Without The Power Of Love

Chapter One

Cupid sighted along his arrow, one eye closed. The man moved into place, eyes on the girl...and then Cupid suddenly lowered the bow.

"I'm not doing this" He said angrily, getting to his feet. 

Aphrodite suddenly appeared, hands on hips.

"Like, what is the problem now?" She demanded, aggrieved.

He turned to look at her, lips twisting sarcastically.   "I'm sick of doing your dirty work for you"

"What!? Since when was this dirty work?"

He glared at her, raising one hand to flick a stray lock of golden hair from over his eyes. "Since forever. That's all I'm good for, huh?"

Aphrodite stared at him incredulously, then glared back, loosing her temper. "That does it!" She told him fiercely, stomping closer.

"Oh, yeah?" He looked down at her, green-gold eyes blazing scorn.

"I am so sick of your behavior. You're-you're-" She cast around her mind, not thinking straight in her rage. "Grounded!"

Cupid looked at her incredulously. "GROUNDED!?"

"You bet.  Now give me that bow and get back to Olympus" She held out a hand imperiously. "Pronto, junior!"  She yelled, when he just stood there.

It snapped him out of his incredulity.  He thrust the bow into her hands, leaving in a furious shower of gold.

Aphrodite clutched the bow, eyes dark with anger. Then the anger faded and left her feeling drained and generally yucky.

"Ugh. Why did he have to do that?" She groaned, raising the bow at the man Cupid had refused to hit. She waited until he was looking at the woman and then let the arrow fly with a satisfying twang. The love was instant and she watched rather depressed. Not with her usual glee at all.  "He's totally ruined my whole day"

"Potidaea"

"Amphipolis"

"Potidaea"

"Gabrielle...Amphipolis"

"Xena....Potidaea"

"Gabrielle.  We are going to Amphipolis"

"I want to go to Potidaea, Xena. Why is it always AMPHIPOLIS?!"

"Stop arguing with me.  Your screeching is scaring the birds"

"SCREECHING?!" Gabrielle screeched indignantly, glaring at her friend. Xena glanced down at her calmly, from Argo, reins casually held in one hand.

"What else would you call it?"

"Oh, I see. You're trying to put me off.  Get me so angry, that I forget what we were arguing about!" Gabrielle said triumphantly, having figured Xena's plan out.

"You have me there" The Warrior Princess said dryly, nudging Argo absently down the left road that would take them to Amphipolis.  But Gabrielle leapt forward and grabbed the horse's bridle firmly.

"No you don't! We're going to Potidaea to see my family! We went to Amphipolis the last time we were in these parts"  The blonde yelled.  

Xena looked down icily.  "Let go of Argo Gabrielle"

Argo snorted in the blonde's face, as if in agreement and Gabrielle grimaced, letting go. She stayed firmly in their path though, staff held at the ready...Though she had no idea what she was going to do, if Xena made Argo ride over the top of her!

"Please?" Gabrielle wheedled, staring puppy-dog like into Xena's suddenly amused blue eyes.

"Stop that"

"Stop what, Xena?" Gabrielle said innocently, batting her lashes.

Xena sighed and make a strange clicking noise. Argo moved back slightly, then sidestepped the blonde neatly and continued on her way.  "We're going to Amphipolis, Gabrielle.  And that's all there is to it" Xena said quietly.

Gabrielle stared after her friend, gritting her teeth, then ran after them.

"Xena-!"

"No!"

"I'll go alone then!" Gabrielle announced, turning back towards the cross-road.

Argo was pulled up so fast that her hoofs skidded in the dirt. Xena wheeled her around and nudged her into a trot so that she was next to the blonde in moments. She deftly reached down and ignored the blonde's indignant squeal as she was pulled up behind Xena.

"Let me down, now! Owe, Xena.   You know I hate-Ow!" Gabrielle yelled, as Xena kicked Argo into a gallop and the blonde held onto her friend's waist for dear life.

"Just enjoy the ride!" Xena laughed, feeling the wind in her hair.

Gabrielle glared at her, determined to jump off at the first opportunity. She was a friend...and a side-kick sure, but she had to have a say in this!

"Let me off!" she shouted in Xena's ear, still clinging and trying to keep a hold onto her staff at the same time. Xena rode for a while more, then stopped and Gabrielle immediately slid off. She glared at the Warrior Princess and turned her face away, continuing on towards Amphipolis in an icy silence.

"Gabrielle, I said we'll go the next time" Xena coaxed, staring at the back of her friend's head with consternation. She had no idea that Gabrielle had felt so strong about going home...did she no longer like traveling? Was the life she was living too hard for Gabrielle.

["That's not going to solve anything you know...you are meant to go with her to Amphipolis"] a voice said calmly into Gabrielle's mind and the blonde stopped abruptly, Argo almost running over the top of her.

"WHAT?!" she yelled, looking around and convinced she was going mad.

"What's wrong, Gabrielle?" Xena demanded, looking around also and her hand was on the hilt of her sword.

["Don't say anything and no, you aren't going mad"] the voice continued, amusement evident in the voice. Gabrielle frowned, it was a female voice...Artemis maybe?

["Artemis?"]

["No...but you have the right idea. You have to go to Amphipolis Gabrielle, it's important"]

["Oh"] was all Gabrielle could think to say. So...the voice had confirmed her thoughts that it was a Goddess. But not Artemis, who else would know her?

["Gabrielle, you're giving me a headache, just do as we say"] the voice went on patiently, then it was gone and Gabrielle saw that Xena had been talking to her.

"Gabrielle, are you in there?" the warrior said, waving her hands in front of her friend's face without success. Then the blonde blinked and her green eyes focused, though she looked rather dazed.

"I'm here...Uh, sorry I was so angry Xena. You're right, we can go to Potidaea next time" Gabrielle said hastily, walking again and Xena dismounted, a perplexed frown on her forehead.

"Want to tell me what changed your mind?"

Gabrielle turned her green eyes to Xena, a mysterious look in their depths. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you"

Cupid stomped around his room, glaring at nothing in particular and felt a great rage building up. Why did she always have to order him around? He always ended up doing her jobs why she went partying or some other amusement.

"I'm so sick of it!" he yelled, throwing his hand up and pacing around some more. It inevitably led him to his window and he looked out at the clouds, not really seeing them for the moment. His mind traveled back to a time when he had stood near this window...with someone. And all the anger suddenly faded. His heart clenched and he now gazed blankly.

"Why did you have to die?" he whispered, a fist clenching. He abruptly whirled and punch his fist into the wall, smashing it and leaving a gaping hole. He felt the pain briefly, but it vanished, leaving him feeling as depressed as ever. This wasn't going to help and he just couldn't take it anymore. His eyes closed for a long moment, face showing a silent agony and when they opened there was determination in his green-gold eyes.

He drew in his power and with a thought he was standing outside a door. Cupid hesitated, hand half-raised to knock.

["Come in Cupid, my boy. No need to stand on ceremony"] a calm voice said into his mind and he opened the door, revealing a large room. A warm fire blazed in the hearth, even though there was no need and Cupid came into the place reluctantly. He had done this before thinking properly, maybe it wasn't the time...

"So what seems to be the trouble?" Zeus asked him, in a gentle manner and Cupid closed the door behind him, walking over to the table and slumping into a seat. The King of the God's waited patiently, but when there was a long silence he came over and sat down across from Cupid, who looked up with suddenly bravery. Zeus did tend to intimidate them all...

"I want you to take my powers away, like you did to Ares" He met the startled eyes of his grandfather and his green-gold eyes were determined.

"Cupid...you ask a very great thing...a terrible thing" Zeus faltered, reassessing the situation. If he had known it had grown this bad, he would have gone to see the boy much earlier...instead of making Cupid come to him.

"Why is it so terrible?" Cupid demanded, glaring at Zeus, who tried to hide his shock. "I want to be mortal...I'm sick of being a God"

"Have you spoken to your mother about this-?..."

"No!" Cupid said furiously, getting to his feet. "She doesn't understand, it's like talking to a brick wall"

Zeus lifted a brow, looking away thoughtfully. Hmm, this was a strange and shocking request...but if Cupid asked, then it had to be granted.

"Would you take my refusal?" Zeus asked curiously and Cupid's eyes flamed.

"NO! If you don't make me mortal, I'll..." he hesitated, casting around and came upon something so terrible that it made Zeus afraid for his grandson's sanity. "Use Hind's blood"

"Then" Zeus said after a long and painful silence. His voice was cold, though his eyes vastly regretful. "I have no choice"

"No, you don't" He looked into Zeus' wise eyes and felt slightly ashamed at having forced his hand. "I'm sorry, but it's my choice"

Zeus nodded, raising a hand. "Yes, I just hope you don't regret it"

Cupid closed his eyes, waiting and a moment later he was hit with a bolt of power. He felt his power draining out of him and a terrible pain on his back and heart. The weakness was so great that he slumped to his knee's, gasping.

"Cupid, no!" Aphrodite yelled as she sensed what had happened and she appeared in Zeus' chambers just as the pain faded and Zeus removed all his powers. His mother's face was deathly pale, tears in her eyes as she ran to his side.

"What have you DONE?" she screamed at Zeus, who said nothing in reply.

"Mother" Cupid gasped, trying to get his breath. She helped him up and he staggered for a moment. "I asked him to do it"

"What? Are you mad, you're mortal!" she shrieked, beyond caring who heard her.

"Aphrodite" Zeus said coldly and she closed her mouth, but still glared infuriated at them both.

"Fine, if that's the way you want it" She said icily and left as swiftly as she had come. Cupid stared at the spot she had been standing and there was remorse on his face. He turned to look at Zeus' compassionate eyes and swallowed hard, feeling so different and weak.

"Send me down to earth" He whispered. Then smiled bravely. "Somewhere nice"

Zeus stroked his chin, then his hand gestured and Cupid disappeared.

Aphrodite stared sightlessly at the tapestry, her body numb. Her son, Cupid, was now mortal. He'd hated them-and his life-so much that he wanted to die as a mortal.

"Oh, Cupid, I had no idea you were that upset" She cried, tears running down her cheeks and Athena appeared suddenly, rushing to her sister.

"Oh 'Dite! I heard the awful news, is it true about Cupid?" the Goddess gasped, hugging her sister close and Aphrodite collapsed into her arms.

"It's true, he's gone"

Another flash lit the room as Ares and Artemis appeared. The Goddess of the Moon appeared very shocked, as pale as Aphrodite.

"I don't believe it" She whispered and Aphrodite never looked up. Ares suddenly strode forward and Athena glared, but he pushed her away and picked Aphrodite up, striding towards the large bed in her room. he laid her on to covers gently, astonishing his sister's at his gentleness.

"Aphrodite" He whispered into her ear, so that non of the other's could here. "I'll have him watched, don't worry, he won't be hurt"

Her tears slowed and she stared up at him incredulous, but her blue eyes were thankful. "You will?"

His face became arrogant again, but his eyes were still soft as he looked down at his favorite sister. "I will"

"Thank you, Ares" She whispered, then her eyes closed as he induced her into a deep sleep.

He straightened and his eyes went cool as he turned to face his other sister. "I suggest we leave her for a while, to rest" and it was not a request, they knew. Artemis stayed a while, hovering till after her sisters had left.

"I didn't think you'd care about her and Hephaestus' son, Brother" She said solemnly. He glared at her, giving nothing away and no hint of his gentleness showed.

"He's a God, even if he's lost his powers for now. he's still one of us" Ares said mockingly, then vanished in a shower of silver. Artemis was baffled, but followed the same way a moment later.

Cupid's eyes were wide as he reappeared in a forest and looked down at his new clothes. It was then that he noticed his wings were gone and he whiled around, almost loosing balance with the weight difference.

"Whoa, this is going to take some getting used to" He murmured, smoothing his hands down over his brown jerkin. He was wearing grey baggy pants and there was a bag full of dinars and a dagger attached to his belt. he looked like an everyday traveler and was grateful to Zeus. It suddenly hit him. he was free! Cupid laughed out loud and spun around, arms out as if embracing the world.

"Are you all right, young man?" a voice asked him, sounding uncertain and Cupid whirled to see an old man standing a few meters away, a mule and cart behind him.

"Yes, everything's just fine" Cupid said, trying to restrain the urge to jump and shout. The old man looked him over curiously, then gesture to the cart.

"How about keeping an old man company?"

"Really?" Cupid said, surprised at such friendliness. The old man nodded, pulling on the rein's so that the mule and cart came to where Cupid was standing.

"Why not, you don't look as if you're in a hurry and the next town is half a day away" He looked at Cupid slyly. "I have a wine-skin in the back"

Cupid felt a smile spread over his face as he watched the old man climb up onto the cart. "I'll get it"

Several minutes later, they were rolling along merrily, drinking from he skin and talking. "What's your name?" the old man asked and Cupid froze, wondering why he hadn't thought of it earlier. He searched through all the names he had come across through the millennia and came up with one that was suitable.

"Ronan"

"Well, Ronan. I'm pleased to meet you, I'm Casca" the man said, taking a long draw from the skin and smiling happily. Cupid looked around the forest as it started to thin and he could see open fields and mountains in the distance.

"By the way, where are we headed?" Cupid asked curiously, wondering where Zeus had sent him. Somewhere nice, he had asked. The old man cackled, faded brown eyes staring at him from under bushy brow's.

"You don't know where you were headed?"

Cupid shifted uncomfortably. "I was just wondering along the road, traveling where ever the road took me" the old man decided that it was a good answer and gave Cupid an approving look.

"I like to travel too...there used to be a lot of adventure when I was a boy" He squinted at the sky, gauging the time and looked back at Cupid in slight confusion.

"Where was I? Oh yes, where we're heading..." he drew from the wine again, missing Cupid's impatient expression.

"And?" Cupid demanded softly, after a moment. Casca grinned and cupid saw that he had been playing with him, pretending to be senile when there was a perfectly good brain under that old face.

"Amphipolis"

Aurelia stared out from the battlement's, eyes on the magnificent sunset. it lit up the sky with red's and oranges, looking almost like fire. She grimaced at this, mind involuntarily going back to a time three years ago. Caeralon, the flame blade. Even after three years, she still though about it as if it were only yesterday. Everything was vivid in her mind...especially one person.

"At least I could save you, my love" She whispered, not caring if the guard behind her heard. She was the Princess-and though it annoyed her greatly at time-she had to have a royal guard with her at all times outside the castle.

"Did you say something, Princess?" the soldier asked, immediately at the alert. She turned her beautiful face to his, green eyes sad and shook her head slightly.

"No, nothing of consequence" She murmured softly and turned back. Her eyes rose again to the sky and filled with tears. She missed him so much and he probably thought her dead. As dead as Marius was. She could still feel her beloved's arms around her, his kiss on her forehead as he removed the Love curse from her. Then that time in the turret room, when they had watched Xena go off to war and their mind's had briefly melded.

"We should go inside, highness" her guard said swiftly, noting that the sky was now darkened. Candles were being lit all around the battlement's leaving her a clear target for arrows from the darkness below.

