Deus Ex Gabrielle

Disclaimers : For full disclaimers see Part 1, but know that this is a non-explicit altfic. Enjoy!

Please note : Several respondents were confused by the abrupt ending at the end of part 3. This story will last through part 8 or 9, and I have through part 7 essentially completed. I'll tack on a 'To Be Continued...' at the end of intervening parts so this hopefully will allay any confusion in the future. Thanks to all who returned comments, and pointed out this lack on my part. My apologies for any confusion this might have caused, and keep the comments coming! - Chris.

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Chapter 9 - The night before the big meeting

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It was nearing nightfall, and Xena was worried. Her barrage of questions to Hercules for any further details about Gabrielle's condition and present plight remained unanswered, though he had dredged his mind for every minute scrap of information and detail he could remember. Unfortunately, too much remained unknown and unanswered, and there was still no sign of the new goddess.

They had made camp early, setting up in the forest just far enough from Ares' temple to discourage pursuit, though from the state of the moaning and unconscious priests, it would be days before they felt up to doing much of anything.

Experienced travellers all, they set up camp in very little time. Wood for the fire was swiftly gathered, a stream of fresh water was located nearby and the waterskins refilled - and a bush with nice, large, soft leaves was located not far from the camp; Xena didn't want to mess with Gabrielle's scrolls again, and certainly not now, while undergoing the forced separation. Just the thought of her brought a worried frown to her face, and a rush of nervous energy as she contemplated the distressing possibility of facing life without her bard. It was not a possibility she faced with equanimity.

For their part, Hercules and Iolaus weathered the storm of Xena's uncertain temper as best they could. The hours they spent waiting with her in the small campsite tasked their patience (given her propensity to demand answers to questions they couldn't answer) and their safety (when she started doing sword drills and wanted sparring partners).

Filled with an incredible level of nervous energy, she worked herself and them into a state of exhaustion, fencing against both (with the aid of a sword scavenged from one of Ares' priests for Herc) with a ferocious strength. Iolaus dropped out first, exhausted from both the long run to reach the temple and the furious pace of her sword drills. Eventually, he simply slouched against a log and watched the other two work out.

Despite his divine heritage, Hercules faded soon after. She had gotten better in her years of travels, and he was hard pressed to hold his own against her flashing blade, driven as it was by the flood of adrenaline powering her muscles, and especially after his long day's travel to intercept her.

Having exhausted her friends, she then turned to Argo, grooming her until her coat shone, her hooves were flawless, and her tack was in perfect condition. She then proceeded to mend every scrap of clothing she and Gabrielle owned - which admittedly wasn't much, but it still let her waste another candlemark while the men groaned and tried to recover while nursing their bruises. Still too full of nervous energy, to relax, she next went hunting, returning soon after with a brace of large rabbits. She plopped them down on a pair of large leaves and looked at her campmates expectantly.

The two men stared at the field-dressed hares and then at each other. Finally, Iolaus ventured to ask, "Um, aren't you going to cook them? You've been doing everything else?"

Xena raised an eyebrow, and her glare made him flinch back slightly. "You don't want to try my cooking," she finally bit out. "I hunted them... you can cook them," she explained slowly, emphasizing the words as though speaking to idiots.

Hercules tried to soothe her, knowing her temper was driven only by her concern for her missing friend. "He didn't mean anything by it," he explained carefully, "it's just that...we aren't very good cooks."

Despite her concern, Xena almost laughed at that. "But you guys are on the road as much we are...how can one of you not be able to cook? At least Gabrielle can..." she stopped abruptly, unpleasantly reminded of the current crisis.

"We can cook," Iolaus sheepishly admitted as he hurried to divert her from thoughts of Gabrielle, "but...why do you think we stay at inns so much? If we had to live on our own cooking, we'd starve."

The three stared morosely at the dead rabbits for a while, until Hercules finally offered, "Maybe between the three of us, we can make something edible." The other two agreed with some trepidation, and they began the process of preparing the meal.

Despite the trio's shortcomings as chefs, they were able to make a meal they could eat. It was a little burned, and a little bland, and more than a little dry...but they could eat it. Their tribulations had one benefit : it helped clear the air slightly (except for the smoke), and even Xena had relaxed enough to rest a little while eating. The wineskin of potent port they were passing around to wash it down didn't hurt, either.

They were relaxing, not even talking, just staring into the campfire and thinking as the fire burned low and consumed their scraps, when it happened. A scroll faded into existence in front of Xena with a flash of green light.

Xena grabbed it instantly and with shaking fingers untied the cord holding the two ends together. The two men watched anxiously as she slowly unrolled the parchment and began to read.

"Xena," it began.

