For Better or Worse

Xena watched as Gabrielle's mother walked towards them, her cold eyes
fixed on the Warrior Princess.  

"Where is Gabrielle?"  She asked briskly.
 
"Back in Amazonia mother," Sarah interjected drawing her mother's
annoyed glare from the Warrior Princess.                             

"I asked Xena the question Sarah, not you," she snapped then returned
her gaze to the Warrior Princess.                                    

"Sarah is right, Gabrielle is still in Amazonia,"  Xena responded
cooly.   
                          
"You left her there...alone?"  She asked incredulously.              

"Mother, she is not exactly alo..."  Lila blurted, quickly silenced
by her mother's sharp stare.                                         

"Gabrielle asked that I deliver these scrolls to Sarah,"  Xena
relayed, pointing to the treaty and demands.  "I did as she asked," 
Xena added simply, though the woman's words weighed heavily on Xena's
already concerned mind.
      
"She CAN be pretty stub...born,"  Meleager interjected then coughed
when his future mother-in-law turned her icy glare towards him. 
                             
"Who will protect her from that...that...woman?"  The older woman
blurted, having not slept since she finally wore down her daughters'
resistance to explaining to her the disturbing reason for Gabrielle's
abrupt departure.

Surprised the older woman was aware of the situation, Xena looked
over to Sarah and Lila, who shrugged innocently. 

"Once these scrolls are signed, the claim to Walsas is settled and
Gurda no longer has an ability to challenge the throne,"  Xena
explained cooly, staring at the older woman.  

Sarah quickly took her quill out and decided now would be good time
to sign the treaty. 

"If Gurda challenges Gabrielle now, it will be a personal challenge
and she can name a champion to fight for her.  I will fight for her,"
Xena spoke calmly and confidently.                  

"Xena's the best fighter mother,"  Sarah interjected as she blew on
the ink to dry it, hoping to further allay her mother's fears.       

"She MUST be if she can fight a woman in Amazonia all the way from
WALSAS!"  She snapped.   

Xena's gaze dropped to the floor, the mother's words successfully 
hitting their mark.
       
"Gurda wouldn't risk challenging Gabrielle now, she'd be crazy to," 
Lila interjected, amazed to find the Warrior Princess so...passive. 

The older woman looked at her daughters then Xena.
                                            
"A few years ago, I knew my daughter," she paused wearily, slightly
shaking her head.  "The woman you...travel...with,"  The older woman
exhaled slowly.  "...is not the Gabrielle I raised,"  the woman
relayed, looking up into the warrior's eyes.                         

"Gabrielle has grown into an amazing woman," Xena spoke with
conviction.

"She is more willful, ready to take chances...You know Gabrielle
better than I do Xena.  If she is challenged, are you SURE she'll
name a champion?"  She asked and waited for an answer that Xena
didn't have.
              
"Xena,"  Sarah asked with concern, seeing the warrior's face as she
hesitated in answering.  "She wouldn't fight Gurda, would she?"      
          
In front of the cave, the Amazons watched uneasily as the challenge
began.  Immediately, the towering Gurda launched into a fierce
attack.  Gabrielle stumbled backwards while blocking each powerful
strike from her opponent, who was trying to use her superior strength
to overpower the smaller bard.                                       
 
Solari and Eponin gasped at Gurda's intensity.  Sustra just nudged a
concerned Trayla and shook her head with a knowing smile.            
                                        
To Gurda's surprise, this BARD Queen quickly responded with her own 
attack.  Sustra noted that while the bard's blows did not have the
same power, they were more controlled and came closer to hitting her
opponent.  Gurda's brow furrowed as she realized it would take longer
than she expected to beat this bard.

After long rounds of hitting and blocking, blocking and hitting,
Gabrielle knew she needed an edge.  Gurda's strength would eventually
overwhelm her if they kept this pace up. 

"First you loose the chance at the throne," Gabrielle called out as
she lunged towards the Amazon.                            

The Queen's attack was easily deflected by the Amazon, who quickly
countered with a grunt-filled attack of her own.  Gabrielle swiftly
blocked the rapid strikes but at the expense of valuable energy.  The
muscles in her arms started to quake with fatigue, never before
pushed so hard.  Gods I should have practiced more, the bard silently
scolded herself.
         
"...and now your losing this challenge," she blurted, continuing her
verbal assault and making Gurda very annoyed.  

