By Fantimbard
Fantimbard@aol.com

Swords clashed on the battlefield below them, and the sound of terror mixed with the smell of rotting flesh filled the air. Xena stood slowly brushing the dirt from her leather armor as she observed the battle from a distant cliff. Carefully the Warrior Princess backed down the hill to where her best friend was anxiously waiting, staff in hand, ready for the order to join the battle. "So are we gonna get in there and kick some warlord butt?" The young woman asked a bit too enthusiastically for Xena’s taste. The great warrior adjusted the straps on her faithful mount’s saddle and then quickly jumped on grabbing tightly to the reigns. Pursing her lips together in a slight frown she gazed down at the young girl, "No WE are not going anywhere. I am going to get a closer look and YOU are staying here." She said with a quick command. Gabrielle started to protest, but Xena quickly raised her hand in the air to silence the bard "Don’t even start Gabrielle. This is not a bunch of bandits on the road, this is a WAR of swords." She said clenching her teeth as she stared towards the sound of the battle. Gabrielle said nothing noting that the warrior had already made up her mind, and knowing there was no changing it. Xena gave a quick nod and a crooked smile to her companion, "Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon!" Before the bard could say another word, the warrior sped off down the path leaving her young protégé standing alone and frustrated, twirling her staff at a threatening tree.

As Xena approached the field she could see that the warriors were Draco’s men. That in itself made her blood curl. She said the name twisting her face in disgust. "Draco" The opponents were mercenaries of some kind. Xena could not recognize any of them, but she did note that with every blade that fell another of them was quickly slaughtered. They were outnumbered and out classed in this type of battle. The warrior considered her options and then an odd little voice in her head told her that this was a battle she was meant to join. After a moment’s thought the proud warrior, protector of innocents drew her sword and entered the fray. With one fast flash of her weapon she immediately deflected a blade from falling on a boy of not more than 18 summers. Smiling she kicked the attacking warrior in the chest sending him roughly to the dirt at her feet. Quickly she offered the boy a hand up and moved further into the field. In a manner of moments she was the target of every one of Draco’s men. The great warrior smiled at the attention her sword drew knowing it was a compliment to her skill and reputation. Using all her warrior skills, Xena thrust her sword into each man that dared to cross her path. It was not long before the men that had remained were chased into the woods in a fast retreat. The Warrior Princess had turned the tides against Draco once again. She allowed a slight smile to pass over her face as she sheathed her blade behind her. The smile quickly faded, as Xena, for the first time, looked around at the great number of wounded and dying on the ground around her. They lay in puddles of there own blood mixed with that of their enemies in the high grass of some unfortunate farmer’s field. She shook her head at the pointless battle and quickly began nursing the wounded with what limited supplies she had at her disposal.

Chapter One - The Past Returns

Xena finished bandaging the leg of one man and rose to help another. " How can I help?" A tiny voice squeaked from behind. Xena turned to see the bard’s eager face grinning up at her. The warrior sighed "I thought I told you to stay up there" she said pointing to the cliff." Gabrielle shuffled her feet a bit and lowered her head knowing that such a maneuver usually softened the Warriors stern look. "Yes but you never said for how long, besides Xena after all this time I would think you’d know I’m gonna follow." The bard said with all the authority she could muster. Xena gave her a stern look, which quickly faded into a soft smile "Yeah I guess I should know." she said with resignation. The warrior sighed and threw her young friend some shredded linen. "Start bandaging the wounds as best you can…I’ll see to the more serious injuries." The young woman nodded and then hopped away eager to make a difference in the lives of these people. Xena shook her head in wonderment at her best friend’s untarnished view of the world. With all the death and blood that surrounded them, the young bard still was able to let her spirit glow. It brought a smile to the great warrior’s weary face.

As she surveyed the field once again, Xena caught sight of the boy whose life she had saved earlier. He was kneeling next to a bloody figure that was propped up against a tree. He was wiping tears from his face as he touched the motionless form. The warrior made her way over and crouched beside a fallen woman. "Satrina " she said her jaw dropping slightly at the sight of her old enemy. With a deep breath the warrior regained her stoic composure and knelt beside the woman. "Somehow I knew that cave in would not kill you." the warrior said with a voice cold and feral. The small figure’s eyes met the warriors and she smiled. "Xena Warrior Princess, we meet again…not under the conditions I would have chosen but still any battlefield we share is a good place to die." she coughed spewing blood into her own hand. Xena shook the words off and peered into an open wound in the woman’s midsection. The dark blood was slowly oozing out. The warrior reached down to examine it closer only to have the woman push her hand away, "No Xena!" she growled again coughing and gasping for air. "I know my time is done…I die in battle. It is all I ever asked from the Gods." The woman looked to the boy seated next to her and clasped his hand tightly "This is my brother Camos…He tells me you saved his life, and for that Warrior I am grateful. For THAT I owe you." She once again coughed, her words quickly losing force. Xena tried to silence her, but Satrina only waved her off. " Xena for my brothers life I owe you. I do not wish to leave this world owing YOU anything Warrior, so I will give you a gift." The warrior shook her head at the thought of accepting any gift this traitor had to give. She wiped her leathers and started to rise when the woman grabbed her arm pulling her back down. "Your daughter Xena…I give you YOUR daughter." Xena’s face turned cold and Icy, as the muscles tightened around her jaw "I have no daughter Satrina…YOU know that!" The woman smiled oddly enjoying the warrior’s confusion, but then she continued. "Not that you know of Warrior Princess…That night you gave birth to a son…. You were half out of your mind with the herbs I’d given you. I knew you would give the boy up and continue your warrior ways. I needed you to do that, but there was a second child that came to you that night…a little girl…for HER you would have dropped your sword. I couldn’t allow that, so we left her…behind." Flames shot through the warrior’s eyes as she recalled that night, the pain of losing Borias, her son, the loss, again the pain. Without a thought she grabbed the woman’s throat. "What are you saying Satrina? That cannot be! Where is she? What happened to her?" The great warrior’s mind raced with questions and fears. Her eyes flared with anger and pain of the past. The woman groaned under the warrior’s tight grasp, and Xena released her. Gathering her composure, she tried to find her central strength and speak calmly. "What happened to the girl Satrina?" she whispered in a controlled tone. The woman smiled wickedly. "Nala that old Mystic you were so fond of…she took the baby and ran for the hills, last I heard she was in the village of Rasa. But beware Warrior that town has a bad reputation." The warrior‘s thoughts flew in a thousand different directions and the woman could read her pain. There was a look of true remorse as she stared at the large frame of her former master. "I’m sorry Warrior, truly I am!" She paused "Now Xena I have given you the girl’s life for my brothers, and I owe you nothing…nothing." With that final whisper the woman closed her eyes and started her journey to Hade’s side. Xena rose from the ground feeling her legs shake beneath her as she grabbed for a tree limb. Gabrielle, watching from across the field noted the warrior’s fumble and raced to her side. The bard grabbed her friend’s arm to steady her. "Xena what is it? What’s wrong?" the bard asked, concern filling each and every word. The warrior looked down at the dead woman and Gabrielle’s eyes followed. "Satrina" the bard mouthed. Xena looked at the sky and closed her eyes for a moment trying to regain her unassailable poise. "Gabrielle…I have a …daughter" The bards mouth dropped open but no words came out.

Chapter 2 – The Hills of Rasa

That night the two friends camped on the road to Rasa. Xena had pushed them for an entire day and into the night never saying another word. The bard studied her friend and knew she was fighting a torturous battle inside, but she did not know how to help. Finally Xena had chosen to camp in a small quiet clearing about a day’s travel from their destination. Settling in front of the small fire, the warrior pulled her crossed legs in close to her leathered chest and stared in to the flickering flames, seeing images of her lost love and dead son. Her mind was filled with guilt and shame and a wonder of what her young daughter looked like. She felt here chest tighten as she considered how different her life would have been if she had only known. Gabrielle quietly fidgeted with a quill and her scroll trying to make sense of her own thoughts, but the pain that emanated from her friend made it impossible to think. "Xena?" the bard whispered. As if coming back from a very far away land the warrior answered "Hmmm?" What are you thinking about?" The bard asked settling in closer to the warrior. Xena took a long deep breath and looked at her friend noting the concern in her face. "I was thinking of Borias and how I lost him and then Solan…Gabrielle if what Satrina said is true… I will not lose this child too." The bard gently put her arm on the warrior’s shoulder. "Well what will you do?" The bard asked noting the pain in her friend’s eyes. The warrior shook her head and rubbed her temples. " I don’t know my friend…I just don’t know." The bard stared at the great warrior who had so many times saved her life. She decided a bit of gentle prodding was in order. "Xena who is this Nala you spoke of?" There was a faint smile that crossed the warrior’s face at the thought of her old friend. The Warrior Princess chewed on a blade of grass as she studied her young friend’s anticipation of an answer, "Gabrielle, a Warlord has many rescources in battle, and Nala was one of mine. She was what some might call a mystic and others, might call…well… worse, but she was always my best confident and my mentor, until…" The warriors voice trailed off. Gabrielle was hanging on every word anxious to know more of this one that her friend actually had trusted in those dark days. "Until what Xena?" the girl asked begging for more information. The warrior studied the flames and spoke to them as if they were her only true friends. "Until she saw my demise. She told me that I would fail in battle and lose all that I loved if I did not change my path. I didn’t listen to her, and as she said I lost it all" The bard said nothing, but merely caressed her friends arm hoping the touch would remind her that she was not alone. There was an unspoken understanding between the two friends and no more words were needed. Together they now stared into the flames remembering the past and thinking about the future.

Rasa was a small village hidden deep in the hills far outside Athens. The people of the village had a reputation for not welcoming strangers. As Xena and Gabrielle entered the center of town all eyes of these simple people fell upon them " I don’t think they will be hosting a feast in our honor in this town." The bard said with a half smile gripping her staff close to her. Xena nodded as they strode through the town; "These people are said to burn strangers at the stake if they think them a threat to their privacy." The bard swallowed hard. "Great! Thanks for telling me that NOW Xena" she chided moving closer to the warrior. By the time they had reached the center of town a circle of people had gathered around them staring menacingly at the foreigners who had dared to enter their private world. Xena pulled her sword from its sheath and with a two fisted grip moved it around in display for each of the villagers to view. "I don’t like feeling closed in, so I would advice you all to move before I decide to clear my own path." the Warrior Princess purred through gritted teeth. With that the villagers each took a step back, all accept one who Xena assumed was the leader. An old man of more than 60 summers, wearing a dark robe and carrying what looked to be a scepter, stepped forward. "You are not welcome here strangers, go now while you still can." He yelled raising the scepter in the air to show his great power over the crowd. The warrior stood to her full height and brought her sword to the old man’s throat. "What’s you name?" she said with a wicked smile never allowing the blade to waver from its mark.

"Why?" he asked in a startled tone, "Because I like to know the names of the people I kill." she growled bringing the sword up to the side of his neck, "I ..am Persius...Elder of this village who are you?" he murmured. The warrior did not move but merely offered the information setting her steely blue gaze on the old man. "I am Xena and this is Gabrielle. We are just passing though your lovely little village looking for a friend, an older woman named Nala." Gabrielle jumped a bit when she heard the word "witch" mumble through the crowd at the mention of the old woman’s name. There were gasps from the villagers and many people with children retreated to their huts. Persius nodded his head. "We have heard of you Warrior Princess, and we do not wish any trouble, only to be left in seclusion." The warrior slowly removed her sword from the elders neck and placed it in its sheathe "Well I’m glad to hear that Persius. I really wasn’t in the mood to wash the blood from my leathers today" the warrior purred. Pushing Persius to one side, Xena took a position in the center of the crowd. She raised her voice for all to hear.

"Now where is the woman Nala?" There was no answer. The warrior grabbed Persius by the tunic and twisted his body to face her. "Easy way or hard way old man? Where is she?" The old man spat on the ground "If you seek her then you seek evil in its purest form warrior. She lives in the hills above, but only fools and profiteers dare to go there for she brings curses on the heads of all who do." Xena dropped the man and smiled. "Hmm sorry to hear that. I guess you must have really done something to tick her off " she said with a grin. The old man straightened himself up as the warrior turned to look towards the hills "She and that wild child are a blackness on this whole village. Since they have been here our crops have been poor and our people have been ill." He said with disdain. At the mention of the child, Xena turned quickly on the old man nearly knocking him off his feet. "Tell me of the child" she ordered. Gabrielle touched her friend’s arm to calm her, and Xena’s muscles loosened a bit nodding at the bard. "The young one runs through the streets of our village terrorizing our people. She has no respect for her elders. Even the old woman cannot contain her. She is evil."

