by Katrina
The following is a bit of alternative fiction based on certain characters from the Xenaverse. It is not meant to infringe on anyone else's rights. If you don't agree or disapprove, please go read something else.
Plot Development Ahead.
Xena made
sure Gabrielle sat down besides her to eat, which pleased those Amazons who were present.
While they didn't precisely understand the dynamics of the warlord and the Queen's
relationship, they knew a beaming face when they saw one and it set their hearts at rest.
The Queen was happy and at this point that was all that mattered.
Gabrielle was candid with the warlord, hiding nothing, though not discussing everything Xena thought she would. She never mentioned the whipping. She did mention her observation that Xena seemed to be amassing troops. She wondered why and expressed a concern about the consequences of such an action. The strawberry blonde's body language was animated and the golden hoops flashed in the light with each emphatic point she made.
Xena knew she couldn't fully reassure the sensitive woman. There were simply things she could not tell the bard, yet. It was one of the reasons she'd left Gabrielle behind in the first place. Yet she was here and she was in a position where she could be a great deal of help. She chewed thoughtfully before answering.
"There are things I can't tell you, but I'll say what I can. Its not just me. There's a new warlord who thinks he's hot shit and his maneuvers, as far as I can tell *have* been quite clever. He's been gathering his forces and causing quite a ruckus up north." Her face looked bleak, "I was asked to stop him." She continued eating as she talked, carving a bit of meat with a vicious knife stroke. "So I'm going to do it the only way I know how. I'm going to take his army down."
Gabrielle watched her lover's body language in fascination and asked the obvious question, "who is it?"
Xena stabbed the knife onto the table. Her blue eyes were filled with sadness when she finally looked at Gabrielle. Her voice mourned, "Hercules."
The fork dropped out of the bard's hand. She managed to swallow, but then her jaw dropped. Gabrielle blinked.
Xena smirked, but not happily, "surprised you didn't I?"
Gabrielle didn't trust her voice and opted for nodding. "How come I didn't. . ."
"Iolaus was hoping the big guy would snap out of it before he caused any trouble."
"But it didn't happen."
Xena shook her head. "No." She leaned forward and clasped her hands together, her food forgotten for the moment, "Instead, he got worse and he got arrogant. He sent messages all over, to each of the other warlords, telling them to join under his banner or be destroyed."
"Gods."
Xena snorted, "Ares."
"Oh." Gabrielle, picked up her fork again, "typical."
This time Xena's smirk was a little more true to form, "Who else?"
"So, who asked you to stop him?"
"Some warlords did, and Iolaus." Xena shrugged, "I went to see Herc personally. Didn't recognize him, he's sporting a beard, but he recognized me, sort of. Told me I was a 'has been.'" Her expression took on an angry edge. "I tried to talk him out of it. When that didn't work, I said, I'd join him. I thought maybe I could figure out what made him crazy. I couldn't find the cause. He caught me snooping around and had me thrown out of camp." Actually he'd called a hunt and he and his men had chased her for miles. She didn't mention those rumors that Gabrielle had heard were close to the truth. She'd nearly been killed. She shrugged. "Finally I decided I was going to have to try something different. Beat him at his own game. The only reason I didn't move any faster was that I wanted to give Iolaus the time I promised him." And she was so beat up she couldn't move that fast anyway. Lucky she was a quick healer. "Then Nisus and Colchak asked me to be their 'consultant' and I saw my opportunity to reestablish myself." The warlord mask fell into place for a brief moment, then disappeared.
Gabrielle looked thoughtful, then shook her head ruefully. "I'd heard there were problems, but I didn't know. I thought it was just another warlord gone power hungry. Then I heard about you and it kind of went from my mind. You were more important." She lifted her gaze and focused on her lover. "I loved you too much to stay away."
Xena reached her hand across the table and took Gabrielle's hand in her own. Her thumb caressed the gentle bard's skin. "I know. You've convinced me." Her smile was beatific and caused a flutter in Gabrielle's uterus. They held each other's hand for a brief moment then let go.
Gabrielle began to eat again. Now that she knew the reason behind recent events she felt more sanguine about Xena's choices. She waved her fork and asked curiously, "Where's Iolaus?"
"He couldn't stay away from Herc."
Gabrielle choked a bit, then blushed. "You're kidding?"
Xena's eyebrows arched, "Is there a problem?"
The bard shook her head and managed another swallow. Her eyes were teary. "Uhm," she coughed, "No. No problem. It's just he didn't seem the type."
Xena grinned, "And you do?" She pointed at herself and then at Gabrielle meaningfully. Then tilted her head in that, *you know better,* fashion.
Gabrielle found herself grinning back, "Okay, okay, you win." Xena picked up her own fork and began eating again. Gabrielle looked at the interior of the tent and spoke again, "Xena, can I ask you a question?"
"I thought we were clear on that," Xena smiled softly at her bard and caused the pretty woman to blush.
She forgot what she was going to say for a second, then remembered, "Just how good is Hercules? I mean at being a warlord."
Xena's expression went blank, "He's taken over the whole area between Trikala, Larisa, Kozani and Katerini and he's pushing those boundaries. We expect him to move south to Kardhitsa within the week."
Gabrielle blinked, and set her fork down carefully. Grateful that she hadn't put the food in her mouth yet. She looked down at her plate and let her mind be blank for a little bit. Then she looked up, "That's where Mount Olympus is."
Xena nodded, for once not hiding her concern, "Yes."
"We're in big trouble aren't we." She didn't really mean herself. She meant Greece and Xena knew it.
Xena's expression was grim, "Yes, Gabrielle, we are." They finished their meal in silence.
ŠAugust 1997