, in view of everyone! She glanced around frantically, but no one seemed to want to interfere and she was dragged further in till only she and her attacker were there.

"Mmmmp mm mmmp!" Meryll half-yelled, trying to be heard past the filthy hand over her mouth and it was finally pulled away. She was spun around to look into the face of her attacker, a peasant such as herself. And behind him a few men came out of the shadows, swords at their sides and in leather clothing.

"She's not much, couldn't you have done better than that, Mersa?" a man demanded, he was standing slightly to the side and appeared to be the leader of the bunch.

"She was alone and I grabbed her-look, she has money!" Mersa whined, then snatched the bag of money from Meryll's dress belt. The Dinars chinked and the leader's eyes glinted.

"It will do I suppose, but we might have trouble selling HER. Look at her, she'd so plain" another grumbled and Meryll straightened indignantly. She knew she looked plain, but he had no right to say it.

"Wait a second-SELL?" she yelled, catching onto the first sentence uttered and freezing in shock. A rope was brought forward and her hands tied roughly behind her back before she could blink.

"That's right girl and you'd better be good unless you want your throat cut!" the leader hissed at her, coming close and she gasped at his bad breath. He noticed and slapped her. Her head snapped back and then the anger overcame the fear and revulsion and her vision sharpened, her head came back and she eyed the man with hatred. He stepped back slightly in fear, not sure why he was shivering at the look the girl was giving them all. The temperature seemed to have dropped and the girl stood straighter in her bonds, her eyes seeming to burn slowly red.

"No one is selling her!" a voice rang out and Meryll's concentration was broken, for a moment she was still locked into battle mode and then she slumped in relief as she recognized Xanthe's voice. They all looked towards the entrance of the ally and saw her standing there, sword already drawn. Behind her was Celeste and Meryll couldn't say when she was gladder to see someone, perhaps for the sakes of her attackers.

"Get them!" the leader yelled and two or three ran forward but the other's hesitated. "What's wrong with you?!" he shouted at them.

"We aren't mad, like them!" a small guy said, pointing shakily to where the men already lay dead at the feet of Celeste and Xanthe.

"Yeah! Don't you recognize a Priestess of Ares and a hand-maiden of the Oracle?" Mersa almost screamed, taking off as Celeste advanced. The leader looked closer and saw that they were right, he blanched and motion for his men to follow as he rapidly left the scene. Meryll closed her eyes and slumped against the wall...she had almost-

"Meryll, child are you all right?" Xanthe's soft voice came to her and she opened her eyes almost reluctantly, if they hadn't have come she would have killed them all without mercy. She was capable of it, she knew. More than.

"I'm fine, thank you for coming" Meryll's voice sounded distant even to herself and she was feeling a little faint. Arms came about her and she cracked her eyes open to see that Celeste was half-carrying her back out of the alley while Xanthe was watching their back. Once back into the light and sound of the markets, Meryll pushed herself away and stood on her own, the incident fading.

"Come, we must go back to the Temple...thank you for aiding us Celeste, if it wasn't for you I would not have even known Meryll was here" Xanthe was saying as Meryll picked up the sack of grain and the Priestess went to get a horse from the man she had been talking to earlier. They loaded the sacks onto the side's of the saddle and then Xanthe climbed on while Meryll walked. Celeste waved as they rode off and Meryll looked back once to see that the hand-maiden of the Oracle was holding her dagger and it was pointed directly at Meryll. It wasn't the dagger that startled Meryll though, it was the baffled look on Celeste's face...

Celeste watched as Meryll and Xanthe rode off, wondering if she would ever see Meryll again. She had quite liked the girl. She went to walk away and her hand brushed the dagger at her side, sending a tingling down her arm and she pulled it out swiftly. The dagger was quite beautiful with it's engraved silver hilt and in the center of the blade was a small Silver stone, in the shape of a flame. At first glance it appeared as silver as the rest of the blade but then it began to glow softly with the orange-red of a real fire, she pointed it towards the two disappearing and it pulsed as it settled on Xanthe.

"Oh, this is too rich" Celeste chuckled as the stone turned white instantly, revealing the pure soul inside the girl. A priestess of Ares was of the light! "How could he have over-looked that?" she demanded of herself, then absently leveled the blade at Meryll. The flame went quickly back to silver and refused to change to either black or white, revealing the soul beneath the surface.

"What?!" she exclaimed, she shook the dagger, then turned to point it at herself, it turned instantly white and she thrust it out at the crowd around her. She watched as the flame changed black and white, depend upon who it aimed at. "It's not damaged, so why aren't I getting anything from HER?"

Celeste aimed it again at Meryll's back and was baffled when it stubbornly remained silver, the girl turned around once and Celeste couldn't hide her surprise at the daggers refusal to show if the girl were good or evil. A nervous look crossed Meryll's face as she looked back and saw the dagger aimed at her back and Celeste tried to summon a reassuring smile, seeing that the girl had been afraid she was going to throw it at her back.

"She MUST have a soul, so why isn't it showing!" Celeste demanded again when the two had gone out of sight. She had to tell the Oracle about this.

She was silent on the way back to the Temple and felt Xanthe frequently looking in her direction from atop the brown horse, but it made no difference to Meryll. She was depressed, terribly and wanted to go home more than anything. To think that she had almost killed them all, had been so close to using her sword...and perhaps her powers also. Something that her father and brother had stressed to her never to do, never use her powers out of hate...or fear.

"Meryll" Xanthe said softly, stopping the horse and Meryll tilted her head back to look at the blonde girl, who's blue eyes were filled with compassion. "Don't blame yourself, they could have taken anyone"

"I suppose" Meryll said bitterly, the kind Priestess had no real idea of what Meryll was really feeling. Yet she summoned a smile for Xanthe's benefit and they again started towards Ares Temple.

"Xanthe, tell me. Does-" Meryll's voice broke off suddenly as a terrible sense of wrongness came to her, she shivered as if from an icy hand and looked in the direction where the Temple was barely visible in the distance.

"What's wrong?" Xanthe asked sharply as Meryll winced and clutched at her head, a cry of pain escaping her lips.

"The child, the child is dead!" she gasped, not really aware of what she said, but Xanthe never hesitated. She reached over and pulled Meryll up onto the horse behind her and took off so fast that Meryll had to clutch wildly at the Priestess's sword-belt. They made it in record time, entering the courtyard with grim faces and Meryll slid from the back, running inside. Once in sight of Sionna's room, however, she stopped dead and stared at the closed door in dread. Xanthe ran past her, looking back in confusion when she saw that Meryll was not moving.

