It was a beautiful morning and the weather promised to be just as lovely the rest of the day. Flora of many varieties was in bloom and living scenery - deer, rabbit and quail - were plentiful. It was unfortunate that the two men, a demigod and hunter-warrior, could not find it within themselves to appreciate the weather, flowers or bountiful nature around them.

"Only another half mile, Iolaus!" Hercules shouted, somewhat out of breath, just behind his friend. If the situation weren't so serious he might have been amused at the idea that he, a half god with the blood of Zeus in his veins, was having a difficult time keeping up with his swift friend, what the gods would call a `mere mortal'.

When they reached the village, Iolaus slowed his gait and stood in the middle of the dusty street which was the central route into and out of the small community. He looked about, trying to recall what he had been told. He'd been here before, stopping off in a tavern and inn, but that was months ago. She never really told him where she lived ...

"You want to go to that house over there and you better hurry," he said with urgency in his tone. He pointed to a small but relatively charming home away from the main hubbub of the village square. "She's waiting for you. They both are."

"Thanks, son," Hercules replied, but the boy was away from him almost as quickly as Iolaus. There was something strange about that but he didn't have time to speculate.

Hercules came in at the end of his question and watched with an appraising eye as a burly male near the table stood, his fists clenched. He was a giant of a man, possibly a woodsman, and looked as if he wanted to beat Iolaus to death. He might have even taken a step to do so if it wasn't for a smaller chap who stood next to him. He had placed a restraining hand on the giant's shoulder and Hercules recognized the mime of `now is not the time'.

Iolaus was escorted into a small bedroom - a sickroom - where an elderly healer was leaning over her bed, checking the pulse of the woman who occupied it. The healer turned and looked at Iolaus, then at the woman behind him.

Cautiously, the healer moved away and allowed Iolaus a better look at his patient. He spoke softly into the hunter-warrior's ear. "It won't be long now. Some girls just were not meant for this sort of thing. I think she's stayed with us this long because she was waiting for you."

He remembered her being vibrant and quite lovely at one time but now the poor woman was wasting away. Death warmed up. She was too pale, perspiring with fever and her pupils were covered over with a strange, unhealthy glaze.

"Iolaus ..." the dry lips whispered. "I'm so glad you made it ..." Feebly, her head turned. She was looking at something in the corner of the room.

"Love her, Iolaus, and take her away from here. You're a good, kind man. Keep her well ... You are her father." Were Kithia's last words before she died.

Then, as he recognized a small sound, Iolaus looked again at the bassinet. He heard gurgling. Iolaus body, seemingly with a will all its own, moved toward the sound. With careful consideration, he peered into the newborn's crib, staring into a small, chubby and very aware expression. He couldn't help a stunned smile of his own. She was beautiful, with fair hair and his eyes.

"My name is Kreela," the woman told Hercules as he sat at the dining table. She poured him a mug of cool well water. "I'm Kithia's older sister." She glanced at the other two men, both of who appeared contemplative. "The big guy's our brother, Croteus, and this one…" With her free hand she lightly slapped the smaller man on the shoulder, detaching him from his thoughts, " ... is my husband, Thaddeus."

"Kithia," she sat next to the demigod, pushing a plate of warm bread in front of her guest. "She found she was with child months ago but never told anyone who the father was. Our community is rather old fashion in its morals. You can imagine what her life has been like. When Kithia could no longer hide her condition people grew particularly nasty," she gulped slightly, recalling.

"A few weeks ago, when the pregnancy started to go bad, my sister finally admitted that the child she was carrying belongs to Iolaus and told us to find him. She seemed to think he'd take responsibility ..." The woman's hazel eyes met Hercules'. "Will he?"

Hercules saw Croteus, strong during every situation except something like this, silently lay his head down on the table, looking away from his family.

Respectfully, he moved from the grieving family and slowly walked to the bedroom. Hercules could see Iolaus standing, a kind nearly beatific smile on his gently lined face as he held a blanketed bundle in his arms.

"She's beautiful," was all Hercules could say, feeling a number of emotions for his friend and suddenly, with a lump in his throat, recalling his own little girl, Ilea.

