Author's note: This story takes place shortly after "Hercules and the Amazon Women." Includes guest appearance by Zeus as portrayed by Anthony Quinn.
Hercules trudged slowly up the path to his mother's house. In one hand, he gripped Iolaus' well-used sword, tucked safely in its scabbard. In his pouch, he transported the blond's greenstone amulet. In his heart, he carried overwhelming grief and the dread of having to tell his best friend's fiancée that the man she loved would not be returning...
Just as he entered the yard, the door to his mother's house opened and Ania came rushing out. The joyous look on her pretty face fell when she saw the son of Zeus coming towards her. Alone. "Hercules?" she asked nervously. "Where's Iolaus?"
"He-I-" Unable to produce the words, Hercules held out Iolaus' sword with both hands. His eyes filled with tears as he watched an expression of horror cross Ania's face.
"Nooo!" she screamed. She began to cry wrenching sobs that shook her body. Alcmene quickly took the young woman into her arms and murmured soothing words. Ania was beyond hearing anything but the breaking of her own heart.
Hercules met his mother's eyes. He could see the grief written there and knew his own face was just a reflection of theirs. Iolaus' loss would always weigh heavily on him, for he knew he could have, *should have* insisted his friend stay behind.
Suddenly, Ania pulled away from Alcmene and flung herself at the demigod. Hercules dropped his friend's sword as the petite brunette beat ineffectively against the big man's muscular chest with both her fists. "You said you'd bring him home! You promised to get him back safely! You promised!"
Hercules jerked awake, the sound of Ania's accusations still ringing in his ears. Deep breaths helped slow his racing heart, but did not erase the memory of the dream. Putting a hand on his head, the demigod swallowed as he reminded himself: *It's only a dream! Iolaus is back home, enjoying his second week of being a married man. He's alive. He's safe.*
Swinging his feet off the bed and onto the floor with a soft *thump*, the demigod quickly poured some water from the pitcher on the nightstand into the basin beside it then splashed the cold water onto his face. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, wiped the sweat from the back of his neck. His heart slowed back to its normal rhythm. Satisfied that he had managed to force the dream into nothing more than a mere remembrance in the furthest reaches of his mind, Hercules pushed back the bedcovers as he reached for his leather breeches lying at the foot of the bed.
A short while later, Hercules was eating breakfast in the tavern's common room. He was on his way home from yet another solo adventure. He remembered his words to Iolaus a couple of weeks ago, about how he missed having his best friend with him as he fought beasts and monsters, and realized how much he really did yearn for the blond's companionship. It was, of course, a mute point. Iolaus was now a married man and such adventures would no longer be a regular part of his life.
Hercules looked up from his meal as a skinny young man approached his table. The man was breathing heavily, but still had enough breath to ask, "Are you Hercules?"
"Yes, I'm Hercules." He half-stood, pulling out another chair at his table. "Here, sit."
The man shook his head. "No, I'm fine. I'm just delivering a message." He held out a rolled up piece of parchment.
Hercules took it. The wax seal bore no mark, thus giving no indication from whom the message came. He reached into his pouch. Extracting a dinar, he handed it to the messenger. The young man bowed slightly as he accepted the tip, thanked the son of Zeus, then left as quickly as he'd come.
Hercules broke the seal, unrolled the parchment. A quick glance at the signature told him the note was from his mother. He smiled slightly, but it faded quickly as he read the words therein: *Hercules. Iolaus very sick. Come home quickly. Alcmene.*
"Oh, no," Hercules breathed softly. He quickly tucked the note into his belt pouch, picked up his travel bag and hurried out of the inn, leaving behind a half-eaten breakfast. If his mother sent him a message, then the situation was serious. Iolaus would have been desperately ill for several days before Alcmene, hoping to cure whatever ailed the newlywed hunter, would even have thought to distract him from whatever he was doing by sending a message to him.
At a leisurely pace, the trip from where he'd spent the night would have gotten Hercules home by nightfall. Now, however, the image of Iolaus taken very ill and possibly in his deathbed, drove the demigod to finish the journey in half the time. Only slightly winded, he raced up the path towards Iolaus' home; he skidded to a halt when he saw his mother exit the small cottage with a wooden pail.
"Mother!"
She looked up at his call. "Hercules!" She returned the hasty embrace given her before stepping back to regard her son apprehensively.
"Iolaus?"
"Resting," she answered. Alcmene started towards the back of the house and the small stream that gurgled behind it. "I was just getting more water. He's got a bad fever. Just when we think we've gotten it under control, the fever rages again, dangerously at times. In between, he sleeps restlessly or fights delirium."
Taking the bucket from her hand, Hercules matched her weary pace to the stream. "What happened? When did it start?"
"It started shortly after you left. Ania came to me, saying he'd been ill for a day or so, but it suddenly got worse and she knew she needed help. He'd made some comments about his muscles feeling sore, but blamed that on Ania and their first week together."
