Fic: Chain of events 4/6 - Hercules:The legendary journeys
Title - Chain of events 04 - Iolaus unchained
Fandom: Hercules: The legendary journeys
Author: Ceindreadh
Genre: Drama, Hurt/comfort
Characters/Pairing: Hercules/Iolaus
Rating: M
Summary: Iolaus tries to rescue some captives but ends up joining their number
Notes: Set post season 6 HTLJ, but ignoring anything that may have happened in subsequent Xena episodes. Many thanks to Tina for all her help with this story.
Word count: ~ 2,900 /23,000
Chain of Events 01
Chain of Events 02
Chain of Events 03
Warnings: Threat of non-con, which may or may not be carried out
Disclaimer. I don’t own the characters, I’m only borrowing them, no copyright infringement is intended.
------------------------------
There was a sound of movement outside the tent, which soon died away. Hercules could feel some of the tension leave Iolaus’s body, “Herc…Hercules? Is it really you?”
“Shh,” said Hercules, lips pressed close to Iolaus’s ear, just in case there were a few stragglers. “Yes, it’s me…and everything’s going to be okay.”
--------------------------
[Chapter 4]
Iolaus could still barely believe it as he replayed the last few hours in his mind. It had been so real, Kester had been so convincing. “Not Kester,” Iolaus told himself, “Hercules.” It didn’t make him feel any better as his hands clenched involuntarily into fists.
Hercules could feel Iolaus’s body shaking beneath him. “Iolaus?” He put a hand on Iolaus’s shoulder, “What’s wrong?” he asked softly.
“Hercules…” Iolaus could barely get the words out. “Five minutes ago…I thought you were going to…I thought I was going to be…” Iolaus closed his eyes and swallowed hard, trying to push away the memories, feeling as sick to the stomach as he had when Kester had been handing over the fifty denarii.
“I’m sorry,” said Hercules, “I wish there’d been another way.”
“I know, I know,” said Iolaus. “I just…I need to…can you get off me, please?” There was a note of barely restrained panic in his voice.
Hercules let go of Iolaus’s wrists and rolled onto his side beside him, carefully positioning himself so that his body was between Iolaus and that of the tent entrance, but not actually touching him. Reaching out, he dragged a blanket over the two of them.
Iolaus let out a long shaky breath as he felt the weight lift off his body. Rolling onto his side, facing away from Hercules, he pulled his arms down and his knees up and tried to get his breathing and heart rate under control. It wasn’t helped by the fact that every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Kester standing over him, and every breath he took, brought with it the scent of skins that Kester had worn. The touch of a hand on his shoulder startled him and he had to bite down on the cry of fear that threatened to escape him.
“I’m sorry,” said Hercules again, wishing that there was something he could do to help. But he knew Iolaus, and he knew that this was something his partner had to work through himself. All Hercules could do was be there when he was needed. Hercules squeezed Iolaus’s shoulder gently and was about to remove his hand when Iolaus reached up and pulled it to his chest, clasping it in both hands as if it was a lifeline. And perhaps for him it was.
Iolaus closed his eyes as he traced the contours of Hercules’s hand, a hand that he knew as well as his own. “This is Hercules,” he repeated to himself over and over. “I’m safe…” Although he mentally corrected that to ‘safer’, because being trapped in a tent in the middle of a camp of bandits who were well armed and not very happy with him, wasn’t really all that safe. “But I’m better off than I was a few hours ago…and with Hercules at my back…” Iolaus let out a deep breath, somewhat relieved at how steady it felt compared to a few minutes earlier. He knew that this wasn’t over; he knew that he was going to have to deal with it at some point. Right now however, Iolaus knew that he needed to focus on the situation at hand. When he heard Hercules speak again a few minutes later, it didn’t make him jump.