"I can't" Meryll mouthed soundlessly, clutching her hands together and Xanthe gave a curt nod, disappearing into the room and closing the door behind her. She emerged a moment later, tears in her eyes and she looked at Meryll with wide eyes.

"How did you know?" she whispered, coming towards Meryll, then her eyes went past her. Meryll turned to see Xena walking down the hall towards them, her face grave.

"You know? We did all we could, but the child was still-born" Xena said quietly, stopping next to Meryll and facing Xanthe.

"Poor Sionna, she's still clutching the babe to her breast as if it lives" Xanthe told them, her voice shaking and then she walked away. They watched her go and Xena turned to Meryll.

"I have to take the baby from her, before she wakes. It's for the best" the woman sounded slightly unsure, for the first time and Meryll detected a slight tremor underneath.

"Does HE know?" Meryll said abruptly and Xena looked startled.

"How did you-? Yes, he knows" Xena said dryly, remembering the destruction in his throne room. After she had left Sionna, she had gone to tell Ares, but he was not anywhere to be found. The ruins of the room were visible however, broken vases, chandelier and the tapestries on the wall shredded. She wondered how Meryll had known that it was Ares child, had she even seen it?

"Let her sleep for a while longer with the child, Xena" Meryll's soft voice came to Xena and she looked down into the brown eyes. Her mouth opened to constrict the girl, but nothing cam out as soon as she looked into the dark brown. Meryll stared intently at Xena, calling her power forth and she spoke in a slow hypnotic tone.

"Let her have the child, go back to Gabrielle and forget that you came here to take the boy" Meryll said softly, Xena eyes were locked onto hers and after a moment the Warrior Princess nodded. Meryll watched as she blinked and looked around dazed, then walked off without a word. Meryll hated to do that to her friend, but there was something she had to do before anyone found out. She walked quickly to Sionna's room and closed the door, locking it behind her. The baby was lying dead, wrapped in a cloth on his mother's breast.

Sionna was asleep and Meryll carefully pulled the bundle away from the clutching hands, turning away with the baby and placing it on a table near the bed. She pulled back the blanket and stared at the little face, so still and white, the body so cold. Perhaps...she had never done this before, not many had the power. And it was dangerous, so dangerous because it could kill the person who tried.

"Let this work, please let this work" she muttered, unwrapping the baby till it's little chest was visible and she placed a hand over the heart. She took a deep breath and concentrated, her whole being focused on the baby's heart. At first, nothing seemed to happen and then a slow white light appeared around her hand. Then it spread, more quickly, till the whole baby was covered in a shimmering light. Sweat broke out on her forehead and she threw herself whole-heartedly into the thing, something seemed to be blocking her however and after a moment she was forced to stop.

"What is wrong? Something..." she closed her eyes and let all thought leave her mind, all but the need to heal, the need for more power. And suddenly it happened, a warm tingling encompassed her entire body and she felt...powerful. So powerful, like she could do anything! And changed, she felt completely different. Her eyes opened and she reached out one hand to the baby again, as soon as her skin touched his a blinding light spilled forth and into him. She felt it surge out of her and gasped, feeling drained. The baby suddenly took a breath and the light died, she collapsed to her knee's and panted loudly, trying to get her breath.

The baby took another deep breath and wailed, it's small howl of protest loud enough to wake the dead and someone darted past Meryll. She looked up and saw that it was Sionna, who had snatched up the baby and was laughing and crying at the same time.

"I don't believe it, it's a miracle!" Sionna cried, rocking the baby and her green eyes were filled with wonder and awe as she looked down at the kneeling Meryll. "Oh Meryll! How did you do it?"

"I...don't really know" Meryll said slowly, feeling like a wilted flower and then the skin on the back of her neck stood up and she knew Ares would appear any second. "Don't say a word!" she hissed, just as he appeared and looked around with slightly wild eyes.

"What was THAT? I felt a great power-Sionna? The child is ALIVE?" he said incredulously and she proudly held the child out to him, he took it and looked down into the green eyes. Meryll moved slightly, trying to get to her feet without him noticing her. She was out of luck and he spun towards her, dark eyes widening when they alighted upon her.

"Who is this, Sionna?" he demanded and Meryll's eyes widened in surprise, wondering why he didn't know her. She turned to Sionna, who was looking chagrined and then Meryll backed away. She almost tripped over her hem and looked down quickly, seeing with shock that she appeared to be wearing a long white dress. The material so soft, like silk and the long sleeves and hem and bodice were embroidered delicately.

"I have to go!" she said desperately, eyes wide. Sionna looked shocked, Ares somewhat angry and curious at the same time and Meryll didn't waste a moment more. Whirling around and summoning her power swiftly, she disappeared. Ares looked furious as he handed the child back to Sionna almost roughly and disappeared also, in a swirl of light.

"Oh, dear" was all Sionna could think of as she clutched the baby and hoped that Ares wouldn't catch Meryll...if that was who she really was for she had looked nothing like the girl she knew.

Meryll's flight took her to the river automatically, associating it with safety and solitude. She put up a shield about her mind so that Ares could not track her and then walked slowly to the water, staring into it unseeing. What had happened? When had her power become so great and why had she no doubts in her mind what-so-ever that she would be able to bring the baby back to life. It had seemed, almost...automatic, natural to use her power in such a manner. She had hardly used it in the past, her brother having reminded her over and over that it was special. That not everyone would have it, or accept it in others. They would fear it and despise the owners and so she had hidden it gladly. Until now.

"Why?" she murmured, sitting down on the bank and running a hand through the cool water. She looked down at her reflection and blinked, pulling her hand out so fast that droplets sprayed in every direction and almost drenched her. There, in the water, was her true self. Aurelia, not Meryll, the girl she had been pretending to be. The long black hair and the deep green eyes, the creamy white skin and the face that so many had told her was beautiful.

"So that's why I couldn't use my powers properly, I had to be myself for it to work!" Aurelia exclaimed in delight and shock. Whoever had sent her back to this time and giving her the illusion of Meryll had been no match for her powers and as soon as she had used them, their power over her had worn off! The surprise wore off rather quickly when she realized that she could not return looking like that and she was stuck with how to change her back to looking like Meryll. She got to her feet and brushed the dirt from her white dress, while thinking hard. Aurelia's green eyes narrowed and the gestured, feeling the change come over her slowly, almost like being under water. A second later she went back to the water and glanced in almost timidly, relieved when she saw Meryll staring back at her.

