“When you are born, you are afraid of the darkness, then you‘re afraid of the light; but I’m not afraid when I dance with my shadow. This time I’m going to get it right.”

Aerosmith / Taste Of India

“What am I doing here? I should be out hunting for Gabrielle.” Xena marched in a small circle, like a tiger deciding whether or not to hunt. Hercules looked up from his contemplative gaze and frowned. Xena had been growing increasingly erratic without Gabrielle.

Erratic? I’ve had to pull her out of five different tavern brawls over the past three days. I don’t know what sort of mischief my brother is into, but I hope he gets it over with soon. He thought as he reached out to hold Xena still with one hand. “We were told to meet him here.”

“By who? Some half-assed oracle from the very people that took Gabrielle in the first place? What kind of damned plan is that?!” Xena thrust a finger into Hercules’ chest. “That was always your biggest problem -- you were too quick to trust, to see the good in people. You don’t trust your enemies. Your crush them and do it completely.”

Hercules calmly shrugged his shoulders. “I was brought up to believe that everyone deserved the benefit of a doubt.” Xena unsheathed her sword and swung it around impatiently, muttering to herself about wasting time in a barren field. Hercules thought it best to leaver her alone for the time being, until this meeting was over and everything was in the process of being set aright.

There was a flash of violet light to his left, followed quickly on the heels by the pungent odor of grapes. Xena whirled on her heels at the scent. Her lips curled into an atavistic snarl. The man before her was handsome in a dark, aloof sort of way. His hair was dark in the moonlight, with the odd blue-black highlight. Xena’s fevered blue gaze matched the man’s steely purple eyes. Everything about him exuded sensual control and the desire to lose one’s inhibitions.

“Greetings, Xena. I am Dionysus and I am here to help you.”

Xena screamed as she twisted her entire torso back for a swing. Her arm swung out, raking the sword blade across the god’s throat. Dionysus let out a squawk as the force of the blow staggered him back a pair of paces. Xena pressed her advantage, following the god close and ramming her sword in through his chest. Dionysus gave out a wheezing grunt, his hands clawing feebly in the air as his legs gave out. Xena jerked the sword free of the plummeting body and raised it over her head to deliver a final, screeching blow.

“OK -- I can’t talk to you if you’re going to be like this all night. So, cut it out.” Dionysus hovered to his feet and tapped Xena on the forehead. She dropped to the ground, holding her head. Her sword slipped out of her grasp with a clatter of reflected moonlight. Hercules, who had been watching all of this with a distracted air, came to life and stood over the curled Warrior Princess.

“What did you do?” He asked, his voice beginning to rise to a roar as he crouched down to examine his friend.

“Nothing of importance, brother. I took away my influence. Now she will act in a sane and rational manner, which means I can talk to her,” he stood up, tugging on his purple toga as the wounds knitted themselves together in rapid succession, “and get more than anguished shrieks.”

Xena stood up delicately, hanging on to Hercules for support. She looked over at the god as he brushed away a gnat from his arm. “What do you mean by influence?”

“Here’s the deal. I help you get Gabrielle back and I tell you how to undo the effects of the sacred wine. In return, you leave this valley and you don’t come back. This is non-negotiable.” Dionysus crossed his arms over his chest.

“Why should I leave?” Xena challenged, her voice still shaky from the touch.

“Because this valley is under my protection.”

“You’ve done a fantastic job. They were begging me to come here and save them from Admentus.” Xena snarled, her strength returning in leaps and bounds.

“They weren’t begging. You were just spoiling for a chance to whip a former student. I will admit, however, Nysa was more interested in gaining recruits and sensual pleasures than--”

“I thought that’s what the Maenads did.”

“Don’t interrupt. In return for a temple, I promised to guard the valley. That’s why the Maenads are here. When danger threatens, they are supposed to go out and deal with it. Nysa didn’t seem to want to do her function. She was more interested in having the Bard and The Warrior Princess in the fold.”

“So, why did you allow it?” Hercules joined in the line of questioning.

Dionysus shrugged his shoulders, like a boy trying to get out of admitting wrong doing, “I’m not a hands-on sort of god like Ares and Artemis. Hey -- live and let live has gotten me this far.” He flashed a winning smile.

“Wait, you said Nysa wanted me as well?” Xena stepped forward.

“Well, sure. Her plan was to get Gabrielle and have you follow along with promises of fun with your little friend, free of the self-inflicted burden of trying to make up for past crimes. It would have worked too, if not for the meddling of others.” He gave the moon a meaningful and scathing glace.

“Enough of this. How do we get Gabrielle back?” Hercules asked.

“Get her away from the Maenads and keep her away from the sacred wine until the moon disappears under the horizon on the harvest night. She’ll be free after that. Under no circumstances are you to kill any of the other Maenads -- especially Nysa. I have plans to deal with her. Fail to carry out my instructions and Gabrielle will be one of mine forever. Easy enough?” Dionysus took a couple of steps back.

“Once this is over, I don’t want to see you or more of your followers near us ever again.” Xena picked up her sword and sheathed it with a thrust. Dionysus smiled as he bowed his head.

“Leave the valley and we’ll never have to cross paths again.” The god vanished in a flash of light and sickly sweet grape scent.

Chapter 12