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***
(4) Conclusion:
"Why did you bring me here?" Michael asked, his white robes shimmering and voice stern, as
he and Iolaus' guardian hovered above the prone, breathless body. "And why are you holding him in stasis? It's time for him to join us."
"*Again*." she said, softly. "I've read the records, Michael, and I saw what was written.
You released him once because he and Hercules were meant to go on."
"And, if you read those records as closely as you seem to think you did, you would have
noticed that I told Iolaus that he will be judged again. It's time for that judgment. And he's in no danger, I assure you."
"But Michael ... it wasn't that long ago that he left The Light." Her attention focused on
Hercules and his grief, "He'll be so lost without him."
"As he was before." Michael considered, scrutinizing the half godling's grief. He then
looked back at the sentinel, "When you were declared Iolaus guardian we told you that there would be dangers. He's reckless and has a huge heart. It's in Iolaus very nature to sacrifice himself. You agreed to abide by our laws."
"And I do, you know I do, but these two ..." Her brown eyes looked up into his blue,
"They're special cases. Hercules is a hero to all Greece and beyond. He is the epitome of all that is good and right with the world. And Iolaus ..." she bit her lip and made a confession, "I read in The Scroll of Life where he was one of the three mortals that were witness to the first breaths of the Earth's eventual savior. The son of the god of gods." Again, she looked down sympathetically at the mortals below, "I just feel they *both* deserve life, to go on and become what destiny has designed."
Michael worked hard to prevent a knowing smile, "You've been reading earthly files," he
noted with verbal consternation. "You shouldn't have, Calisto."
Her blond hair shimmered as she bowed her head, "I wanted to know what it was like and what
*I* was like, why Gabrielle and the others hated me so much. I was so awful, Michael, and want so badly to make amends. I was terrible to these two men also, threatening them, poisoning them. I even tried to kill Hercules mother ... Please, allow what I ask, Michael. Please."
He stared at her. There was more to it, he was certain. Gabrielle was close to Iolaus and
Calisto - still bound by her conscience - felt she owed the young woman much. The bard had forgiven her for all the evil deeds against Xena and herself, allowing Calisto to enter into paradise. She had been with her family and felt an all absorbing love, thanks to Gabrielle. By saving Iolaus she would not just please Gabrielle but also make Hercules, who would most certainly be greeting The Light himself some day, whole again.
In essence, Calisto didn't feel she deserved the love and bliss of The Light unless she
made a difference in the lives of the people she now watched and subliminally directed.
And, in this instance, Michael felt obliged to grant her this gift. Only because a greater
power had directed him to do just that long before Calisto called for him.
Iolaus was scheduled from the moment of his birth to be the witness of greatness. First it
was the birth of that baby in a manger a few years ago - he who would become the king of kings - then, years later, he would be touched again. Iolaus would be one of the people, scorned by Roman soldiers and never written into the history books, who helped to take the true king off of a cross -- and this poor, dead man's blood would touch Iolaus ... making him blessed among others.
This simple mortal man, Iolaus by name, his body would die after one hundred years but he
would be reborn on earth again, to follow his best friend as an immortal into the future, continuing to spread the word of goodness and mercy. Helping all of those who needed help. He would be there to see the fall of the Olympians and the rise of The Light, as it was never thought possible.
Michael and Calisto raised their hands in unison and allowed them to hover over Iolaus
body, sending a shimmering ray of light down upon the body and breathing life into what was once a shell ....
Then Calisto, remembering a small item of personal interest, touched Iolaus forehead.
"What did you do?" Michael asked her.
She smiled, "I made him aware of something important."
****
"No, no, noooo." he keened, still holding onto Iolaus hand. Then, with a shout that could
not possibly come from a mortal man, Hercules threw his head back and cried - "NOOOOOOOO!" to the top of his lungs and, with a mad fury, ripped the leather restraints from Iolaus arms and legs. He took the smaller man by the shoulders and begged him to come back ...
.... and suddenly there was a breath. A deep breath and the shaking of his body, almost as
if someone or something had touched the man with a lightening bolt.
Xena, followed closely by Jason and Autolycus, raced into the bedroom - alarmed by the
wailing cry they had heard from Hercules. The others, including Salmoneus and Iphicles, were also present. They stopped and stared. Was it their imagination or had a glow just come over Iolaus body and suddenly disappeared?
"Hercules." he whispered and lifted a hand to place fingers atop of his much taller
friend's head. This would probably be the only opportunity he'd ever have of doing such a thing and Iolaus savored it, smiling.
The demigod was shocked and pulled back quickly, nearly collapsing to the floor. His eyes
were wide and a little frightened, "Iolaus? I thought ..."
He smiled weakly, "I thought so too, Hercules ..." Iolaus closed and opened his eyes again,
"But I'm going to be okay." He smiled and turned his head away, exhausted.
****
Epilogue:
The tavern was filled to capacity as the door flung open, the wind and snow blowing in on
the many patrons who had been forced to flee the festival until this second blizzard passed. The grizzled keeper sighed and rushed over to slam it shut. "Should've hired more help." he mumbled under his breath, wiping his hands on his smudged apron.
Despite the bad weather all were in a good mood, drinking to keep themselves warm and
talking to whomever would listen. Jokes, story-telling and laughter rang out and bounced against the decorated walls as ale was passed from man to man, from woman to woman.
"To the Winter Solstice!" someone shouted and many voices echoed the cheer.
Only a handful of people were not festive and they had good reason. They sat near the
hearth, gloomy and introspective. This could have been a great day, particularly since one of their numbers was well on the road to recovery, but there was a problem. One small thing ...
Phoebe lifted her hands to warm them near the fire. They had tried so very hard to find
Gabrielle but the wind and snow had gotten so out of hand they knew it impossible. The Argonauts had to come back to Anarticus without her.