The bard thrust one end of her staff with an enthusiastic and
distracting cry.  Deliberately stopping short of her opponent's
high block, she deftly reversed her attack.  With an underhanded
thrust from the other end of her staff, she successfully slipped
passed her opponent's defenses, making solid contact with the
Amazon's ribs.  

Grins formed on the faces of the hunting party as Gurda recoiled in
pain.

"Tell me Gurda, aren't you tired of losing to me yet?"  Gabrielle
continued her attack.              

"Gods don't you ever shut up?"  Gurda spat with irritation as she
lunged at the bard, who blocked the attack but felt her strength
draining away.  The bard concluded she would definitely have to
practice more.     
                               
Gabrielle crouched down and attempted to sweep the feet from Gurda,
who easily jumped the bard's staff.  The bard looked up with wide
eyes, realizing she was too slow and left herself open.  Not having
enough time to raise her staff to block Gurda's next attack,
Gabrielle attempted to dive out of the way.
                                                 
Sustra gasped watching Gurda's staff plummet down with great force
and strike the Queen's back.  Gabrielle collapsed into the dirt.  
                       
Still dazed by the blow, Gabrielle barely managed to roll out of the
way of Gurda's violent downward thrust, aimed at the injured Queen's
head.  The smile of vicious glee faded from Gurda's face when her
staff only hit dirt.  Gurda's eyes widened with the realization that
she had now left herself open.
     
"Ughh," Gurda groaned loudly when the felled bard slammed the end of
her staff in the Amazon's already aching ribs.              
 
Sustra blurted out her joy at the bard's skilled move from the
ground.  "YES!!" 

Stumbling back a moment, Gurda gasped, allowing the bard time to get
back on her feet.  The fatigued Queen quickly glanced over her
shoulder at the gaping mouth of the cave.  When Gurda rushed her
again, Gabrielle retreated into the black void to Gurda's surprise
and amusement. 

"Running already Queen Gabrielle?"  Gurda laughed as she followed the
bard into the darkness.  "It will only delay the inevitable..." 
Gurda blurted confidently.  

Solari and Sustra grabbed their torches.  "No!"  Eponin called to her
sisters.  "We can not interfere," she relayed to the unhappy Amazons.

"I am not going to interfere, just see what's happening.  A
challenge needs witnesses doesn't it??"  Sustra argued, taking a
torch and lighting it.                                               

"I'll go too,"  Raiz added grabbing Solari's torch.  "To witness..." 
Raiz added, making Solari sigh and release the torch.  Sustra nodded
in agreement and entered the cave.                  
 
Ahead of their field of vision, Sustra and Raiz heard the two women
fighting in the dark.  "Is she crazy?"  Raiz shook her head and asked
Sustra.    
 
"Well, you know Gurda better than I do..."  Sustra responded
sarcastically.                                                       

The sounds they heard next were confusing.  In rapid succession, they
heard a dull thunk, what they thought was a muttered 'in the name of
Hera', a very loud grunt, a swat, a moan and someone collapse to the
dirt.  

As they rushed towards the noise, their torch light revealed their
exhausted Queen standing over Gurda.  Gabrielle held her staff at the
ready, waiting for Gurda to move while praying she wouldn't.  Sustra
smiled broadly when her Queen quickly glanced at her.  

When Gurda rolled over on her back, Gabrielle held her staff
threateningly.  "It's...OVER...Gurda," Gabrielle called out between
gasps.  Gurda lifted her hands to her forehead and moaned.  "Gurda!" 
Gabrielle yelled at her.  Gurda nodded and lifted her hands up in a
formal gesture of defeat.                 
  
"It's over..."  Gabrielle exhaled with relief that the burden of the
whole Amazon situation was finally over.  She looked up at her loyal
Amazon, who was grinning ear to ear.  Gabrielle smiled back and
forced her exhausted body towards her friend as Raiz helped the
moaning Amazon up.
                                                 
"Don't be too relieved, we've still got an egg to find,"  Gabrielle
relayed with a grin to her friend, who shook her head in amazement at
the tenacity of this bard.                           
              
As they started to leave, a cold gust extinguished the two torches. 
Sustra and Gabrielle heard Gurda's chilling war cry, just before they
felt the impact of the Amazon.       