"Yes, yes in a moment" She told him. Leave me with my grief for a moment more in time. She remembered his beautiful green-gold eyes, the way they had darkened to gold with emotion when he was near her.

"Cupid" She whispered and then suddenly, she felt a wrenching feeling. The emerald on her finger blazed brilliantly and he eyes widened incredulously. "No!" she screamed, feeling the pain as she fought the incredible power enveloping her body...

"Princess! What is happening!" she heard her guard yell, the steely hiss of metal as he drew his sword to defend her. But it was too late, she only had a moment to realize this feeling was familiar, before everything went dark...

The guard stared at the spot his Princess had been a moment before and said a small prayer for her safety. The King would have his head for sure. He'd not protected her and now some sorcerer had spirited her away. He spun and raced to the edge of the battlement over the inner courtyard.

"The King! Get the King, the Princess has been abducted!"

"Gabrielle, watch out for that bush!"

"I saw it!"

"Uh huh"

"Don't patronize me, I can still see where I'm going"

"Sure you can, that's why you've already tripped over three holes in the road"

"They were big holes! I couldn't have avoided them" a pause. "Big holes"

"Mmm hmm"

At that moment, Gabrielle tripped over a tree branch, lying across the road and went flat on her face. The scroll and quill went flying and she spat out dirt. Xena sat on her horse and Gabrielle expected a teasing grin, but instead, the blue eyes were icy.

"Gabrielle, get back here" the Warrior ordered, eyes searching the tree's on either side of the road. The blonde nodded and went to scramble over the log for her quill, but Xena's icy voice stopped her.

"NOW, Gabrielle" She barked and Gabrielle felt the first stirrings of fear. Xena was never this curt with her unless there was some danger. The blonde practically ran to her side and Xena undid the throngs holding Gabrielle's staff to Argo's saddle. She threw it to the blonde, just as mounted men galloped out of the tree's.

"Get her!" the leader yelled, pointing his sword and then men roared in response, charging towards the two women. Xena grinned and whipped her own sword out, kicking Argo forward to meet the challenge. Hopefully she could kill most of them before they got to Gabrielle.

Gabrielle watched, taking a fighting stance. There were eight of them, all armed and wearing a strange assortment of leather and rough hide. She watched anxiously as Xena dispatched the first three in one go, her sword glinting in the sun as she made moved almost too fast to follow. One got through and Gabrielle recognized him as the leader, evil intent in his eyes. She gripped the staff harder as he raised his sword towards her and she smiled slightly.

"I don't suppose we could talk about this?" she joked and he smiled back in response, though it was not a pleasant smile.

"Sure...when I've finished with you. If you can still talk" He hissed suggestively, eyes skimming hungrily over her body. Gabrielle felt her skin crawl and attacked him swiftly. He fell back in surprise, not having expecting anything from her, even if she did hold a staff. Gabrielle swept his legs out from under him and jumped back as he swiped at her own with his sword and jumped back onto his feet. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and glared at her, no longer playing. Gabrielle shot Xena a desperate look, seeing that her friend was still engaged with the last two men. So she was on her own then.

"Come here girlie, I don't really care if you have your legs when I...Gughhhhh" his voice gurgled off bloodily and Gabrielle saw with surprise that there was a sword blade sticking out of his chest. The man was kicked off brutally, even before he was dead and Gabrielle looked up gratefully, expecting to see Xena...but it was Ares standing there, eyes glinting in amusement. He turned to Xena, who had just finished with the last man and was watching Ares with a strange look in her eyes.

"Xena" He greeted her. "Trouble just seems to follow you around"

"Funny, that was just what I was about to say about you" Gabrielle muttered and he turned to her again, eyebrows lifted. he shook the blood from his blade and sheathed it, crossing his arms.

"That's a fine way to thank me for saving you" He shrugged, looking more amused by her stubborn expression, than anything. He obviously hadn't been expecting a thank you.

"Mmm" Gabrielle grunted, stomping away. Argo had wandered away while they fought, Xena having jumped from her at some stage, better to fight. The two Warriors watched her leave, muttering loudly to herself and gesturing to herself and the world in general.

"Thanks for helping her" Xena said and Ares stared at her in surprise. She grinned at him, knowing her words had thrown him off guard, that had been her intention after all.

"Ah, you have me fooled there for a second. The Warrior Princess, thanking me"

"Never happen" She told him, her eyes cool. But there was something in their blue depths that he could not decipher. "What was it you wanted?"

"Wanted? I can't just visit my favorite?" he protested mock-innocently and she put a hand on her sword, not looking amused. He held the look for a moment more, then shrugged.

"Okay, you have me there. I need you to do me a favor" He told her curtly, looking uncomfortable at having said it. Xena's brow rose incredulously.

"Do you a favor? Has Tartarus frozen over, 'cause there's no way..."

"Just be silent will you!" he suddenly thundered, face black with rage. Xena's stiffened, fingers curling over her sword hilt more firmly. Gabrielle looked over, worried, but didn't come over and stayed away from hearing distance.

"Well, what do you want?" Xena hissed back, dislike in her gaze. Ares met her eyes and they locked, a silent battle going on. he finally sighed, the anger going out of him, though he still looked annoyed.

"I need you to look for someone"

Xena was not really expecting this answer and stared at him for a moment. "Find someone?" she repeated, eyebrows rising. "Who?"

"You'll know them" He told her curtly, dark eyes mocking. He was totally relaxed again, an amused light in his eyes and Xena found it slightly disconcerting how he changed moods so quickly.

"That's it? A cryptic phrase...that won't help me, you know" She said angrily. Her hand was still on the hilt and he noticed, a brow rising.

"You really want to fight me, my Xena?" he purred, moving closer.

Gabrielle glared from her place next to Argo, seeing the hated God move nearer to her friend. "Xena! Are we going or what?" she yelled. Xena looked over at her and nodded slightly, then turned back to Ares to see he had moved silently closer, feet almost touching hers. he suddenly reached out and removed her hand from the hilt, raising it to his face smoothly and kissing it. She didn't move, a strange tingling going down her arm at his touch. It seemed to burn into her skin and her eyes darkened involuntarily.

"I have that affect on you, don't I Xena" He whispered, holding her eyes for a moment more. Then she wrenched her hand away, glaring.

"What affect?" she growled, wiping her hand on her leathers to let him know his touch was not wanted. His eyes glinted at her strangely and a smile hovered around his mouth. Xena had the uncomfortable feeling her knew exactly what effect he had on her when he was near. "And I'm NOT your Xena"

"Oh, but you are" He said silkily. "I'm getting under your skin and you can lie to yourself all you want, but you know it's true"

Then before she could snarl a reply, he shimmered and was gone, silver light falling to the ground behind him. Xena glared darkly at the spot, hand unconsciously rubbing against her leg as if to erase all memory of him from her skin.

"Xena, are you okay? What did he say?" Gabrielle asked anxiously, when Xena finally joined her, not wanting to be in a furious mood around the bard. Xena sighed in relief, glad that Gabrielle had been too far away to hear some of the things Ares had said to her.

"He wanted a favor, for me to find someone"

Gabrielle frowned. "Find someone" She stared at her friend suspiciously. "Are you sure you got it right, didn't he mean kill?"

A half-smile came over Xena's lips, eyes amused at Gabrielle's words. She mounted Argo and kicked her into a slow walk, so that Gabrielle could still hear her over the hoof beats.

"No, he meant find all right. he didn't tell me who it was, but said I'd know them when I saw them" Xena drawled, gut her eyes showed her mind was already thinking ahead. Gabrielle squinted, thinking also.

"In Amphipolis?" she asked in surprise and Xena nodded down the trail they were riding, before they were ambushed.

"Maybe. Who knows what he's up to. I'm sure there's much more to it though, knowing Ares" Gabrielle nodded her agreement, knowing how there God of War was almost as well as her friend. She looked up at the tree's wistfully, wishing they were going to Potidaea instead. She missed her family as much as Xena did, her mother.

"I'm looking forward to seeing your mother again" She commented and Xena smiled.

"So am I, it should be interesting"

They came to an intersection in the road and Gabrielle looked down the right path which led to Abdera. She shivered at the sudden chill and was surprised when Xena put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"I'm sorry Gabrielle, I wasn't thinking. We should have taken the other way" the Warrior apologized and Gabrielle blinked back the tears, mind on three years ago when they had lost a dear friend.

"It's not your fault Xena, besides, you like her too" the blonde reminded her and Xena nodded, eyes regretful.

"She was great friend and one of the best swords I've ever seen...and she saved us all" She murmured. Gabrielle resolutely started along the left path, turning her face away from the memories, they hurt too much.

"Hey Xena" Gabrielle asked eagerly, after about twenty minutes of companionable silence and Xena looked down at her inquiringly.

"Mmm?"

"Think Cyrene will have any nut bread?"

Josa looked up as a man staggered through the Tavern door noisily, something in his arms. It looked like a person and she stared at her husband as he deposited the cloaked bundle of a chair in the corner. Part of the cloak fell away to reveal a pretty blonde girl, face pale and scratched.

"I found her outside the Tavern when I came back from Jonas' place, she was slumped head first into the dirt right outside our door!" he exclaimed, looking down at her anxiously. Josa saw that he had no idea what to do and waved him towards the tavern door.

"Just close up, it's late" She ordered. The girl never stirred as Josa slid her strong arms under the girl and lifted her slight form up. She only looked to be about 16-17 years old, her mouth dropping innocently in sleep. Josa carried her upstairs and laid her down on the bed carefully, then unwrapped the cloak to reveal the peasant clothes beneath. The long blue skirt and yellow top were smudged with dirt and torn on one arm where she had fallen, no doubt.

"Where did you pop in from?" Josa asked softly and the girl stirred, slowly opening her eyes and then wincing a the brightness of the candle. Her large blue eye stared around, fear in them and she shrank away from Josa's hand.

"Where am I?" she whispered, shivering convulsively and Josa' heart went out to the girl. She was such a delicate thing, slender and pretty.

"It's all right, you're in my Tavern and safe" She paused, searching the girl's bewildered eyes. 'Do you know how you got here?"

The girl shook her head, thinking hard, but nothing came to her. Josa patted her hand, eyes compassionate.

"Well, never mind, we can think on it later"

"Thank you" the girl whispered.

"Can you tell me your name?" Josa said gently and the girl's eyes suddenly flew wide. She panicked and sat straight up, wincing as her head hurt.

"I don't know! I can't remember anything!" the girl screamed, eyes so wide that Josa felt fear for her.

"Amnesia?" Josa questioned, then gathered the girl into her arms, holding her close.

"Don't worry, Hon, Josa will look after you" She soothed and the girl gradually relaxed, her eyes closing as she fell back to sleep in exhaustion. Josa laid her back, watching the small face until her husband came up quietly.

"She can't remember anything, not even her name" She whispered to him and his eyes widened incredulously.

"Amnesia?"

Josa nodded and looked down at her young charge, resolved to be her guardian until she remembered who she was. "I think I'll call her Seraphina" She murmured, taking his arm and pulling him out of the room.

"Seraphina hmm?" he questioned in amusement as they entered their own room and shut the door. "I like it, but why on earth did you name the girl after 'fire'?"

Josa frowned, wondering where the name had come from herself. She shrugged, taking her hair down from the bun. "It just felt right"

Ronan entered the town curiously, not able to see much from the moon. Casca had apparently taken it upon himself to look after his young friend and led him into a Tavern, then up the stairs to a room.

"You can bunk up here with me for tonight, young'n" Casca said, cackling and Ronan stared at him. Share the same bed? Was he mad, he had not shared a bed with someone since Psyche and was not going to start now. Especially with a man.

"I'll take the floor" He said swiftly, making the old man stare at him curiously. "I'm used to sleeping on the ground" He lied and Casca laughed.

"I forgot you're a traveler, well, have a good sleep" He told Ronan, handing him a blanket and the Ex-God of Love settled onto the floor, noticing immediately how hard it was.

He barely slept and in the morning he was so stiff he didn't want to move, but Casca got up with the dawn and prodded his young friend softly.

"Come on, Ronan, I want you to meet someone"

Ronan growled, but got to his feet and stiffly followed his new friend, working out the kinks from his muscles as he went. They walked down the hall and down the stairs again and into the Tavern below. A woman was there, with curly hair and brown eyes, pretty for her age which appeared to be in her thirties.

"Casca, who's this?" she asked suspiciously, looking up and her eyes widened as she saw how handsome her visitor really was. He had short golden hair, a lock falling endearingly over one of his green-gold eyes and she felt her heart stop.

"Cyrene. This is Ronan, I met him on the way here. He's a traveler" the old man added, noticing the way she was looking at Ronan.

"Pleased to meet you" Ronan said, bowing charmingly over her hand and she was lost.

"Are-are you looking for any work?" she asked him breathlessly, before she thought and his eyes widened in surprise.

["I hadn't thought of that"] he thought swiftly to himself, then looked back at Cyrene, who was waiting expectantly.

"Uh, yes" He said slowly and she smiled brightly.

"Good, then you can work here...there's plenty to be done" She added, when he looked doubtful. He smiled suddenly back at her and her heart stopped again. Cyrene swallowed hard when he had walked off with Casca, Ronan obviously had NO idea of the effect he had on people-namely women-and she grinned.

"This should be very interesting"

Zeus stepped further into the hall, looking at the three beautiful women spinning on a loom in the corner of the ornate room. They looked up as one and the first woman smiled.

"It is done" She said quietly and Zeus smiled back, happy with the report.

"Both of them?" he questioned sharply, when the third looked uncomfortable.

"Yes, both of them, lord Zeus" the first said, nodding her head.

"Good, good. And the others?"

"Are on their way"

"Excellent"

"And what of them, do they know anything?" the second spoke slyly and Zeus grinned at her.

"Not a clue"

Seraphina pushed the dress up and down the rack briskly, making sure to get all the dirt out of it. Then she wrung it out and hung it over the piece of line strung out the back of the inn. She winced as her fingers protested, having been rubbed almost raw from the constant scrubbing of cloth, almost blistering the skin. But she bore it and collected another piece of clothing from the pile, shoving it into the water.

"Seraphina, are you finished with the washing yet?" a voice called out, making the girl pause. A moment later, Josa came out, bearing a mug of water. She grinned cheerfully and her eyes swept critically over the dripping clothes, hanging in the sunlight.

"Almost"

"Well, here's a drink, it's hot work, washing" Josa commented. She handed the blonde the mug and leaned her ample body against the wall to watch. Seraphina grasped the mug gratefully, gulping half of it down in one go. Her hands dripped onto her skirt and Josa tsked, bustling forwards with a cloth to wipe it up. It was a futile, if motherly gesture...seeing as most of Seraphina's dress was soaked from washing anyway.

"You shouldn't bother, it'll only get wet again" She said in sudden amusement, looking down at the shorter woman with glittering blue eyes. Josa looked up and smiled, her brown eyes kindly.

"We wouldn't want you getting sick though, dear. It's coming on Autumn soon" Josa said, wiping futilely at the water again and Seraphina swatted her away playfully.

