“storytext”> 

Aphrodite had
zapped Xena away into someplace she couldn’t identify. The
room was almost completely black and bare. All Xena knew for sure
was that she had been there before. She just couldn’t quite
remember…

In a blue flash
Cupid and Hercules appeared. Xena went straight to her friend.
“Hercules, I’m glad to see you.” Glad to know she
wasn’t stuck alone on one of Aphrodite’s whims was more
truthful.

“storytext”>“Xena?” He asked as his eyes adjusted to
the dark. “Do you have any idea
what’s-”

“Not a
clue,” she answered. Aphrodite and Cupid were whispering to
each other before Hercules coughed to get their attention. They
turned around.

“Hey,
sorry. Don’t mean to be nosy, but are you guys gonna tell us
where we are?”

“Herc,
cool it. We pulled a few strings to bring you guys here,”
Aphrodite was close to pouting.

“Yeah,
and we appreaciate it,” Xena was about to lose her patience.
“But what’s going on?”

“What you
guys want is really beyond our power,” Cupid
explained.

“storytext”>“What!” Xena nearly screamed but Hercules
caught her arm.

“Wait a
second. They have a plan.”

“Very
good, bro. Heph, Cupie, and I talked it over and we think
you’ve got a pretty good argument. But it’s still not
up to us. You’ll have to ask them.” Aphrodite pointed
to the end of the hall where there was a dim light. With a mutual
shrug to each other the two heroes headed down the hall cautiously.
As they approached they could make out the figures at the end.
There were three women who seemed to be…

“What is
that?” Xena asked. “Your eyes are better than
mine.”

“It looks
like… A spinning wheel?”

“Of
course!” Xena remembered. “The Fates!” She went
on more quickly.

“storytext”>“You’ve met?” Herc asked.

“Once or
twice.” They stopped when they reached the end, still keeping
a respectful distance from the three women.

“You know
why we’re here,” Hercules guessed.

“We
do,” the Crone answered.

“Can you
help us?” Xena asked.

“A mortal
may not relive twenty years that have already passed on his thread
of life,” said the Mother.

“The gods
have spoken on his behalf,” said the Maiden. “But in
order for the request to be granted, you will have to prove your
case.”

“You will
have to prove that were it not for outside interference they would
be together,” continued the Mother.

Xena and
Hercules exchanged glances. This wasn’t going to be easy. The
Crone spoke next. “They will be sent back to a different
plane. A time when they were together once
before.”

The Maiden
continued, “They will have a chance in the past without any
intervention from God or man.”

“If they
choose to ignore their feelings in the past they will forever lose
any chance they have in the present,” said the
Mother.

“storytext”>“What’s the catch?” Xena asked.
“We’re going with them, right?”

“You will
also be sent back in time,” said the Croan.

“storytext”>“But,” continued the Maiden, “you may
not encourage, discourage, or in any way affect their
decision.”

“What?
We’re they’re best friends, we’ll have to tell
them they have our blessing,” Hercules said.

“The
decision they make must be theirs alone,” said the
Mother.

“If
either of them promises themselves to someone else, it will
end,” continued the Croan.

“If
either of you interferes it will end” finished the
Maiden.