Strolling across the hills outside Haviva, Iolaus was happy. It was a gorgeous sunny day even for Greece with a fine soft breeze to lift the heat that had driven him to discard his vest. The meadows were full of flowers from the tiny blue star shaped ones to the vibrant purple spikes that bobbed in the breeze. The hunter was on his way back from a fishing trip and was anticipating Hercules' escape from King Pelegas and a night spent at the taverna - assuming he could persuade Hercules to indulge in a couple of drinks with him. On the other hand, a few hours spent with the ever-pedantic Pelegas were enough to drive even Hercules to drink.

"What's this? All alone and sun tanned loitering?" Hermes' voice was accompanied by the brush of lips and breath on Iolaus' bare shoulder and the hunter jumped out of his wits.

"Hermes!"

"You remembered," the winged messenger purred.

"What do you want?!" Iolaus yelped, refusing to turn around and look at him. He felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle as Hermes brushed the strands the wrong way with a caress of power.

"Don't you know?" Hermes growled. "Let me see, a jug of wine, a loaf of bread, a few grapes, you spread out naked on a black fur in front of a roaring fire…"

"Go away!!"

"And oh yes, I have a message for you…" Hermes held the rolled scroll out over the warrior's shoulder for him.

"Why didn't you…..oooohhh!" Snatching it, Iolaus whipped around to face him, realised Hermes was stark naked and whapped him in the stomach with the rolled scroll.

Hermes doubled up with a whoof of surprise.

"You unprincipled deviant pervert! Put some clothes on!" Iolaus screamed at him, darting out of reach and covering his eyes with one hand only to lower it again as he realised that this meant he couldn't see what Hermes was doing.

"Don't you want to admire my handsome divine body? Emphasis on the divine of course."

"No!" Iolaus wailed, turning his back on him in desperation.

"Ooh, nice view…look at that butt!"

Iolaus started to jog away from him, heading downhill. The flutter of wings made him glance back nervously then hastily look front again. "Stop following me!"

Hermes pouted at him as he hovered alongside. "Some mortals would adore me following them."

"Then go bother them!"

"You don't mean that. You'd miss me. Aren't you going to read your scroll?"

"No!" Iolaus flung it at him and Hermes caught it deftly. Accelerating, the winged messenger whipped around in front of the hunter and cut him off. Holding out the scroll to him, he met Iolaus' furious expression seriously.

"Read it," he urged.

Iolaus' scowl faded a little. It could hardly escape his notice that Hermes had put on some clothes as requested and was now attired in a plum leather vest and pants decorated with a twining pattern of snakes. "Why?" he asked warily as he broke the seal with his thumbnail and then shot a worried look at Hermes. "It isn't about Hercules, is it? He's not in danger?"

"No, precious, I would tell you that personally."

Iolaus nodded and unfastened the ribbon, unrolling the crisp parchment of the scroll. His eyes widened. "This isn't for me," he exclaimed.

"Yes, it is."

"No…"

"Yes, you know it is. Don't lie." Hermes said sternly.

"But…."

Hermes' eyes were the soft green of new leaves as he gazed at the blond warrior. "That's the way the cookie crumbles," he said gently. "Niobe made her vow before the Gods and the Gods heard…"

"Since when did they do that?"

Hermes sighed. "Don't be sarcastic. Ares decided that we would help her fulfil her vow."

"But she's calling for a peace treaty by marriage. Why would Ares back her on that?" Iolaus demanded.

"Because he's up to something, of course," Hermes sighed.

"I don't get it."

"But I could give it to you."

"Shut up! And tell me what this means."

"I can't do both."

"I thought you could do everything. At least that's what you keep telling me."

Hermes raised a slender eyebrow at him. "You are superbly inconsistent, peach blossom," he told him cheerfully. "And because I adore you and want you and…"

"Yeah, yeah. Translation?"

"Niobe is having problems holding on to the Attican throne. There is a faction that doesn't believe she has a right to it now that Orestes is dead and she hasn't produced his child. This faction is demanding that she either marries the rightful heir or steps down immediately."

"Niobe won't do that," Iolaus protested. "She knows what's best for Attica."

"Or thinks she does," Hermes murmured sadly.

"What?"

"Nothing, scrumptious," Hermes said briskly. "These people are powerful enough that she cannot rule without their backing. Niobe has been forced to agree to take steps to find Orestes' heir. She is also having to renegotiate Orestes' peace treaty."

"But…"

"Orestes is dead," Hermes reminded him. "And Attica is powerful. The kings don't trust Niobe."

"So they’re backing the faction that wants to depose her?" Iolaus bristled.

"They want to see her married off. She has been making decisions that have made some members of the treaty uneasy. They kept to the treaty in the hopes that she would produce a child, but she hasn't. The fact is Iolaus, she doesn't have a right to the Attican throne. She isn't in the line of descent and you are."

"Only distantly!"

"Don't lie," Hermes scolded mildly. "You know better."

"But I don't want the throne. I told her that! I could be ruling Attica now if I wanted to pretend to be Orestes!"

"I know, sugarplum. It's the only thing that's saved your butt."

"What?"

"Never you mind. You’re too honest to live a lie. But you wouldn't be living a lie if you took the throne as yourself, now would you?" Hermes said gently.

"I would, I was only ever a distant relation…"

"Not as distant a relation as you like to pretend," Hermes interrupted firmly. "You're the grandson of Orestes' uncle."

"The poor relation, the black sheep relation," Iolaus said hastily. "The one who vanished…"

"The uncle who wasn't acknowledged because he ran away and married a young lady from Sylabas and then got himself killed in a war. Yes, that one. You’re his grandson."

Iolaus shook his head desperately. "That's only a story."

"You’re calling your Grandmother a liar?"

"Don't you say a word about my Grandmother!" Iolaus shot back hotly.

"She told you, didn't she?"

"Yes," Iolaus said gloomily.

Hermes nodded in satisfaction. "You have a right to the throne, Iolaus. Whether you like it or not, you have to go to this gathering. Niobe plans to marry either one of the kings or one of their sons."

"That's not a bad thing," Iolaus managed even though the words nearly choked him.

"It isn't a good thing either." Hermes paused and added distantly, "You could marry her yourself."

"I don't want to be king."

"Finest kind."

"Oh, go away. I have to think about this." Rolling up the scroll, Iolaus started to walk again, head down in thought. "How would I break it to Herc?" he wondered aloud.

"Well, King Pelegas has been invited and Hercules has already offered for you and he to go with him."

"Oh great, I've been volunteered again," Iolaus sniffed, miffed.

"It will give you and excuse to be there," Hermes pointed out gently.

"I had noticed that the scroll came from Hector rather than Niobe," Iolaus admitted. "Is she still mad at me?"

"You could say that," Hermes observed dryly. "Hector still pines over you turning down the kingdom. That’s why he included you on the invitation list. He doesn't know how close you are to the throne, but he knows you have a distant claim."

"How'd you get the scroll anyway?"

"Hel-lo?! I'm a messenger…." Hermes teased then grinned and continued under Iolaus' vibrant blue glare. "Sometimes, precious, I step in when a message positively absolutely has to be there on time. Hector didn't know who I was."

"If Niobe doesn't want me there, maybe I shouldn't go."

"You have to go."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Why because?"

Hermes sighed in exasperation. "You do, that's all."

"For someone who knows all, sees all, you don't know very much, do you?"

"You’d be surprised," Hermes replied grimly and grabbed him, whipping Iolaus around so he was between him and the trees and held close. For a split second Iolaus felt the incredible strength of his arms and felt the warmth of his power flow through his body and tingle in his skin, then Hermes gasped in pain and jerked against him. Releasing Iolaus he whipped around and raised one arm, punching his hand towards the trees. As he spread his fingers wide a ball of blue white light exploded out of his fist and shot sizzling across the meadow.

Iolaus caught a glimpse of a man in trees with what looked like a bow. He was scrambling to his feet, starting to run…

The ball of light hit him in the back and exploded outwards in a magnesium white blast of light that made Iolaus yelp and cover his eyes. When he dared to look up again, the man had gone, so had the trunks of several trees leaving their shattered stumps projecting from the blackened ground.

Hermes moaned and swayed forward, reaching one hand behind him to the feathered shaft sticking out from below his shoulder blade. "Oops…."

"Hermes!" With a cry of alarm, Iolaus caught him, tucking his shoulder under that of the messenger to support him.

"I can manage…" Hermes began, sinking to his knees. "I need a moment to…pull it…"

"Here, hold on…" Grabbing the arrow, Iolaus braced Hermes in one arm and yanked the shaft with the other.

Hermes yelled in pain. "You little…."

"I'm sorry," Iolaus said desperately. "You need help; wound moss for a start. Look lie still. I’ll get you to the palace. We'll get help…."

Hermes gazed at him in wide-eyed wonder as the hunter settled him gently to the ground. "Iolaus, I'm fine, really…"

"No, no, lie still. I need to stop the…what is this stuff you're leaking anyway? No, never mind, save your strength. You can tell me later…."

"Iolaus, there's no…." Hermes paused and pouted thoughtfully. "Oh, yes, perhaps you're right…I do feel….a little weak…." He let his eyelashes flutter and allowed the colour to drain from his face. What was a little pain compared to getting Iolaus to snuggle up to him? "I think…perhaps I …can walk if you'd help me…."

* * *

Hercules was sipping a sweet berry juice and listening to Pelegas tell him yet another of his garden plans when a servant slipped in with a whispered message to tell him that Iolaus had returned with a wounded friend and was asking for him. Making polite but hasty excuses to the King, Hercules made his escape and raced down to the suite he and Iolaus were sharing.

He found Iolaus in a rare panic while Hermes lay languishing palely on the couch. When Hercules rushed in, Iolaus was placing a cool cloth on the messenger's bow and actually allowing Hermes to take his hand and kiss the inside of his wrist without hitting him.

"What's going on?" Hercules asked in bewilderment as he shoved the doors shut behind him and leaned on them.

"Hercules!" Iolaus yipped in relief. "It's Hermes!"

"I can see that. What's he been up to this time?" Hercules cast a disparaging eye on the Herald.

"He's been shot!"

"Where?" Hercules wondered, ambling over for a closer look. Hermes eyed him warily.

"In the back," Iolaus explained hastily. "I don’t know what to do, Herc. The arrow went pretty deep."

"Your point being?"

"What?" Iolaus goggled at him. "He's wounded, Herc! Do something!"

"Such as?" Hercules asked, puzzled and a little amused.

"Perhaps a little fruit juice…" Hermes asked faintly. "I feel….very thirsty…."

"Don't faint. Fruit juice? I think…."

"Iolaus!" Hercules caught his friend's wrist before Iolaus could rush off again. "Wait a minute…"

"Herc, don't you care? He's hurt…"

"And if it was you or anyone else I’d be worried, but it's Hermes…"

"Yes, so? Don't you care?"

"Hel-lo. Iolaus, he's Hermes…."

"Yes, I know," Iolaus shook him off and grabbed for the pitcher of fruit juice. "But he's still been shot…"

"And he's a god. Definition of a god being-?"

"Immortal, yes, I….immortal?" Iolaus paused, his eyes narrowing before he whipped around to face Hermes as the light dawned. "Why you, you let me, you, you…"

Hermes sat up hastily, displaying no sign of his supposed pain. "Now, Iolaus, I was wounded protecting you and it did hurt….EW!!" The last was a wail of disgust as Iolaus emptied the contents of the pitcher over him.

"S L O W," Hercules murmured to himself.

"You devious, perverted goat fondler!" Iolaus screamed, lobbing the pitcher at the Herald as Hermes wisely rolled off the other side of the couch.

"You don't look so much like a goat to me," Hermes purred, blowing him a kiss.

"Aargh!" Iolaus grabbed for a vase of flowers and threw it at him, flowers and all. Hermes vanished in a sprinkle of golden blossom letting the vase shatter on the floor.

"Missed," Hercules observed smugly, folding his arms. "Really, Iolaus, I'm surprised you didn't catch on….uh oh…." Hercules knew that murderous look of old and knew he had made a big mistake. "Now, Iolaus…."

"S L O W, am I?" Iolaus started to prowl towards him.

"I uh, I think I’d better get back to Pelegas…" Hercules retreated towards the door and managed to fling them open and dart outside before a solid bronze platter dinged off the wood like a discus. Slamming the door hastily, Hercules leaned on it and listened to the crashing noises from inside the suite as Iolaus vented his temper on the furniture rather than his best friend.

"Temperamental, little darling, isn't he?" Hermes mused, manifesting beside Hercules clad in a forest green, ankle length velvet robe.

"He had cause," Hercules pointed out stiffly. "He was worried you were really hurt."

"Yes," Hermes sobered for a moment. "And it won't be forgotten."

"Nor will that comment you made."

"Comment?"

"You were protecting him? What happened?"

"The arrow was meant for him, not me," Hermes replied grimly.

"You know who or why?"

"Not yet. Since Ares got involved the permutations are changing too fast to calculate. You know as well as I do, that inconsequential things can change rapidly."

"Iolaus' life isn't inconsequential!"

"I know and I will watch things as carefully as I can. But the rest is up to you. Has Pelegas asked you to go to Attica yet?"

"No," Hercules said in surprise. "Is he likely too?"

"See? My timing is already off. I thought he'd heard all ready. Yes, Hercules, he will. And you will have to go to thwart Ares."

"My lifelong ambition," Hercules sighed.

"Whatever. One of mine is to get Iolaus into my bed."

"Hermes!"

"Hey, honesty! But, Iolaus has something to tell you and I have to go. Goats to fondle etc. Toodles …"

* * *

"Nice place," Hercules observed, gazing from the carriage window with some interest as they approached the Attican palace. The tall golden stone walls had been in view for sometime, but as they passed through the outer gardens their impressive size became more obvious. Ornate carvings decorated the walls, leaving little ledges and curlicues to throw pleasing light patterns across the stones.

"Since when did architecture interest you?" Iolaus grumbled from where he was sprawled on the opposite seat.

"Ah hah, it speaks. I was starting to wonder if you'd forgotten how."

Iolaus gave him a speaking look and stared out of the window on his side of the carriage, watching the trees thin out as they passed through the elaborate gardens around the palace. "Not much to say," he answered grimly. "Apart from I don't want to be here."

"But you’re here now."

"I was volunteered," Iolaus pointed out sarcastically.

Hercules hesitated and then decided to take advantage of what Hermes had told him. "And are you saying that you wouldn't be here if Pelegas hadn't asked for us both to come?"

Iolaus shifted slightly, fiddling with the laces of his dark purple leather vest. He hadn't been pleased with the new clothes either since Hermes had given the outfits to him and Hercules, but he could hardly complain once he had learned that Hermes had saved his life. "No…"

Hercules considered for a moment. "No, you wouldn't be or no you would be?"

Iolaus shot a quick glare at him. "Don't think you can confuse me," he complained.

"And don't think Hermes didn't tell me you were invited," Hercules shot back. The look Iolaus gave him was one of pure betrayal and Hercules sighed. "Look, I know how uncomfortable this must be for you…"

"You don't know the half of it."

"But you do have a right to be here. I know why you walked away from the throne before, but perhaps if you took it in your own name?" Hercules leaned forward, his large hands resting on his knees as he gazed at him best friend in quiet concern.

Iolaus gave him a quick look and then away again. "Don't think I haven't thought about it," he said slowly. "But I keep thinking, Niobe wanted me to give up my whole life and pretend to be someone else for her sake, but she wouldn't walk away from the throne for mine."

Hercules pursed his lips. "Maybe she thought the throne was a selling point," he offered. "Or maybe you’re both to stubborn to compromise?"

Iolaus shook his head. "I don't know," he admitted. "But I don't think it even crossed her mind to offer. It was her way or nothing."

"You did let her think you’d been killed. Maybe she was too angry to think straight."

"Maybe," Iolaus said softly, but he had his doubts. She could have sent him a message, written to him, asked to see him. It wasn't as if she couldn't have found him if she had wanted to; Hector had managed. But there had been nothing. Although he never said so outright, something in Hector's messages suggested she had simply decide to ignore his existence. Iolaus had talked himself into believing that it was for the best, persuaded himself that it had been a nice fantasy that had never really stood a chance. But then had come the invitation and the hurt he had suppressed welled up all over again; she hadn't even cared enough to invite him herself.

Hercules reached over and tapped his knee, letting his hand rest for a moment until Iolaus met his eyes. "I'll understand if you want to walk away," he said gently.

"I can't, Herc. I need to…" Iolaus shrugged helplessly.

"Resolve it?"

The warrior nodded. "I guess."

"What if she chooses someone else?"

"Then that's an answer, isn’t it?"

"And if she chooses you?" Hercules pressed and for a second he caught the trapped look in Iolaus' blue eyes before his friend looked away again; hiding his feelings behind a bronze shield. Hercules felt something twitch inside him; it had been a long time since Iolaus hid anything from him, least of all his feelings. "You don't want her to choose you, do you?"

"I don't know what I want," Iolaus answered in misery. "But I don't want to be king. It'd be a flat out insult if I turned her down again though, wouldn't it?"

"Yes," Hercules admitted reluctantly.

"And her position's insecure enough all ready without me damaging it. She either has to marry or step down and let someone else take the throne. Her pride won't let her step down, she was raised to rule. It's all she knows. Orestes…"

"Orestes what?" Hercules prompted when the hunter failed to continue.

Iolaus swallowed. "I'm not sure, but from what I saw and learned they had pretty opposing views. Niobe wanted the League of Nations alliance, but I don't think she thought Orestes would carry it off. He was stronger than she expected him to be I think. He didn't need her and that rankled. I felt, thought, she…."

"Wanted to rule through Orestes rather than with him?"

Iolaus smiled bitterly. "And Orestes wanted to rule alone. One way or another, they made each other miserable."

And you're enough like him that she’ll do the same to you. You may not want to be a king, but like everything else you do you'll do the best you can. Take the throne and you'll rule; not Niobe. And I don't think she’ll appreciate that… Hercules held his tongue and didn't comment aloud and Iolaus didn't seem to want him to as he turned back to the window. Sitting back, Hercules stared from his own window and felt chilled despite the warmth of the day. If Niobe chose his friend to be her consort, Hercules didn't know how Iolaus would react and that unsettled him. He wasn't used to being unsure of his friend's reactions. He also had a feeling he wasn't going to be too thrilled with Niobe herself for the pain she had caused or might cause the warrior.

Right then Hercules seriously wished he was a less honourable man, then he could have walked away with Iolaus and left the whole thing for someone else to deal with. But he had given his word to Pelegas to bring his son along and support him in his claim for Niobe's hand. And with an assassin on the loose he could hardly leave Iolaus to his own devices; especially when he was so obviously distracted. And why was there an assassin after Iolaus anyway? He was pretty sure the warrior hadn't done anything that could annoy someone that much. Iolaus was as bewildered as Hercules and inclined to think Hermes had been playing a trick to get his attention. But Hermes had taken it seriously; Hercules could tell that. He hadn't known who had sent the assassin and had toasted the only person who could have given them a clue in instinctive rage. All Hercules could do for now was be on his guard against another attempt and hope this thing would Niobe could be settled without too much hurt for Iolaus.

* * *

On arrival at the palace proper, the Havivan royal party was greeted by a handful of servants and Lord Archides, one of Niobe's leading advisors. He was an older man with thick iron-grey hair swept neatly back from his face and was wearing plain dark blue robes. He did a double take when he saw Iolaus hovering in the background and spluttered a lot.

"Stunning likeness, isn't it," Iolaus said mildly.

"Sire," Archides squeaked. "I, you, I…."

"This is Iolaus of Thebes," Prince Pelius explained brightly. He was an engaging dark haired young man, innocent and more than a little spoiled by his doting father. He had inherited his father's solid boned broad face and sturdy figure, but his eyes were a bright snapping blue unlike Pelegas' solid brown gaze. "And this is the Hercules."

"The Hercules?" Archides gurgled, managing to drag his gaze from Iolaus to Hercules.

Hercules' smiled at him politely. "Hello," he greeted the advisor. "King Pelegas asked Iolaus and myself to accompany Prince Pelius here."

Pelius chuckled. "Oh yes, he thinks I'm not safe to be allowed out on my own. Can't think why."

"The fact that the last time he let you go off hunting you went after an entire Warband on your own?" Iolaus murmured sweetly.

"Ah, but I didn't actually catch them, now did I?" Pelius grinned back. "What I need to learn is a few old hunter's tricks."

Iolaus grinned back, finding his grin irresistible.

"Give me strength," Hercules moaned. Pelius and Iolaus were two of a kind and he knew his friend was bound to teach the prince all kind of bad habits given half a chance. On the other hand, at least Iolaus was smiling.

Pelius shot a look at Hercules and then turned an ingenuous look on Archides. "Don't worry about me. I'm here for the hunting. I know I don't stand a chance with Her Majesty. Oh and er of course, I'm here for the experience of palace life and diplomacy."

"And you blew it," Iolaus murmured.

Archides gave the prince a somewhat dazed smile. "Quite," he said weakly. "Allow me to show you to your suites. Her Majesty is resting at the moment and will meet you all at the banquet later. "

"Resting?" Iolaus queried without thinking.

"Her Majesty is a very busy woman. Sometimes she gets…tired…"

* * *

Arching her back, Niobe leaned back into the cradling arms of the well-muscled figure standing behind her. It was almost dark in her rooms that were lit only by the glimmer of candlelight that shimmered on the gold threads in the deep blue velvet of the wall hangings. Light tormented her eyes when she had a headache and of late she had found the company of darkness soothing.

His hands were firm, not gentle but deliberate, caressing her skin as one would pet a cat. They drifted along the side of her neck, his fingers dancing like moths over the soft skin of her throat, rising up to wandering along her jawline and cup her face. His lips were the merest sensation as they brushed her pulse and she shivered, her body responding to his slightest touch. His very presence tingled on her skin, making the tiny hairs lift and quiver in delight at having him near.

"They are here, my lord," she whispered. "All the kings and princes of the treaty and those from the surrounding lands not yet joined by the treaty. All of them here, under my roof as you commanded."

"All of them?" His voice was like rough velvet, caressing her nerve endings.

Niobe closed her eyes in ecstasy, feeling the vicious throbbing of her headache fading under his fingers' touch on her temples. "Yes, my lord," she murmured. "Hercules came with Prince Pelius as you said he would."

"Excellent." His voice held pleasure like the rough purr of a huge tiger. "Is all prepared?"

"Yes," Niobe whispered, her knees melting like icewater in the furnace of his nearness. "I will dispose of the weak, of those who argue and bind the coalition in place. The League of Nations will be strong, a force to be reckoned with." Her voice weakened for a moment. "They will follow me, won't they? You promised?" she begged.

"You shall keep your throne as long as you live," he purred huskily.

Niobe wrapped her arms around herself and shivered in delight. "I will point the finger of suspicion and demand that we attack them. As promised in the treaty; my enemy will be their enemy!"

"Very good, my beautiful one," he whispered, approvingly. "You were made to be a war leader, to make your country rich and powerful. They will remember your name, Niobe."

The very murmur of her name in his voice was like a kiss on her skin, her whole body burned with his nearness. "And not Orestes," she sighed. "Orestes was so wrong; he didn't understand that Attica must lead this League of Nations."

He chuckled, the sound of his rich amusement like sweet thick honey rippling through her.

"Please, my Lord Ares…" Suddenly desperate, she turned, lifting her face to his for the feel of his lips on hers. Ares obliged, his mouth covering hers roughly, sucking the pain out of her and leaving her heavy with desire. He lifted her in powerful arms, carrying her to her silk covered bed and laying her down among the cushions. With a gesture of one hand, he extinguished the candles and came to her in darkness…

* * *

"I don't know, Herc, I know they’ve redecorated, but it looks like Ares was their interior decorator…" Iolaus murmured later that evening at the formal reception. He was standing with the demi-god near the huge buffet table with its ornate pyramids of fruit and flowers and an incredible number of exotic dishes. Roast boar, swan, stuffed quail and any number of pastries made the long dark wood table groan under their weight. The banquet hall had indeed been redecorated, but the bright murals had been replaced with stiffly formal, expensive wallhangings that looked somehow barbaric against the delicate mosaic floor that had yet to be ripped up. A heavy dark throne that looked somehow spiky as it sat on a dark golden fur rug had also replaced the twin thrones that had once stood on the dais.

Looking from the soft swirling patterns on the floor in gold, greens and blues to the stark red and black colours of the martial imaged wallhangings Hercules had to agree. "Maybe Orestes ordered it?"

"This isn't his style," Iolaus said firmly. "He may have sobered up a bit when he took the throne, but not this much. He was all for peace and luxury. The League of Nations was his idea. This is all new since I was last here."

Hercules nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps Niobe needed to toughen her image," he said cautiously.

Iolaus gave him a chilly look. "She doesn't have much choice with this lot baying at her heels for her to marry, does she," he said sarcastically. "As far as they're concerned, she's too weak to hold the throne."

"You don't agree?"

"I know her, Herc, you don't. If she didn't love peace, she could take on the world and win. She fought for the League of Nations when Orestes was murdered. Another woman would have given up and waited to be married off."

"If she'd loved him perhaps. But she didn't, did she? Everyone knows that."

Hercules tensed on seeing the quick flash of anger that crossed Iolaus' face as they were interrupted. Giving his friend a warning look, the demi-god turned to look at the handsome young man standing behind them. He was tall and well muscled with the broad shoulders of a charioteer, big blue eyes and wavy auburn hair. "Do they?" he said quietly.

"Everyone knows it was an arranged marriage that neither of them wanted. Niobe needs a real man to keep her on her back in bed where she belongs, not all this nonsense of ruling by herself. If you ask me…"

"No one did," Iolaus muttered.

"Someone other than Orestes was giving it to her and she murdered Orestes so she could have her lover instead."

Hercules took a deep breath, not daring to look at Iolaus but knowing that the shock that ripped through him would be as sharp as sword thrust. "Might I ask who you are?" he said with an effort at politeness before Iolaus lunged for the man's throat on principle.

"Prince Ison of Pydron," came the cool answer. "Niobe is a beautiful woman. She doesn't deserve an empty bed. She needs a man between those slender thighs of hers. Ah if you excuse me, I see someone I know."

