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Strife in my Life	By : AmberDDawn Category: S through Z > Xena Views: 2142 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own "Xena: Warrior princess", or "Hercules: The Legendary Journey" They were produced by Renissance Pictures I am not making money for this fiction.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
I really, really hope you guys are still with me. I am also working on a Hercules/Joxer Ares/Joxer love triangle story (Its meant to be somewhat funny but I still tried to write it semi-serious). I’ll post it after this has been up a few hours to give you time to read this chapter before going to something new.

Strife in my Life
Chapter 7: War’s Nephew

Ares came back to a seemingly empty Temple. It was late and there had been a lull in fighting. He let it be for the night. His followers had it handled, and he was worried about his nephew. He walked into Strife’s room and snapped his fingers lighting the wall sconces. Strife was lying on Cupid who was rubbing his back and whispering in his ear.

“You need to have words with your priests,” Cupid said in a low voice, “Strife was attacked and they were cowering in the hall.”

“Who?” Ares asked.

Cupid looked at him and went back to petting Strife’s sleeping head.

“Who am I going to kill?” Ares demanded. His voice was quiet and calm. He flexed his hands and Cupid could see sparks flying off his fingers.

“You’re not going to kill him,” Cupid said, “I took care of it.”

“Are you going to tell me what happened?” Ares hissed.

“Not much to say I stupidly left Strife unsupervised for five minutes and Adonis thought he was going to drag him out of your temple,” Cupid mumbled. Strife whined in his sleep and Cupid kissed his head.

“Adonis?” Ares sounded puzzled, “That bubble headed windbag was trying to kidnap Strife?”

“You’ve blocked his powers! If a mortal somehow wandered up here and decided to take him, he could have done the same. At least he wasn’t able to remove Strife from the temple,” Cupid growled under his breath while thinking of what could have happened if he had been gone longer; if Adonis had been stupid enough to actually try and rape Strife in his father’s temple. He sat up shifting Strife, who whined in his sleep, and pressed into Cupid’s side.

“That restraint is there to keep Strife from hurting himself or running away,” Ares sighed tiredly, “If he wouldn’t do either of those things then we could take it off…By the way what in Tartarus are you doing? You haven’t…” Ares looked at his Son and Nephew apprehensively. Strife was still wearing the shift. Cupid saw his father looking at Strife and he zapped Strife's normal clothes on him and then covered him with a blanket.

“I’m not a rapist Dad,” Cupid said in a droning impatient voice, “Strife…I'll admit I care about him. You must have noticed. The only one who hasn’t noticed was Strife. I told him today, after the attack. It…It didn’t go great but well…Strife is safe and I can deal,” Cupid stroked his cousin’s arm, “I love him dad. I’m IN love with him!”

“Son,” Ares started pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Don’t son me…I know I can’t force anything. Who do you think you’re talking to? …And no I won’t resort to an arrow to get him! All I ask of you is no interference,” Cupid begged.

“You do realize if you…if you and he do get together that you would end up with more children…Twins! ...Run in the family!” Ares warned him.

“I love him I would cherish any children we brought forth, on my godhood,” Cupid swore.

“We'll have to go to Mother,” Ares let out a breath. This must be brought to her, or we'll pay for it later, Strife'll pay for it son. It is time anyhow. We couldn’t neutralize the potion. Pan and his tribe are well beyond Hera’s reach now. It is time for me to in act our plan.”

“What is your plan?” Cupid demanded.

Ares glared warningly but still explained, “Simple really…We shall throw our mercy on her good nature,” Ares cringed at his own words.

“That’s your brilliant plan?” Cupid squeaked and pulled Strife closer.

“I didn’t say it was a good plan, but it is our only resort. Strife needs to be brought to Hera and Zeus’ attention,” Ares said.

“What?! No! They’ll marry him off! He’ll fight it. It’ll destroy him!” Cupid thought of Adonis charming them into giving Strife over. Strife would be in the weaker position and forced to go with him. Cupid remembered stories of his mother being fought over before Zeus married her off to his stepfather. As he understood it she rebelled and hurt the god of fire.

Eventually she accepted him, but before that she had many trysts including ones that resulted in him and several other children. Heph never, ever took out any anger or hurt on the children. He had been an ideal father figure. He couldn’t have children of his own, so he accepted the children Aphrodite brought into the marriage. Eventually He and Cupid’s mother did find love, common ground in the love of their children. Cupid was grateful for his Step-father’s kindness and influence where he had been denied his birth father. Olympus was one big dysfunctional family, but still there were those who had love. Strife deserved to have that after a life of loneliness and pain. He’d be damned to the deepest bowls of Tartarus if Strife was robbed the chance of a better life.

