The crisp cool air settled over the athletic body of the raven haired warrior as she climbed from her sleeping fur in the predawn darkness. The dancing flames of the previous nights fire had been reduced to sunset glowing embers which gave off little heat into the neatly set-up camp. The warrior stretched, chasing the sleep out of her aching body, and glanced at her companion still soundly asleep, snuggled beneath her furs. Smiling softly she grabbed her own roll from the ground and tucked it around the recumbent girl. Turning back to the fire she added some kindling and blew the embers back to life. Once it had caught she added wood until the flames were once again warming the camp. They had settled late last night just off of the Amphipolis road in a small glade that Xena had known of. The road bordered one side of the camp, whilst the dense forest and a stream bordered the others. Argo Xena's golden palomino was standing asleep her hind leg balanced on her hoof near to the stream. Satisfied that nothing was amiss Xena silently slipped into the trees. She took a deep breath of chilled dawn air as the atmosphere closed in around her. Her acute hearing picked up the rustling in the matted undergrowth as the night creatures returned to their lairs, the tunes of morningsong beginning in the distance, as the first rays of dawn broached the sky. Her eyes sought out the details of the dense forest, searching for the small almost undetectable game trails and pin-pointing the hazards and dangers that would prevent her swift return if she was needed. Confident that nothing nearby would present her with a problem she moved off hunting for breakfast.

The dawn chorus was in full song and, the sun had partially risen when Xena
returned to the camp; pausing on the threshold of the forest to let her senses
check that nothing untoward had happened in her absence. Reassured that all was
well, she walked into the camp with two field dressed rabbits dangling from her
hand. After quickly checking on the sleeping bard, she deposited the rabbits
next to the fire and collected the water-skins for refilling at the stream. Argo
was now awake and happily chomping at the grass. "Morning girl." Greeted Xena as
she sauntered past giving the loyal horse a pat. Returning to the fire she added some more wood, filled a pot with water and set it to warming on a flat stone within the fire. Sitting back crossed legged she separated herbs for tea and watched the sleeping bard. She smiled at the peaceful form before her, the morning's hunt had gone well and, Xena felt more relaxed than she had in many a week, maybe it was because they were in familiar territory, or because they - she - had decided to take a break; whatever the reason, Xena decided a late start was in order and she would let Gabrielle wake when she was ready to.
It was the smell of food that eventually roused the young bard from her
contented slumber. Cracking open her eye, she noticed that it was fully daylight
and, bolted upright. Her heart rate climbing in panic, then settling down as she
saw Xena grooming Argo. "'Bout time you were awake," drawled her friend without
looking over her shoulder at the disheveled bard, who was wiping the sleep from her eyes.
"What time is it?" Gabrielle asked tentatively.
"Not long till midday." came the reply.
"Midday? You let me sleep in?"
"Yes, I let you sleep in, and, before you ask why and a million other questions. Because I thought we could both use a lazy day." Xena turned giving Argo one last stroke and, walked back over to the fire, "Tea?" she asked the stunned bard, reaching down to the steaming pot and then handing her a mug. "Sorry..." stuttered Gabrielle, "..and forgive me if I've missed something important here, but is this the same Xena who was so eager to keep moving that we didn't even stop yesterday after dispatching that band of thieves?" "Changed my mind" she said absentmindedly, desperately trying to keep the amusement from her voice by concentrating on turning the cooking rabbits on the spit.
"You...Changed...Your mind?"
"Yep!" she smiled "I changed my mind." Gabrielle sat stunned staring at her friend who was obviously enjoying this conversation. She always does this to me. Just when I think I've figured her out, she does a complete about turn. After traveling with the Warrior Princess for so long, the bard knew her just about as well as anybody could claim too. They'd been through life and, death, together and yet her friend was still able to surprise her. Yesterday for instance, had been a gloriously sunny day, much like today, yet the dark haired warrior had been in a foul mood; barely saying a word allday. Even when they'd been attacked she'd only inquired into the bards well-being and, then said that they'd be traveling late. They'd not made camp until well after dark and Gabrielle had been sure she was in for an early start.
"Lunch will be ready soon" said the warrior, startling the bard from her thoughts, sprawling back against her pack with a grin on her face. "Lunch?. . . " she really is enjoying this isn't she? thought Gabrielle trying to catch up with the conversation. "Well it was supposed to be breakfast but since you didn't seem inclined to get up, it turned into lunch."
"Oh" replied Gabrielle looking across at her partner. Gods what a change in mood.
"There's a small pool a minute or so downstream, if you want to bathe." Xena smiled again. She liked this, after two years of constant travel together, she still managed to catch her out on occasion.
"Right, a bath,.....yeah, okay. Back in a minute then." the bard wandered off with a puzzled expression on her face.
It was early afternoon by the time they started out. The two friends walked side by side along the dappled shadowed road, the early afternoon sun pouring through the leaves. Xena lead Argo by the bridle, Gabrielle walked with her staff in hand having now recovered from the shock of being allowed to sleep late. "So" said the bard watching Xena's face "Care to tell me about this sudden 'everything's okay with the world attitude?"' Xena looked at Gabrielle and grinned, those clear blue eyes that could freeze an enemy to the spot flooded with warmth and humor as she shrugged. Gabrielle laughed. "Well it's nice to have you back." She raised her head looking along the road." When do you think we'll reach Amphipolis?"
"Well, if I can tempt you into riding, we might get in late tonight, just think, warm soft bed, mother's cooking. Otherwise lunch tomorrow." Gabrielle heard the wishful anticipation in Xena's voice. Zeus, she's actually looking forward to going home. Last time xena had seen her mother she hadn't exactly been in her right mind, in fact she had, had the dilemma over whether or not to revenge her fathers murder on her and kill her. In the end, as with most of their adventures Xena had come up with a solution to the problem, without resorting to murdering her mother. The experience had been difficult for them both but, Gabrielle had seen the bridges crossing the wide gulf between mother and daughter start to rebuild. Her friend needed her mother even if she was unwilling to admit it. Cyrene's reaction to her when she had first returned home had been devastating to the warrior, and even though they had parted on better terms, after Xena had defeated Draco, things hadn't been good. Gabrielle knew what it was like to come from a close family and, after seeing Cyrene and her daughter she realized how close they must have been. Xena loved her family very much, the death of her younger brother Lyceus whilst fighting the war-lord Cortese, had driven a wedge between them, that only grew as Xena's lust for vengeance and violence escalated. Cyrene found it impossible to reconcile the young innocent girl she called daughter with the bloody souled war-lord known as the Destroyer of Nations. But, things were on the mend and at least Cyrene had now seen up close the battle her daughter was having with the darkness within. Maybe this visit was exactly what Xena needed. Gabrielle looked intently at her friend, reached out and touched her arm.
"For your mother's cooking I'd ride Argo by myself." Xena laughed and vaulted into the saddle, reaching down she hauled her partner up behind her. " Hold on tight then." she urged the golden horse into a long ground eating canter.
Xena was right as usual and, they rode into Amphipolis after dark. The village was quiet, few lights could be seen, but, in the center the inn shone, a beacon in the night. Xena halted Argo just outside and they both slid off the horse. "ouch, I hurt in places I didn't know I had" moaned Gabrielle as her feet touched the ground. Xena could see the exhaustion in her face. "You go in and let mother know we're here and, I'll go get Argo bedded down for the night."
Gabrielle pushed open the inn's wooden door and walked in. Across the table
cluttered room Gabrielle could see the plump middle aged woman whose raven hair
was matched only by her daughters, clearing up behind the bar. " I'm afraid we're close...." The woman turned to see Gabrielle standing by the door, "Gabrielle," she said moving from behind the bar, " is that you? Where's....?" Gabrielle heard the concern rising in Cyrene's voice and quickly waved towards the stables.
" Don't worry 'Miss I can't wait to get home so we'll ride allday', is in the stables putting Argo to bed." Cyrene's face lit up as she realized there was nothing wrong and, laughed at the expression on the bards face. "Oh, love. You must be sore. Come on in and sit down. I'll get you some food and drink. Doubt she stopped for lunch." She turned and headed off to the bar, as Gabrielle hobbled to the table she had indicated.
"Well actually lunch wasn't the problem. It was the eight hours or so after that." ' "Eight hours?" Cyrene placed a trencher of bread and cheese, along with a draught of ale in front of the bard, who immediately tucked in. " Hades bells, that daughter of mine, sometimes she just doesn't think. I've a good mind...." "No, Cyrene. Don't" Gabrielle grabbed the innkeepers arm "The last few weeks have been pretty rough on her. I was kinda getting worried. She doesn't seem to be shaking it off like she usually does." Gabrielle released her arm and carried on munching," Anyway, she decided she wanted to visit home, so off we go. Then today she woke up in such a good mood she let me sleep 'til late morning. So I'm sorry mum, but your going to have to let me suffer. I agreed to this one. Beside" she said around a mouthful of bread and cheese, " it was worth it just to see a smile on her face, and of course your cooking was a pretty big incentive." Cyrene let out a chuckle at the munching bard.
" I'll get you both some warm broth to go with that." and she disappeared into
the kitchen. Gabrielle leaned back in the chair stretching her legs out and
taking a long drink of the ale, remembering at the last minute to take it
slowly. Cyrene's ale was potent, as far as she could remember from her last
visit. Relaxing now that the ache was starting to ease off she studied the room,
and marveled at the inn. Unlike other inn's that were frequented by the two
travelers, this one was relatively unscathed, the tables and benches were in
good repair, the windows didn't have holes. Then again Cyrene did have one small
advantage over the rest of the world, whether she used it or whether the local population informed visitors of who her daughter was it seemed to work.
Cyrene was just bustling in from the kitchen when the outer door opened and Xena
strode in laden down with all of their kit. Cyrene put a large pot of broth on the table and handed Gabrielle a bowl while she watched her daughter unload herself. She noticed again how much the warrior's armor and leathers accentuated her muscular form saw again the faint scars that marked the body. The long midnight hair had fallen over her shoulder and, as she stood it fell away revealing her piercing blue eyes.
"Mother." Xena said crossing to the table, Cyrene smiled a warm greeting and was
enveloped as her daughter lifted her off the ground in a bearhug. "Hello, my little one." She whispered gazing into her daughter's face. " Sit down and eat, I'll get you a drink." Having seen her daughter up close, she could tell that Gabrielle had been right. She could feel the tense knots in her stance, and exhaustion lurked within those crystal blue eyes. Her daughter needed a rest, so did Gabrielle. They both needed looking after for a while. Cyrene returned to the table and placed a mug full of warm milk in front of her daughter. Xena grinned wrapping her hands around the mug absorbing it's warmth and lifting it to her face so that she could inhale it's sweet aroma "Hey." mumbled Gabrielle still eating, "That's not ale."
"Milk and honey," said Cyrene squeezing her daughters shoulder and gazing down,
"an old favorite."
"Well I can certainly see how ordering that in any other inn would send that tough warrior Princess myth down the drain." Xena scowled at her friend but carried on drinking.
"I've pulled the covers down in the two rooms out back, finish off here and get yourself to bed. I'll interrogate you both tomorrow after you've slept." Cyrene leaned down to her daughter and kissed her forehead whispering "It's good to see you, get some rest."
"I will," promised Xena, holding her mothers hand as she turned to go, "and mother." Cyrene looked back." Thanks." Cyrene smiled again. "Goodnight you two. Get some sleep, I'll see you in the morning." She left the inn knowing that Xena would lock up. Xena, turned back to the table and helped herself to bread, cheese and broth, until she saw Gabrielle watching her. "What?" She paused ladling broth into her bowl.
"Milk and honey?" laughed the bard," I'm sorry," she spluttered trying desperately to smother her giggles behind her hand, "but that really does put a dent in that tough exterior."
"Gabrielle," purred Xena leaning toward her in a menacing tone, the bard finally managed to get her giggles under control. " I like milk and honey." She sat back and winked at the bard, which only sent the girl into another giggling fit." Knew, I shouldn't have brought you." sniffed Xena seeing the tears running down the bards face. " Finish your food."
A short while later Xena locked the door and put out the last of the lamps, sending the bar into darkness, a warm glow from the back rooms guided her. "Room, okay?" she asked as she pushed open Gabrielle's door.
"Perfect." replied her friend, slipping a night shift over her head.
"You all right?" seeing the slump to the warriors shoulders. "Yeah, tired, is all. Looking forward to a comfortable nights sleep. see you in the morning."
"Night."
Xena left pulling the door closed behind her. Her mother had lit the fire in the room next door, and a warmer had been put into the bed. no doubt Gabrielle had received the same treatment. Sighing she sat down and removed her armor laying it gently under the bed, her chakram and sword she placed on the bedside table. Standing she removed her leathers lying them next to the fire to keep warm for the morning, leaving her stood in her white cotton undergarment. Stretching the kinks out from the long ride, a soft smile grew on her face, it was good to be home.
Several minutes later Gabrielle peaked around the door. Seeing her friend
sprawled across the bed sound asleep. Tiptoeing quietly in she gently pulled the
covers up over the warrior. Marveling once again at how peaceful and untormented
the warrior could look when the night terrors that frequently haunted her could be kept at bay. "Maybe I ought to try serving you milk and honey once and a while." softly she brushed Xena's dark hair from her face and kissed her cheek. "Sleep well." she whispered and left.
For the second morning in succession Gabrielle woke to the smell of cooking. She stretched and lay looking at the ceiling for several minutes, before deciding to get out of bed. Sitting up she noticed the fire was burning and a large bowl of water was warming nearby, with a note 'Breakfast is ready when you are. Gabrielle walked into the bar awhile later seeing Cyrene busy behind it. "Goodmorning, Gabrielle, did you sleep well?" the bard nodded as she sat on one of the bar stools. "Would you like some breakfast? I have some fresh bread and fruit in the kitchen?"
"Yes, please....Xena out?" she asked as Cyrene came back carrying bread, fruit and a mug of tea.
"You could say that," she replied handing Gabrielle the tea and putting the bread and fruit in front of her. " She's still asleep." Gabrielle choked on the tea and slammed the mug onto the bar coughing. Cyrene wiped up the spilt tea. "Is she all right?" spluttered the bard between coughing fits.
"She's fine. I just thought the sleep would do her good."
"You put something in her drink last night." murmured Gabrielle in astonishment.
"Mother's prerogative."
"Good idea. Unfortunately I don't think I'd get away with it." "Probably not, but she did look exhausted." "She is, heck we both are. It will be good to stay put for a few days, without worrying about who's doing what to whom, or to us for that matter. But I don't think you'll get away with spiking her drink twice."
"No. She won't" growled Xena walking in.
"Well, it's nice to see you..." started Gabrielle and turning to smile at her friend, then wishing she hadn't the change in mood was immediately apparent. "I'll be back later" came the warriors gruff voice and with that she left the inn. Gabrielle's sadden eye following her. Sighing the bard squeezed Cyrene's hand "Don't worry. this is normal or at least it has been for the last few weeks. Something's bugging her." she looked at the innkeep. "It wasn't anything you did."
"Are you sure?" the worried look on Cyrene's face touched the bard's heart. "Positive." Gabrielle pulled Cyrene onto the stool next to her and studied her face. "These mood swings.., well.. Look, some day's I'm lucky if she speaks to me. Then the next day she's the total opposite. Something's bugging her, she'll tell me what it is eventually."
"How do you put up with it?" Cyrene watched the bards emerald eyes until she hung her head and shrugged. Taking a deep breath she looked up into Cyrene's eyes. The innkeep almost rocked back from the torrent of love that poured from those green wells.
"People rarely see Xena as I do." came the quiet voice." They look and all they see is this tall, strong, beautiful woman, who can lead armies, solve impossible problems, overcome the invincible odds she pits herself against, with apparent ease. They believe the Legend, they don't see what it costs her to do it. I do. Even though she's on their side these days, most of them are absolutely terrified of her. That's one of the reasons we never stay in any one place for long, as she would say 'she makes people nervous: I've seen people run in terror from her and, it's not even that which gets to her. it's the fact that she knows they've got good cause to run." Gabrielle stood and began pacing.
" I love her. She's my best friend and, I've had to learn the hard way sometimes, that having her as a friend I have to love the whole. I can't choose to love the side of her that stands up to the tyrant that she once was, or the side that allows her to show such tenderness to the sick and injured. I have to love the side that can turn from laughing and playing with me, to brutally attacking or even killing those that she believes pose a danger to us even if I don't. I have to love the dark side as well because that's who she is, what she is." She pause staring at Cyrene, who could see the frustration in the bards face. " When she's like this I just have to accept she's not going to be laughing and joking, or that whatever she might say to me, most of the time it's not me she's mad at. She'll snap out of it in a few hours, maybe even days, she'll apologize. If I'm lucky she'll get around to telling me what the problem was or is, most times though she keeps it all locked up inside. "Gabrielle saw the concern on Cyrene's face, squeezing her hand she gave a small smile. "Your daughter is a wonderful woman, with a horrifying past that comes back to haunt her time and time again. Ares blessing lurks just beneath the surface, waiting for that one slip of control that lets it loose. Every now and then it happens, I've seen it and it pushes her like nothing else I've ever seen. It allows her to do so much, but it also frightens her, it can take control and she worries over what she might do if she can't keep that tight rein on it. No one can punish Xena for the things she's done, anymore than she punishes herself. You've only seen the smallest glimpse of what she's capable of. When these black moods take her it's best to let it run it's course. She'll most probably be out there practicing her drills until she's exhausted, or hunting, or something until she knows, she can control it and won't lash out at people." Gabrielle patted Cyrene's hand. " Don't worry she'll be all right."
"Oh, Gabrielle sometimes I get so frightened for her." tears fell from the innkeepers eyes, the bard wiped them gently away with her thumbs and drew the older woman into a hug.
"I know." she whispered, holding tight. "So do I."
Xena jogged up the hill to the south of Amphipolis and into the trees. She couldn't put her finger on what it was that was troubling her, but this morning she had woken with a quiet rage burning within the pit of her stomach, and knew that if she stayed in the village or in company, it would only get worse until she said or did something she'd regret. Better she thought not to be where she could hurt anybody but herself. Her feet took her of their own accord to the woodland clearing, that as children Lyceus and her would practice mock battles in. Stepping into the open space that looked so much smaller that she remembered, she drew her sword and began to loosen up. In a natural progression that was ingrained into her mind and body, the sword flashed through intricate patterns, her body moved in a murderous dance as she fought her invisible foe. Thrusting against this unseen defense, parrying his invisible attacks. An onlooker would have seen a blinding display of sword handling and acrobatic skills. As Xena's imaginary fighter increased his skill level, so would Xena increase here's, the sword becoming a silvery blur. She began to introduce backflips and kicks into the display, exercising every skill her body knew. So deeply involved in her practice, she could almost hear and feel the clash of steel. It took her several seconds to realize that the clash of steel was not imaginary, she could hear it.
Gabrielle had stayed at the inn instead of going to look for her partner, because she could sense Cyrene's growing unease at her daughters sudden change in mood, which only grew when she didn't return for lunch. She had entertained the lunchtime customers with a few stories, then helped Cyrene clear up and prepare for the evening rush. At first Gabrielle thought it was thunder that she could hear, but then felt the tremble beneath her feet. "Horse's" she said aloud walking towards the door," coming fast as well. You expecting anybody?" she asked looking over her shoulder.
"No." came the reply.
Gabrielle opened the door and leaned out, and nearly had her head taken off as a soldier on horseback swung his sword at her. She rocked back and slammed the door shut. Seeing Cyrene's horrified face she locked the door and ran over to her grabbing her arm.
"We need a back way out!"
"Through the kitchen."
"Good, let me get my staff."