"I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner, but things have been a little strange today." Xena actually laughed out loud at that - turned into a god, and she calls it a "little strange." Meanwhile, if it had happened to Xena, she'd write a ten-scroll epic singing her praises and calling it a natural outgrowth of her quest for redemption. Shaking her head at her friend's foibles, she continued reading.

"Zeus refused to help me," her gasp brought a worried look to the two not-so-patiently watching men, but she silently resumed reading. "...and none of the other gods I contacted would help. Finally I went to Ares..."

"Oh, Gabrielle," she murmured, worried.

"...but not only wouldn't he help me, he played a practical joke on me, and now I'm kind of stuck...it's hard to explain, but when next I see you, I'll show you - unless I can fix it beforehand. I ran into Artemis (long story but I'll tell you everything when next I see you) and while at first she was upset with me, after she understood what had happened with Apollo, she was very sympathetic. She took me hunting, and I learned a lot...though I still wouldn't kill anything. Anyway, I was going to come visit, but tomorrow morning, Zeus has called a convocation of the gods to decide what to do with me. I'm hoping I can convince them to help me, but I'm afraid they'll try to make me accept a position - which if Hephaestus is right, may change me permanently. I'll definitely come see you before that happens, but... I'm just a little nervous. There's not much time left before the meeting, otherwise I'd be with you now, but the last time I journeyed from Olympus to the mortal realm, I lost several candlemarks somehow (ask Hercules to explain, 'cause I sure can't), and I really don't want to miss this meeting. I miss you, Xena, and I really wish you could be here with me, but...well, I guess that's all I can say. If things go well, I'll be sleeping next to you by the campfire tomorrow night, and everything will be back to normal. I'll be thinking of you...

Love, Gabrielle."

Xena lowered the scroll, and Hercules carefully slipped it out of her limp fingers for himself and Iolaus to read. Rather than reassuring her, she was now more nervous than ever. What kind of a joke would Ares play on her? He could be wicked and cruel, and the thought of him touching...she broke that train of thought before her anger got the better of her again.

"Well," Hercules began, finishing the scroll and handing it to Iolaus, who began rereading it carefully. "It's not hopeless yet." He was disappointed yet again in his father for this latest in a string of failures when one of his friends needed help.

"Maybe," she muttered, still thinking heavily.

"What do you think she means when she talks about a joke by Ares?" Iolaus asked.

"I don't know," Hercules and Xena said in unison, then turned to look at each other. "It worries me." she finished.

She fell silent after that, and stared at the fire, clenching and unclenching her fists as she mulled over what Gabrielle had written.

Iolaus and Hercules shared a glance. "Look on the bright side," Iolaus ventured, "she's an Amazon queen, right?" At Xena's nod, he continued, "Well, she's hanging out with Artemis, their Goddess. That's good, isn't it? And she is pretty nice, for one of the gods anyway," he offered brightly.

"You've met her?"

"Once," he admitted. "Didn't Gabrielle tell you that story?"

"No," she returned softly. "You tell it to me," she said, somewhat plaintively. Despite her iron control, her warrior mask was beginning to slip.

"I'm no bard," he retorted, then seeing the lost look that was appearing in her eyes, he slowly began to tell the story of the Golden Apple, and the contest among three goddesses he had judged...

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Chapter 10 - Interlude : The Morning of the Gathering

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Gabrielle awoke with a jerk, curled up in a bedroll in Artemis' sacred forest. There was still a little time before the convocation to decide what to do with her, she realized, and she intended to take full advantage of that fact.

She stood, and stretching hugely, worked the kinks out of her back. For the first time in years, she had slept on the open ground and not had a single rock underneath her bedroll. She felt great, despite having to sleep while trapped in Ares' armor. A brief stretch to loosen her muscles, and she was ready to go -just like that, instantly. It was unbelievable to her, and she could just imagine Xena's reaction if she had seen it.

For the first time, she felt a moment of sympathy for something Aphrodite had once said after losing her powers. If she was used to waking up like this, and looking down, she saw her pristine limbs and still snowy leathers, then no wonder she had been so plaintive in crying out, "I'm new to this whole mortal hygiene thing."

Being a goddess had some benefits, she supposed, but she still looked forward to giving it up. No matter the perks, as a goddess she would lose the most important thing in her life - Xena. There was no question which she would choose.

She carefully replaced the sword in her scabbard, not noticing the unconscious grace and skill she used in sheathing it, then slung her bow over one shoulder. Looking around her campsite, she quenched the fire with a thought, then looked to see if she had forgotten anything. Seeing only her bedroll, which had been provided by Artemis, she rolled it up and set it carefully aside for later retrieval.

