Disclaimer: I do not own the characters on Xena or Hercules. However, Mathis, Caltina, King Gavin and Samus are mine. I know where I am going with this story, just not sure who or what in involved in it. The disclaimer will get more detailed as I go along.

Summary: When the Sovereign with the help of Hope comes up with a plan to finally destroy Hercules, Xena pays the price. The end result is Hercules is on trial for the attempted murder and rape of Xena!

Author note: I have not written any fan fiction in a long time! This has been a story in my head that I have wanted to write for a while now. Please send me your reviews; it's the only way that I'll learn. I was recently asked if I was a shipper, I am. However, I am not going to disclose which type. I feel that by revealing that will give away the end of the story. I am a hopeless romantic, and two people will end up together by the completion of this. In this chapter I make a reference of how long ago Lycesus (Xena's younger brother) was killed twenty-three years ago. I am basing this on Xena being a warlord for twelve years, and she being on the side of good for ten. These are my numbers, there isn't really anything on the show to support or contradict this. I am just using this timeframe to benefit my story.

Reviews: Thank you to everyone for the reviews, it keeps me going! Please feedback is the motivation that I need! Please, keep it coming!

Poll: I'm letting you all decide what happens next. Click on my profile and vote on what you want to see happen in Chapter 7.

Refresher Course/Spoilers: Someone asked me who the Sovereign was, I'm sorry- I should have made a spoiler alert. I am going with both the Hercules and Xena story line. The Sovereign is Hercules' (how do I say this correctly? Help me if you know) 'parallel self' from an alternate world. If you need more information please read the synopsis for Hercules' episode "Stranger is a strange world", the Sovereign also made appearances in numerous other episodes.

"Hello."

"Ares, how did I know that you were somehow involved in this?" Hercules got up from the bed and walked over to the door.

"Oh, I'm not involved in this at all little brother. And I really don't think that you are either."

"So of all the people against me, I'm supposed to believe that you are the one person who isn't?"

Ares waved his hand and a chair appeared next to the cell. With a groan, he sat. "Now, we both know that's not true. There are a lot of people who believe you, I'm just the one that you thought wouldn't. You are also aware of the fact that if I ever for a moment though that you had anything to do with this, you wouldn't be alive."

Hercules couldn't believe what he was hearing, Ares believed him? This was not like his brother at all. "Point taken, but why?"

"I want the same things that you do."

"And what is that?"

Ares folded his arms. "Xena recovers, this bastard captured and skinned alive." He brought one hand to his chest and leaned in, "I personally would like her to lead my army, but hey, that one may just be me."

"Oh, ok, and you're here to what? Help me?" Hercules said sacristy.

"Believe it or not, yes. I think that this was not as much as an attack on Xena, but you. So, my next question to you would be – who did you piss off?"

"If I knew that, would I still be here? I would break out of here and find them. But because I don't have a clue, I'm here. I was hoping that when Xena woke up, she could shed some light on this."

"Yes and while you wait for that, I'm just going to go outside and offer the army my services building the gallows to hang you from. Come on man! Think! Who would go after Xena to send you a message?"

"Message, what message? Xena is hurt, I'm in jail. If there is something that I'm missing here, please let me know!"

"I don't know, but I'm going to see what I can find out. There has to be a clue out there somewhere. What do you know?"

With a sigh, Hercules explained what he knew, "From what Gabrielle briefly told me, someone who looked like me came to town about a week ago. He put on a pretty go show, Gabrielle thought it was me. This guy asked to speak with Xena, and the two of them went upstairs. The next morning they found her."

"But no one saw the attack on Xena?"

"I'm not totally clear on the details, Gabrielle really was not happy with me right now, and that's putting it nicely."

"How could someone have the skills and strength to do that to her? She's taken me on many times, and always put up a good fight. She must have believed that it was you."

The one thing that Hercules feared was just voiced by his brother, Xena thought it was him. If they all came out of this alright, how could they ever go back to what they had? "Why do you say that?"

"Well, when she sees me, she knows that a fight is coming. When she sees you, it's all butterflies and flowers. I would put my money on the fact that she when she saw you, sorry the guy how looked like you, she was taken by surprise. She let her guard down. By the time that she knew what was going on, it was too late. What gets me is the strength issue. Even catching her off guard, sure she would get injured, but the rape. I don't know how he did that? She would have put up a hell of a fight to prevent that one from happening. Anyway, I'm going to look around and see if I find anything else out. Bye bye."

