This is the continuation of Labor Pains. It is 18 years later.

Growing Pains

Part 1

Ephiny watched with pride as her two young wards prepared to face their coming of age ceremony.

As their mothers had been inseparable, so too were their daughters. Terris Xena so like her mother, Gabrielle, red - gold hair, green eyes, mischief seemed to follow her as did smiles. Cyrena Gabrielle, so like hers, black hair and azure eyes. Weapon skills came easy to the god of war's daughter. She excelled at any she attempted, sword, bow, spear, dagger, and possibly the most dangerous weapon in her arsenal, her mother's chakram.

Eighteen years and still Ares refused to acknowledge his daughter. While the amazons were not upset by his lack of paternal interest, Cyrena was. The pain in the girl's eyes had grown each year, and more so with the passing of her beloved grandmother in the spring. Ephiny knew that when the ceremony was over Cyrena would leave the village for the first time in her life. She only hoped the young woman was prepared for life outside of the village that had sheltered her for so long.

"It's almost like looking at Gabrielle and Xena." Solari said to her queen.

"Yes it is.... isn't it? Although, Cyrena doesn't have her mother's dark past, I fear she is determined to create her own." She could never forget the last visit Xena had made. Cyrena had only been eight. She knew from her close friendship with Terris that it was unusual for a mother not to speak of the father, even amongst the Amazons. Yet Xena had never spoken of the girl's father till that day, and only to tell her that he was Ares, God of War. Xena had been killed before she had been able to visit again. Perhaps she could have reached the daughter she had loved. Now, the angry child had become an angry woman.

Ephiny and Solari watched as the two young women entered Amazon society.

The tests were meant not to harm but to teach. Each warrior had to depend on one another for success in battle and in life. Terris with her staff and Cyrena with her sword. They fought well, each depending on the other's ability to protect their back. Swords clanged and scrapped, grunts of exertion filled the air. Within moments, it was over. Two girls had stepped onto the field. Two Amazon Warriors stepped off.

Ephiny and Solari noticed Terris' slight limp, but were unable to offer assistance. Each woman's heart yearned to help her, but the rules were specific. Only Cyrena could offer assistance, until the proper acknowledgement of the two was complete. With pride, they watched the tall dark-haired girl place Terris' arm around her shoulders, helping her make her way to the dais. It was easy enough to see the pain in the older of the twos face, yet her head was held high as they walked slowly toward the Queen to be recognized as the warriors they were.

"We have proved our worth as fighters and friends." Cyrena began.

"We ask to be recognized as the Amazons we have become." Terris said the second reply between clenched teeth.

Together they finished, "Will you accept us as Amazon's?"

Ephiny had never been prouder to welcome the warriors with the words, "We accept you, Terris Xena Perdicus, daughter of Gabrielle, Amazon Princess and Bard and you, Cyrena Gabrielle, daughter of Xena, Warrior Princess. Today you are Amazons."

Chapter 2

The muffled sound from across the room awoke Terris, she knew this sound, it had awoken her many times in the past. Cyrena was crying. Quietly she rose from the bed and went to her friend. Putting an arm around the other girl's shoulder she silently gave the reassurance and love that her friend needed. They sat like that for hours, neither speaking only giving and taking the comfort of friendship.

"Terris.... why?" Cyrena's azure eyes pleaded for an answer from her friend.

"Why? Which why my friend? Why did your mother die? Why doesn't your father admit your his daughter? Why won't my mother return to take her place as Amazon Queen?.... There seem to be so many whys for us. I wish I knew the answers to tell you." Terris' eyes filled with tears as she thought of all the injustice they had faced. Some she knew from her own memory and some from gossip.

Xena and Gabrielle had stayed in the Amazon village only three months after Cyrena's birth. According to the gossips, just long enough for Xena to get back into fighting shape. Then Gabrielle had returned with Xena's body, for the first time. Velaska had been defeated in her unsuccessful attempts to become not only an Amazon Queen but a goddess. Yet neither Xena nor Gabrielle visited their daughters that trip. To be fair, Terris thought, they did come as often as they could. The last visit, Xena and Gabrielle had made to visit the girls on their eighth birthday, was tender and heartbreaking for the young Amazon Princess. It was that visit when Cyrena discovered the name of her father. Yet, from her own mother, Terris knew Xena had never told her daughter the whole truth. That Ares had taken advantage of Callisto being in possession of her body to hopefully sire a son. Even with that beginning, Xena had loved Cyrena. Terris had no doubt about that either.