As Ison turned and walked away in a swirl of vivid blue short cape, Hercules turned back to his friend. "Don't even think it," Iolaus snapped. "We never did a damn thing until….after."

"I know," Hercules soothed. "I know your sense of honour, remember?"

After a moment, Iolaus' angry glare melted away and he subsided. "Did you hear the way he was talking about her? Like she's some cheap hetaera!"

"Tactics to put the others off. Pydron's a largish city-state and it's nicely positioned on Attica's borders. If Ison was to marry Niobe, they could control the trade route and that would make them both powerful," Hercules explained. "But if you keep leaping to protect her, you’re going to start rumours."

Iolaus gave him a mute look, torn between exasperation and pain. His expression changed however as he spotted a grey haired, broad shouldered man in highly polished armour striding towards them. "Hector!" His smile of genuine pleasure made Hercules relax and follow as the hunter moved to meet his old friend.

"Iolaus!" Hector's smile was warm as he grabbed Iolaus' wrist and pumped it. "You came! It's so good to see you."

"And you. And no, I don't want the throne."

Hector blinked at this forthright assertion and then smiled ruefully. "How well you know me," he chuckled, tensing slightly as he spotted the blond hunter's large shadow.

"Ah, this is Hercules," Iolaus said smoothly. "Herc, Hector. I told you about him."

"So you did," Hercules shook hands with the soldier.

"You’re here with Prince Pelius?" Hector observed. "I believe I saw him sneaking off with one of the maids?"

"All ready?" Iolaus murmured in admiration. "He's fast, Herc, I’ll give him that."

"And he's got the morals of a rabbit," Hercules growled. "I knew I shouldn't have let him out of my sight!"

"Ah, come on, let the leash out a little. It doesn't do him any harm and Pelegas knows he doesn't stand a chance with Niobe. He's too young for her," Iolaus responded.

Hector pursed his lips. "If she didn't have to, she wouldn't choose any of them," he said quietly. "Iolaus, since you’re here…"

"I all ready said no," Iolaus interrupted.

Hector waved aside his objections. "She cares about you. Maybe you can talk to her."

"Talk to her about what?"

"After you left she was withdrawn, but she seemed to be getting over it, then she fell into a fever and ever since then she hasn't been quite…herself."

"The headaches?" Hercules asked when Iolaus didn't speak.

"Someone mentioned the headaches to you?" Hector said warily.

"Lord Archides did," Hercules explained. "Has she seen a healer?"

"She's seen every healer we could find; at first anyway. Finally she got angry and refused to see any more of them. None of them could do anything anyway. She insists it's stress and grief compounded by this damn marriage thing. I think she needs to rest, but she isn't going to get it until this blasted Wedding Progress is over."

"You don't approve of the marriage?" Hercules asked.

"She's hardly a bone to be fought over with Attica as the prize," Hector pointed out sourly. "Iolaus, perhaps you can talk to her, find out what's bothering her that's making her so irritable."

"I'm not sure I'm the right person," Iolaus said warily. "She slapped me the last time I saw her."

"She was upset."

"I wasn't exactly thrilled myself," Iolaus retorted waspishly.

Hector gave him a saddened look. "Go to her as a friend."

"If she'll even talk to me, I might," Iolaus muttered. "Does she know I'm here?"

"I told her myself as soon as Archides told me you’d arrived."

"And she didn’t want to see me," Iolaus said grimly.

"She was…resting…" Hector said uncomfortably. "And she had to get ready for this reception."

"So Archides said," Iolaus said dryly and changed the subject. "So, how's Lynus?"

Hector sighed wistfully, giving Iolaus an understanding look. "I sent him off on a little task. How successful he'll be I don't know. But it may solve everyone's problems if he can pull it off."

"Sounds fascinating," Hercules commented, noting that Iolaus' expression had turned distant as his thoughts wandered. "Tell us more."

"I'm afraid I can't. It's very hush, hush. Top secret and all that."

"A secret mission for Niobe?" Hercules teased.

"Ah, er …no…. A private matter for Orestes. A last request you might say. Ah, here's her majesty…."

Hercules looked round as Hector murmured his apologies and hurried forward, pressing through the crowded hall to reach Niobe.

Tall and slender, Niobe was every inch royalty as she paused on the steps of the dais and looked around her; allowing herself to see and be seen as she posed for inspection. She was wearing a gown of shimmering white that glistened with threads of silver so that looked almost ethereal. Her dark hair was exquisitely dressed and sparkled with diamond dew drops suspended from silver chains that matched those that looked her creamy throat, delicate ears and slim wrists. Diamonds glittered on her fingers as she smiled coolly at the guests of the Wedding Progress.

Hercules could see how her beauty had struck Iolaus for he felt more than a faint stirring of interest himself. Then she looked their way and Hercules felt a cold shiver pass through him that killed any lust he might felt as she looked right through them with eyes of lifeless brown.

"Behold the bride," Ison muttered sarcastically, his voice a touch slurred by alcohol. "So eager for her wedding bed that she's come dressed for the ceremony."

Iolaus stiffened and half-turned and Hercules grabbed him. "He's drunk," he warned quietly. "And he's a Prince."

"That doesn't give him a right to be rude," Iolaus snapped icily.

"And you no longer have the right to defend her," Hercules said sadly. Iolaus froze and looked up at him, his eyes darkening with anger as he tensed to pull away. "I'm sorry, Iolaus," Hercules added, squeezing the arm he held for a moment before he let go.

"Do you have to be right all the time?" Iolaus said bitterly.

"If she'd make you happy, I'd willingly give you away," Hercules replied gently, his eyes full of compassion for his friend's pain. "I'm sorry you had to come and be hurt."

"Me? Hurt? Stone cold Iolaus? Love 'em and leave 'em that's me."

Hercules continued to gaze at him until Iolaus turned away, heading for the punch bowl. Hercules hesitated to follow him. With his height it was easy to track Iolaus' bright blond head through the crowd without moving. The hunter stood out like a firebrand amongst the dark haired, gold circleted and crowned crowd. More than one head turned to look at him, most noting his likeness to King Orestes, one or two attracted for other reasons. But Hercules was looking for someone with malice in their eyes; someone who might want to kill his friend. And he couldn't help but notice that Niobe paid no attention to Iolaus even though she must have seen him for he was rare among the guests in that he was moving away from her rather than closer like bees to clover. With a faint grimace, Hercules moved after his friend. Despite everything Iolaus had told him about how wonderful Niobe was, he no longer wanted to meet her.

Left to his own devices for the moment, Iolaus sampled a glass of the punch, grimaced slightly at its too sweet taste and moved on in the search for something a little stronger. He could hear Niobe's clear voice greeting her guests, making a polite joke to set everyone at ease; handling the crowd with her usual tact and diplomacy and accepting their applause like an accolade to her beauty and charm.

"Iolaus? Is that you?" a deep male voice greeted him with a hint of hesitancy and Iolaus froze, dropping one hand casually to his belt and the dagger concealed there by the violet silk tunic he wore under a black suede jerkin. He turned with a questioning look, expecting some guard or some palace minion he had met when he played the part of a king.

A tall black haired man with the corner of his mouth hooked up in a perpetual quirk by a long thin scar that bisected his cheek gazed back at him. He was wearing the uniform of a Lieutenant of the Royal Bodyguard and looked good in the black and silver that suited his leonine build.

Iolaus blinked. "Cadmus?" he echoed, equally uncertain of the identity of this familiar looking man.

The quirk blossomed into a grin. "It is you!" Cadmus exclaimed in pleasure and stepped forward, extending his wrist in greeting.

Iolaus gripped it in a warrior clasp, grinning back at him in delight. "Fancy meeting you here," he said warmly. "And looking so fine!"

"You’re looking sharp yourself, Iolaus. Clothes make the man so they say!"

Laughing, Iolaus released his hand and did a quick pirouette. "You’d never believe who my tailor is," he chuckled. "What are you doing here? And as a royal guard no less!"

Cadmus smoothed his large hands down his tunic. "A long story," he said mildly. "Well, after we went our separate ways, I drifted for a while. Did some more travelling, you know the kind of thing. Eventually I ended up with King Xenon. After he was killed, I approached Her Royal Majesty and she trusted me enough to take me on as a bodyguard. I've been here ever since." Cadmus paused, stiffening and reaching for the sword at his hip as someone came up behind the hunter. Iolaus didn't need to look round to know it was Hercules; long association meant he could tell from the feel of him who it was. But for the look of it, he glanced over his shoulder.

"Hi, Herc. Cadmus, this is Hercules. Cadmus, this is Hercules. The Hercules."

Hercules gave his diminutive friend a dark look as he extended his hand. He and Cadmus shook, each testing each other's grip as they squeezed. Hercules raised an eyebrow, letting Cadmus attempt to crush his fingers until the Lieutenant gave up and tugged his hand free.

"So, you're Hercules," Cadmus commented. "Iolaus told me a lot about you."

"I take it you two know each other then," Hercules observed.

Iolaus grinned. "We go way back," he said cheerfully.

"Ah, I suppose you've got some catching up to do then," Hercules suggested. It didn't take much to realise that he was getting in the way of the reunion of the two warriors. Normally he would have left Iolaus to it, but right then he felt twitchy for some reason. Something about Cadmus made him uneasy.

"You could say that," Cadmus agreed mildly. "The fancy clothes are only for display tonight. I'm not needed. How about a few drinks while we talk over old times?"

"Yeah. Would you mind, Herc? You’d only get bored listening to us. Maybe you could go check up on Pelius?"

Hercules might have felt a twinge of hurt if Iolaus hadn't looked at him so hopefully. The hunter obviously needed a distraction from Niobe and Cadmus would probably take his mind off things. What harm could he come to in the middle of a crowded reception with a Royal Bodyguard for a companion no less? "Okay. But no amphora smashing!"

"I promise and I'll see you later," Iolaus laughed as Hercules squeezed his shoulder before moving back into the crowd.

"A good man," Cadmus said thoughtfully.

"And a good friend. And speaking of which?" Iolaus grinned at the black haired warrior. "Where are these drinks you promise me?"

* * *

Drumming his fingers restlessly on the armrest of his chair, Hercules frowned, wondering what time it was. The moon had long risen and slid across the starred black velvet sky. He could see the moon now gazing in at him silently from the open windows that let a cool flower scented breeze ripple through the room and finger the fine veils of the curtains, setting the candles to flickering and making the shadows dance on the walls..

He supposed he should have gone to bed when the reception formally ended and the guests drifted away either to continue their celebrations in private or to sleep. Hercules had managed to find Pelius and march the drunken young man back to his suite where he had left him to the care of his long time valet Ermius who was obviously going to brook no nonsense from his young charge.

Once Pelius was safely tucked up out of harms way, Hercules had found himself at something of a loose end. Returning to the banquet hall had done him no good for the place was empty except for a small army of weary servants clearing up the worst of the mess. He had managed a few quiet words with Hector, appreciating the older man's insights into the royal situation and digging out of him what he knew about Cadmus. Reading between the lines he got the impression that Hector was a worried man walking a tightrope of loyalty between Niobe and the good of Attica. He also got the clear impression that Hector was hoping Hercules would help him talk Iolaus into accepting the throne after all.

Iolaus….

Where was he? The longer his friend was missing, the more Hercules fretted. He had expected things to be a little tense between him and Niobe for the situation was hardly conducive to relaxation, but he hadn't expected her to look right through Iolaus as if he wasn't there. He didn't think Iolaus had either. Iolaus had always described Niobe as proud, beautiful and intelligent, but never as cruel. And she had been calculatingly cruel tonight. Hercules really hoped that cruelty wouldn't drive his friend into doing something stupid; where love was concerned Iolaus was never quite predictable.

If Iolaus was gone for much longer he was going to have to go and find him.

Suddenly unable to sit still any longer Hercules got up and started to prowl, the dark blue silver embroidered robe that he wore rippling like waves of night around him. His long hair gleamed first copper then bronze as the candlelight caressed it.

What did he know about Cadmus anyway? As far as Hercules was concerned, the man was a complete stranger and although he had racked his memory he couldn't recall Iolaus ever mentioning him to him. Iolaus obviously hadn't seen the man in a while and he had no way of knowing what Cadmus had been up to in that time. Something about him simply screamed mercenary to Hercules.

"I am being paranoid!" Hercules scolded himself impatiently, going over to lean on the balcony rail and breathe deeply of the flower scented night.

Except someone had wanted to kill Iolaus….

"Talking to yourself, Herc?"

Hercules jumped in surprise, startled to realise that he hadn't heard the door open. He spun around to look at his friend. Iolaus had draped himself against the doorjamb, his jerkin slung negligently over one shoulder with one thumb and his tunic open to the waist so that the candlelight turned his skin to gold. His eyes were half closed with drowsy mischief.

"Where have you been?" Hercules growled striding over to him with worry turning swiftly to anger at how long he had been waiting for him.

"Why? I never said you should wait up." Iolaus pushed languidly away from the door and started across the main room towards his own bedroom on the other side of the suite.

Hercules grabbed him by one shoulder and swung him across to face him. Iolaus came around on his toes like a dancer - or the highly trained swordsman he was. Hercules could smell the wine on him "How much did you drink?"

"Not enough, or too much. Depends…" Iolaus shrugged gracefully and patted Hercules on the chest. "Lighten up, big guy. I'm fine."

"Fine, he says! Fine! Someone out there wants to kill you and you go off and get drunk!"

"In the company of an old friend."

"Who happens to be a complete stranger to me!"

"Jealous?"

"Don't be ridiculous! How well do you know him anyway?"

"What's it got to do with you?"

"Iolaus!" Hercules flung up his hands in exasperation and despair and he turned away, starting to pace again. "So I've been sitting here fretting since the reception ended! Not knowing where you were but knowing there's an assassin out there with your name on his bow! How do I know I can trust this guy with your life?"

Iolaus' eyes turned dark with anger for a moment, reflecting the midnight sky then suddenly cleared in understanding. "Ease down, Herc," he said quietly. "I didn't know you were that worried. You can trust me with my life, can't you?"

"Sometimes I wonder…" Hercules growled.

Iolaus sighed. "Cadmus and I travelled and fought together for a while."

"Then how come I don't know him?"

"Probably because you never met him," Iolaus replied blandly. Infuriated Hercules whipped around to glare at him. Iolaus responded to his glare with a sly smile.

"You never talked about him either," Hercules growled.

Iolaus twitched slightly, then inclined his head and conceded the point. "It was after I lost Anya," he said quietly.

"Oh…." Hercules said weakly. "You never talk much about what you did after Anya…"

Iolaus smiled sadly. "I don't always remember," he admitted softly. "I spent quite a while drunk and getting into fights. Around the time I decided to sober up, I met Cadmus. We were on the same side in a fight protecting a caravan we were travelling with. I saved him from getting spitted by a spear."

"Nothing wrong with your reflexes then," Hercules said with a stab of alarm. Sometimes he was glad Iolaus never talked about what he had done when he had gone missing; he had a feeling his hair would turn white if he ever found how many times Iolaus had come close to getting himself killed.

"I survived," Iolaus answered and turned to go again.

"Iolaus…" Hercules took a step after him, following as Iolaus headed for his own room. "Hector said Cadmus was one of Xenon's men."

"I know. He told me."

"And you trust him?"

"Any reason why I shouldn't? Hector's kept him around, hasn't he?"

"Niobe's orders. She trusts him."

Iolaus paused in the doorway to his room, frowning. "What about Hector?"

"He's too busy worrying about the throne to give it much thought."

Iolaus laughed softly. "What's Cadmus going to do? Kill me? I told you, Herc, he's an old friend. Now, I'm going to bed and I think you should do the same. Good night."

Hercules felt a cold wet finger slide along his neck and shivered as the hunter slipped into his room. He heard the quick click of flint and steel and saw the sudden glow of warm golden light as Iolaus lit the candles by his bead. Shaking his head, Hercules stepped inside.

"Don't you ever give up?" Iolaus sighed, looking up at him. He was perched on the edge of his bed, peeling off his shirt and toeing his boots off.

"Not on you," Hercules admitted solemnly. "Are you okay?"

Iolaus softened. "You mean Niobe?"

Hercules nodded, folding his arms and leaning against the doorway as he studied the rich red silk canopy hung from the four posters of the bed. "She wasn't exactly friendly…."

"A woman scorned and all that," Iolaus sighed. "Right now, I'm not sure how I feel. If she said she'd come away with me right now, I have no idea what I’d do." He shrugged slightly, the silks rippling around him as the breeze through the filigree shutters stirred them. "I've had a lot of time to think abut her, to wonder whether or not I did the right thing. I think I did. I don't think we would have made each other happy for long. I think all I really want is for her to understand that."

"Niobe strikes me as someone who doesn't take disappointment well. She seems to be used to getting her own way."

"You mean she's spoilt?" Iolaus said tartly.

"She's royalty," Hercules answered steadily.

Iolaus flinched as his own words came back to haunt him. "Yes," he said sadly. "She's royalty. And I insulted her by refusing her."

"I suppose I should be grateful she didn't execute you in a fit of pique then; although I don't think Hector would have stood for that. He thinks you’re the greatest thing since the discovery of gold."

Iolaus stared at him, wanting to deny that Niobe would do such a thing; that she wasn't like that. But deep down he had a feeling that Niobe was a lot more ruthless than he or Hercules could ever be. "Nor royal enough, I guess."

"What?" Hercules took a step closer, not quite hearing his whisper.

"Nothing, Herc. You’re always on my side, aren't you?"

"You know I am."

"Hmmh," Iolaus smiled wearily and ran his hands through his hair, disturbing the glossy well combed strands into their normal waves and curls. "I need some sleep."

"You need to sleep it off you mean," Hercules said pointedly as Iolaus swung his feet up on the bed and wriggled his bare toes, stretching lithely like a small golden cat.

"Good night, Herc. Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

* * *

Hercules awoke with a sense of unease and a half-real vision from his dreams still flickering through his thoughts to find himself half way across his room to the door. For a moment he hesitated, then a shred of lingering fear and a memory of Hermes whispering urgently in his dreams sped him on his way and he raced from his bedroom, across the main room to burst into Iolaus' room on the opposite side of the suite. Iolaus was lying sound asleep on his stomach, arms and legs a sprawl with only a scrap of silk sheet across. Hercules didn't even slow down but flung himself at the bed and grabbed his friend, continuing the move into a roll across the mattress and onto the floor in a tangle of sheets.

Iolaus woke up with a yell as he was seized and rolled and thumped onto the floor with the not inconsiderable weight of Hercules on top of him. His first instinct was to grab for the dagger he had under the pillow except that the pillows, let alone the bed, weren't there are any more. By then though he had his eyes open and could recognise a panting Hercules in the candlelight as he crouched over the warrior.

"What do you think you’re doing?!" Iolaus yelled at him in outrage as he clawed his hair out of his face with one hand and wrestled to free his other from the sheet.

"I had a dream…" Hercules began as he balanced himself on hands and knees over his partner. "Hermes sent…"

"You had a wet dream and you come and fling yourself on me?!" Iolaus managed in a strangled scream and shoved at him in mingled fury and shock.

"No, no, no, it wasn't a wet dream! I dreamed…."

The canopy roof of the bed collapsed with a tremendous scream of wood, smashing down into the mattress beneath with the crash of a falling tree. Splinters and shards of wrecked wood exploded in all directions, ripping silk and curtains in a lethal whirlwind. Hercules instinctively flattened out on top of the hunter, shielding them both as best he could.

In the stillness that followed as the wreckage subsided, Hercules could feel Iolaus' breath against his cheek. "I dreamed that…." He said quietly. "You okay?"

"Apart from having you on top of me, yes," Iolaus replied in a remarkably steady voice.

Hercules levered himself up a bit, eyeing his friend warily and ready to protect himself from any sudden punches or kicks. Iolaus didn't move from under him but turned his head to gaze at the crushed bed beside him. After a second Hercules ducked to his head to see what he was looking at and glimpsed the rusted iron spikes that had driven completely though the mattress to bend their tips on the solid stone floor beneath.

"I think maybe this once I’ll pour a libation to Hermes," Iolaus whispered.

"I think I’ll join you," Hercules agreed, pushing back to his knees and giving Iolaus a hand to help him sit up.

"You dreamed this?" Iolaus asked.

"I dreamed…something," Hercules said slowly, tugging at a splinter that had lodged in his arm. "Are you sure you don't know anyone who would want to kill you?"

"No," Iolaus said flatly. "Let me up..."

Reluctantly, Hercules got out of the way, letting Iolaus scramble to his feet and drape the sheet around him. "The bed's ruined," the demi-god observed as he got up and gave the bed a cautious prod with his bare foot. With a warning creak, the corner of the bed subsided to the floor and Hercules had to move fast to avoid having his toes squashed.

"Yes…" Finished with knotting the sheet, Iolaus looked at the bed and then slowly up at Hercules, his eyes enormous dark pools in the candlelight. "Why, Herc?" he said uncertainly, shaken by his narrow escape. "I can understand someone wanting to kill Orestes, but not me. I'm not Orestes. There's nothing to be gained from killing me."

"I suppose someone might think you are Orestes," Hercules said slowly.

"But…."

"From what you told me, you set it up to make it look as if Orestes had been killed, right?"

"I had to. It would have ruined the treaty to reveal that the Kings been dealing with me instead of Orestes."

"I'm not arguing with that. But suppose you were seen alive afterwards? Orestes made no secret of the fact that he didn't want the throne. It could have been assumed he was ducking out and leaving the throne to Niobe." Hercules didn't think Iolaus' eyes could get much bigger.

"And now he's come back to reclaim the throne rather than let anyone else have it?"

Hercules inclined his head. "Attica and Niobe are a rich prize for whoever can seize them. There may be someone unscrupulous enough to want to make sure that no one gets in the way of getting the throne."

Iolaus ran one hand through his tangled hair. "But I keep telling them I'm not Orestes and I don’t want the throne," he said plaintively.

Hercules put a cautious arm around his friend's shoulders as Iolaus slumped. "For all they know you’re lying," he pointed out, wincing as he felt another splinter dig in. "But there's nothing we can do about it tonight."

"You’re hurt," Iolaus had noticed him wince.

"It's only a scratch. I’ll survive."

Iolaus shook him off briskly. "And where have I heard that before? You’d better let me look at it," he said briskly. "Then I’d better find somewhere else to sleep."

"You'll share my bed," Hercules told him firmly. "You could sleep a whole army in there and never notice. Besides, I'm not letting you out of my sight after this."

* * *

Hercules woke with the sun of his eyes and grunted, starting to put up one arm to cover them and uncertain what it was that had disturbed his sleep. His arm wouldn't move and it took him a moment to realise it was because Iolaus was lying on it and resting against his side. The demi-god subsided, uncertain whether to pull his arm free and hope Iolaus wouldn't wake up and notice or wake him up anyway. He settled for gingerly putting an arm around him and rolling over, moving Iolaus onto his back then releasing him and drawing back; whereupon Iolaus rolled over onto his other side and freed Hercules' arm.

Rather pleased with the manoeuvre, Hercules sat up and froze as he saw the shadow standing into the doorway of his room. "Who's there?" he demanded sharply.

"Hmmh?" Opening drowsy eyes at the sound of his voice, Iolaus lifted his head and looked around him, his senses still muddled from too much wine and a disturbed night.

The shapely figure stirred and stepped forward, a curl of breeze wafting a spicy scent towards them as white and gold silk robes flowed around the woman.

"Niobe…" Iolaus choked and felt his heart sink as the expression of cold disdain on her face.

"I can explain," Hercules began weakly as Iolaus rolled off the bed, yanking the sheet with him.

"I am sure you can," Niobe practically spat the words like little icy darts as she turned on her heel and swept out of the room.

Iolaus raced after her, leaving Hercules to gather his wits and a cover around his loincloth clad body.

Iolaus caught up with Niobe in the main room, racing around in front of her to block her exit. "Please, don’t go," he begged.

"Stand aside or I will call the guards," Niobe ordered.

"Why? What do you think I'm going to do? Attack you? You came to see me, didn't you?"

"I didn't expect to find you in Hercules' bed under my own roof," she hissed, her pride showing as she glared at him in disdainful loathing.

Iolaus could feel his heart being ripped to shreds by her claws all over again. It was like seeing her expression when he had revealed himself to her alive and unharmed when she had thought he had been killed. He remembered the shock in her eyes, the blazing fury that had contorted her face for an instant before she hit him; could still feel the sting of her hand on his cheek. In that moment he had known how different they were, how far apart. All those doubts that had drifted through his thoughts even as he lay in her arms had come back to haunt him and had driven him away. Niobe's pride had come first and would always come between them…

"It wasn't like that," he responded indignantly, his own quick anger flaring. "My bed was wrecked by a booby trap last night."

Niobe wasn't listening. "You betrayed me! Always you betray me!" Her breathing quickened and her hands clenched as she looked at him with blazing eyes.

Iolaus took a wary step back, his warrior instinct for danger rousing. "I did what I thought was best; for you, for Attica and for Orestes."

"Orestes! Do you think I gave a damn about him?!"

"No," Iolaus admitted sadly. "But he was a good man…"

"It was you I wanted!"

"You treated him badly, what was to stop you treating me the same?" Iolaus blurted and was shocked by his own words. But once out he couldn't take them back or the effect they had on his feelings.

Niobe looked equally shocked. "How could you," she said weakly. "I offered you the throne."

"Under another man's name! As another man's ghost. How could I live a lie like that? How could you have asked me to if you loved me?"

"I offered you myself!"

"Did you?" Iolaus waved one arm as his temper rose. "You wanted Attica. You agreed to marry Orestes to get it. You thought Orestes was a weak drunken playboy and you would rule with him as a mere figurehead. You thought you could do the same with me! Admit it!"

"How dare you…" Niobe spluttered.

"How dare I? How dare you? Do you take me for a fool? If I’d taken the throne, I’d have been your puppet. How long would it have been before you threatened to reveal whom I was to get your own way? Would you have revealed me as an impostor as soon as you felt secure on the throne?"