Xena had not even swallowed that last word when she noted a large red object falling from the tree above and landing smack on top of Persius’s head. The old man yelped and covered his head but to no avail because another one soon followed. Soon there was a rain of large tomato’s falling from the tree, all in the Elder’s direction. Each one hit its mark squarely. Xena looked up to the branches above and saw a small figure hidden in the tree, giggling as she pelted Persius with tomatoes. "Now that’s not very nice is it Persius? " the child said with a mischievous giggle tossing another tomato at him. The wayward youngster laughed so hard she nearly fell out of the tree. "Get her!" the angry elder yelled wiping the red debris from his face. The village men moved quickly trying to scurry up the tree. "Whoops time to go" the child yelled. With a wicked smile she dropped the armload of tomatoes she had in reserve on the climbing villagers. Xena watched the exchange with bewilderment and amazement as the girl leapt from the tree in a quick Arial flip, taking off up the hill with the men in fast pursuit. "Xena drew her sword and grinned at Gabrielle "Lets go!" The bard smiled "Yup! That would be your kid all right Xena." she said chasing after the warrior.

The two friends sprinted up the hill and soon found a child of no more than

11 summers facing off with three of the village men. She was smiling and taunting them up the embankment. When one advanced too closely she merely back flipped a step behind him quickly swiping his leg out from under him and landing him on the ground with a thud. Xena smiled at the quick exchange and moved in to join the battle. The mischievous laugh of the youngster rang through the woods as she peered into the eyes of the next man. As the other village men cornered the girl, the Warrior Princess announced her approach with her famous battle cry. "YIYIYIYIYIYIYI" Xena easily flipped over all the men and landed to the side of the child. Pointing her sword at the villagers and waving it in an expertise of quick maneuvers, she growled "Back off boys, I hate to kill on an empty stomach." Gabrielle tapped one of the foolish men on the shoulder with her staff and when he turned knocked him to the ground. Standing over him with a look of great frustration the bard placed both hands on her hips and wiggled her finger at him in warning, "It serves you right. You know you really shouldn’t pick on a little kid like that." The child giggled as the man stumbled to the ground. Gabrielle gave her a stern look "Don’t YOU laugh, you shouldn’t be throwing tomatoes at people." The child paused and then again laughed shaking her head at the silly bard. Xena had to smile at her friend. Only Gabrielle would attempt to bring wisdom and reason into a fight like this. Xena raised her sword as if to strike and the men all quickly raced down the hill, the last with the help of the great warrior’s boot. Xena sheathed her sword and turned to the child, but the girl was already turning away. "Thanks " was all the youngster said as she again headed up the narrow path of the hill. Xena stopped her with a commanding tone "Hold it!" The child stopped and turned, and for the first time Xena looked into the youngster’s face. She was quickly captivated by who she saw staring back.

Chapter 3- She Has My Eyes

The child had Xena’s dark blue blazon gaze and the round baby face of, Lyceus, the warrior’s long dead brother. Her dark hair, was a mop of unkempt waves just like that of Borias. She was a small slender figure. Her tunic was made from a soft skin and fell loosely just below her waste. The dark breeches she wore were made from a soft cloth and her small boots, covered by a well-tanned leather reached midway up the youngster’s calf. The warrior could only stare at the girl wanting to reach out to her but pulling back, knowing it was not the right thing to do. The Warrior Princess gathered her composure and stood once again to her full height. "We are going up to see Nala. She’s an old friend of mine. Perhaps you could lead the way." She said with a wry smile. The child shrugged with indifference and waved them to follow. Xena nodded at Gabrielle and the three started their journey up the hill. "What’s your name the warrior asked?" The child observed her for a moment and then answered matter of factly "Tarren…What’s yours?" The warrior smiled "I’m Xena and this is my friend Gabrielle" she said pointing to the bard. The child stopped and stared at the woman, "You are the one Nala has been waiting for?" she said with youthful awe. Quickly she regained her smile "I thought you’d be bigger" the girl said with a teasing laugh. Xena’s smile disappeared and she glanced at Gabrielle who merely shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah I wouldn’t mind taking a shot at her myself Xena." the bard whispered. Tarren observed the exchange and pointed to Gabrielle "That one has a big mouth." Xena halted Gabrielle’s response with a frown and the wave of her hand, and Xena looked straight ahead as she spoke to the arrogant child. "Are you always so rude to people larger than yourself Tarren? You may one day find that actions like that could have dire consequences." the warrior warned. The child’s smile disappeared as she observed the muscular form of the warrior. She stood firmly in place staring up at Xena. "Look warrior I can take care of myself. I don’t have to listen to anyone, so save your warnings." The insubordinate girl then started to move far ahead of the pair. The warrior took a deep breath to control her festering anger and nodded at the child. "OK!" Gabrielle gently poked the stewing warrior in the chest, "Yup! the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Does it My Warrior?" she chided. Xena glared at the bard with icy blue pools of fire, and Gabrielle took a step back. "OK so maybe this is not the time for humor." she said with a weak smile giving her friend a little breathing room. "NO definitely not the time Gabrielle!" The warrior scowled as they moved up the hill. The rest of the way up the path the friends were silent and then without warning the child disappeared from sight. Gabrielle looked to Xena "Well that was a surprise wasn’t it?" the bard said shaking her head. The warrior tilted her head to listen to the sounds of the wood around her, "We must be close. That’s why she took off. She’s going to warn Nala that we are coming."

The two continued up the hill and the bard fumbled around "Xena…I heard the people back there call this old woman a witch…What’s all that about?" The warrior smiled and then put an arm on her friend’s shoulder. "I told you Gabrielle Nala is what you call a mystic. She has a gift of prophecy of sorts. Some revel in that gift while others fear it." The bard nodded in understanding actually excited at the idea of meeting a real prophet. Soon the two women entered an elaborate but seemingly empty campsite. There was a large cloth tent in the center of the dwelling that Xena was sure was taken from a warrior’s camp. Strange carvings and masques of animals hung from the trees all around the sight. Xena scanned the area, and nodded approvingly at the encampment. It was secured on all sides by a heavy thicket of trees accept for the one path they had come up and a smaller one that the warrior guessed lead to water. It was set up with the expertise of a warrior, or one who traveled amongst them. As the warrior studied her surroundings, a voice from behind startled her into drawing her sword. "Still fast as ever MY Princess. I knew you would come Warrior Princess." Xena quickly turned around and found herself staring down into the face of an old friend.

Chapter 4- Nala’s Wish

Gabrielle swallowed hard as she took in the appearance of this very old woman. She was wrapped in a tattered shawl and using a short stick to lean on. Her gray hair and aged face matched the darkness of the forest around them. Around her neck was a simple gold chain with an odd little blue amulet on the end. It looked as if the color inside moved with every motion the woman made. It was as if a small bit of heaven itself was locked inside. "Amazing!" the bard thought to herself as she studied the piece. "Nala!" the warrior cried and fell into the small woman’s weak embrace. The child watched from behind not liking the exchange. "Tarren come say hello to our friends." the old mystic yelled, motioning the child to approach. The small figure only folded her arms in defiance and retreated back into the woods, " I am sorry my Princess but I think I have failed you. That one has a wildness that I could not control. It is good that you are here now, just as I willed you to be." Xena gave her a puzzled look and then started to introduce Gabrielle. The old woman smiled at the bard and threw her hand up to silence the warrior. "Hello Gabrielle. Xena you need not introduce me to one that I already know in my heart. Child I am glad to see that the Princess has found a true and faithful friend in you." The bard’s face twisted. "How did you know who I was?" The old woman only looked away, "Come let us sit and have some tea my friends." Xena just smiled at the bard’s confusement and offered Nala an arm to lean on. "Come children we have much to talk about and not a lot of time." The three women sat by the fire just outside the large tent, and the old mystic studied the warrior’s face. She placed a withered hand on the Princess’s arm, and the warrior placed her own on top of it. " I am sorry for the pain you have suffered, the loss, and I am grateful for the peace you are now finding my friend." Nala said with a weak smile. Xena nodded squeezing the old woman’s hand. "It is good to see you my old friend." The warrior replied. As Xena and the old woman talked Gabrielle stared at the child who was swinging from branch to branch high in the trees above them. "What did you mean when you said we did not have much time Nala?" the warrior asked trying to hide her concern. The old woman smiled "Child I am dying, my days here are short and we need to discuss the child, YOUR child Warrior Princess." Xena swallowed hard and walked away from the fire. "So then it’s true…Tarren is my daughter." The mystic nodded "Yes my dear one, and I have kept her for you these years knowing that when your life was right, the fates would bring you back. That is why I called for you to return." Xena once again gave the old mystic a puzzled look. The woman cackled loudly "Now princess has it been so long between us that you forget Nala’s gifts. Did you really think that battlefield you entered was just there for convenience or that evil Satrina would speak the truth on her own." The warrior smiled and returned to her place next to the mystic. "Nala I have missed you." The old woman smiled "And I you Princess, and I you." Gabrielle continued to watch the child flip through the trees "How does she do that? I mean don’t you worry about her falling?" The old woman laughed "Hmmm it would be the best thing if she did fall just once. Perhaps it would teach her a little respect for the nature around us, a respect that the Warrior Princess understands well." Xena nodded at her friend and looked to the trees shaking her head at the disrespectful nature of the girl above. The old mystic studied the concern on the bard’s face and placed a tender hand on her arm, "Don’t worry child that little scamp never falls. She’s agile as a cat flying through Tartarus OR even a Warrior Princess." She said with affection studying the child’s acrobatics high in the trees above. Gabrielle playfully poked her friend in the arm "Hey does she remind ya of someone?" the bard giggled. The warrior said nothing, looking disapprovingly at the child’s reckless maneuvers.

The old woman offered her guests each a mug filled with a mixture of a sweet smelling tea. Each accepted it gratefully. " Princess when I took her from the tent so many years ago, it was to keep that evil Satrina from killing her. I just wanted to keep her safe. It was not my intention to take her from you. I heard of your many conquests and knew your life was not yet ready for the child. I then heard of how you were taking a new path…I felt it…felt the shift in your spirit and knew it was time to bring you home to Nala." The warrior allowed a small smile to cross her solemn face, and the woman continued. Gabrielle looked at her friend. Xena was never one for long conversations, but the bard knew that there was great pain inside the heart of her warrior friend. She was in a deep struggle to control and conquer it, so she was remaining more quiet than usual. The mystic again spoke. "As I said my friend I am afraid I have failed you. As you can see the little one is wild, disobedient and disrespectful of everything and everyone. She lives by no code and by no rules. She was born with your spirit Xena…It runs strong and deep, but she does not posses your discipline, and I was just too old to teach her my friend." The old woman sighed heavily and continued. "For that I am sorry my dear one, but know that her heart is pure. Xena her heart is as pure as the sun and full of love just waiting to be given. It is time for you to take your place guiding that little one down the right path." The warrior looked at Nala and spoke softly staring into the mug in front of her as if it held all life’s secrets. "Nala you saved her life. You took care of her all these years. My dear friend you did not fail me. It is I who failed you and HER. If I had only listened to your warnings then maybe things would have been different for all of us." she said lowering her head as her voice trailed off. The old woman patted her friends hand "YOU have failed know one warrior…Do not dwell on the past my Princess. We cannot return to that time and place. It was not your time to change paths back in that day of darkness. Now you wish to add to your shoulders the guilt of leaving this child behind, when you did not even know of her. Do not allow yourself the luxury of such guilt. It will neither serve you or Tarren well." The old mystic’s words were hard and firm, and they silenced the great warrior. The bard was awed by the wisdom of this old woman, and by the way Xena seemed to take comfort in her words. She could easily see why Nala had meant so much to her friend. The old woman took a deep breathe and sipped slowly at her tea, and the warrior smiled at Nala offering as much affection in her glance as the bard had ever seen the warrior show.

