"I don't like that subject, Gabrielle." Xena threw her gauntlets on the ground. It was night, time to sleep. Gabby had been inquiring all day on Xena's past experiences, again. Would she ever give up? "Oh, Xena! Please? You never tell me anything anymore!"

"I'm glad you decided to write tonight, but no. I don't want to talk about Ares!"

"Fine!" Gabrielle threw her quill down. "I won't write it down! Just at least tell me!" Xena ignored her and laid down on the ground

"Fine..fine..." Xenaa sighed...she knew what was next. A trick

"I just won't tell you my secret then." Xena sat upright, irritated

"What secret?" Gabby laid down opposite her, smiling

"You don't have any secrets." Gabby flipped over

"That's my point! We shouldn't have secrets! I know it must be painful..."

"No, you don't know how pianful it is!" Xena snapped at her. Gabrielle lay in shock, her eyes and mouth wide open. Xena sighed again

"I'm sorry...I guess you do deserve to know." Gabby suddenly sat upright and opened her eyes attentively. She concentrated on Xena's words

"Well, I suppose it should start in Amphipolis....."

"Attack!!! The feirce warrior attacked the band of men. Warrior? Ha, she thought, in my dreams. I'm just a village girl with a sword. She banished the thought from her mind and focused on fighting. She hit on of the men off of his horse and yelled at Lyceus: "Go 'round back, they need you there!" He nodded and went to the back of the battle ground. She jumped off her horse, Kiri

"Stay, girl." She ran to three men and whooped their butts. ONe hit her but her uncle quickly stopped him

"Thanks, Phyl."

They all fought with such intensity until only half of each side remained. The rest of the villagers, including Cyrene, were hiding. Suddenly, Lyceus was by her side

"Hey, bro. Glad you join me!" They fought side by side for what seemed like an eternity. Until he ran off to fight one of the lieutentants. Big mistake. The man ran him through with his sword, and sounded the retreat

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Xena ran to Lyceus's side. Xena put his head in her lap. And she stared in shock at his wound

"Hey, little brother..."

"Hey, big sister..Please don't cry.." She held his hand

"Don't leave me. Mother and I couldn't bear it."

"It's too late....." He drew in a labored breath and wiped a tear off her face

"Tell mum....I love her..and Toris. He's not so bad, Xe. Just a little wimpy, huh?"

She smiled and nodded

"I love you, Xe." He died as soon as he had said her nickname, Xe. She stared at his body teary-eyed. For hours she just sat there, unable to do or say anything. She even slept at one point by his body. Then a relative, her uncle, came and took him away from her. He cursed under his breath and called her something horrible before he left. She still stayed there. Just staring into the void. A man in a long leather outfit stood by her side at one point. She didn't even bother to look up. He gently picked her up and began to carry her away. She still stared ahead. SHe ceased to care anymore. Before she knew it they were in a temple, then a hallway, and rested in a room. He set her on a bed. she glanced at him once, expressionless and then closed her eyes

When she awoke, he wasn't there. She tried to again sleep off her pain, but couldn't fall asleep. He was by her suddenly. Without warning he was there. She looked at him wearily, wiped her eyes

"Who are you?" He sat by her bed

"I am Ares."

"Oh gods...I'm dead, huh?"

"No.." he chuckled,"you're not dead."

"Where am I?" She sat upright

"My temple." She shook her head

"Uh...you're Ares and I am....?"

"Xena."

It hit her like a ton of bricks. Her family her friends were dead. Lyceus...all of them..gone...At least she thought so. Tears welled up in her eyes. She turned her head from him

"Uh..Ares.....or whoever you are.....if you can just....leave for a bit?"

"Sure."

She cried herself to sleep

She walked out into the throne room. He was there. The man who claimed to be Ares. Sitting bored on a throne

"Ares!" He sat up alert now

"Yes, my dear?"

"So you are the god of war?"

"OF course."

"Can you bring my brother back?"

"Unfortunately, no."

She nodded. "FIne, then I'll just take my leave if you don't mind."

"Wait!" He walked to her

"Stay here with me."

"Why?"

"I can teach you how to fight. I can teach you how to lead."

"Go on." He smirked

"Sit please." A chair appeared

"Gabby, can I sleep now?"

"Awwww, come on Xena!"

"Fine, OK."

"So what did he teach you? When did you too, achem, become an 'item'?"

"Well...."