Taking a deep breath, she prepared to face the gathered gods of Olympus. She faded out of sight with a subdued flash. Here goes nothing...

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Chapter 11 - The Gathering of the Gods

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When Gabrielle reappeared, she was in an enormous amphitheater made of glowing marble. She froze as she looked around trying to take in the sheer scope of the monumental structure. The stands stretched as far as the eye could see (and since she was a goddess, that was pretty dang far), and were interrupted at intervals by small viewing boxes which dangled banners to indicate which deities they were reserved for and contained small golden thrones. Everything was made from a translucent marble with veins of silver and gold running through it, and the sheer perfection of the construction - even aside from the monumental size - clearly informed her that this was no edifice made by man.

The sky above was magnificent, full of multicolored clouds swirling and reforming while she watched as though time were passing at thrice normal speed. Brilliant lights similar to the aurora borealis glowed irregularly in the heavens, giving a multicolor sheen to the upper levels of the stands. The marble glowed back with a life of its own, and the combination of the light from above and the light from the structures below made the locale seem almost spectral - and definitely unearthly. A fitting setting indeed for a gathering of the gods.

Once she had grown used to the beautiful but unnatural surroundings, she turned her attention to the beings who shared the space with her. She studied her fellow visitors with a curious eye, her natural curiosity only strengthened by her recent elevation. She looked around, uncertain of what to do, and the protocol for such a gathering. Small groups were clustered together talking, while more gods popped in and out to join the throngs before continuing on their way. For the moment, she decided to simply absorb the atmosphere, and she amused herself by trying to identify the various divinities present.

What was most startling to Gabrielle was the sheer number of beings present - all to decide her fate. As a bard, she'd been aware in a general sense of the large number of gods that existed, since most rivers, some mountains, seas, and even beaches had gods, and that number didn't even include the major divinities, or their multitudinous offspring.

Gabrielle, with the aid of her divine senses (and bardic repertory) was able to identify several of the muses (and seeing them sent her heart racing with excitement), naiads, dryads, nymphs, fauns, and even some bacchae. The hot eyed looks they gave her brought a resurgence of a memory of dancing in that bar...

The groups of Bacchus' servants seemed to be about equally divided in their attitudes towards their former sister in His service. The numbers were almost evenly split between those snarling at her and looking like they wished they could tear out her throat, and those who gazed with open lust - or hunger; she couldn't quite decide which was the better description. Shifting uncomfortably at their...passionate...attention, she forced herself to look away.

In addition to the lesser entities clustered throughout the stands, there were some of the more powerful gods already in attendance as well. Phoebus Apollo, sulking in a viewing box atop a golden sunburst banner, and grey- eyed Athena, wearing a complicated device of metal and glass on the bridge of her nose, were the only ones seated in their reserved booths, but Boreäs, Alecto, and many others were scattered amidst the crowd. Slinking through the nether reaches of the stands, she saw Priapus, wearing a garment that in the future would be revived and called a "trenchcoat," lurking, opening his garment periodically to reveal himself to any unwary passing deities.

As she stood by the side of the entrance and simply watched, Aesclepius and Artemis came in, followed shortly thereafter by Aphrodite and Hephaestus, who appeared walking arm in arm.

Although she didn't notice, others had seen her as well. Her inconspicuous viewing site was in full view of the stands, and many were the curious eyes turned to watch her as she studied the gathering. Covered by her enveloping cloak, only her face was visible as she continued to observe the subtle dance of power and privilege as the gods sorted themselves into their seats, but even still, more than one of the clandestinely watching divinities felt their blood burn with desire for their new member.

As the time of the meeting drew nearer, the seats in the amphitheater began filling up, and the milling crowd began to thin as the deities took their places. Gabrielle stared blankly as the gods arrayed themselves, and wondered where she should sit.

Just as she was about to leave her viewing position and head into the stands, Artemis approached her. "There you are," she happily greeted her. "I've been looking all over for you. We always have trouble finding who we need when there's a gathering... There's so many of us here, it tends to overwhelm the senses."

Gabrielle was happy to put herself in her goddess' hands. "I'm glad to see you, too," she responded, letting herself be drawn into the huntress' embrace.

More than one secret frown greeted their friendly greeting. She was beautiful, and more than one had felt a stirring in their hearts (and other locations) for her. One overwrought god, who was the patron of a small, unimportant river in an uninhabited portion of Thrace, actually burst into tears as he realized her preferences - and how it left him out.

Taking her by the hand, Artemis gently pulled her through the small crowds still gathered on the floor at the base of the amphitheater until they stood at the foot of a dais at the focal point of the enormous stands. In the center of the dais, several paces above her head, an elaborate throne that was carved from a single enormous diamond and braced with adamant towered magnificently over her.

