"Too dangerous for you. Besides, I have to check things out for myself if I'm going to figure a way to get Xena out of there. No offense Sappho, but I'm a little more experienced at this warrior stuff than you are."

"Good point." The poet conceded. "We can switch clothes, but we're going to have to do something about those beautiful red locks." Sappho said looking around the room, her eyes falling on a brownish black bear skin rug thrown across the floor.

"Good thing I never comb my hair."

Xena groaned, suddenly aware of the cold of the dungeon floor pressing against her face. She moved tentatively wondering if she was bound. She was not. She slid her arms around and pushed her palms against the damp stone in an attempt to lift herself up. The ground swirled sharply upside down. She dropped back down heeding the warning and waited for her head to clear.

Warm hands gripped her shoulders raising her gently.

"Ahhh, you're finally awake. I was beginning to get worried about you."

Xena pushed once more on the stone and then found herself propped carefully back against a wall.

"There. Is that better?"

The warrior cringed as pain shot through her head, but nodded anyway. She opened her eyes and found Salmoneous' big face inches from her own.

"Ugh! Salmoneous. Back up a little, would ya?" Xena rubbed her eyes and shook her head.

"Are you all right?" Salmoneous asked, backing away as requested.

"Never better."

Xena surveyed her surroundings.

"Well, at least I'm in the castle." She squinted at Salmoneous. "What happened?"

Salmoneous winced. He was hoping she wouldn't remember that she had sent him to deliver a message.

"I guess I gave your message to the wrong person."

"Who did you give it to then?" Xena asked, rubbing her forehead. She had expected as much.

"Well, Sappho was busy. So I gave it to her manager. I figured if anyone could get the message to her, it would be her manager......being a business person myself....."

Xena waved her hand impatiently to cut off his ranting, "You gave the message to Samthus?"

"I guess that was his name."

"Samthus." Xena repeated to herself, a little confused, "Then, how did you end up in here?" The warrior asked looking around the cell.

"Well, he took me and the information straight to the palace guards. I guess he doesn't like you very much."

It took less than a second for this information to sink into Xena's clouded thoughts. She slammed her fist down on the hard stone floor and tried to jump up, only to drop back down against the wall as a wave of dizziness swept over her.

"I have to get out of here." She cursed through tight lips.

******

Sappho tucked a last piece of stray hair into the bun atop Gabrielle's head and stepped back to admire her work.

"You know, you don't look half bad in this hair style," the poet commented, "Kinda makes you look regal and elegant."

"Yeah, right!" Gabrielle laughed, "as elegant as a farm girl in a field."

"No, really." Sappho insisted, "You look like you could be a member of the High Court yourself."

"That's not what Vitalis told me."

"Who?"

"Never mind. Just finish it so we can put on the wig." Gabrielle urged. She was anxious to see if Xena was all right.

Sappho flattened her bangs one more time, ensuring that they would not slip down, and then carefully placed the wig they fashioned out of pieces of bear skin rug on the bard's head.

"How do I look?" Gabrielle asked, adjusting the wig a little.

"Like you're wearing a bear skin rug on your head." Sappho stated.

"Will it pass at a distance?"

Sappho shrugged, adjusting pieces of woolen tassel they had torn from the drapes to hang down in braids.

"How about in the dark of a dungeon?"

Sappho stepped back to assess her creation with a critical eye. She grimaced.

"I don't really look like that do I?"

Gabrielle bent to look at her reflection in a shiny brass basin.

"No!" She answered firmly, when she saw herself, "But it will have to do." Now, here's the plan. I'll go to the dungeon and check on Xena. You wait here for me."

"Ok," Sappho agreed reluctantly, "but be careful. And remember, if anyone questions you, just start spouting poetry. That'll shut 'em up."

"Right." Gabrielle nodded. The bard adjusted her toga, scurried to the chamber door, opened it, and peeked outside.

"Right. Coast is clear. I'll meet you back here. Agreed?"

"Right! Let's synchronize our sundials!" Sappho said with a conspiratorial snicker. She was enjoying the intrigue.

Gabrielle narrowed her eyes at the poet.

"Just stay out of trouble." the bard warned and slipped through the door, closing it quietly behind her.

"Practice what you preach!" Sappho whispered with a shake of her head.

******

Xena peeked out of the bars of her cell. She could see the guards sitting around a table, eating their supper. There were only three of them. The commander was sporting a huge bruise smack in the middle of his forehead.

Xena smiled at her handiwork through the bars. The odds were definitely in her favor.

"So, you had to knock me out from behind to get me in here. That was very skillful of you. A lesson in good leadership to your men, no doubt!"

The commander looked up from his dinner with a snarl.

"Shut up!" he barked, pieces of food flew out from his mouth.

"Good manners, too, I see." Xena rolled her eyes. "Who put you in command anyway?"

The commander jumped up from his seat and stormed over to the cell.

"Shut up, you unnatural bitch or I'll......."

"Or...you'll...what?" Xena said threateningly.

"Or I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!"

"Really? Exactly what kind of lesson did you have in mind?" Xena asked seductively.

The change in Xena's tone brought a smile to the commander's face.

"Oooh, there's a lot of things I could teach a woman like you. You interested?" the commander snickered, licking his lips.

"I might be." Xena answered coyly.

"Now that's more like it!" The commander beamed and looked over to his men. They nodded their heads knowingly.

"You're smarter than you look!" The commander smiled back at Xena.

"Well, that's where we differ!" Xena barked.

The commander froze. Had he just been insulted? Xena's cackle told him he had indeed. Once again, he could barely contain his rage.

"I said shut up, bitch!"

He pushed his face at the door until they were staring nose to nose through the bars.

"One more word out of you and I'll come in there myself!"

"Promises. Promises." Xena taunted and laughed.

With the speed of lightening, her arm shot out and wrapped itself around the commander's neck. He screamed in pain as his face was pulled into the iron bars.

Xena sneered. His squirming was futile against her grip.

"Excuse me, fellas!" Xena called out to the two other soldiers who had jumped up from their supper in alarm, "Could either of you give us a hand here?" The warrior asked sweetly. She gave her arm a squeeze, increasing the pressure of the man's face against the bars, just for good measure.

******

Gabrielle scurried quickly down a long flight of stairs, pausing at the bottom to listen for any signs of guards. The hall was dark and quiet. The bard had no idea where she was, but knowing that dungeons were always in the basement of a castle, she figured if she just kept going down, she would get there eventually.

Another flight of stairs greeted her at the end of the hallway. She descended as quickly as her feet could carry her.

Without warning, she bumped right into the chest armor of a palace guard. The wig threatened to topple from her head. She adjusted it smoothly.

"Excuse me!" she said, sweetly and attempted to pass by.

"Hold it!" The guard ordered, "Aren't you Sappho?"

Gabrielle deepened her voice. "Why, yes I am." she replied. Then realized she didn't have to deepen her voice at all. "Ah, yes I am." she repeated, a little more normally.

"Are you lost?" The guard asked politely.

"Ah, yes! I mean, no." The guard raised his eyebrow. "I mean....yes. I'm looking for the......."

"The audience chamber?" The guard finished for her. "It's right this way. Let me escort you. The show is about to begin. They're waiting for you."

The guard grabbed Gabrielle's arm and pulled her along the hall.

"Ah....no...wait a minute....not so fast!"