“Iolaus,” said Hercules, “I know this hasn’t been easy for you.” He smiled as he heard a snort of disbelief from his partner. “And in any other circumstances, well, almost any other circumstances, believe me, I’d let you take as much time as you needed to deal with it. But we’re not safe yet.” Hercules almost sighed with relief as Iolaus shifted position, edging backwards until his back was pressed against Hercules’s chest, and Hercules’s arm was pulled close around him. “We need to talk.”
“I’m listening,” said Iolaus. “But how did you even know I was in trouble? How did you find me?”
“I always know when you’re trouble,” said Hercules, “Pretty much any time you’re out of my sight!” A slap to the back of Hercules’s hand was Iolaus’s response. “As for how I found you….” Hercules quickly filled Iolaus in on what had happened over the past few weeks.
“So,” said Iolaus finally. “Now what?”
“Now we wait until Belchor’s men have finished that wine I gave them,” said Hercules. “You see there’s a little extra ingredient in it…something that Asclepius taught me. Iphicles’s men will have moved into position under cover of darkness. They’ll launch the raid once I signal them. Anybody who drank the wine will be dead to the world by then so there shouldn’t be too much resistance.”
“But what about you?” asked Iolaus. “You drank it too...didn’t you?” Iolaus hadn’t exactly been paying too much attention to the proceedings, but he was sure that he’d seen Kes…Hercules drink a toast earlier that evening.
“Only a sip,” said Hercules, “One advantage of this beard.” He let his chin rest against Iolaus’s shoulder. “I could have spilled the whole amphora into it and nobody would have realized.” He could feel Iolaus’s body start to shake. “Iolaus? What’s wrong?” Hercules started to pull away, but Iolaus kept a firm grip on his arm.
“Nothing…nothing’s wrong,” said Iolaus. “It’s just that damn beard is tickling me!”
Hercules couldn’t stop himself from laughing as he moved, just enough to stop the beard making contact with Iolaus’s skin. “Come on,” he said, sitting up. “We’ve got at least another hour to wait, to make sure the wine takes effect. Let’s get you something to eat; I can’t imagine Belchor’s catering was all that good when he didn’t have ‘special’ guests to impress!”
“You’re telling me!” said Iolaus, reluctantly letting go of Hercules’s arm. He stretched out like a cat, only pausing when the chains on his wrists restricted his movements.
“Here, let me,” said Hercules, reaching for the chain.
“If you have a knife,” said Iolaus as he sat up, “I can do it myself…I’ve had plenty of practice.”
“Something you want to tell me?” asked Hercules as he retrieved a knife from Kester’s clothing.
“Let’s just say, I wasn’t exactly a model prisoner,” said Iolaus, a smug look on his face as he took the knife. “I believe you promised me food?” he added as he started to work on the lock.
Hercules smiled as he pulled his pants on, then wrinkled his nose as the scent of them hit his nostrils. “Thank you Aphrodite,” he said to himself. “I’m going to need a long bath when all this is over.”
It took him a few minutes to retrieve the store of fruit and dried meat that he’d brought for the journey, and to bring them back to Iolaus who by then had removed the wrist shackles and was working on his collar. On the way, he carefully checked the perimeter of the tent, but was unable to see or hear anybody trying to spy on them.
“Dammit!” swore Iolaus as Hercules sat down beside him. He threw the knife on the blanket in frustration.
“What’s wrong?” asked Hercules.
“I can’t see what I’m doing,” said Iolaus. “I can’t pick the lock on this.” He tugged angrily at the heavy collar around his neck.
Hercules put down the plate of food and took a look at the collar. “I could break it…but I’d be afraid of hurting you.” More than I already have, he added silently. “Why not wait until we’ve taken the camp? Belchor will surely have the key with him.”
“NO!” said Iolaus loudly, too loudly for both his and Hercules’s liking, and he quickly closed his mouth, holding his breath in case he’d been overheard. When there was no sound from outside, he continued, “No,” he said in a quieter voice. “I want it off…I *need* it off of me now. Besides…if there’s fighting, it’ll only get in the way, slow me down.”
