The King of thieves entered the dining room resplendent in tight, black leather pants tucked into shiny black leather boots. His white silk shirt was tucked into the pants then topped with a dove gray, brocade jacket. Little Albida's hand was tucked into his. "Forgive us for being tardy. We just couldn't leave the market with all the stalls and wares."

The King nodded good naturedly at them. "Come and join us, my friends."

"We took our meal in the market but I'd love a glass of wine." The girl beside him asked a whispered question. The thief looked about him. "Does anyone know if the things Albida purchased today have arrived?"

Turella came through the door from the kitchen. "They just arrived. I took the liberty of having them sent to Albida's room."

"Thank you, my dear."

The King of thieves' ward stepped forward. "Then may I be excused? I can't wait to go through my new things."

"Of course, Albida," the Queen smiled at her. "I'll come by your room later to see what you've picked out. I can't wait, either."

"Sira helped me with most of the things. I think you'll approve."

"I'm sure I will."

The girl tugged on her guardian's sleeve. When he bent down she planted a light kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for taking me to the market, Autolycus."

"You're quite welcome."

Parenthis stood behind the serving maid just inside the dining room. "Come join us, Parenthis." The King of Corinth stood to go to Turella. Offering her a hand he led her to the table. The girl looked shocked then embarrassed as the King pulled out a chair for her. Returning to his seat he raised his glass. "I do believe a toast is in order." He addressed the grape baron.

Parenthis stood beside his place at the table to take up his own glass. "An announcement first, perhaps." He turned to the Queen's serving maid. "The King and Queen have consented to the joining of Turella and myself in matrimony."

The congratulations were enthusiastic and genuine. Turella's face wore a becoming flush of pink. Somehow she hadn't realized that as the wife of Parenthis she would be expected to join the King and Queen at their table.

When the meal was complete and tea was being served Iphicles turned to Rastist. "About this dragon. You've seen it, I trust?"

A few minutes of explanation followed as Autolycus and Parenthis were brought up on the conversation of earlier. Rastist was more than willing to explain again about Melfast and the dragon that plagued the town. "The dragon is very large and very angry. It blocks the main route into the town. The route, I might add, that's used to bring supplies to the town. You can reach the town by going over the mountains, but there is no road to follow and this would add many miles to anyone's journey."

"You're saying the town is cut off?" Autolycus asked.

"Pretty nearly so. Most of the town's supplies come in from the nomads who transport them in large wagons, trading with the village for their farm merchandise. The town won't starve. They do farm there and most of the people have at least a few animals to supply some things. But like so many small hamlets nowadays they have come to rely on the dried meat, cheese, and grain the nomads bring and that they use in their everyday life."

"Don't worry, Autolycus," Hercules assured him. "We'll find a way in."

"We, as in whom?"

"Iolaus, Sira, Rastist and myself."

The hunter moaned and everyone turned to him. "I can't go to Melfast. I've just remembered I have a commitment here in Corinth. I'm working on a dredging barge that's short handed as it is."

Iphicles wiped his mouth. "You had talked of leaving the city soon anyway. You've done much, my friend. We'll get by somehow. It sounds as if these people in Melfast need your help."

Hercules turned to the thief. "How about you, Autolycus? Want to go dragon hunting?" The demigod's words were delivered with a tongue in cheek smile on his face, but there was no joke behind his question and the King of thieves knew it.

"Me? I keep telling you, I'm no hero. I'd probably be better off going after the dragon with you, but I think I'll stay here and help out on Iolaus' barge until another man can be found."

The thief had almost offered to join Hercules. The prospect did sound exciting. But then he'd seen the empath's face. With a sixth sense that he denied, Autolycus had sensed the girl's need to be a part of this and he knew she'd never go without her golden hunter. He hadn't missed the girl's depression of late or the dark circles under her eyes. He'd been awakened by her screams only the night before, as she'd been lost in her nightmare. He'd asked her about it and she'd admitted to him that the nightmare was one she'd had a great deal of late. Something in her confession had touched him. While he wouldn't admit it, he was worried about her.

Sira sighed deeply. "Thank you, Autolycus." She'd sensed his thoughts. "But I cannot leave the city yet either. Reyna needs to stay at home with her son, and the foundling home is also shorthanded."

Now Turella sat forward, surprised at her own boldness. "If my duties here at the palace could be covered I would love to help out more at the home." She turned to grape baron. "That is, if you don't mind."

"I think it's a wonderful idea."

"So do I," the Queen agreed. "We have no immediate plans to entertain. We can well do without a serving maid for a time."

"I could probably do a pretty mean job of serving you, my dear." The King reached for the Queen's hand.

"This might just be fun. Will you serve my meals in the royal bed chamber?"

"Of course. Where else?"

"Then it's settled," the half god laughed. He hadn't been pleased to hear either Iolaus or Sira say they couldn't be a part of his latest adventure. "Sure you don't want to come with us Autolycus? This dragon breathes fire."

"No, no. I'll stay here where the real danger is. You go on and have your fun."

Everyone laughed.

The empath sat in the Queen's study, her head resting back against the chair she'd chosen. The others were in the King's study enjoying refreshments and conversation. Sira had excused herself using fatigue as her reason since it was the truth. But rather than go to her room she'd sought sanctuary in the darkened room on the ground floor. She'd not wanted to return to the room where she'd been so plagued by the nightmare that had begun to haunt even her waking hours.

She felt relaxed and sleepy. The sleepless nights were taking their toll on her. I will not sleep, she told herself. But to rest here for a bit would be nice.

The demigod let himself into the room, his strong mind sensing the girl who rested there. Only one candle burned on a table near the door. It was almost gone now and the room was filled with shadow. Going quietly in case she slept he lit another candle, bringing it closer to the center of the room. Finding a place for it on a table he turned to find Sira sleeping in her chair.

She's so beautiful! his mind shouted. Moving closer he knelt beside her chair to watch her face. Rising he brought the candle closer. Now he could see the dark circles under eyes surrounded by fine lines of stress.

Setting the candle aside he took a seat at her feet. He'd been so absorbed by his own concerns he'd failed to sense his soul sister's needs. He leaned forward to rest his cheek against her thigh. He needed to touch her. His strength was a powerful force given him by his godly father. To give some of that strength to her would be no hardship.

The girl reached out to smooth the hair from his forehead, caressing his face with a hand that left a tingle on his skin.

"Are you ill, my sister?"

"No. I think perhaps I need to be in the forest once more. I think the time has come to leave the city."

"Why did you agree to help in Melfast, then?"

"Because, Silly, that is exactly what I need to bring me stimulation. The trip there will bring me to the earth and renew my spirits. The adventure will stir my warrior's blood. Being with you and Iolaus on the trail will fill my soul. The earth has brought this to me to heal me."

"You look so tired."

"I am tired. But that will pass once I am among the trees and grass. It is good to have you with us again. I think part of my fatigue comes from missing you. You must give me time, my brother. I have not yet built the barriers between us. For now I still need you very much."

"Let's not talk about this barrier thing for now. Once you're better, then we can work on it. For now the important thing is to get you what you need to heal."

"I am sorry that loving me has caused such complications in your life, my soul. It was not something I had any control over. From that first moment that I sensed you through Iolaus' mind there was a bond between us. Iolaus' thoughts for you are what led me to him. He shouted for you with his mind and those thoughts touched me. That first time my mind actively sought yours, there was something there of the love we would find for each other. It was not easy for me to follow your wish to keep our minds apart. Then in Acubus, when you at last lowered the barriers on your mind to me, I felt liberated. I have loved you from that first thought of you I felt from Iolaus, but I never meant to capture you so completely. I have been unfair to you, expecting you to wait for me when your mind and your body needed release. It was not until I thought Iolaus had left me to go to the earth that I realized just how much I loved and needed you and how much you loved and needed me. It was after we found Iolaus that I felt the first feelings of guilt that I had done this to you.

"It is believed that since a healer, especially an empath, must give so much of themselves to others their need of others is greater. I have come to depend on you and Iolaus so much. Now that dependence is having a negative effect on both of you, and me as well. Iolaus is trying to shield me from things that touch him. You are torn between Dasay and myself. I have lost something of my own strength in relying on others for that strength."

"No, Sira, you're wrong. It isn't like that. It's not like you to question the will of the earth. I felt that same tie to you from that first moment. I just wasn't sure what I felt or how to deal with it. It wasn't until I thought you'd been killed that I realized that a barrier between us was self destructive. I've never regretted lowering that barrier. Never. You haven't kept me from finding someone to fill my needs any more than you're keeping Dasay and myself apart. My desire to build a barrier now was so that I wouldn't hurt you or her. You're right; I have all the human hang ups to deal with. In my culture this thing between the three of us for so long, and now the four of us would be considered wrong. I do have my mother to consider.

"The others? I don't believe it would be a problem for them, but Mother is another matter. Still, more than this I've felt my love for you was unfair to you and Iolaus. It puts pressure on you and him that isn't fair. If we build a barrier between us it can only be to make our separation at times easier. Like these past few days. I've been miserable apart from you two. But now that I've found Dasay, I won't give her up willingly. There will be times when I'll be separated from you and Iolaus. Somehow I have to find a peace of sorts with that. Until I do I'm not free to love Dasay as much as I wish.

"Don't be sad that you and I love each other. I couldn't live with that. Not now. Not when I need you more than you need me. Not when my mind and my soul are in turmoil. Let us build a barrier to protect us both, but not a barrier on the depth of our love for each other. It grows all the time. Let us for now stop the growth so that it won't overwhelm us both before that time when we're both free to unleash it."

The empath did nothing to hide the tears that stained her cheeks. Her hand in his hair gave her comfort. "I want you happy. I will do whatever it takes to make that so."

He turned his head to kiss her thigh. "We'll go after this dragon, then if you're still in need of the forest let's go to the cabin, even if it's just for a little while. You need your home."

"Yes. I do. Going there will be good."

"You could go on there and I could meet you and Iolaus there as soon as possible."

"And miss out on this adventure? No way. Besides, it is the three of us, remember?"

"I love you, my soul." She cried harder and he took her into his arms to lift her from the chair. "It's to bed for you, young lady." He sent his mind to the hunter.

Iolaus excused himself from the others to follow the demigod and the empath to the room he shared with Sira.

He found the demigod sitting beside Sira where she rested on the bed. "Everything all right?"

"I found her sleeping in a chair downstairs so I carried her up to bed. I thought she'd need you."

The empath held her hands out to the hunter. "I do need you." With a smile of acceptance the hunter came to lie on the bed beside her.

Now Sira held her hands out to the demigod. "Stay for a little while. I have missed you so much."

"Is it okay, Iolaus?"

"Of course." The hunter stood up to pull his boots off then his pants and shirt, coming back to bed in his underthings.

The half god slipped his boots off and laid down beside the girl he loved, turning his back to her. Her arm went over his side and he took it in his. Iolaus moved up behind her and she snuggled into him, his arm over her side.

Almost at once the healer drifted to sleep, comforted in the love both men offered her. The hunter wasn't far behind her in sleep; his hours of work that day catching up with him. The demigod lay awake, however.

How am I ever going to build any kind of distance between us when all I really want to do is live the rest of my life right here in her arms? Maybe this thing between Dasay, Sira, and myself is going to have to stay just that, between the three of us. Maybe I can find peace with this, after all.

Once he was sure both the hunter and the healer slept soundly he left the bed carefully so he wouldn't wake them. Just as carefully he let himself out of their room. Autolycus was just coming down the hall, his jacket slung over one shoulder in the nonchalant way that was such a part of him.

Hercules looked embarrassed to be caught leaving the hunter and healer's room.

The master thief looked up to study his face. "Is Sira all right?"

"Yes. She just seemed tired."

"I wonder if that's all that's bothering her?" Both men kept their voices to a whisper.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The King of thieves motioned for the demigod to follow him. Moving ahead he led the half god to his room. Once inside the door Autolycus turned to him.

"Sira's been looking tired and worn out now for days. I know she's having nightmares. That much she confessed to me."

"She needs to return to the forest. She gains strength from the woods that she gets nowhere else. Being here in the city has been hard on her."

"Did she tell you she lost a battle with death and lost a baby at the foundling home?"

"No, but I sensed that from her on the trail."

"Well, I haven't forgotten the last time she had nightmares. Those dreams came too damned close to coming true for my liking."

"You're right. She usually only has recurring dreams when she's bothered by something."

"Well, she's not telling anyone what's up and that's for sure. That woman can be all mighty stubborn."

Hercules smiled. "I take it she spurned your good natured attempts to glean information from her?"

"In no uncertain terms."

"I doubt I'd have any better luck with her. Once we're on the trail, however, I can keep a close eye on her."

"I almost took you up on your invitation to go dragon hunting, until I saw the disappointment on Sira's face at the prospect of not going."

Hercules nodded. "Thanks, my friend. We'll miss you out there, but you were right in thinking Iolaus wouldn't go if it meant shirking his responsibility."

"Well, I think a lot of Sira. You'd better take good care of her."

"I'll do my best."

The thief nodded.

The demigod offered his arm in a warrior's grasp then let himself from the room. He didn't feel any more tired now than he had lying in the healer and the hunter's bed. With a shrug he turned right to make his way down the stairs, through the hall and to the kitchen.

Rummaging around in the cupboards he found cold roast venison left from dinner and bread still soft from that morning's baking. Shaking the pot of tea over the fireplace he was rewarded with a slosh. Stirring the coals he added wood then returned the pot to the hook over the fire. Cutting two slices of bread he added a generous portion of meat between them then took a seat at the kitchen table to wait for the tea to heat.

He always thought more clearly on a full stomach. He was concerned by what Autolycus had told him of Sira. Could there be something more wrong with her than just the need to be close to the earth? There was no answer from the night and he ate his meal in silence, sipping the tea to wash the meat and bread down. It was almost morning before he took to his bed to fall into a fitful sleep that ended as the first rays of light touched his room.

Annoyed that he'd slept so little he rose to bathe in the cold water on the washstand before going to the dining room. The King and Queen were already there, little Jason in a basket beside the Queen. The demigod stopped to watch the baby kicking happily against the sides of the white wicker basket.

"I see you're feeding my nephew well."

Both Iphicles and Reyna laughed. "He doesn't give us a chance to do otherwise," the little Prince's mother acknowledged.

Alcmene joined the others at the table with a kiss for both her sons and Reyna. Jason followed his wife to the table, bringing them both a plate of food from the sideboard. Hercules filled his own plate then took a chair beside his mother.

"I wish you weren't so bent on going to Melfast," his mother protested.

"They need help, Mother."

"I know. But I can't help but worry about you and the others. Besides, I'll miss you."

He reached to take her hand. "I'll be careful, and I'll come and see you as soon as I can. Sira needs to get back to the forest for a time so we'll probably go to the cabin. But you know we can't stay away from you for long, Mother."

Sira and Iolaus joined the others at the table. Sira still looked tired. She'd been sleeping well when Hercules left her room but he wondered now if she'd stayed asleep. Now he wished he'd said to Tartarus with convention and stayed with her through the night.

Rastist also joined them. He'd changed into a colorful shirt of bright yellow under a red vest. His pants were a dark royal blue tucked into brown leather boots. The many rings in his ears, nose, and lower lip caught the light giving him an exotic look. Today his back was straight giving his lean frame a look of height that exceeded the actuality. He bowed to the King and Queen before helping himself to food and taking a seat at the table.

He ate in silence for a moment. "Tomorrow when we leave for Melfast, will there be a place I can leave old Boy, my horse? He has served me well and I'd feel better knowing he's well cared for while I'm away."

"He's welcome to stay in the palace stable," the King offered. "There'll be someone to fed him and exercise him. He should be comfortable there."

"Thank you, King Iphicles. You've put my mind to rest, then."

Little Jason began to fuss from his basket. His mother gave him an annoyed look. "And what's bothering you, young man? You're fed and changed. Not enough attention, is that it?"

The Queen had just fixed herself another mug of tea and turned back to it, a look of longing on her face. Sira started to rise but the demigod reached across the table to stop her.

"This sounds like a job for Uncle Hercules."

He rose, and going to the baby he picked him up with gentle hands to cradle the wriggling bundle to his shoulder. The baby looked tiny in the arms of the giant that held him, but he also looked content.

"Come on, little man. We'll take you to the nursery and fix you right up. Then I think it's about time for a good story." With a nod to the others at the table he headed out of the room.

Now the Queen's face wore a look of concern.

"There's a man that knows about babies," Rastist stated.

Sira nodded. "He does. He was very good with my son when he was a baby, and for that matter he is still very good with him. He has taken very good care of his nephew, Evander." Sira paused for a moment. "I would love to have seen him with his own children."

Alcmene swallowed twice before speaking. "He was very good with them also." There was a wistful sound to her voice. "He always took an active part in raising all three of them."

Sira watched her friend's face, sending her mind to comfort her. Alcmene looked up to nod at the empath.

Hercules talked to the Prince as he mounted the steps and entered the nursery. He stopped abruptly as he entered the room. The sweet smell of baby filled his nostrils with nostalgia and tears stung his eyes. It had been different with Hercus and Evander. He'd cared for them outdoors a great deal of the time and Sira used things that smelled of the earth to care for Hercus. But the smells here were the same he remembered from his own home with Deianeira and his children.

He laid Jason on the changing table and again his mind was filled with memories now more bittersweet than wrenching. Sira had helped him find this peace with the loss of his family. He could remember them now with love and joy without being filled with a crippling depression. He'd loved Serena, and yet he'd not found this same kind of peace about his family with her. He'd simply shut it from his mind, hiding it behind the comfort of his feelings for the golden hind.

It was true that time heals much, but he knew it wasn't the time that had passed as much as it was Sira. She'd given him something more to fill the void the loss of his loved ones had left him with. She and Iolaus had given him a home filled with love and restored his sense of belonging somewhere. They'd given him a son to love and care for in Hercus. He couldn't love the boy more if he were indeed born of his own seed. They'd restored his faith in his godly family and helped him find peace with his feelings about his father and his half brother, the god of war. He'd also found new friendship with his human half brother.

When Jason was changed the big man took a seat in the rocking chair that only protested his weight with a creak or two. The little Prince over his shoulder, he began to rock back and forth.

"Now. It's time you learned about the man whose name you bear. The mighty King Jason.

"When he was a boy he recovered the Golden Fleece. It's a marvelous thing hidden here in the palace for safekeeping. It's more a symbol to the people of the province than anything, although it's reputed to have healing powers. It did seem to help your great grandfather when he lay dying; at least it did for a time. Then when Prince Jason the first was hurt it also seemed to help him. Still, it's never been proven to have any real power. It is, however, worth a great deal since each wooly little hair is made of gold.

"A man whom King Jason trusted stole the golden fleece to try and discredit your grandfather. He was one of the Argonauts who'd helped Prince Jason retrieve the fleece in the first place. But he'd craved power for himself and gone bad.

"Your grandfather, your Uncles Hercules and Iolaus, along with several others of the original crew of Argonauts went after the fleece." Hercules looked up to see Iphicles and Reyna standing in the nursery door watching him. He smiled at them but continued his narrative. "It was a dangerous trip and not all of the Argonauts returned, but the mighty King Jason won out over his enemies to bring the Golden Fleece back to the kingdom. Then to marry the woman he'd loved for a very long time he gave up his place as King, giving it to the best man for the job. A man strong with compassion and understanding that he knew he could trust with such an important responsibility. He gave the crown of the King of Corinth to your father."

Hercules lowered the now sleeping baby to his lap to watch his little face in slumber. There was a bit of the King and the Queen in the little one's looks, but lurking behind the features of his parents was something of his paternal grandmother. The look of sweet sadness on the hero's face tore at the Queen's heart and she reached to take her husband's hand. He squeezed it, letting her know, he, too, was touched.

Carefully, so he wouldn't wake the child, the demigod placed the Prince in his bed, pulling a light blanket over him. He stood for a moment more, watching the baby, touched by the soft skin and pouting lips of the child in sleep. With a deep breath to soothe himself he looked up at his brother and his brother's wife. With a smile he came toward them.

The King had never hugged his brother in adulthood. There was a time in their childhood when Iphicles had worshipped his stronger than life brother. The later years brought him jealousy and resentment. That had begun to change in the village where he'd meet Reyna and fallen in love with her. Not at first, but after Hercules had come there. Still, he'd resented his brother. Becoming the monarch of the Corinthian province had changed him even more, but he admitted the real change hadn't come until he'd met Sira. Then when he'd known that Reyna was to have another baby he found it easy to let his childish resentment and jealousy go.

His arms went around his brother and the half god responded. In the hug a bond was formed, a bond that had started with them as boys then been lost in negative emotions on both their parts. Tears stained the Queen's face as she also hugged the half god son of Zeus. The three of them left the nursery door and the sleeping child.

Reyna reached for the demigod's hand. "Promise me you'll be careful out there taming that dragon."

"I will."

"Good," the King added. "We want you back here when you can. Take care of Sira first. Then when you can, come back to us."

"I will. I have to spend some time with Mother, but I'd like to come back and help here with the river project."

Reyna giggled. "I have a strong suspicion Alcmene will be spending more time here in the city now that she has a grandson to spoil."

Both men chuckled.

"You know," the demigod added, "I think you may be right."

Sira folded a woven moss top, then moving to the bed she placed it in her leather pack. The Queen sat on the bed watching her. "I'll miss you so much."

Sira looked up to smile at her. "I will miss you also." Sensing where at least some of the Queen's depression came from, she came to sit on the bed beside her and took her hand. "Little Jason is a healthy baby. He will do fine and so will you. If you should need me, send your mind to me and I will know."

"I'm not sure I know how to do that."

"Iphicles does. So does Jason. I will know if you should need me."

Reyna nodded. "That does little to make missing you any easier."

Sira hugged her. "We will be back. I need this for now, my sister. I grow tired and weak. I know this feeling. It comes from being indoors and away from my mother, the earth. I need to renew myself in the earth, then I can return here."

"I know. I've seen the circles under your eyes. You've lost much of your spontaneous good humor. I've been worried about you."

"Do not worry. I will heal. The earth will heal me."

The Queen nodded then reached behind her to take up a package from the bed. She handed the package to the empath.

"What is this?"

"Something from Iphicles, Little Jason, and myself. Open it." Sira tore open the parchment paper. Inside the package was a silk nightdress, snowy white and soft. Beneath it was another set of silken underthings. "Iolaus told me how much you liked the feel of silk. I didn't have time to make these new, but they're almost new. I tightened the under things so they should fit you. I shortened the nightdress also, since I'm taller than you are."

Sira hugged the girl. "Thank you, Reyna. Silk is of the earth, and I do enjoy the feel of it on my skin. I will treasure these things even more knowing they were yours."

"Oh, Sira." The girls hugged again then Sira packed her new things into her pack, patting them with a tiny hand.

Reyna smiled at her friend. She'd often puzzled over the empath's seeming lack of concern that she owned so few things of finery. She'd worn the gowns she'd borrowed from Alcmene while here in the city but these were not her own. She packed nothing of them in her pack now. Her woven moss trousers and tops followed the silk things in the pack. Two woven moss dresses and her undergarments of woven moss were the only articles of clothing she took with her. The set of silk underthings from Iolaus came last and Reyna smiled to herself. So she does like finery, after all.

The empath helped Albida with ideas for the material Autolycus purchased for her. For the first time in his life he had a steady income, courtesy of the city of Corinth. It wasn't much, more a token than anything, but his room and board was also provided and he found he had money to spend without having to worry about where the next would come from. He'd proven very generous with the money, not only with Albida, but also in donating some of it back to the river project he'd become almost as passionate about as the King himself. His charm and talent with people, added with his passion made talking people out of their money or sellable goods almost comical, and the King was first to admit the river clean up project would never have come this far without the master thief's help.

The little girl from the slums of the city had turned into quite the young lady, quick to defend the underdog and quick with her compassion and love. Her humble beginning had shaped her into a child of modesty whose gratitude at being taken from that life governed her every movement. She'd loved the little Prince from the moment she'd set eyes on him and had almost taken over his care completely.

It was Reyna who pulled her away at times. "You're a young girl. You need entertainment, not the continuous drudgery of work."

"But caring for Little Jason isn't drudgery. I like doing it."

"And I like having you do it. He trusts you and so do I. It's just that you're just learning to live, and I refuse to closet you away here in the nursery. There are plenty of us to care for the demands of the young Prince."

Iolaus, Hercules, Rastist, and Autolycus went with the King to the dredging barges. The King gave a rousing speech to inspire his people, apologizing for his selfishness in putting his needs before the needs of his people.

Women once again took over the task of rowing out to the barges with jugs of fresh water. Food was brought as well. The King offered each family who contributed to the project a voucher worth food provided by the palace. The farmers of the province gave much of the food to the King. This was something else Autolycus had arranged. The farmers gave only their extra produce and grain. By giving it to the palace, they could be assured the food would be put to good use while not really affecting their sales in the market. The farmers had always simply ground the rotting food back into the soil to rid themselves of it. Now it went to feed the starving and homeless or those who worked on the river project as well as being eaten in the palace itself.

The latter was the King's idea. "We have to show the people we're not offering them anything we wouldn't eat ourselves."

There were those who hunted for the palace and its residents, but now much of this fresh meat joined the meat given by the farmers to feed those in need. By offering food to the people, many who would have struggled to feed themselves and their families could now turn their time and energy to working on the project designed to better their quality of living.

The hunter took a long drink from a jug of apple cider. It wasn't as good as Alcmene's, but it was good, and the cool smooth taste was welcomed. Passing the flask to Iphicles he grinned at him. "Your speech did some real good, as did seeing you out here working beside the others."

"I shouldn't have been anywhere else."

"No. You had your family to consider, too. I don't think anyone begrudges you that."

As if in response to the hunter's words, a man stepped up to the King. "Your Majesty, I just wanted to congratulate you on the birth of your son."

The King offered his hand. "Thank you."

"He's well, I trust?"

"Quite well, and with everyone's help here on the river he'll grow up without the threat of flood or tainted water. Thank you for the congratulations and your help here."

"Glad to help. You've given the people new hope. King Jason chose wisely, his successor."

"Thank you again."

Throughout the day the people took time to mention the birth of the Prince. The King was beginning to realize that by producing a son, he gave his subjects hope for the successful future of the kingdom and the province. Besides the people's congratulations, there were offers of brass and dinars. Some gave things they took from crates, put aside and never used. A collection of odds and ends began to build on the riverbank. The King's pockets began to bulge.

When the day was over the King of Corinth stood on the riverbank looking over the things his subjects had given to help with the cost of cleaning up their river. Guards from the palace brought a wagon to load the offerings of the people into, but their monarch stopped them as he stood looking over the evidence of the people's faith in him.

With eyes filled with tears he looked up at the men and women watching him. "I don't know what to say. Your generosity has touched my heart. It will do much to help. Thank you all."

Jason patted the King on the back then nodded to the guards to start loading the wagon. He added his own thanks to that of the King. The hour was late and dinner awaited them all at the palace, but Iphicles was reluctant to leave the people. They were openly friendly with him, offering food and drink, which he shared with them.

It was well after dark before the men returned to the palace. Sira had known from the minds of the hunter and the demigod what kept them out so late and had assured Reyna and Alcmene that all was well. The last thing the King had done was to walk among the graves on the hill overlooking the river to give a prayer for those lost in helping him bring his dream to reality. He stopped over a grave still fresh, and going to his knees there he smoothed his hand over the freshly turned soil whispering a prayer not only for the man buried there but also for his family. He looked up to see a woman in her fifties watching him, tears shining in her eyes.

Without thinking, Iphicles stepped forward to hug the widow of the hunter's friend. "There's nothing I can say to make this any easier. But I hope you take as much pride in your husband's sacrifice as I do. He paid the ultimate price to protect those he loved. He was a warrior in the truest sense. You must come to me should you ever need anything. My home is yours."

"Thank you, my King. You are truly a great leader."

As the men passed through the streets, they could hear the people talking. "He's a good King. He appreciates even the little things we do to help. Didn't he put his own life in danger to work on the barge today? He was willing to share a meal with us rather than rush home to the finery of the palace. He's a people's King, just like King Jason. He's given us an heir to carry on the tradition and even named him for our beloved King Jason."

The men were noisily happy when they entered the palace. The King grabbed the Queen up to swing her around. She squealed at his foolishness.

"Put me down, Iphicles." He did as she told him, nuzzling her neck. "Are you hungry? It's so late."

"I ate with the people near the river. It was great. You should see the things they donated toward the river project." Going to a table along the wall he began to empty his pockets. Coins rolled across the tabletop and to the floor.

The Queen turned astonished eyes to the King. "Where did you get it?" She reached out to pick up a handful of coins then dropped them back to the others.

"The people gave it to me for the river project. It came one or two at a time. Everyone was so generous."

The Queen looked at him in wonder. "The people gave you this?"

"Yes. They also brought food and drink, but what was even more wonderful was their friendship." He hugged her again. "I want a bath, then I want to spend time with you and little Jason. Everyone was congratulating us on our son. It made me miss him all the more."

The Queen gave the others a tolerant smile, and with her arm around the man she loved they left the main hall to make their way up the central staircase.

Jason shook his head. "I guess it's up to me to make sure these dinars are put safely away." He turned to Autolycus. "Will you be available to find buyers for the things donated today?"

"Yes, as soon as we find someone to take my place on the barge."

"After today I don't think that will be a problem."

"It was pretty wonderful out there today, wasn't it?"

"Yes, very wonderful."

The empath lay in the hunter's arms. She'd helped him bathe which had its inevitable effect. Now they simply found comfort in being close. Sira found sleep hard to obtain. Her mind refused to relax. She felt the hunter jerk as sleep claimed him. There was a comfort in sensing his relaxed mind as it slipped into slumber. Afraid she'd wake him with her tossing and turning, she rose. Taking a seat near the window, she looked out over the darkened city. The earth was here and she'd felt her mother's comfort even in the palace. Still, the dust of the city streets did little to relieve her need to touch the earth in a physical way. There were plants and growing things in the city. The palace had potted plants in many places, but it wasn't the same as the tall tress that graced the countryside she would soon be traversing. She felt excitement tickle her middle. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough for her.

She woke with a scream on her lips. She still sat in the chair by the window. She hadn't even known she was sleeping, so softly had she fallen into slumber. The fear of her dream held her in bondage, robbing her of reality. She screamed again as the anger of the dream seemed to possess her with a will of its own.

The hunter came to kneel before her, taking her into his arms. She fought him.

"No! I have to save him. They have taken him!"

"Sira! It's only the dream. Don't fight me."

"My son!" She screamed again.

Iolaus shook her. "Wake up, Sira. It's only a dream."

The demigod was beside them. "What is it, Iolaus?"

"She's had a nightmare and can't seem to leave it behind."

"She's entranced." The half god sent his mind to the empath using the things she'd taught him to try and reach her. "Help me, Iolaus. Use your mind to reach her." The hunter was still in the fog of sleep himself and he made no response. "Iolaus. Help me."

The golden one sent his mind to the girl he loved, willing her to respond to him. After a moment her breathing slowed. She slumped against the demigod and he lifted her up to carry her to the bed.

"It's all right now, Sira. It's only a dream."

Iphicles came to them. "Can I help?"

"Use your mind to try and reach her."

The King took a seat on the bed beside the others. Not sure what to do he reached out to take one of the empath's hands in his. It took him a moment to still his mind. He felt the mind of his brother touch his to pull his strength to the healer.

Sira, calmer now, opened her eyes to stare at the men surrounding her. With a moan she turned her face to bury it against the hunter's shirt. "I am sorry to disturb everyone. I am fine now." The three men kept their minds on her letting her build a defense against the terror of the dream. "Really, I am fine."

The demigod snorted. "You forget, we can feel your emotions. You're still spooked."

"It is the same dream I have had so many times of late. It takes me a moment to release it."

"Why don't you tell me about this dream?"

"No." The girl snapped quickly. "No, that would give the dream validity. I refuse to give it credence. I am just tired and I need to be one with the earth. I will be fine once I can be one with the earth. This dream will not come to pass." There was determination in her statement. "I will not let this happen." Now she sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than them. "What I see myself doing in the dream is not me, and I will not let it be a part of me."

The healer began to cry silently against the hunter's shirt. What she'd said sounded good. The problem was, she wasn't so sure anymore that what she was capable of in the dream wasn't the real her. Each time she had the dream she seemed to remember the same feeling of anger and hate from another time, and yet she couldn't seem to put a finger on when this might have been so. She wasn't evil and hate. She was love and goodness. Still, even more than her own fear of what she did in the dream was her fear for the others in the dream. Her son most of all, he was being hurt by someone. She could feel his pain, and feeling it tore at her heart with wicked claws of dread. Who would want to harm Hercus? How could he have come to be in danger?

The King stayed with them for a time, making sure the empath was all right. When she at last fell asleep in the hunter's arms he left them to return to his own bed. The demigod made himself comfortable beside the healer. He had no intention of leaving her for what remained of the night.

