SquidgeWorld Archive

Blasphemous Rumors
by D'Nalia

Joxer tried to hide a smirk as Hera had the Twins go over their lines for the hundredth time. Every time one of them would try to protest Discord would kiss them until they smiled stupidly and did exactly what Hera wanted. Joxer had never seen the Twins so submissive before. And he had every intention of making sure they never lived it down.

He leaned back against Ares' chest and sighed happily when the arms around him tightened slightly.

Ares' warm breath tickled his ear when the dark God said, "I say we elope and tell them after the fact."

Joxer laughed, "Hera would kill us. Not to mention what Morrigan would do. Besides, you haven't asked me yet."

Ares nibbled on the back of Joxer's neck, enticing a small moan out of his lover. "So, are you going to marry me?"

"I could be persuaded." Joxer whispered.

Ares laughter was cut short when he heard his mother scream. He only caught a glimpse of the silver arrow before it struck his lover in the chest.

Joxer made a wheezing sound and slumped in Ares' arms. Ares gently laid him out on the floor and ripped open his shirt so he could see where the arrow had entered. Sword calloused hands moved Ares to one side and Morrigan knelt beside her stricken warrior.

"Joxer. Can you hear me?"

He opened pain glazed eyes and stared at the wavering shape above him. "Morrigan? It hurts."

"I know young one. I know." Morrigan sent her awareness down into his body to access the damage. The barbed head of the arrow had pierced his heart. Every faltering beat caused more damage.

Morrigan easily lifted him into her arms and stood, still clutching him to her body. She turned the full force of her gaze at the archer who had dared to harm one of her Ravens and saw the young Goddess pale.

Never taking her eyes off of the woman, Morrigan said quietly to the Twins, "Return to The Raven. Wait for me there."

"Aye Morrigan." With a last lingering look at Eris they did as they were told. Dreading the task of telling the rest of the crew what had happened to their Captain.

Ares reached out to his lover with a shaking hand but pulled it back at the last second. He raised dead eyes to Morrigan's face and saw the truth written there. He asked anyway. "Will he live?"

Morrigan shook her head. "I don't know Ares. There may be a chance, but I just don't know."

Ares nodded once and turned to face Nemesis, not wanting to see Morrigan take his lover away. He screamed with rage and grabbed Nemesis by the throat. His hand tightened as he slammed her into the wall again and again. "Who sent you, you BITCH! WHO?"

Hera finally made him let the young Goddess go and pulled him into her arms. Hera held her child as he cried out his pain and his grief. She glared at Nemesis, "Who ordered this Nemesis?"

The young Goddess gulped, "The Furies. They said he had to be punished for defying Zeus and then killing his own father."

Ares raised a tear ravaged face, "The Furies did this? Because he defied Zeus?"He didn't give Nemesis time to answer. He gathered his power and left for Mount Olympus. It was time he and his father had a little chat.

*****

Morrigan took Joxer directly to Diancecht, yelling for the Guardian of the Spring as she burst through the door. His daughter Airmed jumped to her feet and ran to open the door to a bedroom so Morrigan could lay her burden down.

She settled Joxer as comfortably as she could and once again yelled for the healer. "Diancecht! Answer me you bastard!"

Diancecht came through the door with a scowl on his handsome face. "What is it now you old Crow? I'm busy."

Morrigan lifted him off his feet by the hair and shook him hard. "This is one of my Ravens. The Greek Gods decided to have him killed for carrying out my justice. See to him. And quickly Diancecht. I'll be back later. I have a score to settle."

Morrigan flashed out of the room leaving a stunned healer behind. He hurried over to the mortal and quickly determined that he would need help with this one. Never taking his eyes off his patient he told his daughter, "Fetch Gobhniu for me. Quickly girl, he doesn't have much time."

Airmed sped to the smith's forge and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him along with her. She gasped out the situation as they moved and the smith saw red. He'd never cared for the Greeks, and the very idea that they should try to kill one of the Ravens, especially this one, filled him with rage.

Morrigan often visited her friend and told him of Joxer and his exploits. Gobhniu had never had the chance to meet the young mortal but anyone who made Morrigan happy was to be treasured. He hurried to Diancecht's side, determined to do all him could to help.

*****

Ares flashed into his father's temple on Mount Olympus, closely followed by the three Goddess. He found his father in his study staring out the window.

"Zeus! Face me you bastard."