“Okay,” said Hercules, “Let me try it.”
Iolaus closed his eyes as Hercules placed his hands on the collar. His hands clenched into fists around the blanket wrapped around him as he felt Kester’s fingers slip inside the collar, pressing against his neck as they settled their grip. The pressure increased, there was a sudden snap, and Iolaus could feel the pieces of the collar falling away. He opened his eyes to see Hercules looking at him with a concerned expression on his face.
“Are you okay?” asked Hercules. The look on Iolaus’s face while he’d manipulated the collar worried Hercules. That, and his vehement reaction to Hercules’s suggestion about leaving it in place. Hercules had seen Iolaus fight when burdened with ropes or chains and even a broken arm, and he knew that the collar, heavy though it was, would scarcely have impeded him.
“I’m fine,” said Iolaus, flexing his neck. “Oh it feels good to get rid of that thing.” He touched his neck and grimaced as he felt a tender spot.
“Eat up then,” said Hercules, “I’ve got some salve I can put on that.”
“Thanks,” said Iolaus, taking a bite out of an apple. “Mmm,” he said with his mouth full. “This is sooo good!”
Hercules let Iolaus eat his fill before administering the first aid. He was relieved to find that Iolaus had only superficial damage, mainly bruises plus some scrapes from the shackles and the collar he’d been forced to wear which Hercules quickly cleaned and applied a healing salve to. The worst injury that Iolaus was sporting was that to his lip and Hercules felt a wave of guilt come over him as he watched Iolaus dab at it carefully with a damp cloth.
“So what’s Belchor’s security like?” asked Hercules, in an effort to distract himself.
“A lot tighter since I got here,” said Iolaus. He had a grin on his face as he looked up at Hercules, “I may have inadvertently shown them a few holes in their security regimen.” He quickly explained to Hercules about his earlier efforts at sabotage. “Of course once Belchor caught me, that was the end of all that,” he added.
“So he chained you up to keep you on your best behavior?”
“That…plus he threatened to harm some of the other prisoners…the less ‘valuable’ ones if I caused any trouble.”
“I’m sure he won’t cause you any trouble” Belchor’s words echoed in Hercules’s mind. “That’s what Belchor meant?” he said. “That’s why you weren’t fighting Kester? At least until I pushed you too far…dammit Iolaus, I’m sorry …”
“Hercules, it’s okay,” said Iolaus. “You weren’t to know. Anyway,” he added, in an effort to change the subject, “When do we put the rest of your plan in action? I fancy dealing with a bit of ‘resistance’!”
“As soon as the camp has settled down for the night,” said Hercules. “Anybody who drank the wine won’t wake before morning.”
“Wait, what about the guards watching the prisoners? They weren’t at the feast so they won’t have drunk anything. There’s usually about five or six.”
Hercules thought about that for a few seconds. Five or six guards wasn’t a problem, but if they were guarding the prisoners when Iphicles’s men attacked, then there was a serious danger of innocent people being hurt in the confusion. “Maybe the guards will accept a drink if Kester offers it,” he said with a smile. “I think it’s time he decided to survey some of his new acquisitions!”
“What are we waiting for?” said Iolaus, scrambling to his feet.
“WE aren’t waiting for anything,” said Hercules, standing up as well. “I’ll handle the guards, you wait here.”
“What? You don’t think you’re leaving me behind!” said Iolaus indignantly.
“There are two good reasons why you need to stay here,” said Hercules. “Firstly, if I go alone…if Kester shows up to ‘examine’ his acquisitions, the guards aren’t going to be too suspicious. But if you’re there as well, they might start to wonder why.”
Iolaus had to admit that Hercules had a point about that. “And the second reason?”
“Well you’re not exactly dressed for the occasion.”
“Oh yeah, and whose fault is *that*! I don’t suppose you brought a change of clothing with you.”