Niobe was breathing fast, her colour high with rage and her eyes signalled her intentions before she raised her hand. Iolaus caught her wrist and held it, his eyes locked with hers. She wrenched to free herself then held still, her expression frozen between rage and cunning before she flung herself against him, her mouth covering his.

Iolaus felt the white hot lust flare between them, turning his senses to molten gold as her weight flung suddenly at him crashed him back against the wall. Her free hand wrenched at the sheet, tearing at it almost in a frenzy as she sank her teeth into his bottom lip and rubbed her body ardently against him. Her eyes were glazed and unfocused, bright with an unnatural lust. "A child, Orestes, give me a child," she hissed into his mouth. "Give me my throne…."

Shocked, Iolaus grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back even as his body burned in response. "Niobe, pull yourself together, I'm not Orestes!"

Niobe struggled in his grasp, her fingers hooking like claws as she fought to drag herself closer to him. "You could be," she whispered. "We can be together. He's here, in you. It will be him who moves you; as you press me down on my back and surge between my thighs. I remember you, Iolaus. I feel you within me now. Give me what I want…."

Feeling his face heating with embarrassment, Iolaus pushed her away and wriggled away along the wall. Niobe turned with him, her eyes febrile and glittering as she stared at him without seeing, pressing her hands together. "A child," she whispered. "To keep the throne I need Orestes' child! Orestes! Come back to me! Forgive me!"

Iolaus recoiled as Niobe wailed and sank to her knees, trembling and shaking as if in the grips of a fever as she keened and rocked herself, her arms folded protectively around her body. Baffled and alarmed by this weird display of grief, he didn't know what to do.

"Iolaus? What's going on?" Hercules appeared in the doorway, clad in his robe.

"I don’t…" Iolaus broke off as the door was thrust open and Hector appeared with Cadmus as his heels. Hector's expression twisted as he looked from Niobe to Iolaus and back again, then he recovered his balance and hurried forward.

"Your majesty," Hector crouched beside the distraught woman and put a consoling arm around her to lift her to her feet. "There now, hush. Everything will be all right…" Niobe responded to his touch, lifting her head and looking at him blankly. "Hector?"

"Yes, your highness. Cadmus is here too."

"Cadmus," Niobe sighed and turned her head, looking for him.

"Here, your majesty." Cadmus stepped forward, raising an eyebrow at Iolaus' dishevelled appearance.

"Take me to my rooms," Niobe ordered, leaning on the arm the bodyguard extended. "I need to rest."

Cadmus managed to convey a bow even as he steered her to do the doors, whisking her away. Hector gazed after them for a moment, then turned back to Iolaus and Hercules. "I'm sorry you had to see her like this," he said sadly. "She won't remember this later."

"What's wrong with her?" Hercules demanded, aware that Iolaus was too shocked to speak.

"She's sleepwalking."

"She's mad you mean," Hercules snapped.

Hector winced. "With grief for Orestes perhaps."

"She didn't even love him," Iolaus interrupted angrily.

"But she did care about you. She is troubled, Iolaus. Sometimes she confuses you with Orestes."

"She acted like, like…." Iolaus tugged at his sheet, feeling vulnerable.

Hector flushed uncomfortably. "She is a woman of passion," he mumbled. "There are some who say she has an incubus as a lover and she has been known to call out in pleasure in the night."

"An incubus?" Hercules echoed suspiciously.

"It's only a rumour," Hector said hastily, glancing uncomfortably at Iolaus.

"Women dream too." Iolaus responded tartly. He refused to meet Hercules' eyes and turned away, wanting to escape their concerned gaze. He knew both men only wanted to help, but he needed to be on his own. He desperately needed time to consider what had happened and sort out his feelings. He felt as if a wound he hadn't known he'd had had been suddenly cauterised. "I need to get dressed."

"Hold on, I want Hector to see your bed first," Hercules touched his shoulder gently as he looked to Hector. "Someone wants to kill Iolaus. I don't know who or why but they made one attempt on him before we came here. I thought he'd be safe here, but apparently not."

A troubled expression crossed Hector's world-weary face and he looked suddenly tired. "Show me," he urged grimly.

With a shrug, Iolaus led the way into his bedroom. In daylight, the wreckage of the bed looked even worse than it had in candlelight. The hunter leaned against the door edge with folded arms as Hector and Hercules examined the wreckage, poking and prodding at it from all angles.

"These spikes are old," Hector pointed out. "They could have been here since this part of the palace was built."

Hercules gave him a considering look. "Hot and cold running booby traps?" he said dryly.

"Attican royalty were not all sweetness and light," Hector responded primly. "I believe Arachnaphobius had this part of the palace built and he was well known for disposing of his enemies by unexpected means."

"And whose idea was it to put us in this room?" Hercules demanded suspiciously.

"Lord Archides is in charge of sleeping arrangements," Hector replied coolly. "Are you suggesting he had something to do with this?"

"That depends on whether he checked for booby traps," Hercules answered.

"Oh stop it," Iolaus interrupted irritably. "I trust Hector with my life, Herc, so don't go blaming him for this. I don't suppose anyone has slept in this bed since the thing was built. Maybe I triggered it somehow. It could have been you sleeping in here."

"And if I hadn't felt something was wrong, I could have woken up and found you turned into a kebab," Hercules snapped back at him. "Will you please take this seriously? Someone wants to kill you!"

Iolaus blinked in surprise at his edgy tone and gestured helplessly, not knowing what to say to soothe his friend's fears.

"I can arrange a guard," Hector offered cautiously, uncertain how either man would take it. For all he knew Hercules would be insulted by the suggestion that he couldn't protect his friend on his own. He was after all a demi-god.

"That would…." Hercules began.

"It isn't necessary," Iolaus interrupted, glaring Hercules into silence. "Last night I was… taken by surprise. I didn't expect to be in danger here. I'll be more careful to be on my guard from now on."

"You can't be on your guard all the time," Hercules pointed out sharply.

"Don't be peevish. I expect you to be watching my back too," Iolaus responded, locking eyes with the demi-god. After a moment, Hercules growled and looked away, folding his arms.

Hector looked from one to the other of them, impressed. He had always known that Iolaus was a force to be reckoned with, but to be able to back down the demi-god Hercules and still have and hold his friendship suggested that there was something special about him.

"What are you looking at?" Iolaus demanded abruptly. "I'm going to get dressed and I don't need an audience. Get out!"

Hector responded automatically. "Yes, sire," he responded with a polite bow as he swept past him, smiling at Iolaus' chagrined look. Hercules grinned and ambled after the General, winking at Iolaus as he passed his friend. Iolaus stuck his tongue out at his back and slammed the door on them both.

* * *

Breakfast was a strained affair with most of the guests staying in their rooms and recovering from the excesses of the previous night's banquets. Hector had promised to make sure a new bed was found and since he could hardly stand around looking menacing in the meantime, Hercules followed his friend to the dining hall. He asked a few discreet questions to find out if anyone else had encountered any booby traps but it seemed that that particular privilege had been reserved for Iolaus. Most of the guests who had appeared were only slightly better off that those busy recovering and weren't inclined to offer much in the way of scintillating conversation. Ison had ambled in in the company of Cadmus a few minutes ago and stood talking to the Lieutenant by the doors.

Bored and munching on a rather tasty pastry, Hercules therefore thought nothing of following when Iolaus got up to go. Exasperated, the hunter paused to frown up at him. "Are you planning on doing this all the time?" he demanded.

"Doing what?"

"Following me as if I'm not safe to be allowed out of your sight?"

Hercules shrugged amiably. "Probably."

"He's probably worried you'll sample the opposition's techniques," a smoothly insulting voice observed, interrupting Iolaus' before he could make a tart reply.

Startled, Iolaus whipped around to face Prince Ison as he stood behind them. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

Ison gave him an ingenuous look that was belied by the malice in his blue eyes. "Why, it's all over the palace that you were in Hercules' bed last night," he exclaimed, pressing one hand to his chest in a picture of mocking shock.

Iolaus gaped at him, wondering how that little snippet of information had managed to get blown out of all proportion so fast and who had spread it? There had only been Niobe who knew and according to Hector, she wouldn't remember anything. Surely Hector wouldn't spread rumours and Cadmus was no tattletale. "I was drunk," he said slowly and carefully. "And my bed… collapsed."

"Too vigorous for it, no doubt? Perhaps the floor would be better for your…exercises." His lip curling in a sneer, Ison sipped from his goblet of breakfast wine as he watched the hunter.

Iolaus' eyes narrowed and he ignored Hercules' whispered plea for him not to rise to the bait. "Since nothing happened, I fail to see why there should be any rumours at all unless someone has been spreading them," the hunter said deliberately. "I find people who spread lies so petty and small minded, don't you agree?"

Ison hesitated for a second, aware through his arrogance than he had been insulted. The conversation wasn't quite going the way he had planned when he started it, meaning to have plenty of attention for when his little revelation slipped out. He had the attention of the other guests all right, but far from being the easily humiliated rough edged warrior Iolaus was turning out to be far more of problem than Ison had expected.

"By the way, you wouldn't happen to know anything about my bed being booby trapped, would you? Collapsing canopy, metal spikes that kind of thing?"

"And why would I know about such a thing?" Ison demanded with a flash of anger.

Iolaus shrugged elegantly. "You seem to know an awful lot about my night time activities considering you weren't there."

"For your information, I spent the night in Niobe's bed," Ison shot back in malicious triumph.

Iolaus recoiled as if he had been slapped. "I find that…unlikely…" he managed. "Was she there at the time?"

"Are you calling me a liar? In my lands that is a call for a duel," Ison sneered. He leaned closer, his eyes glinting.

"Then go ahead and call," Iolaus shot back.

Ison hesitated, startled that Iolaus hadn’t backed down. "You are clearly upset that Niobe has made her choice so easily," he said slowly and carefully.

"Unless she's merely sampling the goods before she makes up her mind," one of the guest's commented in a surly tone, clearly disappointed.

"Or drunk," someone else laughed.

"Maybe he simply wants to get rid of the competition…"

Ison flushed, aware of the mockery in Iolaus' blue eyes. He shot a quick look round, hoping to spot the owner of the last voice. He met a ring of hostile eyes. Disgruntled, he swung back to take out his temper on Iolaus. "Looking like the last king is hardly going to be the key to Niobe's throne let alone her bed. Did you think she would fling herself into your arms for your looks?"

"Far from it. I was invited because I all ready have a claim to the throne," Iolaus snapped icily, too angry to conserve his ammunition.

Ison flinched at the sudden revelation. "No doubt on the wrong side of the blanket," he sneered. "Distant claim is it?"

Iolaus' eyes glittered like blue diamonds. "Unfortunately no," he said coolly, deciding that he had no reason to explain further. A sudden hush had fallen over the dining hall as all ears strained to hear every word.

Hercules propped his hip against a table and put one hand over his face as he shook his head. He knew what was coming. Iolaus had been spoiling for a fight since they arrived and Ison was asking for it.

Ison had dimly realised that he was taunting the wrong man, but it was far too late for him to back down and he was sadly misreading the warrior. Taller and broader, he assumed he could take Iolaus down easily. "If you think you can inveigle your way into Niobe's affections with your lies, you are very much mistaken. I personally will see to it that your lies never reach her."

Iolaus raised an eyebrow at him and very deliberately folded his arms. "You want Attica so much that you’re willing to kill me to get it?" he asked sarcastically. "There have been two attempts so far and it wouldn't surprise me if a greedy little throne chaser like you was behind them."

Prince Ison practically spasmed in rage and before he knew what he was doing, he had flung his gold goblet at the hunter. Iolaus ducked, batting the goblet aside then went crashing backward as Ison followed through and flung himself on him. They slammed into a table, tipping it over and sending a cascade of dishes to the floor with a clatter of smashing crockery. Fruit rolled in all directions as the two men grappled on the floor, each determined to pulverise the other.

Hercules took a step towards them, half meaning to break it up then abruptly decided against it. Iolaus could handle Ison with one arm tied behind his back and any bruises the Prince got in the process he deserved for being so obnoxious. The demi-god hopped over Iolaus' legs as the fight brought both men towards them and he moved to shoo the guests out of the way. Their expression ranged from shock to greedy excitement and Hercules felt a swift flash of anger at them. He also noted a familiar figure slipping away towards the doors that he thought was Cadmus, but surely Cadmus would have stayed to help? Deciding he was wrong, Hercules turned back to the fight.

Ison was yelling insults and swearing viciously as he fought, but Iolaus needed no such props to his psyche. His anger ran cool and cold and dangerous and with a subtle twist he threw Ison onto his back and pinned him. The Prince promptly surged up under him, using his greater body weight against the lighter warrior.

Watching his friend Hercules felt a flicker of unease, wondering if Iolaus might take it too far in his frustration if he lost his temper. But he was still reluctant to interfere. He had stepped on Iolaus' pride before and he knew that on this occasion his friend would not take it well if he interfered.

A sudden yelp from Iolaus as he suddenly scooted backward, coming up to a cornered halt against the wall made Hercules' blue eyes narrow and his head lift in sharp suspicion. Ison was slithering to his feet, holding the thin long bladed dagger that he had drawn from the concealment of his robes. With a flurry of alarm, the guests retreated, startled by the abrupt escalation from brawl to knife fight.

"I'll stick you, you little animal," Ison hissed as he moved towards him, his eyes dancing with a febrile fury.

Hercules tensed, aware of Iolaus dropping into a defensive crouch. His large hands flexed, itching to do Ison some damage of his own.

"Don't be a fool, Ison!" Pelius' voice called abruptly, as he shouldered his way forward. The Prince looked dishevelled and he was still wearing his now rumpled finery from the night before. He looked around him in disgust as the crowd; those who weren't shrinking from the violence were offering bets on the winner. "Iolaus will paste you."

Ison never even looked at him but continued to close in stealthily, half crouched and with eyes that were hungry for blood. Iolaus waited silently, watchful…

Pelius looked round anxiously and thrust his way towards Hercules. "Do something!" he urged.

"I am doing something. I'm staying out of the way. As you said, Iolaus can take him…"

"Yes, but... Oh never mind! I'll do it myself!" Pelius started forward and suddenly found his shoulder seized in an unbreakable grip as Hercules' plucked the knife from the Prince's belt.

"Iolaus! Head's up!" Hercules called briskly and expertly tossed the knife to his partner.

Iolaus caught the dagger in mid air, a savage grin flashing across his face and darkening his eyes in triumph. In the same moment he moved forward, taking the fight to Ison. The Prince was good, but he wasn't expecting his suddenly armed victim to turn and fight. Ison retreated, parrying frantically as Iolaus' knife danced perilously close to his face and body. His own lunges were few and far between; the moves of a man who had never had to fight for his life and had learned all his lessons in the gymnasium with a respectful teacher.

"Now you really had better do something before they kill each other," Pelius demanded angrily.

Hercules raised an eyebrow at him. "As if that's likely," he snorted.

"Don't you care?!" Pelius exploded, sucking in an anxious breath, as Iolaus had to leap backwards and suck in his stomach to avoid being gutted by a vicious swipe from Ison's blade.

Hercules flinched, mentally and physically, realising that his friend was reluctant to actually hurt Ison despite the provocation. "Iolaus won't thank me for getting in his way," he replied stiffly.

"But at least he'll be alive to complain!"

The demi-god gave him a dirty look, reflecting that Pelius really didn't know Iolaus that well. Iolaus would treat him to a stony wall of silence and the hunter had the loudest, most hurt silence out of anyone he had ever known. On the other hand, Pelius had a point; maybe if he broke it up for Ison's sake? Hercules took a step forward and then let out a small sigh of relief as he saw Hector bustling in with a handful of the palace guards led by Cadmus. "Iolaus! Stop playing with him and break it up!" he called, pointing towards the guards..

Waiting until Ison attacked, Iolaus moved with smooth precision, feinting right with the knife to draw the Prince into overextending to reach for what he thought was an opening. Perfectly balanced, Iolaus dropped under his guard and kicked, smashing Ison's feet from under him. As the Prince hit the floor on his back, Iolaus bounced forward and pinned his knife hand to the tiles under his foot. His own dagger tip he pressed under the Prince's chin. "Do you yield?" he demanded as Ison opened his mouth to rail and swear. "Or do I slit your tongue to stop you spilling insults about her Majesty?" Ison's clamped his mouth shut, a look of fear abruptly crossing his face that twisted into pain as Iolaus ground down on his heel and made him drop the knife. "Well, which is it to be?" Iolaus demanded.

"I yield," Ison spat in rage, his eyes promising murder.

Iolaus lifted his foot, kicked the knife aside and stepped smoothly out reach of any counter attack the Prince might wish to make. Ison pushed up on one elbow and fingered his chin, glaring up at Iolaus with silent hostility. His eyes flickered slightly as he registered Hercules moving up behind his friend like a shadow. With a tilt of his head, Iolaus acknowledged his friend's presence, but he had learned never to take his eyes off even a defeated foe. Pelius had followed and stood beside Hercules and Iolaus with a frown on his normally good-tempered face.

"What's going on here?" Cadmus demanded as he shoved through the crowd that had thickened like gravy around the combatants.

"This barbarian attacked me!" Ison snarled promptly, scrambling to his feet. "I want him thrown in the dungeons immediately!"

"Liar," Pelius hissed and was startled when Hercules moved slightly, backing into him to stop him pressing forward.

"You attacked him first," Hercules pointed out coldly. "And you’re the one who drew a knife on an unarmed man."

"Sire?" Hector stepped through the crowd that parted before him like water. The General had quite a reputation and no one wanted to confront him. "Er, I mean, Iolaus? Is there a problem here?" Hercules wondered if he was the only one who saw the way Cadmus' eyes widened as they flashed from Iolaus to Hector and back again. He thought perhaps Hector did and the older man didn't look to be happy with Cadmus' presence.

"Not any more," Iolaus answered dryly. "I'd say we'd settled things, wouldn't you, your Highness?"

Ison stiffened, his whole body tensed with thwarted rage, but he wasn't stupid enough to attack again either verbally or physically; at least not in front of everybody. Push it now and he would be the one who ended up in the dungeon. Instead he turned wordlessly on his heel and pushed into the crowd, shoving people rudely out of his way and headed for the doors.

"I think you've made yourself an enemy there," Cadmus commented quietly to Iolaus before he made a little bow to Hector and then turned to gather up his guards and remove them from the dining hall.

Hector touched Iolaus' arm and beckoned Hercules, drawing the two of them aside. Pelius hesitated, but breakfast called and he headed for the buffet table instead.

"What was all that about?" Hector wanted to know as soon as they reached a relatively private corner.

"Testosterone," Hercules observed blandly. "Two stags butting heads in mating season."

"Oh shut up," Iolaus growled. "As if you even know what testosterone is, let alone be able to spell it."

Hercules merely grinned at him. "Ison decided to pick an argument with Iolaus and lost," he told Hector blandly.

"At knife point?" Hector commented sarcastically.

"It got a little out of hand," Iolaus replied, hesitated then added sharply, "He said he spent last night with Niobe. Is that true?"

Hector winced. "It is not my place to say," he said grimly, flushing.

"Then you mean yes." Iolaus stared at him for a second then abruptly turned his back on them and stalked away. Hercules could see the pain and anger in the very way he moved.

"How could she be so, so…" the demi-god groaned bitterly.

"Callous?" Hector suggested primly.

"I was going to say cruel, but callous is good."

"She finds herself lonely," Hector said awkwardly. "And she is reluctant to be trapped into a marriage she doesn't want. Whether she and Ison shared a bed together, I couldn't say. But she is a powerful woman and inclined to do as she wishes regardless of anyone's opinions."

"So you don't approve of her actions either," Hercules said carefully. "She wouldn't be the first ruler to take a lover." Something in the way the lines deepened around Hector's eyes made Hercules look at him more closely. "And Ison wouldn't be the first, would he?"

"Her morals are not my concern; her safety and that of Attica's is," Hector replied grimly. "If you wish to make it yours, then you can tell her yourself. Her majesty wishes to see you."

"Me?" Hercules echoed in surprise. "Are you sure she doesn't mean Iolaus?"

"Quite sure. She has heard a lot about you and wishes to talk to you," Hector replied, his face expressionless. "She has not discussed her plans with me. Perhaps she wishes your opinion on who she should marry."

"I thought you were her first advisor."

Hector gave him a pained look. "So did I," he admitted. "But of late it seems she blames me for her losses. Perhaps you'll know what to say to her because I don’t any more."

* * *

Taken by Hector to Niobe's private reception rooms, Hercules kicked his heels outside for a while before the General finally emerged and asked him to enter. "You’re not coming with me?" Hercules pressed, uneasy without knowing why.

"She has asked me to wait outside for you," Hector answered. "Don't keep her waiting. She'll get impatient."

Hercules frowned, but followed the waiting servant through the doors into the luxuriously appointed rooms beyond. The room was smaller than he expected and not as overpoweringly military in design. The stone walls hung with gold and red silks that rippled in the breeze from the balcony window and there were vases of flowers on every possible surface. A young woman was seated on the steps of the window enclosure, her nimble fingers plucking a haunting melody on the ivory and gold kitara in her lap. Niobe was lying on a white damask couch in the window while a young man wafted her with a huge feathered fan. She was dressed in a elegant gown so dark a red to be almost purple; the colour bringing out the burning darkness of her eyes and the richness of her lips. For a moment she lay so still that Hercules thought she was asleep as his guide stepped to her side and bent over her, whispering in her ear. Niobe opened her eyes and stretched cat like upon her couch, turning her head to study Hercules.

Hercules gazed back, refusing to admire the curves displayed for his consideration. A momentary frown crossed her face and she sat up, waving the servants away with a flick of elegant fingers. The three of them slipped away like ghosts, closing the doors behind them and leaving the demi-god alone with Niobe.

Seated with straight-backed dignity on the couch, Niobe patted the cushions beside her and gave Hercules an expectant look; her lips half parted in a sultry smile of invitation.

Hercules hesitated, but the look of darkness that started to build in her eyes drew him across the mosaic floor to sit stiffly beside her. "Your majesty honours me with her invitation to speak," he said carefully.

"Do I? Or do you honour me? So, you are the famous Hercules," Niobe observed in a velvety voice as she looked him up and down. "I'm not sure if you're what I expected or not."

"The reality never is," Hercules replied politely. "Who told you about me? Iolaus?"

"Strangely enough, no. We had other things to consider when we were together," Niobe's eyes for all their moody darkness were distant as if only half her attention was on the here and now. "But I have heard the stories about you. Who hasn't?"

"They get exaggerated and Iolaus gets left out of them too often for his liking and mine."

"People like to believe in heroes; one man rather than many." Niobe rested her hand on his knee, giving him a sultry look from under her eyelashes. "How many...kingdoms have you been offered?"

Hercules swallowed uncomfortably, knowing she was making him another kind of offer. "Ah, you know how it is, save us from the monster, marry the princess and get half the kingdom," he joked feebly.

"Marry," Niobe hissed and lifted her hand from his knee. Rising to her feet, she moved away from him in a drift of sandalwood and gazed out of the windows, hugging her robes around her slim body. "Sometimes I feel like a bird in a gilded cage and wish to fly away from all this. But I cannot. I wasn't trained to run away. I was raised to be the royal whore. But what's a whore without a master? Nothing but a chattel to be sold to another man's bed in the name of the kingdom." The bitterness in her voice stung like acid as she turned and gave the demi-god an angry look. "Could you rule me, Hercules? What price would you pay to marry me and gain a kingdom?"

"That isn't why I'm here," Hercules protested.

"I'm not good enough for the famous Hercules? Or am I used goods?"

"You are the ruling monarch of Attica," Hercules shot back.

"Merely regent now. As a mere woman they do not consider me worthy of holding the throne in my own name. Yet what else did I train for? I am more than a mere brood mare!"

Hercules added gently. "And to Iolaus you are always royalty."

Her head came up as she stiffened and turned slowly to look at him. "What is he to you?"

Thinking of the scene that she had thrown that morning, Hercules chose his words carefully. He didn't want to bring on another tantrum through a misunderstanding. "Friend, brother…"

"And do you love him?" she demanded.

"Like a brother, yes. He's part of my family. We grew up together."

"My family gave me away to be raised as a royal wife, to know my manners and mind my place. They are strangers to me. All my life I knew I was to be Orestes' royal mare; that my one and only purpose was to produce an heir for him whether I wished to or not. I failed. With no heir, I am nothing. The only use they have for me now is to marry me off to make someone else King so I can take my proper place in his bed and at his feet." She paused, breathing hard, her eyes darting restlessly. Watching her Hercules was reminded of a cornered Amazon and he knew only too well how dangerous they were.

"Then refuse," he said quietly. "Walk away from all this…"

"And do what? Marry Iolaus and be a nobody? How can I? This is all I have ever known!" She waved a hand around her, swayed and caught at the edge of the window for balance, ignoring Hercules quick step towards her. "I will rule, Hercules. It is my destiny. Orestes stepped aside so that I could take my rightful place and I will prove it to them that I can and will rule alone!" She paused, closing her eyes as Hercules hovered over her.

"Perhaps you should sit down," he suggested awkwardly. "You look tired."

Niobe flashed him a venomous look and straightened up, moving around him to seat herself primly on the couch. "I offered Iolaus a place at my side. Did he tell you that?" she commented as she glazed blankly at the wall hangings. "He could have had everything he wanted, anything he asked for if he would have stayed. But no, he didn't love me enough to do it." She gave him another look of icy loathing. "Perhaps he loved you more than he did me."

Hercules folded his arms, forcing down his temper. "Perhaps he thought you loved the throne more than you did him," he replied with a chill equal to her own. "How could he have spent the rest of his life pretending to me someone he wasn't?"

A flicker of a frown crossed her face, a puzzled light entering her eyes. "But he would have been a king," she said as if it excused everything.

"It would have meant more if you’d been willing to give up the throne for him," Hercules explained sadly.

"But Attica needed me," she said simply, still confused. "You are making no sense, Hercules. Iolaus had nothing to lose and everything to gain. I did. He's the one who walked away. I couldn't give up the throne."

