CHAPTER 23

It was more than an hour and a half past sunrise when Gabrielle followed Xena and Lyceus out of the house the next morning. None of them had gotten much rest, and Gabrielle's nerves felt as tightly stretched as a bowstring. How many hours had she and Xena spent discussing the situation and all its options? She wasn't certain, but in the end, they had decided that Xena would not withdraw her challenge to Cyrelle.

Lyceus had spent a restless night as well, distressed about Cyrelle, and feverish due to his sunburn. By morning, his fever had broken, and even though he clearly felt weak, he had insisted on going to see the battle.

So now the three of them stepped out into the street, and found it lined with townspeople calling out words of encouragement.

"You can beat her, Xena!"

"Save our town, please!"

"We know you can do it!"

"Don't let Cyrelle take our sons for her army!"

And "Thank you, Xena!"

But when one man called out, "Kill the traitor bitch Cyrelle!" Xena whirled abruptly and grabbed the speaker by his tunic front.

"I won't have you talking about my daughter that way!" she exclaimed.

"She betrayed us!" he protested. "She was supposed to defend us, but instead she wants to drain us dry and then sell us into slavery!"

Xena stared at him for a moment and then released her grip. "Yes, Cyrelle betrayed us," she admitted in a grim tone. "But she's my daughter, and I still love her."

The people nearby had fallen silent, and as Xena turned back toward the main gate, the only voice was that of a young woman who said, "May the gods protect you, Xena."

The warrior nodded to her and then rejoined Gabrielle and Lyceus. When they reached the gate, it swung open, and they continued about fifty paces along the road before stopping. Behind them, the townspeople thronged out through the gate and ranged themselves in a wide semi-circle to watch the spectacle.

There was a flurry of movement in the camp beyond the river, and after a couple of minutes, Cyrelle could be seen coming across the bridge, followed by her new army.

Gabrielle glanced over at Xena. The warrior was staring straight ahead, her eyes narrowed against the morning sun. Her face showed no emotion, except for the determined set of her jaw. Then, after a moment, she turned to look at Gabrielle, and her expression softened.

"Have faith," she said, putting a hand on the bard's shoulder. "Everything will work out -- one way or another."

Gabrielle nodded. "I love you," she said, but her throat was so full of emotion that no sound came out.

Xena gave her a brief smile and squeezed her shoulder. Then she turned her gaze back to watch her approaching opponent.

Cyrelle stopped about twenty paces away, and her troops spread themselves out behind her.

Gabrielle stared at the girl, trying to see beyond the fierce facade for a glimpse of the little child she remembered -- the one who used to give such warm, happy hugs. But that Cyrelle had vanished, and a warlike stranger stood there in her stead.

Silence fell over the gathering as the two commanders regarded each other. Then Xena turned around to face the townspeople.

"If you brought weapons with you, put them down," she called out. "This fight is between Cyrelle and me. No one else needs to get involved."

An uneasy murmur passed through the crowd as people looked first at Xena and then at each other. Finally, with some reluctance, they began to drop the slings, staffs, and swords they had carried out from the city.

When they finished, Xena faced her daughter once more.

Cyrelle met her gaze for several long moments before glancing back at her own troops. "Weapons down!" she commanded, and the soldiers obeyed her order. Then, drawing her sword, she flourished it casually, and pointed it in Xena's direction.

The older woman, her own blade still in its scabbard, moved forward until she was within a few paces of her opponent. "We don't have to do this, Cyrelle," she said in a voice loud enough for those watching to hear. "If you want to take your army and go fight Ares' pointless battles someplace else, I won't try to stop you. But I have an obligation to defend Amphipolis -- even against my own daughter."

"Don't tell me you've turned coward on me, Xena," Cyrelle sneered. "We're here to fight, not to talk, so let's get on with it."

Gabrielle could see Xena's shoulders move in a slight shrug, after which she reached back with her left hand and pulled her sword from its sheath. She had no sooner brought the weapon into position than Cyrelle made a quick thrust, danced backward and then forward to thrust again.

"I can't believe this," Gabrielle heard Lyceus mutter. "I just can't believe Cyrelle would fight Xena."

"Huh-uh," Gabrielle murmured, by way of letting him know she had heard. But she could not take her eyes off the two combatants.

From behind her came the shouts and cheers of the townspeople, urging their champion on. And soon Cyrelle's troops set up a chant of their own, in favor of their new commander.

For the most part, Xena appeared to be using only defensive moves, deftly blocking Cyrelle's offensive, no matter which side it came from. The clang of swords was rapid and constant, as Xena pivoted repeatedly into position to meet her daughter's blade.

After several minutes of this, Cyrelle abruptly ceased her attack and glared at the older warrior. Then, brushing the hair back from her face in an angry gesture, she said, "Come on, fight me, Xena! All you're doing is parrying! What's the matter, are you afraid to really fight?"

Xena, who was now standing so that Gabrielle could see her face, gave a sardonic grin. Then, in a sudden motion, she reached forward with her sword, twirling the blade so that it hooked Cyrelle's weapon and knocked it out of her hand. "Be careful what you ask for," Xena said, "because you just might get it!"

In the past, Gabrielle had often seen her partner follow such a move with a couple of well-placed kicks that flattened her opponent. But now Xena, unable to kick, merely stood watching her daughter.

Cyrelle laughed and ducked down to pick up her sword. "That's more like it!" she exclaimed. "Now we can have a real battle!" And, leaping forward, she began to slash at Xena even more fiercely than before.

The older woman continued to defend herself, and even worked in an occasional thrust of her own, but Gabrielle could see that she was still fighting cautiously.

Cyrelle pursued her frenzied attack until the moment when Xena's blade found a sudden opening in the girl's defense. With a cry of pain, Cyrelle jumped back, clutching her right arm just above the elbow. Then she took her hand off the wound and stared in apparent surprise at the blood streaming out of it.

Gabrielle glanced at Xena and saw a look that told her the hit had been unintentional. But the warrior quickly masked her dismay.

"That's a pretty deep cut," Xena said casually. "Why don't we stop this silly fighting and I'll take care of it for you."

"No," said the girl. "We go on fighting. I'm not afraid of a little blood." Then she took a new grip on her sword.

"You don't have to prove your courage to me," Xena said, raising her own weapon again. "You are a brave and skilled warrior. But even the most skilled of warriors sometimes surrender."

"No," Cyrelle murmured as she began to make a slow circle around Xena.

"Sure they do. I'd hate to tell you how many times I've surrendered."

"I'm not going to do it," the girl insisted. Her voice was becoming more agitated. "I have to beat you, so that I can be a warrior! I have to kill you!"

And with that, she rushed at Xena, and their swords clashed so violently that Xena was forced backwards and off balance. Cyrelle, pressing the advantage, kicked Xena's crutch out from under her arm.

"Okay, I guess I'll fight right-handed now," the older warrior said with a grim smile as she tossed her sword from one hand to the other.

The combatants went at it again, but now something seemed different.

"What's wrong with Xena?" Lyceus asked Gabrielle.

"What do you mean?" she responded, even though she knew exactly what he meant.

"Well, it doesn't look like she's trying anymore. Like she doesn't even care if--"

He stopped speaking as Cyrelle leveled a hard kick at Xena's bad leg, causing her to stumble. A second kick, delivered to her chest, sent the warrior sprawling onto her back. She managed to hang onto her sword, but after staring up at her daughter for a few moments, she tossed the weapon aside.

A sudden hush fell over the crowd.

"What on earth is she doing?" hissed Lyceus.

"Giving up," said Gabrielle softly.

"But she can't just give up! Why would she do that?"

Gabrielle did not answer. Her heart was pounding, and she was afraid she might miss whatever words passed between the combatants.

Cyrelle stood, triumphant, over Xena, a wild light in her eyes. "I knew I could beat you!" she exclaimed.

"You don't have to kill me to prove you're a warrior, Cyrelle," Xena said quietly.

"Yes, I do. I have to kill you."

"Who told you that? Ares?"

"No more talk!" Cyrelle ordered. Her face was pale, but it wore a look of grim resolve. Ignoring the blood that still ran freely from her wound and dripped onto the dry earth, she grasped her sword in both hands and slowly raised it.

"No!" screamed Gabrielle, sprinting toward her. "You can't do this, Cyrelle!"

"Can't I? Just watch me!"

"Do you really want to live with the guilt of killing your own mother?" Gabrielle demanded. "It will haunt you the rest of your life. You'll never have a moment of peace."

"Shut up, Gabrielle! This has nothing to do with you," Cyrelle warned as she raised the sword higher. Beads of sweat stood on her forehead, and her arms appeared to tremble slightly.

"That's my girl, Cyrelle," came a soft, masculine voice. "Go right ahead and do it, just like we planned."

Ares had appeared on the other side of Cyrelle, and Gabrielle fixed him with a withering look, which he ignored.

Cyrelle drew a deep breath and steadied herself, never taking her eyes off Xena.

"No!" cried Gabrielle again, as she dropped to her knees and threw her body across her lover's.

But Xena gently pushed her away. "Don't, Gabrielle," she said. "Let Cyrelle do whatever she has to do."