Hercules couldn't help the sly smile that etched his face for a moment. "I'll bet he did." He sobered as he knelt to fill the pail with the cold, pure water from the stream. As he rose to his full height, he asked, "Besides the sore muscles and fever, anything else? Any idea what could be causing this?"
"Well, there are these strange marks on his right shoulder, front and back. The wounds are very red and infected. His whole shoulder is on fire all the time, even when the fever resides for a short while. Nothing we've done will clear it up; we've tried compresses and poultices, nothing's helping. They almost look like a bite of some kind, but Ania's pretty sure he wasn't bitten by anything recently."
Hercules stopped in his tracks, ignoring the water that sloshed onto his leather trousers. Alcmene took several steps before realizing her son wasn't beside her. She stopped to look back. "Hercules?"
"A bite?"
"Yes. Do you know what might have caused it?"
A look of horror crossed the tall man's handsome face. "I-I think so." He quickened his pace, swiftly reaching the house. He set the bucket down near the door; again ignoring the water that splashed onto the floor. He made his way across the main room to the bedroom.
There he found Ania gently wiping Iolaus' fevered brow. With the exception of the sheet that covered his lower half, Iolaus lay naked on the bed, his entire body glistening with fever-sweat. His normally unruly blond hair lay flat and limp against the pillow under his head; his eyes were closed as if in slumber, though he tossed and turned, mumbling incoherently. On his friend's right shoulder, he bore several marks arranged in a semi-circle. As his mother had said, the marks were an angry red color and appeared infected.
"Gods, no," he breathed.
Ania whipped around as if stung. "Hercules!" Her eyes were red and puffy from crying; she looked totally worn out.
Hercules approached the bed. Forcing himself to tear his gaze away from his best friend's sorry state of illness, he accepted the hug Ania had for him. He gave her a half-hearted smile as he pulled away, then reached out to touch his friend's right shoulder. It was hot to the touch; he quickly snatched his hand away when Iolaus moaned.
"You know what it is, don't you?" Alcmene queried, having stepped up beside her tall son.
"Yes," Hercules nodded. "Remember that 'thing' I said Hera had sent to get me a few weeks ago, when I came home for Iolaus' wedding?"
"You had a scratch on your arm," she stated.
Hercules swallowed. "It was a hydra and it bit Iolaus on the shoulder."
"A hydra?" Ania repeated anxiously. "They say the bite of a hydra is poisonous!"
"But Iolaus was fine when I saw him! I treated your arm--" Alcmene began, putting a hand on the thin scar that remained from that particular battle.
"I wasn't bitten, the thing got me with its tail stinger. That's not poisonous. Not like the bite," the demigod explained. "I didn't think," he continued, slumping into a chair beside his friend's bed. He stared at Iolaus' pale features as he resumed speaking. "The bite must have penetrated his tunic. I didn't think to ask him about it."
"It's not your fault, Hercules," Ania said as she rinsed a cloth in the fresh basin of water Alcmene had brought into the room with her. She bathed the ailing hunter's face with the cool water. "Iolaus would have just brushed it off. I know. He did on our wedding night when I first noticed the marks."
Alcmene met her son's gaze over Ania's head. She could see the guilt in his blue eyes and knew he was blaming himself. She glanced at the young bride and the bedridden blond who was like another son to her. "Ania, will you be all right for a short while? I'm going to get Hercules something to eat."
"Oh!" Ania jumped up. "I'm sorry! I didn't think to offer--"
Hercules stood; he put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's all right. You've had other things on your mind. Tend to Iolaus. Unless you've totally rearranged things in the short time you've been married to him, I have a pretty good idea where everything is."
"Who had time to rearrange? We were too busy--" she blushed at the course the conversation had taken. "Then he got ill--"
Feeling the need to lighten things up a little, he remarked, "Knowing Iolaus, even if he hadn't gotten sick, you still wouldn't have had the time to rearrange things to your liking."
"Hercules!" Alcmene scolded. She couldn't help up smile slightly when she saw Ania blush even more. "Come along, you!" she pushed her son towards the door. She turned to the brunette, touched her arm lightly. "Call if you need any help."
"I will, thanks."
After a last glance at Iolaus, the older woman retreated to the kitchen. She spooned out some stew that she'd left to warm by the fire, then crossed to the dining area. There she found Hercules standing by the table. He was staring into space, his gaze unfocused. "Hercules?"
Hercules shook his head slightly as if to clear it, then redirected his gaze to his beautiful mother. He dropped into a chair when she silently put the bowl of stew on the table. He picked up the wooden spoon, but didn't eat.
Alcmene had taken a seat next to her strong offspring. She could see the concern written across his handsome face. Loath to bring the subject up, but needing to know nonetheless, she asked, "Is it true what they say about hydra bites?"
Hercules seemed to shake himself mentally. He met her gaze as he answered matter-of-factly: "They are poisonous, Mother, yes."
"I meant the *other* thing."
"Other thing?"
"That there's no cure for the poison, especially when it's progressed this far."
Hercules dropped the spoon into his uneaten stew. "I don't know. They say there isn't, but I don't know too many people who managed to defeat a hydra, much less get bitten by one and live to talk about it."