The hunter nodded at him in the dim light of the candle that burned in a brass holder on the table. "Thanks for helping Sira."

"I hope she's all right. Do you have any idea what the dream is about?"

"Only that in the dream she's filled with anger and that Hercus is somehow involved. She refuses to talk about it. What little bit I do know I've gathered from what she's said while she's still lost in the dream."

"I don't like this, Iolaus. What if it's a premonition? It wouldn't be the first time she's had dreams that came to pass."

"Yeah. But we've always been able to circumvent them. The dreams haven't been so much a premonition of the future as a warning. I don't know what Sira senses in her dream, but I know she's not ready to share it yet. I, for one, plan to trust in her and her earthly powers. The best we can do is love her and be there for her."

The demigod sighed. "You're right. I guess that is the best we can do."

"I'm glad your back, my friend. Sira needs you, and so do I."

The man called Loxias bent over the fire nursing a mug of strong black Tassis tea. It was his favorite. Its taste was not unlike the tea the humans drank, and yet it had a stronger taste that satisfied him much more than any other tea. I guess I'm not all human, he told himself. He'd always hated his yosemin side, and yet of late he'd almost felt a pride in it.

I wonder what's changed my mind on that? He had a strong suspicion it had something to do with the stories they'd been hearing about the empath. He'd refused to believe them at first. Good gods on Olympus! The rumors couldn't be true, could they? Now he wished he knew more of the history of his mother's people. The rumors kept referring to the empath being a throw back to an ancient time, as being the chosen one.

He wondered for the first time what those long ago yosemins might have been like. He'd had a chance to be a part of that but he never felt that he fit in. He wasn't full blooded yosemin, and the human blood that flowed through his veins set him apart from his mother's people. He admitted for the first time he'd set himself apart. He'd refused to conform to the life of the earth's people. He'd hated being a farmer. He'd wanted to be a hunter but couldn't seem to care one way or the other whether he brought back food to feed those who shared the village with him. He'd never had any ambition. Robbing and stealing when he needed something was much more to his liking.

He rose and stretched. Moving back toward the cave and his blankets he heard the wolf pup growl. "Come on, you little bastard. You want a piece of me?" He moved toward the pup tied to a stake near the entrance of the cave.

The protector of the forest backed away. This man he didn't like. He hadn't forgotten the kicks from him, or his screams of anger.

"Don't hurt the dog, Loxias." The man who'd brought the wolf to the cave after he'd trapped it in the forest raised up from his bed. "He just don't like you, is all. He's harmless."

"That's the whole point. Carneus only agreed to let you keep the damn thing if you could turn it into a watchdog. He's more afraid of us than we are of him."

"That's 'cause you hit him and talk mean to him."

"Well, you don't. You baby the mutt and he's still afraid of you."

"He's protecting himself, is all. He'll come around."

"Well, keep him away from me."

Spherule lay back in his blankets. "He's my dog," he mumbled. His simple mind felt indignation that Loxias might try to tell him how to treat his own dog. The chubby soft fleshed man couldn't seem to understand that the animal he'd taken from the trap in the forest was a wolf and not a domesticated animal. The wolf snapped at him and had bit him twice now and still he loved his "dog".

The wolf pup moved back to his place in the sand near the wall of the cave. With a sigh he laid his head on his paws. A wolf called from the woods and the pup raised his head, his ears up. He moved forward slightly, then throwing his head back he called to his kind. The sound sent shivers up and down Loxias' spine.

Rising up, he grabbed a rock and threw it at the wolf pup. "Shut up, you bloody bastard." The half breed rolled over in his blankets. He hadn't slept much of late and hoped to make up for that tonight.

They'd arrived back at their camp that morning to find Spherule busy at the cooking fires stirring a large pot of beans while a massive hunk of venison roasted on a spit. No one was sure whether the man possessed any claim to those of the earth, but he had an uncanny knack for knowing when the others would be returning to the cave in the sandstone cliff. He almost always had food ready for them. Not every time, but more often than not. On the times he didn't have food ready he always swore he'd known of their coming but had simply forgotten to make food. He was simple, and forgetting came easy to him. He often forgot to feed the wolf pup or even himself. He was a good natured man, not given to any real anger or violence.

Loxias hated him. Spherule liked to talk, and while most of what he said made little sense, he delivered his narratives with a superior air as if what he said held real importance and should be listened to with attention and gratitude that he might wish to impart his great knowledge to those less knowledgeable of the world.

He had a keen sense of people, however, and seemed to know when someone didn't like him or wasn't really paying attention to him. At times like these he became almost angry, demanding attention from those not interested in his speeches and demanding friendship from those who gave none. He and Loxias had had more than one confrontation since the little half yosemin couldn't hide his disdain for the simpleton and Spherule couldn't help but taunt him.

Loxias turned in his blankets once more. Carneus had finally divulged his latest scheme for making them all rich, and since he had Loxias hadn't slept worth a damn. Carneus had been known to come up with schemes that proved to be less than profitable, but he'd never before thought up one with such a potential for danger. Carneus, like so many cruel and hateful men, was deep down, nothing but a coward. He had no compulsion about pulling out of a situation when any real danger to him came into play, whether his doing so put others in danger or not.

Can't he see the potential for disaster here? If the empath was as powerful as rumored, Loxias wanted nothing to do with her. He turned again. Maybe I should just get out while the getting is good. He put his hands behind his head as a pillow. A shiver of fear ran up and down his spine and he rose up. The need to flee his fear washed over him to leave him shaky. You're being a damned fool. Calm down and try and sleep. Things will look better in the morning.

Hercules, Iolaus, and Rastist sat in the palace dining room. The morning was still gripped in the darkness of the predawn, and besides cook no one else was awake.

The half god and the hunter had left the empath to sleep. "How is your wife?" the old one asked of the hunter. "I heard her cry out in the night."

"She had a bad dream, but she'll be all right."

The old one nodded. "Does she come with us because you can't bear to be separated from her, or because she can fight?"

Iolaus and Hercules exchanged looks. "Both, my friend, both."

"What weapon does she use to fight?"

The hunter laughed. "You'd be surprised."

The healer joined the others at the table and cook came to bring her a plate of cold meat and goat's cheese. The larger meal that would soon be placed in pewter warming trays was not yet ready. Sira looked up to smile at Cook and found tears in the older woman's eyes. When Sira had gone to her to ask for supplies to take with them on their journey, the palace cook had looked shocked then saddened. She would miss the tiny blond woman with such a capacity for love. The empath had explained about her need to be one with the earth and Cook was quick to understand.

Sira reached for her hand to squeeze it and her friend sniffed. "We will return, my friend."

"I know. And I know this is something you need to do. Still, I'll miss you terrible. You better be careful out there fighting that dragon." She turned to the men. "You better take good care of her, or you'll answer to me." Sira rose to offer the cook a hug which only made her cry all the harder.

Rastist watched the scene before him. It took someone special to command such love and friendship from one considered a servant. The old sailor realized with a rush that the girl seemed to invoke this same kind of loyalty from all in the palace from the King to the chambermaids.

Sira insisted on leaving her favorite wool blanket for the little Prince. It was the blanket given her in Acubus by Calla and had long been her favorite. "The little Prince will need a warm blanket this winter. Besides, it will give me an excuse to visit Calla again. She is the only one who can make such soft blankets."

There were tears as the travelers hugged those left behind. With one hand held firmly by the hunter and the other hand held just as firmly by the son of Zeus they left the palace by the side door to emerge in the street near the marketplace. Only now were merchants opening their stalls and making ready for the day. A pale yellow streak of light could be seen over the tents and buildings of the city as the four of them left the main gates of Corinth. They headed toward the river where a barge waited to ferry them across the river canal. The village of Melfast lay to the north, away from the coast beyond a range of mountains the travelers must cross to reach the little hamlet nestled among rocky cliffs and rolling hills.

The very make up of the little valley lent itself to their present problem. There was only one road in or out of the village. This road was now held in siege by the dragon, thus cutting the town off from outside trade.

Trading seemed to be the life's blood of the many scattered villages and communities that graced the Greek landscape in such secluded profusion. The empath couldn't help but wonder if the yosemin way of self reliance wasn't the best way. True, many of the yosemin villages took advantage of trading, and yet still more of them could serve the needs of its people while never seeing an outsider or trader. Sira's own village hadn't traded often, only occasionally with the traveling yosemin traders. These nomad-like traveling traders seldom ventured so far to reach such a remote and private mountain stronghold. And stronghold it was. The earth's people there protected their homes and their village with zealousness, almost seeming to resent even the intrusion of the yosemin traders. The village raised goats and pigs to supplement the hunter's fair and the products of their agriculture. The main problem with living like this was the lack of new blood to freshen the bloodlines and bring new energy and earthly powers to those who held so tightly to the old ways. So much was lost in closing oneself off from others and the earth's people lost much of their mind power after the clans broke into small communities.

Sira's grandmother could see the destruction this isolated life could bring to her people and yet she never spoke of it to anyone save the granddaughter she loved so much. Grandmother and granddaughter were closer than mother and daughter had ever been and Sira grieved the loss of her mother's mother far more than that of the mother she hardly knew. It wasn't that her mother hadn't been in the same village, for she had. It was simply that the empath spent more time in the healer's hall than with her family, and she'd never been given a chance to know her mother well. When her mother passed away just months before the attack on her village that destroyed its people Sira grieved, and yet the grief wasn't as overwhelming as the loss she felt when her grandmother was taken from her so violently by the forces of evil.

The hunter stood at the rail of the barge, his arm around the woman he loved. He stole a look at her profile. Tiny silken strands of flaxen caressed cheeks gone pale with her time indoors. He got a glance of long dark lashes that he knew protected eyes dark green in depth to match the shadowed places among ferns and tall pines along the mountains she loved.

She'd dressed in a woven moss dress of pale green, its bodice tight enough to grace her ample figure and call the eye without looking deliberate. The skirt flared out to accentuate her narrow waist, thinner now with her unrest of late.

He tightened his arm around her and she turned to smile up at him. "Okay, my love?"

She leaned into him. "More than okay. The air here on the river smells of growing things and the earth." She turned to seek sanctuary in his arms. She rested her cheek on his chest. She could feel the warmth of his skin through the layers of his favorite purple vest. His heart beat with a steady rhythm that gave her comfort. "Do not worry about me, my soul. Already I feel a renewal of my spirit."

He chuckled. "I saw that glow in your eyes, little warrior."

"Do you mind?"

"What? That you love this kind of thing? This life? Are you kidding? You've fulfilled my every desire."

She turned her head to plant a kiss on his chest where the vest gapped open. "We are amply suited for each other."

He chuckled again. "We are, indeed."

When they reached the far bank of the river the demigod offered a hand to the empath, which she took with a wide smile. Stepping onto the grassy verge along the river she dropped to her knees to place her hands, fingers spread to touch the earth. Tears slipped from the corners of closed lids to splash down her cheeks and off her chin. Where they fell the grasses curled to caress her fingers. After a moment she removed her shoes and packed them away before standing to wiggle her toes in the grass. The look she turned to the hunter and her more than brother was one of sad longing that tugged at their hearts.

As they watched her, the look turned to one of contentment. "Thank you for bringing me here."

The hunter grabbed her up to hug her. "It's worth it just to see that look on your face. I'd tackle a hundred fire breathing dragons just to see you look at me like that." He took her lips in a hungry kiss that soon turned into a tender one that stirred them both.

The half god stood beside them, a tolerant look on his face. With resignation he took up the packs and handed two of them to the old trader.

"Come on, oh mighty dragon slayer. They may still be like that when the sun goes down. We might as well make a start for Melfast."

Rastist took the packs with a smile. "They do seem to be enjoying themselves."

The lovers pulled apart with a laugh. "I believe we are being teased," the girl offered.

"I do believe you're right."

Sira took her husband's hand. "Come on, hunter of the forest. I guess we had better humor them."

Midday found them stopped along a ridge overlooking the ocean. From here they'd turn north into the low hills at the base of the tall green mountains on their left. They broke their fast on individual meat pies provided by Cook.

Rastist kept eyeing Sira's brown spotted feet. Sira hooked her arm through his good naturedly but offered no explanation, and the old one asked for none. He walked on in silence as if his mind was occupied with something other than their walk of the morning.

They didn't stay long at their nooning, preferring instead to take advantage of the sunshine to cover as much ground as they could. It turned warm and sticky as the day wore on. Huge billowy clouds hugged the horizon to add their special twist on the torment of the sun.

Hercules set an easy pace for the old one who traveled with them. The dark man wore his sword in a leather and brass studded scabbard strapped over his right shoulder. At his belt hung a wicked knife. The tall thin man was soon ahead of them and he waited for the others to catch up before moving on. Still convinced he should try and make the trip easier on his new friend the demigod took to the easiest trail, looking for lower hills to cross. Once again Rastist got ahead of them. He looked back to wipe perspiration from his brow then drank from his water flask. The pack he carried was just as heavy as the one Hercules himself carried and yet the old one seemed not to notice the burden.

"Come on, you lackeys. Step up the pace or we'll never reach Melfast."

Hercules chuckled. Studying the seamed and wrinkled face of the trader the demigod read nothing of fatigue there and decided to stop thinking of the man as old.

Sira searched the sky with a critical eye but got no sense of rain in the clouds that sent moisture to plague them in their quest. They were climbing steadily now. They would be in the mountains before nightfall and the child of nature wondered how cold it might be tonight. She thought back to her wool blanket folded neatly on a shelf in the nursery at the palace. She would miss the blanket. With a smile she thought about the blanket still only half completed on the loom in the hidden cabin in the forest of her birth.

Someday, maybe I will get a chance to complete the blanket. Her smile broadened. Not because she contemplated the completion of the blanket, but in anticipation of the adventure that was keeping her from the task.

With his long bow the hunter took two rabbits. Stopping to bleed them at the side of the trail he handed his bow to the empath. With an air of knowing just what to do with the bow she laid an arrow across the notch in the wood. Rastist, standing beside the hunter rather than get too far ahead of the others watched her.

Almost without seeming effort the girl turned quickly in a smooth fluid movement and took another rabbit the old one hadn't even seen in the brush along a slight ridge.

The demigod, laughing at his sister's prowess, retrieved the furry little creature and returned the arrow to the woman he loved more than a sister.

The three rabbits bled, the hunter tied them to a leather cord by their feet and they moved on. Sira moved to hand the golden one his bow.

With a wide smile he shook his head. "It's still your turn."

"Very well." Seconds later the girl ended her turn with a clean shot at another furry offering from her mother, the earth. She handed the bow to the hunter. "Now it is your turn."

Pulling her knife, she bled the animal, wiping her knife off in the sand.

Again Rastist watched her. "Maybe it's my turn now."

The hunter handed him the bow. "Be my guest."

"Just how many rabbits are you three planning to get for the four of us?" The demigod asked in mock indignation.

"Why, I could eat two, myself," the trader offered.

"Yeah, I guess I could too."

Iolaus snorted. "You, my big friend, could eat three or four rabbits and you know it."

"Well, three, anyway, if they were small ones. But I tell you I'm not cooking them."

"Thank the gods for that," the hunter teased. The half god faked a punch at the hunter who returned the favor.

Sira shook her head at their foolishness. "I will cook tonight. My stomach is not up to either of your cooking. Come on, Rastist. We will be here all day if we do not break this up now."

The trader soon took a rabbit then missed his second shot. With a shrug he handed the bow back to Sira. "I believe you're better with this thing than I am."

"I have an unfair advantage. The earth shows me the game and steers the arrow clean."

"What?" The hunter stopped in his tracks. "You've always said you were just better with a bow than the rest of us. Now I find out you've been cheating?"

"I have never said anything of the sort. You are just jealous that the earth works through me."

"Humph. It's cheating, I tell you."

The chosen one turned to Rastist. "Men's egos are so fragile." She turned back to the hunter, his golden hair shining in the rays of the afternoon sun. "Here, oh mighty hunter." She handed the bow back to him. "You are still the best. Your mastery of the art of hunting is spoken of far and wide. Where ever the name Iolaus is mentioned, people bow in reverence to your powers. Even the goddess Artemis herself bows her head to you."

The golden one linked his arm through hers. "At last you're giving me the respect I deserve."

Hercules moaned and Rastist laughed. As if bent on proving his wife right, the hunter took two more rabbits with seeming ease before returning his bow to his back, held there by the string around his shoulder.

The empath found a small spring hidden among a stand of saplings and stopped to refresh herself. They all refilled their flasks but there wasn't enough water left to fill the water skin. It was still full but the water would be stale by the time they found their camp for the night. If they should find it necessary to make a dry camp, fresher water would have been welcome. Sira did use the last of the spring water to wash several of the whitish tubers she was so fond of. She'd found them as they'd walked and used her knife to dig them from the ground.

"Why do you take these roots?" the trader asked her.

"They taste very good roasted in the coals and will add much to our meal."

The old one looked skeptically at the roots. "You eat them?"

"Yes. They taste very much like a potato."

Rastist nodded but he still wore a look of skepticism. Undaunted by the man's lack of enthusiasm she packed the roots in her pack to be cooked with the rabbits that night and they traveled on.

Their camp for the night was at the base of a tall rocky cliff. It afforded little shelter, but there was water close, and if they built their fire at the base of the cliff the rock wall would reflect the heat back to help warm them.

The tiny brook that trickled from under the rock wall and down the canyon to be lost in a jumble of green brush and trees offered them little beyond fresh water, but the healer was content with this. Taking a gourd and her pack to a secluded screen of brush she made her absolution, scooping the cold clean water up with the gourd to pour it over herself. The offering of life giving fluid by her mother seemed to ease her tired and tense muscles even more than the trail itself had. Not wishing to leave the beauty of the evening too soon the girl took her time in the brook then stayed longer to comb her hair beside the pleasant sound of the liquid earth rather than return to camp.

The hunter's mind on hers brought her back. She'd sensed concern for her long absence. She had no wish to worry him, and yet she hated to leave the grassy verge beside the tiny brook.

The golden one hugged her to him upon her return. "Are you all right?"

The healer nodded. "Yes, quite all right."

"You're sure?" He searched her face with a critical eye.

"Really, my love, I am fine. I wished only to enjoy the peace of the evening. I did not mean to worry you."

"I could sense you weren't in any danger, but I did begin to worry when you were away so long." He kissed her, then in an effort to ease his churning emotions of worry for the woman he loved he chose a light mood. "Besides, you said you'd cook tonight and I'm starving."

The girl shoved playfully at him. She knew full well how concerned he'd been for her of late and understood why he chose humor now to ease that concern. "So that is it. Here I thought you were concerned about me, only to find out you were simply concerned with your stomach."

"It wasn't just that. You're also very beautiful. In fact, you're the best looking cook I've ever been married to."

"Just for that, I have a good mind not to cook at all."

Iolaus moaned. "Then it's up to me or Hercules." He shuddered. "How about you, Rastist? Can you cook?"

"Yes."

"Thank the gods."

"It's just that somehow everything I cook comes out just as black as I am. I've never been able to understand that, but sadly it's true."

The hunter moaned again as he turned back to the empath. "Please, my love, I beg you."

Laughing at his foolishness despite trying not to, Sira nodded. "All right. I cannot stand to see a grown man whine like an unweaned puppy."

Once again he grabbed her up to hug her tightly. She blushed at something he whispered in her ear then turned her head to capture his lips with hers and make him her willing prisoner. The air around them seemed to glow, and the old trader turned eyes filled with wonder to the demigod as he felt the energy touch his skin and fill the air.

It gave him a sense of peace. Almost against his will his mind turned back the clock to a lonely beach and the brown haired, brown eyed beauty who'd walked beside him. Next to him her skin seemed almost pale in the sunlight reflected from the ocean waters and the sand they walked along, their hands entwined. How he'd loved her. It seemed now when he looked back on that time that their love must also have filled the air.

He felt bereavement when the lovers parted. Iolaus to built up the fire and start the rabbits to cook, while Sira wrapped the roots she'd gathered in leaves before rolling them into the coals to cook.

Hercules patted his new friend on the back. "It's pretty wonderful, isn't it?"

"I've never felt anything like that before."

"Stick around, my friend. You might be amazed at the things you'll feel from my more than sister of the soul."

"She is not really your sister, is she?"

"Not by blood. But in the things that matter we're closer than brother and sister."

Sira took a generous portion of rabbit and roasted roots to the dark skinned trader. She'd cut the roots open and scooped the contents onto his plate then seasoned it with salt and an herb she favored. The man eyed the roots with suspicion.

The healer laughed. "It will not bite. Try a little, and if you do not like it you do not have to eat it."

He took a small bite, then a larger one. "It's really quite good. I had no idea these roots were edible." He laughed. "People pull the plants and roots from their garden like weeds. If only they knew."

"They can be cultivated just like potatoes. My people have long grown them in their gardens."

"The food is wonderful, my Lady. Thank you so much."

"You are quite welcome, kind sir."

She stood on a knoll overlooking a small valley. On one side a wall of rock and sandstone surrounded the valley. Before her was the entrance to a cave. She could feel the rage begin to build inside of her. Her rage was for the men she could see in the valley. The sky was dark, and lightning streaked across it in jagged crisscrosses of brilliance. The strength of her rage grew and began to consume her. She shook with the power, a power that threatened to overwhelm her.

She cried out and jerked upright. The hunter took her into his arms to soothe her and the demigod came to sit beside her to offer his strength should she need it. She clung to the golden one as she reached out a shaky hand to the half god son of Zeus.

"I am sorry."

"It's all right. Now the thought of tackling that fire breathing dragon holds no fear for me. Not after that scream singed my ears."

"I really am sorry. Maybe I just need a good battle of the mind with this beast to set me straight."

Hercules chuckled. "At least you won't be zapped by any godly powers this time. Not like when you helped Ares."

"No. I just risk being fried by a dragon instead."

"Yeah. Despite my teasing, this fire breathing thing is a concern."

"It's not the first fire breathing beastie we've tackled, huh, Herc?" the hunter grinned at his friend.

"We do seem to keep getting ourselves into these kinds of situations, at that." The demigod smiled at Sira. "Feeling better?" She nodded. "Can I go back to bed now?"

"I really am sorry I woke everyone."

"Don't be silly. You know I was just teasing you."

"I am sorry, Rastist."

"It's all right, my Lady. We all have bad dreams now and again."

Sira lay in the hunter's arms. He'd fallen back to sleep almost at once, as had the demigod. She hadn't found sleep so easy to capture, however. With resignation she slipped cautiously from under the hunter's arms then rose to go to the fire. She stirred up the coals and added wood then filled the pot with water to heat for tea.

Rastist joined her there. "May I?" he motioned to the ground across the fire from her.

"Of course."

The old one squatted, his back straight, his knees close to his body. He rested his arms on his knees out before him. "May I ask you a question?"

"Yes."

"You are a healer?" She nodded. "You are yosemin." It was a statement, not a question.

"You know of these things?"

"I have heard… Shall we say, rumors."

She smiled at him. "And what are these rumors you have heard?" Inside, her stomach churned. Would he confess his fear of her and the things the people of the earth were reputed to be capable of?

Rather than answer her, he asked a question of his own. "You are an empath?"

"Yes."

He nodded. "Then you are indeed the one I seek." Sira raised her eyebrows at this but waited for him to continue. "I must be honest with you. I came looking for you. I heard that you could be found near Hercules. I went to his mother's home and there I was told to go to Corinth. I thought I had gathered much information about you and those you call family, but now I see that I was mistaken. I knew nothing about Hercules' tie with the King."

"Why would you seek me out?" Sira had deliberately kept her mind from that of the old trader. She had no wish to frighten him, and the fact was her mind was preoccupied with her own fatigue of late. Trying to touch his mind without making him aware of the touch was just too tiring. She'd planned to wait until he knew her better before springing her abilities on him. Now because she hadn't touched his mind she felt confused by what he was leading up to.

"You saved a village on a tiny island very south of here. On this island live my daughter and granddaughter. I haven't seen them for a long time. I was a sailor." He shrugged. "It's unusual for a sailor who stops for a short time near land and trifles with a willing maiden to care about the offspring the encounter might bring." He smiled at her. "I cared. I had deep feelings for the mother and daughter. I would see them whenever I could, which you must understand wasn't often since the island they called home was not one regularly visited by those not given to piracy. The mother died when my daughter was only fifteen. She took a man for herself and I suppose she has been happy with him. I didn't like him and he didn't like me." He shrugged. "I have only seen my granddaughter once, but I love her all the same. A friend of mine, a man I sailed with many times found me here in Greece. My daughter sent him to seek me out. He told me of you and what you did for the people of the island."

He rose to go to the pack near his bed. Taking his pipe from the pack he returned to the empath and she offered him a mug of tea. He took it with a nod, then setting it aside he held up his pipe. "It will not offend you?"

The yosemin shook her head. She said nothing since she could sense that the dark skinned man had more to tell her. She had no desire to interrupt his narrative.

He squatted once more beside the fire, and taking a burning stick he lit his pipe. "You have done much for my family. Now I owe you a great debt. Where I come from, a debt like this must be paid."

"How do you owe me a debt?"

"Because you saved my family."

She smiled at him. "You owe me nothing."

"But I do, and I must pay my debt or I will have no honor."

"Then a simple thank you will be enough."

"No, no. You must not insult me, my Lady."

Sira sighed. "How will this debt be paid, then?"

"By serving you."

The child of nature didn't answer immediately. She liked the deep voiced man who sat across the fire from her and had no wish to insult him. Taking a risk she touched his mind lightly and could sense the sincerity behind his declaration. What he'd said, he truly believed.

"To be served by a man of such greatness would indeed honor me, but I cannot accept. All men are free. It would wound my heart to see you humbled in service to anyone."

"But to serve you would not humble me. Rather, it would honor and exult me."

The girl sighed again. "How would you serve me?"

"In any way you might wish. I'm old. Who can say how many my remaining years will be? But still, I'm strong. I will protect you. To fight for you would be a noble cause. If you wish me to sweep the dirt before your feet you need but ask."

Sira started to speak then stopped. She was unsure what to say. "But I do not want a servant. If it is true that you owe me a debt and that you will grant my wishes, then my wish is to have no servant."

The old one sat back to stretch his legs out as he released a great sigh. "Then I have failed. I am disgraced." He bowed his head.

"Please, my friend." Guilt shot through the healer at the pain she sensed in the old one.

He looked up to search her face, reflected gold and red in the flickering firelight. "Surely there must be a way I can serve you that will be satisfactory to both of us."

Sira nodded. "Perhaps. Is there really a dragon?"

"Yes, my Lady, there is a very large dragon. It was a fortunate thing for me since it gave me cause to seek out Hercules. I had no desire to blunder about asking questions and looking the fool. It is well known, however, that people often seek the son of Zeus when there is trouble in the air."

"It is most unfortunate for the people of Melfast, however." He only inclined his head. "So since there is a dragon, I wish you to serve me as a dragon slayer."

He nodded. "You are very wise." He smoked his pipe in silence for a moment. "May I ask you another question?"

"Yes."

"When you mentioned helping Ares, was this in the way of a healing?"

"Yes."

"Do you mean the Ares? Ares, god of war?"

Sira chuckled. "He is my brother of the soul."

"Before my friend came to tell me of you and how you saved my family I had heard of you."

"How so?"

"There are many rumors of a woman who possesses great power. A woman who heals but is also a warrior."

"It sounds more like you are describing Xena than myself."

"No. I know Xena. It is not the warrior princess the rumors speak of. It is known that you are yosemin and that you are an empath. It is said that even the gods are humbled before you."

For a moment the healer was lost in memory. The scene was still clear in her mind, the old yosemin, Strabiss, who'd kidnapped Iolaus, lying on the floor of the blue chamber. What had he said? Even the gods are humbled before you.

"Are you all right, my Lady?" There was concern in the trader's voice.

Brought back from her musing the girl smiled at him. "Yes, I am all right." The old one set his pipe aside to drain his mug of tea. He covered a wide yawn with one large hand. "Take to your bed, dragon slayer. You do not have to stay up with me."

"I awaited your instructions, my Lady. Now that I have them I will be glad to follow them."

Sira let her breath out in an exasperated sigh. Now, she asked herself, what in the name of the earth am I going to do with a servant?

The empath woke to the smell of Tassis tea and the low rumble of voices. She'd stayed by the fire until the stars had begun to fade then returned to her bed for an hour or so of sleep before the day must start.

She kept her eyes tightly closed. She was reluctant to leave the blankets she'd used for too short a time during the night. She knew she needed to start the day. She felt an urgency to reach Melfast as quickly as possible. It had been some time since Rastist had been in the village and seen the dragon. There was no way of telling how much destruction the dragon had wrought in that time.

With a sigh of resignation she sat up. Rastist brought her a mug of tea. "Thank you." She smiled up at him and he bowed his head to her.

Iolaus had the first meal of the day ready. Sira went to the fire to join the others. The old sailor took up a plate to fill it for her. "I would have brought your food to you, my Lady."

"That is very kind, but there is no need."

When the meal was complete the empath rose to gather the dishes to wash them.

"Let me." The trader took the plates from her.

Hercules and Iolaus exchanged questioning looks. When Rastist was out of ear shot the girl turned to the men. She explained what Rastist had confessed to her last night and his declaration of a debt to her needing to be paid.

The hunter chuckled and the healer turned on him. "This is not funny."

"I'm sorry, my love." He tried to keep a straight face but failed.

"What am I supposed to do with a servant? You see how he is."

"What do you want us to do?" The demigod wasn't finding it any easier to keep the humor from his features than the hunter had.

Sira threw up her hands in exasperation. "You are no help." Both men turned away to hide their humor but the empath sensed it anyway.

When the dark skinned man returned to the fire Sira took his hand to lead him aside. When they returned to the fire nothing was said. They were soon on their way, headed to higher ground to find a pass through the mountains.

The half god decided that Rastist and Sira had come to some kind of agreement. Not that he'd been concerned. He knew his sister well enough to know she'd find a way to deal with the situation.

The day promised to be hot despite their altitude. The clouds that had hugged the horizon the day before had moved searching fingers to cover most of the sky and sent moisture to increase the intensity of the heat. The warm breeze stirred the dust of the trail.

The child of the forest scanned the sky. "It will rain."

The half god searched the sky just as the empath had. "Damn," he swore under his breath. "We were making good time, too. Can you tell if it will be a light rain, or a real storm?"

His sister sent her mind out to embrace the storm building over the far mountains. As her mind touched the storm the distant rumble of thunder was heard. "It will be a hard rain." There was humor in the empath's statement.

"What's so humorous?" the trader asked.

"I love changes in the weather. It brings renewed energy to the earth, and to me as well." A strong breeze blew the girl's hair about her face and she laughed.

"The wind's picking up. Let's find shelter," the hunter suggested.

Distant thunder rumbled once again. As if calling up some evil spell from the heavens, the thunder seemed to bring a darkening of the sky. Sira sent her mind out to search for anything that might offer shelter but she found nothing and they walked on into the approaching storm. The wind was getting stronger. The telepath pulled her hair over her shoulder, and combing it with her fingers she braided it as they walked.

The sky went bright with light and the forest child counted a slow ten before the crushing sound of thunder followed.

Now the wind buffeted the travelers, making walking against it a chore. Still no place of shelter was found and they continued on, climbing as they went.

"Anything, my sister?" The big man had known without asking that Sira was searching ahead with her mind to find shelter. She only shook her head.

Lightning flashed again and the count was two before the thunder was heard.

"Still like the weather?" the trader asked her.

Sira laughed at him. "Yes," she shouted to be heard above the wind.

The first drops of rain fell, a quick scattering of large drops. The sky exploded with light and the rain strengthened. The thunder was deafening.

The puny beings that walked below the storm's fury were humbled at the might nature threw at them. Heads bowed, they walked on; what else could they do? It was growing dark now, the night conquering the light early as the dark clouds obscured the sun and consumed its brilliance.

Still no place to shelter was found. They stopped for a short time within a grove of trees, but the leafy roof did little to stop the rain from finding them, and the nature child knew the tall trees might call the lightning to them. Keeping below the ridge of a hill they traveled on. Lightning struck a rock on the ridge above their heads and they smelled the sulfur odor it left behind.

None of them searched now for shelter, it was simply too hard to walk against the fury of the storm. All their attention and energy was for the struggle they fought. All, that is, except the empath. Her mind felt ahead, searching with the gifts she'd been granted by the earth to find a place to stop.

The healer jerked her head up, moving it from side to side as if listening for a vagrant sound. She grabbed the demigod's arm. "There, my brother." She pointed to a dead fall.

At some bygone time a storm of greater intensity than the present one had swept through this stand of trees. Despite their might, they'd surrendered to the elements and left a place for the four travelers to shelter.

Hercules went to his knees in the mud before the low entrance to a small chamber formed where several trees crisscrossed over others to form a hollow beneath them. Using his godly strength the big man scooped mud and debris from under the trees, enlarging an opening no doubt started by some animal. The hunter and the empath cut branches from living trees to weave among the bare branches and debris that covered the animal den the demigod was enlarging.

