"We know this much:
Death is an evil;
We have the Gods word for it.
They too would die if it were a good thing."
- Sappho, circa 625 B.C.

Gabrielle felt terrible.

"Sit down and let me look at it," the bard scolded the warrior.

Xena waved her friend away in annoyance and tried to walk away.

Gabrielle grabbed her arm. "Sit down or I'll give you another one!"

"Ha, you and what army?" She said chuckling, but sat down in a chair anyway, chuckling, and lifted her face for her friend to inspect the black eye.

Gabrielle felt really terrible. She gently adjusted her friend's face for a better view in the candlelight and then touched the bruised area softly with a fingertip.

"Does that hurt?"

"Yes."

"Let me put a cold cloth on it." Gabrielle took a clean cloth soaked in cold water from Sappho. The poet had anticipated the need and had brought one over. The bard squeezed the water out and placed it carefully over Xena's eye.

"There. Does that feel better?"

"No."

"I told you warriors were just big babies." Sappho grunted and plopped down in a chair. She looked around the empty inn, obviously very annoyed at being stuck here for the rest of the night -- especially when the party was just getting interesting.

"Now what are we going to do?" Sappho whined. "And how could you just leave everyone behind?"

"Sappho, the city guards will break up that party. You friends will be back here in no time," Xena answered from under the wet cloth. She smiled up at Gabrielle and took over holding the cloth to her eye, "I'm fine Gabrielle. It's not the first black eye I've ever had, and it won't be the last."

"But it was my fault, Xena. I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault," Xena stated, staring directly at Sappho with her one good eye. Sappho shrugged her shoulders.

"She kept staring at me. And then her husband insulted Gabrielle. What were we supposed to do?"

Xena was seriously considering giving the poet another spanking when the door to the inn burst open. Laci came prancing in followed closely by Cleo, and then the rest of the troupe. They were excited and full of energy.

"What a fight!" Laci exclaimed, running up to Sappho and throwing her arms around the poet. "That was the best party yet!"

The young woman looked over at Xena just as the warrior was taking the cloth from her eye. "Ooohh, Xena! What a shiner! Who hit you? … Gabrielle. You didn't!"

"Of course not!" Gabrielle exclaimed.

Xena rolled her eyes and shoved the cloth into her hands.

Gabrielle looked down at the cloth, realizing it was no longer cold, walked off to dip it in the cold water bucket again and brought it back to Xena.

"Is everyone all right?" Xena asked Cleo.

The woman nodded unruffled. "Your Amazons rounded us up and brought us back. The fight was still going on when we left."

Xena looked to the four Amazons in the back of the room and nodded her approval. Rumi saluted her with a staff.

"Great!" Sappho clapped her hands together and stood, "Now that everyone is here, let's have a toast to the best performance yet!"

The entire troupe began to surround the table where Sappho, Xena and Gabrielle had been sitting.

"Where's Samthus?" Sappho called.

"Right here," the manager grumbled.

"Start pouring the drinks!"

"I'll help you." Cleo offered quietly. Together they moved behind the bar and started lining up the goblets.

"Tomorrow, we leave for Athens, the final city in my tour. I can't believe it's almost over. I'm not sure how a feel about this tour finally coming to an end. I just hope you have all had a good time."

"We have, Sappho, we really have," Calliope answered sadly.

"None of us wants to see it end," Erato added.

"Neither do I," Sappho said gracing them all with a large smile to try to keep the mood cherry, "but it’s time and Athens is a fiiting end."

They waited patiently as Cleo passed out the goblets. She put one down in front of each member of the troupe at the table, finishing the task by handing one to Gabrielle and then another to Xena. The warrior refused her goblet, still holding the cold cloth to her eye. Cleo shrugged and walked away.

Sappho started to raise her goblet into the air and then a thought came to her. She put the drink back onto the table.

"You know, we all have homes where we were born and families to return to. Some of you even have lovers that you have left behind. What I'm trying to say is that no matter where you go or whom you go back to, you are as close as my own family to me. You will always be welcome at my home. Each of you has filled a place in my heart. It's not as empty as it used to be, and because of each of you, my heart will never will be empty again. I thank the Gods for that. I really do."

Gabrielle found herself smiling at the poet. This was the first time she heard Sappho sound as though she had peace in her heart and had put her missing lover to rest. Perhaps she had.

Laci fidgeted nervously, apparently comfortable with the emotion of the moment.

"Come on, Sappho. Don't go all mushy on us." She raised her glass high into the air, "Here's to dessert!"

And she gulped down its contents.

Gabrielle raised her goblet into the air and was about to put it to her lips to drink, when a very strong and fast hand slapped it away, sending it crashing to the ground. The bard looked up angrily at the source of the slap to find Xena staring at her in panic. The warrior grabbed her shoulders for a moment and looked closely at Gabrielle's face, making sure she had stopped her from taking that drink. When she was satisfied that no harm had come to Gabrielle, she released her hold and ran to Laci. The young girl was gasping for air and had fallen to the ground.

"No one drink!" Xena yelled. With one great heave, she tossed the entire table over in anger, sending all of the goblets splattering to the ground and causing everyone to jump away in alarm. Those who still had a goblet in their hand, threw it to the ground. In a flash, Xena was kneeling beside Laci, cradling her head in her arms. The young woman was clearly dying.

"What's going on?" Sappho yelled, running around the shattered table to her fallen friend.

"She's been poisoned," Xena announced. Her mind was racing, trying to think of what she could do for Laci. There was nothing to be done. The poison was strong and fast, and doing its work quickly. Laci's breathing was becomoing more and more labored.

"What do you mean, she's been poisoned? She can't be poisoned!" Sappho swung around and looked at Cleo in confusion. The woman simply shrugged and watched over Xena's shoulder.

Standing quietly in the background, Gabrielle’s distress was replaced by suspicion at Cleo's lack of concern.

Laci's painful and labored breathing eased and then slowly stopped altogether. The normally bright and cheerful eyes turned dull, and the slight smile which always adorned the beautiful girl's face faded. Xena closed the girl's unseeing eyes tenderly and laid her head down gently onto the floor.

"I'm so sorry, Sappho. There was nothing I could do."

"What are you saying?" Sappho grabbed Xena's arms as she rose from the lifeless body.

"She's gone, Sappho."

"She can't be gone!" The poet knelt beside the young girl and cradled her head in her arms, "She can't be gone! It's not possible! Cleo, do something!"

Xena backed away and returned to Gabrielle's side. Gabrielle had her hand over her mouth and was crying. The warrior waited a few moments before talking to her friend..

"Gabrielle, you didn't drink any of it, did you?" Xena asked, taking her friend by the shoulder and looking with very concerned blue eyes into the bard's. Gabrielle wiped at her own tears.

"No."

"Thank the gods," Xena whispered, and pulled the bard into her arms to let her cry. The concern in the warrior's eyes faded to deep, dark anger and she scanned the room slowly, examining the face of each and every person present with a cold, hard stare.

The only person crying was Gabrielle. Everyone else seemed very confused. Except for Cleo who actually seemed to be looking at Laci and Sappho with amusement. And Samthus? The man was nowhere to be seen. The warrior's frustration was rising to uncontrollable levels. If she didn't get out of the room soon, she would end up putting the pinch on every person there until someone confessed. Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea.

Gabrielle could actually feel the level of anger rising in her friend. She removed herself from Xena's embrace and shook her by the arms.

"Xena?"

Xena smiled briefly at Gabrielle in thanks for the timely distraction.

"I'm going to get the guards."

"Don't go."

"I have to get out of here. Stay with Sappho. I'll be right back, I promise." Giving her partner’s shoulder a brief squeeze, she left the inn.

