Chapter XIX

"How are you holding up, Reed?" Rosie asked once the bedroom door was closed behind Randi and Gwen. She'd felt the shudder run through the seer's body and winced in sympathy at the look of pain that crossed Reed's face.

"My God, I'd forgotten how much that hurts," gritting her teeth. "I hope they get the wonkiness worked out soon. I liked the shielding they had in place before."

"Can you see what is wrong?"

"Ares' binding potion has changed the balance. They still have their bond, but the shielding is skewed enough to let that energy through. Fortunately, I don't think it will take them long to fix it, but my God in the meantime."

"You realize they are probably gonna make love...."

Reed covered her eyes with one hand. "Yes. I imagine that is what it will take to seal it completely. I need to get out of here before they do that. Just the thought of it sets my hair on end." They rose in tandem and headed towards the door, reaching it just as the rest of the contingent started to enter. Rosie just shook her head.

"They need to be left alone for a while." The Sabres turned to Reed as a single unit and she nodded.

"Set up an outer perimeter to keep the Nation out of this area and let's move our meeting space outdoors for the rest of the day." Her face crumpled in pain again. "Those of you not on immediate duty, join me and Rosie out side. The rest of you I'll expect to hear from at regular intervals. We'll rotate in and out every two hours. I know that makes for short shifts, but I don't want anyone in one place too long. Things will be coming to a head pretty fast now, I expect." Reed winced again and started moving down the corridor.

Reed nodded at Jess who assumed command and started handing out orders. Without a word, Lacey took up her post on Reed's other side and together, she and Rosie ushered Reed outside. The rest scrambled into their new assigned position.

"You all right?" Lacey asked under her breath. Reed nodded but the look on her face told another story altogether. "I'll see if we can set up a circle for you to help block them until they get their shielding back in place." Lacey grinned at the surprised look on Reed's face. "Yeah, I can feel it too, though it isn't painful for me - just weird."

The Sabres were quick to respond to the new arrangement and shortly they were seated in the meadow once more supporting Reed and she raised her barriers into place once more. There was little else for them to do but wait until she was stable.

After a bit, Reed opened her eyes and released a shuddering breath. "Thanks, guys," she said quietly. "Where are we at?"

"The first shift is ready to rotate inside. We haven't heard anything from Gwen and Randi since we came out here and now a majority of the Nation is down because of the antidote. The rest seem to have gone underground. And Corky is going to recover, but I sincerely doubt she will ever challenge anyone or anything ever again. She will be given the serum as soon as she is physically able to handle it. Seemed kinds hateful to make her sick as miserable as she already was."

Reed nodded. "Thanks, Jess. Good job, guys. Has anyone contacted Tiny?"

Lacey shook her head. "We figured you would prefer to do that personally. Besides, we didn't want to freak him out and you know if he saw me or Jess especially he would have."

"Can someone set up a comm unit out here, please? I want to keep him in the loop as much as possible since he is stuck in the capital holding everything else together." She turned to Rosie whose exhaustion was clearly written in her face. "Thank you, Rosie. I don't know what I would have done without you here."

Rosie smile wanly at her. "Wait til you get my bill." Her words drew soft chuckles from the surrounding Sabres. "I think you girls are gonna be on your own for dinner tonight though. I feel like I could sleep for a week."

Reed's grin was drained, but the intent was clear. "Me too. Do yourself a favor though - don't let Randi give you any hologram adventures for your vacation when this is over." She shook her head. "I thought she was trying to kill us until I found out she had warned Tiny away from what he programmed in."

"He couldn't resist, huh?"

"Of course not. He is a red-blooded man and a Sabre to boot. Nothing he can't do... but I bet he listens to her the next time she warns him away from something."

Shanti laughed. "C'mon Reed. You know better. We're as bad as the guys are when it comes to resisting anything that we think is a challenge."

"Yeah, well the most challenging thing I want in my future is to find patterns in the stars."

"I hear that." Then the first shift of Sabres headed out to relieve their sisters and Reed prepared to contact Tiny. She had lots to tell him, but mostly she wanted the comfort of the contact... even long distance.



Randi was slow to come up from the deep sleep she was in. It was warm and comfortable, but there was something tugging her towards wakefulness. The first thing she felt was Gwen's touch, tracing her face as she had always done since Randi's return from the dead - except for during their estrangement. It made Randi smile in her sleep and she absorbed the love she felt flowing from Gwen.

Then the touch changed and became both sensual and sexual in nature. Randi struggled to open her eyes, then found it easier to keep them closed when Gwen's lips covered hers and her tongue asked for immediate entrance into Randi's mouth. Only when Randi pulled back slightly to catch her breath did she open her eyes, and in doing so realized she had passed from the dreamscape back into the real world and there....

There, Randi was buck naked and spread eagle on the bed. She wondered briefly how Gwen had managed all that without waking her. Then her attention was demanded by Gwen's insistent touch as her mouth and hands claimed Randi's body and the love in her eyes reclaimed her soul once more.



Neither woman was aware of how much time had passed; only the feelings of being exhausted and satiated registered in either consciousness. But it was satisfying and neither of them had any desire to escape the lassitude they felt lying cuddled up together.

Randi ran her fingertips along Gwen's arm and hip. Gwen traced up Randi's torso, smiling when she tried not to squirm in the wake of the goosebumps that followed her touch. Randi returned the favor by sliding her fingers down to Gwen's ribs. Gwen conceded defeat by turning her touch more sensual than teasing and Randi felt her breath catch in her chest. She brushed a kiss over Gwen's hair.

"How you doing, love?"

"I think I should be asking you that, Randi. Are you all right? I wasn't too rough?"

"I'm fine, Gwen. In fact, I'm better than fine - I'm wonderful. Stop worrying about it. You know I like for you to take charge sometimes. And I definitely understand the need to work through battle lust."

"Is that what this is... or was?"

"Yep. How do you feel?"

"Strange," leaning up on an elbow so she could look down into Randi's face. "I still want you with an almost burning intensity, but it is more what I always feel when I look at you. Desire with control."

Randi smiled and threaded her hands into Gwen's hair, pulling her down into her lips until they were only a hairsbreadth apart. "There is something to be said for control," letting Gwen feel the bare movement of her lips and breath. "However, I don't think now is the time to say it," not giving Gwen a chance to respond before pulling her down completely and capturing her lips. Then there was no more time for words.



"You sure you're all right, baby? I can feel the shakiness in your voice."

"I'm fine, Tiny... just tired. Rosie has been a godsend, and the Sabres have really pulled together for me, even if they don't really understand the phenomenon." She felt an unexpected warmth flush through her veins and smiled. "Fortunately, I think Randi and Gwen just found their own healing, so it should be easier now."

"How about everything else?"

Reed shrugged. "She hasn't issued the challenge yet, but expect her to contact you for worldwide access when they come up for air from this one. You didn't see her face when that Amazon acknowledged Gwen had been infected. If she hadn't been so concerned about Gwen, Randi would have killed her with her bare hands."

Tiny frowned. "I thought she was past that; I thought she defeated the serum he infected her with."

"She did, but she is still really close to the edge with anything that threatens her happiness - namely, Gwen. She hasn't crossed any lines yet, but Gwen has had to hold her back more than once."

"You don't think Ares can use that lack of control against her?"

"He wishes he could. It has only made her stronger, Tiny."

"All right," he nodded, accepting her words. "I'll let Jill and Tommy know what's going on. Ya'll just be careful."

"You too. Expect a call from Randi later, all right? See you soon." And the screen went dark. She looked around at the Sabres who had managed to give her a modicum of privacy for her vid call. "C'mon guys - let's pack it in. It's safe to go back in now."

"How can you tell?"

"Lots and lots of practice reading the signs," Reed said wryly. "Trust me - I have learned to know when to stay away from those two. The pain is excruciating otherwise." She looked around. "Make sure those inside know we have shifted our headquarters back to the queen's residence. And tell them to keep their guard up - if they tried to poison the queen, they are likely to try it with any one of us."

"They already have," Lacey said as they moved back to the complex. "More than once. It just didn't work because we were physically inoculated against it. Gwen's antidote is Randi and the love they share, so it was something she had to work through on a physical level."

The women were silent as they crossed back into the mountain and their wing. Only when they were safely ensconced in their bug-purged rooms did anyone speak again did Shanti speak up.

"I almost wish the Commandant and the queen weren't going to defeat Ares." Shocked expressions met her eyes and finally Iroque voice the question they were all thinking.

"Why the hell not?? Don't you think they, and we all, deserve some peace??"

"Oh, absolutely. I definitely think he needs to be kicked off the pedestal he seems to think he lives on. I would just like to be able to take a shot at him, and we all know they won't need anyone but each other to be able to kick his ass."

"Be glad they have each other, Shanti. You are still very young. You haven't seen what they have been through in order to be together. If you think we all owe Ares something for what he was doing with the rebellion. Randi and Gwen owe him a hundredfold beyond that."

Shanti sighed. "I know that... I really do. Personally, I am looking forward to experiencing peace for a change. I am just ready to be done with this whole mess and I wouldn't mind being able to contribute to its ending. I want to go home, settle down, maybe raise some chickens. Is that so wrong?"

Shibata smiled. "Not at all. I think we all want that at some level. But I am going to miss the adrenaline that comes with combat and dark ops, and I know it. I think the first thing I am going to do when this is over is look for some sort of substitute activity. Somehow, I don't think being a peacekeeper is going to have the same sort of allure."

"No, but how nice to be able to choose how and where and why you get an adrenaline rush instead of constantly being in danger and fighting all the time."

There was agreement on that point from all over the room and the Sabres settled down to the various takes that needed to be accomplished before Randi and Gwen made their next appearance among them.



"Is she all right, Tiny?"

"Yes, Mrs. Goldman. I just wanted you to know so you would be prepared in the unlikely event word got out about it."

"You don't think Gwen would tell me?" Tiny leveled her a look and she couldn't help the chuckle. "I know, I know," she said. "Moms are always supposed to be the last ones to know stuff like this."

"Actually," he said drolly, "Moms aren't supposed to know this sort of stuff at all... especially moms of the queen." He leaned forward conspiratorially. "Most queens don't fight like that ya know."

"I know... I'm glad that Randi taught her to take care of herself."

"Yeah, she had absolutely the best teacher if she had to learn." He paused. "How are you doing otherwise?"

His kindness brought tears to her eyes but Jill smiled at him through her tears. "I'm doing all right, Tiny. Geoff left me some holochips with thoughts and memories on them and I have been going through them slowly." She chuckled. "Some of the things he remembers...." She shook her head. "I am going to have to show them to Gwen when she and Randi go home. Do you know when that will be?"

"I wish I did," he said with sincerity. "None of us get to go home either until everything is in place for them to."

Jill nodded. "I'll keep my fingers crossed."

Ella spoke up from behind her. "Tiny, have you told Tommy about this?"

He shook his head. "He's the next call on my list."

"I'll do it if you don't mind. I haven't talked to him today."

"All right. If he has any questions, have him call me. You have the number here?" He gave her the codes, just in case and they shut off the connection. Jill and Ella exchanged looks.

"It is still so weird for me think of Gwen as a queen, much less an Amazon." She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Thank you. You and your mom have already made such a difference for me, even in just the few days you have been here."

"Have you decided what you're gonna do once you get things sorted?"

"Not yet. I wanted to talk to Randi and Gwen first, but obviously that's still a few more days away."

"Well, I have some ideas, but I need to talk to Tommy first."

"All right. I'll leave you to it. I think your mom was fixing some tea for us a few minutes ago. You take whatever time you need. We'll be in the kitchen."

Ella nodded and turned her attention to the vid phone. Tommy wasn't going to believe this.



"You know, we're gonna have to leave this bed and this room eventually."

"Nope... don't wanna." Randi chuckled and Gwen slapped at her. "Bad mattress... bad, bad mattress. I don't wanna be the queen no more. I just wanna stay here with you."

Randi bit her lip. It was hard to argue with that kind of logic. Still.... "Gwen, sweetheart - I'd much rather stay here with you too, but whether we like it or not, we've got responsibilities outside this bedroom, and the sooner we discharge those, the sooner we can stop being the queen and the empress and go home and back to being just Randi and Gwen." She felt Gwen smile against her breast. "What are you smiling at?"

"I love the way that that sounds. I love the thought of going home and I really love the thought of being just Gwen again." She tilted her head to look into Randi's eyes. "Does just Gwen get to be just a bard again?"

"If that is what just Gwen wants to do, then absolutely."

Gwen couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up. "We sound completely ridiculous, ya know. Most people would love to be where we are right now."

Randi sat up just enough for Gwen to get the picture and looked pointedly at their twined, naked bodies before giving Gwen a rakish smirk. "Oh, I'm sure any number of people would kill to be where we are at this particular moment. Of course, I'd have to kill them for trying. Oof - ow! Whaddya do that for?" glaring down into green eyes glaring back at her.

"You know what I meant."

Randi chuckled. "Yeah, but I couldn't let that one go by either... 'cause you know it's true."

"Maybe, but they wouldn't envy the true treasure; most people couldn't even begin to understand what we have together. All they get the 'all-powerful' thing."

"They can have it," Randi replied, wrapping Gwen up in an embrace that was heartily returned. "I'll keep this." She sighed. "But first we really do need to go and do that all-powerful thing." Gwen echoed her sigh and sat up.

"All right, but I'm only doing so under extreme duress... and because I want to be done with this." Gwen stood and offered a hand to Randi and pulled her off the bed. "C'mon... we need to get cleaned up before we go back out there. They may know what we've been doing in here, but I see no reason to advertise it either."

"Heh heh heh...." Randi chuckled evilly, but she followed Gwen into the bathroom and closed the door securely behind them.



"I hear water running."

Reed and Rosie exchanged wry looks. "We knew it had to happen sooner or later. At least we're ready for it now." Reed looked around the room. Most of the Sabres had left, moving on to other assignments or catching some sleep to pull a later guard stint.

"And it should be quiet in the Nation at least until sometime tomorrow," Lacey added. "We've finished inoculating everyone, so a majority of the population is down sick for the next twenty-four hours or so and then we should have a little bit of time for them to recover. Lorac said she was still really drained this morning."

Rosie shook her head. "This has been a very surreal experience. I am looking forward to experiencing this place when things are back to normal."

Laughter followed her words. "Rosie, this is a nation of women; this *is* normal. With all that estrogen and a majority of the population cycling at the same time, it's always just a little bit insane - just not usually to quite this extent."

"Besides," Gwen said, walking out of the bedroom towel drying her hair. "Though no one else would say it, Randi and I are here. And things are never completely normal with us."

Reed looked at Lacey. "I'm glad she said that," muttered under her breath. Lacey nodded.

"Me too."

Gwen couldn't hear their words, but she recognized the expressions on their faces and laughed. "C'mon guys. I know you wouldn't say it, but we all know it's true." They shrugged sheepishly and laughed with her. Randi stepped out of the bedroom and wondered what the joke was. Even she had to smile at the truth of Gwen's words when she shared.

"So where are we?" crossing to the kitchen and digging around in the refrigerator. Gwen joined her and they began to prepare something for dinner. The rest watched the movement that was so in sync, it was like watching a choreographed dance.

"The Nation has been completely inoculated, so we can move ahead whenever you're ready."

"Recovery time?"

"Twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Twenty-four for it to work through and out of their systems; forty-eight if you want them to feel like human beings."

"All right then. I'll issue the challenge tomorrow night," putting a plate down in front of Lacey and Reed while Gwen put one in front of Rosie. "How is Lorac doing?"

"She's really tired. The antidote took a lot out of her."

"Can we bring her in to eat with us? I'd like a chance to talk to her... make sure she's okay."

Reed looked at Randi who nodded before she rose and crossed to an interior door. She disappeared into the other room, then reappeared a moment later with a dazed looking Lorac. Gwen walked over to her while Randi prepared another plate. Then they all sat down to eat. For a change, it looked like they might manage to have a peaceful, quiet evening.

"How're you feeling, Lorac?"

"Much better, my queen. The sleep really helped immensely. How did things go with Corky?"

Gwen looked away and Randi clasped her hand. Gwen smiled and covered Randi's hand with her own. "I don't think she or anyone else will challenge my authority or my right to be queen for a very long time to come."

"Even though Corky cheated."

"Excuse me?" Lorac repeated, eyes wide. "Did you say Corky cheated?"

"She tried to...."

"She did," Randi cut into Gwen's excuse adamantly. "And she will pay for it... dearly."

That brought a quick halt to that conversation and Reed cleared her throat before changing the subject. "I'm just glad you fixed the shielding." She shook her head. "That leak was an unpleasant surprise."

"For us too," Randi commented. "Are you all right? I meant to ask earlier, but...."

"Yeah, Rosie and the Sabres who were off duty at the time helped me set up the barriers I needed until you two got it under control again. Thank you for that, by the way. I know you did it so quickly for Gwen, but I appreciated it as well." Reed grinned. "Ares sure won't though. My sight shows your shielding is even stronger and it was impenetrable before."

"I think it will continue to strengthen over time," Rosie said. "As the relationship grows, so will the bond you share."

Lacey nodded. "That makes sense." She turned to Randi. "So when are going to challenge Ares?"

"Tomorrow. I want the Nation to be awake and aware for it, as it was. They deserve that much."

Lorac turned to Gwen. "Can you let the council know? They should be able to round up the rest of the Nation on some pretext or other. No one is going to want to miss this."

"Actually, we thought we'd let you do it." Reed and Lacey exchanged amused, knowing glances. Lorac and Rosie simply looked perplexed.

"My queen?"

"Tomorrow morning you're going to call for a meeting of the entire nation. Not everyone will be able to make it, but a majority will do anything they have to do to be there, just to see for themselves that you are actually all right and unharmed. Now that the poison is mostly out of their systems, the largest part of them will understand pretty quickly once they see you with their own eyes. But if they ask, feel free to tell them the truth."

"Thank you, my queen. I can't tell you how glad I am that this is almost over." Lorac rubbed her eyes. "It feels like I am waking up from a long, ugly nightmare, except it hasn't really been that long, has it?"

"In some ways, you are and it doesn't take long for bad to feel like forever," Randi said softly.

"What is going to happen when this is over? I know you and the queen have no desire to stay here, but I'm not sure how the knowledge of what Ares did to everyone is going to affect the Nation. I don't want this to destroy us - either as women or as a sovereign nation."

"It won't, Lorac... not if we can do anything about it. We talked to Lacey and she is assigning a squad of Sabre women who also have all types of medical training to stay here as long as they are needed. And Rosie has volunteered to stay as well. She is a priestess of Athena, and she has a lot to do with the fact that Randi and I survived our spirit walk. Had it not been for her and Reed and Lacey especially...." Gwen cleared her throat. "Anyway, you'll be in good hands."

"Thank you, my queen."

"Lorac, even though I can't stay here and truly be your queen, I owe to the Nation to do the best I can for you. All of you put your faith in me and I feel like I let you down by allowing Ares to do this to you."

"NO!!" The word echoed around the room as every single woman stated it emphatically as soon as the guilt left Gwen's lips. Lorac looked at Randi before she spoke.

"No, my queen. You didn't *allow* this to happen; no one *allowed* this to happen. No one could have foreseen this - not even the other gods. You couldn't know he would come here or that we would be fooled by him. And I'm fairly certain no one would have guessed his revenge would take the form it did. We're warriors - anyone with half a brain would have expected him to use *that* aspect of the Amazon Nation... not the fact that a majority of us are of breeding age."

"And how does the rest of the Nation feel, Lorac? Are they gonna blame me for what happened here? There was a lot of hatred and anger directed my way when we got here."

"No one blames you, Gwen; you and the Empress came as soon as you knew there was a problem. The anger was something Ares implanted; we all felt it as something tangible. I remember feeling anger directed specifically at you and wondering why it was there... and then just not caring as the poison took control. That feeling was one of the first things to disappear after I hurled my guts out."

"So now...?"

"We're going to get through this - we all will. And then we are going to host the biggest party this nation has ever seen. We want to hear our queen become a storyteller for us again. It has been a very, very long since we've had that opportunity."

Gwen smiled through her tears. "I'd like that. I've missed that part of my life lately."

"I think the world has," Rosie chimed in.

"We'll see. Tommy wants me to do some storytelling for kids and I'd like at least one of those sessions to be here." Gwen paused thoughtfully. "I'm looking forward to those actually. Tommy thinks I tell my stories differently when my audience is just children."

"I'm sure you do, Gwen. All adults relate differently to kids than they do to other adults. It's natural."

"You do tell stories differently when you tell them at band practice," Randi said unexpectedly. "But not for the reasons Tommy thinks you do."

"You know something?"

Randi shrugged. "I have my suspicions. But in the meantime," turning back to Lorac, "I think we should definitely plan that party. It has been a long time since I attended a true Amazon blowout."

Lorac smiled, a genuinely pleased expression on her face. "I'd like that; we all would. Once you defeat Ares, we'll do that. It will definitely be something for us to celebrate. Any special requests?"

"Yeah... no challenges. I think we've had enough of that for one trip."

"No problem... anything else?"

"I have one," Gwen said. "I know it is unheard of for men to be welcome here for any reason outside of brothers in arms, but I would really like it if Randi's band could join us. It seems like forever since I've heard her sing with them and I've missed it."

Lorac looked at Randi. "Are you any good?"

"Yes," succinctly, without modesty or embarrassment. Lorac nodded.

"All right; I'll get it through the council. You just have to deliver."

"It's been several months since we've practiced together, but if you can convince the council to go with it, we'll bring it home. In fact," she added after a moment's thought, "if you want to see Gwen at her best, we can set it up like a regular band practice. Then when we finish, she can do her bard thing for the kids. I think you'd really enjoy it."

"What the hell," Lorac replied. "Let's do it. I'll take care of the council, though I don't think I'll have to hard sell very much. They're too happy to be rid of Ares and his vile little potion. Besides, we've heard reports about your singing from some of the sisters who live outside the Nation. Apparently you are very good; haven't heard anything about the band though."

"You'll like them Lorac... I promise. They really are good."

"Looking forward to it, then. And thank you... all of you. I know we haven't said much, but we really do appreciate all of you rushing out here to put a stop to this. And I feel better after this; it's good to be looking to the future again. Ares took that ability from us. Everything was about the here and now. It's wonderful to feel like there is a future to look forward to."

"We all feel like we are finally looking to the future," Reed said. "It really is a unique experience."

Then the talk turned to hopes and plans for the future and Randi and Gwen sat back and listened, glad for the chance to simply relax among friends in a place that had been exceedingly hostile. Tomorrow would bring new problems and challenges, but today had been a good day.



Chapter XX

The village square inside the mountain was filled to capacity when Lorac slowly made her way through the throng to reach the dais. Every Amazon who could walk, crawl or otherwise maneuver were waiting to hear why they had been called together. Rumors had been flying and realization of what Ares had done to them simply fueled the fire. Lorac didn't have to call for silence once she was standing in front of the Nation; the silence was so complete not even breathing could be heard.

"Sisters, as you can see, rumors of my treason and subsequent punishment have been greatly exaggerated." She paused, waiting.

"Lorac, what really happened? What's going on?"

"Take a seat, ladies. This is going to take a little while and we may as well be comfortable." Before she could say anything else, blue sparkles coalesced beside her and Ares stood proudly in all his splendor.

"Well, well.... What do we have here? I don't recall asking for an assembly. Don't all of you have things to be doing to prepare for war? Your queen should be joining our cause soon and we want to be ready when she declares war against the Empress."

