Part 7
*~*

*~*~*

 

 

“It’s good to see you.”  Ares stated quietly as he handed Joxer a glass of ambrosia-laced wine.  He knew how much Joxer loved the slightly bitter taste.

 

“You too.”  Joxer smiled as he took the glass.  “So I guess the charade is up.”  Joxer said as he motioned towards where Xena was standing.

 

“Are you sorry?”  Ares asked intently.

 

Joxer met the older God’s eyes for the first time, getting caught in the dark gaze.  “No.  But I’m kind of at a loss.”

 

“How so?”  Ares asked, moving slightly closer, his eyes still staring into Joxer’s.

 

“You don’t need me down in the mortal world anymore, keeping an eye on…things.”

 

“Perhaps not.”  Ares agreed.  “But I’ll always need you.”

 

Joxer’s heart skipped a beat at the words, but not yet willing to assume they meant anything in particular.  “What exactly do you need me for now?”

 

Ares chuckled and smiled.  “Perhaps we can discuss it…after the reception?”  He asked, feeling more than a little brave.  He had never been exactly sure where he stood in Joxer’s eyes.  He knew where The God of War stood, but he wasn’t nearly as assured of his place as just a man.

 

Joxer smiled, his eyes twinkling.  “I’d like that.”

 

“Good.”  Ares returned the grin.  He reached out a hand and caressed Joxer’s cheek briefly.  “Until later.”

 

Before Joxer could blink, Ares had moved towards where his mother was speaking quietly with Persephone.  Joxer lifted his hand and traced the place where Ares fingers had brushed.  “Later.”  He murmured.

 

*~*~*

 

Hercules looked more than a little bewildered.  Zeus stared at him for a second.  “You look a little shaken up.” 

 

“I’m a little confused.”  Hercules admitted ruefully. 

 

Zeus nodded.  “To be expected.  There is much you never bothered to learn.  You choose to believe what you want.”  Zeus shrugged, knowing that there was not much you could teach young people if they weren’t ready to learn.

 

“Like what?”  Hercules asked curiously.  He’d always thought he had everything figured out.

 

“Walk with me.”  Zeus said quietly, motioning towards a set of double doors set into one corner of the room. 

 

Hercules was silent until both he and his father had reached a garden beyond the double doors.  Zeus sat on a while marble bench and waited until his son sat down.  “We all have things we must do.  Sometimes what we must do isn’t pleasant but it is necessary, most of the time.  Much of what we do is for the betterment of the mortals under our care and many times that is not easily understood.”

 

“How?”  Hercules asked, willing to listen for once, if his father was going to tell him something honest.

 

“Your brother for instance.  He is the God of War.  That does not mean his enjoys war, or gets a vicarious thrill from the dying.  It does not even mean than he starts all the wars, though sometimes that is the case.”  Zeus paused and looked down at his young son.  “Mortals start many wars, your brother taps into that energy, channels it, to make sure the end result is something that can help the people.”

 

“How can war help people?”  Hercules asked.

 

Zeus stared at his son for a moment in disbelief, then he sighed.  “Son, without war the population would be overrun, and the excess of people would then be the responsibility of someone else.”  He paused to see if Hercules was following him.  When it looked like he was listening and at least *trying* to understand, he continued.  “If there are too many people to adequately feed, there is famine and drought.”

 

“As horrible as that is, that at least is natural.”  Hercules said, still not completely grasping what his father was saying.

 

“Is it?”  Zeus asked with an arched eyebrow.  “Is it any more natural for your Aunt Demeter to cause draught and famine than it is for your brother to cause Wars?

 

“What?”  Hercules questioned in confusion.

 

“You don’t honestly think that every thing that happens is coincidence do you?  When there are floods and earthquakes, disease and starvation, it is usually not by accident.  We, as Gods, control these things.  People pray to us not only for guidance but also for assistance.  Do you think we could help our mortal followers if we had no control over things?”

 

“I never really thought about it.”  Hercules admitted.

 

“Perhaps you should.”  Zeus suggested.  “There will come a time when you will be required to take your place in Olympus.  At that time you will be responsible for the lives of mortals.  You may have to do things that that you don’t always like or agree with.”

 

Hercules nodded slowly.  “I will think about everything you’ve said, Father.”

 

“That’s all I ask.”  Zeus answered as he stood up.  “I should be getting back.  Stay as long as you like.  Maybe you should speak to some of your relatives.”

 

Hercules stood up as well, thinking maybe she should speak to a few of his family members.  He stared hard at his father, suddenly remembering something Joxer said.  “It is true what Joxer told me?  About Serena?”

 

Zeus looked across the yard towards the Great Hall where he knew Joxer was reacquainting himself with his family before turning back to his son.  “If you’re asking if I ordered Ares to have the Golden Hind killed, then yes.”

 

“But why?”  Hercules asked, confused and hurt.

 

“She was a danger to us, as all her people were.”  Zeus replied simply.  “Mortals are not yet ready to live their lives without us.  The death of one of us not only weakens the Gods but mortals as well.  I could not risk any of us on the hope that the blood of a Hind would not fall into the wrong hands.”  Zeus looked into his son’s eyes and spoke quietly.  “As a favor to your brother, I allowed Serena to live, so long as she remained an acolyte of Ares.  The moment that changed, her life was forfeit.”

 

“So, it was my fault.”  Hercules whispered softly.

 

“In a manner of speaking, yes.”  Zeus answered honestly before walking back towards the reception, leaving Hercules to his thoughts.

 

*~*~*

 

 

“Wow.  You finally did it.”  Joxer smiled widely as he approached his father.  Strife startled.  He had been too busy watching Cupid walk across the hall to speak to his mother and Stepfather to hear his son approach.