She rode Argo hard all the way from Walsas and arrived in the Amazon
village before the Amazon scouts at the edge of the territory could
even announce her arrival.  Xena dismounted and rushed into the
Queen's hut.  Bolting from the empty hut, Xena scanned the village
and called out for her bard.  "Gabrielle?  Gabrielle?"  Xena waited
uneasily for a response.
  
"Xena!  What's going on??  Why are you so up..?"  Ephiny met up with
the Warrior Princess outside the Queen's hut.
                                
"Where's Gabrielle?"  Xena sharply interrupted her.                  
     
"Hunting for that furry...chicken thing with a small hunting party," 
Ephiny relayed with a shrug.  "I'm not exactly sure why she was so
determined to..." 
 
"Where's Gurda?"  Xena interrupted, not attempting to hide her
concern.  Ephiny was too slow in responding.  "Where's Gurda?!?" 
Xena snapped impatiently.
                          
"I don't KNOW Xena...what is going on??"  Without another word, Xena
left for the caves, with the confused and concerned Amazon close
behind.     

"I won, I've defeated the Queen!"  Gurda yelled triumphantly as the
bruised and bloodied Amazon stumbled out of the cave.  The Amazons
noted with shock the amount of blood on her, unusual for a staff
fight.     

"Gurda!"  Eponin blurted angrily.  "We will hear from our witnesses
before declaring the victor."

An uncaring Gurda sneered at her.  

"Raiz!  Come here!"  She spat back to the cave.  Surprising Gurda,
Raiz emerged with Sustra, helping their injured Queen out of the
cave.  Gurda's mouth dropped. 
                                                
"Raiz?"  Gurda questioned her, panicked she would actually help that
bard. 

"Aren't you..."  Gabrielle spoke with great effort.  "...a little
quick...to declare...victory?"  Gabrielle's breathing was labored. 

There was so much blood, Eponin's mouth dropped. 
                                     
"Arrest her," Raiz spoke coldly.  The Amazons who arrived with Gurda
froze, not knowing what to do.  "She acknowledged the Queen as the
victor, then stabbed her in the back,"  Raiz spit angrily, throwing
the bloody dagger on the ground before their feet.  Elea and Raylas
stepped up and grabbed Gurda's arms.          
        
Gurda yanked her arms out of their grip.  "NO! Elea...Raylas...listen
to me!  I beat her!  I beat her!"  Gurda shook her head emphatically,
her eyes darted between the women that rode with her, not getting the
support she expected.  She looked to Wynna and Karael, who looked
upon her with silent disgust.  "NO! I WON...I WON," she repeated as
she frantically backed away from them.  Suddenly, she made a mad dash
for her horse and mounted.        
                  
"Stop her!"  Trayla called out to the Amazons, as Gurda started to
get away.  Now a matter of personal honor, the group that formerly
rode with Gurda, rode after her.

"How are you doing?"  Sustra said with a shake in her voice, still
applying pressure on her Queen's wound.  With only a moan in
response, Raiz and Sustra lowered the very weak bard to the ground.

"We need a healer NOW!"  Sustra blurted as she eyed Eponin, who
nodded and quickly left with the most important mission in her life.

                  
Gabrielle moaned and shivered.  "ssso ...c cold," the bard mumbled. 
Raiz rushed to her horse and retrieved a blanket.  Sustra kept
pressure over the wound.  

"Oh Gods..."  Sustra silently prayed, not truly knowing fear until
now.  They placed the blanket around the shivering bard the best they
could.         

"Fire...make a fire..."  Sustra blurted to Solari, numbly following
Sustra's orders.                                                     

"Stop the...bleeding,"  Gabrielle relayed weakly.  

Sustra looked at the fire then Raiz.  "Sword, get your sword..." 
Sustra relayed nervously, seeing no other options.  She prayed she
could do what needed to be done.  Raiz nodded, standing by, waiting
for Solari to get the blaze going.  

"Sustra?"  Gabrielle called softly.                                  
 
"I'm here, Gabrielle,"  Sustra responded nervously.                  
       
"Tell Xena ...I love her,"  Gabrielle relayed, barely above a
whisper.
 
"NO! No, I won't,"  Sustra responded forcefully.  "You'll have to
tell her yourself Gabrielle."  The bard closed her eyes.             
                          
"Gabrielle?  Gabrielle!" Sustra yelled at the bard, who's
eyes opened again.       

