"He doesn't need someone like you in
his life."

Hera's eyes pleaded to her grand-daughter.
"Sophia, I've changed. Yes, I hated the children born from
Zeus' infidelities, but I realized I was wrong. You are right,
Evander doesn't need the old me in his life. But he does need
me, the goddess that is standing before you today, and so do you.
Grandchildren need their grandparents. You may find this hard to
believe, but I am capable of love. I have shown you nothing but
love ever since I found out about you." She reached out toward
her granddaughter, but Sophia pulled away.

"I don't want nor need your kind of
love Hera. Stay away from my little brother and me. We have enough
monsters in our nightmares, we don't need them in our
lives." Sophia walked out of the temple, all the while wishing
that this was truly just a bad nightmare.

Xena frowned as she stood outside; watching
the members of the council filed out of the building. Six
candlemarks had passed since the council was called into session.
*What could have been so important?* She stood there for a few more
moments, waiting for Gabrielle to come out. When she didn't
Xena walked past the four guards and entered the building.

Two of the royal guards watched as Xena
entered the room and made her way over to the hunched over Amazon
Queen. "Hi."

Gabrielle didn't bother to lift her head
from the table or open her eyes. "Hi."

"Rough meeting?"

"I hate treaty discussions. We had the
usually three today: those who want the treaty to remain the same,
those who want to change the treaty, and those who want to forget
about treaties altogether and fight to regain the ancient Amazonian
lands and glory."

"I'm sorry, but I figured it was
rough, especially after seeing that you guys worked through lunch,
so I came here to see what I can do." Xena reached down and
began to massage the Queen's tense shoulders. Gabrielle moaned
as the tension began to dissipate. "That is nice. So what have
you been doing all day?"

"Training the future Amazonian
warriors." Xena bent down and whispers, "I've got
something else for you, but you have to dismiss your guards."
Gabrielle turned and gave Xena a quizzical look, before she
dismissed the guard. "So what is it?"

Xena bent down and delivered a sizzling kiss.
Neither of them looked up as Chilapa and Lila stood in the door
way. "What do you want girls?"