"Why exactly would I want to do that, Ares?" Gwen asked as she made her way through the path that had suddenly opened in front of her when the Amazons realized she was among them. "I am hers body and soul, just as she is mine. Did you really think you could break our bond and pit us against one another so you could claim her for yourself?"

The look on Ares' face would have been comical if Gwen, and the entire Amazon Nation, had not been furious at what had been done to them. Then it shifted from shocked dismay to superior outrage. But before he could open his mouth to say anything, Gwen had marched up onto the dais and began poking him in the chest.

"You got a lot of nerve coming here... thinking you could claim Artemis' chosen people and start a new race of warriors by force and coercion. And if that wasn't bad enough, you thought you could lay claim to Randi's soul without repercussions." She poked hard at the last and he winced and took a step back, surprised by her aggressiveness against him. Something had gone very wrong; he needed to get out of there and find out what Randi had done during the brief time he had been unable to monitor the Nation to cause this.

He knew Artemis didn't care about these women; otherwise she would have done something before now. Ares smirked. He would have them back under his thumb again soon enough, and this time, Gwen and Randi would be on his side first.

He glared down at Gwen when she poked him again, reaching for her finger - only to find his hand caught in Randi's. He looked around and realized he was no longer the only god in the room. All across the dais stood the entire Pantheon that had stood with Randi and Gwen against him before. Both outer glare and inner smirk faded. This could be real trouble for him.

However, Ares was nothing if not cocky and self assured, so he jerked his hand from Randi's grasp. Then he crossed his arms over his chest and smirked at them. "Something I can do for you, Empress? You ready to dump Blondie and admit you need me to help you out with that whole world domination thing you've got going on?"

He didn't even see it coming he was so focused on Randi. But the rest of the Pantheon just watched in amazed amusement when Gwen stepped between them and pushed Ares back another step. He tried to move back into Gwen's personal space, but she didn't budge. She raised her hand to him and he echoed her movement, a fireball forming. Randi put her hands on Gwen's hips and leaned forward to whisper something in her ear. Ares couldn't hear the words, but the blush that traveled up Gwen's face and the sly grin that followed infuriated him. But when Randi slid Gwen out from between them and walked right into his personal space, he grinned cockily.

"You wanna know what you can do for me, Ares?"

"Absolutely, beautiful. You name it, you got it."

Gotcha, you bastard. Bout goddamn time this cat and mouse game ended between us. Randi turned to make sure his words had been heard by the entire Pantheon. Heads nodded down the line, acknowledging his words and grant her their blessing to proceed.

"Then I want a code duello - between you and me - with conditions I get to set."

He laughed. "I don't think so."

"You said *anything*, Ares, in front of all these witnesses and the whole world besides. Are you saying you're not up to the challenge?"

"You can't be serious; I'm a god - I can meet any challenge you can dish out."

"So you're agreeing to this?"

"What are the conditions?"

"No - either you agree or you don't."

"And if you don't," Zeus spoke up unexpectedly, "you will lose your godhood until such time as a majority of the Pantheon decides you have earned the right to be a god again. Given your track record, I would imagine you're looking at a millennium, minimum."

"WHAT?!? You can't do that!!!"

"I can, I have and I will. You crossed too many lines this time, Ares and we're all agreed on this. You think the rules don't apply to you anymore. And quite frankly, you've been riding a dead horse for a long time trying to separate the warrior and the bard. Time to pay the piper." Zeus shrugged. "Besides, you do have a chance to win."

"A chance??" Ares snorted and shook his head. "And if I win? What exactly am I going to get out of this? Not that you've given me much choice in the matter."

Randi took instant note of his use of the word 'if'. It made her smile, but she remained silent. This was between Zeus and Ares at the moment. It would come back to her soon enough.

"If you win, you get possession of the warrior's soul."

"To keep?"

"To keep... forever."

"And if I...." He paused to chuckle, his entire appearance one of patent disbelief. "If I lose?"

"If you lose, you lose any right to the warrior's soul in this lifetime. And you have to give up your godhood until both she and the bard pass from this life."

Ares looked at Randi, amusement at her audacity and hatred for his predicament fighting for space in his expression. "You're gonna pay for this for a very long time, warrior."

"So you agree?"

"Yes, just so I can watch your soulmate die from the rending that will happen when I make you mine in front of her eyes."

"Very well," Zeus proclaimed. "Warrior, name your conditions."

"Ares has to lose his god powers to fight. Not just have them bound or whatever, but have them completely stripped away. He has to fight as a mortal, with only the skill he possesses. This isn't a fight to the death either; I only want to make him yield."

"You think you can? Even as a mortal, I have millennia of experience to draw on. You really think you can defeat me... especially given the stakes that have been set??"

"No, Ares. I *know* I can. I'm gonna kick your ass."

Her confidence was unnerving, but he wasn't going to give her that knowledge. "Name the time and place, baby. I'll be there with bells on."

"You betcha you will, bro," Dite spoke up as she clasped his wrist. "Cause you're totally sticking with us until time," motioning to the gods still on the dais. "You owe us."

"Yeah... whatever," he snarked at her, though he knew better than to pull away from her. He turned back to Randi. "So when?"

"Sunset... today. The sooner this is over with, the sooner Gwen and I can have peace to go home in."

"Fine." Ares glanced at Zeus. "Can we go now?"

"Yes, but not to Olympus. We're going down to your little hideaway here. That will suffice until this is over." Then in blinding flash of light, sparkles and sundry confetti, the entire Pantheon shimmered out of the village square, leaving the Amazons staring in silence at the emptiness they had left behind. Randi gave a short hand signal and after a mere heartbeat, Reed gave her a nod to let her know the transmission had ended. Then Lorac turned to Randi and Gwen with her eyebrows raised.

"Well, that was unexpected but very satisfying."

"Not as much as punching him in the nose would have been," Gwen grumbled.

Randi chuckled. "It will be, sweetheart. I promise you that," sliding her hands from Gwen's hips around her middle and squeezing. "Then we can go back to the capital for a few days to wrap things up there before we go home."

"Actually, first you owe us a party," Lorac said with a smile. "Then you can go home."

The Amazons cheered; Gwen laughed. Randi cut her eyes towards Gwen. "I did say that, didn't I?"

"Yes, you sure did. In fact, you promised them the real deal."

"In that case, I better go make a few calls."

"My queen, before you do...." One of the Amazons near the front spoke up. "Would one of you please tell us what exactly just happened here? I know that whatever Ares did to us to make us... receptive... to his ideas and advances is gone, but I still don't understand what or why or how or just what exactly happened here. Could you explain it for me... for all of us?"

Gwen nodded. "Ya'll deserve that much. Take a seat, guys. This is going to take a little while." And it was quite some time later before Gwen finished her tale. Rosie and the Sabres had long since moved to the community kitchen to prepare lunch for everyone. By the time Gwen had finished her story, they were ready to serve it. Rosie caught Randi's eye and with a word, Gwen directed the Nation to start the queue for lunch, making it clear it wasn't optional for anyone. She wanted these women to feel better and Rosie had cooked specifically with that in mind. Gwen promised to answer every question she could once lunch was over.

Randi took Reed aside, knowing she had been in contact with Tiny. She nodded her head at the report she got then excused herself to go make a call to Tommy. If they were going to do things right for the Amazon Nation, Randi was going to have to set things in motion now and delegate most of the work that would need to get done. Otherwise, it would be a while before they got back here to celebrate and it wasn't fair to ask these women to wait to celebrate - not considering what they were going to be celebrating.

When Reed brought her dinner, Gwen looked around for Randi. Then she raised an expressive eyebrow in Reed's direction and waited patiently for Reed to speak. When she did, Gwen nodded her understanding and asked Reed to make sure there was another plate ready as soon Randi returned. No way was she going to let anything happen to Randi because she wasn't taking care of herself... especially now. There was too much at stake and they were so close to being done.



"Hiya, Tommy!"

He smiled. He couldn't help it. Once more she was so much like the kid he remembered growing up with and he suddenly realized just how much he had missed her. "Hey, short stuff!" knowing the greeting would at least get him a look and not being disappointed by her reaction. "How's it going there? You coming home soon?"

"I hope so, Tommy... within the next few days. We're gonna wrap things up here by in the morning and then we have to head back to the capital city for a few days before we can finally come home to stay. God, I am so ready for that."

"Most people would do anything to be where you are in the world."

Randi snorted. "That's because most people don't know the shit you have to wade through just to get anything done. There is not enough of any sort of reward to make this worth it. I'm glad I've figured out a way to make it work without me, I hope. We're gonna give it a try at any rate... but that's not why I called."

"So why didja call? What can I do for you?"

"I need you to make some calls for me - set some stuff up. Then you and a crew need to hightail it out here with the band. We're having a party and you're gonna wanna record this one."

"You think so?"

"I know it. Trust me on this, Tommy."

He nodded. She didn't often interfere, but he had never regretted it when she had. Randi's instincts tended to run true, especially where Gwen was concerned. "All right, Randi. Tell me what you need and when you need it by and I'll make it happen." She gave him the details and he nodded again. "That's easy enough. Is she gonna be up to it though? I heard about the challenge."

"She's okay, T. We're working it out."

"Good... you too? You're okay?"

"I really am," she said without hesitation. "For the first time in forever, I feel alive again - complete."

"You make sure it stays that way, all right? We miss having ya'll here."

"No more than we miss being there," Randi assured him. "Make sure you bring Ella and Randall when you come out here. And have the boys bring their kids... just like they would for a regular practice session. We'll put everyone up here - somewhere. The Amazons have agreed to it."

"All right. I'll have to get Ella back from up north. But we'll be there whenever you give the word, ready to go."

"Up north? Why is she... did she go up to Gwen's folks place?"

"Yeah - Jill called and asked for a little support, and before you even ask - she didn't call ya'll because she knew you were both up to your eyeballs in other commitments. She is waiting for things to settle down a little for you both first before bothering you. Those are her words, before you go berserker on my ass. But to be fair, she does have a point, and Ella and her mom were glad to go up there and help her out."

Randi nodded. "All right. You get Ella home so she can come out here and I'll talk to Jill. Busy or not, she is still family, and I gave Geoff my word as a Sabre to see she was taken care of. I don't intend to break that promise."

"All right - you go get to yours and I'll get started on mine and we'll meet you there in a few days. Can I still reach you...?"

"Through Tiny, yes. The Sabre comm system is the most reliable one in the world. And I'll let you know as soon as I have exact details."

"I'm glad everything is going so well, Randi. Lots of love to you and Gwen."

"Lots of love back to ya'll, T. Later."

"Bye, short stuff," cutting off the transmission before Randi could make a biting comment.

"One of these days," she muttered. Then she decided to go talk to Gwen before she called Jill. Randi figured Gwen might want to talk to her mama as well once she knew what was going on. Besides, Randi knew she needed to eat and get a little rest and the best way to do that was make sure Gwen knew she needed it. Gwen would assure that Randi got the food and rest she needed and that would give them some time alone in the afternoon to take care of talking to Jill.

Then all that would be left would be to defeat Ares.



"Everything okay?" Randi had taken her plate from Gwen and sat down beside her, eating quietly.

"Hmm? Yeah, everything's fine. I was just thinking. Tommy was funny when I told him about this party. He's pretty excited about it. He'll make sure everyone gets here, including a crew to record your performance, though he's gonna have to bring Ella back from your mom's house first." "What? Why is Ella at my mother's house?"

"I thought we would call her once we were done eating and ask."

"Good plan, but I am not rushing lunch either. Rosie made fried apple pies for dessert."

Randi grinned and waggled her eyebrows. "I like those; I like what those do to you."

Gwen blushed, but looked up from beneath blonde lashes with an expression of angelic innocence. "I can't imagine what you mean."

"Uh huh... you just keep telling yourself that. I'll keep your portion for myself."

Green eyes went wide and round. "You wouldn't...." pouting for good measure.

"I sure would. What'll you give me not to?"

The wickedness that glittered out of Gwen's eyes should have warned Randi before she spoke. "Maybe you should worry more about what I'm gonna keep away from you if you don't share with me."

Blue eyes widened comically. "You wouldn't... would you?"

"Try me."

"No fair," Randi complained as she scrambled up to go snag more than two of those pies. There would be payback for this eventually. But for now, she had a hungry Amazon queen to appease. She would deal with the bard later.

"That was pretty slick." The comment was whispered and completely unexpected and Gwen jumped when the speaker knelt at her feet with head bowed. The action caused immediate silence in the room and that reaction caused Randi to move back to Gwen's side at a very rapid pace - a pace that redoubled again when she realized exactly who and what had created the silence.

She didn't step between them, but took her place as the queen's champion and waited for Gwen to make the next move. To her astonishment, the first thing Gwen did was reach for her hand. Randi took it and twined their fingers together. The Nation continued to watch the tableau play out in front of them, curious as to the outcome.

"Speak your piece, Amazon," Gwen directed after another very long moment of silence. Corky raised her head but kept her eyes firmly on the ground in front of Gwen's feet.

"I came to apologize." Her words sucked the air out of the room and what had been mere silence became deafening. "I have no excuse, really. I... I... I thought I was past this; I mean - I *was* past this... this anger/jealousy thing I had going for so long. I know I still had work to do, but I was making progress; you can ask anyone here."

Gwen looked around to see several of the elders and Dalia nodding their agreement. She let out a sigh and turned to Randi, but anger was still sparking out of her eyes. Gwen pressed Randi's hand gently and waited for the blue to track to her, then she smiled and waited, knowing Randi would calm. Only when she received a reassuring squeeze in return did Gwen turn back to Corky, to find her watching them with undisguised interest.

Gwen cleared her throat. "So what happened?" asked loudly enough for the entire congregation to hear. Corky held her eyes this time.

"Ares," Corky said with bitterness. "Whatever it was he gave us to make us cooperative, also brought out our most aggressive, warrior-like tendencies. And he gave us a focus for the burning hostility we felt... which was supposed to be you, my queen."

"That obviously didn't take in you, though."

"No. Ran... the Em... your consort had been the focus of my rage for so long that my focus naturally gravitated to her. You only became a target as a by-product... a way to get to her and hurt her by hurting you." She rubbed her arm unconsciously. "Of course, that was before I learned the hard way you can kick butt and take names without help from anyone else."

Gwen couldn't stop the smirk. "Yeah... guess who taught me."

"Figures," Corky muttered, though her lips were twisted in a wry smile. "I should have known she'd prepare you to fight your own battles. It's what she did for the Nation." Corky stopped talking then and the silence lengthened as Gwen considered her words.

"So what exactly are you saying here, Corky? What do you expect to come from all this?"

Corky shook her head. "I'm not sure I expected anything. I just... once that shit was out of my system, I just wanted you to know the whole truth. I do still have some unresolved issues where your consort is concerned, but I was working through them before this happened, I wanted you to know that what you heard was coming from old jealousies I haven't dealt with yet."

"I see," Gwen said after a pause. "I'll take that into consideration, and so will Randi, when the time comes to pass judgment on you for your actions. You do agree there needs to be some sort of consequence?"

"Yes, my queen; it was part of the challenge agreement."

"Very well... you are free to go about your business until such time as I decide otherwise. However," she continued before Corky could stand to her feet. "Please do not be stupid with this chance. And I would like you to resume your sessions with whoever is helping you work through your problems where Randi is concerned."

"I will, my queen. Thank you."

Gwen nodded and Corky rose and bowed her head again before moving towards the serving line to collect her lunch. Gwen turned to Randi, who hadn't moved since assuming her place at Gwen's side. They stared at one another for a long moment - until Rosie's approach broke the tableau. Without a word she offered Randi more of the fried apple pies she had been collecting when Corky made her appearance. Randi accepted them with a nod, then she and Gwen clasped hands and headed out of the mess hall without a backwards glance.

It was quiet as they walked back to their quarters; their escort gave them a bit of space, recognizing their need to feel alone. When they arrived, two took up stations on either side of the door and one each on either end of the hall. No one accompanied them inside - with the Nation finally inoculated, there really was very little threat to them. The Sabres kept a small contingent as an honor guard for appearances, but otherwise, security had been completely scaled back.

Randi set the pies on the table and flung herself gracelessly onto the room's leather couch, bouncing a little before settling into place. Gwen was a little more dignified about taking a seat, lifting Randi's head up before sliding into place beneath her and cradling her head in her lap. Randi butted against her stomach a couple times and Gwen tweaked her nose before she started trailing her fingers through the dark hair. She felt Randi purr deep in her throat and smiled.

"Well, this is a right proper mess, isn't it?"

"Hmph!" was Randi's only response.

"C'mon, Randi... how do you punish someone who was being influenced by the drug Ares administered? You know yourself how potent it is. Not everyone is as strong as you are; not everyone can resist the pull of power it offers."

"Not everyone uses it as an excuse to be an asshole and threaten you either!"

Gwen sighed. She knew this was going to be an uphill battle. Randi and Corky did have a long, ugly history together and Corky had done the one thing Randi found unforgivable.

"She didn't have a chance against me, Randi. Not only was I trained by the very best, I had motivation she couldn't possibly understand. You came back from the dead for me... she can't even remotely begin to compare to what you make me feel. In fact, the only thing she made me feel was irritation; Ares' potion made me feel so out of control, so I can sympathize with her a little."

"I can't," with harsh bluntness. "There is no excuse for her actions!" She would have gotten up to pace, but gentle hands held her in place and Gwen started a tracing of Randi's face that automatically caused her to relax.

"No, on the one hand, there really isn't, but on the other, it is understandable. However," Gwen went on when Randi opened her mouth to retort. "Her fate is solely in your hands, love. I promised you both that you would determine her punishment when she lost and she agreed to the terms. I'm not gonna try and influence you one way or another; I am just asking that you look at it from both sides first. You offered the rebels a chance."

"They didn't make it personal."

Gwen had no argument for that. The rebels that had been pardoned *hadn't* made it personal. The ones who had been stupid enough to make it personal had died a horrific death. Gwen had heard the stories though she had not been subjected to witnessing them first-hand.

"All right, sweetheart. It's not like you have to decide right this minute. Good thing, too," Gwen teased, trying to lighten the atmosphere in the room. "I thought we were going to call my mom. I'm curious why she called Ella instead of us."

"Tommy said something about her not wanting to bother us because we're so busy with everything else." She noted Gwen's outraged look and nodded. "I know - I thought the same thing." Randi swung her legs down and sat up, not losing tactile contact with Gwen. Randi grinned when Gwen snuggled up into her, situating herself until she was sprawled in complete comfort over Randi's body. Then Randi keyed in her comm unit and within seconds was spiraling through the security codes that would put her in touch with Tiny. After a few moments and a brief greeting, he was connecting them to Jill.

Her image popped up on the large screen and she blinked in surprise when she realized that they really were at the other end of the call. She smiled at the picture they made together, thanking Geoff again for protecting them.

"Well," Jill said, "this is a pleasant surprise. I'd ask how you're doing, but I think I can see that for myself. How are things going there?"

"Pretty good, all things considered," Gwen admitted. "How are you, mama?"

Jill shrugged. "I'm getting along. Your father and I had a very long life in this house. There are a lot of memories here."

"Are they good ones, Jill?"

Jill smiled at Randi's tentative question, wondering why they were back to names again. "Yeah... mostly they are. But my goodness, we are serious packrats. I am finding stuff we've had since before we got married," she shook her head. "I'm not sure why we kept a lot of it."

"Mama, do you need us there?" Gwen asked frankly. "We heard you called Ella to come help you."

"No, Gwen, no. You and Randi have far more serious work to take care of than sorting through years' worth of junk."

"Mama...."
"Jill...."

Jill held up her hand to stop their protestations. "It's true, and we all know it. I don't begrudge that, except as it bothers you. The world needs something; maybe what you have planned will make it better... make the peace real and lasting this time. Besides, Ella brought Ruth... her mother. We've been having the best time getting acquainted."

"Is Ruth leaving with Ella or is she staying with you or are you all going to go home... back to Tommy and Ella's?"

"We haven't really discussed it yet. Ella just talked to Tommy and I know she is headed home in the next day or so, but other than that we haven't made any plans. I still have a lot of work to do here before I can make any decisions about anything."

"Come out here with them," Randi directed.

"Excuse me? Randi, I can't just drop everything...."

"It's not a permanent move, mama. We're going to have a party for the Amazons... a band practice party. Tommy's gonna come and record my storytelling time as part of that series he wants to do with me telling just to kids."

Jill bit her lip - she loved practice. It had always been good fun. And she had enjoyed listening to Gwen tell a story from the time she had been a small child. But was she ready for something like that so soon after Geoff's death? He would understand, but would anyone else?

"I'd like to... I just don't know if I can."

Randi nodded. She had expected the answer by the indecision she saw in Jill's eyes. "Well, the invitation is open. Just let us know so we can be sure there is a place for you if you decide to come. I imagine you would prefer a room of your own just to escape to sometimes."

"Speaking from experience?" Jill asked with a cheeky grin.

"Yes," Randi confirmed succinctly. "Too much estrogen floating around here some days."

Jill gave her a genuine laugh. "Thank you, Randi. I needed that, and I'll keep the invitation in mind."

"And you'll call us if you need anything?" Gwen asked. "We know we have other responsibilities, mama. It doesn't mean you're not important to us or that we don't want to be there for you if we can be."

"I know, Gwen, but honestly, this is easier for me to do without you here right now. So it's all good. But I will try to call you a little more often..." she shook her finger at them. "Though you can do the same. Don't wait until you think something is wrong, all right?"

"All right," Gwen agreed with a smile. "We love you, mom."

"I love you both too. Now try to behave and not cause any trouble, okay?"

Randi snorted. "I have never caused trouble a day in my life." She finally had to sever the connection herself as neither Gwen nor Jill could manage to do so through their laughter.



Chapter XXI

Despite the less-than-stellar health of the Amazon Nation, they had no problem setting up a temporary arena in the meadow. So by the time the sun was setting, every single Amazon who could stand, walk or crawl to the meadow was there, waiting for the fight between Randi and Ares to begin.

Surrounded by his family, Ares popped onto the field in a showy flash of blue fire meant to impress his audience. It was unfortunate for him that he chose the exact moment Randi and Gwen were striding towards the meadow with a full contingent of Sabres dressed as an Amazon honor guard. They themselves were also in full Amazon garb, decked out as the Queen and Consort Champion they were.

When they arrived in the arena, every Amazon stood to her feet, then knelt in a show of respect. The Sabres did likewise. Ares curled his lip in contempt.

"Can we get on with this?" snarling, then turning away with disgust at a look from his father.

Aphrodite bumped elbows with Artemis and Athena. "This is so gnarly," motioning to the deference being shown to her two favorite mortals. "But I think I am gonna totally hurl my cookies."

Athena took her by the arm. "No, you're not. You're just a little excited. Take a deep breath and remember we are ALL pulling for Randi. It's time he got his, and she is just the soul to do it"

Dite nodded. "I'm glad Hephie had time to build this though," holding up the box that would hold Ares' powers until the contest was over and a winner was declared. Not even Ares could break into it. "I don't want him to cheat."

"I don't think Zeus will let him; he was pretty pissed when he found out what had really been going on with them." Then their attention was taken by Gwen's stepping forward to address the Amazon Nation.

"My sisters... my friends... honored guests," with a nod towards the gods and goddesses which they all, with the exception of Ares returned politely. "We are gathered together today to bear witness to the final confrontation between Ares, God of War and Miranda Valiant. This is not a fight to the death - it will last until one of the opponents yields."

Zeus walked up beside her. "The conditions have been set and agreed to by both parties as have the consequences for each if they lose. Ares, step forward." He did so grudgingly, mumbling beneath his breath the entire way. "To make the odds fair, Ares will fight as a mortal human. The fight will end when someone yields or is completely incapacitated. Ares, unsheathe your sword."