Numb with fear, Gabrielle stared into the other woman's eyes. Was this how it would end, Xena killed by her own daughter, and Gabrielle left to live out her life alone? The prospect was too horrible to contemplate, but she had to honor Xena's wishes. So, giving the warrior's hand a quick squeeze, she backed slowly away, still on her knees. Then she looked up at Cyrelle. "If you kill Xena, you'll have to kill me, too," she said.

"And me," Lyceus announced as he came forward to stand beside Gabrielle. "You'll have to kill me, too, Cyrelle. I mean it."

Surprised, Gabrielle opened her mouth to protest his decision, but one look at his face told her she would not be able to change his mind.

Cyrelle lowered her sword partway, looking from one to the other of them in apparent confusion. "Ares," she said, glancing back over her shoulder at him, "what should I do?"

"Just kill 'em all!" he ordered in a jovial tone. "You don't need them. They'll only try to keep you from fulfilling your destiny."

"But they're my family," she said in a voice barely louder than a whisper.

"No, I'm your family now," Ares said, moving closer and running one hand through her hair. "We're going to conquer the world together, remember? You'll have power and glory and wealth -- more than you ever dreamed of. But first, you need to clear your path. You need to get rid of everyone who stands in your way."

Xena pushed herself up on her elbows. "Don't listen to him, Cyrelle," she warned. "You can't trust him."

"Yes, I can! He's my father!"

"Yes, he's your father, but he doesn't love you," the warrior continued.

"Of course I love you," Ares crooned softly into her ear. "Now let me see what a strong, brave girl you really are. You can't get all sentimental on me if you're going to be a true warrior."

Cyrelle nodded and raised the sword again, staring at the point on Xena's chest where she would plunge the blade in.

"That's my girl!" Ares cheered. "That's my Warrior Queen!"

Gabrielle watched her, hardly daring to breathe. Cyrelle's arms had begun to shake noticeably, and the shaking only increased as each moment slipped slowly by. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she lowered her weapon. "I can't do it," she murmured. "I can't kill her." The sword slid from her hands and hit the ground with a dull thud. "I'm sorry," she said as she turned to Ares. "Please try to understand."

But his features had gone dark with rage, and drawing back his hand, he slapped her hard across the face. "Oh yeah, I understand, you cowardly little bitch!" he growled. "You're no warrior, and you're certainly no daughter of mine!"

"Father!" Cyrelle cried. "Don't say that! Don't leave me!"

But the space where Ares had stood was already empty air.

Gabrielle looked over and saw Xena scramble to her feet. A sudden chorus of cheers went up from the townspeople, reminding the bard that what had seemed like a private family squabble had actually been witnessed by a large throng of people. "Xena, are you all right?" she called.

"Yeah, fine," the warrior answered absently, but she had eyes only for her daughter.

"Mother?" Lyceus said as he reached down to help Gabrielle up. "Why did Ares hit Cyrelle like that? And how does he do that vanishing thing?"

"Not now, Sweetheart," she said. "Ask me again later."

Xena had limped over to where Cyrelle stood with head bowed and shoulders hunched. Reaching out, she turned the girl to face her.

Even from a distance, Gabrielle could see the red mark of Ares' hand on Cyrelle's cheek, and she also saw -- to her surprise -- that the girl's face was streaked with tears.

Xena wrapped her arms around her daughter and pulled her close. Cyrelle did not resist the embrace, but stood with her arms hanging limply at her side.

Gabrielle walked over to the two of them, and Lyceus followed.

"Everything's going to be all right," she heard Xena saying as she stroked the girl's dark hair.

Blood still flowed from Cyrelle's wound, and now it began soaking into the fabric of her mother's tunic. Gabrielle bent down to peer at the girl's arm more closely. "Xena," she said, "I think you'd better take a look at this cut. It's kind of a nasty one."

Xena seemed reluctant to release Cyrelle, but after a moment she did so, and turned her attention to the wound. She used her sleeve to wipe away the blood, but it quickly reappeared. "Slashed to the bone," she said. "Pretty good work -- for a warrior has-been," she added with a grim smile. "What we need now is--"

"Here. Will this help?" Lyceus asked. He held out a wide strip of fabric which Gabrielle suddenly realized he had torn off the bottom of his chiton.

"That's perfect," Xena said as she took it from him and then began to bind it tightly around Cyrelle's arm.

"Xena!" someone called out, and Gabrielle glanced up to see Maphias running toward them. "What are we supposed to do with Demetri's troops? Some of our people are attacking them, trying to take them prisoner."

"No!" exclaimed Xena. "You've got to stop them! Those men are not to be harmed in any way."

"Right," Maphias said, nodding. "But what are we supposed to do with them?"

"Just have them wait in the camp. I'll be there in a couple of minutes. Tell them they will not be punished or taken captive, but I do want to talk to them. And send our people back into town."

"Okay," he said, and sprinted off toward the bridge.

Gabrielle turned to look at Cyrelle, and noting how white the girl's face was, she slipped her left arm around her waist. "Why don't you sit down, Sweetheart," she said.

But the girl didn't seem to hear. Her breath was shallow and quick, her eyes glazing over as her body began to slide toward the ground.

"Xena, help me!" Gabrielle exclaimed as she tightened her grip, knowing she could never hold Cyrelle with only her one good arm.

The warrior was beside her in an instant, catching the girl and lifting her in strong arms, as if she were still a small child. "She's lost a lot of blood," Xena said. "And the bandage has already soaked through. Lyceus," she went on, turning to the boy, "see if you can find Sandros, or somebody else who's nice and strong, to help us."

Lyceus hurried off and returned a few minutes later with Maphias' son.

"You've got to get that bleeding stopped," Xena said to Gabrielle, as she transferred her daughter's limp form to Sandros' arms.

"I will. Don't worry," Gabrielle replied. "I'll take good care of her."

"I'll be there as soon as I can," Xena said. "Thank you, Sandros."

"I'm glad I can help," he said. Then he turned and headed for the city gates, with Gabrielle and Lyceus trotting along beside him.

* * * * *

"Well, you're not bleeding anymore," Gabrielle told Cyrelle, "but I don't want to try stitching the wound up left-handed. Your mother can do it when she gets here."

"Okay, whatever," the girl said in a dull tone.

Gabrielle studied her in silence for several moments, thinking how defeated Cyrelle looked, lying there on the blood-stained blankets of her cot. Some of the color had returned to her face, but there was no spark in the girl's dark eyes. "How do you feel?" Gabrielle asked gently.

"Like my life is over."

"Over?" Gabrielle said in surprise. "Why do you say that?"

"Because all I ever wanted to do was be a warrior, and now I know I don't have what it takes to be one."

"Sure you do! You fight so well, and--"

"No," the girl said flatly. "I'm not tough enough. I proved that today."

"Cyrelle, the only thing you proved today is that you're capable of caring about people, and of acting on your feelings."

"A warrior shouldn't have feelings. A warrior should be strong, but I'm not. I'm weak."

Gabrielle shook her head. "Loving someone is not a sign of weakness. You decided not to kill Xena because you love her. It took a lot of strength for you to stand up to Ares the way you did."

"Ares hates me now," Cyrelle said. "I'm a failure, and he hates me." Her voice broke, and she swallowed hard. "He said I'm not his daughter anymore."

"Sweetheart, we tried to warn you about Ares," Gabrielle said. "He's just--"

"Don't! Don't say bad things about him! He's my father, and--" She stopped and bit her lip, then she turned her face toward the wall. "Just leave me alone. I don't feel like talking anymore," she finished.

Gabrielle sighed and glanced toward the door. What was taking Xena so long? Getting up from her chair, she crossed to Lyceus' bed. She thought the boy must be asleep, but as she approached, he opened his eyes. "How are you doing?" she asked him.

"Well, I don't feel like puking anymore, so that's good," he said. "Why do you think the sight of blood does that to me?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "It just has that effect on some people."

He sat up. "Do you think if I saw blood all the time, I'd get used to it?"

"Yes, but I'd rather you didn't have to see it very often."

"I know, but what if I go out traveling and have lots of adventures? Then I'll see blood, won't I?"

"Probably so," she admitted, "but you're still much too young to be talking about going off and having adventures."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. Then he looked over at the other cot. "Mother," he said softly, and gestured for her to lean closer to him. "Is Cyrelle going to be all right?" he whispered. "She seems so . . . sad . . . or something."

"She'll be fine," Gabrielle said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "She just needs time to--"

The front door opened abruptly, and Xena hurried in, then closed the door behind her. Glancing at Gabrielle and Lyceus, she gave them a quick smile before crossing over to Cyrelle's bed.

"Thank the gods," Gabrielle breathed, as she went to stand beside the chair where Xena had seated herself.

"Did you sew up the wound?" Xena asked as she began unwrapping the bandage.

"No, I left it for you to do."

"That's fine. I wasn't thinking about how hard it would be for you," she said, nodding toward Gabrielle's splinted arm.

"Lyceus tried to help, but when he started turning green, I sent him off to lie down." She glanced over at him and grinned.

"It's a good thing I plan to be a bard, and not a healer," he said.