Gabrielle wanted to break the eerie silence that hung over the air, so she asked the question that she knew was on Xena’s mind. The bard smiled weakly. "Does she know who Xena is. I mean does she know she’s her mother?" The old woman shook her head "No child she knows her father dead and her mother long gone. It will be for you to decide when is the right time to tell her." Nala said pointing a shaky hand at the warrior. The old woman coughed and leaned heavily on her stick for support. Xena quickly dropped to her side and lifted a mug for her to drink some tea. "Nala perhaps you should rest." The warrior’s face was filled with concern. The old woman shook her head. "Time is too short Princess and we have much to discuss." Xena sat beside the mystic and sipped at her tea. "You will take Tarren with you when I pass over?" she said with authority. Xena nodded without question, and the old woman settled back and sighed. "And you will keep her with YOU as you travel your new path." she continued studying her friend’s response. Xena’s face traveled to meet Gabrielle’s soft emerald gaze. The bard only shrugged not knowing what answer to offer. The warrior knelt beside the old mystic "Nala, the life I live on the road is a dangerous one, and…with a child…It would be very dangerous." The old woman halted her with a hand and spoke with a serious and nearly threatening tone. "XENA! that one is NO more able to live the life of a villager than you are. She NEEDS to travel your path. She needs her mother Warrior Princess. She needs you, and after 11 years with only Nala, she deserves that much! If you leave her behind somewhere then she WILL stray from the right path, I warn you." Xena lowered her eyes chewing carefully on every word Nala spoke. The Mystic touched the warrior’s cheek wiping a tear from her soft skin. " I KNOW that you will protect her no matter where you go. It has not been an easy path for that one either Princess, and she needs HER mother now just as much as her mother needs her." she said pointing to the treed child who was now staring down at the trio.

The old woman stood and leaning heavily upon her stick for support moved about the camp adding more tea to the mugs of her friends. Her voice grew low and somber bringing an air of sadness to the gentle surroundings. "We were not welcome in many places, so always we traveled. Always we moved. I am sorry to say Princess that Tarren has been in many a Warrior’s camp as she grew. However, the men treated her as a little Princess. They taught her how to fight, and probably every foul word ever uttered by man or beast. It was years ago when I realized that she was starting to admire these killers not even knowing who or what they really were. That is why I pulled her away, and we moved here...far into the hills of Rasa." Nala returned to her seat and sipped her tea as she studied her younger companions. A slight smile crossed the old ones face. "Xena she fights well for a little one…you’d be proud of her." The warrior cringed at the thought of her daughter living amongst the animals in a warlord’s camp. She was lost deep in the thought of it when Nala's voice brought her forward. "Don’t worry Princess…She saw no death or blood…only the camp…I saw to that much." Xena allowed herself a slight smile. "Thank You my friend...again!" she said as she once again watched the child above her. The old mystic noted the warrior’s concentration on the child in the trees and leaned forward speaking in a gentle whisper. "Be warned my friend. YOU will need a very firm hand to guide that little one. ONLY the hand of the Warrior Princess is big enough, strong enough to reign that one in." She touched the warrior’s hand. "So promise me Xena! Promise me that you will keep her with you and raise her!" Xena was quiet for a moment and then looked to the trees and caught the distant blue gaze of Tarren staring back at her. Their eyes locked for a moment and then the little girl just jumped from the branch as if wishing to fall to her death. The warrior quickly jumped to her feet ready to catch the falling child, but just as she skidded into the dirt beneath her, the girl simply bounced up far above the warrior’s head easily catching onto a passing tree limb. The youngster laughed ferociously at the warrior’s valiant attempt to catch her. She loosened the rubbery vine from her ankle, and smiling wickedly at the warrior, jumped to the ground. "TARREN!" The old woman scolded, standing and facing the warrior apologetically "I am sorry Xena…THAT is one of her favorite tricks…She scares the tautreus out of everyone with it." Xena scowled and bit her lower lip nodding at the old woman with complete understanding. There was a flash of relief and anger on the warrior’s face as she approached the child. Tarren had since pulled an apple out of a large wooden barrel near the tent and was sitting comfortably on top crunching away as she studied the warrior. "That’s OK Nala" Xena said keeping a cold steady stare on the child. Her voice dropped to a menacing whisper as she came face to face with the smug youngster. "Tarren and I will have a new understanding. She won’t do that EVER again, and I won’t whip the hide off of her." The warrior said with out flinching a muscle. The girl merely stopped eating the apple and tossed it to the warrior’s feet and grabbed her fishing pole. "Going fishing Nala," she said starting for the woods. Xena quickly grabbed the child’s arm "Little one I think what you really meant to say was, CAN I go fishing?" The child glared into the harsh gaze of the warrior and noted the very firm hold she had on her. "OK, CAN I go fishing?" the girl said mockingly repeating the warrior’s words. Xena looked to Nala who nodded "Sure" the warrior said releasing the child’s arm. "BUT you better catch something" The warrior flashed a devilish grin at the girl. "I always DO " the child said cockily as she strode down the path to the river mumbling under her breath. Xena shook her head and rubbed her aching temples. "MY daughter?" she said to Nala who nodded and then smiled. "YOU have yet to make me that promise Princess. Will you keep her with you and raise her well?" The warrior looked to Gabrielle who just smiled and blinked, and then she nodded. "Yes Nala, you have my word…. I came here to see if I had a daughter, and now that I know I do, I will not leave her. It will not be easy, but she will travel with us. She will travel MY path." She paused and then whispered to the old woman, " Honestly my friend I would not have had it any other way." The old woman reached out a hand to her warrior. "Good my Princess. I rest easier with my time coming knowing that mother and daughter will be as they always should have been, together on the right path." Xena sat down next to Nala saddened by the weakness in the woman’s voice. "Come Princess let us will talk of old times and I will tell you about the last 11 summer of Tarren, so you will have that to carry in your heart." And through the day and into the evening the two women shared stories filled with laughter and tears of adventures from a time long ago. Gabrielle looked on with wide eyes soaking up all the wisdom and experiences that sat before her in this simple clearing.

Tarren returned before dark with a string of fish and dropped them squarely on the warrior’s boots. "I always catch something." she said with all the authority her small form could muster. She then turned and walked into the woods silently. Gabrielle covered her face, a shiver running down her spine at the thought of the warrior’s anger, but Xena only nodded and carefully picked up the fish placing them carefully to one side. The great warrior then sighed heavily and stood. She was already 11 years late, so if she was going to take charge of this situation, she was going to do it right away.

"Well I guess there is no time like the present." she said as she started in the direction of the youngster. Gabrielle looked at Xena and suppressed a giggle, and Nala just waved her hand proudly at the Warrior entering this new battlefield.

The Warrior Princess followed the child back into the woods and found her skipping stones in the river at the edge of a small clearing. Placing herself a safe distance from the girl she spoke "Look I think we’ve gotten off to a bad start here Tarren, I was sort of hoping we could be friends." The warrior said with a gentle smile. The girl turned her dark blue gaze on the tall figure. "What for?" she said defiantly. Xena sighed heavily and approached the pouting youngster. "Everyone needs friends Tarren." The child barely glanced at her but continued skipping rocks. "Yeah well I don’t need anything, so why don’t you just hop on your big horse and ride off into the sunset warrior." Xena clapped her hands together in frustration. "OK I tried the nice approach…let’s go a different way." The warrior nodded her head and bit her lower lip, putting her hands on her hips in a familiar show of strength. Placing the patented Xena stare on the child, she lowered her voice to it’s husky tone, "OK…Tarren…Well, ya see I think there is something you DO need, and I think you’ve needed it for quite some time." Her voice turned menacingly low as she uttered the last words "AND I came a very long way to see you get IT." Seating herself on the edge of a large rock, Xena Warrior Princess quickly grabbed the puzzled child, throwing her roughly across her knees, pinning the child into the desired position with little effort. Without hesitation she began a swift and steady paddling, landing her large muscular hand repeatedly across the child’s backside. The girl tried to squirm away and break free but the warrior’s grasp was like that of an angry Titan. Tarren screamed with indignation and profanity at the leather-clad warrior, which only made this woman hit harder and faster. The cadence lasted until the child had spat out her last angry word and was silenced by the warrior’s authority. When Xena felt the youngster had been properly introduced to the world of civil language she lifted her off her lap and stared at the now red eyed girl who refused to let a tear stray from her welling eyes. Sternly she spoke waving a single finger within inches of the girl’s face, "OK here’s how it works…We are adults you are a child…You treat us with respect and we WILL treat you with respect…. You don’t and you and I wind up right back here." she said as she kept a firm grip on the youngster’s tunic. The child sniffled a bit but said nothing, so the warrior continued. "AND don’t get comftorble with the idea that things will change when I leave because when I do go, YOU are coming with me. So you better get used to having me around kid because I am gonna be your best friend or your worst enemy for a very long time." With those words Xena released her hold on the naughty youngster. She stood and looked down into the eyes of her child. She could see within them confusion, anger, pain and utter disbelief." The warrior rubbed her hands together as if cleansing them. "Now do we understand each other?" The girl nodded and backed away a bit. The warrior sighed heavily and pointed towards the camp. "Good…now get back to camp and help Gabrielle clean the fish, and then you can clean the fish off my boots." she said sternly. The child paused. "GO!" Xena yelled and in a moment the child was scurrying down the path. Xena looked to the sky and sighed heavily "Help me!" she said to whatever unknown force guided her life, and then she headed back to the camp.

Chapter 5 - Xena, Warrior Mother

Xena silhouetted against the glow of the moonlight that filled the night sky. She looked up at he sky and took in the smells of the world around her. Gabrielle walked slowly behind her "Dinar for your thoughts?" she said surprising the warrior enough to have her almost tag the bard with her fist. "YOU know better than to sneak up on me Gabrielle." The warrior sighed and leaned heavily against a powerful tree. The bard lowered her head and apologized. "I’m sorry Xena but you usually hear me from 50 paces away. What are you thinking about now? The bard’s concern for her friend was evident. The warrior studied the bard and then said solemnly, "Gabrielle how am I gonna raise that child? You know the life we live. You see how she is already. She needs SO much attention. How can I provide it? What if I fail her again?" Gabrielle nodded and then placed a gentle hand on the warrior’s arm. "Whoa! Warrior you have not failed her at all. When you found out she existed, you came straight here to get her. And what’s all this "I" stuff. After all it’s not just YOU. It’s US. I mean, I thought we were a team which means Tarren will have both of us. You will not be alone and neither will she."

The warrior smiled at her friend "How could I have thought otherwise." Gabrielle returned the smile and leaned up against the tree next to her tall companion. "Xena ya know, Nala said that in the one day you've been here, you’ve managed to tame that child more than she has in 10 years. What is your secret Warrior?" the bard asked with a grin. The warrior smiled and placed an arm around her friend. "Well it’s all in knowing HOW to ask…all in knowing how to ask little bard." she said with a wicked smile.

The bard caught sight of Tarren entering the tent . The child stopped for a moment and glared at the warrior before disappearing beneath the flaps. "OUCH! Did you see that look? She has your eyes all right and that LOOK is aimed right at you Warrior." The bard warned shaking her head. Xena glanced at the child and smiled grimly at her friend.

"I saw it" she said dryly "Ya Know Xena perhaps all of this has been too much for her, and she is manifesting her anger at you as a central target for her misinterpretation of our intentions." Gabrielle said with a wistful wave of her hand. "Huh, where do you come up with this stuff?" the warrior said trying to contain her amusement. The bard gently poked her friend in the ribs, "Well it’s a thought!" she said. The warrior nodded, "Yeah I guess that could be it, OR it could be that she is mad at me for spanking her this afternoon." she said casually gazing up at he stars. The bard grinned. "Oh, well…I …guess that could be it too." Both women exchanged a knowing smile, and the air was soon filled with gentle laughter. The warrior stood and walked a few paces away from her friend and spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, "Gabrielle, I have a daughter!" It was the first time that either of them had really heard the words and knew their meaning. The bard turned to look into the watery blue reflections of her best friend and companion "I know!" The bard smiled and then hugged the warrior with all of her might. Both women turned their gaze back to the stars wondering how the Gods had just changed their lives forever.