"So Iolaus is going to die," she stated softly.
"No!" Hercules stood up so suddenly he knocked over the chair on which he'd been sitting. "He can't! I won't let him! Not after I've just gotten him back!"
"Gotten him back?" Alcmene rose to her feet. "What are you talking about?"
"Nothing. It's nothing." He shook his hand in negation. "I'm upset, that's all. I can't let Iolaus die! There has to be something I can do."
Alcmene sighed. "I don't know, Hercules. Like I told you--just as we start to think he's managed to beat this, it suddenly gets worse. We've tried all sorts of herbs and teas, poultices to try and draw out the infection. Nothing's working. I think it's only sheer force of will that's kept him going *this* long."
"He always was stubborn--"
Further conversation was suspended when Ania cried out. Mother and son raced for the bedroom. There, Ania was trying to hold down Iolaus, who was pushing at her with his arms. His eyes were open, but glazed. Hercules quickly moved Ania into his mother's arms, then took her place so he could firmly, but gently, hold his friend down. Iolaus directed his glassy-eyed countenance at his best friend as he reached up and gripped the demigod's tunic with surprising strength
"Herc! Herc!"
"Easy, buddy, easy. I'm right here!"
"Herc! It's a woman! The beasts! They're women!"
So shocked by the statement was Hercules, he nearly let go his grip on his delirious partner's shoulders. *Hercules! It's a woman!* That's what he'd said... just before dying at the hands of the Amazon near Gargarencia.
But that had never happened. Hercules had made sure of that when he'd demanded his father reverse time to change history. To save the Amazon queen he'd grown to love. To prevent Iolaus' untimely death.
"No, Iolaus," he soothed, "it's all right. Everything's all right."
"No!" The blond shook his head frantically. "They're women! They'll get you!"
Hercules forced himself to smile gently. "I'll be careful."
"No, be reckless! Careful dies, reckless kills!"
Again, Hercules had to school the shocked look from his face as his partner uttered words he'd spoken in a time that now didn't exist. "Rest easy, my friend. Everything is all right."
"Herc--"
"You trust me, don't you?" the bigger man asked gently. When Iolaus nodded, he added, "Right, then, get some rest." He felt Iolaus' tight grip relax as eased his friend back down onto the mattress. The blond's eyes closed before his head touched the pillow.
Hercules took the wet cloth Ania offered him and wiped Iolaus' fevered brow. He glanced behind him. "Has he been delirious like this for long?"
"Most of his illness," Alcmene reported. "He keeps going on and on about beasts of some kind and how they're women and his concern about you."
"Me?" Hercules paused in his ministrations. "He's delirious, but worried about *me*?"
"You find that so surprising?"
Hercules answered after a long moment. "No, I guess not." The demigod couldn't help but smile fondly as he thought of the normal acceptance that he'd gotten from Iolaus, even when the blond had discovered his divine heritage. While others would regard him differently, especially since he made a name for himself helping people and slaying monsters, Iolaus could always be counted on to treat him as if he were any other mortal. Hercules always appreciated his friend's ability to do that.
The demigod was brought back to the present by his mother's voice. She was talking to Ania. He paused in his ministrations to look at the women.
"But I want to stay with Iolaus!" Ania insisted.
"You need to eat, dear," Alcmene answered kindly, "and get some rest. I'll watch over Iolaus for a while."
"Go, Ania," Hercules added. "We'll let you know if anything changes."
"All right," she finally conceded, though her face clearly showed her reluctance. One last glance at her beloved, then she left the room.
Hercules raised his eyebrows as she departed the bedroom. "I wonder if Iolaus is aware about that stubborn streak she has?"
"Hmmm," Alcmene answered offhandedly as she adjusted the sheets around Iolaus. Reaching down, she grasped her son's right hand and gave it a squeeze. "Speaking of stubborn, why don't you get some rest? You probably traveled long and hard to get here so quickly."
"I'm all right, Mother." He glanced at his partner's sleeping countenance. "I'll stay with Iolaus for a while. Why don't you see that Ania gets settled?"
"Okay, but don't hesitate to call if you need anything," she leaned over to kiss his cheek. "I'm so glad you're here."
"I am, too." Hercules gave his mother a gentle smile before returning his attention to his best friend. After Alcmene departed, he took Iolaus' limp hand in his own. "And you, my friend. Why do you have to be so incorrigible? Why couldn't you have said something about that hydra bite? We could have prevented this." Even though he knew he wasn't going to get an answer, Hercules nonetheless found himself expecting a witty rejoiner and feeling disappointed when it didn't occur.
"Get well, Iolaus. Ania needs you. *I* need you!"
Hercules was just beginning to succumb to his body's urges to sleep when he heard the soft *squeak* of the floorboards behind him. Jerking awake, he turned his head slightly to see his mother step up beside the bed. In her hands she held a fresh basin of water that she set on the floor near the foot of the bed. As he watched her work, he realized the morning sun was streaming through the open window.
