Rating: NC-17

Note: My thanks to my beta reader Jennifer for her wonderful help in writing this piece and for my new wife Shuana, who is helping me break down some walls.

Mythos Warning:I have mixed several mythologies. I have combined the mythologies of the Romans, Greeks and Celts into a single mythology for this story. An apology to XWP Fanatic, it has been pointed out to me that my meeting of Gabrielle and the Conqueror resembles hers. Well, I wrote this meeting long before I read her story.

This was actually the first Xena story I ever wrote. I just got involved with Seven Circles of Hell and put this one away. When it was suggested that I was losing focus on Gang Relations and that I should start working on something else. I brought this story out from storage.

To be honest, I actually stole the scene from the Celtic oral myth of Taliesin, the last of the Great Bards. The tale is from the Celtic myths of Arthur and Merlin. Taliesin was reputed to be the father of Merlin. It was said his voice could influence destiny and that he had the gift of prophecy.

The tale from which I actually stole the scene was from the meeting of Taliesin and Macsen, the Roman Governor of Britain, who eventually became an Emperor of Rome. The myth goes that the High King of the Celts was entertaining the Roman Governor and had asked Taliesin to sing. The High King was so impressed that he offered Taliesin up to half his lands as a reward.

Instead Taliesin made a simple request that he be allowed to give the governor a prophecy. Macsen received the prophecy, which was that he would be Emperor and never set foot upon Celtic Land again. However, his sword would determine the next High King. When Macsen died his sword was sent to Merlin, the Son of Taliesin, who set it into a stone to be drawn by the next High King.

Summary: An alternate universe, where Romulus didn't kill Remus. They each founded a city. Romulus founded Rome. Remus founded Reme. Centuries later Romulus controls the Roman Empire, the lands of Southern Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, Spain and Carthage. Remus controls the Kingdom of Reme, the lands of Northern Italy, Gaul, Britannia and the Norse Lands. Now the sons of Ares meet his daughter, Xena the Conqueror.

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Part 8

He stood six foot five inches tall. The black leather armor fought desperately to contain the bulging muscles of his half-godly body. The tall man had long black curly hair that was oiled and scented with musk. A long and bloody past haunted his old blue eyes. Bear oil anointed his skin, which glistened in the sun. The powerful specimen was Remus, son of Ares and King of Reme.

The younger of the twin sons of Ares was troubled. The Kingdom lands in Britannia were becoming difficult to protect. The Picts, the Gaelic tribes and the Britons had united under one leader, and the only thing the half God knew about this mysterious leader was that he was a woman.

At first Remus thought, his sister had designs on the Kingdom, but Ares forcefully reassured the King of Reme that the leader of the Britons was not Xena, the Conqueror. Unfortunately, the God of War also informed him that the leader was the chosen of Artemis, who was worshipped openly by the Britons.

This information was not good news. Remus knew that Artemis had many followers among the Druids, and that they possessed mystical knowledge. If the Druids had also joined with the tribes, then the King of Reme was about to lose some territory. His sister and brother would see it as weakness, and that was something that the youngest son of Ares could ill afford. With a backhanded flick, the angry demigod cleared a table.

To make matters worse, the daughter of Ares was raising the greatest temple in history to honor their father. This temple had all scored big points with the God of War. To add insult to injury, the bitch had invited all the rulers of the world to the temple dedication, and conveniently left her siblings off the guest list. It was a clear insult intended to irritate the twin brothers.

The half God had lived for seven hundred and forty-three years and still acted childishly on occasion. Taking a deep breath to gain control of his emotions, the King crushed a wineglass in his hand and sent a servant for his favorite general and chief strategist, Gaius Marius

The aging general had organized the Remian Army into one to rival that of the Roman Army. The many legions of Reme had been loosely organized bands of barbarians until General Gaius Marius became the commanding general. The general was cunning and had organized the army into ten cohorts of ten legions each. He had also forged the wild bands of Hun horsemen into organized cavalry units.