No words had passed between the three of them, and yet they seemed to know without words what needed done and which duties had priority. Rastist stood watching the three of them for a moment. Were they communicating with their minds? Somehow he seemed to know they were not. Rather, they were so close and such a part of each other and nature that they knew instinctively what must be done.

The old one shook his head in wonder, then setting his pack aside he began to gather wood. The warmth of the day had faded now, and the damp night promised to be a cold one. The dead fall offered him ample wood still dry and protected beneath its covering of leaves and pine needles.

When the space beneath the trees was as large as the half god could make it he began to gather together some of the wood Rastist had set aside to make a fire. With moss and shredded leaves as tinder he struck his gauntlets together to make the spark needed to bring life to the pile of wood. Once, twice, then a third time and he was rewarded with a tiny tendril of smoke. He blew on it, nursing the tiny flame into a larger one. Twice he almost lost the fire to the rain, but shielding it with his body as best he could he finally won out over the elements and the fire took hold.

He'd made the fire near the entrance to the shelter. The very nature of the shelter made the chance of fire too dangerous so the fire must stay outside the little den he'd hollowed out for them all. But here it could still lend warmth and make cooking less of a burden.

Leaving Iolaus and now Hercules to cover the shelter, Sira put water to heat on the fire. Then taking up the water skin she made her way to a cliff face where rain water now formed a small waterfall. The water would be gone shortly after the rain stopped and there was no source of clean water nearby. Not wishing to be caught without the life giving fluid the telepath filled the skin first then their water flasks. When she returned to the shelter she took up their largest pot and returned once more to the waterfall.

They were all wet and tired. A warm soup would help them fight both with its warmth and nourishment. She'd gathered the whitish roots as well as some wild onions in the morning before the storm overtook them. With some dried meat and spices she could make a hearty soup to satisfy them all.

Leaving the stringy dried venison to soften in the boiling water the healer took her pack with her to the rock face. Despite the cold of the evening she stripped and bathed before returning to the shelter. The hunter had tended the cooking meat in her absence, braving the tempest that raged around them as the others continued to gather wood for the fire.

They covered the growing pile of wood with pine bows to try and keep it at least partially dry. The shelter was cramped with all of them and their gear inside, but it was dry for the most part. It sheltered them from the wind and rain and held the heat of the fire close. Sleeping would be uncomfortable, but the alternative would be worse.

Wet from the rain and her bath the empath seemed not to notice the chill. The fire was only partially protected from the rain and wind but Sira didn't mind tending the soup. She gathered the energy in the air to herself to gain strength form it. She could feel the earth mother's response to her. This was what she'd needed. What she'd longed for. The days in the city had taken more out of her than she'd admitted to herself or the others. It shouldn't have. She wasn't sure why it had, but she could feel the difference in herself already.

She'd sensed the demigod's mind on hers since his return and had taken strength from the closeness. And yet she could also feel his struggle to put a bit of distance between them. Even when he'd stayed to comfort her after the nightmare the night before they'd left the city there had been restraint in the freedom of his mind's touch.

Grief swept over her and she shivered. Just as quickly, she put it aside. This was what he needed to find peace with his relationship with her and Dasay, and he would have it. She'd long felt guilt that her hold on him prevented him from finding love in the arms of another. He had his chance with the Dea and Sira had every intention of seeing he took full advantage of that chance.

Perhaps that is where some of my unease comes from, she decided. It would be hard at first to maintain the barriers between them. It would grow easier with time, or at least that was what her healing mothers had told her. She felt doubt creep in and soundly pushed it aside. The healing of Ares had seemed to drain her. The god's mind, closed to her now, also seemed to deplete her energy. She'd said nothing to any of the others about the god of war's absence of mind's touch. He seemed to be hiding from her and the rest of the world. She wondered if he were hiding from himself as well.

She wished he would allow her to help him with his grief. And grief was what he was feeling, grief at the loss of the closeness of Nemesis and his son. If only he could see that they would still have him despite his return to his duties as the god of war.

At the palace, word of uprisings and battles came to the King, but he also received reports of differences settled and uprisings stopped before they could escalate. The child of the forest could sense her brother of the soul's involvement in these things while not really sensing his mind. Perhaps he only needed a chance to prove himself to himself.

The healer sent her mind out to touch his. She got a flash of recognition even as she felt the wall go up between them. He had at least felt her love. That was all she could do for the moment to help him with the choices he'd made in his life.

That is it! the healer declared to herself. She was shut off from Ares and restricted from her soul's touch with Hercules. She was feeling a depletion of her energy from that. Given a sound reason for her worry over her seeming weakness she felt a peace sweep over her.

The hunter came to put his arms around her where she stood by the fire. The rain still fell but the wind had passed over them, taking the lightning and thunder with it. The rumble of sound could still be heard in the distance as if some giant grumbled in his sleep.

The girl turned in the hunter's arms to embrace him. She needed his closeness now, more than ever.

"What is it, Sira?"

"It is nothing." She rose up to take his lips with hers. "Come to the waterfall with me. I will help you bathe."

"It's cold and rainy out here."

She gave him a sly smile. "I will keep you warm."

"I do need a bath."

"It feels wonderful."

He took her mouth with hunger. "We are wet, anyway."

"It helps to ease the tension of the day."

Still watching the empath's face the hunter called out. "Herc, Sira and I are going to bathe at the waterfall. Can you and Rastist keep an eye on the soup?"

Not waiting for an answer, the healer took her golden one's hand to lead him from the grove of trees.

The old trader rose from his place within the shelter to stir the cooking meat and vegetables. Tasting it with a wooden spoon, he nodded. Dishing up two bowls of the thickened soup he went to his knees before the shelter to hand one of the bowls to Hercules. The half god took both bowls so the old one could remove the pot from the fire to simmer rather than cook before he joined the half god in the hollowed out hole beneath the fallen trees.

Taking his bowl of soup from the demigod the old one settled himself on the dirt floor. Drinking the soup from the bowl rather than using a spoon he sat in silence for a moment.

"Did Sira not already bathe?"

Hercules smiled at him. "Yes."

"Does she often bathe twice on a rainy day?"

"It's been known to happen."

"I wonder if her real interest is in getting clean?" The old one could no longer hide his smile and the half god chuckled.

When the lovers returned the others were still having a hard time hiding their humor.

"Nothing like a nice bath for refreshing one's outlook on life in general." The hunter stated to everyone in general.

"Yeah, I'll bet," the demigod mumbled under his breath as he handed his friend a bowl of soup. "Care to tell us how you kept warm out there?"

The golden one laughed. "No, I don't think I can do that."

Their struggle of the day had tired them all. The night had come early with the storm and they all sought their beds. The trader offered to take a place near the entrance to the shelter so that he could keep the fire going. "I can keep the fire going during the night so the rest of you can rest easier."

"And stay nice and warm while you're doing it?" the hunter asked, tongue in cheek.

"I don't think there's enough room for all of us back there." Rastist pointed to the back of the shelter. "There might be if some of us cuddled up close. Shall I do that?"

Hercules chuckled.

"Never mind." The golden one stretched out on his blanket and the empath joined him. Pulling her into his arms he turned once more to the old trader. "I guess I can handle this part if you still want to keep the fire going."

"I'll do my best."

There was little room left for the demigod to stretch out. The healer motioned for him to join her and the hunter. Taking up his blanket he did just that. Curled around the girl from behind he laid an arm over her side. She snuggled down between the two men she loved. The gentle mind's touch she felt from both of them soothed her and lulled her to sleep. The men, also bathed in the comfort of their closeness with the girl they were tied so closely to, were not far behind the earth's chosen one in finding slumber.

The old sailor sat up in his blankets. Pushing the pot closer to the flames he fed with a few pieces of wood he sat impatiently waiting for the tea to heat. He'd been shocked when the son of Zeus took up a place beside the empath. He'd been shocked that both Sira and Iolaus found that closeness acceptable. Burning his hands, he managed to remove the pot of tea from the coals with a rag around the blackened handle. Sitting back with his tea and a fresh pipe the dark man eased his position to make himself more comfortable.

With a rush he realized his surprise and shock of only moments ago was gone and a sense of peace had come to take their place. Where had the feeling of peace come from? Looking over at the dim shadow of the three people sleeping so closely together he realized that he simply didn't care that to be here as they were wouldn't be considered proper. He remembered how they'd worked together to make a place for them all out of the rain and wind. The three of them together just seemed right. Now he understood what had struck him so profoundly as he'd watched them work. They were indeed bound in some way he didn't understand and yet felt happy to be a small part of.

With a sense of awe he was beginning to understand that he now traveled with people like no others he'd ever encountered. Even in the years he'd sailed the seas and visited worlds far beyond those seen by most people he'd never encountered people that commanded the kind of power and magnetism that his companions in this tiny dirt den did. He'd come to them to pay a debt to the healer. It was a solemn trust he had every intention of fulfilling. Now, however, he found himself looking forward to what might lie ahead for the four of them. He felt humbled that he'd been given this chance to be a part of their world.

His tea gone and his mind mellowed, he set his pipe aside. Putting more wood on the fire he laid back down and within moments was asleep. He was tired. His body had known many years, and yet despite his fatigue he woke several times to replenish the fire, even rising once to move some wood from the larger pile protected by pine bows to the edge of the shelter where he could reach it without leaving his bed.

It rained throughout the night, heavy at times, light at others, and the night moved slowly toward day.

The healer woke to the sound of a heavier shower and laid quietly enjoying the soft lullaby sent her by the clouds. She curled herself around the fair haired man she loved above all others, and still sleeping he pulled her closer to him.

My soul, she thought as she closed her eyes once more and let her mind drift. The half god stirred behind her and she smiled into the night. She'd sensed the old trader's surprise at the three of them lying so closely together. The bond between them had grown so deeply that they no longer gave a thought to what that bond might seem to outsiders. For the yosemin this kind of thing was not unusual. It was an accepted thing between people of strong minds and deep soul's tie. Or at least it had been not too long ago. Much of the restraint humans put on their feelings and emotions had seeped into the beliefs of those of the earth. It was an inevitable part of living with those of other cultures, and yet the empath couldn't help but regret the changes that had come to her people and that must still come if those of yosemin descent were to share the world with those of the human race.

If the yosemin had been the majority rather than the minority, then the humans' beliefs would have been the ones to make the most change. Still, even now much that was yosemin had come to be considered human. Tassis tea, woven moss, many of the herbs and roots that the humans used for food or for medicine had come from those of the earth. Many of the patterns for pottery and metalworking also came from the yosemin as well as beadwork and other crafts. Still, the greatest changes came to the yosemin people. If only those in authority among the clans could see the distinction between the two cultures and strive to remember the ways of old. Not to the exclusion of the new ways, but to find a way of blending and mixing the two.

Sira just didn't believe those of the earth could succumb to the human way without losing the earthly powers they'd been granted, at least not with satisfaction. The tie of mind and soul was inbred into those who claimed the earth as their god. The tie to the earth itself was yet another barrier to surrendering to the pressures that be in the earth people's tiny corner of the world. The trick lay in finding a way to embrace both worlds. The three of them had made a start towards this end, as had Thysis and Hercus. Now Nemesis and Evander had also joined those who searched for harmony between the different cultures. Perhaps even some of the gods of Olympus had strengthened their ranks. So into the struggle between two cultures came gods and half gods, those of the islands and those from other places on the earth. Would there ever come a time when the differences between them all would simply not matter to anyone? The empath found herself hoping so. To have their own culture while embracing another could only bring harmony to both. If only people could see the need to retain their own heritage and learn to know the difference between the two.

By morning the rain had passed, but the clouds hadn't lifted, seeming bent on keeping their hold on the sky.

Sira prepared cooked grain sweetened with honey to break their fast and speed their departure from the grove of trees that had sheltered them. Not because she was in any real hurry to leave the peace of the forest or the snug little den they'd used for the night, but because the people in a far village needed them.

They left the grove of trees to take a game trail up and over the low mountain they'd camped on and to a valley that led in the direction they must travel. They crossed a swollen stream still too muddy to quench their thirst. The demigod had refilled their water skin and flasks at the quickly dwindling waterfall while the empath cooked the first meal of the day and now seeing the river he was glad he had. If they were careful the water they carried with them could last two days.

Crossing the river presented a problem that was solved by crossing on boulders big enough to be spared complete submersion in the icy waters. Still, they were all thoroughly soaked before the crossing was made. They'd lost more time in searching along the river for a place to cross and the half god, half man sighed in frustration at the delay.

They didn't stop for a meal at midday. The child of the forest passed out dried meat and cheese to appease their hunger and they ate as they walked. Mud was another problem that slowed their progress and added to their frustration. In the afternoon a quick shower drenched them before moving on, but they didn't stop to dry themselves. It might rain again at any time anyway, and their clothes would dry as they walked.

They made it across the valley and began to climb once more. Here the mud wasn't so bad and Hercules set a ground eating pace that the others followed without complaint.

Evening found them in rockier terrain, and when the hunter's keen eyes found a large cave cut in the sandstone cliff face they skirted they'd found their camp for the night.

A stream ran on the other side of the trail they'd been following, and once the decision to stop at the cave had been made the empath began to pull her top over her head. She'd seen and sensed fish in the water that ran clear here on its downward trek toward the larger river they'd crossed earlier in the day.

When the empath's trousers joined the top on the grass the trader beat a hasty retreat to the cave. He wasn't sure how to take such openness from a woman. His face felt flushed then he chuckled at himself. "She is something, that little yosemin," he mumbled to himself as he shook his head.

Careful not to come too close to where the girl fished the trader began to gather wood for their fire.

The hunter watched the healer. The demigod watched him for a moment, a playful smile on his face. "Come on, mighty hunter. The least we can do is gather wood to cook the fish my sister catches." The hunter didn't seem to hear his friend. "Iolaus."

"Huh? Oh, you go ahead. I'll stay here in case Sira needs me."

Hercules laughed. "Sure. Whatever you say. I can see she'll need lots of help."

The golden one looked up at his friend. "What? What did you say?"

The demigod laughed again. "Nothing. Go on with your girl watching."

The hunter grinned at him. "No problem. It's something I'm really good at, you know."

"So I see." With another chuckle the demigod joined Rastist in finding the wood needed not only to cook their meal, but also to keep them warm during the night.

When the nature child finished fishing the hunter took the fish to the cave then returned to the river and the girl he loved. They bathed together in the icy water but it was too cold for the hunter to stay in for long and he sought the bank and the blanket that awaited him. Sira continued her absolution as the hunter watched her. When she walked from the water the hunter's eyes never left her. He held out another blanket to her and she slid into his arms as he wrapped it around her.

"I never tire of watching you," he whispered.

She sent her mind to caress his and he took her lips in a tender kiss. When he would have pulled away she leaned into him, offering her lips to him once more. Playfully she bit at his lower lip. He'd wrapped his blanket around him and tucked the edge into it around his waist. The girl reached down to pull the blanket apart and it fell to the grass at their feet. Her searching hands found his flesh warm and soft and she drew a quick breath of desire.

Now his kiss was demanding and she responded in kind. Pulling back he gathered their things including the blanket she'd taken from around him, and holding her hand he led her up the river to a secluded screen of brush out of eyesight of the camp.

Before he could set their things down the empath's arms were around him, caressing his buttocks then moving up his back. She kissed his chest then ran her tongue over the flesh to follow the pattern she'd made with her fingers.

He tossed their packs aside to pull her tightly against him as he buried his face in the wet tendril of hair at her neck. He took her earlobe into his mouth to suck lightly on it and she turned her head aside to give him access to even more of the sensitive skin of her neck.

He trailed kisses down the cord that ran from her ear to her collarbone then kissed the v-shaped indentation at the base of her throat and then lower.

She threw back her head as a quickly indrawn breath shook her. His lips on her flesh sent shivers up and down her spine.

Her hands caressed and fondled him, and his own breath quickened at her ministering. With hands that trembled slightly he spread a blanket on the grass then pulled her down onto the blanket with him to take her once again into his arms.

His hands began to tease her even as his tongue sought hers, and she moaned with desire. Watching her, the hunter was rewarded with a dilation of her pupils as her body succumbed to his demands. She tightened her hold on him to steady herself, letting her tension ease slowly before raising up to satisfy her need to give him pleasure.

She kissed his navel, then lower and he arched his back, lost in emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. His mind's touch on her deepened and blended with her own to hold them both in bondage, and she threw her leg over him to straddle him. His hands on her hips steadied her and she threw back her head as her rhythm quickened to match the beating of her heart.

He stopped her before it was too late, wishing to prolong the joy of being a part of her, mentally and physically.

The demigod cleaned the fish then set them to cook over the fire. Mixing flour, lard, salt, and water he made a thick dough. Rolling it into several small balls he flattened them then cooked them in a dry skillet. He'd never made the cakes before, but he'd seen his sister do it enough times to know how it was done. Serving the cakes and fish still hot from cooking, he and the old sailor were soon satisfied.

Before they were done the lovers joined them. Sira ate in silence for a moment. "The meal is very good, my brother. Thank you for preparing it for us."

"Thank you for the fish." He rose to take up the teapot. Motioning with it he offered the healer more and she nodded, holding out her cup.

"Well, I made the tea," the trader offered.

"And it is very good." The empath smiled at his feigned jealousy of her praise for the demigod.

"Well, I kept the fisherwoman happy," the hunter stated.

"Or was it the other way around?" The demigod tried to hide his humor with little success.

"Either way, she's happy, right, my dear?"

She reached for his hand. "Beyond words, my lover. There is much to keep me so here among friends and family, on the trail once more, headed for an adventure, my lover at my side to soothe and comfort me. Yes, I am happy indeed."

The demigod squeezed her shoulder. He'd watched her the last couple of days. He'd seen the tension of the days just past slip from her like a snake shedding its skin. Her step was lighter, her skin shiny and healthy looking. The sun had added a pink flush to her cheeks that gave her a youthful look. He'd also sensed her return to the girl he loved so much. He felt an easing of tension and apprehension. Yes, that was it. That was the thing that had worried him about her. He'd sensed an apprehension about her that wasn't like her at all.

She smiled at him, sensing his thoughts as she always did. Nodding slightly, a silent message passed between them. She was confirming his thoughts and letting him know she was ready to begin the laborious task of building a barrier of sorts between them.

She felt a moment of panic from him as he sensed what she was telling him, then comfort from her rushed in to take the panic away. He took a deep breath then relaxed. It wouldn't be done overnight. There was time to get used to the barrier, time to accept it and become one with it just as he'd become one with the lack of restraint between their minds. He nodded back at her, and with a smile she took up her tea.

"I am quite content and sleepy. Would anyone mind if I napped for a bit before cleaning the dishes?"

The trader rose. "I will clean up. We've all had a tiring day. I'll wash the dishes and fill the pot with fresh water for the morning then I'm going to bed myself."

The light was gone while the night was still young, but the empath couldn't seem to keep her eyes open. Her lack of sleep of late was catching up with her now that she'd been able to relax. Covering a yawn she went to her bed.

The hunter went to his knees beside her to kiss her lips lightly with his own. "I'll be with you in a little while, okay?" She reached out to caress his cheek. With another yawn she nodded. Rolling to her side she pulled the blanket around her and the hunter tucked it around her feet. "Sleep well, my love."

She yawned again then nodded once more, too tired to make the effort to speak. Waiting beside her, the hunter felt her jerk as sleep claimed her then he joined the demigod at the fire, filling both their mugs with tea.

They kept their voices low so they wouldn't disturb the healer, but they need not have. She was lost in sleep, comforted by the easing of her tension and worry of late, and her body needed the healing the sleep could bring her even more than she cared to admit to herself or the others.

The stars pushed the night forward and a lone owl sailed silently through the darkness in search of a tasty rodent to feast on. A bit of dirt and rock loosened by the rains of yesterday slipped into the stream with a plop of sound, and the empath snuggled deeper into her blankets, unaware of the world still turning through the night.

The Dea of the tiny yosemin village walked along the river near her home. She'd slept for a time then awakened to lie in her bed, her mind and body on fire for the half man, half god she loved. She stopped in the secluded screen of brush where she'd spent so many happy moments with him. With a sigh she went to her knees in the grass, spreading her fingers wide to embrace the earth and her sense of the man she longed for.

The former executioner of the gods tossed in her bed, her mind refusing to relax, her back and legs aching with the knowledge of what her love for a man now god, had brought to her. "Why can't you put your selfishness aside and come to me?"

The whispered words brought tears to her eyes, and in frustration she rose. Going to the fireplace she pushed the pot of tea closer to the coals to heat. She stirred the fire then put more wood on. It was a warm night but she needed the comfort of the fire all the same.

The darkly handsome god slumped across his thrown. He'd spent the day at the forge fashioning the first of two swords to replace the ones Discord had destroyed. He'd used his godly powers to make exact replicas, but there was little satisfaction in them and he'd tossed them aside. Turning to his left, a forge materialized before him and he'd set to work to duplicate the swords using his own skill and not the skills of the gods to craft and shape the metal to his will.

He was pleased with his efforts of the day and for a moment he relaxed on his thrown. With a roar of anger at the feelings that always seemed to overtake him whenever he let his guard down he lunged to his feet to pace the floor.

With a flash of light a woman stood before him. With a simpering whimper she came forward. She was a goddess, and yet she never acted like one. She'd known the god of war a long time and had never failed to come at his summons. His dark features and the evil that went into his make up mesmerized her.

He often found pleasure in her arms, easing his body's needs with her as the whim took him. He took her lips with savagery, which only seemed to fuel her unquenchable hunger for him He ripped the gown from her shoulders. She was tall and lean, her breasts small and firm. Her long red hair lay in curly layers down her back and he smothered his hands in it to pull her close against him.

Her hands pulled his vest aside to caress the hair on his chest then moved lower to his belt. Pulling the gown lower it slipped down over her narrow hips to pool at her bare feet.

"It's been a long time, my lover." Her voice was low, almost mannish. At one time the sound had stirred his blood, but not this time.

"No talk," he demanded.

"No talk, just lust."

She bit at his lip as she slipped her hands below his loosened leather pants. She loved the fact that he never wore anything beneath his pants, and she whimpered now with desire. He trailed kisses lower to the swell of her breasts. They stood waiting for his lips.

With a roar louder than before, he jerked out of her arms to stand watching her. What's the matter with me?! he shouted in his mind. He'd always liked her. He'd always thought of her as attractive. Not this time. This time he only saw her as cheap and tawdry.

"What's the matter, lover?" She caressed herself in invitation and he turned away in disgust. With a wave of his hand she was gone, her deep voice shouting her anger as she faded from sight.

"Damn," he swore under his breath. He knew all too well what had made the goddess seem so undesirable. "Why does Nemesis have to be so stubborn and frightened all the time? If she would just call to me I could make her happy, still." His clothing firmly in place once more he began to pace the temple floor.

He longed for the touch of the empath's mind on his. He'd sensed it only yesterday but had quickly drawn away from it. It was all too painful, the wounds still too raw. He'd made his choices, and he still felt they'd been the only ones possible for him. Knowing that, however, did little to ease the sense of grief he felt in his exile.

He feared the former executioner of the gods would no longer love him. He could remember all too well the look of fear and hate she'd had for him before his loss of godhood. He couldn't bear the thought of seeing that same look now, not when his feelings for her ran so deeply. He longed to seek solace in the empath's love, but it made it all so vivid, so real.

Returning to the forge he stirred up the coals and added wood to them. Work would keep his mind busy. He'd actively sought wars and unrest in the world, hoping to lose himself in a good battle, but found himself working as a messenger of peace instead, a role he was unfamiliar with and ill suited to perform. Still, he had to admit he'd been successful in stopping more than one foolish skirmish.

He smiled to himself. The influence of the empath touched him even now. He also remembered the look of disappointment she could get in her eyes should she be displeased with him. "I did it for you, my little warrior." His voice was a deep sensual whisper. With a sigh he returned to his task, pushing his thoughts aside to concentrate on what he was doing.

Sira woke to the sounds of the camp coming to life, and snuggled deeper into her blankets. A quick kiss on her nose from a blond haired, blue eyed hunter of the forest let her know he'd joined her in the night. She'd slept so soundly she hadn't known when he came to their bed.

She smiled with contentment. The sleep had done her good. For once there'd been no disturbing dreams to rob her of the healing effects of sleep, and she sent a prayer of thanks to the earth mother for that.

The old sailor brought her a mug of tea then stood over her, a warm smile splitting his seamed face. "You have slept well, my Lady." It was a statement, not a question. "I can see it in your eyes." She sat up with a self satisfied air of contentment and the old one was reminded of a cat who'd searched long to find a sunny place to sleep the day away.

The dark skinned man had been quietly respectful to the empath since the morning after he'd revealed his real reasons for seeking Hercules, and through him the child of the forest. When Rastist returned to the fire to turn the rabbits on their spit over the fire the hunter asked her what she'd said to the trader to ease his seeming need to wait on her like a slave.

"I simply told him that his behavior made me uncomfortable, and that if he persisted in it I would be forced to banish him from my presence, therefore making it impossible for him to repay the debt he owed me, which, by his own admission, would leave him in disgrace."

"Oh, is that all?"

"I backed it up with a touch of my mind on his." She shrugged. "Let us just say he saw reason."

"So he still feels he owes you a debt of honor?"

"Yes, but he has resigned himself to behaving more like a traveling companion than a servant."

The hunter smiled at her. "I should have warned the poor man. He never stood a chance."

The healer shoved the hunter down then proceeded to kiss him playfully. "You are right. He never stood a chance, and neither do you. You are completely under my control."

He kissed her back. "The funny thing is," he chuckled, "I like it that way."

They traveled steadily, resting only briefly just past midday. They'd found a small trickle of water to refresh themselves among the dense green of forest and paler green of ferns. It was cool here on the mountain and the child of the earth breathed in the clear air around her like a healing vapor. Her feet bare, she felt the rich, dark carpet of pine needles on their sensitive soles and drew its offered strength to herself. They moved on, appeasing their hunger with dried meat, nuts and fruit, washing it down with water from their flasks.

Evening found them making camp on the valley floor. It was a large valley crisscrossed with streams and brooks. Groves of tall birch trees caressed the blue underbelly of the sky. At the far end of the grassy meadow lands, tall mountains capped in white disappeared into the fluffy white vapor that hugged the skyline.

From a vantage point on the mountainside they'd just descended the chosen one had gotten a view of the valley they must cross to find the village of Melfast. She drew in a quick breath. "It is beautiful," she whispered.

The sun had turned the ribbons of water to liquid silver, a stark contrast to the pale green of the spring grass. Even from where they stood on the far side of the valley they could see a thin thread of silver cutting down the face of a rocky outcropping in the far mountains. A huge granite buttress protruded into the valley on their right, smoothed by weather in places, jagged and treacherous in others. Black streaks left from the elements gave its rocky face character while speaking of its age. Who now could tell of the mighty upheaval of the earth it must have taken to raise such an awesome sentinel to govern and protect the delicate valley floor that seemed to call to Sira in a clear voice? A welcoming voice of love for one of its own.

Left in reverence to the earth mother at her display of grandeur, the empath took the hunter's hand first, then her brother of the soul's hand. "How could anyone look on such as this and not believe the earth is a god?" Both men squeezed the tiny, pale hand of the girl they loved. "To the soil, to the trees," the men joined the yosemin in her prayer, "to the earth, my mother, I give my mind and soul."

They dined on venison provided by the hunter. Sira cooked it in a pan over the fire. She made a bread dough of sorts, and wrapping it around sticks she sank the bare end of the stick into the ground around the fire so the dough could cook. Rastist gladly helped the healer by turning the dough covered sticks so the bread would cook evenly. Several of the whitish tubers the empath favored boiled in a pot over the fire. She'd peeled them then cut them up to cook them in boiling water, much like one might cook potatoes. When the meat was done Sira added the water the tubers had cooked in to the pan, stirring the meat juice into it then thickening it with flour to make a thick savory sauce to cover the mashed tubers and to dip the bread into.

The old sailor took a second helping of food. When he'd finished eating he sat back with a sigh, one hand on his middle. "I've never eaten so much. Everything tasted so wonderful. You, my dear, are wasting your time as a healer. You could be a cook to the gods."

"Ares once said something similar to that effect. Of course he was not a god at the time he said it."

"Tell me about this healing of the mighty Ares." Sira only smiled, but made no effort to recount the tale. "Come, I'm dying to know the story. I've heard so much about your adventures, but this is one I haven't heard."

Sira began to gather the dishes. "I have to wash the dishes and I need a bath. Iolaus will tell you the story." She smiled playfully at the man she loved above all others. "He has always secretly dreamed of being a bard."

The old sailor turned an expectant face to the golden one. Iolaus' eyes lit up as he made himself more comfortable on the patch of grass he'd chosen by the fire. "Well, let's see. Maybe I'd better start with how Ares came to be tied in soul to the greatest empath since before the remembered time."

The demigod moaned. He could sense a long night of storytelling ahead. The hunter ignored him as he warmed to his tale. Besides, he could sense that his friend's moan had been a playful one.

Iolaus had a way with a story and the demigod knew it. Almost without realizing it, he was soon drawn into the tale, recounting the part of it that the hunter couldn't know since he'd been trapped in the old yosemin sorcerer's blue chamber of godly stone.

The healer left them to it and made her way to the stream they'd camped by. She washed the dishes first, then dried and packed them away before moving slightly upstream to bathe herself. Stripping as the last of the light faded from the evening, she waded into the snow fed flow. The cold water sent a shiver up and down her spine and she laughed. The pool she'd chosen for her absolution was deep and wide. Not caring that the cold water gave her goose flesh she struck out to swim across the stream and to the grassy bank on the other side. Pushing off from the bank she swam back to take up soap and a cloth to wash herself. When her body was clean she took a small skin flask from her pack, and pouring some of its contents into her hand she began to lather her hair with a jasmine scented soap she made herself from plants the earth provided. It wasn't always easy to wash the soap from her long hair, especially in cold water, but she took her time, swimming as she worked to loosen the last of it from her hair. Finally satisfied she'd gotten all traces of soap out, she stepped from the water to take up the blanket she'd brought to dry herself. Once she was dry, she tossed the blanket aside to sit on the grass, her flesh exposed to the night. She rubbed a cream into her feet and up her legs, over her bodice, then down her arms and hands. The earth given herbs helped to keep her skin soft and protect it from the sun. More cream offered moisture to her face. The scent of jasmine filled the air around her as the cream she used on her body was also scented with the sweet potent aroma of the tiny, yellow flowering vine that grew wild in the hills surrounding the mountains where she'd been born, and where she and the hunter had chosen to build their cabin.

The scent always reminded the empath of her grandmother, who'd shown her how to gather the flowers then grind them into a pulp from which fragrant oil could be extracted. It gave the healer a sense of the earth on her skin to add the scent of flowers to her cosmetics, but more than this it gave her a sensual feminine feeling that never failed to soothe and refresh her.

Gathering her things she dressed in a woven moss dress of dark forest green. The bodice was tight enough to catch the eye, as it accentuated her narrow waist before flaring out in a skirt that barely reached her slender ankles. The neckline of the dress came to a low square that laced down her front with a paler green cord. The loose cap sleeves of the dress were of the same pale green, leaving plenty of the healer's pale skinned arms exposed. It was one of the empath's favorite dresses. Whether it was because it fit her so well and made her feel feminine, or because she knew how wearing it stirred the hunter, she couldn't say.

Her damp hair streaming behind her, she took up her pack and the pack of dishes to return to camp. The hunter jumped to his feet to spread a blanket on the ground near the fire for her. Once she was seated he pulled a log up behind her to use for a seat. Without saying anything, she handed him her comb, and without words he took it. With gentle hands he began to comb her golden tresses now turned red from the firelight that danced over its healthy shine like liquid fire. The air around the lovers glowed as the hunter's mind touched that of the girl he loved so completely. He continued to tell his tale of the conquering of the god of war's heart and soul as he caressed and combed the healer's hair.

The child of the forest was content to touch his mind with hers as she listened to the sound of her lover's voice more than to the story itself. His voice had always stirred something deep within her. She found herself waiting for each inflection almost as one might listen for the strains of a favorite song.

When at last the tale was complete the trader sat in silence, still lost in the magic the telling of the tale had wound around him. He could feel a tingling sensation on his skin that seemed to bring him comfort, almost as if he were under a spell. Then with a rush he realized he was just that. He'd fallen under the spell of the empath. The love and beauty that were such a part of her had entranced him. With a quickly indrawn breath a fierce desire to protect her threatened to overwhelm him. Now he understood why this tiny slip of a girl seemed to command such respect from those around her. Now he understood the true meaning of empathy. Even when she wasn't in a healing she drew a person's thoughts and senses to her and made them a part of her. Even while not meaning to she sent love and healing to those fortunate enough to be a part of her life.