"Well thank the Gods for THAT!"

Xena swung her sword up swiftly, blocking the blade that had been aimed at her chest. The blade was withdrawn and quickly hacked down at her knee's, so she jumped over it and spun around, aiming for her opponents neck. It was parried quickly and she gave a cry as she leapt over the girl's head and landed behind her, the sword descended towards the girl's back but the sword blade blocked it as the girl spun around to face Xena.

"Aiming for the back , Xena?" Xanthe taunted sweetly and Xena grinned back in response.

"I knew you could take it, aiyiyiyiyi!" she cried again, attacking the Priestess quickly and was impressed when Xanthe managed to block most of the blows. Then she slipped up a second later and Xena's blade grazed her arm. The warrior Princess immediately put up her sword and they stopped, Xanthe giving Xena a wry look.

"I'm no match for you, no wonder you were Ares favorite" Xanthe gasped, trying to get her breath back and slightly disgusted that Xena was not even breathing hard. Not even sweating for that matter, whereas the Priestess was drenched from their work-out.

"Was" Xena said, emphasizing the word and as if he had heard his name, Ares appeared in his usual light show. So fast in fact that Xena had no warning of his presence at all...and he looked FURIOUS.

"Have you seen-" he began angrily, his dark eyes flashing about the place, then he gave a silent snarl and disappeared again. Xena and Xanthe stared at each other with mouths open.

Gabrielle rubbed at her hair with the cloth, shivering with delight as the warm water slid over her skin. It was wonderful to finally be having a warm bath, a change from the river and she was enjoying every moment. She began to hum a tune as she thought about the scroll she would be writing about this adventure. Who would have thought that Xena and she would be staying as guests in ARES Temple!

"I just don't believe it, this is gonna be a great scroll when I've finished with...itttttttttttt!" the last word was screeched as a burst of light appeared a foot from her tub and Ares stepped out.

"Arrggggggggggh!" Gabrielle screamed, trying to frantically reach for the cloth just beyond her reach. Ares looked around briefly, looking very much occupied and Gabrielle stared in shock as she released that he had not even noticed her! He finished his swift perusal of the room and then the light burst around him again, she relaxed then a second before he disappeared entirely, he looked down and smirked.

"Why you-! Xena!" Gabrielle shrieked. She dashed from the tub and frantically wiped herself off, throwing on her clothes and dashing out of the room with staff in hand. "That, that-!" Gabrielle muttered, running along the hall in search of her friend and glaring around darkly. She found the Warrior Princess in a large room at the back of the Temple, still holding her sword and Xanthe and she looking slightly baffled.

"Let me guess" Xena said dryly, eyes on Gabrielle's still dripping hair and furious face. "Ares paid you an unexpected visit"

Gabrielle dropped into a seat, fingers flexing convulsively around her staff. She gave her friend a dirty look. "How did you guess?"

Meryll looked around quickly and then darted through the tree's, her eyes moving swiftly over the surrounding area. It was late afternoon and everyone else was eating in the hall, but she had decided to skip it and had slipped out of the door before it was closed. The guard had her back turn and had not seen the small brown shape slipping up from behind her. It had taken but one look in another direction and Meryll was out the door in a moment. She headed into the closest bunch of tree's and darted quickly into them, her brown cloak blending into the foliage easily.

"What am I doing? I know they'll come looking for me!" she gasped, running faster and an uneasy feeling of being followed crept into her mind. She stopped abruptly and looked around, trying to see any movement that was not an animal or the sway of the trees. There was nothing and she relaxed, taking off again and soon her gait dissolved into a smoother one, giving her the feeling of flying.

It was exhilarating, the feeling and she almost laughed aloud. Then the feeling of being followed came to her again and this time she did not even stop, merely peered around as she ran. This time she caught the slightest movement of something black a few meters behind her. She stopped again and leant into a tree, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. She looked around the tree, face pressed closely into the bark and only one eyes visible to any who were following. At first she saw nothing, just the movement of the tree's, she was very worried because whoever was following her was good. A hunter who knew not to step on any twigs and could keep carefully concealed from her sight.

Black wasn't exactly a blending colour, the wood around them being green and brown...but of the person, there was no sight. It was as if the figure had vanished. Suddenly a twig snapped from behind her and she spun around, startled. Her wide gaze took in the rabbit at her feet and it seemed similarly frightened at her sudden movement. It ran off into the woods and Meryll relaxed. She had been so still that the poor thing had probably thought she was a part of the tree. She slowly turned back and gave a startled gasp when her face smashed into something soft.

"What?" Meryll gasped, falling back slightly and her wide gaze followed the soft black cloak up to a leather vest and she swallowed silently. Her eyes fell back down and came upon a beautiful sword hilt and scabbard. Then to the black pant and boots. Please don't be who I think it is, Meryll prayed silently.

"Well, well. Out for an afternoon stroll servant?" a deep, masculine voice drawled and Meryll's eyes shot up to meet the dark one's of Ares. He was smiling slightly, his eyes malicious and she knew she was in trouble.

"Uh-" she started, not sure what to say and he crossed his arms. Leaning back against the tree and regarding her in a mocking manner.

"Has the cat caught your tongue then?" he inquired silkily and she looked down, keeping her eyes to the ground so that he would not see the defiance in them.

"Something like that" she muttered, looking away. After she had returned to the Temple the day before, she had met several baffled Priestess', an furious Gabrielle and an amused Xena. It had not taken long to find out that Ares had gone wild looking for the mysterious girl he had found in Sionna's room and she had been slightly afraid at the reaction. She couldn't really blame him however, only the GODS had the sort of power she had shown. Not even Hercules could bring people back to the dead!

"Well?" Ares pressed and she looked back to him, startlement clear in her eyes...and also fear.

"I just wanted some time alone, Lord Ares" she said, trying to explain and knowing at the same time that he wouldn't care.

"Servants have breaks when they are given leave, not when they feel like it!" he said menacingly and she backed away carefully.

"But you never give me breaks!" she protested, feeling behind her for a tree and pulling herself slowly around it. He followed, step-by-step and she realized quickly that she was making no ground at all.