Gabrielle eased the kitchen door open just as another soldier galloped by, this time ignoring her. She could now see that the village was under attack from twenty-five or so mounted raiders, with maybe twenty or so foot troops. The Amphipolis population was running in terror and being hacked down in the process.
"This does not look good." muttered the bard to Cyrene," stay by me, we'll try to get to Argo, that will be our best chance for getting out of hear. " If Xena doesn't turn up first.
Xena reached the hill in time to see the mounted raiders enter her home village. That small spark of rage within her stomach ignited into a black battle fever unlike any she had felt since meeting Hercules.
Gabrielle had managed to get Cyrene and herself to the stable in one piece after dealing with a few of the ground raiders. Now however, they were stuck, the stable doors hung on their hinges and the horse's had run from the fire that had been started within. She was now in a nearly indefensible position, with Cyrene and the now blazing stables behind her and four raiders armed with swords in front of her. What was it that Xena said about running ?
Xena entered the village at full speed. Two mounted raiders didn't even have
time to register her appearance before she launched herself from the ground and
took them out with a kick. Finishing both off with her sword, she vaulted into
the saddle of the nearest horse. Quickly surveying the scene, she felt a smile
on her face, and let fly
with her chakram taking several horsemen out before they knew what had hit them.
A maniacal laugh rumbled from her throat as she caught the blood stained weapon.
Standing tall in the stirrups she bellowed her blood curdling war-cry. "YiYiYiYiYa!" Gabrielle almost fainted with relief as she heard the familiar war-cry echoing around the village. She actually managed a grin as she continued to block the sword being thrust at her. "cavalries arrived! "she shouted over her shoulder to Cyrene.
Xena rode through the village disposing of raiders with undisguised ease and pleasure, they were hardly a challenge. Standing again, she looked for Gabrielle knowing that the bard would have tried to get her mother to safety. She eventually spotted the bard, back towards the burning stables, with Cyrene behind her and four attackers in front. She laughed as Gabrielle's staff dispatched one of them with a solid whack to the head, teach them to underestimate her won't it. she thought as Gabrielle's staff whirled an intricate pattern mesmerizing the three left in front of her. Grinning she threw the chakram.
Gabrielle felt the rhythmic whirl of the staff as all that the Amazons and Xena taught her about the art of staff fighting flowed through her. She felt a smile cross her face as her staff connected with the head of one of the raiders. She pressed her attack as her confidence grew and her opponent fell to the ground. The weapon flowed in her hand deflecting the blows from the remaining three. Seeing an opening she reversed the staffs direction ramming the blunt end into a raiders midriff. She whipped the staff around to block the other two raiders, to find them dead at her feet with wounds she'd only ever seen inflicted by her friends chakram.
Xena turned her attention back to the fighting, now that the bard and her mother were out of immediate danger. The raiders had recognized her as a threat and were focusing their attention on her. Laughing Xena urged the horse into the middle of them, killing or maiming all that got in her way. Slowly she started to draw them out of the village. Most of the foot raiders were dead or dying by the time the fight had reached the edge of the village. Xena had taken several injuries, but she allowed nothing to slow her down. Now that the invaders were for the most part ignoring everyone but Xena, the villagers were emerging from their hiding places to watch the warrior against the decimated force. Seeing the last horsemen and foot raiders standing against her, Xena laughed the incredible energy produced by the battle fever pushing her along.
"Still wanna play boys?" she laughed dismounting. "one at a time or all at
once?" her blood covered sword at the ready she slowly advanced. "Come on! What
are you waiting for?" she taunted "Scared of a woman?" The raiders eased backwards staying just out of reach, strangely unwilling to attack or retreat. A horn blew in the distance and as one the fighters turned and fled from the village and the demoness who protected it.
Xena watched the retreat for a few seconds, then turned and made her way back toward the village, stopping only to wipe her sword on the tunic of one of the dead.
Gabrielle and Cyrene stepped from behind the village hut they'd sheltered behind to watch the last minutes of the battle. Cyrene absorbed the scene before her in silent horror. Her daughter was covered in blood from top to toe, most of it from those she'd killed but a significant amount was her own from several wicked gashes that littered her body. The peculiar expression on her face was made all the more frightening by the smile that kept flitting across it, her eyes sparkled with a murderous terrifying intensity. It scared Cyrene, she now truly saw the darkness that had created the legendary Destroyer of nations and, yet it was still her daughter. Cyrene saw those chilling eyes ignite, and looked beyond Xena's shoulder to find out what had caused the battle fever to burn anew. Gabrielle saw the horsemen reappear as she waited for Xena to approach. She saw the change in tactics, the leader of this band of raiders had obviously figured out that they were not going to be able to take Xena down at close quarters, and archers were now riding at the forefront of the returning band. A short distance behind the main group rode a lone horseman dressed in ornate black armor that absorbed the afternoon sunlight. Gabrielle felt Cyrene shudder, and looked again at the horseman. Not so scary, well not after seeing some of Xena's friends. The alteration in formation had registered in the warriors mind as soon as she turned. It was a good one, they had a better chance of getting past her with archers, but Xena was in no mood to play games. Several solutions to the new tactics were quickly considered and disregarded by her battle fevered mind. Finally she settled on one that seemed most likely to be effective. She pulled the chakram from her side and waited until the archers were in range, the chakram was tossed out at incredible speed, only three archers managed to fire their bolts before it was among them. Xena caught two of the bolts as they zeroed in on her, she barely tracked the third when she realized where it was heading.
Gabrielle watched in silent awe with the rest of the village, as her friends chakram cut through the ranks of archers. Xena's quick hands pulled the arrows that had been fired out of the air except one, which the warrior hadn't seemed to have noticed. Suddenly Xena launched herself from the ground into a backflip, landing directly between here mother and the deadly projectile. Xena felt the thudding impact of the arrow in her left shoulder, an inferno of pain radiated out from the wound. She didn't have time to worry about the pain, so she just locked it away to deal with later. She chanced a quick look down at the injury, seeing that the arrowhead had gone straight through. Reaching up she snapped the feathered flight off of the quarrel and pulled the bolt out of her shoulder. Running forward, she bounced on the balls of her feet launching herself into the midst of the remaining attackers, her sword flashing in intricate dances as she disposed of all that opposed her, aware of nothing except the battle.
Gabrielle had her arm around the innkeeper supporting her, Cyrene's face was dripping with her daughters blood, the arrow had come that close to killing her. She was in shock, the bard could tell from the trembling that shook the woman's frame and deathly pale face, but, she didn't what to leave until she was sure it was safe, that meant waiting for Xena to clear up those raiders that were left.
Looking around she saw a place to sit Cyrene, she lead the innkeeper over and
gently pushed her down. Movement caught her eye. Several of the village men had
taken up pitch forks and axes, and were heading towards the fight. "Wait." yelled Gabrielle running over to them." Stop." The men looked at her in confusion. "Anybody gets passed her their yours, but you go charging in there with weapons, she's not gonna realize until to late that your the good guys, and you'll end up as dead as them." She looked over her shoulder. There were several horsemen left, Gabrielle could see the telltale signs of exhaustion creeping into the warriors frame. She turned back to the men. "Think you could take some of them out with bow's?" The men grinned, two running off and quickly returning with bows and fully stocked quivers.
Xena was tiring and she knew it. The wound in her shoulder was bleeding badly, she also had several other injuries that were causing her pain. Her mind just locked it all away, and automatically adjusted her techniques to take into account her new limitations. The raider she was fighting fell from the horse, a quarrel sticking out from his neck. She twisted avoiding a downswinging blade and threw a punch into the horseman's stomach that lifted him from the saddle and sent him crashing to the ground. She deflected another attack and kicked back at the downed horseman snapping his neck.
Soon there were only two fighters left alive on the battlefield, Xena and the black armored raider. Xena's face broke into a feral smile as she saluted him her sword dripping the blood of his raiders. The dark swordsman dismounted, and drew his sword striding through the carnage towards the warrior princess, and raised his sword in reply to hers.
"So," came his smooth silky voice as their swords clashed in front of them for the first time, "tell me, who do I have the pleasure of killing today?" The two fighters broke apart, Xena could just make out the smoldering brown eyes beneath the black helm. She took a deep breath settling her labored breathing from the long battle and grinned.
"People, around these parts call me Xena." their blades clashing together overhead. She chuckled at him as shock flickered through his eyes.
"See you heard of me then." parting, the dark swordsman pressed his attack. Xena
blocked the down swinging blade with her own, ducking behind him and sending him
to his knees with a thump.
"Pity." he said blocking Xena's sword and kicking her right leg from beneath her, sending her crashing to the ground. "If I'd known you were here I may have left this village alone." His sword hit empty ground as Xena had already rolled away and was back on her feet. She jumped and hit his head with a fully weighted round-house kick that sent him sprawling again.
"Oh, you'd have seen me eventually whether I'd been here or not." she let the warrior get unsteadily to his feet, "See this is my home! Nobody and I mean nobody touches it." with that she launched a blinding attack of thrusts and slashes which ended up with what was left of his body impale up to the hilt on her sword.
Gabrielle stood with the villagers mainly to stop anybody getting in Xena's way. The men had done well with their bows and had dealt with three of the attackers for her partner. Cyrene had joined them, somewhat recovered from her close call with death. She had cleaned the worst of Xena's blood from her face, though a few smears still remained. They stood side by side watching in silence. Gabrielle gazed fascinated, wondering again where her partners strength came from as she fought the dark warrior. She felt Cyrene's hand clutch her arm as her daughter crashed to the ground, then relax as she bounded back to her feet. It would be over soon, Gabrielle knew as the black warriors sword thrust into nothing, even as tired as Xena obviously was, she was toying with him. The black warrior was already dead he just didn't know it yet. Xena pushed the dead raider from her sword, before what was left of his body could fall to the ground she swung her sword decapitating him. The warrior dropped to her knees, sweat and blood dripping profusely from her body. Using the sword as a rest she leant her head against her hands and tried to steady her breathing which was now coming in great gulps as her oxygen starved system screamed for replenishment. Her mind was still crystal clear and senses hyper alert but she knew that wouldn't last more that a few minutes with the amount of damage her body had taken.
Cyrene was on the move before the black warriors head had hit he floor. She caught the bard totally off guard with sudden run towards her daughter.
Gabrielle sprinted after her panic stricken knowing she should have kept a
closer eye on Xena's mother. If Cyrene made the wrong move now she would end up
dead before Xena had even realized who it was.
The trembling started in her legs, spreading quickly to the rest of her body. Having managed to get her breathing under control, Xena took one last deep breath and pushed herself to her feet, ignoring the tunneling of her vision. She stumbled forwards and rocked backward before finally balancing herself. A hand grabbed her arm, her body reacted to the threat, throwing the sword arm up and around she knocked her attacker away.
Gabrielle's worries exploded into terror as Cyrene grabbed Xena's arm, the warrior spun round throwing her mother to the floor, raising her sword. "No! Xena!" cried the bard with a burst of speed she flung herself the small distance separating her from the felled innkeeper, putting herself between Xena's stricken mother and the striking warrior. She lifted her staff into the high guard and deflected the down crushing blow of Xena's blade. "Xena!" she pleaded desperately seeing no trace of humanity in her friends piercing eyes. The warrior now stood poised to strike again at the two women sprawled at her feet. The bard saw the blood pouring from Xena's wounds, bone showed through the gapping hole the arrow had left in her shoulder. She could see the muscles trembling with fatigue and exhaustion. "Xena!" she yelled in a stronger voice, trying to get through to her partner before she killed them.
"Xena, put down the sword. Xena, come on you recognize my voice. Nobody here is
trying to hurt you. So come on put down the sword." Gazing into the warriors blue eyes she could see reason slowly returning too them. " that's right, nobody here's a threat. That's it put down the sword." Xena lowered the sword to her side taking a step backward. Gabrielle slowly got to her feet, keeping eye contact with the warrior, so the dawning horror at what she'd almost done to her best friend and mother was immediately apparent to her, as was the panic building within them as her sword dropped from nerveless fingers.
"Oh, no.." a look of anguish covered Xena's face as she began to backup quickly, scanning around seeing the villagers terrified faces, until she saw the golden palomino among the loosened horses. She whistled to the horse and returned her agonized look to her mother and best friend.
"Sorry" she whispered tears falling from her eyes to mingle with the blood splattered across her face. Argo arrived by her side, she grabbed her mane and pulled herself onto the saddless back.
"Xena, wait" Gabrielle moved forward reaching out to her friend. But Argo turned at a command from her mistress and galloped away, Xena's blood already staining her flanks.
A stunned silence enveloped the village, then slowly people started to clear up. Cyrene pushed herself to her feet and went to the bards side. " Gabrielle?" she asked softly, seeing the tears on the young girls face. "Have to go after her, she won't get far in the condition she's in. Lost to much blood." The bard turned towards the innkeeper searching her face. " It wasn't you she was hitting out at, you know that don't you?" "I honestly thought she was going to kill me, Gabrielle, I could see my death in those eye's."
"You startled her, she was still in a battle fever and hurt, her body just reacted as it's trained to do. You saw what happened when her mind caught up. It's gonna take me a long time to convince her that this wasn't her fault," Gabrielle saw the wince in Cyrene's eye. "It wasn't anyone's fault." She rested her hand on Cyrene's shoulder. "But she'll convince herself she could have prevented this somehow. I'm going to bring her home Cyrene, but you've got to know if you flinch or react in any way. She'll go, she'll loose her reason for fighting that darkness, if she already believes she's lost you. Who knows where that road once trodden will take her."
"I want to come with you Gabrielle, " she replied clasping the bards hand, "No fear, I promise."
Argo galloped through the trees without command until she reached the small river that ran a few miles to the west of the village, there the horse paused waiting for instruction from her rider, when none was forthcoming, she turned and headed downstream at a slow walk.
Xena sat upon Argo letting the horse go where she willed. She had come so close to killing her mother and Gabrielle, that nothing else really mattered. The look of horror on her mothers face and desperation on Gabrielle's face as she pleaded with her, were to much to bare. Today the darkest side of her had taken over and nearly killed, the only two people in this world she loved. She would not let it happen again, ever, and if the only way to ensure that they were safe was to leave, that was what she'd do one way or the other. She looked down at her blood soaked leathers and hands clasping Argo's golden mane. She was still bleeding, and exhaustion had hit her full on, she knew that she ought to stop and try to get the bleeding stopped. Then suddenly she knew she wasn't going to rest up and heal from this one. For so long she had been trying to make up for her past, today she proved that nothing had changed in her and never would. She had once asked Gabrielle to bring her home if anything ever happened to her, well she was already home and there was only one place she wanted to go. It had taken surprisingly little time to get things together at the inn. Gabrielle had collected everything they needed from Xena's kit, Cyrene had seen to the provisions. It was only getting the horses that took time. The two women left the village just as the sun was setting.
"Do you know where she'll head to Gabrielle?"
"Yeah," replied the bard quietly. "I've a good idea where she'll head to."
"Where?"
"She's always told me that there has always been one person she could talk to, even during the worse times, she knew he would always listen, that's where she'll head to."
"You mean she'll go to Lyceus?"
"Yeah, that's where I'd put bets on her going."
Dusk was deepening into night when they arrived at Lyceus resting place. Gabrielle and Cyrene both felt the release of tension neither had been aware of until they saw the blood stained Argo standing outside. The palomino wickerd gently as Gabrielle approached on foot.
"Hello girl," she let the horse nuzzle her outstretched hand, "Is mum inside?" Argo snorted hot air into her hand in reply. The bard spoke to Cyrene without taking her eyes off of the entrance to the tomb. "I'm pretty sure she's inside, do you....?"
"No I'll come with you." Cyrene slid from the back of the black war-horse, and the two companions entered the tomb together. It was obvious that Xena had been here, a trail of blood lead from the entrance, stopping where the now flickering torches lit the way, then moving on into the crypt. Gabrielle took a deep breath before turning the corner unsure as to what she would find. She quickly scanned the vault until she found the huddled form of her friend. Cyrene stepped around the corner with Gabrielle, immediately seeing the blood splattered tomb of her youngest son, her daughters bloody handprints marred the otherwise pristine crypt. Across Lyceus' sword lay Xena's chakram, her armor lay at his feet. On the ground next to the tomb lay the curled form of her daughter. This time Cyrene didn't dash across the floor to her but waited for the bard to approach. "Xena?" came Gabrielle's sweet voice, as she neared the prone body. The young girl didn't even flinched as she knelt in the pool of blood that surrounded her friend. Gently shaking her friends shoulder she got no response. "She's out cold, we'll need a fire and some hot water." rolling her slowly onto her back. "Zeus, what a mess, if you could get started.." Gabrielle looked around to see Cyrene had already started on getting a fire going," on the fire. I'll try and stop this bleeding." Taking the clean cloths from her pack, she packed the shoulder wound stanching the flow of blood and then attended to the various other wounds. Ten minutes later Cyrene had a good fire going and water on to warm, Gabrielle glanced at her as she wandered over.
"How is she?" Gabrielle sighed
"She's lost a lot of blood Cyrene. These wounds are deep, especially the shoulder, they've been left so infection might get a hold, though those that were still bleeding might not be so bad with that. But to be honest I don't know, she's the expert on these things. Give me a hand to get her nearer the fire, then I can clean and try to close those gashes." Together they gently pulled the unconscious warrior over onto the sleeping fur that Cyrene had laid out. Gabrielle got to work cleaning the wounds properly, the shoulder was the worst of many, but two other gashes gave the bard cause for concern, one large gash on her right thigh was almost to the bone and very dirty, and one below her ribs on the left waist.
It was several hours later when Gabrielle finished satisfied that no more could be done for her friend. Several times Cyrene had, had to hold the restless warrior down, whilst the bard had scrubbed and stitched the wounds, but now it was done the warrior rested somewhat fitfully.
Cyrene sat near Gabrielle and her sleeping daughter, marveling at the young
bard. The girl showed no fear. When the raiders had attacked she kept her head
about her, didn't panic and came up with a way out. She had stood unafraid of
the madness within her daughter and defended her. Then she'd hunted that wounded
animal down and tended to it's wounds.
