TESSA

Iolaus waited till the sun came up before he began to move. He walked around the burned out village. He went through Ellia's house and found some old clothes that had belonged to Tessa. They smelled faintly of Tessa. He saw the cradles that Attie's followers had smashed and left behind. Iolaus knew that Attie's fate was not his to determine, but that did not lessen his hatred of her.

Hercules watched as Iolaus moved around the village. He got the fire going again and started to heat up left over dinner. Olivia was still sleeping in the darkened corner of the room. Hercules walked over to her and placed the flowers he had picked next too her. Olivia stirred and slowly woke, she looked at the fully dressed Herc and groaned.

"Does this mean, that yet once again I am a one night stand for you?" She asked, without a smile.

Hercules looked at her, smiled and lay back down on the bed, kissed her taking his time with the kiss. Both were a little breathless when he stopped. "No, it doesn't mean that at all, Olivia."

Iolaus walked in the room and saw the two of them in bed and cleared his throat. "I can come back later if you would like. You know, Hercules, you could leave some kind of warning signal or something so I don't keep walking in on you and your women." This was said with a poorly stifled giggle.

Hercules, sighed, but knew that if Iolaus was able to joke he was coming back. Olivia had been right. Hercules also really wanted Iolaus to go away for a while but didn't want to cause his friend any further pain, but the problem was solved rather nicely when Iolaus informed him that he was going out to the fields for a while to look for some special herbs.

"Special herbs?" Hercules puzzled, "what is he talking about?"

Olivia just laughed and pulled the somewhat dim demi-god into bed and playfully removed his shirt. "It means that he thinks you need to 'properly' wake me up, since he could see that you really wanted him to go away and he knows you better than you do at times, I think. Well, look here, you seem to have lost all your clothes. One more thing......what was that comment Iolaus made about you needing a sign so he stops walking in on you and your women????? Just how many times does that happen?"

Hercules answered Olivia's question with a long deep kiss, soon she had forgotten everything but the taste of him. Herc slipped between the rough sheets and with his hands moved down her body, gently teasing, playing, massaging all the while kissing her deeply. His hands reached her thighs and spread them open with his right hand Herc began a slow exploration of the delicate flower of her womanhood. Olivia was nearly crazed with wants and desire, but Hercules wasn't ready to give in to her, not just yet. Olivia reached down and found the growing manhood belonging to Herc and started teasing it with her fingers rolling the foreskin back and forth slowly, gently till Herc was unable to control a groan. He moved his body to cover hers and with a need that was unspeakable entered her. Together they rode the waves of pleasure and ecstasy. They lay together on the disheveled bed.

"Well, Good morning to you, Olivia," Herc said with a grin.

"And good morning to you, Hercules," Olivia answered. "Now which one of us is going to rescue the meal that is burning on the fire?"

"What?"

Olivia, laughed and climbed over Hercules, gave him a kiss on the nose and then one on the lips, a kiss that he would remember, picked up her clothing and dressed quickly, she then went to the fire and removed the well-cooked gruel. She gathered some bowls and looked back at Hercules who was still lounging in bed. "Hey, we have things to do today, please get yourself out of bed. Here eat, I'm going to go clean up and then I will be back to eat." Olivia left the building.

Hercules smiled to himself and crawled out of bed. He hadn't felt this happy in a long time. He was just finishing tying his boots when Iolaus walked in the room. Hercules blushed as Iolaus walked to the table.

"Is it ok if I have something to eat? I saw Olivia walking to the well and gathering some water so I figured that it was ok to come in again." Iolaus knew that Hercules was embarrassed by his night of passion, Iolaus couldn't understand why Hercules always denied his desires. Iolaus had loved Anya and now he deeply loved Tessa, but in between those women he had not spent many nights alone if he hadn't wanted to.

"Ah, yes, sure," Hercules stammered. "Is it still edible? Oh wait, you are eating it and that still won't answer the question of if it is edible or not. After all you eat just about anything."

Iolaus laughed, "Yes, it is still edible and yes, it is even edible even for the "great" Hercules. Now, I'm wondering why Olivia didn't cook this good for me when I was here."