"I always wanted a family," Iolaus whispered, absently twirling a small twig between his fingers. "But I pictured myself settling down with a pretty wife first ..." Iolaus licked his lower lip thoughtfully and continued, "Funny how things happen."

"Did you love Kithia?" Hercules asked, looking from where they stood into the bustling village a short distance away. He and Iolaus' friendship had progressed over the years into a rhythm that came naturally. They could talk about anything with each other.

"I barely knew her, Hercules," Iolaus confessed. "I was in the town tavern that night you went off to survey some storm damage to a farmer's home. I really didn't have that much to drink but whatever it was they gave me must have been potent because by the time I left I was ... Well, if I wasn't drunk I don't know what I was. One moment I was walking and the next thing I knew I was flat on my back on the ground in the middle of the street," he nearly chuckled at the memory. "Then there was Kithia. She was looking down at me, asking me if I needed help. When I got to my feet again she told me she was just coming from a temple, where she'd been praying to the gods for a good harvest season." Iolaus unintentionally rolled his eyes.

"It was late and the weather was turning bad. She could see I was in no condition to ..." He paused and looked directly at his friend. "Long story short, Herc - we talked, we kissed, I thought I sobered a little, she took me to get a room and stayed all night."

"I'd been drinking, Herc, and in all honesty, I don't remember it clearly. But I do remember waking up the following morning in bed and she was still there, in the last stages of getting dressed. I put two and two together."

"Part of me says to keep her and bring her up. It was Kithia's last wish. But I'm not sure that I'm what she needs in a father." Iolaus appeared worried. "I don't think I can do it, Herc. Maybe it'd be better if I just left her to Kreela and Thaddeus. They seem like good people."

Iolaus nodded in understanding. `Time to grow up and answer for your actions,' he thought. "After the funeral," Iolaus hesitated for just a moment. "I'm going to take my daughter home to Thebes. I'm going to settle in with my mother and Pandion for awhile, just until I can find a job, and I'll take care of her. Life on the road is not for a baby."

Again Iolaus nodded but this time it was with a regretful chuckle. "Yes, but I also know you have to keep moving, Hercules. It's your destiny to travel and to help people. I won't ever ask you to give that up."

Hercules, with a little less enthusiasm than what he would normally exhibit, slapped his friend affectionately on the shoulder. He was proud of Iolaus, the way he was determined to take responsibility, but also sad at the idea of losing his anchor, brother and his traveling companion. Still, the child had to come first.

Croteus, Kithia's big brother, was approaching with a few burly companions. Their expressions, hard and inflexible, did not remotely represent men who were in the process of sending well wishes.

Hercules was immediately on alert, especially when Croteus got near enough where they could see the grief-angry tears in his eyes. The stench coming from his mouth was heavy with ale. If Iolaus had told him the truth about the brew this town's tavern served then Croteus had over-done his limit three mugs ago. The man would not be thinking clearly.

"You ... you ... scum!" Croteus shouted at Iolaus, his body shaking with fury and anguish. "You had no business defiling Kithia that way," he went on. "My baby sister was pure before you got your filthy hands on her! You ruined her name and memory for all time!"

Iolaus took in a ragged breath, feeling sorry for the big brute and also ashamed if what Croteus said was more than grief. "You have no idea how terrible I feel. I ..."

"You feel nothing! Admit it!" A younger man, possibly in his late teens or early twenties asserted. "I saw you two together in the street that night. It was disgusting! You were all over her!" he insisted. "I saw it!"

`Big guy, small brain.' Hercules thought but said, "Only if I absolutely have to." His rugged jaw snapped shut when he saw two other villagers raise clubs and rope. Hercules hated when matters got out of control to the point of violence, but it looked like there was going to be no avoiding it unless Croteus was willing to act civilly, demonstrating some form of understanding.

Croteus' dark eyes stared into Iolaus', his bulk looming over the smaller man. He appeared to be searching for something he could emotionally hold onto. "Tell me something. If Kithia had lived, would you have married her?"

It didn't take long for Hercules to clear the brawl but Iolaus, who was not fighting up to his usual standards, had taken the wrath of Croteus anger with a few well placed punches.