"Servants don't get breaks! They get punished for disobeying their Masters" he almost purred and Meryll swallowed, edging back further. He had stopped and was watching her slowly backing away with an amused expression, his eyes mocking her openly. You can't escape a God! His eyes seemed to say to her and she felt a sudden anger. How dare he treat her like this, she had agreed to become his slave only because it suited her, not because he had threatened her!

"I'll quit then, servants CAN do that!" she retorted with spirit, coming to a stop against a tree and he came forward steadily, eyes on hers.

"Oh, but you forget. I didn't hire you, you offered"

"Huh!" Meryll burst out before she could stop herself.

"You offered to KILL me!" she yelled, then clapped both hands over her mouth in horror, sure that he would strike her dead for her words at any second. She peeked up at him and saw that he was watching her expressionlessly, eyes intent.

"I don't know what do make of you" he said under his breath and Meryll lowered her hands uncertainly.

"What?" she whispered, unsure that she had heart him right and he suddenly glared menacingly.

"I said get back to the Temple" he said, darkly. "Now!"

Meryll didn't wait a second longer and spun around, running back the way she had come, swiftly as a deer. She felt his eyes on her back and wondered, not for the first time, why a servant such as herself was of such interest to The God of War...

Celeste rode hard towards the Temple, urging her brown horse on with encouraging words. It came in sight and she kicked her horse into a gallop, speeding into the courtyard at an unseemly rate.

"Celeste? Have you found the Messiah, you returned soon" a hand-maiden such as herself came running out of the Temple and stopped breathlessly by her friend.

"Lorelei, go to the Oracle, tell her I have some strange news that I must tell her. But first I must bath to enter the Temple" Celeste ordered curtly, striding off, confident that her friend would do exactly as she had said. After bathing herself and changing her clothes at the river, she went slowly into the Temple. The Oracle met her in the center of an outer room and Celeste knelt before her, arm crossed over her chest in respect.

"Lady, I have news for you" Celeste rose to her feet and a slightly confused look crossed her face. "It is strange, I met a girl in the markets of-"

The Oracle interrupted her with a soft smile and a gesture of her slender hand. "I know, I saw a vision of the girl. She is not the one however, but one close to her"

Celeste's mouth fell open in dismay and she realized she had come back 2 days ride merely to be told that she had not found the right person.

"But the dagger!" she protested and a slight frown crossed the Oracle's beautiful face, then she spun away and her hair floated around her like a silken wave.

"I know, that is very strange...but I know that I see right, she is not the one" the Oracle said gently, turning her head back after a moments thought. Celeste felt her heart sink to her feet and then her eyes were caught by the silver one's of her Mistress and she felt a warmth solely for her wash over her.

"Go back, you were close my child. Seek one close to her"

"But Lady! She was from the Temple of ARES!" Celeste cried out, shocked and their were gasps from several other of the hand-maidens in the room. The Oracle's eyes widened and Celeste saw with shock, that her Mistress had not known.

"Ares?" the Oracle faltered, passing a hand over her eyes as if terribly weary. "I-I had not seen that...some things are hidden from me" she whispered. Celeste exchanged glances with Lorelei and Celeste shrugged slightly, they had now known that their Mistress did not see ALL from her visions.

"I can't do anything, Lady. Ares himself watches over his Priestess', I could not even impersonate on of them!" Celeste protested, not wanting to upset her Mistress, but needing to voice her worries.

"Child" the Oracle began, then fell silent. Her eyes fluttered shut and she stiffened, Celeste recognized the beginnings of a vision coming on and ordered for a chair to be brought for the Oracle.

"Quickly!" she commanded, catching her Mistress as she fell, as if brushed over by a mighty hand. They sat her down and waited, waited till the sun had set in the sky. And finally, the Oracle opened her eyes. She looked pale and delicate, like a breeze could blow her away, but she looked straight at Celeste.

"She...will find us"

Chapter Four

Meryll entered Sionna's room almost timidly, having been summoned there by Ara. The Priestess really didn't like Meryll and had watched her carefully until they reached Sionna's room, then Meryll had been thrust inside and Ara left.

"Ah, Meryll. I've been looking for you" Sionna said from the fire-side. She was holding the baby and rocking it gently, a soft smile on her face.

"Well, here I am" Meryll said hesitantly, moving a little further into the room and looking a the chair across from Sionna. The Priestess nodded and Meryll seated herself, conscious that she was a mere servant to Sionna and the others in the Temple and had to act like one.

"I wanted to thank you, for bringing him back...I know he was dead." she fell silent, lifting a hand to stroke at the baby's face.

"Sionna I-"

"No, don't say anything. I don't know how you did it, just that you have a great power within you." Sionna said softly, interrupting Meryll's words and the look she directed at the girl was full of affection.

"I know, it scares me sometimes" Meryll murmured, twisting her hands together in her lap.

"Don't let it, it's a gift from the Gods. You saved my son's life and soul, Hades knows how, but you brought him back from the dead"

"I-had to" Meryll told her hesitantly, at a loss to know why she had said those words, but they had been true. She had felt an overwhelming compulsion to save the child...felt his death in fact. An acute pain in the chest that had left her gasping and with a need to go straight to him, no matter what the cost.

"Which is why I want you to name the baby"

"Me? But Sionna, he's yours and his. Ares should be the one to name his son!" Meryll's protested in shock, she stared at the Priestess as if her senses had left her.

"No arguments" Sionna commanded, "You of all people deserve the right to name him" Sionna said softly and Meryll sank back further into her chair. Why? Why did Sionna want her to name Ares child.

"All right.  Let me think a moment" Meryll said finally, getting to her feet and going to the window. She pulled aside the curtain and opened the shutter slightly, just enough to look up at the night sky. She had a name, it had come to her as soon as Sionna had asked it of her. Popped into her mind as if put there. Destiny. It was her destiny to name the child.

"Marius" Meryll said abruptly, after a few minutes. She closed the shuttered and faced the room again, meeting Sionna's surprised eyes.

"Marius? It sounds-foreign" Sionna said dubiously and Meryll laughed lightly.

"It's Roman, they call Ares by the name of Mars in their country. Marius is...Marius comes from Mars. I thought it fitting because it means, the conqueror" it was Sionna who laughed this time.

"The Conqueror. My son...I like it!" she exclaimed in delight, smiling happily at Meryll. Meryll however had a sinking feeling, for no reason she could define. It was as if a premonition of doom had come over her, by just naming the child.

"Marius!" Meryll repeated, eyes on the mother and child. The night suddenly didn't feel quite so warm.

