Xena Fan Fiction ❯ To Settle the Score ❯ Scars: Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Dawn. The time of day that was most beautiful: Xena's only time to relax and steel herself for another day of planned submission. In Chin, a land she ruled with Lao Ma, she had learned many a virtue and it was taking the practice of nearly every single one to keep her vengeful spirit from prematurely slicing off Caesar's head. No, she had come back from Chin for a purpose greater than Caesar's death: avenging Lao Ma. Killing Caesar, one piece at a time.

This was the only way to do it.

She would take Rome's entire army east, conquering Asia Minor as she went, and take vengeance on all that had opposed her, including those that had stripped her of her powers when the death of Lao Su was discovered. She would take rule over the kingdom of Chin, and be the first woman the people followed, either through fear or through respect. As empress, she had access to all things Caesar, but not all things Rome.

Soon enough, she soothed herself with a nod, soon enough.

"Patience," came a voice from behind her.

Xena’s grin grew as she slowly glanced over her shoulder to greet the God of War. "Ares."

"That's what Lao Ma used to say, wasn't it?" Ares asked. "Heh, I have to say, I was surprised when I heard the news about you Xena: ruling over Chin as Lao Ma's 'Warrior Princess'." He smacked his lips and walked so he was leaning his back into the railing, next to where her feet were propped.

“Mmhmm…” Xena yawned dramatically.

"But..." He idly traced his forefinger from her ankle to mid-calf, and back. "I was even more surprised, heck, even—" he snapped his fingers a few times to produce several sparks, "—shocked, to hear that you'd shacked up with good ol' Caesar... again. I thought you would be out avenging Lao Ma by now… but no, here you are, playing whore in Rome. Then I thought, 'come to avenge your honor?', but no again; Caesar would be dead already if that was the case. So, I decided to pay you a visit, find out what you're really planning."

He stopped his tracings on her leg, and shot his eyes up to meet her own. "Where's the glory, Xena?"

Xena pulled her legs down from the railing. "Glory, Ares?"

"Oh, come on. You don't expect me to believe you're just going to stay here and play good little empress to Caesar forever, do you?"

"And, why not?" The warrior princess stood up and turned away from the god. "I really love him, Ares."

Ares approached her from behind, resting a commanding hand on her waist, while another trailed up her arm to her shoulder, "I think I know you better than that..." and his lips landed where his hand stopped, at the up curve between her neck and shoulder.

Xena stiffened slightly but did not resist. "I have no reason to tell you anything."

The god wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her to him, breathing low in her ear, "I can give you a reason.”

The warrior jerked away. She was getting sick of men assuming she wanted their embrace. "You can't give me what you don't have, Ares. No deal."

He licked his lips. "What in Tartarus could you desire that's out of my reach? I'm the God of War."

She paused in a moment of silent contemplation. War, indeed. He might have instigated bloodlust, which she relished in, but now even bloodlust was becoming a distraction. Besides, she did not need a war, yet. "What do you want out of this, Ares?"

He smirked and sat down in her abandoned chair. "I want us—as we were before Borias, Caesar, Lao Ma, or Chin. I want my warrior princess back. The woman that I trained."

Xena gave him a backward glance over her shoulder, allowing her eyes to linger in his for a moment. "There will never be an ‘us,’ Ares. Never was."

The God of War clenched his jaw. "You've never denied me, Xena."

"Everyone's gotta start somewhere, I suppose."

He approached her threateningly. "Take my offer."

She closed the distance between their lips until she could taste the power in his breath. “You lost your hold on me years ago, Ares." She licked his lips sloppily with a laugh. "No deal."

"I made you, Xena," he trailed the tip of his forefinger down her cheek and over her bottom lip, "and I can destroy you."

Xena took his hand away from her face, but held onto it for a moment. "Oh, Ares, I'm counting on it."

The God of War laughed devilishly and backed away. "My offer stands, for now. Think about it," he said, and then vanished.

This is going to be worse than death... I'm going to be beaten, and I'm going to be raped and... oh, Gods, I'm going to be raped! Curse my perfect skin and my young buttocks, was all Gabrielle could think as Caesar and his men escorted her up the stairs to his very own imperial suite. She could hear Lila's words now "well, it could have been worse Gabrielle. He is the emperor of Rome, after all.”

