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