Child Of Wrath

By Halcyon


Chapter 1

A moment of silence in the land of the dead...

All she could think about was the pain she had caused...the look on her dear friend's face... and with these thoughts came the anger... cold and hard, seeking to destroy what it could not own. The woman bent forward, her face shadowed by the ragged strands of her ebony hair, and clutched at the air before her, as if reaching for something, someone only she could see.

"Nooooo!"

The strangled cry burst from her raw throat, breaking the stillness of the barren wasteland that surrounded her, and startling her from her dreams. Tears streaming down her face, the woman rose, setting her shoulders as if she were marching against the memories flooding her mind. Her tormented eyes searched the horizon for hope of freedom from the chains of life she carried within.

"How can the sky be so peaceful when I am being torn in two?" the woman wondered. "Have I so offended the gods, that they will not interfere with the treachery of one of their own?"

The woman stopped. "I...don't know what to do. Gabrielle...." she whispered into the silence, "Gabrielle...."

As she tried to turn back, a stab of pain sliced across her belly causing her to fall to one knee. She didn't even look up as Ares knelt beside her....

"Tsk, tsk Xena, you WILL come with me. You have something that I want, and really, what kind of mother would abandon a child to the likes of Callisto?" he murmured sweetly.

Xena gasped, her head rising to meet his mocking gaze. "But I..."

"No buts Xena," he said cheerfully, "You've given up...you said so yourself. Let me see the exact words went something like....Gabrielle, I..."

"Don't Ares..." Xena growled. "Or I'll kill myself before you have the chance to claim the innocence you long to hold." As she spoke, she experienced a twinge of pain from within and felt the chill of a distant dream....

"Enough, my little warrior princess", Ares said with a smile "Time to go home."

At the word home, the pain she had managed to stifle with what was left of her self control flooded her mind, and she rose unknowingly; led by his hand upon the silver chain he had fastened about her delicate neck. A chain of her own choosing...a consequence of her vulnerability, of her guilt.

"Gabrielle....my sweet Gabrielle...what have I done." thought Xena as she stumbled along behind Ares. "What have I done?"



As they came upon an outcropping of rock, Ares smiled, his mind drifting back over the past few days. "What silly things mortals are. So sentimental", he glanced at Xena, his eyes twinkling with glee. "My dear Xena", he began, "What do you think? Are mortals too sentimental?"

"Sure, Ares, whatever you say", she answered, her voice flat, her heart breaking. "You've set yourself as judge, you decide."

Opening his mouth to reply, Ares frowned at Xena's apparent lack of enthusiasm.

"Oh Ares, give it up. Can't you tell she's missing her little friend?" Callisto said innocently coming out from behind a rock onto the well worn path. She sidled up to Xena and threw her arm around her shoulders. "I've missed you Xena....just like you're missing the brat" she hissed.

"Where is she?" Xena asked quietly not looking up and trying not to shrink from Callisto's presence.

"Oh, around here somewhere I suppose, you know how bards are. Wandering the countryside, oblivious to danger..." she glanced at Xena's face, grinning as she saw her color fade, "...gathering their little tales. Ooooh, speaking of tales, I wonder what she'll be saying about you now..." Callisto grinned as Xena closed her eyes in pain. "I'm so happy you've come back to me,Xena. Uh, uh.... I know what you're thinking ... but you can't expect to leave so soon. After all, there is a baby on the way. You're in no condition to travel."

So lost was she in her memories that Xena barely felt her unconscious body hit the ground. She never heard the argument that broke out above her.

"Ares!" Callisto exclaimed indignantly, "You've pushed her too hard! Now I can't have any fun! How I let you convince me that this would be more fun than watching her spirit fade away as her blood ran through my hands...."

"Enough! If you would have waited until we made it to Ackra, we wouldn't have had this problem! At least I wouldn't ..."

It was evening, and they had just finished setting up camp. The small fire blazed, casting giant shadows among the trees, and a gentle golden light on the faces of the two women who sat side by side.

"Xena! I'm so glad you're you again!" Gabrielle sang as she looked into the other's face. "I can't help remembering Callisto..."

Xena's eyes misted over as she hugged the young bard. "Gabrielle", she sighed, "You don't know how happy I am to be back. Callisto is gone... really. It is me, Gabrielle". The events of the previous month flashed through both their minds.... Ares and Callisto taunting Xena... trapping her in Tartarus... Callisto wreaking havoc in Xena's own body... then a chance given by Hades to free herself from the underworld... finding herself trapped in Callisto's body (to Gabrielle's great distress)... a deal with Ares, and finally...coming home to her own body, and to her friend. It had been physically draining. Xena found herself hurting and uncomfortable. Not wanting to concern Gabrielle, who was keeping up a steady stream of chatter, she smiled, squeezed the bard's shoulder and began to settle down to sleep. She was reaching for her blanket when a sudden sharp pain overcame her, and she gasped,. Concerned, Gabrielle broke off her chattering in mid-sentence. She turned to her friend.