Although she was unaware of it, the gods in the stands could clearly see the scuffmarks atop the dais beside Zeus' throne. Hera's throne - made of platinum and gems and resembling nothing so much as a magnificent peacock - had rather hurriedly been removed after her deposal, and the marks served as a subtle reminder of the cost of going against the king of the gods. The lesson was not lost on the audience. They recognized the lesson well - the lesson was : don't fail, and don't get caught.

"Wait here, Gabrielle," Artemis explained as she positioned her on the bottom terrace of the dias. With a smile, she opened the concealing cloak to expose her armor, absentmindedly brushing non-existent lint off the new goddess' shoulders, and straightening the armor slightly. She wanted her to look her best for the gathered divinities, and even in Ares' costume, she looked very good. "Zeus will start the convocation shortly, and shortly after that, he'll introduce you. Once that's out of the way, the interested parties will each make a presentation for what position they think you are suited for. After everyone who wishes to speak has, we'll vote on what is to be your new position."

"Great!" Gabrielle enthused. "So when do I get to speak?"

"Actually, you don't."

"What?" she demanded, stunned.

"It's considered immodest for a new petitioner to speak on their own behalf. By tradition, you must remain mute until Zeus dismisses the gathering." the Amazon goddess explained.

Concern with modesty? The gods? Had the universe gone mad when she wasn't watching? "But..." she trailed off, unable to adequately explain her confusion and sudden fear. Would she be transformed before she even had a chance to decide for herself -before she could even see Xena again?

"Don't worry," Artemis explained, holding her shoulders and trying to calm her down, though she didn't really understand her sudden panic. "I've called in some markers, and it looks like you'll be joining me." She pulled the nervous girl into another quick hug, and smiled down into her worried face. "Just stay calm, and keep quiet, and it'll all be over soon."

She was going to protest, but Artemis stilled her words with a finger pressed to her lips. "Remember - you must be silent, or face several possible severe repercussions." With a final pat on the back, and a whispered, "Good luck," she was left alone, at the center of attention of the gathered gods.

Her instinctive response was to shrink under the collective weight of the gazes of the entire pantheon of the gods of Greece. She was used to speaking in front of crowds - she was a bard, after all - but not under the collective gaze of every god in Greece. With a deep breath to steady herself, she imagined Xena and how she would react in her position. Smiling, she pictured her standing straight and tall, glaring into the faces of the gods and daring them to try anything - and letting them know that even if they did try, they'd lose. Almost without realizing it, she stood straight and firm, proudly bearing up under their gazes and looking positively regal.

More hearts went out to her, as the gathered gods stared at the small but magnificent figure standing before them.

Zeus waited until all the others had arrived and were seated, then waited some more. Eventually, once all present understood they were waiting solely upon his pleasure, and were forced to acknowledge that fact, he was ready.

He materialized on the dais with a triumphant fanfare that echoed in the enormous amphitheater, his aura of majesty actually glowing visibly and infusing the dais with a glow that outshone the aurora in the sky above - making him even more magnificent than the last time Gabrielle had seen him. She was awed, despite her own divine status, and in the face of his majestic presence, respectfully knelt as he entered.

A low ripple of surprise and murmured speculation swept the amphitheater, and after a brief pause as they absorbed her actions, most of the gathered deities joined her in showing their respect for their sovereign as he slowly crossed the dais to his throne. Ares and his party was a notable exception.

"You may be seated," the king of the gods regally proclaimed, pleased by the reaction - and taking careful note of those who had failed to kneel. With a low murmur, the crowd shuffled around for a brief period before once more settling back into their seats. Gabrielle calmly rose and resumed her stance at the foot of the dais. He seated himself upon the throne, and his aura tightened about him, until only he and the throne glowed with his power, though all the more intensely for the concentration of his might, while the dais slowly resumed its usual pale glow.

"We are gathered," he began, once the noise had dissipated once more, "my fellow Olympians, to welcome our newest member, and to determine her role as a proud denizen of Olympus." He gestured, and Gabrielle was suddenly illuminated in a shaft of light that came from no definable source. "Fellow deities, I present to you...Gabrielle."

The round of applause she received took her completely by surprise. If she could have seen herself, gleaming with power and a quiet dignity of her own, her snowy cloak and armor glowing under the sourceless shaft of light, standing confidently and proudly by the foot of Zeus' throne - she was breathtakingly magnificent - she would have understood the applause, but being herself, and essentially modest, she had no understanding of why they would be celebrating her elevation. Even Ares and Discord were applauding, though the lesser divinity was less enthusiastic about it then her smirking boss was.