A few minutes later the young hoodlums that had come, for whatever reason, to the confrontation were gone. Either they hadn't expected it to go this far or suddenly realized they were fighting a losing battle with Hercules, the strongest man in the known world.

"You big oaf, what were you thinking?" Kreela peevishly asked her brother as she dabbed at a cut across his left cheek. "You know how willful Kithia could be. It was not just Iolaus' fault. I think it says a lot for him to come to our village, speak with Kithia and claim his child at all. I know those thugs you call friends wouldn't ...." she cut herself off and jammed a cool, wet rag into his hands. "Hold that against your cheek. It's beginning to turn colors and swell."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Iolaus was being tended to by Thaddeus and Hercules. Croteus had succeeded in splitting his lip and blackening an eye. He, too, held a cloth to his head and nearly smiled when Hercules asked him if he managed to lay one finger on Croteus. Iolaus said he felt one slug then stars. He hadn't been expecting it, thinking he could talk his way out of the mess.

"You didn't put up much of a fight, Iolaus," Hercules commented. "Part of me thinks you were hoping Croteus would beat you to a pulp. Maybe you thought you deserved it?"

"You shouldn't feel that way," Thaddeus asserted. "Croteus didn't beat you because you deserved it. He did it because he hoped it would take care of some inner demons. He feels like he failed Kithia and wants to take it out on someone. Let's hope he got it out of his system."

"Besides that," Thaddeus went on, ruefully, "we learned that she won't be burned by the village then buried in the temple cemetery. According to the temple elder, Hypocriticus, Kithia has sinned mightily in the eyes of the gods. He wants her to be an example and he's convinced the head priest, Ogristes, that it's a good idea."

"I'll talk with him," Hercules said, perturbed. "Maybe, as the not so legitimate son of Zeus, I can make him see sense." He patted Iolaus on the shoulder. "Take care of him, Thaddeus." Herucles exited out the front door.

She watched as her husband did as he was told, then she looked at the blond hunter. She smiled. His chair was leaning a bit and the back of his head was against the stone wall. His eyes were closed as he held the damp cloth to his face.

"Iolaus," Keela sat in the chair Hercules vacated and spoke in hushed tones. No need to upset Croteus again. "I know you're a good man and I know Kithia must have felt something deep for you. You shouldn't feel at fault. She never felt you were."

Iolaus opened his eyes and sighed. Kreela was a good woman and smart. He liked her and he liked that she was no nonsense. He understood she expected the same directness from him.

"Kreela, it's not my way to take untouched girls. I guess I was so drunk that night I didn't know what I was doing, and Kithia paid the price." Iolaus closed his eyes and shook his head back and forth. "She was a lovely girl, with a pure heart." He paused. "I did care for her too even if we only had ...."

"And now you have a child," she smiled at his slightly lost expression. It made him appear like a small boy, with his blackened eye and split lip. Kreela took Iolaus' hand and suddenly appeared troubled. "So tell me, when will you take the baby away?"

Hypocriticus paced back and forth in front of the altar as Hercules spoke diplomatically with Ogristes, the temple priest. It wasn't as if he disliked Kithia. She had seemed a nice enough girl, a few years older than his own son, and had come from a good, respectable family. If it wasn't for the fact that she was a strumpet he might have liked to see his eldest, Jensen, married to her. Instead, he was relieved they had dodged an arrow. Nothing spoilt the family name faster than having a harlot in the mix.

"Hercules," the priest, an elderly man with silver hair and a slightly bowed body, raised to his feet from the chair he had been sitting on in front of the altar. "I realize the laws of this village may seem a bit extreme and out of touch to someone as worldly as you but they have served us well for many, many years. We've always had peace in our village as well as good rapport and trade with neighboring villages. We like to think the gods are smiling down upon us because of our morality. Perhaps the goddess Fortune herself is watching over us."

"I have no problem with the laws of this village, Ogristes, as long as they're just, but I also think what might be considered wholesome and good for a village can be perverted into something corrupt. Kithia endured a great hardship, scorned by men and women who once loved and cared for her before they realized she was going to have a child. She wasn't evil. She made a mistake. One which, in the end, cost Kithia her life. And now you won't allow her, a woman who has prayed in this very temple, to be buried in the cemetery because of those laws?"

