Summary: A roman soldier seeking refuge from Caesar enters Amazon lands…
Rated: PG-13
Love is War
By Ephiny4 (Ephy)
It was a morning just like all others. The amazons woke up and went about their business of chores and training. Then an intruder was spotted just inside the lands. Ephiny led a group of scouts to investigate. The intruder was a Roman man with dark hair, muscles and a light beard. When he heard the amazons he quickly threw hands over his head and clasped them together in the name of peace. The amazons came down to the ground and Ephiny removed her mask.
“A MAN who knows Amazon tradition? That’s a new one!” She said cocking an eyebrow.
“My name is Mark. I come to you from Caesar.”
“Caesar!” Ephiny put her sword to his neck; she didn’t like anyone who hurt her friends.
“You must be a friend of Xena. Only someone who loves her would carry that much hatred towards him.”
“Guilty!”
“I admire that I really do. But that’s why I come to you. I seek refuge from him. You see, I quit his army and need a place to… stay for a week or so until he ends the search party. He wasn’t too keen on the idea of me leaving.”
“Why come to us?”
“A ROMAN solider seeking refuge with the Amazons, the people that the Warrior Princess loves more than anything? What do you think Caesar thinks about that?”
“You’ve got a point, he wouldn’t look for you here and besides… One less roman solider is one less person for Xena to worry about.” The grip on her sword loosened.
“My Queen?” Solari asked. “Is this really a good idea?”
“Probably not, but Xena IS coming here in a few days, if it’s a trap, Xena knows Romans… We aren’t in any danger.”
“I thank you.” Mark said as Ephiny put her sword back in her scabbard before taking a good look at him, he WAS handsome.
“Something tells me I won’t regret it.” Ephiny said under breath so no one heard.
Xena arrived a few days later alone. Gabrielle had a family emergency in Potedia. Xena was partially glad though, all she wanted to do was relax and not listen to her friends’ constant chatter. Xena was greeted by an Amazon ambush that took her by surprise.
“It’s ME!” She said quickly. “You’d think you’d know ME by now!” Ephiny laughed as she took off her mask.
“Just testing.” She said. Xena laughed as she hugged her friend tightly. She clasped hands and hugged a few of the others before they left. Ephiny and Xena walked back to the village on the ground so they would have more time to talk about Xenan and what they’ve been up to. Mark was never mentioned.
When they reached the village Xena walked straight towards the guest hut.
“I am so tired!” She said.
“Oh Xena!” Ephiny said running up and linked her arm around hers’. “The guest hut is actually occupied so I had Solari put an extra bed in my hut.” She said leading them to her hut.
“Who’s using it?” Ephiny smiled.
“Well talk about it later… You’re tired!” She taunted.
Xena woke up later that day and felt a familiar tingle run down her spine.
“Ares!” She said getting out of bed.
“No need to get up on MY account.” He said appearing next to the bed. “I’ll just come to you.” He said as he leaned towards her. Xena got up.
“Did you want something?” she asked.
“Maybe!” Xena smirked.
“I mean besides THAT!”
“Nothing I just wanted to see what how you react seeing me again.” Xena looked at him oddly.
“You know, we Gods have seen some pretty interesting stuff happen in Illuisa but…” Xena bowed her head.
“I’m still trying to figure out how I thought that up!” Ares gave quick laugh knowing she was kidding. He moved closer.
“Well, what do you say we make that little fantasy of yours come true?” He moved closer to her and kissed her passionately. She kissed him back, not even sure why. They laid down on the bed when Xenan burst in.
“Aunite Xe! Your home!” He yelled excited, Ares got off her as she hugged Xenan.
“Yeah baby I’m home!” She said giving Ares a look.
“Let me guess, he wants to grow up to be just like his Auntie Gabby!” Xena smirked, still not letting go. “I’ll be back my princess.” Ares said as he disappeared.
“Who was that?” Xenan asked.
“Never you mind! I wanna hear about everything that’s happened to you!”
“Well, not much. But there’s this Roman Guy, Mark who is living here now, at least for a little while, he is SO cool!” Xena’s smile faded. “And I think Mom likes him too!”
“What makes you say that?”
“Well, she is always smiling when she’s around him and don’t tell anyone but I saw them kissing yesterday! It was really gross!”
“Sweetheart, I want you to tell me EVERYTHING you know about Mark!”
Ephiny was looking over her maps when Xena walked into her hut after talking to Xenan.
“Hey!” She said with a smile on her face. “What’s up?”
“You’re dating a ROMAN?” Xena asked in disbelief.
“Xenan squealed on me didn’t he? Look Xena, he’s NOT Caesar!”
“Years ago I didn’t think Caesar was like Caesar!”
“That was a long time ago you were young and incase you haven’t noticed, we aren’t young anymore!”
“Look, Ephiny I just don’t want to see you get hurt!”
“I won’t! Xena he makes me happy!”
“Oh now WHY did you have to say that? That means I HAVE to support you now!” Ephiny laughed as Xena gave her a hug. “Just one question.” She asked. “Is he cute?”
“He’s gorgeous!”
“I can live with that!” She joked as they walked of the tent. Xena couldn’t care less how he looked and Ephiny knew but she felt like lightening the mood. It was then that Mark walked up to them. ‘OOH! She was right though!’ Xena thought! ‘He looks like Ares! WHOA! Xena stop it NOW’
“Xena this is Mark, Mark this is Xena.” Ephiny said with a grin on her face.