"Tell her..."  Gabrielle softly urged the Amazon, grasping her arm
with surprising strength.  
                   
As Sustra was about to cave in and promise her Queen, she heard the
frantic hoof beats of three horses approaching them.  Looking up she
saw Eponin, Ephiny and the Warrior Princess arrive and quickly
dismount.  Grabbing her saddle bags, Xena and rushed over and knelt
by her bard. 

"Gabrielle, I'm here," Xena informed the bard in a voice much calmer
than her eyes, which anxiously surveyed the injury after Sustra
removed her hand.  "I'm here..."  Xena repeated, reapplying pressure
to the wound with her hand.  

The wound was going to require a large number of quick and small
stitches to stop the bleeding, the warrior considered.  For
Gabrielle's sake she wanting to avoid searing the wound.  That would
be the last resort, she considered, swallowing hard.
               
The weak bard smiled with relief.  "About...time,"  Gabrielle
blurted.  

"I should have never left you..." Xena added with a crack in her
voice as she opened her saddle bag with her free hand to begin her
task.

"Xena?"  She called to her warrior with concern in her voice.

"I'm here Gabrielle..."  Xena said uneasily, caressing the bard's
face.                       

"You know how much..."  Gabrielle spoke softly, gazing intensely in
the warrior's worried eyes.  Losing her struggle with consciousness,
the bard passed out.  

Xena gasped sharply, nervously checking for a pulse.  The Warrior's
reaction alarmed the Amazons.  Xena sighed raggedly when she felt a
faint beat.
 
"I know,"  Xena answered in a whisper and proceeded to swiftly
and meticulously stitch up the bard's wound.  
                                                 
Ephiny brought over soup to the Warrior Princess who hadn't budged 
from Gabrielle's side for hours.  "Hungry?"  She asked.              

Xena's gaze never left her bard, who endured more...so much more
adversity than she ever deserved.                                    

Having done all that she could, Xena could now only sit and wait...
and remember.  Remember the other times, the too many other times,
where she anxiously waited for her injured bard to recover.  In
Corerik when her brave bard stood up to the prejudiced Sunmoon...at
Uncle Ustas' after she fell off a cliff while leading an escape
attempt from slavers...in Verbinia, after the bard had her gift
brutally torn away...and now....

To helplessly wait, while this gentle soul she loved with all of her
dark heart, suffered....  She knew THIS was the Warrior Princess' 
Tartarus, Xena numbly concluded, still gazing upon the gentle soul.
                                                     
Ephiny sat down with the bowl of soup, undeterred.  "It's not that
bad if I do say so myself,"  Ephiny added, taking an exaggerated
sniff of the bowl.  She sighed, getting no response. 
                          
"Trayla and Eponin offered to be her champion,"  Ephiny informed
Xena, finally getting a response...a cold glare.  "She said no to
both of them,"  Ephiny added, placing the bowl next to Xena, who's
eyes glanced at the bowl with disinterest and returned to the bard.

"She had something to prove Xena,"  Ephiny relayed.                  

"Something to prove?!?"  Xena blurted.  "All she proved was that she
shouldn't have fought Gurda."    

Gabrielle moaned and shifted.  Xena was immediately checking her
forehead and pale cheeks for a temperature.  "It's ok Gabrielle, I'm
here..."  Xena spoke soft words of encouragement to the bard and
sighed with relief, finding no temperature. 

"You're going to be fine,"  Xena added firmly, sounding more like
an order than encouragement.  She had to be fine, the warrior closed
her eyes tightly, fighting the tears that threatened to come.
                              
"Gabrielle won the challenge Xena," Ephiny relayed, drawing another
sharp look from the Warrior Princess, who didn't care.  Xena's gaze
softened when it returned to the bard, who she knew did.
           
"But she already won...she found a peaceful solution, even when
others...I ...doubted her,"  Xena said hollowly, guiltily shaking her
head as she gently traced over the bard's pale cheek.  
                   
"Yes.  Yes she did," Ephiny nodded and sighed.  "But even when she
found her solution, we still made her feel she had something to
prove."   The truthful words finally defeated Xena in her battle
against the tears, which started to escape from Warrior Princess'
eyes.      

Ephiny set the bowl of soup down and stood up. "Eat the soup Xena,
Gabrielle needs you to be strong,"  Ephiny told her.