Zeus turned when he heard Ares voice. He gazed numbly at his son for a moment and then turned back to the window. Ares spun him around and held back the blow he was aiming at his father's face. Something was seriously wrong here.

Hera didn't want Ares or his sister to see their father until he had time to heal. Morrigan's 'lesson' had taken a toll on the King of the God's. She rushed into Zeus' study and discovered she was too late.

She removed Zeus from Ares' grasp and helped him back into his chair. Gazing out the window seemed to calm him when his thoughts caused him the most pain. She ushered her children out of the room and closed the door behind her. She sighed at the mulish expressions on their faces,
"It's time. Come with me. We need to talk."

She waited until they were all settled in her drawing room before she told them what Morrigan had done. "Your father will recover, it will just take some time."

"What did she do to him?" Eris asked.

"Nothing more than he deserved." Hera said firmly. "He's sorting through his memories. As he realizes his mistakes and accepts his actions he gets better. He's already much better than he was. But I can tell you this, he had nothing to do with The Furies' decision."

"Then The Furies will answer for this." Ares said.

Hera tried to calm her child but he refused to listen. Eris egging him on didn't help much. The situation was disintegrating rapidly when Morrigan returned.

Ares jumped out of his chair and hurried to the Celtic Goddess. "Is he all right?" he asked worriedly.

Morrigan grimaced, "The damage is extensive. If he lives it will take a long time for him to heal."

"Can I see him?"

"Not yet Ares. Give the healers time to work."

Hera interrupted their conversation, "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Aye. I want the ones responsible for this. They must pay for this."

Hera quickly gave Morrigan the information she wanted. "The Furies decided this Morrigan. None of the Gods had anything to do with it."

"It was punishment for Joxer killing his father." Nemesis interjected.

Morrigan faced the impudent Goddess, "And who are they to be deciding to punish one of 'my' people?"

Nemesis gulped, "Your people? But he's a Greek."

"His father was Greek, but his mother's people came from my land. And Joxer was accepted into my service as one of my Ravens."

Nemesis stuttered and finally said in a weak voice, "He's a Raven?"

"Aye. That he is. The best of the lot. Now, where can I be finding these 'Furies'?"

"There is no need to seek us out."

Morrigan looked over her shoulder at the three women who'd entered Zeus' temple unannounced. She smirked at the scantily clad women, "Well now, don't you be looking like a bunch of sluts."

All three of the Furies frowned at the stranger, "Who are you to question us?" they said in unison.

"The Morrigan. Would you mind telling me what you were doing attacking one of my men?"

"He killed his own father. Retribution has been asked for and granted."

"Who asked for it?" Ares snarled.

"Hercules, Xena, Gabrielle and Iolaus. Since Joxer could not be touched by the mortals courts, they brought the matter to us."

"Reverse it." Ares snapped.

"We cannot. While he is blameless for the crime he was originally accussed of, he did willfully kill his father. The seekers of justice were satisfied with our decision."

Morrigan felt the least pleasant aspect of her personality rise up inside her. For the first time since the Battle of Magh Tuireadh she let it have free reign. Nemain, better known as 'Frenzy', stood before the stunned Olympians.

"You've had your 'justice', and now I'll have mine." Her voice grew impossibly colder. "This is war. Me and mine will not rest until the scales are balanced."

Eris grabbed the Goddess' arm, "What about my wedding?"

"There will be no wedding, Goddess of Discord. Not until this is finished." Nemain faded from view, hearing Discord's anguished sobs echo in her ears.

*****

Zeus heard a strange sound, one he hadn't heard in so long. One of his children was crying. He rose on unsteady feet and made his way towards the sound. He pulled Eris into his arms and sat with her on the floor. He stroked her hair, murmuring quiet words of comfort.

His mind was becoming clearer moment by moment. He looked at his wife and asked quietly, "Hera, what is wrong with Eris?"

Hera knelt beside her husband, "The Furies decided to punish Joxer and The Morrigan has declared war on Greece as a result."

"Joxer? Ares' friend?"

"Yes Zeus, Ares' friend."

"Why?"

"He defended himself against his father. His father died." Ares said in a hard voice.

Zeus heard the pain in his son's voice and winced. "I'm sorry for the way I treated you Ares. I don't know why I acted like that."

The Furies paled and stepped back. Hera saw the movement and sealed the temple. "You had something to do with this didn't you?"