When the applause had faded once more, Zeus began speaking again. "Although her elevation was not planned, and can only have occurred through the intervention of the Fates..." Here the audience turned as one to face Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, who were sitting by themselves in an isolated section. They remained stoic and unmoved, and soon the crowd, disturbed by the...unnatural calm they exuded, turned back to Zeus.

Zeus, having anticipated that reaction, calmly picked up where he had left off. "...she has indeed been elevated to our ranks. And," he paused grandly, "I have judged her worthy of this signal honor."

The blatant shill for applause was eagerly answered. The cheers and clapping continued for many minutes. Eventually however, even Zeus reached his limit of acclamation, and the king of the gods held up his hands to still the cheers.

"But," he emphasized as he continued, "having attained this rank, she must now join us in the fullest sense. It is now our responsibility to weigh her merits, and determine the role most suited for her to play in our court. Let all who have suggestions for her future duties come forward to be heard."

The cheers were thunderous.

It went smoother than it should have, probably because none of the gods wanted to be embarrassed in front of so many of their fellows. Some of the suggestions were greeted with boos, others with cheers, and not a few with jeers. Although there were only a few serious suggestions, many of the lesser deities, taken with her beauty and presence, made offers for her, making the process take a very long time. Only a few suggestions were actually seriously considered, but those were all suggested by gods who held great weight in the Olympian court. Some clearly stood out above the others as most important, though the reasons for their significance varied widely, and the diversity of options open to her was striking.

The muses went first, as was understandable, and came forward as a group to announce their wish to adopt her as a new member based on her proven ability as a bard. Gabrielle wasn't surprised at their request - since she was a bard, after all - but she was taken aback by their speech. Although the option they presented - as the patron of rhapsodes and bards - was appealing, there was something strange about the entire situation. Despite who they were, their suggestion seemed almost half-hearted, and the nine identically begowned women were surprisingly sedate while making their recommendation. Only a few scattered divinities clapped at their unenthused suggestion, and a clerk, wearing the same metal and glass contraption on his face as Athena, made a notation of it on a scroll. The muses hurried down from the dais and soon resumed their positions within the crowd.

Gabrielle was the only person still watching them after they sat down since she was still amazed by their lackluster performance, and consequently was the sole witness for what happened next. The rest of the crowd was too busy watching a succession of minor gods making hopeless pleas for her service, and the fact that they knew their requests were unlikely to be answered made them all the more pathetic. While they were speaking however, Discord furtively teleported next to the Muses' seats and with careful, easy motions, passed small packages to each of them.

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed as she watched the transaction taking place. She was not quite as naïve as she used to be, having dealt with the squalid politics of Rome and sleazy dealings of several corrupt kings and public officials, and she could easily recognize the payoff for what it was. She turned to speak to Zeus to point out the improper behavior, but he frowned at her as soon as her mouth opened, and lightning crashed in the distance to emphasize his point. She quickly shut her mouth and turned back to watch the other speakers, determined to talk to the king of the gods after the whole sordid affair was over - if Ares won this, she'd have to convince Zeus of the rigged outcome.

Zeus nodded at her silence, then called upon the next speaker.

Bacchus strode confidently forward, the ram's horns growing from his temples gleaming in the sourceless light. His skin seemed very red against the backdrop of pale skinned bacchae that surrounded him like a flock of bats. "I have known Gabrielle before," he began grandly, "having had her in my service for a time, and it is I who know best where she should serve." He briefly grinned, showing her his razor edged teeth, then turned back to the crowd before lifting his arms in triumph, making his leather jerkin strain to accommodate his bulging muscles. "She shall join once more with me, and become the queen of my bacchae!" His covey of bacchae all clapped, now that they knew the will of their master, and a few leered and licked their lips suggestively at her. The rest of the crowd was singularly underwhelmed by his suggestion. The horned god soon returned to his seat, disgruntled and enraged at the crowd's lack of response.

Aphrodite and Cupid came to the dais together, and she spoke first. "The Gabster's been good to us," she began, "and let me tell ya, despite what horny just said," a few appreciative chuckles met her sally, "I have got the perfect job for her, one suited for her tastes...and needs," her words were loaded with suggestion.

She turned to look her over slowly, eyes lingering over her nearly revealed charms, and a gleam appeared in her eye, though Cupid finished the presentation. "Within the group of gods of love in all its manifestations, she would be given an honored role." he began. "She would serve as the mentor for true friendship between women, romantic but platonic friendship between women, and also the love now known as sapphic. Indeed, if she does as well as we anticipate in her new role, a new word will soon be coined to join the present trinity of love - one based on her name."