How had the humans of the world grown to fear and hate those of the forest? Surely if they'd had any sense at all they'd have fallen under the spell of the earth just as he had. Or maybe that was where the fear came from? Maybe they weren't secure enough to share that part of themselves with another. Maybe sensing the bigger picture frightened them. Perhaps the sense of a benevolent being all powerful in its influence in all that they did was too overpowering to comprehend. It was much easier to believe in the gods of Olympus. At least these gods were seen, their influence more physical than surreal. But to have passed up the chance to get to know the earth and her people was, in the old sailor's eyes, foolhardy indeed.

The night brought a return of the nightmare that plagued the empath. She woke to a scream on her lips, then realized the sound had only been in her subconscious. The others slept on, and the girl reached to touch the hunter with a shaky hand. She didn't want to wake him, only to take comfort from the life's force that surged around him.

She sat in her blankets, shivering with fear more than cold. With a rush, she got a sense of her son and opened her mind to him. His thoughts flooded over her with love and comfort, and her breath began to slow as she accepted both from him. Her dream was always filled with a deep sense of dread for Hercus' safety. With his touch of mind on hers, she knew he was securely cocooned in his bed in the cabin of the elder of the clan of the wolf and the lion, and much of the fear the dream left her with subsided.

Her son was awake, but she sensed no fear in him, more a longing to comfort her, and in so doing ease some of his own loneliness at their separation. Comforted in their link of mind, their communication long, the boy drifted back to sleep, his mind still on his mother's. But while he returned to sleep, she did not.

She had the first meal of the day ready before the hunter joined her at the fire to accept the mug of tea she offered him. He set the tea aside to take her into his arms. She leaned into him as he kissed the top of her head before retrieving the mug she'd handed him. Taking a sip of his tea he smiled at her. "We'll reach Melfast today."

"Yes. I wonder what the people of the town will be like."

"About the same as in most of these small villages, I suppose."

"I wonder if they will accept me?"

"If they don't, we won't do our dragon taming act." He smiled at her again. "Don't worry, they'll love you. Everybody does, you know." She smiled back at him and he winked at her. "Keep the food and tea hot. I need a trip to the woods and a bath." He took up his pack, then with a light kiss on her lips he headed toward the stream.

They left their camp of the night to follow the valley south toward the far mountains. The morning was bright and fresh, the meadow carpeted with flowers. Dew still clung to the pale green blades of grass that seemed to welcome them with the earth's blessing. Bees buzzed about them benevolently; too busy gathering nectar to mind the intrusion of the travelers. They crossed a small stream on stones conveniently place by the hands of nature, then crossed it again only a few yards further on. The ribbon of snow fed liquid earth meandered through the valley, bubbling happily around the rocks and pebbles that made up its bed. The grasses were alive with wild life, the air alive with birds.

"The people of Melfast shouldn't starve with this abundance of game so close." The hunter could feel the old drive to do what he did best. There was no need to hunt; the deer he'd taken yesterday would provide them with meat for a few days, but he still felt the urge to take advantage of the easy availability of game. Sira had cooked most of the venison at least partially to help preserve it. What hadn't cooked completely would be put over the fire again tonight. Still, he hated to leave such abundance behind.

Sira linked her arm through his. "It would be a shame to spoil the beauty of this place by chasing the animals away with repeated hunting. The animals have a sense of danger, and will find new homes if the villagers hunt here too often."

He smiled at her. "Sorry. Once a hunter, always a hunter."

It was late afternoon when the travelers approached the village of Melfast. They'd passed the burned remains of two huts, and crossed a stretch of burned meadowland. The men looked at each other. They all knew where the fire had come from.

Rastist scratched at his chin. "Looks like our scaly friend has been busy." With a last look around him the old trader took them to the magistrate's home.

The magistrate greeted Hercules with enthusiasm. "I never thought Rastist could pull it off. It's so good of you agree to help us."

The magistrate was a nervous little man. Sira's first impression of him gave her a nickname for the gray mustached man: Twitch. He seemed always to be moving and twitching. His right cheek twitched just under his eye, which had a tendency to cross slightly when he was excited, which seemed to be most of the time. His movements were quick and jerky, as if he didn't have complete control of them.

They were all invited to dine with him and his daughter. The invitation was directed mostly at the demigod, and only extended to the rest of them as an after thought. The little man hadn't bothered to thank Rastist for bringing the legendary hero to the village, and it was apparent he wasn't going to. Sira couldn't tell without touching his mind deeper than she wished, if this lack of courtesy was intentional or simply an oversight.

The magistrate's daughter looked to be somewhere in her late thirties. There was a dowdy, unkempt look about her even though the empath could see that her clothing was clean, as were her hands. The healer studied her hands for a moment. While the rest of her gave the impression of plainness, her hands were beautiful, her fingers long and slender, the skin smooth, her nails long and tapered. With a rush of insight Sira realized it wasn't that the woman was sloppy; more that she just didn't care to try and improve her looks. Her hair was clean, but it was fine and fly away. Mousy brown whiffs of it had escaped from the untidy bun she'd put it in on the top of her head. She never seemed to smile. Her voice was dull and bored. There just wasn't any animation about her. The woman was dressed in dark gray, which only seemed to add to her pale, high cheek boned look. While her father fidgeted and fussed, her movements were slow and precise.

The house was clean and well kept, but lacked color or life. There were gray curtains at the windows and gray throw rugs on the floor. The table was covered with a neutral, off white cloth, and the dishes placed on it for their use were plain and unpainted. The only color in the room came from a few potted plants under the windows.

The food the magistrate's daughter placed before them was well cooked with a savory smell and the empath complimented her on its goodness. The magistrate hadn't introduced his daughter to them so the healer had no idea what her name was. The woman only nodded at the compliment and Sira felt defeated.

The magistrate looked almost annoyed by the healer's compliment to his daughter. "Morlina, bring more tea." The daughter gave her father an annoyed look as she rose to do as he'd told her.

The magistrate wiped his napkin over his chest and stomach. His tunic was stained with food, but the healer realized it wasn't the fault of the laundress. He fidgeted so much he seemed to have a hard time getting his food to his mouth. He used his hands to eat more than a spoon or fork, and still couldn't seem to get the full portion where he wanted it to go. He was round in the middle so Sira figured he must get at least some of the food to his mouth.

He talked of the town, mostly to Hercules, ignoring the rest of them at the table.

Fully aware of the man's lack of social grace to the others, the demigod decided it was time to steer the conversation to the problem at hand. "So, tell us about this dragon."

The magistrate fidgeted even more. "It's a terrible thing. Terrible indeed. Not good for the town at all. We've lost livestock and crops to this bloody beast. The traders can't get in and we can't get out. Some families have packed up their things and gone out over the mountains. Ours is a small village; we can't afford to lose people to fear. Fools. If they'd only kept up the sacrifices to the beast. No one goes up there anymore. Not in years, really."

The nature child wanted to ask him when he'd last been "up there", wherever "up there" was, and when he'd last sacrificed anything to appease the fire breathing beast.

Rastist was getting impatient. "Come, Renous. Tell Hercules about the loss of human life to this beast."

"Yes. Unfortunate, really. Three people, you know."

"So your little pet beastie has gone that far." The hunter sat his mug of tea down with a sigh.

"I know you're being humorous, but it really isn't a laughing matter. He's no pet, believe me. The loss of revenue to the village is insurmountable."

"I wasn't being humorous, and I was thinking more of the loss of life than the loss of property or revenue."

"Well, yes, of course." The magistrate dismissed this with a wave of his hand. "The problem lies in the fact that the dragon's cave overlooks the only road to the village. The first person lost to the beast was a woman. She'd gone to the mountain to make a sacrifice, I suppose. She never returned. That was the first we knew the dragon was back."

"The woman you refer to so casually was my friend." Morlina rose and began to gather the dishes in agitation. "She left behind a husband and three young children."

"Yes, of course. I know who she was, Morlina. Anyway, when her husband went looking for her, the dragon attacked him. He almost didn't make it, himself. Burned badly, really."

"I thought you said no one took sacrifices to the dragon anymore?" Sira handed her plate to Morlina with a smile of thanks.

"I guess there was some trouble with one of the children being ill or something. It used to be common practice to go to the dragon for help with this kind of thing."

"Is the child all right?"

"What child? Oh, you mean the dead woman's. I believe so, yes." He turned to his daughter. "Morlina?"

"Yes, little Ome is fine. But Sayda wasn't superstitious. If she went to the mountain, it was just to walk in the fresh air or something. Little Ome is sick a lot, but it's never really serious. Her mother wouldn't find it necessary to take a sacrifice to the dragon for the health of her daughter."

Her father interrupted. "It doesn't really matter why Sayda went there."

"Yes, it does, because you seem to think she conjured the beast up by going there to worship it."

"I never said anything of the sort. It does, however, seem strange that the first time someone goes up there in who knows how long, the dragon returns. Maybe she did call the bloody thing up or something."

"That's foolishness and you know it. Besides, there have been others to go there, when a crop fails or someone is really sick. Old superstitions die hard in ignorant people. Sayda had nothing to do with this beast showing up now."

Hercules rushed in to stem any further argument between father and daughter. "Isn't it true that you used to have dragons here in the past?"

The twitching magistrate nodded, spilling some of his tea down his front. "Yes. They used to be about. In fact some still cling to the old myth that the village was founded to serve the dragon. The myth states that the dragon of Melfast used to fly far afield and terrorize other towns and villages. It demanded sacrifices of food, and when really angered a virgin sacrifice was the only thing that would calm it down. Anyway, the legend says that a very rich and influential man made a bargain with the beast. The man's daughter was slated to be the next virgin sacrificed. Lots were drawn to determine which girl would be next. Once a lot was drawn, the girl couldn't marry and must wait her turn at being eaten by the beast should someone or something anger the dragon."

Renous held his tea mug out to his daughter to be refilled then added a generous portion of honey to his tea. He sipped the sweetened brew but found it too hot and set it aside.

"According to the old tale this rich man agreed to come here to the base of the dragon's cave and to serve him for the remainder of his life, and that of his daughter and his daughter's daughter if only the beast would spare his only child." He shrugged. "A bargain was made." The magistrate fidgeted. "Of course it's just an old story. But it's true there used to be a dragon here, and people used to make sacrifices of food and livestock to it to keep the village safe."

He tried his tea but found it still too hot. "No dragon's been seen here in a very long time. My great grandfather used to lament the fact that he never got to see a real dragon. Well, you know how it is, people forget. It was all so long ago. But now the dragon is really angry, and it's taking that anger out on my village."

He tried his tea then nodded with satisfaction at finding it drinkable. "We've tried everything to appease it, but it won't even let us get close to the mountain, let alone offer it food. We've put out livestock in pens that it can get to easily, but it still steals our stock."

Sira wondered if the virgin sacrifice had been tried. As if reading her thoughts Morlina interrupted her father once more. "Maybe we should try the virgin sacrifice. We can do what they used to do and draw lots. Or maybe you'd just like to send me up there. Nothing has ever been said about the virgin having to be young or beautiful. I should do all right."

"Really, Morlina, this isn't the time for your sarcasm."

"You could try offering to serve it for the rest of your life." The hunter's words were whispered, but everyone heard them.

Morlina turned to study him for a moment. A slight smile came to her eyes before she looked back at her father. "I say we seal the beast in the cave. We could cause a landslide at the entrance and seal the cave once and for all."

The magistrate twitched and jerked. "How do you propose we get up there to do this? We can't even get close. I'm tired of hearing your foolish ideas."

"Are they foolish?" The hunter smiled at her. "Could we come in behind the cave and collapse the entrance from above it?"

The woman looked shocked that someone was willing to listen to her idea. "I've been out there. If we could somehow distract the thing for a bit one could climb the cliff face and get to a ridge over the cave. Someone with the strength of Hercules could cause an avalanche. There's a large slab of rock just waiting to fall."

"So we distract the beastie while Herc climbs up there. He could hide there until the beast returned to the cave, then a good shove and the entrance is sealed."

"I've tried to get the fools of the village to help me, but they're all cowards. With a lever, any strong man could cause that slab to slide down."

The demigod nodded. "So, how do we distract the thing?"

"It comes after anyone who starts up the trail to the cave."

"How would we protect ourselves long enough for Herc to get up the cliff?"

Now the girl looked uncertain. "I'm not really sure."

Hercules smiled at her. "I bet we could find a way. I say, tomorrow we check out the place and see if what you suggest is possible. It can't be any more dangerous than facing the thing head on."

The magistrate began to fidget again. "Tomorrow? I was in hopes it could be today, the danger to the village and all."

"What about the danger to us?" The demigod had lost some of his patience with the man. "I have no intention of getting trapped up there in the dark. We wait until morning to make any moves."

"Of course, you're right. Better, really. Fresh start in the morning's the best plan."

The magistrate offered them the use of his barn for the night, but sensing the thoughts of the others, the half god declined the offer. "We'll make a camp outside of town, but thank you." He turned to Morlina. "Thank you for the meal. It was very good." He rose to make his exit.

Renous rose also. With a great deal of fidgeting he showed them to the door. Morlina stood at the table, a slight smile on her face. The hunter smiled back at her then gave her a wink, which made her blush.

They found a place among tall birch trees to make a camp. A brook near the trees provided them with water and the trees provided them with wood. When the camp was set up the healer took a mug of tea to her blankets. The early night was warm and comforting and she had every intention of using it to relax.

The demigod came to sit on the grass beside her, stretching out his long form with a sigh of contentment.

The hunter chuckled at them both. "I guess it's up to me to keep the fire going."

"Hey," the half god interjected, "I may have to climb a mountain tomorrow."

"Imagine the girl thinking up this scheme. I'd say she has the brains in that family."

Sira handed her empty mug to the hunter. "I do not think magistrate Twitch was too happy when we refused to go after the dragon tonight."

The hunter laughed. "What did you call him?"

"Magistrate Twitch." The girl shrugged. "It seems appropriate."

"Magistrate Twitch. I like it."

Rastist joined the others near the empath's blankets. "Do you really think we can seal that thing in a cave?"

The demigod shrugged. "We won't know until we get a look at the place. If the dragon's as big as you say, we'd have to seal the entrance to the cave with one heck of a lot of rock to keep the thing in there."

"We'd only have to keep it in there until the air ran out, right?"

"Maybe there are air vents in the cave. I kind of wonder if Sira was right back in Corinth when she suggested the beast may have been sealed in the cave for years and only recently won its way to freedom. Or maybe it was hibernating?"

Iolaus finished his tea then rose to refill his cup. "I wonder what it found to eat in a cave."

"Well, as Hercules says, we won't know anything until we get a look at the area." The trader held out his mug to the hunter for a refill. "The rumor is that Morlina is a bit eccentric. I don't know how much we can rely on her ideas."

The hunter resumed his seat. "I liked her. At least she showed some spirit and concern for human life."

"Yeah," the demigod nodded, "she sure brightened up after you showed some interest in her idea. You always have had a way with lonely old spinsters."

"That's me. I could charm a snake charmer out of his snake."

"Well, I felt sorry for her." Everyone turned to the healer at her whispered words. "I do not think she has much of a life. She wears her loneliness and disappointment with life in general like a shield. It was plain to see, and it was plainly there for defense."

"Defense against what?"

"A life she hates but feels trapped in."

"Funny," the old trader offered, "I didn't see that about her."

The hunter patted him on the back. "Don't worry, my friend. Sira often sees things in people no one else can, but believe me when I say she's never wrong in what she sees."

The demigod rose. "Well, I plan to bathe then get to bed. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." Taking up his pack he left the grove of trees to make his way toward the brook.

The old sailor rose to stretch long slim limbs. "He's right. I'm turning in early myself. See you all in the morning."

The day started with a misty fog rolling in from the meadowland to chill the air and leave beads of moisture over the trees and brush where the four travelers rested. Hercules was the first up. He never slept well before tackling danger, and hadn't been surprised he'd awakened several times in the night to replenish the fire. He rose now to do the same before taking a trip to the woods.

When he returned the healer had water heating for tea. The half god studied her for a moment. Much of the fatigue had left her face, and about her he sensed a calm air of health.

"You're feeling better, aren't you, my more than sister?"

She turned a brilliant smile on him. "Yes, much better. It has done me good to be here among the offerings of the earth."

He came to put his arms around her and she leaned into him. "I've missed you."

She took a deep breath to calm herself. His words had touched her loneliness at the barriers they were erecting between each other. "I have missed you also. It does get easier with time."

"I'm not so sure I want it to get easier."

"I know. I wish there was a way to help you with all of this. I want only your happiness."

"You do help. Just by loving me you help. Please understand, none of this is your fault. I'm the one who can't seem to deal with my feelings for you and Dasay. I still can't help but feel I'm being unfair to both of you."

"Stop being so hard on yourself. We are not children. Both Dasay and myself are fully aware of the feeling you have for us. I wish I could help you to understand that your feelings do us no disservice. You have brought Dasay and myself together as more than friends. This has enriched us both, not diminished us."

He nodded. "The tea water is boiling away."

She chuckled. "So it is." He released her and she removed the pot of water from the fire to add Tassis leaves to it. He left her with a smile as he headed to the grove of trees to gather more wood.

The forest child put a large sized chunk of venison over the fire to warm, more than cook. She'd cooked it last night to preserve it. Sitting by the fire she watched a gray squirrel playing in nearby tree. He'd drop a nut from a high branch of the tree to land in a jumble of rocks. As the nut fell he jerked his tail, scolding the nut as if angry with it for taking so long to land. As soon as it did he ran across the branch and down the tree to recover the nut. The nut in his mouth, he quickly scampered up the tree to repeat the process.

The hunter chuckled from his blankets then sat up to smile at Sira. He'd been watching the squirrel as well. "What's he doing?"

"He is trying to crack the nut by dropping it among the rocks."

"He's not having a great deal of luck, is he?"

"He only needs a small crack in the nut, then his teeth will so the rest. He will keep at it until he wins out."

"I've never seen anything like that. He must be a clever little guy."

"I have seen it before. Birds will do the same thing with their kill. It breaks up the bones and tenderizes the meat."

The golden one came to kneel beside her. "Take a walk with me?"

She smiled and nodded. Turning the meat once more she took his hand. She knew Hercules would soon be back to keep an eye on the cooking meat. The empath knew where the hunter's request for a walk had come from. They must soon face danger. The outcome of today's adventure could not be predicted. It wasn't given to them to know when their time to go to the earth might come. He needed some time alone with her before they faced the danger ahead, and she needed the same with him. Part of the demigod's embrace of earlier was for the same reason. It wasn't that they were saying good bye, more that they were acknowledging the very real possibility that death could happen at any time. When one took up arms to solve a problem, they must be prepared to face the possible consequences of that action. They were warriors, not fools. They understood the danger and accepted it.

The lovers didn't stay gone long. A dragon awaited them. Better to face it now than to wait for their unease to grow or for others to be hurt. When they returned the demigod handed each of them a plate of food. He'd known where the lovers had been and why they'd chosen to leave the camp. He understood all too well their need for a few minutes of time alone together. One could never tell when it would be their last.

They approached the village of Melfast. Farmers already working at their endless chores looked up at their passing, some even called greetings. A mother and her child came to stand at the gate to their cottage.

"Thank you, Hercules, for coming here to help us." The hero gave her a warm smile and a wave.

The hunter looked around him. How many villages like this had he and the son of Zeus helped? He'd lost count long ago, not that it mattered. He was honest with himself. He wouldn't want it any other way. He'd tried turning his back on this nomad's life of always risking his life to help others. He'd tried to settle down with Sira to farm and raise a family. He'd tried to hide away in a secluded cabin lost in the high mountains. He smiled to himself. He'd often been the first to find the confinement unbearable. Perhaps if the woman who held such a part of him had been the quiet farmer's wife he thought she was, he would have found a way to accept the simple life.

He smiled again. Sira was no more suited for that life than he was. Perhaps that was part of the reason they'd grown closer and closer as the years had passed. They were well suited for each other.

Another person called to Hercules. There were times when the hunter had resented the fact that his larger than life friend got all the recognition. Somehow that no longer seemed to matter. He wasn't in this for adulation; he was in it because he loved the danger and adventure this life brought him.

They approached the magistrate's home and the hunter brought his mind back to the present. "Think we should let the magistrate know we're on the job?"

"I guess we should." The half god changed his direction to head toward the cottage.

Morlina was in the garden. Her hair hung loose about her face, which softened her features and made her look younger. She wore a pale yellow robe, tight to the waist where it flared into a full skirt. Her face wore a look of pleasure; her hands not covered by gloves, were stained with soil.

"You look happy this morning," the golden one told her.

"The only time I am happy is when I'm in my garden." She looked a little uncomfortable with her confession, as if it were something to be ashamed of. The color to her cheeks brightened her face. "Excuse my hands. I like to feel the soil when I garden." She turned to a bucket on a stool near the steps to the cottage and began to wash her hands.

"No need to apologize." The hunter winked at the healer. "I know someone else who likes to play in the mud." Morlina blushed again.

"Is your father awake?" the demigod asked. "We wanted to let him know we're headed to the mountain to check into his little problem."

"He's in there stuffing his face still, no doubt." The girl's look hardened as she turned once more to sarcasm as a defense again her loneliness. A moment ago she'd looked almost pretty, but that was gone now behind the harshness of her frustration with the life she'd been left with.

The half god tapped at the cottage door and was bid to enter. Rastist followed him inside. Something in Morlina's abrupt change from pleasantness to bitterness disturbed him. He hadn't forgotten Sira's belief that the girl's rudeness came from loneliness. Loneliness he could understand; he'd had plenty of that himself.

Sira bent to smell a red blossom on a vine near the porch. "You have a lovely garden."

"Thank you. That's nice of you to say." The girl looked around her and the harshness of only a moment ago was gone again. "If I could, I'd spend all my time out here. I even work out here in the winter. My father hates for me to spend my time like this, but I don't know what he expects me to do with my time if I don't."

Hercules and Rastist left the house, the magistrate on their heels. He stopped abruptly when he saw his daughter. "Really, Morlina, how many times must I tell you not to be out here like this?" He twitched and jerked where he stood. "You're the daughter of the magistrate. How do you think it looks to be seen in your night attire, your hair stringing? People will think you're eccentric."

"This is not my night attire. It's called a day robe. My hair is combed, just not put up. And as for people thinking I'm eccentric, I simply don't care. I am peculiar and everyone knows it."

The hunter turned to the magistrate. "I think your daughter looks quite lovely. The green of the garden and the early morning sunlight have enchanted her with beauty." The magistrate began to twitch even more as Morlina's blushed deepened.

In an attempt to change the subject Renous turned to the demigod. "You realize that you must stop the dragon today. If you disturb it then leave it alive it will retaliate against the village."

"We'll check out the area for now. We hope to find a way to keep the village safe while keeping ourselves safe as well."

"Of course, I understand. It's just that I worry about the village and my people."

"Of course, and you understand that we worry about our hides."

Morlina moved a little away from the conversation. The hunter caught her eyes on him and followed. Without preamble the girl blurted out the thought that had been nagging at her since the meal of yesterday. "I want to come with you."

The hunter didn't answer her at once. Her request had surprised him, then he realized it shouldn't have. She'd shown more spunk than anyone else they'd encountered in the village. He didn't want to hurt her feelings or diminish her offer of help. "No doubt you'd be of great help. You're intelligent, and your idea of trapping the dragon shows some real sense."

"But," she interrupted him.

"But," he acknowledged, "we're facing real danger out there. The three of us, Sira, Hercules and myself, we've been together in so much. We're a team, one complimenting the other, never questioning each other, never worrying about who has our back. We just know someone does. We're like a well oiled machine. Rastist is a warrior from way back, both on land and at sea."

"And I'm just a peculiar old spinster."

"I never even implied that. I wouldn't want you to get hurt. And without sounding too harsh, I wouldn't want one of us to get hurt because we're looking out for you."

"I can look out for myself."

"Yes, most likely you can, but we don't know you well enough to feel comfortable with that yet."

She heaved a deep sigh. "You will be careful out there?"

He gave her a blue eyed, boyish smile. "Of course."

"This whole thing is foolish. There's nothing to hold people to this town. It's going nowhere. Our population diminishes yearly as people realize the futility of farming in such an isolated place. Rather than put people in danger, we should all just pack up and go out over the mountains."

"Many people have a very good reason for staying. This is their home. Their ancestors are buried here. Their farms and homes are here. I bet most of these families have been here for generation after generation. Besides, even if the people left, what's to prevent the dragon from following them or finding another village to terrorize? It has to stop here before anyone else is hurt."

The girl nodded. "I'll pray to the gods for you all."

"When you're turning the soil of your garden pray to that to protect us."

She looked confused for a moment then nodded. Returning to her father he gave her a deep frown. He hated for her to be in the garden. He used the excuse that people might think her foolish to be here, but behind that was the fear that if people thought her too odd his place here as magistrate might be jeopardized. He'd taken the position many years ago because no one else wanted it. His ego had decided that for him, now that he had the position he took it very seriously.

"I never meant to imply that you or your friends should put yourself into undue danger to protect our village. It's just that you did come here to help us, not to force the dragon's hand."

Morlina took her father's arm. "Come along, Father. You've said enough, as usual." The magistrate jerked his arm from hers and turned to enter the house. Morlina shrugged. "He comes on strong and he probably doesn't give a damn for your safety, but he does care about the village. Whether it's because he worries about the people here or losing the next election I don't know. The sad part is I don't think he knows either."

Hercules chuckled at her and the tension was broken. "We're here to help the village, not just your father." He looked around him at the others. "Everybody ready?"

Sira linked her arm through his. "Let us go dragon hunting."

Rastist held the gate for them all. "I sure hope I can live up to my new reputation as a dragon slayer."

The hunter gave him an earnest look. "So do we, my friend, so do we."

Morlina knelt on a small bit of canvas placed on the grass to protect her clothing. For a moment she just sat where she was, not really seeing the garden. Reaching out she took up a handful of soil and studied it as if she'd never seen the like of it before.

"Protect them," she whispered to the soil. "Don't let them be hurt."

Renous had given them precise instructions on how to reach the dragon's cave. There was a path leading from the main road that had led many a person offering sacrifices of food and livestock to the dragon in the distant past. The path was overgrown now, giving evidence of the people's neglect of the old ways. Not that any of those walking the path this morning believed in sacrifices as a means of altering a dragon's temperament. If they had, they would have brought a wagonload of tasty morsels to appease the thing.

The hunter took the empath's hand. He knew this little yosemin too well to believe she'd stand aside and let the men tackle the beast and so he worried. He knew the crippling mind power she could exert and knew her help might well mean the difference between success and failure, but this did little to ease his anxiety for her safety.

Before they'd gone a dozen steps further Sira stopped abruptly. "Wait," she whispered. "We are being watched."

"You mean the beastie already knows we're coming?" the hunter whispered back.

"Yes."

"So much for sneaking up on the thing. Damn."

The demigod pulled his sword from a suede scabbard slung over his broad back. He seldom carried a weapon with him, preferring to use the strength his godly half afforded him. But knowing they faced a beast and not a person he'd brought the sword as well as a long wicked knife with him from the palace in Corinth.

They found a place concealed behind rock and brush to watch the dragon's cave. It was cut into the face of a rocky outcropping of granite, its entrance wide and high. After a moment of study the demigod turned around to face the trail they'd just ascended.

"It looks like Morlina was right. There's quite a bit of loose stuff atop the cave that could probably be collapsed over the opening. The only problem is there's not one damned bit of concealment up there. I'd have to climb the rocky face near the cave, which would take quite awhile. I'd be exposed the whole time. I really doubt anyone's ability to distract the thing long enough for me to get up there, at least not with the hope of survival."

The hunter scratched at his chin. He needed a shave. "So now what?" Sira took his arm and pointed to the cave entrance. "Damn. Why can't these things ever be easy?"

A very large dragon had now moved to the entrance of the cave, blocking it from view with its bulk. It stood taller than the cave entrance itself. Its hide was made up of greenish brown scales, giving it the look of a reptile except for scaly wings tucked against its sides now to fit through the cave entrance. Its face protruded in a heavy jaw that gave way to a wide mouth, open now to reveal several rows of yellowed teeth that even at this distance looked sharp and wicked.

"Why can't these things ever be tiny and demure?"

Hercules chuckled. "If it were we wouldn't need to be here. Morlina would have tamed the thing long ago."

"She's got spunk. She wanted to help us with this thing. I had a heck of a time talking her out of it."

Rastist snorted. "Maybe you shouldn't have tried. Maybe we could use the help."

The demigod rose. "Come on, let's get a little closer." The hunter moaned but followed his friend.

They approached the cave with caution, coming to another place of concealment among large boulders. The dragon moved further from his cave, then throwing back his head he gave a deafening squeal.

Iolaus cringed. "I'd take that as a warning to back off."

The son of Zeus turned to grin at all of them. "I never listen to a dragon."

The hunter handed his bow and quiver of arrows to the healer. "Promise me you'll at least try to be careful."

"And will you make the same promise?" She put her arms around him. "Forever. Even unto death."

He kissed her, a long lingering kiss. "Even unto death," he whispered back.

Sira held her hand out to her brother of the soul. "My more than brother."

He smiled at her. "Well, here we go again."

She smiled back at him. She felt the old thrill, the quickening of her pulse. Her mind's touch on the demigod brought the same feelings back to her.

Hercules turned to study the ground ahead of them once more. "I guess we tackle this thing head on."

Iolaus moaned again. "I was afraid you'd say that. Let's try and outflank it. If one of us can get behind it, we can fight this thing from both ends."

The old sailor nodded. "Watch out for the tail, my friend. That's a weapon in itself."

"Oh, thanks. Why don't you take the rear, then?"

"The fire comes out of the front end, right?"

With yet another moan Iolaus turned to Sira. "Will you still love me if I'm a little roasted?"

She chuckled. "I will love you, even roasted."

Hercules stood. "Rastist, you take the right, Iolaus the left. I'll go up the middle. Sira, think you can use that pretty little head of yours to distract that thing?"

The empath closed her eyes and willed her mind to relax and open. She sent her mind out to touch that of the beast and was surprised to find such intelligence behind her mind's probe. The beast squealed in rage, moving even further from its cave. Once clear of the entrance it stood moving its huge neck from side to side in warning.

"Uh oh," the hunter offered, "I think we ticked it off."

Hercules pulled Sira down behind a huge boulder. "Stay down." With a nod to the others he moved forward.

The empath started to protest. Something in her mind's touch on the creature had touched her. Before she could stop the others they stepped into the open before the creature. It screamed in anger and the healer strengthened her mind's touch.

Hercules ran ahead to drop behind a rock as the dragon took two steps toward him. Opening its mouth wide it flexed its neck twice. Flames shot forth to scorch the rock where the demigod was hidden. Iolaus took the opportunity to work his way around the left side of the beast.

Rastist moved to the right, but the dragon saw him and started to turn his way, its mouth open. Sira screamed a warning even as she strengthened her mind's touch once more. The dark man dove behind a mound of dirt. The two neck flexes, and flames shot from the creature's mouth.

Iolaus inched his way forward. He wanted the chance to cripple the wings to keep the dragon on the ground. If the creature were to make it into the air they wouldn't stand a chance of stopping it. A little further, his mind screamed with tension. He was close enough now to smell the thing. A little further.

The hunter slashed with his sword. He heard a cracking sound as greenish blood spattered him. The beast screamed and his tail slashed at the hunter. Blinded by the beast's blood he didn't see the reptilian appendage and was thrown back to land among the rocks.

Sira lunged to her feet to blast the creature with her mind. She lowered yet another barrier to combat the mind that only moments ago showed intelligence but now seemed only filled with rage and the need to kill anything and everything in its path.

Screaming with rage it tried to rise from the ground but its injured wing refused to cooperate. Hercules lunged forward, his sword at the ready. The dragon opened its mouth wide, flexing its neck once, twice. The demigod dove behind a rock just in time. He could smell singed hair from the back of his hand, the last thing to disappear behind the rock.

The dragon came at him but the old sailor rushed in to slash at the beast with his sword. He aimed for the green scaly side of the beast but the tough hide seemed like armor, and the blow did little to hurt the monster. Once again the beast tried to spread its wings, but still the left one refused to work. The hunter's blow had had its desired effect. Unable to rise, the dragon bit at the trader, but he was ready for just such an attack and ducked out of the way.

Sira's heart screamed with relief as she saw the hunter emerge from the rocks where the dragon's blow had thrown him. Staggering slightly he lunged forward to slash at the injured wing once more then jumped back to avoid the lash of the beast's mighty tail.

Rastist moved in once more, but the dragon saw him coming and opened its mouth to shoot flames to its right. Rastist was passed cover. In desperation he ran forward to shelter under the dragon's wing then thrust his sword up and through the thinner skin that attached the wing to the beast's side.

Hercules ran forward. He wanted a clean shot at the thing's throat. With amazing speed the creature's right foot shot out and vicious claws grabbed the half god's right shoulder.

"No!" Sira screamed. Her mind seemed to explode with the powers of the earth. The dragon shook its head, as if trying to dispel the pain the healer unleashed on it. Still holding the son of Zeus it shook him in rage.