"Oh you...!? screaming came to their ears and they looked at each other, shocked. Then Seraphina dropped the mug and they both dashed inside, hopping to find out what the commotion was. Some people were peering out the windows, other's dashing inside frantically. Old Motie limped through to the bar, eyes wide.

"It's slavers! We're doomed!" he croaked in fear, voice breaking off painfully at the end as coughing doubled him over. Seraphina stood there as Josa rushed forward to gently hit him on the back, but her eyes were fearfully on the door. Her husband came forward, a hammer and nails in Gethel's hands and his face was urgent.

"Quickly, barricade the door and they won't get in." several people rushed to do his biding, while he went to the windows and bashed the shutters closed. Seraphina stared a them, eyes puzzled.

"But won't they just burn it down, when they find they can't get in?" she question and they all turned to stare at her, chagrined.

"Out the back way! Into the woods!" a man yelled and there was a mad scramble for the back door, while Josa, Gethel and Seraphina watched in trepidation. He looked at the blonde girl.

"How did you ever think of that?"

She frowned, then shrugged. "It just seemed really obvious to me"

The last woman ran out, her son in her hands and Gethel walked quickly to the counter, reaching under for the pouch of his earnings. There was no time to pack anything else, but he raced into the back kitchen for food and water. Josa followed, her arm linked through Seraphina's tightly.'

"I don't want to loose you, my dear" She whispered and Seraphina nodded, scared of what was happening.

"We should go, we've been too long-..." she began and then they heard the sounds of something bashing the Inn door down. They froze, looking in the direction and they could see cracks forming in the wood. Then Gethel grabbed his wife and pulled her out to the back hall, Seraphina moving quickly after them. They got to the back door and fled out through it, hearing the sounds of scream and smelling the smoke in the air.

"They're burning the Inn!" Josa shouted, over the noises, her horrified eyes on the first tendrils of smoke coming from her precious roof. She ran back, but Gethel grabbed her arm.

"No, let it go. Or we'll all be dead!" he yelled at her, trying to shake some sense into her. Then they heard the sounds of hoof-beats and looked up to see at least 20 men, chasing those that had fled from the Inn. Old Motie wasn't fast enough and a rider galloped up, swinging a mace. It made a sickening crunch as it sank into his back and Seraphina clearly heard the bone's shattering. She stared, revolted and fearful as the riders spotted them and Josa and Gethel ran for their lives.

Chapter Two

"Get them!" a soldier yelled, several of the men breaking off to chase them. The man himself, came towards Seraphina, who found herself frozen in gear. The man grinned leeringly and she looked around desperately for a weapon, spotting a large log from the pile that was for the Inn's fireplace. She grabbed it and hefted it as the man drew near, her hands shaking.

"Oh, come now sweetheart, I doubt you could hit me in a million years with your hands shaking like that" He sneered, waving his sword near her face. She felt sweat on her brow and it trickled into her eyes, fear making their blue darken.

"I'll try" She swore, her voice far more confident than she actually felt. The man lost patience at her word and bashed the wood out of her hands with a hard swing of his sword. Then he reached down for her.

"Get up here, girl, or I'll loose my patience and take you here" He growled, grabbing her hands painfully and dragging her over the saddle. He rested a hand on her back and her head and legs dangled, leaving her helpless. He galloped back to the front of the Inn and she heard all the screaming, smelt the flames up close and realized that the whole town was being attacked. It was far worse out here, more men, more bodies and so much blood. And there, people in chains and cages.

"You're a slaver?" she yelled at him, trying to be heard over the noise and he slapped her sharply over the back of the head.

"No slavers girl, this is the army of the Warlord Titus" He snarled, cuffing her again for the insult. Seraphina's head swam painfully from the hits and hanging upside down and when he reached the prisoners she was thrust cruelly from the horse, head first. She grunted when she hit the ground and was instantly jerked up, a sword at her throat. The man who had captured her gave her another leer, promising attention later and she shivered as she watched him ride off. She looked around in fear. Most of the town was on fire, the people dead or captured and only a few of the villagers were still fighting.

A scream brought her head around and she saw Mary, one of the girls who lived nearby. A soldier was ripping her closes of brutally, forcing her to the ground while everyone watched and suddenly Seraphina was furious. Before the soldier's guarding her and the other's could move, she was running swiftly towards the rapist. Her mind was clear, all else fading away as she reached him and kicked, her foot hitting him sharply under the ear. He grunted and fell forwards onto the terrified Mary, who screamed, not realizing she'd been rescued.

"Are you all right Mary, it's okay" Seraphina crooned as she thrust the soldier away and pulled the poor girl up, trying to hold her ripped dress front together. Then rough arms grabbed them both and Mary was dragged away while Seraphina was turned around and slapped hard. Her head swam again, feeling blood slip down her chin and she saw that it was the soldier who had captured her.

"I've warned you little girl" He growled, raising his hand to stick her again. A strange whistling noise came and the end of a long whip wrapped around the soldier's wrist painfully. He howled and turned to see whoever had dared to do this, paling as he saw an armored man sitting on a horse not far away, the end of the whip in his right hand.

"You're damaging my prisoner, soldier" the man said quietly, grey eyes cold as ice. Seraphina's eyes blinked, trying to focus and eventually managed to see the man who had saved her from a beating. He was handsome, his hair an auburn and his eyes a light grey, contrasting with his tanned skin. His chest was covered in a black armor, a strange crest in red on it. Seraphina blinked gain, for the crest looked vaguely familiar, though she was sure she'd never seen this army before. And his leather's were a dark brown, black knee's boots with a dagger in each resting on either side of the horse. A black-hilted sword at his belt.

"I-I, she was trying to escape sir" the soldier stammered and the man looked coldly amused.

"I saw no escape, merely a girl trying to save her friend from a rape" He purred, making his soldier pale even further. Another man rose up, in similar armor, but on a less grand scale. His hair was short and blonde, eyes a hard brown.

"What's going on here, Titus?" the man demanded, clutching his bloody sword in his hand and glaring at Seraphina and the soldier. Titus, Seraphina thought, so this was their leader. The Warlord.

"The soldier here, took it upon himself to damage my property, Garthenos" Titus purred, staring penetratingly at the soldier, then at Seraphina's white face. A horrible bruise already marking it, just under her left eye. Garthenos looked disgusted, glaring darkly at the soldier. Then he looked at another man nearby, an archer and nodded at him.

"Kill him" He ordered curtly and the archer sighted, then let the bolt loose smoothly. The soldier had no chance to run and Seraphina found herself looking down at his writing body, the arrow sticking from his right eye. Titus spare her no more glance and turned and left, Garthenos at his side. The archer strode over and grabbed the numb Seraphina, dragging her roughly back to the other prisoners. She saw Mary, but there was no time to comfort the girl as they were all shackled and a long chain was threaded through.

"Move!" a soldier yelled, getting onto his gorse, their chain in his hands. He began to ride and the army rode all around the prisoners, some occasionally using whips to make the people go faster. Seraphina stared at the ground, not really seeing it as she stumbled along, blue eyes blank. She had not seen Josa or Gethel among the prisoners, which probably meant that they were dead. But she felt nothing, all feeling having gone right after the whip had wrapped around the soldier's neck and she had seen Titus. She recognized power and ruthlessness when she saw it and knew that they ere to be sold as slaves, or be servants of this Warlord.

Another thought occurred to her also, perhaps they were to be made examples of, crucified. Titus WAS a roman name after all. Seraphina stopped walking abruptly, the man behind he bashing into her back, but she never felt it. Her eyes were wide as she realized something, then the chain jerked her hands and she was flung forward again.

"I remembered something!" she whispered to herself in fierce triumph. She had remembered that Titus was a roman name!

"Try that again girl and you'll taste my whip!" a soldier yelled at her, cracking his whip near her face and she flinched, looking away.

The journey took almost all of the rest of the day to reach their camp, all the prisoners exhausted. They were dragged in and the long chain that held them was welded to an iron post sticking out of the ground. Guards were planted and the army dispersed, going to their fireplaces and tents. Seraphina watched Titus and Garthenos walked into the largest tent, in the center of the camp and just across a great fireplace from where the prisoners where. It was obviously the leader's tent, large and black, with that red crest on it's billowing sides.

"We're dead, they'll kill us all without mercy" a woman cried, a few people down and the man behind Seraphina laughed harshly, keeping a careful eye on the guards.

"They won't kill us, Mara. They'll sell us into slavery, it's what they do with prisoners" He spat. Seraphina listened to the crying and whispering around her, but she was strangely curious. Not afraid. Her blue eyes on Titus' tent the whole time. Night fell and the guards were doubled in case there was a prison break and Seraphina eventually fell asleep.

"Wake up, all of you scum!" a soldier barked harshly and Seraphina's eyes shot open, remembering where she was straight away. She looked around and saw that the other prisoners were been kicked and punched awake and thanked the God's that she had woken so swiftly. The soldier who has spoken, grinned around at them as Titus and his second in command, Garthenos came over to them all. He started at the beginning of the line and began to move down, pointing out several men and women at random, it seemed. he reached Seraphina and she looked right through him, waiting for him to move on. There was a silence and she focused, looking up at his face impassively to see him looking right at her.

His eyes were cool and she met them without blinking, knowing her fate was already sealed. "This one" He said to Garthenos, then moved on, leaving a bewildered Seraphina behind. When Titus was finished, the chain was smashed at the iron pole and then pulled out from their shackles.

"Up!" the soldier barked again and they all stood. They were told to follow him and Seraphina turned, but another soldier stepped forward and stopped her with a rough hand on her arm.

Not you girl, Titus chose you" He told her softly, shaking her arm again to make it look as if he were punishing her. She looked at him questionably, but he said no more, stepping back. When the people had gone, she saw that there were only about 20 of them left out of hundreds. No doubt the rest had gone to be sold as slaves, but she felt no relief, not knowing what horrible reason they had been kept in the Warlord's camp. There were mostly me, she noted. Muscular one's, young and she guessed they were kept to join Titus' army. Her guess was correct and Titus soon emerged from his tent again, standing before them.

"You men are being privileged. A choice is open before you. Join my army or be sold into slavery" He told them coldly. There were no objections and the men were led away, leaving 7 women standing there, including Seraphina. She looked at his face, then at the men around her and saw their leers.

"You women, I'm afraid, have no choice at all. You will cook and clean...and be used at will by my men"

"No!" a woman screamed, breaking down and another comforted her. Mary was not among the women, Seraphina noticed numbly. Her fate had finally showed itself, she was to be raped at will and be a slave here for the rest of her life...or until she died. Titus'' eyes swept over them all and rested finally on her.

"Put them to work" He ordered curtly, then turned on his heel and strode away, blood red cloak flying behind him. Seraphina and the others were led towards the cook fires and ordered to make the evening meal, though Sera had no idea how to cook. When it was done, the soldiers came to the large pot, one by one with a bowl that was instantly filled by a weeping girl of 18. Sera bit her lip and handed out small pieces of bread, ignoring the leers and suggestions thrown her way. She was fearful now, that one of them would take her. She was certain she'd never known a man, though could not remember, only small parts of her past coming to her occasionally.

One man in particular, paid attention to her. A tall man with grey hair and hard brown eyes, His large muscles made him bulky though he appeared to be pushing 40 at least. She shivered at the look in his eyes, feeling them stripping her even as he took the bred from her hands.

"I'll have my time with you, real soon" He told her in a low voice, brown eyes glinting with lust and she steeled herself not to faint.

"Move on, I'm starving" the soldier behind him complained and the man gave Sera one last look over before moving on.

"So am I"

Seraphina shivered convulsively, but gave out the bread as silently as before. Then she felt something strange and looked up, hand halting with a piece of bread in it. She stared around, ignoring the glaring soldier whom she was giving the bread to. But there was nothing. The soldier raise a hand to hit her, then seemed to freeze as he looked towards the main tent.

"Ares is here!" he hissed to the men all around him and they looked up, in fear and eagerness. Seraphina felt detached as she heard the name, it sent a jolt like fire through her and her head spun wildly as something fought to be free. She raised her eyes to look at the main tent and saw what the soldier had, the God of War standing just inside, talking to Titus. She watched him and as if he sensed her, he turned his head and looked towards her. She quickly lowered her head and felt his eyes sweep over everyone intently, but seemed not to know where the glance had come from.

The next time she raised her eyes, he was gone and she thrust the bread into the soldier's hand, making him move on. After they had all eaten, the women huddled in a corner, near a tent and watched the men fearfully. Titus came out of the tent and strode over, grey eyes strange.

"The women aren't to be touched tonight" He ordered and the men protested loudly. He glanced around coldly and they fell silent.

"Yes sir" several mumbled and he walked back into his tent, the flap falling. A soldier came over to them.

"You can sleep over there, but you'll be watched, so don't try to escape" He warned them, pointing to a spot a little away from the rest of the men. Seraphina was confused by the Warlord's order. Why could be possibly care if they got raped tomorrow or tonight? It didn't make sense, but she was not one to complain and settled her back against a rock, eyes wide. She would not sleep tonight, guarding the poor girls. She knew the soldier might not obey their leader, could still see their hot eyes on them all.

She must have drifted off near dawn, for the sky was just lightening when she felt rough hands on her and she was dragged by the hair into the midst of some soldiers. Another woman was there too, the pretty 18 year old, who was already being held down. Seraphina's eyes widened as she saw it, fear in her heart. Titus had said they were not to be touch last night and the dawn was already passing into a bright day. A soldier tried to thrust Sera down to the ground, bud she struggled violently. His foot shot out and she jumped it, knocking his hand away and the men roared with laughter, momentarily forgetting the other girl.

"Too much for you Sparka?" a soldier taunted and Sparka's face went red with rage as he glared at Sera. His hand shot out and he slugged her across the cheek. She flinched, eyes filling and he grabbed her again when she couldn't see. This time he got her down and she raised a knee to his groin, punching him off her and staggering back to her feet. The men all watched her, amused more than anything that she was giving them a fight. They'd still get their way. She was hit over the back of the head and saw stars, falling limply to the ground.

"Not so tough now, bitch" Sparka growled, rolling her over and reaching for her top. Everything spun for Seraphina and then she heard the girl scream and a terrible rage came over her. She opened her eyes and glared at Sparka, grabbing his hands from her top and ripping it partly. He gaped, then cried out in pain as she dug her fingers into his joints, then kicked him in the head. She staggered to her feet and aimed, kicking the man over the girl in the head too. Then she punched another and then another. The men were stunned, then furious, all closing in on her and raining hard blows.

Seraphina's blazing eyes fell on the sheath of an unconscious man on the ground and she deftly pulled the sword out, waving it menacingly in front of her. The men pulled back slightly, wary that she was now armed and Seraphina pulled the girl behind her protectively.

"You'll die for this, girl" Sparka snarled, nursing his broken nose and Seraphina smiled grimly at him, blood boiling.

"You first!" she hissed, plunging the sword into his belly. She drew it out as the other soldier's attacked them and the girl cowered at her back. They got too close and she swung the sword in complex figure eight's in the air, startling them.