Xena, of course, would not be stopped and she had gone after the young woman herself.
Hercules, being what he was and now reassured by an astonished Nursus that Iolaus was out of danger, would not allow Xena to go off on her own. He accompanied her and they resumed the hunt.
That had been hours ago.
Gabrielle was surely dead by now, Joxer thought, drinking his flagon dry. The warmth of her
young body, drained by the sub zero temperatures outside, would never be his again to admire and protect. He would miss her so much. At least he had been able to tell her he loved her before she passed to the other side.
Iolaus stood on the landing for a moment, observing his friends as they sat quietly, then
slowly he began a descent. He'd washed and changed into his street clothes and ran a comb through his hair. The injury, his crushed ribs and internal bleeding had been miraculously healed. His pierced throat was as it was before. No swelling or bruises remained. Although weak, he felt better than he had on the night of he and Hercules arrival in Anarticus. No one understood how Iolaus had healed but all were grateful. They would all be celebrating if it wasn't for ...
Poor Gabrielle, he thought, feeling a great but controlled tide of grief. There was a time,
long ago, that he thought the two of them might have had a future together. Yet, she was so young then and he wasn't really ready for commitment. Apparently, it was just something that was never meant to be. Yet, her laugh and smile stayed on his mind.
He still held hope that Hercules and Xena would find her, as they all did, but that hope
was dwindling as the hours and minutes passed.
"Iolaus!" her voice called. Alexia ran up the few stairs to meet him and smiled, pushing
herself into his arms, "Darling, I'm so glad you're up and moving around." she tittered. "Of course, I knew you'd get better. I knew it ..."
He chuckled gently and held her. Then, pulling Alexia back, Iolaus stared into those
beautiful green eyes, "Thank you for coming to see me while I was sick, Alexia. I'm sure you're part of the reason I'm alive right now."
The woman hesitated a moment, unsure. Then, recognizing an opportunity when she saw it --
"Of course. Iolaus, you know I'm crazy about you. I would have been sitting by your bedside twenty four hours a day if they had let me." she gushed.
"But the times you *were* able to spend with me did wonders. I heard all manner of voices
in my head while I slept. Dreams probably, people telling me I was a good man and how much I'd be missed, what I meant to them ...." he paused. Yes, they were dreams, he was sure. " ... but I have a clear memory of you beside me, telling me ... you love me."
Alexia stared at him, speechless.
"I *knew* it was real. It wasn't a dream and all I had to do was think of your voice, feel
your touch and listen to your stories to know that I ..." Iolaus suddenly trailed off, a thought striking him. The dreamy expression dissolved away slightly into something a little more concrete. "Umh, you'll have to tell me the one about the mermaid and the love sick sea serpent again." he said. "You know the story I'm talking about?"
"Yes, the one with the sea serpent ..." Her smiled faded just slightly and Alexia grew
nervous. "Maybe later." As if inspired, she put her arms around Iolaus and hugged him close, attempting to hide her lie. "I'm so glad you were able to hear me."
Iolaus looked over her shoulder, realization dawning.
Once again, the tavern door slammed open but this time three well cloaked figures were
standing in the frame.
"We've got her!" Xena shouted as she and Hercules dragged Gabrielle over to the fire.
Iolaus moved down the stairs at a run, passing a confused Alexia, without a second look. He
joined his friends near the fire.
"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Gabrielle called to all those who fussed over her. They sat her in a
chair, brought blankets to cover her, and gave hot drinks to both Xena and Hercules who discarded their outerwear.
"We found her laying unconscious beside a path a few miles outside of Anarticus." Hercules
said.
"I'm amazed you didn't freeze!" Joxer exclaimed but was visibly happy to see her well.
"It's a miracle." Iolaus moved into the group and stared at Gabrielle, meeting her eyes
with an almost intimate warmth, as his friends stared at him.
Hercules rounded the chair and put a hand on Iolaus shoulder, amazed to see him standing so
shortly after his own ordeal. "It looks like the season for them, buddy."
Iolaus smiled and reluctantly peeled his eyes off the bard to look up at his friend. "It
is, isn't it?"
King Iphicles lifted his flagon and called, "To miracles!"
"To miracles!" voices called back.
Jason, who had been standing behind Iolaus, then leaned forward and whispered into his ear,
"I guess this means I won't be getting your sword." he chuckled.
Laughing himself, Iolaus turned to his second best friend - "Not for a long while, Jas."
"That's fine by me." He slapped him gently on the shoulder.
Autolycus looked from Iolaus to Gabrielle and made a few judgments of his own. Moving
languidly but with purpose, he put arms around Joxer and Salmoneus - "Gents, I want to buy you a drink." he said and moved off with the two men to the bar.
Iphicles, Jason and the Argonauts did the same.
Iolaus knelt down in front of Gabrielle and took one of her hands in his, "Tell me a story,
Gabrielle." he told her, "Tell me the one about the Prince and the old woman ..."
" ... who was his Princess from the past." she whispered, recalling.
"But he was too blind to see it."
A little startled, Gabrielle again met his eyes. He knew.
Hercules put an arm around Xena and steered her to a recently emptied table, "Miracles
...' he mused.
They sat and looked at their friends as Gabrielle told her story and Iolaus sat in front of
her, cross legged and still holding her hand. They couldn't hear them now but didn't have to. The vision of the couple gazing at one another was enough.
Xena nodded, "Miracles." she agreed, "I think we're two of the luckiest people in the
world, Hercules."
"Xena ..."
She drew her attention away from their friends and looked at the handsome demigod, "Yes,
Hercules."
"Happy Winter Solstice." he smiled.
"To you too, Hercules. To you too."
THE END
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