Then the final time Gabrielle brought Xena to the Amazons, two months later. All that her mother would say was that Xena had died in battle. Terris had suspected that her mother was hiding something, and as the years passed with fewer and fewer visits she was certain.

"Terris... I have to have answers. I can't live like this. In the morning I'm leaving for Amphipolis, with a stop in Corinth to see Uncle Hercules & Iolaus." Her decision made Cyrena unconsciously raised her chin, and straightened her back; the image of her mother at eighteen.

"I'm going with you then. I have answers of my own I need to find. Last I heard Mother was near Amphipolis. Now lie down and get some sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us."

Chapter 3

He walked along the worn path, whistling to himself. It was his song, and he was proud of it. He knew there was no truth to the words, but the song gave him courage when nothing else could. He had been traveling for days, sometimes it felt like years, hoping to catch up with Xena and Gabrielle. At every town, he would ask if they had seen Xena, but in the last couple of years he had begun noticing strange looks from folks when he asked. They were polite enough, always telling him that she wasn't there anymore, the next morning he would rise and head to the next village.

As Apollo's chariot was rising in the eastern sky, he wondered why his legs were beginning to pain him. It grew harder each day to continue his quest to be reunited with his friends. As he crested the hill he saw them. Xena and Gabrielle sitting underneath the branches of a tree. He did notice something different about them.

"Xena! Gabrielle!" He called to them. He was to far away to see the puzzled expressions on their faces.

Terris and Cyrena had stopped to rest at the foot of the hill. They had been traveling for a week and would reach Corinth tomorrow. The friends had decided to make an uncharacteristic stop to enjoy the morning. When they heard Joxer call to them, or more appropriately their mothers.

"His name's Joxer, Cyrena. Mom told me about him, he's annoying but harmless."

"All right I understand. - But Terris why did he call us by our mother's names."

"Unless you've forgotten your name IS Cyrena Gabrielle and mine is Terris Xena." The smaller of the two said, green eyes sparkling with mischief. "Hi Joxer!" She called waving to him as he approached.

"Hello Joxer." Cyrena said rising.

"XENA!" He yelled as he pulled Cyrena into a hug. Over his shoulder Cyrena gave her friend a questioning look. Terris trying to keep from laughing shrugged her shoulders. "Your not mad are you Xena?" he continued. "Honest I thought you were OK or I never would have..... "

Cyrena was unsure of how to handle Joxer's affection, since her mother's death no one except Terris and her grandmother Cyrene had spontaneously hugged her. She didn't understand why he was asking for her forgiveness, to her knowledge they had never met. Then as she looked in his eyes, and realized he thought she was her mother. But why was he apologizing? "It's ok Joxer. I understand."

"Hey I like the new outfit Xena! I liked the old one too but this one - more Amazon influence. You look younger too. How'd you manage that." Turning to Terris he smiled, "Hi Gabrielle. Where are you two headed? What evil warlord are we going up against?"

"No evil warlords, Joxer. We're headed to Corinth, to see Un... er... I mean Hercules. Want to walk with us?" Terris knew that something was wrong with the middle age man joining them. Nothing dangerously wrong. But, for some reason, which she didn't know, he was living in the past. A past where Xena hadn't died. Terris had heard that she and Cyrena looked liked their mothers, but she had not realized how much until now.

Chapter 4

The evening campfire burned merrily, as the three companions sat talking. Terris and Cyrena listened to Joxer. Their mothers changing from distant half remembered childish fantasies to women, struggling to live in a world they were trying desperately to make better for their children. They laughed as he told of meeting Gabrielle, cried when he told of Perdicus death, story after story he told. Finally he came to the one they most wanted to hear.

"Xena, do you remember the last battle we were in together?"

