~ Episode 1 - The Paths Taken ~
by Jennifer Lawson
jenniegl@comcast.net

Disclaimer: Hercules the Legendary Journeys and its characters belongs to MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. There is no profit to be made from the "Kirra's Journey" series, just lots of fun for writer and readers. However, the character of Kirra and any other original characters in this series belong solely to me, Jennifer Lawson. If you like this story and would be interested in adding to the "Kirra's Journey" series, please email me and let me know. I do have future episodes completely planned that take Kirra through out the entire series. So, any ideas for additions will be subject to author's approval.

Content: Language is minimal. A WARNING TO SENSITIVE READERS: This story deals with the serious issues of verbal, physical and sexual domestic abuse. If you find this subject matter disturbing, I ask that you please not read this story. Future episodes of "Kirra's Journey" may not lean so heavily upon this subject, but to set the basis for Kirra's character it has become the main theme of Episode I: The Paths Taken. Depending on the subject matter of each episode, further disclaimers may be added to them.

Spoiler Warning: Takes place sometime between "The Centaur Mentor Journey" and "Cave Of Echoes." There are no issues from either of these episodes dealt with, so it should not interfere in your reading.

Acknowledgments: Thanks go to my sister Sam for her editing work. And thanks should also go to the creators of Hercules the Legendary Journeys for creating such great characters. Guys such as Hercules, Iolaus and Salmoneus should never be left only to their creators, though, when so many fans who love them can give them new life through the gift of story telling.

The events that take place during the course of these stories happened many, many years ago. I wasn't even a twinkle in my mother's eyes at the time. However, my retelling of the events are pretty accurate, I think. They would have to be. They were told first hand to me by the very woman who had experienced them. She began to tell me her stories over the course of several years as I grew into womanhood. Her experiences not only shaped her life, but I think in the end that they have shaped my own, as well. Through her stories, my image of her was of a vibrant young woman, easy with a smile and a warm greeting, because she was always that way with me. And I would guess from a man's point of view, she was pretty easy on the eyes, too. Even until her last days on this earth, her husband certainly adored her.

Whatever the reason she chose to convey her story to me, I listened with great eagerness. I drank in every word and did my best to put those words to parchment. Sometimes I wrote so much I drained all the ink from my quill.

Now that she is gone I feel that her story should be told. Not because she was a great warrior, hero or poet, or even prophetess, despite the influences that guided her life...but because of who she was to me. She was my friend, someone I am going to sorely miss having in my life. And maybe through the retelling of this story, I can bring myself closer to her in a way I never thought possible before. So, from one bard to another, or just to the avid reader, I hope you will take some time out of your busy day to share her life with me.





This day started out like any other day for Kirra. With an early rise to spend the morning with her mother, Meriba, doing chores-tending to the garden, cleaning house and the like. However, today was very different. For the first time in what seemed like a lifetime despite her seventeen years, Kirra had plans for the afternoon?plans her mother knew absolutely nothing about. Not that her mother would have ordinarily disapproved of what she was going to do. The problem was her stepfather.

Kirra and Meriba were as close as a mother and daughter could be. But her stepfather, Hiram...well, there was no love lost between he and his step-daughter. In the years that he and her mother had been married, he was slowly, but surely drawing a wedge between them. Before Meriba had met Hiram, things had been perfect for Kirra and her mother. As long as you didn't count the fact that they were nearly out of money and about to be thrown on the street. But, that didn't matter to them. They had had each other. That's what had been important to Kirra. Although things were rough for them day by day, they still had each other.

Even though she had only been twelve years old, Kirra knew Hiram had set his sites on her mother. Long before Meriba could see it, Kirra had watched his eyes and saw the expression on his face whenever he looked at her. Even at a young age, she had understood how difficult things were for them after her father died. Her mother did what she could to get by. Unfortunately, her best did not always put food on the table. So, when Hiram came calling, professing his love for Meriba, Kirra knew it wouldn't be long before he and her mother were married.

Being the headstrong girl that she was, who had demanded her say since she was little, Kirra protested the marriage. She reminded her mother how they had gotten by just fine for years without anyone else. Her mother had quieted her though, claiming she loved Hiram. But, Kirra had refused to believe that. And now six years later, she still refused to believe it. Hiram may be a professional blacksmith, and maybe he made the dinars they needed to survive, but he was a disgusting slob that Kirra could not believe her mother shared the same bed with. He was overbearing. He lorded over Kirra and her mother with a heavy fist. Even worse, Hiram also had a tendency to drink too much, and when he did, his heavy fist would become a reality.

Yet, Kirra's hatred for Hiram was subdued only by her fear of him. She had gone rounds with his fist because of her headstrong ways often enough to know when not to anger him. Especially when he was drinking. She thanked the gods that he was not here today. If he knew where she was going, he'd probably strangle her.

Standing in front of her mother's warped mirror to inspect herself, Kirra smiled. She didn't care what Hiram told her, she didn't look like a she-demon. In fact, she was sort of pretty, even if she did say so herself. Most people told her that she was the spitting image of her father, Nemuel. She didn't know what he looked like, since her only memory of her father was a vague one. She didn't recall his face exactly, just that he used to spin her around in the air. Sometimes she could close her eyes and remember in vivid detail that exhilarating feeling of flying through the air. Kirra wished she had been allowed more time to get to know him.

Sadly, Kirra had been only five years old when her father died. She may not be able to recall what Nemuel looked like, but she could stare into the mirror and see that she looked nothing like her mother. Meriba was a bit on the plump side with dark, wavy black hair. Though her mother was beginning to show not only her age, but her life with Hiram, she still had fair, soft skin. That was the one thing she did pick up from her mother, Kirra guessed. What her father had given her was his thick blonde mane with a mix of bushy, unruly curls. She often had to keep them in toe by braiding her thick hair back away from her face, leaving only a mass of curly bangs to hang over her forehead.

Kirra smiled again at the picture she presented in the mirror. She was wearing her favorite dress. The soft blue one with the red and yellow bodice that her mother had bought her last season during the winter solstice. A dress she purchased with money she had to keep hidden from Hiram lest he take it from her.

How I hate him for taking away the life we once had, Kirra often thought.

Now that all her chores were done and she was ready, she only needed one more thing. Tiptoeing out of her mother's room, she quietly slipped into her own and grabbed the old worn scrolls out from under her bed. Sneaking a look out of her bedroom door, Kirra looked around cautiously for her mother. With her mother nowhere in sight and the backdoor beckoning, she hurriedly sidled toward it.

"Kirra," came a voice from behind her, causing her to skid to a stop.

Holding back a curse, Kirra turned to face her mother, who looked at her suspiciously, arms akimbo. "Yes, mother," she said as innocently as she could.

"Where are you going?"

Fiddling with the scroll in her hand, she said, "I just wanted to take a quick run to town?" "I know what you're up to, Kirra," Meriba said with a sigh. "Why must you try to hide everything from me?"

The innocence slipped away and Kirra stared at her mother seriously. "The less you know, the less Hiram knows. Besides, we're finished with the chores."

"Yes, we are. But, you know that Hiram specifically forbid you to go into town today."

"Only because he knows why I want to go and he's trying to be cruel."

"Kirra, I just don't understand what is so important about this Hercules anyway," Meriba cried. Meriba loved her daughter and trusted her to make the right decisions in her life, but she did not understand her daughter's fascination with the demi-god. "He's no different from any other man," she told her daughter. "I have come to learn that all men are the same. You'll learn that soon enough yourself, I'm sure."

Kirra shook her head at her mother. If she meant that she would end up marrying someone like Hiram just to save herself from living on the streets, her mother would have to think again. "Not Hercules, mother. He is different. He has made a difference in so many people's lives. He's helped so many people. How could you say he's like all other men, when you know nothing about him?" She held out her scrolls to her mother. "You should let me sing to you the songs I've written about him. These songs are about his life and what he's done for people. It might change your mind."

Meriba stared down at her daughter's scrolls in concern. Never before had she ever felt the need to question Kirra's motives. Her child was very smart and not just book smart, which Meriba had made sure of. Kirra was intelligent. She was a quick learner and willing to learn, knowing more often than even her own mother did what was right or wrong. That was why she didn't understand Kirra's need to scribble down every little thing she could about this man Hercules. Every little detail she ever learned, even if she knew it was untrue, keeping a detailed account of his life, just so she could have material whenever a song came to her. Kirra's love of singing and the wonderful gift of song and lyric writing the gods had bestowed on her was beautiful, but Meriba hated to see it wasted this way.

Listening now to her daughter's words, she wondered if she believed Hercules would one-day come to help them as well. Shaking her head sadly, Meriba walked over to Kirra. Softly grasping her shoulders, she said to her, "Kirra, I'm sure he is the best of men. I don't doubt that he is, but you can't expect him to come here and solve our problems for us."

"I don't expect him to solve our problems, mother," Kirra responded angrily. Taking a deep breath, she calmed some, because she knew deep down inside that was what she imagined. "I just want to meet him. That's all. Besides, how many more times will Hercules visit Endor? Never again! I have to go! I only have this one chance-a chance of a lifetime and I'm not going to miss out on it simply because Hiram says 'no'!"

"Kirra, if he were to find out?" her mother began nervously.

"He won't, I promise," she pleaded with Meriba, her expressive eyes searching her mother's eyes.

Meriba was easily won over whenever her daughter begged her. Knowing the risk her daughter was taking, she felt forced to take the risk with her. Although she allowed Hiram to practically keep her a prisoner in her own home, she couldn't allow him to rule over Kirra the same way. She wanted Kirra to have a life, to feel free to make her own choices and not have them decided for her. She wasn't sure if this was a wise course, but she would have to trust her daughter's instincts. "Just be careful and come home early."

Kirra's worried expression turned into a beautiful smile of joy. "I promise I will, mother. He won't even know I left." With a girlish giggle, she turned to hurry out the door. Then, she hesitated, turned back and wrapped her arms around her mother's neck. "Thank you."