Xena crept along the hall swiftly, placing her feet careful as to make no the slightest sound. Footsteps came down the hall and she looked around quickly, then up at the beams holding the roof. A moment later she watched from above as three Priestess' walked under her, then into a room further down. She looked up at the beams she was standing on and followed them with her eyes, grinning as she saw that it would be easy if she just stayed up in the roof.

"Easy" she repeated to herself out loud, the grin still in place as she nimbly walked along the beams till she reached Sionna's room. Several people had passed underneath her but never thought to look up and the only person she could think of that could pose any problem, was Ares himself. Xena dropped down after checking for people and slipped quickly up to Sionna's door. She heard voices immediately and pressed her ear to the door, identifying Sionna's and Meryll's voices.

["-name the baby"]

["Me? But Sionna, he's yours and his. Ares should be the one to name his son!"] Meryll's voice protested and Xena's eyes narrowed, how did Meryll know that it was Ares son?

["No arguments, you of all people deserve the right to name him"] Sionna said softly and Xena's frown intensified. 'You of all people deserve to name him'? What did that mean?

["All right.  Let me think a moment"] there was silence and Xena lifted her head to look around the corridor again, listening for footsteps but hearing none.

["Marius"] Meryll said abruptly, after a few minutes and Xena was surprised.

"The Conqueror" she murmured, wondering where Meryll got the name. It was Roman, she knew. Meaning the conqueror. "A fitting name for Ares son" she said dryly and went back to listening again.

["Marius? It sounds-foreign"] Sionna said dubiously and Meryll laughed.

["It's Roman, they call Ares by the name of Mars in their country. Marius is...Marius comes from Mars. I thought it fitting because it means, The Conqueror"] it was Sionna who laughed this time. Then Xena felt a warm breath on the back of her neck and she spun around, almost smashing her nose in Ares chest.

"Xena. Reduced to listening at key holes? Oh, how the mighty have fallen!" Ares mocked, crossing his arms and Xena stared back calmly.

"I needed to find out something and this was the quickest method" she told him calmly, walking off and knowing he would follow.

"Quicker than asking?" he laughed and Xena clenched a fist, turning quickly and launching it, only to have it caught in one of Ares own. He tightened his grip when she struggled to be free and looked deeply into her glaring eyes.

"Let. Me. Go" she said slowly, threat in her voice and she was dying to hit that smirk off his face!

"Oh, but I enjoy seeing that fire in you." he leaned in close, letting her fist go. "Let it out, Xena" he whispered. She felt his breath on her face and the smell of him was intoxicating, a male and definitely attractive to her.

"You wouldn't like it if I did" she told him softly, stepping back from the hand he had raised to touch her face. "Go play with someone else, Ares"

"Oh, but I really like playing with you, Xena" he said intently, his eyes darkening. They were affecting each other and Xena knew it would only be a matter of time till she gave into that attraction between them. The tension that was there every time they met, had been there right from the beginning.

"Xena! There you are!" Gabrielle's voice broke into their thoughts and Ares eyes showed a blazing hatred for a moment before he disappeared in a flash of light. Xena was left to stare dazedly at the spot he had been standing till Gabrielle waved a hand over her eyes and she snapped out of it.

"Oh, Gabrielle. What is it?" Xena said in a strong voice, trying to cover the emotion thick under her voice.

"You're sure acting strange, Xena. Anyway, I wanted to know if you wanted to come for a midnight swim with Xanthe and some others" the blonde grinned in excitement. "There's a full moon tonight and Xanthe said it's best then"

Xena straightened, pushing the feelings to the back of her mind and concentrated on Gabrielle.

"A night swim, sounds great. Wouldn't miss it" her eyes darkened, a mischievous smile playing about her lips as they started down the hall.

"I'm sure Ares won't"

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed as she watched Meryll clean the floor, the girl never complained! Not once that she or Xena had seen, she hadn't cared that she was being used as a servant.

"You missed a spot" Ara pointed out waspishly as Meryll moved the broom and the girl just swept where the Priestess had indicated.

"When you finish here, there are dirty dishes to be done and beds to be made" Ara told Meryll, who merely nodded, but seemed absorbed in her work. The Priestess stood around for another moment, then decided she was too important to be watching a servant and stormed off.

"Take a break Meryll, have some of this juice-it's...fresh" Gabrielle blushed, remembering belatedly that Meryll had been the one to squeeze the juice. "umm"

"Sure, why not" the brunette sighed, slumping down into a chair next to Gabrielle and the blonde noticed bags under Meryll's eyes.

"Haven't you been sleeping?"

"It not that.  I've...had a lot on my mind lately that all" Meryll said wearily, closing her eyes and putting her mug of juice to her forehead as if to absorb the coolness.

"Meryll!" a voice said loudly and Gabrielle started violently, then grimaced. Another Priestess wanting Meryll to do some terrible chore, couldn't they leave her alone? She looked at Meryll and saw that the girl hadn't move, but there was a slight smile playing about her mouth as footsteps came closer.

"Meryll!" Gabrielle hissed, not wanting the girl to be beaten. It was Sionna who entered the hall, looking harried and carrying little Marius on one arm.

"There you are! I've been looking for you and Ara wouldn't give me a straight answer" Sionna said darkly, then she smiled and greeted Gabrielle.

"Hello Sionna, and Marius too of course" Gabrielle crooned at the baby and it turned to stare at her with his green eyes. His mother's eyes.

"I'm sorry we haven't had any time to talk since I've been up from bed, Gabrielle. This little one takes up all by time" Sionna laughed as the baby gurgled and clutched his tiny hands into her long red hair.

"That's okay, we can talk later" Gabrielle shrugged, trying to keep the Priestess' attention from Meryll, who was still slumped with eyes closed. Sionna had been up and about for a week now and Gabrielle had barely seen her, she had duties and Gabrielle...well, she had Xena to talk to.

"Meryll, could you please open your eyes?" Sionna said, exasperated and Meryll snored theatrically.

"Can't you tell I'm asleep?" Meryll inquired sweetly, peeking open one eye and saw that Sionna had her free hand on her hip and was glaring with exasperation. Gabrielle was shocked and waited for the explosion that never came.

"Sure you are, but I need a favor" Meryll made a snoring noise again and her cup of juice slid slightly to the side, despite the fact that she was mean to be asleep, she righted it.

"Uh, huh. And life is but a dream, I suppose?" Sionna said, her eyes twinkling merrily at her joke and Meryll snorted.