Gabrielle blushed, especially when Aphrodite clarified, "Between the amazons, those babes on Lesbos, and certain warrior chicks I could name, she'll find plenty of sweet grrls," she growled the word before continuing in a voice that was hotly suggestive, "to worship at her altar." Gabrielle jumped as the love goddess slid one hand up underneath her short skirt and pinched her butt, then kept her hand there, cupping one cheek, the action hidden by Gabrielle's cloak. She winked at her while smiling saucily.

The applause was much more enthusiastic this time, though still somewhat hesitant. Despite this, Aphrodite glowed under the attention of the crowd. She strutted back to her seat, and wherever she walked, the applause increased in intensity. She blew kisses, waved, and touched shoulders as she went, garnering longing gazes and some openly lustful looks. As the gods who had longed for Gabrielle thought the idea through, and realized that as a love goddess, she might gain some of Aphrodite's... proclivities, the approval for her idea became much more popular. By the time Aphrodite reached her seat and sat with an intriguing undulation, the applause was thunderous. The clerk duly made another notation.

Artemis rose and came forward next, still clad in her doeskins, though with her bow slung, much to the relief of Discord. "Gabrielle was my chosen when she was a mortal," she began without preamble, "and the queen of my Amazons. Now that she has been elevated to a more lofty status, it is only fitting that she join with me."

She looked around at the various contenders for Gabrielle, and elaborated, despite loathing the crowded conditions and wishing the whole sorry affair was over with. "Unlike some others, I do not have any lessers assisting me. Ares, you have Discord, and had Strife, as well as Phobos and Deimos... Aphrodite, you have Cupid, and eventually will have Bliss to aid you in your efforts... and so on. With the coming of Gabrielle, I wish for that to change. Though I don't have an official title or a formal description of her duties worked out yet, let her join with me, and together we can work to accomplish great things."

She continued her scrutiny of the crowd, then concluded, "Do not punish her by imposing new strictures upon her. Though she has learned skills from the best of the mortal world's heroes, she was sadly unprepared for her elevation, and needs tutoring to be truly ready to assume an office. Let her remain with she who was her patron goddess, and let us proceed forward into the future." She sat down, and the crowd, awed by the impassioned speech the taciturn and solitary huntress goddess had made, cheered wildly.

Ares was the final presenter, and Gabrielle's breath caught as he strutted to the stage, looking darkly handsome in his leathers and beard. He smiled - actually smiled, in a normal, cheerful way - not smirked or leered - and examined her carefully, resplendent in the outfit he had trapped her in. "Gods, I love leather," he said, too softly for any but Gabrielle to hear him.

Turning back to the crowd, he pitched his voice to project maximum warmth and charm, and began. "My sisters are quite persuasive," he acknowledged, "but they don't tell you the whole story."

He smiled evilly at her, then continued. "Artemis tells of her learning at the feet of the mortals' best, and I certainly agree," he added smugly, "since after all - she learned under the tutelage of my chosen." A surprised murmur swept the crowd and he strutted before them, basking in their approval and luring them under his sway with honeyed words and a seductive charm.

"And over her years as a mortal, how many times did my dear sister Artemis personally deal with her - her 'Chosen?'" he asked rhetorically and sardonically. "Would you be surprised to learn the answer is... not once." A surprised hum filled the auditorium, and he continued his case, shaking his head sadly as he described Artemis' shortcomings. "I on the other hand, met and worked both with and against her countless times." He grinned smugly. "We have done favors for each other, and have quarrelled with each other, and we know intimately how each other works. Indeed, it would be far more jarring for her to be joined to one of my sisters then it would be for her to join with me."

He slowly walked around her still figure, using the position of his hands to subtly focus attention on her warlike armor, and the sword and bow she carried so competently. "Is this a figure you would associate with love?" he shook his head sadly. "No, though she is truly lovely, she belongs not at Aphrodite's feet, but on the side of war." A small charm tickled the anger lurking in the depths of Gabrielle's soul, bringing it to the fore.

Although she felt what Ares' had done, she didn't know what it was - and couldn't have done anything about it even if she had known. Gabrielle almost screamed as her frustrated anger rose even higher as she abruptly realized his motivation for trapping her in the martial clothing, but held herself mute - except for a low growl - with enormous effort as he began speaking again; she couldn't quite prevent her eyes from glowing with the force of her repressed rage, however. Her sour expression, and her dimly glowing eyes only bolstered his argument, and more than one who had cheered Artemis and Aphrodite began to rethink their positions.

"And when the great Evil threatened us all, it was my chosen and I, along with Gabrielle who alone faced the threat. And although she lost her daughter in that fight," he frowned with sorrowful pity for her, though the glint in his eyes showed how hollow it truly was, "we were able to end the menace of the One Great Evil, and keep Olympus strong."