"Yes, a very good thing indeed," Xena agreed as she peered at the wound. "Lyceus, could you light the lamp for me and bring it over here, please?" she asked.

"Sure," he said.

"I already brought some needles and thread from your hut," Gabrielle said.

"Thanks," Xena said. Then she reached out to run her hand over Cyrelle's forehead and cheeks before turning the girl's face toward her. "Cyrelle, I'm so sorry," she said. "I never meant to hurt you."

"It was a fight," the girl returned. "People are supposed to get hurt when they fight."

"That's why it's better if they don't start fighting in the first place," Xena said. "But don't worry. I'll get this arm all fixed up in no time."

"You don't have to take care of me," Cyrelle said. "I tried to kill you. You don't owe me anything."

"You're wrong," Xena said quietly. "You spared my life, so I owe you everything."

"That doesn't make any sense," the girl muttered.

"Doesn't it? Well, how about this -- you're my daughter and I love you."

Cyrelle stared at her. "No, you don't," she said. "You couldn't possibly."

"Yes, she does," Lyceus put in brightly. "She has to love you. She's your mother, and it's her job!"

Gabrielle looked up to see him grinning as he carried the oil lamp from the table.

Cyrelle glared at him. "Shut up!" she exclaimed in a sudden burst of passion. "I hate all of you, and I wish I were dead!"

Xena stiffened and drew in her breath as if she were about to speak.

Gabrielle gave her lover's shoulder a quick squeeze in warning, and said, "Maybe we should wait and talk about this later, when Cyrelle is feeling better."

The warrior let her breath out again, and Gabrielle felt the muscles under her hand relax.

"Yes, of course," Xena said. "What am I thinking? That wound must hurt like Tartarus."

"No." The girl's voice had resumed its expressionless tone.

"No?" said Xena in surprise. "It doesn't hurt?"

"Not really."

She ran her hand down the girl's forearm and gently massaged the fingers. "Can you feel that?" she asked. "Can you move all your fingers?"

"Yeah," Cyrelle said.

The healer shook her head as she picked up the skein of thread and pulled a length of it loose. "You don't have to put on some act of being brave for me, you know," she said.

"It's not an act," Cyrelle said in a tired voice. "It really doesn't hurt."

"All right," Xena said. "But if it starts hurting while I'm sewing it up, just tell me, and I can use the pinch to deaden the pain." She glanced up at Lyceus. "If you're going to hold the lamp for me, you'll need to be a lot closer," she told him. "Or you can get your mother a chair and let her do it."

He leaned forward to look at Cyrelle's wound, then quickly handed the light to Gabrielle and went to fetch a chair. "I think maybe I'll go lie down again for a minute," he said with a rueful smile.

Xena smiled back at him. "Okay. Thanks, Lyceus," she said.

"What's going to happen to those soldiers?" asked Gabrielle as she seated herself and positioned the lamp.

"Which soldiers?" Xena asked absently as she poked the thread through the hole in the needle. "Oh. You mean Demetri's troops?"

"They're Cyrelle's troops now," Lyceus corrected her from across the room.

"Yes, well, I hope that very soon they won't be anybody's troops," Xena said.

"What did you tell them?" Gabrielle asked.

"I suggested that they might be happier back home with their families, making an honest living instead of looting towns and killing innocent people."

"They won't go," Cyrelle said. "Those men love being warriors. They wouldn't be happy as farmers or carpenters."

"No, some of them probably wouldn't," Xena said as she slid the needle into her daughter's flesh, "and those are the ones who will go off and join up with some new commander. But a lot of those men have already seen enough fighting and gore to last a lifetime. They're tired of long marches and sleeping on the ground, and of not knowing whether they'll live to see another sunset." She paused to tie off the stitch. "Sometimes people know they're on the wrong path, but they need a little encouragement to get them started down the right one."

Cyrelle didn't answer. She stared up at the thatched roof without appearing to see it, and she did not flinch as the needle entered her arm again.

"What about the prisoners in the gymnasium?" Gabrielle asked. "What are you going to do with them?"

"I'm going over there when I finish here," Xena said. "I'll give them the same speech I gave the others, and then I'll turn them loose."

"Demetri, too?" asked Lyceus.

"No, not Demetri. He'll have a trial and then be executed -- or at least I hope he will be."

"Are you going to execute me, too?" Cyrelle asked. "I'm a traitor, you know."

Xena froze for a moment in her work, and then reached out to touch the girl's cheek with the back of her blood-stained hand. "No, Sweetheart," she said. "I think everyone understands that what you did was because of Ares. No one wants to execute you."

"Oh, great. You make it sound like I can't even think for myself."

Gabrielle rubbed the girl's leg lightly with her splinted hand. "You know, Cyrelle," she said, "Ares has a way of making it very hard to think for yourself sometimes. I can speak from my own experience on that, and I'm sure your mother can, too."

"Yes, absolutely," Xena agreed. "You're not the first person to fall under Ares' influence, and unfortunately, you won't be the last."

There was silence for a few minutes after that. Xena continued her careful stitching of the wound, and Gabrielle watched, while casting about in her mind for something to say.

"I was just thinking about those men in Demetri's army," she mused finally. "Some of them may not have homes or families to go back to."

"No, some of them don't," Xena said, "and that's why I told them that if they wanted to stay in Amphipolis, we could try to find work for them, and a place to live."

"Do you really think the townspeople will accept them?" Gabrielle asked.

"I don't know. Maybe not, but I thought it was worth a try -- starting with Acantha."

"Acantha?" said Gabrielle. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, do you remember that messenger who brought Toris' head back to town?"

Cyrelle looked at her mother with a sudden glimmer of interest. "Do you mean the one you put the pinch on?" she asked. "The one named Makar?"

"Yes," said Xena.

"What about him?" asked Gabrielle.

"Well, after I talked to the men while ago, Makar came up to me and said he didn't want to go on fighting, but he didn't have any family to go home to, so he wanted to stay and work in Amphipolis." She stopped talking as she tied the last stitch and cut the thread.

"What did you tell him?" Gabrielle asked.

"I told him we needed help at the tavern, and I sent him to talk to Acantha."

"You're kidding!" Lyceus exclaimed. "Acantha would never hire that man! Not after he brought Toris' head home in that horrible bag."

"Maybe not," Xena said, "but then again, she might not even recognize him. She fainted, remember?"

"Yeah," said Gabrielle, "but if she does recognize him, she'll probably claw him to pieces first and ask questions later. That's what she tried to do to Demetri, anyway."

"She did? Acantha attacked Demetri?" asked Xena. "I didn't know that."

"Yes, she did. But thanks to Maphias, Demetri survived the attack." Gabrielle grinned, then added, "It was quite an amazing performance. I'm sorry you missed it."

Xena smiled. "Well, maybe I made a mistake sending Makar to Acantha, but I think she understands that Makar didn't kill Toris -- he was only the messenger."

"Anyway," Lyceus said, "I can do the work at the tavern, so why do we even need to hire anybody?"

"You can't do all the work, Sweetheart," Xena said, "especially not right now, while you're still getting healed up. Even your father couldn't do all the work alone. That's why he had you helping him."

"Xena's right," Gabrielle put in. "And now that the siege is over, there's going to be a lot of extra cleaning and repair work to do, so we can get the tavern open again."

"Oh," said Lyceus, "I didn't think about that."

Xena stood up. "I need to get some herbs from my hut for Cyrelle," she said. She looked down at the girl, but Cyrelle had lapsed back into disinterest, and appeared to be staring at nothing in particular.

Gabrielle rose and carried the lamp to the table.

"How about you, Lyceus?" she heard Xena ask. "Is your sunburn hurting? Should I make you some willow bark tea?"

"Yeah, I think that might help," he said.

The healer nodded, and then looked at Gabrielle. "Okay," she said, "who else needs herbs? I can't believe I've got a whole house full of wounded people here."

Gabrielle saw a shadow flit across her lover's face and suddenly realized how wounded Xena herself was probably feeling, even though she had escaped physical injury. "I think I'm okay, for the moment," she said, "but why don't I come with you to get the herbs?"

"All right," Xena said, and limped to the back door.

They stepped out into the courtyard, and Gabrielle squinted so hard in the midday sun that she ran right into Xena, who had stopped a few paces beyond the door. "Ouch!" she exclaimed, feeling a sharp pain in her splinted arm.

Xena turned quickly to face her. "I'm sorry, Love," she said. "I can't seem to do anything but hurt people today."

Gabrielle shaded her eyes against the sun as she studied the other woman's face. "It looks to me like you're hurting, too," she said.

"Yeah, maybe you're right," Xena said softly. She put her arms around Gabrielle, and started to pull her close, then suddenly stopped. "See? There I go again! I forgot about your back."

"No, it's okay," Gabrielle said quickly as she slipped her left arm around the warrior's waist. "Just don't hug too hard," she added with a smile.

Xena laid her head against Gabrielle's, and was silent for several long moments. Finally, she said, "I thought I had won my daughter back this morning, but now I'm not so sure." She raised her head and pulled back enough so that the bard could see her face. "What's wrong with her, Gabrielle?" she asked. "Why is she saying such hateful things, and why doesn't she feel any pain in her arm? With a wound like that-- Well, it's just not normal."