"Because," Olivia entered into the room, " you were a prisoner and not a friend. I didn't need to keep you alive for long."

"Oh great, well thanks for keeping me alive now. I went to Ellia's house and found some of Tessa's clothing. Also the smashed cradles. Can you tell me my children's names?" Iolaus asked.

"No, I'm afraid, not. I was not allowed to be near Tessa. Attie made sure that someone was with me at all times. But I can tell you that your son was a big healthy boy the last time I saw him and your daughter, just 1 week younger had the prettiest blue eyes I have ever seen. And looking into your eyes I can see where she got them."

Iolaus smiled as she said the kind words about his new family. He still was having a hard time accepting the fact that he was a father again. "Olivia, what will I have to do to help you find my children?"

"Iolaus, it will be difficult and you must know that we may not be able to find them, but I will promise you that I will do all I can to help you. First I think you need to eat a good meal and then we can gather up what we will need for the journey ahead of us."

Hercules cleared his throat. Olivia and Iolaus looked at him expectantly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, I was just interested to see if Iolaus had LEFT any food for me this morning?"

Bread was thrown in his direction by both Olivia and Iolaus. "Great, a meal to go." Hercules muttered to himself.

"Iolaus, I am going to make a tea for you to drink, it will taste bitter and you will feel strangely, almost like you have had too much ale to drink. Don't fight the feeling, I will then take your hands and sit with you on the floor. I will need you to look into my eyes and think of Tessa and only Tessa. Think of the first time you saw her, the first time you kissed her, anything, keep thinking of Tessa." Olivia was mixing a foul smelling brew as she spoke.

"But just how does this work?" Iolaus puzzled.

"I don't know," Hercules answered, "but I have seen her do this before and it does work."

"Ok then, if you say this will work, then I will try it."

"We will start tonight, it may take several attempts before you are able to come up with the information that we need." Olivia warned.

Iolaus spent the day wandering around the village remembering the brave young women who risked their lives for him and Marxus the man he had come to love as a father. The cow he had shared a barn with was roaming free, that worried Iolaus he wondered why Tessa hadn't taken her along. Questions, that was what he had questions.

Hercules ate his breakfast and then headed to the spring to clean up. He was caught somewhat unaware when Olivia joined him in the water. She wore only her bright smile.

"Iolaus." Hercules muttered through kisses.

"He is busy and so are you, don't worry about your friend, he has more sense than you do!" Olivia chastised the big guy. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself up his body, her breasts slid along the rough chest hairs and the nipples hardened to a wonderful sensitive state. Movement in the water was easier for some of her plans and tougher for others.

"What did you have in mind?" Hercules asked as he removed Olivia's arms from his neck and swam off to what he considered a safe distance. A deep-throated chuckle was all he got in response. Hercules raised his arms up and sank below the surface of the water, with a great kick he swam underwater to where Olivia was standing. He came up underneath her and carried her a ways down stream. He had the same thoughts and plans. He had forgotten how much fun pleasuring a woman was, and how wonderful it felt to have a woman pleasure him.

The sun was dropping lower in the sky when they walked back into camp. Iolaus had a couple of rabbits on an open spit cooking, along with some bread and a bowl of fresh berries was on the table. Iolaus was working on fixing his bowstring when the duo walked up to him. "Hi, been busy?" he said with a smirk.

"I see you have been doing something useful," Olivia said. Hercules refused to meet Iolaus' eyes and Iolaus just smiled at him.

"Hercules, please just get over this, I am a grown man. You really do not have to hide your obvious enjoyment of a woman who took such great pleasure in torturing me. But it does make me feel better." Iolaus chided Hercules.

Olivia not wanting to let this pass added, "Don't forget I tried to kill you yesterday too."

"Yeah, right, she also tried to kill me. But hey if you want to spend you days with that sort of woman then it is none of my business." Iolaus was not able to get the last line out before he erupted into a fit of giggles. After all the lectures he had heard from Hercules about the women he consorted with it was fun to kid Hercules this time. Iolaus was also becoming fond of Olivia, she didn't have a choice before and when given the choice she chose to help him get Tessa back. Olivia could have killed him before Hercules reached her; Iolaus knew this deep in his heart.