******

Sappho was dressed in Gabrielle's amazon clothes, walking nonchalantly down a hall that led directly to the audience chamber. Bored of waiting, she decided to sneak a peak inside to see how many people had gathered for her performance. Passing under a flag, she walked by a huge column and dragged her fingers along the ridges to touch the marble.

'Everything in this palace is carved in such beautiful detail,' Sappho mused. The poet stopped dead in her tracks as she stared down the hall in the opposite direction.

Gabrielle was being pulled along by a guard. The poet dropped back behind the column to hide her presence. She watched the guard as he brought the bard to the door of the audience chamber and pushed her inside. She could hear Gabrielle's protest as the guard shoved her in.

"Hurry, get inside. You're late. The King is waiting for the show to begin!" The guard ordered.

Sappho gulped.

"Zeus' shit!" The poet cursed. "They think she's me! And they just threw her on stage!"

The poet scrambled down the hallway to look for another entrance to the hall, back pedaling once to grab a small lyre hanging as an adornment on the wall.

******

Hidden in the shadows, Samthus peered out over a balcony and watched as a palace guard pushed Sappho into the King's audience chamber.

'Excellent!' he whispered to himself, 'the show is about to begin. You're next performance will be for me alone, my muse!'

His evil snicker echoed in the hall as he slipped back further into the shadows to wait.

******

Gabrielle virtually slid into the King's audience chamber when the guard pushed her in. The door slammed shut behind her and she jumped at the sound. Turning around, she found herself staring at a sea of expectant eyes gazing back.

'Amazing how silent a room filled with people can be,' the bard thought to herself and gulped. She went to adjust her wig and found it missing from her head. It had fallen off when she was pushed in the room. Gabrielle looked at it lying on the ground like a dead animal.

All she could think to do was look back up and smile, so she did. An entire chamber full of people smiled back. Her steps echoed as she approached the center of the hall.

The performers were waiting, arranged as usual: chorus in the middle, drummers and instrumentation to either side. They followed the bard's progress to the center of the stage with curiosity. 'What in the world is this all about?' Calliope thought to herself, looking to the other members of the chorus. Gabrielle smiled at them all and shrugged her shoulders, fixing stray strands of golden red hair neatly back into the bun.

Thalia figured they all might as well just go with it, picked up Sappho's lyre and handed it to Gabrielle. The bard nodded her thanks gracefully and turned to face her audience.

Gabrielle stood in the center of the hall, strong arms wrapped around the mighty lyre and bowed slightly to the crowd. They were surrounded by members of the Athenian High Court and faced the King of Athens himself.

She looked around, taking in the ornate tapestries, the magnificence of the marble statues, the glamour of the High Court dress, and the grandeur of the King and Queen. The chamber was overflowing with the splendor of royal pageantry.

Gabrielle took a deep breath and pretended to concentrate. She kept her face a mask of confidence and elegance, trying hard to match the opulence of the occasion. She smiled at her audience and lifted her eyebrows haughtily. Whatever she was going to do, she better think of it fast. It crossed her mind that she could probably try to sing. She looked at the lyre in her arms. Maybe not.

"Ppsst!"

Gabrielle thought she heard something.

"Ppssst!"

Gabrielle definitely heard something. Holding her head high, she shifted only her eyes to the right and saw Sappho hiding behind a column. The poet was motioning for her to strum the lyre.

Gabrielle's eyes widened. 'What does she mean? Play? I can't play!' she thought in panic.

Sappho held the small lyre she had stolen from the wall in her arms and urged Gabrielle to pretend to play. The bard finally got the message and nodded.

Sappho mouthed: "One...two...three!" And started to play.

Gabrielle jumped slightly and pretended to flow her fingers over the strings. Sappho's music filled the air. The musicians, not able to see Sappho, couldn't believe their ears and jumped in surprise, missing a few beats before they joined in. Sappho almost lost her place as she started to laugh.

Gabrielle, gaining a little more confidence that this subterfuge might actually work, looked back over at Sappho who indicated with her mouth that Gabrielle should pretend to sing.

The bard opened her mouth at the appropriate point, and Sappho's voice filled the hall. Gabrielle lip- synched the words as best she could. As far as anyone could tell, in the audience, the Great Sappho's performance in the Hall of the King of Athens had finally begun.

*****

Xena slammed the door to the dungeon cell and locked it with a large iron key. She looked through the window bars at the three guards, bound and gagged, sitting in a row against a wall.

"Don't wait up for me." She said with a smirk and threw the keys far away down the hall. Then she turned to Salmoneous.

"Salmoneous, I need you to find Argo for me."

The salesman gulped, "Well, it is getting kind of late, Xena. Not that it hasn't been fun, but I have a pressing engagement that I'm late for already......"

Xena waited patiently, clear blue eyes twinkling with affection. Salmoneous could not resist.

"......but, I do have time to find Argo first. She's probably in the stables, right? Not much chance of trouble there. Where should I bring her?"

Xena patted him on the shoulder, "Just get her out of the palace gates and wait."

"Out of the palace gates! How am I going to do that?"

"You'll find a way, Salmoneous. I have faith in you." Xena smiled. The warrior took off out of the dungeon.

"You're welcome." Salmoneous mumbled and shuffled off.

******

Gabrielle bowed to the thunderous applause of the High Court and pushed her bangs back out of her face. She took a quick peek at Sappho who was flashing a huge smile at her hidden behind the column. Gabrielle could not believe they were actually getting away with it. To be honest, she was actually having a great time.

The King and Queen were standing as they applauded. The hall had lost its somber reserve somewhere in the middle of the performance. The members of the High Court were dancing and singing along as if they were commoners in the street. A few of the audience had even tossed ornate fans and other tokens of appreciation, each vying for Gabrielle's attention.

'So, this is what it's like to be famous,' the bard thought to herself with a grin, 'I could get use to this.'

The bard turned around to face the other musicians. They were clapping and smiling as well. Calliope winked at Gabrielle, letting her know that they had all finally figured out what was going on. The bard winked back.

Gabrielle scratched her forehead pretending to think and stole a glance a Sappho. The poet indicated that they should play one more song. The bard figured it would be M'Lila's song, but Sappho mouthed the words 'No M'Lila,' very carefully to Gabrielle so that she would understand. Gabrielle panicked.

Smiling, Sappho began to strum the first bars in the rhythm of the now legendary Sapphic meter. Gabrielle recognized the melody immediately. 'I know this song! We used to sing this at home!' the bard thought to herself triumphantly and gave a slight nod in the poet's direction indicating as such. For the first time in more than ten seasons, Sappho the Tenth Muse ended her performance with a different song:

"My life goes on in endless song

above earth's lamentations.

I hear the real, though far off hymn

that hails a new creation."

"Through all the tumult and the strife

I hear it's music ringing.

It sounds an echo in my soul.

How can I keep from singing?"

"While though the tempest loudly roars,

I hear the truth that lives.

And though the darkness round me close,

songs in the night it gives."

"No storm can shake my inmost calm

while to that rock I'm clinging.

Since love is lord of heaven and earth,

how can I keep from singing?"

History records things in strange ways. Sometimes, a single moment in time shapes the way we look at a monumental event or historical figure forever. Perhaps it was the pageantry of the performance that day. Perhaps it was the awe in which the King of Athens and his Court held the poet. Perhaps the scribes, who wrote of the poet's brilliant voice which seemed to fill the Great Hall from outside of her own body that day, helped to influence the account of those times.