After victories in Western Gaul, Spain and Britannia, the aging general became Remus' top advisor and the only man who could tell the hot tempered demigod...no. When the gray haired general entered the room, Reme's solemn expression changed to a look of open admiration. The son of Ares needed a plan and this man would give him a very good one.

"Saluto, my King," the Remian General greeted, "You sent for me, Sire. How may I help you?"

"Do you know of the situation in Britannia and of the alliance between the Britons and the Druids?" inquired the unstable monarch.

A quick calculation of the King's mood forced the brown-eyed general to jest, "Your Majesty, I would be a poor advisor, if I failed to keep up with the troubled portions of your kingdom."

Another man would have paid with his life for that quip, but this man had earned the right of informality with the taciturn demigod. "What can I do about it?" the erratic ruler asked thoughtfully.

"I have some information that we can use to our advantage. However, it's news that will anger you. Please remember that this news can be defeat you enemies," the advisor replied astutely, "Our spies in Corinth have learned that the leader of the Britannia alliance is the Queen of the Amazons and that she is visiting your sister in Corinth as an honored guest."

Marius had dealt with his ruler's temper for years and knew to pause for a moment to allow the King of Reme time to adsorb the information. The advisor poured himself a glass of wine and drank it casually. The aging general felt a wave of pain in his sword hand and hid it the best he could. The advisor measured the temperament of his King before he continued, "The rumor is that the woman is more than just a guest of the Empress of the East, and that the Amazon Queen is both lover and advisor to your sister. With the timing of the dedication of your father's temple and the troubles in Britannia, we can only conclude that your sister is trying to circumvent the Edict."

The King gestured his general closer as he whispered confidentially, "I guess I don't have to tell how seriously disturbing your news is? With my sister's backing, we will have no chance of holding Britannia against the alliance."

The childish King whined, "Damn my father for spawning that Biccan. He couldn't be satisfied with just me and my brother..."

"Your Majesty," the elderly advisor interrupted, "It can be a great break. All we have to do is get our hands on this Amazonian Queen and we can force the Alliance and your sister to the bargaining table for the Queen's life. We might even get some territorial concessions from the Empress in exchange for her whore."

A smile crossed the angry King's lips for the first time in weeks at the prospects of this strategy. So, Remus responded, "I like this plan. How do we get the bitch without my sister noticing?"

"Well, Sire, I think we need to go to your sister's dedication of Ares' Temple," the advisor's experience was clearly echoed by his words, "I think this celebration will give us amble opportunity to get our hands on their Queen."

Remus nodded his agreement and thought with an evil leer of what he was going to do to the Queen of the Amazons, once he had her in his power. 'Yes I'm sure the Amazon will be very entertaining.

Chapter 32: Obstacles

Romulus, too, made an uninvited, yet expected, visit to Corinth. The Emperor of Rome and his personal advisor, Julius Caesar, arrived with a full legion and ten warships. Unlike his brother, the Roman Emperor wore his hair close cropped and dry. He was a warrior that hated to give his opponent any advantage. Long hair could be use against you in battle.

They were greeted by General Borias and two legions and a company of cavalry as an honor guard for the unpopular dignitaries from Rome. Queen Gabrielle had schooled the Greek General on what to say. The war council had wanted the Conqueror's oldest brother thrown off balance a bit.

"Saluto, Emperor, my Empress wishes to inform you that you may have five personal guards and two advisors as quarters are limited due to all the dignitaries that are arriving to celebrate the dedication of HER father's new temple," the Conqueror's representative greeted with a formal Roman salute.

The Grecian general quested with his hand to include all of the Emperor's troops in his next statement, "The rest of your warriors must be quartered in tents outside the city, I'm afraid. We lack the rooms to accommodate so many men. Of course, you have the Conqueror's personal guarantee of safety."

The older of the twins was much sharper than his younger brother and smiled as he counted the insults, six in all. My sister must have given the poor man the speech. Borias was a great general, but not very gifted in the art of public speaking. Of course, as the uninvited guest, he would be forced to accept the guarantee of safety in lieu of bodyguards. It was a matter of form.