"Ahhhh!" she yelled, lunging forward to get more room and then she began to hack into them, blood flying. They fought her, but somehow she kept them back, then a voice broke in and they all froze, Seraphina with her sword inside a soldier's throat.

"Enough! let them have room!" Titus roared and then men stepped back. Seraphina watched him, eyes narrowed and then she kicked the man off her sword and held it out in front of her menacingly.

"No closer" She warned, reaching back to take the girl's hand and the girl clung to her. Titus watched Seraphina with a strange look in his grey eyes that she found compelling. Their eyes met and locked...then she was bashed roughly over the head and fell onto her face, feeling the world go dark...

["No! Meryll, don't!"]

["CUPID! NO, NOT CUPID!"]

["Wake up, please don't be DEAD!"]

There was someone there, in the rubble, someone horribly burnt and Seraphina's heart felt as if it would burst in agony. Someone she had known...and loved. But now he was dead. The someone came and all she felt was darkness.

["I wasn't eavesdropping...I wanted you to know that, Aurelia"]

["Who are you really...?"]

"No!" Seraphina screamed, bolting up. "Don't DIE!"

Her breath came out rapidly, pupil's so wide that Titus thought she was going into shock. Then the girl fainted and he let her go, her agonized screamed still reverberating through out the camp. Even the men had paused, in shock at the depth in those few words. The girl had been tossing in the throe's of a night mar3e for hours and he had watched her, puzzled by words she had occasionally mumbled.

"Blood, Caeralon, something burning and terrible pain" He murmured. Eyes going to her still form again. It had been enough to chill a man's blood, but Titus was a Warlord and this girl owed him answers. He ordered the guards outside and told them he didn't want to be disturbed and then went to the table and poured out a small mug of water. He went over to the blonde girl and studied her features once more. Blonde hair that reached her shoulder's, a pretty face and she was of medium size. Titus threw the entire mug of water directly on her face and she bolted up again, blue eyes wide in shock.

"What!" she yelled, wiping the water from her eyes and gazing up at Titus with sudden fear, realizing where she was. He smiled at her, eyes curiously warm and she met his eyes with puzzlement.

"You fainted" He told her softly and hunkered down beside her, glad that the guards had closed the tent flap behind them. It would be fatal to show weakness in front of his men. The girl stared up at him, then her eyes darkened as she remembered her dream and tears came to her eyes.

"He was dead" She murmured, curling into a tight ball and hugging herself as if there was no consolation in the entire world. Titus watched her for a moment, then reached down for her arm, dragging her to her feet. She staggered, then righted herself and he went to the table again for water and a cloth. She stared at them when he offered them and raised perplexed eyes to his grey one's.

"You're covered in blood, dear girl. I thought you might want to clean up" He told her patiently and was puzzled when she looked down and saw herself, the color fading from her cheeks rapidly.

"Oh God's! What...oh, Hades, I killed them all!" she shouted, backing away from him as if he would suddenly kill her for massacring his men. But Titus smiled, a wicked grin that made his eyes darken in pleasure.

"Yes you did and I want to know how you did it" He murmured softly, moving forward and wiping the blood from her himself. She seemed stunned, standing there like a statue with her pretty face blank like that. "Well?"

She blinked at him. "I-I don't really know. I remember feeling so furious that they were trying to rape that girl..." her voice trailed off and he gave her a curious look.

"That's twice since I've met you that you have saved a girl from that fate" He commented, dumping the blood-soaked rag and bowl on the table. Then he sat down and leaned back, reaching for the goblet of wine he had been drinking before she woke up. She looked so lost there, the girl, not at all the bloody killer from earlier. He had never been so shocked-or delighted in his life-to see a peasant girl cutting his trained soldier's into bits. Her blue eyes blazing with an almost mad light. And that smile...God's, she had been magnificent. But now it appeared that she had no recollection of how she did it.

"I couldn't let her be hurt" the blonde girl murmured, moving towards the table and sinking into a chair across from him. Titus froze, his finger's stilling on his goblet and looked at the distracted girl who had no idea of the insult she had just offered him. A slave, sitting at his table without his permission was punishable by death. But he let it slide, more interested in her than he could puzzle out.

"Where did you learn to use a sword like that, some of the moves I have never seen in my life before" He commented, taking sip of his wine. The girl swallowed, thinking hard, but could come up only with a blank.

"I don't know" She repeated her earlier word's, perplexity and frustration in her eyes. And Titus had had quite enough, his good temper fading rapidly as he shot to his feet. He grabbed the girl by the collar of her shirt and threw her roughly to the ground. She cried out in shock, leaping back to her feet smoothly. Whirled around to face him, hands raised defensively. It made him pause, her defensive stance. Almost as if she could very well defend herself even without the sword.

"You are lying to me, girl"

"I'm not!" she protested wildly, heart thundering, but she never lowered her hands. She was afraid he would attack her again.

"Garthenos!" he thundered then and she flinched, eyes swerving towards the tent entrance as Titus' second-in-command ran in. His hand was on his sword and his eyes went immediately to the slave girl, who looked ready to defend herself.

"My lord?" he asked, looking back at Titus, who's grey eyes were icy.

"This girl is with-holding information, I want you to give her the water treatment" Titus purred. He watched the fearful look in the girl's eyes as she saw the gloating expression in Garthenos'.

"As you wish, my lord" He said silkily, then clapped his hands once sharply and three soldier's entered the tent behind him. he pointed at Seraphina, who backed away fearfully.

"Grab the girl" He barked and the soldier's advanced. Titus watched with hidden interest, waiting for her to defend herself, but she cowered back as if she was the helpless girl she had appeared. She screamed as their hands closed on her, hitting them ineffectually. She was slapped roughly and slumped as they dragged her from the room. The two men watched as she left and then Garthenos turned to his friend and leader.

"You looked as if it were some kind of test, Titus" He murmured, relaxing for the moment as he watched Titus head back to the table and raise the goblet of wine to his mouth. "What's so interesting about her anyway?"

"Why nothing, my dear old friend. I was questioning her about defending herself out there" the sharp grey eyes pierced into Garthenos and he winced, hiding his feelings of trepidation.

"Mmm" Garthenos muttered, noncommittally, wondering where this was leading.

"Did you not notice how expert she was with that sword?"

"Yes, I did...and she refused to tell you about it?" Garthenos asked eagerly, mind already on torturing the peasant girl. Titus smiled grimly.

"Yes, she did refuse. Oh and Garthenos" He purred, as his second-in-command turned to leave. "I want her alive" He warned and Garthenos nodded.

The whole camp watched as Seraphina was dragged to one of the fireplaces and eyed the bubbling cook-fire with horror. it was clear, from Titus' words that the torture had something to do with water and that pot looked to be it.

"Put her head in" Garthenos ordered roughly and Seraphina was dragger forward, her head thrust down towards the water.

"No!" she screamed, struggling to keep her head up and free the hands that were being tied behind her back. The whole camp was watching, a few soldier's cheering as her head was finally thrust into the boiling water. Her first instinct was to scream, as pain began her only thought. The agony spread through her whole body as she felt her face being burner and the skin blistering almost immediately. Then her hair was grasped and she was jerked up to look into Garthenos' ugly face.

"Talk girl, where did you learn to fight with a sword?" he demanded. Seraphina gasped for breath, feeling as if her face were on fire. She felt the blisters and the blood running down her face from the intense heat of the fire and tears fell unfelt down them from her burning eyes.

"I don't know!" she screamed at him and immediately, her face was thrust back in. She closed her eyes tightly, feeling as if they were being boiled in her head and knew she was already horribly damaged by this torture. Her head was jerked up again and she struggled to open her eyes, but they had been stuck together as her skin melted and started to puss.

"Once more" He growled, then moved in closer and she heard his voice in her ear. "But by all means, don't tell me, I just love torturing people"

Seraphina heard these words as if from a long distance and felt a vague anger at them, but was too weak to do anything. He stared at her in disgust, though she never saw it. Her face was a real mess and some of the women began to whimper and cry for her sake. She felt an incredible agony as her face was again thrust into the water, it searing into her already inflamed wounds and she screamed under-water, feeling the water rush into her mouth and struggling up to gulp in the air. But the hand was holding her head there and she kicked backwards as hard as she could. A satisfying grunt of pain rewarded her and the grip loosened enough for her to surge up, drawing in the precious air.

"You bitch!" Garthenos roared at her and she heard the hiss of steal as his sword was drawn. Seraphina gasped, trying to open her eyes, but they felt as if they were glued shit and she had to rely on her ears. Though they too were a source of terrible pain.

"I want her ALIVE, Garthenos!" Titus shouted from his tent and there was a short silence before Garthenos laughed harshly.

"Right, sir" He yelled back and then he hit her roughly on the back, his finger's digging into the back of her head as she was again thrust beneath the water. Something strange happened to her then and it was as if all the pain faded. She felt her mind become a fog, blocking off all sound and feeling, but still capable of thinking clearly. She knew she would die if she was left under there much long. She shouldn't have relaxed in Titus' presence for a moment, but she'd been lost in her nightmare...it had disturbed her so much. And then there was the sword, how had she used it anyway? It was a blur to her now and she couldn't quit recall anything...

["Who are you really?"] a hauntingly familiar voice asked her softly and she remembered that she had heard it in her nightmare, though nothing else was remembered from it. It had faded too quickly. Who am I really, she asked herself. I am...her head was jerked up and Garthenos glared at her, obviously infuriated that she was not screaming or something.

"How can she take it?" a soldier whispered. The women were crying and Seraphina still felt numb. She wondered vaguely whether she couldn't feel anything because the nerves in her face had melted.

"Damn you girl, talk!" he roared at her, raising a hand to slap her and the pain rushed back, so much agony that she almost fell. Her face was on fire, her eyes refused to open, but she could sense him there and an incredible anger swept through her for what he had done to her.

"Arrgggggh!" she roared, rearing back and startling all around her. She felt fury and rushed forward, leg swiftly rising to meet soft flesh. She felt her foot contact with his face and heard the snapping bones. Garthenos screamed in agony and Seraphina stood there, panting. She could hear him rolling around on the ground and the sniggering of his men, but she was waiting for one man to speak.

"Well, Garthenos, it seems that you cannot even handle one peasant girl" Titus said in cruel amusement. Seraphina swayed, trying to keep her mind straight, but the pain was suddenly too much as she fell forwards into unconsciousness at the Warlord's feet.

"Put some muscle into it man!" old Casca yelled from the back door, making Ronan look up in frustration. He'd been asked to chop some wood, but so far the blade had managed to bounce off of the chunk without even denting it. He had rapidly realized that the strength he had as a God was gone along with his powers, leaving him a strong, but uneducated human. Chopping wood! Who would have ever thought that a God would be doing this!

"Show me how!" Ronan yelled back, annoyed and the old man came over, eyes sparkling with mirth. He looked Ronan up and down, noting the muscles on arms and chest.

"I can't understand how a big strong man like you has never chopped wood before" the old man shook hi head and took the axe from Ronan, demonstrating how to aim the blade. "Like this"

The blade whistled down, cutting half-way through the chunk of wood and Casca wheezed. "Are you all right?" Ronan asked anxiously, remembering that the man was old and frail in a way.

"I'm fine, me boy...now you try"

Ronan braced a foot on the wood and jerked the axe out, bringing it back down at the angle that Casca had shown him. It thunked directly on top of the cut made by the old man and sliced neatly in half. Casca's eyes widened and he grinned in delight.

"That's it! You got it right first try, I'm impressed, not many youngsters around here learn that fast" He whispered, looking around as if expecting to be heard. Ronan grinned a the old man's words, being called a youngster was amusing seeing as how he was actually millennia old...He kicked the wood away and went a the pile, shopping it into correct pieces in rapid time.

Cyrene came out to watch, eyebrows rising as she saw how fast he was doing the work. Taking him in had been the best decision she had made in a while. At first she had been doubtful of the gorgeous young man, but he more than made up for the free room she gave him.

"Ronan, why don't you come in for a breather" She suggested kindly and he looked up at her with those remarkably beautiful green-gold eyes. She'd never seen such spectacular eyes in her life. And they seemed to see so much, knowledge beyond his years within them.

"Thank you, Cyrene" He smiled, making her heart lurch in an alarming manner, he was such a handsome boy. But for the life of her, she couldn't determine his age, there was something almost...ageless about him. She watched as he slipped his jerkin back on, eyes on the sweaty skin, the rippling muscles there and her mouth went dry. She had to turn away as he came towards her, to hide the expression in her eyes. Casca followed them both through the back hallway to the Tavern and Ronan sat down at a table, watching as she poured him an ale and brought it over.

"One for me too, thanks love!" a man called out and she nodded in his direction, getting a few more orders from the crowded room. Business was good, thank the God's. She went back to business and kept half-an eye on old Casca and her new tenant as she worked, fascinated by the young man.

'She's got an eye on you!" Casca cackled and Ronan appeared startled.

"On me?" he repeated, looking at the woman behind the bar, when she wasn't watching. Casca's bushy brow's rose.

"You haven't noticed?" he said incredulously and laughed loudly. "For a bright boy, you sure are remarkably blind when women are concerned"

Ronan's eyes darkened. "For an Ex-God of Love?" he muttered under his breath, but Casca's sharp ears caught a little of it.

"What was that about Gods?" he asked, taking a deep drink from his ale and wondering that Ronan seemed to be ignoring his. Ronan's eyes shuttered and the old man watched with interest as the young man seemed to look right through him.

"I was just saying how I must have been cursed by them...when it comes to women" Ronan laughed, after a moment and Casca joined him, relaxing.

"Don't beat yourself about it boy...how the heck old are you any-how's?" he demanded and Ronan's mind flashed ahead swiftly, cursing that he had yet again failed to think of these answers.

"Uh, twenty-four summers" He said cautiously and the old man nodded, seeming satisfied. Ronan slumped slightly, thankful to Zeus that he had guessed his appearance right. He ran a distracted hand through his golden hair and picked up the mug of ale, taking a slight sip uncertainly. The food seemed to agree with him so far, though he had still not gotten used to relieving himself after. The ale was nice though, not as wonderful as Ambrosia wine, but nice still. Perhaps his tastes were more refined as a mortal?

"I thought you might be that old, so...ever been married? In love?" he asked in a friendly manner, shocked when his young friend choked, spraying ale in every direction. His face had gone deadly pale and his green-gold eyes had darkened in pain. Cyrene saw and rushed over, cloth in hand.

"What happened?" she demanded, seeing Ronan's pale face with anger. She rounded on Casca, fury in her eyes. "What did you do?"

Casca threw up his hands defensively, old face puzzled at Ronan's reaction to the casual question.

"I just asked the boy if he'd ever been married!" he protested, clutching his ale to him as if she would take it in punishment. Cyrene glared and opened her mouth to blast the man, but Ronan's soft voice broke in.

"It's all right Cyrene, my fault. Casca just surprised me is all" He admitted ruefully, one hand at the back of his neck and his color had come back, though Cyrene noticed his eyes looked haunted.