For whatever reason, from this day forward history painted the Tenth Muse as the Great Sappho; a golden haired, elegant woman of grace and splendor.

There are scrolls, however, trapped in an ancient tomb somewhere in Macedonia, written in the neat handwriting of a bard from Poteidaia that describes the poet and these events in a slightly different light.

******

Gabrielle exited the King's Hall to thunderous applause, pausing once to stoop down and pick up the furry wig that was still laying on the floor. She scurried out, able to breath again only after she heard the huge door slam shut behind her.

"Whheeww!" The bard blew out a big breath, "I can't believe it!"

She looked down at the wig in her hand and laughed, "HA! Wait 'til Xena hears this!"

The thought of her friend still in the dungeon made her lose her smile.

"Xena!" she gulped, put the wig back on her head and ran off to find the dungeons.

******

Samthus watched as Sappho exited the audience chamber. He assumed she would turn in his direction to return to the guest chambers. His bushy eyebrows raised up in surprise as the poet ran off in the opposite direction. The manager grunted and left the balcony to follow.

******

The Tenth Muse adjusted her Amazon garb as she walked down the hall back towards her own room. The halls were empty and huge columns cast dark shadows across her path. There was only the sound of her boots clicking against the marble floor as the poet shuffled along. Accustomed to wearing sandals, Sappho wondered briefly how Gabrielle could possibly walk so many miles with her poor feet stuck inside these thick, heavy boots. She paused a moment at the door to the guest chamber, wiggling her toes in discomfort.

Xena had just snuck into the guest chambers, happy to retrieve her sword and chakram, but worried over Gabrielle's absence from the room. The warrior froze, hearing footsteps approaching the door. She ducked behind a large chair and waited.

The guest chamber door swung open. Sappho walked in, expecting to find Gabrielle waiting for her inside. The room was empty. She walked into the center of the ornate chamber and looked around.

Crouching behind the chair, Xena peeked out, smiling at the familiar skirt and boots as they swished by. The warrior chuckled, looking forward to jumping out to surprising Gabrielle and then the skirt paused and turned. The stomach was all wrong and there was no belly button ring. Xena lost her smile and leapt out from her hiding place.

Sappho felt the sudden jerk of an arm pulling her backwards and then found herself staring at a very annoyed Warrior Princess.

Xena looked her over carefully, taking in the fact that the poet was wearing all of Gabrielle's clothes.

"Just what are you two up to?" Xena asked suspiciously, releasing her hold on the poet's arm.

"Xena!" Sappho swallowed. "You scared me half to death! Do you always jump out at Gabrielle like that?"

Xena narrowed her eyes impatiently. The poet smiled.

"Glad to see you, Xena. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Where is Gabrielle and why are you wearing her clothes?"

"Her clothes?" Sappho looked down at herself, "Whaddya know. So I am! I make a good Amazon, don't cha think?"

"Sappho, if you don't tell me what's going on right now, I'm going to cut off the flow of blood to your brain."

"The blood stopped flowing to my brain a long time ago," Sappho mumbled.

Xena lifted her fingers into position threateningly.

"All right! All right! By the Muses, you have no sense of humor!"

The warrior took a heavy step in the poet's direction.

"Ok! I'm talking, I'm talking. But, have I got a story to tell you!"

******

Gabrielle scurried down yet another flight of stairs. She could tell that she was getting close to the dungeon. The walls had changed from smooth marble and ornate decoration to dreary, damp gray. Reaching the bottom of the stairwell, she came to a sharp corner and paused. The bard peeked around the corner. She found the dungeon.

There was no one home. There were no guards at the table and it looked like they left in the middle of their dinner. There were no sounds coming from the locked cells. The bard waited and listened. Gabrielle moved forward thinking she heard a mumbled groan coming from behind one of the locked doors.

"Xena?" she whispered into the gloom.

No answer, but definitely a mumble.

"Xena, it's me." she called a little louder. Proceeding carefully, Gabrielle tip-toed towards the source of the sound. She placed her ear against the wooden door and listened. She heard the mumble again and peered over the edge of the barred window.

There were three guards, bound and gagged, sitting in a row against a dirty wall.

"I should have known," Gabrielle mumbled to herself.

Then the bard was jerked backward as a callused hand wrapped around her mouth.

"Don't turn around," a deep, hoarse voice whispered hotly in her ear. "Don't move a muscle."

A knife was placed against her throat.

"Now, I've got you. Now, you're mine!"

The bard squirmed, disgusted at the feel of this male body rubbing against her own. She tried to pull his hand off of her mouth.

"Wait a minute......!"

"Shut up!"

Her body tensed as she was pushed against the wall.

Her assailant tied her hands behind her back. Without a pause, he pulled a burlap sack over her head and turned his captive around. She felt him draw her close, his heavy breathing hot against the burlap.

"Come with me now, my love." He whispered into her ear. He heaved her over his shoulder and carried her out of the dungeon.

******

Xena sat on the window sill, listening to Sappho finish the story of the 'command performance'. The warrior shook her head and laughed, picturing Gabrielle pretending to play and sing to the King of Athens. She had to admit, it was a pretty amusing story. 'Only Gabrielle!' the warrior chuckled to herself.

"It was brilliant!" Sappho finished, "It was the best performance I ever gave. Gabrielle was magnificent. So regal. She even curtsied! I would never have curtsied!"

Xena shook her head and laughed again. "She has many skills and she's learning more all the time. So, where is she now?"

Sappho lost her grin. Xena became concerned.

"Where is she Sappho?"

"Err....I think she probably went down to the dungeon to try to help you."

"WHAT!" Xena stood up in a rush. A sound outside the window caused the warrior to look down.

Samthus ran across the courtyard in the darkness with a burlap bundle slung over his shoulder.

Xena's eyes widened in fear.

"Great Zeus! He's got her!"

"Who's got who!" Sappho asked, trying to see past the warrior's body into the courtyard.

"Samthus has Gabrielle!" Xena spun around, trying to think quickly. "He probably thinks its you!"

"Samthus!" Sappho couldn't believe it. "You mean Samthus has been the one trying to kill me?"

"COME ON!" Xena grabbed Sappho by the green top and pulled her out of the room.

******

Samthus ran to the waiting horse and wagon, and threw his precious bundle into the back.

"Hey! Take it easy!" Gabrielle's muffled cry went unheard as her head hit the floor of the cart. She squirmed around in the back trying to wiggle her way out of the sack and yelped as the wagon jerked forward into motion.

Samthus snapped the reins. The horse took off, heading away from the stables and towards the palace gates. The wagon thundered by the entrance to the stable, almost running Salmoneous over as he was coming out, leading Argo by the bit of her bridle.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Salmoneous yelled as the cart sped by. He pulled Argo forward and walked her nonchalantly through the court yard, whistling a tune. Several guards watched from the palace wall as a wagon pulled away and a man led a horse through the courtyard.

"What's going on?" One asked.

"Concert must be letting out." Answered another.

"Oh." They turned away.

******

The King and Queen of Athens smiled as they walked by the members of the High Court. The King's audience chamber was almost empty, the audience spilling out into the corridors beyond. Most waited hoping to catch the eye of the King as the royal couple passed by. Palace guards were standing at attention at regular intervals throughout the hall.

A regent bowed before the King, about to make a statement when a disturbance caught their attention.