“Nothing in your size buddy,” said Hercules, “But Eldred left his cloak here; that should at least keep you warm until I get back.”
Iolaus reluctantly conceded that Hercules was right to go alone. “Be careful,” he said, hugging Hercules tightly before he left. “Ugh,” he added, wrinkling his nose in mock distaste. “The sooner you can ditch those clothes the better!”
“Hey, you’re not exactly smelling of roses yourself!”
“Yeah, but at least I’ve had a bath this week!” A kiss from Hercules shut Iolaus up briefly.
“I’ll be back before you know it,” said Hercules. He wished he didn’t have to leave Iolaus behind, but knew it was the best option.
“Just come back in one piece.”
---------------------------------
As Hercules had hoped, Belchor’s guards were indeed most appreciative of the amphora of wine that Kester offered them “To celebrate a most profitable encounter,” he had told them. “It would be a shame if anybody was forced to miss out!” He’d carefully increased the amount of the sleeping potion in the wine so that it would take effect more quickly, and before he’d finished making his rounds of the guards, the first few were already swaying on their feet. The last guard had proven more suspicious than his comrades, but Hercules had easily disarmed him before forcing some of the wine down his throat and holding his mouth closed until he succumbed.
Wiping his hands on his pants, Hercules quickly made his way to the nearest of the sleeping prisoners. Crouching down beside her, he was about to stretch out his hand to shake her awake when she suddenly rolled away from him and scrambled to her feet holding a stick. “Don’t you dare touch me!” she hissed, waving the stick at him. “I won’t let you touch me!”
“Whoa, it’s okay,” said Hercules, “I’m not going to hurt you.” He could see some of the other prisoners start to stir and knew he had to act quickly just in case any of them raised an alarm. “I’m here to help you.”
“Why should I believe you? I saw you earlier, with Belchor…I heard what you did to Iolaus, we all heard!”
“Iolaus is fine,” said Hercules, “He’s my best friend, and I came here to find him, and to free all of you.”
More of the prisoners were starting to wake and one of them moved up to stand behind the woman with the stick. “Keti, what’s happening?” he asked.
“You’re Keti?” said Hercules, “Iolaus told me about you, he said that you helped him when he was sneaking out to sabotage Belchor’s travel plans.” He could see that Keti was struggling to believe him, “Keti, I’m going to get you and your friends out of here, but I need you to do what I say.”
It took a bit of convincing, and not all of the prisoners were happy with Hercules’s plan for them to simply walk away from the camp and the sleeping guards. It had seemed like the best way to ensure that they were safe from any fighting, but not everyone had agreed. “Belchor will send his men after us before we get more than a mile,” argued one. “We could end up lost in the woods and starve,” said another. “Better off here, at least he feeds us.” “If you can call it food.”
“Iphicles of Corinth has sent a dozen men to help me take down Belchor,” said Hercules, “All you have to do is keep going on the heading I give you and you’ll walk right into their camp. And if you can’t make it that far, just wait in the woods and I promise that I’ll find you when the fighting is over.”
Eventually, and with Keti’s help, Hercules had all the prisoners freed from their chains and convinced to move. “Stay as quiet as you can until you’re out of earshot,” he warned them as he started them in the right direction.
“I wish you were coming with us to lead us,” said Keti, still clutching her stick.
“You’ll be fine,” said Hercules, “I need to get back to Iolaus and make sure nobody from the camp is able to follow you.”
“Iolaus is lucky to have a friend like you.”
“I’m the lucky one,” said Hercules. He waited until the last of the group was out of earshot and then made his way back to the main camp. As he had hoped, there were no signs of movement, and he reached his tent without incident.
Ducking inside, Hercules called to Iolaus, “Hope you found something to wear buddy, I think it’s time we got moving.” He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Belchor standing in the centre of the tent, holding a knife to the throat of Iolaus who was on his knees in front of him.
“No, I don’t think you’ll be going anywhere,” said Belchor.