"Not really, Joxer." Cyrena answered. They had made the mistake of correcting them on their identities earlier, only to have him break down in tears. Within moments he was composed and still insisting they were Xena and Gabrielle. Now, they answered to their mother's names, sparing him the upset. "I was injured, remember?"

"Yea I remember Xena. I thought you were dead. How much do you remember?"

Long ago Ephiny had told Cyrena some of how Xena had died. "All I truly remember is we were fighting some warlord near Cyrra."

"Yes. Callisto. She had raised a new army and was destroying towns within a day's march of Cyrra. She had a Lieutenant with her... Hope... Gabby, for some reason you wouldn't fight Hope. Boy, Xena were you ever angry at Gabby... You never told me why though. We fought small battles for weeks. We'd win one, they'd win won back and forth, then after about a month, I guess, we had a major battle. Right where Cyrra had been. Seemed like Callisto had planned all those previous attacks just to get us to Cyrra.

We were all shocked when Hope sent us Callisto's head, that morning. Then we faced Hope and her army. The battle lasted for hours. Honest Xena I didn't mean to bump into you while you were fighting Hope. I lost my balance. I didn't mean to make you fall." Joxer began sobbing, somewhere inside he had faced the truth of Xena's death again. Terris gathered the older man into her arms, as if he were a child. "It's all right Joxer. We

know you didn't mean to." Looking over his head she saw tears streaming down Cyrena's face.

The dark haired girl mouthing "I'll be back." Quietly slipped into the forest to compose herself. She had never heard the complete story on how her mother had died, but she knew now; and whoever and wherever this warlord named Hope was, she going to face Xena's daughter. Cyrena could almost pity her, not many had known that Xena and Ares had a child, would a warlord be able to face the god of war's daughter?

Chapter 5

Cyrena awoke with the dawn and lay listening to Joxer's soft snoring. Terris mumbling softly in her sleep, lay near. Quietly, Cyrena rose and made her way toward her horse. Reaching into her saddle bag, she felt for the package Ephiny had given her. The only thing she knew was whatever it was it had belonged to her mother.

Clasping the package to her chest, Cyrene left the campsite for the privacy of the woods. As she opened the bundle a single piece of parchment fell to the ground. Bending to pick it up Cyrena looked at her mother's strong, precise and beautiful handwriting.

Cyrena my beloved daughter,

I had planned to give you this when you turned 18. If you are reading this, I have died. I hope I died in battle, I would prefer that too any other death. I rewrite this letter everytime I visit, you are eight now. I'm watching you train with Terris and the other amazon's as I write. What can I say to you? There are things you must know, things I had hoped to tell you myself.

First, I love you daughter. The mere thought of you can bring a smile to my face. I enjoy being with you and wish there could be more time for us to be together.

Second, your father, Ares, don't try to get him to acknowledge you . . . I know from experience he won't. It is possible that I am his daughter as well. Which makes you his daughter and possible granddaughter. Only he knows and will never admit it. Ask your Aunt Gabrielle about it, if you have questions or if you can't ask her ask your grandmother, if, God's forbid, you cannot ask either of them go to a temple of the Furies and ask them, not the priest, the Furies themselves, use your father's name.

Now for your gifts. One was written by a woman in the kingdom of Chin, Lao Ma, read it. The other, I wanted you to have something of mine.

I love you daughter Xena

Cyrena wiped her tears away. Gently she started again to unwrap the bundle. The book was beautiful, heavy inlaid covers, gold symbols on front and back. Carefully she opened it and was suddenly glad her mother had taught her to read the Chin alphabet. Putting the book aside she lifted the second gift.

She lay the pieces on the ground studying them. She studied them debating whether to wear it or not.

Rousing from sleep, Terris turned to wake Cyrena and found her friend tending the fire and preparing breakfast. She gasped. Terris had almost forgotten what Cyrena's mother had looked like until she saw her friend wearing her mother's armor, her sword slung over her back, chakram at her waist.

Joxer rousing from sleep greeted each young woman. "Morning Gabby. Xena see ya went back to the old armor."

Chapters 6-10 Or Back To The Library