"Xena? Are you okay? What's wrong?" she asked in a rush, then biting her lip.

"Gabrielle...."

"I know, one question at a time." she smiled ruefully, "Are you okay?"

"I am now...I'm not sure what's wrong with me.... I haven't felt like this since..." she broke off. "No. that can't be right. Its not possible..."

"What is it? What's wrong?" Gabrielle's eyes filled with worry as she watched Xena's face.

"I haven't felt like this since... I was carrying Solon."

The silence grew between the two friends. Each lost in their own thoughts. It wasn't possible they both knew that. It must be something else.

"You're....."

"Sure? No, but it feels so much the same. But by the Gods, I can't see how....?"

"By the Gods, Xena?"

Xena leaped to her feet, sword in hand, moving between Gabrielle and the speaker.

"ARES..."

Gabrielle scrambled up beside her, gripping her staff tightly. What was going on, she wondered?

"What are you doing here?" Xena snapped, her blue eyes narrowing. She held her body stiff, watching Ares warily.

"Now, now, is that anyway to greet a friend?" He cocked his head and looked down at the women.

"A friend?" the bard broke in. "A friend? What a strange idea of friendship you have, Ares. Do you always try to destroy your friends?"

Xena looked at Gabrielle, surprised at the anger in the young woman's voice, and laid a cautioning hand on her shoulders. "Don't you have something else to do, Ares? Surely we can't offer much more entertainment."

"Xena, Xena My little warrior princess. Don't be so sure." He smiled and moved to her left shoulder, as she followed him with her eyes. "But... don't worry - I only want what's mine."

"And what would that be?" Xena replied, her voice low and filled with tension.

"Well Xena", a familiar voice replied, "That would depend on how you look at it. Wouldn't it?"

Gabrielle's eyes widened and she began to shake. "C...Callisto? Bbbutt hhow?" she shook her head slowly from side to side, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"Oh little girl, you'll never become a bard if you keep stuttering. Take your time.....feel the words" she grinned, knowing her meaning wasclear. "In answer to your question, its not what you know but who you know!" she said slyly, looking at Ares through her tangled blond hair. "Isn't that right, dearest?"

Xena glanced from Ares to Callisto then drew Gabrielle's shaking form to her side. "Get to the point. I can hardly wait to see the backs of both of you."

"Oh, but Xena..." Callisto whined, "I've missed you so..." she stepped toward Gabrielle, "and I've almost missed you! Not enough to listen to those stories but...."

"Callisto! Can we get on with it" Ares broke in, "we do have things to do".

She glared hard at him for a moment and then shrugged. "You're the boss....for now." She hissed under her breath.

"I heard that, my dear. But, I'll still let you break the news, despite your bad manners. It might sound better coming from the woman who made this possible." Ares calmly leaned against a tree, waiting.

Callisto's eyes lit up with anger, "Oooooh, can I?" she asked sarcastically. At his nod she continued, "Xena...do you remember how much Ares wanted you? Not just for your skills as a warrior, but for your other... attributes... as well? Hmmmmm...how do I say this? Well, while I was running around in your body.....he was able to... indulge. Hmmmm...what I mean to say is, she continued, "he got what he wanted! Or at least part of it." Callisto's eyes, which had never left Xena's slowly traveled down to her midriff and then back to her face. Gabrielle gasped. Xena stood still her eyes never leaving Callisto's. "Now he wants the rest.....and I get to play mommy." Her eyes gleamed as she searched Xena's face. "What? Nothing to say? I thought for sure you would say something, maybe even thank you."

Gabrielle took that opportunity to lunge at Callisto, swinging her staff as she came. Ares stepped in and grabbed one end of the staff, flipping her neatly into the dust. "Sit. Stay." He turned back to Xena.

"If I can't have you....I want my son!" He said seriously. "And I mean to take him. It's your choice.....the child... or you."

"Noooooo!" Gabrielle's cry of pain rent the night.................



Xena stood, rocklike, only her stormy eyes betraying the turmoil inside her. Callisto, practically jumping up and down, grinned. "Oh Xena, you look surprised. I thought you would be! Aren't you excited though? Imagine, a child of Ares, born of you and raised by me," she bubbled, obviously enjoying the pain she was inflicting.