The Furies conversed silently for a moment before they answered. "Alcemene asked for vengeance against you and your children for taking Zeus away from her."

Hera staggered and sat down hard in her chair. "Alcemene caused this?"

"No. This is Zeus' fault. If he had not slept with the mortal none of this would have happened."

Zeus didn't look up from his daughter's dark hair, "I never liked Alcemene," he said idly. "She smelled funny. But the Fates said I had to. Hercules had to be born."

Hera's mind was running around in circles. She couldn't follow one thought, too many were crowding together in her mind.

Ares was shocked at the revelations and took refuge in the comfortable familiarity of violence. He blasted the rear wall of the temple and eyed the rumble with satisfaction. A quiet sniffle from Discord broke the silence before the wall suddenly reappeared. Then Discord blasted it to bits again. War and Discord looked at each other for a moment and came to a mutual decision.

Morrigan would have her justice. They would give it to her.

Hera watched as her children faded from sight and buried her head in her hands. She had no doubt what her children would do. There may not be enough left of Greece to Morrigan to fight.

*****

Diancecht carefully lowered the mortal into the spring. The cool water bubbled and hissed when it hit the arrow and the wound it had caused.

Gobhniu had returned to his forge to fetch several items he thought he would need. If the arrow was not contained once it was removed, it would try to return to finish the job. Gobhniu had cursed the smith who'd made such an infernal weapon.

Diancecht was getting impatient when Gobhniu returned and silently set up a small forge next to the stream. He worked quickly but carefully. Soon a white hot cauldron of molten silver stood next to the stream.

Diancecht nodded once and prepared his energy while Gobhniu grasped the arrow in an iron grip and ripped it from the mortal's chest. The arrow went straight into the silver and Diancecht thought he heard a distant scream when it immediately melted. But he didn't have time to wonder about that.

Blood was gushing from the open wound and the mortal was struggling for breath. Diancecht ripped open his chest, ignoring the hoarse screams, and held the mortal's heart in his hands. Layer by layer he sealed muscle and veins. He was covered with blood by the time he pulled his hands out of the mortal's chest. He sat back on his heels and swayed from exhaustion.

Airmed and her brother Miach packed the wound with herbs and bound it tightly. Diancecht reached out with the last of his strength and sent the young man into a deep, healing sleep. He looked at his helpers and said quietly, "It's up to him now. I've done all I can."

*****

Nemain appeared on the fore deck of The Raven and called the crew to her. The Twins led the pack. "The Captain. Is he?"

"He is still alive. Diancecht is working on him. Four mortals pushed the Greek Furies into punishing Joxer. By their actions and their refusal to reserve their decision I have declared war on Greece and it's people. Head for the open sea. We have plans to make."

Ian and Sean gave the orders and The Raven was soon cresting the waves under full sail. The Twins silently returned to their quarters and looked sadly at the small shrine they had dedicated to their lover. With reverent hands they covered the shrine and went back to their duties.

*****

Ares and Discord appeared in Iphicles' throne room in Cornith. No niceties were exchanged. "Where is Hercules?" The Gods demanded.

"He's in Athens the last I heard. Why?"

The Gods flashed out of the throne room without answering. Iphicles grew alarmed and hurried to his private chambers. He knelt at his shrine to The Morrigan and called out to the Battle Goddess.

She appeared in full armor with her battle axe in hand. "Iphicles. I can not stay. The Furies judged Joxer upon your brother's request. I have declared war on Greece."

Iphicles smiled, "How can I help?"

"You would help?"

"Yes. My brother gets full of himself and occasionally needs to be deflated. If you get the justice you need from my brother, will you let go of the war?"

Nemain considered the young King's offer. "If I get Hercules and his friends, then I will not make war on your people."

"Will you kill him?"

"No. But he will wish he were dead by the time I finish with him."

Iphicles rubbed his hands together gleefully. "Ares and Discord were just here looking for Hercules. I dare say you can expect to receive them gift wrapped soon. Where would you like them delivered?"

"Bring them to the main pier here in Cornith. I will return in three days. If they are there waiting for me I will leave you in peace. If not, I will take this country apart stone by stone until I find them."

"Understood. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make some plans." Iphicles hurried out of his palace and made his way to Ares' temple.

He sliced a shallow cut in the palm of his hand and let the blood drip onto the altar. Once the bleeding had slowed he called out to the God of War.  "Ares, I need to speak with you. It's important."

