Disclaimer Hercules
and Iolaus belong to MCA/Universal and Renaisance Pictures. They
were used without permission. No copyright infringement intended. No money
was made
VALLEY OF THE SHADOWS
By Tyndara
Chapter Two
Iolaus stood in front of Vali, silent, but head held defiantly. His eyes
flashed with anger as Vali walked around him, inspecting him. "Very
good. You're intelligent, and learn quickly. I like that." She continued
to slowly walk around him. One hand reached out to brush through his unruly
curls, then slide down the back of his neck, down his shoulder and over
his chest. Iolaus didn't move, standing very stiffly. It took all his will
power to endure this humiliation.
Vali chuckled. "Yes, man, swallow your pride and your anger. It won't
do you any good and will only get you killed. Get used to this. You are
mine! And I intend to show you off! You will make a pretty decoration for
my arm, and everyone who sees you will be green with envy of me!" Her
laughter rang through the marble halls of the villa. Iolaus clenched his
hands into fists so tight, his fingers went white.
Slowly, Iolaus unclenched his hands. He was remembering other times things
had seemed hopeless. When he had been little more than a slave. He remembered
being treated just like this by the Sovereign, as a toy, a plaything, there
for his amusement. He had survived and regained his freedom then. He and
Hercules had been captured by the despot, Menas Maxius, as well, even before
the incident with the Sovereign. It had almost cost them their lives, but
they had survived. He would now, as well, and so would Hercules, and they
would return home to their friends and loved ones.
Iolaus turned his head to look at Vali. His eyes raked over her. He had
to admit, she was one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen. She was
probably as vain as any other princess he'd ever met, too.
"Mistress Vali...."
Vali, who'd been speaking with one of her aide's, jerked her head around.
Iolaus smiled sweetly at her. "You're probably still tired after your
long trek. Why don't I prepare a scented bath for you? I could wash your
hair, then give you a massage to help you relax and rest."
Vali's lips began to curl up. "Well. What have we here? You're either
very devious or you want to live very much. I suspect it's the latter. All
right, my golden one. Let us see what hidden talents you have."
Iolaus bowed and almost ran from the room. He managed to hold his grin until
he was out of her sight.
Soon enough, Vali came for her bath. She insisted Iolaus join her, so that
he could properly wash her hair, as well as her back. When she saw the marks
across Iolaus' back, she went into a rage. She sent for Linn.
Vali made Linn wait until she had finished her bath and her hair had been
dried. She had Iolaus help her dress in a short green leather skirt, matching
leather crop top, and high boots. He accompanied her to meet Linn.
Linn bowed as Vali entered the room. "My Lady, welcome back."
"You marked him," Vali growled. She gestured at Iolaus, who was
still shirtless. "You marked that beautiful body."
Linn's eyes widened as Vali advanced on her. She started to back up, but
Vali's scream froze her in her tracks.
"*DON'T MOVE!* I didn't say you could move!!" Vali reached Linn
and hit her in the mouth with her fist as hard as she could, knocking her
to the floor.
Iolaus watched, his eyes slowly getting wider and wider, as Vali punched
and kicked Linn, who only raised her arms to protect her face, but otherwise
made no move to defend herself. When he realized Vali was intent on killing
the trainer, he stepped between them. "Stop!" he yelled. He wasn't
going to let anyone die because of him.
The blow Vali had aimed at Linn caught Iolaus in the mouth, though she had
managed to pull most of it at the last instant, and it didn't hurt him.
"What are you doing?! Get out of the way! I'll *kill* her for daring
to mark you!"
"No." Iolaus shook his head. "Please."
Linn stared at Iolaus wide-eyed. He, a slave, was daring Vali's wrath, for
her. He was jeopardizing his life to save hers. And she couldn't understand
why.
"She did what she was supposed to do. I fought her. She had to."
Vali reached out to stroke Iolaus' face. "She didn't have to mark you.
You are too beautiful for that."
Iolaus shrugged. "She didn't leave any new scars. And it's not like
I don't have any. I have a multitude."
Vali's lips curled into a smile. "I shall enjoy finding each and every
one of them. And you will tell me the tale behind them all." Her smile
faded as she looked at Linn, who was still on her knees behind Iolaus.
Iolaus followed Vali's gaze, then looked back at her. "Please, Mistress,"
he said softly. "Enough. Let her go." He reached out to stroke
her face, then pulled her down into a kiss.
Without breaking the kiss, Vali looked at Linn and motioned toward the door.
Linn got to her feet and bowed, slowly backing out of the room.
Finally, Vali broke the kiss. She smiled at Iolaus. "My, my, you are
a treasure, indeed," she said huskily. She laced her fingers through
his and pulled him after her towards the bedroom. "Why don't we see
what other talents you have?" Iolaus nodded, but his smile didn't reach
his eyes.
********************************************************************************
Hercules had been dismayed when Iolaus was sent away. He had to tread carefully
here. There was a possibility Iolaus would be made to pay for his, Hercules',
transgressions. Hercules wouldn't be able to live with himself if he was
the cause of any pain inflicted upon Iolaus.
Hercules listened to the slaves whispering among themselves. He saw Seagare
and walked over, crouching beside the bench the older man sat on. "Seagare?
What's going on?"
"The messenger said Vali saw the marks on Iolaus that Linn inflicted
with her whip and has gone into a rage. She summoned Linn to appear at once."
"So why all the excitement?"
"You don't understand. Linn is only a slave trainer. Vali is a princess
and next in line for the throne. She could kill Linn with impunity."
Hercules frowned. "Because she whipped Iolaus?"
"Yes. She marked Vali's prize, without her permission. Vali has been
known to kill with very little provocation, slaves and citizens alike."
Now Hercules was worried, concerned for Iolaus' safety in the hands of such
a woman. He had to know that Iolaus was all right. He had seen Vali beat
one of her warriors while they were traveling, flying into a rage over an
inconsequential incident. He knew she was mad and didn't understand why
she was tolerated.
Everyone was shocked by Linn's appearance when she returned. She was helped
to her quarters by one of her aides and Seagare was sent for. He took Tera
with him, then a little later came for Hercules.
Linn was lying in bed when Hercules walked in. Her left eye was swollen
shut, she had a goose egg on her cheek and her lower lip was split and swollen.
Seagare had told him she had badly bruised ribs, one was broken, and she
had been badly battered. Vali had been like a demon, determined to kill
her, until Iolaus had interfered. He reassured Hercules that Iolaus was
all right, and that Vali hadn't turned her anger on him.
Linn looked at Hercules. "Why did he do it?" she asked.
Hercules knew what she meant. He shook his head. "I don't know. Will
you tell me what happened, please? Perhaps I can tell you then, Mistress."
Linn told him what had happened. "She could have killed him. After
the way I treated him, he should have enjoyed watching me die at her hands,
beaten the same way I beat him."
Hercules shook his head. "He couldn't. It isn't in him. Iolaus has
the purest soul of any person I have ever met. He believes in people. He
believes there is good in everyone, and he'll find it if he looks hard enough.
And he didn't want to be responsible for your death."
Linn looked at the ceiling. Tera was sitting in a chair at the head of the
bed. "She needs to rest now," she said quietly.
Hercules rose. He was stopped at the door by Linn's voice. "I wouldn't
have done it. If I had been in his place." She looked at Hercules.
"I would not have had the courage."
Hercules shook his head. "Courage is doing what you know is right,
whatever the cost. And we all have that capacity." He bowed and left.
Hercules was determined to survive. He remembered what he had endured during
his Labors, and thought of Menas Maxius and his gladiators, as well, and
knew that he could do this. He thought of his mother and brother, of Jason,
Rena, Salmoneous. Of Xena and Gabrielle. All his and Iolaus' friends and
family, waiting for them to return. He wouldn't let these women beat him.