The look should have melted Zeus where he stood, but instead he returned it with one of his own. Ares rolled his eyes and slid the sword from it covering, holding it up in front of him in salute. Zeus raised his right hand and extended his left for the rest of the Pantheon to join him. They built a pyramid behind him, focusing their strength as a single unit.

Slowly, blue light emerged from Ares' body, flowing trough the sword before forming a ball of light in Zeus' raised hand. When the flow ended with an audible pop, Aphrodite stepped forward with the open box. Zeus placed the orb into the box and shut it firmly and locked it with a distinctive snick.

"Okay, that was really weird," Ares muttered. Zeus took the box and then he and the rest took their seats on one side of the makeshift arena and Ares stepped into the middle of the cleared space. He leered in Gwen's direction.

"Let's go, sweetcheeks. I've got a warrior to claim, body and soul."

Gwen returned his look stare for stare, waiting. He was the first on to look away. Then she turned her back to him deliberately and gave Randi her sexiest smirk. Gwen ran her hands up Randi's torso and locked them behind her neck, smiling hugely when Randi pulled them together at the hips. "You ready?"

Randi gave Gwen a cocky grin, charming in its rakish assurance. "He has no idea how ready I am for this. He's not gonna know what hit him."

Gwen pulled on hand back to tap on Randi's chest. "Just don't be too cocky - he is still strong and he does have millennia of knowledge to draw upon. I'd rather not have to spend half the night waiting for you to get out of the regen unit; I have much more interesting plans for the evening that don't include that sort of down time."

A dark brow arched. "Oh really?"

"Uh huh," tangling the free hand through the dark tresses and urging Randi's head down to meet hers. "So don't play with him for too long, but make him hurt. I want him to remember this for a very long time to come."

"Til our dying day, love... I promise."

The kiss went on until Ares cleared his throat and snarked, "You said the match was at sunset. So either we start fighting in the next thirty seconds or you will be considered forfeit and I will claim my prize. Make your choice."

Randi released Gwen's lips and pushed her gently to stand out of the arena. Then she stalked right up to Ares and got into his face. "You want me so badly? Bring it on, big boy!"

"What weapons?"

"Your choice, as the one challenged."

Ares look at the table that had been set up with two of every-kind-of-non-shooting-personal-weapon-ever-invented and he couldn't help but be impressed. He hadn't seen some of these things in years and he itched to get his hands on them. First however, there was the little matter of this challenge.

"These," he said, holding up his hands. "Nothing but these for now. Maybe if you can manage to last a while, we can entertain the masses with the toys."

"Then remove your sword."

Ares covered his chest with his hands and his expression became one of mock surprise and feigned anguish. "I'm hurt. Don't you trust me?"

"Not even if you swore on your mother's life, Ares. Give it up."

He frowned but removed the sheath from around his waist and placed it on the table. "Good enough?"

"Good enough," stepping into the center of the cleared space. "Whenever you're ready."

Ares walked towards Randi, close but not within touching range - not yet. He circled around her like a hawk, trying to view her from all sides, but she naturally pivoted with him. Finally he stood still and gave her a wicked grin. He held his arms out away from his body. "C'mon, beautiful. I'll give you a free shot. No strings."

Randi rolled her eyes and snorted. "Ares, with you there have always been strings. It's just how you do things." But before he could formulate a response, she spun, and with a strong, roundhouse kick, sent him flying a good five feet before he landed on his ass.

"So that's how it's gonna be, huh?" putting his hand to his lip and pulling it away covered in blood. "There will be paybacks, you know," extending his hand and cursing when he remembered he was human and there would be no fireballs.

He jumped to his feet and stalked over to her, shooting his arm out in a straight from the shoulder punch. She ducked, as he had anticipated and he hit her hard in the gut, causing Randi to double over. "You can't beat me, little girl. Even without my power, I am still the God of War." Then he howled and jumped back, gasping and glaring even while he covered his privates.

"Uh huh, and you still have boy parts for me to grab and twist off," Randi wheezed, slowly straightening. Ares also stood slowly, wincing at the pull on his groin. She swung at his chin and he dodged her fist. He swung against her, but she had already moved out of range. "This is not about there being a fair fight between us, Ares. It never has been. For a Sabre, it's all about winning."

"And what about duty and honor?" Ares caught her leg as Randi kicked out at him again. He tried to twist it, but she rolled with him, taking them both to the ground unbalanced.

"It was my duty to win, remember? The honor came from protecting the innocents and making the world a safer place to live." They climbed to their feet and regarded one another warily.

"You're making me cry here, what with all that bleeding-heart liberal crap you're spouting," walking slowly and wiping the blood off his lip where he had bitten it again when he fell. "You didn't do it for the world and you didn't do it for the Sabres or Blondie over there or anything else. You did it because you are a warrior - you've always been a warrior, and all warriors need a battle to fight or they just shrivel up and die."

Ares swung hard and connected with Randi's jaw, causing her to stagger and step back a pace. He tried to follow through, but she wasn't where he had expected her to be and the next thing he felt was a wicked blow to the side of his head and then a punch to the nose that made him see stars he had never seen in the night sky before.

Randi spit out a mouthful of blood and Ares shook his head trying to clear it. He had never imagined such pain before and he decided there was no way he was going to live with the ability to feel this for the next fifty or sixty years.

"C'mon Ares," Randi taunted. "Is that all you got?"

"You think you can handle more?"

Randi grinned at him saucily. "I'm just getting warmed up here, war god. I can take anything you can dish out."

"You think so? I haven't even gotten started," he snarled. "Choose a weapon," motioning to the laden table. Randi reached over and grabbed a staff, then stepped back to allow Ares to do the same. He frowned at her choice, but picked up the second staff, twirling it to get a feel for it. Finally he nodded in satisfaction.

Randi didn't wait for an invitation this time, but went on the offensive immediately. Ares barely had time to get his staff into a defensive position before Randi swung her staff at his head. He caught the top, but missed the backswing that nailed him in the ribs.

"Oof," feeling the air whoosh out of his lungs. "Bitch!" backing away from her holding his side. "No more games!!" He swung overhead, using the staff as a club - concentrating on defeating her with sheer brute strength. Randi read his intention easily, sliding her staff into place and bracing her legs to hold him.

The staff blow seared through them, sending shock waves across both bodies. Ares' eyes widened when he realized he wasn't moving - despite himself, he was impressed. Then Randi gave him a maddening grin and he got angry. And he let the anger build and flow through him, utilizing the strength it gave him and pushing her back. He didn't appreciate that she was letting push her for her own reasons... until those reasons became clear.

He felt her feet come up and connect with his chest a millisecond before he went flying. It was quite enlightening when his ass hit the grass. It was also more than a little painful. But he scrambled to his feet, spinning the staff at an incredible speed and moving towards Randi with determined steps.

She met him halfway and the blows fell so quickly, they couldn't be seen - only heard. SMACK!! THWACK!! CRACK!! WHOOSH!! THWACK!! SMACK!! CRASH!!

There was a brief pause as they backed away from one another, re-evaluating strategies before they moved back together in a tangle of staff work. Spin, parry, thrust, parry, slash, backslash, thrust, parry, spin. Over and over in a smooth rhythm like a dance with neither opponent gaining any ground. Both were sweating hard and breathing heavily.

SMACK!! Spin, parry. THWACK!! Parry, thrust, parry. CRACK!! WHOOSH!! Slash, parry, spin, thrust. THWACK!! Slash, backslash. SMACK!! Backslash, thrust. CRASH!!

Finally, completely frustrated by his lack of progress, Ares threw the staff aside and snatched up his sword. "Time to get serious, warrior. Come on... let me see what you're really made of." Randi looked at him a moment and Ares rested his sword on his shoulder. "C'mon. You know you want to. It's always been your weapon of choice." Not quite the truth, but not worth quibbling over either.

She didn't move - not her body or her gaze - from him. Instead, she waited relaxed until the pommel landed in her outstretched hand. Only then did she spare a quick glance away from him, knowing he would need a moment to collect his eyes and jaw from the ground. She and Gwen exchanged a ghost of a wink; then Randi assumed a classic defense position.

"How did you...?" Ares eyes grew almost black with anger and hatred as it occurred to him just exactly what had happened. "Gods be damned!!" bellowing. "You don't get to have a second!"

"Why not?" Randi taunted as she beckoned him forward with her fingertips. "There was nothing in the rules agreement that said I couldn't have Gwen watching my back. It's not like we're double teaming you, Ares. The fight would be over if we were; she wants to kick your ass as bad as I do."

"Worse, actually. Jackass deserves a lot worse than he's getting," Gwen muttered, though it was loud enough for those on the field to hear. The gods actually tittered, especially Ares' counterparts.

He huffed and puffed so hard, Randi imagined she could actually see steam coming from his ears. "No! This is between you and me."

No one could have said who was more surprised when Gwen stepped between their raised swords, halting his tantrum as surely as water thrown on fire would. It grew deathly quiet in light of the fury writ clearly across her features. Even Ares was forced to pay attention, just from sheer force of her presence. But even through his irritation, there was a tiny kernel of awe for her spirit and complete lack of fear, and that irritated him even more.

"No, Ares. It's *not* between you and her - not anymore... and it hasn't been for a long time. It's not about you and the warrior's soul. It stopped being about you and her long before she was Miranda Valiant. But she became an obsession with you - it became all about winning... all about claiming something you thought you deserved. And when that happened, it became about me too. Because that soul... *HER* soul... belongs to me, just as mine belongs to her."

"So you can stand there and try to act all self-righteous in front of the world and make believe her defeat at your hands is something you deserve. But don't you dare, for even a minute, think you can do that to me. I know how long this has been going on; I wrote the stories. I've lived through lifetimes with her while you tried over and over to claim her soul for yourself, even though it hasn't been yours to claim in millennia. I've been part of the reason she has always defeated you and I always will be."

"But this time she gets to do more than refuse to play your game... refuse to join you. This time she gets to physically defeat you, and in doing so, she will accomplish more than you can possibly fathom. Because with you gone, the world will get a chance... a real chance... to live in peace for a while. And maybe they can learn how to do it right, so by the time you're returned to godhood, they will choose peace over conflict."

"She can't do that." His eyes shifted to Randi's proud gaze. "You can't do that."

"Oh, I can, and I will," shifting Gwen to one side and moving to stand within reach of Ares' sword. "Who knows - maybe you'll become a better deity or at least a decent person because of it. At least you'll have plenty of down time to think about it."

Ares snorted arrogantly. "You really think you can defeat me... beat me at my own game? Especially with these kind of stakes?!?" He laughed malevolently. "I don't think so. I am the God of WAR!!"

"... who has completely lost his focus on the big picture. Maybe you'll be able to find it again, but in the meantime, the human race will have a chance to grow and evolve without your interference. Maybe we'll grow to the next level; or maybe we'll completely wipe one another off the face of the planet. But either way, it will be because it was our choice... our decision - and not the machinations of a being who is so goddamn selfish that he has trekked across thousands of years killing and maiming for the singular purpose of claiming something that was never his to begin with."

He swung, but Randi was ready and their swords met in a clash of steel and sparks. "You don't get to choose!" Ares shouted as Randi pushed him away from her. "It's my birthright!!" He swung at her head and she slashed at his arm, drawing first blood and causing him to hiss in pain.

"No, Ares. It isn't; it never was," meeting his next down stroke and pushing him away from her again. He stumbled as he backed up and decided to rush her. Then they got down to serious work, exchanging blow for blow with sparks flying. He saw an opportunity and kicked out, hearing her bones creak and feeling the air rush from her lungs as he made contact. She went down hard and lay dazed and unmoving. Eager to capitalize on what he perceived to be a tactical advantage, he hurried to Randi's side, intent on making her surrender.

He didn't consider she might be playing possum, and the crack of his knee when her boot heel connected with it was heard across the whole field, as was his keening in agony as he slid to the ground. No one moved - not even Gwen, who held still at a hidden hand signal from Randi.

Finally, after a long, deep breath, Randi rolled to her side and then pushed her body up gingerly to stand. She groaned at the pull on her mid-section and a hand automatically went to her side to touch the bruising that had already started forming. Damnation, that hurts. Then she took a deep breath and stepped towards Ares, ready to have the fight over and done with.

For his part, Ares lay where he had fallen, mustering his pain and allowing it to course through him so he could harness the power it created. Then with a scream, he rose up and hurled his sword - but not in the direction anyone expected.



Reed drew a deep breath when Gwen crossed the field to step between Randi and Ares and dress Ares down like a child. She radiated fury, but beyond that, Reed could feel the pride and possessiveness she felt for Randi flowing from Gwen in waves. She let it wash over her; it was by far the most pleasant experience she had ever shared from them and Reed relished the strength it lent to her.

"You all right?" Rosie asked, though her eyes never left the field or the interesting tableau that was taking place.

"Yeah." She paused. "Better than all right, actually - this is amazing." Rosie turned to look at Reed briefly and Reed returned the glance before they both refocused their gazes on the action. "For some reason, their shielding is letting me feel the warmth and strength of their bonding, and I have to tell you - it's really nice."

"Wonder how long it will last."

"My feeling their bond?" Randi went flying and Reed rasped again. "About that long," she responded. "But at least the shielding is still in place." A full minute of deliberate, measured breathing while she kept her eyes on the two fallen combatants, then... "Oh shit...."

Silence reigned over the entire congregation when Ares collapsed beneath Randi's boot. Then they gasped as one body when Ares screamed and the Sword of War was hurtled through the air, waiting to see if it reached what appeared to be its intended target.



The gods were an odd anomaly - a part and yet not of what was taking place on the field. The Greek Pantheon had been invited; Ares was a member of their number and as such, responsibility for his judgment and punishment rested in their collective hands. Only they could remove his godhood... or restore it and so they had come to the challenge as one body, intent for once on seeing justice done. They had all suffered at his hand or for his actions for years and it was time they got their due from him in return. It hadn't taken the three sisters much effort at all to convince their father of the rightness of affording the warrior such an opportunity.

As for the rest... there were a number of other gods in attendance from almost every celebrated religion on the planet. Some came for the sport - the entertainment value of seeing Ares lessened to mortal status. Others came to be seen - not willing to miss out on what would likely be the most talked about event to happen to any of them in a thousand years. Still others came to see that justice was served, though whether they were looking for justice for Randi or Ares or themselves, no one quite knew.

Not that the 'whys' particularly mattered to anyone but the individual god. The fact remained that there were many deities watching the action take place between Randi and Ares. Some were pulling for the war god, just because the stakes were unimaginable and the thought of having to become mortal was unbearable to them. The rest, however, they were pulling for Randi. They had watched the saga between warrior and god for lifetimes and felt it was long past time for Ares to put that particular obsession to rest.

And then there was Aphrodite, Artemis and Athena, who each had a more personal stake in the outcome. Not in any material sense, but in the wrongs Ares had brought upon their chosen. Randi was their sword of vengeance and they wanted her to make him suffer at least a little - to make him feel what others, and Randi herself, had felt due to his machinations. If nothing else, it was hoped that with his defeat at Randi's hands and the subsequent punishment he would face, Ares would learn to play by the rules the rest of them, however grudgingly, functioned under.

So they watched the action taking place in front of them, amazed at both Randi's ability to hold her own against a mortal God of War and Ares seeming madness over her. How had something so obvious escaped their detection for so long - for it was clear his fascination with her had long since become detrimental to him and his ability to function dispassionately in his capacity as a war god.

Randi baited him and he responded, anger clear in the taut lines of his face and the fire in his eyes. And so the battle raged on, fighting round and round in a clash of fists, staves and swords.

The silence that fell as Randi hit the ground was palpable - so much so that the crunch of Ares' knee beneath her heel echoed across the field a moment later. They watched as the two opponents gathered themselves to enter the fray once more, feeling hope when Randi got to her feet first, sure the fight had neared its end. Surely Ares would be forced to capitulate victory now that he was unable to stand and fight.

No one could imagine how far beyond reason he had actually gone and when he shifted, no one expected his chosen course of action.

The sword flew from his grip as he unleashed a mighty roar, but it did not head for Randi. Though surprising to some - given the intensity of their fight, it wasn't astounding to a majority of those who were observing; after all, he had coveted this woman for her lifetime and her soul for lifetimes before that. Why would he seek to destroy her when he finally had a chance to legitimize his claim on her for all and sundry to see? And gods knew Randi had opened up the opportunity for him to take out Gwen when she had acknowledged her as her second.

But that was the easy way, and Ares wanted Gwen to suffer - to watch as he claimed Randi for his own forever... as he had watched her do over and over through the millennia since the warrior's soul had been lost to him. There would be no quick death by the sword for her. He has special plans in mind for the bard's soul, and each and every one of them were slow and painful and something he intended to enjoy to the fullest.

So as though in slow motion, they all watched in shock as the Sword of War flew straight and true towards Aphrodite. In real time, however, it happened so fast and so accurately, even Athena didn't have a chance to react before it was done.

Aphrodite didn't even get a chance to scream.

The sword hit the box Dite held dead center. When the metal of Hephaestus met itself with such force and velocity, it could not help but collapse. The tip of the blade destroyed the lock and the box opened when it fell to the ground, knocked free of Aphrodite's grasp. And in the blink of an eye, the essence of Ares' godhood escaped.

He waited with an evil, twisted smirk on his face. He figured if Randi could loophole the conditions of their agreement to suit her, then he was entitled to do the same. After all, he had followed it to the letter, fighting her as a mortal without being defeated. No one had said how long he had to fight as one... only that the fighting would continue till one or the other of the yielded.

Now he waited, knowing his essence would heal him and the godhood would allow him to defeat her with barely a raised hand. Of course, he would make her suffer first, as payback for the humiliation she had already caused. Not much - they did have a planet to rule together, after all. But enough, so she could feel his pain and know who her master truly was.

The essence did indeed hover over him, its blue light filling him with healing warmth and angered strength for a long moment before it moved away from him, leaving him behind with a confused look on his face.

Then it moved over to Gwen, assessing her from a distance before drawing closer to her, intrigued by what it found in her eyes and her heart. The essence washed over Gwen, filling her with a sense of power. Randi made a movement towards them both, but a hand from Gwen halted her progress.

But the movement was enough and the light moved away from Gwen to envelope Randi. She glowed long enough to make everyone look away to save their eyesight. Ares screamed in fury and frustration, realizing he had become the author of his own defeat.

Randi stood stock still, taking in the sensations and power as it literally flowed through her veins like a heady wine. Then she turned flaming blue eyes towards Ares and he understood all too clearly she was going to defeat him with his own power. Fear filled him; for the first time in longer than he could remember, he was honestly afraid. Not of dying - that was secondary in his thinking. Instead he was afraid because she would be what he had always wanted... without him.

Lazily she lifted a hand, staring at the sparking blue ball that floated just above it. She drew back, preparing to lob it toward Ares and end the nonsense once and for all. Only a touch on her arm made her pause, and Randi looked down into intense green eyes gazing back at her with complete love and trust.

Randi hesitated, her eyes reflecting the passion she felt for Gwen. She started to reach up her hand to cup Gwen's face before realizing she still held the fireball in her hand. Randi stared at it, then turned to Ares who was watching her with undisguised, enthralled with the vision she made despite himself. The globe grew in intensity and he saw his end in it.

A touch on her arm again brought Randi's attention back to Gwen and for a long, long moment they spoke without words. Everything and everyone was forgotten but each other; Randi extinguished the ball and extended her hand to trail along Gwen's face and thread into her hair. Gwen let Randi bring them closer together until they were breathing one another's air.

"I can end this," Randi whispered against Gwen's lips. "I can make it so he can't hurt anyone else ever again."

Finally Gwen took the initiative, cupping Randi's face in both hands, pulling back just enough that their eyes could meet without crossing. "Randi, love... you already have. You've beaten him at his own game. But if you kill him, he wins."

"No, Gwen... I can make you a god. Then nothing can hurt us again."

Gwen shook her head, but never let her eyes leave Randi's. "No, sweetheart - that's not who I am, and it's not who you are. You only have to make Ares yield, and it's over. We can go home. No more being the Empress, no more queens or consorts, no more gods interfering or Sabre missions; we can be just Randi and Gwen again."

"Just us... no one else?"

"Just us."

Randi brushed her lips over Gwen's briefly, then leaned their foreheads together and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, Gwen saw the warrior she had always loved at peace and she smiled. "Hold that thought, love," Randi whispered. "I'll be right back."

Randi turned away from Gwen and marched to where the gods remained frozen by the astonishing turn of events. Without a second glance, she retrieved the Sword of War from where it lay, separating it from the box with a strong, firm pull. The smile she gave the assembled gods was disconcerting, but they recognized her right to act as the new God of War. Then she strode back to where Ares was still lying, cradling his broken knee.

"Yield to me, Ares."

"I don't think so, sweet cheeks. You want to win, you're going to have to kill me." He grinned evilly. "And I don't think you want to live with those consequences."

Without warning, she sent a bolt of lightening through his entire body, watching dispassionately as he writhed in the throes of agony. When he finally quit twitching, she took his chin in her fingers and forced him to meet her eyes, and her voice dropped to a whisper that only he could hear. "Let me explain this to you in very simple terms - you are all that stands between peace for me and Gwen. Now, either you yield to me, or I will ensure that your life as a human being is a very long one fraught with pain and agony. I will not allow you the release of death until it is my time to cross over."

She leaned so close he could feel her breath on his ear and he shivered in reaction that was both arousal and terror. "You wanna know the best part? I don't need to be a god to do that. If you don't yield, I will scatter your power to the four winds. There won't be a God of War... ever again."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me," she hissed, backing away far enough for him to read the truth in her eyes for himself. She raised the sword and gathered her power, causing the blade to glow with the reflection of it.

"You would," he muttered incredulously. "You would let all that go... give up all that power... just to be with her." His tone was flat, defeated.

"In a fucking heartbeat."

His shoulders slumped. "I yield," he said, his voice a mere whisper.

"Louder, Ares. The whole world has to hear you."

Randi stepped back and crossed her arms, waiting. This victory had been a long time coming and she intended to savor every single moment.

"I, Ares, God of War, YIELD the field of battle to Miranda Valiant!" Ares shouted his voice trembling, though whether it was due to rage, pain or frustration, only he could have said. And then it didn't matter, for as soon as the words left his mouth, a cacophony of sound rose around the world as the world cheered Randi's victory. She didn't notice; she only had eyes and ears for Gwen. Gwen rushed into Randi's arms and the world faded out for a blissful moment while hearts, minds and bodies reconnected in a spinning hug and laughter.

They kept their embrace brief, knowing Randi still had things to wrap up before she and Gwen could go home. And Randi had determined that when they celebrated *this* victory, no one would be witness to their shared passion but each other. They had been on the world stage long enough.

Randi turned to the gods who had surrounded Ares to wait for her final dispensation of him; they still did not know what she planned to do with the godhood she had suddenly inherited. She pinned Zeus with her eyes. "Let's get rid this godhood thing."

He blinked; her words were completely unexpected, but he didn't question her seriousness. That could clearly be read in her expression. "And then?" not knowing what else to ask.

"And then we'll tie up the last of the loose ends. It's time to be done with this. I wanna go home."



Chapter XXII

The Sabres had reacted as one body when the power of war electrified Randi, coming to stand behind Gwen in a show of solidarity. They remained firm, not moving by her command when Gwen went to Randi, but watching with the same fascination as the rest of the world as Gwen tamed the fire burning in Randi's eyes. When Ares yielded to Randi, they exchanged amazed looks, but still didn't move, not having been released from Gwen's command. And as long as there was no immediate danger, they were bound to wait until called for.