------------------------
to be continued
Chain of Events 05
Fandom: Hercules: The legendary journeys
Author: Ceindreadh
Genre: Drama, Hurt/comfort
Characters/Pairing: Hercules/Iolaus
Rating: M
Summary: Iolaus tries to rescue some captives but ends up joining their number
Notes: Set post season 6 HTLJ, but ignoring anything that may have happened in subsequent Xena episodes. Many thanks to Tina for all her help with this story.
Word count: ~ 2,900 /23,000
Chain of Events 01
Chain of Events 02
Chain of Events 03
Warnings: Threat of non-con, which may or may not be carried out
Disclaimer. I don’t own the characters, I’m only borrowing them, no copyright infringement is intended.
------------------------------
There was a sound of movement outside the tent, which soon died away. Hercules could feel some of the tension leave Iolaus’s body, “Herc…Hercules? Is it really you?”
“Shh,” said Hercules, lips pressed close to Iolaus’s ear, just in case there were a few stragglers. “Yes, it’s me…and everything’s going to be okay.”
--------------------------
[Chapter 4]
Iolaus could still barely believe it as he replayed the last few hours in his mind. It had been so real, Kester had been so convincing. “Not Kester,” Iolaus told himself, “Hercules.” It didn’t make him feel any better as his hands clenched involuntarily into fists.
Hercules could feel Iolaus’s body shaking beneath him. “Iolaus?” He put a hand on Iolaus’s shoulder, “What’s wrong?” he asked softly.
“Hercules…” Iolaus could barely get the words out. “Five minutes ago…I thought you were going to…I thought I was going to be…” Iolaus closed his eyes and swallowed hard, trying to push away the memories, feeling as sick to the stomach as he had when Kester had been handing over the fifty denarii.
“I’m sorry,” said Hercules, “I wish there’d been another way.”
“I know, I know,” said Iolaus. “I just…I need to…can you get off me, please?” There was a note of barely restrained panic in his voice.
Hercules let go of Iolaus’s wrists and rolled onto his side beside him, carefully positioning himself so that his body was between Iolaus and that of the tent entrance, but not actually touching him. Reaching out, he dragged a blanket over the two of them.
Iolaus let out a long shaky breath as he felt the weight lift off his body. Rolling onto his side, facing away from Hercules, he pulled his arms down and his knees up and tried to get his breathing and heart rate under control. It wasn’t helped by the fact that every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Kester standing over him, and every breath he took, brought with it the scent of skins that Kester had worn. The touch of a hand on his shoulder startled him and he had to bite down on the cry of fear that threatened to escape him.
“I’m sorry,” said Hercules again, wishing that there was something he could do to help. But he knew Iolaus, and he knew that this was something his partner had to work through himself. All Hercules could do was be there when he was needed. Hercules squeezed Iolaus’s shoulder gently and was about to remove his hand when Iolaus reached up and pulled it to his chest, clasping it in both hands as if it was a lifeline. And perhaps for him it was.
Iolaus closed his eyes as he traced the contours of Hercules’s hand, a hand that he knew as well as his own. “This is Hercules,” he repeated to himself over and over. “I’m safe…” Although he mentally corrected that to ‘safer’, because being trapped in a tent in the middle of a camp of bandits who were well armed and not very happy with him, wasn’t really all that safe. “But I’m better off than I was a few hours ago…and with Hercules at my back…” Iolaus let out a deep breath, somewhat relieved at how steady it felt compared to a few minutes earlier. He knew that this wasn’t over; he knew that he was going to have to deal with it at some point. Right now however, Iolaus knew that he needed to focus on the situation at hand. When he heard Hercules speak again a few minutes later, it didn’t make him jump.