Into the healer's mind came her conversation with Iolaus that morning. I have seen birds drop their kill on rocks to break up the bones and tenderize the meat. Iolaus, still at the dragon's left side was unaware of its hold on the demigod. Rastist was waging his own battle to fight off the thing's wing and tail.

Sira stepped forward. Loading the hunter's bow with an arrow she took a deep breath to steady herself. Letting it out slowly she let the arrow fly. It embedded itself in the dragon's throat. The creature turned toward her as she placed another arrow across the bow and took aim.

Rastist shouted at her. "My Lady, get down!" In fear for her he won his way free of the monster.

The second arrow followed the first to embed itself in the soft flesh of the monstrous throat. The dragon tried to hit at the arrows while still holding onto the demigod, and Sira took another arrow from the suede quiver over her back. The creature opened its mouth. Rastist moved toward the healer. One flex of the creature's neck and the healer readied her arrow. The neck flexed again and the healer let the arrow go. As if guided by an invisible hand, the arrow entered the gaping mouth of the beast.

Rastist took a leaping dive at the healer to knock her aside just as flames shot forward. But the blast of fire was only a quick belch of flame as the beast choked on the arrow. The old sailor called out in pain as the flames seared his flesh, and the empath pulled him down beside her.

Laying another arrow across the bow Sira shot it from a crouching position, but the beast turned its head and the arrow bounced off its leathery skull.

Iolaus drove his sword, point first into the scaly hide of the dragon. It screamed in pain, fighting to move around as the golden one jumped back. The creature tried to shoot flames at the menacing human who tortured it but nothing happened. Still the beast held fast to the demigod. He seemed to dangle there lifelessly, and the healer's heart tore with fear for him. As if sensing her fear the big man tried to swing his legs up to grip the creature's leg, but it shook him once more.

Sira stood, and taking aim she let another arrow go. It cut deep into the monster's throat. The dragon clawed at the pain in its throat and the demigod fell away to roll among the jagged rocks that led to the dragon's cave. Seemingly unhurt he jumped to his feet and the old sailor shouted at him as he tossed his sword. The half god turned to pluck it from the air. Swinging around to use the momentum of his body the big man slashed the monster's throat.

Iolaus drove his sword once more into the thing's side. Sira strengthened her mind's touch on the creature as she narrowed her earthly powers into a crippling force then let another arrow go. Hercules slashed once more at the tender flesh of the dragon's throat. He was showered with green blood.

The beast began to fall. The hunter jumped aside, but when the half god tried to do the same he slipped in the green gore at his feet and the creature's foot kicked him aside involuntarily as it thrashed out its life on the rocks.

With a moan of fear for her more than brother of the soul the empath ran to him. She went to her knees on the rocks beside him. So lost was she in fear for Hercules, her mind still entranced, she didn't feel the rocks dig deeply into her flesh. Blindly she reached out for the half god and he gasped as both hands flew to his head.

"My sister, you're hurting me. I'm fine, turn it down a little."

She fought for control over her earthly powers. She'd lowered barrier after barrier to combat the dragon. The beast's mind had been strong. The need to fight its antagonists had lent even more strength to its mind. It had fought them in blind fury, oblivious to anything else. Never before had the empath felt such desperation and determination from the mind of an animal.

"Sira, please."

The demigod sent his mind to the chosen one to try and help her rebuild the barriers needed to ease her painful mind's touch on his.

The hunter took her hands in his to lend his own mind to soothing the woman he loved and slowly she began to relax. With a rush that left the demigod dizzy for a moment she pulled her mind away from his as she strengthened her own efforts to bring her mind under control.

Hercules sat up to take her into his arms. "I'm fine, my sister. It's going to take more than a mere dragon to get me down."

"Your shoulder."

He rubbed at the tattered mess that had been his shirt. "It's fine." He looked passed her to the monster lying among the rocks. "Is that thing dead?"

Rastist joined the others. "It's dead."

The half god breathed a sigh of relief. Holding his hand out to the hunter he allowed his friend to pull him to his feet. "Good." He rubbed again at his shoulder.

"Let me take a look at that." The healer could feel her brother's pain.

"When we get back to camp and I get cleaned up." With an effort he slowly began to put a wall up between him and the healer. He planned to keep his pain hidden safely behind that wall. His injury wasn't serious and he had no desire to tap the strength his sister of the soul was only now recovering. She'd been almost ill when they'd left the port city of Corinth. While she'd recovered a great deal simply by being in touch with the earth mother, he knew she hadn't recovered completely, and the fight with the dragon would set her back. He didn't want to contribute to her fatigue. Besides, they were trying to detach themselves from each other. In a healing they would lose the progress they'd struggled to make thus far.

With a nod of understanding the girl turned away. I hate this! her mind shouted. I hate it. Her need to help the man who held a part of her soul burned painfully inside of her. Resentment at the strong human morality and righteousness that made a barrier between them necessary swept over her, but with it came shame that she would be resentful. These very traits had been part of what had drawn her to him. By his human standards what he was trying to do was the right thing, by yosemin standards it was foolish. It wasn't that one was more right than another, only that they had vastly different beliefs and cultures. She sighed. Perhaps the two races are not as alike as I once believed.

With another sigh she turned to Rastist. His left shoulder and back had already begun to blister. Examining the burn the healer was relieved to find it wasn't as bad as she'd feared. "It is not so bad, my friend. I know it is painful, but the flesh is only blistered, not charred. I can take some of your pain away."

He reached out to run a knuckle over her pale cheek. "It'll be fine, my Lady. I've had sun burns worse than this."

"Thank you for rushing to my rescue. I guess you've earned your title of dragon slayer."

"Not me. I didn't get in one decisive blow. I couldn't get through that tough hide."

The hunter chuckled. "I know. It wasn't until I thrust the sword straight in, point first, that I got through those scales."

"At least you crippled his wing."

Hercules nodded. "That was good thinking, my friend. If that thing had gotten into the air we'd have been sitting ducks."

Sira shivered. "All I could think of was that thing carrying you off and dropping you on the rocks." She shivered again.

The half god put an arm around her. "It's all right now. Let it go." He smiled at her. "I'm sure glad my imagination isn't as good as yours. I hadn't thought of being whisked away through the air."

"I wish I had not thought of it, either." He tightened his arm around her.

Sira had kept her hands on the old sailor but now she removed them. "Does your back feel better now, my friend?"

He flexed his shoulder then turned disbelieving eyes to the empath. "That's amazing. I didn't even know you were doing anything. How are these things possible?"

"Everything is possible in the earth." She gave him a warm smile. "So I guess this makes us even?"

"How so?"

"I saved your family and now you have saved me."

He shook his head. "No, no. You saved me with your warning. One debt is paid, I still owe you another."

He refused to acknowledge her claim of his debt being paid. He knew that if he wanted out of his obligation to her what she'd said gave him that out. Even by his own standard of honor he'd repaid his debt to her. The simple truth was he didn't wish to have his debt paid. Not yet. Not when he was just getting to know her. There was something wonderful and compelling about her that touched him in a way he'd never known existed. That was true of the others as well. It was as if he'd been drawn into their tight bond to find comfort and friendship there, and he just wasn't ready to give that up yet.

Sira sighed in mock exasperation. In truth, she wasn't any more anxious to have him gone from their midst than he was to be gone. It wasn't that she liked the idea of a bodyguard or servant owing her something. She'd liked the man from the moment she'd sensed him from her brother's mind. She couldn't help but feel there was something ahead for him and her.

The old sailor shook his head. "To stand exposed to the beast and call it to you was foolhardy indeed. You must be more careful in the future if you wish for me to protect you."

Iolaus turned white at the trader's words. He took Sira's upper arms in a firm grip. "You did what?"

She didn't answer. Her husband's grip on her arms was almost painful, but she understood where his roughness came from.

"Your wife shot a couple of arrows into the creature's throat to call its attention to her. Then she stood inviting it to burn her. Just as it was about to do so, she shot another arrow straight down its throat."

"Sira!" There was panic in the one word torn from the hunter's throat.

"We had to stop the flames. They gave the dragon too much of an advantage against us. It had already hurt you. It held Hercules in his claws. If it had stomped its foot down on the rocks he would have been crushed. Choking it was the only thing I could think of to keep it occupied and to stop it from shooting fire at us. I had every intention of diving for cover before it could hurt me. Rastist just got there before I could."

"You waited too long," the old one scolded her.

"I had to watch it. I knew when it would shoot out the flames. I had watched it closely. I would have been singed at worst."

Rastist turned back to Iolaus. "Then your lady refused to stay down. She shot even more arrows at the thing."

"But only after I was sure it could not use the flames to fight us."

The golden one took her into his arms. "I told you to be careful. When I gave you the bow it was to hold it for me, not to use it against that." He threw out his hand to indicate the fallen dragon.

"It had a stronger mind than I would have believed. It was so absorbed with fighting us that it was able to resist my mind's touch."

What Sira refused to admit to the other half of her soul or to herself was that she'd been afraid to unleash all her earthly powers to fight the beast. She'd tried to forget her dreams, tried to believe they were just that, dreams, and not the promise of the future, but she'd been unable to convince herself. She was afraid of what might happen if she dropped all the barriers she kept on her mind. She'd feared she'd be unable to control it just as had happened in her dreams.

"You were playing the little warrior again and putting yourself in danger. It's a good thing I was on the far side of the beast and couldn't see what you were about. It might just have been the end of me."

"You knew the thing had Hercules."

"Only from your mind. I couldn't see a thing over there. But your mind shouted your fear, and I sensed your concern that the thing might fly away with Herc." The nature child shivered then began to tremble. The hunter took her into his arms once more. "You're trembling. Are you hurt?"

"No. It is just reaction to using my mind so strongly. I will be fine, but I fear I will have to sleep for a time to renew myself."

"We'll look out for you." He kissed her lightly on the lips.

"It is just that I need to be awake to help all of you with your injuries."

Hercules put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll be fine. Don't worry about us." He looked to the cave. "Why don't you rest here for now? If you fall asleep I can carry you back to camp. Rastist will stay with you. Iolaus and I need to check out the cave."

Rastist frowned. "Why the sudden interest in the cave?"

"I want to make damn sure there aren't any more of those things up there."

"Gods on Olympus! You don't think there are more?"

The half god chuckled. "I hope not, but I plan to make sure."

"I'm coming with you, then. If there are more, you'll need my help."

Sira turned in her husband's arms. "I am coming also."

Hercules started to protest, then seeing the stubborn look on his sister's face he stopped. He knew that look all too well. "All right. Let's make some torches so we can see in there."

Sira gave him a look of triumph and he smiled at her. She'd won without an argument and they both knew it.

Iolaus wrapped moss around thick branches to make two torches. When they were near the entrance to the cave Hercules clashed his gauntlets together to light them. They moved ahead slowly. Rocks littered the floor of the large chamber, and just past the entrance they found a huge jumble of rocks that narrowed the entrance considerably.

"Looks like you were right, Sira. I bet this rock slide had sealed the cave entrance for all those years. I wonder how the dragon finally won free."

The rubble went on for some distance before they came to a larger chamber almost free of stones and rocks. While free of rocks, the floor of the cave was cluttered with jagged edged, greenish-white, concave slabs of some kind. Sira knelt beside one to run her hand over the surface.

"What is it?" the demigod asked

"I believe it is an egg shell."

They exchanged looks then moved on. If there were eggshells here, could there be baby dragons as well?

As they moved on they found even more broken shells. Smaller bits crunched under their feet as they walked.

They rounded a bend in the passage and Rastist gasped. Everyone turned to him to find him pointing ahead.

"Eggs."

Before them were four whole eggs large enough for even the demigod to fit into. Rastist moved forward then raised his sword to slash the first egg.

"Wait." Sira shouted at him. "Do not hurt them." The old sailor looked at her in astonishment.

Hercules took her arm. "What is it, my sister?"

"They are just babies. They are harmless."

"Yeah, now. But they'll grow into monsters just like their mother did."

"But they are intelligent creatures. They could learn a better way. Their mother reacted the way she did to protect her children. It is a mother's instinct. Now I understand why she fought so fiercely when she could have flown away before Iolaus hurt her wing. She was protecting her eggs."

"Still, my sister, you must see how impossible it would be to leave the eggs to hatch. Even if the eggs could survive without their mother, how would the babies make it? You wouldn't want them to hatch only to die after suffering for who knows how long. Can you imagine the volume of food it would take to feed them? No wonder people gave the dragon food. In a way, their sacrifices did exactly what they intended. Not because it was a tribute to the beast, but because it helped feed the thing."

Sira shook her head. "There was real intelligence in the dragon. Do we have the right to snuff that out? Given time, I could have communicated with her. Together we could have found a solution. I tried to stop this whole thing but I was too late. It feared for its children and closed its mind to me and to reason. The real problem is that we just assumed because she was huge and ugly that she had no intelligence. Just because she was different we hated her."

The girl moved forward to place her hands on the cold surface of the first egg. She closed her eyes for a moment then moved on to the next egg.

Rastist whispered to the hunter. "What's she doing?"

"I'm not sure."

Sira moved to the last egg. After a moment she turned back to the others. "It really does not matter. The eggs are not fertile."

Hercules nodded. "That would stand to reason. She was the last of her kind as far as we know. There wasn't any male to fertilize the eggs."

Rastist moved forward. "Well, I don't plan to take any chances."

He raised his sword and slashed down to crack the egg. A foul smelling slime oozed from the crack to fill the cave with a nauseous odor.

"Good gods on Olympus! They're rotten."

The hunter moved passed the eggs, a hand over his mouth and nose. "It's all clear back here. Let's get out of this smell."

It was good to breathe the fresh air outside the cave. The empath knelt beside the dragon to place her hands on the creature's side. The hide was rough and scaly. She gave the yosemin prayer of death. As she spoke the words in her native language tears slipped from the corners of her eyes to stain her cheeks.

The demigod knelt beside her. "It'll be all right, my sister. Let's get back to camp where you can rest."

"We should have tried to communicate with her rather than coming here simply to kill her. What we have done here today makes us no better than she was."

"The danger was just too great. She'd already killed people and burned homes and crops. She would have eaten too much. Remember all the wildlife we saw in the meadow? How long would they have lasted once the dragon was free to leave her eggs and go foraging?"

The hunter came to kneel beside the empath as well. "Herc's right, Sira. I wonder what she ate while she was stuck in the cave all those years?"

"She ate her own eggs," the girl whispered. "She had to if she hoped to survive. That is another reason she fought so hard to save her eggs now. They were the first to have a chance to survive."

"How can you know all this?" the trader asked.

"I do not know for sure. But I know animal behavior and I know a mother's behavior." She wiped the tears from her face but they were right back. "We should have tried first."

The demigod rose to pull her into his arms. "You're right," he whispered. "Forgive us. We sometimes forget you're a healer and how deeply these things touch you. For your sake if for no other reason we should have tried the peaceful approach first."

"Let's get back to camp." The hunter squeezed her shoulder. "You need to sleep."

"I cannot. Not until I have done what I can for all of you."

"We're fine, my soul. Sleep for a bit, then if we should need you you'll be a bit stronger."

They had a long walk back to their camp on the far side of the village. He hadn't said anything about his own injuries because he didn't want to worry Sira, but his side was painful and stiff. He was almost sure he had a couple of broken ribs. Hercules was favoring his shoulder. The pain and fatigue, written on his face deepened the fine lines left from exposure to the sun and habitual puckering of his brow. Rastist was also in pain and perhaps more tired than the rest of them because of his age. If Sira were to succumb to her fatigue he doubted their ability to carry her far.

They hadn't gone far down the path they'd taken to reach the cave when the healer began to stumble. The hunter put an arm around her to steady her and they walked on. They made it to the main road but the girl leaned even more heavily on the golden one. Pulling her to a stop he lifted her into his arms. He gasped with the pain this brought him but the girl was too far gone to realize and he clamped a tight hold over his mind and the pain before she could get a sense of either.

"Okay, my love?"

"I am sorry I cannot stay awake to make it back to camp."

"It's all right. I knew this was coming. Don't fight it, just sleep. I'll take good care of you and the others."

"When I saw you disappear among those rocks..."

"Shhh, it's all over now. Sleep, my soul."

Before they'd gone much further the demigod began to stumble. Rastist was bathed in perspiration as he dragged his feet over the sandy roadbed. Remembering a place they'd passed in coming to the cave that morning the hunter made a quick decision. With the hunter's eye for a good camping place he'd made a note of the grassy meadowland surrounded by trees and cut with a small brook. Among tall birch trees was shelter of sorts, with wood and water nearby. He'd leave the others there and go on for their stuff. He wasn't sure how much longer he could carry the empath. His side throbbed with the steady pounding of his heartbeat. His legs and arms felt like rubber.

He laid the healer gently on the grass and she rolled to her side to touch the grass with her hands. She whispered the earth's prayer, and as she did the grass bent to caress her, curling itself around her fingers in welcome.

He smoothed the hair from her face. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he assured her, but he doubted she heard him. She was already asleep.

Hercules simply drooped to the grass near her, a moan on his lips. The golden one checked on him then gave him a drink from his flask. Rastist slumped to a rock in the shade of an ancient tree.

The golden one took time to make a fire and to gather wood. Leaving his flask filled with fresh water, along with the other's flasks also filled at the brook he knelt once more beside the demigod.

"I'll let the village know it's safe now, then I'll fetch our things. You going to be all right here?"

"I'll get up in a minute to keep the fire going. We'll be safe until you get back."

"I've left you plenty of wood and fresh water."

"Go already, would ya? We'll be fine."

With a last look at the empath the hunter left them to join the road once more. Fatigue rode him like a heavy pack. His side ached. He was almost to the village without even realizing it. He'd been so lost in his misery that he hadn't paid attention to his surroundings.

Hercules sat up, his mouth clamped tightly shut against the pain movement brought him. He needed to wash the dragon's blood off, but doubted his ability to accomplish it in his present state. Still, he knew he needed to rid himself of the foul smelling, greenish crust he was covered in. He felt sick at his stomach and the smell only seemed to make it worse.

With an effort he rose to stand swaying on his feet. "I'm going to wash up," he told the trader. "Keep an eye on Sira."

"You know I will."

The old one moved to a log near the fire. Taking up a few smaller pieces of wood he added them to the blaze.

The half god went to the brook, walking its bank for a moment until he found a deeper pool. Stripping his things off he took his shirt and pants to the pool with him, leaving his undershirt and pants on the grassy bank.

He waded into the water then lowered himself into the pool. By sitting on the sandy bottom the water came to his neck. The cold water felt good on his shoulder. When the cold had taken some of the pain away he began the laborious job of scraping the dried dragon's blood off of him. He took his time, his movements labored and deliberate. Every movement hurt, and he was just too tired to move quickly anyway. When his body, pants, and shirt were clean he put his head under water and began to rinse the blood from his hair. What he really needed was hot water and soap, but he didn't have those things yet, so this would have to do. If he could at least get the smell off of him he knew he'd be more comfortable.

He favored his right arm and shoulder, and found he couldn't raise it to wash his hair. It wasn't easy doing it with only his left hand, but he managed. Before he was done he was shivering with the cold.

Satisfied he'd done all he could for the time being he left the pool to spread his clothing over bushes to dry. Taking up his underthings he put them on over his damp body then trudged slowly back to the fire. He shook with the cold now and Rastist eyed him with concern.

"You all right, my friend?"

"I guess the water was colder than I thought." His voice shook with his body's reaction to the cold. His teeth were chattering now.

He rose from the fire to check on Sira. Afraid she might be as cold as he was he lifted her gently into his arms and moved her closer to the fire. He cringed at the pain this brought him, but he pushed it aside to lay her on the grass near the fire. A longing to be near her overtook him and he lay down beside her.

With a sixth sense born of her love for him she opened her eyes to watch him. "Come closer. I can help to warm you."

"I didn't mean to disturb you."

"You have not."

She held her arms out to him and he moved closer to her. She rolled up to him, curling herself around his back, her arm over his right side. Almost at once she slept.

It felt good to be here with her like this. He felt warmth enfold him, and he closed his eyes to pull it to him and he also slept.

Rastist put more wood on the fire, then making himself more comfortable on the grass he tried to rest his back against a log for support. It hurt too badly to rest his blistered left side against the rough wood, but he adjusted his position so that his uninjured right side supported him. With a deep sigh he closed his own eyes. He knew he wouldn't sleep for long. His need to do what he could to help and protect the two special people sleeping beside him was too strong.

Iolaus went first to the magistrate's house. He knew he looked a sight and that he smelled from the dragon's blood, but he had too much to do before his strength gave out. A bath would have to wait. Morlina was still in the garden. She was dressed now in a dark gray dress trimmed with lavender. Her hair was again put into a bun that seemed ready to give way at any moment.

She looked up at his approach then gasped at the way he looked. "Are you all right? Where are the others?"

"I'll be fine after about a week's worth of sleep. The others are resting back up the road."

"And the dragon?"

"She'll no longer be a problem for Melfast."

The girl sighed. "It's dead, then?"

"Yes. Will you let your father know? I need to get our things and get back. Both Hercules and Rastist are hurt, although I don't think it's too bad."

"You're hurt also, aren't you?"

"Just a couple of broken ribs. Will you tell your father?"

"Of course." He started to turn away. "Thank you, Iolaus."

He turned back to nod at her. "I like your hair better down."

Her hand flew up to touch her hair. She smiled at him as he turned to leave her to her garden.

When he reached their camp he gathered their things quickly. Then eyeing the brook he gave a sigh and dug what he'd need from his pack. Going to the brook he bathed quickly, then bundling his soiled things in an extra blanket he'd used to dry with he took up their things. It made a heavy load, but he shouldered some of it, not without pain, then carrying the rest he headed back toward the village. He didn't like being away from the others. Especially Sira. He knew she slept the healing sleep that could last for several hours to several days. The problem was, she slept so soundly at this time. He wanted to be there to protect her.

He shook his head. Imagine her fighting with the bow. A frown crossed his face. It's a wonder she didn't get herself killed. A chill passed over him. There have been too many close calls lately. I can't wait to get back to the cabin for a bit. Even if we have to haul in supplies, it'll be worth it to spend some time hidden away from danger and adversity.

He started back through the village and Morlina met him in front of her cottage. She had some blankets and a small basket over one arm a pot with a lid held in her free hand.

"I thought you could use some extra blankets and I've got a stew for you."

"Thanks, Morlina." He noticed her hair was down now. He began to shift his load to take the things she offered.

"It's okay. I'll bring them. In fact, why don't you let me help you carry some of your gear?"

"You don't mind?"

"No, I want to help."

He handed her a pack and she fell into step beside him. He jerked his head to indicate the pot she carried. "That's your dinner, isn't it? I know you didn't have time to fix that for us."

"That's all right. I left fruit, cheese, bread, and cold mutton out for my father. He can make do with that. He went to tell the other villagers that the dragon was gone so I just left him a note."

The hunter was relieved to find the others still safe. Kneeling beside Sira he let his mind feel for hers. She slept soundly beside the demigod. He left the two of them to sleep. It would do them both good.

Morlina helped Rastist to clean up then put a bandage over his burn. "It must be very painful. You should try and keep it as clean as you can so it won't get infected." The girl kept shooting glances over to where the demigod and the healer slept so closely entwined.

"Don't try to analyze it," the sailor told her. "He is a demigod and she is yosemin. Her people are not like ours, and neither is Hercules."

"But Iolaus is human."

"He was born human, but I think he's more yosemin now, and a very special one, I think."

She nodded. "He loves her very much, doesn't he?" There was a wistful longing in her voice.

"Yes, more than possible between two humans, I think."

"I know you'll think this crazy, but I can feel their love for each other."

"No, child, it is not crazy. I feel it, too."

"I think Hercules loves her too."

"I think you're right."

She finished the bandage and sat back on the grass to watch the others. Iolaus had taken a seat beside the healer, his hand resting on her side. "I guess I should be embarrassed or something, but I'm not. It just seems right somehow."

"I know. It's the same with me. We're lucky people, I think. We're in the presence of wondrous and unique people."

"Have you known them long?"

He shook his head. "No, but I owe the girl a great deal. Not too long ago, she saved my family from the power of the gods."

Morlina rose to move the stew from the fire. Spooning up two plates of the savory meat and vegetable dish she added sliced bread from her basket, as well as a large chunk of goat's cheese. One dish she took to the hunter, the other she took to Rastist.

"It's getting late. I should get home before it gets dark."

Rastist rose. "I will walk you home."

"There's no need. Just rest. I'll be fine."

"Never the less, I will escort you back to the village."

He left her at the gate to her garden. "Sleep well, child."

With a wave she let herself into the cottage. Her father jumped to his feet from a chair at the table. "Where have you been? I've been worried sick."

"Didn't you get my note?"

"Yes, but you were gone so long."

"They needed help, Father. I'd say we owe them that. They risked their lives to rid us of that dragon."

"I've had nothing but cold mutton for my evening meal. A man needs a good warm dinner to satisfy him."

"Well, you won't starve on the cold mutton, and they needed the hot food more than we did. It's too late to cook anything now. If you're still hungry eat some bread and cheese." She took her shawl from a hook by the door.

"Where are you going at this hour?"

"To ask the other villagers to lend food to them. They've all been hurt, and the last thing they need right now is to worry about gathering food."

"My dinner wasn't enough?"

"For tonight, maybe. What about tomorrow, and the next day?"

"Just how long are they planning to stick around?"

"Until they're better, at least."

"Wanting payment for their deed, no doubt. You know they didn't have to come out here. They could have refused Rastist."

She wheeled around to pin him with a hard stare. "How dare you act this way! They haven't asked for any payment, and if even if they did we should be glad to give them whatever they want. You're right, they didn't have to come all the way out here to help us. But they did, and we owe them for that. Maybe you'd rather have the dragon back? You pretend to have such a generous heart and to be such a caring person to the people in this village. But you don't fool anyone. You're nothing but a selfish, miserly old skinflint. You don't care that the village or the people here were in danger. You only cared that having a problem you couldn't hide from the people made you look bad. You've gone around spreading lies that it was your idea to fetch Hercules here to help us when it was Rastist's idea all along. Those people risked their lives so you could keep your good name and impress the village, and now that they've succeeded you want them out of here. You should be ashamed of yourself. I know I'm ashamed of you." She jerked open the door to the cottage and stepped out with a purpose, slamming the door behind her in her anger.

Her father jerked the door open. "How dare you speak to me like this!" He stood twitching and fidgeting on the doorstep. "You get yourself right back in this house."

"You should be the one to ask the people of the village to help out Hercules and the others. But since you're too selfish, I'll do it. I've done my best to be the quiet, demure daughter of the exalted magistrate of this gods forsaken pesthole, but no more, Father. I've put my life on hold to please you, but those days are over. From now on, I'll do as I please. If you or the people in this town don't like it, then you can all go to Tartarus."

She moved through her garden then stopped at the gate that led to the main street of the village. The first evening star was out and she said a silent prayer to the star. Then ignoring her father's indignation she let herself out of the gate and headed toward the center of town.

She moved her head from side to side and a smile crossed her face. "That felt good," she spoke into the night.

The cool evening brought color to her cheeks. The pale lavender shawl was becomingly draped over her brown hair and brought out the almost lavender color of her eyes. She had no idea, but at that moment she actually looked beautiful. The hair that hung down her back to well below her shoulder blades softened her sharp features and rather sharp chin. But while she didn't realize how she looked, others did. When she stepped into the tavern others saw the change in the drab little magistrate's daughter. At least one set of male eyes followed her as she crossed the room to stand by the raised plank that did duty as a counter. The same eyes watched her as she spoke out clearly about the debt the village owed Hercules and the others.

"We have our town back and we have Hercules and his friends to thank for it. They have all been hurt in saving this town from destruction. They're going to need food for the next few days until they're better. They've asked for no payment for their help and this shouldn't be considered that. It's just showing them the charity of our good hearts and our gratitude for their willingness to help complete strangers." She turned to include all those now in the tavern. The place was more a place for social gathering than a tavern. True, spirits were served, but so was food. Families often came here in the evenings, the children playing while their mothers talked and their fathers played a game of chips or two.

"I can make sure they get the food since right now I think they need rest more than visitors. I'd really appreciate your help in this."

A man stepped forward. "You've got to realize we're all short of supplies right now. Nothing has come in or gone out since that damned dragon showed up again. Some of us have already started packing our wagons with tradable goods so we can go for supplies. Things are tough right now, and will be until people realize the dragon is gone and the traveling traders return. We'll be gone for a couple of weeks so we won't be of much help to you. But I've got some things they're welcome to. I'll drop off what I can by your place before we leave town."

Morlina stuck her hand out to him. "Thank you. I know things are tight right now, but if we all pitch in it shouldn't be too much of a hardship on any of us."

Others gave offers of help. The magistrate's plain quiet daughter came alive at the generosity of the people of her village. She'd always thought of them as shallow, uncaring people, but now she wondered if she'd done them a disservice by judging them all by her father's shortcomings.

Sigto adjusted his position on his stool. He'd watched Morlina since she entered the tavern. He couldn't remember ever seeing her here before. He remembered her from childhood as a happy, fun loving tomboy he used to climb trees with. Somehow all that had changed when she was eleven and her mother died. She'd taken on the responsibility of caring for her father and their home. She'd stopped going to the little school run by old Morlus. She'd stopped meeting him at the grove of birch trees to climb to the upper most branches and dream of the far away lands they could see from their vantage point in the sky.

He'd also been forced into more responsibility when his father acquired the farm next to his, and more hands were needed to keep both places going. He'd forgotten how he liked the way her eyes lit up when she was excited about something like she was now. He'd forgotten how delicate her hands were.

He liked what she said about the people who'd risked their lives to rid the village of the dragon. She'd pulled the shawl from over her head. It lay now about her shoulders, coming to a v-shape down her front. His eyes followed that v-shape then rose quickly to her face as his face turned slightly pink.

Well pleased with the offer of supplies Morlina thanked everyone then started for the door of the tavern. Sigto rose at her approach.

"Hello, Morlina."

"Sigto. How are you tonight?"

"Well, thank you," he replied, but he was thinking how white and even her teeth were. "I'll be by in the morning to drop off some mutton. Now that there's just me to feed I don't need a lot."

"That's very generous of you."

He opened the door for her. "May I walk you home?"

"Yes, that would be nice."

"It sounds like you'll be getting plenty of supplies for our heroes. Would you like some help tomorrow taking some of the stuff out to them?"

"That would be very nice." She was thinking how pleasant his voice was. "I'd welcome the company."

He opened the gate to her garden. "Shall I meet you here in the morning, then?" She nodded at him. "Well, then, sleep well." He wanted to take her hand, but feared she'd not appreciate the intrusion.

"And you the same, Sigto."

The hunter slept for a time then woke to the cold. The fire had died down. He sat up in his blankets. A quick gasp wrenched from his throat at the pain that shot through his side at the movement. He stirred up the coals then added smaller bits of wood to coax them back to life. Once the fire was burning again he left his blankets to bring more wood closer to his bed. Tomorrow, his first order of business was to gather more wood. He'd just been too tired earlier to manage, but the supply was getting dangerously low now and the spring nights held a definite chill. He checked on Sira and Hercules.

Sira slept soundly, but not so the demigod. He tossed and turned in his sleep. Iolaus put a hand to his forehead. He was flushed with fever. The hunter put another blanket over him then sat beside him for a time, sending what healing he could to his brother of the soul. Sira moved closer to the big man, and after a moment the hunter laid down on the other side of him to add his own body warmth to help make Hercules more comfortable.

He was concerned for his friend. The demigod had fallen asleep before he'd returned with their things and the hunter hadn't gotten a chance to check his friend's shoulder. He wondered now if the injury might be worse than the half god had let on.

It'd be just like him to play down something like this, the hunter mused. Damn, maybe I should have awakened him earlier.

Warmer now, the son of Zeus seemed to fall into a deeper sleep. The hunter lay on his left side easing his right side into a comfortable position. He'd taken a moment to look the side over while he'd bathed at the brook before returning to camp. He'd been shocked by the massive bruising he'd found there. At first he'd thought he might have broken some ribs, but now he didn't think so. He'd had broken ribs before, more times than he cared to remember. And while the bruising hadn't always been as bad as it was this time, the pain had been worse. I guess we should count ourselves lucky, he thought.

Moving once more to make himself more comfortable he heaved a sigh. Another adventure to add to the bard's tales told about the legendary hero, the golden hunter, and the empath. He smiled into the night. Well, if I have my way, our adventures are over for a while. He felt tired and sore. His worry for the healer still burned deeply. She took far too many chances to suit him. A nagging little voice in the back of his mind kept asking how long he thought he could stand hiding out at the hidden cabin in the forest, but he refused to give the voice credence. They all needed a rest. He'd been just as alarmed by Sira's fatigue as Hercules had been. He'd been even more concerned by her disturbing dreams than he'd let on to Sira, or to himself for that matter.