Hercules learned first-hand what Iolaus had been trying to tell him. These
women did want to break them. And they would employ whatever technique they
felt necessary. They had become masters of inflicting the most torturous
pain, without damaging a healthy, valuable slave. It was no wonder the men
here were so meek. Generations of this had broken them.
But Hercules often found Linn watching him, studying him. She never raised
her hand against him, whether in fear of Vali or Deron, as he was to go
to the queen, or because she had learned a lesson in pain herself, he didn't
know.
Hercules stood quietly as Deron inspected him. He answered when spoken to
and waited. Finally, she seemed satisfied. He was taken to her villa and
trained as her personal body slave. He was to remain at her side at all
times unless dismissed, and his duties were varied. He was surprised to
find, however, that she did not expect him to warm her bed.
Hercules looked up as someone stopped beside him. He started to rise, but
Deron shook her head. He remained where he was, sitting on a balcony watching
the sun go down. Deron put a hand on his head and stroked his hair.
"It's beautiful, isn't it, Hercules?"
"Yes, it is, lady."
Deron shook her head. "Not when we are alone, Hercules. I am an old
woman, and I know it. You may call me by name, and speak freely."
Hercules slowly shook his head. "No. I don't think you really want
me to speak freely."
"You're wrong. I do. What were you thinking about, just now?"
Hercules returned his gaze to the sunset. "I was thinking about my
mother. She's probably worried about us now, wondering why we haven't come
to visit in so long. She'll be sending messages out soon, for us to come
home."
"And when no word comes, and you and Iolaus don't appear?"
"She'll get my brother to begin sending out searchers, men on horseback
to scour the country asking about us. Our friends will hear that we can't
be found and begin to search for us. Jason and the Argonauts who are left
will find a ship and search the islands. Xena and Gabrielle will follow
our trail. They might even find us, given enough time. Salmoneus will keep
an eye and ear out for us or word of us. Autolycus will look for us. He
calls himself the 'king of thieves'. I've seen him steal things right out
from under its guards noses, so I guess he deserves the title." Hercules
chuckled. "He's not such a bad person, though he tries to act tough."
"How long will they search? What will happen when no one finds you
or word of you?"
Hercules leaned back on his hands. "My mother will probably demand
that my father find me. Xena will get Ares involved. If I know her, she'd
make a deal with him to find us."
"Your father is Zeus, correct? King of the Gods? Which would make Ares,
the God of War, your older brother."
"Yes, on both counts. Not that I get along with either of them. I don't
expect them to help me and I won't ask for their help."
Deron looked at the horizon. "I know how that feels. Not wanting to
ask for help. Not getting along with family who should be close to you."
She looked at him. "You love your mother very much."
Hercules nodded. "Yes, I do. She's endured a lot, both because of my
father and because of me. She's the strongest, bravest woman I know."
"Hercules...I am sorry. I hope that, one day, you will find it in your
heart to forgive me."
Hercules frowned, looked at her. "For what?"
"I am the reason you and your friend are here."
"I don't understand."
"You spent four weeks with my daughter. You've seen what she is capable
of. I have taken a good look at my people, Hercules, and I am horrified
at what we have become. We have become a debased, sadistic society that
is slowly crumbling into ruin. All this beauty is but a thin veneer over
a rank and decaying body. The time has come to put it out of its misery
before it can harm too many more people. I prayed to my goddess, Hercules,
to send someone to help my people. I wept for many nights in her temple,
begging her to somehow spare us, to save us from this degeneration. And
then my sister's pet ran away, only to be returned with two men the likes
of which none of us had ever seen before."
"How is it that this valley remains hidden? Don't people find their
way here, see you from the bluffs?"
"No. There is a spell laid over the valley by our goddess, to protect
it. We may come and go, but no outsider may enter here. Anyone looking into
the valley would just see a valley, perhaps hidden by dense mists."
Hercules shook his head. "What do you expect us to do? You have made
us slaves, separated me from Iolaus."
"Vali knows you have my permission to seek out Iolaus whenever you
wish." Deron smiled. "I told her I would make this one concession,
to keep the two of you happy and subservient." Her smile dimmed and
she sighed. "Vali. My daughter. She was so beautiful when she was a
little girl, so happy. What did I do wrong?"
"From what I've seen, it wasn't just you."
"You're right. You know, legend says that our foremothers were kept
in virtual slavery by their husbands and fathers. And one day they revolted,
and drugged the men, and turned them into slaves. They wanted to teach the
men a lesson. But many women didn't want to go back to the 'old' ways. They
found they liked being in power. So men became slaves. And as the years
passed, men were seen as having little value beyond breeding either more
slaves or daughters to rule after their mothers. But there was no new blood
coming into our culture. And it was continuing to change. Until it reached
a point where a woman could kill her newborn son as if he were nothing.
I have sons, Hercules. Two of them. I had both dedicated to the temple at
birth, in order to save their lives. No one can touch them, they belong
to the Goddess. I also had four daughters. Only Vali now lives. One died
as an infant. I suspect she was smothered by one of her sisters, most probably
Vali. One died in childbirth, and left me a granddaughter. And Vali murdered
the other, though I have no proof of this."
"Aren't you afraid for your granddaughter's life, if Vali did kill
two of her own sisters?"
"No. Vali has raised Asha as her own, and she is a devious, evil girl
now fifteen years old." Deron sighed, shaking her head. "My people
are becoming a festering evil, Hercules, and it must be stopped. Even if
it means the destruction of this valley and all of my people with it."
She placed a hand on his head and stroked his long hair. "I'm sorry,
Hercules, that you and your friend were dragged into this."
Hercules took her hand and kissed it. "Deron, we will find a way to
help you." He grinned. "As Iolaus would say, it's what we do."
Deron laughed. "May the goddess protect you both, Hercules." She
kissed the top of his head, rather like his mother was apt to do, then went
inside.
*******************************************************************************
Iolaus jumped as something crashed to the floor near him. He looked around,
to find Sivari had dropped a tray of sweets. Iolaus went to help him clean
up the mess.
"No, Iolaus! You'll get into trouble, too!"
"It was an accident, Sivari. No one's perfect. Accident's happen."
Mistress Linn appeared. "You again, Sivari! You clumsy excuse for a
man! What does it take to teach you to walk a straight line?!" She
grabbed him by the s houlder. "Maybe if I lay a few lashes along that
back, you won't forget so easily!"
"It wasn't his fault. It was mine. I didn't see him when I rounded
the corner and I bumped into him. I should've been watching where I was
going," said Iolaus.
Mistress Linn looked at Iolaus. She studied him for a moment. He looked
at her calmly. "You should be more careful, Iolaus. He could have been
carrying a tray of hot soups."
Iolaus nodded. "Of course, Mistress." Iolaus couldn't resist smiling
at her and winking. He knew she knew he was lying.
To his surprise and delight, she smiled at him and winked back. "Sivari,
when you finish cleaning this up, I think you should seek Tera out. Talin
worked you hard today, you should rest."
"Y.yes, Mistress." Sivari looked from her to Iolaus and back,
mystified.
"Iolaus, you'd better get back to Vali, I think she's about ready to
send the guards after you."
"Yes, Mistress." He waved at Sivari and left, almost bouncing.
Iolaus grinned at Hercules, who was sitting beside Deron. He smiled back,
watching as Iolaus slid onto the couch behind Vali, grabbing her wrist as
she started to take a bite of a fig and guiding it instead to his own lips.
Vali laughed and stroked his cheek, commenting to the other banquetors around
her that she'd never enjoyed a slave as much as she did Iolaus. He put his
chin on her shoulder and grinned impishly.