With a smile, Meriba said, "You're welcome, dear." She kissed the top of Kirra's head as tears came to her eyes. She was so much like her father. "Hurry back."

"I will," Kirra said as she rushed out the door.





With a beating heart, Kirra hurried into town, her scroll of songs pressed tightly against her chest, as if she were afraid to lose it. She was, but in actuality, it was an attempt to keep her shaky hands in check. She didn't want anyone to know how nervous she was. Nevertheless, it was hard to keep the excitement off her face as she entered the small village of Endor, passing directly under a huge banner that read: "Welcome Hercules!"

All around her was a flurry of activity. There were many people in town today setting up shops, decorating and creating a feast for the known world's most famous hero. Kirra had been worried she would be late, missing his first appearance, but apparently he hadn't even shown up yet. 'Thank the gods,' she thought to herself. Parched from nervousness, she went to the first stand she could find that was selling lemonade.

As she approached, she noticed her old school teacher handing out the cool drinks and Kirra went immediately to her. "Hello, Miss Lalia."

Lalia smiled brightly and said, "Hello, Kirra! How are you today? Come to see Hercules?"

"Yes," she responded, a blush rising to her cheeks. "I'm so excited!"

"We all are. This will be a momentous occasion we'll want to mark down in Endor's scrolls of history."

Her expression hopeful, she asked, "Has he come yet?"

"No, not yet. But, we expect him soon. Here?have some lemonade. You look like you could use it."

"Thanks. How much?" Kirra asked, digging into the pockets of her frock for the five dinars she'd saved up.

"Don't worry about it, Kirra. Today all the food and drink is free to celebrate the arrival of Hercules."

With another note of thanks, Kirra accepted the drink gratefully, continuing on her way so that the next person could be served. Wondering around town, careful not to get anywhere near the blacksmith's shop, Kirra noticed a gray-bearded, heavy set man who seemed to be the one organizing everyone's efforts to get the village ready for Hercules' arrival. He wore a long-skirted garment with pretty, gold tassels at the hem that rustled around his ankles as he walked. And she noticed the expensive rings on several of his fingers. Obviously, he must be somebody pretty important, for she had never seen him here in Endor before. She could hear him shouting to a man on the roof of one of the buildings who was arranging some flower decorations off the side.

"No, not like that! That's upside down! That looks ridiculous!"

She watched the man on the roof rearrange the decoration and look to the bearded man to make sure he was arranging it correctly. "There...that's much better!" the bearded man said. Kirra wondered if this man might have a little inside information as to when Hercules would be showing up. Well, there was only one way to find out.

Making her way up behind him, Kirra raised her hand to tap him on the shoulder. "Excu-" To her surprise, the man suddenly turned and walked right into her, not having realized that she was behind him.

"Whoa!" the man cried, taking in the look of surprise on this young girl's face. Surprise?! he thought. She's got the nerve to be surprised?! She scared the mess outta me! He quickly grabbed hold of her by the arms to keep her from falling and in the process knocked something out of her hands.

"I'm sorry!" Kirra exclaimed, worried that she had offended this man of such an obviously high station. "I am so sorry, sir! It was an accident!" So profuse was she in her apologies that she didn't even notice when her scroll fell to the ground.

"It's all right. My fault. I should have been watching where I was going," the man said with a smile. Kirra sighed with relief, thankful that he wasn't angry with her. "I believe you dropped something. Here, let me get it for you."

"My scroll!" Kirra cried, accepting the scroll from the bearded man with a smile. "Oh, thank you, sir. If I had ever lost this, I don't know what I'd do."

The bearded man chuckled and said, "You know, I know someone just like you who has a thing for scrolls, too."

"Really? Probably nothing like my scrolls."

"What is it, a diary?"

"Well?no...Not really?" Nervously, Kirra stared down at the ground and stubbed her toe into the dirt. She could feel the blush coursing its way up her face. "Actually?it's sort of?" She paused as she searched for confidence to say it. "?they're songs?of the life of? Hercules."

With a knowing glance, the man nodded his head and smiled, "Oh, Hercules, huh? Big fan?"

"Yeah," she said with an embarrassed smile, her eyes downshifting to the ground. "I've wanted to meet him all my life and now I'm finally getting the chance. It's so exciting!"

"You know," he said, making a show of prancing about like a very important person. "I just happen to be a close, personal friend of the big guy."

Kirra snorted with laughter at his pompous act, her embarrassment gone. "Yeah, right!"

"It's true!" the bearded man cried as if he were actually wounded by her remark. He crossed his first and middle fingers together and said, "We're like this."

"I'm sorry," she laughed. "I just don't believe you. Besides, if you were, you'd be in my scroll here. What's your name anyway?" Kirra asked curiously.

"What's yours?" he said, mirroring her curiosity.

"Kirra."

"Well, Kirra, I am Salmoneus. Friend and sometimes sidekick to Hercules."

Trying hard to hold back another gale of laughter, Kirra blurted, "I've never heard of you, Salmoneus."

"Never heard of me?!" Salmoneus said, this time looking more hurt than wounded. "How could you never have heard of me?!"

"I don't know," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "In all the stories I've heard about Hercules, nobody has ever mentioned a Salmoneus."

"Well, in all these stories you've heard, you ever heard about the time Hercules fought the Cyclops of Treachus?"

"Yes, it's one of my favorites. I've actually written a song about it."

"Well, there you are! I was there! In fact, it was the first time I met Hercules. I have to be somewhere in one of your little diddies."

Kirra shook her head without remorse. "Sorry. Still never heard of you."

Salmoneus searched his memory for another popular Hercules story. "Okay, okay. Um?how about when Hercules defeated the evil Darfus?"

Kirra smiled and shook her head. She could tell he was desperate to be recognized, but he could at least try to get the stories right. "You mean when Hercules and the Warrior Princess defeated the evil Darfus?"

"Well, of course, that's what I meant!" he said, exasperated.

"That's not what you said."

Perplexed at this strange young girl, Salmoneus' brow furrowed. "I'm sorry if I don't remember the details correctly. I was about to become the lunch of a huge monster dog at the time."

"What was the dog's name?" she asked suspiciously.

Salmoneus looked around as if searching the ground for the answer. "Uh?Greagus."

"Did I hear a moment of hesitation?" Kirra accused, pointing a finger at him.

"It was fear?pure and simple," Salmoneus said, annoyed. Placing a hand over his heart, the look of an unforgotten fear washed over his face. "Just the mention of that name brings fear into my heart."

"Sorry, Salmoneus." Kirra was surprised at the man. She had taken him for a very important, a very dignified man, and here he was begging to be recognized as a sidekick of Hercules. Hercules already had a sidekick and it wasn't this man. "You're going to have to give me a little more to go on than just that. Everybody knows these stories, you know. You're not the only one."

Salmoneus nodded in understanding, but inside he was scheming. Before the day was out, this girl was going to believe him one way or another. And with Hercules coming, he was sure to beat her at her own game. "Don't worry. When Hercules gets here, you're going to see I'm telling the truth."

Smiling, Kirra was doing a little scheming of her own. "Well, if you are the good friend you say you are, I expect you to introduce me to him."

Placing a friendly hand on Kirra's shoulder, Salmoneus began to walk her towards the center of the small village. "Gladly, my dear. Gladly."

Pointing her finger at him again, Kirra said sternly, "And he better know your name."

"I can only assure you he will."



Nearly an hour later, there was still no sign of Hercules. The streets of Endor were beginning to crowd with onlookers and the curious alike. Though Kirra was starting to feel worried that Hercules might not show, she was thankful Hiram hadn't shown his face around.

She and her newfound friend, Salmoneus, were seated at a long table that was to be used for the evening's festivities. Though she had yet to believe his story, she liked the man. He was kind, had a good sense of humor and a laugh that she found so funny, it would send her into gales of her own laughter. She always believed that the way a person laughed was a key to the center of their personality. If a person could laugh, and laugh well, they had a good soul. The more infectious the laughter, the better.

Slapping both hands on the tabletop, Salmoneus got Kirra's complete attention and looked straight into her eyes. "So, what do you say? Do you want to wager?"

Uncertain, Kirra said, "I don't know."

"Oh, come on," Salmoneus rebounded excitedly. "It's a fair bet! If you can prove that I'm lying about the big guy?"

"I never said you were lying, Salmoneus, just misguided."

"Ahhh, I see. Well, if you can prove I'm misguided about the big guy, you win. If I can prove to you that I'm telling the truth, I win!"

"Okay, deal. What's the wager?"

"Ten dinars."

"Ten dinars?! I only have five. That would break me."

"Are you afraid you're not going to win?" Salmoneus asked with a sly grin.

Kirra caught his drift and she wasn't about to back down for even a second. "Okay, fine. Ten dinars it is, although I can't promise I'm going to be able to come up with the other five."

"Well, you better, because you are about to lose." That sly grin returned to Salmoneus' face.

Kirra couldn't help but return with a smile of her own. "We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?" she challenged. She could tell by the look in his eyes that Salmoneus had just come up with some witty retort. She looked forward to his reply with a smile, but his eyes suddenly caught hold of something else. Squinting, he stared over Kirra's shoulder, his eyes fixing on something in the distance.

"What is it?" she asked curiously, looking back over her shoulder to see what had caught Salmoneus' attention.

With a devious smile, Salmoneus said, "It looks as if we won't have to wait very long."

In the distance, she could see a man coming up the road towards the village of Endor. Though he was still far enough away that she couldn't yet make out any features, his very being made a large impact on her. Immediately, she rose from her seat at the table and turned to watch the man coming up the road. Never turning her eyes away from the sight before her, she spoke to Salmoneus almost in a whisper. "Is it??"

"Hercules, yeah. You might want to start looking for that extra five dinars."