Gabrielle moved over to kneel behind Sappho, who was still cradling Laci in her arms, and rubbed the poet's back with a soft hand.

"She can't be dead, Gabrielle. It's not possible. I don't understand."

"Ssshhhh," Gabrielle whispered, "there's nothing you can do. Xena will find out who did this. I promise."

And they stayed that way, until Xena returned with several city guards and they carried the body away.

Gabrielle closed the door to Sappho's room and sighed. She had helped the poet to bed realizing that this was the first time she had actually seen Sappho lay her head down and sleep. The bard opened the door to her own room and looked in. Xena was not back yet.

Probably still talking with the guards and the Amazons, the bard thought to herself.

She entered the room and closed the door behind her, then sat on the bed and rubbed her temples. She didn't even hear Xena enter the room.

"Are you all right?" the warrior asked softly.

"I'm fine. Just have a headache."

Xena crossed the room and sat down on the bed beside her. The warrior flopped back with a groan.

"Are you all right?" the bard asked the warrior.

"It just doesn't make sense what happened down there."

"What do you mean?" Gabrielle asked laying down on her side to look at Xena.

"Laci is poisoned and the only one who has any reaction to her death at all is you."

"Sappho seemed pretty upset."

"Sappho seemed confused, not upset," Xena commented, sitting up and turning around to look at Gabrielle.

"You're right," the bard had to admit, "No one was reacting to her death the way they should have. Especially Cleo. She didn't even react at all."

Xena grabbed Gabrielle's hand, "You saw that too, huh? Not only didn't she react, but she actually seemed a little amused by the whole thing."

Xena's eyes narrowed at her friend. "I think I'm going to have a little talk with Cleo."

"Right now?"

"No time like the present."

Xena looked everywhere for Cleo, but the leather-clad woman was nowhere to be found. Having successfully disturbed everyone's sleep, the warrior returned to her own room even more frustrated than she was earlier.

Gabrielle had lain back on the bed and was just about to drift off into a blissful sleep when the bed began to bounce.

"Hey," she complained, looking up at Xena, "can't a bard get any sleep around here?"

The stiff silence of Xena's lack of response caused the bard to sit up in bed.

"What happened?" Gabrielle asked, noticing immediately her friend's frustration.

"She got away," Xena answered darkly.

The bard rose up on her elbows. "What do you mean?"

"I mean she's gone. I looked everywhere. She must have known we were on to her."

"Well, that's good then," Gabrielle's grin dropped at Xena's lack of enthusiasm, "isn't it?"

"Not when I don't know where she is or when she'll come back." Xena stood and looked out of the window.

"Do you think she'll come back?"

"Of course she will," Xena snapped back angrily, "she has to finish the job."

By the look in Gabrielle's eyes, Xena realized immediately that her reply had been too curt. "I'm sorry, Gabrielle. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just that I can believe I let her slip through my fingers like that."

"Don't worry, Xena. You'll catch her," Gabrielle assured the warrior softly.

"Well, I haven't been doing too good a job of it so far."

Xena barely glanced at her friend as she turned to walk out of the room. "Stay here, Gabrielle. Get some rest. Looks like I'll be pulling guard duty tonight."

Gabrielle dropped her head back onto the mattress.

"Who's idea was it to come on this adventure anyway?" the bard asked herself in exasperation.

"For if she flees, soon shall she chase
And, rejecting gifts, soon shall she give.
If she does not love you, she shall do so soon
Whatsoever is her will."
- Sappho, fragment #16, circa 625 B.C.

 Chapter XVII

"Wake up, sleepyhead!"

"Huh?" Gabrielle lifted a tousled, blonde head of hair up from the bed and looked around in confusion. She had fallen asleep exactly where she laid down last night and not moved a muscle. Xena chuckled deeply and pulled the bard up by the hand.

"Come on. Everyone is ready to go, and we're all waiting on you."

"Xena! Why did you let me sleep? I need to change my clothes. Let me at least wash my face! I have to visit the chamber pot. Wait a minute!" The bard dug her heels in and stopped their progression toward the door, "Xena, you let me sleep through breakfast?"

Xena smiled and knocked over a lock of golden hair that was standing straight up in the air, "I tried to wake you up, but you wouldn't budge."

"You did?" Gabrielle narrowed her eyes, not convinced that her friend had really tried, "I don't remember a thing. What did you do?"

"I played around with that belly button ring of yours."

"You did not."

"I most certainly did," Xena said softly, her eyes twinkling at her partner.

"I didn't feel a thing."

"Oh, you most certainly did." Xena's grin transformed into a wide smile, "But it didn't wake you up."

"You did not ... did you?"

"Oh, you smiled a little ... moaned a little, but I couldn't get you to wake up no matter what."

"XENA!" Gabrielle was blushing from the roots of her hair to the tip of her chin. She swatted Xena's arm and then looked down at her belly for signs of tampering.

Xena chuckled as she exited the room. "Wash you face and go to the pot. I'll meet you downstairs. I saved some breakfast for you."

"You saved some breakfast for me?" Gabrielle yelled after her, pleased that Xena had thought of her.

"Yeah, you can share Argo's oats," Xena answered with a wave of the hand while walking down the stairs.

Gabrielle lost her smile.

"Figures."

She looked down at her belly ring one more time.

"She didn't play with it," Gabrielle sighed disappointedly and got ready to leave.

They were only a half a day's ride from Athens. Xena estimated that by mid-afternoon, the troupe would arrive at the city gates and in plenty of time to prepare for what would be their final performance. The warrior looked at the wagons, horses, and troupe members as they lined up outside of Arkarna's wall. They were at the same entrance which they had used to enter the city the day before. Gabrielle came out of the side gate and walked to the front of the line where Xena stood next to Argo.

"Are you hungry?" Xena asked as she watched Gabrielle attach her pouch and staff to their assigned places on the mount's saddle.

"Very funny," Gabrielle answered flatly, "I'm not in the mood for oats."

Xena handed her a small wicker basket covered with a table napkin. When Gabrielle lifted the cloth, she found cheese, fruit and bread piled high.

"Xena ... you are the best!" Gabrielle drooled with relish at the contents.

"Yeah, well, I have many skills. Enjoy. I'm going to check on our Tenth Muse. I'll be right back."

Gabrielle stopped poking through the breakfast basket to get some information. "Xena, wait a minute. What about Cleo? Any sign of her last night?"

The warrior did not respond, but continued to walk away.

"Do you have a plan?" the bard yelled. No reply.

Normally, Gabrielle would have resented being yet again excluded from 'the plan.' But, the basket full of breakfast was more than adequate compensation, for the time being. She bit into a piece of bread with enjoyment.

Xena was back in a moment.

"We're ready. Do you mind riding with Sappho again?" Xena asked Gabrielle as she mounted Argo.

The bard's mouth was full, so she just shook her head in agreement, already expecting the request. Gabrielle moved away, still eating, and climbed into the back of Sappho's wagon. The poet smiled at her and grabbed an orange.

With a "yah" from Xena and the sound of wooden wheels groaning into motion, the troupe left Arkarna and headed for the city of Athens; their final destination.

"From day to day, my journey,
The long pilgrimage before me.
From night to night, my journey,
The stories that brought us together,"

Sappho sang as they made headed away from Arkarna and out onto the road.

One day, one night, one moment,
With a dream to believe in
Over earth or by ocean
this way became our journey

This day ends together,
with stories that will last forever."

"That's beautiful," Gabrielle whispered, watching the poet sing and play her lyre.

"Thank you," Sappho smiled. Gabrielle noticed, not for the first time and hopefully not for the last, that the poet had a beautiful smile.

To Gabrielle’s surprise, Sappho blushed at the bard’s appreciative stare. "I wrote it last night. It makes me think of you Gabrielle."

