Coming Out of Exile: The Strength of A Father's Love
By Moon Mistress

Chapter Seven

With the rising of the sun the full extent of the damage done to Altair Ain was plain to be seen.  Fires still smoldered in thatched roofs as the dead were laid out in the Worship Center which had suddenly become an emergency morgue.  The aftermath was almost unbearable and Calla found herself breaking down several times as went from place to place looking for survivors and those she could heal with her magick. For both Ares and Calla it had been a very long time since their magick received such a rigorous workout and they were drained from the battle.  Resting against the corner of a stone cottage Ares, bathed head to toe in a heavy gloss of sweat, looked up at his Uncle. “Make her stop that,” he complained as he drew in harsh breaths.  He turned to see Calla laying hands on one of the UPs, if she kept it up she’d be completely spent.  From here he could see her tired worn face covered with soot and blood.  The white nightgown she wore was nothing more than a bloody filthy rag that barely covered her.  He watched her comfort the dying by swabbing their foreheads with damp clothes and trying to bring health to those who still had a fighting chance.  Morpheus was with her, she had been yelling at him earlier demanding to know why he hadn’t come sooner to join the battle.  Morpheus could only stare at her asking what he was to do; the Shadows could not be put to sleep.  Here he could help those who lay at Death’s door, he could end their pain by giving them the most beautiful and peaceful dreams in which to leave this world for the next. So that was the task which she assigned him. Morpheus went around sprinkling his dust on the dying and the mending. For those who would not wake up they would feel no further pain and for those who could mend sleep was their best ally.

Poseidon, also feeling his age and the depletion of energy, went to his Niece. “Your Father requests that you rest now, my Queen.”

Rest? How could she rest when there was so much to do?  “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”

The Lord of the Seas looked back to where his Nephew rested. “I think that’s what he fears most.”  Poseidon reached out and touched her glowing hands. “This one is gone, you cannot bring him back.  The enemy has retreated it’s time to regroup and to rest. With all due respect, you have expended much energy, my Queen.” He tried to remind her in a gentle fatherly tone instead of coming off as someone trying to tell her what to do. 

Calla’s lost eyes searched for her Father and she found him sitting on the ground looking tired and worn.  “He helped save us,” she said as tears welled up in her eyes.  She’d been so cruel to him this last decade and yet he rode to the rescue without being summoned.  Ares very unselfishly threw himself into the battle to defend her and her kingdom. “Why?”

Poseidon’s mouth dropped a little bit before he answered her. “You’ll have to ask him, my Queen.  Come now and rest in the shade the day is hot and the battle was hard.”

Ares, knowing he still held her gaze, nodded his weary head and pointed toward the house.

“An hour,” Poseidon suggested, “what harm can it do for you to rest one single hour?”

An hour wouldn’t be so bad.  “All right.” Calla agreed and looked down at the very average looking man at her feet. Average, that was, except for the fact that he was over 1500 years old and now he was dead.  At least the wails and the screaming stopped for the time being.  “We have to think of a way of stave them off if they come back tonight.” She couldn’t leave the kingdom until she knew it would be safe in her absence, she couldn’t leave them vulnerable to another attack.

“Yes, we must.” Poseidon agreed from his place behind her and motioned for Ares to come forward.  In the house there was Ambrosia and Nectar and the three of them could use a good feast, Poseidon made the food and drink appear on the small round glass table in front of her.  “A little shade would be good as well.” He suggested and opened the umbrella that stood in the center of the table. 

It wasn’t the umbrella that blocked the sun from Calla’s view she’d know this shadow anywhere. “Father?”

“May I sit with you, my Queen?”  The God of War asked politely as he put his big hand on the back of the metal chair opposite her.

“Of course.” In front and on either side of her the two men took their seats. Calla poured nectar into chalices and handed them out. “Drink, eat, please. You have fought hard for us and I am grateful.”

“I will always fight for you, my Queen, for you, your children, and this kingdom.  My sword has always been at your service even if my body is not wanted here.”  Are drank down the entire contents of the chalice and then poured another.  He was tired to the bone but there was much work ahead of them and he had to use what little time he had now to rest and recharge.