"Okay," she responded unthinkingly. All she'd heard was "Hercules", the rest drowned out of her ears. She didn't know what it was, but all of a sudden, she couldn't even blink. She was completely riveted to the image of this man. Maybe it was the way he walked with such confidence, every step sure and able. He seemed a man capable of such greatness and courage. As he came closer, in her eyes the image of him becoming clearer, more defined, she began to wonder if perhaps it was the way the setting sun glinted off his chestnut hair or the way it radiated off of his bronzed, well-muscled arms. When he finally passed underneath the "Welcome, Hercules" banner, a smile crossed his face that made her heart race as the townsfolk went to greet him.

"That's Hercules?" she asked Salmoneus when she was able to find her voice.

"The one and only."

Kirra watched as the village's leader, Tiras, went and shook hands with the man she now knew as Hercules. She watched as he smiled and laughed with Tiras, shaking his hand firmly. On her soul, she did not believe that any man could look the way he did. The men in her village no longer even ranked as men in her eyes. Most of them were fat and slow or ugly and balding, badly needing a good shave and an even better bath. Hiram was like that. All her life, though, that kind of man was all she knew existed. She knew Hercules was a courageous hero, with the strength of the gods and the heart of a human, but never in her wildest imaginings did she ever see him as she was seeing him now. Her heart was beating in her chest so fast and so wildly, that she felt it would burst. What would she say to a man like that?

"Hercules!" she heard Salmoneus call from behind. She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice. She wanted to turn to Salmoneus and tell him to shut up, but it was too late. She watched Hercules look up at the sound of his name and look around until his eyes settled upon them. She wasn't sure, but she thought she saw him mouth the words: "Oh, no." The functioning part of her brain thought: 'Please tell me he's responding to the sight of Salmoneus and not to the sight of me.'

Then, before she knew it, Salmoneus had grabbed her arm and was pulling her in Hercules' direction. She wanted to stop, fearful now of actually meeting him. But, her legs were lifeless to her. They simply followed Salmoneus along wherever he led them?and he was leading them straight to Hercules.

The look of concern she had seen on Hercules' face easily shifted to a smile of greeting. She heard him say, as if from some great distance, "Hello, Salmoneus. How did I know I was going to run into you here?"

"Hey, who do you think set you up with this gig? You should do this more often. You should go on a Hercules Known-World Tour, visiting villages, dignitaries... Do you have any idea how much money we could make?"

Hercules smiled and shook his head. "Salmoneus, always looking for a dinar."

"Yeah," he said, Hercules' joke going straight over his head. Kirra would have laughed if she could move a limb. "They're getting harder to find these days."

When Hercules' eyes finally rested upon her, Kirra could have sworn she felt her heart stop beating. He smiled graciously at her, a kind smile, a smile of friendship. She wanted so much to return the smile, but she couldn't move. Gods, how stupid she must look! Standing in front of this god among men and she couldn't even return his smile. She felt as if she would faint.

Hercules turned to Salmoneus, curious as to whom the young girl was. "Who's your friend?" He smiled at her again, but still there was no response on her part.

"Hercules, this is Kirra. Kirra, this is Hercules." He swatted Kirra's arm playfully and triumphantly said, "Told you I knew him."

Hercules stared down at the girl who seemed to have turned to stone. "Is she okay?" he asked Salmoneus with concern.

Catching Hercules' look, Salmoneus turned to Kirra, concern on his own face. "Kirra, you okay?" He shook her lightly, confused at this sudden change in her personality. That seemed to jar her, for she snapped her eyes open as if from some trance-like state.

'Okay, okay, don't freak out!' she told herself. 'He's only a person, just like you. He's no different, except for the fact that he's only the most gorgeous thing that ever walked the earth.' "Yeah, yeah," she said to both of them, nodding her head. 'Just pretend you're having a hot flash and everything will be okay.' Kirra waved a hand in her face, trying to fan away the blush that burned her cheeks. "I'm okay. I think the sun's getting to me."

Hercules was no fool, though. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen this kind of thing before. It didn't matter what village he went to; he always saw the same thing. That same adoring stare, the bashful glance or two; he was used to it. At least he wasn't dealing with one of those blatant, overly sexual glares he most often got. He was thankful this girl was more like the first two than the later. "Here," he said, taking her arm and leading her towards the table. "Why don't you have a seat? You'll feel better."

"Oh, thank you," Kirra said, happy she had her voice back. "Me and the sun just don't agree with each other."

'At least she's modest about it,' Hercules thought.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Salmoneus asked, taking a seat at the table across from her.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she said, forcing a smile to her lips. "Don't worry. You'll get your ten dinars." Kirra dug in her pocket for the five on her.

"Thaaat's riiiight," Salmoneus said as the memory of their bet came back to him. 'How could I have forgotten?' he thought. Greedily, he cupped his hand to accept the money coming to him. "Pay up."

Curious, Hercules asked, "Ten dinars? What's all this about?"

"Kirra and I had a bet going," Salmoneus told Hercules. "She didn't believe that you and I are the best of friends. Whoever was able to prove the other wrong won ten dinars. So, I'm just waiting for my money."

With a reprimanding look on his face, Hercules shook his head at Salmoneus. "Salmoneus, only you would stoop so low."

"What?!" Salmoneus exclaimed. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't worry about it," Kirra said with a wave of her hand. "It was a fair bet."

Hercules looked down at the coins in her hand. "Yeah, but you only have five dinars. Don't let him swindle you out of the only money you have."

"Thanks a lot, Hercules," Salmoneus said, insulted. "So, now I'm a swindler, huh? I'm telling you, the bet was fair and square!"

"Did you ever stop to think that she might have been saving up this money for something special?"

Kirra looked at Hercules in surprise. How did he know she'd been saving up her money? Boy, he was good. "You're right. I have been saving up my money. Every new moon, my stepfather Hiram gives me a dinar for the work I do around the house and in the garden."

"Generous, ain't he?" Salmoneus said sarcastically.

Ignoring his comment, Hercules pulled up a chair, sat at the edge of the table and turned his attention to Kirra. "You don't really want to just give your money over to Salmoneus, do you? I mean, sure he's a nice guy, but come on," Hercules added with a lopsided grin that made Kirra laugh.

"Hercules, please," Salmoneus pleaded. "I need the extra dough, you know what I mean?"

She could tell by the look in Hercules' eyes that he wanted her to play along with his little game, so she did. "There is this very pretty dress I wanted to buy for my mother ever since she got me this blue one that I'm wearing. She paid for it out of her own hard earned dinars. I've been saving and saving just to get that dress for her, Salmoneus."

Smirking, Salmoneus said, "Good sap story. Now, pay up. Come on."

With a sad expression worthy of any good actress, Kirra reached her hand across the table to give Salmoneus the money. The smile on Salmoneus' face grew wider the closer the money got to his fingers. When his teeth where just about to show behind that greedy smile, Hercules' hand reached out and grabbed Kirra's. Not expecting it, she gave out a small gasp.

Trying to ignore her reaction, Hercules turned to Salmoneus. "You know, I don't really think this bet is fair."

"What?" Salmoneus asked, the smile now gone. "How do you mean?"

"Well, you said whoever could prove that the two of us are the best of friends, wins. You haven't proven anything?as far as I'm concerned."

The touch of Hercules' hand on hers was enough to drive the current conversation out of her mind. At least for a couple of seconds. She watched with her eyes riveted to his hand, as he returned her hand to her side, keeping the dinars from Salmoneus' grasp. Forcing herself back into the conversation, she cleared her throat and said, "T-t-that's right. The only thing I've seen is that you know him and he knows you."

"She's right," Hercules continued, adding to their little game of words. "I've seen no proof of this 'best of friends' thing, beyond the fact that we are mere acquaintances."

Looking at Hercules curiously, Salmoneus pressed him palm against the big man's forehead. "Are you sure the sun hasn't gotten to you too? What are you talking about? Hercules, have you forgotten about the time I helped you with the Cyclops? How about that time you went blind and I had to watch your back?"

With a serious, but concerned look on his face, Hercules asked, "Are you sure you're not confusing me with someone else?"

Now, Salmoneus was seriously worried. "Confusing you?! Hercules!"

Her eyes on Hercules, Kirra could see the joke was getting a little out of hand, because she could see the laughter straining at the corners of his mouth. He wanted to laugh, but was holding it back as hard as he could. Kirra didn't have his strength though. She snorted with laughter; and when she did, Hercules began to laugh.

That's when Salmoneus finally caught on. With a shake of his head, and feeling a bit of the fool, he said, "Oh, very funny, you two. I sure hope you're enjoying your little joke."

"Absolutely," Hercules replied with a chuckle.

"Immensely," came Kirra's quick reply less than a second after Hercules.

"Well, I'm glad." There was a hint of annoyance in Salmoneus' eyes that worried Kirra. Had they made him angry? she wondered. "It's nice to know that I can be so easily fooled enough to give the two of you a big smile and a hearty laugh. So, don't worry about it, Kirra, you can keep your five dinars. Go buy your mother the dress she's always wanted." With that, Salmoneus got up from the table and walked into the crowd.

Kirra watched after him anxiously, her mouth hung open in surprise. "Oh no. Is he angry?" she asked Hercules, her brow furrowed with worry.

Hercules waved her worry away with a swipe of his hand. "Aw, don't worry about Salmoneus. You haven't lost a friend and neither have I. He'll get over it."

"I hope so," Kirra said uncertainly.

"I can promise you that if Salmoneus set this 'gig' up, as he said, he already has in mind some way to make his dinars for the day. By this evening, he'll probably be giving you ten dinars." Hercules, seeing the worry that still shown in Kirra's eyes, gave her a comforting smile.

Kirra smiled shyly in return, her eyes downshifting to her hands resting on the tabletop. "Seems I have lost the bet. You two really are the best of friends."

Laughing, Hercules replied, "Well, I don't know about 'the best of', but we are friends, yes."

"That's right," she exclaimed in sudden realization. With all the crazy things happening in her life?at least over the last few minutes?she had completely forgotten all about the things she'd written down in her scrolls about Hercules' life. "You already have a best friend, don't you?"