So the tall demigod replied with a knowing smirk, "My compliments to my sister and of course we totally understand. I assume she sent you here to fetch me back to the palace. Well, if you will wait a moment I will get my party ready. Then you can show me to my quarters; my sister has trained her pets well."

The sly insults were not lost on General Borias either. The mighty general had served one of Ares' other off-springs for years, and considered it a sign of respect to be deemed worthy of such comments. After all, it wasn't every day that a mere mortal was insulted by the Son of a God. The Bear of the Conqueror gave the Emperor of Rome a polite bow and waited for the eldest of Ares's Children to accompany him and his men to the demigod's lavish quarters.

On the way to his quarters, Romulus encountered his twin brother and they nodded to each as they passed. Borias took the opportunity to jab at his Empress's enemy and said, "Your brother is in the suite next door. You'll have ample opportunity to discuss weighty matters later, I'm sure. There is, of course, a connecting door and you share a balcony."

The accompanying guard of the Roman Emperor groaned as they realized the logistical nightmare of guarding their Monarch with such sleeping arrangements. Romulus made a mental note to demote these guardsmen as an example of when not open your mouth. Romulus smiled broadly and showed no outward sign of being disturbed by the arrangements. The Roman Ruler smiled, while silently cursing his whore of a sister to the Eternal Torments of Hades for this inconvenience.

Remus sat heavily upon his throne. His brother was being quartered in the other room and it changed everything. Remus and Marius had planned to use the empty room as a staging area and way to leave his chambers undetected. The plan had been to use the shared balcony to gain access to the adjoining suite and then to sneak from the unguarded and vacant room. The vacant suite had also been the place they planned on hiding their victim. Now, everything was ruined.

General Marius limped unannounced into the Emperor's bedchamber to discuss a new plan. The old soldier knew he would have to keep a tight rein on his master's temper. When the General brought up what would be necessary to accomplish their plan, his King would explode.

There was little love lost between the twin brothers and this new wrinkle was going to have the King in a foul mood to say the least. At least the advisor had some good news to placate his erratic leader; he had managed to locate the Amazon Queen's sleeping quarters. Now, the problem was getting out of their room unseen.

The King coldly examined his General as he sipped some cooled fruit juice and asked, "Did you find her sleeping quarters?"

The Advisor took a deep breath and told himself that informing the King of the good news, would make the other more palable. The other good news he would save to precede the advice that he knew would make the half-God very angry.

The wary general shifted the weight from leg to another before he answered, "Yes, we have located the sleeping quarters of the Conqueror and that is where the Amazon Queen is spending her nights entertaining your sister with her bardic tales."

A slight smiled crossed Remus' face as he said, "Excellent, now we know how to get to my sister."

"I guess you know that your Brother has been put in the quarters adjoining ours and that we share a balcony. This changes our plans for evading the Conqueror's guards," the King's advisor then approached the next subject cautiously, "We may need to approach your brother for his assistance."

The aging general received his answer when he felt the King's dagger pinning his leather armor to the wall. It had actually gone better than expected. After all, Marius was still alive.

Chapter 33: The Harness

The party was well planned. The seating arrangements would certainly insult the Conqueror's Brothers as she intended. The Dark Empress also had plans for Caesar as well. The raven-haired woman's original strategy had been to see how long her enemy would last on the cross, but then she question this plot's originality. So then she speculated on the Roman's ability to breathe in urine, however the tall monarch began to wonder, 'Why would Romulus place his favorite pet within her grasp?'

Her eldest brother was not stupid; he had to have anticipated my reaction. So, the tall warrior's quest for vengeance was temporarily put on hold until she could figure out Romulus's motive.

Gabrielle had had a vision, and the Warrior Empress had learned to listen to her Bard's visions. The Conqueror remembered well the conversation at least the parts to which she was paying attention.