"Are you sure?" she asked hesitantly, anxious for her charge and Ronan nodded.

"Yes, it just that...I was married and she died" He said, in a low voice and she gasped, hand going to her throat.

"Oh Ronan! I'm so sorry" She rounded on Casca, cloth whipping out punishingly across his shoulder. "Casca! Watch what you say!"

"It's all right...really" Ronan said, slightly surprised at her protective manner. He had never thought mortal could be so...kind. He'd seen the wars, Ares caused, the lustful love that his mother made in people and the pain that they had all brought the mortals at one time or another. And here, in a small village, was a warm heart.

"Thank you Cyrene" He said sincerely, she smiled and then there was a commotion at the door. A little boy ran in, heading for Cyrene, eyes wide.

"She's back!" he yelled, clutching at her skirt and she looked down at him in confusion.

"Who?"

Chapter Three

"I think he mean's me, Mother" a familiar low voice drawled and her head whipped up to see Xena standing there, Gabrielle slightly behind her. Her heart lurched, glad to see her daughter after so many years.

"Xena!" she shouted, running towards her daughter and throwing her arms around the startled Warrior. Then Xena hesitantly returned her hug and Cyrene through her heart would burst. Then she let go and hugged Gabrielle, who returned it enthusiastically.

"So the Warrior Princess has returned!" old Casca bellowed, raising his tankard in a toast. Everyone looked over at him and Xena laughed while Gabrielle's eyes fell on the back on a young man sitting with Casca. She looked at his golden hair and something felt familiar about it, though she couldn't put her finger on it...

"Xena, Gabrielle, come sit down with Casca over here" Cyrene ordered, wanting her daughter and friend to meet Ronan. They all walked over and the young man turned around. Gabrielle gasped, her eyes going wide while Xena's breath hissed out from between her teeth. Cyrene seemed oblivious to their reaction...and Ronan's wide eyes too.

"This is Ronan, he's helping around the Tavern and he'd very good at it" Cyrene said warmly. Gabrielle collapsed into a chair next to him, Xena standing almost frozen with her icy blue eyes on his face.

"Ronan?" the blonde said dazedly and met Cupid's cautious eyes. They told her and Xena to say nothing and the Warrior princess finally moved. She held out her hand and Ronan took it in a firm grasp, though hers was almost punishingly tight.

"Pleased to meet you" She drawled, blue eyes locking on his green-gold. She was almost steaming, dying to demand what the God of Love was doing working in her Mother's Tavern! Gabrielle swallowed, eyes on Ronan's as Xena finally broke the punishing grip and walked off to her mother.

"Uh, Rona...how long have you been here?" she asked and Ronan sighed, running a hand through his golden hair again.

"A week now" He murmured, aware of Casca's interested gaze on him. The old man smiled and got up, grinning knowingly down at them both.

"I'll leave you too young folk here then" He told them cunningly and walked to another table, leaving Gabrielle and Ronan together. Xena walked over a moment later and thunked her ale down, startling the other two.

"Now" the Warrior Princess said in a dangerous tone. "What are you doing here Cupid?" she almost hissed and he gave her a faint smile.

"Working Xena...I'm..." he hesitated, looking at Gabrielle's curious green eyes. "Mortal"

"WHAT!?" the bard screeched, shooting out of her chair. Everyone looked at her and she faltered, embarrassed at her outburst. Xena and Ronan watched her, eyebrow's lifted as she blushed to the roots of her hair and mumbled an apology, then sank back into her chair. She reached out and poked Ronan curiously, realizing something seemed to be missing.

"Your wings are gone" She muttered to him and he smiled.

"Yes, I guess they went with my God-hood. I couldn't be Cupid without them" He sighed, wrapping his hands around his ale mug and looking away from the two girls.

"Did Zeus get angry or something" Gabrielle asked after a long moment and he smiled wryly at her.

"NO...I did. I was sick of being used by them all and asked for him to make me mortal" He said and his eyes suddenly filled with pain.

Xena had watched him carefully and knew there was more to it than that, her quick mind remembering three years ago.

["I loved her mother"] he had told Aphrodite. He had loved Aurelia and none of them had suspected...

"Oh, Cupid. I'm so sorry" Gabrielle murmured, throwing her arms about him. he was startled at her affection, but hugged her back tightly, glad of it.

"It's not so bad" He told her, sitting back and taking along drink of ale. Xena did the same, her sharp eyes on him.

"Strange though, that you ended up in this place...did you ask to come here?"

"No...I asked Zeus to send me some place nice" He grinned, looking around. "This IS a nice place"

Gabrielle's mouth suddenly gaped open as she remembered something. "Xena!" she whispered fiercely. "This must be the person that Ares told you to look for!"

Ronan looked abruptly angry, yet perplexed. "ARES!" he said, equally as fierce, glaring into Xena's watchful eyes. "He told you to look for me?"

"Not you in particular" She said coolly. "Just that I'd know them when I met them. I suppose he wanted me to keep an eye on you"

Ronan looked stunned. "Ares?" he repeated again, as if not comprehending, then his face darkened. "If he expects me to go over to his side, now that I'm mortal..." he began darkly, but Xena shook her head.

"I don't think that's it...at least I hope not" Gabrielle got in before her friend and all three stared at the their mugs broodingly.

"How did she do it, I've never seen such bravely or self-preservation" He said to the healer. She glanced at him, disapproval in every bit of her lined old face. The girl was an absolute mess, face looking almost like a melted candle. The eyes had been melted shut by puss and the extreme heat, the skin horribly blistered and she personally thought it a miracle that she was still alive.

"I have no idea, my lord" She murmured submissively, but her eyes glinted and he saw the hate for the army in her face.

"You disapprove of my method's, Martha?" he said silkily and she paled beneath her wrinkles, brown eyes going wide.

"No-no my lord" She stammered and watched as he rose from his chair, eyes on the girl's face as the healer lathered it with some poultice. The girl had been unconscious for an hour now and the healer had been working on her for that long, carefully trying not to damage his slave the more. When she'd been brought into the healing tent, she'd been a mass of blood and puss, face almost unrecognizable and for the first time, Titus actually felt a pang of remorse. Maybe...but she had to know where she learned to use the sword! How could she not remember something like that? And yet, she had withstood the torture with amazing strength, even though she must have been in incredible agony. It should have been a routine torture, she should have given in after the first dunking.

He'd come out to watch when he heard her scream that she didn't know. He'd been curious as to how she was withstanding the torture and come out to witness Garthenos angrily drawing his sword to kill her. He called out then, reminding the man that he wanted her alive and Garthenos had acceded to his wishes, but taken it out on the girl. He watched with curious intensity as he saw her body go limp, all the strength seeming to go out of it, then Garthenos had brought her out for the last time and she had exploded. He was stunned when her broken body-clearly blind too-had lashed out at his second-in-command, her foot moving so fast that it was a blur.

And blind...she had seemed to have an uncanny ability to find him and he flew back from the force of her blow, jaw clearly broken. That seemed to be all she could take, the energy draining out of her and she fainted onto her face. He had stared down at his commander, amused that he appeared to have been knocked out by the blow, eyes rolled back in his head. Titus felt a strange pride now, as he looked down at her, she had so much hidden strength that it was amazing. Withstanding a torture that he knew even one of his soldier's would have been screaming under.

"Will she heal or die?" he asked Martha curtly and she was startled, he had been dead silent all the while that she wrapped the girl's face in bandages.

"I-I, it's hard to tell, lord Titus. She may have sustained damage to her mind. Her eyes were boiled in their sockets and I doubt not that she will be blind...and her skin will be horribly scarred"

Titus stared at her impassively for a moment and then ordered her out roughly. he waited till she had gone and the tent flap secured, before he crouched at the girl's side near her face. He felt remorse, strange and unknown for this brave girl. Never had he seen such strength and bravery in the weaker sex.

"I'm not sorry" He told her fiercely, lips near her bandaged ears. "You defied me, by lying and now you are paying for it"

"A little harsh for a peasant girl, wasn't it, Titus?" a voice drawled and he spun around, hand going to his sword hilt. Ares sat at his table, legs up casually as he sipped from a goblet of wine. His dark eyes were amused and the Warlord removed his hand carefully, not wanting to offend this powerful God.

"She deserved it. I will tolerate no disobedience from my slaves" Titus hissed, moving away from the girl. He stood before the War God, feeling as if those dark eyes saw everything.

"Yet, you feel sorry for her" Ares taunted. "Never have I seen such strength and bravery" He mockingly repeated the words that Titus had been thinking a moment before and his Warlord's face darkened.

"It's true, but she's still my slave and to be punished"

"Oh, yes, yes" Ares said impatiently, waving a hand dismissively at Titus' words. "Naturally. But will she heal from these wounds."

"Martha said maybe...but she will be blind" Titus said stiffly, sure that Ares already knew all this.

The God shook his head in mock-disappointment. "I would have thought that you'd have more mercy on a girl...but no, you're just as ruthless a Warlord as you claimed to be three years ago when you prayed to me for my favor"

"I am" Titus said through gritted teeth, positive that the God was laughing at him silently.

"Mmm" Ares said softly, dark eyes roving over the girl and her bandaged face. He'd seen her fight and been impressed, something about it striking a cord deep within him...almost as if it had been hauntingly familiar...he disappeared without another word and Titus whirled, glaring at the girl. It had been her fault that Ares had read remorse in his mind. A Warlord of the War God did not show sympathy for those slaves that he had punished!

"Damn you girl, I should just have you killed and be done with it. You aren't worth it!"

Back at Cyrene's tavern, Ronan stopped talking, his face suddenly on fire. he clutched at it, feeling the pain there, though he knew there was no injury.

"Arrgggggh!" he yelled, staggering to his feet and running towards the bar, he grabbed a pitcher of water from behind it and splashed water onto his face frantically.

"Ronan, what's the matter?" Cyrene asked anxiously, seeing her young friend's face was twisted in helpless agony. He looked up at her, eyes darkened to a brilliant gold. Splashing his face again, faster, while Xena and Gabrielle ran up.

"What's the mater?" Gabrielle yelled shrilly, afraid, but he couldn't answer her, His eyes were burning, his face felt as if it had been melted away and he was afraid. It wasn't his pain he was feeling, he was sure and it was a terrible thing. he'd never felt pain before, God's didn't get hurt!

"Let me see!" Xena demanded, pulling his hands away, but she could see nothing wrong, even though he was in obvious agony.

"Make it stop!" Ronan roared, startling the patron's who headed rapidly out the Tavern door, not sure what was wrong with the young man and not sticking around to find out. More pain hit him and he thrashed around, fighting the steely grip that Xena had on his arms. The a strange numbness came over him, all the pain fading to a reasonable level and they all sighed when they saw it.

"What happened?" Xena demanded, her blue eyes suspicious. She could feel the air tingling, almost like their was a God present, but no one materialized. Ronan was slumped over the bar, spent and then his eyes rolled up in his head and he fainted dead away, falling at her feet.

Ares stared into his mirror, watching as his Warlord left the healer's tent. His dark eyes fell on the girl lying there, her whole head covered in bandages, even over her eyes. He'd seen it all, how she'd used the sword, the torture and the way she had defended herself even when blind.

"I'm impressed, mortal. I've not seen such…instinct to survive in years" He murmured to the reflection. She stirred, almost as if sensing his words and the dark eyes narrowed on her. It was strange, how he'd suddenly had the urge to look into his mirror. To watch his Warlord. He'd known that a village had been taken, naturally, it had been with his blessing. He WAS the God of war, after all…and conquering was a part of that. His Warlord carried his God's crest with pride and even had it sewn into every tent and uniform. Titus had much promise, he was ruthless.

Ares had seen the long line of prisoners with satisfaction, though he personally would have had them all killed. Yet, his Warlord's army had to be sustained by more than plundering alone. Slavery was a booming trade in some places.

["No"] the girl called out, somehow moving her mouth under all those bandages, even in all the pain she must have felt from using her burnt lips. He watched her for a moment more, but saw that she was still unconscious.

"Hmm" He said thoughtfully, eyes narrowed on her. He had a strange feeling about her, this one. Just like another young girl, who had tried to defend her village and won his favor…and heart. Xena. He forgot the girl in a moment, gesturing and the mirror changed to another vision. There she was. He watched in fascination as she dunked her head into a barrel and kept her face under for a long moment, then pulled it out and sprayed water everywhere. It dripped from her hair, down into her leathers and he watched with sudden intensity as a drop slid down her cleavage. She paused abruptly as she made to stride back inside the Tavern, eyes searching the place. Ares was delighted.

["You always could sense when I was watching you, Princess"] he murmured wickedly into her mind and her eyes gleamed.

["To what do I owe this…pleasure?"] she drawled smokily, her voice sending shivers down his spine with the pleasure of it.

["Oh, the pleasure is all mine, Xena. I assure you"] he said silkily, then cut off the connection, watching her faintly disappointed expression as she was denied a scathing come back.

["God's"] she said in disgust, shaking the water from her hair and reaching for her breast-armor. He watched as she slid it on and tightened the buckles, the strode inside and out of his sight. He was tempted to follow her in the mirror, but decided that even watching her work was something he had to forego. He had more important things to do and a Warlord to instruct.

Seraphina came around slowly and instantly she stiffened as the pain hit her brutally. She cried out before she thought and heard someone come into the tent, moving quickly towards her.

"Shhh, it's all right, Martha is here" an old voice crooned and Seraphina managed to concentrate on it, with a lot of difficulty. She tied to speak and move her lips, but it was too painful and her face seemed to be wrapped in something. "No, don't try to talk yet, you've been unconscious for three days"

Three days? Seraphina's mind screamed at her to remember and she did, slowly. Garthenos and the boiling water, Titus had ordered it...so why was she being looked after now? He obviously wanted to torture he more later and didn't want her to die yet.

"I wish I could give you a drink Hon, but it's too soon to remove the bandages..."

"Out!" a male voice interrupted her curtly and Seraphina heard the old woman leave, then there was a silence. "So, you're awake finally"

She listened carefully to the voice, trying to keep the blackness back, her body wanted to slip into unconsciousness gain so much!

"Martha said you might not awaken at all" Titus said casually, coming to stand near her, strangely, she could feel his body heat even though his voice sounded to be father away. She was sure he wasn't close enough, maybe her nerves had been damaged. "She also said you will be blind"

Blind! A scream of protest forced its way between Seraphina’s pained lips, coming out far louder than she expected and it seemed to startle, then amuse him.

"You do have a lot of spirit, my dear" He said gently, coming closer and she sensed him looking down at her with those cool grey eyes of his. She felt something trace a line down her neck to the panicked pulse at the base and realized it was his finger. "I know" He soothed her.

Know what? What could you possibly know about my pain, she wanted to shriek at him, but couldn't. Tears built up in her eyes, but could not be spilt because they appeared to have been sewn shut...no, not sewn, melted. Her face had been melt by the water, her eyes boiled and now she was blind.

"I expect you up in a week" He told her icily, all the former compassion gone from his voice.