Xena was running at full speed to the top of the staircase. The hallway below was filled with spectators. Without stopping, she hopped onto the bannister and slid all the way down to the end, keeping her balance with outstretched arms.

At the end of the bannister, the Warrior Princess jumped into the air, spinning in a tight tuck. The palace guards turned their heads in alarm as the sound of Xena's warrior cry stopped everyone's conversation.

Xena landed directly in between the King of Athens and his regent. The King pulled back in alarm.

"Your Majesty!" Xena paused politely and curtsied. Then continued on her way. She sprinted across the hall to a small open window. As she ran by a guard, she slapped the end of her whip into his hand.

"Hold this for me." She ordered.

The guard looked down, surprised to find a whip somehow tied around his wrist. He snapped his head up and watched as Xena dove out of the small window. The whip stretched out, pulling the guard along with it. As the whip went taut, the guard slammed into the wall and grunted, seeing stars from the impact. It was enough to break Xena's fall before she hit the ground. The whip pulled tight, broke her momentum, and she dropped almost softly to the ground.

"Wasn't that Xena, the Warrior Princess?" The King asked aloud.

Sappho pushed her way through the crowd roughly, running by the King as he asked the question.

"The one and only!" she answered happily

"We have so many famous people with us today!" The King beamed proudly as Sappho sped by.

The poet ran up to the small window and looked at the guard. He was watching the stars circling his head, the whip still tied to his wrist and hanging down to the ground.

Sappho took a deep breath and slipped out of the window, sliding along the length of the whip to the grass below.

When she reached the bottom, she looked back up at the window. "Thanks!" she yelled up to the guard, who was still counting stars.

"I can't believe I just did that." The poet mumbled to herself as she ran across the courtyard hot on the trail of the Warrior Princess.

******

Salmoneous was very proud of himself. It looked like he was going to make it out of the courtyard and beyond the palace walls without any trouble whatsoever. He couldn't believe his luck.

"STOP HER!" a guard yelled.

Salmoneous froze just at the exit and whirled around just in time to see Xena flying in the air directly at him.

"AHHHH!" He dove out of the way and tumbled to the dirt.

Xena landed in Argo's saddle and took off out of the gate without missing a beat leaving Salmoneous to inhale the dust and dirt as the mare galloped away. Palace guards were running after her not far behind. Suddenly, Gabrielle was helping the salesman to his feet. He stood up wiping off his clothes and turned to thank the bard.

He was looking into steel gray eyes and a mop of wild, black hair instead.

"You're not Gabrielle!" He exclaimed, staring down at the bard's amazon clothes.

"Who are you?" The poet asked.

"Who are you?" Salmoneous replied.

"I asked first."

"I'm a friend of Xena's."

"Good! I'm Sappho. Nice to meet ya!" Sappho said, pulling the salesman along by his robe, "Let's go. They need our help!"

"Wait a minute! I thought you were a lot taller." Salmoneous commented as the poet pulled him along.

They ran out through the gate, palace guards in hot pursuit.

******

Xena leaned into Argo's gait as she thundered off the road. Argo's hooves bit into the dirt, sending grass and rocks flying as she cut across a field, hoping to make up the distance. The wagon was weaving its way along the road, following the snaking curves as it headed towards the ocean. Xena lifted herself slightly out of the saddle as Argo vaulted over a log. The warrior ducked under branches and leaves, ignoring the cuts and scrapes as they galloped through trees and bushes.

The shortcut brought her out much closer to her target than if she had stayed to the road. She gave Argo more lead and let the mare go full out. She was steadily closing on the wagon and had to shield her eyes against the tiny pebbles that the wheels of the cart were shooting her way.

"Yah!" Xena yelled, urging Argo faster.

Samthus heard the cry and looked over his shoulder, surprised to find he was being pursued by Xena. He snapped his reins, urging his own speed faster. In the back of the cart, Gabrielle struggled against her bounds trying to escape. The wagon lurched, sending the bard rolling hard into the side of the cart.

The dirt road came to an end, emptying out onto a grassy meadow. The meadow stretched forward for a short distance and then seemed to disappear into the sky. Although it was nearly impossible to see in the dark, they were heading straight for a cliff.

Xena pulled up parallel to the wagon, but her eyes glanced ahead in panic, suddenly realizing that the end of the meadow and the cliff were a heartbeat away.

Samthus laughed, snapped his reins one last time and then jumped from the wagon seat. Xena had no time to stop the wagon. She jumped from her horse. Argo veered away from the cliff just in time.

Xena vaulted into the cart just as the horse slid frantically in the dirt trying to stop its forward momentum. The wagon flipped into the air as Xena gathered Gabrielle into her arms. They were catapulted out of the wagon and thudded onto an outcropping of dirt just at the cliff's edge. Xena covered the bard's body with her own as the wagon flipped wildly over them, horse and all, and fell over the cliff and down into the ocean below.

It was several quiet moments before the warrior dared to move. She looked up and found herself staring at the star riddled sky and the black ocean below. Another inch and they both would have been food for the crabs. She rolled away from the edge, pulling the bard along with her, worried at the stillness of the burlap covered body.

Xena hurriedly unwrapped Gabrielle from the sack. Her friend moaned and fluttered her eyelids, face partially obscured by a ridiculously ugly, furry black wig. Xena removed the thing and threw it away.

Xena smiled and then whirled around just in time to catch a thick branch from whacking her across her head. She held the branch tightly in her hand and stood slowly, turning around to face the astounded manager. Samthus let go of the branch and backed away.

"Leave her alone. She's mine!" Samthus hissed.

Xena made no reply. The anger in her eyes spoke for her. She advanced on the man as he stumbled backwards in the grass.

Samthus retreated quickly, trying hard to put as much distance between himself and the warrior princess as he could manage. Xena was in no rush. She advanced steadily, like a wolf secure in the knowledge that she would soon have her prey. She tossed the branch angrily away.

Sappho ran out of the woods and across the meadow, heading directly for Samthus' back. When she reached him she pushed him with all of her might. He was a big man. It barely moved him. He spun around, surprised to find himself staring at Sappho.

"Samthus! What in Hades do you think you're doing! Are you crazy!" The poet screamed.

Samthus smiled and grabbed her by the throat, pulling her around to face Xena. He wrapped her up in his arms and covered her neck with a big hand.

"Stay back, Xena! Or I'll break her neck!"

Xena froze, but kept her gaze steady on Samthus, waiting for any opening. Samthus circled around and headed for the cliff.

"What do you think you're doing!" Sappho choked.

"We're finally going to be together, Sappho. You are I. Forever."

Xena inched closer.

"Stay back!" Samthus hissed again and tightened his grip around the poet's throat.

Gabrielle had managed to untie her hands and kneeled, watching the scene carefully. Samthus was moving slowly towards the cliff's edge. He would pass very close to her, very close. She quietly crouched on one knee and waited. Samthus was circling around, his full attention on Xena. The warrior moved closer to Samthus, just barely an arms length away.

"What are you going to do, Samthus. Jump off the cliff?" Xena asked, trying to distract the man so she could move closer still.

"I'm taking Sappho with me to Mount Olympus."

"And what makes you think you're going to make it to Mount Olympus!" Xena asked sarcastically.

"The Muses promised me!"

"Are you crazy!" Sappho barked.

"Sappho, be quiet." Xena commanded.

Samthus continued to back up towards the edge.

"No wait!" Sappho pleaded, "Samthus listen to me. I want to go with you."

