THE NATURE OF THE BEAST
BY MAGGIE
She's right; Pandion's right. I can't imagine how she must have felt; gods! how could I have -
you didn't know, did you? you were young, couldn't know what it felt like to be her; you thought you were doing her a favour, didn't you?
Well, yeah, but ... she's my mother, I should've been there! All that time, all those things she had to do herself, when I could have saved her the trouble; she cared about me! How could I not have cared about her? What's wrong with me!?
how about: 'you're human'? she didn't tell you any of this, did she? see, she thought she was doing you a favour ...
Gods, I wish she had told me! I never would have left her then, if I knew how she felt about my dad; if she'd just talked to me about ... about the things I did ... I knew she loved me, but she never talked about ... when I stole things ... I suppose she hoped I'd grow out of it, I dunno ... but I thought she was ashamed of me ...
exactly. you can't put all this on yourself; and if you'd stayed with her, you never would have met Hercules. you know, don't you, that that was meant to be? it had to happen, for so many reasons ...
But when I was older ... why didn't I go back and see her? I was too much of a coward to face her ... just like dad. And to think I blamed him all those years ...
but you made it up with him, didn't you? stop beating yourself over the head with all this, will you? you're giving me a headache ...
Oh yeah!? Since when does a conscience get a headache?
since you started in on yourself for the millionth time this life ... honest, you gotta get a better opinion of yourself, pal. i mean, Hercules is your best friend, isn't he? what does that say about you?
Oh, yeah, right; and he goes off to Olympus to be a god; I think that just about says it all, doesn't it!?
hmm. can we say, 'self-pity'? you know damn well he didn't leave because of you, and you know damn well that it was hard for him to leave you ... DON'T YOU!?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, alright, shut up about it already, willya? I don't wanna think about it.
which is exactly why you should think about it. he called you his brother: not just 'like a brother', not just 'the feeling's mutual', but 'My Brother'. he loves you more than Iphicles, you know. matter of fact, he loves you more than anyone. who else has he gone chivvying Hades for, to keep from death? no-one. not even Deianeira or the kids.
I know, but ...
but, what? are we running out of 'buts' here? i can feel a capitulation coming on; maybe even - gasp, shock, horror! - a smile ...
I hate you when you do that.
course you do; that's just the nature of the beast. your ego - which likes to get the last word in - starts jumping up and down and having a tantrum doesn't it?
No. Not any more ...
thank the gods ...
What was that?
nuthin. so; you're feeling better now then.
(Iolaus smiles) I guess so. I just wish ...
you just wish Hercules hadn't gone and done the god thing.
Yeah. I miss him ... I mean, who am I gonna argue with? Who am I gonna fish with? And all those fights I'm bound to get into ... I don't fight right without him ...
i don't know. you've only been at your mother's a few hours and already you're pining after the big lug. your mom could use some more of that, ya know ...
Hey, what's that? I smell smoke coming from the village ... I wonder what's going on?
maybe you'd better go and find out; (anything to stop him moping!) you never know, it could be ... trouble ...
(Iolaus speeds up his pace, something in him whispering, *I hope so*, to itself,)
so do i ...
~finis~
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