Wiping the tears from her face and drawing in a steadying breath,
Xena stared at her bard then the soup bowl.  When she grabbed the
bowl, Ephiny nodded and returned to the other side of the fire.      

Ephiny sighed and sat next to Sustra.  "No fever," Ephiny relayed the
bit of hopeful news, drawing Sustra's eyes from the fire.        

"She lost so much blood," she added, a quiver in her voice escaping. 

Ephiny nodded and looked across the camp to the Warrior Princess, who
tenderly ministered to the bard.  She noted how the stoic warrior,
who once struggled to hide her love for her bard, could no more hide
her love now than the sun could keep from setting.      

"I'm going to get some rest,"  Ephiny remarked.  "You see to it they
get whatever they need."  Ephiny instructed Sustra, who nodded.  "You
should also get some rest," Ephiny told the group of concerned
Amazons pacing by the cave.     

Sustra watched as Xena gently checked Gabrielle's face and forehead
for signs of a fever.  As she showered the bard with soft words of
encouragement and love, Xena would gently lift up the bard's ugly but
protective tunic to tend to the wound.

To think those same gentle hands could wield such a deadly sword, was
amazing to the Amazon.  
         
"Sarah signed the treaty Gabrielle,"  Xena noted to the unconscious
bard.  "She was not exactly thrilled with the demands,"  Xena grinned
slightly as she caressed the bard's face.  "But I think she really
likes the new name," she noted.  "I know I do," Xena relayed softly. 
"You surprised me my bard...again," Xena admitted, her eyes
moistening once again.

"Xena, do you need anything?"  Sustra asked uneasily, startling the
Warrior Princess, who's head jerked up abruptly.
 
"No," she answered briskly, wiping the evidence of weakness from her
eyes before it escaped again.

Sustra nodded wearily and started back to the other side of the fire,
mentally scolding herself for bothering the Warrior Princess.        

"Sustra," Xena called, making the Amazon turn.  "Tell me what
happened," Xena asked softly, surprising the Amazon, who nodded.

Ephiny turned her head towards the two warriors who kept watch over
their Queen and quietly talked.  Ephiny smiled and closed her eyes. 
          
"She fought as an Amazon Queen should," Sustra noted with a satisfied
grin.  "Melosa would have been proud," Sustra added.  Xena looked at
the bard, knowing how important that was to her.

"Gurda underestimated her,"  Gurda relayed, shaking her head as she
looked down at the Queen.  "Just like everyone does."
                                                             
"Except you," Xena noted, surprising Sustra, who's gaze was drawn
from the bard.

"I've practiced with her," Sustra explained with an embarrassed
shrug.  "It's not wise to underestimate anything she does...I've
found out THAT the hard way,"  Gurda grimaced, making Xena reveal a
small smile.        
            
"She drew Gurda into the cave and fought her.  We thought she was
crazy.  You can't even see your own hand, let alone your opponent. 
But then Raiz and I went in to see what was going on.  We heard them
fighting and then someone collapse.  When we got to them and could
see what was going on, there she was..."  Sustra grinned at the fond
memory as she looked at her unconscious Queen.  "...standing over
Gurda, who just held her head and moaned."                           
                       
Xena's eyebrow raised.  She glanced over to the cave then down at her
bard.  A small, knowing smile, emerged as she realized Gabrielle had
compensated for Gurda's advantages with one of her own...one that was
far superior...her devious mind.
                                            
"She got Gurda to admit defeat and then...when we started to leave
the cave," Sustra relayed, then grimaced angrily. "I shouldn't have
turned my back on Gurda...I was so stupid," she blurted.

"Sustra, Gurda admitted defeat.  That means the matter is
finished...you could not have known Gurda would not honour that
Amazon custom,"  Xena relayed, fully understanding this Amazon's
guilt.   

"I should have,"  Sustra said bitterly.                           
      
"And I should have been there to protect her," Xena countered.  

"Xena, you couldn't have...she asked you to deliver the Treaty," 
Sustra responded.

"And you couldn't have known Gurda would be dishonourable,"  Xena
relayed, making the Amazon sigh and shake her head in disagreement. 

"Gabrielle doesn't blame you...and neither do I," Xena added
sincerely.  The Amazon looked up from the bard and eyed the warrior. 

"She must be rubbing off on you then," Sustra blurted, not ready to
give up her guilt.                                                   
      
"I hope so," Xena said softly, returning her gaze to the bard.
     