The threesome sat down to a wonderful dinner, joking around and having fun. Iolaus was feeling good, he knew that he would be seeing Tessa again and soon they would become a family. Hercules watched his friend and hoped that Olivia would be able to help them find the missing group. Without her special gift, it would take a long time if ever to find the band. Amazons have the ability to be around without ever being seen.

"Are you ready, Iolaus? The brew is ready." Olivia poured it into a cup and offered it to Iolaus.

"Yes, I guess so," Iolaus answered nervously. He took a big swallow and made a face. "This stuff tastes horrible! How much do I need to drink?"

"All of that cup and maybe more. It depends on how close your bond with Tessa is," Olivia answered.

Iolaus bravely downed the rest of the cup. Olivia and Hercules sat and stared at him. "Okay, now what? Could you please not stare at me? Whoa, wow, this is great, Herc how did you get the rock to spin. Look at those colors. Oh, wow, this is really neat."

"I think he is ready Olivia, what about you?" Hercules asked.

Olivia took the now babbling Iolaus by the hand and lead him closer to the fire. Iolaus wanted to dance and started singing and trying to convince Olivia to join in. "Is he always this much fun when he has too much to drink?"

"Iolaus may do some things to excess but drinking is not one of them. But he loves a party and dancing." Hercules said with a smile.

"Iolaus, I want you to sit down, here and look at me." Olivia used her sternest voice. Iolaus paid attention and sat down where she wanted him. "Iolaus, listen to my voice, stare at the fire, think only of Tessa, Tessa, Tessa." Iolaus stared at the fire and began to think of Tessa.

Soon tears were falling down his checks, all he could remember was the look of horror on her face as he called her "a nice piece of ass." "Good Iolaus, now think back, go back to just before remember her kiss." Those were the last words Iolaus heard that night from Olivia.

Iolaus stared into the fire and there, right before his eyes appeared Tessa and Marxus! They were in a small lean too; it needed work, in a large basket against the one wall were his children. Iolaus could hear them talking.

"Tessa, we will need to move on. We can't ask the others to stay here, winter is coming and we won't survive here. We need to have decent shelters. I am only one man and I can only do so much."

"I know father, but where will we go? We have been through Zitsa and they didn't want us. They couldn't accept our life style. We have to remain here in the forests." Tessa answered her father. "Iolaus?"

"What?" Marxus asked.

"Nothing, this is silly but I just felt Iolaus. It was like he was here." Tessa said.

"Tessa, Attie left behind someone at the camp to kill Iolaus if he was to ever return." Marxus said sadly.

"NO! She wouldn't do that." But Tessa knew that Attie would not only do that but also make sure that Tessa would open a package one-day containing Iolaus' head. "Father, it is happening again. I know that Iolaus is here." Tessa ran to the cloth-draped doorway and looked outside for Iolaus. "Iolaus, come on in, it is safe, your children await you."

Marxus watched in wonder as his daughter ran through the camp. He knew she was acting crazy. The pressures of leadership were beginning to wear on her. Annaliss stirred in the basket soon it would be feeding time and both children would be up. "Tessa, please come back, Annaliss is ready for dinner." Marxus called out to his now frantic daughter.

"But father, I can feel Iolaus, really I know he is here. I just can't find him." Tessa was beside herself with fear that something had happened to Iolaus and he was now with her as a ghost.

Marxus gave Tessa a hug and said, "Go inside and take care of feeding the children. I will get more wood and make sure everyone is ok." Tessa shrugged and went inside.

Iolaus sitting by the fire watched as Tessa first picked up Annaliss and fed her, then his son, Agieos. He could hear everything she said and could see everything she did, but he could not speak with her, it was unnerving to be there but not be there. When he really concentrated his thoughts he noticed that Tessa would look for him or call to him. So Iolaus began thinking about Tessa and his love for her. But the pictures began to fade, and then they were gone. Iolaus slumped and Olivia caught him before he fell into the fire.

"Hercules carry Iolaus into the hut and cover him, he will sleep for the rest of the night." Olivia said.

"Did he learn what he needed? It just looked like he was staring into the fire." Hercules asked.