A few months lost in the forest was what they all needed, and he planned to see that they got just that. He hoped he'd be able to convince Thysis and Hercus to join them for a time. He missed his son. He wanted a chance to get to know him better. Sometimes it seemed their time to do so was slipping away. He found it impossible to believe his son was only nine. His maturity was that of a thirteen year old, or more. Try as he might, the hunter couldn't remember his son being a small child. He'd seemed to go from infancy to adolescence overnight, and the hunter found himself missing those years, lost now to the yosemin child's quick jump into maturity. Pride for the boy, almost a man in his maturity, burned deeply inside of him. He thought back to little Prince Jason sleeping in his bed at the palace in Corinth and wished he could recapture that time with his own son. He'd never voiced his own regret that he and Sira hadn't been blessed with other children, and it wasn't something Sira mentioned any longer. Still, he knew how she felt. He'd experienced some guilt on that score, feeling maybe it was his fault they hadn't made other babies. He smiled once more. Well, it wasn't from lack of trying. It was said that often yosemin women were able to conceive more than once with other partners, thus the practice of offering their women up to men of strong mind. It not only insured strong minded children, but also helped to propagate the species.

If she were to be with Hercules, maybe she could conceive another child. He'd be part mine anyway, just as Hercus is partly Hercules'. Would I feel cheated by such a union? He couldn't answer that question, but realized it didn't matter if he could. Sira wasn't ready for that sort of thing and he knew it. He wasn't fooled. He knew how close the two of them were, but he also knew how deeply the empath's feelings ran for him. He chuckled silently. I think I'm more open to that possibility than either one of them.

He sent a prayer to the earth to protect his son then a prayer for the two people he slept beside. A slight smile on his face, he drifted to sleep.

Hercules woke early. He stayed where he was for a moment. He felt stiff and sore. A dull ache rested behind his right eye, and his throat felt swollen and dry. He wasn't really surprised to find the hunter on one side of him, the healer on the other. He vaguely remembered lying down beside the empath. He hadn't known when the hunter joined them, but he did remember being cold in the night. He knew his friend had lent his body's heat to help him through the cold hours before dawn. The big man sighed. Maybe I can go back to sleep for a while and postpone having to get up. But try as he might, he couldn't ignore his body's needs. Moving carefully so he wouldn't disturb the others he rose. He felt lightheaded and stood for a moment to let his head clear. He visited the woods then stopped to take a drink at the brook.

Taking up an arm full of wood he found near the water he returned to camp to build up the fire. His stomach growled. It had been a long time since breakfast yesterday. He took up a pot then returned to the brook to fill it. Once he had water heating for tea he began rummaging around in their things, looking for food. He found the pot of stew from Morlina and placed it on the fire beside the water. The smell of the cooking meat and vegetables made his stomach growl again. He stirred the stew to help it heat evenly then removed the boiling water and added tea leaves to it. He glanced into the stew pot once more, then not caring that it wasn't really hot yet he removed it. Using the same spoon he'd used to stir it he took a seat near the fire and began eating the stew right from the pot.

The hunter joined his friend by the fire. He gave the big guy a mischievous grin. "Good?" he asked, indicating the stew.

"Wonderful. Would you like some?"

Iolaus chuckled. "No, thanks."

"Good," the big man said around a mouthful of stew, "more for me."

"Well, I see your injury hasn't affected your appetite."

The demigod smiled at his friend. "I see you're favoring your right side a bit yourself."

"Yeah. It's just a bruise, but it hurts like Tartarus. So how serious is your shoulder? You were feverish last night."

"Was I?" He shrugged. "It doesn't feel too bad today. A little stiff, is all."

"Well, when you're done eating I'll take a look at it." The half god only nodded as he spooned the last of the stew from the pot.

Iolaus heated water to bathe the two deep puncture wounds in the demigod's shoulder. "These are deep, my friend, but there doesn't seem to be any infection." He cleaned the wounds then put some of the white powder he knew Sira used for wounds on the shoulder before bandaging it. "That should do it. I'll check it again later today and see how it's doing."

"Thanks."

Rastist joined them by the fire to take the mug of tea Iolaus offered him. "How's your burn, oh mighty dragon slayer?"

The old sailor smiled at him. "Better today. Let me get some tea in me and I'll see if I can't find us something to eat."

"I'm going for more wood. It was cold last night. Keep an eye on things, Herc?"

"No problem. I'll help Rastist find some food. You guys didn't leave me enough stew."

Sigto knocked at the door to the magistrate's cottage. He'd brought the mutton he'd promised, as well as a basket of fruit. He'd also brought a handful of wild flowers he'd gathered on his way to the village.

Morlina opened the door to him, a smile on her generous lips. Her hair lay in soft waves over her shoulder. She wore a dark purple dress trimmed in pale yellow. It wasn't the latest fashion, and yet the simple lines suited her almost boyish figure. She'd taken the dress from a trunk in her room then hung it on a line in the night to freshen it. Before dawn she'd retrieved the dress then pressed it to a crisp fresh look. It had been her mother's. She'd altered it to fit her years ago then never worn it. Somehow the bright colors just didn't seem to suit the somber mood that had become such a part of her.

Sigto was a little shocked. He'd come to think of Morlina as drab and doughty. Her most striking feature had always been her eyes, and the deep purple of the dress did wonders for them now. The farmer found himself tongue tied and unsure of himself. He thrust the flowers at her with a self conscious smile.

"Thank you, Sigto. They're lovely." No one had ever given her flowers. She loved them but there'd never been anyone to give them to her. She blushed slightly, and the pink in her cheeks was very becoming. "Come in while I put these in water. I've got a rather large basket of stuff to take to our saviors. Everyone has been so generous. I thought we'd take the perishable things out first then maybe make a second trip for some of the other things."

"I cooked the mutton last night so it should last for a bit. There's quite a lot of it, really, so that should help get them through today."

"Thank you, Sigto. Your help means a lot to me."

"Well, we used to be pretty good together." He blushed at his boldness.

Morlina stopped what she was doing to watch his face. "You're right, we used to be. Your friendship was always very precious to me." She put the flowers in a pottery jug then placed them on the table giving the arrangement a slight adjustment that was completely unnecessary but very feminine

The shy farmer was flushed with her acknowledgement of their childhood bond and a bit embarrassed by the stirring of emotions her simple tasks brought to him. With an effort he forced himself to sound casual. "Is your father coming with us today?"

"No. He's busy with other things." She didn't want to admit that they'd had another fight about her father's refusal to help take food to Hercules and the others. He should have gone with her to thank them, if for no other reason, but he'd refused, using the excuse that he had to help load the wagons leaving that morning to go for supplies. She knew the minute she was gone he'd return home where he'd sit and do nothing, eating continuously, most likely from the supplies she hoped to take to Hercules.

She simply couldn't understand her father's attitude. He seemed to resent the help Hercules and the others had given in eliminating the dragon. He was praised by the villagers for bringing the half god here even though he'd had nothing to do with it. Could it be he had a conscience after all, and felt self conscious about accepting praise for the lie he'd spread himself?

His daughter had very few disillusions about the man who'd raised her. He'd taken the position as magistrate of the village when his own farm failed and no one else wanted the responsibility. His duties included keeping the peace in the village, which wasn't much of a problem most of the time. Still, there were disputes; that was inevitable even in their close knit community. She'd sat in on some of her father's conflict management sessions. She hadn't been impressed with his dictates. She'd learned early on most people weren't either. Few people came to him now for help with a dispute, preferring to handle it on their own.

Somehow her father never seemed to notice this, or the fact that he was seldom invited to social gatherings. Not that this kept him from attending. He always figured that since he was the magistrate of the town it gave him the right to attend if he chose, and decided to figure the lack of invitation was simply because he was always welcome anyway. He was magistrate in title only, and in truth the village was so small now that the services of a magistrate weren't needed. Morlina often wondered why the people of the village continued to provide them with an income. She kept quite an extensive vegetable garden behind the cottage. She also kept chickens as well as a few sheep and goats. Here her father did help. He had, after all, been a farmer at one time. He did seem to like the company of the few animals they kept in pens behind the cottage. When meat was needed, he wasn't above butchering a sheep or a goat. Morlina had taken to accepting animals others didn't want because of deformities or because they were small. The meat they offered was just as good, as was the milk the goats gave. She'd become a shrewd trader, getting the most for the goat's cheese she made or for the vegetables she grew. Still, people gave them a bit of brass now and again, as well as some food. The cottage had been given to them long ago, and Morlina did most of the repairs needed to keep it warm and safe. She seldom accepted help from anyone in the village, preferring to help herself. She kept to herself since most people seemed to think her a bit odd, and she was just as glad to be obscure. It gave her the opportunity to be herself; at least this is what she'd told herself for years. It had been a long time since she'd admitted she was lonely. She feared even now to form that thought in her mind. Somehow she knew that once she acknowledged her years of loneliness and the resentment of those years, the loneliness would come crashing in on her.

Sigto was glad Renous wouldn't be coming with them. He wanted a chance to be alone with Morlina. He gave her a warm smile as he threw a leather pack over his back, then took up the baskets of food she pointed to. She also shouldered a pack, then filled her hands with more parcels.

They walked toward the meadow rather than taking the road. It shortened the distance to the grove of trees where Iolaus had made their new camp. Dew still clung to the grass. The sky was a deep cobalt blue. Birds sang in the trees to sweeten the morning even more.

"It promises to be a beautiful day," Sigto offered.

"Yes. I love the meadowlands. Sayda and I used to come here a lot. She'd bring the children to play in the grass."

"It's a pity Hercules couldn't have stopped the dragon before Sayda was killed. I know you and her were close?"

"Yes. She was the closest thing to a friend I had. She never seemed to mind my father or the fact that everyone here thinks of me as a little off."

"After last night I think many people's opinion of you has changed. You presented yourself quite well."

"And what about you, Sigto? Has your opinion of me changed?"

"Yes, a great deal. Not that I ever thought of you as 'a little off' as you put it."

"Then which of your opinions of me have changed?"

He smiled at her, then looked shyly away with a shrug. He's so cute when he blushes, she thought. It reminds me of when he was a boy.

They arrived at the heroes' camp just in time. Rastist had tried for a time to find game, then returned to camp empty handed. He was preparing to boil some grain to get them by for the time being when Morlina and Sigto came across the grass toward them.

The hunter walked out to great her. "Please tell me those baskets and parcels hold food. Rastist was just about to cook."

The girl laughed. Sigto liked the sound of her laughter. "Yes, we've brought plenty of food and there's more to come. Everyone has been most generous."

"Thanks to you, Morlina." The farmer turned to the hunter. "Morlina came asking all of us to help with food."

Iolaus turned to the magistrate's daughter. "Thanks, Morlina. You've been a great help." He gave her a warm smile. "And may I say, you look quite lovely today."

The girl blushed. Sigto wished he'd said that to her. It was very true, and she deserved to hear it.

"I want you to meet my friend, Sigto. Sigto, this is Iolaus."

The hunter offered a hand to the farmer, then seeing his hands were full he laughed and took some of his parcels instead. "Come on, I'll introduce you to the others. They're all starving so you'll be most welcome."

"How's everyone feeling?"

"A good night's sleep made all the difference."

"Well, just in case, I've brought more bandages."

Rastist stood to take the things Morlina carried. "How are you, Rastist?"

"Much improved by your ministering of last night. You're an angel of mercy and a vision for tired old eyes."

She laughed at him. "And you're full of foolishness."

Sigto stood back a bit shyly. He couldn't believe this was the same woman who was called the village eccentric. He'd never thought of Melfast as out of the main stream, while in fact it was. But seeing the way these men were with Morlina, it made him feel like a country bumpkin. These men had a worldly sophistication about them that he envied. He'd never been outside of Melfast. As a child he and Morlina had dreamed of visiting far away places but he'd forgotten these childhood fantasies as he'd matured and taken on more and more of the responsibilities of his father's farm. He was happy with his quiet life alone at the farm, or at least he'd thought he was. He was just beginning to realize just how lonely he'd been all these years and now he wondered if he might not have missed something in not following his young heart's desire to go out into the world. No wonder Morlina had blossomed almost before his eyes. He realized with a rush that she was far more intelligent than the rest of them hidden away in their sleepy little hamlet. He remembered how sharp she'd been as a child. Old Morlus hadn't found it easy to teach her because she already seemed to know the things his limited education could show her, and because she never seemed to stop long enough to listen to his lengthy lectures given in a monotone voice that put more than one of his students to sleep.

Looking back now he understood how repressed Morlina must have felt. He knew her father wasn't the easiest person to get along with. His own father hadn't thought much of the twitching little man and his self centered existence. It was a given that she hadn't gotten her intelligence from her father. It must have come from her mother. Her mother wasn't a native of Melfast.

Renous had gone to Corinth. He was forever leaving his farm and going places, which might have explained why his farm wasn't productive, even in this fertile little valley. He returned this time with a wife already expecting little Morlina. There were rumors that the child wasn't Renous', but he'd sworn that he'd married the girl's mother months before on another trip to the city but hadn't brought her back with him because he wanted to fix up his farm cottage for her. No one had seen him with supplies to do any repair, but then perhaps he only wished to clean a place for his bride. After all he was a bachelor. How clean could his home have been?

Sigto remembered his mother and some of her friends talking around a table in the tavern about the strangeness of the union between the twitching little farmer and the beautiful woman he'd brought home from Corinth. He'd hated the things they suggested. Morlina was his friend, and after all this had all happened some seven years before. Why did it matter now?

The farmer sighed, his mind lost in his thoughts. Maybe those gossipy women were right. Perhaps the beautiful woman standing beside him now was not the offspring of the nervous little magistrate. Did he care if she were or not? He took a deep breath to calm himself. No. He didn't give a damn about her parentage. They were friends, and had been since they were children.

Hercules offered his hand to the farmer. Sigto took the offered arm in a firm warrior's grasp. "Thanks for your help, Sigto. The generosity of the village is well appreciated."

"You've done us a great service. Melfast may seem like a nothing town, but it's our home. There are good people living here, and thanks to your help we can go on living here."

Morlina dressed the old sailor's burns with fresh bandages then offered to look at the demigod's shoulder. She found no infection, so simply rebandaged the wound.

She kept shooting looks at the sleeping healer. Finally she turned to the hunter. "Is your wife all right, Iolaus?"

"Yes. She wasn't really hurt by the dragon. She's telepathic and empathic. She used her mind to help combat your little beastie. She needs to renew her energies, and sleep is the best way."

Morlina nodded, not in the least disturbed by the hunter's confession. She'd liked the healer from the moment the beauty had taken a seat at her table. She knew from Rastist that Sira was yosemin, and while she didn't know much about the race of forest people she had heard a few things. She'd always chosen to judge people by their deeds, and not rumors.

Iolaus gave her a nod of thanks for her lack of censorship, and an unspoken message passed between them.

She stood with a nod in return. "Well, I guess I should return for the other supplies. There's more food and even some clothing for you."

"Stay here, Morlina," Sigto offered; "I'll get it for you."

Rastist offered to help and the two of them set off for the village.

Morlina insisted on fixing a meal for them. Iolaus finally agreed if she would agree to join them in the meal, which she gladly accepted. She seemed drawn to the four people who'd come into her life such a short time ago. They seemed to accept her with friendship, enjoying her company as much as she enjoyed theirs. No one had ever accepted her like that. Well, almost no one. Sigto had always overlooked her shortcomings when they were children. In fact, while they'd not had much contact in the later years, he'd still remained friendly to her in passing. She was fully aware of the rumors that surrounded her conception. She didn't know the truth of it herself. She knew her mother and Renous had nothing in common. While Renous was selfish and miserly, her mother had been generous and good of heart. While Renous was slovenly and uneducated, her mother had been neat and precise, with a strong education. It was evident even to her daughter that she'd known a far better life than the one she had here with the nervous little farmer, come magistrate. Her mother sometimes told her stories of far away lands filled with rich foods, expensive gowns, and golden jewelry. What the regal young woman had seen in Renous, Morlina couldn't imagine. Had she found herself pregnant and unmarried, and taken the offer of a sanctuary in the tiny little farming village of Melfast? Morlina had often made up stories of the princess falling in love with the knave. In a moment of passion she'd given herself to the handsome stranger only to find him gone the next day, and her with child. The disgrace to her and her family would drive her to desperation. Along came Renous, who seized the opportunity to take advantage of that desperation. Sometimes the stories in her head varied slightly, but the end was always the same. The tragic love story, then the exile.

When Rastist and Sigto returned they shared a meal. Morlina seemed in no hurry to return to the village, and the farmer was content to stay near her. The demigod invited him to a game of chips, which he accepted at once. He played well, but Hercules was better and he won the first game. Undaunted, Sigto set the chips up for a second game, which he won.

Hercules threw up his arms in defeat. "How about you, Morlina? Want to play?"

"I'm afraid I don't know how, but I'd like to learn. I've been watching you play and I think I have the general idea." She took a seat next to Sigto. "I don't guess women are supposed to like something like this, and I'm sure we're not expected to be any good at it."

The demigod chuckled. "I don't know about that. Sira loves playing chips and she's the best player I've seen. Xena's also quite good at it."

The third game Morlina played she won. She felt an exuberance she hadn't felt in a very long time. It was like the thrill she used to get when she reached the top of the old birch tree before Sigto, then sat placidly waiting for him to catch up. Iolaus and Rastist sat in for a couple of the games. The companionship and easy friendship was like a salve to her lonely soul.

When she won Sigto seemed as pleased as she was. "You did it, Morlina. Good job. I'm proud of you."

She looked up to search his face. At that moment, with his face relaxed and wearing a look of pleasure he was really quite handsome. He looked so much like the little boy she'd played with among the stately old birch trees. In his excitement at her quick grasp of the game he took her hand and kissed it. Surprised by his own actions he blushed, and so did she. Still, she didn't try to pull her hand away and he held it lightly in his for a moment. When he did release it she felt almost a bereavement. His touch had been warm and inviting.

They stayed to fix the evening meal, Sigto helping Morlina, then enjoying the meal with them once again. Rastist entertained them with tales from his sea going days. Morlina washed the dishes at the brook then returned to camp. The evening was fading before she rose reluctantly to return to the village. She knew her father would be worried about her, and yet she hated to leave her new friends so soon.

All three men gave her a quick hug of thanks for all she'd done for them. Sigto offered his hand. The men really seemed to regret that he and Morlina had to leave. He was surprised, and yet pleased by their simple friendship.

He walked beside Morlina. "It was a very pleasant day."

"Oh, yes. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed myself like that. I didn't feel I had to pretend to be someone I'm not, and they accepted me without question."

"They really enjoyed your company, and so did I." He stopped walking then reached to take her hand. He felt his stomach churn with butterflies, but he was determined to do this. "If I came calling, would you step out with me?" He blushed, but his eyes never left hers.

She took a deep breath to calm the thrill his words had given her. "I can no longer be the quiet mousy daughter of the town magistrate."

"I don't want that woman. I want the woman who walked out here with me then spent the day enchanting this simple farmer and everyone else."

She laughed, and he liked the sound of her laughter. "Then I will step out with you."

He kissed her hand once more, then still holding it they walked on. "At least now I'll have someone to play chips with."

She laughed again. "I hope you're not afraid to lose to a woman, because I plan to play to win."

"I've never minded losing to one special woman. You always beat me to the top of the old birch tree."

"I could again, you know."

He laughed. "I bet you could, at that."

The earth's chosen one stirred in her sleep. After a moment she turned from her side to her back. She tossed her head first to one side, then the other as a slight moan escaped her lips, dry now from sleeping for almost two days. Perspiration beaded on her upper lip. Iolaus, alarmed by her unrest came to sit beside her, and Hercules knelt beside him.

"What is it, Iolaus?"

"I'm not sure." He reached to take her hand, but when he did he cried out and dropped it at once. Searing energy had shot through his hand and up his arm to leave them feeling numb. "What in Tartarus?"

The healer's eyes flew open and she screamed, grabbing wildly at the hunter in her fear. The energy of only a moment ago was gone now, and she clung to the other half of her soul, her cheek resting against his upper arm.

"It was the dream again, wasn't it?"

"I could not control it. They were screaming with the pain I caused."

The demigod reached to take her hand and she gasped. She'd taken his right hand in hers, and as she had she'd gotten a sense of weakness, and something more. "Your arm. It is badly hurt. I am so sorry I slept when I should have been healing you."

"No, Sira. It's fine. It's much better now."

"You must let me help you, my brother."

"There's no need. Really, it's fine. It's healing nicely. Ask Iolaus. He's been doctoring it with some of your powders."

Still lost in the terror of her dream she didn't sense what he was holding back from her. He put a tight hold on his thoughts, burying them deeply before her mind cleared completely. What he wasn't telling her was the fact that he also felt the weakness, and it hadn't been the first time he had. He'd also continued to have fevers during the night then waking with pain and stiffness in his shoulder that never completely left him as the day wore on.

He wasn't really concerned. The wound was healing nicely. Besides, he knew Sira wasn't up to a healing yet. Once again, her healing sleep had been interrupted, leaving her vulnerable and weak. But even more than this was his fear that in a healing, the last barriers he maintained against his feelings for her would be breached, leaving him no alternative but to leave her and the hunter before hurting them both.

There were also his feelings for Dasay to protect. If he let his feelings for Sira take full rein, how could he ever again turn to the Dea? He'd been struggling to build a stronger barrier between himself and Sira so that he could have his chance with the apprentice healer, without being eaten away by guilt at his deep feelings for two such special women. He wasn't ready to jeopardize that to rid himself of a minor inconvenience.

Iolaus convinced Sira to lie back down. She tried, but felt too restless. After a moment she rose. Taking up her pack she excused herself to make her way to the brook. It was dark now, the moon just rising, but the night was welcoming and the healer let its peace seep into her as she walked along the grassy bank of the brook. Finding the same pool where the demigod bathed the dragon's blood from himself and his clothes, she lowered her pack to the grass then pulled her top over her head.

The hunter joined her before she was completely undressed, putting his arms around her from behind to cup her breasts. She turned in his arms to offer her lips to him and he gladly took the invitation. He felt warm and comforting, and much of the empath's disquiet slipped away as her mind and soul joined his.

Leaving him on the bank long enough to bathe he spread a blanket there for them to share when she was done. The moon, almost full, had slipped higher into the sky to reflect off the water of the brook and turn it to liquid silver. The child of the forest's hair shown like spun silk, and her skin glowed as she scooped the icy water over her in a cascade of silver-white fire.

Watching her, the hunter was entranced by her ethereal beauty. Still lost in the trance he wrapped a blanket around her when she left the water, holding her to him in a protective circling of his arms.

"You're beautiful," he whispered into her damp hair. "The night and your beauty has cast a spell over me. I'm your willing slave."

She melted deeper into his offering of love as her mind's touch strengthened on his. Helping her to comb her hair took some time since he couldn't seem to keep his hands from her neck and shoulders. She sat before him, naked in the moonlight, not aware that the night had turned colder. He kissed her hair, then her ear, and she reached to take his hand and place it on her breast.

He drew a quick breath. "I'll never get your hair done if you keep that up."

His words were airy and breathless as he returned to the task that was keeping him from what he really wanted to be doing with her. He pictured her laying beside him, their arms and legs entwined, their lips touching as their minds and souls joined as one.

"There, I've finished." Before he could move she leaned back into him, and again his hands caressed her.

Rising slightly he slipped his pants down over his hips. He'd long ago removed his boots and vest. The healer rose slightly to lower herself over his lap. She moaned with the pleasure of being so close to him, such a part of him physically and mentally. His hands caressed her breasts, then moved lower to her abdomen and still lower. She began to tremble as his hands moved still lower. Her gasp of pleasure let him know she approved of his ministering. He moved his hips slowly as he touched and caressed her and she cried out with release.

The night slipped deeper and deeper toward morning. The moon was now gone to allow the stars their turn at the night sky. A slight breeze stirred the uppermost branches of the birch trees and they swayed in a saintly rhythm as if blessing the earth beneath their wide spread wings.

It was almost dawn before the lovers slept, their bodies joined as one, a blanket over them to keep them warm in their natural, primitive state. The healer woke first, feeling much better than she had. Her stomach growled with hunger, but she wasn't ready to leave her lover yet. It wasn't fully light and she trusted her brother of the soul to see no one disturbed them until their return. She sat up carefully so she wouldn't disturb the hunter. His back was to her and she wanted to see his face. She gasped as she saw the massive bruising on his side. With hands that shook slightly she placed them over the bruise to send healing to him. He rolled over to watch her face and she opened her eyes to search his, her eyes filled with compassion.

He reached out to caress her cheek. "It's not so bad. It's just a bruise."

"Why did you not tell me?"

"Because I love you. You needed your rest, and it really isn't all that bad."

"I should have sensed your pain."

"I was so preoccupied with other things I don't remember being in pain. I told you you'd enchanted me."

He sat up to kiss her neck, then lower. His lips felt cool and moist against her heated flesh. Her mind sent healing to his injury as he teased and caressed her body with his hands and her mind with his. She straddled him, pushing him down on the grass to take charge of their lovemaking and he gave her a mischievous smile. He watched her eyes dilate as she lowered herself to him and his breath caught on a gasp of pleasure.

Still, she healed him as they made love. Just as their love for each other exploded in a release of pleasure, she transferred his injury to herself. Not just a part of it, but all of the pain and bruising. He felt a pulling, draining feeling in his side as the healer gasped.

"No, Sira. You've had enough for now. I can heal on my own." But it was too late, and he knew it. "Transfer some of it back to me at least." She shook her head as she moved gingerly off of him to lie once more on the blanket. "Damn it, Sira. Why'd you do this?"

She reached out to caress his cheek. "Because I love you."

"But you're weak now. We'll have to have the time of physical touch then you'll have to sleep again for a time."

"There need be no more physical touch than we are doing now. I have taken this from you and it is mine now. I will not need to sleep except for tonight. Do not worry, my soul. I will heal much faster than you could."

He kissed her side where the dark purple wound marred her pale translucent skin. Tears shown in his eyes and she reached to wipe them away. "Will you make love to me again?"

"I might hurt you, now."

"There are ways."

The look in her eyes fueled his blood, and he found his body responding almost against his will. Her hands reached to touch him and he knew he was lost. She pushed him down then hovered above him, her lips searing his flesh, her tongue driving him mad. When he was sure he couldn't stand it any longer he went to his knees to pull her hips up over him. He was gentle with her, taking his time to bring her to pleasure, mindful of the bruising on her side. He couldn't look at it without feeling sick at his stomach so he kept his eyes on her face. He knew the moment she was close by the look in her eyes and he quickened his movements to join her in pleasure.

Hercules rose early. He woke to a dull ache in his right shoulder and arm that matched the pain in his head. He felt stiff and sore. He'd been feverish during the night, and vaguely remembered visiting the woods once to relieve himself. He built up the fire with small sticks at first then reached for a larger piece of wood. He dropped it as his hand went numb. He rubbed at the hand for a moment then took up the branch once more. He didn't drop it this time but his hand still felt weak. He knew a moment of concern. Should I let Sira heal this thing after all? As if the thought conjured them up from the mists over the meadow the healer and the hunter came into view. He watched them walking toward the camp. Sira was holding herself stiffly, and even limped slightly.

He rose to greet her with concern. "Are you all right, my sister?"

"No, she's not all right," the hunter answered for her. "She took my injury to herself. Now she's all bruised."

"Do not scold me, my soul. I will be fine in a day or two."

Hercules helped her to a seat on a log near the fire. "You look exhausted."

"I am tired. But I will feel better after a nap."

"You must be hungry."

"I am starving. I hope there is plenty of food."

The demigod laughed. "Thanks to Morlina there is." He dug out the cold mutton Sigto had given them and cut off a large chunk that he handed to the healer. "That should hold you over until I can cook us something."

"How is your shoulder?"

"It's great," he lied.

He couldn't ask her to help him now, not when she was already hurt. He was concerned by the fatigue he read on her face. He moved his shoulder to make his point, then wished he hadn't. The girl narrowed her eyes at him. She sensed something there for just a brief moment before it was gone.

Damn, he thought. I'll have to do better than that at keeping this from her. Maybe later, when she's better she can check it out for me, if it's not well by then.

Renous, Morlina, and Sigto arrived at their camp before the demigod could start more for their meal than tea. The magistrate's daughter shooed him away and took over the task of cooking the rabbits the hunter's snares had provided.

Renous only stayed long enough to thank them for their help. He was more nervous than ever. It had taken Morlina most of the night to convince him that he owed that much to the heroes. He thanked them then excused himself quickly to return to the village, using his work as an excuse.

"Are you coming, Morlina?"

"No, Father. I want to stay and look after them for today. I think some of the villagers will be here later to thank them also, and I don't want them overwhelmed."

The magistrate looked annoyed and turned away, mumbling something about a wet nurse. He'd have to fix his own lunch again today, it would seem. Yesterday's lunch and dinner hadn't been very satisfying. He wasn't a cook, and Morlina's good cooking had spoiled him.

The girl was right, and other villagers called to offer their thanks. They didn't stay long, and Sira was just as glad. She was tired and sore and wanted desperately to take a nap. Morlina set out cold mutton, cheese, bread and fruit for their midday meal and Sira was content to let her do it. She didn't feel like helping anyway, and Morlina seemed to need to do things for them.

She watched Sigto and Morlina off and on during the day. She was pleased that they'd found each other. Much of Morlina's loneliness had already faded, and not once did the empath hear a sarcastic remark from her.

The others played chips for a time and Sira did get a small nap, but rather than leaving her feeling refreshed she felt even more sore and tired when she woke up.

Sigto and Morlina stayed to share an evening meal of mutton stew with them then walked home in the late evening. They walked hand in hand across the meadow, but before they'd gone too far the farmer stopped her. He faced his childhood friend in the lengthening shadows then bent to place a light kiss on her lips.

"I feel like we've waited a lifetime to do that."

"We have."

"I don't want to wait any longer. Will you marry me, Morlina?"

"I think I answered that a long time ago."

"You did say you would once. We were at the top of the old tree looking out over the meadowland and beyond Melfast. We were going to explore the world together."

"Yes." Her voice held a wistful note.

"Are you sorry that we'll never get that chance?"

"Maybe a little nostalgic rather than sorry. But we can still make the one part a reality."

"I can't offer you much. I have a good cottage that only needs a woman's hand to make it special. You'll never go hungry, and I always have a few dinars for the extra things. But you'll have to live the life of a farmer's wife. That's what I am, and I'm too stuck in my ways to change now."

"I want a flower garden. I need that to pass the lonely hours while you're in the fields."

"Whatever you want, Morlina."

"We'll have to invite my father over for dinner a couple of times a week. He's a terrible cook."

"He could live with us if you wish."

"No. I want time alone with you, just like when we were kids."

He kissed her again. "I hope to have lots of time alone with you."

She blushed, then kissed him back. "I've always loved you, Sigto. Even during the years when I hid away in the magistrate's cottage because I was so resentful of being forced to become an adult at such a young age. That was when I felt the real sorrow at not going to all the far away places we'd talked about. Then when you were gone so much on your father's farm and only came to town once in awhile, I felt grief. I wanted our childhood to go on forever."

"You seemed so distant at times. I thought you were tired of me."

"No. I turned away because I couldn't stand to be near you and remember all the hours of pleasure we were missing out on."

"I never found another woman who touched me like you did. I think I also grieved for what was lost at such a young age. Sometimes I'd neglect my duties on the farm and come out here to climb our tree. It just wasn't the same without you there."

"I never knew. I also came here at times. I used to sit in the grass under the tree and cry."

He pulled her into his arms and she wept now, not so much because she was sad, but because she was happy. "I want the wedding right away if we can. I've wasted enough time as it is."

"We've wasted time. It wasn't your fault. I don't need anything fancy. I have a white lacy dress that was my mother's. I only need enough time to alter it to fit me."

"You don't want a big affair with all the trimmings?"

"All I want is you."

He kissed her once more, and the kiss was lingering and sweet. "I don't want to return to the village. I wish we could stay here tonight together under the old birch tree."

"Then we shall."

"What will people think of us?"

"I don't care. Let them think what they like."

"No. You're too special to me to want anyone to hurt you with their gossip."

"I've lived with that all my life."

"Well, I may not be able to protect you from all of that, but I can protect you from gossip about your reputation." He took her hand. "Come on. It's still early enough, I can talk to your father tonight."

"You know he'll be annoyed."

"I suspect he will be, but I doubt he'll try to stop us."

"He could refuse to marry us."

"Then we'll ask Hercules to do it. He's half god. Surely he has the right to join us in marriage."

The girl laughed. Then there's no stopping us, is there?"

"No. No one's going to take you from me again."

Sira woke early from a fitful sleep. She rose to make a trip to the woods. Her side throbbed with each step she took. She hurt with each breath of the damp air she breathed. She was surprised she hadn't healed more during the night then realized she'd never fallen into a deep enough sleep to heal.

She found a place of concealment among some brush. Dew had left the brush wet and dripping but she didn't mind the cold drops of moisture. The meadow was covered in a misty fog that called to her and she found herself longing for the meadow near their hidden cabin in the forest.