Ares flashed into his temple and glared at the king. "What is it Iphicles? I'm busy."

"I know you are. I just spoke to Morrigan. She said that if Hercules and his friends were waiting for her on the pier in three days, she'd call off the war. Now, if you and you're sister can capture them, I'll get the chains ready."

Ares eyebrow rose up into his hairline, "Chains?"

Iphicles grinned, "I do believe Morrigan likes her presents gift wrapped."

Ares burst into laughter and went to find Morrigan's 'present'.

*****

Gobhniu poured miniscule amounts of the molten silver containing the arrow onto his anvil.  Using his smallest hammer, he began working the soft metal. He chanted under his breath in a soft monotone. He worked  for hours without stopping. When he was done he regarded his handywork
with pride.

Chainmail as soft as silk poured through his huge hands. If young Joxer lived through this ordeal, Gobhniu would make sure this could never happen again. He carefully packed it away before he sought his bed.

*****

Joxer was vaguely aware of gentle hands touching the wound in his chest. But they, along with the pain, were distant. He drifted in and out of dreams, unaware of what was happening around him.

*****

Ares and Discord caught up with Hercules and his friends at the home of Jason and Alcemene. They didn't speak or engage in their usual sparring. The Gods bound their prey in bonds of raw power and took them to Cornith.

Alcemene cried, Hercules cursed and Jason tried to figure out just what in Tartarus was going on. "Damn you Ares, what is the meaning of this?"

Ares looked down at the former king and dismissed him. He fastened his gaze upon his half-mortal brother and subdued the urge to kill him on the spot. "Did you think I wouldn't find out Hercules? Your little 'talk' with the Furies paid off Hercules. Nemesis shot Joxer with one of her arrows."

Hercules and the others felt a momentary pang of guilt at the death of their friend, but he'd brought it on himself. Hercules said as much to Ares.

Discord managed to prevent Ares' instinctive reaction and the blast struck a harmless tree instead. Ares stalked off to cool down and Discord took his place. She sat in front of the mortals and smiled sweetly.

"Joxer isn't dead. At least not yet. The Morrigan took him back to her island. When she found out what you had done, she declared war on Greece. Now everyone will suffer because of you."

Hercules grew silent. He darted his eyes at Xena and saw a worried expression on her face. He looked at Discord and said, "Let us go. We'll help you fight her."

Discord's characteristic laugh rang throughout the clearing. "Oh no Hercules. I don't think so. You see, if we give you to Morrigan then she'll stop the war. Your life isn't too high a price to pay for the safety of Greece is it?"

Hercules looked resigned to his fate. "At least let my mother go. She has nothing to do with this."

Discord yanked Alcemene's head back by her hair and stared into her calculating eyes. "She's not going to Morrigan. Hera and Zeus will deal with her. We know Alcemene. The Furies told us everything. And the compulsion they put on Zeus has been broken."

"That isn't possible! No one has that kind of power!" the woman cried.

"Morrigan does. It was really very wicked of you Alcemene. My parents are 'displeased', to say the least."

"What are you talking about Discord?" Hercules snarled. "My mother has done nothing wrong!"

Ares' voice was too calm, "Didn't she tell you Hercules? My father only slept with her on the orders of the Fates. He never wanted her. She was jealous when he left her and asked the Furies for revenge. They gave it to her. They put a compulsion on him that made him hate the ones he loved the most."

Ares looked at Hercules' mother, the cause of all of the pain he had suffered since his half-brother's birth. "Isn't that right Alcemene?"

The look on her face was proof enough of his words, but the venom that poured out of her mouth left no doubts at all. "Zeus was 'mine'! I should have been Queen of the Gods. And my son should have had your place Ares! But Zeus wouldn't give up Hera and his precious children! The Fates told me how important Hercules would be. That's the only reason I agreed to bear Zeus' child!"

Jason felt sick to his stomach. "Alcemene, what are you saying?"

"Shut up Jason! I never should have married you! I wanted to be Queen, not some farmer's wife. You make me sick!"

Hercules looked at his mother in shock, not recognizing the spiteful harridan that wore his mother's lovely face.

Ares burst into laughter. Maybe things would be all right after all. And if not, at least he had this.

*****

Ares, Iphicles and Discord were waiting on the docks with their prisoners. The Raven slid into port right on schedule. Nemain leaped onto the pier and strode towards the captives.