Tarren stood in the tent and gently rubbed her tender bottom and wiped a tear from her eye. She had waited all night to be alone so she could tend her wounded body and pride. She would never let that big warrior have the satisfaction of knowing she had hurt her. Nala smiled slightly at the sight. The child had not even seen her enter the tent. "Hits hard doesn’t she my dear?" the old woman asked sitting on her cot. The girl merely nodded and winced as she tried to sit on her own cot. "Well then I guess you are lucky you did not make her angry." she said rubbing Tarren's head affectionately. The child’s face went white at the thought that the warrior could get angrier or hit harder. "She is not one you wish to defy my child. She will give you her heart, her life in exchange for your loyalty, but she will give you your hide in exchange for your disobedience. I know her child, so be warned." The child spoke softly to the old woman settling into her cot. "Nala she is the warrior of your stories?" she asked and the old woman nodded. "Why has she come here? Why does she want me to go with her?" Nala sat up and looked into the terrified face of one that she had cared for since birth. "Oh you are so young. You are such a baby Tarren. You have heard me say this before. You KNOW that my time is short child. We have talked of this Princess for many years. You always knew that one day I would send for her to care for you. If there is any more to tell than that my child, then I am not the one who can tell it to you." The child shook her head turning away from the old woman’s words. Nala reached out to embrace the youngster. "Tarren I have always loved you, but I was never able to be the mother you needed. That woman out there is my friend and yours, and there is no one in this world that I would trust my precious one to accept to her. I know it is difficult for you to understand, but someday you will child. I promise you my dear one that someday all will be clear to you!" Tears streamed down the child’s face as she buried her head in the old woman’s chest "Shh! you will have a whole new life filled with great adventure and love my child." she said soothingly. Outside the tent a single tear ran down a great warrior’s cheek.

The following morning Xena rose before the sun. She looked over at the sleeping bard and smiled and thought to herself "Let her sleep warrior. You’ve put her through enough these last few days." With a smile the warrior headed to the river for an early swim. She stripped off her leathers and jumped in. The cool water felt good against her muscular form. Her quick easy strokes made her one with the water as she swam easily with the current. Standing on the shore she noted a small figure watching her. She swam towards her and jumped out of the water reaching for a cloth to dry herself with "Good Morning Tarren" she said with a smile drying herself as she spoke. The child nodded but said nothing and the warrior scowled "Now that will never do. Try it. GOOD MORNING XENA." the warrior said slowly to emphasize the polite nature of the phrase. Tarren’s face twisted a bit, but she complied. "Good Morning Xena!" she said dryly. The warrior nodded, "Well the sincerity could use some work but not bad for a first try." The warrior took a deep breath of the fresh air and smiled. "So do you want to go for a swim?" The girl shook her head "I can’t, never learned." Xena folded her arms tightly against her chest. "Never learned?" she said in disbelief. The child again nodded. "Well who was gonna teach me warrior? Nala can’t swim." The girl chided squinting her eye to keep the sun out as she looked up at the muscular form before her.

"You come down here to fish and you can’t swim….What if you fell in?" The warrior asked with some concern in her voice. The girl shrugged. "Then I drown?" Xena shook her head. "Well that will never do no…no…no! You will learn right here and right now. I will teach you." She said in a no nonsense tone "Now?" The girl asked. The warrior nodded. "Yes Now…so strip down and get in." The warrior ordered. Taking it as a new and daring challenge, the child did as the warrior asked. Then without warning, Xena picked her up and threw her into the water, diving in right after her. The girl came up sputtering water and Xena held her to the surface. "Is that how you teach someone how to swim?" the girl asked ready to exit the river. The warrior grabbed her arm pulling her gently back towards her. "Yes, lesson one is you must get wet." The girl shook her head and allowed a bit of a smile. "Well I’m wet." se said. Xena appreciatively returned the grin. "Lesson two is repeating lesson one." With that Xena picked the child up and again threw her across the water, but this time the girl resurfaced on her own and managed to stay above the water. "Good! " the warrior praised with a soft smile. The child grinned "SO who taught you how to swim…a giant titan?" The warrior bit her lip "Lesson three, never talk back to the teacher," and for a third time Xena tossed the child across the water but this time Tarren did not resurface. Xena called to her "Tarren!" but there was no response. A look of terror covered the face of the warrior. Suddenly there was a break in the water behind her, and the child surfaced on top of her. "Your turn!" The girl said with an evil grin. With a quick flip of her wrist the fast reflexes of the warrior pulled the girl over her head and back into the water below. Once again she came up spitting out water and laughing. The warrior’s face was stern. "THAT was not funny…don’t ever do that again!" she said scolding the child. The girl’s face went blank, and the warrior shook her head and gently slapped the girl’s cheek. "Come on let’s get you swimming." she said with a smile. The child grinned, and so did the large warrior. An old woman and a young bard watched approvingly from the shore.

In a matter of hours Xena had Tarren swimming the length of the river easily. "Be one with nature Tarren." she said. "Become part of the river. No matter where you are you must become part of your surroundings." She said as the girl reached for each wave as it was a piece of her thoughts. Xena marveled at what a natural she was and how quickly she had learned to swim with such an easy glide of strokes. Finally as the sun came over head Xena called "Come on that’s enough for today. We better get back to the camp." Tarren frowned at the thought of leaving so soon. "No you go Xena I want to stay here an swim some more." she said pulling away from the warrior. Xena shook her head "No you don’t swim alone Tarren. Let’s go NOW!" The warrior called in a no nonsense tone. That familiar edge in Xena’s voice offered a quick reminder of the previous day’s occurrence. "All right" she said with a scowl as she reluctantly dragged herself from the water. Her face was once again full of indignation, but she dressed remembering Nala’s words about both the warrior’s strength and anger. She could still feel the throbbing in her backside that made sitting for meals an almost impossible task, and she was not about to test this woman’s temper so quickly again. Xena shook her head as she pulled her leathers on "Tarren it is not ALL play all the time!" Xena said as she started to walk away. When she noticed the girl had merely leaned against a tree and was not following, she stopped in her tracks "Don’t even think about going back in that water alone" she warned pointing to the large flat rock they had shared the day before. The girl nodded swallowing the words hard and placing her hands behind her head, looked longingly out at the water.

Xena smiled and returned to camp to a waiting breakfast and welcome cup of hot tea. "Well it looks like we have a fish walking on land here Nala." the bard said with an impish grin as she handed Xena her tea. The warrior smiled "Well my short swim was extended a bit with a few swimming lessons." she said with a sigh as she sat before the crackling fire drying her black mane. Nala came forward leaning on her stick smiling "Yes we saw. You do well with her Princess. I see a look in her eyes I have never seen before. She trusts you and admires your strength. It is a good start my friend." Xena nodded and allowed a flashing smile. "Well it was until I made her get out of the water. Now she’s back to not speaking to me again." The old woman coughed heavily and sat grabbing her chest "Nala!" the warrior cried and rushed to her side. "I am fine my friend!" Xena and Gabrielle helped the old woman to a seat and gave her some cool water. Her breathing eased "I am better. Go eat your breakfast warrior." Xena nervously backed off keeping a watchful eye on her old friend. "Where’s Tarren?" Gabrielle asked trying not to think of just how ill the old woman was. The warrior shook her head "Down by the river sulking." she said with a playful grin. The old woman laughed quietly. "Be careful my friend. That child can charm her way into anything. She has a gift of persuasion about her." The great warrior smiled as she grabbed at the fish heating on the spit. "Well that’s OK Nala because I am NOT easily persuaded." Gabrielle sipped at her tea and nodded in affirmation. "THAT is for darn sure….yup that is for DARN sure!" she said. The bard looked up to catch the ungrateful gaze of her friend "Ugh sorry…guess I got carried away a bit Xena." The warrior gazed carefully at her young friend. "You know bard there is a very cold river down there in case YOU need a swimming lesson." Gabrielle threw her hands up in the air "No thank you I know how to swim…you’ve seen me do it...I’m just fine sitting right here, nice and dry." The warrior gave her a devilish smile. "Well maybe later then." She said slowly savoring each word. Gabrielle grabbed her staff and stood. "Perhaps I’ll go see how Tarren is doing." The bard smiled nervously at the thought of the warrior’s seeking revenge for her words, so it was time for a hasty retreat.

As Gabrielle slowly approached the base of the water she smiled as she took a deep breathe and soaked up all the beauty and peace that surrounded her. She found the girl leaning up against a tree fixated on the water "Hi!" she said in a bubbly tone. The child turned and offered a half smile " Hi!" Gabrielle jumped over a rock and leaned against the tree along side the child "Well you seem to be in a sort of glum way. What’s up?" she said moving a stray hair affectionately from the child’s face. "XENA!" she said in a one-word answer that spoke volumes to the bard. Gabrielle tried not to smile. "Well that sort of says it all. What’s the problem?" she asked in a gentle more understanding tone remembering her own frustrations with the warrior princess. Tarren turned and faced the bard who could not help but be captured by the gentle blue gaze of her warrior friend looking back at her through this child’s eyes. "Is she always so…so…tough?" The girl said in a quick breath. The bard giggled and placed an understanding arm around her young friend. "Well, sometimes but not always. On the outside she’s the BIG Warrior Princess. She wants to protect us all, so she always needs to be in TOTAL control. She’s always so sure of herself…really ticks me off sometimes." Gabrielle frowned at the thought, but then the bard’s voice grew tender. "But on the inside Tarren, I have learned is a very gentle and loving soul. She has a great deal of affection to give. It is sometimes just too difficult for her to let her truest feelings show." Tarren considered the words and rubbed her throbbing backside "I dunno she seems to get her point across." The bard tried not to laugh but quickly embraced the girl rubbing her back gently in comfort. "Tarren I know it’s hard to believe, but she does what she does because she cares about you. If she didn’t then she would not even waste her time. Trust me the Warrior Princess does not waste her time on many people. You have to be very special to get her attention. You just have to learn, as I have, that Xena has a certain set of rules and she expects, no that’s the wrong word, DEMANDS that you, errrrr … we follow them." The child shook her head not truly understanding all the bard had said, but she welcomed her soft embrace feeling genuine tenderness and love emanating from the bard. The young woman stood back and tasseled the girl’s hair. "Come on, make me look good. Come back to the camp with me and have some breakfast." The bard started walking and turned back to offer the child her hand. Tarren stared at it for a moment and then took it allowing herself to be led back to camp and Xena. Happily the bard strode in passed Xena who was more than a bit surprised at the bard’s ability to get the child to return so willingly. "Leave it to Gabrielle to bring the mountain to her." The warrior thought trying to hide her obvious amusement.

Gabrielle handed the child a plate and the girl moved to Nala’s side to eat. The warrior studied Tarren's obvious discomfort for a moment and then tossed Tarren her neatly rolled bedroll, "You can’t eat standing up forever." The warrior said with an evil grin. The girl looked down at the offering and considered it. Her legs were getting a bit tired from standing so much, so she carefully lowered herself onto the soft furs. "Thanks!" she said sighing with relief as she was finally seated. "Your welcome!" the warrior said trying to supress a grin. Tarren looked at Gabrielle who merely winked an eye and smiled. Xena noted the exchange and made a mental note to find out what happened between them down by the river. It might take a bit of torture, but the bard would spill her guts. Again the warrior smiled at the bard, but this time Gabrielle smiled right back.

After everyone had eaten Nala called to Tarren. "Child I have been bragging to the Princess about how good you are with your chucks…show her." Xena placed her plate down on the ground and looked at the youngster with interest. Tarren looked to Nala who only smiled and nodded her head. "Show her little one, show her." Gabrielle moved in next to Xena for a better view smiling as she grabbed her muscular friend’s arm. The youngster looked at the warrior for some sort of approval before she moved. Xena sensed the child’s reluctance. "Tarren I would like to see if you don’t mind?" she said softly. The girls grin widened as she reached into her left boot and pulled out a pair of "chucks."