A rising sentiment of agreement was heard, and Ares smiled in satisfaction. His fellow gods were easier to manipulate then freshly drafted peasant levies. "Although some of you may not like me - either who I am, or what I do - you know that I am necessary. Without me, chaos would reign supreme, and all would crumble...but sadly, our," here he smiled while putting one hand on her shoulder, as though already including Gabrielle in his camp, "victories were not without cost. We lost a dear friend and a great god - my nephew, Strife." Under his breath, he muttered "that stupid little bastard," before continuing at a higher volume. "Due to the One God's madness, the thin wall I and my fellows present against the forces of chaos has been weakened."

His expression grew martyred, and Gabrielle's eyes glowed bright green, making her seem even more warlike as she struggled to fight down the urge incited by Ares' charm to strike the arrogant and deceitful god where he stood. He noted her rage with gleeful eyes, and continued. "A god has died, and a new god has joined us. It seems only fitting that she take the place of the fallen as part of the bulwark against the forces of chaos that seek to sweep us all away." He slowly turned, and whispering in Gabrielle's ear said, "You were irritating as a mortal - think how perfect Strife's job would be for you..."

Ares smirked and concluded, "Honor our new member, and give her a place of honor in our ranks - let her join the forces of War." He bowed, and stroking his beard, returned to his seat, pausing once along the way to blow Gabrielle a kiss.

She turned to beg Zeus for permission to speak, but he ignored her. When she would have spoken anyway, demanding he force Ares to tell the truth hidden behind his veiled half-truths and misleading statements, he silenced her with an off-handed gesture. Her mouth opened and closed, but not a sound came out.

Ares' small spell dissipated, and the unnatural anger she felt gradually faded away. She felt...strangely empty without the heat of the wargod's rage filling her.

"Cast your votes now," Zeus proclaimed, ignoring her efforts to pantomime her frantic protests.

Horrified, Gabrielle watched as the gods cast their votes to decide her fate, not even having been consulted as to what her preference would be - which in this case, was none of the above. The clerk swiftly tallied the results and reported to Zeus in a soft whisper that not even Gabrielle could overhead.

The king of the gods stared at the clerk in surprise. "Are you sure?" he demanded. "You counted again?"

"Thrice," the clerk confirmed.

With a frown, Zeus commanded, "Get the scroll."

The clerk scurried off to comply, while a buzz of excitement filled the stands. Gabrielle was practically dancing with nervousness, but forced herself to remain still. She had no idea what was going on, and from the hum of conversation in the stands, no else did either.

Zeus sat impassive and regal upon his throne, his face a studied mask of neutrality as his aura pulsed majestically. Gabrielle was forced to look away as her nerves began to fail in the face of that display. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, nor what was going on.

Turning to the audience, she searched their faces for hints to the situation, but found no answers. Ares was frowning and stroking his goatee, Artemis seemed nervous and was fiddling with her necklace, and Aphrodite was too busy nibbling on Hephaestus' earlobe to provide any support. The only one who seemed to have a clue what was going on was Athena - and the only clue that she presented that she did was because she winked at her before turning her attention to adjusting the straps on her helmet. Fidgeting, Gabrielle could only stand mute and wait... neither of which was very appealing at the moment.

Time seemed to crawl, and though it was only a very few minutes before the clerk returned with an ancient scroll, it seemed an eternity. Zeus took the scroll with a great deal of reverence, and, after carefully unrolling it to the middle, began reading.

The crowd recognized the scroll, though Gabrielle did not. The excited whispers rose several notches in volume, and both Ares' and Artemis' eyes widened in surprise. Still with no clue as to what was going on, Gabrielle finally turned to watch Zeus.

After reading for several minutes, Zeus seemed to sigh, then carefully resealed the scroll. He formally handed the scroll back to the clerk, who carried it off as though it were the most precious object in existence.

The low murmurs faded as Zeus rose, and the amphitheater was silent. With no small sense of irony, Gabrielle recognized Zeus' great showmanship in raising the tension as he held up his hands to still all movement - but even knowing that, she felt her tension rise all the same. "For the first time in the history of Olympus," he announced gravely, "we have a tie."

The roar was deafening. Excited conversations, catcalls, cheers, howls, and shrieks of delight and frustration filled the air, and Zeus smiled slightly as he read the waves of emotion sweeping the crowd. Ares' and Bacchus' enraged faces told of their own thoughts on the matter, but Artemis only looked confused, and Athena looked smug. Aphrodite was otherwise occupied and didn't even hear the pronouncement.