"Well, she keeps me well-fed, bathed, I don't have bandits and warlords
chasing me and trying to kill me, and I don't have to work." Iolaus
laid down, his head on her stomach. "Who wouldn't be happy?"
Vali laughed and fed Iolaus grapes. "Pest! You're becoming spoiled!"
"Mm-hm. And you love giving me anything I want." He pulled her
into a kiss.
"Imp!" Vali laughed. She stroked his chest. "Off with you,
now. Get a good night's rest, you'll be busy tomorrow."
"Anything for you, Mistress." Iolaus stole another kiss, one that
took her breath away, then he, along with Hercules and the others slaves,
left the room.
Hercules waited until they were out of the room before leaning against the
wall and laughing until tears ran down his face. "Iolaus!" He
shook his head. "You're impossible!"
Iolaus was grinning fit to bust. "Hey, she likes me. Of course, what
woman can hold out against me for long?" He ducked as Hercules reached
for him. "Hey, watch it! Not the face, not the face!"
Hercules laughed and grabbed Iolaus by the shoulder of his tunic, pulling
him against him and hugging him tight as Iolaus wrapped his arms around
Hercules' waist and returned the embrace. Still with their arms around each
other, the two headed for the quarters they would share that night, as both
Vali and Deron were staying overnight, along with several other high-ranking
women. They would be making choices of which of Linn's 'trainees' they would
take with them tomorrow.
********************************************************************************
Iolaus frowned as he examined the torque. "Herc, I can't even find
where this thing fits together." He sat down beside his friend on the
bed. "We gotta get that thing off of you. If I could just get into
the forge...."
"Forget it, Iolaus, the place is off-limits. We'll find another way
to get it off. In the meantime, just keep playing their game."
Iolaus laid down, looked at Hercules. "You know that Vali's absolutely
certifiable."
Hercules nodded. "I know. You be careful, Iolaus. Promise me. No matter
what, don't let her goad you."
"I promise I'll try, Herc. That's the best I can do."
Hercules grasped his arm. "No, Iolaus, it's not. However long it takes,
you can do it. I need you to be here." He leaned against the headboards.
"I'm scared, too, Iolaus. I had a taste of this before...."
"With Serena," Iolaus whispered.
"Yeah. I gave up my powers so I could marry her. And it made me appreciate
what you go through to be with me. I may not say it very often, but I do
appreciate you, Iolaus, besides loving you."
"I know, Herc." He flung his arms over his head. "Now how
are we gonna get out of this mess? I'm starting to miss Alcmene's cooking!"
Hercules laughed. "Vali's right about one thing, you are an imp!"
Iolaus tried to give him an injured look, but couldn't keep a straight face.
Their laughter was a relief from the stress of the last few days. At least
they were in this together.
Hercules leaned over to kiss Iolaus. Iolaus stroked his face, then curled
his arms around Hercules' neck. Hercules traced Iolaus' lips with his tongue,
asking entry. Iolaus parted his lips and his tongue met Hercules'. Iolaus
whimpered as Hercules slid one hand into his tunic, sliding it over his
chest, stopping to run his thumb over Iolaus' left nipple. Iolaus' hands
kneaded Hercules' back and shoulders through his tunic, then he was pulling
it out of his trousers and pushing it off, raising up so Hercules could
undo his own tunic and get it off and out of the way. Hercules pressed kisses
all along Iolaus' jaw, down to his right earlobe. Knowing this was one of
Iolaus' favorite spots, he sucked on it until Iolaus was squirming under
him and clutching his waist. Hercules chuckled in his ear and gave the earlobe
a final lick, which brought a whimpering moan from Iolaus.
"Herc..." he whimpered.
"I'm here, Iolaus." He kissed the smaller man's lips, framed his
face with his hands as he stretched out next to him. "I love you. It
hurts to see them hurting you."
Iolaus smoothed Hercules' hair back, stroked the back of his fingers down
his cheek. "I know." His thumb traced Hercules' lips. Hercules
tongue flicked out to wrap around the finger and pull it into his mouth.
He sucked on it, his tongue curling around it, caressing and licking.
Iolaus sighed, closing his eyes, giving over control to Hercules. They were
equals in all things, and he was a warrior who controlled his own life,
but here, he was willing to give up that control, to let Hercules take care
of him, protect him.
"Iolaus?"
Iolaus opened his eyes. Hercules slid his arms under him and lifted him
into his arms, cuddling him against his chest. Iolaus wrapped his arms around
him, snuggling against him. "Love me..." he whispered, pressing
kisses to Hercules' chest.
Hercules' caresses were slow and languid this night, and Iolaus responded
in the same way. They spoke their love with every touch, every kiss and
caress, their passion mounting, until it blazed out of control and consumed
them and left them holding onto each other, to fall asleep in each other's
arms.
*******************************************************************************
Vali watched as Iolaus went through an intricate Tai Ch'I exercise, every
move slow and controlled. He finally finished and walked over to a bench
and picked up a towel. He didn't hear Vali as she walked up behind him and
his response was automatic as she touched him: he jumped and side-kicked.
Vali saw the kick coming and leaped out of the way.
Iolaus froze, a horrified look on his face. "I...I'm sorry. I didn't
know you were there."
Vali's smile never wavered. "It's a good thing I believe you, golden
one. If I didn't, I'd have to teach you a lesson about the folly of attacking
your mistress."
Iolaus lowered his eyes. "I am a warrior. It's what I've been for most
of my life. That kind of response can't be conquered in such a little amount
of time, if ever."
"That's what makes you so interesting, Iolaus."
Iolaus jerked his head up. That was the first time she'd called him by name.
He accepted her kiss. "There's a council meeting at my mother's tonight,
as well as a banquet. I want you to look your best. Have Sivari help you
get ready."
"I don't need his help."
"But you'll let him help you anyway, won't you."
Iolaus sighed. "Yes, Vali."
"Good. Now, go on."
Sivari sat on Iolaus' bed, watching him putting on his boots. When he had
arrived, Iolaus had pointed at it and told him to sit and not to move. Sivari
had obeyed, dismayed by the look in Iolaus' eyes.
"Iolaus, you could get into big trouble. She said I was to help you.
If she finds out I didn't, she could have both of us whipped. It's not worth
it."
"Don't ever say that!" Iolaus said fiercely. "Every man deserves
the right to make his own life, to be free! There's only so much she can
take away from me!"
"You really believe that?"
"I *know* that." Iolaus shook his head. "I'd better go. Vali
wants to show me off, she's going to get a show indeed!"
"Be careful, Iolaus."
"I will." He squeezed Sivari's shoulder and went to meet Vali.
*******************************************************************************
Hercules stood behind Deron's chair, arms crossed across his chest. He was
dressed in deep hunter green again tonight, from his boots to the open vest
he wore. A metal headband of silver held his hair away from his face, like
a coronet. Deron had chosen not to adorn him further this night, for which
he was grateful.
Hercules watched as Iolaus walked in with Vali, a huge smile on his face
as he escorted her to her couch and bowed as she sat. He kissed her fingers,
looking into her eyes as he released her. He was dressed all in violet and
gold, and his hair was a glorious gilded mass, held in place by a gold and
blue enamal band that framed his face. Hercules had never seen him looking
more beautiful. He could also see the rage in his eyes.
Iolaus played his part well all night. Hercules intrigued the women because
of his size, but Iolaus drew them with his beauty. All of them wanted to
touch him. Several offered Vali exorbitant prices for him. One said she
would give up all she had for him. Vali laughed them all off.
"Vali, I'll give you anything you want for him," said a priestess
of the Lady.
Iolaus smirked at her, then looked innocently at Vali. "Mistress, you
wouldn't sell me so soon, would you?"
Vali laughed and caressed his curls. "Hardly, golden one. No, you are
my treasure, now and always."