She never really knew what they were meant to be called, so she had just given them a name that some how seemed to soot their purpose. The "chucks" were two intricately hand carved wooden wands fastened by a metal chain. The carving was ornate and had gold and silver inlays in the shapes of dragons. On the end of one side was a Chin symbol that Xena immediately recognized. The warrior’s eyes flew open and she looked to Nala who merely smiled and nodded. The old woman lifted her stick "Begin child!" Tarren searched the area until she found a piece of cloth and then knelt down beside Xena. "Can you tie this around my eyes Warrior?" she asked. Xena gently wrapped the cloth gently around her eyes and patted Tarren's back "Too tight?" The girl shook her head " No that’s fine thank you." The warriors smiled at the dignified manner the child was maintaining. With her eyes now blinded the girl moved a good 10 paces from the group. "I don’t have a target Nala." she said with disappointment. The old woman cackled quietly, "Don’t worry Xena will provide one when you are ready." The warrior shot the old woman a gaze, but was quickly silenced by the wave of Nala’s hand. The girl crouched into a natural fighting position and then with the snap of a wrist began quick and easy maneuvering of the wands. They sailed through the air behind her back and above her head with great expertise. The child did gentle back flips followed by front and sidekicks easily continuing her drill. Gabrielle watched in awe of the child’s movements, and Xena carefully checked each move for the perfection that she knew was already there. A smile crossed the warrior’s face as she watched her child dance through the air gracefully. Nala patted her leg with her stick and tossed the warrior a large apple motioning her to throw it at the youngster. Xena looked at the apple and the old woman and smiled widely. With all the strength she could muster, the warrior tossed the apple directly in the child’s path. Tarren, hearing the wisp through the wind of a foreign object, smiled and with a quick whip of the chucks caught the target dead center in mid air. The apple broke into a thousand pieces splattering all over the warrior princess and the bard. The child quickly fell back into a crouch and then stood removing her blindfold only to see Xena and Gabrielle drenched in Apple. "Whoops!" the child's said stepping back from the warrior who had stood to wipe the debris off her leathers. The child slipped the chucks back in her boot and moved slowly away from the warrior. The old woman laughed so hard she had to steady herself on her stick to keep from falling. The child swallowed hard as she started to back further and further away. "Uhhh I’m really sorry about that Xena…..Gabrielle… I mean I had a blindfold on, so I couldn’t see." The warrior silenced her with a raised hand. Xena glanced at Gabrielle who was picking a chunk of apple out of her hair. Within seconds the warrior and bard began to laugh, and Xena reached out a friendly hand to the fearful child. "You were wonderful Tarren…really I have never seen one so young maintain such control. I am proud of you." The girl felt a rush of pleasure run through her chest at those last words of approval the warrior had spoken. "She’s proud of ME?" The child thought to herself. The Warrior Princess quickly lifted the girl off the ground in a bear hug, which ensured that the child too was now drenched in apple juice. The warrior tasseled Tarren’s hair. "Little one now YOU are part of this family, and you should know we share everything." Xena said with a smile wiping the apple from the child’s tunic. The girl looked up at the large muscular woman that stood grinning before her and smiled. Letting the toe of her boot make circles in the dirt nervously she said, "Well…I …guess this sort of means we should go swimming to get cleaned off?" The warrior lifted the child easily over her head and ran towards the river. "Yeah but you’re going in with your clothes on." The warrior yelled. The child giggled loudly trying to protest the inevitable dunking. Gabrielle joined in the laughter and was ready to follow, but her smile faded as she looked to Nala who had tears running down the side of her face. She knelt next to the old mystic "What is it Nala? The old woman placed a loving hand on the bards " I have never seen either of my princesses so happy. It brings…great…joy to this old heart." Gabrielle hugged the old woman. Nala quickly dismissed the attention. "You go down to the water and swim too my dear. Nala has work to do," she said caressing the bard’s soft cheek. Gabrielle nodded and quickly ran to the sounds of the splashing and laughter. The old woman grabbed her chest and her face tightened in pain "Not yet my gods. Please not just yet." Soon the pain subsided and once again she thanked all on Mount Olympus for the extra time she was granted.

In the week that followed Nala became weaker and weaker until she rarely moved around without assistance. The Mystic had asked that Tarren take a bedroll and join Xena and Gabrielle under the stars rather than sleeping in the tent. Reluctantly the child did so Xena knew it was hard for the old mystic to push the child away, but she wanted her settled with her knew life and her new family before she was gone. Luckily, it was not long before Tarren came to enjoy sleeping under the stars. It was peaceful and she enjoyed the games that Gabrielle made up to help her sleep. As they lay staring at the stars one night Gabrielle and Tarren were lying next to each other playing a game connecting the stars above into the faces of different gods. "Zeus! No Apollo!" the child yelled pointing to a group of stars to the left of the bard. Xena was lying comfortably next to Gabrielle trying to get to sleep. The warrior was exhausted from a long day of hunting and wanted nothing more then to head to the land of Morpheous. The bard and the young child giggled loudly until the warrior finally growled "Will you two go to sleep!" The bard looked at the child and the two went silent for a moment. "Tarren I think Xenas upset because we didn’t ask her if she wanted to play." Tarren smiled knowing the bard was playing a new game called Bait the Warrior. "Well if Xena wants to play then I don’t mind…do you?" The bard shook her head, "No as a matter of fact Tarren I would welcome her experience and insight being she has had so many dealings with the gods herself." Xena opened her eyes and studied the bard. "You know you two are both asking for it." Tarren giggled "So Gabrielle tell me, how does Xena know so many of the gods?" She said leaning on one arm eager for information. Well that was all the bard needed to launch into a story. "Well one time Artemis …." She began but before she could finish the sentence, the bard was silenced by a large imposing figure standing over her. Tarren’s smile slowly disappeared as did Gabrielle’s. "OK children play time is over and it’s time to tuck the kids in and go to bed." Xena said with a growl. "Tarren pick your bedroll up and move to the other side of ME." she ordered. Tarren stood. "But Xena I…" She was silenced by the deep blue tired gaze of the warrior looking down on her. Quickly the child moved her bedroll to the other side of the warrior and settled into sleep. Xena nodded approvingly and then putting her hands on her hips and said in a parental tone "OK you two listen up…. I am tired…VERY tired….and I don’t want to hear any chatter from either one of you right now…so BOTH OF YOU GO TO SLEEP." she yelled in a warrior princess no nonsense tone. A soft quiet fell over the camp and the warrior returned to her own bedroll. She settled back into her comfortable spot satisfied that she has mastered the problem. Glancing across warrior’s chest, Gabrielle caught Tarren’s eye and they exchanged a playful smile. "She sure can be grumpy when she doesn’t catch anything in those traps of hers Gabrielle?" the child said teasingly staring up at the stars. The bard nodded. "You should see her if she doesn’t catch any fish Tarren…she’s impossible!" The Warrior twisted her face into a cold frown and tossed her blankets to one side. "OK that’s it!" With a quick leap the warrior rolled over and had Tarren pinned under her left leg and was tickling her without mercy. Before the bard could make a dash for the woods, the warrior grabbed her and soon had her pinned under her right leg and began the same torture. The two girls laughed uncontrollably as Xena ran her fingers up and down their legs and arms until they squealed in agony, "So are you two going to behave and let me sleep?" she asked never releasing her hold on either victim. They both nodded and begged for mercy promising to be silent. The Warrior Princess stood and returned to her blankets eyeing her best friend and her child as each crawled back to there bedrolls gasping for air. The great warrior smiled at the sight. "Good night children!" Xena said with a grin. Her words were only met with supressed giggles and then a soft grumbling. Soon the only sound that could be heard in the camp was the loud laughter of an old woman that all had thought to be long asleep.

Chapter 6 - Choices

Xena had little idea just how much longer they would be remaining in the hills of Rasa, so she spent her days fishing and swimming with Tarren, trying to use the time to get to know her daughter better. The bard was content to sit on the water's edge writing of their adventure in her scrolls. They enjoyed their meals around a friendly fire. With the laughter and tenderness that Nala saw exchanged between mother and daughter, she was now sure that they would be bound together forever. The child had penetrated the warrior’s guarded heart and the warrior had found a way to guide Tarren to her. Nala was sure that all would be well until one day at the end of there third week together Persius and three villagers arrived in their camp uninvited.

Xena stood and unsheathed her sword as soon as she had sensed the approaching invaders. "What do you want here?" she asked steeling herself for a fight. The villagers armed only with small clubs took a step back from the obvious anger of the warrior. Persius stood face to face with Xena, his eyes never blinking from her form. He threw his hand in the direction of the mystic "We want HER!" he said pointing to the old mystic. The warrior smiled "Well so sorry, but you just can’t have her." she purred. Persius looked straight into the eyes of the old woman "She is a blackness on this land and we will not have her evil spirit walking our sacred grounds. Be warned that after two sun risings, we will be back for her warrior. We will cleanse this land and you cannot stop us. Either you will hand her over or you will ALL suffer her fate." With those words Tarren jumped from her seat by the fire and charged toward Persius caught only by Xena’s fast hand. She held the struggling child in her grip. "Taran that’s enough!" she yelled finally throwing the child back onto the ground behind her and with a harsh gaze warning her to stay there. Gabrielle quickly moved to the child’s side protectively placing her staff in between Tarren and the villagers. Xena quickly turned on Persius with clenched teeth and a wavering blade "Know this Persius. If any of your people come to this camp then I will kill them." There was coldness in her voice that made even Gabrielle shiver. The old man stepped back "You have been warned warrior." He said in disgust backing down the hill slowly. "So have YOU." she said fighting the urge to run her sword through him. Gabrielle stood next to her friend who, with a deep sigh, sheathed her sword. "You OK?" the bard asked noting the warrior’s tense muscles. Nothing brought out the warrior’s anger more than the thought of people she cared about being threatened. Xena nodded "I let my guard down. That’s why they got in here. That won’t happen again." She said clearly chastising herself as she spoke. Gabrielle thought for a moment as she watched the men leave. "Xena these are simple people. They are really no different than the people of my own village of Potedia. I could go down there and talk to the villagers. I am sure that I could explain and…" The warrior shot her friend an angry glare "NO! it’s too dangerous and this is NOT Potedia Gabrielle. These people are blinded by their own anger and ignorance." The bard’s shoulder’s slumped at the way her friend dismissed her idea with no thought. "But Xena we could try...I could…" Xena’s anger got the better of her as she faced the bard. It was a look that Gabrielle had seen before, and she knew that the warrior was struggling to control her darker side. "NO! you will not leave this camp sight understood?" She said glaring straight into Gabrielle’s sullen gaze. The bard nodded not even trying to hide the hurt she felt at her friend’s rejection of her idea. Gabrielle slowly moved back to the safety of the fire where she sat quietly lost in thought. Xena turned to the small figure on the ground behind her and with one hand roughly brought her to her feet. "That goes DOUBELY for you. You are not even to leave MY sight, and if you ever pull another stunt like that again, I swear I will take a switch to you. Now get to bed!" the warrior ordered pointing towards the bedrolls. The anger in the child’s face was replaced by sadness as she eagerly made her way to her bedroll. The warrior stood straight and tall watching her go and then once again faced the path the villagers had come up. Xena was angry with herself. She had left her guard down and those men had gotten within striking distance of her daughter and her friends. She would never allow that to happen again. She took a deep cleansing breath and tried in vein to relax her flexing muscles. A soft hand gently touched her arm and she turned slowly because she already knew it was Nala. "You always did know just how to approach." she smirked. The old woman glanced at the young woman setting sadly by the fire and the child wrapped in her blankets hours before she should be and then faced the warrior. "Princess don’t you think you were a bit hard on them?" The warrior turned away, not ready to allow her anger to be defused, "No Nala I don’t. They both fail to understand the seriousness of this situation." Xena pointed to Gabrielle, "That one thinks she can ALWAYS talk her way out of everything. I can’t convince her that there are some people in the world that are just not willing to listen." She paused and pointed to the bundled form. "AND that child is gonna get herself killed with stunts like that…of course that is if I don’t kill her first." she said shaking her head. Nala allowed herself a slight smile. "Princess do not let your anger become your masque, not if it hides your true feelings from those you love most." With those gentle words the old woman wearily headed for her tent and a place to rest. The warrior could not allow herself the luxury of feeling guilty about the wounded feelings of her friends. Her first concern was to protect them and that meant there was work to be done. Xena spent the night fortifying the camp. She placed fallen logs at the base of all the trees and set snares to trap any that might dare come up the hill in the dead of night. By morning she was exhausted but satisfied that the camp sight was more secure. She glanced over at the two sleeping forms nestled by the fire and winced with some regret for the harsh words she had spoken in the heat of her anger. Hearing the warrior’s movement, Nala came out of the tent just as Xena was throwing more wood on the small fire. "Well Warrior you still set up a formidable defense." the old woman said with a smile scanning the area with her eyes. Xena stood and tried to rub the kinks out of her aching muscles. The warrior smiled gratefully for the encouragement. After so many years at her side in the dark days the old mystic knew the importance of a secure camp. "Nala I’m gonna go down and catch some breakfast to feed these trouble makers. I won’t be gone long." She placed a gentle kiss on the old woman’s forehead. "Thank You!" she whispered. "For what Princess?" the old woman questioned. "For everything you’ve done for Tarren and for me. You are one of the few people that ever understood me and cared for me anyway." The old woman nodded in understanding and the warrior headed down the trail to the water. Nala wiped a tear from her eye and slowly hobbled back to her tent to dress.

