Notes: The characters from Forever Knight are owned by Sony Tri-Star. The characters from Xena Warrior Princess are owned by StudiosUSA and Renaissance Studios. All other characters are fictitious and are of my own creation. Please send comments to dante0220@yahoo.com.

Additional Notes: This is a poem based from LaCroix's POV. Keep in mind that in my "Dubois Chronicles" series, Eve/Livia is his stepsister, Nick has returned to being an archaeology professor, and Xena is a mortal enemy from before his conversion.


Another year has passed
Chiseling another mark on time's wheel
And distancing itself from Pompeii's appeal.

As I stand on the hill overlooking my former home
Watching Nicholas wander
Among the ruins set in stone
Our ancient life to ponder.

Ah, Fate.
You ridicule me
Giving me power
And yet, your hate
Censuring me,
And making me cower.

Once in the ruin there
My familia dominated
Without a care
Our destiny created.

Father served the Empire well
Taking many lands for his master.
Bringing many slaves to sell;
And swelling the borders faster.

The Emperor bequeathed this estate
And the lands around
For his service to the state
And the lands he found.

Here, he brought us
To feel secure for once
On me, he made no fuss
Wanting me to be balanced.

I remember as a boy
Training as a soldier
Even as the others would hold a toy.
I was to be a fighter like no other.

Even as I did
The Emperor sent another child
To our home
And with word candid,
Ordered that she forget the wild
And associate with Rome.

Mother loved her like no other.
Especially over me
Her brother.

Still, I bore my pain
My anger, grief, and shame.
Especially since Livia proved
An excellent soldier
Her prowess everyone moved
And made me plan bolder.

Years passed
And closer we grew;
Livia and I.
Our army we massed
Many enemies we slew
Glory spreading before my eye.

Our territory increased
The familia prospered
As our lands touched the sea.
All resistance ceased
Thanks to a girl fostered
And, of course, to me.

During this time
As we celebrated our successes
I went to town
Looking for excesses
And feeling mighty proud.

With Selene that night
I had a daughter
With a face so bright
And an evil like no other.

More years passed
The Empire grew more
And yet, none of us guessed
What you, Fate, had in store.

Our enemies massed
Our fortunes waned
Our peak, we were past
And so came my pain.

From her long rest
Arose a warrior from Caesar's past.
Xena proved a bothersome pest
With her, the die was cast.

At her side,
A mouthy blonde
Who felt pride
That she was Queen of the Amazon

They led Gaul's force
Against our army
Turning the tide of war
With little discourse
The warrior harried
The troops with which she would spar

For the first time, we failed
Victory was not in our hands
Feeling Rome's pressure
We paled; 
Our rivals looking at our lands

But the indecision didn't last
With Ares' aide
We struck out in an eastward blast
And many more enemies dismayed.

Livia brought down the Amazon
And enslaved them all
Of this, I was so very proud
As I saw the prisoners kneeling in our hall.

Once again, however.
Fate, you struck
Changing things forever
Success forever from us, you plucked

Divia fell sick
I disagreed with Livia on our plans
Even as we crushed the Gauls again
I rode back to Pompeii quick
Not knowing what slipped from our hands
Not knowing that life was almost at an end.

Cursed the familia now was.
Divia was never the same
Xena intervened
Giving Livia's anger pause
And bringing a sickness never before seen.

Where once she was a soldier 
Now she wanted peace
And to forget the older day
To grow weaker and older
All wars to cease
Even as she on things would pray.

Pompeii was next
To feel pain
And cry
When on a day perplexed
A fire rained
From the sky

I celebrated with a friend
Admiring my marble bust
When word came of the disaster
For once, I feared the end
But knew my cause was just
And asked the gods to kill me faster.

But, Divia came to my side
Offering me life.
And cheating Hades
She took me at that time.
Placing me and her in strife
For the ages.

Still, the curse continued
Xena pursued Divia and me
To the Earth's end
Over land and sea

Divia, I killed
Over her attitude
For once, guilt around me milled
As I her entombed

To my shame
Livia became Eve
The Messenger of Eli
Herself, she blames
Herself, she wants to save
For the sake of a dead man in the sky.

I wandered the world alone
Never knowing anyone
Never trusting another
My heart cold as stone
My spirit worn to the bone
Lacking the companionship of a brother

Nicholas turned my life
Like no other
He is my light
My son and brother

Despite the tension between us
He is my friend
Perhaps, I'm the master no more
On the cusp
Of a new relation, we stand
As equals and more.

Now, Ares, back are you turned
Your curse has abated
Your pride is abused very sore
Over my power

My sister has returned
Nicholas feels better where as the past he hated
From my home, I am no longer torn
And no longer before you will I cower.

THE END

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