Iolaus kissed her hand again, stroking her arm. "And shouldn't the
next queen have the best treasure?"
"Is that what you are, the best?"
"Of course. I belong to you, don't I? How could I not be?"
"You play with words, golden one, as nimbly as your fingers stroke
my flesh, but I enjoy it just as much!" Vali laughed and fed him a
honey cake. Iolaus grasped her hand and licked the honey from her fingers.
Finally, the servants were all dismissed. Vali would be staying overnight,
so Iolaus could share Hercules' quarters.
Once in the slaves quarters, Iolaus stripped off the clothes Vali had chosen
for him, then ran and dove into the pool. He came up and shook his head,
whipping hair and water out of his eyes. But he said nothing. He caught
Hercules' eyes with his own, then looked up and to one side. Hercules followed
his gaze. Two guards stood in the shadows of a balcony, watching and listening.
"C'mon, Herc. The water's from an underground hot spring. It'll help
you relax and you'll sleep better."
Hercules stripped and joined his friend in the pool. They talked about what
they had been doing, how their training was going, until the guards left.
They waited, then left the pool. Wrapping towels around them and gathering
their clothes up, Hercules led them to a small garden set aside for the
use of the slaves.
"All the others will have gone to bed. We'll have the place to ourselves.
The guards never come here. They think there's no way out, that no one could
get over the wall." Hercules put a hand on Iolaus' shoulder. He pulled
him into a patch of moonlight and turned him so the light was falling on
his chest and shoulders. "I hope for your sake you're keeping these
clean," he said quietly. Iolaus had several obviously human bites on
his chest and shoulders, as well as many red claw-marks across his back.
Iolaus shrugged. "She's like having a tiger by the tail. She's unpredictable.
She bites like one, too, her teeth are sharp. I swear she has fangs."
He chuckled. Hercules didn't. Iolaus turned his back on his friend and walked
off a few steps. "I want to go home, Herc," he said, very quietly.
Hercules put his arms around Iolaus and hugged him back against him. Iolaus
let his head fall back against Hercules' shoulder as he grasped his wrists.
"I know, Iolaus. So do I. I just don't know how to get away from here."
Quietly, he told Iolaus everything Deron had told him. Iolaus just listened
until he was finished.
"She's asking us to destroy this place, basically."
"Yes," said Hercules.
"Huh." Iolaus shook his head. "I wouldn't have believed a
person could actually want to do something like that."
"I think Deron's basically a good person, Iolaus. She knows right from
wrong, even tho she was raised in this culture. Maybe, too, the fact that
she's a priestess of this goddess gives her some insight."
"Maybe." He looked at Hercules. "Then why doesn't she take
this off of you?" He gestured at the torque.
"I don't know. Maybe she's waiting for the right time." One hand
slid down to caress Iolaus' chest. The moonlight made him look ethereal,
like a spirit half-seen out of the corner of the eye, that would vanish
if he moved too fast. His hair glowed with a platinum fire all its own and
his eyes blazed with love for the bigger man.
"Herc...." Iolaus turned in his arms, his hands sliding up Hercules'
chest to caress his neck and the back of his head, slipping through his
hair. He opened his mouth as Hercules bent his head to touch his lips to
those of his lover, lightly, caressingly. Their tongues met, dancing madly,
languid caresses were quickly turning heated.
Hercules put his hands on either side of Iolaus' head and held him as his
mouth plundered that of the smaller man. Both were breathless when they
broke apart, Iolaus leaned against Hercules, hands clutching his hips tightly.
"Gods, Herc...," he gasped.
"No matter what happens, Iolaus, you know that I love you. My heart
belongs to you, and only you, and I will never belong to anyone else. Tell
me you know this."
Iolaus nodded, his hands sliding up to Hercules' shoulders, lifting his
eyes so that their gazes locked. "I do...I love you so much, Hercules.
I feel the same way. My body may be used by another, but my heart and soul
are in your keeping, and will never belong to anyone else. Never."
Hercules leaned down to rest his forehead against Iolaus'. "Somehow,
we will get out of this. We will go home. And I will happily tell the whole
world that I belong only to you." He gently stroked Iolaus' cheeks
with his thumbs.
Iolaus looked up at him, naked longing in his eyes. He and Hercules had
always been discreet about their relationship, but hadn't exactly hidden
it, either. Their families knew and accepted. But this was different. Hercules
wanted everyone to know. Iolaus smiled. It didn't matter. The only thing
that mattered was the knowledge that Hercules loved him. He slid his arms
around Hercules' neck and pulled him down into the most passionate kiss
he had ever bestowed on the demi-god.
Hercules arms slid around Iolaus and held him tight to him. When they finally
parted, Hercules led the hunter back to his quarters, where they could be
assured of their privacy.
As Hercules shut the door behind him, he hooked an arm around Iolaus' waist
and pulled him back against him. Iolaus moved against him sensually, reaching
back to thrust his fingers into Hercules' hair. Hercules guided him to the
bed, pulling his towel off as he went, as well as his own. He lay down beside
the hunter, covering him with his body as he leaned over to capture his
mouth. One hand tangled in the golden hair, the other slid down Iolaus'
body, stopping to flick fingers across his nipple, to lightly pinch and
caress it before moving on. His mouth trailed kisses and small nips across
his jaw to his throat to his right ear. He licked the earlobe, sucked it,
worried it with his teeth until Iolaus moaned. Hercules lips moved further,
to caress the satin skin behind the ear as Iolaus' hands clutched his arms
and he writhed under him.
Hercules shifted, raising up. He slid his hand down Iolaus' belly, raked
his fingers through the golden curls at his groin before lightly stroking
his erect shaft. Iolaus was watching Hercules with passion-filled eyes,
one hand caressing the back of his neck. Hercules was smiling, sliding his
fingers down the shaft and to the balls underneath. He cupped the balls
in one hand, weighing them, caressing them, then leaning down to lick them,
sucking first one, then the other into his mouth to caress with his tongue.
Iolaus threw his head back, hands clutching the bed, as Hercules tongue
swirled around his scrotum and finally licked up his shaft to the head,
taking it into his mouth and sucking.
"Herc!" Iolaus gasped.
Hercules glanced at him, never stopping the gentle suction of Iolaus' erection.
He was still playing with his balls with one hand, the other stroking his
belly and chest, one moment a finger was dipping into his belly-button,
then next it was tweaking a nipple, or sliding over the smooth skin. Hercules
wanted to drive Iolaus wild, wanted to hear him cry his name as he came.
His tongue swirled around the head of Iolaus' cock as he slid it in and
out of his mouth, he slid the tip into the slit on the end of it, gradually
increasing the suction of his mouth, taking him deeper and deeper, until
he was taking all of it in.
Iolaus was incoherent now, his head was thrashing wildly, his arms sliding
over the sheets. He tried to buck his hips up, but Hercules held him to
the bed, not letting him move. "HERC!...PLEASE!!!" he pleaded.
He gasped and gave a strangled cry as Hercules' mouth left his cock and
then he felt the cool air of Hercules' breath as he blew on it surrounding
him, the contrasting hot and cold sending him spiraling up in a blaze of
lust and need. He came with an intensity that left him gasping, lying bonelessly
on the bed, his cum covering his belly and groin.
Hercules had caught some of the pearly ejaculate, and now coated his own
cock with it, as well as his fingers. He slid one finger down Iolaus' scrotum,
then under it, parting the cheeks of his ass and finding the small aperture
he was seeking.
"Iolaus?"
"Mm?"
"What do you want?"
"I want you inside me." Iolaus opened his eyes. He stroked Hercules'
face. "I want to know that I belong to you. I want you to make me forget
her, if only for tonight."
