The scales leaned unevenly, weighted heavily against the Sovereign. Athena touched their golden surface, gently lifting the bowl with her finger, measuring for herself. She turned to the Queen, "It is still deep, my liege. He owes much."The 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.
The scales leaned unevenly, weighted heavily against the Sovereign. Athena touched their golden surface, gently lifting the bowl with her finger, measuring for herself. She turned to the Queen, "It is still deep, my liege. He owes much."
"Banishment?"
"He has been banished before."
"Hmm. Yes, that has proved most unsatisfactory." Hera snapped her fingers. The belt detached itself from Sovereign's trousers, "In that case, we can not use this. It would only have forced him back through the vortex. It is obviously not a suitable solution." The strongman groaned, not just from pain.
"What shall we do then, my Queen?" Athena asked.
Hera paced, considering her options. Her hand squeezed the lightening ball meditatively. Her midthigh skirt swished when she paused midstride. "Athena? To whom does Sovereign owe the most debt?"
"Goddess, he has been cruel to many and has killed much. Artemis has accepted payment for some, as has Ares, but the one most affected by Sovereign has been Hades."
Hera's head lifted, "Ah!" She smiled, "Yes." She smiled wider. "Hades."
----------------------
The God of the Dead swirled into the air in a misty cloak of blackness. Most mortals covered their eyes and turned their backs lest they see and be recognized. Many fled the battlefield altogether. Some simply watched and held their breath.
His features were gentler than any expected, but his manner was cold. "You summoned me?"
"We are passing Judgment brother, on one who has sought the throne of the Gods."
"Many have sought the throne." Hades' tone was reasonable. "It is nothing to me. I've my own problems to attend to. The halls are full, the fields overrun."
"May I present to you the cause?"
Xena lifted her head, feeling anger well up. Were it not for Gabrielle in her arms she would have run to finish the job, rather than have the Sovereign handed to Hades thus. She felt a warm, heavy hand upon her shoulder. "Wait," Ares said, "See it all first." His warm breath in her ear caused a shuddered memory of a time before, when she had been his pupil. Was she STILL being taught lessons? She watched.
The God who ruled the dead marched to the Sovereign and grabbed the strong man's face in his hand. He looked deep and long. Sovereign felt his neck stretching, the pinch of the God's fingers. Hades let go roughly, unbalancing the man. "He has no place with me," Hades said. "Why are you wasting my time."
"Have you no use for him at all?" Hera wasn't pleading. She was prodding, "Perhaps you could use a servant."
"I have plenty of those."
"He owes you a debt Hades, How can he pay it?" Athena asked. Sometimes Hades could be so unimaginative.
"If he dies, he becomes Yet another soul for me to take care of."
"He can not die, Hades. You've seen for yourself." Damn it, God. Think. "Sovereign is as strong as Hercules."
"He has NO arms! How can he build. . ." Ah, there was a breakthrough.
Iolaus' thoughts spoke before they even registered to his mind, "Well, he never needed his hands to plow into me." He blushed furiously when he realized he'd spoken aloud.
Hera blinked, then smiled benevolently at the mortal, "Plowing." She turned to Hades, "You do have all those mouths to feed, and of course, your orchard, and your gardens."
"I'm Not a pack animal," seethed the Sovereign. He refused to go down silently.
Hades turned upon the demigod and lifted him up by the collar, "You *are* now." Sovereign tried to wriggle free. Hades ignored the movement, instead focusing on the two Goddesses. "He'll need arms eventually. I do have things that need to be lifted and carried." Hades smiled grimly, "Hammered."
Hera and Athena looked at each other, then back at the God of the Underworld. Hera's voice was sweet, "You'll have to talk to Ares and Artemis and work it out with them, Hades."
"Hmph. You're just bound and determined to make me visit aren't you," the dark God griped.
"You have to anyway when you bring Persephone back, you might as well use the time wisely. Perhaps by then you'll even have him trained well."
"mmmrrngg."
"I love you too."
With that, the God of the dead's cloak lifted and fluttered. It covered Hades' form, then the Sovereign's. The strongman continued to struggle, but the cloak held him tight and covered his mouth to stifle the cries. They vanished into darkness. The scales lifted and balanced.
---------------
The whimpers had ceased, as had the shaking. Gabrielle had drifted into unconsciousness. Xena rocked her gently, making soothing noises now and again. She'd watched, alright and she'd learned.
Xena had begun to understand when Hades had rejected Sovereign. She'd *known* when Hera confirmed, again, what she'd said before. Can not.
Sovereign was immortal.
Yet another enemy whose span of life would pass hers. It made her wonder who was *really* winning. Xena sighed, and breathed in the scent of Gabrielle's hair. It still smelled sweet, though there was an acridity to it. Xena's blood had still to come down from the boil, but when she saw the judgment, she couldn't exactly call it unfair. There was something to the notion of Sovereign spending an eternity as a pack animal. It was appropriate. She hoped they fed him like one and that his masters beat him daily. The thought did not make her feel any better.
There was nothing she could do about Gabrielle's hands. Nothing. For the first time in her life, Xena felt truly weak. Only the Gods could help, but they were wrapped up in opening the vortex. She watched as Hera cast the bolt, and covered Gabrielle's body with her own. It seemed they were forgotten by friend and foe alike as the King of the Gods and his son stepped out of their lonely prison to joyful embraces. Bitter tears began to roll and she clenched her waking lover to her breast.
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