"NO! Strike left, then right!" Xena dropped her sword on the ground and sat down herself. Stubbornly she crossed her arms over her chest. She was cut up and sweaty. Ares made it worse by yelling at her

"Get up." He held out his hand. She turned her head away from him

"I'm sorry, Xe." "Don't you call me that!" Her blue eyes peirced right through his very soul

He shook his head and sat next to her

"We'll never get anywhere unless you just follow my instructions."

"I'm trying! I am only mortal, for Zeus' sake! I'm tired, Ares." He took her hand

"Then tell me! You never talk to me, Xe...na."

"I'd care not too."

"FIne! If that's how you're gonna be. A selfish little brat, then I'm going."

"Where?" They both stood

"I do have other warriors to think about. It's bad enough you've been haning around this Petracles guy!"

He disappeared

"I hate it when you do that!"

She ran to her room and cried on her bed

She thought on how he helped her for the past month and a half. She cried harder. She was being such an evil brat. Sometime later, Xena stopped and called for him. Apparently he wasn't too busy, because he came right away

"Yes?" He sat on her bed

"I'm sorry Ares. I've been so rotten lately. I just...I just......"

"What? You can tell me."

"I miss Lyceus....he was my joy and my.....life." She hung her head. He stroked her hair

"I know." She looked up

"If you knew then why'd you ask?"

"You need to get all your feelings out. You know what i do to get my mind off of things? I fight if off."

"Thanks for the advice and for always helping me."

She kissed his cheek. "No problem, Xe." He held her close. They kissed and before she knew it, it had all gone too far. Their relationship turned from respect to love

"Ares?" She rolled over on her side

"When can I get my own army?"

"When you're ready." She kissed him

"I am." She got out of bed and put on her silver armor

"I've been ready, Ar." He got out too

"Then what's stopping you?"

"YOU!" She pointed at him. "Ever since we first kissed a month ago, we haven't gone anywhere."

"That's becase you don't want to. You haven't been out since..." He stopped

"Since Lyceus died. Yes, I'm sorry. Well, I am ready to go out now."

"Fine, you'll get your army!"

"What an irritating brat." Gabby had been amazed at what she'd been saying

"Gabrielle!"

"Sorry..."

"I was only 16."

"16?!?!"

"Yes, and i was full of ideals. After a while of fighting on land, I didn't want to anymore....I thought if I could get away from Greece I would loose all my pain

"It's always...attack, attack, attack. Can't you sit still for once?"

"No."

"Can't you think for once?" Ares grabbed her arm. She growled at him

"Gee, I am soooooo sorry for living!"

"Can't you live and think at the same time?"

He let go of her arm

"Some wisdom is learned from staying put. It could ruin you one day. Remember Petracles?"

She shuddered. That evil no good...

"Well how was I suppose to know he wouldn't marry me?"

"I love- I mean....Xe...I like you alot, and you just left me. Don't make the mistake in doing it again!" He tried to kiss her

"NO! I want to go out to sea! Why won't you let me? What are you so afraid of? How long have we known one another?"

"Half a year, why?"

"You don't trust me enough, is that it?" She walked away

"Conquest is a plenty out here!" She took his hand

"I love you, but....why can't i go?"

"Xe, it's more than that...if you go, I couldn't help you."

"Why?" She broke his strong grip

"It's nothing...I just don't do ocean stuff."

He hugged her but she sneered at him

"You don't really love me do you?"

"Yes..I do !"

"Then you'd approve!"

"I can't. No, I am sorry." She ran outside crying.

"Oh, Xena he betrayed you! No wonder you don't trust him!"

"Yeah."

"How did you get a new army?"

"Those of you that wish to come, may. the sea is not like land."

She looked at the rude bunch of men. At least they were good fighters. They all stood at the dock waiting for her to finish

"Those of you that betray me, will die out there."

They all mumlbed and talked to one another

"Go then.." Only 60 came abroad. The rest began to leave

"Last call!" No one else came. As they left she overheard a couple saying: "She is no longer in Ares favor."

"He's probably found a new wench." They both laughed. She scoweled and walked up to the ship

"And then Caesar came, right?" Xena nodded

"But this I've told to no one..about the crucifixion..."

"What?"