"You've got it! Yep, a dream" she muttered, both seeming oblivious to the fact that Gabrielle's face was turning red every time Meryll spoke back to the Priestess. She was sure Meryll would get the whip for that one!

"Can you watch Marius please?" Sionna coaxed softly and Meryll sat up so quickly that her juice almost flew out of the cup.

"WHAT?!"

Sionna laughed and took the cup, placing it on the table then handing her baby over to Meryll firmly. Gabrielle gaped.

"Thanks! I knew I could count on you!" Sionna called as she left the hall swiftly, Gabrielle's eyes were wide as she looked at the fleeing form and then to Meryll, who was making faces at Marius. A Priestess of Ares was friends with Meryll? Everyone else treated her like the servant Ares had made her.  All except Sionna.

"Weird"

"Not really" Xena said, coming into the hall and sitting a the table. Gabrielle stared at her friend and wondered if she was psychic or something, answering when Gabrielle hadn't even spoken. Only thought.

"Do you even know what I'm talking about?"

"Nope" Xena said cheerful, grabbing a bunch of grapes and grinning at Gabrielle's disgusted expression. Gabrielle looked from her grinning friend to Meryll, who was still making faces and cooing noises. Then she looked at the grapes that Xena was eating, as if they were the sweetest delicacy in the world and she was loving every bit.

"Was my birth some sort of Godly joke?"

Celeste rode hard down the road, having just left the Temple with the Oracle's blessing. She had decided to keep close to Meryll after all, but in town. The Priestess' of Ares would need supplies each week and as their servant, Meryll would be there also.

"Something was strange about her, I know. The Oracle thinks from her visions that the girl's soul looked like that from contact with the Messiah" Celeste thought it over and decided it made sense. Contact with such a powerful being could do that do a person...couldn't it? It really was a God thing, not for mortals to dwell upon, she mused.

"The Messiah will find US Hmm, that makes it easy. But what if it's not in time, the darkness is rising and the Messiah MUST be in time to take up Caeralon!" she urged the horse into a gallop, then heard the sound of hoof-beats behind her and she turned her head to see a band of armed men not far behind.

"Oh great, just what I needed when time is important!" she growled. Celeste stopped the horse and turned it around, startling the men who expected the pleasure of giving chase.

"Okay, I'm having a REAL bad day and I don't need this!" she told them angrily and they grinned.

"Sure you are sweet cheeks, but we do" the man in front declared with a leer and she grimaced, men were all the same. She had yet to find one of their number that didn't have that constantly on their minds when they met women!

"Okay, the who's first?" she said, grinning slightly as she pulled out her sword and held it expertly. It made them a little nervous, but not as nervous as when her medallion fell out when she loped off their leader's head.

"A Hand-Maiden!" one exclaimed in fear, backing off but a bulkier man ordered them to attack.

"She's just a woman you fools! Get her" he yelled at them and after a moment, they charged at her, weapon's aloft

Celeste was hard pressed, 4 of them coming at her at once, when a horse came thundering up and Lorelei leapt off the still running horse. She jumped onto two of the men and knocked them flat, giving Celeste the time she needed and she stabbed the first man directly in the heart. The other was a little harder and she thrust under his guard, getting him just under the ribs. She watched with clinical detachment as he slid off of the sword then she proceeded to say a silent prayer for the men she had killed.

"Are you okay, Celeste?" Lorelei asked anxiously, after she had said a prayer over her dead and came to stand next to her friend.

"No" Celeste said soberly, realizing just how close she had been to being overwhelmed by those bandits. They mounted their horses and continued on towards their destination; Ares Temple. After a few miles, Lorelei glanced sideways at Celeste with her light blue eyes.

"Do you think Ares knows we are searching for the Messiah and has decided to stop us?" Celeste shook her head calmly, it was not the way of Ares to sent common bandits against the Oracles hand-maidens.

"No, it's not in the Gods best interest to stop us" she rode on for a moment more and then spoke again. "This threatens ever their existence, they wouldn't interfere"

Lorelei bit her lip. "IF they know what is happening, they could be completely oblivious to the darkness rising in the world"

"Lets hope you're wrong" Celeste whispered, hand clutching her medallion. If even the mighty Gods had no idea of what was to come...man kind and all existence could cease to exist...

Yet again, Meryll had been asked to mind Marius. Not that she really minded, but she and Sionna played a little game where Meryll complained and Sionna tried to coax her. It was fun and she realized with pleasure, she and Sionna had become close friends. And Marius was a delight, she loved looking after him. She was teaching him things too, now accustomed to taking him outside at night to look at the stars. They were so beautiful, so forever and she wondered if they were the same in the future. How many had fallen, how many shifted out of sight?

Marius gurgled as a star suddenly fell from the sky and he reached for it, when it disappeared he fell silent and Meryll felt danger. Coming from the child! A great darkness radiated from him suddenly, reacting to his anger at not been able to catch the star.

"NO!" she said as he lashed out with his power, a surge heading for the sky and she narrowed her eyes. Power surged out of her and headed towards the black power in the sky, it caught up and dampened, sparkling bright white for a moment. Marius gurgled again and the darkness left him, Meryll slumped, feeling drained. Where had the power come from? He felt normal as far as she could tell, no sign of power within him and yet she had just witnessed it. From a baby that was only a few weeks old!

She probably hadn't needed to dampen the surge of power like that, but the Gods knew what damage it could have done. Hit a star perhaps? Meryll knew that all life was connected, all things that happened were for a purpose and affected things around it. For all she knew, that harmless blast of dark power could have started a chain reaction that destroyed the world...

"Wait a sec-that's going WAY overboard!" she berated herself, laughing. Then she looked down at Marius and her expression hardened, she had expected maybe something from the child. Strength like Hercules perhaps, but not the power he had shown. She reached out a finger and placed it on his forehead, concentrating and her mind slowly slipped into his.

The Oracle stared up at the night sky, feeling the breeze as it cAressed her skin and swirled in her long hair teasingly. She loved the day, but the night was calm. Calm enough for thinking and it was something that she needed to do a lot of. The Messiah had not yet been found and they had already had a false start with that girl Meryll, but she had been near the Messiah and that was something.

"It can't end this way" she whispered, then something dark shot into the sky, far away. It was blacker than the night and the stars around her and she shivered, then a brighter light consumed it and it was dampened abruptly. The Oracle, however, was horrified.