Straightening, she stepped up to the bed and checked Iolaus. "How's he doing?" she asked as she adjusted the blanket covering the ailing hunter.
"'Bout the same as last night," Hercules answered sleepily. He didn't bother to mention the two times Iolaus had woken up, delirious from the fever that had dangerously risen during the night. The demigod wondered how his best friend managed to keep fighting the poison's effects.
"He's resting again," Alcmene remarked as she felt the blond's forehead. She redirected her concerned gaze to her son. "Why don't you get some rest, too? I can watch Iolaus for a little while."
"I'm fine, Mother," the demigod answered, his tired voice belying his general assessment of his overall condition.
"You're exhausted," she corrected gently, but firmly. "There's no reason for you to knock yourself out over this. Let me take over for a while."
"I'm not tired, really," he insisted, though deep down he knew he wasn't going to win this battle. He hadn't been able to meet his mother's gaze, so he knew she was aware he was fibbing. He forced himself to look up at her and, to his surprise, found her shaking her head and chuckling. "What?"
"Ania put up as much of a fight as you when I told her to get some rest after she ate! She's more stubborn than you and Iolaus put together! I don't think Iolaus realized how willful she is!" Just as quickly, Alcmene's demeanor became serious as she ran her right hand through Iolaus' blond locks. "I hope he lives long enough to find out."
*Yeah, me, too.* The demigod thought. He stood up and stretched, not realizing how much he needed even that small bit of exercise. "If you'll be all right here, I better go do the farm chores."
"That would be good," she said with a quick smile.
With a final glance at his partner's sleeping form, Hercules left the room and headed outside. On his way through the common room, he picked up a hunk of freshly baked bread from the table and wolfed it down. He also hadn't realized how hungry he'd been until he'd seen the loaf; afterall, he hadn't eaten since breakfast the day before.
Hercules had just finished up the barn responsibilities and was tossing the last hay bale into a corner for future use when he felt a divine presence behind him. Turning, he spotted his father, Zeus, sitting quietly on another bale of hay. The god appeared casual, but a little concerned, as he watched his shirtless son doing a mortal's work.
"Father." Hercules acknowledged as he brushed hay dust from his hands. He reached over, snagged his lionskin tunic, then slipped into it. "What do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
"How's Iolaus?"
*Straight to the point. There's a switch!* The half-mortal thought to himself. Aloud, he replied, "Hanging in there. Unless I can find a way to help, he's going to die."
Zeus appeared not to have noticed his son's comments. "You know, I always liked Iolaus. Good-hearted, brave, always willing to follow you into battle. It's a shame this had to happen."
Hercules sighed. *So much for thinking he's decided to keep on track with the conversation!* "I won't argue with you there. Father, isn't there anything I can do to help Iolaus? He shouldn't have to suffer like this--"
"I told you that messing with Time was not something to be taken lightly!" Zeus reminded gruffly. "See what happens!"
Hercules hesitated at his father's rough tone of voice. He knew, however, exactly to what it was the god referred. "What does Iolaus' illness have to do with what happened, or didn't happen, in Gargarencia?" he asked.
"You know what's making him sick, don't you?" The King of the Gods continued without waiting for an answer. "That hydra bite! Admittedly, most men would be dead from it by now, but the result is the same! At least in Gargarencia, he would have died a hero's death, not from this dishonorable sickness!" He waved his hand in the general direction of the house.
His father's words echoing in his mind, Hercules sat heavily next to his divine parent. "I know it's the hydra bite. But after the thing bit him... I never thought... I didn't realize the bite had broken the skin, he never said anything!"
"Of course not! He's Iolaus!" Zeus replied melodramatically, spreading his arms wide. "He wouldn't let a little thing like that slow him down!"
"I saw the thing bite him! I should have warned him to clean that wound right away! I knew hydra bites were poisonous!"
"It doesn't matter, son," Zeus' gentle words interrupted his son's self-recriminations.
"It *does* matter!"
"No, it doesn't. Listen to me." When Hercules ignored the soft-spoken request, he repeated louder, "Listen to me!"
"Father--"
Zeus sensed Ania's presence just outside the barn door. The young bride had come from the house to find Hercules and, hearing voices, had paused near the open doorway, out of their sight, as she wondered to whom Hercules was speaking. The god made no indication that he knew she was there and his son was left unaware of their audience.
Zeus shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Remember what I said about not mucking about with Time? Well, this is the result." Seeing he had his son's attention, the god continued, "Iolaus was fated to die in Gargarencia. By messing with Time, we changed that. This is the Fates' way of putting things back in order."
"'Putting things back in order?' Iolaus was *supposed* to die? So he's going to die now instead?"
"I'm sorry, son."
"But, what about Hypolyta and Pithas?"
"They're still all right." Zeus remarked off-handedly. "More than all right. Whatever advice you gave seems to have worked and since you're not there, Hera doesn't seem to be taking the drastic measures she did before."
"So, *they're* all right, but Iolaus is still going to die?"