"I think Cyrelle is afraid to let herself feel anything right now," Gabrielle said. "She thought she didn't need to love anybody -- that she shouldn't love anybody -- if she was going to be a warrior. Then this morning she discovered she loved you too much to kill you, and her whole world came crashing down."

Xena nodded. "I've been there," she said. "I know how that feels."

"Yes, of course you do," Gabrielle said with a smile. "So you know it's going to take awhile for Cyrelle to realize that her life isn't really over, the way she thinks it is."

"She thinks her life is over? When she's only sixteen?"

"That's what she told me. She said she couldn't be a warrior because she wasn't tough enough, and being a warrior was all she'd ever wanted to do."

The older woman sighed and shook her head.

"Xena, during the fight today, did you know that Cyrelle wouldn't be able to kill you? Were you just calling her bluff?"

"No, I didn't know for sure what she would do," Xena said quietly. "I just realized that I couldn't go on fighting her -- not after I wounded her like that. And I thought if she was really so determined to kill me, maybe I should just let her do it."

"I was so scared," Gabrielle said. "I thought I was going to lose you."

Xena pulled her close again. "I know," she said. "I was scared, too." She was silent for a moment and then added, "Thanks for saving my life, by the way."

"Xena, I didn't really--"

"Yes, you did, because the truth is Cyrelle was all psyched up to kill me, and I think she really would have done it. But when she found out she'd have to kill you and Lyceus, too -- she just couldn't do it."

Gabrielle closed her eyes and relaxed against her lover while she listened to the familiar heartbeat. "You know," she said, "this story really does have a happy ending."

"How can you be so sure?"

She looked up at Xena. "Well, think about it this way," she said. "Amphipolis isn't under siege anymore. Demetri has been captured and his army dispersed. Ares is gone, and Cyrelle isn't out terrorizing the countryside with a band of warriors. And what's better yet," she went on, "is that even though we thought Cyrelle might be incapable of love, we now know that we were wrong."

"Yeah, you're right," Xena admitted. "It looks like the worst may be over." She smiled a little, and gave Gabrielle's shoulders another squeeze. "It's getting hot out here," she added. "Let's go get those herbs."

CHAPTER 24

But the worst was not quite over, as Xena soon discovered. By the following afternoon, Cyrelle's arm was badly swollen with infection, and her fever had risen to the point of delirium. Frantic with worry, Xena refused to leave her daughter's bedside. She lanced the wound and applied poultices to draw out the poison, bathed the girl with cool water, and tried to get her to drink tea made from healing herbs. But nothing seemed to help. Cyrelle continued to toss restlessly on the sweat-soaked cot, murmuring words Xena often could not understand. There were a few times when she thought she heard Ares' name, and she imagined that Cyrelle might be having an intense discussion with her father, someplace in another dimension of her mind.

While Xena kept watch through the long hours, Gabrielle and Lyceus moved quietly about the house, speaking in hushed voices. Xena sent the boy to the well several times to get cooler water for bathing Cyrelle. In between trips, Lyceus went to the tavern to help out there, but he tired quickly and soon came home again. Gabrielle, after tidying the house and sweeping the dirt floor, watered the herbs in the courtyard, fed Lyceus his supper, and afterwards sent him to bed.

Xena, for her part, had no appetite, and did not join the others at the table.

"You've got to eat," Gabrielle insisted when she brought Xena a bowl of soup late in the evening. "You have to stay strong for Cyrelle."

Xena hesitated, then took the bowl from Gabrielle's hand. She stared at its contents for a moment, filled the spoon, and reluctantly put it into her mouth.

Gabrielle moved a chair close to Xena's and sat down. "When you finish eating, why don't you try to get some sleep?" she suggested. "I can sit here with Cyrelle."

"I won't be able to sleep."

"Are you sure? Maybe if you just lie down for a little while . . ."

"No, I can't leave her," Xena said. "Not right now."

She looked at the girl, who lay quiet for the moment, although her breathing was fast and somewhat labored.

Gabrielle leaned forward to lay a hand on the girl's forehead, then she turned Cyrelle's arm to reveal the harsh red streaks running up to the armpit. "She's getting worse, isn't she?" she said.

Xena nodded, unable to speak because of a sudden tightness in her throat. She drew in a deep breath and let it out, spooned a little more soup into her mouth, and swallowed it only with difficulty.

"This isn't your fault, you know," Gabrielle said softly.

"I wounded her. How could it not be my fault?"

"She was trying to kill you, Xena. And remember, she's the one who chose to fight, even after you tried to talk her out of it."

The warrior stared down at the bowl in her hands. "I can't eat any more of this," she said.

The younger woman reached out to take the bowl. "I'll sit up with you," she said. "With both of us working together, maybe we can bring her fever down."

Xena looked at her and tried to smile. "Thanks," she said.

A slight movement from Cyrelle drew her attention back to the cot. The girl sighed and then opened her eyes.

"Mother?" she said in a weak voice.

"I'm right here, Sweetheart," Xena answered as she bent closer. She took the girl's hand in one of hers, and used the other to stroke her head. She could feel the heat of fever, even through the tangle of dark hair, but there was a lucidity in Cyrelle's eyes that had not been there before.

The girl spoke with some effort. "I'm sorry I wanted to kill you," she said.

"Don't worry about that. It's all in the past," Xena said quickly. "You need to use your energy to get well now."

"You forgive me?" Cyrelle persisted.

"Yes, of course I do, Darling. You don't even have to ask." She leaned down to kiss her daughter's cheek. Then she picked up a mug from the floor. "Here," she said. "These herbs will help bring down your fever."

But Cyrelle put out a hand to stop her. "Don't, Mother," she murmured. "Just let me cross over. Please."

"No!" Xena exclaimed, shaking her head. "I won't let you die -- not if I can help it! I love you too much for that." She slid one arm under Cyrelle's shoulders and lifted her halfway up, then held the cup to her lips. "Drink this," she instructed. "It will make you feel better."

The girl opened her mouth to protest, but Xena began pouring the medicine in, and Cyrelle was forced to swallow, choking a little as she did so.

"There. That wasn't so bad, was it?" Xena said as she lowered her daughter back onto the cot.

"Could you eat a little soup?" Gabrielle asked Cyrelle. "I've got some right here," she added, holding up the bowl that Xena had been eating from. "It'll take away the nasty taste of those herbs."

"No," Cyrelle whispered. "Too tired . . ." Her voice trailed off, and she closed her eyes. Then there was only the sound of her breath rasping slowly in and out over parched lips.

Xena stared at the girl, fear rising like an icy river within her. "She doesn't want to live, but I can't let her go," she said. "I can't lose another child."

"We're not going to lose her!" Gabrielle said fiercely. And taking a square of linen cloth from the basin of water, she wrung it out and began to bathe Cyrelle's face. "How about the wound?" she asked Xena. "Does it need to be lanced again? Maybe we can apply a new poultice. Do you want me to get some more herbs from the hut for you?"

"Yes . . . yes, I'll lance it again," Xena said, relieved to be prodded back into action.

After that, the two of them worked on through the torturous hours of the night, doing everything they could think of to save Cyrelle. Lyceus, unable to sleep, spent much of that time hovering nearby, clearly worried about his cousin's fate. Several times he went to the well to bring back the cold water Xena used to soak Cyrelle's blankets before wrapping them around her feverish body.

When a neighbor's cock began to crow, Xena suddenly became aware of how tired she felt. Getting up from her chair, she carefully flexed her aching back, and rubbed her bleary eyes. "I'll be right back," she said, then hobbled stiffly out the back door and across the courtyard to the latrine.

On her return, she stopped for a moment to stare up at the gray sky. The air was cool and fresh as she drew it into her lungs. She heard the rooster crow again, and now she also became aware of the fluttering and chirping of songbirds. She did not know how it would end with Cyrelle. She only knew the saga could not last much longer. Her daughter would either live or die, and they would have an end to the tale -- probably before the sun had fully risen.

Xena was surprised to realize that the prospect of Cyrelle's death no longer terrified her. Perhaps it was the result of exhaustion, but she longed only for a resolution now, and an end to the uncertainty. Taking in another deep breath, she let it out and then started toward the house. She was still a few paces from the door when it burst open and Lyceus looked out.

"She's shivering!" he exclaimed. "Mother thinks maybe the fever is breaking."

In an instant, Xena's numbness vanished, and hope flooded her soul. Pushing past Lyceus, she hurried to Cyrelle's cot and bent over it. The girl was indeed shivering, and soon her teeth began to chatter, too.

"It's so cold in here," she murmured. "Don't we have any blankets?"

"Yes, of course we do," Xena said, lifting Cyrelle in her arms and then sitting down with the girl across her lap. "Lyceus, could you--"

But he was already at her side, blanket in hand. "Here, use mine. It's dry and warm."

"I'll get one from our bed, too," Gabrielle said, jumping up and hurrying into the sleeping room.

Xena wrapped the blankets around the girl and then held her close, humming softly and rocking her gently. After a time, she felt the trembling lessen, and Cyrelle's body sagged more heavily against her.