"Tell me about her?" asked Cyrene leaning across to brush Xena's black hair from her damp face, sensing Gabrielle's questioning gazed. "I don't really know her except from the stories, I haven't known her since she was a young girl. What's she like?" The bards face lit with a smile as she spoke of her favorite subject. " I remember when I first saw her. Draco's men had rounded up the village and wanted to take us girls to sell to the slavers. I remember standing before my sister telling them to take me and leave the rest. Zeus, what a stupid idea that was, even when I was young I used to dream up stories to tell, where a hero would coming riding into save us at the last minute; and I honestly believed someone would come." Staring into the distance remembering the scene Gabrielle chuckled. "I was just about to get my hide whipped off, when there she was in her cotton undershift, minutes later the whole of Draco's raiding party was on the run. The elders of the village were quaking in their boots when they found out who'd saved them. All I could think of was how great she was, and what it would be like to travel with her. When I asked her to take me with her, she refused saying I was better off where I was, but the romantic dream of being an adventurer got the better of me and I followed her here." she sighed looking down at her friend. " Those first few months I was with her were really difficult. I must have driven her crazy with all my chatter, but it was so hard to get a conversation out of her. She never told where we were going, or what she was planning. I thought it was because I'd just sort of attached myself to her, and because I really didn't have a clue about life on the road. She had to do nearly everything for me at first. Then I realized it had nothing to do with any of that, it was just that she didn't know how to act around me. For so long she'd lived with the knowledge that one slip and any one of her soldiers or enemies would kill her, the knowledge that the mear mention of her name would send people running in fear. She didn't understand that I wouldn't. She didn't' understand that a friend didn't expect anything from her." Cyrene watched silently while the bard wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her head on them, never moving from her daughters side. "She was lonely, scared-though she would never admit it. She was battling against every instinct to just beat the living daylights out of anybody that stood in her way. After awhile I think it finally got through to her that I knew her, I knew what she had been and done, but that I understood that she was trying to change, I desperately wanted to help her with that. When she realized that I wasn't running away every time we got into trouble and, that I really cared about what happened to her, those well constructed barriers slowly started to come down." she paused picking up a water-skin and drinking deeply. The emerald eyes sparkled with intensity when they looked back at Cyrene. "She's so loyal. Though that the wrong word to use, but I can't think of one that defines it better. The amount of times she's put herself at risk to get me out of trouble are to many to mention. Oh, but she's really frustrating aswell, her communication skills are virtually non-existent, she blames herself if anything goes wrong, or if anyone gets hurt. You know it was months before I realized anybody could actually hurt her, because she won't tell you she's hurt or in pain. I almost have to sit on her to get her to slow down. It's this legendary war-lord routine that does it. Oh, but that single-mindedness never lets her give up. There have been times when I just know that we're gonna get ourselves killed, times when I've been so sure that it's taken me days to realize I'm actually still alive. Like today she's always found a way through." "Don't you ever just want to give up and go home?" Cyrene asked. Gabrielle giggled those green wells shimmering with mischief. "Been there, done that, didn't work. My village was being terrorized by some raiders. I ended up using all my skills - learnt of course from your daughter,- to help save it. I understood then just how much I'd changed, grown up really. I didn't belong there anymore. So I went searching for Xena, got myself into troubles usual. This time though I managed to get myself out of it, only of course to find myself in deeper trouble. Guess who appeared." Her adoring gaze dropped to the sleeping warrior, worry flitted across her face, as her hand rested against her friends head. " She's taken a fever." fear colored her voice.
" I know." The innkeeper wrapped her arm around the bards shoulders. "You really
do love her don't you?" The bard raised her head and looked at Xena's mother giving a shy smile. Cyrene saw all she needed to know in that young beautiful face, those Forrest green eyes expressed more than the bard would ever know. "Yeah, I do." The whispered voice caught, Cyrene hugged her harder. "Does she know?" Gabrielle wiped the tears from her face and sniffed "I guess so. I mean I've never come right out and said it, well not like that anyway. But yeah, I think she knows."
"You should tell her. It might make her.."
"No," interrupted Gabrielle, " I couldn't do that to her. She has enough worries on her plate, she doesn't need me adding to them."
"I think your wrong Gabrielle. I think it' would help her to know someone cared for her like that, rather than hinder her."
"Yeah, well, maybe one day." The bard sighed reaching out to her friend, as the warrior began to stir. "Xena? Xena?.. Come on. Wake up." She gently stroked the sweat soaked face as those piercing eyes fluttered open. Gabrielle could see confusion, fear and pain battle on her face, as a grip hardly weakened by fever or wounds took hold of her arm and pulled it away from her face. "What are you doing here?" croaked the warriors voice.
"Chasing after you as usual. Here, let me get you some water." Gabrielle tried to reach for the water-skin but Xena's grip tightened on her arm. "Go away." The despair in that voice and in those eyes shook the bard to the core. "You shouldn't have followed. It could.." her voice trembled as fevered chills wracked her body, "..it could have been.."
"Look we'll discuss this later. Right now you've got a fever from your wounds. You need to drink." The warriors strength again prevented her from reaching the water-skin. Gabrielle's mouth opened but before she could say anything a hand gently squeezed her shoulder.
"Xena. Do as Gabrielle asks." Shock hit the warriors face, which became even paler than it was before, as Cyrene moved into the flickering firelight and, Xena realized that the bard had not come alone.
"Mother?" the whispered voice cracked with emotion. The grip loosened on Gabrielle's arm and the bard gently pried it away from the warrior. "What are?.. How could you?" Xena's eyes closed as tears fell down her face. Cyrene reached out and brushed them away withdrawing a little as Xena flinched away from her touch. "Don't, both of you. Go away, just leave me alone!" "Sorry, I can't do that anymore." Cyrene's voice held a trace of anger. "I don't know you that well. I haven't had the chance to in a long time. I've not known how to be your mother, I do now and I won't let this chance go." "Do you have any idea how close I came to killing you? Do you realize that if Gabrielle hadn't managed to block that sword you'd both be dead." Spat Xena her voice filled with self-hate and frustration as Cyrene sat calmly by her stroking her arm. "Yes, I do. I also know if you hadn't battled those raiders and stopped that arrow I'd also be dead, so let's call it quits." Xena sighed her eyes closed unwilling to make eye contact with her mother, "It's not the same."
" I saw a monster today Xena. For the first time, I actually saw the legendary
'Destroyer Of Nations'." She gripped her daughters shoulder hard until her eyes
opened. "Yes, a monster, who took joy and pleasure in killing. I've always known
who and what you are Xena, and today I saw it. But you know for the first time,
I didn't care about any of that. Your my daughter, you were hurt and in pain,
and I forgot. All I wanted to do was hold you and make it all go away. When you
threw me off I knew the mistake I'd made." Cyrene took a breath and gazed deeply
into those ice blue eyes, willing her daughter to listen. " It wasn't fear of you, that you saw in my eyes. It was fear for you. I knew what my mistake was going to do to you."
"I wish I could believe that." came the agonized reply. Gabrielle sat back letting Cyrene get close to her daughter, as she tried to convince her that she had nothing to be ashamed of. But she saw the chills shuddering through her friends body, the exhaustion that even this small talk had caused. Time to quieten her down a bit.
"Xena, I want you to drink this now. No arguing." said the bard as the fevered warrior shook her head in protest. "We can sort this out later when you haven't got a fever." Gabrielle lifted the warriors head and shoulders onto her lap. "Now drink!" her voice brooked no argument. "Good, now I want you to get some rest." the bard held the warrior close until her eyes closed and her tense frame relaxed.
" Thank you, Cyrene." Gabrielle didn't look up from her friends face.
"For what?"
"For saying that. I think she needed to hear you say it." "I know" Cyrene said quietly, closing her eyes, "more surprising to me is that after so long a time distrusting her, I meant every word of it. This afternoon made me think for the first time since she left, about her. You know, " she said now gazing at her daughter. "She was still a child when she left. In many ways she still is. She still needs her mothers love and approval. I guess you've made me see that everything isn't black and white; but shades of gray." Her eyes turned upwards to the bard. " This afternoon was my fault. I should have known better, especially after living with her father. I should have understood, that no matter how she changes, her essence is still that of a warrior. Capable of good and evil." She took a deep breath and searched Gabrielle's face seeing encouragement behind those eyes. "You know, I expected her to save the village. Me. Us. I didn't know how. After all she's only one woman, despite all the stories, but, I expected her to do it and she did. I should have known she would use everything in her power to save the village and us along with it, she did the same when she was just a child after all. I.., then, oh..I don't know Gabrielle. When I realized what she had to become to do it, I blamed her for what she was. But I expected her to become that monster to save us all. I think I was more horrified at myself, than I was at her. I don't have the right to judge her. I shouldn't try to change who or what she is. I should just accept her as my daughter." Gabrielle sat for a while saying nothing and then smiled. "I'm glad you think that Cyrene. Because it's going to take us both to convince her of that. Look,.." she said glancing down at the restless warrior, "it's going to be along night, she normally gets worse before she gets better. Why don't you get some sleep?" "Thank you, but no." Cyrene had seen the tired slump of the bards shoulders. "You had a long day yesterday. A battle today, as well as looking after me and my daughter. It's time you rested. I can look after her, at least for awhile."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, now settle down and get some sleep." Gabrielle decided not to argue, she was tired and this afternoons fight had left her aching, never mind the horse ride. Gently moving Xena's head from her lap, she moved to the otherside of the fire and crawled into the well used sleeping roll that Cyrene had laid out earlier. "Wake me in a few hours and I'll take over." "I will," Cyrene said watching the bards eyes close as she slipped into sleep, knowing that she had no intention of waking her.
Cyrene made good use of her time while the bard slept. She cleaned Lyceus's tomb, taking down her daughters weapon and armor, washing her blood from the stone. Occasionally Xena would become restless and Cyrene would stop to tend her. Now though she was stood next to her son wiping the dust from his face.
"Well, my son, she's home. Though Zeus knows for how long. You were right you
know, when you said she didn't just fight, she danced with her blade. Oh, and did she dance today, never have I seen the like of such a warrior as she. And her friend, her friend has a devotion for her unlike any I've seen before. Today when she put herself between me and your sister, she had no fear, as though she knew your sister would never harm her. I do confess to doubting that with anyone else, but with Gabrielle I believe this is true. She reminds me a lot of you. Young, Idealistic, a bit of a dreamer, though she is a wonderful bard, and like you she show's absolutely no doubt in your sister, believes in her unequivocally. She's in love, her face lights with a glow whenever she looks or speaks of her. I'm unsure whether your sister returns it, though she has a great fondness for her and heeds her more than anyone else. Gabrielle was right she needed a friend, and I'm glad Xena found her." leaving her sons side, she sat down by her daughter and carefully brushed her damp hair from her face. The inn was hot and smoky; the evening crowd had built to its peak and had not yet started to wane. Cyrene was winding her way through the busy throng with ease, greeting those she knew, dispensing ale and cider from the large jugs she carried without effort in her muscular arms. Stopping to refill at one table she kindly refused the offer of a seat. Leaving she pushed her way through the crowd to the door at the back of the inn, handing the ale and cider to one of the serving girls before leaving the room. The rear passage was cool and dark, the only light a small glow beneath the door at the end of passageway. Cyrene took a couple of seconds to enjoy the change in temperature and, wipe the sweat from her brow, before proceeding to the door at the end of the corridor. Gabrielle lifted her head from her hands as the door opened and managed a faint smile as Xena's mother crept into the room.
" How's she doing?" Gabrielle's tired eyes returned to the warrior and the blanket tossed cot in front of her.
"No change really. She's woken a few times but hasn't really known where she
is." Cyrene had woken the bard two nights ago in Lyceus's tomb. Xena's fever had
grown; throwing the warrior into delirium induced nightmares. They had both
struggled with the thrashing warrior trying to prevent her wounds from
reopening. They'd only been partially successful, Gabrielle had spent what was
left of the night restitching and dressing Xena's shoulder. It was then that
they decided to make a dash for Amphipolis. Between them they had managed to get
the unconscious warrior onto Argo with Gabrielle sat behind holding her on. The short journey back had taken longer than expected as the warrior alternated between bouts of fevered sweating and shivering. Cyrene had ridden ahead as the village came into view. When Gabrielle arrived with her charge, several of the village men were there to carry Xena to her room, and Marris the local healer was already setting out her equipment. In the last two days Gabrielle had only left Xena's side when Cyrene had physically forced her too. Exhaustion seemed permanently etched into the young bard's features as she fretted over her friend. Cyrene sat next to the bard closely watching her face. "Can I get you something to eat or drink?"
"No thank you. I'm afraid the legendary appetite seems to have deserted me." It was an understatement, she'd hardly eaten anything since they'd returned, but she just didn't feel hungry anymore. Cyrene leaned back into the chair worriedly; the young bard was wasting away right in front of her very eyes. "She'll be all right Gabrielle, Marris said the wounds were healing and the fever has started to lessen." The bard sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Yeah, and then the hard part really begins." Her shoulders slumped forward and she returned her head to her hands. Cyrene rubbed the tired shoulders feeling the tense knots in the muscles.
"I want you to go get some sleep. The girls are seeing to the inn, so I'll watch her for a while."
" No, I want to stay. I'm okay."
"You misunderstand me Gabrielle. I'm not giving you a choice in the matter. It's bad enough Xena being ill, I'll not have you making yourself ill as well. Now go to bed."
"Okay, okay. You win mom." Came the exasperated reply. " You better believe it, now scat." The bard leant forward and kissed the warriors cheek, running her hand through the bedraggled ebony hair. "I'll be back soon." Sitting up she looked directly into Cyrene's eyes " Promise to wake me if there's any change."
"Only if I have to young lady. Now bed." The young girl stood and stretched slowly making her way to the door, sending a last wistful look back towards the warrior before leaving.
Xena had been here many times before. The dark foreboding rocky landscape was as
familiar to her as a lover's caress. She stood silently, patiently, watching, listening, and waiting for the inevitable. The crunch of a footstep alerted her to his presence. An evil smile flashed across her face. "Ares," the dark god of war walked around her right shoulder, " I thought I smelt your stench hanging around."
" Ah, Xena, my dear warrior princess. So good of you to remember me. Not going quite as you planned is it my dear?" Xena studied the chillingly handsome God before her. "If I'd known all I had to do to knock you from this road of atonement you've put yourself on, was to get you to threaten your mother and that pesky tagalong. Well…" "I'd rather die than return to you Ares, and you know that. So what do you want?"
" Yes, you have told me that on several occasions, but I'd rather not see that happen, at least not when I can't take the credit for it." The God of War looked around. " I never could understand why you liked this place so much. Change of scene I think." He clicked his fingers.
Xena suddenly found herself stood in a room she had visited on numerous occasions during her time as a warlord, Slowly wandering around the room, she picked up and discarded various multicolored silks. " I see your taste hasn't changed much." She glanced over at the pillow strewn bed that Ares lounged on."
" Never where your concerned my dear."
" So," Xena slowly leant over the bed, directing her piercing gaze into the Gods eyes, " what game are we playing this time?"
"Game? I'm not playing games, Princess. I wish I'd thought of this one, but I really can't take the credit for somebody else's work." Xena's gaze darkened. " If not you, who else?" she asked pointedly.
"Ah, there's the rub, you see." He pushed himself up onto his elbow; his face so close Xena could feel his breath as he slowly exhaled. " I'm not quite sure, but he's good. Very good in fact."
" So you know what's going on?" the warrior lowered herself onto the bed next to the God, their faces still intimate.
" I believe I've managed to find that out yes."
" Care to share?" Ares slowly pulled away and rolled off the bed, his gazed still fixed on Xena.
" Let's say I give you a little clue," he picked up a carafe of wine, pouring two glasses, handing one to the warrior still lounged on the bed. " Unfortunately there are certain conditions. You are my chosen Xena, the best I've ever had in fact, but you don't follow my path anymore, so I'm limited in what I can do." Xena let out a short laugh " Are you sure, you're not behind this? It seems so like you." " I assure you my dear, this isn't one of mine. You do know what's happening to you, don't you?" He took a drink and sat watching the warrior as she stood and began to pace.
" I'm loosing control. Even when I followed you, I could control my hate and anger. I didn't want to most of the time, but I still had the ability." "Well, I do like my chosen to have that certain edge to them. But taking away control makes you harder to influence, as you no doubt remember from our little head to head with the furies. You have an incredible capacity for destruction princess, not even I want to see it let loose to that extent, after all just where would you stop?"
" I most probably wouldn't." Xena drained her glass and sat before him. " Exactly. So either somebody wants you on the rampage, or is hoping you'll bow out before you let that happen, bearing in mind your insufferable need to make up for your glorious past."
" I'd rather bow out."
" So it seems, you're not doing a bad job of it either. It's been nearly a week now hasn't it. Wasting away doesn't seem your style." " Gabrielle and mother would try to stop me if I tried anything more direct.
They'd get hurt."
" Then you've got a choice coming up Xena. I think I know which road you're
going to take… When you do remember me, call my name. I'll be able to give you
some semblance of control for a short time, but only for a short time. And afterwards you'll owe me."
" I'm not coming back to you Ares."
" I'm not asking you to Xena. You'll do that all by yourself. Oh.. One more thing… we didn't have this conversation. I've put my neck out enough as it is.
You won't remember this little chat of ours. When the time comes you'll remember
enough. Good-bye my dear." He clicked his fingers. Cyrene's patience had worn thin, her nerves were frayed. It had now been a week since they'd brought Xena back to the inn. At first things had seemed fine. Xena's fever had broken and her wounds healed, and that's where it had ended. She'd not moved from the cot, rarely became conscious of her surroundings, only drank because she was forced and refused to eat. She was dying that much was obvious, but nobody knew why. Gabrielle had said in one of their many conversations, that Xena was able to accomplish such incredible feats merely because she believed she could, nobody ever told her daughter that she couldn't and therefore it was possible, her mind was a very powerful weapon. Now it had turned in on itself and there was nothing anybody could do to stop it. Cyrene was willing to let her daughter make that decision for herself, the problem was she was taking the bard with her and, Cyrene wasn't willing to let that happen. Walking briskly into Xena's room Cyrene went to the sleeping bard. The strawberry blonde hair lay lank on the chair, her pale face marred by the dark smudges of exhaustion beneath her eyes. She'd lost weight through worry and the fact she hardly ate the food she was given. The innkeeper was loath to wake her when at last she seemed to be sleeping peacefully, but she wanted her out of the room while she talked to Xena. The warrior may have been uncommunicative but Cyrene was positive that her daughter could hear. Cyrene gently shook the bards shoulder. Gabrielle was awake in an instant, her eyes immediately going to her partner.
"She's okay, she's still with us." Calmed Cyrene, rubbing her shoulder she continued. " Go to bed Gabrielle you'll rest easier." " You always seem to be telling me to do that these days." A small tired smile graced that bards face.
" That's because you don't have the sense to go without me telling you to. I've left some bread and cheese in your room if you're hungry." " Thank you, I don't know what I'd have done without you."
" There's no need to thank me Gabrielle your family. I call you if she wakes." Gabrielle kissed the innkeepers cheek and left the room. Cyrene sat back her eyes on her daughter waiting for those ice blue wells to open. It was several candlemarks, later but eventually those once crystalline eyes now faded dull opened. They didn't look or focus on anything just stared. It had been happening for a few days now, but emotion still caught in Cyrene's throat. Today though she wasn't going to let it overwhelm her. Moving to the edge of her seat she took Xena's hand in her own and squeezed tightly, before she spoke. " I never thought I'd see the day when the mighty warrior princess, would give up, but that day is drawing closer. I understand you've made a decision and that you have the right to do that. If death is what you want, then so be it. I don't expect you to heed my wishes, we've been strangers for so long, and I have no hold over you." Cyrene rose and shifted herself over onto the cot next to her daughter. One hand still holding her daughters tight, her other clasped Xena's jaw and turned her head until she was facing her mother. " You've had precious few friends in your life Xena, none more precious I think than your Gabrielle." The blue eyes blinked, but opened again unlike they had so many times before. Cyrene knew she was listening. " I'm willing to let you go daughter if that is truly your desire, but I will not let you take Gabrielle with you. Because that is what is happening she sits in here candlemark after candlemark, day after day. Waiting for you to snap out of this, but even she has come to the conclusion that won't happen. She's not eating, she has horrendous nightmares when she sleeps at all." Dark pupils contracted in the ice like eyes. " You have a choice to make daughter. You can carry on the way you are at the moment and die, taking her along with you, or you can fight, you can fight for her Xena, just like she is for you. She has such a love for you, I don't think there is anything in this or the next world that she wouldn't do for you. Love can overcome impossible odds Xena; will you overcome these for her? Whatever the problem is Xena we can fix it. All we need is for you to start the fight."
Xena's eyes closed, Cyrene hung her head and squeezed her daughter's hand again
hoping that Xena had heard her. She stood intending to go and check on Gabrielle but a painful grip closed around her hand. Her eyes went straight to her daughter's face.
" You have no idea of what your asking mother." The whispered voice was horse after a week of no use. Cyrene sat by her daughter returning the powerful grip. " I think, I do Xena. But whatever it is we can work through it." Xena opened her eyes and, for the first time since the battle she saw reason in them instead of the blankness she had become use to. " Tell me Xena, tell me what is frightening you so?"
