“None the less you should talk to him and
make sure he knows and understand and see how he feels about it,
the key to making a relationship, a marriage work and last is
communication.” Marguerite said and Xena nodded. When they
walked into the kitchen they immediately went right to work with
helping Cyrene continue preparing dinner. Night was beginning to
fall and the guys finally came in for the night once again covered
in dirt and sweat. “You guys have a good time?” Xena
asked as they all flopped down in chairs at the table, “damn
dirt doesn’t want to be dug,” Lyceus said while Ulysses
leaned his head forward and moaned as Xena massaged his shoulders.
“Go get cleaned up so you can eat,” Xena whispered in
Ulysses’ ear then placed a kiss on his cheek.
“I’m not hungry and even if I was, I’m too tired
to eat,” Ulysses said as he leaned his head back and looked
up at Xena who looked down at him.

 

 

“Still, you need to eat, so go get cleaned
up,” Xena said then leaned down and placed a kiss on his
forehead and Ulysses closed his eyes at her healing and loving
touch. “Come on,” Xena said as she took Ulysses’
hand and pulled him out of his chair and he let out an exhausted
breath as he stood. “Xena’s right sweetheart,”
Marguerite told Julian as she stood behind him caressing the sides
of his neck and he let out a breath as well as he stood.
“That goes for the rest of you also,” Cyrene told
Lyceus, Toris and Virgil. “Ah come on mom,” Toris
whined and she looked at him as she placed her hand on her waist,
“what did I just say Toris? You know better than to sit down
at my table dirty any way,” she fussed at her sons
considering Virgil to be like a son to her so they let out breaths
as they stood and went their own ways to get cleaned up.

 

 

When they were all cleaned up they came back to the
kitchen and sat right back down at the table where Xena, Marguerite
and Cyrene then proceeded to bring the food over and sit down
themselves to eat, Corrinna joining them as usual, Marguerite and
Julian had no idea of Cyrene and Corrinna’s relationship,
they just assumed she was a close friend. “I’m going to
bed,” Ulysses said fifteen minutes after he had finished
eating and Xena looked at him, “no dessert?” She asked
and he shook his head, “save some for me,” he said then
leaned over and kissed Xena softly before he stood and headed
downstairs to Xena’s room where he put on his pajama pants
then crawled into the bed on his side and as soon as his head hit
the pillow he was gone to sleep. The others followed suite as well
and the women were the only one’s who were up besides the
guards who kept an eye on things until the Inn closed and even then
at least half of the guards stood watch outside at night.