Hercules leaned forward and kissed Iolaus, at the same time he slid his
finger into him. He continued to kiss him, Iolaus' hands stroking his hair
and face, as he slowly readied Iolaus' body to accept him. By the time he
slowly, gently slid his cock into him, Iolaus was panting, erect again,
pushing into Hercules' thrusts.
Iolaus wrapped his legs around Hercules' waist as Hercules' arms went around
his. He lifted Iolaus up, his arms going around Hercules' shoulders. As
Hercules lifted him up and down on his shaft, Iolaus touched his forehead
to Hercules'. His hands stroked the back of Hercules' head as he murmured
loving words in his ear. As their passion reached a fever pitch, and Hercules
thrust harder and faster, Iolaus threw his head back and cried Hercules'
name. As he climaxed again, his body clenched around Hercules, pulling him
over the precipice with him.
Hercules gave one last thrust and held Iolaus against him as he emptied
himself into his love's body. For a couple of minutes, they were completely
motionless, the only sound in the room their breathing. Then Hercules laid
Iolaus back on the bed, his now soft cock slipping out of him as he lay
on the bed next to him, pulling him against him. Whispering of their love
to each other, they fell asleep in each other's arms.
Iolaus awoke a couple of hours later to the feeling of Hercules' stroking
his back. He sighed and shifted. "Iolaus?" Hercules asked, looking
down at him.
"Hm?"
"I want to clean those bites, love. I'm worried about them."
"'M ok."
"Please, love."
Iolaus sighed. "'Kay."
Hercules rose and dressed. He gathered ointment, clean cloths, and herbs
and returned to his quarters, to find Iolaus had gone back to sleep. Hercules
let him sleep as he mixed the herbs into a concoction to clean the wounds
with, waking him when he was ready.
Iolaus sat on the bed, sheet wrapped around his waist, as Hercules cleaned
the bites. Hercules did his best to be as gentle as he could.
Iolaus hissed as Hercules cleaned a bite on his shoulder. "I'm sorry,
Iolaus, but they're deep and will get infected if I don't do this."
"I know. Don't mind me."
Hercules shook his head. "I've seen people bites turn poisonous a lot
more often, and more quickly, than dog bites or bites from wild animals."
Iolaus nodded, then jumped. "Ow!" Hercules was shaking his head
over a bite on the back of Iolaus' left shoulder. "I know, I know!
If I didn't know better, I'd swear she was one of those blood-drinkers I
heard about in Egypt."
"Blood-drinkers?" asked Hercules. "I don't remember that
story."
"It's said that there was this man who was cursed by a god. He's not
dead, but he's not alive. He can't come out in the day, sunlight would kill
him. And he can only drink blood to sustain himself. He can pass this curse
on if he wants, to his victims, by taking their blood into him, but just
to the brink of death. Then, before they lose consciousness, he opens a
vein and give it back to them, by them drinking it. And they die, yet live.
They're immortal."
"Whoever told you that story didn't believe it, did they? Surely something
that disgusting can't be true."
"Hercules, where the gods are concerned, I wouldn't put it past them."
Hercules grinned and nodded his agreement. "You're right, Iolaus."
He slid his arms under Iolaus' and pulled him back against him. They spent
the night in each other's arms, and Hercules dreamed dark dreams of revenge
against Vali for daring to hurt his beloved hunter.
As Vali's party prepared to leave the next morning, Hercules clasped Iolaus'
forearm in the warrior's handshake. They locked eyes and Iolaus nodded.
Neither said a word and Iolaus followed Vali down the street.
*******************************************************************************
Iolaus lifted his head as he heard Vali scream. She was yelling at someone,
then he heard the snap of a whip. He jumped up and ran toward the sound.
Vali was standing over Sivari, who was curled into a tight ball on the floor.
She was yelling at him how worthless he was, and not worth the effort she'd
put into him, and she should never have saved his life to begin with. She
lifted the whip to hit him again and Iolaus caught the end of it.
Vali spun to see what had caught her whip. "What do you think you are
doing?" she asked, her voice calm, but with an underlying threat to
it.
"What did he do?"
"What business is that of yours? You're only a slave, just like him!"
Vali's eyes narrowed. "Careful, golden one, or you may share his punishment."
Iolaus cocked his head. "He's not an animal. Even animals aren't beaten
for the slightest error. No one's perfect, everyone, even you, make mistakes."
Vali snarled at him and jerked the whip free. "You're right. And you
just made one." She jerked the whip away from him and lash out with
it, a strike Iolaus deftly avoided.
Iolaus crouched, smirking at Vali. He knew this was a reckless thing to
do, but he couldn't let her beat Sivari for some imagined slight. He caught
the whip, wrapping it around his hand and jerking it away from her. As she
lunged at him, he threw himself to one side. But the floor was slick marble,
and he slid, giving her a chance to grab his leg. She straddled his waist,
pinning his arms over his head. He wrapped his legs around her waist and
flipped her off of him, so that he was straddling her, with her arms pinned.
Vali smiled at Iolaus and then struck, hitting him in the shoulder with
enough force to knock him off of her. She followed and touched the inside
of his right thigh.
Pain exploded through Iolaus' body. He clamped his jaws shut in the effort
not to scream, curling into a ball. Vali released him and he lay on the
floor, gasping, tears flowing down his face. She knelt beside him, stroking
his curls and wiping his tears away.
"You will learn not to defy me, golden one. One way or another."
She touched the back of his left shoulder, and this time Iolaus did scream.
Sivari, hiding behind a marble pillar, drew his knees up to his chest and
put his hands over his ears in an effort to shut out the sound of Iolaus'
screams. Tears flowed down his face. Iolaus was suffering because of him.
It was his fault. But he was too much of a coward to help Iolaus now. He
prayed to the Goddess to help Iolaus, offering to trade his own life for
that of the brave warrior.
Iolaus was unconscious by the time Vali was satisfied he'd learned his lesson.
She called two of her guards to take him to the slave quarters.
Once Iolaus was in his quarters, Sivari set a younger man to sit with him.
There wasn't much that could be done, but Sivari would do what he could.
The first order of business was to send someone for Tera. She was the only
one who could help after this kind of attack, which left the victim with
cramping muscles and twitching limbs.
When the messenger came, Tera went to Linn. Hercules was also there, having
been 'loaned' to Linn for the day by Deron. Linn sent him with Tera, as
her guide, though she didn't need one.
When they arrived, and Hercules saw Iolaus, he was appalled and angered.
"Why?" he asked as he crouched beside the bed, one hand stroking
Iolaus' tousled curls. He lay curled on his side on the bed, obviously still
in pain. His breathing was uneven and he was covered with sweat, hands twitching
uncontrollably, spasms contracting his arms and legs painfully.
Hercules looked at Sivari, who shook his head. "He heard Mistress Vali
beating me and interfered. She didn't like it. It...it was like he goaded
her into attacking him. And he fought back. I think that enraged her the
most. I...I thought she was going to kill him."
"He isn't safe yet," said Tera. "The body can only withstand
so much pain before it gives in. She has pushed Iolaus to the edge. His
heartbeat is unsteady, his breathing is uneven. He's already feverish. This
is not good." She began giving orders to Sivari, telling him what she
needed.
Hercules held Iolaus' hand and stroked his hair. "Hold on, Iolaus.
My brave, fool-hardy friend, don't leave me in this alone."
Iolaus stirred. "H.herc?"
"I'm here, Iolaus."
"G.guess...I w.was...pretty dumb...huh?"
"Let's just say, maybe you went a little too far. How do you feel?"
"I...I hurt...everywhere."
"Why did you do it, Iolaus? She could have killed you."
"N.no. N.not...not yet. S.she won't." He swallowed hard, wincing.
Hercules saw the shiver that ran through him. "Sh.she was going...to
kill...Sivari. I saw it...in her eyes. I c.couldn't...let that happen."