Samthus paused. "W..w..what?" he stammered, pausing to look down at the poet.

"I want to go with you. You don't have to force me like this. You should have just asked. I didn't know."

Samthus released his hold on the poet slightly.

"Let me go. I want to look at you." Sappho urged.

Samthus faltered in his step and slackened his hold, then tightened again.

"Nooo! You're lying!"

"I'm not lying, Samthus. The Muses....the muses told me we should be together, right?"

"Yes...yes.... the Muses!" Samthus smiled, "They said if I sacrificed you to them, we could be together forever."

"Yes," Sappho said, slowly turning around in Samthus' relaxed grip, "Let's go together."

The poet captured the manager's eyes with her own, fixing them with a smile.

Gabrielle vaulted from the ground and slammed into Sappho, tackling the poet out of Samthus' reach. They rolled away, a heap of arms and legs flailing in the dirt. At the same instance, Xena reached to grab Samthus but they were too close to the edge. Samthus threw himself over, grabbing Xena's arms in an attempt to pull her down with him. She crashed to the ground inches from the edge and began to slip as the Samthus' weight pulled her along. He was hanging on to both of her arms and kicking the air wildly with his legs.

Xena struggled to release one of her arms, but his grip was firm. With no hands to stop her, she began to slide over the edge of the cliff.

Gabrielle rolled up from her tackle and lunged at Xena, grabbing her friend by the foot. Xena was still sliding. Sappho crawled over and grabbed her other foot.

"PULL!" Gabrielle cried, grunting at the exertion, "PULL!"

Together the bard and the poet pulled the Warrior Princess with all of their might, somehow finding the strength to drag both Xena and Samthus out of the clutches of certain death.

As soon as Xena was pulled far enough on solid ground, she bent her knees into the ground and pulled Samthus straight up. The warrior lifted the heavy man up and over the ledge and then pulled him along on the grass until he was well onto the ground. She jerked her arms out of his grasp and then stood up.

Samthus tried to roll back towards the cliff.

"Oh no you don't!" Xena snarled. She grabbed his shoulders and heaved him up. The last thing that Samthus saw was Xena's fist hitting him right between the eyes. He dropped down to the dirt at her feet.

Xena was breathing hard as she stood looking down over his unconscious body.

"That was close!" Gabrielle groaned, standing next to her friend.

"Hit him again!" Sappho snapped, walking up to stand at Xena's left.

Xena chuckled, giving the poet an amused glance.

"Well, now what are we going to do with him?" Sappho asked looking from Xena to Gabrielle.

As if in answer to the question, Salmoneous came running through the meadow. If you could call his huffing and puffing running. He stopped before them glancing once down at the still form of Samthus lying in the dirt. Whatever had transpired, he had somehow managed to miss the whole thing.

"What happened here?" Salmoneous asked Xena.

"He doesn't like heights."

Salmoneous seemed to notice the cliff for the first time.

"I can imagine," Salmoneous smiled at Xena and then his expression turned to one of concern, "Xena, you better get out of here. The palace guards are right behind me and I think they're after you."

Xena and Gabrielle looked at one another.

"Go ahead, Xena. I'll turn Samthus over to the guards. Sappho and I will explain everything. You get out of here for now."

"Gabrielle, if I'm wanted in Corinth, don't you think it would be better if I faced it instead of running away?"

Gabrielle glanced nervously at the forest and then placed a hand on Xena's arm.

"Yes, I do. But let's face it on our own terms. You don't have to be arrested here in Athens. Go now. We'll talk about Corinth later, when we have time."

Xena thought about this a moment and nodded. She whistled for Argo, who came trotting over.

Xena mounted the mare.

"Be careful," she said, smiling down at the bard.

"You, too." Gabrielle answered, "Hey, wait a minute. Where will I meet you!"

"Don't worry, I'll find you." Xena yelled as she galloped away.

Xena disappeared into the darkness, just as a small group of palace guards came running through the edge of the forest.

Gabrielle waved her hands to draw their attention and they surrounded her. The bard made them forget all about the Warrior Princess as she wove the tale of Samthus, the Assassin and the attempts on the Tenth Muse's life.

Sappho and Salmoneous could only watch on in awe.

Xena and Gabrielle stood side by side on the docks of Athens port watching Sappho bid her faithful musicians a fond farewell. The sun had just risen over the horizon and a slight breeze offered the hope of a beautiful day. The poet was giving her drummers, Alecto and Meager, a big bear hug urging them not to cry as she would see them again one day soon.

Xena turned her head in the breeze as sensitive ears caught the sound of feet approaching. Salmoneous was walking towards them in the sunshine. Xena turned and smiled at her friend, the salesman.

"Salmoneous!" Xena called, "Glad to see ya." Gabrielle turned at the mention of the entrepreneur’s name.

"Good to see you too, Xena. I see you and Gabrielle found each other!" Salmoneous said smiling.

"Never lost her." Xena answered with a wink.

"Well, it was quite a night. That guy Samthus was one arrow short of a quiver, wasn’t he?"

"More like the quiver was empty" Gabrielle mumbled to Xena, walking up to them both.

"Well, at least he’s where he won’t hurt anyone."

"Let’s hope they keep him there." Xena commented.

"The dungeons are a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there!" Salmoneous commented,

turning to leave, "Well, take care!"

"Salmoneous wait." Xena called her friend back, "I want to thank you for helping us. You put yourself in danger and I won’t forget it."

"Yes, well, anything for you, Proud Warrioress." Salmoneous stammered, suddenly embarrassed.

Xena smiled, "You’ve always been a good friend. Even from the very beginning. Thank you."

"Yes, well. You’re welcome. I do have one regret, though." Salmoneous added, frowning.

"What’s that?" Xena asked.

"I never did get to see Sappho’s ‘command performance’!" Salmoneous sighed.

"She was brilliant!" Gabrielle chimed in, "If I do say so myself!"

That remark earned Gabrielle a highly arched eyebrow and a deep, hearty chuckle from Xena.

Salmoneous smiled, but did not get the joke, "Til next time, then!" he waved and walked away.

"Til next time!" The warrior returned.

Xena and Gabrielle turned back towards the docks. Sappho was gripping each of the Amazons hands in a warrior shake and talking. One of the Amazons called to Xena and Gabrielle and they all raised their staffs in a salute before walking away. Sappho moved on to thank the stage hands and they left at a run. Apparently, they had signed up with a performing circus which was leaving Athens shortly.

Sappho was left on the dock facing her chorus. They were standing in a line waiting patiently for the poet to acknowledge them. Sappho stood tall in front of them and opened her arms. They moved as one, surrounding the poet, hugging her and one another. Gabrielle could not hear what they were saying, but she assumed that the words were tender. She and Xena waited at a distance, giving them the privacy they deserved.

Finally, when all good-byes were said and done, the chorus lined up before Sappho one last time. Gabrielle smiled as she watched them bend on one knee, bowing to Sappho this time. Then the bard had to shield her eyes from a sudden flash of light. When she looked back, the chorus had disappeared.

"What just happened!" The bard exclaimed. "Am I missing something here?"

Xena was dropping her hand from shielding her eyes. She looked at Gabrielle with the same confused expression etched across her features.

"I don’t know," she mumbled, "Wait a minute! Calliope....Melpomene.....Europe..."

A candle lit over Gabrielle’s head and she continued for Xena, " Erato...Thalia....Polyhmnia.....By the gods, Xena! Those were the Muses! How could I have been so stupid! And I call myself a bard!"

