Eros' brilliant golden wings fluttered to his side as he landed in the garden of his Mother's temple. He found Her among the roses and jasmine, gently caressing the plants and talking to them as She walked by. "Father has left the Dark Lands." Eros reported to her. "He's on His way to Avalon. If you fly quickly you can catch up to Him before He arrives there."

Aphrodite raised Her head to look upon Her son. "What did He do there?" She began to float toward Eros, a basket of roses in Her hands.

"He spoke with Maab but I don't know what they spoke of. She would not tell me and no one else seemed to know."

"The old crone must have said something!" Aphrodite thundered.

"No. Only told me when He had left and then told me to go away." He folded his arms across his bronze chest as he waited for his Mother to erupt again. She said nothing to him as She chewed on Her thumb nail. "I have done what you asked. You're on your own from here, Mother."

"We'll see about that." She huffed as She watched him fly off toward Olympus' peak. Aphrodite summoned the Graces and flew them like the wind to catch up with Ares.

Past the stars and across the heavens they raced toward Avalon. Aphrodite's long golden locks flowed behind Her as Her face set into a look of stern determination, the reigns held tight in Her hands, she slapped them down and the Graces fluttered their wings faster. It wasn't long before Aphrodite began to pick up on the acrid smoky scent left behind by Ares and his Chariot, soon she the flicker of flames in the distance and She began to call out to Him. "Ares! Ares!" Her voice shook the heavens as She slapped the reigns down once again. She could feel the heat of the flames as she rode through their wake. "Ares! I know you can hear me! Stop!"

Ares grinned with His back to Her, if She wanted Him bad enough, She'd catch Him. Ares slapped the reigns down upon the backs of his steeds Flame and Terror, they snorted at Him as their legs picked up the pace.

"Damn you, Ares!" Aphrodite shouted as she raised a fist at him. "Faster you idiots! Faster!"

Ares let out a hearty laugh as He turned to look behind and saw Her riding hot on the heels of his Chariot. Avalon was within sight now, He rode faster toward it.

The Graces fluttered their delicate wings as fast they could in an almost futile attempt to keep with Ares' horses. They flew along side the Chariot in which Ares rode. Aphrodite looked down at their tired red faces, sweat glistening on their bodies and knew they would not last much longer. She dropped the reigns from her delicate hand as she took a mighty leap into the Chariot.

"I knew you'd catch me sooner or later." Ares said with a gleam in His coal eyes as He reached out His free arm and grabbed Her waist. "Bye, go home now." He called as he waved the Graces away from His Chariot. "We don't need you anymore." With gratitude clear in their watery eyes, the three chubby graces ceased the mad fluttering of their wings and slowly made their way back to Olympus.

"You must turn around and head back for Greece." Aphrodite demanded as she gripped the bar in front of her with one hand and Ares' arm with the other to steady herself as they raced onward.

"Why?"

"You demanded she bring her Champion to you and she has. Stop this foolishness and turn around."

"Foolishness?!" Ares thundered as he reigned the horses hard. The Chariot came to a hard stop, Aphrodite was thrust forward by the sudden shock. Ares reached out a rough hand to grab her before she could fall out. "Do you think me foolish?"

"Poor choice of words." Aphrodite said lightly as she smiled and batted her long golden eyelashes at him. "Of course I do not think you foolish, Lover. Come back to Greece. She has done as you asked. Will you forsake her now?"

"Never." Ares answered forcefully as he snarled at her. "She is an impudent child and I will not forsake her but she will do as I tell her to."

"Or what?" Aphrodite planted one hand firmly on her soft hip. "She is my daughter too, Ares! Don't do this to her."

"She is not of you!" He roared.

"I raised her!" She shouted back. "Don't you dare to tell me she's not mine."

"You just want your curse lifted." He accused in a dark voice.

"Don't you think it's time that it was?" Aphrodite shot back at Him.

"He is Champion. He is not husband." Ares spat.

"Then who is?" She asked quickly. "Tell me so I may know him too."

Ares stood silently staring at her, his lip raised in a snarl, as his black diamond eyes shined at her.

Aphrodite knew that look very well. "I came here to plead with you to know your daughter's heart. If you plan to take her to Avalon, I can see you already know her heart too well." She reached out a divine hand to touch the hard leather armorment which covered His skin. "Don't use it against her this way." She pleaded. "I have something to show you." She whispered in his ear as she waved her hand lightly before them. On a backdrop of stars the scene which had taken place between Sarah and Duncan in one of Heatherow's ladies rooms played out before them. Aphrodite and Ares stood suspended between time and space inside the chariot and watched as Sarah suffered and Duncan gave of himself to ease her pain. With a cautious eye Aphrodite watched Ares as he watched the movie which played against the stars. His eyes flared when the Champion took Sarah into his arms. His lips curled as he watched him hold his daughter close. As Sarah's pain eased so did the expression on Ares face. When it was over Aphrodite leaned her delicate blond head against the his massive arm while she reached up to trace a hand along his lightly bearded face. "Ares, I know you're angry. All the Gods know your anger. Nothing has been done yet, there is still time. Accept him, give her what she wants." Aphrodite said softly.

"No." He growled. "She will do as I tell her or she will suffer the consequences." Ares shrugged her from his huge frame.

"Has she not suffered enough because of you?" Clear blue eyes searched his black ones.

"It is not my fault she was cast from Olympus." Ares returned as he stared down upon her. "This is not my doing. You know that. They decided on this fate for her. Not me."

"But it is a fate which is not sealed." She said in a voice which was both equally gentle and strong. "Keep your word to her. Come back to Greece."

His plans for Avalon could wait a while, all was almost done there. "She is there now?"

"Yes."

Sarah had done as he had asked her and brought her Champion to his place of power. While he would not show himself to the Champion, he would go back, he would see his daughter there. "As you wish, Lover." Ares reigned in the steeds and turned them around to glide across the heavens in the direction which they had come. He should at least meet His grandson's father before Onya killed him. Besides, it could be rather interesting, at least He would be there for the child's conception. With any luck, afterward, he would be there when his daughter made her first kill and completed the process of rebirth.