The bard raised her eyebrows.

"Whenever I sing it, I shall think of you and that story you've been telling us."

Gabrielle looked at the near empty basket and blushed as well.

"You know, you never did finish that story," the poet complained, "I don't know if we'll have the time in Athens. How about telling me the rest now?"

"Well, what about everyone else?"

"Don't worry about them, they'll hear it. And don't forget, your friend the Warrior Princess claims she has already figured out the ending."

"Oh yeah, right." Gabrielle laughed, handing Sappho a piece of cheese and bread. "You know, I wouldn't be surprised if she did. I tell you what -- I'll finish the story , if you answer a question first."

"OK. Deal."

"What are you going to do after Athens?" Gabrielle asked, looking at Sappho directly in the eyes.

"I don't know, Gabrielle. I don't know. But, maybe your story will help me with the answer to that question. If I remember correctly, the mole was inches from rescuing his love, only to find himself about to be pounced on by a rather nasty cat."

"Hmm," the bard thought, tapping her finger on her chin, "I believe you are exactly right. Are you sure you want to know the end of the story?"

"Absolutely. I'm ready," Sappho answered softly.

"Let see ... where was I? Oh, right. The mole was just about to become a snack for the sly cat who insisted that there was nothing more to life than play, sleep … and eat!

The cat smiled. Used to animals giving up when caught, she was pleased by such a show of endurance. She crouched, eyes narrowing. Looking around desperately, the mole saw a white wave of shirts and sheets rising in the wind. As the cat sprang, he leapt forward, catching a shirt by the sleeve. The thin rope bounced, wooden pins flew, and the shirt came down atop the mole, followed by the cat.

The owl, sitting trapped in the cage, opened her eyes in time to see a tangle of white tumble down atop the mole, followed by the cat. 'I knew you would come,' she whispered, 'I knew you would find me.'

The mole struggled, the cat clawed and soon they were so tangled in the shirt that neither could move. The cat was more agile and swift, and she was able to twist out of the tangled shirt. Even though the mole knew that his end was near, he would not give up to the cat. He stood, took a deep breath, then said to the cat, 'There is more in life.'

The cat narrowed her eyes and raised a claw. Suddenly, the cage holding the owl shook and swayed and grunting sounds came from below. The owl stood still as a statue and then the cage door swung open. Suddenly a flash of white caught their eyes. Gazing upward, they saw the owl rise into the moonlit sky and bank on a cool breeze.

The cat, distracted for moment, gave the mole a chance to run. Terrified, the mole ran to a stack of wood, scrambling wildly. The evenly balanced pile spilled down, a cascade of small logs rolling and tumbling across the yard. He pitched backwards, jostled on a tide of kindling, bounced from piece to piece, arms flailing.

The cat tried to jump aside, but wood leapt and clacked all around, tangling in her feet and slapping her flank. Losing balance, the cat staggered and scooted away.

Tumbling end over end, the mole came to rest against the cold stones. Shaking his head, he sat up as the owl swept low to the ground.

'Run!' the owl cried, pulling into the wind.

Looking back, he saw the cat rise from the piled wood, eyes fierce and bright. He would not be able to get away. The cat crouched again and then suddenly hissed, back hairs extending high into the air. A sudden shadow passed over the mole and came to rest on the face of the cat. The mole found himself sheltered by the shoulders of the wolf.

The wolf bared his teeth at the cat in a feral smile. The cat's eyes grew round as saucers and the wolf breathed a deep, hearty chuckle as the cat scampered away.

The owl flew lower in the night sky. Tears shone in her golden eyes as she tore against the wind, thinking that her mole was in extreme danger from the wolf. She banked on stiff winds and dove at the wolf, desperate to try to save her love. But as she sped down, claws extended, the mole waved her away and she arced into the air.

The wolf followed her line of flight.

'So,' he said quietly, 'You have found your love. And you have chosen well. She would have fought for you, and died for you.'

'Have you been following me all this time?' the mole asked in quiet wonder and disbelief.

The wolf gazed into the squint eyes, but did not answer. Instead, he studied the owl as she circled overhead.

'Go,' he said, 'and deepen your love.' His eyes lifted to the circling owl and he added in a whisper of admiration, 'If possible.'

The mole stepped forward, gazing into the wolf's silver eyes. He wanted to frame words of gratitude, yet could find none wide enough. So he simply said, 'Twice now you have saved my life, and you released my love from her cage. I will never forget you.' And as tears began to rise, the mole turned away.

The wolf watched as the mole ran away, followed above by the owl. The mole paused on the edge of the wood, turned, lifted a hand in silent farewell, then disappeared between dark trees.

The wolf stood in silent contemplation for a long while, lost in sad and precious memories. He lifted his eyes to the moon and smiled softly. Only then did he return his attention to the cat.

'Such love,' he said with quiet, dangerous authority, 'deserves to live.'

The cat, seeing the difference between her brief wildness and a true creature of the wild, between a breed tamed for generations and one never tamed from the beginning of the world, disappeared into the safety of its house.

The owl and the mole spent the night gazing into the lake of stars, hearts unfolding every thought and dream, past and present. They spoke of the far future, of the morrow, of the moment and how to weave them all into their life. Then off they went, taking in the wide world as they headed for their home, both surprised at how easy it was to return when you brought back everything with you.

But the wolf was not surprised, as he came out of the wood, lifted his eyes to the moonlit sky and saw a bird of purest white, followed below by a mole. And the turtle was not surprised, as he waited on the sandy shore, not afraid at all of the wolf who was slowly approaching. Together, they watched the flight of the owl and the path of the mole.

For a moment, it looked as if the mole, flapping his arms and racing toward the horizon was a shadow cast by the owl's wings; while the owl, gliding gracefully along the milky band of stars, was the true image of the mole himself, set free in the sky where he belonged. Then both disappeared into the blue night.

The turtle thought to himself, he would no longer be afraid to come out of his shell to see the whole wide world, and the wolf received the first surprise of his long, wild life: tears."

"So," Sappho said with a deep sigh, "the mole found his love and together they went home."

"With the help of the wolf."

"And what if the wolf had eaten the owl?"

Gabrielle paused fearfully, wondering what exactly the poet meant by that question.

"After all, it would be in the wolf's nature to have eaten the owl -- or the mole."

"Yes, but the wolf changed his nature. In the face of love, we can all change. You of all people should know that."

"Yes, I suppose I should," Sappho said.

Gabrielle placed a hand on the poet’s arm. "Even if the wolf had eaten the owl, the mole's love would have lived forever in his heart. The mole would have had the experience of the journey, and gone home the better for it."

"But he found his owl alive. I'm glad. Not every story has a happy ending. I have a feeling that the wolf has eaten my owl, Gabrielle." Sappho paused and looked closely at Gabrielle, this bard, now her friend, before continuing.

"I know about M'Lila, Gabrielle. I heard Xena's story. I'm sorry. I was listening last night when you were on the balcony. I know that was rude of me, but I couldn't leave, once I heard what the conversation was about."

Gabrielle was thunderstruck and didn't know what words could help the situation or explain how sorry she felt. Her face must have shown her anguish, because Sappho grabbed her hand.

"I haven't told you the entire truth, Gabrielle, and I need to be as honest with you as you've been with me. Actually, I had a feeling that Xena would know something about M'Lila. I knew it from the first moment I saw her at the concert in Avlon. It was her armor. M'Lila wore the same designs on her tunic. She had an amulet that was the same design as Xena's gauntlets. I suspected there was a connection. That was really the reason why I invited you to join me in the first place. As it turned out, I really did need your help."