The tall woman was wearing her favorite blue kimono, while playing jackals and hounds with her son Solan and was losing for a change. While having little experience at leisure, the mother loved this time with her unknowing son.

Xena sighed as she basked in a mother's pride in her son's obvious intelligence. The Conqueror considered herself an excellent player and had only taught the young man the game two fortnights ago. The young warrior had already picked up the intricacy of the game.

Xena was not used to losing and was desperately trying to extract herself from the Celtic Prince's latest trap. Her reckless determination was doubled when she noticed the smirk on her son's face. Being overly competitive by nature, the woman desperately wanted to wipe that smug look off her son's face.

It was on the fourth 'Xena are you listening', that the Conqueror noticed that her young Bard was trying to get her attention. The player had been in rapt concentration and had only given partial attention to her blonde lover as she said, "What is it, Gabby?"

The young blonde pulled her hood over her head and said, "I have had a vision."

"That's nice," answered the monarch paying little attention to her Bard as she made her next move that would wipe that look of superiority from the young warrior's lips.

Upon completion of her master stroke, the Conqueror exclaimed, "I think that will keep you busy for a while, Boy."

"...Then this gang of Roman soldiers started to gang rape me and I screamed out Caesar's name and begged for more," Xena hadn't noticed that her Bard lover was babbling in conversational and mirthful tones, when Gabrielle's words penetrate his consciousness.

'That got her attention,' the Bard thought with a grin.

With obvious irritation in her voice, the ruler asked, "When did this happen? I will strangle the son-of-a-bitch with his intestines. I will nail the Bastard to the cross myself."

The blonde Bard broke out into hysterical laughter, "It didn't."

The Dark Empress raised a single eyebrow, "What does that mean? Was that the vision?" she queried.

The Amazon Queen was laughing uncontrollably at her dark lover's obvious confusion as she responded, "I mean it didn't happen. I just needed to get your attention. You were kind of preoccupied and no that was not the vision."

The Empress of the East looked over at her son intently concentrating on his next move and smiled weakly in apology to her young love. Gabrielle was struggling to control her laughter as she said, while holding out her hand in a gesture of restraint, "Don't worry about it and please stop looking at me like that before you make me pee in my pants."

The blonde Bard ritually recovered her head with the white hood as she recounted her vision, "I saw that killing Caesar will be a victory for Romulus. Your brother is putting Caesar within your reach in order to rid himself of the Roman."

This vision intrigued the Greek Empress as she asked, "What is my brother's purpose? Does your vision say?"

"No." The True Bard removed her hood and replied.

The Conqueror really wished she could have gotten an answer to her last question. Her Bard was a little vague sometimes and to make matters worse, Solan had won the game. The Warrior Empress strode to her seat at the main table and sat there regally as she waited for her guests.

Romulus and Remus were not very happy. The twin brothers were seated at the furthest table from the Empress and the Amazon Queen. The table was small and the chairs were made for children. They were flanked on either side by adolescent girls who chattered about dresses and balls.

Occasionally the Greek Empress would catch one of her brother's eyes and smile wickedly. Finally after dinner was served, the Conqueror rose to make a speech, "Distinguished guests, we are here to dedicate the most magnificent temple ever constructed to my father, Ares, the God of War. I would like to welcome all the leaders who have graced us with their presence. I would also like to welcome my beloved brothers, who joined up despite some mix up with the invitations. I'm sure they will join me in a toast to my father."

Ares' daughter raised her glass and said, "To my father, may he get what he deserves and may all dreams get their just consideration. To Ares."

Everyone in the room rose to his or her feet lifted their glasses and said, "To Ares."

As all the guests present took the required drink to complete the toast, Remus cleared his throat and said,

"I would like to propose a toast to my sister and her latest conquest. May they get what they've got coming to them. To Xena and Samantha...err...Gabrielle"

The gathering was not quite sure how to handle the obvious and none too subtle slight of the hostess and her consort, but they decided to say, "To Xena and Gabrielle."