Gabrielle heard the rustle of the warrior’s boots heading away from the camp, and she quickly rose from her bed. She had to prove to Xena that fighting was not always the way. She had to try and talk to these people and make them understand. Quietly she grabbed her staff and ran down the hill, carefully avoiding the traps she knew the warrior had set. Tarren's eyes quickly opened as she watched the foolish bard head down the path. She did not want to get her friend in trouble with Xena, but she did not want her to go to the village alone either. She knew how mean the villagers could be. The sleepy child quietly rose from her blankets and grabbing a small knife with a red stone handle from the side of Xena’s saddlebags climbed high into the trees above and headed for the village. When Nala came out of her tent moments later she immediately noticed the absence of both Tarren and Gabrielle. They were nowhere in sight. "XENA!" she cried with all the strength her fear could muster. Within seconds the large warrior sprinted into camp. "Nala! What’s wrong?" she cried reaching for the old woman as she slid to the ground. Nala grabbed the warrior’s armor as she spoke. "They are gone Xena, Gabrielle and Tarren. They must have gone to the village. Princess do not let harm come to them for this useless old woman." The warrior slowly lowered Nala to her seat "Don’t worry I’ll find them You just rest. I’ll get them." she said with an angry hiss. Without so much as a breath the warrior jumped on Argo’s back and with a quick kick of her heals headed down the hill in a fast gallop.

Gabrielle entered the village slowly listening to all the sounds around her just as Xena had taught her. There was gentle murmuring coming from the people in the streets of the village. They looked on her with glancing eyes of surprise and fear. The bard found a place in the center of town with a small podium and she hopped up on it. "People of Rasa gather around. I bring you a message of peace." She said waving her hands to motion a crowd to form around her. "I am Gabrielle of Potedia, a village not much different from your own. My friends and I are camped in the hills above you and we mean you know harm. We are here only to help a sick friend and take with us a small child. Nala is not a witch. She is a good and noble soul and she only wishes to spend her last few days in peace. I ask you good people of Rasa, would you deny her that?" There was a gentle murmuring in the crowd and the bard seemed pleased by their gentle reaction, and she sort of wished Xena were there to watch her sway the crowd. Then a loud voice stood out above the rest. It was Persius. "So you dare to enter our village and try to poison the minds of my people girl. You are a follower of the witch." Gabrielle held up her hands in protest, "She is not a witch I tell you. She is just an old woman and she is dying." The bard screamed trying to be heard above the crowd. The old man raised his scepter, "We will not allow this poison to spread into our homes. We must cleanse this place. Take her to the place of fire and we will free ourselves of her evil tongue." Before the bard could speak the villagers were on top of her. She swung her staff and took out a few, but there were too many to hold back. Soon Gabrielle was an unwilling prisoner being dragged through the center of town by an angry mob.

Tarren watched from the trees as her friend was carried kicking and screaming to a large wooden post. Her hands were tethered above her head and her legs strapped to the post. A gag was placed in her mouth to keep her screams from being heard. The villagers all brought branches and sticks to throw at the young woman’s feet, and Persius smiled at the sight happily holding the torch in his hand. Tarren slowly stepped from branch to branch until she was in the tree directly next to Gabrielle. She tossed a small twig at the bard trying to get her attention. When the young woman turned she caught sight of the youngster perched carefully on a tree limb beside her. The bard shook her head furiously to warn the child away, but Tarren placed a finger to her mouth to silence her. Slowly the girl lowered herself from the tree holding Xena’s knife carefully in her teeth. She edged her way behind the post and started slicing through the bindings with the knife until the blade snapped under the pressure. "UH! OH!" The child swallowed hard at the sight of the broken blade but continued to cut using the jagged edge of what was left. "Gabrielle I don’t know whether I would rather deal with these villagers or face Xena now." she said, fear emanating from every word as she cut the final cord. The bard quickly removed the cloth from her mouth. "Move!" she yelled pushing Tarren safely behind her as they leapt to the ground. Persius caught sight of the escape and raised his staff in command "They are getting away. Get them both…burn the evil ones." He cried. Gabrielle reached to the ground where her staff was thrown and held it up in defense. "Tarren YOU stay behind me." she yelled as she skillfully maneuvered the staff keeping the villagers at bay. Tarren reached into her boot and pulled out her chucks and waving them menacingly in the air caught one villager on the jaw and a second in the groin making them both slump to the ground. The two friends stayed back to back trying there best to keep the villagers a safe distance until the help they knew was coming arrived. Soon enough there was the sound of hoof prints pounding dirt and then a cloud of dust filled the air. When the dirt settled to the ground all anyone could see was the Great Warrior Princess on a large Palomino racing towards the crowd waving her sword in the air, her white teeth gritted in an angry warrior cry. The horse stopped and with one quick snap the warrior vaulted in the air and landed right in front of Gabrielle and Tarren. "Somebody had a party and they did not invite Me." she mused flicking her swords at the villagers daring them to approach. Xena looked to her young companion and her child, "Are you two all right?" she asked with genuine concern mixed with controlled anger. They both nodded. "Good! now I want you both to get up on Argo and get out of here." she ordered. Xena whistled for the horse that quickly sliced through the crowd to her side. "What about you?" Tarren asked looking up at the warrior with great concern. "Don’t worry about me. I’ll be along when I’m finished here." she said smiling at the approaching Persius. Gabrielle mounted Argo quickly. "No I won’t leave you Xena." the child cried reaching out an arm to the stiff figure. The warrior had no time for sentiment. "YOU get back to camp right now and don’t you stop for anything." she commanded lifting the child onto the horse and slapping Argo into a quick gallop once again. Xena waved her sword around the villagers watching as Argo took her friends to safety, "Now will this be the easy way or my way?" she purred hoping for her way. Without warning she reached out and grabbed Persius bringing her sword to his throat once again, ""Stk. stk. we must stop meeting like this. What will people say?" Quickly she placed her muscular arm in a lock around the old man’s throat leaving the sword just below his chin. With a few solid kicks she cleared her way to the path up the hill. "Now don’t you boys do anything foolish. I might not be as forgiving next time we meet." She said with an evil grin. With that the warrior threw the old man to the ground and disappeared into the trees.

Chapter 7 – Actions and Reactions

Gabrielle brought the war-horse to a quick halt in the center of the camp. It had been all she could do to keep Tarren from jumping off and running back to Xena. Nala quickly embraced them both. "Thank the gods you are both safe." she said with tears filling her eyes. "Where is Xena?" the old woman asked. Before they could answer a husky voice from behind spoke, "I’m right here." she said slowly sheathing her sword. Forgetting Xena’s anger the youngster quickly ran to embrace the warrior who, much to the surprise of all, welcomed the child. "Xena you’re all right" she cried grabbing the warrior around the waste. The warrior held tightly to her child for a moment and then tilted Tarren’s head back to stare into her eyes. "I’m fine." she whispered. "But YOU are in a lot of trouble little girl," her voice growing low. The child swallowed hard and thought about the consequences of her actions, but at that moment she didn’t care. She once again clung to the warrior who just sighed and returned the loving child’s embrace. Slowly she pulled the youngster away and pointed to the river. "You go wait for me down by the water. I want to talk to Gabrielle." she said with parental authority. Tarren bit her lip and looked over the bard who offered the child an apologetic smile, and then Tarren slowly headed to a familiar place in a small clearing down by the river.

Nala returned to her tent to rest knowing this was a private moment between the two friends. Xena folded her arms trying to contain the obvious anger that was inside her. She waited for Tarren to be out of ear shot before she spoke. The bard knew that she deserved the looks she was getting. She lowered her head ashamed of her own actions. "Xena I’m sorry. You were right and I was wrong. I never should have gone down there." she said in a whisper afraid to look the warrior in the eye. Xena glared at her trying to choose her words carefully. "Now I know that you and I don’t always see eye to eye on everything Gabrielle. Many times I have gone against my OWN instincts to try things your way and I have no regrets. However putting your life in danger and Tarren's just for the sake of foolish pride is just plain stupid and childish. You’re always saying you’re not a child and that I don’t trust you enough. Well today you surely didn’t make a very mature impression on me at all." the warrior said facing the bard trying in vein to control the anger in her voice. Gabrielle could feel the tears welling but refused to give into them, "I just wanted to try and talk to these people. I had no idea Tarren would follow." Her gentle green orbs met the blue blazon glare of her best friend. Xena threw her arms up in frustration and paced around the camp. "So you just figured that after I told you both NOT to leave camp that what I said meant nothing to either of you." Xena folded her arms waiting for an answer, but none came. "Gabrielle do you realize those lunatics could have burned you at the stake? They probably would have if that foolish child hadn’t cut you loose." Xena shook her head and continued to pace trying to get the image of her friend and child in flames out of her head. The bard let a stray tear fall down her cheek but quickly wiped it away. "It’s my fault Xena, don’t punish Tarren. She only came after me because she thought I was in trouble." She saved my life. You don’t have to…" The warrior held up a hand to silence the bard. "That’s just it my little bard. I DO HAVE to. I don’t want to, but I do HAVE to punish her. You see SHE IS a child and she does need to learn that what I say MEANS something. I can’t have her breaking the rules whenever SHE feels they shouldn’t apply to her too. That’s what I have you for!" Xena finished with a fierce growl staring down at the contrite bard. "I’m sorry Xena." she whispered. The warrior stopped pacing and stared at her friend, "You’re sorry! Well you think about that Gabrielle. I mean I want you to REALLY think about that! Think about what might have happened to both of you because for a single dinar, my young friend, I would put you over my knee too, and I still might. The night is VERY young." The warrior’s tone was menacingly low. She shook her head and kicked at the dirt murmuring under her breath as she headed down the path to Tarren. Suddenly she turned and pointed her finger at the bard "When I get back my horse better have been rubbed down and cooled off." she yelled turning on her heal to deal with the next insubordinate child.

Tarren was sitting on the large rock where she knew the warrior had meant for her to go. She just stared at the water hugging her legs close to her chest for comfort. Xena came to the edge of the water and stared at her for a moment trying to drown out all the anger she had welling inside of her. She quietly sat on the rock next to her and sighed heavily. "Hi!" the warrior said staring out at the same calming waters. The child turned to her knowing there was a definite anger in the warrior’s voice. "Hi!" she said unable to meet the warrior’s gaze. "Your pretty mad at me huh? the girl asked without facing the warrior. Xena nodded, "Tarren you have NO idea." The warrior leaned back on her arms and turned to look at the girl trying to control her rage. "Tarren I know you followed after Gabrielle because you wanted to help her…but..." The warrior’s voice trailed off as she tried to clear her thoughts. The child just stared at her not quite sure what she was trying to say. "Even with all of that said Tarren, I still have to punish you because as good as your intentions were your actions were STILL wrong." The child stood "But I just wanted to help Xena. I didn’t want to see Gabrielle get hurt. YOU would have done the same thing." The warrior nodded. "YES but I am a trained Warrior, not a kid Tarren." The warrior yelled in frustration. " I am grateful that you were able to help Gabrielle, but that doesn’t change the fact that you went against everything I said. Neither one of you should have been there in the first place." The child folded her arms in a stubborn lock and sat on the rock refusing to acknowledge the warrior’s presence. Xena’s anger began to resurface, but her tone became cool and controlled. "Tarren you should have come to ME when Gabrielle left. You could have been hurt or killed down there and THAT is just not something I could ever live with happening. I know it’s hard for you to understand right now, but you will just have to do what I say and trust that I know what’s best. There are NO acceptions to that rule. Do you understand?" the warrior said in a no nonsense tone. The youngster said nothing, which only fueled the warrior’s anger even more. Xena stood reaching to her full height. She paused for a moment and stared at the child "Fine let’s get this over with." she said with a mix of anger and remorse in her voice. Without any effort, the warrior pulled the child across her lap and keeping the thought of her recent insurrection in her mind began a steady cadence of whacks across Tarren’s small backside. She knew she had to make a lasting impression. If there was ever a "next time" Xena might not make it in time to save her. The child grimaced and cried under the merciless hand that fell against her bottom. The warrior’s stroke fell hard and fast and the girl soon realized that what Nala had told her about the warrior’s anger and strength was true. She whimpered and cried each time Xena hit her target, but she did not beg her to stop. For even she knew that the warrior princess would not relent until she felt she was done, so the child decided to hold onto what little pride she had left. After what seemed like an eternity to the youngster, the severe castigation came to a sudden halt, and she was lifted to her feet once again by the strong arms of the warrior. The child rubbed the tears from her eyes with the cloth on her sleeve, and when she stared into the face of her warrior she saw something she had not expected to see. Xena had a string of tears streaming down her cheeks as well. The youngster was awed by the sight and forgetting her own pain, for a moment, reached over and wiped a tear off of Xena’s face. The proud warrior looked into the gentle eyes of the sobbing child and swallowed hard. Without a word she stood and walked into the darkness alone leaving the child to deal with her humiliation privately. Somewhere deep in the woods the ex-warlord, former Destroyer of Nations, shed tears for the pain felt by the ones that she dared to love.