Hercules sighed. He was in agony, seeing Iolaus like this. He knew that
Iolaus, with his spirit, was in constant danger, not just from Vali, but
from any of these women. None would hesitate to hit or use their pain technique
on him at the slightest provocation. And there was nothing Hercules could
do except pray that Iolaus would be careful.
Tera, who had left the room while Hercules was talking to Iolaus, returned.
"Hercules, I've had a warm bath prepared for Iolaus. It will help the
cramping in his muscles. Will you bring him?"
Hercules picked Iolaus up, cradling him tenderly. The fact that Iolaus didn't
protest being carried worried him more than anything. Once, he'd even refused
to be carried after breaking his leg, hobbling around on a crutch instead.
Hercules undressed Iolaus, then set him in the warm water. He and Tera gently
massaged Iolaus' abused muscles, which also helped to soothe frayed nerves.
Finally, the twitching stopped and so did the cramping. At Tera's order,
Hercules lifted him from the bath, setting him on the edge and wrapping
him in a large, thick towel, helping him dry off. Iolaus' shaky legs wouldn't
hold him, so Hercules carried him back to his quarters after helping him
dress.
Iolaus was asleep by the time Hercules laid him on the bed. Tera commented
that she wondered how he'd managed to stay awake as long as he did. "He's
very lucky, Hercules. Talk to him. I know how this captivity is wearing
on him, but goading Vali into killing him isn't the answer."
"I know. Tera...thank you."
"I admire him, and you, Hercules. Your presence here has triggered
something. because of my skills as a healer, I have access to almost every
home in this valley. I hear things. And I know that in a few of these homes,
though it is kept a carefully guarded secret, men are not slaves. They are
lovers and fathers. Boy children are hidden and raised by both mother and
father...loved by both parents. But it isn't enough anymore. They want to
bring this into the open, for men to be the equal of women. They want to
rejoin the outside world. And some have seen you and Iolaus and are asking
themselves questions. If the rest of the world is such a bad place after
all, and if it can be so wrong for men and women to be equal." She
put a hand on Hercules' shoulder, then touched Iolaus' chest. "He will
be fine by morning, though sore. I will return to Linn. You stay with him,
but try to keep out of Vali's sight, and return to Linn's first thing in
the morning."
Hercules nodded. "I will." He squeezed Tera's hand and she left.
Hercules quickly stripped and slid into the bed behind Iolaus, wrapping
him in his arms and pulling him against him. As the night wore on, just
as Hercules had expected, Iolaus began to toss as nightmares invaded his
sleep. He hugged him tight, whispering softly to him until he jerked and
awoke.
For an instant, Iolaus didn't know where he was or who held him, and he
leaned away from Hercules' touch. Then he heard Hercules' voice, speaking
softly to him, and relaxed.
"Herc." He relaxed. "You're still here."
"Yes, Iolaus. I have orders from Tera not to leave you alone."
"I'm not a child, Hercules, who needs comforting after a nightmare,"
Iolaus said peevishly, even as he snuggled into Hercules' arms.
Hercules kissed the top of Iolaus' head. "I know that. But she was
worried you might have more cramps. The damage may not be visible, Iolaus,
but your body took some major punishment." He stroked one hand up and
down Iolaus' spine.
Iolaus sighed. "I know, I'm sorry."
"It's OK." He sat up, helping Iolaus to sit up as well, and reached
for a pitcher on the bedside table. He poured a cup of water and handed
it to the hunter. "Here. Tera also said to get you to drink as much
water as possible."
Iolaus took the cup. "What are you doing here in the first place?"
Hercules chuckled. "I was helping out at Linn's when the messenger
came for Tera. Linn sent me along to help. She said you needed me, and I
was to do whatever Tera said."
"Hmm. Linn said that?"
"Yes."
Iolaus laid back against the pillow, then moved down. Hercules laid back
down, pulling Iolaus against him, tucking the blanket around them, even
as Iolaus mumbled about not being a kid. Hercules only smiled and stroked
his hair back, kissing his forehead as he sighed and went back to sleep.
Hercules smiled, pressing his cheek to the golden hair. "What would
I ever do without you, my love?"
Next morning, before Hercules left, he had a long talk with Iolaus about
why he'd goaded Vali into attacking him and tried to make him promise not
to do it again. Iolaus refused and Hercules finally gave up.
Hercules hugged Iolaus. "Be safe, Iolaus. Please. If not for your sake,
then for mine."
Iolaus hugged Hercules tight in return. "OK."
Sivari watched the two men from the shadows. A thoughtful look crossed his
face. What kind of world could produce two such strong, independent men,
who yet depended on each other so much? And where this wasn't seen as a
weakness, but as perhaps their greatest strength? He had a lot to think
about.
********************************************************************************
Iolaus walked into Vali's quarters as if the previous day hadn't happened.
She was lounging in bed and watching him as he went about his duties. When
he finally looked at her and grinned, and asked, "Do you trust me to
touch you?", she had to laugh.
"Come over here, golden one, and brush my hair for me. I love the feel
of your fingers in my hair."
Iolaus settled on the bed behind her. As always, a part of him tried to
pretend that this wasn't Vali, but his wife, Anya. He had loved to brush
her hair for her, and she had said the same thing, purring like a cat as
he played with her hair.
Iolaus was jerked from his memories of his wife when Vali suddenly slapped
him. It wasn't a hard blow, just enough to startle him.
"Who were you thinking about?" Vali demanded.
Iolaus shook his head. "No, Vali. She's dead, and I won't have her
memory sullied by hearing her name on your lips. She was my wife, the sweetest
thing that ever happened to me. She died giving birth to my son."
Vali looked at him. "And the child?"
"Was taken by a plague in his third year. Many children died that year."
Iolaus stood and walked over to a table littered with Vali's toiletry items.
Vali walked over and put her hands on Iolaus' shoulders. "I'm sorry,"
she whispered in his ear. "I can hear in your voice the love you had
for both of them."
Iolaus shrugged away from her and moved away a few feet, keeping his back
to her. "It doesn't concern you."
Vali went to him. She put a hand to the back of his head, caressing his
curls, then sliding it down his neck to his back. "But it does. Anything
that concerns you concerns me. You miss them, and it makes you sad."
She moved his hair aside and bent to kiss his neck. "Let me make you
feel better," she whispered.
Iolaus looked at her. "And just last evening, you were trying to kill
me."
Vali chuckled. "Oh, no, golden one, if I wanted you dead, dead you
would be. I was only trying to teach you a lesson." Her hand slid down
his back to cup his buttocks.
Iolaus moved so suddenly, Vali was caught by surprise. He spun and caught
her face between his hands, pulling her down into a kiss. Iolaus had no
illusions about what they were doing. It was simply another form of combat,
another test of wills. But in this, at least, he was more than equal to
her, for she had never had a strong lover before, one who would take the
lead and show her pleasure undreamed of.
Iolaus backed her to the bed and pushed her down on it. He caught her lips
with his again, ravaging her mouth. Her hands slid under his tunic, pushing
it off him. He caught it and flung it to the floor. As his lips moved to
her throat, Vali flung her head back and moaned. Her hands tangled in his
hair as he pushed her dress from her shoulders, kissing the flesh as he
exposed it. As he felt her hand begin to slide down his neck to his back,
he lifted his head.
"Not this time," he whispered. He caught her hands and pushed
them over her head, holding them there. Though she could free herself at
any time, Vali let him hold her. He was driving her wild and she didn't
want him to stop.
By the time Vali's last scream of pleasure had faded away, they were both
exhausted. As Iolaus slid his arms under a pillow and dropped off to sleep,
Vali curled up beside him, purring like a sated kitten. She slid one arm
across his back, draping a leg over his, as she dropped off to sleep beside
him.