"I think he found Tessa, but I'm not sure if they were able to connect. I can't tell him what to do he has to figure it out. I wish I could help him more but all I can do is be here to help when he asks if he asks the correct questions then I will be able to give him the help he needs. It is up to Iolaus now." Olivia explained to Hercules.

"So what do we do now?" Hercules asked after he covered his friend.

"Do you really need to ask?" Olivia slyly spoke as she slipped off the garment off her shoulders holding the vestment in place while backing towards the bed.

Hercules answered with a smile and walked towards her. "Yes I'm afraid you do need to tell me just what it is you want done."

"Decisions, decisions," the amazon muttered as Hercules answered all her deepest desires that night.

Marxus waited till Tessa drifted off to sleep, before he ventured out of the lean to. He went to the fire of one of the few older amazons that had joined the group. "Urna, I have a question, do you thing you can help me?"

"Marxus it is good to see you, I will try what is it that is troubling you?" Urna asked. She was older than Marxus, graying hair and had grandchildren the age of Tessa, but she respected Tessa for what she had done and believed the young woman would and could save this band of young amazons.

"Tonight, Tessa said she felt Iolaus in the room with her. She said she knew he was here. How can that be? Does that mean that Attie was successful in killing him?" Marxus asked with great dread for he too thought that Iolaus was returning as a ghost.

"I wonder." Urna said thoughtfully. "Olivia was one of Attie's favorite amazons. Which was strange considering that Ellia killed Olivia's mother to claim the leadership. Of course Olivia doesn't know that the battle was rigged so that her mother would die. She thought it was just a tragedy, these things happen. But I believe that Attie would leave Olivia behind to kill Iolaus. Olivia had a gift. And if Iolaus could convince her that his cause was true, she might be willing to help him. You will have to decide what you want to do Marxus. Tessa could make contact with Iolaus. Do you want him back in your life? Do you want him in Tessa's life? Think about this tonight and then come to me before dusk and I will tell you what to do, because I am certain that Iolaus will try again to make contact with Tessa after dark tomorrow night."

Marxus left feeling very confused. He loved Iolaus, but did he want him back in Tessa's life? It would mean changes, Tessa had tried living in a city it hadn't worked, people were not fond of her outspoken manner. But on the other hand he hadn't seen his children grow up and that was a pain that ate away at him each time the babies did something new. Something that Iolaus was missing. Marxus did not sleep well that night. When the dawn broke he had come to the conclusion that it was Tessa's life and her choice. He would go back to Urna and ask for help.

Iolaus woke that same morning feeling groggy, but happy. Iolaus thought that it was Tessa cooking breakfast for him. He bounded out of bed with energy he hadn't felt in months, only to see Olivia cooking the fresh fish that Hercules had caught. The disappointment was devastating, Iolaus slumped against the wall of the building.

"Well, look who finally got up!" Hercules called out, not noticing how upset his friend was.

"Tessa, where is Tessa?" Iolaus asked Olivia, with tears filling his eyes again.

"I don't know Iolaus, only Tessa knows and she will tell you if she can. We will try again, tonight, I thought you saw her. The look in your eyes and the feelings that I got from your body told me that you were making connections. Remember Iolaus that I said that this could take time and there was no guarantee that it would work." Olivia tenderly moved a stray hair out of Iolaus' face as she spoke with him.

Hercules walked over to them with a concerned look on his face. Iolaus just waved him off and headed out to the spring. "Will he be ok?" Herc asked. "Yes, he made a strong contact with Tessa last night. That is very good. We will be leaving tomorrow when he wakes, I am sure that Tessa will give some clue tonight as to where she is and we can head in that general direction. Iolaus will be asking for the brew nightly; his love for her is so strong. It will be his only connection to her." Olivia said with a sigh.

"I know how he feels," Herc muttered as he nibbled on Olivia's neck. "I would be lost if something were to happen to you."

Olivia turned and the two embraced in a deeply passionate and sensual embrace. This time the free roaming cow walked in on them not Iolaus. Herc took the cow out to the field and saw Iolaus walking back to them with a spring that had been missing for too long in his friend's step.

"Hey, Olivia is breakfast ready? Boy am I hungry." Iolaus called out to Olivia.