Gabrielle anxiously waited for Xena to return. It was getting late in the day and the warrior had yet to return. The bard wanted so much to make amends, but she wasn’t quite sure how. She wanted to share her feelings with her friend, but for once Gabrielle was short on words. As a lone dark figure entered the camp, the bard smiled. She picked up a mug of fresh tea and offered it to the warrior who looked drained of all emotion. Her anger was gone, but so was her strength. The weight of the last few weeks was catching up to her. Xena took the mug gratefully and nodded at the bard never allowing their eyes to meet. Gabrielle spoke to the warrior’s back as Xena headed for the warmth of the fire. "Xena I really am sorry I didn’t listen to you. I should have known better." Gabrielle said in a gentle tone. The warrior tried to smile. "YES you should have." she said without feeling. Then she caught sight of the bard’s reddened eyes and contrite manner and quickly remembered how many times Gabrielle had forgiven the warrior for her own misdeeds and mistakes. Xena motioned her friend over to the fire with a wave. The bard happily obliged. "Gabrielle I know your heart is always in the right place. I just wish your head would think twice before following your heart sometimes." Xena said with a smile gently thumping the young woman’s forehead with her finger. The bard smiled and nodded knowingly, "I know and I’m gonna change. I swear Xena I won’t think with my heart ever again." The warrior studied her young friend. "Don’t you dare change one bit my little bard!" the warrior said with a smile taking the girl into her arms for a hug. "I like you just the way you are. Besides I just got you broken in, so don’t you change a thing. Ya got it?" she said with a stern wave of a finger. The bard smiled happily wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. She reached down and handed the warrior a plate of cooked fish. They were wrapped in herbs and seasoned just the way Xena liked them "A peace offering." the bard said with a smile. The warrior glanced at the food and shook her head, "Leave it to you to make food a peace offering." she said with a quick grin. The bard giggled and hugged the big warrior allowing a few stray tears to fall. "I’m so sorry Xena." The warrior placed a gentle arm on her shoulder, "I know you are." she whispered allowing Gabrielle to hold her for a short while. When the two finally broke away Xena noted that Nala was still resting in her tent. The warrior sat down to enjoy her food under the constant gaze of her young friend. Gabrielle poked at the fire with a stick "How’s Tarren?" she asked quietly hoping the question would not anger the warrior. Xena shook her head. "I dunno. She’ll live through it. I left her down by the water. She needs to think about a few things I said alone for a while." The warrior was soon lost in the thoughts of the child once again. The bard nodded " Xena she saved my life. They were gonna throw the torch on the kindling when she cut my ties. She IS quite a little kid." Gabrielle said trying to mount a defense. Xena nodded in understanding. "Gabrielle it’s all right. It’s not your fault she followed you. That was her decision to make, and she has to pay the price for that ALONE." The warrior said in a stern voice. Again the bard nodded but still poked at the fire with the stick. "I know but Xena you should have seen her fighting off those villagers. It was like having a small part of you there." she whispered finally dropping the stick in the fire. The warrior smiled slightly and studied the bard’s worried expression. She sighed heavily and then placed her food down on the ground. "I’ll be right back." The warrior said heading back down to the water.

When she got to the place where she left Tarren, she found the small figure lying on her stomach across a flat rock fast asleep. The still wet tears covered her small face and Xena felt a pang of remorse for being the cause of those tears. She gently shook the girl who opened her eyes slowly taking in the sight of the warrior. Xena again sat on the rock beside her "Mind some company?" she said. The child shook her head but said nothing. Xena unsheathed her sword and took a whetstone from her pouch and started rubbing the stone methodically along the edges of blade. The girl studied the warrior’s movements. "Why do you do that so much?" she asked with a sniffle. The warrior continued her task allowing a slight smile, "Well I need to make sure the edges are very sharp at all times. In a battle it can mean the difference between life and death. If it were not at its peak at all times then it could fail me at the wrong moment, and that would just not do. Now would it?" The child shook her head and stood next to the warrior trying to see into her eyes. She knew the anger was gone, but she was not sure what had replaced it. She lowered her eyes to the warrior’s boots "Are you still mad at me for going to the village?" the girl asked. The warrior stopped the grinding motion of the stone and placed the sword back in it’s sheathe carefully looking into the eyes of her child. "No Tarren I’m not angry at you anymore. Are you still angry at me for spanking you?" the warrior asked with a hint of remorse in her tender voce. The child thought about it and nodded. Xena smiled. "Well at least your honest." The warrior reached out a hand and touched the child’s cheek wiping away a tear with her caress. "I’m sorry Tarren. I’m sorry that I had to cause you so many tears." The girl’s eyes lowered a bit as she felt the warrior’s gentle gaze on her face. "Well I’m sorry that I didn’t listen to you Xena. I didn’t mean to hurt you." Xena allowed a weak smile at the youngster’s words. How strange that she would be able to read the warrior so well as to see the wound that was planted so deeply below the surface. "So are you sure your not still mad at me?" the child asked again. The warrior shook her head and opened her arms inviting the youngster to enter. Tarren did not waste any time before falling happily into her friend’s embrace. Xena wrapped her long muscular arms around the small figure trying to soothe her pain with her touch. Tarren noted the strong smell of the leather from the warrior’s armor and soon found comfort in the musty odor. She was grateful for the warrior’s affection, so she made no attempt at breaking Xena’s gentle hold. Tarren asked one more time as she wiped her eyes, "Xena are you SURE you are not mad at me anymore?" The warrior’s eyes grew wide and she lifted the child away from her, "No I am not mad at you, but why do you keep asking me that?" she asked suspiciously. The girl nervously reached into her right boot and pulled out a red stone handle with a short jagged stump of a blade. Tarren handed Xena the remains of her knife and waited for her to explode. "The leather was pretty hard to cut…sorry." the girl said nervously taking a step back and holding her breath. The warrior studied the knife, or what was left of it, and then looked at the fearful youngster "You know this knife cost me 5 Dinars." she said with a stiff smile tossing the broken weapon in the water. "I’d say it was worth every single one of them." Tarren slowly released the breath she has been holding and with a leap, jumped back into the warrior’s open arms. Xena squeezed the child tightly and then stood. "Come on let’s go back to camp. I think Gabrielle is afraid that I killed you and dumped the body in the river." The youngster wiped away the last of her tears and headed up the path with the Warrior Princess beside her. "I guess your gonna be needing my bed roll at dinner for a while huh?" the warrior said with an evil smile . The child rubbed her backside and cringed. "For a long while." The girl said with a moan. The warrior gently rubbed her back and lifted her off the ground and into her arms content to carry her the rest of the way. "Well it’s your for as long as you need it Little One." Tarren leaned against her friend’s chest still feeling great throbs of pain behind her, "Thanks, I think." The child said with a slight grin. When the two Princesses arrived in camp Gabrielle came rushing over to hug Tarren. She squeezed her so tightly that the child had to beg for air. "Gabrielle you are choking me." she yelled. The bard kissed her cheek and again hugged her. The child looked up at the warrior. "Is she always like this?" she asked backing behind Xena a bit. The warrior smiled and patted the girl’s head, "Yeah but you get used to it after a while, sort of." Gabrielle took a step back throwing her hands on her hips in mock frustration, "I don’t know if I should thank you or…" The girl quickly raised her hand, "Please Gabrielle Xena already covered OR...trust me!." The bard’s face filled with compassion and guilt and she again quickly pulled the child into another bear hug. "Xena help!" The youngster yelled grinning as she tried to escape the bard’s affection. The warrior shook her head and threw her hands up in defense, "Sorry kid but I wouldn’t tangle with that one for anything." the warrior mused.

Gabrielle fussed over the chastened child, and the tired warrior slipped into Nala’s tent dropping onto the extra cot with a thud. The old mystic turned her head to face the warrior. "Are you all right My Princess? she asked weakly. Xena considered the words, "Well the bad guys have been defeated for the moment , I’ve secured the camp, reduced my best friend to a puddle of tears , and spanked my child. Yes Nala I would say it has been a full day." the warrior said with a heavy sigh. The elderly woman sat up on her cot. "My poor Princess, you put weight of the world on your shoulders, and you do not even share the burden with those closest to you. Well Nala has a cure for what ales you." The mystic reached under the bed and pulled out a wineskin and tossed it to the warrior. Xena smiled "Nala my friend you truly are a mystic of great talents." The old one nodded "I have many skills Princess." The warrior took a good long drink and then passed it to her friend who shared in the delight of the contents. Xena again drank from the skin and weeks of tension seemed to melt away. The old woman smiled and soon the two friends were laughing and once again telling stories of a time long ago.

Chapter 8 – A Mystic’s Gift

Xena did not sleep much that night remembering the villager’s threat. They would soon be past the second sun rising, and that could mean trouble. The old mystic’s health was declining rapidly, so the warrior did not like being far from her old friend. However she had to walk the perimeter occasionally to make sure there were no surprises in the middle of the night. As Xena stared at the sleeping forms of Gabrielle and Tarren she could only smile. She tried to imagine what life on the road was gonna be like with both of them. The thought of their presence brought both comfort and concern to the great warrior. As she sat there lost in her own thoughts she heard a faint whisper from the tent. It was Nala calling her name. She raced in knowing the old mystic’s time was very near. Xena kept vigil through the night just staring into the face of her old friend and mentor. The old woman lay on the cot, her labored breathe making it hard to speak. "Princess soon my time will come...very soon…love her Princess and let HER love you...Promise me!!" Xena nodded as a tear ran down her cheek. The old woman smiled and patted the warrior’s hand lovingly. "When will you tell her the truth my warrior friend? I know you ache to share the secret with her and call her daughter." Xena sighed at the thought. "When I feel that she can handle it. Right now it is more important that she know that she belongs with me than to understand exactly why. Things are changing so fast for her. I don’t want to confuse her anymore than I already have." Xena paused for a moment gathering her thoughts. "Nala I have been meaning to ask you about Tarren's fighting wands. They are mine aren’t they? They are the ones I brought back from Chin." The old woman smile weakened "Yes Princess they are, and she knows that they belonged to her mother, so she guards them well. They are the only part of you she has ever held until now." Xena shook her head and smiled at the memory of her friend Lao Ma who had given her the chucks as a gift to teach her the fluidity and grace of movement. It was a fleeting memory but one she promised herself to give more thought to at a later time. Xena studied the face of her friend and whispered, "Have I ever told you how much you mean to me old woman? You were like a mother to me in my darker days. While my own mother turned away, you stayed beside me. Nala I can never repay you for…"

The old woman lifted a shaky hand to the warrior’s cheek, "I love you to Warrior Princess." she said stroking Xena’s face gently. The warrior just squeezed the hand of the old mystic tightly knowing that no more needed to be said.