She was stunned, a week? She was expected to be a slave still, even though she was helpless and blind. Seraphina heard him leave and more tears tried to force themselves from beneath her eyes, the intensity painful. She suddenly felt a strange tingling and her head lifted slightly, as her blind face tried to seek something out. An amused laugh startled her and she shrank back slightly as she actually felt someone come into the room...and he didn't walk.

"So, you can sense me can you? So can Xena" the voice said mockingly and she felt a weight as someone suddenly sat on the side of her bed. She wanted to scream, who's there? But couldn't and he sensed her fear and frustration. "It's strange really, how some Mortals can sense us" He went on and she froze. Mortals? Then...this was a GOD?!

"Oh, so now you see...yes, I am a God" He said, as if sensing her thoughts and she flinched. A warm hand reached down for hers and held it tightly, crushing the fingers. She tried to wrench it away, but the grip tightened cruelly. "I am Ares, God of War" He introduced himself and she felt faint.

Ares, she'd heard stories of him from Josa and other's who came into the Tavern to tell tales. Rumor was, Xena The Warrior Princess, was his chosen one. He protected her, even though she had spurned him. And now he was sitting next to Sera.

"Are you afraid?" he purred, his fingers tracing along hers and she wrenched free, only for her wrist to be caught a moment later. He's so fast and strong, she thought in panic, almost wishing Titus would come back and help her. She laughed suddenly, a horrible dry sound that gave him pause. She wanted the Warlord, who had ordered this done to her, to save her from this even more dangerous God?

"Something amusing, my dear?" he asked her, a curious note in his voice. His hand was still encircled around her wrist and felt like a band of iron, she knew she'd have bruises, but that was okay 'cause she'd never see them...

As soon as the laughter came, it was replaced by tears, the shudders wracking her body. But the tears could not fall and she curled into a fetal position, trying to stop the pain. She'd never felt such pain and weakness and she was showing it to this cruel God, but could not stop. He released her wrist suddenly and she could feel him staring down at her...Then strangely, he placed a gentle hand on her bandaged head and she felt a wonderful warmth seep through. Her face started to tingle, the pain fading and she found she could open her mouth without it hurting too badly. Then he was gone, she sensed him leave and that strange tension in the air left with him.

"What?" Seraphina whispered, wondering what had just happened, had he really party healed her? Out of mercy, or something more sinister. Even she knew, as naive as she was, that to owe a God was no good thing. Especially the God of War.

"We want you to come with us" Gabrielle repeated, noting the wide eyed Ronan in front of her had a pleased look on his face.

"Really? Why?" he hesitated. It would be great to travel with them, he really liked Gabrielle...but Xena was under unknown orders from Ares and he couldn't completely trust the Ex-Warlord. His eyes showed his struggle and Xena's blue gaze bore into him from the other side of the table.

"It would be safer for you, being Mortal isn't always the best thing" Xena said coolly and he frowned at her in annoyance, noticing the blonde did the same.

"Xena!" she said protestingly, but there was laughter in the green eyes. "Just come with us Cupid, please"

"Call me Ronan here, Gabrielle" He said under his breath, lips near her ear and she shivered as they touched her skin briefly. Cupid still had that affect on her...and now he was mortal and free! It opened all sorts of possibilities and it wasn't just for his own sake that she wanted him with them.

"All right...Ronan. it'll take some getting use to though" She sighed, biting her lip and he leaned back in his chair, watching Xena narrowly. She returned the look and he finally looked away from it.

"All right, but only for now" He murmured consent and Gabrielle squealed, throwing her arms around his neck. He was thrown off and clutched at her, involuntarily drawing her closer into the embrace and she stiffened. Ronan blinked, suddenly realizing what was wrong with her and pushed her back gently. Gabrielle blushed and made some excuse, escaping quickly out the door with her staff clutched close. Xena watched her go and then turned to Ronan.

"She's young" She said quietly, as if it explained all and Ronan ran a distracted hand through his golden hair, green-gold eyes thoughtful.

"I'll stay away from her as much as I can...I really like her, but..." his voice trailed off, eyes darkening as his words brought back painful memories. Xena watched him, her blue eyes suddenly compassionate and then she too left him alone. Ronan sat there for a while, mind drifting and then he wandered up to his room to look out at the sun. Earth was so beautiful, he'd never really seen it before in this light. Almost as if his eyes had been blind-folded every time he'd been down here. He didn't see the beauty for long though, thoughts already drifting and his eyes locked onto the brilliant green leaves of a tree below his window.

Like her eyes. Her beautiful eyes that had always looked so intently into his, so shy of the emotions that had been between them. And he remembered the turret room, the time he'd appeared and seen her leaning out the window. His heart had lunged and he grabbed at her urgently before he thought, only wanting her to be safe. Then realizing she might take it the wrong way and explaining he hadn't wanted to see her fall to her death. She had looked at him with such startled eyes, then they melted into something more warm and she had looked away. He'd moved to give her room and after a while, he'd found his arms around her again as their mind's melded together. it had been then that he realized the depth of their feelings, though each had tried to hide it.

He'd realized he loved her, then. Seeing what was in her mind and the love that she could not hide, when he was already inside her thoughts. he hadn't been able to help it and had to ask her.

["Who are you really"]

He whispered it again, this time out loud and not a voice from the past. it had been the last time he could be really close to her, other than when he healed her in his room, but Zeus had instructed that she be unconscious at the time and had wished her back to Earth before she woke.

"Why did you have to die?" he yelled suddenly, voice echoing angrily around the room, the anguish evident. He'd lived without her for three years and he couldn't take anymore, his heart dying in his chest for love of her. He thought about Psyche and realized he had loved her...but he had been in love with Aurelia. "Why did you leave me?"

"Wake up" Garthenos prodded her roughly, his voice slightly nasal and she smirked beneath her bandages, then winced at the pain. He didn't expect her to answer and she was silent, but moved her hand to let him know she was awake.

"Let me undo the bandages, sir" Martha pleaded, her tone frightened and Seraphina glared behind her bandages. As much glaring as one could do when blind, that was.

"Hurry it up, orders are for her to begin her work again" He snapped, violence in his voice. Sera felt gentle hands on her as she was lifted into a sitting position and then her bandages were being unwound. What would they find underneath? The pain was still there and it appeared that Ares had only healed her enough to speak, but not see. The bandages dropped away and she heard Martha gasp and thought the worst.

"Well? What is it?" Garthenos demanded.

"I-I, she's healed faster than I expected" the old woman stammered. Seraphina was exultant, did this mean that she was almost healed?

"It looks horrible to me" He sneered and Martha's hands trembled as she lathered something gently onto the scars and then wrapped new bandages around Seraphina's face. "Lets go. Now!"

Martha helped Seraphina painfully to her feet, the blood rushing to her head and making her dizzy. She clutched at the old woman and felt her frail arms come about her waist comfortingly. "It's all right dear" Martha whispered and Sera found it was comforting. She felt the sun on the skin of her neck and even through the bandages and it was wonderful. The tent had often been cold and she had been there for a week.

Sera was led carefully over to a fire, where she could hear it burning cheerfully, then she was handed over to someone else. A small voice asked her if she was all right and Sera recognized it as the girl who she had saved...or had she? Who knew what had happened after Seraphina had been tortured.

"I'm all right, we all are...thanks to you. We haven't been touched, Titus' orders" the girl whispered as she sensed the worry coming from her blind friend. A hand was placed in hers. "I'm Cara" She whispered.

"Get to work, show her what to do!" Garthenos barked and everyone fell deadly silent. Seraphina was given a wooden spoon and shown to the fireplace, where she stirred the pot carefully. Even blind, she knew punishment would be swift if she spilt any of the food. One by one, all the women came over to thank her and ask her how she was. She could feel their worried eyes on her bandaged face and knew they had seen how she looked after the torture. She knew she could have spoken and comforted them, but chose not to, keeping it a secret. It may be used as a weapon later.

"Bring the girl" someone ordered and Sera was grabbed hard, pulled away from her stirring the pot. The person dragged her, her feet and legs smashing into things as he carelessly pulled her somewhere. Then she was thrust forward, almost falling, but getting her balance at the last minute. A flap fell and she could feel the difference in the air, knowing she was in a tent. No one spoke, though she could hear quiet breathing. her bandaged face turned towards the sound and she remembered the layout of the tent. She reached out, waking forward a few steps to the left and her grateful fingers touched the smooth metal of the main tent pole.

She latched onto it, then searched her memory, knowing this was a test of sorts. Seraphina walked forward hesitantly, stopping as her instincts told her she was in front of the table. Then her hand reached out and found a chair back and she sat down into the chair lightly.

"Well done, my dear" Titus purred, clapping three times in approval. She turned her face towards his voice and sensed the smile on his face, though she knew from experience that his eyes would be cold as ice. She swallowed, wishing for water, but said nothing and he too fell silent. His eyes boring into her. "You instinctively knew that it was a test and passed it"

A strange shivery feeling came over her and she turned her face towards the far wall, waiting. "What are you looking at girl?" he demanded of her.

"She sensed me" a dark voice said smoothly.

"Ares" Seraphina's voice cracked on the name and she swallowed again. She sensed Titus' fury that she obviously knew Ares and that she could talk and had not told him.

"Lord Ares" He said, teeth grating together. Seraphina moved her head to follow Ares as she sensed him stride across the room to stand before her. She could almost feel his warmth, it seemed to burn into her and she frowned in confusion.

"Titus, I heard your prayer of the night before and I fully approve of your raiding Aenus and Maronea"

"Thank you, lord Ares. That's just what I was wanting to hear" Titus purred eagerly, hunger in his voice.

"Why, Titus, I do believe you enjoy slaughtering as much as you do looting" Ares said in amusement and Titus seemed to be indignant.

"Of course my Lord, I am a Warlord"

"Mmm, why so you are" Ares mocked, as if it had just been revealed to him. "I'll be watching"

Then his presence left and there was a cold silence as Seraphina sensed Titus's gaze on her.

"And you slave, why didn't you tell me you have met Ares?" Titus murmured dangerously. Sera stiffened.

"I couldn't even begin to talk until this morning" She lied. If he really knew that it had been three days ago, he would kill her...or cut her tongue out. There was a silence for a moment as he deliberated and finally seemed to grudgingly accept her explanation.

"I see" He told her sarcastically. Seraphina hesitated.

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked hesitantly, but with a boldness that surprised them both.

"Maybe. It's something to look forward too, no doubt" He said smoothly and she lowered her head.

"Perhaps. I'm blind now" She whispered. He said nothing for a moment, then clapped his hands loudly, summoning the guards.

"Take her back to her tent" He ordered harshly. Seraphina's arms were taken and she was almost carried back to her tent and thrust onto the bed.

"Not so brave now, are you blind girl" one of them sneered and she waited till they left to throw one of the pillows in their direction. She fought the tears and lay down, mind drifting and she eventually fell asleep.

Ronan cursed, jerking his fingers back and glaring at the bush.

"No, no Cu-I mean Ronan" Gabrielle corrected herself before she could fully say his real name and looked at the handsome man.

"No what?" he demanded, staring down at the blood welling form his fingers. it was a horrifying and amazing thing for him, he'd never been hurt before, after all.

"You have to be more careful, there are thorns" She giggled. Reaching expertly past the bushes thrones and grabbed a bunch of berries. Her smile was like a ray of sunshine and Ronan stared at her in wonder. She was always cheerful! It was amazing.

"All right" He said, laughing along with her and he mimicked her movements, successfully pulling the berries out. Gabrielle watched him curiously.

"You learn fast" Ronan rolled his eyes.

"I know, several people have told me already...it must be a God thing...Ex-God thing" He corrected himself with a wince. He tended to forget sometimes...and he missed being able to fly at will. He sighed as they collected more berries and then headed back to camp, where Xena was cooking the fish. His Mother had nothing to worry about, there was enough love in the world and Gabrielle was one of the people who gave it unconditionally.

"You found the bush" Xena said with a smile as they poured the many berries onto a blanket and then Gabrielle sat down to strip them from their leaves and branches.

"Yep and Ronan helped a lot too...he really learns fast" the blonde whispered into her friend's ear, when Ronan was facing away and the Warrior nodded.

"Mmm, I know"

"Can I do something?" Ronan asked, turning back and in his hand was a long piece of wood. he cut all the leaves off carefully, till it was smooth and then bent it in an arch. he smiled, pleased and pulled out a long piece of strong twine from his jerkin.

"Nothing really, that Gabrielle and I can't handle" Xena said absently as she watched him expertly tie a piece of the leather at each end of the branch and then bend it back and tie it again. In moments he had a serviceable bow and grinned at them.

"I thought you could use some help, if there's trouble that is" He added when Xena almost shook her head.

"All right Ronan" She sighed, giving in and Gabrielle watched as he started to make some arrows with wood and feather's. She saw him pull out some arrow-heads from one of the packs and frowned at them.

"When did you get them?" she asked curiously and he looked up, smiling ruefully.

"When I first arrived in town, with the first pay of dinars Cyrene gave me. I wasn't sure when I might need them and wanted to be prepared"

"Very wise" Xena approved. She removed the fish from the fire and placed them on large leaves, handing them one each. "Enjoy, it might be the biggest meal you get for a while"

"Oh?" Ronan said, looking up at the bright sky and Xena was silent for a while.

"We're heading towards Maronea, the Warlord Titus is destroying all the villages around that area and selling everyone into slavery" She said quietly. Ronan stared at her.

"Is this what you do all the time?" he questioned in disbelief and she grinned wickedly. "Do you know him?"

"Cu, Uh-Ronan, this is Xena here, what Warlord DOESN'T she know" Gabrielle sighed loudly, rolling her eyes and ignoring Xena's glare.

"Uh, sure" Ronan said in amusement, then it faded entirely as something occurred to him. "Don't we have to go through Abdera to get to Maronea?" he asked in a quiet voice, his green-gold eyes suddenly icy and Xena met that gaze steadily.

"Yes and that's why I'll understand if you don't want to go..."

"No" He cut her off curtly, suddenly loosing his appetite. "I'm coming"

Chapter Four

["Aurelia] the voice whispered into her mind and she jerked spasmodically in her sleep, fighting the hold the voice had on her.

"No!"

[Aurelia, remember me"]

She fought it, eyes scrunched tightly shut. "Leave me alone!" she moaned, not really knowing that she was say. But she knew deep in her heart not to trust the familiar voice.

["NO! Aurelia I forbid you, you belong to me!"]

"Who are you?" she muttered, thrashing around in her bonds and struggling to be free again.

["I am the God of darkness and hate"]

"NO! You're dead. You're dead!" she screamed, suddenly waking up and almost falling off her face. She could hear the sound of the soldiers around her, sniggering at her cries and she felt a soft hand clutch at hers. She was sitting on a horse, tied there so that she would not fall off in her blindness.

"Sera, it's all right, I'm here" Cara said softly, stroking the bandaged face and Seraphina tried to relax, but the dream haunted her.

"What's all the screaming?" Titus' voice demanded curtly and Seraphina felt Cara shrink back, her hand leaving quickly.