As the sun finally rose and peeked over the mountains, Xena glanced
around the camp, seeing the Amazons stirring.  

"How is she?"  Ephiny asked as she approached the Warrior Princess.
               
"So far, no fever,"  Xena relayed.  "It is still too early to tell if
she's past that," Xena admitted with a weary sigh, gently brushing
her fingers over the bard's cheek.       
                               
"Can she travel?"  Ephiny asked. 
 
"Not yet," Xena relayed, her gaze fixed on the bard's pale face. 

"When we do travel, I'm taking her to Galisar," Xena added firmly,
finally looking up at Ephiny, who knew better than to argue...though
she wondered where that was. 

Days passed slowly for the weary group but to their relief, the bard
grew steadily stronger.  Raiz had returned to Amazonia to inform the
tribe their Queen was recovering and the remaining Amazons would be
escorting their recovering Queen back to Galisar, wherever that was.

By their seventh day by the caves, everyone including the bard was
anxious to travel.  That is, everyone except the Warrior Princess.   
          
"Any idea when we are going to be ready to travel?"  Sustra asked
with a mouth full of bread during breakfast, earning an annoyed
glance from the Warrior Princess. 

"I am ready to travel now,"  Gabrielle relayed enthusiastically as
she started to lean to her side to stand up.  She groaned slightly,
the pain in her back reminding her to take it slow.
                                                       
"What do you think you are doing?!?"  Xena blurted with great
exasperation, grabbing the bard's shoulder, keeping her put.   

The uneasy Amazons quickly looked at each other with wide eyes and
suddenly found some chores they had to do...elsewhere.        

"I'm trying to stand, which I'm finding rather difficult with you 
continuing to hold me down," Gabrielle snapped, eyeing the
warrior's hand on her shoulder then the warrior.  

"Gabrielle, you are pushing yourself too fast.  We are GOING to wait
until you are stronger," the determined Warrior Princess informed the
weak bard.                   

Helping Gabrielle up on Argo, Sustra cringed, noticing a very
disgruntled Warrior Princess scowling down at her.  However, after
receiving a smile from her Queen when she got settled in the saddle,
Sustra considered the scowl a small price to pay.  Though, wisely
electing not to push it, Sustra quickly left their company for her
horse.

When Xena carefully slipped her arm around Gabrielle's waist, she
felt the bard's fingers capture her's.  As Gabrielle cautiously
leaned back into her with a contented sigh, the warrior shook her
head with a small smile. 

"Are you ok?"  Xena asked.

"More than ok...now," Gabrielle responded softly with a smile.    

The group rode for hours before stopping at a clearing for lunch. 
Though she was not about to admit it, Gabrielle was thankful for the
break from the painfully bumpy ride on Argo.

In the middle of their lunch, Xena saw Gabrielle grimace
slightly as she shifted to a more comfortable sitting position.      
    
"Gabrielle, you should take a nap after lunch.  Sleep is
important to recovering quickly,"  Xena informed the bard as
inspected the bard's bandages again.     

The Amazons exchanged glances.

"I don't need to take a nap Xena," Gabrielle countered with a
restrained grimace as the warrior touched her near the wound.
                             
"Gabrielle, you're exhausted and need to sleep," Xena quickly
responded in a stern voice.                                          
                  
The Amazons quietly wrapped up their food and put it away, except for
Sustra, who was hungry and still enjoying her lunch.   
                   
"I can SLEEP on Argo as we ride," Gabrielle responded with increasing
irritation.

The Amazons started to look around for something to do...elsewhere. 
"You want to practice?"  Eponin asked Trayla, who nodded vigorously
and blurted "YES!"

Ephiny opened her mouth to ask Solari, who agreed before the words
escaped. "Great idea! Let's practice!"  

The four abruptly got up and left their picnic site.  Sustra looked
up from her bread to find the Amazons had abandoned her.  When the
Warrior Princess and Queen looked at her a moment, Sustra smiled
weakly and unenthusiastically bit into her bread.

"I know you can sleep on Argo Gabrielle, but you will be more rested
from a nap here," Xena continued her discussion with the stubborn
bard, pointing to the grassy patch they were sitting on.  

"Please?" The Warrior Princess added softly, surprising Sustra, who
finished her lunch and nonchalantly pulled out her sword and
inspected a spot on it. 