Gabrielle hurried towards the poet who was now left standing alone on the dock.

"Sappho!", the bard complained, "Were those the Muses?"

"Who?" Sappho answered with a smirk, "Them? Oh yeah, didn’t you know?"

"All nine of ‘em?"

"Every last one!"

"Why didn’t you tell me we were traveling with the Muses!"

"I don’t know. I guess it didn’t occur to me that you didn’t know." Sappho shrugged.

"But you were teaching them."

"Well, they’ve got to learn from somebody." Sappho commented.

"Ha. Well. I guess they do," was all Gabrielle could say in her amazement. She didn’t know what to say. She had been traveling with the Gods and didn’t even know it. She suddenly felt the urge to hit Sappho for keeping it from her. She did, slapping her on the arm.

"Hey!" Sappho yelled, stepping away from a suddenly angry friend.

"Anything else you haven’t told us!" Gabrielle asked, narrowing her eyes at the poet.

"Plenty," Sappho answered smiling, "But you’ll find it all out on your own, I’m sure."

Gabrielle was about to say something when she felt Xena’s presence behind her.

"Come on." The warrior grumbled to Gabrielle, "We’ve got to get going. We should probably put as much distance between us and Athens as possible."

Sappho smiled broadly at her two protectors.

"I’m really going to miss you both." Sappho said quietly. She stood in front of Xena and looked up into soft, blue eyes.

"Well, then," Sappho started, "How can I begin to thank you for everything you’ve done."

"Just get home safely, that’ll be thanks enough." Xena answered, grinning down at the gregarious, charismatic poet. Although Sappho had caused her nothing but trouble, the warrior liked her well enough. For Xena, that said volumes.

"Xena," Sappho’s expression turned somber, "We need to talk about M’Lila."

In all the confusion, Xena had almost forgotten about her part in Sappho’s life. The warrior lost her grin and her soft, blue eyes turned sad. Sappho noticed the change immediately.

"I guess I’ve known all along that she was gone. Please don’t blame yourself for what happened. It was not your fault. M’Lila made her own choices and I’m sure she knew what she was doing. In fact, I’m certain of it."

The poet reached down into her bag and retrieved a small scroll.

"For everything, there is a reason. I know you don’t feel that way right now. But believe this: I do not hold you to blame for what happened so many years ago. We need to let go of it. You and I, both."

The poet handed Xena the small scroll and smiled, "Here."

Xena unrolled it carefully, revealing a poem entitled, "Gabrielle." The softness returned to the warrior’s eyes as she read.

"As I promised, written just for you by the Tenth Muse." Sappho whispered, "I hope you like it."

"I do." Xena answered softly, nodding.

"And Xena." Sappho whispered, causing the warrior to look up from the small scroll, "Life is short. Don’t wait too long to give it to her."

The warrior rolled the scroll up carefully and caressed it in her hands.

"I won’t. I promise." Xena pledged.

Then a thought suddenly occurred to the warrior, and she began to dig with the fingers of her right hand through the contents of a small leather pouch attached to her leathers at her waist.

"Here," Xena said, pulling a necklace from the worn leather pocket, "I think you should probably have this."

Sappho extended her hand to receive a medallion hanging from a strip of leather twine, faded and frayed by the passage of years. She examined the silver pendant closely, rubbing the swirls of the celtic design with tender reverance. The poet recognized it instantly as having belonged to M’Lila.

Sappho closed her fingers around the pendant and nodded to the warrior in solemn thanks.

After a moment, the poet moved away from Xena and walked over to the waiting bard.

"Gabrielle!" Sappho cried, quickly wiping a single tear from her eye and smiling broadly.

"Sappho!" Gabrielle answered, with a crooked grin.

"What can I say to you?" Sappho declared, pulling the bard into a big hug. Gabrielle hugged her back. The poet pulled away and stared into the bard’s bright green eyes, sighing deeply.

"Oh, Gabrielle," Sappho whispered, "If I thought I had a chance, any chance at all, I would whisk you away with me and keep you all for myself. But I don’t stand a chance, do I?" Sappho’s steel gray eyes gazed into the bard’s looking for any glimmer of hope. What she saw there was a promise of a friendship that would last forever.

The poet groaned, "Well, if you won’t take my heart, then at least take this."

She reached down into her bag and produced an entire roll of scroll papyrus. Sappho handed it over to Gabrielle, who took it with a hesitant smile.

"That’s not just any scroll papyrus, Gabrielle. That roll was given to me by The Muses. It is a never-ending roll of papyrus! You’ll never run of out scrolls again!"

Gabrielle’s eyes opened in wonder, "I can’t take this from you. Wouldn’t The Muses be angry?"

She tried to hand it back, but Sappho stubbornly refused.

"Oh no, they won’t be angry. I have two other rolls just like it. They each wanted to give me one, but what would I do with nine never-ending rolls of scrolls? I swear, sometimes they just have no imagination whatsoever."

Gabrielle looked at Xena. The warrior smiled at her proudly and nodded in agreement that she should, indeed, accept the gift.

"Thank you so much, Sappho." Her green eyes looked into Sappho’s, taking the poet’s breath away once more.

"Good bye, Gabrielle. We’ll meet again, soon I’m sure." Sappho grinned and kissed Gabrielle very softly on the lips. The bard was startled when she actually felt a jolt of electric shock at the soft contact. Sappho pulled away, chuckling and left Gabrielle to stare at her retreating back. The bard touched her lips in quiet wonder. Xena watched Gabrielle, frowning at the expression on her friend’s face.

"Good bye my friends!" Sappho picked up her scroll bag and lyre, and stood on the gang plank. "You will always be welcome in my home. I hope you will come to see me soon. And Gabrielle, I’m going to start that school. If Xena ever lays down her sword and you decide your traveling days are done, you will have a place there waiting....for the both of you."

The poet walked up the gang plank and onto the ship. Xena and Gabrielle waited and watched until the ship slowly drifted away from shore.

Xena turned to Gabrielle. The bard still had a strange expression on her face.

"What’s the matter with you?" The warrior asked, noting the way Gabrielle kept touching her lips with her fingers.

"I just can’t believe it!" Gabrielle answered, almost to herself.

"Believe what?"

Gabrielle looked up at Xena, still touching her own lips, "I can’t believe it! I’ve been kissed by Sappho. I’ve been kissed by Sappho, the Tenth Muse!"

"Oh for the love of Zeus!" Xena said rolling her eyes, "What’s the big deal about that!"

Gabrielle turned and began to walk down the road away from the docks, clutching her roll of papyrus, mumbling all the while to herself, "I’ve been kissed by Sappho!"

Xena couldn’t believe her reaction. The warrior put her hands on her hips and called after her friend, "What is the big deal?"

Gabrielle turned around.

"You didn’t make such a big deal when I kissed you!" Xena exclaimed.

Gabrielle’s hand dropped from her lips, "What? When?!"

Xena walked closer, now that she finally had her attention, "When I kissed you. Remember? In the dreamscape? You didn’t make this big of a deal!"

"Oh...then!" Gabrielle laughed and waved her hand, dismissing the entire event much to Xena’s dismay, "That didn’t count. You had a mustache at the time!" The bard turned and walked away, leaving Xena frozen in her tracks.