 

“Yeah.”  Strife smiled and gave his son a hug.  “So, you’re home to stay.”

 

Joxer looked over to where Ares was once again speaking to Xena and quickly looked away.  “Looks that way.”

 

“So, what were you and Unk talking about? Looked kinda intense.”  Strife smirked. 

 

Joxer shrugged.  “It was nothing.”

 

There was an inelegant snort as Eris joined her son and Grandson.  “Right.  It didn’t look like nothing.”

 

Joxer turned towards the object of their discussion, making sure he couldn’t overhear before turning back to his grandmother.  “It was nothing.”  He reiterated in a hiss.  “Even if it was…something, it was *nothing.*”

 

Eris raised an eyebrow.  “You think that he just wants to talk?”  She said incredulously.  “Or you believe that Ares is after another of his infamous love affairs?”  She nodded to herself as she saw the blush staining her grandson’s pale cheeks.  “In case you’ve forgotten, Jox, Ares doesn’t fool around with us.  You know better.”

 

The *us* in question was of course members of the House of War.  Though Ares flings were legendary, especially when children were the result, he had never turned his eye towards any member of his own house.  Once, long ago, a brief affair with a minor deity serving War had nearly caused a serious incident when Ares grew bored and the other God refused to let things die.  Since then, he stayed far away from anyone he had to work with.

 

“Then what would he want with me?”  Joxer asked plaintively.  “We *do* have to work together, and when things end…”  He trailed off.

 

“What makes you so sure they *will* end?”  Eris asked softly.

 

“Gran, you know, perhaps better than most, that Ares isn’t really the eternity sort.  All of his…liaisons, shall we say, end in one of two ways, either with them parting, amicable or otherwise, or with a child.  Either way, the operative word there is *end*.”

 

“Maybe he just hasn’t found the right person.”  Eris offered, hoping her normally intelligent grandson would be able to see what so many others had.

 

“Has he even been *looking*?”  Joxer asked with a snort.  “No, I think it’s better to just forget even contemplating sleeping with him.  It can only end badly, for everyone.”

 

“At least give him a chance.”  Eris pleaded.

 

“I’ll listen to what he has to say.  I can’t promise anything else.”  Joxer said reluctantly, noticing Athena standing in one corner watching the festivities with a nearly non-existent smile.  “Excuse me,” He motioned towards the Goddess and walked away, not wanting his grandmother to waste anymore time on that particular subject.

 

*~*~*

 

“I’m happy for you.”  Xena smiled at her brother.  “Both of you.”

 

Cupid hugged her tightly as Strife joined them.

 

“You ready to blow this Popsicle stand?”  Strife asked with a cackle.

 

Cupid nodded, leaving Xena standing alone.  After her somewhat awkward conversation with her father she wasn’t sure what to do now.  She wasn’t quite ready to leave yet.  She knew once she did she’d have way too much time alone to think.  However she didn’t really want to be wandering around the Great Hall.  The only person she was even remotely comfortable around was Joxer and he appeared to be in deep conversation with Athena.

 

“So, Warrior Princess, what do you think of the Royal Wedding?”

 

Xena turned to the God standing next to her.  “Jett.”

 

 

 

*~*~*

 

Athena smiled in the reserved way she had but Joxer could see the warmth in her eyes.  “I’m glad you’re back, Jox.  The family missed you.”

 

“Yeah, I missed everyone too.”  Joxer admitted.  “It’s going to be a bit of an adjustment though.  I spent so much time following around Xena that being back is a bit of a culture shock.”

 

Athena squeezed his shoulder lightly.  “I’m sure you’ll be fine.  And don’t worry about Xena and Ares, they’ll settle everything.”

 

“Yeah.”  Joxer sighed.  He had spent several minutes trying to get Athena’s feel for the situation.  She wasn’t closely tied to Xena despite her connection to Ares and he had been hoping she could look at it objectively.

 

“I think I owe Hercules an explanation or two as well.”  Joxer said, changing the subject slightly.

 

“You don’t *owe* him anything.”  Athena said seriously, “and as for explanations, I think Father has that covered.  She motioned to where Zeus had just re-entered the Great Hall.

 

“Perhaps.”  Joxer remembered Zeus leaving with Hercules.  “Still, I should probably talk to him before he returns to the mortal world.

 

Athena smiled fondly at the younger God as he walked away and decided to see what her Father had to say on the matter.

 

*~*~*

 

Eris watched her brother speaking quietly to his estranged daughter with interest.  After several minutes Xena hugged her father awkwardly and walked away.  Eris continued to watch the demi-goddess as she approached her half brother and offer her congratulations.  Her dark eyes strayed to where her grandson was speaking quietly to Athena. Finally satisfied, the Goddess of Discord moved silently to her twin’s side.

 

“Brother.”  She spoke in hushed tones.  “Are you finally ready?”

 

Ares didn’t pretend to misunderstand his sister.  “It is past time, is it not?”  He asked turning to face her.

 

“Long past time.”  Eris agreed.  “However you have yet to convince him.”

 

Ares turned to watch Joxer speak with another of his sisters.  “He doesn’t believe that I want him?” 

 

“Oh he believes you *want* him, it’s your love for him that he doubts.”

 

“Then I’ll convince him.”  Ares stated with confidence, turning to face his twin once again.

 

“You do that.”  Eris eyes glittered as her voice changed slightly.  “But remember this, hurt him, and the Trojan War will look like a field trip.”

 

Ares blinked.  His memories of that particular piece of Eris’ handwork were not pleasant.  “Understood.”

 

Eris nodded once and left, returning to her son’s side, where he was preparing top depart on his honeymoon.

 

*~*~*