Hypocriticus cleared his throat a bit roughly behind the demigod. "Those are sweet words, Hercules, but if we toss aside the laws of the village and rules of our temple this time then we'll have to do it again and again. Where will it stop? Will we eventually allow cut throats and thieves to be buried right next to our honest, innocent citizens?"

"That's a rather large leap, don't you think?" Hercules turned about incredulously and questioned the elder, then looked back at the priest. "Look, I'm just asking you to take a night, think it through, and reconsider. After all, forgiveness is a virtue as well."

Orgristes stared at the demigod for a few moments. "I will promise you nothing, Hercules. But yes, I will take another night and think on it. I warn you," he lifted a finger when he saw the start of a smile on the demigod's face, "my answer may be the same tomorrow as it is today."

"As it should be," Hypocriticus snarled at the two men before him. "My family has always kept to the laws." He turned to see the temple door open and a figure approach. A small smile upturned his mouth, "And here comes my eldest now. Right on time to clean the temple pews."

Hercules looked at the young man approaching and would have laughed if it hadn't been so sickeningly perverse. He was the same kid that had shown up this afternoon with Croteus, the big talker amongst cowardly thugs, who was causing trouble; egging on the fight between Iolaus and the woodsman.

"This is my son, Jensen. A finer lad you'll never find anywhere!" Hypocriticus announced proudly, taking his boy by the shoulders and thumping him good-naturedly.

Iolaus sat at the kitchen table, holding the baby and feeding her with a makeshift milk-skin Kreela had warmed. She was a good eater, this little one, and a small hand held onto his knuckles as she nursed.

"Daddy's girl," he whispered. Iolaus couldn't take his eyes off of her. He was going to teach her so many things, most especially to stay away from men like him.

Thaddeus watched Iolaus closely and with mild envy. "Kreela and I have always wanted a family but we've been married for ten years and nothing's happened." He glanced at his wife who was busily working in the kitchen. "We've heard there are healers in Athens that can help us but we can't afford them. So, we just keep trying." He took a gulp from his cider mug, glancing again at Kreela. She didn't seem to have heard so he went on. "Have you thought of a name yet?"

Thaddeus was about to further question their guest when Croteus lumbered in from outside. In one of his meaty arms was a stack of wood for the evening fire. Chopping needed to be done and Thaddeus knew that the exercise always helped his brother-in-law work off a bad mood.

Silently, after dropping off the wood and ax in their box and washing his hands, the big man sat at the table right beside Iolaus and Lahti. He glanced once at the hunter-warrior and the baby, then, as Thaddeus uncertainly handed him a cider mug, he cleared his throat.

"A man does crazy things when he's drunk and I was disturbed and sorta talked into fighting you. Some of the guys in town, you know. You get it, don't you?"

"I once had a little sister," Iolaus nearly murmured (for the baby was almost asleep), "she died long ago when we were both still children. She was swept away, down a river. She was found a few days later." Then, "I understand."

Still, he had to wonder about a few things. The village temple appeared to be the ruling force over its people. Their laws started and ended inside. That was common in this part of Greece. Certainly this village was filled with many good, hard working people who did their best to make a living for themselves and uphold good, moral values. Every village had good people. But, there was just something a little off here. For one thing, what did they do for fun? Oh yes, Hercules recalled, the tavern.

Kithia was chastised for being, what the powers that be thought, less than what she should. Yet, why wasn't there an effort to rid this town of its blasphemous tavern, a den of iniquity? Iolaus had already told him it housed some of the most mind altering liquor in the region, but there appeared to be little, if no, outcry. Frankly, it didn't really bother Hercules if the village had a tavern, but the whole thing just seemed a little misleading.

Hercules' head snapped up when he heard the call. A young boy was walking across the street a short distance from him but he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings. He seemed to be staring straight ahead, unheeding of the chariot and two horses that were galloping in his direction.

The demigod took quick action, running and snatching the boy up before he was trampled to death. The driver and horses galloped by without ever having realized they almost killed the child.