Sustra breathed over that spot and tried to rub it off.  It needs
polishing, she concluded.  That would be a nice quiet activity that
wouldn't disturb her Queen, she considered, pulling out a cloth. 

"All right, all right..." Gabrielle responded, lifting her hands up
in defeat, making the Warrior Princess smile.  "But you need a break
yourself," Gabrielle relayed with concern.  Sustra quickly glanced up
at the two, now also concerned.
              
"I don't need..."  Xena relayed with a furrowed brow.  Sustra's
glance returned to her sword, which she more vigorously rubbed with
her cloth.

"Xena...go for a walk...run...ride...do SOMETHING," Gabrielle 
interjected.  Sustra's eyes widened with fear as they looked up at
the too-helpful Queen, then drifted down to the sword in her lap.  

"I know you need a break from this..from me," the Queen argued.
  
"I don't want to leave..."  Xena countered.

"Sustra will be here.  I'll be fine," Gabrielle argued to quell any
further objections.  Sustra held her breath, hoping.
          
"You sure?"  Xena asked.

Letting out a long and relieved exhale, Sustra silently thanked the
Gods, all of them, for the reprieve from practicing with Xena.  As
she stared at her sword with that spot, she felt cold and
discriminating eyes on her.  When she dared to look up, her
suspicions were confirmed, the Warrior Princess was glaring at her. 

"Absolutely," Gabrielle blurted with conviction, drawing the
warrior's gaze back to the bard, who beamed at her success when the
warrior rolled her eyes.  Xena shook her head as she got up.
        
Looking in the direction of the Amazons' sudden retreat,  Xena
unsheathed her sword.  "I'll see if they are interested in
practicing...with me," the Warrior Princess relayed with a wild
twinkle in her eyes and an enthusiastic grin on her face.
                               
As she watched the Warrior Princess disappear into the forest, Sustra
was not so upset anymore that her sisters abandoned her.

"Uh, maybe I shouldn't have suggested she take a break," Gabrielle
noted, looking at Sustra with a guilty grimace.

"All I can say is I'm glad I'm here and not there," Sustra admitted. 
 
"Me too," Gabrielle responded warmly before laying back and closing
her eyes for that nap.  Soon, she was sound asleep.    

Sustra looked upon the Queen for a thoughtful moment, then smiled and
proceeded to polish her sword.  
                                      
Gabrielle woke to the sound of the Warrior Princess, who was humming
as she strolled back from the forest.  The bard yawned as she sat up,
expecting to find the other Amazons following her warrior.  When they
didn't appear she looked over to Sustra, who shook her head and
shrugged.    

"Xena?" Gabrielle asked, watching her carefree warrior approach.

"Yes Gabrielle?"  The Warrior Princess responded with a warm smile as
she sat down next to her bard.  As the warrior lounged back on her
elbow, Gabrielle noticed how incredibly... relaxed...Xena was.  

"Where is everyone?" She asked, her concerned eyes darting back at
the forest.  As the Warrior Princess opened her mouth to explain,
Ephiny appeared.      

Shooting a cold glare at Xena as she emerged from the forest, Ephiny
silently passed them, clenching her aching right side with her
hand.  When she sat down next to Sustra, the smallest of moans
escaped.  
     
Gabrielle turned to Xena.  "Xena?"  Gabrielle asked, interrupting her
Warrior Princess' tenacious inspection of her nails.        

"Hmmmm??"  Xena responded softly, looking up from her nails with a
warm smile for the bard, who now watched Trayla emerge from the
forest.  The Amazon held her hand against her eye, using her
remaining good one to coldly glare at the Warrior Princess.  

Sustra started to giggle, successfully drawing the glaring eye
towards her.  Sustra's giggles were promptly extinguished.
                    
Gabrielle's eyes widened.  "Xena," the concerned bard once again
started to question her warrior when she saw Eponin helping a limping
Solari from the forest.  "Solari!  Are you all right?"  Gabrielle
gasped.
 
"Except for my sprained ankle, I've never been better,"  Solari
responded dryly as Eponin helped her sit down.  "...now that my ARM
is fully healed," Solari snapped, her narrow eyes glaring at the
Warrior Princess, who slightly cringed with a twinge of guilt.  
            
"What a coincidence,"  Eponin relayed, rubbing her sprained left arm.
"My arm has just started acting up," she mentioned, also glaring at
the Warrior Princess. 