“In return for our exile being lifted?” Calla asked haughtily. “Don’t think I forgot what you did to Daniel.”

“I ask for nothing for myself,” Ares said sincerely. “I only want you to allow me to defend you and the kingdom whenever you have need of me.” He sat there waiting for her to remind him of the disservice he did to her when he handed her over to Bacchus but Calla said nothing about it. Perhaps she was being discreet but Ares didn’t think so.

Maybe he was telling the truth and maybe he wasn’t. In this moment what did it matter? If lifting his exile was the price for his service Calla would gladly give it to him. “Where have they taken Annie?” Calla asked looking at both her Father and her Uncle. “How am I to tell my Son that I allowed his wife to be abducted?” She buried her haggard face in her hands as she hung her head.  “Why Annie?” Selfishly she found that she was ever so glad Colleen and Patrick spent the night outside the town and that Colleen had not come when the battle broke out. Colleen’s magick had not been up to snuff since her return from the Underworld and if she’d been here she might well have been just as defenseless as the UPs had been. Calla couldn’t bear to lose her daughter twice. “We must go and find out what is happening down there.”

“Isn’t it obvious? Hades lost his mind!” Ares shouted and banged his heavy fist on the glass table nearly shattering it as the Nectar toppled over.  “He came to me the other day and said he had a plan but he never alluded to anything like this.”

“Plan? For what?” Calla asked.

“To bring in new business,” Ares returned and straightened out his chalice. “He was upset with you for all of the Love and Light you’ve been spreading into the world lately. Not enough people are dying for his tastes.”

“I’ve done nothing, we keep to ourselves.” Calla protested.

Ares rolled his dark eyes. “You explain it to her.” He demanded of Poseidon.

The King of the Seas looked at his Niece and his Queen with his old watery eyes.  “Have you ever dropped a pebble into a still pond?” He asked and watched her nod her head as her emerald eyes looked at him with confusion.  “Have you ever noticed that when you drop that pebble into the still water how many rings swell up from it?  How they spread ever outward until the reach shores far and wide?”  Again Calla nodded. “You are the pebble, my Queen.”

Calla thought about it for a moment and believed she understood what Poseidon was trying to tell her but still. “I’ve done nothing to consciously cause Hades to lose business.” She protested.

“The pebble isn’t conscious of its action either.” Poseidon returned and gave her a small smile as he patted her hand.  “The peace and tranquility of the place its great capacity of Love and Tolerance are spreading throughout the world like the ripples in the stream and it all emanates from you.”

Without thinking she said, “Well if anyone should be pissed off about that it would be….” She looked up at Ares. “You.”

“Don’t look at me I was enjoying the break.” He returned in his dark voice.

But she did look at him and very closely.  Were those gray hairs in his raven head and speckling the beard on his chin?  Wrinkles around those onyx eyes?  “You’re ill?”

“I am not.”

She didn’t believe him. He looked a little thin to her eyes and she scanned him up and down, yes, very much thinner than the last time she saw him—perhaps by as much as fifty pounds. His skin was swallowing but that could be from the long battle. “You are…what’s wrong with you Father?”

“Nothing.” Ares sneered and watched the anger on her face fade away into concern.  He couldn’t stand being the object of her pity. “We must go to the Underworld and find out what’s happening.” He looked up at the sky to judge the time. “We’ve got at least nine hours before the sun sets and we will have to battle again.”

“You think he’ll send them back?” Calla asked. “Why? Hades has his own kingdom, what does he want with mine?” That was true enough, Hades had the Underworld, Poseidon had the Seas and Morpheus had the Realm of Dreams. The only one among them with no kingdom to rule was Ares.  “Are you sure you’ve nothing to do with this?”

“What do I want with a kingdom?” Ares returned through tight lips. “Always do I bare the brunt of suspicion and so little am I guilty.” He complained. “Why would I want to watch over a bunch of defenseless fools?” The question was leading at best as he wanted to feel her out a little bit, surely now she would remind him that he’d tried to place himself on the throne of Altair Ain when he threw in with Bacchus.  Still he got nothing and Ares started to wonder if she was playing a game with him or if she’d forgotten.  Calla was good at that, forgetting was her strongest defense mechanism but it wasn’t good to forget everything. “Calla?”