"I'm afraid so." Zeus managed to look as miserable as he knew Hercules felt at the revelation. He had always liked the scrappy blond mortal and appreciated his friendship and loyalty towards his son. Hercules wasn't the only son the god had fathered with a mortal woman, but he was by far the one he was most proud of and he knew it was Iolaus' friendship with Hercules that had given him the edge over his half-brothers. The hunter could be counted on to remind his best friend of his mortal half when he got too cocky for his own good.
"But--" the demigod stood. His face was a mask of anguish as he faced his divine parent. *"Why?"*
A shrug. "With the Fates, who knows?"
Hercules sighed in disgust. "C'mon, Father, you can come up with a better non-excuse than *that.* What's going on?"
"I told you! The Fates have decreed that Iolaus must die. Do they ever need a reason for what they do?"
"At least they have better reasons than any of the gods do for all the destruction they cause!" Zeus' son remarked bitterly.
Disgusted, he turned to leave, but the god quickly moved to one side. The action returned Hercules' attention to him and away from possibly discovering the eavesdropping Ania. "Listen, I'll do what I can, but even I don't always get what I want, son."
"I can't believe you would change Time just to allow Iolaus to die like this."
"You know, you don't listen very well!" Zeus scolded, pointing an accusatory finger at his half-mortal son. "I said I would try! And I only do this because... well, hey, I like Iolaus, too. He keeps your head out of the clouds! So you don't became too self-important!" He poked the finger at Hercules' chest. "Am I right?"
Despite himself, Hercules found himself returning his father's grin. "Yeah, you're right." He sobered quickly. "Just see what you can do, all right?"
"No promises!" Zeus stated before slapping his son on the back. "Knowing Iolaus, he may just get through this one on his own!" He gave Hercules a broad grin then vanished.
Unperturbed by the disappearing act, the demigod muttered, "I hope you're right."
Ania sat on the bed at Iolaus' side; she gently ran her fingers through his sweat-soaked hair as she stared at his handsome face, taking in all the nuances of it, tracing a finger lightly over the scar that hovered above his right eye. She thought about the words she had overheard between Zeus and Hercules. She couldn't imagine a life without Iolaus in it or that he had already been killed in an adventure that now hadn't happened, if she was interpreting what she'd heard between father and son correctly.
She heard voices in the other room. Hercules and Alcmene. They were speaking in normal tones, so he probably wasn't telling his mother about seeing Zeus. Sighing, Ania redirected her attention back to her handsome husband. What could they do now? She didn't want to watch the man she loved die a slow, wasting death. It wasn't suitable for the brave warrior he was. If he had to die, then it should happen in battle, helping people against insufferable odds, fighting at Hercules' back...
As her thought trailed off, Ania knew then what she had to do. There was only one way to save Iolaus and she was the only one who could make that miracle come to pass. Nodding resolutely, she stood then leaned over to kiss the blond. Iolaus stirred slightly, but did not awaken. "Fear not, my love, I'll see to it you get well," she whispered.
She stepped into the main living area. Eating breakfast, Hercules sat at the table, Alcmene seated beside him. "Hercules, I'm going to do some of the chores. Could you watch Iolaus for me?"
Hercules started to rise. "I can--"
"No," she interrupted, "please, I just need a few moments of fresh air."
Lowering himself back into the chair, he smiled soothingly at her. "I understand. Take all the time you need."
"Thank you." After a quick glance at Alcmene, Ania quickly made her way outside and to the barn. She glanced around; gulped down the sudden lump in her throat. "Zeus?" she called tentatively. "Lord Zeus?" When nothing happened, she sighed heavily, fighting back the tears of frustration that suddenly sprang into her eyes. What was she thinking? Did she *really* think the King of the Gods would bother to answer a summons from a mere mortal?
"You called for me, sweet lady?"
Ania swung about at the new voice, then dropped to her right knee and bowed her head subserviently. "My lord Zeus."
Though pleased by her submissive gesture, Zeus was still somewhat embarrassed by the action. He was unused to such displays when he visited Alcmene, their son or even when in Iolaus' presence. "Please, stand," he reached out and helped her to her feet. "You don't have to do that."
Hesitantly, Ania raised her head to look the King of the Gods in the eye. He smiled pleasantly; the non-threatening expression helped her relax during this, her first time at meeting one of the Olympian gods face to face. She didn't even flinch when he reached down to take her right hand into his.
"Now, why do you call on me?"
"I wish to ask a favor."
"A favor?" Zeus raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Yes." Ania looked away. "I heard you and Hercules talking earlier--"
"You dare eavesdrop on me?" he asked in mock horror.
"I-I didn't mean to!" Ania stammered, misunderstanding his tone of voice. "I was just coming to get Hercules and-and--"
"It's okay, sweet lady," Zeus assured kindly. "I shouldn't tease so. So, you heard my son and I talking...?" he prompted.
"Yes, I-I heard what you said about the Fates and Iolaus and his having to die. Can't you spare him, please? He's a good man! The world needs him! Please, spare his life!" she pleaded.