"Gabrielle, please listen to me. What happened was not Xena's fault. I don't blame her at all. We have no control over the fates, I know that for a fact. M'Lila knew what she was doing, I'm sure of it. There was a reason for her death and for Xena's life. Xena needs to understand that, just as much as I need to understand and accept that M'Lila is gone. It's time I let go, isn't it?"

"Yes," Gabrielle agreed, "Yes, it's time. So what will you do after Athens?"

"Start over again. Travel some more. Play some more. I don't know."

Gabrielle moved the basket away and moved a bit closer to the poet, her friend. "What about going home, the better for the journey?"

"And what would I do at home, alone."

"You’re not alone. You have never been alone. You have friends everywhere, Sappho. And M'Lila has been with you all the time, hasn't she? Your heart is full -- you said so yourself." Gabrielle grinned crookedly as she squeezed the poet's hands.

"You've taught us all so much -- why not teach others as you've taught us? You could start a school for poets, for bards, for music. Teach the world what you've learned on your journey. You seem to enjoy doing it so much. I think you've found your lost love after all, Sappho."

Sappho was silent as she regarded Gabrielle, wondering quietly how someone so young and so beautiful could be so wise. No wonder Xena loved her above all else. The corner of the poet's mouth lifted in a smirk at the sight of the warrior approaching the wagon on her horse..

"How about coming with me?" Sappho asked Gabrielle shyly.

Anyone else in all of Greece would have jumped at the offer. The bard merely smiled warmly at the poet before replying.

"You know I can't. My place is with Xena. She needs me. And I need her."

Xena's sultry voice startled Gabrielle.

"Gabrielle, hand me an apple?" the warrior asked with a small grin. Gabrielle turned around quickly, wondering just how long Xena had been riding alongside the wagon. The bard handed an apple over to her friend, a little distraught that she might have overheard the conversation.

"Thanks," Xena said, taking a bite as she stared at the poet long and hard before guiding Argo away.

They could see the city of Athens long before the road brought them to the city's gates. Athens was far larger than any city Gabrielle had ever been to, and though the bard had visited the city before, the sight of its many temples never ceased to impress her.

Xena, on the other hand, was never impressed by Athens, and she was even less enthusiastic as she recognized a large patrol of soldiers heading in their direction. The road was wide now, and led to the main gate for at least a league, but the warrior recognized the signs of the patrol: a banner, the dust of hooves, and the sound of clanking armor faint in the air. Truth was, she could almost smell the weapons and she could definitely smell the horses.

Sappho stood up in the wagon as she felt the procession come to a halt. She smiled down at the bard when she saw the large patrol of Athenian soldiers come to a halt in front of Xena.

"Gabrielle, they've sent us an escort!" the poet informed the bard proudly. Gabrielle stood to see for herself. The bard had to admit; it was very impressive indeed, and a little ominous.

"A little bit of overkill, wouldn't you say?" Gabrielle mumbled to herself, feeling more than a teensy bit worried and the large number of soldiers that were galloping their way.

Gabrielle's apprehension infected Sappho and the poet lost her smile. The bard looked around the wagon for her staff, cursing when she remembered she had left it in its place on Argo's saddle. Hadn't Xena always warned her to carry it with her at all times? Gabrielle gripped the side of the wagon and watched the warrior.

Xena was sitting, back straight, in her saddle when the Athenian soldiers thundered to a stop blocking the road in front of them. Their commander brought his horse forward, nose to nose with Argo.

"Are you the escort to Sappho, the Tenth Muse?" the Commander asked briskly.

"Yes. This is her troupe of performers." Xena answered calmly.

"May I speak with her?"

Xena glanced over her shoulder at the wagon behind. Sappho stood tall and called out to the commander.

"I am Sappho. Is there a problem?"

The Commander smiled, but not nicely, "We are to escort you directly to the palace where you and your performers will be received as honored guests of the Athenian Assembly. The First Citizen respectfully requests that you perform for him at the High Assembly of Athens."

"A command performance for Pericles? Ha! Who does he think he is?" Sappho asked, a little perturbed at being ordered to perform.

"Sappho …," Gabrielle whispered in warning.

The poet looked down at the bard, thinking for a few moments.

"All right. All right," Sappho sighed. "Of course. I would be honored." The poet forced a smile to both the commander and Gabrielle. The bard breathed her own sigh of relief.

The commander pulled his horse back and positioned himself in front of his troops.

"Are you Xena, the Warrior Princess?" he asked, looking sternly at the warrior.

"Yes, I am." Xena answered, narrowing her eyes at the soldier. Every instinct in her body told her to draw her weapon, but she willed her muscles to be still.

The commander raised his hand and the entire first line of soldiers raised their crossbows and pointed them at the Warrior Princess.

"You are under arrest."

"XENA!" Gabrielle yelled and began to jump out of the wagon.

"Stay where you are Gabrielle!" Xena ordred. The bard froze.

"What is this about?" Xena asked, side stepping her horse to get the wagons behind her out of the line of fire. A line of crossbows followed her movements carefully.

The commander smiled, "You are to be detained in Athens for extradition."

"What is he talking about Xena?" Gabrielle asked, urgently.

"Corinth," Xena stated flatly.

"That's right," the soldier confirmed, smiling with satisfaction. He was very proud to be the one to have captured the Warrior Princess. "Relations between Corinth and Athens are somewhat strained at the moment. Pericles is going to offer you up as a token of the Assembly's good faith. You are going to finally stand trial for your crimes against Corinth, Xena. If you value the lives of your friends here, you will come with us quietly."

Xena regarded the commander carefully. He began to squirm under her intense gaze, feeling as though two hands were choking his throat. The commander and the line of archers jerked as Xena's hand reached for the sword in the sheath on her back.

"I'm going to draw my sword and give it to my friend in the wagon."

"Give her that round thing, too," the commander ordered, "I've seen it in action."

Xena nodded and began to comply, not breaking eye contact with the commander.

The commander nodded, but motioned for the archers to keep their aim. Xena pulled on Argo’s reins and maneuvered her around to the side of the wagon.

Gabrielle was frantic with concern. "Xena, what are you doing?"

"Gabrielle, please listen to me. There are too many men. I can't get away without you or me and possibly everyone else getting hurt. He knows that and I know that. I have to go with them now."

Xena leaned over and handed Gabrielle her sword.

"I want you to go with Sappho into Athens. You'll be safe there."

"NO! I'm going with you."

"Listen to me, Gabrielle," Xena handed Gabrielle her chakram, drawing Argo as near to the wagon as the horse could get. As Gabrielle took the chakram, Xena pulled her close and whispered, "I'll meet you later."

Gabrielle pulled away and looked incredulously into Xena's blue eyes. What she saw in them was amusement. Xena pulled the bard to her once again, placing her lips against her ear so no one could hear.

"Trust me. I have a plan," the warrior whispered and gave the bard a quick kiss on the cheek to cover her words. Xena was hiding a smile as she trotted Argo away from the wagon and over to the awaiting the soldiers.

"How sweet," the commander snickered and then lost his smile as Xena's stare once again closed invisible hands around his throat. "Let's go! Take her away."

Xena moved forward and was quickly flanked on either side by an armed escort. The crossbows remained aimed directly at her body.

The commander assigned two soldiers to stay behind with the troupe and escort them to the palace.

Xena looked at the soldiers guarding her on either side.

"Are you sure you brought enough men?" the warrior commented snidely.

"More than enough to capture you, apparently, " the Commander answered.

"Are you sure?" she repeated, turning in her saddle to stare back at him, and then glared at the surrounding soldiers one by one. She smirked as all the crossbows seem to waver just a little. "I wouldn't be so sure if I was you."

With a snap of Argo’s reins, she trotted forward, surprising the entire escort. They had to drop the weapons in order to catch up.