“Strife deserves to choose his own fate,” Cupid demanded.

“I’m sorry son,” Ares shook his head, “None of us has that right not even Zeus.”

“Then I’ll demand his hand,” Cupid stood firm, “I’ll marry him, but I won’t bed him…not unless he comes to me freely and of his own accord!”

There was a bellow, “I have a summons for Cupid, and Strife.” Hermes easily found them and walked into the room. His brow rose at the sight of Cupid holding a sleeping Strife, “Adonis has made a demand for satisfaction. Cupid interfered in his personal business with Strife. You are hereby requested in Zeus’s court for a hearing.”

“That idiot!” Cupid growled.

“I’ll come with you. I have a few words for that boy,” Ares spoke in a deadly quiet tone of voice. Ares thought for a second and that potion appeared in his hand, “Might as well kill two harpies with one strike.”

“That’s a strange saying…” Cupid said he while gently shaking Strife, “Strife we have to get up.”

Strife stretched and yawned, “Do Ah hafta?”

“Yes you do,” Ares said gruffly. He wouldn’t admit it but Strife was rather adorable when asleep. Nobody in the house of war should ever be considered adorable! Hearing his uncle Strife cracked an eye open. He peeked into Cupid’s eyes and startled just a bit.

“Hey sleepy,” Cupid gently nudged him, “We have to go. Adonis is being an ass and whining just ‘cause I kicked his butt.”

Strife made a pathetic whine and pouted, ok he was really cute. Ares wanted to pinch his cheek, “Get up moron before I kick you out of bed.”

“Dad,” Cupid glared and grabbed Strife hauling him up and putting himself between Strife and his father.

“We better get over there,” Ares ordered in a more gentle tone.

Xena was tending the fire and watching Gabrielle as her quill scratched against the scroll. She looked up tapping her chin with her quill noticing Xena watching her she smiled. Then her eyes brightened and she started writing furiously. Hercules and Iolaus had headed to the nearest village intent on getting more supplies, and trading some hides from Iolaus’ latest hunting excursion. Xena and Gabrielle were maintaining camp waiting for Joxer and Auto to return. They had promised to head that way as soon as their friends returned and were rested.

“Think they’ll be back tonight?” Gabrielle asked without looking up from her scroll.

Xena poked at the fire and shrugged, “Perhaps, but I have a feeling they’re enjoying their time alone. Maybe tomorrow.”

“Ok…so fish for dinner tonight? Or I could make a stew of the last of the dried meat?” Gabrielle supposed.

“What do we have left for vegetables?” Xena asked.

“Oh some carrots and onions,” She replied then yawned.

“Stew sounds fine then,” Xena nodded and leaned back taking her sword and whetstone out. She worked on the edge of the blade honing it to a razor edge.

Gabrielle put aside her scroll, stretched and got up. She grabbed their one pot and headed to the stream to collect water for dinner. Things were blessedly quiet without either Joxer or Iolaus in the camp, and quiet was okay for the time. After a while it got rather boring. Neither woman said it but they both were eager to have their friends back.

For Xena there was also an inkling of a notion that she should be worried. Joxer’s belly was starting to show. He was only going to get more vulnerable and noticeable; a bad combination.

Xena watched as Gabrielle started to set up the cooking pot on the fire and dug through their provisions, “If they show up tonight it’ll be easy to stretch the stew.”

The blonde nodded, “I hope they’re safe.”

“Me too,” Xena agreed.

Jett patted the horse. He made it to the coast and according to the locals he was only a few weeks behind his target. That was fine. They were mostly on foot and his horse was made for covering large distances quickly. The helpful old woman had easily given him their next destination when he said he was looking for help. He was a killer but leaving a trail of dead bodies in his wake would draw too much attention in this peaceful area.

Adonis stood before his adopted Grandparents. He had been born of a mortal Myrrha who was cursed and transformed into a Myrrh tree, his mother carried him inside her in her tree form and the tree was gored by a hungry boar that wanted to eat the babe. Aphrodite saw the child and fell in love with his beauty, she rescued him from a grisly death. She adopted him and cemented his place on Olympus.

He had been raised from a baby to think and live as a god and on his majority, and on the behest of Zeus' daughter the young man had been given ambrosia. His beauty was so great it has inspired many cults comprising mostly female worshipers, though he's had male admirers as well.