" I'm not frightened mother." Whispered her voice, " I'm terrified." Her eyes closed again as she looked deep inside herself not liking what she saw.
" What of?" Cyrene wondered what could have her violent daughter so scared she'd
rather die than face it.
" Me, mother. I'm terrified of me." Her eyes opened once again and Cyrene saw
horror within them. " I have been fighting this rage within me for nearly three
years and, I'm loosing. Each time I use my sword or I fight it becomes that
little bit harder to control the next time. It burns deep and fierce mother, but
I have always been able to bend it to my will and use it. Now I have to fight
every second of every day to keep it tethered. A few months ago if you'd grabbed
me after a fight I would have reacted, but I'd never have gotten to a sword
stroke before I knew you. Now somebody only has to look at me the wrong way and
that rage almost consumes me."
"We can fight through this Xena, it may take time, but we can get through this.
You just have to believe in yourself."
" We may be able to get through this mother but how many people would get hurt
or die while we try? And what would happen if it were you or Gabrielle in my way
at the wrong time, do you think you'd be safe?"
Gabrielle had been unable to sleep on her return to her room, at least when she
was in Xena's she knew immediately of any change. Although she was deathly tired
sleep in this room at least eluded her, whenever she closed her eyes, endless questions and thoughts raced through her mind battering for her attention. So instead of inflicting that torment on herself she picked up her scrolls and parchments and began to write. Gabrielle had always found solace in her ability to express herself through her stories, both written and spoken. It helped her to detach herself from the situation and, think through it from the outside. In her years with Xena she had used the technique many times to reason through the actions the warrior had taken, that she thought had been wrong or unwise. She had learned to appreciate how Xena's mind worked and this had enabled her to reason with the fighter on a few occasions. It also meant that now she knew Xena had made her mind up there would be little she could do to change it. It was sometime later that Gabrielle finished her writing, to her surprise she had eaten most of what Cyrene had left for her. Stretching form the curled position she had adopted, she left for Xena's room, stopping outside of the door when she heard voices from within.
" That won't happen Xena." Desperation was clear in her voice. " It already has mother. Gabrielle managed to stop me this time." She said in exasperation.
" You seem fine now, you're controlling yourself now." " Yes, I'm controlling it now, but you have no idea how hard it is. I could crush your fingers in my hand now. You couldn't do anything to stop me. At the moment I have the strength to stop myself but it won't last. Do you think you could handle me in a rage? Could you stop me? Could you? When not even I can control myself?" Xena's eyes had started to burn. She raised her body from the cot. " Do you think this village could handle me ten times worse than what I became the first time?" Neither women heard the door open or Gabrielle enter. Cyrene stared at her daughter, feeling the pressure on her hand increase. Worry began to cloud her mind. What if Xena were right? What would happen if she lost control, nobody in the village had the power or skill to stop her. " This village couldn't," came the soft voice of the bard from the door way, ~" but the Amazons could." Xena fell back to the cot, dropping her mother's hand, as Gabrielle approached the cot.
" No they couldn't Gabrielle. They might be able to slow me down for a short while, Hades bell's they might not even be able to do that." " You could though couldn't you? If this were happening to someone else, you'd figure out a way to at least restrain them until we figured out a way to stop them. Right?"
"Possibly." Came the reluctant reply.
" Then teach us. Show us how to stop you." Pleaded the bard " Where would that get us Gabrielle." The bard knelt by her friend. "It would give us time Xena. Time to find out why this is happening, time to stop it." Xena rolled to face Gabrielle, seeing for the first time how gaunt she'd become over the last week, how exhaustion shadowed those perfect green eyes. Xena raised a hand to her cheek " I'd rather die than hurt you, you know that don't you?" Gabrielle nodded tears falling down her face. " This is a no win situation. Either way I lose you. Either to death, or to the repulsion you will feel after seeing me with out that tiny piece of control I have over myself."
"You don't know that Xena. At least give it a chance"
It had taken six days for the message Gabrielle had sent Ephiny to bear results. It had been six days that neither Cyrene nor Gabrielle would soon forget. After reluctantly agreeing to Gabrielle's suggestion to ask the Amazons, Xena had turned back in on herself. She spoke rarely, and preferred her own company, just about tolerating the bards company during the evenings, when Gabrielle would sit next to the fire and recite poems and stories to the constantly pacing warrior.
Sometimes the stories would work and Xena would find the simmering rage within
had died enough to let her relax, but those moments were few and far between.
The warrior had made her mother remove nearly all the furniture from the room
and Gabrielle had taken her weapons. Occasionally Gabrielle or Cyrene would come
to the door and find it barred to their entry, complete silence emanating from the room. Once Gabrielle had stood outside the door listening as Xena ripped the room apart with her bare hands, the walls of the room had shaken as she repeatedly hit them with clenched fists. When the door had eventually been unlocked she had taken in cloths and healing herb's and had silently tended the bloody hands as Xena had sat and stared into the fireplace, her body shivering every now and again with barely suppressed rage.
It was a physical relief on the sixth day when one of the village boys ran into the inn.
" What is it Tolath?" inquired Cyrene, as the young boy slid to a halt beside the bar.
" Horse's Cyrene, lot's of horse's. Coming up the road."
Gabrielle was waiting outside the inn as the Amazons rode into the village. Ephiny the tall blonde Amazon regent gracefully dismounted her horse, greeting her Queen with a bow, before embracing her in a hug. " We came as soon as I got your message" the Amazon released the bard looking into the emerald eyes that had lost their sparkle to exhaustion. The normally mischievous bounce that invaded the bard's body was missing; the tension at the inn was almost palpable. " You weren't very specific, what's the problem?" a thunderous impact echoed from behind the bard and Ephiny saw the green eyes darken almost flinch at the sound.
" Xena, Ephiny. Xena's the problem."
Ephiny had always found sunset to be the most peaceful time of the day, the day's work over the russet and gold blending in the skies never failed to relax her, even in times of war or tension sunset had always been her release valve. It had been two day's now since she had found out this was one problem that wouldn't fade with the going down of the sun. Ephiny had sat stunned in the bar with Eponin and Solari by her side as Gabrielle had explained the problem to them. Every now and again the recital would be interrupted by a howl from the back of the inn, at one point Gabrielle and Cyrene had disappeared through the door, returning moments later looking even more worried. " Is everything okay out there?" asked Ephiny as Gabrielle seated herself at the table.
" She's calmed down a little, give her a candlemark or so and she'll have worn
herself out enough to see you." The bard saw the apprehension in the regent's
face. " Don't worry Ephiny. Nothing will happen, besides I'm sure Eponin and
Solari will be stood outside the door weapons drawn when we go in. However, if
we're going to be able to help her we need to know how to restrain her, and she
really is the only one who knows how to do that, isn't she." So the two of them
had gone to Xena's room after eating the meal that Cyrene had prepared for the
visiting Amazons. Ephiny noticed that not even Gabrielle strayed more than a
couple of paces from the entrance to the room. The room was dark, Cyrene had not
allowed a fire or lamps to be lit since the day Xena had awoken, and the only
light was the pale moonlight reflected in through the window. The warrior could
only be seen as a shadow, pacing feverishly along the back wall where the
remains of the cot could be seen. Xena hadn't even acknowledged their arrival
before she started explaining to the regent how to construct a cell that could
hold the enraged warrior. The idea seemed simple enough and knowing that it
would be needed as soon as they arrived at the Amazon village Ephiny had sent
Solari and one of the out riders back to the village so that construction could
begin immediately. To be honest though Ephiny had been more worried about how
they were going to get Xena back to the village, it seemed Xena had her own concerns about that and had asked Gabrielle to leave them. She didn't begin talking until the door had closed.
"This is not going to work Ephiny. No matter what Mother and Gabrielle want to
believe, your not going to be able to restrain me for long. I've already tried
to end this, but Gabrielle wouldn't let me go without her coming along and I
won't be responsible for her death. So on the journey back I want you to have at
least three of your out riders with arrows notched at all times and if I even
look at her funny you shoot to kill, no hesitations, because that will be the
only chance you get. Understand?" Ephiny looked deeply into those harrowed eyes
before replying.
"I understand, we will defend her to the last, even against you. But Gabrielle will insist that you not be killed. I will only go against her orders if I'm sure that is the only way to stop you."
"I guess that will have to do. I want your oath on it Ephiny." "You have my oath as the Amazon regent, and as your friend, I will not allow you to harm Gabrielle."
With the Amazon village less than a days journey away, Ephiny was more confident
about reaching it without incident. Xena rode Argo as normal but had insisted that Gabrielle ride behind the regent rather than herself. Each night several of the out riders had ridden ahead to scout for a camp site, and would have the fire burning and dinner cooking by the time the main group rode in. Tonight was no different, and the weary travelers rode in just as dusk settled into night.
At first Ephiny had wondered how they were going to keep watch on Xena at night
when they would need to sleep, but Gabrielle had sorted that out on the first night by using a sleeping draft that Xena's mother had prepared for them. Xena had kept to herself for most of the journey only ever speaking to Gabrielle on the infrequent times she actually needed to speak, the entire Amazon group gave her plenty of space, not even looking at her if at all possible. She seemed to be handling herself better than any of them had hoped for, but every now and again she would look desperately at Gabrielle, the bard would then quietly urge Ephiny to ride alongside the warrior so that she could talk to her, telling stories and poems until she felt the tension ease in her partner. Ephiny's respect for the young bard grew immensely, she no longer thought of her as the little girl from Potetdia, or as Xena's tagalong. In the last few seasons traveling with Xena she had matured and grown in many ways, and she was obviously the only one that Xena trusted and listened to. It was a quiet camp, Xena and Gabrielle sat slightly apart from the rest of them, four of the outriders constantly patroling the perimeter of the camp arrows notched as requested by Xena. Eponin sat next to Ephiny legs stretched towards the fire back propped up against her saddle. She glanced over at the regent seeing her gaze cast on the warrior and bard. "It's not going as bad as we expected it to, is it?" she asked. Ephiny removed her gaze from her queen and looked at the weapons master. "Not for us, no. I think it's worse for Xena though. Did you see the way Gabrielle grabbed hold of her when Lissa took Argo's reigns? I honestly thought Xena was going to tear her head off from the way she was looking at her." This time it was Eponin's gaze that turned to the bard.
"Yeah, I did. We're going to have to watch that though. Xena's definitely on the edge at the moment and I know that Gabrielle seems to be the one keeping her there, but I don't want her near her when she goes."
"You and me both, but you try and keep her away. Anyway....." she paused as
several birds calls came in from the scouts. Activity in the camp stopped as the
Amazons recognized the calls for intruders. The Amazons picked up their weapons
and moved out to the perimeter as one of the scouts appeared beside Ephiny. "A group of about ten riders heading this way. All armed, and they don't look to friendly either."
"Have they seen us?"
"I don't know, but they seem to be heading straight for us." "I find it really hard to believe that this lot are going to attack an armed group of Amazons." said Eponin as she fastened her daggers into place. "Yeah, well I've heard of stupider things, so let's prepare for the worst. Get Gabrielle away from Xena, even unarmed she won't sit this out if they attack, then make sure our four archers have the correct arrows handy just in case." Gabrielle had known something was wrong even before the Amazon birdcalls had come in. Xena always seemed to have a sixth sense where danger was concerned;
Gabrielle had seen her tense just before the first call. As soon as the Amazons had started to collect their weapons and fan out Xena had risen to her feet and scanned the area. She didn't move even when Ephiny and Eponin approached. "What's going on?" whispered Gabrielle as Eponin took hold of her arm. "Looks like a bunch of raiders are heading our way. Though only Armetis knows how they know we're here. Ephiny wants you over by the horse's just in case." "In case of what?"
"In case they really are stupid enough to attack fourteen armed Amazons, with
Xena traveling with them. Come on." Eponin grasp hold of her arm and steered her
away from Xena in the direction of the horses. Ephiny had watched the exchange carefully and was glad when Gabrielle had left with little argument. "You gonna be okay." she inquired to the still watchful warrior.
"How many are there?" Xena stepped forward and slowly began walking away from
the camp. Ephiny matched her pace and walked alongside. "The scout says ten, but there may be more that we haven't seen. Look Xena I know there is no point me asking you to stay out of this, but...." Xena stopped and pierced the Regent with her cold eyes. Ephiny could see no trace of the Xena she once knew, this was pure ice, the Warlord she had so hoped would never reappear.
"No Ephiny, there is no point at all. Make sure none of your warriors gets in front of me." With that she took of at a sprint into the darkness. A shiver ran down Ephiny's back as she realized that she hadn't even heard her leave. She nearly jumped out of her skin when a hand clasped her shoulder in a tight grip. "Hey, hey, calm down. It's only me." Eponin hugged the Regent close as she felt her shivers. Turning the Regent gazed into her friends concerned face. "'Pony, have you ever looked into someone's face and seen death staring back at you?"
"I've been in some pretty nasty battle's and seen some fierce fighter's, but no I wouldn't say I've seen death staring back. Why?"
"I'm sure that those that fought Xena before she changed saw exactly that, I
just did." shaking herself to get rid of the chill that seemed to have invaded
her body, she turned back towards the camp. " Make sure everybody, and I do mean
everybody stays within the confines of the camp."
"But what about the raid...."
"Eponin. I'll be very surprised if anybody gets passed Xena."
Xena loved the dark, when she had, had her army she would stay awake most of the
night just to feel it wrapped around her. She liked to practice at night because anybody could learn to be a good fighter during the day, but at night you needed to use the other senses, rather than your eyes. You had to be able to hear your opponent approach, smell him, feel him. You had to be so at one with your surroundings that the slightest intrusion into your sphere of sense would immediately bring you to battle readiness without thought. The Warrior Princess had long ago mastered that art, she had mastered it to the extent that she could merge with her surroundings to the point that even masters of the hunt would find it impossible to see her. The raiders didn't stand a chance.
The raiders galloped across the meadow enmass, on the farside just within the
treeline; they could see the fire in the Amazon camp blazing. The Amazon
warriors that the leader of the raiders knew would be there stayed within its
autumn glow. This puzzled the raider; he'd felt sure that when they attacked,
the Amazons would swarm out to battle. This would allow his second team to grab
the Amazon Queen that the priest had promised would be with this group. He was
positive the Amazon nation would pay a fine ransom to see their Queen returned
in one piece, but he couldn't see what the priest would gain from her
disappearance for a few days. The failure of the Amazons to react as all the
previous victims had bothered him slightly, however they still out numbered
them. Afterall how much damage could a group of women do to his finely trained
men? The leader looked over his shoulder satisfied that all his soldiers were
keeping up and in position, he felt himself relax, a small grin appeared on his
grimy weather beaten face, nothing would go wrong. Had the leader waited another
heartbeat to check on his men, he would have seen one toward the rear fall from his horse, to be replaced by another shadowed form. Xena watched the raiders through battlefevered eyes; she had chosen her victim carefully. He rode just at the rear of the pack, so she could dispose of him without notice, but close enough to two of the other raiders that meant taking them out wouldn't be too much of a problem. Crouched in the tall grass she was unseen as they thundered past. As her victim neared she leapt from her hiding place onto the horse behind him, quickly snapping his neck, silencing any alarm he may have raised, before throwing his lifeless body from the horse. She settled into the saddle checking the surrounding raiders to ensure her attack had not been witnessed. Silently she maneuvered the horse amongst the raiding party and began picking them off one by one.
The first the raider leader knew of the silent erosion of his troops was when he glanced behind and saw that most of the horses that followed him were riderless. He hurriedly reigned his mount slowly to a halt with the remaining four riders that still sat atop of their horses.
Ephiny and Eponin stood in flanking positions around Gabrielle, the Amazon outriders had created an outer wall of defense, but as per the Regents orders none of them moved from the confines of the camp. The thundering beat of the approaching horses could be heard, but the covering darkness did not show them their enemy. As the beat drew closer, Ephiny was beginning to wonder whether or not she should have sent the Amazons out to attack rather than heed Xena's warning. Then the drumbeat of hooves began to falter.
"They're pulling up." Eponin took a step forward, straining to see the attacking
raiders who'd stopped just beyond the throw of their firelight. She could just
make out the prancing of the horses when the first blood-curdling scream ripped
through the air. The sounds of battle emerged from the night but none of the
Amazons moved to engage. A lone blood soaked raider staggered from the darkness
towards the light of the fire; he had not made it ten paces when he was brought to his knees and then the ground, a dagger protruding from his back. Silence.
The Amazons stood unsure; Gabrielle was clutching hard on Ephiny's arm, knowing
that it was Xena who had stopped the raiders. Another scream ripped through the night, this one erupting from the forest close to the right of the camp, it was closely followed by an evil laugh. Yet another scream, this time cut off mid-flow.
Silence.
For a candlemark nobody moved, then slowly the normal sounds of the forest night
began to reappear. Carefully the Amazons began to relax their guard. Ephiny looked towards Eponin and gave a quick flick of her head towards the perimeter. "Go check, keep them alert until she's back with us, and we know she's okay."
Eponin nodded and moved off. " Come on Gabrielle, let's get back to the fire and
get you warm." Ephiny put her arm around the young Queen's shoulders giving her
a hug, knowing that her charge wouldn't settle until her partner was back safely.
It was several candlemarks later; Ephiny and Eponin were just discussing sending out a search party when Xena appeared on the opposite side of the fire. None of the Amazons still on perimeter guard had raised the alarm at her approach, because none of them had seen her enter the camp. Ephiny and Eponin knew it would be a futile act to berate the guards, even on a bad day spotting Xena if she didn't want to be seen would be almost impossible. "Xena!" a startled Gabrielle sat up reaching toward her as she lowered her self to the ground. Eponin grabbed hold of her arm stopping her from touching the still agitated warrior.
" Gently Gabrielle, gently." said the Amazon quietly as she lowered the Queens arm to her side. Gabrielle's initial excitement at seeing her partner now tempered, studied the warrior noting the still glazed eyes, blood stained arms and leathers, and by her side on the ground rested an unfamiliar blood coated sword. She sat silently her knees drawn up to her chest, arms clasped tight around them staring into the fire not seeing either of the Amazons or Gabrielle. Every now and then her fists would clench tight and the muscles along her arm would bunch into tense knots. Gabrielle sank back into Ephiny's welcome arm knowing it would take Xena some time to return to her completely. Time seemed to stand still in the camp, the only movement was to occasionally add more fuel to the fire, other than that everyone seemed content to sit and wait.
Eponin strolled the perimeter of the camp as the golden sunlight of dawn graced the sky, her eyes ever intent as she scanned the area. A shy smile touched her face as her gaze came to rest on the young Amazon Queen wrapped in a blanket curled up against the Regent fast asleep. Ephiny had convinced her in the early morning that she would be woken if Xena needed her. All the Amazons that had been awake at varying stages of the night had kept a watchful eye on the still tense warrior but she had not moved, she just sat staring into the flames of the fire. Just before dawn, as the dew was forming Eponin had dared to throw a blanket around her shoulders, but she hadn't appeared to notice, lost wherever her mind had taken her in that deep darkness she had buried inside her. The weapons master had also removed the bloodied sword that had returned with her. That sword had killed many last night, but dawn shed very little light on the battlefield. Several bodies could be seen but not enough to account for the number of horses that grazed in the field. Eponin made a mental note to get a couple of the outriders to round them up before they left; they might come in useful. Returning to the fire she shot a rueful smile at the Regent as she sat down next to her.
" I see our Queen is a bit of a snuggler." Ephiny smiled down at the young girl as she softly stroked her strawberry blonde hair.
" I think she needs a little reassurance, what with our friend over there not being herself. The last few weeks has taken its toll on them." "Yeah, I can see it in her eyes, she's lost weight as well. At least we'll reach the village today, a little more support will do her good." "Oh, I hope so 'Pony, cause Armetis knows's how we're going to control Xena if she loses it completely."