As they rode towards Galisar, Xena couldn't stand the silence. 

"I SAID I was sorry," Xena repeated to the bard.  The bard responded
with another sigh.  "Gabrielle, they are warriors, they are used to
getting a few bumps and bruises," Xena explained.  "It keeps them on
their toes...."  Xena added to her defense.

Gabrielle looked over her shoulder at the Warrior Princess with an
open mouth, about to respond, but then elected not to.  Sighing, she
shook her head as she turned her gaze forward to survey the damage
riding in front of them.
      
Ephiny was leaning at an odd angle in her saddle.  Solari's left
ankle was wrapped and too swollen for her to bother trying to place
her foot in its stirrup.  Eponin held the reigns with one arm,
the other wrapped in a brace, which the recently experienced Solari
helped put on.  Trayla continued to hold her hand to her eye. 

"I said I was sorry..."  Xena muttered.
                              
As they rode in the front gates of Galisar, Gabrielle's family gasped
at the sight of the group.  "Gods, it must have been some battle,"
Lila blurted in amazement to Sarah.  Gabrielle's parents looked at
each other briefly before returning their concerned gazes towards the
riders.

When the sisters called out Gabrielle's name, the bard smiled.
           
"What happened?!?  Xena left a WEEK ago! We were so worried," 
Sarah blurted, watching her sister dismount with some difficulty. 
Lila noted the other Amazons also having difficulty dismounting.  
                     
"Nothing to worry about now, so how are the wedding preparations
coming along?"  The bard responded.
   
"What happened Gabrielle," her mother approached her and asked
calmly.  "Did you fight that Gurda woman?"  She questioned, 
surprising Gabrielle, who looked at her sisters.  They shrugged.

"Yes mother," Gabrielle admitted with a sigh, bracing herself for
another lecture on the evils of fighting.

"Are you all right?"  Her mother asked softly and reached out to
squeeze Gabrielle's forearm gently.  A surprised Gabrielle smiled.
      
"I'm fine, now," Gabrielle relayed, glancing back at her warrior, who
sighed.  Feeling more tired than she realized, Gabrielle started to
sway.  Xena quickly caught the bard before she tumbled over.
                                               
"She still has a lot of healing to do," Xena informed the older
woman, who suspected Xena was not one for exaggeration and looked at
her daughter with greater concern.  Gabrielle sighed heavily.        

"I bet you're going to still say that a YEAR from now," Gabrielle
blurted, looking up at her warrior.                                  
      
"Gabrielle, it's only been one WEEK since you got hurt," Xena
responded with annoyance.  "You're pushing yourself TOO hard" Xena
blurted.
 
The Amazons shifted uncomfortably.  Sarah and Lila looked at each
other.  Gabrielle's parents quietly watched the Warrior Princess and
their middle daughter.            

When Gabrielle opened her mouth in protest, Xena interrupted.  "Don't
argue,"  Xena snapped.  "Now let's get unpacked and ready for
dinner,"  Xena instructed her, grabbing their saddle bags then the
bard's shoulder.  "Come on," Xena quickly added as she pointed the
bard towards the castle and prompted her along.  "You should also
take a bath."
                                                           
Gabrielle's mouth dropped.  Her mother and father silently looked at
each other, then watched the two women as they left for the
castle.  

The youngest Poteidaian turned her curious gaze to the Amazons and
ventured a question that weighed on her mind since she saw them
dismount.  

"What happened to you?"  Lila asked Trayla, who's eye was now very
puffy and taking on a rather unattractive hue of purple.  The good
eye glared at the youngest Poteidaian, making her uneasy.  Lila felt
relieved when that good eye turned on Sustra, who struggled
unsuccessfully to muffle her giggles.
 
"Ambush," Solari offered with a casual shrug, shocking the
Poteidaian family.  Ephiny, Eponin and Trayla nodded in weary
agreement.  Sustra grinned.          
                         
"Well, Gabrielle has once again managed to arrive just before meal
time," Sarah relayed to the Amazons with a grin.  "You ALL are
welcome to my table for a welcome back dinner," Sarah announced
warmly. 

The Amazons smiled.       

"Of course, dinner will be AFTER you...ladies...freshen up," Sarah's
mother relayed to them with a polite smile.                  

The Amazons' smiles were gone.