Hercules nodded, though wasn't terribly surprised at the young girl's knowledge about himself or his friends. Most people knew he had a best friend; a friend he'd had since childhood. The only problem was most people didn't know his name. A fact that irked his friend at times. "That I do," Hercules responded. "The best friend a man could have."

"Isn't his name Iolaus?"

"Yes, it is," Hercules said, surprised. "I'm surprised you know his name. Most people don't." Hercules nearly laughed at a memory of Iolaus' crushed expression when someone had claimed not to know who he was. But he really did feel for Iolaus at times since he was the one having to live in Hercules' shadow. One thing he always regretted was not being able to understand what it must be like for Iolaus. His friend fought right along side him, putting himself in the same amount of danger that Hercules did. Iolaus didn't have that half-god status to protect him; he was mortal. In Hercules' mind, that made him the braver one; and yet, people still ignored him. No, Hercules could never truly understand. He'd never had to live in anyone's shadow?unless you considered Zeus, and Hercules didn't.

Kirra downshifted her eyes again, feeling a blush rising on her cheeks, as she tried to find the right words to explain how she knew Iolaus' name. "Well?uh? Hercules?this is probably going to sound pretty stupid, but?you're sort of like a hero of mine and?"

"Having someone you can look up to is never stupid."

She shrugged her shoulders self-consciously and said, "I guess not." Hoping to change the track of the subject, Kirra quickly asked, "So, how come your friend, Iolaus, didn't come with you?"

It was time for Hercules to shrug his shoulders. He often times hated having to explain Iolaus' absence from his side. "Well, Iolaus doesn't much like these kinds of?" Hercules paused, searching for the most tactful word. "?things."

"You mean festivals?"

"No, no," Hercules laughed, shaking his head. "If there's one thing Iolaus loves, its festivals." When he saw Kirra's confused expression, he continued. "I mean he doesn't like festivals?in my honor."

"What man wouldn't want to be at the celebration of one of his best friends?"

Hercules heaved an uncomfortable sigh. "Iolaus is, far and away, the best man I know. He just?" Hercules sighed again, but gave Kirra a soft smile. "He has fought by my side for as long as I can remember. He's the constant in my life, the one person I know I can turn to?"

Kirra watched Hercules expression change. He had been laughing, happy?and now?there was such soft compassion in his voice. His love for his friend was obvious. She couldn't believe that he was opening up to her?nearly a stranger in his eyes. Though she welcomed it, she was surprised that he let his feelings show so easily. Kirra had heard that, although he risked life and limb for the sake of others, Hercules was a very private person.

As if responding to her thoughts, Hercules cleared his throat and shook his head, casting off those emotions and tucking them safely away for another time. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, Iolaus doesn't get the recognition he deserves and it tends to get under his skin."

"Well, who can blame him?" Kirra, feeling braver than she had since she first met him, returned Hercules' comforting smile and placed a careful hand on his. "You shouldn't feel bad. I'm sure he doesn't mean to hurt you in any way."

"I know he doesn't."

There was a small moment when Kirra thought she would lose herself in Hercules' eyes as they stared at each other. Then, the moment was broken by?

"Excuse me, sir," said Tiras, Endor's village leader.

Hercules rose from his seat and faced Tiras with a smile. "Please, Tiras, 'Hercules' will do just fine."

"Of course, Hercules. Please forgive me."

With a friendly pat on the back, Hercules said, "You're forgiven. How can I help you, Tiras?"

Tiras nervously wrung his hands together as he spoke to the half-god. "Well, Hercules, the festivities are just beginning. Please, will you get things off to a start by speaking to the people of Endor?"

Looking a bit nervous himself at the idea, Hercules responded, "Uh?I'd be glad to. Lead the way, Tiras."

Tiras' smile widened until Kirra thought his face would crack. Fortunately, it didn't. "Thank you, Hercules. Right this way."

Hercules turned to follow Tiras, and Kirra stood to be able to peer over people's heads to see and hear Hercules' speech. But, he suddenly stopped and turned back to Kirra. Hercules returned to her side, took one of her hands and warmly said, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Kirra. Be safe."

Kirra could feel her heart racing behind her breast, and once again that hated blush began to rise. "Thanks, Hercules. It's a pleasure getting the chance to meet you too." Then, as the sun began to set behind the hills, Hercules turned away from her. She was sad to see him go, because she knew she wasn't going to get another chance to talk with him. After his speech, he was going to be surrounded by people and she would never get a word in edgewise. 'Oh well, I guess I can thank the gods I even got the chance to meet him," she thought. It was a strange twist of fate that she accidentally bumped into a man who actually knew him. Perhaps the gods were involved. Kirra smiled happily, shrugging off her sadness, as she listened to Tiras introduce Hercules to the people of Endor. She watched him standing in front of a bank of torches as he waved at everyone and said hello.

What she didn't see was the angry face of her stepfather at the edge of the crowd, with eyes squarely locked on her.





As she figured he would be, Hercules was surrounded by people for the remainder of the evening. But, she stayed on a little while longer just in case. She never knew if there would be a lull in his activities where she could get that chance just once more to talk with him. She waited at the edge of the crowd for that moment, but it never came.

Now that the sun was down, she knew she'd better get home anyway. Her mother was probably furious with her by now for having been gone so long. The good thing was, with all this activity, Hiram would probably be busy in his shop till late in the night. There were a lot of travelers here this evening to see Hercules and she was sure many of them would be leaving by morning. She'd heard from several of the villagers that Hercules would not be staying the night at Endor, since he had plans to be at a neighboring village the next evening. The travelers would most likely leave by morning since Hercules would no longer be there. That would keep Hiram busy dealing with horseshoes and wagons.

Turning to leave with a slight frown on her face, Kirra turned back when she heard someone calling her name. With a bit of trepidation, fearing that Hiram would suddenly show up out of nowhere, Kirra turned back only to notice Salmoneus trotting her way, smiling brightly.

"Kirra, I'm glad I caught up with you before you left."

"Salmoneus, it's good to see you again. I thought you would hate me forever after this afternoon."

Salmoneus waved away her concern just as Hercules had. "Forget about it. I was the one acting like a jerk. Can you forgive me?"

Kirra smiled and said, "Of course I can. The question is can you forgive me?"

He gave her another one of his sly grins and took her hand. "I hope this answers your question." There was a clinking of metal as she felt something cold and metallic fall into her open palm. Kirra looked down into her hand to see ten dinars resting nicely there.

"Salmoneus!" she began to protest, but Salmoneus held up a hand.

"No, no, think of this as my way of apologizing for my behavior this afternoon. It's yours!" he exclaimed jovially. "Besides, you deserve more than one dinar every new moon."

"I think I'll be the one to judge how much she deserves," came a harsh voice from behind Kirra.

Kirra turned suddenly, a look of fear in her eyes that Salmoneus quickly registered. However, Salmoneus couldn't quite understand the reason behind her fear. Standing before them was a dirty, fat and balding man. He couldn't have been any taller than Salmoneus, and at first sight, he thought that even he could take this guy. That's when he realized that it wasn't just his looks that frightened Kirra. It was the look in his eyes. There was a drunken rage in those eyes that, once he finally noticed it, caused even Salmoneus to cringe in fear. Instinctively, he felt the need to cower or hide from that menacing gaze, but he chose instead to be brave.

Hiram took a step forward toward Kirra and said angrily, "Just what in Tartarus do you think you're doing out here?!"

Just then, Salmoneus broadened his shoulders, threw on an air of bravery about him and moved himself in front of Kirra to shield her from this drunken fool. "Excuse me, sir, but is there something I can help you with?"

Hiram walked closer, sticking his face close to Salmoneus'. "You can move yourself outta my way for starters, ya stupid bastard!"

"I'm sorry," Salmoneus said, his voice starting to quiver. "But, I don't think you should be talking like that around the young lady."

"I'll talk to her any way I like, ya blitherin' idiot! She's my daughter!!"

"Your daughter?" Salmoneus asked curiously, wrinkling his nose at the smell of liquor on the man's breath. How could someone as sweet as Kirra have a father like this? Salmoneus wondered.

Pushing her way from behind Salmoneus, Kirra took two determined steps toward Hiram and lashed out at him. "I am not your daughter!! You will never be good enough to be the kind of man my father was! You no better than the scum on the bottom of his shoes!"

Salmoneus watched as the man's face turned red with rage. The fear he was feeling began to increase, not for himself this time, but for Kirra, since the man's rage was directed at her. Kirra, though, didn't back down one inch, although she was scared out of her mind. She too could smell the liquor on his breath. And when he drank, he had the tendency to become dangerous, like the time he left her mother with a broken arm and a concussion that had left her bedridden for days.

Hiram forced himself to calm, not wanting to cause a scene in the middle of town. It wouldn't be good for his reputation. "I may not be your father, but I am your stepfather. As your stepfather, who has legal rights over you, I'm ordering' you home!"

Salmoneus was worried, but cautious. He wasn't sure if he should step in. It was a family matter, after all, and he had no right to tell Kirra's legal guardian how to control his stepdaughter.

But this was the last straw for Kirra. She couldn't take living in fear of him everyday of her life, or in fear that he would hurt her mother just to get back at her. From now on, things were going to be different. And he wasn't going to hurt them anymore. "I wouldn't care if you were Zeus himself!" Kirra pounded her finger into his chest as she screamed at him. "You can't order me around like I'm your personal servant! You don't own me and you don't own my mother! And I absolutely refuse to listen to you ever again!!" Kirra felt Salmoneus lay a calming hand on her shoulder, but she roughly shrugged him off and continued to pound and scream at Hiram. With withering eyes of contempt she said, "You are a worthless, disgusting slob who doesn't even deserve the right to live on this earth!"

Kirra's finger pounded into Hiram's chest one too many times for him and he lost it. Gripping her wrist, he twisted her arm so quickly and painfully that she fell to her knees screaming. But her scream wasn't loud enough to reach the crowds of people. Only Salmoneus witnessed the man's brutality on his own stepdaughter.