"Are you alright?" Hercules asked. He was stunned when he looked down at the boy in his arms. He recognized the youth as the same one who told he and Iolaus how to get to Kithia's house, when they first arrived in town.

"You just rest here a minute," he sat quietly by the boy for a short period of time. "I want to thank you for showing Iolaus Kithia's house. She died not long after he got to see her. Without your help, he might have missed his chance to say goodbye."

The boy nodded and continued to sit, looking thoughtfully ahead for awhile. "I'm Hypocriticus' youngest son," he said unexpectedly. "I'm sorry he gave you such a hard time in the temple, about Kithia."

"In the back. I was copying some prayers for Father." Hereus folded his hands. "I really liked Kithia. She was beautiful, sweet, and a lot of men wanted her but very few respected her. Not like me."

"The way they talked about her when they found out she was going to have a baby ... It was unfair. The people of this town just don't know how evil others can be. They don't look hard enough." Hereus appeared confused, sporting the same deeply troubled expression as when he walked out in front of the chariot. The boy then looked up at Hercules. "I have to tell you something. I've never told anyone this before. Kithia didn't want me to, but now she's gone and..."

"Hey you, Bacchai Breath!" an irritating voice broke into their conversation. Jensen advanced on his little brother, snarling. "You're supposed to be in the temple. When you get home I'll be sure to tell Dad who you've been talking with. You know how he feels about Hercules." The lad smirked, "he's going to beat you blue and I'm gonna watch!"

"Jensen," Hercules rose to his full intimidating height and looked down at the burly young man, "if the next time I see Hereus, he so much as has a hair out of place, I will see you."

Boldly, Jensen tried to stare Hercules down, but after a few moments he looked away, turning completely around and storming off in the opposite direction.

"Hercules!" Iolaus unexpectedly approached from a path to the right of his friend. He'd obviously pushed himself away from that little bundle of sweetness in the house long enough to step out and get some exercise. "What's the news?"

Looking the street up and down for any sign of Hereus, Hercules told Iolaus what had happened in the temple. "It's not exactly success but I gave the priest something to think about."

Iolaus allowed a `well you tried' gesture then crooked a finger, indicating they needed to walk. "I'm off to find a headstone for Kithia's grave. It doesn't matter where her ashes are going to be buried; she'll still need a marker. Croteus says he'd like it carved from stone, not wood. He gave me directions on who to see and where to order."

With a smile, Iolaus lifted a hand to touch his healing lip. "Well, when he's not smashed and trying to kill me, he's really not a bad guy. We sorted it out."

Unseen by the two heroes, Jensen stood with two of his hulking friends. They watched the men as they talked and walked to the village stone cutter.

"No one can beat, Hercules," one of the young men said. "Not even Griffin, and he's won the Summer Solstice wrestling match three seasons in a row."

Annoyed, Jensen smacked his friend across the chest as he looked at Griffin. He was the biggest of their group and he terrified everyone in the village. "That was because we didn't get the jump on Hercules. It'll be different this time. We'll take `em by surprise." Then, "I want he and that little blond twerp out of town by tonight. And that brat of Kithia's can go with them, do you understand?"

"What you're asking is ridiculous. I can go to Thebes and get three markers for the price you're asking for just one," Iolaus attempted to bargain with the man just outside of his work shop.

The cutter, a middle-aged but well muscled man, looked up and over at his potential customers with an indulgent smirk. He had a good business and had just finished carving a design into a young couple's marriage-bed headboard. He was not desperate for trade.

"Look, you seem like good men and, normally, I wouldn't be so tough on you but you gotta see where I am. I have a reputation to maintain. Carving a stone for Kithia, when the temple elder has renounced her - especially in a village as wholesome as ours ... Well, you guys should be happy I'm willing to work for you at all."

"It's highway robbery," Iolaus said but reached for the dinar pouch tied to his waist. He had little choice. He thumbed through the coins it contained then, giving up, just tossed the whole sack at the carver. "Knock yourself out," he said, fed up.

The fight had been brutal but not very long. The young men involved might have been energetic and had visions of glory after beating both Hercules and Iolaus but they were not warriors. Iolaus had two of the young men down in less than a minute and Hercules cleared the floor of the other three only twenty seconds later. That included Griffin, the muscular bully Jensen was so sure could subdue the demigod.