When the gods moved towards them, however, the Sabres did the same, coming up to stand behind Randi and Gwen even as the gods surrounded the defeated Ares. No one showed a reaction when Randi turned to Zeus and demanded, "Let's get rid this godhood thing," beyond a widening of their eyes. But it was damned certain there would be talk around the dinner table later. None of them had ever experienced anything like this before - no one in the world had.



Randall was enthralled with the action taking place in front of him. He reached out towards the screen trying to touch his favorite person. He cheered as she fought, knowing his 'Wuv' would triumph. After all... she was his hero and heroes don't lose. When the essence of war encompassed her, he clapped and cheered, proclaiming, "Pretty!" Ella just let her mouth drop open in complete disbelief and Ditto chimed in her two cents with a loud, staccato bark.

Tommy watched, eyes wide, as the woman he had always considered his little sister became a god. To say it was disconcerting was an understatement, but he couldn't take his eyes off the vid screen. He'd never seen her fight like that - never expected her to be able to hold her own so easily with Ares... even without his powers. And then to have Randi become the one thing in the world she despised more than any other... well, Tommy wasn't surprised to hear the words come out of her mouth. His only surprise came from the lack of venom, more of a resignation in her tone than anything else.

Jill didn't say anything. Her gaze was fixed on her daughter, who was the picture of composed happiness locked in Randi's embrace. Whatever else had happened, godhood had done nothing to their bond but made it stronger, and seeing it made Jill smile. Geoff's sacrifice had been worth it, and that was enough to give her an unexpected measure of peace.



Sky watched, nodding his approval. It was gratifying to see such a successful culmination of effort. Though the current events playing out before his eyes were beyond his ability to forecast, even through the vid screen he could see the bond that linked Randi and Gwen together. He took a small measure of pride in the part he had played towards their healing, and watching Randi stand up and kick Ares' ass was rewarding on a carnal level - all in all an extremely satisfying day.



"Holy shit!" Tiny muttered to no one in particular as Ares godhood descended on Randi. The rest of the Sabres gathered around the vid screen echoed his sentiment after their own fashion while all eyes remained locked on the action taking place in the Amazon compound. Then they watched with amazed eyes the wordless conversation between Randi and Gwen before Randi forced Ares to yield. None of them could hear the words that were spoken, but the defeat in his posture was unmistakable even before he conceded the field to her.

They cheered when Gwen ran into Randi's arms. Then complete silence fell when Randi told Zeus to get rid of her godhood. Surely they had misunderstood; despite her desire to simply go home and live in peace with Gwen, no one would give up the opportunity to be a god... would they? She could still go wherever she wanted and live in peace.

Only Tiny immediately understood her motivation and he nodded his approval. "You go, girl," he said into all that silence, compelling every eye in the conference room to turn towards him. He huffed in impatience and rolled his eyes at them. "C'mon, guys. None of you are that dense."

"But Tiny... it's the ultimate power...."

"No, it isn't the ultimate power, but it is a power and responsibility Randi has always despised and done her very best to avoid. She was goaded into becoming the Sabre Commandant and pushed into taking the position of Empress. And as soon as she recovered herself completely, the minute she escaped from the last of Ares influence, she put into motion plans so she can to resign from it and walk away."

"I don't understand that," Yuri said plaintively. "Oh, I know she doesn't want it; I get that. I was genuinely surprised when she accepted the position of Commandant and then proclaimed herself Empress. It goes against everything I knew about her before she came back from the dead."

"But...?"

"But being a god is different. She has the epitome of power in the palm of her hand and yet she is walking away from it. Doesn't she understand the good she could do with it??"

Tiny chuckled. "I think you are looking at this from the wrong angle, Yuri. Didn't you hear what Randi and Gwen said to Ares? First of all, being a god is not the ultimate power - it never has been. Randi has held her ultimate power in the palm of her hand and the depths of her heart for a long time and everything she has done has been in an effort to protect that."

"You're talking about her love for Gwen, aren't you, Tiny?" Chase asked.

"Yeah. The love they share is Randi's whole world; nothing and no one else comes close. Being a god would take away from that, and for Randi, that is unacceptable. Besides, she has done more good for mankind as a mortal than the gods have managed to do in the millennia of their existence. She has given us a chance to determine our destiny on our own... without any added outside influences stirring things up for us except for those we allow in. What happens to the human race is now ultimately our responsibility - no gods or religions or differences to blame... just us."

"Wow," Yuri said thoughtfully. "I never thought about it before. It's always been us versus the rebels on a quest for peace."

"Well, now it's just us on a search to better ourselves and the world we live in. And that should be everyone's responsibility... not just hers. Because of her, we have a fighting chance of making it work."



Aphrodite held tight to the box she had recovered as she, Athena and Artemis separated from the other gods and moved to stand in front of Randi and Gwen instead. "Randi, are you sure about this?" Dite asked seriously. "Giving up your godhood, I mean. You could make such a difference...."

Gwen held on to Randi when she would have pulled away. Randi looked down in curiosity, not angry but a little confused by Gwen's reaction. She read the unspoken request in the green eyes and touched the backs of her fingers to Gwen's cheek, yielding the floor to her soulmate with grace and dignity.

Gwen slipped out of the embrace only as far as necessary, feeling Randi's arms slide around her middle when Gwen moved to stand in front of her. She leaned back comfortably, relishing the feel of being held safely in Randi's arms once more. Nothing in heaven or earth could compare to that and Gwen wanted the goddesses to understand.

"Aphrodite, Randi has already made that difference. Didn't you hear what we said to Ares earlier? This is humanity's best chance to evolve as a species... to grow for themselves and see what, if anything, they are capable of beyond fighting and dying. Already most see the similarities instead of the differences, and the rest are being educated as we speak. There is nothing more Randi could do as a goddess that she has not already accomplished as a mortal."

"But...."

"No, Aphrodite," Athena cut in unexpectedly. "They are completely right, and we all know the souls of both the warrior and the bard have more than earned the chance to be done with this. Our time as gods and the parents of humanity has long since passed, and while we will always exist... always be around keeping a watchful eye in things, it is time that mortals determined their own destiny without any interference from us. They deserve the opportunity to stand or fall on their own."

"But...?"

"Enough, daughter," Zeus said, the conversation having attracted his attention. It had answered his questions, hearing them reaffirm what they had said to Ares. "Miranda, step forward and we will remove the power of war from you. And then we will go and give humanity the chance you have earned for them." More than one of the lesser gods looked like they wanted to protest, but one look at Ares convinced them all to shut up and agree. At least they would still be immortals; none of them wanted to suffer Ares' fate. He still hadn't moved from where he had fallen after yielding the field to Randi.

The Pantheon lined up behind Zeus once more, extending their powers to withdraw the power of war from its host again. Gwen moved to one side, but refused to move completely away from Randi, instead choosing to give Randi something to focus on besides what was happening. Randi stood still, letting Gwen hold her hands while she gripped the sword and keeping their gazes locked. She didn't even notice when the essence emerged from her being and hovered over her before reluctantly following the call of the Pantheon and coming to rest in the bottom of Hephestus' locked box.

Aphrodite closed the box and this time Zeus locked and sealed it. Then he took it from Aphrodite, clearing his throat to get Randi's attention and still having to wait a full minute before she turned her stare in his direction. The Amazons and the rest of the world were all but forgotten and Zeus slowed time to allow them a bit of privacy to finish the remainder of their business. Then he extended the box towards Randi and waited for her to accept it.

"This is yours. Only you can open it... either by will or by your death and the death of your soulmate. If you open it by will, you will become the God of War and we will not undo that choice. If you and Gwen die without opening the box, the power will revert to Ares and he will shed his mortality to resume his godhood."

"And if he dies before I do?"

Zeus spared a glance at his fallen son, guarded by the Sabres and watched by the rest of the gods. "When his time comes, if it is before yours, I will put his body into stasis until such time as you pass over. Only then will he be allowed to reclaim his godhood."

"Very well," Randi nodded. "Do you need to know where this will be kept?"

Zeus shook his head. "No. The essence will know and it will find you or Ares when it is freed."

Randi nodded and Zeus turned away from her, headed back towards Ares who lay flat on his back with his good arm covering his eyes. He couldn't bend into a fetal position as his cracked knee and sore ribs were on opposite sides of his body and made curling up in any form an uncomfortable prospect at best.

"Zeus?" He turned back to Randi when she addressed him and waited. "Why did it choose me? Despite everything I said to him, Ares was born to godhood. It's *his* essence."

He looked at her for a long moment, then nodded his head in satisfaction at what he found in her. She would have been a most powerful god... even moreso than he himself was, and Zeus was suddenly grateful for the strength of will that compelled her to turn her back on it and remain mortal. "My children were born to be gods, yes, but each godhood chose its host. Ares was most suited to be the God of War. That essence became his because he was the most capable warrior and for a very long time, he was very good at what he did. Then you... your soul... came along and he lost his focus."

"So you're saying that essence chose me because...."

"... you were the strongest, most capable warrior, yes." He looked directly at Gwen who had been watching the conversation quietly but with exceeding interest. "Though you were a most compelling candidate as well. Now, if you will excuse me," motioning towards Ares, "I think we need to find a place to get him settled and heal him. He should at least start his life as a mortal with a strong body. What he does after that...." Zeus shrugged.

"Where will he go when he leaves here?" Gwen asked, looking back and forth between Ares, Zeus and the three goddesses who were still nearby.

Athena stepped closer and nodded to Zeus, who went back to his son's side. "We thought we'd leave it up to you. We could take him back to Olympus, but we didn't think that was what you had in mind when you demanded his mortality as a condition of the contest. We all assumed you might want a say in his dispensation. You did defeat him after all."

"Personally, I would like to see him live and work as a mortal on this plane for the rest of his natural life... something difficult and challenging to his body, if not his mind. Maybe a taste of true hard work will make him a better person, even if doesn't make him a better god. I don't have enough faith to think any change on his part would last beyond his regaining his power," Gwen said bitterly.

"You really think he won't learn from this?" Artemis asked sadly.

"Yeah, that is exactly what I think," Gwen answered honestly. "We have put up with his meddling to varying degrees in every lifetime we have shared for millennia. I know this for a fact - I have documentation of much of it, and the Amazon library holds some of the earliest texts about our lives together. I think regaining his godhood will only make us a bigger target for him. So I'd like to know he at least had to work through this lifetime so we can enjoy some peace."

"Very well," Athena accepted her words with a disappointed nod. "We will make sure he is put somewhere that he will have to work daily for his survival. At least he will be kept busy enough to afford you both the peace from his machinations you have more than earned." She started to walk back to the rest of the gods when she was halted by Gwen's hand on her arm.

"Find him a place where he has to work hard and earn his place, but also offers him a chance for friends and companionship. Even he shouldn't have to spend the next fifty years alone."

Before anyone else could speak, Aphrodite rushed in and wrapped Gwen up in a tight hug. "Oooh, babe! You so totally rock! I knew I could count on your radical self to go beyond and give Ares a chance."

Gwen exchanged confused glances with Randi, whose expression turned to one of amusement when Dite continued to hold on to Gwen for dear life. Finally, Randi stepped forward to break Aphrodite's hold and allow Gwen to take a deep breath. "What was that about?" cutting her eyes to take in the amused countenances of all three goddesses.

"When it was determined that you would be responsible for deciding Ares' fate, there were those in our number who felt anything you chose would be excessively harsh, given his actions towards you. Most felt it was your due and that you would be justified in whatever course of action you took."

"However, we argued that you would show him some bit of mercy; it is just in your nature... part of who you are and have always been."

"Yeah, it's just majorly cool to have been proven so right."

"Oh," Randi said. "So now what?"

"Well, first we will take Ares to his new earthly home, and then we will all head back to our various immortal planes of existence. I imagine this will keep us all quite enthralled with discussion and debate for the next little while. Nothing this exciting has happened to us in ages."

Randi chuckled. Somehow, she didn't doubt the truth of that statement. "Well, if ya'll can manage it between gossip sessions, ya'll might want to try to come to the party we have scheduled here in a few days. It promises to be a lot of fun, but um...." looking at Gwen for help.

"We'll be there, but you won't recognize us. Well, you two might, but the rest of the world won't," Athena said with a smile. "You deserve that much."

"Besides, it'll be nice to just be one of the girls for a change," Artemis agreed.

"Yeah, but for now, we've gotta jet. Hair to do, make-up to fix, nails to sharpen... you know how it is. We'll be keeping an eye out though; we don't wanna miss this way rocking par-tay."

Randi and Gwen just shook their heads and watched as the three goddesses crossed back over to join the rest of the gods. Finally it dawned on Ares that this was real, and he was going to have to live as a mortal for the next few decades. He began to fight and struggle. "NO!! You can't do this to me! I am the God of War!! You can't do this!!!! NOOOOOOO!!!!!"

Zeus restrained Ares with a touch on his arm and his cries turned to whimpers and please for mercy. The three goddesses turned and gave Randi and Gwen a wave before disappearing in a shower of petals, sparkles and flashing light, accompanied by the rumble of thunder. Only when the last reverberation had rolled through and the final flash faded did time resume its normal journey and the crowd around them surge with sound and motion.

"What just happened?" Reed asked Rosie. "Where is Ares?"

"Don't worry, Reed," Randi said. "Everything's been taken care of. Are you all right?" She and Gwen stepped into the ring of Sabres, feeling the circle close, shielding them from the Amazons who were slowly approaching them.

"Except for the feeling that that I missed something important, I'm great. When you were healed by the godhood, it healed the rift in your barrier as well. I kinda miss the warmth I felt before, but I am happier knowing it is in place."

"I'll bet," Randi chuckled. "C'mon. We've go things to do and a party to plan."

"Actually, I think we can leave the party planning to the Amazons. Rumor has it they're experts." This caused Randi and Gwen to break out into serious laughter, from relief as much as from what Reed had said. The Sabres just watched them with bemusement.

"You have no idea," Gwen managed to get out. Randi just wrapped her arm tighter around Gwen's shoulders and guided them all back towards the mountain. There was still work to be done and most of it was not here. But the sooner they got it finished, the sooner they could come back and party with the Amazons one more time.



"How long will you be gone, my queen?" Lorac asked when they had finally reached the sanctuary of their quarters. Though thrilled with Randi's defeat of Ares, the Nation was still recovering from the potion he had administered and they were still somewhat subdued as a result. It would be another day or two before any of them felt up to hosting a party; the events of the day had been very draining - especially given the amount of prep work that had been required of the Nation before the actual fight between Randi and Ares.

So they were looking forward to a day or two of down time to recover before hosting what was sure to be the blowout of a lifetime.

"Probably a week. Randi has to put the last of her plans in place and we want to stop by the village for a day or two to talk to Sky and the People. They've done so much for us - we were supposed to go by there right after our spirit walk, but things came up."

Lorac nodded. That seemed to be true a lot around these two, but things also got fixed when they were around as well. "Invite the People to come with you as well... all of them." She smiled at the astonishment so clearly written in Gwen's expression. "I know it is unusual, but we owe them a great debt as well. Perhaps it is time to start some new traditions."

Gwen cleared her throat. "Well, then... why don't we make this an end of summer bash?"

Lorac nodded her agreement. "That would give us a couple weeks to get everything together and get the word out to everyone. Do you think Reed would be willing to stay and be a liaison for us? Since they are her tribe, she could make a great contribution towards making this successful."

"I'll ask her, but I don't see why not. I don't think Randi would mind."

"Wouldn't mind what, love?" rubbing the excess water from her hair as she stepped into the room. The Sabres had given her their traditional congratulations when they reached the fountain, and she had decided a shower would be the quickest way to warm up from the ice cold water they had plunged her into... since her first chosen method was currently unavailable dealing with diplomatic matters.

Gwen's eyes sparkled brightly when they met equally bright blue ones. The energy between them was palpable, but her voice was steady when she answered Randi's question. "Leaving Reed here for the next couple weeks. It would help the Amazons prepare and would give her a break from us."

"That's not a problem. I decided to have all the Sabres with us continue their duty here while we were gone anyway. They are all Amazons, after all. I figure they will enjoy a bit of light duty after the last few weeks and they can help Lorac with whatever else needs to be done to get the Nation settled." She turned her attention to the regent. "You are close, yes?"

"Yes, Empress... Randi," she conceded, seeing the glower form on Randi's face. "We're not as far along as we'd hoped to be at this point, but given the mitigating circumstances, I am mostly pleased at the status of our progress. Having the Sabre Amazons here will make a big difference in what we can accomplish before you and the queen return."

"Then consider it done." Randi turned back to Gwen. "So when is this shindig? I figured the Nation might need a little time to recuperate before hosting any sort of big bash, so how long? I need to let Tommy know when to get the guys together and get out here."

"Two weeks," Gwen replied. "We thought we'd make it an end of summer party. That will give us time to do what we need to do and everyone else time to make arrangements to get out here."

Randi smiled her approval. "I like that. It means we don't have to rush either, and yet gives us a deadline I can live with. All right. We'll head out first thing in the morning. But now we need to go have dinner with the unit and let them know what is going on and then I have a few calls to make. Lorac, would you like to join us?"

"If it is all the same to you, Emp... Randi, we gave the cooks the night off so that everyone could get a bit of a rest. I'd like to do the same. It's been a stressful few days."

"Absolutely," Gwen agreed quickly. "We won't leave without saying goodbye." Together the three walked out the door and the two Sabres assigned to mobile duty went with them towards the Amazon mess area. The unit had grown too large to accommodate them all in their quarters and both Gwen and Randi knew the Sabres would have no problem fending for themselves... especially with Rosie present.

Lorac split off from them to return to her own residence and the rest continued on into what had evolved into the main congregating are for the Nation - namely the mess hall. Surprisingly, from the scents wafting across the area, Rosie hadn't cooked; instead, they had done a potluck with all of them contributing something to the meal. When Gwen and Randi were spotted crossing the courtyard area, a cheer went up from the Sabres, and they were welcomed with open arms as old friends.

More than one Amazon observed the group from the shadows, but none of them approached the Sabres, unwilling to disturb the camaraderie so obvious between them. The Sabres on the other hand were loud and happy, celebrating Randi's victory for reasons the rest of the world could only try to imagine. Laughter flowed freely and food was passed back and forth with snarky comments and ribald teasing.

"That was so boss, boss," Shibata exclaimed. "The look on his face when he realized he couldn't beat you was just too sweet!"

"And watching him crumple when you kicked him... man! That was fabulous!"

"Yeah, we could hear the Amazons behind us... they were loving it."

"It really was a good show, Randi. Did you expect it to go like it did?"

Randi swallowed her food and wiped her mouth, then turned and faced Rosie. "Did I expect to win? Absolutely. The rest of it was something of a surprise."

"What was it like... being a god, I mean. It was the most interesting thing I have ever seen."

The table grew completely silent. Rosie had asked the question all of them had wondered about, but none of them had dared to ask. Randi cleared her throat and met the eyes of each woman in the unit before she looked at Gwen.

"It was seductive and powerful... and completely empty."

"Empty?"

"It didn't offer me anything I didn't already have, and Gwen was right there to remind me of that fact." Gwen lifted her hand to cup Randi's face and Randi returned the gesture with a look so intense, Mason hesitantly cleared her throat to draw Randi's attention back to the conversation.

"Was there any temptation to keep the power?"

Dead silence. "Yes," Randi replied starkly, turning her eyes back to the table. "Revenge is a huge motivation... especially the instant you understand the scope of payback you could give to this asshole that has made your life and the lives of so many others miserable."

"So what happened?" This from Reed.

"Gwen," said without hesitation. "Nothing compares to what we share... not even the power of a god."

"Aww," they all chorused together, causing a blush to skitter up Gwen's face and a smirk to form on Randi's.

"Moving on..." she added, taking their eyes away from Gwen and refocusing them on her with the official tone. "I want everyone, not just the med teams, to stay here until we return in two weeks. You can all contribute to settling the Nation and Lorac would appreciate your presence. Reed, you'll be the liaison between the Amazons and the People, as well as the contact point for the Sabres. Part of your duties will be to coordinate with everyone to help set up this party."

"The People are coming to the party? And the Sabres as well?"

"Yes," Gwen said decisively. "This is going to be a celebration for us. We want to invite everyone who helped us make it through this last crisis to have a chance to celebrate with us. We're heading out tomorrow. We need to stop in the village to invite the People to the celebration, and then onto the capital to begin implementation of the new integration plans."

"Do you think that will work? The integration plans?"

"I think the best way for people to learn tolerance is for them to live and work with people they see as different; to find how similar we really are in the ways that matter most… and how the differences are what make us individuals. Sabre training reinforced this belief in all of us. I think the rest of the world needs to catch up."

"Fortunately, a majority of the world already does think that way. We just want to make sure it continues once we walk away. Don't you want the next generation to have Sabre values?"

"I would like the next generation to not only know, but be able to appreciate peace... without having to do what we did to achieve it."

"Hear! Hear!" was heard around the table.

"All right then. You all know what to do. If you have questions, go to Lorac. She has the plans for how things are supposed to be laid out here. But work together, guys. The sooner this place is finished, the sooner you can all start rotating home on a more regular basis. Be able to live normal lives for a change."

"So... no more Sabres? No more military?"

"No... there will still be Sabres and a military for the foreseeable future. But their functions will change and evolve as humanity grows."

"You really think...?"

"I really think we have to try and hope that humanity has learned enough to survive and flourish."

"Good enough," Rosie said unexpectedly. "There comes a time when a parent has to let their child go to make its own decisions and mistakes. They hope they have taught their child well and that the child has learned everything that is necessary to be a responsible, successful human being. Mankind has reached that point and then some. You and the Sabres have done all you can do, Randi. It's time to let the rest of the world start taking responsibility for itself." Rosie smiled at the enigmatically. "The good news is - I think they're finally ready to do that."

"The better news is - I am more than ready to let them," Randi added with a smile. "Rosie, what would you like to do tomorrow? You're welcome to come back with us, or you are welcome to stay here. Though I feel compelled to warn you that if you stay here, you will more than likely be put to work doing something or other to get ready for the party."

"I have never been known to pass up an opportunity for a party," Rosie grinned. "Besides, I did say I wanted to see what this place would be like under more normal circumstances. I think this would probably be about as normal as it gets."

Gwen chuckled. "Normal has never been a goal of the Amazon Nation. We take great pride in our uniqueness. Makes dealing with all that estrogen a little easier to manage." That got laughter from around the table. Even the hidden Amazons had to laugh at the ironic truth in that statement.

"Well, if there is nothing else," Randi said, rising from her seat and causing a ripple effect around the table as the rest stood in respect. She would have rolled her eyes, but the behavior had been deeply ingrained and since she had managed to keep them from addressing her by title, she decided to let this little lapse pass without comment. She extended her hand and Gwen took it immediately. "Good night, ladies." And the two left without further comment until they were out of sight.

Then the Sabre Amazons sat back down to finish their repast with high spirited conversation. Finally, they had a real future to look forward to.



Chapter XXIII

"That was nice," Gwen said after the sweat had dried a good while later. She stretched and pulled Randi's arm tighter around her naked body, relishing the contact along their joined lengths. She bit her lip to keep from laughing at the rapidity that statement forced Randi to sit up on one elbow and lean over Gwen, blue eyes pinning green with an intense glare.

"Nice?! That's all you have to say - it was NICE?!?" She flopped back down on her back and covered her eyes with her arm. "Not even married a year and the magic is gone; the honeymoon's over. And here I thought it was some of our most fervent, passionate lovemaking to date."