Some time later, Vali awoke, to find herself pressed against Iolaus' back,
her arms around him. She raised up to gaze down at him. He was so very beautiful.
Asleep like this, he looked much younger than he actually was. And she realized
that, even in his sleep, he was turning away from her. She knew that he
hated her. But she couldn't let him go. From the moment she had laid eyes
on him, he had owned a piece of her soul and she knew she had to have him.
She also knew that he would probably be her downfall.
Vali stroked the back of her fingers down Iolaus' cheek. "You would
be worth dying for, golden Iolaus," she whispered. She lay back down,
tightening her arms around him and watching him sleep.
*******************************************************************************
Hercules looked up from his task as Linn came into the room. She beckoned
him to come with her. He followed her to a bench on the far side of the
gardens.
"How is Iolaus?"
"He was pretty sore this morning, but he seemed fine otherwise."
"Good." Linn looked at him, tucking a strand of hair behind one
ear. "Everyone's talking about the two of you, from the men to the
priestesses."
Hercules shrugged. "And why would everyone be concerned with a pair
of slaves?"
Linn laughed. "Hercules, the two of you will never truly be slaves.
You may be playing along now, but eventually, when the time is right, you
will tear away any perceived shackles and leave this place. And in doing
so, you will turn our world upside down and inside out. Whether that be
for the best or the worst, only time will tell."
"You don't seem too concerned."
"Ah, but I have Seagare, and my daughter. I am learning what it is
like to care about more than myself. And I have you and especially Iolaus
to thank for that. I feel as if I have been asleep for a very long time,
and have just awakened to find that the world is a very different place
than when I went to sleep." Her smile faded. "Our people are splitting
into two factions. Deron has been quietly and privately querying who is
for equality for the men and who is against. Those for are rallying to her;
those against are supporting Vali."
"And Iolaus is caught in the middle," Hercules muttered.
"Yes." Linn put a hand on his arm. "Hercules, you can best
help him by helping us change our way of thinking. Some of us are gathering
tonight, at Deron's, to talk about this. About the changes we want to make.
Will you talk to us? Answer our questions about what it's like out there?"
Hercules nodded. "Yes. I will."
"Good." She stood. "I must go. I am lunching with my daughter."
She shook her head. "I was a fool and missed out on much of her first
seventeen years. I want to miss as little of the next seventeen as possible."
She smiled and left him to return to his task.
*******************************************************************************
Vali dismissed Iolaus and watched him leave, then summoned one of her guards.
Giving her a jar, she told her, "Take this to Locita. She'll know what
to do with it. And whatever you do, don't open it!"
"Yes, Vali!" The guard bowed and left.
Vali rubbed her hands together. "So, you're plotting against me, are
you, my mother? It won't work. Enjoy your evening; it will be your last!"
At Deron's villa, the guard, Nika, went to the guards quarters. Her sister,
Locita, was there, preparing for the evening.
"Locita?"
Locita looked up and frowned. "What do you want?" she asked brusquely.
"Nothing. But the Lady Vali has a task for you."
"No."
"Do you really want to refuse her?"
Locita looked at her sister. "You're as mad as she is," she spat.
Nika laughed. "Perhaps." She held out the small jar. "She
said you would know what to do with it."
Locita took the jar carefully. Unsealing it and opening the lid just a crack,
she peered into it, then shoved the lid back on. "Merciful Goddess,"
she breathed, shuddering.
Nika's eyes had widened at the hairy, sun-colored leg that had thrust through
the crack. "Goddess, what is that?"
"What do you think?" Locita snapped.
"How did she catch it?"
"Probably with her hands." She carefully re-sealed the jar. "This
is the last time, Nika. You tell her."
Nika smirked. "Then you can watch your lover die on the alter of the
Goddess."
"The Goddess has never asked for human blood to be spilt for her! You
don't worship the Goddess, but some demon! Or perhaps it's just Vali's whim,
a way for her to control the rest of you! Get out!"
Nika laughed. "You just remember, little sister. You're love's life
depends on you obeying Vali. And in case you're thinking about warning Deron,
don't. You don't know who here is actually loyal to Vali." Nika's laughter
echoed back to her as she left.
Locita looked at the jar. Tears trailed down her face. "Goddess forgive
me," she whispered.
That evening, Hercules helped Deron get ready for the evening and they talked
about Vali. Deron told him what she had been like as a child, and of her
dismay when she saw the beginnings of her daughter's madness.
"I knew she had a cruel streak. She would beat slaves and citizens
alike. I thought at first that she was simply spoiled. But by the time she
reached her teens, I knew it for what it was. She had no sense of the other
person's pain. No one, not even myself, truly meant anything to her."
"And yet she was allowed to continue, to become a leader."
"I couldn't prove anything. Most everyone else saw nothing wrong with
what she was doing. My own sister was apt to kill her slaves on a whim;
Vali was no different."
"Vali did something, didn't she, that woke you up to what your people
were becoming."
"Yes. She gave birth to a boy child. And as soon as she saw that she
had born a male baby, she cut his throat. I was there, I saw her. She ordered
the body burned. And I learned that she wasn't the first to do something
so atrocious. I remembered the boys I had given birth to, and whom I had
dedicated to the temple. I looked at the men around me, and for the first
time, I saw fathers, and lovers, and sons and brothers. They were us, our
other halves, and we needed them. That was almost two years ago. That was
when I began praying to the Goddess for help."
Hercules fastened a necklace for her and put his hands on her shoulders.
"Your people have to want to change, Deron. Iolaus and I can only show
you the way. We can't make you take it. And we have our own lives and family
to return to." He touched the torque at his throat. "And I can't
do as much as I would like so long as I wear this."
"I know, Hercules." She put a hand over his and sighed. "I
cannot remove it. Only the Goddess can. There is a secret to it that only
she knows. She said that it would bind you until the time came. I don't
know what she meant. I'm sorry." She looked at him. "If I were
thirty, even just twenty years younger, I wouldn't let you get away from
me, you know." She smiled at him as he chuckled and bent to kiss her
cheek.
"My Lady, you remind me too much of my mother."
Deron laughed, then slipped her arm through his and he led her out to the
waiting guests.
Hercules found that he wasn't to serve on this night. He was there as one
of them, to answer questions about the outside world and how to best defeat
Vali and her warriors, for they all knew she would never willingly let any
of them leave.
"Then you have three choices, as I see it," said Hercules. "You
can sneak out. You can fight. Or you try to bring as many of your people
around to your way of thinking as possible, and force Vali out of the valley
that way."
"I'm not sure that would work. There are too many of the younger generation
who are as debauched as she is," said Gellan, a matron of Deron's generation.
"Maybe not as many as you think," said Zera, who was of an age
with Vali. "She has the warrior class, yes, but most of the citizenry
still follow Deron, regardless of their age. And we are all as skilled warriors
as her followers, more so in many cases."
Hercules glanced at the tray of fruit sitting between he and Deron and reached
for one of the figs. His hand froze as something moved. "Deron...move
away, please."
"What is...."
"Just...move away."
Deron moved away. Everyone watched as Hercules slowly pulled his hand back,
only to have something move even faster than he and fasten to his wrist.
It was a large yellow spider, almost the size of his hand. It had been hidden
under the golden grapes and apples.
Hercules cried out as the thing bit him. He flung it to the floor, then
grabbed a knife and threw it, impaling it to the floor, where it writhed
until a servant killed it and removed it.
"Hercules!" Deron raced over as he looked at his hand. She got
his hand. "Linn, send for Tera, now! Vali, what have you done?"
Hercules was shaking his hand. "My hand's gone numb! What was that?"
"We call it a death's head spider, because on their abdomen they have
a mark like a skull. They're venomous." Deron was shaking her head.
Hercules looked at her. She was tying a tourniquet above the bite. "How
bad?"