Hercules put a hand on his friend shoulder and looked out at the street, where the bullies had disappeared. "Iolaus, there's something very strange going on here and I think Hereus knows what it is."

He went on to explain that the boy was on the verge of telling him a great secret before he was stopped and ran off. "I'm going to find him and see what it is."

With an exaggerated moan, Iolaus ran hands through his blond hair and came to a decision of his own, "I think I'm going to pay the temple priest another visit. I know you just talked with him but, as a co-conspirator in what this village calls blasphemy, I think I should make an appearance and beg forgiveness. It can only help, particularly if I take all the blame."

"No, it's all right, Hercules. I've made up my mind. I have to do it for Lahti. If she ever comes back here she has to know I did my best to get her mother's name cleared of all the charges the temple has leveled against her."

Hercules just passed in front of the village stable when he heard a whimper from inside. He wasn't really certain what it was until a sniffle followed. It definitely wasn't a horse.

"You mean you won't get hurt." Hercules countered but not angrily. The lad was frightened and he didn't blame him. How terrible it must have been, sharing his home with Hypocriticus and Jensen. He suddenly wondered about Hereus' mother but didn't ask.

Hercules turned a corner and saw Hereus sitting on the straw strewn corner of the out-building. A butterscotch-colored mare was a few meters away and she appeared only mildly interested in their conversation as she ate from an oat bag. Hercules patted her very gently on the nose as he moved to meet the boy, sitting cross-legged in front of him.

"You're not a bad person and being afraid doesn't make you a coward." Hercules glanced down when he saw a small glint of light ricochet off an object in the boy's hand.

Lightening fast, Hercules took it from the boy. "What did you plan on doing with this?" he asked quickly. Hercules was horrified. He had no idea ....

Hercules got a tight, sick feeling in his stomach and tossed both it and the dagger away. "Something terrible is bothering you, Hereus. You need to talk to someone, me if you'd like. What are you hiding from? What do you know?"

Hereus, tears running down his dirt streaked cheeks, looked into Hercules' imploring expression and nodded. He had to tell someone and Hercules .... Hercules was his hero.

The temple was a place for prayer and contemplation. At least once a week, every person living in the village made the trek to thank the gods for the bountiful goodness they had granted them, the unworthy mortals of Greece. Yet now there was no one attending, other than Ogristes, and Iolaus was grateful. Not just because he wanted to talk with the priest in private, but because he planned on doing a lot of loud protesting, if necessary, and the regular folk of the village didn't need to hear it.

"The laws and morality of our little community have remained the same for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years, and it would go against everything I and the other temple keepers believe in to change what is written in our sacred scrolls." Ogristes went on to say they could not change matters on a whim, not for anyone, and especially not for an amoral dead woman who - because of her sins - was destined for an irreligious burial.

Iolaus grimaced and forced himself to remain calm. "I am the perpetrator of this evil, not Kithia, and if I have to spend time doing hard labor or in jail, I will. Don't make Kithia take my blame. Let her rest in peace."

"It's not that simple," Ogristes said, moving around the altar podium, his priestly robe swaying. "Men and women are thought of differently here, Iolaus. If Kithia had survived, she would have forever lived in shame, as would her child. The letter A for 'adulteress' would have been branded into Kithia's arm, reminding her of her crime." The priest noted the on-looker's incredulous stare and went on, "The child, meanwhile, would not and will not be allowed to associate with other children. We are firm believers that the sins of the mother should be visited upon her children."

Again, Iolaus bit back a biting retort although every fiber of his being wanted to lash out at the silly man and his absurd rules. He asked, "What about the father?" and tried to get a foothold on what he might expect.

"I wouldn't worry." Ogristes half smiled, glad to be able to give the visitor what he thought was good news. "You might have been a participant in her shame and if you were a resident of our village you would have been banished. But since you aren't and will be on your way soon, it's not relevant."

"So what you're saying," Iolaus wanted it crystal clear, "is that a woman is branded, physically held down and burned, but the man that shamed her is merely told to go away?"