"It has begun"

Meryll stared down at the baby she was holding, in a kind of fascinated horror. The mind she had probed was pure evil, power too. Power to destroy, the baby didn't know what he could become-but SHE did. It was a part of her soul that she fought with all her might...her darkness. And she'd brought him back from the dead, what a double-edged blessing this had turned out to be!

"Oh, Marius. I did well to name you thus, as the son of The God of War" Meryll whispered. "Marius, Mars, ARES. Marius the Conqueror"

"As befits a son of mine. Although how you know he's mine, is what I would like to know" Ares voice came from right in front of her and she looked up swiftly, seeing that he had been blocking the moonlight and she should have noticed that. But she had been to intent on Marius and had not even sensed his presence.

"Fool" she muttered to herself and he raised an eyebrow, obviously having heard her berate herself.

"It wasn't to hard to see, he has his mother's eyes, but the dark hair and his face show that he's yours, Lord Ares" she said more loudly, trying to sound casual about the whole thing. Ares looked at her for a moment, his expression clearly showing disbelief and then he looked down at his son.

"She let you name him" he said abruptly and Meryll was startled again, Sionna had told him that? "Why? he demanded.

"I-she...Umm-" Meryll stuttered, casting her mind around for an answer. Sionna had let her name him because Meryll had saved his life, but she couldn't tell Ares that.

"Well? I grow tired of your silence" Ares said in a low voice, his eyes flashing with impatience.

"She likes me, I spend time with her and Marius, and she liked the name I suggested!" Meryll suddenly yelled, her temper getting the better of her and she was astonished to see a slight smile cross Ares lips. She was baffled and stared at him till Marius started to cry and she pulled him close to comfort him.

"Perhaps" he said, turning to look up at the stars as she had earlier. "How is it that you know the stars so well, peasant?" he asked her infuriatingly, using the name he knew she hated.

"Peasant, huh!" she muttered into Marius' shoulder and she rocked him, then remembered that Ares was waiting for an answer.

"My...brother taught me, when I was younger" she said softly, the even breathing of the baby in her arms telling her that he was now asleep.

"I was always fascinated by the sky, especially at night. It's so-" she struggled for a word to describe all the things that the night held for her.

"Dark? Scary? Filled with unimagined horrors?" he suggested mockingly and she got to her feet, quickly, but carefully. Her eyes flashed with anger and her chin rose proudly as she strode past him, heading towards the Temple.

"Inviting" her voice came back to him and he found himself watching her, his eyes following her graceful movements until she disappeared into the Temple. Graceful, yes, despite the fact that she was peasant. All though, he was beginning to think that his first assessment of her had been wrong. She could fight almost as well as Xena with that sword of hers, she knew the constellations. Despite being his servant, she always talked back to him...and...she was unpredictable.

"Inviting" he repeated her words and a smile spread across his handsome features.

It was late afternoon one day when the bell in the top of the Temple began to ring loudly, startling Gabrielle and Meryll from their food. Xena, however, got straight to her feet and raced out of the room, drawing her sword.

"What? Let's follow her!" Gabrielle exclaimed, snatching up her staff and following her friend, Meryll shrugged and ran out also. The halls were in chaos, Priestess' running towards the main hall and Meryll was soon lost in the crush. Her spin tingled and she stopped, only to be jostled by Ara.

"Get a move on servant, there's intruders!" the Priestess yelled, pushing Meryll violently aside and she hit the wall hard.

"Ugh" she moan, covering the spot and rubbing it. "Intruders?!" she yelled, suddenly catching onto what Ara had said and she dashed down the nearly deserted hall. The main room was full with thirty or so Priestess' and Ares stood before them, looking furious.

"Be silent!" he roared and the silence was deafening, every eye on him.

"There is a small army camped not far from here, in the forest. Slavers" he told them curtly, crossing his arms and he looked towards Xena, waiting for an argument. She didn't say a word though, only sharpened her sword and he smiled slightly, watching the shocked face of the blonde beside her.

"We'll need a plan, do you have a map of the surrounding area?" Xena asked, pushing her way to the front and Ara went of to get it at one look from Ares. Gabrielle pushed also to the front and touched her friend's shoulder, her eyes worried as she looked at Xena's tight face.

"Xena, you aren't going through with this, joining Ares!" she hissed urgently and Xena turned briefly to look at Gabrielle.

"I'm not joining him, but if the army IS slavers, they're mostly Mercenaries." she looked down at the map that Ara brought to her and studies it for a moment.

"Xena" Gabrielle whispered, seeing the coolness come over her friend's face and yet the anticipation of battle in her eyes.

"I'll need to see their position myself" she told Ares, hand on hilt and he nodded.

"I'll go with her" Ara offered and Ares held up his hand, a sardonic smile on his lips.

"Xena. Needs no one to go with her, she'd the best at this" he said and Ara stood back into the crowd, resentment on her face. Xena looked at her and saw that the girl would be a problem in the future.

"Maybe she could come along, I might need her to watch my back" Xena stated and Ares laughed.

"Oh, come now Xena. Don't be modest" his eyes swung to Gabrielle and she glared at the look in his eyes. "But by all means, take the side-kick. Chances are, she'll get hit by a stray arrow"

"Grrrrrr!" Gabrielle tightened her hands about her staff and longed to wipe that smile off of his face but Xena shook her head warningly.

Meryll watched all this from on top of a stool at the back of the crowd, unable to see anything because she was too short. As soon as she had gotten on the stool, she could see the whole thing and heard every word that they uttered because of the silence. If Ares wanted silence, he got silence. She listened as they made their plans, Xena deciding to scout herself and leave a reluctant Gabrielle behind.

"I don't trust Xena, Cyrie" a Priestess in front of Meryll murmured and her companion leaned closer so that no one could hear.

"She's Ares favorite and she's the best. I've seen her fight" the other whispered and the first snorted.

"She's turned good though, what use is she if she hesitates to kill someone because of her soft nature?"

"Xena, soft in battle? You don't know much about her do you, Mara" the second Priestess turned back to the front and ignored her baffled friend. Meryll smiled and looked for Sionna, she would want Marius minded while she went to battle and-where was Sionna? Meryll got on the points of her toes to make her higher and scanned the crowd for the familiar red hair, but there was no sight of her.

"She's gone!" Meryll exclaimed loudly and they all turned to her, Ares with an annoyed look.

