“Still haven’t learned how to cook yet
Benton?” Julian asked with a grin, “no my lord, perhaps
you could show me a few things,” Benton answered. “He
could if he knew how to cook himself,” Marguerite said as she
stood next to Julian who grinned at her and the others chuckled as
well. “Hey, whose side are you on?” Julian asked and
Marguerite grinned at him. “Maybe we can take a cooking class
together my lord,” Benton said and Julian looked at him.
“Well that’s a good idea Benton,” Marguerite
said, “thank you my lady,” he said and everyone
chuckled as the atmosphere became even lighter. “What do you
say my lord?” Benton asked, “my schedule is kind of
cramped,” he said and everyone laughed at their King’s
obvious attempt to get out of that situation. Julian grinned as he
held his hand up once more for silence, “as I was saying
before Benton rudely interrupted me,” Julian said,
“I’m so sorry my lord,” Benton said in a fake
humble manner and they all chuckled once more.

 

 

Julian grinned and pointed at Benton who was
actually one of the noblemen he was friends with. “I know all
of you are wondering two things,” Marguerite said.
“One, why are you here?” She said, “and secondly,
who is this incredibly gorgeous woman sitting next to my
son,” Julian said and Xena grinned at Julian. “Well
those two questions have one answer,” Julian said then paused
for a dramatic effect. “Recently after the war with Paxos my
wife and I had a talk with our son, we wanted to know how this
change in him had occurred because as many of you know my son and I
always butted heads and Marguerite has recently reminded me that my
son is a lot like his father in many aspects.” Julian said as
he looked at Ulysses, “strong in body and mind,
stubborn…stubborn as a mule,” he said and some chuckled
at that. “Intelligent, inspiring, truthful, honorable,
kind,” Julian said, continuing to use adjectives to describe
his son that he was so proud of.

 

 

“And I think all here would agree with me
when I say he has a big heart,” he said and most smiled and
nodded because they all knew the kind man Ulysses was.
“Ulysses is most like me in the way that when he loves, he
loves hard and with all of his heart,” Julian said as he
looked at Marguerite and she grinned at him and they looked at
their son. “So after the war was over and he had recovered
from his wound, we went to him one night and we asked him what had
caused this change in him.” He said then looked at Xena,
“that’s when he first spoke of you,” he said.
“Xena is the woman who sits next to my son,” he said
for everyone to hear. “He said her name is Xena and
she’s from Amphipolis,” Julian said as he remembered
their conversation as if it had happened yesterday. “He spoke
nothing of you but great things,” Julian said as he looked at
Xena and she grinned at him. “He said dad, her name is Xena,
she’s from Amphipolis where her mother owns the Inn there and
her brothers work the fields.”