Romulus was very embarrassed by his younger brother's clumsy attempt at subtlety. So the eldest of Ares's children raised his glass and his voice, "It is said throughout the known world that Queen Gabrielle is the one True Bard. Would she not grace us with a story or tune."

The True Bard had been prepared for this request and had the perfect story. The True Bard signaled for her harp and rose from her seat. The young blonde strode confidently to the center of the arrayed tables and called for a stool. When her harp arrived, the green-eyed singer tuned her instrument. The notes were pure and simple, but evoked waves of passion in the audience. The mystical power of the music was felt by the half-Gods.

When her instrument was ready, the young Bard said, "This is the tale of Man, Horse and the Wolf."

With quiet confidence the experienced performer played a soothing melody as she sang,

"This is a tale of the beginning of things. Man had yet to master the world and he lived at one with nature. So much so that he could speak and understand all the animals and plants of Gaia. Man was considered to be wise in his council and many animals came to him for advice.

As our tale begins Horse being tormented by Wolf, everyday, Wolf torments Horse and killed some of horse's young. Finally, Horse had had enough and went to Man. "We are both tormented by Wolf," Horse said, "It is time we stopped him."

Humbly Man replied, "I have the tools to stop Wolf, but he is swift afoot and I can't catch him."

Horse answered proudly, "I am faster than Wolf. I will let you ride me so you can catch him."

But the Man responded more softly, "You are too swift and I would fall from your back and would hurt myself."

Horse thought for a second and replied, "Fashion some seat to place upon my back and you will not fall. But you must promise to remove the seat when we have captured Wolf."

Man nodded his assent and asked, "How will you know which way to go. I will be higher up and better able to see Wolf?"

Horse thought again and replied, "Get a length a rope, a tube of wood and your tools so you can fashion a bit for my mouth. When you pull on one side I will know which way to go. Additionally, if you pull back on both sides I will know to stop. But you must promise to remove the bit when we capture Wolf."

The next day Man put his invention on Horse and rode off after Wolf. They soon found Wolf, and in working together they captured him. Then man tamed the Wolf and called him Dog. After Wolf was trained Horse said, "It is time to let me go."

Then Man looked at his horse and his dog and smiled as he ordered, "Giddy up, Remi. Come along, Romeo."

When the small woman had finished her song, she returned her harp to its keeper and bowed to the Twin Brothers and said, "Thus ends my tail, but the moral is eternal. When you give up a little freedom for comfort. You deserve neither the freedom nor the comfort."

Remus sat stewing. He knew the song was directed at the brothers. It had been all too obvious. The irritating bard hadn't even had the courtesy to be circumspect in her insult. What made the violent ruler angriest was that the song spoke the truth, Ares was their master.

Romulus did not get angry. The Emperor of Rome considered it a luxury that he could ill afford, so the wise ruler applauded the loudest. His brother had thrown down the gauntlet and the little slip of a girl had bested him. Romulus now saw what his baby sister saw in the small woman.

Chapter 34: The Kidnapping.

The young maid slept restlessly that night. The youthful blonde was to leave for her new estates in Lower Gaul. The Celtic Champion's new lover had been well provided for by the Conqueror. Lena had fallen deeply in love with the quiet and shy warrior and missed her lover so much. The former slave had been invited to the festival, but wasn't in the mood for a party.

At the tall Empress' request, the once-servant was sleeping in the Conqueror's quarters. The Empress and her Queen wanted to have some time in her quarters; it seemed they had some fond memories of her room. The young woman smiled at the prospect of what those memories were.

Suddenly, her smile disappeared as she remembered her warrior's strong arms and gentle caresses and that first glorious night they had spent there. The memory was burned deep into her soul, but it brought out the loneliness to taunt the young woman. How the small blonde wished her warrior had not chosen duty over love.

The petit young woman sighed as she changed into her bedclothes. Suddenly, a hand clamped around her mouth and she felt herself pulled against an armored body. Hot and wine soaked breath stung her cheek as Lena smelled the man's whisper, "Be quiet or die, bitch."