Gabrielle watched with a mixture of worry and amusement as Xena led them away.

"I have a plan, she says … I have a plan … well, I wish for once you would let me in on 'the plan' ahead of time." The bard smacked the side of the wagon and then winced when the wood hurt her hand. "Oooww!! Great Gods, she's enough to drive a bard to drink!"

"Here! Have one." Sappho handed Gabrielle a wine skin and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sure Xena will be fine. In fact … take a look at that!" Sappho pointed and started to laugh.

Gabrielle, who had taken a big sip from the wine skin, had to spew the liquid out to keep from choking.

Xena was riding in circles around the Athenian patrol. She was weaving in and out of the soldiers, making it impossible for them to use their crossbows; any shot at her would cause them to hit their comrades.

The soldiers began to plow into one another in total confusion as they gave chase. The action was happening far down the rode, but Sappho, Gabrielle and the rest of the troupe could see everything clearly. The entourage began to hoot and howl in encouragement.

The remaining two palace escorts fought the desire to go to the aid of their failing cohorts. The way things were going, they were thankful that their orders had been to stay with Sappho.

Xena rode Argo in and out of the soldiers, stopping only to kick one off of his mount or pull another to the ground. She thundered up the to standard bearer and grabbed the Athenian flag right out from his hand. Turning Argo swiftly, she leveled the pole and drove her horse forward, plowing two rows of on-coming attackers right off their saddles. Most of the patrol ended up biting the dust by the time she finished her run.

The warrior turned her mount and laughed. She swung the banner around and tucked the end under one arm. Rearing Argo up, she aimed and galloped for the commander, knocking down any soldiers remaining in their saddles along the way. The commander's eyes bulged wide at the sight of the point of the pole rushing right for his chest. Quickly, he turned his horse, kicking it urgently into a run. He could hear the Warrior Princess cackling in amusement as she gave chase.

Xena raced after the commander following the road to Athens, leaving his patrol either scattered in the dust or fleeing in the opposite direction. The warrior goosed the commander in his butt with the pole every time she came near enough, making sure she missed no opportunity. The commander's eyes popped each time, but no matter how fast he rode he still felt the wrath of Xena's revenge poking him in the arse.

Finally Xena grew tired of the game. They were almost to the city's Gates and in full view of the soldiers guarding the battlements. Xena pulled up parallel to the commander and, flipping the pole skillfully around her body, she knocked the Commander off his horse. His baritone scream filled the air as he landed butt first on the ground and then suddenly found himself staring at the Athenian banner planted firmly between his legs. Another inch and he would be screaming in soprano.

The guards on the city walls leveled their crossbows to try to help the Athenian commander, but they were laughing too hard aim. An array of arrows missed Xena completely and thudded into the ground. The Warrior Princess reared Argo in triumph, raising a hand to acknowledge the cheers from the Athenian soldiers watching along the wall and galloped away disappearing into the woods beyond.

Gabrielle paced back and forth in the very large room inside of the palace. She stopped briefly at the table where she had laid Xena's sword and chakram. Though she was certain she would be returning them to her friend shortly, she was worried just the same.

"You know, she is just absolutely amazing," Sappho commented from the large, cushioned chair in which she was sitting, leg draped over one of its arms. The chair was so large, it practically swallowed the small poet.

"Yeah, she's incredible all right." Gabrielle mumbled sarcastically.

"Stop worrying about her. She'll probably sneak in here after it gets dark."

"If she were smart, she would just stay away and let me watch you until after the performance. I know she won't do that -- she'll sneak in here and risk getting caught again. Gods be damned, I wish she would let me in on what she's thinking!"

"Why was she being arrested anyway? What happened in Corinth?" Sappho asked, taking a big, juicy grape from a bowl. They were being kept in extreme luxury during their stay and Sappho, for one, intended to enjoy every juicy, grape-filled minute of it.

"I don't know the whole story, but she led an attack against Corinth. Apparently, she lost the battle, but not without great cost to Corinth. Well, she didn't really lose the battle, so much as she suddenly abandoned the attack for some unknown reason. She won a lot of notoriety at that siege. I think she came closer to overtaking the city than any other warlord. I know one thing for certain, a lot of blood was shed at Corinth … many lives were lost. It gave her the reputation of being one of the coldest and bloodiest warlords to roam the known world. Xena of Corinth, Warrior Princess of Calmi, Destroyer of Nations -- I'm sure you've heard them all."

"I wonder what would have happened if she had conquered Corinth?" Sappho mused.

"You'd probably be performing to Xena, the Conqueror today."

"Hmmm," Sappho pondered, trying to imagine the Warrior Princess as conqueror of the known world, "I wonder what kind of ruler she would have made?"

Gabrielle grunted, "Ares thinks she would have made an excellent ruler. In fact, he's still after her to rule the world in his name."

"Ares?" Sappho sat up intrigued.

"She's his 'favorite'. Believe me, it's no honor. He doesn't leave her alone. He's constantly tempting her and luring her and trying to trick her back onto her bloody path. I don't know how she resists him. Sometimes, it scares me that she can't … or won't be able to one day."

"I know what it's like to be the favorite of the Gods. They are very jealous, Gabrielle. They ruin our lives and call it their blessing." Sappho snorted and stood up from the chair. Gabrielle was now looking out of the window at the Athenian skyline and so she walked over, closer to her new friend.

"Let me tell you a secret about the Gods, bard," Sappho began, sitting on the windowsill, "The Gods on Mount Olympus, with all of their powers and supposed immortality live in total fear of us, did you know that?"

Gabrielle turned to the poet with questioning eyes.

Sappho answered without being asked, "Because we have something that they can never have, can never even hope to obtain. They are jealous of us because of this, and that’s why they torment us so."

"What are you talking about Sappho?"

"I'm talking about love, Gabrielle. We mere mortals are capable of loving … loving one another so deeply and completely that it binds us together and carries us beyond our mortal selves into eternity. We have it with us now and we take it with us when we go to Elysia. It makes our spirits strong and gives us our own kind of immortality."

"The Gods think they are immortal, but they're not. Without us, without our belief in them, they would all just disappear. They are petty and cruel, and yet, with love, we manage to overcome their cruelties. It drives them insane."

"The gods exist never knowing what it means to love. They could no more feel true love than know what it means to bleed. It’s not in their nature, Gabrielle. They envy us for it. It makes us more powerful than they are and it will one day destroy them all. Their inability to love, to feel compassion, to be human, will cause them to fade away and disappear, while we mortals will live on forever, carrying our love with us."

Sappho laughed and suddenly hugged Gabrielle.

"You have nothing to worry about, Gabrielle. Ares will never be able to lay claim to Xena again. She has the strongest force in heaven and earth protecting her now." At Gabrielle’s obvious confusion, the poet continue to explain, "He is powerless against you, little bard. The God of War can only bow down to his knees in the face of your love. What a song that would make. Why it might be the first song in honor of a God that I will ever write. The ultimate defeat of Ares, the God of War by a little bard from Poteidaia. HA!"

"What are you ranting about, Sappho." Gabrielle asked, laughing a little.

"Don't belittle your role in this great tapestry, Gabrielle. You may feel left out, but you are really the most important part of the plan, my friend. Always. And Xena knows this. So forgive her if she is a little over-protective of you."

"You mean, I really am a part of the plan?" Gabrielle asked softly, looking out of the window.

"Of course you are. The Gods would prefer it if you weren't. Keep Xena wallowing in her darkness and keep you naive, that's the way they want it. Xena is a strong soul. Too strong for her own good. She openly defies the Gods and they are very aware of her opinion of them, just as they are aware of mine."

"How do you know that?"