Gabrielle stripped the wet blankets off Cyrelle's cot and replaced them with dry bedding. Lyceus meanwhile crouched down beside Xena's chair. Patting Cyrelle's blanketed form softly, he looked up at the healer. "Is she going to be all right now?" he asked.

"Yes, I think so," Xena said. And as she looked down at the dark head nestled against her breast in sleep, the tears she had been holding back for so long began to fall at last.

* * * * *

About mid-morning five days later, Xena was sitting at the table, sewing a new chiton for Lyceus, when a knock sounded on the door. "Coming!" she called, glancing over at Cyrelle's cot as she got to her feet. The girl lay on her side, facing the wall, apparently asleep.

Moving to the door, Xena opened it, and stared in surprise at the tall, shaggy-haired man standing there. "Hercules!" she exclaimed softly. "I forgot that Gabrielle sent for you."

"I came as soon as I got the message," he said with a grin. "Took a ship up from Athens, and docked at Eion this morning. The wharfmaster told me I missed all the action, though."

"Yeah, I guess you did," Xena said. Then she stood there, just looking at him, not really knowing what to say, but wondering, as she always did, why his hair still had no hint of gray, even after all these years.

He waited, a bemused expression on his face, and after a few moments of silence, said, "You know, I was sort of hoping you might invite me in -- seeing as how I've come all this way to visit you."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just not thinking," Xena said quickly. But instead of opening the door wider, she glanced over her shoulder at Cyrelle. The girl had not moved, and she appeared to have no interest in their visitor. Xena turned back to Hercules. "Let's go next door," she said in a low voice, nodding toward her hut.

"Okay," he said in a puzzled tone.

She took her crutch from where it leaned against the wall, and stepped out into the street, closing the door behind her. Hercules followed her into the hut, and she turned to face him. "I'm glad you're here," she said, then smiled as she wrapped her arms around him.

"This is more the sort of welcome I was expecting," he said.

His body was warm and strong against her own, and in the circle of his embrace, Xena felt herself begin to relax for the first time in many days.

"Xena, what's wrong?" Hercules asked. "When I heard that the siege was over, and Demetri had been captured, I thought I'd find you in a jubilant mood. But instead, you look so -- well, worried."

She sighed and after a moment, let go of him and stepped back. "It's Cyrelle," she said. "She nearly died from an infected wound."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Is she better now?"

Xena shrugged. "She seems to be out of danger," she said, then turned to the shelf and picked up a water jug. "You must be thirsty," she added. "Let me get you a drink."

"Thanks," Hercules said as he took a seat on the cot.

Xena filled a clay mug and handed it to him.

He drank with long, deep swallows, watching her over the rim meanwhile. When he finished, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Did you let Cyrelle do some fighting?" he asked. "Is that how she got wounded?"

"I taught her to use a sword, and then I made her my lieutenant."

Hercules gave her a surprised look. "I thought you didn't want her to be a warrior," he said.

"I didn't," she responded. "But sometimes circumstances force us to do things we don't want to do."

He nodded and took another drink. "I'll bet she fights well, given her parentage," he added with a smile.

"Very well indeed," Xena agreed, then sat down beside him on the cot.

"So who wounded her? Demetri?"

"No. I did."

"You're kidding!" he exclaimed. "Was it an accident?"

"No," Xena said, but then amended herself. "Well, yes, it was an accident in the sense that I didn't want to hurt her. But she was trying to kill me at the time."

Hercules stared at her for a long moment in silence. Then he drained his mug and set it down on the cot. "All right," he said. "I think there's a story here that you need to tell me."

"Would you like some more water?" Xena asked, reaching for the drinking vessel.

"No. I would like to hear about Cyrelle."

She sighed. "I don't even know how to start," she said in a dull tone. She looked at him and then turned her gaze away. Her mind was a jumble of images which she could not think how to sort out.

"Okay," Hercules said. "Let's start with this. Is Cyrelle still trying to kill you?"

"No," Xena responded. She hesitated, then added, "But now I'm afraid she might be thinking about killing herself instead." It was the first time she had put her fear into words, and having done so, she looked at Hercules to see his reaction. His eyes were full of compassion.

"Why do you think she might do that?" he asked quietly.

"Because she-- Well, she's getting better, physically, but she just doesn't seem to be interested in anything. All she wants to do is sleep, and I have to practically force her to eat." Xena paused to take a deep breath and let it out again. "She says she wants to be a warrior, but she doesn't have what it takes, and if she can't be a warrior, then--" She stopped speaking again and reached out to lay her hand on Hercules' arm. "Maybe if you talked to her, she'd listen to you," she said. "Gabrielle and I have both tried -- even Lyceus has tried -- but we just can't seem to get through to her."

Hercules frowned. "Well, I want to do whatever I can to help, of course," he said, "but I don't have a lot of experience solving the problems of teenage girls." He smiled, then added, "I thought I was coming here to help you fight Demetri, and I would have been much better at that."

Xena smiled back at him. "I know," she said, "but you once convinced me that there were other ways of being a warrior besides burning villages and slaughtering everybody in them, so maybe you can convince Cyrelle of that, too."

"Is that the problem? She thinks she has to kill people in order to be a warrior?"

"Apparently so. Please talk to her, Hercules. I really believe you can help her."

"I'll do what I can, but I still need to know what happened here. I just don't understand how Cyrelle could end up trying to kill her own mother."

"Yeah, well, I'm not totally sure I understand that one, myself," Xena said with a wry grin. "I guess you'll have to ask Cyrelle. In fact," Xena went on, "maybe we can get her to tell you the whole story."

"That seems like a good idea," Hercules agreed

"Come on, then," Xena said, as she got up and tucked her crutch under her arm. "Oh, and of course you're welcome to sleep here in the hut, like you usually do," she added.

"Thanks."

"What's Iolaus up to? I wish he could have come with you."

"Well, he claims it's hard for him to travel these days because of his arthritis. But if you want the truth, I think he just prefers to stay home and play with his new grandbaby."

"You're probably right," Xena said with a laugh. Then she led the way from the hut back into the main part of the house. "Cyrelle," she called as she crossed to her daughter's cot, "look who came to visit us!"

"Who?" the girl asked in a disinterested tone.

"Well, I'm not going to spoil the surprise. You'll have to look for yourself."

Cyrelle sighed and reluctantly rolled over onto her back. "Uncle Hercules!" she murmured, and the hint of a smile crossed her face. Using her left arm, she pushed herself up to a sitting position.

Hercules grinned at her and crouched down beside the cot. "Do you think I can get a hug from my favorite niece?" he asked.

She nodded and wrapped her arm around his neck as he leaned forward to embrace her.

Watching them, Xena felt a lump form in her throat, and she was forced to swallow hard.

After a moment, Cyrelle pulled away and gave Hercules a quizzical look. "You really are my uncle, aren't you?" she said. "Because Ares is your brother."

"You know about Ares?" Hercules asked in surprise. "I mean, you know that he's--" He stopped, and glanced up at Xena.

"That he's my father?" Cyrelle finished for him. "Yeah, I know all about that."

Hercules rocked back on his heels and looked from Xena to Cyrelle. "Was Ares involved in this whole business with Demetri?" he asked.

"Yes, he certainly was," Xena told him.

"Ah," Hercules said. "Now things are starting to make a little more sense here. But I still don't know the whole story." He looked pointedly at Cyrelle.

"Oh. Well, Mother can tell you everything."

"I was kind of hoping to hear it from you," he said.

"I wouldn't tell it right," she said, shaking her head..

"What are you talking about?" Xena asked. "There's no right or wrong way to tell it. Hercules just wants to know what happened, and since I need to go check on some sick people and run a few errands, I was hoping you two could entertain each other while I'm gone."

"But only if you feel like talking, Cyrelle," Hercules added. "Xena told me you've been sick."

Cyrelle shrugged. "I can talk for a while, I guess," she said.

"Okay, good," Xena said. "And maybe Herc would like something to eat. We've got bread and cheese and figs and some dried fish and--"

"Just tell me where to find it -- I can help myself," Hercules said.

"No, I'll get it for you," Cyrelle said, and swung her legs over the side of the cot. "Where's that sling you made for me?" she asked Xena.

"It's . . . uh . . . right here," Xena said, picking the linen cloth up from the earth floor and dusting it off. This was the first time Cyrelle had voluntarily worn the sling, so that seemed like a good sign.

"Wait till you see Gabrielle and Lyceus," Cyrelle said to Hercules. "Our whole family is like the walking wounded or something -- well, except Xena."

"What happened to Gabrielle and Lyceus?" Hercules asked. "And where are they, anyway?"

"They're both working at the tavern right now," Xena said. "I'll run by and tell them you're here."

"Gabrielle's got a broken arm," Cyrelle added, "so she wears a sling, just like me. And Lyceus got sunburned really bad. He was red as a beet for a while, but now he's peeling, so he looks like a some kind of scaly lizard."

Hercules laughed. "Well, I'll look forward to seeing that, I guess. And how about Toris? Is he one of the walking wounded, too?"

There was a moment of silence and then Xena said, "Toris is dead. He was one of our very first casualties."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Hercules said softly. "You must miss him a great deal."

"Yes. Yes, we do," Xena responded.