“Iolaus,” said Hercules, “I know this hasn’t been easy for you.” He smiled as he heard a snort of disbelief from his partner. “And in any other circumstances, well, almost any other circumstances, believe me, I’d let you take as much time as you needed to deal with it. But we’re not safe yet.” Hercules almost sighed with relief as Iolaus shifted position, edging backwards until his back was pressed against Hercules’s chest, and Hercules’s arm was pulled close around him. “We need to talk.”
“I’m listening,” said Iolaus. “But how did you even know I was in trouble? How did you find me?”
“I always know when you’re trouble,” said Hercules, “Pretty much any time you’re out of my sight!” A slap to the back of Hercules’s hand was Iolaus’s response. “As for how I found you….” Hercules quickly filled Iolaus in on what had happened over the past few weeks.
“So,” said Iolaus finally. “Now what?”
“Now we wait until Belchor’s men have finished that wine I gave them,” said Hercules. “You see there’s a little extra ingredient in it…something that Asclepius taught me. Iphicles’s men will have moved into position under cover of darkness. They’ll launch the raid once I signal them. Anybody who drank the wine will be dead to the world by then so there shouldn’t be too much resistance.”
“But what about you?” asked Iolaus. “You drank it too...didn’t you?” Iolaus hadn’t exactly been paying too much attention to the proceedings, but he was sure that he’d seen Kes…Hercules drink a toast earlier that evening.
“Only a sip,” said Hercules, “One advantage of this beard.” He let his chin rest against Iolaus’s shoulder. “I could have spilled the whole amphora into it and nobody would have realized.” He could feel Iolaus’s body start to shake. “Iolaus? What’s wrong?” Hercules started to pull away, but Iolaus kept a firm grip on his arm.
“Nothing…nothing’s wrong,” said Iolaus. “It’s just that damn beard is tickling me!”
Hercules couldn’t stop himself from laughing as he moved, just enough to stop the beard making contact with Iolaus’s skin. “Come on,” he said, sitting up. “We’ve got at least another hour to wait, to make sure the wine takes effect. Let’s get you something to eat; I can’t imagine Belchor’s catering was all that good when he didn’t have ‘special’ guests to impress!”
“You’re telling me!” said Iolaus, reluctantly letting go of Hercules’s arm. He stretched out like a cat, only pausing when the chains on his wrists restricted his movements.
“Here, let me,” said Hercules, reaching for the chain.
“If you have a knife,” said Iolaus as he sat up, “I can do it myself…I’ve had plenty of practice.”
“Something you want to tell me?” asked Hercules as he retrieved a knife from Kester’s clothing.
“Let’s just say, I wasn’t exactly a model prisoner,” said Iolaus, a smug look on his face as he took the knife. “I believe you promised me food?” he added as he started to work on the lock.
Hercules smiled as he pulled his pants on, then wrinkled his nose as the scent of them hit his nostrils. “Thank you Aphrodite,” he said to himself. “I’m going to need a long bath when all this is over.”
It took him a few minutes to retrieve the store of fruit and dried meat that he’d brought for the journey, and to bring them back to Iolaus who by then had removed the wrist shackles and was working on his collar. On the way, he carefully checked the perimeter of the tent, but was unable to see or hear anybody trying to spy on them.
“Dammit!” swore Iolaus as Hercules sat down beside him. He threw the knife on the blanket in frustration.
“What’s wrong?” asked Hercules.
“I can’t see what I’m doing,” said Iolaus. “I can’t pick the lock on this.” He tugged angrily at the heavy collar around his neck.
Hercules put down the plate of food and took a look at the collar. “I could break it…but I’d be afraid of hurting you.” More than I already have, he added silently. “Why not wait until we’ve taken the camp? Belchor will surely have the key with him.”
“NO!” said Iolaus loudly, too loudly for both his and Hercules’s liking, and he quickly closed his mouth, holding his breath in case he’d been overheard. When there was no sound from outside, he continued, “No,” he said in a quieter voice. “I want it off…I *need* it off of me now. Besides…if there’s fighting, it’ll only get in the way, slow me down.”