Again she felt he was telling her the truth. Ares never had a kingdom to rule and as far as she knew he never really wanted one. Ares much preferred being the Gun for Hire than the King and taking care of the day-to-day drudgery of running a kingdom. “I don’t know, Father.” She said softly. “If I offended then I apologize you don’t deserve such a slight after you came to our aid.”

Still the question remained; why would Hades do this? Still there was no answer. If Hades wanted to release his army in some obscure section of the planet to bring up the business ratio then who cared?  Why take the UPs?  Ares turned around in his chair to look back at the aftermath.  Other than a hundred dead or so there wasn’t much damage to the town. In fact, the most damage to the town had been the fires which sprung up as Ares and the UPs fended off their attackers.  If Hades wanted this kingdom he wanted it in tact.  Slowly Ares turned his graying head back to Calla. “When you rebuild might I suggest slate instead of thatch?”

Calla rolled her eyes. “You may.” She huffed knowing that was a good idea. They would have to rethink several things in the coming weeks when rebuilding began and the thatch definitely had to go.

Ares shook his head and pursed his full lips. “If only we could find way to keep the sun from setting.”

“Father!” She cried and leapt to her feet once more the items on the table were sent rocking but this time they did not spill as she reached across the table, grabbed hold of his head and kissed him full on the lips. “You’re a genius!”

His lips still tingling from the touch of hers and shock spreading throughout his massive body he turned to Poseidon. “What’d you put in the Nectar?”  Ares longed for just one more kiss one that he was ready for and could welcome properly.

Calla’s beleaguered eyes came to life. “That’s it, don’t you see? We will see to it that the sun does not set on Altair Ain.”

“How do you propose to do that, my Queen?” Poseidon asked skeptically.  “Last I check you had no power over the sun. None of us do.” Although she had shown a great deal of power last night certainly more than he or even Ares ever suspected she possessed. Perhaps she could lasso the sun and make it do her bidding.

“No, I don’t but the Mortals do. You’ll see.” Calla skirted around the table and rushed to where Duncan MacLeod was putting out a small flame. “Duncan, I need you to gather some of the others and go into town, go as far as you have to, take all of the money in the treasury with you if you need to….”

“Slow down,” Duncan said and poured a bucket of water onto a small flame.  He looked up at the house and to where Ares and Poseidon were still seated.

“Go and buy as many ultra-violet lights as you can find. Get BIG ones and small ones you can hold in your hand.”

“Ultra-violet?” His eyes scanned upward to the sun then came back to her. “I’m on it.”

“Quickly! Go!”  Calla pled.  “As many as you can possibly find.” She called after him as she sprinted back toward the house in her ragged nightgown.  “There, that should help.” She explained her plan to them and they couldn’t help but smile. “This will buy us time, as much as we need. When do we leave, Father?”

“You’re not going to the Underworld.” Ares warned. “It’s no place for you.”

“No, it’s no place for you. It’s dark.” She said in a low voice. “You have many enemies there.”

“I have many friends there as well,” Ares interrupted in a snide tone.

Calla went on as though she hadn’t heard him. “I visit my children several times a year, when’s the last time you walked around down there? I know my way and if you try and make me stay behind I will only follow you.  I ask you again; when do we depart?”

“My Queen, perhaps Ares is right and you should stay here with your people.” Poseidon ventured.

“It’s my duty to see to their safety. I’m going.” She asserted.  “We have to find out what is going on and get Annie back.”

“Calla! Calla!”  A woman’s voice called from not too far away. Calla looked up to see Morgan racing towards them holding up the hem of her long gown with one hand. “My Lady!”

Calla stood up at the alarm in her voice. “What is it, Mother?” She dashed around the table and down the steps to meet Morgan Le Fey.

“It’s gone!” Morgan cried. “They’ve stolen it!”

At the sound of her shrill cry Ares and Poseidon quickly made their way to where the women were standing. “What’s gone?” Ares asked.