"Depends on how much venom she got into you, and how much protection
your divine blood affords you."
"And is there a treatment for the venom?"
"Yes...but it doesn't always work. And before you ask, sucking the
venom out doesn't work and would only endanger the one sucking it out."
She saw him wince in pain. "How do you feel?"
Hercules swallowed hard, his head was beginning to spin. "How fast
does the venom work, Deron?"
"It's different for different people. Come, let's get you back to your
quarters."
Hercules was stumbling by the time they got to his quarters, leaning heavily
on the two women who served as Deron's bodyguards. He wasn't very lucid
as he was laid on the bed, but he was lucid enough to know there was something
he had to tell Deron, had to make her understand.
"Deron," he rasped.
Deron sat down beside Hercules, taking his hand. "I'm here."
"Deron, swear to me, by your goddess, if anything happens to me, you
won't leave Iolaus in Vali's hands. One way or another, you'll free him."
Deron clutched his hand and finally nodded. "I swear by my Lady, Iolaus
will be free."
"Thank you."
Deron stroked his face. "You will be all right, Hercules. I know it."
"I...I feel...numb...."
Zera leaned over. "That's a good sign, he's only experiencing the numbness,
not the pain," she whispered.
Deron nodded. "Yes. Did Linn send for Tera?"
"Yes, but she was at Vali's checking on Iolaus. She will be here soon."
"And Iolaus will no doubt be with her, even if he has to defy Vali."
****************************************************************************
Iolaus stood in front of Vali, hands curled into tight fists, jaw clenched.
Vali looked at him. "I said, no."
"I have to go to him!"
"You don't *have* to do anything but what I tell you to do, slave!"
Vali retorted sharply. She gestured to her guards. "Take him to his
quarters. See that he stays there."
When the guards reached for him, he kicked one, doubling her over, and grabbed
the other by the wrist and flipped her over his hip. He backed toward the
door, only to suddenly find himself grabbed, his arms pulled up behind him
and a knife laid to his throat.
Vali looked at him coldly. "Take him to a detention room."
The detention room was an empty room, with only a pile of straw covered
by a blanket. There were no windows. It was totally dark. Shackles were
bolted to the wall and ceiling. Iolaus' wrists were imprisoned by the shackles
and he was left in the dark, cursing Vali, the guards, and himself.
******************************************************************************
Tera walked into Hercules' room, to find Deron herself taking care of him,
bathing his face with cool water as he mumbled in delirium. Deron looked
up as she walked in. "Did Iolaus come with you?"
"No, Lady, Vali forbade him." Tera moved to the side of the bed
and sat down on it. She examined Hercules, then had Linn send for Aran.
"I will need his help. Tell him we will need tea made from the borage
plant, strong, to dose him with, and cedron seed to make a poultice with,
to help draw out the poison, and if he doesn't have any, there is some in
my workshop, he'll know where." She put a hand on Hercules' chest.
"And Linn? Tell him to *hurry*.
Linn went to take the message herself. Deron looked at Tera. "Are you
totally blind?"
"Since the day of my birth, My Lady."
"Then how is it that you are a healer?"
"I see with my hands, my fingers are very sensitive. And I see with
my heart, as well."
"And this Aran? Who is he?"
"He is my brother, and he is also a healer. We work well together."
"Is he also blind?"
"No. He is a man." Tera shrugged. "He is two years my junior,
but he is a very talented healer in spite of his youth."
Deron looked at Hercules. "Will he live?"
"By the grace of the Goddess, yes."
Hercules sucked in his breath, head thrashing. "Iolaus!" he screamed.
"No...No, don't die, Iolaus, please..." He growled. "I'll
kill him!" he roared, his hands curling into fists. Because of the
spider's venom, he couldn't move much, so the women were in no danger as
he thrashed feebly. "Kill him...for touching you...mine..." He
whimpered suddenly. "Iolaus," he whined. "I love you...don't
leave me. I'm sorry, 'm sorry!"
Deron stroked Hercules' hair back. "Hercules, everything's going to
be alright. I promise. Hold on now. Iolaus needs you."
Linn and Aran soon arrived. The two healers ignored everyone else in the
room, and Linn made everyone leave except Deron.
As Linn shooed everyone out the door, she saw one of Deron's guards looking
at Hercules with tears running down her face. She frowned. "Locita?"
Locita didn't look at her. "Hercules...oh, Goddess, what have I done?
Forgive me, Hercules!"
Linn grabbed the woman's arm and made her look at her. "Locita, what
are you going on about?"
Locita looked at her. "I'm sorry, Linn. Tell him that for me, will
you?" She pulled away from Linn and began to back up. "I'm sorry."
She shook her head.
"Locita?" Linn's eyes widened as she saw the guard pull a dagger.
"Locita, what are you doing?"
"She made me do it! She has my lover! My beautiful lover whom I pledged
my heart to, and who pledged himself to me! I failed, and she will kill
him! I can't live like this anymore, I won't live without him! Better to
die now than be sacrificed to Vali's madness!" She plunged the dagger
into her own chest.
"NO!" cried Linn. She ran to the guard, but it was too late. She
was already gone. Linn closed her eyes and signaled two of her own guards
to carry her out. She looked back toward Hercules' room. "Vali, you
have gone too far. Now you have us turning against each other and ourselves.
You have to be stopped, one way or another." She returned to Hercules'
room and told Deron what had happened.
*******************************************************************************
Iolaus shielded his eyes as the door was opened, the sudden light blinding
him. The shackles holding him were long enough for him to sit down, but
his hands were held at shoulder height. As his eyes adjusted, he blinked,
trying to see who had come.
"Are you ready to be reasonable now?" came Vali's voice.
"Are you ready to let me go to Hercules?" he asked in the same
reasoning tone.
Vali backhanded him. "You really are a glutton for punishment, aren't
you, golden one?"
Iolaus looked at her. "Aren't you?"
Vali crouched in front of him and grasped his chin. She kissed him, hard.
He bit her lip, making her jerk back. She grabbed him by the throat and
squeezed. Iolaus began to thrash, kicking her away from him.
Vali picked herself up, her eyes never leaving Iolaus as he gasped for breath
"Why don't you kill me?" he gasped. "I'll never let you break
me, Vali. Never."
Vali grinned. "But Iolaus, that is what makes you so interesting. This
test of wills between us. Because I know that one day, I will break you,
and you will be mine forever." She caressed his curls, laughing as
she stepped out of reach of his kick. He was left in darkness again.
Iolaus laid his head back against the wall, his thoughts turning to Hercules.
"Hang on, Herc," he whispered. "Please, my love."
******************************************************************************
The spider's venom was still coursing through Hercules' veins, making him
feverish and delirious. He'd also had a bout of seizures, which alarmed
Tera and Aran both. Aran immediately began gathering the ingredients for
a stronger medicine that would prevent the seizures, but he was missing
one.
"I don't have any valerian root!" he told Tera in frustration.
"And I know you don't either, because you gave me the last of yours
for Timus!"
"You must calm down, Aran. You know where to find it. Go."
"It will take several hours to go there and back. He may not survive."
"He will. We will see to it."
Linn gestured to Aran. "Aran. Come. I'll have my fastest horse saddled
and get you where you need to go as fast as he will carry us."
"Thank you, Mistress!" Aran scrambled to his feet and they were
both hurrying to the stables.
Deron went to the door and looked for her guards. She thought sadly of Locita,
knowing she would give the woman a proper funeral. But right now, Hercules
needed her.
"Keth! Sylea! Go to Vali's. Bring Iolaus to me. If Vali protests, arrest
her and bring her as well. Take as many guards with you as you think necessary."
"It will be done, My Lady!" Keth bowed and the two guards left.
Forward to Chapter Three
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