"Something will come to mind Eph', it always does." Solari was loath to leave the cool shade of the Temple to join the Amazon warriors gathered at the bottom of the steps, but their work there was done. When she had first heard of their Queen's predicament she had been eager to help. Getting the instructions for building a cell that could hold Xena, back to the village had not been a problem. That was until she had started thinking about it. Xena's strength was legendary, she had come back from the dead, how did they expect to hold her in a cell? But she had been tasked with organising a work party to construct it, and that is what she had done. The first problem had been finding a suitable room or cave to turn into a cell.
Xena had said it should have only one small entrance, preferably be made from
stone, be dark and cold. They had at first considered using the storage caves,
but none of them had really been suitable, and it would have taken days, which
they didn't have to move the stores anyway. None of the Amazon huts were strong
enough to hold the enraged Xena, and so the project had almost ground to a halt
even before it had begun. Eventually the Priestess from the Temple had solved
the problem by offering the use of the underground cellars. The next problem had
been finding someone the same size a Xena, so that the chains and bindings that
would hold her would be the right length. In the end they'd used the biggest
Amazon in the camp and then guessed. The chains had been provided and fitted by
the smith from the Centaur village, and two of the horsemen had managed to get into the cellars to test them. All the cell needed now was an occupant. Still Solari was unsure the cell would contain Xena for long. Stepping into the heated sunlight Solari left the shelter of the Temple and made her way to the small gathering below.
"Any sign yet?" she asked as she joined the group.
"None of the scouts have reported back. They can't be far off though if the left the day after you." Came the reply from a tall Auburn haired warrior. Kiaya was an Amazon from birth, standing just below six feet, she was a lithe muscular woman, Known for her lethal weapons skills and her arrogance. The only person she seemed to have any real respect for was Eponin and that was only because she had beaten her in combat; it was not that Eponin was any more skilful than Kiaya, just that she knew how to use it and didn't lose her temper and get careless in the middle of a fight. Kiaya had just returned from an apprenticeship with the northern clans and hadn't yet had the pleasure of meeting the new Queen or her partner. It was causing some of the more seasoned warriors some concern. Kiaya could be a little over confidant of her skill at times. Her challenge of Eponin at the age of sixteen had gone down in the history scrolls, though Kiaya had spent several weeks under the care of the healers as a result. She enjoyed challenging other warriors to sparring sessions and tag matches; she liked the fact that everybody knew she was better and more skilful than they were. The elder warriors just hoped she wouldn't take it into her head to challenge Xena, from what Solari had to say the Warrior Princess was likely to tear her limb from limb just for looking at her. "Well let's get out of this sun. There's nothing more we can do until they arrive." The group broke up some heading for their huts, Solari and Kiaya for the dinning hut. The sound of galloping horses warned them of approaching riders before they burst into the Village Square in a cloud of dust. The two Amazon riders sat upon foam splattered horses, covered in dust and sweat from their hard ride. Solari recognised them as two of the outriders sent to protect the Queen. Grabbing hold of the reins she managed to calm the agitated horses, as the two riders slid to the ground.
"What's wrong?" Solari knew there was trouble, the outriders would never have left the queen unless something had happened.
"What's not wrong, would be a better question," replied the smaller of the two Amazons as she tried to catch her breath, " we ran into a raiding party last night. Xena took care of them; didn't return to camp for a while after. When she did get back she was a little tense, but was under control. So at first light we pack up," she paused and drank as a waterskin was pushed into her hand, 2 got to the border just after midday. Then all Tartarus broke loose. Temara and Della came down from the watchposts, but managed to spook Ephiny's horse as they landed. The damn thing reared and threw the Queen, knocked her out cold. Xena just went berserk." She looked around at the concerned faces of the gathering Amazons, then continued. "If Ephiny hadn't pulled everyone back it would have been a blood bath, Zeus, the woman isn't even armed, but both Temara and Della need the healers. The thing is it's turned into a standoff. Ephiny wants two of the healers and some archers sent out now. She asked for the healers to bring Soneral elixir." Solari gazed intently at the Amazon, thinking to herself before replying.
"Okay, you two go roust the healers, get them packed and ready to go. Kiaya, I want five more of the best archers we have. I think I know what Ephiny's planning but I want to get there quickly. We leave in half a candlemark.
Gabrielle had been in this position a few times before and found it oddly
comforting. Waking up with a pounding head was preferable to not waking up at
all. She knew she was lying on the ground because several twigs and rocks were
poking into her back. She knew she was lying in the forest because of the
coolness from the shadows and the odd patch o warmth where the sunlight had
broken through the trees. What she couldn't figure out was why she was waking up
with a pounding head lying on the forest floor, when they were in friendly
territory. Surely the Amazons hadn't revolted during Ephiny's short absence? She
quite clearly remembered getting to the border and two Amazons descending from
the trees to greet them, but after that sadly everything was lacking. Well, she thought raising her hand to the bump on the back of her head, maybe she ought to open her eyes and see what was going on.
Ephiny was cursing herself for not having though ahead enough to recognise that
Amazons descending from the trees with an already edgy Xena, was probably not a
good idea. Admittedly nobody could have foreseen her horse spooking and throwing
Gabrielle, but still. Now she stood with the other Amazons a fair distance from
their fallen Queen, with probably the most dangerous fighter the Amazon nation
had ever encountered in a blind rage, convinced that they had tried to kill her
partner. As far as Ephiny could see the only reason Xena hadn't pursued them was
because it would mean leaving Gabrielle, and it was only the knowledge that Xena
honestly thought she was protecting the bard from attack that had prevented Ephiny from letting the outriders use their poison tipped arrows against her. Her retreat hadn't been quick enough to prevent injury though. Xena's lightening attack had felled the two descending Amazons within seconds, the only reason they weren't dead was because Xena had stopped to check Gabrielle once they'd fallen. Eponin had seen the danger immediately and pulled the unconscious Amazons from the reach of the enraged warrior. Ephiny had order everyone back then, but not before two of the outriders had fired their arrows at Xena. Fortunately or unfortunately, Ephiny hadn't quite decided which, the warrior had just plucked them from the air. Now they were at an impasse. Xena was quite obviously in a rage, but didn't seem able to move more than a couple of paces from the injured Gabrielle's side and Ephiny had no way of calming her down or moving her. Sending riders back to the village for help had been the only thing she could think of.
Ephiny, the weapons master realised was so deep in thought that she hadn't seen Gabrielle move so she gave her a quick jab in the ribs with her elbow. When she'd gotten her attention she nodded towards their young Queen. "She's coming around." The hushed voice whispered into the Regents ear. "Xena hasn't noticed yet. Do you think she'll be okay?" Ephiny kept her voice low. "Yeah, She seems to recognise her enough to want to protect her from us, so I think she'll be alright." All eyes flickered back to their Queen as she let out a small groan. Xena stopped pacing and fell to her knees next to the bard and gently brushed the blonde hair from her face. All the Amazons saw their young Queens eyes open and the smile that appeared on her face as she looked at the warrior above, and they all saw the warrior relax as the Queen spoke her name. The world was a little blurred as she opened her eyes, but Gabrielle immediately recognised the concerned face of her partner. A smile crossed her face that slowly turned into a frown as she looked into Xena's eyes. Something was wrong. "Xena?" Gabrielle saw some of the tension leave the warriors face, but that deadly edge still remained in those crystalline eyes. Carefully she took hold of Xena's arm and pulled herself into a sitting position, gently supported by her friend. Once the slight dizziness had left her she gazed around the small clearing. The Amazons she saw stood a good stones throw away from where they were sat, Gabrielle's frown deepened as she saw that two of them were injured. None of them including Ephiny and Eponin seemed eager to approach. "Xena, why are all the Amazons stood over there? And how did those two get hurt?" Gabrielle's gaze stayed on the Amazons; she got no reply from the warrior.
"Xena?" She transferred her gaze back to the warrior seeing the anger building
on her face. "Xena? What's wrong?" Still she got no answer, and Xena slowly rose
to her feet. "Oh, Gods." Said Gabrielle aloud, knowing that something had really upset her partner this time.
Solari and her small band moved quickly through the treetops, they had left their mounts some distance back. Unsure of what they might find, Solari had felt more secure approaching on foot, crashing in on horses didn't seem a wise idea. She had split the group up so that they could surround the border clearing, Solari hoped that an all fronts attack would be enough to stop the warrior if it were required. She slowed her pace allowing the healers to come abreast of her as they neared the border.
Gabrielle scrambled quickly to her feet, forcing the wave of dizziness down, and
putting herself between the Xena and the Amazons. Grabbing hold of each of her
arms, she physically forced the warrior to a halt, stopping her from advancing
towards the Amazons any further. Shaking her arms Gabrielle forced Xena to make
eye contact with her.
"What happened?" she asked over her shoulder in a voice load enough to reach Ephiny but not enough to startle her friend.
"My horse spooked and threw you. And Xena, … well I think she must have thought
Temara and Della were attacking, cause she kinda lost it." A small movement to the rear of Xena caught the bard's attention. Refocusing she saw several Amazons slowly moving through the trees.
"Anybody else hurt?" The Amazons moved out of the trees and Gabrielle could see
their bows notched and felt the tension rise in Xena as her senses picked up the new arrivals.
"No, no-one else get hurt, well apart from you. Temara and Della will be alright
once they've seen the healers." Ephiny had also seen the Amazon
re-enforcement's, then felt Solari's presence by her side. Quietly she spoke to
her. "You bring the healers?"
"Yeah, and I've spread everyone else out. The arrows are coated in Soneral, the healer said it would take a few minutes to absorb through the skin, but it will work almost instantly if introduced into the blood."
"Is there a chance we might overdose her doing this?"
"They were a little vague on that."
"Great, just what I need, vague answers. Hopefully it won't come to that Gabrielle seems to be handling it at the moment." She returned her attention back to the Queen as she heard her voice.
"Ephiny, tell everyone to move back a couple of paces."
"Gabrielle I'm not sure that's a wise move."
"Don't argue with me Ephiny. She's upset enough as it is, they're only making it worse." Ephiny sighed but waved the warriors back. Gabrielle now refocused herself totally on her friend.
"Xena, nobody was attacking me. Ephiny's horse just spooked and threw me thats
all. Okay?" Gabrielle was concentrating entirely on her friend and didn't see
the Auburn haired Amazon to her side draw back on her bow. "Xena, I need you to
calm down and relax a little. Everything's…" She knew the moment she failed, and
would in the coming weeks wonder if she could have done something to prevent it. It was only a small change, a slight crease to her face, hardness to the eyes that warned her. She didn't have time to remove her hands before Xena shook her off and pushed her forcefully away. The warrior turned sharply ignoring the bards cry as she hit the ground, and snatched the quarrel that had been fired at her, from the air. Then launched herself at the attacking Amazon. Ephiny had actually started to believe they were going to avert an all out confrontation, until she saw Kiaya fire the quarrel at Xena. She felt her heart sink as she saw the warrior throw the bard from her and catch the arrow. There would be no way now that Gabrielle would be able to talk her down, or prevent her from tearing Kiaya limb from limb, not that she didn't deserve it for disobeying orders. She took a deep breath, knowing that explaining to Gabrielle what she was about to do would be hard and gave the signal to fire.
Gabrielle watched with mounting horror as she realised that one of the Amazons
had actually attacked Xena. The warrior had almost reached the auburn haired
warrior before a rain of Amazon arrows flew towards her. Not bothering to try
and catch them she just batted most of them to the ground. None of the arrows
managed to embed themselves in the warrior, but she had several deep gashes. She
actually got her hands around the Amazons throat before the Soneral took effect, and knocked her out. Gabrielle sat stunned watching as her partner fell unable to comprehend what had gone wrong.
Eponin waited until the warrior was completely down before pulling one of the healers with her to check on the warrior.
"Kiaya," she said as she approached. "Put your bow away and step back." The tall warrior grinned at the weapons master and did as she was told. "And wipe that grin off your face, before the Queen does." The grin disappeared. Eponin turned her attention back to the healer who was on her knees next to the fallen warrior. "She okay?" the healer shrugged.
"Hard to say. She's absorbed a lot, but she's still breathing." The weapons
master looked over the healer's shoulder and nodded to Ephiny who was crouching
next to the still sitting form of their Queen.
Ephiny braced herself for the hurt she knew she was going to see in Gabrielle's eyes. She was thankful for Eponin's nod of reassurance; at least they hadn't killed her.
"Gabrielle?" She knelt slowly down next to her young Queen and gently rested her
hand on her shoulder. "Gabrielle' she's okay, the arrows only had a sedative on them." Gabrielle looked her straight in the face and Ephiny saw the anger in the emerald eyes and winced.
"Only had a sedative on them. Hades bells, Ephiny." She hissed getting to her feet. "You just fired a full volley of arrows at my best friend for defending herself. You can try explaining that one to her when she wakes up." She let her eyes travel around the Amazon warriors then looked back at the Regent. "She's just gotten over some major injuries she didn't need any more. That and the fact that there was no need for it. I was calming her down. I can understand why Xena doesn't always trust my judgement." She began walking over to her fallen friend, Ephiny keeping pace on her shoulder. "But I expected a little more respect from you, at least where Xena's concerned."
"I know Gabrielle, I'm sorry. Kiaya wasn't supposed to fire unless the order was given. I don't."
"I'm not interested in excuses Ephiny. Lets just get her back to the village." Both the healers were now tending to the warrior. "How soon before we can move her?" She asked standing beside them, but looking at the Amazon warrior stood beside Eponin.
"It's just a matter of patching up these wounds. None of them are too serious, then we'll get a pallet built for her."
"No, she'll go back to the village on Argo with me. I'll not have her slung over some horse or dragged into the village like a piece of meat or some prize." She gave a hard look at the Amazons. "She has her dignity and I won't allow anyone to damage that any more than it needs to be. Understand? Good." She turned back to Ephiny. "Round up Argo for me and lets get going." It was a sombre party that Eponin strode from the palace to meet. When she'd left earlier that afternoon the atmosphere had been one of simmering anger.
Ephiny had in the end asked her to ride ahead and take Kiaya with her, just to
help easy the tension. The looks the Amazon had been receiving from their Queen
were not pleasant; if any one had been in the mood to ask Eponin would have
sworn Xena had been giving her lessons in the intimidating look department. The
sun was still high when the tired horses plodded into the village, Amazons
appeared from the surrounding huts to tend to the mounts for their travel weary
friends. Gabrielle sat amid the Amazons on Argo cradling the still unconscious
warrior. Eponin watched as she leaned down to listen to the now dismounted
Ephiny, and shook her head. The weapons master could see the Regents temper
fraying around the edges, obviously upset with Gabrielle she raised her head to
the sky and ran her hand through her blonde hair. Dropping her hand to her side
she spoke again. This time Gabrielle just ignored her and prodded Argo into
moving towards the Temple. Ephiny raised her hands in frustration, sighed, then
followed her. Eponin decided she really ought to go and see what the problem was
before open warfare broke out between the two of them. As she got nearer she realised that the argument must have been flowing for some time because they seemed to be going over the same ground.
"Ephiny I said no, and that's exactly what I meant." Gabrielle pulled Argo to a halt at the bottom of the Temple steps "But Gabrielle," Ephiny sighed in exasperation, " the healers said she'd be out for ages yet. There would be no danger in having them treat her wounds in the hut, they've got all the tools and herb's over there, and their worried infection might set in if we put."
Ephiny which part of no don't you understand? If Xena needs further treatment she gets it in the cell and that's final!" she noticed Eponin walking towards them and nodded a greeting. "Now get some help. I want her secured soon."
"Hades bell's Gabrielle she's out cold what difference will a few candlemarks
make?!" The Regent was about to launch into a full-blown rage at the Queens
stubbornness when Eponin's hand touched her arm. Twisting round she saw Eponin
and yelled, "You talk some sense into her!" and stormed off.
"EPHINY!" The Regent had never heard that steely tone in Gabrielle's voice
before, it brought her to a halt and she looked over her shoulder. Several of
the Royal Guard surrounded Argo and Gabrielle was carefully handing Xena down to
them. Eponin held Argo's reins as the bard slid slowly to the ground, legs buckling slightly from disuse. When she felt a little more secure on her feet she released her hold on Argo's saddle and walked over to the Regent. "Look I'm right about this. Her body works at a much faster rate than ours does, you know that. A couple of candlemarks will make a difference." "We'll use restraints and put guards with her, at least the healers will be able to treat her properly."
"You really think restraints and guards would make a difference. Ephiny, Xena is not going to wake up the same Warrior Princess you all love to hate. I saw the change in her eyes Ephiny. I had one chance to pull her back and I lost it. Lost her. The last thing she'll remember is an Amazon attacking her. If you really want the death of the healers and anyone else that gets in her way on your hands, then by all means go ahead, take her to the healing hut." Her gazed possessed a fiery glint and Ephiny hung her head.
"Are you sure Gabrielle?"
"I know that woman better than anyone else, better than myself; but I did not know the person who stood before me in those last few seconds." "Okay, okay," Ephiny said with resignation. "You win." "No, I didn't," the bard said quietly as she turned walking towards the palace "I lost."
Solari dropped two wineskins, next to Ephiny's arm and sat with an exhausted thud. The Regent slowly lifted her head from the table and gave her a weak smile.
"How's it going?"
"Ask me again when I've finished both of the wineskins.," said Solari as she poured wine into her mug and took a hearty drink.
"That good, huh." Gabrielle had been right, thought Ephiny as she watched Solari relax after spending the last few candlemarks down at the cell. Not half a candlemark after Xena had been chained, she came around. Luckily for Cassandra one of the village healers, she had just left to get some more warm water. Had she been within reach of the warrior she would have most probably been killed. As it was all Xena had to attack were the chains holding her. Gabrielle hadn't reappeared from her quarters, and Ephiny was hopping the exhausted girl was sleeping. So it had fallen to her to check on the warrior with Eponin. It hadn't been pretty. After the initial outburst from the chained warrior everybody had thought she would have calmed down as she realised how securely she was restrained, she hadn't. By time Ephiny and the weapons master had arrived, Xena had managed to rub her wrists, ankles, and neck bloody where the chains had abraded them. The pins holding the chains in place shook with the force exerted on them each time the warrior tried to rip herself free. Ephiny had left the cellars echoing to Xena's howls of rage, leaving orders for the guards to be doubled and for the healers to prepare more arrows with Soneral. She privately ordered Eponin to prepare arrows with deadliest poison they had and to issue them to the royal guard. All that remained to be done was to discipline Kiaya, but that could wait for tomorrow. Solari had started the second wineskin when Ephiny shook herself from her thoughts.
"Has she slowed down at all?" She knew the Warrior Princess was strong, but the constant battering of the chains couldn't go on much longer, either the chains would give or she would.
"Yeah, I think the cold is starting to get to her a little and she hasn't eaten or drank for over a day. Cassandra and Eponin are going to try and dart her again in the next candlemark or so. Cassandra says, if she doesn't change the bandages on the wounds they'll get infected and I think she wants to pad the shackles."
"Gods I shudder to think how Gabrielle and Cyrene would have dealt with this alone."
"I'm glad she came to us for help."
"I'm not," replied the Regent. "It's bad enough seeing her torn up like this. I don't want to be the one to order the death of her bestfriend. She's hardly talking to me as it is" "Eph' she's tired to the bone and not thinking straight. She knows in her heart there was nothing you could have done. Kiaya disobeyed orders. You didn't give the order to the rest of them until you had no choice. What are you going to do with Kiaya by the way?"