"Who let her in here, get that servant out!" Ara yelled, struggling through the crowd and several Priestess' made a grab for Meryll in response.

"Wait, let the servant speak" Ares' voice broke through like a douse from a cold bucket and Meryll looked over at him anxiously.

"Sionna is gone!" she said, Xena's eyes widened as she looked around and noticed that Meryll was right. Ares also and he straightened, giving orders for the Temple to be searched. Meryll slid down from her stood and turned her back to everyone, she reached out with her mind and found Sionna's. It was filled with fear and she was...

"At the river!" Meryll whispered in horror, her friend was in the forest!

Ares straightened as a tingling sensation ran down his spine and he knew that someone in the room was using power and such power it was! His eyes swept the faces before him, wondering if he could have somehow missed power in one of his priestess-but no, none of them looked as if they were. Maybe Xena's little friend? He looked at her but the blonde was busy arguing, then that left-

He looked over the heads of his Priestess' in time to see Meryll leap from her stool and rush out the doors. 'At the river' echoed in his mind, having hear even her slightest whisper.

"She's at the river, there's no time for you to scout, Xena. Go now!" he commanded them all and then disappeared. They instantly raced from the room, leaving Xena and Gabrielle a few seconds after.

"This is madness Xena!"

"Maybe, but I have a friend out there now, more reason to fight"

Meryll ran faster, dashing into the forest, but still Ares Priestess' soon overtook her. She slowed down slightly as they streamed past her like deer's, weapon's drawn and it occurred to her to wonder how they knew where Sionna was. They were headed directly for the river and Xena had not had the time to scout out where the Slavers were. She felt Xena coming and hid behind a tree till she and Gabrielle had run past, the Warrior Princess soon leaving her friend behind.

"I have no choice, Marius and Sionna are in danger" Meryll murmured, she stepped away from the tree and concentrated, the illusion that was Meryll fading away so that Aurelia was revealed. She noticed that her dress was again white a second before she took off running, long black hair flowing.

Ares stiffened as he felt that power again as he appeared amidst his Warriors, they had encountered the Mercenaries long before the river and were already engaged in battle. Of Sionna, there was no sight but he could hear Xena's war cries. A smile crossed his lips, it was such a pleasure to hear Xena's voice before she sliced open a man...

Gabrielle was fighting desperately with her staff, having a lot of luck but these men knew what they were doing. And they had swords. She'd already been cut on the shoulder and one man had hit her staff so hard with the flat of her sword that her other arm was feeling numb. She was loosing ground with a burly man when Ara came up behind him and stabbed him in the kidneys, he cried out and fell to the ground.

"Thanks!" Gabrielle called, but the girl never smiled.

"Watch your back, girl-who in Tartarus is that?!" Ara exclaimed, absently killing another man and Gabrielle turned where the Priestess was looking to see a beautiful girl with long black hair, streaking towards them. She stood out because of her long white flowing dress and the fact that her green eyes were-!

"Glowing! Here eyes are glowing!" Gabrielle gasped, barely able to step back as the girl raced past them swiftly, then her body began to change.

Xena grinned viciously as she killed the soldier easily, the one she was facing had more skill than most and was holding his own, much to her pleasure.

"Aiyiyiyiyi!" she screamed, watching as he started in terror and almost dropped his sword. Ares fought his way to her side, mowing through the soldiers as if they were grass.

"A nice little battle" he commented but Xena had more important things on her mind.

"Have you seen Gabrielle? Or Sionna?" she gasped, ducking as the man she was fighting took a wild swing at her head. Ares blasted him casually and he screamed once, before he turned into a pile of dust.

"Your side-kick? Fighting with her little stick I'd imagine, isn't that what Joxer said she did?" Ares laughed and Xena spar him a glared before spinning around and looking for Gabrielle through all the fighting. A second later she spotted her and then...the girl. Ares saw her too and she watched as his face grew furious, his hand tightening on his sword as they watched her swiftly run towards them. Every movement graceful as a dancer, running as fast as a deer. Her long black hair whipping wildly behind her and then her eyes began to glow an eerie green.

"What?" Xena had time to uttered before the girl began to change, she stopped weaving through Mercenaries and Priestess alike and instead went right through them. And as she did, her body shimmered and right before their eyes-just as she passed the spot they were standing-she turned into a black wolf! Then she was gone and Xena was stunned, Ares seemed similarly astonished, then his eyes grew intent and he vanished. All this had taken less than a minute and Xena didn't know what to think.

"What in Hades in going on here?"

Aurelia barely glanced at Xena or Ares as she changed into the wolf, her gait far faster than a humans as she ran towards the river. She could feel Sionna there, fighting with Marius nearby. Moments later she burst through the tree's and leapt straight at the closest man, ripping his throat out with her sharp teeth. The man beside him lashed out with his sword and she barely missed being cut, but managed to dash around behind and ham-string him. He howled in agony and collapsed like a felled ox, dropping his sword and she left him. Aurelia spotted Sionna, trying to fight five men and raced towards her. She changed back into her human form as she reached them and summoned her sword, ripping viciously into the men around her.

"Meryll! Thank the Gods!" Sionna gasped, almost crying and Aurelia saw that her arms were empty.

"Where is Marius!" Aurelia screamed at her and Sionna pointed towards the far bank of the river, where 2 men were rowing a boat to the other side. One had a bundle in his arms and the other was rowing to the group of men on the other side. They had a few priestess' there already...and a fat man in shinny purple robes.

"Marius!" Aurelia yelled, she drew in her powers, dreadfully enraged and translocated herself to the opposite side of the river. The boat touched and the men had just gotten out when she appeared, they were stunned, obviously wondering if she was a Goddess. They didn't wonder long as she ripped into them again, her skill coming to the foremost of her mind and her entire concentration was on getting Marius. She raced to where the Priestess' were shackled and concentrated, her power spilled out and down her arm to her sword till it was glowing a brilliant red and then she brought it down upon the chain. It broke like butter before a knife and the Priestess' quickly pulled themselves loose, attacking the Slavers with their bare hands.

Aurelia turned towards the far back and saw that the battle was over on that side, the last man on her side falling to her own sword a few moments later. There was a silence except for a few groaning's of the wounded and only one man was left standing...merely because he held Marius in hi hands, a knife to the baby's throat.

"Hurt that child and they will tell of your bloody demise for centuries to come" Aurelia swore coldly, her voice carrying to the farthest Priestess across the river and the man's hand tremble