Hercules turned to Cyrelle. "You've really got to tell me how all this happened."

"Yeah, I will," Cyrelle said, getting up from the cot and heading for the shelves where the food was kept. "But first I'll find you something to eat."

Hercules got to his feet and looked at Xena.

"Thank you," she whispered, touching his arm.

"My pleasure," he replied with a smile.

* * * * *

When Xena stepped into the main room of the tavern, she heard the sound of a man's voice and a woman's laughter. As her eyes adjusted from the bright sunlight of the street, she saw Maphias and Acantha near the center of the room. He sat atop one of the tables, toying with a hammer while he talked, and she listened from a chair nearby. The two of them looked up as Xena approached.

"What's so funny?" the warrior asked.

"Oh, Maphias was telling me a silly story about the first time he ever made a cupboard and how he put it together all wrong," Acantha said. She shook her head and began chuckling again.

Xena smiled, remembering suddenly how much happier and even prettier Acantha had once appeared, before the bitterness of childlessness had soured her disposition. "Sounds like a good story," she said.

"It is," Acantha assured her. "Maybe you can get him to tell it again. But I, for one, need to get back to work." She stood up and tugged at her chiton, straightening the belt over the slight swelling of her belly. "How's Cyrelle doing?" she asked Xena.

"Better, now that Hercules is here."

"Hercules!" exclaimed Maphias. "He's in Amphipolis? Right now?"

"Uh-huh. Showed up at my door a couple of hours ago."

"I wish he had got here in time to help fight Demetri," Acantha said.

"Yeah, well, he came as soon as he got Gabrielle's message," Xena replied. "I guess we just got done fighting too soon." She grinned.

"Humph!" said Acantha. "Not nearly soon enough, if you ask me!"

"Oh, come on," said Maphias in a teasing tone. "Any decent siege should have lasted at least six months, and look at Troy. That one went on for--"

"I don't want to hear it!" Acantha said, but she was smiling. She turned to Xena. "You bring Hercules over here for a good meal tonight, on the house," she said. "Don't you go cooking for him yourself."

Xena laughed. "I'm sure Herc will jump at the chance to eat your cooking instead of mine," she said.

Acantha nodded. "Okay, I have to get back to work now. I'll talk to you two later." Then she turned and headed for the kitchen.

Xena looked over at Maphias and noted how his gaze followed Acantha until she disappeared through the doorway. "What's going on here, Maphias?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh. Well, I'm just finally getting around to doing that repair work you asked me to do when Alala got hurt -- you know, tightening up the wobbly chairs and tables."

"That's not what I meant," she said as she pulled out a chair and sat down.

He looked at her, colored slightly, and then glanced toward the kitchen door. "Nothing's going on," he said. "Why would you think something was going on?"

"Because it's been a long time since I've seen Acantha looking so happy and relaxed."

"Yeah, she's had a rough time of it, hasn't she?" He looked at her again, hesitated, and then lowered his voice. "Can you keep a secret?" he asked.

"Yes, of course."

"Well, I've been thinking that maybe a few months from now -- I mean, after we've had a decent mourning period and everything--" He stopped to take a breath. "Well, I thought maybe I'd ask Acantha to be my wife," he finished. And then, before Xena could answer, he rushed on. "I think she'd make a good mother for my children, and her baby's going to need a father, and--"

"She told you about the baby?"

"Yeah, she did," he admitted. "I guess she hasn't told too many people yet, but she told me a few days ago." He shook his head. "I can't believe it worked out this way, with Toris dead and everything," he said sadly. "It just doesn't seem fair that he wouldn't get to see his own child."

"I know, but I like to think that he's left us a very special gift," Xena said, smiling a little.

Maphias nodded and was silent for a moment. Then he asked, "So, what do you think? Do you think Acantha will have me?"

"Well, let's see," Xena mused. "Would it be better to be a carpenter's wife with a ready-made family to take care of, or would it be better to raise a child alone while also trying to run a busy inn?"

"Actually," Maphias said, "I'd been thinking that if Acantha agreed -- and you, too, of course -- I could maybe move in here and help run the inn."

"Hmm!" Xena said in pleasant surprise. "I kind of like that idea, and I'm guessing Acantha will, too. But what about your carpentry business?"

"I would turn it over to Sandros, and maybe he could start training one of his younger brothers to help him."

Xena grinned. "So let's see," she said. "If you marry my sister-in-law, will that make you my brother?"

He laughed. "I'd like to think so," he said. "Not that I could ever take Toris' place, of course."

She smiled and was about to speak when a noise on the stairs drew her gaze in that direction. Gabrielle was coming down, a mop and bucket in her left hand. Xena got up and moved to stand next to Maphias. "You don't need to take Toris' place," she told him, "because I've always pretty much thought of you as a brother."

"Thanks," he said, looking a little embarrassed.

"But right now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go talk to Gabrielle."

"Oh, sure, but just remember about our little secret."

"My lips are sealed," she assured him, after which she headed across the room toward her lover.

"Xena! What are you doing here?" Gabrielle said in surprise. Then she lowered her voice and added, "I thought you didn't want to leave Cyrelle alone."

"She's not alone."

"Oh. Who's with her? One of the neighbors?"

Xena shook her head. "No. As it happens, our guest has arrived," she said, and when Gabrielle looked blank, she added, "The one you sent for."

"Hercules?"

"Yes. He just got into Eion this morning."

"Wow, that's great!" Gabrielle said, setting her bucket and mop down. "So you left him there with Cyrelle? Do you think she'll even talk to him?"

"Yeah. I really think she will," Xena said. "She seemed pretty glad to see him, and I asked her to tell him the whole story -- you know, about the siege and everything."

"Do you think she'll talk about Ares?"

"I hope so."

Gabrielle nodded. "You know, if anybody can help her, I think it would be Hercules," she said. "I mean, he's a demigod, like she is, so he knows what that's like. And of course he's had a lot of dealings with Ares."

"So have we, but she won't listen to us."

"I know, but maybe it will all sound different, coming from him."

"That's what I'm counting on," Xena said with a smile.

"Does Lyceus know that Herc is here?" Gabrielle asked. "I think he'll be pretty excited."

"I haven't seen Lyceus yet. Where is he?"

"Probably in the stable. Last I knew, he and Makar were mucking out stalls. Oh, but know what, this is perfect," Gabrielle went on, "because Acantha asked Lyceus if he'd do some storytelling tonight, and now Hercules can come and hear him."

"Maybe that's why Acantha told me to bring Herc over here for dinner," Xena said, laughing a little. "I thought she was just trying to save him from my cooking." Then she asked, "How come you're not wearing your sling?"

"Well, because my arm isn't swelling much anymore, and because it's a lot easier to get things done if I can use my arm a little bit, at least."

"Okay. Just be careful with it," Xena said. Then she gave the younger woman a quick hug. "I guess I'll go look for Lyceus, and then I'll go on home."

"All right," Gabrielle said. "I'll see you there shortly."

Xena gave her one last smile and then headed for the back door.

CHAPTER 25

"Xena, can I talk to you for a minute?"

The healer looked up from the chicken she was plucking in the courtyard to see Hercules standing in the doorway. "Of course. Come on out," she said as she brushed off the bench beside her. "You can sit here, if you don't mind a few feathers."

"That's okay. I'll just sit on the ground," he said, then settled himself cross-legged on the flagstone path. "Is that our dinner tonight?" he asked, nodding toward the chicken.

"Yes, but don't worry. Gabrielle's going to do the actual cooking."

He laughed, but then quickly became pensive, and sat staring down at his hands without really appearing to see them.

Only three days had passed since Hercules' arrival in Amphipolis, but already Xena had seen much improvement in Cyrelle, both physically and in terms of her mood. But now, looking at Hercules, she felt uneasy somehow, wondering what was on his mind.

"Let me guess," she said. "You want to talk about Cyrelle."

"Yeah, I do," he admitted with a grin.

"Hercules, I really can't thank you enough for everything you've done for her."

"No thanks needed," he said with a dismissive wave. "And anyway, even though she seems to be getting better, I think she's still quite a ways from being, well, cured -- or whatever you want to call it."

"Yes, I agree, but at least she seems interested in things again -- things like staying alive, for example." Xena bent down to stuff a handful of feathers into a sack, grateful for an excuse to hide her face until her emotions were more under control.

Hercules was silent for a few moments, but when Xena sat up again, he said, "You know, Cyrelle is never going to be content to live a quiet, small-town kind of life -- at least not until she's seen the world."

"Or conquered the world, more likely," Xena said in a wry tone, then added, "Yeah, I know that."

"She has such a strong warrior spirit," Hercules went on. "I really think that, with a little guidance, she could use it to do a lot of good. Maybe she could save the world rather than conquer it."

"I wish I could give her that guidance," Xena said sadly. "I wish I could take her out to see the world, and teach her how to help people."

"Xena, you've already taught her more than you know. Cyrelle's been hearing stories about you all her life, and that's been a big influence on her, whether she wants to admit it or not." Hercules paused to look at Xena, and then continued, "I think the truth is that your daughter just doesn't know how to live up to your example."