"I don't know, I'll worry about that tomorrow. Gods why does this have to be so hard, and why me?" Ephiny let her head drop back to the table. "Hey, someone's got to get the hard jobs, right?" Solari plonked a mug of wine in front of her friend with a grin; the Regent returned it with a sad smile before drinking.
Gabrielle had gone straight to her rooms in the palace just to get away from everybody> Her head was still pounding and she felt as though she'd been in a fight with a Cyclops in a bad mood, and lost. Her body ached from top to toe. She couldn't believe the argument she'd had with Ephiny. It was ironic, normally she would have been arguing with the Regent for Xena to be taken to the healers hut. The Amazons still treated the Warrior Princess with a cool reserve. Gods talk about role reversal. Xena, Gabrielle knew would not have expected anything less from the bard. One of the conditions she had set for going along with this plan had been that Gabrielle not delude herself into thinking that this was something the warrior would just snap out of. She had said, it would be up to Gabrielle to ensure that she did no harm. She had made the bard swear an oath on their friendship that if that meant ordering her death she would do it. Gabrielle had viscously opposed that, but Xena had quietly pointed out that the Amazons were her responsibility. That she was putting them all in danger by insisting on this and it was her job to insure their safety. The bard could find no reply to her wisdom, and begrudgingly agreed. Still, it didn't bring any relief to the depression she felt settling on her shoulders as she lay staring at the ceiling. She had truly not recognised her friend in that last instant in the clearing, not even when they had faced the horde, had those eyes shown so much darkness, it was almost palpable. Just thinking about it sent shivers down her spine. Could Xena ever fight her way back against that? Or would she rely on her bestfriend to end her struggle? Gabrielle didn't know whether or not she was strong enough to do this, but if she didn't it would fall to Ephiny and she wouldn't lay that guilt on anybody else's doorstep. The bard felt a wave of despair wash over her and tears began to fall from her eyes. Eventually her body succumbed to the exhaustion it felt and she slipped into a restless sleep tears still falling, longing for the comforting arms of the warrior to hold her.
The camp was not large, as army camps go, but it was well laid out and
organised. The cooking and living areas were upwind of the latrines; the armies'
mounts were hitched to either side providing easy access for their riders. The
sentries were well placed and disciplined. The only things that were slightly
unusual were the two large tents at the centre of the camp. One obviously
belonged to the warlord running the army, his mount was stabled just outside the
entrance that his soldiers guarded and his lieutenants used frequently. The
other was made completely from black material, which had an unusual texture to
it that the men hated; it left their hands feeling unclean and spoiled. A
permanent coldness seemed to emanate from it. The soldiers for the most kept
their distance, not liking the implied evilness that enveloped it. To be fair
though at this precise moment everybody was keeping away from the warlord's tent
as well. Raised voices usually meant swift retribution, it didn't matter if you weren't the cause of the problem, and you could still be on the reciting end of the punishment if you were near enough.
"What do you mean they didn't get her?"
"Just that. We sent scouts out this morning when they were overdue." Alriss looked at his employer. The man was of average height and weight, greying in years, though he had a deceptively youthful face surrounding his deep mahogany eyes. The only thing that marred his beauty was the scar running from the left corner of his mouth to his earlobe. What made Alriss most uncomfortable though was that once he left the tent, if anyone asked him to describe him to them he would be hard pressed to remember any details; they just slipped from memory. Not even his clothes were memorable all he wore was black. Well at least he paid well and in advance too.
"Did they find anything?"
"Just a few mutilated bodies, it seems the Warrior Princess is not as incapacitated as we'd hoped."
"She would be if you'd gotten that bard away from her. Did your men at least manage to find out where they went?"
"Yes, just as you said they were heading to the Amazon village, but that's all they could say. They couldn't get onto the hunting grounds to confirm it, but that's the only place they could have gone."
"Then that's where we're going too. When can we be ready to move?" "If you want to go into the Amazon nation, I'm going to have to bring up the rest of my army. That will take two or three days. Three days to get to the hunting grounds. A day or so after that we could be in the village it depends on how much of a fight they put up." The black robed man stared intently at him and then closed his eyes standing perfectly still. An earie chill spread around him, Alriss took an uncertain step back. When he opened his eyes again no colour showed only black orbs.
"Very well you have eight days, but at the end of those eight days I want that village destroyed and I want that bard dead." He reached over his shoulders and pulled a black cowled hood over his head and left. Alriss let out the breath he didn't even realise he'd been holding and called in his second.
In the last two days life at the Amazon village had quietly returned to some
semblance of normality. Except for the regular change of guard within the Temple
everything on the surface was fine. Gabrielle could have almost convinced
herself that it was all a bad dream, that Xena was off somewhere battling a
warlord or helping some friend. That was until Ephiny Eponin, Solari or even
Cassandra came to give her one of their daily reports on her friend. At first
they'd been afraid that her strength would be to much to handle, the day after
she'd been chained they had been forced to sedate her so they could move the
pins holding the chains she'd managed to move them that much. Slowly though the
coldness of the cell had penetrated her body, lack of sleep food, water and just
the sheer energy use, had slowed her down to an almost manageable level. The
healers had been using blowpipe darts to administer Soneral twice a day to
enable them to change her dressings and get some fluids into her. Unfortunately
the constant use of the drug meant that Xena was becoming resistant to it,
larger and larger quantities had to be used to knock her out for shorter periods
of time. Gabrielle had not been to see her friend; she had no wish to see her
chained like an animal. Instead she'd spent the two days with the Amazon Council
sorting out business affairs, when she'd not been with them; she'd been with the scholars trying to find the cause of Xena's ailment. When the outriders had searched the raiders that had attacked them, they had found several tokens and seals. A little research had shown them to belong to the warlord Alriss, and after sending out scouting parties, his growing army had been located with the help of informants in several villages, just over two days march away. Gabrielle was sat in the council chambers studying several scrolls when Ephiny appeared a sense of urgency in her stride. Gabrielle looked up. "Problem?" she asked.
"Yeah, could be." She said sliding into a seat near the bard. "Alriss is on the move, in three days he'll be on our borders. His army is about two hundred strong."
"Well that confirms it, at least we know he's involved in all of this. Are we strong enough to hold him?" Ephiny shook her head "I doubt it, I've sent runners to the other villages to get help, but they will outnumber us. One other piece of information though. One of the traders that have been into Alriss' camp said they had some sort of priest with them.
Apparently none of the soldiers would say much except that he was the one paying
for this campaign."
"Which means," Gabrielle murmured thoughtfully, "that the Gods are somehow involved in this. Huh, and now it all starts to make sense. I wonder where Ares hand are in all this?" Ephiny saw a spark in Gabrielle's eyes that she hadn't seen for sometime. "It makes you wonder doesn't it?" Ephiny just nodded as some of Gabrielle's pent up anger exploded. Throwing the scroll she'd been reading onto the table, she stood, violently slamming her chair back. "You know for once I just wish they'd stop there meddling. For nearly three years now all she's done is good. She fights against her dark soul constantly.
You'd think that for once, when we finally get the chance to rest they'd leave
her alone. But oh, no they can't quite find it in themselves to give her a
little peace. Do they really get that much pleasure out of tormenting her?" She
was pacing around the chamber now occasionally knocking a chair out of her way.
A head peaked around the door as one of the Royal Guard checked on the
commotion, Ephiny waved her away, it would do Gabrielle good to get rid of some
of her anger. Gabrielle carried on her tirade.
"The one place people were starting to accept her as a person instead of some
demon warlord was Amphipolis. So what do they do? Hey, just send a small army to
wipe it out while she's there. That'll soon remind everybody of what she was, what she's still capable of. Oh, how I'd love to get my hands on the God that pulled this one out of the bag. I wish for once, even if it was just for a day, everybody would leave her alone!"
The courtyard had a glowing radiance to it, that not even the brilliant sunshine could account for. In the centre next to a clear blue pool of water, sat a handsomely dark figure. Chuckling to himself he stood and stretched.
"Find something funny Ares?" The God of War turned and a genuine smile graced
his face.
"Sis, long time no see. Actually I was just looking in on your neck of the woods."
"I know," the warrior Goddess sat down by the pool and gazed into it seeing
Gabrielle her Amazon Queen storming around the council chambers of the village.
"Quite a little firecracker when she gets going, isn't she?" asked Ares.
"And there was me thinking you didn't care."
"Hey, what can I say? She grows on you. Well how goes it?" "My priestess's have mobilised the northern clans. Ephiny will find a few more Amazon warriors arrive than she expected. They will be able to hold and possibly defeat Alriss's army providing he gets no outside assistance. But that's your department brother, can you do it?"
"Hades has promised a legion of his best."
"We don't need his best, we need yours. Can you find her?" "I can break through to her, but only for a short period, about half a day. If it's not over by then we're in trouble."
"There's no one else after Xena?"
"I have many chosen Artemis, but there is only one Warrior Princess."
"Have a day doesn't leave them much time."
"It's all I can offer." Said the God stroking his dark beard. "And remember she's got to ask for it."
"Well it looks like a little pre-emptive strike is required."
"What are you going to do?"
"Me Ares? I'm going to meddle a little. I think it's about time we let my Queen and your pesky bard into the game." With that she disappeared. Gabrielle sat curled, wrapped in a soft blanket, in the large chair next to the fire in her outer chambers. Her head was back resting, eyes closed, her hands clasped tightly round a warm cup of mulled wine. It was the first time she'd had to herself since Ephiny had told her Alriss's army was on the move. She was hoping a little quiet time would ease the tension she felt somewhat. Her mind though had other ideas. Alriss and his army would reach the border late tomorrow evening and Ephiny expected his attack the next day. Enforcement's had been arriving from the other villages, but as Ephiny had said they would be out numbered. What Gabrielle would dearly have loved to be able to do was ask Xena for advice, without a doubt she would have been able to see a way out of this. A quiet knock roused her from her thoughts. She struggled upright in her chair.
"Come in." She called. The door opened and her Royal Guard announced Ephiny. The
Regent walked in seeing her weary young Queen snuggled in her lounge chair; the
guard closed the door behind her.
"Hi, how you doing?" She asked.
"Fine, I think. More problems?" She raised her eyebrows. "No, nothing like that. It's a request actually. Lissa the priestess at the Temple would like to see you."
"Me? Is this about Xena?"
"To be honest I don't really know. She has been down to the cell on a few occasions but she didn't really say why she wanted to see you." "Right now?" Ephiny nodded. "Okay," she said uncurling from the chair, "let's go."
Gabrielle didn't notice that Ephiny was no longer with her until the acolyte
showed her into a large dimly lit room. Looking around her she noticed that the
walls were covered in pictures depicting various events in Amazon history. On
closer examination she realised that the pictures were not drawn or painted, but
made from hundreds of stones, gems and sands of different colours. Gabrielle
marvelled at the workmanship, the time and patience it must have taken to
produce such works of art. She walked slowly round the room studying each one
carefully. Some she recognised from the various stories and legends she'd heard
around the campfires. Others she didn't recognise and she made a mental note to
ask Ephiny about them. She stopped and stared at one in particular, finding it
strangely familiar. It showed a lone warrior, not an Amazon, battling against a
large force and at her feet lay the bodies of those she'd slain. Behind her were
the trees and lands of the hunting grounds and alone Amazon warrior observed the
carnage from the safety of the treetops.
"Beautiful aren't they?" Gabrielle jumped at the sudden voice behind her. She spun to face the newcomer, seeing the woman dressed in Amazon leathers with a bow strapped to her back. She felt no danger, from the woman but still mentally kicked herself for not having heard her approach.
"Yes, yes they are." She said turning back to the picture. The women noticing her questioning gaze walked over to her side.
"You've picked an interesting one to study my Queen." Gabrielle glanced out of the corner of her eye at the chestnut haired woman, who was thankfully the same height as she was, she was getting fed up having to look up at just about everybody.
"It seems, sort of familiar. Is there a story to it?"
"Oh, yes." Replied the woman walking to the centre of the room; Gabrielle's eyes followed her. "They all have stories to them. Each one is special to the Amazon nation for various reasons. The one you're looking at is a favourite of mine." "Why?"
"Well that one is a bit of an enigma: you see it doesn't depict anything the Amazons have done, only what one of them witnessed. Would you like to hear the story Gabrielle?"
"Yes, please." Answered the bard not even noticing the familiar use of her name. "Why don't we sit then." She waved her hand towards a table and chairs that Gabrielle hadn't seen as she entered the room. The Amazon sat and helped herself to the wine and fruit. "Would you like wine?"
"No thank you. What happened in the picture?" she asked eagerly.
"Well this story occurred recently in Amazon history, not more than nine years
ago. For the Amazon nation at least it was a time of turmoil. The Queens mask
had changed hands several times in quick succession due to illness and several
viscous battles with invading warlords and the Centaurs. It was at this time
that the nation came under threat from two different forces. One was the force
of nature, a terrible disease had attacked the nation leaving many dead and
those that did survive were ill and weak for many moons. The Amazons were unable
to protect themselves from invading forces and because of this the hunting
grounds were ripe for the taking. So as things go, a warlord and his army
decided to try and take the land. The Amazons had a few scouts out so knew of
the army and knowing that there was no possible way for them to defend their
land and survive they left the village for the storage caves which are easier to
defend, and waited for the invading army. It never arrived. One warrior
volunteered to find out why the warlord had not attacked, she left the caves and
searched the hunting grounds for signs of the army. Finding none she made her
way to the border where she heard sounds of battle. Taking to the treetops the
Amazon looked out over the approach to the forest. There stood a lone female
warrior fighting the entire army. She seemed magical none of the army could
touch her, but there were many reasoned the Amazon, and the warrior would tire
and would make a mistake that would mean her death. So the Amazon ran as fast as
she could back to the caves and told the Queen what was happening. The Queen
gathered those that were able to fight and returned to the border. There was no
battle to be found on their arrival only silence and dead bodies. As the Amazons
left the protective embrace of the trees a lone rider sat on top of a pale horse
appeared, saluted them and rode off. A lone unnamed warrior had saved the Amazon
Nation. It quickly spread however that one of the most feared armies in Greece had been defeated by a handful of Amazons. Warlords and armies took care to avoid the nations hunting grounds giving the Amazons time to recover and rebuild."
"Wow," said Gabrielle who had sat enraptured throughout the story. "That was magnificent. Did they ever find out who the warrior was?" "No one knows for sure, but many have their suspicions especially the scout who saw the battle."
"Who was the scout?"
"Why that young scout grew up to be one of the greatest weapons masters the Amazon nation has, actually she taught you the use of the staff." "Eponin, it was Eponin who saw the battle?" the Amazon just grinned.
"Now, I'm afraid we need to talk on more pressing subjects. The Amazon nation is
once again under threat from forces without. Not all of these forces are natural and no amount of Amazon warriors will be able to defeat them. There is only one warrior who can stand against this foe and have any hope of winning." "Xena." Stated Gabrielle.
"Yes, Xena is the only one who is any threat to the priest travelling with Alriss's army. The priest and his master know that. Xena must stand alongside the Amazons if you are to have any hope of defeating this army." "But how can she stand by us? If we were to release her she'd tear the Amazon nation apart herself."
"Do you believe in your friend Gabrielle?"
"Of course I do, I trust her with my life!"
"I know you trust her but do you believe in her?"
"Yes1"
"Then why haven't you been to see her? Gabrielle hung her head searching for the answer. Why hadn't she been to see her bestfriend? She had said it was because she didn't want to see her chained and that was definitely part of it, but not all of it. She was scared she admitted to herself, scared of what she would see in her friend's eyes. Scared that she would see that darkness in her eyes that would mean she would have to end her life. She looked the Amazon in the eye unable to voice her fears.
"It's okay to be afraid Gabrielle, I can assure you Xena is."
"Xena?"
"Don't you think she's just as scared. She knows exactly what's going on. A tiny part of her still has reason, still understands. Believes she's lost her bestfriend. She told you that either way she would lose you to this fight. Was she right?"
"I honestly don't know. Yes I'm scared, but not of her. I'm scared that seeing the madness in her eyes I'll know she can't find a way back and if that's true I have a promise to keep. That I'd rather not have to face."
"We all have our demons, Gabrielle. This is yours. Believe in her, trust in her,
trust in yourself and your love for her and nobody will ever be able to defeat
you. You're her way out Gabrielle, it's time you showed her the way." The Amazon
rose and headed for the door. "There is evil walking the land my Queen,
sometimes the only way to fight it is to walk the same road. Remember you are
the keeper of her soul and all will be well." The bard watched in silence as the
Amazon left. Gabrielle sat in the silence for nearly a candlemark, thinking over
the Amazons words, before the door opened and Ephiny walked in, a young woman in
the robes of a priestess followed her.
"Sorry we took so long one of the scouts came in with good news for a change, warriors from the northern clans have arrived, only the gods know how they knew they were needed. Anyway I'd like to introduce you to Lissa." Her hand rested on the young priestess's shoulder.
"This is Lissa?" came the puzzled reply.
"Yes." Said Ephiny in almost as much puzzlement.
"Then who was the Amazon in here with me a minute ago?" "Gabrielle, we've been outside the door the whole time, nobody has been in here with you."
"Well nobody from this plane anyway." The priestess smiled at Gabrielle. The bard was suddenly stunned at the thought that she'd been talking with Armetis herself and not even known She sat in thought for a few moments more before gazing up at Ephiny.
"I want to go and see Xena."
PART FOUR
The tunnels to the cellars were dimly lit with flickering torches, damp and cold. Gabrielle shivered as she wondered how the Amazons guarding Xena put up with it for hours on end. Ephany noticing the shiver mistook it for concern over Xena.
"These are the conditions Xena asked for you know." She said not wanting to see Gabrielle's temper flare.
"Yeah I know. I was just wondering how the guards stood it. Xena, well she could feel at home on top of a mountain in the middle of a snowstorm. I don't have to worry about that."
Ephany grinned at the bard. "Yeah, I'd noticed she can make herself at home just about anywhere."
"It's a warrior thing." Joked Gabrielle nervously as Lissa gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Ephany lead the group into a small chamber where the guards had put a table and a few chairs in to use while on duty. They rose from their seats as the Regent, their Queen and the Priestess entered. Gabrielle glanced round the room at the three guards, surprised at how young they seemed, she immediately picked up on their nervousness. It was as though they really were as young as they looked and had been caught doing something they weren't suppose to.
"How is she?" said Ephany inquired. There was a tense pause as the three eyed each other not wanting to upset their Queen then one of them replied. "About the same. She kicked off again about two or three candlemarks ago. She managed to open the wounds on her wrists again. We had Cassandra take a look, but she didn't want to try and sedate her again, so they've been left." Ephany nodded. She knew the healers were getting concerned about having to sedate her so often and the amount of soneral it was taking to do it.
"Okay, who is down there with her now?" The amazon could feel herself wincing as
she looked at her Queen, trying to gauge the reaction she was going to get. "Er?Kiaya." Unfortunately for the reporting Amazon whose eyes were still glued to the Queen, it wasn't Gabrielle's reaction she had to worry about.
"Kiaya! In Artemis's name who let her down here?" The Amazons eyes flew to the
furious Regent.
"Well Neela's daughter wasn't well and Kiaya came down saying she was doing her
duty. I'm sorry Ephany ..She's senior. I never thought to question her. I thought it must be okay."
"Oh, for the sake of the Gods. Everybody knew my ruling. Stripping her of all
privileges and assigning various other chores until she learned how to obey
orders and under no circumstances was she to hold guard duties here!" The Amazon
just shrugged. Ephany let out an exasperated sigh, then tiredly rubbed a hand over her eyes. ""Okay, we'll sort this out later. Who else is down there with her?" Hoping at least there was someone with a modicum of sense with her. A guilty flush crossed the Amazons face as she hung her head "Gods give me strength!" Said Ephany realising that nobody else was down there with Kiaya and Xena. "Right, you three with me." She was about to tell Gabrielle to wait here until she saw the look of determination on the bards face and realised it would be pointless.