Gwen rolled over on top of Randi, settling herself and tweaking the nipple closest to her reach. That got her a squawk and another glare, but Randi didn't try to dislodge Gwen; it would have injured Gwen and Randi didn't want that even if she was surprisingly hurt by Gwen's comment. Instead, she closed her eyes and tried to cover them with her arm again; Gwen ducked underneath it, causing Randi to put her in a headlock instead.

"Open your eyes, beautiful."

"No."

"C'mon, Randi... open your eyes for me, love. Let me see into your soul."

"No."

Gwen frowned. Something in Randi's tone made her realize that Randi had genuinely been hurt by her comment, even though they had obviously been having two completely different conversations. Gwen sat up slightly, taking Randi's arm from around her neck and brushing a light kiss across the knuckles she held gently in her grasp. "Sweetheart, open your eyes for me, please?"

Her voice was soft and beseeching and Randi could no more ignore the pleading in her tone than she could stop breathing and live. Gwen gasped at the hurt she could see in Randi's pained expression.

"Oh, Stud... I wasn't talking about our lovemaking. Hot sex with you is always incredible and making love just adds a depth and intensity that moves it beyond that. Don't ever, *ever* think that I don't appreciate the pricelessness what we share together... in and out of the bedroom."

"Then what...?"

"I was talking about dinner with the Sabres. My body was... is still tingling in so many places from your touch, I was trying to calm my still-jangling nerves a little by engaging in a little non-sexual conversation. You know, give us a little breather before we started again." She smiled, then her expression turned wry. "Bad choice for an opening line, I guess."

"Yeah, a little. Of course, I didn't need to react like that either." Randi frowned. "Sorry. I'm not really sure where that came from, to tell you the truth."

"It's been a very long, very weird day?"

"It's been a very long, very weird few weeks."

"You can say that again... and I'm sorry too. I should have thought about the fact that although we can share our dreamscape, it doesn't mean you can read my mind or follow my silent thought processes. Especially since that thought actually did start at how lucky I am to have such a talented, thoughtful lover."

Randi pulled her hand free from Gwen's clasp, causing another frown to mar her expression. Then her face changed to happy satisfaction when Randi proceeded to tenderly run her hands up and down Gwen's bare back and sides. Randi laughed when Gwen fell into her body in a boneless heap, purring like a kitten with a belly full of cream.

"Are you laughing at me?" murmured against Randi's chest.

"No, Little One. That sound is pure joy. I love the resonance of your happiness against me." She caught Gwen's astonished look. "What?? I'm married to a bard. I've learned a few things about expressing myself." Then she laughed even harder at Gwen's look of resignation and chagrin. "God, I love you. Don't you ever go changing on me, all right?"

For her answer, Gwen locked her lips with Randi's, licking and nipping until she felt Randi surrender beneath the onslaught. Then Gwen released Randi's mouth with slow satisfaction. "I love you too," she said softly, squeezing Randi with all the strength she could muster.

They stayed snuggled up together for a while, gently stroking what skin they could comfortably reach. Finally, Randi took a deep breath. "So how did you get from our lovemaking to dinner with the Sabres? 'Cause you're right... I am absolutely not seeing how you got from one to the other."

"Oh, it was easy," Gwen replied. "I was thinking about how wonderful I felt and how lucky I was to have you in my life and that made me wonder if the rest of the world knew how lucky I was and that naturally led me to thinking about the Sabres who definitely know how lucky I am if not in the same way that I know how lucky I am and that turned my thoughts back to the Sabres and dinner and then...." She stopped speaking and took a breath when Randi covered her mouth lightly.

"Whoa there, sweetheart. Take a deep breath. I think I get the picture."

"And it made sense?"

"Sure. Just because I can't read your mind doesn't mean I can't follow your thought processes when you share them, ya know. Ow! Whaddya do that for?" scowling, unable to rub the spot in question with Gwen still comfortably sprawled on top of her. Then it didn't matter so much as Gwen kissed the place she had just bitten then trailed up her neck, making Randi forget the slight pain. When she reached Randi's lips, Gwen indulged in a long kiss, smiling as she pulled away.

"You wanna know something?"

"Hmm?"

"I am so glad we're leaving tomorrow. I've had about all the excitement I can... mmph?"

"Shh... let's not jinx it. I would prefer for things to go smoothly for the next couple weeks so we can go home to stay." Gwen's eyes widened and she nodded her head rapidly in agreement. "Now, have we had enough of a breather for a while?"

Gwen didn't speak; her answer was clear in her actions.



"You know the hardest thing about being here? No sunlight. I miss being able to look out the bedroom window and watch the sun rising from the comfort of your arms."

"Well, tomorrow morning we will be in the village, so we can see the sunrise over the mountains. And in another day or two, we'll be in the capital city and we can see the sunrise over the trees that surround the house there. But two weeks from now, we will finally be home for good, and we will spend the rest of our lives together watching the sun rise over the water as we lay in bed together wrapped in each other's arms."

Gwen shifted her position to allow her to look into Randi's eyes. She smiled, enchanted when the gesture was returned from the depths of Randi's soul. "I'm looking forward to that."

"Well, then," bending her head just enough to give not-so-chaste kiss. "Maybe we should get started. The sooner we go, the sooner we will be home."

"Wait," Gwen said when Randi started to get up. "Can we stay here just another few minutes?" lifting her hand. "I want...." Randi smiled again, sweetly this time, and lay back, closing her eyes and pulling Gwen into her body. Gently Gwen began to trace Randi's features with trembling fingertips and Randi released a shaky sigh. "God, I've missed this."

Randi kissed the fingers as they caressed her lips. "So have I," she whispered.

It would be a little while before they were ready to leave the Amazon compound.



"I thought they were going to leave first thing," Lorac commented to the group of Sabres she was standing with. The rest of the Amazons were spread throughout the complex from Gwen and Randi's quarters all the way to the landing bay where the regent, Rosie and the Sabres were waiting. The Sabres didn't even crack a smile, but Rosie laughed out loud. Lorac turned to look at her, an eyebrow raised in question. "What?"

"Oh honey... they may be the queen and her consort - they may be the rulers of the entire world. But the fact remain that they are first and foremost two people in love who for all intents and purposes are still newlyweds... still honeymooning. You don't seriously expect them to keep to a schedule if it's not official, do you?"

Lorac smirked. "I guess not. Gods know I certainly wouldn't."

The Sabres might have tittered at the comment, if not for the fact that the doors to the landing area opened at that moment and they all snapped to attention. Their guard followed them and there were a couple Amazons behind them carrying Randi's and Gwen's bags. Reed could feel the frustration about that rolling from both monarchs in waves and motioned Jess and Iroque to relieve the Amazons of the bags and casually check through them before loading them onto the shuttle.

Lorac waited until they approached, then dropped to one knee with her head bowed and an arm across her chest. "My queen... consort - it has been our honor to have you here."

"Rise, my friend. There is no need to stand or kneel on ceremony here."

"As you command, my queen," rising smoothly to her feet. "Thank you both for making the Amazon Nation a safe place to live free once more."

"I am glad we could do something to help, Lorac. I'm just sorry he brought his fight with me...."

"With us, Randi. Don't discount his hatred of me by trying to assume total responsibility for what he did here. He came here strictly because of me."

"My queen, the Nation does not blame you for what Ares did. Only Ares can take responsibility for that and we all have great hope that Artemis will punish him accordingly."

Reed stepped forward. "Everything has been seen to, Empress. The shuttle has been checked and your bags have been stowed." Randi nodded, accepting the formality of Reed's report. "Nothing was tampered with, sir. They kept a good watch here. And Jess cleared your bags."

"Thank you, Reed. You and Jess will be in charge of the unit until I return, but your primary function will be as my liaison." Reed nodded her acceptance of the order with a bit of relief. It would give her a little less on-hands responsibility so she could recover from the severe drain the last few days had put on her resources, and Randi knew that.

"Jess," waiting for the tall redhead to approach the little group, "I am going to put you in charge of the unit with Reed, though they will be your primary responsibility. In addition, I want you to begin Corky's rehabilitation program."

"Sir?"

"I want her to learn meditation techniques, logical thinking, strength and endurance, self-control and esteem... whatever you think will make her a better person. She has to learn to like herself again first before she can become a contributing member of the Amazon Nation once more."

"Sir?"

Randi glared in Jess' direction. "Something not clear in my instruction there, Jess?"

"I'm just a little confused, sir, but I'm sure I'll figure it out."

Randi silently huffed with impatience but her face was a schooled in a mask of imperturbability. "What are you confused about, Jess? It was my right and my responsibility to determine Corky's punishment for her challenge against Gwen since the fight was not to the death. Short of taking a whip to her and beating her within an inch of her life, this was the best punishment I could devise. And this one has a chance of making a difference for her and for the Amazon Nation." She turned to Lorac. "Have Corky brought to me." Then she looked back at Jess. "Now do you understand?"

"Aye, sir. I'll do my best. Am I allowed to utilize...?"

"Whoever and whatever you need, but try to involve the Amazons as much as possible. I know the elders felt they were making headway with her." Corky approached at that moment and fell to one knee with her head down. Randi was content to let her remain that way while she spoke.

"I have decided on your punishment Corky, but before I pronounce sentence, I want you to understand something." Randi paused, then commanded, "Look at me." She waited for Corky to focus on her eyes before she continued. "I want to be crystal clear about this and I want you to see I am not lying to you." Corky nodded her understanding, but didn't speak. "You get one shot at this... one chance. And if you screw this up, I will come back here and exact punishment swiftly and painfully. You got it?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Very well. It is therefore my judgment that you become an Amazon apprentice. You will return to your roots and relearn what it means to be an Amazon. Some of your training will be traditional; some of it will be more modern. But you will do whatever task your mentor gives you until such time as she decides you are ready to be brought before the Amazon council. They will determine if and when your training is complete. Questions?"

"Yes ma'am... who will be my mentor?"

"Jess will be your primary instructor, but I have given her wide authority to utilize whatever personnel, Amazon and Sabre, she needs to ensure you get the most thorough training we can manage. Anything else?"

"No ma'am."

"Very well," Randi repeated. She leaned forward so only Corky could hear her. "Don't fuck this up, Corky. You already hurt her once - you won't get another chance."

"I understand, Empress. I know saying I'm sorry doesn't make it right, but I'm not gonna blow this."

Randi held her eyes a moment longer, then nodded in satisfaction. "All right then. If you ladies will excuse us, we have somewhere to be. If you need to reach us, Reed will be able to reach us anytime. Otherwise, we will be back in two weeks." The landing bay echoed with clapping and cheers. She and Gwen waved and climbed into the shuttle, closing the doors as the crowd pressed into the walls. Randi started the engines and ran through the preflight checks, then with another wave, then flew out of the mountain compound and set off towards Sky's village.



Randi landed near the small cabin where she and Gwen had spent their honeymoon. She reached for Gwen's hand, smiling when Gwen tangled their fingers and then pulled them up to her lips to brush a kiss over Randi's knuckles. Randi turned towards her, blinded by the bright smile Gwen wore, her face a picture of supreme happiness. "What?"

"I have such wonderful memories of this place."

"Even though the last time you were here...."

Gwen covered Randi's lips with her free hand. "Especially because of the last time I was here. It helped bring you back to me."

"Well, how would you like to go inside and make some new memories?"

"Every minute we spend together we're making new memories, Stud. But you know and I know that Sky knows we are here and is waiting for us. But that doesn't mean we can't stay here a night or two before we go back to the capital city. I think Tiny will understand, given everything that has happened recently, if we take a day or two to recover. Besides, you are the ruler of the world... it's not like anything can happen without your permission."

"All right. We'll call Tiny and let him know and then we'll head into town. We'll need some supplies anyway, unless we want to eat out of jars or military meal packets." Randi made a sour face that caused Gwen to laugh. Wide blue eyes turned to her aghast. "Trust me... military rations are nothing to laugh at," shuddering. "They are downright scary."

"Well, then... heaven forbid we get stuck with emergency food while we're here. C'mon," standing and moving towards the exit. "We might have to clean the place up a bit. I think Reed, Lacey and I left in a bit of a hurry last time." Randi didn't comment - she knew what was and wasn't being said.

She pushed the control to open the doors... and froze. Gwen watched the Sabre mantle fall over Randi's shoulders and sat quietly, waiting for Randi to finish her assessment of whatever it was that had triggered her Sabre instincts. Then Gwen felt Randi relax beside her and let out the breath she had unconsciously been holding.

"We've got company. The People are here to greet us."

"Well let's not keep them waiting. Let's go say hello." They snatched up their bags and stepped into the doorway, only to pause at the sight in front of them.

Sky was standing before them in full ceremonial dress, arms raised to the sky and eyes closed. When Randi and Gwen froze in place, Sky began to chant and dance. When he was done, he started to pray. "Great Spirit, we give thanks to you for bringing our missing family home once more. May they find peace and rest in your arms while they abide here and may they accept your blessing as part of the People." Randi and Gwen exchanged glances and waited, assuming they would find out what was going on in Sky's own good time. Then he reached out his hands to them.

"Ravenhawk... Little Dove - we are here to welcome you home and to invite you to join the tribe. You successfully completed your rather unorthodox spirit walk," his wry look breaking the seriousness of the mood momentarily. They gave him sheepish smiles in return and he shrugged. "We're glad you both came through it and that we were allowed to be an important part of it." He looked at them still standing on the threshold of the shuttle. "Come; let us walk together," motioning them towards the cabin.

"I hope you don't mind, but you left here in such a hurry, we took a little time to clean up and stock the place before we locked up behind you."

"Thank you, Sky. Ya'll didn't have to do that, but we both appreciate it," Gwen said, patting his arm with her free hand. The other she kept wrapped in Randi's. Sky patted her hand.

"Little Dove... Gwen - whether or not you decide to officially join the tribe or not, we still look at both of you as part of us. And we take care of our own."

Randi and Gwen exchanged a long look, communicating silently while Sky watched curiously. He knew neither of them were seers, but he truly believed they could see what the other was thinking. Finally, they broke their gaze and turned back towards Sky. He arched an eyebrow in question.

"We'll do it. If you're sure the People really want us to be a part of them given the amount of trouble we tend to attract, then we'd be honored to become part of the family officially."

Sky chuckled. "That just means there will always be someone we can blame when things go wrong... we'll just make it your fault."

Randi looked down at Gwen and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Isn't everything already?"

"Pretty much, sweetheart. Pretty much." Sky laughed out loud.

"So what does joining the tribe entail?"

"Well, you've done the spirit walk and you've accepted our invitation to join, so all we need to have a naming ceremony and then a feast to celebrate."

"All right. When?"

"No time like the present," Sky said. He raised his arms again and waved to the woods that surrounded the house. Immediately, the People began to converge, including several vehicles that drove up the long lane that led to the house. Randi decided to worry about how they could see the signal later. First there was a ceremony and a celebration to enjoy.

Despite the warmth of the day, the People built a bonfire. In the light of day, it didn't make much of an impression, but by evenings' end, it would light up the entire party. They unloaded long tables from the transport vehicles and set them up around the perimeter of the fire, then brought all manner of food and spread it out along the length of the tables until they were groaning under the weight of the numerous dishes. Randi and Gwen blinked at the rapidity things were happening.

"Were you so sure we would agree?"

Sky smiled. "Yes. *This* I foresaw clearly."

"Well, thank you for asking us anyway," Randi said with a smile. "Now is there something we need to do to prepare?"

"You might want to take your bags into your cabin and put on something comfortable." Randi looked down at her black fatigue pants and T-shirt, then took in Gwen's denim clad hips and green silk shirt.

"I am comfortable. Is this all right?"

"Absolutely. And in the meantime, everyone else will don their robes. We will begin whenever you and Gwen return." Randi and Gwen exchanged glances, then shrugged and hefted their bags, accepting Sky's not-so-subtle hint to go away for a few minutes to allow him and the rest of the People to prepare for the coming ceremony.

Randi placed her hand on the security lock, sparing a moment to wonder if Reed and Lacey had left it open in their haste to leave or if there was another explanation for Sky's ability to bypass the security she had set up for this home. Then she was opening the door and the scent of cedar caused her mind to wander towards other, happier directions.

Gwen snuggled up right behind her, closing her eyes and inhaling the combined scent of Randi and cedar. The smell brought a smile to her face and this was what Randi saw when she turned to look down at the warm body cuddling into her side.

"Happy thoughts?"

"Yeah. I like the smell of you mixed with cedar; lot of wonderful sensations wrapped up in that particular scent. C'mon... let's go put our bags down and give them a minute or two to do whatever it is they need to do without us around. Besides, I could use something to drink."

The room was sparklingly clean, the floors and windows reflecting an amazing amount of sunlight. The bed was made with clean linen that added the smell of cotton in the sunshine to the scent of cedar. Randi took both bags and set them on the bed to empty their contents into the drawers while Gwen stepped behind the kitchen counter.

"Wow!"

"What?" Randi said, looking up from putting their things away. Gwen was so still, Randi crossed to her side immediately, only to chuckle when she discovered the reason for her shock. "Well, Sky said he saw. My question is how long did he see for. We won't be here long enough to make a dent in all of that fresh food."

"Maybe we're not supposed to," Gwen replied thoughtfully. "Maybe this is so we can make a contribution to those tables out there - you know, just like we would at any other family gathering." She started pulling things out of the refrigerator then chuckled. "It's already ready to take out; I just need to unwrap it." She snagged drinks for both of them and closed the door. "Remind me to thank Sky for this. How long should we stay in here?"

Randi popped the top on her drink and moved back to the bed to finish unloading their bags. Even if it was only for a night or two, she had come to crave the normalcy of not living out of a suitcase. She had had more than her share of that during her tenure as a Sabre and savored every opportunity she had to unpack.

"I dunno," stowing their bags out of sight. "I figure we can finish our drinks and freshen up a bit, 'cause I think it may be a long time before we get back in here today." They shared wry grins.

"You think they will give the Amazons a run for their money?"

"I think they might try."

They were quiet again after that, content just to cuddle together on the big bed and sip their drinks. After a time, Randi shifted to drop a kiss on Gwen's temple before climbing off the bed. Then she extended a hand and Gwen took it, grinning when Randi levered her up and off the bed with ease.

"C'mon. Let's go see what they've got planned for us." A quick trip to the bathroom, and they were ready to be inducted into the People's tribe.

They stepped into the sunshine and were greeted by silence. The entire tribe sat robed on the far side of the bonfire waiting for them to approach. When they reached the bonfire, they were stopped by two women who draped robes around their shoulders, then helped them don them completely. Once they were suitably attired, two men approached them with paint pots in hand. By Sky's command, they waited until Randi nodded her permission, then they moved closer and painted tribal markings on both women. Once that was done, Sky bid them welcome.

"Walk forward, my daughters, and join the People of the Ancestors." They did as he asked and knelt on the provided pillows when he directed them to do so, glad to be some distance from the burning conflagration. The day was hot and their clothing and the fire only made it doubly so. They both hoped the proceedings would be quick, or this could get uncomfortable.

Sky motioned to four children who carried large sun shades and planted them behind Randi and Gwen. Then they each leaned forward to brush a kiss on Randi's and Gwen's cheeks before sitting crossed-legged on either side of them. Then Sky took his place behind them and spread his arms wide.

"Brothers and Sisters of the People of the Great Spirit - join me in welcoming the newest members of our tribe... Ravenhawk and Little Dove. They come to us of their own free will and have completed their spirit walk with great success." This got smiles from everyone; they had all been part of the support for that particular journey. "Now please... bring your gifts of welcome and offer your blessings to them... quickly," he added with a sparkle in his eye and a smile on his lips. "The sooner we finish with the ceremony part of this, the sooner we can get to the celebrating."

"And the sooner we can get into cooler clothing," said in an aside to Randi and Gwen. Their expressions didn't change, but he felt their relief anyway. The people however, cheered at his audible words. Any reason for celebrating was a good one, but this one was especially gratifying. They all felt they had helped to earn this victory.

So they formed a single line and brought their small gifts that they handed to the children on either side of Gwen and Randi. Then the People placed their hands on Randi's and Gwen's heads and prayed briefly, offering each of them a blessing before moving on. Randi and Gwen thanked each person before allowing them to continue - a little atypical of a normal ceremony, but the People let it pass. The gesture made them all smile.

When everyone had offered their blessing, they were in a large circle around the still blazing bonfire. The children, all of them, gathered up the gifts and moved them to the one empty table and sat down to await the ending of the ceremony.

Sky walked around to stand in front of Randi and Gwen, extending his hands to help them rise. They did so with nary a groan, though both were silently thankful for the plush pillows they had been kneeling on. Sky leaned forward conspiratorially. "We learned the hard way not to kneel on the hard ground. Young knees don't like it any better than old ones do; the old ones just complain faster."

He led them into the circle, then returned to where he had been standing during the blessing ceremony. He retrieved the pipe and prepared it quickly, lighting it from a small stick at the edge of the bonfire. Then he headed back towards Randi and Gwen.

"Randi? Um, we don't smoke."

"Puff out."

"Puff out?" Gwen muttered. Then Sky passed the pipe to her and there was no more time for questions or explanations. Even puffing out, Gwen still choked a little. So she passed it on to Randi and around the circle it went.

When it came back to Gwen and Randi, Sky nodded at them. "Once more, please, so that the circle will be complete." They did as he asked, then passed the pipe back to him, watching him draw deeply before knocking the remaining ash into the fire.

"My friends, let us welcome our two newest members - Ravenhawk and Little Dove." The crowd responded with whoops and cheers. "And now," Sky continued when the noise had settled down, "It's time to eat, drink and dance." The crowd cheered again, and Sky motioned Randi and Gwen to lead the way to the tables. It was time for the People to share fellowship and fun with two that had come to mean so much to so many.



Chapter XXIV

The sun had been down for several hours and the bonfire burned down to embers when Gwen stood up to speak. Randi stood behind her, arms wrapped around her middle possessively and her chin resting on Gwen's shoulder. Her eyes were half-closed in contentment and the People smiled at the picture of completeness and happiness they presented.

Gwen took one of Randi's hands and tangled their fingers together. Then she smiled at everyone still gathered around the fire. "We just wanted to take a minute to say thank you to all of you. You've made us feel so welcome... such a part of the family here. And for what you did during our spirit walk...." She trailed off, not sure what else to say about that. After a moment's silence, Gwen swallowed and continued. "However, today was amazing." She chuckled self-consciously. "Dancing was a lot of fun, but I think I'll leave the singing to Randi." The rest joined in her light laughter.

"What I'm trying to say is - we appreciate ya'll very much." Cheers rang out into the night, and then as if by some unseen signal, the entire tribe rose and quickly began packing things up. Very shortly, the only sign that there had ever been anyone there was the trampled grasses and the ring of stones that contained the pile of sand covering the cooling embers.

"What just happened here?" Randi was still wrapped around Gwen as they looked around their now deserted homestead. "Saying thank you made them leave?"

"I think that was their indicator that we had accepted our new place in the tribe. I guess that is what they were waiting for."

Randi straightened and looked around the deserted darkness again slowly. "Well, all righty then," she drawled. "Guess we'll tell them about the Amazons' invitation tomorrow." Then she dropped an arm around Gwen's shoulders and headed them towards the cabin. "What do you say to a shower to wash off the paint and sweat?"

"I say lead the way, Stud. I'm looking forward to sharing that bed with you again."

Their shower was quick; it had been a long day and they were both worn out. They climbed into bed and snuggled up in the middle, releasing dual sighs simultaneously. Then they caught one another's eyes and burst into giggles.

"Okay, that was just too sappy for words."

"And I think we are both exhausted." Randi smiled when Gwen tucked her head under her chin and nodded.