Lena gave up her struggle for the moment, so she could assess her situation. There were at least three men in the room. If she got away from one of the rowdies, another one would recapture her.

The young maid had been a servant and slave for many years, so she knew the rough hands of men and rapists. That prospect did not alarm her. What frightened her as they tied her up was that they seemed intent on binding her and not raping her. They obviously had something else in mind.

Her first thoughts were that she was being taken by slavers and that she would never see her beloved warrior again. Then the frightened woman remembered the brand on her; no slaver in their right mind would steal one of the Conqueror's slaves.

Suddenly it came to her; she was in the Conqueror's room. These men must be trying to kidnap her lover's Queen. The clever little maid decided to help her lover and go along with the mistaken identity. It would save the woman, her love thought of as a Goddess.

Bound tightly, blinded, and gagged, Lena still struggled for freedom, as she thought a Queen would do. Slaps, pinches and punches were ignored as she struggled to keep up the illusion that she was a Queen.

It had gone off better than the hired men had thought. When they were approached earlier in the day with the proposition they almost refused, despite the huge fee. After all it required them to sneak into the Conqueror's chambers and to steal her Amazonian lover. However, the feast in the banquet room seemed the prefect cover for their operation, so they accepted the job.

The job had been accomplished just like it had been planned. The Empress was still busy in the Hall, while the Queen had had to return in order to change from her wine soaked clothes. The frightened servant they had paid to spill a pitcher of wine on the Empress's Bard had obviously done a wonderful job. It was too bad the slave was a loose end and had to be eliminated.

They wrapped the woman in a huge sack and lowered her to the ground with a rope. Then the men slid down the rope, one at a time. They carried their precious cargo to the side door of the palace, where the post guard had fallen fatally asleep.

The three large men walked down a back alley and into a small stable, where they had a cart of hay for transporting their bounty. No one noticed a farmer and his three sons leaving the city with a cargo of hay for transport to Reme.

Chapter 35: The Keepers.

When Man was young to the Earth, the Gods gave special men and women several virtues and vices to keep and preserve. These unique individuals were called the Keepers. They were each assigned a virtue and its nemesis vice. The Head Keeper is the Keeper of Knowledge, which was neither a virtue nor a vice. Knowledge was neutral; it had no allegiance.

All the other Keepers kept a virtue and its vice counterpart. The Keepers were the protectors of Happiness and Grief, Faith and Disbelief, Loyalty and Betrayal, Passion and Chaos, Mercy and Cruelty, Patience and Want, Honor and Rumor, Justice and Injury, Wisdom and Folly, Hope and Despair, Love and Hate, Life and Death, Appetite and Hunger and Ambition and Indolence.

Murphy led the Prince Solan and the Warrior Callisto into the presence of the Keeper of Knowledge. The hooded woman was a tall woman, taller than the Empress. The priestess removed her hood to reveal long black hair and blue eyes with high cheekbones and a large ill formed nose. The young prince bowed to the regal woman and said, "Keeper of Knowledge, this is Callisto."

"Ah, child, I have seen your sorrow and pain. It is a shame that those who are selected, must suffer from their vice before they can don their mantle," the priestess said with a strong yet gentle voice.

Callisto gave the tall priestess a confused look as she asked, "What do you mean that those who are selected must suffer from their vice?"

The Keeper replied, "How can anyone keep what they do not know? Everyone who takes up the mantle of the Keeper must suffer their vice."

Callisto suddenly realized what the tall woman was telling her, "Do you mean to say, I'm here to be a Keeper like you?"

The Keeper of Knowledge smiled and said, "Yes, you are here to be a Keeper, but not a Keeper like me. I am the Keeper of Knowledge, you are the Keeper of Justice and Injury."

Callisto queried, "What if I do not wish to be a Keeper?"

The tall priestess turned her back and replied with a question, "That will not be a problem, will it?"

The blonde woman nodded her acceptance and answered as she followed the raven-haired priestess out of the room, "No, it will not."

Continued in Part 9...