The cell was further into the tunnels by some way. The Amazons had soon realised
that hearing voices just outside the cell enraged the warrior further. So only
those actually guarding the cell were supposed to be there at any one time, of
course everybody went down when the healers entered the room to treat her
wounds. Ephany was worried surely the girl wasn't stupid enough to get herself
into even more trouble. Ephany's hopes were dashed as she heard Kiaya's taunting
laugh echo down the tunnel.
"Not so mighty now are we Princess! Everyone kept telling me how tough you were;
but you weren't so hard to bring down." Ephany broke into a run as Xena's howling response was heard closely followed by another mocking laugh. Fear touched Gabrielle's heart as she heard what was going on down at the cell. The Amazon really didn't understand that she was playing with fire. Kiaya did not realise that the only reason she wasn't being ripped to pieces, was that Xena was chained at the wrists, ankles, neck and waist by chains that two Centaurs hadn't been able to break, in a cold damp cell that had sapped her strength to a manageable level. Not to mention the ironwood door that stood between them.
The sudden silence egged the group into a faster run over the last few hundred paces separating them from the cell. Xena's next roar was almost drowned out by the screeching of metal over rock as she strained against the chains holding her and found them giving. Kiaya didn't have any time to register that Xena had broken free of the restraints before Ephany, Gabrielle and the rest of the group appeared.
Ephany pointed towards Kiaya, "Restrain her." the guards instantly reacted, not
wanting to garner the Regent's wrath anymore than necessary. Her next words were
smothered out as Xena crashed into the ironwood door. Her cries of rage held absolutely no reason. "Everyone back out!" she yelled at the top of her voice. The guards dragged the now restrained Kiaya with them into the tunnel, closely followed by Lissa. Ephany reached over to grab Gabrielle, but the bard was having none of it and shook herself free.
"Gabrielle!" pleaded Ephany as another shudder rippled through the door. Gabrielle ignored her and place herself directly in front of the door. Ephany looked back over her shoulder and saw Lissa standing at the tunnel entrance. "Go to the village. Warn Eponin and alert the guard." Lissa nodded breaking into a run.
Gabrielle acknowledge Ephany's orders but kept her eyes locked on the fury that stood in front of her. She had never before heard the kind of rage that was pouring from Xena's cell or seen the incredible amount of power. She was once again amazed at the raw force within her best friend as Xena again pushed hard bending the ironwood door. Even though she knew the sensible thing to do was to leave and let the guard deal with this, Artemis's words kept running through her head.
"Do you believe in your friend Gabrielle?"
More than ever Gabrielle wanted to believe. In all her time with Xena she'd never felt threatened by her. It was her badge of pride that while others retreated in terror she could stand by Xena's side without fear, knowing she was safe. It was like standing in the path of a raging flood and knowing you were safe, because right there in front of you was this unmoveable will, forcing it to either side. She had always felt secure with Xena. Yeah, they'd been in scary situations, and yes she'd been frightened, but never of Xena. "..She told you that either way she would lose you to this fight. Was she right?"
This was a test of faith, a test of her belief in Xena and she would not fail in it. As she placed herself in front of the door, that Xena's attacks were now splintering, she realised what Artemis had meant when she said, "You're her way out Gabrielle, it's time you showed her the way."
If any part of the Xena that she knew and loved remained in the mad woman within
the cell, the only person that would ever stand a chance of reaching her was Gabrielle herself. She had been wrong not to come down sooner, because if Xena couldn't be reached then there was nothing left within that body to save and ending it's life would be an act of mercy and would be welcomed by Xena's soul wherever it resided.
Ephany watched with mounting horror as the ironwood door began to buckle. Gabrielle stood in front of it not flinching. She desperately wanted to drag Gabrielle away, but knew if Xena recognised the bard struggling with her it would be the end of her life. She hoped Gabrielle knew what she was doing. The animal that raged within the cell could sense its impending victory over its confinement, with one last powerful kick the door shattered. Its heart soared at he new-found freedom, it's blood boiled at the thought of revenge. Chain and taunt her would they? Well they'd pay for that in pounds of flesh. Gabrielle felt the splinter's of wood hit as the door finally buckled against the furious onslaught, but didn't flinch or shy away. She was shocked at Xena's condition as she left the cell. Blood poured from her wrists, where she'd been pulling at the chains, which hadn't actually been broken but ripped out of the walls. Her normally vibrant hair was dull and lank. She had lost weight and by appearances was a shadow of her former self. Though the incredible strength that it had taken to break free proved that appearances could be deceptive. Gabrielle braced herself for the confrontation that was to come. Xena exited the cell, chains dragging along the floor behind her. Her eyes quickly scanned the room looking for something, anything to destroy. They soon found a target in the small blonde figure standing before the door. Striding forward, she picked up the Amazon and slammed her against the wall with ease. Gabrielle managed not to flinch as Xena lifted her into the air and threw her against the wall with force. She was amazed that she hadn't seemed to have broken anything, though she suspected the bruising on her back would be spectacular. She couldn't see any recognition in those blue eyes that she loved so dear only the burning of ice and fury. Still she had to try.. for Xena, for herself.
Xena held the woman off of the floor, slowly increasing the pressure on her arms. It would be so easy to crush her like a bug. Incredibly the woman didn't show any fear and was now talking to her in an irritatingly calm voice, which only infuriated her further. Pinning her with one hand, she drew the other back intending to knock some fear into her.
Gabrielle saw the rising fury in Xena's eyes and wondered if the warrior could even hear her. She prepared herself for the worst as she saw the fist draw back. Xena was about to punch the Amazon with the bone grinding power she knew she possessed when a picture flashed in front of her eyes. It was this woman smiling and laughing. She tried to move her arm again. The scene changed to the woman bent over her own body crying. Still she fought to throw the punch, but each time a new picture formed showing this woman, laughing, crying, playing with her. She tried a final time to use her arm when the woman's words finally broke through to her. "Xena, I love you."
Gabrielle saw the hesitation, a familiar flicker in those eyes and carefully repeated all that she had been saying, growing increasingly confident that she was reaching her friend. Suddenly Xena's grip on her lessened and she saw a fleeting recognition on her face, then one word from her. "Ares!" Those words echoed around her skull, forcing their way into every crevice, every dark corner spreading their light. Xena felt absolutely no desire to harm the woman in her hands and she lessened her grip. Just as quickly as those words had brought their light though the words began to fade. More scenes flashed into the front of her mind, with one of a darkly handsome man gaining in frequency "Ares." She whispered again.
The God of War was enjoying watching one of his many followers, inflict some discipline on an unsuspecting trading caravan. When the whispered words were heard. A smile graced his face. "I guess its time to go to work." It hadn't exactly been the word she was hoping for; but then again at least it was a word. She felt the grip on her clothing tighten again and returned her attention back to Xena seeing the rage starting to return. Ephany watched silently from the tunnel as the raging Xena slammed Gabrielle against the wall again. She was just about to charge into the chamber when Gabrielle's words seemed to penetrate the fury in her friend's mind. Gabrielle was the first to see the God of War appear behind the warrior as Xena whispered his name.
A sudden flare of bright blinding light behind Xena and Gabrielle found herself released from Xena's grip as the warrior crumbled to the floor. Gabrielle looked up and found herself staring straight into the God of war's eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but never got there. Ares raised his hands . "Hold on now!. This was necessary. She couldn't have held out by herself for much longer." Breaking into a smile Ares noted " Nice work by the way." The God of war sighed as no trace of understanding showed in the bard's eyes. "I thought Artemis had explained it all to you?" Gabrielle finally managed to regain the use of her feet and her voice; she stood rearranging her clothes. "She did, " pause," sort of."
"Great a sort of from Artemis. Well little girl, the situation is this. Xena is just not strong enough to hold out against this type of attack. Even I can only hold it back for a short period of time. She'll wake up shortly and you'll have her for half a day, maybe less, that's all I can give you. You have until noon to get rid of the army and the priest, if its not done by then she's gone forever."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Hey, I care you know."
"Yeah, and I'm your greatest follower. What do you get out of this?" The God of war smiled knowing what she was thinking.
"Don't worry Danielle."
"Gabrielle." Interrupted the bard.
"Yeah, whatever."
"Then why help at all?"
"It's not just the Amazons that are threatened by this." Ares stated as he started to fade. "Remember you only have until noon." Gabrielle looked over at the stunned Ephany and the sweat covered Solari and Eponin that had just arrived at her shoulder. "Now don't tell me you didn't see that?" Ephany nodded her head and walked over to her.
"I saw, what's more I heard. What in Hades name is going on Gabrielle? The whole
of Mount Olympus seems to be dropping in to say hi." A cheeky grin crossed the bard's face. "You get used to it around Xena. Though I do profess to liking Cupid over Ares, he's so cute." Gabrielle laughed at the look on Ephiny's face. "Come on, we need to tend to Xena we don't have much time." She knelt down next to her friend and gently shook her shoulder. Ephany waved Solari and Eponin in, just in case.
"Hey come on sleepy head, time to wake up." Gabrielle shook her friends shoulder
again, smiling as she saw the first stirrings of wakefulness. "That's it, come on. Open those baby blues for me Xena." The smile turned into a full-fledged grin as Xena's eyes blinked open and looked at her. Gently brushing the dark hair from her friends face she let a small sigh of relief escape her. "Nice to have you back. You okay?" Xena stared at her intently then gave a small nod of her head. She struggled to rise to a sitting position, and was only saved from falling back to the floor by the bard reaching forward and supporting her.
"Are you sure, Xena?" the warrior nodded again and looked in puzzlement at the
chains on her wrists, then lifting a hand she tugged at the shackle around her
neck. Gabrielle shot a concerned look at Ephany. "Eph, can you get someone down
to get these off?" Asked Gabrielle lifting a portion of the heavy chain in her hands.
"I'll do it." Eponin stepped forward removing a sharp tooling instrument from
the belt at her waist. Xena immediately reacted to the tool as she would to a
weapon and surged to her feet, dragging the bard who was still holding the chain
with her. Eponin stopped a couple of paces away; knowing that to approach would
be a mistake.
"Hey, hey, easy now. Eponin's only going to remove the chains for you, okay?" again the warrior nodded. Gabrielle was getting concerned now, Xena was not the most talkative person in Greece but normally she would have uttered a reply or two by now. But she did as she was asked and held her wrists out to Eponin to remove the chains. A candlemark later the chains were a pile on the floor. "Lets get you up to the village. We'll let Cassandra take a look at you, get you cleaned up, and get some food into you." She wrapped her small arm around her partner's waist and gently guided her to the tunnel.
It was some time before they exited the Temple. Xena was quite weak from her imprisonment and it had taken all four of them to stop her falling. Coming down the Temple steps Gabrielle was glad to see that someone had thought to rouse the healers, she also saw the three cell guards holding Kiaya as they stood off to one side.
"Cassandra," she called to the healer, " Do me a favour, please. Take Xena, and tend to her injuries, clean her up and get some food in her. I'll be along shortly. Solari go with them." The Amazon saluted her Queen and assisted Cassandra with the warrior. Gabrielle watched as the three of them shuffled across the village square, then turned angrily to Kiaya. "You!!" she put herself right into the Amazons face. "Are the most pathetic excuse I've ever seen for an Amazon! Now I have a problem. Do I let Ephany try and discipline you again, which I can tell from your attitude won't work. Or do I wait awhile and let Xena deal with you?" She raised her eyebrows, and let an evil little smile cross her face. "No, I can't waste her time with the likes of you. I'll just have to deal with you myself. Get yourself a staff and meet me on the practise ground in a candlemark." She started towards the healers hut when Ephiny's surprised filled voice made her pause.
"Er.., Gabrielle in case you haven't noticed it's after midnight and its dark."
"Then light a fire Ephany. That girl needs to be taught a few lessons, and I'm
the one who's going to do the teaching. I'm going to check on Xena, When I come
out I expect everything to be ready." She turned and left leaving a shocked group of Amazons wondering whether or not they had actually heard their young Queen challenge Kiaya.
A rather disbelieving Ephany and Eponin were supervising the building of a fire and the lighting of the practise ground. "Can she beat her?" Ephany looked with some concern at the weapons master.
"Who? Gabrielle? I very much doubt it Ephany. Kiaya's one of the best I've ever seen."
"Then how do I get her out of this?"
" Well.. you can't without undermining her authority." "Great!! I've got the Amazon nation under threat from a warlord and his army, a half crazed Warrior Princess and a totally insane Queen to deal with. Things just couldn't get better."
"Well, Gabrielle might win." Ephany gave Eponin a disdainful look. Gabrielle entered the healers hut without a look back at the stunned group of Amazons she'd just left. "How is she?" Cassandra looked up at her Queen and smiled.
"Considering the amount she's been through and the amount of soneral we've given
her she's fine. I'm just wrapping up her wrists and ankles to make her a little more comfortable."
"Has she spoken yet?"
"No not yet, she's not quite with us yet, but don't worry after all that soneral and a blast from Ares it will take a little while for her mind to clear." Gabrielle rubbed her hand along the tense shoulder muscles felling them relax slightly under her touch.
"Solari, I'd appreciate it if you would take Xena over to the council chamber when Cassandra's finished."
"Yes, my Queen" Gabrielle gave her partners shoulder one last rub then left. Xena was perfectly aware of what was happening around her. Unfortunately she just couldn't get her body to respond to it. She felt like she'd spent the last week celebrating with Eponin. The last time the two warriors had, had a drink together they'd had to be subdued by the village guard, something about them being a little to boisterous. Apparently one of the council had been a little offended that they'd used her hut for target practise. From what she could remember her head had felt similar to this then. Her body on the other hand, just wouldn't do as she asked it. Everything was to slow, to much of an effort, she felt as though she were weighted down, even lifting her head was hard work. The only thing that did seem to be in order, as Cassandra fussed over her was her rage. It was still there buried deep inside, but it was once again hers to control, hers to command.
Xena brought her wandering attention back to the healer as a warm mug was thrust
into her hands. Her eyebrow arched in question.
"Its a stimulant. It will help counteract all that soneral you've had." Xena knew the type of tea Cassandra was talking about, she'd used similar on several occasions. She also remembered the taste. She took a hesitant sip and was rather surprised at its sweet taste. The surprise must have shown on her face because Cassandra chuckled at her.
"Do you really think that with a reputation like yours I would give you
something you could hold a grudge against me for?" Xena glance at Solari who was
trying to hide her grin, then broke into a chuckle herself. She could already feel her blood stirring, feel her reactions starting to quicken. She drank the rest of the tea and then started on the food that had been placed in front of her.
After leaving the healer's hut, Gabrielle returned to her quarters to collect
her staff. The quiet knock on the door didn't startle the bard. She'd sensed the
Amazons approach. In fact she was pretty sure she knew who it was." Come in
Ephany." The door opened and the Regent stepped through. Obviously spending all
of her time over the last three years with Xena was paying off. There had been a time when Gabrielle wouldn't have heard an army approaching over shale, never mind a single well trained Amazon warrior. She let herself feel a small surge of confidence, yes, she was definitely getting better at this warrior stuff. "My Queen." Ephany said formally, worry plainly clear on her face. "The answer to your Question is No, but thanks for asking." A trace of humour coloured her words.
"You might have actually given me the chance to ask it. You understand the consequences if you lose?"
"Yes I do, but that won't happen."
"You seem terribly sure of yourself Gabrielle. Kiaya is extremely good." "Ephany," she said tilting her head toward the Regent, "Do you ever wonder why it is that Xena is able to do so many incredible things? Able to fight overwhelming odds without faltering?"
"Yeah, I have wished for her talent on many occasion."
"It's not just a talent Ephany, it takes long hours of practise and belief. Total and utter belief. She may worry about it before and after but when she's there doing it, there is no room in her thoughts for failure." "I take it your trying to tell me you have this belief in yourself."
"Sometimes Ephany you do things not because you want to not because you're asked
to, but because it's the right thing to do. Over the last few years my life has depended on this staff every day. There is a big difference between practise and the real thing, Xena and life have taught me that. Nobody has taught Kiaya that.
While she may be good on the practise ground or surrounded by her Amazon friends
in the few skirmishes she's been involved in; she's about to find out that life has a few more surprises for her. Come on lets get this over with."
Amazons had soon surrounded the practise ground. Despite the late hour it hadn't
taken long for news to spread that their bard Queen had called Kiaya out in a
duel. Most of the village was now in attendance. Ephany escorted the Queen
through the gathered Amazons. Where? She wondered had this confidence sprung
from. She had obviously learned a lot from Xena. Ephany just hoped she'd learned
enough.
Gabrielle appreciated the warmth and light given out by the massive fire at the side of the practise ground. Night had brought a chill to the air and Gabrielle shook herself slightly before stepping into the arena. The bard advanced towards Kiaya with immense confidence, she had learned over the last few years to do anything less could be fatal. She also knew that no matter how good Kiaya was there was no way that she would be able to intimidate her with her superior skills. Practise with Xena made a mockery of anyone else's attempts; there was just no one better at intimidation than the Warrior Princess. She stood before the Amazon warrior and smiled.
When the Queen had called Kiaya out to the practise grounds she could hardly
believe the little Queen had the guts to actually do it, but there she stood
right in front of her. She'd had time to think since the incident in the
cellars, she knew she'd upset the bard by taunting Xena. And she was ready to
admit that it hadn't exactly been a bright idea to disobey orders once, never
mind twice. The Whole Amazon community had made their views pretty clear where
that was concerned. Even Eponin had all but disowned her over the whole affair. Still beating the Queen would show them all just how much better than the rest of them she was.
Of course once she'd beaten the Queen her mask would pass into her own hands. She began to wonder as she looked into the gentle face whether or not she knew what she was facing. She certainly didn't look scared or worried. Well that smile would soon be wiped off of her face.
The Amazons fell quiet as Gabrielle and Kiaya faced each other. A few noticed Kiaya's smile falter, as she was unable to face the young bard down. They backed off slightly, Kiaya lifting her staff above her head into the high guard position pointing towards the bard. Gabrielle on the other hand just stood and waited, staring at Kiaya. The Amazon was a little perplexed by the Queen's in action and decided to use it to her advantage.
Gabrielle stood still in front of the Amazon watching her carefully, hear Xena's calming voice in her head.
"There are two stages at the start of a fight Gabrielle. At first your opponent will try to intimidate you, stare you down, make you believe their will is the stronger. Ignore it, look straight through them. If you don't back off it will unnerve them. The second part is a little harder to master. Just before they move to attack there will be a little sign. A hardening of the eyes, a tightening of the fist, a crease in the forehead, something. If you can read that you will always have the upper hand."
Gabrielle was concentrating so hard on seeing the sign, she didn't even realise she was moving before her staff blocked Kiaya's. The shudder that rippled down her staff was strong and solid, but had none of the stinging power she associated with Xena's blows. She dropped to a crouch reversing the swing of her staff connecting solidly with Kiaya's ankles and sending her tumbling. Kiaya rolled from reach and bounced to her feet, a trace of worry on her face. Obviously the little Queen had a few more skills than she had expected. Instead of waiting for the attack Gabrielle pushed on twirling the staff above her head. Xena had called it a sacrifice move. You left a wide opening and would most probably take a hit, but if the bait were taken your opponent would be defenceless against the downward swing of your staff. Kiaya took the bait stepping in to deliver a blow to the stomach, receiving a stunning blow to the head for her troubles. Gabrielle the wind knocked out of her and her stomach smarting painfully spun out of reach. Catching her breath she set herself waiting for the Amazon warrior to get to her feet.