"I have my sources. I am a favored of the Gods as well, remember? More than one, I'm afraid. That's why they took my strength from me. My M'Lila. We were as close as this." Sappho pulled Gabrielle into her arms and brought her lips almost to the point of kissing and then released her.

"We were so close, Gabrielle, but we were unsure. I doubted her love, though just for a moment. It was enough for the Gods to be able to separate us forever. Now, I’m powerless against them and so I am pressed into their service. As if in learning how to sing about love, they will somehow be able to feel love." Sappho laughed to herself at this.

"But they can’t force me to honor them in my song. That, I will never do! The words which I write may be immortal, but my words will not carry the Gods with them into immortality. That honor I save for love."

Gabrielle looked out of the window and noticed that the sun was close to setting. The last rays of color were shooting out from behind a temple, washing the marble with streaks of red and gold. The temple suddenly looked very barren to Gabrielle, barren and cold. No wonder the Gods prefer marble, she thought to herself, its as cold and hard as their own hearts.

Sappho grabbed Gabrielle by the shoulders and turned her around, "Gabrielle, you told me I should teach the world what I know. Please take a lesson from me now. Don't do as I did. Don’t doubt your love for Xena or Xena's love for you. At the first possible moment, tell her how you feel. Make sure she knows and understands that the strength of your love is there for her to lean on, should she ever need it before something happens and it's too late."

Gabrielle thought back on Xena's death and the strength that was needed to bring her back. If Xena had known that the strength was there in the first place, maybe she would have never left. Somehow it seemed the longer they traveled together, the harder and more deadly their obstacles became. Perhaps the Gods did have some need to keep them apart after all. Certainly Ares did. The bard pulled the poet into her arms and hugged her as tightly as she could.

"I will," she whispered into Sappho's ear, "I promise. I will."

A lone figure scurried along the street in the sunset toward the palace gates. He was stout and unsure of himself, and seemed to be talking to someone although there was no one walking with him.

"Well, I certainly hope she remembered to put me on the guest list," Salmoneus said to himself, "After all, she promised I would be able to get in. She also promised it wouldn't be dangerous. Just deliver the message, find out where the guest quarters are, enjoy the performance, and meet her back at the inn. Sounds easy enough."

He shuffled to the gate and found himself staring at the point of a lance.

"I should know better than to believe her."

"Who are you and what do you want?" the guard asked threateningly.

"My name is Salmoneus. I'm on the guest list."

"Guest list? You fool, there's no 'guest list' to get into the palace."

"That figures," Salmoneus mumbled under his breath.

The guard became impatient and poked him with the lance.

"Easy with that! I'm here to see Sappho, the Tenth Muse. I have an important message for her."

"No one gets in tonight but the members of the General Panel and the Assembly!"

"I think you might be in big trouble if Sappho doesn't get this message. Believe me, if she doesn't get this message, she might not be able to play at all! Then you'll be in trouble with the First Citizen and everybody else in the palace!"

The guard seemed to think about this for a moment. He motioned for another guard to join him. They spoke a few mumbled words briefly and the second guard ran off into the castle.

"Wait here. We'll see if she'll come down."

The second guard ran through the halls of the castle and took to the stairs two at a time heading for the guest chambers only to be stopped by the man who he recognized as Sappho's manager guarding the door to the poet's room.

"What is it?" Samthus asked briskly.

"There is a man downstairs with an important message for Sappho."

"Oh really?" Samthus asked smiling at the guard, "I'll come down with you and get it for Sappho."

"Fine then. Come with me."

Samthus followed the guard down the stairs and to the gate. Salmoneus watched as they approached thinking to himself that the Tenth Muse was a very masculine looking woman.

"Are you Sappho?" Salmoneus asked, eyeing the beard skeptically.

"Certainly not!" Samthus answered with disdain, thinking that this man must be a fool, "I am Sappho's personal manager. You can give the message to me."

Salmoneus had to think about this for a minute. He could save time, give Sappho’s personal manager the message and get into the palace in plenty of time for the show. Then again, Xena had said that the message was specifically for Sappho. A brief flash of angry blue eyes filled him mind.

"The message is personal."

Samthus pulled Salmoneus away from the guards, "Sappho is about to give a command performance to the entire Assembly of Athens. Do you think she has time to listen to messages from an unknown messenger?"

'Listen," Salmoneus whispered, moving closer to Samthus and glancing about with an air of subterfuge, "I'm a close, personal friend of Xena, the Warrior Princess. You've heard of her I'm sure?"

Samthus' eyes narrowed as he looked at this man, "The message is from Xena then?"

Salmoneus nodded.

"Even more reason to give it to me now -- so I can get it to Sappho right away!"

The salesman looked around ensuring that no one would overhear.

"Well?" Samthus prompted impatiently.

Salmoneus made up his mind. Better he give the message to Sappho's manager, than to no one at all.

Salmoneus lowered his voice, "She wants Sappho to tell Gabrielle that she should stay where she is. Xena will meet her here in the palace after the show."

"Xena will sneak into the palace and meet them here?" Samthus asked with a sneer. "Where is she now?"

"At a tavern called the King's Head."

"She's very brazen, isn't she? Sneaking into the city, a wanted criminal, and waiting in a place as public as a tavern."

Salmoneus shrugged, "She was thirsty."

"I'll tell the bard myself." Samthus grunted and walked away.

"Hey what about me?" Salmoneus called after him. Samthus turned around.

"What about you?"

"Xena said you'd be able to get me in to the palace tonight to see the show!"

Samthus thought about this for a moment. Better to get this man in here now so he wouldn't report back to the warrior that the message had been received by someone other than the poet.

"All right. Follow me," he ordered briskly.

When they reached the main gate, Samthus paused to face the palace guards. He grabbed Salmoneus's arm and pushed him forward.

"This man is a conspirator with Xena, the Warrior Princess!"

Salmoneus’s eyes widened as two lances leveled at his throat.

"He's trying to help her to get into the palace and attack the King. I suggest you arrest him immediately while I inform your commander."

The soldiers grunted in agreement and grabbed Salmoneus by the arms, practically lifting him from the ground to take him away.

"You're going to jail, you piece of dung!"

"Wait a minute!" Salmoneus yelled.

They paused.

"Will I be able to see the show from my cell?"

The soldiers grunted and took him away.

Samthus's wicked chuckle filled the courtyard as he sauntered through the courtyard.

"Well, Warrior Princess, thank you for the message. I'll be sure to send you a prompt reply."

Athens was never a quiet city. As the sun set, its streets were as filled with activity in the encroaching darkness as they were in the bright light of the day. This was especially true of the corner on which the King's Head Tavern was located; the tavern itself the cause of much of the bustle in this part of the city. It's patrons filled the street as they entered and left the busy inn.

As much as Xena disliked the enclosed places and constant noise of larger cities, she silently gave thanks for the blanket of anonymity Athens provided her on this night. She walked out of the sunset and into the dusk of the King's Head virtually unnoticed. Of course, the hooded black cloak she wore helped immensely. No doubt, if she had entered the tavern displaying her usual warrior regalia, a few heads would have definitely turned in her direction. As it was, shrouded in the cloak, no one gave her a second glance.

The warrior chose a shadowy table far in the back of the busy room. The hood covered her fine features, but could not mask the intelligent gleam shining from her eyes as she scanned the tavern's main dining room. One slightly blackened eye only added to the mystique.

A barmaid came over to taker her order. The waitress paused in surprise as the soft low tones of a woman quietly asked for a port. Women did not often patronize the King's Head. The waitress studied the mysterious woman a little more closely and noted the finely crafted gauntlet adorning her arm peeking out from under the cloak as Xena reached out to hand her a dinar for the drink. The woman raised an eyebrow discreetly and took the coin.