And you still can't, Hercules thought gloomily. Niobe would never give up what she thought of hers no matter what she had to do to keep it. Ison stood a good chance of being the next King of Attica if she decided she could control him. And if not? Hercules felt a sudden chill turn his skin to ice. Orestes had been in her way. She hadn't been able to control him and he had been assassinated…

Niobe rose to her feet, unable to sit still for long. "Orestes wanted me to rule after him," she announced firmly. "He knew I was capable of it. We were well suited as co-rulers."

Not from what I've heard, Hercules thought, but kept his mouth shut.

"But we were not suited as marriage partners. We both resented each other for not being the person we wanted them to be." Niobe paused, skimming her hands down over her rich robes to smooth them into place. "Orestes never wanted to marry me, you know. Those snivelling wretches who call themselves our advisors forced him into it. I could have stood that. We could have come to an arrangement once I produced an heir. We could have found consolation outside the marriage bed and if another heir or two came along who looked like Orestes, then who could have said they weren't his."

Hercules managed not to be staring at her as she turned to look at him. Her cool calculation appalled him.

"Why should I accept being second best?" Niobe continued. "Orestes told me himself that he had married his mistress, did you know that?"

"No…" Hercules admitted cautiously.

Niobe nodded, her eyes glittering with indignation. "When his father found out he had the marriage annulled and sent the trollop away. Orestes never forgave his father or me taking her place. I truly believe that Orestes would have sent for her before long and annulled our marriage too. I know he had messengers sent out to look for her."

"And did they find her?"

"It doesn't matter now, does it?" Niobe settled back onto her couch, her eyes narrowing. "Or are you concerned that Orestes may have produced an heir after all?"

Hercules held his tongue, thinking of Lynus and his mysterious errand. "Merely curious. She would probably like to know what happened to him."

"Ah, yes, true. But then he was a King. Everyone knows what happened to him." Niobe ran a finger across her bottom lip, a brooding expression crossing her face that didn't suit her.

A faint tap at the door made her look up sharply and call the knocker to enter. A maidservant slipped in. "Forgive the intrusion, your highness, but the Ambassador from Marathon has arrived?"

"Oh yes, go and inform Hector, will you? He wishes to be present." The maid dipped her head and whisked out again. Niobe nodded absently to herself, patting at her hair.

"If you'll excuse me?" Hercules murmured.

Niobe blinked at him, her eyes registering her confusion at the reminder of his presence. "Oh yes, you can go," she told him mildly however.

"Your highness," Hercules bowed politely and retreated gratefully towards the doors. He had his hand on the handle when she spoke again.

"Hercules?"

"Yes, your majesty." With an effort, Hercules kept his voice even and hid his frustration even as he looked back to her.

"If you love him, make him leave here," Niobe told him steadily, her eyes burning with a nameless emotion that made Hercules shiver. "Make him deny all claim to the throne and take him away from here. Tell him to forget Attica ever existed. If he stays Attica will destroy him…"

* * *

Hercules had no idea how long he had been talking to Niobe, but when he returned to the suite he shared with Iolaus he found it empty. The dining hall and the reception areas where the guests normally congregated were half-empty when he looked there. Hercules made a rapid circuit of the palace, searching for Iolaus and finding many other faces missing. He was starting to feel a flicker of panic when he spotted Hector returning from Niobe and bore down on him in relief. What the General had to say however filled him with dread.

"I've been looking for you, Hercules," Hector began as Hercules reached his side. "They’ve all gone hunting. Iolaus went with Pelius."

"And you didn't stop them?" Hercules blurted.

"I was with Niobe and Ambassador Creon," Hector reminded him grimly and shook his head. "I almost get the feeling that I was being delayed on purpose."

Hercules gave the older man a cool look. "And bearing in mind what happened the last time Iolaus went hunting around here?"

"Cadmus went with them," Hector protested. "I'm sure there's no need to worry and I'm only being paranoid."

"It pays to be paranoid around Iolaus. Do you know where they might have gone?"

"I know where Cadmus was supposed to take the hunting party. We should be able to catch up with them. In my experience, keeping a royal party on schedule is like herding cats."

* * *

"Iolaus, relax!" Pelius urged as he crunched noisily alongside beside the blond hunter. They were slightly to the left of the main party, but the drift of their voices could be heard murmuring through the sunlight leaves and every now and then a bright flash of colour announced their presence. "You’re so tense you’re making me edgy. We're not going to catch anything this way."

Looking up from checking for deer tracks, Iolaus gave him a rueful look and a small smile. "With everyone making so much noise, we’re not likely to catch anything anyway," he scolded mildly. "And I thought I told you not to wear those boots?"

A flicker of chagrin crossed Pelius' face as he looked down fondly as his gold tasselled and embroidered red boots. "But they’re my best ones," he protested with a cheerful pout, hitching at the bow over his shoulder.

"They're totally dazzling," Iolaus agreed solemnly. "The glare alone should frighten any animal off within miles."

Pelius shrugged. "Yeah, but at least I look good."

Iolaus gave in and grinned at him. "You don't really want to catch anything today, do you?" he said wryly. He had been hunting with Pelius before and although he wouldn't consider the Prince an expert, he was usually much better than this.

"Depends what you're hunting," Pelius grinned, winking at him. "Did you see the way Niobe's ladies were looking at us when we left? Every one of them pretending to be pure and chaste and looking for a man to ruin their morals."

"Shame on you," Iolaus scolded, biting back a laugh.

"Hey, I'm a spoiled Prince! I'm practically required to jump anything in sight!"

Iolaus chuckled. He generally took hunting seriously and had been in the mood to pit his wits and skills against the forest, even if he wasn't bothered whether he caught anything or not. Sometimes the thrill of the chase was enough. "You should have stayed with the main party then," he said mildly.

Pelius' grin wavered a little. "Don't you want me around?" he asked plaintively.

"Why wouldn't I?" Iolaus asked, surprised.

Pelius shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. I'm not Hercules. I'm certainly not the most important person here…"

"What's that got to do with it?" Iolaus wondered in bewilderment.

The Prince frowned and answered carefully, "I've been listening to the way some of these nobles talk. They act as if anyone who hangs around them is only looking for advancement. Not that they’ve mentioned you or Hercules, of course! I mean they don't class you like that! They wouldn't dare!"

Iolaus sighed. "It wouldn't be the first time Herc and I have come across that particular attitude. Not everyone is looking to fill their own purse. Are you getting the feeling they’re looking down on you?"

Pelius shrugged gloomily. "I'm only a Prince from a minor city state. Some of the big guys don't have time for me. I get on better with the representatives from the smaller areas who want to negotiate an alliance with Haviva."

"Don't knock it," Iolaus advised. "Haviva may be small but it covers an important trade route and its pretty rich. Pelegas would be happy if you could make an alliance with the coastal states."

"Like Orestes did?" Pelius asked thoughtfully.

"Yeah, like Orestes," Iolaus agreed awkwardly. It still rankled a little that the treaty he had concluded would never be acknowledged in his name.

"Hmmh. I would like to make my father proud of me," Pelius murmured, then brightened up. "You know, I was thinking, if Niobe marries someone from the more powerful League of Nations members, that's going to upset the others, isn't it?"

"Probably," Iolaus admitted, giving the Prince a thoughtful look. Most people never looked past the easy going exterior, but underneath was a shrewd intelligent young man who would one day be a good king. "I thought you weren't interested in the position?"

"Oh, I'm not, but my father told me to pay attention," Pelius said ingenuously. "But I'm surprised about Ison is all. I wouldn't have thought he was Niobe's type at all."

"No," Iolaus said stiffly, non-committal.

"Pydron is smaller than Attica, of course, so Niobe would have the upper hand there. And power wise Ison's only a second prince, so she could probably control him. Plus he's good looking. I suppose if you look at it logically, he's not a bad choice at all. But he's such a jerk."

"You noticed," Iolaus murmured with restraint.

Pelius grinned. "Oh yeah. So what's the story with you anyway?"

"Story?" Iolaus gave him a blank look, distracted by a movement he had glimpsed in the trees. Sun dappled shade played tricks with the eyes, confusing the outlines of whatever lurked ahead of them. He was sure it was moving towards them.

"I get the feeling you've got history here. The way Ison went for you this morning, it was like he was jealous. And Hector called you Sire."

"Probably automatic," Iolaus said vaguely, squinting at the outline in the trees; it looked like whatever it was it was carrying a bush with it for camouflage. Poachers maybe? His sixth sense for trouble was starting to prickle.

"He's never called me Sire," Pelius pointed out, curiosity making him press the point. "Or Hercules. Or anyone else that I've heard. Only you…."

"Why don't we go back and join the others?" As casually as he could, Iolaus caught the Prince's arm and gave him a gentle push back towards the path and the rest of the hunting party. At the same time, he unshipped his bow from his shoulder and wished Cadmus hadn't persuaded him to leave his sword behind. Cadmus was never going to live it down if the royal party was attacked in the royal hunting preserve.

"You've tensed up again," Pelius observed, lifting his eyes to survey the forest suspiciously.

"I think we're being watched," Iolaus replied quietly. He was glad that Pelius didn't argue with him, but followed his prompting and started back towards the path without protest. The Prince also did his best to move quietly and held his bow ready, scanning the trees as he let Iolaus cover his back.

The sudden strangled scream of pain from the direction of the path made the hair on the back of Iolaus' neck stand on end and Pelius let out a gasp of alarm as he shot a look back at the hunter for advice.

"Come on…" Iolaus dodged around him on the path and led the way, racing fleet footed over the soft leaf strewn ground and hurdling a fallen tree trunk without slowing down.

Hitting the edge of a sunny clearing where the royal party had paused to rest, Iolaus skidded to a halt and drew his bow, slapping an arrow to the bowstring with a smooth draw and fire. The arrow whisked across the clearing, slicing through the throat of fighting leather clad mercenary before he could kill the young squire he had downed. As the man toppled, Iolaus was notching up another arrow and looking for a new target.

The clearing was in chaos with men running in all directions in a profusion of colours. The guards were doing their best to protect the royal party, but were hard put to do so with so many mercenaries surrounding them. Their captain was already down and there was no sign of Cadmus. Pelius' gasped in dismay behind Iolaus as he caught up with the warrior and looked around the clearing in horror.

"Stay down," Iolaus snapped and bounded forward, yelling at the first guard that he recognised. "Take cover! Fall back into the trees! You three, cover their retreat!"

"Do as he says! He's General Hector's man!" the guard roared, glad to have someone to take over. The other guards weren't listening to him and he had no authority to control them.

Iolaus was a little startled at the new title, but didn't have time to worry about it. He joined the three archers he had picked, covering the rest of the guards as they herded the nobles back under the trees into a stand of rocks. He called for the retreat when they were under cover, grabbing up a sword when he ran out of arrows and driving back the two men who came at him in a flurry of blows. A third man came back at him, windmilling a sword in a display of dexterity that made Iolaus' eyes narrow. As the mercenary came in hard and fast, Iolaus dodged around him to his undefended side and took him in the shoulder as the man turned to attack. Stepping back as the man dropped, Iolaus shot a worried look around him, swiping his perspiration soaked blond hair out of his eyes with his free hand.

In the noise and confusion of the fight, he had lost track of Pelius but now he spotted the Prince, backpedalling furiously away from a sword swinging mercenary. Pelius was doing his best to protect himself, but he was obviously tiring rapidly.

Taking a firmer grip on his sword, Iolaus darted across the clearing and ducked between them, arriving in time to block a downward swipe that would have taken Pelius' hand off. The mercenary jerked back in surprise, jarred by the contact with a blade when he had expected flesh and bone.

"I …could've…taken him…" Pelius wheezed from behind Iolaus as the hunter squared up to the mercenary.

"Him first then you, your highness," snarled the mercenary and came in quick and vicious.

Iolaus was ready for him, dancing aside and ripping the man's arm open with his blade tip. The man's sword went spinning from his hand and he went to his knees with a scream of pain, looking up at Iolaus in terror as the sword poised a kiss away from his neck.

"Run," Iolaus advised with a hiss, his eyes alight with the thrill of battle.

The mercenary wisely took his advice and scrabbled to his feet, lumbering away to pause and look back at them in fury. He fled into the trees bent over his blood soaked arm when Iolaus took a half step after him in threat. Iolaus stared after him, fighting the urge to chase him that had got him into trouble so many times before. Instead, he took a deep breath and turned back to Pelius, taking a quick searching look around him as he realised that the fight seemed to be over as the mercenaries melted away into the forest.

"Are they gone?" Pelius asked shakily.

"Looks that way. You okay?"

"I think so," the Prince answered. "I've never been in a battle before."

"This was only a skirmish," Iolaus pointed out. "Maybe next time you'll think before you go rushing off after a warband."

"Maybe I will."

Iolaus flicked a quick look up at him, noting the way he was chewing his jaw in an effort to control his nausea.. "You'll do," he told him. "I've seen men…Yipe!" The cry exploded out of him as he heard the whirr of arrows a split second before Hercules burst out of the bushes and grabbed the black feathered barb a fraction away from his chest. "Herc?!" Iolaus managed to splutter before the demi-god yanked him to the ground. Hercules sprawled across him and Iolaus could feel the pounding of the demi-god's pulse and heaving breathing through his own body for a moment. There was a thud and a thump from behind him and a breathless grunt from Pelius as Hector tackled him to the ground.

"Sorry, your highness," Hector wheezed. "Best to stay down…"

"Same to you," Hercules growled at Iolaus and rolled off him, darting back into the trees with the amazing swiftness of his bloodlines.

Iolaus hugged the ground and stayed where he was, feeling his pulse hammering at his narrow escape. If Hercules had been a fraction slower, he would have met the same end as Orestes.

"No, don't!" came a cry of terror from the trees then an ominous silence. Iolaus chewed his lower lip then gingerly pushed up a fraction. "Hercules?" he called uneasily.

"All clear," Hercules called back from the distance.

Letting out a slightly shaky sigh of relief, Iolaus sat up and looked around. He could hear moans from the direction of the clearing mingled with the sound of arguments and hysterical voices. At least Hector was here to cope with the mess.

"Sire? I mean, Iolaus, are you all right?" Hector had managed to lever himself back to his feet.

"I'm fine. Pelius?"

"Somewhat squashed, but otherwise fine. You’re heavy, General."

"My apologies, Prince Pelius. It's the armour."

"Yeah. How do you manage to run with all that on?"

"It isn't easy, trust me. Where do you think you're going, Iolaus?"

Iolaus gave Hector a surprised look for his sharp tone. "To find Hercules."

"I think it would be better if you stayed here with me - to protect the Prince…"

Iolaus raised an eyebrow, but Hector had the kind of look in his eyes that he had used to give Orestes. There was no arguing with him now. Reluctantly, the warrior let General shepherd him and Pelius back towards the remains of the hunting party where, to his relief, he saw an out of breath Cadmus emerging from among the trees.

* * *

Crouching in the leaf mould in the sundappled shade of the forest, Hercules gazed silently at the richly dressed body, frowning at the knife jutting from his chest. Back in the clearing lay another body; that of the archer he had been pursuing.

The man had been killed by one of his own a second before the demi-god could grab him and wring some answers out of him. Hercules had only had the quickest of glimpses of a black garbed figure fleeing into the shadows and a quick search of the ground told him that there were too many muddled tracks for him to tell which led to the man he wanted. Maybe Iolaus could make some sense of them, but for the moment at least there was no point in him in worrying about the tracks for he had another problem. In his search, he had stumbled across the cooling body of Prince Ison.

The Prince lay on his back, staring up at the sky with a shocked expression on his arrogant grey toned face and one hand clasped in a stiffening grip around the knife hilt. The knife had been driven expertly up under his ribs and from Hercules' tentative examination, twisted to make a quick clean kill. Hercules doubted that Ison would even have had time to cry out. There wasn't even that much blood to stain the killer's hands. The only clue Hercules had been able to find was a ragged strip of black cloth caught in Ison's fingers that glinted with a silver thread woven along the edge when he turned it over. It looked as if it had been torn from the hem of a royal bodyguard's uniform…

* * *

It was a sadly depleted hunting party that returned to the palace. Ison was the only member of the nobles to be killed, but three others had been wounded and several of the Guard, including their captain, had also been killed. Ison was carried away on the makeshift litter to be laid in the private royal temple, while the bodies of the other men killed would be placed in the main palace temple. The bodies of the mercenaries had been left to rot where they fell; although Hector had ordered a lookout to be kept should any of the warband return to claim them.

Pelius had gone off to get roaringly drunk with a couple of the other princes, while Hector and Cadmus had gone to explain events to Niobe. Grabbing his partner, Hercules headed for their suite and a private discussion of their own.

"You think a member of the royal bodyguard killed him?" Iolaus exclaimed in disbelief as Hercules explained his theory. "Have you been chewing mushrooms? Next you'll be suggesting Cadmus did it!"

"And how do you know he didn't? Where was he during the attack?"

"He explained that," Iolaus retorted sharply. "They were scouting ahead when the mercenaries jumped them. He got back as soon as he could. The Captain was in charge, not him!"

"But it was his suggestion to go ahead. He chose what route the hunting party took. And you can't deny that's a piece of a royal uniform."

"No, I can't." Iolaus folded his arms and gave Hercules a furious look. "But why Cadmus? I know you've got it in for him, but he's no murderer. And those were his men who were killed! And do you honestly think that because he's my friend, you need to be jealous?"

Hercules shook his head, staring at the scrap of black and silver cloth he had laid on the table. "Oh get real, you know me better than that!"

"Do I? Sometimes I wonder. You've been acting weird since he showed up."

"And you haven't? Be logical, Iolaus. The assassins only started to come after you when the questions about Niobe's claim to the throne started. Cadmus was one of Xenon's men, now he's Niobe's. Coincidence?"

"You are out of your mind! You’re saying Niobe sent the assassins and organised this mercenary thing simply to get at me?"

"No, at least not entirely. I'm saying she could be behind it and Cadmus could have hired the men for her. The one thing this attack has done has been to kill the League of Nations. Those kings are going to be so busy watching their own backs and being suspicious of the others that they won’t have time to worry about Niobe and her plans. And she isn't going to waste her efforts holding the League of Nations together when it's no longer to her advantage."

Iolaus stared at him. "But she wanted the League, why would she destroy it?" he protested.

"Wanted, past tense. It no longer favours her, does it? They want her off the throne."

"I can't believe you're saying this. First Cadmus is a murderer and now Niobe is planning to destroy the League of Nations!"

"Stop protecting her, Iolaus, she doesn't want you. Get over it!" Hercules froze, unable to believe the words had come out of his mouth. "Iolaus, I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"Oh yes, you did." Bitterly, Iolaus turned away from him.

Rubbing his hand through his hair, Hercules paced after him. "Look, I know it hurts…"

"Go away, Hercules."

"I can't," Hercules protested grimly. "I do not believe you at times! You'll stay loyal until it kills you!"

Iolaus whipped around and stared up at him, his eyes ablaze with pain and anger. "Yeah. I stay loyal to you, don't I?"

Hercules recoiled slightly, both hurt and annoyed. "Maybe I'm wrong. For your sake I hope I am. Maybe someone else is plotting to destroy Niobe's reputation and claim the throne. All I do know is that for some reason you’re a target and I don't want you to be murdered!"

Shaking his head, Iolaus turned away from him, his shoulders slumping wearily. "I don't know, Herc. Niobe of all people knows I don't want the throne. Neither she nor Cadmus would want to kill me. They have no reason to. You see Ares behind everything."

"Of all the stupid, stubborn…" Hercules choked off as Iolaus gave him a blue eyed glare. Frustrated, Hercules ran one hand through his copper hair and glared back at him. "Look, grab your things. We can walk away from this. Deny your claim to the throne if you don't want it…"

"We can walk away? Iolaus echoed. "And since when did you walk away from anything? Besides, according to you it won't make any difference if I deny my claim to the throne or not; Niobe won't want any heir except herself and as long as I'm alive I'm a threat."

"Iolaus…"

"Look, go away and let me think. Go talk to Hector or someone. Maybe he can convince you it wasn't Cadmus if you won't believe me." Iolaus headed for his own room, giving Hercules a quelling look when he made as if to follow and continue the argument.

Hercules scowled at his back and turned on his heel, exasperated with his friend's stubborn refusal to see reason. Maybe he would go and talk to Hector. At least the General would have an open mind about Cadmus and whether he could be trusted or not.

* * *

Clenching her fingers around the goblet, Niobe gritted her teeth and flung it across the room. A spasm of pain accompanied the movement and she grimaced, sinking into the nearest chair.

"Why so angry, fair lady?" a familiar dark voice crooned as he materialised from the shadows cast by the torches and prowled across to stand in front of her.

Looking up at his gorgeous black leather clad body, Niobe felt the swift burn of lust ignite inside her and she rose gracefully. "My Lord Ares," she breathed, restraining the urge to grovel at his feet. "It is Ison who causes my anger," she spat. "I wasn't finished with him."

"Yet you ordered him killed," Ares absentmindedly caressed her cheek with broad sword callused fingertips before he turned away.

"It was necessary. He attempted to blackmail me. Somehow he heard of the attack on the hunting party being planned."

"It would seem you have a spy in your midst," Ares mused as he moved away from her to pour himself a goblet of her best wine. Niobe followed his movement with hungry eyes.

"He was found and dealt with," she responded quickly. "Ison was fool enough to reveal his name to Cadmus. He was killed during the attack."

"Excellent," Ares said mildly. "Then all goes to plan?"

Niobe clasped her hands together, fighting to control the urge to reach out and touch him. "Yes, my Lord Ares. The League of Nations is crumbling even as we speak. The states will topple into chaos and Attica will rise as a power to lead the League of Nations."

Ares laughed, a dark rumble of amusement that made Niobe quiver deep down inside. "Excellent, Niobe, excellent. Attica will conquer all."

"And I will lead them." Breathing heavily, Niobe moved towards him, her eyes enormous in the candlelight. "Ares, I need a son. A son to rule after me so that I can rule without question."

Ares lifted a sardonic eyebrow and cupped her jaw in his hand. "And you want me to sire him?"

"Who better, my Lord? Was I not pleasing in your bed?"

Ares pursed his lips. "Very pleasing, Niobe. You gave me the passion you refused to Orestes. Perhaps if you had given it to him, you’d have had the son you want not. Oh, but I forget, you didn't want his son, did you? Or anyone else's until it was convenient for you."

"Do not speak of Orestes!" Angrily, Niobe snatched away from him. Ares laughed darkly and sank into her chair, draping himself across it.

"Now, you think to command me? Be careful which path you tread, fair lady." The harshness in his voice made Niobe shiver with mingled fear and desire. She looked over her shoulder at him and reached up to pull loose the ribbon at her throat that held together her light silk robe. The robe slipped from her slender shoulders leaving her clothed in fire and shadow. Ares smiled lazily as he sprawled, his chin propping on one fist as he studied her.

"Is this how you displayed yourself to Iolaus to lure him to your bed?" he mocked. "I can see why he fell for your charms." Niobe ran her hands down over her hips and licked her lips, giving him an inviting look. Ares' smile turned hungry. "What else do you offer, my lady?" he asked dryly.

"Am I not enough?" she responded.

"No. What of the rest of our bargain? I don't see the head of my dear Hercules decorating your walls yet. Did he not succumb to your charms? I warned you he wouldn't be so easy to seduce."

Niobe jerked involuntarily and scooped up her robe, expertly slithering back into it. "He is not the complete fool you take him for."

"Oh, I don't think he's a fool. Am obnoxious interfering do-gooder, but not a complete fool," Ares replied easily. "Possibly a half-wit…." he added, musingly.

"He spends too much time talking to Hector for my liking," she snapped as she splashed wine into another goblet and took a swift gulp.

"So, kill him too."

"Kill Hector?" Niobe gave him an aghast look. "The General's a cultural icon to the Atticans, their very own home grown hero."

"Who plots against you and your throne with Hercules and Iolaus."

"No! Never….Does he?" Niobe hesitated, her insecurity showing.

Ares leaned forward enough to catch her hand and draw her towards him. Snapping his fingers, he caused a ball of shimmering water to appear and float like a diamond above his hand. "See for yourself, my beauty," he purred.

Niobe moved closer, mesmerised by the tiny images she could see within the ball and unaware of being drawn onto Ares' leather clad knees. She recognised Hercules and Hector and by straining her ears she could make out voices,

"They know," Niobe moaned and gasped aloud as Ares' hand slid between her legs, caressing the sweet soft skin of her inner thigh.

"Yes," he agreed as he nuzzled her throat. "So what will you do?"

"I’ll have Hercules' head for this. And Hector's."

"And Iolaus," Ares prompted, biting gently at her ear.

"He could be useful," Niobe protested weakly.

"You don't need him in your bed when you have me," Ares growled. "And he's a danger to you. Who do you think Hector plans to put on the throne in your place? You know he's always preferred Iolaus to you." Ares slipped the silk from her shoulder and bent to place a kiss on her skin. His lips burned like a brand and she gasped, writhing in his arms as she remembered how his flesh had branded hers from within.

"Yes, yes, he wants to usurp me," Niobe melted against Ares' broad chest and with a dark chuckle he scooped her up and carried her to the bed. Laying her down gently on the coverlets, he spread the robe around her in a pool of red silk and removed his leathers with a snap of his fingers. Niobe whimpered in lust and grabbed at him as he knelt over her on the bed.

"Are we agreed?" Ares asked as he captured her wrists in one hand and traced a line down her body with one firm finger.

"Yes, my lord, yes," Niobe panted, arching under him in need and desire. "I will have them all executed…"

"Subtlety, Niobe, subtlety…" Ares purred, leaning down to place a kiss on the curve of her bare stomach. "Have Cadmus kill Iolaus and blame it on the Rebels who seek to overthrow you. To your anguish of course your loyal Cadmus will discover it was Hercules and Hector who were behind it all. Hercules will be too numb with shock over the loss of his best friend to fight back."

