Innocence of War
Part 13
by Arianwen P.F. Everett
Authoress's Note: I've been in the hospital to have my ankle operated on, so this part is late. Sorry.
Disclaimer in Part 1.
Part 13
Ares smiled a dark and eager smile before throwing his entire weight and force into his attacker, sending the two rolling over five times, with Ares getting the upper hand. "Sorry you chose to come along, but we don't really need you here Brother!" Ares said, removing a dagger from his belt. This time it wouldn't be on his head, if he killed...
Suddenly pain shot through his head, as Xena's boot connected with his ear, and he fell off his opponent as for a split second, he lost his bearings.
"I AM NOT SPENDING ETERNITY IN TARTARUS, SO YOU CAN KILL HERCULES!" Xena shouted at the recovering God. She then put her boot into the side of her demigod mentor. "AND YOU, What in the name of Zeus where you trying to do?!" she hissed and kicked three times.
"Ow! Stop Xena! I saw him threatening you! I thought you needed help!" Hercules said, shielding himself with his muscular forearms. He could easily deflect her kicks, but he didn't want to hurt her. She was obviously upset, and perhaps he had interfered and been in the wrong.
"I can't believe this! Is it some sick family trait you share that you can't believe I can take care of myself!" Xena said, her anger building, and her eyes turned to Ares, who had gotten up and replenished himself, looking a regal and supreme as ever. He smiled a dangerous smile at Xena, daring her. He loved to fight her. They each slowly started to circle each other, waiting for an opening, and Hercules, knowing he could do nothing but try to keep everyone else safe during the battle to come stepped back.
"Xena! There's a group of ships just approaching the horizon! They're not ours! Xena!" Gabrielle shouted from the perch up top where she stood watch.
Xena's war cry hit the air, as she flipped backwards out of Ares reach and right in front of the ladder leading to the lookout. Swiftly she ascended the distance and grabbed the primitive telescope from her friends hand. She looked in the direction Gabrielle pointed and saw the large Britainian vessels approaching.
"Damn! They're making a preemptive strike, and this army has never even fought together as a unit, much less a sea battle! They're soldiers not pirates!" Xena swore, pounding her fist into the post. She took another look through the scope, and plan came into her mind. She flipped down all the way from the outlook post, confronting the startled captain.
"This Armada is going to be getting extremely close. Smaller ships towards the center. Ares, make contact with your uncle, Poseidon, see if he can give us some large waves in twenty minutes exactly.
For a second Ares was stunned. A mortal was giving HIM orders, but Xena had her no nonsense or I'll skin you alive personally look, and he ran towards the bow of the ship to get his Uncle's attention.
The older God rose to the sea surface, and eyed his pernicious nephew with weary eyes. "What do you want now?" he asked, rolling his eyes slightly.
"Waves, we need waves, a big one in twenty minutes precisely. It seems Dahak knows not to attack directly, so he's using his mortals and an Armada of their ships to meet and destroy our main forces before we can get to Britannia. We need these soldiers, if we are to win!" Ares explained emphatically.
"Why don't you just... Oh, right, this Dahak would block you from just landing your men on Britannia," Poseidon mimicked, rolling his eyes again. Godlings. Always so concerned about things of relatively insignificant proportions. This Dahak wasn't even a century old, hadn't even escaped his celestial plane to enter the world, and Ares was fighting a full blown war with him. Whatever made the kid happy as long as it left him alone. "All right. You want waves in twenty minutes you got waves. Happy?"
"Thank you." Ares responded, holding back a snide comment.
"Good, now leave me in peace!" The Lord of the Seas huffed, plunging below.
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