"I know I am," Gwen murmured. "Today was great, but I feel like I have been going forever."

Randi smiled and kissed the blonde head and gave Gwen an extra squeeze. "In a lot of ways, we have. Or at least for so long it seems like forever. But at least we are finally close to the end of this chapter and when this is done, there won't be any more responsibilities or obligations for at least a little while."

"Yes, there will be, but this time, they belong to all of us... and not just you."

"At least all of humanity finally wants to accept some responsibility." The only sound that greeting this statement was Gwen's soft snores as she drifted off to sleep. Randi pressed another kiss to the top of Gwen's head, then closed her eyes and fell asleep to the deep, even breaths of air that blew across her chest.



Morning came softly, the gray sky shrouding the sunlight behind heavy, dark clouds. Randi opened her eyes and blinked, frowning in confusion for a moment before Gwen tightened her hold and murmured before resettling herself into deeper sleep. Randi exhaled slowly and relaxed as thunder rumbled at the edge of her hearing. Then she felt Gwen tense in her sleep and immediately recognized the reaction. Randi allowed her hand to stroke lazily up Gwen's arm and back, waiting for her to loosen her grip a little.

It was so gradual that it had only just become evident when the next clap sounded just a little closer and Gwen tensed in her sleep again. Randi closed her eyes as a wave of sadness washed over her. Gwen had never recovered her love for storms and still reacted badly to them, even in her sleep. Randi shifted their bodies until she surrounded Gwen as much as physically possible. Then she resumed her stroking of Gwen's smooth skin, humming lightly in her ear.

The thunder grew louder and closer, but Gwen started to relax in spite of the impending storm. She couldn't hear the rolling sound above the beauty of Randi's music, and she couldn't feel the rumbling with Randi's caresses trailing goosebumps up her skin.

Gradually, Gwen opened her eyes, blinking sleepily at the bright blue that hovered above hers. She smiled and lifted a hand to Randi's face. "What a beautiful way to wake up. You were singing to me, weren't you?"

"Um hmm." She closed her eyes as Gwen's fingers began their tender tracing of her facial features. "I wanted you to relax and feel safe." A frown creased Gwen's forehead, but the subsequent rumble of thunder clicked her mouth shut before she could begin to form the question. Her fingers hesitated, but to her credit, they didn't clench, and after only the briefest moment's pause did they resume their journey over Randi's soft skin.

"I do feel safe here, Randi. This is the safest place in the world... it always has been for me."

Randi smiled and kissed the fingers that had just tickled her lips. "For me too," she confessed. "Nothing has ever been able to touch me as long as I was in your arms."

"Well, in that case, maybe we should just never leave," wrapping her arms around Randi's neck. Gwen didn't even flinch when the thunder clapped over the house again, and the storm was nothing more than a memory by the time either of them realized it. Gwen chuckled when it finally occurred to her, and Randi raised her head up from Gwen's belly and cocked a lazy eyebrow in question.

"I was just thinking about your method for making me appreciate the beauty of storms again. I could become addicted to them again quickly at this rate."

"Good," Randi said with surprising firmness. "I miss dancing in the rain with you, and I have a secret fantasy that involves you, me, our dell and a warm summer rain." Gwen could stop the flaring of her nostrils and Randi rose up and stole a kiss before slipping from the bed. "Now, c'mon. We need to get to town and finish up our business here so we can go to the capital tomorrow and finish up there. I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise? What sort of surprise?"

"Well, if I tell ya, it wouldn't really be much of a surprise, would it?"

"Raaaaaannnnnndddiiiiiiiiiii!"

Randi just laughed. "You'll like it; I promise. It's something you asked me about not too long ago."

Gwen cast her gaze inward, mentally reviewing the conversations she and Randi had shared recently. Most of them had to do with them going home, but she didn't think that was it exactly. When they went home, it was going to be to stay. But there was something... niggling at the back of her mind. She could almost taste it. "Give me a hint?" taking the juice Randi handed her with a smile. "Thanks."

"I am fulfilling a wish."

"Well, duh!" came the saucy reply complete with smirk. "But I want a hint!" She jumped and squealed when Randi popped her on the ass with the towel in her hands. "Why you...."

Randi waved her forward. "Come and get me, Little One. I've given you all the hints you're getting." She slowly backed towards the front door, heedless of her nakedness. "You're gonna have to figure the rest out for yourself."

Gwen jumped, but Randi was already gone from the cabin, running towards the stream. Gwen leaned against the doorjamb and just watched her run. Randi's joy was apparent and Gwen smiled at the joy it brought her. About halfway across the meadow she stopped without warning and turned, rushing back towards Gwen. It didn't alarm her, though her eyes did grow considerably rounder when it didn't look as though Randi was going to slow down before she plowed over Gwen. Instead, she reached out when Randi extended her hand and let Randi pulled them both towards the river.

Gwen tried to slow them down a little as they neared the edge of the water, but Randi pulled Gwen into her arms... and leaped.

"YAHHHHHHH!"
"WHOO HOO!"

Splash!

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Twin gasps followed the emergence of Randi's and Gwen's heads above the water. Gwen smacked Randi on the arm and glared at her, then started rubbing the same spot when Randi pouted at her.

"Whaddya do that for?" Gwen's eyebrows went into her hairline.

"Excuse me?! I'm not the one who jumped into the middle of this freezing cold river." She frowned and narrowed her eyes at Randi. "This wasn't the wish fulfillment, was it?"

"No, though I did promise you we would come back in the summer and swim. I don't remember it being quite so cold though," muttering the last part under her breath. Gwen heard her, however, and moved around to kiss the strong back.

"You probably did this after working hard all day on the cabin, didn't you?" The dark head nodded. "You think you might have been just a little sweatier than you were having just woken up?"

"Yeah," Randi conceded grudgingly.

"So can we go back to the cabin now and take a hot shower before I turn into an icicle?" Randi turned and realized immediately that Gwen wasn't joking. She could see the faintest tinge of blue around her lips. Randi reached out her hand and took Gwen's. Then she led them back up the incline, picking up the towel she had dropped and wrapping it around Gwen's shoulders.

"Better?"

Gwen smiled. "Oh, yeah. Being out of the water and in the sun helps a lot. What about you?"

"I think the running helped. I'm not actually cold; just wet. C'mon... run with me. Time's a-wasting and Sky told me yesterday that the inn is serving roast beef for lunch."

"Far be it from me to stand between you and a good pot roast," Gwen laughed. Randi shortened her strides, and together, laughing, they ran back to their cabin.



They were greeted by everyone as they slowly entered the town in the transport. Most waved an acknowledgment, but a few called out hellos. Randi and Gwen did their best to return them all before finally pulling up outside the small inn. "I thought we'd eat and then maybe go see Lance for a bit... maybe take him out for a short ride? That should give Sky time to get everyone together."

"Sounds good to me." Gwen held the door and followed Randi inside. They waved to those already seated and Sky came over to greet them.

"We weren't sure we would see you again after last night. I thought you needed to get to the capital."

Randi smiled. "Another day won't matter, Sky. Especially since we haven't actually done what we came here to do... although last night was a lot of fun. Thank you for making us part of the tribe." She and Gwen took the seats Sky indicated and he pulled out a chair across from them at Randi's gesture.

"We were pleased you agreed to join us. And if either of you ever get to the point where you are comfortable sharing what happened during your spirit walk, we would be honored to transcribe your journey into our archives." He held up his hands to stop their protests before they started. "Sometimes, the experience is too personal to share and the intensity never lessens, but sometimes time and distance make it a little less difficult to reveal those events to others." Sky shrugged. "It is your choice, though; completely up to the two of you."

"Well, we'll think about it, Sky, but no promises. What happened to us was very personal and extremely private. However," she hesitated when a plate of food was placed in front of both her and Gwen. "Thank you," she acknowledged the girl with a smile. "However," she tried again, "we were hoping you would call everyone together. I'm sure Reed has already contacted you," Randi paused, waiting for his response and Sky nodded his agreement. "But we would like to extend the invitation personally."

He motioned for them to eat and they did so with gusto, bringing a smile to his face. Then they moaned in tandem, and Sky laughed. "One would think you hadn't eaten in days, but it is nice to know the culinary talents are appreciated." He smirked; Gwen stuck out her tongue, but Randi continued to enjoy her food. "Give me a little while to call everyone in, although I would imagine most are expecting a call. I will tell you that there is great hope here that once everything settles down for the two of you, you will be here a little more regularly."

"We'd like that, Sky," Gwen replied softly. "We'd like that a lot."

He beamed. "We will look forward to it then. It will probably take an hour or so to get everyone here. Most folks are working."

Randi nodded. "I figured as much. We thought we'd go see Lance... take him for a ride."

"Good luck," Sky muttered. He grimaced at Randi's questioning look. "He's been a little wild. Since there's been no one to ride him, he's gone to pasture. Great for the fillies; there are several of them expecting foals now. But not so great for anyone trying to catch him."

"Don't you worry about that, Sky. He'll come when Randi calls."

Sky looked doubtful, but he nodded gamely. "All right then. Give me about an hour. Do either of you need anything else?" gesturing to their empty plates. Randi shook her head.

"No, thanks, Sky. Sounds like I need to get to the corral. This could take a little time." Randi stood and offered her hand to Gwen who accepted it with alacrity. "Thanks for lunch, Sky. We'll be back shortly." Then they separated and Randi and Gwen headed out towards the barn.

Randi's steps slowed perceptibly, remembering the last time she had made this specific little jaunt - her fury at Sky's insinuations and the destruction of the rogue band of rebels that had killed Nanny that followed. Gwen tightened her grip on Randi hand and looked at her in concern.

"Sweetheart? You all right?"

Randi blinked away the sudden tears that had formed in her eyes and looked down at Gwen with a sad smile. "Yeah," she smiled sadly. "I was just remembering." She didn't need to clarify; Gwen understood exactly what she was remembering. "But at least I *can* remember now."

"You did what had to be done, love. They would have destroyed this place and everyone here if you hadn't... including me."

"I know. It's just strange." She shook her head. "C'mon. We've got a horse to ride."

"We've gotta catch him first."

"Nah... I trained him. He may be pissy about it, but Lance will come when I call him." Gwen laughed. They walked behind the barn and to the corral, watching as the stallion ran free in the far field. Randi whistled and he skidded to a stop, head up and searching for the owner of that distinctive sound. She whistled again and he answered with a whinny, rearing up and then racing for the side of the corral it was coming from.

Lancelot jerked to a stop a few feet from the fence and just looked at Randi, sides heaving and nostrils flaring. Then without warning, he ran straight toward the fence, butting Randi in the chest hard enough to knock her flat on her butt in the mud. Gwen gasped, Randi glared and Lance whinnied again, the sound suspiciously like laughter. Gwen reached down and offered Randi a hand up. Randi took it and Gwen pulled her to her feet with ease.

"What the hell was that all about?" Randi asked the horse. He had backed away from the fence again, and she had the distinct feeling he was playing a game. Too bad she really wasn't in the mood for wet pants, slick with mud. He ran towards her again, only this time Randi was ready and she jumped on his back. The mud on the back of her trousers squished, but after a single wince she ignored it, focusing instead on the twisting body beneath her.

Lance jumped and danced and Randi rode the wave with him. Gwen watched in awe of the ballet they were creating together. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Lance slowed and surrendered, settling down to a walk. Randi pranced him around for a moment more before approaching Gwen. She extended her arm, surprised when Gwen shook her head no.

"We already know he is not particularly fond of sharing you, especially with me. Given that he was mad enough to knock you on your butt into the mud, I don't think we should chance him throwing us off from his back." A beat. "You I trust; him... not so much."

Lance glided up right into Gwen's personal space and gently rubbed his face into her chest. Caught a little by surprise, Gwen allowed the touch, chuckling nervously and scratching him between the ears. She looked up bashfully through light lashes, noticing instantly the broad, rakish grin Randi sported.

"What?"

"I don't think he is angry at you at all. You tamed him the last time we were here, remember - 'cause I am betting he certainly does." Lancelot whuffled his agreement, warm air moving strands of hair away from Gwen's face. Gwen looked the horse in the eye.

"Do you remember me, boy?" He nodded. "You promise to behave?" He nodded again. Sighing, she nodded back and stepped away from his head... or would have had Lancelot not followed her movement. This time, Gwen's laughter was full-bodied and genuine. "I can't keep scratching if we're gonna run, boy." Ha nodded his understanding again and backed up a pace so Gwen could have room to mount. After a bit of finagling and finally climbing on the fence to attain the height she needed, Gwen found herself comfortably ensconced in front of Randi on Lance's back. Even the mud was dry so they no longer squished. Then it really didn't matter anymore - Randi gave Lancelot the signal to run... and he did so with great abandon.

Gwen squealed and Randi laughed. Lancelot just kept running.

Sometime later, when they were all good and winded, Randi pulled them to a stop near the barn. She slid off and reached up her arms to help Gwen down. Then together they walked him into a stall in the barn and combed and brushed him clean. After a few words, and a promise to return sooner rather than later, the two headed back to the now crowded inn.

Sky chuckled when he got a good look at Randi. The mud had dried, leaving interesting patterns on her shirt and pants. Randi just glared at him and Gwen remained conspicuously silent. He didn't comment, choosing instead to motion them indoors. Silence fell as soon as they crossed the threshold.

"I'm sorry for having to drag ya'll away from what you were doing today," Randi started. "We actually meant to bring this up yesterday and then got a little busy." Grins around the room met her words. They had done good and they knew it. "But," Randi continued, regaining their attention, "we wanted to make sure you all knew you were all invited to the Amazon party coming up in two weeks. It promises to be a real blow out and after last night, I'm pretty sure ya'll would enjoy it."

Glances were exchanged around the room and a consensus was reached in silence. Then Sky crossed to them and nodded. "We will be there. I will work out the details with Reed."

"Excellent," Randi agreed. "Now if you will excuse me," shifting her body slightly. "I'm gonna go home and get out of these muddy clothes."

"Will we be seeing you around here after that?"

"Yes," Gwen said with a smile. "There are still a lot of things I have to see up here." This time the People cheered and Randi and Gwen left with the sound echoing around them.



The sun was just peeking over the mountains when Randi and Gwen headed out for the capital. It wasn't that they were in a rush to leave as much as it was they were simply eager to be done. So shortly after dawn their transport settled on the landing platform on the roof of the capital house with barely a whisper. The Sabres, having been expecting both Empress and Queen, rushed out to form an honor guard. Randi and Gwen exchanged amused, annoyed grins, then left the relative peace of the shuttle for the chaos that awaited them.

Tiny was smart, though. He knew better than to bring more attention to their arrival than necessary, so the only people present were the Sabres that made up the honor guard and those that had immediate or pressing business with Randi. Fortunately, there weren't many of those and all of them tended toward finishing up Randi's last, best project.

He extended his hand up to Gwen and she took it as she stepped out of the transport. Then Randi handed out their luggage before jumping to the ground beside Gwen. Gwen smiled at her affectionately. "Had all the decorum you can stand for awhile?"

"Pretty much, yeah," wrapping an arm around Gwen's shoulders and guiding her towards the staircase. She turned and looked at Tiny. "You want some help?"

"Nope. You wanna go to your quarters first or straight to the office?"

"Office. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can all move forward. I imagine everyone is ready for that."

Tiny smirked. "I know everyone is looking forward to that party Reed invited us to."

Randi and Gwen looked at each other and snickered. "I'll bet," they said simultaneously. Then they headed to Randi's office, entourage and all.



Hours later, exhausted yet exhilarated, Randi gave her final approval over the plans she and Gwen had developed and the Sabres surrounding her had finalized. There were rights and responsibilities and choices that humanity would need to make, but at least the groundwork was laid for them to do all those things. Randi blew out a deep breath.

"So we're all set?"

Tiny nodded. "Worldwide coverage is at your command and discretion. We can go public any time you're ready."

"First thing I want to do is grab something to eat, a shower and some rack time. Tomorrow, I would like to go through the school here and see for myself how things are progressing. Then we'll make a decision, but it will be within the next few days. There is no need to drag this out and Gwen and I would like to go home for a day or two before we head back to the Amazons if we can manage it."

The remaining Sabres left at a nod from Tiny and Randi looked at him with a raised eyebrow, waiting for him to explain what had just happened.

"Will you *be* at the Amazons if you *do* go home first?" Randi looked at Tiny askance and he hastened to explain. "Randi, we all know you both would rather be there alone together than anywhere else. It has been a while since you were there together at all."

"And we gave our word to the Amazons, Tiny," Gwen replied softly. "That still means something to us."

"Oh... God, Gwen. Of course it does. Sorry. That's not what I meant. I just... I mean we... you...." He stopped stuttering when she placed a warm hand on his back and when he looked into her green eyes, he saw understanding.

"It's all right, Tiny. We wouldn't be leaving home to go anywhere for a while if we hadn't promised. But we need a couple days at home. Everywhere we have been lately has been chaotic; someone always needing something from us. We just need some peace... where it's just the two of us. We can get that at home. Tommy will grumble, but he will also respect it."

"Sorry," he repeated. "I didn't mean any disrespect. It's just... it's kind of an odd feeling - like an era is coming to a close."

"It is, Tiny. In a lot of ways, it already has." Randi motioned to the screens that held all their work and her notes. "This is the new beginning."

"I know," he agreed. "It's just... we're trying to figure out where we fit in... you know, now that there really isn't a need for us."

"Oh, Tiny... that's not true. There will always be a need for peacekeepers. We're just shifting the Sabre purpose back to what it was originally intended to be. All this means is that you and Reed can have a semi-normal life."

"Why only semi-normal?"

Randi smirked, knowing he would walk right into that. "Have you thought about who I'm talking about here, Tiny? I mean really? You're never going to be *completely* normal; you haven't been able to manage that in thirty-eight years, old man. It's not in your blood."

He tried to get angry, but he couldn't stop the wry smile that crossed his face even while he bit his lips to keep it from happening. "I hate you, ya know."

Randi snorted. "You just hate that I know the truth."

"Well, there's that too."

Randi rose from her seat and extended her hand to Gwen. "C'mon, sweetheart. Let's go see what is cooking in the kitchen and... what?" noticing the look of chagrin on Tiny's face.

"There is nothing cooking in the kitchen. Rosie dismissed the cooks when she was here and we've been so busy, we didn't bother to replace them when ya'll left. It's not like we're not all used to eating rough, and there has been plenty of food for us to choose from. We've just been cooking for ourselves whenever we get around to eating."

Randi glared, then sighed. "All right. We're gonna go get a shower. Get all the Sabres who are not on duty or asleep right now into the kitchen in an hour. We'll do a potluck."

Tiny's eyes widened. That many people in the kitchen together? He was going to have to scramble to get anything done in an hour. He tapped his wrist as he followed Randi and Gwen out of the office, sending out an immediate all call to every Sabre in the palace to meet him in the kitchen in five minutes. There was a lot of work to do.



"All right; I think this has gone far enough." Ares looked around the small cave, then back to the Pantheon that waited behind him. They had healed him as soon as they had arrived in this place. The rest of the gods had already returned to their homes; only the Greek gods remained for the final part of Ares' punishment. Ares crossed muscled arms over his chest and smirked.

"Ha. Ha. Joke's over. Now c'mon, Zeus - give me back my power and let me get back to doing my job."

"This is no joke, Ares. This is your life now... as it will be for the rest of your mortal existence. You have everything you need here to survive. What you make of that survival is up to you."

Ares extended his arms and spun in a slow circle. "You REALLY expect me to live in a *cave*... as a mortal... for any length of time??

Zeus shrugged. "I really don't care if you stay here or not, Ares. Your actions have been unconscionable - especially towards the warrior and bard. This place offers shelter with a hot springs because of the latent volcanic activity, plenty of material for you to create a comfortable environment and is close enough to civilization that you can find companionship if you choose to do so. We have provided you with tools and supplies to get you started. What you do after that is strictly up to you. It is more of mercy than you ever offered."

"You have GOT to be kidding me. My job description never covered *mercy*."

"It never covered obsessive compulsive either, but you seemed to have mastered that pretty well," Artemis muttered. "Do you know what kind of damage you did to my Nation? And unless they ask, I can't even remove the memories of your atrocities against them." To everyone's surprise, Artemis swung at Ares, catching him unawares and landing a solid blow to his jaw. He lifted a hand to retaliate, only to remember he had no power... and to find every sibling he had had already conjured their own power against him if he tried anything else.

"So that's it then? I'm supposed to just accept this and live like some poor mortal until I die?"

"Or they do, Ares. They *will* have peace; they have earned it. Just be glad they decided your fate, brother," Aphrodite said pointedly. "If it had been left up to me, you would never have the chance to be the God of War again."

"I'm going to remember this."

"I hope you do, Ares. I hope you learn something from it."

He would have laughed - he wanted to... just to show them how unaffected he was by their judgment. Only in the blink of an eye, there was no one left to hear him... and no one to care what he thought. With a snort of disgust, Ares stomped into the cave that would be his home until his mortality ran out... or theirs did.

He had no concept how long that would actually be.



Chapter XXV

It had taken the better part of the day just to talk to some of those who had once been part of the rebellion. Everyone had a story to tell and thanks to convey. For many of them, this had been the first opportunity to make their own choices. And for all of them, it was the first time they could clearly see how little their differences were from one another. That had been the single most instrumental factor in the rehabilitation process.

That hadn't been a surprise to Randi - it had been her main goal when she'd put them together to learn how to read and write. She just how no idea how receptive they would be to it, nor how quickly they would accept their humanity as a whole. It was gratifying to know that in this - despite the pain it had caused and the roundabout way it had been achieved - this had been right... it had been the right thing to do... for everyone.

So she and Gwen went around the area slowly, being stopped every few feet to listen to someone who had a story to tell or an experience to share. When lunch came, they ate with the students, only this time it was Gwen who shared a brief tale. It brought laughter and tears around the mess room and applause when she was finished.

For four days, they went around together, spending time talking and listening and learning. When they were done, Randi let Tiny know it was time. She was ready to offer her final address as Empress to the world.

Their room was oddly silent - not uncomfortable... just strange in a way it had never been. Randi stood still looking at the closet. There wasn't much to choose from, all things considered, but she wanted to project the right air for this last public appearance. Gwen wrapped her arms around Randi's waist and kissed between her shoulder blades before ducking in front of her. She looked at the rather meager selection of clothing Randi was staring at so hard and frowned; then she turned back to Randi smoothed out the furrows between Randi's brows.

"So what about your wardrobe is giving you wrinkles, love? I've never seen you concentrate so hard over what to wear."

"I was just thinking," Randi replied distractedly.

Gwen giggled softly and tucked her head under Randi's chin, squeezing her gently around the middle. "Yeah, I got that part," closing her eyes in contentment when Randi returned the embrace fervently. They stood that way for a long moment before Gwen sighed and spoke again. "But that doesn't really answer my question." Randi looked down at Gwen in confusion. "Why are you concentrating so hard on your wardrobe, Stud?"

"Oh... I am trying to decide what message I want to send... how I want people to remember me."

"Oh," Gwen said easily. "I think I could help." She looked at Randi expectantly and got the anticipated nod of agreement. "Do you want to be the Empress? You have a couple of fabulous gowns here that I would love to see you in," Gwen said with a mischievous smile.

"No," came the instant reply. "I never should have been an 'empress' in the first place. It's not who I am or who I ever wanted to be. We can find an occasion or two to celebrate if you'd like to see those gowns in action." Randi waggled her eyebrows and Gwen flashed her a winning grin.