Gabrielle's eyes darted all around. There must be an escape. They reached the highest part of the building, with inlaid floors and works of art set on the walls of the gloriously decorated hall; the imperial suite was sure to be close now. It was far too high up to escape through a window, and far too guarded of an area to make a successful run. Surely if she did that Caesar would have no objections to killing her, but would that be worse than being raped and beaten by him first? Her stomach tied in sick knots thinking of letting Caesar's hands, mouth, or... other extremities, anywhere near her.

The party came to a halt in front of a large double-door. Its heavy dosing of gold stood a testament to Caesar’s lust for power and his ever-expressive pride. Caesar waved his hand to dismiss one of the guards, who nodded, and parted with a bow.

He whispered directions to Gabrielle.

"You want me to say what... emperor? May I ask w—?"

"You heard me, now do as I say," Caesar said, but before the slave girl could get another objection from her lips, the door was opening, and a woman stood in his wake, a woman who did not look at all pleased to have been interrupted.

Gabrielle furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Meet my empress: Xena, of Rome," Caesar said, nodding to Xena.

Xena’s cold blue glare hit Gabrielle speechless. "Empress?" Why would Caesar be leading her to his empress as a punishment? This strange turn of events forced another unpleasant thought into her head. What if both of them were going to rape her, as some type of kinky, almighty emperor and empress tag-team? She shuddered at the thought, but Caesar did not give her much time to mull it over.

He kicked the slave girl to the floor. "Well?"

Gabrielle looked up at her empress, and said, her voice uncertain, "I am here to give you..." She glanced back at her emperor, who nodded with a glare. She looked back up at her empress, never meeting her gaze full on. "I am here to give you... cuddles, empress."

Caesar smirked over the girl at Xena. "Just as previously requested."

Xena stiffened her jaw and eyed the slave girl. "Is that so?"

"Well, you know how I would do anything for you." Gabrielle missed Caesar’s sarcasm, but she understood his next words perfectly. "Have fun with your new toy—oh, I mean, handmaiden, my empress."

Xena forced a smile, allowing only the slightest bit of irritation slip through. "Of course, my emperor. I am sure I can make good use of her."

Caesar motioned for his guard to stay and watch over them, and then he smiled, bowed slightly, and exited down the hallway.  

Gabrielle remained on the floor, her mind running crazy with ideas of what was going to happen next.

After a few moments, when Caesar was long out of earshot, Xena pulled the slave girl onto her feet and tossed her into the room, completely ignoring the single guard still standing at the door. "Well, you must've done something pretty bad, girl. It takes a lot for Caesar to send a slave to me. He usually just kills them. Of course, that's always seemed like a waste of a dinar to me."

Gabrielle, taking her empress' statement as a question, answered, "I spit in his food, empress."

There was a pause, and Gabrielle thought for sure she heard her empress laugh under her breath. “Oh really? Well, there will be none of that here." Xena bent low before her, her stern demeanor returning. “Understood?"

The most Gabrielle could do was stare back, her nerves shaken. She backed down and sunk her head. Before she could even muster a nod of agreement, Xena had grabbed her by her shirt and was on one knee in front of her.

“I said, is that understood?” Xena demanded. Gabrielle imagined this is what it would have been like to have a stern mother. But her empress’s scolding wouldn’t frighten her further, this type of treatment just made her angry.

Gabrielle kept her head down, the power of Xena’s close presence washing over her. She clenched her teeth and uttered an equally stern, “of course, empress,” in response.

"Good, because I will kill you for such an offense,” her empress replied, seemingly satisfied. She released Gabrielle and stood. "Caesar does have impeccable timing though; I was just about to bathe."

Gabrielle did not make a move, or respond in anyway, unaware that she was missing her cue.

The empress released an aggravated sigh and turned back around. "I know you must be new to this, but that doesn't mean you can slack off, girl."

"My name is—"

Xena's hand shot out and clutched the girl's cheeks in a tight grip. "I don't care to know your name."

Gabrielle nodded. "Yes empress."

Her empress smiled, "good. Now go warm me a bath, girl," and with that threw her backward so she stumbled onto the floor.

The guard at the door spoke up. "Empress, would you like me to beat her?"

Xena addressed the guard through a dark facade. "That won't be necessary. I like to do all the beatings myself. You may report back to Caesar."

"Yes empress."