“It’s good to FINALLY meet you! You’re all I seem to hear about!” Mark said with a smile.
“The pleasure’s all mine!” Xena said giving him a fake smile, she still thought something was wrong with this picture. “Well, I’ve got some unpacking to do so I guess I will see you two later.” Just as she walked away Ephiny grabbed her arm and whispered in her ear.
“You don’t own any other clothes what could you possibly have to unpack?” Xena winked and walked away, leaving the two alone.
Back in her hut she paced around for what seemed like hours. Ares appeared next to her.
“You going for a world record in pacing or something?” He asked her.
“Does the name Mark ring a bell?” She asked now walking in a small circle. Ares thought for a second.
“Mark? Nope, nothin’ why?”
“Just checking.” She said after a minute Ares put his hands on her shoulders and stopped her.
“You are making me dizzy!”
“Sorry! You said you’ve talked to Caesar you don’t have any idea if he has a scout named Mark?”
“Xena, I’ve talked to him twice!”
“But you said that you…”
“I was just tryin’ to get a rise out of ya, worked too!” He smiled at her; she smirked and then went back to her pacing. “What’s the big deal anyway?” He asked getting a little jealous (as you can tell he has a jealousy problem in a lot of my stories...lol).
“Ephiny’s got a new Roman boyfriend!” Ares was sighed and then got a grin on his face.
“I’ve seen Ephiny fight, she can take care of herself.”
“Ares! By now you should know, I am a VERY overprotective woman!”
“Yes! I HAVE noticed that!” Xena smiled. Ares moved closer and was going to kiss her when she turned her back to him.
“Something wrong?” He asked. Xena faced him.
“Ares this can’t happen. I just can’t afford it!”
“Afford it?”
“Yeah! Do you have any idea how many times I was ready to become a warlord again? If I let this happen, I will be. I know that’s what YOU want, but it’s not what I want! Besides, I’m too busy worrying about Ephiny’s love life to be worried about my own.” She walked to the door but before she could get out.
“I’m sorry did I hear you say LOVE life?” Ares asked smugly. Xena smiled at him and walked out the door as he disappeared, back to Mt. Olympus.
Xena was walking around the Amazon camp trying to clear her mind. It was then that Aphrodite appeared at her side.
“Always need to look to bad in things, huh?” The blond said, smiling at her friend.
“This doesn’t smell right and you know it!” Xena defended herself.
“Alright! Alright! So it’s a tad extreme! Love usually is!”
“Since when do you get involved in mortal affairs that don’t include you?”
“It DOES include me! Well, I mean, it includes you which means that it includes me.” Aphrodite answered nervously. Xena stopped walking and looked at her for a moment.
“Can only I see you?” She asked.
“Yeah…” Aphrodite answered.
“So if I were to hug you right now, it would give people reason to stare?”
“If they haven’t been already.” She joked.
“Well… The thought was there.” She smiled. Aphrodite smiled back.
“Just, TRY to be pleasant. I KNOW that’s hard for you but…” She laughed. Xena laughed back as Aphrodite disappeared.
Just then Ephiny and Marc approached.
“What’s funny?” Ephiny asked.
“I’ll tell you about it later.” Xena answered.
“Well, we were about to something to eat. Care to join us?” Marc asked in a charming way.
“I think I would like that.” Xena smiled thinking about what Aphrodite said.
After dinner, Xena was getting ready for bed as Ephiny entered and started doing the same.
“Hi!” Xena said surprised.
“Hi.” Ephiny answered in a puzzled way.
“Umm, don’t take this the wrong way but, uh, why are you here?”
“Xena, I know this is strange concept for you to grasp but… I… live… here!”
“No! I mean, I thought you would be elsewhere at this time of night.” Xena said plainly.
“Maybe I would rather be spending time with you!” Ephiny said defending herself.
“Honey, I wouldn’t rather be spending time with me!” Ephiny laughed.
“Truth be told, I’m tired. I think I shall be perfectly happy talking with you until I fall asleep. The beds were positioned so that their heads were next to each other but going out in different directions. They laid down and attempted to get some sleep.
“So, how’s Hercules?” Ephiny asked. Xena shrugged.
“After that whole Serena thing we kinda stopped keeping touch. Iolaus is doing good though!” Ephiny laughed.
“I still can’t believe he did that.” Xena said almost as if she were thinking out loud.
“Well, that’s men for you! Always trouble!”
“Yeah.” Xena said sounding distant.
“Ooh! Did I just strike a nerve?” Ephiny sat up with a smirk.
“Hmm? Oh no! No nerve. I’m just a tad tired.”
“No, I think there’s something you aren’t telling me!”
“Too bad Eph, you’re wrong again. Good night!” Xena quickly turned her back over but not soon after she forced back to face Ephiny.
“If I guess his name will you tell me?”
“Yes. Only because you will NEVER guess who.”
“Hmm, ok, is he and ex-boyfriend?”
“Yes.”
“Autolycus?”
“I never dated Autolycus!”
“You didn’t? I thought you did!”
“I don’t date EVERY man I meet!”
“You didn’t? I thought you did!” Ephiny added with a smirk. She continued to guess until they fell asleep but never thought for a second that the one on Xena’s mind was the God of War.
Please e-mail the author of this story with your comments. ephiny4@aol.com