The day passed with amazing quickness and Iolaus threw another log on the fire as the brew was readied. Again it took a lot out of him to drink the whole cup full.

Marxus was waiting till dark, he had spoken with Urna and she told him that he couldn't interfere with the two young people but he could tell Tessa that if she felt Iolaus she should not be frightened and to try to speak with him. Marxus felt foolish telling Tessa this but shortly afterwards Tessa began talking to Iolaus. She showed him the children, the camp, she went to her partitioned off part of the lean too and was in deep conversation with Iolaus. Marxus was frightened; he didn't know what to make of this. He was worried that the Gods might become angry. But later that night when Tessa had stopped making noise, he went into her room and saw a peace on her face he hadn't seen in months. Since Iolaus left. He knew then that he had done the right thing. Whatever happened now would be up to Tessa and Iolaus.

The next morning at daybreak Iolaus bounded into the room where Hercules and Olivia were sleeping. "Come on, it's time to get moving. I know where we have to go. My daughter is beautiful her name is Annaliss and my son is huge, his name is Agieos. We have to go now and help them. They are in dire straits, winter is coming and they need decent housing. Come on!! What are you waiting for? Lets go." Iolaus rushed out of the room gathering the packaged foodstuffs that Olivia had readied for travel.

"Well, is he always so, er , bouncy, in the mornings?" Olivia grumbled, "I should have killed him when I had the chance." Herc laughed and leaned over to kiss her on the nose but she would have none of that. "Your friend can wait, I want a decent good morning from you."

Iolaus came running back into the room. "Come on! We have to move. Herc get out of bed." And with that Iolaus ran back out of the room, all the while gathering materials that would be needed for the trip.

"Well, good morning to you Iolaus," a grumpy Olivia said. But she understood his need for action and was dressed and ready to go before the dew dried from the leaves.

"Ok, which way do we go?" Hercules asked.

"North," was the reply.

The threesome headed off in a northerly direction for the rest of the day. The forest was very thick and difficult to travel through vines grabbing at their feet. Iolaus marveled that Tessa could manage to get through it while carrying infants. It was a long hard days walk and as night fell, Herc began looking for a place to make camp.

"We have to keep going, we can't stop." Iolaus told them.

"Iolaus, sit look into the fire. I will make more brew and you can talk to Tessa again and see if you can get some clearer directions." Olivia was tired and wanted to rest. She knew it wasn't fair to use Tessa this way, but if it meant she and Hercules could have another night alone she was all for it.

"I can have some brew? It would be great to see Tessa again. Okay, I will stop." Iolaus settled down a bit. He opened a bag of food that he had brought and began peeling away at the hardened food. As soon as the brew was offered he drank away and spent the rest of the evening with Tessa.

Olivia and Hercules spent the rest of the evening together, after first clearing a space for them and making a leaf mattress. "It looks like it could get cold." Hercules said to Olivia as he delicately removed her breastplate.

"Well then you will have to think of something to keep me warm," Olivia muttered. Hercules did, and they both stayed warm till sunrise, when Iolaus woke them again.

"Does he ever sleep past sunrise?" Olivia questioned.

"Maybe we could put something in his brew tonight," Hercules said with a laugh, as he got up and dressed. Olivia dressed and the threesome ate breakfast in a peaceful quiet.

"Iolaus, what did Tessa, tell you last night? Do you have a clearer picture of where they are?" Hercules asked.

"Yes, we really aren't all that far from them, only another days walk or so." Iolaus answered. He was stamping out the fire and making sure the camp was ready to leave.

"I guess it is time to go," Olivia said as she watched Iolaus bound down a non-existent trail. Hercules just sighed and started after them. The day continued and as the sun set a chill was beginning to take over; winter was making itself known.

Off in the distance through the trees could be scene some lights. If you weren't looking for them you would never see them. Iolaus headed straight for the lights. Once clear of the thick forest undergrowth he broke into a run dropping packages. Running from the village was a beautiful young woman, she met Iolaus and they hugged and kissed. The sight brought tears to the eyes of both Hercules and Olivia.

"So what comes next?" Olivia asked.

"We pick up the packages he dropped and follow Iolaus into camp, I guess." Hercules said.