This is it. I'll die up here. I'm going to die alone...no one cares for me. Gods it hurts! No one to help me at all. It's too painfull! "ARES!" She yelled out his name in last resort. She no longer seemed the tough warrioress but now a struggling woman. A desperate woman

"AREEESSSS!!!!!" The guards scoffed at her

"Listen to that boys, she's calling for Mars to help her." They all laughed. She whimpered

"Ares, Please save me! Please! ARES!"

In hermind she heard a voice

"I'm sorry Xena."

"ARes? Ares where are you?" Her eyes filled with hope

"I'm not there, I wish I was. I'm sorry I can't help."

"NO! Don't leave me! Pleaaaseeeeeee!"

"I have to." She hung her head and sobbed. She gave up. Then a strange noise occurred.......M'lila

"You called and he turned his back on you." "Basically."

"I can see totally why you dislike him. Did you ever ask why?"

"No... Iloved him and he didn't."

"I'm sorry Xena."

"Well then i went off with Borias...had Solan." She drew in a breath and sighed longingly

"A year after I had him..Solan...he came back to me. He wanted me to join him again. So I did. I didn't even ask why he left me...."

"Xena,I have something for you."

"What?" She got off her chair. He though: By the gods she has changed...First a moody young girl..now she's a hardened warrior. All I have taught her, never really prepared her for what she has gone through. No wonder she wouldn't let him get too close to her lately. This would cheer her up

She put her hands on her hips. He held out a metal object. It was perfectly round, and sharp

"It's a chakram." She took it

"It's wonderful." She tried to throw it but it bounced off a wall and almost killed her. Ares caught it laughing

"Be careful with it!"

"Ok! Geez......sorry...So how does it work?"

They practiced all night

"Then I was with him until Hercules came along. Boy was he mad when he came along!"

"Who? Hercules? That loser?"

"Ares! You're being a child! I can make my own decisions!" He grabbed her arm

"No! You are being the child! I have done everything for you! EVRYTHING! Now look at you! You are going off with Jerkules, and I am worried sick about you! I like you so much Xena." She touched his face gently

"I love you. But I must go. Goodbye Ares."

She ran out, just as she did years ago when he told her not to leave to the ocean. Hopefully, he wouldn't be right this time

"I think I want to sleep now. Gabrielle I am so tired..."

"All right, Xena. Thank you for telling me."

"No problem." They both laid down for the night

A while later Xena heard her name being called

"XENA!" She got up

"What, Ares? I'm tired. Go away."

"I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

He took her into the wooded area to speak

"What you said to Gabrielle...."

"YOU LISTENED?"

"SORRY! I couldn't help it!"

"Why?" Her voice cracked. "Why did you just let me be hurt? Why?"

"I wish I could take it back but you don't understand."

"Explain it to me then!"

"What's going on with Xena...." Ares sat on his throne. Suddenly Zeus came in

"ARES! We need to talk."

"I'm busy dad."

"I know! You're always busy. That is why I am stopping you!"

"What are ya gonna do? Huh? Xena ran into some Romans I think she's in trouble."

Suddenly he heard a cry from outside. Xena....she cried out in pain...as if something had happened

"I have to go down there!"

"No! This has to stop! I am sick of you neglecting duties and not comming to meetings because of her. She has just been crucified."

"What?"

"Caesar, betrayed her..as she BETRAYED YOU!"

"Only because youdon't likle me going out into Poseidon's territory!"

"It's over with! You will stay here until i feel youare ready to come out! Harpies!"

Twenty Harpies came out of nowhere. They surounded the castle. Each looking deadly

"You leave, they'll get you. And then you'll answer to me! No god-like powers, nothing!!!" Zeus disappeared

"NOOOOOOO!"

He sat on his throne and sulked as a few Harpies watched him

After a while, at night he heard her

"ARES!" He moanned in pain of hearing her suffer

"AAAAAAREEEEESSSSS!!!" He yelled out loud. "ARES! Please save me! Please!" He secretly used some power to tell her he couldn't. The Harpies looking at him suspicially

"Ares, Please save me! Please! ARES!"

In her mind she heard a voice

"I'm sorry Xena."

"ARes? Ares where are you?" Her voice fullof hope

"I'm not there, I wish I was. I'm sorry I can't help."

"NO! Don't leave me! Pleaaaseeeeeee!"

"I have to." He hung his head in defeat and banged his fist on the table

"OH! Oh, Ares I am so sorry I doubted you!" She hugged him and sobbed

"I'm sorry I never told you in the first place."

"Well, now I know..."

"I love you so much. What do you want to do now?"

"Sleep."

The End