"I understand. I demoralise the League, wipe out the only other claim to the throne and give you what you want, my Lord…." Niobe paused, struggling to breathe as his lips brushed hers. "There will be a final banquet for the League's leaders tomorrow. None of them will leave the table alive…"

Ares laughed again, settling his powerful body against her slim one so that she could feel his weight and strength and power holding her down. Niobe's mind blanked with the white-hot heat of lust as she focused on the sensations searing through her as he touched her. She could barely hear his words as he pressed his lips to her skin. "Not all I want, Niobe," he growled as he bit gently at her throat. "But a start. And let us begin with your other little request…"

* * *

Sipping his wine wearily, Hector studied his boots where he had propped his feet up on the table and sighed. "I told you before, Hercules, I know very little about Cadmus. He was one of Xenon's men. Before that I have no idea what he did. He admitted he was a mercenary, but he wouldn't be the first man to decide he liked a settled life rather than chasing battles. I can't hold that against him. Many good men start out that way."

Sitting on the couch in Hector's private suite, Hercules turned his own goblet between his hands, studying his reflection in the crimson depths of the wine. Hector seemed to be a man who had little care for wealth and luxury, but enjoyed his comforts and the rewards of a life spent supporting his King. Hercules was inclined to accept his opinion, but he wasn't sure Hector had actually given it to him yet. "You didn't think it surprising that he came to Niobe after Xenon was killed?"

"Not really. Attica has a reputation for paying good money for good men. Mercenaries like that. Xenon had a habit of taking on mercenaries, most of them moved on after he was killed. A few came here, some stayed with Xenon's heir, others scattered out to wherever they could find their next dinar." Hector rolled his broad shoulders beneath the finely embroidered tunic he wore. "Some of them I wouldn't have touched with a pike point, but Cadmus always seemed able to tell the good from the bad."

"So you took his word on a lot of the new men?"

Hector frowned thoughtfully. "Niobe insisted. She took a liking to him. Made him a Lieutenant right off."

"So you didn't get a say in it?"

Hector shrugged again. "I have to admit I was too busy to worry about it. Captain Burus was a good man, he seemed to get along well enough with Cadmus. At least, well…"

"Well?" Hercules prompted.

"Burus was slowing down a bit; like me he was an old war horse." A shadow crossed Hector's face at the loss of his old friend and he continued slowly. "He should have been getting ready to step down, but what with one thing and another it wasn't the right time. He was needed and I persuaded him to stay put for a while longer. Once Niobe seemed to be settled in, I suggested he step aside for Cadmus since he seemed to be doing well, but Burus refused point blank. He wasn't too keen on the way Cadmus kept pushing the men for more and more training. I got the impression that he didn't quite trust him."

"You didn't ask him why?"

"He never said it in that many words. It was only a feeling that I got. I did wonder if maybe he was a little jealous at the way Cadmus was taking over from him."

Hercules took a sip from his wine and sat back, frowning at a flickering oil lamp on the table. "Then Cadmus has never given you any real reason to be suspicious of him."

Hector didn't answer for a long moment, pursing his lips as he studied Hercules over the brim of his goblet. "Call it instinct, but I can't say I'd trust the man."

"Iolaus thinks he can. He knew him a while ago."

"People change," Hector pointed out. "Who would think that a sweet intelligent young woman would turn into a power crazed monster?"

Hercules nearly choked on the mouthful of wine he had taken, barely managing to splutter it down as Hector raised his goblet to him and cocked a dry eyebrow.

"That's what the Atticans are saying," Hector continued as Hercules caught his breath. "Word is going around the palace at the moment is that the attack on the hunting party was by a coalition of disaffected nobles; the men and women Orestes threw out of power when he discovered they were part of the conspiracy to kill him." The General paused again, leaning forward to fill his goblet. "Later Niobe believed that there was a plot to assassinate her too; that was shortly after she had that fever. Cadmus came up with a surprising amount of proof of a plot considering I had never suspected anything. And I did when they plotted against Orestes."

"Was anyone executed?"

"Two or three nobles and a handful of servants. Enough to put the point across and make the rest of the nobility nervous and obedient. And enough to make the story of disaffected nobles turning against Niobe now believable. Cadmus is suggesting that they thought Niobe would be with the hunters and they meant to assassinate her because they object to her marrying."

"Is that what you believe?"

Hector considered the gold rim of his goblet. "Niobe's noble advisors are the ones insisting that Niobe marries. Personally I believe that they should give Niobe some time instead of rushing her into another marriage. That's what's making her overreact."

Hercules smiled faintly. "Looking for excuses, Hector?" he asked softly. "It sounds like you’re finding it difficult to support her."

"She's changed," Hector admitted gloomily, shaking his grey head. "And I've drunk too much wine. To Barus and the men we've lost."

"To Barus," Hercules joined him in the toast. "You want Iolaus on the throne."

"He'd make a good King," Hector replied. "But he won't do it and he's probably right to refuse. The Attican throne has never made anyone happy." The General sighed heavily and gave Hercules a ruthless smile. "I think I'm too old to be playing Kingmaker," he said wryly. "But if you want my honest opinion? I think the pressure's too much for Niobe. The fever did something to her mind and she hasn't been the same since. She may see plots in every corner, but sooner or later she's going to be right. Cadmus feeding her paranoia doesn't help. For her own good, she needs to step aside."

"Or be pushed aside?" Hercules said warily.

Hector grimaced and didn't answer which was an answer in itself. "This attack on the hunting party is going to wreck the Wedding Progress. Right now every King, Prince and Ambassador is too busy blaming everyone else for the League of Nations to hold together. If the League of Nations folds, then it isn't safe for Niobe to marry any of them. If she did, then the others would all come against us. Niobe and her advisors are all ready meeting to discuss what to do next."

"Without you?" Hercules exclaimed in surprise.

Hector smiled sourly. "My primary concern is with her Majesty's safety. She's safe enough for now and she knows my opinion all ready."

"Who do you want her to step aside for if not for Iolaus?" Hercules pressed.

Hector closed his fist around his goblet, then abruptly slammed it down on the table and got up, starting to pace the room. "Did you know Orestes was married before Niobe?"

"Niobe told me, yes."

"Niobe knows?!" Hector gave him a shocked look.

"Apparently Orestes told her he'd married his mistress and the woman had been sent away after they were forced to divorce. Are you okay?" Concerned at the way the General had paled, Hercules got up and went to his side. Grasping his arm, Hector pulled him closer and lowered his voice.

"You must swear not to tell Niobe what I am about to tell you," he hissed urgently. "A life may depend on it."

"I swear," Hercules agreed uneasily.

Hector nodded jerkily, still looking grey. "Orestes had a son by her," he told him in a husky whisper. "Orestes knew but for her sake he made sure no one, including his father, ever found out. He supported her, even managed to see the boy a time or two without anyone knowing."

"Except you?"

"I watched Orestes grow up, he was like my own son. Of course I knew and I helped him; even though his father would have throttled me if he found out about it. The boy's the Attican heir."

"Do you know where he is?"

"I did know. I sent Lynus to find him and keep him out of the way for a while longer and they could be anywhere by now. It isn't safe for him here."

"Niobe said Orestes had sent out messengers looking for her."

Hector nodded. "True enough. She went missing when he married Niobe. She may not have had Niobe's rank but she was noble too and she was a proud woman, Hercules. She always knew the right thing to do. That's why she accepted the divorce. She wouldn't have wanted to ruin anything for him."

"But Niobe may have an idea where to look."

"She might, but Lynus should have got him away by now. All we need to do is keep the boy safe until everything calms down and we can announce his existence. With an heir, Niobe won't need to step down and the pressure will be off."

"Do you honestly think she's going to accept being Regent after she's tasted power?" Hercules exclaimed in astonishment.

"You don't know her…"

"I know enough to know you’re fooling yourself if you think she'll accept it lying down. And I don't think you’re a fool, Hector. If you thought Niobe would welcome Orestes' son with open arms, he'd be here right now instead of in hiding. The first thing she's going to do is do is her best to prove he isn't Orestes' son and if that fails, she’ll arrange to get him killed."

Hector flinched and turned away, staring out into the darkness beyond the open balcony windows. Hercules put a hand on his shoulder and leaned closer. "I think you have a lot more to worry about than you want to admit."

Hector closed his eyes in pain. "I'm afraid Cadmus is a lot closer to Niobe than I'm comfortable with; he's the Royal Favourite. He wants to marry her himself to get the throne. And though I have no absolute proof I fear that Niobe colluded with Xenon to arrange Orestes' murder."

Hercules' dropped his hand in shock. "But she killed Xenon herself!" he exclaimed.

Hector nodded jerkily. "My sources suggest that she offered a marriage alliance to Xenon in return for Orestes' murder. Instead Iolaus got in the way. Whether she would have killed Xenon anyway if she hadn't thought he'd killed Iolaus I don't know." The General took a deep breath and straightened up. "Another drink? I know I need one…"

Hercules closed his hands on the balcony rail, staring out into the star filled darkness in shock as Hector strode back to the wine flagon. "Hector?"

"Yes?"

"Tell me whether or not I'm being paranoid, but could Cadmus have been behind today's attack?"

"He has the contacts certainly and he was safely out of the way. Burus who was suspicious of him was killed, you'll note. As was Ison."

"Who spent the night with Niobe…"

"Jealousy is always a good motive for murder."

"You've thought it all through, haven't you?"

Hector nodded gloomily. "The attack removed three obstacles between Cadmus and the throne in one move."

"Nearly four," Hercules said bitterly.

"What?"

"Someone took a shot at Iolaus. I have to talk to him…"

"Who? Cadmus? He won't admit anything."

Hercules pushed decisively away from the balcony and headed for the doors. "No, Iolaus. I have to make him understand that we're all in deep water and sinking fast. Do you mind if I borrow a sword?"

* * *

"You don't mind my dropping by unexpectedly, do you?" Cadmus asked mildly.

"Not if you bring wine like this every time," Iolaus answered cheerfully, taking another mouthful of the sweet fruity wine Cadmus had brought with him. He had been a little surprised to see Cadmus; having expected him to be standing vigil over the men who had been slain, but Hercules had rubbed him the wrong way and he was in the mood for less critical company.

Lolling in his chair, Cadmus shrugged lazily with one shoulder. "From her Majesty's own stocks; a gift to you ."

"A gift?" Iolaus hesitated, studying Cadmus over the brim of his silver goblet.

"For your noble action in taking charge of the guards when poor Burus was killed," Cadmus replied smoothly. His smile twisted sourly. "You are by the way looking at her new Captain of the Guards."

"That was fast," Iolaus said without thinking.

"Burus named me his successor a while ago and men like these need a leader. Why the sour look, Iolaus?"

Realising he was frowning, Iolaus smiled ruefully. It was all Hercules' fault making him see secrets where there were none. He was sure Cadmus wouldn't have arranged the attack to make himself Captain that much sooner. "I thought you’d be standing vigil."

Cadmus was a fraction slow in answering. "I would be, but Her Majesty requested that I guard you," he said carefully. "She feels that you may be in danger."

"She does?" Iolaus wasn't sure why that made him uneasy. Hercules' fears were filling his head with suspicious nonsense again.

Cadmus smiled and laughed mirthlessly. "The incident with your bed, the fact that’s someone shot at you before you arrived and earlier today…"

Again Iolaus felt the tickle of unease and looked around him for a draught, wondering if Hermes was close by. "I don't remember mentioning someone attacking me," he said slowly.

"I'm sure you did," Cadmus assured him. "A knife, wasn't it?"

"No, an archer."

The scar down Cadmus' face twitched slightly. "Ah, yes, that was it. You never mentioned what happened to the assassin. Did Hercules kill him or did you?"

"Neither as it happens. Someone else got to him first."

"So he didn't talk?"

"There wasn't enough left of him to talk," Iolaus admitted. He could have wished Hermes had been a little less thorough but since he had saved his life, he wasn't going to complain too loudly. On the other hand, it was chilling to think about how much power he was playing with; play with fire and you’re going to get burned. Iolaus took another swallow of the wine, absently surprised by how addictive it was.

"Sorry?" Cadmus leaned forward in his seat, watching him closer.

"What?"

"You said something about getting burned."

"Oh? Did I? I think this wine is making me drunk." Iolaus giggled and closed his eyes, feeling dizzy for a second. When he looked up, Cadmus was on his feet and moving towards him. Cadmus paused, gazing down at him as he rested one hand on his dagger hilt. "What?"

"You really do look like Orestes," Cadmus said thoughtfully as he watched the hunter broodingly.

"Especially when I'm drunk," Iolaus snorted and caught himself, frowning uneasily. He hadn't drunk that much. Puzzled, he sniffed the wine cautiously, savouring its fruity bouquet and struggling to identify the scent that lay underneath it.

"There are rumours that you're closer to the throne than Niobe," Cadmus commented.

"If that were true, Orestes would have named me his heir, wouldn't he?" Iolaus pointed out, waving the goblet at him.

Cadmus caught his wrist and pulled him to his feet, his eyes darkly critical as he tipped his head, examining Iolaus' features carefully. "No wonder she wants you dead," he breathed.

"What? Who wants me dead?" Iolaus demanded sharply, fighting the increasing fog that made him want to lie down and sleep.

"Iolaus, do you know what's happening?"

"Right now I neither know nor care. Go away and let me sleep."

"No!" Cadmus shook him so hard that Iolaus dropped the goblet. Annoyed, Iolaus pulled free of him and stepped back. "Iolaus, listen to me. Niobe is plotting against the League. She has been behind everything that's happened. I have built up the army on her command. With the League collapsing, she thinks she's in a position to take control of the member states without lifting a spear. Tomorrow she plans to hold a banquet supposedly to announce her marriage decision, instead she plans to kill every man there."

Iolaus blinked at him. "You're nuts. Niobe wouldn't do that."

"If you think that, then you don't know her at all. Iolaus, you have to help me."

"Help you do what?"

"Stop her." Cadmus' eyes glinted with swift cunning as he grabbed at Iolaus' arm. "She's is mad, she's completely lost her mind in her greed for absolute power. Attica will be destroyed if she kills the League's leaders. Every state will turn against her. But you and I can stop her. She doesn't have to be harmed, only deposed. You can take the throne. Your right to it is obvious."

Iolaus shook him off, retreating in shock. "You’re the one who's mad if you think I’d ever consider such a plan!"

"What? A throne isn't enough reward? Or do you want to take it without help? Is that it? You plan to marry Niobe yourself? Is that what you and Hercules are really up to?"

"You sound like Ison."

"He had a point."

A blaze of fury made Iolaus straighten up as it burned the fog from his thoughts. "I should hand you over to Hector for betraying Niobe!" he snapped in outrage.

Cadmus opened his mouth to make a sharp reply, caught Iolaus' infuriated expression and abruptly changed track. "Thank you," he said softly.

"What?" Iolaus wavered, thrown.

"I'm sorry I had to do that, but it's hard to know who to trust," Cadmus said soothingly. "There are so many nobles spreading lies of Niobe's madness that we have to be very careful who can be depended on. For all I knew they could have got to you and Hercules too."

It was plausible, very plausible but then a good lie always is. Iolaus folded his arms and turned away, badly confused. "You didn't trust me?"

"I had no choice. Hector and Niobe insisted you were loyal, but you have to understand my position; a new Captain suddenly responsible for the safety of the entire palace."

"What about the banquet?"

"Oh, a lie," Cadmus chuckled.

"Of course," Iolaus said softly, but he was thinking fast. It was too plausible for his comfort. Xenon had planned the same thing.

"The question now is can we trust Hercules?"

Iolaus gave him a startled look. "Why not?"

"I've heard that Hercules will do what he thinks is best. If he's been led to believe the tales of Niobe's madness…."

Iolaus snorted. "He's not that gullible. I'll make him understand."

"Ah…." Cadmus hesitated, glancing towards the doors as there was a brisk knock.

"Are you expecting anyone?" Iolaus asked curiously.

"I ordered some food from the kitchens. I hope you don't mind but I haven't eaten."

"Oh, no problem. Go ahead."

Giving the hunter a smile, Cadmus strolled open and opened the doors. As the guard outside bought in a heavy tray, he met the man's questioning eyes with a tiny nod and a resigned shrug. The guard carried the tray over to Iolaus and bowed to him over it. "Stuffed quail, fresh fruit…"

"It's for Cadmus, put it over there…" Iolaus responded irritably, turning away from him. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the tilt of the tray and the glitter of silver emerging from beneath. Instinctively, he stepped back, slashing one hand down to knock aside the dagger being driven at his ribs. The blade sliced his wrist, the point ripping through his side as he yelled aloud in pain and fury at the treacherous blow. Shocked and hurting, Iolaus turned on one foot, kicking up hard and fast into the guard's groin. The man gurgled and doubled up, but lashed out with the tray he held like a shield, clouting Iolaus across the temple. Seeing stars, Iolaus staggered back, his knees crumbling under him as his senses spun.

Through the encroaching darkness, he saw Cadmus rushing towards him with drawn sword….

"Damn fool!" Cadmus roared as Iolaus sank to the floor in a limp unconscious bloody heap. "Do I have to do everything myself?"

"He was too fast," the guard wheezed, too busy clutching at his groin to look at the ex-mercenary.

"I'll show you fast!" Cadmus barked and lashed out, slicing the man's head from his shoulder with one savage sweep of his sword. With a horrified expression still on its face, the head bounced, splattering gore across the floor. Before it had even finished rolling, Cadmus had grabbed up the dagger and bent over Iolaus, tipping his head back and placing the sharp blade across his throat.

Behind him there was a tremendous boom and crunch as the doors hit the wall, hurled aside by the arrival of an enraged demi-god.

"I really wouldn't do that…." Hercules rumbled before he exploded into movement and raced towards Cadmus with terrifying speed. He held the sword he carried almost as if it was part of his arm and the blade flickered with fire as it caught the torchlight. The tip of the blade touched Cadmus' neck under his ear as the mercenary started to draw the dagger across the hunter's exposed throat.

Cadmus flinched slightly, then grimly held his ground. "You're making a mistake, Hercules. The guard attacked Iolaus. I was only checking…."

"With a blade at his throat?" Hercules interrupted icily.

"To check his breathing…the blade…."

"He doesn't usually do his breathing through his throat unless someone has cut it open; which is what you were planning to do, isn't I?"

Cadmus managed not to move as the sword edge nicked his ear. "It appears that we have reached an impasse. You can't kill me unless you want Iolaus dead too."

"Isn't that what Niobe wants? She sent you to kill him."

"There's no point lying to you is there?" Cadmus said bitterly, very much aware of the barely controlled anger in Hercules' voice.

"None. Get away from him."

"Iolaus will never believe you if you kill me."

"Then don't make me kill you," Hercules snarled, flexing his hand on his sword hilt. He froze as Cadmus tightened his grip on Iolaus' hair and moved the dagger a fraction closer to his throat to draw a thin thread of scarlet.

"You know I have no choice, don't you?" Cadmus asked.

"Are you telling me you’re so loyal to Niobe you’d murder your friend for her?"

Cadmus' scar twitched as he released Iolaus' hair, letting his head tip back across his knee and further expose his throat to the dagger's edge. "A man like me can't afford to have friends," he replied grimly.

"You're planning to marry her yourself," Hercules said in disgust. "That why you're willing to kill Iolaus. If he's dead, there's no contest."

"All's fair in love and war. I've never had love, only war. This is my chance, Hercules. Niobe has promised to make me her consort."

"And to get it you'll make Iolaus a sacrifice to your ambition."

"The guard was meant to do it, not me."

"Only he fouled up and you killed him in temper. Was he to take the blame? To make it look like another killing by the disaffected nobles? Like Ison? Do you honestly believe that Niobe will keep her word to you? She won't share her throne with anyone."

Cadmus licked dry lips, very much aware of the sword at his throat. But he hadn't spent a life as a mercenary for nothing and he had a few tricks up his sleeve. As he talked, he had let his free hand slide down to his boot top and draw the small knife he kept concealed there. From the second Hercules burst in on him, he had been rearranging his plans. He laughed softly. "Ease down, Hercules. I'm only testing your loyalty."

"You’re what?"

"I needed to find out whether you supported Niobe or not. Now I know you don't. Niobe sent the guard to kill Iolaus. I really was only protecting him."

"I see," Hercules said coolly. "So you won't mind lowering your knife then."

"No problem. If you move your sword…" Cadmus flinched as the sword tip dug a meaningful fraction deeper and carefully started to lower the dagger. The sword then withdrew. Fooled you…

Fast as a snake, Cadmus whipped the knife from his boot and jabbed it backward into Hercules' calf, driving it through leather and muscle and hearing in satisfaction the demi-god's gasp of pain. At the same time he slashed at Iolaus' throat, knowing better than to leave a wounded man alive at his back. The dagger clanged against metal, the shock of the impact jarring up his arm. A twist of the sword that now guarded Iolaus' throat flicked the dagger from his numbed hand. Stunned, Cadmus shot a quick look up into the demi-god's enraged blue diamond gaze, seeing nothing but his own annihilation there. Survival instincts kept him moving and he rolled backward, dodging the sword that clanged off the stone floor where he had been a second before.

Grabbing up the sword he had dropped, Cadmus rolled back to his feet and dropped into a swordsman crouch, panting as he squared up to Hercules. The demi-god looked at him as if he was something nasty he had found on his boot.

"Why don't we call it evens?" Cadmus suggested. "You've got Iolaus and I get to live. I can be out of here and long gone before anyone knows what happened here."

"Now why should I let you do that?" Hercules demanded in a low dark voice that reminded Cadmus of Ares. He limped forward, favouring his wounded calf.

"For Iolaus' sake. He need never know it was me. Think how he’ll feel about you if you harm me."

Hercules' gritted his teeth. "Put down your sword and surrender," he ordered.

"Now where's the point in that?" Cadmus laughed grimly. "Niobe will have me executed. She has no choice now."

"Niobe's mad, she can’t help herself. But you can. Come to the nobles with me. With what you know, she can be removed."

"Get rid of the Tyrant. You'd like that wouldn't you?"

Hercules shook his head. "Stop playing for time," he urged then shot a sharp look towards Iolaus as the hunter groaned softly and stirred.

Cadmus had indeed been biding his time, catching his breath and balance. The second Hercules was distracted, Cadmus seized his chance and lunged forward. The demi-god barely deflected his sword, the blade ripping his shirt and scouring a line across the skin beneath. Parrying swiftly, Hercules returned the attack. Cadmus responded, meeting blow for blow, lunging and thrusting, desperate to kill or wound; anything so he could escape before the noise of the fight brought guards loyal to Hector.

The end came suddenly, Hercules skidded on the overturned fruit and went down as his wounded leg buckled under him. Cadmus closed in quick and clean, swooping in for a killing thrust. He ran straight onto Hercules' sword, his own lunge adding impact to the blow and driving the blade straight through his chest and out of his back.

The last thing he heard was Hercules' whispering, "I'm sorry you made it this way…."

* * *

Iolaus roused slowly, wondering how he had got so close to the sea. He could hear the roar of the waves and feel the ship rocking under him. Gradually he realised that it was his head that was spinning with waves of fog and dizziness and the roaring sound were voices. His wrist and side hurt and he was aware of the all too familiar trickle of warm blood running down his skin. Prying his eyes open took time, but when he did the first thing he saw was Cadmus' body lying on its back a couple of feet away from him and he stared at it in befuddled consternation, feeling a new hurt welling up inside him.

"I'm telling you," Hercules' voice boomed through the surf of his senses. "Cadmus gave me no choice. I had to kill him."

Confused and anxious, Iolaus must have made some kind of protest at that revelation because the demi-god suddenly loomed up in his vision, coming between him and Cadmus. He looked fuzzy to the hunter, but his blue eyes were full of worry but his face was tense with pain. "Iolaus?" Hercules touched a gentle hand to his friend's forehead and the contact brought Iolaus a little more into focus. "The healer's on his way, lie still."

"You're hurt?" Iolaus managed, seeing blood on his friend's leg as he knelt beside him.

"A scratch, lie still…"

Iolaus ignored him, struggling to lift his aching head and peer towards the body. Someone had tucked a cushion under him and covered him with a fur from the bed, from the look of the rough bandages on his wrist it had been Hercules. "Cadmus?" he croaked.

"I'm sorry, Iolaus, I had…"

"That is enough, Hercules," an icy voice interrupted and Iolaus looked up at the huge figure of the burly Sergeant At Arms. Iolaus vaguely recognised him as third in command of the Royal Bodyguard, which probably meant he was running things now. The man attempted to wave Hercules aside and when he wouldn't move, he crouched awkwardly beside Iolaus. "I'm Milo of the Guard, sir. Can you tell me what happened?" he asked carefully.

Iolaus blinked at him, struggling to get his thoughts together. "Cadmus?" he repeated.

"He's dead. I need to know who killed who and why," the Sergeant At Arms pressed.

"The guard attacked me," Iolaus said slowly, struggling with his memory. "I don't remember much after that. Cadmus…"

"Yes?" Milo prompted when Iolaus hesitated uncertainly.

"He drew his sword…"

"And attacked you?" Milo asked.

"No, no, he came after the guard…." Iolaus closed his eyes as pain throbbed through his thoughts. Vaguely he was aware that Milo was giving Hercules a suspicious look. "I can't remember….What does the guard say?"

"Nothing any more, he's dead too," Milo told him dryly. "He lost his head you might say. You're saying the guard was alive when Cadmus drew his sword?"

"Hmmh," Iolaus murmured.

"Look, I didn't kill him. I did kill Cadmus because when I got here he was holding a knife on Iolaus. We fought I gave him a chance to surrender and instead he did his best to kill me," Hercules argued.

"Must've killed the guard then," Iolaus mumbled. "I feel…. weird…."

"Hold on," Hercules soothed, his voice changing from the rough voice he used to Milo almost to a croon. "The healer is coming. I think you've been drugged…"

"Drugged? How? Wine was from…Niobe…." Iolaus could feel little pieces of himself drifting away into the darkness again. It wasn't an entirely unpleasant sensation, but something was worrying him. "Herc? You killed Cadmus? Why? He was my friend…."

"He was going to kill you," Hercules told him. "He gave me no choice. I’d rather have had him alive."

"How could you?! Mistake…he was protecting me…" Iolaus protested as the last shard of his awareness fragmented and plunged him back into darkness.