"What do you mean, ‘that didn’t count’?" Xena called after her. The bard ignored her, walking away from Xena and the docks. Xena stomped over to Argo and grabbed the reins.

"What did she mean, ‘that didn’t count’?" Xena complained to Argo.

Xena spent the rest of the morning following slowly behind Gabrielle, sulking over the bard’s words. Gabrielle, for her part, chose to ignore her friend, even when she could hear Xena mumble something like ‘how could that not count’ several times to no one.

Finally, sometime around mid-day, Xena trotted up next to Gabrielle and extended an arm, the warrior’s signal that it was time for Gabrielle to ride.

"Let’s go."

"Where are we going?"

"You’ll see."

Gabrielle clutched the roll closer to her body.

"Where are we going?" She asked suspiciously.

"Give me that roll!" Xena grabbed the roll out of her hands and secured it under the saddle pack. She extended her arm again.

"UP!"

The bard complied.

"Where are we going?"

"You’ll see. Hold on!"

Xena kicked and Argo took off, causing Gabrielle to throw her arms in panic around Xena’s waist. They galloped, veering down a secondary road that led far away from Athens.

"I hate it when she gets like this." The bard mumbled sullenly under her breath.

They rode for the rest of the day. Gabrielle wanted to complain, wanted to question where they were going, wanted to have some kind of conversation, but knew it was better to keep quiet. Xena was in 'a mood' and there would be no talking to her until she was good and ready.

Instead of complaining, Gabrielle enjoyed the sights and smells of the passing scenery, suddenly recognizing a glade full of trees and a windy meadow. They were back at the lake, just outside of Arkarna. Gabrielle smiled and breathed in the scent of the fresh meadow and mountain lake, suddenly glad she had followed her instincts and not complained to the warrior.

Xena rode Argo through the meadow and directly to the same tree under which they had camped only two nights before.

"So," the warrior said, helping Gabrielle down from the saddle.

"So," Gabrielle answered.

Xena jumped off the mare and looked at her friend. She could not prevent a small smile from invading her stern features. Gabrielle laughed and twirled around playfully.

"I'm glad we came back here, Xena. Good idea! It's beautiful!"

Her friend's reaction was all that was needed to shatter the stern mask into pieces. Xena smiled broadly and watched Gabrielle spin in a circle in the grass.

"Careful, you'll fall off the world." Xena warned with a smirk.

Gabrielle chuckled heartily, remembering Laci with fondness.

"I'm going to miss her." Gabrielle whispered, suddenly turning sad.

The warrior made no comment, but silently admitted the same and began to unload the supplies they would need to camp for the night.

Gabrielle started her task of collecting the wood and tinder they would need to start the fire. They both remained silent until the camp was prepared and a small fire was blazing. Gabrielle threw another branch into the flame and sat down next to the warrior.

"So, do you want me to hear the rest of the story?"

"What story?" Xena asked, turning to allow Gabrielle to unlatch her armor. The bard complied.

"The story of the Mole and the Owl."

"Oh, that story," Xena slipped the armor over her head and laid it behind her. "Don't need to."

"That's right. I forgot. You already figured out the end of the story. Well, if you're so smart, my Warrior Princess, then why don't you tell me the end of the story."

"All right," Xena said nonchalantly, pulling off a gauntlet.

Gabrielle waited with her arms crossed.

Xena took off the second gauntlet and laid that one with the other.

"I'm waiting." Gabrielle prompted.

Xena smiled sweetly, "The wolf followed the mole, saved him from the cat, helped the owl to escape and they all lived happily ever after."

Gabrielle's mouth dropped open. "How did you know?"

"Easy," Xena said with a smug smile, "After all, I am the wolf. I would have followed the mole to....."

".....make sure he found his love and was safe?" Gabrielle finished for her, thinking she should have known.

"Yes, that......or collect on my meal."

Gabrielle paused with wide eyes, and then let out a bellowing laugh.

Xena laughed along with her until she felt it was time to change the subject and talk about something a little more serious.

"Gabrielle, we have to discuss what I'm going to do about Corinth"

"You mean what we're going to do, don't you?" Gabrielle stared at her impatiently. After all this time, the warrior still didn't get it that they were in this together. Xena read her thoughts.

"It's my problem, Gabrielle." Xena answered flatly, looking into the fire. "Not yours."

"You're going to go to Corinth, aren't you? And turn yourself in." Gabrielle turned away from the fire and fixed the warrior with an angry stare.

"Gabrielle, if I run from Corinth, I'll be running for the rest of my life."

"And what happens when they find you guilty? Will they hang you or put you in front of a line of crossbows?" Gabrielle practically yelled, "Is that any way to make up for your past?"

"Weren't you the one who said I should believe in justice? Maybe I can convince them that I've changed. Maybe I can convince the courts that killing me wouldn't be justice; that justice would be better served if I was sentenced to spending the rest of the my life helping others. What do you think? Is it possible or am I just dreaming?"

Gabrielle lost her anger, realizing that Xena was actually asking for her opinion on a decision that would effect them for the rest of their lives.

"I think if it's a dream, then it's the best dream you've had in a long time." Gabrielle grabbed Xena's hands and smiled when the warrior did not pull away, "You are definitely going to need my help with this plan."

"Gabrielle," Xena said, smiling back at her friend's bright face, "You are always a part of the plan."

Xena turned away, back to her work. "I'll finish setting up camp. It'll be dark very soon."

Gabrielle watched Xena thoughtfully for a moment, wondering when it was that things had changed so drastically between them.

'It was when she died,' Gabrielle answered herself, suddenly afraid that they might be running out of time...again.

"I think I'll go wash up before dinner." Gabrielle said, heading down towards the lake.

"Good idea. I'll do the cooking."

The statement caused the bard to stop dead in her tracks. The pause did not go unnoticed.

"What?" The warrior asked, "Is something wrong with my cooking?"

"No. Not if you don't mind burned on the outside, rare on the inside." Gabrielle whispered.

"I heard that!" Xena yelled, laughing as she threw a rag at the bard. "Don't worry, it's leftovers."

"Oh well, in that case...you do the cooking!" Gabrielle skipped off towards the water.

Xena watched the bard frolic through the grass towards the lake shore. She picked up a bed roll and smiled to herself, heading down to the lake in the same direction.

Gabrielle stripped off her clothes and threw them to the ground. She untied her boots and flipped them from her feet into the air and waded into the lake with a sigh of pleasure. Water was a good thing. The bard watched with a grin as the sun disappeared behind the trees and the sky grew dusky and soft. Finding the perfect rock, she sat down in water up to her shoulders and closed her eyes in relief, soaking in the silence.

She heard the splash, but opening her eyes saw nothing. Gabrielle squinted into the dusk searching for the source of the noise. There was nothing in the lake but the reflection of the trees and the sky, and a slow series of waves that trickled out in never ending circles licking gently up against her bare skin.

Gabrielle held her breath and sat very still, suddenly afraid that something had joined her in the water. She waited and waited. The lake betrayed no secrets.

Just as the bard was about to dismiss the disturbance to her own imagination, Xena's head and shoulders came crashing up through the surface of the lake, sending a spray of silver droplets into the air. The warrior smiled broadly, as water flowed down her head and shoulders, and caught Gabrielle's eyes with her own. Xena took a graceful stroke forward and swam slowly towards her friend.

Gabrielle blinked, wanting to be sure that she wasn't imaging things again. She sat very still in the water and waited as Xena floated slowly towards her.