His beauty also inspired a legendary ego. He was not used to being denied his wants. Strife once denied him. It was a simple need to slake his drunken lust, but he was sobered up very quickly. At first he was insulted and refused to aknowlege Ares' toady, but Strife surprised him. Rather than seeking him out to apologize the lesser god avoided him. For a while Adonis was convinced that the other was fearful of rebuff, or retaliation. After a few years he noticed the young god growing into his own, he rethought things. He still snubbed the god, but he noticed him. He was lanky and pale, but he was also very unique among the gods.

Strife was like that one lily in a garden of roses. Simple, dainty and demure...maybe not demure. Among a riot of colors shapes and sizes of flowers. Roses are hearty flowers, fragrant and so bold. A lily looks pretty next to a rose. The rose can be complimented by the delicate nature of the lily. Strife was the lily to Adonis' rose.

Strife's attitude would have to change, undoubtedly. He would need to be more obediant. That was ok with Adonis. He felt that it might be fun breaking his cousin of his nasty habbits. That hephestian bracelet gave him ideas of how to do it. Ovbiously Ares was having trouble controling the godling. He'd probably be grateful to Adonis for taking the troublesom youth off his hands. After seeing him today, touching him, smelling him, and tasting him; he had to have the other god. Cupid had interfered in his business and he saw no reason he shouldn't seek recompense.

Cupid, Strife, and Ares appeared together. Cupid was Standing between Adonis and his prize and he was not going to have it. Ares looked calmly at Adonis. A smart person would have been terrified when the god of war looked blankly at them, but Adonis was a god for his looks not his brains. He smirked at the three. He shared popular opinion that Ares barely tolerated his nephew. Even if this were the case, the idiot had attacked one of Ares' in his home. That wouldn't stand even if he had hated Strife.

Strife stood behind Cupid and next to his uncle. He looked over at Adonis and their eyes met. Adonis leered openly at him, and Strife made a gagging gesture toward the other god. Adonis seemed amused. Thinking of how he wouldn't mind making Strife gag on something. It would show him his place.

Zeus cleared his throat. The parties of both sides quieted. Adonis smiled genially at his adopted grandfather. Zeus looked less than impressed but he nodded to the young god, "Why exactly are we here Adonis?"

Ares quirked a brow at this. The stupid fool hadn't even bothered to tell Zeus what his grevance was about.

Adonis cleared his throat and stood straight, the picture of self importance, "Your grace. I'm here today to settle a dispute. I was courting young Strife, and Cupid had the gall to attack me."

Cupid's eyes turned deep dark forest green, "You attacked him! You were trying to drag him out of my father's temple and you HIT him!" Cupid shouted at Adonis.

Zeus held up his hand, "That's enough Cupid."

Strife looked a little bit paler than normal. He felt a hand on his shoulder and jumped. He looked at his uncle and Ares squeezed his hand in a comforting gesture. Strife relaxed slightly.

"You crushed my wrist and damaged my throat. I had to go see Uncle Apollo to get healed before I came here!" Adonis pouted and crossed his arms over his chest, "Strife will come around to my way of thinking. He just needs some convincing and incentive."

"Strife doesn't like you and who could blame him!" Cupid shouted back.

"That is enough!" Zeus roared. The three youngest gods in the room all flinched. Strife felt a bit faint. He was still recovering from his episode and the attack on him earlier that day. The king of the gods noticed this and his eyes narrowed, "Why have you blocked Strife's powers Ares? Take that bracelet off him boy."

"It's on there for his protection father," Ares rolled his eyes and Zeus sure didn't miss it.

"Explain," Zeus said in an impatent tone, "Now."

"I'd prefer not to discuss a private matter in front of presant company," Ares looked pointedly at Adonis who was looking rather curiously at Strife. Curosity and lust filled calculation swam in his eyes. The young god gave his lips a salacious lick while staring at his Nephew. Ares frowned.

"That's fine!" Zeus stood from his throne, "Adonis, Cupid, Adjourn from the hall until you are called back." Both young gods looked to their King as if they wanted to argue. He gave them a bored dismissive look that told them he wasn't in the mood. Cupid looked at Strife wistfully and vanished. Adonis gave a haughty nod and glared at Ares before removing himself from the room.

"Can Ah go too?" Strife asked in a rather timid voice. He was feeling a bit ill.

Zeus shook his head and didn't act at all surprised at the humble request. He may not like his grandson very much, but he was still his grandson. One reading of the godling's aura told the God of Thunder that the youngster was not well, "Have a seat Strife." Zeus produced a chair and placed a hand on the young god. He felt the turblance in his being. There were many things wrong.