"We have a three-way tie between the suggestions of Ares, Artemis, and Aphrodite," Zeus continued. The excitement level rose again, and the noise increased as well. After waiting for the noise to die down, he gravely explained the consequences.

"As set down in the original compact of union, signed upon the defeat of the Titans and the creation of this Olympian pantheon," he paused dramatically, "the decision therefore, will rest solely upon the head of Gabrielle." The volume of the cheers was deafening. At the center of the amphitheater, with the sound all focused on her, she had to cover her ears with her hands against the assault of the noise.

Artemis was delighted, Ares was furious, Athena remained smug, and Aphrodite simply sat back down in her seat and delicately licked her lips clean.

After raising his hands in an unsuccessful bid to quell the hubbub, Zeus wisely decided to wait for the reaction to die down.

He waited for a long time.

When the noise was at last reduced to non-painful levels, he resumed speaking as though he had not been interrupted. "The compact will be honored!" he proclaimed. "Gabrielle," he paused, then turned to stare into her eyes, "by tomorrow's dawn, you must speak the name of the god you will accept as your mentor and guardian - Ares, Aphrodite, or Artemis. Should you fail to reach a decision, one will be chosen for you."

He sighed, and for a moment he looked like nothing so much as a tired old man. "Choose...and choose wisely. You must deal with the consequences of your choice for a very long time."

He rose, and once again he was the king of the gods, cloaked in majesty and glowing with power. "I have spoken," he proclaimed. "This convocation is now adjourned."

Striding majestically, he walked to the back of the dais, and vanished in a burst of brilliant white light. The crowd waited until he was gone, then burst once more in conversation. A few gods popped out of sight to return to their homes or duties, but the vast majority remained to debate or argue over which would or should be her choice.

The noise level skyrocketed as soon as Zeus had left and the need for decorum had vanished. Gabrielle remained frozen at the base of the dais, trying to figure out what he had meant by his parting words to her. As she considered that cryptic warning, the three deities who remained in contention for her service began fighting their way through the milling gods to reach her.

The two females glared at the furious Ares as they went, unified in disgust for the wargod - even without knowing the full extent of his machinations. Ares ignored their looks - he was too upset that his plans to sway the crowd into granting him Gabrielle's servitude hadn't succeeded.

They reached her at about the same time, and clustered around her like a circling trio of vultures. "Gabrielle," they began in unison. After a pause as they sorted out who should speak first, each simply decided to ignore the others' presence and began speaking, trying to convince her of their own rightness for her, and the proper choice she should make.

At the same time, they interjected thinly veiled attacks on each other's claims. The venom-laced honeyed words soon dissolved into personal attacks on each other, the arguments flying fast and furious as they began ignoring the still silent Gabrielle entirely in favor of arguing with each other. The rest of the crowd soon settled down and turned to watch the show. This day was turning out to be the most entertaining one for them since the time Hera had caught Zeus in the shape of a bull about to make his way to Minos.

"She should go with me!" "She belongs with me!" "You only want to use her to get to Xena!" "That's just a bonus! At least I don't want to reshape her entirely!" "Where were you when she needed you?" "What about when Dahok got his claws in her? Huh? Where were you?" "You have no clue what the babe needs!" "Oh that's right, you were sleeping with her daughter." "Right. Like she'd want to touch you - even with that staff of hers. She loves me!" "You wouldn't know what she needs if it came up and bit you on the ass! Oh, that's right...you'd like that." "Yeah! and what's the deal with those lies you told, Ar'?" "And what wasn't a lie was misleading at best!" Before long the three were reduced to screaming incoherently at each other - even Aphrodite - their words swiftly turning less to persuasion and more to a vituperative diatribe against the others.

Gabrielle felt Zeus' silencing of her dissolve, but remained too overwhelmed by the feuding gods arguing around her to speak. Finally, after Ares let slip a sly implication about Artemis' "so-called virginity" and her pack of hounds, she had reached her limit. They were like children squabbling over a toy - where she was the toy. None of them - not even Artemis - had once bothered to ask her what she wanted. "Shut up!" she screeched, before being stunned at both her own temerity and the sheer...self-absorption of the divinities surrounding her.

The feuding gods turned to stare at her in shock, silenced by her surprising outburst.

"None of you understand...none of you..." her voice softened with each word until by the end she was whispering. "You don't care what I want, you only want to..." she trailed off, and then with a shake of her head, she vanished in a burst of green light, leaving the three staring at the empty space she used to occupy, and the sparkling tear that slowly fell to splash against the glowing marble floor.

In unison they turned to each other and yelled, "This is all your fault!" before resuming their argument.

*****

End of Part 4

To Be Continued...