Kiaya rose unsteadily to her feet. She couldn't understand why she was having such a problem with someone who after all was only a bard. She tried a different tack going in low trying to take her feet. The bard nimbly jumped the swinging staff and delivered a crunching blow to Kiaya's right arm. The Amazon immediately reversed her staff attempting to take Gabrielle's feet from behind.
The bard jumped again and stepped back as Kiaya rose from her crouch. Both women
were breathing heavily as their weapons clashed again. No matter how quick and forceful her blows were, Kiaya was unable to break through the Queen's defence; the young bard was actually making more hits than she was. In a quick succession of blows Kiaya found herself flat on her back staring into the starlit sky, Gabrielle's staff at her throat.
"Do you yield?" panted the bard. Kiaya nodded a mute response. "Good." Gabrielle
gazed around the silent Amazon crowd before kneeling beside Kiaya with her back
to them.
"You know Kiaya," she said looking out into the hunting grounds, "the difference between you and me is life. Your skills are certainly more precise and complicated than mine, but I rely on mine to keep me alive everyday." Sighing she looked down at the fallen Amazon. "You're a bully Kiaya. The worst kind because you don't even comprehend the consequences of your actions. By disobeying orders you put those that are depending on you at risk, not just yourself. Now I'll tell you this just once. This is your last chance. Grow up!! Act like an adult!! Because if you think fighting me was tough." She chuckled shaking her head a little. "Remember there is always someone bigger and better waiting around the corner, and Xena's it. She lives, eats and breathes because of her skills, you wouldn't last a second against her, and she's very mad at you. You've been warned. No more chances." Gabrielle didn't see the glint of anger and frustration in Kiaya's eyes as she rose and turned her back on her. Didn't see her rise, staff in hand, hateful intent on her face. She did sense the downswing of the staff directed at her head. Twisting she managed to avoid a head blow, the staff cracking painfully against her collarbone, snapping it. She saw her reach for the knife held on her belt, as she crashed to the ground. She saw the hate filled eyes glint in satisfaction, before rolling blackness claimed her as she fell unconscious.
What she didn't see; though she would hear enough about later which would enable
her to tell the tale as though she'd witnessed it, as a large muscular hand that wrapped itself around Kiaya's throat, with the well toned muscles rippling along the arm that with ease raised the stunned Amazon off the ground. She didn't see the look of death in the feral blue eyes as Xena regarded the struggling Amazon and she didn't hear her partner's first words since leaving that dark cell.
"That was a mistake!" The choking warrior was pounding with futility at Xena's
arm trying to get Xena to release her strangling hold. Feeling the anger flow
through her blood as she looked upon her partner Xena tightened her grip cutting
off the remaining airflow to the Amazon. Kiaya, suddenly remembered the knife on
her belt, desperately she withdrew it and with all her remaining strength drove it straight into Xena's forearm. Without even blinking the tall raven-haired warrior threw the Amazon to the ground and pulled the blade out of her arm and throwing it away in disgust.
"Get yourself a weapon." The Amazon turned a deadly shade of white at the tone of the warriors voice. She was now beginning to realise what Gabrielle had been trying to tell her. This was the Warrior Princess in the flesh and blood, bid, bad and very, very lethal. All her insecurities came crashing down around her as she stared into those deadly eyes.
"I said get yourself a weapon!" Xena's voice dropped a few octaves lower
becoming more menacing. She desperately wanted to snap this Amazons neck, but
could already hear the lecture she'd get off of her bard should she carry her
wishes out. She wouldn't let her get away without paying a portion of the price
though. Nobody got away with touching the bard, especially when they had to take
the cowards option to do it.
Kiaya scrambled unsteadily to her feet, she was finding it hard to breathe, her
throat was swelling where Xena's hands had been crushing it. She looked at the
faces of the gathered Amazons and caught Eponin's eye. The elder Amazon shook
her head and signed to her not to choose a weapon but to use her hands. She was a little confused at first until she realised she had a better chance of staying alive if there were no blades or staff's involved.
"No weapons. I choose hand to hand." Stammered the Amazon. "Good choice." Growled Xena advancing. She had regained fully use of her body and was eager to put it into action.
Kiaya didn't know what to do. She had seen her death in those eyes, but she was still breathing. She knew to attack would be pointless, there was no way she could defeat this woman; but neither could she just stand there and get beaten. In the end she just closed her eyes and swung for the warrior.
Xena was starting to feel a little guilty at the terror on the Amazons face
plain for all to see. This irritatingly familiar voice in her head kept telling
her to play nice. She gritted her teeth against it, okay she'd play nice, well
nice enough to leave her breathing. The Amazons blind swing came as on shock, it
had been plastered on her face. She knew she was in a no win situation and had decided to get it over with. Xena caught Kiaya's fist in her hand and twisted it violently.
The surrounding Amazons heard the bone snap. Xena jerked the now broken arm
dislocating the shoulder. Kiaya was unable to contain her scream of pain and it
echoed around the practise ground. Xena mercifully put her out of her misery by
knocking her senseless. Not even giving the Amazon a second glance Xena
carefully picked the unconscious bard from the ground. She walked forward as the
Amazons cleared her a path with Gabrielle gently in her arms; Ephany and Eponin
followed silently behind.
Xena didn't head for the healers hut, but instead she made her way to the Queen's quarters not stopping to open the door she kicked it open. She slowly and gently laid the bard on her bed, taking care not to injure or cause her anymore pain.
"Get your healer over here to help Gabrielle, and bring those maps you wanted me to see. We'll talk here." Xena hadn't even looked over her shoulder to give the order, for that is what it was. Eponin ran from the hut not wanting to raise Xena's anger more than it already was.
The Queens hut was crowded when Cassandra and one of her apprentices arrived. Eponin reached the hut only fifty paces or so before they had but already a council of war was taking place. Cassandra bustled through the listening warriors making her way to the still unconscious Queen. The healer could tell from the way the young girl was lying that the collarbone was broken, and was thankful that she had not yet regained consciousness because resetting it would be painful.
Xena stood studying the maps Eponin had brought in with her, concentrating on finding the solution to their problem.
"Are you sure he hasn't splint his troops?"
"Positive, the scout have been reporting twice a day. They are still altogether."
"Still coming in from the West?"
"Yes."
"When will they reach Hades Gorge?"
"At the speed they're travelling now, they should reach it by midmorning."
"Good. Then that is where we will attack them."
"Attack them? You mean we're going out after them?" Ephany was clearly startled
at the prospect.
"Yes, we're going to attack them." Turning to Eponin she asked. "When can the warriors be ready to travel? Fighting equipment only?" "Er..Three possibly two candlemarks."
"Make it two. Everyone who is capable of fighting goes." Xena turned to the healer just as she finished wrapping Gabrielle's shoulder. "Is she okay?" The healer nodded.
"Good. I want all the poison you have to coat the archer's arrows. Get it to
Eponin within a candlemark" Xena stared at the remaining Amazons once Eponin had
left. "It is a simple plan. The archer's will be placed on the sides of the gorge. In front of them but hidden will be our best warriors. When Alriss's army comes to a halt in the gorge, our warriors will move in behind cutting off the retreat, they should be vulnerable to attack from the archer's by then." "I understand the concept, but what will prevent them from just leaving the gorge?"
"That will be my job. We don't have long so lets get going." The Amazons nodded
and slowly left all of them giving one last look to their young Queen. Ephany was the only one still remaining.
"What are you going to do Xena? You can't hold an entire army by yourself." "I won't be by myself Ephany." Xena's tone had grown dark, but Ephany pressed on.
"Who will be with you then?"
"You don't want to know the answer to that question Ephany. But we will be enough to stop Alriss." Enough. They'd be more than enough. Xena could hardly believe she was even contemplating on performing the calling, but she could see no other way of preventing this army from destroying the Amazon nation. Besides she would be the only one paying a price. Her soul was nothing compared to Gabrielle's safety, what would it matter? Xena could feel her inner trembling as the bards voice once again entered her thoughts.
"Of course it matters. It matters to me." And that was the problem wasn't it?
Xena knew to call on the horsemen would mean the end of her redemption and the
damning of her soul. It had taken her three years with the bard to regain just a little of it, and with this calling it would be damned forever. There was however very little choice, the horsemen were the Amazons only hope of survival and while the Amazon nation stood Gabrielle would be safe. "Gabrielle's not going to like this."
"Gabrielle doesn't have a say in the matter. I will do whatever is necessary to stop that army."
"Does that mean calling on Ares? Returning to him?" Xena paced away from the table glancing over at the still unconscious bard, wondering just how much she should tell the Amazon Regent about her plan. She turned and stared her straight in the eye trying to gauge whether or not to tell this Amazon something she had never shared with anybody. The strength she saw in those eyes made the decision for her.
"Things aren't always black and white Ephany. I have seen and taken part in things you could only dream of. For a short period in my life I owed a particular God a favour. When I was called on to pay my debt I was given something. Something that to this day only three others and myself may call upon. When I stand before Alriss and his army I will stand with these three and we will be enough to stop them. This is not an idle threat Ephany. When you see the four of us, you will truly see who and what I am." She sighed. "I want a good contingent to stay with Gabrielle just in case." Ephany nodded and then silently left the hut, wondering just what Xena had been trying to tell her. Alone finally with Gabrielle, Xena knelt by her friend's cot and stroked her hair; she leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "You are and always will be the keeper of my heart and soul, remember that in the coming days if you remember nothing else. I know what is happening and I know how to stop it. But there is a terrible price to pay. Hear me when I tell you my friend, the price is worth it. Because I know that at the end of this road is safety for you, the Amazons, for the world, as we know it. Make my last story a good one. As I go into this battle know that I will always carry your light with me. I love you and nothing will ever change that." Giving her one last kiss the warrior stood, she reached across the bed and picked up her saddlebag removing from it a small bundle. She loosened the leather ties and shook out the golden chainmail cloak she had worn as a warlord. "Hello, old friend." She whispered then attached it to her armour and left.
"The Angel of Death has been abroad throughout the land: you may almost hear the
beating of his wings."
To say that Ephany was apprehensive was an understatement, although she had
absolute faith in Xena's strategic abilities not knowing exactly what was going
to happen was unnerving her. As instructed the Amazons had placed themselves in
accordance with Xena's plan and now they just waited. Alriss's army was part way
through the gorge and it would not be long before the warriors would be able to get behind them. A crash of thunder echoed overhead the Amazons looked up but saw no thunder clouds, a cold chill passed over them, many of them strained to see the riders of the horses they could hear galloping past but none could be seen.
Gabrielle awoke to a dawn filled room, the golden light flooded in through the window. She recognised her room, and the figure slumped in the chair beside her. "Solari," she whispered not wanting to startle the sleeping Amazon. Solari's eyes snapped open as soon as the words had left her Queens mouth. She smiled down at the Queen, but her smile held sadness as well as joy. "What's wrong Solari?"
"Xena, and the Amazon warriors have ridden out to meet Alriss's army. It was planned that they meet about now." Gabrielle closed her eyes. "How was Xena? What happened after I passed out?"
"Xena is fine my Queen, she was more concerned with you. I wouldn't try to move
just yet you have a broken collarbone but Cassandra has set it and it will mend. Kiaya is a little battered, Xena stopped her from killing you. The fool attacked you and refused to give in, Xena stopped her but she used her knife to stab Xena .. Don't worry." She said as she saw the panic rise on the bard's face. "Xena is ok compared what she has been through it was just a scratch."
"What did Xena do?" Gabrielle saw doubt on the Amazons face. "Solari! What did
she do?"
"Snapped her arm, dislocated her shoulder, and gave her a pretty sore head."
Gabrielle raised her uninjured arm and draped it over her eyes. "It was better than she deserved my Queen. She had yielded to you, and her attempt to kill you afterwards would have brought her the death sentence for treason."
"I know. I just hate to think of her doing these things because of me."
"I can think of no better reason."
Xena sat on Argo at the mouth of the exit to Hades gorge; the name was apt considering what she was about to do. She hoped with all her heart that Gabrielle would understand her reasons for making this choice. Looking up at the sun she knew she had little time left. Just them the first ranks of Alriss's army appeared round the corner. Xena drew her sword and held it high. The ancient words came forth from her mouth as she invoked the calling. With each word spoken she could feel the power building and her soul slipping.
She hadn't felt like this in nearly three years. Back then she'd never thought
much about the Favour she'd owed Hades. The God of the underworld had called her
on it though and explained what paying off her debt entailed. Then she'd
actually rejoiced in her new found freedom to kill without thought, without
conscience. Now it only took her further from her goal, further from Gabrielle,
further from the peace she craved. She was Hades personal messenger of Death and
together with Pestilence, Famine, and War, she was unstoppable. There had been many massacres, diseases, famines and war never associated with Xena Destroyer of Nations. But as the pale horseman and slayer for the Gods her hands were coated in the blood of millions, not the thousands the bard knew of. The horsemen hadn't been invoked since she left Ares fold, but there had always been the possibility, and she was forever bound to service. She had no idea how she would explain this to Gabrielle. Just how did you tell your best friend you were literally Death?
Alriss had been pleased with the progress his army had made; they were on schedule to reach the Amazon village. He rode at the forefront of his army, the dark priest riding by his side. He nearly brought the whole army to a stop as he saw a lone rider blocking the exit of the gorge. He was about to send a party to clear the way when the priest held his hand up.
"Listen" Though still far away the voice, which from its timber belonged to a woman, was loud and clear.
"And I saw when the man opened of the seals, and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, come and see." Thunder crashed above them, and beside the woman a shimmering form could be seen.
"And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." There were now two riders stood before the army and still the voice spoke on. "And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword." A crackling flash of lightning struck the floor beside the two riders, and where once stood two there was now three, and still the voice spoke on. "And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat upon him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a dinar, and three measures of barely for a dinar; and see thou hurt not the oil and wine."
A sound of galloping hooves echoed all around the army sending a shiver of fear down the spines of the waiting men. Where once there were three there now stood four and still the voice spoke on.
"And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast
say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and her name that sat
on him was Death, and Tartarus followed with him. And power was given unto them
over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
All four riders took on an unearthly glow, each held a weapon high and still the voice spoke on.
"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of the Gods, and for the testimony, which they held: Kill them all."
Alriss sat upon his horse and watched in dread and fear, legend told of the four
horsemen, but he had never dreamt he would ever come across them and he knew at
that moment that none of his men would leave the field alive. The chilling cry of 'Kill them all' bounced around his head, freezing him in place. He couldn't even give the order to attack as the four riders bore down on his men; his only hope was that the priest had some way of combating them. The priest knew on hearing that voice who and what he was facing, and his master had provided him with a weapon of sorts, but it could only be used once and that would still leave three of the horsemen. This day was lost, but he was determined to fulfil his master's wishes and rid the world of the warrior woman.
The men in Alriss's army didn't need him to give an order; they panicked as soon
as the horsemen started to move on them. Many were kill in the crush to retreat
before the horsemen were among them. Them Armageddon was truly among them. The Amazon warriors had left their hiding places to close in behind Alriss's army. As the panic from the front filtered down to the rear the soldiers turned to find themselves confronted with an Amazon army. A deadly hail of arrows fell from the sky and battle was commenced.
Gabrielle had managed to sit up with the help of Solari and some of Cassandra's willow bark tea. She was still unsettled though. Something felt wrong; something was missing and couldn't figure out what. She struggled to her feet and Solari was immediately by her side offering her, her support. With her help she walked to the window and peered out.
"It's begun." She said in a small voice, and together bard and warrior stood and waited.
Xena's blood lust grew with every word of the invocation she spoke. It had been
so long since the apocalyptic horsemen had been invoked that she'd forgotten how
it felt to weald such power. As her words die away, the thunder of Argo 's hooves penetrated her mind and the joy of battle burned in her soul. She had one goal the destruction of all that stood before her and with that in mind her body did as was bid and killed all within reach.
The priest had managed to keep his seat on his horse as the stampeding army boiled around him. The tide didn't lessen but it became easier to ride against as he made for the pale rider.
Xena saw the priest and refocused her attention knowing he was the one that she wanted. The sea of men parted before her, and soon they were upon each other. The priest decided to wait and see whether the use of his weapon was needed, and that was nearly his undoing. At the first clash of swords the woman warrior shattered his blade. And without a shadow of a doubt knew that he fought not Xena but death herself. He backed his horse away to give him time. Closing his eyes he dug deep down within himself and felt the power his master had given him. Opening his black orbed eye he again sought out the warrior finding her frighteningly close, he stretched out his arm and pointed channelling all the power through his hand towards Xena.
The resulting explosion of light killed those that were still standing around them, many that were in direct view of the glare were blinded for what was left of their lives, many would hear nothing ever again except for that crackling thunder bolt.
The press on the Amazons eased suddenly with the terrifying explosion, and they melted from the battlefield carrying their injured with them. The battle they knew was one Alriss's army was defeated all that remained was the priest. The priest slumped totally drained over his horse's neck hardly believing he was still alive. He had accomplished his master's wishes and still lived. Heaving his body upright his eyes scanned the carnage. The horsemen had disappeared, Alriss's army lay decimated before him and a pale horse stood riderless. Gabrielle felt a searing pain within and crumpled into Solari's arms. Cradling the stricken Queen the warrior lifted her back onto her cot and called for Cassandra.
Gabrielle was stood amidst a dark foreboding landscape, sound echoed around her as she frantically searched for something familiar. She found it in the lifeless body of her soul mate. She flung herself at her friend and lifted her head and shoulders into her arms.
"Xena?" She shook her partner. "Xena?" her shaking produced no results. She placed her hand against her neck but could feel no pulse of life beneath her fingers.
"Noooooooo." She cried desperately knowing that she had lost her one and true lifemate, tears poured from her eyes as she sat rocking her friend. "And what might I ask is all this wailing?" The bard looked up through tear blurred eyes into the face of Artemis.
"I've lost her." Sobbed Gabrielle clutching Xena's body to her.
"Nonsense child, You're the keeper of her soul while you exist so does she."
"But she's dead!" yelled Gabrielle at the God.
"That remains to be seen doesn't it the God vanished from sight, leaving Gabrielle to ponder her words. Slowly her tears stopped and her breathing began to slow. She looked down into Xena's face and saw the peace settled on it. Without thinking she lowered her mouth to Xena and kissed her deeply, feeling a tingling throughout her body. She opened her eyes and found herself held in Solari's arms.
"What happened?"
"I don't know." Said the warrior, but don't worry Cassandra's on her way. "You were only out for a few seconds."
He watched the horse for a few seconds more then smiled and nudged his horse round. If he hadn't been looking he would have missed the warrior rising from the ground, would have missed looking death in the face, as her round bladed weapon slit his throat.
It was an anxious Gabrielle that stood by the entrance gates of the Amazon village. Scouts had reported the returning Amazons as no further than a candlemark away, but hadn't been able to see whether Xena was among those returning. The first of the riders came into view many of them showing battle injuries. One by one she greeted the returning warriors but her heart only beat to greet one. She smiled and clasped Ephiny's hand as she and a battleworn Eponin rode past. Her heart was about fit to burst with the tension as a lone pale horse strode from the trees. Tears were already falling as her soulmate slid from her horse and pulled her close in a crushing hug. Ice blue eyes looked into forest green.
"Thank you" came the husky voice.
"For what." The bard asked a puzzled expression on her face. "For saving my soul once again. For holding it tight when others would have let go." The blue eyes searched the bard's face; they pulled her into a deep loving kiss. "Have I ever told you how much I love you.?" Explanations could wait, while Gabrielle didn't ask, Xena wouldn't explain. For now she would just live in the moment, with her bard by her side.
The End
John Bright (1811-89) British radical politician. Referring to the Crimean War.
Speech, House of Commons, 23 Feb 1855
The end.