"Hey!" Salmoneus cried. He wanted to go to Kirra, who was cradling her wounded arm, and help her, but was afraid of what this man was capable of. So, he settled instead to chastise him with words. "You can't do that!"

Hiram looked at Salmoneus with a deadly glare, causing him to take a few steps back in fear. "The little she-demon deserved it! Now, unless you want a bit of this yourself, you'll move on, wimp! Oh, and by the way," he shouted, reached down, grabbed the dinars from Kirra's hand and stuffed them into his own pocket. "Thanks for your contribution to the family, rich boy! NOW SCAT!!"

Salmoneus quickly did as he was told, feeling like such a coward for leaving Kirra behind. But, she understood. Hiram could make even the bravest of men in the village of Endor cower beneath him. He was a very fearful man, and Salmoneus had been brave to stand up to him.

Hiram looked down on her as if she were the lowest form of life that existed. "Get up, Kirra! We're gonna have a talk with your mother about this."

Her arm pained her immensely and she was fearful that he may have broken it, but she still refused to acknowledge him. She couldn't allow her mother to take the blows for what she had done. "No," she said defiantly, her voice quivering from her anger, pain and fear. "You leave her alone."

"I said get UP!!" Hiram screamed. He reached down and yanked her up onto her feet by her braided ponytail. Kirra bit her tongue to keep from screaming in pain, even as she tasted the blood in her mouth. She refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing the pain and terror he was causing in her, because she knew it scared him when she stood up to him or defied him. It was a challenge to his 'so-called' authority. The moment he knew he had no authority over her, he would no longer be able to control her.

But, for the moment, he was in complete control. Pain was shooting its way up Kirra's arm, and if it wasn't broken, it was definitely sprained. His hold on her hair had not loosened anymore than when he first grabbed it either. "Now, unless you'd like me to pull this mop outta your head, girl, you'll mind me," he whispered into her ear with spiteful malice. He wrenched on her hair, forcing her to follow him into the dark night to their small cottage that lay a mile from the village of Endor.

Kirra was desperate. She knew that if he got her home, not only would she get it, but so would her mother for letting her out of the house. She couldn't let that happen. But, what should she do? Pray to the gods to protect her and her mother? HA! What a waste of time! The last time she'd prayed to the gods for help they'd ended up on the street with no food to eat and no place to sleep. Though she'd told her mother she didn't expect Hercules to save them, she half-hoped that Salmoneus was rushing to his side now.





Salmoneus picked up the mug of ale and swallowed the last couple of gulps like an old drunk wallowing in his drunken misery. The only thing missing was the lonesome sound of a fiddle and a sad, but sweet voice to sing along with it. Salmoneus had to make do with a lively jig of pipes and lutes from the local band to back up his misery. And it wasn't doing much to liven up his mood. He felt so 'terribly, terribly horrible' for leaving Kirra behind like he had. He'd wanted to run to Hercules and cry for help, but not only did he not want to look like a cowardly fool for running away from a young girl in need, but ? he wasn't sure if it was his place to do so. Though he seemed a little gruff, the man was her stepfather. He had the right to tell her when she needed to be home or if she should have even been out in the first place. 'Maybe she was grounded?bad grades or something', Salmoneus told himself. 'And with the way that temper of hers flared, perhaps she wasn't as sweet as she seemed. Maybe she got what she deserved?'

"Oh, what am I saying?!" Salmoneus cried out loud in the middle of the tavern. People turned and stared at him, but he ignored them. His mind was so full of warring thoughts that he really didn't know what he should do. He knew it was wrong to hurt someone of less strength than you for any reason. But did the people of this town see it that way? Perhaps it was something that was accepted or condoned in Endor, a way of life. Did that make it okay? Salmoneus remembered the fear in Kirra's eyes. She'd stood up to him and faced him, but she feared him. To Kirra, it wasn't okay.

Salmoneus slammed his mug down on the tabletop, drawing curious stares once again. He shook his head in frustration, not knowing exactly where his duties lay, but worried nearly to the point of illness for Kirra's safety. He could safely say that Kirra was his friend, even though he'd only known her for less than a day. She was a good person with a good heart, and she didn't deserve to be treated that way. What could she possibly be thinking of him right now?

Salmoneus, so lost in his thoughts, nearly jumped out of his chair when he felt a heavy hand rest itself upon his shoulder. Looking up, he saw his friend Hercules standing over him and smiling.

"Salmoneus, I thought I'd hit the trail. I have to be in Attilas by this time tomorrow. I thought you might like to join me?if you're headed that way, that is." Salmoneus doesn't readily answer, and seeing the worry on his friend's face, Hercules became curious. Sitting himself down next to the salesman, Hercules grinned and joked, "So, finally feeling the guilt for the way you overreacted this afternoon?"

Hercules didn't know it, but his words, though having nothing to do with what Salmoneus was fretting over, tweaked a tender nerve and it showed on his face. "Not exactly," Salmoneus said uneasily. "Uh, Hercules?could I ask you a purely hypothetical question?"

Hercules raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders at the same time, then said, "Sure."

Salmoneus lifted his hands into the air expressively and began. "Let's say there's this girl who has a stepfather. Well, the stepfather wants her to go home, but the girl doesn't want to. In fact, the stepfather is sort of?well?drunk and he looks really angry, and the girl, who is trying to stand up for herself, looks pretty scared-"

"Wait," Hercules interrupted. "This has gone way beyond hypothetical here, Salmoneus. Are you trying to tell me something?"

Salmoneus shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Uh, I don't know if I should say anything. I feel I should, but?"

Understanding that Salmoneus had gotten himself into something serious, Hercules placed a comforting hand on his arm and said, "Then tell me. What happened?"

Hercules watched as Salmoneus began to look around the room, as if he were looking to see if anyone was listening in. Satisfied that they weren't, he began. "I went to Kirra before I left for the evening to apologize. Her stepfather came up. He was drunk; I could smell the liquor on his breath. Kirra was instantly afraid of him and he demanded that she go home. But, she got angry and started yelling and screaming at him." Salmoneus gestured, trying to physically explain what had happened as he said, "She was pointing into his chest as she yelled?I guess he just got angry?I don't know?he grabbed her by the arm and twisted it. I don't think he broke it, but?he hurt her."

Hercules looked at Salmoneus seriously, his face hardening. He wasn't feeling anger toward Salmoneus, but anger for this man who called himself a father. "What did you do?"

"That's the problem, Hercules. I did nothing. I've been sitting here for almost an hour doing nothing?trying to figure out what I should do." Salmoneus shook his head again, worry creasing his face. "Is it even my place to get involved?"

Speaking from his own experience with both his father and his stepmother, Hercules said, "No parent has the right to harm their child, whether the child is theirs by blood or by marriage. It doesn't make a difference." Hercules sat forward in his chair and stared Salmoneus directly in the eyes. "If you feel that he is hurting her, then it is up to you to say something. Nothing bad can come from standing up for what you believe in. If it's in your heart, then you should say it."

Salmoneus nodded his head, taking Hercules' wisdom to heart and understanding. "Okay. Who should I talk to?"

Hercules led Salmoneus to Tiras and allowed him to tell Tiras everything that had happened. He'd even learned several new details, such as the fact that Hiram had taken from Kirra money that Salmoneus had given to her. After Salmoneus had finished with the retelling of those events, Tiras looked troubled, but not troubled enough for Hercules.

"Tiras, I'd like to go to Hiram's house, just to make sure that everything is all right," Hercules suggested.

Tiras squinted uneasily and wrung his hands together nervously as he had earlier that evening. "I don't know, Hercules. I find this all hard to believe."

Salmoneus looked at Tiras questioningly, but Hercules quieted him before he could say anything. "Salmoneus has been a friend of mine for a long time, Tiras. I would never doubt his words."

"I realize that, and I don't mean to misjudge what he has told us here?it's just that Hiram is an outstanding member of our village. Everyone knows him. Sure he can be a little gruff at times, but he's not known to hurt anyone."

"We're not looking to judge anyone either, Tiras. Salmoneus and I would simply like to make sure that Kirra is fine. If you could escort us to Hiram's home I'll present myself there under a gesture of goodwill just to see that she's safe."

The village leader seemed uncomfortable with the idea and squirmed a bit. "Under false pretenses?"

"It would not be under false pretenses," Hercules told him with a hint of impatience in his voice. "This is a gesture of goodwill, and I'm sure her parents would appreciate our concern for her welfare."

"Well," Tiras responded slowly, "I guess it couldn't hurt." He pointed at Salmoneus with a stern finger. "I just don't think you're friend should come along."

"Why not?" Salmoneus fought back. "I'm as concerned as he is."

"Salmoneus, it's all right," Hercules said, trying to calm him.

"Hercules!"

"Don't worry about it. I'll handle it. Everything will be okay." Hercules placed a hand on his shoulder, but it did nothing to comfort Salmoneus. He sighed dejectedly and nodded, crossing his arms across his chest. Hercules, feeling his friend's pain, turned to Tiras and commanded he lead the way.



Kirra laid curled upon her bed in the fetal position, her back to the wall and her eye on the door. She had hoped that it would lessen the pain in her abdomen some, but it did little. There were many nights she'd spent like this, holding her stomach against the raging fears inside her. This night was different, though. There was fear there, but this time there was real pain. Hiram had hit her?hard.

She'd been locked in her room for nearly half an hour, praying that her mother was all right. The screaming and hollering had stopped only a short while ago and her mother had gone silent. Kirra didn't know what happened. She could hear Hiram roaming about the house, but she didn't know what he was up to. Her terror for whatever else he may have planned for them coursed through her, mixing with the pain in her stomach. Tears slid silently off the side of her face, wetting her pillow and stinging the fresh bruise around her left eye. She still cradled her injured arm, but was thankful that Hiram hadn't broken it after all.

Along with her feelings of terror, guilt was slowly beginning to creep its way in. This had all been her fault. How could she have been so stupid? Her mother told her she should not go, but Kirra had been stubborn. Now, look who was paying the price for her stubbornness? Hiram had taken nearly all his wrath out on her mother and it was all her own fault. She knew it was. Fresh tears began to flow unabatedly and Kirra hugged herself tighter, feeling like the most horrible person in the world.