Zeus' face softened in sympathy of the young bride's pleas. She spoke truly from the heart, as his son had, but with a sweet, innocent, feminine air that affected him even more. How could he lecture about not mucking about with the Fates and destiny when all she wanted was to be with the man she loved?
"I can not change what the Fates have decreed," he stated. "Unless, of course, somebody were to..."
"Were to what?" Ania queried when the god's words trailed off.
"Be willing to give his or her life in exchange." Quickly, Zeus added, "But it's too high a price to pay. Iolaus would never allow it."
The new bride hesitated only a moment before answering. "He wouldn't have to know about it."
"It? What, 'it?'"
"Me. Giving up my life for his."
"You would do that?" Zeus seemed surprised at the revelation. "Give up your life for his?"
"I love him more than anything." In Ania's opinion, that simple statement said it all. However, when she saw the hesitant look on Zeus' face, she added, "I know he's destined for greatness and I know that even though he told me he'd settle down after we're married, it won't be long before he wants the freedom of the open road. He's not a farmer, any more than I'm a chef, and I *know* my cooking isn't all that good. Please, mighty Zeus! If not for Iolaus or myself, than for your son, Hercules, who obviously loves him like a brother!"
"You know, Hercules would have my head if he found out I allowed this," he joked. "Not to mention Iolaus!"
"As I said, they need not know."
"You don't know my son!" Zeus gestured dramatically. He caught Ania's sudden look of trepidation. He picked up her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Fear not, sweet lady, Iolaus will make a full recovery." Then all pleasantries fell from his features as he fixed the mortal with a very serious expression. "However, I must be sure and hear it from your own lips. You are willing to give up your life for Iolaus'? Think hard on it, dear lady, for your oath will be a binding one."
Ania paused as she took the god king's advice. She loved Iolaus more than anything and knew he loved her, as well. Her death would hurt him, but she knew where his true place lay and it wasn't with her. Not yet. He still had too much wanderlust in him to want to be rooted to one place for long, no matter how sincere he thought he was when he asked her to marry him. She started directly back at Zeus and said, "I'm willing to give up my life for Iolaus. Please heal him!"
"So noted," Zeus stated. He produced a small pouch; he handed it to Ania. "Use this herb. It will work against the hydra's poison. That, coupled with Iolaus' natural-born tenacity, will see him through. He'll be--" the god paused when he saw the tears beginning to flow down the young woman's face. Paternally, he pulled Ania into his robed embrace and held her somewhat awkwardly. He never was very good with crying women, but nonetheless stroked her long hair soothingly. "There, there, sweet lady, he'll be all right. Never fear."
"I-I know. I just love him so much! I wanted to make him the happiest man in the world!"
"You have! And you'll get the chance to make some good memories with him before you have to go."
Ania pulled out of Zeus' arms. "I will? But I thought you'd need to take me soon, maybe tonight or something?"
"Oh, you can have a little more time than that with him," Zeus assured, then added more seriously, "but only if you keep quiet about our deal."
"That won't be a problem." She smiled tearfully at the god. "Thank you. I know you don't have to give us more time together--"
"How could I not do such a small thing for so brave a lady?" He raised Ania's hand and pressed his lips to the back of her hand. "Iolaus choose well when he asked for your hand in marriage. Not many would be willing to give up their life for another." Feeling a bit uncomfortable with the conversation, he encouraged, "Now, go. Put the herbs I gave you into the water and wash him down. He should be recovering by the time Helios' chariot reaches the western horizon."
"Yes, thank you!" Ania smiled prettily at him then, tucking the small pouch in the folds of her dress, left the barn.
Zeus watched her go. He sighed once as he gazed thoughtfully at the small house, then shrugged briefly and vanished as quickly and as silently as he had come.
Ania returned to the house. Not seeing Alcmene, she assumed she was resting in the spare room, where some makeshift beds had been set up. Hercules she found sitting at Iolaus' bedside. The demigod was passing his right hand over his face. Even from the slight profile she could see from where she came into the room, he looked exhausted from the mental as well as the physical strain of trying to keep Iolaus alive.
"Get some sleep, Hercules," Ania told him. "Let me watch Iolaus for awhile."
Hercules glanced up at his best friend's bride. There was a look of uncertainty in her eyes that almost made him ask if anything was wrong, then he silently berated himself. Of course there was something wrong. Unless Zeus did something, Iolaus was terminally ill, which put her entire life on hold. Slowly, he stood then put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Of course. Call if you need anything."
"I will." She gave him a half-hearted smile. Impulsively, she stepped up and hugged him. "Thank you, Hercules, for all your help."
The son of Zeus returned the embrace. "It's all right." When they pulled apart, he cupped her cheek in his right hand. "Don't give up on him yet, Ania. I've seen him pull out of worse situations." Even as he spoke the words, Hercules wasn't sure if he was trying to convince Ania or himself.
She nodded, then stepped back to let him exit the room. She sat down on the vacated stool, took Iolaus' hand in hers and stared at his face. "Don't worry, my darling, you'll be well in a short while," she whispered as she stroked his face.