"All right, so we have eliminated the 'empress' look. What about the Commandant?" motioning to Randi's full dress uniform. "You know how much I adore you in uniform, Randi. You bring something to it beyond just...."

Again Randi was shaking her head. "As a regular Sabre, maybe - that is a large part of who I am... who I have been my entire adult life. But I never considered becoming Commandant until I was maneuvered into it. I refused to let the powers that be groom me for that position. Dressing that way now seems like a lie."

"And you don't have your regular Sabre dress uniform here, do you?" Gwen asked gently.

"No. It wasn't a part I was required to play here. I was always the Commandant... or the Empress. Never the gunny sergeant or the security consultant or the drummer in the band. I never got to just be me."

Gwen nodded. That was a very true statement and what had caused all their misery here in the first place. She put her hands on Randi's belly and turned her towards the bathroom, giving her a gentle nudge of encouragement.

"Go get your shower, love. I'll lay out your clothes and then come join you."

There was confusion in the blue eyes as they gazed into green, but there was a lot of trust as well. Randi brushed a quick kiss over Gwen lips and started walking in the direction of the bathroom. "I'll start the water heating," she said with a quirky smile.

"Good. I'll be quick." Then she turned back to the closet and made her selections. Then she scooted into the bathroom as quickly as propriety allowed - which is to say, she stopped just short of running.

The jeans were her most comfortable pair - well-worn and a little ratty looking. The white oxford was soft to the touch, though it had been pressed and creased with typical military precision. Randi looked at them longingly while scrubbing a towel through her hair before turning her attention to Gwen. Her eyebrows flew into her hairline when she realized Gwen was decked out similarly except for wearing a black shirt.

"You're sure something this casual will send the message it needs to?"

"Miranda Valiant is delivering the address today, love, and the choice of clothing clearly shows that. This is not about being the Empress of the world or the Commandant of the military or Amazon Queen or bard extraordinaire. This is just Randi and just Gwen. This is who we are when we aren't playing make believe - except we do have to wear shoes."

"Damn," Randi snorted with laughter. "I could really make a statement if I could go out there barefooted."

Gwen covered her mouth but she couldn't stop her shoulders from shaking in laughter. After a moment she paused to catch her breath. "We're already gonna give Tiny a coronary from the lack of pomp and circumstance involved here."

"Nah," Randi disagreed with a grin as she buttoned up her shirt. "Tiny would get it. He, more than anyone except for you and Tommy, knows how much I totally despise the formality of all this," motioning around her. "At least once this is done, we can go home for a few days before we head out to the Amazons again."

"Will I get my surprise then? You know... the one you have been giving me hints about?"

"Yep - it's all set up. You'll get it tomorrow."

"Whoo hoo!" Gwen clapped her hand. "That means we'll be sleeping in our bed in our home tonight."

"Yep," Randi's grin was blinding. "As soon as we are done here, we are heading home. I already have a shuttle standing by. Tiny has been briefed and the rest of the Sabres have their orders. The rest will fall into place. Now c'mon," standing up and stomping her jeans into place over her boots. "Let's go say goodbye to everyone. I'm ready to see the moonlight on the ocean from our bedroom window."

Gwen took the proffered hand and side by side they walk out of the room to finish the last business they had to take care of.



Jaws dropped when they entered the huge ballroom. All around them... everyone... was dressed to the nines in whatever finery they possessed. To see Randi and Gwen casually stroll comfortably dressed - it was hard to tell the disbelief from the envy. Tiny smirked; he was surprised and yet, not really. He just wished Randi had passed the word. He wouldn't have minded jeans and a t-shirt himself.

Randi stepped casually to the podium and raised her hands for silence, asking for people to resume their seats. "Please," she added with a soft smile. "I have plans to be walking on the beach tonight, and I have to actually get there first." A light chuckle from the crowd followed, but they complied and took their seats. Randi cleared her throat.

"First, my apologies to those who would rather be watching any other form of entertainment. I know I kinda took everything over for this, but I felt it was important for everyone to listen, just this once. I promise to be as brief as possible and not never do this again except under extreme duress."

"I have come before you tonight to officially resign my positions as both Empress and Sabre Commandant. I vowed when I accepted the titles that it would only be for as long as was necessary - that I would return to the private sector as soon as peace had been achieved. With my defeat of Ares, that time has come. What happens now should be in the hands of everyone."

"It is time for all of humanity to step forward as one body and take responsibility for the future. With your permission, as my last act in office, we will put into motion plans to help this world to become a single planet - to get to know one another as people and neighbors instead of enemies and animals. With Ares gone, we have a real chance for true peace to take root and no one to blame it on but ourselves if it doesn't."

"Empress?"

Randi looked up, startled. She hadn't expected the interruption. Everyone had remained silent at her request, not even applauding because she had asked them to hold it until the end if they thought the speech merited it. She blinked, then nodded her head at the youth to continue.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, ma'am, but will there still be a military?"

"Yes, there will, and most of the laws and their subsequent penalties will remain in place as well. A few of the laws have been revised, but most of the policies and structure will stay the same; the military, on the other hand, will be changing in almost every aspect - from length of commitment and individual tour duration to duty choices, training methods and focus of responsibility. The idea is that with time, the military will be not only the peacekeepers here on this planet, but that mankind will finally be ready to explore the stars beyond our solar system."

"All the information and details about what we have worked out will be available for download as soon as this briefing is over. There's a place you can send any questions or concerns you might have. It is a public forum, and each and every one of them will be addressed. But I think you'll find that we got all the kinks out, giving everyone the opportunity to make their own choices and shape their own destinies, including offering the chance to once again have more than a single child."

This time applause broke out spontaneously and Randi let it roll for a moment longer before requesting silence once more. "As a race, we barely survived the third world war, and the peace that brought the rebellion could have easily decimated mankind. We won't survive anymore fighting among ourselves. What happens to humanity now lies squarely on the shoulders of each and every person in the world - the future is what we make of it... together."

"Thank you for your time and attention. Good night."

Before the first of them could rise, Randi clasped Gwen's hand in her own once more and they quickly disappeared out the double doors behind them. Tiny sighed and rolled his eyes, then stepped to the podium to dismiss the crowd. He more than the rest knew Randi and Gwen would be gone before he could change out of his uniform. He might as well give them a good head start.

Gwen had to run a little to keep up with Randi's rapid pace, but it didn't stop the giggle that bubbled up from her belly. The snort caused Randi to slow down considerably and turn her head to look at Gwen.

"What?"

"I was just wondering where the fire was."

Randi almost blushed but bit her bottom lip instead. "Sorry. I know we probably breached every rule of etiquette and tradition leaving like that, but I have really had all of that I can stand for one lifetime. And despite everything he knows about me... us... to the contrary, Tiny is compelled to follow protocol when he can. So there was undoubtedly some sort of reception planned for afterwards."

She covered Gwen's lips before she could draw breath to speak. "No, I don't think we should have stayed. This reinforces the truth that I am no longer Empress... no longer solely responsible. It also shows that there is still respect for tradition and protocol."

Right then Gwen's stomach growled loudly. "Maybe we should have stayed long enough to eat," Randi mumbled. "Ow!" glaring into green eyes that glared right back at her. Then her eyes twinkled and she kissed Gwen's nose before opening the door to the roof and guiding Gwen onto the shuttle. "Good thing I had Yuri put a basket on board and asked Ella to stock the kitchen, huh?"

"I love you," Gwen confessed.

"Yes," Randi agreed immodestly as she powered up the craft and headed it towards home. "But do you love me for my brilliant mind or my sexy body?" she teased, wiggling her eyebrows to great effect.

"Actually," Gwen recovered quickly, relishing the return of the playful side of her companion, "it was the beautiful soul I can see in your eyes, but the other two definitely don't hurt your cause any. Now... home, driver and be quick. I have needs that require attending."

Randi's nostrils flared, but she didn't say a word. She merely coaxed a little more speed from the shuttle and let her imagination run wild.

Gwen just grinned.



The house was lit when they arrived and a note propped on the mantle. But neither of them noticed that at first. Instead they stood stock still in the foyer, absorbing the sights and scents they had missed. Nothing had changed and yet everything was different. No, that wasn't completely true - everything here still looked and smelled like home. But they were vastly different people from the young couple who had lived in this place. Gwen leaned back into the circle of Randi's arms.

"Finally," she murmured, delighting in the brush of Randi's cheek against her own as the warrior leaned forward to nuzzle her neck. Her thoughts had gone beyond lascivious and now she simply wanted to enjoy the reality involved.

"Finally, what?" asked between kisses along Gwen's collarbones. Randi was a little surprised when Gwen pulled away from her touch, only to find herself with an armful of bard when Gwen jumped into her arms and locked her knees around Randi's waist. Gwen leaned their foreheads together.

"Finally... we're home."

Randi carried them over to the bedroom and crossed the threshold before laying Gwen gently on the mattress beneath them. Then she stepped away, putting a hand to her lips and walking to the full-length windows and throwing the blinds and windows open, allowing the fresh sea breeze to flow in. Then she turned back and crawled into the bed beside Gwen and spooned up behind her.

"We are... at last."

They made love slowly, as though it was the first time all over again. Their sighs were accompanied by the crash of the waves; the tangy smell of salt and seaweed mingled with the scent of sex. And when they lay wrapped in one another's arms, the breeze dried the sweat on their skin.

They watched the moonlight on the waves for a little while, hands idly stroking smooth skin beneath it. Finally, Randi leaned up on an elbow and kissed Gwen softly before slipping from the bed and picking up her clothes. Gwen slid into a semi-reclining position and watched with unabashed interest.

"Go somewhere so soon?"

Randi nodded and extended her hand. "Yeah. I promised I'd be walking on the beach tonight, and I need something substantial to eat before then. Yuri didn't put enough in that basket," said with only the slightest pout.

Gwen's grumbling stomach agreed with Randi's words before Gwen could do so verbally. Chuckling, she allowed Randi to pull her from the bed, then dressed with reluctance until she saw Randi watching her intently.

"What?"

Randi walked right into Gwen's personal space and wrapped her in a big hug. "I am so damned happy to be here... alone - with you... again. Nothing will ever be better than this."

Gwen tangled her hands in Randi's hair and let her lips graze Randi's face before reaching her ear. "No, but now at least we have a lifetime together to work on it." Her stomach growled and she pulled back enough to glare at Randi. "Now, let's eat. We still have a few hours of moonlight to enjoy."

The note was from Tommy and Ella - not surprising in and of itself. It welcomed them home and let Randi know about the arrangement Tommy had made for the Amazon party. Only at the end did it get cryptic and Randi refused to explain it. "You'll find out tomorrow," was all she said.

Gwen considered pouting, but she was too happy to pull it off. Instead, she went into the kitchen and whipped up a couple sandwiches from the ingredients Ella had so thoughtfully provided. Then she and Randi went out into the warm summer night to reacquaint themselves with home.



Gwen was smiling when she woke up the next morning. Their walk had taken them around the island and most of it had been spent holding hands in companionable silence. When they had returned home, they had shared a quick shower before crawling into bed and cuddling around one another, watching the moon move across the sky. Neither of them had realized when sleep overtook them.

Gwen stretched slowly, trying not to disturb the warm body beneath hers until Randi's arms tightened around her. She tilted her head to find sparkling blue twinkling at her.

"Good morning," she whispered, unwilling to spoil the mood as she reached her hand up to gently trace Randi's features. Randi gave her a tremulous smile at the first touch and obediently closed her eyes. For a few minutes, they stayed that way; then Gwen slid upwards and caught Randi's lips in a kiss. Randi reciprocated wholeheartedly until Gwen pulled back for air, then she patted the bard on the ass.

"Good morning," she replied. "How did you sleep?"

"Like a baby... better than I have in months."

"So did I... but ya know something? If I don't get up soon and go pee, we are going to have a disaster of epic proportions."

Gwen laughed, but dutifully slid off Randi's body so she could scamper to the bathroom. Gwen slipped into a robe and headed to the kitchen. She was looking forward to fixing breakfast in her own kitchen once again. When Randi came out of the bathroom, she was greeted by the scent of fresh coffee and muffins. Life was good.

It took an hour or so to take care of business, but by late morning, they were on the back of the bike headed somewhere Gwen didn't readily recognize. Only when they stopped did she understand that *this* was her surprise and Randi was watching her reaction with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. She squealed and hugged Randi from behind.

"Does this mean what I think it does?"

"Depends," Randi hedged. "Do you want it to?"

"If Ahmed has the design and he can do it, you bet your sweet bippy I do."

"I can do the design, Little One. I started drawing it out as soon as Randi sent it to me."

Gwen turned to make a smart comment to the man who dared address her so familiarly, and by Randi's name for her, no less. Then she got a look at the mountain of a man who leaned casually against the doorjamb; he would have made Tiny look small next to him.

Gwen slid off the bike and walked up to him, extending her hand. "Hi, my name is Gwen. And I would really prefer you call me that instead of Little One."

The man chortled and took her small hand in both of his larger one. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Gwen. I am Ahmed. I did not mean any offence with the nickname, but you have to understand that next to me, *everyone* is a little one."

"No offence taken, Ahmed; it is just a private name."

He turned his glance to Randi, her slenderness apparent next to his imposing bulk. "I like her, my friend. She has spunk." He looked back at Gwen. "I told her she needed someone with spunk and sparkle, you know. I'm glad she found you."

"I'm glad we found each other," reaching out her free hand to Randi. "Shall we get this show on the road?"

Ahmed nodded in an almost courtly gesture. "I await your pleasure," motioning him into his tattoo parlor. "We just have to make a few decisions and then we can get started." They followed him in and he shut the door behind them. This was going to take a while.



It was very late by the time they got home and finding a comfortable position to sleep in had proven nearly impossible given the locations of the new tattoos. But somehow they managed. Unfortunately, they weren't nearly ready for their unexpected early morning visitors.

Tommy knocked on the door, not willing to catch them unaware as he had before, especially with Randall in tow. He keyed in the code and opened the door slowly, noting the silence. He handed the loaded picnic basket back to Ella, studiously ignoring the knowing look she gave him. "I'll be right back," whispered.

"I told you it was too early for this Tommy. It's actually too soon and you know it. I'm sure they just want a few days alone together."

"They'll get a few days, sweetheart. Hell, they have the entire rest of their lives to be alone together now if they want. I don't think having breakfast with us one morning will kill them. Besides," watching Ella's eyes widen a millisecond before Randall screeched...

"WUV!!!"

Tommy shut his eyes and just barely refrained from covering his ears. "Right behind me, huh?" he asked without turning around.

"Yep."

Randall pulled free from Ella's hand and jumped into Randi's arms. Ella saw her flinch and shift Randall to the right side of her body even as she hugged him tightly. "Hey buddy! How ya doing?"

Randall gave her a sloppy kiss. "Wuv Wuv... wuv Wen - have bre'fas."

"You brought breakfast, huh? Well, Gwen's making coffee. Ya'll come on in."

Tommy tossed Ella a triumphant look then grabbed the basket and headed for the kitchen. Ella just shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Sorry, Randi. I did try."

Randi leaned forward and kissed Ella's cheek. "I'm sure you did. I'm surprised you got him to wait this long."

"I threatened to cut him off indefinitely if he came over as soon as ya'll got home," Ella confided. Randi snickered.

"At least you brought breakfast with you," Randi said with a grin, pushing her hair back away from her face.

Ella chuckled. "Coming over this early, I figured it would be best if we didn't come empty handed. How did it turn out?"

"Wuv! Go now!" Randall commanded imperiously, pointing towards the kitchen where Gwen and Tommy were currently laying out the breakfast Ella had prepared.

"Aye aye, sir!" Randi answered with a twinkle in her eye. "Beautifully," she replied, setting Randall on his feet and gingerly pulling the top of her t-shirt aside. Ella's eyes widened.

"Wow!" she agreed. "But OW! But it's magnificent."

It was the glyph that Gwen had chosen... the blending of the two of them that had been painted onto the private shuttle they had utilized as Empress and Queen. Ahmed had taken the design and colored it blue and green with black to outline and shade and add depth. The colors twined seamlessly and flowed into one another without interruption and Ella could only marvel at how perfectly suited to both of them the marker was.

Randi eased her shirt back up to her neck, careful not to touch the healing art that now lay healing over her heart. "Thanks. We're both pretty happy with them, though I don't know if Gwen will ever get another one." She cut her eyes in Gwen's direction before mumbling, "'Cause this thing hurts like a bitch."

Whatever else she might have said was lost when Gwen turned and smiled, walking over to greet Ella. She hugged her gently, then took Randi's had in hers and smiled impishly. "Would ya'll like to join us for breakfast or are you planning to hang out in the foyer the rest of the day?"

Randi and Ella exchanged glances. "I think if we want anything, we'd better get over there quick, Randi. That boy eats like it's gonna get up off his plate if he takes too long." Randi and Gwen laughed. Ella shook her head. "You think I'm kidding."

"Not really," Randi said as they walked to the table. "I grew up with this one," gesturing to Tommy negligently, "remember?"

"Hey! I resemble that remark," Tommy protested. "What are we talking about anyway?"

Their laughter set the tone for the entire rest of the morning.



"So you'll be joining us in another couple days?" Tommy asked as they cleared the table some time later. Randall had proven true to Ella's predictions and Randi and Gwen had simply gaped before realizing if they expected to eat, they needed to do so swiftly. So the first bit of their meal had been specifically dedicated to eating, and only when their initial hunger had been quenched did their focus turn to fellowship. Tommy and his family, along with all the band members, were headed out to the Amazon compound later that afternoon.

"No, T... we'll be there in four days. We told Lorac two weeks and if we show up early, they're gonna feel pressured to get things ready early for us. Besides, we're looking forward to the time alone. But the Amazons know to expect you and Reed and Lorac will have places ready for you."

"Good. The guys want to get some practice in before you come to practice with them. I think they are a little intimidated by the whole idea of a 'practice party'. But I know they are really looking forward to it as well. It has been a long time and they've missed it - we all have. And everyone is looking forward to storytelling time," he added with a significant look at Gwen.

"So am I, T. It'll be nice getting back into the routine again."

"We'll be all set up for it. But..." he said, picking up his son and handing him to Randi. Randall snuggled down into her neck and she kissed the top of his head. "We need to head out if we are gonna get there this afternoon. The guys want their first run through tonight and we have to get everything set up first. Anything special you need us to take? Your drums are already packed and on the transport."

"Nope. You got everything you need to record this?"

Tommy smiled and Ella snorted. "He better have, considering the amount of stuff we're hauling." Randi and Gwen muffled their laughter while Tommy and Ella exchanged mock glares. Randall yawned.

"All right. We'll see ya'll in a few days. Try to stay out of trouble, huh?"

"You too, Tommy." And after a round of hugs and kisses, the Steele family departed and the house settled into a pleasant silence.



The next four days were much like a second honeymoon for Randi and Gwen. They walked around the island hand in hand or rode the bike along well-known paths out to their hidden dell. They played in the holosuite, trying out new programs. They spent hours talking and hours in companionable silence just enjoying being alone with one another again. They made love and relished the renewed strength of their connection in both body and soul.

And every evening, they spent at least a little time answering questions and concerns about the new form of government that was coming into play with Randi's defection of her title. Not nearly as many as either of them had expected, and most of them were thoughtful questions. Randi was confident when it came up for a public vote, the new measures would be put into place with very little dissent.

The night before they were scheduled to go back to the Amazons, they were curled up together on the couch facing the large life-sized portrait enjoying the ambiance of a small fire. Randi had one arm wrapped around Gwen's shoulders while holding hands with the other. Gwen, for her part, was tucked into the crook of Randi's neck and arm.

"You know something?"

"I know lots of things," Gwen answered drowsily. "Whatcha wanna know?" Randi couldn't stop the chuckle that bubbled up at Gwen's cheeky answer and it got her a glare. "What was so funny about that? I do know lots of stuff. I know I love you; I know you love me. I know that I could stay here forever." She felt Randi tense slightly and heard the heartbeat under her ear skip before speeding up. She turned concerned eyes to Randi's and eased her chin around until they met. "What?"

Randi sighed. She hadn't expected this to happen... and she certainly hadn't thought it would come up for discussion between them so soon. "You're gonna think I'm nuts."

"Sweetheart, I love you - nothing you say is gonna change that. And I knew you were nuts when I agreed to marry you; how many people do you know that come back from the dead?? I just figured we could be happy ever after nuts together. Now what is bothering you all of a sudden?"

"I'm not sure I can do this for another fifty or so years. Not *this*," motioning between them frantically. "I can't do without *this* for a minute; we've already proven that. But I'm not sure I can sit around and not be involved in helping shape humanity's future. It's all I've ever done - all I've known my entire adult life. I'm not sure I can just put that aside and become some sort of lady of leisure - even one who is married to the Amazon Queen and bard extraordinaire." She smiled, trying to soften the blow, but Gwen could see the confusion in her eyes.

"Do you want to remain as Empress? As Commandant? What exactly...?"

"NO! No," a little more softly. "No," she reiterated. "Nothing so public. I just thought maybe we could return to our roots a little. Travel around and talk to people; help out where we could. Like we used to do - only not all the time, not as a way of life. But...."

"I think it's a great idea, love. Absolutely wonderful."

"Really? You don't think I'm being selfish and unreasonable?"

"No - I think you're being quite noble, in point of fact, and I think there is a lot of good we could do if we just let ourselves do it. Besides, did you really think I would turn down the chance to go anywhere or do anything with you... especially something like this? I think it is a wonderfully karmic way to end our time on this plane; there is something very circular about it."

Randi hugged Gwen even tighter to her body. "I love you... so much."

Gwen returned the hug fervently. "I know, sweetheart. I love you, too."



Chapter XXVI

Morning found them curled around one another, careful of the still-painful tattoos, though they had at least been able to resume their normal sleeping positions, albeit with a little more care than they normally took. Gwen woke first, marveling at the difference in Randi's behavior here in this place. Her heart beat slower, her muscles were more relaxed - everything about her was more tranquil and at peace.

Gwen shifted, just enough to tilt her head up to gaze at Randi's profile. She reached up her hand, gently caressing the familiar dips and planes of Randi's face. They were sharper again, as they had been when Randi returned from the dead. Gwen felt a wave of sudden relief that they were going to be able to take things at their own pace for a while. She was going to enjoy spoiling Randi for at least a little while - until Randi decided it was her turn to spoil Gwen for a bit.

Gwen felt Randi shudder just slightly in her sleep, the first indication that Randi was slowly waking up. Tension returned to her body and Randi stretched her full length against Gwen, then kissed the fingers that traced her lips with such delicate care.

"Morning," Randi's voice a scratchy whisper.

"Good morning, love." Gwen shifted again and kissed Randi thoroughly. "How'd you sleep?" when they parted.

"I was in your arms, though I missed you in my dreams."

"Hmm..." Gwen replied thoughtfully. "I've noticed that. I wonder if that avenue is only open to us if we are under great stress."

Randi sighed. "Well if it's all the same to you, I'd prefer to wait a little while before having enough stress to find out."

"Best idea I've heard in ages, love. Now, you wanna stay here and cuddle for a little while or go take a shower or maybe get breakfast?"

"Yes," came the emphatic answer. "We're not in any hurry, Little One. We can do all three and still make it to the Amazons with plenty of time to spare." She ran a teasing hand up Gwen's side, eliciting a squawk, then a giggle. Then Randi shifted them until she was covering Gwen and nuzzled her neck. "Any questions? Complaints? Comments?"

"Only that we have to stop eventually."

And they did stop eventually - but mostly they stopped because full bladders and grumbling stomachs made staying in bed any long an unviable option. So they shared a shower and fixed biscuits and gravy together for breakfast. Then they tidied the house and packed a single bag before locking up the house carefully and heading for the shuttle pad.