“Okay,” said Hercules, “Let me try it.”
Iolaus closed his eyes as Hercules placed his hands on the collar. His hands clenched into fists around the blanket wrapped around him as he felt Kester’s fingers slip inside the collar, pressing against his neck as they settled their grip. The pressure increased, there was a sudden snap, and Iolaus could feel the pieces of the collar falling away. He opened his eyes to see Hercules looking at him with a concerned expression on his face.
“Are you okay?” asked Hercules. The look on Iolaus’s face while he’d manipulated the collar worried Hercules. That, and his vehement reaction to Hercules’s suggestion about leaving it in place. Hercules had seen Iolaus fight when burdened with ropes or chains and even a broken arm, and he knew that the collar, heavy though it was, would scarcely have impeded him.
“I’m fine,” said Iolaus, flexing his neck. “Oh it feels good to get rid of that thing.” He touched his neck and grimaced as he felt a tender spot.
“Eat up then,” said Hercules, “I’ve got some salve I can put on that.”
“Thanks,” said Iolaus, taking a bite out of an apple. “Mmm,” he said with his mouth full. “This is sooo good!”
Hercules let Iolaus eat his fill before administering the first aid. He was relieved to find that Iolaus had only superficial damage, mainly bruises plus some scrapes from the shackles and the collar he’d been forced to wear which Hercules quickly cleaned and applied a healing salve to. The worst injury that Iolaus was sporting was that to his lip and Hercules felt a wave of guilt come over him as he watched Iolaus dab at it carefully with a damp cloth.
“So what’s Belchor’s security like?” asked Hercules, in an effort to distract himself.
“A lot tighter since I got here,” said Iolaus. He had a grin on his face as he looked up at Hercules, “I may have inadvertently shown them a few holes in their security regimen.” He quickly explained to Hercules about his earlier efforts at sabotage. “Of course once Belchor caught me, that was the end of all that,” he added.
“So he chained you up to keep you on your best behavior?”
“That…plus he threatened to harm some of the other prisoners…the less ‘valuable’ ones if I caused any trouble.”
“I’m sure he won’t cause you any trouble” Belchor’s words echoed in Hercules’s mind. “That’s what Belchor meant?” he said. “That’s why you weren’t fighting Kester? At least until I pushed you too far…dammit Iolaus, I’m sorry …”
“Hercules, it’s okay,” said Iolaus. “You weren’t to know. Anyway,” he added, in an effort to change the subject, “When do we put the rest of your plan in action? I fancy dealing with a bit of ‘resistance’!”
“As soon as the camp has settled down for the night,” said Hercules. “Anybody who drank the wine won’t wake before morning.”
“Wait, what about the guards watching the prisoners? They weren’t at the feast so they won’t have drunk anything. There’s usually about five or six.”
Hercules thought about that for a few seconds. Five or six guards wasn’t a problem, but if they were guarding the prisoners when Iphicles’s men attacked, then there was a serious danger of innocent people being hurt in the confusion. “Maybe the guards will accept a drink if Kester offers it,” he said with a smile. “I think it’s time he decided to survey some of his new acquisitions!”
“What are we waiting for?” said Iolaus, scrambling to his feet.
“WE aren’t waiting for anything,” said Hercules, standing up as well. “I’ll handle the guards, you wait here.”
“What? You don’t think you’re leaving me behind!” said Iolaus indignantly.
“There are two good reasons why you need to stay here,” said Hercules. “Firstly, if I go alone…if Kester shows up to ‘examine’ his acquisitions, the guards aren’t going to be too suspicious. But if you’re there as well, they might start to wonder why.”
Iolaus had to admit that Hercules had a point about that. “And the second reason?”
“Well you’re not exactly dressed for the occasion.”
“Oh yeah, and whose fault is *that*! I don’t suppose you brought a change of clothing with you.”
“Nothing in your size buddy,” said Hercules, “But Eldred left his cloak here; that should at least keep you warm until I get back.”