"Ares, you're not giving Xena a lot of credit with that scenario of yours."

"Brother, we're in this situation now because Xena obviously gave you too much credit." With the remark, he was gone.

Tavern

"Cyrene, it's really nice you putting us up here with everything that's going on." Iolaus said helping Cyrene and Gabrielle bring the food out of the kitchen.

"Iolaus, I'm the only Inn in Amphipolis. Where else would you go? Plus, I believe the despite the crime, everyone deserves a fair trial. And their family should be there to support them. I've been told that Xena has been on trial a few times, if she would ever to bother sending me a message, I know that I would be there to support her. I would be there no matter what the charges were. I can't begrudge anyone that right to support their love ones. Gabrielle told me that you and Xena have a bit of a 'interesting" past, but now you two are friends. I wanted to thank you for that."

Iolaus smiled, "You're a good woman Cyrene. I hope Xena is thankful for a mother like you."

The food was placed at the table. Jason and Alcmene were talking, but stopped as soon as they saw everyone.

"Oh, Cyrene, you shouldn't have. With everything going on the last thing that you need to do is make dinner for a bunch of strangers." Alcmene said.

"With all of Gabrielle's stories, I feel that I know you all already. Really, it's no trouble at all. It's good for me. It takes my mind off of what is going on upstairs." Cyrene looked upstairs.

Alcmene saw the pain in Cyrene's eyes. It was a look that only another mother would understand. "It must be hard for you, how is she doing?"

Jason got up and offered Cyrene his seat. He took a chair from another table that was empty. Cyrene sat down, "Caltina, the healer, said that Xena is improving. She still can't stay awake for a long time, and her vocabulary is limited to 'thirsty' and 'tired'."

"How awful! I know you're probably hearing from everyone 'I know how you feel', and they really don't, but I'm telling you, I KNOW how you feel. When was the last time you ate or slept?"

Cyrene laughed, "Sleep? What's that? Caltina comes in a few times during the day, but she's also the midwife for the village. She delivered Xena you know, in fact, she delivered all three of my children. Anyone under the age of 40 in this village she delivered. She's very protective of the townspeople because of that. When Caltina is not here, Gabrielle stays with Xena during the day. I stay down here and serve the people, and then after I close up, I sit with her."

"You said that Caltina delivered all three of your children? Where are the other two? I don't mean to pry, but I would think if my sister was hurt that I would be there for her." Jason asked.

"You're not prying at all, I volunteered the information. In addition to Xena, I have two sons, Lycesus, and Toris. Lycesus was killed by the warlord Cortese about twenty-three years ago. Toris is in Athens visiting friends. I sent word to him. I haven't heard anything back from him. I don't know if he's coming or not."

"Cyrene, I'm sorry for your lost. No parent should ever bury their child. My son, Hercules, buried three. It's a horrible thing. If you would like me, I would be happy to help out with anything you need. Just like you, I'm worried about my child. I'm not going to sleep well until everything is settled; I could stay with Xena for a few hours so you can sleep." Alcmene offered.

"I know that you are going though your own dramas right now with your own child, I would hate to burden you."

"Oh, please don't give that a second thought. I saw how my son reacted when he heard what happened to your daughter, it broke his heart." Gabrielle couldn't take any more. Everyone at the table was totally ignoring the evidence that linked Hercules to the attack. Cyrene was the nicest person she knew, but she couldn't believe that Cyrene was being so willing to hear about how much Hercules cared for Xena after everything that had happened. It made her skin crawl. She got up and left the room.

Everyone saw Gabrielle leave, but thought that the best thing at the moment was to let her be. Alcmene continued, "That means to me that he really does care for her. I would like to help in any way that I can."

Cyrene had to think for a minute. This was the woman who was the mother of the man accused with the assault of her daughter. She really didn't know how to feel about it. Part of her head was screaming at her not to let Alcmene anywhere near her child. The other part, the rational part, told her that you can't define a person of the bases of what their child had done; she knew that more than anyone for her experience with Xena. Ignoring the facts of the situation, Cyrene just saw another worried mother, who needed to keep busy to get her mind off of what was going on."If you really mean that, I would appreciate it. Thank you."