Without warning an angry, shrill cry came from outside. It reached both sets of ears and Iolaus, followed closely by the priest, ran from the temple to see what the commotion was about.

"You will not spread such rumors, Kreela! I'm warning you!" the elder shouted, lifting his hands as if he'd like to strike the female but knowing enough not to do it. "Your sister was nothing but a lying harlot, the whole village knows it!" he squabbled.

Hypocriticus was beside himself now with fury. "I demand this woman be arrested on charges of ..." he searched his cluttered mind, " ... malicious mischief!"

"I don't want anything but to clear Kithia's name and to ..." she unexpectedly caught sight of Iolaus who stared at her in wonder, " ... tell the truth. I've been keeping quiet about something Kithia told me because she asked for my silence. But so much has happened and so many people are being hurt ... and used. I cannot stay mute any longer."

Ogristes raised his hands and addressed the crowd, "Everyone be on your way. This is a job for law givers." He looked over at Kreela, "Come. Let us go into the temple where we can discuss this matter with clear heads."

Iolaus, understanding the wisdom of these words despite his disagreement with the priest, moved away from his side and walked over to Kreela. He took her by the arm and escorted the now weeping woman into the temple.

Kreela sat in a front pew with Iolaus beside her. She told him that she originally came to town to shop for spices and see how he was doing with the purchase of Kithia's headstone. However, after she witnessed the heroes sparring with that gang of hooligans, Kreela felt compelled to go to the temple, confess her sins and right some wrongs. Not just to the priest, but to Iolaus himself.

"What wrongs?" Ogristes stood before the sitting twosome. He had wasted enough time attempting to get what was said between she and Hypocriticus out of his elder. The man was strangely closed-mouth, sitting and looking away from the priest as if he couldn't bring himself to speak such sacrilege.

"Nine months ago, Kithia came home looking a frightful mess. She had been in the village, making her twice weekly sojourn to the temple to wish friends and loved ones well. Her dress was torn, her hair disheveled, her face dirty and she was crying." Kreela gulped slightly. "She told me it was nothing, that she'd slipped while walking home. After a couple months we discovered Kithia was pregnant. She ... she admitted to me she had been ... violated."

Tears threatening to surface, Kreela nodded carefully. "She swore me to secrecy, Iolaus, she wouldn't tell anyone who the father of her child was. Yet, as the months went along, she realized there would be no peace for she and the baby if they stayed in our home village. Kithia knew she would be branded, she could live with that. Her baby was another story. She made plans to leave."

"Not right away. At least, not the way you're thinking. During her final weeks of pregnancy Kithia was determined the child would not be brought up tainted. She felt she must have done something awful and that the gods were punishing her ... But even more than that, she didn't want to live in the same village as her rapist -- seeing him day after day. She feared he would eventually piece things together himself and any number of ghastly things could happen. But ... but she was becoming so ill ...."

As Kithia grew weaker and weaker she knew, instinctively, she was going to die giving birth. As good as Kreela and Thaddeus were, she could not leave her baby with them, to face the horrors of the village and the possible recognition of her father. That was when she came up with the idea of saying Iolaus was her child's father. She remembered him as a good man, a hero - fighting along side Hercules to rid their village of horrid warlords - and capable. She wanted him to take the child away from the evil surrounding her.

"Iolaus," Kreela looked at him. "Nothing happened that night between the two of you. It started to rain when she took you up to the room. You fell asleep the moment your body hit the bed. Kithia didn't want to walk home in the rain, so she stayed with you -- but you both slept and that was all."

Hypocriticus bristled. "And you really expect us to believe this story?" he spat. "If Kithia was assaulted as you say, where are your witnesses? And how convenient that Kithia never told you who the father of her child really is. If not this man it could be anyone in the village!"

The priest appeared troubled but not necessarily disbelieving. "If what you say is true, Kreela, then this changes the complexion of everything that has happened. But I must ask you why she would not reveal who it was that attacked her?"

Kreela shrugged desperately, "I don't know. Part of Kithia was still a trusting child. I think she believed that as long as she didn't acknowledge her abuser, he wouldn't exist. I just don't know what she was thinking." She glanced at Hypocriticus, "But I have my own suspicions."