Milo pushed slowly back to his feet and rested his hand on his sword hilt, studying Hercules warily as the demi-god anxiously felt his friend's pulse. "You know I have no choice, Hercules," he said grimly. "I have two men dead and you standing there with the sword in your hand. The fact that you’re wounded means nothing. You could have done that yourself."

"Why would I kill either of them?" Hercules demanded, glaring at him. "The guard was dead when I got here."

"So Cadmus killed him. Why would he do that unless he was protecting Iolaus as Iolaus himself says?" the Sergeant asked steadily.

"I don't know. Maybe so he couldn't talk? Or perhaps to make himself look good." Hercules pushed to his feet, boiling with anger and frustration.

Milo took a wary step back, but his eyes were sympathetic as he nodded. "It could have happened that way," he agreed. "But until Iolaus is able to tell us more, then I have no choice. You're for the dungeons, Hercules. I hope you understand why."

Hercules grimaced, but inclined his head. He knew how things must look. In Milo's position he would have done the same. He looked up hopefully, as there was a stir outside the closed doors. A guard opened it to allow Hector, Pelius and the palace healer in. The healer wrinkled his nose at the suspiciously shortened body of the cloth covered guard, started for Cadmus then swerved round him and homed in Iolaus as the only one still breathing.

"What happened here, Sergeant?" Hector demanded as Pelius stared around him at the blood-spattered room in shocked horror.

Milo explained briskly. "I was about to take Hercules to the dungeons, General."

"I see," Hector gave Hercules a slow look. "Well?"

"The Sergeant is right. I killed Cadmus in a fair fight. He was attacking Iolaus when I got here."

"But you brought the sword with you," Milo pointed out grimly. "You admitted that you borrowed it from the General. Yet you had no reason to think Iolaus was in danger."

"Other than there being three attempts on his life all ready, no," Hercules shot back sarcastically.

"But no reason to believe Cadmus had anything to do with it. And it's well known that you had no liking for Cadmus."

"It is?" Hercules said in astonishment.

"Cadmus mentioned it amongst the Guards a few time," Milo replied. "He said you were jealous of his friendship with Iolaus and believed that you deliberately wished to isolate Iolaus for some reason of your own."

"That's true. I've heard the rumours myself," Hector admitted gloomily. "Ison was saying something similar."

"And he also was murdered," Milo pointed out.

"Now hold on! I found Ison, I didn't kill him!" Hercules yelped.

The Sergeant gazed at him sadly. "Cadmus believed there was a plot afoot to assassinate her Royal Majesty."

"Burus never mentioned it to me," Hector said sharply.

"Cadmus was reluctant to tell the Captain of his suspicions. He said he was uncertain of his loyalty."

Hector stared at the Sergeant for a long moment. "And you Sergeant? What do you believe?"

Milo blinked uncomfortably. "I have been a member of the Guard since I could carry a sword. My loyalty is to her Royal Majesty and I have heard nothing to make me believe there is an assassination plot against her," he said carefully. "I believe in what I know. Right now, I have a man with a sword found with two bodies. Until Iolaus is able to give us more information as to what happened, I have no choice but to put Hercules in the dungeon."

"You could let him stay here with Iolaus," Pelius put in.

"Hardly," Hector sighed. "He might influence what Iolaus will say."

Pelius snorted a laugh at that and then covered his mouth.

"Quite," Hector said dryly.

"All right, put him in another suite under guard," the Prince urged.

"I'm afraid it has to be the dungeon, your highness," Hector said gloomily. "We have the safety of the other guests and her Majesty to consider. They won't thank us for leaving him free and it will make things more difficult if we do. I'm sorry, Hercules."

The demi-god inclined his head tiredly. "All right, I'm not going to fight you."

"You’d better make sure he's comfortable," Pelius said sharply. "None of this bread and water stuff. No dripping walls or rats."

Hercules smiled at his indignation. "I'll be fine. Will you stay with Iolaus? Make sure he's okay and safe."

Milo raised an eyebrow at the emphasis but Hector nodded. "I'll put some of my men on guard," he promised.

"Ermius and I will stay with him," Pelius agreed. "We’ll have him moved to my suite. We'll watch the healer carefully. And speaking of which, we'd better have the healer look at you too." The Prince cast a dubious eye at Hercules' bloody leg.

Hercules glanced down at his wounded calf and grimaced. He was never very good at tending his own wounds; as Iolaus pointed out it didn't happen to him often enough for him to get used to the idea. "All right," he agreed, suddenly feeling tired. "Let's go and check out the palatial dungeon. I might as well make myself comfortable until Iolaus wakes up."

* * *

Iolaus was drifting, his senses swimming through a thick morass of discomfort tinged with worry. Something was wrong but he couldn't quite decide how. He struggled to open his eyes, aware of a clammy heat surging through his body. Around him flickering candles and firelight dimly lighted the room and he could smell where herbs had been tossed on the fire. He was lying in a heavily canopied bed that quite definitely wasn't the one he was used to.

"No, I assure you," a cool voice was saying. "I have been sent personally to attend to Iolaus' every whim and desire. There is really no need for you to stay any longer." There was a muffled reply, then the familiar voice continued smoothly. "Yes of course, by all means go and tell the charming Prince Pelius I am here. Off you go now…" A door murmured open then clicked firmly shut and footsteps briskly crossed the floor back to bed. Sweeping aside the curtains, Hermes leaned in and gazed down at Iolaus with eyes the colour of a sunlit sea. "Hello, precious," he crooned and reached out to press a firm hand on Iolaus' shoulder, halting his panic stricken efforts to claw his way out from under the covers and escape. "Relax, peaches. You’re safe. You've been hurt." Lifting his hand, Hermes snapped his fingers and presented him with a goblet carved from pure amethyst and decorated with fine gold. "Drink this now."

"I'm not thirsty," Iolaus croaked.

"It's important, sugarplum. It'll clear your thoughts and the poison from your body," Hermes replied firmly.

"Poison?" Iolaus squeaked, grabbing for the goblet and swallowing the contents hastily. One thing he knew about Hermes was that he wouldn't lie to him about his safety. The drink tasted of herbs and a liquid something that was almost but not quite honey.

"Niobe likes to hedge her bets. It was in the wine."

"But Cadmus drank it too." Iolaus protested fuzzily.

"I know," Hermes said soberly. "Lie down and rest now while I fix this place up a bit."

"What's wrong with it?" Iolaus wondered, subsiding dizzily into the feather mattress and pillows. He blinked as Hermes waved a hand, clearing the thick scent of herbs from the air and lighting more candles to brighten the room. The heavy tapestries on the bed melted away to be replaced with light silken drapes of violet and silver. Feeling less confined, Iolaus started to relax as the balcony windows whipped open, letting in fresh flower scented air. Whatever was in the potion he could feel it sliding through his body, caressing his nerve endings with silk and easing away the discomfort.

"Much better," Hermes said happily, seating himself on the edge of the bed and tucking up one long leg as he made himself comfortable. He was wearing black snakeskin pants and a tunic patterned with sleek flashes of silver that shimmered as he moved. "Now, sweetness, we need to talk."

"First of all, where's Hercules?" Iolaus demanded, hoping his partner was within yelling distance to chase Hermes off if he got frisky.

"In the dungeon," Hermes answered blandly.

"What?!" Iolaus started to fling off the covers then flinched, realising he was nude beneath.

"Oh, you go ahead, don't let me stop you," Hermes purred as Iolaus glared at him.

"What did you do with my clothes?"

"Nothing, You weren't wearing them when I arrived." Hermes replied blandly, watching as Iolaus struggled to wrap a sheet around him so he could up. When the hunter finally gave up and subsided, panting back into the bed, he nodded. "You were wounded, darling, and you’re still a little feverish. You need to rest."

"With Herc in a dungeon?! No way! I have to rescue him. Er…." Iolaus paused, striving to ignore his spinning head and a vague terrified thought of how Hermes had known he was naked when he arrived. Had he checked? "Why is he in the dungeon?"

"Now, don't get excited, sexy. It's for killing Cadmus…"

"Killing…." Iolaus' jaw dropped and he stared at Hermes in shock, everything spilling back into place in an overwhelming rush. "No," he moaned. "No, he couldn't have. Cadmus was my friend…."

"No, sweeting, a treacherous rat like Cadmus wasn't your friend except when it suited him to be."

"Herc, wouldn't, couldn't…shouldn't…."

"There was no misunderstanding," Hermes said firmly. "Hercules arrived in time to stop him murdering you."

"No! He was protecting me!"

"Iolaus!" His voice booming with power, Hermes leaned forward, capturing Iolaus' cerulean eyes with his own forest green gaze. "Do you trust me?"

"No," Iolaus snorted.

"Iolaus?"

"Damn it, with everything except my virtue, yes…"

Hermes nodded. "Cadmus was going to kill you. Hercules saved you and killed him in a fair fight."

"But you said we were both poisoned…"

Hermes inclined his head. "But Cadmus didn't know. He slipped a drug in your goblet as well so you wouldn't fight back."

"I can't believe it, I won't believe it!"

"Would you rather believe Hercules murdered him in cold blood?"

"No," Iolaus moaned, covering his face with his hands in despair. A shudder ran through him. "Is, is Herc okay? I think…. Was he hurt?"

"A little. But nothing you need to worry about." Hermes moved closer, caressing his blond curls comfortingly. "But they're going to execute him, precious. Him and Hector both."

"What? Why?!" Stunned, Iolaus lifted his head and only recoiled a fraction at finding Hermes so near.

"I have seen it," Hermes said quietly. "Niobe will claim that they plotted to kill her and the nobles of the League and put you on the throne. She will say that Cadmus discovered this and went to confront you. Hercules killed him to silence him."

"That's crazy!"

"Why do you think she was willing to poison Cadmus? He knew too much. With both him and you out of the way, she can do as she wants. And she has to dispose of Hector. He could destroy her with what he knows."

Iolaus gazed at Hermes silently. "So what do you want me to do?"

"Well," Hermes purred, leaning closer and breathing heavily. "We could start with…..oh…" He paused under the chilly look in Iolaus' eyes. "You mean about Hercules. Well, the only person who knows the truth is Cadmus."

"Oh, that's so helpful since he's roasting in Tartarus by now."

Hermes raised an eyebrow at him. "It could be helpful. Can you forgive him?"

"Huh?"

"For nearly killing you and lining Hercules up for execution?"

"That's hardly his fault," Iolaus protested.

Hermes tapped the hunter's bare chest with one finger then forgot himself as he ran his fingertip downwards in hopeful exploration.

Iolaus slapped his hand away from his stomach indignantly. "Do you mind?!"

"Hmmh? Oh, yes, where was I? It's your own fault for being so delicious. You shouldn't distract me like that." Ignoring Iolaus' virtuously outraged sputter Hermes continued, "Now, I know you, sweeting, you can hold a grudge until it squeals. But you’re astoundingly generous at forgiving people too. Cadmus isn't so bad that he's bound for Tartarus, but he is in a position that could be improved if he was willing to help you in recompense."

"How?" Iolaus asked warily.

"I can bring his ghost back for a short while. But if I do, it will be up to you to persuade him to tell what he knows."

Iolaus shuddered. "What good will that do?"

"One, it is Attican belief that a ghost can't lie. Second, I think Cadmus had the proof Hector needs."

"Needs to do what?"

"To depose Niobe and put Orestes' son on the throne."

"Orestes had a son? No, wait, I don't want Niobe to be deposed."

"Iolaus, my sweet, she gets madder with every minute. She can't help it."

"Regent," Iolaus bargained. "She could be Regent."

"You can't fool yourself, peaches," Hermes sighed, rising gracefully to his feet and looking towards the door as it burst open and Pelius raced in, a lose silken robe flapping around him. Hermes stared, his eyes darkening with lust as he looked the Prince up and down and gave him a devastating smile. "Well, hello…."

"Leave him alone, Hermes," Iolaus barked.

"Hermes?!" Pelius braked, staring at the slender figure in front of him. "I, I came to protect you, Iolaus, but…"

"By all means protect me," Iolaus growled, folding his arms across his chest and giving Hermes a dirty look. The Herald was oblivious as he looked Pelius thoughtfully up and down.

"What's his virtue like?" Hermes purred, prowling a little closer to the Prince. Alarmed and a little uneasy, Pelius tugged his robe around him and backed up, looking uncertainly from Hermes to Iolaus and back again.

"Did I miss something?" he squeaked in nervous bewilderment.

"It's intact and it's staying that way," Iolaus growled. "Go get the ghost."

"Ghost?" Pelius blurted in alarm.

Hermes paused and looked back at Iolaus, his eyes sparkling seductively. "Ooh, I love it when you’re masterful. Jealous are you?"

"No. Fetch…" Iolaus attempted to point imperiously, but it was difficult without knowing which direction to point in.

Hermes flashed the hunter a smile and waved. "Toodles," he said cheerfully and vanished in a waterfall of green gold sparkles.

"Wow!" Pelius gasped. "Was that really-?"

"Yes. And be seriously worried that he fancies you," Iolaus growled, sinking wearily back into his pillows.

"And you tell him what to do?" Pelius murmured in awe.

"I tell him what I’d like him to do, but he's never exploded yet," Iolaus grumbled. "Now, Pelius, what can you tell me about what's been going on around here?" Pelius gave him a blank look, still distracted. Iolaus sighed heavily. "Was it too difficult for you? Hello?"

The Prince blinked. "Oh er, yes. What's been happening? Um, well, about Hercules…."

"I know about him."

"You do? But…"

"What can I say? Hermes is a Herald. Keeping him talking keeps him distracted from other things thankfully. Tell me what else you know…"

* * *

Cadmus was a confused man. One minute he had been fighting Hercules and doing pretty well he thought, the next he was here with a vague lingering soreness in his chest and a total blank spot in his memory over exactly how he had got here. He walked slowly down the tunnel he found himself in, uneasily watching the shadows and wishing he was still armed.

Stone walls surrounded him and the floor underneath his booted feet was likewise of rough-hewn stone. Flickering torches that did little to chase away the shadows lighted the tunnel. Water was trickling near by but something told him he was never going to feel either hunger or thirst again.

Rounding a corner, he found himself in a small cave that opened out onto a sunlit flower speckled meadow. In the distance a stream sparkled and he could see figures walking around; a breeze brought him the sound of laughter and chatter and the occasional burst of song and music. Relieved that he wasn't alone in this oppressive place, Cadmus hurried forward and waked into what felt like a solid stone wall that bounced him roughly backward.

Landing on his rear end on the hard floor, Cadmus stared at the meadow only a few feet from him, a feeling of dread seeping through his confidence. Uneasily, he righted himself and crawled forward, putting out one hand to touch. There was indeed something between him and the sunlight; an invisible barrier that trembled but refused to give way under his pushing hand. In growing alarm, Cadmus stumbled to his feet, feeling his way along the barrier in the hopes that somewhere there would be a weak spot where he could push through.

The barrier remained implacably firm right the way up to the edges where it blended into the very stone itself. It also seemed to run right into the rocky floor itself.

Something was wrong here. Something was very wrong. He couldn't remember how he had got here or even where here was.

"A memory loss is not unusual in your situation," a cool voice commented from behind him. "Treachery sometimes has that effect on people."

"Treachery?" Cadmus swung around, reaching for a weapon that wasn't there. A tall, copper haired young man was leaning casually against the wall. He was wearing a black snakeskin outfit that shimmered with a silver iridescence in the torchlight. Silver snake bracers adorned his wrists. "I've betrayed no one!"

"Except yourself? And the man who called you a friend."

Cadmus flinched and turned away, staring out through the window into the sunlit world beyond. There was a harshness in the stranger's voice that gave him a chill. He had a feeling he had done something to anger this man but he had no idea what it was. "Who are you and why did you bring me here?" he demanded belligerently.

"You brought yourself here," came the cool response

"I've never met you before. I've never harmed you. Let me go." Cadmus turned and glared at the man he assumed was his captor.

"Where do you think you are?" Straightening up, the man strode towards him with an uncanny grace that made Cadmus want to back up nervously, instead he held his ground. He had been many things in his life, but a coward wasn't one of them..

"The dungeons," Cadmus shot back.

"Guess again."

"I don't know what kind of game you think you're playing, but I am the Captain of her Royal Majesty's bodyguard and I demand that you release me immediately!"

The man came to a halt in front of him, his unusual dark green eyes glinting dangerously. "I know who and what you are. If you are, it is your own fault. Unless you understand where you are and why you are here, I can't help you." A flicker of annoyance darted through the Stranger's eyes; like silver fish through a forest pool.

Cadmus swallowed, feeling fear starting to swell up through him. "I was wounded, wasn't I?" he blurted. "I was fighting with Hercules and I was wounded. I'm feverish and dreaming all this!"

"Not quite."

Cadmus shot another look at the meadow and shuddered, feeling the terror welling up over him in an overwhelming rush. "All right, all right, Niobe put me in the dungeon. I was supposed to kill…someone…." He couldn't quite remember, didn't want to remember…

"Go on." The stranger's green eyes were implacable, filled with mesmerising sparks of green fire as he looked down at the ex mercenary. Cadmus didn't remember him being so tall and he seemed to take up an awful lot of space in the cave considering that he was not a particularly big man.

"Look, I can prove it. Niobe wanted me to assassinate someone. I obviously failed and she's locked me away in this place so I can't tell what I know."

"To save your own skin?"

"Wouldn't you talk to save your skin?" Cadmus spat back. "Hercules sent you, didn't he?"

"No…"

Cadmus gave him a calculating look. "You're another one of her executioner's," he decided bitterly. "Look, I know I screwed up. She picked the wrong man to assassinate him, that's all." Angrily, Cadmus turned away, fighting the waves of fear with disgust at himself. "I wasn't as hard as I thought I was. I hesitated. Tell her Majesty that if she lets me go, I won't talk. I can vanish. I don’t even expect her to pay me off."

"You already have as far as she's concerned," said the Stranger sadly.

"Oh, so that's it, is it? Throw me in the dungeon and have me killed quick and clean. The bitch! I should have known. Going to make it look like suicide, are you? What's the excuse? Sorrow that I nearly killed…" Cadmus stopped with a shudder, fighting the inexorable approach of his last memories; sharp and bitter they sliced at his restraints, cutting free and overwhelming him in engulfing chaos.

When he surfaced, he was on his knees, the bitter taste of salt in his mouth and his face awash with tears. "I'm dead, aren't I?" he sobbed. "I'm dead and you're….?"

"Hermes," came the steady reply.

Taking a deep breath, Cadmus scrubbed at his face and stumbled back to his feet. "So where are you taking me?"

"Nowhere. I only deal with heroes and you’re a long way from being one of those, aren't you, Cadmus the traitor?"

"I'm not a traitor. I was following her Majesty's orders."

Hermes folded his arms, staring at him icily. "I was talking of your betrayal of Iolaus and his friendship," he said icily. "You were not a good man, Cadmus. But neither were you a particularly bad man. Take a look around you. This is it. Your own little version of the Underworld. One you created especially for yourself."

Cadmus shuddered as he looked around him, looking out at the laughing couples playing on the flowered grass. A surge of loneliness swelled through him, making his throat close with pain and his eyes fill once more. "I was never this weak when I was alive," he hissed in bitter disgust as he rubbed furiously at his face.

"The Underworld makes some people put things in perspective; if they’re lucky…"

Surprised by the comment, Cadmus looked round at him. "That's the Elysian Fields out there! I get to look on it forever? You call that lucky?"

"Compared to what some create for themselves, yes," Hermes shrugged gracefully and his voice deepened, "Understand this, Cadmus, you cannot enter the Elysian Fields. Such is not for you. But if you are willing to make recompense and you can find someone to forgive the reason that put you here, you won't have to stay here."

"I can get a second chance and go back?" Cadmus pressed hopefully.

"You can have a second chance, yes, but not as Cadmus. As someone else…."

Cadmus opened his mouth to make a sarcastic reply and then paused thoughtfully. "Someone else? You mean like a new life? Grow up all over again?" Hermes inclined his head solemnly. "I think I’d like that…" Cadmus said softly, surprised by the sense of relief that swept through him. Maybe he wouldn't remember what he had done the first time around, but maybe he wouldn't make the same mistakes again. Maybe things would be better…. "But there's a catch, isn't there? You wouldn't offer me this sweet a deal if there wasn't a catch."

Hermes smiled faintly. "You are a practical man," he said mildly. "Remember I told you that you need to seek forgiveness. Who do you think you need to forgive you?"

Cadmus flinched. "Iolaus. Because I betrayed him," he said gloomily. "But he's alive and I'm not. How can I get him to forgive me? I don't think he'd take kindly to being haunted."

"I warned him you might be coming," Hermes said calmly. "First you will need to make him understand that you did mean to kill him, because he doesn't believe it. Then you need to persuade him to forgive you."

"You don't want much, do you?"

"Iolaus is a favourite of mine," Hermes replied with a rumble of danger in his voice. "You hurt him."

"Oops. Then I figure I'm not on your happy list?"

"You could say that." Hermes' eyes glittered as he watched the ex mercenary, waiting with ageless patience.

"What if Iolaus won't forgive me?"

Hermes' folded his arms again, his fingers gliding over one of his bracers. Cadmus thought that something moved behind the tiny inset gems that were the snake's eyes. "That depends on whether or not you do the right thing."

"So, if I tell him that if he doesn't forgive me I'm doomed to this," Cadmus waved a hand around him. "That will be like a bad thing?"

Hermes' lips curled into a sliver of a sardonic smile. "What do you think?"

"I think it'd make him feel sorry for me, but he won't forgive me. It might even make him madder." Cadmus said gloomily, frowning down at the stone at his feet. "I need to do the right thing," he said slowly.

"You have a remarkable incentive to do it," Hermes commented agreeably. "You need to forgive yourself as much as anything else."

Cadmus glanced at him and smiled mirthlessly. "Believe it or not, I want to do the right thing. But Niobe would have killed me if I hadn't… The Gods know I didn't want to kill Iolaus. Oh…" His eyes widened as he remembered who he was talking to.

"The Gods do know, yes," Hermes said dryly, leaning closer to lock eyes with the unnerved Cadmus. "I know. Otherwise I would have you under permanent incineration by now instead of giving you a chance to put things right."

Cadmus swallowed and leaned back a bit, hoping Hermes wasn't going to hurt him. "S'so, w'what do I do?" he stammered.

Hermes stepped back and lifted one hand; his staff appearing as he snapped his fingers. His bracers melted and flowed, becoming emerald green and silver ringed snakes that slithered down his hands to twine around the staff. "I will send you to Iolaus. Only he will be able to see you."

"That's it? I don't even get a clue how to do it?"

Hermes eyes narrowed. "I suggest you tell him the truth and help him as much as you can."

"How long have I got to persuade him?"

"As long as it takes."

Cadmus rubbed one hand through his hair. "I could take advantage of that."

"No, you couldn't. I would know. And I can still incinerate you." Hermes lifted his staff. "Now, if you’re through talking?"

"Wait! One more question."

"I had a feeling there might be," Hermes sighed.

"I may need to betray Niobe to do this. What's that going to cost me?"

Hermes gave him a sad look. "Nothing as long as it is truth rather than lies," he said softly.

Cadmus nodded slowly. "All right then, I guess I'm ready."

"Very well," Hermes raised the staff a fraction more. "Away with you then and this time, remember, trust Iolaus…"

* * *

Hercules had counted the stones in the dungeon walls, the floor and the ceiling in both directions and was currently counting them diagonally. It wasn't much of a distraction, but it was all he could come up with to stop him worrying about Iolaus. It also stopped him brooding over who had supplied adamantine chains to restrain him. He had recognised the unbreakable metal the moment the manacles were locked around his wrists.

A noise out in the corridor distracted him from his counting and he looked up, watching the iron grating across the open wall of his dungeon. The dim light of the torch on the wall opposite was supplemented by another as a trio of guards with Hector in their middle and Milo following them marched briskly down the corridor and halted outside the dungeon.

"Nice of you to drop in," Hercules commented as the grating was unlocked.

"I wish I could say I was only visiting," Hector replied gloomily and lifted his hands. Chains chinked against his manacles, throwing shadows in the torchlight. The guards hovered, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, General," Milo said reluctantly. "But…."

"I know, I know. It isn't your fault. You have your orders." Hector sighed and stepped into the dungeon. He stood still patiently as a guard chained him to the wall and then slipped out.

"Thank you, sir," Milo said gratefully as he locked the grating again. "Hopefully this misunderstanding will be straightened out."

"Of course it will," Hector assured him mildly. Milo saluted and then strode off down the corridor with the guards. Only then did the General slump and sink onto the rough stone seat opposite Hercules. "But I wouldn't bet on it."

"What happened?" Hercules sat up and leaned towards him.

"Niobe's lost it completely. You and I are to be executed."

"For what?!"

"You for the attempted assassination of Iolaus."

"What?! That's crazy! I would never, could never harm Iolaus!" Hercules bellowed.

"You know that and I know that and Iolaus knows that, but Niobe won't believe it. She says that you want the throne and so you arranged to killed everyone in your way; including Iolaus!"

"That's, that's…." Hercules ran one hand through his coppery hair and shook his head, struggling with the concept. "How do you know this?"

"She told me. I protested, and well, here I am waiting to be executed right alongside you. At least I’ll have esteemed company."

"What are you supposed to have done?"

"Failed to protect King Orestes, participated in Orestes' murder, failed to protect her and participated in your conspiracy to overthrow her."

"She can't prove that."

"She can prove anything she wants as long as she sits on the throne."

"We have to get out of here."

"Any suggestions as to how would be welcome," Hector said dryly. "But I know this dungeon inside and out. It's impossible."

"You want to sit here and be a martyr to Niobe's madness?"

"Not particularly, but do you have a better idea?"

* * *

Having finally persuaded Pelius to go away in search of breakfast, Iolaus had climbed out of bed and dressed. His head was still full of confusion, but one thing was clear; Hermes had not returned and Iolaus needed to get Hercules out of the dungeon. The supple brown leather pants he wore, were laced rather than sewn at the seams and showed the occasional glimpse of tanned skin through the lacing. As he laced up the pants, muttering over the fact that the laces were too long at the waist, he felt a peculiar tingling sensation run down his back and expand over his skin. Not alarmed as yet, he reached for his sword and turned to scan the room, uncertain of what to expect.