"The blind girl was having a nightmare, a bloody whopper too, by the sound of it" a soldier told his leader reluctantly.

"Really? It sounded as if she was being murdered" Titus murmured, she heard him riding closer and wondered what he was doing. "Who is dead?"

Seraphina shuddered at his words, trying to recall what had given her so much dread in her dream...but there was nothing. It had faded as quickly as the others and all she could remember was screaming something.

"I-I don't remember, it was just a nightmare" She said softly, bowing her head and his hand shot out to grab the blonde hair at the bottom of her bandage. He jerked her head back cruelly, soldier's laughing in amusement and Sera felt afraid.

"Don't lie to me girl" He warned her, jerking her hair painfully again and then he rode off. The soldier's laughed even more after he had gone and Seraphina had never felt so alone.

"That'll teach you"

"Titus is no one to mess with, you're lucky he didn't cut you to pieces for that"

"What would be the point, she's already blind and wouldn't even see it coming!"

The comments grew more and more vicious and disgusting, till Sera grew red in the face with anger. She bit her lips and winced a the pain, forgetting how damaged she still was. They were heading towards Aenus, then Maronea, the women in the center of the army so that they could not escape. Seraphina had been abruptly tied to her saddle at Titus' order, so that she would not fall off and so she had been subjected to this humiliation for the last two days and nights. It was getting no easier and even Martha was not allowed to stop to change Sera's bandages once in a while.

A week later, they reached Aenus and the women were left behind to cook, Seraphina with a heavy heart. She knew that more slaves would be brought in and the women sued. For some reason, none of these one's had been touched since Seraphina protected them so viciously. They weren't afraid of a blind girl, so why was Titus doing it? It constantly confused her and as strange as it felt to her, she was sure he was doing it only to taunt and perplex her. Six hours passed while Seraphina and part of the army waited for the other's to return and when they didn’t, they were heard for miles. The crying, the screaming and the stamping of hundred of hoof beats.

"Oh, God's. They have many more women this time" Cara murmured into Sera's ear, making the blind girl deadly afraid. How could she possibly protect anyone now? The men entered camp and the rattling of the long chain that held the prisoner's held Seraphina's attention.

"Please, don't hurt my little girl!" a woman pleaded and their was the sound of a slap.

"Shut up you!" Sparka's voice hissed viciously and Sera straightened. But then Titus's voice came and everyone went silent at the deadly tones.

"Soldier, what have I told you about injuring my slaves?" he purred. It was so silent that Seraphina could hear the frightened breathing that Sparka made as his leader strode near.

"For-forgive me, Warlord...I-I didn't mean..." the poor soldier stammered and Sera could picture his cringing form.

"I don't think so...you, kill him" Titus said quietly and there was movement, then it was abruptly stopped, a clanging sound ringing in the air.

"My lord?" a confused voice said and Seraphina strained to hear.

"I've changed my mind, you girl...bring your friend over here" He called and Sera turned her head as car stirred beside her and then grabbed her arm urgently.

"Please come, or he'll kill us both" She hissed into Seraphina's ear as the blind girl didn't move. Sera would have blinked if her eyes had been able to open at all, so surprised was she. The army was silent, even the prisoners as she was led in and around objects and people. The Cara let her go and backed away, leaving Sera somewhere all alone.

"See you here, Sparka. The girl who has injured you not one, but several time in the past" Titus said silkily, masking the skin of almost everyone there crawl in apprehension.

"Ye-yes" Sparka stammered and Seraphina could feel his eyes on her nervously, but as perplexed as she.

"God, good" He purred.

"What’s going on?" Seraphina asked under her breath, straining to hear and wishing she could see.

"Seraphina..." he said, moving closer to her. "Is going to be your executioner"

"What!?" Sparka shouted, stunned and flabbergasted and Seraphina felt much the same way. Her? Kill him?!

"Delightful isn't it" Titus murmured into he ear and she had to restrain the urge not to flinch for the obvious malice in his voice. he was up to something and enjoying every moment. "Give her a sword!" he ordered.

Seraphina's hands were lifted and a sword thrust roughly into them by trembling hands, so, his soldiers were as nervous of his games as she was. The sword felt heavy to her and the point dropped helplessly to the ground, to the sniggering of the army.

"I thought she could fight! She can't even hold the sword!" a soldier yelled and their was wild laughter. She felt a mass of bodies move and knew with some kind of instinct, that they had surrounded her and Sparka and possibly Titus in a large circle. Even the prisoners were probably watching, horrified and baffled by his cruel games. Her lips twisted. Even they could see that it was obvious she was blind!

"Draw your sword Sparka" Titus ordered in a steely tone, coming from the left and Seraphina turned her face in that direction. Her head swung back quickly as she heard Sparka obey his Warlord and knew that she now had a sword pointed someone on her body.

"Fight" Titus drawled, but he was not asking and Seraphina felt fear creep into her mind. She was a toy in his game, he didn't care if she died here...probably this was her punishment and he had just waited for the right moment to get rid of her. They'd kill Sparka anyway.

"This is not fight, she doesn't even know where I am!" Sparka scoffed bravely and Sera lifted the sword, slashing it in this direction blindly. He grunted slightly, but she knew she had barely touched him.

"She does now" Titus commented, making his me laugh loudly. Sera almost growled in frustration. As long as they laughed, she couldn't hear Sparka! He knew that and while she was trying to hear, he lunged in. She sensed him more than anything and stepped aside, but not fast enough. Agonizing pain went through her as his sword sliced the side of her hip and she screamed involuntarily. The men cheered.

"Be silent!" Titus thundered and the quiet was deafening, all voices cut off immediately. Seraphina almost thanked him, not knowing why he was giving her a fair chance. Sparka laughed and she swung her sword again, but he had been bluffing and came at her from behind, hitting her over the back of the head. The head that had still been healing. Pain rolled over her in waves as she fell to her knee's, sword dropping from her hands.

"This was too easy" Sparka laughed. Seraphina heard him and there was a rushing sound in her ears, her blood began to burn and her heart thundered. The pain as suddenly gone and she reached for her sword, diving into a swift roll and coming up facing him. There was a gasp from the army, who clearly saw that she was holding the sword expertly before her, apparently with effortless ease. Seraphina's eyes tightened, picturing him before her and a snarl rose to her lips. She felt alive, her whole mind focused and she could almost see him standing there.

"Arggggh!" Sparka yelled as he rushed her and she brought her sword up, clashing against his with a loud band. The edges grated together and he leaned his weight into he, hoping she would loose her grip on the sword. Seraphina grinned wickedly behind her bandages and faked falling back, then dived through his legs, coming up behind him. She wasn't even thinking anymore, the instinct to survive blocking out everything else that might have distracted her...including the pain.

"How did she do that?" a soldier whispered in amazement. A murmur went around the crowd and then there was running feet as Sparka thundered towards her. Did he think she didn't know he was coming? She ducked as he got closer and slashed her sword out at knee-height. There was a pained shriek and a thud as Sparka fell to the ground. He groaned and she smiled.

"Get up Sparka, or I'll have the men shoot you full of arrows" Titus said icily, his voice carrying clearly over the silent army. There was another groan as Sparka got to his feet and the sword was picked up from the ground.

"You" He grated to her, voice full of pain. "Are going to die horribly for that girl!" he shouted at her, sounding insane. Siona felt a little fear, but her sword never wavered, knowing that if it did she would be dead. He seemed angered by the fact she said nothing and this time he came more silently. he had seen that she could hear him and knew he had to sneak up on her. Seraphina cocked her head, hearing slight movements, but there were also slight movements coming from the crowd and she suddenly didn't know where he was.

"Here little peasant" He taunted from her left and her head jerked that way, a moment later he spoke from behind her and she jerked around again.

"Seraphina, he's...Mmmmp!" Cara scared voice called out and was abruptly silent as someone, hit her down. She hit the ground hard and Sera glar3d in that direction, though she knew no one could see it through the bandages.

"I'm going to slice you into pieces" He swore, then fell silent again.

"Enough of this" She growled, straightening. She began to do figure-eight's in the air, wide and complex as she turned in every direction. The sword whistled in a deadly song and she heard him stumble backward on her left. In a second, she had paused in mid-swing and spun around in a swift arc, her sword arm straight out and extended. Almost a full, blindly fast spin had been completed when she felt her sword blade slice smoothly into armor, the sword had gathered so much speed however that it went right through into the soft flesh underneath.

The soldier's gasped and Seraphina felt wild exultation. He saw still on his feet, but she knew he was already dead because it was only he blade imbedded inside his chest that held him up.

"Bravo" Titus clapped loudly and after a hesitant moment, his army joined. Seraphina could feel the awe and shock coming from them. How one blind girl had hunted down and killed a fully-armed soldier was shocking and horrifying.

"I agree" another voice said smoothly and the crowd fell silent, no one moving as the God of War appeared. He was just behind Sera and she knew he was there, still seeing red with rage. She snarled and kicked the soldier off her blade, whipping he bloody sword around with fierce determination. It met resistance and everyone gasped in awe and fear.

"Well tried my dear, but very stupid on your part" Ares said mockingly. He backhanded her across the face and she felt the sword handle leave her hand as she flew across the ground. Luckily she hit nothing, but laid there stunned from the jolt when her body thunked on the ground.

"She'll be punished for that, Lord Ares" Titus snarled. "I swear it"

"Don't bother, I'll take my revenge another day...today..." he paused and she heard hi foot steps coming towards her but was unable to rise, still gasping like a stranded fish. "I have come to give her a gift"

Seraphina raised her face towards his when he stopped over her and she was confused. "A gift?" she questioned harshly, throat dry and he laughed.

"Yes, you foolish child...a gift" He mocked. She felt him bend over and then a hand touched her bandages gently, the familiar tingling seeping into her face and gradually the pain faded. She gasped and opened her eyes, seeing that even the bandage had vanished. The light was agonizing to her eyes and she whimpered, shutting them. Ares was not amused, however and jerked her to her feet, thrusting her before him towards Titus. The crowd was silent with awe and fear at his show of power and Seraphina knew her face was totally healed.

"This girl is to be trained fully as a soldier in your army" He ordered the stunned soldier’s, they muttered among themselves, but it was Titus who smiled and nodded.

"As you wish my lord. Your test went better than planned." he commented and Ares laughed. Seraphina's eyes jerked open and she stare at the God of war, seeing him up close for the first time. So it had been him that day, so long ago. The solder had been right when they saw him in Titus' tent and thought it was him. He was gorgeous, absolutely, she noted straight away. Dark hair and eyes that pulled you in and drowned you. He was dressed in leather's that suited him perfectly, only emphasizing the power of his muscled body. It radiated from him, the power and she could feel it acutely, now that she was so close and looking at him. He turned to look at her, sensing her eyes on him and smiled mockingly.

"I do believe she's in love with you, my lord" someone sniggered from the crowd and Ares threw back his head and laughed. Seraphina turned slowly and glared in the direction the voice had come, from her eyes uncannily finding the soldier who had made the comment.

"Is she indeed" Ares said musingly, amusement in his eyes as he again looked back at her.

"I was just wondering why the God of War was interested in a peasant girl, who doesn't even remember who she really is" Seraphina said icily, bold with the knowledge that he wanted her for some reason and wasn't about to kill her. Ares smiled coldly back, seeing her anger in her blue eyes.

["Don't play games with me, little girl"] he warned silkily into her mind and her eyes widened. ["You'll only loose and death will be a most welcome thing when I have finished with you"]

Seraphina went pale, seeming to shrink beneath the God of war's gaze alone. None knew he had really been talking to her mind!

"Very well" She murmured stiffly and he held something out to her. Her eyes widened when she saw the blade of her sword held indifferently in his left hand. She grabbed it by the hilt and he held on for a moment, meeting her eyes warningly.

"Don't abuse my gift, girl" then he disappeared and she slumped in relief, still grasping her sword. Amazing. So that was the God of War, up close and dangerous...and unbelievably, when she had tried to slice him with her sword, he had grabbed the sharp blade with his bare hands! As she stood there, Titus came over and the men suddenly exploded into conversation.

"I don't believe it!"

"Ares wants a girl in our army?"

"What about Xena, she was a girl"

"Oh yeah...but she's no warrior, look how skinny she is!"

"She sure sliced open Sparka"

"She's a slave"

Seraphina barely noticed the warlord standing next to her, looking down.

"Everyone break up and get back to watching those prisoners. I expect all armor to be polished by sundown" He roared and everyone raced off to do his orders.

"It was a test?" Seraphina asked him, feeling sick as she looked down at the remains of Sparka. Titus put a hand on her shoulder and steered her into the main tent. She fell into a chair and looked down at her bloody rags, ripped and barely there. He followed her glance.

"We'll have to make you some armor" He told her in a strangely gentle voice and she finally looked up, eyes blank.

"Then, I'm Ares pawn?"

"Aren't we all"

"The world is falling to bits, where is all the love?" Athena said, looking into the viewing mirror, Hermes and Artemis on either side.

"It's not there anymore" Hermes said, biting into an apple.

"I can see that, dolt" Athena hissed at him, eyes blazing and he smiled apologetically.

"It's because of Cupid" Artemis murmured and they felt the presence a second before they saw it. Zeus stood there, in the center of Athena's room and the three gaped at him. To say that they were surprise was the understatement of the century! Zeus rarely, if ever came to them personally, usually making them come to him with their problems.

"Cupid?" Athena said, comprehension flooding her beautiful face.

"He was the God of Love and when I took his powers, some of the Love in the world died with him. And Aphrodite hasn't been the same, crying all the time. She's had no time to listen to her followers and so the love is failing there also"

The three God's starred at their father, mouths falling open in shock. "It's the end then?" Hermes murmured, eyes wide and Zeus nodded.

"The beginning of the end of use all. If there is no love...there is no hope and the darkness will consume us all"

Seraphina stared dully at the men as they left her tent, leaving plates of food behind them. She had no interest in food. The last few days had been Tartarus on earth for her, Titus having kept his word to Ares and having her trained as one of his own soldiers. They all found out rapidly that she had hidden talents and a killer instinct that she had never realized she possessed. Many men had died under her sword in the last few days and she felt it acutely. it was almost as if someone else took her over when she fought, seeing nothing but her goal to win.

"I hate this, maybe I should end it" She whispered and there was a noiseless flash as Ares appeared, frowning darkly.

"You don't want to do that my dear, I've warned you about abusing my gift"

She stared at him bitterly. "Gift? Is this what you call it?"

He sat down across form her and gestured, something shinny appearing on the couch nearby. Seraphina got to her feet and walked over to it, seeing immediately that it was armor. But such beautiful armor, emblazoned with his crest on the breast plate in red, the armor itself in black.

"Beautiful, isn't it and it's for you" He said, coming soundlessly up behind her. She turned to him, puzzled at the gift. "Put it on"

She looked down at her dress and then at him with raised brows and he sighed, turning his back. Sera looked down at the pile, there was even a thick under-shift to stop the armor chafing her skin and she slipped it all on carefully. Ares had turned before she had even put the breast-plate in place and she scowled at him, wondering if he had even been turned away for more than a few seconds.