A sound of voices outside the house brought her out of her misery for a short moment. Her room was situated closest to the front of their house, her bed nearly next to the front door except for the wall separating her from the kitchen. Knowing exactly who was paying them a visit had never been a difficult task for her. And by the sound of his voice, Kirra knew it was Hercules. She sat up in bed excitedly, her tears and pain temporarily forgotten, as a knock on the door reverberated through the house.

As they stood outside, waiting for someone to open the door, Hercules watched Tiras uncomfortably shuffle his feet. He noticed that his hands were once again being wrung in nervousness. Hercules wondered if perhaps Tiras wasn't afraid of Hiram. By the way he was acting he could see that Tiras was terrified of him. If he was so scared of him, why would he cover for him?

"You okay, Tiras?" Hercules asked suspiciously.

"I'm fine, Hercules," Tiras responded with a not too convincing smile. "Thank you."

Only seconds later, the door opened and a hefty man carrying a lighted lamp stepped out onto the creaking wooden steps. "How can I help you gentleman?" he asked gruffly. He looked Hercules over curiously then he settled on Tiras with a questioning look. "Ah, Tiras?is there a problem?"

There was a slight tremor to his voice as he responded. "Uh, yes-I mean no, Hiram. I've come with a friend. This is Hercules."

Hercules forced the best smile on his face that he could. Salmoneus had been right. Even from this distance, Hercules could smell the liquor on the man so strong it was as if he'd bathed in ale. "It's nice to meet you, sir." Hercules held out a hand in greeting, but it was never returned.

Hiram looked down at Hercules outstretched hand as if it were some loathsome creature reaching out to grab at him. "Hercules, huh?" was his only response.

"Yes, sir," Hercules said, dropping his hand back to his side. "I've come inquiring about your stepdaughter, Kirra-"

"Kirra," he said disgustedly. "She's a pain in my backside. Ya want her? I'll pay you handsomely for her."

Hercules could feel his resolve being tested the more Hiram opened his mouth and let his filth come out. Though he easily thought of several quick retorts, he decided to just let the man's words slide off his back. He wanted to make sure Kirra was safe and goading the idiot standing before him would not do him any good. Straining to keep his voice and tone level, Hercules said, "I met your stepdaughter at the festivities this evening. She left before I could say goodbye. I just wanted to make sure that she got home safely."

Hiram grunted in reply, making it obvious that he didn't much care for anything Hercules had to say and that standing here talking to him was a big waste of his time. "I wouldn't worry about the little she-demon. I made sure she got home in one piece."

"I'm sure you did," Hercules replied, leaving Hiram to guess at exactly how he meant it. "If you don't mind, I would like to speak with her. Like I said, I didn't get the chance to say goodbye."

Kirra listened intently, her ear pressed to the wall. Her heart was racing in her chest not only from fear, but also at the idea of Hercules coming to her rescue. She imagined him pushing through the door, knocking Hiram's fat slob of a body to the ground and calling out to her. In fact, she could almost hear him: "Kirra!" He'd come charging into her room, ripping the door off its hinges, mindless of the locks that imprisoned her in her room. He'd come to her, lift her up in his arms and whisk her away from all this madness. So intense was the imagery in her mind that Kirra was poised to scream out his name. But the sound of Hiram's voice ripped into her wonderful little fairytale.

"Well, you'll have to come back tomorrow. Right now, she's fast asleep in her bed." Craning his head slightly to his left, he raised his voice and added, "At least, she better be."

Noticing his action, Hercules' eyes shifted only for a second to the wall of the house. He heard a creaking noise and wondered if Kirra's bedroom wasn't right on the other side of that wall. She was probably listening to everything they were saying and Hiram knew she would be. "Well, you see, that's the problem," he said to Hiram, but upped his voice just enough that he was sure it would carry. "I'm leaving tonight for the Kingdom of Attilas, which is several miles north of here and I won't be returning for quite some time. That's why I'd like to see her tonight, if I can."

"Well, that's an awful pity, Mr. Hercules, cuz she ain't comin' out and you ain't comin' in. Being Hercules and all, I'm sure you'll respect me and my family's privacy."

Kirra smiled, knowing now that Hercules was going to be the hero she knew him to be and help her. Hiram would soon be a distant memory and she and her mother would be safe.

How easy it would be to shove him aside, enter the man's house against his will and seek Kirra out. If she was hurt by Hiram's hand, Hercules would be justified in his actions. Of course, if she was in her room fast asleep like Hiram said, his actions would be considered criminal. Hercules sighed as he realized that he was now in the same predicament as Salmoneus. His instinct told him that things weren't right here and something should be done about it, but, as Salmoneus had said, it wasn't his place. He didn't have much to base his suspicions on besides Salmoneus' story and Hiram's attitude toward his own stepdaughter. But, he'd spoken to the village leader and confronted Hiram as best he could without letting accusations fly. There really wasn't much else he could do. If Kirra was being hurt by this man, there was really only one person who could help her and that was herself.

Hercules hung his head and said, "Of course. I understand."

Kirra felt her heart sink and her stomach ache in fear. 'He can't', she told herself. 'He can't just walk away. He has to do something.' She shut her eyes and began to pray to the gods, tears spilling out onto her cheeks. Would the gods hear her? Would they even care?

"I would appreciate it if you would do me one favor before I leave, though," Hercules continued even as Hiram groaned in annoyance. He could only hope that Kirra was listening closely.

"And what would that be?" he griped.

"Remember that although Kirra may not be your flesh-and-blood daughter, she is your stepdaughter," Hercules said, his face stern and his eyes staring intently into Hiram's. "She deserves to be treated with respect as such. She is your responsibility, a member of your family, not a piece of merchandise you sell off to the highest bidder."

"I don't have to listen to this from you," he growled, waving his hand at Hercules, dismissing him. "Tiras, is this what you bring people over to my house for-to insult me?!"

Tiras mumbled some response, but Hercules never let him finish. "From what I've seen and heard here tonight, the only one being insulted is your stepdaughter. If you tried, you could make some changes in your life and try to be a better person, someone Kirra could be proud to call father."

"Tiras!" Hiram yelled, pointing a finger at Hercules. "Get this half-breed off my land!"

"Hercules," Tiras quickly said. "Perhaps we should leave. I don't want any trouble."

Hercules ignored Tiras and raised his voice, making sure that Kirra could hear him if she was listening. "Hiram, do me a favor and tell Kirra I said to be brave, because right now the only hero she has is herself."

"Don't worry, Hercules," Hiram sneered as he turned his back on them, reentering the house. "I can promise you she'll hear from me." With that, the door slammed in their faces.

Tiras began to agonize over the events that had just played out. He could see a storm brewing itself up for Endor. Things would no longer be calm and peaceful around the village because of this. "This is not good, Hercules. Do you realize the repercussions of what you?of what just happened?"

Hercules turned to Tiras in anger. Hercules could see that Tiras wasn't as blind as he'd like people to believe. "You don't like trouble, Tiras?" Hercules pointed to the closed door and said, "Then why haven't you done something about the trouble stirring in that house? I may not have enough proof to make any accusations or even to stop what I believe is happening, but you know what's going on there."

"Hercules, I don't-"

"Save it!" the demi-god shouted. "I'm not an idiot, Tiras. I see it in your face. I see it in the way you react to Hiram's bullying. And that's just what he is, isn't he? A bully. He bullies you into keeping your mouth shut."

Anger was beginning to show through Tiras' worry. "That's not the way it is, at all! You are misjudging things here, Hercules. It isn't your place."

"No, it's never anybody's place, is it?" Hercules stared long and hard at the timid village leader, until he was sure he got his point across. He watched Tiras hang his head low, but never heard what he wanted to hear-an acknowledgement from him that he knew more than he was willing to reveal. "If you are any kind of leader, Tiras, you'll do something about this before it gets out of hand. For the sake of Kirra and her mother, you'll do something." Hercules waited for some kind of reaction from him, but there was nothing. He wasn't going to give in. His fear of "trouble" kept him in his place, just where Hiram wanted him.

He felt utterly helpless. All the power granted him from Zeus was not enough. The last time he remembered feeling this helpless was when his family died. There was nothing he could do then and there was nothing he could do now. If Hercules prayed, he would have uttered a small prayer for Kirra's safety, but he knew all the begging in the world wouldn't force Zeus to lend his hand. Sighing, Hercules turned from Tiras and walked away into the darkness of the night.



The only hero she has is herself. Kirra sat back down on the bed, thinking over what Hercules said. How could she be her own hero? And if she was, how would she stop Hiram from hurting her mother and herself again? As much as she wanted to, she couldn't blame Hercules for leaving her there. It was always the same situation. Whenever someone realized what was going on inside their house, they wanted to help. But, either Hiram would intimidate them into submission or, in Hercules' case, he would make sure they had nothing to go on but vague suspicions.

Hiram was a bully. It wasn't until she'd heard Hercules use the word that she realized it was true. He had bullied his way into their lives, bullied his way between her and her mother and bullied his pathetic way of life on them. Now, on what she considered one of the most important days of her life, he'd bullied his way into that, too and ruined everything. Why did he want to be so cruel?

There was a sound at her bedroom door that startled her. She could hear a key being worked into the lock and her heart began to race. When the door opened, she wasn't surprised to see Hiram standing there. The look on his face was pure hatred as he closed the door behind him.

"Your little boyfriend was here, but I guess you know that already. Don't you want to know what he was doing here?"

She knew what was coming, but was helpless to stop it. She shook her head 'no' knowing it was futile. He would tell her anyway.

"He just wanted to make sure you were okay," he said with a sarcastic childish whine. Then his tone turned contemptuous. "The sap?and people call him a hero. He makes me want to puke." He walked closer to Kirra, taking in the wretched look of fear on her face?but wait?there was something else there. It was anger. "Oh, what's the matter, Kirra, don't want me talking about your little lover boy like that, huh?"