She knew she needed rest and a chance to recoup her energy. There'd been so much lately to drain her. The search for Jason's crown and the fight with Venin, the death of the boy in the burned out village, the healing of Ares and the fight with Discord, the birth of little Jason, the baby's death at the foundling home. It didn't help that her sleep was so often disturbed by her nightmares.

She left the screen of brush but didn't leave the meadow just yet. She took a seat on the wet grass, and closing her eyes she sent her mind out to her son. It was good to touch in mind with him once more. She also sent her mind to Thysis and the apprentice healer in the yosemin village that had welcomed her son. She took time to send her mind to Iphicles and was reassured that she sensed no worry in him for Reyna or their son. Stilling her mind even more she sent it to her brother of the soul.

The dark god jerked to an upright position. He'd been lounging on the floor on a fur rug, several pillows behind him to brace his back. He wasn't sleeping, only resting for a time. He'd been thinking of Nemesis and Evander. Against his will his mind was drawn to the empath and she was washed in his love. She sent her own in return and he got a sense of her fatigue. She felt his concern and sent reassurance to him that she was fine. For just a moment his guard lowered and she felt his loneliness. The need to help him with it tore at her sensitive heart but he quickly shut these feelings from her.

"I love you, my little warrior."

"I love you also, my brother. Please do not shut me from your pain."

"I must. If I don't, it will overwhelm me."

"I can help you with it."

"Not yet. I can't yet. Just love me and that will have to do."

"I will, my soul. Your love gives me strength also. If you cannot share your pain with me, at least do not hide your love away."

"I'll do my best. I watched you fight that dragon. It was something to see. I almost intervened when you stood there waiting for the beast to shoot fire at you."

"You were there? I did not sense you there."

"That's how I wanted it to be. It isn't the first time I've watched over you."

"I am glad this is so."

"If you need me, you need only call."

"I always need you."

"And I you."

As quickly as he'd opened his mind to her he shut it, leaving her feeling dizzy and bereaved.

"Why must you be so stubborn?"

She doubted he'd heard her thoughts, but sending them out over the space that separated them made her feel better all the same.

Her time with the earth was well spent, and she might have prolonged it if she hadn't felt the mind of the hunter searching for her. She sent her mind to relieve his concerns for her then left the meadow to return to camp.

The golden one searched her face closely and she smiled at him. "I am fine, my love. I just needed time with the earth."

"You still look tired."

"I am, a little."

"Then I insist you rest today. We can stay here for as long as you want. There's no hurry to leave Melfast."

"I feel an urgency. I wish to return to our home, even if only for a short time."

He took her hand in his. "I've been thinking of that myself. I think it might do you some good."

"I know it will. Shall we ask Hercules and Rastist if they will accompany us?"

"Of course. It wouldn't seem the same without Herc, and I don't think Rastist is ready to move on yet."

"You do not mind that he feels compelled to be here?"

"No. I kind of like having him around. Besides, I can't seem to shake this feeling that there's some reason he's here that just hasn't been revealed yet." He shrugged. "Silly, right?"

"No. I feel this also, as if our destiny lies together in some way." She moved up to him to turn her face to him for a kiss. "I feel much better now. If the others agree, could we leave tomorrow?"

"Are you up to it?"

"Yes. I am most definitely up to going home."

Together they started a meal. The healer hummed a tune as she worked and the hunter stopped his task to watch her for a moment. Going home is the right thing for her, he thought. She seems better already. She looked up to smile at him and he smiled back.

Rastist left his blankets to make a trip to the woods, then returned to the fire and the offered mug of tea.

"Thank you, my Lady. I need this. It's damn cold. I thought it was spring. Did I sleep through summer and go right back into winter?"

The healer clad in a skirt that reached her mid calf and a sleeveless, low cut top, her feet bare, laughed at him. "I do not find it cold, mighty dragon slayer. I love the damp foggy air over the meadow."

"That is because you are made of the mists of the night, and suckled by the damp swamp air that blows on the wind. You are the snow on the mountains and the rain that waters our crops. But you are also the sunshine that warms our back and the sweet smell of wild flowers blowing gently in the breeze. You, my Lady, are the earth.

She sat back to smile through tears at him. "Thank you, my friend. Your words warm my heart. Tomorrow, Iolaus and I would like to start a journey that will take us to our home. It is a cabin that he and I built with the help of Hercules. It is, I am afraid, quite isolated in dense forest, and there would be little of diversion to stimulate your active mind, but we would like for you to come with us if you wish to."

"I would like very much to come. I'm afraid you are stuck with me, my Lady."

"I do not consider it a matter of being stuck with you. To be with friends and family renews us and gives our lives meaning. I would enjoy sharing my home with you."

"Thank you for making me feel welcome. I know my presence was unpleasant to you at first."

"No, my friend. Not that. It is simply that I would rather have you with us as a friend and because you want to be, rather than because you felt you owed me a debt. It would break my heart if I sensed that you resented being with us."

"It's gone way beyond the repayment of a debt. I feel drawn to you and to the others as if this is where I need to be. But more than that, I want to be with you."

"I am glad. My life is truly enriched by your addition to our ranks."

Sira was getting concerned for Hercules. The rest of them had eaten and the hunter had gone in search of meat. They would need it to take with them when they left in the morning. Still the half god slept on. As if reading her thoughts he sat up in his blankets. He sat where he was for a moment, letting the pain in his head and shoulder ease a little. He felt dreadful and knew he must look the same. Keeping his back to the healer he rose to take up his pack.

"I think I'll bathe before breakfast. Back in a bit." He tried to make his statement light and jaunty.

"I will have tea ready for your return."

Sira knew he was keeping something from her. His mind wasn't as open to her touch as it had been for such a long time. She remembered when he'd lowered his restriction on their mind's touch so long ago in Acubus. It had felt like falling into a soft moss mattress. Like returning to a place where she belonged and that she'd missed very much. Could he be really ill? Or, and here her heart seemed to stop for a moment, or was he shutting himself off from her because of his guilt over his feelings for her and for Dasay?

She'd agreed to his wish to build barriers to shield some of his feelings for her so that he would feel free to pursue his love for the Dea, but it wasn't supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be done over time. Time she needed to adjust to the necessity of limiting her feelings and her soul's touch on him. Time to release him slowly and painlessly. She clamped a tight hold on the pain that shot through her now. She felt confused and disoriented. She sent her mind to him tentatively, not wanting to intrude on his thoughts, but more to test the barrier he held on his mind. Tears stung her eyes. He'd shut himself off from her. She could sense his mind at least in part but she got no response from him. She could sense a very strong warning to stay out and she backed her mind away. Loneliness, bewilderment, grief, all of these things swept over her to leave her shaking. Could this really be what he wanted?

The son of Zeus cringed at his callous treatment of his sister of the soul. He knew he'd hurt her. He really hadn't meant to. It wasn't always easy to shut out one part of his mind without shutting it all away. He was ill and he knew it. Should I ask her for help? he asked himself over and over. She's so tired. Would it be fair? Is shutting her out fair? But I can't risk letting myself get any more attached to her. She can't ever know the struggle it was to back away from her after we found Iolaus alive in the blue chamber. If my true feelings for her were revealed it would hurt her and Iolaus. How could I stay with them if my brother of the soul knew how deeply my feelings for his wife really run? They're my family. Besides what might come with Dasay, I have no one else who makes living with my pain and grief over Deianeira, Serena, and the children worth bearing. To give that up would be worse than any torture even Ares could think up. I can't just walk away. I have to protect myself from that destruction.

His emotions were raw and bleeding. He needed the empath's gentle mind's touch maybe even more than she needed his. What can I do? I need a healing, but…

Dasay. She's a healer. If I could get to her, maybe I wouldn't need to ask Sira for help. Can I keep Sira at bay for that long? I have to. But I have to try not to hurt her too much in the mean time.

He bathed quickly now, then packing his things and taking up the clothing he'd washed out he returned to camp. He took the offered mug of tea from the healer then set it aside. Pulling her up he took her into his arms.

"What is it, my soul?"

He shook his head. "Please, my more than sister. I just need time and a little space. Be patient with me. I don't mean to hurt you."

"You would tell me if there were something wrong, would you not?"

"I love you, Sira. For now that's all I can say. Just believe that."

"I do."

"Please don't pressure me. I'm not trying to hurt you."

She took a deep breath then let it out slowly. "All right. If that is what you need, you shall have it."

"Thank you."

"Iolaus and I wish to return to the cabin for a time. Will you join us there?"

He shook his head. "Not right away. I want to return to the Zirrith for a time. Then I'll meet you at the cabin."

"All right. You know you will be missed."

"I'll miss you, too. I just need a little time."

"I understand."

But she didn't understand. Her mind felt numb. Why can I not think? What am I missing here? It was like her dream. Behind the fear of the nightmare was something else, something remembered that she couldn't quite touch, something lurking in the shadows that she should remember, but try as she might, could not. Time at her home would help to clear her mind and help it to heal.

"You shall have all the time you need, my more than brother. I will be ready to receive your mind when you have come to peace with what troubles you. I love you, my soul." This last was whispered, and he buried his face in her hair as tears stung his eyes.

"Thank you."

Morlina rose before dawn. Kneeling before her old trunk she dug her mother's white dress from the bottom of the chest. It was still white despite its years hidden away among her mother's things. She stood to hold the dress up to her then twirled around to watch how the silk shimmered in the candlelight. She'd never seen her mother wear the dress. Where could she have worn it here in Melfast? It was finer than anything seen in this village. It had been made for the dance floor or to grace the halls of a palace. She remembered coming home from school one day to find her mother sitting on the floor of her room, the dress held lovingly in her lap and tears staining her cheeks.

"What is it, Mother? Why do you cry over such a beautiful dress?"

"It reminds me of another time and place. My mother made this dress for me. It was made for a very special occasion, but I never got the chance to wear it. Now there never will be a chance." Her mother looked up to smile sadly at her. "Someday the dress will be yours."

"Could I wear it when I marry Sigto?"

Her mother had laughed. Her sad moods never lasted long. "It's beautiful enough to be a wedding dress for a Princess. I think it would be wonderful for your wedding dress. It'll knock Sigto's eyes out, not to mention the rest of the people in this town."

Morlina smoothed her hand down over the hand sewn lace at the collar. "I'm finally going to wear this to marry him, Mother. I'm going to wear your bracelet of pale blue beads and the new white slippers the seamstress has for sale in her shop. Then I'll only need to borrow something to make it all complete.

When Sigto knocked at her door just after she'd finished the dishes from the first meal of the day, she opened it with a rush then stood laughing on the threshold. "I'm glad you're here. She took up her basket. "Come with me." She took his hand to lead him back down the step to the walk.

"Where are we going?"

"To the seamstress."

"I thought you had a dress to wear?"

"I do, but I need some white thread so I can alter it a bit. I need a little more room up top and the waist needs taking in a bit. I need to let the seam out a little also, since I'm taller than my mother was. Besides, I want to buy those white silk slippers the seamstress has for sale. They'll go wonderfully with my dress. She may not sew a dress any better than I can, but if there's one thing she does well, it's slippers."

"You can't buy the slippers."

She turned to him now, a frown on her face. "Why not? I have a little money of my own from my mother. Why can't I buy anything I want with it?" She knew a moment of fear. Was he going to be a dinar pincher like her father?

"You can. It's your money, and even if you didn't have any money and wanted something I'd give you the money. It's just that the slippers aren't for sale any longer."

"How would you know that?"

He smiled at her. "Because I bought them for you this morning."

She threw her arms around his neck. "You did? How did you know I wanted them?"

Several people had stopped to watch the lovers in their embrace. Most of them looked surprised that the town oddball should be hugging the town's most eligible bachelor. Still, others smiled and whispered, "It's about time."

"I didn't know you wanted them, but they were beautiful and I wanted you to have them."

"Thank you, Sigto."

He took her hand to lead her on down the street. "So how was your father today? We were a bit hard on him last night."

"He's fine. He's agreed to marry us and I believe he'll keep his promise. He may not like it, but he'll do it."

"I was a little surprised he objected."

"You shouldn't be. All he could think of was losing his housekeeper and cook. He's never liked to take care of himself. It's not that he can't, only that he's too lazy to do so."

"Aren't you being a bit harsh?"

"I don't think so. He can't help the way he is. He's just always looked out for number one first and foremost. He has an uncanny knack for avoiding any situation that requires him to do anything else." She stopped before the door to the tiny shop in the front room of the seamstress' cottage. "Can we go to the meadow again today? I'd like to share our good news with Hercules and the others."

"Of course we can. Maybe we can convince them to stick around long enough to share the big day with us. Have you thought about where you'd like to have the ceremony?"

"Yes. I was thinking in the meadow, under the old birch tree."

He laughed. "How appropriate. I like the idea. I've already made arrangements to have an informal reception at the tavern. I want a chance to show off my girl."

She leaned into him for a moment. "You really mean that, don't you?"

"Of course. I love you. Why shouldn't everyone love you?" She laughed and the sound still hung in the air as they entered the shop.

They were saddened that the liberators of Melfast couldn't stay to see them exchange their vows. They both understood, however. Their new friends' lives weren't in this tiny little corner of the world. They were far away, where their families awaited their return.

The lovers didn't stay long in the meadow. There were plans to make, and while their friends didn't consider them an intrusion into their packing to make ready to leave Melfast the lovers felt they were.

The travelers chose to head toward the forest of the empath's birth by crossing the meadowland and mountains just as they had in finding the isolated little hamlet of Melfast. It shortened their journey in miles while perhaps lengthening it in time since they must cross the mountains where no trail smoothed the way for them.

It was the empath's idea. She needed the time with her mother and away from people. No matter how hard she tried to shut out the thoughts and senses of others, they were still there. Humans had no defense against her strong telepathic insight into their emotions, and she had no real defense against the intrusion of their thoughts on hers. Humans didn't expect their thoughts to be readable and had never found it necessary to build barriers on their minds. It wasn't that the earth's chosen one resented the thoughts of others, more that it drained her energies to fight against them. She did her best, since to intrude into people's private thoughts went against her principles. She also tried to keep her mind closed to others in defense of her own emotions.

Behind her thoughts and emotions was something she wasn't really aware of consciously. There was something there, something almost tangible, almost felt. She was most aware of it during her disturbing dreams of late or just after, and yet when she tried to put her mind to the nagging little something it scooted away to be lost again among the catacombs of a strong mind. Somehow this almost felt thing seemed to leave her even more susceptible to others' emotions and thoughts while leaving her more often irritated by them.

The others didn't mind indulging her desire to hide away from humanity. They were no more ready to face it than the empath. They left the meadow on the far side of Melfast and headed toward the dusty little street that would take them past the magistrate's cottage and to the open country beyond.

Morlina was in her garden, and hearing their approach she stood to greet them. Sira stopped at the gate to hand her a package wrapped in a bit of soft white suede and tied with a vine of tiny green leaves and pink blossoms.

"These were a gift to me from my sister of the soul when I left Corinth."

The magistrate's daughter lifted one side of the suede covering to reveal a bit of silk beneath.

"I can't take these from you, Sira. They look far too valuable."

"They are far more valuable in the love behind the gift than in a monetary way. If you feel uncomfortable about taking these as a gift, then think of them as borrowed. It will give me a reason to return here to see you, will it not?"

"Something blue, my mother's bracelet, something old, my mother's white dress, something new, my shoes from Sigto, something borrowed, these things from you." Sira looked a little confused. "It's an old custom. A bride must have something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue when she weds or the marriage will have no luck."

Now the yosemin smiled at her. "I like that. It speaks of the old ways of superstition and mysticism. I am glad I could contribute to your traditions."

Morlina opened the gate to her garden, then stepping through she hugged the healer. "Thank you. I'll wear these for the wedding then put them safely away until your return. Each time I see them among my things I'll remember you and the others and how you brought Sigto and I together." She turned to the hunter. "Could I have a word with you?"

The golden one gave her a mischievous smile as he stepped aside with her. She led him to stand beside a healthy green bush just starting to blossom in the sun. "I wanted to thank you, especially."

"Why me?"

"Because you reminded me that I was a woman. I have a terrible crush on you, you know."

He laughed. "I know beauty and quality when I see it, that's all."

"No, it's much more than that. It's sensitivity and compassion, as well. I don't think your wife's the only healer." She leaned forward to place a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, my friend."

He squeezed her hand, then with a wink rejoined the others in the road. Morlina waved to them as they turned once more to the trail.

They didn't stop for a nooning. They'd gotten a late start and they were traveling slowly since Sira was still stiff and sore from the bruising she'd taken in transfer from Iolaus. She was concerned that it hadn't healed as quickly as she'd thought it would. Still, it was better, and she made no complaint about the discomfort as they started across the long narrow valley that would take them to the mountains. They did stop in the early afternoon to eat some dried meat, which they washed down with water from a small stream they would cross several times before they'd made their way across the meadowland. Refreshed, they moved on using a jagged bit of granite on the far mountain as their guide. They made camp that night where they'd stayed on the meadow grass while on their way to Melfast.

Sira left the men to make camp and moved out into the growing shadows to drink in the peace and beauty of the world around them. One might ask why anyone would choose to live here in such isolation at the end of a road so seldom traveled. Not the empath. The beauty of the valley alone was enough to make staying here desirable.

With a sigh of contentment she found a place to sit on the grass and within moments her mind was at rest. With little effort she opened her mind to her son. His thoughts rushed in to touch hers. With the focused strength of his mind it was hard to remember just how young he really was. He'd seemed to leave the life of the child behind almost at once to become the young man his mother so admired. She let her feelings of pride in him sweep over him and he finally confessed his disappointment at being passed over for the wearing of the amulet of senior apprentice.

"It is not because you are not ready, my son, only that you are so young in years. But in your heart you know your mind is strong and focused. You must believe in yourself and the earth, and await her decision in this matter. In the end it is the approval of the earth you must seek, not the approval of her children. You are different, my son. Not better or worse than others, only different. These differences set you apart from others, just as Hercules is set apart because of his differences, and I am set apart because of mine. It is what you choose to do with your uniqueness that matters, not that you are unique. Turn the differences to advantage, and use them to be a better person. There need be no other reward for your efforts than knowing you have done your best with the special gifts given you by the earth."

The child of the forest felt her son's pain ease a little, and behind the now lowered barrier she sensed a concern. She questioned the boy about it, but he seemed unaware of it himself and his mother began to wonder if she'd been mistaken.

When she returned to camp the last meal of the day was well underway. Iolaus had taken a wild turkey during their travel of the day and it roasted now over the coals. The yosemin people had often eaten the wild birds, cut up in large pieces to expedite the cooking of them as this one was now. The humans also ate them while usually preferring to roast them whole in mud or brick ovens.

Sira took a seat near the fire. Hercules and Iolaus exchanged looks. The healer seemed preoccupied with something.

The hunter took a seat beside her to take up her hand. "Everything all right?"

"Yes. I spoke in mind with our son and he sends his love to all of us."

"Then why don't you look happy?"

Rather than answer the question she turned to Hercules. "When you left the yosemin village did Thysis seem all right?"

"Thysis? Yeah. Well, he did seem really tired and maybe somewhat preoccupied with something. Did Hercus say there was something wrong with Thysis?"

"No. No, he did not really indicate that, and yet I seemed to sense something hidden in my son's mind that perhaps he was not even fully aware of himself, and I get a sense of Thysis in that something."

Hercules turned the meat over the fire, his mind lost in thought for a moment. "Thysis just seemed older and slower, somehow. You sensed it as we left Corinth to return to the Zirrith."

"I remember. He is very old even by yosemin standards, and yet I had never really thought of him as old until I watched him walking away with you and Hercus."

"Surely Hercus would know if something were wrong."

"Our father of the soul is very stubborn, and could if he chose, keep a great deal from us with the strength and stubbornness of his mind." The healer stood to pace before the fire for a time. "Has Dasay given any indication that there might be a problem?"

The big man blushed slightly. He was a little surprised that his sister of the soul was aware of his communications with the healer, and then realized he shouldn't be. He'd done nothing to keep the fact that he communicated with her a secret, only shutting his mind to what their communication was about. Now he must be even more careful of this since the Dea knew of the injury to his shoulder and his desire to have her heal it.

"No, Dasay hasn't mentioned any problem with Thysis."

Sira nodded. "Then after dinner I will try and touch in mind with Thysis. I do not hold out much hope of breaking through any barrier he might have deliberately erected to shut us out, but I can at least try."

It was fully dark before the empath once again opened her mind in communication and touched that of her father of the soul. He welcomed her mind on his but he kept his mind's deeper feelings and emotions shut to her. She pushed, but only a little, realizing the futility of prying where her interference wasn't welcome. The very fact that he kept such a close hold on his thoughts worried her. When she returned to camp the hunter took one look at her face and rose to take her into his arms.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"He refused to let me in. Oh, he was very happy to keep the communication light and on the surface, but he would not allow any real depth to my mind's touch."

"I'm sorry, Sira."

"He is hiding something from me, I just know it." The hunter tightened his arms around her. "Can he not understand how that hurts me?" Her words broke on a sob.

The demigod turned sharply away. His sister's words had touched him deeply. Wasn't he doing the same thing to her?

The hunter petted her hair. "He'll come around. As you said, he's just being stubborn. You know how he likes a mystery."

"Perhaps you are right. I did not insist. It would be wrong to pry into something one wishes to keep hidden away."

"Well, rest on it tonight then try again in the morning. Maybe he'll realize how this affects you and come around."

The healer nodded. She didn't really believe that would be the case, but there was very little she could do about the situation now, anyway, and she was tired.

The demigod paced along the riverbank. The night was cold and his fever left him feeling even colder. The pain in his shoulder throbbed with a dull ache that refused to ease enough to let him sleep. The sooner I'm away from Sira and Iolaus, the better, he thought. Then if this damnable thing gets worse I can at least suffer without fighting so hard to hide my feelings. You're such an idiot, he scolded himself. You almost offered to help try and reach Thysis. That would have been like shouting this whole damned thing to the world. What if Thysis is ill or in some kind of trouble? What then? Sira will insist on going to him, and so she should, but what about this shoulder? Can I keep it a secret that much longer?

The Dea touched his mind and he grabbed onto her love like a warm blanket. She sent him healing as best she could while closing her mind to Sira. She'd learned a lot about using her mind over long distances while training in mind with the empath. It helped her now to reach the man she loved, and helped her to send him what healing she could. She'd argued against this whole thing, insisting he be honest with Sira about it and letting her help him. He'd been just as insistent his sister of the soul be kept out of it. He'd tried to explain his feelings to the Dea without revealing too much. He wasn't ready to share the depth of his feelings for the chosen one with anyone, and most of all not with the apprentice healer. Still, she'd sensed something, something that frightened her. She knew he loved the empath and that his soul was tied deeply to her, but she hadn't realized just how deeply he was bound to her in mind and soul. She didn't want to know.

She'd understood from the beginning that she and the half god weren't mates of the soul, and that becoming such was impossible. But she'd also believed their love was a powerful thing that could and would sustain them should neither of them find the perfect missing half to their souls. Now she feared Hercules had already found that perfect soul's mate in the empath and only his strength and integrity stood between him and that love.

So where in all of this did she come in? She'd asked herself that question, and no matter how much she wished the answer could be that her lover would change and somehow take her to his soul as a soul's mate she knew the truth. He loved her deeply and she loved him just as strongly, but his heart and soul were tied forever to another.

Did this really change anything? No. Not for her. She wanted him no matter how he felt about Sira. What she had with him and hoped to have with him was a part of his love for the earth's chosen one, and she realized now that her feelings for him were all tied up with her feelings for her sister of the soul, the hunter, their son, and Thysis. Somehow she'd become part of a family again. She was no longer alone in her mind or in her soul, and the comfort this gave her was a big part of her feelings for the half god son of Zeus.

Regardless of where her feelings for the half god came from, they were genuine, and she was determined to pursue them. Could she turn her back on the village of her birth, on the village of the mountains, on Zirrith? Could she leave it behind if she had to? To be with the demigod she almost believed she could. Could she do it without guilt and remorse? In this she wasn't so sure. Here her thoughts became clouded and dim.

The hunter woke to find the empath gone from their bed. He raised up on his elbow to look for her. The night wasn't quite ready to release its hold over the earth, and the sky, while free of stars, was still dark. The healer was not in camp. He sat up with concern as he sent his mind out to search for her. He no longer thought about doing so. Using his mind had become second nature to him now. Sensing the thoughts of others, especially those closest to him no longer seemed strange. He sensed Sira and relaxed. He could tell she was lost in a trance and guessed she was in the meadow at one with the earth mother. He rose to build up the fire. Filling the pot with water from the water skin he pushed it into the coals to heat for tea.

The demigod turned to his side then moaned in his sleep. The golden one went to him. Even in the dim light his friend looked flushed. He touched his hand to the big man's forehead. The half god jerked awake to grab his friend's hand painfully.

"Hey, Herc, it's just me. I didn't mean to frighten you. Are you okay?" The demigod still held his hand in a painful grip. "You don't look so good. I was checking for fever." He'd barely touched the half god's sweaty forehead before Hercules grabbed his hand, but he'd gotten a sense of heat in that brief touch.

"I'm fine, Iolaus."

"You were tossing and turning, and calling out in your sleep."

"I had a bad dream, is all."

"Okay, buddy, whatever you say. Uhh, can I have my hand back now?"

The demigod released the hunter's hand and forced a smile. "Sorry."

Iolaus rose to return to the fire. He removed the boiling water from the coals and added the tealeaves. "Tea will be ready in a minute. You up to some?"

"I'm sorry, Iolaus. I didn't mean to be harsh. I guess that dream got to me more than I thought."

"Forget it. My hand will heal in a day or two."

The big man came to kneel beside his friend. "I am sorry. Did I really hurt you?"

"No, I was just fooling around. You sure you're all right?"

"Yeah. I just didn't sleep well last night." He looked around him. "Where's Sira?"

"In the meadow. I think she's in mind with Hercus, although I didn't pry on her thoughts enough to confirm that. Still, I did get a sense of our son, as well as a sense of her."

Rastist sat up in his blankets, scratching at the burn on his back and shoulder. The itching and a bit of pink flesh was all that remained to tell of his close call with the dragon. "Doesn't anyone ever sleep in around here?"

Iolaus chuckled. "I think our resident dragon slayer woke up on the wrong side of the bedroll this morning."

The old trader grumbled. "How can you be so damned cheerful in the morning? Is that tea ready yet?"

The hunter rose to deliver a mug of tea to him. "There, maybe that will put you in a better mood."

"I'd be in a better mood if I'd been allowed to sleep more than a few minutes." His words stopped abruptly as Sira stepped from the dawn shadows into the light of the fire.

The hunter was beside her in one long stride and she melted into him. The demigod set aside his tea to stand behind her. He started to reach out to her with his right hand then lowered it to extend his left hand instead.

"What is it, my soul?" There was deep concern in the hunter's words.

"It is Thysis. Once I had touched that part of our son's mind and made him aware of something there he began to dwell on it. It was his mind that awoke me. Thysis has not said so, and has, just as I suspected, kept his mind closed to it, but he is most definitely not himself. It would seem he has made several references to a time soon when he will no longer be with us. Innocent enough in themselves given his age, but when put in context with other things one can see a pattern."

Hercules felt a wave of cold dread seep slowly over him to embed itself deeply throughout his being and raise the goose flesh on his skin. "You believe he's ill?"

"Yes, my brother, I do."

"You think he may be dying?" The words were whispered, but the pain behind them was shouted strongly through her to echo along nerves left sensitive by her own dread of the possibility of her father of the soul's eminent journey to the earth.

"I do not know." She turned in the hunter's arms to put her arms around the half god. He did nothing to stop her, while still keeping a close hold over his own illness. Still, he'd learned enough about the use of the mind and his soul's touch with the forest's child to draw comfort from her now without revealing his own secrets.

She sensed the holding back of something, but for now was too concerned for the old yosemin to wonder at her brother's restraint. "I know you wish to be alone in Zirrith. I sense your need to be separated from us, and I respect that need. But things have changed. I must go to our father. If there is even the remotest chance that I can help him, or even if there is not I have to be with him." She pulled back to study her more than brother of the soul's face. "Please understand."

She noted the deep lines around his eyes that hadn't been there only days ago, not to mention the pallor of his skin. Had these been brought on by the shock of learning of Thysis' illness, or by something else?

"Don't be foolish, Sira. Of course you must be there. I only wished a little time alone with Dasay. It wasn't that I didn't want you and Iolaus with me. We should hurry. Can you tell how ill he really is?"

"No. He is being very stubborn and refuses to admit there is anything wrong."

"You can help him, can't you?"

Tears sprung to the girl's eyes. "I do not know. There are things I cannot heal without exposing myself to danger. I cannot cure old age."

"But you think there's more to this than old age, don't you?"

"Yes, if for no other reason than the fact that he is shielding something from me."

The hunter squeezed her shoulder. "We'll pack up and move out as soon as possible. Are you up to it?"

"Yes." There was determination in the single word.

They ate quickly, then just as quickly packed up their things. They left the meadow to take to the mountains, keeping a steady pace for most of the morning. In the end it was Hercules who called a halt. He felt weak and shaky by the time they found a place to rest. They ate cold turkey and dried nuts to stave away their hunger then moved on to gain as much ground as possible before night once again claimed the day.

Their camp that night was made after dark. The half god slumped to the ground near a slight indentation that provided a good place for a fire and waited for Iolaus and Rastist to bring wood to him to make the fire. Sira watched him through narrowed eyes. She knew there was something going on with him, that he wasn't any more ready to share with her than Thysis was.

She turned away to look to the stars. Pain overcame her to leave her shaky. Why are they all shutting me out? Ares, Thysis, Hercules. Can they not understand that I need them even more than they need me? To be closed off from their inner feelings diminishes me and renders me vulnerable and weak.

She went to her knees beside her more than brother of the soul, then reached to take the bit of wood from a hand that shook with his fatigue. "Go rest, my brother. I will bring you something to eat when it is ready."

"I'm still a little weak from the fight with the dragon. I'll be fine."

"When I have healed Thysis, you and I will talk. For now I will accept your desire to keep me at bay. But beware. Should you become ill I will insist on healing you. I must if I am to find peace."

"I just need a little space, Sira. The barriers we've been able to build between us would be lost if you were to heal me. I'm not ready to risk that."

"These barriers are only needed in your mind, my soul. Between Dasay and myself there is understanding. If we were to share you from this moment on, neither of us would be diminished, but rather fulfilled. There can a mating of the soul between those of the same sex. It is a thing of the soul, not of the mind, and therefore knows no boundary. Do not think that Iolaus would feel slighted by a relationship between you, Dasay and myself, because he is yosemin. He has found his peace with the earth and with my way of life."

"Do you realize what you're saying? Damn it, Sira, you're talking about some kind of foursome between us. Let's all get naked and lay together in perversion. That goes against all that I believe in."

"I am not talking about the four of us laying in a sexual way all at the same time, or of Dasay and I sneaking aside for a moment of debauchery. Or even of you and I secretly making love to each other whenever we can get rid of Iolaus. I am talking about the four of us together in soul. Whether we like it or not, we are bound together by our tie of soul. If someday that tie becomes a physical one it would not be because we are perverted or sinful, only because that is a natural part of any close tie of the soul, a natural part of feeling so strongly about each other. You must understand that we are not truly of blood tie. There is no sin in loving each other, no perversion in being strong of mind and thus finding solace in a physical way."

Now his words were whispered. "I can't keep my hands off of you now."

"I know. It is the same for me."

"But do you fully realize how that fact tears me apart? How being driven by such an animalistic force eats away at my conscience?"

She placed her hand over his. "It is not an animalistic force that draws us together, my soul. It is the earth that joins us, the earth and our tie of soul. How or why the earth chose to give me two mates of the soul at the same time is not for me to know, but that is what has happened. Do not expect me to perceive that as a bad thing."

"I can't do this, Sira. I have my mother to think of, if for no other reason."

"Your mother is far more yosemin than you are at times, my brother. But because it wounds you to put aside your human upbringing I will do my best to follow your wishes. Still, I must also think of myself. Right now I am vulnerable. Do not ask me to stand aside and let you become truly ill."

"Just a little more time, Sira."

She nodded. "Take to your bed, then, and rest while you can. Tomorrow we will go slower for your sake."

"I'll be fine."

"Yes, and someday pigs may fly, but until they do you are to take it as easy as possible." He started to object but she held up her hand to stop him. "Humor me, will you?"

He nodded, too tired to argue further. He rose slowly, refusing to admit to himself or to anyone else how his calf muscles cramped and ached painfully. She rose with him to spread his bedroll on the ground near the fire. He lowered himself to the blankets with a sigh while keeping the moan he really felt silently hidden away.

Sira stayed beside him for a moment, then with a sigh of her own started to rise. He reached for her hand then brought it to his mouth to place a kiss on the knuckles. "I love you, my more than sister."