"Hey, Randi?" asked as they settled into their respective seats in the cockpit of the craft. "Do we get to keep this?" motioning around her vaguely.

"Like a parting gift, you mean? Yeah, I suppose we could. Or we could have one customized for us." Gwen's eyes widened.

"Customized?"

"Yeah - we can talk about it if you want. We've got a little time to kill before we get there."

"Customized?"

Randi laughed. "I guess we'll be talking about it." Then the shuttle lifted off and they were on their way to the Amazons to party.



"Well, at least there are no guns blazing at us this time."

"Thank goodness. I have to admit that it scared me about as much as it pissed me off. Not a good feeling."

"Yeah, but I'm not sure what's coming is going to be any better," pointing to the streamers and garlands she could see even from this distance. "I think they are really excited about being able to welcome their queen properly."

Gwen patted Randi's arm and Randi grasped her hand. "Don't discount your own welcome, Stud. I'm pretty sure the entire Nation is in awe of you... and completely envious of me."

"We are not getting into that debate."

"Spoilsport."

"We can discuss it later, sweetheart. Right now your subjects are waiting to greet you." And they were - lined up in the hanger row by row and out the door along both sides of the hall. Gwen stepped from the shuttle with Randi just slightly behind her... until Gwen pulled her forward so they were standing together. "I just thought...."

"Don't," Gwen pleaded. "I want you beside me." Then Lorac made a step in front of the ranks and knelt, causing every Amazon in the room to do the same.

"Welcome back, my queen. It is good to see you here again."

"Thank you, Lorac. Rise, my friends. There is no need to stand on ceremony. We are here to party."

"Then come... everything is prepared." Lorac rose smoothly to her feet and the rest followed her example. An entire squad stepped forward and popped off a sharp salute to Randi, which she returned automatically.

"Welcome back, gunny," Reed said, restoring Randi to the rank she was most comfortable with. "Orders?" re-establishing Randi's authority with a single word and pointing out to the squad and everyone else present where she stood with the Sabres, regardless of her resignation.

Gwen took Randi's arm as a matter of course and felt her relax beneath her touch. Gwen squeezed almost imperceptibly, giving Randi her unwavering support, no matter what. Randi expelled a breath and turned to give Gwen a smile. There was nothing better than this, and they both knew it.

"How 'bout we get this party started?"

Reed grinned. "Best damned idea I have heard in a while." She turned to the squad. "You heard the boss, ladies... both of them. Let's move out."

As one body, the Amazons cheered, their war cries echoing throughout the mountain. The men and women who were not members of the Nation were already out in the meadow, having been left alone by the Amazons sometime before. Now they looked around at one another in surprise at the sound, then grinned as realization dawned.

"Randi and Gwen are here," Tommy said gleefully. "Guess we'll be starting this party soon."

Sure enough, the Amazons soon emerged from the mountain in droves, and setting up moved from stuttering effort to full gear. Before long, tables lined either side of the open space and they were laden with all manner of food and drinks. A stage had been raised on one end of the field and the band went right ahead and started setting up their instruments, the lights and the sound system. The Amazons and the People proceeded to start games and races, trying to get everyone as involved as they could.

Only the Sabres stood to one side, not really sure what their participation should be. Gwen and Randi were slowly walking around the perimeter, meeting and speaking to each and every person. Gwen nudged Randi when she realized the Sabres, both male and female, were standing apart, simply watching. Randi grinned and shook her head, then sighed and strode over to the Sabre contingent.

"Problem, guys?"

Every single pair of Sabre eyes turned in her direction and they had the decency to look sheepish before dropping their eyes to the ground and shaking their heads. Even in this they were uniform to the point of being ridiculous and it was all Randi could do not to laugh at them.

"All right, ya'll... lighten up!!" she commanded. "I know you all know how to break loose and have fun - that's what this is about. And for the guys especially, who knows, you might be surprised at who ends up kicking your ass." That caused them all to straighten and glare at her; they were the best of the best and they knew it - so did she.

"And if we beat them?"

"Then you will wear the winner's ribbons when Gwen awards them tonight. But none of you is gonna win anything if you don't get out there and try. C'mon, guys... this is a party. The Amazons have even made considerations to include men in their competition. Go play!"

"Is that an order, gunny?"

"It can be, Tiny," Randi said with a grin.

"As long as they don't blame us when they lose."

"As long as you don't get upset when someone else wins," she cautioned. "Don't forget there has been an Amazon/Sabre delegation here for almost a month. Who knows what the Amazons have learned from them in that time?" She turned to Reed and Jess. "Can I speak to you both a moment?"

They nodded and came up on either side of her, even as the remainder of the group, both men and women, headed into the fray of what was obviously, friendly competition. Randi watched them go, proud when they immediately became a part of things, spreading out to participate in all the activities they could. Then her focus came back to the two women standing beside her.

"How are things with Corky?"

"Slow but steady," Jess responded immediately. "There's a lot of old hatred and resentment buried there, but she seems genuinely willing to get past it and move on with her life."

"Agreed. She is taking her studies as seriously as her is the physical retraining, and she has gone out of her way to do not only what has been asked of her, but she has taken the initiative to learn things outside her basic curriculum."

"So you both feel she is on the right track?" They nodded. "All right. When do you feel it will be safe to turn her tutoring over to the Amazons completely? I'm sure you are both ready to get back to your respective partners and homes."

Jess and Reed exchanged glances. They had already discussed this at some length. "Actually, several Sabres who were assigned here would like to remain once we go into stand-down mode. They would like to make their homes here. I think we could do easily turn Corky's training over to any of them."

Randi nodded. "All right. Get me a list and I will make the arrangements. Thank you, ladies. Now go have some fun. I have an Amazon Queen to attend." The two traded smirks, but neither said a word as Randi left them and returned to Gwen's side. Then they headed off to find Chase and Tiny, and maybe even get involved in some of the games and competitions.

"Everything okay?" Gwen asked as Randi reached her side once more.

"Yeah... just had to remind them they were here for fun - whether it killed them or not." They continued walking slowly around the field, greeting everyone personally with a kind word. Then they found themselves engulfed in hugs as Sky and Rosie spotted them.

"What a delightful party, Ravenhawk. The People are very proud you invited us to join you and Little Dove here. You have so many lovely friends."

"And it has been an absolute hoot to be here the past couple weeks. Thank you both for indulging me," Rosie added. "I know you didn't have to, and neither did the Amazons."

"It was little enough to do for you, Rosie... and for the People, Sky. We wouldn't be here today without all of you."

"Well, we were glad to be a part, and we're looking forward to the musical portion of the evening. I understand we will get stories as well?"

"Yes," Gwen concurred. "I promised Tommy. Who knows? Maybe Randi will share the secret Tommy has been hunting for. But at least it should all be entertaining... I hope. Ya'll make sure you get something to eat. I can't believe the amount of food that got prepared for this."

"Not to worry, Gwen," Rosie assured. "I'd be willing to bet there will be very few leftovers by the end of the day... especially with all the activities going on. Now go... you have a lot of other folks you need to speak to before evening, and we don't want to hold you up."

So Randi and Gwen continued around the makeshift circle, bypassing the stage area for now and taking at least a moment with each person before they finally ended up where they had started. Only when they reached the starting point, close to the base of the mountain, did they notice three new arrivals. Gwen opened her arms for hugs, and all three goddesses were happy to comply. Then Aphrodite looked pathetically at Randi and pouted; Randi rolled her eyes and sighed, but opened her arms. Then she proceeded to pick Dite up off the ground and embrace her tight enough to make Dite's bones creak.

"Randi!" she squealed. "Put me down! I'm too old for you to be woman-handling like that!"

Randi grinned and carefully set Aphrodite on her feet. Athena and Artemis took advantage of the distraction and each planted a kiss on Randi's cheek. Gwen smiled at the blush that caused, but remained silent until the three of them moved away from Randi. Then she reclaimed her place at Randi's side and smiled at all of them.

"I'm so glad all of you could make it."

"We're glad to be here, Gwen. I can't remember the last Amazon party I was actually invited to... or attended, for that matter."

Aphrodite and Athena couldn't stop the snorts that followed this pronouncement. "That might have something to do with the amount of mortal alcohol you consumed or the number of varieties you tried."

Artemis glowered at her sisters. "Well, who knew it would affect a goddess like that?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "At least we know to be more careful this time. I don't want to miss any part of this. There is so much living... so much enjoyment of life here. I want to be able to appreciate all of it... especially tonight's entertainment."

"Well, ya'll go mix and mingle and have fun for a change," Randi said, clutching Gwen's hand. "There are a few more people we need to speak to, but seriously - thank you for being here. It means a lot to us, even if the rest won't know who you are."

"We wouldn't have missed it, Randi," Dite said, stealing her own kiss. Then the three of them stepped back a pace and the air around them shimmered. When Randi and Gwen could see them again, they were unrecognizable. With a wave, they turned and headed out into the melee, determined to enjoy everything this day and place had to offer.

Randi and Gwen exchanged smiles, then headed towards the stage and the last folks they needed to greet.

Tommy hung back, having already had a little time with them and knowing there would be more in the near future. He was glad Randall was with the other children though - he tended to be more than a bit possessive where both Randi and Gwen were concerned. So now it was just the adults, and the guys in the band didn't waste any time wrapping both Randi and Gwen in enormous bear hugs. They had truly been missed and it was obvious in the affection displayed on both sides.

They spent some time catching up, then the discussion turned to the music for the evening. The guys assured Randi they were ready for almost anything she decided to do music wise and they were all looking forward to getting back in the groove.

"And we're looking forward to story time," Scott assured Gwen. "The kids have been asking about it."

"We're *all* looking forward to it," Marie assured them. "I never realized how much we took for granted having this available every weekend... until it was gone. You think we'll be able to do it regularly again?"

"Well, at least more regularly than it has been in the past few months," Gwen assured. "We'll work something out, I promise, because we have missed this a lot as well."

"Does this mean I'll get to dance away my Friday nights with the friends I have made here?"

Gwen's head whirled at the question, then she opened her arms and hugged her mother for all she was worth. Randi embraced both of them and for a long moment, they rocked back and forth together. Then Randi loosened her hold and Jill and Gwen stepped back from each other. Gwen blinked to keep the tears from forming and Jill surreptitiously wiped hers away.

"You're welcome anytime, Mama. How are you doing?"

"Some days are better than others, but I always feel your daddy nearby watching over me. I miss him terribly, but being here with all the folks who we came to think of as an extended family has made it easier."

"So when are you moving?" Randi asked matter-of-factly.

"Not anytime soon," Jill stated. "But I will be down often to visit."

"You'd better," Gwen warned her. "And if you ever decide to stay on a more permanent basis, we'll be happy to have you."

"Baby girl," Jill said, cupping Gwen's cheek in her hand, "even if I do decide to live here eventually, it won't be with you and Randi. You deserve the chance to live as your own family. God knows you have certainly more than earned it."

"No matter what you decide, Jill, the invitation is always there for you, all right? And if you need anything...."

"... I know where to find you both. I know, and I love knowing that you're looking out for me. I'll be fine, really. And so will you. Randi, can I make a request for a song tonight?"

"Anything you want, Jill... as long as we know it." She pulled Randi down to her level and whispered in her ear. Randi just nodded and Jill smiled and patted her arm.

"Thanks, Randi. Now, if you'll excuse me, I want to go see what all the cheering is about."

Only then did Tommy and Ella come up on either side of Randi and Gwen to watch all the activity taking place around the field. No one was separated any longer; instead, there was just a single mass of people celebrating the end of summer and having a damned fine time to boot.

"This was a mighty fine idea, Gwen. Thank you for letting us be a part of it."

"We're glad ya'll could join us, T. I know I haven't been around much, T, and I'm sorry for letting you down as far as my contract obligations went. But I couldn't...."

"And I wouldn't have let you in any case," Tommy interrupted, holding up his hand. "What you had to do was more important. We'll work something out. I'm recording you tonight, for starters."

"Tell ya what, T... if you can't figure out what her secret is this time, I'll share it with you."

"WHAT?? You *know*?"

"I have a pretty good idea, yeah. If you pay attention to the right things, so will you. Now, if you'll excuse us, I'm hungry. We're gonna go get something to eat." They waved bye to the guys and headed back towards the still laden tables. Tommy's whine could be heard petulantly behind them.

"RANNNNNDIIIIII!! That wasn't very nice!"

Randi and Gwen just looked at one another... and laughed.



It had been a good day. There had been lots of winners and all of them had been thrilled to accept their tokens from Gwen. Most of them had been bashful and more than a little intimidated by the still, silent picture Randi made as she handed the ribbons to Gwen as each winner approached. Corky was especially proud of her win, and maintained her dignity and respect when her award was presented. It was a major step in her rehabilitation.

When it was over, Gwen extended her hand and Randi accepted it without thought. Then Gwen wrapped Randi's arms around her middle and leaned back into the strength of their embrace. "I know we have said thank you to each of you," glancing in the direction of the goddesses, "but we wanted you to understand how very much all of you and what you did for us means. Without your strength behind us, we very well could have failed, and mankind wouldn't have the chance to grow."

"A lot depends on all of us, but ya'll especially have already given the world a model they should try to follow. I hope you'll all continue to lead by example."

"Now... enough with the serious stuff. This is a party! Whaddya say we crank up the music??" Wild cheers greeted her words and the band started making its way to join Randi on stage. For her part, Randi led Gwen from the stage and onto the makeshift dance floor with Jill. Then she raced back up, snatched up her sticks and began a countdown for what promised to be a very wild ride.



They did two long sets, then Randi asked Gwen to do her story telling before their last set. "I know it is a little unusual, but there's a special song I want to close with tonight and everyone, especially me, wants to hear you be a bard again." She turned her attention to the gathered audience. "Whaddya say, folks? A few stories before the last dance of the night?"

The cheers were answer enough and they echoed off the mountains for several long minutes before finally quieting sufficiently to allow Gwen to speak. "All right. Bring the kids to the front, and you," pointing to Randi, "take a seat," patting the spot beside her.

Randi sat down and loosely wrapped an arm around Gwen's waist, and listened with a beatific smile on her face as Gwen began to weave a tale that was at once old and new to her. Suddenly, blindingly, Tommy realized the truth. It doesn't matter who she tells her stories *to*; what matters is who she is telling them *for*. When her focus is Randi, everything changes. He would have smacked himself for his denseness, but he was too busy enjoying yet another new soulmates story.

Gwen had told stories until she was hoarse from it and the applause had gone on for long minutes before the band had resumed the stage. Now they were getting ready to close out their third and final set. They had altered instruments and vocals several times throughout the night, but for the last little while Randi had been resting her voice for the last number. Randi motioned Greg to take her place behind the drums for the final song, whispering her instructions to the guys who had huddled around her and nodded agreement, even as they gave her big grins.

Randi stepped to the mic and caught the towel and water bottle Gwen tossed her with a grin and a wink, even as the guys collected their own from Jill, Tommy and Ella. Randi extended a hand to Gwen, and Gwen gave her a startled look in return. Randi raised her eyebrow and Gwen acquiesced, coming around and letting Randi help her ascend the steps. She felt a little conspicuous, but since Randi had sat next to her for the entire storytelling session, she figured she owed Randi at least one song.

"Time to wind things up folks, at least for us," she added when a loud groan went up from those gathered. Amazingly, except for the children who had been removed as soon as Gwen's part was over, everyone else was still up and most of them had spent a majority of their time on the dance floor. Jill had once again proven very popular with men and women alike and there had been great camaraderie between everyone. "So grab you best girl or guy and head back to the dance floor. You're not gonna want miss the romance of this last song," moving to put her arm around Gwen's waist.

"This is by special request of my mother-in-law, but the truth is, this song is one of my favorites as well. Gwen wrote the words to this one and I handled the music and with your permission, I'm gonna sing this song to my wife." As if on cue, the lights dimmed, leaving Randi and Gwen alone in the spotlight. Then the music started and Gwen closed her eyes and bit her lip, leaning her forehead on Randi's chest. Randi tipped her chin up until their eyes met, and then she began to sing.

If there were no words No way to speak I would still hear you If there were no tears No way to feel inside I'd still feel for you And even if the sun refused to shine Even if romance ran out of rhyme You would still have my heart until the end of time You're all I need, my love, my Valentine

The world did not exist for them outside of the circle fashioned by Randi's voice and the spotlight that created a bubble around them. Gwen wrapped both hands around Randi's neck and they swayed slowly back and forth, conscious only of one another. Most of those gathered stopped their own dancing, mesmerized by the bond they could see enveloping Randi and Gwen. Even the goddesses were in awe of the miracle they were once more being permitted to witness. All of my life I have been waiting for All you give to me You've opened my eyes And shown me how to love unselfishly I've dreamed of this a thousand times before But in my dreams I couldn't love you more I will give you my heart Until the end of time You're all I need, my love, my Valentine And even if the sun refused to shine Even if romance ran out of rhyme You would still have my heart until the end of time 'Cause all I need is you, my Valentine
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine
When the song was finished, Randi leaned down and captured Gwen's lips with her own, sealing the promise of the words with the most tangible of reminders. Only when the hoots and cheers started did they remember their audience. They flushed, then laughed, realizing that here especially, among the friends who had so fiercely protected what they shared, they had no reason to hide and every reason to let the see a little of what they had protected.

But a little was enough, and it was time to head back to their quarters and share the rest in private. Tomorrow started the first day of the rest of their lives. But first....

"Thank you, everyone, for sticking through this with us. You'll never know what it means to us to know we have friends like you. I hope it means we're as good of friends in return to you. We wish each and every one of you peace and love and happiness always. Good night, ya'll."

Then they stepped off the stage and walked back towards the mountain, knowing that no matter what else happened, today had been a good day. As for tomorrow, well... they would look to those together.



Epilogue

Two gray-haired, old women stood at the shore watching the waves come in as the sun slowly slipped beneath the horizon once more. It had been a good day, even warming for the occasion, but it had been forever long, and Randi and Gwen wanted nothing more than to curl up together in the big bed that had been theirs for more than fifty years.

Both nearly a hundred years old, they were still as spry and alert as they had been in their much younger days, but despite it, they were tired and ready to go to their final rest.

"We've had a good life together this time around," Gwen said softly. "A very full life." They climbed into their bed slowly and Randi stretched out her length and waited for Gwen to curl up beside her.

"Yep. It was a nice anniversary party too. Lots of folks we haven't seen in a while." Randi closed her eyes and smiled. "Never thought Tiny would be bald as a cue ball though."

Gwen chuckled. "He and Reed make a cute couple, and their girls and their kids...."

"I can't believe they brought puppies from Phil's and Ditto's line to give to Randall's boys."

"At least, they didn't bring horses sired by Lance or Cal. I thought those two were gonna kill each other when Tiny and Reed took them home... before Tiny put them in separate corrals." A beat. "And did you see Scott's oldest granddaughter had her eyes on Randall's oldest? Lacey's daughter too. Not surprising though... he's a good-looking kid."

"I'm glad Tommy will have to deal with that. And that he has Ella to help him. Even as old as he is, and despite the fact that his son and his grandsons are grown, T is still very protective of his family."

"I wish Mama had been here to see this. She would have enjoyed it... even without the band. But I imagine she is pretty content where she is."

"I'll bet Geoff is too," Randi said with a sad, knowing smile. "And Sky and Rosie were there to greet her as well, so she is definitely among friends, even without having met my mama and daddy." She paused. "It was nice to see so many of my old Sabre friends still around. It's so easy to lose track of people these day with the new starships being manned and sent out on longer and longer voyages. I do regret that we never got a chance to explore space more in our lifetime, but we really did see and do so much this last trip through the circle."

And they had. Peace had taken root and though there would always be some outbreaks of strife and discontent, human nature being what it is, now *everyone* worked to take care of the problem. Because of this, mankind had made leaps and bounds in scientific advancement and they were on the cusp of deep space travel.

"Is everything all set?"

Randi nodded. "The trusts were set up years ago. All we have to do is go to sleep and our part is done."

"Then let's go to sleep, love. I'm ready to go home."

Pink sparkle lit up the room and showered down around them. Randi blew a rose petal off her nose and glared at Aphrodite, who remained young and beautiful as though no time at all had passed. She looked at them sadly for a long moment with her head cocked, then said forlornly, "So this is it, huh? You two radical babes are finally taking off?"

"Yeah, Dite. We're tired - it's time."

She nodded her agreement. "I know, but you're not coming back after this. I'm gonna miss you guys."

"Come visit us in eternity, Dite," Gwen said as she tucked her head under Randi's chin. "Leave us a message - we'll always come find you when you're ready for a little radical girl talk." Dite's blue eyes widened comically.

"Bitchin', babe. You learned the lingo! How totally cool is that? You bet I will. Now close your eyes." She leaned over and brushed a kiss on each of their foreheads. "Safe travels and peaceful rest." When Dite stood upright once more, they were gone.



Between one breath and the next, Ares' essence was freed from the box and without hesitation it made its way to where he still resided. He had made a lot of progress in the fifty plus years he lived as a mortal, building a house and making a few acquaintances in the nearby town. It wasn't a thrilling life, but he coped and thought about how he had ended up there. It still made him furious, and despite everything he learned to the contrary, he was determined to have his revenge for the time he had been forced to live as a mortal.

It was almost shocking when the power of war washed over him and renewed his life and youth. He knew his first responsibility would be to watch for Randi and Gwen to return to the circle. Once his business with them was concluded, he could take care of everything else.

"They're not coming back, brother," Aphrodite said sweetly as she popped in on the humble abode he had created with his own hands and sweat. "They have removed themselves from the karmic circle. You don't get to mess with them again. I won after all."

"NO!!! They don't get to do that!!"

"They already did, Ares. They're gone."

"NO!!! That's not fair!!!"

Dite shrugged. "You'll find that life generally isn't - get over it."

"They can't do this!! I'll create wars... make them come back to rescue mankind again."

"I think you're gonna find a lot of changes out there you so not gonna be cool with, bro. Maybe you oughta go back to Olympus for a while... see what all you've missed. 'Cause mankind no longer needs your gnarly little self and the warrior and the bard are not coming back. Get used to it."

With that pronouncement, Dite winked out of sight, and Ares stood stock still, realizing he had well and truly lost. It was time to admit defeat and go home.



Their cabin was what it had always been - warm, cozy, and located on the edge of nowhere where it would never be discovered. They were young once more - two old souls content in the peace and refuge they had in one another and the love they had and continued to share through the ages.

Randi and Gwen had spent a number of years traveling off and on across the globe - talking to people, sharing with them; learning from them and helping them. It had been a most rewarding experience for them both and reminded them greatly of their roots and who they truly were at their core.

Some called them heroes, though they both shied away from that description. Mostly they just saw themselves as ordinary people, like everyone else - put in a unique position in history. The rest of the world saw them for the heroes they were. The world would go on without them, but they would always be greatly missed.

But eternity was a wonderful place to spend together - happily ever after.

THE END
04/06 - 01/07

Author's Notes: well, folks - this be the end. Randi and Gwen have their happy ever after ending and are going to retire to enjoy it. J They have been wonderful characters to write, and I think they have earned all the happiness they can find together. I still have plenty of other stories waiting to be written, both short and novel length - original as well as other fandoms, and I'm looking forward to trying my hand at each and every one.

Thanks to Phil, who stuck with me the entire six years it took to write this series, and to the many, many readers who not only took the time to feed the bard, but waited patiently for each new story to be completed. I appreciate each and every one of you... and so do Pink & Fluffy. J