“The Book of Shadows! Merlin’s Spell Book!” Morgan cried out again. “They’ve stolen it!”

Ares looked around at the kingdom with a keener eye. Was the attack just a rouse?  Only a distraction to keep the busy while the Shadows of the Undead quietly went about their real work? “What good is it to them?”

“I don’t know,” Morgan said breathlessly as she held on to Calla’s hand.

“Arthur?” Calla asked quietly.

“Still rests within the museum.” Morgan replied. “They only took the book.”

They did it without setting off the high tech alarm. Then again, in the end, they were only shadows and electronic eyes did not protect from shadows.  “We will get it back, Mother, don’t worry.” Calla said in what she hoped was a calm voice.  The book held many powerful spells but none more powerful than the one to raise Arthur from the Dead. “Ares and I are going to the Underworld.”

At this point Morpheus, his unpleasant task now finished, floated over to join the group.  “I went to the Underworld during the battle,” he said to them, “to find out how crazy Hades had gone,” he stopped talking as he searched for the words.  “I did not find him there and the gates were wide open.”

“What do you mean you didn’t find him?” Poseidon asked hotly. “Of course he’s there!”

“I ventured to the steps of the Black Palace only to find it sealed.  If he’s in there he’s barricaded himself in and is not accepting visitors.”  He cautiously continued on. “I don’t believe Hades sent his army to destroy this place.”

“He sent it for the book!” Ares growled.

“What need does Hades have of a book that can raise the Dead?” Morpheus asked. “He can do that on his own at his whim. I fear something is terribly wrong in the Underworld and that our dear Hades may no longer be running things down there.”

A new ruler in the Underworld? Who would have the audacity and the strength to unseat Hades? Or to lock him in his palace?  “Only an Olympian can rule in the Underworld,” Calla said thoughtfully.  “Since we are all here who would be capable of doing such a thing and why?”  Talk was cheap and it was only leading to more questions than answers.  “We must go.”

“Don’t want to see if your plan works?” Ares asked. “Are you going to leave them here defenseless?”

“If it’s the book they wanted then they won’t be back and I’m quite certain my plan will work, Father.” Calla said strongly.  “Just in case I am wrong we will return before the sun sets this night and if need be we will return to the Underworld in the morning.”  She turned to Morgan. “You’re in charge now, Mother, look after them. Guide them, protect them.  We will return as soon as we can.”  She turned to Poseidon. “You guard my children and my grandchildren.”

“They are safe in my kingdom.” Poseidon told her.

“Where the hell is Jackson when you need him?” Ares bitterly complained.

“Don’t start, Father.” Calla warned. 

“And Nicholas?  You let him go as well?”

“Father!”

“One must always guard the Queen most viscously. This is no way to run a kingdom.” Ares said with finality and shut his mouth.

“Are you done?” Calla asked and when he didn’t answer her but instead staunchly stood there with his arms folded his chest Calla decided that he was.  Out here in the sunlight the grays in his head were even more apparent as were the lines on his handsome face. Calla never realized just how much Ares looked like Zeus until now. She did not want to see one more gray hair pop up on his head or come to nest in his beard.  If she really were the pebble and those ripples were reaching the far shore then what of Ares?  If business was falling off in the Underworld then surely the business of War wasn’t faring any better.  Poseidon often fell ill when his oceans were sick, when there was an oil spill or other catastrophe which upset the balance in his Sea Kingdom. Was the same true for Ares?  Was the Peace and Light she was inadvertently bringing the world killing her Father?  “Let us go and be done with this.  They know what to do.”  Calla reached out and slipped her hand into Ares’ oversized mitt only to find it cold and papery to the touch. The calluses which had long made a home in the palms of his hands from lifting stones, throwing his spear and wielding his sword were gone.

“We’ll be back.” Ares told those gathered around him.  “You be ready for the night.”  With that they disappeared from view.

End of Chapter Seven
Coming Out of Exile: The Strength of a Father's Love
by Moon Mistress
a/k/a Lisa Beth Darling
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Chapter Eight