His name came on a chill breath of air that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "Who's there?"

"He did it then," Iolaus felt a little of the tension run out of him and he lowered the sword, picking up his new dark red shirt to shrug into against the chill in the room then grabbing the brown vest that matched the pants. A self-coloured design of his talisman wove down the front of the vest and was copied on the waistband of his pants. "Can you show yourself, Cadmus? I don't feel comfortable talking to thin air, it makes people think I've gone mad."

"Like Niobe you mean?" Cadmus commented, unexpectedly materialising right in front of the hunter.

Iolaus leaped backward like a startled fawn and landed on the bed in a sprawl as it caught him behind the knees. "Don't do that!"

"You told me to materialise," Cadmus pointed out, folding partly transparent arms across his chest. "I’d offer to give you a hand up, but…" He shrugged.

Glaring at his ghostly visitor, Iolaus struggled back off the bed and picked up his boots. They were new as well and matched the rest of his outfit. "You’re supposed to be here to help," he snapped irritably.

Cadmus' cocky grin faded. "I am," he admitted. "I’d also like to apologise."

Iolaus froze and then looked up at him slowly. "Then it's true," he said grimly. "You would have killed me."

Cadmus lowered his eyes. "Yes," he said sadly. "The only thing I can say is that I did hesitate. I suppose if I hadn't Hercules would never have been able to stop me. But I had no choice, Iolaus. Please believe me. Once Niobe gives an order like that, she expects to be obeyed. If not, well, there were others who would."

"Like the guard?"

Cadmus swallowed. "I have to admit he was my idea. Damn it, I knew I’d hesitate to do it cold. But…." He shrugged helplessly. "He botched it and hurt you and that made me mad."

"And killing me wouldn't have hurt?" Iolaus stared at him, angry and hurt and somehow feeling sorry for him at the same time. "Besides there was always the money to think of, right? Even if it made you suffer to spend it."

Cadmus gave him a sad look. "Don't be bitter, Iolaus," he chided softly. "It doesn't suit you. Don't make me responsible for doing that to you as well."

For a moment Iolaus gazed at the ghost uneasily, then he half turned away from him. "Were you behind the attack on the hunting party?" he asked steadily.

"Niobe ordered it. I arranged it. I killed the guy who shot at you."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"It helped me," Cadmus admitted gloomily, absently walking through a table as he started to pace. "I explained it away as necessary to stop Hercules catching him, but….it made me feel better at the time anyway."

"But not enough to stop you having a go yourself. And the two attempts on my life before that?"

"The bed was mine, yes. Before that, it was an assassin I hired for Niobe. She gave him the instructions herself. I didn't know you were the target until you arrived here."

"You could have warned me."

"I wish I had," Cadmus sighed. "I was afraid she'd kill me. Not that it made much difference in the end; Hercules got me instead."

"Only slightly faster than the poison would have done."

"Poison?"

"No, I didn’t think you knew about that. It was never your way. Niobe poisoned the wine she gave you for me. She meant to kill you too."

Cadmus stared at the hunter in eerie silence. "And it would have looked like suicide after I’d killed you," he said softly. "Perhaps I should go and haunt her."

"I think she's haunted all ready by ghosts of her own making," Iolaus said sadly. "What about the rest of it? Poisoning everyone at the banquet? The army? The collapse of the League?"

"All true," Cadmus admitted. "She wants to rule the whole League and I think she's mad enough to do it. Iolaus, if you’d agreed to help me rather than support her, I’d have put you on the throne. I swear I would."

"Lead a rebellion to overthrow a ruler I put on the throne?! I don't think so! Right or wrong, I went through too much to get her there."

"She's not been very grateful though, has she?" Cadmus slid a look sideways at him, forgetting thoughts of personal vengeance on Niobe without realising how fortunate a decision for his own sake that it was. "Look, I'm sorry. I made a lot of mistakes. One of them was in not trusting you with what I know, I mean knew. Oh whatever!" He reached out, his fingers passing through Iolaus' arm. "Please, believe me, it was nothing personal."

"It would have hurt less if it had been personal," Iolaus pointed out, retreating from him.

"Yes, I suppose it would," Cadmus sighed in agreement.

The hunter hesitated. "I still find it difficult to believe Niobe would want to kill me."

"Believe it. You stand between her and keeping her throne. If she didn't balk at killing King Orestes to get what she wanted she wouldn't hesitate to murder you too. What?! Why are you looking at me like that?" Cadmus eyed Iolaus warily, unnerved by the way the blond warrior was staring at him. "You can't hurt me, you know. I'm a ghost…."

"Niobe didn't kill Orestes." Iolaus grated.

"Well, not personally, but she certainly had a hand in it," Cadmus sniffed, relaxing. "She offered Xenon her hand and half Attica if he got rid of Orestes for her. Xenon kept it quiet of course, but I was his right hand man. According to Xenon, she'd all ready had a go at getting rid of Orestes once before. Something to do with killing him off and marrying Minos." Cadmus paused, worried by Iolaus' stunned expression. "Look, I can prove all this. I'm not, I mean I wasn't a complete fool, you know. Xenon kept notes and I have, had them."

"That only proves that Xenon was a devious bastard who could have written lies. I could write down that I'm Hercules but it wouldn't prove anything."

"Would a scroll in Niobe's own hand prove it?" Cadmus offered cautiously. "Xenon got a marriage alliance agreement out of her before he agreed to the assassination."

Iolaus could feel his stomach churning at he turned away from the ghost and rubbed his hands over his face. Niobe was royalty….Of course, she would do anything she thought was necessary to get and keep the throne she believed she was entitled to. He wished he was far, far away from here. That he had never agreed to come back.

"Iolaus?" Cadmus' voice was whispery and a little scared. "Please, don't send me away. I really do want to do the right thing and help you."

Iolaus looked at him slowly. "You want to bargain?" he asked harshly.

"No," Cadmus shook his head quickly. "No more deals, no bargains. I need to make things right." He paused, a look of surprise crossing his face as understanding dawned. "I do, Iolaus. I need to do this for myself as much as for you. Unless I make things right between us, I won't rest."

"No, I suppose you wouldn't," Iolaus sighed.

"Thank you," the ghost sighed in relief.

"For what?"

"For how you feel," Cadmus said softly.

Iolaus flushed and glared at him. "Don't think it's that easy," he grumbled. "You have to prove to me that Niobe has, has…."

"Betrayed you?"

"Betrayed Attica," Iolaus corrected curtly. "Where's this agreement?"

"The scrolls are in my rooms."

"Oh great, they'll have been destroyed by now for sure and there are bound to be guards."

"Why? Niobe doesn't know the scrolls exist and I hid them well."

"But she didn't trust you or she wouldn't have poisoned you."

"Hah! I was a means to an end. She was after you…. Sorry, but she was. Er…"

"What?" Iolaus glared at him.

"I’d offer to fetch the scrolls for you, but…" Cadmus waved insubstantial hands and grimaced. "Could be tricky."

"Good point," Iolaus mused. "Well, I guess I'll have to wing it and talk my way in if it is guarded. First though, I want to see Hercules."

"Can't it wait?"

Iolaus hesitated as he retrieved his sword and then shook his head. "No," he said softly. "Herc will be fretting about me being hurt and I was kind of annoyed with him last time I saw him. Besides…"

"Besides what?" Cadmus asked, drifting silently after him as Iolaus headed for the door.

"I want someone else to know about these scrolls besides me and a ghost…"

* * *

"Personally, I find philosophy a suitable pursuit for intellectuals but not for a soldier," Hector commented as he leaned back against the dungeon wall and studied the ceiling.

"So you’re not interested in discussing the eternal verities of life?" Hercules said mildly.

Hector raised an eyebrow, lifting his head enough to study the younger man as the demi-god twisted relentlessly at his adamantine chains. "I can't see you and Iolaus chatting on the subject of how much noise a tree makes if it falls with no one around to hear."

Hercules flashed him a grin. "You'd be surprised what you can talk about to fill in the time," he said cheerfully. "Take the hydra, why was it created?"

"I've told you before, Herc, to eat heroes like you," a familiar voice said wryly.

"Iolaus!" Hercules bounded to his feet, making the wall creak as his chains yanked taut.

"The very same," Iolaus grinned up at him. Behind him, Milo hovered, doing his best to be unobtrusive as he watched them.

"How do you feel?" Hercules asked anxiously. "You were out cold last time I saw you and, and…" The demi-god hesitated uncomfortably.

"And you'd killed my friend?" Iolaus said quietly.

"Yes," Hercules admitted, flushing in chagrin. "Please, Iolaus, you have to believe me; I had no choice. He was going to kill you!"

"Ease down, big guy," Iolaus soothed, reaching through the grill to pat him on the chest. "Maybe I was a little slow on the uptake, but I do understand. I'm okay. How about you?" He eyed the edge of bandage peeping out between boot top and pants leg.

"I'll survive," Hercules responded, cheering up. That one question lifted a weight from his conscience; Iolaus didn't blame him.

"No touching!" Milo barked, moving forward and dropping his hand to his sword hilt.

"Milo, he's Hercules. If he wanted to break out of here, he could do," Hector put in, sounding tired. "Go away and kick something."

Milo scowled. "I'm not supposed to leave a visitor untended."

"What do you think Iolaus is going to do? Slip him a file or something?" Hector snorted with a touch of impatience. Milo hesitated, studying the General uneasily. "You know this whole thing is a mistake," Hector continued. "At least go and stand by the door…"

Milo scowled and grunted. "All right, all right," he grumbled. "But I shouldn't."

"We won't tell if you won't," Iolaus teased. Milo glared at him, but he did back off and stomped back towards the door out of earshot. Relaxing a little, Iolaus turned back to his partner only to find Hercules staring over his head with a strange expression on his face. "Herc!" Iolaus yipped, making the demi-god look down at him with a start.

"What?" Hercules puzzled.

"Don't stare past me like that! It always makes me wonder what's behind me."

"Uh well, you don't want to know. I shouldn't worry about it."

"Oh great, now I have to look!" Iolaus frowned uneasily and turned to look. Cadmus was hovering a few feet behind him, making faces at Milo's back. "Stop that!" Iolaus hissed at him.

"You can see him?!" Hercules blurted.

"See who?" Hector wondered warily as the hunter swung back.

"Uh, you mean him?" Iolaus waved at Cadmus.

Hercules folded his arms, making his chains chink. "Is there another ghost here?"

"Not that I know of."

"Then yeah, I mean him. What's he doing here?"

"See who?!" Hector repeated indignantly.

Iolaus glanced at the ghost as Cadmus wafted to his side. "He came to apologise."

"Yeah, right," Hercules growled sarcastically.

"Would someone explain what you’re talking about?" Hector demanded loudly.

Hercules and Iolaus both looked at him in surprise. "Cadmus' ghost," Iolaus explained. "It's a long story."

"I didn't think anyone was supposed to be able to see me except you," Cadmus said anxiously.

"Well, I can!" Hercules exclaimed and took a quick angry swipe at him through the grill. His fist passed through Cadmus' shoulder, making his whole body shimmer and threaten to dissolve for a moment. Alarmed, Cadmus retreated out the demi-god's grabbing range.

"Behave yourself, Herc," Iolaus scolded. "He came to help me."

"He did his damn best to kill you! How can you trust him now?"

A grin blossomed on Cadmus' face. "Ah, he loves you!" he mocked.

Iolaus whipped around and angrily smacked the ghost across the chest. His hand passed through without so much as a shimmer. "Don't make fun of him," he snarled. "Maybe if you hadn't been such a jerk when you were alive, someone would have watched out for you the way he does me!" Cadmus flushed palely, then scowled and drifted away to sulk. "And you can wipe that smirk off your face too, Hercules! You’re being a jerk too!" Iolaus yelled as he turned back to his friend,

"Sorry," Hercules mumbled.

"What's going on down there?" Milo bellowed.

"Nothing. They’re having a spat!" Hector called back in amusement.

Iolaus glared at him. "How can you be so damn calm anyway?" he demanded irately. "She's going to have you two executed!"

"Oh, you heard about that?" Hercules muttered uncomfortably.

"Yeah, I heard. Not that you were going to mention it to me. Oh no! What were you going to do? Leave me a goodbye note?"

"I didn't expect you to be up and around."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better? Get real, Herc! We need to get the two of you out of here!"

"No, I gave my word," Hector said sharply, getting to his feet and joining Hercules by the grill.

"He's right," Hercules agreed grimly. "If we run away, it proves she's right."

"No, it buys you some time. You can come back later when she's…over this." Iolaus argued.

"Her kind of madness isn't going to go away," Cadmus interrupted sadly. "We don't have a lot of time, Iolaus."

"All right I know," Iolaus agreed reluctantly. "Look guys, Cadmus knows where there is proof that Niobe is behind all this. About the attack on the hunting party."

Cadmus frowned slightly as he watched Iolaus, then turned to Hercules. "Niobe was in league with King Xenon. She agreed to marry him as part of the arrangement to kill Orestes. I have proof of it in her own hand. You should explain things to Hector."

"I told you not to tell him that," Iolaus protested.

"You can't be serious," Hercules exclaimed.

"What? What?!" Hector was only getting half of the conversation and he was pretty sure he was missing something important.

"Cadmus says he has proof that Niobe made a deal with Xenon to kill Orestes," Hercules explained.

Hector paled slightly. "I warned you," he said sourly.

Iolaus looked from one to the other of them. "You knew?" he said finally. "You knew and you didn't tell me?"

Hector sighed. "I had no proof and I didn't want to hurt you, sire," he said quietly.

"Stop calling me that," Iolaus mumbled.

Rattling his chains, Hercules ran one hand through his hair. "Now I understand her madness," he said grimly. "The Furies are after her."

"The Furies?" Cadmus looked around him in alarm as he expected to see them sneaking up on him.

Hercules nodded. "She's raised her own ghosts to punish herself."

"But…" Iolaus started to protest then stopped himself, knowing it was too late for him to do anything to help her now. She was as far out of his reach now as she had ever been. All he could do now was act to save his friends and perhaps help her along the way. Unless…. "The Gods send the Furies, so the Gods can recall them, right?" he said hopefully.

Shaking his head, Hercules met his eyes. "They won't. You know that as well as I do. She can't undo what she's done."

"Hermes gave Cadmus another chance," Iolaus argued.

Hercules looked at the ghost thoughtfully. Cadmus had the grace to look uncomfortable. "Cadmus must have had second thoughts. I don’t think that holds true for Niobe. If it did, if she had regrets, then Furies would have left her alone to redeem herself. She's passed that point."

Iolaus stared at him in misery for a long moment, then nodded jerkily. "All right, so she has to be stopped and we need the proof of what she's done. What do I do with it then?"

"Bring it before the advisors," Hector said quickly. "When they bring us out for execution, they’ll all be there. Probably the royal guests will be too."

"Yeah, right, waiting to be poisoned. Interesting idea of breakfast entertainment her Royal Majesty has," Cadmus sniffed. Hercules gave him a startled look.

"Okay, fine. Plan made." Iolaus sighed.

"Hold on!" Hercules protested. "How are you going to get this proof? Where is it? We may not have time. And what's this about the guests being poisoned?!"

"If we can prove what Niobe's done, the guest's won't be poisoned," Iolaus pointed out reasonably. "And the proof's only in Cadmus' rooms," he added soothingly.

"Only?!" Hercules spluttered. "Are you having a blond moment or what? Do you know how many guards will be on his rooms? You'll get yourself killed!"

"Don't bust your bracers, Herc. I know what I'm doing," Iolaus told him firmly. "They'll never even know I'm there."

Hercules flung up his arms in exasperation, making the wall creak. "A file would have been a better idea!" he groaned aloud.

"Next time," Iolaus told him soothingly. "I’ll make sure I bring one if I get caught."

"You get caught and they'll kill you," Hercules warned in desperation.

"Then I’d better not get caught. Gotta go, Herc."

"Iolaus!" Hercules pressed anxiously to the grate as the hunter started to leave.

Iolaus looked over his shoulder at him. "I know, I’ll be careful."

Hercules nodded, resting his forehead against the grill as he watched his friend stride briskly off down the corridor with Cadmus trotting at his heels like a kite on a string. "Be safe, my friend," he whispered into the shadows, wishing he could go with him.

* * *

Cadmus drifted back around the corner from exploring the corridor ahead and came to a halt beside Iolaus. "Guards," he said succinctly. "Two of them, both armed."

"Damn. Any chance of getting past them?" Iolaus asked hopefully.

"No, I know these two. Picked for being thick but obedient. Orders are orders. Regardless of who you are, they won't let you in. They'd rather pound you to a pulp and ask questions later."

"Let me guess, you picked them?"

Cadmus shrugged and grinned ruefully. "Whatever else I was, I was a good Lieutenant and I knew my men."

Iolaus scowled, studying his boot tips. "So, I need another way in. Any secret passages?"

"Not that I know of."

"Balcony?"

"Yes. I had officer's quarters." Cadmus said proudly.

Iolaus glanced back down the corridor. "Any of these rooms occupied?"

"Not as far as I can tell."

"Okay, cool." Iolaus headed for the nearest door and tested the handle. When the door proved to be locked, he drew a thin bladed dagger and picked the lock, quietly letting himself into the room beyond.

"You haven't lost your touch," Cadmus observed admiringly as he floated after the warrior. "I never could get the hang of that."

Iolaus shrugged as padded across the rug-strewn floor and opened the shutters. For now it was still dark outside and a flower scented breeze blew shadows into the room. Sheathing his knife, Iolaus hopped up onto the window ledge and peered out. "Did you leave any booby traps in your room? Anything nasty likely to be waiting for me?"

Cadmus shook his head. "I never needed them," he admitted. "Are you sure about this? If you slip I can't exactly catch you."

Iolaus shrugged. "Then you'll have ghostly company, won't you?" he said almost cheerfully and swung his legs over the sill, feeling with his feet for the decorative ledge that ran along the walls.

As Cadmus watched anxiously, he flattened himself against the wall and began to edge along it towards the ghost's one-time rooms. Shrugging, Cadmus stepped out after him, cautiously probing the air with one foot and discovering that it was capable of supporting his non-existent weight. With this established, he followed Iolaus silently as the warrior shuffled gingerly sideways along the ledge.

Iolaus was no more than a foot or two away from his target when Hermes materialised in mid air right in front of him.

"Oh, there you are!" the Herald said brightly as Iolaus let out a startled yelp of shock, jumped, slipped and toppled off the ledge.

"Catch him!" Cadmus screamed, grabbing vainly at the warrior.

Having automatically caught Iolaus, Hermes merely raised an eyebrow and looked down at the blond hunter now clutching frantically at his burgundy leather vest and attempting to crawl up him. "Why, sugarplum, this is so sudden," he purred. "You don't normally fling yourself into my arms when you see me. Not that I'm complaining you understand. It's a quite delightful greeting."

Iolaus had both eyes shut as he clung to the Herald, only too aware that there was nothing but thin air under his toes and that now was not a good time to rise to the bait and provoke him. "Hermes," he said carefully. "Would you put me down on that balcony over there, please?" He inclined his head in what he hoped was the right direction since he wasn't about to open his eyes to look.

"Ooh, so polite. How can I refuse?" Hermes said lightly, drifting sideways with a flutter of winged sandals and depositing Iolaus gently on the stone balcony as requested. He kept his arms around him, cuddling him as Iolaus' blue eyes snapped open, watching the hunter in delight as his alarm was replaced by a tidal wave of outrage.

"You moron, Hermes! I could have been killed!" Iolaus hissed as he scrabbled and clawed his way out of Hermes' embrace.

"Nonsense. I was there to catch you. I wouldn't have let you be hurt."

"It didn't do me much good," Cadmus commented, drifting through the window and stepping down beside Iolaus.

"Oh yeah, a lot of harm it'd do you," Iolaus growled, frantically straightening his clothes and down right convinced Hermes had done it on purpose so he could grope him..

"Hey, I don’t want to see you splattered all over the ground!" Cadmus protested. "I need you alive!"

"Gee thanks."

"Boys, boys," Hermes scolded. "I came to see how things were going not to listen to you squabbling." His eyes glowed as he gazed affectionately at Iolaus. "Although even listening to you squabbling is fascinating."

Iolaus decided that his best bet was to ignore him and turned to Cadmus, ignoring the little sound the winged Herald made at the new view. "Where are these scrolls?" he demanded, then paused as he looked around the room, his jaw dropping at the wreckage of overturned furniture and scattered clothing. "Did you ever consider tidying up?"

"It wasn't like this when I left," Cadmus protested. "It's been searched."

"Obviously," Hermes murmured, disdainfully toeing a broken statue.

"The scrolls," Iolaus urged. "Do you think they found them?"

"I hope not." Cadmus flitted silently across the room.

Hermes followed Iolaus as the hunter went after him. "Ooh, look, the bed's not broken, Iolaus," Hermes cooed, blowing in Iolaus' ear.

"Cadmus?" Iolaus urged, watching the ghost investigating an overturned carved clothes chest

"You have a one track mind," Hermes pouted, miffed. "What a pity it's not on the same track as mine."

"Can you turn this over please?" Cadmus asked, his fingers sinking into the lid of the chest of solid wood.

Iolaus reached for it, then jumped as Hermes touched his shoulder. "Allow me. I wouldn't want you to strain something vitally important to my plans for you for later."

Blushing furiously, Iolaus hastily backed out of the way and found Cadmus studying him in amusement.

"When you used to say you had all the action you could handle, I didn't know you meant that kind of action," Cadmus teased.

"If you weren't a ghost I’d hit you," Iolaus growled at him. His eyes widened as Hermes gestured at the chest and it floated off the floor, turning itself over and settling itself neatly back down right side up. Stepping around Hermes, Iolaus lifted the lid and peered inside curiously, lifting out a red silk dancer's girdle decorated with coins. He raised an eyebrow at Cadmus. "I guess there were some things you didn't tell me either," he said dryly.

"A souvenir," Cadmus retorted, blushing dark grey. "There's a secret panel at the bottom and a loose bolt in the bottom left corner. Twist it…"

"Ah right, got it…"

Hermes folded his arms, tilting his head sideways and watching the view as Iolaus practically disappeared headfirst into the trunk.

Fortunately for Iolaus' nerves, the hunter didn't notice and emerged from the trunk clutching a packet of folded scrolls. Sitting on the floor, he quickly opened the first one and scanned through it. His eyes darkened as an expression of pain crossed his face. Hermes moved closer and crouched to put a consoling hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Cadmus said softly as Iolaus looked up blankly.

"Look on the bright side, you still have me," Hermes said lightly.

"Oh, that makes me feel so much better," Iolaus responded sarcastically.

"Oh good, I thought it might," Hermes teased, smiling at him and adding kindly, "And you have Hercules too."

Iolaus' hand clenched into a fist, crumpling the scroll with a rustle of paper. "And to save him and Hector I have to give Niobe up," he whispered painfully.

"You never had a choice," Hermes told him sadly.

Iolaus' head came up with a snap, his eyes blazing. "What have you done to me?" he snarled, his voice raising.

"Hush!" Cadmus hissed urgently. "They'll hear you!"

"Iolaus, my most precious treasure…."

"Jealousy? You destroyed her out of petty jealousy! You bastard!"

"No," Hermes voice suddenly carried the weight of power as he took Iolaus' face between his hands and locked eyes with him. "You know better, my Chosen One. I would do nothing to hurt you," he said grimly. "If she had been the one for you, I would have done all within my power to make sure it happened. But it was not to be. Niobe has done things that have doomed her."

"The Furies, did you have to send the Furies after her?!" Iolaus protested in anguish.

"It was not my doing. She called their attention to her herself when she turned on Orestes. My poor sweet Iolaus, she would have thrust a dagger in Orestes in the night herself and called it an assassination if she could. If you had not charmed her and walked away before she could think again, she would have killed you too."

Iolaus shoved away from him and stumbled to his feet. "I don't want to believe this!" he shouted.

"I know, but you know it’s the truth. That's why it hurts so much," Hermes replied sadly then looked round sharply as the doors exploded inwards and the two guards burst into the rooms. Both men bristling with weapons, they glared at Iolaus with dark suspicion.

"Who were you talking to?" one of them demanded.

"Myself." Looking down at Hermes, Iolaus flicked a glance at the rest of the scrolls. Hermes inclined his head and picked them up, causing them to vanish from the sight of the guards.

"Fetch Hercules, tell him Iolaus has been captured," Hermes ordered Cadmus quietly, making the ghost disappear with a flick of one hand. Iolaus shot a glare at him.

"I haven't been caught yet!" the warrior hissed under his breath. Hermes folded his arms and shrugged.

"Hey, did you see that?" one of the guards blurted, a little quicker on the uptake than his partner as he spotted the scrolls vanish and the mysterious shimmer that followed.

"See what?"

"Those scrolls vanished."

"What scrolls?"

"The ones that were there."

"There's nothing there."

"That's because they vanished! Witchery…"

"You drink too much," grumbled the bearded guard, turning another scowl on Iolaus. "What are you doing in here anyway?"

Tucking the scroll he held inside his tunic, Iolaus turned slowly to face them, keeping his hands well away from his sides. "I wanted to say goodbye to Cadmus," he continued, lowering his head sorrowfully as he started towards the doors.

"Oh," the guard said slowly. "Here, where are you going?"

"Back to my rooms," Iolaus assured him. "I am one of the guests, you know."

"Yeah…" the bearded guard muttered.

"Ain't he the one we were told to look out for?" the other guard asked. "Lola or Lolas or something?"

"That's Iolaus!" Iolaus snapped indignantly.

"Yeah, that's him." The guard nodded. "We're supposed to grab him if he showed up here."

"You’re right," the bearded guard decided, turning an evil look on Iolaus and aiming his sword at his throat. "You move and I’ll slice you in two."

Iolaus drew back slightly from the sword point rather than the threat. "I doubt if killing me was quite the order you were given," he said warily.

"No, we were told that if you put up a fight and got away, Hercules would be killed immediately," the second guard announced smugly.