"Shut up," she muttered under her breath.

"Is this anything like that other little boy you were interested in? You know...the one I ran off? Haven't seen his skinny hide since."

Kirra forced herself to look up at him with angry eyes. "You leave him alone. At least he's human." She knew she was going to pay for that one, but she said it anyway. It took less than a second for the back of Hiram's hand to make contact with her face. Kirra fell back onto the bed, covering the red welt she could feel forming on her left cheek, but she refused to cry.

With rage in his eyes, Hiram reached down and grabbed at her ponytail, yanking her back into a sitting position. Ugly thoughts were coursing through his mind as he imagined some way to get even with her. "What kind of cute little fantasies did you have about that sap? Come on, Kirra, what kind of things did you imagine him doing to you?! Tell me!"

Kirra cried out, the hate she felt for him voicing itself. "Shut up, you pervert!!"

"Did you let him touch you?"

Kirra squirmed, trying to break free of his grasp on her. She scratched at the hand that held onto her hair. "I hate you!"

Hiram's voice was becoming thick and raspy. The more he talked, the closer he brought his face to hers. She could feel his hot, rancid breath on her cheek, making her nauseous. "Where did he touch you, Kirra? Did he touch your breast?"

In her struggle to get free, she never saw his hand reach out to grab her. The second she felt his hand on her body, she screamed. A sudden, blinding fear raced through her heart. For an instant, she became completely feral, her mind encompassed in fear and rage. She managed to rip herself from his grasp and attack him with all she had. Her nails and teeth became dangerous weapons, and soon Hiram was the one screaming.

But for all the might sudden fear had brought to her, Hiram was still bigger and stronger than she was. Before she knew it, Hiram had picked her up and threw her back onto her bed. The back of her head struck the headboard and a searing pain shot through her skull. Though in pain, Kirra opened her eyes to look for another window of attack, but could barely see Hiram standing over her.

"That'll teach you to bite me, you little harlot!" she heard Hiram say as if from a thousand miles away. "I'm going to teach you a lesson you won't soon forget." As her vision swam before her eyes, Kirra watched with growing fear as Hiram removed the sash at his waist that held his pants up.



Meriba groped along the floor until she could easily reach the corner of her bed. Using its stability to hold her up, she managed to lift herself to a standing position. She felt a terrible pain in her chest and feared that one of her ribs was broken. But, she didn't have time to care for it. Her daughter needed her. It was Kirra's screaming that had roused her.

She walked as fast as she could to the kitchen, the pain keeping her from moving faster than she wanted to. On the kitchen table was a knife-the same knife Hiram had used to threaten her with earlier.

Meriba picked up the knife and turned back around. Kirra's room was not much farther away. Terrified at the sound in her daughter's voice, she vowed that Hiram would no longer control them. His reign of terror would end tonight.





The lemonade burned her throat as it came back up. Kirra wiped her mouth with a shaky hand, coughing harshly in between fits of crying. Sniffling back her tears, she sat back onto the grass and shivered in the cool night air. It had been over an hour since she'd left and she was afraid.

Things had gone so wrong. Before she had even awoke from her warm bed, the Fates must have decided how this day would turn out. In the time that she traveled away from her home, sometimes running as fast as her shaky frame would carry her, she thought about all the different ways this day could have changed if only she had stayed home and not gone out. She would probably be fast asleep now in her own bed, not shivering out here in the cold?and not shivering in fear. But, where would she be? Stuck with Hiram, putting up with his ranting and raving at night just because dinner wasn't right when he wanted it or because it didn't taste just right. 'Too much spice?not enough spice?you didn't pull up the vegetables I want?you didn't wash my clothes?come here, girl?I'm gonna teach you a lesson you won't soon forget?'

She shoved the thought and the sound of his voice in her head away with a protesting groan. She hugged herself against the cold air that seemed to keep getting colder, welcoming the feel of the warm tears on her cheeks. It had been a warm day and the night had not been so cold earlier in the evening. Why was it that she was so cold now?

What was she going to do? She was all alone with no place to go, no one to turn to. But, she had to stop thinking about herself. Why should she be worrying about herself when her mother was the one who was really all alone? How was she going to make it? Who was going to take care of her now? She remembered her mother's words: "Don't worry about me, Kirra! Leave now! It's the only way!" Meriba, her face bloodied and bruised, had shoved a sack of Kirra's things at her and urged her daughter out the door even as Kirra begged her not to. How long ago did she drop that sack in the woods? She couldn't remember. It had just slipped out of her arms as she ran and she'd had no time to stop and pick it up.

'did you let him touch you?where did he touch you, Kirra?I'm gonna teach you a lesson??...'

"Shut up!!" she screamed in agony, dropping her face into her hands as she cried. She wiped at her face, trying to clear away the tears from her eyes, and wiped her nose on the sleeve of her blouse. Just as her hands became visible in front of her face, the clouds parted, revealing rays of moonlight that filtered through the trees above and showered over her. The moonlight also revealed the blood on her hands.

Her shivering intensified to the point where she felt her entire body begin to shake. She hyperventilated in sheer terror, madly scrambling to the small creek she was lucky enough to have stopped near. Nearly immersing herself into the freezing water, Kirra scrubbed the blood from her hands. She threw water onto her face and through her hair, washing away any trace of the blood that was there.

It was a few minutes before she could force herself back into a standing position and slowly make her way to the bank of the small creek. The freezing water dripped from her hands and face and from her clothes where it had gotten wet. But, she didn't care. She couldn't feel anymore. She couldn't think anymore. Bringing her legs up to her chest, she wrapped herself up in her own arms and just tried to keep warm, rocking her body back and forth to keep moving. Kirra laid her face down onto her knees and stopped crying.



The night was a clear and pleasantly cool. The stars twinkled brightly up above. On any other night, Hercules would have been able to appreciate those things. The cool weather would have been a welcome change after all the recent muggy nights he'd spent. He would have slept like a baby. Tonight, somehow, those things didn't seem to have any affect on him. He'd sat up for a long while, even as Salmoneus slept, and thought long and hard about the decision he'd made. He still wasn't sure if it was the right one, but at the time, he didn't feel he had any other choice. He felt like the pint-sized school kid, never knowing quite what to do or say in the face of the bully who always picked on him. Only when the confrontation between him and the bully was over with did he think of how he should have done or said things. The comparison was lame, considering the difference between himself and Hiram, but as he sat there mulling it over in his head he wished he had done things differently. Even Salmoneus had thought so.

He remembered that Salmoneus had waited for him right outside the tavern where Hercules had last seen him. He'd stood up immediately, anxiously awaiting to hear from Hercules what had happened. It had occurred to Hercules to stop and turn away from Salmoneus so he wouldn't have to explain, but he'd forced himself on.

"Well?" Salmoneus anxiously asked.

Hercules stopped in front of him, the look on his face very telling of his emotions. "There wasn't much I could do."

"What do you mean 'there was nothing you could do'?" he responded angrily, his concern for his new friend showing clearly on his face. "Hercules?you're Hercules! Bust down his door-"

"Salmoneus, as simple as that seems?it just isn't that simple!" He turned himself away from Salmoneus to hide the anger in his eyes. There was no point in being angry with the salesman. This was as beyond him as it was Hercules. "I wish I could have busted down his door, forced my way in?as much as I wanted to, Salmoneus, it wouldn't have been right."

Salmoneus shook his head at Hercules, not understanding. "I don't see where there's any right or wrong here."

He turned back to Salmoneus and said, "I had no hard proof to make those kinds of accusations or to demand anything of her stepfather. If this were all some big misunderstanding-"

"What I saw was no misunderstanding, Hercules," he said calmly.

Hercules could only stare at him for several seconds, feeling this dizzying sensation of spiraling downward. He felt lightheaded and his stomach churned. He understood, even though he never literally spoke the words, that Salmoneus was questioning his judgment. He was telling him, in effect, that Hercules had made a mistake; he should have done something. Hercules responded both to what Salmoneus said and to what he meant, "I realize that, Salmoneus. Don't you think I feel terrible enough?"

"She needs our help?she needs your help."

"I did what I could, Salmoneus," Hercules said with a sigh. "We just have to trust that Kirra is brave enough and smart enough to handle the situation on her own."

"And if she can't?"

"I think she may have been listening in on our conversation. I tried to give her what words of encouragement I could. I can only hope that she heard me and that she understands." Hercules stared off into the distance, back in the direction he'd just come from. "My heart goes out to her."



He didn't understand how Salmoneus could sleep. Perhaps that was how he dealt with intense anxiety?he just slept it off. Hercules, on the other hand, dealt with those feelings by thinking about them. Sometimes, his thinking could go on for hours, keeping him up nights?like now.

Hercules grabbed a stick and poked at the dying fire, trying to keep it going. He looked up when Salmoneus stirred, mumbling something in his sleep. Hercules wasn't sure, but he thought he heard Kirra's name somewhere in between all that mumbling. Then he heard 'she needs your help' as clearly as when Salmoneus had spoken it early that evening. He sighed regrettably, wishing he had something to do to keep his thoughts busy, to keep this terrible feeling of guilt from plaguing his mind.

Guilt. Hercules acknowledged it. He was feeling guilt for having left Kirra behind and Salmoneus was unwittingly feeding that guilt while he slept on. Was there ever going to be an end to all of this? He needed someone he could talk to, to share his feelings with, someone he could trust. Iolaus had agreed to meet him in Attilas. He sometimes didn't show up for those meetings, especially if he was in the middle of a really good hunt or was catching fish galore on some riverbank. Hercules had a feeling he would show up, though. Although Iolaus didn't really like to be at "Hercules" festivals, he always wanted to know what went on, to have some sort of semblance of having been there. Hercules nodded to himself. That's what he would do. He'd talk to Iolaus. Iolaus would understand?and probably talk him into going back!