She wanted to shout at him that if that were true, why did he insist on shutting her out? "I love you also, my more than brother. Now rest."

He released her hand then rolled over with his back to the fire. His face twisted into a grimace of pain and illness that he didn't want her to see. With an effort he clamped a tight hold on his discomfort and closed his eyes.

He was asleep when the hunter and the trader returned with a second load of wood. The golden one shot a surprised look at his friend's sleeping form then turned to the healer.

"He is not feeling well. He says it is because he is still tired from fighting the dragon. He does not wish for me to help him in this but I believe he has been seeking the help of the Dea."

The hunter took her hand. "You okay with that?"

"No. But there is little I can do about it now. Until I can get a real sense of whether he is truly ill or just tired as he claims, I can do nothing. For now I must concentrate on Thysis. If I had to, I could heal them both at the same time. It would take longer to do so, but it can be done with those of strong mind."

"We can lighten the load Herc carries and maybe go a little slower. Think that will help?"

"I know it will. And while I cannot do a true healing, there is much I can do without him even being aware of it. If you and Rastist can manage here I could start while he sleeps."

The golden one kissed her nose. "Go ahead. I can fix some boiled grain for tonight. I've set snares and we can have a good breakfast in the morning. If I can help, let me know."

She raised up and took his lips to linger there for a moment. "Forever, my soul."

"Even unto death," he whispered back.

The empath woke her brother of the soul to eat the boiled grain. He ate in silence, then returned to his bed. Once he was asleep the healer took a seat beside him, and laying her hand gently on his arm she took up the healing where she'd left off while he ate. She still kept her mind on his, sending what healing she could without him being aware of it. But the help she could give him this way was limited. She'd been tempted to let him sleep through the meal, but she knew he might well need the strength the boiled grain and honey could give him. She didn't intrude on the thoughts he kept tightly closed behind a strong mind barrier even in his sleep, but she did touch his mind. There was comfort in being so close to him. She'd missed their closeness more than she wanted to admit.

She stayed beside the big man for most of the night, taking to her bed for a couple of hours of sleep before they must travel again. Iolaus had joined her for a time in healing the demigod, but knowing they would need him even more now that Hercules wasn't himself the forest child insisted he rest while he could.

Sira woke to voices beside the fire and the smell of roasting meat. The hunter and the demigod sat across from each other talking in low voices. The half god looked up to dazzle the blonde forest nymph with a show of clear blue eyes and she knew he was better this morning.

In one fluid movement she rose and came to stand beside him. "You are better, my brother?"

"A good night's sleep did wonders." The empath and the hunter exchanged looks but made no reference to the healing they'd done in the night.

Hercules handed her a mug of tea then poured one for the old sailor just returning from the stream where he'd bathed.

"Thanks, my friend. I need this to warm me up this morning. That water's cold as Hera's heart."

Sira placed a quick kiss on a leathered old cheek. "I am next for a bath. Save me some of that rabbit. I am starving."

Their journey of the morning found them lost in the high mountains. They'd turned slightly west now to shorten their journey to Zirrith. It meant traveling for a longer period of time in the high country, not that Sira minded. To her it was a trip through the Elysian Fields. The tall virgin timber spoke of home, as did the rocky terrain and icy streams.

Not daunted by the chill in the air the forest creature walked beside the hunter, her feet bare, as they trod the pine needle carpeted forest floor. Pale lavender and white flowers graced the path they chose and ferns made deep green shadows around them.

The demigod seemed much improved by his sleep and the healing and he set a good pace for them. As they climbed higher the air thinned, but no one seemed to notice and they moved on not stopping at midday to rest. Hercules wished to get to lower ground before night caught them on the high mountain ridge.

Sira passed out the last of the cheese they'd brought from Melfast, along with the dried nuts she'd carried with her from Corinth, and they walked on, descending now into a mountain meadow of pale green spring grass. They didn't stay in the grassy little valley although its beauty called to the healer. There was still light left to guide them, and they were still too high for the demigod's liking.

The shadows had lengthened before they stopped for the night. They'd found an overhang that offered at least a partial shelter. There was no water near the camp but their flasks and the water skin were full. Hercules would have gone for wood but Sira insisted he rest. He'd not carried a pack that day, also at her insistence. He wouldn't admit it to her or anyone else but he was tired. He'd kept them moving most of the day, refusing to rest even when the empath begged him to conserve his energy.

He feared he might become too ill to make the trip to the yosemin village and the healing he hoped to find with the Dea. He knew his sister of the soul too well to believe she'd be put off for long if he began to show signs of illness again. But also he felt the need to reach the village for Thysis' sake. He loved the elder of the clan he now laid claim to. He called him father, but more than this he thought of him as just that. In the old one he found the fulfillment of his childhood dreams of what a father should be like. He'd never been given the chance to know his own father, and the resentment he felt toward this godly father had colored any encounter with the King of the gods. Thanks mostly to Sira, much of that was now gone and he felt much more comfortable with his sire, but the vision of what a father should be that had built in him during many lonely, sleepless nights he'd spent as a child and as an adult were filled by his chosen father far more than by his rightful father of the flesh.

Again, when the demigod slept the healer sat beside him, sending healing to him. She was tired herself, but once she'd started the healing she forgot about her own needs. It was late when the hunter came to her and urged her to rest. Reluctantly she agreed and took to her bed. The golden one took her into his arms to cradle her against him. She'd grown cold sitting by the half god as she healed him, but was soon warmed by her love for the man who held her so closely.

"Iolaus?"

"Yes."

"If my love for Hercules were to bring us together in a physical way, would you be hurt?"

The hunter took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Maybe a little. It's not always easy to share you."

"You know that it would not change how I feel about you. Would it change how you feel about me?"

"I wouldn't love you less, if that's what you mean. I can't say I wouldn't feel a bit… Well, a bit..."

"Betrayed?"

"No, not so much betrayed because your love for me would still be there. Disappointed might be a better word. Not disappointed in you or him, but in not having that part of you exclusively."

"He worries about something happening between us and thinks that it would be a betrayal to you and to me."

"I know. He has very strong feelings about such things. I think he may fear that should something happen between you and him that he'd no longer be welcome with us."

"But that is not true."

"No, it's just foolishness, but that's how he thinks."

"If we were together physically would it change how you feel about him?"

"No. I wouldn't want you two to sneak behind my back and try to hide such a thing. That, I think, would hurt me. But should there come a time when your love for each other leads to a physical form of expression, then I would want to know." He snuggled closer to her. "There's always that sharing thing, don't forget."

She smiled into the night. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"No matter what happens, you must remember that the part of my soul that I give to you can never be for another. Even should you go to the earth before me, I would never again be able to share that part of me with another. Never."

"Then what would I have to worry about if you and Herc, well, you know."

"Nothing, my soul. Nothing at all."

"I know that the part of your soul you give to him is separate and apart from that which I hold. Believe it or not, that gives me comfort rather than causing me to be jealous or upset. I've learned to accept your feelings for Herc, and for Ares. No matter what happens we're all tied up together in some wondrous and beautiful way and I find that a miracle to rejoice about."

"Now Dasay has joined us in this tie of the soul. Hercules loves her more even than he realizes."

"Hmm. Does that mean there could be some sharing there also?"

She slapped at his arm playfully. "You would like that, would you not?"

"It does give food for thought."

"Be serious."

He chuckled. "I know Herc loves Dasay. One can't help but sense that. I'm glad for both of them, and for you and I. It seems to even things out a bit, don't you think?"

"You are yosemin, my husband."

"I guess that comes from loving a little forest pixie like you."

"Feel like taking a walk?"

"Yes, but you need your sleep."

"We would not have to stay in the forest for long." She reached behind her to caress him and he drew a quick breath. "Please."

He kissed the back of her neck, pulling her hair aside to touch the flesh. He got a whiff of jasmine from her golden locks and knew he was lost. She turned in his arms to offer her lips to him and he took them with hunger.

"Please."

Her whispered plea sent a shiver up and down his spine and he rose to pull her to her feet. She took up a blanket, and hand in hand they left the camp.

Midmorning found them resting for a moment by a small brook. It was their first chance to refill their water flasks and the water skin. They'd descended a steep embankment to reach the brook. It had been a scramble to keep their footing, but to search for an easier way down the side of the mountain would have wasted precious time and no one had even suggested it.

Hercules took a seat on a rock near the brook. His shoulder throbbed with each beat of his heart. He'd again not carried any pack, and yet he felt as if he'd carried a great weight on his back for days.

He'd awakened feeling refreshed and full of energy, but he'd tired long before he should have. He was disappointed. He'd thought he was getting better. It was the trader that suggested they move on. He shouldered the now filled and heavy water skin and the demigod made no objection to letting him carry the extra weight.

Sira watched her brother's face for a moment then sent her mind to him in healing. He seemed not to notice her ministerings, but when she reached to link her arm through his right arm he turned away, pretending not to notice. She kept her tears away only with an effort and they moved on down the mountain.

They stopped at midday to eat the last of the rabbit left from breakfast then continued on. They were in a deep valley, between the high mountains they'd just crossed and a lower range of hills still standing between them and the gradual climb they would make to reach the village of Zirrith.

Nightfall found them camped in a grove of trees on the valley floor, a spring nearby to provide them with water. The hunter had taken a deer just after midday, and it cooked now over the fire.

Hercules pushed himself to keep going long enough to bathe at the spring before stretching out on his blankets. He was soon asleep. Leaving the hunter to cook the venison, the healer joined her brother of the soul, sitting cross-legged beside him, her hand resting on his arm. A glow of light surrounded them both.

Rastist sat watching them with fascination. "How does this energy flow through Sira?"

Iolaus looked up from turning the roasting meat to look where the trader was looking. "Sira says the energy comes from the earth. She draws upon it and the healing light that seems to come from the air around her." He shrugged. "I don't really know where the energy comes from, but the energy she possesses is awesome."

Rastist shook his head. "I can feel the energy in the air. I've seen many things in my travels on the sea, but this, this is truly wondrous."

The half god stirred then opened his eyes. He stared at the healer for a moment. He knew what she was up to. Her eyes opened to search his and he gently removed his arm from under her hands.

"I didn't ask you to heal me, Sira."

"I was sending you strength more than healing you, my brother. I have not intruded on your inner thoughts. Your barriers are still intact."

"I'm fine. You don't need to deplete your own energy to help me."

"It does not deplete my energy to help you. It has done me good to be close to you even though my touch on your mind was limited."

He nodded. "I wish you'd been honest with me."

"As honest as you are being with me?" There was a slight bite to her words.

"I asked you for time and a little space."

"I have not taken that from you, Hercules."

"I don't want your help." He rose to turn from the camp. "I don't need your help."

She watched his retreating back for a moment. "Did you ever stop to think that I might need yours?" He hesitated for a moment, then moved on into the night.

Rastist took a mug of tea to Sira. "Our big friend is very stubborn, isn't he?"

"He is also very foolish."

Iolaus rose. "Is he really ill, Sira?"

"I still do not know for sure. There is a weakness about him, and at times I believe he is in pain." She shrugged.

"I'll go check on him." The hunter followed his friend of childhood and more than friend of adulthood into the night.

Rastist helped Sira to her feet then took the hunter's place beside the cooking meat. "If they stay out there very long we'll get the choicest cuts of meat."

The empath was lost in thought and made no comment. He wondered if she'd even heard him.

Iolaus found Hercules sitting on a rock near the spring. He walked up to his friend and stood beside him for a moment before taking a seat on the ground before him. "It's a beautiful night." Still the half god made no comment. "She was only trying to help you."

The demigod sighed. "Right now what I need the most is to handle this in my own way."

"What are you so afraid of?"

The son of Zeus wanted to scream out his frustration and his fear; his fear that he'd not be able to keep his hands off his friend's wife. Fear that he couldn't get passed his guilt to love Dasay. Fear that he'd lose the hunter as a friend or Sira as his love. Fear that the family he'd come to depend on would be ripped away from him in one lustful moment of passion. But how could he voice this to the man he called brother? They'd only grown closer since the hunter found the empath. His love for this exuberant companion of so many years had even taken on a different feeling more of family than friend. He couldn't seem to separate his human teachings and beliefs from the earth's influence over the body, mind and soul. How many times had Sira accused him of thinking like a human and not a yosemin? But that was what he was. Or was it? After all, he was only half human, not that he laid any claim to his godly half. And regardless of it he'd been raised by his very human mother. His heroes of childhood had been very human. No, that wasn't completely true, either. Jason the Argonaut was a very human hero, but Cheiron was a centaur, not a human. Still, his mother had given him his beliefs, and they battled with his new awakening within the earth. No matter how much he claimed to be part of the yosemin society, the truth was he was still human by blood and by his thinking.

"How did you find a peace with the earth?"

Iolaus was surprised by the question. "I asked for guidance and opened my heart to the earth." He shrugged.

"You've changed a great deal, my friend."

"Yeah, I guess I have."

"Do you ever look back and wonder if you've done the right thing?"

"What? In loving Sira? Good gods, no. In opening my heart to the earth and her way? No. It seemed my whole life had been spent searching for something. Well, I've found that something. I used to be jealous of you for so many reasons but that's gone now. I used to beat myself up about things that I thought I'd done wrong or might have done differently, but somehow that seldom happens now. I'm not saying I'm perfect, only that I can find peace with my failings, and believe me I have just as many as I always did."

"I envy you, Iolaus. I always have. Even as children I admired you and was jealous of you. You've always had this easygoing way about you that touches people. I always wished I could be more like you."

"What? You're the hero. You're the one people relate to."

"Only superficially. When it comes to getting close to someone it was always you who seemed to touch people's hearts."

"I think you're selling yourself short, but then you always have."

"Do you ever wonder what our lives might have been like if Sira had never found you dying in that little glen and been guided by the earth to heal you?"

"Yeah, sometimes. It's hard to believe it's been almost ten years since that day. Not one of us has aged a wit in those ten years. Have you thought about that?"

"Yes, I've given it some thought."

"Sira says it's because of our tie in soul to a yosemin. I guess it gives us a certain longevity, not that yours might not come from Olympus. Still, think about it. Can you imagine us as old men still roaming the countryside, not a tooth in our fool heads, our hair half gone, and what's left white, deaf as a post and not able to see two feet ahead of us, and still we're looking for someone to save from the gods only know what."

The demigod chuckled. "Not a pleasant thought, is it?"

"Not in the least. It's okay for you. You'll probably outlive even the gods, but not me. I say again, my life seemed like one long search for something. I found that something in the arms of the earth and her chosen one."

"Maybe that's my problem. I'm still searching for that something."

"I won't be here forever, my friend."

"I don't know that I really meant that, Iolaus."

"I know. If you and Sira can't wait, then we'll just have to share her. But wait or not, I think we both know what you're searching for. I only wish you could understand that you've already found it." The golden one rose. "You coming? I'm starving, and I can smell that venison cooking clear out here."

The demigod rose also. With a quick movement that surprised even him he took the hunter into a quick hug of friendship. "Thanks, old friend."

"Hey, that's what I'm here for."

They woke to cloudy skies and a damp chill. The smoke from their fire lay along the ground, too thin to pierce the heavy air. A thick mist shrouded the mountains they'd so recently crossed and the ones waiting to welcome them.

Sira had taken a plate of food to both Iolaus and Hercules upon their return to camp after the half god found Sira in a healing he hadn't welcomed. She'd said nothing about his harshness of earlier. He tried to catch her eyes, but she refused to meet his and he sighed in frustration. He hadn't meant to anger her, or maybe he had. If she were angry with him it would be easier to shield himself from her. The problem was, she didn't seem angry as much as hurt, and that hadn't been his intention at all.

They left their camp of the night to start the climb up and over the last mountain before dropping down into the lowlands that offered them a gradual climb into another range of mountains and to the yosemin village. Sira's sharp mind found a game trail they could follow, and while it was a steep climb it gave them an easier path to follow. They were soon lost in the clouds that surrounded them now in a thick chilling fog. The men sought their cloaks, but not the child of the forest. She walked along the damp earth, her feet bare, her skin exposed to the moisture laden air. In the touch of her mother on her flesh she found peace and strength. After a moment, when the trail widened out Hercules dropped back to walk beside her.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yes, very much. Can you not feel the earth calling to you?"

He chuckled. "Yes, I guess I can, at that." He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry I hurt you last night."

"Let us not talk about it."

"You're still angry with me, aren't you?"

"I was never angry with you, my more than brother."

"I really am sorry. I forgot for a time how vulnerable you can be."

"It is the way of the empath. Our strong emotions rule our every movement. Sometimes I wish that were otherwise."

"Well, whether I liked it or not, your healing has helped me and I'm grateful." She walked on in silence. "Aren't you going to forgive me?"

"There is nothing to forgive. You were right. I should have been honest with you."

"You were afraid that if you told me the truth I'd have told you to back off."

"As you would have and as you did. You have closed so much of your mind to me that I can no longer know what is in your mind or your heart. The oneness we shared for so long is all but gone. And I will not lie to you about the fact that it tears me apart to have it like this. I wanted you to find someone special in your life that you could love and share a physical relationship with and I am glad you have found her. I also am close to her which makes it even better, but I never thought that in finding someone else to love you would throw away all that we have been to each other." Her words broke and she rushed ahead to leave him standing alone in the trail watching the way the mist seemed to swallow her up in an embracing welcome to one of its own.

"Sira!" She didn't stop. "Damn."

He looked about him, not really seeing his surroundings any longer. Have I really shut her out so completely? He tested his own perception of her and realized he had. That was why he hadn't known she was healing him. He felt sick at his stomach and staggered with vertigo at the realization of how he must have hurt her in his struggle to put some space between them and to shield his injury from her.

He wanted to go to her, and just days ago he would have. He would have taken her into his arms and made it all right. But now he couldn't. Now there was too much at stake. Not just his feelings for Dasay, but his need of Sira, Iolaus, and the family they brought to him. He just couldn't believe that he would still be welcomed by any of them should he lose the tight hold he kept over his physical desire for Sira. When my shoulder's better I can let down some of these barriers, then I can try and make her understand why I'm doing this. I don't like hurting her, but for now I have no choice.

"Guide me, my mother." He whispered his words to the earth and the need to go after the empath burned even deeper inside of him. Was the earth trying to tell him something? He shook his head then followed the others into the mist.

They made a camp for the night on the far side of the mountain. In the afternoon it had rained for a time, not a hard rain but a steady drizzle that seemed to seep through their clothing and cling to their flesh. The hunter found a shallow cave to protect them from the rain, and seeing the advantage in it they'd stopped even though there was light left to travel further.

Sira started the fire with the first load of wood the men brought her, then had water boiling before they brought in the third load. Meat already roasted over the coals on a spit she'd made over the fire. She'd cooked as much of the venison as she could the night before in hopes of preserving it. The meat she cooked now hadn't been cooked yet, but the day had stayed cool and she was confident the meat was still fresh.

There was little else to serve with the meat. The mountains hadn't known spring long enough to provide the roots she so often added to their supply of provisions. Most of the things they'd brought with them from Melfast were gone. She wasn't really worried, however. They could live on venison alone for a few days, and they'd arrive at Zirrith before it became a real problem.

She mixed cornmeal and flour together with salt and a bit of the meat drippings collected in a pan then fried the batter in flat circles much like pancakes. It was tasty and filling. There was plenty of tea left in the supplies from Melfast. It wasn't Tassis tea, but it still warmed them with its dark rich color and hardy flavor.

Sira made no offer to heal Hercules. He decided that if she did he'd let her heal him as she had the night before, not intruding too deeply and yet bringing the earth's energy to him. But she seemed determined to avoid him and he resigned himself to her anger.

He couldn't know that she wasn't angry with him or that she was healing him even now. She'd chosen to avoid him rather than reveal just how hard his stubborn stance was for her. She'd promised to give him the space he needed to find peace with his feelings for Dasay and herself, and she was determined to give him what he wanted no matter how much it hurt her.

Iolaus watched them both. When he'd seen Hercules drop back to speak with her on the trail he'd hoped they'd come to some kind of understanding. When Sira had joined him once more he could see she'd been crying. He asked her about the tears, but she'd refused to talk about it.

That night the empath was once again drawn into the nightmare that had plagued her since the healing of Ares and the fight with Discord that had returned the god of war's sword to its rightful owner.

She felt the angry power building inside of her but was powerless to stop it. She heard her son cry out with the pain she inflicted on him in her need to hurt the men in the valley where her son was being held. She also felt herself hurting Hercules, but still she was unable to stop the power that seemed to possess her with a will of its own.

Her scream lingered in the confined space of the cave to tease her as the hunter sent his mind to soothe her from her trance. The half god longed to go to her as well, but feared her perceptive mind and stayed in his bed.

"I was hurting Hercus and Hercules. I could not stop myself. The forest was exploding around them and I was making it happen."

"It's over now, my love. You know you'd never willingly harm anyone, let alone Hercus or Hercules."

"But I am not doing it willingly. It is as if I have no control over my emotions."

"That isn't going to happen, Sira. Even if this is some kind of warning of the future, we've had them before and we've always been about to combat it. You've been able to combat it. You've got the three of us to help you, and you and I both know that if you were in trouble and called to Ares he'd help you too. Then there's Hercus himself. He's stronger than you think, and if that isn't enough to convince you there's the earth herself to help you. You're her chosen one. She's not going to turn her back on you."

"If I let my powers turn to anger and hate she will."

"I say again, that's not going to happen."

She cried silently against his arm. She wanted to protest the fact that she might no longer have the demigod with her. She needed him right now and he wasn't here for her. It hurt her that he hadn't come to help her with the frightening trance the dream put her in.

Morning found the empath still awake from her dream. She rose from her bed to build up the fire and start water to heat for tea. Taking up her things she went to the river they'd crossed just before finding the cave. Stripping, she waded into the icy water. With a prayer to her mother she used her earthly gifts to provide them with fish. She felt the hunter's mind on hers and knew he was watching the fire now. Assured she had time, she bathed before returning to camp with the fish.

The golden one grabbed her up in a tight embrace. "Feeling better?"

"Yes, much." She held the fish out for his inspection. "Look what the water mother has given us."

"I can taste them already." He released her to take the string of fish from her. "I'll clean these while you stay here and look beautiful."

She gave him a playful smile. "I guess I can manage that." He chuckled as he headed from camp.

Rastist offered her a mug of tea. "I can't believe you went for a swim in that cold water."

"I shielded myself from the cold. It felt wonderful." She shot a glance at the demigod's bed where he still slept.

"He's all right. I checked on him a little bit ago. He's just sleeping in. How are you after your rough night?"

"Tired, but otherwise well."

He nodded at her, then holding up his mug to indicate that he needed more tea and would fill her mug as well he knelt beside the fire. She gave him a warm smile and held her cup out to him. "What Iolaus said last night is true. I will be here for you, my Lady."

"I know, and believe me knowing this gives me comfort."

"My life is yours for the asking."

"And mine is yours."

The hunter finally woke the half god to eat his portion of the fish. He staggered from camp to find a place in the woods, then stopping by the river he splashed water over his face. His shoulder wasn't hurting for the moment but his head was making up for any lack in pain his shoulder was giving him. He seldom drank spirits, but he had a few times. He never liked the way they made him feel the next day and he felt like that now.

"Damn," he swore to the hills surrounding him. Then afraid he'd worry the others he returned to the fire. He took his plate of fish but had no real appetite. To keep Sira from giving him her stern look of anger and pity he ate most of the fish, dropping the remainder into the fire before she could see how much he hadn't eaten.

They made the lowlands before midday and stopped for a rest under tall trees. The day remained cloudy, but so far there'd been no more rain. They ate cold venison then moved on, stopping only when it was too dark to go on. Sira had kept her mind on her son. So far, Thysis hadn't shown any worsening of the illness the healer was convinced he suffered with.

Seeing how tired the demigod was when they finally made camp she waited until they had eaten then announced her intention of easing their travel.

"What ails Thysis is not something that needs immediate attention or Hercus would know. It is foolish to rush on to reach him only to be too tired to help him when we get there. Tomorrow we will go slower and rest more."

Hercules sat on the ground near the fire, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. "If this is for my benefit, Sira, you needn't bother. I'm doing fine."

"You are tired whether you want to admit it or not, and so am I. My side still hurts me and I have not rested well a great deal of the time. I say again, it will do no good for me to arrive at the yosemin village too tired to help my chosen father."

The big man nodded. "All right, then. I am tired, but I'm still better. I guess going slower will help us both."

"Thank you, my brother."

He smiled at her and she smiled back. She longed to go to him and offer her arms, but wasn't sure he'd welcome the intrusion. He wanted to go to her. The need to feel her close to him was painful, but he hesitated. She did touch his mind lightly, and for the first time in days he welcomed the light touch. Tears filled her eyes and she rose to leave the others watching her retreating back, bewildered looks on their faces.

The demigod knew he should go to her, but feared what doing so might mean. Besides that he felt weak and cold. He knew he was feverish again and had no desire for his sister to know.

She knew anyway. She'd sensed that much in her light mind's touch. "Why will he not let me help him?" she asked of the night.

It was two days later before they reached the yosemin village of Zirrith. Thysis knew they were headed toward the village and was fully aware when they were close. Dasay met him at his hut and he looked up to smile at her.

"It would appear our big friend has kept in touch with you, my dear."

She smiled back at him. "Yes, he has touched my mind often, and I know he is near as we speak."

"Would you ask Hercus to go for Fahr and Tella? They should both be present when I give the right of clan protection to the man who has sworn his loyalty to the empath."

She could have gone for the elders herself, but knew Thysis was thinking of the objection Fahr would make if she approached him on any subject that involved the empath or the demigod. "I will seek the hunting apprentice out with your request, and I will speak to Nemesis myself."

"Thank you, my daughter."

Sira had instructed Rastist on what would be expected of him if he were to be granted permission to enter the village. The elder of the clan of the wolf and the lion, the village elder, and the council elder were in the meadow to meet the travelers. Several villagers had also gathered to greet them. The Dea stood back from the others to watch for a certain tall, bronze hero. Taller than the others of the village, he easily looked over the welcoming party to the dark haired beauty standing so quietly in the background. He longed to rush to her and take her into his arms.

She kept her mind closed to him only with an effort. Fahr was watching her reactions not only with his eyes, but also with his mind. She had no intention of giving him anything in which to reprimand her.

Rastist was flawless in his request for entry into the village under the protection of the clan of the wolf and the lion. Thysis granted the request and Fahr turned away in disgust. How many more humans, he wondered, would be allowed access to his village before this was over?

Hercus waited until the ceremony of clan protection was over and the travelers had been greeted by the elders before stepping forward to hug his mother and father. Next he hugged his uncle of the soul. With his strong mind the boy perceived a weakness in his stronger than life uncle before the half god could close that part of his mind to the boy.

"You are well, my uncle?"

"Yes. Just tired from traveling so quickly to reach the village."

"I appreciate your speed in bringing the empath to us. I have been most concerned for my grandfather of the soul."

"How is he?"

"Very stubborn. I know no more than before."

"How's Dasay?"

"She is well. Lonely, perhaps." The boy gave his uncle a knowing look and the big man tried very unsuccessfully to look innocent. The boy only laughed at him.

Sira hugged Nemesis then held her at arm's length to study her face for a moment. She started to say something when Evander shoved his way between them demanding his share of the hugs. Sira was more than happy to accommodate him. The demigod and the hunter came in for their own share of the little demigod's attention.

The empath walked deliberately and boldly to the Dea. Tears shown in the apprentice's eyes as she hugged the earth's chosen one.

"I have missed you, my sister."

"As I have missed you."

"You will take care of him, my sister?"

The girl pulled away to search the empath's face. "I will care for him."

Sira nodded then went to stand before her father of the soul. He'd managed to avoid her until now. She could feel his effort to put a tight clamp on his deeper senses, erecting a tightly secured gate between his mind and hers. She didn't storm the gate as she had wanted to do. Not yet. This wasn't the time or the place.

She hugged him, and his embrace was warm and welcoming. With a smile he took her hand to turn toward the village. "What is it, my daughter?"

"It is I who should be asking that question."

"I know why you are here, empath. I am very glad to have you here to visit, but beyond that you are wasting your time."

"It is my time to waste, is it not?"

"I sense something that troubles you. I would share that much with you if you wished."

"I am troubled by you."

"There is something more."

The girl sighed. She'd never been able to keep anything from her father of the soul. "I sense something also wrong with Hercules, and I believe it has something to do with an injury he received while fighting a dragon. He has shut that part of his mind to me. Ares has also kept his mind closed to me. And now you are doing the same." She sighed. "I feel so lost."

The old one squeezed the hand he still held. "I am sorry, my daughter. It is not that any of us wish to cause you pain."

"But you do."

"Always direct. I understand what troubles you about this, but behind that worry and concern I sense another. Has something happened that has left you feeling vulnerable?"

The girl stopped walking to face him. "I have not been myself of late. I am having nightmares that concern me, but the thing that makes it all so hard to deal with is the loss of the strong mind's touch from those I care the most about."

Thysis smiled. "Guilt, a nice touch. Prey on our love for you and we will come around."

Sira narrowed her eyes. "I was not trying to make you feel guilty and you know it. I can see through your little ploy, my father. Make me angry and I will not pressure you to be honest with me. You will have to do better than that, I am afraid."

He laughed. "It does me good just to have you here, Sira. You are a worthy opponent in our little games of the mind."

"Perhaps, but it is not a game I enjoy playing."

"Liar. You love pitting your wits against me and you know it."

There were calls of greeting to the empath and her mate of the soul. There were also calls of welcome for the half man, half god warrior of Zirrith. The demigod was pleased that he was included in the people's welcome.

Tella walked beside him as they entered the village. "You have made quite an impression on the village, my large friend."

"It wasn't really like this when last I was here."

"No, but a little subtle pressure on the villagers to remember the old ways of our people has done much to open the minds and the hearts of these good people."

"You put them up to this?"

"No. But I have made it very clear that I accept you as one with the earth, and as an important asset to the clan you have given your alliance to. I feel very strongly about this, as does Thysis. The welcome is genuine. It would have come sooner if the people had not feared how such a response might be perceived."

"By me, or certain people in authority here?"

Tella laughed. "Fahr has been invited to my table tonight, as have the visiting scholars who still reside here in our humble village. He will be expected to help entertain our guests. I suspect he will be kept busy most of the evening." Hercules smiled broadly, but made no comment. "Is our Dea not looking lovely this afternoon?"

Now Hercules laughed. "She is indeed, my friend, she is indeed."

He hadn't known that Tella was aware of his feelings for the Dea, but he was glad that he did. It gave some credence to his feelings for the girl. He wanted to justify their commitment to each other but couldn't think of a way to do so without sounding as if he felt he had to defend his right to love the healing apprentice.

There was a hut now readied for the travelers just beyond the former executioner's hut. It had been Thysis and Tella's idea to make a place for them so that they would feel truly welcomed. The hut was furnished with two bunks in the main room that also did duty as kitchen and living room with a large stone fireplace and stove along one wall. Just behind the fireplace through a door cut in the wall was a small bedroom complete with a larger bed. One corner had been curtained off, and behind the curtain were shelves for clothing. The heat of the fireplace helped to warm the bedroom.

Sira was delighted with the offering of welcome by the people of the village. They'd taken some time to build it from mud bricks and it was snug and secure. Nemesis and Clea had put up curtains over the windows, now open to the outdoors to let the sweet smells of spring into the room. Should it be necessary, stout wooden shutters could be closed to keep the elements out.

Nemesis and Clea had fixed a meal for them, and with Clavus' help they'd set up tables in front of the new hut on which to serve the food.

Sira invited Dasay to share their meal, but she looked frightened at the prospect until Thysis insisted.

"It will do you good to be away from the healer's hall for a little while. You have been hiding there long enough." His words were kind, and behind them was his mind's touch to say what couldn't be said out loud. "Fahr cannot condemn you for joining us since Hercules is only one of many sharing the meal."

In the end Melay was also asked to join them. She hadn't come to the meadow to greet them, but was most happy to be a part of their first meal in the village. She was openly friendly and hugged each of them in turn. Iolaus took it upon himself to charm the elder with his warm friendliness, and she was most happy to have his attention. Before the meal was done, her friend from before she became an elder stopped by to speak with her.

He was younger in years than the healing elder, his hair still showing a bit of black among the gray. His eyes were a clear lavender blue that danced with goodwill and the obvious affection he had for Melay. He wasn't a man of trade and wore no amulet of such which might have made an alliance between the healing mother and himself undesirable, but Melay simply didn't care any longer. She'd waited too long to openly share a friendship with the man she'd loved as an apprentice healer and given up to follow the dictates of those in power over her. He flirted outrageously with the elder and the other women, which only added to his charm. He and Rastist seemed to find a common bond and soon Taxous and the old sailor were lost in conversation. Taxous had chosen to become a farmer rather than train in a trade and had never been sorry he'd chosen to work with the earth. He was intelligent, and had added much to the art of using the soil to provide food for the earth's people still clinging to their tiny corner of the earth mother.

Continued