"Well now. I see you're a man of your word Iphicles. Ares, Discord, you've done well. I was sure I'd be picking up corpses."

Discord looked at the Celtic Goddess, "Can I see them? Please?"

It would have taken a harder person than even Nemain to refuse the plea in that soft voice. "Go ahead child. They're waiting for you."

Discord immediately ran to the ship and disappeared from view. High pitched feminine giggles and husky male laughter soon rang out over the water. Nemain smiled and let Morrigan take over again.

Morrigan smirked at her captives. "Well now. This is a generous gift. Generous indeed." The four friends refused to bow their heads. Determined to meet their fate with their heads held high. Morrigan laughed merrily, "I'll not be killing you. At least not today. Nay, death would be too swift." The Heroes of Greece paled and wondered exactly what was going to happen to them.

Morrigan finally looked at the older man standing on the pier. "And who would you be?"

"Jason. Alcemene's husband." he said in a dead voice.

"Jason of the Argonauts?"

"Yes. That's who I was."

"And who are you now?"

"I don't know." he said tiredly.

Iphicles laid a hand on Jason's bowed shoulder, he'd hadn't been totally surprised when he'd been told the truth about his mother. He just wished his friend hadn't gotten stuck in the middle of all of
this.

Ares stayed silent as long as he could. "Morrigan. How is he?"

"See for yourself Ares. You know how to find him."

Ares smiled and flashed out of view.

*****

Ares sent his awareness out into the void and finally locked onto the cuff decorating Joxer's arm. He was more than a little surprised to pop into his own temple on Mount Olympus.

He hurried into his bedroom and found Joxer sound asleep amongst the pillows. He was pale and a large white bandage covered most of his chest, but he was alive. Wonderfully alive.

Ares stripped off his clothes and crawled into the massive bed. He cradled his lover in his arms and kissed his cheek.

Joxer finally opened sleepy eyes, smiling when the first thing he saw was Ares. "Hi. Missed you."

"I missed you too Joxer." Ares said quietly.

"Where are we Ares?" Joxer asked after realizing he didn't recognize the room they were in.

"My temple on Olympus. You've been here before Joxer. Don't you remember?"
 
"I wasn't really too interested in my surroundings the last time I was here Ares." Joxer was silent for a moment, memories slowly resurfacing in his mind. "Is everything okay? I thought I heard people talking while I was asleep." Joxer said muzzily.

"It is now. It was touch and go for a while though. Morrigan found out who ordered Nemesis to shoot you with that arrow and declared war on Greece."

"War? We're at war?"

"No. Not now. Hercules and the rest of the goody-goodies went to the Furies and they decided to punish you. Morrigan called off the Twin's wedding to Discord, declared war and generally scared everyone half to death. Discord and I rounded up the troublemakers and presented them to Morrigan wrapped in chains."

"When was this?" Joxer asked in a pained voice.

"Just a few minutes ago. Why?"

Joxer struggled to get out of bed, wincing with every movement. "We have to stop her. We can't let her kill them. I'm not worth it."

Ares held Joxer down on the bed, "Personally I think you are worth it. But she promised to not kill them. Just make them wish they were dead."

"She promised? Really?"

"Yes. That's what Iphicles said. I doubt he would have helped us otherwise."

"Iphicles helped you capture his brother." Joxer said in a disbelieving voice.

"Well, he didn't actually help. But he did give us the chains to bind them. Joxer, they risked the entire country just so they could have their idea of justice. They deserve what ever Morrigan does to them."

"And what does Zeus have to say about all of this? You know how he gets when someone goes after Hercules." Joxer sounded worried. He didn't want to have another go around with the King of the Gods.

Ares smiled, "He's changed Joxer. You wouldn't recognize him now. Whatever Morrigan did to him broke a compulsion the Furies had on him. It seems that Alcemene wanted to be the Queen of the Gods. When my father refused to leave Mother, Alcemene went to the Furies. They took  the love he had for people and twisted it into hate. He didn't even realize what they'd done."

Joxer snuggled into the warmth next to him and yawned. "I'm glad your father is better now. But I think the Furies need to be taught a lesson."

Ares kissed the shoulder closest to him, "Sleep Joxer. You still have a lot of healing to do. Let my Mother deal with them."

Joxer mumbled drowzily and slid into dreams, safe in his lover's arms.

the end

Before anyone gets violent, there will be another sequel. These damn plot bunnies won't leave me alone. But the next one will be the last. I hope.