Xena frowned as she yanked out several more feathers. "But the example I set wasn't always a good one," she said. "It seems to me that Cyrelle has mostly followed the bad part."

"Perhaps, but Ares has had an influence on her, too," Hercules said. "And as you know, it's often easier to be a bad girl than it is to be a good one."

"I know," Xena admitted with a sigh. "So how do we keep Cyrelle from becoming the bad girl her mother once was?"

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. I've been thinking that maybe if Cyrelle traveled with me for a while, I could teach her a little bit about the value of good deeds. And I could also try to give her some pointers on how to cope with Ares, if he shows up again -- which I feel certain he will do."

Xena considered for a moment and then asked, "What does Cyrelle think of this plan?"

"I haven't mentioned it to her yet," Hercules said. "I wanted to get your permission first."

"I see," Xena said. She no longer made any move to pluck feathers from the chicken, but sat staring at the herb garden without really seeing it.

"Of course, I will do everything I can to keep Cyrelle safe from harm," Hercules said, "but as you know, there are no guarantees."

"I know," Xena said softly.

"I'm sure it's painful for you to think of letting her go, but--"

"She'll go anyway," Xena said flatly, "so it would be better for her to go with you." She sighed. "I think I already started letting go of her when I decided to teach her to use a sword," she went on. "But it's still hard to think of her leaving home." Then she looked at Hercules and grinned. "Are you sure you can put up with her?" she asked. "Cyrelle's not the easiest person to live with, you know."

He smiled back at her. "I think maybe I'm brave enough to at least give it a try," he said.

Xena nodded and blinked back the tears that suddenly stung her eyes. "Thank you," she said. "This really means a lot to me."

"No problem," he responded. "Now I just hope Cyrelle will be agreeable to the idea."

"I don't think you have to worry about that," Xena said. "But I'd like for her wound to be more healed up before she leaves."

"Yes, of course. But I'm in no hurry. We'll just wait until she gets her strength back. In the meantime, maybe I can show her a few kick-boxing moves."

"She'd like that, I'm sure," Xena said, then paused to listen for a moment. "I think I just heard the front door slam, so it sounds like Cyrelle is home from the tavern or wherever she's been."

"Good. I'll go talk to her," Hercules said, getting to his feet and smiling at Xena as he brushed off his leather pants. Then he opened the door and went into the house.

Xena sat still for a few moments before her hands began to move again, mechanically pulling the chicken feathers loose and putting them into the bag. When she had saved enough feathers, she would make a new pillow for Lyceus, she decided. But the image in her mind was not of Lyceus, but of Cyrelle, sleeping on the cold, hard ground with nothing to pillow her head. Well, the girl was tough. She would soon get used to life on the road, and she would probably come to love it as much as her mother once had. Xena breathed a deep sigh and then tried to smile, even as the tears she'd been holding back began to trickle down her cheeks.

* * * * *

The main topic of conversation at the dinner table was Demetri's trial, which, now that a judge had arrived from Corinth, was scheduled for the following day. But Xena found herself strangely uninterested in Demetri's fate. Instead, she kept watching her daughter's face, knowing that the girl was bursting with excitement over the news she wanted to share.

The meal was almost over, though, before Cyrelle at last announced, "I have something to tell you all."

"Oh? What's that?" Gabrielle asked in a mild tone. She glanced at Xena, but the warrior kept her expression impassive.

"Well," Cyrelle began, "Hercules said that I can come travel with him, and he'll teach me how to fight for good causes and help people out and do stuff like that. So when he leaves here, I'm going with him. We just have to wait until my arm is all healed up, so I can use my sword." She stopped and waited in triumphant silence for the reactions of the others.

Gabrielle appeared stunned, and looked from Cyrelle to Hercules to Xena. "Did you know about this?" she asked Xena.

"Yes. Herc and I discussed it. I've given my permission for Cyrelle to go."

"Okay," Gabrielle said slowly. "Well, I guess if Xena says you can go, then--"

"Mother," Lyceus broke in suddenly. "I want to go, too! May I, please? May I go with Hercules and Cyrelle?"

Everyone stared at him in surprise, and Xena realized, with a sharp chill in her gut, that she had been a fool not to anticipate the boy's request.

"Oh, wow, Lyceus!" Cyrelle exclaimed. "It would be so great if you could come, too!"

Xena looked at Gabrielle, and noted that the younger woman had suddenly turned quite pale.

"No, you may not go," the bard said firmly. "You're much too young to be out running around like that."

"I'm not either too young!" Lyceus protested. "I'm almost as old as Cyrelle is. I'll be sixteen right after the winter solstice."

Gabrielle shook her head. "It's too dangerous. You don't even know how to use a sword. You could get hurt or killed out there. You just have no idea what it's like."

"Yes, I do. I know all about what it's like because I've been hearing your stories all these years," Lyceus returned. "And I can fight with a staff," he went on. "You couldn't even do that much when you first left home." He turned to Hercules. "Don't you think it would be all right for me to go?" he asked. "I promise to be careful, and to do everything you tell me to. I'm strong from chopping lots of wood, and I know a little bit about cooking, too. I could be really useful to you, and I could tell stories every night while we sit by the campfire. Please, Hercules, can't I go?"

Hercules shifted uncomfortably in his chair and threw a quick glance at Gabrielle. "Well, Lyceus, I would be glad for you to come along," he said, "but it's not really up to me. It's your mother's decision."

Lyceus turned to Gabrielle again. "Please, Mother," he pleaded. "Don't you see what a great opportunity this is? I can't be a bard if I don't have any stories to tell, and this way--"

"No, Sweetheart," Gabrielle said, shaking her head. "I just don't see how I can let you go. Not yet. Maybe in another year or so . . ." She looked across the table. "Xena, help me out here. Tell him he's too young to go."

Xena swallowed hard, feeling the weight of her lover's anguish. But when she looked at Lyceus, she could see his pain, as well. "Lyceus," she said, "don't you know you'll break your mother's heart if you go?"

"Yeah, I know," he said softly, "but I still have to go, don't you see? It's like there's this voice inside me, and it keeps calling me, like it's my destiny or something." He looked at Gabrielle again. "You must know how it feels, Mother," he said. "You must have heard it calling you, too, all those years ago when you decided to follow Xena."

She hesitated. "Yes," she admitted finally. "I heard that voice."

"So can I go with Hercules and Cyrelle? Please?"

She looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. "All right," she murmured, "you can go."

"Oh, thank you!" Lyceus exclaimed, jumping up from his chair and rushing over to give her a hug. "Thank you, Mother! This is so fantastic! You've made me so happy! Thank you!"

She nodded and returned his hug wordlessly.

"Wow! We are going to have the best time!" cried Cyrelle, clapping her hands. "Just the three of us, traveling all around, righting all the world's wrongs. Won't it be fun, Hercules?"

"Well, it should be interesting, anyway," Hercules said with a grin, as he cast a rueful glance first at Gabrielle and then at Xena.

Lyceus returned to his chair and sat down. "Okay, we have to plot our course," he said, leaning in conspiratorially. "Where are we going first? Hey, maybe we could stop in Poteidaia and visit Aunt Lila and Uncle Joxer," he suggested.

"I'm going to see if there are any ripe figs on the tree," Gabrielle said suddenly. Then she got up and hurried out the back door.

Cyrelle frowned. "There aren't any ripe figs out there," she said. "Gabrielle already made me pick them all this afternoon."

Xena got to her feet and reached for her crutch. "This isn't about figs," she said.

"But she said--" Cyrelle began.

Xena put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "You three talk about your travel plans," she said. "I'll be back soon."

Hercules reached out to catch her arm. "Xena, I'm so sorry," he said. "I feel like I'm taking your children away from you, and that's not what I intended at all."

"I know," she assured him. "It's not your fault. I guess it's just time we realized that they're not children anymore -- they're growing up, and they have lives of their own to live." She gave them the bravest smile she could muster, then crossed the room to the back door.

Gabrielle was standing in the middle of the courtyard, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

Xena went to her and, dropping her crutch, wrapped both arms around the younger woman and pulled her close.

"I can't do it," Gabrielle said as she pressed her wet face against Xena's tunic. "I can't let him go. It's bad enough to think about Cyrelle leaving, but Lyceus, too-- It's too much. I just can't do it!"

"You have to, Sweetheart," Xena said softly. "It's part of being a mother."

"Yes, but not now. Not yet. I'm just not ready to do it yet."

"We're never ready to do it. That's what makes it so hard."

Another series of sobs shook the bard's body, and Xena gently stroked her hair.

"This is all your fault," Gabrielle mumbled.

"My fault? How do you figure that?"

"Well, if you hadn't told Cyrelle she could go with Hercules, Lyceus never would have thought of doing it."

Xena sighed. "Be reasonable, Gabrielle," she said. "You know Cyrelle would have left home anyway, no matter what I told her. And at least now she's going with Herc instead of as the leader of some marauding army."

"Yeah, but there's no reason why Lyceus should go, too."

"Lyceus has always wanted to be a bard, and he's always wanted to travel," Xena reminded her. "He's been talking about it for years, and apparently he's decided that now is the time to go -- whether we want him to or not."

Gabrielle gave a deep sigh, but said nothing.