Iolaus reluctantly conceded that Hercules was right to go alone. “Be careful,” he said, hugging Hercules tightly before he left. “Ugh,” he added, wrinkling his nose in mock distaste. “The sooner you can ditch those clothes the better!”
“Hey, you’re not exactly smelling of roses yourself!”
“Yeah, but at least I’ve had a bath this week!” A kiss from Hercules shut Iolaus up briefly.
“I’ll be back before you know it,” said Hercules. He wished he didn’t have to leave Iolaus behind, but knew it was the best option.
“Just come back in one piece.”
---------------------------------
As Hercules had hoped, Belchor’s guards were indeed most appreciative of the amphora of wine that Kester offered them “To celebrate a most profitable encounter,” he had told them. “It would be a shame if anybody was forced to miss out!” He’d carefully increased the amount of the sleeping potion in the wine so that it would take effect more quickly, and before he’d finished making his rounds of the guards, the first few were already swaying on their feet. The last guard had proven more suspicious than his comrades, but Hercules had easily disarmed him before forcing some of the wine down his throat and holding his mouth closed until he succumbed.
Wiping his hands on his pants, Hercules quickly made his way to the nearest of the sleeping prisoners. Crouching down beside her, he was about to stretch out his hand to shake her awake when she suddenly rolled away from him and scrambled to her feet holding a stick. “Don’t you dare touch me!” she hissed, waving the stick at him. “I won’t let you touch me!”
“Whoa, it’s okay,” said Hercules, “I’m not going to hurt you.” He could see some of the other prisoners start to stir and knew he had to act quickly just in case any of them raised an alarm. “I’m here to help you.”
“Why should I believe you? I saw you earlier, with Belchor…I heard what you did to Iolaus, we all heard!”
“Iolaus is fine,” said Hercules, “He’s my best friend, and I came here to find him, and to free all of you.”
More of the prisoners were starting to wake and one of them moved up to stand behind the woman with the stick. “Keti, what’s happening?” he asked.
“You’re Keti?” said Hercules, “Iolaus told me about you, he said that you helped him when he was sneaking out to sabotage Belchor’s travel plans.” He could see that Keti was struggling to believe him, “Keti, I’m going to get you and your friends out of here, but I need you to do what I say.”
It took a bit of convincing, and not all of the prisoners were happy with Hercules’s plan for them to simply walk away from the camp and the sleeping guards. It had seemed like the best way to ensure that they were safe from any fighting, but not everyone had agreed. “Belchor will send his men after us before we get more than a mile,” argued one. “We could end up lost in the woods and starve,” said another. “Better off here, at least he feeds us.” “If you can call it food.”
“Iphicles of Corinth has sent a dozen men to help me take down Belchor,” said Hercules, “All you have to do is keep going on the heading I give you and you’ll walk right into their camp. And if you can’t make it that far, just wait in the woods and I promise that I’ll find you when the fighting is over.”
Eventually, and with Keti’s help, Hercules had all the prisoners freed from their chains and convinced to move. “Stay as quiet as you can until you’re out of earshot,” he warned them as he started them in the right direction.
“I wish you were coming with us to lead us,” said Keti, still clutching her stick.
“You’ll be fine,” said Hercules, “I need to get back to Iolaus and make sure nobody from the camp is able to follow you.”
“Iolaus is lucky to have a friend like you.”
“I’m the lucky one,” said Hercules. He waited until the last of the group was out of earshot and then made his way back to the main camp. As he had hoped, there were no signs of movement, and he reached his tent without incident.
Ducking inside, Hercules called to Iolaus, “Hope you found something to wear buddy, I think it’s time we got moving.” He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Belchor standing in the centre of the tent, holding a knife to the throat of Iolaus who was on his knees in front of him.
“No, I don’t think you’ll be going anywhere,” said Belchor.
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to be continued
Chain of Events 05