With an arrogant, nearly reckless air, Hypocriticus stepped down the few temple stairs to stand beside the priest. He stared at the woman and his tone held warning, "Well, you need proof and have none. I'm not convinced and before you start rumors and attempt to sway us away from your sister's considerable guilt, I think we should just leave this whole topic behind and ...."

"That won't be necessary ...." Hercules walked in with both Hereus, who scampered timidly beside the demigod, and Jensen, who he held by the scruff of the neck

"Do you want to tell them?" Hercules shook Jensen slightly but looked as if he would like to do far more. After he and Hereus talked in the barn they went to find his big brother. Jensen was with his friends, of course, who didn't look as anxious to pick a fight as they had earlier in the day. Hercules confronted Jensen with a little piece of information that Hereus imparted and told the struggling boy they were going to the town temple to sort through matters, with an audience.

Frightened, the boy took two tentative steps toward the priest but did not look at his father. He could hear Jensen cursing him in an undertone, threatening to hurt him, but he couldn't be a coward this time. He had to say what he knew.

"I saw ...I saw Jensen hurt Kithia." Tears spilled from his eyes. "I was in the stable one night, helping the stable master to clean stalls, when I heard Jensen drag her inside. She was frightened and crying and I wanted to do something but ..." he broke off and sobbed. "The next day I heard Jensen bragging to his friends. He could tell that I knew and he told me if I ever said anything to our father, or anyone, he would kill me!"

For months Hereus watched as Kithia was berated by the village and it tormented him. When Kithia died, as a result of her pregnancy, the boy fell into an even deeper melancholy. He had seriously been considering suicide when Hercules found him.

Hypocriticus whispered, "How could you do this? How could you ...?" But for the first time, it was not directed at his youngest, who he all at once realized he'd been ignoring in favor of his brother, Jensen. He could only stare at the burly boy-man who now looked back at his father in both fear and contempt. "I believed in you!" the elder shouted, advancing. "You blasphemer ... evil son of Hades ... lowest of all harpies ...."

Outraged at Jensen's uncomfortable but defiant smirk, Hypocriticus charged at the young man, wrenching him from Hercules grip, and began beating him.

Iolaus moved to help Hercules pull the raving elder off the boy. If he were at all honest with himself, he would have loved to see Croteus attack the boy instead.

"Stop it, Hypocriticus. It's not just his fault," Hercules attempted to reason. "If you had been paying more attention to your children - to the lost righteousness in your own home - rather than worrying about the insignificant sins of the entire village, it may never have happened."

Hypocriticus watched as his eldest son was taken away in a heavily boarded chariot to prison. He could hear Jensen cursing inside the transport and felt a deep regret but there was nothing he could do for him now. The elder lay a gentle hand on the shoulders of his youngest child, who stood with him, and vowed again - in his mind - that he would never allow snap judgments to interfere with what was genuinely good and righteous.

Kithia's body was burned early in the morning and the funeral ceremony, which took place that afternoon at the village cemetery, was presided over by Ogristes. She was laid to rest and it was witnessed by most of the villagers, some who had treated her terribly. Ogristes explained as eloquently as possible the circumstances of the young woman's death and more than a few mourners cried openly. Her big brother, Croteus, was among them.

Afterwards, Iolaus walked a bit away from the scene and held Lahti in his arms. He cuddled the baby and gently spoke as if to his own daughter, "Things are going to be good here for you little Lahti or I would never think of leaving you behind. But your Aunt and Uncle are good people and they'll take care of you like you were their very own. They love you almost as much as I do. But let me tell you, Uncle Iolaus will come back and see you again." Touching her tiny fingers as they extended for him he went on, "If ever you need me all you have to do is shout and I'll be there for you."

"Thank you, Iolaus," she whispered sadly and watched as the hunter shook hands with Thaddeus. It broke her heart to see him so unhappy and used but, Kreela had to confess, she was also delighted that Lahti was staying with she and Thaddeus. They finally had their family and she knew her husband was thrilled with the prospect of bringing up the little girl. He was a good man and she loved him.