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These pages were last updated: September 19, 1998
©September 1998
URL: ../../STO/hell/hell43.htmlThe following is a bit of alternative fiction based on certain characters from the Xenaverse. It is not meant to infringe on anyone else's rights. If you don't agree or disapprove, please go read something else.
So...I had an hours worth of text written and the software dies on me...(3 or so pages)
excuse me while I gnash my teeth.
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Later, Oriena's words would come back to Melosa, during a moment of contemplation. It was a quick whispered observation, "She's nothing but a child."
Melosa had noted the words as odd, given the corporeal form of the young woman, but during the next few days she'd found a wisdom in them.
Hope was a child. A brutal, prideful, vengeful, seductive..child...In a grown woman's body. It was a deadly combination, no doubt planned by her father's will, which Hope clung to like a raft. The men had learned that right quick, what with Salmoneus' untimely demise. Hope had been shocked, positively shocked to see the salesman revive. She'd been even more shocked by Penho's vicious and thorough punishment. The bruises and stitches still covered the half god's body.
Tartaran's were a bit tougher than humans when it came to mental manipulations... They recovered easily from being slammed into a wall. Some of them even enjoyed it. That had served to make Penho angrier and more dangerous. Only Izacon's timely arrival had saved the young woman from being sent to the back of the line. She taken the young woman away, after soothing Penho, and had attended to the wounds herself...
Xena had said that there'd been no words spoken to Hope..just that Izacon had bathed and sewn the dangerous golden child up. Melosa imagined that the touches must have been different than any in Hope's experience, but she didn't know. All she knew as that Hope's expression had been so changed, for a few moments. Melosa was sure that Hope would have followed Izzy around like a puppy afterward...except the Tartaran had put her in Melosa's Amazonian care...Melosa wasn't sure that was a good thing..but..it wasn't her decision to make. She could only act as chieftess, not as the mother (or as Hope believed, as master).
Melosa tried to look for Gabrielle, past the appearances, but there didn't seem to be any of the mother in those emerald eyes. Dahak's will flashed in Hope's eyes, while Gabrielle's body walked and talked and (no doubt) schemed around them. But that scheming hadn't been too effective. Xena had been on the look out..and Melosa's tribe..had grown savvy.
Melosa was proud of the confusion her people held for the Tartaran. Izacon deferred to the Amazon's wishes and they'd stayed another set of days in town, so Melosa could visit the temple. That had set the demonic child back. She'd had to bow to Izacon's wishes..and apparently it was to do as Melosa said. The Amazon had dragged Hope along, wanting to keep the young woman within sight and out of Izacon's for awhile. Hope had been, of course, very unworshipful, but that would change...Melosa would see to it. Hope's will was created by her father.
Melosa's was created by herself.
Hope may have not been prepared to be part of the tribe, but she would become one...or else perish, no matter whose daughter she was.
Meanwhile, there was a storm brewing in the red Tartaran. Understandable..but dangerous in Melosa's view. The only thing holding Izacon to the group was the promise made to Hades, and her absolute need for Xena. Though, Melosa noted, Izacon had been pulling away (sometimes roughly) from Xena's touch. It was as if, despite their obvious need for each other, they were back to where they'd started from...The only difference was that while Izacon was back to her distant half social self..Xena was starting to become more aggressive...There had been at least two full out bar fights since Hope's arrival and while Xena's reputation was soaring among the general populous as a person to be reckoned with, their anonymity was disappearing quickly.
One of those barfights had been caused by an old Warlord rival of Xena's.
Not a good sign.
Not a good sign at all..
Melosa sighed and shifted in the bed. She looked to her lover who was sleeping peacefully, long blonde hair strewn upon the pillow. Gold for the touching. Oriena had been her rock, taking charge of managing the sneaky lookalike and keeping her busy with "chores," made up for Izacon's "servant." The kind of chores that blistered the hands and wearied the body, and saved many souls trouble. Bratbusters, Melosa liked to call them. Nothing like a good old fashioned Amazon stable cleaning to get rid of attitude and wipe out any notions of seduction. Tok had been invaluable as "Guard," and both Melosa and Xena had rewarded the daggite abundantly. At different times, of course. The daggite had been losing some of that sleek killer look, but not enough to give Hope any confidence to try anything.
Melosa decided, that despite the atrocious wet hide smell produced by the local breed of strigers, it had been well worth their effort to hire out the young woman. They'd made a small fortune that had paid, much to Izacon's consternation, for the supplies they would need to travel. It had also afforded the opportunity to get rid of those fancy robes and put her in something more befitting to travel.
Ironically, she looked more like her mother than ever. Well, when Gabrielle had looked like..Gabrielle.
Hope looked nothing like Izacon.
Melosa drew in a slow breath and considered that it was late. She turned, wrapped an arm around her lover, and curled against the mate of her heart. There would be time for thinking later, but now she was tired. How to solve a problem like Hope? Melosa sincerely hoped the God's knew, because all she could do was take it a day at time and tomorrow they would be traveling the Gorgon's path to the Stone Temple. There were priests there, Izzy had said. What kind, she'd not said. Melosa groaned slightly and shifted closer to Oriena, closing her eyes tight against the worries on her mind. Day was coming sooner than she liked.
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These pages were last updated: September 19, 1998
©September 1998
URL: ../../STO/hell/hell43.html