A few moments later, the barmaid returned with a mug in hand and placed it on the table in front of the hooded customer. She turned away promptly deciding it was probably best to leave this particular patron alone. Xena sipped her drink, waited, and thought.

Xena had no doubt that Cleo would return, make her way to the palace and complete her self appointed mission. The insane had a tremendous ability to focus; she had learned that from Callisto. She had to get back into the castle, even if it meant she would have to be caught and arrested. The warrior had no choice. Sappho was still in danger. Even worse, Gabrielle's closeness to the poet made her a target as well. For now, all Xena could do was wait for the sun to set and provide her the cover of darkness.

The warrior's thoughts were disrupted by a patrol of palace guards entering the tavern. She pulled the hood further forward over her face and watched their movements with the eyes of a predator, her thoughts racing to grasp what their presence might mean. If they were here for her, then her message to Gabrielle had been intercepted as she had planned.

Customers strained their necks to watch the progress of the soldiers as they sauntered through the room. Xena quickly picked out the commander and sat back further into the shadows as he passed by her without a glance. Perhaps they weren't looking for her after all?

Xena's hands gripped the edge of her table when the commander paused to talk to the barmaid. The woman's eyes met her own and the commander turned quickly to look back in her direction. "Hera's tits!" Xena cursed under her breath. They were looking for her. Well, I always said the best way into a castle is through the dungeon, the warrior thought as she tensed into readiness.

The commander strode arrogantly toward her table, knocking a few of the patrons roughly out of the way. Two other soldiers noticed his urgency and started moving through the room in the same direction, flanking their commander on either side.

Xena waited like a cat until the last possible moment before taking action. Her eyes gleamed with anticipation from under the hood.

The soldiers reached her table and stood before her as though their presence alone would cause her to surrender.

"Hello, boys. Can I offer you a drink?" Xena smiled prettily.

Her drink spilled all over the commander, as she lifted the entire table by the legs and shoved it forward into the three guards, driving them halfway across the room before they tumbled over a bench and crashed to the floor. Xena dropped the table onto their chests and left them in a heap.

The infamous warrior had the full attention of the entire room as she threw off her cloak. She instinctively reached for her sword and cursed as she remembered she had handed her weapons over to Gabrielle earlier. Oh well, she didn't need her weapons anyway. Xena stalked the room, turning purposely in a full circle, setting the boundaries that would control the direction of the next attack.

The inn's customers scurried to the corners of the room, mumbling cries of recognition as they crashed past chairs and tables, pushing them out of the way. Xena continued to circle, patiently waiting for the guards' next move. They surrounded her, reluctant to attack.

The soldiers froze in surprise as Xena's ululating cry pierced the air.

"AIYAIYAIYAI!"

Xena flew off the ground and twisted mid-air, landing suddenly somehow outside of the guard's circle. The warrior kicked a soldier in his butt, sending him flying into the soldier directly across. They both fell to the ground. The guard to her left swung his sword. She ducked his swing and punched him squarely in the nose. The impact sent the man flipping over the bar, crashing bottles and mugs everywhere.

The soldier to her right swung his sword. She ducked that blow and hit him with her fist in the groin. His eyes bulged and he buckled over. Xena toppled him back with the heel of her boot.

The warrior motioned with her hands that she wanted more. The two remaining guards gulped and moved toward her, one coming from either side. She waited until they were at arms length and then leaped into the air knocking both of their heads back with a double kick.

But she hated to leave a job half done. As soon as she landed, she spun, planting a firm back kick into the stomach of one and then swinging her leg forward without putting it down to plant a crushing front kick into the groin of the other. They both dropped to the ground like two sacks of manure.

Xena relaxed, looking around the inn with a smirk.

"Is that it?" she asked the room, "And I was just getting warmed up!"

The commander finally managed to extricate himself from beneath the table and cleared his head. He approached Xena on wobbly legs.

"You're under arrest!" he ordered.

The customers in the room began to laugh.

Xena smiled, "I think you ran out of soldiers."

The commander drew his sword and approached her with a sneer.

"Then I'll arrest you myself!"

Xena laughed heartily at him, seriously wounding his pride. She assessed his stance and the way he held his sword with a smirk, and knew full well he was no match for her whatsoever. She opened up her arms to him in surrender.

"Take me, then," she taunted, "I'm all yours."

The commander cried angrily and lunged. Xena ducked easily out of the way. He swung again. She ducked again. He swung a third time. She twirled out of reach.

"You keep missing the target," she laughed.

The commander turned red in his rage as he shifted his sword in frustration. Xena's laughter grated against his nerves.

"Getting a little hot under the collar?" the warrior teased.

The commander swung in anger, totally missing his mark. He was rewarded with a face full of mead, courtesy of the Warrior Princess.

"Have a drink," Xena offered sarcastically.

He swung and missed again. Xena grabbed another goblet from a nearby table. Splash! "Have another!"

Xena couldn't believe it herself. He was actually going to swing again! She ducked, snatching up another mug.

Splash! "Have another!"

The warrior backed away, shaking her head in disbelief. The entire inn was laughing with her.

"Haven't you had enough yet?"

It was too much for the poor man. He threw down his sword and lunged at the Warrior Princess with both hands. Xena let him reach her, allowing his hands to wrap around her throat before trapping his arms in an extraordinarily strong grip. She shoved him back in the direction he came, and pushed him against a wall.

His back hit the wall with a great thud and he grunted. Xena slammed her fists down on his arms, almost breaking them in two. It broke the grip around her throat. Then, grabbing his shoulders, she smiled one more time for his benefit before knocking him out cold with a vicious head butt.

The commander slid down along the wall to the ground, no doubt seeing stars and moons circling slowly in front on his eyes.

Xena backed up and looked around the tavern.

"Anybody else?" she asked calmly.

The soldiers were slowly returning to consciousness, lifting sore bodies from the dust. The inn's patrons stared with a mixture of fear and awe as the Warrior Princess captured each and every set of eyes in the room with her own.

"No one arrests me unless I want to be arrested … you got that?" Xena announced. No one contradicted the statement.

Xena waited until the guards stood to their feet, watching them with disdain. They wiped off their pants and adjusted bent armor. The commander came to as well, rising up on shaky legs and holding an aching head. He looked at Xena warily.

"You may arrest me now," the warrior said flatly.

"Huh?"

"You came to take me in, didn't you? Well, ya got me fair and square. Let's go!"

The commander waved his arm, ordering his men to flank the prisoner on either side. With a nod, they followed Xena as she turned and strode out of the tavern door.

The commander waited until she was just about to exit and then ran up behind Xena, knocking her unconscious with the hilt of his sword.

The world turned black around her, as Xena crashed to the floor.

"Well," Sappho said picking up her lyre, "This is it. The final show. In front of the First Citizen of Athens and the entire Assembly, too. A very prestigious audience, I must say. Normally, I would have fought hard to be able to play in front of the entire city, nobleman and peasant alike. I guess that doesn't matter any more, does it?"

"Of course, it matters. The people love you, Sappho." Gabrielle smiled at the poet and fixed her hair, "Don't you ever comb your hair?" the bard asked trying to straighten out a few braids.

"My hair? I never thought about that. Why should I? Does it look bad?" Sappho asked anxiously, suddenly concerned about her appearance.

Gabrielle laughed, "Don't worry about it, Sappho. I couldn't imagine you looking any other way."

The bard smiled into Sappho's steel, gray eyes and was graced once again with the poet's enormous grin.

"You'll still be here after the show, won't you?" Sappho asked with concern.

"I'm not going anywhere until I hear from Xena."

"Don't you want to watch?"

"Yes, but I think I better wait. When she climbs through that window, I want to be here."