Xena swam through the water until she was floating right in front of Gabrielle. She smiled softly and reached out with her hands for the bard. Gabrielle gave her hands to Xena and together they drifted away from the shore. Xena floated on her back, pulling Gabrielle along with her. The bard smiled as she felt the cool water pass over her warm skin. They held hands and kicked, swimming out into the center of the lake.

Xena stopped their movement and they floated, suspended for a moment, holding hands as they kicked slowly to stay afloat. Then the warrior smiled and pulled Gabrielle to her. Drawing the bard in close, Xena wrapped her arms around Gabrielle and closed her eyes, slowly lowering her head until she brushed Gabrielle's lips with her own. Gabrielle closed her eyes and moaned softly as their lips touched. The contact was deliciously tender. Xena pressed their bodies together and deepened their kiss. Gabrielle slid her arms around Xena's neck and held her tight.

Xena slowly withdrew from the kiss, smiling broadly. Gabrielle blinked several times wanting to be sure that this was not some kind of fatigue induced hallucination. It wasn't. They were still in the water, together, and she could feel Xena's warm body floating against her own.

"Well?" Xena said, breaking the magical silence.

Gabrielle didn't know what to say. Instead she smiled crookedly and tried to draw Xena in for another sweet kiss, but the warrior pulled back again.

"Does this count now?" Xena asked, refusing the bard her demand until she answered.

"Oh yeah! This counts!" Gabrielle nodded enthusiastically, pulling Xena close once more, but the warrior pulled away again.

"So is it better with or without?"

Gabrielle sighed. "With or without what?" she asked impatiently.

"With or without the mustache?"

Gabrielle raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"What does it matter?" she whispered in answer, "as long as it's you."

The bard closed her eyes desperately desiring another kiss.

Xena pulled her head way back and eyed Gabrielle with a raised eyebrow. She waited until the bard re-opened her eyes.

"What now!" Gabrielle cried.

"I'm not sure I'm happy with that answer."

Xena pulled Gabrielle into a strong embrace, capturing the bard's lips with her own. Gabrielle moved her arms tighter around Xena's neck, pulling their bodies together in the water. The bard moaned again as she felt the silky sensation of skin touching skin. Xena pressed her lips harder against Gabrielle's, caressing the bard's tongue with slow, sensous strokes. The warrior ran her hands over wet, honey red hair and then touched everywhere across Gabrielle's back, finally lingering at the soft, tender skin in the curve of her spine.

Xena reluctantly broke away from the kiss, worried only that they would drown. Gabrielle stared at Xena breathless in wonder.

"So.......better with or without the mustache," Xena whispered, stroking Gabrielle's back, hardly able to speak at all.

Gabrielle's smile filled Xena with warmth, right down to her toes.

"Definitely better with out the mustache. Definitely."

"That's more like it." Xena smiled.

So, we'll drown, Xena thought and kissed her again.

******

Sappho's braids whipped around in the ocean breeze as she stood on the stern of the ship, staring out at the black sea. The sun had fallen into the River Ocean and she had long ago lost sight of the mainland as the ship sailed steadily back to her home. The ocean blended black into a star-filled sky.

The poet shifted her lyre and was prepared to sing, when a shimmer on the deck lit the darkness.

"Well, I was wondering when you would show up?" Sappho said, smiling, "How are you Lachesis?"

"Lachesis! How formal!" Laci smiled at the poet and ran over to kiss her on the cheek, "I like it better when you call me Laci."

Sappho grinned and kissed her again, "How is Clotho or should I say Cleo? Is Atropos mad that I kept you so long away from your weaving?"

"Long?" Laci dismissed the thought with a wave of her hand, "one, two, five, ten seasons.....what does it matter? What's long to you mortals, is a mere snap of the finger for us. Atropos hardly knew we were gone. But Cleo is fine. She's back at work on her favorite threads and happy to be home. She only came along to keep her eye on me."

"What happened anyway?" Sappho asked, suddenly curious at the Fate's abrupt and unexplainable departure.

"Well, I couldn't let you drink that poison and Cleo didn't want Xena and Gabrielle to know that they were traveling with two of three Fates. So, I pretended to die. Cleo thought it was very amusing."

"Well, Xena didn't find it amusing. She was hunting Cleo down for the rest of the night!"

Laci laughed. "She is just too much fun!"

Sappho pushed Laci on the arm, "Why didn't you tell me about Samthus?"

Laci frowned and pointed her finger at the poet's nose, "You know I can't reveal future events to you. If I did, all of our hard work would have to be unraveled and woven all over again.

"But you drank the poison?"

"Well, I can cheat a little. As long as Atropos doesn't find out."

Sappho sighed and looked out to the ocean.

"I wonder what Xena and Gabrielle are doing right now?"

"Oh, I know exactly what they're doing at the moment," Laci answered with a snicker.

This really caught Sappho's attention and imagination.

"Oh, you do? Well how about cheating a little for me right now and telling me?"

Laci narrowed her eyes, "I shouldn't."

"Please!" Sappho pleaded, flashing Laci her sweetest smile.

The young Fate sighed, "I never could resist you."

The maiden Fate waved her hand out over the ocean. What once was a black, colorless sea was now a vivid picture of a mountain lake, surrounding by trees and shimmering in the moonlight. Sappho stared into the vision hard, finally able to see the image of Xena and Gabrielle floating in the water locked in an intimate embrace.

The poet's smile outshone the stars and the moon, "Aahh! Finally."

Sappho sighed as she watched Xena lift Gabrielle into her arms out of the water and head slowly towards the shore.

Laci waved her hand and the vision disappeared, "That's enough I think!"

"Thank you, Laci. I appreciate that." Sappho sighed, "I like to think I had some small hand in this."

"Well, I wouldn't be too proud of yourself, Tenth Muse. Their threads were woven together a long time ago."

"Really?" Sappho was a little disappointed, "Oh well, the Great Sappho can't be responsible for every grand love story, can she?"

"No," Laci answered, "but she can sure help them along with her poetry."

Sappho bowed at the compliment.

"So what do the Fates have in store for me?"

Laci chuckled, "You never give up. You know I can't tell you that." The maiden leaned forward to whisper, "But I can tell you this.....your thread goes on long after its golden lustre has faded."

Sappho laughed and hugged Laci hard again.

"I am really going to miss you."

"Oh, you're not rid of us yet." The same bright shimmering light that brought The Maiden Fate onto the deck, whisked her away. Sappho was, once again, standing alone in the night.

The poet stared across the black ocean and closed her eyes, imaging M'Lila was standing there with her, a voice in perfect harmony.

As Sappho began to sing, she prayed silently that the Muses would carry her voice across the sea to a quiet mountain lake so that Gabrielle and Xena might hear.

".......Is this the answer, pulling me to you

******

The End

Notes: Just in case you are curious, I've used actual Sappho quotes throughout this story.

However, some of the poems and songs used belong to the following artists:

Marie-Madeleine

Rene Vivien

Shakespeare

Enya

Lorenna McKennitt

The Mole & The Owl - written by Chuck Duffie

This author wishes to apologize to all of the above artists for any changes made to their works. The bard, Gabrielle of Poteidaia, does have a habit of changing a story to suite her needs, after all.

If you would like to find out exactly what belongs to whom, feel free to e-mail me, and I'll be happy to let you know.

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed!

DJWP <poorldl@earthlink.net>

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