Tarren came crashing through the tent interrupting the solemn moment. Only Xena’s fast reflexes halted the child’s speed. "Tarren what’s wrong?" she asked grabbing tightly to the shoulders of the youngster who was panting from lack of breathe. "It’s…It’s the villagers…Persius...They are coming up the mountain...Xena I can see the torches." Xena looked at Nala and smiled weakly grasping her hand for the last time. "Tarren you stay here with Nala." she ordered. The child quickly objected. "No I want to go with you…I can fight too." Xena took a deep breath to try and control her anger. She took the child by the shoulders. "Just because you can wield a weapon in form does not make you a fighter…YOU are still just a child Tarren and I want you to stay here with Nala. DO you understand?" the warrior said in a no nonsense tone. "The child looked up to her large friend. "But Xena…" the warrior silenced her with a glare and the child nodded knowing that the look in her eyes spoke of a promised threat if she continued. The youngster turned away slowly, disappointed at being left behind. Xena smiled and put a gentle hand on her head "I’ll be back soon." She gave a quick glance of farewell to Nala and ran from the tent quickly mounting Argo. "Xena what’s happening?" Gabrielle yelled running to the great steed’s side " The villagers! " she growled reaching down for Gabrielle’s hand pulling her friend up behind her. The two sped off down the path to face the misguided mob of fools.

Tarren’s eyes filled with tears as she nestled beside Nala. " She doesn’t think I can help." Nala gently rubbed the side of the girl’s face "No child, she just wants to protect you. That is her way of caring child…Can’t you see the love she has for you?" The girl bit her lower lip as she realized just how weak Nala really had become. Tarren tried to smile. "Why would she love me?" Tarren said lowering her head. The mystic lifted the child’s chin with one fingers and said in a near whisper "Oh little one… There is so much to love about you. There is so much you will learn…" The old woman coughed harder than she ever had, and Tarren held her tightly truly afraid of letting go. When she regained her composure the old one pointed to the wooden chest beside her cot. "All that I have is yours child." She reached around her neck and took the small blue amulet on the thin gold chain off and placed it gently around Tarren’s neck. If you are ever in such great trouble that even the Princess cannot help you then break the glass and speak the sacred chant I shared with you. You remember don’t you dear one?" she said as she wiped the tears from the little one’s face. The girl nodded in understanding. "I remember everything you taught me Nala." she said choking on the words. The old mystic smiled, "Good little one. Say that chant and help will be yours. But child know that you can only call on this once, so use this gift wisely." she warned. Tarren touched the amulet gently and nodded in understanding. "Now as Nala said all I have is your accept for ONE thing. I want you to give my diary to Xena. She will feel the pain of loss in her own way just as you will my dear, so give it to her when you feel she needs it most. It is filled with wonderful memories of my life and yours Tarren. Both you and my Warrior Princess are deeply entwined in the pages. Promise me child!" The girl’s eyes filled with tears as she reached into the chest and caressed the large book with the odd golden lock on the side. The old mystic smiled softly and winked at the youngster "Only the Princess will know how to open it my dear one. Tell her that it is my gift to her. Tell her that Nala loved her just as she loved you and that I was proud to be her friend." The child grabbed the mystic’s hand. "I promise Nala!" Tarren clung to the magical book and could only watch in horror as with one last quick breath the old mystic’s hand fell limp. She was gone.

The great steed came to a screeching halt within feet of the mob. Gabrielle readied her staff and Xena drew her sword and pointed it at Persius "You must like my sword Persius you seem to enjoy its company. Now what do ya want?" she purred. The old man stood with all the courage of a madman. "We come to rid ourselves of that old witch and that wretched brat." Xena pushed the point of the sword in closer to the old man’s throat. The bard quickly advanced. "Why don’t you leave her alone…she’s dying and the child is coming with us." she yelled defiantly raising her staff. The old man smiled slightly "WE know the old one is dying and we do not want her cursed spirit resting here. We will throw her outside of Rasa and burn her body into cinders. The child can burn with her as well. Evil spreads where evil dwells." he said raising his scepter in the air. One villager lifted a pitchfork at Xena and she quickly threw a front kick knocking him to the ground, never taking her sword off Persius. The old man stepped back "You can’t get us all" he laughed. The warrior smiled devilishly "Hmm maybe not but I will be sure to take you Persius." With those final words the fighting started. Xena knocked the wind out of 3 villagers and then with the ring of her famous battle cry jumped over the mob attacking those who dared to follow Persius up the hill. The bard swung her staff with great expertise as one by one of the angry villagers hit the ground, but no matter how many fell there seemed to always be more pushing there way up the hill. Xena could only smile as a few villagers were caught in her traps and found they were hanging upside down in the trees. The warrior looked to the bard and they both knew that this mob would push there way too far up the hill. Persius was a madman, but these villagers were just ignorant followers armed with small knives, home made swords, and farm tools. Xena did not want to have to kill any of them, but she would to keep them from her daughter. She would send each and every one down into tarturus to save that child.

Chapter 9- Farewells and Fond Memories

Tarren knelt by the body of Nala and wiped away her falling tears. "I know you asked Xena to do this, but she’s not here. I’ll do what has to be done Nala…I’m not afraid. I’m not a baby… I’ll be just as brave as Xena would be if she were here." the small figure whispered to the now still form wishing the warrior would return. But off in the distance she could hear the villagers slowly making there way up the hill. Tarren gently stroked the wrinkled face of the old mystic and then quickly began her task. Using all the strength her 11 summers could muster, she pulled the large wooden trunk that Nala had kept all their possessions in out of the tent and dragged it into the woods far away from the camp. She emptied anything of value or importance into her leather satchel. She then picked up all Xena and Gabrielle’s belongings and put them in the safety of the same brush. Taking a deep breath she put the diary that she had held so tightly too inside her satchel as well. She then returned to the tent and looked again on Nala’s body. Tarren touched the necklace the old woman had just given her and then placed it safely inside her tunic swallowing the tears that were forming in her throat. "Don’t worry Nala ...I’m gonna do this…I won’t let you down." she whispered. Tarren made a large bed of brush and branches in the center of the camp and carefully placed 12 large rocks in a circle around the bedding. Wiping the sweat from her young brow she gently pulled the body of the old woman who had cared for her since birth into the center of the camp and placed her on the bedding. Tarren looked to the path. She could smell the torches and see the approaching villagers fighting their way up the hill. She had to hurry. Tarren ran over to the chest and pulled out a large ball made of the purest crystal and a small pouch filled with a dark blue powder. She placed the ball in Nala's hands and as she had been told many times, sprinkled the blue dust from the pouch onto the body and then onto the surrounding rocks. She took a torch from the fire and lit the circle of fire around the rocks. The small flames leapt into the air. "When the circle of life has burned out then the crystal shall light your way to eternity." The child chanted, remembering the words that the mystic had taught her.

The tired youngster fell to her knees watching the flames burn. Tarren heard Xena’s battle cry and knew that the villagers were now entering the camp. The sound of the struggle was right behind her, but the child did not turn. Xena turned her head and saw the ceremonial burial circle. "Nala!" she yelled pushing Persius from advancing any further. All stopped at the sight of the child holding the torch over the body of the old mystic. Tarren stood and turned to face the Warrior Princess. The child’s face was red and swollen with tears and dirt, but she did not stumble. She held the long torch straight out in front of her ready to bid her friend a final farewell. Xena felt a rush of tears and struggled to hold them back. She wanted to run to the girl and wipe away all the pain and sadness that filled her young face. She wanted to hold her and protect her from all the evil in the world, but she had to keep the villagers in place. She held her sword high daring them to step any further. The bard shivered knowing that Xena would surely strike down the first man who dared to enter this now sacred place. No one moved, and Tarren just stood there mouthing Xena's name wishing she would advance and knowing she couldn’t. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and then glared at Persius. "You wanted a witch …well…" the child fumbled. "Well… she wasn’t a witch …she was just…MY friend…She would have been your friend too if you had let her, but she wasn’t good enough for any of you." the distraught youngster screamed through her tears. The villagers all took a step back as a wave of shame started to run through the mob at the sight of this small child’s suffering. Xena gave them all a warning look and then tried to move forward, but the child stopped her with a wave and a plea, "No Xena, PLEASE! Let me do this…Please! Let me do this!" she cried holding the warrior’s gaze. Xena stopped about six paces from Tarren, her eyes welling with sadness for her friend and her love for this little warrior. Xena placed herself between the youngster and the now silent villagers. Gabrielle looked at her friends with a growing sadness, but she kept her staff firmly placed in front of the mob. Tarren stared at the body of the mystic. The flames on the ceremonial stones indicating the completion of life were burning down. It was time to set Nala free. She looked once again to Persius, "She never hurt any of you. Many of you even came to her in the middle of the night when you were sick. She never asked anything of you. She helped you, and you treated her like dirt. WHY?" she whispered falling to her knees. There was a murmur over the crowd. Only Persius moved forward. "She was a witch …a witch...pure evil, and she must not be allowed to rest here." The madman pulled a large knife from beneath his cloak and lunged at Tarren, but before he could ever make it past the path a cold piece of a warrior’s steel pierced his heart, and he fell to the ground never again to threaten the warrior’s child.

Tarren looked longingly at Xena wanting so much to run to her, but she had made a promise and she needed to keep it. Tarren raised the torch high above her head and through a masque of tears cried out, "You wanted a witch, you wanted a curse…Well then so be it." She reached to touch the crystal, but her small hand faltered and she just stared at the flame. Xena took a step forward and gently placed her large hand over that of the child. Tarren looked up into the eyes of her new Guardian who smiled softly at her gently wiping a tear from her cheek. "I can’t do it Xena. I can’t." she cried burying her head in the warrior’s arms. Xena grabbed the youngster’s hand bringing her slowly to her feet. "From this moment on we will do it together. Do you understand?" the warrior whispered placing her free hand on the torch while holding Tarren with the other. The girl nodded and with two hands holding it tightly, the torch touched the crystal igniting it. Flames shot in every direction and Xena made a quick dive knocking Tarren to the ground and safety. They watched as the bedding Pyre caught fire. The flame grew higher and higher and then the crystal exploded into a fluid of colors that reached in all directions of the sky consuming all it touched. All looked on in wonder and some in fear as life stood still around them. With one final blast of brightness the colors filled the evening sky and then as quickly as they had grown, disappeared into a simple fire that sent the old mystic on her way. "Goodbye old friend." the warrior princess said choking on the words. The Princess looked down at Tarren who was now sobbing uncontrollably. The warrior stood up and with gentle ease lifted the small form in her arms and held her tightly, soothing her pain "Shh! Shh! I’m here…It’s OK...Everything will be all right. I’m not going anywhere." she said as she rocked the child that was cradled in her arms. Tarren threw her arms around the warrior’s neck and burrowed her head in the leather armor finding comfort in the soft smell of the one who she knew would now watch over her. The villagers quickly retreated down the hill. Having lost their leader, they had lost their courage and their anger. After the last of them had retreated Gabrielle quickly ran to Xena, and the warrior offered the bard her arm. Gabrielle wrapped her hands around the waste of the great warrior and the child nestled in her arms and cried. Xena stared at the fire and then slowly began to sing a song of friendship and battle in memory of her dear Nala.

The following morning Tarren looked at the place where Nala’s body had once been and wiped a tear from her eye. Xena walked up beside her and placed a gentle knowing hand on the child’s shoulder and handed the girl her leather satchel. Xena knew that hidden inside that bag were all of the youngster’s magical adventures of the past as well as all her dreams for the future. She hoped that one day she would share them with her. Tarren looked up at the warrior who smiled back and tasseled the child’s hair "It’s time to go" she said. The girl nodded and took her place beside Xena. "You know Tarren,

Nala always told me that life begins anew with every step we take. Every journey, each adventure, and each new person that enters our lives is a new beginning." The warrior dropped to one knee and carefully cupped the girl’s face in her hands. "We have a new beginning ahead of us Tarren, and I want you to know that no matter what happens, no matter what you do that I will always be there for you. I will always love you." The child thought about what Nala had said to her in the tent, and then she hugged the big warrior knowing that she would never be alone again. "So now what?" she asked staring up at her guardian, not sure what the Xena’s response would be. She offered the girl her hand and Tarren gladly accepted it, "Now we start our life anew together." and with that the warrior, the bard, and the little Warrior Princess started on there new journey together.

The End…. Actually it's only the beginning.

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