Sappho scurried to the window and looked down. It was a clear drop to the street below, at least three giants high.

"Gabrielle, you've got to be kidding! Xena couldn't possibly climb all the way up …," but the poet’s words choked in her own throat as she noticed something happened down in the courtyard.

"What's the matter?" Gabrielle asked worriedly as she hurried to the window. The two looked down at the courtyard and watched as a patrol of soldiers returned to the palace. The commander was proudly leading his prize, a very familiar golden palomino, by the reins. Gabrielle's hand flew to her mouth to stifle a cry as she recognized the frighteningly still, leather-clad body draped over the mare's back.

They watched as the commander halted the patrol and jumped down from his own horse. The patrol dismounted after him. They pulled Xena from Argo's back and dragged her along by the armpits. Gabrielle breathed a sign of relief when she noticed her friend barely return to consciousness, trying to stand and struggle against their grip. At least she was alive.

The soldiers carried their prisoner into the castle and out of sight.

Sappho and Gabrielle looked at one another with open mouths.

"What are we going to do?" Sappho exclaimed. "We have to help her!"

"I have to talk to her," Gabrielle said, thinking hard, "I have to make sure she's all right. Find a way to get her out of there."

"I can postpone the performance. Ask Pericles if I can go to see her?" Sappho suggested.

"Wait!" the bard yelled, "That gives me an idea. Well, it's actually Xena's idea, but it should work now. I'll dress up and pretend I'm you, Sappho. Like those people in Arkarna. They'll think I'm you, and maybe they'll let me see her."

"Why don't I just go down there?"

"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 golden locks." Sappho looked around the room, her eyes falling on a brownish black bear skin rug thrown across the floor.

"Good thing I never comb my hair."

"You may forget
but let me tell you this,
someday, someone in some future time
will think of us."
- Sappho, circa 625 B.C.

Xena groaned, suddenly aware of the cold of the dungeon floor pressing against her face. She moved carefully assuming she was bound. She was not. Sliding her arms beneath her, she 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 Salmoneus's big face inches from her own.

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

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

"Never better."

Xena surveyed her surroundings.

"Well, at least I'm in the castle." She squinted at Salmoneus. "What happened? I thought I sent you here to deliver a message to Sappho?"

Salmoneus winced. He was hoping for anemsia so she wouldn’t remember that.

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

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

"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 I thought he would be the best person … "

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 Assembly yourself."

"That's not what Vidalis 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 the bard's bangs back 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 her 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. "Sure … from a distance … like from Corinth."

"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. "Well, not quite, 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."

"Poetry." 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 she slipped through the door, closing it quietly behind her.

"Practice what you preach," Sappho replied to the closed door.

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 recognizable by the 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 ordered, 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?"

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

Xena's eybrow rose seductively. "Really? Exactly what kind of lesson did you have in mind?"

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!" He smiled, revealing two front teeth missing.

"Well, that's where we differ."

The commander's smile 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.

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 sign 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 to the audience chamber. Bored of waiting, she decided to sneak a peak inside to see how many people had gathered for her performance. She passed under a flag and walked by a huge column, dragging 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.

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 echo down the hall as the guard shoved her in.

"Hurry, get inside. You're late. The First Citizen is waiting for the show to begin!"

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 who he thought was Sappho into the main assembly chamber.

'Excellent!' he whispered to himself, 'the show is about to begin. Your 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 slid across the smooth marble floor into the great assembly 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 some kind of 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. She was surrounded by members of the Athenian Assembly and faced the First Citizen of Athens himself.

She looked around, taking in the ornate tapestries, the magnificence of the marble statues, the glamour of the dress, and the grandeur of the state of Athens in all its glory. The chamber was overflowing with all 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. Smiling at her audience, she 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 herself almost lost her place, she was trying so hard not 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, but it was Sappho's voice that filled the hall. Gabrielle lip-synched the words as best she could. As far as anyone in the audience could tell, the Great Sappho's performance to the Grand Assembly of the State 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 Salmoneus.

"Salmoneus, 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.

Salmoneus 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, Salmoneus. I have faith in you." Xena smiled then took off at a run, out of the dungeon.

"You're welcome," Salmoneus mumbled and shuffled off.

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

The First Citizen and his escort were standing as they applauded. The hall had lost its somber reserve somewhere in the middle of the performance. The members of the Assembly 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 at 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 Pericles, the First Citizen of Athens and the entire Assembly 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 colors the poet and these events in a slightly different light.

 Gabrielle exited the great 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 breathe 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 a prison cell made her lose her smile.

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

 Samthus watched the object of his desire exit 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 completely opposite way. With a perplexed grunt, the manager left the balcony to follow.

The Tenth Muse adjusted her Amazon garb as she walked down the hall back to 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 surprise 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 backward 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, too, 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 poet chuckled. "The blood stopped flowing to my brain a long time ago."

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 Tenth Muses'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 had 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 toward 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. With one heave, she was lifted over his shoulder and carried away.

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

"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 and 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. "He's got her!"

"Who's got her?" 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 it’s you."

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

"COME ON!" Xena grabbed Sappho by Gabrielle’s 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 to the palace gates. The wagon thundered by the entrance to the stable, almost running Salmoneus over as he was coming out, leading Argo by the bit of her bridle.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Salmoneus yelled as the cart sped by. He pulled Argo forward and walked her nonchalantly through the courtyard, 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 guard asked.

The other shrugged. "Concert crowd must be getting out,"

"Oh." They both turned away.

The First Citizen of Athens smiled as he and his escort, Asparia walked by the members of the General Panel. The assembly chamber was almost empty, the audience spilling out into the corridors beyond. Most waited hoping to catch the eye of the First Citizen as the revered couple passed by. Palace guards were standing at attention at regular intervals throughout the hall.

An assembly member bowed before Pericles, 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 banister and slid all the way down to the end, keeping her balance with outstretched arms.

At the end of the banister, 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 Pericles and his regent. The First Citizen pulled back in alarm.

"Pericles." 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, then pulled 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 First Citizen asked aloud.

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

"The one and only," she answered happily.

"We have so many famous people with us today," Pericles 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.

Salmoneus 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.

Salmoneus froze 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 Salmoneus 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?" Salmoneus 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 heard you were a blond!" Salmoneus 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 in an attempt to make up the distance between them. The wagon was weaving its way along the road, following the snaking curves as it headed to 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 bonds 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 just 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 as Argo veered away from the cliff just in time.

Xena vaulted into the cart as the horse slid frantically in the dirt trying to stop its forward momentum. The wagon flipped into the air as the warrior gathered her partner 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 Xena 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 at the sight of her partner smiling back up at her, 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 backward 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. When she reached her manager, she pushed him with all of her might.

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

He was a big man. It barely moved him. He spun around, surprised to find himself staring at Sappho, then 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 warned 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 toward 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 arm's 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 cried.

"Sappho, be quiet," Xena commanded.

Samthus continued to back up toward 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 it again. "Nooo! You're lying!"

"I'm not lying, Samthus. The Muses … the muses told you 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 for 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 said, expellilng the air from her lungs.

"Hit him again!" Sappho urged as she walked up to stand at Xena's left.

Xena chuckled, giving the poet an amused glance.

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

As if in answer to the question, Salmoneus came stumbling through the meadow. 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?" Salmoneus asked Xena.

"He doesn't like heights."

Salmoneus seemed to notice the cliff for the first time.

"I can imagine," Salmoneus smiled at Xena and then his expression turned to one of concern, "Xena, you better get out of here. The city 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 and Xena mounted the mare.

"Be careful," she said, smiling down at her partner.

"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 Salmoneus could only watch on in awe as the bard did her thing.

Continued

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