["Don't worry girl, I only turned once the shift was on. I respect your...need for modesty"] he met her eyes mockingly, then sighed a little and she wondered at it. He grinned at her and allowed her to fasten the breast-plate buckles alone, then helped to fasten the rest of the armor in place. As soon a it was all on, she felt a change come over her and fell writhing to the floor.

Ares knelt down beside her, eyes on he face mockingly. "This armor" He told her, flicking the breastplate lightly. "Enhances the darkness inside you.

She raised her head, blue eyes struggling and he stared at her gently, touching her face with one finger and tracing her jaw. "Let it go"

"I can't, I won't!" she screamed at him, trying to jerk away, but he dragged her into his lap, holding her there tightly as she thrashed around. Ares frowned, there was something wrong here, something he could vaguely sense.

"Give in" He ordered her, amazed that she had withstood the armor this long, her mind must be powerful and suddenly he wanted to know if he was right. "This won't hurt a bit" He lied, smoothly inserting his mind into hers and she screamed blood-curtlingly. He winced, then wondered why he was feeling for this Warrior. The God of War did not care about his soldier's...even if this one was exceptional.

Ares felt himself floating in there, inside her mind and headed directly to the wall that was blocking her darkness. It was so strong! He gasped, bombarded by her emotions of guilt and loathing for what she had done in this army.

["Let me in"] he whispered caressingly, trying to get in under her defenses. She was strong, but he was stronger and suddenly dove through the wall. She screamed, thrashing in his arms, but he held her tightly and put a shield up around the tent so that no one could get in. No doubt they could hear her screams and would come to investigate. Once her wall was down, he causally sorted though and finally coming across a section that made his blood freeze. He was bombarded mercilessly with her memories, hidden deep inside.

["If you don't become my servant, I will kill you"]

["I see that you've been keeping secrets slave"

"You never asked"]

["I was always fascinated by the sky, especially at night. It's so..."

"Dark? Scary? Filled with unimagined horrors?"

"Inviting"]

["Cupid!"

"YOU, she recognizes!"]

["No, something...stopped him"

"Yes, you did...]

["That's contemptible Ares, you kill for the sake of killing"

"What else is there?"

"No answer? Of course not, the blood sings in your vein's also, my dear. No one that has ever handled a sword and taken a man's life can resist the call of battle"

"I can"

"You lie even to yourself, even the little bard will tell you that you can never go against your nature"]

["CUPID! NO, NOT CUPID!"]

["Who are you really?"]

Ares mind reeled under the onslaught of buried memories and he cursed himself for not realizing. Only two women he knew were that good with the sword and the woman in his arms was one of them. Now he knew why it had felt so...wrong, to give her the armor. Her power was naturally seeking to keep the darkness at bay...and he had just let it free.

"Aurelia, you fool, what game were you playing?" he whimpered harshly, stroking the blonde hair back from her forehead with a strangely gentle touch. He should have known, she'd used an illusion before!

"Ares" She whispered back, eyes trying to open. He held her tighter as she struggled, her head on his shoulder. "I remember now"

He stared down at her, puzzled until he remembered her words after he had restored her sight to her.

["I was just wondering why the God of War was interested in a peasant girl, who doesn't even remember who she really is"]

"You've had amnesia!" he exclaimed in fury. Whoever had brought her back in time again had done this to her, put her through Tartarus in his Warlord's army. But what was done, was done and even as he memories flooded back, the armor did it's work and he was not surprised to see that her eyes were icy when she finally opened them. Then her expression softened and he was startled, feelings rushing through him.

"Ares" She whispered, reaching up a gentle finger to touch his cheek briefly and something unreadable was in her blue eyes. Then it was gone and she leapt out of his arms swiftly. "We have a War to plan"

He stared at her for a moment, feeling strangely tender and reveling in the darkness radiating uncontrollably from her body. "Yes" He murmured and she smiled silkily.

"Now to tell Titus that I am his second in command...and if Garthenos stands in the way, I'll kill him"

Xena and the other's reached Abdera a few days later and they all looked around as memories flooded them. "Xena!" a voice shouted and they all turned to see Joxer, struggling through the crowded markets.

"Oh, boy" Gabrielle muttered. He was still wearing the leather vest, silk shirt and leather pants. So, Aphrodite hadn't yet removed the spell. The man reached them and looked immediately at Gabrielle, reaching out for her hand.

"Gabrielle, my sweet, it's been too long" He murmured, kissing her hand and his lips lingered there. Ronan watched with amusement, remembering the first time his Mother put the curse on the coward. She still hadn't removed it and he wondered what she was up to, what possible reason could have had?

"Xena! Glad to see a fellow Warrior, as always" Joxer bowed in her direction and his eyes fell on Ronan. "Do I know you...you seem familiar"

Ronan opened his mouth, but Xena beat him to it. "He's an old friend of ours, no you've never met him"

Joxer frowned at her, staring again at Ronan. "Are you sure?"

Gabrielle recovered from her laughing and smirked at Ronan and then Joxer. "Nope, you don't know him" She giggled and Ronan shot her an exasperated look.

"Gabrielle" Xena said warningly and kicked up Argo, the horse trotting away. Ronan stayed with Gabrielle, not sure if she wanted to be left alone with Joxer and she shot him a grateful look.

"So" She began nervously, "What brings you here?" Joxer frowned lightly, a hand on the hilt of her sword.

"A job. The King heard that Xena was heading in this direction and wanted me to take her to him" He smiled proudly at her. "Apparently he never got to give you a formal thanks for saving his town"

"Oh...OH!" Gabrielle yelled, eyes gleaming. "A party, for us?" she squealed, rushing forward to tell Xena. Joxer looked sideways at his companion, convinced he knew the man.

"Where are you from?"

"Amphipolis" Ronan said shortly, not willing elaborate and Joxer's face fell.

"Oh, I've never really been there, passed through, but not visited" He murmured to Ronan, who found the man excessively annoying. Just then, another voice called Xena and Ronan looked up to see the Hand-Maiden Celeste rising fast through the crowd. She reached the two girls and threw herself at them, hugging them both and almost dragging Xena from the horse. Ronan and Joxer caught up, looking on in amusement as Gabrielle and Celeste exchanged stories quickly, wanting to know what the other had done in the last three years. Meanwhile, Ronan's eyes had wondered, falling on one of the spires of the Temple. His eyes hardened.

"Damn you and all you're king, Oracle" He hissed. Joxer didn't seem to hear him, but Celeste and Xena did. it took a moment for the hand-Maiden to recognize him and before he could stop her she had knelt in the dirt at his feet.

"Oh, great God...please forgive us for what happened three years ago" She said to him, tears filling her eyes. Joxer gaped and Gabrielle stuffed a hand over his mouth, dragging him away. People in the markets stared at the mighty Hand-Maiden kneeling in the shadow of a traveler as if he were Zeus himself.

"Get up, Celeste!" Xena hissed, dismounting Argo and looking read to chock her friend. Ronan's face was a mixture of hate and amusement as he watched her get to her feet in embarrassment.

"You look...different" Celeste commented after a moment of looking him over and he smiled at her, though it didn't reach his eyes.

"Mortal you mean"

She gasped. "Mortal!" Xena saw that they were drawing attention and grabbed the girl's arm, Ronan following quickly behind as they made a hasty exit. Joxer and Gabrielle waited for them at the South gate and the man's face was pale and shocked.

"I'm sorry, Cupid...I never recognized you" Joxer apologized. Ronan smiled with difficulty, seeing that the man was sincere.

"Why should you have?" he murmured, smiling sadly as his eyes went back again towards the Temple. Xena was whispering fiercely into Celeste's ear and her eyes got wider and wider, fixed on Ronan.

"Oh!" she said finally, gasping. it took several minutes for her shock to wear off and she waved goodbye to Xena...then ran after them as they were walking out the gate. "Oh yes! The Oracle said to tell you that there us great danger ahead for you, she can't say from where, but it's something from the past"

Smile frowned. "In Maronea?" she growled and Celeste shook her head.

"Not yet, but Aenus has already been captured, all it's people sold into slavery and the flag of the Warlord Titus is on the castle battlements"

Gabrielle growled, but Xena looked fairly calm.

"Then tell the Oracle we already know who the danger is, I knew Titus in the past. he used to be a lieutenant in my army" Xena told them and Celeste looked shocked and relieved at the same time.

"Thank the God's then that you already know who it is! At least we know this time" She said in a subdued voice, not quite looking at Ronan. She stood there and watched till they had left, a hand clenched around her dagger. "Be safe, my friend's. The God's only knows what lies ahead."

Xena rose in silence, worrying her companions and they were but two days from Maronea when a sense of Deja vu overcame them. It was the remains of Aenus, coming down the roads in huddled groups. They knew that Maronea was next and had passed it, heading for Abdera. Xena didn't even stop to ask them, but that night she increased the pace and they reached the city of Maronea on a brightly lit morning. Gabrielle felt that it was almost unreal and definitely a nightmare as they were admitted through the city gates. No one seemed to be panicking and Xena swore when she saw all the people still there.

"Why haven't they run?" Gabrielle asked her, confused and Xena glared around with her blue eyes icy.

"They're stupid. They think they're invincible!" the warrior Princess spat in loathing. The King was responsible, she was sure and was riding towards the Castle before anyone had guessed her intention. They followed her hastily and they finally reached the castle, through the city, a few hours later.

"I want to see the King" She told the commander in charge and he looked her up and down assessingly.

"So does everyone, but it doesn't get them in no matter what they possess Homey" another man sneered, looking Xena up and down. He never saw her hand move, just felt the agony of her fingers squeezing the life from his throat.

"Would you like to rephrase that?" she asked him sweetly and he nodded frantically, laying on the ground and gasping when she let him go.

"Can I take your name?" the commander said politely, glaring at his soldier.

"Tell him it's Xena" She said softly. His face firmed.

"Come with me" He ordered and she left Argo in the courtyard as he led them all through the castle. "I had hoped you would come, we nee help but the King doesn't understand that" the soldier murmured to her, once they were away from prying eyes and she smiled at him.

"I'll convince him, believe me"

"That she will" Gabrielle said cheerfully and Ronan looked at her incredulously. How in Tartarus could she be so cheerful, even when there was going to be a war.

"I hope so" Joxer muttered and followed behind. They had to stay outside the throne room and when Xena emerged, her face was like a thunder-cloud. It took a half-hour of pacing and yelled at her to get the story, after they were all shown to their quarters. The King had been happy for them to stay, but he would not amass his army in case of attack.

"We are very grateful for your services, but do not need them" Xena sneered, mimicking the King with scorn. They were all sprawled out in her sitting room, Ronan alone by the window and Gabrielle next to Joxer while Xena paced around the room.

"Maybe he just needs more convincing...he can't be that dense" Gabrielle said, not willing to see the worst in people and Xena stared at her incredulously. "Uh, maybe he is" Gabrielle continued hastily.

"We're going to be right in the middle of a war here Xena" Ronan said quietly from the window, he turned around green-gold eyes shuttered.

"I know" She growled, taking out her sword and swinging it around furiously, muttering about the monarchy. Both Ronan and she froze as they felt something and their eyes swung to the center of the room. A moment later, Ares stepped out in a shower of silver and smiled mockingly at them all.

"Well, well, a little gathering" He looked at Xena's sword and a brow rose. "Or should I say, a War party"

"You should" Xena said with quiet deadliness, advancing on the God with her sword held menacingly. He didn't move, the smile still on his face.

"So fierce, my Princess" He taunted and she charged, her sword swinging towards his chest. She was startled and thrown off balance when he caught the blade between his hands and she landed on the floor at his feet. He looked down at her in exasperation and anger and she flipped up, landing on her feet right in front of him.

"You're the second person to try that in the last week" He told her in annoyance, but something hovered in his eyes that held her own captive for a while. Then he turned and walked towards the window, ignoring his nephew completely.

"What do you want?" Gabrielle yelled at him, finding her voice and he spun swiftly, eyes blazing.

"Ah, the 5 million dinar question, my little Amazon" He told her, unfazed at the sudden question.

"Amazon?!" Joxer choked, looking at his love and she shushed him quickly.

"Not now!" she hissed.

"I came to tell you to leave Xena" Ares said suddenly and they were all surprised. Xena stared at him, not having expected this. Ares wanted her to back away from a War?!

"What? Why is that?" she said finally, regaining her composure and he looked at her seriously.

"I intend to win this one Xena, this is it and I'm going to conquer all of Greece with this Warlord"

"Really? Haven't you tried that before?" Xena mocked him, raising her eyes to meet his and what she saw there unnerved her.

"This Warlord is...different. Exceptional"

"Isn't that what you said about me, Ares?" she mocked and his eyes blazed into hers.

"Yes! It could have been you by my side now, taking the world in fire"

"I've changed, I help the world now, not destroy it" Xena hissed, annoyed that he had brought up her past again. True that it could have been her...and a part of her, hidden deep inside would always regret that she had left his side. But it would stay there, never to surface. She could just never forgive herself if she became her past-self again.

["Back away, Xena"] Ares said into her mind and she tried to look away, but couldn't. She had the uncanny feeling that he had just read all of her thoughts and she hated the feeling.

["You know I won't"] she murmured, feeling as if she were sinking into his eyes.

"You have to" He said aloud, breaking their locked gazes himself. Xena was a little stunned, dazed that she had not been able to have any control around him.

"Xena will never do that, you know she won't, Ares" Ronan said from his place at the window. Ares turned to stare at him mockingly.

"Well, it's not like you are going to help her, Cupid...or should I say Ronan" the God of War taunted, crossing his arms. Ronan glared.

"I will if I have to, I'm good with the bow and I'm no longer the God of Love"

Ares watched him carefully and a strange look entered his black eyes. "You're serious. You'd really abandon all those morals you've collected over the millennia, just to fight at her side"

"I would"

"Hmm, so would I...if I were good like you that is." he looked at Xena, eyes burning hungrily. "She is glorious to watch in battle"

"You have your answer Ares" She said coolly, unnerved by the look in his eyes, but trying not to show it. If she showed weakness, he'd be on her in a second and she knew she could never go back. He was her weakness, her blood-lust, her power and darkness. And more...but he'd never know, she'd make sure of that.

"Then I can't stop you, Xena?" he said, not really expecting a yes and she didn't disappoint him.

"No" She said icily. He said no more, but the searing look her gave her as he left was full of promise, desire and something she couldn't define. He still wanted her, even when she defied him. Even when he knew she would kill his Warlord...

"He seemed very confident, Xena. I don't like this" Gabrielle said sharply and she came towards her friend, hands gripping her staff.

"He was confident that this warlord was going to win" Joxer agreed, lounging back into a chair.

"Then this is the danger that the Oracle warned us off" Gabrielle murmured, staring into Xena's eyes. "Be careful Xena, he seemed almost...worried for you"

Xena stared at nothing, mind suddenly blank. But Gabrielle was right, it was almost as if Ares was trying to protect her. Why would be worried for her now and not in the past? What was he up to.

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