"At least he didn't run off in the middle of the night without even giving you a chance to say goodbye," Xena added.

"Now I understand why my parents were so upset," Gabrielle said.

"Yes, and why they hated me all those years because they thought I took you away from them."

"You did take me away from them," Gabrielle said, tightening her grip around Xena's waist.

"What are you talking about? You're the one who chose to follow me, even after I did my best to discourage you."

"Yeah, but you made me fall in love with you. That's why I was forced to follow you."

Xena laughed. "Gabrielle, it's impossible to 'make you' do anything -- always has been, and always will be. So don't you go blaming me for the mistakes of your youth."

Gabrielle looked up at her, face still streaked with tears. "It wasn't a mistake," she said. "It was the best thing I ever did."

"Uh-huh. You said that right," Xena agreed. Then she smiled and bent to give her lover a long, gentle kiss. "By the way," she added as she used her sleeve to dry Gabrielle's tears, "Cyrelle says there are no ripe figs out here."

"I know," Gabrielle said, "so maybe we should go back inside now." She reached down to pick up Xena's crutch and handed it to her. Then, arm in arm, the two of them started slowly toward the door.

* * * * *

On the day Cyrelle and Lyceus were to leave, Xena lay awake in the pre-dawn darkness of the sleeping room. She had not slept well, and neither had Gabrielle, although at that particular moment, the younger woman's deep breathing seemed to indicate that she had dozed off at last. Almost a month had passed since Hercules' arrival. During that time, Demetri had been tried and executed, Cyrelle's wound had healed, and Gabrielle had pretty much regained the use of her broken wrist.

Xena sighed and shifted her position slightly in the bed. There seemed to be no point in trying to sleep, so she let her mind return once again to the conversation she had had with Cyrelle on the previous afternoon. She had been working in her hut when her daughter came in. Xena looked up and smiled at her, remembering suddenly the little girl who used to sit for hours playing with stick people and stick horses on the hut's dirt floor. The memory made her throat tighten, and she quickly turned her attention back to the herbs she was crushing in a mortar.

Cyrelle stood watching her work in silence for a time, then asked, "Are those herbs for us?"

"Yes. I'm going to send along several packets for you and Lyceus," Xena said. "They're all common herbs that you've seen me use hundreds of times, so you should know what to do with them."

"Okay."

"And when you run out, you'll have to buy some more in a marketplace somewhere, or else from a healer."

"Okay," the girl said again.

Xena turned to look at her. It was hard to believe that by this time tomorrow she would be gone. And who knew how much time would pass before they saw each other again. She reached out to touch her daughter's cheek. "I'm really going to miss you," she said.

"Yeah, I know," Cyrelle responded in a quiet voice. "But thanks for letting me go."

"Did I have any choice?" Xena asked.

"Well, no, I guess you didn't," Cyrelle said with a grin. "But it was nice of you to give me permission anyway."

Xena shook her head and smiled. Then she turned back to her mortar.

"Mother?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think I'll make a good warrior?"

Xena looked at her again. "I think you'll make a wonderful warrior," she said, "as long as you fight for what is just and good."

Cyrelle nodded. "That's what Hercules said, too," she mused.

"Your Uncle Hercules has so much to teach you, if you're willing to learn," Xena told her. Then she laid her hand on the girl's shoulder. "But just remember that Hercules doesn't have a dark side -- at least not like you and I do. So it will be up to you to learn how to fight against the darkness inside you. And unfortunately, you will probably have to fight it every day for the rest of your life."

"My dark side almost killed me, didn't it?"

"Yes, and it almost killed me, too," Xena added in a wry tone.

"I know, but then when I thought I didn't want to live anymore, you saved me," Cyrelle said. "I was angry about that at first, but now I'm really glad I'm alive."

"Me, too," Xena said. She opened her arms, and when the girl came to her, she hugged her tightly. "I love you, Cyrelle," she said.

"I love you, too, Mother," the girl said softly.

Xena buried her face in her daughter's black hair while she fought back her tears. Then, after a moment, she said, "Don't ever believe you can live without love, Sweetheart. I tried to live without it for many years, and I ended up destroying a lot of people," she went on. "I nearly destroyed myself, too, while I was at it."

"But then Gabrielle came along," Cyrelle said.

"Yes, Gabrielle came along and taught me the real meaning of love," Xena said. She loosened her hold enough so that she could look at her daughter's face. "I just hope that someday you'll find someone to love, too -- someone who will see the best in you and love you for all those good things. Because there's a lot of good in you, Cyrelle. Always remember that."

It was the best wish she knew to make for her warrior daughter -- that she would be loved as Xena herself had been by Gabrielle. And now, lying there in the darkness, Xena became aware once more of the gentle sound of her lover's breathing and of the warmth of her body, and she felt comforted. She closed her eyes and was just beginning to drift toward sleep when she heard someone moving around in the other room, and then the murmur of voices.

"Gabrielle," she whispered.

"I'm awake," the younger woman mumbled. "Is it time to get up?"

"Yeah." Her hand found Gabrielle's under the blanket.

"Maybe if we just stay here in bed, Cyrelle and Lyceus won't leave, and everything will go on being the way it's always been."

"That would be nice, wouldn't it?" Xena agreed. She gave her lover's hand a little squeeze. "We can get through this, you know," she said, "just like we've gotten through everything else."

"I know," Gabrielle said. "I know we'll get through it, but why does it have to be so painful?"

"That's an excellent question, and as soon as I know the answer, I'll get back to you," Xena said. She brought Gabrielle's hand to her lips for a quick kiss, then sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

Breakfast was a hasty and somewhat silent affair. Even Lyceus, who had been prattling excitedly for days about the adventures to come, now had little to say. Apparently, the sad reality of leaving home had set in, and Xena suspected that it was all the boy could do to keep from crying.

"We'll come back to visit!" Lyceus burst out finally. "We'll come back at least once a year."

"Yes, of course you will," Gabrielle said. "And I hope you'll send us messages sometimes, if you get the chance."

"We will, we promise," Cyrelle said.

"Yeah," agreed Lyceus, "but when we become famous, we won't have to send messages anymore because word of our exploits will spread all the way to Amphipolis."

"Oh, right. I forgot about that," Gabrielle said, and she laughed -- or at least tried to.

The five of them walked together as far as the bridge, where they all hugged each other, cried, and promised to stay safe until they saw each other again. Xena and Gabrielle watched the adventurers go along the road until at last they disappeared from sight. Then the two women headed back to town in the first rays of the rising sun.

"Do you have to work at the tavern today?" Xena asked as they passed by it.

"Not till tonight," Gabrielle said. "Acantha hired that new girl to take Cyrelle's place, and she's going to clean the rooms today."

"Will Makar be doing all the heavy work alone now?"

"Well, a lot of it, but Maphias' two younger boys are going to start helping out with chopping the wood and cleaning the stable."

"Good," Xena said, nodding.

"What are you planning to do today?" Gabrielle asked.

"Actually, I was thinking I might hitch up Argo and go out looking for herbs for a while before it gets hot. Want to come along?"

"Yes, I'd like that." Gabrielle sighed and then added, "I think it's going to seem like a very long day."

Xena put her left arm across the younger woman's shoulders, and they continued on to the house in silence.

When they got inside, Gabrielle stopped and looked around. "It's so empty," she said. "We've never lived here without the children. Maybe this house is too big for just two people."

"I think we'll manage," Xena said with a little smile.

"Yes, but what will we do? We don't have anybody to take care of now."

"We have each other, just like in the beginning."

"Yeah, but in the beginning, we were travelling all the time, and there was always something going on. Since we got to Amphipolis, all that's happened is that our kids grew up."

"There are plenty of other things happening here," Xena said. "We have lots of friends, and Acantha is expecting a baby. I think there will always be something for us to do."

"I guess you're right," Gabrielle admitted. "It's just going to seem so different for a while."

"I'm sure it will, but at least we can spend more time together again, and think how much privacy we have now."

"Yeah, until people come knocking on the door, wanting a healer."

"We can always pretend we're not home."

Gabrielle laughed and moved closer to Xena. "Does this mean we won't ever go to our secret place by the river again?"

"Oh, I think we can still go there sometimes," Xena said with a grin. "But now we can just stay home, if we prefer." She bent to kiss her lover's lips, and felt the old, familiar thrill of desire begin as Gabrielle's body pressed up hard against her own.

"It's too early to go gather herbs," the bard murmured as she pulled Xena's head down and nuzzled her earlobe.

"You're right. The sun is barely up," Xena returned. She ran her tongue along Gabrielle's throat and felt her lover shiver. "Maybe we need to go back to bed for a while," she suggested.

"Uh-huh, especially now that we've got all this nice privacy," Gabrielle said. She slipped her arm around Xena's waist and drew her toward the sleeping room. "I'm so glad I've got you to grow old with," she said as they passed through the doorway.

"Let's not think of it as getting old," Xena said as she wrapped her arms around Gabrielle and slowly backed her toward the bed. "Let's think of it as another fun adventure for us to share."

"Mmm, I like that idea," Gabrielle said as she gave Xena a lingering kiss, and then pulled her down onto the bed with her.

THE END

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