There was a sound in the woods. Not just common night sounds like crickets, the rustling of bushes in the breeze or animal calls. This was different. It sounded like someone walking?and they were close. Hercules stood up and looked around. He had no weapons on him, like usual, so he reached for the same stick he'd used to poke at the fire. It wasn't that large, but it was thick and sturdy. The sound of the footsteps got closer, the person most probably following the trail of his campfire light. The leaves rustled in the low trees and Hercules watched the form of someone emerging from the bushes. To his relief, and complete surprise, stood Kirra.

Hercules smiled, temptation teasing him to jump for joy. He kept his emotions in check, because as Kirra stepped into the light of the campfire, his joy died. She resembled nothing of the person he'd seen only that afternoon; young, vivacious, happy to be alive. Now, she was white as a ghost, shivering, her arms wrapped around her frail-looking body. The whiteness of her skin enhanced the purplish bruising around her left eye and cheek. When she seemed to finally realize who he was, she smiled. Her color and demeanor almost gave her smile the look of death.

"I thought this was the way to Attilas," she said softly through her frozen smile.

Hercules broke through his frozen trance, dropped the stick and quickly went to her side. He grabbed her upper arms, looked her in the eye and asked, "Are you okay?"

She continued to smile and nodded in answer to Hercules' question. "I'm j-just c-c-cold."

Hercules could see that she was freezing, shivering inside the simple dress she wore. He quickly began to realize that she was in shock. She was wet, too, which didn't help her condition any. Turning from her, Hercules searched for something to cover her with. He spotted Salmoneus' sleeping form snuggled tightly inside his wool blanket. The last thing he considered was Salmoneus' comfort when he snatched the thick blanket from him.

Salmoneus awoke with a start?and the feeling of a stiff breeze up his skirt. "Hey! What?" He never finished his question when he noticed where his missing blanket had gone.

Hercules wrapped Kirra up in the blanket and walked her over to the fire. "Sit down next to the fire, Kirra. It'll keep you warm." She complied without any complaint, enjoying the feel of the warmth the fire brought to her frozen skin. Her toes and fingers were numb. She could feel her bottom lip trembling.

"Kirra!" Salmoneus exclaimed, getting up and hurrying to her side. He, too, was taken aback by her appearance. "By the gods, are you all right?"

She nodded, but didn't speak. She could feel exhaustion beginning to take over and she closed her eyes. Then she heard Hercules calling to her. "Kirra, don't go to sleep. I need you to stay awake."

"I'm so tired," she told him, her voice almost a whisper.

"I know you're tired, but I need you to stay awake. It's very important that you stay awake, okay? Can you do that for me?" He was searching for something just off to her left, but she didn't know what and she didn't really care. She just wanted to go to sleep. But, if Hercules told her to stay awake, she would stay awake. "Okay," she whispered to him in return.

"Good, girl," she heard him say and could feel his hand on the back of her head. If it wasn't that she was so tired, she would actually be giddy right now.

Hercules turned to Salmoneus who was watching after Kirra with the concern of a father. "Salmoneus."

"Huh?"

"I need left over quail and I need water."

"Hercules, this is not the time to be getting the munchies!"

"Not for me, Salmoneus, for Kirra! We need to get some food and water into her. Hurry, Salmoneus!"

"Okay, okay! The quail's in my travel bag! I'll go get the water!" With that, he grabbed his empty wineskin and hurried away.

Hercules took two big steps to the other side of the fire where Salmoneus had placed his travel bag. He reached inside and found the left over quail wrapped in a piece of cloth. Salmoneus probably had plans to munch on it on the trail to Attilas, but now he was going to have to make other arrangements. Kirra now needed this more than he did. Hercules took the quail back to the other side of the fire, sat down next to Kirra and tried to coax her into eating it. Tearing a strip of meat from the bird's bone, he brought it up to Kirra's mouth and said, "Here, Kirra, eat this." She shook her head, clearly nauseated by the idea of eating. "Come on, it'll make you feel better."

"No," she said to him, shaking her head once again. She had no strength to eat. "I'm tired. I'm not hungry."

"I know, but you've got to get something into your system or you're just going to feel worse. Come on, take a small bite." He held it up to her mouth and Kirra took it reluctantly. "That's good. Just hold on, Salmoneus is coming with some water for you. You're going to be okay." He rubbed her arm consolingly.

She chewed on the tough piece of meat at Hercules' bidding, but she didn't want it. And as much as she wanted to believe everything Hercules said, she didn't think she was going to be okay. Not for a long time.

She had sat frozen near the small creek for a while; not crying, not thinking, not even feeling. She didn't know where she had gone, but gone she had been. It was as if her mind had begun to shut down. She could almost hear doors closing in her head in places that had been open for the longest time. It had been a terrifying experience, but a peacefully calming one at the same time. She could no longer hear her mother screaming or the sound of Hiram's voice. She even began to forget all that had happened that evening. Hiram hadn't punched her or beat up her mother?and he hadn't put his hands on her. But that all changed, all the doors swung wide open again and reality forced its way back into her life?when she heard Hercules voice: "Tell Kirra I said to be brave, because right now the only hero she has is herself."

She remembered sitting up right as if she had heard him talking right next to her. She'd even called out his name. Instantly, she remembered Hercules saying he was traveling to Attilas. She'd never been there, but he'd said it was to the north. She knew north. So, she got up and followed a small dirt trail north until she glimpsed the flickering of a campfire light.

Now that the food was hitting the bottom of her stomach, she felt the familiar sensation of hunger. So, it wasn't long before she snatched the quail from Hercules' hand and began to devour it before his eyes.

Hercules remained quiet while she ate, allowing her the time she needed before she even decided to speak. A few minutes later, Salmoneus walked up with his wineskin filled with water and sat down at Kirra's side. "Here you go," he said to her. She thanked him with her eyes, not pausing to speak. She guzzled the water greedily. Some of it spilled out the side of her mouth and down her neck to wet her red and yellow bodice.

"How long has it been since you've had anything to eat or drink?" Salmoneus asked, his concern making him forget that he wanted to be considerate of her feelings.

Kirra heard his question, but was hesitant to answer. She wasn't sure if she was ready to talk about what happened. She just wanted to forget about it and put it behind her, but she could see that he desperately wanted an answer to his question. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she looked down at the quail bones in her lap and decided she'd best answer his question. Her voice was very small as she spoke. "I didn't have time for breakfast this morning, because of chores and all. All I had was lemonade at the festival?I was going to eat when I went home." Tears came to her eyes, but she willed herself to stop crying and wiped them away.

Hercules could see the pain in her face and the timidity of her voice. Seeing those feelings alive in her eyes and seeing the bruises that marked her face, he desperately wanted to know what went on. He just couldn't bring himself to ask her. He also was facing the fact that he had truly made a mistake in leaving her there and it was eating at his soul. She didn't seem as if she wanted to lay any blame, just to be cared for and she needed that more than anything else. "You don't have to say anything now, if you don't want to, Kirra. Just get warm."

"I feel better," she whispered. "Thank you?both of you." She attempted a smile at them and was relieved to see that both smiles were returned. She didn't know why she felt relief. Perhaps she was afraid she wouldn't be accepted, but that didn't seem to be the case. "I'm so glad I found you two."

"We're glad you found us, too," Hercules replied, hugging her tighter to him to give her warmth.

"We sure were worried about you," said Salmoneus, his smiling failing miserably to cover up his worry.

She looked at him and said incredulously, "You were sleeping."

Hercules laughed, but Salmoneus' expression was serious when he said, "That's how I worry the best."

Kirra smiled, wanting to laugh, but her exhaustion kept her from exerting herself any further. She was happy more than mere words could express to see Salmoneus' face again. He'd been so brave to stand up to Hiram the way he did. She'd be sure to tell him that first thing in the morning. For now, she snuggled into Hercules' warmth and felt her exhaustion slowly overtake her. It wasn't long before she was fast asleep.

"Are you sure it's okay for her to sleep now?" Salmoneus asked.

"Yeah. She was in shock before, but she'll be okay now," Hercules told him as he wrapped the blanket tighter around Kirra's body.

Salmoneus stared down at her sleeping face, noticing that the color was only just coming back. She was starting to resemble more the girl he remembered from that afternoon. He was sure she would eventually be fine, because she was a strong girl. She was tougher on the outside than most of the women he knew. But he was concerned about how they were going to deal with things in the morning.

"What are you going to do now?"

Hercules seemed thoughtful as he looked at Kirra. He sighed and Salmoneus could see that these new problems were weighing even heavier upon him. "I don't know yet. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the morning brings. Until then, let's just get some sleep." Salmoneus nodded in understanding and went back to his place by the fire.

A moan drew Hercules' attention back to Kirra. Her brow was furrowed and her lip curved downward in a frown. What had Hiram done to her? The question would not leave his mind, but he would never ask her. If she ever told him, it would have to be her choice and not his. He would treat her wounds and her broken spirit and try to make her whole again. Then he would go back to Endor, find Hiram and make him pay for what he had done to his own stepdaughter. No, he would not kill him or hurt him. That wasn't Hercules style and it never would be. But he would make sure that he was prosecuted to the fullest extent of Endor's law. And if Endor's law did not find what Hiram did to this girl to be criminal, he would either help them to create new laws or move Kirra and her mother far away from the village of Endor where Hiram could never touch them again. Hercules now felt responsible for her and for the safety of her and her mother. He would never again fail to protect her from any harm. He owed her that.

Kirra sobbed in his arm and Hercules rocked her as he would a child. "Shhh, it's all right," he whispered into her hair. A sudden memory came back to him of his daughter Ilaea. She had insisted on sleeping with them one night because she was afraid of the dark. Her older brothers had been scaring her with stories of Hydras and other monsters. He remembered her sobbing in the night from a nightmare as he held her, rocking her back and forth in his arms and telling her, "Shhh, it's all right. Daddy's here." She'd quieted right up, just as Kirra was doing now. Her brow softened and her frown disappeared. "I'm here," he told her softly. "Everything's going to be all right now."


The Be Contiuned in Episode Two.

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