After a quick glance behind her to make sure she was alone, Ania pulled out the small cloth pouch Zeus had given her. She dumped the contents into the basin of water near the bed. The powder turned the water cloudy, but soon cleared as she swished the cloth through it. Before long, there was no sign that she'd added anything. As she had done so many times over the past few days, she bathed her husband gently. She could feel the heat emanating from the fever that had held Iolaus in its thrall for so long. Her hand lingered on the puncture marks on his shoulder. Were the red streaks fading already or was that just wishful thinking on her part? With trembling hands, she soaked the cloth again and rung it out before tenderly wiping his face.
Iolaus moaned in his troubled sleep. Ania murmured soothing words and he settled again. Gently dropping the cloth into the basin, she took his right hand in both of hers. She squeezed them slightly, hoping that with that physical connection she could send all her love to her beloved and speed his recovery. As she stared at his sleeping countenance, a few tears trickled from her moist, brown eyes as she thought of the deal she'd struck with Zeus and how lonely Elysium would be until Iolaus lived out his life--hopefully, a very long one--and joined her there. Silently, she wondered if the gods would grant them some strong sons so Iolaus would have somebody to love when she was gone, then just as quickly questioned if having to raise a family alone would be a wise choice for her restless warrior.
Ania knew how fortunate she was that a man like Iolaus had fallen in love with her. She was aware of her uselessness at running a household. Her cooking certainly wasn't very good, despite Iolaus' reassurances to the contrary. She couldn't sew a stitch, though she was trying very hard with that patched vest she was making for him, and how could she be expected to tend the farm animals when they were afraid of her? Yet, this brave hero had chosen *her* to be his wife. That he had fallen for her despite all her shortcomings, how could she do less for him, now, in *his* time of need?
As the day wore on, Ania noticed Iolaus became less worrisome in his slumber, more relaxed. The occasional bouts of delirium ended, the livid red marks along his wounded shoulder faded almost before her eyes, and his fever broke. Tears, this time of joy, found their way down her cheeks as she silently sent a prayer of "Thanks" to Zeus. She only now had to wait for Iolaus to awaken.
In another part of the house, Hercules was tending the fire while Alcmene prepared an evening meal. Wanting to give the new bride as much time with her husband as possible, they had left Ania alone with Iolaus for the afternoon. Hercules hadn't told his mother about Zeus' visit. Normally, he would be out searching for a cure, trying to beat the odds, despite his father's discouraging words, but for some reason exhaustion and despair had left the demigod with a feeling of hopelessness he hadn't known for a long time.
Maybe it was Zeus' words about Iolaus now dying a less-than-honorable death by sickness instead of in battle. Was this Hercules' punishment for demanding his father mess with Time to suit himself? Was this the price to be paid for his arrogance? If so, he wished the gods had chosen to discipline him personally, instead of taking it out on his family and friends. Of course, the demigod knew his divine parent wouldn't allow the other gods to harm *him,* so they exacted their vengeance by attacking Iolaus.
"Hercules! Alcmene!"
The tearful cry from the bedroom interrupted Hercules' self-recriminations. He shot a worried glance at his mother before straightening to his full height and striding quickly across the room to the bedroom. Expecting the worst, he banged open the door and rushed inside. Alcmene followed a moment later; she gasped as she spotted Ania in profile, tears streaming down her reddened cheeks as she cried.
"No!" Hercules exclaimed, his heart feeling like it had shattered at losing his best friend again, only this time permanently.
Then he saw the movement from the bed. Iolaus was struggling to sit up. He turned his head towards the two standing; Hercules could see the fever-brightness was gone from the cerulean eyes. They shone with the clarity of one who had his full mental facilities available.
Even as he processed this new development, Hercules saw Ania reach forward and gently push the hunter back down to the mattress. "Easy, my love," she murmured soothingly, brushing a sweaty lock from his forehead. "Everything's all right."
Alcmene brushed past her stunned son and stood beside the bed. She leaned over to feel with the back of her hand the blond's forehead and cheeks. "The fever's broken!" she announced happily. She touched the shoulder and, feeling no heat emanating for therein, smiled as tears of relief welled up in her own eyes. She looked back at Hercules. "The infection seems to have purged itself."
Hercules moved forward. Ania stood, her whole face lit up with exhilaration, and impulsively hugged the demigod. He returned the embrace wholeheartedly, then turned and hugged his mother. He then looked down at his best friend, who was again trying to get up. "Hey, buddy, how do you feel?"
"Herc?" Iolaus croaked. A look of puzzlement crossed his pale features as he regarded the trio hovering over him. "What's going on? What happened?"
Ania lowered herself into the chair again. She took one of his hands in hers as he allowed himself to drop back onto the mattress. "You've been very ill, my darling."
"Ill?" the hunter glanced at each of the three, his gaze remaining on his bride's. "From what? We were just... we didn't go anywhere..." A mischievous look crossed his face. "Don't tell me you exhausted me so much, it made me susceptible to something?"