"It happened again," Ares explained cryptically.

"How many dead?"

"Two but one wasn't by him," Ares explained. Strife was listening and wondering what in Tartarus his Unc was talking about.

Zeus nodded and placed his hand on Strife's head. He felt something else, "Hera would you come do a reading of young Strife?"

"What's wrong?" She tired to hide behind an icy tone but the way Zeus was behaving she felt a pang of anxiety run through her heart. Strife wasn't her favorite person either.

He was normally so disrespectful and ill-mannered, but he was still one of her children's children. She was the goodess of motherhood it was in her nature to worry about her grandchildren. Hera came over and placed her hands on Strife first on his head and she felt the disturbance in there and pain. She winced and suddenly her other hand flew to his stomach. She pulled back in shock. Her eyes widened, "How?"

Strife squirmed and whined.

"This?" Ares placed in his mother's hand and her eyes lit angrily.

"This...This is...how dare that little goat!" She recognized the Auras attached to the poation. Her hand wrapped around the bottle squeezing with all her godly might. The glass of the bottle was spelled to be unbreakable, so it held up to the pressure, "What did he hope to gain by giving Strife this?"

"He didn't...It was my carelessness and Strife's idiocy," Ares started.

"Hey!" Strife started but Ares cuffed him on the ear. Not hard enough to damage but enough to get the message across.

"Let me explain everything," Ares started. Zeus looked between his wife and his son. He opened his mouth but Ares gave him a pleading look, "I need to tell you everything. It's important that you not interupt."

Zeus sighed and nodded he went back to his throne and lounged. Hera hovered over her grandson. Strife felt even more sick. He didn't understand what was going on but he had a feeling his future hinged on this conversation.

Cupid flashed into Aphrodite's temple and found Bliss. He snatched him up and hugged him close.

"Daddy?" Bliss felt his anxiety and burried his face in his Daddy's chest sending as many good vibes into him as he could.

"Cupie?" Dite questioned him, "You alright?" She came over and Cupid held out his arm letting his mother join the hug. She felt his pain and fear and she knew it had to involve Strife.

"What did that boy do to you?" She sounded angry.

"It wasn't something he did...well not to me," Cupid sighed when he felt his mother tense.

"I'm going to make him impotent for eternity!" She growled in her own sexy way.

"Don't! Mom! Strife didn't do anything to me. He's he gotten hold of that potion," Cupid whispered.

"What potion?" Dite asked. Her eyes widened in slow horrible realization, "No! How many people did he give it to? Hera's really gonna notice when hundreds of men start having babies all over Greece!" She pulled away and was about to flash to Hera to try and mitigate the damage.

"No! No, mom," Cupid grabbed her arm firmly but not enough to hurt the delicate looking Deity, "Strife drank it. He...um...thought it was a future drink like that fizzy stuff he sometimes brings back in those strange metal cylinders."

"Oh," Aphrodite relaxed a bit, "Where is the little trouble maker then?"

"Pops is talking to Zeus and Hera about it right now," Cupid said.

"Nooooo," Aphrotide hissed. She tried to go again. Cupid gently tugged her back.

"He's gonna get us all eye deep in...it!" She looked at her innocent little grandson and grimaced. Bliss was still preoccupied with trying to make his daddy feel better, but one of his hands was reaching for Granma to. She gave him her hand and let his calming happy vibes wash over her.

"Adonis wants Strife, mom. He wants Strife so bad it's giving me a headache," Cupid whined.

"I can feel the lust," She admitted, "He's caught the scent and its going to be tough. He knows how to get what he wants. I know you think I'm blind to his faults. I'm not. I love him like one of my own and I wanted to raise him to be a good and kind god, but its hard for the general population not to fawn over and spoil him. I love him, but sometimes I don't like him very much."

Cupid pulled back and looked astonished at his mother. She only smiled at him, "You need to fight for him if you really want him, and maybe make me more grandbabies? I miss having babies running around. Heph has forgiven me for the last time and he loves all my children but I don't wanna break his heart again. He wouldn't mind more grandchildren to spoil either."

"You are assuming Hera and Zeus don't do something drastic like strip his godhood and banish him, or marry him off," Cupid worried his lower lip with his teeth.

"Stop that!" She slapped his chest.

Bliss looked up, "You gonna save Strife, Daddy?"

"I hope I can," He rubbed his son's soft blond hair.

"I love Strife, he's nice and he gots good games," Bliss snuggled into his father's chest.

"He has good games Bliss, and yes I love Strife too," Cupid squeezed his son.

TBC
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Strife in my Life