Iolaus gaped at him. "You have got to be kidding," he exclaimed and attacked, moving fast to duck under the sword that promptly swung at his head. He kicked sideways, knocking the bearded guard's feet from under him. He grabbed the guard's sword as he dropped it and sprung to block the second guard's swing with his new weapon. The guard gasped and staggered, not having expected to be blocked. Swooping his blade up and around, Iolaus disarmed him and leaned back, clipping his jaw with a well-aimed kick that dropped him on the spot. Leaping over the still groaning bearded guard, he raced for the door and skidded to a halt as he was confronted by the arrival of the change of guard.

A spear point at the throat persuaded him to hastily drop the sword and submit to being tossed bruisingly against the wall and roughly searched before his wrists were bound behind his back. As he was spun around and his back slammed against the stones, he found Hermes watching him.

"Why don't you do something?" Iolaus hissed at him.

"Well, you’re not actually in any danger at the moment, are you?" Hermes pointed out reasonably.

"Do something? Oh we will do something," barked the guard Lieutenant, waving the scroll he had found under his nose. "You’re a traitor to the crown and a damned usurper. If her Royal Majesty's orders weren't to take you alive I’d kill you on the spot!"

"Cadmus' replacement; Nion," Hermes observed. "A bit rough and ready and determined to make a name for himself. He’ll do whatever Niobe tells him."

"That doesn't help," Iolaus complained.

Nion stared at him blankly. "Oh pretending you’re mad won't help!" He waved at the two guards the hunter had flattened. "You used witchcraft on my men to defeat them."

Iolaus snorted at that. "Witchcraft?! Hah! I could have taken them with both hands tried behind my back." He looked up at the bearded guard as he suddenly loomed over him, darkening the corridor. "Uh, that is….oh me and my big mouth…."

"Is that so?" the bearded guard snarled and pounded his meaty fist into Iolaus' stomach, doubling him up with a whuff of pain then smacking him across the face hard enough to make Iolaus see stars.

Hermes' eyes narrowed and as the guard drew back for a third swing, the man yelped in pain. "My hand, my hand!" he howled, clutching at his suddenly broken fingers.

"Witchcraft!" moaned the second guard in terror.

Nion had had enough. "Serves you right. Bring him! We mustn't keep her Majesty is waiting…"

* * *

Hercules stretched lazily, a frown crossing his face. Hector was dozing with an old warrior's knack for making the most of time spent waiting, but Hercules was awake and fretting. That sixth sense he had for trouble was twitching, telling him that something was wrong and convincing him that it had something to do with Iolaus. He wasn't surprised when Cadmus materialised abruptly outside their dungeon door, even though the ghost looked downright astonished and gingerly felt himself up and down with translucent hands.

"All right, what went wrong?" Hercules demanded, rolling to his feet with a clank of chains. "Is Iolaus all right?"

"The guards caught him," Cadmus said quickly. "Hermes has the scrolls. He sent me to warn you But…"

"Hermes?" Hercules echoed, rolling his eyes. "Why do I get the feeling that a complicated situation is now a Gordian knot? Hector, wake up!"

"Hmmh? What?" Hector opened one eye to look at him.

"Iolaus has been caught. Where would they take him?"

"Probably to the dungeons; that is, here…."

"Hermes wouldn't worry about telling me, if that was going to happen," Hercules snorted. He flexed his arms, studying the chains that bound him and following their gleaming links thoughtfully up to the hasp that secured them to the wall.

"They might take him straight to Niobe," Hector said slowly.

"That would be why Hermes warned me," Hercules sighed, wrapping the chains around his forearms until they were stretched tight and then taking a deep breath. "I can't leave him alone for five minutes," he muttered as he tensed and yanked, ripping the chains from the wall, hasp and all and filling the dungeon with stone chips and dust. Turning to the door, Hercules laid a firm hold of it and punched the whole thing from its socket with a squeal of tearing metal as the hinges gave way. Stepping over the wreckage, he glanced back at a gaping Hector and the nonplussed ghost. "Coming?"

"Er…" Hector lifted his own chained wrists. "I don't think…."

Hercules snorted, stomped back over the buckling metal of the door and grabbed Hector's chains, snapping them off at the manacles. As he turned back to the gaping hole that had been the door, he found Milo staring at them in horror, drawn by all the noise.

"Milo! Wait!" Hector shoved past Hercules before the Sergeant could turn to sound the alarm. "You know this is all wrong, don't you? Her Majesty is mistaken. She is being mislead. We have to reach her to straighten this whole mess out!"

"I have my orders," Milo said feebly.

"Come on, man. Think! Me? A traitor? And Hercules of all people?!"

Milo looked uncertainly from one to the other of them. "No one's asking you to help," Hector said kindly, moving closer. "All you have to do is look the other way."

"Same thing, General," the Sergeant observed, giving Hector a strange look then deliberately turned his head away. Hector hit him, one quick knockout blow that dropped the Sergeant out cold. Hector caught him before he could hit the floor and lowered him the rest of the way. "A good man," he commented. "This way he won't be blamed."

"Hector, I never knew what a devious man you were," Hercules said admiringly.

Hector snorted as he searched the unconscious Milo. "It's not something I'm proud of," he commented dryly. "No keys, but…" He straightened up with a knife. "Those chains are adamantine you said, you can't break them. But can you pick the locks?"

Hercules smiled ruefully. "I smash locks, Iolaus picks them," he said with a shrug.

"Good thing I'm here then, isn't it?" Hector said dryly, catching hold of Hercules' wrist and examining the lock.

"You pick locks too?" Hercules said in astonishment. Even as he was fretting to be off and running to find Iolaus, he knew the chains would get in the way and slow him down. If Hector could get them off…

"One of those useful accomplishments that you pick up along the way and you never tell people about."

"Hector, you are a man of many talents and you have no idea how grateful I am. But could you hurry it up? I think Iolaus needs me…."

"I am hurrying. What's the plan?"

"Divide and conquer. You go rescue the Kings from being poisoned by their breakfast and I rescue Iolaus…"

* * *

Pelius was uneasy and unsure why. He kept getting the feeling that he was missing something. He had popped in to see Iolaus on his way to breakfast, but a guard had been on his door and had told him that the warrior was with her Royal Majesty. Restless and nervous, he poked at the food on his plate and decided he wasn't hungry.

"Pelius, you look good enough to eat!" the voice was soft, a whisper in his ear that made him jump a foot and look round wildly.

"Who's there?"

"Me," said Hermes, materialising beside him in the empty chair where Iolaus should have been sitting.

"Eek!" said Pelius. "W'wh….?!"

"Later, darling," Hermes grinned, placing the packet of scrolls in Pelius' lap and squeezing his knee. "You have to give these to Lord Archides immediately."

"I do? Why? Can't it wait until after breakfast?"

"These scrolls are the proof that Niobe is quite mad and means to kill everyone here. Er, you haven't drunk the wine, have you?"

"No," Pelius admitted.

"Good. Don’t. It's a seriously bad vintage. Quite poisonous in fact."

"Oh…."

Hermes winked at him. "Now, off you go. Use that silver tongue of yours to prevent Archides calling for a toast. Niobe put poison in the Royal wine she's sent for."

"That's, that's infamous!" Pelius guessed.

"Oh, you are so deliciously innocent," Hermes sighed passionately. "If I wasn't in lust with Iolaus! Oh well, when I'm not with the boy that I love, then I love the boy that I'm with you. Off you go now and do hurry back. I’ll be wait-ing…"

Pelius grabbed the scrolls and scooted out of his seat in panic; part honoured, part terrified with the trust placed in him. "My Lord Archides! I have something that you need to see…." He yelled in decorously, grateful to see Hector race through the doors at the far end of the banquet hall at he rushed along the high table to a bewildered Archides.

* * *

Iolaus waited outside the doors with duo of huge burly guards looming over him and another handful hovering in the background. Hermes had vanished somewhere on the way through the palace and Iolaus wasn't sure whether to be relieved or angry at being ruthlessly abandoned.

Nion had gone in to see Niobe and now emerged, beckoning to the guards to bring the warrior inside. Head up, Iolaus didn't bother to struggle by marched proudly ahead, leaving the guards to scuttle after him in disarray.

Niobe was waiting for him, seated on the dais of her private reception room. She was wearing black today, the skirt made of floating watered silk while the tightly fitting bodice was of black leather studded with diamonds that moulded itself to her figure. Her hair was bound back by a fillet of gold and diamond rings sparkled on her fingers. Twin braziers on either side of the throne leant a flickering red light to the room that glimmered strangle in her eyes.

Tapping the scroll Nion had given her against one hand, her eyes flickered over Iolaus as he marched across the floor and right up to the steps.

"Iolaus…" she said coolly.

"Niobe," Iolaus sketched a bow. "Why have I been brought here like a common captive?"

Niobe frowned slightly and waved at Nion. "Untie him, Lieutenant." She turned her eyes on the guard. "You two, get out. You will not be needed." Bowing and scraping the guards retreated, looking relieved to be doing so and leaving Iolaus with an uneasy impression that they were afraid of Niobe.

Nion bowed and obeyed hastily, slicing Iolaus' wrists free with little regard for the skin the hunter lost in the process. Iolaus grandly ignored him, gingerly rubbing his wrists and noting that his wrist was bleeding where the assassin who had attacked him had cut him.

"Why am I being treated this way, Niobe?" Iolaus asked carefully. "I go to pay my respect to Cadmus and I am seized upon."

"Nion tells me you were caught in Cadmus' apartment searching them." Niobe said mildly.

"Cadmus owed me money."

"Liar…" Niobe slipped from her throne, gliding down the stairs like a cat as she came towards him. Iolaus stood still as she came right up to him, so close he could inhale her perfume and shiver as she ran the scroll down his chest. "But you were always a good lair, weren't you?" she purred. "You pretended so cleverly to be Orestes. I'm sure you would have gone right on pretending if your plan hadn't failed you."

"Plan?"

"Mmmh," She smiled, lowering her eyes sultrily. "Minos was to have been killed during the escape and Orestes wasn't meant to survive the poison."

Iolaus gritted his teeth. "You’d know that better than I," he said grimly. "Or do you deny that you attempted to poison me and Cadmus?"

Niobe stepped back sharply, her eyes glittering as she gave him a startled look. "What are you saying?" she exclaimed.

"You know what I'm saying," Iolaus retorted. "You've been doing your best to kill me since I got here!"

Niobe blinked and retreated a little, then held up the scroll. "This is another of your lies; a forgery of my hand offering a marriage alliance with King Xenon is return for murdering my dear Orestes."

"No forgery. I'm only surprised you were foolish enough to commit something like that to a scroll!"

Niobe's eyes clouded with fury as she turned away. Crumpling the scroll into a ball, she then dropped it into the nearest brazier and turned to give Iolaus a look of malicious triumph.

"It isn't burning," Iolaus noted, keeping the astonishment from his voice.

"What?" Niobe snapped.

"The scroll…." Iolaus pointed out.

Startled Niobe swung back and reached for the scroll then snatched her hand away with a cry of pain as the flames licked at her fingers. The scroll however lay untouched in the centre of the brazier. Niobe gave it a look of betrayal and then turned furiously on Iolaus. "Nion was right, you used witchcraft. That's how you coerced me into trusting you!"

Iolaus folded his arms and shook his head sadly. "Give up the throne, Niobe," he said quietly. "It's caused you nothing but pain and it never really belonged to you."

"You call me an usurper?!" Niobe screamed, her voice tearing like a knife's edge.

"That isn't the only scroll. Cadmus had others. He kept records from back when he was with Xenon. You were involved with plotting to kill Orestes before I even met you. You were going to marry Minos to get the Attican throne and no doubt meant to kill him as soon as it was convenient. You promised to marry Xenon if he got rid of Orestes for you. Only I got in the way of that. How long would I have survived if I’d replaced Orestes like you asked?"

"Lies, all lies, surrounded by lies…" Babbling, Niobe backed away, biting at one diamond ring then something seemed to snap back into place and she straightened up again.

"Isn't it convenient how everyone who knows the truth ends up dead?" Iolaus said bitterly. "Minos, Orestes, Xenon…"

"Shut up!" Niobe screamed.

"I can't, Niobe. You've left too many dead all ready. Whose next? Who else is in your way? Hector? Hercules? Me?"

Niobe swallowed. "The scrolls are forgeries," she hissed. "You planted them in Cadmus' rooms. Yes, that's it. Cadmus was loyal to me. He wouldn't have betrayed me. But he found out about you. He brought me the proof that you were plotting to overthrow me. He went to you to give you a chance, to tell you he knew you were behind the attack on the hunting party. But you and Hercules attacked and murdered him to silence him!"

Iolaus was shaking his head, appalled and hurt by her venom. "No one wanted to overthrow you. Stop this, Niobe, stop it now. If you abdicate, no one needs to know what you've done. I know about your plot to poison the League's leaders."

"They would have forced me to marry all because I didn't give Orestes a son!" Niobe screamed in fury. "Why should I abdicate?! The throne is mine! You have betrayed me. You have all betrayed me. The League of Nations is nothing but a conspiracy against me. You’re all plotting against me! They think to put you on the throne in my place because I will not be their puppet! Treachery! Let them all die! In the power vacuum that follows, I will rule! I, Niobe! Orestes' puppet princess!"

Iolaus swallowed, watching uneasily as she paced up and down in front of him, ranting and screaming He slid a glance at Nion, expecting alarm and seeing only satisfaction on his thin face. A chill ran down his back and he glanced round uncertainly, uneasy at being alone with these two and unsure why. If it came down to a fight, he was sure he could take Nion but if Niobe called the guards back…They'd cut him down without a thought.

He suddenly realised that Niobe had fallen silent and was clinging to the arms of her throne for support, breathing hard. A spasm ran through her and she straightened up, turning to look down at him. A smile curved her lips as she drew a glass vial from her bodice and walked towards him, her eyes cool but calm. She held the vial out to him.

"You are discovered, Iolaus," she said steadily. "You have plotted against the throne. Yet, you have royal blood and I would not see you humiliated with a public execution. This poison is painless and swift."

Iolaus gaped at her and took an involuntary step back. "Are you out of your ever loving mind?! I'm not taking poison!"

Niobe gave him a pitying look. "Where is your courage?" she asked. "You would have willingly seized the throne by treachery to be a King, at least die like a King!" She thrust the vial towards him. "Or are you afraid?"

"I never plotted to betray you," Iolaus denied it. "I put you on the throne, remember?"

A thin smile curved her mouth. "You would have taken me away if you could. But I would not go with you. Did you plan to murder me in my sleep and come to take the throne as my dear Orestes? You with your sweet mouth, you could have made them believe you were him." Shaking his head, Iolaus retreated and Niobe followed him, holding out the vial, her eyes gleaming. "Poison or sword?" she asked softly. "Royalty or traitor?"

Iolaus felt rather than saw Nion behind him and started to dodge but the Lieutenant grabbed his arms, twisting them up behind him in an implacable grip. Iolaus lunged and fought, but was unable to escape. It was like being held by Hercules and he felt an inexplicable chill run through him as he looked up at Niobe.

"It really is quite painless," she whispered as she slipped her fingers under his jaw and tightened her grip in a parody of a lover's touch, forcing him to open his mouth. "A few drops are all it takes…."

"Sword!" Iolaus gasped frantically.

"What?" Niobe hesitated, focusing on him.

"I choose the sword," Iolaus told her desperately.

Her eyes clouded, unfocusing. "I don't think…"

"Not a problem, your Majesty," Nion purred. "I can do it right here and now."

"That wasn't quite what I had in mind," Iolaus yipped as he was thrust down to his knees and a length of cord whipped deftly around his wrists, binding them behind him. "Niobe!"

"Your choice," she said softly, backing away and fingering the open vial. She sniffed it, inhaling its bitter scent as she started to hum to herself, withdrawing from her surroundings.

"You want to keep this quiet, don't you?" Iolaus said urgently. "Nothing public. You want me to disappear. That's why you wanted me to choose the poison. To make it look like suicide."

Niobe looked at him without recognition and wandered away, humming to herself as she tripped up the steps of the dais.

"True, she did. Some feminine thing about not wanting to hurt you, but since the entire League will be soon be rotting right along with you, who cares?" Nion whispered, leaning down close to the hunter's ear. "Personally, I don't as long as it spites Hercules." He grabbed Iolaus' wrists, yanking them tight and forcing his head down. With his free hand he drew his sword and rested the cold sharp edge of the blade against Iolaus' bare neck then swung back…

"No!" Iolaus howled in protest and flung himself off his knees, slamming his feet into Nion's ankles as he dropped to his stomach. Nion swore and let go as Iolaus ripped his wrists free, staggering for balance. Iolaus promptly brought up both feet and kicked him in the stomach, then rolled away. Nion roared and swung after Iolaus, the sword whistling through the air and clanging off the stones as the hunter wriggled and rolled frantically out of the way. Nion followed, a twisted expression of fury on his face and he hacked and chopped at the warrior, barely missing most of the time and covering Iolaus in nicks and cuts. Finally Iolaus came to a halt cornered against the steps and Nion stood over him, a look of vicious spiteful triumph on his face as he raised the sword two handed over his head.

"I'm going to enjoy this…."

The doors crashed open, slamming back against the walls and framing Hercules as he posed unconsciously for as split second, whirling the adamantine chains around his head as he stepped forward.

"Him and his damn timing," Nion snarled and hauled, starting to bring the blade chopping down as Hercules threw the chains. They whirled across the room, slamming into Nion's sword and wrapping around the blade, scything it from his hands in an explosion of blue white light so bright it hurt the eyes. Clattering to the steps, sword and chains blackened and melted into a molten slag on the stone.

Nion howled in pain, hopping backwards and shaking his hands in pain. Hercules stomped forward, bristling with rage as he bore down on the Lieutenant. Nion stopped dancing, staring at him then he took a sudden quick step and hammered a kick into Iolaus' ribs that made the hunter double of in pain as something cracked. Spinning towards Hercules, he lifted one hand and launched a bolt of red light from his spread fingers that smacked into the astounded demi-god's chest and hurled him back against the room to slam into the wall.

"Hercules!" Iolaus wriggled to his knees in alarm and froze as Nion turned towards him. Before his amazed eyes, a shimmer of blue black light passed over the Lieutenant and his uniform vanished to be replaced by sleek black leather held together with silver stitches. The cruel, petulant features that Iolaus and Hercules knew to their cost replaced Nion's thin features.

"Strife!" Hercules wheezed, struggling upright and lurching towards them.

Strife straightened up, his lips curling in vulpine disgust. "I'm not fighting Musclehead. Until next time, Blondie," he spat and dematerialised in a cascade of red and black volcanic sparks.

Hercules dropped to his knees beside his partner, unfastening his wrists. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I…if that was Strife…." Iolaus paused and scrambled up. "Niobe! Listen to me…"

Niobe turned to face him, cradling the empty vial against her cheek as she sucked daintily at one fingertip. "Yes, Iolaus?" she asked, smiling vaguely at him.

Panic stricken, Iolaus shot up the steps, catching her as she swayed.

"What's going on?" Hercules followed him, taking the vial as Iolaus snatched it from her hand and thrust it at him. "What?"

"I drank the poison," Niobe said quietly, resting her head against Iolaus' shoulder tiredly and letting her weight sink against him.

"Find the antidote, Herc! Please!" Iolaus begged frantically as he lowered her to the floor and cradled her against him.

"There isn't one, Iolaus," Niobe said quietly. She nestled against him, smiling wearily. "It's all right, you know. I know I lost."

"No, it isn't. Hermes! Hermes!" Iolaus screamed. "Do something, Hercules!" Hercules shook his head, for once helpless.

"Iolaus…" Niobe sighed. "It's all right. Ares promised me."

"Ares promised you what?" Hercules crouched beside them.

"That I would rule as long as I lived." Niobe reached up, caressing Iolaus' face. "I couldn't let them take my throne. Without that, I'm nothing. I never was."

"Niobe…" Iolaus whispered, half sobbed as she let out a slow breath.

Niobe struggled to focus on him. "I was at my best with you," she whispered and slipped away with the breath that sighed out of her.

"Niobe?" Iolaus questioned, rocking her gently as her body went limp and her life trickled away. Hercules gestured helplessly, then leaned forward, wrapping his own warm strong arms around his friend, holding him even as he held her close. After a moment,. Iolaus made a strangled noise and eased her to the dais, turning from Niobe into Hercules' embrace with a choked sob.

"I know, I know," Hercules whispered into his hair. "I'm sorry. But she chose her own way out…She was royalty to the end…"

Iolaus shuddered and said nothing, rocking against the demi-god. Hercules looked up as Hermes materialised silently beside them. Iolaus twitched and looked up at him.

"There was nothing I could do," Hermes said sorrowfully. "She felt no pain. Ares made sure of that." Iolaus nodded, looked at Niobe and turned back to burrow silently against Hercules.

"Ares…" Hercules spat bitterly. "This is all his fault." Iolaus' fist tightened in his jerkin however and Hercules felt silent, concentrating on consoling his friend.

Hermes sighed and touched the top of Iolaus' blond head in silent compassion. "She will forget, Iolaus," he said softly. "Like Cadmus she will be reborn."

Iolaus nodded jerkily but refused to look up. Hermes met Hercules' eyes and nodded to him, then disappeared in a shower of pale blue falling leaves. Gazing through them, Hercules saw Hector trot into the room with Pelius beside him. For a moment, he saw Cadmus following them, then the ghost shimmered and vanished as Hercules heard Hermes call to him from far away. A wheezing Archides and a phalanx of Hector's guards followed the Prince inside; a dazed looking Milo was with them.

"Hercules?" Hector leaned over them uncertainly.

"Iolaus is all right, he's not hurt. Niobe took poison." Hercules explained grimly. "The Kings at the banquet?"

"All safe. I got there in time, but Pelius tells me Hermes brought the scrolls to him."

Pelius nodded, looking around him uneasily. "He's not here, is he? Only he looks at me weird and he says strange things…"

"Join the club," Iolaus said with a muffled half laugh and lifted his head, shoving his hair out of his face as he sat up.

"Back with us?" Hercules said easily and added gently, "You okay?"

Iolaus met his eyes and smiled ruefully. "No, but I will be." He looked sadly at Niobe and then turned determinedly away. "Are we about to get executed for a conspiracy against the throne?" he asked flatly.

"Certainly not," Archides sniffed. "I have examined the scrolls and they are quite clearly genuine. Niobe was obviously determined to kill anyone who got in her way. Quite clearly she was not of the true Attican line…"

Iolaus lunged to his feet in rage and it was only the fact that Hercules was a demi-god that enabled him to reach his friend first and prevent him from throttling the noble on the spot. "Niobe was royalty!" Iolaus hissed as he strained against Hercules' grip on his arms.

"Iolaus, Iolaus, I know," Hercules soothed, resting his chin on top of his head in an old familiar gesture as he wrapped his arms around him.

"Damn it, Hercules!" Iolaus wailed.

"I know it hurts," Hercules agreed gently, shifting his grip and propelling him towards the door. "We'll be in our suite if you need us."

"But, but…" Archides spluttered. "Your majesty…."

"What?" Iolaus and Hercules chorused as they gaped at him.

"Sire, Iolaus, you are the only heir…" Archides said weakly.

"Orestes' son," Iolaus spluttered. "Hector, tell him…."

"Orestes did indeed have a son," Hector admitted with a helpless shrug. "But I haven't heard from Lynus, sire. And…"

"No, absolutely not. No way!" Iolaus yelped. "I abdicate."

"Your majesty, you can't," Archides begged.

"I can and I will. I abdicate. And I, I appoint Hector as Regent!"

"What?!" Hector squawked.

"You can't do that," Archides said weakly. "He's not…"

"He's my choice. You arguing? Come on, Herc, I feel the need of a stiff drink.…."

* * *

Three days later, Hercules lay on his back on the soft grass, watching the shine of the silver stars and feeling better and less trapped than he had in days. Iolaus lay on his stomach beside him, gazing deep into the fire.

"You think we did the right thing by sneaking out without telling anyone except Hector?" Iolaus asked as he poked a twig into the fire and watched it blaze up bright and golden.

"I think so," Hercules said quietly, keeping his thoughts to himself. It had been hard for Iolaus to watch them lie Niobe to rest in the dark stone vaults beneath the palace. Harder still to stay in a place with so many memories, so many of them unpleasant and shadowed. Hercules wanted to take him as far and as far away as possible. "How are you feeling?"

"Surviving," Iolaus sighed. "I don't want to talk about her."

"Ah…." Hercules could understand that. "Are you sure you don't want the throne?"

Iolaus sighed and dropped the spent twig into the fire. "It's the last thing Besides, I want. I was getting tired of the bowing and scraping," he murmured, resting his chin on his folded fists. "And the sooner we find Lynus and the boy the better."

"Yes, your Majesty," Hercules said mildly.

"What did you say?" Iolaus pushed up on his hand to look down at him.

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Herc! I'm warning you! Don't call me that!"

"No, your Royal Highness. Right away, your Majesty!"

Iolaus thumped him and Hercules made a quick grab at his partner, wrestling him into submission until the giggling hunter wriggled free and retreated across the clearing. Hercules watched him for a moment, then flopped back into the grass. Chuckling, Iolaus came back and settled down beside him again, using his chest as a pillow. "Thanks, Herc," he said softly.

"My pleasure," Hercules said easily, reaching out one long arm to drape around him. "I'm only glad you chose me over a throne."

Iolaus considered this for a moment then shrugged. "I'd have missed your burnt cooking."

"Hey!"

"You get a taste for charcoal after a while."

"Grrrr…" Hercules shifted his arm to close about Iolaus' throat for a second, then laughed softly and let go. They lay in companionable silence for a while, watching the stars.

"Herc?"

"Yeah?"

"I’d have missed you as well." Iolaus said with quiet affection.

"Thanks," Hercules said quietly, giving him a gentle hug. "I’d have missed you too, your royalness." Iolaus laughed softly and turned over, closing his eyes as he settled down to sleep under the protection of Hercules' arm. Hercules smiled and relaxed, settling down to sleep and content to have Iolaus' trust and friendship restored to him and knowing there was nothing else as important to him as Iolaus was to him.

oooOooo