Hercules rolled his eyes at Iolaus' words as Ania blushed. "Nothing so interesting, my friend," he stated, drawing Iolaus' attention to him. "Somebody, Who-Knows-Who-He-Is, forgot to mention a certain hydra bite, especially since said bite is also poisonous."
Iolaus stared at the tall man for a quiet moment before his blue eyes widened and he looked at his bitten shoulder. Sheepishly, he muttered, "I guess I forgot the part about them being poisonous."
Hercules raised his eyebrows in jest. "Yeah, I'd say so!"
Iolaus beamed. It faded when he saw the tears in his bride's eyes. He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Hey, I'm all right now. Nothing keeps me down for long! In fact--" He pushed himself up again, only to be stopped when his petite bride exhibited more strength than her small frame belied and firmly made sure he stayed put.
Hercules laughed at the startled look that crossed his best friend's face.
"You aren't going to do anything but get some rest, young man," Alcmene ordered, Mother Mode on full.
"But I'm fine!" When his protests fell on deaf feminine ears, Iolaus glanced beseechingly at his tall partner. "Herc! A little help here?"
Shaking his head, Hercules held up his hands in surrender. "*I'm* not going to argue with them."
"That's right," Ania stated. "Hercules is going to make sure you stay put while I get some clean clothes for you and find you something to eat."
"I'll help," Alcmene offered. She waited as Ania stood, gave her handsome husband a kiss on the lips, then they left the room together.
Hercules settled himself on the chair Ania had just vacated. "Oh, no, you don't!" he scolded his friend when he saw Iolaus attempting to get up again. "You are staying put! I'm not going to get into trouble because of you! Not that it wouldn't be the first time and probably not the last," he added good-naturedly.
Sighing in resignation, Iolaus lay back down. "Herc, do you remember what you said about that hydra when you'd chopped off its first head?"
Hercules thought back to that battle. "Yeah," he finally answered, "something about it being Ania the day after you married her."
The hunter grinned. "You were wrong."
Hercules chuckled. "I don't know, she seems to have you trained pretty well and it hasn't even been a month yet."
"I just let her *think* she's in charge."
"Yeah, right, and now if we can only get her to keep you out of trouble."
"What? Trouble? Me?" Iolaus sputtered in mock-bewilderment.
"Yes, you!"
"I thought that was *your* job!"
The demigod chuckled. "A job I obviously don't do very well." He gazed at his friend, his expression becoming serious. "I'm glad you made it through, my friend."
"Yeah, me, too," Iolaus agreed. "I had some really weird hallucinations, Herc. Something about beasts that were actually Amazons, it was really strange!" He shrugged, dismissing the images, but his expressive eyes held gratitude as he remarked, "Thanks for being here."
"Anytime." Hercules settled a light hand on his lifelong companion's shoulder; he gave it a gentle squeeze. When Iolaus looked up at him then placed his hand over Hercules' and smiled, he found himself returning the smile with his whole heart.
Zeus smiled slightly as he viewed the image in his scrying screen: Ania had found a way to convince Iolaus how to stay in bed; however, the method had not encouraged the now-healthy newlywed to get much in the way of rest. The sleeping couple now lay entangled together on the bed, Iolaus on his back, Ania's head resting against his healing shoulder.
Zeus felt a presence behind him. He did not acknowledge his daughter's presence until she stood beside him by the viewing pool; she watched as the mortals slept.
"So, she agreed to take his place," Athena, dressed in the battle armor of her office, stated simply in greeting.
"Yes." Zeus answered, turning away from the peaceful image in the screen to look at his daughter.
"You have always favored this golden-haired mortal," she stated with a slight wave towards the reflection, "but then, he has helped your favorite son to achieve greatness, hasn't he." It was not a question.
"Who cares for the reason?" Zeus replied with a shrug, then nodded towards the scrying pool. "As long as one of them dies."
"But they both live," the Goddess of Wisdom reminded. "The prophecy can still come true."
"Do not worry, daughter."
"But the prophecy states--"
"That an offspring of Iolaus and Ania can be the downfall of the Olympian gods," the divine monarch recited in a bored tone. "I know! I know!" He raised his hands, palms facing Athena in a calming gesture. "Do not worry. Ania's cycles have always been off and if, by some slim chance, she does bear Iolaus a child, well, that can be taken care of."
Athena stared at her father for a long moment. Unable to meet his favorite daughter's unwavering gaze, Zeus turned back to the pool. "I hope you are right, Father," she stated seriously. "You are taking quite a risk to keep this mortal at your son's side. It means your existence as well as the rest of us if something goes wrong." That said, she disappeared in a shimmer of sparkles, leaving Zeus alone with his thoughts.
As he watched Iolaus and Ania together, Zeus felt a deep regret, maybe for one of the few times in his long, immortal life. Though the other gods had no qualms messing with mortals for their own sport or gain, he did not enjoy inflicting pain for his own pleasure. However, he had glimpsed his favorite son's destiny and it hinged on having Iolaus by his side. Despite the prophecy of doom, he would not give up his son's life to save the rest of the Olympians, so he had compromised. In the long run, this was the better way. It was the way it was meant to be.
11/1/00
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