She ignored Callisto and moved slowly over to where Gabrielle lay in a heap at Ares feet, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Gabrielle, I ..."

"Oh Xena...... if only you could have seen what I just did..... it broke my heart to see you like that.... I.."

"Shhh Gabrielle. I know. I'll take care of it."

"Ares. I need some time...please...at least grant me that." Xena said quietly, "and, could you please take Callisto with you?" Callisto pouted.

"Where I go, she goes....for now. Its all part of the deal. For you Xena, I would have done, well...almost anything, but now..." he paused, his features turning hard, "I will give you tonight. After that you'll make your choice. Choose well, my dear warrior princess." he whispered, his voice soothing and taunting at the same time.

"Sleep well Xena.... and smile Gabrielle, it could have been worse...it could have been you. On second thought, no one's really all that interested in a star-struck child....." Callisto said in parting, a gentle frown on her face.

And then they were gone, their laughter drifting through the darkness.

"Xena....." Gabrielle began, pushing herself to her knees beside the fire, "Are you..." she choked back her tears, "are you okay?" The bard sat, knowing she should look at her friend, reassure her that she was there, but she was too afraid. And as she yielded to her fear, the silence grew deeper, and the night stretched out before them.

Xena didn't answer right away. She couldn't. Her thoughts were raging through her mind, and after a while her shoulders began to shake with tightly bridled emotion. "This can't be..." she thought, trying to comprehend the vastness of the choices before her. There was so much more to it than just a child's life.

"A child that isn't even mine", she thought bitterly. A child that could take her place or Ares'. A child that, if given to the God of war, would be raised by a madwoman and destroyed by the power of her hatred.

But that wasn't all. "Gabrielle..." the warrior thought, watching the young woman through the veil of her dark hair, "I lose no matter what I decide; and Callisto gets her revenge."

Her eyes grew dark and deep with pain and as she watched the bard and struggled with her thoughts, the sky seemed to shimmer and a soft, sweet breeze began to blow. Caressing her face, stirring the strands of hair falling across her shoulders, the breeze seemed to drift into the clearing like a presence. It wafted past the world weary warrior, easing her shoulders, and brushed past Gabrielle, who looked up in surprise.

"Syrope?" She whispered. Her tearstained face softened.

"Yes Gabrielle" she paused, a soft smile crossing her delicate features, "Hello Xena," Syrope inclined her head toward the silent woman. As she stepped into the fire light, they could see her concern for them. With practiced ease, the woman swung her lithe body over the pile of firewood and lowered herself between the companions. Her auburn hair brushed against Xena's arm and Gabrielle's foot and somehow, with that brief, ghostly touch, she opened their minds to the thoughts of the other.......

The images cascade over one another, memories, dreams, hopes, desires... the pain of loss, the anguish, the agony of the anticipated separation, the need for a touch, a look of understanding, gratefulness....and....love. All these they saw and understood. There were no longer any questions....there was nothing hidden, nothing unsaid. Only the knowledge of a bond, a linking of spirits, a truth. The one truth they, and none aside from Syrope shared. They searched one another's face. They looked into one another's eyes and each saw the other....nothing but themselves. Syrope took their hands and drew them together, waiting until they turned to her.

When they did, she spoke, "My dear children, this is the only gift I can give you now, this closeness, this wholeness; it is all I can do. I cannot change the direction your path leads, nor can I defy Ares. I can show you who you are to each other and what you will be.

It is not as you think when you say the Gods will not interfere, Xena, this is more than you, and very few are able to stand. Do not fear, dear warrior, my blessing will go with you." she smiled sadly knowing the warrior would not believe it would be enough.

"Gabrielle, your heart is the best part of you, and the worst. Do not judge your friend for the choice she makes and for the choice she does not. You will both need to remember this moment in the days to come. Think back on it often, and may it bring you some small comfort in the darkness. This memory, this time, this knowledge can not be taken from you, just as your friendship, your sisterhood cannot, trust in your love for one another, and believe in the hope I give you." As she looked into the earnest faces before her, Syrope saw the pain to come, and the darkness that would hide it. Her words would be forgotten, she knew, but there was still one last thing to say. She drew a deep breath, let go of their linked hands and touched their cheeks; "My beautiful girls...." she whispered, her eyes glimmering with a film of unshed tears, "How I wish..." she fell silent, cursing herself for her momentary vulnerability. Taking one last look at the beauty and peace before her, she squared her shoulders, drew their heads towards her, kissed them both gently on the cheek and said soundlessly, "it begins now......" and her tears began to fall..........

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